Author: Opalim Lifted

Carlos Alcaraz is one win away from defending his Wimbledon title after clinching a comeback victory over Daniil Medvedev to reach Sunday’s final. Fifth seed Medvedev was attempting to avenge last year’s semi-final defeat when he fell in straight sets to the Spaniard. But after faltering at the start of a thrilling sequel, Alcaraz soon bounced back to wrap up a 6-7 (1-7) 6-3 6-4 6-4 win. The 21-year-old stretched out his arms and let out a roar when Medvedev fired wide on the first match point. He will play Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti or seven-time champion Novak Djokovic, in what…

The lavish lifestyles of Kenya’s lawmakers, splashed across TikTok and X, with luxury cars, private helicopters, mounds of cash added fuel to anger simmering last month among a young, plugged-in population over proposed tax hikes.  Weeks-long protests about the tax measures have increasingly drawn attention to the large salaries, perks and ostentation of members of parliament (MPs) in a country where three quarters of the population is young and well-paid work is scarce. Fury boiled over on June 25, when protesters stormed parliament and set it ablaze, pelting fleeing politicians’ vehicles with stones. Since then, private residences and businesses of…

The African Group has asked World Trade Organization (WTO) chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to run for a second term as the head of the global trade watchdog, document revealed on Friday. In 2021, the WTO chief, a former Nigerian finance minister, made history by becoming the first female and African chief of the 30-year-old trade body. Her term formally ends in August 2025, and she has not yet commented publicly on her plans. “The African Group is of the view that it would be in the best interest of the Organization if the process of reappointment were to start early,” according…

Owolabi Olakulehin has been crowned as the 43rd Olubadan of Ibadanland. Olakulehin was crowned at the Labosinde compound, the family whose right is to crown any Olubadan of Ibadanland. The ceremony took place on Friday. Newsmen reported that immediately after the crowning, the new Olubadan moved to Ile Osemeji at Oja, Oba area. Ile Osemeji is regarded as the place where the divination on the future of Ibadan was revealed. The coronation process reports that the new Olubadan is currently at Ile Osemeji. The new Olubadan is expected to move from Ile Osemeji to the frontage of Mapo Hall. He…

Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, and Governor of Kwara, AbdulRazaq AbdulRahman has reacted to the Supreme Court judgement granting full autonomy to Local Government Areas, saying the development is a huge relief on governors. But the NGF chairman also said the governors will meet next week to consider the judgement, and come out with a resolution. AbdulRahman, who met with President Bola Tinubu in the Presidential Villa on Friday, said many people are oblivious of the burden the state governors carry, especially in terms of bailing LGs out. “We welcome the ruling of the Supreme Court. Compliance is…

Lagos State Police Command has arrested a couple over an attempt to sell their two-year-old son to fund their Canada trip. The partners, aged 22 and 28, (name withheld) were arrested while attempting to sell the boy on Tuesday. SP Benjamin Hundeyin, the command’s spokesman confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on Thursday. “Isolo Divisional Police Officer, DPO, received information that a couple went to Isolo General Hospital on Tuesday, at about 2.45 p.m., and declared their intention to sell their son “Following the information, operatives from the division swiftly moved to the hospital. Gunmen kill…

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has announced that there will be a 3-hour blackout in regions covered by Abuja and Benin distribution companies (DisCos) due to a scheduled maintenance exercise at the Ajaokuta 330/132 kV transmission substation.  TCN spokesperson, Ndidi Mbah disclosed this in a statement on Friday. Ndidi stated that its officials will conduct the scheduled annual preventive maintenance on the 132kV Ajaokuta-Itakpe-Okenne-Okpella1 line switchgears at the Ajaokuta 330/132kV Transmission Substation today, Friday, July 12, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. She noted that both Abuja and Benin Distribution Companies (DisCos) will be unable to offtake bulk…

The Interior Ministry of Niger said it had ordered search units to be on alert after inmates escaped on Thursday from the high-security Koutoukale prison, whose inmates include Islamist militants. The ministry statement did not say how many prisoners had escaped Koutoukale, which lies 50 km (30 miles) northwest of the capital Niamey, or how they had done so. In 2016 and 2019, attempted jail breaks at the facility were repelled. The prison’s inmates include detainees from the West African country’s conflict with armed groups linked to al Qaeda and the Islamic State and suspected Boko Haram insurgents. Local authorities…

Landslides in Nepal swept two buses with at least 65 passengers on board into a river on Friday, while landslides elsewhere in the mountainous country killed at least 10 people, police said. Dozens have died in the Himalayan nation since the middle of June as torrential monsoon rains triggered landslides and flooding. On Friday, authorities mobilised the military and police to search for the 65 missing passengers swept into the Trishuli River in the early hours. The incident happened in Chitwan district, about 86 kilometres (53 miles) west of Kathmandu, police spokesman Dan Bahadur Karki said. “There were 41 people…

A fire has reportedly engulfed the Mainland Oil and Gas Filling Station located in the Kubwa area of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Eyewitnesses reported that the blaze started at around 5:30 p.m. The inferno was reportedly caused after a tanker discharging fuel at the filling station caught fire during the process. The FCT Fire Service and police have deployed personnel to the scene to extinguish the inferno and maintain order. The FCT Police spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, confirmed the incident, and the FCT Commissioner of Police, Benneth Igweh, quickly mobilized to the scene. Adeh said no death was recorded, adding…