PINK REPUBLIC/ MY BLOG IS A STORY MARATHON.

 Hitman Allegedly Guns Down Educator and Another Man in Lulekani, Phalaborwa  An educator from Shiphamela Primary School in Lulekani Circuit, Mopani East District, is among two men who were shot dead inside their vehicle at Kurhula village last night. The educator, who was originally from Mhinga village outside Malamulele, and the second victim were allegedly targeted by a hitman who fled the scene immediately after the shooting. Both men died at the scene. The motive for the apparent hit remains unknown, and police investigations are underway.

 Man electrocuted while allegedly attempting to steal transformer cables. A man has di£d from suspected el£ctrocution along Trademore Road, Lugbe, in Abuja. It is suspected that the man attempted to cut the cables of a transformer but sadly met his d£mise when power supply was restored. His body was found inside the transformer enclosure in the early hours of Friday, August 21. The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, confirmed the incident, stating that the body has been evacuated from the scene and conveyed to a mortuary at Gwagwalada for an yo.

 Real Madrid retain title as World’s Most Valuable football brand at €2.4 Billion Real Madrid have maintained their position at the summit of global football business, topping the Brand Finance Football 50 Report for the third consecutive year. The Spanish club's brand value surged 25% year-over-year to reach €2.4 billion. The valuation makes Los Blancos the first club in the 15-year history of the ranking to cross the €2 billion threshold, largely bolstered by record commercial performance and the full-capacity operation of the renovated Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. In addition to leading in overall valuation, Real Madrid earned a Brand Strength Index score of 95.8 out of 100, marking the fifth consecutive year they have been named the world's strongest football brand across metrics evaluating marketing, fan equity, and commercial performance. FC Barcelona remains Real Madrid's closest overall rival in second place, seeing their brand value rise 15% to nearly €2.0 billion. M...

   White chef attacked by two Black men in apartment jacuzzi while listening to class Greg Medina, 48, is a white chef who cooks meals for the homeless through Lutheran Social Services in San Bernardino. He is also the sole provider for his 12-year-old daughter. After a long week he sat in the jacuzzi at his apartment complex, listening to a class through earbuds, minding his own business. Surveillance video shows two black men walking up behind him. One delivered a hard kick to the back of Medina’s head. They then took his phone and ran. According to Medina, the attack was unprovoked. He went to the ER with a concussion but could only afford one day off work before returning, while still dealing with the effects. Police have not announced any arrests. Medina said the blow could have knocked him unconscious and left him drowning. Medina spends his days serving vulnerable residents through his job, and says he was targeted in a random attack. The investigation remains ongoing.

  Former world champion boxer Zolani Tete shot dead in Eastern Cape Former WBO and IBF world champion boxer Zolani Tete has been shot and killed outside his home in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape, South Africa. The 38-year-old was ambushed on Friday by two armed suspects wearing balaclavas as he sat in his car waiting for his gate to open. A 27-year-old woman in the vehicle with him was also shot multiple times and remains in hospital. South Africa’s Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie described Tete as "one of the finest fighters South Africa has ever produced." Tete held the WBO bantamweight title between 2017 and 2019, and the IBF super-flyweight title in 2014. He also holds a Guinness World Record for the fastest knockout in a world title fight — ending his 2017 bout with Siboniso Gonya in just 11 seconds. His professional record stood at 29 wins, including 22 knockouts, four losses and one no contest. His manager confirmed Tete had been training for a comeback fight after completin...

  Two men shot inside car in Lulekani Two men have reportedly been shot inside a vehicle at Kurhula Village in Lulekani, Phalaborwa, this evening. Police have arrived at the scene and are reportedly awaiting the arrival of emergency medical services. The circumstances surrounding the shooting are not yet known. More details to follow as information becomes available.

 TROOPS ARREST SUSPECTED GUNRUNNER, RESCUE KIDNAP VICTIM Troops of the Nigerian Army have arrested a suspected gunrunner and recovered an AK-47 rifle and other items in Plateau State, while a separate operation in Edo State led to the rescue of a kidnapped victim. In Plateau State, troops of Operation ENDURING PEACE, in collaboration with vigilantes and local hunters, conducted an intelligence-led raid on Kisayi and Dogon Daji settlements in Bassa Local Government Area. The operation followed the abduction of Dr Abraham Owoicho on 19 August 2026. During the operation, some occupants fled into the surrounding bush on sighting the troops. However, a 30-year-old woman, identified as Halima Ibrahim, was apprehended while attempting to flee with two AK-47 rifle magazines. A subsequent cordon and search of her residence at Kisayi B Village led to the recovery of one AK-47 rifle, one locally fabricated revolver, one military jungle hat and three mobile phones. Preliminary investigation in...

 Mary J Blige explains why she chose not to have kids: 'No freedom' Mary J. Blige has spoken candidly about her decision not to have children, explaining that her perspective was shaped by what she witnessed growing up.  She recalled seeing relatives struggle with childcare and feeling that parenthood meant “no freedom,” which led her to conclude early on that motherhood wasn’t for her. Protecting her independence became a priority, and she pursued her career without the responsibilities of raising children. As she’s gotten older, Blige admitted her view has become more nuanced. While she doesn’t regret her choice, she now recognizes the value children bring to their parents’ lives, observing the bonds her relatives have formed with their families.  She also reflected on her mother’s experience, noting that her mother gave up a singing scholarship to raise children, while Blige herself was able to follow the musical path her mother couldn’t. That contrast reinforced her a...

 Morgan Fairchild reveals why Robin Williams told her 'Mama, you're one of me' Morgan Fairchild has fond memories of witnessing Robin Williams’ brilliance before he became a household name. After her guest role on Happy Days in 1977, she often visited the Paramount lot, where Henry Winkler encouraged her to watch Williams perform as Mork from Ork.  Fairchild recalled staying all afternoon just to tell him he was a genius, recognizing early on the extraordinary talent that would soon launch Mork & Mindy. When offered a recurring role on the spinoff, Fairchild’s agent advised against it due to the lower pay. But she insisted on taking the job, saying she would have worked for free just to collaborate with Williams.  On set, she quickly realized the show’s rhythm revolved around Williams’ improvisation. Scenes would begin with the script, but Williams would take off with spontaneous material, leaving the cast and crew to follow his lead until the director guided them bac...

 Atlanta resident speaks out after mayor tells him to 'shut up' over transit concerns Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens faced backlash after telling a constituent to “shut up” during an online exchange about transit and pedestrian-safety projects.  The incident began when Jonathan Brimer commented on Dickens’ Instagram post, urging him to prioritize restoring Peachtree Street’s pedestrian design and completing Beltline rail funded by MARTA’s voter-approved sales tax.  Dickens replied by telling Brimer to “shut up and respect our legacy Black women residents,” sparking criticism over his tone. Brimer later said he was surprised by the mayor’s response, clarifying that his comments were directed at transportation policy, not the women featured in Dickens’ post. He added that the exchange left him less supportive of Dickens’ leadership.  His concerns centered on the city’s lack of a coordinated vision for public transit, pointing to delays in the $4.85 million Peachtree Stree...

 Dolly Parton reveals she is dealing with health issues she “didn’t pay attention to” while caring for late husband Carl Dolly Parton says she is still recovering from health issues she believes she neglected while caring for her late husband, Carl Thomas Dean. “I am dealing with some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to when I was watching over Carl,” the 80-year-old country icon told PEOPLE on Friday, Aug. 21, referring to Dean, who died in March 2025 at 82. Parton said her current health struggles are not the first she has faced, recalling a period in the early 1980s when she was “down for several months with female issues.” “It’s not like I haven’t been through hard times with my health,” she said. “But I think because we live in a 24/7 world with social media, everything gets magnified in ways it wasn’t years ago.” Despite her recovery, Parton said she remains active. “Even though I’m still healin’, I’m still workin’,” she said. Her health also affected her recent...

 An Oklahoma Training Lieutenant is on the opposite side of the law after he fled the scene of a fatal accident. A Rush Springs, Oklahoma, resident was traveling along Highway 81 on his bicycle when he was struck by a vehicle. We are not sharing the victim's name until law enforcement confirms all of his next of kin have been notified.   The police officer fled the scene of the accident, leaving the bicyclist suffering critical injuries along the side of the road. The victim tragically laid there until he passed away from his critical injuries.  The victim leaves behind a wife and a young son. There is a GoFundMe reportedly being made for the family, we will share it when we receive it.  The hit-and-run driver was ultimately revealed to be 47-year-old Jarrod Bishop of the Duncan Police Department. In a heartbreaking and ironic twist, Bishop served as the Advanced Accident Fatality Team Leader for years. Lt. Jarrod Bishop is THE law enforcement agent who would ha...

 A Minnesota man crushed his friend's head in a hydraulic grapple while the two were goofing off at work... playing with their shadows.  A playful moment as two friends were wrapping up a tree trimming job turned deadly serious with major legal repercussions.  34-year-old Christopher Crimmins and his co-worker, 26-year-old Tyler Lynch, were working at a job site in Apple Valley, Minnesota, as part of a tree trimming service. Yesterday, at around 7 p.m., Tyler was cleaning up the ground as Christopher operated the heavy equipment, which included the instrument of Tyler's de*th.  First responders were called to the home on the 5200 block of 132nd Street for a severe medical emergency. When EMS arrived at the home, they discovered Tyler on the ground suffering from a traumatic head injury. Paramedics quickly determined that Tyler's injuries were fatal and he was already deceased. Officers with the Apple Valley Police Department arrived on the scene and began investigati...

   68-year-old French tourist dies in Death Valley as temperatures reach 116 degrees A 68-year-old French tourist died Monday in Death Valley National Park after becoming stranded in an area where temperatures climbed to 116 degrees. Pierre Michel Formosa and a traveling companion were driving along West Side Road when their vehicle became stuck in mud near the remote Queen of Sheba Mine Road area. The two men, both from France, left the vehicle and began walking in search of help. They crossed the salt flats toward Badwater Road in extreme heat. After walking about 1.3 miles, Formosa was unable to continue. His companion continued toward the road, where he eventually received assistance from a passing motorist. He then reported the situation at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center around 2 p.m. Park rangers and an Inyo County sheriff’s deputy launched a search for Formosa, with a California Highway Patrol helicopter later joining the effort. Formosa was located Monday afternoon a...

 Police Rescue 75 Kidnapped Travellers In Kaduna The Kaduna State Police Command has rescued 75 travellers who were abducted by armed men near Folwaya Village in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of the state. The victims, comprising men, women and children, were reportedly travelling in commercial buses when gunmen armed with AK-47 rifles and other weapons intercepted them on Wednesday evening. According to the police, the abductors took the travellers into a forest and concealed them in a cave in a mountainous area. The police said the rescue followed information received from the Birnin Gwari branch of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW). A team of police operatives was subsequently deployed to the area. The kidnappers reportedly fled after sighting the approaching security personnel, abandoning the victims, who were rescued unharmed. The police spokesman, Mansir Hassan, said the incident occurred at about 5:30pm on August 19, 2026. The state Commissioner of Po...

 ANAMBRA POLICE ARRESTS FIVE SUSPECTS: RECOVER HARD DRUGS VALUED AT ₦1,450,000, FAKE US DOLLAR BILL AND VANDALIZED WIRES The Anambra State Police Command has arrested five suspected members of a criminal gang and recovered large quantities of suspected illicit drugs valued at ₦1,450,000, (One Million Four Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira), a fake United States $100 note, vandalized electrical wires and ₦72,550.00 in cash during a raid on a suspected criminal hideout in Njikoka Local Government Area of the State. The operation was carried out on 20th August 2026, by operatives of the Command attached to the Rapid Response Squad Awkuzu, who stormed the suspected criminal hideout located at Nawfia, Njikoka LGA at about 12:48 p.m. Five male suspects were arrested during the raid. They are: Omogo Obinna, 29 years old, Okechukwu Nwagba, 28 years old, Echezona Okonkwo, 29 years old, Awal Umar, 23 years old and Ogadinma Boniface, 33 years old respectively.  Items recovered from the su...

 STATEHOUSE STATEMENT Members of the APC Presidential Campaign Council constituted; Abdulaziz Yari to serve as DG, Uzodimma secretary President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima will serve as chairman and vice chairman of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, according to the list released Saturday morning. Party Chairman Professor Nentawe Yilwatda will also serve as vice chairman, while former Zamfara State governor Senator Abdulaziz Yari will serve as the director-general of the campaign. Governor Hope Uzodimma will serve as secretary of the campaign council. APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Bashiru and Hadiza Bala-Usman will serve as deputy and assistant secretaries. The chairman of the campaign Council, President Tinubu, will work with a body of advisers comprising Chief Bisi Akande, Chief Segun Osoba, Senator Rochas Okorocha, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, and Senator Florence Ita Giwa. Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker Tajudeen Abass, and Governo...