UK bans Nigerian students, others from bringing family (Nation)
The United Kingdom has announced restrictions barring foreign students from bringing family members into the country.
The Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, announced the ban as part of the push to reduce net migration.
The Home Secretary said all foreign students – apart from those on postgraduate research programmes – will be banned from bringing their dependents from January 2024. Read more
Election Tribunal: We’ll expose INEC, Obi’s lawyer declares (Tribune)
Livy Uzoukwu (SAN), the leading counsel of Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi has vowed to expose the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for allegedly withholding essential documents, alleging that the electoral umpire is probably trying to manipulate the documents, before releasing them.
According to him, he will focus on the most important witnesses in the case in the three weeks allotted to his team to present their case.
Uzoukwu said this during an interview with journalists Tuesday at the tribunal pre-hearing in Abuja. Read more
Baba Wande: How Tunde Kelani cheated me (DailyTrust)
Veteran Yoruba actor, Kareem Adepoju professionally known as Baba Wande has accused the renowned Nollywood filmmaker, Tunde Kelani, of not remitting to him the agreed percentage of the proceeds made from the blockbuster film Ti Oluwa ni Ile.
Baba Wande revealed this in an interview with BBC when he was talking about his investment and partnership with Kelani over the 1993 film.
The actor said the bargained deal was for him to get 30 per cent of the profits of the film while Kelani should take 70 per cent, but stated that he got far below what he signed on the dotted lines. Read more
Youths protest as absence of magistrate stalls Seun Kuti’s trial (Punch)
There was confusion on Tuesday morning at the Yaba Chief Magistrates Court, Lagos State, as youths gathered outside the court to protest for the freedom of the Afrobeat musician, Seun Kuti.
A source, who pleaded anonymity told The PUNCH, that in the absence of the magistrate, Adeola Olatunbosun, the trial was postponed to Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
The trial was supposed to be held today, following the plea by the police last week to extend the defendant’s stay in police custody by four days to enable them to conclude their investigation. Read more
Sanwo-Olu to commission housing projects in Gbagada, Odo Onosa, others (Guardian)
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu will be rounding off his first term in office with the commissioning of three housing projects located at Gbagada, Odo-Onosa Ayandelu and Agbowa.
Sanwo-Olu, according to Commissioner for Housing, Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, will on Thursday commission Ndubuisi Kanu Estate in Gbagada.
“Ndubuisi Kanu Housing Estate Gbagada with 72 home units comprising 48 two bedrooms and 24 three bedrooms apartments is one of the choice housing schemes completed by the present Administration,” Akinderu-Fatai said. Read more
I left our $60m house to sleep in my friend’s studio – Davido (Vanguard)
Nigerian afrobeats singer, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has reflected on the early days of his career and how he ran away from his dad’s $60 million mansion in Lagos to live in his friend’s studio.
Davido noted how many think because of his wealthy background, he didn’t have to struggled to become successful in the music industry.
He stated this in a recent interview with Real 92.3 FM, Atlanta. Read more
Makinde dissolves cabinet, sacks political office holders (ThisDay)
Ahead of his inauguration for a second term in office on May 29, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Tuesday, dissolved the state executive council.
The dissolution was contained in a memo dated May 23 , 2023 and signed by the Chief of Staff to the Governor and Chairman, Transition and Inauguration Committee, Otunba Segun Ogunwuyi.
The governor equally terminated the appointments of political office holders and asked them to hand over government properties in their custody to the most senior civil servant in their respective ministries, departments and agencies. Read more
Buhari defends Nigeria’s debt profile (Leadership)
President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday in Abuja declared that making infrastructure development a key point of focus in his administration was a deliberate action to create wealth and make poverty alleviation easier.
Speaking at the virtual commissioning of three bridges, three secretariats and one road project undertaken by his administration, the President in a statement by presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, defended criticisms of the debt profile of his administration saying, “we do not act on infrastructure by accident. It has been a deliberate choice for our government as a tool to fight poverty, to create economic growth and employment and to open the path of prosperity for our people.”
He emphasised that while he shared the concerns of Nigerians, the debts were tied to projects that have been executed in very transparent circumstances and are there for everyone to see. Read more
Halle Bailey, H.E.R. & Fantasia star in “The Color Purple” trailer (Billboard)
Warner Bros. unveiled the trailer for the big-screen musical adaptation of “The Color Purple” on Monday (May 22), starring Halle Bailey, H.E.R., Fantasia and more.
“Today, our teacher taught us about a place called Africa,” Bailey says as young Nettie Harris tells her older sister Celie to open the preview. “She say our mamas come from queens over there. That means that we? Royalty.”
As Fantasia’s voice echoes over the clip as a grown-up Celie singing “I’m Here,” the two sisters are cruelly separated by Celie’s much-older husband, leaving Celie without her only support system in life. The trailer then progresses to reveal Danielle Brooks as Sofia and Taraji P. Henson as the fabulous Shug Avery, who introduces Celie to a brighter, more musical life, declaring, “Let’s see this smile in color,” as she applies lipstick to the latter’s face for the very first time. Read more
Up to 30 homeless families face removal from Enfield Travelodge during Beyonce Tottenham concerts (Metro)
Homeless families are facing removal from their emergency accommodation in Enfield when Beyonce performs a series of concerts in north London.
Up to 30 families are reportedly set to be removed from Enfield Travelodge – which has acted as a temporary home for people, in some case for months, when the chart-topper performs at nearby Tottenham Hotspurs Stadium.
Beyonce is set to perform multiple shows between May 29 and June 4. Read more
Taylor Swift thanks fans for enduring ”full on deluge” during concert (MusicNews)
Taylor Swift thanked her fans for enduring a “full on deluge that never let up” during her concert in Massachusetts over the weekend.
The Shake It Off singer took to social media on Sunday to share pictures of her performing her three-hour concert during a continual downpour at the outdoor Gillette Stadium in Foxborough on Saturday.
The snaps showed her performing with soaking wet hair and drenched clothes and pulling off choreographed routines with her dancers amid the pouring rain. Read more
Ed Sheeran leaves high school class stunned with surprise visit and generous musical gift (Standard)
Ed Sheeran left a Florida high school class stunned after he surprised them with free guitars and concert tickets.
The Shape of You hitmaker visited a group of Middleton and Blake high school pupils during their band rehearsal last week as they played his single Eyes Closed to promote his new guitar line.
In footage shared on Instagram, the 32-year-old is seen casually entering the classroom with his guitar as he interrupts the band’s practise. Read more
Jude Law made himself “smell awful” to portray Henry VIII in “Firebrand” (HuffPost)
Jude Law has confessed to stinking up the set for his new film,“Firebrand”.
The British actor wanted to get fully into character playing Henry VIII in a new film about the monarch’s relationship with Catherine Parr, the last of his six wives.
So, he apparently recruited a perfumer to recreate the monarch’s pungent smell.
“I read several interesting accounts that at this period you could smell Henry three rooms away. His leg was rotting so badly. He hid it with rose oil,” Jude told reporters at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday. Read more
Rolf Harris cause of death revealed as family issue statement (MEN)
Rolf Harris died of neck cancer and ‘frailty of old age’, according to his death certificate.
The disgraced entertainer and convicted sex offender died aged 93 at his home in Bray, Berkshire, on May 10. The Australian-born presenter was a favourite TV icon for decades before being convicted of a series of indecent assaults in June 2014.
His offences included one on an eight-year-old autograph hunter, two on girls in their early teens, and a catalogue of abuse against his daughter’s friend over 16 years. In a statement, his family confirmed he died surrounded by family and friends. Read more
Sudan Crisis: Eritrean and Ethiopian refugees plead to UN for help (MEE)
Eritrean and Ethiopian refugees in Sudan pleaded to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to help them relocate to a safe third country, as the internal infighting leaves them exposed to abuse and violence.
In an open letter addressed to the UN body, refugees said many have been forced to flee the conflict to unknown locations while others became “victims of human trafficking”.
“As refugees, we have suffered from atrocities committed against us by the army and commanders while we were in Khartoum,” the letter, dated 21 May, said. Read more
Argentina 2023: NFF plans special motivation for Flying Eagles against ‘stubborn’ Italy (Guardian)
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has promised ‘special motivation’ to aid the Flying Eagles in their battle with their Italian counterparts at the ongoing FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina.
The Flying Eagles will tackle Italy in their second game of the competition tomorrow.
While the Flying Eagles defeated Dominican Republic 2-1 in Sunday’s first group game, Italy, against all expectations, beat Brazil 3-2 at the Mendoza Stadium to move to the top of Group D. Read more
8 teams for Mmobuosi, NPFL Super Cup (Punch)
The Dozy Mmobuosi Foundation has announced adjustments to the number of participating teams in the 2023 Dozy Mmobuosi/NPFL Pre-season Super Cup.
The foundation said the decision to trim the number from 12 teams to eight became necessary in order to sustain the tempo of the competition.
“While we acknowledge and appreciate the passion that may have been fired up in anticipation of the earlier number made public, the decision to adjust the number of participating teams was not taken lightly,” Ebuwa Agbonwaneten, CEO, The Dozy Mmobuosi Foundation, stated. Read more
Police arrest 7 for alleged “hate crimes” against soccer star Vinicius Jr. (UPI)
Seven people were arrested in connection to two instances of alleged “hate crimes” aimed at Real Madrid soccer star Vinicius Jr., Spanish police announced Tuesday morning.
Authorities said they will continue to investigate to “identify other possible perpetrators.”
The string of arrests came after the Brazilian forward issued a public statement Monday, calling racism “normal” in Spain and La Liga, the country’s top soccer league. La Liga has reported a total of 10 instances of racial abuse against Vinicius over the past two seasons. Read more
El Salvador football stadium crush survivors describe ”night of terror” (ITV)
Survivors of a deadly football stadium crush in El Salvador have told of the moment they became caught up in the panic and narrowly escaped with their lives.
At least 12 people died in the crush when the Primera Division play-off quarter-final match on Saturday descended into chaos.
An investigation has been launched by the country’s National Civil Police in the wake of the crush at the match between Alianza and FAS at the Cuscatlan Stadium, San Salvador. Read more
LeBron James questions early retirement after Lakers lose Nuggets (CBS)
After 20 incredible years in the NBA, LeBron James has added to speculation that he could finally be hanging up his sneakers for good.
This comes after the Los Angeles Lakers were swept out of the Western Conference Finals by Nikola Jokić and the Denver Nuggets following a disappointing 113-111 Game 4 loss.
“We’ll see what happens going forward. I don’t know,” the NBA’s all-time leading scorer said to reporters post-game. “I’ve got a lot to think about to be honest.
“Just for me, personally, going forward with the game of basketball, I’ve got a lot to think about.” Read more
Chantelle Cameron details changes needed to make Katie Taylor rematch happen (Mirror)
Chantelle Cameron will need to have certain demands met if she is to agree to a big-money rematch with Katie Taylor after a stressful fight week in Dublin.
Cameron handed Taylor her first defeat as a professional at the 3Arena last Saturday night, with the entire build-up from launch to ring walks focused on her rival’s return home after a legendary career. And she admitted that at times she felt disrespected, particularly being made to walk first despite being the defending undisputed champion.
Despite Taylor having a rematch clause which she intends to exercise, the Irishwoman will have to succumb to a few demands in order to get her rematch. While Cameron wasn’t overly interested in the event’s name, which was marketed as ‘Taylor vs Cameron’ even though she was the champion, she does want to walk second, and insists the bout must make financial sense. Read more