LUTH resident doctors embark on indefinite strike (Punch)
The Association of Resident Doctors, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos, on Friday embarked on an indefinite strike over nonpayment of outstanding salaries and allowances. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the association was also demanding for the payment of outstanding arrears owed house officers, resident doctors and residency training fees. Other issues, they are seeking interventions include the lack of resident doctors and house officers across all units and better lighting in the dark portions within the hospital environment. Read more
FAAN to close parts of Lagos airport for six weeks (Punch)
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria on Friday said it would close the Murtala Muhammed International Airport’s Apron Gate 1 and some sections of Taxiway F to human and vehicular traffic for six weeks. The agency said the directive, which became effective on Friday, would enable contractors working on the new terminal to link it with the old one. The agency’s General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, said, “FAAN hereby notifies airlines, airport users and the general public that effective Friday, June 7, 2019, the Murtala Muhammed International Airport’s Apron Gate 1 and some sections of Taxiway F would be closed to human and vehicular traffic for six weeks. Read more
Bomb explosion kills three in Imo – Police (Punch)
The Imo State Police has confirmed the death of three persons, who were killed when an ordnance UXO exploded at a dumpsite. According to the Police Public Relations Officer, Orlando Ikeokwu, the incident happened at Eziorsu community in Oguta Local Government Area of the state. He said the deceased were at a scrap site in the area when one of the victims while beating a scrap iron in order to compress it, triggered the ordnance. the bomb exploded killing the three of them at the scene. Read more
Insecurity: We must never stop praying, CAN advises (Punch)
The Christian Association of Nigeria, Kaduna State Chapter, has appealed to Nigerians to continue praying for God’s intervention in the security challenges confronting the country. The CAN Chairman in Kaduna State, Rev. John Hayab, made the call in a press statement issued on Friday in Kaduna. Hayab said, “We must never cease to pray to have a lasting solution to insecurities such as banditry, kidnappings, cattle rustling and gunmen attacks that have become an everyday challenge facing us”. Read more
Bagudu assures supports to private investors (Guardian)
Gov. Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi on Friday assured investors that his administration would continue to welcome entrepreneurs interested in the industrialisation of the state. Bagudu gave the assurance in Birnin Kebbi at the inauguration of a recreational centre buillt by a private investor, Mallam Isyaku Abdullahi. He acknowledged that the centre would serve as a place for social and recreational gathering and also for economic prosperity and employment generation for the people. Read more
EFCC arraigns lecturer for alleged misappropriation of N19m PhD funds (Punch)
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, on Friday, arraigned a lecturer at Nasarawa State University, Keffi for alleged diversion of funds. The suspect, Moses Adoga was arraigned at Nasarawa State High Court, sitting in Lafia, the capital city of Nasarawa State. According to the statement issued by the spokesperson of EFCC, Makurdi Zonal Office, Mrs Okeanu Nnwanyinma, the suspect was said to have obtained a Tertiary Education Trust Funds to the tune of N19m for his PhD programme in Cellular and Molecular Biology at Bangor University, United Kingdom but diverted the fund to personal use. Read more
NAFDAC seals firm packaging unregistered honey in Abuja (Punch)
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has sealed a manufacturing facility which packaged honey under poor hygienic condition in Abuja. In a statement by Prof. Moji Adeyeye, NAFDAC’s Director-General, the action was based on information on social media which indicated that the product, produced in Durumi, Abuja was adulterated. “NAFDAC officials clamped down on the facility in Abuja where honey was being packaged. Read more
Russia and US warships almost collide in East China Sea (BBC)
A Russian warship and a US warship have come close to collision in the western Pacific Ocean, with each side blaming the other for the incident. Russia’s Pacific Fleet said the cruiser USS Chancellorsville crossed just 50m (160ft) in front of the destroyer Admiral Vinogradov at 06:35 Moscow time (03:35 GMT). It was forced to perform “emergency manoeuvring” to avoid the US ship. Read more
Boris Johnson challenges misconduct summons in court (Guardian)
Former foreign minister Boris Johnson, the frontrunner to replace Theresa May as Britain’s prime minister, on Friday challenged a lawsuit accusing him of knowingly lying during the Brexit referendum campaign. Lawyers for Johnson, who leads a crowded field of contenders vying to be Conservative Party leader after May formally resigns today, claimed in court that the private prosecution is “politically motivated and vexatious”. Read more
3.3 million people have fled Venezuela crisis: UN (Guardian)
An estimated 3.3 million people have fled the crisis in Venezuela since the start of 2016, including one million who have left the country since November, the United Nations said Friday. “The pace of the outflow from Venezuela has been staggering,” the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) and International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in a joint statement. Economically-devastated Venezuela is suffering from shortages of food, medicine and other essentials amid a power struggle between President Nicolas Maduro and opposition leader Juan Guaido, who has been recognised as interim president by more than 50 countries including the United States. Read more
Pope seeks more prayer, less business at Lourdes shrine (Guardian)
Pope Francis has named a special envoy to prioritise spirituality at the Roman Catholic shrine at Lourdes in France over “managerial and financial” aspects. The Italian press said Friday that the nomination of Lille auxiliary Bishop Antoine Herouard is seen as the equivalent of placing the holy spring in the foothills of the Pyrenees mountains under supervision. Lourdes is one of the most revered sites for the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics because the town is said to be where the Virgin Mary appeared to a peasant girl in a grotto. Read more
Qatar emir to visit White House amid Gulf tensions (Guardian)
Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani will meet with President Donald Trump next month as the country continues to endure the two-year economic squeeze from its US-backed Gulf Arab rivals, the White House announced Friday. The emir will meet Trump in Washington on July 9 for talks on regional politics, security and counterterrorism cooperation, according to the announcement, amid a US effort to build pressure on Gulf power Iran. Read more
Gay couple beaten after refusing to kiss on London bus (BBC)
A couple say they were subjected to a homophobic attack and left covered in blood after refusing to kiss on a bus. Melania Geymonat, 28, said the attack on her and girlfriend Chris happened on the top deck of a London night bus as they were travelling to Camden Town. A group of young men began harassing them when they discovered the women were a couple, asking them to kiss while making sexual gestures. Read mores
Prince estate drops posthumous album of unreleased demos as Jay Z praises icon’s ‘artistic freedom’ (Metro)
Prince’s estate have dropped a posthumous album full of unreleased demos and fans are rejoicing that they get to hear one more record from the icon. The 15-track album, which has been titled Originals, is made up of songs the star recorded before handing them over to other artists, and was curated by Jay Z and Troy Carter before being released on TIDAL. Read more
Brad Pitt calls for judge to ‘impose final divorce date’ on Angelina Jolie (Metro)
Brad Pitt is thought to have been ‘pushed to his limits’ in his ongoing divorce with Angelina Jolie and has now called for a judge to ‘impose a final date’ on the signing of the papers. The couple split in 2016 but nearly three years on they are no closer to finalising their divorce amid claims Angelina has been stalling. After two years of marriage and ten years together, the pair shocked fans when they split; they share six children together, Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Knox and Vivienne. Read more
Rohr, 25 Super Eagles players honour Keshi at second memorial lecture (Punch)
Super Eagles Coach, Gernot Rohr, led no fewer than 25 players in the team’’ camp in Asaba to the 2nd Stephen Keshi Memorial Lecture held in the Delta capital on Friday. Keshi died in June 2017 and the memorial lecture was instituted by the National Association of Nigeria Professional Footballers. The eagles are currently camping in Asaba ahead of the friendly match with the Warriors of Zimbabwe on Saturday at the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba. Read more
CAF president Ahmad released in France without charge (Punch)
The president of the Confederation of African Football, Ahmad Ahmad, was released without charge in France on Friday, a day after being arrested for questioning, the Marseille public prosecutor said. Prosecutor Xavier Tarabeux said Ahmad was arrested in Paris on Thursday and questioned as part of a probe into corruption, breach of trust and forgery. Ahmad was in Paris for the FIFA Congress ahead of the start of the Women’s World Cup. His confederation’s marquee event, the African Cup of Nations, kicks off in Egypt on June 21. Read more
French Open 2019: Rafael Nadal beats Roger Federer to reach final (BBC)
Rafael Nadal is one step away from his 12th French Open title after a 6-3 6-4 6-2 semi-final win over Roger Federer. Strong winds prevented the contest from hitting the heights anticipated, but there were plenty of majestic moments to please the Philippe-Chatrier crowd. The Spaniard broke the Swiss icon six times, crucially in the third and ninth games of the second set, en route to doubling his advantage. Read more
Tennis: Federer won’t rule out 2020 Roland Garros return (Punch)
Roger Federer suffered his worst Grand Slam mauling since 2008 at the hands of Rafael Nadal but hasn’t ruled out returning to Roland Garros in 2020 — when he will be almost 39 years old. Federer slumped to a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 loss to the 11-time French Open champion in the semi-finals on Friday. Nadal now leads his overall head-to-head against Federer 24-15, and 14-2 on clay with the Swiss star’s last win on the surface against the Spaniard coming back in 2009. Read more
Chelsea lodge appeal against FIFA transfer ban at CAS (Punch)
Chelsea lodged an appeal on Friday at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland against a transfer ban imposed by FIFA, the court said. In February, FIFA banned Chelsea from signing players for their men’s teams for the next two transfer windows after FIFA’s disciplinary committee found the club guilty of breaching regulations relating to the recruitment of minors. Chelsea denied any wrongdoing and CAS said Friday the club had filed an appeal. Read more
Man Utd agree deal for Swansea’s James (BBC)
Manchester United have agreed a deal “in principle” to sign Swansea City’s Wales winger Daniel James. The 21-year-old has completed a medical and will become Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first signing since succeeding Jose Mourinho as manager at Old Trafford. The deal is expected to go through when Fifa’s international transfer window opens next week. Read more
Johanna Konta unhappy with French Open scheduling as women’s semi-final is pushed to third court (Metro)
Johanna Konta left the French Open with her head held high and with ‘no regrets’ but criticised tournament organisers’ scheduling after the women’s semi-finals were pushed off the main show court in Paris. The British No. 1 went down 7-5 7-6 (7-2) to 19-year-old Czech Marketa Vondrousova in a less than half full Simonne-Mathieu – the third show court at Roland Garros – with tournament officials hamstrung by their decision to sell each of the men’s semi-finals as a single match. Read more
Serena unlikely to play Wimbledon warmup, says coach (Punch)
Serena Williams is likely to go into Wimbledon without playing a warm-up event because she is still injured, her coach Patrick Mouratoglou has told Reuters. After a third-round exit at the French Open, Williams said she felt so short in matches, she was considering seeking a wildcard at one of the grass-court events and ‘see what happens’. Williams, a seven-time Wimbledon Champion, and her older sister, Venus, a five-time winner at the All England Club, usually prepare for the world’s only grass-court Grand Slam event at home in Florida. Read more