Downpour leaves Lagos-Badagry Expressway flooded, residents groan (Guardian)
Hundreds of motorists and passengers going to Mile 2 were on Saturday stranded as flood from a morning downpour disrupted free movement on the trade fair and Abule-Ado axis of Lagos-Badagry Expressway.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that flood from the downpour blocked the trade fair axis, temporarily impeding movement of vehicles on the expressway.
NAN also reports that the rainfall, which started at 5 am and continued for hours, forced many passengers to come down from commercial vehicles and resort to trekking from Abule-Ado to Barracks in Ojo. Read more
Tricycle Rider returns missing N15m to Chadian owner in Kano (DailyTrust)
A 22-year-old tricycle rider, Auwalu Salisu, has returned N15 million that was forgotten by a passenger who came from Chad to buy goods in Kano.
Salisu, a resident of Yankaba in Nasarawa local government area of the state metropolis, returned the money after hearing a message about the missing money on a radio station in Kano.
The money, N15 million when converted, includes; 10.130 million CFA and N2.9 million. Read more
Unknown gunmen storm Bauchi community, kidnap Police officer (Tribune)
A few hours after security agencies secured the release of 33 kidnapped victims in Alkaleri Local Government Area, gunmen suspected to be kidnappers struck again in Toro LGA of Bauchi State and kidnapped One person believed to be a serving Police officer.
Toro town, which is the headquarters of Toro Local Government was thrown into confusion Friday night when the yet-to-be-identified gunmen stormed the area shooting randomly at night.
Residents of the town were thrown into confusion and ran helter-skelter for safety as the gunmen scared them away in order to hit their target. Read more
Labourer beheads farmer in Ondo, blames hard drug (Punch)
An Ondo State Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Akure has ordered the remand of a man, Sunday Clement, in prison custody for allegedly killing a farmer, Taye Alatoye.
Following the incident, the 24-year-old labourer defendant was arrested by the men of the state police command and was later charged to court and arraigned on a one-count charge of murder.
The defendant was said to have killed the deceased on his way to farm at Ofosu community, in Idanre Local Government Area of the state. Read more
Finally, Naira Marley speaks on Mohbad’s death (Leadership)
Nigerian singer and rapper, Naira Marley, has spoken for the first time since the death of his former signee, IleriOluwa Aloba, a.k.a Mohbad.
Mohbad died on Tuesday and subsequently buried on Wednesday in Ikorodu area of Lagos, sparking controversies about his actual cause of death.
In a statement posted on his Instagram, Naira Marley said he was “heartbroken” by Mohbad’s death, adding that he will “be truly missed”. Read more
Mohbad: Disregard posts purportedly using Elegushi to subvert justice, palace media to Nigerians (Independent)
The media team of HRM. Kabiyesi Alayeluwa Oba Saheed Ademola Elegushi (Kushenla lll) has urged Nigerians to disregard malicious posts being circulated, purportedly using His Royal Majesty’s might to prevent the law from taking its course.
The team in a press statement on Saturday signed by Deyemi Saka, Lead Partner, Lambert and Curtis, noted that Samson Erinfolami Balogun is not a member of the Elegushi Royal Family and he is not under direct or indirect employment of the palace. Read more
Oluwo tackles Obasanjo for ordering Oyo monarchs to stand (Vanguard)
The Oluwo of Iwo, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, Telu I, has described former President, Olusegun Obasanjo’s action against traditional rulers in Oyo as a desecration of Yoruba traditional institution, noting that the Obasanjo cannot do it to emirs.
Obasanjo had, as seen in a trending video, ordered some Yoruba traditional rulers in Oyo State to stand up and greet him. He scolded them, saying wherever a governor or President is sitting, traditional rulers must show them respect.
However, Oluwo, in a statement made available to newsmen in Osogbo by his media aide, Alli Ibraheem on Saturday, blamed the traditional rulers present at the event for obeying Obasanjo’s order. Read more
Oyo Speaker Ogundoyin is chairman Nigeria Conference of Speakers (Nation)
Thirty-six year old Oyo Speaker Adebo Ogundoyin has emerged the new Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria.
Ogundoyin, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), emerged at a national meeting of the Conference in Abuja following withdrawal of Ogun Speaker Taiwo Oluomo from the race.
The appointment of Ogundoyin was confirmed through a unanimous voice vote by the speakers at the Conference. Read more
Drake enlists SZA for new single “Slime You” (NME)
Drake has teamed up with SZA for a new single, ‘Slime You’ – check it out below.
The track is the first taste of Drake’s upcoming album ‘For All The Dogs’, which serves as the follow-up to 2022’s ‘Honestly, Nevermind’.
Drake had been teasing the track earlier this week, taking to Instagram to share an image of Halle Berry getting slimed at the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards in 2012, in which he tagged SZA. The ‘SOS’ singer also posted the image to her own social media accounts, tagging Drake in return. Read more
Halle Berry says she didn’t give Drake permission to use a photo of her getting slimed for his song cover (THR)
Halle Berry is speaking out briefly about Drake’s new single cover for “Slime You Out.”
The rapper released his new song, which marks his first collaboration with SZA and is the first from his upcoming album For All the Dogs, on Friday. The cover of the single features an image of Berry getting slimed at the 2012 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards.
Drake and SZA posted the same single cover on their respective Instagram accounts on Wednesday, teasing their upcoming collab without outright saying what it would be or when it would come. Read more
Libya opens investigation into dams’ collapse after flood killed thousands (CBS)
Libyan authorities have opened an investigation into the collapse of two dams that caused a devastating flood in a coastal city as rescue teams searched for bodies on Saturday, nearly a week after the deluge killed more than 11,000 people.
Heavy rains caused by Mediterranean storm Daniel caused deadly flooding across eastern Libya last weekend. The floods overwhelmed two dams, sending a wall of water several meters high through the center of Derna, destroying entire neighborhoods and sweeping people out to sea.
More than 10,000 people are missing, according to the Libyan Red Crescent. Six days on, searchers are still digging through mud and hollowed-out buildings, looking for bodies and possible survivors. The Red Crescent has confirmed 11,300 deaths so far. Read more
Ashton Kutcher steps down from group he co-founded against child sex abuse (HuffPost)
Ashton Kutcher has stepped down as chairman of the board of Thorn, an organization he co-founded in 2009 with his then-wife Demi Moore to combat child sex abuse.
As first reported by Time, the former That ’70s Show actor sent a letter to Thorn’s board Thursday acknowledging that “victims of sexual abuse have been historically silenced” ― and saying that a statement he submitted to a court in support of fellow actor Danny Masterson, a convicted rapist, “is yet another painful instance of questioning victims who are brave enough to share their experiences.”
Kutcher said he and his wife, Mila Kunis, have “spent several days of listening, personal reflection, learning, and conversations with survivors and the employees and leadership at Thorn,” and he has “determined the responsible thing for me to do is resign as Chairman of the Board, effectively immediately.” Read more
Macron says French ambassador ‘literally being held hostage’ in Niger (AlJazeera)
President Emmanuel Macron has said that France’s envoy to Niger is living like a hostage in the French embassy and accused military rulers of blocking food deliveries to the mission.
The ambassador is living off “military rations”, Macron told reporters in the eastern town of Semur-en-Auxois on Friday.
“As we speak, we have an ambassador and diplomatic staff who are literally being held hostage in the French embassy,” he said. Read more
The Wonder Years cancelled at ABC after 2 seasons (Variety)
The Wonder Years has been canceled at ABC after two seasons, Variety has confirmed.
Based on the 1988 series of the same name, the reimagined show followed a Black middle-class family in Montgomery, Alabama, through the point of view of imaginative 12-year-old Dean. As he looks back on his childhood with the wisdom of his adult years, Dean’s hopeful and humorous recollections show how his family found their “wonder years” during the late 1960s.
Don Cheadle, narrated the series as adult Dean Williams. He was joined among the cast by Elisha “EJ” Williams as Dean Williams, Dulé Hill as Bill Williams, Saycon Sengbloh as Lillian Williams, Laura Kariuki as Kim Williams, Julian Lerner as Brad Hitman, Amari O’Neil as Cory Long and Milan Ray as Keisa Clemmons. Read more
Mourners gather in South Africa for funeral of controversial Zulu prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi (CNN)
Thousands of mourners gathered in eastern South Africa on Saturday for the state funeral of Mangosuthu Buthelezi.
The veteran South African politician, Zulu prince and controversial figure during the apartheid liberation struggle, died last week aged 95.
Mourners – some dressed in traditional Zulu outfits made of leopard and other animal skins and holding shields crafted from cow hides – gathered at a stadium in the town of Ulundi, where they danced, sang and cheered ahead of the service. Read more
Nigeria’s Terem Moffi hits brace to help Nice down PSG (DailyTrust)
Paris Saint-Germain slipped to their first loss of the Ligue 1 season despite a Kylian Mbappe double as an impressive Nice secured a 3-2 victory at the Parc des Princes on Friday, with Terem Moffi scoring twice.
PSG fell behind less than midway through the first half as Moffi found the net following a poor mistake by Mbappe.
The France striker made amends on the half-hour mark, but Gaetan Laborde restored Nice’s lead eight minutes after the break and Moffi put another past the ragged hosts. Read more
Ex-Super Eagles defender joins Abia Warriors (Independent)
Former Super Eagles defender, Ifeanyi Anaemena, has joined Abia based club Abia Warriors ahead of the 2023/24 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season.
The ex Enyimba FC, Rivers United and Remo Stars centre back signed a one-year deal with the club until the end of the season.
The experienced defender helped the Sky Blue Stars finished in second position last season. Read more
Kylian Mbappe fumes at opponent as PSG lose again to continue shoddy start to new season (Mirror)
An enraged Kylian Mbappe became embroiled in a war of words with Nice striker Terem Moffi as Paris Saint-Germain slumped to a dismal 3-2 defeat in their Ligue 1 clash.
Mbappe scored twice but couldn’t prevent Luis Enrique from registering his first loss as PSG manager, having already drawn two of his previous four league games in charge. Moffi was the hero for Nice as he bagged their first and third goals on a memorable night at the Parc des Princes.
After celebrating his second strike to put the visitors 3-1 up in Paris, Mbappe appeared to lose his cool and was seen verbally sparring with the Nigeria international, who also set up team-mate Gaeten Laborde’s goal shortly after half-time. Moffi didn’t appear too fazed by the Frenchman’s anger, with Nice centre-back duo Dante and Jean-Clair Todibo keeping Mbappe at a distance. Read more
Turkish clubs take financial hit to attract big names in transfer market (France24)
Turkey’s biggest clubs lured established stars including Mauro Icardi, Hakim Ziyech and Wilfried Zaha to the Super Lig in the transfer window with a spending spree that leaves them slipping further into the red.
Many eyes have been on Saudi clubs’ remarkable transfer outlays which have rivalled those of the top European sides, but Turkish teams have been signing big names under the radar.
Fenerbahce, Galatasaray, Besiktas and Trabzonspor, the four biggest Super Lig clubs, spent almost 120 million euros ($128 million) between them during the summer window, which ended on Friday evening in Turkey, while only receiving less than 80 million euros in fees. Read more
Andy Murray chokes back tears at Davis Cup after missing gran’s funeral to play match (Express)
Andy Murray choked back tears after his Davis Cup victory over Leandro Riedi on Friday as he revealed how he had missed his grandmother Ellen’s funeral to play his singles match. “Today is a tough day for me,” Murray said in his on-court interview as he paused several times in order to compose himself after his win. “It’s actually my gran’s funeral. I’m sorry to my family that I’m not able to be there. Gran, that one is for you.”
An emotional Murray had tears in his eyes as he apologised multiple times to the interviewer and the crowd for needing to take a moment away from the chat. But the crowd inside Manchester’s AO Arena rallied behind the Brit by cheering him loudly, and they also showed their support afterwards when the 36-year-old sat down on his bench and buried his head into a towel.
The moment came after Murray was asked by the BBC about ‘Grandma Pat’ in the crowd. The woman, a huge Murray fan, was watching her first ever live tennis match in the stands after celebrating her 90th birthday last week. Read more
FIA issues written warning to Red Bull’s Helmut Marko for Sergio Perez comments (StraitsTimes)
Formula One’s governing body issued a written warning to Red Bull’s motorsport adviser Helmut Marko on Friday after the Austrian blamed the patchy form of the team’s Mexican driver Sergio Perez on his ethnicity.
Marko, 80, apologised last week after referring to Perez as a “South American” who was less focused than dominant Red Bull team mate Max Verstappen or the team’s now-retired champion Sebastian Vettel.
“We can confirm that Helmut Marko has received a written warning and been reminded of his responsibilities as a public figure in motor sport in line with the FIA Code of Ethics,” said an FIA spokesman at the Singapore Grand Prix. Read more