Tribunal orders INEC to produce election documents requested by Atiku, PDP (Guardian)
Presidential election tribunal Wednesday ordered the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Mahmoud Yakubu to produce documents on election results requested by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Atiku Abubakar. Justice Mohammed Garba, who led the five-man panel of justices, said the documents must be produced before 12 noon on Thursday. The panel also ordered the Zamfara resident electoral commissioner (REC) to produce results sheets of all the polling units in the state for the PDP. Read more
Atiku’s witness weeps at tribunal, says APC ‘thugs’ shot two during election (Punch)
Petitioners’ Witness 57, Mohammed Yahaya, called by the Peoples Democratic Party and its 2019 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, broke down in tears at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal on Wednesday. Mohammed, who served as the PDP agent for Aboto Ward in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State during the election, shed tears under cross-examination by President Muhammadu Buhari’s lawyer, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), saying lives of people were being toyed with over politics. Earlier, he had claimed that two persons were shot by All Progressives Congress’ thugs who invaded a polling unit in his ward on the day of the election. Read more
Court to hear El-Zakzaky’s application to travel abroad on Thursday (Nation)
A Kaduna State High Court will on Thursday hear the application of the leader of Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Ibrahim El-Zazaky and wife, Zinat, seeking to travel to India for medical attention. The IMN leader is standing trial over allegations of culpable homicide, unlawful assembly and disruption of public peace among other charges. The State Director of Public Prosecution, Mr Dari Bayero told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Kaduna that the case would resume on Thursday. Read more
Gbajabiamila appoints APGA BOT member as aide, APC groups kick (Punch)
South-East groups of the All Progressives Congress have condemned the appointment of a chieftain of the All Progressive Grand Alliance in Anambra State, Anayo Nnebe, as an aide to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila. In separate statements by the Conference of APC State Publicity Secretaries and South-East APC Young Progressives Forum in Awka, Anambra State on Wednesday, the groups described the appointment as “an affront” to his party’s loyalists in the area. Read more
TUC to Buhari: Include more women in your cabinet (Nation)
The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) wants President Muhammadu Buhari to consider the implementation of the 35 percent affirmative action of women representation in his appointment of Ministers, Chief Executive Officers (CEO’s) of MDAs, and other Principal Officers in the formation of his Cabinet. Chairperson of the Women Commission of the Congress, Comrade Hafsatu Shaibu who made the call in a letter to the President decried the under representation of women in political positions in the country saying it negates democratic practices. Read more
El-Rufai seeks Assembly’s approval of N81.68 bn supplementary budget (Nation)
The Kaduna State House of Assembly has begun deliberations on the N81.68 billion supplementary budget forwarded to it by Gov. Nasiru El-Rufai. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that lawmakers suspended rule 3 (1) and 7 of their Standing Order to allow the supplementary budget go through first and second reading on Wednesday. The Speaker, Alhaji Aminu Shagali, while reading the message from the executive, said the supplementary budget was necessitated by the fresh injection of funds received by the state Planning and Budget Commission. Read more
Anambra to sack unqualified teachers by December (Nation)
The Anambra State government, has declared that teachers without requisite qualifications will be disengaged by December 31, 2019. Commissioner for Basic Education, Prof. Kate Omenugha, gave the directive in a statement by the Public Relation Officer of the Ministry, Mr Nnaemeka Egwuonwu. Omenugha said the deadline was in line with the earlier directive of the Minister of Education to disengage teachers without the requisite teaching qualification come December this year. Read more
UKAID supports 98,000 northern women to fight malnutrition (Nation)
The United Kingdom Department for International Development in partnership with the Child Development Grant Programme (CDGP) has supported about 98,000 pregnant and lactating women in Jigawa and Zamfara states with N4, 000 monthly cash grants in the last six years to fight malnutrition. Country Manager of Oxford Policy Management, Femi Adegoke, said the Child Development Grant Programme (CDGP) provided a monthly unconditional cash transfers to pregnant and lactating women from pregnancy until the child is two years of age. Read more
Migrant found dead as nearly 300 rescued in Mediterranean (Guardian)
Nearly 300 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa were rescued at sea overnight between Spain and Morocco, while a woman was found dead on one of the four boats, Spain’s maritime rescue service said Wednesday. The service saved 220 people, including 57 women and four minors, in the Alboran Sea, the stretch of the western Mediterranean between the two countries, a spokeswoman told AFP. The woman’s body was found aboard one of the boats, she added. The cause of her death is unknown, she said. Read more
Turkish diplomat shot dead in Iraqi Kurdistan (BBC)
A Turkish diplomat was among two people killed in an attack in the Iraqi Kurdish city of Irbil. The victims are thought to be Turkey’s vice-consul in the city, along with a civilian. Turkey has already vowed to retaliate. The diplomat was among a group of people dining at a restaurant when gunmen opened fire. Read more
US slaps sanctions on Al-Qaeda affiliate in Mali (Guardian)
The US Treasury on Tuesday imposed sanctions on an Al-Qaeda-linked Islamist group in Mali that carried out deadly attacks on the west African country’s armed forces. The measures target Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) — designated a terrorist organization by Washington last September — and its commander Bah Ag Moussa, an army deserter who led a raid on a Malian military base that killed 21 former comrades. Read more
Turkey journalists and activist acquitted of terrorism charges (BBC)
A Turkish court has acquitted two journalists and a human rights activist of terrorism charges. The three defendants had been accused of spreading terrorist propaganda for their work with a Kurdish newspaper, which has since been closed down. But the three maintained they were defending free speech amid a clampdown by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Read more
Cambodia to return 1,600 tonnes of waste to US, Canada (Guardian)
Cambodia will send back 1,600 tonnes of plastic waste found in shipping containers to the US and Canada, an official said Wednesday, as Southeast Asian countries revolt against an onslaught of rubbish shipments. China’s decision to ban foreign plastic waste imports last year threw global recycling into chaos, leaving developed nations struggling to find countries to send their trash. Read more
Drug kingpin El Chapo sentenced to life in prison (Punch)
Once one of the world’s most powerful and notorious criminals, Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman was jailed for life Wednesday — the mandatory sentence for a host of crimes spanning a quarter-century. Guzman, the 62-year-old former co-leader of Mexico’s mighty Sinaloa drug cartel, was convicted in February in US federal court on a variety of charges, including trafficking hundreds of tons of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines and marijuana to the United States. Read more
Elon Musk reveals brain-hacking plans (BBC)
NeuraLink, a company set up by Elon Musk to explore ways to connect the human brain to a computer interface, has applied to US regulators to start trialling its device on humans. The system has been tested on a monkey that was able to control a computer with its brain, according to Mr Musk. The firm said it wanted to focus on patients with severe neurological conditions. Read more
Italy hunts bear after ‘genius’ escape over electric fences (BBC)
A fugitive bear likened to a superhero for its daring escape over an electric pen in northern Italy is being hunted by forest rangers. The brown bear, named M49, was snared in the Trentino region on Sunday. Italian authorities had ordered the wild bear’s capture after deeming it a danger to humans and farm animals. But the animal fled just hours after it was caught, reportedly scaling three electric fences and a 13ft (4m) high barrier. Read more
Janet Jackson, 50 Cent line up for Saudi Arabia concert after Minaj cancels (Punch)
Pop icon Janet Jackson and rapper 50 Cent are among musicians set to perform in Saudi Arabia, organisers said Wednesday after rapper Nicki Minaj pulled out in a show of support for women’s rights. “WOW WOW WOW @50Cent is going to perform live at Jeddah World Fest!” organisers of the Jeddah Season cultural festival said on Twitter. Read more
Africa Cup of Nations 2019: LeRoy criticises new timing of tournament (BBC)
Frenchman Claude LeRoy has criticised the new timing of the Africa Cup of Nations, saying that top players arrive exhausted after a long European season. The finals are being played in June-July for the first time in their history in Egypt, having been played in January-February in recent times. “The top players are burnt,” the 71-year-old, who has coached at a record nine Nations Cups, told BBC Sport Africa. Read more
Pogba shines as Man United thrash Leeds (Punch)
Paul Pogba shined as an under-pressure Manchester United stepped up their pre-season campaign with a 4-0 thrashing of old rivals Leeds on Wednesday. United had faced criticism after an unconvincing 2-0 victory over a depleted Perth Glory on the weekend. In a much-needed tonic, the Red Devils clinically dismantled Leeds, who have high hopes of returning to the English Premier League for the first time since 2004. Read more
Mason Greenwood has a ‘good possibility’ of starting against Chelsea, admits Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (Metro)
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admits Mason Greenwood has put himself in the frame to start against Chelsea in Manchester United’s Premier League opener next month. The 18-year-old made his full Premier League debut in a 2-0 defeat to Cardiff City on the final day of last season but he was United’s most impressive player and hit the post during the loss to the Bluebirds. Read more
Sterling hits brace as Man City hammer West Ham in China (Punch)
Record Manchester City signing Rodri made his debut and Raheem Sterling scored twice as the Premier League champions came from behind to beat West Ham United 4-1 on Wednesday in China. West Ham took the lead with a Mark Noble penalty before City levelled through David Silva, then Lukas Nmecha scored from the spot to give Pep Guardiola’s side the half-time lead. Read more
Sebastien Haller: West Ham sign Eintracht Frankfurt striker for club record £45m (BBC)
West Ham have signed striker Sebastien Haller from Eintracht Frankfurt in a club record deal worth up to £45m. The 25-year-old former France under-21 international has signed a five-year deal with the option of a further 12 months. Haller, who is West Ham’s fourth summer signing, scored 20 goals in 41 games for the German side last season. Read more
Juventus fans chant Mino Raiola’s name as Matthijs de Ligt completes transfer move (Metro)
Juventus supporters gave Matthijs de Ligt’s agent Mino Raiola a rock star reception as he accompanied the defender for his medical on Wednesday. De Ligt arrived at Turin airport in a private jet on Tuesday night, with Juventus and Ajax agreeing a £67.5m deal for the 19-year-old centre-back following several weeks of intense speculation. Read more
Steve Bruce: Newcastle United appoint ex-Sheffield Wednesday manager (BBC)
Newcastle United have appointed Steve Bruce as their head coach on a three-year contract. Former Sunderland manager Bruce, 58, resigned as Sheffield Wednesday boss on Monday following talks with the Magpies at the weekend. Newcastle have been without a manager since Rafael Benitez left when his contract expired in June, saying the club “did not share his vision”. Read more
PSG owner sues over illegal transfer payment claim (Guardian)
Paris Saint-Germain owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi is suing three media outlets over an article suggesting he requested an illegal payment be made to an agent involved in Javier Pastore’s transfer from Palermo in 2011. Al-Khelaifi’s lawyers issued a statement Tuesday announcing the action against French online site Mediapart, British newspaper The Guardian and German daily Der Spiegel. The outlets are accused of not allowing Al-Khelaifi a chance to reply fully to their questions by refusing to give him a copy of a letter at the source of the article. Read more
England hero Jason Roy set for Ashes chance after World Cup heroics (Metro)
Jason Roy looks certain to be part of England’s Ashes campaign after he received his maiden Test call-up. After Sunday’s historic success at Lord’s attention will quickly switch to red ball cricket with Joe Root’s side taking on Ireland at Lord’s next week. Read more