Basket Ball / Sports

Phoenix Suns tie franchise record for wins with nail-biter over Warriors

One down, one more to go to make history and make a case for the best to ever play basketball in the Valley.

The Phoenix Suns are a win a way from setting the franchise record for victories in a single season after Wednesday’s 107-103 triumph at Golden State before a sellout crowd of 18,064 at Chase Center.

“I’m unbelievably proud of our players and our staff and I’m proud to be a part of Suns history in this way,” Suns coach Monty Williams said.

Devin Booker scored 22 points on 5-for-21 shooting on as his two free throws with 34.2 seconds left put Phoenix up 102-101.

Then after Draymond Green was called for traveling, Chris Paul scored to make the difference three, 104-101, with 13.1 seconds left.

“We feel like we’ve been here before,” Paul said. “Obviously, it’s an exciting environment. playing in here, crowd going crazy and all that, but we’ve played a ton of games like that this year, last year. That trust is what helps us.”

Paul finished with 15 points as all five starters reached double figures with Mikal Bridges scoring 22, Deandre Ayton posting 16 points and 16 boards and Jae Crowder adding 10 points.

“We just stayed together,” Bridges said. “We just stayed together throughout the whole thing. We’ve got CP and Book. That’s how I always feel during those times. They’re going to take us home and we’re going to go out there there and get stops and fight all the way to the end.”

Winners of nine straight, Phoenix (62-14) tied the franchise record for wins set by the 1992-93 team led by Charles Barkley and the 2004-05 “Seven Seconds or Less” squad orchestrated by Steve Nash.

“It means a whole lot,” Booker said. “Being here seven years now and just learning more and more about the franchise and the organization and the people that have came before us and now to be up there with those ones, it feels good.”

The Suns will look to break the record Friday at …

Entertainment / Movies / News

Bruce Willis confirms retirement from acting following Aphasia diagnosis

Bruce Willis is quitting his nearly three decades acting career following an Aphasia diagnosis.

The ‘Die Hard’ star’s family made the shocking announcement on Wednesday.

“To Bruce’s amazing supporters, as a family we wanted to share that our beloved Bruce has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities,” the family wrote on Instagram.

“As a result of this and with much consideration Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him. This is a really challenging time for our family and we are so appreciative of your continued love, compassion and support. “We are moving through this as a strong family unit, and wanted to bring his fans in because we know how much he means to you, as you do to him. As Bruce always says, “Live it up” and together we plan to do just that.”

The statement was signed by the actor’s wife Emma Heming-Willis, his ex-wife Demi Moore and their five daughters.

Willis is best known for starring in the ‘Die Hard’ franchise as John McClane. The actor has a total of three notable awards which include a Golden Globe for his role in ‘Moonlighting’ and two Emmys.

…
Entertainment / Movies / News

‘Sometimes some family members are your worst enemy’ – 2Face Idibia reacts to wife’s brother’s allegation

Nigerian music icon 2Face Idibia has reacted to the allegations levelled against his wife Annie by her elder brother, Wisdom Macauley.

The singer took to his Instagram Stories on Wednesday, March 30, 2022, where he penned a short note about the frosty relationship between his wife and her brother.

“Respect to family but sometimes some family is your worst enemy,” he wrote.

According to him, Annie turned him into a slave and refused to pay him all his dues during the period he worked for the actress.

“Hello Nigerians, my name is Wisdom Macaulay, I am the elder brother of Annie Macaulay Idibia. I’m crying out for help at this moment because my life is been threatened. I have been working with my sister for some time but she would never pay me my dues,” he said.

He also accused his sister of being a drug addict and a thorn in the flesh of everyone in their family.

“Annie introduced me to drugs, hard drugs, Annie takes drugs, she is a drug addict, she takes it every day, she is so violent, she doesn’t have peace with anyone, she fights everybody.”  In her response, the actress accused her brother of being irresponsible.

Apparently, their rift started after she refused to make him her manager, a position she wasn’t comfortable with. She also alleged that she has been responsible for the upkeep of his family for a very long time.

The actress said her brother had several times threatened to kill himself over petty reasons.

She finally advised him to stop acting like he is entitled to money and to leave her family alone.

…
Movies / News

Olu Jacobs and Joke Silva’s son’s marriage crashes after 3 years

The marriage between Olu Jacobs and Joke Silva’s son, Olusoji and his wife Blessing has crashed.

Blessing made this known in a now-deleted post while answering questions from her followers via her Instagram Stories.

“Are you still married? my bro who is in the UK is madly in love with you,” a follower inquired.

The UK-based mum responded by saying no.

“No. He will have to register for interview o.”

Apparently not satisfied with the response another follower pushed further with the question.

“Are you still married to your husband?”

Her response may have finally put a rest to the reports of their failed marriage.

“No. Oya make una rest,” she replied.

The couple’s traditional wedding was held in Buguma, Port Harcourt while the church ceremony on July 21, was held in Lagos where Pastor Tony Rapu of This Present House Church officiated the ceremony, overseeing the couple’s exchange of wedding vows.

What followed the church ceremony was a big celebration which had a host of celebrity names and faces such as Richard Mofe Damijo, Hilda Dokubo, Chidinma Ekile, Kate Henshaw, Monalisa Chinda, Iretiola Doyle and a host of others.

…
Entertainment / Movies / News

Alec Baldwin expecting 7th child with Hilaria Baldwin

American actor Alec Baldwin is expecting his seventh child with Hilaria Baldwin.

Hilaria made this known via her Instagram page on Tuesday, March 29, 2022.

“After many ups and downs over the past few years, we have an exciting up and a huge surprise: another Baldwinito is coming this fall 💛. We were pretty sure our family was complete, and we’re beyond happy with this surprise,” she wrote.

“I’m sharing with you the moment we told the kids—as you can see, they are super excited! Our new baby is a very bright spot in our lives.” 

“A blessing and a gift during such uncertain times. I’ve missed you during my break from social media…I’m back and looking forward to continuing with you this wild journey that we call “life.” Our love to you and your loved ones ❤️”

The former yoga instructor and the “Boss Baby” star, 63, are already parents to daughters Carmen, 8, and María Lucía, 13 months, and sons Rafael, 6, Leonardo, 5, Romeo, 3, and Eduardo “Edu,” 18 months.

The news of their baby is coming a few months after Alec’s movie set accident.

In October 2021, the actor accidentally killed a woman on set.

According to several reports, the actor fatally shot a cinematographer and injured a director during a tragic accident when a prop gun discharged on the New Mexico movie set of the film ‘Rust.’

“There was an accident today on the New Mexico set of ‘Rust’ involving the misfire of a prop gun with blanks,” a production spokesperson told Deadline.

The Western drama’s director of photography, Halyna Hutchins, and its director, Joel Souza, were struck in the incident, according to the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office.

Hutchins was airlifted to the hospital and died from her injuries.

…
Crime / Entertainment / News

Police visits Will Smith’s home after actor slaps Chris Rock

Men of the Los Angeles Police Department have visited the home of American actor Will Smith two days after he slapped comedian Chris Rock at the Oscars.

Rock made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada’s bald head and got slapped by the ‘Fresh Prince of Belair’ star.

Officers were spotted driving into the gates of the Smiths Calabasas mansion in a marked patrol car at 2:40 p.m. Tuesday, March 29, 2022, Splash News reported as they snapped photos of the police vehicle. Los Angeles County Sheriff spokesperson said they got a call that someone was flying a drone around the Smiths’ residence.

“We just sent that unit over there to try to locate the drone and see if there was a paparazzi or what was going on but when the deputies got there, they weren’t able to locate the drone. It had already left the area,” he said.

On Sunday night during the awards, Rock took to the stage where he made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada’s bald head.

“Jada, I love you, ‘G.I. Jane 2,’ can’t wait to see it,” but while the “King Richard” star first laughed about the joke, he immediately turned sour.

Smith walked up to Rock and slapped him. A few seconds later, Rock responded, “Wow, Will Smith just smacked the s–t out of me” before defending what was “just a ‘G.I. Jane’ joke.”

But the Oscar-winning actor was not having it and again screamed, “Keep my wife’s name out of your f–king mouth.”

“That was the greatest night in the history of television,” Rock remarked.

Smith has since apologized over the altercation.

…
Football / News / Sports

Nigeria vs Ghana: Confusion as CAF doctor collapses, dies after fans invaded MKO Abiola Stadium

Confusion has surrounded the death of Confederation of Africa Football’s doping doctor, Dr. Joseph Kabungo.

Kabungo, a Zambian medical practitioner, was said to have died shortly after Ghana stopped Nigeria from qualifying for the 2022 World Cup on Tuesday.

There are reports that Kabungo died as a result of the stampede that occurred at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja before the commencement of the match.

However, another account blamed fans’ invasion of the pitch after the match for the doctor’s death. It was also reported that the doctor suffered a cardiac arrest.

Neither officials of the Nigeria Football Federation nor CAF have confirmed the doctor’s death.

This is as efforts to reach the officials proved abortive as of the time of filing this report.

British-Nigerian journalist, Osasu Obayiuwana, tweeted that the doctor’s death was confirmed after he was rushed to the hospital.

It was learnt that Kabungo’s family, the Zambia FA and the Government of Zambia had been informed.

Osasu tweeted, “Sad news: I understand that an official for the @NGSuperEagles vs @GhanaBlackstars
match (not a referee or assistant referee) died in #Abuja today.

“His name is Dr Joseph Kabungo from Zambia. He was on duty as Doping officer. He collapsed suddenly and died. Cause of death not confirmed yet. His family, the Zambia FA and the government of Zambia have been duly informed.

“If the death of #Zambian doctor Dr Joseph Kabungo at the #Abuja stadium was caused by being attacked by the #Nigerian fans who invaded the pitch, after the @NGSuperEagles lost the @FIFAWorldCup ticket to @GhanaBlackstars, @thenff would be in terrible trouble with @FIFAcom.”

A Ghanaian sports journalist, Collins Poku, who was also at the venue of the match, alleged that the doctor was beaten to death.

While replying Osasu’s tweet, he posted, “They beat him, he fell and they throded on him. He lost consciousness was rushed to an ambulance closer to the Ghana dressing for CPR. The entire Ghanaian contingent watched on as resuscitation attempts were made with oxygen mask. He was taken …

Music / News

Download “Good Girl” by Runda

Born on March 1999 and bred in Agege, Lagos.

Nigerian singer and songwriter Runda is a fast rising act who is breaking through the highly competitive music scene with each new
release. Runda decided to fully pursue his passion and recorded his first song in 2016 and officially put out his first single in 2019. Ever since, he has consistently churned out great music that has helped him garner a growing fanbase and attention from industry folks even outside Nigeria. His latest single ” Good Girl seems like the kind of tune that will take Oluwapelumi Olorunda aka Runda to that next level.

Download and listen to Good Girl Below ;

Download – Good Girl by Runda.Mp3…

News / politics

2023: Saraki, Atiku, Tambuwal, others meet in Abuja

Former Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, alongside Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Governor of Bauchi, Sen. Bala Mohammed and former MD, FSB International Bank, Mohammed Hayatuddeen, last night met with former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

All five PDP presidential aspirants met to discuss the ongoing unity and consensus-building initiative being championed by Saraki, Tambuwal and Bala.

Details later.…

Crime / Transportation

Kaduna train attack: Attackers kidnapped foreigner, killed many – Shehu Sani

A former federal lawmaker, Shehu Sani, on Tuesday, said that the terrorists who attacked the passengers on the Abuja-Kaduna rail tracks abducted a “white man” and killed several others.

He also said the terrorists targeted the Business Class coach of the train.

Terrorists on Monday night bombed the Abuja-Kaduna rail tracks and attacked a train filled with passengers.

Subsequently, the Nigerian Railway Corporation on Tuesday also announced the suspension of train operations along the Abuja-Kaduna route indefinitely following the attacks. The train attack was coming after terrorists, numbering over 200, on Saturday invaded the Kaduna International Airport located in Igabi Local Government Area in Kaduna State, disrupting operation and killing one security personnel of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency.

The attack caused panic at the airport and reportedly grounded a Lagos-bound AZMAN aircraft scheduled to take off at 12:30pm.

But Sani, who represented Kaduna Central in the 8th Senate, through a tweet on his Twitter handle on Tuesday, noted that the attackers targeted the Business Class coach of the train.

He wrote, “I just spoke with a survivor who is a civil servant working with a public Library. She narrated that the terrorists specifically targeted the Business Class coach. They kidnapped some persons including a “white man” & killed those who resisted while she pretended to be dead.”…

Crime / News / Transportation

Breaking: NRC suspends train operation along Kaduna-Abuja rail

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has suspended train operation along Kaduna -Abuja rail till further notice following the terrorist attack on the route between Katari and Rijana.

The NRC made this known through its Twitter handle on Tuesday morning.

NRC said, “Dear passengers, due to unforeseen circumstances, train operations along the Abuja-Kaduna route have been temporarily suspended. Further communication would be given in due course.”…

Uncategorized

Oscars 2022: Will Smith, ‘Dune’ + full list of 94th Academy award winners

The Academy awards returned for its 94th edition on Sunday March 27 with its usual shock and thrills from awards to attendees.

For the first time in four years, the Oscars had three hosts- Amy Schumer, Regina Hall and Wanda Sykes plus a memorable event that stunned the world.

So who won the Oscars? The biggest winner of the shock-filled night was the Denis Villeneuve directed ‘Dune’ which won six awards in the cinematography, editing, score, visual effects, production design and sound categories.

‘King Richard’ star actor Will Smith finally bagged his first Oscar in the Best Actor category for his role in the biopic.

However, the actor’s major win barely made it to the most talked about events of the night as prior to winning, he took to the stage to smack comedian Chris Rock in the face for making a joke about his wife’s hair loss.

See the full list of winners:

Jessie Buckley (The Lost Daughter)

Ariana DeBose (West Side Story) – WINNER

Judi Dench (Belfast)

Kirsten Dunst (The Power of the Dog)

Aunjanue Ellis (King Richard)

Ciarán Hinds (Belfast)

Troy Kotsur (Coda) – WINNER

Jesse Plemons (The Power of the Dog)

JK Simmons (Being the Ricardos)

Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Power of the Dog)

Cruella – WINNER

Cyrano

Dune

Nightmare Alley

West Side Story

Belfast

Dune – WINNER

No Time to Die

The Power of the Dog

West Side Story

Don’t Look Up

Dune – WINNER

Encanto

Parallel Mothers

The Power of the Dog

Coda (Sian Heder) – WINNER

Drive My Car (Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Takamasa Oe)

Dune (Eric Roth, Jon Spaihts, Denis Villeneuve)

The Lost Daughter (Maggie Gyllenhaal)

The Power of the Dog (Jane Campion)

Belfast (Kenneth Branagh) – WINNER

Don’t Look Up (Adam McKay, David Sirota)

Licorice Pizza (Paul Thomas Anderson)

King Richard (Zach Baylin)

The Worst Person in the World (Eskil Vogt, Joachim Trier)

Affairs of the Art

Bestia

Boxballet

…
Entertainment / Music / News

DJ Dimplenipple accuses D’Prince of blocking her on Instagram for refusing to meet in a hotel

Nigerian disc jockey Rachel Oluwabukola Martins also known as Dimplenipple, has accused singer D’Prince of blocking her on Instagram over her refusal to meet him at a hotel.

In a series of posts shared via her Instagram Stories on Sunday, March 27, 2022, the disc jockey recounted how the music star asked her to meet him at a hotel in the Ikoyi axis of Lagos.

“So that’s how one celeb blocked me on Instagram because he asked me to come meet him at the George Ikoyi for a meeting and I said I can’t come to meet him there for a meeting and a three-way call would be better and oga blocked me on IG,” she wrote. “These Nigerian celebs be seeing their Lil ass as small gods. Tell me how do you expect people to grow when you must get in their pants before you can help them. I hate social media drama so much but it’s getting too much at this point.” She went on to share screenshots of the messages between herself and the former Mo’hits record label signee.

DJ Dimplenipple accuses D’Prince of blocking her on Instagram for refusing to meet in a hotel

“If he did not have any bad intention then why did he block me after I agreed to the three-way call. Why should I meet you in a hotel when there are thousands of places to meet for your business chat? Why must it be a hotel? And why did he block me after that?” she added.

D’Prince is yet to release any statement about the allegation levelled against him.

…
Basket Ball / Sports

Ball scores 33 points, Hornets spoil Irving’s home debut

Kyrie Irving waited all season for a chance to play in front of his home fans, and this sure wasn’t the way he envisioned it going.

“Not the result we wanted, I didn’t shoot as well as I wanted,” Irving said. “Basically none of the things I had hoped for going well tonight just didn’t happen, and that’s just the flow of basketball.”

It went much better for the other point guard.

LaMelo Ball had 33 points, nine assists and seven rebounds and the Charlotte Hornets spoiled Irving’s first home game of the season by beating the Brooklyn Nets 119-110 on Sunday night.

Irving misfired for 3 1/2 quarters, finally warmed up to give the Nets the lead, and then the Hornets regained control with clutch 3-point shooting to give them a victory that tied them with Brooklyn for eighth place in the Eastern Conference.

Irving finished with 16 points and tied his season high with 11 assists but shot 6 for 22 from the field. He hadn’t been able to play at home this season until Mayor Eric Adams last week exempted athletes and performers from the New York City’s coronavirus vaccine mandate.

“It was great to see him out there, good to see the fans excited for him,” Kevin Durant said. “Unfortunately we took the ‘L’ though, but we move forward knowing that we have him here and build on what we have and try to get a win next game.”

Miles Bridges scored 24 points and PJ Washington had 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Hornets, who won for the seventh time in eight games. They beat the Nets for the second time in three meetings this season, clinching a potential head-to-head tiebreaker.

Durant had 27 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, playing the entire second half on the second night of a back-to-back. He shot just 9 for 24. Andre Drummond had 20 points and 16 rebounds.

Irving missed 15 of his first 17 shots, but then made two layups and a short jumper to …

Gospel / News

Why I dedicated a white garment church – Pastor Adeboye

The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has offered reasons why he dedicated a white garment church last September.

Adeboye offered the reason for the dedication of the church on Sunday during a special sermon titled: “Going Higher (Part 54).”

The Man of God, who recently turned 80, had come under scathing criticism for dedicating the Lagos Cathedral of the Love of Christ Generation Church C&S (Worldwide), founded by Reverend Esther Ajayi.

Speaking on the event on Sunday in his sermon, Adeboye said: “In Acts 11:1-18, after Peter came from the house of Cornelius, the great apostles gathered together, called him to a meeting and challenged him: ‘What were you doing in the house of a gentile? We heard that you went there?’ “They didn’t tell us all that they said but they probably told him” ‘You went to the house of a gentile because he was rich.’

“Peter had to say that the spirit made him go.

“Whether you believe it or not, I got quite a lot of queries recently from well-meaning Christians: ‘Daddy GO Sir, we learnt that you went to a white garment church to dedicate a church. You of all people?’

“I said the spirit made me go. I was obeying the spirit.

“Years ago, I think 1982 or so, I was invited to one little white-garment church.

“It wasn’t a big one.

“I went because they said they have heard about me and I should come and preach.

“I got to the door, they asked me to remove my shoes.

“I did, because the spirit made me go.

“There was a man in the church, an Engineer, that God knew He was going to need in the building of a campground that we had not even located at the time.

“I went, I preached, he (the engineer) gave his life to Jesus.

“He came to the Redeemed Christian Church of God and he became the Engineer who started the work of the camp.

“He was the second-in-command to …

News / politics

Adamu, other defected new APC NWC members are repented sinners — Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that the new National Chairman of All Progressives Congress, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, and others who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party and elected into the APC’s National Working Committee are repented sinners.

The President made his position known in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu.

The statement on Sunday followed the criticism by the PDP that Adamu and some others who defected from the PDP to the APC were accommodated in the ruling party at the federal level to cover for their “sins”.

Apart from Adamu, others who defected from the PDP and now in the NWC of the APC elected by consensus on Saturday at the party’s National Convention in Abuja on Saturday included Senator Iyiola Omisore, Hon. Victor Gaidom and Osita Medener. But reacting in the statement by Shehu on Sunday, Buhari said: “That some of the APC’s new leadership were once in the opposition was the new line to take to the media, somehow suggesting that those who have left one party should not hold positions in another. Yet, do the Scriptures not teach us of the virtue of sinners who repent and change their ways?

“What the Scriptures say less is of sinners who repent, change their tune, and then choose to re-sin in full public view by returning to their former ways. Given that most important leaders of the opposition PDP first left the party before they returned to it, we might expect the media to ensure criticism of them is damning and absolute.

“It is incredulous that anyone would consider them trustworthy or acceptable candidates for any public office.”

Speaking on the next line of action for the party, President Buhari said the time had come to prepare the grounds for the primaries for the 2023 elections.

He said: “No doubt some will attempt to argue the impossible – that an APC primary election is a source of division while an opposition primary election is a source of consensus.

“But the good …

News / politics

APC National Convention: Full list of candidates endorsed as NWC members

Fifty-four consensus candidates were endorsed as members of the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress at its National Convention on Saturday in Abuja.

At the National Convention held at the Eagle Square in Abuja, all positions were filled by consensus, achieved through dialogue.

This saw six other aspirants stepping down for former Nasarawa State Governor, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, who emerged as National Chairman.

The full list
Abdullahi Adamu – National Chairman

Abubakar Kyari – Deputy National Chairman (North)

Emma Eneukwu – Deputy National Chairman (South)

lyiola Omisore – National Secretary

Fetus Fuanter – Deputy National Secretary

Muhazu Bawa Rijau – National Vice-Chairman (North Central)

Mustapha Salihu – National Vice-Chairman (North East)

Salihu Lukman – National Vice-Chairman (North West)

Ijeomah Arodiogbu – National Vice-Chairman (South South)

Victor Ton Giadom – National Vice-Chairman (South East)

D.I. Kekemeke – National Vice-Chairman (South West)

Ahmed El-Marzuk – National Legal Adviser

Uguru Mathew Ofoke – National Treasurer

Bashir Usman Gumel – National Financial Secretary

Suleiman M. Argungun – National Organising Secretary

Betta Edu – National Woman Leader

F.N. Nwosu – National Welfare Secretary

Felix Morka – National Publicity Secretary

Abubakar Maikaf – National Auditor

Abdulahi Dayo Israel – National Youth Leader

Tolu Bankole – Special (Persons With Disability) Leader

Ibrahim Salawu – Deputy National Legal Adviser

Omorede Osifo – Deputy National Treasurer

Hamma-Adama Ali Kuro – Deputy National Financial Secretary

Nzo Chidi Duru – Deputy National Organising Secretary

Yakubu Murtala Ajaka – Deputy National Publicity Secretary

Christoper Akpan – Deputy National Welfare Secretary

Olufemi Egbedeyi – Deputy National Auditor

Zainab Abubakar Ibrahim – Deputy National Woman Leader

Jamaluddeen Kabir – Deputy National Youth Leader

Oluwatoyin Opawuye – National Ex-Officio (North Central)

Sirajo Dahuwa – National Ex-Officio (North East)

Allyu Ahmed Yako – National Ex-Officio (North West)

Aqunwa Anekwe – National Ex-Officio (South East)

Diriwari Akedewei – National Ex-Officio (South South)

Bunmi Oriniowo – National Ex-Officio (South West)

Yakubu Mohammed Adamu – Zonal Secretary (North Central)

Mohammed Wali Shettima – Zonal Secretary (North East)

Bello Goronyo – Zonal Secretary (North West)

Azobu Innocent Tapa …

Basket Ball / Sports

Bey scores career-high 51 points, Pistons beat Magic 134-120

Saddiq Bey scored a career-high 51 points and the Detroit Pistons beat the Orlando Magic 134-120 on Thursday night to end a four-game losing streak.

Bey tied the franchise record with 10 3-pointers in 14 attempts. He was 17 for 27 overall.

Two nights after being torched for 16 points in the first quarter by Brooklyn’s Kyrie Irving on his way to a 60-point game, the Magic gave up 21 points in the first quarter to Bey.

“I saw those highlights and it was just very efficient. It was within the flow of the game,” Bey said. “That was a great performance to watch, and I think just throughout the NBA there’s been a lot of great performances in the past two weeks. I’m just grateful to be in this league to have the opportunity.”

Marvin Bagley III added 20 points and 11 rebounds for Detroit in the matchup of the bottom two teams in the Eastern Conference. Franz Wagner led Orlando with 26 points.

“Rebuilding is always ugly,” Detroit coach Dwane Casey said, “but there’s a lot of beautiful moments like tonight.”

Bey finished the first half in spectacular fashion, scoring five points in less than five seconds. He hit a 20-footer while falling out of bounds with 8.8 seconds left, came up with a back-court steal and made a 3-pointer with 3.9 seconds left, leaving the Pistons with a 73-62 lead.

“He had 30 points at half so we were definitely expecting 50,” said Pistons center Isaiah Stewart, who had 16 points and 10 rebounds.

The Magic scored the first nine points of the game, but that lead was quickly erased by Bey. The Pistons moved ahead for keeps on a dunk by Stewart that broke a 50-50 tie midway through the second quarter.

“I think it was just the flow of the game,” Bey said. “I didn’t come into the game saying this is what I’m going to do, but you catch a rhythm and you get in a zone. My teammates did a great job of …

Fraud / News / politics

EFCC moves ex-Anambra State Governor, Obiano to Abuja

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has moved immediate past Anambra Governor, Willie Obiano to Abuja after he was arrested in Lagos Thursday night.

EFCC spokesperson Wilson Uwujiaren, confirmed this when he spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Friday in Lagos.

“The ex-governor was arrested in Lagos, but was moved to Abuja this morning (Friday),” Uwujiaren said.

Recall that the anti-graft commission busted Obiano at about 8.30p.m., Thursday, at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos, on his way to Houston, Texas, U.S after handing over to his successor, Governor Charles Soludo. The commission’s spokesperson added that Obiano had been on the EFCC’s watch list for some months, adding that his immunity as a Governor prevented his arrest until he handed over to his successor.

Uwujiaren said the commission had requested the Nigeria Immigration Service to provide information on the former governor’s movement out of the country from airports, or other points of exit from the country.

As at time of filing this report, the EFCC is yet to release details on Obiano’s offence.…

Foreign / Military / News

Ukraine launches operations to flush Russian Military out of Kiev

The Ukrainian military said it has launched operations to flush the Russian military out of the outskirts of the capital, Kiev.

The head of the regional military administration of Kiev, Oleksandr Pavlyuk confirmed that there was “resistance from the enemy.”

“Russians were moving around their units,” Pavlyuk added.

He said he could not divulge any details as operations are ongoing. He called the situation in Kiev region difficult but “controllable,” adding that it was difficult to make any prognoses.

Pavlyuk said the road to the western city of Zhytomyr and the towns of Bucha, Irpin and Hostomel north-west of the capital, near the Kiev city limits, are most at risk, as is Makariv to the west.

Shelling reported at north of the capital, he added.…