NEW YORK;NAVY VETERAN PLOUGHS CAR INTO CROWD, KILLING 1,INJURES 22

Tragedy struck at the Times Square in New York when a US Navy veteran ploughed his car into pedestrians, killing an 18-year-old woman and injured 22 others.

According to eyewitnesses, the motorist mounted the sidewalk in a burgundy Honda sedan and sped along for more than three city blocks, knocking people over before the car struck a pole and came to rest at 45th Street and Broadway in Midtown Manhattan.

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The incident according to the city’s mayor showed no indication that it was an act of terrorism even as the driver identified as Richard Rojas, 26, from the New York City borough of the Bronx has been taken into police custody.

Rojas according to a New York Police Department source who pleaded anonymity was believed to have been under the influence of some intoxicating substance at the time of Thursday’s incident, but preliminary test results for alcohol came back negative.

According to police report, Rojas had been arrested twice for drunken driving, in 2008 and 2015, and once earlier this month on a charge of menacing for threatening another man with a knife.

MAN WHO CRASHED INTO UBER CAR KILLING 3,SENTENCE TO 39 YEARS IN PRISON

A 24-year-old Winsconsin man identified as Jasen Randhawa, of Mequon has been sentenced to 39-years in prison for crashing into an Uber car, killing three Chicago women who were passengers and injured the driver.

Randhawa who received the punishment Friday had pleaded guilty in February to three counts of reckless homicide and one count of reckless injury.

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Thirty-year-old Ashley Sawatzke, 32-year-old Amy Taylor and 35-year-old Lindsey Cohen were killed in the crash. The three women lived in Chicago and were in Milwaukee for the weekend.

Authorities say he was speeding when he ran a red light and slammed into the Uber car last October. He allegedly told a friend he was drunk, and turned himself in the next day.

FIRST PHOTO FROM PREMIERE OF INDUSTREET

The first photos of the premiere of Funke Akindele Bello & JJC Skillz’ new TV drama series Industreet which is set to air on the 26th of May are here!

The premiere of the music-oriented TV drama took place at the IMAX cinemas in Lekki. If you missed the trailer, watch it here.

Toke Makinwa, Ariyike Akinbobola, Rita Dominic, Bolanle Olukanni, Linda Ejiofor, Akpororo, Lilian Afegbai, Lolo and more were spotted at the premiere.

See photos below

JJC Skillz and Funke Akindele Bello

Linda Ejiofor

Lolo

Lilian Afegbai

Akpororo

Ariyike Akinbobola

Adunni Ade

Annie Idibia

Bolanle Olukanni

Funke Akindele Bello, Akpororo & JJC Skillz

Gemstones

Lilian Afegbai, Annie Idibia, Bolanle Olukanni, Funke Akindele Bello, Rita Dominic & Layole Oyatogun

Toke Makinwa

Ariyike Akinbobola, Funke Akindele Bello & Toke Makinwa

PRAIZ,FALZ,VICTORIA KIMANI & MORE ATTEND SKALES' ALBUM LISTENING PARTY UK EDITION

Nigerian singer Skales held the UK edition of his “The Never Say Never Guy” album listening party on Thursday and a lot of celebrities were in attendance. The event had Falz, Praiz, Victoria Kimani, Nikita, Poe, Juls, DJ Edu, DJ Neptizzle and a host of others in attendance with DJ Cynthia doing the turn table honors.

See photos below:

BRAZILIAN TWIN CELEBRATE THEIR 100 YEARS BIRTHDAY

Twin sisters in Brazil will celebrate their 100th birthday later this month and to mark the momentous occasion, a photographer captured them in a whimsical photo shoot.

The photographer, Camila Lima told ABC News that she heard about Maria Pignaton Pontin and Paulina Pignaton Pandolfi after seeing a report on her local news.

The photographer said she regularly takes photos of older couples “as a way to inspire young couples.” She decided to reach out to the sisters, who live in Ibiraçu, Brazil, hoping they’d participate in a photo shoot to mark their milestone birthdays and they immediately agreed.

According to Brazil’s Gazeta News, Pandolfi has six children, 19 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren, while Pontin has five children, 12 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

See Photos below:

GOD MADE ME TO GO THROUGH ALL THOSE CHALLENGES TO BE A BETTER PERSON--TEE BILLZ

Over a year ago, artiste manager Tunji Balogun, popularly known as Tee Billz tried to take his life by jumping into the lagoon under the Lekki-Ikoyi bridge in Lagos. He was however rescued by passersby and friends and family who got wind of his intention.

He had insinuated that the reason for the move was as a result of a fallout between him and his wife.

Tee Billz, who went through rehabilitation for more than six months, returned to social media late 2016 as an advocate for mental health.

Speaking to PUNCH’s Saturday Beats recently, Tee Billz said everything that happened was for a reason, saying, “God made me pass through all these challenges to make me a better person.”

“The way I handle things now is completely different from how I acted in the past. I do better now because I know better. If I had gone through the experience before now, it probably wouldn’t make sense to me until I go through some challenging situations. But I thank God that I have been able to overcome all those through the guidance of my coach.

I only recently understand what it means to have a purpose in life. I have saved many people from committing suicide even though I don’t come out to say it. I was suicidal myself but God preserved me so I could also save others. I just realised that He kept me to touch the lives of others. People surely have their opinion about me and the entire issue, but God sees my heart and knows how much of a new man I am.

I am like Job in the Bible, God made me pass through all these challenges to make me a better person. I am only human, just like everyone else, so I am not immune to committing mistakes. My experience can be likened to a battle between evil and good. I am happy God redeemed me and pushed me on the side of good.

I am not being religious, I am just grateful to Him for giving me a renewed mindset. This is one of the biggest things coaching has done to me,” he said.

On whether his friends supported him during his ordeal, he said: “God is the only friend I have.”

When he was asked if him and his wife have settled their differences, he responded: “God is the only friend I have. He knows and has the best for me in His vineyard.”

Tee Billz thanked his coach Lanre Olusola for his support, adding that he is currently helping his colleagues in the industry who are going through similar challenges.

“I am already helping a couple of colleagues in the industry that require the type of coaching I have been through. I am open to working with others needing some sort of motivation and inspiration. Celebrities are humans too, our lives are out there for people to see but that does not mean we cannot make mistakes. The most important thing, however, is for one to surmount the challenge and triumph. I am happy with my life now,” he said.

WELDER ARRESTED FOR DEFILING,IMPREGNATING 13 YEARS OLD GIRL

The Abia State Police Command led by Mr. Adeleye Oyebade, the Commissioner of Police paraded a welder identified as Ugochukwu Oleka who allegedly raped a 13-year-old girl.

According to reports, the welder was picked up by police operatives attached to the Central police station, Aba, after a complaint lodged by Daniel Efuruezu, an uncle to the victim.

Medical tests carried out on the victim showed that she is two months pregnant.

While being questioned, the victim, a Primary 6 pupil revealed that Oleka had slept with her more than seven times and each time he wanted s3x, he would promise to give her biscuit and money. She said he also warned her not to disclose their relationship to anybody.

However, in his confessional statement, Oleka who works in Azikiwe Asa in Aba, blamed the devil for his actions and also revealed that he only slept with the girl once.

Oleka said; “I feel so bad for what I did, the girl is the niece to my friend. We were living in the same compound before I parked to my current apartment.

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“Later, my friend asked me to help him to look for a new apartment and I found one for him on my street. Since he parked to my street, we have been visiting each other and the girl has been running errands for me.

“Unfortunately, one day the girl came to my house and embraced me. That was how I started having feelings for her. The devil caused it.

“I know that I shouldn’t have done what I did; I had not done that kind of thing before, but the way she embraced me made me lose control of myself. I am pleading with everybody to forgive me,” he added.

According to the CP, investigations into the matter have been concluded as a medical test carried out revealed that the 13-year-old was two months pregnant.

He also revealed that the suspect would soon be arraigned in court.