Subsidy Removal: Labour accuses FG of jettisoning Presidential C’ttee on palliative (Vanguard)
The Organised Labour yesterday accused the Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government of jettisoning the Presidential Steering Committee it set up to work out the palliatives among others, to cushion the effects of the subsidy removal that has worsened the socio-economic well-being of Nigerians, especially workers.
Speaking through the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, Organised Labour, however, called on the government to declare a state of emergency on insecurity as well as address the transportation difficulties facing workers and other Nigerians in the midst of the rising high cost of essentials services following the removal of subsidy on petrol.
President of ASCSN and a member of the sub-committee of the Presidential Steering Committee on Cost of Governance, Dr Tommy Okon, who spoke during interaction with journalists in Lagos, expressed disappointment at the manner President Bola Tinubu-led administration was handling the planned palliatives to cushion the effects of petrol subsidy removal, on Nigerians. Read more
Davido shares N237m to 424 orphanages (Nation)
Music star Davido has disbursed N237 million to 424 orphanages in the country.
The 29-year-old musician revealed this in a statement when he shared details of the disbursement of the funds to 424 orphanages in various states.
In November 2021, what had started as a joke, after the singer challenged his colleagues to contribute N1 million each for him, suddenly turned out to be one of the biggest fundraisers in recent times as Davido accumulated N200 million within 78 hours. Read more
Disregard viral post on Oro ritual, Lagos govt tells residents (Punch)
The Lagos State Government has told Lagosians to disregard a viral publication claiming that some communities in the state would hold “oro traditional rites” on Thursday and Friday nights.
A publication has been in circulation on social media platforms claiming that some communities in Lagos will hold the Oro traditional rites on Thursday and Friday, between 12 am and 5:30 am each night.
The communities and towns mentioned in the viral publication include Ikate and its environs, Ijora-Badiya and its environs, Amuwo Odofin and its environs, Ojota and its environs, Ikorodu and its environs, and Somolu-Bariga and its environs. Read more
INEC recognises YP as 19th political party (Sun)
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday finally obeyed the Supreme Court directing it to recognise deregistered Youth Party (YP) as the 19th political party.
In a statement by National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, the commission hinged the recognition on a result of rigorous judiciary processes.
The commission further noted that it has recognised YP as the 19th political party in Nigeria with all the rights and privileges accorded political parties in Nigeria. Read more
Lagos embarks on statewide sensitisation against building collapse (Vanguard)
The Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), on Thursday, embarked on a state-wide campaign to educate residents on building regulations and control across all local councils to tame building collapse.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the theme of the exercise was “Compliance to Building Regulations – An Antidote to Building Collapse”.
A NAN correspondent who monitored the procession of cluster 11 compromising Mainland, Yaba, Bariga and Somolu Districts, reports that the team moved through inner streets, major roads and markets. Read more
Police promote officer assaulted by Seun Kuti (DailyTrust)
Mohammed Aminu, the police officer Afrobeat musician, Seun Kuti, assaulted, has been promoted to the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP).
Recall that Kuti, in May, assaulted Aminu, during an encounter on the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos state.
As seen in a viral video, the assaulted officer kept his cool, without retaliation, despite provocation from the entertainment star. Read more
Tinubu okays Infrastructure Support Fund for 36 states (Channels)
President Bola Tinubu has approved the establishment of the Infrastructure Support Fund (ISF) for the 36 states of the Federation as part of measures to cushion the effects of the petrol subsidy removal on Nigerians.
This was disclosed in a statement on Thursday by the presidential spokesman, Dele Alake, saying the approval followed the monthly meeting of the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) in Abuja.
The new Infrastructure Fund will enable the states to intervene and invest in the critical areas of transportation, including farm-to-market road improvements; agriculture, encompassing livestock and ranching solutions; health, with a focus on basic healthcare; education, especially basic education; power and water resources, that will improve economic competitiveness, create jobs and deliver economic prosperity for Nigerians. Read more
Outbreak of strange disease claims lives of 10 children in Kafanchan (Guardian)
There was an outbreak of a strange disease in Kafanchan, in Jama’a local government area of Kaduna State, which has already claimed the lives of 10 children, while others are presently in hospital.
The disease, which has affected the respiratory system of the children between the ages 3 to 13 have now been under investigation by medical experts.
The chief medical director of Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa Memorial hospital, Dr. Isaac Nathaniel confirmed the outbreak of the strange disease in kafanchan. Read more
Jim Caviezel’s faith-based thriller Sound of Freedom crosses $100m at box office (Variety)
Sound of Freedom, this summer’s unlikely box office hit, has crossed the $100 million mark in North America after three weeks of release.
It’s an impressive milestone for the low-budget, faith-based movie, especially in the height of summer blockbuster season. It also marks the first indie release in post-pandemic times to surpass $100 million at the domestic box office. Last year’s Oscar-winning arthouse smash Everything Everywhere All at Once topped $100 million globally, but that included $63 million at the international box office. Sound of Freedom isn’t playing overseas.
Sound of Freedom stands as the 16th-highest grossing North American release of the year. At this rate, the movie looks to keep climbing that list and soon supplant the No. 14 and 15 spots, which currently belong to Scream VI with $108 million and The Flash with $107 million. Read more
Margot Robbie reveals she once faked her own death in a shocking confession (Hello!)
Margot Robbie recently shared a hilariously shocking tale from her childhood during a BBC Radio 2 interview conducted prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike.
The 33-year-old Australian actress recounted an ingenious and rather devious prank where she faked her own death to unsettle a babysitter she wasn’t particularly fond of.
The Barbie star reminisced about her younger days when she wanted to get her old babysitter, the cool sixteen-year-old Talia, back. However, they had an older, crankier babysitter who Margot wasn’t fond of. Read more
Travis Tritt announces debut gospel album ‘‘Country Chapel’’ (AS)
Over his more than three-decade career, country singer Travis Tritt has accumulated five No. 1 hits, four CMA Awards, and two Grammy Awards for his work with Marty Stuart on “The Whiskey Ain’t Workin’” and “Same Old Train.” Now, he’s venturing into gospel music with the announcement of his debut gospel album, Country Chapel.
Given his 30-plus years in the spotlight of country music, Tritt is seemingly trying to get back to his Southern roots with his new album Country Chapel, which is set to release on September 15. Country Chapel is Tritt’s debut gospel album and his latest album since Set In Stone back in 2021. The project was produced by Dave Cobb. Read more
Taylor Swift fans have their own concert on plane after flight gets delayed (People)
Who says a Taylor Swift concert has to be over after you leave?
On a delayed flight from Denver to Salt Lake City on Saturday, a group of Swift fans came together to put on a mini concert while waiting on the tarmac. According to the Associated Press, one of the flight attendants reportedly saw a little girl on the plane had just left Swift’s concert and seemed upset, so they decided to keep the concert going. A video of the scene went viral on TikTok, racking up over 1.9 million views.
“We noticed a young girl who looked quite upset, and found out she’d just come from the Taylor Swift concert,” the flight attendant reportedly told the AP. “So, we asked her what the opening song was and decided to play some of Swift’s hits.” Read more
German police hunt for lioness on the loose in Berlin’s suburbs (AlJazeera)
German police have urged residents of Berlin’s southern suburbs to stay indoors, as they scoured the area for a wild animal on the loose, apparently a lioness.
Police first issued the alarm in the early morning hours on Thursday, after two people saw what appeared to be a lioness chasing a wild boar down a street less than 5km (3.1 miles) from the German capital.
“Around midnight, we received a message that was hard to imagine. Two passersby who saw one animal chasing another,” Daniel Keip, Brandenburg police spokesperson, told RBB radio. Read more
Sailor forced to abandon dog that ‘saved him’ while stranded at sea for months (Metro)
Little Bella followed Tim Shaddock everywhere he went.
When he tried to find a home for her in Mexico, time after time she refused to leave his side.
She chose Tim to be her owner – and the sailor obliged.
‘Bella sort of found me in the middle of Mexico,’ he said. ‘She wouldn’t let me go. I tried to find a home for her three times and she just kept following me on to the water.’ Read more
Ex-Venezuela spy chief pleads not guilty to US drug charges (BBC)
Venezuela’s former spy chief has pleaded not guilty in a New York court to US charges of drug trafficking.
Hugo Carvajal, 63, was extradited from Spain on Wednesday after an over-ten year effort by prosecutors to bring him to the US to face the charges.
Mr Carvajal, who was a confidante to late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, has denied that he was ever involved in the illicit drug trade. Read more
Nigeria remain world 39th in latest FIFA ranking (DailyTrust)
Nigeria’s Super Eagles have remained unmoved in the July edition of the FIFA Coca-Cola Men’s Ranking to remain as the world’s 39th team.
In the ranking table published on the website of the world football governing body on Thursday, Nigeria still maintained the 1486.48 points it had in June.
The stagnancy on a spot was also seen at the continental level as the Nigerian side still maintained the sixth spot behind Morroco, Senegal, Tunisia, Algeria, and Egypt respectively. Read more
Nigeria’s 4x100m men’s squad in last chance salon in Cotonou today (Guardian)
The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) is optimistic that the country will pick the men’s 4x100m relay ticket in Cotonou, Benin Republic today, as the deadline for qualifications to Budapest 2023 World Championships draws closer.
Team Nigeria has secured three out of the five relay tickets, the women’s 4x100m, 4x400m and the mixed relay. The men’s 4x100m team has already missed the chance of grabbing the ticket in two previous attempts in Lome, Togo and Yaba College of Technology, Lagos. Their men’s 4x400m counterparts may have crashed out of the race to Budapest.
At the African Region 2 relay event in Lome, Togo, the men’s 4x100m team ran 38.72 seconds to move a step closer to the qualification spot. They improved to 38.56 seconds during the semifinal at the Deji Tinubu/Lagos Series, last Friday, at Yaba College of Technology, only to flop in the final of the event, running 38.78 seconds following what an official of the AFN described as technical blunder on the part of the organisers, who shifted the final to six hours after the semifinal. It affected the athletes’ performance and Nigeria missed the opportunity of moving to the 15th spot. Read more
New Zealand 1-0 Norway: Football Ferns claim historic 1st Women’s World Cup win (BBC)
Co-hosts New Zealand opened the 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup in stunning style against Norway as they won on the global stage for the first time.
On a memorable night in Auckland, the Football Ferns produced a huge upset after Hannah Wilkinson swept home Jacqui Hand’s cross in front of an ecstatic crowd of 42,137 at Eden Park – a record for a football match in New Zealand.
Even Ria Percival’s 89th-minute missed penalty, after a handball by Tuva Hansen, failed to dampen the celebrations. Read more
Andre Onana: Manchester United seal £47.2m deal for Inter Milan goalkeeper (Sky)
Manchester United have completed the £47.2m signing of goalkeeper Andre Onana from Inter Milan.
Onana has signed a five-year deal at Old Trafford with the option of a further year, as he replaces the departed David De Gea, who left the club after 12 years as the club’s first-choice stopper.
The transfer fee for the 27-year-old Cameroon international is an initial €51m (£43.8m), plus €4m (£3.4m) in potential add-ons, depending on individual and club performance. Read more
Tommy Fleetwood in share of lead at Open Championship, Rory McIlroy five off the pace (Eurosport)
Tommy Fleetwood secured a share of the lead after the opening round of the Open Championship, while Rory McIlroy finds himself five adrift after a mixed day.
Fleetwood, who was born around 30 miles from Hoylake and played the course on many occasions growing up, produced a masterclass in plotting his way round the 18 holes of Royal Liverpool Golf Club.
There was only one blemish, when he missed the green on the sixth and failed to get up and down, but six birdies made up for the error as he signed for a 66. Read more
Griffin Colapinto is 1st surfer to qualify for 2024 US Olympic team (NBC)
Griffin Colapinto is the first surfer, and second athlete overall, to qualify for the 2024 U.S. Olympic team.
Colapinto, a 24-year-old from California, mathematically clinched an Olympic spot because he is guaranteed to finish as one of the top two Americans in this season’s World Surf League standings.
He entered the current competition — the Corona Open in Jeffreys Bay, South Africa — ranked second in the world behind Brazilian Filipe Toledo. Read more