Actor, Chidi Mokeme, loses cousin to hit-and-run driver in Portland, sister to illness (Vanguard)
Nollywood actor, Chidi Mokeme, Thursday, announced the death of his cousin Nicole Mokeme who was killed by a hit-and-run driver in Portland and his sister Ebele who died at age 48 after battling illness.
Chidi who shared the heartbreaking news on his official Instagram page revealed that the Maine State Police and the Maine Department of Public Safety are in search of the hit-and-run vehicle described as a 2016 black BMW X3 SUV with Maine license plates 5614WM and is registered to 35yr old Raymond Lester of Portland.
The Police are also asking for the public’s help in locating the vehicle anyone with reliable information can call the Maine Police Department immediately.
He wrote,
“Gone Too Soon!
“It’s been a crazy couple of days as our family mourns the loss and transition of our angels. Read more
Court slams fine on Customs over arbitrary jack up of PAAR (Tribune)
THE Federal High Court Ikoyi has fined the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) over the Service failure to appear for a hearing on Wednesday, June 15, 2022, over alleged jack up of the Pre Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) arbitrarily.
Recall that an originating summon was filed by Kay Far freight forwarders forum on December 13, 2021, wherein the freight forwarders asked for an order on Pre Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) being allegedly arbitrarily issued by the NCS.
Kay Far freight forwarders had gone to court to determine whether the Nigeria Customs and Excise have the locus standi to arbitrarily increase and or jack up PAAR without following the provision act as contained in valuation Act 20 of 2003.
Kay Far had also prayed the court to determine whether the NCS after the issuance of PAAR which has been allegedly jacking up arbitrarily can still query the value issue on PAAR and still subject the importation to the reappraisal of duty.
Lagos inaugurates clinical boat for riverine communities (Punch)
The Lagos State Waterways Authority, in collaboration with the Lagos State Ministry of Health and the Lagos State Ambulance Services, on Wednesday, inaugurated a floating clinical boat as an initiative to extend ambulance services to riverine areas of the state.
The General Manager of LASWA, Mr Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, stated that the inauguration of the boat was an initiative to further add to the integrated system of emergency and rescue.
He said, “We have been gradually building this, and we have also seen how the safety on the waterways keeps improving every year.
“What we are currently planning to do is to have our own core emergency and response boats along with the Jet Ski and the soon-to-be-launched control room.” Read more
NBA calls for urgent reforms in Judiciary (Channels)
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) say there is an urgent need for fundamental reforms of the administration and governance of the Nigerian Judiciary.
In a press statement issued by the President, Olumide Akpata, the NBA describes as disheartening and unfortunate the conditions highlighted in the letter written by 14 Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (“CJN”), alleging various improprieties and administrative inefficiencies and the subsequent response of the CJN.
The NBA noted that the situation has not not only affected the judicial responsibilities of the justices but also impacted on the justice administration process.
While advocating for the independence and financial autonomy of the Judiciary, the NBA also noted that it is important that the Judiciary must not only be, but should be seen as being, above board and transparent in the management and allocation of the resources currently available to it. Read more
I’m going to Israel, Mount Everest next with new bike – London to Lagos biker, Kunle Adeyanju
(Punch)
Nigerian biker who travelled from London to Lagos by road, Kunle Adeyanju, has revealed that he is planning another trip from Lagos with a new bike.
The 44-year-old departed London on April 19 and arrived in Lagos after 41 days of travelling more than 13,000 kilometres across 13 countries and 42 cities.
Adeyanju, in an interview with Arise TV on Tuesday, stated that he plans to travel to Everest, Israel and Tibet by road after his daring last adventure.
He stated that his next trip will be from Lagos to Israel and then the autonomous Chinese region of Tibet with a new bike. Read more
Minister, CNS, others laud Navy efforts in Nigeria, Gulf of Guinea waters in 28 years (Guardian)
To mark the World Hydrography Day Celebration 2022 in Nigeria, the Minister of Transportation, Senator Gbemisola Saraki, has applauded the efforts of the Nigerian Navy to secure the Gulf of Guinea and Nigeria’s coastline for 28 years.
Gbemisola on Tuesday at the Admiralty Conference Centre, Naval Dockyard Limited Victoria Island, Lagos, said it is in five months in 28 years the country would mark zero attack within the coastal region.
In pursuit of this year’s hydrography day themed “Hydrography: Contributing to the United Nations Ocean Decade”, The Guardian reports have shown how the Nigerian Navy, during its survey exercise within Lagos waters intercepted a gang of drug traffickers with 250 bags of cannabis worth over N200m in June.
Gbemisola said: “today marks five months of zero attack. This is the first time in 28 years that there has been no attack. This is a feat being duly recognized by the International Maritime Bureau. I therefore congratulate the Federal Government, The Federal Ministry of Transportation and the Nigerian Navy and of course, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) on this remarkable achievement. I hope that the collaboration that made this possible will continue.” Read more
Troops intercept explosives and ammunitions in Cross River (Independent)
Troops of 13 Brigade operating under the command of 82 Division, Nigerian Army has intercepted a car ladened with assorted ammunition while en route Utanga village towards Obudu Mountains in Cross River State.
This was disclosed by Onyema Nwachukwu, Brigadier General Director of Army Public Relations in a statement made available to journalists in Enugu State on Wednesday.
He said “Troops deployed at forwarding Operating Base Amana attempted to stop the vehicle at their checkpoint but the driver evaded the checking and zoomed off. The drivers recalcitrance
compelled the troops to open fire on the tyres of the vehicle, thereby immobilizing it.
“A thorough search conducted on the vehicle revealed it was conveying 72 Improvised Explosive Device chargers, 121 Dynamite Liquid, 200 rounds of 7.62 mm (NATO) and 82 rounds of 7.62 mm (Special) ammunition. Other items recovered in the intercepted vehicle are military uniforms and kits. Read more
Ogun: Protest rocks Sagamu over cult-related killings (DailyTrust)
A protest was staged on Wednesday in Sagamu, Ogun State, by some youths over rising cult-related killings in the community.
Our correspondent reports that more than 24 people have been killed in renewed rival cult clashes across the state in the last three months.
The lingering cult clashes occurred both during the day and at night, with the hoodlums turning Abeokuta, the state capital, and Sagamu, into battlegrounds.
Last week, about 10 young men were reportedly killed in different parts of Sagamu. Governor Dapo Abiodun during his visit to the area admitted that Sagamu “has been notorious for cultism.”
IPMAN backs down on petrol pump price (Nation)
There is reprieve for petrol users who have been reeling under scarcity of product and payment of higher cost.
Yesterday’s decision of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) to revert its position on the sale of petrol from N180 per litre to the recommended N165 per litre has raised the hope of an end to product shortage.
IPMAN National President, Chinedu Okoronkwo, at a briefing in Abuja yesterday, said the association had resolved to maintain the status quo ante.
He said the NNPC and the Pipeline and Product Marketing Company (PPMC) responded positively to the association’s request by releasing products from their tank farms that can last 32 days. Read more
Jude Law’s Riff Raff Entertainment scores multi-million dollar investment, names new CEO (Variety)
Jude Law’s Riff Raff Entertainment landed a multi-million dollar injection from venture capital firm Calculus Capital, giving the production company a financial boost to hire additional executives and acquire new projects.
Along with its recently inked first-look deal with New Republic Pictures, the investment provides Riff Raff with significant firepower to bid on buzzy material and court writers across both sides of the Atlantic.
Already, Riff Raff has appointed media executive Stephen Fuss as CEO to support the growth of the company across film and television production. Under Fuss’ new guidance, the company plans to imminently bring new staffers on board.
Fuss, a former media attorney, previously oversaw the worldwide film and television division at a UK media investment house. At the company, he invested more than $750 million into film and tv projects, including “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” “The Descendants” and “The Fault in Our Stars.” In 2018, he set up Stargrove Pictures, which was selected by the British Film Institute to help spearhead a new venture capital fund for the UK creative industries. Read more
Ukraine’s Zelensky looks to EU offer as Russia bombards cities (RNZ)
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has hailed progress towards joining the European Union as Russian forces pound Ukraine’s second-biggest city Kharkiv and the eastern Donbas region.
European leaders are expected to formally set Ukraine on the long road to EU membership at a summit in Brussels on Thursday, with an offer of candidate status.
Though mainly symbolic, it will help lift national morale at a difficult time in the four-month conflict that has killed thousands, displaced millions and flattened towns and cities.
The war has also had a massive impact on the global economy and European security arrangements, driving up gas, oil and food prices, pushing the EU to reduce its heavy reliance on Russian energy and prompting Finland and Sweden to seek NATO membership. Read more
Kate Bush: Young audiences discovering Running Up That Hill is ‘special’ (RTE)
Kate Bush has said it is “very special” that a new young audience have discovered her song “Running Up That Hill” after it featured in the fourth series of Netflix hit Stranger Things.
The track has experienced a global resurgence in popularity following its appearance and on Friday it broke a trio of records as it claimed the top spot on the Irish and UK singles chart.
Among the achievements was the longest time taken for a song to reach number one as it secured the place 37 years after it was first released in 1985.
Speaking to Emma Barnett on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, Bush said: “It’s just extraordinary. I mean it’s such a great series, I thought that the track would get some attention. Read more
Brad Pitt says he’s on ‘last leg’ of his career as he reveals mission to improve health (Mirror)
Brad Pitt has confessed he is on his “last leg” of his career and is on a mission to improve his health.
The 58-year-old Hollywood actor opened up about the final stages of his career and what’s ahead in a new interview.
“I consider myself on my last leg, this last semester or trimester,” he told GQ.
Brad – who has starred in films including World War Z and Megamind – added: “What is this section gonna be? And how do I wanna design that?” Read more
‘I won my first BET Award because my fans were aggressive’ – Sarkodie (MyJoy)
Multi-award-winning rapper, Sarkodie, has revealed the reason he won his first BET Award: “aggressive fans.”
Irrespective of the rapper’s dominance in the music scene in the year 2012 – a dominion which contributed to him earning a nomination in the BET: International Act category, and consequently winning the award- he attributes the achievement to his fans’ energy on social media.
According to him, the board of the award scheme said to him: “your fans are very aggressive,” after winning the award and being the first Ghanaian artiste to do so.
He made this revelation on ‘PodcastAndChill’ – a South African-based podcast channel. Read more
James Rado Dies: ‘Hair’ co-creator & star of Broadway’s groundbreaking rock musical was 90 (Deadline)
James Rado, who along with his friend and writing partner Gerome Ragni created Broadway’s seminal Age of Aquarius musical Hair, died peacefully Tuesday evening of cardio respiratory arrest in New York City, surrounded by family. He was 90.
His death was announced by his longtime friend, publicist Merle Frimark.
Rado and Ragni, who died in 1991, wrote the book and lyrics to the landmark musical (full title: Hair – The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical), with music composed by Galt MacDermot, who died in 2018. In addition to its hugely influential insertion of a ’60s counterculture sensibility into Broadway’s mainstream, the musical contributed a score of songs that would become radio hits (often in cover versions) and stage musical standards: “Aquarius,” “Let The Sunshine In,” “Hair,” “Ain’t Got No/I Got Life,” “Good Morning Starshine,” “Easy To Be Hard,” among others.
In addition to co-creating the musical, Rado and Ragni starred in the original 1968 Broadway production, taking the lead roles of Claude and Berger, respectively. The following year, Rado, Ragni and MacDermot won a Grammy Award for Best Score from an Original Cast Show Album. In 2019, the original 1968 Broadway cast recording was inducted into the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress, and in summer 2008 a revival of Hair was presented by the Public Theater in Central Park, directed by Diana Paulus under the guidance of Rado, starring Jonathan Groff and Will Swenson. The revival proved so popular that the production moved to Broadway in 2009 and won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. Read more
UK’s Prince Charles lays wreath at Rwandan genocide memorial (National)
Prince Charles lamented the atrocities committed during the Rwandan genocide as he was told about the murder of children during the violence.
He is in Rwanda for the much-awaited Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm) that was postponed by the pandemic.
He will represent the Queen, head of the Commonwealth, when prime ministers and presidents gather for the global summit.
The trip is the first by a UK royal to Rwanda – one of a minority of the world’s nations the Queen has not visited. Read more
Newcastle set to hijack Awoniyi deal from Forest
(Sun)
Newcastle United has watched Nottingham Forest attacking target, Taiwo Awoniyi, according to The Athletic.
The 24-year-old striker is expected to leave Union Berlin this summer with Nottingham Forest believed to be close to signing him.
There are claims that a move to Forest is on the cards and the newly promoted Premier League outfit has agreed to pay a fee of £17.5m for him.
But the forward is yet to join the club and Nottingham Forest may have to hurry as it has been claimed one more Premier League club has their eyes on him. Read more
Beach Soccer : Sand Eagles know AFCON qualifying foes Friday (Nation)
The draw for the Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations 2022 will be conducted on Friday, 24 June 2022 in Maputo, Mozambique.
The draw will kick off at 10:00 local time (08:00 GMT) and live-streamed on CAF digital Platforms.
Title holders Senegal, who hosted the 2021 edition in Saly Portudal, are amongst the 14 teams engaged in this qualifying phase.
The Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations Mozambique 2022 will be held from 21 to 30 October 2022. Read more
Fabio Vieira signing could give Arsenal Raphinha advantage as transfer race hots up (Express)
Arsenal hope they now hold the transfer advantage in the race for Raphinha despite rival interest from the likes of Chelsea and Tottenham. The Gunners have just confirmed a £34million swoop for Fabio Vieira, who is represented by the same agency as the Brazil international.
Raphinha has long been linked with a move to Barcelona, but the Catalan giants’ financial woes have so far prevented them meeting Leeds United’s asking price. Recent reports suggest the Whites are holding out for up to £60m for the winger, who is expected to depart Elland Road this summer.
The delay in a deal with Barcelona has opened the door for interested Premier League clubs to enter the race. Arsenal have seen an opening bid for Raphinha rejected, but the Gunners are expected to return with an improved offer.
Mikel Arteta’s side are said to have gained confidence in their approach due to their recent work with Gestifute agency, according to the Evening Standard. The agency founded by super-agent Jorge Mendes represents both Raphinha and Arsenal new boy Vieira. Read more
Villeneuve claims Verstappen isn’t a ‘true champion’, but not because of Abu Dhabi controversy (F1News)
1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve has joked that Max Verstappen will not be a “true champion” until he is collected by the infamous wall of champions.
The tricky final chicane has caught out many champions, including Damon Hill, Michael Schumacher, Jenson Button, Sebastian Vettel and Villeneuve himself.
Button was the only one of those drivers not to have won a title before his collision, and many others have found themselves falling foul of the ominous wall on the exit of Turn 14.
Verstappen has not found it yet, but it seems to be a wall of passage for a world champion to collide with the aptly named wall. Read more
Tyson Fury’s dad appears to confirm heavyweight champion’s American travel ban (Mirror)
Tyson Fury’s father John has seemingly confirmed that the heavyweight champion is banned from travelling to the US.
The ‘Gypsy King’ has grown a huge part of his career across the pond fighting Deontay Wilder in a epic trilogy which raised his profile on American soil. However reports from the Sunday World recently alleged that Fury had been ‘prevented from flying’ to the US from the UK by immigration officials.
News of the alleged ban came just weeks after boxing advisor Daniel Kinahan was sanctioned by the US Treasury who named him as a prominent figure in the Kinahan organised crime group. Fury’s father John has now called for YouTube fighter Jake Paul to move his September meeting with his son Tommy to accommodate for the heavyweight’s recent ban.
And in a deleted Instagram video later posted online speaking about Tommy’s potential fight with Paul on August 6, Fury Sr addressed the fact many of them are suspended from entering the US and admitted: “Tyson can’t get over there”. Read more
Serena Williams: I’d be dishonest if I said I didn’t have doubts about my return (TennisWorld)
23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams admitted there were periods when she was doubting whether she would be able to come back. 12 months ago at Wimbledon, Williams slipped on the grass and injured her ankle. Williams retired her first match to Aliaksandra Sasnovich and spent the next 12 months sidelined.
This Tuesday, Williams made her return to competitive action in Eastbourne as she and Ons Jabeur defeated Marie Bouzkova and Sara Sorribes Tormo 2-6 6-3 13-11. “Did I ever doubt I would return? Absolutely, for sure.
I would be dishonest if I said it wasn’t and now my body feels great,” Williams said, per Tennishead. “I definitely felt good out there and I was talking with Ons in the first set saying ‘we’re not playing bad’ because they were just playing really good in that first set.
But obviously winning, getting more balls and playing a little bit more made us feel a lot better. It definitely felt reassuring. It has been clicking in practice and now it seems like it is clicking. It is doubles but it still means a lot to both of us to be in it”. Read more