Tinubu exchanges pleasantries with Pope Leo XIV at inauguration (Nation)
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Sunday exchanged warm pleasantries with Pope Leo XIV during the official Mass marking the inauguration of the new pontificate in Vatican City.
The brief but symbolic moment took place as President Tinubu joined world leaders, diplomats, and religious dignitaries in Rome to witness the formal installation of the new head of the Catholic Church.
In a post on his verified X handle, @DOlusegun, the President’s Special Assistant on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, shared the encounter with a caption that read: “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) exchanges pleasantries with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV.” Read more
Suspected Lagos cultists kill shawarma vendor (Punch)
Some yet-to-be-identified gunmen suspected to be cultists have killed a popular shawarma vendor identified simply as Benjamin at Ebutte-Ipakodo, in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State.
The victim, also known as Benji, was the owner of the popular Chibest Shawarma in the community.
According to eyewitnesses, the attack occurred on Tuesday, around 8:30 p.m., while Benjamin was attending to customers at his roadside stall. Read more
Bank charges: More families return to thrift savings (Vanguard)
As the economy bites hard on the average Nigerian family, the recently increased bank charges may have become one too many for them and, naturally, in this kind of situation, the alternative becomes the choice, and that appears exactly what many families have decided to do.
In trying hard to meet up and manage the continuous increase in the general cost of living, many families have reduced the volume of their savings in the bank.
And the banks’ decision to increase charges of both deposits and withdrawals finally broke the camel’s back.
Therefore, many families have stopped saving in the banks. Instead, they have moved back to the familiar terrains, which they probably must have abandoned many decades ago. Read more
OPM converts new property into free school months after demolition (Guardian)
Months after the demolition of the Omega Power Ministry’s (OPM) property, which included a free school for orphans and children of widows along the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway in Lagos, the church’s General Overseer, Apostle Chibuzor Gift Chinyere, has purchased a new building and converted it into another free school.
In January, the Lagos State government demolished the property, citing redevelopment plans by the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA).
The government compensated OPM with N123 million for the demolished school, though the church valued the property at N900 million. After visiting the Marine Base area and witnessing the high population of people in need, Apostle Chinyere decided to establish the new free school there. He observed many impoverished children without access to education and felt compelled to act. Read more
3 workers cheat death, others trapped as building collapses in Lagos (Leadership)
Three construction workers, on Sunday, escaped death by the whiskers when a one-storey building under construction collapsed in Mushin local government area of Lagos State.
Apart from the rescued workers that sustained varying degrees of injuries, residents of the area said more people were still trapped beneath the rubble.
The South-West coordinator for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Ibrahim Farinloye, confirmed the incident to journalists on Sunday…Read more
Zulum declares fast over Boko Haram’s renewed attacks (Sun)
Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has asked citizens to seek divine intervention by observing a day fasting today to stop increasing terrorists’ attacks in the state.
In a statewide broadcast yesterday, Zulum urged all citizens to seek God’s help in addressing reinsurance of terrorists’ activities in the state that has witnessed respite in the past one year.
“In light of our current security challenges, I am calling on all residents of Borno State to unite in a collective act of faith and solidarity. Today, I am inviting you to join me in a voluntary day of fasting and prayer for peace to reign in Borno State, the North East, and indeed, the entire country. Let us come together to seek divine guidance, healing and peace for our state.” Read more
N351m Fraud: Firm petitions IG over alleged conspiracy to truncate prosecution (ThisDay)
A financial consultancy firm, Rosiyke Financial Consult Limited, has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IG) over what it described as an alleged attempt to compromise and derail the prosecution of a pending criminal case involving N351 million.
The petition, dated May 15, 2025, was submitted by the firm’s legal representative, Ernest Annie Nwoye.
It concerns Charge No: ID/24069C/2024, currently pending before a Lagos High Court. Read more
Cassie text messages say she was ‘always ready’ to ‘freak off’ (HipHopDx)
Cassie has had some of her text messages to Diddy read out in court, with one of them claiming she was “always ready” for a freak off session.
During the singer’s cross-examination by Diddy’s attorneys, jurors were shown a number of graphic and explicit text messages between the former couple.
One message from Cassie in 2009 read: “I’m always ready to freak off, it can be whenever.” Read more
Joe Biden diagnosed with ‘aggressive’ prostate cancer (BBC)
Immediate-past President of the United States, Joe Biden, has been diagnosed with an “aggressive form” of prostate cancer.
This was disclosed in a statement from his personal office on Sunday, which noted that the disease has spread to his bones.
“Last week, President Joe Biden was seen for a new finding of a prostate nodule after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms. On Friday, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, characterised by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone. Read more
James Bond star Joe Don Baker dies aged 89 (Independent)
The American actor Joe Don Baker, who starred in multiple James Bond films as different characters, has died at the age of 89.
Baker died on May 7, his family announced. A cause of death was not disclosed.
Known for his roles as “tough guy” characters on both sides of the law, Baker established himself through supporting roles in Westerns Guns of the Magnificent Seven (1969) and Wild Rovers (1971), before his breakthrough role as real-life Tennessee Sheriff Buford Pusser in the film Walking Tall (1973), which became unexpected box-office hit. Read more
Centre-right party wins Portuguese election as far right makes record gains (Guardian)
Portugal’s incumbent, centre-right Democratic Alliance (AD) has won the country’s third snap general election in three years – but once again fallen well short of a majority – as the underperforming socialists were left vying for second place with the far-right Chega party, which took a record 22% of the vote.
By midnight on Sunday, with 99% of the votes counted, the AD – led by the prime minister, Luís Montenegro – had won 32.1% of the vote and taken 86 seats in Portugal’s 230-seat assembly, leaving it far shy of the 116 needed for a majority.
The Socialist party (PS) had taken 23.4% of the vote t0 Chega’s 22.6%, and the two were tied on 58 seats each. Read more
The Who release official statement blaming age gap for Zak Starkey’s firing (FarOut)
After firing and re-hiring their long-standing drummer in April, The Who have released an official statement blaming the age gap as the reason they let go of Zak Starkey.
On the afternoon of May 18th, guitarist and songwriter Pete Townshend revealed that the band were letting go of their drummer of 29 years by way of an Instagram post: It read: “After many years of great work on drums from Zak, the time has come for change.” This was the second time in two months the band fired Starkey.
Starkey re-posted the same photo with his own message written over the top. It said: “I was fired two weeks after reinstatement and asked to make a statement saying I had quit the who to pursue my other musical endevours this would be a lie.” Read more
Yellowstone creator’s new action thriller confirms Chris Pratt replacement (Digitalspy)
Brandon Sklenar is set to star in a new action thriller from Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan.
F.A.S.T. will follow a former special forces commando who struggles to adjust to life when he returns home to the United States.
After being approached by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the soldier must lead a black op strike team to take down CIA-protected drug dealers in his town. Read more
Taiwo Awoniyi releases first statement after surgery, appreciates fans (Nation)
Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi has released his first statement following emergency surgery for an abdominal injury he sustained against Leicester City.
He expressed gratitude to his teammates, fans, supporters, and family for their support during his injury and surgery.
He said, “This season has been one of the most difficult of my career, but through it all, I have felt the love. With the grace of God, I am grateful to still be here, to still be fighting, to still be smiling, and to be in good spirits. Read more
Osimhen targets Super Lig trophy to complete domestic double (Punch)
Victor Osimhen has set his sights on clinching the Turkish Super Lig trophy today to complete a historic domestic double with Galatasaray following their emphatic Turkish Cup triumph.
The last time Cimbom won the Super Lig and Turkish Cup double was in the 2018/19 season.
“We won one trophy. On Sunday (today), we will fight for the fifth star,” the Nigeria international declared shortly after Wednesday night’s cup victory.
The Napoli striker, currently on a season-long loan spell in Istanbul, fired a brace as Galatasaray demolished Trabzonspor 3-0 to lift the Turkish Cup at the Gaziantep Stadium. Read more
Alcaraz beats Sinner to win Italian Open (JapanToday)
There’s only one player who is consistently beating Jannik Sinner.
Carlos Alcaraz defeated the top-ranked Sinner again, 7-6 (5), 6-1, to win his first Italian Open on Sunday and add another big clay-court title to his resume.
Since the start of last year, Alcaraz is the only player to beat Sinner more than once and now he’s done it four straight times.
“Just proud about myself, the way that I approached the match mentally. Tactically think I did it pretty well from the first to the last point,” Alcaraz said. “I maintained my level during the whole match.” Read more
Dave Allen stops Johnny Fisher in fifth round with massive knockout Standard)
Dave Allen produced a superb performance with a fifth-round stoppage of Johnny Fisher in London.
In doing so, the ‘Doncaster De La Hoya’ has become the new WBA Intercontinental heavyweight champion, reigniting his career at the age of 33.
If the first match between the two British heavyweight was clouded by controversy, the rematch on home soil at the Copper Box Arena had a definitive ending. Read more
Olympic 100m silver medallist Sha’Carri Richardson beaten in Tokyo season-opener (StraitsTimes)
Olympic 100m silver medallist Sha’Carri Richardson underwhelmed in her season-opener in Tokyo on May 18, finishing fourth in 11.47 seconds, four months before the world championships are held in the same stadium.
The American, who ran with strapping on her lower right leg, was slow out of the blocks and never led the Golden Grand Prix women’s 100m, which was won by Australia’s Bree Rizzo in 11.38sec.
American Twanisha Terry, fifth in the 2024 Olympics, was second in 11.42sec followed by Canada’s Sade McCreath in 11.46sec. Read more