Goldbod invalidates all PMMC-issued gold licenses for individuals

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April 15, 2025

Operatives of the Kwara Police Command have arrested controversial singer Habeeb Okikiola Badmus, better known as “Portable”.

In a statement, the spokesman of the Kwara Police Command, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said that Portable’s arrest followed a petition received from one Mr. Okunola Saheed, popularly known as “Osupa”.

“The petition borders on serious allegations which includes criminal defamation, threat to life, incitement, character assassination, conduct likely to cause a breach of peace and the use of abusive and insulting words,” the statement read partly.

“In view of the weight of these allegations and the supporting evidence presented, the Command secured a valid arrest warrant from a Magistrate Court sitting in Ilorin.”

“Acting on this warrant, operatives from the Command proceeded to Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Saturday, 13th April 2025, where the suspect was apprehended at about 19:25hrs. He was immediately brought to Ilorin for further investigation.

“Upon his arrival, the suspect’s statement was taken in the presence of legal representatives from both parties. He is currently in custody, and arrangements are being made to charge him to court without delay.”

The “Zaazoo” crooner had used a line Osupa is known for, a move that led to the Fuji star’s team filing a complaint.

Portable had earlier called out Osupa, using unflattering names, triggering a social media backlash. He, however, later apologised to the Fuji singer over the outburst, blaming his temper for the development.

Credit: channelstv.com

I met my girlfriend on Instagram while I was in prison –Vybz Kartel

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April 15, 2025

Famous Jamaican Dancehall musician, Vybz Kartel, has disclosed where he met his current Turkish girlfriend, Sidem Öztürk.

In an interview on Hot 97 radio show with America, Vybz Kartel explained that he came across his girlfriend’s profile while scrolling through the comments section of a post he made on Instagram.

He revealed that at the time, he was facing relationship issues with his baby mama.

“Yeah, I met her on July 25, 2015, and I’ll never forget it. In prison, I was very active on Instagram because, you know, you have time. I was going through my comment section and saw this girl who always liked my pictures, so out of curiosity, I jumped onto her page and her DM… At that time, I was also going through a lot with my then woman, my baby mama,” he shared.

Vybz Kartel went on to explain that Sidem confessed she had been looking for him but, due to the prevalence of fake Vybz Kartel pages, she initially found him through his baby mama’s account.

“Then she confessed that she was actually looking for me, but because there were a lot of fake Vybz Kartel pages, she jumped onto my baby mama’s page, and that was how she found me,” he said.

The musician also revealed his plans to settle down with Sidem Öztürk this year.

“She’s at my hotel right now with my mother. We’re definitely getting married this year. I need some Turkish children who will talk to me and I won’t understand,” Kartel said.

“I’m not cheating again” –Davido

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April 15, 2025

Award-winning Nigerian music star, David Adeleke, famously known as Davido, has openly declared his commitment to monogamy, saying he has no intention of cheating again.

In an interview on the Breakfast Club podcast, the singer reflected on his controversial personal life and how past experiences have shaped his resolve to change.

“My uncle that’s a governor has two wives. Another of my uncles: all his wives lived with him, and they played with each other. But upon all the money, there’s still wahala. . I’d rather go and live with how my other guys are living. Maybe because I’ve had bad experiences. Sometimes experience is the best teacher,” Davido said.

“I’m not cheating again. I don’t want wahala. I don’t want any wahala. I have five kids with four women.”

He shared how witnessing the struggles of his uncles, who come from polygamous backgrounds, further influenced his decision to embrace a more stable and faithful lifestyle.

Sarkodie doesn’t repeat Air forces he wears -Stylist reveals

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April 15, 2025

Ghana’s most decorated Artiste, Sarkodie is admired by many forhis sense of fashion. According to his stylist Trendy Rail, the award-winning rapper lives in a world where style meets serious spending and repetition is out of the question.

Speaking on Channel One TV, Trendy Rail gave fans an eye-opening glimpse into Sarkodie’s wardrobe, saying, “We can’t count the costumes in Sarkodie’s wardrobe.

His Air Forces, for example, he doesn’t repeat them. He has a room just full of trainers.”

According to the stylist, the rapper’s collection of designer wear and custom-made clothing doesn’t come cheap. “Some of these clothes are very expensive. If custom-made, they can cost between £8,000 to £10,000,” he said, stressing that such opulence is part of the rapper’s daily life.

While fans may cheer when their idol throws an item into the crowd mid-performance, Trendy Rail admits it’s tough for him to watch.

“They don’t see anything wrong with the throwing of costumes, but for a stylist like me, I get upset,” he admitted.

Recalling a memorable moment during the 2022 Rapperholic concert, he shared, “Sarkodie had this red jacket, he took off the jacket and threw it in the crowd and I kid you not, that jacket was probably £3,000 or £4,000.”

South Africa appoints special envoy to ease US relations

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April 15, 2025

Mcebisi Jonas has previously served as South Africa's investment envoy

South Africa has appointed a special envoy to the US in an effort to ease tensions between the two countries, which have worsened since Donald Trump’s return as president.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced Mcebisi Jonas’s selection, adding that he would be “entrusted with [advancing] South Africa’s diplomatic, trade and bilateral priorities”.

Jonas, a former deputy finance minister, made headlines when he made corruption allegations against a wealthy family linked to former President Jacob Zuma.

The US last month expelled South Africa’s ambassador, Ebrahim Rasool, over remarks he had made about the Trump administration.

Ramaphosa’s office said Jonas would be “serving as the official representative” of the president and South Africa.

“He will lead negotiations, foster strategic partnerships and engage with US government officials and private-sector leaders to promote our nation’s interests.”

Credit: bbc.com

Trump threatens new tariffs on Chinese-made smartphones days after exempting them

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April 15, 2025

Donald Trump says Chinese-made smartphones and other electronics will not be exempt from tariffs – adding they are simply moving into a different levy “bucket”.

European stock markets bounced up on Monday morning after Friday’s official announcement that some of these products would escape levies of up to 145%.

China has called on Donald Trump to “completely cancel” his tariffs regime, and “return to the right path of mutual respect”.

However US officials said on Sunday that products would be subject to a “semiconductor tariff” instead, with Trump expected to reveal more details later.

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the new levy would be in addition to a host of global tariffs the US imposed earlier this month, then paused for 90 days.

“We need our medicines and we need semiconductors and our electronics to be built in America,” he added.

On Saturday, a US customs notice revealed smartphones, computers and some other electronic devices would be excluded from the 125% tariff on goods entering the country from China.

But Trump chimed in on social media, saying there was no exemption for these products and called such reports about this notice false. Instead, he said that “they are just moving to a different Tariff ‘bucket'”.

Trump added: “We are taking a look at Semiconductors and the WHOLE ELECTRONICS SUPPLY CHAIN in the upcoming National Security Tariff Investigations.”

He said he would provide an update on Monday about semiconductor duties.

Everyday devices such as smartphones and laptops rely on semiconductors, which are small and powerful pieces of tech that form the basic building blocks of modern computation.

Credit: bbc.com

Car workers in Canada hit out at US over tariffs

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April 15, 2025

Ford workers Kathryn Lawton (L) and Christina Grossi are afraid the tariffs could upend their lives

For more than a century, a member of the Lawton family has worked in Canada’s car industry.

Kathryn Lawton and husband Chad both work for the carmaker in Windsor, the heart of Canada’s automobile sector, just a bridge away from the US state of Michigan.

Her children are “fifth generation Ford workers”, she says.

So when US President Donald Trump suggested that Canada stole the American auto industry, Chad Lawton calls it “ludicrous”.

“These were never American jobs. These were Canadian jobs,” he told the BBC, on the day that Trump’s auto tariffs came into force.

“They’ve always been Canadian jobs, and they’re going to stay Canadian jobs because we didn’t take them from them. We created them, we sustained them.”

Kathryn agreed: “This is Ford City right here.”

Tucked away in southwestern Ontario, Windsor finds itself on one of the front lines of Trump’s trade war.

It faces a 25% tariff on foreign-made vehicles – reduced by half for cars made with 50% US-made components or more – as well as blanket 25% US tariffs on steel and aluminium imports.

US tariffs on auto parts are expected next month.

The region of just over 422,000 grew alongside Detroit – nicknamed Motor City for its role as an auto manufacturing hub – turning the region into an important centre for North American automobile production.

Credit: bbc.com

Zelensky urges Trump to visit Ukraine before deal with Russia

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April 15, 2025

President Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has invited Donald Trump to visit his country before any deal is struck with Russia to end the war.

“Please, before any kind of decisions, any kind of forms of negotiations, come to see people, civilians, warriors, hospitals, churches, children destroyed or dead,” Zelensky said in an interview for CBS’s 60 Minutes programme.

The interview was recorded before a Russian missile hit the city of Sumy on Sunday, killing 34 people and injuring 117 others.

Without providing evidence, Russia said it fired two Iskander missiles at a meeting of Ukrainian soldiers, killing 60 of them. Trump said he had been told it was a mistake, without specifying who told him.

At the scene in Sumy, the conference centre Russia claimed was used for the meeting is smashed, and a crater marks the spot where a missile hit. The roof is no more.

Kyiv has not confirmed the gathering of military officers – however, a regional mayor in Sumy has demanded the resignation of local security officials if indeed they allowed such a meeting to happen.

Any gathering of soldiers is a prime target for Russia. In previous attacks and indeed throughout the invasion of Ukraine, civilians have been seen as acceptable collateral damage by the Russian military.

The attack comes as the US, Ukraine’s strongest military ally, has been pursuing an end to the war – now in its fourth year – through negotiation under Trump.

Asked about the attack, the US president said it was “terrible” and that he had been “told they made a mistake”, but did not elaborate.

Earlier, Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine, retired Lt-Gen Keith Kellogg, said the attack had crossed “any line of decency”.

However, it remains to be seen if Trump will accept Zelensky’s invitation.Credit: bbc.com

Gov’t determined to complete Bolga-Bawku-Pulmakom roads -Agbodza

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April 15, 2025