The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Oyo State Chapter, has urged the Ministry of Sports and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to immortalise the late Green Eagles midfield player, Mudasiru Lawal. In a statement issued on Tuesday in Ibadan and jointly signed by Niyi Alebiosu and Adewale Tijani, its Chairman and Secretary respectively, the association said that national team and IICC Shooting Stars player deserved to be immortalised. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Abeokuta-born football star died 30 years ago. It enjoined the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development as well as Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to name a competition or award category after the departed footballer. The association also recalled the exploits of Muda Lawal, reminding ...
Richard Donner, the beloved filmmaker who brought new meaning to the Hollywood blockbuster with films like Superman, The Goonies, and the Lethal Weapon franchise, has died. He was 91 years old. According to his wife, producer Lauren Schuler Donner, and his business manager, Donner passed away on Monday, July 5th (via Deadline). Donner’s seven-decade career began in television, where he directed episodes of a number of classic series including Gilligan’s Island, The Twilight Zone, The Fugitive, Get Smart, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Route 66, Perry Mason, and The Wild Wild West. He transitioned to features with the 1968 Sammy Davis Jr. and Peter Lawford starrer Salt and Pepper, a crime comedy that somewhat foreshadowed his future creation of Lethal Weapon. Related Video Followin...
Rush singer-bassist Geddy Lee is mourning the loss of his mother, Mary Weinrib, who passed away on Friday (July 2nd). Weinrib, a Holocaust survivor, died just weeks shy of her 96th birthday. Weinrib’s obituary tells a remarkable story of survival and perseverance. She grew up in a Jewish community in Poland, and was forced into concentration camps, including Auschwitz. After she was freed in 1945, she reunited with and married Morris Weinrib, whom she had fallen in love with while at Auschwitz. The couple moved to Toronto and opened a variety store, but Morris died suddenly in 1965, leaving Mary with three children to raise on her own. She was a big supporter of Geddy’s music career from the early days of Rush. As her obituary states, “When the first Rush album was released, Mary plastered...
Bryan St. Pere, the drummer for the massively influential shoegaze and alt-rock band Hum, has died. He was 52 years old. His bandmates confirmed the news in a statement earlier today, writing, “It is with very heavy hearts and tear filled eyes that we share the news that our beloved friend and bandmate, Bryan St. Pere, has passed away. We are devastated and deeply saddened by his sudden, and unexpected passing. Bryan was a dear friend, a loving father, brother, and was an incredible person and musician. We all feel extremely lucky to have shared time and space with him. Peace and love to all who knew Bryan, and those he touched. We will miss him dearly.” At an early age, St. Pere was drawn to the drums and decided to start playing the instrument after falling in love with Rush, particularl...
A Kano State High Court, sitting on Wednesday, sentenced a 20-year-old man, Salisu Muhammad-Yakasai, to death by hanging for stabbing his football coach, Mujittafa Musa, 32, to death with a knife. The convict, who resides at Yakasai Quarters Kano, was convicted on a count charge of culpable homicide. The prosecution Counsel, Mr Lamido Sorondinki, told the court that the convict committed the offence on March 2, 2019 at Yakasai Quarters Kano. Sorondinki said that on the same date and at about 11:20 p.m the defendant had an argument with Musa at Gangare in Yakasai Quarters. He said that in the process, the convict stabbed the victim on his chest twice and was rushed to Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital Kano where he was confirmed dead by a medical doctor. The prosecutor produced four witn...
Tanzania will spend $470 million buying vaccines and supporting economic sectors hit hard by the coronavirus, President Samia Suluhu Hassan said on Monday. Since Hassan took office after the death of then-president John Magufuli in March, the government has changed tack from playing down the pandemic to calling for social distancing and emphasising mask wearing in public. Issuing the first data on infections since May 2020, Hassan said there were more than 100 Covid-19 patients in Tanzania as of last Saturday, with 70 of them being provided oxygen. Half of the cash will be spent on vaccines, protective gear and other medical equipment, Hassan said, with the rest going to stimulate sectors that are reeling from the crisis. She did not give details about the sectors but tourism, one of the t...
Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera Eighteen al-Shabab militants were executed on Sunday in Galkayo town of Mudug, the Puntland State of Somalia, after being sentenced to death earlier by the court. The Chairperson of Puntland state court, Mohamud Abdi Mohamed, said that the court proceedings followed through different stages before the execution. “Puntland State Court of Armed Forces executed 18 al-Shabab militants this morning. “The convicts were all behind the killings of many of our important people here. “The court took the right action against them,’’ Mohamed said. Al-Shabab militants termed the execution as a massacre of innocent civilians by the Puntland state. The militant group has carried out a series of assassinations and bombings in Galkayo and other parts of the Mudug region. Puntland o...