Ridoola's blog

Emma Thompson said that her ex-husband, actor and director Kenneth Branagh broke her heart, and it was a similar experience to her character in "Love Actually." Emma Thompson said that the scene in "Love Actually" when her character cries after finding out her husband is cheating on her is drawn from real life. Thompson said that her ex-husband, actor and director Kenneth Branagh, broke her heart, and it was a similar experience to her character in the movie. While married to Thompson, Branagh had an affair with actress Helena Bonham Carter, which ended their marriage. In 2003's "Love Actually," Emma Thompson drew her iconic performance from real-life heartbreak. In the movie Thompson's character, Karen, finds out that her husband (played by Alan Rickman) bought jewelry for another woman. When she discovers this, she breaks down and cries. Then, when her husband comes back in the room, she pretends like nothing is wrong. "I’v...

Facebook's recent algorithm change severely throttled traffic to LittleThings and caused its profit to plummet, the company says. The digital publisher LittleThings is shutting down. The company, like some other media companies, had quickly amassed a big following on Facebook. But Facebook's recent algorithm tweak throttled its traffic severely, causing its profit to plummet, the company says. The media industry's worst fears about Facebook's huge algorithm tweak are coming true. The women-focused publisher LittleThings is shutting its doors, in large part because of Facebook's recent move, the company's CEO, Joe Speiser, told Business Insider. LittleThings' demise was first reported by Digiday's Lucia Moses. LittleThings focused on a mix of feel-good news and service content along the lines of Valentine's Day dinner recipes . The company also produced a regular slate of live video content on Facebook, even featuring celebrity guest...

Vogue Arabia is celebrating their one year milestone with a historic cover featuring two of the Arab world’s most famous models. Two generations of supermodels come together as the legend that is Iman shares the cover with Imaan Hammam. Speaking about the iconic cover, editor-in-chief Manuel Arnaut said, “Finding the right model or celebrity that effortlessly combines an idea of beauty and style, while also capturing the spirit of the times, is an exercise that occupies my mind for the better part of the month. I truly believe that a cover should also encapsulate a message of hope and go above and beyond just a pretty image. This is exactly what we tried to achieve when we invited two of the biggest models with strong ties to the Arab world to be our March cover stars.” ALSO READ: Reality TV star stuns on the cover of Vogue India Hammam shares how her Egyptian-Moroccan heritage still inspires her, and how she’s proud to be the modern poster girl for the diversity movement...

Eyewitness said some men in military uniform armed with AK 47 rifles stormed the house of one Abdullahi Tandama and Alhaji Sufyanu. Two suspected armed robbers and one resident were killed following an armed robbery attack on Tandama village of Danja Local Government Area of Katsina state ChannelsTv reports that an eyewitness whose brother was killed by the suspected armed robbers, at about 1:15 am this morning, said some men in military uniform armed with AK 47 rifles stormed the house of one Abdullahi Tandama and Alhaji Sufyanu . However, collective resistance by community members led to the death of two of the gunmen after they killed one of the residents. “My brother and few others were sleeping outside our main house but the hail of gunfire woke them up to assist but they later got killed, although we do not have guns, we outnumbered them with bow and arrows, we killed two of them before they eventually retreated on hearing the arrival of the police,” the eyewitness said. ...

The Director of Highways, South East, Federal Ministry of Works, Mr Adetokunbo Sogbesan, made the disclosure in Enugu on Wednesday during a media tour of ongoing federal projects in the zone. The Federal Government is investing N16.6 billion of the N100 billion Sukuk Bond for rehabilitation of some roads in the South East geopolitical zone. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Federal Government had in October, 2017 released the proceeds of the N100 billion Sukuk bond to 25 key economic road projects across the country. The Director of Highways, South East, Federal Ministry of Works, Mr Adetokunbo Sogbesan, made the disclosure in Enugu on Wednesday during a media tour of ongoing federal projects in the zone. Sogbesan said that the investment was aimed at improving road infrastructure in the zone, adding that four different road sections were covered by the fund. He listed the sections to include the Enugu – Onitsha expressway, Enugu – Lokpanta, Lokpanta – Abia Tower ...

Alhaji Debo Ahmed, Chairman, Western Zone of IPMAN, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Wednesday against the background of shortage on importation on petroleum products. The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has appealed to the Federal Government to engage banks in financing the building of modular refineries in the country. Alhaji Debo Ahmed, Chairman, Western Zone of IPMAN, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Wednesday against the background of shortage on importation on petroleum products. Ahmed said that investing in modular refineries would address refining challenges in the country, adding that government should review its policy on refined products to encourage investors into the sector. According to him, building a modular refinery is not easy, apart from citing refinery beside the sea; one can as well cite it near a marginal oil field. “Finance is the maj...

The bureau stated that the 2017 growth rate of 0.83 per cent was higher than the -1.58 per cent recorded in 2016, about 2.42 per cent difference. The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says the country’s economy recorded a real annual growth rate of 0.83 per cent in 2017. The NBS stated this in a “Nigerian Gross Domestic Product Report for Fourth Quarter 2017 and Full Year Report” posted on the bureau’s website. The bureau stated that the 2017 growth rate of 0.83 per cent was higher than the -1.58 per cent recorded in 2016, about 2.42 per cent difference. Meanwhile, the report stated that the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 1.92 per cent (year-on-year) in real terms in the fourth quarter of 2017. According to the report, the economy maintained its positive growth since it emerged from recession in the second quarter of 2017. It stated that the growth was compared to a contraction of -1.73 per cent recorded in the fourth quarter and a growth of 1.40 per cent record...

Serena Williams' husband put up four billboards to praise her for being the 'Greatest Momma of all Time'. Serena Williams ’ husband Alexis Olympia took out four billboards to hail the tennis star as the ‘Greatest Momma of all Time. Details shortly... ridoola.blogspot.com.ng

Barcelona have lost former striker Enrique Castro to a heart attack. Former Barcelona striker Enrique Castro has died after he suffered a heart attack on Tuesday, February 29. Castro who was 68-years-old was a fan favourite as a striker for Barcelona, made a total of 178 appearances for Barcelona and scored over 70 goals. Castro played for the Catalan club between 1980 and 1984 was presented a golden badge by Barcelona president in 2016 for his loyalty and dedication to the club. He won five trophies in his time as a Barcelona Player as his death has brought out reactions from Barcelona supporters across the world. The official Twitter handle of FC Barcelona confirmed the death of Castro with a message on its official Twitter account which said, "Enrique Castro 'Quini' dies (1949-2018), a player and legend of our Club. The Camp Nou will never forget your legacy. RIP"   Barcelona President, Josep Bartomeu reacted to the death of the clubs icon by posting a m...

Bill Gates said in a recent Reddit AMA that the US is headed for a financial crisis on the magnitude of the 2008 economic downturn. Bill Gates said in a recent Reddit AMA that Americans should expect another financial crisis on the magnitude of the 2008 downturn. Still, Gates was optimistic overall. The billionaire-philanthropist believes the world is improving and often cites the falling number of people living in extreme poverty as evidence. The financial crisis of 2008 is considered by many economists to have been the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. According to Bill Gates, the US is eventually headed for another financial crisis just like it. On Tuesday, the Microsoft founder held an AMA (Ask Me Anything) on Reddit. When a Reddit user asked Gates, " Do you think in the near future, we will have another financial crisis similar to the one in 2008?" Gates replied with a stern — but still optimistic — warning. "Yes. It is hard to say whe...

Nigerian model, Adaora Akubilo is photographed breastfeeding her son Arinze in ground-breaking advert for American retailer, Gap. A photograph showing a woman breastfeeding her young child posted by retail giant Gap has been widely applauded. The US clothing empire published two photos from a new ad campaign on its Instagram account and has received a flood of positive comments about the heart-warming image. The ad promotes night shirts for the brand and shows a mother nursing her toddler in a bedroom.The Nigerian US-based model model featured in the post, Adaora Akubilo , is seen breastfeeding her 1-year-old son, Arinze . Both mother and son were booked for the sleepwear shoot but the breastfeeding moment was a serendipitous one, says Akubilo. She told the Chicago Tribune that the shoot temporarily stopped after Arinze needed to feed, but the photographer asked if they could capture the moment, which have since become key to the campaign.    Akubil...

The race for best-picture in this year's Oscars is one of the tightest in recent years, and even audiences are split, according to a Fandango survey. This year's Oscar best-picture race is one of the closest in recent memory, as several films still have a chance at the prize. Even audiences seem to be split, based on a new survey from ticketing company Fandango that asked over 7,000 moviegoers what best-picture nominee they thought deserved the award. Audiences thought "The Shape of Water" deserves best-picture, but it's a close race even in that regard. The acting categories aren't as close. Unlike past years, best picture seems to be a toss-up at this year's Academy Awards. With the ceremony looming, it still seems like several films have a legitimate shot at Oscar's top prize on Sunday. And even audiences can't make up their minds as to who deserves the win. A new Fandango audience survey asked over 7,000 moviegoers what film the...

Members of the audience were trailed to the narration of how 36 states of Nigeria really look like. Media enthusiasts came through on Monday 26th, February at the Social Media Week Lagos to discuss the future of advertising; Native. The Case Study for the panel was Pulse36, a project that saw members of the Pulse Nigeria team travel around every single state in Nigeria, for 80 days, in a single stretch. On July 1, 2017,  Fu'ad Lawal , a Senior Reporter for  Pulse  embarked on a journey to travel the 36 states of Nigeria including the Federal Capital Territory known as Pulse 36. Accompanied by a cameraman and colleague by the name of  Chris , they spent 80 days on the road, soaking up the many cultures and scenes in Nigeria. It was indeed a great trip and an eye opening one for Fu'ad and one that shaped the advertising industry in Nigeria. As a result, the RADP got the right bunch to discuss this issue. Meet The Panelists. When you’ve worked in Digital Communi...

Our Oscar predictions for the 2018 Academy Awards in all the major categories. Along with who should win. The 90th Academy Awards will finally be here on Sunday, after months of campaigning (and millions of dollars spent) by studios and independent distributors to get their best and brightest recognition. On paper, it could turn out to be a dull night. A few categories (like best actor and best supporting actress) seem to be a lock for specific actors. And the odds-on favorites to win best picture — “The Shape of Water” and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” — haven't been that popular with general audiences. Both movies’ combined domestic box office ($105 million) is around what “Wonder Woman” had its opening weekend. But if we learned anything from last year’s Oscars , you never know what kind of surprises could come. And the best-picture race is one of the most wide open in recent years. Here are our predictions on who we think will win the major categories and who...

Finally, a fitness tracker you don't have to wear on your wrist. I've been waiting for the perfect fitness tracker. I'm into the concept, but I don't like wearing a watch or wristband all day every day. Ideally, a fitness tracker wouldn't get in my way while I type, and would be something I wouldn't mind wearing on a daily basis. It wouldn't feel like a chore to wear, and I wouldn't have issues remembering to wear it in the first place. So I was intrigued when VSP Global, a network of eye-care companies, came out with a fitness tracker in the form of prescription glasses. The Level smart glasses are starting to roll out in select areas, and — since eyewear is having a bit of a moment in terms of style and affordability — they couldn't have come at a better time. Here's a look at the Level smart glasses and how they do what they do: The Level smart glasses wirelessly sync to the mobile app on your phone. The app updates approximately ev...

People were told "content is illegal" when they typed it. China censored the letter N from its internet for at least a day. The ban came as China cracked down on online discussion over the Chinese Communist Party's proposal to scrap presidential term limits. Abolishing term limits would allow President Xi Jinping to rule indefinitely. It's not entirely clear why the government targeted N, but we have a few theories. China temporarily banned the letter N from being published online after people started using it to criticize a plan which paves the way for Xi Jinping to rule the country indefinitely. The Chinese Communist Party on Sunday proposed to abolish the two-term term limit for the president and vice-president, sparking an online backlash which it has been trying to control. Critics flooded Weibo and WeChat — China's version of Twitter and WhatsApp — to protest the plan, but were swiftly met by the country's censors . Various Chinese ...

Microsoft to equip Ghanaian teacher who teaches without a computer Ghanaian teacher who received a global applause for finding a unique way to teach his students how to use Microsoft Word without a computer has finally gotten Microsoft come to his aid. Richard Appiah Akoto, 33, is the information and communication technology (ICT) teacher at Betenase M/A Junior High School in the town of Sekyedomase, about two and half hours drive north of Ghana’s second city, Kumasi. On Facebook, Akoto goes by the nickname “Owura Kwadwo Hottish” which was the name that went viral on both Facebook and Twitter. The dedicated educator took to social media to share photos of his classroom where he had drawn the layout of Mircosoft Word onto a blackboard. "Teaching of ICT [computer science] in Ghana's school is very funny," Mr Kwadwo wrote on Facebook. This received a lot of comments from social media.   His shared photos got so much attention which led to Cameroonian tech entrepren...

Turns out we're now on Groot 2.0, as 'Guardians of the Galaxy' director James Gunn says Baby Groot is actually Groot's son. Turns out Baby Groot is the son of the grown Groot that was in the first "Guardians of the Galaxy" movie. Director James Gunn revealed this on Twitter Tuesday. Hold on for this one! "Guardians of the Galaxy" franchise director James Gunn has always been heavily involved in the social media chatter surrounding his contribution to the Marvel Studios empire. So it wasn't a surprise when he jumped into the conversation when a tweet asking you to choose between saving Groot, one of the characters from "Guardians," or a Porg, the lovable creatures in "Star Wars: The Last Jedi," started making the rounds on Tuesday. Gunn launched into a back-and-forth on this with "Entertainment Tonight" producer and host Ash Crossan, who was on the side of saving the Porg. Gunn made the c...

Damilola Adegbite is one celebrity that has got not just style but some of the hottest photos on social media. Damilola Adegbite is one sexy actress whose presence and photos will always keep people talking. The mother of one recently revealed that she was on a diet plan just so her butt could stop ruining most of her clothes. We know a lot of fans and secret admirers haven't taken this news likely as they would want Damilola to look and remain the way she is. So we bring to you 10 sexy photos of the beautiful and talented actress. ALSO READ: 3 celebrity couples who have unfollowed each other on Instagram   ridoola.blogspot.com

Frank described the APC as an undemocratic party which has consistently flouted its own rules. A chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, says 2019 may be the end of the ruling party. In a strongly worded statement made available to Pulse on Wednesday, February 28, 2018, Frank expressed disappointment in the decision taken by the National Executive Committee (NEC) which extended the tenure of Chief John Oyegun and other members of the party’s National Working Committee for another twelve months.\   Frank described the APC as an undemocratic party which has consistently flouted its own rules. The APC chieftain said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is better than the APC. His word:  “I am personally disappointed with the tenure extension of Chief John Oyegun -ed leadership. This has clearly shown that APC is an undemocratic party. A party which has been in existence for three years but has never obeyed its own constitution. "I c...

The collapse of certain major retailers in the UK comes as Brexit uncertainty appears to be impacting the country's economic growth according to recent official data. The British arm of troubled retailer Toys'R'Us is winding down its activities, administrators said Wednesday as the US firm faces pressure from rival stores and online giant Amazon. Wednesday's announcement puts up to 3,200 jobs at risk and comes as British electricals retailer Maplin joined Toys'R'Us UK in falling Wednesday into administration -- the process whereby a troubled company seeks independent financial advice regarding its future. Maplin operates out of 217 stores across Britain and Ireland, employing close to 2,500 staff. The collapse of certain major retailers in the UK comes as Brexit uncertainty appears to be impacting the country's economic growth according to recent official data. "The challenging conditions in the UK retail sector are well documented," sai...

French designer Jacquemus shows his highly anticipated FW18 collection inspired by Morocco and the magic of the souk Simon Porte of Jacquemus is the darling of the Paris fashion scene. A winning combination of looks, charm and talent, Simon has propelled Jacquemus into the sartorial sphere and turned the brand into a must-have . The French designer, inspired by a trip to Morocco, takes us to 'Le Souk' for his latest collection. What he sent out for women this evening was a mix of his inventive tailoring, sweater dressing, and influences from what his program notes described as a trip to Morocco that he took after his last runway show. “I got lost in the souks with just one thing on my mind: I want to make it my next summer collection. I came back to Paris and made my winter of it; my winter collection. Not wasting any more time, my warm winter.” ALSO READ: Queen B posts stunning and stylish new photos on Instagram It’s hard to come up with another designer as comfortable ...

Dior Creative Director Maria Grazia Chiuri's latest offering is inspired by student anarchy and systemic injustice. This May, France will mark the 50th anniversary of the Paris student protests of 1968. Maria Grazia Chiuri recently saw an exhibition about the events of that year in Rome, and she said it made her wonder what the house of Dior was doing at the time. The result was a politically charged Dior collection for their FW18 show. A little digging revealed a rather fabulous discovery: a black-and-white photograph of chic young women protesting outside the Dior store because there were not enough miniskirts inside. In fact, change was happening everywhere that year, including inside Dior. It was around 1968 when Marc Bohan launched Miss Dior , the house’s first ready-to-wear line; before that, Dior offered only made-to-measure haute couture clothing. “Fashion understood very well the time,” Chiuri reflected backstage. ALSO READ: Luxury brand's creative direct...

"Light In The Dark" is an upcoming Nollywood movie which stars Rita Dominic, Joke Silva and Kalu Ikeagwu. Ekene Som Mekwunye has released the trailer for his movie "Light in the Dark," which stars Rita Dominic, Joke Silva and Kalu Ikeagwu. Written by Babatunde Ojo , the movie also stars Ngozi Nwosu, Mannie of Cool FM, Kiki Omeili ,  Nonso Odogwu, Abimbola Ademoye, Big Mickey, Prince Unigwe, Angel Onyinyechi Unigwe, Doddy Abili, Richard Kanayo Mekwunye, Maxwell Ihuoma and Marie Awolaja.   A thriller, "Light in Darkness" tells the story of how far two people are willing to go to keep their marriage together after they suffer a big attack that tests the love between them. It also touches slightly on inter-tribal marriages and the betrayal of friendship. "Light In The Dark" is directed by Ekene Som Mekwunye and produced by Chidinma Uzodike and Mekwunye. There's no release date yet for "Light in the Darkness." rido...

3 Big Brother Naija pairs are currently up for possible eviction, which of them do you think will be evicted this Sunday? Three Big Brother Naija pairs are currently up for possible eviction, which one of them do you think will leave this Sunday? Leo and Ifu (Lifu), Bambam and Rico (Bamco), and Angel and Ahneeka (Gelah) had the highest nominations. As Head of House, Tobi saved the pair of BamBam and Rico and replaced them with CeeC and Lolu .   The housemates currently up for possible eviction this week are Leo and Ifu (Lifu), Lolu and Cee - C (Ceelo) , and Angel and Ahneeka (Gelah).   The upcoming eviction will be the second one for the season. The first saw the exit of Pritto (Bitto and Princess) and Van-Dee (Vandora and Dee-One). If you missed it, here's how the housemates voted during the nominations. Pulse has created a poll below. So, which of the nominated pairs do you think will leave the show this weekend? ridoola.blogspot.com

Davido has a relationship with football great, Cristiano Ronaldo which we didn't know about. Davido has been speaking about his relationship with football great, Cristiano Ronaldo. In a chat with popular football website “ Goal ," the music star highlighted his relationship with Ronaldo "Even back home in Nigeria, during free time on sat morning I’m on the pitch I play number 7. Ronaldo is my friend but I haven’t met him, he is busy and I’m busy. I’ll do a video with him but not a music video ..would try to capture a video where our worlds will meet," he said.   Davido also said during the interview said he will be rooting for the Super Eagles when the world cup billed for Russia starts later in June 2018   "I’m behind Nigeria all the way, Super Eagles have good players but are in a tough group,” he added. This is what you get when you become not just star from Africa but an international star as it comes with a lot of celebrity friends across th...

Owen Gee has revealed that he tried committing suicide when things weren't going well for him as he now preaches against it. Owen Gee recently dropped the bombshell that he almost committed suicide last year. The stand-up comedian revealed this shocking news as part of his effort to join in the campaign against Nigerians committing suicide which is being spearheaded by a new initiative " Live and Not Die ." Owen Gee while speaking highlighted how he resulted to drugs to get away from depression and how it didn't even work for him   "I have had suicidal tendencies. Last year, I tried several things, but they did not work out. It was not because the ideas were bad, but the people I was working with just didn’t let them work out. Then anxiety and depression set in. It was then I realised that no drug could calm depression. There was hardly anyone I didn’t take. "There was a time I was sleeping on drugs. There was a particular yellow tablet that, if ...

Chude Jideonwo once again states that he has been disappointed in President Buhari's performance in office so far. In an exclusive interview with Pulse, Chude Jideonwo has stated that President Buhari has been a huge disappointment. In the interview published on Wednesday, February 28, 2018, Chude Jideonwo speaks on how the President has not been able to meet up with the minimal expectations when he entered office in 2015. Buhari has been a disappointment " President Buhari has been a major disappointment...I didn't have huge expectations for him but I had minimum expectations. Unfortunately, not only has he failed on those huge expectations, he has failed on the minimum expectations " Jideonwo tells Pulse. ALSO READ : President Buhari to address Nigerians on 2nd term Chude Jideonwo is the co-founder of Red Media and StateCraft Inc which is a " nation building company, with deep expertise in elections, policy, governance, citizen engagement and cit...

PDP Senators throw shades at their APC colleagues over the party's internal crises. Some lawmakers on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a swipe on their colleagues from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at Tuesday’s plenary. The ruling APC has been enmeshed in several crises recently. The APC national leader, Bola Tinubu was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari to reconcile aggrieved members of the party before the electioneering period. Drama ensued when the Senate leader, Ahmad Lawan moved for the adjournment of plenary for APC senators to attend the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting .   “Today, the All Progressives Congress, the ruling party, the APC, is holding its NEC meeting and it has already started,” Lawan said. “As a very time-conscious party, our colleague senators on this side (majority) are representatives of the chamber, and because of this I want to plead with all our colleagues here across party...

Nigerians have been calling for adopting of Pay-Per-View pricing model to allow to for optimal consumer satisfaction. StarTimes Nigeria has disclosed that there is a growing demand for daily viewing plan on its pay-tv platforms by new and existing customers. The company said this in a statement issued on Tuesday, February 28. The pay-Tv provider further stated that this shows people are only willing to pay for what they watched. In recent time, Nigerians have been calling for a pay-per-view (PPV) model which allows subscribers of pay Tv platform pay for what they have watched. This is because inadequate power supply in Nigeria has made the monthly subscription a loss of money to the people. StarTimes started the pay-per-day pricing model in November 2017. The Brands & Marketing Director of StarTimes, Mr Qasim Elegbede , said the number of new and existing customers subscribing to the pay-per-day program is soaring fast on a daily basis. He said this is to show the daily plan...