Man in court over N3.9m theft (Punch)
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, on Thursday, arraigned one Taofeek Adereti before the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja for the theft of N3,948,739.66.
Adereti was arraigned on three counts bordering on conspiracy and stealing before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo.
It was gathered that Adereti allegedly stole the money belonging to one Modinat Agbeniga and converted it to his personal use.
The suspect pleaded not guilty to the charges. Read more
Another UNILAG governing council member resigns (Guardian)
Another external member of the governing council of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Bayo Adaralegbe, has tendered his resignation letter.
Adaralegbe said his decision hinged on the crisis rocking the university and accused the substantive vice-chancellor, Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, of falsifying the result of an interview conducted for applicants into the position of director of works on the campus.
“Recent developments have, unfortunately, made my continued stay on the Governing Council of the University of Lagos very untenable,” Adaralegbe said. Read more
UNILAG ASUU advises FG on appointment of pro chancellors (Nation)
The UNILAG Chapter of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has advised the Federal Government that only persons with interest in public education should be appointed Pro Chancellors.
Dr Dele Ashiru, the Chairman of the chapter, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos against the backdrop of resignation of Dr Wale Babalakin, the Pro Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council of Unilag.
NAN reports that the Federal Government, had on Aug. 21, directed both Babalakin and the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, to recuse themselves from official duties in UNILAG. Read more
Third Mainland Bridge phase one rehabilitation almost complete – Controller (Guardian)
The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr Olukayode Popoola, on Friday assured that Third Mainland Bridge repairs was progressing rapidly, and the first phase would be delivered on schedule in October.
Popoola told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that almost all the bad expansion joints had been pulled out and would be replaced as soon as the weather becomes clement.
He said with the rapid progress being achieved in the construction, the ongoing first phase of the project would be completed on schedule on the Oworonsoki-bound carriageway.
“We have been able to cut all the six expansion joints, we have removed the concrete, we have pulled out four, remaining two. Read more
FG establishes COVID-19 vaccine company (Thisday)
The federal government yesterday said it has established a vaccine company that will help in the procurement and possibly manufacturing of vaccines for the treatment of COVID-19 in the country.
Making the disclosure yesterday while speaking at a media briefing by Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 in Abuja, the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, said Nigeria is ready to grab the opportunity to collaborate with any country that shows genuine promise of developing reliable vaccine for COVID-19.
He said: “We are in conversation with Russia, and our strategy is to look at countries that have vaccines that proved to be reliable, and then seek ways of collaborating with them, obtain vaccines from them or manufacture them under licence where possible. Read more
FG apologises for asking all bank, other account holders to re-register (Punch)
The Federal Government has apologised for asking all account holders in the country’s financial institutions to register their details again.
The PUNCH reports that the FG earlier asked all account holders in banks, including insurance companies, to fill and submit a Self-Confirmation form.
The order was given despite the possession of the Bank Verification Number and the National Identification Number by account holders on Thursday.
Failure to do so, the Nigerian government threatened to block access to defaulters’ accounts or impose a monetary penalty. Read more
FG hails Kwara governor over social investment programme (Guardian)
The federal government has commended Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq over the state’s social investment programme.
It hailed him for pushing through the safety net with appreciable improvements on the model that was understudied from the presidency.
Chief Operating Officer of the Government Enterprise Empowerment Programme (GEEP), Uzoma Nwagba, said in a commendation letter to the Governor he was glad that AbdulRazaq followed through on the programme — barely one year after he visited the headquarters of GEEP in Abuja. Read more
Court remands pastor over alleged N.7m fraud (Vanguard)
An Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court on Friday ordered the remand of a 45-year-old pastor, Paul Ojo, in a Correctional Centre in Ado-Ekiti over alleged fraud.
The police prosecutor, Insp. Oriyomi Akinwale, told the court that the defendant conspired and defrauded one Fakunade Ojo of N700,000.
Akinwale alleged that the defendant committed the offense between February and March at Ise-Ekiti, Ise/Orun Local Government Area of Ekiti State. Read more
Kim Jong-un expected to showcase North Korea’s new ballistic missile (news.com.au)
Kim Jong-un is poised to showcase a terrifying new doomsday nuke which can flatten cities anywhere in the US.
The news comes as North Korea steps up its provocative stance after “peace” talks stalled between the rogue state and the West.
The Sun reported earlier this month that Mr Kim was planning to hold a huge military showcase to highlight his deadly arsenal.
Now it has been reported pride of place in the very public parade could go to his much-heralded Hwasong-15 ballistic missile. Read more
UN Amplifies Ethiopian Migrant Detainees’ Cries for Help in Saudi Arabia (VOA)
The prospect of paid work and better lives lured Teshome and Kadir from their native Ethiopia, their hopes pinned on Saudi Arabia.
Instead, the two young men have spent at least five months idled and anguished, confined in one of the kingdom’s migrant detention centers.
They fear they’ll never get out alive.
“Our situation is above that of the dead and below the living,” Teshome, 21, told VOA in phone interviews from a centre in the Saudi port city of Jizan. Read more
Libya’s Haftar agrees to lift oil blockade with conditions (France24)
Eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar said on Friday his forces would let oil production resume after an eight-month blockade and a senior politician in Tripoli said a committee would be formed to ensure fair distribution of revenues.
However, National Oil Corporation (NOC), which operates Libya’s energy sector, said overnight it would not lift force majeure on exports until oil facilities were demilitarised.
The blockade by eastern forces has cost Libya $9 billion in lost revenue so far this year, the Tripoli-based Central Bank of Libya said this week. The stoppage has become a big obstacle to new efforts to seek a path forwards in peace talks after Haftar’s assault on Tripoli collapsed in June. Read more
Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston’s surprise new reunion (news.com.au)
Hollywood’s former golden couple Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt have reunited for the first time in months for a live read of Fast Times at Ridgmont High.
The hour-long event took place on the Facebook page CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort) and LiveXLive as well as criminal justice reform group Reform Alliance.
Fans were teased with the promo for the reading a few days ago.
The virtual reading was postponed in August due to technical difficulties, and an earlier promo spot for the video showed the former flames laughing together.
Jen, 50, has her famous locks down as she wears a simple blue sleeveless top for the recording while 56-year-old Brad keeps his long hair loose and paired it with a scruffy grey beard. Read more
Celebrating Jimi Hendrix, 50 years after his death (USAToday)
From Marvin Gaye to Whitney Houston, and Beyoncé to Lady Gaga, many of music’s most indelible vocalists have lovingly taken on our national anthem.
Which is partly why Jimi Hendrix’s seething, scorching and cacophonous rendition from Woodstock ’69 stands out – and why 50 years after his tragic death on Sept. 18, 1970, it’s still as haunting as ever.
“That was probably the most significant rendition of ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ ever, in how it represented the spirit of the 1960s and where it was performed, the music festival most associated with that era,” says Tacuma Roeback, a journalist who’s written about Hendrix for Smithsonian magazine. Read more
Meghan and Harry ditch their royal titles in American TV debut (news.com.au)
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will ditch their royal titles when they make their first American TV appearance.
The pair will go by just Harry and Meghan when they make their debut celebrating Time magazine’s annual list of the world’s most influential people.
In a new promo shared by E! News, the pair were introduced by their first names, although on the credit they were listed as “the Duke and Duchess of Sussex Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.” Read more
Forrest Gump author Winston Groom dies aged 77 (BBC)
Writer Winston Groom, whose novel Forrest Gump was made into the hugely successful Oscar-winning 1994 film starring Tom Hanks, has died aged 77.
The book, about the childlike optimism of a slow-thinking but kind-hearted man, won six Oscars including best film and actor, plus three Golden Globes.
Directed by Robert Zemeckis and also starring Sally Field and Robin Wright, it made $683m (£526m).
Groom’s death was confirmed by Alabama governor Kay Ivey.
“Saddened to learn that Alabama has lost one of our most gifted writers,” she wrote on Facebook, referencing Groom’s time at university there, graduating in 1965. Read more
Mikel’s Stoke City send Wolves out of Carabao Cup (Nation)
John Obi Mikel’s Championship side Stoke City dumped Wolves out of the League Cup on Thursday night as the Premier League side’s club record signing Fabio Silva had a nightmare debut in a 1-0 defeat.
The 18-year-old, who cost 40 million euros ($47 million £36 million) from Porto despite scoring just three goals for the Portuguese giants, fired a glorious opportunity wide to open the scoring in the second half.
Mikel was not listed in the matchday squad but it was Stoke substitute Jacob Brown who netted the winner four minutes from time to stun a strong Wolves side named by Nuno Espirito Santo. Read more
Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers confirms talks with Roma for Cengiz Under (BBC)
Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers says the club are in talks with Roma about signing Cengiz Under.
The 23-year-old Turkey winger joined the Italian club from Istanbul Basaksehir in July 2017.
The left-footed Under has made 88 appearances in all competitions for Roma, scoring 17 goals.
“He’s a very, very good player. There have been negotiations with the club [Roma] and we’re hopeful there,” said Rodgers. Read more
Celtics downplay ’emotional’ locker room blowup after loss (USAToday)
With frustrations running high, the voices in the Boston Celtics’ locker room became increasingly loud.
So loud that reporters on site could hear Celtics guard Marcus Smart and other players having heated conversations following their 106-101 loss to the Miami Heat in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, which puts Boston in an 0-2 series deficit.
“It was nothing. It was nothing,” Celtics guard Kemba Walker said. “Ain’t nothing happening in the locker room. I don’t know what you’re talking about, to be honest. We’ll be fine.”
The Celtics hardly looked fine in Game 2. Read more
Liverpool: Thiago Alcantara says goodbye to Bayern Munich (BBC)
Thiago Alcantara, who has agreed a deal to sign for Liverpool, says leaving Bayern Munich was the “most difficult decision” of his career.
The Spain midfielder’s arrival has not been officially announced by Liverpool, but Thiago, 29, has said goodbye to Bayern in an open letter.
He is signing for least £20m, plus £5m in add-ons, on a four-year contract.
“I decided to close this chapter in this marvellous club,” Thiago wrote. Read more
Solskjaer asked England not to pick Greenwood before COVID-19 breach (Guardian)
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer revealed he asked England not to pick Mason Greenwood before the Manchester United forward was withdrawn from the squad after breaching coronavirus protocols.
Greenwood and Manchester City’s Phil Foden were forced to fly home from Iceland earlier this month after they were caught mixing with local women in the England hotel.
The pair had just made their England debuts in the Nations League victory over Iceland when video footage emerged of their breach of the bio-secure bubble which had been set up to avoid contact with the virus. Read more
Lyon president takes little dig at Arsenal over Houssem Aouar transfer (Metro)
Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has aimed a little dig at Arsenal over their pursuit of Houssem Aouar, saying the Gunners cannot afford to sign the midfielder.
Mikel Arteta has already been busy in the transfer market this summer but is keen to bring in a new central midfielder, with both Atletico Madrid star Thomas Partey and Aouar on Arsenal’s radar. However, little progress has been made on a deal for either player with the north London club needing to offload players – and raise funds – before dipping back into the market. Read more
Up to 1,000 fans to watch Italian Open (Vanguard)
Up to 1,000 fans will be allowed to watch each of the final two days of the Italian Open tennis tournament as Italy begins to open up stadiums for sports enthusiasts.
Italian Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora gave the assurance on Friday.
Professional sports events in Italy have been played without fans since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, although some supporters have been allowed into pre-season soccer friendlies.
“At last, starting from the semi-finals and finals of the Italian Open), a thousand spectators will be able to attend all the sports competitions that will be held in the open air,” Spadafora told reporters. Read more