“‘It’s N53 per day,” Sowore slams Tinubu over N8k cash palliatives to Nigerians (Punch)
Human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration over his initiative to give N8,000 cash palliatives to 12 million Nigeria in six months.
The President, on Thursday, wrote to the National Assembly about the development seeking approval to implement it in order to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal.
While the planned programme has been greeted with a backlash among Nigerians, Sowore described Tinubu’s administration as a government of “renewed shege”. Read more
DisCos move to hike tariff, seek NERC’s nod (DailyTrust)
Eleven electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) have sought the approval of the Nigerian Electricity Companies (DisCos) to review tariffs.
This was contained in a joint application dated 14th July, 2023 titled, “Notice of Application for Rate Review By the Electricity Distribution Companies.”
They established their calls for rating the review on the requirement to incorporate changes in macroeconomic parameters as well as other elements affecting the quality of service, operations and sustainability of the companies. Read more
Court discharges ex-Imo Gov Okorocha, blasts EFCC (Nation)
AFederal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja has discharged ex-Imo Governor Senator Rochas Okorocha of all allegations of corruption filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The presiding judge, Justice Yusuf Halilu, said to have filled the charge in his court despite filling the same with a Federal High Court a case that has been dismissed earlier by a court of competent jurisdiction was a gross abuse of the judicial process by the EFCC.
While delivering judgment in the suit filed by the EFCC against the former Governor, he noted the EFCC should be seen to be a respecter of the law that created it. Read more
Another court voids arrest, detention of Emefiele, orders immediate release (Channels)
Another Abuja High Court has voided the arrest and detention of the Suspended Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, by the Department of State Services.
Delivering Judgement, Justice Bello Kawu held that the arrest, detention and interrogation of Mister Emefiele, is in violation of the subsisting judgment and orders of Justice M. A. Hassan.
Mr. Emefiele through his Counsel, Peter Abang, had asked the court to set aside and nullify the arrest and detention of the Applicant for being illegal and a nullity in view of the subsisting judgment by another court delivered on 29th December, 2022. Read more
Osun Assembly revokes state anthem (Tribune)
Osun State House of Assembly, on Tuesday, repealed the State Anthem, Crest, and Flag Law of 2012.
Also, the state’s name was changed from “Osun State, the State of the Living Spring” to “State of Osun. The State of the Virtuous which was changed by a former governor of the State, Rauf Aregbesola, has also been repealed.
The Speaker of the House Of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, while speaking on the development during plenary stated that the step was taken in compliance with the judgment of a Federal High Court of December 14, 2017. Read more
Suspected cultists caused panic at Poco Lee’s concert – LASU students (Punch)
Some students of the Lagos State University, Ojo, have blamed cultists also known as ‘Ojo boys’ for the disruption of the Poco Lee Homecoming concert on Thursday evening in Lagos.
The students also alleged that the cultists came into the campus with pistols and other arms.
Pascal Odinaka, a dancer and an alumnus of LASU popularly called Poco Lee, hosted a ‘Homecoming’ concert at the LASU Main Auditorium, Ojo Campus, on Thursday.
Another alumnus, Bella Shmurda, a popular singer was also billed to perform at the show. Read more
FAAN beefs up security measures at MMIA to avert theft, insider threat (ThisDay)
The Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Kabir Mohammed has said that the agency has adopted measures to tighten security at the airside of the Murtala Muhammed International Airports (MMIA), Lagos.
This was in reaction to the recent theft of airfield lighting at Runway 18R, known as the international runway, which has not been in use because of on-going rehabilitation work.
He disclosed to THISDAY that part of the investigation is to expose possible insider threat, to identify them and prevent them from future incursion at the airside of the airport. Read more
Lagos alone accounts for over N328b investment, forex, BEC scams in Nigeria – EFCC boss (Guardian)
From the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) Abdulkarim Chukkol came a revelation that the commission’s Lagos Zonal Command is currently handling investment, Business Email Compromise, (BEC), and forex scam cases worth over N328 Billion.
Chukkol described investment, BEC and forex scams as well as land and property fraud as some of the most prevalent financial and economic crimes recorded by the Lagos Zonal Command.
EFCC Spokesperson Wilson Uwujaren in a statement on Friday in Abuja quoted Chukkol to have
made the disclosure during a one-day workshop on Economic and Financial Crimes Reporting for Journalists on Thursday, July 13, 2023 at the Commission’s Lagos Zonal Command. Read more
Sudan conflict: “I saw bodies dumped in Darfur mass grave” (BBC)
Maalim is traumatised by what he saw in Sudan’s western region of Darfur, before he fled across the border to Chad.
“If the people who I worked with know I have shown you these photos and videos, or even that I filmed them, I am a dead man,” he tells me as he whips out his phone to show me harrowing pictures of scattered corpses in the city of El Geneina. We have changed his name for his own safety.
Before leaving the country, he was part of a group of people tasked with removing corpses from the streets and burying them in mass graves. Read more
John Nettleton, Yes Minister actor, dies aged 94 (HuffPost)
Yes Minister actor John Nettleton has died at the age of 94.
John was best known for playing cabinet minister Sir Arnold Robinson in the BBC political comedy, a role which he reprised in the follow-up Yes Prime Minister.
A statement from his agents released on Friday confirmed: “It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our beloved client and much-loved stage and screen actor John Nettleton at the age of 94. Read more
Christopher McQuarrie abandoned plans to de-age Tom Cruise for new Mission: Impossible (FilmNews)
Director Christopher McQuarrie abandoned plans to digitally de-age Tom Cruise for the opening sequence in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One.
Computer effects have de-aged a number of veteran stars in recent years, with Harrison Ford the most recent to be taken back to his youth for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
McQuarrie initially wanted to pull a similar trick with the 61-year-old action star in Dead Reckoning but found the effect too distracting. Read more
Robert De Niro and Tiffany Chen’s baby daughter seen for 1st time as mom makes Bell’s palsy confession (Hello!)
As Robert De Niro’s girlfriend, Tiffany Chen, took to daytime TV to share the story of her postpartum difficulties, she found a source of comfort in their newborn daughter, Gia Virginia.
The baby, who was born in April, was seen cooing alongside her mom in the arms of CBS Mornings host Gayle King, wearing a frilly dress as the two women doted over her.
She revealed to Gayle that after giving birth, she lost all movement in her face and found out that she had Bell’s palsy, sharing a defiant message for new moms by saying: “Women should not feel hurt by it” Read more
Jung Kook kicks off ‘GMA’ concert series dampened by severe weather (UPI)
South Korean singer Jung Kook, of BTS, kicked off Good Morning America’s summer music series Friday in Central Park in New York City before the venue was evacuated for severe weather.
Jung Kook, who taped his performance because of the weather, kicked off the concert with his 2018 solo “Euphoria” and performed his new solo single “Seven,” before closing his set with the BTS hit “Dynamite.”
The music video for “Seven,” which was released Friday, reached 19 million views on YouTube within the first 9 hours. Read more
Turkey’s Erdogan says Russia’s Putin agreed to grain deal extension (National)
Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to extend the Black Sea grain deal which expires next week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday.
Mr Erdogan told reporters he had spoken with his Russian counterpart about the crucial deal, which enables the export of Ukrainian grain amid the continuing war, to ease a global food crisis.
The deal signed five months after the Russian invasion of Ukraine is set to expire on Monday, and Mr Putin has repeatedly threatened not to renew it because of obstacles to Russia’s own exports. Read more
WHO says aspartame is a “possible carcinogen.” The FDA disagrees (NPR)
A committee of 25 international experts has determined that aspartame may “possibly” cause cancer in people, according to a report released Thursday by the World Health Organization.
This new classification, which is based on a review of “limited evidence,” does not change the recommended limit on the daily intake of the artificial sweetener.
“Our results do not indicate that occasional consumption should pose a risk to most consumers,” said Dr. Francesco Branca, director of the Department of Nutrition and Food Safety at the WHO, during a press conference in Geneva. He said the problem is for “high consumers” of diet soda or other foods that contain aspartame. “We have, in a sense, raised a flag here,” Branca said, and he called for more research. Read more
Arsenal complete signing of Jurrien Timber from Ajax (Vanguard)
Arsenal have completed the signing of defender Jurrien Timber from Ajax in a deal worth £38 million.
Timber signed a deal that will keep him at the club until 2028.
The 22-year-old made 160 appearances for his boyhood club before completing the move to Mikel Arteta’s side. Read more
Kano Pillars dissolve technical crew, bar out-of-contract players from camp (DailyTrust)
It’s the end of another era in Kano Pillars as the coach Evans Ogenyi-led technical crew has been dissolved.
This was contained in a press statement issued on Friday by the Media Officer of the club, Alhaji Rilwanu Idris Malikawa.
According to the statement, the dissolution is in line with the technical crew’s contractual agreement with the club which expired at the end of the just concluded 2023 Nigeria National league season. Read more
Jabeur and Vondrousova step up for shot at history at Wimbledon (RFI)
Beaming with delight after dismissing the second seed Aryna Sabalenka in a pulsating semi-final, Ons Jabeur immediately sounded a note of caution about Marketa Vondrousova who she will face in the women’s singles final at Wimbledon on Saturday afternoon.
“I’m going for my revenge,” said Jabeur. “I didn’t win against her this year.
Those two losses came on the hard courts at the Australian Open in January and in Indian Wells in the United States in March. Read more
Ex-Manchester City star Benjamin Mendy cleared of sex attacks on two women (Standard)
Former Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy has been found not guilty of raping a young woman and the attempted rape of another.
The 28-year-old broke down in tears as the not guilty verdicts were given by the jury foreman following a three-week trial at Chester Crown Court.
He had stood for the verdicts but sank to his seat, his head on his knees, wiping away tears with a white tissue. Read more
Arsenal debut by Kai Havertz fails to impress as Jorginho red-faced with Nurnberg own-goal (Express)
Arsenal staggered to a 1-1 draw with German outfit Nurnberg in their first pre-season friendly, with debutant Kai Havertz unable to stamp his mark on proceedings. The German, signed from Chelsea for £65 million this transfer window, made his long-awaited bow in a Gunners shirt.
Bukayo Saka scored Arsenal’s only goal, cutting inside from the right and, in trademark style, flashing a left-footed drive into the far corner. Having scored after just six minutes, it seemed like last season’s Premier League title challengers might go on to win handsomely.
But that was not the case. Mikel Arteta’s side ambled to a draw with several young players offered the opportunity to stake a claim for more involvement next season. Read more
Transgender women barred from female events as UCI takes “precautionary measure” (BBC)
World cycling’s governing body has ruled transgender women will be prevented from competing in female events.
The stance follows a similar decision by British Cycling, with the UCI seeking “to protect the female class”.
The UCI said anyone who has transitioned after male puberty could compete in a ‘men/open’ category. Read more