Safety compliance: LASWA nabs 8 erring ferry operators (Vanguard)
The Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) said it arrested eight commercial ferry operators and seized their boat engines between Monday and Friday, Aug. 7.
The General Manager of LASWA, Mr Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, who disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos.
Emmanuel said that the authority would not condone recklessness and carelessness from any operator.
He reiterated LASWA’s renewed commitment to ensuring the safety of ferry passengers in the state, warning that all ferry operators must play by the rules and regulations. Read more
Lagos food production park takes off soon – Sanwo-Olu (Nation)
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s pilot agriculture scheme – Lagos Food Production Park – is to take off in Badagry very soon.
The governor is beaming a special focus on Badagry, one of the five traditional divisions of the State, whose mainstay is agriculture and fishing.
The Governor visited Badagry on Friday and took a tour of a 279-hectare Avia-Igborosun Organic Farm, which was acquired by the State Government in 2012 for commercial agricultural project.
Sanwo-Olu said the government was ready to revive the abandoned farmland for the take-off of the State’s Food Production Park project. Read more
Crisis looms in lkoga-Zebbe Badagry community over new monarch (Vanguard)
Crisis looms in lkoga-Zebbe, a community in Badagry Local Government Area, following the installation of Prince Fabiyi Jimoh Athanhode as Aholu of Ikoga-Zebbe while a case on the stool was still in court.
This was the sentiment expressed by some members of the ruling houses of the community, who addressed a press conference and described the said installation as being in contempt of court.
Recall that on July 29, the Badagry Local Government Chairman, Olusegun Aadeniran Onilude presented a letter of appointment to Prince Fabiyi Jimoh Athanhode as Aholu of Ikoga-Zebbe.
However, a Prince of Ikoga-Zegbeland, Comrade Seido Bokoh, said the installation and letter were done while a case on the right ruling house (among Toyi, Yanwhe and Athanhode) and candidate for the throne was in court. Read more
Lagos community laments bad road (Punch)
Some commuters and business owners along the Lawanson-Itire Road in the Surulere area of Lagos State have lamented the poor state of the road.
The commuters and business owners, who described the road as a death trap, said the state government had abandoned it.
Our correspondent observed during a visit to the area on Monday that the road was severely damaged and huge potholes dotted several portions, thus causing gridlock.
A business owner and resident of the area, who identified himself simply as Mr John, told PUNCH Metro that he stopped driving his vehicle, because the road had damaged it and made his business suffer. Read more
Northern governors sad over persistent attacks in Southern Kaduna (Tribune)
The Northern Governors Forum has expressed sadness over the cycle of violence and bloodletting in Southern Kaduna in which about 22 persons were reportedly killed on Wednesday night by yet to be arrested gunmen.
It would be recalled that 33 Atyap natives who were among hundreds of thousands of already starving indigenes were killed in five Atyap villages in Atyap Chiefdom, Zango Kataf Local Government Areas in Southern part of Kaduna State by Fulani militia.
The villages affected are Apiashyim, Kibori, Apiako, Atakmawei and Magamiya. Prior to now, they were all shut down with armed military men patrolling and enforcing the 24 hours curfew. But when the gunmen struck, the military was not on ground. Read more
Killings: Police arrest protesters in Southern Kaduna (Punch)
The Kaduna State Police Command on Saturday arrested some protesters, who took to the streets of the sate today over what they described as “genocide” in the southern part of the state and the government’s inability to arrest the situation.
The protesters were said to have paralysed activities at the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company, a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, located in the Chikun Local Government Area of the state.
The protesters comprising youths defied security operatives whose presence was said to have been intentional to intimidate them into aborting their demonstrations. Read more
Pandemonium as customs officer allegedly shoots NURTW executive in Iseyin (Independent)
The people of Iseyin were in panicky mood on Friday evening when an officer of the Nigerian Customs Service (NIS) was reported to have shot an executive member of the proscribed National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Lateef Aboki at Iseyin-Moniya park in Iseyin, Oyo State.
The said officer, name withheld, among three others in mufti and in a private Lexus Jeep, chased a public transport vehicle to the park on suspicion of the vehicle carrying a bag of rice.
The head of the park, Mr Lateef Shittu (Alias Akue), said he got a call that one of his executive members was shot by a Customs officer at the park and he immediately contacted the Divisional Police officer (DPO) Iseyin, who got to the spot immediately to take control of situation before it degenerated to chaos. Read more
Benue acquires 1,740 hectares of farmland, 60 tractors for massive food production (Vanguard)
Over 1,740 hectares of farmland have been selected by the Benue state government for clearing and preparation for massive food production by farmers in the state.
This was made known on Saturday in Makurdi by the Chief Press Secretary to the Benue State Governor, Mr. Terver Akase who explained that the land clearing would commence in elected nine development areas at the end of the current rainy season.
According to Akase, “Governor Samuel Ortom has declared that the government will not take over the cleared lands from the original owners. This initiative is in keeping with his promise to boost agriculture in the state.
Akase said the administration had also concluded arrangements to purchase 60 new tractors for sale to the farmers at 60 percent subsidy. Read more
WAEC: Kano Government sets up 12 examination centres for boarding students (Guardian)
Kano State Government says it has designated 12 centres for exit students of the 33 public boarding secondary schools, to write the West African Examination Council (WAEC) examination.
WAEC examination is scheduled to start on Aug. 17.
Alhaji Bello Shehu, Executive Secretary, Kano State Secondary Schools Management Board (KSSSMB), told newsmen in Kano that the measure was to protect students and stem further spread of COVID-19 pandemic. Read more
Mauritius declares emergency as stranded ship spills tons of fuel (EpochTimes)
The Indian Ocean island of Mauritius has declared a “state of environmental emergency” after a Japanese-owned ship that ran aground offshore days ago began spilling tons of fuel.
Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth announced the development late Friday as satellite images showed a dark slick spreading in the turquoise waters near environmental areas that the government called “very sensitive.”
Mauritius has said the ship was carrying nearly 4,000 tons of fuel and cracks have appeared in its hull.
Jugnauth said his government had appealed to France for help, saying the spill “represents a danger” for the country of some 1.3 million. Read more
NYC Councilman Paul Vallone credits Hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 recovery (NYPost)
A Democratic New York City Councilman says hydroxychloroquine saved his life after a near-fatal run-in with COVID-19 in March.
Paul Vallone, who represents northeast Queens, took the drug along with a standard flu Z-pack, and came back from the brink almost immediately.
“I couldn’t breathe, very weak, couldn’t get out of bed. My doctor prescribed it. My pharmacy had it. Took it that day and within two to three days I was able to breathe,” Vallone told The Post. “Within a week I was back on my feet.” Read more
Beirut explosion: Lebanon president claims ‘missile or bomb’ behind blast (news.com.au)
Lebanon’s President has claimed a “missile or bomb” could have been responsible for a blast that devastated Beirut, killing 154 people.
There has been growing criticism of the country’s leaders since the blast on Tuesday, with it now emerging a huge shipment of hazardous ammonium nitrate had languished for years in a warehouse in the heart of the capital.
President Michel Aoun admitted on Friday that the “paralysed” government system needed to be “reconsidered”. Read more
Canada brewery apologises for beer named ‘pubic hair’ in Maori (BBC)
A Canadian brewery has apologised for unwittingly naming one of its beers after a Maori word that is commonly used to mean pubic hair.
Hell’s Basement Brewery in Alberta said it released its Huruhuru pale ale two years ago, thinking it meant “feather”.
But Maori TV personality Te Hamua Nikora pointed out the common interpretation of the word in a Facebook video.
The brewery’s founder said the product would now be rebranded.
“We acknowledge that we did not consider the commonplace use of the term huruhuru as a reference to pubic hair, and that consultation with a Maori representative would have been a better reference than online dictionaries,” Mike Patriquin told Canadian network CBC. Read more
Venezuela sentences American coup plotters to 20 years in prison (NYPost)
A Venezuelan court has sentenced two former US special forces soldiers to 20 years in prison for their part in a botched coup, according to the country’s chief prosecutor.
Luke Denman and Airan Berry, both former Green Berets, confessed in court proceedings to taking part in the May 4 coup to overthrow Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro, said Prosecutor General Tarek Saab in a tweet on Friday.
“They admitted their responsibility,” Saab wrote. “They admitted to conspiracy, the illegal trafficking of weapons and terrorism.”
The plan to overthrow the Venezuelan government, known as “Operation Gideon,” was launched from neighboring Colombia and organized by Jordan Goudreau, another former Green Beret, who runs a private security company in Florida. In various social media postings on the day of the uprising, Goudreau claimed responsibility for the attack that left eight militants dead. More than 60 were arrested by authorities in Venezuela. Read more
Mark Zuckerberg sees wealth hit $100bn after launching Instagram Reels to rival TikTok (Sun)
Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg’s personal fortune has surged to $100 billion after his firm launched TikTok rival Instagram Reels.
Yesterday, stock in the world’s largest social network rose by more than six per cent following the rollout of the new platform the previous day.
Zuckerberg, who launched Facebook from his university dorm in 2004, holds a 13 per cent stake in the company.
His previous net worth before the launch of Instagram Reels – a short-form video platform – was reported to be around $92bn.
The 36-year-old’s $100bn wealth puts him in the exclusive ‘Centibillioniare Club’ along with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos ($185.8bn) and former Microsoft boss Bill Gates ($112.8bn).
And while many people have struggled during the coronavirus pandemic, tech moguls have actually grown richer. Read more
Chinese developers build motorway around woman’s tiny house (news.com.au)
A Chinese woman will now have the sound of thousands of cars passing her home after she refused to sell her place, leaving developers to build a motorway around her property.
Chinese authorities had made the decision to construct the bridge despite the homeowner’s refusal.
The woman’s house is situated in a pit in the middle of the four-lane traffic link, according to Guangdong TV station.
Footage released by local media shows the small home tightly sandwiched between two lanes of the newly opened Haizhuyong Bridge in Guangzhou. Read more
Aubameyang named Arsenal player of the season (Guardian)
Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been the best player of the 2019/2020 season by Arsenal Football Club.
The Premier League club on Saturday announced that Aubameyang had more votes than his teammates goalkeeper Bernd Leno and Bukayo Saka in the polls.
“We can now reveal our 2019/20 Player of the Season – as voted for by you, the fans,” a statement on Arsenal website said. Read more
Kipruto tests positive for coronavirus, misses Monaco Diamond League (BBC)
Olympic and world 3,000m steeplechase champion Conseslus Kipruto will miss the first Diamond League event of the season in Monaco after testing positive for coronavirus.
Kipruto, 25, had been one of 11 Kenyan athletes cleared to compete on 14 August after the French government waived their visa applications.
But he announced he had failed the Covid-19 protocol test on Saturday.
“I don’t have any symptoms and I was actually in great shape,” he said. Read more
Juventus sack Sarri, contact Pochettino about replacing him (Sun)
Maurizio Sarri has been sacked by Juventus with Mauricio Pochettino lined up as a potential replacement.
The Italian, 61, was given his marching orders the day after his side crashed out of the Champions League to Lyon.
Sarri won the Serie A title in his only season at the Italian giants but failure in Europe proved fatal.
Juve said: “Juventus Football Club announces that Maurizio Sarri has been relieved of his post as coach of the First Team. Read more
Guardiola’s faith in Jesus bodes well for Champions League climax (Vanguard)
The performance of Gabriel Jesus in Manchester City’s 2-1 Champions League victory over 13-times winners Real Madrid has given manager Pep Guardiola great heart as he seeks to end the club’s quest for the coveted crown.
The 23-year-old Brazilian made light of the absence of talismanic striker Sergio Aguero and followed up his impressive display in the last 16 first leg win by the same scoreline in Madrid with a match-winning contribution at the Etihad on Friday night.
Guardiola’s side face Lyon next Saturday in Lisbon in a one-off quarter-final after the French side eliminated Juventus. Read more
Bale ‘wasting time’ at Real Madrid – Calderon (BBC)
Gareth Bale is “wasting his time” at the Bernabeu and player and club must “finish this situation” this summer, says former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon.
Wales forward Bale, 31, was not part of the Real squad knocked out of the Champions League at Manchester City on Friday, with manager Zinedine Zidane saying he “preferred not to play”.
“It’s very sad. It’s a pity to see a player like him in the stands,” Calderon said of the latest low point in a difficult season for Bale.
“I think his skill and talent has not gone, he is still a good player who could be playing at a high level in any team in the world.
“Therefore I think they will have to find a solution to end this agony for the sake of both sides. Read more
Los Angeles Angels employee charged over Tyler Skaggs’ death(news.com.au)
An employee of American baseball franchise the Los Angeles Angels has been charged in connection to the death of former pitcher Tyler Skaggs.
The Angels’ former communications director Eric Prescott Kay faces 20 years in prison if found guilty of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, a powerful opiod.
Ex-Angels player Skaggs died aged 27 last year after overdosing on what medical examiners determined was a mixture of fentanyl, alcohol and oxycodone. He was found dead in a Texas hotel room after choking on the contents of his stomach. Read more