18 bus passengers die in Lagos accident (Punch)
Tragedy struck on Sunday morning after an 18-seater bus had a head-on collision with a truck in the Agemowo area along Lagos-Badagry Expressway.
The PUNCH gathered that the incident happened around 8 am. All the passengers and the driver of the bus reportedly died.
A motor boy in the truck also lost his life in the accident.
It was learnt that the driver of the commercial bus which left the Yaba area of the state and heading to Benin Republic tried to overtake a vehicle when he lost control and collided with the oncoming truck. Read more
Burna Boy becomes first African to sell out stadium show in US (Nation)
Grammy award-winning singer Burna Boy has become the first African musician to sell out a stadium show in the United States of America.
The ‘Love Damini’ crooner sold out the 41,000-capacity Citi Field Stadium in NYC, USA, on Saturday.
Burna Boy’s sister, Nissi was the opening artiste at the concert.
The self-acclaimed ‘African Giant’ also brought out British rapper, Dave to perform their collaborative song ‘Location.’ Read more
Sit-at-home: South East economy heading to extinction – Ohanaeze Ndigbo (Tribune)
Following the ongoing violent sit-at-home protest order, issued by a factional leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mr Simon Ekpa, to press home the release of Nnamdi Kanu from the Department of State Services (DSS) detention, the National Vice President-General of Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Demian Ogene-Okeke, has asked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to release Kanu.
Ogene-Okeke, said the release of Kanu, will dust down the current hostilities going on across the five states of the region, Anambra, Imo, Abia, Enugu and Ebonyi.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that the Ohaneze Ndigbo leader’s reaction is a result of the recent shutting down of social-economic activities in the region by hoodlums, suspected to be gunmen that have been terrorising innocent people and businesses. Read more
BRT-Train Accident: Lagos Court refuses bus driver’s bail application (Channels)
A Lagos High Court on Friday refused the bail application of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) driver, Oluwaseun Osibanjo, whose role in the March 9 collision with a moving train led to the death of at least six persons with many others injured.
The incident, which occurred at the PWD, Ikeja area of Lagos, involved some judiciary staff workers and other staff workers of the state government who were on their way to work.
In her ruling on the bail application, Justice Oyindamola Ogala held that Osibanjo’s health was stable after he had spent seven weeks in the Intensive Care Unit and had been discharged to face his trial. Read more
IPMAN condemns incessant pipeline vandalism in Lagos (Punch)
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Ejigbo Satellite Depot, has condemned the incessant pipeline vandalism in Lagos.
It noted that pipelines of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited in Lagos are often vandalised by criminals.
This is as IPMAN raised the alarm over incessant activities of pipeline vandalism at Idimu, Alimosho Local Council Development Area of Lagos. Read more
Delta: NDLEA arrests church officials in illegal drug syndicate raid (DailyTrust)
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrested four members of a drug syndicate including two church officials; a female staff of a courier company and another lady, involved in trafficking the lethal opioid, fentanyl in Delta State.
This is as the anti-narcotic agency also raided a skucchies factory in Ogun; and seized no fewer than 4,560kgs of skunk in interdiction operations in Lagos, Adamawa and Osun states.
Spokesman of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, said on Sunday in a statement in Abuja that the bust of the fentanyl cartel operating from Warri, Delta State is coming barely a month after two members of another syndicate: Odoh Collins Oguejiofor and Oliver Chigozie Uzoma were arrested at Ogbogwu market, Onitsha Head Bridge, Onitsha South LGA, Anambra State. Read more
Group to Tinubu: Break the jinx, appoint an FCT person as minister (Sun)
The Young People’s Initiative for Credible Leadership (YPICL), an advocacy organisation, has made a strong appeal to President Bola Tinubu to consider a Federal Capital Territory person for the position of minister for the capital city, Abuja.
The group drew the president’s attention to the fact that since the creation of the FCT, a minister has never been appointed from amongst the natives or non-natives practising politics in the Territory, especially those that have voting rights and political influence therein.
The Group’s Executive Director, Comrade Abdulwahab Ekekhide in a statement has a strong conviction that if Tinubu can do this, he will be making history as the first democratically elected president to be so fair to the city since the return of democracy in 1999. Read more
Gunmen kidnap Ekiti APC chairman Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti (ThisDay)
The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, Mr. Paul Omotoso, was yesterday evening kidnapped by gunmen.
He was reportedly whisked away by the gun-wielding bandits while driving along Agbado Ekiti-Imesi Ekiti Road.
According to the APC State Publicity Secretary, Segun Dipe, the party chairman was abducted while driving in his car. Read more
Jonah Hill’s ex dubs actor “misogynist” after sharing screenshots of star’s “texts” (DailyRecord)
Jonah Hill’s former girlfriend Sarah Brady has shared screenshots allegedly showing texts between her and the actor as she branded him as a “misogynist”.
On Friday, Jonah’s ex-girlfriend – who works as a surf instructor and often posts surfing snaps on Instagram – took to social media to blast her former partner, reports the Mirror.
Initially, the surfer and law student did not confirm she was referring to Jonah, sharing a slew of screenshots of an alleged conversation the pair had. Read more
Ali Wong prioritising stand-up instead of acting after Beef (FilmNews)
Ali Wong wants to focus on her stand-up comedy instead of acting projects following the success of Beef.
The comedian has received more offers for acting roles since she starred as Amy Lau in the Netflix TV series alongside Steven Yeun in April. While she appreciates the increased interest, she wants to focus on stand-up as she neglected it while she shot the show.
“I decided a while ago that it was time for me to return to stand-up,” she told Variety. “That was the longest break I ever took, and the worry is that that muscle atrophies – you can lose it if you don’t put the reps in. It’s like weightlifting.
“Acting is wonderful, but it takes a lot of time. It’s time for me to be with my kids and do stand-up for now. Although I do appreciate getting calls and offers. It’s so wonderful and something I never imagined would happen.” Read more
Fra Angelico’s rare painting of the Crucifixion fetches record price at Christie’s auction house (CNA)
The most publicised painting of the summer sale season is from the Italian Renaissance — and it’s unrepentantly religious — Fra Angelico’s Crucifixion just sold July 6 at Christie’s for over £5 million (about $6.4 million) to an unknown buyer, setting a new auction record for the artist.
Just as the sensation of 2017 was “Christ as Salvator Mundi,” by Leonardo da Vinci, the latest is Christ as part of a Calvary scene. Fra Angelico died around the time that Leonardo was born, in the mid-15th century, and had been revered throughout Italy. For a major painting to come on the market by this artist is exceptional.
Christie’s is the same auction house that sold Leonardo’s work six years ago — it was the most expensive painting ever sold — $450 million, and the buyer was probably the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. Read more
Harry Styles hit in the eye by flying object during concert in Vienna (PageSix)
Harry Styles is the latest victim of a worrying trend in which concertgoers are throwing items at artists on stage.
The One Direction alum, 29, was performing in Vienna, Austria, Saturday night when a flying object hit him directly in the eye.
The “As It Was” singer, who is on his blockbuster Love On Tour, was seen wincing in pain as he bent over and covered his eyes with his hands. Read more
Elton John wraps farewell concert tour in Stockholm (UPI)
British pop music legend wrapped up his farewell concert tour in Stockholm on Saturday.
“What a journey this tour has been and now we find ourselves at the end of it. Tonight is the final night,” the 76-year-old singer-songwriter posted on Instagram.
John’s last global tour included more than 300 shows played for more than 6 million fans over the course of the past five years. Read more
France bans fireworks sales ahead of Bastille Day as country reels from anti-police riots (Fox)
The French government has banned firework sales ahead of Bastille Day celebrations as the country still reels from widespread anti-police riots.
“In order to prevent the risk of serious disturbances to public order during the July 14 festivities, the sale, carrying, transport and use of pyrotechnic articles and fireworks are prohibited until July 15 inclusively throughout the national territory,” a government decree published Sunday in the Official Journal of the French Republic read.
The decree does not apply to professionals with the required approvals and authorizations or public authorities set to put on firework shows celebrating Bastille Day. Read more
Egypt to host summit of Sudan’s neighbours in bid to end the war (National)
Egypt plans to host a summit of Sudan’s neighbours on July 13 to end the bloodshed in the vast Afro-Arab nation after nearly three months of war.
The meeting in Cairo will look into ways to end the conflict between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the Egyptian presidency said on Sunday.
Beside Egypt, Sudan’s neighbours are Libya, Chad, South Sudan, Central African Republic, Ethiopia and Eritrea. Read more
Asisat Oshoala shortlisted for 2023 Ballon d’Or Award (Punch)
Nigerian football star and Super Falcons forward, Asisat Oshoala, has been named as a nominee for the prestigious 2023 Ballon d’Or Award.
The announcement was made by France Football, the organiser of the award, via its official Twitter handle on July 7.
Oshoala has been nominated in the Socrates Award category, which recognises outstanding solidarity actions carried out by football champions. She is one of five individuals shortlisted for the award, which was established last year and named after the legendary Brazilian footballer, Socrates. Read more
Former Barca player, Luis Suarez dies (Sun)
Former Barcelona and Inter Milan midfielder Luis Suarez, the only male footballer born in Spain to win the Ballon D’Or, died at the age of 88 on Sunday.
Nicknamed “The Architect” the Spaniard won the prestigious award in 1960 and later coached La Roja at the 1990 World Cup.
“Luis Suarez Miramontes has died this Sunday in Milan at 88 years old,” said Barcelona in a statement. Read more
6 PSG stars lodge complaints on Kylian Mbappe over comments in explosive interview (Mirror)
Six PSG players have complained to the club’s president Nasser Al-Khelaifi following comments made by Kylian Mbappe.
The Frenchman, who is involved in a transfer saga with the French side, claimed that the Ligue 1 champions were a “divisive club” which tends to “attract gossip”. Mbappe, who has been at PSG since 2017, also suggested they had perhaps reached their “glass ceiling”.
His comments, which came via L’Equipe, also saw him state that playing for PSG “does not help” certain comments about his performance. Several of his team-mates, including two new signings, have taken issue with Mbappe and made their feelings known to the hierarchy, according to the Athletic. Read more
Ballon d’Or-winning Barcelona and Inter Milan great Luis Suarez dies aged 88 (RTE)
Former Barcelona and Inter Milan midfielder Luis Suarez, the only Spanish-born men’s footballer to have won the Ballon d’Or, has died at the age of 88, the two clubs said on Sunday.
Suarez, who joined Barca in 1955, won the Ballon d’Or, soccer’s most prestigious individual trophy, after claiming a league and cup double with the Catalan side in 1959.
He also won 32 caps for Spain and was part of the squad which won the European Championship in 1964. Read more
Alexander Zverev takes another swipe at Wimbledon as grumpy German sent home (Express)
Alexander Zverev could not resist taking another swipe at Wimbledon organisers after he was beaten in straight sets by Matteo Berrettini on Saturday evening. The latter managed to set up a blockbuster fourth-round meeting with top seed Carlos Alcaraz by downing his German opponent, who conceded the first set thanks to a slow start before falling on the wrong side of two tiebreakers in the second and third.
The match needed to be stopped in the second set due to rain, while there were additional challenges with the low-light conditions at SW19 before and after the enforced break. Zverev was unhappy with the way proceedings were handled and blamed the umpire for not listening to his advice when quizzed on what happened in his post-match press conference.
“I think both of us played much better after the break, because it was ridiculously dark before the rain delay,” said Zverev. “We both were saying that to the umpire, but their plan wasn’t to play us till 8.30pm. I don’t know how they wanted to play with us for more than one hour.” Read more
Scotland’s Stuart Hogg retires ahead of Rugby World Cup (ESPN)
Scotland’s record try scorer Stuart Hogg has announced his retirement from rugby union with immediate effect, saying his body could not take the strain anymore in a statement released on Sunday.
Hogg has scored 27 tries for Scotland and had announced in March that he would retire after this year’s World Cup which runs from Sept. 8 to Oct. 28.
The 31-year-old represented Scotland at two World Cups and captained them to two Calcutta Cup wins over England. Hogg also won the European Champions Cup and Premiership in 2020 with club side Exeter Chiefs. Read more