Kidnappers kill victim for keeping gun in his house (DailyTrust)
Kidnappers have shot dead one of the five family members they abducted on Monday night at Bukpe community in Wako Ward of Kwali Area Council of the FCT.
City & Crime had reported that gunmen on Monday at about 9pm invaded Bukpe and abducted five members of a family
The Village Head of Bukpe, Alhaji Hussaini Shamdozhi, who confirmed the killing through telephone on Wednesday, gave the name of the deceased as John Yakubu Dakwoi.
He said the kidnappers shot him in the bush while leading the five abductees to their den. Read more
US honours Sokoto student killed by Islamic fanatics (ThisDay)
The United States Department of State has honoured slain Sokoto student, Deborah Samuel Yakubu.
Deborah, a 200 Level student of Home Economics at Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, was murdered by Islamic extremists and set ablaze after she advised her classmates against posting religious materials on their WhatsApp page.
In marking the US International Day Commemorating the Victims of Violence Based on Religion or Belief, on August 22, Deborah’s picture was uploaded on the website of the US Office of Religious Freedom.
The office promotes universal respect for freedom of religion or belief for all as a core objective of US foreign policy. Read more
Customs slams NPA for fuelling Apapa congestion (Punch)
The Nigeria Customs Service has blamed the electronic call-up system introduced by the Nigerian Ports Authority as the major cause of traffic gridlocks in Apapa, Lagos axis.
The agency also criticised some security agencies around the port access roads as another cause of the gridlock.
The National Public Relations Officer of the service, Timi Bomodi, said this in an exclusive chat with our correspondent on Wednesday while denying the allegations that the NCS was impeding the free flow of traffic by intercepting cargoes at night.
The Presidential Standing Task Team had raised the alarm over activities of Customs Police allegedly coming to the port access road at night to impound already cleared containers from the seaports. Read more
LUTH recommends set up of clinics to curb postural challenges (Guardian)
Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi Araba, Surulere, has alerted the public to the rise in postural challenges as a barrier to productive and active service life, among people in public service.
The hospital, at a lecture, yesterday, as part of activities to mark its 60th anniversary, said the complications of poor posture include back pain, spinal dysfunction, joint degeneration, incontinence, constipation, rounded shoulders and a potbelly.
They advised that people could improve their posture and spinal health by making a few lifestyle adjustments.
The suggestions they gave to improve one’s posture include regular exercise and stretching, ergonomic furniture and paying attention to the way the body feels. They unanimously recommended the opening of a postural clinic. Read more
Nkechi Blessing hits fan for unauthorized filming
(Nation)
Controversial actress Nkechi Blessing has called out a fan who attempted filming her while checking out from a hotel.
In a video, she narrated how the fan saw her trying to drop the key to the hotel’s receptionist and began filming her without consent.
Reprimanding the fan, the movie star said courtesy demands him to ask for a picture rather than recording her unnoticed.
Nkechi said: “I want you to make me understand something. You saw in a hotel reception trying to stop my key. Apparently I was checking out and then you brought out your phone to make a video of me. I don’t get, what is the video for? Who are you trying to send the video to? Blogs? And I was alone o. Read more
Artefacts: Oba of Benin’s representatives, others to attend Berlin Humboldt Forum arts exhibition
(ThisDay)
The Humboldt Forum, a museum of art and culture would play host to arts collectors, enthusiasts, and researchers across the globe at the second opening of Humboldt forum in Berlin, Germany.
The museum housed non-European collections including thousands of artefacts looted from the palace of Benin Kingdom during the 1897 invasion would be on display at the celebration and commissioning of the last part of opening of Humboldt Forum.
It was learnt that the Benin monarch’s representatives are to be led by his brother, His Royal Highness, Prince Aghatise Erediuwa.
According to the invitation letter made available to journalists in Benin City, Edo State and jointly endorsed by Prof. Dr Hartmut Dorgerloh, General Director Humboldt and Prof. Dr. Lars –Christian Koch, Director Ethnological Museum, expected to take place on the 16th, September 2022, would also host friends, partners and colleagues. Read more
Nigerian community in Cote d’Ivoire calls on Buhari to recall consular officer (ThisDay)
The Nigerian community in Cote d’Ivoire has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to recall the country’s Consular Officer in Abidjan, Mr. Damilola Olufemi Abikoye, over alleged threat to diplomatic relations and abuse of office.
The community, in a petition to President Buhari Wednesday signed by its President and General Secretary, Lawani Waliou and Akinwale Tajudeen, respectively, urged the president to handle the recall process with dispatch to nib the looming diplomatic incidents and anger of Nigerians in diaspora in the bud.
The people, who accused the consular officer of using his diplomatic immunity to contravene lvorien laws relative to foreigner associations, said: “The officer’s attitude is causing great embarrassment.
“In order not to escalate this matter to an irreparable level of popular revolt of Nigeria community in Côte d’Ivoire and to avoid a replay of Indonesia incident where Nigeria consular officer was beaten black and blue by the country’s police, Mr. Damilola Olufemi Abikoye should be recalled now. Mr. President is hereby advised not to wait till a request is sent to Nigeria for immunity waiver on the consular officer.” Read more
PDP NWC meets party’s guber candidates (Leadership)
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is currently locked in a meeting with governorship candidates of the party across the 36 States of the federation.
The meeting is being attended by all PDP governorship candidates except the Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, who is on vacation abroad.
However, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State also sent in his apologies, noting that he would join as the session continues.
The closed-door meeting is tagged an interactive session between the party national leadership and the party candidates ahead of the 2023 elections. Read more
NLC calls for downward review of licence costs for broadcast organisations (Channels)
The Nigeria Labour Congress has called on the National Broadcasting Commission to review the cost of operating licences for broadcast organisations in the country.
NLC President Ayuba Wabba made the call in a statement days after NBC announced the withdrawal of the broadcast licences of more than 50 radio and television stations in the country.
The NBC based its decision on the failure of the stations to renew their licence.
But Wabba in his statement said the decision failed to take into account economic challenges that have hurt the operations of the stations, arguing that the stations did not deliberately refuse to renew the licences. Read more
Kendrick Lamar explains his lack of social media presence (HipHopDX)
Kendrick Lamar rarely uses social media, but it’s not because he has any ill will toward it.
During a recent interview with Citizen Magazine, K. Dot explained that one of the reasons for his digital absence is because he doesn’t fully understand how to use social media.
Despite this, people are still looping him in on what’s happening online. “People ask me, ‘Man, you’ve never been on social media, you really hate it?’ Bro, I don’t really know how to use it like that to be 100% real with you,” Kendrick admitted.
He added: “I got friends, family, my team, they sent me things, so I got a good feeling about what’s going on.” Read more
Naomi Watts has a change of face in trailer for ‘Goodnight Mommy’ (THR)
Prime Video released the first major look at its upcoming remake of Goodnight Mommy starring Naomi Watts.
Based on Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala’s 2014 film, the psychological thriller features Watts as a mother visited by her twin sons (Cameron and Nicholas Crovetti), who come to stay with her at her country home. But when the boys arrive, they find their mother — or the woman claiming to be her — covered in bandages after undergoing a recent cosmetic surgery.
“I hate that you have to see me like this,” Watts says in the movie’s first two-minute trailer. “But it’s nothing to be afraid of.”
Her new rules — no running or yelling in the house, no going into the barn or her bedroom — on top of her new behaviours like smoking, have the boys concerned. But as her behaviour becomes increasingly erratic and bizarre (their mother dancing late in the night in front of a mirror, ripping up the drawings they made for her), the boys’ concern turns to suspicion. Soon, they must decide what to do about the person beneath the gauze. Read more
Joni Mitchell receives honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music (NME)
Joni Mitchell received an honorary doctorate degree from Berklee College of Music yesterday (August 23).
The folk legend was presented with the honour at a private event in Santa Monica hosted by Linda and Russell Brown of MaddocksBrown Foundation (via Pitchfork).
During her acceptance speech, Mitchell said: “Well, luckily I’m too old to get a swelled head! It’s a beautiful event. Words can’t describe it. I’ve got my good friends here with me.”
She continued: “I wish my parents were alive. My mother in particular would be really proud of this because she wanted me to go to college. I went to art school and I quit after a year. She thinks of me as a quitter. So to see this achievement would be really impressive to her. I wish I could share it with her.” Read more
Doomtree rapper Mike Mictlan asks for help after he is hospitalized with lung infection (HipHopDX)
Doomtree rapper Mike Mictlan was hospitalized this week after doctors discovered he not only had a severe case of pneumonia but also a lung infection.
The Los Angeles native, who’s one of the founding members of the Minneapolis-based Hip Hop collective, opened up about his dire medical situation in an Instagram post dated Wednesday (August 24). Mictlan noticed something was seriously wrong when he couldn’t walk or breathe although he initially thought he just pulled a muscle in his right shoulder blade.
“Turns out I have an infection in my lung,” he wrote alongside a photo of himself on a hospital bed. “The doctor said I have pneumonia ‘plus’ & couldn’t tell from the CT scan if there’s an abscess on my lung or the infection is just localized in a spot. crazy intense pain, been here since Sunday. with my diabetes outta wack, which is a constant, things are even harder. finally can stop puking & hold down a lil food & water the past couple hours & doc’s say my lungs are way better than before.”
At the same time, Mictlan revealed he’s experiencing financial hardships that could put his family on the street. Although he admitted it was difficult to ask for help, he ultimately determined it was necessary. Read more
New York’s highest court to hear Harvey Weinstein appeal (DW)
Lawyers for Harvey Weinstein say he is “relieved’ by the development. The disgraced Hollywood movie producer also faces 11 additional charges in California.
New York’s highest court has agreed to hear an appeal from disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein over his 2020 rape and sexual assault conviction.
A spokesperson for the Court of Appeals said on Wednesday that Chief Judge Janet DiFiore “granted leave to appeal” last Friday. The court did not specify the grounds for this decision.
The court has the power to uphold Weinstein’s conviction and 23-year prison sentence, or order a new trial. Read more
‘Last Days of the Space Age’ creator David Chidlow signs with CAA (Variety)
“The Last Days of the Space Age” creator David Chidlow has signed with CAA for representation.
The writer-director works across shows in the U.K., Australia and the U.S. Most recently, he is the writer, creator and showrunner behind Disney+’s eight-part series, “The Last Days of the Space Age.”
Set in 1979 Western Australia, the series is billed as a comedy drama that centers on three families whose relationships are put to the test while major social and political events — such as the Miss Universe pageant and the U.S. Space Station Skylab crashing just outside the suburb — throw everything into disarray.
Elsewhere, Chidlow is co-creating “War Rooms,” with “The Serpent” star Jenna Coleman set to star. Read more
Jurassic World: The Exhibition launching in London (FilmNews)
Jurassic World: The Exhibition, an over 20,000 square-foot immersive experience based on one of the biggest blockbusters in cinema history, will be landing in London on August 25, 2022 at ExCeL London, just 15 minutes from central London on the brand new Elizabeth Line.
Visitors will walk through the world- famous “Jurassic World” gates, encounter life-sized dinosaurs and explore prehistoric environments. Guests will have an up-close look at a Velociraptor, stand in awe under a towering Brachiosaurus, and encounter the most fearsome of them all, the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex. Fans will be able to imagine what it would have been like to roam among these breathtaking creatures and even interact with new baby dinosaurs, including “Bumpy” from the popular animated series Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous, created by Universal Pictures, Amblin Entertainment and DreamWorks Animation, which is currently streaming globally on Netflix.
The Jurassic World franchise has been entertaining generations of fans around the world with thrilling and awe-inspiring stories and characters for nearly 30 years – from films and TV series, to video games and toys, to live-action experiences and immersive attractions at Universal Parks and Resorts around the globe. Read more
Boris Johnson makes surprise visit to Ukraine (BBC)
The outgoing UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has made a surprise visit to Ukrainian capital Kyiv to mark the country’s independence day.
Mr Johnson was making his third visit to Ukraine since Russia invaded six months ago.
During the trip he vowed that Ukraine “can and will win this war” against a “barbaric and illegal invader”.
The prime minister also announced further UK support for Ukraine including a £54m drones package. Read more
NFF: Why Falconets overstayed at Istanbul Airport (ThisDay)
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Wednesday explained that a number of factors, including the inability to secure transit visas for players and officials of the U20 Girls National Team, Falconets, at the Istanbul Airport, led to the team having to stay 24 hours at the airport in Turkey on their way from the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup.
“The NFF did not book the team’s tickets from Costa Rica; FIFA did. FIFA also did not envisage the hitches that saw the team delayed for more than three hours in Bogota, and another one hour in Panama. By the time the team got to Istanbul, the flight to Abuja had left.
In apparent reaction to pictures of the Falconets sleeping on airport floor that had gone viral on social media yesterday morning, NFF’s General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, explained that the blame was not entirely that of the federation.
“Our officials pleaded for compassionate transit visas so as to take the players and officials to a hotel inside the town, but this was not possible as they were informed that Nigeria had been removed from the list of countries whose citizens were issued visa-on-arrival in Turkey. Read more
NFF President: Amadu declares, promises accountability, judicious use of FIFA funds (Sun)
Former General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Musa Amadu, Wednesday, formally declared his intentions to contest the federation president for the September elective convention scheduled for Benin, the Edo State capital.
The event marking the declaration was a gathering of all the major stakeholders, ranging from football administrators, to ex-internationals and members of the State Football Associations.
Speaking during the declaration, Amadu urged the football stakeholders to retake the game, promising to bring something entirely new to the office.
“To get it right, my plan is to lead a team that must strive to achieve the “vision to restore Nigeria football glory. A Musa Amadu presidency will be accountable to the nation. We will be transparent and judicious in our use of the FIFA Forward Funds that come from Zurich; and work very hard to draw sponsorship to supplement what FIFA does for us. We will operate more transparently to earn the trust of our stakeholders, sponsors, government and ultimately the over 200 million Nigerians who love the round leather game. Again, we just need to get it right,” Amadu charged. Read more
Howard Webb to become head of Premier League referees when MLS contract ends (ESPN)
Howard Webb is to become the new chief refereeing officer of the Premier League when Mike Riley steps down.
Webb, 51, has been with the Professional Referee Organisation (PRO) in the United States since 2017, first as boss of VAR operations before becoming general manager in 2018. He will leave his position with Major League Soccer at the end of his contract later this year, with his start date with PGMOL, the body which oversees refereeing in English football, to be confirmed.
It was announced in June that Riley would leave his position as PGMOL managing director after coming under increasing pressure for refereeing standards and the way VAR has been implemented in the Premier League. Under Webb, MLS was one of the first leagues to introduce VAR, while the Premier League was one of the last major competitions to do so.
“I am looking forward to returning to England and starting this new challenge when I have fulfilled my contract with PRO — it’s an excellent opportunity for me,” Webb said. Read more
Newcastle to smash transfer record to sign striker that Arsenal and Man Utd wanted (DailyStar)
Newcastle are ready to smash their transfer record to sign Alexander Isak from Real Sociedad who has previously been linked to their Premier League rivals Arsenal and Manchester United.
The 6ft 4in forward has managed 44 goals for his La Liga side since leaving Borussia Dortmund back in 2019 – scoring once across his two domestic outings this season.
The 22-year-old, who earned rave reviewers for his performances at Euro 2020 last year, is set to cost Eddie Howe’s side a mammoth fee in the region of £60million according to the Athletic.
That is a large chunk more than the club paid for Joelinton back in 2019, with the Brazilian forward turned midfielder costing them £40m from Hoffenheim. Read more
Angelique Kerber to miss US Open after announcing she is pregnant (Guardian)
Angelique Kerber has announced she is pregnant and will take a break from tennis for the next few months, including the upcoming US Open.
The three-time grand slam champion will miss the tournament at Flushing Meadows, joking on Twitter: “I really wanted to play the US Open but eventually I decided that two against one just isn’t a fair competition.
“For the next few months, I will take a break from travelling the globe as a tennis player but then again, I believe it’s for the best possible reason,” the 34-year-old added. “I will miss all of you.”
“New York has often been a turning point in my career and it feels like this year will be no different in some way,” Kerber continued. “From restarting my career in 2011 to winning the title in 2016 and becoming No 1 in the world. The US Open has a special place in my heart, and I wish I could have said goodbye to all of you on court before not being around on tour for a while.” Read more
Tyson Fury called out over contradicting claims about money for Oleksandr Usyk fight (Mirror)
Tyson Fury has been called out by radio host Simon Jordan after stating his undisputed fight against Oleksandr Usyk is solely about money – while claiming he doesn’t need the money.
Fury, 34, is willing to end his retirement promise to fight Usyk all the undisputed heavyweight world titles after the Ukrainian’s second win against Anthony Joshua last weekend. Usyk has also said Fury is the only opponent he is interested in fighting, calling for ‘The Gypsy King’ to return to boxing following his recent win.
Saudi Arabia are the frontrunners to host the fight, with Fury being confident the country can meet his £500million demand for the fight whilst citing golf star Tiger Woods being offered $1billion to join the Kingdom’s LIV golf series as proof they can afford it. Fury has given potential bidders for the undisputed clash until September 1 to come up with the money.
Whilst appearing on talkSPORT, Fury said: “This fight is purely about money, I’m happily retired. I don’t need money, I’ve got plenty of money.” Jordan then called out his contradictory comment, stating: “Well if it’s not about money, why is it about money?” Fury replied by insisting that whilst he doesn’t need the money, the fight is about money because it’s the “biggest fight in the world” Read more
Daniel Ricciardo to leave McLaren at end of 2022 season as team eye wantaway Alpine driver Oscar Piastri (Sky)
Daniel Ricciardo will leave McLaren at the end of the season after he and the team agreed a mutual early termination of his contract.
Confirmation of the early split opens the door for Oscar Piastri to join the Woking team, although Alpine are still adamant they have a contract for their wantaway youngster to stay.
“It’s been a privilege to be a part of the McLaren Racing family for the last two seasons,” said Ricciardo, an eight-time race winner who has struggled for form since joining McLaren in 2021.
“Following several months of discussions with Zak & Andreas we have decided to terminate my contract with the team early and agree to mutually part ways at the end of this season. Read more