FG directs schools to resume Jan 18 (Nation)
The Federal Government has asked schools to resume on January 18, 2021 after “due consultation” with stakeholders.
The decision was reached after a meeting with stakeholders, including Governors, Commissioners of Education, Proprietors and heads of institutions, staff unions and students.
The Director, Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Education, Ben Goong, in a statement on Thursday, said the consensus at the meeting was that the resumption date of 18th January should remain, while parents and respective institutions ensure full compliance with COVID-19 protocols.
The meeting however insisted on the compulsory wearing of facemasks by all students, teachers and workers in all schools. Read more
Fashola gives artisans at Airport Road flyover 2 weeks to vacate (DailyTrust)
The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, on Thursday gave artisans plying their trade along the burnt section of the Lagos Airport Road flyover two weeks to vacate the area.
The Flyover which spans the Apapa-Oshodi-Ojota-Oworonshoki Expressway project being reconstructed, was engulfed by fire when a petrol tanker burst into flames on Jan. 7.
Following the incident, the Federal government immediately shut the bridge and on Jan. 8 warned the public to stay off the Airport Road Flyover pending the determination of its structural safety. Read more
COVID-19: Arrested clubber tests positive in police cell (Punch)
A social media influencer, Ipadeola Oriyomi, has accused the police of preventing him from being placed in an isolation centre after he tested positive for COVID-19.
Oriyomi who cried out on social media said he was arrested at a night club in Victoria Island by men of the Maroko Police Station in Lagos.
“They took us to Maroko Police Station where we slept overnight before they transferred us to Oshodi Taskforce,” he shared on Instagram.
Oriyomi who has been in the custody of the Oshodi Taskforce since Monday said a test for COVID-19 was carried out on him which returned positive. Read more
Lagos to hold Ehingbeti Summit in February (ThisDay)
The Lagos State government yesterday announced that ‘Ehingbeti,’ the private sector-centered economic transformation conference will now hold from February 16-18, 2021.
The economic summit was previously fixed for November 2020, but was postponed to this quarter.
According to a statement, the three-day summit, which will be a hybrid of virtual and live events, is expected to draw participation from different sectors of the economy and across the globe.
“As an ingenuous socio-economic apparatus with significant contributions to the evolution of Lagos State into a major economy in sub-Saharan Africa and an admirable megacity, this edition of Ehingbeti has yet another significant role in the wider Rebuild Lagos Agenda of the current government and its developmental campaigns. Read more
Again, Oyo police indict Amotekun for ‘killing’ 21-year-old student in Ibadan (DailyTrust)
Less than 24-hours after the Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde defended the operatives of the State security network codenamed Amotekun, the state police command has indicted the local security outfit of killing another 21-year-old student, Tosin Thomas.
The state Police Public Relations officer, Olugbenga Fadeyi confirmed this to Daily Trust in a statement in Ibadan on Thursday morning.
The victim was allegedly killed inside a Total filling station at Mokola roundabout on Wednesday evening.
Daily Trust gathered that on Wednesday evening, two young men were having misunderstanding which led to one of them inviting men of Amotekun to the venue. Read more
Be fair in your criticism, PMB tells Nigerians (Leadership)
President Muhammadu Buhari has called on Nigerians especially the elite to be fair in their criticism of his administration.
Speaking yesterday in Abuja when he received in audience Reverend Yakubu Pam, the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission, President Buhari in a statement by his media aide, Femi Adesina said:
“Those criticising the administration should be fair in terms of reflecting on where we were before we came, where we are now and what resources are available to us and what we have done with the limited resources. Read more
Mechanic bags 3 months imprisonment for causing grievous hurt (Independent)
A Magistrates’ Court in Gwagwalada, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), on Thursday, sentenced a 45-year-old mechanic, Amusu Olajide, to three months imprisonment for assault and causing grievous hurt, after a guilty plea.
Olajide, who lives in Gui village, Sunka, within the Federal Capital Territory, is facing a two-count charge of criminal force and assault, and causing grievous hurt, in contravention of provisions of the Penal Code sections 265 and 241.
Magistrate Yusuf Ibrahim sentenced Olajide, who had been on remand since Nov. 4, 2020, and who pleaded guilty to the charges.
Ibrahim ruled that the sentence was without an option of a fine, but that the sentencing would run from the day of his arraignment. Read more
Ortom: Bishop Kukah’s quit notice, a recipe for national disintegration (NewTelegraph)
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, Thursday said that the quit notice given to the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Mathew Kukah by the Moslem Solidarity Forum (MSF) to leave the state is a recipe for the country’s disintegration.
Governor Ortom said the statement of the group directing Bishop Kukah to apologize or leave Sokoto over his Christmas Day message “is a clear affirmation that Nigeria is being controlled by forces which are bent on setting the country ablaze if their interests are not guaranteed”.
The governor, who was reacting to a statement credited to MSF, said the utterances of the group outrightly contradicts the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution which accords citizens the right to live freely in any part of the country.
He admonished Nigerians irrespective of religious and political affiliations to uphold unity, peace and dialogue as panacea for the myriad of problems confronting the country. Read more
Military impounds large quantity of smuggled fertiliser in South South – DHQ (Guardian)
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) says the troops of Operation Delta Safe, on Jan. 9, impounded 1,184 bags of Yaraliva Nitrabor Fertiliser around Effiat Waterways in Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom.
The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the activities of the Armed Forces between Jan. 7, 2021, and Jan. 13, 2021, on Thursday in Abuja.
Enenche said the impounded fertilisers were intercepted in a large-wooden boat suspected to have been smuggled from Cameroon with two suspects on board. Read more
Lady Gaga to sing National Anthem at Joe Biden’s inauguration (NYPost)
Lady Gaga has been picked to sing the national anthem at President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration, it was announced Thursday.
The New York-born superstar — who campaigned for Biden during the election — has been confirmed to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the swearing-in ceremony next Wednesday, the inaugural committee said.
The New York-born superstar — who campaigned for Biden during the election — has been confirmed to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the swearing-in ceremony next Wednesday, the inaugural committee told Variety.
Fellow New Yorker Jennifer Lopez is another star name involved, although details of her performance were not revealed. Read more
Australia to kill pigeon that survived 13,000km journey from US (AlJazeera)
A racing pigeon survived an extraordinary 13,000-kilometre (8,000-mile) journey in the Pacific Ocean, crossing from the United States to find a new home in Australia.
But authorities now consider the bird a quarantine risk and plan to kill it.
Melbourne resident Kevin Celli-Bird said on Thursday he discovered the exhausted bird in his back yard on December 26. It had disappeared from a race in the US state of Oregon on October 29.
Experts suspect the pigeon that Celli-Bird has named Joe, after the US president-elect, hitched a ride on a cargo ship to cross the Pacific. Read more
Mobile internet brings food and fuel to communist-run Cuba (France24)
Since arriving in Cuba just two years ago, mobile internet has revolutionized life here — helping people find food, fuel and even medicine amid crippling shortages, and helping them organize protests in a country where waving a placard can land you in deep trouble.
Many in the Americas’ only communist-ruled state now wonder how they ever lived without it.
On the WhatsApp group Red Solidaria (Solidarity network), questions about basic necessities abound: “Flour please??”, “Has anyone seen toilet paper?”, or even “Does anyone know where to find milk?”.
Other online groups allow people to sell or exchange hard-to-come-by products: one user who goes by Gaby is looking to swap shower gel for toilet paper and soft drinks, while Leo is offering cooking oil and soap in exchange for baby food. Read more
China reports first COVID-19 death in eight months (NYPost)
China on Thursday reported its first COVID-19 death in eight months.
The death late Wednesday during a surge in cases in Shijiazhuang City was the first reported by Beijing officials since May.
While the victim was not identified, she was already severely ill from an unspecified underlying illness, the state-run agency Xinhua News said.
The news sparked panic, with the hashtag “New virus death in Hebei” getting 270 million views on Chinese social media platform Weibo on Thursday, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP). Read more
Panic grips Bangui residents after rebel attack (AlJazeera)
Bangui, Central African Republic – Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic (CAR), is tense after armed rebels launched a coordinated attack on the outskirts of the city on Wednesday evening.
The attack – the first in the capital city since the December 27 elections – was repelled by the UN mission and government forces.
“I’m under tension at the moment,” said a soldier from the Central African armed forces keeping guard in Bimbo, a suburb of Bangui that came under attack. Read more
Antibody-rich plasma treatment reduced deaths for COVID-19 patients: Mayo Clinic study (NYPost)
Blood plasma transfusions with high concentrations of COVID-19 antibodies reduced deaths among some virus patients, according to a new study conducted by Mayo Clinic researchers, lending credibility to one of the few known treatments for the illness.
“Early administration of high-titer convalescent plasma against SARS-CoV-2 to mildly ill infected older adults reduced the progression of Covid-19,” the researchers concluded.
The study was published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine, accompanied by an editorial explaining how the treatment works, titled, “(A Little) Clarity on Convalescent Plasma for Covid-19.” Read more
George Clooney says starring in ‘painful’ Batman film changed approach to Hollywood career (Metro)
George Clooney has opened up on what he learned from his much-maligned Batman film, after admitting he still finds it ‘physically hurts’ to watch his 1997 turn as the Caped Crusader. The actor said the somewhat critical response to Batman & Robin went so far as to completely alter how he approached potential roles for the rest of his career. Joel Schumacher’s flamboyant 90s Batman movie has sadly gone down in infamy in the Batman world and that’s even when they’re comparing it to Ben Affleck’s much-talked-about jaunt as the Gotham hero. Read more
Brianna McNeal: Olympic 100m hurdles champion provisionally suspended (BBC)
Olympic 100m hurdles champion Brianna McNeal has been provisionally suspended from athletics after being charged with breaching anti-doping rules.
The American is accused of “tampering within the results management process”, the Athletics Integrity Unit said.
McNeal, 29, won gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics and was also world champion three years earlier.
She missed the 2017 World Championships while serving a one-year ban for missing three drug tests. Read more
Chelsea’s longest-serving player, Lucas Piazon, finally agrees permanent exit (Metro)
Lucas Piazon’s epic stint as a Chelsea player who didn’t play for them is finally at an end after he agreed a permanent move to Braga. The 26-year-old is Chelsea’s longest-serving player, having arrived at Stamford Bridge in 2011 from Sao Paulo for around £5m. Carlo Ancelotti was in charge of the Blues when the deal was agreed, but Andre Villas-Boas had arrived in the summer for Piazon’s first season at the club. There was much expected of Piazon when he arrived, with Chelsea beating other European giants for his signature, and he impressed in the youth teams when he arrived as a 17-year-old. Read more
With Neymar back in action, PSG defeats Marseille to win French Champions Trophy (France24)
Neymar scored on his return to action for Paris Saint-Germain as they beat arch rivals Marseille 2-1 to win this season’s Champions Trophy.
The Brazilian rolled home an 85th minute penalty to put PSG two goals ahead following Mauro Icardi’s first-half opener to give new coach Mauricio Pochettino the first trophy of his reign in the French capital, and managerial career.
The Champions Trophy is the French equivalent of a Super Cup, usually contested at the start of the season by the league champions and French Cup winners.
With PSG winning both last season, Marseille had been selected as their opponents as the Ligue 1 runners-up. This season’s edition was delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic. Read more
Andy Murray tests positive for coronavirus ahead of Australian Open (Metro)
Andy Murray has tested positive for coronavirus, risking his chances of competing at the Australian Open. Murray, the three-time Grand Slam champion from Dunblane, has been quarantining and self-isolating at his home since the positive test but is said to be in good heallth. He was due to travel to Melbourne for the first Grand Slam of the year this week but will now look to travel at a later date. Murray will only travel when it is completely safe to do so and when he is granted appropriate permission from relevant health and governmental authorities. Read more
Mo Salah donates oxygen, ambulance for Egyptian village (AlJazeera)
Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah has donated oxygen and an ambulance to his home village in the Egyptian region of Gharbia, helping locals treat people suffering with COVID-19 as the country battles a second wave of infections.
Salah maintains deep connections with the small, poor village where he grew up, around 130km north of the capital Cairo, and donates around $64,000 each year to the Mohamed Salah Charity Foundation, the group said.
The 28-year-old himself tested positive for the coronavirus last November.
“We have 14 oxygen cylinders inside the Mohamed Salah Charity Foundation. These help people in the village of Nagrig [Salah’s hometown], as well as those from surrounding villages,” said Hassan Bakr, the head of the charity. Read more
Aston Villa v Everton postponed because of Covid outbreak (BBC)
Aston Villa’s Premier League game at home to Everton on Sunday has been postponed because of the ongoing Covid-19 issues at the club.
The Villa training ground remains closed after a coronavirus outbreak.
A Premier League statement said that a “significant number” of Villa players and staff remained in isolation.
It went on: “As a result, the Premier League board has agreed to Aston Villa’s request to postpone their match on Sunday.” Read more