Tonto Dike thanks Pastor Jerry for ‘account balance shaking’ gift (Nation)
Actress Tonto Dike has expressed gratitude to popular Pentecostal pastor and digital evangelist, Jerry Eze for the huge cash gift from him.
The former Rivers Deputy governorship candidate said the amount sent by the cleric, who she referred to as her papa and spiritual leader, practically shook her account and automatically put her in a dancing mood.
She wondered at what point she’d exhaust the money considering how much it is while praying his source of wealth never dries up.
“I would love to appreciate my papa, my spiritual leader @realjerryeze, papa I can’t shout, you shook my account balance… Eh pastor when will I finish this money, I am in awe. God bless you sir. Read more
DSS invites suspended EFCC boss, Bawa (Tribune)
The Department of State Services (DSS) has invited Abdulrasheed Bawa, the suspended Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Bawa arrived a few hours ago.
The invitation relates to some investigative activities concerning him.
This was contained in a statement signed by Public Relations Officer, Peter Afunanya on Wednesday night. Read more
Lagos police brutalise, strip lady over cultism allegation (Punch)
An unidentified woman was severely brutalised by some police officers stationed close to the Lagos State House of Assembly, Alausa, Ikeja, on Wednesday at about 2pm.
According to eyewitness accounts, the dark-skinned woman, spotting a low cut, was picked up close by the cops, who accused her of being a cultist.
According to the eyewitness, the helpless woman was stripped of her shirt, brutally beaten with sticks, a belt, punched and slapped by three policemen. Read more
Tinubu signs data protection bill into law (Sun)
President Bola Tinubu has signed the Nigeria Data Protection Bill, 2023 into law.
The Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023 provides a legal framework for the protection of personal information and the practice of data protection in Nigeria.
National Commissioner, Nigeria Data Protection Bureau (NDPB), Dr Vincent Olatunji, disclosed this at the NDPD Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan(SRAP) validation workshop in Abuja. Read more
How fire incident in TCN substation affected 60 MVA power transformer (Guardian)
There was a fire incident at the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, Alagbon Transmission Substation.
The fire incident which occurred at about 1632 hrs, on Wednesday, affected one of its 60MVA power transformers in the substation.
It was gathered that the operator on duty heard a heavy bang from the switchyard and immediately moved to the switchyard to investigate the sound and found fire under the cooling fans/fins of the transformer. Read more
DSS invites suspended EFCC Chairman Bawa (Channels)
The Department of State Services (DSS) has invited the suspended Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa.
“Bawa arrived a few hours ago. The invitation relates to some investigative activities concerning him, ” said a statement by the DSS Public Relations Officer, Peter Afunanya, on Wednesday evening.
This development follows President Bola Tinubu’s approval of Bawa’s indefinite suspension “to allow for proper investigation into his conduct while in office”. Read more
Wasiu Ayinde begs Tinubu to pardon Sunday Igboho, Nnamdi Kanu (Vanguard)
Popular Fuji musician King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, professionally known as K1 De Ultimate has pleaded with President Bola Tinubu to pardon Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, aka Sunday Igboho for him to return to Nigeria.
In a veiled message, Ayinde also begged the President to free the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, who has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since June 2021.
Recall that Igboho was arrested by Interpol at Cadjèhoun Airport in Cotonou, Benin Republic in July 2021, after he fled the country. Read more
Police arrest another Kuje Prison escapee, others in Nasarawa (Leadership)
Police operatives from the Nasarawa Command have arrested another escapee of the Kuje Correctional Center, Mr. Haruna Sunday.
The 35 year-old escapee was nabbed by men and officers of the command in Masaka, Karu local government area of the state.
According to the command’s Public Relations Officer, Ramhan Nansel, the suspect was arrested for burglary on June 8, 2023. Read more
Megan Thee Stallion, Me Too, and hip-hop’s cycle of misogynoir (VOX)
From the moment Megan Thee Stallion came forward with the news that she was shot in 2020 — and that fellow MC Tory Lanez had fired the gun — critics have doubted her story, joked about the violence she faced, shared false information about it, and displayed outright disdain for the now 28-year-old Grammy-winning hip-hop star. Drake even released a song featuring the lyrics “This bitch lie about getting shot but she still a stallion.” Listeners suggested this was the Canadian rapper’s not-so-subtle way of expressing skepticism about Megan’s claims, adding to the discord already surrounding the case.
In the end, the only audience that mattered — a Los Angeles jury — believed Megan, whose given name is Megan Pete. Lanez was found guilty in December 2022 of three felonies: assault with a semiautomatic firearm, discharging a firearm with gross negligence, and carrying a loaded unregistered firearm in a vehicle. While Lanez’s sentencing was scheduled for June 13, after several delays, the judge has once again pushed scheduling. Lanez will now be sentenced on August 7.
Prosecutors have sought 13 years for Lanez, alleging that, following the shooting, he led a campaign to terrorize the rapper behind “Savage,” “Hot Girl Summer,” and other hits. A filing this June accused Lanez and rapper DaBaby of allegedly planning to “ambush” Megan onstage at a music festival, which left her “fearful” for her safety. Lanez had also hired a new legal team and sought a new trial after his conviction, creating months of delays in the sentencing. Read more
Melissa Etheridge will perform her “deeply personal” musical “My Window” about her life on Broadway (People)
Get ready to see Melissa Etheridge’s life story come alive on stage.
On Monday, the Grammy winning singer-songwriter announced she’ll be performing her autobiographical musical Melissa Etheridge: My Window on Broadway starting in September following its off-Broadway run in New York City last year.
“I truly love Broadway, and it’s long been a dream of mine to tell my story and share my music there,” said Etheridge, 62, in a press statement. “I never felt more connected to this community and New York audiences than I did after telling my life story off-Broadway last year.” Read more
Tom Holland regrets not reaching out to Andrew Garfield after being cast as “Spider-Man” (FilmNews)
Tom Holland admits he regrets not speaking to Andrew Garfield after being cast as “Spider-Man.”
While talking to The Hollywood Reporter, The Marvel star opened up about his friendship with fellow “Spider-Man” actors Andrew and Tobey Maguire.
The 27-year-old told the outlet that he regretted not reaching out to Andrew, who played the web-shooting hero from 2012 to 2014, after being named the new Peter Parker in 2015. Read more
Bradley Cooper sets next movie to direct after ‘‘Maestro’’ — a team-up with buddy Will Arnett (IndieWire)
Bradley Cooper has found his next project to direct after his upcoming Leonard Bernstein project “Maestro,” and it’s a team-up with someone near and dear to his heart, his buddy Will Arnett.
Cooper is attached to direct “Is This Thing On?,” and both Cooper and Arnett will also star in and produce the film that has a script written by Arnett and Mark Chappell (See How They Run), an individual with knowledge of the project told IndieWire. The film is currently in development at Searchlight and is described as a dark comedy, though plot details are being kept under wraps.
Arnett and Chappell did the first draft of the script, and Cooper is expected to do a pass on the script once the writers strike has concluded. Read more
Music publishers sue Twitter for allowing copyrighted songs (National)
A group of 17 music publishers sued Twitter in Nashville, Tennessee, federal court on Wednesday, accusing the company of enabling thousands of copyright violations by allowing users to post music without a license.
Twitter drives user engagement with “countless infringing copies of musical compositions,” the lawsuit said.
Members of the National Music Publishers’ Association, including Sony Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management and Universal Music Publishing Group, are seeking more than $250 million in damages for alleged infringement of nearly 1,700 copyrights. Read more
78 dead after boat with refugees and migrants sinks off Greece (AlJazeera)
At least 78 people have died and many more are feared missing after a fishing boat carrying refugees and migrants capsized and sank off the southern coast of Greece – one of the worst such disasters this year.
The Greek coastguard said in a statement on Wednesday the vessel sank in international waters, 47 nautical miles (87km) southwest of Pylos, off the Peloponnese coast. The spot is close to one of the deepest areas of the Mediterranean.
The accident prompted an extensive rescue operation complicated by strong winds, the coastguard said, adding about 100 people had been rescued so far. Six coastguard vessels, a navy frigate, a military transport and an air force helicopter, as well as several private vessels, were taking part in the search for those missing – a rescue operation set to continue overnight.Read more
Japan: Cadet shoots dead 2 instructors at military firing range (BBC)
Two Japanese soldiers were killed and another injured after a new recruit opened fire at a military training range in central Japan, officials say.
An 18-year-old trainee was detained on the spot and arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, police said.
They allege the male shooter fired eight times at instructors during a shooting drill in Gifu on Wednesday. Read more
Full house as Super Eagles eye early 2023 AFCON ticket (DailyTrust)
The camp of the Super Eagles in Lagos is bubbling as all invited players are in the team’s nest as countdown begins for Sunday’s 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying showdown with the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone in Monrovia.
Table-toppers Nigeria, on nine points, will slug it out with the Leone Stars, four points behind and in third place, at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Stadium in Paynesville, Monrovia.
The 22,000 -capacity arena will witness fireworks from 5pm Nigeria time as the Super Eagles seek to reach the finals of the 34th Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled for Cote d’Ivoire early next year, with a game to spare. Read more
Sudanese ref for Eagles, Sierra Leone clash (Punch)
The Confederation of African Football has named Sudanese referee Mahmood Ismail as the centre referee for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match between Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
This was made known in a statement released by the Nigeria Football Federation communication department on Wednesday.
The Sudanese has officiated CAF competitions, issuing 24 yellow cards and no red cards. Read more
FIFA agrees deal to broadcast Women’s World Cup in 34 European countries (DailyMail)
FIFA on Wednesday announced it had struck a deal with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to televise the 2023 Women’s World Cup, avoiding a controversial blackout in the ‘Big Five’ European nations.
The deal follows a standoff between the governing body of world football and broadcasters in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom over the rights for the competition in Australia and New Zealand in July and August.
“FIFA is delighted to widen the deal with the European Broadcasting Union for the transmission of the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup to include the five major markets within their existing networks, namely France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom, as well as Ukraine, thus ensuring maximum exposure for the tournament,” said FIFA president Gianni Infantino on the football body’s website. Read more
Croatia produce trademark display with extra-time win over Netherlands to reach Nations League final (Standard)
Croatia overcame a dramatic clash with the Netherlands to win in the Nations League semi-finals on Wednesday night.
The Dutch squandered Donyell Malen’s opener in a low-key performance in Rotterdam as Andrej Kramaric’s second-half penalty was followed by Mario Pasalic’s goal.
Even after Noa Lang snatched a late leveller, Croatia produced their trademark of finding a way to win in extra time of a tournament knockout match – Bruno Petkovic the hero on this occasion. Read more
Rickie Fowler, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas potential investors in Leeds United (RTE)
Rickie Fowler has revealed he is one of three top US golfers looking to invest in Leeds United as part of the imminent takeover by 49ers Enterprises.
The American investment group are set to take charge of the club after agreeing a deal to buy out chairman Andrea Radrizzani’s controlling stake.
Fowler, along with Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas, all of whom have been converted to the Elland Road cause by Matt Fitzpatrick’s Leeds-supporting caddie Billy Foster, is confident of being part of the deal. Read more
Tennis star Nick Kyrgios reveals he checked into mental health ward after 2019 Wimbledon loss (Fox)
In an upcoming documentary, Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios talks about checking into a psychiatric hospital following his crushing defeat at Wimbledon several years ago, Australian media reported.
Kyrgios lost to 22-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal in the second round of the tournament in London. In the latest episodes of Netflix’s “Break Point,” Kyrgios opened up about his mental health battles after the loss.
In February, Kyrgios took to Instagram and wrote about how he was in a better place. Read more