Author: Editor

SCORES of people were trapped in an abandoned building which collapsed at Sabo area of Osogbo, Osun state capital, on Sunday. The structure, an unfinished and neglected storey building, had been used by various criminal elements as a hideout before its collapse. A local resident simply identified as Tunde described the building as a notorious spot for cultists and other miscreants,. He said it had been raided several times by security forces prior to the incident. “As I speak, security operatives and rescue teams are on the scene. They have brought a crane to assist in the rescue efforts and…

ENUGU State Governor, Peter Mbah has pledged to provide N50 million and other non-cash rewards to the Rangers International Club of Enugu for winning the 2023/2024 Nigeria Premier Football League trophy. Mbah pledged while hosting the club at the Government House, Enugu on Saturday. Rangers won their last league match for the season in Jos where they beat Gombe United 2-1 on Sunday, as the club celebrated the title win in a grand style at the Okpara Square in Enugu amid thousands of ecstatic fans, Mbah said he was doing so as a proud father whose children returned from school…

CARLOS Alcaraz overpowered seven-time champion Novak Djokovic in straight sets to retain his Wimbledon title on Sunday in a brutal statement that the new era of men’s tennis has arrived. The Spanish third seed produced a performance combining awesome power with delicate touch to win 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (7/4), collecting the fourth Grand Slam of his young career. Alcaraz equals the Open Era record for most Grand Slams won at the age 21 or under, joining Boris Becker, Bjorn Borg and Mats Wilander. And he is just the sixth man to win the French Open and Wimbledon back to back.…

ISRAELI missiles slam into a UN school sheltering hundreds of displaced Gaza people with at least 17 killed and 80 wounded, the media office says, the latest attack inflicting mass civilian casualties in 24 hours. The strike on the UN-run Abu Araban site in central Gaza’s Nuseirat camp was the fifth on a school-turned-shelter in eight days. The Abu Araban school was housing “thousands of displaced people,” civil defence agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP, adding that most of the dead were women and children. Schools in Nuseirat were the target for two of the earlier school strikes as Israel…

DONALD Trump narrowly escaped an assassination attempt at a political rally Saturday, leaving the FBI hunting for information about how a gunman could attack a former US president. Here is a blow-by-blow account of the shooting in Pennsylvania, where one Trump supporter was killed. How it unfolded Dressed in a white shirt, dark blazer and bright red MAGA cap, Trump was railing against illegal immigration when shots rang out at 6:08 pm (2208 GMT). “Take a look at what happened…” he said, his words cut off by four shots in quick succession. Trump grabbed his right ear as repeated shouts…

POLICE in Kenya have promised a “transparent” investigation into the discovery of eight mutilated female bodies that were found dumped in an abandoned quarry in Mukuru, a collection of slums south of the capital Nairobi. “The entire national police service and I understand the deep concern and distress the tragedy brings to the families, residents of Kware and fellow Kenyans,” acting Police Chief Douglas Kanja said in an address to journalists on Sunday. “We are committed to conducting transparent, thorough and swift investigations,” Kanja said, adding that transparency would extend to a post-mortem operation, and the media would be involved…

NIGERIEN authorities enforced a curfew Friday as they searched for inmates who escaped from one of the country’s most fortified prisons in the Tillaberi region after it was breached under unclear circumstances. Niger’s Ministry of Interior alerted government agencies to the escape of the inmates from Koutoukale prison on Thursday night. It urged them to redouble vigilance, engage traditional and religious leaders, and look out for suspicious movements within the populations. The interior ministry did not say how many inmates escaped nor how they fled. Considered one of the safest in the country, the prison, located 50 kilometers (31 miles)…

SUBSTITUTE Mikel Oyarzabal scored a dramatic late winner as Spain triumphed in Sunday’s Euro 2024 final, beating England 2-1 to confirm their re-emergence as a force on the international stage and end their opponents’ dreams of winning a first title in almost six decades. Spain lost influential midfielder Rodri to injury at half-time, but shrugged that off to take the lead within two minutes of the restart through Nico Williams, who was set up by his fellow star winger, Lamine Yamal. England came from behind as they have done so often at this Euros, as substitute Cole Palmer drove in…

WORLD leaders reacted with shock to the wounding of Donald Trump in an assassination attempt against the former US president at an election rally. Presidents and prime ministers globally spoke out against political violence and expressed their support for those affected by the shooting on Saturday, which killed one bystander and left two other spectators critically wounded. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she was “deeply shocked” by the attack. “Political violence has no place in a democracy,” she said. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called the shooting “despicable” and said “such acts of violence threaten democracy.” In neighboring…

FORMER President Donald Trump was rushed off stage with blood dripping on his face after gunshots rang out at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday, and authorities confirmed he was the target of a would-be assassin. Both the gunmen and an innocent bystander at the rally are dead, and two others are in serious condition. “This evening we had what we are calling an assassination attempt against our former president, Donald Trump,” Kevin Rojek, FBI special agent in charge, said at late-night press conference in Butler, Pa. The FBI has not released the name of the suspect or the…

SPAIN have dazzled on their thrilling run to the Euro 2024 final but just one of their 13 goals in Germany has come from striker and captain Alvaro Morata, who remains a lightning rod for criticism. By contrast, England struggled on the road to Berlin despite largely facing weaker opposition, yet still believe they can upset the odds on Sunday, especially if Morata’s drought continues. The Atletico Madrid forward’s profligate finishing has come under scrutiny in his homeland after netting just four times in 30 games for club and country, with his attitude also harshly judged. While explosive wingers Lamine…

AT least 90 Palestinians have been reported killed in an Israeli strike on a displacement camp in southern Gaza which Israel said targeted Hamas’ military chief, who was an alleged mastermind of the October 7 attacks. Footage from Al-Mawasi, which has been designated as a safe zone for Palestinians fleeing the fighting elsewhere, shows bodies in the street and destroyed tents. “I cannot describe to you the magnitude of the tragedy,” one resident told CNN. Mohammed Deif – the leader of Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ military wing – was the figure targeted, alongside the head of the Khan Younis brigade, Rafe…

A FORMER Maldives climate change minister detained last month on allegations she performed “black magic” on the country’s president was released Saturday, police said. Fathimath Shamnaz Ali Saleem was arrested along with her sister and another person last month in the capital Male and stood down from her post shortly afterwards. Local media reported she was accused of performing “black magic” on President Mohamed Muizzu to win favour from his new administration. Police had asked for an extension of her detention twice, but on Saturday they had no reason to hold her any longer — although the case was still…

KENYAN police said Saturday that they had found more bags filled with dismembered female body parts in a grisly discovery at a rubbish dump that has horrified and angered the country. Detectives have been scouring the site in the Nairobi slum of Mukuru since the mutilated corpses of at least six women were found on Friday in sacks floating in a sea of garbage. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said Saturday that another five bags had been retrieved from the abandoned quarry, three of them containing female body parts, including severed legs and two torsos. “We want to assure…

THE Governor of Khartoum, Ahmed Hamza, has issued a 15-day ultimatum to foreigners to leave the Sudanese capital and the surrounding region starting from Friday 12 July 2024. In a statement from the Sudanese embassy in Nigeria at the weekend, the governor said the order directing foreigners to leave Sudan is designed to tackle insecurity in the country. “Some nationals of the neighbouring countries and from the region have become key fighters and mercenaries in the ranks of the Militia Rapid Support Forces,” the statement alleged. According to the statement, the order is to preserve lives during the period of…

ENGLAND will go in search of more history on Sunday when they take on Spain in the Euro 2024 final in Berlin. Gareth Southgate has led his team to back-to-back European Championship finals and a first men’s major tournament final on foreign soil. Spain have been the great entertainers in Germany, while England have had to call on grit and determination as they steadily improved to reach the final. This newspaper looks at five key battles that could decide who lifts the trophy on Sunday. Rodri v Foden & Bellingham: The midfield is likely to prove crucial in the final,…

THE bodies of dozens of Palestinians have been retrieved from the Tal al-Hawa neighbourhood after Israeli forces withdrew from parts of Gaza City, Palestinian rescue workers have said. “The Gaza civil defence teams moved in to rescue survivors. They found dozens killed. Most of those killed are families, women, and children. Some bodies were eaten by dogs,” Gaza’s civil defence spokesperson Mahmoud Basal said on Friday. “At least 60 bodies were counted. Some bodies were buried on the spot. Others were taken to nearby hospitals.” Israeli forces had entered the neighbourhood this week after ordering civilians to evacuate on Monday.…

PRINCESS Anne, the sister of British head of state King Charles III, returned to public duties Friday, weeks after she was treated in hospital after being struck by a horse. Anne, 73, presented awards and met winners at a charity horseriding event in Gloucestershire, southwestern England, in a reported phased return to public appearances. The Princess Royal, as she is also known, suffered concussion and minor head injuries at her Gatcombe Park estate in Gloucestershire in late June and spent five nights in hospital in Bristol. She has since been recovering at her home on the sprawling estate, and following…

A FUEL shortage at Mali’s main international airport led to flight cancellations and disruption on Wednesday, according to several air transport stakeholders. The West African country’s civil aviation agency has asked the regional air traffic control body ASECNA to notify airspace users of the “unavailability of Jet A1 fuel” at the capital Bamako’s Modibo-Keita International Airport from Tuesday until the end of July 15, in an official document seen by AFP. Jet A1 is a kerosene-type fuel widely used in civil aviation. AFP, in the report, said it was unable to obtain any official information from the Malian Civil Aviation…

A UGANDAN TikToker was condemned Wednesday to six years in prison for spreading “misleading and malicious” information after he insulted President Yoweri Museveni, his wife, and their son. According to prosecutors, Edward Awebwa between February and March posted “vulgar” videos about the first family. The 24-year-old had pleaded guilty. Awebwa “is pleading for mercy but he does not look remorseful at all for his actions,” Judge Stella Maris Amabilis said Wednesday as she read the court’s decision. “The court had the opportunity to see the video, the language that was being used was vulgar,” she said. “This court is of…