Pregnant mother slumps as fire kills 2-year-old son in Lagos (NewTelegraph)
Tragedy struck at the Ikotun area of Lagos on Friday night when fire razed a building leaving a two-year-old boy dead and others injured.
The tragic incident, which occurred at 4, Ben Okonkwo Street off Governor’s Road was said to have started from one of the mini flats on the top floor of the said storey building. Read more
How Lagos is dying (Vanguard)
Lagos is breaking. It’s being crushed by the weight of a silent mass influx of the young, hungry and jobless. The country has few cities. Many of them are troubled. Lagos has a mythical reputation. They say it’s the city where magic can happen. Abuja is too organized. Lagos is where the transition from oblivion to heaven isn’t just only possible but can happen in a jiffy. But that’s not all. Lagos is perhaps the place where there is no shame. People are therefore getting fed up and leaving their ponds for the big river. And a welcoming Lagos is taking them in without any plan about how to mother them. Read more
David Cameron: Jonathan stopped us from rescuing some Chibok schoolgirls (NewTelegraph)
David Cameron, former British prime minister, has alleged that ex-President Goodluck Jonathan did not give enough support to Britain during the abduction of 274 schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno state.
The abduction, which took place on April 14, 2014, had sparked a global outrage following which the international community offered to assist Nigeria. Read more
Former UK prime minister threatened my administration for refusing same-sex marriage – Goodluck Jonathan (Vanguard)
Former President of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Jonathan had said that his government was threatened and under unbearable pressure from then prime minister of United Kingdom, David Cameron, whose plan was to export gay marriage to Nigeria. Jonathan said the threats from Mr. David Cameron came after he (Jonathan) had signed the Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Bill in 2014.
Jonathan revealed this in his reply to a book written by David Cameron, who in the book accused Jonathan and his administration of corruption and rejecting the help of the British Government in rescuing the Chibok Girls, who were kidnapped on April 14, 2014. Read more
Chibok parents, BBOG lament as 112 schoolgirls spend 2,000 days with Boko Haram captors (Punch)
Members of the #BringBackOurGirls movement as well as parents of 112 Chibok schoolgirls in Boko Haram captivity have lamented the failure of the Federal Government to effect the release of the girls over five years after their abduction.
Boko Haram insurgents had stormed the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, on April 14, 2014, and forcefully abducted over 200 girls, but 57 of the girls escaped and found their way back home. Read more
Immigration intercepts two Nigeriens with pistol, computers, phones at Katsina border (Independent)
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has intercepted two Niger Republic nationals with a pistol, computers and phones at the Kongolam Border in Katsina State.
The Service, in a statement by Mr Sunday James, its Public Relations Officer, said that the suspects were intercepted by its border operatives. Read more
Why Obaseki sacked special assistants, senior special assistants (ThisDay)
Political motive has been imputed as the reasons behind Governor Godwin Obaseki sack of all his Special Assistants and Senior Special Assistants.
Investigation by THISDAY, revealed that the action was carried out by Obaseki to get rid of those loyal to those branded as “Abuja politicians”. Read more
FG restates committment to strengthen trade relations with Poland (Independent)
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Adeniyi Adebayo has reiterated Federal Government’s committment to strengthen relationship between Nigeria and Poland in terms of trade, commerce and industrialisation.
Adebayo said this in a statement signed by Mr Julius Jegede, the Special Assistant to the minister on Media in Abuja on Friday. Read more
BBNaija: Ex housmates BamBam, Teddy A, others storm ‘Pepper Dem’ house (Vamguard)
The BBNaija ‘pepper dem’ housemates were treated to a surprise visit on Monday night by former BBNaija housemates from the See Gobe and Double Wahala edition. Teddy A- Bambam BamBam, Teddy A, Bassey, Dee-One, Miyonse, Vandora, Rico Swavey, Lolu and Soma were all in attendance to celebrate Independence Day with the last 5 housemates. Read more
Pro-democracy activists defy face mask ban and take to Hong Kong streets (Metro)
Protesters took to the streets of Hong Kong on a ‘dark’ night for the city (Pictures: AFP) Masked pro-democracy protesters marched through Hong Kong in defiance of a new ban on face coverings.
Much of the city ground to a halt on Saturday following a ‘very dark night’ of violence on Friday.
Thousands of people staged marches and flashmob protests despite leader Carrie Lam banning masks using colonial-era emergency legislation. Read more
Mark Zuckerberg on billionaires: ‘No one deserves to have that much money (NewTelegraph)
Mark Zuckerberg, the fifth richest person in the world with many billions of dollars to his name, said he “understands” where Bernie Sanders is coming from when the Democratic presidential candidate says billionaires shouldn’t exist.
“I don’t know if I have an exact threshold on what amount of money someone should have, but on some level no one deserves to have that much money,” the Facebook (FB) CEO said during a town hall event at the company’s headquarters on Thursday in response to an employee question about Sanders’ comments. Read more
Meghan Markle’s post office ribbon for Uyinene has gone missing (IOL)
The yellow ribbon that Meghan Markle tied at Clareinch Post Office last week for murdered UCT student Uyinene Mrwetyana has gone missing.
“The disappearance of the ribbon is quite unfortunate and is actually a reflection of the type of society we have become,” said Uyinene’s mother Noma. Read more
4 Homeless men attacked and killed in New York City (Independent)
Four men who are believed to be homeless were brutally attacked and killed Saturday in a New York City street rampage.
New York Police Department Detective Annette Shelton said that a fifth man remained in critical condition Saturday after also being struck with a long metal object that authorities recovered. Read more
Barty sets up Beijing final showdown with Osaka (IOL)
Australia’s world number one Ash Barty beat eighth seed Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands 6-3 3-6 7-6(7) in Beijing on Saturday to set up a China Open final with Japan’s Naomi Osaka.
Both Barty and Bertens saved a match point in a thrilling third set tiebreak before the Australian top seed wrapped up the encounter in two hours 20 minutes. Read more
Liverpool star Mo’ Salah left out of latest Egypt squad (Independent)
Liverpool star Mohamed Salah has been excused from the latest Egypt squad as he’s given time to rest and recuperate over the forthcoming international break.
The Reds forward has already made 11 appearances in all competitions for Jurgen Klopp’s side in the 2019-20 campaign, while his 12th will come in the home meeting with Leicester City after he was named in the starting XI. Read more
Leicester set to halt Liverpool’s perfect Premier League record (ThisDay)
Leicester City travel to Anfield today to square-up against defending Premier League champion, Liverpool, who are yet to drop a point in the seven-week old league. The Foxes will however be buoyed by their last week 5-0 demolition of Newcastle and also hope to exploit on the shaky Reds defence that chipped in three goals in 20 minutes against RB Salzburg in midweek UEFA Champions League encounter. But against a free-scoring Livepool side that is desperate to win the Premier League for the first time, the Foxes will have another think coming. Read more
Sheyi Ojo: An Open Challenge to Eagles’ Manager (ThisDay)
While the egg heads of the Nigeria Football Federation are labouring to convince some English players of Nigerian descent to star for the Super Eagles, Glasgow Rangers forward, Sheyi Ojo, has charged, Gernot Rohr, to just call his name and he’ll be there
Glasgow Rangers forward, Sheyi Ojo has said he was ready to commit his international future to Nigeria ahead of the Three Lions of England after the 22-year-old made the declaration on his social media handle recently. Read more
EPL: Brighton stun Spurs 3-0 (NewTelegraph)
Tottenham’s miserable week continued as they followed their Champions League humiliation at the hands of Bayern Munich with a damaging defeat at Brighton.
After their 7-2 drubbing in midweek, Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino was expecting a response from his players, only for goalkeeper Hugo Lloris to gift Neal Maupay a bizarre opener. Read more
Wrist Injury Knocks Nadal Out of Shanghai Masters (ThisDay)
Rafael Nadal has been forced to withdraw from the Shanghai Masters due to a wrist injury.
The Spaniard was plagued by the injury during the latter stages of the recent Laver Cup and he was unable to compete in his second singles match in Geneva. Read more
Japan Open: Djokovic breezes past Goffin in semi-finals (Vanguard)
…..sets up final with Millman World number one Novak Djokovic eased past Belgian third seed David Goffin 6-3 6-4 at the Japan Open in Tokyo on Saturday to book his place in Sunday’s final against John Millman. Novak Djokovic in action at the Japan Open Djokovic beat Goffin in one hour and 29 minutes, extending his head-to-head record against the 2017 champion to seven wins, and will now face Australia’s Millman who beat American Reilly Opelka in the other semi-final. Read more