Operators of lottery, pools, betting to pay N20m for license fee in Lagos (Vanguard)
Operators of lottery, pools and betting in Lagos will be charged N20million license fee if a Bill proposed by the State’ Lagos Assembly on Laws on betting is finally approved by the state government.
This was disclosed yesterday as the Bill, entitled; “Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority Bill Arrangement Of Sections” went through a public hearing at the State House of Assembly.
According to the Bill, “before a license is granted to an operator, the Authority shall be satisfied that the applicant is a registered company in Nigeria with a minimum share capital of N20,000,000 (Twenty Million Naira) or as may be directed by the Authority.” Read more
Man who beat traffic policewoman is a fake soldier – Police (Punch)
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a passenger of a commercial bus for assaulting a policewoman controlling traffic at Shibiri bus stop, Ilemba Hausa area of the state while posing as a soldier.
The passenger, Yemi Aiyeni, was apprehended following a viral video of the assault which occurred last Sunday.
The police spokesperson in the state, SP Bala Elkana, in a statement on Friday tagged, ‘Police arrested man in a viral video assaulting a policewoman,’ said Aiyeni took on the policewoman, Inspector Martina Onyeacho, who arrested the bus for reportedly obstructing traffic flow. Read more
Lagos, e-hailing ride operators agree on new guidelines, charges on services (Vanguard)
Lagos State Government after a three- hour meeting with e-hailing ride operators on Friday, agreed on newly introduced service charge on every trip made through e-hailing platforms like Uber and Bolt, among other guidelines.
The state government, therefore announced the commencement date for the implementation of the new levies on operators to August 27, 2020.
Recall that the new regulation for e-hailing taxing services was earlier scheduled to come into effect on August 20, 2020.
This was contained in a document by the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation titled: Guidelines for Online Hailing Business Operation of Taxi in Lagos State 2020’ issued. Read more
10 cars, 1 trailer razed by fire at LASTMA yard (Guardian)
Ten cars and a trailer were razed in a fire outbreak at the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority compound in Oshodi.
According to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), the fire was put out by first responders from the state’s emergency agencies.
“Information gathered by LRT on arrival at the scene revealed that the fire started from the compound where impounded vehicles were kept,” LASEMA said.
“The cause of the fire was unknown at the time of filling in this report. Read more
Ondo teacher sentenced to life imprisonment for defilement (Punch)
An Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure, the state capital, has sentenced a teacher, Omotayo Adanlawo, to life imprisonment for defiling a 10-year-old girl.
The convict was arrested by the men of the state police command for committing the crime at Iju town, in the Akure North Local Government Area of the state in 2018.
The victim was said to be a daughter of the founder of a church which the paedophile attended in the community. Read more
Osun-Osogbo Festival ends with low turnout due to COVID-19 (Vanguard)
The grand finale of the annual Osun-Osogbo festival ended on Friday with a low turnout of people to the grove as the annual cultural fiesta was observed in strict compliance with the COVID-19 protocols.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state government had on Tuesday announced a ban on social activities and gatherings at the Osun-Osogbo festival and restricted visitors to the UNESCO World Heritage site to worshippers only.
The state government, however, approved the observance of traditional rites and routines associated with the festival (in strict compliance with COVID-19 guidelines) and that only authorised persons and worshippers were allowed into the Grove. Read more
Our exploits selling ammunition to bandits – Suspects (Punch)
A syndicate involved in illegal sales of ammunition to bandits across the country has been busted by the police with four suspects arrested.
The suspects, Abdullahi Mohammed, Haruna Bello, Husein Abdullahi Aka Gide and Yusuf Barkeje, were picked up at different locations in the Federal Capital Territory and Nasarawa State.
Two AK-47 rifles and 320 rounds of ammunition were reportedly intercepted from the gang while planning to supply another 320 rounds of ammunition. Read more
Mailafia’s allegations aimed at creating tension, breach peace, says DSS (Guardian)
The Department of State Service (DSS) has stated that Dr. Obadiah Mailafia’s recent outburst was aimed at creating “unnecessary tension” in the country.
The DSS spokesman, Peter Afunanya, who disclosed this yesterday in Abuja, noted that Mailafia’s allegation that a serving northern governor is a commander of Boko Haram is a confirmation of his group’s desperation to breach the peace.
Afunanya said: “On July, 272020, the Department of State Service (DSS) alerted the nation about desperate efforts by some notable personalities to use their exalted positions, take advantage of developments in the country and cause a total breakdown of law and order. Read more
Jeffrey Epstein accused of sexually abusing 11-year-old in new lawsuit (NYPost)
A woman who says she was just 11 years old when Jeffrey Epstein sexually abused her is among nine accusers who filed a new Manhattan lawsuit against the dead pedophile’s estate.
The women — who filed the case without using their real names — say they were sexually abused and in some cases raped in incidents as early as 1978 and as recent as 2004, according to the Supreme Court lawsuit filed late Thursday.
A Florida woman, referred to in court papers only as Jane Doe XIII, says that in 1993, when she was only 11, Epstein “sexually assaulted, abused, battered and digitally penetrated her on three, separate occasions,” as well as forced her “to perform oral sex on him,” the documents say. Read more
Billion-year-old meteorites are being auctioned for astronomical prices (Metro)
A rare collection of beautiful meteorites being sold at auction are literally out of this world.
The extraterrestrial specimens, many of which are billions of years old, include a sample of rock in the shape of the moon, and are expected to fetch up to £400,000.
The Lake Murray meteorite, which is older than mankind itself, it expected to go for up to £30,000. Read more
VJ Day: Japan marks 75 years since end of WWII (BBC)
Japan has marked 75 years since its surrender in World War Two.
Victory over Japan Day marked the end of the conflict, four months after fighting ended in Europe.
It is estimated that there were 71,000 British and Commonwealth casualties of the war against Japan, including more than 12,000 prisoners of war.
More than 2.5 million Japanese military personnel and civilians are also believed to have died. Read more
Trump won’t leave office peacefully, his former lawyer Cohen claims in upcoming book (CBC)
Michael Cohen’s memoir about U.S. President Donald Trump will be released Sept. 8 by Skyhorse Publishing, which confirmed the news Thursday to The Associated Press.
The book is called Disloyal: The True Story of the Former Personal Attorney to President Donald J. Trump.
“Disloyal is the most devastating business and political horror story of the century,” according to a Skyhorse statement shared with the AP.
“It is a story that you haven’t read in newspapers, or on social media, or watched on television. These are accounts that only someone who worked for Trump around the clock for a decade — not a few months or even a couple of years — could know.” Read more
Trump visits brother in New York hospital (BBC)
US President Donald Trump has said his younger brother is having a “tough time” as he visited him in a New York City hospital.
Mr Trump wore a face mask as he entered New York-Presbyterian Hospital on Friday afternoon, staying for about 45 minutes.
US media reports say Robert Trump, 72, is seriously ill, but it is not clear why he was admitted to the facility.
He used to manage the Trump property empire’s real-estate investments. Read more
Ryan Reynolds pleads with BC province’s young people to stop partying during pandemic (CBC)
Premier John Horgan put out the call, and actor Ryan Reynolds has answered, pleading with young people in British Columbia to stop partying and protect “some of the coolest older people on Earth” — including his mom and David Suzuki — from COVID-19.
Recent weeks have seen a surge in infections of the novel coronavirus, led by people between the ages of 20 and 39. On Wednesday, B.C.’s premier suggested Vancouver-raised celebrities like Reynolds and Seth Rogen could help spread the message that large parties aren’t safe right now.
Reynolds responded Friday with a typically tongue-in-cheek audio recording directed at Horgan’s Twitter account, saying it was a voicemail message he’d left on the premier’s phone.
“I’m not sure it’s a great idea, frankly. People, I don’t think they want medical advice from guys like me, no sir,” Reynolds said in the message. Read more
UFO founder Pete Way dies aged 69 after rockstar received ‘life-threatening injuries’ in accident (Metro)
Rockstar Pete Way, who founded the band UFO, has died aged 69. The bass player was well-known for his tenure with the band, from whom he played with from 1969-1982 and 1991-2008. In a statement posted to his official Facebook page, it was announced that Way had sustained ‘life-threatening injuries’ in an accident earlier this summer. He died today (14 August) with his wife Jenny by his side and is survived by his two children. The statement reads: ‘Pete Way founder of UFO, Waysted and, latterly, The Pete Way Band has died. He sustained life-threatening injuries in an accident two months ago but fought hard until finally succumbing to those injuries at 11.35am BST today. Read more
PSG eye Odion Ighalo, Cristiano Ronaldo (Guardian)
Paris Saint-Germain are reportedly lining up a shock move for Manchester United’s on-loan star Odion Ighalo.
The 31-year-old striker has caught the eye during his loan spell at United from Shanghai Shenhua, scoring five times for the club.
The Nigerian signed a deal to stay at United until January, but PSG are considering him as an option as they look to replace Edinson Cavani.
PSG Sporting Director Leonardo has drawn up a shortlist of possible targets and will even explore the possibility of signing Cristiano Ronaldo amid rumours Juventus are looking to get him off their wage bill. Read more
Gerrard rules out Balogun from Livingston clash (Punch)
Leon Balogun will miss Glasgow Rangers’ Scottish Premier League clash away at Livingston at Tony Macaroni Arena on Sunday, according to his manager Steven Gerrard, Saturday PUNCH reports.
Balogun, who helped the Gers to three straight wins and three clean sheets in their opening games, is ruled out of the clash due to a small quad problem he suffered in Rangers’ victory over St. Johnstone on Wednesday.
“He (Balogun) won’t be available for the weekend as he has a small quad problem. We are still waiting for some scan results to confirm that but he is certainly ruled-out for the weekend,” Gerrard said. Read more
Brilliant Bayern put eight past dire Barcelona (BBC)
Bayern Munich sent out an emphatic and ominous message to their Champions League rivals with an absolute demolition of fellow European heavyweights Barcelona in a gloriously chaotic and utterly one-sided quarter-final tie in Lisbon.
The high-pressing, energetic and ruthless German champions were on a different level to their Spanish rivals, as they have been for pretty much every opponent they have faced in Europe this season and in every competition since football restarted in June.
They scored four times in the first half, added another quartet in the second, and could easily have netted more against a shell-shocked and shambolic Barca side whose defensive errors were too numerous to recount and who now have a new and embarrassing record defeat in European competition to their name. Read more
Van Persie tips Arteta for greatness at Arsenal (Vanguard)
Robin van Persie believes Mikel Arteta has the potential to become a “great” coach for Arsenal.
Arteta has already won silverware in his fledgeling managerial career, guiding the Gunners to a 2-1 FA Cup final win over Chelsea this month.
Though Arsenal finished eighth in the Premier League, that Wembley triumph was enough to secure their place in the Europa League for next season. Read more
Diamond League Monaco: Joshua Cheptegei breaks 5,000m world record (BBC)
Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei produced an astonishing run in Monaco to break the 16-year-old 5,000m world record by almost two seconds.
The 23-year-old, who won the 10,000m world title in Doha last year, had promised he would take a shot at the time but success seemed unlikely.
However, guided by trackside lights illustrating world record pace, he came home in 12 minutes 35.36 seconds.
The previous mark, set by Ethiopian great Kenenisa Bekele, was 12:37.35.
Remarkably it is Cheptegei’s second world record in Monaco this year, despite the season being badly disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic. Read more
FC Barcelona’s Umtiti tests positive for COVID-19 (Guardian)
FC Barcelona said on Friday that France defender Samuel Umtiti has tested positive for COVID-19.
However, the test result did not affect their UEFA Champions League quarter-final with Bayern Munich on Friday as he is injured and not with the squad.
Umtiti is the second Barca player to give a positive test for COVID-19 in the last week.
This was after his fellow French defender Jean-Clair Todibo was diagnosed with the virus on Wednesday when reporting back for pre-season training.
Barca said in a statement that World Cup winner Umtiti was asymptomatic, in good health and was currently isolating in his home. Read more