Leah’s mother urges FG to intensity efforts towards daughter’s release (Guardian)
Mrs Rebecca Sharibu, the mother of Leah Sharibu has again pleaded with the Federal Government to intensify efforts towards her daughter’s release from Boko Haram captivity. Rebecca made the call on Wednesday in Dapchi in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Leah was among the 110 Daphchi schoolgirls kidnapped by the terrorist in February 2018. Read more
Your policies can break up Nigeria, Afenifere tells Osinbajo (Punch)
The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has asked the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to make policies that would not instigate the country’s break-up following a statement by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, that break-up is not the solution to Nigeria’s problem. Osinbajo had said on Tuesday that a country in Africa had broken-up and yet their problems had not been resolved, saying there was a need for some institutions in Nigeria to ensure of the safety of the citizens wherever they are in Nigeria. But the Afenifere alleged that the Federal Government had not done anything to avert the break-up of the country. Read more
ISWAP claims killing 40 Nigerian soldiers in attacks (Guardian)
Islamic State Wednesday claimed it killed or wounded more than 40 soldiers in Borno State in two separate attacks on Tuesday. The insurgents via its Amaq news agency said it attacked a military post in Baga and killed at least 15 troops before carrying out a second attack on another army barracks in Benisheik, where they killed or wounded around 25 more. ISWAP’s claims are coming hours after the Nigerian government claimed Boko Haram’s 10-year-old insurgency had been “defeated” but admitted that international jihadists posed a growing threat. Read more
2019 election: Presidential candidates, party chairmen fault Situation Room (Punch)
A group, the National Interest Group, on Wednesday criticised the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room for faulting the manner in which the Independent National Electoral Commission conducted the 2019 general election. The group, which is said to be made up of chairmen of 75 political parties, members of Forum of 60 Presidential Candidates and members of the National Youth Council among others, said the report was not a true reflection of the realities of the 2019 election. Its joint convener, Yusuf Dantalle, made the group’s position known in a communique he read at a press conference in Abuja. Read more
Fayemi declares state of emergency in water sector in Ekiti (Guardian)
The Ekiti State Government has declared a state of emergency in the water sector in the bid to solve the acute shortage of potable water supply across the state. The state government recently flagged-off a $56 million Ero Dam turnaround project to meet 85 per cent of water needs of the people. Gov. Kayode Fayemi said at the ceremony that the state had declared a state of emergency in the water sector in the state by the flag-off of the project. Read more
We can’t verify certificates of 80,724 shortlisted applicants – Police (Punch)
The Police Service Commission has said it could not verify the academic credentials of 80,724 applicants shortlisted for employment into the Constable cadre in the Nigeria Police Force. The Commission stated that the candidates were shortlisted based on their physical attributes, noting that the verification of their certificates would be done by the West African Examination Council after their admission into police colleges for training. Read more
Borno governor suspends medical director, four doctors for absenteeism (Guardian)
Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum has directed immediate suspension of the medical director at the Umaru Shehu Ultra-Modern Hospital and four doctors absent when they were supposed to be on call. The Governor visited the State Specialist and Umaru Shehu hospitals from midnight to 2 am during which he discovered that none of the 19 resident doctors, including the two on the call was available to look after patients. Read more
NOTAP patents first anti-snakebite vaccine invention (Punch)
The National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion has patented an anti-snakebite vaccine innovation which is the first of its kind in the country. The Director-General of NOTAP, Dr. Dan-Azumi Ibrahim disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Abuja. He said the agency was glad to identify with the African Center of Excellence in Phytomedicine Research and Development, University of Jos in patenting in this first-of-its-kind invention in Nigeria. Read more
Anambra traders ban prayers in markets (Punch)
The Anambra State Amalgamated Traders Association on Wednesday banned prayers in markets across the state. ASMATA President-general, Ikechukwu Ekwegbalu stated this in Onitsha while addressing market union leaders. He said the ban had become necessary because politicians had hijacked the exercise. He said “What we see now is extortion and conversion of prayer sessions to political rallies. Read more
15 Ethiopian migrants died at sea: UN (Guardian)
At least 15 Ethiopian migrants died after their boat broke down and left them stranded in the Gulf of Aden for a week without food or water, a UN agency said. “Over 90 Ethiopian migrants were stranded on a boat between Djibouti and Yemen for one week with no food and water leading to the death of at least 15 people,” the International Organization for Migration (IOM) tweeted late Tuesday. “The migrants were travelling from Djibouti to Yemen when the smugglers’ boat broke down. Read more
Angry Sudanese queue for bread in city where pupils shot dead (Guardian)
Sudanese vegetable vendor Zain Mohamed is angry as he queues outside a bakery in the city of Al-Obeid, where five schoolchildren were shot dead while protesting against a shortage of bread. “At a time when I should be selling vegetables, I’m here wasting hours in a queue to buy a loaf of bread,” Mohamed told AFP, as he waited with dozens of other men and women in front of the bakery in downtown Al-Obeid. Read more
Tunisia sets presidential polls for September 15 (Guardian)
Presidential polls will be held in Tunisia on September 15, the North African country’s electoral body has said, rejecting calls to postpone the vote after the death of ailing leader Beji Caid Essebsi. “The office of the Independent Higher Authority for Elections has set the date of September 15 for the presidential elections,” the body’s head Nabil Baffoun told the press late Tuesday after consultations with political parties. Originally scheduled for November, the vote was brought forward following Essebsi’s death on July 25. Read more
Second death from Ebola in DR Congo city of Goma (Guardian)
A second person has died of Ebola in the eastern DR Congo city of Goma, a major transport hub, the country’s pointman for the epidemic told AFP on Wednesday. “A patient who was confirmed with Ebola in Goma has died. Every measure has been taken to block the chain of transmission,” said Jean-Jacques Muyembe, in charge of coordinating the fight against the year-old outbreak. The first death from Ebola in Goma reported on July 16, sparked a wave of concern. Read more
China to stop issuing individual travel permits to Taiwan (BBC)
China has announced that it will stop issuing individual travel permits for Taiwan. The country’s tourism ministry said its decision, in effect from Thursday, was spurred by “the current cross-strait situation”. Solo travellers from 47 cities – including Beijing and Shanghai – have been able to visit since 2011. But tensions have been rising with Beijing, which considers the island territory to be part of China. Read more
Wave machine goes rogue sparking 10ft ‘tsunami’ injuring 44 (Metro)
This is the moment swimmers having a fun day out were engulfed in a huge wall of water. A wave machine broke at the pool causing a 10ft ‘tsunami’ that left 44 people injured with many of them suffering broken bones. Footage shows swimmers being suddenly and unexpectedly hit by the massive wave. Chaos ensued as many tourists sat in swimming rings were flipped upside down. Holidaymakers, describing the wave as a ‘tsunami’, can be seen running to safety as they realise the water is going to splash over the barrier. Read more
India’s top court intervenes in teen rape case (Guardian)
A teenage rape case that has rocked India will be examined by the country’s top court, the chief justice said Wednesday, days after the alleged victim was critically hurt in a suspicious car crash. The 19-year-old is fighting for her life in hospital after the car she was in was smashed by a truck on Sunday, killing two of her aunts and severely injuring her lawyer. It was the latest tragedy to befall her family since she accused lawmaker Kuldeep Singh Sengar from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of raping her at his home in Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh state in 2017. Read more
Israel backs West Bank homes for settlers and Palestinians (BBC)
Israel has approved the construction of 6,000 new homes for Jewish settlers and 700 homes for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. The decision about new homes in settlements further extends the Israeli presence in the West Bank. But it is Israel’s approval for Palestinian homes that is unusual. Israeli settlements in the West Bank are seen as illegal under international law, although Israel disputes this. Read more
Manhunt after woman is punched in face on London Overground (Metro)
A manhunt has been launched after a woman was punched in the face on the London Overground. The victim, in her 20s, was hit shortly before her train pulled into New Cross Gate station, on July 7. She suffered bruising to her eye, British Transport Police said in a statement. Officers have now released an image of a man they believe could help with their investigation. Read more
Hindu man refuses Zomato takeaway over ‘Muslim driver’ (BBC)
Indian restaurant search and delivery service Zomato has been praised on social media for its response to a Hindu customer who refused to take a delivery from a driver who appeared to be of Muslim heritage. Twitter user @NaMo_Sarkaar told his followers: “Just cancelled an order on @ZomatoIN they allocated a non Hindu rider for my food they said they can’t change rider and can’t refund on cancellation I said you can’t force me to take a delivery I don’t want don’t refund just cancel.” Read more
Racist taunted neighbour by hanging signs on her washing line (Metro)
A racist has been terrorising his neigbours for the last two months. Frank Garnett, 70, from east Hull, has been harassing locals with several signs ranging from the bizarre to outright offensive. Many of his neighbours in Burdale Close, who are mostly retired, are now terrified to leave their homes and claim he has also tried to randomly assault them. Read more
CAS revokes CAF decision to replay African Champions League final (Punch)
The Court of Arbitration for Sport on Wednesday overruled an African Football Confederation decision to replay the abandoned Champions League final between Esperance and Wydad Casablanca. CAF last month ordered the second leg to be replayed at a neutral venue following the Africa Cup of Nations after Moroccan side Wydad walked off an hour into the return fixture in Tunis when a VAR malfunction meant a disallowed equaliser could not be reviewed. Read more
Cameroonian footballer livestreams own sex tape (Punch)
Cameroonian striker, Clinton N’Jie, 25, posted a sex tape live stream of himself via his Snapchat. The former Tottenham forward accidentally broadcast himself and a female partner in a compromising position. He later confirmed that he had been out, drinking to celebrating a new contract after agreeing to join Dynamo from Marseille. He claimed that he had been trying to Google his own name to read about the transfer when he mistakenly pressed the wrong tab. Read more
Best Fifa Football Awards 2019: Liverpool trio nominated for men’s award (BBC)
Liverpool trio Virgil van Dijk, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah and Tottenham’s Harry Kane are in the running for the men’s prize in the Best Fifa Football Awards. Former Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard is also on the 10-strong list that includes Juventus’ Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona’s Lionel Messi. England’s Lucy Bronze and Ellen White are contenders in the women’s category. Read more
Frank Lampard ready to axe Davide Zappacosta to clear pathway for Reece James (Metro)
Chelsea will look to offload Davide Zappacosta even after the Premier League transfer window has closed with Frank Lampard keen to make Reece James the club’s deputy right-back. Zappacosta joined while Antonio Conte was still in charge but has only provided cover and competition behind wing-back Victor Moses and then Cesar Azpilicueta when Maurizio Sarri returned to a back four. Read more
Mauricio Pochettino: Tottenham boss ‘not in charge’ of transfers (BBC)
Mauricio Pochettino says he is “not in charge” of transfers at Tottenham and believes his job title should be changed from manager to coach. The Argentine made the comments after Spurs’ 1-0 Audi Cup win over Real Madrid in Munich on Tuesday. Earlier this month, Spurs broke their transfer record to sign Lyon midfielder Tanguy Ndombele – the club’s second signing since January 2018. Read more
Brendan Rodgers denies rumours that Manchester United are close to signing Harry Maguire (Metro)
Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers has rubbished speculation that Manchester United are close to completing a deal for Harry Maguire. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer identified Maguire as his number one defensive target at the start of the summer, but the Foxes have been driving a hard bargain for the 26-year-old centre-back. Maguire has told Leicester that he’s keen to join United and, earlier this week, it appeared the Red Devils had made a major breakthrough in their pursuit of the England international. Read more
Manchester United transfer target Moussa Dembele will not be leaving Lyon, insists Sylvinho (Metro)
Manchester United have been warned Moussa Dembele is not for sale this summer amid reports the Red Devils are weighing up making a move for the striker. Former Celtic star Dembele has been prolific at each of his clubs and scored 15 goals in Ligue 1 in his first campaign with Lyon last season. United appear set to lose Romelu Lukaku this summer with Juventus pushing to sign the Belgian and Dembele has been mentioned as a potential replacement for the goalscorer. Read more
Eddie Hearn hits out at the WBC for suspending Dillian Whyte ‘on no grounds’ (Metro)
Eddie Hearn has slammed the WBC for suspending Dillian Whyte after it emerged the British heavyweight had failed a drug test. Whyte is in the midst of a doping storm after Hearn confirmed the Bodysnatcher faced a independent panel on the day of his fight with Oscar Rivas after an ‘adverse finding’ in a UK Anti-Doping drug test. The WBC announced on Wednesday they had suspended Whyte as their mandatory challenger while they investigate a possible doping violation. Read more