Protest: Price of perishable foodstuff crashes in Lagos (Nation)
Some perishable food prices have crashed by about 50 per cent amid the ongoing nationwide hunger protest, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
The protest with hashtag #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria is planned to end on 10 August.
It is aimed at calling the Federal Government’s attention to the economic hardship facing Nigerians.
Some traders and buyers at Ile-epo food market at Alimosho/Agege area of Lagos state, confirmed the development in separate interviews with NAN on Friday in Lagos. Read more
Security operatives shoot at protesters, journalists in Abuja (Punch)
Security operatives at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Saturday dispersed protesters and journalists from the facility with gunshots.
The security operatives aimed at protesters and journalists who ran for cover.
The protesters were reconvening after being dispersed by security agents deployed to the stadium. Read more
Over 50 protesters were arrested in Abuja – Amnesty International (DailyTrust)
Leading Human Rights group, Amnesty International Nigeria, has said over 50 protesters were arrested in Abuja on the third day of the demonstration against hardship in the land.
Daily Trust reports that some individuals had scheduled protests for August 1 and August 10, 2024.
Conveners of the protest in Abuja had demanded to use Eagle Square for convergence but they were denied access. Read more
Lagos Free Zone lauds BoI, seeks support for industrial devt (Tribune)
The Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos Free Zone (LFZ), Mrs. Adesuwa Ladoja, has promised to continue the strategic alliance with the Bank of Industry (BOI) to drive the development of the Zone.
Ladoja made this commitment during a recent tour of LFZ’s facilities in Ibeju Lekki, Lagos, with the management team of BOI.
While applauding the Bank of Industry for its instrumental role in the Zone’s growth, Ladoja expressed eagerness to continue the partnership to realize its vision. She stated that with BOI’s support, the Zone would be empowered to build more infrastructure, motivating prospective clients and manufacturers to invest in the industrial park. Read more
AEDC apologises for service disruption, promises compensation (Leadership)
The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has issued a public apology for falling short of its expected average service level of 20 hours on several Band A feeders between July 1 and July 25, 2024.
The DisCo also pledged compensation for the customers affected for the inconveniences caused by the service disruptions.
In a public notice on their official Facebook page on Saturday, AEDC acknowledged the shortfall in its service and provided details on the affected feeders and the major areas they serve. Read more
Protest: Emir Bayero to lead Kano delegation to Tinubu, sues for peace (Sun)
The 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, is set to lead a delegation from Kano State to President Tinubu to deliver a message from the people of Kano State.
He stressed that the delegation was to convey the concerns of the people of the state as expressed during their visit to his palace during the protest.
A statement by his Press Secretary, Abubakar Balarabe Kofar Naisa, Saturday sympathized with those affected by the incident negatively by the protest in the state. Read more
#EndBadGovernance Protest: Security operatives in show of force in Rivers (Channels)
A combined team of security operatives engaged in a public show of force on Saturday, in Rivers State.
Despite a relatively peaceful protest across certain states in the country, several Northern states have had a breakdown of law and order as hoodlums have looted and burgled homes and businesses.
Curfews were in place in Kano, Kaduna, Katsina and Yobe states and there was heavy security presence on the second day of the demonstrations. Read more
Youths will be provided qualitative education — Oluremi Tinubu, Akobundu (Vanguard)
The Renewed Hope Initiative, RHI partnerships with various National and International organizations have continued to boost the number of Nigerian Youths who now have access to qualitative education.
This comes as the Initiative, a brain child of the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, unveiled 200 beneficiaries of the AUDA-NEPAD/African School of Economics/ RHI Scholarships.
At the unveiling, held at the Banquet Hall of the State House Abuja, the First Lady reiterated that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will continue to prioritize education as evident in the various policies and programmes it is implementing in the sector. Read more
Hayley Mills thought her acting career was over before Trap (FilmNews)
Hayley Mills didn’t think she would star in a film ever again.
The 78-year-old Parent Trap star was sure her acting days were behind her but when M. Night Shyamalan asked her to appear in his latest thriller Trap, she couldn’t say no.
She told The Hollywood Reporter: “It was lovely to be on a movie set again. There’s more space, you can take deeper breaths… And certainly, in a movie of Night’s, you don’t rush. Read more
Joker 2’s Joaquin Phoenix reveals Lady Gaga’s reaction to his singing (DigitalSpy)
Joaquin Phoenix has revealed what his “Joker: Folie à Deux” co-star Lady Gaga’s reaction was upon hearing his singing for the first time.
The DC movie sequel is more of a musical, with Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck and Gaga’s Harley Quinn finding a connection through their shared love of classic songs.
Arthur, like his actor, is not a professional singer, and Phoenix explained to Empire that his ropey singing was essential to the character but recalled Gaga having quite a strong response when she first heard him. Thankfully, he didn’t mind. Read more
Kyiv strikes Russian military airfield and oil depots in overnight drone attack (Independent)
Ukraine says it has struck Russia’s Morozovsk military airfield and fuel tanks at the Atlas plant along with oil depots in an overnight drone attack.
The Morozovsk airfield houses Su-34 Fullback fighter bombers, which played a crucial role in Russia’s war on Ukraine. Kyiv said the attack on the airfield hit an ammunition depot where Russian forces stored guided aerial bombs.
Ukrainian drones also targeted oil depots and fuel and lubricant storage facilities in Belgorod, Kursk and Rostov regions caused fires at two oil tanks. Read more
IOC leader says ‘hate speech’ directed at Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting is unacceptable (AfricaNews)
IOC President Thomas Bach said the “hate speech” directed at boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting at the Paris Olympics is “totally unacceptable.”
“We will not take part in a politically motivated … cultural war,” Bach said at a news briefing Saturday at the midway point of the Paris Games, where he wanted to draw a line under days of global scrutiny about the female boxers’ gender.
“What is going on in this context in the social media with all this hate speech, with this aggression and abuse, and fueled by this agenda, is totally unacceptable,” the International Olympic Committee leader said. Read more
At 72, Dan Aykroyd plans to “really live” for his children now (People)
“If you had to say, ‘How are you?’ Well, I’m grateful,” Dan Aykroyd tells PEOPLE. “That’s my operative tenant right now. I am grateful, so grateful, for so many things.”
The actor, 72, explores that feeling in his new Audible Original, “Blues Brothers: The Arc of Gratitude,” an oral history of the beloved 1980 film featuring interviews and memories from friends and co-stars including the late John Belushi.
Looking back on his career — which kicked off when he joined the Second City improv troupe before he moved on to SNL, Blues Brothers, Ghostbusters and a host of other major films — Aykroyd admits he didn’t think he’d still be working now. Read more
Brooklyn Beckham rushed to hospital as wife Nicola Peltz remains at his bedside (DailyStar)
Brooklyn Beckham has been dashed to hospital after suffering a grim injury – his wife stays by his side.
The 25-year-old celeb took to his Instagram where he posted a snap donning a hospital gown and dished out to his fans: “Broke my shoulder but all good cause I have [my wife Nicola Peltz-Beckham] to look after me xx love you babe.”
The details surrounding what exactly led to Brooklyn’s hospital stint remain a mystery, reports the Mirror. Read more
Donald Trump agrees to TV debate with his election rival Kamala Harris (Standard)
Donald Trump has agreed to debate his Democratic opponent Kamala Harris on US TV.
The Republican nominee used his Truth Social platform to announce he had accepted an offer from Fox News to hold a debate with the serving vice-president on September 4.
“Rules will be similar to the rules of my debate with Sleepy Joe, who has been treated horribly by his party, but with a full arena audience,” Trump said, referring to President Joe Biden, who has since dropped his reelection bid. Read more
I accepted pay cut to join Man United on loan – Ighalo (CompleteSports)
Super Eagles striker Odion Ighalo has disclosed that he had to make a big sacrifice in order to join Manchester United on loan in 2020.
Recall that the Nigerian international, who was at Shanghai Shenhua at the time, got a call from his agent that United were interested in his services.
Speaking with Manchester Evening News, Ighalo stated that he was eager to make the deal come to reality. Read more
Ikpeba calls for more grassroots football competitions (Punch)
A former Super Eagles player, Victor Ikpeba, has asked stakeholders to inject more grassroots football competition initiatives into the round leather game to produce more talent for the country.
He stated this in Akure, the Ondo State capital, at a press conference heralding the finals of the annual Akogun Football Competition, which would be held in Oka Akoko, headquarters of the Akoko South-West Local Government Area of the state.
The former African Footballer of the Year said the development of the game should not be left to the government alone. Read more
Atalanta confident for Celtic star O’Riley, linked with Koopmeiners sale (FootballItalia)
Atalanta remain confident they can get a deal done for Celtic midfielder Matt O’Riley, but only after the European Super Cup with Real Madrid and probable Teun Koopmeiners move to Juventus.
The Denmark international has been linked with numerous clubs this summer, including Juve and Southampton, though so far nobody has come close to the asking price of circa €20-25m.
La Gazzetta dello Sport insist that Atalanta have set their sights firmly on the 23-year-old and trust they can bridge the gap with Celtic over the transfer fee. Read more
Hearts 0-0 Rangers: Gers held to goalless draw at Tynecastle in Scottish Premiership (Sky)
Rangers began the new Scottish Premiership season with an entertaining goalless draw at Hearts.
Both sides hit the woodwork at Tynecastle as Hearts’ summer signing Yan Dhanda struck the bar in the first half, while Rangers striker Cyriel Dessers crashed a close-range header off the bar and then onto the post in the second half.
Both goalkeepers were also in fine form for the season’s curtain-raiser as Hearts’ Zander Clarke denied Connor Barron on his Rangers debut and Tom Lawrence’s powerful second-half volley. Read more
Marchand and McKeown star again as Dressel flops (GulfTimes)
French hero Leon Marchand cemented his Paris Olympics legacy with a fourth swimming gold of the Games on Friday and Australia’s Kaylee McKeown made a slice of history, but it was a disastrous day for American superstar Caeleb Dressel.
Marchand was little known outside the swimming world before these Olympics, but he has become a national and international phenomenon in the space of a week with a quartet of titles. With the 400m medley, 200m butterfly and 200m breaststroke already in the bag, the 22-year-old rose to the occasion again in front of French President Emmanuel Macron in the 200m medley at a deafening La Defense Arena. Roared on by a partisan home crowd, he hit the wall first in 1mins 54.06 – the second fastest time in history – to ensure he will leave the Games as one of its biggest stars. Read more
Chinese badminton player receives wedding proposal from teammate after winning Olympic gold medal (People)
Chinese Olympian Huang Ya Qiong scored a gold medal and a marriage proposal at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
The 30-year-old badminton player and her doubles partner Zheng Siwei won the gold in badminton mixed doubles against South Korean team Kim Won-ho and Jeong Na-eun on Thursday, Aug. 2.
Shortly after the medal ceremony concluded, Huang’s fellow Olympic teammate and men’s doubles player Liu Yuchen surprised her with a bouquet of flowers. Liu then got down on one knee and proposed to her in front of the crowd at La Chapelle Arena. Read more