Omo-Agege rewards heroic tanker driver with N1m (Guardian)
Deputy Senate President and Delta APC’s governorship candidate, Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege, has rewarded brave tanker driver, Ejiro Otarigho, with a personal donation of N1 million.
On June 10, Otarigho averted monumental disaster when he drove his burning petrol tanker away from a densely-populated area in Agbarho, Delta, to the riverside.
His action saved hundreds of lives and property worth billions of Naira.
Applauding the tanker driver, Omo-Agege said his courageous action saved his constituents and averted a national catastrophe and mourning. Read more
Marketers notify FG on planned fuel price hike, queues persist (Punch)
Oil marketers on Thursday said they had escalated their call for an increase in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, to the Federal Government, as the current cost of the commodity was no longer sustainable.
Also, PMS transporters confirmed that they had resumed operations in full following last week’s raise in the freight rate being paid by the Federal Government for the transportation of petrol nationwide.
Amidst the call for petrol price hike and the full resumption of operations by transporters, the queues by motorists for PMS in Abuja and neighbouring states grew longer on Thursday.
The Deputy National President, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Zarma Mustapha, told our correspondent that the Federal Government had been put on notice concerning marketers’ intentions to increase petrol price. Read more
Entertainers thrill on International Music Day in Lagos (Nation)
For the 2022 International Music Day, Nigerian rising stars Majeed, Okwei Odili, MichStraww, Wura Samba, and Tega Ethan were the cynosure of all eyes.
The event, which was organised by Alliance Française de Lagos and Trace TV Naija, was attended by music lovers who came to enjoy different genres of sound.
Other entertainers who wowed the audience included Minz, C Natty, Skoolboy, and DJ Lisa Li. In between sets, there was a karaoke session and a magical performance to delight the guests.
Alliance Française de Lagos’s Director, Marc Brébant said the objective is to promote music and enable people to enjoy and discover new sounds. Read more
Lagos pays insurance benefits to 70 beneficiaries of deceased local government, SUBEB staff (Independent)
Lagos State Government has paid the sum of One Hundred and Seventy-Nine Million Naira to seventy beneficiaries of the deceased State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and Local Government and Local Council Development Areas in the State.
This is to reiterate the commitment of Mr Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu’s administration in the regular payment of Staff Salaries, including payment of Premium Benefits to the beneficiaries of its staff who died in the course of their service.
Mrs. Kikelomo Sanyaolu, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs, disclosed this during the Presentation of Insurance benefits to beneficiaries of the deceased SUBEB and Local Government Staff at Ikeja.
Mrs Sanyaolu, therefore, applauded the State Government for its unflinching commitment in ensuring the prompt payment of Premium Benefits to the beneficiaries of its staff who died in the course of their service. She added that the present administration has made the presentation of insurance a bi-annual programme, noting that this payment is the first tranche for the year 2022. Read more
Electoral Act: Buhari loses as Supreme Court strikes out suit against National Assembly (Punch)
The Supreme Court, on Friday, struck out a suit filed against the National Assembly by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), challenging the legality of the controversial section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act 2022.
The Apex Court held that Buhari, having assented to the Electoral Bill on February 25, 2022, has no power to turn around to challenge the legality of the Electoral Act.
The Supreme Court, in a judgment prepared and delivered by Justice Emmanuel Agim, declared the action of Buhari in instituting the case as a gross abuse of court.
The Apex Court said the President by the suit sought to approbate and reprobate at the same time and that such must not be allowed. Read more
Rent-In-Lekki offers innovative solutions to housing in Lagos (Vanguard)
As part of its contribution to society, Rent-In-Lekki, an online platform driven by trust, reliability and transparency recently unveiled an innovative solution for aspiring rentals within the Lekki axis. It is a subscription based community where upscale renters can connect with professional and vetted agents in Lagos.
The platform provides a simple, quick and reliable customized offering to individuals, dedicated teams and organizations with daily listings of fresh properties on every click. Rent-In-Lekki also has features like quick rentals, flat-mate corner and a thrift store where customers can buy or sell used furniture or appliances in real-time.
During a chat with the Chief Executive Officer, Rent-In-Lekki, Mr. Yemi Akodu said, “Our platform was born out of a personal experience and challenge as we strongly believe it will serve as a cutting-edge solution for a growing cosmopolitan city like Lagos”.
Since 2020, we have listed over 1000 houses and assisted several clients to secure affordable business and comfortable residential locations using our community and enterprise based solutions, he noted. Read more
ICPC uncovers billions in cash following raid on military contractor’s house (Channels)
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has uncovered billions of Naira from a property which the ICPC says belongs to a certain K Salam Construction Company, a military contractor.
In a brief statement titled – ICPC Clears The Air On Media Report Of Abuja Property’s Raid And Seizure, the commission said its operatives raided a property in Wuse 2 of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, on Thursday, 16th June, 2022 between 5:00pm and 12:00am in suspicion of money laundering.
According to the communique signed by ICPC spokesperson, Azuka Ogugua, operatives of the commission recovered money and other items from the property.
What was uncovered included, “N175,706,500; $220,965; G-Wagon; 2022 editions of BMW and Mercedes Benz cars; customized mobile phones; several designer wrist watches, including three Rolexes, and some property documents”. Read more
16-year-old in hospital after friend plucks out his 2 eyes (Tribune)
Bauchi State Police Command has confirmed that 16 years old Uzairu Salisu of Kwanan Gulmanmu, Jahun quarters in Bauchi metropolis was attacked and had his two eyes forcefully removed.
Bauchi Police Command PPRO, SP Ahmed Wakili in a statement stated that, at about 1800hrs on Thursday, a distress call was received from the Ward Head of Birshi, a suburbs of Bauchi metropolis, Mohammed Lawal, that a Boy of about 16 years was found in his pool of blood with two of his eyes removed at Dutsen Jira of Yelwa area in Bauchi metropolis.
Ahmed Wakili further stated that a team of policemen led by the DPO of Yelwa moved to the scene of the crime and evacuated the victim to Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital Bauchi (ATBUTH) for treatment.
According to him, preliminary investigation revealed that the victim stated that one Ibrahim of Rafin Zurfi whom he knew for some time lured him to the bush for a menial job on his farm and used a cable to strangulate him and remove his two eyes. Read more
Man held for stealing cables at Deeper Life Church (DailyTrust)
Operatives of the Ogun State-owned security outfit, So-Safe Corps, have arrested one Omotayo Oni for allegedly stealing cables inside the state headquarters of Deeper Life Bible Church.
The So-Safe Corps spokesperson, Moruf Yusuf, in a statement on Friday, said the operatives arrested Oni during a routine patrol in the axis.
He said Oni attempted to run away when the security officers wanted to find out the source of the cables in his possession.
According to him, the suspect was chased and arrested. Read more
US Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade abortion rights landmark (JerusalemPost)
The US Supreme Court on Friday took the dramatic step of overturning the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that recognized a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion and legalized it nationwide, handing a momentous victory to Republicans and religious conservatives who want to limit or ban the procedure.
The court, in a 6-3 ruling powered by its conservative majority, upheld a Republican-backed Mississippi law that bans abortion after 15 weeks. The justices held that the Roe v. Wade decision that allowed abortions performed before a fetus would be viable outside the womb – between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy – was wrongly decided because the US Constitution makes no specific mention of abortion rights.
A draft version of the ruling indicating the court was likely to overturn Roe was leaked in May, igniting a political firestorm.
Mississippi’s law had been blocked by lower courts as a violation of Supreme Court precedent on abortion rights. Read more
Netflix’s Ted Sarandos confirms partner talks for ad-supported tier and discusses Dave Chappelle, Ricky Gervais backlash (Variety)
Ted Sarandos confirmed today that Netflix is speaking to multiple potential partners to help it introduce ads to its platform.
The streamer’s Co-CEO and Chief Content Officer was speaking on a ‘Future Of Entertainment’ panel at the Cannes Lions advertising conference where he received the event’s Entertainment Person Of The Year award.
The streamer said in April that it would offer a cheaper ad-supported tier to customers after suffering blows to subscriber numbers and its stock. It has reportedly met with Google, NBCUniversal and Roku to discuss potential ad-sales and marketing partnerships. The idea of Netflix buying AVOD specialist Roku has also been rumored.
Sarandos would not be drawn on a commitment to any one partnership – pressed on Roku, he said only, “I don’t know where that came from” – but he confirmed Netflix had started conversations with “all of them,” adding they “all have different solutions.” Read more
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3: 1 injured in boat crash during filming in Greece (Independent)
A person has been injured after two speedboats crashed on the set of My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3.
The accident took place on the coast of Thymari beach, south of Athens on Friday (24 June). Reports claim that the speedboats were carrying a total of 16 people, including actors and set technicians.
As a result of the collision, one of the speedboats capsized.
One person is said to have incurred “light injuries” and was transferred to hospital as a precaution, according to the coast guard. Read more
Steven Spielberg’s ‘The Fablemans’ gets November 11 limited release (Collider)
Steven Spielberg’s latest film The Fabelmans will open exclusively in Los Angeles and New York on Friday, November 11. The movie is loosely based on the Academy Award-winning director’s childhood. The director’s production company Amblin made the announcement on Twitter, “Steven Spielberg’s THE FABELMANS opens in Los Angeles and New York City on Friday, November 11, after which it will expand to its wide release on the previously announced November 23rd.”
Cinematographer Janusz Kaminski who collaborated with Spielberg on both West Side Story and The Fabelmans told Deadline, “The theme to the movie is that this business, the art will tear you apart, and at the end, you’re choosing it because you love it so much.” Further adding,
“Having so many siblings and growing up in several different cities, you are, at the end, displaced. You’re not just displaced physically, but you’re also emotionally displaced. So, this is about him finding the love of his life, which is making movies, and the consequences of choosing the art form as your primary life interest.”
The celebrated director spent his early years in Arizona, where he experimented with 8mm movies in his backyard. In 1975, Jaws based on the novel by Peter Benchley marked his directorial debut. Read more
Nomadland’ author Jessica Bruder works on abortion book (ABC)
The author of “Nomadland,” the basis for the Oscar-winning movie of the same name, is working on a book about abortion.
Jessica Bruder will expand upon the reporting for her May cover story in The Atlantic, “The Abortion Underground: Inside the Covert Network Preparing for a Post-Roe Future.” The new book is currently untitled and does not yet have a release date, according to W.W. & Norton & Company, which on Thursday announced the deal with Bruder.
“With the Supreme Court expected to release its decision on the constitutional right to an abortion, Bruder will report from the front lines of the potential crisis, where people who have predicted for years that Roe v. Wade would fall are preparing to meet that challenge in real time,” the announcement reads in part.
Bruder said in a statement that she planned to chronicle “human rights through the lens of abortion. Like ‘Nomadland,’ the focus won’t be politics. It will be all about immersing with people — otherwise ordinary humans slipping the bonds of state control, asserting autonomy in an authoritarian age.” Read more
Jason Reitman and Marlee Matlin join Oscars board of governors (FilmNews)
Jason Reitman and Marlee Matlin have been elected to the board of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).
The Oscars-hosting body announced its newly elected board for 2022-23 on Wednesday, revealing that the Ghostbusters: Afterlife filmmaker is now one of three governors representing the Directors Branch and the CODA actress is now representing the Actors Branch.
On social media, Reitman wrote that he was “honoured” to join the board, and added, “The soul of cinema lives in movie theaters and the future of movies is diversity and representation.”
Deaf actress Matlin tweeted, “It is such an honor to represent on @TheAcademy Board of Governors.” Read more
South Africa ends COVID restrictions as fifth wave fades (Aljazeera)
South Africa has repealed COVID-19 rules that made masks mandatory in indoor public spaces, limited the size of gatherings and imposed entry requirements at its borders, the health minister said on Thursday.
The country has recorded the most coronavirus cases and deaths in Africa, with more than 3.9 million confirmed infections and upwards of 101,000 deaths.
But health minister Joe Phaahla said on Thursday that authorities had noted a decline in cases, hospitalisations and reported deaths and concluded that a limited fifth wave was dissipating.
“The COVID-19 virus is not yet gone, … we are just stronger than before, especially with vaccination,” he told a news conference, urging those eligible for boosters and not yet vaccinated to come forward. Read more
Latest FIFA Ranking: Super Eagles drop despite Sao Tome thrashing (Sun)
Nigeria’s perfect win record in the opening stages of the Afcon qualifiers did not push the three-time African champions up the global ranking.
FIFA in its latest ranking released on Thursday for June saw the Super Eagles now ranked fourth on the continent and 31st on the planet.
The 2013 Africa Cup of Nations champions were previously ranked 30th globally and third in Africa, behind only top-ranking Senegal and second-place Morocco.
But the Super Eagles dropped a step down to make room for Tunisia, the Carthage Eagles now 30th in the world and third on the continent. Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions complete the top five ranking teams in Africa. Read more
Paris St-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi acquitted in FIFA media rights investigation (BBC)
Paris St-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has been cleared of corruption by a Swiss appeals court.
Ex-Fifa secretary general Jerome Valcke was also cleared of the same charge but in a separate case was found guilty of accepting bribes and forging documents..
Valcke, 61, was given an 11-month prison sentence and a fine of 20,000 Swiss francs (£17,000), both suspended.
Swiss prosecutors were appealing a ruling from October 2020 by the Swiss Federal Criminal Court. Read more
Furious Man Utd fans’ group slam Glazer family over latest huge shareholder payout (Mirror)
Manchester United fans have branded “indefensible and totally unacceptable” a dividend payment of £11million paid to the club’s owners the Glazers.
The Glazers, including executive co-chairmen Joel and Avram, are set to receive the bulk of the £11m payment, which was made to United shareholders yesterday. The huge pay-out comes at the end of United’s worst season in Premier League history, one in which they finished sixth, missing out on the Champions League with their lowest ever points total.
United have also failed to make a signing so far this summer, despite promising to back new manager Erik ten Hag with the necessary funds to make the team competitive again.
The £11m payment is the latest in a series of dividends taken by shareholders, of which the Glazers hold a majority stake. The Manchester United Supporters’ Trust (MUST) criticised the pay-out at a time when the club is arguably facing its biggest crisis of the modern era on the pitch. A statement issued by MUST said: “Today the Glazers pay themselves the lion’s share of an £11m dividend at the end of one of the worst seasons in living memory. Read more
Floyd Mayweather reveals how much money he makes a month (GMS)
Floyd Mayweather has hit back at Jake Paul and Logan Paul as the pair claim he was broke after not paying up what was owed following the exhibition between Money and Logan.
After a war of words, the pair finally sorted it out to step in the ring together in an exhibition bout which saw them go toe-to-toe for the full eight rounds. Although no winner was announced given it was an exhibition, it was a breeze as expected for the 50-0 champion.
Despite the fight over a year ago, the drama has continued between them. Paul claims he is owed around $5 million from the fight, threatening Mayweather with legal action should he not receive what he claims he is owed.
Jake Paul claimed that Mayweather was broke despite him accumulating $1 billion in career earnings, he’s obviously invested some of that into business, so he claims to still be making a healthy living despite being retired. Read more
Chelsea to approach ex-Liverpool sporting director (Sky)
Chelsea are expected to engage Michael Edwards over their sporting director vacancy with owner Todd Boehly previously referencing Liverpool as a “great model” for success.
The man who helped reshape the recruitment of the Merseysiders and constructed Jürgen Klopp’s world-class squad with smart, analytical-powered transfers, departed Anfield this summer after 11 years.
A source close to Edwards has told Sky Sports News that since the 42-year-old’s decision to leave was made public last November, he has been approached by Europe’s powerhouse teams – Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain specifically – as well as hedge funds and billionaires wanting to buy clubs and have him run them.
With Marina Granovskaia’s departure at Chelsea, Edwards is of interest to become their transfer chief, especially as Boehly is an admirer of his overhaul at Liverpool, which stretched to making the Anfield club leaders in analytics and orchestrating the move to a £50m training centre. Read more
Serena Williams’ comeback cut short by Jabeur injury (StraitsTimes)
Serena Williams’ Wimbledon preparations suffered a blow after doubles partner Ons Jabeur withdrew from the Eastbourne tournament because of a knee injury on Thursday (June 23).
Williams had returned to tennis at Eastbourne after 12 months away, playing her first two competitive matches since she limped out of last year’s Wimbledon in tears with a leg injury.
The 40-year-old American and Tunisian partner Jabeur made it through to the Eastbourne semi-finals with wins over Maria Bouzkova and Sara Sorribes Tormo in the last 16 and Shuko Aoyama and Chan Hao-ching in the quarter-finals.
But Jabeur’s injury deprives Serena of the chance to hone further her grass-court game ahead of the start of Wimbledon on Monday. Read more
Tiger Woods full injury revealed as golf fans see icon’s huge leg scar for first time (Express)
More than 16 months after Tiger Woods suffered the high-speed car crash that threatened to end his career, fans have seen the aftermath. A photo has emerged on social media of the 15-time major champion, who made a remarkable return to action at the US Masters in April, wearing shorts that reveal a huge scar on his left leg.
Woods, 46, was travelling at more than 80mph when he endured a rollover accident in his Genesis GV80 SUV. The single vehicle collision left him requiring emergency surgery, with multiple breaks and fractures in both legs.
He spent more than a year out of the professional game before defying the doubters to play at Augusta, and also entered the US PGA at Southern Hills a month later. However, despite making the cut, he withdrew from that event after three rounds, having visibly struggled throughout.
In both tournaments, his calf was covered by a leg sleeve, which covered the true extent of the markings left following his rehabilitation. However, a picture posted on Twitter by golf journalist @LeifSkodnick, initially taken by Pavel Anisimov, has now given fans a harrowing insight into what Woods has been playing through. Read more