Fuel Subsidy: FG, Labour Leaders’ meeting ends in deadlock (DailyTrust)
The meeting between the organised labour and the federal government representatives at the State House, Abuja, on the removal of subsidy on fuel ended in a stalemate as no agreement was reached.
The meeting at the Conference Hall of the Chief of Staff to the President came after the announcement by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that subsidy on fuel had gone and new prices of the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) introduced by NNPCL.
The organised labour was led by the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero and his counterpart for the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Festus Osifo. Read more
NNPCL unveils new fuel price regime, petrol now N537/litre in Abuja, N557 in Borno, N488 in Lagos (Sun)
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday, said the new fuel price increase template announced by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was unacceptable and should be withdrawn immediately.
In the new template released yesterday, pump price in Lagos would sell at N488 per liter, while in Abuja and Borno it will sell at N537 and N557 per liter respectively.
The national oil company also released new prices for PMS for other states under its deregulation policy. Read more
Fire at Lagos hospital, firefighters respond promptly (Guardian)
A fire incident occurred on Wednesday within the premises of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the fire incident, which happened at food shops in the premises around 4.00 p.m., caused panic in the health facility.
A staff member, who pleaded anonymity, told NAN that the food shops and Works Department were affected by the fire, however prompt arrival of the Fire Service assisted to reduce the impact of the incident. Read more
Kelina Hospital celebrates 250th successful prostate surgery at anniversary (Tribune)
Kelina Hospital has marked its 15th anniversary with the news of its feat in conducting 250 prostate surgeries using the advanced and non-invasive Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate (HoLEP) procedure.
The feat was announced at a press conference addressed in Lagos by the medical director of the hospital, Dr. Celsus Undie which operates from two facilities in Victoria Island, Lagos and Gwarimpa, Abuja.
Dr Undie stated: “This May, 2023 is a milestone in the life of Kelina Hospital as we mark 5,000 surgical operations on 5,000 citizens without losing a single citizen inside our operating room after surgery since we opened in 2008. Read more
Aircraft carrying 50 passengers skids off runway in Lagos (Leadership)
A Lagos-bound aircraft with 50 passengers onboard and belonging to United Nigeria Airlines veered off of the runway of the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos, on Wednesday.
The plane was returning from Chuba Okadigbo Airport in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.
The incident was confirmed in a statement by the company’s head of corporate communications, Achilleus-Chud Uchegbu, who said no casualty was recorded in the incident. Read more
Aggrieved Lekki residents protest illegal street gates, access code (Vanguard)
Some aggrieved landlords in Lekki Phase 1, Lagos State, have called on Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to intervene in illegal street gates and road Access Codes instituted by the North-East Lekki Neighbourhood Association, NELNA.
The aggrieved property owners, led by Prince Ayoola Ojeikere, protested the blockage of Admiralty Road and demanded for Access Code to ply them by the NELNA.
Describing the road blockage through the erection of gates as an infringement of residents’ rights to movement on public roads, Ojeikere, the spokesman called on Sanwo-Olu to stop the construction of such gates on government roads and issuance of Access Codes to ply them. Read more
Dokpesi’s death, rude shock, NPAN mourns (Punch)
The Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria has described the Founder of Daar Communications, owners of Raypower FM and African Independent Television, the late Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, as an advocate of a free press and good governance.
In a statement on Wednesday, signed by the President, NPAN/Nigeria Press Organisation, Mr Kabiru Yusuf, and titled, ‘High Chief Raymond Aleogho Dokpesi – The great pioneer is gone,’ the association said the news of Dokpesi’s death came to it as a rude shock.
NPAN described the late businessman and politician as an unassuming philanthropist who had touched several lives, using the instrumentality of his media platform to give voice to the voiceless. Read more
2 senators resign from PDP over irreconcilable differences (Guardian)
Two senators of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senators Matthew Urhogide and Ayo Akinyelure have officially tendered their resignation to the party.
The notice of the two senators’ resignation was contained in two separate letters addressed to the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan during Wednesday’s plenary session.
The letters were read by the Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, who presided over the session. Read more
Georgina Rodriguez generates $1.2m in media impact value for L’Oréal partnership at Cannes Film Festival 2023 (WWD)
Georgina Rodriguez’s partnership with L’Oréal cosmetics during the 2023 Cannes Film Festival generated an estimated $1.2 million in media impact value, according to Launchmetrics.
In Rodriguez’s May 26 Instagram post, the model and influencer shared her look for the premiere of “Last Summer,” which garnered more than 3 million likes. Rodriguez credited her “perfect makeup look” to the affordable cosmetics brand.
Rodriguez is one of L’Oréal’s newest ambassadors. She became the face of their Telescopic Lift mascara in March. Read more
Ama Ata Aidoo: Ghana’s famous author and feminist dies (BBC)
One of Africa’s most-celebrated authors and playwrights, Ghanaian Ama Ata Aidoo, has died aged 81.
A renowned feminist, she depicted and celebrated the condition of African women in works such as The Dilemma of a Ghost, Our Sister Killjoy and Changes.
She opposed what she described as a “Western perception that the African female is a downtrodden wretch”. Read more
Sia shares autism diagnosis 2 years after her film Music sparked backlash (Standard)
Sia has announced that she’s “on the spectrum”, two years after her directorial debut Music faced backlash for its “troubling and misleading” depictions of autism.
Speaking on a recent episode of Rob Has A Podcast, the 47-year-old told hosts Rob Cesternino and Carolyn Wiger that she is “on the spectrum, and I’m in recovery and whatever — there’s a lot of things”.
While the Australian singer did not share when she was diagnosed, Sia alluded that it was a recent development. Read more
Megan Thee Stallion attends wedding with soccer player Romelu Lukaku amid Pardi Fontaine breakup rumours (People)
Does Megan Thee Stallion have a new flame?
Over the weekend, the “WAP” rapper was spotted with Belgian soccer player Romelu Lukaku at a wedding for his teammate Lautaro Martinez in Lake Como, Italy,
In the photos, Megan, 28, and Lukaku, 30 — who are both signed to Roc Nation management — were seen close together throughout the celebration, with their hands on each other’s arms. The sighting prompted fans on social media to wonder if this meant she had split from boyfriend Pardison “Pardi” Fontaine. Read more
Michael W. Smith endorses controversial Passion Translation version of the Bible (ChristianPost)
A Grammy-winning Christian singer has given his endorsement to a controversial Bible translation.
Michael W. Smith, a singer-songwriter whose career spans over two decades, offered his endorsement of The Passion Translation (TPT) version of the Bible, which was removed last year from one of the internet’s most popular Bible platforms.
In a statement on the official TPT website, Smith calls the translation “a gift to Bible readers” and calls it “a beautiful marriage of powerful accuracy and readable, natural language.” Read more
US House votes to suspend ceiling and avoid default (SMH)
A divided US House of Representatives passed a bill to suspend the $31.4 trillion ($48.35 trillion) debt ceiling, with majority support from both Democrats and Republicans to overcome opposition led by hardline conservatives and avoid a catastrophic default.
The Republican-controlled House voted 314-117 on Wednesday (Thursday AEST) to send the legislation to the Senate, which must enact the measure and get it to President Joe Biden’s desk before a Monday deadline, when the federal government is expected to run out of money to pay its bills.
“This agreement is good news for the American people and the American economy,” Biden said after the vote. “I urge the Senate to pass it as quickly as possible so that I can sign it into law.” Read more
Iraqi man reported killed fighting for Russia’s Wagner in Ukraine (AlJazeera)
An Iraqi citizen fighting with Russia’s Wagner mercenary force was killed in Ukraine in April, Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin has said, in what is believed to be the first confirmed case of a Middle East native to have died fighting in the war.
Abbas Abuthar Witwit died on April 7, a day after arriving at a Wagner hospital in the Russian-occupied eastern Ukrainian city of Luhansk, according to the Russian-language RIA FAN news site.
Prigozhin confirmed to the Reuters news agency on Wednesday that he had recruited Witwit from prison in Russia, adding that he was not the first native of an Arab country to have joined his mercenary unit from jail. Read more
U-20 World Cup: Nigeria beat Argentina 2-0, reach quarter- finals (Punch)
The Flying Eagles advance to the quarter-final of the ongoing FIFA U-20 World Cup for the first time in 12 years after defeating host Argentina 2-0 at the Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario in the early hours of Thursday, The PUNCH reports.
Second-half goals from Ibrahim Muhammad and Rilwanu Sarki secured a shock win for Ladan Bosso’s team.
They will face either Ecuador or South Korea in the quarter-final of the competition in Santiago del Estero on Sunday. Read more
Mourinho uncertain about Roma future after Europa League final defeat (RTE)
Roma manager Jose Mourinho said he was uncertain about his future at the club following their 4-1 penalty shootout defeat in the Europa League final against Sevilla on Wednesday.
The defeat meant Roma failed to qualify for next season’s Champions League and prompted questions about whether the 60-year-old would remain in the Italian capital, having been linked with Paris St Germain.
“I have to fight for these lads and therefore not say objectively that I will remain,” Mourinho told Sky Sports Italia. Read more
LA Galaxy fire president Chris Klein amid fan protests, worst record in MLS (ESPN)
The LA Galaxy have fired president Chris Klein amid a turbulent season that has seen fan protests and the team languishing at the bottom of the Western Conference.
Klein was in his 11th season with the Galaxy but his continued presence had been a source of fan unrest throughout much of this season. The former Galaxy player and U.S. international sent an email to supporters last month stating that he would step down if the team failed to make the MLS playoffs this season.
However, the club announced Tuesday that he will now leave with immediate effect. Read more
No drama on court as Novak Djokovic sails into French Open third round (StraitsTimes)
Novak Djokovic briefly struggled before bulldozing past Hungarian journeyman Marton Fucsovics 7-6(2) 6-0 6-3 to reach the third round of the French Open.
The world number three, who sparked controversy by writing “Kosovo is the heart of Serbia” on a camera lens earlier this week, survived a high-octane end to the first set en route to a meeting with Spanish 29th seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
“Thank you everyone for your support and presence. I hope you had fun tonight especially in the first set – me, a bit less,” Djokovic said on court. Read more
Alonso eyes 1st win in decade at Barcelona blockbuster (France24)
Fernando Alonso returns to the scene of the last of his 32 Formula One victories this weekend hoping that a bumper crowd and an unexpected slice of luck will help deliver his 33rd.
Ten years after he won his home Spanish Grand Prix for Ferrari in 2013, the now 41-year-old is revelling in a run of form that has seen him claim five podiums in this year’s opening six races.
That sequence included his vibrant surge to second place behind Red Bull’s defending double world champion and series leader Max Verstappen in last Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix. Read more
Former Champions League winner held up at gunpoint by man, 25, demanding top flight contract (Sun)
A former Champions League winner was held up at gunpoint by a man demanding a top-flight contract.
Ex-Holland midfielder Mark van Bommel was attacked by the 25-year-old gunman back in October.
The Royal Antwerp manager was approached in a car park, with Van Bommel “fearing for his life” as a result of the attack.
However, it was not his car or expensive watch that the attacker wanted – instead it was a job as a pro footballer. Read more