22-year-old COVID-19 pregnant woman delivers twins at LUTH (Vanguard)
The Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH has delivered another pregnant woman diagnosed with COVID-19 of twins.
The delivery brings the total number of babies delivered at the LUTH isolation centre to five while their mother becomes the fourth patient with COVID-19.
The twins delivered through cesarean section weighed 3.2kg and 3.25kg.
The baby girl and boy, as well as their mother, are doing well.
According to the Hospital’s Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, CMAC, the babies were delivered Tuesday 19th May 2020. Read more
Lady, whose death was announced by friends, resurfaces (Punch)
Twenty-year-old Margaret Ikumu, has come out of hiding after her family petitioned the Lagos State Police Command over her alleged death.
The family had on May 15, 2020, petitioned the police after the news of her death was announced on Facebook by her friends, Marvellous Mary and Nneka Buddy, whom Margaret allegedly connived with over her disappearance.
The family, who urged the police to investigate the circumstances surrounding the alleged death of Margaret, stated that she ‘died’ under controversial circumstances and accused her friends of burying her without their consent. Read more
Interstate movement: FRSC turns back 1,292 vehicles from Lagos, Ogun boundaries (Guardian)
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), says it has turned back 1,292 vehicles from Ogun and Lagos States’ boundaries in the last two weeks, while enforcing the Federal Government’s restrictions on interstate movements.
Mr Samuel Obayemi, FRSC Zonal Commanding Officer in charge of the two states, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos that the statistics covered the first phase of the lockdown ease in both states.
Obayemi, an Assistant Corps Marshal, said that the operatives of the corps, turned back 369 vehicles at the Lagos boundaries and 923 vehicles at Ogun boundaries between May 4 and May 17 of the lockdown ease. Read more
COVID-19: Lagos govt. begins advocacy on face mask usage (Guardian)
The Lagos State Government, through its Ministry of Information, says it has embarked on advocacy to different locations across the metropolis to sensitise residents on the importance of face mask usage.
Mr Bode Lawal, Assistant Director, Ministry of Information, said in a statement that the exercise, tagged ”Mask-Up-Lagos”, was part of efforts to curb the community transmission of COVID-19 in the state.
Lawal said that the advocacy was geared toward encouraging all residents of the state on the need to support the efforts of the government to curb the spread of the global pandemic by using face masks. Read more
Road commuters pay between N200 and N5000 to defile inter-state travel ban – group alleges (Guardian)
Group under the auspices of Cleen Foundation has raised concern over the alleged extortion of money between N200 – N5000 from travelers to allow movement in and out of states by security agents.
The Foundation in a statement by it’s Executive Director, Benson Olugbuo disclosed that In the South-South the group observed interstate movements by citizens.
Explaining that: “In Bayelsa state, our observers reported that police personnel at Okaki junction (toll-gate) which is one of the boundaries between Rivers and Bayelsa in the eastern part of the state were seen extorting money from motorists to enable entry into the state” Read more
UK sanctions Pastor Chris’ TV over COVID-19, 5G claims (DailyTrust)
The Office of Communications (Ofcom), the United Kingdom’s regulator for the communications services, has sanctioned Pastor Chris Oyakhilome’s Loveworld Limited for broadcasting potentially harmful claims about COVID-19. Pastor Oyakhilome had, through broadcasts on the religious television channel Loveworld, owned by Loveworl Limited, made unsubstantiated claims that 5G was the cause of the pandemic and that this was the subject of a ‘global cover-up’, a release on the regulator’s website said. “A sermon broadcast on your Loveworld also included unsubstantiated claims linking the pandemic to 5G technology, as well as claims which cast serious doubt on the necessity for lockdown measures and the motives behind official health advice on Covid-19, including in relation to vaccination,” it added in the release. Read more
COVID-19: Nasarawa govt. lifts ban on religious gathering (Vanguard)
Nasarawa State Government, Tuesday, lifted the ban on religious gatherings in the state for two weeks as well as the lockdown order given by the state government three months ago.
The state commissioner for Information, Tourism and Culture, Comrade Dogo Shammah, announced this while briefing journalists on the update of the pandemic at the end of the security and stakeholders meeting in Government House Lafia.
The Commissioner who however gave conditions for the opening of workshops centre in the state mandated the religious leaders to ensure strict compliance to regulations to enable the re-opening of the worship centres to sustain its activities within the two weeks. Read more
Woman locks up ‘possessed’ son in wardrobe for four days (Punch)
A middle-aged woman, identified simply as Iya Ayo, who tied up her son in sacks and locked him up in a wardrobe for four days in the Fesojaye community, Owode, Osogbo, Osun State, has been arrested by the police.
The woman reportedly subjected the boy, who is about 10 years old, to punishment for constantly stealing and for being possessed by an evil spirit.
The boy was, however, rescued when a neighbour heard him crying for help and drew the attention of residents of the area to the house where he was kept.
The Chairman, Fesojaye Community Landlords Association, Sakiru Gbadegesin, explained that the mother was in church on Sunday when the boy was rescued. Read more
I will personally patrol Kaduna-Kano borders on Sallah day – Gov. El-Rufai (DailyTrust)
Governor Nasir El-Rufai Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai has said he would personally patrol the Kaduna -Kano borders on Sallah day to ensure that no one from Kano sneaks into Kaduna state as part of his strategy to contain the spread of Covid-19 in the state. This year’s Eid-il-Fitr (the festival of breaking the fast) which marks the end of Ramadan is expected to take place either on Saturday or Sunday. Kaduna State has already re-adjusted its two-day window period to allow residents shop for food and essentials from Wednesday and Saturday to Wednesday and Thursday to ensure that residents stay at home during the weekend. Read more
Pastor who laid hands on COVID-19 patients dies of virus (Punch)
A Pastor, Frankline Ndifor, 39, who laid his hands on dozens of confirmed and suspected coronavirus sufferers is dead, according to Dailymail.co.uk
Dr Gaelle Nnanga, who was called to treat Ndifor after he started suffering severe respiratory difficulties a week after falling ill with the virus, said the pastor died ten minutes after treatment.
Ndifor, a candidate in Cameroon’s presidential election in 2018, claimed to cure COVID-19.
In previous weeks, sufferers had flocked to the Kingship International Ministries Church, founded by Ndifor, where he laid his hands on them and prayed for their healing. Read more
China abductions: Parents find son snatched in hotel 32 years ago (BBC)
A Chinese couple whose son was abducted in a hotel in 1988 have been reunited with him after 32 years.
Mao Yin was snatched aged two, while his father stopped to get him some water on the way home from nursery.
His parents searched the country for him and his mother distributed more than 100,000 flyers.
The family were reunited at a police news conference on Monday, and the son – now aged 34 – said he planned to spend time with his parents. Read more
WHO resolution to investigate pandemic response wins unanimous support (CBC)
A resolution on the need to investigate the global response to the coronavirus pandemic won endorsement at the World Health Organization’s annual ministerial meeting on Tuesday, after Donald Trump again threatened to halt U.S. funding for the agency.
None of the WHO’s 194 member states — which include the United States — raised objections to the resolution brought by the European Union on behalf of more than 100 countries, including Australia, China and Japan.
“Is the [World] Health Assembly prepared to adopt the draft resolution as proposed? As I see no requests for the floor, I take it that there is no objection and the resolution is therefore adopted,” said Keva Bain, the Bahamas ambassador who serves as the assembly’s president. Read more
Scientists in China believe new drug can stop pandemic ‘without vaccine’ (Tribune)
A Chinese laboratory has been developing a drug it believes has the power to bring the coronavirus pandemic to a halt.
The outbreak first emerged in China late last year before spreading across the world, prompting an international race to find treatments and vaccines.
A drug being tested by scientists at China’s prestigious Peking University could not only shorten the recovery time for those infected but even offer short-term immunity from the virus, researchers say. Read more
France’s Macron loses majority as defectors form new party (BBC)
The party of French President Emmanuel Macron has lost its outright majority in parliament, after a group of MPs broke away to form a new party.
Ecology, Democracy, Solidarity will be largely formed of seven MPs from La République en Marche (On the Move) and other ex-supporters of the president.
The defecting MPs want to focus on green issues and social inequality.
But their decision leaves Mr Macron’s party with 288 seats, one short of a majority in the 577-seat lower house. Read more
Joe Biden finally makes up nickname for Trump: ‘President Tweety’ (NYPost)
Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden has finally unveiled his moniker for 2020 rival President Trump, saying he calls his general election opponent “President Tweety.”
Biden revealed the nickname Monday while speaking to the Asian American and Pacific Islanders Victory Fund, remarking, “Trump is out there tweeting again this morning. I call him ‘President Tweety.’”
The ex-VP made the comment when talking about what he thought the president should be focused on as opposed to spending his time on Twitter.
Speaking about Trump’s vocal desire to reopen the country, Biden asked, “How are we supposed to do that if you’re sitting on the money small businesses need? Stop tweeting about it, get the money out to Main Street.” Read more
Mindy Kaling and Reese Witherspoon team up for Legally Blonde 3 (Eonline)
Can you believe it’s been 18 years since the release of iconic flick. Check out what Reese, Selma Blair & more had to say about working on the film back in 2001!.
It’s time to bend and snap because we’re getting Legally Blonde 3!
That’s right, Reese Witherspoon’s highly-anticipated film just got a major update. Mindy Kaling and Dan Goor are set to write the script for MGM’s Legally Blonde 3, Deadline reports. Witherspoon, who will return to her role as the iconic Elle Woods in the third film, will also produce the movie with her company, Hello Sunshine.
Fans have been waiting for another film in the Legally Blonde franchise. It’s been almost 20 years since the first movie, showing Witherspoon’s character taking on Harvard Law School, made its debut. Legally Blonde first premiered in theaters in July 2001. Two years later, Witherspoon returned to the role of Elle Woods in Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde, where her character made her way to Washington, D.C.
Since that time, fans of the films have been hoping for another movie with Witherspoon’s beloved character. Read more
Premier League: Six positive coronavirus tests across three clubs (BBC)
There were six positive tests for coronavirus across three Premier League clubs on Sunday and Monday, as the top flight prepares to resume in June.
The unnamed players or staff who have tested positive will now self-isolate for seven days.
A total of 748 players and staff from 19 clubs were tested. The remaining club did their tests on Tuesday so will be included in Saturday’s results.
Squads are starting non-contact training from Tuesday. Read more
Eddie Hearn and Anthony Joshua disagree about him competing at Fight Camp (Metro)
Eddie Hearn says Anthony Joshua has asked to be added to Fight Camp, but the Matchroom promoter admitted he doesn’t want his biggest star fighting behind closed doors. Matchroom are hoping to relaunch their boxing schedule over a 28-day period in July and August at their headquarters in Essex and have identified Dillian Whyte as a headliner for one of the behind-closed-doors fight nights. Joshua’s title defence against Kubrat Pulev at Tottenham Stadium in June was cancelled due to the coronavirus and it is unclear when the IBF, WBO and WBA (Super) champion will be permitted to spearhead big events in the UK again. Read more
LeBron James’ Michael Jordan worship peaked with life-changing pickup game (NYPost)
It likely wouldn’t solve the GOAT debate, but Michael Jordan and LeBron James did once face off on the basketball court.
A 16-year-old James met Jordan in 2001 for a pickup game, and after sitting on the sidelines for the first hour while other NBA players like Antoine Walker, Jerry Stackhouse, Paul Pierce, Penny Hardaway, Ron Artest, Jamal Crawford and Eddy Curry were on the court, James finally got in.
“For me to be on the court, 16 years old, sophomore in high school, with my favourite player of all time, it was like, ‘This can’t be real,’” James said Monday on Uninterrupted’s “WRTS: After Party.” Read more
Troy Deeney: Watford captain says he will not return to training (BBC)
Watford captain Troy Deeney says he will not return to training because he fears for his family’s health amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Premier League teams are starting non-contact training from Tuesday.
Deeney does not want to put his baby, who has had breathing difficulties, “in more danger” and has raised concerns over the increased risk to black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) players.
“We’re due back in this week, I’ve said I’m not going in,” Deeney, 31, said. Read more
COVID-19 Fallout: Juventus set to offload 4 stars in bid to manage finances (Vanguard)
Juventus are prepared to put four high-profile first-team players up for sale at the end of the season as they go about dealing with the financial connotations of the coronavirus pandemic.
The club intends to introduce many cut-backs to help mitigate the inevitable impact, with Fabio Paratici, the club’s chief football officer, ready to introduce new measures designed to ensure that no new arrivals at the club have an annual salary in excess of €6m.
However, many members of the current Juve squad earn more than that figure, and the Daily Mail has reported that the first four names on the chopping block are Gonzalo Higuaín, Douglas Costa, Miralem Pjanic and Sami Khedira. Read more
Arsenal preparing to launch £20m bid for ‘next N’Golo Kante’ (Metro)
Arsenal are preparing to rival Leicester City and Sevilla in the race for Brest midfielder Ibrahima Diallo, who has been billed as ‘the next N’Golo Kante’, according to reports. The 21-year-old has enjoyed an impressive breakthrough season in Ligue 1, attracting interest from top clubs across Europe. The French outfit turned down a £16 million bid from the Foxes in January, but boss Brendan Rodgers has retained his interest in the youngster. According to the Daily Star, Arsenal and Sevilla have emerged as the frontrunners to sign Diallo for £20m in the next transfer window. The Gunners are weighing up a potential bid for the defensive midfielder, who has represented France at youth level. Read more