Lagos CAN hails reopening of worship centres (Guardian)
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Lagos chapter has hailed the reopening of churches by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
It, however, told churches to comply with all the regulations on COVID-19 protocols to avoid losing the gains of the partial reopening.
Sanwo-Olu had on Saturday announced the reopening of worship centres in the Lagos from this weekend.
He declared worship centres should operate at 50 percent capacity while observing social distancing and wearing of masks with washing water providers and sanitisers provided for worshippers. Read more
Lagos launches Smart Meter Hackathon (DailyTrust)
The Lagos State Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources in collaboration with the Eko Innovation Centre has launched a Smart Meter Initiative tagged ‘The Lagos Smart Meter Hackathon 2020’.
Lagos Smart Meter Hackathon 2020 has been curated with a view to addressing the over 60percent metering gap in the State and Nigeria by leveraging local talent to create affordable smart electricity meters for consumers.
The solution, which is expected to enhance the supply of constant and stable electricity, improve last-mile electricity supply, prevent revenue leakage, and increase the trust people reposed in the authority, was launched by the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Minister of State for Power, Goddy Jedy-Agba and other government officials at a virtual press conference. Read more
Poor preparations threaten students resumption this week (Punch)
States were on Sunday divided over the Federal Government’s directive that the Senior Secondary School 3 pupils should resume on Tuesday in preparation for the West African Senior School Certificate Examinations starting on August 17.
Findings by The PUNCH show that SSS3 pupils in Lagos, Benue, Kwara and Ogun states are preparing for resumption on Tuesday, while WASSCE candidates would resume in Cross River State on Monday (today).
Enugu, Gombe and Rivers states have yet to announce the resumption dates for their pupils, unlike Ekiti State, where pupils will resume on August 10. Read more
NASS tasked on strengthening media industry (Guardian)
The National Assembly has been implored to come up with a deliberate policy to strengthen the media industry in Nigeria.
A practitioner and general manager of a Port Harcourt-based radio station, Rex Igiri, said without a functional framework to reinforce media operations, it would be had to get much from the industry.
He stressed that the sub-sector needed government’s support to discharge its responsibilities creditably for advancement of the national economy.
“There is no way you can commit any sector of the economy without making a deliberate and conscious policy that addresses issues in that sector,” he stated. Read more
PANDEF frowns at naming railway station after ex-President Jonathan (Vanguard)
PAN- Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, mouthpiece of the people of South-South zone, last night, described the naming of a Railway Station after former President Goodluck Jonathan by President Muhammadu Buhari administration as”meaningless and belittling to the person and status of the former president.”
National Publicity Secretary of PANDEF, Hon Ken Robinson, in a statement, said: ” It is even worse that after the supposed honour, the government went ahead to name several other stations after other Nigerians.”
“Though understandable that all those the various railway stations are named after, are prominent and deserving Nigerians. Read more
It’s shameful Yoruba youths are slaves, prostitutes abroad –Prof Akintoye (Punch)
The President of Yoruba World Congress, Prof Banji Akintoye, has said it is shameful that Yoruba youths are among Africans trafficked to some European countries and other parts of the world for prostitution and modern-day slavery.
Akintoye, who said this in an interview with our correspondent in Ibadan on Sunday blamed the massive migration of Nigerian youths abroad on poverty and absence of youth development programmes.
Akintoye said, “Nigerian young men and women are dying in droves in the desert trying to reach Europe. It is happening all the time and the government of Nigeria knows it. Read more
Akpabio links Ibori, Uduaghan, Kalu to NDDC projects (Punch)
The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has linked two former governors of Delta State, Messrs James Ibori and Emmanuel Uduaghan, to the various contracts awarded by the Niger Delta Development Commission.
Others on the lists submitted to the Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, on July 23 by Akpabio are the Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, and Senator Ifeanyi Ararume, among others.
The letter, which was also copied to the office of the Attorney General of the Federation/Minister of Justice, was addressed to the Clerk to the House, Mr Patrick Giwa, with Reference Number MNDA/HM/04/IV/158. Read more
My exhibition in Poland is the biggest in my career – Bob-Nosa (Vanguard)
Africa’s foremost contemporary protest artist, Bob-Nosa Uwagboe, has been in Poland now for more than 4 months for the exhibition of his paintings titled “TRANSIT” at the National Museum in Gdańsk.
Nosa and his curator, Malgorzata Paszylka-Glaza who is also the curator of the Modern Art Department, the National Museum in Gdansk, Poland, had online conversations with VANGUARD NEWSPAPER on diverse issues relating to art, the artist, the exhibition, and a little measure of polish politics.
For more than 4 months now you have been in Poland for the exhibition of your paintings titled TRANSIT. Could you briefly refresh our memories of the circumstances that kept you in Poland for so long for an exhibition that ordinarily would have lasted only for a few weeks? Read more
Duterte reimposes coronavirus lockdown as he criticises doctors (Aljazeera)
The Philippines will reimpose a stricter coronavirus lockdown in and around the capital for two weeks from Tuesday, President Rodrigo Duterte announced early on Monday, as the country struggles to contain infections that have jumped to more than 100,000 cases.
Duterte has approved placing Metro Manila and nearby provinces such as Laguna, Cavite, Rizal and Bulacan under so-called “Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine” (MECQ) until August 18, his spokesman Harry Roque told reporters.
Some businesses and public transport are expected to be closed in the capital, which is currently under the less-restrictive General Community Quarantine classification. Read more
Coronavirus: Iran cover-up of deaths revealed by data leak (BBC)
The number of deaths from coronavirus in Iran is nearly triple what Iran’s government claims, a BBC Persian service investigation has found.
The government’s own records appear to show almost 42,000 people died with Covid-19 symptoms up to 20 July, versus 14,405 reported by its health ministry.
The number of people known to be infected is also almost double official figures: 451,024 as opposed to 278,827.
Iran has been one of the worst-hit countries outside China. Read more
Casualties as gunmen attack prison in Afghanistan’s Jalalabad (Aljazeera)
Fighters have attacked a prison compound in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad, and a battle with security forces is under way, according to officials, in an attack claimed by the ISIL (ISIS) group that left at least three people killed and 20 others wounded.
The complex assault on Sunday began with a suicide bomber detonating a car laden with explosives near the entrance of the government-run facility, followed by multiple attackers opening fire on security guards.
Afghan police and special forces were deployed to the scene and an hours-long gun battle with the assailants ensued. Read more
New Covid and flu tests give results in 90 minutes (BBC)
New “life-saving” 90-minute tests which can detect coronavirus and flu will be rolled out in care homes and laboratories from next week.
The “on-the-spot” swab and DNA tests will help distinguish between Covid-19 and other seasonal illnesses, the government said.
The health secretary said this would be “hugely beneficial” over the winter.
Currently, three quarters of test results are returned within 24 hours and a quarter can take up to two days.
The announcement comes as the government pushed back a July target to regularly test care home staff and residents, saying the number of testing kits had become more limited.
Almost half a million of the new rapid swab tests will be available from next week in adult care settings and labs, with millions more due to be rolled out later in the year. Read more
SpaceX Crew Dragon astronauts splash down in Gulf of Mexico (Aljazeera)
SpaceX has safely delivered two astronauts back to Earth for
NASA, following an historic two-month mission to the International Space Station (ISS).
With the help of four white and orange parachutes, test pilots Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico at 18:48 GMT on Sunday.
As soon as the capsule hit the water, the recovery crews went to work on retrieving the parachutes and saving the capsule so they could hoist it out of the water and extract the crew. Read more
Americans in Africa: Why we left America to live in Africa (BBC)
Brian, Rukiya and Marcus don’t know each other but all three have decided to leave their home in the US and move to Namibia, Tanzania and Uganda respectively.
While some African Americans recently relocated because they see Africa as a safe haven from racism, others say they moved for their children.
In 2019, number of African Americans were inspired by the recent “Year of Return” movement initiated by Ghana, 400 years after the first Africans were brought in chains to Jamestown in the US. Read more
Rita Ora, Lewis Capaldi and James Blunt sign open letter to ‘wipe out racism’ in British music industry (Metro)
Rita Ora, Lewis Capaldi and James Blunt are just some of the musicians who have signed an open letter calling for the British music industry to ‘wipe out racism’ after Wiley’s anti-Semitic tweets. The letter, which has been shared online, has also been signed by artists including Little Mix, Nile Rodgers and Niall Horan, as well as record label executives. ‘We, the British music industry, are proudly uniting to amplify our voices, to take responsibility, to speak out and stand together in solidarity,’ the letter read. ‘Silence is not an option. ‘Through music, education and empathy we can find unity. We stand together, to educate and wipe out racism now and for our future generations.’ Read more
Eagles-target Dessers may consider Belgium call-up (Punch)
Cyriel Dessers has hinted that he could still play for Belgium despite committing his international future to the Super Eagles, The PUNCH reports.
The striker is eligible to play for Nigeria through his mother, who is from Lagos, and also for Belgium, where he was born and the country of his father.
Last year, Dessers, 25, met with top Nigeria Football Federation officials in London and also secured a Nigerian passport in his bid to represent Nigeria.
The striker was set for his Nigeria debut in the 2021 Africa Cup Of Nations double-header qualifiers against Sierra Leone, but the match was called off due to the coronavirus outbreak. Read more
‘The most dramatic ending I can remember’ – Hamilton on last-lap puncture drama (BBC)
There has never really felt much doubt about Lewis Hamilton winning this year’s Formula 1 World Championship and there is even less after a previously uneventful British Grand Prix turned on its head in the final two laps.
Hamilton and his Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas appeared to be cruising to a predictable one-two in the closing laps at Silverstone when all hell suddenly broke loose.
Bottas suffered a puncture with two laps to go, dropping out of the points, and then Hamilton hit the same problem on the final tour, and he faced an agonising final lap trying to drag his car home on three wheels before Max Verstappen’s Red Bull caught him. Read more
Matteo Guendouzi snubs Arsenal celebrations after FA Cup win vs Chelsea (Metro)
Matteo Guendouzi has distanced himself from Arsenal’s FA Cup celebrations following their victory over Chelsea on Saturday.
The midfielder has not featured for Arsenal since his clash with Neal Maupay during the Gunners’ 2-1 defeat to Brighton on June 20. Guendouzi has been left out by Mikel Arteta since that incident and the 21-year-old was omitted from the squad for Arsenal’s clash against Chelsea at Wembley.
Following their 2-1 victory over Frank Lampard’s side, Arsenal’s players flocked to Twitter and Instagram to celebrate the club’s 14th FA Cup trophy. Read more
NSSF holds virtual training for sports teachers, games masters (Guardian)
To update the knowledge of its personnel to global standard, the Nigeria School Sports Federation (NSSF) has organised a three-day virtual capacity building programme for coordinators and Physical and Health Education teachers from the 36 states of the federation and the FCT, Abuja.
The training, tagged “Effective Teaching of Physical and Health Education and Management of School Sports in The New Normal,” was held from July 21 to 23 with over 500 participants.
According to NSSF President, Olabisi Joseph, the training was aimed at updating the knowledge of those in charge of sports in schools across the country. Read more
Mike Tyson responds to George Foreman and makes knockout prediction for Roy Jones Jr fight (Metro)
Mike Tyson shot down George Foreman’s concerns about his exhibition clash with Roy Jones Jr. Foreman urged the retired boxers not to fight each other after it was announced Tyson and Jones Jr would go toe-to-toe in an eight-round exhibition on 12 September in California.
Tyson, 54, has been teasing for months about a potential comeback and hit back at Foreman expressing concern about his health. ‘Don’t worry about us. [Foreman] wasn’t worried about getting hurt when he went on his tour of coming back and fighting. Tell George I love him for caring,’ Tyson told TMZ. ‘We’re both professionals. We know how to handle ourselves and whatever happens, happens.’ Read more
Fiorentina sink relegated SPAL on Serie A’s final day (Guardian)
Two late goals from Christian Kouame and Erick Pulgar gave Fiorentina a 3-1 Serie A win at doomed SPAL on Sunday as a dramatic season both on an off the pitch comes to a close.
Kouame headed the away side into an 89th-minute lead and after supplying the cross for the Ivory Coast international Pulgar then made no mistake from the penalty spot in stoppage time.
The sides had been level since the 39th minute when Marco D’Alessandro guided home a beautiful volley to cancel out Ghana midfielder Alfred Duncan’s 30th-minute opener.
Fiorentina stay 10th while SPAL waved goodbye to Serie A with their 28th defeat of the campaign. Read more