“Repentant” bandit nabbed for robbery in Katsina (DailyTrust)
The Katsina command of the Nigerian Police Force on Wednesday paraded Abdullahi Mai-Rafi, a “repentant” bandit over alleged armed robbery, cattle rustling and kidnapping.
Mai-Rafi of Kofar Marusa Lowcost, Katsina was arrested alongside Abbas Haruna, 34 of Filin Polo Quarters, Katsina and Usman Hassan, 50 of Ganuwa village, Charanchi Local Government Area of Katsina state.
The Command’s spokesman, SP Gambo Isah, said Mai-Rafi was working with the office of the Special Assistant to the governor on Security matters.
Isah told journalists at the police headquarters in Katsina that the trio allegedly attacked a herdsman, one Alhaji Gide Suleiman, of Malumafashi Local Government Area on August 11, 2021, at Dammarke forest, Ingawa Local Government Area and rustled 20 cows valued at N7.5m from him.
The suspects were also alleged to have stolen N40,000 and four mobile phones from the victim. Read more
NIPOST clamps down 4 illegal courier operators in Lagos, begins prosecution process (ThisDay)
The Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), through its Courier and Logistics Regulatory Department (CLRD), on Wednesday, clamped down on four courier operators in Lagos for allegedly defrauding the federal government and the general public.
CLRD said it was able to establish that the courier operators were operating without valid courier licence through surveillance.
The illegal operation, the CLRD added, amounts to defrauding the federal government of the one-off licence fee that they were supposed to pay into government account.
Also, NIPOST said it has put plans in place to prosecute the courier operators whom they accused of defrauding the general public by collecting jobs worth millions of Naira and ending up not delivering the items that have been paid for since they operate without regulation and licence.
The courier companies, According to NIPOST, include: FTD Logistics Ltd, located in Surulere; SWIFTEX Logistics Limited, located in Anifowose, Ikeja; Massive Solaric Limited, located in Ikeja and Zibia Speed Limited, located in Alausa, Ikeja. Read more
Peacemaker stabbed to death during scuffle in Lagos bar (Punch)
A peacemaker, Aminu Yusuf, has been killed during a fight between two customers in a bar around Volks, in the Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State.
PUNCH Metro gathered that one Jones Ogelejeme and a yet-to-be identified man were drinking at the bar when an argument ensued between the two men.
The argument reportedly degenerated into a fight, prompting 30-year-old Yusuf, who was also at the scene, to intervene.
Ogelejeme, 29, was said to have thought he wanted to join forces with his opponent, as he allegedly used a sharp object to stab Yusuf in the neck.
Some good Samaritans at the bar reportedly rushed him to a hospital, where he was confirmed dead. Read more
Our youths should become global ambassadors – Sanwo-Olu (Punch)
The Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said his administration is building youths in the state to become global ambassadors and leaders.
Sanwo-Olu said this on Thursday during a courtesy visit by the Lagos State and divisional youth ambassadors to the Lagos House, Marina.
The ambassadors are winners of the 2021 Annual IBILE Youth Academy leadership programme.
The governor said, “We are creating a platform for our youths not just to be divisional ambassadors or state ambassadors, but global ambassadors because the future is about the youth.” Read more
Ikoyi Rotary Club earmarks N14.1m for humanitarian services (Guardian)
New Rotary Club of Ikoyi has earmarked over N14.1 million for humanitarian works in the area of disease control, maternal and child health, education and literacy, water and sanitation, among others.
Unveiling his proposed service project in the tune of N14,128,500 for the 2021-2022 year during his investiture as the 37th president of the club and the inauguration of the board of directors, the new president of the club, Uche Obienu, said his term would be of service above selves.
“We have already donated a blood donor centre to the police hospital at Faloma and we will be carrying out all the Rotary services for the Rotary year.
“We have the resources, the manpower towards making sure things are done to the letter. We have zero polio in Nigeria today, all thanks to Rotary and we are moving fast to make sure that polio is eliminated from the remaining countries battling polio.” Read more
MTN, NFF strike strategic partnership (Nation)
MTN Nigeria (MTN) and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Thursday signed a three-year, renewable contract for MTN to become the exclusive “Official Communications Partner” of the NFF. The deal makes MTN the official communications sponsor of the Super Eagles and other national football teams.
The deal was announced at a formal signing attended by the Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Sunday Dare, NFF officials, led by the President Amaju Pinnick and MTN board members led by the Chairman, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe.
Speaking at the ceremony, the minister called on other corporates to emulate the communications giant by supporting the development of other sports in the country.
“All hands must be on deck to strengthen our competitive position not only in football, but in other sports,” Dare said.“ Through this partnership, MTN is building a sustainable legacy of support, partnership and exciting soccer experiences for Nigerians, and I seize this opportunity to call on other well-meaning Nigerian businesses to join us in achieving a paradigm shift in the development of all our sporting federations.” Read more
I can strike up a conversation with Buhari, says BBNaija housemate (DailyTrust)
Nini, one of the housemates in the ongoing edition of Big Brother Naija, says she can engage anyone, including President Muhammadu Buhari, in a conversation.
She said this while discussing with her fellow housemates on Thursday.
Nini said she has an irresistible aura that no one can ignore.
“I know I have all it takes to get anyone a job no matter what job it is. Like I can indulge anyone in any kind of conversation no matter who it is, even President Buhari is not an exception. This is one thing I know I’m very good at.
“I know that I have a very amazing personality and this makes people so attracted to me.” Read more
FG hands over 1,000 houses to Borno for IDPs (Guardian)
The federal government on Thursday handed over 1,000 housing units to Borno Government for distribution to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Ngwom village of Mafa Local Government Area of the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the houses constructed through the North East Development Commission (NEDC) were part of the 10,000 Housing Scheme initiated by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
Speaking at the ceremony, NEDC’s Manging Director, Alhaji Mohammed Alkali, said that President Buhari in 2019 approved mass housing project under the Special Presidential Intervention in Borno (SPIB).
SPIB is designed to provide decent accommodation to ameliorate the housing difficulties being experienced by displaced communities in Borno. Read more
Why the cast of “Money Heist” are named after cities (Sun)
Netflix crime show Money Heist returns for season five, which will also be its last on September 3, 2021.
The first half of the final season will drop on the streaming service at 8 am in the UK. But fans are still baffled as to why the characters are named after cities – so here’s what the showrunners had to say…
Why are the cast of Money Heist named after cities?
In an interview with Lifestyle Magazine, the showrunner Alex Pina revealed that they first decided that they needed to give every character a unique code name and that using cities was just one of several different ideas the writers considered.
Alex explained, “we had a number of ideas, with the names of planets amongst others. Then, one day, someone turned up with a t-shirt bearing the word Tokyo and that’s how it all began.”
Suddenly inspired, Alex ditched the plan to name the characters after planets and began assigning different cities to each of the crooks. Read more
Do controversial fat suits ever have a place in shows like ‘Impeachment’? (NYPost)
Is it worth the weight?
Sarah Paulson has said she regrets wearing a fat suit to portray the late Linda Tripp, the White House whistleblower in the upcoming FX series “Impeachment: American Crime Story.” In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Paulson, 46, said she wouldn’t “make the same choice going forward” and acknowledged that “fatphobia is real.”
But that hasn’t stopped critics from sounding off about the ways that fat suits — long used on film and television for demeaning visual gags — cause harm.
Abby Rose Morris, an actor in New York City who hosts the podcast “More Than Tracy Turnblad,” which focuses on fat representation in entertainment, agrees the Golden Globe winner shouldn’t have worn a fat suit, or even gained weight, to embody Tripp. Read more
Euromillions winner Margaret Loughrey who said £27m prize ‘destroyed her life’ dies (Mirror)
A Euromillions winner who scooped a massive £27 million jackpot eight years ago has died.
Police said they are not treating the death of Margaret Loughrey as “suspicious”, but a post mortem will be carried out to determine the cause.
The woman reportedly lived alone in the Ballycolman area of Strabane, Northern Ireland.
Emergency services were called to a home in the area at 10.30am this morning, Belfast Live reports.
A Police Service of Northern Ireland spokesperson added: “Police received a report of the sudden death of a woman at the Ballycolman Lane area of Strabane on Thursday 2nd September. Read more
Taliban close to forming government as women protest (Guardian)
The Taliban said Thursday they were close to forming a new government, as dozens of women held a rare protest for the right to work under a new regime that faces enormous economic hurdles and deep public mistrust.
The Islamist militants, who have pledged a softer brand of rule than during their brutal reign of 1996-2001, must now transform from insurgent group to governing power.
The announcement of a cabinet, which two Taliban sources told AFP may take place on Friday following afternoon prayers, would come just days after the chaotic pullout of US forces from Afghanistan, ending America’s longest war with an astounding military victory for the Islamist group.
In one of the most symbolic moments since the takeover of Kabul on August 15, the militants paraded Wednesday some of the military hardware they had captured during their offensive, even flying a Black Hawk helicopter over Kandahar, their movement’s spiritual heartland. Read more
“The Talk” adds Akbar Gbajabiamila as new male co-host (PageSix)
Oh man! Things are moving fast at “The Talk.”
Page Six reported weeks ago that the hit show was searching for a second male co-host to replace Carrie Ann Inaba, and former NFL player and host of “American Ninja Warrior,” Akbar Gbajabiamila, is just the man for the job.
“It is an absolute honour to be joining ‘The Talk’ as a host. I am so excited for this new generation of such a long-standing establishment,” he told The Hollywood Reporter.
“To be a part of this diverse group is truly a dream and a new statement for ‘The Talk.’ In a world as divided as ours, I look forward to showing up as my fun and authentic self every day and advocating for conversation over confrontation.” Read more
Afghan refugee, 5, dies after eating poisonous mushrooms in Poland (Euronews)
A five-year-old has died in Poland after eating poisonous mushrooms and his six-year-old brother remains in a life-threatening condition.
Doctors at Poland’s main children’s hospital confirmed on Thursday that the boy, who had recently been evacuated from Kabul, had died.
His six-year-old brother remains at the Centre for Children’s Health Institute in Warsaw and has undergone a liver transplant.
The two children and their older sister were hospitalised last week after consuming the mushrooms near where they were staying. Read more
Love and COVID-19: Tales of romance from the pandemic front (JPost)
Corona, dating, relationships and marriage don’t always go together. But for five couples, at least, corona has made all the difference in creating, cementing and preserving their relationships.
“Why the pandemic is causing spikes in breakups and divorces,” reads the ominous BBC headline. “Why COVID-19 will inevitably lead to breakups,” proclaims a gloomy Rolling Stone website headline. “How to break up during a pandemic,” instructs Cosmopolitan magazine.
While an Internet search combining the words “corona” and “breakup” yields more than nine million results (due to time constraints, I was unable to check them all), the restrictions caused by the pandemic – social distancing, lockdowns and significantly reduced air travel – have not generated a wholesale breakdown in relationships. In fact, in some cases, the pandemic itself and its restrictions have improved existing relationships and caused new ones to flower.
“Although we have been married for 32 years and business partners for 15,” says Esther Nathanson of Jerusalem, “my husband and I definitely found a new rhythm for our relationship during COVID.”
Esther, 59, and her husband, Mordechai, 60, operated a successful homecare franchise in North America and made aliyah from Toronto in 2017. Read more
WHO launches hub in Berlin to help prevent future pandemics (NYPost)
The World Health Organization on Wednesday inaugurated a new “hub” in Berlin that aims to help prepare the globe better to prevent future pandemics.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and German Chancellor Angela Merkel cut the ribbon to launch the new WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence. WHO says Germany is making an initial investment of $100 million in the facility.
The hub is meant to promote more effective data collection, information-sharing and analysis, leading to better and more coherent decision-making after the patchy global response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It will be headed by Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, currently the director-general of the Nigeria Center for Disease Control.
The COVID-19 pandemic “has taught the world many painful lessons,” Tedros said. “One of the most clear is the need for new, powerful systems and tools for global surveillance to collect, analyze and disseminate data on outbreaks with the potential to become epidemics and pandemics.” Read more
Eagles begin race to Qatar 2022 World Cup today against Lone Star (Guardian)
The Super Eagles of Nigeria will commence the process to earn a seventh FIFA World Cup finals appearance when they trade tackles with the Lone Star of Liberia at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos today, in one of the Day 1 games of the African qualifying campaign.
Since making their debut at the FIFA World Cup finals in 1994, the three-time African champions, Nigeria, have only missed participation in the finals once – the 2006 edition in Germany. They were denied of that berth courtesy of CAF’s head-to-head rule that favoured Agnola.
In 17 previous clashes with Liberia’s Lone Star, the Super Eagles have won 10 matches, drawing three and losing four. One of the four losses was in Monrovia in July 2000, when a team led by the man who is now that country’s President (George Ousmanou Oppong Weah) shot 2-0 ahead before Sunday Oliseh pulled one back for a 1-2 loss for Nigeria in a 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifying match.
That win catapulted the Lone Star to the top of the group, and the Eagles had to battle hard to snatch the ticket with wins in their last three matches, including away to Sudan and home to Liberia and Ghana. Read more
You’ve done us proud, Dare hails returning Paralympians (Punch)
Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, has hailed athletes who represented Nigeria at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics for doing the nation proud.
Dare said this when he and the Special Assistant on Sports to the President, Daniel Amokachi, received the first set of returning Paralympians at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on Thursday.
“You have done us proud. The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is happy with you. Nigerians are happy with you and all we can say now to all of you is ‘thank you’.
“It is not just about the colour of medals around your necks, whether you have a medal around your neck or not. You have demonstrated that you have great abilities in spite of your challenges. Read more
Lewis Hamilton far from happy about George Russell joining him at Mercedes (Metro)
George Russell is due to replace Valtteri Bottas at Mercedes and the change has ‘gone down like a lead balloon’ with Lewis Hamilton.
The reigning world champion has been in a partnership at Mercedes with Bottas over the last five seasons and Hamilton was keen to extend that as he sees the Finn as compliant and not a serious threat.
The arrival of Russell would put a whole new complexion on the partnership at Mercedes, with the 23-year-old likely to be keen to take on the legend of the sport and fellow Brit.
Mercedes’ team principal Toto Wolff knows that it is something of a gamble but intends to roll the dice on Russell and try to move Bottas on to Alfa Romeo, where there is a seat due to be free with Kimi Raikkonen retiring at the end of the season. Read more
Mets place Zack Scott on administrative leave after DWI arrest (NYPost)
The Mets placed acting general manager Zack Scott on administrative leave “until further notice,” the team announced Thursday, hours after Scott pleaded not guilty to driving while intoxicated.
Team president Sandy Alderson will assume Scott’s responsibilities, the Mets said in a statement.
Mets acting GM Mets General Manager Zack Scott leaves White Plains Court with his attorney after being arraigned following a DWI arrest.
Mets acting GM Mets General Manager Zack Scott pleaded not guilty to driving while intoxicated.
Matthew McDermott
Police found Scott sleeping in his car around 4 a.m. Tuesday morning in White Plains. He refused to give blood or submit to a breathalyzer before failing a field sobriety test. Read more
Werner scores as Flick wins first game as Germany manager (BBC)
Germany eventually wore down Liechtenstein resistance as they beat the minnows 2-0 in Hansi Flick’s first game in charge.
Chelsea’s Timo Werner slotted the ball between Benji Buchel’s legs from Jamal Musiala’s pass to give the Germans a 41st-minute lead.
Leroy Sane sealed the win with a fine solo goal in the second half.
Germany had a total of 29 shots in St Gallen, Switzerland, including Robin Gosens heading off the crossbar. Read more
Gareth Southgate and FA respond to racist chanting in England’s World Cup qualifying win over Hungary (Metro)
Gareth Southgate said he was unaware of the monkey chanting which took place during England’s 4-0 win over Hungary but backed Uefa to act accordingly, with a view to ‘eradicating racism’ from football and ‘life in general’.
Raheem Sterling, Harry Kane, Harry Maguire and Declan Rice all got on the scoresheet in a dominant second-half display at Budapest’s Puskas Arena to ensure the Three Lions maintained their 100 per cent record in World Cup qualifying.
But unsavoury behaviour within some sections of the crowd overshadowed the one-sided Group I encounter, with both Sterling and England’s youngest player, Jude Bellingham, subjected to racist abuse as an already hostile atmosphere intensified after the break. Read more
US Open 2021: Ashleigh Barty, Petra Kvitova & Iga Swiatek through to third round (BBC)
World number one Ashleigh Barty is through to the third round of the US Open following victory over Danish teenager Clara Tauson.
The Australian needed three match points before winning 6-1 7-5 on Arthur Ashe Stadium to pick up her 50th Grand Slam match victory.
The top seed raced through the first set but was unable to convert a match point at 5-3 in the second.
She was broken but responded to eventually serve out the match.
Barty will face American Shelby Rogers in the third round. Read more