Grandma gave me urine to drink, minor infected with HIV reveals (Vanguard)
A 10-year-old girl infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus, HIV (name withheld), who was recently rescued alongside her 14-year-old brother by their neighbour and taken to Igando General Hospital, Lagos, has revealed that their grandma gave her urine to drink.
According to the survivor, “our travails started after the death of our mother. Our father brought us to stay in grandma’s house (not their biological grandma). He practically abandoned us here. We have been out of school and our welfare has been an issue of serious concern as there is no regular feeding and we lack proper care.
“Grandma’s first and third son sexually abused me severally. Grandma is aware because she once caught the third son having sex with me, she then warned him seriously never to repeat such an act.”
It was learned that the travails of the 10-year-old survivor started when she fell sick late last year, and no care or treatment was provided for her by the grandma till their neighbour intervened and bore the cost of the treatment. Read more
Lagos couple faint as 3 children drown in pool (Punch)
A yet-to-be-identified couple have been inconsolable after their three children drowned in a swimming pool on their estate in the Ajah area of Lagos State.
PUNCH Metro gathered that both husband and wife had gone for an event when the three children left their house to swim in the pool.
As of the time of filing this report, the circumstances surrounding the tragedy were still sketchy.
It was, however, learnt that some residents, including security members on the estate, found the children lying motionless in the pool. Read more
I deliberately escaped from my Ibadan home to avoid more casualties during 2021 DSS attack —Igboho (Tribune)
The Yoruba nation agitator, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as ‘Sunday Igboho’, on Friday night, in his residence at Cotonou, capital of the Republic of Benin, said he deliberately escaped from his Ibadan residence in the heat of the invasion by the agents of the Department of State Service (DSS) and soldiers on July 1. 2021 to prevent more casualties on the part of his aides.
Adeyemo emphasised that if he had stayed back, apart from his two aides that were shot dead by the security agents, many more of his loyalists, who were inside the residence, located at Soka, off the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, would have been killed.
It is recalled that operatives of the DSS, and some soldiers in the early hours of July 1, 2021 stormed Igboho’s Ibadan house, located at Soka, off Lagos-Ibadan expressway on July 1, 2021, firing gunshots, which killed two of his aides, injuring others, while 13 other persons were arrested and whisked to Abuja, where they faced trial and were later granted bail by a Federal High Court.
Speaking to journalists at his Cotonou home, Adeyemo recounted that heavily armed agents of DSS, led by a woman, and accompanied by a number of soldiers waged a full-scale war on him that day. Read more
Building collapse: Lagos demolishes over 100 structures in 8 months (Punch)
No fewer than 100 structures have been pulled down by the Lagos State Building Control Agency within the past eight months, pursuant to its crackdown on building collapses in the state, findings from The PUNCH has revealed.
Statistics collated from the official website of the building control agency revealed that the structures demolished by LASBCA within the period ranged from defective constructions and distressed buildings to illegal attachments and shanties.
According to findings by our correspondent, the state government has in the past two months demolished at least 23 structures that were deemed inhabitable or capable of posing danger to lives and property.
The demolished structures included about eight distressed buildings in Ebute-Metta, seven distressed buildings in Mushin, buildings on Lagos Island, a church parsonage, as well as some illegal shanties that were erected along Navy Gate, Satellite Town in the Oriade Local Council Development Authority of the state. Read more
Abuja-Kaduna Train Attack: Passengers shun Lagos-Ibadan rail corridor (Leadership)
The March 28, 2022 explosion that affected Abuja-Kaduna passenger train service has continued to impact negatively on operations of Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) as passengers have shunned the corporation’s other rail corridors, leading to significant drop in revenue.
Available data indicate that revenues from the Lagos to Ibadan Standard gauge passenger train service, one of its busiest routes, dropped by more than 50 per cent to between N3 million and N4 million daily compared to N8 million daily generated before the explosion.
Similarly, due to the decrease in passenger traffic, caused by the explosion and apprehension of passengers, the frequency of the trains has been reduced to twice daily from Lagos to Ibadan and back instead of four times daily previously.
The railway district manager, Lagos District, Engr. Anthony Arisa, who dropped this hint in Lagos at the weekend while fielding questions from journalists, however assured passengers that a combined team of Nigerian Railway, Police and Nigerian Securities and Civil Defence Corps and Man O War are on board the train daily and Saturdays to ensure that passengers are protected. Read more
Flooding: Lagos to divert traffic in Ogba for installation of concrete culvert (Channels)
The Lagos State Government will on Tuesday, June 28 divert the traffic along Oba Ogunji Road, Ogba for one week for the installation of a precast concrete culvert across Metal Box Road.
The Commissioner for Transportation in the state, Dr Frederic Oladeinde, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, saying that the diversion would continue till Tuesday, July 5.
He stated that the diversion was necessary to provide lasting solutions to the flooding issues on some roads in the metropolis.
While advising motorists in the affected area to utilise Acme, Wempco, Akilo, and Ijaiye roads to connect to their desired destinations, the commissioner noted that only Metal Box Road would be barricaded from traffic, stressing that the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) would be on the ground to manage movement and minimise inconveniences. Read more
APC denies raising N6.5t to bribe voters, INEC officials (Punch)
The ruling All Progressives Congress on Monday accused the Peoples Democratic Party of being the brain behind the rumour that the APC had earmarked N6.5 trillion to rig the 2023 general election.
This was disclosed in a leaked document tagged “leaked APC 2023 Election Document,” which had been circulating on social media.
The report claimed that the ruling party planned the whopping sum that is almost half of the entire country’s 2022 budget for vote-buying and bribing of security agents at polling units, judiciary and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Reacting to the allegation, the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, described the leaked document as a figment of the opposition’s imagination. Read more
Anger as abductors kill Rev. Father, 2 others in Edo (Sun)
The Catholic Priest, Rev. Father Christopher Odia, who was abducted yesterday morning at Ikabigbo, Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State by suspected Fulani herdsmen, has been found dead.
Director of Social Communications Catholic Diocese of Auchi, Rev. Fr. Peter Egielewa, announced this in a statement last night.
“With heavy hearts but with total submission to the will of God, we announce the death of our priest, Rev. Fr. Christopher Odia, who was killed by his abductors after being kidnapped this morning 26th June 2022 at about 6.30am in his rectory while coming out to go for Sunday Mass at St. Michael’s Catholic Church Ikabigbo, Uzairue, Edo State.
“Until his death, Fr Odia was the Administrator of St Michael Catholic Church, Ikabigbo and principal of St. Philip Catholic Secondary School, Jattu. He was aged 41. May his soul rest in peace”, the statement said, adding that “burial arrangements will be announced by the Diocese later.” Read more
Guns directive, evidence of security breakdown, say SANs (Nation)
Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) Prof. Ernest Ojukwu and Kunle Adegoke supported the move by the Zamfara government, saying that it is legal.
Ojukwu described the order as “bold” and “lawful”, but noted that it was evidence of failed governance.
He said: “It is a lawful directive as the government asked the citizens to obtain gun licences. It is also a sign of a failed governance and failed state to ask the citizens to arm themselves to defend themselves from terrorists and kidnappers.
“The Zamfara State government is bold to recognise the failure of governance and has taken the bold steps to make its citizens aware and protect themselves. Read more
Brandy makes surprise performance with Jack Harlow at BET Awards (Variety)
Jack Harlow was joined by Brandy and Lil Wayne for his BET Awards performance on Sunday night. The rapper started his set singing the Lil Wayne-featuring “Poison” on his own before Wayne briefly popped in to deliver his own verse. Harlow also surprised audiences when his second guest, Brandy, popped up on stage to take over “First Class,” singing the freestyle she premiered earlier this year.
The rendition came in response to Harlow’s viral interview in which the 24-year-old couldn’t identify Brandy’s 1998 “Angels In Disguise” and had no idea that the R&B singer was Ray J’s sister.
“Allow me to reintroduce myself, my name is / World-famous, one of the greatest / Living legend, did I mention my résumé is amazing?,” she started as she met Harlow on the stage’s catwalk. As the audience roared, Ray J could be seen excitedly bopping along to his sister on stage as she and Harlow closed the performance. The two shared a friendly hug with smiles stretched across their faces as the last few notes of “First Class” chimed off.
Additional performers for the night include Lizzo, Babyface, Chance the Rapper, Chlöe, Doechii, Ella Mai, Fireboy DML, Giveon, Joey Bada$$, Maverick City Music x Kirk Franklin, Latto, Muni Long. Read more
Avatar, Torchwood and Spider-Man stars join Netflix heist thriller (DigitalSpy)
Netflix has gathered together a whole host of big names to star in new heist thriller Lift alongside the already cast Kevin Hart.
Avatar’s Sam Worthington, Torchwood’s Burn Gorman, and Spider-Man: Homecoming’s Jacob Batalon have all signed up to star in the movie for the streaming service, according to Deadline.
Hart will be playing a master thief who is wooed by his ex-girlfriend and the FBI to pull off an impossible heist with his international crew on a 777 jet flying from London to Zurich.
Also on board to star in the movie are Loki’s Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Daredevil’s Vincent D’Onofrio, The People v OJ Simpson: American Crime Story’s Billy Magnussen, Money Heist’s Úrsula Corberó and Peaky Blinders star Paul Anderson.
Panic grips Washington Square Park after fireworks mistaken for gunshots (NYPost)
The booming sound of fireworks sparked panic and fear at Washington Square Park on Sunday evening, sending parkgoers fleeing from the Manhattan green space.
The startling noise could be heard by hundreds who were enjoying the Greenwich Village Park in the sweltering heat at around 8:30 p.m., according to police sources.
Footage from the scene shows a massive exodus of people from the park after the blasts. Police sources confirmed that there were no shots fired.
The infamous downtown park, where marijuana is sold in plain view of police, was the location of a massive pro-choice rally on Friday. Read more
Jack Johnson announces ‘Meet The Moonlight’ 2022 Australian and New Zealand tour (NME)
Jack Johnson has announced he’ll be embarking on a run of Australian and New Zealand shows later this year.
The tour comes in support of his latest album ‘Meet The Moonlight’, which arrived last Friday (June 24). It’ll see Johnson and his band arrive in Australia in late November, playing shows in Perth, the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, before heading to New Zealand’s Auckland and Napier.
He’ll be supported by Emily Wurramara and Ziggy Alberts for the Australian dates, with The Black Seeds joining him in New Zealand
Tickets for the shows go on sale Friday July 1 at 10am local time. Read more
G-7 heightening Russia sanctions for Ukraine war (VOA)
The United States and the other members of the Group of Seven leading industrialized economies imposed new sanctions Monday against Russia for its four-month invasion of Ukraine. These include measures to cut Moscow off from materials and services needed by its industrial and technology sectors.
The White House said the US will commit $7.5 billion as part of a G-7 effort to help Ukraine cover its short-term budget needs, and that the governments are making “an unprecedented, long-term security commitment to providing Ukraine with financial, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support as long as it takes.”
In a joint communique, the G-7 said, “We remain appalled by and continue to condemn the brutal, unprovoked, unjustifiable and illegal war of aggression against Ukraine by Russia and aided by Belarus. We condemn and will not recognize Russia’s continued attempts to redraw borders by force.”
The announcement came as G-7 leaders met in the Bavarian Alps in Germany, where they spoke by video link with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Read more
Frank Moorhouse, Australian author and essayist, dies aged 83 (Guardian)
Frank Moorhouse, the celebrated Australian author and essayist best known for the Edith trilogy, has died at the age of 83.
His publisher, Penguin Random House, confirmed on Sunday that he had died that morning at a hospital in Sydney.
The author of 18 books, in addition to screenplays and essays, Moorhouse explored the Australian identity through the career of Edith Campbell Berry, a young woman who works as a diplomat in Europe, then Canberra, in three novels published between 1993 and 2011.
Grand Days, set in 1920s Europe, was judged to be ineligible for the Miles Franklin literary award in 1994 because it was deemed insufficiently Australian by the judges, a decision that led to Moorhouse taking legal action. Dark Palace, the second book in the trilogy, won the prize in 2001, while Cold Light was shortlisted for it in 2012. Read more
King of the box office: Elvis ties with Top Gun sequel for No. 1 spot (EW)
The King of Rock and Roll is also the king of the box office.
Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis is tied with Top Gun: Maverick in the No. 1 spot at the domestic box office this week. The Elvis Presley biopic debuted with $30.5 million, while the Top Gun sequel earned the same during its fifth week in theaters, according to Comscore.
Austin Butler shakes, rattles, and rolls as the legendary musician in Luhrmann’s biopic, which follows Presley’s rise to fame and his complicated relationship with his manager Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks). The film also stars Olivia DeJonge, Alton Mason, Kelvin Harrison Jr., and Dacre Montgomery, among others.
“My big goal right from the beginning was not becoming a caricature of him,” Butler told EW of embodying the late musician. “There are so many people out there who have their own Elvis voice, and you realize that most of those are caricatures — the way that they curl their lip, or they deepen their voice deeper than his voice ever was. For me, it was just trying to find out who he was as a man, to humanize him and connect to him on that level.” Read more
After Awoniyi, Forest eye Aribo (Punch)
The Reds announced the signing of Taiwo Awoniyi on Saturday and are looking at another Nigerian to bolster their options.
Nottingham Forest owner, Evangelos Marinakis is supporting the team financially and is setting them for a strong outing in the Premier League.
Per the Scottish Sun, Steve Cooper has identified Joe Aribo as an important signing for the club and a £10-12m bid has been earmarked for the Rangers midfielder.
Aribo has a year left on his contract at Ibrox and has signified interest in moving to England. Read more
Reprieve for Pillars after slim 1-0 win over Rangers (DailyTrust)
Former Nigerian champions, Kano Pillars got at least a temporary reprieve from recent problems as they laboured to a slim 1-0 win over Rangers in the NPFL week 35 match played yesterday at the Sani Abacha Stadium.
Legendary captain, Rabiu Ali’s goal from the spot in the 51st minute was enough to hand the ‘Masu gida’ boys the crucial victory over Rangers whose hope of continental football is fast fading.
With three matches to go, Pillars have moved away from the drop zone to 13th position with 45 points same as Katsina United who defeated Remo Stars 3-2 at the death in Katsina to keep hope alive.
At the Aper Aku stadium, Godfrey Utim assisted Chinoso Okonkwo to score in the 11th minute as Lobi Stars defeated hard-fighting Dakkada FC 1-0 to drastically reduce their relegation worries. Read more
Uefa boss fumes at Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp (IrishIndependent)
The president of Uefa has told Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola to stop complaining about fixture scheduling, proclaiming only “factory workers” paid €12,000 a year had cause to moan.
Aleksander Ceferin fired back at Liverpool boss Klopp and Manchester City manager Guardiola over their gripes about how frequently their sides were forced to play, which included attacks on both the Nations League and Fifa.
Ceferin also accused English clubs complaining about the soon-to-be expanded Champions League of hypocrisy over their refusal to cut the Premier League to 18 teams and scrap the Carabao Cup.
“It’s easy always to attack Fifa and Uefa, but the thing is simple,” Ceferin told Gazzetta dello Sport. “If you play less, you get less money. Who should complain are the factory workers who get €1,000 per month. Read more
Los Angeles FC are hopeful of keeping Gareth Bale beyond the World Cup as part of a ‘long-term partnership’ (DailyMail)
Los Angeles FC are hoping their signing of Gareth Bale will prove a ‘long-term partnership’.
Wales international Bale revealed on Saturday he had agreed to join the Major League Soccer club following his release by Real Madrid.
The 32-year-old had been looking for a new club to maintain his fitness ahead of the World Cup later this year.
Making LAFC’s first official comment on the deal, co-president John Thorrington did not discuss the length of Bale’s contract but expressed confidence it would go beyond this winter’s tournament in Qatar. Read more
Golf: Schauffele capitalises on Theegala’s collapse to win Travelers Championship
(StraitsTimes)
Tokyo Olympic champion Xander Schauffele birdied the final hole on Sunday (June 26) to win the Travelers Championship, holding off Sahith Theegala for his sixth career US PGA Tour title.
The 28-year-old American fired a two-under 68 to finish on 19-under 261 after 72 holes at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut.
That was enough to defeat Theegala, who fell from the lead with a closing double bogey, and fellow American J.T. Poston, who shared second on 263.
It marked the first time Schauffele had converted a 54-hole PGA lead into a triumph, but that happened only after Theegala seized the lead with a birdie at the 17th – and then found a bunker off the 18th tee to set up a nightmare finish. Read more
Colorado Avalanche win first Stanley Cup since 2001 with comeback victory in Game 6 (ABC)
The Colorado Avalanche are Stanley Cup champions for the first time since 2001 after defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in Game 6 of the Cup Final on Sunday.
Artturi Lehkonen scored the Avalanche’s game winner in the second period. Darcy Kuemper registered 20 saves in the victory.
Tampa Bay was making its third consecutive appearance in the Cup Final following back-to-back championships in 2020 and 2021. The Lightning would have been the NHL’s first team to win three straight Cups since the New York Islanders won four in a row from 1980 to 1983.
Earning the victory took another come-from-behind effort from the Avalanche to clinch their franchise’s first championship in two decades. They’d also played from behind in two of their three previous series-clinching games. Read more
Novak Djokovic addresses vaccination status ahead of Wimbledon (SI)
Novak Djokovic knows that, as things stand now, Wimbledon will be his last Grand Slam tournament of 2022, because he will not be able to play in the U.S. Open — he has not received any COVID-19 shots and can’t enter the United States as an unvaccinated foreigner.
“That,” the 35-year-old from Serbia said Saturday at the All England Club, “is an extra motivation to do well here.”
Djokovic began this season tied with Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer at 20 major championships, then the record for a man. But Djokovic’s decision not to get vaccinated led to his deportation from Australia before the Australian Open in January — and Nadal wound up winning that tournament to get his 21st.
Nadal then beat Djokovic in the quarterfinals at the French Open en route to earning his 22nd Slam title this month. Read more