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Davido warns Africans planning to return home: ‘The economy now is in shambles’

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Afrobeats icon Davido has a word of warning for Africans returning home or Americans planning to travel to Africa. He urged them to reconsider because the economy over there “is in shambles.”

“It’s not cool back home,” Davido told host Big Homie Kodaq. The singer said local citizens often pay more for fuel than countries importing it from abroad.

Prince Williams/ATLpics.net

“I do my part, I’m an ambassador,” he said. “When I go home and I’m filming, I’m not going to show the bad parts… The Nigerians, the exchange rate is messed up… a lot of stuff is not going well.”

He continued: “The economy is just not good. The oil prices are too high, and imagine a country that produces oil. We produce the oil and we pay more money for oil than a country that’s importing the oil.”

Over 65% of Nigerian families can’t afford to eat healthy meals because of the economy.

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Davido said entertainment like Afrobeats makes Nigeria look good. “But we do not have the best leaders, that’s a fact.”

Prince Williams/ATLpics.net

Davido and his wife Chioma Rowland posed backstage during Davido & Friends Birthday Concert at State Farm Arena on Thursday, Nov. 21 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Their 3-year-old son, Ifeanyi, died in a drowning at the family home in Lagos in 2022. A nanny and 7 other people at the home were questioned by police and released. No foul play was found.

Davido and Chioma were not at home at the time. Like most loyal wives, Chioma, a popular chef, travels everywhere with her husband.

Check out more photos from the concert below.

Judge: Sean Combs must live in NYC if released on bond

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Update: The judge said he will make a decision “next week.”

The judge told both sides, “I suggest both parties put in letters by Monday at noon, about what type of communications Mr. Combs may engage in. Monday at noon.”

The judge presiding over Sean Combs’ third bond hearing on Friday said his Star Island address won’t work if he’s released on bond.

Judge Arun Abramanian asked Combs’ attorney, Marc Agnifilo, for the address where Combs would reside if released today.

“Where is the home he’d be in?” the judge asked. Agnifilo responded, “I don’t want to give the address. It’s on Star Island, there’s a causeway. There is a dock. But there would be no boat.”

The judge replied, “That’s not going to work. Where in New York?”

In another exchange, Agnifilo said Combs would be living under stricter conditions than in jail.

The prosecution stated Combs did not comply with the rules in jail. The prosecution also said Combs used 8 other inmates’ codes to place calls to witnesses and victims.

“If he can’t comply in a custodial setting, he will not comply if released,” the state said.

In other prosecution evidence, Combs bribed hotel security $100,000 to make the Cassie beating video disappear in 2016. And a male commercial sex worker was in the hotel room at the time of the Cassie beating incident.

“This is devastating evidence for the trial,” the prosecution said. “It shows why he cannot be released on bail – he is violent and is committed to covering up his crimes. The evidence against him continues to mount – we’ve learned of punching and kicking, employees, partners.”

An official with pre-trial services told the judge that the bond restrictions aren’t sufficient to release Combs. The official suggested there was concern that Combs would simply bribe his private guards to look the other way.

MSNBC sympathizes with Laken Riley’s killer: ‘He never stood a chance’

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MSNBC is under fire on social media for publishing an article that expresses sympathy for Laken Riley’s killer.

Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student, was raped and killed while jogging on the University of Georgia campus in Athens, Georgia on Feb. 22, 2024.

Her killer was later identified as 26-year-old José Ibarra, an immigrant who is in the country illegally. Riley’s death was caused by blunt force trauma and asphyxiation.

A 911 call from Riley’s cell phone shows she struggled with Ibarra for 18 minutes before she died.

The jury viewed police body cam video that shows the moment Riley’s mother was notified that her daughter’s body was found.

Ibarra was found guilty Wednesday morning of murder in Riley’s death. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Legal analyst Danny Cevallos was heavily criticized for writing an op-ed, saying Ibarra “never stood a chance.”

Among the critics was Donald Trump Jr., who tweeted: “You literally can’t make up this level of depravity. These people are sick. The guy is a murderer. He’s an illegal alien that killed an innocent young woman but MSNBC would rather go to bat for him.
However, much you hate MSNBC it’s not enough!”

Podcaster Joe Rogan also shared his outrage at the article’s headline, “What the f*** is this s***.”

In his op-ed, Cevallos wrote that Ibarra waived a jury trial and requested a bench trial, meaning a judge would decide his fate.

“For the defense, this was a hopeless case,” Cevallos then sympathized. “The defense did the best it could with bad facts.”

Cevallos appeared to imply that the evidence didn’t support a conviction.

“But it apparently had no chance with the judge, either, since he was convicted anyway,” Cevallos wrote.

The county’s woke district attorney recommended life without parole instead of the death penalty.

Sean Combs Claims Prosecutors Edited Cassie Video to Make Him Look Dangerous

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Sean Combs is accusing the New York prosecutor’s office of editing a video to make him look dangerous. Attorneys for the jailed music mogul claim prosecutors showed the judge an edited version of the Cassie beating video.

Combs’ third bond hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m. at a Manhattan courthouse on Friday, Nov. 22. He has asked the judge to release him on $50 million bond with restrictions that include around-the-clock security at his Star Island home in Miami.

Combs’ legal team amended his $50 million bond proposal to include regular drug testing and no female visitors.

The video – which was leaked by CNN in May – shows Combs, wearing only a white towel around his waist, punching, kicking, and throwing the R&B singer to the floor at a hotel in March 2016.

Federal prosecutors have cited the video as evidence that Combs was sex trafficking Cassie. Prosecutors intend to use the video as proof that Combs is a danger to the public and he should not be released on bond.

But attorneys for Combs argued the prosecution used a “manipulated version” of the video footage and “invented” the narrative being told in court, ABC News reported.

The defense said the video did not show a “freak off”, but instead showed a domestic dispute in which the rapper chased Cassie down the hallway to recover his stolen cellphone and clothing.

Cassie is seen in the video carrying a designer handbag and a man’s backpack.

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In a legal victory for Combs this week, Judge Arun Subramanian ruled the prosecution could not use handwritten notes taken from Combs’ jail cell in their argument against granting bail. The judge asked prosecutors to explain why Combs should not be released on bond when they allowed a $10 million bond for former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries who faces similar sex crimes.

Combs’ lawyers will call a video expert to the witness stand to testify about his analysis of the edited video.

The legal team submitted a 20-minute video to the court under seal to be viewed at the bond hearing. The video was prepared by an expert witness in forensic video analysis.

Police Recover Item Stolen in Burglary at Kansas City Chiefs Star’s $6M Mansion

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Police recovered an expensive watch stolen during a burglary at Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce‘s $6 million mansion in October.

Travis Kelce is best known for dating pop superstar Taylor Swift.

According to ABC News, authorities recovered an expensive watch belonging to Kelce in Providence, Rhode Island this week. $20,000 in cash was also taken from his home in Leawood, Kansas. Additionally, $100,000 in jewelry and his first ever Super Bowl jersey were stolen.

Venezuelan burglary crews hit the homes of Kelce on Oct. 6 and his teammate Patrick Mahomes on Oct. 7, while they were away at a game. The FBI believes the South American crime ring is responsible for the burglaries that target professional athletes.

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Chiefs quarterback Mahomes is said to have lost jerseys, medals, trophies, awards and more taken from his estate during the early morning robbery.

Criminals also stole jewelry and designer bags belonging to his wife Brittany when they ransacked his property last month.

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Mahomes’ mansion is pictured above.

The NFL sent a security bulletin to team security directors and the players’ union this week about organized groups targeting the homes of professional athletes.

Perpetrators “appear to exploit team schedules to target athletes’ homes on game days,” and appear to be using public records, social media, media reports and surveillance to gather information on their targets, the alert says.

Once they make entry into the home, thieves head straight for the master bedroom and closets.

Criminals pose as delivery drivers, and ground maintenance crews

The memo said South American burglary crews conduct extensive surveillance, including by making “attempted home deliveries” and “posing as grounds maintenance or joggers in a neighborhood.”

“The FBI reported that the homes were equipped with alarm systems that were not activated,” the NBA memo said. “The FBI also reported that the homes were all unoccupied and, in most cases, no dogs were present.”

Thieves used signal jamming technology to disable cameras and security systems

The thieves cased the homes for weeks and used electronic devices to disable security cameras before making entry into the homes.

“These SATGs are reportedly well-organized, sophisticated rings that incorporate advanced techniques and technologies, including pre-surveillance, drones, and signal jamming devices,” stated the memo, which was first reported by The Athletic.

In an Instagram post on November 3, Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis said his home had been broken into the night before while he was playing in the Bucks’ home game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

“Many of my prized possessions were stolen,” Portis said. He later offered a $40,000 reward for information directly leading to the return of the stolen items.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley Jr. was burglarized on September 15 while he was attending a Minnesota Vikings game, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported. A “yet-to-be determined amount of jewelry” was stolen, the newspaper reported.

Marjorie Taylor Greene Details Trump’s Plan to Fire Government Employees

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Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene laid out President-elect Donald Trump’s plan to fire non-essential government employees.

Trump and his advisor Elon Musk plan to let go 500,000 federal workers on day 1 of his administration.

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Trump, who will be sworn in on January 20, 2025, appointed Tesla founder Elon Musk and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy to lead a task force called the “Department of Government Efficiency,” or DOGE, to cut government waste.

Greene says she was picked to lead a subcomittee of the newly created DOGE. She dismissed reports that laws are in place to prevent the mass terminations of government employees.

“I come from a business background and have successfully run a construction company my entire adult life. In the private sector, if you’re not doing a good job, you get fired,” she wrote in a post on X on Thursday.

Congresswoman Greene, who represents Georgia’s 14th District, continued: “For some reason, in government, bad employees — whether they’re failing to do the job they were hired to do or working in roles that are no longer needed — never get fired. This is incredibly unfair to the hard – working taxpayers of our country, and it’s about to change. I can’t wait to get to work!!”

The subcommittee, which hasn’t been created yet, will be dubbed the Delivering on Government Efficiency Subcommittee (DOGES). Greene will work closely with billionaires Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy.

“I’m excited to chair this new subcommittee designed to work hand in hand with President Trump, Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy and the entire DOGE team,” Greene said in a statement on Thursday. “We will identify and investigate the waste, corruption and absolutely useless parts of our federal government.”

Among Musk and Ramaswamy’s recommendations is to fire thousands of non-essential government workers, including remote workers and civilian employees.

Musk believes the problem will take care of itself if work-from-home jobs end.

The government employs 2 million workers. Federal workers who don’t return to the office can stay home and search the Wanted ads for a new job.

Musk has experience with mass firings. He laid off 80% of Twitter’s workforce when he purchased the social media app for $44 billion in 2022.

Musk and Ramaswamy plan to cut $2 trillion from the federal budget, nearly a third of the $6.75 trillion fiscal total.

Photos: JD Vance plays with his three children at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate

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Vice President-elect JD Vance enjoyed play time with his three children at President-elect Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida on Nov. 15.

The family has been staying at Trump’s resort that serves as a base for their White House transition. Trump’s estate is the safest property in Florida. 100 Secret Service agents stand guard at the estate, which is patrolled by a guard dog robot called Spot.

Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Vance, 40, and his wife Usha Vance, 38, share sons Ewan, 7, and Vivek, 4, and daughter Mirabel, 2.

Vance and his children dangled palm branches over a retaining wall into the water, which faces a bridge where journalists, photographers and Trump supporters snapped photos.

Vance has kept a low profile since the election, which prompted conspiracy theories that he’s missing.

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The NY Post theorized that the photo op featuring the Ohio senator and his family was probably intentionally done to stop the rumors.

On Thursday, a fake news reporter sparked rumors that Trump suffered a heart attack at his residence and was rushed to a hospital. The reporter claimed a motorcade including an ambulance with Secret Service agents inside was traveling to a hospital. The fake reporter urged Trump supporters to pray for the president-elect.

The ambulance and SUVs turned out to be part of JD Vance’s motorcade. An ambulance always travels in motorcades with the president and vice-president.

Private Jet Registered to Sean Combs Lands in NYC Ahead of His Bond Hearing

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TNN via Getty Images

An online flight tracker shows a private jet registered to jailed music mogul Sean Combs landed in NYC on Friday.

The Gulfstream jet, registered to an LLC Combs owns, landed in NYC early Friday, ahead of Combs’ third bond hearing. Combs is expected to be released on $50 million bond with restrictions on Friday.

Judge Arun Subramanian is the third justice to preside over a bond hearing for Combs. The music mogul’s previous bond requests were denied by 2 separate judges.

TNN via Getty Images

The presence of Combs’s jet in NYC is a possible sign that he will walk free after spending 2 months in a tiny jail cell at Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.

Combs’ family members are expected to be in the courtroom.

In a legal victory this week, Judge Subramanian told federal prosecutors they can’t use 20 pages of Combs’s notes at his upcoming bond hearing.

The notes were confiscated by the feds during a raid at MDC Brooklyn, where Combs is awaiting trial following his arrest on sex crime charges in September.

In another legal victory for Combs this week, a Manhattan judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by a then-39-year-old man who claims Combs sodomized him at a 2022 house party in New York.

The man, who now lives in Georgia, claims he “lost control of his body” and “lost consciousness” after consuming drinks provided to him by others at the party.

The man said, when he regained consciousness, “he was in a dark bedroom with black walls, on a bed with black sheets. Everything around him was dark. Plaintiff was horrified to find Combs on top of him, sodomizing him.”

The judge dismissed the man’s lawsuit on Wednesday because the plaintiff failed to identify himself or get the court’s permission to file anonymously.

The man’s lawsuit was one of 5 new suits filed against Combs this week.

Judges are cracking down on dozens of anonymous plaintiffs filing lawsuits accusing Combs of sexual assault and harassment.

Dozens of lawsuits filed against Combs by Houston attorney Tony Buzbee involve anonymous plaintiffs.

Buzbee was sued this week in Los Angeles by a prestigious New York-based law firm representing an A-list client who accused the personal injury attorney of extortion.

The A-list client was not named in the lawsuit.

Combs’ attorneys addressed the lawsuit against Buzbee in a statement to ABC News on Tuesday, saying, “The extortion lawsuit against Mr. Buzbee exposes his barrage of lawsuits against Mr. Combs for what they are: shameless publicity stunts, designed to extract payments from celebrities who fear having lies spread about them, just as lies have been spread about Mr. Combs.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Are Back On the Market

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WENN

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are reportedly back on the market, according to sources. Prince Harry and Meghan haven’t been seen together in months. Harry recently sent out invitations to a Christmas event without Meghan.

The Duke of Sussex is the Global Ambassador for Scotty’s Little Soldiers. The charity — which supports bereaved military children — revealed he is hosting a Christmas call on Tuesday, Dec. 10. Meghan won’t be on the call with him.

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Harry, 40, “would like to jump on a call with as many of our members as possible to wish them all a Merry Christmas,” the organization wrote on Wednesday.

“He appreciates that the festive season can be hard for our members and wants them to know he is thinking of them,” the statement continued.

“This is your chance to get to know the Duke loads better and find out what Christmas is like for a Prince!” it concluded.

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Harry and Meghan were seen on solo outings in recent weeks. They were last seen together in public in August.

Harry and Meghan have been married since 2018 and share son Archie, 5, and daughter Lilibet, 3.

They caused an uproar in London when they gave up their royal duties and fled to the United States where they remain in exile.

Fans noted that Harry seems happier in recent weeks without Meghan.

One person wrote, “I’m not one for conspiracy theories, but slowly I’m starting to wonder if things are not great between them.”

Elon Musk wants you to upload your medical data to X so his AI can diagnose you

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One day in the near future, Elon Musk‘s artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot Grok will take the place of your doctor’s office visit. Grok has already identified breast cancer in some X users.

Musk has asked X users to upload their medical data, including x-rays and blood test results, to Grok for analysis.

“Try submitting x-ray, PET, MRI or other medical images to Grok for analysis,” Musk wrote on X last month. “This is still early stage, but it is already quite accurate and will become extremely good. Let us know where Grok gets it right or needs work.”

But Grok needs a little more work, some doctors say. The AI successfully analyzed blood test results and identified breast cancer, according to some users. But it also grossly misinterpreted other health problems, according to doctors who responded to Musk’s X post.

In one example, Grok mistook a “textbook case” of spinal tuberculosis for a herniated disk or spinal stenosis.

One doctor shared a scan of a patient’s spine that shows “paradiscal” TB infections on the spine.

spinal tuberculosis

The doctor tweeted: “Needs to improve a lot @elonmusk, maybe it needs to know the location of the user uploading the image as well, because prevalence of TB is more in India than the US.”

In another case, the AI chatbot mistook a mammogram of a benign breast cyst for an image of testicles.