Minimum wage: We’re working internally to fast-track process, Osifo assures (Sun)
The President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Festus Osifo, has assured Nigerians that labour is actively working to push the federal government to announce a new minimum wage soon.
Osifo said discussions between labour and the Federal Government are ongoing and that President Bola Tinubu will submit the bill for a new national minimum wage to the National Assembly after these consultations.
Speaking at the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) Women Commission’s maiden Annual Convention in Abuja on Tuesday, Osifo said, “The minimum wage negotiations cannot be dead. The 2019 minimum wage (that has expired) took about two years to see the light of day. We started the negotiations in 2017.” Read more
Alleged Bribery: Ganduje, wife to appear in court Thursday (NewTelegraph)
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, his wife, Hafsat Ganduje, and six others are to appear in court on Thursday to face charges related to alleged bribery, diversion, and misappropriation of funds amounting to billions of naira.
The development is coming after a notice of trial served on the respondents through substituted means by order of the court.
New Telegraph recalls that a Kano State High Court granted the order on June 5, 2024, allowing the state to serve the seven respondents through substituted service, which was subsequently executed via advertisements in two national newspapers on June 6, 2024. Read more
I hawked on Lagos streets with my father –Patoranking (DailyTrust)
Nigerian reggae dancehall singer, Patrick Nnaemeka Okorie popularly known as Patoranking, says his road to stardom is rough and tough, reliving how he hawked on the streets of Lagos with his father to make ends meet.
The Afrobeat artiste, who grew up in Ebute Metta – Lagos urban slum – however said he remained focused and defied all odds to achieving his goals.
Patoranking stated this on Tuesday while accepting to be the UNDP Goodwill Africa Ambassador for Youth Innovation, Enterprise and the SDGs at the launch of the Timbuktoo Fintech Hub in Lagos by the United Nations Development Programme. Read more
Tinubu swears in 8 permanent secretaries (Punch)
President Bola Tinubu has sworn in eight Federal Permanent Secretaries.
The eight permanent secretaries took the oath of office just before the commencement of the ongoing Federal Executive Council meeting at the State House, Abuja; it’s the 14th FEC session since the inauguration on August 28, 2023.
The brief swearing-in ceremony, which was conducted in two batches of four each, was anchored by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, who read their citations. Read more
80-yr-old man in police net over alleged defilement of 10-yr- old In Bayelsa (Vanguard)
The Bayelsa State Police Command has taken into custody an 80- yr- old man identified as Pa. Stephen for allegedly defiling a 10-year-old pupil at Otuokpoti Community in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
According to reports filed by some gender advocacy groups in the state, the man was fingered by indigenes of the community as a serial paedophile and sick with advanced piles and hernia.
The gender advocacy groups, when alerted about the incident stormed the Otuokpoti community and ensured that the culprit was reported to the divisional police headquarters. Read more
Body of ex-Senate president Joseph Wayas arrives in Nigeria 33 months after (Leadership)
The body of Nigeria’s Second Republic Senate President, Senator Dr. Joseph Wayas, has arrived Nigeria 33 months after his death in the United Kingdom.
The remains of the elder statesman, which arrived the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Wednesday morning, were received by his family members; Cross River North Senator, Jarigbe Agom; Hon. Peter Akpanke; kinsmen, and other stakeholders.
The body was thereafter deposited at the morgue of the National Hospital, Abuja, after opening two years and nine months at a London morgue. Read more
Settle herders with grazing reserves, Miyetti Allah tells Govs (Channels)
One of the umbrella bodies for herders in Nigeria, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), has asked governors to “settle pastoralists” with grazing reserves designated for herders in the 1960s.
MACBAN President, Baba Othman-Ngelzarma, who featured live on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Wednesday, believed that the “preservation” and the “protection” of grazing reserves, especially those in the 19 northern states would address the intractable and internecine challenge of farmer-herder crisis.
Othman-Ngelzarma, who spoke hours after President Bola Tinubu announced the creation of a new ministry for livestock development, explained that the livestock sector could turn around the economy of Nigeria if well-tapped. Read more
No provision in SAMOA agreement requires Nigeria to accept LGBTQ – NBA (Tribune)
The President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr Yakubu Maikyau (SAN) has said that there is no provision in the SAMOA agreement which requires Nigeria to accept or in anyway recognise LGBTQ or gay rights as a pre-condition for a loan of $150 Billion USD.
“Instead, the agreement was expressly made subject to the local laws and the sovereignty of the contracting nations”, the NBA President said in a statement made available to newsmen on Tuesday by the National Publicity Secretary of the NBA, Habeeb Lawal.
The NBA President said, the SAMOA agreement recognises, for instance, Nigeria’s Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act, 2023 and of course, the Supremacy of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended). Read more
Sharon Stone: There is more ‘hatred’ for Kevin Spacey because ‘he offended men’ with queer allegations (Indiewire)
Sharon Stone believes that Kevin Spacey is still “cancelled” due to his sexual orientation and not the allegations against him of assault.
Stone told The Hollywood Reporter that while Spacey “grabbed people by their genitals,” so goes the standard in Hollywood. According to Stone, however, it is solely due to the fact that the allegations against Spacey are queer that Spacey’s career hasn’t recovered.
“He’s reached out to everybody he’s offended and said he’s sorry,” Stone said. “Kevin grabbed people by their genitals. Many people. But nobody [has publicly said] he’s raped them or forced them into a sexual encounter. But there’s so much hatred for him because in his case it was man-on-man. That’s why he’s not allowed to come back. Because he offended men.” Read more
CNN chief Mark Thompson announces sweeping overhaul of news network, cuts 100 jobs (CNN)
Mark Thompson, the CNN chief executive appointed last year to modernize the news network, unveiled a set of sweeping changes to the iconic outlet Wednesday, announcing plans to build a billion-dollar digital business, experiment with artificial intelligence and overhaul key newsroom structures.
The far-reaching measures, which Thompson described to staffers in a memo as a “key milestone in the transformation of CNN,” will result in about 100 employees, or about three percent of the workforce, being laid off. Those employees, Thompson said, will be eligible for severance packages.
Since his appointment last year, Thompson has been candid about the challenges facing CNN, stressing to staffers that swift and dramatic steps are necessary to reorient the television-focused news organization for a digital future. Read more
BBC commentator John Hunt’s family are victims of Hertfordshire crossbow attack – latest (Metro)
The wife and two daughters of BBC racing commentator John Hunt have been killed in a crossbow attack at their home in Hertfordshire.
Carol Hunt, 61, and the couple’s daughters Hannah, 28, and Louise, 25, were found dead at a house in Ashlyn Close, Bushey, near Watford, at around 7pm on Tuesday.
The victims have not yet been formally identified by police, however the BBC has confirmed Hunt’s family were killed in the incident. Read more
Bruce Willis’ daughter Scout ditches bra as she strips off in middle of LA shop (DailyStar)
Bruce Willis’ daughter Scout stripped off in a Los Angeles clothing store.
On Wednesday (July 10), the beloved musician took a break from promoting her upcoming album for a bit of retail therapy. The 32-year-old star is certainly comfortable in her skin as she stripped off at the front of the store for everyone to see.
The daughter of the Hollywood icon wore nothing but her underwear as she tried on several different pieces with her friend’s help. She didn’t hide away from prying eyes as she wore nothing but tiny blue thong and a sheer top. Read more
Air stewardess detained in Dubai is freed and allowed to return home (Mirror)
Tori Towey was due to fight charges of alcohol consumption and attempted suicide in the Middle Eastern nation later this month, and was prevented from travelling home
An air stewardess who has been held in Dubai after she was brutally attacked by her husband has been freed, her representatives have said.
Tori Towey, 28, from County Roscommon, Ireland, was due to fight charges of alcohol consumption and attempted suicide in the Middle Eastern nation later this month. The Emirate Airlines stewardess was taken to a police station following an attack by her South African husband, and had her passport blocked, preventing her from travelling home to Ireland. Read more
Migrant raft crashes into rocks and sinks off Turkish coast, killing 7 (AfricaNews)
A life raft carrying migrants crashed into rocks off Turkey’s Aegean coastal town of Cesme on Tuesday, killing seven people on board, the Turkish coastguard said.
One person was rescued from the sea by a fishing boat which then alerted the coast guard. Eighteen others, including children, were rescued from the small island of Karaada near Cesme.
Search and rescue efforts were continuing for one missing person, the coast guard said in a statement. Read more
Dartmouth student found dead in river prompts hazing probe (NBC)
Police are looking into whether hazing played a role in the death of a Dartmouth College student whose body was found in a river over the weekend.
Won Jang, a member of the class of 2026, was reported missing on Sunday afternoon after last being seen at a social gathering the night before, at docks near the Connecticut River. Police searched the area with the help of a dive team, fish and game officers, and marine patrol. Several hours later, they found Jang’s body in the river approximately 65 feet offshore, according to a media release from the Hanover Police Department in New Hampshire.
Jang, 20, was a biomedical engineering major from Middletown, Delaware, who “enthusiastically took part in the Dartmouth community,” said Dartmouth’s Dean of the College Scott Brown, in a statement offering condolences to the community. Read more
Hamilton responds to rumours of MotoGP investment (RN365)
Lewis Hamilton has responded to a rumour that he is seeking to purchase a MotoGP outfit going forward.
It was recently reported that the seven-time Formula 1 world champion is interested in purchasing the Gresini MotoGP outfit.
Gresini currently runs the Marquez brothers Marc and Alex, however, the former, who is one of the most successful riders in MotoGP history, will leave the team for Ducati. Read more
Rangers set to complete 3 foreign signings (Punch)
Nigerian champions Enugu Rangers look to add three foreign players to their flexing ranks in readiness for their CAF Champions League campaign, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Disclosing this to our correspondent, the club’s media officer, Nobert Okolie, said the players from West African countries, Ivory Coast and Mali, were expected to arrive in Enugu on Tuesday to complete their transfers.
“It is true that we have signed some players from the NPFL, but we are not limiting our recruitment drive to Nigeria because plans are underway to sign some players from other African countries. In fact, three of them from Ivory Coast and Mali are expected to arrive in Enugu today to finalise their transfers,” Okolie said on Tuesday. Read more
Rays SS Wander Franco charged with sexual abuse against minor (ABC)
Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco has been formally charged with sexual abuse and sexual exploitation against a minor in the Dominican Republic.
Puerto Plata District Office Prosecutor Kelmin Duncan and the spokesperson for the Attorney General’s Office, Nairobi Viloria, told ESPN’s Juan Recio that they presented the formal accusation against Franco on Tuesday, four days after the initial deadline expired July 5.
Franco has been under investigation since July 10, 2023, when a complaint was filed against him for allegedly having had sexual relations with a 14-year-old girl. Read more
Bono says ‘baby steps’ led to Hamilton giant leap at Silverstone (F1i)
Lewis Hamilton’s resurgent win in the British Grand Prix marks a significant turning point for the Mercedes driver and his race engineer Peter ‘Bono’ Bonnington, and its taken many “baby steps” to get there.
Hamilton’s emotional triumph in his home race, his 104th in F1 and a record-breaking ninth at Silverstone, was anything but a cakewalk.
Early on, the seven-time world champion found himself trailing Lando Norris. But a crucial strategy call and Hamilton’s masterful handling of the changing track conditions saw him overtake the McLaren driver and eventually claim the checkered flag. Read more
Lionel Messi, Argentina shut out Canada to reach Copa America finale (UPI)
Lionel Messi and Julian Alvarez each scored to lead top-ranked Argentina to a 2-0 shutout of No. 48 Canada, clinching a spot in the Copa America finale for the defending tournament champions.
Alvarez found the net in the 22nd minute Tuesday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. Messi added insurance with another score in the 51st minute. Midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Rodrigo De Paul assisted the forwards.
Argentina will face No. 14 Uruguay or No. 12 Colombia in the Copa America finale at 8 p.m. EDT Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. Read more
12 players to represent Nigeria at World Youth Scrabble Championship (CompleteSports)
No fewer than twelve youngsters have been selected to represent Nigeria at the forthcoming World Youth Scrabble Championship in Sri Lanka.
The championship is billed to take place from September 6 to 8 in Sri Lanka.
The Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF), in a press release made available to Completesports.com highlighted the list of the players which consists of eight boys and four girls.
The team’s list has Joy Nwabuzor who won gold for Edo State during the 7th National Youth Games (NYG) held in Asaba, Delta State as the captain. Read more