Police arrest 21-year-old UNILAG student over murder of Super TV CEO (Punch)
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested 21-year-old Chidinma for allegedly killing the Chief Executive Officer, Super TV, Usifo Ataga, in the Lekki area of the state.
The state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, said Chidinma is an undergraduate of the University of Lagos, adding that she had confessed to committing the crime.
Chidinma was paraded at the police command headquarters in Ikeja on Thursday. Read more
Court remands man for alleged armed robbery (Guardian)
An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court on Thursday remanded a 32-year-old man, Afolabi Dada, in Kirikiri Correctional Centre for allegedly robbing a man of his motorcycle worth N230,000 at gunpoint.
The police charged Dada, whose residential address was not given with armed robbery.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr J. A. Adegun, did not take the plea of the suspect.
Adegun directed the prosecution counsel to send the case file to the Lagos State Department of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice and adjourned the case until July 17. Read more
How I stabbed Super TV CEO to death, 21-year-old UNILAG student speaks (Punch)
A 21-year-old undergraduate of the University of Lagos, Chidinma Ojukwu, has narrated how she stabbed the Chief Executive Officer of Super TV, Usifo Ataga, to death in the Lekki area of Lagos State.
She spoke at the Lagos State Police Command headquarters in Ikeja on Thursday after she was paraded as a suspect by the state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu.
Odumosu said Ojukwu was arrested at her parents’ residence in the Yaba area of the state on Wednesday night.
Ojukwu, a 300-level student of Mass Communication, said she had been in a romantic relationship with Ataga for about four months before the ugly incident.
Ojukwu said she and Ataga were “having fun” when an argument broke out and she stabbed him twice. Read more
Danger Alert: Residents panic over gas leakage in Lagos (Vanguard)
Residents of Ijegun Egba Community, Satellite Town, in Ori-Ade Local Council Development Area, LCDA, Lagos, on Thursday, raised the alarm over suspected gas leakage from one of the gas farms in the area.
The situation, said to have been reported at noon has set the community in commotion as residents feared for dear lives.
The alarm was sequel to notification by Chairman, Satellite Town Forum, whose name was unavailable at press time, of a strong cloud like vapour, suspected to be gas leakage in the community coming from one of the gas farms, Rainoil Depot.
According to the chairman, “The offensive gas smell has enveloped small part of the Community that residents at home are panicking. Read more
10-year jail awaits human organs traders in Lagos (DailyTrust)
A bill for a law to regulate human organs harvest and transplantation in Lagos State has scaled second reading, as the state assembly members move to criminalise illegal organ transplant.
The bill provides that a person who removes the organ of another person other than for therapeutic purposes commits an offence, liable on conviction to 10 years jail term without an option of fine.
The Chairman, House Committee on Health Services, Hon. Olusola Sokunle, described the bill as a legal framework to regulate the removal and transplant of organs from either living or dead persons to patients suffering from terminal organ failure.
He said the bill will help to curb illegal trading of human organs and ensure that persons suffering from organ failure have access to available organs while standard medical procedure for human organ harvest and transplant is followed. Read more
Sexual assault: Court grants Baba Ijesha N2m bail (Punch)
Embattled Yoruba actor, Omiyinka Olanrewaju James, popularly known as Baba Ijesha, who was arraigned at a Special Offences and Domestic Violence Court in Ikeja, has been granted bail.
The actor, who was being tried by Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo over charges bothering on rape, sexual assault and abuse of a minor, was granted bail on the ground that it was part of his fundamental human rights.
According to the judge, the surety must be a resident of Lagos with visible house address and payment of three years tax.
Justice Taiwo stated, “One of the sureties must be a blood relation who will enter a N1 million bond with the Chief Register of Lagos State and one of the sureties must also be a legal practitioner.” Read more
I started robbery at 7, wanted to be as popular as Oyenusi, Shina Rambo – 27-year-old suspect (Vanguard)
I started robbing people at 7, wanted to be as popular as Oyenusi, Shina Rambo ― 27-yr-old suspect
Gbenga Kikiowo, robbery suspect
Detectives in Ondo State Police Command have arrested a 27-year-old notorious armed robber, Gbenga Kikiowo, who confessed that he started committing crimes at age seven and desired to be more popular than the likes of Ishola Oyenusi and Shina Rambo.
Kikiowo told journalists when he was paraded by the Ondo State Police Command in Akure, the state capital alongside 14 other criminals said that he had operated in Ghana and had been remanded three times.
The state police commissioner, Bolaji Salami, had told newsmen during his briefing that Kikiowo and one Aladeloye Tope aged 25, were arrested at Oke-Aro, Akure metropolis “On 24, May 2021, at about 2100hrs while planning to carry out a robbery operation in Akure city. Read more
INEC launches online portal for voters to register (DailyTrust)
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has launched an online portal for eligible voters to register.
Addressing journalists shortly after launching the portal, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Commission, said the portal was created for intending registrants to commence the process online.
He asked willing voters to register by providing relevant details before booking an appointment to visit the commission’s office.
Yakubu said as a result of security challenges in some parts of the country, the commission decided to start the registration online before it commences fully at all the 2,673 registration centres nationwide.
“In addition, those who are already registered as voters can carry out all the other activities such as transfers, correction of personal details and replacement of damaged or defaced PVCs online,” he said. Read more
Man, 76, arrested for attempting to kill own son (Leadership)
A 76-year-old man, Zubair Audu, has been arrested by men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) over an alleged attempt to kill his own son, Issa.
Audu was said to have attempted to kill his son witth a locally made rifle.
The spokesman of the NSCDC Kwara State, Babawale Afolabi, said that the incident occured at Alagbado Area 5, Mountain Avenue, Ilorin, the state capital.
Afolabi said: “On Wednesday 23/06/2021, at about 1445hours, NSCDC Divisional Office at Pake area received a distress call that one 76- years – old man was chasing his son with a locally made rifle.
“Further investigation has revealed that there have a no love lost relationship between the father and the son which might have snowballed into the life- threatening incident.” Read more
More than 50 people missing after Miami Beach building collapse (Metro)
More than 50 people remained missing after a Miami Beach-area condo partially collapsed, authorities said late Thursday morning.
Miami-Dade Commissioner Sally Heyman told CNN that 51 people believed to have lived at Champlain Towers South were unaccounted for. It was not clear whether they were inside the building when it partially collapsed Thursday around 1.30am.
Those people had ‘not either called out or had people call in to reach them’, Heyman said. It was not immediately known whether the 51 people were inside at the time of the collapse due to ‘vacations or anything else, so we’re still waiting and unfortunately the hope is still there, but it is weaning’, she said. Read more
US data confirms rapid 6.4% growth in first quarter (RFI)
A final estimate of first quarter growth confirmed the US economy expanded by a rapid 6.4 percent annualized in the period from January to March of this year, the government said Thursday.
The figure was unchanged from the initial estimate in late April, the Commerce Department said, and represents the last of two revisions made to growth figures the US government releases each quarter.
The measure, which shows how fast the economy would expand if the growth rate continued for a full year, was the fastest first quarter gain since January-March 1984, and came after the Covid-19 pandemic caused a 3.5 percent contraction in 2020 — the worst since modern recordkeeping began in 1946.
Rubeela Farooqi of High Frequency Economics said there would likely be a strong expansion in the April-June second quarter as well, but the rate could flag later in 2021 as government stimulus measures end. Read more
European rights body ‘extremely concerned’ about conditions in France’s prisons, police stations (France24)
The Council of Europe took aim at detention conditions in French prisons and police stations on Thursday, saying it was “extremely concerned” by what it found during a fact-finding mission.
The human rights body’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) said while most people interviewed reported no mistreatment, some said they had been “deliberately beaten” during their arrest or on police premises.
There were also allegations of insults, sometimes racist or homophobic, and threats made with weapons, a CPT report based on a December 2019 mission found.
“Generally speaking, the CPT is extremely concerned about the material conditions of detention in some of the police stations visited,” a Council statement said. Read more
John McAfee’s wife claimed US wanted him to ‘die in prison’ days before suicide (NYPost)
John McAfee’s wife publicly claimed that the US wanted the software tycoon to “die in prison” — just three days before he was found hanged in his cell.
Janice McAfee made the damning statement Sunday in a Father’s Day post while her husband was in a Spanish jail awaiting extradition to the US to face federal tax evasion charges.
“John’s honesty has often gotten him in trouble with corrupt governments and corrupt government officials because of his outspoken nature and his refusal to be extorted, intimidated or silenced,” wrote Janice, who first met McAfee while she was working as a prostitute. Read more
Spike Lee to preside over majority female Cannes film festival jury (RFI)
The Cannes film festival announced the 2021 made up of mostly women, including Franco-Senegalese director Mati Diop. The announcement of the jury is the last major step before the festival opens on 6 July.
Presided by American director Spike Lee, the nine-person jury will choose the successor to Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite, which won the Palme d’or at the last festival in 2019.
The Festival on Thursday revealed the jury made up of people from “seven nationalities, coming from five continents”.
The five women include Diop, whose first film, Atlantics, won the Grand Prix in 2019; French actress-turned-director Mélanie Laurent; American actress Maggie Gyllenhaal, who is working on directing her first film; and Austrian director Jessica Hausner, whose first film in English, Little Joe, was selected in competition in 2019. Read more
Ingrid Betancourt faces ex-FARC captors nearly 20 years after kidnapping (France24)
For the first time since being rescued 13 years ago from the hands of FARC guerillas who had held her hostage for more than six years in the Colombian jungle, Franco-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt was able to confront her captors on Wednesday.
She and other victims participated in a meeting with ex-combatants organized under Colombia’s 2016 peace accord, which ended decades of civil war between the government and armed groups.
In an address to the historic gathering arranged under the umbrella of Colombia’s Truth Commission, Betancourt said she believed previous expressions of contrition from the ex-rebels had been politically expedient, and not “from the heart.”
“I heard with emotion the stories of my brothers in pain… but I must confess I am surprised that we on this side of the stage are all crying and on the other side there has not been a single tear,” she said. Read more
Google delays plan to phase out browser-tracking ‘cookies’ (RFI)
Google said Thursday it was delaying plans to phase out the use of browser “cookies” for its ad targeting after drawing complaints over its replacement for the technology.
The phasing out of third-party cookies — bits of software that keep track of sites visited by users — will be pushed back into mid-2023 instead of late 2022 for the Chrome browser, Google said in a blog post.
“We need to move at a responsible pace,” said Google privacy engineering director Vinay Goel.
“This will allow sufficient time for public discussion on the right solutions, continued engagement with regulators, and for publishers and the advertising industry to migrate their services.” Read more
Away goals rule scrapped in UEFA competitions including Champions League (BBC)
The away goals rule in European club football is to be abolished from the start of next season, governing body Uefa has confirmed.
The rule, used since 1965, decided drawn two-legged games by favouring the team that scored the most away goals.
All ties level on aggregate at the end of the second leg will instead go to extra time and potentially penalties.
“It is no longer appropriate for an away goal to carry more weight,” said Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin.
Uefa’s club competitions committee made the proposal in May and it has now been approved by the body’s executive committee. Read more
France fans miss Euro 2020 game after travelling to Bucharest instead of Budapest (NYPost)
Wrong place, wrong time.
Six France fans travelled all the way to Bucharest, Romania to watch their beloved French national team compete in Euro 2020 this week. Unfortunately, they were the only French fans there.
France’s game against Hungary was in Budapest, 500 miles away from the capital of Romania. Now, they were stranded in an unfamiliar place.
“It’s like we’re in the movie ‘Home Alone,’” one of the fans told Romanian outlet Jurnalul. “This is the first time we have traveled to this part of Europe. And, to be honest, for me, until today, there was no difference between Bucharest and Budapest. We need to learn more about Europe.”
The six men have worked together for years at an IT company. They have traveled to many different countries, but not since the pandemic. They made a pact that once the restrictions were lifted they would go on a trip, and how perfect would it have been to travel to support their home country. Read more
Lewis Hamilton: Seven-time world champion starts negotiations with Mercedes over new contract (BBC)
Lewis Hamilton has won three out of seven races for Mercedes this season
Lewis Hamilton says he has started negotiations with Mercedes over a new contract to stay with the team beyond this season.
The seven-time champion signed only a one-year deal last winter but has indicated several times that he is keen to race on.
“Not a lot to say too much on, but we have had discussions and things are positive,” he said.
Hamilton also indicated he would be happy for Valtteri Bottas to stay. Read more
Erling Haaland gives green light to Real Madrid over £112m transfer in blow to Chelsea, Manchester United & Manchester City (Metro)
Dortmund superstar Erling Haaland has reportedly approved a move to Real Madrid this summer, with the La Liga giants hopeful that a fee of around £112million can be agreed for the Norway striker.
Haaland, 20, is the most coveted player in world football after a scintillating 18 months in Germany with Dortmund, where he’s averaged just shy of a goal-a-game in his 59 appearances for the club.
Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City are just three of the clubs desperate to sign Haaland but while the Premier League trio are open to battling for him this summer, they’re aware that a release clause in the forward’s contract means he’s available for £62m in 2022. Read more
Celtics to name Nets assistant Ime Udoka as new coach (NYPost)
It’s hard to keep good help.
The Nets lost a top assistant Wednesday, with Ime Udoka finalizing a deal to take over as head coach of the Celtics.
After just a single season with the Nets — who could lose two other assistants who are up for vacant head-coaching spots — Udoka will move on in a hire first reported by ESPN and confirmed by The Post. He’ll replace Brad Stevens, who moved up to president of basketball operations earlier this month replacing Danny Ainge.
The 43-year-old Udoka — who was long overdue for a head-coaching position — was essentially Steve Nash’s defensive coordinator. He’ll bring a no-nonsense, tough-love approach to the Celtics, after coaching that way in Brooklyn and also getting to know several of Boston’s stars at the 2019 FIBA World Cup.
“Ime focuses a lot about defense, because obviously when he played that’s basically what he was, a defender, and he liked to be physical,” Nets guard Mike James said. “Just for me personally, he’s always reminded me to do the little things: sprint back, load up, box out, be physical.
“He’s not like a coach that’ll hold back how he feels. He’s going to tell you how he feels, how you’re playing, what you should be doing bet. Read more
Tokyo 2020: Andy Murray selected for Great Britain’s tennis team (BBC)
Two-time defending champion Andy Murray has been selected for Great Britain’s tennis team at the Tokyo Olympics.
Murray, 34, will play in the men’s singles alongside Dan Evans and team up with Joe Salisbury in the doubles.
There is no place for doubles specialist Jamie Murray in Team GB while Heather Watson and Johanna Konta will compete in the women’s singles.The games, postponed in 2020 because of the pandemic, take place in Japan’s capital from 23 July to 8 August. Read more