6,594 Lagos residents recover from COVID-19 at home, says Abayomi (ThisDay)
The Commissioner for Health, Lagos State, Prof Akin Abayomi has stated that 6,594 residents have recovered from COVID-19 under its home-care services.
In a series of tweets yesterday, he said the cases were monitored in communities by the state’s COVID-19 response team.
He said: “2,422 active cases in the communities are yet to turn up for admission in care centres either due to ignorance, fear of stigmatisation or preference for home care treatments.
“The state has had 11,264 confirmed cases of the virus, and out of which, 1,707 patients have since been discharged from the various isolation centres in the state after full recovery. Read more
Lagos Assembly re-orders 2020 budget (Nation)
Lagos State House of Assembly yesterday passed the 2020 Appropriation (Amendment) Bill of N920,468,589,337.
The lawmakers okayed the re-ordering after taking the report of the Joint Committee on Economic Planning and Budget and Finance.
Chairman, House Committee on Economic Planning and Budget Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu noted that the approval of the House for re-ordering of priorities in the 2020 Appropriation Bill contained 120 findings and 120 amendments as recommended by the Joint Committees and okayed by the House through a voice vote conducted by the Speaker, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa.
The approval was necessitated by the covid-19 pandemic, which has affected the internal revenue projections of the state and also crippled economic activities. Read more
Makoko residents appeal to govt over relocation (Nation)
Community leaders at Makoko-Iwaya Waterfront in Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State have appealed to the government over the planned relocation of residents from the area.
They told The Nation that the area had been home to over 10,000 Lagosians of Ogu extraction for over 100 years.
A youth leader, Mr. Vituwa Francis, said former governor Babatunde Fashola gave the residents quit notice in 2012.
“Weeks later, earth movers were brought in and they started demolition of our houses. This resulted in a fracas between the landlords and the police. Read more
CBN bows to pressure, devalues naira again (Guardian)
The country’s fiscal state faces tougher times as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) bowed to pressure, last week, and further devalued the local currency.
The adjustment of the exchange rate at the busiest window is coming three months after the local currency was similarly devalued by 24.6 per cent, a decision that has worsened the inflationary pressure and interest rate.
Bloomberg reported at the weekend that the CBN raised the rate at the Secondary Market Intervention Sales (SMIS) – a window where importers access foreign currencies – from N360/$1 to N380/$1 with an instruction to bidders to comply accordingly. Read more
FG announces dates for 2020 WAEC exams, to fix date for NABTEB, NECO (DailyTrust)
The Federal Government on Monday in Abuja, announced that the West African Senior School Certificate Examination will hold from August 3 to September 5. The Minister of State for Education, Mr. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, said this at the 49th joint national briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19.
According to him, this was the outcome of series of meetings held with stakeholders. He said this present an opportunity for all the states in the country to prepare their schools to accommodate the students for the examinations. Read more
Presidential panel quizzes Magu for six hours over 24 allegations (Punch)
A presidential panel set up by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Monday grilled the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, for six hours at the Presidential Villa, Abuja
The panel, which was inaugurated about a week ago, interrogated Magu at the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, after he was whisked to the venue by armed operatives of the Department of State Services.
The panel, led by a former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami (retd.), had about seven other members including the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Mike Ogbizi. Read more
COVID-19: FG launches new guidelines for elections (DailyTrust)
The Federal Government has announced new guidelines for the conduct of elections in the country amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The Director-General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, said this on Monday in Abuja at the 49th joint national briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19.
He urged political parties to make use of electronic media for campaigns as well as mobile truck with everyone wearing face masks, maintaining physical distance as well as frequent use of hand sanitizers. “We have developed and are launching new guidelines for the conduct of elections during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more
Controversy as Benue make-up artist slumps, dies during birthday celebration (Punch)
Family and friends of a make-up artist, Deborah Tushimah, are mourning her sudden death, which occurred while she was celebrating her birthday at the Hampton Mews Hotel in Makurdi, Benue State, on Sunday.
PUNCH Metro gathered that Deborah was having a nice time with her guests at the party before tragedy struck.
It was learnt that Deborah started feeling uneasy while dancing and suddenly slumped and started vomiting blood.
A footage of the party, which has been trending online, showed Deborah in company with her friends before the tragic incident happened. Read more
Coronavirus: How fast is it spreading in Africa? (BBC)
Africa is seeing coronavirus cases rapidly increasing and deaths rising, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
We’ve looked at the situation across the continent, and examined which countries are of most concern.
How fast is coronavirus spreading?
In terms of overall numbers, Africa currently accounts for only a small proportion of total global cases, but the acceleration in rates of infection in some countries is clearly a cause for concern. Read more
Canadian PM to skip US-Mexico meeting in Washington, DC (AlJazeera)
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will not visit Washington, DC with Mexico’s president this week to celebrate a new North American trade deal, his office said on Monday, after Canada raised concerns over potential United States aluminium tariffs.
In a Monday-morning phone call, Trudeau told Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador he hoped the talks with US President Donald Trump would be successful.
Lopez Obrador, who had urged Trudeau to join him, is due to meet Trump at the White House on Wednesday on his first trip outside of Mexico since taking office 19 months ago. Read more
Brazil’s Bolsonaro takes Covid-19 test after showing symptoms (France24)
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Monday he had undergone another test for the novel coronavirus and his lungs were “clean,” after local media reported he had symptoms associated with the Covid-19 respiratory disease.
Bolsonaro has repeatedly played down the impact of the virus, even as Brazil has suffered one of the world’s worst outbreaks, with more than 1.6 million confirmed cases and 65,000 related deaths, according to official data on Monday.
CNN Brasil and newspaper Estado de S.Paulo reported that he had symptoms of the disease, such as a fever. Read more
China pulls back troops from India border after deadly skirmish (NYPost)
China began pulling back troops from along its contested border with India on Monday following clashes between the two nuclear powers last month in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed, according to Indian government sources.
Troops fought for hours with metal rods and clubs on the night of June 15, with some falling to their deaths in the freezing waters of the Galwan river in the western Himalayas. China has yet to report whether it suffered casualties.
The Indian deaths are the highest along the border in more than five decades, a dramatic escalation that led to weeks of talks between senior military officials on how to ease tensions. Read more
US to withdraw visas for foreign students if classes moved fully online (BBC)
Foreign students will not be allowed to stay in the US this autumn if their universities have moved classes fully online, unless they switch to a course with in-person tuition.
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency said people could face deportation if they do not comply with the rules.
Many universities are moving classes online due to the coronavirus pandemic.
It is not clear how many students will be affected. Read more
White woman charged for police call on Black man in Central Park (Aljazeera)
A white woman in the United States who called police and falsely accused an African-American man of threatening her life after he asked her to leash her dog in New York’s Central Park is being criminally charged over the incident, Manhattan’s district attorney said on Monday.
Amy Cooper, 41, whose actions on May 25 were recorded on a video that went viral and touched off discussions about “white privilege”, is being charged with filing a false report, a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail.
Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance said Cooper is expected to be arraigned on Oct. 14.
“We are strongly committed to holding perpetrators of this conduct accountable,” Vance said in a statement. Read more
Johnny Depp libel trial set to start in London (France24)
A libel trial was due to begin on Tuesday between Hollywood actor Johnny Depp and a British tabloid newspaper over claims that he was violent to his former wife, Amber Heard.
Depp, 57, is suing News Group Newspapers (NGN), publisher of The Sun, and its executive editor Dan Wootton for an April 2018 article which referred to him as a “wife beater”.
The “Pirates of the Caribbean” star strenuously denies the accusation.
The case, which was delayed because of the coronavirus outbreak, will be heard over 15 days at the High Court in London.
The couple settled a divorce out of court in 2017. She donated a settlement of $7 million (£5.6 million, 6.2 million euros) to charity. Read more
Pillars resume as clubs wait for decision on league cancellation (DailyTrust)
Kano Pillars football club have recalled their players to Kano as they await the final decision from the League Management Company, LMC, on the fate of the 2019/2020 Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL, season.
The Technical Adviser of the club, Coach Ibrahim Musa told Daily Trust that almost all the players arrived the city of Kano yesterday for a meeting that is billed to hold today between the club and officials of the Kano State Ministry of sports.
He said the main reason for recalling the players is to hold the crucial meeting which according to him is to thrash out some pending issues between the club and the ministry. Read more
South Africa’s Jermaine Seoposenwe aims to make impact in Portugal (BBC)
South Africa forward Jermaine Seoposenwe says she wants to make an impact with former Portuguese champions Sporting Braga Feminino.
The 26-year-old joined Braga after leaving Spanish side Real Betis last week.
“Looking forward to this new journey and a chance to make a positive impact,” she wrote on social media.
“Here’s to a LONG and prosperous time in BRAGA…Time to get to work.” Read more
Tension mounts in Premier League relegation battle (France24)
Tension is mounting at the bottom of the Premier League as the fight to avoid relegation heads towards a dramatic conclusion.
With just five games left, rock bottom Norwich are seven points from safety and are sliding towards the Championship.
Bournemouth and Aston Villa, who currently fill the remaining two places in the relegation zone, are locked in a four-team battle for survival with fellow strugglers Watford and West Ham. Read more
Native American groups seek name change for Washington Redskins (Aljazeera)
More than a dozen Native American leaders and organisations sent a letter to National Football League (NFL) Commissioner Roger Goodell on Monday calling for the United States league to force Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder to change the team name immediately.
The letter was signed by 15 Native American advocates and obtained by the Associated Press news agency. It demands the team and the NFL cease the use of Native American names, imagery and logos – with specific importance put on the Washington team, which last week launched a “thorough review” of its name. Read more
MLS forces coronavirus-stricken FC Dallas to back out of tournament (NYPost)
An MLS team ravaged by the coronavirus was forced to withdraw from the professional soccer league’s return-to-play tournament Monday in what seems to be an unprecedented move.
FC Dallas will not participate in the “MLS is Back” tournament — scheduled to begin Wednesday — after 13 players and one coach tested positive for the virus in recent days, the league announced.
It is believed to be the first instance in which a professional league has forbidden a team from joining the other clubs in returning to play amid the coronavirus pandemic. It raises the question of whether other commissioners will follow suit if teams in their leagues are also hit hard by the coronavirus. Read more
Swedish ref’s career is ‘over’ after racist remarks to Guinean (BBC)
A Swedish referee suspended for making racist remarks against Guinea international goalkeeper Aly Keita says his career is ‘effectively’ over.
Speaking to a Swedish newspaper, Martin Strombergsson regretted remarks made to Keita in a top-flight match last year.
Ostersunds skipper Keita said last month the referee told him “to shut up and go back into his goal so bananas could be thrown at him.”
“I need to find a new employer in the future,” said the 43-year-old official. Read more