Governor David Umahi has asked herdsmen to stay away from Ebonyi state for now, as a result of the tension in the state.
Umahi gave the directive while briefing journalists at the end of the state executive council meeting on Tuesday April 20.
The Ebonyi state Governor who condemned the killing of policemen and burning of police stations in the South-East zone, directed the cattle owners to stay away from the state until peace is restored.
He said;
“We are killing policemen, we are burning police station which means that South East leaders should know that our problem is not just herdsmen. We want to put it on record that no herdsman is in Ebonyi state now.
“We didn’t ask them to leave. They left on their own, which means they were privy to the attacks on Ebonyi state.
“I have been begging the National leadership that with what is going on, no State Governor is in control of bandits and because of the killings of the defenceless Ebonyi people, for the safety of them, they should not return now.
“There is high tension. We have sent text messages to Myetti Allah that Ebonyi state is under tension and we would not want them to still stay until such a time that the State is safe.”
Heavyweight boxing champion, Anthony Joshua may have to take the biggest fight of his life – and arguably in the history of heavyweight boxing against Tyson Fury- without his trainer and mentor, Rob McCracken.
Rob McCracken, 52, is the head of boxing for Team GB, where he first discovered Joshua and the Tokyo Olympics this summer clashes with the proposed dates for the AJ vs Tyson Fury undisputed heavyweight title fight.
According to Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, three dates are being looked at for Joshua vs Fury – July 24, July 31 and August 7 – with Saudi Arabia set to be confirmed as the host country.
While the Olympics runs from Friday, July 23 to Sunday, August 8.
Eddie Hearn(pictured below) claims the fight is bigger than the Olympics and Joshua will just have to deal with it if he can’t have McCracken in his corner.
Hearn told the Independent: “We don’t have a choice. There are too many people and things to fit around already with the fighters, trainers, countries, time zones, the Olympics.
“There is all this stuff to plan so whatever date we are given by the site is the date that we will go with. Someone is spending a lot of money so we have to go whenever they say.
“The plan is to plan accordingly, I know AJ and Rob have been talking accordingly so I am sure they will work it out.
“It will depend on timings, the date we get given is when the fight takes place and the guys know it will be around the Olympics, it could be inappropriate but it is the biggest fight in boxing and the biggest moment in AJ’s career so we have to work it out.”
When it was put to Hearn that McCracken may decide to miss the Olympics in favour of a more lucrative trip with Joshua, the promoter said: “I know Rob takes his position very seriously, he loves the job and the kids so it’s not ideal but we can’t move it a couple of weeks either side.”
Hearn continued: “The Olympics will be a different timezone so it’s not really in the mindset with our scheduling. I know the Olympics is a huge event but I see them very differently.
“I know a lot of people won’t agree with me but I personally see this as bigger than the Olympics. I just feel it is bigger than the Olympics, for Britain, because the world will stop to watch and it’s between two Brits.
“It’s impossible to schedule anything without clashing with something, it’s impossible so we will go on the date we are told to go on. It will be peak time UK, middle of the night in Tokyo so there will not be a TV clash.”
Joshua has in the past compared McCracken to the great Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson in the past cLling him his mento
Joshua told Sky Sports: “Rob is a gaffer – I look at him like Sir Alex Ferguson. Great manager, great trainer, great experience.”
“Me and Rob conquered the international stage as amateurs. Then I turned pro and me and Rob conquered the world.”
Rihanna displayed products from her Fenty X Savage line on Monday night, April 19, when she stepped out in an eye-catching ensemble while dining with a group of friends at Wally’s in Beverly Hills.
The 33-year-old arrived at Wally’s wearing a sheer black lacy bodysuit. She went braless beneath the lingerie. She teamed the sheer number with a long, flowing black satin bathrobe.
She completed the look with a pair of loose-fitting black sweatpants.
LIB reported earlier that the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) had released new guidelines on how to treat asylum applications by members of Biafran secessionist groups. The guideline centers on if a person “who actively and openly supports IPOB is likely to be at risk of arrest and detention, and ill-treatment which is likely to amount to persecution”.
Reacting to this at a forum organised by NAN on Tuesday April 20, Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed described the decision as “disrespectul” to the Nigerian government and also added that it “sabotages the fight against terrorism and generally undermining Nigeria’s security.”
He said;
“Let me say straightaway that this issue is within the purview of the honourable minister of foreign affairs and I am sure he will handle it appropriately.
“But as the spokesman for the federal government of Nigeria, I will say that if indeed the report that the UK will grant asylum to supposedly persecuted IPOB and MASSOB members is true, then something is wrong somewhere.
“Against the background of the fact that IPOB is not only proscribed but also designated as a terrorist organisation here in Nigeria, the UK’s decision is disrespectful of Nigeria as a nation.
“The decision amounts to sabotaging the fight against terrorism and generally undermining Nigeria’s security.
“It is not only unconscionable, it is inexplicable.
“For the UK to choose this time to give succour to IPOB beggars belief and calls to question the UK’s real intention.
“If we could go down the memory lane, what the UK has done is like Nigeria offering asylum to members of the IRA before the 1998 Good Friday Peace Agreement.”
Lai Mohammed also claimed that IPOB is alleged to be behind the recent attacks against security operatives in the South-East, even though the secessionist group has repeatedly denied this.
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has replied the United Kingdom after the country indicated interest to offer asylum to persecuted members of the secessionist group.
On Tuesday, April 20, LIB shared a report that the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), a division of the Home Office in the just-released ‘Country Policy and Information Note Nigeria: Biafran secessionist groups’, directed its decision-makers to consider if a person “who actively and openly supports IPOB is likely to be at risk of arrest and detention, and ill-treatment which is likely to amount to persecution”. Read here.
IPOB has now responded, saying its desire is to have a referendum on self-determination for the South-East and not asylum.
A referendum is a vote on which the citizens of a country give their opinion or decide an important political question. A territorial referendum could lead to the breakaway of a region from a country.
A statement from Emma Powerful, IPOB media and publicity secretary, reads;
“We the global family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by our great and indomitable leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has noted with satisfaction the news that the United Kingdom has agreed to grant asylum to persecuted Biafra agitators resident in the UK.
While we commend them for this bold initiative, we wish to most graciously remind them that what we Biafrans need and cherish the most is referendum and not asylum in the UK.
We are tired of living in bondage in the devilish contraption called Nigeria they single-handedly created.
We would not wish our children, now and generations unborn, to share the same geo-political space with those that reward terrorists and criminalize law abiding citizens.
We particularly thank the UK government for confirming what the rest of the civilized world already know that the great IPOB worldwide family are not terrorists but peaceful agitators and freedom fighters.
That Nigeria is a country run by terrorists for the benefit of terrorists has been confirmed by this noble move by the United Kingdom.
Aso Rock, the seat of power in Nigeria is a terrorist haven with serving ministers who are openly sympathetic to terrorists and their activities coming and going as they please, while freedom fighters are languishing in jail. We want freedom not asylum.”
In the aftermath of the death of President Idriss Deby Itno, who ruled Chad for three decades, his 37-year-old son has taken over as president, according to a charter released Wednesday by the presidency.
The charter states that Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno has been named transitional leader as head of a military council following his father’s death and will “occupy the functions of the president of the republic” and also serve as head of the armed forces.
Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno immediately took charge of a transitional military council and appointed 14 of the most trusted generals to a junta to run Chad until “free and democratic” elections in 18-months time.
Commander in chief of the all-powerful red-bereted presidential guard or DGSSIE security service for state institutions, he carries the nickname Mahamat “Kaka” or grandmother in Chadian Arabic, after his father’s mother who raised him.
Mahamat is a career soldier, just like his father.
Persecuted members of Biafran secessionist groups, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), which has been designated as a terrorist organisation by the Nigerian government and the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), will now be reportedly granted assylum by the UK government.
TheCable reported that UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), a division of the Home Office in the just-released ‘Country Policy and Information Note Nigeria: Biafran secessionist groups’, directed its decision makers to consider if a person “who actively and openly supports IPOB is likely to be at risk of arrest and detention, and ill-treatment which is likely to amount to persecution”.
‘Biafra’ was defined as an area “in the south-east of Nigeria that comprises the states of Abia, Imo, Ebonyi, Enugu and Anambra. The area is inhabited principally by Igbo (Ibo) people who are one of the country’s 3 largest ethnic groups”.
The decision makers are to consider the following;
“Must also consider if the [Nigerian] government’s actions are acts of prosecution, not persecution. Those fleeing prosecution or punishment for a criminal offence are not normally refugees. Prosecution may, however, amount to persecution if it involves victimisation in its application by the authorities.
“Consider each case on its facts to determine if the person is likely to be of interest to the [Nigerian] government and whether this is for the legitimate grounds of prosecution which is proportionate and non-discriminatory”.
Giving an example of persecution, the UKVI said is “if it is the vehicle or excuse for or if only certain groups are prosecuted for a particular offence and the consequences of that discrimination are sufficiently severe. Punishment which is cruel, inhuman or degrading (including punishment which is out of all proportion to the offence committed) may also amount to persecution”.
While the onus is on the applicants to demonstrate that they will be “at risk of persecution or serious harm” in Nigeria, the publication reported that the decision makers are to consider each case on its facts, taking into account:
profile, size, and organisation of the group/organisation to which the person belongs and its activities
whether a person in the UK would wish to continue their activism if returned to Nigeria (if not, why not)
whether the group/organisation has a presence in Nigeria as well as outside of the country and any evidence that it is being monitored by the government
person’s profile and political activities (including those online) and relevant documentary or other evidence
profile and activities of family members
past treatment.
Acknowledging that the Nigerian government has a responsibility to maintain law and order, “to prevent and protect the public against acts of violence”, the communique added that when supporters or members of MASSOB or IPOB “have incited or used violence to disrupt public order, the government may have legitimate grounds to arrest and prosecute those people”.
It also noted that “where the government has arrested and detained persons who, for example, peacefully participate in demonstrations and has then charged them with treason or the person is subjected to periods of detention in degrading or inhuman conditions, such treatment is unlikely to be fair or proportionate, and is likely to amount to persecution.”
The UK, which is a signatory to several human rights and refugee conventions, believes Biafran secessionist agitations are covered by one or more of the following policies:
A person is reasonably likely to face a real risk of persecution or serious harm
The general humanitarian situation is so severe as to breach Article 15(b) of European Council Directive 2004/83/EC (the Qualification Directive)/Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights as transposed in paragraph 339C and 339CA(iii) of the Immigration Rules
The security situation presents a real risk to a civilian’s life or person such that it would breach Article 15(c) of the Qualification Directive as transposed in paragraph 339C and 339CA(iv) of the Immigration Rules
A person is able to obtain protection from the state (or quasi state bodies)
A person is reasonably able to relocate within a country or territory
A claim is likely to justify granting asylum, humanitarian protection or other form of leave, and
If a claim is refused, it is likely or unlikely to be certifiable as ‘clearly unfounded’ under section 94 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002.
Decision makers are directly to still consider all claims on an individual basis, taking into account each case’s specific facts. The Nigerian government is reportedly yet to react to this.
Operatives of the Lagos Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested 14 suspected internet fraudsters.
The suspects are: Abiodun Gbolahan Seidu, Joseph Aganaga Ndubuisi, Sodimu Olawale Sikirudeen, Ohaekim Christopher, Ambali Oluwaseyi Rahman, Chibuzor Ebubedike, Salvador Abduljabar, and Omohogbo Donald Ede.
Others are: Thomas Obire Tobiloba, Olatunbosun Adeniyi Abiodun, Olugbemi Oluwatomigbeleke Eniola, Sanni Azeez Olayinka, Joseph Afenikhena Osaoman and Hamed Olayinka Olanrewaju.
According to EFCC, they were arrested on Saturday, April 17, at Westwood Estate, Badore, Ajah Lagos, following verified intelligence received by the Commission about their alleged involvement in computer-related fraud.
Items recovered from the suspects include cars, iPhones, Android devices, laptop computers, a MacBook Pro, hard disk drives, and jewellery.
British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II turns 95 today.
Queen Elizabeth II succeeded to the throne on 6 February 1952 following the death of her father, King George VI. She became the longest-reigning living monarch on 13 October 2016, upon the death of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand.
During Her Majesty’s record-breaking reign there have been 12 British Prime Ministers, seven Roman Catholic popes and she has met 12 out of the last 13 US presidents.
The Queen is the last surviving head of state to have served during the Second World War, and in 1981 survived an assassination attempt.
Here are some historical photos detailing moments of her life as she turns 95 today April 21.
Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary of York was born by Caesarean. She was the first monarch to be born in a private house.
On October 13, 1940, Elizabeth made her first radio broadcast, joined by sister Margaret, with a scripted message for youngsters living abroad
Elizabeth on her 21st birthday in Cape Town, making the broadcast in which she pledged a lifetime of service
Elizabeth with Prince Philip on their honeymoon at the Broadlands estate, Hampshire, in 1947
Despite her father’s ill health, Elizabeth and Philip embarked on a North American tour and met with President Harry Truman
A Russian billionaire’s ex-wife has won £453million in Britain’s biggest divorce settlement today, Wednesday, April 21.
The court settlement comes after a judge found that Tatiana Akhmedova’s former husband and son plotted to keep her from getting huge settlement by hiding his assets. She also accused their 27-year-old son, Temur Akhmedov, of acting as his dad’s “lieutenant” in the legal battle.
Making the ruling in Ms Akhmedova’s favour, the judge granted her £453m after noting the “formidable smokescreen” created to conceal assets.
The case is reportedly the most expensive divorce case ever.
Ms Akhmedova, a Russian who lives in London, said her son (pictured below) helped his father, Farkhad Akhmedova hide assets.
During their marriage they enjoyed a lavish lifestyle – splitting time between a £39million mansion in Surrey and a £27.8million holiday home.
In court Temur Akhmedov said his mother’s claim against him should be dismissed .
As the family broke apart, the mum-of-two had already successfully sued her son to get more than £70million and a £5million property in Moscow.
Justice Gwynneth Knowles heard evidence between mother and son at a trial in the Family Division of the High Court in London.
In her ruling she said: “All happy families are alike, each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.
“With apologies to Tolstoy, the Akhmedov family is one of the unhappiest ever to have appeared in my courtroom.”
She added: “The Wife has been the victim of a series of schemes designed to put every penny of the Husband’s wealth beyond her reach.”
Farkhad Akhmedov, worth £900million, said in a statement: “Following the London High Court’s scandalous award to my ex-wife in 2016, Burford has embarked on a staggeringly expensive global tour of the world’s courts seeking to seize assets from me and from family trusts.
“Having failed in four years to secure a meaningful judgement and got nothing from any court in the world, they returned to London to bring a cowardly action against our son.
“Entirely predictably, given its original wrong and misguided judgement, the London court has ruled in favour of visiting “the sins” of the father on an innocent and loyal son.
“Today’s judgement and the continued presence of Burford in a matrimonial matter is beneath contempt and changes nothing.”
A spokesman for the couple’s son said he only got involved to stop the “war between his parents”, adding: “Like millions of young people, Temur has been caught up in the break-up of his parents’ marriage.
“While he fundamentally disagrees with this judgment, he would consider it a price worth paying should it lead to a reasonable settlement between the parents he both loves.”
Mr Justice Haddon-Cave, who oversaw the hearing in London, said Ms Akhmedova should walk away with £453 million.
A statement from Ms Akhmedova today said: “Since our divorce in 2016 the conduct of my ex-husband Farkhad, has left a trail of destruction and pain in his wake.
“He has driven a vendetta born from his lies, that set out to destroy not only myself but sadly to try and drive a wedge between a mother and son. Fortunately that bond is unbreakable.
“As a father he has manipulated his parental responsibility, as a husband he has dishonoured the role of being a good father and instead has sought to destroy and drive his vindictive propaganda to manipulate, mock and utilise the courts in England and overseas.
“Today’s judgement is the inevitable conclusion given Farkhad’s failure to behave honourably in the first instance. This settlement should have been reached amicably as I offered on so many occasions.
“Money does not replace the permanent damage and scars to my children or the devastation that Farkhad has implemented on his own family and children.
“As a mother and grandmother, I will gladly take the protectorate role over my family where Farkhad has failed.
“I always knew that my strength would prevail through the smoke and mirrors as presented by Farkhad and his circus of illusionists.”
The other 14 Premier League clubs have started discussing if the ‘Big Six’ clubs Arsenal, Liverpool, Machester. United, Manchester City Chelsea and Tottenham should face sanctions after they abandoned their plans to join a European Super League,
According to Sky Sports News, the talks are ongoing but the other 14 Premier League clubs are divided on whether the ‘Big Six’ should face sanctions.
One senior club official to the publication that they want to pursue the possibility of punishments because they feel there is a clear breach of Premier League rules, and a precedent must be set to act as a deterrent to possible future breakaways.
Premier League Rule L9 says any member club needs prior written approval by the Board to enter a new competition, and this official says that rule has “patently been broken” by the rebels signing an agreement to join the proposed Super League.
An executive at another Premier League club has told Sky Sports News that any sanction imposed on the ‘Big Six’, such as points deductions or fines would hurt the wrong people – the players, managers, and, crucially, the fans of those clubs.
Instead, they advocate the Premier League rules being tightened for the future, but they say the ‘Big Six’ should be welcomed back into the fold quickly, because “there has to be a measure of realism” here, with those six clubs so crucial to the “overall commercial and sporting success” of the league.
Another meeting of the 14 Premier League clubs is expected to take place later today to discuss what should happen next.
A notorious major supplier of illicit drugs in Abia state, Chibuike Apolos was on Wednesday, April 21, arrested during an early morning raid of his hideout at Mbausi in Isialangwa North area of the state.
A statement released by Femi Babafemi, spokesperson of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, says Apolos has been on the wanted list of the Abia state Command of the NDLEA since February following the arrest of one Chima Ukeleonu, the suspect behind the video that went viral in January 2021, showing a young man hawking illicit drugs on the street. As a result, 38-year-old Apolos was put on the wanted list.
Babafemi said that following APolos’s arrest in the early hours of Wednesday, the Abia state government has already marked his house that serves as his hideout for demolition.
According to the Commander, Abia state Command of the NDLEA, Bamidele Akingbade;
“The Command has been on his trail since February this year. Fortunately we got a tip-off that he just received some quantities of cannabis from Edo state. Notwithstanding the tense security situation in the south east especially Abia state, the Command still embarked on the operations which culminated in the arrest of one Chibuike Apolos with ten (10) bags of cannabis weighing 100kg, 1.6 grammes of cocaine, 1 gramme of heroin and 5 grammes of methamphetamine.
“The suspect is one of the major suppliers of illicit drugs in Abia State especially in the Isialangwa communities. The State governor has been notified and his building has been marked for demolition.”
In a related development, the Taraba state Command of the Agency has arrested 61-year-old Lawan Gambo Umar for trafficking 58.50kg of cannabis sativa. According to the state Commander of NDLEA, Suleiman Ajadi,
“The suspect was taking the skunk concealed inside sacks of beans chaff used to feed animals to Fune in Yobe state when our men intercepted him.”Babafemi’s statement read in part
Twin sisters, who had no idea the other existed, have reunited for their 36th birthday.
Identical twins Molly Sinert and Emily Bushnell were separated at birth in South Korea and adopted by different families.
The siblings spent most of their lives totally unaware of each other’s existence and little information about their birth family.
But after 36 years the two were able to find each other thanks to DNA tests and now they’ve met face-to-face for the first time.
Both twins were adopted by Jewish families in the US when they were just a few months old.
Molly went to live in Florida, while Emily’s family were from Pennsylvania.
The sisters were reunited after Emily’s 11-year-old daughter Isabel set about to find out more about her mum’s family.
She told Good Morning America: “I wanted to do the DNA test because she was adopted.
“I wanted to find out if I had more family on her side.”
Meanwhile halfway across the US, Molly also decided she wanted to take a DNA test to find out more about her history.
Molly said: “I clicked on the close relative and I didn’t understand it.
“[The results said:] ‘You share 49.96% DNA with this person. We predict that she’s your daughter’.
“This is obviously not right because I’ve never gone into labour, I don’t have children.”
It didn’t take long for Molly to figure out the results were connecting to her twin’s daughter.
The sisters were able to chat from afar and shared pictures, but decided not to have a video call until they met in person.
Even though Emily didn’t feel comfortable taking the test, she said finding out she had a twin “immediately filled a hole in her heart”.
She continued: “Although I have family who love me and have been wonderful, there was always a feeling of disconnection.
“Finding out that I had an identical twin sister just made everything so clear. It all makes sense.”
As the twins got to know each other, they found out they are similar in many ways. They both had cats and wore similar dresses, hairstyles and necklaces to prom.
Emily added: “Our senior prom picture… we were both wearing a beaded dress with a strapless style and our hair was exactly the same.
“I realised this is probably one of the many twin moments we’ll discover.”
Speaking of the moment they met, Emily concluded: “This was the happiest moment of my life. I can honestly say that.”
A mum left in a wheelchair due to a severe reaction to a Covid vaccine is still encouraging others to take the vaccine.
Sarah, of Glasgow, shared graphic photos of the horror rash which spread all over the body and face, the Daily Record reports.
NHS doctors confirmed the mum-of-one’s symptoms were caused by her body’s reaction to the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Sarah started having a tingling rash about seven days after taking the vaccine. She called her GP but ended up going to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital’s A&E department after the blisters spread across her body.
She said: “I ended up asking my husband to take me to A&E and when I got there, my heart rate was sitting at 160bpm which they were very concerned about.
“I got put on an ECG machine.”
She tested negative for a series of tests but a reaction to the jab was found on the second of two biopsies.
Sarah said: “Once they found out that it was a reaction to the vaccine, they put me on steroids and that really seems to be helping my progress.
“I’m currently using a wheelchair as well just because I can’t walk with my legs getting bandaged up every day and the blisters on the souls of my feet.
“For the first eight to nine days, I was on quite a bit of morphine but I started to gradually come off the stronger stuff.”
Sarah praised hospital staff after being allowed to recover at home on April 12.
She said: “I still believe people should be vaccinated and the amount of people that have had it and have been okay shows that it is safe for most.
“I just want people to be aware that there are some reactions that can occur and not to ignore any rashes.
“It’s not to scare people but just in case this does happen to anybody else, it means they’re going to get the treatment straight away.”
Sarah, who also developed the rash on her arms and buttocks alongside an abscess on her face, is urging others to be aware of changes in their body after receiving the jab.
An NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde spokesperson said: “We continue to urge anyone invited to come forward for their vaccine.
“It is normal for vaccines to cause potential side-effects.
“These side-effects need to be continuously balanced against the expected benefits in preventing illness.”
AstraZeneca said they cannot comment on individual cases.
A 28-year-old South African woman who survived a car crash was killed by a hit-and-run-driver while searching for her missing cellphone.
Reaction Unit South Africa’s Prem Balram, who disclosed this in a statement said the woman had been a passenger in a bakkie that overturned on N2 between uMhlanga and North Coast Road in the early hours of Monday, April 19.
The statement read;
“A passenger in a Toyota Hillux bakkie that overturned was killed while searching for her cellphone on the south bound lane of the N2 between Umhlanga and North Coast Road this morning (Monday).”
“A member of Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) was on patrol on the highway when he noticed the bakkie lying on its side. The Officer called for assistance at 04:09. The driver of the overturned vehicle informed the Reaction Officer that he was travelling with his girlfriend from Pinetown to Cornubia. As they approached the Umhlanga offramp he lost control of his vehicle which veered into the south bound lane and overturned. The couple were not injured in the initial accident.
“Emergency Services began clearing the scene when the female decided to search for her missing cellphone. She was struck by an unknown vehicle which was travelling on the extreme right lane. The vehicle sped off without stopping. The woman landed approximately 50 meters away from the point of impact.
“Medics were called back to the scene and the female was pronounced deceased on their arrival.”
Police spokesperson, Captain Nqobile Gwala, said a case of culpable homicide was opened at Durban North police station for investigation.
“This morning at 5am, a 28-year-old female was allegedly knocked by a vehicle on the N2 South Bound Bridge” he stated on Monday.
An associate of singer R. Kelly has pleaded guilty to arson for setting fire to a car outside the Central Florida home of Kelly’s ex-girlfriend.
Michael Williams was one of three associates of R. Kelly who were arrested for allegedly attempting to intimidate and threaten women who have accused the singer of sexual abuse and harassment in August 2020.
On Monday, April 19, he pleaded guilty to arson after setting an SUV, parked outside an alleged victim’s Florida home, on fire.
“I drove from my house to Kissimmee, Florida and deliberately set a car on fire in someone’s driveway,” Williams said during a court hearing in New York Monday after pleading guilty to arson.
As part of a plea agreement, prosecutors agreed to drop the witness tampering charge against him.
“The plea agreement is fair in that the witness tampering charge as it relates to R. Kelly will be dismissed at sentencing,” said defense lawyer Todd Spodek.
The June 2020 fire was set outside the Polk County home of Azriel Clary, a former girlfriend of Kelly.
Clary, 23, has been outspoken with claims that she was sexually and physically abused by the R & B singer, whose real name is Robert Sylvester Kelly.
She was preparing to testify against Kelly in federal court, before Clary’s mother, Alice Clary, called 911 call to report the family’s car was on fire.
“We heard a big boom. And when my son looked out his window, somebody was running. But they threw something on the car and put it on fire,” Alice Clary told the 911 dispatcher. “The car is getting ready to blow up.”
“Kelly has nothing to do with this — nothing to do with it at all,” R. Kelly’s attorney Steve Greenberg told Vulture at the time of the trio’s arrest this summer. “He’s never reached out to a witness, he’s never tried to intimidate a witness.”
Williams, who is a relative of Kelly’s former publicist will be sentenced on October 5 and could face up to 71 months in prison under federal sentencing guidelines.
A Nigerian lady has thrown a party to celebrate her divorce. Dr Ikea Bello’s divorce party was held last week and attended by her friends who wore red outfits.
Some of the party’s decoration had inscriptions which read “I do, I did, I’m done”, “Divorced at last”, “bye Felicia”.
She wrote on Instagram;
About last weekend, My divorce/ freedom party was lit. My 1st look for the day
The UK government is exploring the possibility of creating a new digital currency that could be known as Britcoin”.
The Bank of England and the Treasury said on Monday, April 19, that they will work together to assess the benefits of a central bank digital currency amid reports cash payments are generally on the decline, partly as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The bank said the new currency if it comes to pass, would be a new form of digital money for use by households and businesses and would exist alongside cash and bank deposits, rather than replacing them.
“The Government and the Bank of England have not yet made a decision on whether to introduce a CBDC in the UK, and will engage widely with stakeholders on the benefits, risks and practicalities of doing so,” the BoE said in a statement.
At the financial industry conference, British finance minister Rishi Suna said: “We’re launching a new taskforce between the Treasury and the Bank of England to coordinate exploratory work on a potential central bank digital currency (CBDC).”
“Our vision is for a more open, greener, and more technologically advanced financial services sector,” he told a fintech conference. “And if we can capture the extraordinary potential of technology, we’ll cement the UK’s position as the world’s preeminent financial centre.
Soon after, Sunak tweeted the word “Britcoin” in reply to the finance ministry’s announcement of the taskforce.
Former US president, Donald Trump has revealed he is looking ‘very seriously’ at running for president again in 2024.
Speaking during his very first television interview since leaving office in January, Trump announced his Presidential ambitions. He also attacked Joe Biden for his handling of the southern border and then warned that Latin America was ‘sending rapists’ into the United States.
‘I am looking at it very seriously,’ he said. ‘Beyond seriously.’ Trump told Fox News’ Sean Hannity.
Trump invited Sean Hannity of Fox News into his Mar-a-Lago estate.
He said he believed his high poll ratings – what he termed his ‘tremendous numbers’ was due to disappointment in Biden’s rule.
‘I’ve got tremendous numbers. Nobody has ever gotten the numbers I got. No sitting president has come even close. There is more popularity now the end there was the day before the election,’ he said.
Trump, now 74, said he is not ready to officially declare his candidacy.
‘From a legal standpoint, I don’t want to really talk about it yet,’ he added.
He singled out having reduced taxes, reduced the cost of prescription drugs, created Space Force, and built parts of a wall along the border with Mexico.
More than 170,000 migrants were taken into custody at the U.S.-Mexico border in March – the highest monthly total since at least 2006. Now Trump says Biden’s undoing of his immigration policies was very bad.
‘All he had to do was leave it alone,’ said Trump, pointing out that tens of thousands of migrants are currently arriving, and claiming that they were criminals and drug traffickers.
‘They are sending us not their best people,’ Trump said.
‘They are sending us people that in many cases – not in all cases – are murderers, drug dealers, human traffickers, rapists, really bad people.
‘They are sending people from prisons.’
‘It’s a horrible situation,’ he said. ‘It could destroy our country. People are pouring in.’
He told Hannity that he was looking forward to campaigning on behalf of Republican candidates for the 2022 election, and said they should embrace his policies ‘if they want to win’.
‘We’ve got to take back the house in ’22,’ he said. ‘We have a real chance.’
Former Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin was last night taken to a maximum-security prison and placed on suicide watch after being found guilty on all three counts of murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd.
Derek Chauvin was found guilty on all counts Tuesday, April 20 in the Hennepin County courtroom, where jurors spent three weeks listening to testimony about the day Floyd died under the weight of the 45-year-old officer’s knee during an arrest on May 25, 2020.
Judge Peter Cahill thanked the jury on behalf of the state of Minnesota for not only jury service but ‘heavy-duty jury service’.
Chauvin was taken in handcuffs from the courtroom as Judge Peter Cahill immediately revoked his bail pending sentencing. He was transferred to Oak Park Heights, Minnesota’s only maximum-security prison.
The Minneapolis police officer is being closely watched by guards at the prison to ensure his safety, not just as a suicide risk, but also from other inmates.
He faces a minimum sentence of 12.5 years and maximum of 40 years if he serves terms for each charge concurrently. If served consecutively, he faces between 29 and 75 years.
Joe Biden told the nation that the verdict sends the message that no one is ‘above the law’, as he demanded new action to honor Floyd after a killing he called a ‘stain on the nation’s soul.’
‘No one should be above the law. And today’s verdict sends that message. But it’s not enough. It can’t stop here,’ the president said.
A Nigerian couple, Mr and Mrs Ogeah have welcomed a set of triplets after eleven years of marriage.
The woman, Helen Ogeah gave birth to the triplets in Asaba, Delta state after several miscarriages.
A family member, Evelyn Odume, who shared the good news on Sunday, April 11, declared that God has put the devil to shame.
“You do not lie, you do not fail, what is hard for you to do it doesn’t exist o. it can never, ever exists ooo….. faithful God I worship for ur a faithful father and you never fail… Friends and family help me glorify the name of the Lord for this miracle.11years of marriage finally blessed with tripplets congratulations Mr and Mrs ogeah,” she wrote.
“Miracle working God you are worthy to be praised. Congratulations big Aunty …the Lord has put the devil to shame” she added.
One Lynda Ayebogbon, who shared the post on April 14, said the new mother had six miscarriages before the birth of the triplets.
“After eleven years of marriage, six different miscarriages, God Blessed her with triplets, what a wonderful God, He is awesome, please Glorify Him with me. Big congratulations my lovely sister, God will protect you and your babies in Jesus name. Amen” she wrote.
A Minneapolis jury has reached a verdict in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former police officer charged with killing George Floyd after he knelt on his neck for over 9 minutes.
Derek Chauvin was found guilty on all counts Tuesday, April 20, for his involvement in George Floyd’s death, a verdict that could send the disgraced former Minneapolis police officer to prison for the rest of his life.
The judge announced that Chauvin was convicted of second- and -third-degree murder, as well as second-degree manslaughter. He faces up to 75 years in prison when he returns for sentencing in eight weeks.
Second-degree murder carries a maximum sentence of 40 years. Third-degree murder carries a maximum sentence of 25 years. Second-degree manslaughter is punishable by up to 10 years.
The third-degree murder charge had initially been dismissed, but it was reinstated after an appeals court ruling in an unrelated case established new grounds for it days before jury selection started.
Jury selection for the trial began March 9, and opening statements began March 29. The panel of seven women and five men began deliberating Monday evening, April 19, after three weeks of witness testimony.
Prosecutors called 38 witnesses, including the teenager who recorded the viral video that brought global attention to Floyd’s death. She and other bystanders who testified said they are haunted by Floyd’s death and that they wish they had done more to try to save his life. The defense called seven witnesses, two of whom were experts.
Derek Chauvin has been remanded in the custody of the Hennepin County Sheriff. He was directed out of the courtroom in handcuffs moments after the guilty verdict was read in his murder case.
Meanwhile, outside the Minneapolis courthouse where Judge Peter Cahill announced a guilty verdict in Derek Chauvin’s murder case, a crowd screamed joyfully.
The crowd has shouted “Guilty!” once news emerged. There have been huge cheers, with people shouting “Yes!”
People have been screaming and crying outside the courtroom.
“Whose victory? Our victory” the crowd has chanted. Cars driving by also honked their horns in celebration.
“Don’t let anyone tell you protest doesn’t work,” a man told the crowd through a bullhorn.
The attorneys for George Floyd’s family have released statements following the conviction of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.
Attorney Ben Crump commented: “Painfully earned justice has arrived for George Floyd’s family and the community here in Minneapolis, but today’s verdict goes far beyond this city and has significant implications for the country and even the world. Justice for Black America is justice for all of America. This case is a turning point in American history for accountability of law enforcement and sends a clear message we hope is heard clearly in every city and every state.”
“Today’s verdict is so critical in that it not only holds Derek Chauvin accountable for his horrific actions, but it reinforces significant police reforms underway in Minneapolis including use-of-force reporting, a requirement to keep body-worn cameras on, and a policy for officers to de-escalate non-threatening encounters by disengaging or walking away. Now we call on Minnesota state lawmakers to pass,” said attorney Antonio M. Romanucci.
Attorney L. Chris Stewart said: “Today the world had its hope and faith restored in the American justice system. All that people crave is accountability when an officer kills a Black American. For far too long that had never happened. Now George Floyd’s soul can finally rest in peace. Justice has been served.”
Lawyer Jeff Storms similarly stated: “The impact of George Floyd’s death on Minneapolis is impossible to explain, but today’s verdict is an important step toward healing. The community here has struggled to create accountability for officers who have used excessive force over many years and too many lives and caused so much pain and suffering. This jury has sent a clear and direct message that this can never happen again.”
France was aware that a genocide was being planned in Rwanda ahead of the 1994 killings and the French government bears responsibility for enabling it, a new report published by the Rwandan government claims.
Between April and July of 1994, some 800,000 people were slaughtered, mainly from the ethnic Tutsi minority but also some Hutus.
Critics blamed then France President Francois Mitterrand for failing to prevent the massacres with reports saying France even supported the Hutu-led government that orchestrated the killings.
“The French Government bears significant responsibility for enabling a foreseeable genocide,” the Rwandan government wrote in its report published on its main website.
The report was drafted by Robert F. Muse and the American law firm Levy Firestone Muse LLP, which was hired by the Rwandan government to investigate France’s role in connection with the genocide.
The Rwandan report said while in the end the responsibility lay in those who actually carried out the genocide, the French government helped establish the institutions they eventually used to carry out the killings.
“Ultimately, this report cannot be the final word on the French government’s role in Rwanda. That word will arrive after the French government makes public all of its documents and allows all of its officials to speak freely,” the report said.
Early in April, France said it will open the Rwanda archives of former French President Francois Mitterrand, to understand France’s role in Rwanda during the genocide.
Rwanda’s report also comes after a French commission released a report in March which said France was blinded by its colonial attitude to Africa in events leading up to the genocide and bore “serious and overwhelming” responsibility.
Police have arrested a man after he allegedly left his ID after breaking into a hotel room in Manhasset, New York on April 16.
Michael C. Lee, 29, allegedly entered another guest’s room at the Travelodge hotel on Northern Boulevard at around 3 a.m. through their unlocked sliding glass window, according to CBS New York.
The female guest, 33, called out to her boyfriend, 44, for help upon encountering Lee, Daily Voice reported.
The couple demanded to know why he was in their room and asked for his ID.
Lee willingly handed over his driver’s license and fled the room without collecting it back.
The woman informed the police after noticing her money was gone.
Lee was arrested at 5:05 a.m. the same day without incident, according to authorities.
He is charged with second-degree burglary and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.
Football manager/coach, Jose Mourinho has been paid a staggering £93.5 million for his sackings in football.
Tottenham ruthlessly sacked Mourinho and his coaching staff on Monday morning, April 19, following a poor run of form in the Premier League .
He lasted just 17 months with the 58-year-old in line to receive a whopping pay-out.
UK media claim Mourinho will pocket £30 million after club chairman Daniel Levy decided to end his four-year contract with the club.
It’s now been revealed that so many other clubs paid Mourinho huge amounts after sacking him midway into his contracts.
Mourinho has had four of his contracts terminated early since he first joined Chelsea – Chelsea in 2007, Real Madrid in 2013, Chelsea again in 2015, and Manchester United in 2018.
The cost of those early terminations is listed in the accounts of each of the English clubs in question.
Chelsea (first time): £23.07m, Chelsea (second time) £8.30m, Manchester United: £19.60m Real Madrid shelled out £17 million after sacking him now Tottenham is set to pay him about £30m after sacking him.
So, Mourinho has received an astonishing £93.5 million for his sackings during his illustrious managerial career.
The Nigerian army has said that Boko Haram suffered heavy losses in both equipment and personnel while trying to take over Dikwa in Borno state.
Director Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Mohammed Yerima said troops of Operation Lafiya Dole currently carrying out Operation Tura Takaibango stationed at Dikwa and Gulumba Gana supported by the Air Component inflicted heavy casualty on Boko Haram Terrorists who attempted to take control of the strategic town of Dikwa, the headquarters of Dikwa LGA of Borno State.
Yerima said the terrorists in their numbers mounted on 12 gun trucks and attacked the town on the eve of Sunday 18 April 2021, just as the locals prepared to break their Ramadan fast for the day.
The statement read;
“The troops having contained the initial wave of the attack had to occupy their alternative Headquarters at Gulumba Gana to enable the Air Component engage any gun trucks and other technicals in the vicinity of the attack to prevent fratricide. The troops launched a counter attack in the early hours of Monday 19 April 2021 and successfully reoccupied their main headquarters in Dikwa.
“The retreating terrorists suffered heavy losses in both equipment and personnel including some of their key leaders from the superior firepower of own troops both from the air and ground forces. The troops are currently patrolling Dikwa town and environs to assess the level of damage inflicted on the terrorists.”
The statement added that the Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru has commended the troops for their doggedness and directed them to restrategise in order to prevent any further attacks in the area.
Jose Mourinho has broken his silence after he was sacked by Tottenham Hotspur after just 17 months at the club.
The Portuguese manager was sacked on Monday morning, April 19, less than a week before Tottenham take on Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley.
The 58-year-old had been in charge at Spurs since November 2019, signing a deal until the end of the 2023 season. But he was dismissed after a dismal domestic campaign and failure in the Europa League, with the club on course to miss out on Champions League football this season.
Speaking with Sky Sport, Mourinho refused to discuss his departure but disclosed that he doesn’t need a break from football.
‘You know me. I’m not going to say anything,’ he told Sky Sports. ‘No need for breaks or recharged batteries. I’m always in football.’
Mourinho leaves Spurs seventh in the table, five points off the Champions League places, and is in line for a huge pay-off of £30 million after his sacking.
It has also been revealed that so many other clubs paid Mourinho huge amounts after sacking him midway into his contracts.
Mourinho has had four of his contracts terminated early since he first joined Chelsea – Chelsea in 2007, Real Madrid in 2013, Chelsea again in 2015, and Manchester United in 2018.
The cost of those early terminations is listed in the accounts of each of the English clubs in question.
Chelsea (first time): £23.07m, Chelsea (second time) £8.30m, Manchester United: £19.60m. Real Madrid shelled out £17 million after sacking him now Tottenham is set to pay him about £30m after sacking him.
This means, Mourinho has received an astonishing £93.5 million for his sackings during his illustrious managerial career.
The Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB has rubbished calls made by some Nigerians for their security outfit, Eastern Security Network ESN, to collaborate with the newly created security outfit, EBUBE AGU.
To tackle the insecurity in the region, governors from the South-East state on April 11, announced the establishment of a security outfit called EBUBE AGU.
Some prominent Nigerians from the region have called for the ESN and EBUBE AGU to merge so they can form a formidable force to tackle the insecurity in the region.
In a statement released by its spokesman, Emma Powerful, IPOB condemned the calls for the merger. According to the statement, EBUBE AGU is a ghost group monitored by the Nigerian security agents, who are enemies of the ESN and its leader, Nnamdi Kanu.” The group said asking ESN to work with EBUBE AGU is like asking Satan to midwife the birth of Jesus. The statement reads;
“We the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the command and leadership of our great and indomitable leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, have noted with keen interest, the genuine calls by some eminent Igbo for collaboration between our gallant Eastern Security Network, ESN; and the ghost Ebubeagu security network recently floated by the treacherous South-East governors. We have equally noted similar calls by some self-acclaimed but unreliable Igbo elders and Ohanaeze chieftains.
But we have a simple question for them all: can light and darkness work together? We all knew the circumstances that gave birth to ESN. It was when the cowardly governors woefully failed to stand with the people who were being raped and slaughtered daily by Fulani herdsmen and jihadists that our leader, based on the yearnings by the people had to establish ESN to save the situation. And ever since then, the narrative has changed.
Out of envy and jealousy as those being remote-controlled by the Caliphate, the South-East governors belatedly, and without coordination announced a ghost security outfit – Ebubeagu. For the discerning minds, the action of the governors and their slavemasters is a suspect. They are out for something sinister but we are too smart to fall for it.
The pro-Biafra group also revealed that the circumstances that heralded Ebubeagu were treacherous, adding that the South-East governors should have supported the ESN, instead of floating a ghost security apparatus without personnel.
Where are the personnel of the so-called ‘Ebubeoke na Ngwere? When Amotekun was formed by South-West Governors, did you not see their personnel and equipment? When our leader established ESN, did you not see our gallant men? How then are you asking ESN to collaborate with ghost Ebubeagu that has no identifiable personnel?
How can ESN collaborate with Ebubeagu that is being supervised by the compromised Fulani-controlled Nigeria security agencies? Heads of all security agencies in the South-East are all Fulani who have failed to protect our people against their kinsmen and foot soldiers of the Fulanisation agenda. These are those behind the formation of Ebubeagu, and you want us to work together with them?
Asking ESN to collaborate with Ebubeagu is like asking Lucifer to midwife the birth of Jesus Christ. But for the gullible, Ebubeagu was simply floated to spy on ESN and IPOB. The aim of the Caliphate in forcing their puppets called South-East governors to float the imaginary outfit is to scuttle the bonding unity among Ndigbo and set our youths against themselves but we are ahead of them in this game” the statement read
Former US vice president and liberal leader, Walter Mondale, who lost to Ronald Reagan in one of the most lopsided presidential elections in 1984, has died at the age of 93.
The death of the former senator, ambassador and Minnesota attorney general was announced in a statement from his family.
“It is with profound sadness that we share news that our beloved dad passed away today in Minneapolis, Minnesota,” his family said in a statement on Monday, April 19.
No cause was given for Mondale’s death, according to the statement from his family.
Before serving as Jimmy Carter’s deputy between 1977 and 1981, the Democrat had 12 years in the Senate representing his home state of Minnesota. Under Bill Clinton, he spent three years in Tokyo as the American ambassador to Japan.
“Today I mourn the passing of my dear friend Walter Mondale, who I consider the best vice president in our country’s history,” Carter said in a statement, extending his condolences to his former number two’s family.
“He was an invaluable partner and an able servant of the people of Minnesota, the United States and the world.”
President Joe Biden said of Mondale: “There have been few senators, before or since, who commanded such universal respect. … It was Walter Mondale who defined the vice presidency as a full partnership, and helped provide a model for my service.”
Vice President Kamala Harris said that she had spoken with Mondale “a few days ago” and that he was always “so generous with his wit and wisdom over the years.”
“Each time I open my desk drawer and see his signature there, alongside the signatures of 11 other Vice Presidents, I will be reminded of and grateful for Vice President Mondale’s life of service,” she said in a statement.
He ran as the Democratic presidential nominee against Ronald Reagan in 1984. He lost in one of the most lopsided electoral victories in modern American politics, winning only his home state, Minnesota, and the District of Columbia.
Mondale started his career as an activist in Minnesota’s Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party, then by working on Hubert Humphrey’s Senate campaign in 1948.
He graduated from the University of Minnesota law school in 1956 and was the state’s attorney general from 1960 until he was appointed to the Senate in 1964 to finish Humphrey’s term after he became Lyndon B. Johnson’s vice president.
Mondale was elected to the Senate in 1966 and again in 1972.
His wife of 58 years, Joan, died in 2014 at age 83 after a long illness. His daughter, Eleanor, died in 2011 after being diagnosed with brain cancer.
Premier League side, Tottenham Hotspur have appointed Ryan Mason as interim head coach until the end of the season after Jose Mourinho sacking.
The Portuguese manager was sacked on Monday after 17 months in charge, six days before the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City.
Former Spurs and Hull midfielder Mason, who was forced to retire from playing in 2018, steps up from his role as head of player development at the club.
Chris Powell and Nigel Gibbs will assist him, while Ledley King stays on as a first-team coach and former goalkeeper Michel Vorm returns to the club as a goalkeeping coach.
Mason’s first game in charge is a Premier League match with Southampton on Wednesday April 20, before leading his boyhood club to face Manchester City at Wembley on Sunday in the Carabao Cup final.
Spurs chairman Daniel Levy said: “We have great belief in this squad of talented players.
“We have a cup final and six Premier League games ahead of us and we shall now focus all our energies on achieving a strong finish to the season.”
After joining the club at 8, Mason played 70 times for Spurs between 2008 and 2016 before moving to Hull.
However, just six months after joining Hull, he suffered a fractured skull that eventually forced him to retire 12 months later.
Mason later returned to Spurs soon after in a coaching capacity and was named as the club’s head of player development in the summer of 2019.
Two UK police officers were recently caught kissing in a patrol car at a Tesco supermarket in Lancashire.
One witness said they saw the officers kissing for 20 minutes in the carpark in Blackburn, Lancashire. The witness also said the female officer later got out of the car and walked round to the driver’s side to continue the mouth action through the window.
A man who saw them in a Tesco car park off Carl Fogarty Way, said: ‘I was sat with my friend in the car park, I’d gone to fix my car.
‘After we were done we were just parked in the supermarket car park having a little break.
‘My friend noticed the police officer in his mirror and saw that a woman had got into his car. It just didn’t feel right.’
He said the pair were initially in their own cars, the male officer in a police car and the woman in an unmarked car before she got out and got into his car.
The witness went on: ‘Initially they were in their own cars. They pulled up next to each other and were talking from car to car. She then got out and got into his car.
‘They were kissing in the car – their faces were colliding. They were sat in the car for about 20 minutes.
‘This is an on-duty police officer sitting in a car for 20 minutes doing b***** all.
‘It annoyed me. People were walking past and taking a double look into the vehicle and thinking ”Is that really happening?” They were laughing and joking and kissing. I don’t think they should be doing it on police time, even if he was on his lunch break it looks bad.’
And he added: ‘They were there for a long time – all in all about an hour if not longer. That’s what made me think it couldn’t be a lunch break.
‘It’s a big town, there will be a lot going on, enough for them to do. People are getting burgled and they don’t bother going out to them.’
A spokesman for Lancashire Police described it as an ‘isolated incident.’
A spokesman said: ‘Lancashire Constabulary appreciates the impact social media videos can have on public confidence.
‘This was an isolated incident involving one off duty and one on duty police officer.
‘The officers have since been spoken to and apologised for their conduct and understand how this may have been interpreted, the matter is now closed.’
14 premier league clubs have held an emergency meeting where they all reportedly agreed to tell the big six ‘rebel’ clubs to quit the Premier League over their decision to set the European Super league.
The big six clubs- Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham, Liverpool and Arsenal are part of the clubs who released a statement on Monday announcing their desire to set up their own European Super League to rival the UEFA champions league.
The big six argue they don’t make as much money as their brands deserve and feel that with the new ESL they will make much more money than given to them by UEFA. A deal is already in place to give the top six clubs a starting £310m to start up the ESL.
But the other 14 top-flight teams are planning their revenge, agreeing in a meeting on Monday to remove the top six from the premier league while UEFA also plans to kick the clubs out of Europe on Friday..
The top six believe they will be better served financially in their own European league and have already filed legal injunctions against UEFA to prevent the body from punishing them for setting up their own league.
At a Prem meeting on Tuesday April 20, from which the six giants have been excluded the other teams are set to agree to demand United, Liverpool, City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs all leave the league at the end of the season.
The outsiders are angry at what they called “underhanded” dealing by the Big Six, despite previous promises of unity collective agreements to back the Prem.
Clubs are said to be “angry and dismayed” at the actions of the Six, with a call for disciplinary charges and for the League to officially confirm they will not be granted permission to join the £4.6billion scheme.
But expelling the top six clubs is one option that is being discussed by club chiefs and one exec said: “Lots of options are being explored. They have underestimated the opposition.”
Under Prem rule B6, it would take a vote of three quarters of the 20 clubs to boot any of the Big Six out.
With a maximum of 14 clubs backing any such call, they would fall one vote short.
But Rule B11 gives “discretion, right and power” to the League’s Board – chief exec Richard Masters, chairman Gary Hoffman and non-exec director Kevin Beeston – to act in “sole and absolute discretion” to make “final and binding” rulings that are “not subject to appeal”.
Executives of the smaller clubs have hit out at the top clubs and their scheme to enrich themselves .
Aston Villa chief exec Christian Purslow said: “These proposals do away with sporting merit.
“It would enable a small number of clubs to be in this competition come what may and, for millions of people in football, that goes against everything the sport means and stands for.”
While Crystal Palace owner Steve Parish added: “This is creating a gilded elite that will not be challenged.
“If you can imagine uniting every football fan, every chief executive, every politician, Boris Johnson, [France President Emmanuel] Macron… a whole group of people who couldn’t agree on anything suddenly coming out instantly condemning something. So, it feels like a busted flush.”
Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani said: “Absolutely against the sporting spirit, the dream of millions of fans to conquer the champions on the field, with planning, vision, work.
“Kill dreams of players and fans. The teams are fans and WE are custodians of the club.”
Denmark FA chief Jesper Moller revealed: “The Super league clubs who are still in Europe must go, and I expect that to happen on Friday.
“Then we have to find out how to finish the Champions League.”
Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin also threatened to ban England and overseas stars including Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, Cristiano Ronaldo and Antoine Griezmann from Euro 2020.
Real Madrid president, Florentino Perez, has fired back at UEFA and its president, Aleksander Ceferin, accusing the European football body of not being transparent with it’s financial dealings.
In a statement on Monday, 12 European clubs, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, AC Milan, Inter, Juventus, Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham announced their desire to set up their own European Super League to rivals the UEFA champions league.
The clubs who signed up to the new league which will be given £310m each for a start.
Three more teams are expected to be involved annually for a total of 15, with a further five clubs able to qualify each season.
UEFA president, Ceferin (top right) on Monday April 19, branded Manchester United and Juventus chiefs Ed Woodward and Andrea Agnelli as “snakes” after they resigned from UEFA to take up executive positions in the new Super League.
Perez, who is the president of the new league, has reacted to Ceferin’s insults saying he shouldn’t insult any club president.
He also accused the UEFA leader and la Liga president of maintaining high salaries even during the Coronavirus pandemic when players and clubs were slashing salaries.
He then accused UEFA of being secretive with its finances despite majority of it’s money coming from big clubs, saying everyone knows the salary of basketball player, Lebron James, but no one knows Ceferin’s salary.
“President Ceferin insulted Andrea Agnelli today, it is not possible,” Perez said in an interview with El Chiringuito.
“It’s crazy to discuss a president of a world club like Juventus.
“This is something unacceptable, UEFA must change, we don’t want a president who insults other presidents.
“Why aren’t UEFA and La Liga salaries public? Why haven’t salaries been reduced like everyone else during the pandemic? We need more transparency. We know the salary of LeBron James but we don’t know the salary of the UEFA president.”
Perez also claimed the Euro Super League is needed to ‘save football’ in an extraordinary defence of the controversial plans.
“Whenever there is a change, there are always people who oppose it. We are doing this to save football at this critical moment,” he added.
“Audiences are decreasing and rights are decreasing and something had to be done. We are all ruined. Television has to change so we can adapt.
“Young people are no longer interested in football. Why not? Because there are a lot of poor quality games and they are not interested, they have other platforms on which to distract themselves.
“If we continue with the Champions League there is less and less interest and then it’s over. The new format, which starts in 2024 is absurd. In 2024 we are all dead.
“Together we have lost €5billion. In two seasons Madrid have lost €400m.
“When you have no income other than television, you say that the solution is to make more attractive matches that fans from all over the world can see with all the big clubs, and we came to the conclusion that if instead of having a Champions League we have a Super League we would be able to alleviate what we have lost.”
Florentino also revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo will not be returning to Real Madrid who has recently been linked with a move back to Madrid where he won four Ballon D’or titles and three champions league titles.
Perez said that Real Madrid signing Ronaldo is “impossible”, citing that he is currently under contract with Juve, who would be one of the key clubs in this new “Super League” venture. He added that while he would “love” to have Ronaldo back in Madrid, a reunion just would not “make sense”.
Former US President, George W. Bush has expressed his shock over people’s reaction to his friendship with former US first lady, Michelle Obama.
Bush, a Republican, said he was shocked by how people reacted when he and Michelle, a Democrat, embraced each other at the opening of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture and their interaction at the late Sen. John McCain’s 2018 funeral where he gave her an Altoid.
“The American people were so surprised that Michelle Obama and I could be friends,” Bush said in an interview on CBS.
“Americans are so polarized in their thinking that they can’t imagine a George W. Bush and a Michelle Obama being friends.”
“It was a friendship,” former first lady Laura Bush added.
In the interview, Bush also reacted to the current immigration dilemma being faced at the southern border.
Bush called on Congress to tone down the “harsh rhetoric” on immigration, adding that he hopes that doing so will “set a tone that is more respectful” of immigrants and lead to more policy change.
The Kano state police command has rescued a 15-year old girl, Aisha Jibrin, who was allegedly locked up in a room by her parents in the Darerawa Quarters of Fagge Local Government Area of Kano State.
Confirming this development to newsmen, the spokesperson of the state police command, Abdullahi Kiyawa, said Miss Jibrin was confined to the home of her parents without proper feeding and healthcare. He said her mother, Rabi Muhammad, has been taken into custody but the father has fled.
A statement released by Kiyawa said;
“The Kano State Police Command wishes to inform members of the general public that on the 19/04/2021 at about 1100hrs, information received revealed that one Aisha Jibrin, ‘f’, 15 years old of Darerawa Quarters, Fagge LGA Kano State was solitarily confined for ten (10) years in a room by her biological parents, one Mohd Jibrin, ‘m’, and Rabi Mohd, ‘f’, of the same address inside their house without proper feeding and health care.
On receipt of the report, the Commissioner of Police, Kano State Command, CP Sama’ila Shu’aibu Dikko, fsi raised and instructed a Medical Team and a team of Detectives to proceed to the scene, rescue the victim and arrest the culprits.
The teams immediately swung in to action. The victim was rescued and rushed to Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital Kano and admitted”
He said the case has been transferred to the Police Criminal Investigation Department for investigation on the order of the police commissioner.
Chad’s newly re-elected President Idriss Deby has died of injuries suffered on the frontline while fighting rebels in the north of the Sahel country.
The country’s army spokesperson, General Azem Bermandoa Agouna made the announcement hours after electoral officials declared 68-year-old Deby as winner of the April 11 presidential election, paving the way for him to stay in power for six more years after a 30-year rule.
Deby had postponed his victory speech to supporters and instead went to visit Chadian soldiers battling rebels, according to his campaign manager. The rebel group Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT), which is based across the northern frontier with Libya had attacked a border post on election day and then advanced hundreds of kilometres south.
General Azem Bermandoa Agouna said in a statement read out on state television;
“Deby, 68 has just breathed his last defending the sovereign nation on the battlefield”
It is not known why the president would have visited the area or participated in ongoing clashes with the rebels who opposed his rule. Deby came to power in a rebellion in 1990 and is one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders.
General Mahamat Kaka, the son of the deceased Chadian leader, has been named interim head of the state.
The Libya media has once again reported that three more Nigerians converted to Islam in the country.
According to the latest report posted by Libya News on Sunday, April 18, three Nigerian men converted to Islam in Misrata city, in the Misrata District, situated 187 km to the east of Tripoli.
As usual, the conversion was greeted with mixed reactions from Nigerians, Libyans, Christians and Muslims in Libya.
One Samura Mohammed hailed the conversion, saying that people who do not believe in Islam, the Quran and Prophet Muhammad ‘are the worst creatures’ and will die in the Fire of Hell.
“Verily, those who disbelieve in the religion of Islam, the Quran and Prophet Muhammed (Peace be upon him) from among the people of the Scriptures (Jews and Christians) and Al-Mushrikun will abide in the Fire of Hell. They are worst of creatures”
One Kate Marvis said people shouldn’t criticise the men for converting to Islam as it is their fundamental human right.
“Pls guys, everyone has a choice to convert to any religion dey want,so far dey are not under pressure.Don’t try to force ur choice on someone, it’s called fundamental human right. As far as am concerned, we are serving desame God, don’t judge by religion but judge by d persons personality, no one is perfect, Christian, Muslim, Jews.I come in peace”
Manchester United and Arsenal football club of England have confirmed they have left the European Clubs Association (ECA) while United chairman, Ed Woodward and Arsenal CEO, Vinai Venkatesham have resigned from their positions with UEFA in staunch moves to show they are intent on going ahead with plans to set up their own European Super League.
A statement released on Sunday night confirmed 12 clubs, including United and Arsenal, had agreed to form a breakaway league which would be run by the founding clubs.
United’s executive vice-chairman Woodward was appointed to UEFA’s Professional Football Strategy Council as an ECA representative in September 2017.
His role was to advise and assist in the structure of European football’s governing body but, with the European Super League (ESL) breaking away from UEFA’s normal European competitions, he will no longer occupy that role.
In another move, Manchester United also confirmed co-owner Joel Glazer will be vice chair of the new league.
The ECA is the professional body that represents the interests of clubs in UEFA competitions.
A statement released late on Sunday said: “Twelve of Europe’s leading football clubs have today come together to announce they have agreed to establish a new mid-week competition, the Super League, governed by its founding clubs.
“AC Milan, Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Juventus, Liverpool, Man City, Man Utd, Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur have all joined as founding clubs. It is anticipated that a further three clubs will join ahead of the inaugural season, which is intended to commence as soon as practicable.
“Going forward, the founding clubs look forward to holding discussions with UEFA and FIFA to work together in partnership to deliver the best outcomes for the new League and for football as a whole.”
According to the statement, the competition will feature “20 participating clubs with 15 founding clubs and a qualifying mechanism for a further five teams to qualify annually based on achievements in the prior season.
“Midweek fixtures with all participating clubs continuing to compete in their respective national leagues, preserving the traditional domestic match calendar which remains at the heart of the club game.
“An August start with clubs participating in two groups of ten, playing home and away fixtures, with the top three in each group automatically qualifying for the quarter-finals. Teams finishing fourth and fifth will then compete in a two-legged play-off for the remaining quarter-final positions.
“A two-leg knockout format will be used to reach the final at the end of May, which will be staged as a single fixture at a neutral venue.”
European football governing body, UEFA has slammed plans by some top clubs in European top leagues for plans to break away from the normal league and champions league format to set up their own European super league while also thanking French and German clubs for refusing to sign up to the scheme.
According to the Premier League and UEFA, the plans to create a European Super League, are anti-competitive and will undermine the integrity of the sport.
Reports of a rival competition known as European Super League emerged on Sunday April 18, just a day before UEFA were to hold a meeting to ratify the current Swiss model being used for the Champions league.
In a joint announcement on Sunday night, six English clubs — Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur — alongside three teams from Italy — AC Milan, Inter Milan and Juventus — and three from Spain — Atlético Madrid, Barcelona and Real Madrid — laid out plans to form a breakaway competition, referred to in the announcement as the Super League.
The top clubs feel cheated by the current champions league format which does not give them enough financial protection.
The top clubs feel that it’s easier now for ‘small clubs’ like Leicester City, Everton, Atalanta, Bilbao to qualify for the Champions league than them. Most especially top premier league clubs feel cheated as they earn the same amount of television rights money as the likes of Burnley, West Ham, West Brom when they believe fans from all over the world will rather watch a Manchester United vs Chelsea than a West Brom vs Burnley.
UEFA, the premier league and the English FA have now released statements condemning the clubs.
In a statement, the English premier league said: “The Premier League condemns any proposal that attacks the principles of open competition and sporting merit which are at the heart of the domestic and European football pyramid.
“Fans of any club in England and across Europe can currently dream that their team may climb to the top and play against the best. We believe that the concept of a European Super League would destroy this dream.
“The Premier League is proud to run a competitive and compelling football competition that has made it the most widely watched league in the world. Our success has enabled us to make an unrivalled financial contribution to the domestic football pyramid.
“A European Super League will undermine the appeal of the whole game, and have a deeply damaging impact on the immediate and future prospects of the Premier League and its member clubs, and all those in football who rely on our funding and solidarity to prosper.
“We will work with fans, The FA, EFL, PFA and LMA, as well as other stakeholders, at home and abroad, to defend the integrity and future prospects of English football in the best interests of the game.”
UEFA in a statement said: “UEFA, the English Football Association and the Premier League, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and La Liga, and the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and Serie A have learned that a few English, Spanish and Italian clubs may be planning to announce their creation of a closed, so-called Super League.
“If this were to happen, we wish to reiterate that we – UEFA, the English FA, RFEF, FIGC, the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, but also FIFA and all our member associations – will remain united in our efforts to stop this cynical project, a project that is founded on the self-interest of a few clubs at a time when society needs solidarity more than ever.
“We will consider all measures available to us, at all levels, both judicial and sporting in order to prevent this happening. Football is based on open competitions and sporting merit; it cannot be any other way.
“As previously announced by FIFA and the six Federations, the clubs concerned will be banned from playing in any other competition at domestic, European or world level, and their players could be denied the opportunity to represent their national teams.
“We thank those clubs in other countries, especially the French and German clubs, who have refused to sign up to this. We call on all lovers of football, supporters and politicians, to join us in fighting against such a project if it were to be announced. This persistent self-interest of a few has been going on for too long. Enough is enough.”
The FA in a statement also said: “It is clear that this would be damaging to English and European football at all levels and will attack the principles of open competition and sporting merit which are fundamental to competitive sport.
“For new competitions to be formed involving clubs from different assocations, approval would be required. We would not provide permission to any competition that would be damaging to English football, and will take any legal and/or regulatory action necessary.”
There have been no official comments from any clubs so far.
The Zamfara state government has announced that it has spent 2.9 billion on essential commodities which will be distributed to various categories of people as Ramadan welfare.
In a statement released by the state Commissioner for Information Ibrahim Dosara on Sunday April 18, it was gathered that the aim of the project is to help “reduce the hardship being faced by people and to enable them to conduct the Ramadan fast with relative ease and happiness.”
Dosara further said 450 truckloads of the welfare packages contained rice, millet, maize, beans, sugar and milk were being distributed to the vulnerable, less privileged, internally displaced persons, civil servants and other categories of members of the public.
The statement read;
ZAMFARA STATE GOVERNMENT
PUBLIC NOTICE
The Chairman, Committee for the distribution of this year’s Ramadan welfare packages and the Speaker Zamfara state House of Assembly Rt Hon Nasiru Muazu Magarya wishes to inform the general public that, Zamfara state government under the leadership of His Excellency Hon (Dr) Bello Matawalle, has purchased 450 trucks of foodstuffs and essential commodities worth 2.9 billion naira for distribution to the public as Ramadan welfare packages for the vulnerable, less privileged, internally displaced persons, civil servants and other categories of members of the public, to help in reducing the hardships being faced by people and to enable them conduct the Ramadan fast with relative ease and happiness.
The foodstuffs and the essential communities are as follows:
Rice………… 60, 000 bags
Millet………50,000 bags
Maize…………50, 000 bags
Beans………..30,000 bags
Sugar………….10,000 bags
Shadda/Attamfa….40,000 pieces
To ensure equity, fareness and justice in the distribution exercise, His Excellency the Executive Governor has ordered for the formation and or constitution of committees at both state, local government, ward and polling unit levels as follows:
State Committee.
Speaker, state assembly…….as Chairman
Members include:
State Party chairman
State House leader
House Committee Chairman on Religious affairs
Commissioner for Rural Development
Commissioner for Religious Affairs
Chairman state ALGON
Perm Sec ministry for local government
Sole Administrator, Maru local government council
Sole Administrator, Anka local government
9.Chairman, Zakkat and Endowment Fund
State Party Secretary
Hon Special Adviser ( Political) as the Secretary of the committee.
Local Government Committee
Local Government Sole Administrator as the committee chairman
Local Government party chairman
All members of the National and State Assemblies in the local government
All commissioners and Special Advisers in the local government
Permanent Secretaries and Directors General in the local government
Local Government Secretary
Representatives of the Emirs in the local government
Representatives of all security agencies in the local government.
Local Government party Secretary to serve as Secretary of the committee.
Ward Committee
Ward councillor as chairman.
Ward party chairman
Polling unit Party chairmen
Youth leader
Woman leader
Ward Party Secretary to serve as the committee’s secretary.
Polling Unit Committee
Polling unit party chairman as the chairman.
All members of his EXCO.
Polling Unit Secretary to serve as the committee Secretary.
All the appointed committee members are hereby warned to desist from any wrong doing in the distribution of these items as supervising committees have also been appointed to watch the distribution exercise and report how the exercise was conducted by both the 4 committees.
Members should ensure that the foodstuffs reach the targetted beneficiaries directly and without delay.
The pattern of the distribution is as follows:
Gusau local government
Rice……..2124 bags
Millet…..708 bags
c Maize……1416
Sugar. ….354
Beans……354
Kaura Namoda Local Government
Rice……….1050
Millet………350
Maize……..700
Sugar……..175
Beans……..175
Talata Mafara local government
Rice………. 1110
Millet……… 370
Maize…….. 740
Sugar…….. 185
Beans……..185
Gummi local government
Rice……….1116
Millet………372
Maize……..744
Sugar……..186
Beans……..186
Tsafe local government
Rice……….1200
Millet………400
Maize……..800
Sugar……..200
Beans……..200
Bungudu local government
Rice……….1326
Millet………442
Maize……..884
Sugar……..221
Beans……..221
Zurmi local government
Rice……….1140
Millet………380
Maize……..760
Sugar……..190
Beans……..190
8.Shinkafi local government a. Rice……….738
Millet………246
Maize……..492
Sugar……..123
Beans……..123
Maradun local government
Rice……….876
Millet………292
Maize……..584
Sugar……..146
Beans……..146
Anka local government
Rice……….762
Millet………254
Maize……..508
Sugar……..127
Beans……..127
Birnin Magaji local government
Rice……….738
Millet………246
Maize……..492
Sugar……..123
Beans……..123
Maru local government
Rice……….1284
Millet………428
Maize……..856
Sugar……..214
Beans……214
Bakura local government
Rice……….684
Millet………228
Maize……..456
Sugar……..114
Beans……..114
Bukuyum
Rice……….948
Millet………316
Maize……..632
Sugar……..158
Beans……158
Each polling unit is to receive a total of 14 bags of assorted foodstuffs and commodities.
This is in addition to the welfare packages to other cateries of people including orphans, people with special needs, internally displaced persons, imams, civil servants, Quranic schools and other relevant organisations.
Following mobile telephone numbers are dedicated for any complaints regarding the distribution exercise.
08089036555
08037754225
08067234742
08062703232
The Speaker, Rt Hon Nasiru Muazu Magarya also wishes the general public a happy Ramadan.
One Modu Ari accused of being a Boko Haram spy and supplying information on movement of troops to the terrorists, has been arrested in Yobe state.
Nigerian Army’s spokesperson, Mohammed Yerima confirmed the arrest and also disclosed that the information Ari gave out led to attacks against military operatives.
He said;
“Troops of Operation Lafiya Dole have arrested suspected Boko Haram informant whose spying activities and that of his accomplices were responsible for the attacks on troops position by terrorists in Kamuya, Yobe State.
“The informant who was identified as Modu Ari was apprehended by troops of 27 Task Force Brigade.
“On interrogation, he confessed to have revealed troops’ movement and position to his Boko Haram collaborators.
“Investigation is however ongoing to unravel the network of local informants whose nefarious activities have endangered troops on clearance operations around the fringes of Timbuktu Triangle.
“The unfortunate sabotage of troops movement by Ari and his accomplices made it possible for the terrorists to attack the rear element of troops on patrol.
“Though the attack was swiftly repelled by troops from the Tactical Headquarters of 27 Task Force Brigade and Army Super Camp 3 Buratai, own troops suffered some casualties.
“In spite of the setback, the Chief of Army Staff has encouraged troops of Operation Tura Takaibango to keep their fighting spirit up and to remain dedicated in the effort to flush out the remnants of the terrorists as quickly as possible.
“He charged them not to relent even in the face of gross unpatriotic acts of some locals who are snitching on their movements and positions.”
The proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB has condemned plans by the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria to deploy 5,000 vigilantes to the South-East region.
The Miyetti Allah group had recently announced it will be deploying the vigilantes to protect herders and their cattle in the South East.
In a statement released by its Director of Media and Publicity, Emma Powerful, IPOB said it was ready to resist the plan by Miyetti Allah, adding that the position of the cattle breeders association was an insult on Igbo land.
“The attention of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra has been drawn to the threat by Miyetti Allah to deploy 5,000 jihadists to Biafra land to protect their cows and herders following the floating of Ebube Agu security outfit by South-East governors.
We consider this utterance an insult to the entire Biafra and won’t tolerate it despite our grievances against the treacherous South-East governors and the political elite.
The Miyetti Allah and their terrorists group should know that they shouldn’t play God forever. They are trying to provoke ESN and IPOB to take a drastic action. IPOB and ESN are running out of patience with their insults.”he said
The Dean of Students’ Affairs, Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi in Edo State, Dr Shola Eshiobo, has been found dead in his office.
It was gathered that the lifeless body of the lecturer was discovered in his office on Sunday morning, April 18.
A family source who confirmed the incident to the Tribune, said the wife of the deceased raised the alarm after he did not return home from the office on Saturday.
“He left the house on Saturday, 17 afternoon that he was going to the office to attend to some official matter. He normally goes to the office when he has so much in his hands to do. At about 9 pm when he was not yet back home, the wife started calling his line but there was no pick-up and the call was not returned. She tried until late, still no response,” the source explained.
“Early on Sunday morning, she raised the alarm and told people around that the husband went to the office on Saturday but did not return. They went to the office, they saw his vehicle at the car park but when they got to his office they saw him dead in his office.”
The source added although no foul play was suspected, an autopsy would be carried out to ascertain the cause of the death.
“The corpse has been deposited at the mortuary. Although we are not suspecting any foul play, for now, an autopsy will be carried out,” he added.
The Public Relations Officer of Auchi Polytechnic, Mr Mustapha Oshiobugie, described the incident as unfortunate.
“We heard about the unfortunate incident. The body has been taken to the morgue. An official statement will be made available on Monday,” he stated.
A troubled man has been spotted on a telecommunication’s mast in Ikeja, the Lagos state capital.
The man stormed the mast in the early hours of Monday April 19, and climbed his way to the top of the mast. No one knows his motive for climbing but there are fears that he might be suicidal. Efforts are being made to safely rescue him from the mast.
In-form Super Eagles star, Kelechi Iheanacho has declared his special love for the FA Cup after leaving his Leicester City dreaming of lifting the trophy for the first time in their history.
Iheanacho scored the only goal, his 10th in the last seven games in all competitions, to end Southampton’s campaign and set up a Final clash with Chelsea, Leicester’s first since 1969.
Since his FA Cup debut in January 2016, the Nigerian international has scored 14 goals in 19 games – more than any other player in the competition.
‘The FA Cup loves me and I love the FA Cup,’ said Iheanacho following his impressive display. ‘I was in the right place at the right time. I’ve been unlucky in the past few years but it’s working out well now and I need to go to the next level.’
Vardy’s brilliant burst and cross created Iheanacho’s strike: ‘The partnership is outstanding. He has pace, he has everything. He set up the goal and I was in the right place at the right time.’ Iheanacho added
Leicester Boss Brendan Rodgers also said of the game: ‘The club have been waiting a long time to get to an FA Cup Final. It’s something I’ve been made well aware of and something that means a lot to the supporters.
‘We deserved it. We didn’t concede any efforts on goal, and as the game wore on we looked really bright.
‘The two of them [Vardy and Iheanacho] are a real threat. Jamie may not be scoring but he gives us so much and Kelechi is such a great guy who is at the top of his game in terms of confidence.’
The US has warned Russian president, Vladmir Putin, there will be consequences if Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny dies in jail after doctors warned his health is failing amid hunger strike.
Navalny, an anti-corruption campaigner and Putin’s most-prominent critic, was first arrested in January upon his return to Russia following a Novichok poisoning allegedly carried out by an FSB hit squad.
He was then jailed for two and a half years the following month over an old embezzlement case, and transferred to a penal colony on February 26.
Navalny, 44, has been on hunger strike since March 31 because he says Russian prison guards are refusing him proper treatment for acute pain in his back and numbness in his legs while Moscow insists he is being given adequate care.
US national security adviser, Jake Sullivan said on Sunday April 18 that Biden is weighing up a range of responses if Navalny dies, and that Russia is aware of the threat.
Sullivan said Washington is ‘looking at a variety of different costs that we would impose… if Mr Navalny dies’, while refusing to go into specifics.
The US’s position comes after Yaroslav Ashikhmin, a doctor acting on behalf of Navalny’s family, said test results carried out in prison show dangerous levels of potassium in his blood along with signs of kidney failure.
‘Our patient could die at any moment,’ Ashikhmin warned.
On March 15 Navalny uploaded his first Instagram post from inside jail, likening conditions to ‘a concentration camp’ alongside an image of him with a shaved head.
On Saturday Biden called Navalny’s treatment ‘unfair’ and ‘totally inappropriate’ when asked about it during a round of golf.
At least 11 people have been killed and 98 left injured after four carriages on a passenger train derailed in Egypt
The country’s railway authority said in a statement that the four train wagons ran off the rails at 1.54pm on Sunday in the Qalyubia province, just north of Cairo.
The train had been heading to the Nile Delta city of Mansoura from the Egyptian capital when the carriages derailed.
The health ministry confirmed that at least 11 people had been killed with about 98 people left with injuries, including broken bones, cuts, and bruises.
According to authorities, more than 60 ambulances had been dispatched to the site of the derailed train and had been working to transport those injured in the incident to the hospital.
Former US President Donald Trump has faulted Joe Biden’s timeline for removing troops from Afghanistan following a 20 year old war with the Taliban controlled state.
Last week, Biden said the withdrawal of American troops will begin on May 1, in line with the agreement the Trump administration made with the Taliban but finish on September 11, the 20th anniversary of the World Trade center bombing by Alqaeda that made the US enter into war with Afghanistan.
Though Trump offered his support of President Joe Biden’s plans to bring home American troops, he urged his successor to draw an end to America’s longest war well before the September 11 deadline that Biden set last week.
Trump said that while leaving Afghanistan is “a wonderful and positive thing to do,” he had set a May 1 withdrawal deadline and added that “we should keep as close to that schedule as possible.”
“I wish Joe Biden wouldn’t use September 11 as the date to withdraw our troops from Afghanistan, for two reasons. First, we can and should get out earlier. Nineteen years is enough, in fact, far too much and way too long,” Trump said
“September 11 represents a very sad event and period for our Country and should remain a day of reflection and remembrance honoring those great souls we lost.” he added.
Trump’s statement didnt go down well with all his allies though .
One of his fiercest allies, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, tweeted Sunday evening: “
I could not disagree more with former President Trump regarding his support for President Biden’s withdrawal of all forces from Afghanistan against sound military advice.”
“With all due respect to former President Trump, there is nothing ‘wonderful’ or ‘positive’ about allowing safe havens and sanctuary for terrorists to reemerge in Afghanistan or see Afghanistan be drawn back into another civil war,” Graham added.
Jose Mourinho has been sacked by Tottenham after just 17 months in charge, despite being in the EFL cup final.
Tottenham have endured a disastrous 2021, crashing out of the Europa League while falling down the premier league table.
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy gave Jose his marching orders on Monday morning, April 19 .
The club confirmed former midfielder Ryan Mason would be in charge of Monday’s first-team training session in the absence of Mourinho.
Spurs’ academy coach Mason is expected to take over as caretaker manager alongside Chris Powell until the end of the season. A permanent replacement is expected to be named in the summer.
The announcement of Mourinho’s departure comes just hours after Tottenham became one of six Premier League clubs to sign up for the controversial European Super League.
In a brief statement on their website, the club wrote: “The club can today announce that Jose Mourinho and his coaching staff Joao Sacramento, Nuno Santos, Carlos Lalin and Giovanni Cerra have been relieved of their duties.”
Chairman Levy added: “Jose and his coaching staff have been with us through some of our most challenging times as a club.
“Jose is a true professional who showed enormous resilience during the pandemic.
“On a personal level I have enjoyed working with him and regret that things have not worked out as we both had envisaged.
“He will always be welcome here and we should like to thank him and his coaching staff for their contribution.”
As well as crashing out of the Europa League, throwing away a 2-0 first-leg lead over Dinamo Zagreb in the last-16, Tottenham haven’t been in good form
In their last three games, Tottenham drew 2-2 with relegation-threatened Newcastle, were soundly beaten 3-1 by Man Utd and, most-recently, they drew 2-2 at Everton.
Tottenham now sit seventh in the Premier League, five points off the top four, with Liverpool and Chelsea – in sixth and fifth respectively
A Nigerian woman, Bimbo Grace Kolawole on Sunday, April 18, marked the 17th year since she married a dude she used to hate with passion.
According to Bimbo, she was in senior secondary school when she first saw the dude that later became her husband and it wasn’t even ‘like’ at first sight.
In fact, everything about the man made her stomach cringe…from the way he used to blast music to how he showed up at their house to eat all their food and pock nose into matters that had nothing to do with him. Read Bimbo’s funny but heartwarming love story below:
“Have you planned on embarrassing someone and you ended up embarrassing yourself Okay me too,” she began.
So back in the days there was this bros that came from God knows where to stay with our Neighbor four blocks away from my apartment, when he is driving his car he will be blasting music like he is a DJ. Infact that was a big put off, I hated this guy with every once in me because to me he was proud and was doing unnecessary show off.
So when I saw our neighbor I was asking him who that lousy person in his house came from, our neighbor said he was a new staff who just came from Calabar, I think I was confused or maybe I just decided in my small head that this new guy can be nothing but a driver,
Ha my hatred for this dude increased, unfortunately for him he saw me on my way back from the Well and he asked his flat mate who I was, the guy told him to remove his eyes because that girl no dey smile ooo plus her father na one of the retired Major for the Quaters and very strict.
Do you know that as much as his flat mate preached to this guy he still brought his two legs to our apartment? Infact the moment he knew my mother sold Provision he will come and buy the most irrelevant thing anyone can think off. My mother liked him ennnn, then my older brother then my Dad, he literally became friends with my whole family. At this point everything about this dude irritated my whole being.
Okay so he also had the hubby of showing up at our door step as soon as I finished cooking and he would eat the food like he had a chef he employed to be cooking for him, my parents will even be reminding me to ensure his food is saved ooo. Me I’ll be like abi I shu give this bros indocid ni. His mother did not teach him not to be doing long throat ni.
Okay so he continued coming to our house and he had another hubby of chooking his mouth in talks that was clearly non of his business. Ha my dear sisters my parents fell so much inlove with someone I detest so much and my parents were even praying he marries one of their daughters. Me I kukuma did not send them.since I was still in SS2 so I wasn’t in the picture of one of the marriable daughters but the thought of this dude becoming my brother inlaw made my stomach cringe.
Okay so my dad started complaining that I don’t read, as my dad was yelling at me and me in turn has swell up like 3 days soaked garri this dude came again to puknose into the matter. Ha in my head I’m like this guy no dey tire ni He even offered toe teaching me physics and chemistry. As he offered I was muttering curse words deep within me. As soon as my Dad gave him to go ahead to lecture me I knew within me that this guy should me taught a lesson of minding his business and not crossing my lane.
Okay so he started to lecture me and I had no choice but to pay attention unless my Dad will port me back to factory reset. Then I sat for my SSCE and passed, chaiiii that even made this uncle a Champ in out house ooo. He doesn’t only blast music and steal people’s family members he also has brain to show off like super Mario.
Then my hatred became times 1 million and I was desperate to embarrass him, but I did not know how to do it. (How do you even think of embarrassing someone who helped you pass WAEC ) well I hated him that much ojare.
So one day his village people pushed him to beakon on me one day on the street when I was coming from the Well, with water on my head faaaaa this guy said and I quote ” You know I like you alot right?” Hahahaha me i put my water down from my head and started hurling curse at uncle, he stood transfixed holding his steering like he was in shook.
Me I vomited all the things I’ve been keeping inside me for over 1 year. After I was satisfied I carried my water on my head and shook my fat bombom back to our flat. Then it dawned on me that he might telly Dad what I did I began to sweat like Christmas goat. As soon as I saw him approaching our flat I wanted to write my WILL because my dad will bury me alive but I remembered that I don’t have any dependants so I maned up and waited for my sentence. This guy did not even report me to anyone oooooo. I was happy and well that still did not change my mind about him.
So I told a friend about him and how much I disliked him but that I think his eyes are one… ha greatest mistake of my life. This girl now said spend his money, teach him a lesson he will never forget. Me still think he is a common driver ooooo, I now told him I wanted to go to Mr Biggs, everyone knows that was the top notch eatery back in the days.
Now The Embarrassment
He fell for the trap, he was very happy that I even spoke to him, so he took me and my friend to the eatery, I started to order ooooo
Meat pie 4
Fried rice 5
Jellof 4
Scotch egg 15
My friend… Bimbo order more, he is not even sweating
Me….. coslaw 4
Ice cream… 3 big bowl
I looked at uncle he was not even breaking a sweat but with a smirk on my face. I said I was done, well I was waiting for this guy to say he could not afford to pay do that I’ll tell him next time go approach your class not me. Me that I don’t have any achievements back then ooooo
Okay uncle responded saying double all her orders.
Me
My friend . Bimbo I thought you said he was a driver
Me… shaking my head like agama lizard in affirmation
My friend… ha this one no be driver oooo, abi did he not just say double her order abi I did not hear well ni
Me..
You kukuma hear well
At this point all the attendant at the eatery was laughing at me
That’s how we sha carry like 25 lylon filled bags of food that only wanted to eat. Sebi I wanted to act classy bros kukuma change am for me and turned me to ebina (food mongering moth)
I’ll drop my pen here…FYI. This year makes it 17 years and still counting that I married that dude.
Hollywood actor, Dwayne The Rock Johnson also known as The Rock and his wife Lauren Hashian have purchased a new mansion in California’s North Beverly Park.
Some of The Rock’s new neighbors include Eddie Murphy, Sofia Vergara, Denzel Washington, and Sylvester Stallone
The Rock purchased the home from actor and comedian Paul Reiser. Before Reiser owned it was owned by Alex Van Halen, who built the home in 1993.
The Mediterranean-style home includes a main mansion and a detached 2,500 square foot guesthouse, totaling around 18,000 square feet and occupying more than 3.6 acres.
The home features a top of the line gym, full-size tennis court, a baseball diamond, a movie theater, a music studio, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, an elevator, and dozens of olive trees spread around the property, as well as an olive-tree lined driveway.
The Rachakonda Cybercrime Police in Hyderabad has arrested a Nigerian football coach and his Indian accomplice on charges of cheating people in the guise of sending valuable gifts and foreign currency on social media.
The suspects identified as Henry Chukwudi Opara, 31, and and Suraj, 29, an auto-rickshaw driver from Uttar Pradesh were arrested on Saturday, April 17. Both are residents of Goutham Buddha Nagar in Greater Noida.
According to the police, Henry who came to India on medical visa for a surgery, married a woman from Karnataka and settled in Hyderabad. He further joined as part time football coach in New Delhi, where he met his fellow Nigerians who committed online frauds including gift frauds, job frauds and loan frauds.
“Henry too adopted the same modus operandi to earn easy money and joined them and started cheating people online. They fraudulently procured the bank accounts to carry out their transactions,” police said.
In December 2020, they cheated a person from Hyderabad on the pretext of sending gift and foreign currency and fabricated a story that the parcel was caught by customs people at Delhi Airport, and to get it released made the victim transfer money into bank accounts provided by Suraj.
Following a complaint from the victim, the cybercrime police booked a case and with the help of technical clues traced and nabbed the suspects. They were produced before the court on Sunday and remanded in judicial custody.
The Queenof England will be without her husband Prince Philip for the first time in seven decades when she celebrates her 95th birthday this week.
The widowed monarch will turn 95 on Wednesday, and to mark her birthday a new portrait of her which was to be released won’t be out again as she continues to grieve for her husband of 73 years.
A source told The Mirror: ‘The Queen will not be alone. ‘She will have others who care about her deeply and want to be there to support her in her most pressing hour.
‘In typical fashion, the Queen has insisted she is coping and despite the suggestion she had prepared herself for this day to come, everyone is well aware there is nothing like the experience when it comes.’
It comes after the Queen was reported to have said she was ‘coping’ after the Duke of Edinburgh’s death. She was seen on Sunday driving out of Windsor Castle in a green Jaguar wearing a headscarf.
The plan to support her was reportedly formed by the senior female royals, including Princess Anne, Kate Middleton, Camilla the Duchess of Cornwall, and Sophie the Countess of Wessex.
There also reports that Prince Harry may stay for the Queen’s birthday, instead of heading back to the US straight away to pregnant wife Meghan Markle as was expected.
Another source told The Sun: ‘If all goes well, he could stay for the Queen’s birthday.’
Instagram comedian, Mr Macaroni has explained why he is using his platform to call out the Nigerian police force.
This came after a follower engaged him in a tweet in which he (Mr Macaroni) alleged that there is always a “negative report or the other about the Nigerian Police every day as they’ve turned themselves to criminals.”
According to the comedian, he swore to use his platform to call out the evil Nigerian police perpetrate after they took turns to beat him after he was arrested during the botched #EndSARS protest months ago.
He tweeted;
Everyday, there is always one Negative report or the other about the Nigerian Police. The Police have turned themselves to criminals. Robbing us, oppressing us and doing everything in their power to make life miserable for the Average Nigerian.
I should promote the same police institution that oppresses Nigerians? Majority of your officers are just there to steal, rob, harass, brutalize and oppress the people. We see it happen everyday. You swore an oath to protect. Yet you kill and destroy. Zero conscience!
When I was at Adeniji police station, the police officers took turns to beat me up. They were even calling themselves to come and beat ‘Mr Macaroni’ They said in my life when next I hear police, I will run! One said if not that people would ask about me, he would have killed me.
That very day, I swore never to stop using my platform to call out the evil that the Police do. If they can do that to someone people know, imagine what they do to hundreds of thousands of unknown Nigerians. We are in court though. We filed since last month. Aluta Continua
The Hip Hop community has suffered another loss after the death of rap legend, DMX.
Former Bad Boy rapper, Black Rob has passed away at the age of 51.
The rapper, real name Robert Ross, passed away on Saturday, April 17 after suffering a variety of ailments including kidney failure. He had recently been discharged from the hospital and was reportedly planning to relocate to Atlanta because he was homeless.
His death was confirmed in a statement by popular New York City promoter, Van Silk.
“We’ve lost another member of our Hip Hop family,” Van Silk tells HipHopDX. “Many may have been unaware that Black Rob has been sick over the years until Mark Curry posted the video from the hospital. My memory of Black Rob was when he use to come by DJ Kay Slay’s studio to do the mixtapes. He was a someone who you would just wanna hang around with. May my brother Rest In Heaven.”
The death has left the Hip Hop community shattered considering DMX passed away just eight days ago with Black Rob offering his condolences from a hospital bed.
The Harlem rapper was featured on a variety of records with artists on Bad Boy, including G. Dep’s “Special Delivery,” as well as the remixes to Total’s single “What About Us,” Faith’s “Love Like Us,” Mase’s “24 Hrs. To Live” and others.
Black Rob released four albums over the course of his career. Life Story was released in 2000, followed by The Black Rob Report in 2005.
