World football ruling body, FIFA has ordered the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to pay former Super Eagles head coach, Gernot Rohr, $380,000 as compensation for ending his contract early.
Rohr was sacked last December by the NFF few weeks to the start of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon despite meeting all the targets set by the football house prior to his sack.
The NFF agreed to pay the former Gabon and Niger Republic gaffer until the end of his contract, which expires in December 2022 but Rohr, 68, filed a lawsuit with FIFA to demand more compensation saying he was sacked unfairly.
Out of a total of £1m sought by Rohr, a FIFA tribunal has now granted him $377,879.46 saying his claim was “partially accepted in so far as it is admissible”.
The ruling by the FIFA players’ status chamber added that the NFF would be sanctioned if Rohr was not paid in full within 45 days.
“If full payment (including all applicable interest) is not made within 45 days of notification of this decision, the respondent [the NFF] shall be imposed a restriction on receiving a percentage of development funding, up until the due amounts are paid,” said the Fifa decision.
Canada-based Nigerian singer, Stephanie Otobo, has again slammed Apostle Johnson Suleman of the Omega Fire Ministry Worldwide, accusing the cleric of poisoning her and trying to kill her.
In a series of tweets on Monday, the singer shared photos of their video chats, as she rolled out allegations against the cleric.
Some people kept on wondering why i came out esposing apostle Johnson suleman, and why i haven't let go ever since. The truth is that, i never planned to. He pushed me to the wall and the only way i could fight back was to cry out and made everything known. The devil smile👿 pic.twitter.com/1doprZCtkJ
Otobo and Suleman were first in the news in 2017 when the singer sued the preacher for assault and sexual harassment.
Sharing a picture of the alleged sexual organ of the cleric, she wrote on Monday, “Oracle of God, can you deny this? Your fingernail and the scar on your left thigh?”
Defending her posts, she wrote, “If these screenshots were fake, how did I get his pictures that aren’t public pictures in the first place and how come I’m the first to release this kind of pics of him?
“He has changed his hairstyle twice since I came out to speak up with receipts. He has done alot to appear different.
Rolling out allegations against the pastor, she said, “He did everything to stop my music career. He was scared that I’ll be influential.
He even poisoned me, paid my friends to set me up and bribed some members of my fam to assassinate me. Lured me to come to make a false confession at his church in Auchi that I lied against him.”
At the time of filing this report, the pastor is yet to react to the recent callout.
When she earlier accused him and slammed him with a $5m suit in 2017, the pastor denied her allegations and took legal action against her.
Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) have insisted on shutting down domestic flights across the country from Monday May 9, over increased price of aviation fuel.
In a statement released after the federal government’s asked them to consider the multiplier effect of their decision on travellers, the AON maintained they are not on strike but can continue to pay upfront in cash at N700 per litre for JetA1 which has increased their cost of operation on a daily basis to about 95 per cent.
The statement jointly signed by Shehu Wada, executive director, Max Air; Obiora Okonkwo, chairman, United Nigeria Airlines; Allen Onyema, chairman, Air Peace; Roy Ilegbodu, CEO of Arik Air; Abdullahi Mahmood, CEO, Aero Contractors; Faisal Abdulmunaf, MD, Azman Air; and Sukh Mann, deputy CEO, Dana Air, read;
“In the light of frantic developments within the last twenty-four hours since informing the general public of our decision to suspend operations in response to the astronomic and continuously rising cost of JetA1, the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) would like to state unequivocally that we stand firmly by our decision.
“Airline operators are patriotic citizens and we are doing all we can to protect the flying public contrary to what some subjective schools of thought might suggest. This is a collective sacrifice for the common interest of our nation.
“(AON) regrets the unfortunate position taken by one of our members, Ibom Air, not to stand by the collective decision. While they may have their reasons for doing what they did, it is pertinent to note that they equally accepted in their statement that the JetA1 situation poses an ‘existential threat to the air transport industry in Nigeria’ and that “the out-of-control situation is simply unsustainable.
“May we use this medium to clearly state that; Airlines are not on strike. We are private investors who do not run our airlines with public funds to be able to continue to pay upfront in cash at N700 per litre for JetA1 which has increased our cost on a daily basis to about 95 per cent.
“This is totally unsustainable. And its consequences, if allowed to stay, will be borne by the passengers; which is what we are trying to prevent.
“To this end, therefore, we remain resolute in our resolve to find a lasting solution to this crucial problem of national emergency and once again use this medium to appeal to the conscience of our esteemed passengers for their understanding.”
The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Abdulrasheed Bawa, has said they are investigating the source of money used by aspirants to purchase party nomination forms ahead of the 2023 elections.
Bawa stated this on Friday when he featured on Channels Television’s current affairs programme, Politics Today.
“When it comes to the issue of monitoring election funds as well as candidates’ funds, that has to do with the work of INEC in this regard but, of course, we are working hand in gloves with INEC and other related agencies in that field to ensure that we follow the money, we know the source, whether it is legitimate or illegitimate because that is what concerns us,” he said.
Sixty persons have been feared killed after a Russian air raid on a school in eastern Ukraine.
The governor of the Luhansk region, Serhiy Haidai said two people have been confirmed dead after Russian forces dropped a bomb on the school, and 30 civilians had been pulled from the debris, Aljazeera reports.
According to Haidai, about 90 people were sheltering in the school in the village of Bilohorivka and a fire following Saturday’s attack engulfed the building.
He wrote on Telegram, “The fire was extinguished after nearly four hours, then the rubble was cleared and, unfortunately, the bodies of two people were found.
“Thirty people were evacuated from the rubble, seven of whom were injured. Sixty people were likely to have died under the rubble of buildings.”
The tension between the neighbours has been bubbling for a while.
The protracted conflict first brewed over in 2014 after the widespread Euromaidan protest in Ukraine forced the parliament to remove President Viktor Yanukovych from office.
The removal of Yanukovych, who was regarded as pro-Russia, vexed the leadership in Moscow, and they thought the best way to strike back was to reclaim Ukraine’s region of Crimea, which used to be under Russia’s control from 1783 to 1954.
To end the bloody crisis, an agreement was hammered out in Minsk, Belarus, in February 2015.
The resolution tagged the ‘Minsk agreement’ was monitored by United Nations, and it proposed a cease-fire with all parties signing to power down their machinery of war.
Despite a ceasefire agreement, both parties have not been at peace, and the Russia-backed rebels have claimed further swathes of land in the east of Ukraine.
The Texas home of the world’s richest man, Elon Musk has been laid bare for the first time – and it’s worth just $50,000.
The house has a rocket-shaped kids’ playhouse and Tesla solar panels and is just a block from SpaceX Starbase and two miles from the Mexican border.
The photos were exclusively revealed by DailyMail.com and comes after Musk, 50, pledged to ‘own no home’ last year .
Neigbors also confirmed to DailyMail that Musk lives in the three-bed, ranch-style home.
Musk – who last month agreed to pay around $44billion for Twitter covered the entire roof in high-tech Tesla-made solar roof tiles and the house built in the 1970s is guarded with multiple cameras some hidden on palm trees.
Musk has sold seven Californian mansions in the past two years after promising to sell most of his possessions.
Last year he denied claims he secretly lives at a friend’s $12million mansion in Austin: ‘My primary home is literally a $50k house in Boca Chica/Starbase that I rent from SpaceX … it’s kinda awesome though.’
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has said that it has not approved tariff rate review in the power sector in recent times.
Chairman, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, Mr Sanusi Garba who disclosed this on Friday May 6, said the last tariff review was approved on December 31, 2021, and became effective in February this year.
Garba said;
“I want to, on behalf of the management of NERC, clearly state that as of today (Friday), we have not approved any rate review and there is no indication that any electricity distribution company is increasing its tariff.
“If you notice that the rate you buy electricity has changed within the last one to three weeks, we want evidence. The information posted on the NERC website was the last tariff rate review in December 2021.
“Our function is to approve applications for tariffs for the distribution companies, and we have not received any.
“We have clearly said that we have an obligation by law to do minor review every six months to take care of inflation, forex and so on.”
Commenting on issue of Eligible Customers Regulations, the Commissioner, Market Competition and Rates, NERC, Mr Musiliu Oseni, said the regulation and the framework were are still in place.
Oseni added that the commission issued a letter to the market operators to stop the recognition of certain potential customers.
Oseni further revealed that generators were already making moves to renegotiate the contracted capacity made with NBET to free some capacity to sell to eligible customers.
He said;
“As of today, we have a few customers that have been approved as eligible customers pending the review of the necessary documentation of other customers.
“Some of the customers that are yet to secure approval have some challenges, which include the inability of their potential generators to sell additional capacity to them.
“Under that framework, many of the generators had a contract with the Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Company, and you cannot contract the same capacity twice.”
The United Kingdom has announced that it will begin issuing a new visa that allows holders of first degrees, masters, and doctorates to travel to the country and work in fields such as science, technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship by May 30.
The visa – high potential individual (HPI) visa, allows applicants to relocate to the UK without a prior job offer or sponsorship.
However, graduates of Nigerian universities do not qualify to be issued this visa.
The UK government said that in order to qualify for the HPI visa, applicants needed to have been awarded a degree from a university that is ranked top 50 as published in the global universities list by the Home Office.
The government noted that the list would be compiled annually and would comprise institutions included in the list of the top 50 universities in at least two of the following ranking systems: Times Higher Education World University rankings, Quacquarelli Symonds World University rankings, and the Academic Ranking of the World Universities.
Also, the applicants must have been awarded a degree, equivalent to or not less than a UK bachelor’s degree.
Nigerian universities do not appear in any of these global rankings.
According to the UK Minister of Safe and Legal Migration, Kevin Foster, the High Potential Individual visa route is targeted at attracting high-skilled foreign university graduates, who will be allowed to work and stay in the UK for two or three years.
On the expiration of the visa, the holders could switch to permits under the skilled worker, start-up and innovator, exceptional talent, or scale-up route for continued stay in the UK.
Foster said: “The new High Potential Individual route will make it as simple as possible for internationally mobile individuals who demonstrate high potential to come to the UK. It will enable those who have already demonstrated their potential through academic achievement to come to the UK without a prior job offer.
“If you’ve been resident in the UK for more than 12 months, you might not need to meet this requirement. Graduates with a bachelor’s or a master’s degree will be given a two-year visa. Ph.D. or other doctoral-level graduates will get visas valid for three years. This visa can only be granted once and will not be available to those who have already had a Graduate visa.”
Chelsea have confirmed that terms have been agreed for Todd Boehly to complete his £4.25billion takeover of the club.
This is coming after Boehly’s consortium was named as the preferred bidder to take over at Stamford Bridge by the Raine Group, the American bank who are overseeing the sale. He partnered with fellow Dodgers owner Mark Walter, Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss as well as investment firm Clearlake Capital to purchase the club.
Boehly saw off competition from consortiums fronted by Stephen Pagliuca and Sir Martin Broughton and even a late £4.25bn bid from Britain’s richest man Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Chelsea confirmed on their official website in the early hours of Saturday morning that Boehly and his consortium can purchase the club, following the UK Government’s approval.
The statement read: ‘Chelsea Football Club can confirm that terms have been agreed for a new ownership group, led by Todd Boehly, Clearlake Capital, Mark Walter and Hansjoerg Wyss, to acquire the Club.
‘Of the total investment being made, £2.5bn will be applied to purchase the shares in the Club and such proceeds will be deposited into a frozen UK bank account with the intention to donate 100 per cent to charitable causes as confirmed by Roman Abramovich. UK Government approval will be required for the proceeds to be transferred from the frozen UK bank account.
‘In addition, the proposed new owners will commit £1.75bn in further investment for the benefit of the Club. This includes investments in Stamford Bridge, the Academy, the Women’s Team and Kingsmeadow and continued funding for the Chelsea Foundation.
‘The sale is expected to complete in late May subject to all necessary regulatory approvals. More details will be provided at that time.’
Russian billionaire, Roman Abramovich put the club up for sale just before the UK Government sanctioned him in March following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and his close relationship with Russian president, Vladimir Putin.
Former Governor of Zamfara state, Ahmed Yerima has explained why he introduced Sharia law in the state.
Addressing journalists after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday May 6, the former Governor said he introduced Sharia law in the state in line with the constitution on the freedom of religion.
Commenting on being perceived as a religious extremist, Yerima described it as “ignorance”, adding that it is one of things he would fight if elected as President of Nigeria.
He said;
“On the issue of Sharia, I’m a Muslim and I say everywhere I go, that I am a Muslim and I want to die as a Muslim. Like I said, I’m going to fight the problem of ignorance and this is one of them.
“People don’t know; a lot of people don’t know that the constitution of Nigeria, section 38, has provided for freedom of religion, including the freedom to change your religion if you want to, to practise alone, or in community with others, in private or in public.
“So, as governor of the state, I followed the constitutional provision, prepared a law, sent it to the state assembly and they passed it into law and I implemented what the constitution of Nigeria has given me the powers to do, even in Zamfara state.
“I have never, never required or asked or forced any Christian to follow Islamic faith because I would have done an unconstitutional act.
“So, if I’m elected, by the grace of God, I’m going to be elected under the constitution and I’m going to take an oath to protect and defend the constitution of Nigeria. I will never do anything unconstitutional.”
A 14-year-old boy has been charged with luring his 10 year old cousin off the road to the woods where he sexually assaulted and then killed her.
Carson Peters Berger is accused of killing his cousin, Lily Peters, in northwestern Wisconsin, USA a criminal complaint released Friday, May 6.
He was charged on April 27 in adult court with first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree sexual assault and first-degree sexual assault of a child under age 13 in the death of Peters, whose disappearance in the town of Chippewa Falls resulted in a huge capital intensive manhunt by the police
Judge Benjamin Lane initially sealed the criminal complaint but decided at a hearing on Thursday to release a redacted version in response to media requests.
The criminal complaint revealed that the boy returned to the scene of crime after allegedly killing the girl so he could better hide the girls body by covering her with leaves.
According to the criminal complaint, Lily was reported missing on the evening of April 24 after she failed to return from visiting her aunt’s house in Chippewa Falls. Police found her body the next morning.
Peters-Berger told the police that he was riding his hoverboard alongside Lily on a trail in Chippewa Falls and that he intended to rape and kill her, according to the complaint.
He asked Lily to leave the trail and explore the woods with him, then assaulted her, according to the complaint.
The complaint reveals how Peter ‘became scared’ and left the scene, but later returned to cover Lily’s body with leaves.
Peters-Berger remains in custody on $1 million bail. He’s considered an adult in the criminal justice system but his attorneys could ask Lane to waive the case into juvenile court. His next court appearance is scheduled for June 24.
In another development, it has been revealed that the boy is the son of a convicted pedophile, Adam Berger, a 37 year old man who spent three years in jail after being caught with a stash of pornographic images of young girls on his phone.
The 10 pornographic photos showed very young girls spreading their legs according to the DailyMail.. Like her cousin, 10-year-old Lily was the product of a broken home and lived with her father Alex who has a string of convictions for drug and alcohol offenses including several Driving Under Influence crimes.
Berger’s son Carson Peters-Berger, 14, is now facing a possible life sentence .
Two pregnant women are among drug traffickers arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos for attempting to import and export illicit drugs through the airport in the last week.
Director, Media & Advocacy of the agency, Femi Babafemi in a statement on Sunday, said a Brazil-returnee, Nworie Phillip Chikwendu, was arrested on Tuesday May 3rd during an inward clearance of passengers on Qatar Airways flight from Sao Paulo, Brazil enroute Doha to Lagos.
During a thorough search of his luggage, two parcels of cocaine were discovered concealed in a pair of brown slippers hidden in his ox blood backpack. A further search of the pair of black slippers worn by the suspect also led to the recovery of additional two parcels of cocaine built into the soles of his foot wears, bringing the total to four parcels weighing 800grams.
When undergoing preliminary interview, Nworie who claimed to be a barber in Sao Paulo, said he came to Nigeria for the burial of his father. He confessed he decided to get into the criminal act because his trip was sponsored by his Brazil-based friend who gave him the drug to deliver in Lagos for a fee of N2, 000, 000.
The following day, Wednesday 4th May, NDLEA operatives at the SAHCO export shed of the airport intercepted some cartons of alcoholic drinks suspected to contain illicit drugs. A freight agent who brought the consignment for export to Dubai, UAE, Shola Ogunrinde was immediately arrested while a follow up operation led to the arrest of a pregnant woman, Mrs. Seun Babatunde, who operates an alcohol joint in Pleasure area of Iyana Ipaja.
When the cartons were opened in the presence of the agent and the pregnant owner, seven parcels of cannabis and a sachet of ecstasy drug (MDMA) were found concealed inside Cans of black bullet alcoholic drinks. In her confession, Mrs. Babatunde claimed the drugs were being sent to her husband who lives in Dubai.
The second pregnant woman, Mrs. Gloria Asibor was arrested on Thursday 5th May while attempting to board a Turkish Airline flight to Bolonia, Spain via Istanbul, Turkey. A search of her luggage containing food items led to the discovery of 300 tablets of 200mg and 225mg high dosage Tramadol concealed in crayfish.
Meanwhile, large consignments of psychoactive substances have been intercepted in parts of Northwest, Northeast and North central. In Kaduna, a drug dealer, Obinna Anene a.k.a Young Alhaji was arrested on Friday 6th May at Buwaya Kaduna with 50,000 tablets of Diazepam weighing 9kg; 595 tablets of Tramadol weighing 318grams and 8 tablets of Co-codamol weighing 6grams.
Same day, a trafficker, Alhaji Modu Yahaya was caught with 26.5kg cannabis in Damaturu, Yobe state while travelling in a commercial vehicle from Abuja to Maiduguri, Borno state.
At least, nine drug dealers were arrested by operatives in Lagos on Thursday 5th May during raids in black spots in Mushin Olosha and Akala as well as Langbasa and Ikota in Ajah area of the state with different quantities of Cocaine, Heroin, Methamphetamine, Cannabis, and Skuchies. Those arrested include: Kehinde Ilori; Osho Demola Nurudeen; Kamarudeen Isiaka; Kazeem Ishola; Afeez Adebolade; Oguntana Aduragbemi; Chuks Alowai; Mrs. Bola Kazeem and Kehinde Ogunleye.
In Plateau, NDLEA operatives on Saturday 7th May intercepted a truck carrying 673.3kg cannabis along Bassa/Rukuba Barracks road in Jos while the driver and his assistant fled into the bush. In other parts of the state capital, two dealers; Manga Emmanuel and Yusuf Usman were arrested with 34 pinches of cocaine and 400grams of cannabis at old airport and Rikkos respectively.
Chairman of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) has commended the officers and men of the MMIA, Kaduna, Yobe, Lagos and Plateau Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures.
He charged them and those in other commands across the country to sustain the heat on drug cartels as well as balance their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
Self-acclaimed Prophet, Benson Nosakhare has been arrested by the police for allegedly defrauding members of the public.
Nosakhare was arrested after one of his victims, Mr Osamudiamen Thompson petitioned the Commissioner of Police, Edo State, alleging that he was hypnotised and his car collected by the suspect.
A statement released by Edo police spokesperson, SP Bello Kontongs reads;
“The operatives of Edo State Police Command on 03/05/2022 arrested a fraudster masquerading as prophet Benson Nosakhare ‘M’ who prey on gullible members of the public through the use of false prophecy and divine pronouncements.
“One of his victims Mr. Osamudiamen Thompson ‘M’ of Osemwenkhae Street, Ikpoba Hill, Benin City in a petition addressed to the Commissioner of Police Edo State, complained that he was hypnotized by prophet Benson Nosakhare ‘M’ of Power Ground Chapel Incorporated situated at No. 3 Uwa street off 2nd East Circular Road, Benin city.
“According to the victim, the prophet claimed he saw him in a vision where he had an accident with his Lexus ES 350 car. He said the prophet told him that for him to avert the accident he should use the car to sow seed to the Lord which he did in his church.
“He further stated that after he came back to his senses, he noticed that the prophet had already changed the color of the car from gold to black and was already using it.
“The suspect had confessed to the crime and will be charged in court accordingly. The following cars were recovered during a search of his apartment in Benin City.
“A Lexus ES 350 car and Lexus RX 350 jeep were obtained from Odigie Godspower using the same fake prophetic pronouncements”
The commissioner of Police Edo State Command, Abutu Yaro, while commending the operatives for their prompt response, said people should beware of fake prophets and prophecies designed to instill fear in the minds of the public where money, goods, and other personal items are fraudulently obtained from them.
The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has announced the shutdown of operations after aviation fuel reached an all-time high of N700 per litre.
Airline operations will be shut down across the country from Monday May 9, due to the skyrocketing cost of aviation fuel.
AON sympathized with passengers, adding that the current situation with Jet A1 has shot up the cost of operations to over 95 percent.
A letter written by AON President, Alhaji Abdulmunaf Yunusa Sarina, which was endorsed by the chief executives of all the domestic airlines and addressed to Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, read;
“It is with a great sense of responsibility and patriotism that the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) have carried on deploying and subsidizing their services to our highly esteemed Nigerian flying public in the last four months despite the steady and astronomical hike in the price of JetA1 and other operating costs.
“Overtime, aviation fuel price (JetA1) has risen from N190 per litre to N700 currently. No airline in the world can absorb this kind of sudden shock from such an astronomical rise over a short period.
“While aviation fuel worldwide is said to cost about 40% of an airline’s operating cost globally, the present hike has shut up Nigeria’s operating cost to about 95%.
“In the face of this, airlines have engaged the Federal Government, the National Assembly, NNPC and Oil Marketers with the view to bringing the cost of JetA1 down which has currently made the unit cost per seat for a one hour flight in Nigeria today to an average of N120,000.
“The latter cannot be fully passed to passengers who are already experiencing a lot of difficulties.
“While AON appreciates the efforts of the current government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure air transport in Nigeria grows, unfortunately, the cost of aviation fuel has continued to rise unabated thereby creating huge pressure on the sustainability of operations and financial viability of the airlines. This is unsustainable and the airlines can no longer absorb the pressure.
“To this end therefore, the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) hereby wishes to regrettably inform the general public that member airlines will discontinue operations nationwide with effect from Monday May 9, 2022 until further notice.
“AON uses this medium to humbly state that we regret any inconveniences this very difficult decision might cause and appeal to travelers to kindly reconsider their travel itinerary and make alternative arrangements.”
Nigeria will face France, Canada, and South Korea in Group C of the 2022 U-20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica.
The Falconets were seeded in Pot 3 along with the United States, Spain, and Mexico. The teams were seeded into pots based on their performances in the five previous World Cups.
The draw took place at the Teatro Nacional de Costa Rica in San José on May 5, with the tournament kicking off on August 10 to 28.
In Group A, hosts Costa Rica will face Australia, Spain and Brazil while Group B will see Germany take on Colombia, New Zealand and Mexico. Defending champions Japan will hope to qualify in Group D, which has the United States, Ghana and the Netherlands.
The top two teams in each group will gain automatic qualification to the knockout stage of the competition.
The Falconets have made 10 appearances in the competition, finishing as runners-up in the 2010 and 2014 editions.
Nigeria’s first match of the competition will be against France, which hosted the 2018 edition.
US president, Joe Biden has named Karine Jean-Pierre as his next spokeswoman, making her the first black and openly LGBTQ+ person to serve as the White House press secretary.
Biden said she will replace Jen Psaki, who is leaving the post on May 13, to take up a role as a commentator for MSNBC.
“Karine not only brings the experience, talent and integrity needed for this difficult job, but she will continue to lead the way in communicating about the work of the Biden-Harris administration on behalf of the American people,” Biden said.
Ms Jean-Pierre, 44, has served in the White House press office since the beginning of the Biden administration and regularly stands in for Psaki in the briefing room.
She also filled in for Psaki on the president’s recent trip to Europe after the press secretary contracted Covid-19.
Psaki (pictured top right) praised her successor as a “remarkable woman” in a series of tweets.
“She will be the first black woman and the first openly LGBTQ+ person to serve as the White House Press Secretary,” she said.
“Representation matters and she will give a voice to many, but also make many dream big about what is truly possible.”
Ms Jean-Pierre was previously chief of staff to Mr Biden’s vice president Kamala Harris.
President Muhamamdu Buhari has told Igbo leaders that the fate of the Indigenous People of Biafra’s leader, Nnamdi Kanu, will determined by a court.
Buhari said this while meeting with leaders from the region at the New Government House in Abakaliki, capital of the State.
The South-East Leaders had appealed to Buhari to release Kanu and other Igbo youths in detention across the country during their first meeting on Thursday May 5.
At Friday’s meeting, Charles Mkpuma, chairman of the south-east traditional rulers, repeated the plea.
However, President Buhari stated that it is important that the court makes a pronouncement on Kanu’s case.
Erik ten Hag reportedly wants to keep superstar striker Cristiano Ronaldo when he takes over as Manchester United manager in the summer.
Recall, that Ten Hag’s appointment at Old Trafford fuelled speculation over the future of Ronaldo, who is under contract until June 2023 after making a sensational return to the club last year.
According to the Telegraph, United will be in the market for a striker in the transfer window as part of their rebuild under Ten Hag but the Dutchman is keen for the 37-year-old to stay at the club.
The newspaper reported Ten Hag believes it would not make sense to let Ronaldo, United’s top-scorer this season with 24 goals in 37 appearances in all competitions, follow several other players out of the exit door.
He is likely to be one of the first senior players Ten Hag will speak to once he has taken the reins at Old Trafford.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, who turns 38 in February, recently insisted that he did not say ‘I’m not finished’ during his lap of honour after Manchester United’s 3-0 win over Brentford on Monday night.
Ronaldo has also been the subject of rumoured interest from Real Madrid, who bought him from United for a then world-record fee of £80million in 2009.
A host of United players are expected to depart at the end of the season, including Paul Pogba, Edinson Cavani, and Jesse Lingard.
The Supreme Court has ruled in favour of Rivers state over the disputed 17 oil wells with Imo state and has ended the political arrangement on the sharing of revenue.
In its verdict delivered on Friday, the court decided that the oil wells located in Ndoni and Egbema communities belong to Rivers.
There was previously a political arrangement put in place by the federal government for the revenue from the disputed wells to be shared equally between the two states.
However, when became governor in 2019, Emeka Ihedioha a presidential memo directed that all the revenue should go to Imo.
The Rivers state government swiftly filed a suit against the presidential directive. Post Views: 58
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky have sent fans into a frenzy after getting “married” in the rapper’s new music video.
The rapper released the video for his track D.M.B on Thursday May 5, which features him with the Diamonds singer throughout.
Around the three-minute mark, the rapper, 33, proposes to the singer, 34, with a grill that reads, “Marry me?” Rihanna who appears dressed in a red veil, responds with her own grill that says, “I do.”
Toward the end of the video, a group of people can be seen throwing flower petals at the couple, which is reminiscent of when newlyweds walk down the aisle after getting married.
It’s unclear if the music video is just artistic expression or art imitating life.
The celebrity couple, who are expecting their first child together, have been head-over-heels for each other since first getting together in 2019. The pair have made no public moves toward marriage since starting their relationship.
Rocky first announced the new single earlier in the week. Titled “D.M.B.,” the “ghetto love tale” artwork indicated that the song’s title stood for “dats mah bish,” The artwork was a throwback, almost like a retro 70s/80s movie poster. The artwork also featured a shot from when Rih and Rocky filmed something on a fire escape in the Bronx in July 2021, hinting that this video would be a snapshot of their recent romance. However, Rocky then deleted the DMB artwork and replaced it with a video montage of Rihanna and him walking in front of the paparazzi. He still advertised that something was coming “Thursday,” though he didn’t indicate what it was.
Rihanna and Rocky’s partnership goes back a decade, long before the two began a family together. The two teamed up for a remix of “Cockiness (Love It)” in 2012. The duo performed the track at that year’s MTV Video Music Awards, with Rocky grabbing Rih to give her a kiss on the neck. Rocky then joined Rihanna’s Diamonds Tour in 2013, opening up for her on the North American leg of the worldwide tour
Spanish football star, Santi Mina has been sentenced to four years in prison after being found guilty of sexual abuse.
The 26-year-old Celta Vigo forward, who has scored 84 goals in over 300 appearances in the LaLiga, will have to serve time if his appeal is unsuccessful.
During the verdict on Wednesday May 4, Mina was cleared of the sexual aggression charge he was also facing, which is associated with intimidation or violence against the victim.
Celta said they have removed the player from their squad until the appeal process is over.
They also opened disciplinary proceedings to determine the options the club can take.
Mina went on trial on March 28 at Almeria’s Provincial Court along with friend David Goldar, who plays for second division Spanish side Union Deportiva Ibiza.
The footballer was accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a caravan outside a nightclub in the holiday resort of Mojacar near Almeria in June 2017.
The state prosecutor was asking for eight years of prison for Mina, while the victim’s lawyers were seeking nine and a half years.
Goldar was found not guilty after being accused of being an accomplice, with the woman’s lawyer asking for four and a half in years in prison for him.
Mina and Goldar said the woman consented to their sexual relations.
The woman accused Mina of raping her in a camper van in 2017, where she had gone with Goldar.
Her lawyer said Goldar did nothing to stop Mina from raping her.
At the time, Mina was playing for Valencia. He returned to his boyhood club in Vigo in 2019.
The ruling by the lower court can be appealed to Spain’s Supreme Court.
Celta have now issued a statement, saying: ‘As a result of the ruling of the Third Section of the Provincial Court of Almeria, issued today, RC Celta has decided to open a disciplinary file on the player Santiago Mina to elucidate his work responsibilities in view of this resolution.
‘For this reason and as a precaution, it has been decided to temporarily remove the player from first team training, without prejudice to his continuing to carry out the activities indicated by the club for this purpose.
‘RC Celta respects the player’s right to defence, but is obliged to take measures against those events that notoriously undermine the image of the club and directly attack its values, showing once again its absolute rejection of the offence defined in the judicial resolution.’
Pastor Noah Abraham of Christ High Commission Ministry in Ekiti State who made headlines for charging his members N310k for a trip to heaven, has explained why he did so.
LIB reported earlier that the Pastor whose church is at Araromi-Ugbesi in Omuo-Oke, Ekiti State, ordered members to relocate to the church and pay N310,000 each for a trip to heaven.
40 people were said to have camped at the church and it was also gathered that some of them allegedly sold their belongings, in preparation for the trip. This pushed the Ekiti state police command into inviting the Pastor for a meeting.
Speaking to BBC Yoruba, Pastor Abraham admitted to it and said he did it because he got the authority of God whom he said had called him to become a cleric. He also said he made the declaration when he noticed that his members’ troubles were increasing.
He said;
“Truly I told my congregation to pay N310,000, I made the declaration when I noticed that my members’ troubles were increasing.
“I did it because I got the authority of God who called me to practise for all that want to serve the Lord with their whole heart. I have never received any payment yet from any member of the church, and the Ekiti State Police has intervened in the matter.
“I was called by the police for Investigation and all the members of the church were there and all of them took notes of what happened.“
Nollywood superstar, Yul Edochie says, the social media post announcing that he was married to a second wife who had a newborn son for him, was staged to gain the attention of Nigerians on social media.
The actor cum politician had through his official Instagram handle announced on Wednesday that his second wife, Judy Austin, who is also said to be a Nigerian actress, gave birth to a baby boy. He also shared adorable pictures of himself and the little boy.
The post was a subject of heated debate with many people condemning him for becoming a polygamist.
The actor had written: “It’s time for the world to meet my son. His name is Star Dike Munachimso Yul-Edochie.
“Born by my second wife; Judy Austin. And I love him so much, just as much as I love my other children (sic).”
Commenting on the post, Yul’s first wife, May, said, “May God judge you both.”
Amidst the controversy, the 40-year-old popular actor again took to his Instagram account showering praises on his ‘first wife’, May Edochie, describing her as “Number One” and “Undisputed.”
Later on Thursday, Mr. Edochie again took to his Instagram to post a smiling picture of himself, captioned: “Real men own up and take responsibility. Fake men dey hide for back dey run am.”
But following heated controversy generated by the post, Yul, yet, in another post on his verified handle on Friday, said he was only “acting a movie”, to see how people will react to it.
He said he played the prank because Nigerians did not pay much attention to his political ambition as he expected when he ran for the office of the Governor of Anambra State in 2017.
The movie star, who polled 145 votes during the Anambra Governorship Election, on his birthday on January 7, this year, also declared his intention to run for presidency in 2023.
He wrote: “So I fit break Internet like this? So I can get over 60k comments on one post?
“But I dey act film, dey give una Hollywood performances since una no send me. Best voice, una no send me.
“I ran for Governor, una no send me. I wan run for President, una no still send me.
“But na dis one scatter Internet. Na dis one come make una send me finally. Na waa for una oo.”
Meanwhile, reacting to the post, some of his followers said they couldn’t believe he posted it while others said even with the development, “we didn’t send you.”
Pope Francis was seen in public using a wheelchair on Thursday, May 5, days after he said he was having a minor knee operation.
The pontiff, who has been suffering from pain in his right knee for some time, was wheeled into the Paul VI hall in Vatican city for a meeting with nuns and mother superiors from around the world.
The newspaper, Il Messaggero, said the nuns applauded the pope at length as he was wheeled into the room by his most trusted assistant today, May 5.
In an interview with Corriere della Sera on Tuesday, May 3, Francis, 85, said he was about to undergo a minor “intervention with infiltration” due to a strained ligament.
At the end of an audience with bishops from Slovakia last week, the pope, seated in a chair, apologised for not being able to rise to his feet to greet his guests.
“There is a problem, this knee doesn’t work,” he said. “I have to obey the doctor, who told me not to walk.”
Although he has used a wheelchair before, this was the first time he has appeared in one in public.
Authoritarian Belarusian leader and Vladimir Putin’s ally, Alexander Lukashenko, has defended the war in Ukraine but rallied against suggestions that Russia might use nuclear weapons against Ukraine.
Russian strongman, Vladimir Putin helped Lukashenko cling to power in 2020 after his widely disputed presidential re-election sparked mass protests in Belarus and Lukashenko returned the favor by backing Putin’s invasion of Ukraine even allowing Russian forces use Belarus to launch the invasion into Ukranian territory.
In an interview with AP, published Thursday, May 5, Lukashenko said Russia’s leader had no choice but to act because Ukraine was “provoking Russia”.
“I am not immersed in this problem enough to say whether it goes according to plan, like the Russians say, or like I feel it.
“I want to stress one more time: I feel like this operation has dragged on.”
Lukashenko said he wanted the war to end, claiming Belarus had “done and are doing everything” to stop it.
By calling it a war, Lukashenko refused to describe the invasion as a “special military operation”, the term Moscow has used to describe its war efdort.
When asked about possibility of Russia using nuclear weapons in Ukraine, Lukashenko said;
“It’s unacceptable because it’s right next to us”, but added he did not know whether Russia intended to use them.
Belarus was already under Western sanctions following the 2020 election, and faces further sanctions from the West over its role in the conflict.
Out of the 193 UN member states, Belarus didn’t join the 141 countries that condemned the war, with some major countries like China and India choosing to abstain.
At last , the United Kingdom (UK) has recognized Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), as a terrorist organization.
The Government of Nigeria had earlier classified the IPOB has terrorist organization.But, United Kingdom in 2021 considered granting asylum to persecuted members of the separatist group, as part of its refugee policy published at the time. However, In a May 2022 , the UK government excluded members of the group from seeking refuge in England.
UKVI said in its policy notes.“IPOB is proscribed as a terrorist group by the Nigerian government, and members of the group and its paramilitary wing – the Eastern Security Network (created in December 2020) – have reportedly committed human rights violations in Nigeria,”It added that “MASSOB has been banned, but is not a proscribed terrorist group in Nigeria. It too has reportedly been involved in violent clashes with the authorities”
Ohanaeze Ndigbo, apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation on Thursday, called on President Buhari to release the embattled leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, and all Igbo youths in detention over the agitation for Biafra.
Ambassador George Obiozor, Ohanaeze president general made the call in his opening address at the ongoing Imeobi of Ohanaeze meeting currently holding at the Ohanaeze National Secretariat in Enugu.
While expressing hope that the Igbo nation would come out stronger from the current travail, Obiozor noted that Ndigbo seeks healing, national unity, and progress on a platform of justice, equity, fairness and a sense of belonging in Nigeria which will start from the release of Igbo youths detained in various cells across the country without trial.
Speaking on the current security situation tearingg the region apart, Obiozor said that each geo-political zone had its own peculiarity.
He said, “The advent of insecurity in the South East is both bizarre and dramatic. The South East had been adjudged the most serene and peaceful zone in Nigeria until April 5, 2021, when gunmen attacked the correctional facility in Owerri, Imo State and freed a total of 1,844 prison inmates.
“Since the April 5 episode, insecurity in the South East has attained an unprecedented unbearable crescendo. In condemning the spate of violence in the South East, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide also called attention to the strategic capacity of the local non-state actors to overwhelm a highly fortified correction centre and discharge a total of 1,844 inmates without any arrest.”
However, commenting on the 2023 general election, Obiozor urged Igbos wherever they reside in Nigeria to make haste to acquire their PVC.
“In this connection, I call on the Association of South East Town Unions, traditional rulers, the leadership of Ndigbo in Diaspora, religious bodies, market associations and all other groups to take this message very seriously. It is a task that must be undertaken,” he stated.
Pro-Russian blogger Anatoliy Shariy accused of treason by the Security Service of Ukraine of treason has been detained in Spain.
“Spanish law enforcement agencies detained Shariy on May 4, 2022. This became possible due to close cooperation of the Security Service of Ukraine with the Prosecutor General’s Office, international partners, and as a result of a multi-level special operation by Ukrainian law enforcement officers,” the statement reads.
The SBU said that this detention is another proof that every Ukrainian traitor will sooner or later receive a deserved punishment.
The Ukrainian special service suspects Shariy of committing crimes under two articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine: Article 111 (treason) and Article 161 (violation of equality of citizens depending on their race, nationality, religious beliefs, disability, and other grounds).
According to SBU investigators, Shariy carried out illegal activities to the detriment of Ukraine’s national security in the information sphere. There is reason to believe that Shariy acted on behalf of foreign entities.
“Evidence collected by the investigation has been confirmed by a number of expert studies, which established that Shariy’s interviews and speeches contain facts of his subversive activities against Ukraine. He was declared a suspect last year,” the statement said.
A third case of ebola has been confirmed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in the city of Mbandaka in northwest Democratic Republic of Congo.
The patient is a 48-year-old man deemed a “high-risk” contact of the first Ebola patient identified in the DRC’s latest outbreak, who died on April 21, according to an official Twitter post from the WHO Africa Region. “Responders have identified 444 contacts and continue to monitor their health,” it said.
Responders have identified 444 contacts of the confirmed cases and are monitoring their health, the WHO said.
The current outbreak is Congo’s 14th in the history of the hemorrhagic fever. The second victim of the virus died on April 25, after experiencing symptoms for more than a week, the WHO said last week. The victim, a 25-year-old woman, was the first casualty’s sister-in-law.
The first patient began experiencing symptoms on April 5 and sought treatment at a local health facility before being admitted to an Ebola treatment center on April 21 for intensive care, the WHO stated. He died later that day, the organization confirmed.
Health workers started Ebola vaccinations last week in Mbandaka, the capital of Congo’s Equateur province.
Many residents of Mbandaka have taken an Ebola vaccine, according to the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti.
However, people who were vaccinated two years ago when the DRC experienced an outbreak of the virus will be revaccinated, Moeti added.
A Russian woman woman faces prosecution after she sewed her mouth shut in protest about censorship of protests against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Nadezhda Sayfutdinova, an activist in her 30s, had sewn her own mouth shut, before taking to the streets of the city in a one-woman protest.
She held up a sign which read: “You cannot keep silent!!! You cannot keep silent!!! The price is our consciousness. War is not peace!!! Freedom is not slavery!!! Ignorance is not power!!!”
She hit out at the “moral code” in Putin’s Russia which gagged people over the war.
She was later grabbed by police in the eastern city of Yekaterinburg, using “brute force” to try to get her locked in a psychiatric facility.
Ms Sayfutdinova has managed to avoid being sectioned but she is still expected to face prosecution for discrediting the Russian armed forces.
She told representatives of the OVD-Info human rights group: “My mouth was really sewn with a needle and thread.
“An ambulance was called to the [police] station to inspect the damage and remove the threads.
“I sewed it myself.”
She was taken first to a trauma clinic, and then to the city’s psychiatric clinic No.3.
Her lawyer Fedor Akchermyshev and OVD-Info called for public support to secure her release.
The statement from her lawyer reads: “You can ring the clinic’s reception or the prosecutor on duty and demand the illegal detention and forced hospitalisation of Sayfutdinova is stopped.”
Ms Sayfutdinova said: “The police treated me without violations, but they called a psychiatric team, which used brute force against me…I refused to go.”
She termed what was done to her “punitive psychiatry”.
She said:”I was in shock – this was punitive psychiatry. It was very scary.”
She was set free after a massive public outcry, adding: “I am very grateful to the people who tried to help me and rang the [clinic’s] reception, demanding to let me go.”
Lionel Messi and Neymar have been snubbed for this year’s Ligue 1 Player of the Year award, with their teammate at PSG, Kylian Mbappe nominated for the prestigious end of season awards.
23-year-old Mbappe is top of the French league’s goal and assist charts and is one of five players to have been put forward for the award by the French players’ union (UNFP).
Mbappe scored 25 times and set up a further 15 as PSG secured a 10th Ligue 1 title this season.
Meanwhile Messi – a notable exception, has scored four and set up 13 for PSG this season, while Neymar, has 11 goals and six assists.
Mbappe was the only PSG player to make the final shortlist.
Other nominees include Rennes attacker Martin Terrier and Monaco’s Wissam Ben Yedder, who both have 21 goals to their names in Ligue 1, Marseille hero Dimitri Payet and Lyon’s Lucas Paqueta were also nominated.
Meanwhile, PSG’s Gianluigi Donnarumma was nominated the Goalkeeper of the Year prize, alongside Nice’s Walter Benitez, Marseille shot-stopper Pau Lopez, Strasbourg’s Matz Sels and Alban Lafont of Nantes.
PSG coach, Mauricio Pochettino misses out on Coach of the Year even though he led PSG to the league title.
Marseille’s Jorge Sampaoli, Nice head coach Christophe Galtier, Rennes boss Bruno Genesio, Nantes’ Antoine Kombouare and Strasbourg manager Julien Stephan were all nominated for the coach of the year.
Speaking to BBC, their father Abdelkader Arby, an officer in the Malian army, said the nonuplets are in perfect health.
“They’re all crawling now. Some are sitting up and can even walk if they hold on to something. They are still in the care of the clinic in Morocco where they were born,” he said, adding that their mother Halima, was also doing well.
“It’s not easy but it’s great. Even if it’s tiring at times, when you look at all the babies in perfect health, from right to left we’re relieved. We forget everything,” he told BBC Afrique.
He has just returned to Morocco for the first time in six months, along with their elder daughter, Souda, aged three.
“I’m overwhelmed to be reunited with all my family – my wife, the children and me.”
They will just have a small birthday celebration with the nurses and a few people from their apartment building, Mr Arby said.
“Nothing is better than the first year. We will remember this great moment we are going to experience.”
The babies broke the Guiness World Record for the most children delivered in a single birth to survive.
Multiple births are risky and mothers with more than four foetuses at a time are advised to terminate some in countries where abortion is legal.
There are also risks the babies could develop health problems due to their premature birth, such as sepsis and cerebral palsy.
Mrs Cissé and the children are currently living in what their father described as a “medicalised flat” that belongs to the owners of the Ain Borja clinic in Casablanca where the babies were born.
“There are nurses who are here, in addition to my wife, who help to take care of the children,” Mr Arby said.
“The clinic has given them a menu which says what to give them to eat at all times – night and day,” he continued.
The babies were born at 30 weeks by Caesarean section, according to Mali’s health minister, Fanta Siby. They weighed between 500g and 1kg (1.1lb and 2.2lb), Professor Youssef Alaoui, medical director of the Ain Borja clinic told the AFP news agency at the time of birth.
Their boys are called Mohammed VI, Oumar, Elhadji, Bah, while the girls are named Kadidia, Fatouma, Hawa, Adama and Oumou.
Each one has a unique personality, their father said.
“They all have different characters. Some are quiet, while other make more noise and cry a lot. Some want to be picked up all the time. They are all very different, which is entirely normal.”
Mr Arby also thanked the Malian government for its help.
“The Malian state has put everything in place for the care and treatment of the nine babies and their mother. It’s not at all easy, but it’s beautiful and something that is comforting,” he said.
They have not yet been to Mali, but they are already very popular in the country, their father said.
“Everyone is very keen to see the babies with their own eyes – their family, friends, our home village, the whole country.”
He also has a message for couples trying to have children: “I hope God blesses everyone who doesn’t yet have children – that they can have what we, the parents of nonuplets currently have. It’s beautiful, a real treasure.
Nigerian Army has said it would go after members of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) for the gruesome murder of army couple in Imo State.
Army spokesman, Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, in a statement issued in Abuja, described the killing as “gruesome, barbaric and most despicable”.
” Apparently, the soldiers had embarked on the trip to fulfill the traditional rites of conjugating their matrimony, as the very well respected and cherished Igbo tradition demands.
“Ironically, the fact that one of the soldiers, Pte Gloria Matthew who hails from Nkwerre Local Government Area of Imo State, has an ethnic affiliation with the good people of South East Nigeria did not prevail on the sensibility of the dissidents
“This dastardly act, one too many, clearly portends the deep-seated hate, desperation and lawlessness with which foot soldiers of IPOB/ESN have been unleashing terror on Ndigbo, whom they claim they are on a mission to protect and emancipate, as well as other innocent Nigerians who are resident or transiting the South East.
“This gruesome murder, in which they did not spare even their own child, clearly depicts callousness, impenitence and is indisputably a brazen act of terrorism perpetrated by IPOB/ESN,” the statement read.
Nwachukwu said the dissident groups had continued to live in denial, while masquerading as unknown gunmen in their criminal violent campaign in the region.
Britain’s richest man Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s £4.25 billion bid to buy Chelsea FC has reportedly been ‘rejected out of hand.’
The 69-year-old – who is the CEO of the Ineos Group Ltd recently tabled a last-minute £4.25 billion bid to buy the Blues on Friday April 29.
However, it is understood that Ratcliffe has not engaged in the process set out by the Raine Group, making it difficult for his bid to be considered, Sky Sports reports.
A consortium led by American businessman Todd Boehly have been named as the preferred bidders by the Raine Group and they have until the end of this week to finalise the terms of an agreement to buy the club.
That bid is currently being scrutinised by the Premier League to see if it passes their owners and directors test.
Ineos director Tom Crotty told Bloomberg on Wednesday: “We’ve been rejected out of hand by Raine but we will keep reminding people we are still here.”
Two additional parties also remain interested in taking over the club: one led by Sir Martin Broughton, the former Liverpool and British Airways chairman, which includes the billionaire Crystal Palace shareholders Dave Blitzer and Josh Harris, and another led by Stephen Pagliuca, part-owner of the NBA’s Boston Celtics and Serie A’s Atalanta.
The latter, however, were informed they are not the preferred bidder before Boehly’s consortium was favoured.
This was Ratcliffe’s second attempt to buy the west London club after being close to a takeover back in 2019 when he deemed Roman Abramovich’s asking price of £2.5 billion as too much money.
Russia has accused Ukrainian troops of practicing ‘black magic’ at a military headquarters in Ukraine so as to increase the damage felt by Russian troops.
According to Russian news agency RIA Novosti, a ‘satanic seal’ – a symbol believed to hold connections to a greater supernatural power – was found on the wall of a deserted Ukrainian military base on the outskirts of the village of Trekhizbenka in the contested Luhansk region.
The state media then claimed that the satanic seal, as well as other markings made with blood, showed there were signs Ukrainian soldiers were ‘practicing black magic’.
The news agency claims ‘disciples of otherworldly forces tried to consecrate their weapons and made marks with blood’ so as to give their armoury extra energy to deal extra damage when it hits a target.
On the tv channel on Wednesday, May 4, Russian culturologist and philosopher Ekaterina Dais claimed the symbol which was spray painted with black ink – was a ‘magical seal of the dark forces’ that combines the ideas of anarchy, weapons and fascist symbols.
She claimed the creators of the symbol ‘performed rituals’ to strengthen their weapons or asked supernatural powers for weapons to be sent to them.
‘This is a magical symbol consisting of many intersecting lines,’ Dais said in reference to the black symbol.
‘What it means is difficult to say for sure, in it you can see both the inverted sign of anarchy, and part of the ‘SS’ sign, the rune zig, it is clearly visible in the left sector of the circle, and the Hebrew letter ‘zain’ written in German, meaning a sword or weapon.’
Dais claimed that the seal had been drawn without the creator lifting a hand, which apparently ‘betrays its supernatural nature’.
She said the ‘Zain’ written underneath the symbol means ‘sword’ in Biblical Hebrew.
‘Perhaps the spell’s authors performed rituals to strengthen weapons or ‘asked’ for more weapons to be sent to them,’ said Dais.
Eight persons were killed on Sunday night in street gang fights at Agege, Lagos.
The victims were reportedly shot, stabbed or hacked by armed men alleged to be Palace Boys loyal to one Mayor, as well as thugs from Shiaba, Pero and Otubu areas.
Although there had been clashes between the factions, it was gathered that Sunday night’s violence erupted over a disagreement on sharing formula of cash gifted them by a popular musician.
The artist, who grew up in Agege, was said to have visited the area on Saturday to watch a match and afterwards gave out N100,000 to the boys.
It was alleged that those he handed over the money to shortchanged others by declaring only about N20,000 which angered the Sheeba Boys.
Since the parties were already long time rivals, the disagreement over the cash gift gave them an opportunity to settle scores.
According to a resident who spoke with The Nation on the incident, the boys started attacking themselves with cutlasses, clubs, sticks and bottles, adding that the fight lasted all Sunday night and continued on Monday.
He said the eight persons feared killed belonged to both factions, adding that panic had since gripped residents.
“It was the eve of Eid when the fight started and so, it really caused panic. People scampered to safety. The gangs were just loose and freely used dangerous weapons. At the last count, I heard eight persons died between that Sunday night and Monday.”
Police spokesman SP Benjamin Hundeyin said information available to him indicated that one person was killed and another critically injured.
“General Hospital” alum Steve Burton has stated that his wife, Sheree Gustin, is pregnant with another man’s child.
Sheree, who has been married to the soap star for 23 years, recently announced she’s pregnant with her fourth child in a photo showing off her baby bump on her Instagram Story.
However, 51-year-old Steve in a statement posted on social media on Wednesday May 4, clarified that he’s not the father of the child his pregnant wife is expecting and they are no longer together.
Burton wrote on Instagram;
“I wanted to clear something up. Sheree and I are separated. She recently announced that she’s expecting her 4th child. The child is not mine.
“We are still co-parenting our three beautiful kids. We would appreciate privacy at this time. Much luv, Steve.”
The estranged couple have been married since 1999 and share three children: Makena, 18, Jack, 16, and Brooklyn, 7.
Gustin is yet to address Burton’s allegations. Burton was a part of the soap series since 1991, playing Jason Morgan on-and-off for the last 30 years.
Everton boss, Frank Lampard has been charged by the FA following his comments after his side’s defeat in the Merseyside derby last month.
Lampard had claimed Liverpool would have been awarded a spot-kick had Mohamed Salah gone down like Anthony Gordon in the match against Liverpool.
Gordon, who had been booked for diving in the first half at Anfield, fell during a challenge with Joel Matip, but referee Stuart Attwell neither awarded a penalty nor issued a second yellow card.
Lampard said in his post-match interview: ‘It is a penalty for me. You don’t get them here. If that was Mo Salah at the other end he gets a penalty. I’m not trying to create conflict; it’s just the reality of football.
‘I have played in teams in the top half of the league – you get them. That was a penalty for sure. It’s a clear foul.’
The Toffees subsequently contacted the Professional Game Match Officials Board (PGMOL) for a second time this season with concerns over the decision.
The FA has taken exception to those comments, citing an implication of ‘bias and/or attack(ing) the integrity of the match referee or referees generally’.
An FA statement read: ‘Frank Lampard has been charged with a breach of FA Rule E3 in relation to post-match media comments that he made following Everton FC’s Premier League match against Liverpool FC on Sunday 24 April.
‘It is alleged the manager’s comments constitute improper conduct as they imply bias and/or attack the integrity of the match referee – or referees generally – and/or bring the game into disrepute contrary to FA Rule E3.1.
‘Frank Lampard has until Monday 9 May 2022 to provide a response.’
Premier League club, Newcastle United is reportedly ready to give Super Eagles star striker, Victor Osimhen up to N4 billion (€9million) in salary per year to convince him to leave Italy.
According to Italian outlet Calciomercato, Osimhen has been linked with a move to Premier League clubs; Manchester United, Arsenal and Newcastle, but the Magpies are the major contenders to get the €100million rated star.
Newcastle attempted to sign the 23-year-old in January, and will double his current wage at the Serie A side if he accepts their offer.
The report says Osimhen is ‘tempted’ by the offer, and there are suggestions that if Newcastle avoids relegation this season Osimhen could jump at the chance to join the English premier league.
The club, which was bought over by a Saudi-led consortium in October 2021, know that Napoli will sell him nothing less than €100million this summer according to the report.
Osimhen has scored 17 goals in 29 matches for the Naples club in all competitions this campaign.
He scored four times and registered one assist in five Europa League appearances for Napoli this term, while he has struck 13 times and provided five assists in 24 Serie A outings.
Kyiv officials have accused Russian soldiers of raping Ukrainian men and boys as well as women amid an ongoing investigation into dozens of cases.
Speaking on Tuesday May 3, UN special representative on sexual violence in war Pramila Patten, warned cases already under investigation were just ‘the tip of the iceberg.
‘I have received reports, not yet verified… about sexual violence cases against men and boys in Ukraine,’ she said during a press conference in Kyiv.
She urged all survivors of rape to come forward and report any such crimes at the hands of Russian soldiers, while acknowledging how challenging it is to do so amid fears of reprisals or of Moscow’s forces returning.
She continued to say the world has allowed sexual violence to be used as a ‘cheap’ weapon of war for too long.
‘Cheap, because it is cost-free. Very effective, because it does not only affect the victim, it affects whole families, the communities. It is biological warfare. It is psychological warfare,’ she said.
Ms. Patten warned that there are likely many cases that have yet to be reported. Those that are already under investigation so far ‘only represent the tip of the iceberg,’ she said.
The UN official also called on the international community to track down perpetrators and hold them to account.
‘Today’s documentation will be tomorrow’s prosecution,’ she told reporters.
Ukraine’s prosecutor general Iryna Venediktova said on Wednesday that the first stage of investigations into Russian war crimes in the suburban town of Irpin had concluded, having spoken to 228 witnesses.
In one brutal attack, she said a woman with her 12-year-old son and husband were fired at by a Russian tank while trying to evacuate the town in their car.
Earlier on Tuesday, Ms. Venediktova called Russian President Vladimir Putin ‘the main war criminal of the 21st century’ and accused Russia of using rape as a tactic in its brutal invasion.
Visiting the devastated city of Irpin near Kyiv, Ms Venediktova said Ukraine was collecting information on allegations of rape, torture and other suspected war crimes by Russian forces which occupied the region for a month.
Venediktova said the allegations included the rape of women, men, children and an old woman. Asked whether rape was a deliberate Russian strategy in the war, she told a news conference: ‘I am sure actually that it was strategy.’
‘This is, of course, to scare civil society… to do everything to (force Ukraine to) capitulate,’ she said on Tuesday.
She provided no specific details of the rape allegations, saying some of the victims remained in Ukraine and were afraid of speaking out for fear of Russian forces returning.
UN envoy Patten said she was in Kyiv due to the growing evidence of mass sexual violence carried out by Russian soldiers during the war in Ukraine, and because of the risk human traffickers pose to vulnerable Ukrainian refugees fleeing their homes.
‘All the warning signals are flashing red in Ukraine, with allegations of brutal sexual violence emerging,’ she said at Tuesday’s press conference.
‘I could not stay back in my office in New York, in the face of such harrowing reports of sexual violence. I’m here because we must spare no effort to ensure zero tolerance and consistent consequences for these crimes.’
Standing alongside Ukraine’s deputy prime minister Olga Stefanishnina, Ms. Patten urged all victims to come forward and to report Russian war crimes.
‘It’s hard for women and girls to report [rape] because of stigma amongst other reasons, but it’s often even harder for men and boys to report,’ she said.
‘We have to create that safe space for all victims to report cases of sexual violence.’
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Usman Baba, has ordered effective upgrade and relaunch of the Nigeria Police Crime and Incident Database (NPC & IDB) Centre for providing additional aid to police operatives in acquiring credible electronic criminal databases.
IGP said the development will further support investigations and strategic operational and tactical planning which would, in turn, facilitate easy identification of suspects, crime location, modus operandi, Global Positioning System (GPS) to geolocate crimes, amongst others.
The upgrade of the Nigeria Police Crime and Incident Database, which was commissioned by the President Muhammadu Buhari, in 2020, he said has become imperative in view of the sophistication of criminals, who now apply technology to perpetuate their nefarious activities.
According to a statement on Tuesday by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the database would provide baseline data using ICT and biometrics, stimulate digital crime-fighting techniques, and accessibility to a one-stop data bank for professional profiling of criminal elements and effective crime data management in the Force.
“The IGP has mandated the project consultant to fast track comprehensive training of dedicated police personnel who would man the systems across Zonal, State, and Divisional Headquarters for the collection, management, and uploading of biometric data, case files, investigation, and trial processes, to the central database at the Force Headquarters, Abuja
“Similarly, the IGP has ordered a full-scale upgrade of all Police Forensic laboratories and digital resource centres across the nation. He equally tasked Forensic Unit officers of the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID) to effectively apply advanced knowledge acquired at various capacity-building workshops organized in collaboration with foreign agencies and other governmental bodies, ministries, departments and agencies of governments at all levels,” he said.
The police boss emphasised that these developments are in line with his policing agenda to incorporate the application of cutting-edge technology and intelligence-led policing model to operational and investigation functions in consonance with international best practices.
He assured Nigerians of the dedication of his administration to bestowing the nation with a people-oriented, endearing and professional police force.
The World Health Organization has confirmed eight more countries have reported cases of mystery hepatitis in children.
It brings the total number of countries with cases to 20. Globally, 228 children have been sickened with an unusual form of liver disease and another 50 suspected cases are being probed.
One death has been confirmed but four more are suspected, and 18 children have required a liver transplant.
Most of the cases have been detected in Europe but there are others in the Americas, the Western Pacific, and Southeast Asia.
Scientists are bemused by the spate of cases because none of the affected children have tested positive for normal hepatitis-causing viruses.
Adenoviruses, which normally cause the common cold and stomach bugs are thought to be the culprit, despite rarely causing liver inflammation.
There are concerns lockdowns may have weakened children’s immunity to normally benign viruses and investigations are also looking at whether a mutated adenovirus or Covid are involved.
But UK scientists have admitted it could take at least three months until health chiefs know exactly what is behind the spate of cases.
WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic told reporters in Geneva today: ‘As of May 1, at least 228 probable cases were reported to WHO from 20 countries, with over 50 additional cases under investigation.’
Most of the cases have been detected in the UK (145) and US (20), which have some of the strongest surveillance systems.
It previously announced hepatitis cases of an ‘unknown origin’ had been confirmed in Ireland, Spain, France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, and the Netherlands, as well as Israel, Denmark, Norway, and Romania.
In its first update on the hepatitis outbreak since April 23, the WHO said cases have spread to eight more countries.
The agency did not reveal which countries had reported the extra cases but other health bodies revealed Austria, Germany, Poland, Japan, and Canada have detected cases, while Singapore is probing a possible case in a 10-month-old baby.
Yesterday Indonesia said three children had died from suspected hepatitis of unknown cause.
The 145 affected children in Britain, who have mainly been aged five and under, initially suffered from diarrhoea and nausea, followed by jaundice — yellowing of the skin and whites of eyes.
The WHO confirmed one death, although it did not reveal the location. One fatality in the US is being probed, along with the three in Indonesia.
UK health chiefs told MailOnline today that no hepatitis deaths have been logged in Britain.
The youngsters in Indonesia, aged two, eight and 11, suffered from a fever, jaundice, as well as abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea and dark-coloured urine.
The country’s health chiefs suspect the cases were hepatitis but they are running tests to determine whether the usual A to E hepatitis viruses were behind them, or if their origin is unknown.
The WHO was first informed of the cases by health chiefs in Scotland on April 5, after they detected 10 cases in children under the age of 10, the earliest of which was dated back to January.
Dr Meera Chand, director of clinical and emerging infections at UKHSA, said parents may be concerned but the likelihood of their child developing hepatitis is ‘extremely low’.
‘However, we continue to remind parents to be alert to the signs of hepatitis – particularly jaundice, which is easiest to spot as a yellow tinge in the whites of the eyes – and contact your doctor if you are concerned,’ she said.
Dr Chand added: ‘Normal hygiene measures including thorough handwashing and making sure children wash their hands properly, help to reduce the spread of many common infections.
‘As always, children experiencing symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhoea should stay at home and not return to school or nursery until 48 hours after the symptoms have stopped.’
Kanye West is reportedly being sued by a US pastor over a piece of sampled audio used in a track on his latest album Donda.
TMZ reported that Texas court documents showed that Bishop David Paul Moten said parts of the sermon were used for 70 seconds in total on the track Come To Life.
It amounts to more than 20% of the just over five-minute track. In the documents, Bishop Moten reportedly says it is the latest example of Kanye and the music industry “wilfully and egregiously sampling sound recordings of others without consent or permission”.
The phrase “my soul cries out hallelujah and I thank God for saving me” is heard at the start of the track and there are other snippets too.
Bishop Moten is also said to be suing UMG Recordings, Def Jam Recordings and G.O.O.D Music over the song.
Damages are being sought from all of them, TMZ said, adding that it had sought comment from Kanye and not heard back.
Come To Life is on the rapper’s 10th studio album, Donda, released last year.
Liverpool qualified for the Champions League final with a 3-2 win over Villarreal on Tuesday that secured a 5-2 aggregate victory.
The Premier League side had won 2-0 in England last week and followed it up with another victory on a rain-soaked pitch in Spain, despite falling 2-0 behind.
The English giants were in big trouble in the first stanza, destabilised after going behind in the fourth minute of play. By the 40th minute Villareal, who completely dominated the half, had evened scores.
It was, however, a different Liverpool on the restart, with goals from Fabinho and Diaz leaving scores at two-all before Sadio Mane ensured victory with the goal of the match after dribbling the goalkeeper and an opposing defender before slotting into an empty net.
The Reds will meet either Real Madrid or Manchester City, who contest the second leg of their semifinal on Wednesday, in the showpiece in Paris on May 28. City lead 4-3 from the first leg.
A football coach is being investigated by the FA for allegedly abusing his own players with racist insults and running a segregated training ground where the club’s black stars use a separate changing room.
This comes a month after FA had opened a probe into Crawley Town manager John Yems’ conduct after a group of Crawley players reported his alleged use of offensive language to the PFA, with the League Two club suspending the 62-year-old the next day.
Crawley’s American owners, investment group WAGMI United, found the claims about their manager’s behavior shocking and quickly proceeded to remove Yems within hours of the story being published, asking him to leave the team hotel in Mansfield at 1.30am ahead of a match later that day.
Sportsmail have now revealed details of the allegations against Yems, which he denies. They include:
Presiding over segregated changing facilities with two dressing rooms at the training ground which, although not official policy, was reinforced by comments to white players such as, ‘Don’t change in the black boys’ room’.
Frequently referring to a number of the squad’s players from Asian backgrounds as ‘terrorists, suicide bombers and curry munchers’.
Calling one youth-team player a ‘suicide bomber’ on a regular basis and telling him not to get the train home wearing a backpack because fellow passengers would think he intended to blow it up.
Routinely using the n-word and referring to one black player as a ‘Zulu warrior’.
Calling a young player of Cypriot extraction a ‘Greek bobble-head’ and mocking Greek music.
Banishing two players with ethnic minority backgrounds from training with the first team without explanation.
Causing such resentment in the squad that seven players complained to the PFA last month, with at least one seeking counselling as a result of the damage the manager did to his mental health.
It was gathered that numerous players were left traumatised by their alleged treatment at the hands of Yems, with several of them in tears as they confided in staff at Crawley over the last couple of weeks.
One Crawley player, who did not wish to be named, told Sportsmail: ‘He called us terrorists, suicide bombers, curry munchers. He also called one of the players a Zulu warrior. It’s been going on since 2020-21 — in the changing room, during training. No one challenged him on it as he’s the gaffer and we didn’t feel we could. Sometimes players say things in the heat of the moment but from the manager it’s different. He’s the boss, so it’s an abuse of his power.
‘I’ve been in a dark place and really struggled. Two players were effectively kicked out of the club last year for no reason. They were made to train on their own and haven’t been seen since. One of the lads said Yems was screaming in their faces, “F*** off you c***s, get out of our club”.’
A member of staff at Crawley, speaking to Sportsmail, claimed: ‘John would see it as banter, but it’s race-related bullying that has had a damaging effect on several players. Some of them would play along but it’s really hurtful, and many of them are young boys. People were uncomfortable, but most of the players opted to keep their heads down and you can understand why
‘These are not Premier League players — they are only one fallout with the manager from being kicked out of the club and probably falling out of the professional game. If you leave Crawley, where do you go?’
Crawley described the allegations as ‘serious and credible’ after Sportsmail’s initial reports. The matter is now in the hands of the FA’s disciplinary department, who are deciding whether to charge Yems with a breach of rule E3, which prohibits discrimination against another individual’s protected characteristics such as race, colour, religion, sexual orientation or disability.
An FA spokesperson told Sportsmail last night: ‘We are treating the allegations extremely seriously and are conducting an investigation. We cannot comment further until that has concluded.’
Telecommunication companies in Nigeria are proposing a 40 percent increase in the cost of calls, SMS, and data to the Nigerian Communications Commission due to the rising cost of running a business in the nation.
The price floor of calls is expected to increase from N6.4 to N8.95 while the price cap of SMS will increase from N4 to N5.61 based on their proposal.
This was disclosed in a letter titled, ‘Impact of the Economic and Security Issues on the Telecommunications Sector,’ which was sighted by our correspondent.
The letter was written by the telecommunications companies under the aegis of the Association of Licensed Telecommunication Operators of Nigeria to the NCC.
In the letter, the telecom companies said there had been a 40 percent increase in the cost of doing business in the country.
According to them, the telecommunication industry has been financially impacted following the nation’s economic recession in 2020 and the effect of the ongoing Ukraine/Russia crisis. They said this had resulted in an increase in energy costs, increasing their operating expenses by 35 per cent.
They added that the introduction of the recent excise duty of five per cent on telecom services had further increased the burden of multiple taxes and levies on the industry.
The letter read in part, “As the commission may be aware, the power sector under the supervision of its Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission of the power sector in November 2020 undertook a review of electricity tariffs to cater for the economic headwinds reported above.
“In view of the foregoing, ALTON considers it expedient for the telecommunications sector to undergo periodic cost adjustments through the commission’s intervention in order to minimise the impact of the challenging economic issues faced by our members. Details are hereunder:
“Upward review of the price determination for voice and data and SMS. Given the state of the economy and the circa 40 per cent increase in the cost of doing business, we wish to request for an interim administrative review of the mobile (voice) termination rate for voice; administrative data floor price, and cost of SMS as reflected in extant instruments.
“With respect to voice an SMS cost, ALTON respectfully requests the commission to consider a mark-up approach to address the upward price adjustment desirable for the industry. We have enclosed herein and marked as ‘Annexure 1’our proposal in that regard.
“For data services, we wish to request that the commission implements the recommendations in the August 2020 KPMG report on the determination of cost-based pricing for wholesale and retail broadband service in Nigeria. Excerpts from the report, are attached and marked ‘Annexure 2’ to provide a further illustration.
“In implementing the said recommendations, however, we recommend that the 40 per cent increase in the cost of doing business be factored in to arrive at a cost price per GB in view of the current economic situation.”
The umbrella body for telecom companies added that to further help telcos during this economic crisis, the commission should explore and provide other means of penalising operators rather than punitive monetary sanctions; extend the payment timeline of relevant regulatory levies and fees; prevail on the Federal Government to sign the executive order declaring telecoms infrastructure as a critical national infrastructure to mitigate cost spent replacing damaged and stolen infrastructures, among other things.
The body also requested an upward adjustment of the MTR by 40 percent.
It said, “For large operators, new interim MTR of N5.46 from N3.90 reflecting 40 percent increase in the cost of business.
“For small operators, new interim MTR of N6.58 from N4.70 reflecting 40 percent increase in the cost of business.”
The leadership of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has berated apostle Johnson Suleiman, the General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries International over what it termed ‘unprovoked verbal attack and ranting against it and the Igbo nation’.
The separatist movement warned him and other clerics to concentrate on their apostolic callings and steer clear from matters concerning IPOB or the Igbo race.
A statement by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, warned the clerics to restrain from comments on the group or Igbo nation as that would no longer be tolerated.
It urged Suleiman to learn from men of God in the Bible who were never known for controversies.
The statement reads: “It is a puzzle that a man of God will abandon his calling and resort to attacking a nation without any cause. When has unguarded utterance against IPOB and the Igbo nation become part of Suleman’s calling?
“We don’t intend to join issues with Apostle Suleman and his likes, such as Tunde Bakare, but our message to them is very unambiguous: They should steer clear from any matter concerning IPOB or the great Igbo race. Let them concentrate on their apostolic calling and restrain from unguarded utterances or vituperations on subjects beyond them.
“We warn Apostle Suleiman and his likes to restrain from any comments on IPOB or Igbo nation, as that will not be tolerated any more. We don’t want to have issues with any man of God, and men of God should know their limits. Men of God in the bible days were never known for controversies.”
A Chinese food delivery worker described by loved ones as a hardworking father was fatally shot in Queens on Saturday night.
Zhiwen Yan, 45, was making a delivery near 108th St. and 67th Dr. in the neighborhood of Forest Hills at around 9:30 p.m. when a man began firing shots in his direction, according to police.
A bullet hit Yan’s chest, and he fell off his scooter. Medics brought him to Elmhurst Hospital Center, where he was pronounced dead.
The shooter reportedly fled in a light gray or tan sedan toward Queens Blvd. As per the New York Post, police are investigating a 50-year-old customer who has several ongoing disputes with staff members at Great Wall restaurant, where Yan worked.
The customer has been accused of threatening the employees with a gun in January and vandalizing their vehicles twice. An employee claimed that after one of the incidents, the customer fled in an older model of a Lexus RX3 SUV, which was the same vehicle present during Saturday’s shooting.
Yan, who arrived in the U.S. in 2001, leaves a wife and three children — aged 2, 12 and 14 — behind. He juggled three jobs before his death. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences.Update your settings here to see it.
“My husband wakes up every day and just works,” said Kunying Zhao, who also goes by Eva, told the New York Daily News.
Yan’s nephew, Michael, called the shooting a “brutal murder.”
“It’s unacceptable that this happened. This is a very peaceful community. This never happened, this kind of issue,” Michael told the New York Post.
A small memorial was held for Yan at Great Wall on Sunday. Residents of Forest Hill called Yan a “fixture” of the neighborhood.
“Anytime you’d pass he’d say ‘hello my friend,’” Philip Jacoby told Spectrum News NY1. “Snow, rain, hurricane he was out delivering. He was the nicest guy. Hardest-working guy in the neighborhood.”
“He was the heart of Forest Hills to so many,” Matthew Murray told FOX 5 NY. “He was the hardest worker. He was always out on Queens Boulevard, he would always say hi to you. He would say ‘Hi my friend’ to you.”
Yan’s death came less than a day after Mayor Eric Adams met with top police officials to discuss solutions to address violent incidents in the city.
Zhao set up a GoFundMe page for her husband on Sunday. So far, it has raised over $45,000.
Abubakar Malami, the minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation has gifted ‘social media vuvuzelas’, support groups and close associates with expensive vehicles.
According to reports, the controversial minister gave out the cars in preparation for his formal declaration to run for Kebbi governorship race.
Tori Media gathered that the minister gave 14 Mercedes-Benz GLK to 14 social media influencers (or warriors) who are making a strong case for his gubernatorial ambition.
Other beneficiaries who got eight Prado SUVs and four Toyota Hilux are executives of Mr Malami’s foundations and support groups; the Khadimiyya Foundation, the Khadi Malami Foundation, Malami Drum-Beats, Malami Women Support Organisation as well as Aisha Malami Center for Women Development, promoted by his wife.
US and Western officials believe that Russian President Vladimir Putin could formally declare war on Ukraine as soon as May 9, to pave way for the full mobilization of Russia’s reserve forces as they attempt to conquer eastern and southern Ukraine.
In Russia, May 9, is known as “Victory Day,” and is used to commemorate the Russians’ defeat of the Nazis in 1945.
US officials say they believe that Putin would leverage the symbolic significance and propaganda value of that day to announce either a military achievement in Ukraine, a major escalation of hostilities — or both, according to a report by Reuters.
The report says western officials believe Putin will use the day to deviate from a “special military operation” with the central goal of “denazification.” which the Russian government has used to term it’s war in Ukraine to formally declare war on Ukraine
A formal declaration of war on May 9 could surge popular opinion amongst Russian citizens tiwards the invasion and would also, under Russian law, allow Putin to mobilize reserve forces and draft conscripts, which officials say Russia desperately needs as its manpower reduces due to the war.
Western and Ukrainian officials have estimated that at least 10,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in the war since Russia invaded just over two months ago.
“I think he will try to move from his ‘special operation,’” British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace told LBC Radio last week. “He’s been rolling the pitch, laying the ground for being able to say ‘look, this is now a war against Nazis, and what I need is more people. I need more Russian cannon fodder.’”
Wallace added that he “would not be surprised, and I don’t have any information about this, that he is probably going to declare on this May Day that ‘we are now at war with the world’s Nazis and we need to mass mobilize the Russian people.’”
Western officials also believe other options for Putin on May 9 include annexing the breakaway territories of Luhansk and Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, making a major push for Odesa in the south, or declaring full control over the southern port city of Mariupol.
The US has “highly credible” intelligence reports that Russia will try to annex Luhansk and Donetsk “some time in mid-May,” the US Ambassador to OSCE Michael Carpenter said on Monday, May 2.
There are also indications that Russia could be planning to declare and annex a “people’s republic” in the southeastern city of Kherson.
US State Department spokesman Ned Price said ;
We’ve seen the Russians really double down on their propaganda efforts, probably, almost certainly, as a means to distract from their tactical and strategic failures on the battlefield in Ukraine,” Price said at a State Department briefing.
Price added that he had “seen the speculation that Russia may formally declare war” on May 9, and said, “that would be a great irony if Moscow used the occasion of ‘Victory Day’ to declare war, which in itself would allow them to surge conscripts in a way they’re not able to do now, in a way that would be tantamount to revealing to the world that their war effort is failing, that they are floundering in their military campaign and military objectives.”
“I’m quite confident that we’ll be hearing more from Moscow in the lead up to May 9,” Price added. “I’m quite confident that you will be hearing more from the United States, from our partners, including our NATO partners, in the lead up to May 9 as well.”
Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra and a factional body of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, have criticised pro-Biafra leader, Chief Ralph Uwazurike, for rejecting Igbo Presidency.
Uwazuruike had said he does not believe in the president of Igbo extraction stating that the contest should be thrown open.
He stated this when he led some South-East youths on Saturday in a solidarity march in Owerri, Imo State, in support of the 2023 presidential bid of Yahaya Bello, the Governor of Kogi State.
In separate statements, MASSOB and Ohanaeze slammed Uwazurike describing his action as unfortunate and a smacked betrayal of the struggle for Biafra agitations.
In separate statements, MASSOB and Ohanaeze slammed Uwazurike describing his action as unfortunate and a smacked betrayal of the struggle for Biafra agitations.
Ohanaeze in a statement issued by the President-General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, said Uwazurike’s action was not a surprise considering his precedent in betraying his fellow agitators for an Independent Biafran nation.
Okwu described Uwazuruike as one “ready to trade off himself for peanuts at every slightest opportunity.”
He further said the former MASSOB leader was “a persona non-grata, a serial betrayer and a man who had completely lost a sense of history,” further stating that “there were reports flying about that he did this volte-face after collecting N20 million.”
A Ukrainian nurse who lost both legs when she stepped on a Russian mine has married her husband in a hospital.
The 23-year-old nurse was on her way home with her now-husband Viktor in Lysychansk on March 27, when she stepped on the explosive.
The blast happened in a split second and while Viktor was left unharmed, Oksana lost both of her legs and four fingers on her left hand in the explosion, the Lviv Medical Association said.
She has undergone four operations to stabilise her injuries before going to Lviv to have prosthetics fitted.
The pair, who have two children, have now tied the knot in a heartwarming hospital ceremony before the bride was fitted for new limbs.
The couple bought wedding rings in Lviv, found Oksana a white dress, and enjoyed a wedding cake baked by volunteers at the hospital, Sky News reports.
Ukraine’s parliament shared the news of their wedding on their official Twitter account, describing it as “a very special love story” and wished the couple “happiness and long years together”.
The Lviv Medical Association added: “Life should not be postponed until later, decided Oksana and Victor, who in six years together never found time for marriage.”
Oksana is now preparing to travel to Germany with her husband for further treatment.
See a video from their wedding below.
❤️🇺🇦 Very special lovestory. A nurse from Lysychansk, who has lost both legs on a russian mine, got married in Lviv. On March 27, Victor and Oksana were coming back home, when a russian mine exploded. The man was not injured, but Oksana's both legs were torn off by the explosion. pic.twitter.com/X1AQNwKwyu
— Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine – Ukrainian Parliament (@ua_parliament) May 2, 2022
Thousands of investors have continued to lament following the disappearance of MBA forex firm boss Maxwell Odum.
Maxwell Odum, the operator of a Ponzi scheme, vanished into thin air after defrauding over 100,000 Nigerians out of an estimated N213 billion, or $511,590,216, according to CBN rates.
Maxwell, who ran a firm in Port Harcourt named MBA Trading and Capital Investments Limited, took large sums of money from customers while promising wonderful profits.
The culprit, who was born in Rivers State, is now missing. He stopped posting on Facebook on November 19, 2020, when he ran another disclaimer for another fraudster named ‘Maxwell Odums,’ who is based in Lagos.
The EFCC designated Maxwell wanted in December 2021 when the actual Maxwell vanished, leaving his clients impoverished.
The agency charges him with money laundering, conspiracy, and gaining money through falsehood.
Odum is a native of Ikwerre in Rivers State, according to the EFCC.
“His last known address is 7 Odum Street, Elekahia, Port Harcourt”, said EFCC head of media and publicity, Wilson Uwujaren.
One of the victims, Grant Ogaga Etaghara who lives in Sapele, pleaded with Odum to return his principal sum of N1,100,000.
“I need the total capital that I deposited for investment in my bank account as soon as possible:, he wrote on Odum’s wall on Facebook.
He could well be addressing a stone. He started his investment in October. By November, Odum’s MBA failed to pay him his first ROI.
Ifunanya Elizabeth Ilechukwu, who reacted to Odum’s warning about another scammer said: There’s no difference between you and the scammer… Pay people that ROI or your refund their money… criminal”
Praize Favour another victim rained curses on Odum: “MBA, my blood will be on your head. I can’t get my treatments because you refused to pay me my money. I am undergoing kidney dialysis every week, but has stopped due to lack of money. If I die my blood will forever cry against you”, he wrote.
Frank Anthony who was still expecting some redemption of his capital also wrote:
“Good afternoon, my name is Mcanthony Francis With the email [email protected] . I invested a sum of #360,000 naira and currently the investment has expired over the 6 months. But I would like to withdraw the capital which I haven’t seen on my dashboard. Pls update it thanks and send it thanks…am using that your old online platform not this new migration one.
“And pls note there was an extra 3 days in this investment….I believe that there should be an extra sum to the capital return”.
Hope Ayibo Duke discovered too late she had been fleeced as she begged for the return of her money.
“Oga I don’t want to do again please give my money back I want to pay bill if anything happens to me Nigeria should hold Maxwell Odum and his team responsible.”
When many customers suspected they had been scammed, Odum sent an online message, blaming the internet for some of the problems being encountered by the customers.
Victims of MBA forex protest
Value Obinna does not pity the lamenting victims, blaming them for being greedy.
He wrote: “The reason for getting a fast and doubling money in the name of ROI or ROP as a means of one’s investments has landed many into untimely death, illness and unrecovered shocks.
“How can you handover your money to an individual to give you 5times of your investment within a very short period of 3 to 6months???
“That is the highest height of greed, when you can buy and resell gold, landed properties, invest in interstate transportation, filmmaking and entertainment in general Or still, open a personal business of yours and invest your capital on it and watch it grow”.
The EFCC has asked Nigerians who have information on Maxwell Odum to call all its offices in Benin, Kaduna, Ibadan, Sokoto. Gombe, Maiduguri, Makurdi, Ilorin, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt and Abuja.
The commission gave its hotlines: 09-9044751-3, 08093322644, 08183322644, 07026350721-3, 070-6350724-5.
Contact can also be made through its e-mail address: info efcenigerin.org or the nearest Police Station and other security agencies”, Uwujaren said.
The victims of Odum in Akwa Ibom have formed a Facebook group to share information and monitor EFCC’s efforts.
The group is called MBA Angry Investors.
Coordinator of the group, Offor Okorie said in a post on 20 March that the first list of Maxwell Odum’s victims has been compiled for the EFCC.
“We MBA investors in Nigeria have submitted the first phase of investors bank details and statements of account as required. We are now in the seconnd phase of collation”, Okorie said.
However, some investors are getting anxious and impatient that the culprit Maxwell Odum has not yet been arrested by EFCC.
“Is like EFCC has colluded with Maxwell Odum to embezzle our money because, since Maxwell Odum was declared wanted, he hasn’t been arrested. This country is a very corrupt one but God will disappoint him & the police”, said Mackson Mackson.
Did you know that South Korea, Vietnam and Nigeria are the top three countries with the highest dogconsumption in the world? These are the findings of a recent report by Matthew Nash, a lead researcher of an in-depth Dog-Friendly Country Index, highlighting the best and worst country to own a dog or be a dog in 2022.
Numerous countries, including Nigeria, have a long history of dog-eating and consider it part of their culinary tradition.
In China, several festivals encourage the consumption of dog meat.
In addition to the dog consumption rate, Mr Nash told PREMIUM TIMES that he also used seven key factors to rank the 51 countries with available data to create a “Dog-Friendly Country Index.”
These factors include animal rights, pet-friendly hotels, veterinarian availability, animal protection, risk of rabies, recognition of animal sentience and animal companionship.
The countries sampled in the report titled ’51 Most & Least Dog-Friendly Countries in 2022,’ released on March 25, 2022, were selected based on available data.
Because many countries lack rudimentary information about treating animals, specifically dogs, the researchers used a mixed-methods approach.
Unfortunately, Nigeria was ranked number 45 out of the 51 countries on the list, earning 44.41.
On the other hand, countries like Italy, New Zealand, France, the U.K, and Germany were ranked as the top five friendliest countries for dogs, each scoring above three hundred points.
Each of these countries demonstrated a commitment to legislation for protecting animals and various factors that can prevent the risk of harm to your faithful companion.
These countries scored well on low instances of rabies, available veterinary clinics and services, and pet-friendly accommodations.
In addition, they do not have a high prevalence of dog meat consumption.
Roasted dogs used to illustrate the story. [PHOTO CREDIT: World Dog Alliance]
Worst countries for dog ownership
Based on the study, the top 10 worst countries for dog ownership are:
Vietnam (-49.98), China (-41.23), Azerbaijan (0.40), Iran (0.45 points),Belarus (32.42 points), Indonesia (35.54 points) and Nigeria which ranks seventh on the list (44.41 points).
The researchers say all fifteen countries have a high risk for rabies infection (except for South Korea), lack comprehensive legislation for animal welfare, and have very few veterinarians per capita.
Additionally, six of these countries have a current, documented practice of eating dog meat. While it may still be possible to have a happy, healthy pet dog within these countries, their findings indicate they are not ideal for the dogs themselves or the owners.
Dog meat consumption in Nigeria
A major controversial highlight of this report is the high dog consumption rate in Nigeria. While Nigerians are no strangers to the news of dog eating in the country, it comes as a surprise that it’s prevalent despite the efforts of animal activists.
In July 2021, almost 18000 people signed an online petition urging the Nigerian government and President Muhammadu Buhari to ban the sale of dog meat in Nigeria.
Dog meat, popularly called 404, is a delicacy relished in the south-eastern part of the country. In Akwa-Ibom and Cross River states, dog meat is often prepared with ‘Kaikai’ (local gin) and Ntong (scent leaves) and sold at drinking joints.
Natasha Choolun, a UK-based international animal rights activist, started the petition in 2020.
The campaign hosted on Change.org is titled “Stop Nigeria’s Barbaric Dog Meat Industry”.
Similar to countries like Niger, Ethiopia, Myanmar, and Tanzania, Nigeria is reported to have few veterinarians to administer medical treatments for dogs.
This earned her the rating of 0.4 for veterinarians per capita, negatively affecting her perception of being a dog-friendly country.
Animal rights
Despite being described as one of the worst countries to own a dog, Nigeria makes a significant achievement in the report due to her stance on animal rights.
Concerning Section 495 of the Criminal Code (1990), the constitution supports the protection of animal rights.
This is in contrast to countries like China, Belarus, Vietnam, Iran and Azerbaijan, which have no documented laws protecting animal rights. In addition, Nigeria falls short in other categories, namely high-risk countries with rabies, lack of pet-friendly hotels, and low animal companion grade.
