Navy arrests 4 suspected stowaways in Lagos (Punch)
Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS BEECROFT, Commodore Bashir Mohammed, on Wednesday, said that four suspected stowaways were caught and arrested onboard MT River Shiner vessel at Lagos anchorage.
The commander said that the arrests were made by the NNS BEECROFT patrol team during a routine harbour patrol.
He said that the team observed suspicious movements of a wooden boat around the stern part of the vessel and decided to conduct a search, after which the suspects were found inside the propeller housing.
“Findings during the interrogation revealed that the stowaways had come from different parts of the country to Lagos in search of job. Read more
Lagos State govt denies alleged herdsmen attack on community (Guardian)
Lagos State Government has dismissed an alleged attack by herdsmen on Odo Egiri community in Eredo area of Epe Local Council as untrue.
The Ministry of Agriculture said diligent investigation into the matter revealed that the false report was the fall-out of a tussle between two rival families over landed property.
The letter, signed by the Director, Legal Unit, Mrs. Bukola Akanni, on behalf of the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, reads in part… Read more
UNILAG resumes, brings LUTH, Gbagada health workers to campus (Punch)
The University of Lagos, Akoka, said it has partnered the Lagos University Teaching Hospital and the Gbagada General Hospital for necessary isolation and treatment of any coronavirus case as it resumes physically on August 26, 2021.
Recall that following the incidence of COVID-19 infection in UNILAG, the Senate at its meeting on July 12, 2021, directed the closure of all halls of residence.
However, a statement by the Registrar, Mr Oladejo Azeez, said it would commence the second semester examination physically from August 26, 2021, saying it would be done in phases and all students would depart by September 26, 2021.
It added, “In order to ensure the safety of staff and students during this period, the university will adhere strictly to all COVID-19 protocols. Special arrangements have been made with the Lagos University Teaching Hospital and Gbagada General Hospital for necessary isolation and treatment of any incidence of COVID-19 case during the examination. Read more
Lagos COVID-19 cases surpass 69, 000, records 9 deaths (Guardian)
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said the state recorded 393 new COVID-19 infections out of the 2,720 tests conducted on Tuesday, bringing the state’s total infections to 69,145.
Abayomi said this through his Facebook account @ProfAkinolaAbayomi on Wednesday, while giving the state’s COVID-19 update for Tuesday.
He said nine persons died from COVID-19 related complications in the state on Aug. 17, increasing the state’s fatality figure from the virus to 481.
The commissioner also said 4,286 persons with active COVID-19 cases were receiving treatment under the state’s home-based care. Read more
Lagos sets up special team to stop street begging, hawking (Nation)
The Lagos State government on Wednesday said it had set up a special team to stop street begging and hawking in the state.
The Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mr Olusegun Dawodu, said this at a news conference in Ikeja, Lagos.
Dawodu said the Special Team was set up by the Ministry of Youth and Social Development, in conjunction with the Police Command to curb the menace.
“The special team will tackle the menace frontally and would commence operation in the next few days,” he said. Read more
Protests rock Ibadan over alleged killing of teenager (Tribune)
Following alleged repeated killings of youths in Ibadan, Oyo State, by the operatives of the Western Security Network, codenamed Amotekun, hundreds of aggrieved youths took to the streets of the state capital on Wednesday protesting the killings.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that they were protesting against the alleged killing of a teenager, Peter Okafor, in the early hours of Wednesday around Uncle Joe area of Mokola in Ibadan.
NAN gathered that the victim, an apprentice with a printing press in Mokola, was allegedly shot dead.
A similar incident was recorded in the Oke-Ado area of Ibadan on July 21 where two youths were allegedly killed by Amotekun corps while celebrating the Eid-el Kabir festival. Read more
Petrol price hike not automatic –Sylva (Sun)
The Minister of State Petroleum
Resources, Mr Timipre Sylva, on Tuesday calmed frayed nerves with assurances that the signing of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) by President Muhammadu Buhari, Monday, may not automatically translate to a hike in pump price of petrol (premium motor spirit).
Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja, Sylva said that despite the PIA provisions on deregulation, Nigerians should await presidential details and directives on today when it would be tabled at the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting.
Daily Sun had on Tuesday reported that the signing of the PIB would translate to higher petrol price of about N270/litre, as Sylva had repeatedly said that the new law has no provision for subsidy currently being borne by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
The Minister, however, revealed that the national oil company would be unbundled in the next six months as stipulated in the new law. Read more
FEC okays N21.11b contracts for Aviation, Education, others (Tribune)
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved contracts to be awarded by the ministries of Aviation and Education with a combined worth of about N21,107,212,510.
The meeting on Wednesday, the first presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari for about three weeks following his trip to the United Kingdom, also approved various contracts for other departments and agencies of the federal government.
Senior Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity), Femi Adesina anchored the post-council briefing attended by Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, and the Minister of State for Education, Mr Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba at the presidential villa, Abuja on Wednesday.
Sirika revealed that the Council approved four memoranda for his ministry at a total cost of N16,697,742,839. Read more
R. Kelly called a ‘predator’ as sex abuse trial begins (BBC)
The trial of the US R&B singer R. Kelly has begun at a court in Brooklyn, New York.
The star is accused of racketeering, sexual abuse and bribery; charges which he has repeatedly denied.
Some of the allegations made against the singer – whose full name is Robert Sylvester Kelly – date back more than 20 years.
If he is convicted on all counts he could be sentenced to several decades in prison. Read more
Anthony Mackie ‘strikes deal to star in Marvel’s Captain America 4’ (Metro)
Anthony Mackie is reportedly going to wield the shield once more in Captain America 4.
The film, apparently a Marvel project, will see him take the lead as Sam Wilson, the superhero formerly known as Falcon.
Fans discovered that Sam would be taking on the title of Captain America in Avengers: Endgame, when Cap (Chris Evans) handed over his shield.
The character then starred in Disney+ spin off Falcon and the Winter Soldier opposite Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, the titular solider. Read more
Death toll from Turkey floods rises to 58 (CNN)
Flash floods across Turkey’s Black Sea coast have killed 58 people, officials said Sunday.
The country’s Natural Disasters and Emergency Directorate (AFAD) said in a statement that 48 people died in the Kastamonu province, nine people died in Sinop and one person died in Bartin.
Eight people are also receiving treatment in hospitals for injuries sustained in the devastating floods in the northern provinces — the second environmental catastrophe to hit the country this month.
A drone photo shows Babacay village after flooding caused by heavy rains in the Ayancik district of Sinop, Turkey, on Saturday.
A drone photo shows Babacay village after flooding caused by heavy rains in the Ayancik district of Sinop, Turkey, on Saturday. Read more
Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani in UAE, officials say (BBC)
Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani has taken refuge in the United Arab Emirates, the Gulf nation confirmed.
Mr Ghani fled Afghanistan as the Taliban advanced on its capital city Kabul over the weekend.
The UAE’s foreign ministry said the country had welcomed Mr Ghani and his family on humanitarian grounds.
In a video address later on Wednesday, Mr Ghani said he had left Afghanistan to avoid bloodshed and prevent what he described as a “huge disaster”. Read more
2 refugees to sue Australia over continued detention (AlJazeera)
Two refugees are taking the Australian government to court, arguing that their detention offshore was fundamentally illegal because they were children at the time.
Cousins Mehdi and Adnan, who by chance travelled on the same boat from Jakarta to Australia, were just 16 when they were sent to Nauru – a Pacific island nation more than 3,000 kilometres (1,864 miles) northeast of Brisbane that had made a deal with Australia to host asylum seekers and refugees who had tried to get to Australia by sea. They prefer not to disclose their country of origin for security reasons.
The cases are just two of a series of upcoming hearings regarding refugees sent into Australia’s offshore detention system as unaccompanied minors.
The refugees’ lawyers allege that when the now young men were sent to Nauru, current Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who was the minister for Immigration and Border Protection at the time, failed to complete an essential piece of paperwork that would have made their detention legal. Read more
Emma Corrin lands another major role in Netflix’s Lady Chatterley’s Lover (Metro)
Emma Corrin has landed another exciting film role in Netflix’s adaptation of Lady Chatterley’s Lover.
The Crown actor, 25, is set to star in 3000 Pictures and Netflix’s film version of the famous novel by D. H. Lawrence.
The project will follow the life of Lady Chatterley, a woman born into wealth and privilege, who finds herself married to a man who she eventually falls out of love with.
She engages in a torrid affair with a gamekeeper on their English estate, discovering more desire and intimacy than she thought possible. When she realises that she has fallen head over heels for her secret lover, she defies all traditions and expectations to pursue happiness with the person she truly loves. Read more
Nse Uko runs fastest time in qualifiers, zoom into 400m final (Vanguard)
Imaobong Nse Uko, the reigning World U18 fastest girl (51.70s) lived up to expectations on the opening day of the World Athletics U20 Championship in Nairobi, Kenya, running 52.33 seconds to qualify for the 400m final which will be run on Saturday.
Nse Uko, the youngest member of the Nigerian mixed relay team which set a new African record at the Tokyo Olympics ran the fastest qualifying time in the semifinal heats and looks on course to becoming the third Nigerian girl after Fatimah Yusuf (1990) and Bisi Afolabi (1994) to win the quarter-mile gold at the championship.
The 17-year-old will run from lane six in the final as the lone Nigerian representative. Also through to the final is the 4x400m mixed relay team who also ran the fastest time and a national record time of 3:21.66 in qualifying for the final this evening at the Kasarani stadium in Nairobi.
In the 100m, the trio of Godson Oghenebrume, Praise Ofokwu and Tima Godbless qualified for this evening’s semifinal. Read more
Joe Willock: Newcastle midfielder has considered quitting social media over racist abuse (BBC)
Newcastle midfielder Joe Willock says he has considered quitting social media over racist abuse he receives on a daily basis.
Speaking to BBC Radio Newcastle, the 21-year-old added he still continues to use the platforms due to the “wonderful fans” that support him.
“I don’t want to lose that connection with the everyday supporters,” he said.
Willock completed a move to St James’ Park from Arsenal on a six-year deal last week. Read more
Venus Williams among wildcard entrants for US Open (Punch)
Seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams was among the US Open women’s and men’s wildcard selections announced Wednesday by the US Tennis Association.
The 41-year-old American, a two-time winner in New York who lifted the trophy in 2000 and 2001, will make her 15th consecutive main draw appearance and 23rd all-time start in the Flushing Meadows fortnight.
The former world number one has not missed a Grand Slam since 2013 at Wimbledon but has slid to 112th in the WTA rankings, putting her outside the direct entries into the field for the year’s final Grand Slam tournament, which begins on August 30.
American CoCo Vandeweghe, a 2017 Australian and US Open semi-finalist who ranked as high as ninth in the world, also received a wildcard, as did US teens Hailey Baptiste, Ashlyn Krueger, Caty McNally and Katie Volynets. Read more
Andy Murray: Former British number one loses to Hubert Hurkacz at Cincinnati Masters (BBC)
Andy Murray is out of the Cincinnati Masters after a straight-set second-round loss to ninth seed Hubert Hurkacz.
Two-time champion Murray lost a tie-break in the first set before being broken late in the second by his Polish opponent.
Hurkacz served out for a 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 victory to book a place in the last 16.
“This week was fairly positive. I played much better than at Wimbledon and the grass season,” said Murray, 34. Read more
Halep earns injury comeback win; Gauff to face Osaka (Guardian)
Simona Halep earned her first victory since last May’s calf injury pause as the three-time finalist defeated Magda Linette 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 on Tuesday at the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Masters.
American teenager Coco Gauff lined up a contest with second seed Naomi Osaka through a 6-1, 6-2 hammering of Hsieh Su-Wei.
On a day when rain forced a reorganisation of the afternoon and evening schedule, women’s top seed Ashleigh Barty and Olympic gold medalist Alexander Zverev never made it onto the court.
Halep only returned to the Tour last week in Montreal, losing in the opening round. She remained confident that progress was not far away after her injury in Rome three months ago.
The Romanian defeated her Polish opponent for a second time, taking just over two hours.
“It was a strong match. In my opinion, both of us played really well,” the 29-year-old said. “Maybe the rain delay helped me a little bit to find energy. I was a little bit stronger physically and mentally in the third set. Read more
Real Madrid include first-refusal clause in Arsenal’s £34m deal to sign Martin Odegaard (Metro)
Real Madrid have included a first-refusal clause as part of Arsenal’s €40 million (£34m) deal to sign Martin Odegaard, according to reports in Spain.
Mikel Arteta has prioritised a move for Odegaard this summer after the Norway international impressed during his four-month loan spell in the Premier League last season.
But Madrid wanted to use this summer’s pre-season campaign to assess Odegaard and determine whether he can challenge for a regular place in Carlo Ancelotti’s side.Madrid had initially demanded a €60m (£51m) transfer fee for Odegaard, which led to Arsenal exploring the possibility of signing an alternative option in Leicester City’s James Maddison. Read more