Author: Festus Adeloye

A heatwave in Morocco has killed at least 21 people in a 24-hour period in the central city of Beni Mellal, the health ministry announced on Thursday. The meteorology department said soaring temperatures affected much of the North African country from Monday to Wednesday, reaching 48 degrees Centigrade (118 Fahrenheit) in some areas. In Beni Mellal, “the majority of deaths involved people suffering from chronic illnesses and the elderly, with high temperatures contributing to the deterioration of their health conditions,” the regional health directorate said in a statement. Morocco has suffered a sixth consecutive year of drought and record heat…

Actress Eniola Badmus has officially resumed her role as the special assistant on social events and public hearings to the speaker House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen. She shared photos from their recent meeting with Senate President Godswill Akpabio at the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) in Abuja. On her Instagram page, Eniola posted images from the event, emphasising the importance of NILDS in enhancing legislative institutions through research, support services, training, and policy analysis. She captioned the post: “This week @speakerabbas and President of the Senate Godswill Akpabio at the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies…

Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, has expressed his condolences to the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, and the Olubadan-in-Council over the death of the Osi Balogun of Ibadanland, Oba Lateef Gbadamosi Adebimpe, who died on Wednesday. Governor Makinde, while describing the late Oba as a charismatic personality who will be missed by the people of Ibadan and Oyo state, commiserated with the immediate family of the royal father and the people of the metropolis. He prayed to God to grant repose to the soul of the Oba, while also granting his family the fortitude to bear the loss. He…

New Barcelona coach Hansi Flick on Thursday hailed the performance of the Spanish club’s teenage winger Lamine Yamal at Euro 2024, calling it “unbelievable”. Yamal made history in his country’s opening game against Croatia by becoming the youngest player ever to appear in a European Championship game at the age of 16 years and 338 days. He then claimed another piece of history by becoming the youngest player ever to score a goal at the Euros in Spain’s 2-1 semi-final win against France, at the age of 16 years and 362 days. Spain went on to beat England 2-1 in…

The Federal Government has not yet commenced direct payment of monthly allocations to Nigeria’s 774 local government areas. Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, explained that the Supreme Court’s proceedings had not yet been communicated to the Attorney General of the Federation for proper study and implementation. Recall that on July 11, 2024, a seven-man panel of the Supreme Court granted financial autonomy to the local governments, a decision opposed by some state governors. The apex court emphasised the division of government power into three tiers: federal, state, and local governments. The Federation Account…

The Kano State Command of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency on Thursday disclosed that it secured the conviction of 22 drug dealers in the state in July 2024. Confirming the convictions to newsmen, on Thursday, the Commander of the agency, Abubakar Idris-Ahmad, described the feat as a major victory in its fight against illicit drug trafficking and abuse. Idris-Ahmad said, “Out of the 22 drug dealers convicted, one Abubakar Mu’azu’s arrest resulted in an altercation during which he stabbed an NDLEA officer.” “Mu’azu was charged to court and sentenced to three years in a correctional centre, while the other…

Telecom operator Airtel Nigeria has committed N2 million to support Sodiq Olayode and his wife, Abiodun, who recently welcomed quadruplets. This donation follows an outpouring of generosity from Nigerians, who have collectively raised over N16 million for the family through online contributions. Airtel Nigeria announced their donation on X.com, stating, “Hello, #jamysax, when life gives quadruplets, we give #ovajara support! We’re adding N2m because great things come in multiples.” The story of the Olayode family gained traction on social media after Olayode’s colleague, Oyeniran James, highlighted their challenges on X.com. James, posting as #jamysax, shared that the quadruplets used 105…

President Bola Tinubu is currently holding a meeting with All Progressives Congress (APC) governors at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. The meeting, which started shortly after 1 pm, comes amid growing calls for nationwide protests against economic hardship. Although the agenda of Thursday’s meeting is undisclosed, it is likely related to the planned protests scheduled for August 1-10, organized under the hashtag ‘EndBadGovernance.’ These protests have gained significant traction on social media despite the anonymity of the organizers. This meeting follows a conclave of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum on Wednesday night and the last-minute cancellation of the National Economic Council…

Flash floods and landslides triggered by heavy rain have killed seven people in northern Vietnam and swept away homes, disaster officials and state media said Thursday. Five people died in Son La and two others were killed in Dien Bien following the downpours. Rescue workers are also searching for 10 others reported missing in the mountainous provinces, officials added. According to Tuoi Tre newspaper, flash floods early Thursday swept away 10 houses and damaged eight homes in Muong Pon commune of Dien Bien province. It has rained heavily in northern Vietnam since Tuesday, and many areas including the outskirts of…

Meta’s oversight board on Thursday called on the tech titan to bring its rules regarding porn deepfakes out of the “photoshop” days and into the era of artificial intelligence. The independent board, which is referred to as a top court for Meta content moderation decisions, said it came up with the recommendation after reviewing two cases involving deepfake images of high-profile women in India and the United States. In one case a deepfake shared on Instagram was left up despite a complaint and in the other the faked image was not allowed on the Meta platform. Both decisions prompted appeals…