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Father Mbaka retracts statement against Peter Obi, asks supporters for forgiveness

The director of adoration ministry, Reverend Ejike Mbaka has retracted the statement he made against the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi.

Recall that the controversial priest while addressing his congregants at his adoration ground, described the former governor of Anambra State as a stingy man who will never be the president of Nigeria.

Though, the troublesome priest has been under serious fire after his unwarranted attack on Peter Obi who has gained the support of millions of Nigerian youths.

However, Mbaka in a statement has retracted his statement and asked Obi supporters to forgive him.

Below is the full statement..

I am grateful to God for His unquantifiable and favorable blessings,miracles,love and life for the Adoration Ministry, Enugu,Nigeria.

I assure the people of God and Nigerians that I am praying for Good Governanace and Good Leadership in this country and that God will give us leaders after His own Heart.

As it stands right now, it is obvious that Nigeria is passing through an indescribable insecurity, inestimable unemployment, massive corruption, heinous crimes and unbearable suffering engendered by bad leadership. I bear with my fellow country men and women in whatever we are passing through in this trying time. I call on the adorers and the entire people of God to join hands in praying that God will deliver us from the plans of the devil and its wicked agents.

I am a servant of God and my intention is not to malign His Excellency, Peter Obi’s image, but to pray for him. May God’s will be done in his life. I pray to God whom I serve to give our beloved people good and excellent leaders who will take care of them and lead them to the promised land. Anyone who God wishes to make our Leader is my choice. In this vein, I give my blessings to the supporters of His Excellency Peter Obi. In any way they feel offended by my utterances or however I was misunderstood by them, I ask for their understanding and forgiveness. As a servant of the Most High God, I pray that it shall be well with my people. I am an ardent supporter of Good Governance, Justice, Equity,Love and Godliness.

At this time our people are passing through the valleys of shadows of death(Ps23.4),I pray for peace , love and anything that will bring blessings and favour to our people and to our suffering teaming youths. I will always stand with you in all your ordeals. God will take care of you and bless you miraculously for me.

My intention is not to fight or malign Mr Obi. May God bless him and his good supporters. God’s will be done in his political endeavors(Mk.14:36)

The followers of Peter Obi are the same youths I am praying for,sacrificing for, fighting for , speaking for and working for their integral well being. What the youths are passing through and their conditions give me sleepless nights. It is for this reason that I yearn for good governance and worthy leaders that will take care of them. We are passing through indescribable ,unbearable and undeserved hardship in this country.
I pray for Divine intervention.

I am not in any political party but I support good people and good governance. Any good person that God can give us is my choice candidate. I am a servant of God; For the sake of peace, I ask for forgivensss in any way I am misundrrstood. And to Peter Obi himself, I ask God to bless him and manifest his will in his life. When God says Yes, who can say No? And when God says No, who can say Yes? I bless Peter Obi and pray for him. I bless my dear fellow Adorers and pray for them. I bless the people of God everywhere and I pray that it shall be well with you all.

For some Spiritual reasons, there will be no all night Adoration program today,17th June 2022. Meanwhile all adores are asked to convene on Sunday 19th June 2022 for our usual 10 am Mass and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Fellowship.Thank you and God bless you all.

Signed.
Rev Fr Mbaka Ejike Camillus Anthony.
Spiritual Director, Adoration Ministry Enugu Nigeria.

UK Govt ordered the closure of Nigerian-owned church over financial fraud

A United Kingdom High Court has ordered the closure of Salvation Proclaimer Ministries Limited, a church led by Nigeria-born Tobi Adegboyega, over alleged financial mismanagement and lack of transparency in its operations.

In a statement published to the UK government website on Friday, the church, popularly known as SPAC Nation, was said to have been closed “in the public interest.”

The church, according to the statement, was wound up “after failing to properly account for more than £1.87 million of outgoings and operating with a lack of transparency” in the High Court on June 9, 2022 before Judge Burton.

The statement partly read, “Salvation Proclaimer Ministries Limited, more commonly known as SPAC Nation, was wound up in the public interest in the High Court on 9 June 2022 before Judge Burton. The Official Receiver has been appointed as liquidator of the company.

“The court heard that SPAC Nation was incorporated in 2012, a charity set up to advance Christianity. Much of its charitable work was based in London, working particularly with vulnerable people, youth, and offenders.”

While noting that SPAC Nation, which was incorporated on 10 September 2012, initially had positive reviews and media attention, the statement said the church “was subject to media scrutiny following allegations by former church members they had been financially exploited by senior church personnel” by late 2019.

“Initially, the church group received positive reviews and media attention. But by late 2019 SPAC Nation was subject to media scrutiny following allegations by former church members they had been financially exploited by senior church personnel.

“The Insolvency Service received complaints about SPAC Nation before instigating its own confidential enquiries into the church group’s activities,” according to the statement.

The statement further said the church failed to comply with statutory requirements and made claims without providing supporting information.

It stated, “Investigators interviewed one of the company’s directors, Adedapo Olugbenga Adegboyega, who was also known as Dapo Adegboyega or Pastor Dapo. During interviews, Mr Adegboyega said that the church group had over 2,000 members and 200 ordained ministers and pastors but failed to provide any supporting information.

“Further enquiries found that SPAC Nation either failed to comply or only partially complied with statutory requirements, including providing data to support claimed donations, and accounting records in support of £1.87 million of expenditure.

“The company’s financial statements in the two years to 31 December 2019 set out £610,000 of rent expenditure. However, the company did not have a single base of its own and would hire venues across London to hold services, at significant expense.”

“Salvation Proclaimer Ministries Limited was wound-up after the court concluded the company operated with a lack of transparency, filed suspicious or incorrect accounts, and was insolvent at the time of the hearing.

“It was also recognised that the company provided inconsistent information to the Insolvency Service and Charity Commission, and failed to deliver up adequate accounting records.

“The company remains subject of a statutory inquiry by the Charity Commission, who are examining financial, governance and safeguarding matters at the charity,” the statement added.

The Chief Investigator for the Insolvency Service, Edna Okhiria, was quoted by the statement as saying, “While SPAC Nation claimed it had noble intentions to support vulnerable and young people, our enquiries uncovered a different side of the charity. There were clear concerns around how the church group managed its affairs and SPAC Nation failed to properly account for income received from donations and other expenditure.

“The court recognised the severity of SPAC Nation’s actions and this sends a strong message that proper records and accounts must be maintained, even if you’re a charity.”

“Cryptocurrencies and NFTs a sham” – Bill Gates

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has called cryptocurrencies and Non Fungible Tokens a sham

 Gates said he’s not a fan of digital currencies or investments and that cryptocurrencies and NFTs are “100% based on greater fool theory.”


NFTs are tokens that can’t be exchanged for one another. They’re often touted as a way to prove ownership of digital assets like art or sports collectibles.  Many NFTs are built on the network behind ethereum, the second-biggest token.

Speaking at a TechCrunch talk on climate change Wednesday, Gates described the phenomenon as something that’s “100% based on greater fool theory,” referring to the idea that overvalued assets will go up in price when there are enough investors willing to pay more for them.

Gates joked that “expensive digital images of monkeys” would “improve the world immensely,” referring to the much-hyped Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT collection.

NFT

“I’m used to asset classes … like a farm where they have output, or like a company where they make products,” Gates said.

As for crypto, “I’m not involved in that,” Gates added. “I’m not long or short any of those things.”

Bitcoin was last trading at $21,107 on Wednesday, down 7% in the last 24 hours. The world’s biggest cryptocurrency has erased over half of its value since the start of 2022.

Fabio Vieira may sign up for to Arsenal’s £30m deal

Porto have confirmed the sale of attacking midfielder Fabio Vieira to Arsenal for a fee potentially rising to €40 million (£34.26 million).

The Portuguese club confirmed the sale in a statement released to Portuguese stock market on Friday, June 17, saying “(Porto), under the terms of article 248 n1 of the Securities Code, hereby informs the market that it has reached an agreement with Arsenal FC for the assignment, on a definitive basis, of the sports registration rights of professional football player Fabio Vieira for 40M (forty million euros), of which 5M (five million euros) are dependent on the achievement of sporting objectives.

“It is further informed that the final agreement is still being finalized and is expected to be implemented in the next few days.”

Vieira made 39 appearances for Porto this season, scoring seven goals and providing 16 assists.

He can also feature as a false nine or central midfielder and has been a regular starter for Portugal Under-21.

Arsenal will pay an initial €35 million (£30 million), with a possible €5 million (£4.26 million) in add-ons.

Vieira’s signing will be Arsenal’s second incoming of the summer, after the arrival of 19-year-old Brazilian Marquinhos.

Ukraine and Moldova granted EU candidate status

The European Commission has backed Ukraine and Moldova to become candidates for EU membership.

According to European Commission chief, Ursula von der Leyen, the case of Ukraine is that “we all know that Ukrainians are ready to die for the European perspective, we want them to live with us, the EU”.

The bloc chief said that leaders of EU countries will then have the final say at a summit in Brussels on 23-24 June.


The announcement comes a day after leaders of the bloc’s three biggest member states — France, Germany and Italy made a long-awaited first trip to Kyiv and clearly stated their backing for Ukraine’s bid to join the EU.


France’s Emmanuel Macron insisted that it would provide “a strong, quick, expected gesture of hope and clarity that we want to send to Ukraine and its people” while Germany’s Olaf Scholz stated that “Ukraine belongs to the European family”.


The EU leaders stressed, however, that there would be conditions and that the war-torn country would not get preferential treatment over other counties that have been in negotiations to join the 27-country bloc for years.

-EU


On Friday, June 17, from the EU’s headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, Von Der Leyen praised the country’s pre-war reforms to tackle corruption, curb the influence of oligarchs and strengthen the rights of minorities although she noted that “we want to see results on the ground”.


She also said that the country enjoys a “very robust parliamentary, presidential democracy” and that its public administration has kept the country going despite the war. She also noted that “Ukraine has a very vibrant and active civil society”.


“To conclude on Ukraine, we have one clear message and that is, yes Ukraine deserves European perspective, yes Ukraine should be welcome as a candidate country,” she told reporters.

Any country that wishes to join the EU must fulfil what is known as the “Copenhagen criteria” for a functioning market economy, a stable democracy and the rule of law, and the acceptance of all EU legislation, including accepting the euro currency. These usually require the candidate country to undertake a series of reforms. 

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has backfired by leading to a flurry of countries looking to join the EU and the NATO military alliance.

Ukraine announced its wish to join the EU just four days after Russia launched its attack on 24 February. Kyiv filled out all the necessary and lengthy paperwork in a single month after receiving it on April 8 during a visit to the Ukrainian capital by European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.

Supreme court of Nigeria upholds use of Hijab in Lagosian schools

Rights of Muslims Female Students in Lagos state to wear Hijab to school without harassment or discrimination has been affirmed by the Supreme Court.

The case marked CA/L/135/15, is between the Lagos State Government, Miss Asiyat AbdulKareem (through her father), Miss Moriam Oyeniyi and the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria.

The Supreme Court gave the judgement on Friday June 17, 5 years after the Lagos State Government approached the Supreme Court to challenge the July 21, 2016 judgment of the Court of Appeal which reinstated the use of hijab by Muslim pupils in Lagos public primary and secondary schools.

Those on the apex court’s panel include Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Justice John Inyang Okoro, Justice Uwani Aji, Justice Mohammed Garba, Justice Tijjani Abubakar, and Justice Emmanuel Agim.

While six ruled in favour of the use of hijab, one dissented. 

Elon Musk sued for $258B over alleged Dogecoin ‘scam’

Elon Musk and two of his companies, Tesla and SpaceX, are facing a $258 billion lawsuit after an investor claimed he was “defrauded” by a Dogecoin “pyramid scheme.”

The investor, Keith Johnson, has named the entrepreneur, as well as his companies Tesla and SpaceX, in the lawsuit filed in federal court in Lower Manhattan on Thursday, June 16. 

Mr Johnson is demanding $86bn in damages in addition to tripled damages of $172bn for losses incurred from trading the cryptocurrency since 2019, as well as an order blocking Musk and the companies from promoting Dogecoin, and declaring that Dogecoin trading constitutes gambling under US and New York law.

The price of one dogecoin on Thursday was just below six cents, a long way off from its May 2021 high of 74 cents.

“Dogecoin is not a currency, stock, or security. It’s not backed by gold, other precious metal, or anything at all. You can’t eat it, grow it, or wear it,” the lawsuit states.

“It doesn’t pay interest or dividend. It has no unique utility compared to other cryptocurrencies…It’s not secured by a government or private entity.

“It’s simply a fraud whereby ‘greater fools’ are deceived into buying the coin at a higher price.”

“Since defendant Musk and his corporations Spacex and Tesla Inc. began purchasing, developing, promoting, supporting, and operating dogecoin in 2019, [the] plaintiff and the class have lost approximately $86 billion in this crypto pyramid scheme,” the court document details.

Mr. Johnson wishes to represent other investors who have lost money in Dogecoin since April 2019.

Mr. Musk, who has a personal fortune of $217bn, said in March that he would not sell bitcoin, Ethereum, or Dogecoin, despite billions being wiped off their values in recent months.

Victor Osimhen becomes the new Super Eagles penalty taker – Coach says

Super Eagles coach, Jose Peseiro has named Napoli striker Victor Osimhen as the team’s first-choice penalty taker due to his leadership qualities in the squad. 

He takes over the role from Odion Ighalo, who last featured for the Eagles against Ghana in March, during the 2022 World Cup play-off.

Osimhen recently made history after scoring four goals for the Eagles as they thrashed Sao Tome and Principe 10-0 at the Stade Adrar in their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations The former Lille striker also made two assists in the encounter as the Eagles moved top of Group A with six points ahead of Guinea Bissau.

In the match, Osimhen had the opportunity to score first but passed to substitute Emmanuel Dennis, who opened his goal scoring account for the team in what was his sixth appearance.

Following the outcome of the game, Jose Peseiro decided to name Osimhen as the team’s penalty taker.

“Osimhen is a leader in his personality and could have scored five goals against Sao Tome as I have appointed Osimhen as our designated penalty taker,” the Portuguese coach said.

“But he gave Dennis the opportunity to score, I like his humility, he’s a good guy with a big heart and I appreciate it.”

Meanwhile, Osimhen is currently linked with a move away from Napoli with  Arsenal  leading the race to sign him.

“Father Mbaka psychological and spiritual assistance to bounce back. He should be forgiven” – Ohanaeze says

Apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has reacted to comments the Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry, Enugu, Fr. Ejike Mbaka made about presidential candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi. 

Recall Mbaka triggered outrage after calling Peter Obi a “stingy man” and also saying that he won’t become President until he kneels before his ministry.

Reacting to this, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Secretary-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, said Mbaka should go and sin no more. He also appealed to Obi to forgive him, adding that the cleric needs prayers, psychological and spiritual assistance to bounce back.

The statement read; 

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide has praised the Enugu Diocese of Catholic Church, led by Bishop Onaga for the prompt disclaimer to the inflammatory and unwarranted assault on the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, and a Catholic brethren, Mr. Peter Obi.

“We were not surprised that Fr. Mbaka acted as a machinery of doom paid by a South-East Governor to sow seeds of discord in attempting to halt a celebrity status of Mr. Peter Obi and his National acceptance as a unifying Presidential candidate for Nigerians.

“Mbaka is human bound to make blunders and needs our prayers, psychological and spiritual assistance to bounce back, and we know that the Enugu Diocese of Catholic Church has cautioned him privately to refrain from political pronouncements.

“Go and sin no more Fr. Mbaka. We implore Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s Presidential candidate, to find a way to forgive Mbaka. To err is human, and to forgive is divine.

“Nigerians are watching keenly and waiting patiently for more paid agents from Southeastern Nigeria hired to do the campaign of calumny against the new Nigeria’s movement, ‘Take Back Nigeria Mantra’, led by the millions of Nigerians for Mr. Peter Obi.”

Father kidnaps his daughter after she inherited grandfather’s wealth

A dad kidnapped his own daughter after she inherited a fortune in her grandad’s will.

Student Noura Aly Essam, 23, was abducted by her dad after she was left a third of her grandfather’s estate.

Her father, who has not been named, snatched her at her home after hearing about the inheritance on Saturday, June 4.

Noura, who is half-Egyptian and half-Korean, had been living with her grandparents for years, police said.

She was beaten and dragged out of her home back to her father’s house where she was locked in a bedroom, according to the force.

Prosecutors say “disagreements erupted between the father and his daughter after her grandfather’s will”.

They claim he “took his daughter with him out of hatred for her and assaulted her”.

He also injured her eyes when he “stepped” on her.

To prevent her for calling for help, the father allegedly confiscated her mobile phone.

Noura was only saved when police spotted a viral social media appeal to find her.

Father kidnaps his daughter

The campaign went viral on June 12 and, two days later, Egypt’s Public Prosecutor’s Office announced in a statement that she had been returned safely to her family and that her father had been arrested.

It read: “As the Monitoring and Analytical Unit of the Statement Administration in the Attorney General’s Office, yesterday, observed several posts circulating on social media about the abduction of a father of his daughter called Nora, 23 years old, in Maadi region, detained and assaulted.”

The Egyptian authorities added: “Therefore, the prosecutor ordered the detention of the accused in the department court, and requested the police investigation into the incident.”

Meanwhile, the Korean Embassy to Egypt said on Twitter : “Welcome back, Nora! The Embassy is thankful and assured for the timely address on Ms Nora’s case by the Egyptian relevant authorities according to the request of the Embassy.

“The embassy has exerted its maximum effort to return Nora safely to her grandmother within Embassy’s every capability.”

Father kidnaps his daughter

Father Mbaka breaks the internet again

The Catholic Diocese of Enugu has condemned and dissociated the diocese from the inflammatory political utterances of Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka against Peter Obi, the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections.

The Director of Catholic Adoration Ministry Chaplaincy, had said that Obi would never become the next President of Nigeria because he is ‘stingy’, adding that it would be better to have an old man as President than a ‘stingy young man’.

In a statement addressed to all the people of God, the general public, and titled ‘Disclaimer; Re: Inflammatory Political Utterances By Fr. Camillus Ejike Mbaka,” the diocese warned Fr Mbaka to refrain from making further provocative prophecies or utterances capable of heating the polity. 

The statement signed by Very Rev. Fr. Wilfred Chidi Agubuchie, Chancellor/Secretary; Very Rev. Fr. Geoffrey Aguigwo, Vicar General; and Auxiliary Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Most Rev. Ernest Anezichukwu Obodo, advised the Catholic faithfuls to discharge their civic responsibilities by getting their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), and casting their votes to elect the right candidates.

“The attention of the Diocesan Bishop, Most Rev. Callistus Onaga, and the Catholic Diocese of Enugu has been drawn to the inflammatory political utterances by Rev. Fr. Camillus Ejike Mbaka, the Director of Catholic Adoration Ministry Chaplaincy Enugu, on Wednesday, 15 June 2022 during his Wednesday Adoration Programme. Fr. Mbaka during his preaching attacked the good reputation of Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party Presidential Candidate. describing him as “a stingy man” and as “a joker”, contrary to canon 220 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law which prohibits anyone from illegitimately harming the good name of a person. He also made fun of the Labour Party and vowed that Mr. Obi could not be the president of Nigeria,” the statement read.

“This is a clear violation of the provisions of canon 287 $2 which forbids priests from engaging in partisan politics.

“The Catholic Diocese of Enugu hereby condemns and dissociates herself from such unbecoming and divisive utterances from Fr. Mbaka. We notify the general public that Fr. Mbaka’s views on the matter are entirely personal to him and do not represent the position of the Catholic Diocese of Enugu. 

“In an effort to keep him united to the Body of Christ, we enjoin him to refrain from making further provocative prophecies or utterances capable of heating up the polity. We assure the people of God and the general public that the Catholic Diocese of Enugu is taking the due canonical process.

“Finally, we urge all the People of God to continue to pray for peaceful elections and to discharge their civic responsibilities by getting their Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) and casting their votes in order to elect the right candidates.

May Our Lady, Queen of Nigeria, intercede for us.

Fraternally Yours,

AM Very Rev. Fr. Wilfred Chidi Agubuchie Chancellor/Secretary CATHOLIC DIOCESE

Very Rev. Fr. Geoffrey Aguigwo Vicar General

Most Rev. Ernest Anczichukwu Obodo Auxiliary Bishop of Enugu

Mbaka

“Nigerians not interested in whistleblowing despite reward” – EFCC cries

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has lamented that Nigerians are losing interest in the whistleblowing policy of the federal government despite the huge financial reward attached to it.

Speaking during a one-day town hall meeting on strengthening the capacity of stakeholders on the whistleblowing policy held in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, executive chairman of the commission, Abdullahi Bawa, who was represented by the EFCC Director of Public Affairs, Osita Nwajah, said there’s need for “fresh awakening to sustain the flow of critical intelligence to the law enforcement agencies.”

He said;

“Two of the landmark recoveries from whistleblowers’ information were the $9.8m recovered from a former managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mr Andrew Yakubu, and the $11 million recovered at an apartment in Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos.

 “This seeming loss of interest is difficult to explain given that those who initially embraced the policy were rewarded.”

Nigerian extradited to Malta from UK over alleged romance scam and money laundering

A 41-year-old Nigerian national has been remanded in custody after being brought to Malta from the United Kingdom to face romance fraud scam and money laundering charges.

Johnson Anene, who lived in St Paul’s Bay before leaving for the UK, appeared in court on Wednesday morning, June 15, after being arrested in Britain and transferred to the custody of the Maltese authorities on the strength of a European Arrest Warrant.

He pleaded not guilty to a raft of money laundering charges, receiving stolen goods, and being a repeat offender. 

Anene had been placed on the wanted list by the police in connection with the arraignment, last year, of several other individuals accused of playing a part in an online romance fraud scam. One of the accused was former footballer Sunday Eboh.

The group’s elderly victim had been duped into sending money to a person pretending to be a lonely American soldier deployed in Afghanistan. That case is still ongoing.

During Anene’s hearing, the court was told that the ongoing investigations into the romance fraud scheme, being carried out by Paola district police, together with the Financial Crime Unit, had identified Anene. 

Prosecuting lawyers Abigail Caruana Vella, Sean Xerri de Caro and Karl Muscat, together with Inspectors Claire Borg, Sarah Kathleen Zerafa asked Magistrate Rachel Montebello to also impose a freezing order over all Anene’s assets.

Defence counsel lawyer Rachel Tua informed the court that Anene was not aware of the international arrest warrant issued for him, however, he had since not contested the validity of the arrest and had come willingly to Malta to prove his innocence. 

She made a request for bail, emphasising that Anene’s children and family members still reside in Malta and there is no fear of him absconding. 

“When it comes to the tampering of evidence, we have given full details to the police of the person we believe is the mastermind or the alleged scammer, let’s say. We don’t want any tampering, we want the truth to come to light.” Tua added. 

The request was opposed by the prosecution, who argued that the investigation had revealed that Anene had fled Malta to escape prosecution for these crimes, adding that he had broken the law before and that he was not living at his listed address in the UK, making it very difficult to locate him

“This man has broken the law before and he isn’t trustworthy,” Abigail Caruana Vella from the Attorney General’s office added. 

The court did not uphold the bail request, ordering the man to be remanded in custody. 

Famous Dr. Fauci tests positive for COVID-19

Chief medical adviser to President Joe Biden and a leading official in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, Dr Fauci has tested positive for COVID-19.

U.S National Institutes of Health said in a statement that 81-year-old Fauci is fully vaccinated and has been boosted twice. He is experiencing mild symptoms, and has not recently been in close contact with President Biden or other top government officials, the agency said.

Fauci, the director of the National Institutes for Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) since 1984, received his positive result on a rapid antigen test, and will return to work at the NIH when he tests negative, the agency added.

Fauci is reportedly taking the antiviral drug Paxlovid, which has been proven to reduce the risk of hospitalization or death.

The health expert has been a key, and at times polarizing, figure in the nation’s efforts to combat the pandemic since its start in early 2020, advising both former President Donald Trump and President Biden on the federal response. He managed to avoid contracting COVID-19  until now — more than two years after the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a global pandemic.

Fauci became a household name throughout the pandemic, appearing frequently alongside Trump during in-person briefings at the White House in the early days of the public health emergency and in online briefings held by Mr. Biden’s COVID-19 Response Team after he assumed the presidency.

During appearances on Capitol Hill, Fauci sparred often with Republican senators over mitigation efforts including mask-wearing and testing requirements.

His increased public profile led to threats and harassment against him and his family, he told a Senate panel in January.

ALERT! Aviation fuel hits N714 per litre, AON raises alarm

Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has raised an alarm of airlines in the country closing down due to the continuous rise in the price of Jet A1, otherwise known as aviation fuel.

AON’s Vice Chairman, Mr. Allen Onyema who spoke at the maiden edition of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) National Aviation Conference (FNAC) with the theme: ‘Advancing the frontiers of possibilities for safe, secure and profitable air transport’, warned that if the challenge of aviation fuel was not nipped in the bud, more airlines might shutdown because many of them are going through very difficult times due to aviation fuel prices and other challenges.

The AON noted that though the Federal Government had approved 10,000 metric tonnes of the commodity to the airlines to curb the challenge, carriers were yet to access it.

Onyema explained that the airlines hoped to start lifting the product from today June 16. He said; 

”That is why we ran to the government and the Federal Government has given us about 10,000 metric tonnes of fuel at the cost of N580 per litre in Lagos and about N607 per litre outside Lagos.

”Some airlines outside Nigeria have closed down because of the effects of rising aviation fuel. If these things are not addressed in Nigeria, it can affect the bottom line of airlines in Nigeria.

”We have come to realise that there is little or nothing the committee set up can do because this is as a result of foreign exchange and the price of oil all over the world. The fuel marketers will sell according to what they are paying. The cost of aviation fuel has increased, even in London and other country. Our own is worse because of the increase in foreign exchange.”

The Nation reported that the product sold for N714 per litre across some airports on June 15. About 16 months ago, aviation fuel sold for about N200 per litre.

Nigerian Govt. orders all ‘social media platforms’ to delete porn contents within 24Hrs of posting

The Federal Government has directed social media interactive platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and TikTok to remove, disable or block access to any non-consensual content, which parades partial or full nudity, sexual acts, deep fake or revenge porn within 24 hours of users posting.

The order was contained in the Code of Practice for Interactive Computer Service Platforms/Internet Intermediaries (online platforms) recently released by the National Information Technology Development Agency    According to the document, online platforms have to “act expeditiously to remove, disable, or block access to non-consensual content that exposes a person’s private areas, full or partial nudity, sexual act, or revenge porn, where such content is targeted to harass, disrepute, or intimidate an individual.”

“A platform must acknowledge the receipt of the complaint and take down the content within 24 hours.” it added   The Code of Practice also instructs these platforms to take down any unlawful content upon receiving a notice from a user, or an authorised government agency.

The platforms have also been directed to exercise due diligence to ensure that no unlawful content is uploaded to their platform.

The Code of Practice was developed by NITDA alongside the Nigerian Communications Commission and the National Broadcasting Commission, with input from platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Google, and Tik Tok.   In the Code of Practice, the government asks each online platform to have a country representative, who will interface with the Nigerian authorities, as it also requires any platform with over 100,000 Nigerian users to have an office in Nigeria.

Other conditions include registering with the Corporate Affairs Commission as a legal entity, complying with tax obligations, abiding by regulatory and legal demands, and providing information about users on-demand, among others.

European leaders visit Zelenskyy in Kyiv (Photos/video)

Ukranian President, Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday, June 16 welcomed German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis to Kyiv as the EU leaders show solidarity towards the besieged nation.

Scholz, Macron and Mario Draghi arrived in Kyiv on Thursday morning after taking a night train from Poland and were joined later in the day by Romanian President Klaus Iohannis.


The meeting with Zelensky carries heavy symbolic weight given that Western European powers have faced criticism for not providing Ukraine with the scale of weaponry that Kyiv has been asking for.

European leaders visit Zelenskyy in Kyiv
European leaders visit Zelenskyy in Kyiv


The EU leaders inspected war damage on a visit to the town of Irpin, which Russian troops occupied at the war’s start.

European leaders visit Zelenskyy in Kyiv


Macron denounced the “barbarism” of the attacks that devastated the town, and praised the courage of residents of Irpin and other Kyiv region towns who held back Russians forces from attacking the capital.


“It’s here, among other places, that the Ukrainians stopped the Russian army descending onto Kyiv,” the French leader said. “It represents the heroism of the army, but also of the Ukrainian population. And alongside that, you have traces of barbarism.”

European leaders visit Zelenskyy in Kyiv


In response to a question on his previous remarks that Russia must not be humiliated, Macron said “France has been alongside Ukraine since day one.”


“We stand with the Ukrainians without ambiguity. Ukraine must resist and win,” he said.

European leaders visit Zelenskyy in Kyiv


“Look at that, ‘Make Europe, not war,’” Macron said when he spotted some graffiti in English. “It’s very moving to see that.”


Russia has reacted to the unexpected visit of the leaders to Kyiv, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov saying he hoped it would not focus solely on supplying Ukraine with weapons as that would cause further damage to the country. 

See Video

‘Alfa’ nabbed having s3x with mad woman in Ibadan (video)

A man alleged to be an Alfa was captured having sex with a mad woman in Ibadan.

In a video going viral on Facebook, the man is seen approaching the woman in a dirty backyard where she lay on a concrete floor with her head resting on a mat.

He then looks around, pulls his trousers, looks around again, and appears to penetrate the woman.

Observers filming from a nearby house are heard whispering in surprise.

“Alfa o,” a woman is heard saying, shock evident in her voice.

“Ye, he’s sleeping with her, he’s sleeping with her,” a man is heard saying repeatedly.

“Stop speaking loudly,” the woman cautions him as they watch and film the Alfa in the act.

The woman expressed shock that the same Alfa who preaches to people can engage in such an act.

The man filming is heard calling the name of Jesus repeatedly while exclaiming in shock.

“This one is happening live in Ibadan o. Jesus Christ. Ahhhh. A man of God for that matter,” the man adds as he continues filming. 

At this point, the man is seen standing up from the woman’s body while pulling his briefs and trouser back up to his waist.

The woman then points out that it is ”Alfas” like the man they are watching that is spoiling the reputation of the genuine Alfas and men of God.

While the pair is still reeling from the shock, the alleged Alfa opens a calabash, brings out a handkerchief, and uses it to wipe the mad woman’s private part while looking around to be certain no one is watching.

“Jesus, he wants to use it for juju,” the pair scream.

The video ends with the man walking out, leaving the mad woman lying on the same spot.

Watch the video below.

Nigerian couple who kept Nigerian lady as their domestic help in UK to be sentenced soon

A couple who allegedly made a vulnerable Nigerian woman ‘perform forced labour’ in their home in east Belfast, United Kingdom, will be sentenced for the slavery offence on June 27, 2022, a court has heard.

The Nigerian couple, Osarobo ‘John’ Izekor,36, and his 29-year-old wife, Precious Izekor, will also have to pay their victim £10,000 in compensation, Belfast Telegraph reported. 

The husband and wife, with an address at Ashmount Gardens in Lisburn, admitted that on dates between September 1, 2016 and September 30, 2017 they ‘required another person to perform forced or compulsory labour’.

While the victim was forced to carry out domestic duties, a majority of the criminality by the Izekors was unpaid childcare.

The case, which was heard at Belfast Crown Court, is one of the first prosecutions under the Human Trafficking and Exploitation Act (NI) 2015. 

The couple admitted keeping the Nigerian woman as a domestic slave in their then Castlereagh Place home in Belfast for a ten-month period.

Crown barrister Charles MacCreanor said the woman who could not read or write – arrived in Northern Ireland in 2011 and worked as a nanny for a five-year period.

When her employer returned to Nigeria in Autumn 2016, she moved into Castlereagh Place and was told money would be sent back to her family for any work she undertook.

During the ten-month period of offending, the woman had her own room and was given food and clothes – but was not paid any money.

In addition, the Izekors had possession of her passport and other documents, which she didn’t have access to.

Mr MacCreanor said that whilst living with the Izekors, the woman was in contact with a relative of John’s, who expressed a desire for her to return to Nigeria so they could get married.

This relative asked the woman about her documentation and Visa status, and when she raised this issue with Precious, an argument ensued.

Despite her request for her documents, they were not handed over to the woman and the argument led to a “deterioration of relations”.

Following this, the woman tried to look for her passport and other documents when Precious Izekor was out. A few days later, she left the Izekors and went to stay with a friend.

This friend, the court heard, was concerned for the woman, felt she was being exploited and accompanied her to the Home Office.

When a Home Office official called at the Izekors’ home, Precious was asked about the woman, and denied knowing her.

An investigation was launched which resulted in the involvement of the PSNI and the subsequent arrests of both John and Precious Izekor.

During his police interview, John Izekor initially denied any wrong-doing and made the case they were letting the women stay in their home and were helping her.

In her interview, Precious told officers the woman was a family friend and was never asked to do any form of work or labour.

Mr MacCreanor said there were text messages between the husband and wife which indicated the control they had over the woman whilst she was living with them.

He also said that she spoke to police about her ordeal, the woman said she felt isolated and alone whilst living with the couple.

Defence barrister Barry Gibson, representing John Ikezor, said that following his arrest his client spent three months on remand.

He also spoke of Izekor’s university education, extensive work history and his clear criminal record.

Precious Izekor’s barrister Gavan Duffy QC revealed there was a former good relationship between the two women, and said there was a complete lack of violence or physical assault.

After listening to submissions from both the Crown and defence, Judge Richard Greene QC spoke of the complexities of the case and said he wanted to consider several issues before passing sentence.

After being told that the Izekors had previously lodged £10,000 to the court to act as a surety for bail, the judge ordered that this money be paid to the woman they kept as a domestic slave.

Judge Greene told the couple the charge they pleaded guilty to was “an extremely serious offence” and released them on continuing bail ahead of sentencing, which is set to take place on June 27, 2022. 

Vincent Kompany, Man U legend, becomes the new manager of Burnley

Burnley have confirmed the appointment of former Manchester City legend Vincent Kompany as their new manager.

The defender left Belgian side Anderlecht last season and has now decided to take up the management job in the Championship after Burnley’s relegation from the top flight in 2021-22, and will be tasked with immediate promotion. 

He replaces Sean Dyche, who has been axed in the last campaign, after spending10 years at Turf Moor.

Burnley announced Kompany’s arrival with a video showing a timeline of their previous managers dating back to 1894, before revealing Kompany as the new man in charge at the end of the clip.

After officially putting pen to paper with the Clarets, Kompany said his focus was forging a ‘winning team’ to ensure the club bounces back to the top flight, and create a new future after becoming something of a ‘yo-yo’ club in recent years.

‘Burnley Football Club is a truly historic English side and it is an honour to be appointed first-team manager,’ he said. ‘I’m excited by the challenge ahead.

‘I’m looking forward to getting to work with the players and creating a positive, winning team for our fans when we return to Turf Moor.

‘I’ve been impressed by the Board’s vision for the clu’b which aligns with my own and I look forward to playing my part as we enter an important season.’

Burnley chairman Alan Pace called Kompany a ‘proven leader’ after captaining Manchester City to four Premier League titles and said his work at Anderlecht had impressed many of Burnley’s board members. 

‘We are absolutely delighted to welcome Vincent to Burnley Football Club,’ he added. ‘Vincent is a proven leader and I’ve been very impressed with his ideas for Burnley Football Club, his appetite to succeed and his focus on leading the Club back to the Premier League.

‘Vincent has shown impressive credentials in leading one of Belgium’s biggest teams back to European football and a Cup Final last season and we’ve been excited by his philosophy, approach and ambition for the Club.’

Kompany spent three years managing his boyhood club Anderlecht, where he first joined as player-manager after ending his decade-long spell at Man City.

He finished eighth in the Belgian Division A table during his first season before becoming a full-time boss. He came third in back-to-back seasons and finished off with a 45 percent win rate after 92 games, 42 wins, 32 draws, and 18 losses.  

Over 381 children murdered in Myanmar since military coup

The United Nations has announced that at least 382 children have been killed or maimed by armed groups since the coup started last year.


Tom Andrews, U.N. special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, disclosed this in a new report as he called for the protection of children from violent attacks by the Myanmar military junta that “constitute crimes against humanity.”


“The rights of children in Myanmar, like children everywhere, must be respected and affirmed, starting with the basic right to live. But in Myanmar, the rights of children and families are under siege. Children are not only caught in the crossfire of an illegal military junta’s war against the people of the nation, but they are also targets,” the report said.


The report recommended that U.N. member states coordinate efforts to adopt operational procedures to allow urgent and timely humanitarian responses and shift from restricted grants to core funding whenever possible.


“After nearly a year and a half of escalating human rights violations and steadily deteriorating conditions, particularly for Myanmar’s children and families, it is clear that the international community’s response to the deepening crisis in Myanmar has failed. A change of course is needed,” it added.

Myanmar’s children will become a “lost generation” without a prompt return to the path of democracy and concerted remedial action, it said.


“The junta’s violent assaults on children, which are documented in this paper, are part of its ongoing widespread and systematic attack on the people of Myanmar and likely constitute crimes against humanity and war crimes,” it added.


Military attacks on civilian populations have displaced more than 250,000 children, who join the roughly 130,000 children in protracted displacement and the more than 500,000 child refugees from Myanmar in neighboring countries, it added.


Soldiers and police officers have tortured at least 142 children since the coup, according to reports received by the U.N., it added.


Noting that some 7.8 million children remain out of school due to the coup, it said the military and other armed groups are responsible for attacks on educational facilities, and both have occupied schools, ensuring the politicization and militarization of educational infrastructure.


“The situation for Myanmar’s students is unlikely to improve so long as the junta remains in control of the education system,” it added.


Since February 2021 when the military took power, junta forces have since killed nearly 2,000 people in a crackdown on dissent, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a local monitoring group.

‘We borrow to pay salaries’ – Nigeria Accountant General says

The acting accountant-general of the federation (AGF) Anamekwe Nwabuoku, says Nigeria is borrowing money to pay salaries.

Nwabuoku said this on Tuesday, June 14, at a retreat organised by the office of the AGF for members of the technical sub-committee on cash management (TSCM) in Abuja.

He explained that there is an increase in government expenditure due to rising security challenges and the social needs of the citizenry.

“We have to borrow to augment payment of salaries and wages. This shows we are in very difficult times. Government income is highly challenged.” Nwabuoku said.

“The theme and objective of the retreat couldn’t have been better captioned, given the fiscal challenges at the moment. Records available indicate that due to dwindling revenues, the treasury had to resort to other sources to augment the payment of federal government public servants.

“There is an increase in government expenditure due to increasing security challenges and social needs of the citizenry.”

Nwabuoku said there should be deliberate efforts to revert the trend through fiscal discipline, economic diversification, export sector promotion and plunging revenue leakages, among others, to ensure revenue inflow.

He added: “Now that these challenges stare us in the face, you are all expected at this gathering to come out with ideas that will push us through.

“Therefore, we must all, at this retreat, strive towards identifying the challenges to revenue generation and other means of enhancing inflow into federal government cash box; ensuring the cutting down the cost of governance in the most acceptable way and ensuring synergy amongst and within stakeholders in the sub-committee.”

Jailed Vladimir Putin’s critic Alexei Navalny ‘vanishes’ from prison

Jailed Vladimir Putin’s critic, Alexei Navalny has reportedly gone missing from a prison in Russia. 

The high-profile Russian opposition leader did not show up for a meeting with his lawyers today at the Pokrov penal colony and his whereabouts is now unknown.

“Where Alexei is now, and which colony he is being taken to, we don’t know,” Leonid Volkov, Navalny’s chief of staff, said in a statement on the Telegram app.

Volkov said his lawyer went to see him but was kept at the checkpoint until 2pm before they told him: “There is no such convict.”

Navalny was jailed by the Kremlin at the start of 2021 upon returning to Russia after receiving medical treatment in Germany following a poison attack with a novichok nerve agent during a visit to Siberia in 2020.

Navalny and his team subsequently accused Putin of the attack.

He is currently serving over 11 years in jail after being imprisoned last year for two-and-a-half years and in March being sentenced to an additional nine years for fraud and contempt of court.

Concern over his whereabouts comes just weeks after Russian President Putin’s political foe faced a 15-year extension to his prison term following new criminal accusations.

Authorities declared two weeks ago that they had opened a new investigation against the 46-year-old on charges of “creating an extremist group to fan hatred against officials and oligarchs” and trying to stage unsanctioned rallies.

He responded to the so-called charges by saying: “Not even eight days have passed since my nine-year high-security sentence came into force, and today the investigator showed up again and formally charged me with a new case.

“It turns out that I created an extremist group in order to incite hatred towards officials and oligarchs. And when they put me in jail, I dared to be disgruntled about it and called for rallies.

“For that, they’re supposed to add up to 15 more years to my sentence.”

Navalny was given a nine-year term in 2021 after a Russian court found him guilty of fraud charges. They also fined him 1.2 million rubles (around £17,500).

He has openly condemned the invasion of Ukraine, claiming it was “stupid” and “built on lies”.

He told a court hearing: “The war was intended to cover up the robbery of Russian citizens and divert their attention away from the country’s internal problems.”

Before he went missing, Navalny was serving at the Correctional Colony No. 2, a prison camp in Pokrov, 74 miles east of Moscow.

‘Why are turning more people off from watching news’ – New research finds

Lots of people are turning away from the news because it lowers their mood with depressing stories, new research has revealed.

The Reuters Institute’s digital news report suggests that almost four in 10 (38%) say they often or sometimes avoid the news – up from 29% in 2017.

The report found the number of people avoiding news over the past five years doubled in the UK (46%) and Brazil (54%) while 36% – particularly those under 35 said the news affected their mood.

The research said news such as the Covid-19 pandemic, contributed to the increase in people avoiding news bulletins, programmes and articles.

Less than half of the sample (47%) said they were very or extremely interested in news compared with 67% in 2015.


Nearly half of those who took part in the global survey – 43% – said they were put off by the repetitiveness of the news, specifically too much politics and Covid-19 coverage.

One female respondent, aged 19 from the UK, said: “Truthfully, I don’t like to dwell too much on the mainstream news. I find sometimes it can be repetitive and negative.”

29% of those surveyed said the news was untrustworthy or biased, while trust of news reporting fell in half the countries surveyed and rose in just seven, compared with last year.


But trust in news is still higher than it was before the pandemic, which reinforced the importance of reliable media for many people.

Some said they avoided the news because it led to arguments they would rather avoid (17%) or made them feel powerless (16%), while 5% said they avoid news altogether.

Less than a quarter (23%) get their news directly from a website or app, down nine points since 2018.


Those aged 18 to 24 prefer to access news via social media, search engines and mobile aggregators.


The report found that many young people are moving away from Facebook towards more visual platforms like Instagram and TikTok, where entertainment and social influencers play a bigger role.


More than 93,000 people in 46 countries took part in the survey.


Ten years ago, 59% of people would still read a physical newspaper each week. That’s now dropped to 17%. A decade ago, 79% were still regular consumers of TV news bulletins, that’s now down to 53% according to the research.

The report’s lead author, Nic Newman, said: “These findings are particularly challenging for the news industry.


“Subjects that journalists consider most important, such as political crises, international conflicts and global pandemics, seem to be precisely the ones that are turning some people away.”

‘Monkeypox to be given a new name’ – WHO

The World Health Organization has announced that it is working with experts to come up with a new name for monkeypox.

The announcement comes after more than 30 scientists wrote last week about the “urgent need for a non-discriminatory and non-stigmatising” name for the virus and the disease it causes.

The scientists said that the continued reference to the virus as African is both inaccurate and discriminatory.

Monkeypox is caused by the monkeypox virus, a member of the same family of viruses as smallpox, although it is much less severe.

About 1,600 cases of the disease have been recorded globally in recent weeks while 72 deaths have been reported in countries where monkeypox was already endemic.

The World Health Organization says it will hold an emergency meeting next week to determine whether to classify the outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern – the highest alarm the UN agency can sound.


The only other diseases the WHO has categorized as such for in the past are Swine flu, polio, Ebola, Zika and Covid.


World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said:


 “The outbreak of monkeypox is unusual and concerning.


“For that reason I have decided to convene the Emergency Committee under the international health regulations next week, to assess whether this outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern.”

One new name for the virus that has been suggested by scientists is hMPXV.

Previous outbreaks have been mainly confined to parts of Africa where rodents – not monkeys – are thought to be the main animal host.

The infection causes a rash that looks a bit like chickenpox. The virus can be spread when someone is in close contact with an infected person.

PSG Club: Mauricio Pochettino reportedly ‘sacked

Mauricio Pochettino has reportedly been sacked as manager of Paris Saint-Germain after the Argentine and the club reached an agreement on his exit.


Pochettino has been in charge for 18 months and led the club to the Ligue 1 title in his first full season, finishing 15 points clear of second-placed Marseille. 


The club’s Champions League exit to Real Madrid in the last-16 played a major role in the mutual decision for Pochettino to leave Paris.


ESPN reported on Wednesday that he had been sacked, although an official announcement is yet to be made.


Nice head coach, Christophe Galtier is said to be the front-runner to replace Pochettino after Luis Campos replaced Leonardo as sporting director.

According to ESPN, talks with Galtier have progressed well and he is keen to take up the daunting role at the French champions. 

Mauricio Pochettino

Former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane had been believed to be the preferred choice of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar who owns PSG after a successful meeting. 

House of Reps Urges INEC to extend voter registration by 60 days

The House of Representatives has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to extend the June 30, 2022, deadline for voter registration by 60 days, to enable more eligible Nigerians to register and get their Permanent Voter Card and participate in the 2023 general elections.

The resolution was reached on Wednesday June 15, following the adoption of a motion passed by Benjamin Kalu, a lawmaker from Abia state. He noted that the extension of the voter registration will enable many eligible Nigerians to get registered.

Kalu said; 

“The large numbers of unregistered eligible voters willing to be registered as evidenced by crowd seen at various registration centres resulting in congestion.

“Reports of shortages of voter registration machines, inadequate manpower and personnel at registration centres which may lead to frustrations among prospective registrants and in some cases, unrest at some registration centres.

“The right to vote is critically important to the health and legitimacy of our democracy, as well as electoral integrity.”

The motion was adopted when it was put to a voice vote by Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the house.

The house committee on electoral matters was then directed to engage INEC and ensure that the deadline for voter registration is extended by 60 days. They were also asked to engage with INEC to “examine and proffer solutions to the shortage of registration machines and manpower.”

The committee is to report back within two weeks for further legislative action.

Man arrested for beheading his ex-girlfriend in the US

A Litchfield man named Deundrea S. Holloway, 22, has been charged with the gruesome murder of a pregnant mother, Liese A. Dodd, 22.

Liese Dodd was killed in her residence in the 3400 block of Bolivar Street in Alton.

Liese’s mother arrived at this residence where her daughter had recently moved as she had not been heard from lately and discovered her dead body on Thursday, June 9.

The Alton Police was immediately contacted. 

Holloway was arrested in Gillespie, Illinois, police say. He is being held at the Alton police station department on a $2million bond.

beheading his ex-girlfriend

On Monday, June 13, the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office issued the following charges for Holloway: two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of intentional homicide to an unborn child, dismembering a human body, offenses relating to motor vehicles, and concealment of a homicide death.

Alton Police Chief Marcos Pulido said the investigation determined Liese was beheaded and she was also pregnant with an expected delivery date in mid-July.

Holloway and Dodd had been dating on and off for two years.

Dodd recently moved to Alton and was originally from the Litchfield area

The Alton Police Department Investigations Division started investigating the case as soon as it was called to the scene at 12:59 p.m. Thursday, June 9, 2022, in the 3400 block of Bolivar. Holloway’s bail has been set at $2,000,000. Holloway is currently being held at the Alton Police Jail.

“Liese and Deundrea had been in an on and off dating relationship for about two years,” Chief Pulido said. “Liese had just moved to Alton a short time ago. Deundrea was from the Litchfield, IL., area.

“The sufferings for the victim are horrible,” Chief Pulido said. “Nobody should have to endure what Liese and her unborn child went through. On behalf of the Alton Police Department, I offer my sincerest condolences to Liese’s family and friends. I would like to extend a special thanks to the Madison County Coroner’s Office, the Litchfield Police Department, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, the Macoupin County Sheriff’s Office, the Illinois State Police, and the Gillespie Police Department and so many other law enforcement that assembled and assisted in the investigation.”

Madison County State’s Attorney Thomas Haine said he and his staff offered their sympathy to the family of Liese Dodd for the profound loss they are suffering.

“We believe the evidence will show that the defendant’s gruesome actions here killed both a young woman and the child she carried in her womb,” he said. “In the eyes of the law, both these killings are equal and he will now face justice for both. I want to thank the Alton Police Department and the many assisting agencies for their swift actions in taking this dangerous offender off the street.”

“All Police Officers working with ‘Yahoo Boys’ will be punished” – Nigerian Police

The Nigeria Police Force has said that it’s been punishing officers who work with internet fraudsters popularly known as yahoo boys.

Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin who admitted that some officers connive with yahoo boys in a chat with Daily Trust on its Twitter Spaces on Wednesday June 15, disclosed that anytime such offenders are caught, they are dealt with severely.

He said; 

“In every organisation, you would have those officers that would always undermine the efforts of the organisation. I’ve heard about officers working in cahoot with internet fraudsters. These officers are treated worse than the internet fraudsters.

“If a law enforcement officer engages in a crime, he receives more punishment than an ordinary citizen because he is expected to know more.

“All the time when we get to know about such officers, they are severely dealt with.”

Hundeyin urged the public to provide the force with information whenever they hear of such cases.

Sadio Mane may join Bayern Munich Club on ‘agrees personal terms

Liverpool forward, Sadio Mane has agreed on personal terms to join Bayern Munich in a three-year deal.


The German champions have had two bids for the Senegalese forward rejected as Liverpool continue to demand the right price. 


Trusted football journalist, Fabrizio Romano claimed on Twitter that Liverpool are aware of his desire to leave for Bayern and the transfer has entered the ‘final stages’ and is now ‘really close’.


Bayern are hoping to sign him for a cut-price fee, but Jurgen Klopp’s side are determined not to sell for the right price having placed a £42million price tag on his head. 


And German outlet Bild report Bayern are aiming to make it third time lucky with a £34.6m bid. Despite still falling £7.4m short of the Reds’ valuation, Bayern hopes that their latest package will tempt Liverpool to sell.  


The deal would see the Bavarian outfit pay £30.3m up front with £4.3m in add-ons.

ALERT! Diesel price may hit N1,500 per litre soon – Marketers claim

The Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association has said that the price of diesel would keep increasing and might hit N1,500 per liter in the next two weeks if nothing drastic is done to curtail the current challenge faced by importers of the product.

Speaking to newsmen in Abuja, the National President of the Association, Bennett Korie, said that about 75 per cent of filling stations across the country are currently out of business due to their inability to purchase diesel required to power their tankers and transport Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, to their various outlets. He stated that the only solution to the current challenge is for the Federal Government to raise the pump price of petrol a little in order to reduce the huge foreign exchange used in PMS imports.

“If you go round now you will see that about 75 per cent of filling stations in Nigeria have gone out of business. There is no diesel to take fuel to their stations. All of them are going down.

And it is not that the fuel is not there, but the cost of bringing it to the stations is too high. We know that the crisis between Ukraine and Russia has contributed badly, but the government has to do something fast, otherwise we are going to buy diesel in the next two weeks at N1000 to N1500/litre.”

On what can be done to the address the situation, Korie said

“The only way out, if you want to know, is that they (the government) should increase the price of fuel a little to reduce the money spent on PMS subsidy.

I know Nigerians will not be happy to hear this, but this is the only solution. They should increase the price of fuel a little so that the savings will enable the Central Bank of Nigeria to have enough foreign exchange.

You and I know that we import everything now in Nigeria. Diesel is an imported product and it is fully deregulated. So the importers are not getting dollars at the official CBN rate to import diesel. Everybody is going to the black market to get dollars to import their products and so you expect the price of diesel to be high.”

Korie suggested that the Federal government needs to reduce the rate at which it spends foreign exchange on PMS imports as it will help other businessmen who import diesel to bring in products at low prices.

“So you need to increase fuel price a little in order to ensure that the dollars spent in importing petrol is reduced and there will be enough forex for importers of diesel and this will cut down the price of diesel.”he said

Speaking further, he said

“The reason why you are having scarcity of petroleum products particularly in Abuja is as a result of the high cost of diesel. The price of diesel today in the market is N850/litre. You will also agree with me that the money being paid as bridging claims to transporters is not enough.

The price is N850/litre and you are giving your driver 1,200 litres from Lagos to Abuja, if you do the calculation you will find out that the landing cost (for transporting the fuel) is about N40/litre.

So if you add that to PMS, buying at the depot price and selling here, it is too high. So if your cost of bringing it in is at N40/litre and you bought it at N155/litre, when you add this you will get N195/litre. But you are to sell at N165/litre. So who will do that kind of business? It is already a loss-making business.”

Nigeria loses $1.7 billion court case with JP Morgan Chase Bank

JP Morgan Chase Bank has won a $1.7 billion court battle with the Nigerian government over the transfer of proceeds from the sale of OPL 245 in 2011.

The Federal government had sued JP Morgan on the ground of “Quincecare duty”, alleging that the bank “ought to have known” that there was corruption and fraud in the transaction which saw Malabu sell its 100 percent in OPL 245 to Shell and Eni for $1.1 billion.

However, the bank rejected the Nigerian government’s claim, maintaining that all due processes were followed and money laundering checks were done, arguing that allegations of fraud only came up after a new government took over in Nigeria.

Nigeria argued that there were enough “red flags” for JP Morgan to have halted the transfers.

However, the presiding judge, Sara Cockerill, ruled today June 14 that the Federal government failed to prove that it was defrauded.

Russia threatens to wipe out Europe if they supply nuclear missiles to Ukraine

The Russian government has threatened to make Europe ‘disappear’ if Western leaders supply nuclear weapons to Ukraine.

 Vladimir Putin’s top political ally Viacheslav Volodin, who is also head of the State Duma, warned such a move would provoke a ‘nuclear conflict’ on the continent.


The threat comes after Poland’s ex-foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski reportedly called for the transfer of nukes to Ukraine’s President Zelensky to strengthen his defence.

No Western leaders have so far suggested arming Ukraine with nuclear weapons and it is unclear if Poland has plans to do so.


To which Volodin has now repudiated, and as a key figure in Russian politics, his words are not to be taken lightly.

‘With such deputies, the Europeans will have much more serious problems than those they have already faced today (refugees, record inflation, energy crisis),’ Volodin, the head of the State Duma, hit back on Telegram.


‘Sikorski provokes a nuclear conflict in the center of Europe. He does not think about the future of either Ukraine or Poland.


‘If his proposals are implemented, these countries will disappear as well as Europe.

‘He needs to be examined by a psychiatrist, pass the mandate and stay at home under supervision.


‘It is precisely because of people like Sikorski that it is necessary to liberate Ukraine not only from the Nazi ideology, but also to demilitarise it, ensuring the country’s non-nuclear status.’


Mr Sikorski told Ukrainian channel Espreso TV the Russian president had violated the Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances of 1994, which pledges to respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity, in exchange for Ukraine handing over it’s nuclear arsenal to Russia.


He said this breach would justify the delivery of nuclear weapons from the West.

In a post on Twitter addressed to Volodin, Mr Sikorski said: ‘You promised Ukraine to respect her borders in 1994 in return for her nukes.


‘You are now colonizing her and you threaten both Ukraine and NATO with your nukes.


‘We just want you to know that if you use them, we have options too.’

Internet Explorer cease to function tomorrow after 27 years of service

Microsoft has announced the retirement of its oldest browser, Internet Explorer after 27 years of service.

First released in 1995 as an add-on package for Windows 95, the browser was provided for free as part of the package by Microsoft. As per the company notification,  Microsoft will officially withdraw its support for Internet Explorer on June 15, 2022, placing it into permanent retirement. 

“We are announcing that the future of Internet Explorer on Windows 10 is in Microsoft Edge. Not only is Microsoft Edge a faster, more secure and more modern browsing experience than Internet Explorer, but it is also able to address a key concern: compatibility for older, legacy websites and applications. Microsoft Edge has Internet Explorer mode (“IE mode”) built in, so you can access those legacy Internet Explorer-based websites and applications straight from Microsoft Edge,” as per the company release.

“With Microsoft Edge capable of assuming this responsibility and more, the Internet Explorer 11 desktop application will be retired and go out of support on June 15, 2022, for certain versions of Windows 10,” the company release said.

Explaining the decision last year, Sean Lyndersay, partner group program manager for Microsoft Edge, wrote: ‘Over the last year, you may have noticed our movement away from Internet Explorer (IE) support, such as an announcement of the end of IE support by Microsoft 365 online services. 

‘Today, we are at the next stage of that journey: we are announcing that the future of Internet Explorer on Windows 10 is in Microsoft Edge. 

‘Not only is Microsoft Edge a faster, more secure and more modern browsing experience than Internet Explorer, but it is also able to address a key concern: compatibility for older, legacy websites and applications.’ 

Mr Lyndersay added: ‘Microsoft Edge has Internet Explorer mode built in, so you can access those legacy Internet Explorer-based websites and applications straight from Microsoft Edge.

‘With Microsoft Edge capable of assuming this responsibility and more, the Internet Explorer 11 desktop application will be retired and go out of support on June 15, 2022, for certain versions of Windows 10.’ 

Nigerian couple arrested in Malaysia over N366M email fraud

A 43-year-old Nigerian man and his 41-year-old Malaysian wife have been arrested in Kuala Lumpur in connection with an email scam involving RM3.9mil in losses.

Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) Comm Datuk Mohd Kamarudin Md Din said police believed the suspects were responsible for the scam, better known as business email compromise (BEC).

“We received a report on June 8 from a businessman based in Dubai, who was targeted by the scammers,” Comm Mohd Kamarudin said at CCID headquarters on Tuesday, June 14. 

“His company had dealt with a US-based company over the purchase of 41,000 tonnes of cement. We believe the suspects had hacked the email of the US company and instructed the victims to transfer RM3.9mil to a ‘mule’ Malaysian bank account they controlled,” 

email scam involving RM3.9mil

The investigation led a CCID team to detain the two suspects at Eco Majestic in Semenyih on Monday (June 13). 

“We seized a Mercedes Benz, a Proton Exora, six mobile phones, two laptops, jewellery and several documents,” he said, adding that the police had also frozen RM1.8mil in the mule account as part of the investigation.

The police were also in the midst of tracing the remnants of the funds lost, Comm Mohd Kamarudin said. 

“We believe the mastermind of the syndicate is based in Nigeria and we are also tracking down remnants of the syndicate in Malaysia,” he added.

The two suspects had been remanded for four days to assist the investigation, he said.

“We advise the public, especially those involved in businesses to be careful in using emails in their dealings. Verify the emails received are actually from their business contacts and always be wary of any change of bank accounts for payment purposes. As a further security step, call the business contacts directly if there is a change in bank accounts used,” he said.

email scam involving RM3.9mil
email scam involving RM3.9mil

Netflix plans to organize “real-life Squid Game” with $4.56M cash prize

Netflix has announced it will be recruiting participants for a reality TV show inspired by its most popular series of all time, Squid Game.


The South Korean thriller series tells the story of debt-ridden people competing for a huge cash prize in a deadly series of children’s games.


It holds the record as Netflix’s most-popular series of all time, and it was streamed by 111 million users in its first 28 days of its launch.

Netflix confirmed the game will not be life or death that is at stake, as depicted in the drama series instead, 456 recruits from around the world will play games where “the worst fate is going home empty-handed” – missing out on a $4.56m (£3.8m) prize.


Netflix also confirmed that the popular series would be renewed for a second season earlier this week.


On Wednesday, June 15, the platform announced that its new 10-episode series – Squid Game: The Challenge – would offer the “largest cast and lump cash prize in reality TV history”.


“As [players] compete through a series of games inspired by the original show – plus surprising new additions – their strategies, alliances, and character will be put to the test while competitors are eliminated around them,” it added.


Participants need to be at least 21 years old. They must speak English, and be available for up to 4 weeks in early 2023 for filming.

Paul Pogba may return to Juventus next month

Manchester United midfielder, Paul Pogba will seal his return to Juventus, with an official announcement expected at the start of next month. 

The French footballer enjoyed his most successful time as a player in his club career at Juventus from 2012 to 2016.

During that time he won four Serie A titles, and helped them reach the Champions League final in 2015.

According to Sortsmail, Pogba is close to tying up details on a return to Turin having ran down his contract at Old Trafford to leave Manchester United after six years as a free agent.  

Manchester United bought the midfielder for a then-world-record fee of £89million back in 2016 having been in awe of his form at Juventus.

The French World Cup winner went on to make 226 appearances for United, scoring 39 goals, but struggled to reach the heights many fans had hoped for. 

United have already confirmed that Pogba will leave Old Trafford for a second time when his contract runs out on June 30, bringing to an end one of the most disappointing – and costly – careers in the club’s history.

‘Mama Boko Haram’ goes to prison forover N71.4M fraud

Aisha Wakil, popularly known as ‘Mama Boko Haram’ has been to five years imprisonment by a Borno high court over fraud.

Mama Boko Haram was re-arraigned alongside Tahiru Daura and Prince Shoyode, in September 2020 by the Maiduguri zonal command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on a two-count charge of conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of N71,400,000.

Count one of charge against them read; 

“That you, Aisha Alkali Wakil, Tahiru Saidu Daura and Prince Lawal Shoyode, whilst being chief executive officer, programme manager and country director respectively of Complete Care and Aid Foundation (a non-governmental organisation), sometime in the year 2018 at Maiduguri, Borno state, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court with intent to defraud, induced one Saleh Ahmed Said of Shuad General Enterprises Ltd to deliver to you 3,000 bags of beans worth N71,400,000  under the false pretence of executing a contract for the supply of same, which you made the said Saleh Ahmed Said to believe that you had the capacity to pay the entire contract sum upon execution, which you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Sections 1(1) (b) and 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.”

After they pleaded not guilty to the charges, the prosecuting counsel, Mukhtar Ahmed, presented four witnesses and tendered several documents which were admitted as exhibits.

Justice Aisha Kumaliya who delivered judgement on the case on Tuesday June 14, said the prosecution proved the case against the defendant beyond reasonable doubt.

The judge sentenced the defendants to five years imprisonment without an option of fine. The convicts were also ordered to pay the sum of N30,500,000 as compensation to the victim.

Should they default in paying the fine, the judge said the convicts would serve an additional 10-year jail term.

Justin Bieber recounts his struggle with facial paralysis (video)

Music star, Justin Bieber has credited his faith in Jesus for helping him deal with his recent medical challenges.

Over the weekend Bieber revealed he is suffering from facial paralysis- a condition known as Ramsay Hunt syndrome.


He made the announcement after postponing three of his shows .

The illness occurs when a shingles outbreak affects the facial nerve near someone’s ears.


Symptoms can include a painful rash inside the ear canal and outside the ear, at times attacking the tongue and roof of the mouth, as well as vertigo and tinnitus.


It can also cause paralysis on the side of the face which has been attacked by the virus.


In a three-minute video to his 240 million followers over the weekend, Bieber smiled and blinked to show how the right side of his face did not move.

Writing on his Instagram story, Bieber said; “wanted to share a bit of how I’ve been feelin”.


“Each day has gotten better and through all of the discomfort I have found comfort in the one who designed me and knows me,” the Canadian wrote.


“I’m reminded he knows all of me. He knows the darkest parts of me that I want no one to know about and he constantly welcomes me into his loving arms.


“This perspective has given me peace during this horrific storm that I’m facing.”

Video

“War in Ukraine maybe provoked” – Pope Francis

Pope Francis has suggested Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine was ‘provoked’ in a transcript of a conversation he had last month. 

The leader of the Catholic Church denied being ‘pro-Putin,’ saying Russian troops were brutal, cruel, and ferocious while praising the bravery of Ukrainian troops who have been fighting for their country’s survival since the invasion began in February.

But in the text of a conversation he had last month with editors of Jesuit media and published on Tuesday June 14, he also said the situation was not black and white and that the war was ‘perhaps in some way provoked’.

While condemning ‘the ferocity, the cruelty of Russian troops, we must not forget the real problems if we want them to be solved,’ Francis said, including the armaments industry among the factors that provide incentives for war.

‘It is also true that the Russians thought it would all be over in a week. But they miscalculated. They encountered a brave people, a people who are struggling to survive and who have a history of struggle,’ he said in the transcript of the conversation, published by the Jesuit journal Civilta Cattolica. 

‘This is what moves us: to see such heroism. I would really like to emphasize this point, the heroism of the Ukrainian people. What is before our eyes is a situation of world war, global interests, arms sales and geopolitical appropriation, which is martyring a heroic people,’ he said. 

Francis said that several months before President Vladimir Putin sent his forces into Ukraine, the pontiff had met with a head of state who expressed concern that NATO was ‘barking at the gates of Russia’ in a way that could lead to war.

Francis then said in his own words: ‘We do not see the whole drama unfolding behind this war, which was perhaps somehow either provoked or not prevented’.

Asking himself rhetorically if that made him ‘pro-Putin,’ he said: ‘No, I am not. It would be simplistic and wrong to say such a thing.’ He added: ‘I am simply opposed to reducing complexity to distinction between good and bad’.

Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a ‘special operation’ to disarm Ukraine and protect it from fascists, a characterisation previously criticised by Francis. 

Ukraine and the West say the fascist allegation is baseless and that the war is an unprovoked act of aggression.

In his comments, Francis also noted Russia’s ‘monstrous’ use of Chechen and Syrian mercenaries in Ukraine.

Francis said he hoped to meet Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill at an inter-religious event in Kazakhstan in September. 

Peter Obi and Kwankwaso working towards a merger (video)— NCF spokesman

Yanusa Tanko, the spokesman of National Consultative Forum, on Monday disclosed that there is an ongoing plan to merge the interests of the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi and that of his counterpart in the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso.

Tanko, who made the disclosure in an interview on Arise TV, noted that the arrangement will help strengthen the national spread of both candidates and position them to defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Asked to confirm if there were plans to bring together Peter Obi of the Labour Party and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the NNPP, Tanko noted that both parties are working seriously towards a merger.

According to Tanko, merging the two parties was an idea they have already seen on ground, and they felt that the Obi, who is very much grounded in the Southern part of the country needs to work together with other people who are grounded in the Northern part of Nigeria.

NEPA electricity grid crashed from 3,703MW to 9MW

The national electricity grid actually crashed from a peak of 3,703 megawatts to as low as 9MW on Sunday June 12, as confirmed by figures obtained from the Nigeria Electricity System Operator, an arm of the Federal Government’s power transmission company, on Monday June 13. 

Sunday’s grid collapse was the fifth in 2022 and this led to a nationwide blackout. NESO’s data showed the peak generation on Sunday of 3,703MW was recorded at 5am. It however crashed to 9MW at 7pm on Sunday, leading to the eventual collapse of the national grid.

Punch also reported that due to the unstable power supply, Nigerian politicians have been asked to stop “generating political megawatts” ahead of the 2023 election. 

An industry expert, who doubles as President, Nigeria Consumer Protection Network, Kunle Olubiyo said; 

“Stop generating political megawatts. Stop generating electric power on the pages of newspapers and social media.

“‘I will increase power generation from 5,000MW to 30,000MW’. How do you intend to do that? Please let us know. Nigeria presently has grid sourced power generation capacity of 7,500MW, but only an average of 3,600MW gets to the end-users.

 “We also have 14,500MW installed generation capacity that our national energy quantum could be ramped up. There is available power on the grid that is usually rejected by the 11 electricity distribution companies and TCN.”

“Yet the nation have been permanently configured into a vicious circle of distribution of darkness and perpetual energy crises due to gas constraints, market settlement crises, tariff and market shortfall, near-zero regulatory ecosystem, grid infrastructural limitations, technical deficits and broadly speaking – grid constraints.

“And not by making bogus promises and claims as per the electricity sector. We need to be informed in specific terms how they intend to address the challenges bedeviling the power sector.”

According to Olubiyi, the power supply situation in Nigeria had gone beyond comprehension and most embarrassingly unpleasant since December 2021.

Napoli reject Arsenal’s 51M bid for Victor Osimhen

Arsenal’s €60 million (£51m) offer for Victor Osimhen has been rejected by Napoli, according to various reports in Italy.

The Gunners want to sign two new strikers this summer transfer window after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette left the club this year.

The club have held extensive talks to sign Gabriel Jesus from Manchester City but Osimhen is also on the club’s shortlist.


The 23-year-old Edo born striker has scored 28 goals in 62 appearances since joining Napoli in a £69.5m deal from Lille in 2020.


According to Il Mattino, Arsenal have already tried with a €60m (£51m) but that has been turned down by Napoli.


The report claims that the Serie A club are demanding a €100m (£85m) fee for the Nigeria international.

Last season, Osimhen scored 18 goals in 32 appearances for Napoli, while he has scored 24 goals in 51 Serie A games since moving to Italy.

Nigerian Govt. orders ‘social media giants’ to delete information that violates Nigerian law

The National Information Technology Development Agency has outlined some of the conditions social media platforms operating in the country must abide by. 

These conditions are stated in the recently released Code of Practice for Interactive Computer Service Platforms/Internet Intermediaries (online platforms) which was released on Monday June 13.

Some of the conditions include, having a country representative, registering with the Corporate Affairs Commission as a legal entity, complying with tax obligations, deleting information that violates Nigerian law and provide information on ‘harmful accounts, troll groups, disinformation networks’. 

The social media platforms were also directed to “provide a dedicated channel that is available all the time where an authorised government agency can lodge or forward a request or complaint against contents that are unlawful or harmful.” 

Read the full statement below;

Nigerian Govt. orders social media giants to delete information that violates Nigerian law
Nigerian Govt. orders social media giants to delete information that violates Nigerian law
Nigerian Govt. orders social media giants to delete information that violates Nigerian law

Kevin Spacey to appear in London court for sexual assault

Hollywood actor, Kevin Spacey will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, June 16 to face four counts of sexual assault against three men, the Metropolitan Police has said.


The 62-year-old Oscar-winning actor is facing two counts of sexual assault on a man who is now in his 40s, in March 2005 in London, sexual assault on a man who is now in his 30s, in August 2008 in London, and causing him to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.

The actor said he would ‘voluntarily appear’ in a British court because he is ‘confident’ he can prove his innocence following allegations of multiple sexual assaults.

Spacey also faces a charge of sexual assault on a man, now aged in his 30s, in April 2013 in Gloucestershire.

Rosemary Ainslie, head of the CPS Special Crime Division, said: ‘The CPS has authorised criminal charges against Kevin Spacey, 62, for four counts of sexual assault against three men.


‘He has also been charged with causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.


‘The charges follow a review of the evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police in its investigation.

‘The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against Mr Spacey are active and that he has the right to a fair trial

Saudi Adopts Online Registration For Hajj To Combat Online Fraud

Muslim pilgrims circumambulate around the Kaaba, Islam’s holiest shrine, at the Grand mosque in the holy Saudi city of Mecca, on July 17, 2021 during the annual hajj pilgrimage. (Photo by Fayez Nureldine / AFP)

Saudi Arabia has required would-be hajj pilgrims from many Western countries to apply for visas via a government portal online, a move intended to crack down on “fake” travel agencies, officials told AFP on Monday.

The new system was put in place as the kingdom prepares to welcome 850,000 Muslims from abroad for the annual hajj after two years during which pilgrims not already in Saudi Arabia were barred because of Covid pandemic restrictions.

It applies to the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe and Australia, said one of the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Muslim pilgrims circumambulate around the Kaaba, Islam’s holiest shrine, at the Grand mosque in the holy Saudi city of Mecca, on July 17, 2021 during the annual hajj pilgrimage. (Photo by Fayez Nureldine / AFP)

Saudi Arabia has required would-be hajj pilgrims from many Western countries to apply for visas via a government portal online, a move intended to crack down on “fake” travel agencies, officials told AFP on Monday.

The new system was put in place as the kingdom prepares to welcome 850,000 Muslims from abroad for the annual hajj after two years during which pilgrims not already in Saudi Arabia were barred because of Covid pandemic restrictions.

It applies to the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe and Australia, said one of the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Previously, pilgrims could register via travel agencies that organised hajj trips, a system that sometimes led to scams, with “fake agencies” making off with victims’ money, a second official said.

Saudi Arabia announced in April it would permit one million Muslims from inside and outside the country to participate in this year’s hajj.

State media announced the online portal a week ago, and the registration period ended Monday, the hajj ministry said on Twitter.

Those who registered will be included in a lottery for hajj visas.

One official who spoke to AFP acknowledged that some Muslims in the affected countries may have already tried to register via travel agencies, before the online portal was announced.

He said they would also be included in the lottery — which has not been scheduled — provided they had booked via an agency accredited by the hajj ministry.

One of the five pillars of Islam, the hajj must be undertaken by all Muslims who have the means at least once in their lives.

It consists of a series of religious rites that are completed over five days in Islam’s holiest city, Mecca, and surrounding areas of western Saudi Arabia.

It is due to begin in early July, and the first batch of foreign pilgrims since before the Covid-19 pandemic arrived from Indonesia just over a week ago.

Russia has earned over $97B on energy exports since invasion of Ukraine

Russia earned $97bn from oil and gas exports during the first 100 days of the war in Ukraine, according to a new report.


According to the independent Centre For Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), oil revenues have been falling since March, after many countries shunned Russian energy supplies, but Russia’s revenues from energy is still high.


The EU, US and UK are among those to have pledged to cut Russian imports.


Overall, energy sales has also declined from a peak of well over $1bn a day in March but Russia still earned $97bn in revenue from fossil fuel exports in the first 100 days of the Ukraine conflict, from 24 February to 3 June, the CREA report found.


The European Union made up 61% of these imports, worth approximately $59bn.

Russia has earned over $97B

The report added that Russia is spending around $876m per day on the invasion.


The EU committed to reducing gas imports from Russia by two-thirds within a year and by banning Russian oil imports arriving by sea by the end of 2022.


The CREA report warned large quantities of Russian crude oil were now being shipped to India, which increased its share of Russia’s total crude exports from around 1% before the invasion of Ukraine to 18% in May.

As well as India, other countries that increased imports of Russian fuel included France, China, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, the report said.

The report means Energy sales are funding the war in Ukraine.

Erling Haaland signs up a £51m deal with Man United (photos)

Norwegian striker, Erling Haaland has been officially unveiled at Manchester City .

Haaland has signed a five-year contract with the Premier League champions, arriving from Borussia Dortmund for an initial fee of £51m that will rise to £85.5m with various add-ons..


The 21-year-old scored 86 goals in 89 appearances for Dortmund after netting 29 in 27 games for Red Bull Salzburg.

He has also scored 20 goals for his country in just 21 caps.


He was unveiled by Man City on Monday, June 13 and the striker has bow warned the rest of the Premier League that he is confident of scoring goals, winning trophies and improving as a player .

‘This is a proud day for me and my family,’ he told the club’s official website on his unveiling.


 ‘I have always watched City and have loved doing so in recent seasons. You can’t help but admire their style of play, it’s exciting and they create a lot of chances, which is perfect for a player like me.

‘There are so many world-class players in this squad and Pep is one of the greatest managers of all-time, so I believe I am in the right place to fulfil my ambitions.


‘I want to score goals, win trophies and improve as a footballer and I am confident I can do that here. This is a great move for me and I can’t wait to get started in pre-season.’


‘I was born in England, so I’ve been a City fan my whole life, I know a lot about the club. I feel at home a bit here,’ he explained.


‘Also I think I can develop and get the best out of my game at City.


‘I like the style, I like the attacking football. I like the kind of positive vibe we have when City play football. I think it’s a really good fit.’

Nigerian Govt may startregulating Social media like Google, Twitter, Facebook, others

The National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, released a Code of Practice for Interactive Computer Service Platforms/Internet Intermediaries and Conditions for Operating in Nigeria.

A statement on Monday by the NITDA’s spokesperson, Hadiza Umar, said the Code is aimed at protecting fundamental human rights of Nigerians and non-Nigerians living in the country as well as define guidelines for interacting on the digital ecosystem.

“This is in line with international best practices as obtainable in democratic nations such as the United State of America, United Kingdom, European Union, and United Nations.

“The Code was developed in collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, and National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, as well as input from Interactive Computer Service Platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Google, and Tik Tok amongst others.

“Other relevant stakeholders with peculiar knowledge in this area were consulted such as Civil Society Organizations and expert groups. The results of this consultations were duly incorporated into the Draft Code of Practice.

“The new global reality is that the activities conducted on these Online Platforms wield enormous influence over our society, social interaction, and economic choices.

“Hence, the Code of Practice is an intervention to recalibrate the relationship of Online Platforms with Nigerians in order to maximise mutual benefits for our nation, while promoting a sustainable digital economy.

“Additionally, the Code of Practice sets out procedures to safeguard the security and welfare of Nigerians while interacting on these Platforms. It aims to demand accountability from Online Platforms regarding unlawful and harmful contents on their Platforms.

“Furthermore, it establishes a robust framework for collaborative efforts to protect Nigerians against online harms, such as hate speech, cyber-bullying, as well as disinformation and/or misinformation.

“Similarly, to ensure compliance with the Code of Practice, NITDA also wishes to notify all Interactive Computer Service Platforms/Internet Intermediaries operating in Nigeria that the Federal Government of Nigeria has set out conditions for operating in the country.

“These conditions address issues around legal registration of operations, taxation, and managing prohibited publication in line with Nigerian laws. The conditions are as follows:

“Establish a legal entity i.e., register with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC); Appoint a designated country representative to interface with Nigerian authorities; Abide by all regulatory demands after establishing a legal presence;

“Comply with all applicable tax obligations on its operations under Nigerian law; Provide a comprehensive compliance mechanism to avoid publication of prohibited contents and unethical behaviour on their platform; and

“Provide information to authorities on harmful accounts, suspected botnets, troll groups, and other coordinated disinformation networks and deleting any information that violates Nigerian law within an agreed time.”

A Nigerian and his accomplices were arrested for cocaine trafficking in Trinidad and Tobago

The Police in Trinidad and Tobago have arrested a Nigerian national and two others for drug trafficking.

The trio appeared at the Tobago Magistrates’ Court on Friday, June 10, 2022, after they were charged with various drug related offences on Thursday. 

The trio, Ugochukwu Ezenagu, Jaden Thompson, and Josiah Seepersadsingh, were arrested in connection with the seizure of over $500K worth of cocaine. 

A statement issued by the Corporate Communications Unit of the Trinidad and Tobago Police said the arrests underscore the unrelenting work of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) as it seeks to dismantle the transnational organised crime networks which are involved in the trafficking of cocaine to North America, Europe and other parts of the world.

“Jaden Thompson, 22, a fabricator who resides in Cunupia, Josiah Seepersadsingh,18, a warehouse attendant from Valsayn and Ugochukwu Ezenagu, 29, a warehouse attendant, and national of Nigeria, who also resides in Valsayn, were charged with possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking,” the statement read.

Thompson was also charged with an additional count of trafficking in cocaine arising out of another incident which occurred in May 2022. 

According to the statement, “Around 1:15 pm on 7th June, officers of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) Tobago were at the TTPOST Scarborough branch carrying out routine checks on packages. Whilst there, the officers met a man who allegedly produced two cardboard boxes containing a quantity of clothing, hair products and cosmetics.

“The officers then conducted a search of both boxes in his presence and upon further examination they allegedly found concealed within the lining of the said boxes, six packages each containing quantities of cocaine. The man was arrested and taken to the Crown Point Police Station. The officers continued enquiries and then proceeded to a carpark in Scarborough where two other men were arrested in connection with the investigation.

“In this incident, the cocaine seized weighed 547 grammes, with an estimated street value of $218,800.

“In a previous incident on 12th May, 2022, a man went to TTPOST, Wilson Road, Scarborough, Tobago, where he allegedly posted a box containing a wedding dress along with other items to an address in Australia

“On 18th May 2022, officers of the SIU went to a shipping company at El Socorro where they examined a box that was shipped from TTPOST Scarborough and destined for Australia. The officers allegedly found concealed within the lining of the cardboard box four packages each containing cocaine.

“Officers conducted enquiries, interviewed several persons, received certain information and on June 9th 2022, proceeded to Tobago where they formally charged Thompson with trafficking in cocaine.

“In this incident, the cocaine seized weighed 778 grammes, with an estimated street value of $311,200. Investigations are ongoing.” 

A Nigerian and his accomplices were arrested for cocaine trafficking in Trinidad and Tobago

APC and PDP Presidential candidates to unveil their ‘running mates’ soon

Barring any last-minute changes, APC Presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, and his PDP counterpart, Atiku Abubakar, will on Wednesday, June 15, and Tuesday, June 14, unveil their running mates for the 2023 Presidential election.

According to reports, Tinubu will conclude his consultations with APC Governors on Tuesday, June 14, and will unveil his running mate Wednesday.

Sources in the party say the governors and other stakeholders have also agreed that the NorthEast should produce the Vice Presidential candidate of the party. Tinubu might settle for a Muslim as his running mate.

Atiku on the other hand is expected to unveil his running mate on Tuesday. It is however not clear what section of the religious divide he will pick his running mate from.

The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC had earlier set June 17 as the deadline for all political parties to submit their presidential and vice-presidential candidates for the 2023 general elections.

Darwin Nunez signs up with Liverpool for €75M – Benfica confirms

Benfica have confirmed they have reached an agreement with Liverpool over the transfer of Darwin Nunez for €75million (£64m) plus add-ons that could see the fee rise to €100m (£85m).

Liverpool are expected to announce the transfer record for the signing of the 22-year-old, who will overtake Virgil van Dijk as the most expensive player in the club’s history. 

The Primeira Liga side released a statement announcing they had agreed the transfer of the striker with the Reds.

Benfica added in the statement that the deal now rests on the player confirming personal terms with Liverpool, though it has already been confirmed that Nunez will sign a six-year contract, worth more than £6m per year. 

 ‘SAD informs the Securities Market Commission (CMVM), under the terms and for the purpose in article 248-A, that it has reached an agreement with Liverpool FC for the transfer of all rights to the player Darwin Nunez for the amount of €75million.” the statement read

‘The agreement includes add-ons, so the total amount of the sale could reach €100m. 

‘It also informs that said agreement is dependent on the conclusion of contract of the player with Liverpool FC.’ 

The fee was agreed in the early hours of Monday morning and Liverpool are yet to confirm the deal.

Democracy Day in Nigeria (Pictures)

President Buhari, former President Goodluck Jonathan, and top government functionaries attended the 2022 Democracy Day celebration at the Eagle Square, Abuja today June 13.

 See more photos below…

Democracy Day in Nigeria (Pictures)
Democracy Day in Nigeria (Pictures)
Democracy Day in Nigeria (Pictures)
Democracy Day in Nigeria (Pictures)
Democracy Day in Nigeria (Pictures)
Democracy Day in Nigeria (Pictures)
Democracy Day in Nigeria (Pictures)
Democracy Day in Nigeria (Pictures)
Democracy Day in Nigeria (Pictures)
Democracy Day in Nigeria (Pictures)

Mum reports her son to the police after he confessed to raping their elderly neighbour

A man has been charged with sexually assaulting his 68-year-old neighbour after his mum reported him to police.

Gino Anthony Bononcini, 29, from San Antonio, Texas, allegedly asked the victim to urinate in the toilet as he liked the sound before raping her.

He was arrested on Friday, June 10, by Bear County Sheriff’s deputies following the incident in April.

His mother handed him in after he told her about what he had done.

She said that her son told her that he had “violated” their neighbour after entering through a window at her home in the dead of night, according to reports.

She had previously been sleeping on her sofa and got up to use the bathroom by 4am, only to find that the intruder had broken in, reports the San Antonio Express-News.

The victim told the courts she recognised the man as he frequently visited the house next door and she even saw him two weeks before at a friend’s barbecue.

According to the reports, the victim only speaks Spanish so could not understand what Bononcini said to her when he was in the house.

When she screamed “don’t kill me,” he ordered her to “shut up”.

She claims he told her to urinate in the toilet as he enjoyed the sound and then took her to her bed and raped her.

According to his Facebook page, Bononcini works at a children’s hospital in his hometown.

rapist

Just days before the attack, Bononcini posted on Facebook promoting tantric sex.

He was linked to the crime through a DNA swab that was compared against evidence and was arrested as soon as the results came back, according to the sheriff.

Pet Abuse: Kurt Zouma to clear canals in full view of the public as part of 180-hour community service

West Ham defender, Kurt Zouma faces clearing canals in full view of the public after being sentenced to 180 hours of community service for animal cruelty.

The Premier League footballer, 27, was banned from keeping cats for five years after a video was shared showing him slapping and kicking his pet.

He was also fined nearly £9,000 after hurling the cat across a kitchen before throwing shoes at it and saying: ‘I swear I’ll kill it.’

Probation officials reportedly told Zouma and his brother Yoan, 24, that the community service would be in public.

It could involve shovelling, litter-picking, grounds maintenance, painting or clearing graffiti.

A source told The Sun: ‘This should be a big wake-up call to anyone in the public eye that if you do bad things you’ll be treated like anyone else.

‘If he ends up clearing out canals then he’s only got himself to blame. Celebrities always seem to get better treatment when they do wrong.

‘This time around that’s not going to happen.’

Father-of-four Zouma pleaded guilty at Thames Magistrates Court in east London to two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a cat, after blaming the family pet for damaging a chair.

His two Bengal male cats – which can cost up to £1,500 each – have since been signed over to be rehomed by the RSPCA.

District Judge Susan Holdham said: ‘Both of you took part in this disgraceful and reprehensible act with this pet cat.

‘The cat looked up to you to care for its needs. On that date in February you did not provide for its needs.

‘You must be aware that others look up to you and many young people aspire to emulate you.’

Zouma was handed 180 hours’ community service and told to pay court costs of nearly £9,000 and banned from keeping or caring for cats for five years. Yoan was ordered to carry out 140 hours’ community service.

A West Ham club spokesman said: ‘West Ham United wishes to make clear that we condemn in the strongest terms any form of animal abuse or cruelty. 

‘This type of behaviour is unacceptable and is not in line with the values of the football club.

‘Within 48 hours of the footage emerging, we fined Kurt the maximum available to the club.

‘Every single penny of this money is now with a number of deserving charities, all dedicated to animal welfare.’

In a statement, RSPCA chief inspectorate officer Dermot Murphy said: ‘We hope this case will serve as a reminder that all animals deserve to be treated with kindness, compassion and respect, and that we will not tolerate cruelty by anybody.’

“Buhari’s Govt is most corrupt regime in the history of Nigeria” – Bishop Oyedepo blasts (video)

The Presiding Bishop of the Living Faith Church Worldwide, David Oyedepo has taken a swipe at President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

While preaching in his church today June 13, Bishop Oyedepo described the Buhari administration is the most corrupt in the history of Nigeria.

“Many children are out of school, there is nothing to pay to get them back to school. We saw some folks in Covenant University that we had to help out to graduate. First-class students can’t get N30,000 to pay under this wicked government, selfish, self-centred.
 
What a fight against corruption? You were all deceived. You can’t be in corruption and be fighting corruption. The most corrupt regime in the history of Nigeria.
 
You heard of the Auditor General… N80 billion. All they need to get the university up and running is less than the N80 billion but they are not interested because their children are not there.”

Watch a video of him speaking below.

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