Stephanie Kuye Blog .

American rapper A$AP Rocky plead not guilty to an assault charge on day one of his trial in Sweden on Tuesday. The trial was monitored by a special envoy sent by U.S. President Donald Trump to show Sweden he means business. Swedish news agency TT reports President Trump sent the U.S. special presidential envoy for hostage affairs to Stockholm to monitor the court proceedings and to show Swedish officials that the rapper has the full weight of the U.S. State Department behind him. The special presidential envoy, Ambassador Robert O'Brien, was spotted entering the Stockholm District Court on Tuesday morning. The U.S. State Department's website says O'Brien "leads the U.S. government's diplomatic efforts on overseas hostage-related matters." According to the Associated Press, an official in Washington, D.C. said O'Brien is in Sweden to convey President Trump's concerns about the rapper's case. Earlier this month Trump tweeted a conversat...

Osama bin Laden's son and heir Hamza bin Laden was reportedly killed 5 months after the United States offered $1 million in cash for his capture - dead or alive. NBC reports three U.S. officials in Washington, D.C. confirmed the 23-year-old's death at his hiding place in Pakistan, Afghanistan, or possibly Iran. Hamza was a teenager when his father was assassinated by Navy SEALS during a Black ops raid of his secret compound in Pakistan in 2011. Hamza bin Laden left the compound weeks before the raid. He is the son of one of Osama bin Laden's three wives who lived with him in the Abbottabad compound. Osama died 10 years after plotting the 9/11 attacks in the U.S. that killed nearly 3,000 Americans. Then-President Barack Obama ordered Osama bin Laden's body to be washed, wrapped in clean linens and buried at sea, as per Muslim burial custom. The younger bin Laden vowed to kill Americans and waged war on the U.S. after his father's death. Hamza made multip...

The Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has suspended a medical director and four resident doctors, who were not at their duty posts on the night he paid surprise visits to some public hospitals in Maiduguri. The governor had, on Monday night, paid unscheduled visits to some of the state-owned general hospitals to find out how the health facilities are being run. The affected doctors were not present when he visited. Before now, there had been rumours that patients are usually left unattended to at night by doctors, who rather engage in private practice. It was reported that when the governor visited the Umaru Shehu Ultramodern Specialists Hospital, Maiduguri, most of the top personnel, including four doctors, were absent. The governor reportedly, through the nurses, tried calling some of the doctors but none of them picked their calls or showed up till he left the hospital. The governor later summoned the head of the hospital who could not give a clear explanation on ...

A rare bee – the osmia avosetta species – that arrived in the UK from Turkey in someone’s luggage, has escaped after sentenced to death and it’s now wanted. The bee, which poses a very serious threat to the UK bee population, had been due to be destroyed by Defra, but it has now vanished. It had built cocoons out of flower petals in the conservatory of the Toy family when they returned from Dalaman. The cocoons that it built are due to be taken away today and destroyed by the The Animal and Plant Health Agency. British Beekeepers Association (BBKA) says the bee could have a ‘devastating effect’ on British bees and endanger them by spreading deadly viruses, or multiply and eventually out compete British bees. An APHA spokesperson said: ‘We remain vigilant, working closely with the National Bee Unit and their nationwide network of bee inspectors to monitor the situation.’

States in the North East part of Nigeria recorded no fewer than 21,011 cases of measles with 100 deaths in the past few months. A survey by News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) indicated that while cases were recorded in Bauchi, Borno, Yobe and Gombe states, officials in Adamawa and Jigawa said no such cases were recorded in their states. In Borno, where the highest number of cases was recorded, officials said security challenges in the state made it difficult to address the situation. The Director of Borno State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Sule Mele, said 18,204 measles cases were recorded in the state from January till date, with 93 deaths, mostly children. He attributed the outbreak of the disease to inability of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to access healthcare services due to the ongoingconflict between security forces and Boko Haram insurgents. Mr Mele, a medical doctor, noted that there was high prevalence of the disease in ‘trapped’ communities due to the...

The management of the Federal University Wukari, Taraba State, has shut down the institution. The move followed a protest staged by the Tiv Students Union over the alleged kidnap of their colleagues. The management of the school, in a statement released and approved by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Abubakar Kundiri, thereafter, directed that all activities should stop until further notice, to avoid escalation of any crisis that may affect students affair. They also directed that all students should vacate school hostels with immediate effect. Meanwhile, at the time of filling in this report, there was a counter-protest by the Student Union Government for the reversal of the management’s decision to suspend school activities. This follows a lingering crisis between the Tiv and Jukun tribe in Wukari Local Government Area.

The Director-General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Julie Okah-Donli, on Tuesday said the agency has since inception in 2003, secured 403 convictions, with over 14,000 victims rescued, rehabilitated and reintegrated back into their various communities. Ms Okah-Donli said this at a lecture organised by the NAPTIP to commemorate the 2019 World Day against Human Trafficking. “The Agency has further strengthened the existing collaborations with various partners, as well as formed new alliances on all fronts to boost the fight against human trafficking in Nigeria and beyond. “Recently, NAPTIP successfully inaugurated State Task Forces to fight against Human Trafficking in Delta, Ondo and Ekiti States, in addition to the existing Taskforce in Edo State. “We hope to replicate this in all 36 states of the federation because it aims at getting the State and Local Governments to take proactive steps towards the combat of human trafficki...

There's no doubt that Davido is one of the biggest artistes in the world. Yassssss!!!., Every single year, he has a long list of accolades to prove it. This year alone, he has sold out London's O2 Arena, recorded the longest-charting Nigerian single in Billboard history, and claimed many firsts from streaming giant, YouTube. After "Fall" beat out Tekno's "Pana" and Yemi Alade's "Johnny" to become the most viewed Nigerian music video on YouTube, Davido then became the first Nigerian artist to reach over 100 million views on YouTube, making his latest record with YouTube icing on the cake. As the DMW boss, Davido's YouTube page is home not only to all his music, but also to tracks and videos released by all the DMW artists. With talents such as Mayorkun, Peruzzi and Dremo under his wing, we are not surprised this successful label head is leading the charge for Nigerian artistes.

British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has appointed a Nigerian, Kemi Badenoch (MP) as the UK Junior Minister for children and families. Kemi Badenoch made the announcement on her twitter page on Tuesday, following her appointment on Saturday. “I’m humbled to have been appointed a junior minister at the DfE. A huge privilege to be able to serve and make a positive difference on a number of issues close to my heart. “I look forward to working with the ministerial team and everyone at @educationgovuk “Thank you for all good wishes and kind messages of support received. I also look forward to working not just with @Conservatives colleagues but cross-party and grateful for the warm welcome from @TracyBrabin and @SteveReedMP who no doubt will be keeping me on my toes!” Badenoch is a Member of Parliament representing Saffron Walden constituency in the UK. She was born on January 1980 in Wimbledon, London to parents of Nigerian origin. Kemi Badenoch was first elected as Membe...

A standard Seth Rollins vs. Dolph Ziggler match turned into a bloody affair on Monday Night Raw this week when Universal Champion Brock Lesnar made a surprise appearance and attacked Rollins just two weeks before their SummerSlam title match. Ziggler was able to briefly slow down Rollins, allowing Lesnar to get in the first shot. From there he quickly went after the challenger's ribs, hitting him with an F-5 on the outside post followed by two directly onto an upright steel chair. Bleeding from the mouth, Rollins was carried to the back on a stretcher. An ambulance was about to take him out of the arena but instead was stopped at the entrance by Lesnar. "The Beast" then yanked Rollins out of the ambulance and hit him with an F-5 onto a flipped-over stretcher.

Geoffrey Onyeama, former Minister for Foreign Affairs, has said attributed break down in communication as the causes of xenophobic attacks n Nigerians living in South Africa. The former minister while responding to question during the screening of the ministerial nominee said he had commenced bi-national meetings between the Nigerian overnment and the South African's. He added that it was important to continue with the meeting "so this matter can also be addressed so it becomes an issue addressed with political will and by the highest level of government of South Africa". He said: “What I believe is the issue, is really one of communication and direct oversight of law enforcement agencies in South Africa. This seems to be the real problem for Nigerians in South Africa. “We have set up a bi-national meeting at the level of Presidents, so it’s important that we organise very quickly the next meeting, so this matter can also be addressed so it becomes an issue add...

Maria Kanellis made history Monday night on RAW, becoming the first pregnant woman to win the 24/7 Championship. Her husband, Mike Kanellis, captured the title earlier in the night. Furthering the on-screen dynamic between the two, Maria made Mike lay down so she could take the belt for herself. R-Truth and Drake Maverick have been a weekly highlight as they feuded over the 24/7 Championship. Sooner or later, though, their rivalry would either have to end or be put on hold for an indeterminate amount of time. Maria's championship reign is a fun change of pace because it raises the obvious question as to how it will end. She had no problem using her pregnancy as a way to dissuade anybody backstage from attempting to challenge her.

New British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will make his first official visit to Scotland on Monday in an attempt to bolster the union in the face of warnings over a no-deal Brexit. Johnson will visit a military base to announce new funding for local communities, saying that Britain is a "global brand and together we are safer, stronger and more prosperous", according to a statement released by his Downing Street Office. It will be the first stop on a tour of the countries that make up the United Kingdom, as he attempts to win support for his Brexit plans and head off talk of a break-up of the union. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said last week that Scotland, which voted to remain in the EU in the 2016 referendum, needed an "alternative option" to Johnson's Brexit strategy. He has promised that Britain will leave the EU on October 31, with or without a deal. Sturgeon, who leads the separatist Scottish National Party (SNP), told Johnson that ...

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has been featured on the cover of the highly coveted September 2019 issue of British Vogue alongside 14 other women, personally chosen by The Duchess of Sussex – Meghan Markle, and British Vogue’s editor-in-chief Edward Enninful. The British Vogue issue was guest-edited by Meghan Markle alongside the magazine’s Edward Enninful for seven months to create an issue that highlights the power of the collective titled Forces For Change. Forces For Change features 15 “world-leading women who are reshaping public life for global good”. Alongside Adichie, others featured in this landmark issue include:  South Sudanese-Australian supermodel – Adut Akech, Latino Actress and Producer – Salma Hayek, American super model and philanthropist – Christy Turlington, British fashion model – Adwoa Aboah, transgender activist and actress – Laverne Cox, 19-year old activist and actor – Yara Shahidii, among others who continue to encourage and empower not just women but t...

A beloved daughter, sister, wife and mother identified as Mrs Gbemisola Ajayi, was reportedly abducted by unknown gunmen while jogging on the road in Ajah, Lagos State on Saturday (28th July 2019). According to reports, the victim was jogging around Monastery road, near Novare mall, Shoprite, in Shangotedo, Ajah, when suddenly out of the blue, the yet -to - be identified kidnappers abducted and whisked her away to an unknown place. In a statement released by the victim’s family, they said anyone who comes across her or has any information about her whereabouts , should please, contact the Ajah Police Command or call her family representative, Mr Adebayo on 08029998831. The family also enjoin Nigerians to pray for her safe return home.

It took only one Instagram post to turn a 7-year-old girl in Roanoke, Virginia, into an “insta-sensation.” Of course, it helps that the post was by Rihanna, who was blown away at how much little Ala’a Baytops looks like her. “Almost drop my phone. how?” was Rihanna’s reaction. Others apparently felt the same. Rihanna’s post has been liked more than 7 million times since Tuesday. Ala’a’s mom, Bria Baytops, said Rihanna’s mention was a real surprise. She was at work when “a coworker walked in and was like, ‘Rihanna just posted your daughter,’” Baytops told ABC News. “I was just star struck,” Baytops said. “Like it was surreal and still is.” As for Ala’a? Her reaction was a little more restrained. “She didn’t really realize what was going on until I showed her who she is, and she was like, ‘Woah!’” Baytops told  BET.com . “We originally took the pictures because she said she wanted to model.” Baytops said she has reached out to Rihanna and...

Nigerian veteran sports journalist and retired Director of Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Akinloye Oyebanji, has died at the age of 62. His family confirmed to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that Mr Oyebanji passed on at the National Hospital, Abuja, on Saturday morning after a protracted battle with heart failure. Bukoye Oyebanji and Steve Olarinoye, family member and close friend, disclosed that Mr Oyebanji had been ill for almost four months now and the family had spent millions of naira to save his life without any improvement. They said some time ago, he had the misfortune of losing his kidneys, and they were replaced successfully through a transplant in India. “But one of the side effects of kidney transplant is heart failure, which he had experienced on two occasions and survived.” NAN reports that Mr Oyebanji served the NTA for 35 years in different capacities, including being a sports broadcaster, and later as General Manager (Sports). He retired as Managing...

He found and returned a parcel that contained 37,000 euros while he was on patrol, the Nigeria Air Force, NAF, announced that he was due to be rewarded. This was the story of Bashir Umar, an Aircraftman, ACM. Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal SB Abubakar ordered that processes be undertaken: “to immediately come up with modalities to reward the airman so as to encourage other personnel of the Service to continue to embody attitudes and behaviours that reflect NAF’s core values of Integrity, Excellence and Service Delivery.” On Thursday, July 25, the Chief of Air Staff delivered the said reward for Bashir’s integrity and for giving the Force a good name with his actions. ACM Bashir Umar was decorated with the new rank of a corporal, which according to reports automatically meant a double promotion in the NAF hierarchy. The ceremony at which he was awarded was attended by other high-ranking officials of the NAF and by relations believed to be his parents. He was clad in his fu...

U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed his disappointment in Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven for not securing A$AP Rocky's immediate release from jail after the rapper was charged with assault on Thursday. "Very disappointed in Prime Minister Stefan Lofven for being unable to act," an outraged Trump tweeted on Thursday. "Sweden has let our African American Community down in the United States. I watched the tapes of A$AP Rocky, and he was being followed and harassed by troublemakers. Treat Americans fairly! #FreeRocky". Trump, who is not friends with Rocky, said officials should focus on "real crimes" in Sweden: "Give A$AP Rocky his FREEDOM. We do so much for Sweden but it doesn't seem to work the other way around. Sweden should focus on its real crime problem!" Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, has been held in jail for three weeks following his arrest after he was involved in a street fight with two Afghan migrants...

A young mom sparked outrage on social media after saying her biggest fear was having an ugly baby. Then she held her infant son up to the camera and said the baby was "funny looking." "My biggest fear was having an ugly baby," the woman said. "Look at him, he is so funny looking. He got all this hair though." Watch the disturbing video below:

Jimmy Uso was arrested and charged with a DUI and given a speeding ticket early on Thursday morning outside Pensacola Florida. Now we know even more details surrounding the arrest and it was quite a situation. ABC 3 WEAR TV reports that a complaint about a possible DUI came in around 1:30 AM on Thursday morning. An off-duty officer advised a deputy that there was a car traveling over 100 miles per hour as it drifted between lanes. It was said that the vehicle pulled in at the Ticket Spots Bar, but when the deputy showed up, Uso’s car was already gone. While sitting at a Publix, the deputy then observed a car accelerating rapidly and he clocked the vehicle going 86 miles per hour in a 45 mile per hour speed zone while traveling close to other cars. This is when Uso was pulled over. The police report indicates that Jimmy Uso had trouble holding his driver’s license, registration, and proof of insurance when the officer requested them. Uso was also reportedly slurring his speec...

WWE wrestler Jimmy Uso was arrested in the early morning hours of Thursday on DUI charges, according to multiple outlets. Uso was arrested in Pensacola, Florida, and booked just after 3 a.m., according to Sports Illustrated. It marked the second alcohol-related arrest for Uso, whose real name is Jonathan Fatu, in the past five months. According to TMZ, which first reported the news, Uso was speeding and observed “swerving left and right” before being pulled over. Uso “refused” field sobriety tests, per TMZ. Uso was arrested for disorderly conduct and obstruction in February in Detroit after an alleged dispute with police. Uso was also previously arrested for DUI in 2011 and 2013. Thursday morning’s arrest comes a few days after WWE superstar John Cena joked about Uso’s February run-in with the law on Monday Night Raw. Uso, 33, is half of the Uso Brothers tag team with his twin brother Jey Uso (real name: Joshua Fatu). The Uso Brothers are six-time WWE tag team champions. T...

Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi, the North African country's first democratically elected leader, has died. He was 92. An official in the president's office told The Associated Press that Essebsi died Thursday morning at the Tunis military hospital, where he was taken the night before. That was the third time in recent weeks that he had been hospitalized. Under Tunisia's constitution, the president of the parliament will assume the presidency for 45 to 90 days while elections are organized. Essebsi won office in 2014 in the wake of the country's Arab Spring uprising. He recently announced he wouldn't run in the election scheduled for November, saying a younger person should lead the country.

The Nigerian government has introduced a new Federal Marriage Certificate for all types of marriages in the country. The permanent secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Georgina Ehuriah, disclosed this on Wednesday at a stakeholders conference on the conduct of statutory marriage in Abuja. She said existing couples who do not have their certificate issued by the Ministry of Interior are advised to visit the ministry’s website to re-certify their marriage certificates. According to Mrs Ehuriah, not all places of worship are permitted to conduct marriages. She advised Nigerians to ensure that their marriages are conducted in places licensed by the Ministry of Interior. “This is for the marriage to be credible and registered in the National database of legally certified marriages,” she said. “If the certificate is not printed and delivered by the principal registrar of marriages, then it is illegal and can not serve the desired purpose”, she said. “Arrangements are ongoin...

Social networking firm, Facebook, on Wednesday, agreed to pay a record $5 billion to settle an ongoing investigation into allegations of privacy violations. The settlement with the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) also said the company will increase its board members for additional oversight of its privacy policy, according to several U.S. media reports. Facebook has long denied allegations of compromising user data to advertisers, amongst other claims. But the latest settlement will also see CEO Mark Zuckerberg relieved of final authority over privacy decisions. An independent privacy committee of the company’s board will now take final decisions on issues bordering on users’ privacy. Billions of people use Facebook and its subsidiaries, which include Instagram and WhatsApp.

Boris Johnson has been named as the next British prime minister. The election, which pitted him against Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt of the Conservative Party, was the first time that a party’s membership directly chose the prime minister. The membership of the Conservative Party who voted for Johnson represents just 0.13% of the British population and is whiter, older and, obviously, more conservative.  Johnson thanked outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May at a Conservative Party meeting in London where his win was announced.

With so many Legends and Hall of Famers in the house for Raw Reunion, it was all but guaranteed that a few of them would try their hand at the 24/7 Championship.  True to form, the returnees did not disappoint, and the championship changed hands a grand total of nine times throughout the night. First up was Drake Maverick, who pinned R-Truth to win the title after his wife Renee Michelle distracted the titleholder in a backstage confrontation. Unfortunately, Maverick tripped over his own luggage after running afoul of The Boogeyman in the locker room, leaving himself open to a pinfall by Pat Patterson, who became the first Hall of Fame 24/7 Champion. Gerald Brisco relieved his old ally of the title during a commercial break, only to be kneed below the belt and pinned by Kelly Kelly, marking the first female 24/7 Champion. So far, so normal (relatively speaking), but things got particularly strange after that. Kelly was then defeated by Candice Michelle (Melina counted the ...

Israeli forces began demolishing buildings near a military barrier on the outskirts of Jerusalem on Monday, in the face of Palestinian protests and international criticism. Bulldozers accompanied by hundreds of Israeli soldiers and police moved in to Sur Baher, a Palestinian village on the edge of East Jerusalem in an area that Israel captured and occupied in the 1967 Middle East War. Palestinians fear that the razing of homes and buildings near the fence will set a precedent for other towns along the route of the barrier, which runs for hundreds of kilometers around and through the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The demolition is the latest round of protracted wrangling over the future of Jerusalem, home to more than 500,000 Israelis and 300,000 Palestinians, and sites sacred to Judaism, Islam and Christianity. Israeli forces cut through a wire section of the barrier in Sur Baher under cover of darkness early on Monday, and began clearing residents from the area. Floodlights...

The Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos Police Command, has identified the man who climbed an Azman Air aircraft at the airport on Friday as Usman Adamu from the neighbouring Republic of Niger. The spokesperson for the Command, Joseph Alabi, disclosed the identity of the 32-year-old Nigerien to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos. Mr Alabi, a deputy superintendent of police, said the Nigerien, who is currently being held by the command, could not speak or understand the English Language. He, however, said investigations are still ongoing to ascertain how he gained access to the heavily restricted area at the airport. Passengers aboard a Port Harcourt-bound Azman Air flight were thrown into panic on Friday after Adamu climbed the aircraft while it was about to take off at the Lagos airport.

An Instagram star was brutally murdered by a 4chan member who nearly decapitated her then posted gruesome photos of her body online. 17-year-old Bianca Devins from Utica, NY was brutally murdered on Sunday, July 14, by Brandon Clark, 21. He then posted grisly photos of her body to Instagram, 4Chan and the gaming website, Discord. Clark spent time photographing and recording the body. In one image her body is covered with a green tarp. He captioned the photos, "Sorry f----rs, you're gonna have to find some else to orbit," which is a term for men who lurk on a girl's social media page hoping for a hookup. In another photo of her bloody left arm, he wrote, "I'm sorry Bianca.” The bloody knife is seen on the passenger seat next to Devins' body. Instagram followers recognized the teenager from the photos and geolocated Clark using the metadata in the photos. Police received calls around 7:20 a.m., including a call from Clark himself. Police qui...

Nigerian aviation authorities say an intruder who climbed onto the wing of a commercial plane that was preparing to fly from the country's busiest airport has been detained. A viral video of Friday's incident at the international airport in Lagos also showed panicked passengers who appeared eager to flee the plane. In the video taken from inside the plane, the man can be seen moving along the wing as passengers look out and shout. Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria spokeswoman Henrietta Yakubu said the Azman Air plane had been waiting for clearance from air traffic controllers. She said it taxied back for a "thorough check" before departing for Port Harcourt. It was not clear how the man reached the plane or what his intention was. It was the latest Nigerian airport security breach. In 2017, passengers on a private jet in Lagos said thieves forced open the cargo door and stole luggage. Azman Air is a privately owned Nigerian airline founded in 2010 t...

A  37-year-old guard, Wasiu Orilonise has publicly confessed that he raped his 15-year-old daughter for verification of her virginity and protection. Wasiu who appeared in Oyo State Magistrates’ Court sitting in Ibadan, however, appealed to the court to forgive him as he did that only to confirm if her daughter was still a virgin. The prosecutor, Mr Sunday Ogunremi, told the court that the accused had sometime in December 2018 at Omo village, Agbofieti, Ibadan, in the Ibadan Magisterial District, raped the victim without her consent. Ogunremi said the offence was contrary to and punishable under Section 34, sub-sections 1 and 2 of the Child Rights Law of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2006. The plea of the accused was, however, not taken during the arraignment. When the Chief Magistrate, Mr Taiwo Olaniran, sought to know what pushed him into defiling his biological daughter, Orilonise said since he lost his wife a few years ago, he had been taking care of the victim and her sib...

The kidnappers of the mother of former Super Eagles striker and coach, Beauty Siasia have established contact with Samson Siasia and demanded for N70 million to before they could release the woman. According to media reports, Siasia had spoken with his mother and two others abducted from their homes in Odoni community in Sagbama Local Government Area Bayelsa State by gunmen. It was gathered that one of the gunmen reportedly called Siasia with a foreign number, and asked for asked for N70m for the release of his 76-year-old mother. Siasia’s mother was first abducted in November 2015 and was released 12 days after a ransom was paid. The 76-year-old woman was kidnapped again two days ago by unidentified armed men from her home in Odoni, Sagbama Local Council of Bayelsa State. Mr. Dennis, the younger brother to Samson Siasia, who confirmed the abduction of their 76-year-old mother, said the kidnappers whisked away their aged mother without taking along her Blood Pressure (BP) ...