Steve McQueen’s 1968 Ford Mustang sells for $3.4m

The 1968 Ford Mustang GT that Steve McQueen drove in the classic car chase from the movie “Bullitt, one of the most famed cars from American cinema, sold for a record $3.4 million at auction in Florida on Friday, Mecum Auctions said.

It was the highest price ever paid for a Ford Mustang at auction, according to David Morton, marketing manager for the auction house in Kissimmee, near Orlando. The buyer has not been publicly identified.

“The hammer dropped at $3.4 million, but with buyers’ fees, the total cost is $3.74 million,” he said, adding it shattered the auction house’s previous record set last year of $2.2 million.

The unrestored muscle car, its “highland green” paint looking rusty and black upholstery splitting apart, starred in a 10-minute sequence in the 1968 film, getting airborne a few times as it sped through the hilly streets of San Francisco.

The car was auctioned without a reserve, or minimum sale price, a risky decision that could have forced the owners to sell low.

McQueen filmed with the window down so viewers could see he was behind the wheel. Although credited as the driver, McQueen actually shared the wheel with Hollywood stunt driver Bud Ekins, according to the movie database IMDB.

Many movie buffs view the chase as ground-breaking for its duration and white-knuckle drama. The sequence forgoes a score in favour of roaring engines and screeching tires. McQueen, playing the no-nonsense police Lieutenant Frank Bullitt, was chasing bad guys who drove a black 1968 Dodge Charger.

After filming, the Mustang was sold to a Warner Brothers employee, and later to a New Jersey police detective. He in turn sold it for $6,000 in 1974 to Robert Kiernan of Madison, New Jersey, who held onto the car until he died in 2014.

Kiernan rejected multiple offers for the car, including one from McQueen himself, according to the New York Times. He left  it to his son, Sean.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/01/steve-mcqueens-1968-ford-mustang-sells.html

Sultan of Oman passes away at 79 without an heir after ruling for 50 years, raising fears of a bloody takeover

The Sultan of Oman Qaboos bin Said Al Said has died aged 79, it was announced last night - with his passing without an heir or designated successor creating fresh uncertainty in an unstable Middle East after a reign lasting half a century.

'With great sorrow and deep sadness... the royal court mourns His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, who passed away on Friday,' a court statement said.

Three days of mourning will now be marked for the reclusive British-educated leader, who transformed the former Arabian Peninsula backwater into a modern state while shielding it from much of the region's turmoil by his moderate approach to foreign policy. 


His death, reportedly from colon cancer, comes amid heightened tension caused by the continued fallout from the death of Iranian general Qassem Solomeini, whose killing in an American drone strike has placed the region on the brink of war.

Al Said seized power in a 1970 palace coup and pulled his Arabian sultanate into modernity while carefully balancing diplomatic ties between Iran and the US.

The state-run Oman News Agency announced his death late last night on its official Twitter account.

The sultan was believed to have been in poor health and traveled to Belgium for what the court described as a medical checkup last month. The royal court declared three days of mourning.

The news agency mourned the death of the Sultan and praised the 'towering renaissance' he had presided over. It said his 'balanced policy' of mediating between rival camps in a volatile region had earned the world's respect.

The British-educated, reclusive sultan reformed a nation that was home to only three schools and harsh laws banning electricity, radios, eyeglasses and even umbrellas when he took the throne.

Now there are fears that a bloody takeover might occur as he died without a heir.



source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/01/sultan-of-oman-passes-away-at-79.html

Trump wades in to British Monarchy's royal fallout

Donald Trump waded into the British monarchy's royal fallout on Friday, expressing his sympathy for Queen Elizabeth II and calling Harry and Meghan's decision to step back from royal duties 'sad'.

Speaking on Fox News' 'The Ingraham Angle', the President voiced his disappointment at the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's bombshell announcement Wednesday that they're quitting public life and will now work to become financially independent from the Royal Family.

When asked if he had any advice for how to deal with the 'rogue royals', Trump replied: 'I think it’s sad. I do. I think it’s sad. She’s a great woman,' he said, appearing to reference Queen Elizabeth. 'She’s never made a mistake if you look. I mean, she’s had like a flawless time.'

Host Laura Ingraham then asked Trump if he believed Meghan and Harry should return to Buckingham Palace. Trump insisted he didn't 'want to get into the whole thing', but said: 'I just have such respect for the Queen, I don’t think this should be happening to her.'

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/01/trump-wades-in-to-british-monarchys.html

Iran ADMITS shooting down Ukrainian plane that killed all 176 on board

Iranian state TV, citing a military statement, says the country 'unintentionally' shot down a Ukrainian jetliner, killing all 176 aboard, after mistaking the aircraft for a hostile, enemy target.

The statement came Saturday morning, and blamed 'human error' for shooting down the plane on Tuesday.

Specifically, Iranian officials says the aircraft 'took the flying posture and altitude of an enemy target' as it neared the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps base and attending personal didn't recognize it as a passenger plane.

'Under these circumstances, because of human error, [the plane] came under fire,' the statement read, according to the New York Times.


Following the grave mistake, Iran's government have offered an apology to families.

The jetliner, a Boeing 737 operated by Ukrainian International Airlines, went down on the outskirts of Tehran during takeoff just hours after Iran launched a barrage of missiles at U.S. forces.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/01/iran-admits-shooting-down-ukrainian.html

Man speaks on how his sister was rejected for a modelling job because she is an amputee

A man has taking to twitter to explain how his sister was rejected because of her condition. He said his sister got booked for a face modelling job, and when she got there for the job, the makeup artiste who had booked her, 'rejected' her saying something came up.

According to her brother, she already got the job, but the artiste didn't know she had just one hand.

In face modelling jobs, the hands are mostly not needed. He wrote;

''So apparently my baby sis got rejected by a make up artist ( client ) because apparently when booking a face model she didn’t know she was an amputee ... got there and she lied to her that something came up ,''

A lot of people commented under the post, wishing his sister all the best in life and spoke about how beautiful she is.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/01/man-speaks-on-how-his-sister-was.html

US House votes to limit Trump war powers on Iran

The US House of Representatives has approved a largely symbolic resolution seeking to limit President Donald Trump's ability to make war on Iran.

The measure passed the Democratic-run chamber 224-194, but faces an uphill climb in the Republican-held Senate.

It aims to mandate congressional approval for any conflict with Iran, except in cases of an imminent attack against the US.

Iran this week fired missiles at Iraqi bases housing American forces, injuring no-one, after the US last week killed a senior Iranian commander in a Baghdad drone strike.

Thursday's measure directed the president to "terminate the use of United States Armed Forces" against Iran unless granted congressional authorisation.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/01/us-house-votes-to-limit-trump-war.html

Don't run for President in 2023, Seun Kuti warns Goodluck Jonathan

Afrobeat singer, Seun Kuti has warned ex-president, Goodluck Jonathan to desist from running for president in 2023.

Seun warned him not to bother trying to run for president as Nigerians suffered terribly under his regime. He gave the warning on twitter saying;

“U SAY AM O OR U NO SAY AM, NO EVEN TRY AM. NOT AFTER ALL D YRS OF SHUFFERING AND SHMILLING, INJUSTICE, KWARUPTION, ETC WEY WE GO TRU UNDER YUR GOVT. UNA STILL TINK WE B MUMU ABI, OK.”

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/01/dont-run-for-president-in-2023-seun.html

Wendy Williams SUPPORTS Meghan & Harry's latest move.. blasts Kate on birthday saying NOBODY CARES

Late last year she took a jab at Prince William and wife Kate as she asserted, in an unfavourable tone, that they reminded her of American President and First Lady Donald and Melania Trump .

Now she's pouring oil onto the flames by claiming Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle had no obligation to tell the Queen that they would be stepping back as senior royals because of her advanced age.

She also stopped herself mid-monologue to address the Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, to tell her "nobody cares" about her birthday yesterday.


Wendy - host of The Wendy Williams Show - has voiced her support in the past for Harry and Meghan.

The couple - who hold the titles of Duke and Duchess of Sussex - have been in the spotlight even more so than usual recently after the announcement that they'd be stepping back as senior royals.

Contrarian Wendy said: "I don't think [the Queen] needed to be consulted.

"These are these peoples' new lives. The Queen is about to cross over at some particular point."

After the audience gasped in shock, she demanded: "Are we gonna talk or are we gonna talk?"

Not one to mince her words, she once again took aim at the Duchess of Cambridge.

She paused after making mention of Meghan - but not without a sly jab at her.

"The thing [Prince William] had to do was choose the right woman," she reckoned, "And certainly a woman like Kate was not the right woman.

"Kate wanted to be royal...oh, by the way, happy birthday Kate, nobody cares."

Her scolding words drew more gasps from the audience as Wendy made plain again that she doesn't care about filtering her opinions.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/01/wendy-williams-supports-meghan-harrys.html

Dog the Bounty Hunter admits he is dating son's ex, as his daughter publicly tears them apart

...She also claims her mother had warned her to be careful of the girlfriend - Moon.

Dog the Bounty Hunter has confessed he is dating his son's ex-girlfriend, despite previously denying the claims made by his distraught and furious daughter.

Reality star Dog - real name Duane Chapman - is still mourning the tragic loss of his wife Beth Chapman to cancer last June, but seems to have found happiness with Moon Angell, who was previously employed as Beth's assistant.

After daughter Lyssa Chapman lashed out at her dad and his new beau on Twitter, Dog came clean about his and Moon's relationship and slammed his children for abandoning him.


"Moon has been a trustworthy and loyal friend to me for over 20 years. She has been with my family through many ups and downs," he told RadarOnline.

"All my children are grown and gone on their own, there's no one left to help me."

Dog went on: "Moon is experienced. It's just that. Who knows what my future holds, but right now I need her.

"There will never be another Mrs Dog but that doesn't mean I have to be so sad."

He added that he'd prayed for god to take away his loneliness after Beth's death.

"I know Almighty God hears my broken heart and I didn't ask him for another Mrs Chapman, but I asked him for a friend and He gave me Moon."

It comes after a source close to Duane denied any romantic entanglement between the pair.

"Moon has been a family friend to Beth and Dog for years," an insider told People magazine.

"Since Beth's death, she has stepped in to help Dog in his time of need. There will never be another Beth."

But Lyssa angrily tore into Moon, who previously dated her brother - one of Dog's 10 sons - accusing her of moving Beth's clothes out of the family home and moving herself in.

Taking to Twitter after her father thanked Moon in an Instagram post, Lyssa blasted: "If someone who met your family by dating your brother, tried to date your father after your stepmom died what would you do?

"If you went to your mothers closet and saw she moved all her clothes and replaced them with her own, what would you do? #ItsNotWhenOrWhyItsWho."

She added: "My dad is a GROWN A** MAN. His money. His dynasty. But you can guarantee that my name is not going down in history as a person who supported this."

Responding to one fan who carefully pointed out it wasn't an issue that Dog was moving on, Lyssa tartly responded: "It's not when or why it’s who."

She went on: "Happiness is granted to all, and all I wish is happiness for my family. When a person who has ill intentions, that my mother specifically warned me about before her passing tries to enter, the war is on. The devil ALWAYS goes for the weakest link. Not today satan."

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/01/dog-bounty-hunter-admits-he-is-dating.html

Britney Spears leaves little to the imagination in skimpy snake print bikini

Britney Spears has left little to the imagination after taking to Instagram to show off her toned physique in a skimpy snake print bikini.

Posing up a storm in the sunshine surrounded by nature, the singing sensation admitted that she's looking forward to the season's changing and is impatiently awaiting Spring's arrival.

Britney famously performed with a snake wrapped around her shoulders at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards, and the blonde beauty proved she's still got a love for the reptile in this patterned little number.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/01/britney-spears-leaves-little-to.html

Alexis Eddy from MTV's 'are you the one' dies aged 23

Alexis Eddy, star of reality dating show Are You The One?, has died at the age of 23.

Alexis starred in the sixth series of the hit show, with network MTV stating that it was "deeply saddened to hear about the tragic loss of Alexis Eddy."

It added: "Our hearts go out to her family and friends during this difficult time."

Mannington Police Department told E!News : "This happened around 7am this morning.


"We were called for a report of a woman in cardiac arrest. She was pronounced dead at the scene and her body was transported to Fairmont Regional Medical Center."

Officers are now expecting a toxicology report, though it is not considered as suspicious.

During her time on the show, Alexis, who hails from West Virginia, became a firm fan favourite back in 2017.

The show employed psychological techniques to determine which of the contestants were suited to one another - with only the public knowing the results.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/01/alexis-eddy-from-mtvs-are-you-one-dies.html

Trump sends Kim Jong Un birthday wishes

President Donald Trump has sent a happy birthday message to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, South Korea’s National Security Advisor Chung Eui-Yong said on Friday.

Chung, who met Trump in Washington this week, told reporters that he was given a message to pass to North Korea and it was delivered on Thursday.

Upon arrival at the Incheon airport, Chung said, “the day we met was Kim Jong Un’s birthday and President Trump remembered this and asked me to deliver the message”.

Kim Jong Un who succeeded his father in 2011, was 36 years old on 8 January.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/01/trump-sends-kim-jong-un-birthday-wishes.html

American Horror Story actor, Harry Hains dies after addiction issues at 27

Actor Harry Hains has died aged 27 after struggling with mental illness and drug addiction, his famous mum has confirmed.

American Horror Story: Hotel actor's mother was Neighbours actress Jane Badler.

Confirming the news on Instagram , she said: "He was 27 and had the world at his feet. But sadly he struggled with mental illness and addiction.

"A brilliant spark shone bright too short a time... I will miss you, Harry, every day of my life."


Jane did not confirm her son's cause of death, but invited his friends and fans to his funeral on Sunday January 12 at Hollywood Forever.

Harry had starred in the Netflix series The OA and was based in Los Angeles to cement his acting career.

Just six days before his death, he'd spoken excitedly about his plans for 2020.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/01/american-horror-story-acto-harry-hains.html

Television executive kills herself months after her son hanged himself

A television executive killed herself just months after discovering her ballet dancer son hanged at home, an inquest heard.

Helene Beauchampad told friends she had "nothing to live for" following the suicide of son James, who performed on the West End.

The 46-year-old spiralled downhill as she struggled to cope with the death of the teenager and had made a previous suicide attempt on the day of his funeral.

She was admitted to a psychiatric hospital where, the coroner heard, where a woman added to her grief by saying inappropriately: "You're still young, you can still have more children."


An inquest in Winchester heard how the separated mother and son lived together at the family home in Tring, Herts and it was there that she found him hanged on December 5 2018.

The mum often tweeted about ballet in support of her son, who performed in the classic The Nutcracker in December 2015 at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London's West End.

She struggled to cope with his death and was staying in Andover when she took an overdose before heading to a doctor's surgery where she collapsed

She was rushed to hospital in Basingstoke where she died five days later.

The coroner was told that Helene worked in TV production for 20 years and was a lover of food, ballet and travel.

She later worked for Sky but had been involved as a floor manager in numerous TV productions of programmes including "Birds of a Feather" and "Goodnight Sweetheart,"

She first sparked concern when she told a crisis team that she wanted to be buried on the same day as James as she had "nothing to live for as her life was her and her son.".

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/01/television-executive-kills-herself.html

Florida man arrested for threatening to kill Trump over death of Iran General

A Florida man is now facing charges for allegedly making death threats against President Donald Trump in response to the killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, according to court records.

Twenty-six-year-old Chauncy Devonte Lump faces one count of threats against the president and one count of false report of a bomb.

According to a criminal complaint, around 10 p.m. on Jan. 3 a detective with the Broward Sheriff’s Office was told by a Facebook employee that a man going by the name of “BlackMan Vs America” posted a Facebook Live video threatening President Trump.


In the Facebook Live, Lump could be found with “white cream on his face, a towel on his head, wrapped like a turban, and what appeared to be a shower curtain over his body,” the criminal complaint said. In the background, music can be heard which appeared “to originate from the Middle East.”

The Facebook Live stream lasted seven minutes, and Lump allegedly made multiple threats to kill or hurt the president, according to court records.

The complaint said Lump allegedly made comments such as, “He killed my leader, and I have to kill him” as well as “I need to find the Donald, because if I don’t find him, I am going to have to blow up Broward County,” as well as “The Feds are watching. I am not afraid of the Feds.”

The document also stated that Lump is seen with “what appears to be a loaded AK-47” while making some statements.

The complaint noted that Lump was laughing on four occasions during the live stream, but on “three out of the four occasions he appears to be laughing in response to comments posted by viewers.”

When confronted by law enforcement officials, Lump admitted to making the video in response to the killing of Gen. Soleimani on Jan. 3, but that “the threats in the video were intended to be a joke,” according to the criminal complaint.

“However, at no point in the video did Lump claim he was joking,” the complaint added.

When speaking with law enforcement, Lump had a loaded, Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol. He currently holds a concealed carry permit in the state of Florida, court records show. He is also licensed and employed as a security officer.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/01/florida-man-arrested-for-threatening-to.html

Police arrest suspected killers of Lagos worker, Moradeun Balogun

Detectives attached to the Lagos State Police Command have arrested four suspected armed robbers, who allegedly stabbed a 28-year-old lady, Moradeun Balogun, to death.

The attack occurred at the Gbagada area of the metropolis.

The suspects were alleged to have stabbed the lady on the neck on December 3, 2019, leading to her death.

The suspects were identified as Ugochukwu Udochukwu, Chidebere Nnanna, Samuel Nnanna and David Obi.

The suspects were arrested two days after they attacked the lady as she was returning from work.

The state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, disclosed the suspects were arrested in connection with Balogun’s murder.

He said: “On December 3, 2019, about 8p.m., Moradeun Balogun was attacked on her way from work at NCIE bus stop, Gbagada. The deceased was stabbed in the neck and her Lenvo Computer Laptop stolen from her. It took detectives attached to the command painstaking investigations and surveillance to arrest the suspects. Items stolen from the deceased were recovered from them.”

The victim was rushed to R-Jolad Hospital in Bariga area of the state, where she was allegedly not attended to because of a police report was not presented by the Good Samaritans, who came to her rescue.

The hospital, however, denied the claim, insisting that she was assessed by two doctors before being referred to the Gbagada General Hospital for vascular surgery.

Odumosu said the suspects would be charged to court after completion of investigation of the matter.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/01/police-arrest-suspected-killers-of.html

81,000 living with HIV in Delta state - US

The United States Government has said there are about 81,000 People Living with HIV (PLHIV) in Delta State out of the approximately 1.9 million people living with the virus in Nigeria.

It expressed concerned over the negative effect of user-fees charged to PLHIV by health care facilities in Nigeria. These fees, according to the US Government, include charges for non-essential services like registration, initial lab investigations, or those already covered by the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.

The US Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission, Kathleen FitzGibbon, raised this concern on Thursday when she led a delegation on a courtesy visit to the Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, as the state launched the US-supported Anti-retroviral Treatment Surge.


FitzGibbon urged the governor to ensure the immediate elimination of the fees, saying there was a need to identify and put PLHIV on life-saving ART.

She noted that the programme was aimed at ensuring that PLHIV live a long, normal, productive, and healthy life and help in breaking the transmission of the virus.

She urged Okowa to prioritise the procurement of additional HIV test kits to support the current PEPFAR-initiated surge efforts.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/01/81000-living-with-hiv-in-delta-state-us.html

Soldier’s wife car crushes Lagos street sweeper

A street sweeper with the Lagos Waste Management Authority narrowly escaped death on Thursday after being crushed to a stationary petrol tanker by a motorist conveying a woman said to be the wife of a soldier.

The incident, which occurred around 8.30am on the Apapa Road in Ebute Meta, attracted sympathisers and men of the Federal Road Safety Corps to the scene.

According to the supervisor, who did not give her name, the victim, Tawa Ariyo, had just finished sweeping the road and sat in front of the Forte Oil filling station and was awaiting further instruction when the Toyota Matrix car rammed into her.


The woman being conveyed in the car turned to the driver and asked him to join the rescue team to take the victim, who was bleeding profusely in her mangled leg, to the nearest hospital.

The woman then brought out her phone and begged one of the attendants at the filling station to help call her husband.

A man, who identified himself simply as ‘Major’, answered from the other end and 10 minutes later, a corporal and two other soldiers showed up at the scene in two cars.

While one of the cars ferried the wife of the major away from the scene, the other headed for the hospital.

When Punch visited the Primary Health Centre in Oyingbo, the information officer confirmed that a 42-year-old woman was brought to the clinic, but she had been referred to the Lagos Island General Hospital.

“Her situation is a complex one that demands intensive care hence, the need to refer her to the hospital,” she said.

Ariyo, who was admitted to the Accident and Emergency Ward of the hospital, told Punch Metro,

“I heard my colleagues saying the woman, whose vehicle hit me, was the wife of a military man. I cannot really say whether the driver was drunk or he simply lost control of the car. At first, I was so angry when they told me that the woman did not follow us to the hospital. I was alone with my supervisor and other LAWMA officials in the ambulance.

“The soldiers ordered the driver to take us to the Military Hospital in Yaba, but we refused because we use the Lagos Island General Hospital. Their last words before we departed were that the major would send someone to come and clear my hospital bill.”

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/01/soldiers-wife-car-crushes-lagos-street.html

NUC scraps mass comm in Universities, breaks it into seven degree programmes

The National Universities Commission has phased out Mass Communication degree in Nigerian universities.

The commission said it had unbundled Mass Communication into seven separate degree programmes to meet current demands. The NUC Executive Secretary, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, said this would take effect from the 2020 university admission year.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Thursday,  the NUC boss disclosed that Mass Communication had been unbundled into Media Studies, Public Relations Studies, Cinematography and  others.

He stated, “The seven new programmes/departments to be domiciled in a Faculty/ School/College of Communication and Media Studies are Journalism and Media Studies, Public Relations, Advertising, Broadcasting, Film and Multi-Media Studies, Development Communication Studies, Information and Media Studies.”

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/01/nuc-scraps-mass-comm-in-universities.html

Ebonyi man kills father over cooked yam

An Ebonyi State Magistrates’ Court sitting in Abakaliki, on Thursday, remanded in a correctional centre a 37-year-old man, Chibueze Iduma, for allegedly killing his father with his walking stick.

It was learnt that the suspect and his father, Mr Emmanuel Iduma, had an altercation over a piece of cooked yam when the incident occurred.

The accused was said to have cooked a piece of yam and left it in the house to see a friend in the area, only to return and discovered that his father had eaten it.

“While they quarrelled over the cooked yam, the father hit the son with his walking stick and in retaliation, the son hit him back and the father fell down and died,” the police said.


It was further gathered that the accused committed the offence in the Amaefia Ngbo community in the Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the state on December 20, 2019, but was arraigned on one count of murder on Thursday.

The police prosecutor, Inspector Chinedu Mbam, told the court that the offence was punishable under Section 319 (1) of the Criminal Code, Cap. 33 Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.

The defence counsel urged the court to admit his client to bail, but the application was not granted.

The Chief Magistrate, Blessing Chukwu, said the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the matter.

She directed that the accused be remanded in the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Abakaliki, while his case file should be transferred to the Director of Public Prosecutions in the state for advice.

The matter was adjourned till February 29, 2020, for the report of compliance.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/01/ebonyi-man-kills-father-over-cooked-yam.html