Falana, Falz, others protest insecurity, poverty in Lagos (Punch)
Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), and his Musician son, Folarin, aka Falz, along with scores of Lagosians took to the streets on Monday to protest against the insecurity and poverty ravaging the country.
The protesters, under the aegis of the Peoples Alternative Political Movement, marched from the busy Ikeja Bus Stop to the Governor’s Office through the Secretariat to the Lagos State House of Assembly chanting protest songs.
The movement is a coalition of hundreds of groups including the Nigeria Labour Congress and its affiliates, the Alliance On Surviving COVID 19 And Beyond; Joint Action Front; Coalition Of Northern Groups; Green Alliance Nigeria; CONGOS – Edo; North East Development Association and their respective affiliates.
The demonstration, which was tagged, ‘Enough is Enough’, lasted for several hours as youths carried placards which read, ‘No to Exploitation and Multiple Taxation’, ‘Provide Jobs or Unemployment Benefits for Youths’, ‘Provide Security in Schools’, ‘End Kidnapping and Banditry’ and ‘Stop Killings, Secure Nigeria’. Read more
Lagos-Ibadan rail: FG assures host communities of assistance (Guardian)
The Federal Government has assured host communities adversely affected environmentally or otherwise by the construction of the Lagos-Ibadan rail modernisation project of assistance.
This is contained in a statement issued by the Director, Press and Public Relations of the Ministry of Transportation, Eric Orjiekwe in Abuja.
Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi gave the assurance while inspecting work on the project, in preparation for the commissioning in June.
Amaechi further assured communities that issues of erosion or flooding occasioned by the construction will be addressed.
He directed the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Magdalene Ahani to ensure that the communities are visited to ascertain the level of impact and possible interventions. Read more
Edo: Ize-Iyamu congratulates Obaseki, appeals for 14 HoA lawmakers, others (Vanguard)
The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo state during the September 19, 2020 governorship election, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has congratulated Governor Godwin Obaseki on his recent victory at the Supreme Court which he admitted has put to rest his ambition to reverse the governorship of the state.
In a letter to the governor, Ize-Iyamu also appealed to the governor to initiate an out-of-court settlement for the 14 elected State House Of Assembly members who are yet to be inaugurated 23 months after they were elected.
He also called on the governor to consider paying the entitlements of elected local government council chairmen, vice-chairmen, elected councilors, and supervisory councilors who were removed from office before the election.
He said “Last Friday’s judgment of the Supreme Court, puts an end to the series of litigations we had over last year’s governorship elections. Read more
Collapsed building kills 2 minors in Abuja (DailyTrust)
Two children, two and three years old, died at the weekend after part of a room in their compound collapsed on them in Idu-Karmo, an Abuja suburb.
The father of one of the children, Adamu Sama’ila, said he was outside the compound alongside the mother of his late daughter, three-year-old Anabe, when the incident happened.
“While inside, I noticed rainstorm, so I rushed back to call them in; that was when the building collapsed.
Sama’ila further stated that the two children were playing by the building when the incident took place. Read more
Anambra 2021: We will conduct election without any problem – INEC (Vanguard)
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has insisted that incessant attacks on the commission offices have created ample opportunity to prepare for a violence-free election in Anambra.
Fielding questions from newsmen yesterday, during a national retreat on the Validation of the draft INEC 2022-2026 Strategic Plan and strategic programme of Action, INEC National Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, described the incessant attack as disturbing to the commission but said it gives the commission ample opportunity to organize a free, fair and credible election in Anambra.
Mahmood who was represented by a National Commissioner and Chairman of Outreach committee, Dr. Adekunle Ogunmola said: “Part of what we discussed is what is happening to our local offices, so it is our desire to incorporate all these issues with our strategic plan. Read more
IPOB sit-at-home order cripples socio-economic activities in South-East (Nation)
Human and commercial activities were grounded in the South-Eastern states on Monday as residents obeyed the sit-at-home order by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
In Umuahia, the Abia capital, and adjoining villages, residents stayed back home, leaving the streets, especially the ever-busy city centre, known as Isigate, completely deserted.
Government offices, schools, banks, shops, business centres, markets, malls and plazas and petrol outlets remained closed.
Also, private and commercial vehicles kept off the roads, leaving the metropolis like a ghost town. Read more
African fintech company, Chipper Cash, raises $100m (Punch)
Chipper Cash, a fintech startup that facilitates cross-border payment across Africa has raised $100 million in a Series C round. This was disclosed by TechCrunch on Monday.
SVB Capital, the investment arm of US high-tech commercial bank, Silicon Valley Bank, led this. Other investors in this round include existing investors — Deciens Capital, Ribbit Capital, Bezos Expeditions, One Way Ventures, 500 Startups, Tribe Capital, and Brue2 Ventures.
On TechCrunch, Chipper Cash CEO, Ham Serunjogi said, “We’re not commenting on the size of our valuation publicly. One of the things that I’ve been quite keen on internally and externally is that the valuation of our company has not been a focus for us. It’s not a goal we’re aspiring to achieve. For us, the thing that drives us is that we have a product that is impactful to our users.” (Punch)
Alleged shooting of Sowore: Bring perpetrators to book, Amnesty International tells FG (Vanguard)
Global rights group, Amnesty International has condemned the alleged shooting of a citizen journalist and activist, Omoyele Sowore, in the Maitama area of Abuja.
The incident, which occurred on Monday, left Sowore with an injury on his thigh and led to the abortion of a mobilisation rally against insecurity in the country.
However, the Amnesty International stated that protesters deserved to be listened to, not shot at.
It, therefore, called on the Federal Government to investigate the alleged shooting and bring the perpetrators to justice
In a terse statement, the international body said: “Amnesty International received disturbing reports that activist Omoyele Sowore was shot by the police, during a protest against rampant insecurity in Abuja. Protesters deserved to be listened to, not shot at. Read more
Kayla wins 2021 Little Miss Globe Queen International (Leadership)
The organisers of Little Miss Globe Queen International have announced Kayla Deborah Etinosa Ibiyemi Osaro as the winner of the 2021 edition.
The lead organiser Adamu Zakari of Studio A in a statement made available to the press said Kayla defeated 57 other contestants to win the pageant.
He said the 11-year-old was born in the United Kingdom to Nigerian parents from Edo state.
Zakari explained that the contest began with the online screening after which shortlisted contestants were voted for by the public. Read more
Mexican cartel now targeting cops at their homes (NYPost)
Mexican drug cartel members have recently taken to targeting police officers in their homes — then torturing and killing them, according to a disturbing new report.
The Jalisco cartel has vowed to wipe out members of an elite law enforcement force known as the Tactical Group in the central Mexican state of Guanajuato, the Associated Press reported Sunday.
The cartel even had a banner printed up and hung from a building in Guanajuato city that declared: “If you want war, you’ll get a war. We have already shown that we know where you are. We are coming for all of you.”
“For each member of our firm (CJNG) that you arrest, we are going to kill two of your Tacticals, wherever they are, at their homes, in their patrol vehicles,” the message continued, referring to the cartel by its Spanish initials. Read more
As US marks 100th anniversary of Tulsa race massacre, African Americans still feel outcast (France24)
At the foot of modern buildings on an anonymous street in Tulsa, Oklahoma, a few discreet metal plaques catch the eye. “Grier shoemaker,” “Earl real estate” — riveted to the ground, they bear the names of Black-owned businesses that once stood there before being destroyed during one of the worst racial massacres in the United States, in 1921.
A rare vestige of a neighbourhood so prosperous it was called Black Wall Street, the plaques prove that the history of Greenwood — a historically Black neighborhood of Tulsa — is understood not by the monuments that currently stand, but the ones that are no longer there.
On the eve of a visit from President Joe Biden, popular with African-American voters, who will attend Tuesday’s commemorations of the 100th anniversary of the massacre, and after a year marked by the Black Lives Matter movement, the killings resonate with current events more than ever. Read more
Raven Symone unveils 28lb weight loss (Metro)
Raven-Symoné has revealed her new look after losing 28lbs as part of her ‘pounds down journey’.
The That’s So Raven star was stunned by her ‘whole different face’ since beginning her transformation and had the support of wife Miranda Maday. The actor added that she has been fasting as part of the process.
Appearing in an Instagram video with Miranda, Raven shared: ‘Pounds down, pounds down. Check out the chin.
‘You see that chin? If you all watch Raven’s Home literally right now, and then come on this live and see this joint, I got a whole different face going on. It’s a whole pounds down journey.’ Read more
France fugitive caught after shoot-out with Dordogne police (BBC)
An armed ex-soldier on the run in south-western France has been shot by police after a 24-hour manhunt.
The man, named by police as 29-year-old Terry Dupin, had fled to a forest after shooting at officers on Saturday, sparking a massive search.
He was wounded during a shoot-out with a special forces squad, and has been taken into custody, officials say.
Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said he had been “neutralised” and thanked police for their “decisive action”. Read more
Somaliland votes in long overdue elections (Guardian)
Voters in the self-declared republic of Somaliland cast their ballots Monday in elections that authorities say to demonstrate the capacity for peaceful democratic elections in the troubled Horn of Africa.
More than one million voters were registered for the parliamentary and council elections in the breakaway northwestern region, which declared independence from Somalia 30 years ago but lacks international recognition.
Both votes were long overdue, and it was the first time national and local elections were held together, with long queues reported at some polling stations.
President Muse Bihi Abdi and the leaders of Somaliland’s two opposition parties called for an orderly vote as they cast their ballots in the capital Hargeisa.
“Somaliland votes for peace. It is an honour for our people (and) the Horn of Africa at large,” Muse posted on his official Twitter account. Read more
Multidisciplinary Canadian artist TiKA releases hotly anticipated debut LP (France24)
She’s a beloved voice in the Canadian music industry. Multidisciplinary artist TiKA has a lot of tricks up her sleeve: singer-songwriter, DJ, model, film composer, actor and advocate for the empowerment of female artists. Earlier this year, she added another feather to her cap with the release of her hotly anticipated debut LP “Anywhere But Here”, which is full of 1980s-inspired synth pop anthems.
She tells FRANCE 24’s Florence Villeminot about the “futuristic nostalgia” sound she created on the record. Read more
Man returns Bob Dylan record to library nearly 50 years after borrowing it (Metro)
A man has returned a Bob Dylan record to an Ohio library 48 years after he first borrowed it.
Howard Simon checked out Dylan’s record Self Portrait from the University Heights branch of Heights Libraries in Cleveland in 1973, when he was a pupil at Wiley Middle School.
Manager of the library branch Sara Philips explained in an article on the Heights Libraries website: ‘I got a package in the mail from San Francisco that was record-shaped and – lo and behold! – it contained a record from our collection that was due back in June 1973!’
Simon, who recently retired, found the record mixed in with his own collection of Dylan albums and included a note of apology in his parcel. Read more
Barca complete signing of Man City legend, Sergio Aguero (Vanguard)
Spanish giants have confirmed the signing of Man City’s Argentine striker Sergio Aguero on a free transfer.
The 32-year old hitman completed his medicals in Spain, after bidding farewell to Man City, in their 1-0 Champions League final defeat to Chelsea.
Aguero will link up with friend and fellow Argentine team-mate Lionel Messi at Camp Nou, after penning a two-year contract that includes a 100m buyout clause.
He will join on July 1 after his City contract expires.
“Everyone at Manchester City would like to take this opportunity to thank Sergio for his incredible contribution to our success over the last decade and wish him well on the remainder of his career,” the English champions said in a statement. Read more
Donny van de Beek set for talks with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer over his Manchester United future (Metro)
Manchester United midfielder Donny van de Beek will sit down with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to decide on his future at the club this summer.
The Dutchman joined United in a £35million deal from Ajax last summer and his arrival was met with much excitement given his performances for the Dutch giants over the last three years.
However, van de Beek made just four Premier League starts during his first campaign with the Red Devils and two of those came at the end of the season when Solskjaer was rotating with one eye on the Europa League final.
The midfielder was signed in anticipation of Paul Pogba’s departure but the Frenchman enjoyed an impressive campaign and could sign a new deal to stay at Old Trafford. Read more
Naomi Osaka responds to French Open’s threat to kick her out over media boycott (NYPost)
Naomi Osaka doesn’t seem fazed by threats from the French Open and other Grand Slams.
After Osaka followed through on her media boycott Sunday after winning her first-round French Open match, the French Open, US Open, Australian Open and Wimbledon announced in a joint statement that the 23-year-old was fined $15,000 and could face harsher discipline for further refusal to speak with the press, including potentially being kicked out of the French Open.
“Anger is a lack of understanding. change makes people uncomfortable,” Osaka wrote on Twitter in response.
Osaka announced on Twitter last Wednesday that she would not be meeting with reporters at the French Open, citing mental health concerns. She said she hopes fines as a result of not fulfilling her obligations would go toward a mental health charity. Read more
Zinedine Zidane left Real Madrid because club ‘no longer had faith’ in him (BBC)
Zinedine Zidane says he resigned as Real Madrid manager because he felt the club “no longer had faith” in him.
The Frenchman left the La Liga club for a second time in his coaching career on 27 May after they failed to win a trophy during the 2020-21 season.
Zidane previously managed Real from 2016-2018 before returning 10 months later in March 2019.
“I’m going, but I’m not jumping overboard, nor am I tired of coaching,” said the 48-year-old. Read more
Copa America in Argentina suspended over coronavirus surge (Punch)
Argentina’s hosting of the Copa America football tournament has been suspended “in view of the current circumstances,” CONMEBOL said on Sunday, as the country endures a record coronavirus surge.
The South American football body, which last week stripped Colombia of co-hosting duties over deadly unrest, said it was considering other offers to hold the tournament.
“CONMEBOL informs that in view of the current circumstances it has decided to suspend the organization of the Copa America in Argentina,” the governing body tweeted. Read more
NBA play-offs: Fan arrested after bottle thrown at Brooklyn Nets’ Kyrie Irving (BBC)
Kyrie Irving said fans in NBA arenas are treating players “like they are in a human zoo” after a supporter was arrested for throwing a water bottle at the Brooklyn Nets guard on Sunday.
The bottle narrowly missed Irving as he left the court following the Nets’ 141-126 win over the Boston Celtics.
It comes as five spectators were given indefinite bans after separate incidents last week.
Irving said the sport was now “at a crossroads”.”It’s been that way for entertainment for a long time with underlying racism and just treating people like they are in a human zoo,” he said. Read more