Nigerian woman doubles world record for longest crocheting marathon (Channels)
Chidinma Modupe Okafor from Lagos, Nigeria, has more than doubled the world record for the longest crocheting marathon with a time of 72 hours.
According to Guinness World Records post on its website on Tuesday, the 30-year-old Chidinma created a white dinner gown during her three-day “crochet-a-thon”.
The previous record of 34 hr 7 min was set by Alessandra Hayden (USA) in 2021. Read more
Singer Simi voices support for Kenya tax protests (Sun)
Music star Simisola Blatito Kosoko, popularly known as Simi, has shared her opinion on the ongoing anti-tax hike protests in Kenya.
Five people were reportedly shot dead and dozens wounded after police clashed with protesters who stormed the parliament building in Nairobi on Tuesday, following their widespread demonstration over the tax hike tagged ‘RejectFinanceBill2024.’
Commenting via her X handle on Tuesday, June 25, Simi announced her support for the protesters. Read more
FG, ASUU agree to resolve pending issues (Punch)
The Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities on Wednesday ended their closed-door meeting with an agreement that all contentious issues will be amicably resolved to avert a strike.
The parties also agreed to kick-start a communication process to avert the planned industrial actions by the union.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports the parties had entered into a close-door meeting which began at about 4.30 pm. at the Ministry’ of Education’s headquarters in Abuja. Read more
Minimum wage: Governors’ emergency meeting kicks off In Abuja (DailyTrust)
An emergency meeting of governors of the 36 states of the federation has kicked off in Abuja.
The meeting is holding at the secretariat of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) at Maitama.
Our correspondent reports that the meeting was conveyed so as to reach resolutions on the issue of national minimum wage and other issues concerning state governments. Read more
Naira weakens to N1,507.83/$ (Tribune)
The naira on Wednesday weakened to N1,507.83 per dollar at the official market as against N1,500.79 to the greenback on Tuesday.
The Tuesday rate marked a depreciation by 0.71 per cent as the dollar was quoted at N1,500.79, weaker than N1,490.20 quoted on Monday at the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM), data from the FMDQ Securities Exchange Limited showed.
At the parallel market, the local currency closed at N1,488 per dollar on Wednesday as against N1,484 to the dollar on Tuesday. Read more
Tinubu not indifferent to challenges bedevilling North — Shettima (Vanguard)
Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima has tongue lashed critics that President Bola Tinubu is not indifferent to challenges of insecurity and food security among others bedeviling the Northern region.
Shettima stated this when he received high powered delegation from the Federal Government led by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila who were in Kano to pay him a condolence visit over the death of his Mother-in-law.
The Vice President said Tinubu deliberately appointed the Ministers of Defence, Ministers of Police Affairs, Chief of Defence Staff and Chief of Air Staff as well as Ministers of Agriculture, all from the North to address the twin challenges of insecurity and food security in the region. Read more
Kano new CP denies royal ties with Bayero (Punch)
The newly appointed Kano State Police Commissioner, Salman Garba, has debunked the allegation that he is a blood relative of deposed Emir Aminu Ado Bayero, saying he is in Kano to serve everyone regardless of religion, ethnicity, or colour.
The Commissioner made the promise in his maiden press briefing held at the command headquarters in Bompai Kano on Wednesday.
He said the measure was necessary to combat crimes, maintain law and order, and ensure that peace and stability prevail in the state. Read more
Taraba residents allege plan to divert €25m EIB loan secured for road construction (Tribune)
Some residents of Taraba State on Tuesday alleged that Governor Agbu Kefas alongside a few stakeholders in the state have perfected plans to divert the €25 million European Investment Bank (EIB) loan secure for the construction of 500-kilometre roads across the state
Tribune Online reports that the Minister of Finance, Mr Wale Edun, had recently, on behalf of Taraba, Benue, Edo, Anambra, Borno and Cross River states, signed a 30-year agreement loan of 150 million euros with the European Investment Bank to construct 500-kilometer roads in the six states.
According to the minister, the money which is to be disbursed to states’ accounts within June 2024, the six states are to gate €25 million each and is strictly for road construction, especially rural roads. Read more
Kenya’s Ruto says finance bill to be withdrawn after deadly protests (AlJazeera)
Kenya’s President William Ruto has said he will not sign a finance bill that led protesters to storm Parliament in anger over rising costs, adding that the bill containing tax hikes would “be withdrawn”.
“I concede and therefore I will not sign the 2024 finance bill and it shall subsequently be withdrawn,” Ruto said in a televised address on Wednesday. “The people have spoken.”
Ruto said he would now start a dialogue with Kenyan young people, without going into details, and work on austerity measures – starting with cuts to the budget of the presidency – to make up the difference in the country’s finances. Read more
The Notebook star Gena Rowlands diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, her director son reveals (OK!)
Gena Rowlands, the legendary actress known for her role as the dementia-stricken Allie in The Notebook, is now in the “full” grip of Alzheimer’s disease.
Her son, Nick Cassavetes, who directed the 2004 romantic drama and is himself a renowned filmmaker at 65, shared the heartbreaking health news with Entertainment Weekly during the film’s 20th anniversary celebrations on Tuesday, 25 June.
He revealed: “I got my mom to play older Allie, and we spent a lot of time talking about Alzheimer’s and wanting to be authentic with it, and now, for the last five years, she’s had Alzheimer’s.” Read more
Land Rover driver who killed 2 girls in crash won’t face charges (Metro)
The driver of a 4×4 that ploughed into a school in Wimbledon, south west London, in July last year, killing two eight-year-old girls, will face no criminal charges.
The Land Rover driver suffered an epileptic seizure at the wheel, the Crown Prosecution Service said.
The driver of the car has expressed her ‘deepest sorrow’ and said she has ‘no recollection of what took place’. Read more
Farmers face £85 charge for each farting cow they have in a bid to save the planet (DailyStar)
Farmers face a £200 charge for each farting cow they have in a bid to save the planet.
Denmark is introducing the world’s first carbon tax on agriculture as it tries to slash greenhouse gas emissions, which it hopes will be copied around the globe.
Livestock accounts for 11% of global emissions, with almost two-thirds driven by tooting cattle. Read more
Alleged July 4th mass murderer called ‘evil and manipulative’ after plea deal rejection (UPI)
Accused mass murderer Robert Crimo III on Wednesday refused a plea deal that would have imprisoned him for the rest of his life and instead will go to trial next year.
Crimo, 23, appeared in the Lake County Courthouse in Waukegan, Ill., Wednesday morning while seated in a wheelchair that deputies used to take him into the courtroom.
Prosecutors previously had said they reached a plea deal with Crimo, who they said was to plead guilty to seven counts of murder and 48 counts of aggravated battery in exchange for life imprisonment and a dismissal of all other charges. Read more
New Jersey man trying to warn beachgoers about storm is killed by lightning strike (NBC)
A New Jersey man was warning people on the beach about an incoming storm when he was fatally struck by lightning over the weekend, police said.
Patrick Dispoto, 59, of Manchester Township, was struck Sunday evening on J Street Beach, Seaside Park Sgt. Andrew Casole said.
Dispoto was found unconscious on the beach at 7:38 p.m., Casole said Wednesday. Read more
Police fatally shoot pit bull Who was mauling their owners in ‘vicious’ attack (People)
Sheriff’s deputies in Florida shot and killed a pit bull that was attacking its owners in their home on Mother’s Day.
Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood wrote in a Facebook post that deputies responded to the home in New Smyrna Beach and found a “large dog actively attacking its owners.”
Chitwood wrote that a female victim crawled into the dog’s cage for safety while the dog began mauling the male on the floor of their bedroom. Read more
IBF World Heavyweight title: Anthony Joshua to face Dubois September (Leadership)
Nigerian British boxer Anthony Joshua will face Daniel Dubois in an all-British showdown for the IBF World Heavyweight title at Wembley on September 21.
Undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk ‘vacated the belt’ on Tuesday and interim champion Dubois, 26, was elevated to champion status as a result, BBC has reported.
Dubois is the IBF’s mandatory challenger and it was announced on Wednesday that he will go up against Joshua. Read more
England torn to shreds by Euros rivals amid calls to sack Gareth Southgate (Mirror)
The press from around Europe hammered England after their lacklustre draw against Slovenia – suggesting that Gareth Southgate should face the sack.
The Three Lions topped Group C but have been hugely unconvincing during their three games, scoring just twice in the process. England came into the Euros as favourites for the tournament but, their attack especially, has underwhelmed.
Harry Kane, Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham and co have failed to replicate the form they show for their clubs with Southgate unable to find a winning formula from his talented squad. Their underwhelming tournament thus far has seen media outlets in other countries take aim at the Three Lions. Read more
Jock Clear identifies conditions where Ferrari is struggling (F1i)
Ferrari senior performance engineer Jock Clear says it’s clear where the team is struggling to deliver, and that they must broaden the scope of their thinking on this year’s car to avoid falling behind their rivals.
This year’s SF-24 car delivered nine podiums and two victories in the opening eight races of the season, including a win apiece for both Carlos Sainz (in Melbourne) and Charles Leclerc (in Monaco).
But the team was badly hit by a double DNF in Montreal as Leclerc retired with engine issues, and Sainz spun out after catching a kerb on lap 53, taking Williams’ Alex Albon with him. Read more
Euro 2024 – Ukraine 0-0 Belgium: Red Devils to face France in last 16 after finishing second in Group E (SkySports)
Belgium will face France in the Euro 2024 last 16 after finishing second in Group E following a goalless draw against Ukraine.
All four teams earned the same amount of points, with Romania finishing top on goals scored as Belgium stumbled into the knockout phase having lost their opening game 1-0 to Slovakia.
The Red Devils failed to build on their 2-0 victory over Romania while Ukraine couldn’t find a crucial goal to turn the group on its head, finishing bottom and becoming the first team to exit the group stage with four points since the tournament was expanded. Read more
President Federation Cup: Olowookere upbeat Naija Ratels will beat Rivers Angels in final (CompleteSports)
World Cup bronze medal-winning strategist, Bankole Olowookere is entertaining no fear ahead of Saturday’s women’s final of the President Federation Cup against eight-time champions Rivers Angels in Lagos.
“We thank God for taking us this far in the competition. During the league’s regular season, we did not quite meet up with our own expectations. However, our target at the beginning of the season also included doing well in the Cup, and now we are in the final.
“For sure, we are the distinct underdogs against Rivers Angels that have won this trophy eight times before now. But no team is unbeatable. We have a plan and a strategy to emerge champions on Saturday. We want to do this for our proprietor and for our supporters who have been with us through victory and defeat, through thick and thin. I can assure you that Naija Ratels are determined to make history.” Read more
Morgan left out of Hayes’ Team USA Olympic squad (BBC)
United States striker Alex Morgan has been left out of Emma Hayes’ 18-player squad for next month’s Olympic Games in Paris.
Morgan, 34, has appeared at every Olympics for Team USA since Beijing 2008 and won gold at London 2012.
The two-time World Cup winner, who has hit 123 international goals, has not scored in her past eight games for San Diego Wave after recently recovering from an ankle injury. Read more