CBN’s forex policy on milk is ‘dangerous’ to the poor – Ezekwesili (Guardian)
Nigeria’s former education minister Obiageli Ezekwesili has said the Central Bank of Nigeria’s foreign exchange policy on milk importation is dangerous to the poor. “Child Poverty is even worst in a country that holds the ignoble record of being the World’s Capital of Extremely Poor People, our @NGRPresident @MBuhari should be fleeing from Policies that ESCALATE Poverty,” Ezekwesili said on Twitter on Friday. “The @cenbank #MilkBanPolicy is DANGEROUS. Dangerous for the Poor,” she added. Read more
WAEC 2019: Results of 180,205 candidates withheld (Punch)
The West African Examination Council has disclosed that, of the 1,590,173 candidates who registered and sat for the 2019 West African Senior School Certificate Examination for School Candidates, 180,205 candidates currently have their results withheld. This was made known by WAEC’s Head of Nigeria National Office, Mr. Olu Adenipekun, at a briefing on Friday at the Council’s national office in Yaba, Lagos. Read more
CJN swears in Justice Tsoho as acting Chief Judge, Federal High Court (Guardian)
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Tanko Muhammad, on Friday, swore in Justice John Tsoho as acting Chief Judge (CJ) of the Federal High Court. His appointment was a sequel to the retirement of Justice Adamu AbdulKafarati, who attained the retirement age of 65 years on July 25. Tsoho’s elevation as acting CJ of the Federal High Court was in line with the rules that enable the most senior judge to occupy the office of the CJ when the post is vacant pending the appointment of a substantive chief judge. Read more
Why some bills passed by the Senate are not signed – Malami (Guardian)
The screening of the ministerial nominees entered the third day on Friday as the Senate screened Abubakar Malami (Kebbi) and Hadi Sirika. Malami is the immediate past Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) while Sirika is the immediate past Minister of State on Aviation. News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Senate adjourned the exercise by 6:30 p.m. on July 25, after screening 14 nominees. Read more
Boko Haram kills two in IDP camp (Guardian)
Two people were killed and several wounded when Boko Haram fighters raided a camp for people displaced by the jihadist conflict in northeast Nigeria, emergency services said Friday. Dozens of Islamist militants on motorcycles and two motorised rickshaws stormed into Dalori camp on Thursday, shooting people and looting food supplies after overrunning a nearby military base. “We have recovered two dead bodies from the attack which also left several IDPs (internally displaced persons) with injuries,” said Bello Danbatta, head of security in the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA). Read more
Senate swears in Imo North senator (Punch)
The Senate has sworn-in Ben Uwajumogu as Senator representing Imo North Senatorial District. The brief ceremony was conducted by President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan at the plenary on Friday. News Agency of Nigeria reports that Uwajumogu was finally presented with Certificate of Return by the Independent National Electoral Commission in Abuja on Thursday, after weeks of legal tussle. Read more
Police repel bandits’ attack on two Katsina communities (Punch)
Operatives of Operation Puff Adder in Katsina State on Friday morning reportedly repelled bandits who attacked Sabon Garin Baure and Baure villages in Safana Local Government Area of the State. It was learnt that some of the bandits sustained gunshot injuries in the incident before fleeing into the fringes of Rugu forest in the council. The Spokesman for Katsina Police Command, SP Gambo Isah confirmed the incident. Read more
Police arrest five suspects over Ekiti festival killing (Punch)
The police in Ekiti State have arrested five persons in connection with the shooting and killing of a commercial motorcyclist in Ikere Ekiti on Thursday evening. A police source said at Ikere Ekiti on Friday that pellets from the gunshots fired during the traditional dancing procession ahead of a traditional festival billed for Saturday in the ancient town hit two motorcyclists and one of them died immediately. Read more
Kenya census to include male, female and intersex citizens (BBC)
Kenya will for the first time collect data on intersex people in its national population census, in a major victory for rights activists. The August survey will determine the number of citizens who do not identify as either male or female. Intersex people often face violence and discrimination in the socially conservative country. There are thought to be more than 700,000 intersex people in Kenya out of a general population of 49 million. Read more
Morocco recovers 16 bodies after rare summer deluge (Guardian)
Moroccan emergency crews pulled 16 bodies from the mud after a rare summer downpour triggered a landslide that buried a minibus, public broadcaster 2M reported Friday. Local officials contacted by AFP confirmed that Wednesday evening’s deluge in the Atlas mountains south of Marrakesh had triggered flash flooding. The downpour dislodged masses of earth and rocks as high as 20 metres (more than 60 feet) in places that entombed the minibus. Read more
US economic growth slows below Trump target (BBC)
The US economy grew less than previously thought last year, missing President Donald Trump’s target of 3%. Revised official figures shows that GDP expanded by 2.5% during 2018. The figures also revealed that growth slowed during the second quarter as exports declined and companies invested less in their businesses. GDP grew at an annual rate of 2.1% between April and June, ahead of expectations but below 3.1% recorded in the first three months of the year. Read more
Bangladesh flood death toll surpasses 100 (Guardian)
The death toll from monsoon storms in Bangladesh rose above 100 Friday with flood levels still rising in many parts of the country, officials said. About 20 people have died in 48 hours, taking the toll to 104, making it one of the worst monsoons in years, officials said. Most victims have drowned but some have been killed by landslides, snake bites and lightning strikes. Five girls aged between six and 18 drowned when their boat capsized in a flood torrent in the northern district of Jamalpur on Thursday, district administrator Ahmed Kabir told AFP. Read more
German school students in Starnberg try to spring teen from cell (BBC)
School end-of-year parties are often riotous affairs, but they rarely end with 100 teenagers laying siege to a police station. That was the scene in the lakeside Bavarian town of Starnberg on Thursday night, after police were called to a party and arrested a boy, described as drunk and aggressive. The teen was put in a cell, prompting schoolmates to seek his release. Police said the crowd threw bottles and tried to break down the front door. Read more
China landslide death toll rises to 24 (Guardian)
The death toll in a landslide that buried a village in southwest China rose to 26 on Friday following the discovery of two more bodies, state media said. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said 25 people were still missing three days after the disaster which struck in Shuicheng county, Guizhou province. Two children and a mother with a baby — who were unearthed on Thursday — were among the dead, according to official news outlets. Read more
Syria war: ‘World shrugs’ as 103 civilians killed in 10 days (BBC)
More than 100 people, including 26 children, have died in government attacks on hospitals, schools, markets and bakeries in the past 10 days, the UN’s human rights chief said. Michelle Bachelet said the deaths were part of a “relentless campaign of air strikes by the government and its allies”, including Russia. The civilian targets, she added, were unlikely to have all been accidental. Read more
Man ‘battered pregnant woman after he saw her smoking a cigarette’ (Metro)
A suspected woman-beater battered a pregnant woman after he saw her smoke a cigarette, police say. Felix Taylor, 36, reportedly targeted the unnamed woman at a home in Pensacola, Florida, and was arrested on July 17. She told cops that Taylor flew into a rage after seeing her smoke, and told her she shouldn’t be smoking, because doing so could harm her baby. Read more
Swedish politicians slam Trump for A$AP Rocky ‘interference’ (Guardian)
Swedish politicians Friday fired back at US President Donald Trump after he rowed with Prime Minister Stefan Lofven over Sweden’s move to press assault charges against American rapper A$AP Rocky. Several Swedish politicians protested Trump’s remarks after the president took to Twitter on Thursday to express his frustration. Read more
Revenge mob beats tiger to death with sticks (Metro)
Heartbreaking footage shows a 40-strong mob beating a tiger to death with sticks in India. The big cat was hunted down and cornered by the gang after attacking nine villagers in the Pillibhit district of Uttar Pradesh. While repeatedly screaming ‘charge’, the men batter the animal with bamboo canes. The tiger can be heard growling for mercy and died from its injuries hours later. Read more
British-Nigerian actor, David Ajala joins ‘Star Trek’ cast (Punch)
British-Nigerian actor David Ajala has been unveiled as a regular cast member in ‘Star Trek: Discovery’. News Agency of Nigeria reports that the announcement was made at the ongoing 2019 San Diego Comic-Con. Ajala will play a new character, Cleveland “Book” Booker, described as, “smart and capable with natural charisma,” Deadline reveals. Read more
Fifa bans former Sierra Leone FA official for five years (BBC)
Former Sierra Leone FA (SLFA) official Abu Bakarr Kabba has been banned by Fifa for five years and fined US$50,000 for violating the organisation’s Code of Ethics. Football’s world governing body found him “guilty of having accepted and received bribes in relation to the manipulation of international matches”. Kabba, formerly an administration secretary and acting general secretary in the SLFA, was one of 15 players and officials originally suspended in 2014 during a match-fixing investigation. Read more
Juventus upset Korea fans with Ronaldo no-show (Guardian)
Juventus drew 3-3 in a friendly with a K League all-star team on Friday but 60,000 spectators couldn’t hide their upset after Cristiano Ronaldo failed to play. Ronaldo remained on the bench throughout the game ignoring appeals from the crowd to lace up his boots. It was understandable on the Portuguese superstar’s part because the Italian team arrived in South Korea in mid-afternoon on a delayed flight from Nanzing, China, with the match scheduled only five hours later. Read more
Eden Hazard revealed as FIFA 20 cover star (Metro)
Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk gets the honour of adorning the Champions Edition cover, whilst EA remains coy on who’ll be on the front of the Ultimate Edition. EA Sports has revealed its cover stars for the upcoming release of FIFA 20, with Eden Hazard adorning the standard edition and Liverpool superstar Virgil van Dijk on the cover of the Champions Edition. Read more
Iniesta ready for face-off against ex-team Barcelona (Guardian)
Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta is looking forward to taking on his former teammates when his Vissel Kobe meets Barcelona this weekend for a friendly, saying Friday the face-off will be “an honour.” The match Saturday in the Japanese city of Kobe will be a reunion of sorts, with Barcelona’s current line-up facing ex-teammates Iniesta, David Villa and Sergi Samper, all now Vissel players. It will be the first time Iniesta has met his former team on the pitch. Read more
Raul Sanllehi explains why Arsenal are sending William Saliba back to Saint-Etienne (Metro)
Raul Sanllehi fears William Saliba is not ready to withstand the physical demands of the Premier League and sending him back to Saint-Etienne for a year represents a logical step. Arsenal confirmed the signing of the teenage French centre-half on Thursday, but he will immediately return to the Ligue 1 side for the entirety of the upcoming season, despite Unai Emery’s desperate need for defensive reinforcements. Read more
Dillian Whyte: British heavyweight ‘disappointed’ by comments after testing positive for banned substance (BBC)
Dillian Whyte says he beat Oscar Rivas “fair and square” after being “cleared” to fight despite testing positive for a banned substance. The British heavyweight, 31, defeated Rivas on points in London on Saturday but was informed he had tested positive before the bout. Promoter Eddie Hearn has said Whyte was cleared to fight after a hearing. Read more
German GP: Ferrari top in Germany as Gasly crashes (BBC)
Charles Leclerc led a Ferrari one-two as Pierre Gasly’s difficult season continued with a big crash in second practice at the German Grand Prix. Gasly lost control at the last corner and smashing into the barrier on the outside of the track, badly damaging his Red Bull. The Frenchman was unhurt. Leclerc was 0.124 seconds quicker than Vettel and 0.146secs ahead of Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton on a hot day. Read more
World Aquatics Championships: Caeleb Dressel breaks Michael Phelps’ 10-year-old world record (BBC)
American Caeleb Dressel broke Michael Phelps’ 10-year-old 100m butterfly world record as he qualified fastest for the World Championship final in Gwangju. Dressel cruised to victory in the semi-finals in 49.50 seconds – breaking Phelps’ record by 0.32secs. The 22-year-old finished 1.44secs ahead of Russian Andrei Minakov. Read more