Dwayne Johnson, also known as The Rock, has been officially acknowledged by Guinness World Records as TikTok's most followed actor, boasting an impressive 74.4 million followers. This achievement marks a notable milestone as The Rock surpasses fellow actor Will Smith, who held the record since 2022, in a battle among top-tier American celebrities. According to GWR, while Johnson currently holds the title, he will need to maintain his momentum to keep it, as Will Smith isn't far behind. The Rock's TikTok channel offers a unique peek into his multifaceted life, from his WWE comeback to his fitness routines at the gym, surprise appearances while delivering his Papatui skincare products, and heartwarming moments with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Meanwhile, Will Smith's TikTok showcases his ongoing adventures, including behind-the-scenes footage with Martin Lawrence for the upcoming fourth installment of the Bad Boys franchise, Ride or Die. https://youtu.be/m9zatqCv0sw

A senior Israeli security official said on Wednesday that the ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza may continue until the end of the year in order to achieve the objective of stripping the Palestinian militant group. National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi emphasized the importance of destroying Hamas's military capabilities, securing the release of all hostages, and ensuring that Gaza no longer poses a threat. Hanegbi called attention to stop the presence of funded terrorist organizations along Israel's border. Discussions are also underway regarding the future of Gaza after the war, with the aim of enabling Palestinians to take responsibility for their own lives while Israel maintains its security. Despite international pressure to cease the fighting, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains resolute in his determination to eliminate Hamas following their attack in October, which resulted in numerous casualties and hostages. Israel's retaliatory actions have unfo...

  The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has reaffirmed its commitment to commemorating Biafra Day in the South-East on May 30. The day is dedicated to honoring those who died during the Civil War between July 6, 1967, and January 15, 1970. In a statement issued by IPOB's media and publicity secretary, Emma Powerful, on Tuesday, the group emphasized the importance of the sit-at-home order for May 30, 2024, urging everyone in Biafra territory to observe it. The statement read: "We remind everyone residing in Biafra territory that the sit-at-home on May 30, 2024, to commemorate Biafra Heroes Day is mandatory, and we expect everyone to comply. It is only for one day." "IPOB remains a crucial entity in matters concerning Biafra. The remembrance of those who fought for Biafra's freedom and sovereignty is essential. No government or security agency has the authority to harass any innocent person during this event. We urge all state governors in Biafra Land to ensure th...

The Gombe State Government has pressed charges against a man accused of amputating his 12-year-old nephew's hands for allegedly stealing a phone. Abubakar Jungudo, from the Gombe State Ministry of Justice, confirmed the legal action, indicating readiness for prosecution once the case is assigned by the Chief Judge. This development came after criticism from Mwalin Abdu, Vice Chairperson of the Nigerian Bar Association in Gombe, regarding child protection following the disturbing incident in Akko Local Government Area. Abdu emphasized the urgent need to enforce the Child Protection Law to combat various forms of child abuse prevalent in the state, citing previous cases like Zubair Abubakar's arm amputation in 2018. Abdu urged swift implementation of protective measures, including robust reporting systems, specialized support services for victims, and public awareness campaigns to address the pervasive issue of child abuse and exploitation. She called for decisive action against ...

Manchester City midfielder Rodri, Chelsea's Marc Cucurella and on-loan Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya have been named in Spain's provisional squad for this summer's European Championships. Aston Villa defender Pau Torres and Tottenham's Pedro Porro have been left out. Luis de la Fuente named a squad of 29 which needs to be cut by three before the deadline on 7 June. Barcelona youngsters Lamine Yamal, 16, and Pau Cubarsi, 17, have got the nod while Fermin Lopez and former Newcastle player Ayoze Perez have received their first senior call ups for La Roja. Paris St-Germain forward Marco Asensio, who has 38 caps, has been omitted. De la Fuente was appointed as Luis Enrique's successor in December 2022 following their World Cup exit against Morocco in the last 16. He led the country to Nations League success in 2023 - their first international trophy for 11 years. Spain, who won the European Championships in 2008 and 2012, find themselves in a tricky group with holders It...

  Abigail Katung, a Nigerian woman, has been appointed as the 130th Lord Mayor of Leeds City in England, making history as the first person of African descent to assume this role. The announcement was made after the Leeds City Council’s annual general meeting on Thursday night, as confirmed by a statement on the council’s website. The statement indicated that Abigail Marshall Katung, taking over from Al Garthwaite, is now the city’s 130th Lord Mayor, marking a significant milestone as the first individual of African descent to hold this esteemed position. Throughout her tenure, Councillor Marshall Katung will be supported by her husband, Nigerian Senator Sunday Marshall Katung, who will serve as the Lord Mayor Consort. The statement also revealed that Katung was born in Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria, and came to the UK to pursue postgraduate studies at the University of Leeds in the Politics and International Studies Department in 2000. Video link https://youtu.be/COX5RxEgWqk

Muhammadu Sanusi II, the reinstated Emir of Kano, gave thanks for his reappointment, crediting it to divine intervention during his appreciation speech. He received his appointment letter from Governor Abba Yusuf at the Kano Government House. Sanusi emphasized the significance of God's will in leadership appointments and highlighted the historical context of his reinstatement, noting the rarity of such occurrences in Kano's history. Governor Yusuf reaffirmed Sanusi's reappointment based on his competence, credibility, and popularity, urging him to foster unity and harmony within the emirate. Meanwhile, a Federal High Court sitting in Kano has granted an ex-parte order stopping Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano from reinstating Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II pending the determination of a substantive suit filed against the reinstatement. The order also kicked against the abolishment of four emirates: Bichi, Gaya, Karaye, and Rano.  The court, however, directed all parties involved...

President Ebrahim Raisi Iran’s military has not discovered any signs of criminal activity in the helicopter crash that resulted in the death of President Ebrahim Raisi and seven others, as per state media reports. The 63-year-old passed away on Sunday when his helicopter crashed in the mountainous northwest while returning from a dam inauguration near the border with Azerbaijan. A preliminary report from the general staff of the armed forces, released by the official IRNA news agency on Thursday, stated that no evidence of bullet holes or similar impacts was found on the helicopter wreckage. The report clarified that the helicopter caught fire upon hitting an elevated area and that no suspicious communication was noted between the watchtower and the flight crew. The report highlighted that Raisi’s helicopter was following a predetermined route and had not deviated from its designated flight path before the accident. Iranian drones located the helicopter wreckage early Monday, but searc...

Newcastle beat Tottenham 5-4 on penalties in a post-season friendly in Australia - just three days after the Premier League ended. The timing of the match, which was played in front of 78,419 fans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and finished 1-1 after normal time, had been called "madness" by former England and Newcastle striker Alan Shearer. It went ahead despite concerns about the increasing workload being faced by players. England midfielder James Maddison scored the 32nd-minute opener for Spurs, taking advantage of a poor pass by Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope and then weaving past the Magpies defence and smashing into the top corner. Swedish striker Alexander Isak levelled from close range just before half-time. The game then went straight to penalties with Bryan Gil having Spurs' first spot-kick saved by Mark Gillespie - the only one missed as the remaining nine were converted. Right-back Harrison Ashby, who spent last season on loan at Swansea, struck the winning p...

Verydarkman The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the detention of social media influencer Martins Vincent Otse, also known as Verydarkman, in police custody. Reports reveal that Verydarkman faced charges of cyberbullying, to which he pleaded not guilty during his arraignment on Wednesday. His legal representative, Deji Adeyanju, sought bail, but the prosecution requested additional time to prepare a response. As a result, the court postponed the bail hearing to May 29. We will be providing more updates in due course...

  J ustice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja, has dismissed the request by the detained leader of the Biafra nation agitators, Nnamdi Kanu, for the restoration of his revoked bail and the removal from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), to a house arrest or prison custody. The Judge said that the same request had been brought before her by Kanu, dismissing it for want of merit. In a ruling on Kanu’s request, Justice Nyako said that she found as a fact, that Kanu jumped the bail earlier granted him, and escaped out of the country. The Judge also held that the sureties who stood for him in the earlier bail, had applied to be discharged, and had been discharged on the ground that they could not locate Kanu and did not know his whereabouts. Justice Nyako said that the only option left for Kanu was to go to the Court of Appeal and should proceed to the appellate court to exercise his right of appeal. The Judge disagreed with Kanu’s lead counsel, that the ...

  The Kebbi State Government confirms the arrival of the third flight from Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport, Birnin Kebbi, to Madinah, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday morning. According to Ahmed Idris, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, the flight carried 430 intending pilgrims from Gwandu, Aliero, Bunza, and Kalgo Local Government Areas of Kebbi, along with Kebbi Government Officials (KGO). The plane departed Nigeria at approximately 4:00 pm Nigerian time and landed in Madinah at about 12:30 am Saudi Arabian time. Malam Hussaini Abubakar-Giro, a board member of the Kebbi Pilgrims Welfare Board, confirmed that all necessary arrangements had been made to receive the pilgrims in Madinah and transport them to their hotels. Upon arrival, buses were already prepared for the pilgrims, who had been grouped into 45 people from Nigeria using their passports, making the process smooth and efficient. Abubakar-Giro commended the Chairman of the Kebbi Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Faru...

  Juventus have dismissed Massimiliano Allegri two days after he led the side to the Italian Cup. The Turin side beat Atalanta 1-0 in Rome, but Allegri was sent off late on for ranting at match officials and waving away sporting director during the celebrations. The Italian Football Federation's disciplinary tribunal has launched an investigation into Allegri. And on Friday, Juventus confirmed he was no longer their boss. "The dismissal follows certain behaviors during and after the Italian Cup final which the club deemed incompatible with the values of Juventus and with the behavior that those who represent it must adopt," a statement read. Juve's 1-0 win over Atalanta, thanks to Dusan Vlahovic's early goal, gave Allegri a record fifth Coppa Italia as a manager. "If I am no longer the Juventus coach next year, I will leave a strong team. The club will make its evaluations," he said in the post-match news conference. Even before his antics at the Stadio ...

  Tigran Gambaryan Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court Abuja, has refused to grant bail to an Executive of Binance Holdings Limited, Tigran Gambaryan. Justice Nwite held that Gambaryan is likely to jump bail if bail is granted to him. The company and its executive were arraigned on a five-count charge bordering on money laundering before Emeka Nwite, judge of a federal high court in Abuja. The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge. Moving an application, Counsel to the Defendant, Mark Mordi, argued that the court had the power to grant bail to the defendant and impose conditions to ensure his presence in court. The Prosecution Counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, however opposed the bail application, stating that the defendant was a flight risk. He stated that the defendant attempted to obtain a new passport which he claimed was stolen, and this was a suspicious act given the proximity to his colleague’s escape from custody. He added that the court cannot risk granting h...

The Lagos State Police Command has released popular street singer Habeeb Okikiola, best known as Portable, after the artiste passed a night in police cell. Portable was arrested on Tuesday in the Abule Egba area of Lagos for allegedly refusing to pay the balance of a G-Wagon vehicle he purchased from a car dealer. The ‘Zazoo Zeh’ crooner was reported to have bought the vehicle worth ₦27 million but paid only ₦13 million, with ₦14 million balance. In a viral video, Portable was seen to have scaled a gate after policemen approached him with an arrest warrant to follow them. Another viral video, however, showed him being dragged, handcuffed and wheelbarrowed by about four policemen into a waiting vehicle. In the ensuing melee, the voice of a lady, who identified herself as the car dealer, was heard in the background, spewing expletives and telling how Portable threatened her when she demanded that he discharge the debt. Police spokesman in the state, Benjamin Hundeyin, said that the singe...

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, says any reversal in the hike of electricity tariff for Band A customers in the country will derail the reform agenda of the President Bola Tinubu administration for the power sector. Adelabu spoke on Tuesday after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Aso Villa in Abuja. His comments followed the nationwide picketing of the offices of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and distribution companies by the Organised Labour on Monday. On April 3, 2024, NERC raised electricity tariff for customers enjoying 20 hours power supply daily. Customers in this category are said to be under the Band A classification. The increase saw the customers paying N225 kilowatt per hour from the current N66, a development that has been heavily criticised by many Nigerians, considering the immediacy of the tariff hike and the current hardship in the land. Following the outrage, NERC asked discos to cut down electricity tariff rate by 8.1% ...

Super Eagles Head Coach George Finidi is confident of delivering for the team but admitted that the task ahead is enormous. Finidi was unveiled as the team’s head coach on Monday in Abuja weeks after his appointment as the substantive gaffer for the three-time African champions. Hours after the event, the former international took to his social media platform to express hope of better days for the Super Eagles. Honored to have been unveiled as Head Coach of @NGSuperEagles. My gratitude goes to @thenff, the Ministry of Sports Development, and Nigerians for the faith. The former Enyimba coach thanked the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and Ministry of Sports Development and Nigerians for their trust in him. Honored to have been unveiled as Head Coach of @NGSuperEagles,” Finidi said. “My gratitude goes to @thenff, the Ministry of Sports Development, and Nigerians for the faith.” The coach’s immediate task will be qualifying Nigeria for the 2026 World Cup. He begins that duty next month ...

The Minister of Sports Development, John Enoh, has officially unveiled Finidi George as the new head coach of the Nigerian men national team, the Super Eagles. The Minister proclaimed the former Super Eagles forward at an event in Abuja attended by the leaders of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) at the Media Centre of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja on Monday morning. “Any country I find an indigenous coach sitting on the bench, I always feel very proud and I am glad that we have an opportunity that have a Nigerian coach, Finidi George, as football men national team coach,” Enoh said during the unveiling. The former Real Betis winger was appointed permanently after the departure of the Portuguese gaffer Jose Peseiro. He an assistant to Peseiro at the last African Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast where the team finished second place. George’s appointment was announced a few weeks ago after he took charge of the team on an interim basis for the doubleheader internationa...

  The first mentioned recipient of a transplanted pig kidney has passed away nearly two months after undergoing an experiment. Massachusetts General Hospital conducted the operation in March, implanting a genetically-altered pig kidney into Rick Slayman, a 62-year-old individual battling end-stage kidney disease. The hospital hailed the procedure as a significant advancement in xenotransplantation, offering a potential solution to the global organ shortage crisis. Despite Slayman’s death, the hospital clarified that it was unrelated to the transplant. Slayman’s family expressed deep sadness over his sudden passing but found solace in his inspirational legacy. They lauded the medical team for their dedicated care, acknowledging that the xenotransplant provided them with precious additional time together. The pig kidney used in the transplant underwent genetic modifications to enhance compatibility with humans, including the removal of harmful pig genes and the addition of specific h...

  Mauricio Pochettino told Chelsea’s owners in Friday’s press conference that  “it will not be the end of the world”   if he were to leave Chelsea at the end of the season. The Blues boss called for an end to the "stupid rumours" following his side's victory against Tottenham last week. But the Argentine says he and his coaching staff must be on the same page as the owners if he's to continue at the club. Pochettino said the "organisation of the club is building" and that "we are all under assessment". Chelsea chairman Todd Boehly said on Thursday that his plans for the club are "coming together" but Pochettino has made clear that conversations with the club's board at the end of the season should include his input. “If we are happy, perfect," said 52-year-old Pochettino. "But it is not only if the owners are happy or the sporting directors happy... You need to ask us also, because maybe (we) say ‘we are not happy’ and we a...

  Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle visited Nigeria on Friday as part of his promotion of the Invictus Games, the sporting event he founded for wounded military veterans. The couple arrived Friday in the Nigerian capital Abuja where they visited a school to open an event on mental health for students there. Greeted by a drum and dance group from the Igbo ethnic group, Prince Harry and Megan toured the Lightway Academy where they were welcomed by pupils. “If you take anything away from today, just know that mental health affects every single person,” he told students, wearing a traditional Nigerian bead necklace around his neck. “The more you talk about it the more you can kick stigma away.” Meghan joined the Duke of Sussex on the stage before they left for a meeting with Nigerian military commanders as part of the Invictus programme. “It was really cool. I just wanted to touch him,” said student Nnena Edeh, 13, as the prince left the school. “It was really inspiring.” Prince ...