Simplest method of writing 'Cheque'

You probably don’t write a cheque everyday (or maybe you’ve never done it before). It’s easy to do.

An online report on by www.thebalance.com explains easy steps to writing a cheque.

Current date: Write this near the top right-hand corner. In most cases, you will use today’s date. You can also post-date the cheque, but that does not always work the way you think it will.

Payee: On the line that says “Pay to the order of”, write the name of the person or organisation you’re paying. You may have to ask “Who do I make the cheque out to?” if you’re not sure what to write. Avoid writing cheques payable to cash – it’s convenient, but risky.

Amount (in numeric form): Write the amount of your payment in the small box. You should start as far over to the left as possible. If your payment is for N8.15, the “8” should be right up against the left-hand border of the naira box to prevent fraud.

Amount (in words): Write out the amount using words to avoid fraud and confusion. This will be the official amount of your payment. If that amount is different from the numeric form that you entered in the previous step, the amount you wrote with words will legally be the amount of your check. If you’re not sure what to write, see how to write out numbers using words. Use all capital letters, which are harder to alter.

Signature: Sign the cheque legibly on the line in the bottom-right corner. Use the same name and signature on file at your bank. This is one of the most important steps – a cheque will not be valid without a signature.

Memo (or “For”) line: Include a note, if you like – this is an optional step. This is a good place to add a reminder about why you wrote the cheque. This may also be the place to write information required to process your payment (and find your account if the cheque gets misplaced). For example, you could write an account number for utility payments.

Senators at deficit over Buhari’s Emergency Powers Bill

Senators are at a deficit on what’s contained in the proposed Emergency Economic Stabilisation Power Bill 2016 by President Muhammadu Buhari and are refusing to be committed to its passage until it is officially introduced on the floor of the Senate.

However, the spokesman of the House of Representatives, Abdulrasak Namdas, on behalf of his colleagues, expressed support for any move that would bring back the economy from the brinks of collapse.

Most senators contacted by Independent denied knowledge of the content of the emergency power bill said to have been conceptualised by the presidency to give sweeping powers to the president to source money and stimulate the country’s ailing economy.

Majority of the senators declined any comments at all on the issue while a few that opted to talk about it merely said it was not the appropriate time to speak.

Ali Ndume, the Senate leader, when contacted for his comments said it is not right to comment on a subject he does not have a good grasp of yet.

“I cannot comment on what is not with us here in the Senate and by extension, the National Assembly yet”, he said.

Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, a PDP member representing Abia North Senatorial zone, also said that he was not yet privy to the report on the president’s proposed bill.

“To be sincere, I am not aware of what you are saying. However, I plead that you give me some time to go through the papers that pick the report before making comment,” he said.

Senator Sunday Ogbuoji, another PDP member representing Ebonyi Central Senatorial zone, said he could only react to the proposed bill after going through the report, asking the reporter to avail him more time to source for the information before making comment.

“Well, I have not read the document and so, I am not very competent to comment on it for now.

“I think that for now, there’s no need for reaction because as far as I’m concerned, it’s still a mere speculation. I will be competent to make my contribution on that issue when I see the document,” he said.

President Muhammadu Buhari is seeking emergency power from the National Assembly to push his planned stimulus for the economy.

The objectives of the action-plan on the economy, which is in recession, according to the report, included shoring up the value of the naira, creation of more jobs, boosting of foreign reserves, reviving the manufacturing sector and improving power.

However, even as some members of the Houses of Representatives admitted that they have not seen the Bill or known the specifics it will seek to achieve, they nonetheless said they will support it if found worthy.

Speaking to Independent, the chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Abdulrasak Namdas, said that the House will do whatever is necessary to support the president with a view to repositioning the economy, provided it is in the interest of the country.

“Anything that will come from the president will come before the House as a communication that will be read on the floor of the House to the hearing of every member. So by the time the House resumes, I’m sure the president will communicate his intention and we will all look at it, but for now, it still remains a rumour”.

Asked if he as an individual lawmaker would support such a bill that would give emergency power to the president to take certain actions without recourse to the National Assembly, Namdas said, “I’m sure what they are calling emergency powers is ?nothing more than a framework that can enable the government get a firm grip of the economy. However, anything that will come before the National Assembly from the presidency will be in the best interest of the whole nation.

“When we resume and the proposal is brought before the House, the House will look at it and make its inputs in such a way that everybody will be satisfied with regards to our national interest at the end of the day.”

“So we will certainly do what’s expected of us as a House -should the proposal be brought, but in any case, I want to believe that the president has the same interest as we do in making this economy work for everybody”, he said.

Also responding to the same question, chairman, House Committee on Public Petitions, Uzoma Nkem-Abonta, threw his weight behind the proposed move.

Abonta said the 8th House will support the proposed Economic Stabilisation Bill if sent by President Muhammadu Buhari provided it will help grow back the Nigerian economy.

Nkem-Abonta, who represents Ukwa East/West federal constituency of Abia State in the House, said, “Anything that will help move Nigeria forward will be given adequate attention by the House”.

“The point I’m making here is that any executive bill or a private member bill that will get us out of this our present economic debacle will enjoy our support”.

LASSA FEVER INCREASES: Quarantine List Rises To 40 In Delta

Asaba – Determined to halt the spread of Lassa fever in Delta State, another eight persons who had contact with the medical doctor who died of the disease in Anambra State have been quarantined in Delta State.

It brings the figure to 40 persons quarantined by the state government.

Patrick Ukah, the state Commissioner for Information, told journalists in Asaba on Tuesday that the figure shot up to 40 as everybody who had contact with the deceased doctor’s private hospital in Asaba where he resided had been placed under surveillance.

Ukah, however, added that the late physician’s wife was among those placed under watch as the government does not want to take chances.

He said, “As at now, 40 persons are under watch. It was 32 yesterday (Monday) but now eight more people have been included, bringing the figure of those under watch to 40.”

Ukah said that the Delta State Ministry of Health was in touch with its counterpart in neighbouring Anambra State to eradicate the scourge.

The information commissioner said that the doctor who died last Thursday would be buried in Anambra State this weekend, according to the specifications of the World Health Organisation (WHO). 

Nicholas Azinge, Commissioner for Health, had disclosed on Monday that those put on surveillance included 11 persons from the immediate family of the deceased, 18 persons at the private hospital where the patient was first admitted and three other persons.

Besides, Azinge said that the government had shut and fumigated both his private hospital at Umuaji and the hospital where he was treated at Bonsaac, all in Asaba.

The medical practitioner, a resident of Asaba whose identity is yet to be revealed, hails from Anambra State and died on Thursday, August 18, 2016.

He was first admitted at a private hospital in the state and was later referred to Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH),  Nnewi, Anambra State.

Azinge said that the late physician wife’s blood sample was taken and tested and it came out negative at the Institute of Lassa Fever, Irrua, Edo State.

The health commissioner remarked that two Disease Surveillance Officers in Oshimili South and Oshimili North Local Councils are actively involved as part of the state response team and had been monitoring the temperature of those under surveillance, and this would be done for a period of 21 days.

Protesting Zimbabweans ‘speaks with unity'

Zimbabwe’s anti-riot policemen look on as a protester holds flowers during a peaceful demonstration which later turned violent after police dispersed about 100 people protesting against central bank plans to re-introduce local banknotes in Zimbabwe’s capital Harare

Zimbabweans are finally “speaking with one voice”, a leading human rights activist said Tuesday, as the country has been rocked by a wave of anti-government protests.

“Zimbabweans are saying enough is enough,” said Jestina Mukoko, who heads the non-profit Zimbabwe Peace Project in Harare.

In the past protests were limited to one part of society, each one “angered at different levels at different times,” she said.

“But what we have a now is that the deepening poverty has kind of united Zimbabweans and somehow people are speaking with one voice.”

Zimbabwe has seen a spike in the number and frequency of protests against the administration of President Robert Mugabe since June. Mugabe has ruled the country since independence in 1980.

“The bout of protests increasingly show that citizens have claimed their constitutional rights to demand accountability and response to their demands,” Mukoko said at an international human rights conference in Johannesburg.

But Mukoko warned that the mounting protests — spawned by a weak economy, rampant corruption and deepening poverty — could trigger chaos if they succeeded in dislodging Mugabe.

“We still have long way to go. In ZANU-PF at the moment there is factional fighting, so even if he (Mugabe) was to step down today there will still be that wrestle for power and that might actually be more bloody than what we are seeing at the moment.”

Zimbabweans have taken to Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag “ThisFlag” to share the hardships of living under the 92-year-old Mugabe’s rule and to organise protests.

– ‘Citizens are not afraid’ –
“What we are seeing is that citizens are not afraid to go on the streets… we haven’t seen this in a long time,” Mukoko told AFP on the sidelines of the conference, organised by the International Federation for Human Rights.

The government’s planned introduction of a token currency — equivalent in value to the US dollar — has triggered memories of the country’s devastating 2008 economic collapse, prompting people to take to their concerns to the streets.

Zimbabwean authorities have responded to protests by deploying police to violently put down the demonstrations, and at a government event earlier this month Mugabe warned that protests “don’t pay”.

“Things like protests don’t pay because usually they end up being violent protests,” the long-ruling president said.

“What does it help to go in the streets with the intention to show that you are able to throw stones?”

Mugabe has ruled Zimbabwe for 36 years.

“We see a government that is desperate and also using desperate measures (by blocking social media). We expect to see a lot of that because mobilisation has been going on the social media,” said Mukoko.

“The heavy-handedness that we see the police demonstrating now is what they have used, and they repressed, brutalised those with dissenting voices. They have used those images to instil fear in other citizens and for (a) long time people did not want to cross the line… but I suppose Zimbabweans are saying it’s all dying — whether we remain quiet or we talk about it.”

Mukoko was abducted by Zimbabwean state security agents and tortured in 2008.

At Oyo Assembly "Balogun replaces slain legislator"

The candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Lukman Balogun, has emerged winner of the Oyo State House of Assembly by-election conducted to replace late Gideon Aremu, the lawmaker representing Oorelope State Constituency.
Aremu was shot dead in front of his home at Alakia, Ibadan, on July 1 by some assailants currently facing trial at the court for his murder.

Balogun, a former caretaker chairman of the Oorelope Local Government Area, won the by-election after polling 6,122 votes.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Mr Jimoh Gbadamosi, polled 4,148 votes, while the Accord Party candidate, Mr Solomon Olabisi, polled 2,123 votes during the election held on Saturday.  
The election was adjudged peaceful by stakeholders and monitors.
Speaking shortly after he was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Balogun hailed the conduct of the election and gave kudos to the electorate.

Japan aid "$9.7m solar power project" to Nigeria

The Japanese Government, through its agency, Japan International Cooperation Agency, has donated solar power worth $9.7 million to the Federal Government to boost electricity in the country.

The Ambassador of Japan to Nigeria, Mr Sadanobu Kusaoke, disclosed this in Abuja on Tuesday during the inauguration of the project.

Kusaoke stated that Japan considered the power sector as one of the most important areas to enhance Nigeria’s socio-economic development.

He said, “Since from 1970s, Japan has helped to finance power sector to increase the capacity of power in Kainji dam hydro power station.

“This is the 10th project of power sector by the Japan’s government since then and this will not be our last.”

He said the project which entailed the introduction of clean energy by solar electricity was donated by the government of Japan to boost power and water supply at Usman Dam Water Treatment Plant.

He said, “The project is being executed with grant assistance worth Nine Hundred and Eighty Million Japanese YEN (980,000,000 JPY) (equivalent to approximately 9.7 million USD) through JICA.”

According to Kusaoke, stable power supply is crucial to support industry and to improve economy and the lives of people.

The ambassador emphasised the importance of stable power supply to Nigeria’s quest to diversify her economy.

He commended the designer of the project, Toyota Tsusho Corporation, for its design, management and the completion of the project on schedule.

Kusaoke, who explained that the project was capable of generating 1,496MWH, added that this would result in reduction of N31.5 million per year for payment of the electricity bill.

Earlier, Mr Hirotaka Nakamura, Chief Representative of JICA, Nigeria office, said improving core infrastructure including power sector in Nigeria was one of the priority areas of the agency in Nigeria.

According to Nakamura, developing alternative energy resources such as solar, wind and hydropower will boost electricity in the country.

He explained that the project was designed to introduce a demonstration unit of solar electricity generation system with a view to increasing its economic strength on a sustainable basis.

According to the JICA official, with the Japanese assistance, about 1.2 mw of grid connected solar generation will be gained at Usman Dam Water Treatment Plant to supplement electricity supply from the national grid.

He said, “Following successful tests on the installed solar system, the first phase of the project with generation capacity of 975kwp is being commissioned today.

“The second phase will bring additional 207kwp generation to this system hopefully in January 2017.”

Nakamura further stated that the project would contribute to the improvement of quality water supply in the Federal Capital Territory.

He, therefore, appealed to the FCT administration through its water board to handle the project with care and also provide sufficient funds to maintain the generation system.

In his remark, Alhaji Hudu Bello, the Director, FCT Water Board, who expressed gratitude to the government of Japan and its agency JICA, said the project would improve revenue accruable from the water sector in the FCT.

He said, “This is elaborate project that will improve water supply to the residents of Abuja; it will also reduce the rate at which we consume diesel to pump water.”

Bello said the project would reduce the cost of generating electricity and also contribute power to the national grid to improve supply within the nation’s capital.

Gleaned: NAN

Pipeline Vandalism: Delta leaders urge militants to embrace dialogue

Leaders from upland oil producing area of Delta State have proposed to militant group under the aegis of Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate to dialogue with the Federal Government instead of destroying oil pipelines.

The militant group last Friday blew up oil pipelines belonging to Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, at Orhuhworun, near Warri, Delta State.
The leaders consisting of Urhobo, Itsekiri and Isoko also warned that their current violent campaign in the upland region of Delta State, when their counterpart, Niger Delta Avengers in the Riverine area had ceased fire and embrace dialogue, was not in the best and collective interest of the nation and Niger Delta people, as it would rather impoverish the people of the region, attract unnecessary hardship and worsen their plight.

Chief Sunny Onuesoke, former governorship aspirant of Peoples Democratic Party in Delta State, who spoke to newsmen on behalf of the leaders during the visit to the site of the destructive NPDC oil pipelines, decried the action of the militants as unprogressive, just as he advised them to embrace peace by dialoguing with the federal government instead of taking laws into their hands.
“We, the leaders of Oil producing communities in the upland area of Delta State are thinking of putting in place, a stakeholders meeting which will include elders, leaders, youths and traditional rulers from Urhobo, Isoko and Itsekiri communities to engage the new militants group, Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate in dialogue to enable them cease fire so as to avoid the occurrence of such dastardly act in future,” Onuesoke disclosed, while responding to question from newsmen on how to prevent further destruction of pipelines in the area.
He said it was imperative for the perpetrators of the bombing of oil facilities to realise that such actions were inimical to the development of the country and its people.
The PDP Chieftain who observed that the use of violence to agitate for the betterment of the region was no more in vogue, unnecessary and had been overtaken by events, enjoined the group to channel their grievances to President Muhammadu Buhari through the office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh (retd.) for more effective result.

“The Vandalism on oil pipeline by this new group in the upland is unnecessary and untimely, mostly when their counterpart, Niger Delta Avengers in the riverine area had proclaimed ceasefire and ready to go into dialogue with the Federal Government. I hope this new group will choose the part of peace by joining the NDA in dialoguing with the government so that there will be total cease fire and development of peace in Niger Delta region.
Onuesoke who is an environmentalist appealed to the militants to give President Buhari the opportunity to fulfil his promise to the region by maintaining peace, stressing that there could not be any meaningful development in an environment ravaged by violence.

NEXIM Bank, Bauchi Govt partner on non-oil sector

Nexim Bank and Bauchi State government have agreed to partner in a bid to boost export oriented investments in agro- allied and solid minerals products. Mr. Bashir M. Wali, Acting MD/CEO met with the Governor of Bauchi State, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar at the State Liaison Office in Abuja.
The two executives met to discuss opportunities to collaborate with State towards boosting export-oriented investments in agro-processing, solid minerals and solid minerals under the N500billion Export Stimulation Facility, ESF, and the N50 billion Export Rediscounting and Refinancing Facility, ERRF.
The State Governor expressed his appreciation over the visit and explained the resource potentials of the state.
According to Governor Abubakar, Bauchi State covers a total land area of 49,259.01 square kilometres which represents about 5.3% of Nigeria’s total land mass, making it one of the largest states in the country.
He informed that agriculture is the mainstay of over 80 per cent of the people with products ranging from maize, rice, millet, groundnut and guinea corn. Additionally, cattle and other livestock are reared at a commercially viable level.
For solid minerals, Governor Abubakar indicated that the State has commercial mineral reserves comprising of Amethyst, Gypsum, Lead/Zinc, Uranium, Limestone, Kaolin, Gypsum, Antimony, Iron Ore, Gold, Marble, Columbite and zinc, precious stones like Sulphur, Amities and Aquamarine among others. In addition to this, Bauchi has a manufacturing sector covering Iron and Steel, Water, Ceramics, Food and Beverages etc.
The Governor, however, identified certain constraints that have facilitated the commercial exploration of the solid minerals in the State. These include the issues of licensing – considering that solid minerals is on the exclusive list; the paucity of data in terms of certification of available deposits; and the need to efficiently organise artisanal mining as well as establish beneficiation centres to boost the solid mineral value-chain in the State.
The Governor also noted that one of the most viable potentials in the State is the tourism sector. Bauchi is home to the Yankari Game reserve (the biggest game reserve in West Africa), occupying an area of 2,224.59 square kilometres. Other notable tourist centres in the State include the Premier Game Reserve, Rock Paintings, the First Mining Beacon of Tilden-Fulani, the Panshanu Stone Heaps, Lame-Burra Game Reserve, Sumu Wildlife Park, Geji Rock Paintings of the Neolithic age, the Babban Gwani Architectural Designs at Bauchi and Kafin Madaki and the International Bird Sanctuary of Udubo district.
The Acting MD of NEXIM thanked Governor Abubakar for receiving the Bank team at short notice, and informed that the Bank was established to promote export diversification and deepening the non-oil export sector. Accordingly, the Bank’s current strategic initiatives are targeted towards boosting employment creation and foreign exchange earnings in the Manufacturing, Agro-processing, Solid Minerals and Services – Tourism, Transportation and Entertainment sectors. This is the MASS Agenda of NEXIM Bank.

Shallow graves found at Lagos prophet’s residence

The police on Tuesday claimed that shallow graves were discovered at the residence of a 70-year-old Prophet, Emmanuel Adeyemi, who was arrested for chaining his son and 27 others in Lagos.

The state Police Commissioner, Fatai Owoseni, who confirmed this, said the place was raided following a tip-off that the suspect traded human parts to ritualists.

He claimed that Adeyemi who was arrested alongside his first wife on Friday, buried some dead persons in the swamps and three others at his residence.

Owoseni said: “We got a tip-off that there were people he buried in that compound and he confirmed it during interrogation.

“Because the area is swampy, the suspect had allegedly buried some people in the swamp and about three others in the house.

“When we asked him of their identities, he said it was some of his patients that were brought to his home from the hospital, after they were given up for dead. He said the patients finally died in his care and were buried in the swamp.

“When we also queried him on the claims that he sold the body parts of the deceased to ritualists, he swore that he was only a traditional healer and not a human parts seller.”

The police commissioner said Adeyemi was earlier invited for questioning after it was discovered that he put his son in chains.

Owoseni said the suspect claimed he chained the teenager, Toba Adedoyin Adeyemi, in order to cure him from stealing.

He added: “When we got information that a teenager was locked up in a house, the area G Commander invited the suspect, who claimed that his son was known for stealing and so he locked him up in chains to cure him of stealing.

“While we were still on that case, we got another credible tip off that there were other people chained up in that same house. Of course, we carried out a raid and confirmed the allegation to be true.

“But before then, we had contacted the Lagos State Government because we don’t have the facility to keep the rescued persons. His claims now that he has been arrested is that he is a herbalist, but why didn’t he tell us that when we first invited him to the station for locking up his stepson?

“He only told us that he wanted to cure his son of stealing.”

Two suspected members of Niger Delta Avengers "Sent to death by JTF

The Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta, Operation Delta Safe, has killed two members of the Niger Delta Avengers and arrested three others over the killing of four soldiers in Bayelsa State.

The arrested suspects were on Tuesday paraded at the headquarters of the ODS at Igbogene in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa.

Gunmen, suspected to be militants, had on August 8, 2016, attacked and killed four soldiers stationed at a military checkpoint at the entrance of Nembe community in Nembe Local Government Area of the State.

The gunmen, who were dressed in white mourning outfit as if they were in funeral procession, ambushed the detachment of the ODS, killed the soldiers and carted away their arms, ammunition and gunboat.

The JTF Commander, Rear Admiral Joseph Okojie, said during Monday’s operation, which led to the killing of the Bayelsa axis leader of the NDA, the troops recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition and the military gunboat seized from the soldiers.

Okojie said that the search for the suspected killers led them to a hideout in a camp at Saraba Creek, near Okiama community, Okigbene in Southern Ijaw local government, where the soldiers located the militants and engaged them in a gun duel, leading to the death of two suspects and the arrest of three others.

Oil Ends Longest Gain In Four Years On Nigeria, Iraq Supply Outlook

Oil fell after the longest run of gains in four years as Iraq sought to increase exports amid a global oversupply and Nigerian militants called an end to hostilities, reports Bloomberg.

Futures dropped as much as 3 percent in New York after climbing 16 percent the previous seven sessions. Iraq will boost crude shipments by about 5 percent in the next few days following an agreement to resume exports from three oil fields in Kirkuk. The Niger Delta Avengers declared an end to attacks on oil infrastructure and will conduct talks with the Federal Government, according to a statement on a website that says it represents the group.

Oil had entered a bull market on Thursday, having climbed more than 20 percent since dipping below $40 a barrel earlier in the month. Speculation that informal OPEC talks next month may lead to action to stabilise the market had pushed prices higher, yet some oil-producing nations may be reluctant to cap output as crude’s two-year slump continues to erode revenue.

“Because of the fiscal position many oil producers find themselves in, they all desperately want to produce more volume,” Stephen King, senior economic adviser to HSBC Holdings Plc in London, said in a Bloomberg Television interview.

“A freeze in itself would be very good news for the oil market. The difficulty is trying to enforce a freeze in any particularly credible way.”

West Texas Intermediate for September delivery, which expires Monday, slid as much as $1.43 to $47.09 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose 30 cents on Friday to close at $48.52 for a seventh day of gains, the longest run since July 2012. The more-active October future was down $1.41 at $47.70 as of 11:49 a.m. London time. Total volume traded was about 22 percent above the 100-day average.

Brent for October settlement dropped 3.2 percent to $49.25 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange, trading at a premium of $1.55 to WTI for the same month. The global benchmark crude slipped 1 cent on Friday to close at $50.88.

Iraq will increase exports by about 150,000 barrels a day as shipments resume from the Baba Gorgor, Jambour and Khabbaz fields, Fouad Hussein, a member of the oil and energy committee of the Kirkuk provincial council, said by phone Sunday.

Police Shut "Kwankwaso’s Residence in Kano"

Heavily armed policemen on Tuesdaysealed one of the Kano residences of former Kano state Governor,  Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

The house, which is situated at Lugard Road, is a few minutes’ drive from Kano Government House.

Kwankwaso’s residence at Lodge Road also serving  as headquarters of Kwankwasiyya Movement was sealed by the police over an alleged plan by the former governor to conduct mass wedding.

Confirming the sealing of the residence,  the state Police commissioner,  Mr.  Rabiu Yusuf, said: “We have directed our men to seal the residence because of an intelligence report that there is a plan to conduct mass wedding at the house “

Rabiu spoke through the police spokesman, DSP Magaji Musa Majia.

“Police did not permit for any mass wedding at the residence, “ he added.

However,  an insider of Kwankwasiyya movement told our correspondent that the mass wedding was conducted on Monday secretly with attendance of only brides and grooms’ next of kins, including some selected Islamic scholars .

Beyonce & Jay Z step out for the Premiere of Usher’s New Movie “Hands of Stone”

The ‘Hands Of Stone‘ U.S. premiere held yesterday, August 22, at SVA Theater in New York City.

The movie, which stars Robert De Niro as legendary trainer Ray Arcel and Edgar Ramirez as Panamanian boxer Roberto Durán also features musician Usher asSugar Ray Leonard, a one-time undefeated lightweight champion.

The movie focuses on how, at age 72, Ray Arcel comes out of retirement to coach world-class Roberto Duran. Ray Arcel became a mentor to the ferocious fighter, convincing him that winning ultimately comes down to strategy. After scoring knockout after knockout, Roberto Duran prepared for a bout against Sugar Ray Leonard. Five months later, on Nov. 25, 1980, the two titans meet for an infamous rematch that makes boxing history.

The premiere was attended by the leading cast and crew as well as a couple of Hollywood heavyweights.

Power couple Beyoncé and Jay Z came out to support Usher and they were spotted backstage at the event looking quite stylish in their matching suits. Beyoncé and Jay Z were dressed in coordinating grey ensembles with Beyoncé in a plunging double-breasted jacket with matching pin-striped pants and Jay Z in a white dress shirt and suit.

2Baba Stops by the ‘Single Ladies’ Set to Say Hi to Wifey Annie Idibia, Mercy Aigbe-Gentry, Padita Agu, Mary Remmy Njoku & Grace Ama

Musician 2Baba stopped by the set ofSingle Ladies on Sunday Evening to show the leading ladies some love.

The stars include his wife Annie Idibiaas ‘Vera’, Mercy Aigbe-Gentry as‘Amarachi’, Vivien Otubu as ‘Simi’, Padita Agu, Grace Ama and Mary Remmy Njoku.

The TV series is directed by Desmond Elliotand produced by Rok Studios.

Here are some photos of the stars on set!

Dollar slips as market discounts US rate hike

The dollar broadly weakened Tuesday as traders awaited a speech by Federal Reserve chief Janet Yellen, which they hope will offer fresh clues about US monetary policy.

The greenback has been see-sawing as divergent views from Fed officials keep markets guessing about the timing of a possible rate hike by the US central bank.

On Monday, the dollar rallied in response to hawkish remarks from the bank’s vice chairman, who said the Fed was close to meeting its inflation and employment targets and outlined an optimistic outlook for the world’s top economy.

His remarks re-ignited speculation that the Fed would hike borrowing costs this year– a plus for the dollar — but the greenback’s upswing was short lived.

In Tokyo, the dollar slipped to 100.22 yen from 100.32 yen Monday in New York.

The euro rose to $1.1330 from $1.1322, while edging down to 113.55 yen from 113.58 yen.

“There are still four months left of the year, so any hawkish comments spark dollar buying only briefly,” Yasuhiro Kaizaki, vice president for global markets at Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, told Bloomberg News.

“Market focus will have to be on Jackson Hole and whether Yellen indicates an intention to raise rates this year. The dollar is looking vulnerable.”

The Fed’s annual central banking symposium kicks off later this week in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, with a speech from Fed Chair Janet Yellen on Friday.

“The markets seem to be already discounting the possibility that Yellen may look to talk up a September rate hike,” Angus Nicholson, a Melbourne-based currency strategist at IG, said in a commentary.

“It seems that it would require a quite noticeably more hawkish Yellen speech than we’ve seen in recent times to stop the US dollar selling off and US bonds continuing to rally on Friday.”

In other trading, the dollar dropped against the South Korean won, Thai baht, Indonesian rupiah, Taiwan’s dollar and Philippine peso.

Traders will be keeping an eye on a speech later Tuesday by Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda.

US police during traffic stop, accidentally shot a deaf driver to death

Authorities in the southern US state of North Carolina said Monday they are investigating the death of a deaf man who was fatally shot after a trooper tried to pull him over for speeding.

Daniel Harris, 29, who used sign language to communicate, led trooper Jermaine Saunders on an eight-mile (13-kilometer) chase on Thursday that started on an interstate highway and ended outside his home in Charlotte, local television station WSOC reported.

The driver exited his vehicle in the neighborhood and an “encounter took place” that led to a shot being fired, North Carolina State Highway Patrol spokesman Sergeant Michael Baker said in a statement.

The driver died at the scene, Baker said. No weapon was recovered from Harris, the State Bureau of Investigation told WSOC.

Saunders has been placed on administrative leave while investigators review evidence, including dashboard and body camera videos.

A neighbor called the shooting “totally unacceptable.”

“He didn’t even hear the siren, he didn’t hear anything… You’re pulling someone over who is deaf, they are handicapped,” Mark Barringer told WSOC.

Harris’s family has launched an online fundraiser to pay for funeral expenses.

Leftover money “will be used to set up a foundation in his name to educate and provide law enforcement proper training on how to confront Deaf people,” the family’s YouCaring.com fundraising page said.

They hoped to change drivers’ registration systems so that a “deaf” alert will show up when police look up a car’s license plate.

“With this change, Daniel will be a hero in our deaf community,” the family said.

More than $10,000 had been raised by late Monday.

Boko Haram: Shekau ‘incurably wounded’ in air raid – Nigerian Army

The Nigerian Air Force has killed an undisclosed number of Boko Haram leaders during a raid on the Sambisa Forest hideout of the insurgents.

The Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, said in a statement Tuesday that the leader of the group, ‘Abubakar Shekau’ was seriously wounded on the shoulders during the raid.

Usman listed the killed Boko Haram leaders to include Abubakar Mubi, Malam Nuhu and Malam Hamman.

He said that fighter pilots of the NAF carried out the raid on August 19,2016 when the insurgents were performing Friday rituals at Taye village, Gombale general area within Sambisa forest, Borno State.

However, Usman was silent on whether or not the affected Boko Haram leaders were among those on the 100 most wanted list of the group released by the military.

“In what one could describe as the most unprecedented and spectacular air raid, we have just confirmed that as a result of the interdiction efforts of the Nigerian Air Force, some key leaders of the Boko Haram terrorists have been killed while others were fatally wounded.

“The air interdiction took place last week Friday 19th August 2016, while the terrorists were performing Friday rituals at Taye village, Gombale general area within Sambisa forest, Borno State.

“Those Boko Haram terrorists commanders confirmed dead include Abubakar Mubi, Malam Nuhu and Malam Hamman, amongst others. While their leader, so called “Abubakar Shekau”, is believed to be fatally wounded on his shoulders. Several other terrorists were also wounded.” The statement read.

$100,000 obtainable At Lagos Governor’s Cup

Facilitator of the annual Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis Championship have increased the total prize money of the competition from $80,000 to $100,000 dollars. The increment will take effect from the 16th edition which takes place from October 8-22, 2016 at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan.

Since 2003 when the competition became an approved Pro Circuit of the International Tennis Federation, the total prize money had been $80,000 with the Men’s winners (singles and doubles) earning $30,000 dollars in the two legs event, while the women’s used to go home with $50,000 dollars.

But this year, the men’s winners will take home the sum of $50,000, while the women prize money remains the same. One of the reasons for the increase in prize money is to make the competition attractive to higher ranked players across the world.

Secretary General of Nigeria Tennis Federation, Gloria Ekwempu, confirmed that the ITF had been notified about the increment, while the world tennis governing body had already indicated it on its website.