COVID-19 third wave: Sanwo-Olu says 135 died in Lagos, not 500 (Guardian)
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Monday, disclosed that 135 persons have died in Lagos from COVID-19 during the third wave, and not 500 as being speculated.
Sanwo-Olu, who provided the COVID-19 update, said about 1000 passengers from the red zones, with high delta variant cases, have absconded.
“From the start, Lagos State has been the epicenter of the disease in Nigeria, and that remains the case in this third wave. The test positivity rate, which measures how many tests are returning positive, out of every 100 tests conducted, currently stands at 12.1%; compared to 1.1% at the end of June 2021, and 7% at end of July 2021,” Sanwo-Olu said.
“We have identified that the third wave emerged on account of non-adherence to the laid-down health protocols designed to
mitigate this pandemic. For this reason, it is essential for me to, once again, remind all of us of the huge responsibility we have to contribute to fighting and defeating this virus. Read more
Why operatives forcefully broke into BBNaija’s Dorathy’s house -EFCC (Punch)
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has given reasons for forcefully breaking into Big Brother Naija Lockdown housemate, Dorathy Bachor, about 04.45 am on Monday.
Dorathy had alleged that armed operatives of EFCC broke into her Lagos residence and later claimed that it was a mistake.
The former housemate in the 2020 edition of BBNaija reality television show, who took to her Instastory to narrate the incident, said she suffered a “panic attack” as a result of the incident.
In a statement on Monday, EFCC claimed that Dorathy was not at home talkless of walking out “half-naked”. Read more
Nigerian student emerges world’s brightest (Vanguard)
The Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth has honoured Fareedah Oyolola, a secondary school student at Greensprings School, Lagos, as one of the brightest students in the world.
This recognition is a result of her exceptional performance in the advanced School and College Ability Test (SCAT), which every student must undergo in order for the institution to determine their current academic abilities before admitting them into its talent search programme.
Sharing her experience about the test, Fareedah said: “The test was a multiple-choice aptitude test in verbal and quantitative reasoning, and I had to answer 100 questions within 44 minutes! At the end of the test, my score was in the 92nd percentile for verbal reasoning and 87th percentile for quantitative reasoning.
There’s no way I would have gotten these high scores with such a limited time window if not for the great work put in by my teachers, towards developing my comprehension abilities and mathematical reasoning skills. I am very grateful to them.” Read more
Killing of ex-colleague Omomeewa: LASU students give govt, management ultimatum (Vanguard)
The Students Union Government (SUG), of the Lagos State University, LASU, has given the state government and the management of the university a seven-day ultimatum to unravel the killers of a former contestant to the post of the President of the SUG, Mr Yusuf Alowonle, also known as Omomeewa.
The student body also demands that the government and LASU management take certain steps to boost security in and around the university campus within the said period.
The demands were contained in a statement on Sunday night signed by the President of the SUG, Comrade Badmus Oladipo Uthman and two others.
“The security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government as provided in Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Read more
COVID-19: Edo to restrict access to banks, worship centres for unvaccinated residents (DailyTrust)
Edo State will restrict access to banks, churches, mosques and event centres to anyone without proof of COVID-19 vaccination starting this September.
Governor Godwin Obaseki announced the restrictions on Monday at the flagoff of the second phase of vaccination against COVID-19 in Benin City.
Why I asked Katsina residents to arm themselves against bandits – Masari
Gunmen kill 4, abduct 50 others in Zamfara community
He said the Delta variant was spreading fast and on the increase hence the need to vaccinate the people against the virus.
“We have two set of vaccines, which are Moderna vaccines which we just received, and Astrazenecca vaccine for those who had not taken second dose of it”.
Edo had at the weekend received 76,712 COVID-19, comprising 65,016 doses of Moderna and 11,696 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines. Read more
Enugu locked down again over IPOB threat (Guardian)
Major roads and streets in Enugu State were deserted on Monday morning as residents continued to comply with a sit at home order to press for the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu.
Although the separatist group, which two weeks ago called for the action, had last week, backtracked and asked residents to go about their normal duties every Monday, but businesses and offices remained under lock and key on Monday, August 23 in the state.
As of 9:00 am, no bank, market, filling stations, parks, and government offices among other businesses in the state had opened
Residents, who had early engagements, resorted to trekking to their destinations as commercial vehicles were off the roads. Read more
Court orders resident doctors to suspend strike (Punch)
The National Industrial Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the National Association of Resident Doctors to suspend its ongoing strike.
Justice John Targema made the order on Monday while ruling on an exparte application by the federal government.
Having looked especially on the affidavit of extreme urgency, the grounds of the application, the affidavit in support of same and arguments of counsel for the applicant. I also weighed the submissions and arguments of counsel on the law as it stands on this application. Read more
Security crisis drives up Nigeria’s food worries (Guardian)
Rice farmer Donald Amokaha spends his days weeding a temporary plot outside the city of Makurdi, on the fringes of the Benue river in Nigeria’s agricultural heartland.
Two hours drive away into the countryside, Amokaha has a swathe of prime farmland, but it lies abandoned. Fear of attacks forced him to leave earlier this year.
“I usually cultivate rice, millet and sesame seeds on 100 hectares (250 acres) of land in Guma… but this year, I ran,” Amokaha told AFP. “I ploughed 40 hectares but was unable to plant.”
Amokaha is only one of a growing number of farmers who are fleeing violence in Nigeria’s crop-growing Middle Belt. Read more
Joséphine Baker to be first black woman to enter France’s Panthéon (BBC)
American-born French performer Joséphine Baker will be entered into Paris’ Panthéon mausoleum, making her the first black woman to receive the honour.
The government says Baker will be inducted into the monument in November.
The Panthéon is a burial place for celebrated French icons such as scientist Marie Curie and writer Victor Hugo.
Baker will be just the sixth woman to join some 80 national heroes. Read more
Deadly firefight involving US troops erupts at Kabul airport (DailyBeast)
An Afghan guard was shot dead early Monday after a firefight involving US troops broke out during the ongoing evacuation chaos at Kabul airport, according to Germany’s armed forces. The Bundeswehr said in a statement that gunfire between Afghan security forces and “unknown attackers” erupted at the North Gate of the airport, killing one member of Afghan security and injuring three others.
US and German troops were involved in the battle, the Bundeswehr said, but it didn’t elaborate on what role those troops played.
CNN’s Nick Paton Walsh reported that the gunfire began when an unidentified sniper fired on Afghan security, who then shot back toward US marines, who returned fire.
The US military hasn’t released any details about the incident. Read more
Rev. Jesse Jackson and wife hospitalised for COVID-19 (CBC)
Rev. Jesse Jackson, 79, and his wife Jacqueline, 77, have been hospitalized after testing positive for COVID-19, according to a statement Saturday.
Jackson, a famed U.S. civil rights leader and two-time presidential candidate, is vaccinated against the virus and received his first dose in January during a publicized event as he urged others to receive the inoculation as soon as possible.
He and his wife are being treated at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago.
“Doctors are currently monitoring the condition of both,” according to the statement from Jesse Jackson’s non-profit, the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition. Read more
“Little Mix” star Leigh-Anne Pinnock announces birth of twins with fiancé Andre Gray (Metro)
Little Mix star Leigh-Anne Pinnock has welcomed twins with fiancé Andre Gray.
In a shock announcement, the 29-year-old confirmed she had given birth to twins on August 16, sharing a black and white picture of her babies’ little feet.
She wrote: ‘We asked for a miracle, we were given two… 🥺🖤 Our Cubbies are here 😍🖤16/08/21.’
She did not reveal the babies’ genders, but safe to say fans were stunned, as Leigh-Anne had not previously revealed she was expecting twins. Read more
Cuomo exiting as New York governor, Hochul to take office (CBC)
Andrew Cuomo is nearing the end of his decade as New York’s governor Monday, as he prepares to relinquish his grip on government to Lt.-Gov. Kathy Hochul in a midnight power transfer that will break another glass ceiling for women in state politics.
Cuomo, a Democrat, is set to end his term at 11:59 p.m., just under two weeks after he announced he would resign rather than face a likely impeachment battle over sexual harassment allegations.
Hochul is scheduled to be sworn in as New York’s first female governor just after midnight in a brief, private ceremony overseen by the state’s chief judge, Janet DiFiore.
The switch in leadership is happening in the aftermath of tropical storm Henri, which narrowly missed Long Island on Sunday but was dumping potentially dangerous amounts of rain over parts of the Catskill Mountains and Hudson River Valley, even after it was downgraded to a tropical depression. Read more
“Pass Over” brilliantly heralds the return of the Broadway play (DailyBeast)
The standing ovation, the whooping and cheering happened before a word was spoken.
Pass Over opened on the night of August 22 (until Oct 10 at the August Wilson Theatre), the first release on a pent-up Broadway itching to make up for a lost year.
Here we all were in what looked like a full house, and it felt momentous and strange. It had been so long, and it was so good to be back, but the pandemic is ongoing. Whether theatre can fully return in the social and scientific hinterland we find ourselves is still an open question, and one that will be tested by theater makers and appreciators in real time in the coming months.
If you are ready to return to Broadway, then it’s pretty much the same as before, except: be ready to show proof of vaccination, proof of identity, and then your tickets. Be ready to wear a mask for the duration of the performance, for now at least. Once inside, there is no social distancing. You are sitting in your seats as close to your neighbor as you were before, just masked. Read more
Team Nigeria Confident As Tokyo 2020 Paralympics Starts Tomorrow (DailyTrust)
As sporting hostilities are set to commence at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, Team Nigeria has expressed readiness to make Nigeria proud once again.
The delayed 2020 Paralympics will start on Tuesday, August 24 to September 5 in Tokyo.
Speaking ahead of the commencement of the games, the president of Nigeria Paralympics, Ruel Ishaku, said Team Nigeria athletes are adequately prepared for podium performances.
“I don’t have any doubt about my athletes because they are in high spirits. They have prepared very well. Now they are in Tokyo for the usual results.
“We attended the last Paralympics with a good number of athletes which was about 14. In Tokyo, we have only nine. However, by the special grace of God, we would make it.
“Most times, people talk of medals but we are looking beyond medals to world records. Our emphasis is on world records because once you set a world record, you are an automatic gold medallist,” explained Rukel. Read more
Our athletes have given us hope of a brighter tomorrow ―Okowa (Vanguard)
Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN, President Tonobock Okowa says the future is very bright for track and field in Nigeria following the unprecedented feats achieved by the country’s young athletes at the World Athletics U20 Championships which ended Sunday in Nairobi, Kenya.
Nigeria won four gold and three bronze medals to finish third on the medal table and Okowa has congratulated the team.
‘The athletes and their coaches have done us very proud. They have achieved our best-ever performance in the history of the Championships,’ said Okowa.
The AFN President believes the unprecedented feats signify that track and field in Nigeria is on the rise again after some 13 years of more misses than hits. Read more
Mikel Arteta harassed by Arsenal fans outside Emirates Stadium after Chelsea defeat (Metro)
Mikel Arteta was harassed by Arsenal supporters outside the Emirates Stadium following his side’s 2-0 defeat to Chelsea.
The Gunners have now suffered defeats in both of their Premier League games so far as first-half goals from Romelu Lukaku and Reece James secured the win for Thomas Tuchel’s side on Sunday.
In their first game of the season at the Emirates, Arsenal fans took the opportunity to voice their frustrations as they booed the players at half time as well as at the full-time whistle.
And some fans vented their anger directly at Arteta as he made his way home on Sunday evening. Read more
Transfer rumours: Kane, Haaland, Traore, Aouar, Locatelli, Xhaka, Madueke (BBC)
Manchester City are set to make a final push to sign Tottenham striker Harry Kane this week. The future of the England captain, who made his first appearance of the season as a substitute in Spurs’ win at Wolves, remains uncertain with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy determined to hold on to the 28-year-old. (Telegraph)
Tottenham are also weighing up a possible £40m offer for Wolves winger Adam Traore with Spurs boss Nuno Espirito Santo keen to be reunited with the Spain international, who he managed for three years at Molineux. (Telegraph)
Manchester United have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Braut Haaland, 21, whose £64m contract clause will become active in January. (Marca – in Spanish)
Tottenham remain interested in Lyon and France midfielder Houssem Aouar, 23, who is also wanted by Juventus. (Calciomercato – in Italian). Read more
Icardi out for 4 weeks over shoulder injury, say PSG Punch)
Paris Saint-Germain have on Monday announced that striker Mauro Icardi has suffered a sprain on his shoulder.
In a statement, PSG said the Argentine suffered a Grade 2 sprain of the acromioclavicular joint and will be out for three to four weeks.
The 28-year-old picked up the injury in his side’s 4-2 win against Berest last Friday.
“Medical examinations have revealed the Argentina international is suffering from a Grade 2 sprain of the acromioclavicular joint.
“It is estimated he will return to full training in three to four weeks,” the club announced on their website.
The update means Icardi could return to help the club in the Champions League in mid-September. Read more
Thomas Tuchel reveals difference between Romelu Lukaku and Chelsea’s other strikers (Metro)
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel admits Romelu Lukaku has added a new dimension to his side’s attack as he offers qualities that the club’s other strikers do not possess.
The Belgian kicked off his second stint at the club in perfect fashion on Sunday by scoring in the Blues’ 2-0 win against Arsenal at the Emirates.
Tuchel played the likes of Kai Havertz and Timo Werner in central positions last season but the German wanted a more physical presence up front that could link up attacks and bring the side’s midfield into play.
Lukaku demonstrated that in the build-up to his goal just 15 minutes into the game in north London and his play with back to goal was exemplary throughout at the Emirates. Read more