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P7as2

This Woman Quietly Surpassed Tom Cruise, Robert Downey Jr., And Chris Evans To Become The Worlds Highest-Grossing Actor

If you think of the world’s highest-grossing actor, you may imagine someone like Tom Cruise, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, or even Samuel L. Jackson—all of whom are known for being a part of record-breaking films and film franchises like The Avengers, Top Gun, and Mission Impossible—but the actual highest-grossing star, though closely related to these names, might surprise you. The Black Widow actress just pushed all the way to the top of the list with the release of Jurassic World Rebirth, after years of giving tough yet silent competition to other names in this prestigious list. As of now, the actor’s total worldwide gross is at $14.94 billion and inching closer to the $15 billion mark. Scarlett’s fellow Avengers stars aren’t far off either. Samuel L. Jackson sits at #2 with $14.82 billion, and Robert Downey Jr. is at 3 with $14.34 billion. Positions 4 and 5 are dominated by fellow Marvel stars Zoe Saldaña with $14.25 billion and Chris Pratt with $14.13 billion, while the legendary Tom Cruise chimes in at $13.37 with just 29 movies. Captain America star Chris Evans secures the 7th spot, with $12.09 billion, and Chris Hemsworth comes in at 9 with $12.08 billion. Fun fact? 9 out of 10 of the highest-grossing actors are from the world of Marvel, with the exception of Tom Cruise. Tom Cruise’s most notorious work remains the Mission Impossible franchise to date, but his highest-grossing film is Top Gun: Maverick, which made $1.49 billion. The highest-grossing film for 8 out of the list’s 9 Marvel stars is the second highest-grossing film in the world, Avengers: Endgame. Yup, Zoe Saldaña is the odd one out, since her highest-grossing film remains Avatar, which is the highest-grossing film of all time. She’s also a part of the third highest grossing film, Avatar: The Way of the Water, making her resume quite the impressive one.  While it’s true that Scarlett Johansson may not have had many blockbuster solos or roles compared to other names on the list, she still has one of the most impressive and critically acclaimed filmographies in Hollywood, thanks to which she’s managed to become #1. Johansson made her film debut at the young age of 10, starring in the 1994 comedy film North. Her first lead role was in Manny & Lo, for which she received praise from critics and was even nominated for a Best Lead Female award.  Throughout her later career, the actress has been a part of many iconic and critically acclaimed films, including the likes of Lost in Translation, The Prestige, Her, Marriage Story, Jojo Rabbit, Lucy, Sing, and The Jungle Book.  Of course, her biggest break came when she grabbed the opportunity to replace Emily Blunt in her MCU debut in Iron Man 2 and starred in The Avengers just 2 years later. For both of these films, Johansson underwent rigorous training and showed nothing but strict discipline and dedication to the role. For Iron Man 2, she undertook strength as well as stunt training. She even learned Russian from a teacher over the phone, just to deliver an authentic performance for The Avengers, in which she had to speak Russian dialogue. The way that things are going, it seems like Scarlett Johansson might retain this throne, at least until the newest chapter of The Avengers, Avengers: Doomsday, heads to theaters next year, which stars Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Hemsworth.  Given the success of Avengers films, this might push Robert Downey Jr. to the number 1 position.

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News_Naija

Dowen College Graduates Win Multi-million Dollar Scholarships

Eight graduates of the 2025 set of Dowen College, Lekki, Lagos, have secured scholarships worth millions of dollars to further their academic pursuits abroad. Among the recipients is Ayodeji Udeze Daniel, who received a $64,000 scholarship from the New York Institute of Technology, $54,000 from Fisher College, $24,000 from Arizona State University, and another $24,000 from George Mason University, all in the United States, to study Computer Engineering. At the school’s valedictory and graduation ceremony, the Principal and Head of School, Dr. Adebisi Layiwola, expressed pride in the achievements of the graduating class. Other recipients are Odusanya Timilehin, who was awarded $144,000 to study Communications at Loyola University, $77,000 from the University at Albany, New York, and $30,000 from Montclair State University. Ogim Trinity Ejik-Obasi Peter received a $124,000 scholarship to study Electrical Engineering at the Illinois Institute of Technology, $72,000 from Nova Southeastern University, and $28,000 from Colorado State University. Daniel Eko was offered an $18,400 scholarship from the University of Memphis to study Engineering, while Makinwa Oreoluwa secured $32,000 in scholarship offers from Menlo College and Clarkson University. Afolabi Ilerioluwase Onabanjo won a $60,000 scholarship from Clarkson University, while Ogunmoroti Kayode received multiple offers: $54,498 from Lewis and Clark College, $108,000 from Loyola University, New Orleans, and a substantial $200,000 scholarship from the College of Wooster, Ohio, to study Computer Engineering. Chukwidumebi Onwuma was awarded a CA$5,000 scholarship by Simon Fraser University, Canada. In her charge to the scholarship recipients, the school principal, Adebisi Layiwola, added, “You have learned to adapt to new technologies, embraced collaboration, and developed critical thinking skills that will serve you well in the world ahead. You have not only mastered your subjects; you have developed character, integrity, empathy, and vision. We are indeed proud of you.” “You have shown us courage in uncertainty, strength in adversity, and creativity in moments of change,” she said. “Whether in the classroom, on the sports field, in service to the community, or during external challenges and competitions, you have made us proud.” Guest speaker and former senator representing Ogun West, Felix Bajomo, advised the students to pursue academic excellence alongside strong moral values. “Your academic excellence will open the door, but your character, your integrity, your courage will determine your future,” he said. He emphasised that success requires resilience and self-belief.  “The world does not just reward academic success. Boldness, determination, consistency, and character are part of the success stories that will propel you to greater heights. “Opportunities don’t always appear as open doors. Sometimes, they look like problems waiting for someone like you to solve. Rather than wait for opportunities, I challenge you to create them,” Bajomo advised. The valedictorian, Sameerah Lawan, emerged as the most outstanding graduate, finishing with a perfect Cumulative Grade Point Average of 5.00, topping the set of 40 graduates.

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News_Naija

Oyo Warns Students, Teachers Against Exam Malpractice

The Chairman, Oyo State Teaching Service Commission, Mrs Oladipo Olubukola, has urged students to shun examination malpractice as the National Examination Council examinations continue across the state. Olubukola gave the charge during a monitoring exercise at some secondary schools in different zones of the state on Wednesday and Thursday. She advised both students and teachers against cutting corners during examinations, stressing the need for honesty and hard work. She further encouraged students to focus on their academics to boost their chances of gaining admission into their preferred universities. Olubukola also reiterated the commission’s commitment to upholding high academic standards through collaboration with relevant authorities. She warned that appropriate disciplinary action would be taken against anyone found guilty of examination malpractice. She said, “The Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration has zero tolerance for examination malpractice.” According to her, the monitoring exercise was aimed at assessing the conduct of the ongoing NECO examinations in public schools across the state. In his remarks, the Principal of Ibadan Grammar School, Mr Ogunleye Biodun, commended Governor Makinde for prioritising education development in the state. Some of the examination centres visited include Ibadan Grammar School, St. Anne’s School, Olubi Memorial Grammar School, and Saint Luke’s College, all in Ibadan.

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Worldnews

Three Killed In Suspected Attack By Yemens Houthis On Red Sea Vessel

The Yemeni group, which has not claimed responsibility for the attack, says Israel-linked ships are ‘legitimate target’. A suspected attack by Yemen’s Houthi group on a Liberian-flagged cargo ship in the Red Sea has killed three sailors and wounded two others, a European Union naval force says. The attack on the Greek-owned Eternity C late on Monday follows the Houthis claiming they attacked another vessel on Sunday in the Red Sea, a vital maritime trade route. While the Houthis have not yet claimed the attack, the US Embassy in Yemen and the EU force blamed them for it. “The Houthis are once again showing blatant disregard for human life, undermining freedom of navigation in the Red Sea,” the embassy, which has operated out of Saudi Arabia for nearly a decade due to Yemen’s wider war, said on Tuesday. “The intentional murder of innocent mariners shows us all the Houthis’ true colors and will only further the Houthis’ isolation.” The Houthis say that are targeting Israel-linked ships as part of a campaign to pressure the Israeli military to end its assault on Gaza, which rights groups have described as a genocide. After Sunday’s attack on a vessel called Magic Seas, the Houthis said ships owned by companies with ties to Israel are a “legitimate target”. “Our operations will continue to target the depth of the Israeli entity in occupied Palestine, as well as to prevent Israeli navigation in the Red and Arabian Seas and to disrupt the Umm al-Rashrash [Eilat] port, until the aggression against Gaza stops and the blockade is lifted,” the group said in a statement. The twin assaults mark a revival of attacks on ships in the Red Sea and potentially signal the start of a new armed campaign threatening the waterway, which had begun to see more traffic in recent weeks. The EU, Israel’s largest trade partner, had condemned Sunday’s attack. “It is the first such attack against a commercial vessel in 2025, a serious escalation endangering maritime security in a vital waterway for the region and the world,” the bloc said in a statement. “These attacks directly threaten regional peace and stability, global commerce and freedom of navigation as a global public good. They can negatively impact the already dire humanitarian situation in Yemen. These attacks must stop.” The two Houthi attacks and a round of Israeli air strikes early on Monday targeting three Yemeni ports raised fears of a renewed campaign against shipping that could again draw in US and Western forces. The administration of US President Donald Trump launched an intense bombing campaign in Yemen earlier this year, but Washington and the Houthis reached a ceasefire in May, with the Yemeni group agreeing to halt attacks against US ships. The escalation comes as a possible ceasefire between Israel and Hamas hangs in the balance, and as Iran weighs whether to restart negotiations over its nuclear programme following its war with Israel in June. Between November 2023 and January 2025, the Houthis targeted more than 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two of them and killing four sailors. Their campaign has greatly reduced the flow of trade through the Red Sea corridor, which typically sees $1 trillion of goods move through it annually. Shipping through the Red Sea, while still lower than normal, has increased in recent weeks. Follow Al Jazeera English:...