Bus explodes on Third Mainland Bridge (Nation)
A commercial bus conveying several kegs of diesel Tuesday afternoon exploded on Third Mainland Bridge bringing traffic to a standstill.
It was gathered that the explosion occurred at 2pm around Adekunle, forcing the authorities to restrict vehicular movement to a lane while they battle to extinguish and recover the bus.
According to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) no life was lost in the explosion, neither was any injury recorded.
Motorists trapped in the bedlam appealed to relevant agencies to resolve the issue speedily and spare them further hardship. Read more
Father bags 20 years imprisonment for testing daughter’s virginity (Vanguard)
An Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on Tuesday sentenced a 37-year-old commercial motorcyclist, Emmanuel Idoko, to 20 years imprisonment for sexually assaulting his 12-year-old daughter.
Justice Sybil Nwaka, while delivering judgment on the charge of sexual assault by penetration against Idoko, said the prosecution provided ingredients necessary to prove its case.
Idoko was convicted of inserting his finger into his daughter’s virgina.
The judge said: “The defendant is found guilty of the charge of sexual assault by penetration contrary to Section 261 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015. Read more
Gas explosion claims 1 life, injures 3 in Lagos – LASEMA (Guardian)
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has said that a man lost his life while three adults were injured in a gas explosion which took place at Palmgroove Estate, Lagos.
LASEMA Director-General, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, who confirmed the accident on Monday, said that the three injured people had been hospitalised.
Oke-Osanyintolu said that LASEMA received an emergency call at about 6:p.m. on Monday that a gas explosion had occurred at 13C Palmgroove Estate, Cappa Avenue in Lagos.
According to him, upon arrival at the scene of the incident, a gas cylinder used in filling an outdoor air conditioner split unit of a storey building got exploded as a result of gas leakage from the cylinder. Read more
Fashola inspects work on Third Mainland Bridge (Punch)
The Federal Minister of Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola has today inspected the work ongoing the Third Mainland Bridge.
The partial closure of the bridge started on Friday and it is expected to last six months.
He was in the company of the Director of Highway, Southwest, Adedamola Kuti and Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr Olukayode Popoola as they inspected the diversion at the Adeniji – Adele end of the bridge. Read more
Schools resume for only SS3 in Lagos, Ogun (Nation)
Though the Federal Ministry of Education has given go- ahead for resumption of JSS3 and SS3 classes in secondary schools, only SS3 classes will resume in Lagos, Ogun states.
While Lagos Education Commissioner, Mrs Folasade Adefisayo and Special Adviser to the Ogun State Governor on Education, Mrs Ronke Soyombo confirmed resumption for only SS3 pupils, Ekiti Education Commissioner, Mr. Foluso Daramola said a decision would be taken about whether JSS3 classes would resume after a meeting with Governor Kayode Fayemi.
“I am just coming from a meeting at the Governor’s office on the issue. We will make a statement on it,” she said. Read more
Nigerian Government reacts to viral hydroxychloroquine video (Guardian)
Nigeria on Tuesday said it has not validated the use of hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of COVID-19, an obvious reaction to the viral video of Nigerian-born Dr Stella Immanuel.
Immanuel, also a Christian preacher, claimed in the video that has gone viral worldwide that she has successfully treated more than 350 COVID-19 patients using hydroxychloroquine, Zinc and Zithromax.
Immanuel first made the claim on April 27 in a Twitter post in which she also showed support for American President Donald Trump’s backing for the use of chloroquine to treat the virus.
But Nigeria’s Ministry of Information and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, in identical messaging on Twiter, said the use of hydroxychloroquine is “only limited to clinical trials“. Read more
Ondo 2020: Akeredolu picks Lucky Ayedatiwa as running mate (Vanguard)
Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has picked a former representative of the state on the Board of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr Lucky Ayedatiwa, as his deputy.
Ayedatiwa is from oil-rich ilaje council area of the state.
He is expected to run with Akeredolu in the October 10 election if his name was not substituted before August 18, 2020 deadline by INEC.
Recall that Akeredolu estranged former deputy, Hon Agboola Ajayi had since defected to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party and contested for the party’s governorship primary but lost to Eyitayo Jegede SAN. Read more
“Corruption allegations against NDDC not new,” says Lai Mohammed (Guardian)
Nigeria’s Minister for Information and Culture Lai Mohammed Tuesday said the corruption allegations against Niger Delta Development Commission is not new.
“I wish to state that the allegations of corruption in NDDC, for example, are not new,” Mohhamed said during a press briefing.
“What is new is the speed and seriousness with which this Administration has tackled, and is still tackling the allegations,” he added. Read more
Poor visibility, cause of Osinbajo’s 2019 helicopter crash – AIB (Vanguard)
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s helicopter crash on February 2nd, 2019 was caused by an inflight visibility restriction, the Accident Investigation Bureau, AIB, has revealed.
The ill-fated Augusta Westland (AW139) helicopter, operated by Caverton Helicopters Limited took off from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja to Okene via Kabba at about 1:36 PM local time.
At about an hour later, it crashed at Kabba, Kogi state with all 12 persons on board including Professor Osinbajo evacuated uninjured. Read more
Najib Razak: Malaysian ex-PM gets 12-year jail term in 1MDB corruption trial (BBC)
A court in Malaysia has sentenced former PM Najib Razak to 12 years in jail after finding him guilty on all seven counts in the first of several multi-million dollar corruption trials.
Najib had pleaded not guilty to the charges of criminal breach of trust, money laundering and abuse of power.
The case against him is seen as a test of Malaysia’s anti-corruption efforts. Read more
Johnny Depp insists he’s ‘no wife beater’ at last day of libel trial (PageSix)
Johnny Depp pressed his hands together in the gesture for prayer when he arrived in court Tuesday for the final day of testimony in his libel trial — as his lawyer insisted that the star is no “wife beater” and is being set up by ex Amber Heard.
The 57-year-old actor — who skipped Monday’s summation of accusations against him — was met by a crowd of screaming fans as he arrived at London’s High Court to hear his legal team’s final arguments.
Many thrust flowers toward him and screamed “We love you!” along with a final chant of “Justice for Johnny,” as he entered the Royal Courts of Justice for what has been dubbed the biggest English libel case of the 21st Century. Read more
China says Hong Kong to halt extradition treaties with UK, Canada, Australia (France24)
China’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday that Hong Kong’s government would suspend agreements on mutual assistance for criminal matters, including extradition, with Britain, Canada and Australia.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a daily briefing that the decisions taken by the UK, Canada and Australia earlier this month to suspend extradition agreements with Hong Kong over a new security law for the city constituted a gross interference in China’s internal affairs.
China’s latest move came after New Zealand announced earlier on Tuesday that it had suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong and made a number of other changes following China’s decision to pass the national security law for the territory. Read more
Man blows COVID-19 relief funds on Lamborghini, dating sites, hotel stays (NYPost)
A Florida man allegedly scammed nearly $4 million from the US government’s coronavirus relief loan program — and used some of the cash on a brand-new Lamborghini and other luxury items, authorities said Monday.
David T. Hines was charged with bank fraud, making false statements to a financial institution and engaging in transactions in unlawful proceeds in a criminal complaint unsealed Monday.
Hines, 29, of Miami, initially tried to get $13.5 million from the Payment Protection Program through applications on behalf of different companies, by saying he needed the money for employee payroll purposes. Read more
Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan slams ‘virus death’ trolls (France24)
Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan has threatened to unleash his legion of fans on online trolls wishing him death from the coronavirus, after earlier speaking out about the stigma suffered by patients.
Bachchan and his actor son Abhishek have been in a Mumbai hospital for over two weeks with COVID-19, while his actress daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai and granddaughter Aaradhya were discharged on Monday.
They are the highest-profile family to contract the virus in India, the world’s third most infected nation with almost 1.5 million cases. Read more
Benny Tai: Hong Kong university fires professor who led protests (BBC)
A leading Hong Kong university has fired its law professor, Benny Tai, due to a criminal conviction over his role in the 2014 pro-democracy protests.
Mr Tai, 56, accused the University of Hong Kong (HKU) of bowing to pressure from Beijing and said the ruling was “the end of academic freedom”.
Mr Tai was one of the founders of the “umbrella protests” that paralysed Hong Kong’s business districts for weeks.
Last year, a court sentenced him to 16 months in prison for his role. Read more
Short film set in Glasgow supermarket selected for Venice Film Festival (Metro)
The Shift – a short film set in a Glasgow supermarket – has been selected for this year’s Venice Film Festival.
It is directed and written by Edinburgh film-maker Laura Carreira, who was previously Bafta Scotland-nominated for her 2019 production Red Hill. Unlike many festivals and events this year, the the annual Venice event will still physically continue despite the coronavirus pandemic.
Carreira explained: ‘We’re so happy with the news, especially after what has been such a difficult year for our industry. Read more
We’re getting more offers for Osimhen, says Lille president (Punch)
Lille president Gerard Lopez has revealed that they are still receiving offers for Nigerian sensation Victor Osimhen even as a move to Napoli is getting closer.
The 21-year-old has been one of the most talked-about players in the transfer market, with the Partenopei looking to acquire his services in a deal in the region of €60m to 80m, as they look to improve under coach Gennaro Gattuso.
It was recently reported that Osimhen had changed his agent because of the cordial relationship between Lopez and Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis, and didn’t want anything standing in the way of a move to the San Paolo. Read more
Young Kenyan tennis star hit by Youth Olympics delay (BBC)
Teenage Kenyan tennis star Angella Okutoyi has said that delaying the 2022 Youth Olympics for four years is set to hit her career.
The lengthy postponement means the 16-year-old will miss out on a once-in-a-lifetime chance, because she will be too old to compete in 2026.
The Youth Olympic Games happens every 4 years and targets boys and girls aged between 14 to 18 years old.
The Senegalese capital Dakar was due to host the Youth Olympics in 2022 but the International Olympic Committee (IOC) now says they will not happen until 2026. Read more
Chelsea’s Willian has offers from two Premier League clubs (Vanguard)
Willian has received concrete offers from five teams including two in the Premier League, according to the Chelsea winger’s agent.
Willian’s contract expires at the end of the season and the Brazil international has been unable to reach an agreement over an extension.
Arsenal are among the sides rumoured to be interested, with the player said to be keen to stay in London. Read more
Mariano: Real Madrid striker tests positive for Covid-19 (BBC)
Real Madrid striker Mariano has tested positive for Covid-19, the club said on Tuesday.
A statement said the 26-year-old Spanish-born player was in “perfect health” and “complying with the sanitary isolation protocol at home”.
He was an unused substitute for Real’s last match – a 2-2 draw in La Liga away at Leganes on 19 July.
Madrid play at Manchester City in the second leg of their last-16 Champions League tie on Friday, 7 August. Read more
Xavi says coaching Barca remains his ‘primary goal’ (Guardian)
Xavi Hernandez, who is coaching Al-Sadd in Qatar, says his “primary goal” is to coach Barcelona where he won a host of trophies, but he is focused on his current job.
Xavi also said he was “fine” after testing positive for coronavirus.
“I do not hide, and I have always said, that my primary goal, when it happens, is Barca. It’s my home and would be a dream,” said Xavi in an interview published Tuesday in the Madrid sports newspaper Marca.
“But now I am focused on Al-Sadd, excited about the new season. When Barca comes, in the short or long term, it will come,” he said, adding that he did not want to destabilise the current coach, Quique Setien. Read more
Bubble hockey begins as NHL adjusts to playoff quarantine in Canadian hub cities (France24)
When the Boston Bruins boarded their flight bound for Toronto, they thought of it as just another long road trip.
Sure, they were spaced out and masked up on the plane, but they were en route to compete for the Stanley Cup that they fell one win short of earning last season. Patrice Bergeron said he was “excited and looking forward to what’s coming next.”
It unfolded a little differently for Edmonton goaltender Mike Smith when he checked into a downtown hotel Sunday minutes from his house for a stay he hopes will last more than two months.
“Reality definitely set in,” Smith said. Read more