From Blessing Okoro’s humiliating arrest to how our Flying Eagles fared at the Under-20 World Cup, our Rave News Digest summarizes some of the hottest global news you need to catch up on, saving you time and energy. Consider it your daily news fix.
Here is a rundown of five of the hottest news topics…
1. Popular blogger Blessing Okoro arrested
The founder of Breakup or Makeup, Blessing Nkiruka Okoro, popularly known as Blessing CEO, has been arrested after having been accused for passing someone else’s house as hers.
The blogger who just turned 30, was celebrating her birthday across three states; Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt. She also unveiled a grand seven-bedroom mansion which she claimed was hers.
However, it turned out that the real owner of the house was one Onye Eze who is a businessman based in China. He got wind of Blessing’s antics and lambasted her online.
But despite the online confrontation, Blessing stuck to her claims, insisting that the house belonged to her. She even went as far as sharing the plan of a house as proof. The blogger also took a picture of herself in nightwear in front of the house and shared a video of the house to strengthen her claims.
That was her undoing as she was arrested a while later. A video showed the Breakup or Makeup founder crying and begging in handcuffs. She confessed that the house indeed belonged to Onye Eze and not her as she had claimed.
However, Blessing Okoro has since been released and was seen on video drinking wine with Onye Eze who seems to have forgiven her.
2. President of Malawi re-elected
The President of Malawi, Peter Mutharika, has been re-elected for a second stint in office after a fiercely contested election. The 78-year-old who faced stiff competition, including from his deputy, managed to get 38.5% of the votes which was just about enough to bag the re-election.
Results of the election was announced on Monday after a high court injunction was lifted. Major challenger, Lazarus Chakwera, who finished as runner up with 35.4% of the votes, had sought to delay the results over concerns of voting irregularities.
He and his party wanted recounts in at least 10 of the country’s 28 voting districts. They made accusations that ballots had been physically doctored with corrective fluid. The Vice President who managed 20% of the votes, also alleged some “serious abnormalities” during the vote.
The injunction was initially granted on Saturday after the Malawi Electoral Commission received 147 reports of irregularities. But despite concerns, Malawi’s high court lifted the injunction on Monday, allowing the results to be released and confirming the President’s narrow re-election.
The vote had been labelled as one of the most unpredictable the country has ever seen. There was a turnout of 74% of the 6.8m people registered to vote.
High levels of national poverty, a weak economy and corruption are the major issues that plague the country and were the key election issues.
3. One dead and at least 15 schoolchildren injured in Japan mass stabbing
According to reports, a little girl has been confirmed dead and at least 15 other school children injured in a stabbing spree at a Japanese park in Kawasaki on Tuesday.
The Kawasaki Fire Department said a total of 16 elementary school students and three adults were injured in the attack with three of them in critical condition.
Following the incident, a man was arrested in connection to the attack. Reports have however revealed that he died of self-inflicted wounds after stabbing himself in the neck.
Mass stabbings are hugely peculiar in Japan and most often make headlines as a result. A total of 19 people were killed in a stabbing spree at a care home for disabled people in 2016. It was the deadliest mass killing in Japan since the end of World War II.
Stabbings are even more rampant than shooting deaths in Japan as the country boasts of some of the strictest gun-control laws in the world.
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, who was still on his official trip to the country at the time of the incident, has sympathised with the families of the victims.
4. Mount Everest death toll now at 11
The quest to scale the highest mountain in the world has risen in recent months but so has the death toll. According to reports, a total of 11 people have now died in the 2019 climbing season alone.
American attorney, Christopher John Kulish, is the latest addition to the list of casualties as he died on Monday after having reached the summit of the mountain.
The director of Nepal’s Tourism Department confirmed that he was strong and safely reached the South Col, late Monday evening before he suddenly passed away.
An Austrian family also confirmed the death of one of their relatives on Monday. They said the 64-year-old died on Thursday, hours after fulfilling his dream of scaling Everest.
A Briton died on Saturday, minutes after reaching Everest’s summit while a man from Ireland died in his tent on Friday. Another Irish man is presumed dead after falling near the summit. One Nepalese, four Indians, an Austrian and an American are also dead or missing.
But despite the deaths, photos of long queues near the summit have been widely shared as record numbers ascended the mountain in May.
Nepal’s tourism authority has come under fire with accusations of overcrowding as the leading cause of deaths, allegations which they have denied. They insist other factors like adverse weather conditions has contributed.
Mount Everest which stands at 8,848 metres (29,029ft), is the highest mountain in the world above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas. The international border between Nepal and China runs across its summit point.
5. Soccer Roundup
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles had their wings pegged in their second match of the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Poland. Paul Aigbogun’s side fell to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of the USA, missing the opportunity to gain early qualification into the round of 16. They seat on equal points with the USA who had lost their first match while Ukraine top the group with six points after winning both of their matches.
Aston Villa ended their three-year absence from the English top flight after beating Derby in the Championship play-off final. Goals from Anwar El Ghazi and John McGinn proved decisive as they ran out 2-1 winners, securing promotion into the Premier League.
All eyes will be in Baku as London rivals Chelsea and Arsenal get set to battle it out in the Europa League final on Wednesday. From the lengthy distance away from home and tickets return, to Arsenal’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s prevention to travel, many controversial issues have plagued the tie but it won’t stop the teams from giving it their all as they fight for one of Europe’s coveted trophy.
Along with the trophy, bragging rights are at stake. Who would be crowned the Prince of London? The match is scheduled to kick-off on at 8 pm Wednesday, May 29.
The Sarri to Juventus rumours are not going away. The Chelsea boss is rumoured to have agreed on a £6m deal to manage the Serie A champions following the departure of Maximiliano Allegri. The Bianconeri were heavily linked to Manchester City Boss Pep Guardiola but reports suggest he wasn’t interested in the position.
Muslihat Shaka reporting
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