Diamond Bank Posts N7Billion Profit in Q1

Despite the inclement operating business environment, which dulled industry average performance, Diamond Bank demonstrated its ability to sustain growth in the top lines in its unaudited financial statement for business activities ended Thursday, March 31, 2016. 

The result of the Bank’s three months business operations presented to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and released to media executives in Lagos, show that Diamond Bank resiliently buoyed itself above these sundry industry turbulences and posted PBT of N6.7bn, averaging monthly PBT of N2.3bn, thus scaling industry expectations and meeting the minimum target for its shareholders for the period under review. 

Army Captures More Boko Haram Terrorist Leaders - Pictures

Musa Kalile Sabakara, an Ameer.

In a renewed onslaught on the leadership of Boko Haram terrorists, troops have earlier yesterday, Thursday 28th April 2016, again made an unprecedented catch.

According to the Army spokesperson, Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman, The gallant troops tracked and arrested 6 terrorists kingpins who sneaked into Kala Balge as a result of the onslaught of our heroic troops on the terrorists in Sambisa.

50 Cent Set to Open Fiesta Beach Hotel in Morocco

50 Cent is preparing the grand opening of Fiesta Beach, a club, hotel and and restaurant located in Marrakesh, Morocco. The event is set to be held today (April 29) and Saturday (April 30), according to a Facebook post and video.

The G-Unit rapper is partnering with entrepreneur Olivier Da Silva to open Fiesta Beach, the third property of the Fiesta Group. The company's website says its other properties include a club named Fiesta located in Brussels and a restaurant named Dandy in Marrakesh.

Tee Billz Attempts Suicide, Accuses Wife of Infidelity

Tunji Balogun a.k.a Tee Billz, husband and former manager of popular Nigerian female artiste, Tiwa Savage, on Thursday accused his wife of infidelity and contemplated suicide.

In a flurry of Instagram posts, deleted about three hours after they were posted, Tee Billz said he sacrificed his life for Tiwa Savage, putting in work and my money to her success.

Yet Tiwa’s mother wants to turn him into what she turned Tiwa’s dad to, he claimed.

Beyonce Dedicates Song 'Halo' to Jay Z

Beyonce aka 'Queen B' dismissed the infidelity rumours which have surrounded her marriage since the release of her album Lemonade yesterday by dedicating her Hit song "HALO" to the supper rap star and their daughter  Ivy during her formation show in Miami on Wednesday.

Beyonce dedicated a song to her husband Jay Z during the first concert for her world tour, telling him: "I love you so much."

Ivoriens Say Final Goodbye to Papa Wemba with All-Night Tribute

A'Salfo, the lead vocal singer for the Ivorian group Magic System sings during a concert in tribute to Papa Wemba on April 27, 2016 at the Palace of Culture in Abidjan. The flamboyant star Papa Wemba died at the age of 66 after collapsing on stage at a music festival in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on April 24, but the cause of death is not yet known. The remains of the "Congolese king of rumba"  will be flown to his homeland Ivorian musician and festival promoter Salif Traore, known as A'Salfo said. 

A’Salfo, the lead vocal singer for the Ivorian group Magic System sings during a concert in tribute to Papa Wemba on April 27, 2016 at the Palace of Culture in Abidjan.

The flamboyant star Papa Wemba died at the age of 66 after collapsing on stage at a music festival in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on April 24, but the cause of death is not yet known. The remains of the “Congolese king of rumba” will be flown to his homeland Ivorian musician and festival promoter Salif Traore, known as A’Salfo said. 

New plans to Tighten Zuckerberg's Control as Facebook Revenue Soars

Facebook on Wednesday fielded a plan to tighten Mark Zuckerberg’s grip on the helm as the booming social network reported stellar profit.

Profit in the first quarter tripled from a year ago to $1.5 billion as revenue jumped to $5.4 billion from $3.5 billion in the same period a year earlier.

“We had a great start to the year,” said Facebook co-founder and chief executive Zuckerberg.

The key metric of monthly active users rose to 1.65 billion, up 15 percent from a year ago. And those using Facebook daily rose 16 percent to 1.09 billion, with strong gains in numbers of people using mobile devices.

Leicester Jamie Vardy Gets One Match Ban for Misconduct Charge

Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy will miss his side’s potential title decider at Manchester United on Sunday after accepting a misconduct charge, England’s Football Association announced on Tuesday.

vardyVardy, who has also been fined £10,000 ($14,540, 12,890 euros), was charged after reacting angrily to being sent off following a second yellow card for diving in Leicester’s recent 2-2 draw with West Ham United.

World Bank Boss, Dr. Jim Yong Arrives Nigeria Today

The President of the World Bank, Dr. Jim Yong Kim is billed to arrive Nigeria this morning on a three-day visit.

Kim, who is expected to arrive the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja by 9a.m. is to be received on arrival by the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, and some top government functionaries.

Prince Tops the Charts days after death

Prince's music is dominating the official album chart, currently holding every position in the Top 5.

The Top 5 includes Prince's albums The Very Best Of, Ultimate, Purple Rain, The Hits / The B-Sides, and Sign O' The Times.

If the compilation album The Very Best Of remains in the top spot on Friday, the album will become Prince's sixth number one album in the UK.

Driver, Six Ekiti Doctors Perish in Auto Crash

Six members of the Ekiti State branch of the Nigerian Medical Association, including their driver, on Sunday lost their lives in a road traffic accident along Abuja-Kaduna Expressway.

The men were on their way to Sokoto for the 56th NMA Annual General Conference/Annual Delegates Meeting when their vehicle was involved in a fatal crash. It was gathered that the rear tyre of the vehicle burst while the driver was speeding.

Leicester City Close to Win Premier League Title

HISTORY chasing Leicester City on Sunday moved closer to the Premier League title with an emphatic victory over visiting Swansea.

The victory took the Foxes eight points clear and would see them be champions with five points from their remaining three games according to BBC reports.

Leonardo Ulloa, in for the suspend­ed Jamie Vardy, scored a brace as he headed in after Riyad Mahrez’s near-post finish before poking home.

Swansea rarely threatened before Marc Albrighton wrapped up the win  by driving in a fourth.

Legendary Congolese Singer, Papa Wemba, Dies after Stage Collapse

Legendary Congolese singer, Papa Wemba (real name Jules Kikumba) is dead. Aged 67, the musician reportedly slumped during a live performance at a music festival in Abidjan, the capital of Ivory Coast, early on Sunday morning.

 A report from a private morgue in Abidjan where his body was taken, said Wemba was performing at the Anoumabo Urban Music Festival (FEMUA) when he collapsed on stage.

The sad event occurred barely a few days after the world lost another legendary music icon, Prince Rogers Nelson.

Nigerian Police Receives 705,352 Applications from Intending Candidates

The Police Service Commission has received 705,352 applications from candidates seeking employment into the Nigeria Police Force.

A breakdown of the applications showed that 202, 427 applicants have successfully applied for the position of Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police,  169,446, for the position of Cadet Inspector and 333,479 for the position of Constables.

Suicide Attack in Kabul, Scores Killed, 198 Injured

 

A powerful suicide bombing followed by gun shots have claimed scores of lives and injured 198 others on Tuesday, an official said.

"Several dead bodies and 198 injured persons have so far been taken to hospitals for medical treatment," spokesman for Public Health Ministry, Aziz Qawosi told Xinhua.

It is difficult to say the exact number of the bodies, the official said. Enditem

Soldiers Arrest Scores of Armed Herdsmen in Abuja

Ninety - two  Fulani herdsmen have been arrested by soldiers of the Guards Brigade of the Nigeria Army in Abuja.

The Assistant Director, Army Public Relations of the Guards Brigade, Capt. Bashir Jajira, said that 36 of the suspects were arrested by the troops at a military checkpoint between the Federal Capital Territory and Nasarawa State.

The suspected herdsmen were said to have told the soldiers that they were on a mission to recover their stolen cows.

Subscriber Sues Kanye West and Tidal over "The Life of Pablo Rollout"

Kanye West's The Life of Pablo album reportedly doubled TIDAL's subscriptions, in part, because it was promoted as an exclusive release. One of the subscribers is taking the rapper and streaming service to court, the Associated Press reports.

Justin Baker-Rhett is one of the two million subscribers who signed up for the streaming service for West's album. He is upset that he paid $9.99 per month and filed a lawsuit today (April 18) because he feels tricked after the album was released to Spotify and Apple Music weeks after West ranted on Twitter that the album would never be available anywhere else but TIDAL. Besides the money, he is concerned that the company now has the subscribers' personal information, including credit card information.

Barack Obama Invites Nicki Minaj, DJ Khaled, Rick Ross and Others to Discuss the "My Brother's Keeper" Initiative

US President, Barack Obama invited Nicki Minaj, J. Cole, DJ Khaled, Alicia Keys, Rick Ross and Pusha T among other Hip Hop notables to the White House to discuss the "My Brother's Keeper" initiative and criminal justice reform on Friday (April 15).

The meeting wasn't publicly announced however, it was confirmed by the Associated Press.

Nigeria: Airlines may Cancel Scheduled Flights as Scarcity of Jet A1 Fuel Bites Harder

Airline operators in Nigeria have urged passengers to expect more delays or cancelled flights as the scarcity of aviation fuel, known as Jet A1, bites harder, adding that scheduled operations may stop altogether, unless more fuel is delivered in the next few days.

According to reports, since last week, domestic airlines have faced severe challenges sourcing aviation fuel for their scheduled flights.

Earthquake kills 238, injures 1,500 in Ecuador

About  238 people have been confirmed dead, with hundreds injured after a 7.8-magnitude quake rocked the central coast of Ecuador, Sky News reports. A state of emergency had been declared in six provinces and the government said the death toll was expected to rise.

Ricardo Peñaherrera of Quito’s emergency management office said no fewer than 1,500 people were injured.

#Panama Papers: Offshore Companies Linked to Nigeria Ex- Senate Leader

According to the German publication  Panama Papers, at least eight offshore companies in the British Virgin Island have been linked to the immediate past Senate President, David Mark, in a secret assets scam.

The German newspaper had on Monday released the Panama Papers, the biggest leak in the history of data journalism, publishing online 11.5 million documents from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, which showed how prominent people including the family of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, a former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, Argentinian footballer, Lionel Messi and criminals hid money using anonymous shell corporations across the world.

MasterCard launches IQ Series to Minimize False Payment

Reinforcing its commitment towards a secure cashless environment and superior experience through secure and innovative solutions, MasterCard launched the IQ Series at its Global Risk Leadership Conference in Dubai on Monday. 

Designed to harness real-time insights and intelligence, MasterCard IQ Series’ suite of solutions empower card issuers and merchants to authorize transactions with increased accuracy and limit fraudulent activity. The solution is now available to financial institutions, businesses and merchants across the Middle East and Africa.

Iggy Azalea Hit with a Tax Lien for $400,000

Iggy Azalea has been hit with a tax lien for $400,000, according to TMZ.

The publication reports that the Australian-born rapper owes $391,056.55 in unpaid income taxes from 2014, the same year Azalea dropped her Grammy-nominated debut album, The New Classic.

The LP, which earned a 2.5 out of 5 rating from HipHopDX, sold 52,392 units during its first week.

Panama: Lionel Messi's Family Denies tax evasion Allegations after Barcelona's Star named in Scandal

The family of Lionel Messi has denied that he was involved in tax evasion after the Barcelona star emerged as one of many personalities accused of shady offshore dealings in the Panama Papers scandal.

Messi named in Panama Papers scandal alongside likes of Iceland PM, sports celebrities and movie stars

His family says Panama company is 'totally inactive' and 'never had any funds or any open accounts'

Messi has previously fought tax fraud charges in separate case in Spain

Chelseas Football Club Appoints Antonio Conto as New Head Coach

Chelsea have confirmed Antonio Conte will become their new head coach following the conclusion of the 2016 European Championship.

Current Italy coach Conte signed a three-year deal with the reigning Premier League champions on Monday and becomes the 10th boss to take charge of Chelsea since Roman Abramovich completed his takeover of the club in 2003.

Nigerian Troops Capture 6 Terrorists at Boboshe and Kadawu - Pictures

Troops of 22 Brigade Garrison, Army Headquarters Strike Group (AHQ SG) accompanied by some Civilian JTF on fighting patrol to Boboshe, Garna, Kyare, Kadawu, Gineba and Ajiri arrested 6 Boko Haram terrorists and recovered Improvised Explosive (IED) making devices today, Sunday 4th April 2016.

Although the fighting patrol team found Boboshe village virtually empty, they however recovered 8 industrial gas cylinders and 5 regular gas cylinders at a Primary School being used for IED making and also recovered a Pickup vehicle.

Upsurge in Shopping Malls will Boost Nigerian Economy – Ibukun Efuntayo & Co

Against the backdrop of an increase in the number of shopping malls in the country in recent times, one of Nigeria’s foremost real estate companies and Manager of the Lagos City Mall, Ibukun Efuntayo & Co has said the increase was good for the Nigerian economy. 

Since the beginning of this year, more than five upscale shopping malls have opened shops in the country while some existing ones are expanding their outlets across the length and breadth of the country.

Messi, Platini Mentioned in Offshore Financial Dealings

Disgraced FIFA official and UEA Boss Michel Platini and Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi were amongst the names found Sunday in leaked documents which reveal offshore financial dealings.

‘The Panama Papers’ claim the law firm of a FIFA ethics watchdog had business relationships with three men recently indicted in football’s global corruption scandal.

South Africa's Top Court Orders President Zuma to Refund $15million state Funds

South Africa’s top court on Thursday has ruled that President Jacob Zuma must refund the $15million state funds he used to renovate his private home. According to the court, Zuma defied the constitution.

The 11 justices of the Constitutional Court unanimously ruled that the President should reimburse some of the sum spent on the renovations, the amount of which will be determined by the national treasury.

Nas Team up with Ghostbusters to Create Special Clothing Line

HIPHOPDX has revealed that American lyricist Nas' HSTRY Clothing has teamed up with Ghostbusters to create a special collaborative clothing line inspired by the film, which makes its debut in theaters July 15 starring Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones and Melissa McCarthy.

Nas announced the collaboration with Ghostbusters while filming at Sony Pictures' lot in Culver City, California with HYPEBEAST.

Jay Z Sues 'TIDAL' Former Owners for $15million

Americanh super rapper and Business mogul Jay Z is suing TIDAL's former owners. Jay Z is  claiming that the former owners of the music streaming company were untruthful about the amount of subscribers the streaming service had upon selling the company to him.

According to Music Business Worldwide, Jay Z is seeking $15 million from the former shareholders of Aspiro, the parent company of TIDAL. This translates to about 100 million Norwegian Krone. The Rap mogul acquired the streaming service for a reported $57 million. He was told that TIDAL had 530,000 subscribers as of January 2015 and now says that figure was "misleading."