Court remands Lagos ex-vice council chair, Shakiru, over alleged cocaine export (Tribune)
Justice Ayokunle Faji of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has remanded a former vice chairman of Lagos Island Local Government Area (LGA) Asekun Sakiru Kehinde in prison custody for allegedly exporting 1.000 kilogrammes of cocaine.
Justice Ayokunle made the order after Kehinde pleaded “not guilty” to a one-count charge bordering on the offence.
Nigerian Tribune reports that the defendant was arraigned by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on a charge marked FHC/L/99c/2021.
During the trail, NDLEA prosecutor Abu Ibrahim told the judge that Kehinde committed the offence on July 7, 2021, during the outward clearance of passengers on a Virgin Atlantic Airlines flight from Lagos to London-Heathrow, at the Departure Hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos. Read more
UNILAG graduates 15,753, as 71-year-old woman bags PhD (Vanguard)
A total of 15,753 students are to be awarded various degrees at the 51st Convocation Ceremony of the University of Lagos, during which a 71-year-old woman, Marinze Ifeyinwa Felicia, is among the 148 to be awarded a doctorate degree in various fields.
This is just as the late former Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe, will be given the position of Emeritus Professorship (Post-Humous).
Briefing newsmen on Wednesday, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, said a total of 7,754 would be awarded the first degree in various disciplines, while 7,999 would bag postgraduate degrees and diplomas in various fields also.
Out of the figures, 281 has a first-class degree, with the highest number of 70 coming from the Faculty of Engineering. Read more
Super TV CEO: Chidinma is our student, says UNILAG VC (Punch)
The Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, has said Chidinma Ojukwu, the alleged killer of the Super TV boss, Michael Ataga, is a student of the institution.
Ogundipe said this on Wednesday while addressing journalists on the activities lined up for the 51st (2019) Convocation Ceremony of the institution, adding that the university would not deny her.
“From our records which are available to us, Chidinma Adaora Ojukwu is a student of the University of Lagos who was born on December 12, 1999.
“From our records, she is from Abia State. From our records, her contact address is 57, Akinwumi Street, Alagomeji, Yaba, Lagos.” Read more
Bandits attack Ganduje’s convoy, injure security aides (Leadership)
Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, narrowly escaped death as dare-devil bandits unleashed an attack on his convoy on his way back from Zamfara State.
A security source, who confirmed the incident, disclosed that three security personnel attached to the governor’s convoy sustained varying degrees of injuries.
Ganduje had joined other governors of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and leadership of the party to officially receive the Zamfara State Governor, Muhammad Bello Mattawale, who recently defected to the APC.
Kano State Commissioner for Information Muhammad Garba confirmed the development. Read more
Alleged fraud: FG to arraign Dana Air MD, others on Oct. 13 (Guardian)
The Federal Government will, on Oct. 13, arraign the Managing Director (MD), Dana Air, Hathiramani Jacky Ranesh, in a Federal High Court, Abuja on allegations bordering on fraud.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu fixed the date after counsel to the defendant, Ade Adedeji, SAN, told the court that the absence of his client in court was to the knowledge of the prosecution.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the arraignment of Ramesh and two others, in suit number CR/101/21, was in the cause list for Wednesday’s proceeding.
The MD of Dana Air is the first defendant in the suit.
Although other defendants in the matter were in the court, Ramesh was absent. Read more
Bandits shoot Zamfara lawmaker dead (Punch)
A member of the Zamfara House of Assembly, Mohammed Ahmed, has been shot dead by bandits along Sheme- Funtua Road in Katsina State.
Announcing his death, the Clerk of the Zamfara House House of Assembly, Saidu Anka, said Ahmed was traveling to his town when he was killed by the bandits.
His funeral prayers would be performed at Sheikh Ahmed Umar Kanoma Mosque by 11 o’clock on Wednesday.
Until his death, the deceased was the chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation. Read more
Engineer docked for allegedly killing landlady’s chickens (Vanguard)
A 62-year-old engineer, Lateef Agbaje, on Wednesday appeared in a Grade I Area Court in Kubwa, Abuja, for allegedly killing his landlady’s 19 chickens.
The police charged Agbaje, who resides in Dutse, Abuja with mischief.
The prosecution counsel, John Okpa told the court that the complainant, Mrs Ukanwa Goodness, reported the matter at the Dutse Alhaji Police Station sometime on May 17. Read more
Reps to investigate alleged non-payment of army personnel allowances (Guardian)
The House of Representatives has resolved that the Committee on Army should investigate the disbursement of Non-Regular Allowances to Army personnel from 2017 till date.
The resolution was sequel to a unanimous adoption of a motion by Rep. Abubakar Nalaraba (APC-Nasarawa) at plenary on Wednesday.
Moving the motion earlier, Nalaraba said that the significant upward review of non-regular allowance of the Nigerian Army in 2017 was to ensure that serving personnel were adequately remunerated.
According to him, this is to ensure that the personnel are motivated for optimum performance in the provision of adequate security in the country. Read more
Black Widow: Scarlett Johansson’s ‘rousing’ Marvel film impresses most critics (BBC)
Black Widow, the latest Marvel superhero film and the first to focus on Scarlett Johansson’s character, has received broadly positive reviews from critics ahead of its release next week.
The Hollywood Reporter said it was “a stellar vehicle” for the actress, while Empire said it was “a lot of fun”.
Total Film agreed, calling the film a “rousing addendum” for the character.
Yet the way it treats issues like forced sterilisation and the sexual exploitation of women has been queried. Read more
You can now get drunk on ice cream thanks to machine that turns beer into soft scoop (Metro)
A cold pint of beer or a scoop of your favourite ice cream are two of the best ways to cool down on a hot day – and soon, you will be able to combine both together.
A US inventor has created a machine that turns beers, cocktails and other drinks into soft scoop ice cream.
Of course, ice creams based on the flavours of our favourite beverages already exist but it usually means sacrificing the alcohol content because the freezing point of alcohol is so low compared to the rest of the ingredients.
However, the Below Zero’ machine can take any beverage, and crystallise it in under 30 minutes, keeping the ABV exactly the same, meaning you can get drunk on these treats. Read more
Stuart Damon, ‘General Hospital’ star, dead at 84 (NYPost)
Stuart Damon, best known for his role as Dr. Alan Quartermaine in the longtime soap opera “General Hospital,” has died at age 84.
Damon’s son, Christopher, broke the news to Los Angeles station ABC7, saying that his father’s “favorite place to be” was the soap opera. “He loved playing Alan and was always so appreciative of that role and that job. It was his passion.”
Damon had suffered from renal failure for several years.
Born in Brooklyn in 1937, Damon began his acting career on and off-Broadway with appearances throughout the 1960s, including in “The Boys From Syracuse,” “Irma La Douce” and “Do I Hear a Waltz?” Damon really hit the spotlight once he was cast as the prince in the 1965 TV production of the musical “Cinderella,” which also starred Ginger Rogers, Walter Pidgeon, Celeste Holm and then-newcomer Lesley Ann Warren in the title role. Read more
Jamie Lee Curtis to receive lifetime achievement award at Venice Film Festival (USAToday)
The Venice Film Festival is awarding its lifetime achievement award this year to Jamie Lee Curtis, the American actor best known for her decades-long run in the “Halloween” slasher franchise.
Curtis will pick up the Golden Lion Lifetime Achievement on Sept. 8, when the latest installment, “Halloween Kills,” is screened on Venice’s Lido out of competition.
The world’s oldest film festival runs Sept. 1-11 and will feature the world premiere of “Dune,” Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of the sci-fi bestseller. Venice was the only major international film festival to have in-person screenings last year during the summertime lull in the pandemic.
Curtis’ film career was launched in 1978 with the now-classic “Halloween” directed by John Carpenter. The daughter of Hollywood royalty Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, Curtis went onto other star turns, including in “A Fish Called Wanda,” and “True Lies” and “Freaky Friday.” Read more
Settled status: EU citizens urged to apply to stay in UK now or lose rights (BBC)
EU citizens living in the UK have until the end of Wednesday to apply to stay or lose their rights, under post-Brexit rules introduced by the government.
More than 5.6 million applications have been received, but around 400,000 cases are still waiting to be processed.
Ministers say anyone who applies on time will have their existing rights protected while their case is heard.
Labour says many vulnerable people risk losing access to public services and the deadline should be extended. Read more
Fragonard painting ‘forgotten’ by its owners sells for $9 million (CNN)
A”forgotten” painting kept in the same family for generations has sold for 7.68 million euros ($9.1 million) at auction after experts discovered it was the work of French painter Jean-Honoré Fragonard.
“A philosopher reading” by Fragonard was spotted by Antoine Petit, an auctioneer at the Enchères Champagne auction house in Épernay, north-east France, when he was called to assess an inheritance at an apartment near the town, he told CNN Tuesday.
Petit saw the painting — measuring 45.8 by 57 centimeters (18 by 22.4 inches) — high on a wall covered in dust.
“I thought it was beautiful,” he said.
After taking the painting down to examine it more closely, he found the word “Fragonard” written on the back in black ink, added Petit. Read more
Black Panther 2 officially begins filming as Marvel boss admits it’s ‘emotional without Chadwick Boseman’ (Metro)
Black Panther 2 is officially in production with filming underway, but Marvel’s boss has admitted it’s an ‘emotional’ experience without its lead star Chadwick Boseman.
Wakanda Forever, the sequel to Ryan Coogler’s 2018 blockbuster, began shooting on Tuesday at Pinewood Studios in Atlanta.
Coogler has returned to direct again after writing the screenplay, while most of the original film’s main stars, such as Lupita Nyong’o and Angela Bassett, are expected to reprise their roles.
However, the Black Panther sequel will be without its most familiar face, Boseman, who played the titular character King T’Challa, due to his death last year. Read more
Everton appoint Rafael Benitez as manager (BBC)
Everton have appointed former Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez as their new manager.
The 61-year-old Spaniard has signed a three-year deal and succeeds Carlo Ancelotti, who resigned in early June to return to Real Madrid
“I am delighted to be joining Everton,” said Benitez.
“I believe this is a club that is going places. I’m determined to play a big part in helping this great club achieve its ambitions.” Read more
Rick Pitino lauds ‘amazing’ RJ Barrett after clutch Canada performance (NYPost)
RJ Barrett racked up 22 points for Team Canada Tuesday, and praise – even if backhanded – from Greece coach Rick Pitino.
Back on the court for the first time since June 2 when the Knicks were eliminated by the Hawks, Barrett was rusty in the first half. But he poured in 12 fourth-quarter points to key Canada’s 97-91 victory over Greece in an Olympic qualifier in Victoria, British Columbia.
Barrett, who started at shooting guard, hit two free throws with 34 seconds left that clinched it. Canada still must win out to make it to Tokyo, and it faces China Wednesday night before the elimination round this weekend.
Pitino, the Iona coach and formerly at Louisville, said of the Knicks 2019 lottery pick out of Duke: Read more
Nick Kyrgios wins five-set Wimbledon thriller despite painful fall (Metro)
Nick Kyrgios recovered from a nasty looking fall in a dramatic five-set thriller against Ugo Humbert to book his spot in the second round of Wimbledon.
Kyrgios, the world No. 60 from Australia, suffered a painful fall in the 13th game of a dramatic fifth set, in a match which spanned across two days.
Wrong-footed by his French opponent, Kyrgios landed awkwardly on the turf after both knees buckled and was left rolling around the grass screaming in pain.
But unlike Serena Williams and Adrian Mannarino on Centre Court on Tuesday, Kyrgios, who faces Italy’s Gianluca Mager next, was able to finish his match and soon broke before serving out a famous 6-4 4-6 3-6 6-1 9-7 win. Read more
Wimbledon 2021: Novak Djokovic beats Kevin Anderson in straight sets to reach third round (BBC)
World number one Novak Djokovic brushed aside Kevin Anderson in straight sets to reach the third round at Wimbledon.
The defending champion, chasing his sixth Wimbledon title and record-equalling 20th Grand Slam, won 6-3 6-3 6-3 on a Centre Court surface that continues to cause problems underfoot.
Djokovic will play Andreas Seppi or qualifier Denis Kudla next.
The 34-year-old Serb, who made just six unforced errors, called his performance “almost flawless”. Read more
Cowboys Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith joins FLOTUS Jill Biden in vaccine effort: ‘This is serious’ (USAToday)
Emmitt Smith extended his hand to 14-year-old high school receiver Chase Walton. Walton, reaching out from beneath a rolled-up sleeve, clasped the Pro Football Hall of Fame running back’s palm in return.
“Trust me, I got my shots, too,” Smith told Walton at a Dallas vaccine clinic Tuesday afternoon. “It’s going to be all right.”
Walton closed his eyes tightly and received his first dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine.
“You really truly are protecting someone else when you protect yourself,” Smith added. “It’s up to someone else now to do what you just did so they can protect the next person.” Read more
Woman who allegedly caused Tour de France crash arrested (CNN)
The woman who allegedly held out a banner causing the crash of dozens of cyclists during the first stage of the Tour de France last Saturday has been identified and is undergoing police questioning, the Brest prosecutor’s office told CNN.
The accident happened 45 kilometers from the finish of the first stage of the race on Saturday — from Brest to Landerneau — when a female spectator on the side of the road held up a big sign which caused the pile up.
It’s not evident what she meant to say on the sign which said ‘ALLEZ OPI-OMI !’ in French and German, which translates to ‘Go Grandma and Grandpa.’
According to the race’s video coverage of Saturday’s incident, the sign hit German rider Tony Martin who was cycling near the head of the pack. Martin fell, which led to the subsequent crash of dozens of riders behind him.Cyclists fell en masse and the crash left bikes and bodies tangled in the road. The fall held the race up for several minutes. Read more