World Cup: FIFA considers two additional slots for Africa

The visiting President of world football governing body, FIFA, Gianni Infantino, on Monday said if the organisation should consider increasing the number of teams that will be participating in the World Cup, he would propose two more slots for Africa.

Budget padding scandal confirms my position on NASS -Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Monday said the ongoing revelation on budget padding in the National Assembly only confirmed his earlier position that lawmakers are “armed robbers and rogues.”
He said the best way out of the current mess was to ensure that only men of integrity are elected into the National Assembly.
Obasanjo spoke with State House correspondents shortly after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

BREAKING: Edo Speaker steps down

Mrs. Elizabeth Ativie, the Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, has stepped down from the role.

She was replaced by the Deputy Speaker, Dr. Justin Okonoboh, by 18 out of the 24 members of the House and sworn in at about 11am on Monday.

It would be recalled that Ativie was sworn in on May ‎3 her predecessor, Victor Edoror, was impeached.
Ativie decided to step down after a motion was moved by the Majority Leader, Folly Ogedengbe, under matters of urgent public importance, for a change in the leadership of the House.

Artistes must do right thing to succeed in music –D-TRUCE

Talented rapper, D-Truce, has called on musicians across the country to always strive towards excellence if they hope to have successful careers.

The young artiste who is signed unto X3M Music, the same label that houses the soulful duo of Simi and Praiz – a product of the famous MTN Project Fame Academy, made the call in Lagos recently during the filming of the video of his latest single, Better Days.

It’s nobody’s headache if I change my religion –Lola Alao

Popular Yoruba actress, Lola Alao, almost broke the internet when the news hit the social media that she had switched from Christianity to Islam. But in an exclusive chat with Saturday Beats, Lola said she wondered why  there should be so much frenzy that she became a Muslim as she disclosed that she came from a Muslim background.

DGN benefitted from N3bn grant –Fred Amata

Despite the controversies that surrounded the Project Act N3bn grant given to the Nollywood industry by the Federal Government, the President, Directors Guild of Nigeria, Fred Amata, has said his guild actually benefitted from the grant.

While on a courtesy call to The PUNCH Place with some members of his executive, Amata said different guilds benefitted from the grant, which had helped them in one way or the other to boost their industry.

Piracy chased me out of Nollywood –Lillian Bach

Lillian Bach, once upon a time, was one of the happening babes in Nollywood. The babe really charmed so many people especially with her light skin and pretty face.

But somehow, the actress no longer graced the screens as nothing more was heard about her again. So many people felt she was no longer in the scene because new acts had come and overtaken her.

Popular Bollywood star, Salman Khan, avoids jail

An Indian court on Monday acquitted Bollywood superstar Salman Khan of killing protected wildlife 18 years ago, ending the latest long-running case against the actor.

Khan was convicted in 2006 of hunting rare gazelles while he was shooting a film in the northern state of Rajasthan eight years earlier.

Interest on loot recovered from ex-IG, Alams hits N1.9bn –EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Sunday said as of March 2015, it had realised N1,956,007,974 as interest on the loot recovered from convicted former Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Tafa Balogun; the late former Governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, and other prominent Nigerians.

The EFCC further revealed that between March, 2012 and March, 2013, it generated N185m rent from the forfeited properties of a former Managing Director of the defunct Intercontinental Bank, Mr. Erastus Akingbola; a convicted ex-Governor of Edo State, Chief Lucky Igbinedion; a former Plateau State Governor, Senator Joshua Dariye; and nine others.

Naira sinks to 375/dollar, economists seek policy change

Economists on Wednesday advised the Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria to review their policies and introduce measures that would turn around the dwindling fortunes of the nation’s economy.
They spoke against the backdrop of the persistent fall of the naira against the dollar, with the local currency exchanging for 375 against the greenback at the parallel market on Wednesday; the imminent economic recession; and the spike in inflation to 16.5 per cent in June.