5 men in court over alleged theft of spirits, wine worth N20m (Vanguard)
Five men on Tuesday appeared in a Magistrates’ Court in Yaba, Lagos State over alleged theft of exotic spirits and wine worth N20 million, belonging to their employer.
The police charged Micheal Akor, 28, James Akor, 23, Lawrence Naanban, 30, Isaac Zafaniah, 20, and Isaac Dauda, 20, with conspiracy and theft.
The Prosecution Counsel, Sgt. Modupe Olaluwoye, told the court that the defendants committed the offense sometime in March, at No. 10, Emma Abimbola Cole st., Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.
She alleged that the defendants stole some cartons of Hennessy XO, Moët & Chandon champagne, Jameson wine, and Baileys, worth N20 million. Read more
Lagos Police Nab ‘Ijora Badia Most Wanted Cultist’ (DailyTrust)
The Lagos State Police Command announced on Monday that it had arrested a suspected cultist, Muritala Ahmed, who it described as “one of the deadliest cult gang members” in the Ijora-Badia area of the state.
The police said Ahmed, 22, had been on its “most wanted list” over numerous killings and violence in the Ijora and Orile-Igamu areas.
The Command told Daily Trust that operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) arrested the suspect, said to be widely known as “Terror” in cult circles, three weeks ago, along with six suspected members of his gang. Read more
Greatest pain govt can inflict is hike in price of fuel, electricity – Bode George (Vanguard)
Former Deputy National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Olabode George, has described the hike in fuel price and electricity tariff as the greatest pain a government can inflict on a people.
He, therefore, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to, as a matter of urgency, reverse the increment of petroleum price and that of electricity as the country is yet to come to terms with the effect of COVID-19.
Speaking during a courtesy visit by the PDP aspirants in the Lagos East Senatorial district and Kosofe 2 State constituency, Bode said the decision remains the greatest pain that any government can inflict on the people that gave them the mandate to manage the resources of their nation. Read more
N30,000 minimum wage meaningless with petrol price hike – NLC (Punch)
The Nigeria Labour Congress and civil rights groups on Tuesday said there was no economic basis in the claim by the Federal Government that the petrol price in the country was among the lowest in Africa.
The NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, in an interview with The PUNCH, said government should have situated its argument against the devaluation of the naira and the minimum wage being paid to workers.
Also, some state chapters of the NLC said the hike in electricity tariff and the petrol price had rendered the N30,000 minimum wage meaningless. Read more
Pay fine in time or risk arrest, FRSC advises offenders (Vanguard)
The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Zone 4 Command, has advised all traffic offenders earlier arrested but have yet to pay their fines, to do so immediately, or risk arrest.
Mr Terry Hoomlong, Acting Zonal Public Education Officer, Zone RS 4 in a statement on Tuesday, said that the advice was given by ACM Kayode Olagunju, the Zonal Commanding Officer.
Hoomlong said that the offenders who had already been declared wanted after exceeding the seven-day grace period from the date of arrest and issuance of a notice of offence tickets were now being looked out for. Read more
Oil marketers now free to fix prices, says PPPRA (Punch)
The Federal Government is no more going to be releasing guiding price bands for the sale of petrol at filling stations; hence, oil marketers are now free to fix prices.
On March 19, 2020, the government, through the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, commenced what it called a petrol pricing regime, whereby it releases bands showing upper and lower limits for the pump price of petrol monthly.
It released petrol price bands for about three months although some operators faulted the decision as they claimed it did not speak well of a deregulated downstream oil sector. Read more
Buhari directs full release of n2.3tn to fund economic sustainability plan (Thisday)
President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday said he had directed the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, to ensure a timely release of the proposed N2.3 trillion for the implementation of economic sustainability plan (ESP) as well as funds for capital projects.
The president, at the end of a two-day “First-Year Ministerial Retreat,” yesterday in Abuja, said he had done his best for the country within the available limited resources and urged the elite to judge his administration with fairness.
He also said his administration has made progress in all fronts and charged his cabinet members to be alive to their responsibilities. Read more
Osun footballer slumps, dies during match (Punch)
A football player in Osun State, identified only as Damilola, has passed on after he slumped during a football match in the Ido area of the state.
According to an eyewitness, Damilola slumped while playing for his club, Premier Football Club Ofatedo, on Monday.
Our correspondent also learnt that immediately the incident happened, the player was rushed to a private hospital for treatment.
“But the hospital did not admit him and he was rushed to LAUTECH, where he was confirmed dead. During the second half of the match, when a free kick was about to be played, he just slumped and couldn’t stand again. Read more
AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine trial on hold over safety issue (Aljazeera)
AstraZeneca has “voluntarily paused” late-stage trials of the highly-anticipated COVID-19 vaccine it is developing with the University of Oxford after one of the study volunteers developed an unexplained illness, the company said on Wednesday.
The AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine is seen as one of the most promising of the vaccines against coronavirus that are currently under development.
“As part of the ongoing randomized, controlled global trials of the Oxford coronavirus vaccine, our standard review process was triggered and we voluntarily paused vaccination to allow review of safety data by an independent committee,” said Michele Meixell, the company’s spokeswoman. Read more
Daniel Prude death: Rochester police leaders step down (BBC)
Rochester police chief La’Ron Singletary has retired, denying claims he tried to keep Daniel Prude’s death from public scrutiny
The leadership of a New York police force has stepped down following the death of a black man who was hooded and restrained during an arrest.
Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren told a city council meeting that the chief of police and deputy chief had announced their retirement.
A grand jury will help determine whether charges should be brought over Daniel Prude’s death in March.
Seven police officers involved in his arrest have been suspended. Read more
Clicks stores to remove TRESemme products after backlash over ad (Aljazeera)
South Africa’s Clicks Group has said it will remove all TRESemme products from its shelves after an advertisement posted on the retailer’s website was accused of being racist.
The advertisement, commissioned by the TRESemme hair company and carried on the Clicks pharmacies’ website, compared two photos of Black women’s hair with two photos of white women’s hair, labelling the Black women’s hair “dry and damaged” and “frizzy and dull”, while the white women’s hair labelled was “fine and flat” and “normal”.
The pharmacy retailer removed the advertisement and apologised, as did TRESemme South Africa.
Clicks said all employees responsible for publishing the advertisement have been suspended and it had accepted the resignation of a senior executive. Read more
Charlie Hebdo trial: Artist recalls being forced to let gunmen into offices (BBC)
A survivor of the Charlie Hebdo killings has told a French court of the trauma she has suffered since she was forced at gunpoint to let two attackers into the magazine’s offices.
Cartoonist Corinne Rey gave emotional testimony at the trial of 14 people accused of helping the two attackers.
The militant Islamists shot dead 12 people in and around Charlie Hebdo’s Paris office in January 2015.
Five more were killed by a third gunman in related attacks. Read more
Kim Kardashian announces end of long-running hit reality show (BBC)
The long-running TV reality show about the Kardashian family is coming to an end, Kim Kardashian West has announced.
“It is with heavy hearts that we’ve made the difficult decision as a family to say goodbye to Keeping Up With The Kardashians,” she said in a statement posted on Twitter.
The show has run for 14 years, and made global mega-stars of Kim, her siblings, their parents, partners and children. Read more
Oscars unveil new diversity standards for 2024 best picture nominees (NYPost)
The Oscars are raising the inclusion bar.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which oversees the annual Hollywood awards show, on Tuesday announced new diversity standards for best picture nominees.
Beginning in 2024 with the 96th Academy Awards, films must meet two of four standards in representation categories in order to qualify for a nomination.
The categories are listed as: on-screen; among the crew; at the studio; and in opportunities for training and advancement in other aspects of the film’s development and release. Read more
Apple announces iPhone 12 event taking place next week (Metro)
Apple has announced it will be holding an event next week at the Apple Park campus in California.
The company has posted a teaser image on its website, starting the event will happen on September 15.
It also emailed out notice of the event to members of the press with the tagline ‘Time Flies’. We take that as a not-so-subtle hint the company will be revealing a new version of the Apple Watch. Read more
Golf: Okah-Donli backs Nigerian ladies to beat African rivals (Vanguard)
National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) director-general, Julie Okah-Donli has backed Nigerian lady golfers to dominate their African rivals in tournaments to come.
Okah-Donli who was looking ahead to the 2021 Ladies Open Golf Championships, spoke against the background of the rivalry between Nigerian ladies and their Ugandan counterparts in recent times. In the 2020 tournament decided at the IBB International Golf and Country club last February, Amina Wilfred of the Nigerian Police Force arrested the dominance of Uganda’s Irene Nakalembe who had won back to back titles.
“We have very good lady golfers in Nigeria. Maybe they were having a bad game when the Ugandans topped them. Read more
Iwobi faces stiff competition as Rodriguez joins Everton (Punch)
Alex Iwobi may struggle for playing time at English Premier League side, Everton, following the arrival of Colombian and 2014 World Cup Golden Boot winner James Rodriguez.
Iwobi, who joined Everton last summer after spending seven years at Arsenal, failed to flourish in his first season with The Toofees.
Since arriving at Goodison Park, the 24-year-old has played 29 times in all competitions, scoring two goals, with a solitary assist.
The Super Eagles star will need to impress at Goodson Park to get into the side’s starting 11 after Rodriguez joined from Real Madrid on Monday. Read more
Caster Semenya loses appeal against the restriction of testosterone levels in female runners (BBC)
Caster Semenya has lost her appeal to Switzerland’s Federal Supreme Court against the restriction of testosterone levels in female runners.
Semenya is not allowed to compete in events between 400m and a mile without taking testosterone-reducing drugs, following a 2019 rule change by governing body World Athletics.
“I am very disappointed,” the 29-year-old South African said.
“I refuse to let World Athletics drug me or stop me from being who I am.” Read more
Naomi Osaka will reveal sixth mask as she reaches US Open semifinals (NYPost)
Naomi Osaka needs to make it to the championship round to unveil all seven masks she had made specifically to wear at the US Open to raise awareness against police brutality and social injustice.
The 2018 champion played and won for the fifth time Tuesday night in the quarterfinals, honoring George Floyd with his name on her mask before and after her 6-3, 6-4 victory over American Shelby Rogers at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Osaka also has donned masks honoring Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain, Ahmaud Arbery and Trayvon Martin earlier in the tournament. Read more
Ronaldo passes 100 goals for Portugal (BBC)
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo became the first European to score 100 international goals in men’s football and then passed that mark with both goals in the Nations League win over Sweden.
The captain curled a stunning free-kick into the top corner – the 57th of his career – to reach the landmark.
The Juventus forward, 35, then fired in a fine second from outside the box.
Ronaldo, who played 81 minutes, is within eight goals of the world record.
Iran’s Ali Daei – the only man to score more international goals than Ronaldo – hit 109 during his playing career from 1993 to 2006. Read more
US Open 2020: Alexander Zverev beats Borna Coric to reach semi-finals (BBC)
German fifth seed Alexander Zverev fought back from a set down to reach his first US Open semi-final by beating a battling Borna Coric.
Zverev, 23, crumbled in the first set as the Croatian 27th seed threatened his hopes of a first Grand Slam title.
But two impressive tie-breaks and a late break in the fourth set gave the German a 1-6 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-1) 6-3 victory.
“I started playing a bit more aggressively,” Zverev said.
“The way I was playing was not the level for a Grand Slam quarter-final. I don’t want to stop here. Read more