Buhari hails Sanwo-Olu at 55 (Tribune)
President Muhammadu Buhari has sent warm greetings to the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, on his 55th birthday, saluting “the courage and boundless energy he has brought into leadership, especially the focus on people-oriented development.”
A statement issued by Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity), Femi Adesina, in Abuja on Wednesday said President Buhari joined the State Executive Council, family, friends and political associates of the former banker in celebrating “the visionary leader, who has over the years contributed to the development of the state at various levels, including serving as Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Commissioner for Training and Pensions, and Managing Director/CEO of Lagos State Development and Property Corporation (LSDPC).” Read more
Lagos arraigns cousins for killing Maersk MD’s wife (Punch)
The Lagos State Government, on Wednesday, arraigned two cousins, Olamilekan Adegoke and Akande Adeyinka, for allegedly killing the wife of the Managing Director of Maersk Nigeria Limited, Bernadette Tohouo.
The defendants were arraigned before Justice Modupe Nicole-Clay of the Lagos State High Court in Igbosere on eight counts bordering on conspiracy, murder, attempted murder, unlawful assault, robbery, armed robbery and rape.
PUNCH Metro had reported that the defendants, on December 8, 2019, attacked the Managing Director of Maersk Nigeria, Gildas Tohouo, and stabbed his wife, Bernadette, to death at their residence on No. 1 Luggard Avenue, Ikoyi.
The defendants also reportedly stabbed Gildas and forced him to drink a substance suspected to be acid. Read more
Lagos conducts over 34,000 COVID-19 tests (Vanguard)
Lagos State has conducted 34,734 COVID-19 sample tests since the inception of the pandemic, according to data by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
NCDC made the disclosure on Wednesday in its COVID-19 Situation Report for June 23.
It said that out of the 120,108 COVID-19 sample tests conducted in the country, Lagos has conducted the highest number of sample tests.
On the chart list for the tests, Lagos was followed by Abuja with 14,794 tests, while Kano and the Oyo States have conducted 10,232 and 7,605 tests respectively. Read more
Suspected fake Lagos property agent arraigned for fraud (Punch)
An alleged fake female property agent, Bukola Ayorinde, has been arraigned before the Lagos State Mobile Court in Oshodi for fraud.
The Lagos State Task Force on Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit arraigned Ayorinde on three counts of conduct likely to cause a breach of peace, cheating and obtaining money under false pretences before Chief Magistrate Abimbola Oshodi-Makanju.
She pleaded guilty to the charges. Read more
Nigeria records N124.77b deficit in Q1 (Nation)
Nigeria recorded a trade deficit of N125. 77billion in the first quarter (Q1) of this year, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said yesterday.
Its report titled “Commodity Price Indices and terms of Trade Q1” that it posted on its website, showed that the country exported items worth N1.8trillion in the period under review.
The report said during the period under review, the country spent N1.9trillion on importation of commodities, indicating that import was higher than export by N124.77billion.
In other words, the difference from the trade transaction was N124.77bilion, which is otherwise known as trade deficit. Read more
Father of five rescued from committing suicide in Ogun (Vanguard)
A 36-year-old man, Fatai Oyedele, on Tuesday, attempted suicide by jumping into Ogun river in Abeokuta, the Ogun State.
Oyedele, a father of five, was rescued by officials of the Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE).
The Public Relations Officer of TRACE, Babatunde Akinbiyi, confirmed this in a statement he made available to newsmen in Abeokuta. Read more
FEC okays over N137b for construction works (Nation)
The Federal Executive Council (FEC), yesterday, approved various civil works worth above N137 billion across the six geopolitical zones of the country.
Addressing State House Correspondents, Ministers of Works and Housing, and his Information and Culture counterpart, Mr Babatunde Fashola and Alhaji Lai Mohammed respectively, said the works were under the Ministry of Works and Housing, as well as the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF). Read more
Community sues for peace, warns against subversion of constitution (Guardian)
The people of Eziowa Aguobu Owa community, Ezeagu local government area of Enugu State have called for the restoration of peace and progress in the community. According to them, the presence of peace will prevent a wide-scale strife and anarchy within the community and its environs.
An indigene, Chibuzo Ani, speaking on behalf of other youths of the community said crisis within the community started when the indigenes asked questions about happenings in the community, especially how members remained in abject poverty with rampant insecurity, despite government’s effort to extend dividends of democracy to the people. Read more
3 indicted on murder charges in killing of Ahmaud Arbery (VOA)
A prosecutor on Wednesday announced that three men have been indicted on murder charges in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery in coastal Georgia.
Speaking to reporters outside the Glynn County courthouse, prosecutor Joyette Holmes said a grand jury had indicted Travis McMichael, Greg McMichael and William “Roddie” Bryan Jr. on charges including malice and felony murder in the death of the African American man.
“This is another positive step, another great step for finding justice for Ahmaud, for finding justice for this family and the community beyond,” Holmes said. Read more
Coronavirus: Human trial of new vaccine begins in UK (BBC)
Volunteers have begun being immunised with a new UK coronavirus vaccine.
About 300 people will have the vaccine over the coming weeks, as part of a trial led by Prof Robin Shattock and his colleagues, at Imperial College London.
Tests in animals suggest the vaccine is safe and triggers an effective immune response.
Experts at Oxford University have already started human trials. Read more
WHO says Covid-19 cases will soon hit 10 million mark (France24)
World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom said on Wednesday he expected the number of novel coronavirus cases around the world, now at about 9.3 million, to reach 10 million next week.
Tedros also told a news briefing he backed Saudi Arabia’s decision to ban pilgrims from abroad from attending the annual Haj pilgrimage to help limit the spread of the virus.
He said WHO was now supporting many countries in dealing with difficulties obtaining oxygen concentrators, devices that boost the flow of oxygen to support the breathing of COVID-19 sufferers. “Demand is outstripping supply,” he said. Read more
Kosovo’s President Thaci, nine others indicted for war crimes (AlJazeera)
Kosovo’s President Hashim Thaci and nine other people have been indicted by a court investigating war crimes committed during and after Kosovo’s independence war with Serbia.
A statement issued on Wednesday by the Special Prosecutor’s Office (SPO) in The Hague, the Netherlands, said Thaci and the others suspects were “criminally responsible for nearly 100 murders” of Kosovar Albanian, Serb and Roma people.
Other charges include enforced disappearance, persecution and torture. Read more
Coronavirus: New York imposes quarantine on nine US states (BBC)
New York, New Jersey and Connecticut have asked people travelling from states where virus cases are rising to go into self-isolation for 14 days.
New Jersey’s Phil Murphy said people in the three states had been “through hell and back” and did not want “another round” of virus infections.
Some southern and western states have been reporting record numbers of cases.
The University of Washington predicts 180,000 US deaths by October – or 146,000 if 95% of Americans wear masks. Read more
Coronavirus cases in the US reach a single-day high (NYPost)
The number of coronavirus cases reported in the US on Wednesday hit record levels not seen since April, a report found.
Health departments across the country recorded more than 36,000 new infections — breaking the previous single-day record of 34,203 set on April 25, according to a tally by The Washington Post.
The states reporting the largest uptick were Florida, Texas and California, with more than 5,000 new cases apiece. Read more
TIFF to proceed this fall with socially-distant screenings, drive-in shows (PageSix)
Good news for film fans: The Toronto International Film Festival will take place in September, with socially distanced in-person screenings and drive-in movies.
Halle Berry will screen her directorial debut, “Bruised,” in which she stars as an MMA fighter. Other films slated feature Mark Wahlberg, Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan.
Martin Scorsese, Ava DuVernay and Nicole Kidman will serve as festival ambassadors. But red carpets and press conferences will take place virtually.
Fest artistic director Cameron Bailey said, “Our teams have had to rethink everything and open our minds.” Read more
Samuel Kalu yet to resume Bordeaux training due to flight restriction (Vanguard)
Nigeria international Samuel Kalu was conspicuously absent from the training session at French Ligue 1 club FC Girondins de Bordeaux on Monday, June 22.
Bordeaux have started preparations for the new season but without two of their African stars Kalu and Edson Mexer.
French journalist Clement Carpentier tweeted that the two players were unable to return to France due to flight restrictions within Nigeria and Mozambique.
The 22-year-old is expected to return to France as from July 1 when international flights from Africa to France begin operations after the border was closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Read more
SA Premier League allowed to resume (BBC)
South Africa’s Premier Soccer League, which was suspended on 16 March due to the Covid-19 pandemic, has been given the green light by government to resume subject to the clubs meeting stringent protocols.
This follows a statement by country’s Department of Sport, Arts and Culture that it has approved the PSL’s proposed safety regulations which include testing and playing in a safe, sanitized environment.
The league will be allowed to resume as soon as the clubs meet all the required protocols.
The clubs have already begun testing and thus far, two players from Kaizer Chiefs, one from Bloemfontein Celtic and three staff members from Stellenbosch FC have tested positive for Covid-19. Read more
New generation of Liverpool fans prepares for title glory (France24)
When Liverpool were last crowned English champions, in April 1990, Margaret Thatcher was prime minister and the Premier League was two years away from its glitzy launch.
Now Jurgen Klopp’s runaway leaders are a Manchester City stumble away from once again ruling the roost after seeing off Crystal Palace 4-0 on Wednesday.
If City fail to beat Chelsea on Thursday, then it will all be over.
In 1990 it was business as usual for Kenny Dalglish’s dominant Reds, who had finished in the top two every year since 1973, apart from one season. Read more
Jarome Iginla, Marian Hossa, Kim St-Pierre among 6 voted into Hockey Hall of Fame (CBC)
Jarome Iginla will headline the Hockey Hall of Fame’s class of 2020.
The Calgary Flames icon and former captain was in his first year of eligibility following a standout career that spanned from 1996 to 2017.
Three-time Stanley Cup champion Marian Hossa will join Iginla in the players’ category, along with a pair of defencemen who have waited a long time to hear their names called — Kevin Lowe and Doug Wilson — and Canadian women’s national team goalie Kim St-Pierre. Read more
Battle of the Brits: Andy Murray beaten by Kyle Edmund (BBC)
Kyle Edmund won a physical battle against Andy Murray to reach the Battle of the Brits semi-finals.
Murray, playing only his second match since November, lost 6-7 (2-7) 7-6 (7-5) 10-5 and must now beat James Ward on Thursday to advance.
The encounter was billed as good gauge of where Murray is after a pelvic injury and there were some positives.
The six-day charity event, organised by Murray’s brother Jamie, is at the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton. Read more
Brooks Koepka not only golfer to pull out of Travelers due to coronavirus issues (NYPost)
They’ll play a golf tournament this week, beginning Thursday at TPC River Highlands, although there were moments on Wednesday when the world seemed to be spinning more rapidly than usual and it looked like the Travelers Championship might not go on.
Wednesday was not your typical day before a PGA Tour event at the Travelers, where four players withdrew as a result of COVID-19, adding to the Tuesday withdrawal of Cameron Champ, who tested positive for the virus.
None of the four players who withdrew Wednesday, however, actually tested positive for coronavirus. Read more
