COVID-19: Lagos has passed peak, says health commissioner (Punch)
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, has said the state has passed the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He, however, said there was the need for vigilance, saying the scourge was not over.
Abayomi spoke on Wednesday during a talk show on Nigeria Info 99.3FM, themed, ‘Fighting COVID-19 in Lagos’.
He said, “Lagos might be a its peak in the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s not over yet as we may see an escalation of positive cases. However, until we see a decline in the number of positive cases, we shouldn’t relent. Read more
Lagos CP says NYSC should be given priority in national issues (Guardian)
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police (CP), Hakeem Odumosu, has suggested that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) should be given priority in national issues.
Odumosu stated this, yesterday, when he received the Lagos NYSC State Co-ordinator, Mr. Eddy Megwa and his team in his office.
The CP said the scheme had breached disunity among people from the diverse cultures in the country.
Besides, he said that having passed through the rudiment of the national scheme, the importance of the continuity of the NYSC and the virtues it brings in preserving the Nigerian heritage could not be over-emphasised. Read more
Pandemonium as task force, transport workers clash in Lagos (Punch)
Pandemonium broke out on Wednesday during a clash between officials of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Enforcement Agency and transport workers in the Abule-Egba and Agege areas of the state.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the transport workers were protesting the rumoured death of a yet-to-be-identified motor boy, who reportedly fell to the ground while the task force personnel were chasing after the driver of a commercial bus for allegedly violating the traffic rule.
It was learnt that the driver, while conveying passengers to a destination in the state, allegedly drove against the traffic and upon sighting the task force personnel, made a U-turn and zoomed off to evade arrest. Read more
Herbalist facilitated my escape, says Oyo killer as force detains officers (Guardian)
The Oyo State police command, yesterday, re-paraded Sunday Shodipe, the notorious suspect arrested in connection with serial killings in Akinyele Local Government Area, alongside eight suspects in connection with Okeho bank robbery, and two suspects for murder of a farmer’s fiancé.
Shodipe, who had earlier been paraded on July 17, however, escaped from the police custody on August 11 in Ibadan. After a week of manhunt, Shodipe was rearrested in Bodija area of Ibadan. Read more
Confusion as Bida Poly Rector continues in office after retiring (Vanguard)
Confusion has enveloped the Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Niger State, as the Rector, Dr. Dzukogi A. Abubakar, who retired from the services of the institution two months ago, is still calling the shots in the institution.
It was gathered his retirement was kept secret from the workers until one of the staff members got hold of his retirement letter and informed the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP and other staff unions in the polytechnic.
Dzukogi, on June 10th, 2020, sent his retirement letter to the Registrar of the polytechnic, titled: “Application for voluntary retirement as staff of the Federal Polytechnic, Bida.” Read more
FG’s 774,000 unskilled N20,000 jobs: Four PhD, 200 master’s holders apply, Senate tackles Keyamo again on slots (Punch)
Sunday Aborisade, Samson Folarin, Daud Olatunji, Adeniyi Olugbemi, John Charles, Chima Azubuike, Olaide Oyelude, James Abraham, Maiharaji Altine, Abiodun Nejo and Tukur Muntari
The Senate berated the Minister of State for Employment, Labour and Productivity, Mr Festus Keyamo (SAN), again on Wednesday over the recruitment of 774,000 Nigerians for the Federal Government’s Special Public Works programme.
Spokesperson for the Senate, Dr Ajibola Basiru, in an interview with The PUNCH, described as false, a claim by the minister that each member of the National Assembly was given 30 slots in the ongoing nationwide public works recruitment. Read more
Sokoto Assembly passes Bill to provide online report on state’s indebtedness (Vanguard)
Sokoto State House of Assembly on Wednesday amended the state Fiscal Responsibility Law 2019, making a provision for the state government to publish its indebtedness online.
The development followed a motion by Alhaji Bello Ambarura (APC- Illela), after the Assembly’s consideration of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation report presented by its Chairman, Alhaji Malami Mohammed (PDP-Sokoto South II).
Mohammed recalled that the state Governor, Aminu Tambuwal submitted the Executive bill, which was referred to the committee for scrutiny and recommendation to the Assembly. Read more
Buhari calls for speedy dispensation of justice (Guardian)
President Muhammadu Buhari has frowned on the slow pace of trials in the courts and called for reforms that will limit criminal trials up to the Supreme Court to one-year term and civil trials to between 12 and 15 months.
Buhari spoke through Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the opening session of the virtual 2020 Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)’s Annual General Conference themed ‘Step Forward’ yesterday.
He said no other group outside the legal community was as crucial to the sustenance of democracy, law and order as the men and women in the legal profession. Read more
Brenton Tarrant: Christchurch gunman given life term without parole (BBC)
A New Zealand court has sentenced a man who shot dead 51 people at two mosques to life in prison without parole, the first person in the country’s history to receive this sentence.
Australian Brenton Tarrant had earlier pleaded guilty to the murder of 51 people, attempted murder of another 40 people and one charge of terrorism.
The judge called his actions “inhuman”, adding that he had “showed no mercy”.
The attack, which was livestreamed by Tarrant, shocked the world.
“Your crimes are so wicked that even if you are detained until you die, it will not exhaust the requirements of punishment,” said Judge Cameron Mander in a Christchurch court on Thursday. Read more
Egypt prosecution seeks arrest of nine in alleged hotel rape case (Aljazeera)
Egypt’s public prosecution is seeking the arrest of nine suspects accused of gang-raping a woman, including seven who have fled the country.
The rape allegedly took place six years ago at a luxury hotel in the capital, Cairo, but the allegations emerged online in July only.
“The public prosecution is taking legal steps to arrest the fugitives who are accused of assaulting a young woman at the Fairmont Nile City Hotel in 2014,” a statement said. Read more
Caged Congolese man: Why a zoo took 114 years to apologise (BBC)
Ota Benga was kidnapped from what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1904 and taken to the US to be exhibited. Journalist Pamela Newkirk, who has written extensively about the subject, looks at the attempts over the decades to cover up what happened to him.
More than a century after it drew international headlines for exhibiting a young African man in the monkey house, the Bronx Zoo in New York has finally expressed regret.
The Wildlife Conservation Society’s apology for its 1906 exhibition of Ota Benga, a native of Congo, comes in the wake of global protests prompted by the videotaped police killing of George Floyd that again shone a bright light on racism in the United States. Read more
Mike Pence accepts VP nomination, says Trump ‘believes in America’ at RNC (NYPost)
Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday urged voters to reelect President Trump, hailing him as someone who “believes in America” at the 2020 Republican National Convention.
Accepting his party’s vice presidential nomination from Fort McHenry National Monument in Baltimore, Pence accused Biden and Democrats of demeaning the nation as it confronts the coronavirus crisis and a painful reckoning on race.
“The heroes who held this fort took their stand for Life, liberty, freedom and the American flag. Those ideals have defined our nation,” Pence said on the third night of the convention, themed “Land of Heroes.”
“Yet they were hardly ever mentioned during last week’s Democratic Convention,” he continued. Read more
Teenager Kyle Rittenhouse arrested, charged for Kenosha shootings (Aljazeera)
A teenager identified as Kyle Rittenhouse was arrested and charged with homicide on Wednesday after gunfire killed two people and wounded a third during protests over the police shooting of a Black man in Kenosha, Wisconsin, court officials said.
The lakeside city has been rocked by civil unrest since Sunday, when police shot Jacob Blake, 29, in the back at close range. That incident, captured on video, has reignited protests over racism and police use of force in the United States, and prompted NBA team the Milwaukee Bucks to boycott a playoff game.
Police equipment from across the state as well as National Guard troops, the FBI, and other federal law enforcement officers have been sent to Kenosha, police officials said. Read more
Brad Pitt and German model Nicole Poturalski’s relationship confirmed (PageSix)
Brad Pitt is dating German model Nicole Poturalski as his divorce from Angelina Jolie rumbles on, Page Six can confirm.
The “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” actor, 56, was spotted in France with the brunette on Wednesday, as the pair arrived at Le Bourget airport outside of Paris.
A source confirmed to us: “They are seeing each other, they’re enjoying a vacation together.” Read more
Tom Cruise surprises fans after sneaking into packed cinema to watch Tenet in London (Metro)
Tom Cruise did the Mission: Impossible by sneaking into a busy London cinema to watch anticipated blockbuster Tenet, giving fans quite a pleasant surprise. The 58-year-old actor shared a rare video on social media of his first trip to the cinema since lockdown began.
In the 30-second clip, Tom was seen sitting in the back of a London taxi on a rainy afternoon and drove past tourist attractions such as Buckingham Palace. As the taxi slowed its roll at traffic lights, a group of fans riding Boris bikes somehow recognised the Hollywood superstar despite most of his face being covered by a mask. Read more
Fans thrilled as England snub Saka (Punch)
The decision of England manager, Gareth Southgate, to drop Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka from the Three Lions’ squad for the Nations League games against Iceland and Denmark, next month, came as great news to Nigerian fans, The PUNCH reports.
With his fine form in the just-concluded 2019/20 season, where he was named third in the Arsenal Player of The Season poll behind captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Bernd Leno, and emerging the Europa League Young Player of The Year by Whoscored.com, many felt Saka would make the next England squad.
Southgate, however, excluded him from his squad, saying he was keeping close tabs on the 18-year-old. Read more
Nigerians’ positions in top European leagues excite Lawal (Guardian)
Former international, Garba Lawal, has stated that he can’t wait to watch the Nigerian players back in actions again in the new season across Europe, which kick-started with the French Ligue 1 last week and the commencement of the English Premier League with the Community Shield between English FA Cup winner, Arsenal and League Champions, Liverpool.
Lawal, who cited Super Eagles striker and Napoli’s new recruit, Victor Osimhen, as one of the players he would look out for among the legions of Nigerian Internationals in Europe, stated that the English Premier League’s Leicester City, Wilfred Ndidi and La Liga’s Villarreal’s Samuel Chukwueze, among others, would attract his audience.
He added that for them to be in their best in order to win their coaches’ confidence that must be determined to soar high this new season. Read more
NBA postpones play-off games after Bucks boycott over Jacob Blake (Aljazeera)
The US National Basketball Association (NBA) has postponed three play-off games scheduled for Wednesday after the Milwaukee Bucks decided to boycott Game 5 of their series against Orlando Magic in protest against racial injustice.
The action comes on the heels of the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Sunday.
“The NBA and the NBPA today announced that in light of the Milwaukee Bucks’ decision to not take the floor today for Game 5 against the Orlando Magic, today’s three games – Milwaukee-Orlando, Houston Rockets-Oklahoma City and Los Angeles Lakers-Portland Trail Blazers have been postponed. Read more
Champions League: Celtic knocked out by Ferencvaros (BBC)
Celtic suffered their earliest Champions League exit in 15 years after falling to a shock defeat at the hands of Ferencvaros in Glasgow.
It seemed Neil Lennon’s side had recovered from David Siger’s early goal for the Hungarian champions when Ryan Christie’s deflected strike levelled the one-legged tie.
However, Tokmac Nguen’s breakaway goal snatched victory for Ferencvaros and ensured Celtic’s worst performance in the competition since Artmedia Bratislava knocked them out in 2005.
The Scottish champions now drop into the Europa League third qualifying round, the draw for which takes place on Tuesday. Read more
Ben Chilwell: Chelsea sign Leicester defender on five-year deal for £45m (BBC)
Chelsea have signed England left-back Ben Chilwell from Leicester on a five-year deal for £45m.
Chilwell is Chelsea’s third addition of the summer after the arrivals of winger Hakim Ziyech, 27, from Ajax and striker Timo Werner, 24, from RB Leipzig.
The defender, 23, is a Leicester academy product who made his debut for the club in 2015, and had a contract with the Foxes until 2024.
He missed the final five matches of the 2019-20 season with a foot injury. Read more
Tiger Woods: Phil Mickelson can rule Champions Tour (NYPost)
Phil Mickelson’s first foray into the senior circuit led to his first tournament victory in more than a year.
Tiger Woods believes it could just be the start.
While Woods was preparing for the FedEx Cup playoffs, his longtime rival on the PGA Tour kicked off his PGA Tour Champions career — for golfers 50 years old and over — by winning the Charles Schwab Series at Ozarks National on Wednesday.
“He was already one of the longest hitters out here (on the PGA Tour) and now he goes to where he’s going to pick up a huge advantage off the tee,” Woods told reporters Wednesday ahead of the BMW Championship and Mickelson’s final round. Read more