COVID-19: Lagos gets 6,000 bags of rice, two truckloads of vegetable oil from FG (Tribune)
The Federal Government on Friday handed over 6,000 bags of rice and two truckloads of vegetable oil to the Lagos State government for distribution to the poor and the vulnerable in the state to cushion the effect of coronavirus pandemic.
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq, who was on a visit to the state, handed over the consignments to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
The minister, while speaking at the Nigerian Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit, Zone A, Ikeja, where the event took place, said the handing over followed the directive from President Muhammadu Buhari to receive the items from the service for onward transmission to the states affected by Covid 19 and other states of the federation. Read more
Lagos discharges seven more patients (Nation)
Lagos Governor and COVID- 19 Lagos Incident Commander, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has announced the discharge of seven new patients.
On his official twitter handle on Friday, the Governor said: “I bring you more good news from our Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba.
“Today, seven more patients; three females and four males were discharged to reconnect with the community having recovered fully and tested negative twice consecutively.
“This brings to 46, the number of patients successfully managed and discharged from our Yaba facility. Read more
3 vehicles razed in Lagos Airport hotel premises (Vanguard)
Three vehicles worth Millions of Naira were reportedly razed, Thursday, within the premises of Ikeja Airport Hotel, along Obafemi Awolowo Way, Ikeja.
The vehicles a Toyota Coaster bus with number plate LND133XW, a Honda Civic Salon car with number plate AKR234LZ and a Cadillac Escalade car with an unknown registration number belonged to Tour Africa Transport Company which operates within the premises of the hotel.
The incident occurred at about 10pm but the prompt response of emergency responders prevented the fire from escalating.
Apart from the vehicles, no life was lost or injuries sustained during the fire outbreak. Read more
Mystery cows: Kogi bans beef consumption in Lokoja (DailyTrust)
Kogi State government, on Thursday, banned consumption of beef in Lokoja town until the circumstances leading to the mysterious death of 12 cows is unravelled. A statement by the Commissioner of Information and Communications, Mr Kingsley Fanwo said the ban is for a period of 48 hours. Daily Trust recalls that 12 cows died while grazing in an open field close to State Polytechnic, Lokoja on Thursday. The mysterious death of the animals had elicited health concern and anxiety among residents that the beef from the dead cows may end up in butchers’ tables across markets within the state capital. Read more
No decision on two-month free electricity, says power ministry (Guardian)
Nigerian Government on Friday said it has not agreed to provide free electricity for two months.
“NO DECISION has been taken by the Federal Government to provide Nigerians with FREE ELECTRICITY for 2 months,” the Ministry of Power tweeted.
There have been claims earlier this week that the Nigerian government and the electricity distribution companies have “provide” Nigerians two months of free electricity.
The ministry said when such agreement is reached with necessary agencies it would be “officially” announced. Read more
3 test positive for coronavirus in Katsina, as govt locks down Buhari’s hometown (DailyTrust)
President Muhammadu Buhari’s home town Daura has been locked down following three positive cases of COVID-19. Daily Trust learnt that the positive cases were among the 23 people who had contact with the state’s index case who died recently. Briefing newsmen on Friday, the state governor, Aminu Masari, said a total of 23 samples were sent for testing after the death of index case and three, including his wife and 2 of his children turned up positive. He added that: “Already, the patients are being evacuated to an isolation center located at the Federal Medical center, Katsina for treatment.” Read more
COVID-19: Gbajabiamila slams minister over payment of hazard allowance to health workers (Punch)
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Thursday, gave the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, a dressing down for stating that he didn’t know if health workers treating COVID-19 patients were being paid hazard allowance or not.
The National Association of Resident Doctors had last week stated that Nigerian doctors were receiving N5, 000 a month as hazard allowance.
Doctors at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital isolation centre had told The PUNCH that they were being owed over N30m in allowances. Read more
FG to maintain narrow fuel price band as OPEC+ deepens cuts (Guardian)
With concerns raised about the ability of petroleum marketers to adjust their pump price under the month pricing template, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has said government would maintain a narrow price band to afford operators to adjust in the transition period.
Besides, the NNPC noted that it would no longer be involved in the management of the nation’s refineries after their rehabilitation.The Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari, disclosed this in separate television programmes monitored by The Guardian.
He said: “It is a transition and people are learning how to manage this and customers are trying to adjust. When we reduce prices, people typically have old stock that they have bought at old prices and in any jurisdiction, you allow some of transition to take you to the real market condition and this is what we are trying to manage and this is why we are seeing different prices at different stations and some stations can adjust to N123.50 because their procurement is of current value. Read more
FG mourns 13 Nigerians who died of coronavirus in UK, US (Punch)
The Federal Government has released a list of Nigerians who died of coronavirus abroad since the outbreak started some four months ago, The PUNCH reports.
Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, made this known on Thursday evening via a video containing the names, pictures and countries of residence of the departed compatriots.
In the video posted on her verified Twitter handle, 13 Nigerians abroad have, so far, died of the novel virus. Read more
Coronavirus in South Africa: Lockdown extension condemned (BBC)
The decision to extend South Africa’s lockdown until the end of April will create an economic disaster, the main opposition party has warned.
The country has already been under lockdown for two weeks and it was due to be lifted in a week.
The president has said it will be extended because evidence suggested it was already limiting Covid-19’s spread.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) said it was a “great mistake to think in terms of lives versus livelihoods”. Read more
Fundraiser for beekeeper raises £24,000 after his life’s work was destroyed by arsonists (Metro)
A pensioner left heartbroken after his life’s work with bees was destroyed in a matter of minutes has been given a fundraising boost to restore his hives. Sheds, a greenhouse and equipment owned by Ron Hoskins, 89, were vandalised in mid-March. Ron had spent 20 years breeding a super-bee that was able to survive attacks from a killer mite that destroyed millions of bees across the world. Nearly a month later and a fundraising page has already raised £24,000 to help him rebuild. Beekeeper suits also went missing from the site in Stanton Fitzwarren, near Swindon. Read more
Austria virus cases twice the reported numbers (Guardian)
Austria is estimated to have at least twice as many new coronavirus infections than officially reported, a study showed Friday, with more than three per 1,000 people thought to have caught the virus in early April.
The SORA institute-led study found that 0.32 percent of those surveyed in the first week of April tested positive for the new coronavirus.
SORA said it was the first such study in the EU to better understand the virus’s prevalence. Read more
Woman, 104, beams after becoming America’s oldest coronavirus survivor (Metro)
A 104 year-old woman was all smiles after becoming America’s oldest coronavirus survivor. Vera Mueller was diagnosed with Covid-19 two days after her March 23 birthday at the Sauer Health Care home in Winona, Minnesota, where she lives. Mueller was put into quarantine and given oxygen, as well as Tylenol to help her death with fever and aches caused by the potentially deadly virus. Mueller’s worried son Bob watched helplessly as his mother lay seriously ill for 10 days – but was delighted when she began to rally earlier this week, and eventually beat the disease. He told the Post Bulletin: ‘She was pretty sick until last Monday. They moved her out of quarantine and back to her own room. She was pretty sick that week or week and a half.’
Mueller is now chatting and laughing again, although visitors have still been barred from entering her home to keep its other residents safe, with Bob limited to contact with his mom through a window. Speaking after a visit on Thursday, he said: ‘We were there this morning. She’s smiling and waving. For being 104, you never know. We take it a day at a time.’ Read more
Coronavirus: German region eases Baltic coast travel ban (BBC)
A regional court in eastern Germany has ruled that locals can go to the popular Baltic coast this Easter weekend, despite the coronavirus lockdown.
The Greifswald higher court said the regional government’s travel ban was “disproportionate” in curbing people’s local freedom. Germans from other regions remain banned from the coast.
The Mecklenburg-West Pomerania government has accepted the decision.
But the government urged locals to stay 2m (6.6ft) apart to avoid contagion. Read more
Italy eyes lockdown extension to May 3 (Guardian)
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte was reportedly ready Friday to extend most measures of Italy’s month-long lockdown until early May in order to avoid a second coronavirus wave.
Italy’s main newspapers said Conte will publish a decree either Friday or Saturday prohibiting people from taking walks or lounging in parks until May 3.
The reported decision followed days of consultations with government scientists and regional leaders. Read more
Any type of smoke inhalation — including weed — is a coronavirus risk (NYPost)
Weed is a gateway drug — to coronavirus complications.
Experts are warning smokers that even occasional puffs are damaging to the respiratory system, which could worsen symptoms associated with COVID-19.
“Because it attacks the lungs, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 could be an especially serious threat to those who smoke tobacco or marijuana, or who vape,” says the National Institute on Drug Abuse in a recent announcement.
And that advice could harsh the mellow of more than more than 43 million Americans aged 12 or older who reported smoking cannabis in the past year, according to a 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Read more
COVID-19 may force NFF to adopt pay cut for Rohr, Eagles (Guardian)
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) may have concluded plans to adopt a pay cut for members of the Super Eagles, including coach Gernot Rohr and backroom staff as a way of cushioning the impact of the coronavirus, which has affected sports and other businesses across the globe.
NFF President Amaju Pinnick had said on Monday that contract extension papers would be sent to Rohr next week, for him to study. The contract entailed that the coach would be paid in naira and would have to stay in Nigeria to monitor matches in the local league.
However, a board member of the NFF explained in a chat with The Guardian yesterday that the football house might be forced to adopt a pay cut as soon as possible to be able meet its financial wages for the players, coaches and backroom staff. Read more
Barcelona: Six board members resign and criticise club (BBC)
Six Barcelona board members have resigned and told president Josep Maria Bartomeu they are unhappy at how the club is being managed.
In a joint letter, the six expressed concern over the financial implications of the coronavirus crisis for the club.
They also criticised the handling of a scandal in February when the club were forced to deny hiring a firm to attack its own players on social media.
And they called for Barca to call new
presidential elections. Read more
Floyd Mayweather announces decision to become a boxing trainer (Metro)
Floyd Mayweather has announced his decision to become a boxing trainer. The 43-year-old intends to follow in the footsteps of his father, Floyd Sr, and his late uncle, Roger, who passed away last month. Mayweather, who won fifteen major world titles during his unbeaten professional career, has already begun training young fighters including his oldest son, Koraun, and his 14-year-old nephew Chris. Mayweather, who has shown interest in a potential fight with UFC star Khabib Nurmagomedov, says the death of his uncle last month has inspired his decision. Read more
NBA players to receive full April 15 paychecks (Guardian)
NBA players will receive their full paychecks on April 15, US media reported Thursday, but salaries could be reduced as the league remains shut down amid the coronavirus pandemic.
ESPN and the Philadelphia Inquirer were among the outlets citing league sources in reporting that players would be paid as usual on April 15.
The league and the National Basketball Players Association have been negotiating a salary-reduction percentage for upcoming pay periods, and on Tuesday the players association reiterated to agents that owners could withhold 25 percent of players’ remaining salaries if the season is cancelled. Read more
Norman Hunter: Leeds United legend in hospital with coronavirus (BBC)
Ex-England defender Norman Hunter is being treated in hospital after testing positive for coronavirus, his former club Leeds United have confirmed.
Hunter, 76, played 726 games in 15 years at Elland Road, won two league titles and played in the 1975 European Cup final defeat by Bayern Munich.
He was also part of Sir Alf Ramsey’s England squad for the 1966 World Cup and went on to win 28 caps in total.
“Keep battling Norman, we are all with you,” a Leeds statement said. Read more
Lionel Messi responds to claims he bailed out Ronaldinho from jail for £1.3m (Metro)
Lionel Messi has hit back at reports claiming he bailed out Ronaldinho from jail in Paraguay. The Barcelona and Brazil legend was arrested on March 6 and held in prison after being accused of possessing false Paraguayan passports and ID cards. On Tuesday, Ronaldinho was released from jail into house arrest after he and his brother paid $1.6 million (£1.3m) in bail. Reports had claimed that Messi put forward the cash to help out his former Barcelona teammate. TOP ARTICLES 3/5 Manchester United delay Odion Ighalo transfer decision as Solskjaer draws up stunning four-man shortlist But the Argentine now claims that is ‘fake news’. Read more
Olympics 2020 could still be doomed in a year (NYPost)
As the coronavirus spreads in Japan, the chief executive of the Tokyo Games said Friday he can’t guarantee the postponed Olympics will be staged next year — even with a 16-month delay.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe issued an emergency declaration this week to battle the virus, putting the country under restrictions after it seemed it had avoided the spread.
“I don’t think anyone would be able to say if it is going to be possible to get it under control by next July or not,” Tokyo organizing committee CEO Toshiro Muto said, speaking through an interpreter at a news conference conducted remotely. ”We’re certainly are not in a position to give you a clear answer.” Read more