Send El-Zakzaky to us for treatment, Iran tells Nigeria (Punch)
The Prosecutor-General (Attorney-General) of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mohammed Montazeri, has asked the Federal Government of Nigeria and the judiciary to allow the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Shiekh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, to come to Iran for medical treatment. According to AhlulBayt News Agency, an Iran-based news organisation, Montazeri said this in a letter on Saturday. The Iranian official also called on the judiciary, which is the last hope of the common man, to grant bail to El-Zakzaky who is the leader of all Shi’ites in Nigeria. Read more
Ministerial nominee: I left PDP when the vehicle was rickety, says Ngige (Punch)
Former Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige, on Thursday, revealed that he left his former party, the Peoples Democratic Party when it wasn’t “doing well.” He said this during his screening as a ministerial nominee at the Senate. Ngige, who was welcomed to the Red Chamber by the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, for the second time saluted the Senators and then moved on to the left side of the aisle. Read more
Ministerial screening: Sylva, a loanee from PDP, says Abaribe (Punch)
The Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, on Thursday, described former Governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, as a “loanee” from the Peoples Democratic Party in the light of his ministerial nomination by President Muhammadu Buhari. Sylva had defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress in 2013, following a dispute which led to the formation of the new PDP. The former governor, during his ministerial screening at the Senate, listed his achievements after which the minority leader requested that the former governor take a bow and leave. Read more
Nigeria needs MAMSER now more than ever, says ministerial nominee, Dada (Punch)
Ministerial nominee, Ambassador Zubair Dada from Niger State, on Thursday, said that Nigeria was in need of the 1980’s Mass Mobilization for Self Reliance, Social Justice, and Economic Recovery, MAMSER, initiative more than ever. He said this while responding to a question posed by Senator Stella Oduah (Anambra North), who raised the subject of MAMSER and asked for his “policy thrust for our national social contract that everyone would buy into?” Read more
Kogi deputy governor to sue Bello for withholding salaries since 2017 (Guardian)
Kogi State deputy governor, Simon Achuba, has threatened to sue the governor Yahaya Bello for withholding all financial benefits due to his office from 2017 till 2019 if the allowances are not paid within seven days. “In particular, the statutory allocations approved for the office of the Deputy Governor have been withheld by the state government since 2017,” Achuba’s lawyer Femi Falana said in a letter addressed to the governor. The backlog of travel allowances, hotel bills, pledges and outstanding monthly imprest and salaries entitled to him amounts to N819,709,980, the letter shows. Read more
Save us from erosion, community begs Okowa (Punch)
The people of Alibuba in Agbor community, where flood killed two siblings recently have called on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, to save them, as a matter of urgency from the looming danger of flooding in the area. The community made the call during a peaceful protest to the Ika South Local Government Area Secretariat on Thursday. Although, the Chairman of the Council, Hon. Victor Okoh, was reportedly not in his office, a copy of the protest letter was left for him. Read more
ISWAP releases video of six kidnapped aid workers (Punch)
Charity group Action Against Hunger on Thursday demanded the release of six aid workers kidnapped in northeast Nigeria and held by jihadists aligned to the Islamic State group. The Paris-based charity said a staff member, two drivers and three health workers for one of its projects were in a hostage video released by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) group. The video showed the female staff member, dressed in a bright blue hijab, sitting on the floor and addressing the camera in English, her five male colleagues behind her. Read more
Students protest killings of Nigerians in South Africa (Punch)
Some students drawn from higher institutions under the auspices of National Association of Nigerian Students in Benue State stormed major roads in Makurdi to protest the inhuman treatment meted out to Nigerians in South Africa. The students also locked up offices of some companies linked to South Africa and operate businesses in Makurdi, Benue State. The students marched to MTN, DSTV offices and ShopRite all located in Makurdi and shut them down. Read more
Togo nationals storm Lagos to protest against Gnassigbe’s government (Punch)
Thousands of Togolese are presently protesting at Onikan, Lagos. The men and women, many of whom came from Togo for the protest, said they wanted an end to the government of Faure Gnassigbe, who is seeking a fourth term in government. They said they had been ruled by the Gnassigbe family for over 59 years. Read more
Scores feared drowned in shipwreck off Libya (BBC)
Up to 150 people may have drowned in a shipwreck off the coast of Libya, the UN refugee agency says. A further 150 people were rescued by fishermen and returned to Libya by coastguards, the UNHCR said. It is not clear if the migrants were on one or two boats that left the Libyan town of al Khoms, some 120km (74.5 miles) east of Tripoli. Read more
Sudan protest leaders, rebels end rift over power deal (Guardian)
Sudanese protest leaders and their rebel partners have ended their differences over a power-sharing deal signed with the country’s military rulers, vowing to work jointly for peace, a leading protest group said Thursday. On July 17, the umbrella protest movement signed a power-sharing accord with Sudan’s ruling generals that provides for a transitional civilian administration, the key demand of demonstrators. Read more
Boris Johnson promises start of ‘golden age’ (BBC)
Boris Johnson has promised the “beginning of a new golden age”, as he made his first Commons statement as PM. Speaking to MPs, Mr Johnson said his government would throw itself into Brexit negotiations with energy, while Michael Gove would lead on no-deal planning as a “top priority”. He also said EU citizens living in the UK would have their rights protected. But Downing Street was unable to confirm if there would be any new laws to underpin the commitment. Read more
Scottish leader warns new PM Boris Johnson on Brexit (Guardian)
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Thursday that Scotland needed an “alternative option” to the Brexit strategy of new British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, as she planned another independence push. Sturgeon, who leads the separatist Scottish National Party (SNP), wrote to Johnson to say the devolved Scottish Parliament would consider legislation in the coming months for another vote on seceding from the United Kingdom. Read more
US government orders first executions since 2003 (BBC)
The US federal government is to resume executing death-row inmates after a 16-year hiatus, the justice department has announced in a statement. Attorney General William Barr directed the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to schedule the executions of five inmates. Mr Barr said the five had been convicted of murders or rapes of children or the elderly. Read more
Kind police officer held hand of distressed boy with autism for entire train ride home (Metro)
A police officer who helped soothE a distressed four year-old with autism has been reunited with the little boy so his mother can say thank you. Officer Dominic Case, from Washington DC’s Metro Transit Police Department, met up with Taylor Pomilla Wednesday, a week after Officer Case made her day by helping son Andrew. Read more
Europe heatwave breaks more temperature records (BBC)
Much of Western Europe is facing record-breaking temperatures again, with the second heatwave in a month set to reach its peak on Thursday. Germany set a new temperature record, reaching 41.5C (106.7F) in the west. A red alert was issued in northern France – with Paris temperatures hitting a record-breaking 42.6C. The UK recorded a record temperature for July of 38.1C and trains were ordered to run more slowly to stop rail tracks buckling in the heat. Read more
Spain’s Pedro Sánchez loses vote to form government (BBC)
Spain’s caretaker PM Pedro Sánchez has failed to secure the parliamentary votes required to form a government after a coalition deal was rejected. The Socialist leader needed the backing of the left-wing Podemos party, but its ministers abstained in Thursday’s vote, describing the deal as “unacceptable”. Mr Sánchez’s PSOE party gained the most seats in April’s election, but fell short of a majority. Read more
Cameroon striker Njie signs for Dynamo Moscow (Punch)
Cameroon international Clinton Njie has completed his transfer from Marseille to Dynamo Moscow, the Russian Premier League side announced on Thursday. “Clinton Njie to Dynamo!!! Today, Cameroon forward signed a contract with our club for four years,” Dynamo Moscow wrote on their Twitter account, adding that he will wear the number nine shirt. The transfer fee has not been made public. Read more
Arsenal announce the signing of William Saliba from Saint-Etienne (Metro)
Arsenal have announced the signing of William Saliba on a long-term contract from Saint-Etienne with the defender set to return to the Ligue 1 club on loan next season. The 18-year-old had been linked with a move to Arsenal for a number of weeks and has reportedly chosen to join the club ahead of their north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur. Although Arsenal have not disclosed a transfer fee for Saliba, it is believed that they have paid around £27m including add-ons for the France U20 international. Read more
Three things Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will have learned from Man United’s win over Spurs (Metro)
Manchester United stepped up their Premier League preparations with a 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in a feisty encounter in Shanghai. Anthony Martial handed United the lead in the first half with a finish from close-range before Lucas Moura fortuitously equalised for Spurs with a deflected effort midway through the second. Read more
Mauricio Pochettino apologises to Man United for tough-tackling Spurs display in Shanghai (Metro)
Mauricio Pochettino admitted he was ‘annoyed’ by some of his players and issued an apology to Manchester United after their pre-season game against Spurs turned surprisingly feisty. United emerged 2-1 winners against their Premier League rivals in Shanghai with goals from Anthony Martial and Angel Gomes cancelling out Lucas Moura’s deflected strike. Read more
Kluivert joins Barcelona as head of youth academy (Punch)
Former Netherlands international Patrick Kluivert rejoined Barcelona on Thursday as director of their youth system. Kluivert, 43, signed a two-year contract, the club announced in a statement. Kluivert had been the assistant coach of Cameroon under fellow Dutchman Clarence Seedorf, but the pair were fired earlier this month after the defending champions were eliminated in the round of 16 at the African Cup of Nations in Egypt. Read more
Dani Ceballos explains why snubbed Tottenham to join Arsenal (Metro)
Dani Ceballos has revealed that Unai Emery was a key factor in his decision to snub Tottenham and join Arsenal on a season-long loan. Spurs were in pole position to land Ceballos earlier this summer, but Emery’s personal intervention convinced the Real Madrid midfielder to choose the red side of north London. The 22-year-old Spain international becomes Arsenal’s second signing of the window after Gabriel Martinelli, 18, completed a move from Ituano to the Emirates. Read more
Tottenham announce new £320m shirt deal with AIA (Punch)
Tottenham announced on Thursday they had signed a new shirt sponsorship deal with AIA worth a reported £320 million ($400 million) over eight years. The Premier League club’s deal with the life insurance company is understood to match the reported £40-million-a-year deal that Chelsea signed in 2015 with Yokohama tyres. Under the agreement, which replaces the previous deal with AIA, set to expire in 2022, the company’s name will appear on the front of players’ shirts until 2027. Read more
Hugo Santillan becomes second boxer in a week to die from fight injuries (Metro)
South American boxer Hugo Santillan has died from injuries sustained in a fight last weekend. Santillan, 23, was hospitalised after a ten-round split decision against Eduardo Abreu, and reportedly passed out before the verdict was read out. The WBC said: ‘[Hugo] passed away from injuries suffered during Saturday’s fight which ended in a draw. Read more
Rugby star secretly filmed sex then shared video with teammates on WhatsApp (Metro)
A Scottish rugby star’s career is in tatters after he secretly filmed a sex act with an woman before broadcasting the footage to his teammates. Patrick Dewhirst, 21, recorded himself penetrating the woman without her consent at a Edinburgh Holiday Inn on May 23 last year. The Scotland under 20s prospect showed the clip to a friend before sending the sexual images to a WhatsApp group containing 28 members of the Scotland rugby squad. Read more