Jealous lover kills girlfriend with sledgehammer (Punch)
The Lagos State Police Command said it had arrested one Samuel Adeniyi who allegedly killed his girlfriend with a sledgehammer which he hit on her head in a yet-to-be-disclosed area of Lagos.
The state Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa, disclosed this during a press briefing at the Police Officers Mess, Ikeja, Lagos on Thursday.
Owohunwa said the suspect’s justification for killing the yet-to-be-identified girlfriend was because he was bothered that the girlfriend might leave him for another person. Read more
DSS detains Ogun LG chairman who accused Abiodun of fund diversion (DailyTrust)
The Department of State Security (DSS), Ogun State command, on Friday detained the suspended chairman of Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun State, Wale Adedayo, over allegation of diversion of councils’ allocations against Governor Dapo Abiodun.
Adedayo had accused the governor of withholding local government funds in the last two years.
He was at the DSS Abeokuta office on Friday, to honour the invitation of the service on the allegations. Read more
Why I have a fleet of private jets, Bishop Oyedepo reveals (Vanguard)
Bishop David Oyedepo, Founder of the Living Faith Church Worldwide AKA Winners Chapel has opened up on why he acquired a fleet of private jets.
According to him, the reason is because God has blessed him richly.
In a recent sermon at his church, also known as Winners Chapel, Oyedepo stated his church is now changing planes like bicycles because of God’s blessings. Read more
FG unveils plans to strengthen naira (Nation)
The Federal Government is considering mopping up foreign exchange outside the system as part of the strategy to address the current scarcity and shore up the Naira, Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy Wale Edun, announced yesterday.
Edun told reporters at his maiden press conference in Abuja that the fiscal authorities would work with the Central Bank (CBN) to attract foreign exchange into the country from different sources.
He spoke on a day Anambra State governor, Charles Soludo, said the economy inherited by President Bola Tinubu was akin to a “dead horse standing.” Read more
Lagos begins construction of Egan-Akesan road, rallies residents’ support (Guardian)
The Lagos State government has called for residents’ cooperation as it begins the construction of Egan-Akesan Road in Alimosho Local Council. The government said the project was significant for a livable and sustainable environment, especially to the people of Egan-Akesan.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Oluwole Sotire, said the project is in line with the developmental agenda of the state government in making remarkable success in the area of infrastructure renewal.
Speaking at a stakeholders meeting on the project, he stated that the successful execution of the project would provide the required succour to residents by enhancing connectivity and ease traffic, as well as boost value of property in the area. Read more
Lagdo Dam opening threatens FG’s agenda on food security (Leadership)
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s efforts to contain rising food prices may suffer a serious setback if his government is unable to convince the government of Cameroon to be measured releasing water from the Lagdo Dam.
The president, had on July 13, 2023 declared a state of emergency on food security to curb rising prices and more recently, has released five truck loads of rice to each of the 36 states of the federation as part of efforts to ameliorate the impact of the removal of subsidy on Petroleum Motor Spirit.
The presidency had in a statement on July 13 said it planned to deploy some savings from the fuel subsidy removal into the agricultural sector. Read more
Tinubu, Abbas, Barau extol Shettima’s undying loyalty to Nigeria as VP turns 57 (Nation)
President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Vice President Kashim Shettima on the occasion of his 57th birthday today, hailing him for his dynamism and undying loyalty to Nigeria.
Tinubu said Shettima’s unusual courage in handling the Boko Haram insurgency in Borno State during his eight years as governor was particularly remarkable.
The President, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, said he was joining family, friends and associates of his deputy in “thanksgiving to God for the sustained grace of wisdom, character, compassion and bold leadership demonstrated by the Vice President over his years of service to Nigeria with notable distinction in both the private and public sectors.” Read more
Sack Wike at your own peril, Fayose warns PDP leaders (Channels)
A former Governor of Ekiti State Ayodele Fayose has warned the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against expelling Nyesom Wike.
Wike, a chieftain of the PDP, worked against the party in the 2023 presidential election and has since been appointed as a member of President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet.
Despite the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister’s alleged anti-party activities, Fayose is warning the PDP against going after the former Rivers State governor. Read more
Emma Stone’s graphic Poor Things sex scenes make Venice erupt in 8-minute standing ovation for Yorgos Lanthimos (Variety)
Poor Things, the oddest movie to premiere at this year’s Venice Film Festival, landed the biggest standing ovation so far. On Friday night, Yorgos Lanthimos’ drama, starring Emma Stone as a woman who finds her identity through a series of tragic (and scientific) events, received an eight-minute standing ovation at its world premiere.
“Genius! We love you! Yorgos!” the crowd chanted at the auteur director behind The Favourite and The Lobster.
Lanthimos lapped up the love and attention, as he walked down the balcony of the Sala Grande Theatre, shaking hands with his fans and signing autographs. Read more
Mohamed Al Fayed: Former Harrods owner dies at 94 (BBC)
Mohamed Al Fayed, the former Harrods boss whose son Dodi was killed in a car crash alongside Diana, Princess of Wales, has died aged 94.
Born in Egypt, he built a business empire in the Middle East before moving to the UK in the 1970s.
However, he never realised his ambition to gain a passport for his adopted country. Read more
98-year-old German charged in thousands of Holocaust deaths at Nazi camp (NBC)
A 98-year-old man has been charged in Germany with being an accessory to murder as a guard at the Nazis’ Sachsenhausen concentration camp between 1943 and 1945, prosecutors said Friday.
The German citizen, a resident of Main-Kinzig county near Frankfurt, is accused of having “supported the cruel and malicious killing of thousands of prisoners as a member of the SS guard detail,” prosecutors in Giessen said in a statement. They did not release the suspect’s name.
He is charged with more than 3,300 counts of being an accessory to murder between July 1943 and February 1945. The indictment was filed at the state court in Hanau, which will now have to decide whether to send the case to trial. If it does, he will be tried under juvenile law, taking account of his age at the time of the alleged crimes. Read more
Travis Barker rushes home for “urgent family matter” as Blink-182 tour postponed (DailyStar)
Blink-182 star Travis Barker, who is married to pregnant Kourtney Kardashian, has returned home to the United States mid-tour due to a family emergency.
The band have postponed their UK tour dates which were set to start in Glasgow on September 1.
Before flying back to the US, Barker took to his Instagram Story to share a picture of a prayer room. Read more
Lebanon green lights Barbie after initial ban attempt on moral grounds (France24)
Lebanon on Friday approved the Barbie film to be screened in cinemas following an initial attempt to ban it by its culture minister over claims it contradicts conservative values.
Lebanon’s General Security agency, which is responsible for reviewing any films, plays or books to be released in Lebanon, issued a decision on Friday allowing the film’s screening, according to a copy of the decision seen by Reuters.
The only condition listed was that viewers be restricted to those aged 13 and above. Read more
Putin and Erdogan will meet for talks on Ukraine grain deal (PBS)
Russian President Vladimir Putin will host Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan for talks in Russia’s Black Sea resort of Sochi on Monday, the Kremlin announced Friday, just over six weeks after Moscow broke off a deal partly brokered by Ankara that allowed Ukrainian grain to reach world markets despite the 18-month war.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced the talks Friday, ending weeks of speculation about when and where the two leaders might meet next as international efforts continue to patch up the Black Sea Grain Initiative which got grain and other food to Africa, the Middle East and Asia where hunger is a growing threat.
Turkey, together with the United Nations, brokered a deal in July 2022 that allowed Ukraine to ship grain and other foodstuffs from three Black Sea ports. Read more
Jet ski tourists shot dead off coast of Algeria (BBC)
The Algerian coastguard has shot dead two tourists holidaying in Morocco who reportedly strayed into Algerian waters on their jet skis.
They were among four French-Moroccan dual nationals who had set off from the Moroccan resort of Saidia.
A third member of the group was arrested by the coastguard which patrols the two states’ closed border. Read more
Everton, Fulham agree £22m Iwobi deal (Punch)
Fulham and Everton have reached an agreement for the transfer of the Nigeria international, who is now discussing personal terms with the Cottagers ahead of his trip to London.
Iwobi is keen on moving to Craven Cottage, hence, the player agreeing personal terms should not be an issue.
The Toffees have agreed to end their association with the former Arsenal winger a year before the expiration of his contract in exchange for £22m. Read more
Luis Rubiales: Sarina Wiegman dedicates Uefa Women’s Coach of the Year award to Spain players (BBC)
England manager Sarina Wiegman dedicated her Uefa Women’s Coach of the Year award to World Cup winners Spain, as Fifa president Gianni Infantino said their success had been “spoiled”.
Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales has been widely criticised for kissing forward Jenni Hermoso on the lips after the final.
Wiegman said the victorious Spain players “deserve to be listened to”. Read more
Brennan Johnson: Tottenham agree deal worth £45m plus add-ons for Nottingham Forest forward (Sky)
Tottenham have agreed a fee with Nottingham Forest for Brennan Johnson.
The forward is now travelling to London for a medical before sealing the move before Friday’s 11pm deadline.
Spurs will pay in excess of £45m for Johnson, although further discussions with Forest are required over the structure of the payments. Read more
Tanya Oxtoby: New Northern Ireland manager targeting Euros and World Cup (BBC)
New Northern Ireland women’s manager Tanya Oxtoby says she is targeting qualification for major tournaments.
Northern Ireland qualified for Euro 2022 under Kenny Shiels but missed out on the summer’s World Cup.
Oxtoby takes on the manager’s job after two years as Emma Hayes’ assistant at Chelsea.
“When I took on this role I was looking at the Euros and the World Cup,” said Oxtoby, who met with Northern Irish media for the first time on Friday. Read more
Daniil Medvedev kicks off with US Open crowd as long-running rivalry gets new episode (Express)
Daniil Medvedev’s hopes of being crowned the 2023 US Open champion are alive and kicking, but so is his spikey relationship with the Flushing Meadows crowd. The world No 3 progressed to the third round on Thursday after seeing off Australia’s Chris O’Connell in four sets, 6-2, 6-2, 6-7(8-6), 6-2.
Having cruised through the opening two sets, the 2021 winner appeared to be on course for a routine straight-sets victory, but after letting a break of serve and a match point in the tie-breaker slip, he was pegged back a set by his lower-ranked opponent.
By this point, there was no disputing who the New York crowd was backing with huge cheers greeting O’Conneel’s third set success. As the passion around the stadium continued to grow, spectators felt the wrath of the Russian after making a din before he was about to serve during the third game of the fourth set. Read more
USA Basketball rallies to beat Montenegro 85-73 at the World Cup, reaches quarterfinals (USAToday)
Everything had looked so easy for the U.S. at the Basketball World Cup. Points were coming in bunches, final scores were blowouts and stress wasn’t a problem.
Until Friday.
If the Americans were waiting for a serious test at the World Cup, they can wait no more. Facing a 26.5-point underdog in Montenegro in a second-round opener for both teams, they trailed by a point at the half, didn’t take the lead for good until midway through the third quarter and still had a contest on their hands until the final minutes. Read more