Category Entertainment News

The epic Hausa movie “Mai Martaba” has been chosen by the Nigerian Official Section Committee (NOSC) to enter the 97th Academy Awards’ International Feature Film (IFF) category.

Produced and directed by Prince Daniel, the film explores power, love, greed, and betrayal themes in an ancient African kingdom, presenting a transformative tale that challenges conventions and celebrates female leadership.

The Committee chose the movie based on its visual and technical appeal, as well as its pertinent theme of diverse voices in decision-making and inclusive leadership.

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The NOSC voting members include award-winning actress and NOSC Chairperson Stephanie Linus, President of the Directors ‘ Guild of Nigeria (DGN) Dr. Victor Okhai, veteran actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, former DGN President Andy Amenechi, theatre practitioner Yibo Koko, writer/director Izu Ojukwu, and prolific film producer Emem Isong, Ali Nuhu, Kene Okwuosa amongst others.

Mai Martaba received the highest votes from the 15-member committee. The next step in the movie will be decided by the IFF Executive Committee.

Shot on location in Daura, Katsina State, Nigeria, “Mai Martaba” tells the story of an ancient kingdom that once experienced a trade boom through the Trans-Saharan trade exchange, which was short-lived due to a fierce internal power struggle among the powerful Agadashawa ruling clan.

The film, which had its theatrical release in Nigeria, was also selected for the Septimius Awards in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

The father of her three children, Heather Flanagan, has blocked her on his phone.

The Coronation Street star, 34, and footballer, Scott Sinclair, 35, were together for 13 years before they decided to call it quits. The former couple co-parent Matilda, nine, Delilah, six, and Charlie, three, however, Helen has admitted they don’t speak to each other, claiming: “I’m on block at the moment on Scott’s phone”.

Lifting the lid on their strained relationship, she told the Life of Bryony podcast: “No disrespect to the father of my children, you know, I’ve had three children with him, and I always have a lot of love for him. We’re both good people, but together we were very toxic. I mean, I’m on block at the moment on Scott’s phone. I really am. I’m on block.

” We do each other’s f*****g head in. But I know he always will have a love for me, you know, you always have kind of a respect for each other, I know he’s not a bad guy, we’ve just got our own s**t going on. “

When the football player, who played for Swansea City, met when Scott and Helen were just 19 years old. Claiming they” didn’t have time to grow “in their relationship, Helen said:” I think because we’re together from so young, we were just 19, and I just don’t think we had that time to grow, until we’ve split up, we just didn’t work. “

The Coronation Street star reportedly popped up on Celebs Go Dating a month ago in an effort to find love. However, the actress was slammed by the show’s experts and viewers when she confessed that she already had a secret boyfriend, Robbie Talbot. The construction firm boss, 44, has been living in Helen’s home since last month, eight months since the pair began dating.

At the Pride of Britain Awards, Helen revealed to the Mirror that she had never met anyone like him despite keeping the beginning of her young romance a secret. He’s not only a lovely man, but he’s really, really funny. And he was able to chat me up! Usually I don’t get that, but he has so much confidence. And he really takes good care of me.

The pair met by chance in February at a restaurant, just weeks before the mum-of-three signed a contract for the E4 dating show. Helen continued with the series despite unmistakable chemistry with Robbie, a former football player who runs a construction company. She even kissed other men.

She said her aim was to be” lighthearted “in the series, and not feel guilty about seeing other people. She explained:” We were dating, but it was early days and I wanted to do the show. I love the show. Robbie said it was fine when I told him I was doing it.

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Amazon has dramatically reduced the price of a highly-rated Oral-B toothbrush, which is claimed to give your teeth a ‘ dentist clean ‘ feel. The Oral-B iO5 Electric Toothbrush is currently available for £89.99, a whopping £190.01 off its usual price of £280, and comes in black, white or pink.

Amazon is also offering huge discounts on several other Oral-B models, including the Smart 6 for £64.99 (down from £219.99), and a £100.01 discount on the Pro 3 twin pack, now priced at £59.99.

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According to the brand, the iO5 removes up to 160% more plaque than a manual toothbrush, leading to healthier gums within a week of use.

A pressure sensor alerts you if your brushing is too hard or too soft for an effective clean while its “dentist-inspired” round brush head cleans with micro-vibrations and oscillating action. The iO5 is touted as featuring Oral-B’s ‘ most advanced technology ‘ and can be used with the AI-powered Oral-B app, which monitors your brushing habits in real-time to ensure optimal cleanliness.

It offers five cleaning modes, including Daily Clean, Intense Clean, Sensitive, Super-Sensitive and Whitening. According to MyLondon, the toothbrush comes with an electric charging station, a “long-lasting” battery life, and a practical travel case for brushing while traveling.

The Oral-B iO5 is sweeping in commendations, amassing a whopping 900 five-star appraisals at Amazon – customers can’t stop raving about that ‘ amazing ‘ teeth feel.

An elated buyer reported: “This electric toothbrush was recommended to me by my dentist. My old toothbrush just wasn’t getting into all the right places; I had started developing some gum disease. This toothbrush is literally amazing. I wasn’t sure I would use the app that’s recommended to download, but I love it – it shows you exactly where you’re brushing. The only thing I regret was having to purchase the “sensitive” brushes separately because the ones that came with them were too harsh for my gums. My teeth now feel dentist-fresh every time now”.

Another satisfied user testified: “Great electric toothbrush. Although I had some reservations about whether this would significantly improve my previous Oral-B Pro Series 3 electric toothbrush, I was completely blown away by how much it improved. My teeth feel much cleaner and it is much quieter. I would highly recommend this toothbrush to anyone because it is also much simpler to use.

A third contented patron contributed: “Perfect electric brush. I recently made a Philips Sonicare change, and I’m so happy I did. With a round head, getting behind the teeth is much simpler. Feels a much better clean. I chose this one because of the positive reviews and high ratings, but it also had a reasonable price.

While one savvy shopper left a glowing five-star review, they also flagged up a downside, pointing out: “Only drawback is the replacement heads aren’t cheap”.

In other news, Debenhams has cut prices on various electric toothbrushes, with a massive £50 off the Oral-B Pro 3 3000 CrossAction Toothbrush now retailing at £50, while Currys delivers a smooth deal by knocking down £45 off the Philips Sonicare 3100 Electric Toothbrush, pricing it at an affordable £44.99.

Boots, a health and beauty store, has introduced a new luxury makeup line that costs less than £20. The collection, from No7, includes products such as lipstick, setting spray, eyebrow gel and cream bronzer.

No7 Pro Artist is a 12-piece collection of “luxurious cosmetics products”, comprising of “high quality, premium formulas”, according to the brand. It has been created to offer a reasonably priced selection of products that “doesn’t compromise on luxury and quality” because all of the collection’s items retail for less than £20. “

Boots took to Instagram to share a look at the new products, alongside the caption: “The Wait is Over! No7 Pro Artist is HERE! Discover the new luxury makeup range with bold lipsticks, liquid blushes, and everything you need to become a pro. “

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The video received numerous comments and hundreds of likes from enthralled shoppers. Among them, one said: “Tried the bronzer today… … I of course had to purchase it! ! ! “

A second wrote: “Everything is absolutely stunning, the red carpet ready lipstick and bronzer is my favourite. ” A third added: “So excited to try the range. “

A fourth excited shopper said: “The setting mist I’m loving”, while a fifth wrote: “It’s giving No7, but it’s serving number ate. ” Another added: “Looks a lovely collection, can’t wait to go shopping. “

The No7 Pro Artist range includes:

The entire range can be found here. No7 Pro Artist bundles and gift sets are also available, making them ideal Christmas presents for lovers of beauty.

The No7 Pro Artist Top Picks Bundle costs £57, one of which. 95 – though it’s worth more than £100 when buying the products separately. The bundle includes the No7 Pro Artist Base Perfecting Primer, No7 Pro Artist Soft Glow Cream Bronzer Medium Glow, No7 Pro-Artist Luxe Liquid Blush Pink Blush, No7 Pro-Artist Matte Muse Lipstick Rose Couture, No7 Pro-Artist Eyeshadow Palette Lights Camera Action, and No7 Pro Artist Lip Shine Oil Strawberry Glaze.

There’s also the No7 Pro Artist Glowing Up Collection 6 Piece Gift Set for £34. 95, though it is worth £94. 60. This contains five full size products – No7 Pro Artist On-the-go Look Palette Spotlight 4 shade Eyeshadows, No7 Pro Artist Perfect Glow Highlighter & Bronzer, No7 Pro Artist Matte Muse Lipstick Rose Couture, No7 Pro Artist Luxe Liquid Blusher Taupe Blush, and No7 360 Mascara Black, as well as a No7 Make-up Velvet Bag and Free No7 Foundation Voucher.

Nicola Chapman, No7 UK Makeup Artist Ambassador, said: “Social media would have you believe that everyone knows what they’re doing when it comes to makeup, and you need a cupboard full of products and an advanced skill set to look your best.

“Most of us simply want a few fantastic products that can be quickly and easily used in our busy lives and produce stunning results,” the truth is. That is exactly what the new No7 Pro Artist collection consists of. These products are foolproof and can be used at home or on the go, so you don’t need to spend a lot of time on them. “

Before declaring her pregnancy, pregnant Gisele Bündchen made her pregnancy known to former husband Tom Brady.

The Brazilian model. 44, is expecting her first baby with boyfriend Joaquim Valente, 35. The pregnant star is already mum to two children from her time with her ex spouse Tom, Benjamin, 14, and Vivian, 11.

Gisele and Tom, who met in December 2006 on a blind date set up by their mutual friends, married in 2009 but announced their split in 2022. Tom’s refusal to leave American football was reportedly a contributing factor to their divorce.

Not long after her high-profile marriage ended, Gisele found love with 35 year old martial arts guru Joaquim Valente. After 16 months of romance, Gisele and Joaquim are set to add a “unexpected” bundle of joy to their lives, with insiders close to the couple suggesting they are thrilled about welcoming their wee one into a “peaceful” loving home.

However, Gisele made sure to inform their children, their ex-husband Tom, before letting the world know that she was pregnant. According to reports, the Victoria’s Secret model allegedly told Tom shortly after telling their children that their new sibling would be their big brother and sister.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, a source said: “Gisele’s kids are absolutely thrilled by this. Since she started including Jiu Jitsu in their homeschooling in 2021, Joaquim has been a significant part of both of their lives. They regard him as a father figure and adore him. They are currently forming their own family, and a wedding is coming up in the near future.

Gisele and Joaquim, whose connection sparked over their shared Brazilian roots, reportedly weren’t planning to have a child together but couldn’t be happier with Gisele’s surprise pregnancy. A couple’s spokesman told PEOPLE on Monday that “Gisele and Joaquim are excited about this new chapter in their life and they’re looking forward to creating a peaceful and loving environment for the entire family.”

Last year, insiders revealed how Gisele and Joaquim’s love story blossomed. A source revealed to People: “They started out as friends. Gisele’s divorce was greatly helped by him. After the divorce, their relationship turned romantic. Joaquim is a great person. He is down to earth, kind, and inspiring. After the divorce, Gisele resisted dating. It’s been very natural for her to date Joaquim”.

Further comments from the source were: “They come from similar backgrounds. Both of them were young when they left Brazil. They have both created amazing lives for themselves in the U. S. They both love Miami, but also enjoy traveling. They both enjoy healthy living. Gisele’s in a great space. She finds life to be very enjoyable and joyful. Joaquim is ideal for her.

When Gisele announced her separation from NFL legend Tom in October 2022, the showbiz world was shocked. The supermodel said on Instagram, “We have grown apart, and while it’s difficult to go through something like this, I feel blessed for the time we spent together and only wish the best for Tom always. “The decision to end a marriage is never easy.

Before Gisele, Tom had a relationship with actress Bridget Moynahan, lasting from 2004 to late 2006, and they share a 17 year old son, John Edward Thomas Moynahan.

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On the day of his passing, Liam Payne was negotiating with his four music companies.

The One Direction singer died at the age of 31 while he was away in Argentina’s Buenos Aires on a third-floor balcony. He was spotted reading emails on his personal laptop in the hotel’s lobby in the hours leading up to his death.

After becoming concerned about Liam’s behavior, hotel staff called emergency services and escorted him to his room. In the call, made on October 16, workers told operators that the father-of-one had been seen ‘ acting erratically in the hotel lobby and smashed his laptop’, according to local reports.

He has reportedly filed papers to resign as the director of four of his businesses as of right now. The late singer’s papers were revealed in recently released documents on Companies House, which revealed he had received some of his money from recording and performing live shows.

One firm, called Hampton Music Ltd, was valued at £17, 300 last year. Another, Hampton Record Ltd, was worth £300, 000 in 2022 and decreased to below £75, 000. Long Play Touring LLP also went from £135, 000 in 2022 to £17, 000 last year. Another firm, Hampton Publishing Ltd, was valued at only £729.

The singer, who was a member of One Direction, is said to have been in the wrong room at the wrong time when he gave birth to a fatal blow on October 16 in his room at the Casa Sur Hotel. According to broadcast journalist Paula Varela, “There is footage that is not being made available to the media with the balcony scene where you see that Liam faints and tragically falls from that balcony.” He would have fallen onto his bed if he had sat beside it.

The footage is part of a horrific sequence of CCTV, it is understood. Ms Varela, 45, says it indicates Liam did not jump deliberately from the balcony. However, authorities continue to investigate the star’s death.

Before she returned to the United States days before his passing, father-of-one Liam spent several weeks with his girlfriend Kate Cassidy in Argentina. At the beginning of the month, the couple even went to Niall Horan’s concert together. Prosecutors said in a statement after Liam’s death they believed he was in “in a state of semi or total unconsciousness” during a substance-induced ‘ psychotic episode ‘ when he fell.

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