CBN increases interest rate to 18.50% (Vanguard)
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has again increased the monetary policy rate (MPR) by 0.50 per cent to 18.50 per cent.
The Governor of the CBN, Mr Godwin Emefiele, announced this interest rate hike on Wednesday while addressing newsmen in Abuja. He said members of the team agreed to raise the benchmark interest rate to curb inflation.
The CBN governor said the committee considered a perennial scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit known as petrol, the 2023 general elections, continuous rise in energy prices, exchange rate pressure as well as continuous rise in insecurity. Read more
Seun Kuti’s trial adjourned till July 3 (Guardian)
The trial of Afrobeat musician, Seun Anikulapo Kuti, has been adjourned till July 3, 2023.
Seun on Tuesday night regained his freedom after spending eight days in Police detention.
The youngest son of Afrobeat legend, Fela Kuti was arrested on Monday, May 15 for allegedly assaulting a police operative on Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos.
Protesters had earlier on Tuesday, May 23 demanded his immediate release within 24 hours. Read more
Buhari chairs valedictory FEC meeting, swears in 7 RMAFC’s commissioners (Tribune)
President Muhammed Buhari is currently presiding over the valedictory session of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) being the last before he exits office after eight years.
Before the commencement of the session taking place in the Council Chamber of the presidential villa, Abuja, he administered the oath of office on seven federal commissioners of the Revenue, Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).
They include Senator Ayogu Eze (Enugu State), Peter Opara (Imo State), Hawa Aliyu (Jigawa State), and Rekiya Haruna (Kebbi State). Read more
LASG launches online course on child protection (Punch)
The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, in partnership with the Office of Education Quality Assurance, has unveiled an advanced online course on Safeguarding and Child Protection.
This is according to the Executive Secretary of the DSVA, Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, in a Tuesday statement.
Vivour-Adeniyi stated that the initiative was part of efforts by the Lagos State Government to leverage technology in ensuring the safety of children in schools. Read more
11 entrepreneurs receive N7.2m to end post harvest loss (Tribune)
The Center For Food, Technology and Research (CEFTER), Benue State University (BSU) Makurdi has awarded N600,000 to each of the Eleven young entrepreneurs who are Committed to help farmers in the control of post- harvest loses
Leader of the Center, Dr. Barnabas Ikyo who disclosed this during the presentation of cheques to beneficiaries at the Varsity’s Senate Chambers explained that the young entrepreneurs were carefully selected across the by country by experts.
Dr. Ikyo informed that N7.2m out of the N15m earmarked for the project was shared among the beneficiaries while the remaining balance was split to cover other aspects that will help them to start on a good note which includes three months training, among others. Read more
Tinubu, Shettima to declare Assets before May 29 (Independent)
The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) has called on President-elect, Bola Tinubu, his Vice, Kashim Shettima, and state governors to declare their assets before inauguration on May 29.
The special assistant to CCB Chairman, Mustapha Musa, who disclosed this in a recent media interaction in Abuja stated that the asset declaration forms had been distributed to all incoming and re-elected public officials in the country.
He said, “As an agency of government, we have already done our work according to the constitutional mandate; we have issued asset declaration forms to the newly elected and returning public officers. Read more
35 Osun students discharged after inhaling teargas (Channels)
Thirty-five students of Fakunle Comprehensive High School, Osogbo, Osun State have been discharged from the hospital after inhaling tear gas fired by mobile policemen.
The students were said to have been rushed to the hospital in the early hours of Tuesday when police operatives used tear gas during a morning drill.
The school which is located around Osogbo township stadium and facing the 39 Squadron Divisions of mobile policemen along Osogbo-Ikirun road was affected by the breeze of the tear-gas. Read more
Businessman docked for allegedly misappropriating N2.5m agric loan (Nation)
A businessman, Jeremiah Oladokun, was on Wednesday docked in a Kado Grade I Area Court, Abuja, for allegedly misappropriating N2.5 million agriculture loan.
The police charged Oladokun, 46, with criminal misappropriation.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The Prosecution Counsel, Mr Stanley Nwafoaku, told the court that on May 18, at about 4:30 p.m., Mr Charlse Adoghe reported the matter at Wuse divisional police headquarters. Read more
Tom Hanks’ wife Rita Wilson explains what went down on Cannes red carpet (Metro)
Tom Hanks made headlines on Tuesday when the Oscar-winner appeared to lose his cool on a red carpet at Cannes Film Festival.
The 66-year-old and his wife Rita Wilson, also 66, were seen looking flustered while talking to another man on the carpet and to the average onlooker it seemed as though the situation got heated.
But Rita has now explained what actually happened, and as it turns out, drama there was not. Read more
Brain implants help paralysed man to walk again (BBC)
A paralysed man has been able to walk simply by thinking about it thanks to electronic brain implants, a medical first he says has changed his life.
Gert-Jan Oskam, a 40-year-old Dutch man, was paralysed in a cycling accident 12 years ago.
The electronic implants wirelessly transmit his thoughts to his legs and feet via a second implant on his spine.
The system is still at an experimental stage but a leading UK spinal charity called it “very encouraging”. Read more
Gina Miles wins season 23 of The Voice (UPI)
Gina Mies has been crowned the Season 23 winner of The Voice.
Miles beat out her fellow finalists Noivas, D. Smooth, Sorelle and Grace West for the honor.
Blake Shelton, Chance the Rapper, Kelly Clarkson and Niall Horan were the superstar coaches this season.
Miles is the first artist whom Horan has coached to win the competition. Read more
Chas Newby, former bassist for The Beatles, dead at 81 (NYPost)
Chas Newby, a bassist for The Beatles in their early days, has died aged 81.
The musician played a key role in the iconic band’s early success in the 1960s while the group’s original bassist, Stuart Sutcliffe, was away pursuing his art career.
A cause of death has not yet been announced.
Newby was a member of John Lennon’s first band The Quarrymen, and news of his death was announced by The Cavern Club Liverpool — a music venue where The Beatles performed before finding global stardom. Read more
Ryan Gosling says Margot Robbie left him pink gifts with a pink bow everyday while filming ‘‘Barbie’’ (Variety)
Ryan Gosling revealed to Vogue that Margot Robbie helped him get into character on the “Barbie” set by leaving him a gift each day of filming. “It would be very un-Ken of me to talk about Ken,” Gosling said when asked about his process of getting into character. The only thing he would reveal were the presents Robbie left him.
“She left a pink present with a pink bow, from Barbie to Ken, every day while we were filming,” Gosling said. “They were all beach-related. Like puka shells, or a sign that says ‘Pray for surf.’ Because Ken’s job is just beach. I’ve never quite figured out what that means. But I felt like she was trying to help Ken understand, through these gifts that she was giving.”
Robbie told the magazine that Ken is “the greatest version of Ryan Gosling ever put on screen.” Read more
Japan’s Takeshi Kitano returns with ”queer” warlord epic (France24)
Cult Japanese director Takeshi Kitano has returned after more than a decade, premiering his new film at Cannes — a bloody quest for power punctuated by love between warriors.
“Kubi”, showing out of competition at the Cannes Film Festival, is an epic account of feudal Japan reminiscent of Akira Kurosawa’s classic “The Seven Samurai”.
It has been 13 years since Kitano’s last film, “Outrage”, but the 76-year-old is never short of work. In Japan, he is best known as a comedian and TV host, and is also an accomplished writer and painter. Read more
Super Typhoon Mawar passes over US Pacific territory of Guam (CBC)
Typhoon Mawar barrelled into Guam as a powerful Category 4 storm Wednesday, pummelling the U.S. Pacific territory with high winds, heavy rains and a dangerous storm surge that swamped low-lying areas as residents hunkered down in homes and shelters.
The typhoon’s centre passed over the northern tip of Guam on Wednesday evening, the National Weather Service said. It is the strongest storm to hit the U.S. Pacific territory of over 150,000 people in decades.
Meteorologists suspect the storm clipped the far northern part of the island, but otherwise it was in the channel between Guam and its neighbour to the north, Rota, warning co-ordination meteorologist Landon Aydlett said by telephone. Read more
NPFL secures historic $5m streaming deal (Punch)
Organisers of the Nigeria Professional Football League, the Interim Management Committee, in conjunction with GTI and Propel Sports Africa have secured a $5m deal to stream the league matches on digital platforms from the 2023/24 season.
The NPFL on Tuesday announced that the innovation had been enabled by world’s most advanced Artificial Intelligence, making the league the first in Africa to deploy the technology.
The point of the innovation is NPFL Live, a dedicated streaming app that will allow fans to enjoy live matches and exclusive content with seamless user experience for football enthusiasts in Nigeria and throughout the world. Read more
Falconets aim for another big win against Togo (Guardian)
Still thrilled by their 7-0 spanking of the U-20 girls of Niger Republic in the opening match of Group B of the on-going WAFU B U-20 Women Championship in Kumasi, Nigeria’s Falconets cannot wait for today to fire from all cylinders once more, against their Togolese counterparts, to reach the tournament’s semifinals before their match against Burkina Faso on Sunday.
Forward Opeyemi Ajakaye, who won a FIFA U-17 World Cup bronze medal with the Flamingos in India last year, turned up with a hat-trick, and defender Jumoke Alani and midfielder Chinyere Kalu were also among the goalscorers as the World Cup quarterfinalists steamrolled the girls from Niamey on Sunday.
Victory over the Togolese today, will assure the Falconets of a place in the semifinals, which is why they will pull no punches right from kickoff by 6.00 p.m. at the Baba Yara Stadium. Read more
Crystal Palace midfielder Eberechi Eze named in England squad for Euro 2024 qualifiers (National)
Uncapped Crystal Palace midfielder Eberechi Eze has been called up for England’s Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia.
Brighton centre-half Lewis Dunk returns for the first time since making his debut against the United States in November 2018, while Sam Johnstone, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Tyrone Mings and Callum Wilson have all been recalled by manager Gareth Southgate.
Southgate has named a 25-man squad, with Raheem Sterling the highest-profile absentee with the England manager revealing that the Chelsea attacker has been struggling with a hamstring problem and is unhappy with his current fitness levels. Read more
FA ‘considering’ bid to host 2031 Women’s World Cup (Sky)
English FA chair Debbie Hewitt says they are considering a bid to stage the 2031 Women’s World Cup.
In an interview with The Times, Hewitt says the FA want to hold big sporting events and is aware of the knock-on effects.
She said: “We want to be known as a centre for successfully hosting major events. It has a hugely positive impact on the country and on local communities who participate, so why wouldn’t we have ambitions to host a Women’s World Cup, particularly as the women’s game is growing?” Read more
Honda to supply Aston Martin with F1 engines in 2026 (ESPN)
Honda will supply Aston Martin with Formula One engines from 2026 after the Japanese company confirmed its plans to remain in the sport beyond 2025.
Honda currently supplies world champions Red Bull with engines, but that deal will come to an end in 2026 when Red Bull starts building its own engines in collaboration with Ford.
Honda’s recent success with Red Bull has marked it out as one of the top engine manufacturers in F1, but it was initially reluctant to commit to F1 beyond 2025 and so Red Bull decided to build its own engines for 2026. Read more
Tyson Fury calls on Joseph Parker vs Anthony Joshua rematch after first-round knockout (Express)
Tyson Fury has declared he’d like to see Joseph Parker rematch Anthony Joshua after naming four potential opponents for his close friend, who comfortably stopped Faiga Opelu in the first round to win the Commonwealth heavyweight title in Australia. The Gypsy King flew Down Under to support his stablemate in Melbourne and the trip was seemingly made worthwhile following a spectacular TKO victory.
Opelu was left dancing around the ring helplessly as Parker continued to bludgeon his opponent with a series of savage combinations.
The Kiwi looked incredibly heavy-handed once again as he continued his comeback trail following his brutal knockout defeat to Joe Joyce last September. Read more