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The US war with Iran has cost $45.1 billion, the Pentagon informed Congress on Friday, according to two sources familiar with the matter.       The department told lawmakers that war costs were $43.6 billion as of September 3 plus an additional $1.5 billion for extra fuel, the sources added.   The estimate is not a full accounting of the war’s cost, however.       It does not include an assessment of the cost to repair damaged bases or buildings and did not provide Congress with detailed breakdowns of indirect costs of military operations as lawmakers have asked for, one source said.       The $45.1 billion cost estimate from the Pentagon surpasses the $38 billion price tag the Congressional Budget Office projected the war cost through August 1, and comes after the Pentagon estimated $37.5 billion as the bill for the war in July.       The estimate from the budget office also did not include the co...

NFL star Travis Kelce has reportedly been named as a victim in a major Ponzi scheme by prosecutors in a Missouri court.   The Chiefs star tight end was named in court on Tuesday as one of many to be wronged by Siddharth Jawahar, described by the U.S. Attorney’s Office as an illegal immigrant who was sentenced to 11 years in prison for fraud that took away more than $35 million from investors.   The 38-year-old pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in January and was ordered to pay over $31 million in restitution to his victims, per a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Missouri.   Kelce’s losses were not disclosed, nor did prosecutors expand on the 36-year-old’s connection to the case.   Jawahar ran a Texas-based investment company, Swiftarc Capital LLC, and funneled nearly all his clients' funds into a single investment, Philip Morris Pakistan (PMP) in 2015.   Per the release, when the va...

Veteran midfielder Axel Witsel has announced his retirement from international football with Belgium.   "This time, it's the right one. I have made the decision to end my international career. The time has come to make way for the young and the new generation.   "It has been an immense pride to have given my all during these 18 years. I never imagined achieving so much when I started, at just 18 years old," Witsel said on his profile on the social network X."   "Thank you to the supporters. Thank you to all my teammates, all my coaches, and all the people within the federation who contributed, near or far, to my growth over all these years.   "Good luck to the team for the future. I'm certain its future will be bright. I love you, Belgium," Witsel said.   The 37-year-old  ends his international career with 140 caps, 12 goals, and eight assists.   His last appearance was in the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup, when Belgium were eliminated ...

 

One of the female housemates of the 2019 edition of the Big Brother Naija (BBN) reality TV show, Tacha Akide, has given counsel to ladies on what to do to men who often look out for physical attractiveness.  TraceFamily History The reality TV star who offered her thoughts on the “Tea Me” podcast suggested that women prioritize financial security when choosing a spouse, much as men frequently prioritize physical attractiveness. Tacha Akide further argued that if men avoid dating women they don’t find beautiful, women should consider their partner’s financial status. READ ALSO: Being nice all the time will not get you far in life —BBNaija’s Tacha   BrowseStreaming Guides “A man will not date an ugly girl, so why should a beautiful girl date a broke man?”. She said. This comes days after Tacha advised in a social media post that no woman should mistreat her partner only because she attracts the interest of other guys. Tacha underlined the significance of distinguis...

President at rally in South Carolina makes comments on key strategic waterway and jokes about bombing Iran Donald Trump called the strait of Hormuz “an American territory” on Friday, as the US continues its military blockade of Iran’s shipping and ports while Trump’s administration struggles to end its war with the country. “We don’t even know if we won, because I view the strait of Hormuz as an American territory right now,” Trump said, addressing a crowd in South Carolina. He was campaigning for senator Darline Graham, who is running to permanently fill her late brother Lindsey Graham’s Senate seat. Later in his remarks, Trump joked about bombing Iran. “It’s a Friday night. We have plenty of time,” Trump said before reciting The Snake, a poem he frequently uses at campaign rallies to underscore his anti-immigrant policies. “What the hell do I have to do? Go back and bomb Iran a little bit more?” As of Friday, American forces have redirected 68 commercial vessels to comply with the bl...

 

 

FlipScript Homes, a fast-rising real estate firm run by the multi-faceted film-maker, actress, producer and entrepreneur Chika Ike recently launched and unveiled their newest real estate project - The Maison; a tastefully designed or exquisitely developed project consisting of two 4-bedroom duplexes, and two apartment buildings featuring 12 2-bedrooms and 1-bedroom flats each. The launch took place on Sunday, the 16th of July, 2023 at The Maison in Oakland Estate, Sangotedo, Lekki. In attendance were some of the big names in the real estate and Nollywood industry - Chigurl, Stephanie Bond, Peggy Leonard, Bond Smith, Medlin Boss, Mary Uranta, Tricia Esiegbe Kerry to name a few.  This project is the brainchild of Chika Ike who fell in love with real estate at a young age and spoke in detail about how she started her real estate portfolio and how it has grown over the years, she says; “investing in real estate for me is one of the best decisions I could have ever made for ...

Pop Queen Beyonce is officially a billionaire.     According to Forbes, her net worth is now estimated at over $1 billion, after she concluded her successful Cowboy Carter Tour in 2025, which grossed over $407 million, after dropping her mega-hit studio album,  Cowboy Carter,  in 2024.     The 44-year-old superstar received lots of opportunities after the release of  Cowboy Carter , including “new commercial opportunities,” her world tour, which was the highest-grossing of the year, and more in 2025, according to  Forbes .     The magazine reports that the singer earned $148 million in 2025 alone. The last estimate of her net worth had her at $780 million.     At just 44, the mother of three has cemented herself as a financial powerhouse.     Beyoncé’s journey began in the late 1990s with Destiny’s Child, the girl group that sold over 60 million records and laid the foundation for her solo c...

Tottenham head coach Antonio Conte', has left the club, bringing an end to his reign as manager three months before the end of his contract.   Cristian Stellini will take over as acting head coach with Ryan Mason his assistant.   Conte leaves the club after his furious outburst in which he criticised the “spirit” and professionalism of his players, accusing them of being “selfish”, after last Saturday's 3-3 draw with Southampton. The Italian also appeared to aim veiled criticism at the club, saying failure to win was “Tottenham's story”.   He returned to Italy the day after the match and showed no inclination to return to work, with his assistants Stellini and Mason taking training over the first half of the international break.   A statement read: “We can announce that head coach Antonio Conte has left the club by mutual agreement. We achieved Champions League qualification in Antonio’s first season at the club. We thank Antonio for his contribution and ...

Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets across Israel after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired his defence minister Yoav Gallant after speaking against the controversial plans by Netanyahu to overhaul the justice system. In capital city, Jerusalem, police and soldiers used water cannon against demonstrators near Netanyahu's house. The reforms include plans that would give the government decisive control over the committee which appoints judges. The reform would also make it harder for courts to remove a leader deemed unfit for office, which has angered many who consider it to favour Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces an ongoing trial for corruption. Netanyahu says the reforms are designed to stop the supreme courts from having too much powers and that they were voted for by the public at the last election but the protesters say the reforms will turn Israel into a dictatorship as there will be no check on the powers of the executive and legislat...

Blac Chyna has had her 'demonic' tattoo removed from her hip as her  'healing journey' continues. The decision to laser off the Baphomet tattoo from her hip that she got in 2021 comes days after she removed her face fillers and implants as part of her decision to go on a healing journey and reinvent herself. According to Blac Chyna, the start of her "life-changing journey," which included quitting OnlyFans and reversing her cosmetic procedures, was her discovery of religion. She has also gone back to using her original name Angela White instead of Black Chyna, which gave her popularity and stardom. The 34-year-old, who was born in Washington, DC, tweeted two videos of her weekend vacation to Clear Out Ink and Henderson, NV on Sunday. "I am releasing all negative energy that is holding me back," Blac - who boasts 21.8M social media followers - said. Her two children, King Cairo Stevenson, 10, and Dream Renae Kardashian, 6, whom she sha...

The federal government has announced that the National Population and Housing Census will begin on May 3.   A member of the Publicity and Advocacy Committee on 2023 National Population and Housing Census, Dr. Garba Abari, said the three-day exercise would start on May 3 and end on May 5 across the country.   Abari, who is the Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), said the census would capture every person, household and structure for national planning and project execution purposes.   He added that the change in the date was due to the postponement of this year’s governorship and Houses of Assembly elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).   Abari said;   “That change by INEC made it mandatory for us to also adjust the date for the conduct of the exercise. The census had to be put forward from the initial date of March 29 to April 2, now to May 3 to 5. “There are two things that informed the shift in date...

The Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Yushau Ahmed, has said the monthly allowance of corps members will be increased once civil servants begin receiving the newly approved minimum wage.   According to a statement signed by NYSC’s acting Director of Information and Public Relations, Caroline Embu, Brigadier General Ahmed gave the assurance while addressing corps members at the Kebbi State Orientation Camp in Dakingari and the Sokoto State Orientation Camp in Wamakko.   He urged the corps members to remain patient and continue their valuable contributions to the socio-economic development of the country, emphasising that their efforts are greatly appreciated.   He advised them to participate in the NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme, which offers vocational training aimed at fostering self-reliance.   “Try to acquire skills that will enable you to create jobs and employ othe...

Super Eagles and Atalanta star,  Ademola Lookman has been nominated for the 2024 Ballon d’Or award. The 26-year-old was shortlisted alongside 29 players around the World for the coveted award.  Lookman is the only African in the full list of Ballon d’Or contenders. Lookman scored 17 goals and made 11 assists for Atalanta last season. He was also pivotal in the club winning their first-ever European title. He also gained global recognition after heroics in the Europa League final where he scored a hat-trick as Atalanta defeated Bayer Leverkusen. Other notable nominees in the men’s category include Jude Bellingham, Vini Junior, Erling Haaland, and Kylian Mbappe. Yamine Lamal, Toni Kroos, Phil Foden, and Rodri are also included on the list of nominees. See the full list below… Antonio Rudiger – Real Madrid Kylian Mbappe – Real Madrid Lautaro Martinez – Inter Ademola Lookman – Atalanta Alejandro Grimaldo – Bayer Leverkusen Dani Carvajal – Real Madrid William Saliba – A...

Formula 1 confirmed a series of long-term race extensions in 2025, with the majority of the calendar now contracted into the 2030s. Miami and Austria were renewed into the 2040s. The Mexico City Grand Prix was renewed until 2028 The Azerbaijan Grand Prix was renewed until 2030 The Belgian Grand Prix agreed a multi-year extension featuring Grands Prix in 2026, 2027, 2029, and 2031 The United States Grand Prixrenewed until 2034 The Canadian Grand Prix and Monaco Grand Prix both renewed until 2035 The Miami Grand Prix and the Austrian Grand Prix were renewed until 2041 Formula 1 also announced a return to Portimão in Portugal in 2027 and 2028, which last hosted races in 2020 and 2021. The F1 Sprint continued to be a hit this year. An average of 78% of fans want Sprint weekends to remain on the calendar, with Sprint weekends also generating 8% more social mentions and 4% more social reach than no...

Over 300,000 fans attended the sold out 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix The 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix was a sold-out event with a weekend attendance of over 300,000 people. Across the weekend, there were over 450 million video views and over 60 million online interactions with F1 content. More than 1,200 creators were involved, generating 1.8 billion impressions and 5,000 social posts. Media coverage also produced more than 43,000 articles. The event offered an unparalleled scale of VIP access, featuring an impressive 44 private suites and five shared suites across the Paddock Club. Formula 1, in a partnership with Liberty Media, also hosted an F1 Business Summit in Vegas, bringing together Global Partners, industry leaders and investors to explore the intersection of sports, entertainment, and culture.

F1 The Movie is the highest-grossing sports film of all-time June saw the eagerly-anticipated release of  F1 The Movie , a global box-office smash that became the highest-grossing sports film of all time with a figure of more than $630 million. Shown on more than 44,000 screens in 78 markets outside the US and Canada, the film saw the largest global opening weekend ever for a Brad Pitt film – and overall highest-grossing film of Pitt’s career. Production captured more than 185 hours of footage across 14 Grands Prix, alongside more than 2,000 hours of Formula 1 broadcast footage. The film released on Apple TV worldwide on Friday 12 December, immediately reaching No.1 on Apple TV streaming charts and setting the record for the biggest opening streaming weekend on the platform for a theatrically released film. At the United States Grand Prix, Formula 1 announced Apple TV as its exclusive US Broadcast Partner from 2026 in an innovative five-year partnership.

Formula 1 celebrated its 75th anniversary with a record-breaking 2025 season with a growing fanbase, increased race attendance and a box office hit. Formula 1 celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2025 – and it was a season that kept setting new benchmarks. Lando Norris sealed his first Drivers’ Championship, McLaren claimed consecutive Teams’ Championships, and the title fight reached the final race with three drivers still in contention — the closest finish to a championship battle in 15 years. Off-track, the sport continued to grow. A larger, more diverse global fanbase, record race attendance across the season, and  F1 The Movie  breaking box office records before landing at No.1 on Apple TV after release. After a memorable 2025, and before attention turns fully towards a brand new era for F1 in 2026, let's look at some of the standouts. There's even more information across multiple categories, including commercial growth and partner activations, on Formu...