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Bishop Oyedepo kicks against excessive use of social media by young people as ‘they no longer have time to think’

Oyedepo rejects CAMA: Appointing a trustees over his church

The Chancellor of Covenant University, Ota, Ogun, and Senior Pastor of Living Faith Church, Bishop David Oyedepo, has warned young people against the excessive use of social media.

According to him, the honor of this generation has been wiped off as the young people are busy chatting all day with no time to think and develop themselves. 

The clergyman who said this during the 15th Convocation Ceremony and Conferment of Honourary Doctorate Degrees and presentation of prizes in Ota, Ogun today May 21, added that the negative impact of social media on youths could not be overemphasized as it has made them to lose focus and rob them of their destinies.

“The social media saga has eroded the substance of destiny as it has unconsciously robbed youths of their future and their time.

The honour of this generation has been wiped off, chatting all day with no time left to think, plan programme and engage productively in the pursuit of any task.

Some professionals have classified social media addiction along with drugs, alcohol and sex.

“Social media that is supposed to be a plus to the youth, suddenly became a minus, as everything of value is delivered through investment of time,” he said.

Oyedepo  also called on young people to be focused in life and dedicate their time to their ambition.

”No one ever arrives at a future he cannot see, neither does anyone arrive at a future he is not prepared for. It is time for every youth to wake up from slumber and take his/her destiny in their hands” he said

By Kingsley U.

Asisat Oshoala rumoured to leave Barcelona soon for Manchester United

Nigeria international, Asisat Oshoala is being tipped to depart Barcelona in this summer transfer window.


Top Spanish sports daily paper, Mundo Deportivo says that the Super Falcons captain wants to leave Barcelona in search of regular game time, and Manchester United Womens football club are very interested in her services. 


In the current season, Oshoala has recorded fifteen starts from a possible twenty-seven in the Spanish Primera División, playing 1,292 minutes for the European champions. 


The report says Barcelona are considering cashing out on Oshoala if United drop a good offer and will likely to go after another striker this summer if Oshoala departs the club.


The club is also considering giving more first-team opportunities to the prolific 18-year-old attacker Bruna Vilamala.


Oshoala who has won African Women’s Footballer of the Year four times would be an ideal signing for Manchester United as she has the experience of playing in the Women’s Super League with Liverpool and Arsenal.

By Jide N.

Nigerian Army confirms death of its Chief of Army Staff and provides full list of those who died

The Nigerian army has confirmed the death of Chief of Army Staff, Major General Ibrahim Attahiru.

The army said the aircraft was enroute to Kaduna from Abuja on Friday, 21 May, when the unfortunate incident happened.

It also said details of the crash burial arrangements will be communicated to the public soon.

Nigerian Army confirms death of its Chief of Army Staff

Here is the full list of 11 people who died in the plane crash. 

COAS ENTOURAGE

1. LT GEN I ATTAHIRU

2. BRIG GEN MI ABDULKADIR

3. BRIG GEN OLAYINKA

4. BRIG GEN KULIYA

5. MAJ LA HAYATU

6. MAJ HAMZA

7. SGT UMAR

CREW

8. FLT LT TO ASANIYI.

9. FLT LT AA OLUFADE.

10. SGT ADESINA.

11. ACM OYEDEPO.

By Francisca C.

Cassie recounts splitting up with her ex. Lover P.Diddy to be her own boss

15 years ago Cassie lit up the airwaves when she released her breakout hit “Me & U.”


In honor of the anniversary, Cassie has come out to talk about the changing music industry and her departure from Bad Boy Records, where she released her 2006 debut album Cassie.

cassie and p.diddy

The 34-year-old singer, who ended her romantic relationship with Sean “Diddy” Combs in 2018, married Alex Fine in 2019 and has welcomed two girls, Frankie and Sunny.

Since leaving Bad Boy, she has been releasing music independently via her Ventura Music label.


Speaking with Ciara on her Apple Music show “Level Up Radio” Cassie revealed:


“I left Bad Boy. I was able to get out of my deal. So now I’m independent,” Cassie confirmed.


“So that’s just very different from the start.”


“It’s so different. And I mean, even now I’m just in a different place in my life,” said Cassie, who is happy being her own boss and making her own decisions.


“It’s the place to be, just to own your stuff and just… You could do whatever you want. You could wake up tomorrow and be like, ‘Okay, I want to record four records. And then put them out and it’s mine. And what you going to say?’”


Ciara, who launched her own independent label Beauty Marks Entertainment, concurred. “And you don’t feel the pressure of like having to wait on if someone’s going to like something or have to wait on someone else to make a decision for you,” she said.


“You get to make the decision for yourself. And that’s true girl empowerment right there.”


Ciara also handed Cassie her flowers, calling “Me & U” a “classic.” 


“When I hear people playing it still, I’m like, ‘That song is so old,’” said Cassie. 


“But it’s like, ‘Okay, I’ll accept the classic.’ I’ll accept the classic.”

By Terry W.

Sergio Aguero, Manchester City star, agrees to join Barcelona on a two-year contract

Manchester City icon, Sergio Aguero has reportedly agreed to join Barcelona on a two-year contract.

Football transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano confirmed the news on Twitter, writing: “Sergio Agüero to Barcelona, here we go! He’s set to join until June 2023, agreement reached. Bonus included in case Barça will win the UCL.”

He also confirmed that Barcelona are closing in on signing former Manchester United forward Memphis Depay.

“#FCB More: Barcelona are also getting closer to sign Memphis Depay. He confirmed to his new lawyers that he wants to join Barça,” he added.

Sergio Agüero to Barcelona, here we go! He’s set to join until June 2023, agreement reached. Bonus included in case Barça will win the UCL. ?? #FCB

More: Barcelona are also getting closer to sign Memphis Depay. He confirmed to his new lawyers that he wants to join Barça ??? — Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 21, 2021

The Argentine international, 32, who signed from Atletico Madrid in 2011, has scored 257 goals in 384 appearances for the club.

On Friday, May 21, Manchester City Pep Guardiola paid tribute to Agüero, who is leaving City as their record goalscorer. 

“His performance when he fit was fit was incredible,” Guardiola said. “I am pretty sure the 10,000 fans that will be in the stadium will show for the rest of the fans around the world, and will give him his tribute and gratitude for what he’s done for this club in terms of titles, numbers, performance – incredible.”

By Terry W.

Zimbabwean Traditional court fines Robert Mugabe’s widow, Grace Mugabe, two goats and five cows for ‘improperly’ burying the late President

The widow of former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe has reportedly been fined five cows and two goats for ‘improperly’ burying her husband after he passed away.

A traditional court met on Thursday morning in the absence of Grace Mugabe, to reach their decision, a source close to the family said.

Grace Mugabe

The former first lady, known as Gucci Grace because of her lavish spending lifestyle, is accused of burying her husband, who died in 2019 at the age of 95, in the courtyard of his home in Kutama.

Grace Mugabe

Chief Zvimba, born Stanley Mhondoro, said Mugabe was supposed to be buried in a place chosen by his mother or immediate family. He then called for the body to be exhumed and reburied according to custom.

At the time of Mugabe’s death, there was a dispute between Grace Mugabe and President Emmerson Mnangagwa over where Robert should be buried.

Mnangagwa wanted Mugabe to be interred in the National Heroes Acre burial ground and national monument near Harare. While Grace wanted her husband to be buried in his hometown, away from the capital city.

Robert Mugabe, who ruled Zimbabwe for 37 years had a strong grudge against his former vice president Mnangagwa, who was placed in charge of the country after Mugabe was forced to resign in November 2017.

By Lucky B.

Nuno Espirito Santo, Wolves coach, leaves the club at the end of the season

Wolves have announced that manager Nuno Espirito Santo will leave the club at the end of the season.

The Portuguese manager will depart after Sunday’s match at home to Manchester United.

He enjoyed a successful stint at Molineux, guiding the club out of the Championship and back to the Premier League in his first season.

Since then, Nuno has recorded back-to-back seventh-placed finishes in the top-flight, while Wolves also reached the quarter-finals of the Europa League last season.

Wolves are 12th going into the final round of games this weekend, and Nuno and the club have now decided it is time to go their separate ways.

Speaking on his exit, Nuno said;

“Firstly, I want to thank the supporters, who have all played such an important part in helping us reach new heights for Wolves, and the people of the city, who embraced us and made us feel at home.

“I, of course, want to thank all of the staff at Wolves, for their support and total commitment, every single day.

“Most importantly, I want to thank each-and-every player that we’ve worked with since the day we started, for their loyalty, their dedication, hard work and talent. They are the ones who have made this amazing journey possible for us.

“Sunday will be a very emotional day, but I am so happy that the fans will be back in Molineux and we can share one last special moment together, as one pack.”

By Jide N.

Mass graves containing up to 40 bodies found at home of Ex. Police Officer ‘turned gang leader’ in El Salvador (photos)

A mass grave containing up to 40 bodies of mostly women has been discovered at the house of a former police officer-turned gang leader in El Salvador.


The remains of at least 24 people have so far been recovered at the house in the municipality of Chalchuapa, northwest of the capital, San Salvador.


Hugo Ernesto Osorio Chavez is one of at least 10 people facing charges, according to the office of the attorney general.

Mass graves containing up to 40 bodies found at home of Ex. Police Officer ‘turned gang leader’ in El Salvador (photos)

El Salvador officials confirmed in a statement that they were excavating graves discovered at the house of the former police officer that contained as many as 40 bodies, most of them believed to be women.  


The former police officer was detained on May 8 as the main suspect in the murder of a woman and her daughter, after neighbours alerted the authorities.

Mass graves containing up to 40 bodies found at home of Ex. Police Officer ‘turned gang leader’ in El Salvador (photos)

During a search at his home police uncovered lifeless bodies.


Justice and Security Minister Gustavo Villatoro said DNA samples were being collected from area residents who had a missing relative to see if it matched with any of the bodies. 


He added that the depth of the holes suggested more than one person had taken part in the burials, according to Sky News.

Mass graves containing up to 40 bodies found at home of Ex. Police Officer ‘turned gang leader’ in El Salvador (photos)

Exhuming all of the bodies could take another month, while digging will continue in other parts of the property during this time, authorities added.


Families of missing people, who believed their relatives could be among the bodies, gathered outside the house on Thursday, as forensic workers removed skeletons from the ground.

Mass graves containing up to 40 bodies found at home of Ex. Police Officer ‘turned gang leader’ in El Salvador (photos)

‘There’s the hope of recognizing a family member, even among the corpses,’ said Marleny Barrientos, 50, who carried a photograph of her son, who disappeared in 2015. ‘That is why I’m here.’


Forensic criminologist Israel Ticas said that digging will continue in other parts of the property for months. 

Mass graves containing up to 40 bodies found at home of Ex. Police Officer ‘turned gang leader’ in El Salvador (photos)

On Wednesday, a local judge ordered the arrest of 11 people linked to Osorio Chavez. The accomplices were accused of aggravated femicide and aggravated homicide. 

Mass graves containing up to 40 bodies found at home of Ex. Police Officer ‘turned gang leader’ in El Salvador (photos)

El Salvador’s director of police, Mauricio Arriaza Chicas, said that Osorio Chavez had been fired from the police force back in 2015, and may have been killing people for a decade. 

Mass graves containing up to 40 bodies found at home of Ex. Police Officer ‘turned gang leader’ in El Salvador (photos)

He continued: ‘He told us that he found victims on social media and sought them out, luring them with the American dream.

Mass graves containing up to 40 bodies found at home of Ex. Police Officer ‘turned gang leader’ in El Salvador (photos)

‘This psychopath has been detained and I believe that 99% of the people who assisted him have been detained.’ 

By Jide N.

Breaking: Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff and others die in military plane crash near Kaduna airport, video emerges (video)

A military training aircraft has crashed at the Kaduna airport with all eight persons on board the aircraft feared dead including Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, Ibrahim Attahiru. The crash occurred this evening May 21.

The Nigeria Air Force says the cause of the crash is yet unknown.

Breaking: Nigeria's Chief of Army Staff and others die in military plane crash near Kaduna airport, video emerges (video)

Video footage from the scene of the military training aircraft that crashed in Kaduna this evening has emerged.

The crash happened at about 6pm while it rained heavily. The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, was among the eight persons who perished in the crash.

Watch the clip below

By Jide N

“Ban over ‘open grazing’ is irreversible and will be enforced” – Gov Akeredolu tells Malami

Ondo State governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has attacked the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, over his comments on the decision of the Southern Governors Forum to ban open grazing in their respective States.

Malami while speaking in an interview with Channels TV on Wednesday May 19, said that the ban on open grazing was unconstitutional as it can be likened to the banning of all spare parts dealers in the Northern parts of the country.

Reacting to Malaimi’s comment, Governor Akeredolu in a statement he personally signed and issued in Akure said it was ‘most unfortunate that the AGF is unable to distill issues as expected of a Senior Advocate.’

Read his statement below

”I have just read the press statement credited to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Shehu Malami SAN on the resolution of the Southern Governors Forum to ban open grazing in their respective States. The AGF is quoted to have said that this reasoned decision, among others, is akin to banning all spare parts dealers in the Northern parts of the country and is unconstitutional.

It is most unfortunate that the AGF is unable to distill issues as expected of a Senior Advocate. Nothing can be more disconcerting. This outburst should, ordinarily, not elicit response from reasonable people who know the distinction between a legitimate business that is not in anyway injurious and a certain predilection for anarchy. Clinging to an anachronistic model of animal husbandry, which is evidently injurious to harmonious relationship between the herders and the farmers as well as the local populace, is wicked and arrogant. 

Comparing this anachronism, which has led to loss of lives, farmlands and property, and engendered untold hardship on the host communities, with buying and selling of auto parts is not only strange. It, annoyingly, betrays a terrible mindset. 

Mr Malami is advised to approach the court to challenge the legality of the Laws of the respective States baning open grazing and decision of the Southern Governor Forum taken in the interest of their people. We shall be most willing to meet him in Court.

The decision to ban open grazing stays. It will be enforced with vigour.”

By Jide N.

Wendy Williams shares a photo of her swollen foot, currently battling lymphedema disease

Wendy Williams has revealed the severity of her chronic health condition following her battle with lymphoedema, a disease that causes swelling in the legs.

The US daytime talk show host took to Instagram to share photo of her swollen foot and urged fans to join Team Wendy Williams for her run/walk to fight lymphatic diseases. 

lymphedema disease??

She wrote in her caption: ‘My Dr. Laure is the French lady who’s helping me live with lymphedema. She scrubs & understands my disease is not curable only manageable. 

‘Oh yes, I’m wearing a sequin dress why not?! #lymphedema.

lymphedema disease??

Lymphoedema is a long-term chronic condition that causes swelling in the body’s tissues. It can affect any part of the body but typically occurs in the arms and legs. The most common symptoms in addition to swelling are; a feeling of heaviness or tightness, restricted range of motion, aching or discomfort, and recurring infections. 

Back in 2019, Wendy, 56, revealed she had been diagnosed with lymphoedema after addressing paparazzi photos of her swollen legs. 

Speaking on the Wendy Williams Show, she said: ‘It’s not going to kill me, but I do have a machine and how dare you talk about the swelling of it all. It’s lymphoedema. I’ve got it under control.’ 

That year she took an extended break from her talk show after suffering complications with Graves’ disease, an autoimmune condition that affects the thyroid. The symptoms include anxiety, hand tremor, heat sensitivity, weight loss, puffy eyes, and enlarged thyroid.

By Jide N.

Sol Bamba now cancer-free after being diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma few months ago – He says

Cardiff City and Ivory Coast defender, Sol Bamba has announced that he is now cancer-free following his battle with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

The 36-year-old was diagnosed just before last Christmas but his club made the news public in January.

Bamba underwent several rounds of chemotherapy and this month returned to action as a late substitute in Cardiff’s home draw with Rotherham on the final day of the Sky Bet Championship season. 

In a heartfelt message on Twitter, Bamba said: ‘Hey everyone, just a quick message to inform you that I’m now cancer-free! It is of course incredibly heart-warming news for my family and I, we are over the moon right now.

‘I really want to thank each and everyone that has been supporting me, whether it’s been with a comment, a message, a like or whatever, that definitely gave me extra strength to go through this. 

‘Above all, I want to thank the family at the NHS who took such good care of me, I will always be grateful for your job.

‘Thank you to all my family, my friends, and of course the club and everyone in the football industry that has helped me facing this challenge. 

‘I wish you all a blessed day and hopefully will see you soon again on the pitch. Sol.’

Sol Bamba
Sol Bamba

Bamba, who started his career at Paris Saint-Germain, made seven appearances for the Bluebirds this season and 117 in total, scoring 10 goals.

He helped the club into the Premier League in 2018 and has also had spells at Hibernian, Leicester and Leeds United.

By Jide N.

Leicester City and Chelsea charged by the FA after a mass brawl between players

Chelsea and Leicester have been charged by the Football Association following the mass brawl that broke between players towards the end of their match at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night, May 18.

Players and staff from both teams squared up to each other after Ricardo Pereira’s challenge on Ben Chilwell.

Antonio Rudiger sparked the ugly scene when he first squared up to Pereira before the clash turned into a bigger altercation between the other players and substitutes.  

Leicester City and Chelsea charged by the FA after a mass brawl between players

Daniel Armartey, who was an unused sub for the Foxes, was booked for his involvement in the burst up while Pereira was shown a yellow card for the foul on Chilwell. 

An FA statement read: ‘Chelsea FC and Leicester City FC have both been charged with a breach of FA Rule E20.1 following their Premier League fixture on Tuesday, May 18, 2021. 

‘It is alleged that both clubs failed to ensure their players and/or club officials conducted themselves in an orderly fashion and/or refrained from provocative behaviour during the 93rd minute.

‘Chelsea FC and Leicester City FC both have until Tuesday, May 25, 2021, to provide their respective responses.’

Chelsea won the match 2-1 to boost their Champions League bid and knock Leicester out of the top four.

By Kingsley U.

Nancy Pelosi ralies global leaders to boycott China 2022 Olympics

US House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi has slammed China’s human rights violations against the Uighurs and other ethnic minorities, calling for a boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, saying that global leaders who attend would lose their moral authority.


US legislators have been increasingly vocal about an Olympic boycott or venue change, lashing out at American corporations for supporting China, arguing their silence about what the US State Department has deemed genocide against Uighur and other ethnic minorities in China was abetting the Chinese government.


Pelosi, a Democrat, told a bipartisan congressional hearing on the issue on Tuesday, May 18, that heads of state around the world should shun the games, scheduled for February.


Pelosi said she was proposing “a diplomatic boycott” in which “lead countries of the world withhold their attendance at the Olympics”.
“Let’s not honour the Chinese government by having heads of state go to China,” Pelosi said.


“For heads of state to go to China in light of a genocide that is ongoing – while you’re sitting there in your seat – really begs the question, what moral authority do you have to speak again about human rights any place in the world?” she said.


An independent United Nations panel said in 2018 that it had received credible reports that at least one million Uighur and other Muslims had been held in camps in China’s western Xinjiang region. Beijing describes the camps as vocational training centres that aim to stamp out “extremism” and strongly rejects accusations of abuse and genocide.


Democratic Congressman Jim McGovern added that the games should be relocated.


“If we can postpone an Olympics by a year for a pandemic, we can surely postpone the Olympics for a year for a genocide,” said McGovern, referring to the decision by Japan and the International Olympic Committee to delay the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo due to the COVID-19 pandemic.


“This would give the IOC time to relocate to a country whose government is not committing atrocities,” McGovern said.


Last month, Republican Senator Mitt Romney introduced an amendment to broader legislation to counter China that would implement a US diplomatic boycott, while a coalition of human rights activists on Tuesday called for athletes to boycott the games and put pressure on the IOC.


US President Joe Biden’s administration has said it hopes to develop a joint approach with allies on participation in the Beijing Olympics.


Asked about Pelosi’s comments, a senior Biden administration official told the Reuters news agency that its position on the 2022 Olympics had not changed.


But proponents of US athletes competing at the Olympics say it would be unfair to punish athletes, and that the games would provide a platform for the US, which has one of the highest Winter Olympic medal counts, to show its vitality on the global stage.


Sarah Hirshland, the chief executive officer of the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), said in a written statement to the congressional hearing that the USOPC was concerned about the “oppression of the Uyghur population”, but that barring US athletes from the games was “certainly not the answer”.


“Past Olympic boycotts have failed to achieve political ends – and they should give all of us pause in considering another boycott,” she said.


An annual report from the National Bureau of Statistics of China showed a sharp and sudden decline in birth rates in Xinjiang amid reports of mass internment and population control of the Muslim Uighurs.

By Jide N.

UK: Over 3,000 cases of Indian COVID-19 variant recorded

The UK Health Secretary, Matt Hancock has told members of the parliament (MP) that there are now almost 3,000 cases of the Indian variant in the UK. 

Matt Hancock disclosed this while giving a general update on Covid-19 as fears mount about the Indian variant.


He said 2,967 cases of the COVID-19 variant have now been recorded, having stood at more than 2,300 on Monday – a 28% increase.


The secretary also confirmed that surge testing and vaccinations will be deployed in Bedford, Burnley, Hounslow, Kirklees, Leicester, and North Tyneside.


He revealed that Ministers are also supporting the Scottish government, which is taking similar steps in Glasgow and Moray.

“What this means in practice is we are putting in place more testing and more testing sites,” Mr. Hancock said.

“On vaccinations, we are making more vaccinations available to everyone who is eligible.”

The health secretary told MPs that in Bolton and Blackburn with Darwen, where the most cases of the variant have been recorded, 26,094 jabs and 75,000 extra tests have been administered in the last week.

By Jide N.

David Beckham and Steven Gerrard inducted into Premier League Hall of Fame

Steven Gerrard and David Beckham have become the latest players to be inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame.

The former England captains are the seventh and eighth players to be handed the honour, joining Alan Shearer, Thierry Henry, Eric Cantona, Roy Keane, Frank Lampard and Dennis Bergkamp.

Gerrard spent 17 years at Liverpool – including 12 as captain – during which time he scored 120 goals and provided a further 92 assists in 504 Premier League appearances.

David Beckham

Those figures place him 11th on the all-time list for appearances in the Premier League, 18th for goals and seventh for assists.

Gerrard won the Premier League Player of the Month award on six separate occasions but failed to get his hands on the title itself, finishing as a runner-up in 2014, 2009, and 2002.

Speaking following Gerrard’s induction, former England manager Glenn Hoddle paid tribute to him, saying: “You could play Steven in many, many positions and he’d be the best player on the team.

“He was a wonderful player – had everything. You wouldn’t want to play against him, you wouldn’t want to have to mark him.”

Gerrard is joined in the Hall of Fame by David Beckham, who won six Premier League titles during his time at Manchester United.

David Beckham

He made his Premier League debut in 1995 and went on to make 265 appearances, scoring 62 goals and registering 80 assists – the ninth-highest figure in the competition’s history.

Fellow Hall of Fame inductee Frank Lampard, who played with Beckham for England, said: “David Beckham, as a player, was top class.

“He was the top free-kick taker in the world during his career. From a Premier League stand, we never saw the like of him during his career.

“He was also a statesman, very well thought of in England and I think his legacy all round is very well respected throughout the game.”

Phil Neville, who lined up alongside Beckham with England and Manchester United, added: “That technique of hitting the ball from right to left, those diagonals, the free-kicks over the walls in big games – that wasn’t by accident. That was by hard work.

“He would be a £100m player now, simply because of the fact that his corners, his free-kicks, his crossing ability was a centre-forward’s dream.

“Becks was a dream because he used to do your work in defence and going forward. He was so good in both areas.”

By Jide N.

Woman testifies waking up to find Danny Masterson, US Actor, raping her

A woman told a judge Tuesday, May 18, that she was slipping in and out of consciousness on a night 18 years ago when she said she found actor Danny Masterson raping her.

The woman testified at a preliminary hearing in Los Angeles Superior Court, where a judge is deciding whether there is probable cause to order a trial for the “That ’70s Show” actor, who is accused of raping three women.

The alleged victim, who identified herself on the witness stand only as Jen B, said: “When I came to, he was on top of me. The first thing I recall is grabbing his hair to pull him off.”

Masterson has pleaded not guilty, and his lawyer, Thomas Mesereau, has said he would prove his client’s innocence.

Danny Masterson

Jen B. testified that she and Masterson were part of the same group of friends who were tied to the Church of Scientology in the late 1990s and early 2000s and that she had gone to Masterson’s house to pick up a set of keys on April 25, 2003, and got stuck there.

She said Masterson had given her a drink with vodka in it at her request — her first of the night — but said she was “blurry,” weak and queasy about 20 minutes later and had no strength to resist as Masterson threw her in his jacuzzi.

She said when she got out she couldn’t even sit up. A mutual friend, Luke Watson, tried to help her.

“I couldn’t walk or stand, so he put me on the tile on the ground,” said Jen B., who began crying but remained composed throughout her testimony. “I said, ‘Luke I can’t see,’ and he said, ‘Open your eyes,’ and I didn’t know my eyes were closed. I couldn’t open my eyelids. I felt really, really sick.”

She testified that Masterson carried her upstairs, where she vomited, then put her in his shower. She said she began losing consciousness but was awake to find Masterson rubbing soap on her bare breasts. She said she tried to punch him in the face but was too weak and only landed lightly on his chest.

She testified that he put her on the bed and raped her and has only flashes of memory in the minutes that followed. She said that after she failed to get Masterson off her by pulling his hair, she put a pillow in his face, but he pushed it back on her.

She said he pulled a gun out of his nightstand drawer to threaten her.

During cross-examination, Mesereau challenged her over why the gun made no appearance in a police report she filed the following year.

“Do you think that the police just forgot to put it in?” Mesereau said. Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo forbade the question after a prosecution objection.

Danny Masterson

Mesereau repeatedly asked Jen B. about inconsistencies between her 2004 police report and a 2003 “knowledge report” she filled out about the incident for the church as it tried to mediate between her and Masterson. She acknowledged there were differences but said she tried to be truthful in every case.

Jen B. testified that in the following days, bruises appeared on her wrists and neck area and that she had incredible pain in her genitalia.

She said the leadership of the Church of Scientology, of which her parents and all her friends were members, strongly discouraged her from going to the police, pointing out that by policy she would be declared a “suppressive person” if she made a report against a member in good standing like Masterson.

“I would lose my family and everyone I knew,” she said, though in June 2004 she decided to go to the police anyway.

Mesereau said she had “mischaracterized” the Scientology response.

In a lawsuit that the women filed against the church and Masterson, the church denied ever engaging in any harassment.

In Tuesday’s testimony, Jen B. acknowledged prosecutors told her in 2004 that her case had been rejected in part because there were too many witnesses against her. She returns to the stand Wednesday, May 19, for the hearing that is expected to last four days.

By Jide B.

Gordon Strachan reveals how Sir Alex Ferguson ‘controlled’ every aspect of their lives to get the best

Former Manchester United player, Gordon Strachan has revealed how iconic football manager Sir Alex Ferguson ‘controlled’ every aspect of his players’ lives to get the very best out of them.


Ferguson is one of football’s most successful managers of all time having won a long list of trophies in Europe while coaching  Aberdeen and most notably Manchester United.


Strachan, who played under the legendary boss at both clubs, claims his former manager would even speak to players’ wives and babysitters to ensure he was in the loop on every little detail in the lives of the players.


In an interview with talkSPORT, Strachan said: “He used to control your life and your family life!


“He even had a team talk with the wives before a cup final to say, ‘do not take him shopping, he’s resting. Give him what he wants, eating-wise’.


“There would be hell breaking loose now with that, there would be all sorts of screaming and shouting.


“He’d just say ‘look after them, make sure they don’t do too much. If they’re getting stressed out, you’ll have to deal with their stress’.


“He even used to control the babysitters that we used to have at Aberdeen! Literally, my babysitters were Eric Black and Bryan Gunn, they used to look after my kids.


“It was good because he’d be completely in control. What he’d do is make sure the youth team players never went out on a Saturday night. He’d get the babysitters together and say, ‘what time did Strachan come in? Was he with McGhee? Did he have a curry?’


“So he’d cover all things like that. We didn’t like it at the time, but when you look back now, I really did like it because it controlled my life with discipline.


“It’s a bit like [Marcelo] Bielsa. His training is hard – he’s hard. You wouldn’t say it was great fun, but if you ask any player they’d love it because they’re winning games of football.”


Strachan won two Scottish top-flight titles under Ferguson at Aberdeen, before reuniting with him at Old Trafford in 1986.


The former Celtic boss admitted Ferguson used to ‘bring the devil out of you’ while on the pitch.


He added: “What he’s got out of people is incredible.


“At times he’d bring the devil out of you on the football pitch.


“Sometimes you’d walk off the pitch and go, ‘wow, did I just say that to somebody? Did I just run to the referee and scream and shout just because I’ve been told by the manager to scream and shout at the referee?’


“There would be times we’d go to Celtic or Rangers and he’d say, ‘if they’ve got five players around the referee, I want six!’”

By Jide N.

Senate advises Nigerian Govt. to pause the 5G network deployment

The Senate on Wednesday, May 19, urged the federal government to halt the deployment of 5th generation (5G) network in Nigeria for now.

This followed the consideration and adoption of the report of the joint Senate Committee on Communications, Science and Technology, ICT, Cyber Crime and Primary Healthcare and Communicable Diseases on the “Status of 5G network in Nigeria and its impact on Nigerian citizens.”

The committee recommended that Nigeria should still observe the trend of 5G deployment around the globe and engage in extensive sensitization of the public through all channels before the commencement of commercial deployments in the country, according to Daily Trust.

The committee urged the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), in collaboration with the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Federal Ministry of Environment, and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) among others to locally conduct a scientific experimental study over a period of about six months to ascertain if a correlation exists between 5G networks and public health.

The chairman of the joint committee, Senator Oluremi Tinubu (APC, Lagos), while presenting the report, said the overwhelming aggregate opinions from majority of stakeholders was that it is appropriate for Nigeria to join the comity of nations that are engaged in the deployments of 5G for all its inherent gains.

She said the joint panel was convinced that having witnessed what has been achieved by its “lesser ancestors” such as 3G and 4G, the technological impact of 5G will be such that will revolutionize Nigerians’ way of life from education to agriculture, security to entertainment, and governance in general if the technology is deployed.

The committee clarified that there was no 5G deployment in Nigeria at the moment and that no license had been issued to any Mobile Number Operator on commercial basis.

It urged the relevant government agencies to prepare the ground by putting the necessary infrastructure and technology in place for its eventual deployment.

“This period of ground preparation is expected to be utilized to complete feasibility studies for the various broadband projects in order to ascertain actual cost implications for their implementation, complete sustainability plans, provide enabling environment including free-Right of Way (RoW); tax waivers, sustainable power supply, improve security of men, materials and equipment, eliminate multiple regulations and charges, recognize telecommunications infrastructure as public utility infrastructure; and engender public trust and confidence,” Senator Oluremi Tinubu said.

By Lucky B.

President Buhari is back from France (photos)

President Buhari has arrived Nigeria after his official visit to Paris, France where he attended the Africa Financial Summit.

See more photos below

President Buhari is back from France
President Buhari is back from France
President Buhari is back from France
President Buhari is back from France

By Hajia R.

Davido buys 2021 Rolls Royce Cullinan worth about $500,000

Davido has just acquired a brand new 2021 Rolls Royce Cullinan worth about $500,000, which is over 200 million Naira.

The singer took to Instagram to share photos of his brand new car as he posed with it.

He wrote in the caption: “We rise by lifting others but don’t forget to reward yourself!!! WHO DEY ZUZU!! Just copped my first RR!! God is good! I’m forever grateful to y’all!!  … oh yea 2021 BTW.”


??Rolls Royce Cullinan Davido
??Rolls Royce Cullinan Davido
??Rolls Royce Cullinan Davido
Davido buys 2021 Rolls Royce Cullinan worth about $500,000
Davido buys 2021 Rolls Royce Cullinan worth about $500,000
Davido buys 2021 Rolls Royce Cullinan worth about $500,000

By Jide N.

Naomi Campbell has ‘secretly dating and living with someone’ secretly for over 18 months

Naomi Campbell, 50, revealed on Tuesday, May 18, that she has welcomed a child.

New reports now claim Naomi has been in a relationship in the US privately for the past 18 months.

For several years, the catwalk model has frequently spoken about her desire to become a mum and said “science” can help her to achieve her dreams.

Many fans have speculated that Naomi, who turns 51 on Saturday, May 22, may have used a surrogate and did not carry her baby herself.

But Naomi has remained tight-lipped about it all and only informed a select few members of her friends and family to share her baby news with.

She also kept the information hidden from her team and only  told them an hour before yesterday’s announcement.

A source close to Naomi told The Sun last night: “Naomi has really mellowed in the past year and is in a wonderful place in life.

“She has been living in America with her boyfriend and is really happy. It finally felt like the perfect time to become a mother and she is over the moon.

“The first lockdown allowed her to stop and take stock of the important things and she decided now was the time to properly look into starting a family.”

Naomi Campbell

Naomi has previously expressed that she does long to have children, with or without a partner in her life.

In 2014, the supermodel said: “I do want to have children, whether I have a man or not. I will have it on my own.”

By Kingsley U.

Victor Moses joins Spartak Moscow, Russian Premier League club, on permanent deal for €4.5million

Russian Premier League club, Spartak Moscow have agreed to sign Victor Moses on a permanent deal from Chelsea.

The former Nigeria international joined the Russian outfit last summer on loan after failing to win over former Blues boss Frank Lampard. His temporary stay in Russia has proved to be a success after he scored four goals and made several assists in 19 appearances as Spartak finished runners-up to champions Zenit St Petersburg.

The club confirmed that they will trigger the option in his loan deal to keep the 30-year-old on a permanent basis, with reports from Goal claiming the Blues will receive a €4.5million (?2.2billion) fee in three installments.

‘His contract would be automatically redeemed if the team finished in the top three, and we finished second,’ Spartak’s PR director Anton Fetisov told RIA Novosti.

Victor Moses spent the first half of last season on loan with Turkish club Fenerbahce, before moving to Inter Milan.

By Terry W.

” We are not informed about the Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau’s death” – Nigerian Military

The Nigerian military has said that it is yet to receive information on alleged death of leader of the Boko Haram sect, Abubakar Shekau.

It was reported on Thursday, May 20, that Shekau was killed in a fight with a Boko Haram faction of the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP).

Director of Defence Media Operations, Brig.-Gen. Bernard Onyeuko who reacted to Daily Trust’s inquiry on Shekau’s death, said; 

“Sorry, I don’t have information on that.”

By Jide N.

President Biden signs anti-Asian hate crimes legislation to protect Asian Americans

US President, Joe Biden on Thursday, May 20, signed into law anti-hate crime legislation in response to the surge of attacks on Asian Americans during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The newly enacted law, COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, would establish a position within the Justice Department centered on anti-Asian hate crimes and allocate resources to enhance state and local reporting.

Vice President Kamala Harris, the first woman and person of Asian descent to hold the office, opened the signing ceremony by thanking lawmakers present for their work including Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, and Rep. Grace Meng, D-N.Y., who introduced the bill. 

President Biden signs anti-Asian hate crimes ?

“To the members of our United States Congress on both sides of the aisle who helped pass the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, thank you,” Harris said first to applause. “Because of you, history will remember this day and this moment when our nation took action to combat hate.”

Biden said he hopes the signing ceremony, which comes during Asian American and Pacific Islander, or AAPI, Heritage Month, marks the end “first significant break” in a hyper-partisan era and sends this message to the Asian American community: “We see you.”

President Biden signs anti-Asian hate crimes ?

“For centuries, Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, diverse and vibrant communities have helped build this nation only to be often stepped over, forgotten, or ignored,” he said. “My message to all of those who are hurting is, we see you. And the Congress has said, we see you. And we are committed to stop the hatred and the bias.”

Biden said he hopes the signing ceremony, which comes during Asian American and Pacific Islander, or AAPI, Heritage Month, marks the end “first significant break” in a hyper-partisan era and sends this message to the Asian American community: “We see you.”

President Biden signs anti-Asian hate crimes ?
President Biden signs anti-Asian hate crimes ?

Hate crimes against Asians and Asian Americans more than doubled in the first quarter of 2021 compared with the same period last year, according to a report by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino.

By Jide N.

Senate currently proposing 15 years imprisonment for anyone paying ransom to kidnappers

Senate Prsident tells Buhari to address Nigerians

A bill seeking to prohibit the payment and receipt of ransom for the release of any person kidnapped, imprisoned or wrongfully confined in the country was on Wednesday May 19 considered by the Nigerian senate. 

The bill titled Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Bill, 2021 which stipulates a 15-year jail sentence for anyone found guilty of such action is being sponsored by Senator Ezenwa Francis Onyewuchi and it scaled second reading during plenary. 

Onyewuchi who raised an alarm of kidnapping becoming a lucrative business in the country, said the bill essentially seeks to substitute for section 14 of the Principal Act a new section to read: “Anyone who transfers funds, makes payment or colludes with an abductor, kidnapper or terrorist to receive any ransom for the release of any person who has been wrongfully confined, imprisoned or kidnapped is guilty of a felony and is liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment of not less than 15 years.”

 

He added; 

“Kidnapping is on the increase in Nigeria and it is prevalent across all the geopolitical zones.

“Some blame the rise of this criminal activity on poverty, religion, politics, deficiency of existing laws, unemployment, connivance of security agents, corruption, and greed among others.

“Our unemployed youths are also turning out to kidnapping to get money (ransom) as a survival strategy.

“Whatever the reason, it is most obvious that kidnapping in Nigeria puts everyone at risk, the rich and the poor, old and young, male and female, foreigner or indigene, expatriate or non-expatriate, traditional rulers and religious leaders, among others”

Pointing out that countries like USA and the United Kingdom do not support payment of ransoms to kidnappers, Onyewuchi also cited a report compiled by the Financial Times and the USA Global Risk Consultancy in November, 2019, which revealed that Nigeria has the highest rate of kidnaps for ransom of both locals and foreigners in all of Africa with kidnappers operating in each of its 36 states.

He said; 

“Payments of terrorist ransoms is illegal under the UK Terrorism Act 2000 while the USA adheres to a strict No-Concessions policy on the payment of ransom.

“The continuous payment of ransom must not be encouraged, in addition government should provide adequate security and strengthen the economy as a matter of urgency, accelerate its poverty alleviation programs, provide employment opportunities targeting youths who are mostly involved in abductions and kidnappings, strengthen our law enforcement agencies, and provide the necessary support to end the menace of kidnapping.”

The Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was referred to the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters for further legislative work after scaling second reading. 

By Jide N.

John Obi Mikel, Nigerian footballer, is the 2020-2021 top ball winner for Stoke City


Mikel was one of the players behind Stoke City equaling their club record for clean sheets in a single-season. 


The club ended the campaign with twenty-one clean sheets, level with the record set by the Stoke City side that won promotion from this division in 1979, with Mikel involved in fifteen of those games this season.  


Ball recoveries is the ability to win the ball back for your team where neither team has possession or where the ball has been played directly to a player by an opponent and according to Stoke City Stat Zone, Mikel recorded the highest number of recoveries out of the entire Stoke City squad over the course of the season. 


Mikel is Stoke City’s standout player in that category with 266 successful ball recoveries, placing first ahead of Rhys Norrington-Davies (182), Harry Souttar (174), James Chester (173) and Nick Powell (169).


Mikel, 34, made 39 appearaances in the Championship, logging 3,201 minutes in total.

Nigerian footballer, John Obi Mikel is the 2020-2021 top ball winner for Stoke City.


Mikel was one of the players behind Stoke City equaling their club record for clean sheets in a single-season. 


The club ended the campaign with twenty-one clean sheets, level with the record set by the Stoke City side that won promotion from this division in 1979, with Mikel involved in fifteen of those games this season.  


Ball recoveries is the ability to win the ball back for your team where neither team has possession or where the ball has been played directly to a player by an opponent and according to Stoke City Stat Zone, Mikel recorded the highest number of recoveries out of the entire Stoke City squad over the course of the season. 


Mikel is Stoke City’s standout player in that category with 266 successful ball recoveries, placing first ahead of Rhys Norrington-Davies (182), Harry Souttar (174), James Chester (173) and Nick Powell (169).


Mikel, 34, made 39 appearaances in the Championship, logging 3,201 minutes in total.

By Kingsley U.

MC Kevin, NewlyWed Brazilian DJ, fell to his death from a hotel balcony trying to escape from being caught having threesome

Mc Kevin, a Brazilian DJ and friend of footballer Neymar, reportedly died after jumping out of a hotel window as he tried to escape being caught having an affair with a woman.

Kevin Nascimento Bueno, 23, panicked that his wife was about to catch him having a threesome with a model and a friend, it is claimed. To prevent that, he jumped from a fifth-floor balcony at a hotel in Rio and died in hospital from the injuries he sustained.

According to Folha de Sau Paulo, MC Kevin tried to jump to the balcony located in the room below, but misjudged the distance and ended up crashing into the side of the swimming pool at the hotel.

According to Extra Globo, the model he was with, Bianca Domingues, 26, said she met MC Kevin, 23, and his singer friend Victor Fontenelle outside the Brisa Barra Hotel in Rio De Janeiro. Domingues said she was then invited to the popular singer’s suite Sunday evening, May 16.

Domingues and Fontenelle – the people MC Kevin was allegedly having a threesome with – told authorities that MC Kevin was afraid that his wife, criminal lawyer Deolane Bezerra, 33, would show up at the hotel room and catch him cheating on her.

The singer and Deolane Bezerra had gotten married just two weeks earlier with a lavish party in Tulum, Mexico.

MC Kevin

Police testimony showed that Deolane Bezerra, who was staying in room 1302 in the same hotel, had been searching for her husband after he had failed to pick up her phone calls and reply to her text messages.

Fearing he was about to be caught by his wife, MC Kevin, who was in room number 502, subsequently tried to jump to the balcony located in the room below, but lost his footing and plunged five floors, landing by the side of a swimming pool.

After news of the Brazilian’s death surfaced, Footballer, Neymar, took to social media to express his heartbreak.

MC Kevin

By Jide N.

Bride marries Wedding Guest after Groom disappears

A bride had to marry a wedding guest after her groom suddenly disappeared from the ceremony in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India.

The Tribune reported that the incident took place on Monday, May 16,  in the town of Maharajpur, in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.

According to the news outlet, the couple had just completed their jaimala, or exchange of garlands, when the groom went missing. At the time, their families were getting ready for the main ceremony.

After a search by the bride’s family, they concluded that the groom did not just disappear, but intentionally fled the scene. Following several deliberations, the bride then tied the knot with one of the baraatis, a member of the marriage party from the groom’s side whose family also agreed to marrying him off to the woman.

After the ceremony, the bride’s family reportedly lodged a complaint against the groom and his family.

An official later released a statement on the matter:

“We have received a complaint in this regard from both the bride and groom sides. While the bride’s side has sought suitable action against the groom and his family members, the groom’s father, Dharampal, in his complaint, has sought police help to trace his missing son. Investigations are continuing in this regard.”

By Kingsley U.

Kano Hisbah Police arrest couple that bought a stolen baby for N900K

The Kano State Hisbah Board has arrested a 40-year-old woman, Salomi Jerome, and her husband, Igina Salomi, 50, for allegedly trafficking a stolen baby from Delta to Kano.

Commander-General of the board, Dr Harun Ibn-sina, who disclosed this in a statement issued by the spokesperson, Malam Lawan Ibrahim, on Tuesday, May 18, said the suspects were arrested by Hisbah officials attached to motor parks, who suspected a foul play.

He said the woman, a resident of in Ungogo Local Govt Area of the state, had pretended to be breastfeeding the baby when she was accosted by Hisbah officials. 

According to the Hisbah boss, the woman initially claimed to have given birth to the baby but later confessed to having bought the baby from a nurse at a hospital in Delta at the sum of N900,000. 

“On May 15, 2021, our men attached to a motor park arrested a woman, Salomi Jerome, 40, who was with a newborn boy. She was accompanied by a man, Salomi Igina, 50, whom she claimed was her husband, which we found out to be untrue,” he stated.

“Investigation revealed that the baby was not her baby. The baby was bought from a nurse working with a hospital in Asaba, Delta State. Further investigation also revealed that the baby was not well and even later confirmed dead.

“We further discovered that the alleged husband contributed N150 ,000 while she contributed N 350 ,000 as they raised N900 , 000 to buy the baby. We have handed over the matter to the police for further investigation into the matter,” he added.

The Commander-General said the suspects had been handed over to the Kano State police headquarters, Bompai, for further investigation.

He urged the general public to report any suspected character or suspicious movement to relevant authorities while reiterating the agency’ s commitment in eradicating all forms of vices in the society. 

By Kingsley U.

Lady Gaga recounts how she encountered her ‘darkest moments’ after being raped by a record producer

American music star, Lady Gaga has opened up on one of her darkest moment in an emotional interview on the premiere episode of Oprah Winfrey and Prince Harry’s mental health docuseries The Me You Can’t See on Apple TV+. 

The pop star and Oscar winner revealed she was raped at 19 by a music producer who “dropped [her] off pregnant on a corner” following months of abuse.

Lady Gaga spoke through tears as she recalled her trauma during the appearance. She recounted how the producer threatened to burn her music if she didn’t take her clothes off. 

The singer said;

“They didn’t stop asking me, and then I just froze, and I just – I don’t even remember.

“I do not ever want to face that person again.”

Gaga further said that her buried pain manifested in a physical way that caused numbing in her body. She added; 

“And then I was sick for weeks and weeks after.

“And I realized that it was the same pain that I felt when the person who raped me dropped me off pregnant on a corner, at my parent’s house, ’cause I was vomiting and sick, ’cause I had been being abused. I was locked away in a studio for months.”

It wasn’t until years later, when Gaga began experiencing chronic pain for which her doctor advised her to see a psychiatrist. She then discovered she was suffering from PSTD, a diagnosis which the singer first went public with in 2016 and previously discussed with Oprah during Winfrey’s 2020 Vision: Your Life in Focus tour.

She added; 

“First I felt full-on pain, then I went numb. I realized it was the same pain I felt when the person who raped me dropped me off pregnant on the corner, at my parents’ house, because I was vomiting and sick. Because I was being abused. I was locked away in a studio for months.

“I had a total psychotic break, and for a couple years, I was not the same girl.

“Even if I have six brilliant months, all it takes is getting triggered once to feel bad.

“And when I say I feel bad, I mean I want to cut. Think about dying. Wondering if I’m ever going to do it. I learned all the ways to pull myself out of it.

“What’s so interesting is the line I walk, feeling like I wanna cut myself and feeling like I don’t, are actually real close together.

“Everybody thinks it’s gotta be a straight line, that it’s like every other virus, that you get sick and then you get cured. It’s not like that. It’s just not like that. And actually, I think that traps people.

“I don’t tell this story for my own self-service, because, to be honest, it’s hard to tell.

“I feel a lot of shame about it. How do I explain to people that I have privilege, I’ve got money, I’ve got power, and I’m miserable? How do you do that? I’m not here to tell my story to you because I want anybody to cry for me. I’m good. But open your heart up for somebody else. Because I’m telling you, I’ve been through it and people need help. So, that’s part of my healing, being able to talk to you.”

Gaga first revealed her sexual assault in a 2014 radio interview with Howard Stern. She however, didn’t name her abuser. 

By Kingsley U.

Cristiano Ronaldo leads the Portugal’s Euro 2020 squad

Cristiano Ronaldo will lead the attack for defending European champions, Portugal, after coach Fernando Santos unveiled his Euro 2020 squad.

The Juventus striker, who added the Italian Cup to his collection this week Juventus, will be playing in his fifth straight European Championship.

The 36-year-old is six goals away from equalling the men’s international record for goals scored, with former Iran striker Ali Daei scoring 109 as the only other player to pass the century mark in men’s international football.

Cristiano Ronaldo??

Ronaldo is joined by Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva, Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes, Atletico Madrid’s Joao Felix, and Liverpool striker Diogo Jota in their frontline for the tournament starting on June 11.

Portugal is in Group F along with world champion France, Germany, and Hungary and will play its last warm-up games against Spain on June 4 and Israel on June 9.

SEE FULL PORTUGAL EURO 2020 SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Anthony Lopes (Olympique Lyon), Rui Patricio (Wolves), Rui Silva (Granada).

Defenders: Joao Cancelo (Manchester City), Nelson Semedo (Wolves), Jose Fonte (Lille), Pepe (Porto), Ruben Dias (Manchester City), Nuno Mendes (Sporting), Raphael Guerreiro (Borussia Dortmund).

Midfielders: Danilo Pereira (Paris St Germain), Joao Palhinha (Sporting), Ruben Neves (Wolves), Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Joao Moutinho (Wolves), Renato Sanches (Lille), Sergio Oliveira (Porto), William Carvalho (Real Betis).

Forwards: Pedro Goncalves (Sporting), Andre Silva (Eintracht Frankfurt), Bernardo Silva (Manchester City), Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus), Diogo Jota (Liverpool), Goncalo Guedes (Valencia), Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid), Rafa Silva (Benfica). 

By Jide N.

Meghan Markle would have killed herself but did’nt – Prince Harry

Meghan praises Prince Harry for being a proud 'feminist'

Prince Harry has said that the only thing that stopped Meghan Markle from committing suicide when she was pregnant with their first child was her concern for him.

Speaking in a new bombshell documentries The Me You Can’t See, produced by Oprah Winfrey, Harry opens up about Meghan’s suicidal thoughts, admitting the loss of his mum Princess Diana played a key role in his wife’s decision not to kill herself.

He said the only thing stopping his wife, who was pregnant at the time, from killing herself during their time as royals was because it would’ve been “unfair” on Harry and their unborn child, Archie.

“The thing that stopped her from seeing it through was how unfair it would be on me after everything that had happened to my mum and to now be put in a position of losing another woman in my life, with a baby inside of her, our baby,” he said.

“The scariest thing for her was her clarity of thought. She hadn’t ‘lost it.’ She wasn’t crazy. She wasn’t self-medicating, be it through pills or through alcohol. She was absolutely sober. She was completely sane. Yet in the quiet of night, these thoughts woke her up.”

The Duke of Sussex also revealed how Meghan said she was considering suicide before a charity event in London.

“I’m somewhat ashamed of the way that I dealt with it,” he said.

“And of course, because of the system that we were in and the responsibilities and the duties that we had, we had a quick cuddle, and then we had to get changed and had to jump in a convoy with a police escort and drive to the Royal Albert Hall for a charity event and then step out into a wall of cameras and pretend as though everything’s OK.

“There wasn’t an option to say, ‘You know what? Tonight we’re not going to go. Because just imagine the stories that come from that.”

“While my wife and I were in those chairs, gripping each other’s hand, the moment the lights go down, Meghan starts crying,” Harry said.

“I’m feeling sorry for her, but I’m also really angry with myself that we’re stuck in this situation.

“I was ashamed that it got this bad. I was ashamed to go to my family. Because to be honest with you, like a lot of other people my age could probably relate to, I know that I’m not gonna get from my family what I need.”

Harry also said he feared he would raise his son, Archie, alone and Meghan would end up like his mother, Princess Diana.

Meghan Markle

He opened up about experiencing panic attacks and anxiety for several years and the difficulty of dealing with the trauma after his mother’s death,.

The 36-year-old also shared that he was “willing” to use drugs and alcohol to “mask” how he was feeling, although didn’t know at the time he was using it as a barrier.

He said he feels it’s his “duty to break that cycle” he went through for son Archie.

Harry said: “If you have been through something that doesn’t mean your kids or everybody else has to go through the same thing you’ve been through.

“I know it’s my responsibility my duty to break that cycle.”

He continued: “I had a son who I far rather be solely focused on, rather every time I look into his eyes wondering if my wife is going to end up like my mother and I’m going to look after him myself.”

He admitted it was one of the “biggest reasons to leave” the UK.

Meghan revealed she felt suicidal as a senior royal during the couple’s controversial tell-all interview with Oprah in March.

By Lucky B.

Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas ceasefire has come into effect


The ceasefire was brokered by a coalition of US, Egypt, Jordan, UAE and the UN meeting with the Israeli and Palestinian government. The ceasefire began on Friday May 21, bringing an end  to 11 days of fighting in which more than 240 people were killed, most of them Palestinians in Gaza.


Both Israel and Hamas have claimed victory in the conflict.


US President Joe Biden reacting to the truce said the ceasefire brought “genuine opportunity” for progress.

Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas


Soon after the ceasefire started at 02:00 on Friday (23:00 GMT on Thursday), large numbers of Palestinians took to the streets in cars and on foot to celebrate.


 In Gaza, drivers honked their horns, while loudspeakers from mosques pronounced “the victory of the resistance”.

The fighting began on 10 May after weeks of rising Israeli-Palestinian tension in occupied East Jerusalem that culminated in clashes at a holy site revered by both Muslims and Jews. 


Hamas then began firing thousands of rockets into Israel after warning Israel to withdraw from the site most of which were intercepted or fell into Palestine territory.


Israel responded with devastating  retaliatory air strikes and at least 232 people, including more than 100 women and children, in Gaza, according to its health ministry. 


Israel has said at least 150 militants were among those killed in Gaza. Hamas has not given casualty figures for fighters.


In Israel 12 people, including two children, were killed, its medical service says.


The Israeli military says more than 4,300 rockets were fired towards its territory by militants and that it struck more than 1,000 militant targets in Gaza.


The Israeli Political Security Cabinet said on Thursday night that it had “unanimously accepted the recommendation” for a ceasefire.


“The political leaders emphasised that the reality on the ground will determine the future of the campaign,” the statement said.


An Israeli official told ministers that Hamas was “deterred and suffered serious blows”, according to the Ynet news website while the Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz said on Twitter that the Gaza offensive had yielded “unprecedented military gains”.


A Hamas official told the Associated Press news agency that the ceasefire announced by Israel amounted to a “victory” for the Palestinian people and a ‘defeat’ for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

By Jide N.

Abubakar Shekau, Boko Haram’s Leader, allegedly dead, Again

Suspected members of Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) have reportedly caused the death of Abubakar Shekau, the leader of the dreaded Boko Haram, officially known as Jama’at Ahl as-Sunnah Lid Da’wah Wa’l- Jihad (JAS) during a fierce battle between the rival groups in their Sambisa Forest hideouts on Wednesday, May 19, Vanguard reports.

According to the report, sources say hundreds of ISWAP fighters invaded Sambisa with heavy gun trucks during the week hunting for Shekau. It was revealed that Shekau was not actually or directly killed by ISWAP, the splinter rival group, but blew himself up and committed suicide when ISWAP attempted to capture him (Shekau) alive, during a gun duel.

The report states that although there was no official statement or confirmation on the death of the most wanted terrorist leader, Shekau by Nigerian security forces, a lot of people took to their social media platforms celebrating Shekau’s death on Thursday morning, May 20.

A security report quoted in the Vanguard report reads

“Unconfirmed source reported that the leader of JAS Abubakar shekau was dethroned and killed by ISWAP and they have taken over the entire sambisa forest.

With these development ISWAP are more equipped and funded than JAS. So their mode of operation will change, and there is likely going to experience frequent attacks around Konduga, Bama, Gwoza, Biu LGA’S and part of Adamawa.

All humanitarians around the axis should be security conscious and be very vigilant.”

By Jide N.

Mexican ‘Serial Killer Cannibal, 72, is arrested after’ killing his girlfriend and other ladies (photos)

Authorities in Mexico have arrested a suspected ‘serial killer cannibal’ after they discovered the remains of his 34-year-old missing girlfriend and at least eight other women at his home.

The Attorney General’s Office for the State of Mexico disclosed that the eight other women may have been murdered by Andrés Mendoza, 72, during a 20-year stretch.

Andrés Mendoza

Imagen Television reported that Mendoza who videotaped the killings of his victims confessed to have eaten their body parts.

Police in the town of Atizapan were conducting a search for Reyna González, a mother of two girls, when they found her dismembered body inside Mendoza’s on Saturday, May 15. 

Andrés Mendoza

                                                  Reyna González.

The mother of two was reported missing last Friday after she went to Mendoza’s home at noon to tell him that she was going to end their relationship. 

Mendoza did not agree with González’s ending their relationship and reportedly stabbed her inside his home.

Andrés Mendoza

According to Infobae, Mendoza drove the knife into González’s chest and then used a machete to cut her limbs off before stuffing her body parts into a bag.

Authorities entered Mendoza’s home Saturday at approximately 8pm and searched the home before they made the gruesome discovery.

Andrés Mendoza

The bags containing González’s body had been placed on top of a table. 

Authorities did not confirm whether Mendoza had ate any of González’s body parts after killing her. 

During the search, sniffer dogs led a search team to an area of the home where the remains of other women were discovered.

Andrés Mendoza

Workers also found women’s clothing and shoes which allegedly belonged to the victims who were butchered by Mendoza. He also peeled the skins off the women’s faces and their scalps, authorities said. 

Authorities also seized a collection of videotapes that reportedly contained the names of several women with footage of their killings and a notebook with the names of 29 women

Andrés Mendoza

Investigators also found voter identification cards of Rubicela Castillo, 32, who was reported missing July 20, 2019, and Flor Vizcaino, 38, who was last seen October 16, 2016.

Andrés Mendoza

                              Rubicela Castillo (left) and Flor Vizcaino (right) .

Castillo, a native of Monterrey, Nuevo León, moved to Mexico City in 2019 with her five-year-old son and was working for a bank and Uber.  

Dilcya García, the lead prosecutor for the Attorney General’s Office division that the evidence that was uncovered made them believe that they were dealing with a “serial” killer.

Andrés Mendoza
Mexican
Andrés Mendoza

By Jide N.

NDLEA intercepts 4.9million tramadol capsules Container at Onne Port (photos)

Efforts by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA to block access and availability of illicit substances have again led to the interception of a container bearing 4,996,200 capsules of tramadol weighing 2,498.2 kilograms at the Onne Port, Port Harcourt, Rivers state.

A statement released by Femi Babafemi, spokesperson of the NDLEA, said the seizure of the illicit drug concealed in 1,387 cartons on Tuesday, May 18, followed a joint examination by NDLEA operatives and Customs personnel on a container marked MRKU 0764717, which had since been on the Agency’s watch list.

In a related development, a 42-year-old Muntari Hamidu has been arrested in Nyibango, Jimeta, Yola, Adamawa state with 13 sacks of Cannabis Sativa weighing 166kg. This is just as 35-year-old Sani Musa was nabbed with16.1kg of skunk at Ngurore, Yola South LGA of the state. Both were arrested on Sunday 16th May, 2021.

Babafemi said on the same day, a team of NDLEA operatives from Ondo State Command also arrested one James Godspower with 36.5kg of Cannabis Sativa in Faloye, Ogbese, Akure North LGA of Ondo State.

4.9million tramadol capsules
4.9million tramadol capsules

By Jide N.

Sami Khedira, World Cup-winning, announces retirement from football at 34

World Cup-winning Germany midfielder, Sami Khedira has announced his retirement from football at the end of the 2020-21 season. 

The 34-year-old, who currently plays for Hertha Berlin, will play his last game against Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga on Saturday May 22. 

Khedira joined Hertha in February after five-and-a-half years with Serie A giants Juventus, where he won five Scudettos and three Coppa Italia titles. 

Prior to that, he enjoyed five seasons at Real Madrid, claiming one LaLiga title and the Champions League in 2013-14 and the Bundesliga with Stuttgart.

He made 77 appearances for Germany and was an important part of the squad that won the 2014 World Cup.

In a post on Instagram, Khedira confirmed that Hertha’s season finale against Hoffenheim on Saturday will be his last match.

“Time to say goodbye,” Khedira wrote. “It’s never easy to make life-changing decisions. But sometimes you have to.

“On Saturday I will play my last game in my career! It was an honour for me to play for some of the biggest clubs out there, to win remarkable titles, and to be part of a historic moment when we held the World Cup trophy in our hands back in 2014!

“Thanks to all the fans, supporters, team-mates, coaches, and of course my family and friends. You‘ve always been there for me alongside this journey that comes to an end now. We‘ll see each other again!”

By Jide N.

Mats Hummels and Thomas Muller returns to the German squad for Euro 2020 after 24 months absence

Germany have recalled Thomas Muller and Mats Hummels back to the international team ahead of Euro 2020 after announcing their 26-man squad for the tournament.

Bayern Munich’s Muller and Borussia Dortmund defender Hummels were both exiled from international duty in 2019 after they were eliminated at the group stage at the 2018 World Cup. 

Shortly after the list was released, Hummels took to Twitter to express his delight after recalled to the international fold.

“I am really happy and proud to play for Germany again,” he said.

Muller also responded to the news by sharing an image of himself smiling with the caption: “Back again.”

Germany’s Euro 2020 squad in full

Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Bayern München), Kevin Trapp (Eintracht Frankfurt), Bernd Leno (FC Arsenal).

Defenders: Antonio Rüdiger (FC Chelsea), Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Matthias Ginter (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Niklas Süle (Bayern München), Emre Can (Borussia Dortmund), Lukas Klostermann (RB Leipzig), Robin Gosens (Atalanta Bergamo), Robin Koch (Leeds United), Christian Günter (SC Freiburg), Marcel Halstenberg (RB Leipzig).

Midfielders/Attackers: Joshua Kimmich (Bayern München), Ilkay Gündogan (Manchester City), Serge Gnabry (Bayern München), Kai Havertz (FC Chelsea), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid), Leon Goretzka (Bayern München), Timo Werner (FC Chelsea), Thomas Müller (Bayern München), Leroy Sane (Bayern München), Jonas Hofmann (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Jamal Musiala (Bayern München), Florian Neuhaus (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Kevin Volland (AS Monaco).

By Terry W.

Malawi destroyed over 20000 expired AstraZeneca Vaccines (photos)

Malawi on Wednesday, May 19, destroyed 19,610 doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines that expired 18 days after arriving, despite assurances from the African Union (AU) and World Health Organisation (WHO) that the vaccines were safe until mid-July.

The vaccines were part of the batch of 102,000 that had arrived in the country on March 26, under an AU and WHO initiative. They expired on April 13.

Health Minister Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda put some of the vials of the expired doses into an incinerator to start the destruction Wednesday at Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe, the capital.

Malawi destroyed over 20,000 expired AstraZeneca Vaccines (photos)

“We are destroying (these vaccines) because as government policy no expired health commodities are to be used,” she said. “Historically under the expanded immunization program of Malawi no expired vaccine has ever been used.”

She said burning the vaccines will build public confidence that all vaccines used in Malawi are good.

Malawi destroyed over 20,000 expired AstraZeneca Vaccines (photos)

“We are destroying publicly in order to stay accountable to Malawians. The vaccines that expired are not being used during the vaccination campaign,” she said. “On behalf of the government, I assure all Malawians that no one will be given an expired COVID vaccine.”

”The burned vaccines were the remainder of 102,000 doses that arrived in Malawi on March 26 with just 18 days until they expired on April 13. All other doses of the shipment, donated by the African Union, were successfully administered, she said.

Malawi destroyed over 20,000 expired AstraZeneca Vaccines (photos)

The health minister thanked WHO, the African Union, and India for donating the vaccines.

“This has made it possible for Malawi to embark on the COVID vaccination campaign currently underway,” she said.

John Nkengasong, director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), part of the AU, said in a news conference last month that the shots could be used until July 13, based on a further analysis conducted by manufacturers the Serum Institute of India.

He and the WHO also urged African countries not to waste vaccines donated to them.

However, the Malawian government said it would not give expired vaccines to its citizens. 

Chiponda blamed a hesitant uptake of the jabs on ‘propaganda against the AstraZeneca vaccine’ after Austria this week became the third European country to drop AstraZeneca, after Norway and Denmark ditched the vaccine over rare cases of severe blood clots in people receiving the jab. 

The calls not to destroy the vaccines came too late for Malawi, ministry of health spokesman Joshua Malango told The Associated Press news agency.

‘We had stopped observation of proper storage mechanisms and the vaccines would have still been damaged in one way or the other,’ he said. 

The destruction of the vaccines was witnessed by several top officials ‘in order to enhance transparency,’ health secretary Charles Mwansambo said.

By Jide N.

Nigerian man travelling to Turkey have arrested with 54 ATM cards

A Nigerian man, Abubakar Sale, has been arrested at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport, with 54 ATM cards.

Sale was arrested by officers of the Nigeria Customs while attempting to board an Ethiopian Airplane to Turkey. Upon his arrest, he was discovered to be carrying 54 ATM cards of different banks, bearing various names.

54 ATM cards

The money-laundering suspect was handed over to the Head of Kano Zonal Office of the EFCC by Area Controller of the Nigeria Customs Service in Kano, S.P Umar,on Wednesday, May 19.

Umar told the EFCC head, Mualledi Farouq Dogondaji, to conduct further investigation.

On receiving the suspect, the EFCC zonal head assured that proper investigation will take place, adding that the Commission will communicate the outcome of the investigation and possible prosecution to the Customs Service.

By Jide N.

Billy Porter,Pose star, reveals he’s HIV positive 14 years but kept it secret

Pose star, Billy Porter has revealed he is HIV positive but kept his diagnosis secret for 14 years because he was ‘ashamed’. 

In an emotional interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the American actor known for breaking gender rules on red carpets, opened up about his diagnosis 14 years ago, and why he decided to share his story. 

Porter learned he was HIV-positive in 2007, “the worst year of my life,” he told the publication, adding that the diagnosis came soon after he was also diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and filed for bankruptcy.

According to him, he never spoke of the diagnosis because he was ashamed and feared that it would harm his career.   

??? Billy Porter

‘For a long time, everybody who needed to know, knew – except for my mother. I was trying to have a life and a career and I wasn’t certain I could if the wrong people knew. It would just be another way for people to discriminate against me in an already discriminatory profession,’ he said.

‘So I tried to think about it as little as I could. I tried to block it out.’

‘It wasn’t a fear that (my status) was going to come out or that somebody was going to expose me; it was just the shame that it had happened in the first place,’ he said. 

Porter said he kept his secret from his mother for so many years because she had already faced so much ‘persecution’ from her Pentecostal church after he came out as gay when he was 16. 

??? Billy Porter

‘I didn’t want to put her through that. I was embarrassed. I was ashamed. I was the statistic that everybody said I would be. So I’d made a pact with myself that I would let her die before I told her. That’s what I was waiting for, if I’m being honest,’ he said.  

He decided to rip ‘the Band-Aid off’ by calling her as soon as his FX series Pose finished filming.

‘She said, ‘You’ve been carrying this around for 14 years? Don’t ever do this again. I’m your mother, I love you no matter what. And I know I didn’t understand how to do that early on, but it’s been decades now’,’ he said. 

‘And it’s all true. It’s my own shame. Years of trauma makes a human being skittish. But the truth shall set you free. I feel my heart releasing.’ 

Until now, Porter said he has been using his Pose character Pray Tell – who is also HIV-positive – as his proxy, saying that it helped him ‘work through the shame’.

‘The brilliance of Pray Tell and this opportunity was that I was able to say everything that I wanted to say through a surrogate,’ Porter said.

The star added that nobody involved in the show knew about it until one day he got up in front of the cast and crew and told them truth because ‘at a certain point the truth is the responsible road’. 

Porter, who has been married to eyewear designer, Adam Smith, since 2017 after the pair first met back in 2009, said he decided to go public after dealing with his trauma during the COVID-19 lockdown last year.

??? Billy Porter

‘Now I’m trying to have a family; now it’s not just me. It’s time to grow up and move on because shame is destructive – and if not dealt with, it can destroy everything in its path,’ he said. 

Porter said he now no longer believes in the stigma that was once attached to a HIV-positive diagnosis and that he is the healthiest.

‘Yes, I am the statistic, but I’ve transcended it. This is what HIV-positive looks like now. I’m going to die from something else before I die from that. My T-cell levels are twice yours because of this medication. 

‘I’m the healthiest I’ve been in my entire life. So it’s time to let all that go and tell a different story. There’s no more stigma – let’s be done with that. It’s time. I’ve been living it and being in the shame of it for long enough.’ 

He said he hoped that by speaking out, he would healed.

‘I hope this frees me so that I can experience real, unadulterated joy, so that I can experience peace, so that I can experience intimacy, so that I can have sex without shame,’ he said. 

‘This is for me. I’m doing this for me. I have too much s**t to do, and I don’t have any fear about it anymore. I told my mother – that was the hurdle for me. I don’t care what anyone has to say. You’re either with me or simply move out of the way.’ 

By Jide N.

Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua attack each other on Twitter

Heavyweight boxing champions, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have come out to attack each other online as their undisputed king of the heavyweight clash planned for this summer enters disarray.


Joshua’s clash with Fury tagged the ‘Battle of Britain’ was thrown in doubt after a US judge ruled in favour of Fury fighting Deontay Wilder following arbitration.


It means Fury needs to fight former WBC champion Wilder for a third time, or would need to strike a step aside deal to keep his super-fight with AJ alive.


Fury dethroned Wilder of the WBC title in February 2020 but their contract included an immediate rematch.


The fight never came to fruition amid the coronavirus pandemic and the Gypsy King’s team argued the stipulation expired in October.


As a result, Fury entered talks with Joshua while Wilder took his case to civil court. After months in court, the judgment went in favour of Wilder.

On Wednesday night, May 19, Joshua took to Twitter to call Fury ‘a fraud’ questioning why Fury entered talks with him knowing there was a legal case yet to be resolved.

Joshua, 31, tweeted: “The world now sees you for the fraud you are. You’ve let boxing down! You lied to the fans and led them on.


“Used my name for clout not a fight. Bring me any championship fighter who can handle their business correctly.”

Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have come out to attack each other online


Fury, 32, in response said he and Joshua should put up 20milliom each to fight bare knuckles without gloves : 

“Your more full of s*** that Eddie, Spouting absolute s***e!


“Your full team knew there was an Arbitration going on, it was out of my hands!


“But I tell you what if i’m a fraud let’s fight this weekend bare knuckles till 1 man quits? let’s put up 20 mill each!!!”

Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have come out to attack each other online


In response, Joshua told Fury not to ‘test him’, referring to him as a ‘waste man’


AJ posted: “If there was an arbitration going on, why announce to the world we are fighting! The fight was signed! UNDISPUTED.


“Bare knuckle? You’re a good kid, don’t play with me Luke! I’ll slap your bald head & you’ll do nothing! Waste man.”

Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have come out to attack each other online


Fury is now faced with either fighting Wilder or negotiating compensation package to allow him to proceed with his plan to box Joshua.

With things looking bleak, AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearn revealed he will give Fury’s side until the end of the week to resolve their trilogy dispute.


Hearn said on Matchroom Boxing’s YouTube channel: “I have been focusing on Plan A. The only fight we had our mind on was Tyson Fury.


“We hope that that fight can still take place on August 14th.


“The game changed last night where we have to have a plan B in place, and probably a plan C as well.


“We have a couple of different options; of course, the one that springs to mind immediately is the WBO mandatory of Oleksandr Usyk.


“They have been quite patient and I think really, we are in a situation where if Team Fury don’t get themselves together, get their act together, by the end of this week, we will have no option but to look for an alternative fight.”

By Jide N.

Benjamin Netanyahu vows to keep on military offensive against Hamas despite Biden’s call for de-escalation

Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, May 19, vowed to continue a fierce military offensive in the Gaza Strip, rejecting calls from U.S. President Joe Biden to deescalate the operation that has left hundreds dead.


Netanyahu’s comments marked the first public rift between US and Israel since the fighting began last week


Israel and the US are two staunch allies and comments by Israel’s prime minister could complicate international efforts to reach a cease-fire.

Benjamin Netanyahu


The current fighting between Israel and Hamas began May 10 when the militant group fired long-range rockets toward Jerusalem after days of clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, a flashpoint site sacred to Jews and Muslims. Heavy-handed police tactics at the compound and the threatened eviction of dozens of Palestinian families by Jewish settlers had inflamed tensions.

Since then, Israel has pounded Gaza with hundreds of airstrikes it says are targeting Hamas’ militant infrastructure, and Hamas and other militant groups embedded in residential areas have fired more than 3,700 rockets at Israeli cities, with hundreds falling short and most of the rest intercepted.


At least 227 Palestinians have been killed, including 64 children and 38 women, with 1,620 people wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not break the numbers down into fighters and civilians. Hamas and Islamic Jihad say at least 20 of their fighters have been killed, while Israel says the number is at least 130. Some 58,000 Palestinians have fled their homes.

Twelve people in Israel, including a 5-year-old boy, a 16-year-old girl and a soldier, have also been killed.


On Wednesday, May 19, militants in Lebanon fired a barrage of rockets into northern Israel, threatening to open up a new front in fighting.


The rocket attack, which drew Israeli artillery fire in response but apparently did not cause any injuries, raised the possibility of dragging Israel into renewed conflict with the powerful Lebanese militant group, Hezbollah to its north.


Biden had previously avoided pressing Israel more directly and publicly to have a cease-fire with Gaza’s Hamas militant rulers. But pressure from the Democratic party has been ramping up on him to intervene more forcefully as other diplomatic efforts also gather strength.


However, on Wednesday, May 19, Biden told Netanyahu “that he expected a significant de-escalation on the path to a ceasefire” the White House said.


After a  Wednesday visit to Israel’s military headquarters, Netanyahu said he “greatly appreciates the support of the American president,” but said Israel will push ahead “to return the calm and security to citizens of Israel.”


He said he is “determined to continue this operation until its aim is met.”

By Jide N.

A South African woman celebrates 22 years living with HIV

A beautiful South African woman has taken to Twitter to celebrate her life after testing positive for HIV 22 years ago. 

Sharing a beautiful photo of herself, @MMancobeni captioned it; 

22 years living with HIV and still kicking I’m Thee Girl

22 years living with HIV

By Jide N.

Man seeks help to locate family of Nigerian lady who is ‘seriously sick’ in Libya

A Libya based man, Aliu Mohammed from Kogi State is trying to locate the family of a Nigerian lady identified as Kehinde. 

According to the information he posted on Facebook on Wednesday, May 18, the lady said to be from Oyo State is critically ill in Tripoli, the Libya capital. 

Kehinde
Kehinde

By Jide N.

Russell Simmons suing ex-spouse, Kimora Lee, in money laundering case

Hip Hop mogul, Russell Simmons, is suing his ex-wife Kimora Lee Simmons and her current husband, Tim Leissner.

According to The Blast, Russell Simmons is suing them for using his shares of his Celsius Energy Drink company to pay for attorney fees for Leissner.

The Def Jam pioneer claims that his shares are being used as collateral to pay a bond in connection with criminal charges filed against Kimora’s new husband by federal authorities.

In the suit filed by Russell Simmons, he claims that he, Kimora and her husband Tim invested millions of dollars into Celsius Energy Drink, but allege that the Kimora and her new beau “conspired with each other, aided and abetted each other and together engaged in fraud by causing an unlawful conversion and fraudulent transfer” of the Celsius shares to themselves without his knowledge or consent.

Russell says that he sent a letter to his ex-wife on May 5, pleading with her to do the right thing in order to avoid a lawsuit.

In the letter, he told Kimora that he wanted “to get the important family matter of the Celsius shares to a close so that we can put it behind us and carry on as the loving united front we have always been.

Russell Simmons is asking a judge for damages against Kimora and Leissner and believes he should be awarded restitution for interest and equal value for the ill-gotten shares.

Kimora’s husband, who is a former Southeast Asia chairman for Goldman Sachs, pleads guilty to criminal conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and conspiracy to commit money laundering in November 2018

Russell Simmons claims he knew Leissner would need millions of dollars, $44 million according to his lawsuit, to stay out of jail which prompted the illegal transfer of the shares.

Simmons closed his letter to his ex-wife, saying, “I am shocked and saddened to see how your side has behaved in response to my repeated attempts to get an agreement from you to rightfully and legally reaffirm my 50% of the Celsius shares…which have been locked up with the government after being used for your husband’s bail money.”

By Jide N.

Naomi Campbell claims that she had her daughter via surrogate (photos)

British supermodel, Naomi Campbell was pictured without a baby bump in New York just three weeks before announcing the arrival of her first child at 50.

In newly unearthed snaps, Naomi showcased her model figure in a blue and white tracksuit amid claims she welcomed her daughter via surrogate.

Naomi Campbell

The supermodel, who has been secretly dating an American for the past 18 months, was photographed in NYC, where she currently lives last month.

Naomi Campbell

According to the Daily Mail, her friends believe she used a surrogate and several fans have suggested the same.

On Tuesday May 18, Naomi shocked fans when she revealed she had become a mother as she shared a picture of her newborn and wrote: “A beautiful little blessing has chosen me to be her mother.

“So honoured to have this gentle soul in my life there are no words to describe the lifelong bond that I now share with you my angel. There is no greater love.”

Naomi Campbell

By Jide N.

Film Producer and 19 others arrested for “Yahoo Yahoo” in Calabar (photos)

Emmanuel Eneji, a 23-year-old movie producer, and nineteen others have been arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC in Calabar, Cross Rivers State, for alleged internet fraud.

Film producer and 19 others arrested for "Yahoo Yahoo" in Calabar (photos)

According to a statement released by the EFCC, the nineteen suspects whose ages range between 19 and 36 include Okonkwo Chukwudi Charles, Obua Akwo Promise, Angba Murphy, Adie Stephen, Success Otu Edem, Asukwo Emmanuel, Godspower Akwo, Anibiet Nna, Jesam Akpama, and Dennis Jerry.

Film producer and 19 others arrested for "Yahoo Yahoo" in Calabar (photos)

Others are Princewill Sunny, Godbless Olulu, Charles Onwuneme, David Njoku, Victor Francis, Goodluck Alabo, Happiness Otu, Nwadike Kelechi, and Obasi Ugochukwu

The suspects were picked up at different locations within the state capital, namely Ekorimim, Ifete junction, Parliamentary by Car Park, and Behind Zone 6 by Monty Suit.

Their arrest was facilitated by credible intelligence regarding their nefarious activities.

Film producer and 19 others arrested for "Yahoo Yahoo" in Calabar (photos)

Items recovered from the suspects include one unmarked black Toyota Corolla car, one red Toyota Avalon with registration number-CHR 56 AF, various sophisticated mobile phones, laptops, one WiFi Router, one Modulator-demodulator, and flash drives.

The suspects will be charged to court as soon as the Commission concludes investigation.

By Jide N.

Crystal Palace attacking midfielder, Eberechi Eze suffers serious Achilles injury which could rule him out until 2022

Eberechi Eze

Crystal Palace attacking midfielder, Eberechi Eze is reportedly facing more than six months on the sidelines after suffering a serious Achilles injury in training.

The England U21 star suffered an injury in training on Tuesday, May 18, according to The Athletic. Eze will visit a specialist for scans and further treatment on Wednesday, with surgery likely required to fix the problem.

If the scans reveal the worst, Eze could be ruled out well into next season. 

Eze who was born in England to parents of Nigerian descent, represented England at the Under 20 and Under 21 level. He has scored four goals in 29 Premier League starts for Crystal Palace this season following his signing from QPR for £16m.

This comes a day after Palace boss, Roy Hodgson said he was not aware of the severity of the injury when he gave his press conference, where he also confirmed his imminent departure from the club.

By Terry W.

“I heard voices telling me to kill my kids before I found them already dead” – A Mother says

A mum told police she was “hearing voices telling her to kill her kids” hours before two young children were found dead in Tempe, Arizona, US.

Yui Inoue, 40, stopped an Arizona cop as he was heading out for patrol at 7am on Saturday, May 15. The mum, who seemed frantic, flagged him down and told him she’s hearing voices to kill her kids.

Officers immediately rushed to her apartment, based 11 miles outside of Phoenix, and found a girl, 9, and a boy, 7, dead.

"I heard voices telling me to kill my kids before I found them already dead" - A Mother says

Tempe Police Sergeant Steven Carbajal said there were “obvious signs of physical trauma”.

“It was very tragic what officers encountered, and we’re trying to support the father and our officers right now,” Carbajal said.

“Our officers are really struggling.”

Inoue was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder.

"I heard voices telling me to kill my kids before I found them already dead" - A Mother says

Before the children were found dead, cops responded to a domestic call from the apartment at around 12.30am the same morning because the mum and dad were fighting, Carbajal added.

Officers separated the couple and checked on the children who were fine at the time. They then left the scene when tensions settled down.

Carbajal said: “It didn’t seem like there was an immediate threat to the children.

“Parents, couples, argue and they have disagreements, and they have issues that come up that often don’t require that type of intervention.”

The children’s dad wasn’t home at the time of the incident, and is not considered to be a suspect, the Arizona Republic reports.

The father “broke down” when police told him what happened to the kids, according to local media.

By Jide N.

Australian Olympian reacts after she was criticised for breastfeeding her child while ‘handstanding’

Australian Olympian, Torah Bright, has responded after she was attacked on social media for posting an “insane” nude breastfeeding picture as she performed a handstand.

The 34-year-old showed off her toned physique in a photo she shared with her Instagram followers on Sunday, May 9.

In it, she’s seen wearing only her panties while doing a handstand. Her 10-month-old son, Flow, is seen kneeling to breastfeed as she holds the upside-down position.

The Winter Olympian, who earned a gold and silver medal in the snowboard halfpipe, captioned the photo: “Becoming a mother has unleashed something inside of me.

“It’s deeply spiritual. It’s primal. It’s raw. It’s fierce. It is pure. I am mother.”

Torah Bright

Her post earned her praises and criticisms.

One user wrote: “I just don’t get the need to seek attention and post photos of everything you do. I just don’t get it.”

Another added, “My first question is – why?? Sure I get it’s natural & a beautiful thing – but I don’t post my first bowel movement of the day standing on 1 leg. Same thing?”

Bright hit back at the cruel comments, after admitting reading them “made her sad”.

She wrote on her Instagram Story: “In my world, mothers should be each other’s cheer leaders (it’s hard enough). Embrace our quirkiness and finding the joy in every sh***y thing that is motherhood.

“We all do it differently. It is not wrong or right. Motherhood is pure. I only now consider myself a Wonder Woman because I have joined the sacred MOTHERS club with you. Nothing but respect to all mothers.”

Bright reminded her followers she was not “looking for praise,” instead proudly saying she “walks this earth to the beat of my own drum, led by my nutrition and search for love and joy … obviously.”

Torah Bright

She also related to a quote from Mary Poppins that reads: “In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun and snap, the job’s a game.”

Torah Bright

The renowned Olympic athlete shares Flow with her husband, fellow snowboarder Angus Thomson.

She is Australia’s most successful athlete in Winter Olympic history.

By

Nnamdi Kanu says that Eastern Security Network ESN doesn’t engage in criminality or terror

The leader of the Indigenious People of Biafra IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, has dismissed claims that men of the Eastern Security Network, ESN, were behind the various attacks in the Southern part of Nigeria.

Kanu on December 13 2020 launched the ESN security outfit due to the rising insecurity in the region.

There have been allegations that the ESN was behind the various attacks on police formations in the South South and South Eastern parts of the country.

In a tweet posted today, May 17, Kanu said operatives of the security outfit are too disciplined to be involved in criminal activities.

His tweet reads

“I’ve said it before but let me say it again that the Eastern Security Network I command is strictly organized to deal with TERRORIST herdsmen in our land. 

ESN is a highly disciplined group of volunteers that do not engage in any act of criminality or terror”

Eastern Security Network

By Jide N.

Tyson Fury reunite with pregnant wife, Paris in Maimi to keep her man safe from intruders

A shirtless Tyson Fury couldn’t keep his hands off his bikini-clad wife, Paris as he cradled her baby bump in a new Instagram post, after she jetted into Miami from Manchester to be with him following viral photos of girls rubbing oil on the boxer’s body last week.

Tyson Fury

Pregnant Paris, 31,  flew into Miami on Tuesday, May 18 and packed on the PDA with husband and WBC heavyweHeav champion, Tyson, 32.

Hours before the pool photo, Paris flashed her jaw-dropping diamond wedding ring as she posed for a selfie with Tyson.

Tyson Fury


Her move comes after tabloids suggested their relationship might be having issues after she uploaded a photo on Instagram covering her wedding ring finger with a smiley days after the shirtless boxer was seen being slathered in sun cream by bikini-clad ladies.

Tyson Fury

In a gushing post, Tyson wrote: ‘Wow! Look what I bumped into in Miami the hottest blonde about, @parisfury1 my queen has arrived….. usa.’

Tyson Fury
Tyson Fury

By Kingsley U.

Another victim accuses Dr Anu of destroying her body after she was banned from medical practice (graphic photos)

Another alleged cosmetic surgery victim who suffered a botched butt surgery has come out to accuse Dr Anu Adepoju of being responsible.

Photos of the patient’s butt with puss leaking out of it are circulating online, alongside a chat purportedly from the patient. She was banned, read here

Dr Aanu

In the chat, the patient alleged that Dr Anu moved her practice to Abuja after her clinic in Lagos – Medcontour – was shut down over alleged malpractice. 

Dr Aanu

The patient added that she lives in New York and didn’t know about Dr Anu or the other patients who claim to be her victims.

When she returned to Nigeria, she booked a session with Dr Anu, she claims, and it ended in a disaster.

Dr Aanu

Photos of her bum are now circulating on Twitter, with some people calling her out for not doing a Google search of the doctor who she was about to entrust with her life and money.

Dr Aanu
Dr Aanu

Others called Dr Anu out, making her trend again.

Dr Aanu

Recall that Dr Anu of Medcontour has been involved in controversies after multiple patients who visited her cosmetic surgery clinic for body enhancement suffered life-threatening complications, including a former beauty queen, Nneka, who later died in LUTH.

Last year, Dr Aanu was suspended from the medical profession in Nigeria after LUTH petitioned the medical panel following the death of the victim of Dr Anu’s procedure who died after being transferred to its hospital.

Also, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, sued her to court for malpractice in July 2020 and photos of her arriving in court were shared online (read here).

Yet, she’s alleged to have continued practicing in Abuja, causing harm to patients.

Below are some Twitter reactions to the allegations.

Dr Aanu
Dr Aanu
Dr Aanu

By Francisca C.

Southern Speakers support their governors on ban on open grazing,restructuring, and other issues

Southern Governors have gotten the backing of Speakers of the southern states’ House of Assembly over the agreement that was reached in Asaba, Delta state’s capital few days ago. 

The Speakers in a resolution signed by the Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Sheriff Oborevwori, who doubles as the Deputy National Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, said they were ready to galvanise their respective parliaments to legislate on resolutions of the southern governors for the country to overcome its current challenges and make progress.

The resolution also had the signatures of Mr Aniekan Bassey, Vice Chairman (South South) of the conference; Francis O.Nwifuru, Vice Chairman (South East) of the conference; and Prince Olakunle Taiwo Oluomo, Vice Chairman (South West) of the conference.

The state legislative leaders further called for national dialogue, restructuring of the country and respect for federal character. They commended southern governors for coming together to speak with one voice, saying that their resolutions were pathways to resolving the problems facing the country. 

It read; 

“We, the speakers of state legislatures in Southern Nigeria, commend the governors of the southern states for their patriotism and firm belief in the unity of the country. 

“We salute the governors for their initiative and restate our support for their positions. We wish to state, unequivocally, that the issues canvassed in the communique are neither new nor strange, rather they require swift response from the Federal Government. 

“The country is currently undergoing very challenging times and requires bold and audacious measures to stop it from sliding into abyss. 

“We maintain that the positions of the governors, ascontained in the communique issued on May 11, 2021, in Asaba, are sacrosanct and a guarantee for justice, fairness and equity in the country.We adopt all the positions in the communique and reiterate the call for the ban on open grazing of cattle in the south. We support the call for the restructuring of the country to enthrone true federalism and, therefore, the convocation of a national dialogue is inevitable.That this will afford stakeholders from all parts of the country to table their prejudices and, together, work out a sustainable relationship as one indivisible country.

“We, also, urge the governors to send bills to the legislature, where necessary, to address some of the issues in the communique.”

By Kingsley U.