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125 Die In Nightclub Roof Collapse In Dominican Republic

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Hundreds of rescue workers in the Dominican Republic continue to search for survivors of a roof collapse at a nightclub in the capital, Santo Domingo, where 125 people died and more than 150 were injured.

 

Officials said the incident happened at the Jet Set club on Tuesday just before 01:00 local time (05:00 GMT).

 

Head of Emergency Operations Juan Manuel Méndez estimated that his team had “24 to 36 hours left“ to search for survivors under the rubble.

 

Hundreds of guests were inside the popular venue attending a concert by merengue singer Rubby Pérez.

Pérez, as well as former Major League Baseball players Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco, and a provincial governor are among those who have been confirmed dead.

 

 

Mobile phone footage recorded inside the club, verified by the BBC, shows Pérez on stage singing while the man recording can be heard talking.

 

“Something fell from the ceiling,“ the man recording says, his finger pointing towards the roof.

In the footage, Pérez can be seen looking towards the area pointed out by the man.

Less than 30 seconds later, a noise can be heard, and the recording goes black while a woman shouts, „Dad, what‘s happened to you?“

 

Relatives have been anxiously waiting for news of their loved ones.

 

 

It is unclear how many people were inside the popular venue, but estimates range between 500 and 1,000 people.

 

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed on X that at least one US national and multiple legal permanent residents were killed in the roof collapse.

 

He said that he and his wife, Jeanette, were „united in prayer“ and that the US stands „ready to support our Dominican allies amid this difficult time“.

 

Emergency workers have demolished one of the club‘s walls to better reach those still buried under the rubble.

 

Relatives desperate for news of their missing loved ones have been holding vigils at the scene.

 

Among them was Pérez‘s daughter Zulinka, a backing singer in his merengue band.

 

She described how she had been on stage, singing with her father when the tragedy unfolded.

 

Zulinka said she was saved by her husband, who shielded her with his body when the roof collapsed, telling her that she had to make it out „to be there for our son“.

 

She managed to crawl out from under the rubble, and her husband also made it out alive.

 

Her 69-year-old father, however, remained trapped for hours.

 

According to Zulinka, he survived the collapse and guided emergency workers to his location.

 

They found him singing; he started to sing so they would hear him,“ she told local media.

 

But around 17:00 local time, more than 16 hours after the tragedy had occurred, Zulinka was informed by rescue workers at the scene that her father had died before they could free him.

 

His manager later confirmed his death.

 

Nelsy Cruz also survived the initial impact from the falling debris and was among the first to raise the alarm – by directly calling the president of the Dominican Republic.

 

The first call the 41-year-old governor of Monte Cristi province placed as she lay injured in the debris was to President Luis Abinader, asking him to send the emergency services to save those around her who were also severely damaged.

 

Their father said that only after Cruz called the president did Nelsy Cruz call her brother, Nelson Cruz, a seven-time Major League Baseball All-Star.

 

She later died in hospital from injuries she had sustained from falling glass.

 

Octavio Dotel, a former Major League Baseball pitcher, is also among those who died after being pulled from the debris.

 

The 51-year-old was rescued alive but died on the way to hospital.

 

It is not yet clear what caused Jet Set‘s roof to collapse.

 

The club was previously a cinema and had been turned into a music venue hosting regular dance music concerts on Monday nights.

 

The concerts drew people of all ages, and several athletes, celebrities, and politicians were in attendance on the day of the collapse.

 

President Abinader has declared three days of national mourning.

 

 

 

 

-Leadership

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‎Government Demolishes Influencer Ola Of Lagos’ Car Showroom ‎

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The Lagos State Government has reportedly demolished a popular luxury car showroom owned by social media influencer and car dealer, Waris Olayinka Akinwande, widely known as ‘Ola of Lagos’.

‎The incident, which occurred on Saturday, was first brought to public attention through a viral TikTok video posted by another car dealer, Ibilo, who captured the remains of the demolished property.

‎The caption read, “Lagos State Government Demolishes OOL Autos. Heavy one today.”

‎As of press time, the state government had not issued an official statement regarding the demolition, leaving the motive behind the action unconfirmed.

‎However, widespread speculation on social media suggested that the structure was pulled down because it was allegedly built beneath a high-tension power line in violation of safety and urban planning regulations.

‎One TikTok user, Adekunle Autoparts, commented, “They demolished it because he built it under a power line.”

‎Another user, Sisi Noni, expressed mixed feelings about the development, highlighting both the safety risks and the harshness of the government’s approach.

‎“I’m not trying to sound hateful, but the first time I saw this structure, my eyes got hold of the high tension. But as usual, I felt the country doesn’t send anymore once you have money,” she wrote.

‎“Building under the high tension is very risky. But at the same time, they should have asked him to relocate — maybe they would have dismantled the structure without destroying it so he can make use of some of those materials in his new site.”

‎The demolition came amid a broader enforcement drive by the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources against illegal constructions across the state.

‎On the same day, the government also demolished no fewer than 17 houses illegally erected on the Right of Way (RoW) of the Ikota River alignment in the Lekki area.

‎Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, who led a monitoring and enforcement team to the site, warned residents against activities that endanger the environment or obstruct natural water channels.

‎“We stopped them then, but we were alerted again recently that the encroachment had resumed aggressively, with attempts to sell to unsuspecting buyers,” Wahab said.

‎He stressed that the exercise formed part of the state’s broader efforts to reclaim and protect flood-prone areas, adding that offenders behind illegal reclamation and construction activities would be identified and prosecuted.

‎Recovered evidence from the Lekki site showed several ongoing reclamation projects, sand-filling operations, and partially completed structures built directly on natural waterways, a violation the state said poses serious environmental risks.

‎-Leadership

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Davido Becomes Grammy Voting Member Ahead Of 2026 Awards

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‎Afrobeats superstar, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has been officially inducted as a voting member of the Recording Academy, the body behind the prestigious Grammy Awards.

‎The move gives the ‘Feel’ crooner, who secured three Grammy nominations in 2024, a direct role in the Academy’s nomination and final-ballot processes for the 2026 ceremony.

‎Confirming his membership, the Recording Academy shared a video on Instagram on Tuesday featuring Davido alongside other newly admitted members.

‎The post read, “Creating a song or an album takes heart, time, and dedication. ✨ That’s why Recording Academy members including #Davido, #ravynlenae, #offsetyrn, #jessiereyez, #zacbrownband, #anneakikomeyers, #miles.minnick, #mayaelizabethmusic, #damiensneed, #damarismusica, and #stewart_copeland are sharing why your participation matters.”

‎Speaking on the milestone, Davido expressed pride at joining the global community of music professionals shaping the awards.

‎“Understanding the importance of how our voices are heard, I am participating in the GRAMMY Award process. It is a game-changer. I have learned that voting empowers you to have a say in what is considered and voted on in each season. I am honoured to be part of the Recording Academy community, and I look forward to voting,” he said.

‎Davido’s inclusion underscores the Academy’s ongoing efforts to diversify and expand its membership base, with growing representation from African and other international artists.

‎The Academy also announced that voting for the 2026 GRAMMY Awards will open on October 3. “Recording Academy voting members: review the ballot, listen, and vote early, starting October 3,” it said.

-Leadership

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Tyler Perry Faces $260m Sexual Assault Lawsuit From Actor Derek Dixon

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‎Filmmaker Tyler Perry, known for Acrimony and his popular Madea comedy series, is battling a $260 million sexual assault lawsuit after actor Derek Dixon, who played Dale on Perry’s BET drama The Oval, went public with allegations of harassment and abuse.

‎In his first on-camera interview with ABC News on September 9, 2025, Dixon claimed Perry fostered a coercive dynamic that blurred professional boundaries and left him fearful for his career.

‎He alleged that Perry pulled down his underwear and grabbed his buttocks at the producer’s Atlanta home. “I was under constant stress, scared I’d lose my job or be killed off the show if I didn’t comply”.

‎Explaining the damages sought, Dixon said the lawsuit reflects both personal losses and a deterrent against future abuse.

‎“Part of that number is my lost job, my lost income, the loss of a show. The other part of that is a deterrent, how do you stop a billionaire who won’t stop themselves from doing this?” he said.

‎Dixon also accused Perry of failing to deliver on a promise to produce a pilot he had written, which he said Perry still controls.

‎Despite the risks of speaking out, Dixon said he went public “to protect future generations of actors and creatives,” adding, “Never exploit someone’s aspirations to coerce them into a relationship. That’s unprofessional.”

‎Perry’s attorney, Matthew Boyd, dismissed the claims, saying, “This is an individual who got close to Tyler Perry for what now appears to be an elaborate scam. But Tyler will not be coerced, and we are confident that these unfounded harassment claims will not succeed.”

‎Dixon, who joined Perry’s productions in 2020, filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in January 2024 before leaving The Oval later that year.

‎His June 2025 lawsuit has since intensified scrutiny of workplace harassment and power dynamics in Hollywood.

‎-Leadership

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