Gunmen attack, kill community leader in Anambra (Sun)
Suspected gunmen have attacked and killed the President-General of Umuoji Community in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The man was identified as Silas Onyima.
Although, the details of the incident are still sketchy, but it was gathered that the hoodlums, numbering about 15, invaded the deceased’s home on Friday evening and shot him dead thereby throwing the community into panic. Read more
Wigwe: Why helicopter crashed – Report (DailyTrust)
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) of the United State has released a preliminary report on the Airbus Helicopter EC130B4 crash which claimed the lives of the Group Managing Director of Access Holdings, Herbert Wigwe, and five others.
This was coming about two weeks after the crash which occurred near Nipton, California around 10 p.m local time.
According to the report sent to the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) which has been collaborating with its US counterpart since the crash occurred, during the flight which departed from Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, California to Boulder City Municipal Airport in Nevada via Palm Springs International Airport, “adverse weather conditions characterised by rain and a mix of snow, were encountered, as reported by witnesses.” Read more
Nigerians visit customs offices, get 25kg rice at N10k (Punch)
Nigerians mostly artisans have visited the commands of the Nigeria Customs Service to get 25kg of rice for N10,000.
This came a few hours after the service announced that it would commence the distribution of the seized food items on Friday.
The Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, had said that the distribution of seized food items would commence on Friday.
Adeniyi, while speaking with journalists on Thursday in Lagos, warned that the seized food items were not to be resold. Read more
Lagos commissioner tasks youths on right mindset (Nation)
The Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Mobolaji Ogunlende has challenged Nigerian youths to develop and cultivate a mindset of possibility and abundance toward unlocking their full potential in life.
Ogundele gave this challenge recently at the 2024 Youth Leadership Conference Turning Point 5.0 with the theme “Mindshift,” held on Saturday in Ade Ajayi Auditorium Hall, UNILAG, Lagos.
The event was organised by Superior Performance Global Network (SPGN) and had no fewer than 3,000 participants comprising students and youths across the state. Read more
Integrity reaps honour as LASU Governing Council holds valedictory session for Sule (Independent)
Indeed, it was a day of honour and encomiums engendering infectious envy of the healthy genre as Mr David Sunmoni, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council, Lagos State University (LASU), led the Council of the citadel on a Valedictory session for Mr Tolani Sule, the Lagos State Commissioner for Tertiary Education at the LASU Council Chamber, Senate Building, Ojo Main Campus on Thursday.
In her head-swelling welcome speech at the event, Prof Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, the Vice- Chancellor recalled the immense selfless sacrifices of Mr Tolani Sule towards her becoming the Vice- Chancellor of the great institution.
The VC appreciated Sule who is the current Lagos State Commissioner For Tertiary Education, for his deep love for LASU as a son of the soul of the great Oba Kingdom. Read more
Be patient as we go through hard times, FG begs Nigerians (DailyTrust)
The Federal Government has asked Nigerians to be patient as a result of some difficulties in the land.
Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information, made the appeal in a statement issued on Friday.
He said the reforms of the current administration were yielding positive results and that saboteurs would not be spared. Read more
Power Disconnection: Army laments decomposing corpses in mortuaries (Leadership)
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja, has appealed for the minister of power Adebayo Adelabu’s intervention following the disconnection of various Nigerian Army barracks and cantonments by power distribution companies (DisCos) over N42bn electricity debt.
The Army chief made the appeal when he visited the minister of Power in Abuja, where the minister told him that the debt would only be restructured but not written off.
Describing the blackouts in Army barracks and cantonments as security risks, Lt.-Gen. Lagbaja also revealed that the blackouts in barracks had led to the decomposition of corpses in Army Hospital mortuaries, a development that had warranted protests by family members of the deceased. Read more
Tinubu, ECOWAS leaders meet over Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali (Punch)
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu is currently conferring with his counterparts at the Extraordinary Summit on the Political, Peace, and security situation in the region, at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.
Tinubu who chairs the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State is leading talks expected to see the regional bloc relaxing sanctions on its military-ruled member states of Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, and Niger.
Headquartered in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, the nearly 50-year-old bloc consists of 15 countries. Read more
Wendy Williams breaks silence on Aphasia and Dementia diagnosis (THR)
Wendy Williams is speaking out for the first time following her recent primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia diagnosis (FTD).
A representative for the former talk show host shared a statement from Williams with The Hollywood Reporter Friday: “I want to say I have immense gratitude for the love and kind words I have received after sharing my diagnosis of Aphasia and Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD). Let me say, wow! Your response has been overwhelming. The messages shared with me have touched me, reminding me of the power of unity and the need for compassion.” Read more
Katy Perry watches ‘‘old friend’’ Taylor Swift ‘‘shine’’ at Sydney concert (BelfastTelegraph)
Katy Perry has said she was able to watch an “old friend shine” after she attended a Taylor Swift concert in Sydney, Australia.
The pair were famously embroiled in a feud several years ago over backing dancers but have since shown publicly that they are friends.
Swift, 34, who was recently named the biggest-selling global recording artist in 2023 by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), embarked on the Australian leg of her Eras Tour in February. Read more
Oppenheimer actor Cillian Murphy had his head glued together after freak accident during filming (Fox)
According to Emily Blunt, “every penny” spent on a Christopher Nolan production goes toward the screen, so his actors shouldn’t expect the most luxurious accommodations while filming.
Appearing with her Oppenheimer castmates Robert Downey Jr. and Cillian Murphy on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Thursday, the actress spoke about a freak accident that Murphy had over the course of filming.
Murphy had lost a significant amount of weight to portray the titular character, physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, and was going to sleep hungry, so Blunt wanted to help make him a bit more comfortable. Read more
‘‘Naruto’’ live-action movie coming from Shang-Chi director and ‘‘Borderlands’’ Studio (GameSpot)
The live-action ‘‘Naruto’’ movie is gathering momentum, it seems, as Shang-Chi director Destiny Daniel Cretton has come on board to direct. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Cretton is making the movie for Lionsgate, which is also behind the forthcoming ‘‘Borderlands’’ film.
‘‘Naruto’’ creator Masashi Kishimoto signed off to have Cretton direct after the two spent time together in Tokyo. “After enjoying his other films and understanding that his forte is in creating solid dramas about people, I became convinced that there is no other director for Naturo,” Kishimoto said.
Kishimoto added: “In actually meeting Destin, I also found him to be an open-minded director who was willing to embrace my input, and felt strongly that we would be able to cooperate together in the production process.” Read more
First commercial Moon mission marks new era for space travel (BBC)
The landing of the first commercial spacecraft on the Moon has sparked excitement about a new age of possibilities in the Solar System.
News of the touchdown of Odysseus near the lunar south pole was greeted with cheers by staff at American firm Intuitive Machines’ (IM) mission control in Houston, Texas, on Thursday.
It is the first time an American craft has successfully landed on the Moon since 1972 – and the first time ever that a private company has done so.
But the giant leap for commercial kind could also help future state missions to the lunar surface and perhaps even aid plans to set up a lunar – or Martian – base for humans. Read more
Gaza mourners hold funeral outside hospital for 25 killed by Israel (AfricaNews)
Mourners held funeral prayers Saturday morning outside al-Aqsa hospital in central Gaza for the 25 people, including a baby, killed in a wave of devastating Israeli bombing the previous day.
Relatives lined up behind the bodies of the dead which were wrapped in white burial sheets, according to an Associated Press journalist.
A mother held her baby, killed in the airstrikes, in her arms and wept.
The bodies were taken for burial after funeral prayer. Read more
Bitter but resilient: Ukraine fights on, two years into Russia’s war (AlJazeera)
Andriy’s undermanned squad can only shoot 10 shells a day at encroaching Russian troops because of a dire shortage of ammunition.
The 45-year-old suffers from stomach pains, deteriorating eyesight and other consequences of multiple contusions that landed him in hospital several times.
Two years ago, Andriy defended Kyiv in the full-scale war’s first weeks until Russian troops withdrew after heavy losses, and fought in the eastern town of Bakhmut that fell to the Wagner private army last May. Read more
AFCON 2023 performance was built on collective efforts — Sports minister (Leadership)
The Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh, has attributed Nigeria’s commendable performance at the just-concluded 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament, held in Côte d’Ivoire, to the collective efforts and determination of all stakeholders involved in Nigerian football.
However, he emphasised that there was still significant work ahead for the Ministry and the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) to elevate Nigerian football to its rightful place on the continent and globally.
Speaking during a media interview, Senator Owan-Enoh underscored the importance of developing local football, particularly focusing on enhancing the Nigerian local league, highlighting the need for increased funding as a crucial factor in the overall development of sports. Read more
Eguaveon, Fuludu, and others pay final respect to Broderick (Nation)
Nigeria ex-internationals across the country gather to pay their last respect to late Nigeria coach Sabastine Broderick, as he was laid to rest in Benin-Edo State yesterday.
This was during the lying-in-state of late Broderick at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City.
Technical director of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Austin Eguaveon, who represented the NFF, described the late coach as a father, mentor, amiable and highly dedicated coach, who dedicated his life to the well-being of Nigerian players. Read more
Klopp is irreplaceable, says Liverpool assistant manager Lijnders (France24)
Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders says it is impossible to replace Jurgen Klopp and that the club must find someone who can develop their own dynasty.
Klopp’s shock decision to step down at the end of the season means owners Fenway Sports Group must find a successor for a manager who has won every club honour, bar the Europa League, during his time at Anfield.
The German has the chance to add to his tally in Sunday’s League Cup final against Chelsea — one of four trophies the club could win this season. Read more
Mikel Arteta details internal Arsenal meeting over Newcastle comments that upset FA (Mirror)
Mikel Arteta has insisted he will never stop showing passion and wearing his heart on his sleeve.
Arteta faces a rematch with Newcastle three months on from a bitter clash at St James’s Park which ended with TV rants, referee rows and recriminations. Gunners boss Arteta was fuming after VAR allowed Anthony Gordon’s controversial winner to stand and let rip post-match which led to an FA hearing before he was cleared.
It has ensured that there will be plenty of spice between Arsenal and Newcastle at the Emirates as the Gunners look to close the gap on leaders Liverpool in the three-horse title race. Arteta said: “That’s me and I said what I felt in the moment and how I felt it. You get criticised for being honest and many other people fully agree with that. Read more
Kerr, Warriors agree to 2-year, $35m extension, per agents (NBC)
Steve Kerr and the Warriors have agreed to a record-setting two-year, $35 million contract extension, his agents Rick Smith and Dan Eveloff of Priority Sports told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Friday night.
The new contract makes Kerr the highest paid coach in NBA history.
As Wojnarowski pointed out, Gregg Popovich makes more money annually, but he’s not just the San Antonio Spurs’ coach. He’s also the president of basketball operations. Read more
F1 drivers call for more checks after drain cover incidents (StraitsTimes)
Triple world champion Max Verstappen said more checks were needed after Formula One’s pre-season testing in Bahrain was halted for the second day in a row on Friday by a dislodged drain cover.
The two separate incidents revived memories of an incident that caused considerable and costly damage to Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari at last November’s inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Verstappen, chasing a fourth successive championship this season, feared the current high-downforce cars were making such incidents more likely with the suction of their aerodynamics. Read more