Masters champion Rory McIlroy will play alongside world number one Scottie Scheffler and defending champion Xander Schauffele in the opening two rounds of the US PGA Championship.
The marquee group of the top three players in the men’s game will tee off at 13:22 BST (08:22 local time) in Thursday’s first round at Quail Hollow.
McIlroy is aiming to become the first player to win the first two majors of the year since Jordan Spieth won the Masters and US Open in 2015.
Spieth, who needs to win the US PGA to follow McIlroy in completing the career Grand Slam of all four majors, is among the later starters at 13:25 and will play with former Masters champion Patrick Reed and rising European golfer Ludvig Aberg.
Three-time winner Brooks Koepka is out with 2019 Open champion Shane Lowry and Rickie Fowler at 07:58.
Europe’s Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald is out in the first group and will hit the first shot of the championship at 07:00 local time. The Englishman is playing alongside Ireland’s Padraig Harrington, who won this title in 2008, and 2010 champion Martin Kaymer of Germany.
Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ward 5, Ifon, in the Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State, Nelson Adepoyigi.
The incident was said to have occurred on Monday evening at the entrance of his farm along the Ifon-Owo Road.
According to sources in the community, the gunmen have reached out to the family of the victim, demanding N100 million to secure his release.
The spokesperson of Ondo State Police Command, DSP Olusola Ayanlade, confirmed the incident in a statement made available to newsmen in Akure, the state capital, on Tuesday.
The statement read, “Upon receiving the report, the DPO (in) Ifon, in collaboration with hunters, local vigilance members, and Nigeria Army personnel, has launched a manhunt for the suspects.”
Ayanlade appealed to members of the public with information that could assist in the rescue operation to come forward and present such to the police.
Hollywood star Robert De Niro slammed US President Donald Trump as a “philistine” Tuesday as he accepted a lifetime achievement award at the Cannes film festival.
The 81-year-old actor said that “in my country we are fighting like hell for the democracy we once took for granted” against “America’s philistine president”.
De Niro, a fierce and longtime critic of his fellow New Yorker Trump, said the president’s swingeing cuts in funding for the arts and education were deliberate.
US actor Robert De Niro arrives to receive the Honorary Palme d’Or during the Opening Ceremony of the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 13, 2025. (Photo by Sameer AL-DOUMY / AFP)US actor Robert De Niro and his partner Tiffany Chen arrive for the Opening Ceremony and the screening of the film “Partir un Jour” (Bye Bye) presented out of competition at the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 13, 2025. (Photo by Miguel MEDINA / AFP)
“Because art is the crucible that brings people together… Art looks for truth. Art embraces diversity. That’s why art is a threat. That’s why we are a threat to autocrats and fascists.”
The “Taxi Driver” and “Goodfellas” star lambasted Trump for threatening tariffs on movies “produced in foreign lands”.
“And now he has announced 100 percent tariffs on film production outside of America. You can’t put a price on creativity. But apparently, you can put a tariff on it. Of course, all these attacks are unacceptable. This is not just an American problem, it is a global one,” he added.
“We can’t just all sit back and watch. We have to act, and we have to act now,” he urged.
US actor Leonardo Dicaprio arrives on stage to give the Honorary Palme d’Or to US actor Robert De Niro during the Opening Ceremony of the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 13, 2025. (Photo by Sameer AL-DOUMY / AFP)US actor Robert De Niro receives the Honorary Palme d’Or from US actor Leonardo Dicaprio during the Opening Ceremony of the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 13, 2025. (Photo by Sameer AL-DOUMY / AFP)
The Hollywood legend cried as his friend Leonardo Di Caprio presented with his honorary Palme d’Or prize.
Di Caprio thanked De Niro for recommending him to Martin Scorsese, who has since made six films with the star, from “Gangs of New York” to “Killers of the Flower Moon”.
US actor Robert De Niro and his partner Tiffany Chen arrive for the Opening Ceremony and the screening of the film “Partir un Jour” (Bye Bye) presented out of competition at the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 13, 2025. (Photo by Sameer AL-DOUMY / AFP)US actor Robert De Niro arrives to receive the Honorary Palme d’Or during the Opening Ceremony of the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 13, 2025. (Photo by Sameer AL-DOUMY / AFP)
Celebrated Nigerian novelist, Chimamanda Adichie, will headline the inaugural edition of the ‘Things Fall Apart’ Festival, a cultural event set to take place in Enugu State from June 29 to July 5, 2025.
The week-long festival, organised by the Enugu-based Centre for Memories – Ncheta Ndigbo, is an evolution of the annual Things Fall Apart Day, now in its fifth year.
This expanded format aims to celebrate the towering legacy of the late Chinua Achebe, one of Africa’s most revered literary icons, with a festival that mirrors his global stature.
Adichie, widely regarded as one of Achebe’s most prominent literary descendants, will deliver the keynote address inspired by the festival’s theme, ‘Masculine, Feminine, Human – The Dialogue of Complements in Things Fall Apart’.
According to the organisers, the selected theme will explore how Achebe’s work reflects harmony and conflict between male and female roles, linking it to today’s discussions on identity, humanity, and culture.
Returning home amid a global tour for her new novel, Dream Count—her first in over a decade—the author will reflect on Achebe’s enduring influence on literature, identity, and the power of cultural storytelling.
READ ALSO:Women Shouldn’t Be Shamed For Fertility Struggles – Chimamanda
In a statement, the organisers described the event as “a week-long cultural immersion designed to honour Achebe’s legacy through art, performance, technology and scholarship”.
Expected Highlights
The organisers noted that the event’s highlights will include dramatic performances, staged readings, art exhibitions, film screenings, saloon-style conversations with cultural thought leaders, and immersive tech installations.
A striking feature will be the recreation of Umuofia Village, the fictional setting of Achebe’s seminal novel, offering visitors a living glimpse into the world he so vividly imagined.
A special appearance will also be made by the lead cast of the 1987 television adaptation of Things Fall Apart, including Nollywood veteran actor, Pete Edochie, who famously portrayed the protagonist, Okonkwo.
In a symbolic nod to Igbo tradition, the iconic Ajofia masquerade—featured prominently in the novel—will make a dramatic entrance into the reimagined village.
Louis Tomlinson has reportedly flown Zara McDermott 5,000 miles to a holiday hotspot, where the pair are said to be enjoying a romantic holiday amid their busy schedule
Louis recently confirmed his relationship with Zara on social media(Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Zara McDermott is off on a romantic holiday, thanks to her new boyfriend, One Direction’s Louis Tomlinson. It is claimed that Zara has flown off for a romantic getaway with her new beau. Insiders revealed that One Direction star Louis splashed out thousands of pounds to fly Zara 5,000 miles to join him while he’s working on his upcoming album.
It would mark Louis’ first record since his 2022 album, Faith In The Future, which landed at Number One on the Official Charts Company. They are believed to be staying in a secluded villa on the coast in Santa Teresa.
A source shared: “Louis and Zara are going from strength to strength.” He had his team arrange her first-class travel from London to Costa Rica over the weekend. This meant Zara couldn’t attend the TV BAFTAS, but she is eager to spend as much time with Louis as possible.
Zara is jetting off to Costa Rica to see Louis, courtesy of the One Direction star(Image: Instagram)
A source told The Sun: “He’s been in Costa Rica for a few weeks recording his album and is keen to show her the sights.” In a few weeks, Louis will return to the UK for Soccer Aid, participating in the annual charity match at Old Trafford.
However, insiders said Zara won’t be heading to the stadium to cheer him on. It’s not surprising, considering her ex, Sam Thompson, will also be playing. A friend shared: “It will be awkward enough for Louis and Sam, let alone if Zara went. She has no desire to make things about herself and won’t be attending. She will be cheering Louis on from home.”
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It was first revealed that the unlikely pair were an item in March, after a series of low-key dates in the UK. Last month, Zara flew out to join Louis in Malibu before the pair returned to the UK. They proved they were just like any other couple when seen shopping in his local Sainsbury’s.
This comes after Sam recently broke his silence about his Zara dating Louis. The former I’m a Celebrity winner is set to play on the same Soccer Aid team as the singer next month in aid of UNICEF. And Sam, who today launched a 260-mile endurance challenge for the charity, told the Mirror how he’d heard that Louis was a “great bloke.”
Sam and Zara split last year(Image: Getty)
He said: “I’ve never met Louis, but the moment I see him, I’ll be like, ‘mate, how amazing is this what we’re doing, and hopefully we can make as much money as possible’. And I imagine – from what I hear, is a really lovely bloke – I imagine the reply will be exactly the same.”
Sam, who split from Zara four months ago and is now dating Samie Elishi, added: “It’s a charity football game and everyone will have a smile on their face….everybody is doing it for a cause that is far beyond relationships and who’s hooking up with who and all that kind of stuff. Football brings everyone together.”
Things are heating up for Sam, too, as the former Made in Chelsea star was photographed enjoying a passionate kiss with Samie Elishi, another Love Island alumnus. It’s believed to be Sam’s first public romance since his shock split from Zara earlier this year – and a source tells us his ex is actually happy with the new development. “Even though Sam and Zara’s relationship ended a long time before they officially split up, Sam did feel a bit like he had egg on his face,” an exclusive source tells OK!.
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“He knew it had been over for a while, but of course seeing his ex move on with a member of one of the world’s most successful boy bands ever is a little bit different to the norm. She’s hit the jackpot!”, they add. “Zara understandably doesn’t want to be seen as the villain, and it’s not easy when you’re the first to move into a new relationship. If this news stops people thinking of Sam as a victim, especially after she cheated on him when they were together, she’s happy.”
Donate to Sam’s Match Ball Mission for Soccer Aid for UNICEF now, by visiting socceraid.org.uk/challenge This year, thanks to the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, every donation you make to Soccer Aid for UNICEF will be doubled – up to £5 million.
