Daredevil daylight robbers return to Lagos streets (Punch)
Residents are currently lamenting over what looks like a surge in armed robbery cases on Lagos streets and roads.
PUNCH Metro reports that amid the recent frequent raids on some streets such as Lawani Street, off Ishaga Road, Surulere, where armed robbers stole cash and properties on the night of July 18, other residents said robbery cases were now extending to roads, including during daytime.
“They robbed the (Surulere) area that week and the week after it,” a resident, Biodun, told one of our correspondents on Wednesday. Read more
Tinubu begs for more time to address Labour grievances (Tribune)
President Bola Tinubu has appealed to the organised labour to give him more time to look into their grievances rather than embark on industrial action.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, disclosed this after leading members of his leadership to brief the president on the outcome of their engagement with the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), which has declared a nationwide strike action.
Abbas told correspondents after the villa meeting that President Tinubu pleaded that he is new in office and needs time to evaluate the issues that are being raised by workers over which he is yet to be briefed. Read more
Lagos splits education ministry into 2, renames, reintroduces others (Guardian)
Lagos State government has divided the Ministry of Education into two ministries, renamed the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs to Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development.
In a memo, on Wednesday, addressed to Ministries departments and agencies of Lagos State government, the Head of Service, Hakeem Muri-Okunola, said that office of Special Adviser on Education has been upgraded to Ministry of Tertiary Education while for Ministry of Education has been designated as Ministry of Basic Education.
Also the Office of Civic Engagement has been divided into the Office of Civic Engagement and Political and Legislative Bureau. This is just as the Central Internal Audit Department has been upgraded to the Office of Internal Audit. Read more
Sanwo-Olu’s EKOEXCEL wins Titans of Tech Award (ThisDay)
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s basic education reform programme, EKOEXCEL, which was launched in 2019 to transform Lagos public primary schools through technology deployment, was honoured with the Most Innovative Digital Learning Platform of the Year at the 19th edition of the Titans of Tech Awards, held on the 21 July in Lagos.
The EKOEXCEL programme was also recognised for the same category at the 18th edition of the Titans of Tech awards, held last year, further validating the interventions efficacy.
The organisers described EKOEXCEL as not just being at the forefront of Innovative digital learning but is also a leading e-learning provider and enabler with a history of consistency, innovation and passion for excellence with over 13,000 teachers retrained and migrated from analogue to digital teaching using the latest tech and updated curricular. Read more
Emefiele: DSS condemns ‘‘unfortunate’’ fracas with prison officials, orders probe (Channels)
The Department of State Services (DSS) on Wednesday said it would probe the fracas involving its officials and personnel of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) at the Federal High Court in Lagos.
On Tuesday, DSS operatives got physical with the prison officers on the court premises over custody of suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele.
Channels Television had reported that the scuffle between both agencies occurred after Justice Nicholas Oweibo admitted Emefiele to bail in the sum of N20m and ordered that the embattled CBN chief be remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre pending the fulfillment of the bail conditions. Read more
APC Crisis: Lukman resigns from NWC (Independent)
The smoldering crisis within the leadership of the All Progressives Congress worsens on Wednesday with the resignation of Salihu Lukman, National Vice, Northwest of the party.
Comrade Lukman who has elevated himself to become the conscience of the party, wrote in a 3-paragraph letter to the APC Acting National Chairman that he is quitting his role as National Vice Chairman Northwest with immediate effect.
Giving reason for his action, Comrade Lukman posited that the atmosphere in the APC is completely at variance with the founding vision of the progressive party. Read more
How gunmen in 7 SUVs attacked my house —Ex-PDP BoT chair (Vanguard)
Former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Board of Trustees, Senator Walid Jibrin, has narrated how he escaped death when gunmen in seven SUVs attacked his house in Abuja, vandalised his bedroom and carted away vital documents.
Briefing journalists in Kaduna, yesterday, Jibrin said though the gunmen did not meet him at home, they took his house boy but later released him somewhere.
According to him, “I use this opportunity to announce that recently some suspected bandits/kidnappers forcefully entered my rented House at Brains and Hermas Estate, APO 3 FCT, Abuja, seriously vandalising my main bedroom and going away with vital documents. Read more
Cardi B and Offset spin rocky romance rumours into new single ‘‘Jealousy’’ (HipHopDX)
Cardi B and Offset’s relationship appears to be back on track as the pair have shared news of a fresh song arriving later this week.
On Wednesday (July 26), the “Bodak Yellow” rapper shared an image of her with her husband in which they seem to be leaning into the recent theatrics surrounding their marriage.
The post is captioned: “Jealousy out Friday… Link in bio.” Considering the IG photo of the couple has a Parental Advisory label on it, it will most likely be the cover art for the upcoming single. Read more
Ariana Grande’s new boyfriend Ethan Slater files for divorce from his wife (People)
Ethan Slater has reportedly filed for divorce from his wife following news of his new romance with Ariana Grande.
Slater, 31, filed for divorce in New York on Wednesday, per TMZ. The reason for his split from Lilly Jay was not listed. PEOPLE reached out to Slater and Jay for comment.
The actor married Jay in November 2018, six years after they began dating. The former couple also share a baby son, whom they welcomed in August 2022. Read more
New docuseries spotlighting women in Hip-Hop is coming to Netflix (AmericanSongwriter)
An upcoming documentary series will highlight the contributions and achievements of the women who have made their mark on hip-hop over the past 50 years.
“Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop” will debut on August 9 and be available to stream exclusively on Netflix. Over the course of four episodes, viewers will be introduced to the women who helped pave the way for new generations of female hip-hop artists.
The series includes interviews with influential rappers Queen Latifah, Rah Digga, and MC Lyte to reflect on their experiences during hip-hop’s first rise in popularity. A lengthy list of current chart-toppers, including Latto and Tierra Whack, are joined by journalists, stylists, and other industry heavyweights who paint a picture of what’s changed within the genre over the decades and what progress still needs to be made. Read more
Director of Sinéad O’Connor documentary ‘‘devastated’’ at singer’s death (IrishExaminer)
The director of a documentary about Sinéad O’Connor’s life has told of the impact the singer had on her.
Nothing Compares traces O’Connor’s turbulent life from her childhood in Dublin in the care of a mentally ill mother and her subsequent journey through the care system.
It tells the story of O’Connor’s war of attrition against an image-obsessed music industry that tried and failed to tame her and led to further outbursts, including repeated criticism of the Catholic Church. Read more
Ryan Reynolds wishes Sandra Bullock, 59, a happy birthday in a very naughty way (Hello!)
Ryan Reynolds took a spicy trip down memory lane on the occasion of Sandra Bullock’s 59th birthday, reminding everyone of their shared time on the silver screen.
The 46-year-old actor humorously celebrated the milestone by posting a famous scene from their 2009 romantic comedy, The Proposal, on social media.
The scene in question, which has gained iconic status among fans, involves an accidental and rather hilarious run-in between their characters while both are in the nude. The laugh-out-loud moment still packs a punch even years after the film’s release. Read more
Russian cybersecurity chief jailed for 14 years for treason (AlJazeera)
A Russian court has jailed for 14 years a top cybersecurity executive for treason in a case which centred on allegations he had passed classified information to foreign spies.
Following a closed-door trial, the AFP news agency quoted Judge Alexander Rybak as saying on Wednesday, “The court found Ilya Sachkov guilty under Article 275 of Russia’s Criminal Code and sentenced him to 14 years in prison with the sentence to be served in a strict regime penal colony.”
Last week, prosecutors requested that Sachkov be sentenced to 18 years in jail. Read more
Belgian court finds Paris attacker Salah Abdeslam guilty of murder in 2016 Brussels bombings (France24)
A Brussels court on Tuesday convicted French citizen Salah Abdeslam and Belgian-Moroccan Mohamed Abrini for 2016 jihadist bombings in the Belgian capital that killed 32 people, after the country’s largest-ever criminal trial.
The high-profile pair — already sentenced to life in jail by France for a 2015 massacre in Paris — were among six accused found guilty of “murder linked to terrorism” over the biggest peacetime attack in Belgium.
The suicide attacks on March 22, 2016 at the Belgian capital’s main airport and on the metro system were claimed by the Islamic State group. Read more
Chukwueze arrives Milan for medicals, picks No 21 shirt (DailyTrust)
Samuel Chukwueze arrived at La Madonnina Clinic as he underwent his medicals and fitness checks before completing his transfer from Villarreal to Milan.
The 24-year-old Nigerian winger is joining the Rossoneri in a deal worth around €28m total, filling one of the two non-EU player slots in the squad. He will put pen to paper on a five-year contract and has picked the No 21 shirt.
Chukwueze will become Milan’s seventh signing of the summer transfer window, following Marco Sportiello, Luka Romero, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Tijjani Reijnders, Christian Pulisic and Noah Okafor. Read more
Women’s World Cup: Tinubu lauds Super Falcons ahead clash with Australia (Leadership)
President Bola Tinubu, on behalf of all Nigerians, has extended best wishes to the Super Falcons as they prepare to face Australia in their second group match at the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023.
The President, like other football-loving Nigerians, takes immense pride in the Super Falcons’ impressive performance in the opening match against Canada, a formidable opponent and the reigning Olympic Champion.
In a statement by Presidential spokesman, Dele Alake, Tinubu firmly believed that the upcoming match on Thursday will be a thrilling encounter that will culminate in victory for the Nigerian team. Read more
Mbappe “refuses to talk” to Al Hilal over 300m euro move (France24)
Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe has refused to meet officials from Al Hilal, dealing a potentially fatal blow to the Saudis’ ambitious hopes of completing a world record 300-million-euro ($333 million) swoop.
The French star has refused “any discussion with the representatives of the Al-Hilal club, present in Paris this Wednesday,” reported L’Equipe sports daily.
According to the report, a delegation from the Saudi club came to Paris to finalise the transfer of Brazilian Malcom from Zenit Saint Petersburg. Read more
Jordan Henderson: Liverpool captain confirms exit in goodbye video to fans (BBC)
Jordan Henderson has confirmed he is leaving Liverpool after 12 years, before an expected move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq.
The 33-year-old midfielder looks set for the Saudi Pro League in a deal worth £12m plus add-ons.
Posting on his Instagram account, Henderson said: “Just know, I will always be a Red, until the day I die.”
Henderson captained Liverpool to their first Premier League title in 30 years in 2020. Read more
Nick Kyrgios says schedule, party life will force him to retire from tennis (Fox)
Nick Kyrgios has again discussed the end of his playing career, saying the demands of the tennis tour along with his party lifestyle are taking a toll.
Kyrgios, 28, has often complained about the rigours of travelling and has conceded he only started to put real time into training in recent years.
The Australian has also been known for his party lifestyle, especially in the earlier years of his playing career, which he admits has had an impact on his body and his career. Read more
Celtics’ Jaylen Brown to invest in community after record deal (ESPN)
Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown wants to win more than
championships after inking the richest deal in NBA history.
On Wednesday, minutes after he did a ceremonial signing of the contract that will keep him in a Celtics uniform and pay him a record $303.7 million over five years, he made it clear the next stage of his basketball career is about more than money.
“I appreciate the investment and the commitment from the Celtics,” Brown told reporters. “That commitment will be felt from me here in Boston on and off the floor.” Read more