1 week after attack, 168 train passengers remain unreachable (Guardian)
One week after terrorists attacked a train in Kaduna State, the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), yesterday, said that 168 passengers are yet to be accounted for.
Last week Monday, terrorists first used explosives to immobilise the Kaduna-bound train before shooting at some of the passengers. They killed some and kidnapped many other passengers.
According to the corporation, its manifest showed there were 362 passengers on board the train. In its latest update, NRC confirmed the safety of 14 more passengers on board the train, bringing the total number of safe passengers to 186.
Of the remaining 176 passengers, eight have been confirmed dead, while the families of 22 passengers have formally declared them missing. This indicates that a total of 168 passengers are yet to be accounted for, including the 22 declared missing by their families. Read more
Grieving husband tackles Lagos hospital as wife dies during childbirth (Punch)
A telecommunications engineer, Chibuike Nwachukwu, has been thrown into mourning after his wife, Vivian, died during childbirth at the Medville Global Health Centre, in the Ago Palace Way area of Okota, Lagos State.
Chibuike, who demanded justice, accused the management of the hospital of negligence, which he said led to his wife’s death.
He also noted that the child his wife gave birth to through caesarean section at the hospital had been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Surulere.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the engineer’s wife started her antenatal in Anambra State, but later continued the session at the hospital when she came to Lagos. Read more
Lagos Assembly passes law enforcement training institute bill (Guardian)
Lagos State House of Assembly has passed a bill to establish a training institute for law enforcement officers in the state.
The bill was read for the third time and subsequently passed during the plenary.
The Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, who presided over the plenary yesterday, directed the Acting Clerk, Olalekan Onafeko, to send a clean copy of the bill to the governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for assent.
Shortly after the passage, the Majority Leader, Sanai Agunbiade and Chairman, House Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, Public Petitions, Victor Akande, addressed journalists. Read more
2023: Oshiomhole joins senatorial race (DailyTrust)
Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has declared his intention to represent the Edo North Senatorial district at the Senate.
Oshiomhole made the declaration during his 70th birthday at his country home in Iyamho, Etsako West local government of Edo state.
APC local government and ward chairmen had called on him to represent the district at the Senate
“I said until APC is fixed, you cannot talk of contesting election using the platform. I have been chairman of the party, I know the danger we face if we are not able to fix the party and this was completed and consummated on the 25th of March 2022, with the election of a new National Working Committee and National Executive Council under the able leadership of a former governor, a former minister and a current Senator, Adamu Abdulahi”. Read more
IGR: NYSC launches garment factory, bakery, others in Nasarawa (Punch)
The National Youth Service Corps has launched its North-Central Skill Acquisition Centre in Nasarawa State, primarily designed to boost Internally Generated Revenue for the state.
The inauguration which unfolded in Nasarawa on Monday included certain skill areas including garment factories, bakeries and water facilities, located in Keffi, Nasarawa state.
The garment factory is equipped with over 100 industrial sewing machines and other machinery needed for the production of high-quality kits to be supplied for use by corps members.
Delivering his inaugural speech, Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule thanked the Director-General of the NYSC, Major General Shuaibu Ibrahim for redefining and reinvigorating the NYSC as a whole. Read more
Police Arrest female fraudster defrauding Kano ATM users (DailyTrust)
Kano state police command has arrested a notorious female fraudster, Osasi Chinozom Juliet, 24, who specializes in defrauding people at ATM points in the metropolitan areas of the state.
The suspect, who was arrested in possession of 17 ATM cards of different banks, confessed to the crime.
According to her, she has ATM cards from almost all the banks in Kano, making it easy for her to swap the ATMs, confessing that she has withdrawn money from many people’s accounts after swapping their ATM cards.
Confirming the arrest, Public Relations Officer of the Command, SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, said the suspect was on their wanted list for fraud-related cases and she was arrested while they were on surveillance patrol.
“A team of Operation Puff Adder led by SP Daniel Itse Amah, Divisional Police Officer, Nassarawa Division while on surveillance patrol along Murtala Mohammed Way intercepted Osasi Chinozom Juliet, of Enugu Road, Sabon Gari Kano. Read more
Concerns as telecoms operators bar 75m unlinked SIMs (Guardian)
Amidst the confusion, telecommunications operators in the country, yesterday, heeded Federal Government’s directive to bar every unlinked Subscribers Identification Module (SIM) card with National Identification Number (NIN) on their various networks, in a bid to control insecurity, extortions and abductions.
The Federal Government through the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy had directed the operators to bar outgoing calls on all unlinked SIM cards in the country.
President Muhammadu Buhari, in December 2020, had ordered all phone lines to be linked to an identification number to curb rising incidents of abductions in the country.
Officials of some operators, who spoke with The Guardian, yesterday, confirmed receiving letters from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and have since commenced barring outgoing calls from all unlinked SIMs on their networks.
This is as concerns mount over the increase in activities of terrorists and kidnappers who get across to victims’ families to collect ransoms in millions of naira, despite the linking and verification of NINs to SIMs. Read more
Soludo Begins Supervision Of Cleanup Of Onitsha, Other LGAs In Anambra (DailyTrust)
The Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, on Saturday commenced the supervision of the clearing of waste from drainage systems in Onitsha metropolis and other local government areas of the state.
The governor, who arrived in Onitsha with members of his entourage, commenced the monitoring and supervision of works from the Obiano Park, Upper Iweka axis of Onitsha South, through Fegge, Ochanja market and Ochanja roundabout.
According to the governor, the exercise will last till today, Monday.
After flagging off the exercise, the governor said he would monitor the three-day waste evacuation and drainage cleaning in the four local government areas.
The local government areas are Onitsha North and South, Ogbaru and Idemili North LGAs. Read more
Wizkid’s fans troll Angelique Kidjo over Grammy win (Punch)
Wizkid’s fans were disappointed after the Nigerian Afrobeats star failed to win both of his nominations at the 2022 Grammy Awards.
Wizkid’s Essence was defeated by Arooj Aftab’s Mohabaat for the Best Global Music Performance award. Similarly, Made in Lagos, which was nominated for Best Global Music Album, lost to Angelique Kidjo’s Mother Nature.
While Wizkid was yet to make comments as regards the awards, his army of fans, also known as Wizkid Fc, had taken to Kidjo’s social media page to vent their anger.
Following this, the songstress had disabled the comments section on her Instagram celebration post. However, this did not deter fans who took to her previous posts to express their discontent about her success. Read more
John Travolta surprises UK supermarket shoppers with appearance in Morrisons (Independent)
John Travolta surprised supermarket customers after dropping into a local Morrisons.
Days after presenting Will Smith with his Best Actor award for King Richard at the Oscars, the Pulp Fiction star dropped into the Fakenham branch of the shop in Norfolk.
Pictures of the actor with staff members, including part-time security guard Gary Middleton, were shared online.
Middleton told Eastern Daily Press: “I didn’t even go up to him. He just came up to me and shook my hand. We had a really nice chat.”
He said that people began to get excited after cottoning onto Travolta’s presence, with the actor staying for an hour to talk with shoppers and staff members as well as having several photos taken.
Travolta, who is said to be in Fakenham for his new film Paradise City, also went to Wetherspoons pub, The Romany Rye, in Dereham.
Staff members confirmed his appearance, with customer Jamie Salter saying: “Meeting John Travolta was unreal; Dereham doesn’t usually play host to some of the most famous Hollywood stars on the planet. I feel extremely lucky to have met him as it certainly wasn’t what I expected to experience on a Thursday night out in Dereham.”
He continued: “I enjoy going to The Romany Rye often and never would have anticipated my night going this way.” Read more
Wolfgang Van Halen is ‘pretty damn grateful’ for his Grammy nod (MusicNews)
Wolfgang Van Halen is feeling “pretty damn grateful” for his first-ever Grammy nomination.
The son of late Van Halen axe-slayer Eddie Van Halen was shortlisted for Best Rock Song for his track ‘Distance’ about his late pop – which he released as Mammoth WVH – at the ceremony in Las Vegas on Sunday night (03.04.22).
The prize ended up going to Foo Fighters and their song ‘Waiting on a War’, but Wolfgang is happy to have even received the nod alongside some of his favourite artists.
In a typed-out message on Twitter, the 31-year-old rocker – who was joined by his mom Valerie Bertinelli and girlfriend Andraia Allsop on the red carpet at the MGM Grand Garden Arena – began: “We came, we saw, but we did NOT conquer and that’s ok!
I got to have a wonderful night with the two most important women in my world.
“Such an honor to be nominated for the first song I ever released on my own, in a category with artists I’ve looked up to my entire life. I don’t know if that’ll ever set in fully. (sic)”
Wolfgang noted that his father – who passed away after a lengthy battle with cancer in October 2020 – also didn’t win the first time he was nominated in 1985.
He continued: “Pop didn’t win the first time he was nominated too, so it looks like I’m following in his footsteps quite nicely.” Read more
C.W. McCall, Country singer famous for ‘Convoy’, dead at 93 (People)
Bill Fries, who was best known by his stage name C.W McCall, has reportedly died in Colorado due to cancer. He was 93.
His son Bill Fries III announced the death of his father, who had been in hospice care, on Friday. The Washington Post was the first to report the news.
The ’70s chart-topping country singer was famous for hits like “Convoy,” “Wolf Creek Pass,” and “Old Home Filler-Up an’ Keep on a-Truckin’ Cafe,” to name a few.
McCall was born Nov. 15, 1928, in Audubon, Iowa, as William Dake Fries Jr. Prior to his acclaimed music career, McCall worked as a creative director for an advertising agency in Nebraska. There, he created a Television campaign advertising Old Home Bread for the Metz Baking Company, which earned him a Clio Award. His stage name was inspired by the character of an outlaw truck driver featured in the commercial. Read more
Estelle Harris dies: ‘Seinfeld’s Estelle Costanza, ‘Toy Story’ franchise’s Mrs. Potato Head was 93 (Deadline)
Estelle Harris, who played George Costanza’s (Jason Alexander) mother Estelle on the iconic NBC sitcom Seinfeld, died Saturday evening of natural causes in Palm Desert, California, just weeks before her 94th birthday.
“It is with the greatest remorse and sadness to announce that Estelle Harris has passed on this evening at 6:25pm,” her son Glenn Harris, who held her as she drew her final breath, told Deadline. “Her kindness, passion, sensitivity, humor, empathy and love were practically unrivaled, and she will be terribly missed by all those who knew her.”
Born in New York City on April 4, 1928, Harris appeared on 27 episodes of Seinfeld between 1992 and 1998. (The character had been named Estelle before she landed the part.) She began pursuing acting at assorted amateur community theaters as a young mother, and went on to find incredible success, also featuring in such series as Futurama, The Looney Tunes Show, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, iCarly, ER, Mind of Mencia, Phil of the Future, Dave the Barbarian, Kim Possible, The Proud Family, House of Mouse, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Godzilla: The Series, The Wild Thornberrys, Hercules, Cybill, Living Single, Moesha, The Mask, Night Stand, Star Trek: Voyager, The Tick, Aladdin, Good Advice, Mad About You, Married… with Children and Night Court.
Harris is also known for voicing Mrs. Potato Head in three installments of Pixar’s Toy Story franchise (2, 3 and 4) and a number of additional shorts. Other film credits included Promoted, CBGB, Playing Mona Lisa, Dancing in September, What’s Cooking?, Lost & Found, My Giant, The Odd Couple II, Chairman of the Board, Out to Sea, Downhill Willie, Perfect Alibi, This Is My Life, Stand and Deliver, Once Upon a Time in America, Summerdog and Looking Up. Read more
‘It plunged me back to waiting for a period’: Annie Ernaux and Audrey Diwan on abortion film “Happening” (Guardian)
In a library, in France, in the 1960s, a young woman glances over her shoulder before opening a textbook to inspect a cross-section of a pregnant female body. A succession of nested U shapes show the way the uterus expands as the foetus grows. The foetus looks like a lima bean with legs. Someone comes; the young woman shields the book from view.
“Before you could ask questions on the internet, everything that happened inside the body was a mystery,” says Audrey Diwan, the director of the film “Happening”, in which this scene appears early on. “Something is taking place inside her body, her body is doing this work, but she doesn’t understand anything about it.”
Happening, which won the Golden Lion award for best film at the Venice film festival last year, is adapted from the searing 2000 autobiography L’Événement by Annie Ernaux, one of France’s most acclaimed authors. In it she recounts her illegal abortion in 1963. The young woman in the library, Anne, is a literature student from a working-class background; the unwanted pregnancy occurs just as the year is drawing to a close and she is studying for her exams. It jeopardises everything she – and by extension, her parents, who are supporting her unusual ambitions – has been working for. “I’m pregnant,” she says to one doctor she consults. “I want to continue my studies. It’s essential for me.” Read more
DC’s Blue Beetle movie casts Catwoman star Sharon Stone as villain (DigitalSpy)
DC’s Blue Beetle movie has added a new star who already has comic book movie experience to its cast, with Catwoman actress Sharon Stone coming on board in a villainous role.
The Wrap reports that Stone, who is also known for her roles in Basic Instinct and Casino, will be playing a new character named Victoria Kord, who has been created for this new movie.
Victoria is expected to be the wife of Ted Kord, who appears in the DC Comics as the second Blue Beetle.
In the comics, Ted is portrayed as an industrialist who owns KORD Industries, a business that he inherited from his father Thomas, and turns it from an R&D company into a vast scientific industry. As Blue Beetle, he later joins the Justice League.
This will be the latest big role for Stone, who is also appearing in season two of The Flight Attendant as Lisa Bowden, the mother of Kaley Cuoco’s character Cassie Bowden. She has also recently starred in Ratched and Murderville. Read more
Sam Smith planning a dancefloor filler comeback after 2 years out of action (Mirror)
Sam Smith fans should prepare to hit the dance floor as the chart topping singer is set to release new music with a dance anthem beat.
The 29-year-old singer is well known for making music that includes songs and ballads all about heartache and heartbreak.
But the star is expected to unleash an uplifting new song that will be more like a dance smash than a ballad slow burn and fans should be able to hear the new tune very soon.
According to reports, Sam is set to release their first new music in almost two years later this month with a single titled Love Me More. Read more
Promoters to unveil Joshua, Usyk rematch date, venue in two weeks (Guardian)
Promoters of the much-awaited world heavyweight boxing title rematch between champion, Oleksandr Usyk and the man he dethroned, Anthony Joshua, are expected to unveil the date and venue of the fight in two weeks’ time.
Three world titles will be at stake in the fight. According to dazn.com, Saudi Arabia has been touted as a likely venue for the fight with the Kingdom able to offer up a huge sum to the fighters. Saudi Arabia had been considered for last year’s planned bout between Joshua and Tyson Fury. Joshua last fought there in 2019 in his rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr.
Instead, Joshua fought his WBO mandatory Usyk when Fury was obliged to complete a trilogy rematch with Deontay Wilder. While Fury emerged victorious in October, Joshua lost his three belts – IBF, WBA and WBO – to Usyk in September.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Alexander Krassyuk said: “Within the next two weeks, we expect to finalise details. Read more
Palace loss ‘not good enough’ for Arsenal – Arteta (BBC)
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta apologised for his side’s performance in their surprise defeat at Crystal Palace and accepted it was not good enough for the north London club.
The visitors had gone into the game looking to move back into the top four and strengthen their hopes of Champions League football.
But they were second-best throughout at Selhurst Park as former Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira, now in charge of the Eagles, got one over his former side in some style.
“It is time to accept the criticism, put your hand up and apologise because this performance was not good enough for this club, but then react,” Arteta said. Read more
Finidi smiles again as Enyimba return to winning ways (Punch)
Enyimba gaffer Finidi George had a beam of satisfaction all over his face after his side defeated visiting Wikki Tourists 2-0 in Aba on Sunday, their first win in four games in the domestic topflight.
A debut goal by defender Abel James and striker Victor Mbaoma’s seventh of the campaign steered the People’s Elephant to victory on match-day 20.
Enyimba’s poor run had fans calling for Finidi’s removal, with some of them urging Plateau United manager Fidelis Ilechukwu to replace him after the latter led his side to a 1-1 stalemate against the three-time African champions in the first stanza of the league in Aba.
Finidi told www.npfl.ng that his side would now focus on sustaining the momentum after the win in Aba.
Arsenal news: Gunners set for £15m transfer boost as William Saliba sends warning (Mirror)
Arsenal could be set for a £15million boost to their transfer kitty ahead of another busy summer at the Emirates.
The Gunners are widely expected to continue their overhaul of Mikel Arteta’s squad when the summer transfer window opens despite laying out a record £150million last year. And two players could be heading for the exit door who could provide Arteta with a tidy boost to his transfer kitty to help fund improvements to his squad.
It comes as William Saliba has warned Arteta he won’t be satisfied being a benchwarmer when he returns to the club following his loan spell at Marseille. And Arteta has been sent another stark reminder of Arsenal’s need for a new striker this summer.
Mikel Arteta has been sent another stark reminder of Arsenal’s need to fork out on a top-class centre-forward in the summer transfer window. Read more
Guardiola mocks Champions League overthinker claim (DailyTrust)
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola joked he will field 12 players against Atletico Madrid in response to claims he overthinks Champions League games.
City host the Spanish champions in a quarter-final first leg tomorrow.
“In the Champions League I always overthink,” he said in a response that appeared both part serious and part light-hearted.
In last season’s final against Chelsea, Guardiola notably decided to start without a holding midfielder and his side were well below par in a 1-0 defeat.
But he said: “I always create new tactics and ideas – and tomorrow you will see a new one. Read more
Domenicali: Las Vegas GP addition does not dilute US market (PlanetF1)
Formula 1 president Stefano Domenicali is not concerned that holding three races in the United States will dilute the market.
Domenicali has made no secret about his willingness to shake-up the calendar in the coming seasons, and already he has backed that up by confirming that the Las Vegas Grand Prix will make its debut in 2023.
That means that Formula 1 is set to have three races on the 2023 calendar, with Las Vegas joining the Miami Grand Prix and the United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of The Americas.
To have two races in the same country is far from uncommon in Formula 1, but to have three in a growing market like the United States, which Formula 1 wants to exploit, is that too many? Read more
Van Dijk vows to give Van Gaal unforgettable World Cup (DailyTrust)
Netherlands captain, Virgil van Dijk, says he wants to give coach Louis van Gaal “a World Cup to never forget” in Qatar later this year.
The ex-Manchester United boss (70) told Dutch TV on Sunday he was receiving treatment for prostate cancer.
Van Gaal did not tell his players during the recent international break, but Van Dijk said they were “going to be there for him.”
“I was also in shock last night,” he said on Monday.
Liverpool centre-back Van Dijk (30) added that, “I messaged him after the interview – it definitely says a lot about him. Read more