Drivers flee as petrol tanker kills one in Lagos (Punch)
A yet-to-be-identified woman lost her life on Friday when a tanker crashed around the Nigerian Army Signal Barracks in the Mile 2 area of Lagos State.
The tanker driver was said to be conveying 55,000 litres of petrol to a destination in the state when he rammed into a pothole around 12.30 am and lost control of the vehicle in the process.
It was learnt that the tanker fell to the ground and trapped the female victim.
The Director-General, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said the driver and his assistant fled from the scene of the crash, adding that the impact of the accident killed the female victim. Read more
Lagos conducts 66,000 COVID-19 sample tests (Guardian)
Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi said 66,431 COVID-19 sample tests had been carried out since the inception of the pandemic.
Abayomi made the disclosure on his Twitter account while giving an update on the COVID-19 for Aug.5.
He noted that 137 new COVID-19 infections were confirmed in the state out of a total of 930 COVID-19 tests conducted on the reported date.
“The new cases bring the total number of confirmed #COVID19 infection in Lagos to 15,580,” he said. Read more
Concerns as churches, mosques reopen in Lagos (Nation)
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Saturday announced the reopening of places of worship at 50 per cent capacity effective August 7. The re-opening after four months religious centres were closed down as a result of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the governor said, followed the downward curve in active cases recorded in the state for some time.
But the re-opening order came with caveats: Ju’mat prayer or church services should be held in well-ventilated halls with physical distancing order enforced.
Only regular services or religious gatherings are permitted; no vigils or other programmes until further notice; people above 65 years are not allowed to attend; handwashing, sanitising, thermometer, as well as a mandatory face mask policy. Read more
Soyinka writes atheist detained 100 days for blasphemy (Punch)
Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has written a letter of solidarity to an atheist, Mubarak Bala, who has been in detention for 100 days without trial for allegedly blaspheming Prophet Muhammad.
Mubarak was arrested by the police in Kaduna State on April 28 following a petition by a lawyer, Salisu Umar.
He was subsequently detained by the Kano State Police Command and has been detained for the last 100 days based on claims by the police that courts are closed due to COVID-19.
In a letter he penned on Thursday, Soyinka noted that he was once detained for his views. Read more
AGF orders IGP to provide security for 17 Edo lawmakers (Nation)
The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation Abubakar Malami has ordered the Inspector General of Police to provide security for the 17 Edo All Progressives Congress Lawmakers.
In a letter dated August 5 based on a petition to his office by Idahosa-West Chambers, Malami said the security measure is necessary to prevent breakdown of law and order.
The 17 lawmakers backing All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, have been locked in a battle to access the Edo Assembly complex on Ring Road, Benin with seven lawmakers loyal to Governor Godwin Obaseki. Read more
Yahoo boys to sweep UNILORIN department, secondary school for three months (Guardian)
Justice Sikiru Oyinloye of Kwara State High Court, Ilorin, has convicted and sentenced the duo of Akinola Opeyemi and Owolabi Olajide to three months of community service for internet fraud.
The spokesperson of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Dele Oyewale, who disclosed this in a statement said they are to sweep the Physics Department of the University of Ilorin and the premises of Saint Anthony Secondary School, Ilorin, for three months or pay N50,000 option of fine each.
Delivering his judgment, according to Oyewale, Justice Oyinloye said, “I have carefully considered the evidence before the court, the exhibits tendered and the uncontroverted testimony of the prosecution witness” Read more
Court fixes Sept 29 for judgement on El-zakzaky’s case (Nation)
Kaduna State High Court of Justice, has fixed Tuesday 29th September, 2020 for judgement on the motion put forward by leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky.
Zakzaky had asked the court for the dismissal of the case against him and his wife by the government over failure to produce evidence against them.
This is coming after the counsel to Sheikh Zakzaky defended their motion while the government’s counsel made a counter motion when the court sat on Friday 7th August. Read more
Naira Marley, manager, fined N100,000 for violating travel ban (Punch)
The State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Lagos State Police Command, has arraigned popular artiste, Azeez Fashola, aka Naira Marley, and his manager, Seyi Awonuga, before the Lagos State Special Offences (Mobile) Court, Oshodi, for violating the ban on interstate travels.
The controversial artiste left Lagos for the Federal Capital Territory for a concert on Saturday, June 13, 2020.
The concert, which held at the Jabi Lake Mall, Abuja, attracted public outrage.
The government thereafter shut down the mall and stopped the operation of the airline, whose plane conveyed Naira Marley. Read more
US imposes sanctions on Hong Kong chief executive (BBC)
The US Treasury has imposed sanctions on Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam, and 10 other top officials from Hong Kong and mainland China.
The sanctions were used to target those undermining Hong Kong’s autonomy, said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
“The United States stands with the people of Hong Kong,” Mr Mnuchin added.
The move comes weeks after China imposed a controversial national security law on Hong Kong, which critics say threatened its freedoms. Read more
Woman in hospital after whale encounter (news.com.au)
A woman has landed in hospital after a close encounter with a whale off the coast of WA, the second such case in a week.
Perth woman Alicia Ramsay, 30, suffered bruised ribs and cuts after her collision with the 30-tonne creature, according to 9 News.
She was snorkelling as part of the Ningaloo Discovery Whale Shark tour when a female humpback and her calf arrived. Read more
Mont Blanc: Glacier collapse risk forces Italy Alps evacuation (BBC)
Italian authorities have evacuated about 75 people, mostly tourists, from an Alpine valley as huge blocks of ice threaten to crash down from a glacier.
Planpincieux glacier, in the Mont Blanc massif, has weakened because of intense summer heat alternating with night-time cold. It lies above Val Ferret valley, near Courmayeur ski resort.
A local environmental risk expert said the fragile ice could fall at any time. Read more
Novel bunyavirus re-emerges in China (news.com.au)
A number of law firms and conservative think tanks are demanding financial compensation from China for its mishandling of the outbreak.
Andrew Backhousenews.com.au
A deadly virus has re-emerged in China, infecting more than 60 people and killing seven.
The highly pathogenic, tick-borne novel bunyavirus can lead to thrombocytopenia syndrome.
It causes a viral haemorrhagic fever and has re-emerged in rural areas of China.
CNA reports that a 65-year-old tea farmer in China’s Jiangsu province recently fell ill with a fever of 40C and a repetitive cough. Read more
Rebel Wilson’s weight loss: Four tricks behind 18kg weight loss (news.co.au)
Rebel Wilson made it big in Hollywood as a plus-sized actress but this year she has had some amazing weight loss.
Hannah Painenews.com.au
On new year’s day Rebel Wilson said that 2020 would be a “year of health mission”.
“I put on the athleisure and went out for a walk, deliberately hydrating on the couch right now and trying to avoid the sugar and junk food which is going to be hard after the holidays I’ve just had but I’m going to do it!” the Pitch Perfect star wrote on Instagram.
“Who’s with me in making some positive changes this year?”
While coronavirus has derailed many of our plans this year, it hasn’t stopped Rebel from achieving her health goals.
The actress has made her fitness a priority, sharing her journey in countless posts to social media. Read more
Openigloo app allows NYC renters to rate their landlords, apartment buildings (NYPost)
New York City’s 311 hotline has received more than 90,000 housing complaints since the coronavirus lockdown began in March, with a third of callers griping about heat and hot-water issues.
The city also has seen a 40-per cent drop in bedbug complaints between 2015 and 2019, while cockroach and mice complaints are up 20 per cent and 7 per cent, respectively, over the same period.
The figures come from Openigloo, a new startup that is aiming to bring transparency to the city’s notoriously grueling apartment-hunting process by gathering public information on thousands of rental buildings in the five boroughs into a single app. Read more
Jennifer Garner, Bradley Cooper spotted at beach together (news.com.au)
Jennifer Garner spent the day with former Alias co-star Bradley Cooper amid rumours that she and boyfriend John Miller have called it quits.
The longtime friends were photographed having a beach day in Malibu on Wednesday.
A shirtless Cooper, 45, was seen rocking a mini man bun and red swim shorts as he made himself comfortable in the sand beside Garner, 48, who was wearing a jumper and skirt.
Cooper’s three-year-old daughter, Lea De Seine, who he shares with ex-girlfriend Irina Shayk, was there too. Cooper and Garner were photographed chatting and laughing while he helped his daughter build sandcastles. Read more
Nigerian basketball player, Ojo, dies during training in Serbia (Punch)
Michael Ojo, a Nigerian basketball player who previously played for Red Star Belgrade, died at the age of 27 during a training session in the Serbian capital on Friday, the club said.
“We are deeply saddened by the news”, Red Star’s spokesperson Igor Vujicin told AFP.
The club couldn’t confirm the cause of death, but local media reported that Ojo suffered a heart attack.
Born in Lagos, the 2.16 metre (7ft 1in) centre played for Florida State University in the United States before coming to Europe to start his professional career.
After a stint with the Belgrade team FMP Zeleznik, he moved to European giants Red Star, where he spent two seasons, quickly becoming a fan favourite. Read more
Reactions as Bukayo Saka is excluded from PL best young player nomination (Guardian)
The Premier League on Friday released the list of players with outstanding performances in the recently concluded 2019/2020 Premier League season.
Premier League sides – Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City had their players featured in the player of the season and best young player of the season categories.
For the player of the season, Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jordan Henderson and Sadio Mane, City’s Kevin De Bryne, Southampton’s Danny Ings, Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope and Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy were nominated. Read more
Fulham and DR Congo star Neeskens Kebano: ‘I never gave up’ (BBC)
If there was a change in fortunes during Fulham’s final push to Premier League promotion which was hard to ignore, it was the one enjoyed by Neeskens Kebano.
During the last five fixtures of the Championship season, the former France youth player and now DR Congo international, managed to grab five goals, having not scored once before that this season.
“Prior to the lockdown, I was just entering games for four or 10 minutes or so but since the restart, I began more games,” the 28-year-old told BBC Sport Africa.
“So obviously with more time on the pitch, you have more chances to score.” Read more
US Open: Elina Svitolina and Kiki Bertens pull out of Grand Slam event (BBC)
World number five Elina Svitolina and world number seven Kiki Bertens have become the latest players to pull out of the US Open.
In a statement, Ukraine’s Svitolina, a semi-finalist last year, said she did not feel comfortable travelling to the US “without putting her team and herself at high risk”.
Bertens, from the Netherlands, pulled out because of Dutch government regulations that require people returning from the United States to quarantine for two weeks.
The 28-year-old said that would disturb preparations for her “beloved clay court tournaments”. Read more
Neuer wants Bayern Munich to keep Liverpool target Alcantara (Guardian)
Bayern Munich captain Manuel Neuer says he hopes the Bavarians giants can convince Liverpool target, Thiago Alcantara, to stay beyond the end of this season’s Champions League title.
Having won the Bundesliga title in each of his seven seasons at Bayern since joining from Barcelona in 2013, Alcantara, 29, is stalling overextension talks with a year left on his contract. Read more
Fabio Jakobsen out of coma and in good condition – Tour of Poland (BBC)
Dutch rider Fabio Jakobsen is out of a coma and in a “good” condition, according to the Tour of Poland organisers.
The 23-year-old was involved in a high-speed crash at the finish of the opening stage of the race on Wednesday.
Jakobsen had facial surgery, but his Deceuninck-QuickStep team denied he had suffered head and brain injuries. Read more