Vince Zampella, the acclaimed co-creator of the video gaming juggernaut “Call of Duty”, has died in a car crash, gaming giant Electronic Arts confirmed on Monday.
According to local broadcaster NBC4, the developer and executive died on Sunday while driving his Ferrari on a scenic road north of Los Angeles. His studios created some of the world’s best-selling video games.
“For unknown reasons, the vehicle veered off the roadway, struck a concrete barrier and became fully engulfed,” the California Highway Patrol said in a statement, without identifying the two victims in the crash.
The CHP added that both the driver and a passenger, who was ejected from the vehicle, succumbed to their injuries.
Zampella was best known for co-creating the “Call of Duty” franchise and founding Respawn Entertainment, the studio behind “Titanfall”, “Apex Legends” and the “Star Wars Jedi” games.
After starting out in the 1990s as a designer on shooter games, he co-founded Infinity Ward in 2002 and helped launch Call of Duty in 2003. Activision later acquired the studio.
He left Activision under contentious circumstances and established Respawn in 2010, which Electronic Arts acquired in 2017.
At EA, he eventually took charge of revitalising the “Battlefield” franchise, cementing his reputation as one of the most influential figures in modern first-person shooter games.
“This is an unimaginable loss, and our hearts are with Vince’s family, his loved ones and all those touched by his work,” Electronic Arts said in a statement.
“Vince’s influence on the video game industry was profound and far-reaching,” the company added, saying that “his work helped shape modern interactive entertainment”.
A statement by Respawn, posted on the “Battlefield” X account, praised Zampella “for how he showed up every day, trusting his teams, encouraging bold ideas and believing in “Battlefield” and the people building it”.
Zampella “championed what he believed was right for the people behind those studios and our players because it mattered”. (France24)
An explosion has ripped through a mosque in northeastern Nigeria as worshippers gathered for their evening prayers, killing at least five people and wounding dozens more, police said.
The blast took place at about 6pm on Wednesday (17:00 GMT) in the city of Maiduguri in Borno State, witnesses told the media.
Police said five people died and 35 were injured in the attack, which it said is likely a suicide attack.
“Preliminary investigations further suggest that the incident may have been a suicide bombing, based on the recovery of fragments of a suspected suicide vest and witness statements recorded, while investigations are ongoing to establish the exact cause and circumstances,” Nahum Daso, spokesperson for Borno state police command, said in a statement.
Daso said police were conducting a sweep of the area in Maiduguri’s Gamboru market in search of secondary devices.
Mosque leader Malam Abuna Yusuf earlier told the AFP news agency that at least eight people had died in the attack, while a militia leader, Babakura Kolo, put the figure at seven.
Another witness, Musa Yusha’u, told AFP that he saw “many victims being taken away for medical treatment”.
The cause of the blast was not immediately known, but it occurred in a city that has been at the heart of an armed rebellion waged by Boko Haram and ISIL’s (ISIS) offshoot in the region, the Islamic State West Africa Province, for nearly two decades.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but the use of suicide bombers has been heavily attributed to Boko Haram.
The conflict in northeast Nigeria has killed at least 40,000 people and displaced about two million from their homes since 2009, according to the United Nations.
Though the violence has waned since its peak about a decade ago, it has spilt into neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon.
Concerns are also growing about a resurgence of violence in parts of the northeast, where armed groups remain capable of mounting deadly attacks despite years of sustained military operations.
Maiduguri itself – once the scene of nightly gun battles and bombings – has been calm in recent years, with the last major attack recorded in 2021. (AlJazeera)
The United States says that it has carried out an air strike against ISIL (ISIS) fighters in northwest Nigeria that residents say caused buildings to shake and the sky to glow red.
“Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria,” President Donald Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform on Thursday evening.
Trump, who has previously threatened greater US intervention in Nigeria over dubious claims that a “genocide” of Christians is taking place there, said ISIL fighters had been “viciously” killing and targeting Christians at levels unseen for “centuries”.
“I have previously warned these Terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was,” Trump said.
The US military’s Africa Command (AFRICOM), which is responsible for operations in Africa, said in a post on X that the air strike was carried out “at the request of Nigerian authorities” and had killed “multiple ISIS terrorists”.
Residents of Jabo have said that the strikes caused alarm and that their village has never experienced an attack by ISIL.
“As it approached our area, the heat became intense,” Abubakar Sani, who lives just a few houses from the scene of the explosion, told the news service Associated Press.
“Our rooms began to shake, and then fire broke out,” he said. “The Nigerian government should take appropriate measures to protect us as citizens. We have never experienced anything like this before.”
Another resident, 40-year-old farmer Sanusi Madabo, said that the attacks made the night sky glow red and appear “almost like daytime”.
“Grateful for Nigerian government support and cooperation,” US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth wrote on social media, warning also of “more to come”, without providing details.
In a statement, AFRICOM said the strike occurred in “Soboto state,” an apparent reference to Nigeria’s Sokoto State.
Nigerian Foreign Minister Yussuf Tuggar confirmed on Friday that the strike had been carried out in coordination with the country’s authorities, but said it was not aimed at targeting members of any particular religious community.
“Nigeria is a multi-religious country, and we’re working with partners like the US to fight terrorism and protect lives and property,” Tuggar told Nigeria’s Channels Television.
The US military action comes weeks after Trump said he had ordered the Pentagon to begin planning for potential military action in Nigeria following claims of Christian persecution in the country.
Nigeria’s government had dismissed Trump’s assertions, saying armed groups target both Muslim and Christian communities in the country, and US claims that Christians face persecution do not represent a complex security situation and ignore efforts by Nigerian authorities to safeguard religious freedom.
Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement shortly after Trump announced the US strike, confirming early on Friday that Nigerian authorities were “engaged in structured security cooperation with international partners, including the United States of America, in addressing the persistent threat of terrorism and violent extremism”. (AlJazeera)
Cristian Romero could be hit with an extended suspension after he was charged by England’s ruling Football Association with failing to leave the field and acting in an “aggressive” manner when he was sent off against Liverpool last Saturday.
The Tottenham Hotspur captain received a second yellow card for kicking out at Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate before being ordered off the field by referee John Brooks during a 2-1 defeat.
Romero’s dismissal left Spurs down to nine men as Xavi Simons had already been shown a red card for serious foul play in the first half.
Argentina centre-back Romero had first been booked for dissent after complaining he had been pushed by Hugo Ekitike when the forward scored Liverpool’s second goal.
Romero’s red card means he will serve a one-match ban, missing Sunday’s match away to London rivals Crystal Palace.
But he now faces additional punishment, and a longer ban if found guilty. He has until January 2 to respond to Wednesday’s charge.
Spurs travel to Brentford on New Year’s Day before hosting Sunderland on January 4 and visiting Bournemouth three days later.
“It’s alleged that he (Romero) acted in an improper manner by failing to promptly leave the field of play and/or behaving in a confrontational and/or aggressive manner towards the match referee after being sent off in the 93rd minute,” said an FA statement.
Romero went into the game on seven bookings in the Premier League this season and Tottenham head coach Thomas Frank accused Brooks of failing in his duties by sending the defender off the field.
“There is a massive mistake by John on the pitch,” said Frank.
“Two hands on the back by Ekitike. I don’t understand how he didn’t see it. OK, luckily we have VAR so they will bail you out when you need it, which they didn’t. That was the second mistake.”
The Danish boss added: “I think if you go back to that (second Liverpool goal) and the referee did his job, then it would not have been a first yellow (for Romero). Is that fair to say?
“I have a player that is extremely passionate, and if you have a passionate player then you need to go to the line sometimes.”
Defeat left Spurs a lowly 14th in the table and added to the growing pressure on Frank, who took charge after Ange Postecoglou was sacked in June. (JapanToday)
Nigerian singer Ahmed Ololade, popularly known as Asake, has expressed deep sorrow following a tragic incident at his concert in Nairobi, Kenya, where a stampede reportedly claimed the life of a fan.
The incident occurred on Friday, December 20, during Asake’s performance in the Kenyan capital.
Reports from local media and eyewitnesses indicated that overcrowding and movement around the venue led to panic, resulting in a stampede that left several people injured and at least one person dead.
In a statement shared on his Instagram story, Asake said he was devastated by the development and confirmed the identity of the deceased as Karen Lojore.
“I am devastated by the tragic incident that took place at the festival on Dec 20th in Nairobi,” the singer wrote. “My heart goes out to the family, friends, and loved ones of Karen Lojore, and I pledge to support and do my best to understand what happened. Those responsible should be held accountable.”
Asake added that music has always been his way of spreading love and joy, noting that the loss of life at a show meant to bring happiness was deeply painful to him.
“Music has always been my way of sharing love and joy, and it breaks my heart that anyone had to experience such loss,” he said. “My thoughts are with everyone grieving, and I pray that Karen rests in peace. God bless Kenya.”
The tragedy at Asake’s concert has renewed concerns about crowd control and event safety, particularly at concerts headlined by A-list performers with large followings.
Some attendees at the Nairobi show reportedly complained of congestion and difficulty accessing certain parts of the venue, while others described moments of panic as the crowd surged.
Similar crowd-control concerns have surfaced at several concerts in Nigeria this December, drawing attention to a growing pattern during the festive season, when shows attract unusually large crowds.
At Fola’s What a Feeling concert in Lagos, fans complained of overcrowding and poor organisation, with some attendees struggling to gain access to the venue.
The situation prompted the fast-rising singer to apologise publicly to fans via X (formerly twitter) acknowledging the lapses and expressing regret over their experience.
A similar situation happened at BNXN’s BNXN Live in Concert, where issues around access, crowd management, and fan dissatisfaction trended online after the event. BNXN later apologised to fans and refunded a fan ₦250,000.
These incidents have intensified calls for stricter safety measures at concerts across Nigeria and beyond.
Asake concluded his message by offering prayers for the deceased and support for those affected, as the music community reflects on the importance of safety at live events. (Guardian)
The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade 1, has congratulated the Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, on the occasion of his 58th birthday, describing him as “a leader who demonstrates the rare combination of thinking and doing.”
Alaafin conveyed the congratulatory message in a Thursday statement signed by his Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye.
Alaafin expressed that Makinde has exhibited the quality of a good leader who has the courage not only to take actions but also to face the consequences of his actions.
Oba Owoade commended Makinde as a leader with a vision, courage and competence, underscoring his believes in probity as a factor for steady growth in Oyo State.
Owoade said, “Governor Makinde is more interested in people who can sustain his institutional reforms and other legacies and not in his own personal preferences.
“If you are brilliant, truthful and hardworking, he will work with you. He runs an inclusive government but you can only get something from him if you key into his vision of RTR, meaning reformation, transformation and repositioning. Makinde is a true believer who fears God and in tune with the spirit of the word of God . He is not arrogant, uncouth, and incoherent.”
Alaafin said that the State will always be grateful to Governor Makinde as the purveyor of unprecedented achievements that have far-reaching effects on the lives of the people.
Oba Owoade therefore prayed God to grant Gov. Makinde long life, good health and divine guidance in the arduous tasks ahead of him. (TVCNews)
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has commiserated with the victims affected by the tragic fire incident that engulfed the 25-storey Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) Building on Martins Street, Lagos Island.
Sanwo-Olu conveyed his message in a Thursday statement posted on his official X handle following his visit to the scene of the inferno.
Sanwo-Olu wrote, “I am deeply saddened by the fire incident that occurred yesterday at the Great Nigeria House. My thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this tragedy.
“I went to Balogun today for an on-the-spot assessment to better understand the situation. No written report can truly reflect the pain or the full extent of this loss.”
He added, “I want to thank our firefighters, emergency responders, and all the agencies that worked tirelessly through the night to bring the fire under control. Their courage and dedication saved lives and prevented the damage from spreading further.”
“We will continue to assess the situation and provide support to those who have been impacted. Lagos has always shown strength in difficult moments, and I believe we will get through this together,” he expressed. (TVCNews)
Legendary Nigerian musician and Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, will be posthumously honoured with a Special Merit Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 Grammy Awards.
The Recording Academy recognised Fela as the “architect of Afrobeat,” highlighting his transformative influence on the genre and his enduring impact on generations of artists.
“An architect of Afrobeat, honoured for a lifetime of influence. Fela Kuti was a Nigerian musician, producer, arranger, political radical, activist, and the father of Afrobeat. In the 1960s, he created the genre by combining funk, jazz, salsa, calypso, and a blend of traditional Nigerian rhythms,” the statement said.
Fela will join an illustrious list of past recipients, including Whitney Houston, Cher, and Paul Simon.
His innovative fusion of musical styles in the 1960s laid the foundation for modern Afrobeat, and his influence reaches global stars such as Beyoncé, Paul McCartney, and Thom Yorke.
Fela’s legacy continues through his family, the Kalakuta Museum, and the New Afrika Shrine.
“His influence spans generations, shaping modern Nigerian Afrobeats and inspiring global artists such as Beyoncé, Paul McCartney, and Thom Yorke. His legacy continues to live on not only through music, but through his family and through the Kalakuta Museum and the New Afrika Shrine,” the Academy added.
The Special Merit Awards ceremony will be held on January 31, 2026, during Grammy Week, ahead of the main Grammy Awards event. (TVCNews)
The U.S. Supreme Court refused on Tuesday to let Donald Trump send National Guard troops to the Chicago area as the Republican president expands the use of the military for domestic purposes in a growing number of Democratic-led jurisdictions, a policy critics call an effort to punish adversaries and stifle dissent.
The justices denied the Justice Department’s request to lift a judge’s order that has blocked the deployment of hundreds of National Guard personnel in a legal challenge brought by Illinois state officials and local leaders. The department had asked to allow the deployment while the litigation plays out.
The National Guard serves as state-based militia forces that answer to state governors except when called into federal service by the president.
Trump ordered troops to Chicago, the third-largest U.S. city, and to Portland, Oregon, following his earlier deployments to Los Angeles, Memphis and Washington, DC.
The case has been characterized by starkly different portrayals of the protests against Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement in and around Chicago.
Trump and his allies have described Democratic-led cities as lawless, crime-ravaged and plagued with vast, violent protests. His administration has said troops are needed to protect federal property and personnel.
Democratic mayors and governors, along with other Trump critics, have said these claims are a false account of the situation and a pretext for sending troops, accusing Trump of abusing his power.
Federal judges have expressed skepticism over the administration’s dire view of protests that local law enforcement officials have called limited in size, largely peaceful and manageable by their own forces – far from the “war zone” conditions described by Trump.
Trump has relied on a law that lets a president deploy state National Guard troops to suppress a rebellion, repel an invasion or if he is “unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States.”
Illinois and Chicago sued after the administration federalized 300 Illinois National Guard troops and also ordered Texas National Guard troops into the state, calling the actions unlawful. Officials have since announced the administration was sending home hundreds of National Guard troops who were dispatched to Portland from California, and to Chicago from Texas.
Chicago-based U.S. District Judge April Perry temporarily blocked the move on October 9, finding that the claims of violence during protests at an immigration facility in the Chicago suburb of Broadview, Illinois, where a small group of demonstrators had gathered daily for weeks, were unreliable.
Perry, an appointee of Democratic former President Joe Biden, found that there was no evidence of rebellion or that the law was not being enforced, faulting officials for “equating protests with riots and a lack of appreciation for the wide spectrum that exists between citizens who are observing, questioning and criticizing their government, and those who are obstructing, assaulting or doing violence.”
A National Guard deployment would “only add fuel to the fire,” Perry said.
A three-judge panel of the Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declined to lift Perry’s order blocking the deployment, concluding that “the facts do not justify the president’s actions in Illinois.” Two of the three judges were appointed by Republican presidents, including one by Trump.
The Justice Department told the Supreme Court that the assessment by local officials of the protests was “implausibly rosy,” and that federal agents “have been forced to operate under the constant threat of mob violence.”
Lawyers for Illinois and Chicago told the justices that the local protests have “never hindered the continued operation” of the Broadview facility, and that state and local authorities have responded to every request for assistance and contained any sporadic disruption.
Officials from Portland and Oregon are pursuing a separate legal challenge to Trump’s planned deployment to that city. U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut, a Trump appointee, permanently blocked that deployment in a November 7 ruling. The administration has appealed that ruling.
The Supreme Court in October asked the administration as well as Illinois and Chicago to provide written arguments over how to interpret the words “regular forces” in the law at issue in the case.
In an October 10 written ruling, Perry said that historical sources indicate that “regular forces” means only members regularly enlisted in the military, including the Army and Navy, as opposed to the National Guard.
Trump’s administration “made no attempt to rely on the regular forces before resorting to federalization of the National Guard,” Perry said, adding that there are other limits on the use of the military for domestic law enforcement purposes.
The administration repeatedly has sought the Supreme Court’s intervention to allow implementation of Trump policies impeded by lower courts. The Supreme Court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, has sided with the administration in almost every case that it has been called upon to review since Trump returned to the presidency in January. (JapanToday)
Liverpool striker Alexander Isak will be laid up for two months with a broken ankle and fibula from a tackle that coach Arne Slot described as reckless on Tuesday.
Isak had surgery on Monday, two days after he was injured in the act of scoring the opening goal of a 2-1 win over Tottenham in the Premier League.
“It’s going to be a long injury, for a couple of months,” Slot said. “It’s a big disappointment for him and, as a result, for us.
“This was, for me, a reckless challenge. I’ve said a lot about the tackle of Xavi Simons (who was sent off for dragging his studs down the calf of Virgil van Dijk in the same game) which for me was completely unintentional.
“I don’t think you will ever get an injury out of a tackle like that. But the tackle of (Micky) van de Ven (on Isak), if you make a tackle like that 10 times, 10 times there is a serious chance the player gets a serious injury.”
Van de Ven slid into Isak and trapped his shooting foot just after he’d shot.
TV analyst and Liverpool great Jamie Carragher defended Van de Ven.
“There’s a lot been made about a lot of the challenges in the game from Tottenham players and a lot of them weren’t clever,” Carragher told Sky Sports on Monday.
“I’ve put myself in Van de Ven’s position and that’s a challenge I’d probably make. He’s trying to block it, it’s just the follow through. I don’t know where else anyone thinks his foot’s going to go. He has to make that challenge. You can’t let the striker just get a shot away there in that situation.
“It’s just really bad luck for Isak. It’s probably one of the first glimpses we’ve seen of his real quality in a Liverpool shirt.”
Slot was doubly disappointed for Isak because the Sweden international was just getting up to speed.
The $170 million British record signing didn’t have a preseason because of his dispute with Newcastle then his fitness was set back by a groin injury in October.
Liverpool was patiently building him up and he’d started five of the last nine games but Slot, who expects Isak back before the end of the season, doesn’t believe he’ll be as sharp as he was last season for Newcastle.
“It’s been a really challenging and difficult period for him. Usually when you join a new club — he was very excited as well — you want to show all the qualities you have but that was simply impossible,” Slot said.
“Maybe no one understands but if you haven’t trained on a serious level for three or four months with the team and you are playing in this league you have to be on top of your game to impact a game of football.
“That took months because there was no preseason, just games, games, games and hardly any time to train. We all knew it would take him time and that’s why he is so unlucky he is now injured because we all saw with his goal against West Ham and with this goal (against Tottenham) he gets closer and closer to the player he was last season at Newcastle.” (JapanToday)
English