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Hollywood Joins Russia Blockade Over Ukraine Invasion
Published
2 years agoon
By
EditorHollywood is joining the blockade of Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine, with Paramount on Tuesday becoming the latest studio to pull its upcoming films from Russian theaters.
The West has closed ranks since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his troops across the border, imposing a phalanx of financial sanctions intended to raise the cost of military action and put pressure on the Russian economy.
Airspace has been closed to Russian planes, high-tech exports have been curtailed and the sporting world has yanked fixtures from Russian soil, or ejected Russian teams from competition.
Now the United States’ movie-making capital is climbing aboard, with major studios saying they will not release new films in Russia.
Paramount’s pause, which will immediately affect titles including “The Lost City” and “Sonic the Hedgehog 2,” comes on the heels of similar announcements by Disney, Sony and Warner Bros.
Those decisions will affect titles including highly anticipated “The Batman,” which debuts in the United States on Friday.
“As we witness the ongoing tragedy in Ukraine, we have decided to pause the theatrical release of our upcoming films in Russia,” a Paramount Pictures spokesman was quoted as saying by US media.
“We stand by all those impacted by the humanitarian crisis across Ukraine, Russia, and our international markets and will continue to monitor the situation as it unfolds.”
By global standards, Russia is not a huge market for Tinseltown, though big budget releases fare quite well there — “Spider-Man: No Way Home” took a healthy $44 million at the Russian box office, trade title Variety reported.
READ ALSO: Russia-Ukraine War: 18 Latest Developments After Peace Talks
The entertainment industry has been hostile to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
British actor Benedict Cumberbatch this week used the occasion of receiving his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame to call for action to halt Moscow’s advance.
Germany’s Munich Philharmonic fired Russian conductor and Kremlin loyalist Valery Gergiev on Tuesday after he failed to denounce the invasion.
Organizers of the Eurovision Song Contest have said they will not allow Russia to participate in this year’s edition, and punk-pop trio Green Day announced this week that they were cancelling a series of shows in Moscow “in light of current events.”
AFP/PUNCH
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Headline
PHOTOS: Sandhurst Trained: UK High Commissioner Hosts First Nigerian Female To Graduate From Premier British Military Institution
Published
4 hours agoon
May 3, 2024By
EditorThe British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, has congratulated Princess Owowoh on making history at the United Kingdom’s Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS).
Taking to X.com on Thursday, Montgomery expressed his pleasure in meeting Owowoh, who was accompanied by an officer from the Nigerian Defence Academy.
Sharing photos, he wrote, “I was pleased to meet 2nd Lt. Princess Owowoh, the first Nigerian female officer cadet to graduate from the UK’s
#RMASandhurst, accompanied by Lt. Col Nyiam from the #NDefenceAcademy to congratulate her on making history, hear about her experience, and reflect on our Nigeria-British relationship.”
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Owowoh graduated from the RMAS as the first-ever Nigerian female officer on April 12.
She joined the NDA in Kaduna in 2018, where she was appointed as a cadet lance corporal in her second year.
She rose to a cadet sergeant in her fourth year and was appointed company senior under Officer Charlie (CSUO C) in her fifth year.
Owowoh held the appointment with two other female counterparts and made history by becoming the first female to hold the position of CSUO at the academy.
During her fourth year, she completed the academic component of the commissioning course, achieving first-class honours in biological sciences.
See the photos below:
Headline
PICTORIAL: C&S Church Ayo Ni O Installs New Leader
Published
23 hours agoon
May 2, 2024By
EditorThe Cherubim and Seraphim (S&S) Movement Church Worldwide, on Wednesday, formally installed Prophet Emmanuel Alogbo as the 6th Baba Aladura and spiritual head of the church.
Alogbo was appointed the acting spiritual head in November 2023 following the death of his predecessor, Samuel Abidoye, who died on November 12, at the age of 103.
A statement published on the official website of the church reads, “The ascension of Most Senior Special Prophet Dr. Emmanuel Abiodun Alogbo to the revered position of Spiritual Father and Chairman of the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church signifies a pivotal moment in the history of the church, ushering in a new era of leadership and guidance for its global congregation.”
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Alogbo’s installation was reported to have been attended by important figures in the church, “including the Olori of Cherubim and Seraphim Unification, His Most Eminence Pro. Dr. S. A. Alao J.Pil., who performed the anointment, which added to the solemnity and grandeur of the occasion.”
Alao was said to have charged the new Baba Aladura to embrace his role with strength and courage.
Congregants were also said to have recognised Alogbo as an embodiment of divine wisdom, compassion, and spiritual insight.
In his pledge to the CSMC Worldwide, the new Baba Adura was quoted assaying, “I solemnly pledge to continue the good work of moving our beloved church forward, which the late Baba Aladura Prophet Samuel Adefila Abidoye started.
“It is my firm commitment to ensure that the C&S Movement Church continues to march on, spreading its message of faith and love to all corners of the globe.”
Headline
Nigerian Man Extradited From Malaysia, Convicted For $6.3m Fraud In US
Published
1 day agoon
May 2, 2024By
EditorA federal jury in New Haven, Connecticut, Wednesday, convicted an extradited Nigerian national, Okechukwu Osuji, for engaging in a business email compromise scheme out of multiple countries, including the United States.
This was revealed in a statement by the US Department of Justice on Thursday, saying that Osuji and his accomplices, John Wamuigah and Tolulope Bodunde defrauded their victims of over $6.3 million.
The jury convicted Osuji of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, said, “Osuji led a network of scammers in Malaysia and elsewhere in a sophisticated business email compromise scheme to defraud victims of millions of dollars.”
READ ALSO: Nigerian Sues Malaysia Govt N406m For Unlawful Detention
“Today’s conviction is another example of how the department’s collaboration with international law enforcement partners enables us to bring cybercriminals to justice in the United States.”
US Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery for the District of Connecticut added, “While it is often difficult to identify and bring to justice cybercriminals operating overseas, today’s verdict demonstrates the expertise of the FBI and Stamford Police in uncovering this criminal network, and the shared commitment of our counterparts in Malaysia to ensure that fraudsters are held accountable in a court of law.
“We will continue to work to root out those who engage in internet fraud schemes, no matter where in the world they operate, and achieve justice for victims of these crimes.”
“The defendant perpetrated a complex international business email compromise scheme and laundered millions in stolen proceeds,” said Executive Assistant Director Timothy R. Langan Jr. of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch.
READ ALSO: EFCC Arraigns Nigerian Who Posed As Woman To Dupe Malaysian
“This conviction is the result of hard work and close collaboration between the FBI and our local and international partners. Together, we will work aggressively to bring to justice anyone who engages in fraud and theft against Americans, no matter where they are in the world.”
“Today’s verdict provides a bit of closure to some victims of these often financially crippling crimes,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Fuller of the FBI New Haven Field Office.
“It also displays our international ability to bring criminal actors to justice despite the complexities of their crimes. We want to thank all of our law enforcement partners here and abroad, as well as the U.S. Attorney’s office, for their dedication to serving justice.”
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Osuji who was deported by Osuji is slated to be sentenced on July 24 and faces a mandatory minimum of two years on the identity theft count and a maximum penalty of 60 years in prison on the wire fraud and conspiracy counts.
A Federal District Court judge will determine any sentence after considering the US Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Osuji was arrested in Malaysia and extradited to the US in 2022. His alleged co-conspirator, Wamuigah, remains in Malaysia and is pending extradition proceedings, while another co-conspirator, Bodunde, pleaded guilty on February 16.
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