Nigerian fraudster, 7 others impersonating Tom Cruise arrested (Guardian)
A Federal Capital Territory High Court has convicted eight internet fraudsters for impersonation.
The fraudsters were apprehended and arraigned in court by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) operatives from the Abuja Zonal Command.
EFCC said in a statement on Friday that the convicts were arraigned before Justices Chinyere Nwecheonu, A.A. Akobi, A.I. Kutigi, and V.S. Garba of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday. Read more
FRSC to impound trucks carrying passengers (Punch)
The Federal Road Safety Corps has said it will start impounding haulage trucks conveying passengers.
The Sector Commander in Kaduna State, Mr Zubairu Mato, said this on Thursday in Kaduna at a stakeholders engagement on rising fatalities involving haulage trucks carrying passengers. The theme of the event was “Reducing Road Traffic Crashes Through Stakeholders Engagement”.
He emphasised that haulage trucks were meant for the conveyance of goods, as such the Corps would also prosecute truck owners and drivers conveying passengers. Read more
Fresh suit seeks to stop Tinubu’s swearing-in on May 29 (Vanguard)
With barely 17 days to the scheduled swearing in of the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, five residents of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, have approached the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court for an order to halt the ceremony.
The plaintiffs, in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/578/2023, applied for an order, restraining the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, any other judicial officer and/or any other authority or person from swearing in any candidate in the February 25 presidential election as President or Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, until it is judicially determined with finality or in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution that such candidate has fulfilled the requirement of Section 134(2) (b) of the Constitution.
They further want a declaration that, “the plaintiffs and other FCT residents have a legal interest and constitutional rights to be heard on the question of whether a President-elect must secure at least 25% of votes cast, on the first ballot, in the FCT, Abuja.” Read more
Firm launches gadget in Lagos (Nation)
Big Vee Gadget has announced its launch as the newest player in the gadget industry. Specialising in phones, Mac laptops, Apple products, IT tools, electronics, and more, Big Vee Gadget promises to offer a selection of high-quality gadgets and cutting-edge technology solutions.
Vincent Tobi, founder, said Big Vee Gadgets is committed to providing exceptional customer service, unparalleled expertise, and competitive pricing.
“Our mission is to provide our customers with the best gadgets and technology solutions, combined with outstanding customer service.” Read more
Bayelsa govt buildings in Port Harcourt demolished by Rivers (NewTelegraph)
On Friday, the Rivers State Government started demolishing several Bayelsa State Government-owned structures on Akassa Street in Port Harcourt’s Old GRA axis.
The buildings are located at numbers 5 and 9 Akassa Street on the affluent Old GRA axis on a sizable plot of land.
According to information obtained, the buildings serve as the housing for employees of the Bayelsa State Government Liaison Office in Port Harcourt. Read more
NBC reacts to court order on imposition of fines (Vanguard)
The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has reacted to a ruling of a Federal High Court in Abuja which stopped it from imposing fines on broadcast stations across the country.
Justice James Omotosho held that NBC lacked the power to impose fines on broadcast stations, ruling in a suit filed by Incorporated Trustees of Media Rights Agenda (MRA).
Omotosho voided the N500,000 penalty imposed on 45 broadcast stations on March 1, 2019 on the grounds that NBC, not being a court of law, lacked such power. Read more
Omo-Agege lauds Buhari for approving federal varsity in Delta (Tribune)
Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, has lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for the approval given for the establishment of the Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences, Kwale, Delta.
Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, Sunny Areh, made the disclosure in a statement made available to journalists.
He described the feat as a great win for Deltans, especially the Ndokwa Nation, being the fulfillment of a major campaign promise by Omo-Agege to the people. Read more
Buhari celebrates NYSC at 50, commends Gowon for the vision (Sun)
President Muhammadu Buhari has saluted former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (rted), for the wisdom of setting up the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), in 1973, which he said has truly achieved the goal of national integration, by providing opportunities for cross cultural interactions, and establishing a bridge for improved understanding.
According Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President congratulated the former Head of State, and all Directors General of the Corps, past and present, for inspiring and sustaining a 50-year legacy that has strengthened a web of solidarity, ignited loyalty to the nation, broadened the horizon of citizens, promoted civic responsiveness, created a better understanding of various individual and ethnic identities, their diversities and underscored the bottom-line of the common values of fairness, justice, peace and unity.
He said he believes the NYSC remains one the strongest ideals of nation building, institutionally encouraging inter-cultural and inter-religious marriages, resettling of people of various tribes in different parts of the country, exploration of entrepreneurship and business opportunities in places, removing insularity among citizens, and enabling a new culture of oneness, brotherliness and neighborliness. Read more
Lil Durk, J. Cole inspire change in “All My Life” music video (Vibe)
Lil Durk has returned with his new single, “All My Life,” featuring J. Cole, and an accompanying music video. The Steve Cannon-directed visuals dropped on Friday (May 12) and featured Durk in a more positive light than his previous outings.
As youthful energy leads the charge on the single, the uplifting video looks to inspire the next generation of Black and Brown children à la Nas’ motivating anthem “I Can.” Throughout the video, the pair appear on a porch, dancing in the yard, and playing catch with some kids.
Durk and Cole each spit a verse, with the rappers rhyming about making change to become a motivating vessel. The Chicago emcee’s bars address his attempt at transforming his public image and seeking mental help for his past transgressions. The Dreamville head honcho uses the track to call out the uptick in rappers dying from violence and the way media uses these untimely tragedies for “clicks.” Read more
YouTuber MrBeast grew to superstardom giving away money. Now he’s pivoting to ‘curing’ disabilities (Insider)
“I just like helping people,” MrBeast wrote in one of his most recent tweets.
The YouTube megastar, with 152 million subscribers, became the most followed individual creator on the platform by building up a reputation for performing acts of kindness, often involving a large cash prize.
MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, began by donating thousands of dollars to small, unsuspecting Twitch streamers, documenting their elated responses to his generosity on camera. He has since given away millions of dollars to fans in his short challenge-style main-channel videos. Read more
A baby with 3 people’s DNA has been born in the UK (HuffPost)
A baby has been born in the UK using three people’s DNA.
Most of the child’s DNA comes from their two parents but about 0.1% has come from a third person – another woman.
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) said “less than five” babies have been born in the UK this way, but no further details have been released, to protect their identity. The scientific technique is designed to prevent children being born with devastating mitochondrial diseases. Read more
The Full Monty cast reunite in trailer for sequel series for Disney+ (Standard)
The Full Monty stars Robert Carlyle, Mark Addy and Tom Wilkinson reunite in the trailer for a new TV series set 25 years after the hit movie.
Peter Cattaneo’s 1997 comedy followed an unlikely group of men who turned to stripping to earn a living after the steel mill they worked in shut down.
It won an Oscar for best original musical or comedy score and was nominated for three others, including best picture and best director. Read more
Michael J. Fox recalls dumpster-diving for food before he made it big in Hollywood (EW)
Michael J. Fox is going back to the past.
The Back to the Future actor recently opened up about the tough early years of his career in Hollywood, which included dumpster diving for food, after he dropped out of high school and moved from Canada to Los Angeles.
“I knew I was more talented than a lot of people,” Fox told Variety. “And I knew that if I wanted to be someone, I couldn’t just sit on my parents’ porch and think, ‘Boy, if I was only born in the States and my parents had money and weren’t living paycheck to paycheck, I could do something with my life.'” Read more
Eurovision bars Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky from addressing contest (UPI)
The organizers of the Eurovision Song Contest ruled Friday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky cannot deliver a video address to the event being held in Liverpool due to its “non-political nature.”
The principle of Eurovision being non-political prohibited the possibility of political or similar statements being a part of the contest, the European Broadcast Union said in a news release.
“The request by Mr. Zelensky to address the audience at the Eurovision Song Contest, whilst made with laudable intentions, regrettably cannot be granted by the European Broadcasting Union management as it would be against the rules of the event,” said the Geneva-based EBU. Read more
South Africa summons US Ambassador over Russia weapons row (VOA)
A war of words is brewing between the U.S. and South Africa after the U.S. ambassador to the country said he would “bet his life” on U.S. intelligence that South African weapons were loaded onto a Russian vessel when it docked at a Cape Town naval base in December. The South African government hit back, saying that while it would investigate the matter, the U.S. ambassador’s remarks had “undermined” the relationship between the two nations.
Pretoria summoned U.S. Ambassador Reuben Brigety on Friday, amid a diplomatic spat that has put relations between the two friendly nations at their lowest ebb in years.
The demarche was issued after Brigety’s extraordinarily strident comments to South African media on Thursday in which he said the U.S. had observed South African weapons being loaded onto a Russian vessel, the “Lady R,” which docked at the port of Simon’s Town in Cape Town between December 6 and December 8 last year. Read more
2023 U-20 W/Cup: Nigeria’s Flying Eagles to face Argentine club, Colombia in friendly (Guardian)
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles will take on Colombia and an Argentine local club side Almirante Brown in friendly games ahead of the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup. The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) disclosed this on their Twitter on Friday.
The Flying Eagles will take on Almirante Brown on Friday night (today) before facing Colombia on Tuesday, May 16, NFF said.
After the two friendly games, the Flying Eagles will then depart Buenos Aires for Mendoza, venue of their Group D fixtures. Read more
Newly unveiled Delta football club signs deal with 2 Turkish clubs (Independent)
The newly unveiled Delta State-based football outfit, Jude Gbaboyor Academy, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with two Turkish clubs at a ceremony in Lagos.
The signing ceremony, which was held on Thursday at Stop Over Hotel, Airport Road Ikeja was facilitated by a UK-based Nigerian, Mr Okoroji Henry Chukwuma of Hek Sports Management, who is a FIFA and UEFA licensed agent.
The Sporting Director of Sakarayah Fc, Mr Konuklar Ercan and his Istanbul Sports counterpart, Mr Bayramoglu Burak, both from Turkey, spoke on behalf of their clubs. Read more
Man City fully focused on Everton, says Guardiola (France24)
Pep Guardiola said all thoughts about Manchester City’s Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid have been banished ahead of Sunday’s Premier League trip to Everton.
Treble-chasing City hope to claim a place in the final of Europe’s elite club competition when they host Real on Wednesday after drawing 1-1 in the first leg of their last-four tie this week.
City have never won the Champions League, while Guardiola’s wait to get his hands on the trophy has now reached 12 years since he lifted it for the second time as Barcelona boss.
Joe Cole insists West Ham will be “very confident” of reaching the Conference League final (DailyMail)
Joe Cole has insisted West Ham will be ‘very confident’ of reaching the Conference League final after they beat AZ Alkmaar 2-1 in the first leg of their semi-final on Thursday night.
The Hammers had to come from behind but strikes from Said Benrahma and Michail Antonio ensured David Moyes’ side will take a slender advantage into the second leg in Holland next week.
The game started slowly for the hosts as they sat off their opponents, but they turned things around in the second half and played much better. Read more
Jokic posts triple-double, Canada’s Murray scores 26 as Nuggets eliminate Suns (CBC)
Nikola Jokic scored 32 points in another triple-double, Canada’s Jamal Murray added 26 and the Denver Nuggets advanced to the Western Conference finals for the first time since 2020 by beating the Phoenix Suns 125-100 in Game 6 on Thursday night.
Denver’s series victory comes two seasons after the Nuggets were embarrassed in a second-round postp-season sweep by the Suns. This time, it was the Suns getting blown out on their home floor to end the season for the second straight year.
The Nuggets will play in the conference finals for the first time since they lost to the Lakers in five games in the Florida bubble during the COVID-19 pandemic. They have never reached the NBA Finals. Read more
Tom Brady in “deep discussions” to invest in NFL team and decide his future (Mirror)
Tom Brady could be set to end all talks of him ever returning to the NFL and resume his playing career.
The legendary quarterback walked away from the sport for the second time earlier this year, after seven Super Bowl wins and 23 seasons. Brady did retire in 2022, but came back for a final season before calling it a day in February, this time saying it was “for good”.
But his latest developments might force him to keep to that word, with conversations and rumours still swirling that he could return to play at some point this season. Read more
