Northern coalition, others demand review of Abba Kyari’s suspension (DailyTrust)
The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) and other Arewa Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have demanded a review of the suspension of DCP Abba Kyari.
The Police Service Commission had suspended Kyari following his indictment by the FBI.
The FBI had alleged that suspected billionaire fraudster, Ramon Abbas, better known as Hushpuppi, paid a bribe to Kyari, an allegation the police officer denied.
The police had set up a panel to probe Kyari while he was replaced as head of the Intelligence Response team of the force.
At its meeting on Sunday, the coalition demanded an immediate transfer of Kyari’s case to the Nigeria Intelligence Agency (NIA).
The communique read to journalists at the end of the meeting on Sunday said the joint CNG, CSOs and NGOs meeting was called out of concern about the deteriorating security situation and other threats to education and personal integrity and liberty of eminent northerners. Read more
Lagos-Kano train service resumes Aug 13 (Punch)
The Lagos-Kano train service will go into operation from Friday, August 13.
Regional District Manager, Northern District of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Mr. Ismail Adebiyi, made this known in Zaria, Kaduna State, on Sunday when he spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria.
The train will leave Lagos on Friday evening and arrive in Kano on Sunday morning, he said.
Adebiyi said also that the corporation had concluded plans to restart the Kaduna to Kafanchan and Kaduna to Kano train service before the end of August. Read more
Lagos-Kaduna rail line not an impediment to Kaduna Dry Port – Official (Guardian)
Mr Ismail Adebiyi, Railway District Manager, Northern District, Zaria, says there is no blockage or any impediment on Lagos-Kaduna rail line that might affect its operations.
Adebiyi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Sunday in Zaria, that the track was also not an impediment to the Kaduna Dry Port.
He said that there was nothing wrong with freight trains which addressed the issue of accessibility from Lagos to Kaduna, adding that the dry pot was also accessible by rail. Read more
Tripple Eviction: Yerins, Niyi, Beatrice leave BBNaija season 6 as three new housemates make surprise entry (Vanguard)
Two of the BBNaija housemates, Yerins and Niyi have been evicted from the ongoing season 6 show.
Recall that Niyi, married to a white lady who was seen appealing to fans to vote for her husband, saying she and the son don’t want him home yet, told big brother in a diary session that his marriage isn’t affecting his game in the house.
Meanwhile, in a surprising twist, Big brother has added another three fresh housemates into the house, with a possible eviction still on the cards tonight.
What Big Brother intends to achieve with this new addition is still unclear but analysts of the show believe that the current housemates haven’t been entertaining enough. Read more
Ogun police arrests mother of 2 for allegedly pouring hot water on husband’s girlfriend (Guardian)
The Police in Ogun on Sunday said that they had arrested Joy Sunday, a mother of two, for pouring hot water on a woman she allegedly accused of dating her husband.
DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, the Command’s Public Relation Officer (PRO), disclosed this in a statement made available to Newsmen in Ota, Ogun.
Oyeyemi said that Mrs Sunday, aged 37, was arrested by men of the command for pouring hot water on the face of another woman, Justina Ameh, after accusing her of sleeping with her husband.
The victim, was similarly, had been taken to Strong Tower Hospital for medical treatment. Read more
Gwagwalada traders decry indiscriminate Indian hemp smoking in market (Punch)
Traders at the Gwagwalada market say they are at risk due to the high intake of cannabis in the market.
They have, therefore, called on the appropriate agency to address the issue.
They said marijuana had become predominantly a lifestyle for many young people, especially in Gwagwalada market.
There are persons who inhale the smoke because they are within the environment of those smoking, they are known as passive smokers and are also at risk. Read more
How we killed, shared, sold Moses body parts for rituals -Herbalists (Vanguard)
Two Osogbo based herbalists, Afolabi Faseun, 39, and Afolabi Fadare, 38, have confessed to killing and sharing the body part of one Moses Fasesan after seeking money-making ritual help from them.
Faseun also disclosed that the victim’s heart was sold to another herbalist, Adeleke Kabiru for N20,000 for another ritual.
Faseun and Fadare fielding questions while being paraded by the state police command in Osogbo disclosed that the victim was given a substance at the house of one Taiwo, now on the run, after which he lost consciousness and was slaughtered. Read more
Nigerian sentenced to death for killing Malaysian nurse (DailyTrust)
A court in Malaysia has sentenced a Nigerian, Alowonle Oluwajuwon Gilbert, to death for killing a nurse.
Gilbert will die by hanging after being found guilty of killing Siti Kharina, a mother of three.
The presiding judge, Ab Karim Ab Rahman, said that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubts.
Siti Kharina, who was the Chief Nurse of Serdang Hospital in Malaysia, went missing on May 8, 2019. Read more
Senate Explains How New States Can Be Created (Leadership)
The Senate has denied ever proposing a certain number of new States in addition to the existing 36 States of the Federation, explaining that there are laid down procedures for the creation of States as provided by the 1999 Constitution.
The upper legislative chamber was reacting to a news report (not LEADERSHIP) that its Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution had proposed the creation of 20 new States.
A statement signed by the Senate spokesperson, Senator Ajibola Basiru (APC, Osun Central), titled, ‘Senate Committee Did Not Propose Creation Of 20 New States’, on Sunday, said the news report in question was a gross misrepresentation of the decision of the Senate Committee on the request for creation of more states. Read more
How Aretha Franklin’s tragic life turned her into a demanding diva (NYPost)
Aretha Franklin was one of the biggest stars in America — and one of the biggest divas. She refused to travel by plane. She insisted on the heat being cranked up while she recorded, other people’s comfort be damned.
Once in the studio, Aretha required special fuel: “She would call out . . . ‘Get me the fried chicken and cheeseburger,’ ” Narada Michael Walden, a drummer who worked with her, told The Post. “Then she would eat the chicken and burger, undo the top button of her jeans and blast [the vocals] out.”
Food was just one of her excesses, along with alcohol, cigarettes and sex.
But given the tragedies of her life, who can blame her? Read more
Taliban captures three more Afghan provincial capitals in a day (AlJazeera)
The Taliban has captured three more provincial capitals, as they take their fight to the cities after seizing much of the countryside in recent months.
The group has seized five provincial capitals in Afghanistan since Friday in a lightning offensive that appears to have overwhelmed government forces.
Kunduz, Sar-e-Pol and Taloqan in the north fell within hours of each other on Sunday, the Taliban and officials in the cities confirmed.
A Taliban statement on Sunday said it has captured the police headquarters, the governor’s compound and the prison in the strategic northeastern city of Kunduz. Read more
Outrage after Zimbabwean girl, 14, dies giving birth at church shrine (BBC)
Police in Zimbabwe are investigating the death of a 14-year-old girl during childbirth, a case that sparked outrage among citizens and rights activists.
Memory Machaya is reported to have died last month at a church shrine in the eastern region of Marange.
The case has exposed the exploitation of minors, as she was reportedly forced to abandon school to get married.
The United Nations urged the government to recognise child marriage as a crime and bring an end to the practice. Read more
American comedian Trevor Moore dies aged 41 in accident (Metro)
American comedian Trevor Moore has died aged 41.
The co-founder of the sketch comedy group The Whitest Kids U Know died on Friday evening from an accident.
His death was confirmed by his agent, who issued this statement on behalf of his wife Aimee Carlson and his family.
‘We are devastated by the loss of my husband, best friend and the father of our son,’ it read. Read more
Markie Post, actress known for roles on “Night Court” and “Scrubs”, dead at 70 (PageSix)
Markie Post, the actress best known for her roles in TV’s “Night Court” and “Scrubs” and the film “There’s Something About Mary,” died Saturday following a years-long battle with cancer. She was 70.
The California-born actress’s death was confirmed by her manager Ellen Lubin Sanitsky, who didn’t release further details on the circumstances, Deadline reported.
Post got her start in the entertainment business when she started working as a producer on game shows before starting her on-camera career as a card dealer on NBC’s “Card Sharks” in the late 1970s, the outlet reported.
She later appeared in several television series, including “CHiPs,” “The Incredible Hulk,” “Cheers,” “Fantasy Island” and “The A-Team.” Read more
Covid-19: Quarantine-free travel from France resumes as UK rules change (BBC)
Fully vaccinated people can now visit France without quarantining on their return to the UK, after travel rule changes came into force at 04:00 BST.
Brittany Ferries said it had received a “surge” of bookings following the rule changes announced on Thursday.
But travel agents said the relaxation of quarantine for one of the UK’s most popular destinations came “too late to save the summer”.
Meanwhile, travellers in Mexico had to rush back to avoid hotel quarantine. Read more
Iheanacho spoils Grealish’s Man City debut as Leicester win Community Shield (Punch)
Jack Grealish’s Manchester City debut was spoiled by Kelechi Iheanacho as the Leicester striker’s late penalty clinched a 1-0 win in the Community Shield on Saturday.
All eyes were on Grealish when he came on as a second half substitute following his British record £100 million ($139 million) move from Aston Villa on Thursday.
After training with his new team-mates for the first time on Friday, Grealish replaced Sam Edozie in the 65th minute and looked lively in his cameo appearance.
Grealish, the most expensive English player of all-time, carried more threat than any of his team-mates. Read more
Tokyo Olympics: Closing ceremony marks end of behind-closed-doors Games (BBC)
Athletes filled the stadium floor before the Olympic flame was extinguished
The Tokyo Olympics, postponed and played out behind closed doors because of the Covid pandemic, concluded with an upbeat ceremony in Japan’s capital.
The Games took place without spectators and athletes were barred from venturing outside the Olympic village.
Their staging has faced local opposition and around 30 protestors jostled with police at the National Stadium before the closing ceremony.
However other locals have braved heat and warnings to watch events from afar. Read more
Morhad Amdouni sparks Olympic water bottle controversy during men’s marathon (NYPost)
French runner Morhad Amdouni caused a stir during the Olympic men’s marathon Sunday when he knocked over a row of water bottles at a hydration station before grabbing the last one for himself.
“I’ll probably let the audience be the judge as to whether that’s been done deliberately,” former track and field Olympian Dave Culbert said on Seven News (Australia).
The 33-year-old Amdouni was sandwiched in between two other runners when he knocked over multiple water bottles during the latter stages of the 26-mile race in Sapporo, Japan, where temperatures climbed to 84 degrees Fahrenheit.
“I think it is pretty hard to grab those drinks,” former track and field Olympian Tamsyn Manou said on the broadcast. “But it’s not helpful to the athletes behind him.” Read more
Ex-NBA player Jeremy Lin tests positive for COVID-19 (Punch)
Jeremy Lin has tested positive for Covid-19 and is receiving treatment in Shanghai, the former NBA guard and first Asian-American to win an NBA title said in a social media post Saturday.
Lin announced in June he was rejoining the Chinese Basketball Association’s Beijing Ducks after a failed NBA comeback.
He tested positive for coronavirus on his third day in quarantine after flying to Shanghai from San Francisco, the 32-year-old posted on Chinese social network Weibo.
“I was shocked and a little bewildered,” he wrote of his initial reaction to the diagnosis. Read more
Son Heung-Min strike gives Tottenham win over Premier League rivals Arsenal in pre-season (Metro)
A late Son Heung-Min strike gave Tottenham a 1-0 win over their north London rivals Arsenal in the final game of the Mind Series pre-season competition.
Spurs took advantage of a mistake from Pablo Mari to grab a deserved win in a game where they hit the post twice, while Arsenal also rattled the woodwork In what was a heated game.
Arsenal’s new £50m signing Ben White was handed his first start for the Gunners, while Hugo Lloris was given his first pre-season minutes for Tottenham. Spurs’ new defender Cristian Romero, who joined the club from Atalanta on Friday, wasn’t named among the match-day squad. Read more
Lionel Messi: Paris St-Germain move ‘a possibility’ after Barcelona exit (BBC)
An emotional Lionel Messi said joining Paris St-Germain was “a possibility, but nothing is agreed” as he confirmed his exit from Barcelona.
Messi is ending his 21-year association with Barca, who cannot afford to honour the new contract they agreed with him because of La Liga’s salary limit.
The record six-time Ballon d’Or winner, 34, is now a free agent.”My family and I were convinced we were going to stay here, at home,” he said during a news conference on Sunday. Read more
