Paul Pogba has dismissed reports that he has been offered a new deal by Manchester United.
Reports by The Sun on Friday January 7, stated that Pogba was offered fresh terms worth £500,000-per-week last summer that would have made him the highest paid player in the English premier league.
But a spokesman for Pogba has issued a statement to deny suggestions of a recently extended contract offer from United.
The Frenchman is currently focusing on returning to action from injury and has entered the final six months of his contract.
”To clarify media reports, Paul has not been offered a new contract in recent months. Paul is fully focused on his recovery from injury with the aim of helping the team as soon as possible.” a statement from Pogba’s spokesman to Sportsmail read.
Pogba is in the final year of his contract and is free to speak to foreign clubs over a pre-contract agreement this month.
If Manchester United and Pogba are unable to come to terms on a new deal it would mean that they would lose Pogba for nothing this summer.
The 3 white men found guilty of felony murder in November in the fatal shooting of Arbery, a Black Georgia man who was jogging in their neighborhood when they confronted him, have been sentenced to life imprisonment for their crime.
The sentences for Travis McMichael, who shot Arbery; and his father, Gregory McMichael, do not carry the option of parole but their neighbor William “Roddie” Bryan will be eligible, Superior Court Judge Timothy Walmsley said.
All three men were convicted of murder and other charges by a Glynn County jury in November in the pursuit and fatal shooting of Arbery on Feb. 23, 2020.
The McMichaels (father and son) armed themselves and pursued Arbery in a pickup truck after seeing him running in their neighborhood, Satilla Shores.
Their neighbor, Bryan joined the pursuit in his pickup truck and recorded video of the fatal encounter on his cellphone.
The McMichaels and Bryan had been charged with one count of malice murder, four counts of felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault, and one count each of false imprisonment and criminal attempt to commit a felony.
Travis McMichael, who fired at Arbery three times at close range, was convicted of all nine charges. Gregory McMichael was convicted of all charges except malice murder. Bryan was convicted of three counts of felony murder, one count of aggravated assault, false imprisonment and criminal attempt to commit a felony.
The nearly all-white jury deliberated for about 10 hours before delivering its verdict.
Prosecutors said Arbery ran from the men for five minutes. Arbery was eventually trapped between the two pickup trucks and ended up in a confrontation with Travis McMichael, who was armed with a shotgun.
The McMichaels and Bryan were free for several weeks after the shooting. They were arrested only after the video that Bryan recorded was released and the case was taken over by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
On Friday, Janauty 7, Judge Walmsley called Arbery’s killing “callous” and said it occurred because “confrontation was being sought.”
Before announcing the sentences, the judge asked the courtroom to sit in silence for one minute to illustrate, he said, a fraction of the estimated time Arbery was running in terror from the men before he was killed.
“He left his home to go for a run and ended up running for his life,” the judge said.
The sentences follow the request from prosecutor Linda Dunikoski, who recommended that Bryan get a chance at parole and that the McMichaels be denied that possibility. Dunikoski said the father and son showed no remorse or empathy for “the trapped and terrified Ahmaud Arbery.”
Arbery’s parents and sister, who spoke before the sentences were handed down, asked the judge to give the men the maximum punishment allowable.
“The man who killed my son has sat in this courtroom every single day next to his father. I’ll never get that chance to sit next to my son ever again. Not at a general table. Not at a holiday. And not at a wedding,” Ahmaud Arbery’s father, Marcus Arbery, said before the sentence was announced.
“His killers should spend the rest of their lives thinking about what they did and what they took from us and they should do it behind bars because me and my family have to do it for the rest of their life.”
Attorneys for all three men have said they intend to appeal the convictions.
Barcelona Defender, Gerard Pique has shared his payslip online to dispel a TV report that called him Barcelona’s highest paid player.
Spanish Television presenter, Lluis Canu said Pique was taking home almost £12m a year after tax that is about a £1m a month but the footballer has revealed he took home £1.94m after tax for the last six months of 2021.
Pique was one of a number of stars to take a pay cut amid Barca’s financial woes
Posting his payslip on Twitter, it could be seen that half of Pique’s yearly salary, paid to him in December totalled €2,328,884.39 (£1.94m).
Pique tweeted: ‘People like this are paid by public television to defend their friends. Here is 50% of my salary as of 30 December. Have a bit of respect for yourself.’
Canut had claimed Pique, on €28m (£23.4m) gross, and fellow veterans Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba on €23m (£19.2m) and €20m (£16.7m) respectively were the club’s top earners.
Barcelona also came out to deny the suggestion. The club said: ‘The information on the salaries of certain first team players has not, in any case, been supplied by the club and its origin is unknown.
A Nigerian man has shared his marital dilemma which involves his wife’s infidelity, and he is seeking advise on how best to handle the matter.
He revealed that his 14-year-old daughter opened up to him that her mother (his wife) has been cheating on him for 3 three years.
The first time she caught a man in bed with her mother was when she was 11 years old.
The man who narrated everything to a Twitter influencer said that his daughter told him that all the kids are aware, but his wife begged them not to tell him.
However, what forced her to finally tell him about it was when the wife and kids went to her parents place but she spent the night outside.
It has to be a special connection between dogs and little babies, since it’s really hard to find a more heart-warming duo. While the little humans are innocent and constantly looking to play and have fun, dogs compensate by showing off their responsible side and try to keep their companions out of trouble. Or – why not – team them up!
However, they both seem to have something in common: tasty food. So when this mom in Utah is offering a treat to her little baby boy and the family’s dog is there too, it could only end one way – extremely cute.
The mother tries to convince her baby to say ‘mama.’ She promise to offer him some delicious food in return. And while the mother is waving the food in front of little Sam’s eyes, he doesn’t have any intention of saying the “mama,” even if he’s so interested in the treat, his mom is offering.
But Patch, a miniature Australian shepherd is also in love with tasty food, and apparently more responsive. So it doesn’t take too long until the clever pup realizes what their mom wants in return for the food. Believe it or not, the cute pup says “mama” instead of the kid. And he didn’t say it only once but three times, leaving the woman open-mouthed. As promised, mom gave him the reward to the Sam’s disappointment.
Patch is clearly a very clever dog and a valuable member of the family too, according to his human mom. It’s no wonder why the lovely footage gained over 14 million views on Youtube alone. Have a look, bellow!
The world’s largest nuclear powers, US, Russia, China, France and the UK have pledged to never enter into a nuclear war, in a rare statement of unity amid rising tensions between the East-West .
Russia is believed to have the world’s biggest stockpile of nuclear warheads, with 6,255, followed closely by the United States at 5,550, according to the Arms Control Association (ACA). China (350), France (290) and the UK (225) round out the top five.
Pakistan (165), India (156), Israel (90) and North Korea (40-50) also have nuclear weapons, according to the ACA, but are not party to the Nonproliferation Treaty.
Although nuclear weapons have only been used twice in warfare—in the US bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945—about 13,400 reportedly remain in our world today and there have been over 2,000 nuclear tests conducted to date..
The top five nuclear countries have now pledged to work together toward “a world without nuclear weapons”
The statement also stressed the importance of preventing conflict between nuclear-weapon states from escalating, describing it as a “foremost responsibility.”
“A nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought,” said the joint statement, which was issued simultaneously by the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom and France.
“As nuclear use would have far-reaching consequences, we also affirm that nuclear weapons — for as long as they continue to exist — should serve defensive purposes, deter aggression, and prevent war.”
The statement comes as a shock as Russia is massing troops along its border with Ukraine, raising alarms in US, UK and the EU of which France is a major power.
While there is increased Chinese military activity around the self-governed island of Taiwan which has spiked tensions between Beijing and Washington and US allies Japan, Australia, South Korea..
The statement released by the five powers, also known as the P5, as permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, called on all states to create a security environment “more conducive to progress on disarmament with the ultimate goal of a world without nuclear weapons with undiminished security for all.”
The five pledged to adhere to the 1970 Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) which obligates them “to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament.”
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said the five-nation statement was initiated by Russia with the intention of it being released in coordination with a review of the Non Proliferation Treatt that started on Tuesday, January 4 in New York .
“Given the importance and self-sufficiency of this joint statement, the nuclear powers decided not to delay its publication,” Zakharova said, according to the official TASS news agency.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told TASS the statement “was negotiated through diplomatic channels” and “comprehensively reflects the positions of the parties and the leaders.”
The director-general of the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s arms control department, Fu Cong, said that China remained committed to a policy of no first use and deterrence.
“Nuclear weapons are the ultimate deterrence. They are not for war fighting. By saying that nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought shows that this is an understanding shared by all the P5. So it is important that we have this in mind while we talk about the tension,” said Fu when asked about tensions over Taiwan.
“This applies everywhere and it applies with our bad relations with the US … This is something that we hope could reduce tension, and it would help clarify certain misunderstandings,” he added.
South Korean model-turned “Squid Game” actress, Hoyeon Jung, has made history as the first Korean to land a solo Vogue cover.
Hoyeon Jung who is the most-followed Korean actress on Instagram, starred on the Netflix hit as North Korean defector Kang Sae-byeok, and is the cover star of the magazine’s February issue.
The 27-year-old, became a global sensation just weeks after the series was released in September as she went from 400,000 to 15 million Instagram followers according to Vogue’s cover story. As of Friday, January 7, that number had ballooned to 23.7 million for the “Korea’s Next Top Model” runner-up.
“Even if eight people loved me and only two people hated me, I always cried, at home alone,” she told Vogue. “Even now, I struggle with low-self-esteem.”
Following “Next Top Model,” Hoyeon signed with a New York modeling agency, moved to the Big Apple — until a “Squid Game” production call beckoned her home at the start of the pandemic .
Vogue also revealed she studied English, martial arts and acting.
“Looking back,” she told Vogue, “If not for those quiet and lonely times [watching cerebral films], I don’t know that I would have ever dreamed of acting.”
As for her global fame, Hoyeon said she lost eight pounds as she struggled to grasp the intensity of the situation.
“I don’t know why, but I couldn’t eat. I was so confused, and it was so chaotic. I didn’t believe it. I didn’t trust it,” she told Vogue, noting her family didn’t let it get to her head.
“My mom did joke that my acting was very realistic, like when I’m being mean to her. … My younger sister … just thinks of me as her older sibling.”
It was an emotional day for billionaire businessman, Cosmas Maduka, owner of Coscharis motors, as his wife, Charity, who died on November 28, 2021, was laid to rest in Nnewi, Anambra state today, January 7.
The funeral mass held at the Maduka residence, Coscharis Street, Umudim, Nnewi was attended by Governor Willie Obiano and wife Ebele, some members of Anambra State Executive Council, family, friends and well wishers from within and outside Anambra State.
Before her demise the late Mrs. Maduka, aged 63, strongly spearheaded administrative, legal, works, maintenance, and export teams of the Coscharis Consortium.
May her soul rest in peace Amen. See more photos below
A Kenyan police officer from Koromotangi village in Kakamega County has reportedly committed suicide over an alleged salary delay.
Abel Kemboi was found dead on Wednesday, January 5, after complaining to friends and relatives that his December salary had been delayed.
Before committing suicide, Kemboi reportedly said he would take up the salary issue with his bosses at Kakamega Police Station and even requested his cousin identified as Zacheaus Kalama to accompany him.
When Kalama woke up the following morning and headed to Kemboi’s home, he found the door locked from inside. Upon getting no response, he broke into the house and saw that Kemboi had hanged himself. He noted that his late cousin had show signs of being depressed earlier.
Kalama said;
“We had agreed to go to the station to inquire the cause of the salary delay from his bosses but it was shocking that he took his own life even before we achieved our mission.
“He had hanged himself and I did not believe what I saw.”
The deceased’s immediate boss and Kakamega Central OCPD David Kabena also confirmed that he was always depressed.
Kabena said that they had already launched investigations to ascertain the exact cause of his death. In addition, he urged officers with any underlying mental issues to seek expert attention.
He said;
“It is important for those who realise that they are stressed to reach out and share what they are going through.”
Kemboi’s body was taken to Kakamega Teaching and Referral Hospital morgue awaiting postmortem.
The Nigerian Navy has announced that it intercepted N10billion worth of cocaine between October 9 and 28, 2021.
Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT, Rear Admiral Bashir Mohammed also said 261 bags of cannabis worth over N100 million in the local market were intercepted during the Yuletide.
Addressing reporters at NNS BEECROFT parade ground, Apapa, Lagos State, Bashir also announced that 413 bags of foreign rice and over 150 drums of Premium Motor Spirit PMS being smuggled into the country during the Yuletide were also intercepted.
He said;
“We enjoyed a relatively peaceful yuletide season.
“However, in the course of our patrols, the Navy intercepted and arrested some drug traffickers, smugglers of contraband items and petroleum products within the maritime environment.
“On 17 December 2021, NNS ABA arrested a large fibre boat conveying items suspected to be Cannabis bagged inside 261 large sacks.
“It is worthy to note that the suspected cannabis seized is worth over N100 million in the local market.
“Similarly, on 21 December 2021, NNS OSUN intercepted and arrested a Large Cotonou boat laden with 413 bags of foreign parboiled rice smuggled into Nigeria from neighbouring countries.
“Pertinently, five crew were arrested on board the large boat and investigation revealed that they were all foreigners.
“It is equally worthy of note that the smuggled rice is worth over N13million in the local market and this is to the detriment of Nigeria’s local content drive.
“NNS KANO arrested a large Cotonou boat with six crew laden with 125 x 250Ltrs drums with an unspecified amount of PMS.
“The suspects who are all foreigners are part of a syndicate who come to purchase stolen petroleum products to freight them to neighbouring countries for sale, to the detriment of the Nigerian economy.
“You may equally recall that NNS BEECROFT arrested MV Chayaree Naree and Karteria for trafficking of 32.9 and 13.65kg of cocaine on 9 and 28 October 21 respectively.
“The cocaine seized in both occasions were worth over N10 billion in the local market.
“These series of arrests reinforce the Nigerian Navy’s resolve of zero-tolerance to illegalities within the maritime domain in line with her constitutional mandate.
“Regardless of the festive season, the Navy did not relent in executing the mandate of the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, which is geared towards curbing illegalities thereby boosting national prosperity.”
A part from a Russian rocket is falling back to Earth in the next 24 hours, but its landing spot is unknown, the European Space Agency has announced.
Russian rocket, Angara-A5 was launched from Russia on Dec. 27, however, according to new reporting by CNN, a large part of it is coming back unless it burns up upon re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere.
The rocket is expected to carry military payloads as well as be used in commercial satellite launches, according to Tech Times. It was supposed to reach 22,000 miles but failed to leave low-orbit and the debris is expected to fall somewhere on Earth on Thursday January 6, most likely in the Pacific Ocean. Officials should be able to update their estimations for landing spots as the rocket part gets closer to landing.
“It’s safe to say that in the next 24 hours it will be down but where, nobody can say, because in the window of several hours it will do several revolutions around the globe,” Holger Krag, the head of the European Space Agency’s Space Debris Office, told CNN.
According to the U.S. Department of Defense, more than 15,000 pieces of space debris have been documented. While Russia, the U.S., China, France and India are all responsible for the space debris, most of it has been traced back to Russia with an estimated total of 14,500 pieces.
Manchester City will offer club legend, Sergio Aguero, a role as an ambassador after the striker was forced into retirement last December.
Aguero left the Etihad last summer to complete a move to Barcelona but played just five games for the Spanish club before he was forced off during just his fifth appearance.
It was later confirmed that the 33-year-old had a heart condition, and in an emotional press conference last month, Aguero tearfully announced his retirement from the game.
According to The Sun, his former club are looking to step in and hand him a role which will see him remain in football.
The publication reports that he is set to be offered a role as a club ambassador, alongside the likes of City icon Mike Summerbee as well as fellow title winners Joleon Lescott and Micah Richards.
Aguero scored 260 goals for City and lifted the Premier League trophy five times during his time in England.
Reality TV star, Kim Kardashian is reportedly not interested in estranged husband, Kanye West dating other people, as she feels he’s just trying to make her jealous.
Kim Kardashian filed for divorce from Kanye West in February and the pair no longer live together .
The rapper, 44, publicly called for his wife of seven years to “come back” during his concert to try to free Larry Hoover last month but the appeal fell on deaf ears and Kim, 41, has continued dating Saturday Night Live star, Pete Davidson while Kanye was pictured on Wednesday January 6 going out on a date with actress Julia Fox.
But a source close to Kim insists Kanye isn’t in a genuine relationship.
Speaking to The Sun, the source said: “Kim thinks it’s comical Kanye went from begging her to come back to showcasing his new girl all over the city within days.
“She knows it’s not serious and is just typical hijinks from Kanye.”
“She honestly doesn’t care, she’s very over him at this point so his little game isn’t working,” they added.
“The only thing Kim cares for regarding Kanye is that their kids are happy and enjoy life.
Julia Fox has opened up about her relationship with Kanye West.
In a post titled Date Night, the actress revealed that the rapper bought her an entire hotel suites worth of clothing for their recent date night.
Fox said: “I met Ye in Miami on New Year’s Eve and it was an instant connection.”
Describing West’s “energy” as “so fun to be around,” Fox explains the pair “decided to keep the energy going and fly back to New York City to see ‘Slave Play.’”
She said Kanye arrived on time for the play, despite the curtain rising only an hour after his plane touched down.
She added, “after the play we chose to do dinner at Carbone which is one of my favorite restaurants.”
She continued: “At the restaurant, Ye directed an entire photo shoot for me while people dined!”
“The whole restaurant loved it and cheered us on while it was happening.”
Saying she was “still in shock” at West’s gesture, Fox explains that “Ye had an entire hotel suite full of clothes” waiting for her at the Pendry Manhattan West, where the rapper was staying.
“It was every girl’s dream come true,” she added. “It felt like a real Cinderella moment. I don’t know how he did it, or how he got all of it there in time … Like, who does things like this on a second date? Or any date!”
“Everything with us has been so organic,” Fox finished her post. “I don’t know where things are headed but if this is any indication of the future I’m loving the ride.”
Two dogs trained to detect an odor from people who are sick with COVID-19 will visit three school districts in Bristol County this week.
According to US News, a black Labrador named Huntah and a golden Lab called Duke can detect the smell of the virus on surfaces and will sit to indicate when they pick up the scent.
The dogs will visit three schools in the Freetown, Lakeville and Norton school districts, WBZ-TV reported Tuesday.
“With COVID, whether it’s the omicron, whether it’s the delta, our dogs will hit on it,” said Bristol County Capt. Paul Douglas. “And if there’s a new variant that comes out in six months, hopefully, there isn’t, but if there is one, COVID is COVID.”
Fairhaven School Superintendent Tara Kohler welcomed the dogs saying their presence shows students, “we are doing everything we can to mitigate the risk and I want them to feel secure and safe and not anxious about their surroundings.”
The dogs were trained using a detection program developed by Florida International University’s International Forensic Research Institute.
Ghana Police Service have announced that videos of some prophecies made by Pastors during 31st-night church services in December 2021 are currently being reviewed, to determine if they breached laws of the country.
LIB reported earlier that ahead of the cross-over service, the country’s police warned religious leaders against making misleading prophecies for 2022. The GPS said misleading prophecies have resulted in public tensions, anxiety and panic among citizens.
The police recalled how, over the years, prophecies of harm and death put the lives of many in danger. They also pointed out that under Ghanaian law, it is a crime to publish or reproduce a statement, rumours or report likely to cause fear and alarm.
In a statement released on Thursday January 6, the police said laws on publication of information including prophecies that tend to cause fear and panic, are not limited to 31st watch-night services but all other days.
The Police commended the public for their support in ensuring respect for the rule of law, but also added that if any of the prophesies contravene the law, it will be addressed.
The Police in the press release reiterated that the law and service are not against religious practices or the performances of the religious doctrines and beliefs such as prophecies.
A new bombshell report has claimed Cristiano Ronaldo is considering leaving Manchester United at the end of the season if their choice of manager does not suit him.
According to The Daily Star, Ronaldo, who only rejoined the Red Devils in the summer from Juventus, is keeping a close eye on who the club appointed as their next permanent manager at the end of the season.
Ronaldo’s deal at Old Trafford runs until 2023 but the report explains that the Portuguese would be willing to leave 12 months early if the next appointment cannot bring the best out of him.
United have declined even further since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked and German boss Ralf Rangnick came in to take charge on an interim basis.
The plan for Rangnick at the end of the season is to step into a ‘Senior Football Advisor’ role for the next two years. Even with Rangnick not in contention for the job on a permanent basis, Ronaldo is said to have made his feelings clear that he would not support any decision to appoint the German full-time.
A source told the Star that Ronaldo ‘thought it would be better than this’ and that as a ‘born winner’ he wants ‘to be winning more trophies’.
Rangnick will, more likely, be part of the process to appoint the next manager, a permanent successor to Solskjaer, who was axed in November following a loss to Watford.
Sportsmail reported on Thursday that United are working from a three-man shortlist of Mauricio Pochettino, currently at Paris Saint-Germain, Ajax manager Erik ten Hag and Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers.
The Federal Government has formally declared bandit groups operating in the country as terrorists.
The declaration titled ‘Terrorism (Prevention) Proscription Order Notice, 2021 is contained in Volume 108 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette.
The declaration reads in part
“Notice is hereby given that by the Order of the Federal High Court Abuja, in suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1370/2021 dated 25th November 2021 as per the schedule to this Notice, the Activities of Yan Bindiga Group, Yan Ta’adda Group and other similar groups in Nigeria are declared to be terrorism and illegal in any part of Nigeria, especially in the North West and North-Central Regions of Nigeria and are proscribed, pursuant to sections 1 and 2 of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2011.
Consequently the general public is hereby warned that any person or group of persons participating in any manner whatsoever in any form of activities involving or concerning the prosecution of the collective intentions or otherwise of the groups referred to in paragraph 1 of this Notice will be violating the provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2011 and liable to prosecution.”
This comes weeks after the Federal High Court in Abuja declared bandits as terrorists following an ex parte motion the Federal Government filed before it through the Ministry of Justice.
The government had approached the court to declare bandits as terrorists in October after repeated calls from across Nigeria for them to be so designated to enable security operatives to better combat them.
The FA are investigating racist and homophobic tweets made by Northern Ireland and Bolton striker Dion Charles.
A series of historical posts including terms such as ‘gay’, ‘gay boy’, and ‘f****t’ are being looked at, as well as others referring to ‘P***es’ and ‘corner shops’.
The tweets date between 2011 and 2013 and have come to light after Charles joined Bolton from Accrington this week.
The 26-year-old said: ‘First of all, I want to say how sorry I am for the hurt I have caused to those who have read my tweets. I particularly want to apologise to the LGBTQ+ and Muslim communities for the offensive words I used.
‘There is no place in football or society as a whole for discriminatory and hateful views and I want to make it clear that I have grown up considerably since I posted those tweets many years ago. I am not racist and I am not homophobic.’
Charles – capped six times by Northern Ireland – could now face FA disciplinary action, although he looks unlikely to face any sanction from his new club.
Bolton chairman Sharon Brittan said her own faith had taught her to offer ‘forgiveness’ and that Charles had apologised ‘unreservedly’.
‘Whilst not making any excuses for him, I have spoken with Dion and he has acknowledged that he has grown up considerably since he posted those comments and that he is not racist or homophobic,’ Brittan added.
‘Through Bolton Wanderers in the Community, the club seeks to be at the forefront of making our game inclusive for everybody and Dion fully supports this.’
Tennis star, Rafael Nadal has told his rival, Novak Djokovic, to get vaccinated in order to be able to compete at the Australian Open.
Djokovic is facing being kicked out of the country next week after he arrived in Melbourne late Wednesday night without the right visa, which was rejected by border force officials over his vaccination exemption.
With Djokovic’s team prepared to fight his case in the Federal Court, Nadal weighed into the saga on Thursday.
The Spaniard is currently in Melbourne to prepare for the grand slam, just weeks after he tested positive to Covid-19.
Nadal condemned the ongoing riff and said Djokovic wouldn’t be in the predicament he’s in right now if he was vaccinated. He also urged him to get vaccinated.
‘What’s happening is not good for no one, in my opinion, the world number six said.
‘(It) is normal that the people here in Australia get very frustrated with the (Djokovic) case, because they have been going through a lot of very hard lockdowns and a lot of people were not able to come back home.
‘I believe in what the people who know about medicine say, and if the people say that we need to get vaccinated, we need to get vaccinated.
‘I went through COVID. I have been vaccinated twice. If you do this, you don’t have any problem to play here. That’s the only clear thing.
‘The rest of the things, I don’t want to have or to give to you an opinion that I don’t have the whole information.
‘The only for me clear thing is if you are vaccinated, you can play in the Australian Open and everywhere, and the world in my opinion has been suffering enough to not follow the rules.’
Djokovic will spend the next four days locked up in a refugee detention centre after the Federal Court adjourned his appeal to be let into the country ahead until Monday.
Nadal admits he feels ‘in some way’ sorry for his long-time rival but says Djokovic must face the consequences for his decisions.
‘I think if he wanted, he would be playing here in Australia without a problem,’ the Spaniard said.
‘He made his own decisions, and everybody is free to make their own decisions, but then there are some consequences.
‘I don’t encourage nobody. Everyone has to do what they feel is good for them but there are rules and without the vaccine there can be some troubles.
‘He’s free to take his own position, but then there are consequences.
‘Of course, I don’t like the situation that is happening. In some way, I feel sorry for him. But at the same time, he knew the conditions since a lot of months ago, so he makes his own decision.’
Five persons including women and children have been killed when suspected Fulani herdsmen attacked five village farm settlements in Mgbuji autonomous community, Eha-Amufu, Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State,
According to PUNCH, the attackers invaded the community around 10am on Tuesday, January 4.
It was gathered that people carrying their belongings were seen running into the town from the troubled settlements.
At the residence of Chief Eric Ebe, one of the stakeholders in the town, over 50 women and children who reportedly escaped from the troubled farm settlements were seen in the compound.
Ebe, in an interview with PUNCH correspondent, described the invasion of his community as horrific and unwarranted.
He said since January 1, no fewer than 10 persons have been killed in his community while many others were kidnapped for ransom.
A community leader, Chief Moses Olinya, lamented that more than 24 hours after security agencies were informed of the invasion and carnage done, they were yet to see any security personnel.
Some displaced women appealed to the government to come to their aid.
The Chairman of Isi-Uzo Local Government Area, Jacob Abonyi, who confirmed the invasion, describing the frequent attacks on Mgbuji community as unacceptable,.
“When I got the information on Tuesday, I contacted the police but the Divisional Police Officer’s phone number was switched off and I immediately called the military,” he said.
“About five days ago, we were battling with kidnapping in same Mgbuji when the wife and daughter of Eugene Edeoga were kidnapped and they were just released on Monday.
“So, I called the military and we were ready this morning, including the Neighbourhood Watch and Forest Guard. Unfortunately, the soldiers that were already at Ikem said they got a call for another emergency from Uzo-Uwani and they decided to turn back and they have not returned
“That is the situation, but all our local security – Neighbourhood Watch and Forest Guards -are doing everything possible to calm the situation.” he added.
Kenyan police have launched a manhunt for a university student who allegedly killed his lover before cutting her body into pieces.
Mark Njoroge Wanjiru, 20, a student at Kibabii University is said to have committed the act after visiting his grandfather, Sebastian Njoroge Mwangi, 70, in his Molo home where the body was found.
The killing came to light after locals reported to Molo Location Chief Hassan Waweru that they had found two hands of an unknown person in Mtaa Saba village.The two human hands were found lying on an open field.
After confirming the incident, the chief informed police officers attached to Molo Police Station who visited the scene accompanied by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
The police officers and sleuths were also informed of a foul smell from a house near the area. Upon gaining access to the house, the security operatives found a mutilated body of a female wrapped in a brown blanket under a bed.
The police report read;
“The police officers and sleuths were then informed of a foul smell from a house about 1.5 kilometres from the scene and proceeded to the unlocked house.
“The head, hands and legs had been cut off and are missing. The search was conducted in the house and one female human head recovered in a yellow plastic bucket under a table in the kitchen which is believed to be part of the mutilated body.”
The scene was processed and the body parts were moved to Molo Sub- County Hospital morgue pending an autopsy. Wanjiru who is studying Computer Science at the university, is said to at large
The Amalgamation of Northern Traders in Cattle, Grains, and Vegetables has announced plans by its members to cease from supplying its items to South-Eastern markets. They say this is in reaction to the ban placed on beef consumption by the Indigenous People Of Biafra in the region.
Recall that on January 3, IPOB in a statement released banned the slaughtering and eating of cows from Fulani herders during occasions in the South-East region. The secessionist group also announced the ban on singing of Nigerian national anthem in schools and on eating beef during occasions in the region. The group said these are some of its seven action plans to implement in 2022.
Reacting to the decision, the Northern traders said members were prepared to comply with the directive by discontinuing its sale of cattle, grains, onions, and other foodstuffs in the region.
Chairman of Northern Traders, Muhammad Tahir, in an interview with SaharaReporters, said members of the union were not perturbed by the IPOB ban.
“For us, we would always support the indivisibility of Nigeria; but if IPOB wants to secede, then so be it. Bilateral trade between us and them is all about wealth creation for the two regions; the cattle we take to them is food and not poison.
Therefore, if someone rejects your benevolent supply of food to their region, then you stop; because you must not feed them.
After all, it is a mere unsustainable propaganda, which we’ve been hearing over the years.”he said
Tahir further asserted that IPOB lacked the capacity to sustain the ban as their people would soon revolt due to scarcity of beef and other foodstuffs which only the North can supply.
Kim Mi-soo, star of Disney+ series Snowdrop, has died suddenly at the age of 29, her agent has said.
The actress plays Yeo Jung-min in the show.
A cause of death has not yet been revealed, but Kim’s management said she had died suddenly and asked people to refrain from spreading rumours about her death so that her family can mourn.
Her agency Lanscape said in a statement: “Kim suddenly left us on Jan. 5. The bereaved are deep in their sorrow at the sudden sadness.
“Please refrain from reporting false rumors or speculation so that the bereaved family, who are in shock and grief-stricken, can reverently commemorate the deceased.
“As per her family’s wishes, the funeral will be held quietly in private.
“Please wish for Kim Mi Soo to rest in peace, and once again, we offer our deepest condolences to the deceased.”
Kim’s funeral will be held at Taeneung Sungsim Funeral Home.
Kim was born in South Korea in 1992 and grew up to find fame as an actress and model.
During her career, she also starred in Lipstick Revolution and Hi Bye, Mama!
She is also known for her roles in movies Memories and Kyungmi’s World, both released in 2019.
Kim had also been cast to star in Disney+ drama Kiss Six Sense, which was still filming.
Following the tragic news of her death, it’s said that filming has been shut down for the day.
Pleas to grant leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu a presidential pardon, has been shut down by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Though President Buhari had in November 2021 promised to consider the request of some leaders from the South East region to release Kanu who is facing treason charges preferred against him by the Nigerian Government, in an interview with Channels Television which was aired on Wednesday Janaury 5, the Nigerian President said Kanu must answer for his actions over the years, especially while he was out of the country.
Accusing Kanu of abusing his administration while in Europe “as if he was not a Nigerian”, the President said he won’t be interfering in judicial responsibilities.
He said;
“Nigerians know that I don’t interfere with the judiciary.
“Let him be listened to. For those who are saying that we should release him, no we cannot release him.
“There is a possibility of political solution; if people behave themselves, all well and good, but you can’t go to a foreign country and keep on sending incorrect economic and security problem against your country and thinking that you will never have to account for what you have been doing. Let him account for what he has been doing.
“There is one institution that I wouldn’t dare interfere with – that is the judiciary.
“Kanu’s case is with the judiciary, but what I wonder is when Kanu was safely in Europe abusing this administration and mentioning too many things, I never thought really he wants to voluntarily come and defend himself on the accusations.
“So, we are giving him an opportunity to defend himself in our system, not to be abusing us from Europe as if he was not a Nigerian. Let him come here to us and then criticise us here.”
The President also noted that he doesn’t believe Nigerians really want the country to disintegrate as we are better off together. Buhari claimed that Nigerians make noise about separation because they want better things.
Pope Francis has said that people who choose to have pets instead of children exhibit “a certain selfishness”.
Speaking on parenthood during a general audience at the Vatican, the pontiff lamented that pets “sometimes take the place of children” in society.
He said: “Today … we see a form of selfishness. We see that some people do not want to have a child. Sometimes they have one and that’s it, but they have dogs and cats that take the place of children. This may make people laugh but it is a reality.”
Pope Francis said the practice “is a denial of fatherhood and motherhood and diminishes us, takes away our humanity”.
Thus, he added, “civilisation grows old without humanity because we lose the richness of fatherhood and motherhood, and it is the country that suffers”.
While his predecessor, Benedict XVI, was a cat lover, Francis is not known to have a pet at his Vatican residence.
In 2014, Francis told Il Messaggero daily that having pets instead of children was “another phenomenon of cultural degradation”, and that emotional relationships with pets was “easier” than the “complex” relationship between parents and children.
On Wednesday, Jan. 5, while inviting couples unable to have children for biological reasons to consider adoption, he urged potential parents “not to be afraid” of embarking on parenthood.
“Having a child is always a risk, but there is more risk in not having a child, in denying paternity,” he said.
An Indonesian man took Covid vaccine 17 times in place of anti-vaxxers who didn’t want to take the vaccine but wanted Covid vaccine passes.
Indonesian Police are currently investigating the case of self-proclaimed “vaccine jockey” Abdul Rahim who claims he was paid £40 for each shot he took on behalf of others.
In Indonesia, you need a vaccine certificate to enter bars, cafes and shopping centres.
The MailOnline reports that Rahim from Pinrang, on the island of Sulawesi, boasted of his efforts in a video clip and even claimed he had received three shots in one day.
Police have reportedly found the people suspected of paying Rahim and are considering charges against him too under their Infectious Diseases Law.
If convicted, he could face a year in prison for hindering ‘the implementation of pandemic control.’
9-year-old boy was almost blinded after suffering a rare ‘covid eye’ which kept him in the hospital during Christmas.
Year 5 pupil, Zac Morey lost his vision in his left eye less than a week after testing positive for Covid-19 along with his mother and four siblings on December 16. His eye completely closed up during the terrifying ordeal after he was diagnosed with orbital cellulitis, a skin infection that some scientists have linked to the virus.
Doctors at Bristol Royal Hospital for children, placed him on IV drip after his eye became severely swollen.
Zac has fully recovered, but his family have issued a warning over the unusual symptom.
His 37-year-old mother, Angela said;
‘His eye looked like it was going to explode. There was no way he could open it without pulling the skin. It was swollen beyond anything I’ve ever seen.
‘I thought it just been on the computer for seven days solid so didn’t think anything of it.
‘But by Christmas Eve it was not good at all. We took him to hospital and he was put on an antibiotic drip until Boxing Day.
‘They said if it goes too far into the eye then it can cause blindness. The doctors said it was an allergic reaction to the virus that affects children.’
Zac was discharged from hospital on Boxing Day after undergoing an eye test that confirmed his vision had fully recovered.
As the world grapples with the highly contagious and mutated Omicron variant of COVID-19, France has alrrted the world to a new Coronavirus variant called IHU.
Scientists identified the new strain, B.1.640.2, at the institute IHU Méditerranée Infection in Marseille and say it contains 46 mutations, more than Omicron.
France has already reported at least 12 cases of this variant. The new variant has been associated with Cameroun.
This comes days after Israel reported its first case of rare double infection of Covid-19 and Influenza, Flurona.
The variant is also yet to be spotted in other countries or labelled a variant under investigation by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Prof. Philippe Colson, who heads the unit that discovered the strain, said: “We indeed have several cases of this new variant in the Marseille geographical area. We named it ‘variant IHU’. Two new genomes have just been submitted.”
U.S. epidemiologist and health economist, Eric Feigl-Ding, who rung the bell about the variant, said: ‘’These observations show once again the unpredictability of the emergence of new #SARSCoV2 variants and they exemplify the difficulty to control such introduction and subsequent spread.
“However, it does not mean they will be more dangerous. What makes a variant more dangerous is its ability to multiply because of the number of mutations it has in relation to the original virus.
“This is when it becomes a variant of concern like Omicron, which is more contagious and could evade immunity. It remains to be seen in which category this new variant will fall,” he said.
COVID-19 has killed at least 5,441,446 people globally since the outbreak in December 2019 but WHO estimates the overall death toll could be two to three times higher.
A three-way drama might be brewing between Miley Cyrus, Peter Davidson and Kim Kardashian.
It became quite evident that Kim Kardashian had unfollowed Miley Cyrus on Instagram after the singer’s live New Year’s Eve special with the new boyfriend of the mother of four, Pete Davidson.
A Miley Cyrus fan account, dubbed @MileyEdition, noted that Kardashian was following the “Wrecking Ball” artist’s IG account on Dec. 10, same day it was reported that Cyrus went to Davidson’s condo after their “Tonight Show” appearance.
Some American news platforms reported that during the New Year Eve special, Davidson, 28, joined Cyrus, 29, on stage to perform a version of Will Smith’s “Miami”.
Before their special, Cyrus seemingly put the moves on Davidson while promoting the event, serenading him on “The Tonight Show” and singing, “It should have been me.” The lyrics could have been a shot across the bow of 41-year-old Kardashian, whom Davidson has been dating since October 2021.
While Davidson spent his New Year’s Eve celebrations live on television with Cyrus, Kardashian was home in Los Angeles with her kids. But the couple reunited this week to travel to the Bahamas together on a private jet.
Davidson and Kim officially began dating November 2021. This was weeks after the reality show star filed to be legally single amid her divorce from Kanye West.
A husband accused of choking his wife to death has denied killing her after she asked for a divorce 20 years ago.
Zafar Iqbal, 61, allegedly strangled Naziat Khan, 38, with a scarf at their home in Norbury, southwest London, in August 2001.
Iqbal appeared in a prison tracksuit at the Old Bailey via video-link from HMP Wormwood Scrubs, where he denied murdering his wife.
After the alleged murder, Iqbal flew to Pakistan where he would remain for 20 years before he was extradited to the UK in September last year.
Iqbal is one of the first defendants to be extradited from Pakistan to the UK in the wake of improved relations between the two countries
Anthony Orchard, prosecuting, earlier told the court: ‘On Monday, 20 August 2001, shortly after 1pm in the afternoon, the defendant killed his wife.
‘He strangled her to death. ‘After killing his wife he…fled the UK to Pakistan.
‘The police were made aware the following day and the deceased was found at the address.
‘A post-mortem examination confirmed strangulation.
‘In relation to bail, the defendant fled to Pakistan and a first incident warrant was issued for his arrest in 2005.
‘After that, enquiries were made with the Pakistani authorities, because there was no formal extradition treaty with them, and an extradition warrant was issued which was executed in Pakistan finally in December 2017.
‘The defendant was remanded in custody in Pakistan and our understanding is that since that time he has fought against his extradition.
‘He was extradited to the UK on 14th September this year and arrested on his arrival.’
Iqbal will stand trial at the Old Bailey on December 5 this year.
France’s most popular twins, who became popular for hosting a TV science and science-fiction show in the 1980s on a spaceship set have died of covid six days apart.
The Bogdanoff brothers were synonymous for years with popular science and were celebrities in France during their lifetime.
They died of coronavirus within days of each other in a hospital with one dying on 28 December, 2021 while his brother died on Monday, January 3, 2022
Aged 72, the brothers had not been vaccinated against Covid-19 because they were convinced their healthy lifestyle would protect them but in Mid- December they were admitted to hospital.
Family friend Pierre-Jean Chalençon said they had left the illness to last too long in their bodies before seeking hospital treatment, deciding it was similar to flu.
“People have said they were anti-vaxxers but they absolutely weren’t,” he told BFMTV.
“Several friends told them to get themselves vaccinated but they felt because of their lifestyle and their [lack of] comorbidity, they weren’t at risk of Covid.”
According to Le Monde, The Bogdanoff brothers were icons from a kitsch period of culture as their programme on TF1 which ran for years was seen in some ways as highlighting cutting-edge technology, but when the TV channel went private in 1987, they were dropped.
During the 1990s their facial features changed dramatically, leaving them with odd-looking chins, lips and cheek-bones with some people saying they looked like aliens.
“We are proud of having faces like extra-terrestrials,” they once said.
Grichka Bogdanoff denied surgery claims saying that they never had “what people call cosmetic surgery”, insisting that he and his brother were experimental by nature and had tried out very advanced technology.
But by their friend, former education minister Luc Ferry, said they had both had Botox injections.
The brothers later started academic work, writing doctoral theses in mathematics and theoretical physics .
Ridiculed by sections of French media, they won a 2014 court case for defamation before losing a lawsuit against the French National Centre for Scientific Research.
Asked why they had chosen not to have the Covid vaccines if they were not themselves anti-vaxxers, Luc Ferry said on Monday, January 3: “Like Igor, Grichka wasn’t antivax, he was just antivax for himself.
“They were both athletic, with not an inch of fat, and they thought the vaccine was more dangerous than the virus.”
North Korea has fired an unidentified projectile into the sea, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).
The Japanese coast guard, which first reported the missile launch, said it could potentially be a ballistic missile, but they haven’t yet confirmed it.
Japan’s defence minister, Nobuo Kishi said the suspected ballistic missile had flown about 500 km (310 miles), according to a Reuters report.
Under UN sanctions, North Korea is prohibited from ballistic and nuclear weapons tests.
With the new year just 5 days gone, this would be the first missile launch carried by Pyongyang this year.
“South Korean and US intelligence are closely analysing for further detail,” the JCS said in a statement.
In 2017, North Korea tested the Hwasong-15, a missile that peaked at an estimated altitude of 4,500km, putting US military bases on the Pacific island of Guam well within striking distance.
The launch comes days after Kim said during a key end-of-year meeting of North Korea’s ruling party that Pyongyang would continue to strengthen its defence capabilities due to an increasingly unstable military environment on the Korean peninsula
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida called the latest launch “very regrettable,” pointing to North Korea’s repeated testing of missiles since 2021.
In 2021, North Korea continued the advancement of its weapons programme, testing a new hypersonic missile, as well as a train-based ballistic missile and a new long-range cruise missile.
The tests come as Pyongyang struggles with food shortages due to a coronavirus blockade that has affected its economy.
At the end-of-year meeting, Kim said the country was facing a “great life-and-death struggle”, adding that increasing development and improving people’s living standards were among this year’s goals.
Chelsea are reportedly set to fine Romelu Lukaku £417,000 over his controversial Sky Italy interview that he’s unhappy at the club.
Lukaku, 28, was dropped by Tuchel for the Blues’ clash with Liverpool on Sunday after hitting out at his manager and flirting with former club Inter Milan in a bombshell interview last week.
The Belgium star first revealed he is ‘unhappy’ with his current situation at Stamford Bridge, before also suggesting he did not want to leave Inter and return to Chelsea in the first place.
Tuchel has since confirmed an apology has been made, but Italian outlet La Repubblica claims Lukaku will still receive a €500,000 (£417,000) fine over the interview.
It will not be the first time a club has thrown the book at him, as he was also fined £400,000 by Manchester United for failing to report for training in 2019.
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Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Tuchel insisted his £97.5million striker is keen to ‘clear up the mess’ he has created over the past week.
‘For me its important to understand the overall picture we have. Does it reflect (Lukaku’s) overall mood and attitude? Absolutely clear no,’ the Chelsea head coach said.
‘Was the intention to create trouble or leave the club, put pressure on the coach? Absolutely not.
‘Of course, he should have known better, that’s why we have to clean it and clear the air together.
‘We need to be adult enough and mature enough to accept an apology and have a clear head to prepare the upcoming matches.
‘He is very aware of what happened and what he created and he feels the responsibility to clean the mess up – maybe we will have a bit of smell from it of course, but he can handle it and he has no other choice.’
A female judge is under investigation after CCTV appears to have allegedly shown her kissing a killer she recently convicted.
Mariel Suarez was allegedly filmed locking lips with cop killer Cristian Bustos in the Argentinian prison where he has just started a life sentence.
The judge was the only one of a panel of judges who argued that Bustos should escape a life sentence when they convicted him last month.
But Suarez denies any intimacy took place and insists she was only visiting the murderer to ask questions for a book she is writing.
Court officials have since confirmed that a probe has been launched into security footage which shows the judge leaning forward towards the “highly dangerous” inmate with her back to the camera.
Argentinian media outlets have claimed the clip is of the unlikely couple kissing.
Neither the judge or the inmate were officially named in a court statement confirming the investigation, but their names leaked out in local press in Argentina following the December 29 prison visit.
Bustos is being held at a jail in the southern Argentinian city of Trelew over the 2009 killing in nearby Corcovado of police officer Leandro Roberts.
Roberts was shot dead and a colleague injured after going to arrest Bustos at his home following an earlier prison escape.
He was wanted over the murder of his infant stepson who was beaten to death in a horrendous crime that led to a separate murder conviction and 20-year prison sentence.
A brother of the fugitive died in the gunfight that occurred when police tried to detain him.
Bustos was convicted of murder and given a life sentence for shooting Roberts after admitting his guilt during a trial.
Today/yesterday (TUE) Suarez told Argentinian news website Todo Noticias there was no kiss during the prison visit, adding: “We were talking and felt we were being listened to. They were secret talks and there were people walking nearby and a camera and that’s why we talked close-up.”
She added: “I don’t have any sentimental relationship with this person. I’m writing a book on him. Our relationship is a working relationship.
“I believed the version of events he gave at his trial and that’s why I voted for a lesser punishment than life imprisonment.”
The probe into the judge is being led by the Superior Court of Chubut, which said in a statement: “The judge allegedly incurred in inadequate behaviour.
“The investigation will seek to determine the circumstances of the meeting between that judge and an inmate who is regarded as highly dangerous and was recently convicted following a trial in the city of Esquel.
“It will also look at how long the meeting lasted and its characteristics, with a view to confirming whether there have been violations of the Law of Public Ethics and internal judicial authority regulations.”
President of France, Emmanuel Macron has warned he intends to make life difficult for people in France who have not been vaccinated against Covid-19.
Macron says he wants to limit access to public space and access to activities “as much as possible” for the unvaccinated.
In his interview with Le Parisien on Tuesday, January 4, Macron, who is yet to announce if he will run for a second term in April’s presidential elections said that while he would not “vaccinate by force”, he hoped to encourage people to get jabbed by “limiting as much as possible their access to activities in social life”.
“I won’t send [unvaccinated people] to prison. So we need to tell them, from 15 January, you will no longer be able to go to the restaurant. You will no longer be able to go for a coffee, you will no longer be able to go to the theatre. You will no longer be able to go to the cinema.”
“I really want to hassle them, and we will continue to do this – to the end,” he told France’s Le Parisien newspaper.
However, his opponents say the strong language he used in the interview should not come from a president.
“No health emergency justifies such words,” said Bruno Retailleau, Senate leader of the right-wing Republicans, quoted by AFP.
“Emmanuel Macron says he has learned to love the French, but it seems he especially likes to despise them.”
Far-right leader Marine le Pen tweeted: “A president shouldn’t say that… Emmanuel Macron is unworthy of his office.”
Meanwhile leftist politician Jean-Luc Melenchon described the remarks as an “astonishing confession”.
“It is clear, the vaccination pass is a collective punishment against individual freedom,” he added.
Macron’s comments came as a bill on Covid passes was delayed by opposition MPs working against the government.
A debate in parliament on the bill, which would ban the unvaccinated from much of public life, was prevented from continuing after midnight on Tuesday.
The legislation was expected to be approved in a vote this week, but it has angered vaccine opponents and several French MPs have said they have received death threats over the issue.
France has one of the highest Covid vaccination rates in the EU, with more than 90% of the adult population double-jabbed.
For months France has asked people to show either proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test to access many public venues.
On Tuesday, the country reported 271,686 new daily Covid cases – the highest number of daily infections recorded in France since the start of the pandemic.
Elizabeth Anne Holmes, founder and chief executive of Theranos, a now-defunct health technology company that soared in valuation after the company claimed to have revolutionized blood testing by developing testing methods that could use surprisingly small volumes of blood, was found guilty of fraud and conspiracy on Monday January 3.
Holmes who was the the subject of an HBO documentary as well as a forthcoming Hulu miniseries starring Amanda Seyfried, was charged with 11 counts of fraud for claims made to investors and patients of her Silicon Valley blood-testing company, Theranos.
She was guilty of four of the 11 charges she faced in her fraud trial. The former Silicon Valley darling was convicted of one count of conspiring to commit wire fraud against Theranos investors and three counts of fraud in connection to wire transfers.
The jurors found her not guilty on four other counts, three of which related to defrauding patients, and failed to reach a verdict on three others.
Reporters in the courtroom said Holmes, 37, maintained a stoic demeanor as the judge read the verdict, then she gave her partner, parents and two friends hugs before leaving the room. Her attorneys are expected to appeal the decision.
Each count carries a penalty of hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines and a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison, which she would likely serve concurrently.
This is coming after jurors told Judge Edward Davila on Monday, seven days after they began deliberations, that they were deadlocked on three of the 11 counts Holmes was facing for wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Davila, who sits on the federal court in the Northern District of California, asked the jurors to continue deliberating and said they should “not hesitate to reexamine your own views and change your opinion if you become persuaded that it is wrong.” Davila will likely declare a mistrial on the three undecided charges.
Holmes first rose to prominence in 2014 as the founder and CEO of healthcare start-up Theranos, which duped investors out of millions by falsely purporting that its technology could run hundreds of medical tests using just a few drops of blood.
In 2015, Wall Street Journal journalist John Carreyrou reported that the machine Holmes was selling — dubbed The Edison — did not actually work, and that the company was using outside technology and other subterfuge to fake positive test results. Federal authorities then investigated Holmes, indicting her in 2018.
During her trial, Holmes’ defense attorneys sought to portray her as naïve, saying she didn’t mean to defraud investors. According to ABC, Holmes’ attorney Kevin Downey said Holmes never cashed out any stock even as the company’s fortunes tumbled.
But prosecutors said Holmes knew exactly what she was doing. “The person on trial is 37 years old,” U.S. Attorney John Bostic said in his closing arguments, The Wall Street Journal reports. “That is certainly old enough to know the difference between right and wrong.”
In addition to accusations of misleading patients and physicians about the efficacy of Theranos’ blood tests, Holmes was also accused of lying to investors in 2015, telling them that Theranos would generate $1 billion in revenue when she allegedly knew the company would only generate a few hundred thousand dollars that year.
Kane Tanaka, the world’s oldest living person has turned 119.
Tanaka, from Japan, was born in 1903, and married a rice shop owner at the age of 19. She worked in the family store until she was 103.
Tanaka who has seen two world wars, survived the 1918 Spanish flu, seen 49 Summer and Winter Olympic Games.
She reached the 119 year milestone on Sunday, January 2, according to a Twitter post published by her great-granddaughter, Junko Tanaka.
“Great achievement. (Kane Tanaka) reached 119 years of age,” Junko tweeted, with a photograph of her great-grandmother, whom she saw in December.
“I hope you’ll continue to live life cheerfully and to the fullest.” she added 1
Junko also shared a photo on Twitter of two commemorative Coca-Cola bottles that Tanaka was given for her birthday, the labels personalized with her name and age.
“Birthday gift 1: Introducing the presents received for Kane’s birthday. Really appreciate this gift. Coca-Cola company made a commemorative birthday bottle. It seems (Kane) is still drinking Coca-Cola as usual,” Junko tweeted.
“I might be biased because I’m related to her but I think it’s kind of amazing — I wanted to share that with the world and for people to feel inspired and to feel her joy,” Junko said.
She lives in a nursing home in Fukuoka prefecture. Her family said she keeps her mind and body engaged by doing math, and remaining curious.
In 2019 she was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s oldest living person.
Ferran Torres has tested positive for Covid-19 just hours after being unveiled by Barcelona following a £55m signing from Manchester City.
The 21-year-old Spain international has signed a five-and-a-half-year contract, which is understood to be worth an initial £46.7million, and a further £8.5m in potential add-ons. Barca have set a €1billion (£841million) buyout clause into the deal.
Torres had hoped to be back in action for the Spanish Super Cup semi-final against Real Madrid on January 12, but his debut could be delayed after the Catalan club announced he had tested positive for Covid-19 along with team-mate Pedri.
A Barca statement on Monday evening read: ‘Pedri and Ferran Torres have tested positive for Covid-19. The players are in good health and are isolated at home.’
Torres was presented at the Nou Camp on Monday morning and spoke of having his focus set firmly on taking LaLiga giants back to their former glories.
‘I am facing this challenge with ambition, humility, and a lot of desire,’ he said.
‘When I left Manchester City I had the idea of coming back to LaLiga and Barca showed an interest. I am an ambitious player and I like a challenge. I want to take Barca back to where it belongs.’
Torres signed for City from Valencia in the summer of 2020 for £20.9m, but spent just 16 months at the Etihad Stadium, scoring 16 goals in 43 appearances in all competitions.
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested two fleeing suspects, Farouk Mohammed and Jamiu Kasali, who murdered Pastor Babatunde Dada of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG on 6th Avenue, Festac Town.
The suspects, who claimed to be upcoming musicians, stabbed the 46-year-old pastor to death on December 2, 2021, and fled with his bag containing some money.
It was gathered that the suspects had approached the unsuspecting pastor on the pretext of being strangers in Lagos who had no place to stay.
The deceased lodged them in a room in the church which also served as his residence only to be attacked at about 12 noon the next day and abandoned in the pool of his blood to die.
It was further gathered that the suspects attended church service the Sunday before the incident, and also came out during an altar call to ‘surrender their lives to Jesus’
The Commissioner of Police in Lagos, AIG Hakeem Odumosu, who confirmed the arrest, disclosed that Mohammed was tracked to Ilorin, Kwara State, while his partner in crime, Kasali, was apprehended in Festac Town, Lagos.
In an interview published by Vanguard, Kasali, said, “On the day we struck, the Pastor came to Church in morning, gave us money for food and left. Later, he came in with a bag containing money,”
“Few hours before then, Farouk got a telephone call from his mother, urging him to come home quickly that she was sick. We were contemplating on how he would get money to take his mother to the hospital when the Pastor walked in with the bag containing money.
“We followed him upstairs, hit him with a plank, before stabbing him with a broken bottle in the neck. He fell down. We grabbed the bag and left the house.
On his part, Mohammed, 15, said he lied to his parents that he was coming to Lagos for a show, being an incoming Musician.
“I lied to my mother that I would get at least, N200,000 from the show. We are upcoming musicians. We have been in the industry for three years. When things were not going on as planned, we decided to do something else , in order to invest in our music industry. My stage name is Zealight while Kasali’s J Fresh,” he said.
“Our mission in Lagos was to look for where to perform. But that plan changed immediately we saw Pastor with the bag containing money.” he added.
Meanwhile, Odumosu said the exhibits used to commit the act have been recovered, adding that the suspects would be charged to court.
Nigerian lady based in Vienna, Austria, Susan Edeh, has accused a pastor of Omega Fire Ministries, Jesse, of brutalising her for asking him to pay back a loan she gave to him to pay church rent.
According to SaharaReporters, the lady said Jesse had reached out to her to support him with the payment of church rent to avoid eviction.
Susan, who is also a member of the church founded by Apostle JohnsonSuleman, said she had agreed to support and took a loan from her bank for the purpose.
The lady said the pastor had promised to pay back the loan after the church’s next service but failed to keep to the promise after five years.
According to her, each time she asked Jesse for the money, the pastor usually ended up abusing and also inflicting bodily harm on her.
Susan said that on Sunday she visited him again in the church to ask about the loan as the bank was already pressuring her but that the Omega Fire Ministry pastor threw a metal microphone and attacked her while he also ordered church members to beat up.
The pastor and other members thereafter restricted Susan’s daughter and husband from contacting the police by seizing their phones after the assault, SaharaReporters gathered.
A relation of the victim called on Apostle Suleman to ensure justice was served on the matter.
“She has lost a lot of blood in ITU due to the harm done to her.
“We want the General Overseer (Apostle Suleman) to investigate this abuse and attempted murder with the intention to cover the debt, while police should prosecute Pastor Jesse and everyone involved,” he said.
A mayor in Northern Niger has been arrested after 200kg of cocaine worth around $8.7 million, was found in his official car.
Sources told Reuters that the mayor and his driver, who were in the vehicle at the time, were arrested with 199 bricks of cocaine at a checkpoint on the road heading north out of the desert trading hub of Agadez on Sunday January 2.
A statement from Niger’s Central Office for the Repression of Illicit Drug Trafficking (OCRTIS) confirmed that there had been a record seizure of more than 200 kg of cocaine in Agadez, but did not give details.
This is coming after 17 tonnes of cannabis resin worth around $37 million were seized in the West African country last May.
The ban on Twitter operation in the country may soon be lifted as the social media giant has reportedly met six conditions imposed on it by the Nigerian government.
The Nation reported that the Technical Committee raised by the government to resolve the impasse between the two parties is fine-tuning the offers by the micro blogger before making a final recommendation to President Muhammadu Buhari.
It was also reported that though the President has agreed in principle that Twitter’s social networking operation be restored in Nigeria, he is awaiting the report of the committee to lift the ban it imposed on Twitter on June 4, last year.
There are also speculation that the federal government might amend the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) Act to include Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and other social media platforms.
Some of the conditions Twitter agreed to include;
Open an office in Nigeria
Have a country representative
Register with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC)/get National Broadcasting Commission’s licence
Payment of fair taxes
Sensitive to national security and cohesion. It must not undermine the nation’s security
Train Nigerian IT personnel and strategic intelligence officers on how to report twitter abuse /infractions noticed by the government.
A source told the publication;
“From the records, Twitter has finally met six conditions set by the Federal Government for the lifting of the ban on its service in Nigeria as at the close of business in 2021.
“The operation of Twitter will now be fully regulated, including opening of office and deployment of a Country Representative. We can now hold an officer responsible for any infraction.
“Twitter only requested that the Federal Government should allow it to open the office in 2022 because there was no provision for it in its last year’s budget. Since we are in a new year, we are expecting that the office will take off soon.
“With payment of taxes, we are hopeful that the government will earn enhanced revenue from Twitter. This ban has helped to correct the lapses of the past. For instance, Twitter has been raking huge cash from Nigeria without legal backing and compliance with our revenue laws.
“Although it was alleged that Nigerians have lost over N6billion to the ban but the Federal Government has lost much more in revenue.
“In spite of recourse to VPN by some users in Nigeria, Twitter revenue slumped considerably because this alternative does not fetch income to it.
“Now, the era of impunity is gone. Twitter must register with CAC and operate in Nigeria as a business concern which it is in other parts of the world.”
Apple Inc has become the first ever public company to reach $3 trillion in market value after the stock rallied 3% on Monday, Jan. 3, 2022.
On the first day of trading in 2022, the Silicon Valley company’s shares hit a record of $182.88 around mid-day.
The tech giant’s rise to a $3 trillion market cap, which is based on its stock price, comes less than two years after its market cap hit $2 trillion.
Apple’s rise to $3 trillion comes on the back of the incredible success of its iPhone line, which has spawned accessories like the Apple Watch and AirPods, not to mention services like AppleCare, the App Store, Apple Music+, and Apple TV+.
“It’s a fantastic accomplishment and certainly worthy to be celebrated,” said Jake Dollarhide, chief executive officer of Longbow Asset Management in Tulsa, Oklahoma. “It just shows you how far Apple has come, and how dominant it is seen as in the majority of investors’ eyes.”
Apple shared the $2 trillion market value club with Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O), which is now worth about $2.5 trillion. Alphabet (GOOGL.O), Amazon.com Inc and Tesla (TSLA.O) have market value above $1 trillion.
The Malaysian government has now unveiled the world’s second-tallest building.
The new Merdeka 118 skyscraper, located in Kuala Lumpur, is set to open officially by the end of 2022 and has replaced the 2,073ft- (632m) high Shanghai Tower as the world’s second-tallest tower.
When it opens, Merdeka 118, standing at 2,227ft tall will feature an observation deck, a Park Hyatt hotel, and rentable office spaces .
The building, second only to Dubai’s Burj Khalifa in terms of height has now reached its maximum height and it’s a sight to behold, as pictures show.
With the completion of the spire at its tip the skyscraper is a staggering 2,227ft (678.9m) tall meaning it’s more than double the height of London’s Shard, which is 1,017ft (310m) high.
Merdeka 118, which is officially classed as a ‘megatall’ skyscraper, was designed to overlook a significant historical landmark in Kuala Lumpur – Stadium Merdeka, the site of the declaration of independence of the country in 1957.
The sleek exterior of the tower was designed by the Australian firm Fender Katsalidis Architects, and is made up of triangular glass panels, inspired by shapes ‘found in traditional Malaysian arts and crafts’.
A 24-year-old man identified as Chisom Johnchris Ezeh, has died after he was allegedly shot by unknown gunmen in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra state.
It was gathered that the the deceased who came home for the Christmas holidays was shot along Uga Ezinifite road, on December 26 and died the following day.
He will be laid to rest in his hometown, Umudieleke Umuoru in Uga on January 6, 2022.
“They brought him down from his car in the hold up and shot him. It’s probably a gang war, or a revenge assassination” one Kelechi Obi wrote on Facebook.
“God knows the best, but your demise is painful! Late Chisom Johnchris Ezeh who his sudden painful death occurred on Monday 27th December 2021, will be buried on Thursday 6th January 2022 @ his father’s compound in Umu-Umeabiaka Umudieleke Umuoru Uga, Aguata LGA, Anambra State.” one Umelechi wrote.
“May God console his parents, his siblings, his relations, his business associate, his friends and well wishers. May the soul of Late Chisom Johnchris Ezeh and souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace, Amen. It’s well, but he is too young to die. RIP “
Suspected Fulani herdsmen dressed in military uniform have reportedly invaded a farming community, 2nd Abumere Ojigbelu Camp in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State.
According to PUNCH the marauders invaded the community on Sunday, January 2, chased the villagers away and took over their farms, homes and properties. .
Some of the villagers who ran away for their lives and now taking refuge in other communities around Okada have cried out for help.
One of the victims, Mr Mattu Alli, from Taraba State while narrating his ordeal said he has been living in the community for over two decades.
“In fact, I’m short of words to explain what I witnessed yesterday in our community. I have been here for the past 20 years with my family farming. I was in my compound with my family having a good time when we started to hear the sound of guns and people running in different directions. I saw one Benin man running towards my compound and asked him where are you running to, he said herdsmen have taken over the village chasing people away from their houses,” he said.
“So, I called my wife and we had to run for our lives. I did not see my children every one of us ran in different directions. As I speak to you now, I don’t know the whereabouts of my wife and children.
‘Another thing that put fear into our minds is that one of the Fulani herdsmen pointed a gun at me and said look man, we are for peace, we would only kill you people if you refuse to allow our cows to feed on your crops. The yams you people have are for our cows, the cassava and all that you have are for our cows. If you people touch our cows we will kill everybody in this village. For us to be safe, we ran to the next community,’ Alli added.
Speaking in the same vein to journalists, another victim, Mr Sunday Chimen, said: ‘I have been in this village for over 20 years plus farming, what we saw yesterday surprised us. Suddenly, we heard gunshots and people running, we later discovered that Fulani herdsmen have taken over our community with sophisticated AK-47s and threatened to kill us if we didn’t cooperate with them. For us to be alive, we decided to run for our dear lives leaving our properties with our children running to an unknown place. We are calling on the security agencies to come to our aid as our community is under siege”.
On her part, Mrs Ngozi Chimen, said: ‘The nefarious activities of these Fulani herdsmen have been on in our community since last two months, they enter into our farms put our plantain to feed their cows, chase us away from farms. You dare not look at their faces. Some of them were in Army uniform. Just on the 2nd of January 2022, they invaded our village and chased everybody away. We need help, we need security, we need government assistance”, she stressed.”
The Edo State Police Command is yet to comment on the incident.
French scientists have detected another Covid variant in France.
The mutant strain has 46 mutations that are thought to make it both more vaccine-resistant and infectious than the original virus. Some 12 cases have been spotted so far near Marseille, with the first linked to travel to the African country, Cameroon.
According to reports, the strain was discovered by academics based at the IHU Mediterranee Infection on December 10, but has not spread rapidly since.
It is yet to be spotted in other countries or labelled a variant under investigation by the World Health Organization.
Professor Philippe Colson, who heads up the unit that discovered the strain, said: ‘We indeed have several cases of this new variant in the Marseille geographical area.
‘We named it “variant IHU”. Two new genomes have just been submitted.’
The variant has been dubbed B.1.640.2 and its discovery was announced in a paper posted on medRxiv.
Scientists say the lineage is genetically different to B.1.640, which is thought to have emerged in the Democratic Republic of Congo in September.
Tests show the strain carries the E484K mutation that is thought to make it more resistant to vaccines. It also has the N501Y mutation, first seen on the Alpha variant, that experts believe can make it more transmissible.
It is a distant relative of Omicron, which scientists say likely evolved from an older virus.
The scientists say in their paper: ‘These observations show once again the unpredictability of the emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants and their introduction from abroad.
‘And they exemplify the difficulty to control such introduction and subsequent spread.’
The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has announced a ban on the singing of Nigeria’s national anthem in schools across the Southeast.
IPOB’s Head of Directorate of State, Chika Edoziem, made the announcement as part of its action plan for the year 2022.
He also announced the ban on the use of “Fulani cows” during festive seasons in the Southeast.
Edoziem also said IPOB would campaign for the unconditional release of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
Edoziem said IPOB members should prepare for a worldwide protest with a focus on the British Embassy, Nigerian Embassy, Kenyan Embassy, and the United Nations.
A statement signed by Edoziem and IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful, reads: “The following are some of the programs and actions which the leadership will vigorously pursue in 2022.
“These are the ones we can make public for now. Others will be made known at the appropriate time.
“Worldwide campaign for the unconditional release of Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu (A Prisoner of Conscience). The Campaign will be called THE PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE CAMPAIGN. In furtherance of this CAMPAIGN, all IPOB family members, Biafrans and friends of Biafra are hereby urged to change their profile pictures on social media with our official campaign poster.
“Secondly all IPOB families worldwide are hereby directed to activate the earlier instruction passed down to them. We shall embark on a worldwide protest in cities and capitals around the world. The focus of our protest shall be British Embassies, the British Parliament, 10 downing street, the Kenyan Embassies, the Zoo Nigerian Embassies and International Organizations like the UN, the EU, Amnesty International and Media houses.”
The group said a new department known as the Education Department would be created.
IPOB said the department would be saddled with the responsibility of teaching Igbo history in primary and secondary schools.
The statement added: “The DOS will be creating a new department in IPOB to add to those already existing under the Directorate of State. The department will be designated as IPOB EDUCATION DEPARTMENT. Primary responsibility is to teach our history, language, tradition and culture to our children. We have about three books that will be published this new year in furtherance of this. After the head of this department is made public, Biafran writers will be called upon to bring forward books and educational materials to be published for our children in primary and secondary schools.
“Beginning from tonight, no more Nigerian National Anthems in all Schools in Biafraland. Our Children must no longer be reminded daily that they are under oppression by singing the national anthem of the oppressor. School authorities and proprietors have a responsibility to teach our children our national anthem. The Biafran National Anthem.
“The ban placed on Fulani cows will take effect in April 2022. Effective this month Fulani cows will not be used for any social or ceremonial events and festivals in Biafraland. Our native cows will be used instead for these events Traditional Custodians of our Culture, the Clergy and Town Unions must ensure that this message gets to the grassroots. We cannot continue to eat and bring cause and damnation upon our land and upon ourselves by consuming cows that were used for bestiality.”
Police have shut down an app in India that puts up Muslim women for sale.
It comes after two Indian states registered reports after an app shared photos of more than 100 Muslim women saying they were on “sale”.
The police have now arrested the developers of the app and Twitter handles that shared the images and content.
The open source app known as Bulli Bai – was hosted on web platform GitHub, which has also been taken down.
Many of the women whose photos were uploaded on the Bulli Bai app tweeted over the weekend that they felt “traumatised” and “horrified”.
The new development comes after an app and website called “Sulli Deals” created profiles of more than 80 Muslim women – using photos they uploaded online – and described them as “deals of the day” back in July 2021.
Police say that in both cases, there was no real sale of any kind – but the purpose of the app and twitter advert was just to degrade and humiliate Muslim women by sharing their personal images.
Sulli is a derogatory Hindi slang term right-wing Hindu trolls use for Muslim women, and “bulli” is also pejorative.
Journalist Ismat Ara, whose name and photo also appeared on the Bulli Bai app, filed a police complaint on new year’s day in Delhi.
“It is indeed disappointing to see the impunity with which such hate-mongers continue to target Muslims women, without fear of any sanction whatsoever,” she wrote in her complaint.
A 2018 Amnesty International report on online harassment in India showed that the more vocal a woman was, the more likely she was to be targeted – the scale of this increased for women from religious minorities and disadvantaged castes.
Thomas Tuchel will hold crisis talks with Romelu Lukaku today after the Chelsea boss axed the club’s record-signing for Sunday’s 2 – 2 draw against Liverpool.
Lukaku was completely omitted from the game over his unauthorized interview with Sky Sport Italy in which he confessed to being unhappy at Chelsea.
Tuchel will now have a meeting with his striker during which he will decide whether he is recalled for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup crunch against Tottenham.
When asked about the summit, Tuchel said: ‘First we need to evaluate the situation, not listen to media or pressure, understand what he said and why he said it.
‘Then we will take the decision if he is good to go for Wednesday.’
Following the game at Stamford Bridge that saw Chelsea share the spoils with Liverpool, former Blues striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was adamant Lukaku needed to find a way back into the side.
‘There has to be a way back as he’s an asset at the club,’ Hasselbaink said on Sky Sports.
‘They’ve spent money, I don’t see a club giving them the same money back.
‘So it’s an investment and you need to find a way back with Lukaku and he has to understand that these are the terms and way forward.
‘You’ve come in as the main striker but you need to show you’re the main striker and show you’re in line with all the others.’
Hasselbaink’s co-pundit Graeme Souness said Lukaku needed to apologise ‘to everybody in the stadium’ on Sunday.
‘Firstly to his manager and his team-mates,’ he added. ‘To everyone else at Chelsea and all the supporters.
‘He needs to hold his hands up and say for whatever reason I wasn’t in the right place and made a mistake. I apologise unreservedly.
‘He’s lit a fire and one only he can put out.He’s to find a way of saying sorry I got it wrong.’
Iranian backed hackers have attacked the cyberspace of Israel.
On Monday, January 3, Israel’s Jerusalem Post newspaper said its website had been hacked, in what it said was an apparent threat to the country.
Instead of displaying a main news page, the hackers showed an illustration that appeared to remind Israelites of top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani, who was assassinated in a Donald Trump ordered drone strike in Iraq on this day in 2020.
The homepage illustration showed a bullet-shaped object shooting out of a red ring worn on a finger, an apparent reference to a distinctive ring Soleimani used to wear while he was alive.
The Jerusalem Post, a very popular English-language daily news website, tweeted that it was working to resolve the issue.
“We are aware of the apparent hacking of our website, alongside a direct threat (to) Israel,” it said.
The mobile app of the Jerusalem Post did not appear to be affected, and other major Israeli news websites were working normally as at press time.
Iran and Israel are eternal enemies and in recent months Israel has warned Iranians that all options are on the table if the Islamic nation doesn’t curb its nuclear program.
Chelsea lost a fully deserved three points against Liverpool on Sunday, January 2, 2022 as they played out an entertaining 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge.
AFCON bound players, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah’s early strikes were cancelled out by Chelsea’s Mateo Kovacic and Christian Pulisic just before half-time, with the first half full of missed chances and excitement.
In the second-half, Chelsea stepped up the pressure but were unable to score the third goal despite having lots of possession. Liverpool had few opportunities to win the match in the second half too, but the away team devoid of coach Jurgen Klopp due to COVID-19 will be happy to go back home with a draw .
With the result, Manchester City now lead the Premier League table by 10 points.
Thomas Tuchel’s side will stay above Liverpool by a point for the time being though Jurgen Klopp’s side do have a game in hand over Chelsea in the Premier League.
See more photos of the match and the premier league table below.
Rapper Kanye West was spotted out on a date with actress Julia Fox in Miami on January 1.
Celebrating the new year in style, the pair shared a candlelit dinner at the celeb-hotspot Carbone. In one snap, while the two are entering the establishment, Kanye gazes intently at Julia, who wears a huge smile and appears to be hanging on his every word.
Sources told TMZ that the date was “nothing serious,” and that Ye is simply trying to have fun amid his ongoing divorce from Kim Kardashian.
Kanye and Julia’s date night comes a week after the “Famous” hitmaker dropped $4.5 million to buy the house directly across the street from his estranged wife, Kim Kardashian. It was reported he paid $420,000 over the asking price and is planning to tear it down to the studs to build his own brand-new abode.
Kim Kardashian filed to be declared legally single amid her divorce proceedings with West on Dec. 10. The Skims founder who has since moved on with “Saturday Night Live” star Pete Davidson, shares four kids with West: North, 8, Saint, 6, Chicago, 3, and Psalm, 2.
Sudan’s Prime Minister, Abdalla Hamdok has resigned after another mass protests rocked the capital Khartoum.
Thousands reportedly marched against a recent deal he had done to share power with the army, who staged a coup in October. Taking to the streets, chanting “power to the people”, protesters called for a return to full civilian rule. But military forces staged another violent crackdown, leaving two people dead.
Mr Hamdok’s decision to quit leaves the army in full control of the government.
In a televised address, Mr Hamdok said the country was at a “dangerous turning point that threatens its whole survival”.
He said he had tried his best to stop the country from “sliding towards disaster”, but that “despite everything that has been done to reach a consensus… it has not happened”.
Civilian and military leaders had made an uneasy power-sharing agreement after the army staged a coup on 25 October and initially placed Prime Minister Hamdok under house arrest.
Under the agreement reached with Mr Hamdok in November, the reinstated prime minister was supposed to lead a cabinet of technocrats until elections were held. But it was unclear how much power the new civilian government would have, and protesters said they did not trust the military.
Thousands of people were on the streets of the capital Khartoum and the city of Omdurman on Sunday, chanting and calling on the military to leave politics alone.
Activists have said 2022 will be “the year of the continuation of the resistance”.
More than 50 people have been killed at protests since the coup, including at least two on Sunday, according to the pro-democracy Sudan Central Doctors’ Committee.
Coup leader Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has defended last October’s coup, saying the army had acted to prevent a civil war that was threatening to erupt. He says Sudan is still committed to the transition to civilian rule, with elections planned for July 2023.
Thousands of women accused of witchcraft in the 16th-18th centuries which led to their executions are set to receive official apology and pardons from the Scottish government.
The people accused of witchcraft were mostly women and were leveled with allegations from cursing the king’s ships, to shape-shifting into animals and birds, or dancing with the devil, to a ‘satanic’ panic.
Now, three centuries after the Witchcraft Act was repealed, campaigners are on course to win pardons and official apologies for the estimated 3,837 people tried as witches, of which two-thirds were executed and burned.
This comes after a two-year campaign by the Witches of Scotland group, resulting in the passing of the member’s bill by the Scottish parliament to clear the names of those accused, according to a report by the Sunday Times.
The move follows a precedent by the Massachusetts House of Representatives in the US that proclaimed victims of the Salem witch trials innocent in 2001.
Scotland’s indefatigable pursuit of witches between 1563, when the Witchcraft Act was brought in, and 1736, when it was finally repealed, resulted in five “great Scottish witch-hunts” and a series of nationwide trials.
The earliest witch-hunts were sanctioned by James VI of Scotland, later James I of England and Ireland, who believed witches plotted against his Danish bride by summoning up storms to sink his ships. Among those accused in 1590 was Geillis Duncan who admitted under torture to meeting the devil to thwart the king’s ships.
Another accused person, Agnes Sampson, had confessed that 200 women witnessed the devil preach at North Berwick on Halloween where the king’s destruction was plotted.
Other well-known cases include Lilias Adie, from Torryburn, Fife, who was accused of casting a spell to cause a neighbour’s hangover; while Issobell Young, executed at Edinburgh Castle in 1629, was said to have shape-shifted into an owl and accused of having a coven.
As at then witchcraft was a capital crime, so the convicted were usually strangled to death then burned at the stake so as to leave no body to bury.
Many of the accused confessed under torture, which included sleep deprivation, the crushing and pulling out of fingernails, and pricking of the skin with needles and bodkins to see if the accused bled.
The Witches of Scotland website notes that signs associated with witchcraft – broomsticks, cauldrons, black cats and black pointed hats – were also associated with “alewives”, the name for women who brewed weak beer to combat poor water quality. The broomstick sign was to let people know beer was on sale, the cauldron to brew it, the cat to keep mice down, and the hat to distinguish them at market.
Claire Mitchell QC, who leads the Witches of Scotland campaign, said on Sunday, January 2, 2022 that it was seeking pardons, apologies and a national monument to the mainly female victims of the witch-hunts.
“Per capita, during the period between the 16th and 18th century, we [Scotland] executed five times as many people as elsewhere in Europe, the vast majority of them women,” she told the Sunday Times.
“To put that into perspective, in Salem 300 people were accused and 19 people were executed. We absolutely excelled at finding women to burn in Scotland. Those executed weren’t guilty, so they should be acquitted.”
