Court fixes Sept 22 for maid’s trial over attempted murder (DailyTrust)
A Lagos High Court, Ikeja, has fixed the trial of an 18-year-old housemaid, Miss Susan Samson, who allegedly attempted to murder her employer, for September 22, 2020.
The court adjourned the case on Friday due to the absence of the lawyer to the accused person, who is facing a three-count criminal charge of attempted murder, stealing and grievous bodily harm.
Samson was alleged to have committed the offence at about 18.30 hours on or about March 5, 2018 at No. 249B, Royal Avenue, Ejigbo, Lagos. She was alleged to have stolen bottles of wine, biscuits, chewing gum, milk, Milo and other items, all valued at N250,000, belonging to Mrs Mistura Ogundipe, her employer. Read more
LASUTH holds first virtual meeting on Covid-19 (Nation)
The Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) has held its first virtual meeting on managing COVID-19. It drew about 250 participants from various parts of the country and the United Kingdom.
Its Chief Medical Director, Prof. Adetokunbo Fabamwo, who appreciated the speakers, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, and the LASUTH Board, stressed that the hospital planned to take the lead the education on the disease.
Presenting a paper on “Preventing Covid-19 infection among hospital workers during and after the pandemic era,” Olumuyiwa Odusanya, a professor of Public Health, described the pandemic as a risk for health workers, just like firefighters. Read more
5 persons arrested over attack on traders, workers (DailyTrust)
The police in Lagos said yesterday they have arrested five members of an armed robbery gang for allegedly attacking some traders and workers along the Itire road, Isolo.
The police identified four of the arrested suspects as Segun Oladokun, 18; Oluwasegun Ajaoyin, 28; Nathaniel, 22; and Sunday Achadu, 30. Phones, cash, laptops and wristwatches, which they allegedly stole from their victims at gunpoint, were said to have been found on them.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, told our correspondent yesterday on phone that the suspects ambushed the traders and some factory workers on Itire road on Friday. Read more
Third Mainland Bridge: LASTMA, NURTW collaborate on traffic management (Guardian)
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) says it is collaborating with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Lagos State Council, to ease traffic movement during the closure of Third Mainland Bridge.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the repair of the bridge by the Federal Ministry of Works, expected to last six months from July 24, is to fix worn out expansion joints.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr Olajide Oduyoye, said in a statement on Monday by Mr Olumide Filade, Assistant Director, Public Affairs, that LASTMA and NURTW had pledged to collaborate. Read more
Insecurity: Buhari, Buratai meet (Punch)
The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Monday met behind closed doors with the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai.
The meeting was held inside the Presidential Villa, as security situation continues to worsen across the country. It came at a time when bandits and kidnappers are holding Nigerians hostage in parts of the country.
Buratai however told State House correspondents at the end of the meeting that the security agencies need the support of all Nigerians to address the security challenges. Read more
UTME: Institutions to begin first, second choice admissions Aug 21 (Nation)
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has directed all tertiary institutions to begin the conduct of the first and second choice admissions from August 21.
The board gave the directive in the 2020 admission guidelines released in Abuja by the board Spokesperson, Dr Benjamin Fabian.
Dr Fabian, in the guidelines, warned institutions against duplication of forms, adding that they should desist from selling forms for admissions into some listed programmes. Read more
Ex-NDDC MD Nunieh has no NYSC certificate – Akpabio (Punch)
The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has said the former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Joy Nunieh, did not participate in the mandatory one year service of the National Youth Service Corps.
The minister, who told the House of Representatives Committee investigating financial mismanagement in the NDDC on Monday, also said the ex-managing director had no exemption letter.
When asked about his fracas with Nunieh, the minister said, “The former Managing Director of the NDDC was relieved of her appointment when I received a letter from the then Chief of Staff (may his soul rest in peace) that she did not possess the requisite qualifications to be there. Read more
Gunmen kill 21 at wedding party in Kaduna (Vanguard)
Twenty-one people have been reported killed, while 28 others sustained various degrees of injuries in a fresh attack on Kukum Daji Village of Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Sunday night by armed gunmen.
The President of the Community, Mr. Yashen Titus told Channels Television that the gunmen, suspected to be herdsmen, invaded the venue of a wedding party in the community at about 10p.m., Sunday night.
Titus, who explained that the suspected herdsmen opened fire on the people who attended the party, said 19 people died on the spot while two others later died at the hospital. Read more
Georgia Democratic leaders to pick ballot replacement for late congressman Lewis (VOA) Democratic Party leaders in the US state of Georgia are gathering Monday to select a candidate to replace the late Congressman John Lewis in the November general election.
A spokeswoman said 131 people applied by the Sunday evening deadline to be considered.
A nominating committee will select between three and five finalists, and then a committee of 44 party figures will vote on the final candidate.
The Democrat chosen will go up against Republican Angela Stanton-King in November. Read more
Disguised gunman shoots husband and son of federal judge investigating Deutsche Bank-Jeffrey Epstein case (RT)
A gunman dressed as a delivery driver has killed the son of federal Judge Esther Salas in New Jersey and left her husband critically injured. The judge presides over an ongoing case involving Jeffrey Epstein.
The shooting happened on Sunday morning at the home of Judge Salas in North Brunswick township in New Jersey. The gunman dressed as a Federal Express delivery driver to get in, according to media reports. The suspect remains at large, the FBI said on Twitter.
Daniel Anderl, 20, a freshman student at the Catholic University in Washington DC, was killed by the shooter with a bullet to the heart. Read more
Iran executes former translator convicted of spying for CIA, Mossad (France24)
Iran on Monday executed a former translator convicted of spying for the US and Israel, including helping to locate a top Iranian general killed later by the Americans, the judiciary said.
The killing of Major General Qassem Soleimani in a US drone strike near Baghdad airport in January brought decades-old arch enemies Iran and the United States to the brink of conflict.
The judiciary’s Mizan Online website said Mahmoud Mousavi Majd’s death “sentence was carried out on Monday morning over the charge of espionage so that the case of his betrayal to his country will be closed forever”. Read more
Trader Joe’s to change product branding on international food after petition calls them ‘racist’ (People)
Trader Joe’s is making a change.
The popular food market chain recently announced that they will be altering the labels on some of their international food products after an online petition called out the grocery company’s branding as “racist.”
Created by California high school senior Briones Bedell, the petition states that some of the company’s race-related food labels “belies a narrative of exoticism that perpetuates harmful stereotypes,” including “Trader José,” the grocery chain’s label for its Mexican products, “Arabian Joe,” for its Middle Eastern products and “Trader Ming’s,” for its Chinese products, among others. Read more
Coronavirus: Masks mandatory in France amid fresh outbreaks (BBC)
France has made face masks compulsory in all enclosed public spaces amid a fresh bout of Covid-19 outbreaks.
Masks were already mandatory on public transport, but from Monday they must also be worn in places like shops.
Health Minister Oliver Véran warned that France had between “400 and 500 active clusters” of the virus. Read more
Linkin Park sends cease and desist to Trump for using their song (Billboard)
Linkin Park is speaking out against Donald Trump after the president’s team tweeted a campaign advertisement featuring the band’s music without its permission.
On Saturday (July 18), Twitter removed a campaign-style video featuring a cover of Linkin Park’s 2002 song “In the End,” citing a copyright complaint. The video ad, originally posted by White House social media director Dan Scavino, was later retweeted by the president.
“Linkin Park did not and does not endorse Trump, nor authorize his organization to use any of our music. A cease and desist has been issued,” Linkin Park tweeted Saturday. Read more
Amber Heard: Johnny Depp ‘threatened to kill me many times’ (BBC)
Actor Johnny Depp “threatened to kill” ex-wife Amber Heard “many times”, the US actress has claimed.
She described a “three-day hostage situation” during which she claimed Mr Depp was on a “drug and alcohol binge”.
Mr Depp, 57, is suing the publisher of the Sun over an article that referred to him as a “wife beater” – but the newspaper maintains it was accurate.
He denies 14 allegations of domestic violence on which News Group Newspapers is relying for its defence. Read more
Okechukwu wins Turkish Super Lig title with Basaksehir (Punch)
Azubuike Okechukwu has emerged champion of the Turkish Super Lig with his club Istanbul Basaksehir, with one game left to play after they beat Kayserispor 1-0 on Sunday.
He becomes the fifth Nigerian to win the Turkish Super Lig title after Henry Onyekuru with Galatasaray and the trio Uche Okechukwu, Joseph Yobo and Emmanuel Emenike with Fenerbahce.
The win sees Basaksehir move seven points clear of second-place Trabzonspor, who lost 4-3 at home to Konyaspor on Sunday thus ending their title dreams. Read more
Agali decries quality of domestic football (Nation)
The poor organisation of the league coupled with immediate result from his employers may not afford the Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr to toying with the idea of scouting players in the domestic league.
Victor Agali who regularly scout for Rohr said as much in a recent interview with a Lagos-based local sports radio: “It is disheartening with the level of our local league considering what Nigeria has achieved globally in football.
“People must know that the national team is based on results and this is what everybody is looking forward to. Rohr cannot be coaching teams in the league but what he needs to do is to attend matches and pencil down players that he feels can compete with those already in the team. Read more
Ballon d’Or will not be awarded in 2020 because of coronavirus (BBC)
The Ballon d’Or for the world’s best players will not be awarded in 2020 because of a “lack of sufficient fair conditions” created by the coronavirus pandemic.
The prize has been awarded by France Football every year since 1956.
Barcelona’s Lionel Messi won the men’s prize last year, with USA forward Megan Rapinoe claiming the women’s trophy. Read more
Jude Bellingham: Borussia Dortmund sign midfielder from Birmingham City (BBC)
Birmingham City teenager Jude Bellingham has completed a move to German giants Borussia Dortmund which could eventually be worth over £30m.
The 17-year-old midfielder has signed a long-term deal with Dortmund.
Bellingham, who is the Blues’ youngest player, will leave the Championship club after their final game of the season on Wednesday. Read more
De Gea in firing line but Solskjaer stands by his man (Guardian)
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says he will stick with error-prone Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea but with a Champions League place at stake many are urging him to drop the Spaniard.
The 29-year-old’s blunders at Wembley on Sunday were a hammer blow for in-form United, who went down 3-1 to Frank Lampard’s Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final.
De Gea allowed Olivier Giroud’s shot to trickle over the line in the dying seconds of the first half and moments after the interval Mason Mount’s shot evaded his weak attempted save. Read more
Monaco appoint ex Bayern boss Kovac as new manager (Vanguard)
Monaco appointed Niko Kovac as their new manager on Sunday, the former Bayern Munich boss succeeding Robert Moreno, the Ligue 1 club announced.
The 48-year-old former Croatia international has signed a three-year contract with the option of a further year as the under-performing French side act to improve their fortunes.
Kovac was available after his sacking by Bayern in November, months after leading the Bundesliga giants to a league and cup double. Read more