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Spotify sets to sack 17% staff members

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Music streaming giant Spotify said today it will reduce the number of its employees by around 17% in a bid to cut costs amid “dramatically” slower economic growth.

Spotify in October posted a rare quarterly operating profit of 32 million euros, compared to a loss of 228 million for the same period a year earlier, on the back of 26% growth in active users for the third quarter.

“I realise that for many, a reduction of this size will feel surprisingly large given the recent positive earnings report and our performance,” chief executive Daniel Ek wrote in a letter to employees, which was seen by AFP.

He said that in 2020 and 2021, the company “took advantage of the opportunity presented by lower-cost capital and invested significantly in team expansion, content enhancement, marketing and new verticals.”

“However, we now find ourselves in a very different environment. And despite our efforts to reduce costs this past year, our cost structure for where we need to be is still too big.”

Spotify has invested heavily since its launch to fuel growth with expansions into new markets and, in later years, exclusive content such as podcasts.

It has invested over one billion dollars into podcasts alone.

In 2017, the company had around 3,000 staff members, more than tripling the figure to around 9,800 at the end of 2022.

The company has never posted a full-year net profit and only occasionally quarterly profits despite its success in the online music market.

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Adetshina addresses identity theft claim, says she earned Miss Universe Nigeria win

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Chidimma Adetshina, the recently crowned Miss Universe Nigeria, has finally addressed the claims of identity theft in South Africa.

Chidimma was born in 2001 in Soweto at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital. Her father is of Igbo descent while some reports said her mother is a Mozambican who had become a naturalized citizen of South Africa.

The model sparked controversy during this year’s Miss South Africa pageant due to her nationality.

This led to a surge of criticism on social media, particularly from South Africans. Chidimma would later withdraw from the Miss South Africa contest.

Her withdrawal came after the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) for South Africa alleged that preliminary evidence suggests Chidimma’s mother may have committed fraud and identity theft.

Speaking on the matter in an Arise TV interview, the 23-year-old denied any wrongdoing, saying “I didn’t steal anyone’s identity”.

The young woman, however, declined to elaborate, citing ongoing investigations and concerns about potential contradictions.

“I did not steal anyone’s identity. Obviously I am still waiting on the conclusion of the whole case and matter, then moving forward, I will know exactly what to say,” she said.

“Because I feel like now if I say something and something comes out tomorrow, it could be like but you said this then something else. I am just avoiding all those two things contradicting one another.”

On August 14, the model accepted the invitation to participate in this year’s Miss Universe Nigeria pageant. She was recently crowned winner of the pageant.

Speaking on her victory, Chidimma also dismissed insinuations that she won the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant “out of pity”.

She argued that she went through the same rigorous experience as all contestants, adding that “I worked hard to earn my title”.

“A lot of people felt like it was a pity win and I do not think so. I feel like I really worked hard. Coming from the SA journey, we spent 10 weeks in camp,” she said.

“It might have been a slight difference but I feel like, if we have to look at the journey that we have all been through, I feel like I had the same experience that they did.”

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Yemi Shodimu fumes after buying petrol at N1k per litre

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Yemi Shodimu, the ace actor, has expressed frustration over the ongoing petrol scarcity and price hike in Nigeria.

In a video shared on TikTok, Shodimu sang a re-composed song, thanking God for being able to buy 30 litres of petrol at N30,000.

The actor also asked if Nigerians are okay with the situation.

“I thank God I was able to buy fuel. I thank God I was able to get fuel. N30, 000 for 30 litres,” he sings.

“Are we seriously okay?”

Shodimu’s outburst follows the significant increase in petrol prices after President Bola Tinubu scrapped subsidies in 2023.

The official pump price had previously been N600/litre while the landing cost exceeded N1,200.

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Skales calls out Green Africa Airline over N15 million loss due to flight cancellation

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Nigerian singer Skales lost ₦15 million after his flight to Akure was canceled due to the pilot’s illness.

Skales shared his frustration in a video, criticizing the airline, Green Africa, for last-minute communication and poor service. His experience highlights ongoing concerns about airline reliability in Nigeria.

Singer Skales expressed his frustration after an Akure-bound flight was canceled due to the pilot’s illness. In a video shared on social media, Skales confronted airline officials, revealing that the cancellation caused him to lose ₦15 million from a deal.

He criticized the airline, Green Africa, for poor communication and disrespect, questioning why they waited until the last minute to inform passengers of the issue.

Skales emphasized the financial loss, stating he had been paid ₦15 million for the event he was meant to attend. His outburst reflects growing dissatisfaction with airline services in Nigeria.

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Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others

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