Athletics / Sports

Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Nigeria seal Women’s 4x400m Relay qualification

Team Nigeria’s women 4x400m relay team will be among the 16 nations that will file out for the event at the delayed 2020 Olympics after the team scorched to a 3:26.84 African lead on Thursday at the Lagos Open Athletics Championship in Lagos.

The team, anchored by Patience Okon-George, has now jumped to the front of the queue for the four available slots on offer for the event in Tokyo.

The quartet of World U-18 fastest girl so far this year, Imaobong Nse Uko; NCAA 200m finalist, Favour Ofili; Knowledge Omovoh; and Okon-George, is now ranked 13th in the ranking for the best 16 nations, that will be in Tokyo ahead of Belarus (3:28.14), Australia (3:28.64) and Switzerland (3:28.77), who have all provisionally qualified.

The 4x400m team has now become the second Nigerian relay team to qualify after the women’s 4x100m team led by Blessing Okagbare sealed their passage to the games with a 42.97 seconds run at the National Championship (Olympic Trials) last Thursday at the sports ground of Yaba College of Technology, Yaba, Lagos.

Nigeria won a silver medal in the event 25 years ago at the Atlanta Olympics, where Falilat Ogunkoya led Charity Opara, Bisi Afolabi and Fatimah Yusuf to also set a new 3:21.04 seconds African record.

The men’s 4x100m team however failed to make it despite improving to 38.59 seconds.

The men’s 4x400m team also failed to qualify, but will, together with the 4x100m and 4x400m mixed relay teams, get their final chance to book their flights to Tokyo at the MOC Relays on Sunday at the Sports ground of Yaba College of Technology, Yaba in Lagos.…

Basket Ball / Sports

Paul George, Los Angeles climb back in Western finals with Game 3 win

The Clippers have overcome two separate 2-0 deficits in this postseason, and on Thursday, they took the first step toward doing it for a third time. After falling behind in the first half, the Clippers erupted in the second to win Game 3, 106-92. They will now have a chance to tie the series in Game 4 on Saturday.

Paul George led the Clippers with 27 points, but as has been the case so many times this postseason, it was Reggie Jackson who sealed the win with an incredible fourth quarter. He finished the game with 23 points to help make this a 2-1 series. The Suns, meanwhile, got very little out of their star guard tandem. Chris Paul and Devin Booker combined to shoot a horrific 10 of 40 from the field in the loss for Phoenix.

The Suns hadn’t lost a game since May 27, a staggering nine-game winning streak as they’d run roughshod over the Lakers, Nuggets, and for two games, the Clippers. L.A. fought back on Thursday, and on Sunday, will try to do so again by tying the series at two games apiece. For now, here are the biggest takeaways from Game 3.

A bad day for Phoenix’s guards

The Suns are so deep that they can usually overcome a stroke of bad luck or two. The first two games of this series encapsulated that. Phoenix won both games at home without Chris Paul because Devin Booker was dominant in Game 1 and Cameron Payne played the game of his life in Game 2. Well, let’s take a look at what happened in Game 3:

  • Paul returned to the lineup, but as he hasn’t played in 11 days and may or may not have had COVID-19, he was at the very least rusty. His conditioning and rhythm seemed affected by the layoff.
  • Booker played Game 3 in a facemask after Patrick Beverley head-butted him in Game 2. It would be unfair to attribute his struggles entirely to that mask. Beverley has defended him very well
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Crime / News

Alleged N7.1b fraud: Court fixes date for Uzor Kalu’s retrial

The Federal High Court, Abuja on Wednesday fixed July 2 for adoption of all processes filed by parties in a suit by former Abia State governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, seeking to stop his retrial.

The court had in February granted Kalu leave to challenge the legality of the retrial.

At the resumed hearing on Wednesday, his counsel, Professor Awa Kalu, SAN, told the court that the respondents had served on him their counter affidavits.

Responding, counsel to the 1st respondent (EFCC), Oluwaleke Atolagbe, the second respondent, Mr George Ukaegbu, and the third respondent, Mr  K.C Nwufor, all admitted having filed and exchanged processes. In a short ruling, the judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, said since all parties had “joined issues”, the court had taken over control of the case.

Ekwo adjourned the matter until July 2 for adoption.

Kalu, a serving senator representing Abia North, is seeking an order of the court prohibiting the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from retrying him on the same alleged N7.1 billion money laundering charge against him.

He contended that having been tried once by the EFCC, convicted and sentenced in the same charge, FHC/ABJ/CR/56/ 2007, it would amount to double jeopardy for him to be subjected to a fresh trial on the same charge.

The former governor had also applied for an order prohibiting the EFCC from retrying, harassing and intimidating him with respect to the said charge or any other charge based on same facts as he needs not suffer double jeopardy.

Kalu was earlier found guilty and handed a 12-year jail term by the Lagos Division of the court.

The trial court convicted the former governor alongside his firm, Slok Nigeria Limited, and a former Director of Finance in Abia State, Jones Udeogu, for alleged pilfering of N7.1 billion from the state treasury.

However, the Supreme Court, in its judgement on May 8 quashed the conviction and ordered a retrial of the defendants by the EFCC.

In a unanimous decision by a seven-member panel of Justices, the Supreme Court, nullified the entire …

BBNaija / Entertainment / News

BBNaija Reunion Update

The audience had Kaisha to thank for some of the episode’s action with her account of her situationship with Neo in the house. In case you missed it, check out the highlights:

Wathoni’s angle of her love triangles while in the house did not change much in this episode but got even muddier with the introduction of Kiddwaya. While the housemates swore they saw hints of attraction from Wathoni, she vehemently denied citing his playboy personality as a deterrent.

Things heated up, unexpectedly, between Tochi and Wathoni when she accused Kiddwaya of describing her as an ‘easy catch’ in a conversation with Tochi.

Between Kiddwaya and Nengi, all that happened in the house was their way of expressing friendship albeit alcohol made things a little murky like the bathroom corridor clip.

The infamous video of Nengi and Kiddwaya whispering by the bathroom with her zipper down raised eyebrows especially Ozo’s. When asked what he thought about the moment, he admitted he felt confused but chose to believe his crush. Neither Nengi nor Kiddwaya could remember much of what was whispered or how they got there. Safe to say that it must have been a cruel game by drunken Cupid.

Vee and Neo’s relationship got major blows last night following Kaisha’s surprising revelation that Neo made several moves at her in the house including a time he asked her to kiss him.

Things got a little intense between the two (enough for Kaisha to walk out of the set) as Neo vehemently denied making any moves at her. He did admit that she was attracted to him but he was more into Vee.

The former lovebirds were the first to really hit our awww buttons on the show. It turns out the romance ended shortly after their eviction no thanks to a comment Lilo made accusing Eric of ‘taking advantage of her’.

Eric revealed

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Business / Entertainment / politics

Andy Uba threatens N5b lawsuit against Heritage Bank over staff’s protest at his Home

A governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress in the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra State, Senator Andy Uba, has threatened lawsuit against Heritage Bank over a trending video of its staff protesting at the entrance of his residence in Abuja.

About three days ago, some staff of the bank, while on a loan recovery drive, protested at the gate of the senator, asking him to come to the bank and repay his loan.

The protest by the bank staff trended and went viral on the social media.

In a letter dated June 23, 2021 and signed by his lawyer, Ahmed Raji (SAN), Uba said the action of the bank staff had exposed him to ridicule, shame and embarrassment.

He asked the bank to tender unreserved apology in five national dailies and pay him N5 billion as damages.

Part of the letter reads: “Our client’s attention has been drawn to a video currently being shared on WhatsApp, showing not less than 25 [twenty-five] staff of the Abuja branch of Heritage Bank Plc., wearing customized Heritage Bank Plc., T-shirts; carrying placards and signages with defamatory inscriptions written on them, at the front gate of the residential premises of our client, in Asokoro Abuja. The said video which we have seen, had a voice over by one of your bank’s staff with the following narration:

“‘Good morning ladies and gentlemen, today is Monday the 21 st day of June 2001, and we have here the staff of Heritage Bank Plc., Abuja. We are in front of Senator Andy Uba’s house in Abuja. Senator Andy Uba has been owing the bank for a couple of years now and we are here for a peaceful meeting with him, very peaceful meeting to ask him to kindly repay those loans because those are depositors fund and those monies, if they are not repaid will throw the number of people you see here with their families out of work and we know the situation of the economy now.’

“Despite your veiled denial, the …

Football / Sports

Pitch invader with rainbow flag protest ahead of Germany vs Hungary

A pitch invader carrying a rainbow flag was tackled as they protested during the pre-match anthems ahead of Germany’s Euro 2020 clash against Hungary on Wednesday.

The supporter entered the pitch wearing a Germany shirt and brandished the flag during the Hungarian national anthem.

They attempted to run towards the Hungary players before stewards rushed towards them and tackled them.

The protest came after UEFA turned down a request from the mayor of Munich for the city’s stadium to be lit up in rainbow colors for the Euro 2020 Group F match between Germany and Hungary.

Dieter Reiter said he wanted to light up the stadium in the colors in protest against a new law in Hungary that bans the dissemination of content in schools deemed to promote homosexuality and gender change.

On that basis, UEFA said it could not grant the request and proposed alternative dates for the stadium to be lit up in rainbow colors.

The controversy follows UEFA’s decision to drop an investigation into Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer’s wearing of a rainbow-colored armband in Germany’s Euro 2020 matches against France and Portugal.

The Bayern ‘keeper had been wearing the armband, which is a symbol of solidarity with the LGBT+ community, during Pride Month in June.…

Basket Ball / Sports

Trae Young leads Atlanta Hawks to victory over Milwaukee Bucks

Trae Young scored 48 points as the Atlanta Hawks beat the Milwaukee Bucks 116-113 in the opening game of the NBA’s Eastern Conference finals.

For a minute, Travis Schlenk’s 2018 draft-night decision to trade Luka Doncic for Trae Young, and the future lottery pick that became Cam Reddish, had the makings of an all-time blunder. That wasn’t a knock on Young, who was an All-Star in his second season and made it obvious early in his rookie season that he was going to be a really good player. It’s just that Doncic was almost immediately one of the best players in the world.

Almost exactly three calendar years later, Doncic still hasn’t gotten the Mavericks out of the first round while Young has the Hawks up 1-0 on the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference finals. That, in turn, isn’t a knock on Doncic, who still has a legit claim as one of the five best players in the world and simply isn’t working with the supporting cast Schlenk has constructed around Young. This is merely to say: The Hawks, just to put this narrative that won’t die to bed for at least a while, are pretty damn thrilled with how this has all turned out.

Young absolutely blistered the Bucks in Game 1 on Wednesday to the tune of a career-high 48 points. The Hawks also scored 24 points off his 11 assists. Do the math, and Young just did something no player in NBA history has ever done in a conference finals game.

The Bucks missed five late shots as the Hawks come from four points down to win.

Clint Capela put the Hawks 112-111 ahead with 29.8 seconds left and Young then netted four late free throws to shock the hosts.

Game two in the best-of-seven series is scheduled for Friday in Milwaukee.

Young had 11 assists while Capela and John Collins also recorded double-doubles for the Hawks. Capela had 12 points and a game-high 19 rebounds, while Collins added 23 points and 15 rebounds.

For the …

Basket Ball / Sports

D’Tigers call 49 players for Tokyo 2020 Olympics camp in California

With an eye on a podium performance at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, which begins next month, the men’s senior national basketball team, D’Tigers, have invited 49 players to begin final preparations for the global fiesta.

 

The camp will be based in California, U.S, with Head Coach, Mike Brown, looking out for the best possible players that can take Nigeria to the medal table in Japan.

The team is dominated by players from United States’ NBA, including Monte Morris of Denver Nuggets, Miye Oni (Utah Jazz), OG Anunoby (Toronto Raptors), Kz Okpala (Miami Heat), Festus Ezeli, Precious Achiuwa (Miami Heat), Udoka Azubuike (Utah Jazz), and Jahlil Okafor (Detroit Pistons). These stars are all set to make their international debuts for Nigeria.

According to Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), Josh Okogie (Minnesota Timberwolves) will join other NBA players, who include Gabe Vincent (Miami Heat), Al-farouq Aminu (Chicago Bulls), Jordan Nwora (Milwaukee Bucks) and Chimezie Metu (Sacramento Kings), who are returning to the team after their 2019 FIBA World Cup exploit which saw Nigeria becoming the first African team to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics alongside Ike Diogu (Bameso, Dominican Republic).

“The European legion comprises Obi Emegano (Fuenlabrada, Spain), Ike Iroegbu (Elan Chalon, France), Michael Oguine (BC Souffelweyersheim, France), Zaid Hearst (Alba Fehervar, Hungary), Ike Nwamu (Samara, Russia) and Michael Gbinije (BC Nevèżíe, Lithuania).

Other European stars in the squad are Talib Zanna (Hapoel Tel-Aviv, Israel), Emmanuel Omogbo (Vellaznimi, Kosovo), Christian Mekowulu (Treviso, Italy), Tonye Jekiri (Baskonia, Spain), Abdul-Malik Abu (Fethiye, Turkey), Chima Moneke (Orleans, France), Amanze Egekeze (Gries/Oberhoffen, France), Calab Agada (Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Israel), TK Edogi (St. Chamond, France), Joshua Ajayi (Hermine Nantes, France), Keith Omoerah (Poitiers, France) and Michael Eric, who recently helped CSKA Moscow of Russia to the European Basketball League,” the NBBF said.

NBA champion, Festus Ezeli, UC Iroegbu, Ike Ndugba (2021 NBA draft prospect), Mike Okauru (UNC- Wilmington), Ben Uzoh (Rivers Hoopers), Michael Adewunmi (UT-Rio Grand Valley), Aminu Mohammed (Georgetown University), Manny Obaseki (Texas A&M University), Elijah Olaniyi (Stony Brook University) and Chibuzo Agbo (Texas …

Football / Sports

UEFA sending ‘wrong signal’ with rainbow stadium refusal: Germany

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Wednesday criticized UEFA’s decision to block plans to light Munich’s Allianz Arena stadium in rainbow colors for Germany’s Euro 2020 match against Hungary.

“It’s true, the football pitch is not about politics,” Maas wrote on Twitter after the European football body blamed the “political context” for its decision.

“It’s about people, about fairness, about tolerance. That’s why @UEFA is sending the wrong signal,” he said.

City authorities had wanted the Allianz Arena — owned by Bayern Munich, but rented to UEFA for Euro 2020 — in rainbow colors for the crucial Group F match to “send a visible sign of solidarity” with Hungary’s LGBT community.

But UEFA refused the request, insisting it must remain a “politically and religiously neutral organization”.

Hungary’s right-wing government last week passed a law banning the “promotion” of homosexuality to minors, outlawing any educational programs or material in which homosexuality is mentioned.

UEFA’s move drew condemnation from football personalities across Europe, as well as from Germany’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender community.

After UEFA’s refusal, Munich Mayor Dieter Reiter announced plans to decorate other city landmarks in rainbow colors.

Munich will put up rainbow-colored flags at its town hall and illuminate a huge wind turbine close to the stadium, as well as the city’s 291-metre (955-foot) Olympic Tower.

Other stadiums across Germany are also planning rainbow light displays, including Berlin’s iconic Olympic Stadium, as well as Bundesliga stadiums in Cologne, Frankfurt and Wolfsburg.…

Entertainment / Health / News

Nigerian singer YQ hospitalized in the US

The music star took to his Instagram page on Tuesday, June 22, 2021, where he shared photos of himself in the hospital.

“Thank God the ambulance 🚑 and cop 👮🏾‍♀️ showed up in less than 5 minutes. Can I get one 🌺 now that am still here? Thank you 🙏🏽 I’ll be back soon. #thankful #grateful #survivor #OnGod,” he captioned the photos.

The singer did not disclose the reason behind the emergency trip to the hospital.

The music star tied the knot back in December 2020.

His wedding came months after he was reportedly thrown out of his house by his girlfriend.

YQ started his music career in 2002 when he formed a group called Q-krest. He started his solo career in 2007.

He has several hit songs to his credit including Efimile ft Dagrin, I Like Girls, Dresscode and Sandalili.

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News / politics

FG Insists Twitter’s operation is illegal despite ECOWAS court ruling

Eighteen days after the micro-blogging platform, Twitter, was suspended in Nigeria, the Federal Government insists operation of Twitter in the country’s social media space “is not legally permissible.”

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, disclosed this yesterday when he appeared before a House of Representatives investigative hearing. He said Twitter was used to disseminate information “that endangers the life and security” of Nigerians and cause disunity in the country.

Following the suspension, the green chamber had mandated its committees on communication, justice, information and culture, and national security and intelligence to investigate the circumstances behind the decision.

Speaking at the investigative hearing, Mohammed said the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020 does not permit foreign companies to do business in Nigeria if not registered. He said Twitter cannot be given the legitimate rights to operate until it is incorporated in Nigeria.

“As it regards operation of foreign companies in Nigeria, the law provides that a foreign company, which fails to take necessary steps to obtain incorporation as a separate entity in Nigeria for that purpose, but until so incorporated, the foreign company shall not carry on business in Nigeria or exercise any powers of a registered company,” he said.

“Hence, flowing from this background a foreign company as Twitter cannot be clothed with the legitimate rights to operate as a company registered in Nigeria, as they are not licensed, accordingly.

“Notwithstanding the foregoing, it is also observed that the operations of Twitter in the Nigerian social space is not legally permissible when it is used in airing of information that endangers the life and security of the majority of citizens of Nigeria.”

Mohammed said Twitter’s suspension is backed by international laws including articles 24, 25 and 26 of the African Union on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection (CCPR).

He said the government would not hesitate to suspend other social platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Google hangout, and others if they are found to be promoting posts or statements capable of destabilizing the country.

There was a …

Foreign / News

Biden administration takes aim at gun trafficking

 

A day before US President Joe Biden was due to announce measures to combat a rise in violent crime, the Justice Department on Tuesday revealed it had created five new units to tackle gun trafficking. 

The units will be set up in the next 30 days and will focus on the major cities of New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, which have suffered a sharp increase in homicides over the past year and a half.

Bringing together federal prosecutors, specialized police officers and local partners, the “firearms trafficking strike forces will investigate and disrupt the networks that channel crime guns into our communities with tragic consequences,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland in a statement.

On Wednesday, Garland will be at the White House when the Democratic president sets out his administration’s strategy to fight rising crime, in the face of criticism from the Republican opposition that he has not properly addressed the problem.

After years of decline, homicide rates rose about 25 percent in 2020, and remain at their highest levels in 2021.

“We believe that a central driver of violence is gun violence,” said White House spokesperson Jen Psaki during a briefing on the issue.

“A big part of that in [Biden’s] view is putting in place gun safety measures, even as Congress is not moving forward currently,” said Psaki, referring to the Republican senators blocking a bill aimed at better regulating the purchase of weapons.

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Education / News

MURIC gives JAMB thumbs up for tackling challenges

An Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern, has given the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board the thumbs up.

According to MURIC, JAMB deserves commendation in view of its swift response to challenges and disciplinary actions meted out to erring Computer Based Test Center during the ongoing JAMB examinations around the country.

MURIC said this on Wednesday in a statement by its Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola.

It said: “The Joint Admissions Matriculations Board (JAMB) deserves accolades in view of its swift response to challenges and the disciplinary actions meted out to erring Computer Based Test (CBT) Center during the ongoing JAMB examinations around the country.

“We are not saying JAMB is perfect, but the Board has performed creditably well having succeeded in keeping its head above in the murky waters of the Nigerian ecosystem. We monitor national examinations in this country and we know what happens in many of them. But JAMB has been able to rise above the maddening crowd.

“The examination body has demonstrated beyond any reasonable doubt that it will not take any nonsense from anybody. The swift manner with which JAMB delisted twenty four (24) CBT centres within 24 hours of receiving credible reports of their misdemeanour leaves us in no doubt whatsoever that there will be no hiding place for those who fall short of expectations.

“A case in point is one of the CBT centres in Lagos where candidates who were billed to start the examination by 7 am on Saturday, 19th June, 2021 were kept sitting in the hall from 7 am to 3 pm doing virtually nothing. Meanwhile the 9 am batch as well as other batches were kept waiting outside. They were only told to go home around 3.30 pm after wasting the whole day. The centre’s excuse was that its computer systems failed to come up.

“We were very excited when the centre’s name was found among the 25 delisted centres 24 hours later. We are still marvelling at the efficiency and high level discipline manifested by JAMB. This …

Entertainment / News

Chris Brown reportedly under investigation for beating a woman in his house

According to TMZ, the yet-to-be-identified lady revealed that the music star smacked the back of her head so hard her weave came off.

No arrests have been made but authorities confirmed to TMZ that police responded to his home over the alleged incident.

He was reportedly named a suspect in the police report.

The is the second time in two years that the music star will be under investigation.

It would be recalled that in 2019, the music star was arrested in Paris over a rape allegation.

A 24-year-old lady reported that she was raped by the music star at his hotel room in January 2019.

She reportedly told police that the pair met at a nightclub in central Paris, close to the Champs-Elysées, before they returned to the hotel.

…
Basket Ball / Sports

Deandre Ayton, Phoenix win Game 2 with game-winner in final second

The Los Angeles Clippers came incredibly close to evening their series against the Phoenix Suns but just couldn’t pull it out. After Paul George missed two free throws with only eight seconds remaining to keep the Clippers’ lead at one, the Suns kept the ball after their missed game-winner attempt went out of bounds off of the Clippers. With only 0.9 seconds remaining, the Suns drew up a perfect lob pass to Deandre Ayton, who dunked it home for the win.

With Chris Paul out of the lineup yet again, the Suns received big-time performances from Cam Payne as well as he led all scorers with a game-high 29 points while Ayton poured in 22 points and 14 rebounds of his own with Devin Booker also contributing 20 points. On the other side, Paul George led the Clippers with 26 points but he needed to attempt 23 shots to reach that total. Not exactly the most efficient performance from Los Angeles’ lone All-Star in the lineup. In the end, it wasn’t enough to get the job done.

Following the loss, the Clippers now trail 0-2 for the third time this postseason. These two teams will meet again on Thursday night with the opening tip scheduled for 9 p.m. ET.

Here are three takeaways from Tuesday night’s game.

1. Free throw follies

Before Paul George stepped to the foul line with 8.2 seconds remaining and a chance to give the Clippers a one-point lead, he had already missed three free throws. That was highly out of character for him. George shot nearly 87 percent at the line this season. He didn’t miss his fifth free throw of the regular season until his 11th game. But after missing those two critical freebies in the final moments of Game 2, he closed the night a disappointing 5-of-10 at the line. In a one-point loss, any one of those shots could have sent this game to overtime. Two would’ve won it for them.

There are inevitably going to be those that point to George’s …

Movies / News

Disney announces production details for Lagos themed animated series ‘Iwájú’

Disney, in a statement released at the ongoing Annecy International Animation Film Festival, confirmed that production has commenced with talents working remotely from Nigeria, Uganda, London, Montreal and Burbank.

Although details of the series remain under wraps, Kugali co-founder and series director Ziki Nelson revealed that ‘Iwájú’ will share themes of inequality and class divide. “That’s the everyday reality of life in Nigeria and other parts of the world, and [themes include] the consequences they have on a society and challenging the status quo.”

Set in futuristic Lagos, Kugali co-founder, Tolu Olowofoyeku noted the team’s choice of the commercial city, highlighting how its “unique and distinct feel” provided an interesting base for the story.

Kugali is founded by three Nigerian comics artist, Tolu Olowofoyeku, Ziki Nelson and Hamid Ibrahim

 

 

 …

Foreign / Music

Billie Eilish apologises for mouthing apparent racist slur in resurfaced five-year-old clip

Billie Eilish has apologized after a video surfaced appearing to show her mouthing a racist slur.

The Grammy-winning pop star, 19, shared a lengthy statement to Instagram Stories, writing that she was “appalled and embarrassed” by the clip.

An edited compilation video is being shared on TikTok, where it was posted earlier this month. In the video, Eilish appears to mouth an anti-Asian slur featured in Tyler, the Creator’s 2011 song Fish, and is filmed speaking in an affected voice.

In her apology, Eilish, the youngest artist to ever record a James Bond title track, said she was “13 or 14” in the videos and did not know at the time the slur was a derogatory term.

“I am appalled and embarrassed and want to barf that I ever mouthed along to that word,” she wrote. “This song was the only time I’d ever heard that word as it was never used around me by anyone in my family.

“Regardless of my ignorance and age at the time, nothing excuses the fact is that it was hurtful. And for that I am sorry.”

Eilish said footage of her imitating accents was her speaking in a “silly gibberish made up voice”, something she has done since she was a child.

She added: “It is absolute gibberish and just me goofing around, and is in NO way an imitation of anyone or any language, accent, or culture in the SLIGHTEST.”

Eilish said she did not mean to cause offence and the prospect of causing people hurt “absolutely breaks my heart”.

“I not only believe in, but have always worked hard to use my platform to fight for inclusion, kindness, tolerance, equity and equality,” she wrote. “We all need to continue having conversations, listening and learning. I hear you and I love you. Thank you for taking the time to read this.”…