Susan Kelechi Watson On Her Biggest Challenge with ‘This is Us’ Role

*Susan Kelechi Watson, who plays the wife of adopted son Randall on the hit NBC drama “This Is Us,” says the biggest challenge with her role is “not to make Beth like me.”
“I want you to see a real person. I don’t want you to see a character,” she says. “There’s a fine line in that. Sometimes you can say, ‘I will just do it like me.’ I do things like how Sue will do it and the I deconstruct that so that it lives in me in a real way and then I say, ‘how would we do it through Beth’s eyes?’ And how can we make that flow naturally.”
As RollingOut.com notes, Watson graduated from the School of Fine Arts at Howard University in Washington, D.C., and soon thereafter began working on the theater stage. She landed a role on “This Is Us” after what she describes as a “horrible” audition for a play.
“I did not read the script right away,” Watson admits.

Susan Kelechi Watson

 “I rehearsed a couple of scenes from the script and went in for auditions. It went fine. I went with one casting director and I thought it went pretty well. They called me back for producers. It as funny because I had just gone in for another play that I just bombed. It was horrible. I was so upset and was focused on that. I don’t like to do bad. The next week I came back for the producers. They kept holding me for it.”
On her birthday, Watson received a call from her agent that the network wanted to fly her to LA to read for the part of Beth.
“I went home, read the script, fell in love with it and said ‘I will be on the plane.’”
And the rest is history.
The second half of season one of “This Is Us” returned to NBC on Jan. 10.

Donald Trump's team in ‘frequent contact’ with Russia despite denials

Washington worries as Trump paves way for stronger ties with Putin

Mr Trump has indicated he may lift sanctions imposed on Russia for cyber attacks during the US election AP
 
Donald Trump’s national security adviser has been in “very frequent” contact with Russia’s ambassador to the US, and the pair spoke on the day Barack Obama imposed sanctions on Russia for its part in election hacking, according to a senior US official.
Mr Trump’s team initially denied that Michael Flynn and Russia’s ambassador Sergey Kislyak spoke on December 29, but later admitted that a call had been made on that day and another call made the day before.
The cosy relationship has raised questions about whether repeated contact with the President-elect’s team has helped shape Moscow’s response to the imposition of sanctions.
Following the enforcement of the sanctions, in which Washington expelled 35 Russian diplomats, Vladimir Putin did not retaliate, and instead said he would not deport US diplomats in response.
Mr Trump described Mr Putin’s actions as “very smart”, putting himself at odds with his own country’s government, its intelligence service and with his own party.
The President-elect’s stance has prompted outrage in Washington, including among Republicans, after US security officials advised that Russia had been behind a hacking operation aimed at influencing the US election to benefit Mr Trump.
Mr Trump has already indicated he may lift the sanctions once he takes office.
“If Russia is really helping us, why would anybody have sanctions?” he asked in an interview with the Wall Street Journal

Two soldiers feared killed in fresh Boko Haram ambush

Two soldiers were feared killed in Damboa Council of Borno State after an Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) planted by retreating Boko Haram terrorists went off on Thursday.
The dead service men they were clearing remnants of fleeing insurgents in Golgore River and Talala axis of the state, when they were blown up.
Both men according to military sources in Maiduguri yesterday, were attached to 27 Task Force Brigade of Nigerian Army to
clear remnants of insurgents from Sambisa Forest.
“Our killed soldiers include an Army Captain and a Lieutenant that led the patrol team to clear remnants of terrorists from the forest,” the source said, adding that the troops were deployed in the Talala area for a counter-attack on the insurgents when the explosives accidently went off.
On troops’ ambush, he said: “The IEDs went off around 11am as the troops cleared the Boko Haram remnants in the Talala and Golgore River axis.
“The place of explosion is around the Golgore River in Damboa. We were not ambushed; it was an explosion and it killed the two and injured a few soldiers.
“Eight officers and 144 soldiers attached to the Nigerian Army, 27 Brigade Task Force, were deployed in the area to clear the Boko Haram remnants until the explosion occurred.”
In a related development, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Thursday said one of the challenges facing troops in the northeast
operation was that the sect members deliberately used their captives, including the Chibok girls, as shields to evade air strikes.
The NAF authorities explained that such strategy was frustrating air operations, as troops had to apply more caution in launching aerial attacks on suspected Boko Haram camps.

FRSC Corps Marshal Oyeyemi approves redeployment of senior officers

Following the recent promotion of senior officers and other intermediate officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps, the Corps Marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi has approved the redeployment of some of the newly promoted senior officers in the capacity of Deputy Corps Marshal, Assistant Corps Marshals and Corps Commanders, who are all expected to report to their new Commands on January 18, 2017.
According to the Head Media Relations and Strategy of the Corps, Bisi Kazeem, the newly promoted Deputy Corps Marshal, DCM, Dauda Biu who was formerly the Assistant Corps Marshal (ACM) Finance and Accounts at the National Headquarters of the Corps, still remains the Head of the Department.
He however stated that the designations of some of the other senior officers have been changed to suit their new ranks.
He gave the list of the officers posted as: Assistant Corps Marshal Kayode Fanola formerly the Corps Secretary at the Headquarters, has now been posted to the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS); Assistant Corps Marshal Susan Ajenge who was formerly the Sector Commander Niger State, is now the new Corps Secretary at the Headquarters; Assistant Corps Marshal Efosa Osawe still remains the Head of Corps Safety Engineering Office at the Headquarters.
In the same vein, Assistant Corps Marshal Taiwo Eseyin who was former Zonal Head of Operations at the Zone RS7 Abuja Zonal Command Headquarters, moves to Corps Marshal Office, Assistant Corps Marshal Gilbert Igbokwe still remains the Corps Budget Officer while Assistant Corps Marshal Albert Moore equally remains as the Corps Transport Safety Officer.
Similarly, Assistant Corps Marshal Fidelis Osakwe, who was formerly the Head of Section Discipline under the Administration and Human Resources at the Headquarters, is now the Assistant Corps Marshal Administration under the Administration and Human Resource Department at the National Headquarters.
He added that apart from Assistant Corps Marshal Ayobami Omiyale, former Sector Commander Kogi State Sector Command, now Zonal Commanding Officer Sokoto; and Assistant Corps Marshal Peter Kibo, former Sector Commander Imo State Sector Command, now Zonal Commanding Officer Bauchi, all former Zonal Commanding Officers remain in their present areas of jurisdiction.
The Head Media relations and Strategy added that five out of 12 Corps Commanders in the capacity of Zonal Head of Operations have been redeployed to other Zonal Command Headquarters in the same capacity, as well as five out of 37 Corps Commanders in the capacity of Sector Commanders, who were posted to other Sector Commands.

In the spirit of the new designation of the Commanding Officers, the Corps Marshal has implored the officers to remain steadfast in their commitment and dedication to duties and to share in the FRSC management’s vision of making Nigerian roads safer.

Access Bank staff masterminds armed robbery of his bank – Police

The police say they have arrested a senior official of Access Bank for his alleged involvement in a foiled armed robbery operation at a branch of the bank in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Also arrested for alleged complicity in the crime is a dismissed police sergeant who was attached to the bank as security personnel.

The police, in a statement issued, Thursday, by the Force spokesperson, Don Awunah, gave the names of the banker and the dismissed policeman as Samuel Ndudiri and Promise Ukwuoma respectively.

Other suspects arrested by the police are Samuel Nwala, 28; Lucky Ukwuoma, 26; and Kaale Taagabah, 27.

The police said Messrs. Nwala, Ukwuoma, and Taagabah, armed with AK-47 rifles, stormed the branch of the bank on December 22, based on the insider information they got from the bank official, Mr. Ndudiri, 28, who the police said was the mastermind of the operation.

“The armed robbers successfully broke down the well-fortified security doors and barriers and took over the banking hall,” the police said in the statement.

“They were almost pulling down the vault and other strong rooms in the bank with use of gas cylinder, welding machine and iron cutters before the joint Police Teams of IGP’S Intelligence Response Team and policemen from Rivers State Police Command swiftly moved in and dislodged them.”

The confessional statements of the three arrested robbers led to the arrest of the bank official, Mr. Ndudiri, the police said.

From the arrested bank official, the police said they were able to trace and arrest the bank security personnel, Mr. Ukwuoma, who was said to have been actively involved in the foiled bank robbery.

Apart from two AK-47 rifles and magazines fully load with ammunition, the police said they also recovered two gas cylinders and iron cutters, a big chisel, cutting saw, hammer, and acetylene gas power from the suspects.

The police said they were intensifying their effort to arrest other suspects at large, and that the case would be charged to court at the conclusion of investigations.

BREAKING: Nigeria Police dismiss 6 officers linked to Governor Wike

The Nigeria Police Force on Friday dismissed six officers attached to the Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State over alleged professional misconducts during legislative rerun elections that held in the oil-rich state last year, the spokesperson for the force said.

The six dismissed cops are an inspector, Eyong Victor; and five sergeants, Peter Ekpo, Oguni Goodluck, Orji Nwoke, Tanko Akor and Okpe Ezekiel.

The spokesperson for the police, Don Awunah, who paraded them in Abuja on Friday disclosed that they misused firearms and sabotaged the Independent National Electoral Commission while on the side of Mr. Wike during a collation exercise in Port Harcourt.

Mr. Awunah said they acted contrary to the stipulation of Force Order 237 and strict warning issued by the Inspector General of Police, Idris Ibrahim.

He said: “These aforementioned police personnel while in the convoy of the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, on the date of election on December 10, 2016 misused the firearms in their possession contrary to the provisions of Force Order 237.

“The personnel became overzealous, took laws into their hands and opened fire, causing panic in the crowd.

“They joined in storming the Port Harcourt City Council Secretariat and prevented the movement of election results of Emouha polling unit to the appropriate collation centre designated by INEC, in flagrant disregard and disobedience to senior police officers present at the venue.”

He added that the officials, who were handcuffed as they were paraded, were eventually dismissed from the police force after subjecting them to internal disciplinary measures wherein they were found culpable.

“They will be prosecuted under the Electoral Act to serve as deterrent to others.

“Their actions are capable of bringing the entire Nigeria Police Force to disrepute and portray the Force in a very bad light as a lawless organisation not guided by the rule of law,” Mr. Awunah said.

The December 10 electoral exercise was marred by widespread violence and irregularities. At least two police officers were killed during the election.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, INEC said a total 61 electoral offenders have been successfully prosecuted since 2015 with the cooperation of the police.

Theresa May to meet Donald Trump in US in spring

News of meeting comes as Mrs May seeks to build a relationship with President-elect

President-elect Donald Trump - Getty

Theresa May will visit Donald Trump in spring this year following preparatory December meetings between key staff from Downing Street and the United States president-elect's team, a Number 10 source said.
The Prime Minister's joint chiefs of staff Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill travelled to the US last month to build links with Mr Trump's team.
The mission was part of Mrs May's efforts to build a relationship with the controversial tycoon ahead of his inauguration on 20 January.
The source said: "This was part of a process leading towards the PM's first visit with President-elect Trump.
"During the second phone call with President-elect Trump, the Prime Minister suggested it would be a good idea for key staff from both teams to meet. President-elect Trump agreed this would be useful.
"We are pleased to have been able to make that happen and the Prime Minister looks forward to visiting the new president in the spring."
Early last month Mrs May praised Mr Trump as "very easy to talk to", despite having criticised him during the US elections.
The Prime Minister’s compliment formed part of her drive to build relations with the new administration, after a rocky start in which she and other senior Tories tried to move on from previous derogatory comments.
Speaking during a visit to Bahrain, Ms May said: "He is somebody who very much values the relationship he has with the UK."
During his campaign, when Mr Trump called for a ban on Muslims entering the US and claimed parts of London were no-go areas for the police, Ms May as Home Secretary said: "I just think it shows he does not understand the UK."
Culled from The Independent US
Additional reporting by agencies