NLC mobilises, meets civil society ahead of Wednesday’s action (Guardian)
Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said it is fully prepared for Wednesday’s nationwide strike, even as all state councils and civil societies have been mobilised.
A top official of the congress told The Guardian on condition of anonymity, ahead of a meeting with civil societies, yesterday, that finishing touches were being put to effective mobilisation. Another meeting is slated for today
The official, however, said today’s meeting with the government may not hold, alleging that the government is not showing seriousness towards ongoing dialogue. Read more
How Adamawa warehouses were looted – Deputy Gov (DailyTrust)
The Deputy Governor of Adamawa State, Prof Kaletapwa Farauta, has disclosed how three warehouses were attacked by hoodlums in the state on Sunday.
Some young people had broken into warehouses in the state and looted food and non-food items belonging to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the state government in the early hours of Sunday.
Governor Ahmadu Finitiri of Adamawa State has since declared a curfew following the looting. Read more
Subsidy removal: Nigeria on brink of collapse — Catholic Bishops (Vanguard)
The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, yesterday raised the alarm that the removal of fuel subsidy without cushioning the effects has put the country on the brink of collapse.
The bishops’ alarm came as Nigeria Employers Consultative Association, NECA, pleaded with the Federal Government to urgently address the pains of the people arising from the removal of subsidy on petrol.
However, efforts made to get the reaction of the Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties, Communication and Strategy, Mr Dele Alake, did not yield any results, as he neither responded to a text message sent to his phone nor picked up his calls. Read more
Kanu returns to DSS custody after check-up by personal doctors (Punch)
The leader of the separatist Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, was on Sunday returned to the custody of the Department of State Services after being released on Saturday to be attended by his personal physician.
The Federal High Court in Abuja had on July 20 ordered the DSS to grant Kanu access to his personal physicians, dismissing the DSS objection to the prayer.
According to IPOB, Kanu is suspected to be suffering from an ear infection and needs surgery. Read more
Diphtheria: Kano activates contact tracing as over 100 hospitalised (Tribune)
The Kano State government has given an order to contact tracing teams to trace patients affected by the diphtheria outbreak in the state.
The state government also disclosed that more than 100 patients were on admission and over 2,000 others treated and discharged.
The State Epidemiologist, Dr. Abdullahi Kauranmata, who stated this while addressing journalists on update of the outbreak in the state over the weekend, disclosed that the teams were deployed to the nooks and crannies of the state, especially high burden Local Government Areas. Read more
Northern group protests widespread hunger Thursday (Sun)
The Arewa Citizens Watch for Good Governance (ACWGG) has threatened to embark on a massive protest over what it refered to as widespread hunger.
This is as it vowed to begin mobilisation of its supporters from Thursday, August 3 to press home its demand for removal of the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), Mr. Mele Kyari and heads of the company subsidiaries for the role they played in subjecting Nigerians to untold hardship over abysmal increase in the price of petroleum motor spirit (PMS).
Addressing newsmen at Arewa House, Kaduna, the publicity secretary, Aminu Muhammad Abbas, said the group believed strongly that the “endemic and systemic corruption that the NNPC is known for encouraged the racketeering in the defunct subsidy administration, which ended up lining the pockets of major marketers with petro-dollars and further reduced resources available for the usage of the common. Read more
Presidential election dispute: PDP, LP adopt final written addresses on Tuesday (Nation)
Parties to the two petitions pending before the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) are to adopt their final written addresses on August 1, it was learnt on Sunday.
The Nation gathered that the court’s Registry has since issued out notice to that effect to parties through their lawyers.
The first of the two petitions is the one, marked: CA/ PEPC/03/2023 filed by the candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the last presidential election, Peter Obi and his party, while the second, CA/ PEPC/05/2023
is that filed by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar and his party. Read more
DSS drills Kogi APC guber candidate Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja (ThisDay)
The Department of State Services (DSS) at the weekend drilled the governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State, Alhaji Usman Ododo with respect to allegations contained in a petition filed against him.
Despite Ododo’s drilling, five political parties and their governorship candidates under the aegis of United Progressive Political Parties in Kogi State endorsed Ododo for the next governorship election scheduled to hold on November 11.
Ododo’s drilling followed the invitation by the secret police to answer questions regarding a petition against him by some members of the opposition political parties.Findings revealed that the APC governorship candidate honoured the invitation as a law-abiding citizen, now aspiring to lead the state, he honoured the invitation.A member of the Usman Ododo Campaign Council privately observed that the allegations contained in the petition “are frivolous and unfounded. Read more
Viola Davis pumps brakes on ‘‘G20’’ in solidarity with SAG-AFTRA strike, despite guild approving production waiver (Variety)
Viola Davis is stepping away from producing “G20,” announcing the decision in a statement signaling support for Hollywood’s ongoing strikes. Like over 100 other independent films, the upcoming action thriller received an interim agreement from SAG-AFTRA to continue production through the ongoing actors’ strike. But Davis won’t move forward with filming, setting a precedent for A-list talent negotiating the prospect of continuing work as the actors’ guild and AMPTP wait to reach an agreement.
“I love this movie, but I do not feel that it would be appropriate for this production to move forward during the strike,” Davis said Saturday in a statement. Davis is also credited as a producer on the film. “I appreciate that the producers on the project agree with this decision. JuVee Productions and I stand in solidarity with actors, SAG/AFTRA and the WGA.” Read more
Judi Dench discusses future work as she admits she cannot see on film sets (Standard)
Dame Judi Dench has admitted she can no longer see on film sets due to her deteriorating eyesight but hopes to still work “as much as I can”.
The 88-year-old Oscar-winning actress has previously revealed she has macular degeneration, which causes the gradual loss of vision.
But she has not allowed it to hold her back from working as she has found an alternative way of learning scripts, such as having friends teach her the lines. Read more
Joni Mitchell releases live album from Newport Folk Festival comeback gig (NME)
Joni Mitchell has released a live album of her 2022 comeback gig at the Newport Folk Festival.
Last July, Mitchell performed a surprise set at the legendary music festival – which she last appeared at in 1969 – delivering a 13-song “JONI JAM” set that featured Brandi Carlile on the tracks ‘‘Carey’’, ‘‘A Case Of You’’ and ‘‘Big Yellow Taxi’’.
The new live album, titled ‘‘At Newport: Featuring the Joni Jam’’, is out now, on the same weekend that the Newport Folk Festival returns. Read more
Keke Palmer reveals her dream podcast guests (MusicNews)
Keke Palmer has named her dream podcast guests as Taylor Swift and Nicki Minaj.
During an interview with The Cut, the actress/singer discussed who she would most like to interview on her podcast Baby, This Is Keke Palmer.
“I absolutely would love to talk to Taylor Swift. And Nicki Minaj. Both for similar reasons,” the Nope star told the publication. “I would totally do it at the same time because it would be a big boss conversation, Ms. Lady.” Read more
Niger coup: EU suspends security cooperation and budgetary aid (BBC)
The EU has suspended all security cooperation with Niger after the country’s army took power in a coup.
It comes shortly after the US declared its “unflagging support” for ousted president Mohamed Bazoum – seen as a key Western ally in the fight against Islamist militants.
On Friday the head of the presidential guards unit Gen Abdourahmane Tchiani declared himself Niger’s new leader. Read more
Mitch McConnell should step down as Senate minority leader after freezing, GOP senator says (Guardian)
Mitch McConnell, the 81-year-old Republican leader in the US Senate who suffered a public health scare this week, should step down from the role he has filled since 2007, an unnamed GOP senator said.
McConnell, from Kentucky, remains “intellectually sharp” on “a whole host of issues including baseball”, the anonymous senator told NBC News.
But they added: “People think that he’s not hearing well. I think that he is just not processing.” Read more
Moscow drone attack briefly shuts Vnukovo airport (BBC)
Russia has accused Ukraine of a drone attack on Moscow that damaged two buildings and briefly shut one of the city’s airports.
A drone was shot down over the Odintsovo district, west of the city centre, and two others were neutralised but crashed into offices, Russia’s defence ministry says.
One person has been injured, Russia’s state news agency Tass reports. Read more
2023 WWC: Super Falcons good run will continue – Gift Monday (Leadership)
Super Falcons striker Gift Monday has said that the team will continue their impressive run at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Monday who captained the Nations’s U-20 women to the 2018 FIFA U-20 Women World cup in France maintained that the best is yet to come from the Randy Waldrum tutored side who take on Ireland Republic in the last Group match on Monday even as she expressed optimism in the ability of her teammates to rise to the occasion when it matters most.
Commenting on the impressive win against Australia Monday took to her Twitter handle to sing her team’s praises. Read more
NPFL: Kwara United will be ready for new season – Dogo (Leadership)
Kwara United head coach, Kabiru Dogo is upbeat his team will do well in the Nigeria Professional Football League next season.
The Harmony Boys barely escaped relegation last season.
Dogo’s team recently started pre-season training.
Kwara United will take part in a pre-season tournament in Ikenne next week. Read more
Colombia shock Germany in Women’s World Cup (National)
Manuela Vanegas headed a stoppage-time winner to give Colombia a 2-1 upset victory over Germany just when the two-time world champions thought they had saved a point in a thrilling Women’s World Cup clash at Sydney Football Stadium on Sunday.
The defender powered the ball home from a corner eight minutes after German striker Alexandra Popp had converted a penalty to cancel out a stunning strike from Colombian teenager Linda Caicedo.
Caicedo, who gave her team a fright by collapsing in training on Thursday, had delighted the massed ranks of her compatriots in the 40,499 crowd with a goal of the highest quality in the 52nd minute. Read more
Ireland and UK on course to host men’s Euro 2028 after Turkey decision (IrishTimes)
A joint UK and Ireland bid to host the men’s European Championship in 2028 moved a step closer to being confirmed on Friday, after Turkey and Italy announced they were to bid together to stage the tournament in 2032.
Turkey was the sole competitor for the plan proposed by England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland to host the 24-team tournament in five years’ time. An alliance with Italy gives those two countries a clear run in 2032, however, meaning Turkey’s 2028 proposal is unlikely to be developed further.
According to a statement from Uefa, the joint Turkey-Italy bid will be assessed to make sure it conforms with bidding criteria. Should that test be passed it will be presented to Uefa’s executive committee on October 10th, when decisions on hosting both 2028 and 2032 are to be made. Read more
George Russell claims Lewis Hamilton underperformed (F1News)
Mercedes driver, George Russell, has insisted that the Silver Arrows ‘had more pace’ than McLaren in Budapest at last weekend’s Grand Prix.
This assertion comes despite McLaren’s Lando Norris clinching a consecutive second-place finish behind the irrepressible Max Verstappen.
Both Russell and his Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton missed out on podium spots, coming in sixth and fourth, respectively. Read more
Katie Ledecky surpasses Michael Phelps with 16th individual swimming world title (NYPost)
Katie Ledecky made history Saturday morning, breaking her tie with 28-time Olympic medalist Michael Phelps by winning a record 16th individual swimming world title.
Ledecky, 26, secured the record in her signature 800-meter freestyle event, completing the race in 8 minutes, 8.87 seconds to give her the 29 fastest times in history — and continue her undefeated stretch — since winning her first Olympic title at 15 years old in 2012.
She also became the first swimmer to win any event six times at worlds. Read more