Lagos MSSN bemoans Kyari’s death (Guardian)
The Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Lagos State Chapter, has commiserated with Nigeria and President Muhammadu Buhari over the death of his Chief of Staff, Mallam Abba Kyari.
In a statement signed by the Amir, Dr. Saheed Ashafa, yesterday, he said the organisation received the news of Kyari’s death “with great sorrow and deep regret.”
While commiserating with his family, the presidency and the entire nation, Ashafa prayed Allah to overlook Kyari’s shortcomings as human and grant him eternal bliss in paradise.
He enjoined Nigerian leaders and politicians to always remember that the present world is transient, which requires God’s consciousness and humane attitude to
wards all mortals. Read more
Abba Kyari died of COVID-19 complications in Lagos – Commissioner (Vanguard)
The Lagos State Government, on Saturday, confirmed that the Chief of Staff to the President Muhammadu Buhari, Mallam Abba Kyari died from complications of Coronavirus, COVID-19 infection on Friday, April 17, 2020, in the State.
The state Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi confirmed this in a statement on Saturday, he personally signed.
The statement read: “Following enquiries on the passing away of the Chief of Staff to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mallam Abba Kyari on Friday 17th April 2020, the Lagos State Government states that:
Mallam Abba Kyari died from complications of Coronavirus infection at First Cardiology Consultants in Lagos. Read more
50 shanties gutted by fire in Ajegunle – LASEMA (Vanguard)
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), says about 50 shanties are affected by the fire at Olaiya, Mechanic Bus Stop off Orege in Ajegunle, a suburb in Lagos State.
The Public Affairs Officer of LASEMA, Mr Nosa Okunbor, said this in a statement in Lagos on Saturday.
Okunbor said that the agency knew about the incident through an overnight distress call on one of its emergency lines 767/112, at about 01:55am. Read more
Nigerians mourn Abba Kyari (DailyTrust)
President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday paid a glowing tribute to his late Chief of Staff, Malam Abba Kyari, who died on Friday at the age of 67 from complications caused by the coronavirus. President Buhari extolled the enormous sacrifices and contributions made by the deceased to his administration and the overall development of the nation. He described Kyari as a true Nigerian patriot, loyal friend, compatriot for the last 42 years, who never wavered in his commitment to the betterment of everyone. Read more
Abba Kyari: FCTA to quarantine pallbearers (Vanguard)
The Federal Capital Territory Administration FCTA has expressed dismay at the unprofessional conduct of some of those who conducted the burial rites of the late Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari, saying they have all been identified and would be quarantined.
Dr Mohammed Kawu, Acting Secretary Health and Human Services Secretariat in the FCT Administration disclosed this in a statement Saturday night in Abuja.
He said; “The Health and Human Services Secretariat of the FCT Administration has noted with concern the video trending on social media, showing a man pulling off his Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) unprofessionally after participating in the burial of the late Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Malam Abba Kyari, at the Gudu cemetery, Abuja. Read more
Nigeria records 49 cases of COVID-19, total rises to 542 (Vanguard)
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC on Saturday announced that the country recorded 49 new cases of coronavirus in six states.
In a tweet via its official handle, NCDC said 23 of the cases were recorded in Lagos, 12 in FCT, 10 in Kano, 2 in Ogun, 1 in Oyo, 1 in Ekiti.
This brings the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 542. 166 have been discharged, and 19 deaths have been recorded.
The deadly virus on Friday claimed the life of Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Mallam Abba Kyari. Read more
Race for Abba Kyari’s successor begins (DailyTrust)
After his burial yesterday, the battle for the seat of the late powerful Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Malam Abba Kyari, has discreetly commenced. Names of a likely successor to Kyari, who lost his battle to coronavirus on Friday, are being speculated. In the Presidency, names of a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babagana Kingibe, Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu and Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service, Colonel Hameed Ali (rtd) are being pushed as likely successor to Kyari.
Kingibe, 74, was the vice presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in 1993. In 2018, he was conferred with the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) by President Buhari. Read more
Kyari’s death confirms COVID-19 not a Joke – Labour (Vanguard)
Organized Labor in Nigeria has said that Abba Kyari‘s death confirmed President Buhari’s admonition that COVID-19 remains ‘a life and death issue’ and not a joke”.
The Organized labour condoled with President Muhammadu Buhari on the death of his Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari.
In a statement signed by the former General Secretary of Textile Union and Vice President, Industrial Global Union, Comrade Issa Aremu , Labor described Kyari as a patriotic Nigerian. Read more
Resident doctors criticise FG over open burial for Kyari (Guardian)
Medical doctors, under the ambit of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) have criticised the Federal Government over the open burial rites given to the former Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Alhaji Abba Kyari, who died as a result of Coronavirus, saying the situation may compound the spread of the pandemic in the country.
The Secretary-General of NARD, Dr. Bilqis Muhammed, blamed the government for allowing a large crowd to observe the burial rites of the late Kyari in Abuja, knowing the implication and impact the Coronavirus pandemic could have on the country, during the lockdown. Read more
Coronavirus: Quarantine attendees of Kyari’s burial, experts tell FG (Punch)
Medical experts in the country have asked the Federal Government to quarantine all persons who attended the burial of Mr Abba Kyari, the former Chief of Staff to the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), for public safety.
The experts pointed out that the gathering violated the ban on all forms of gathering in the Federal Capital Territory and government’s directive on social distancing, which were part of measures put in place by the government to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
Kyari, who was the topmost public figure to have died of the coronavirus in Nigeria, tested positive for the disease about three weeks ago, after he had visited Germany, a high-risk country. The former Chief of Staff passed on at a private hospital in Lagos on Friday. Read more
Coronavirus: Stars take part in One World: Together At Home concert (BBC)
Some of the biggest names in music have joined forces to celebrate healthcare workers in a globally televised concert.
Lady Gaga, Paul McCartney and Billie Eilish were among more than 100 artists who performed songs from their living rooms, due to the coronavirus lockdown.
The Rolling Stones even managed to play together from four separate locations.
The eight-hour show also featured real-life stories from those on the front line of the fight against Covid-19. Read more
Harry and Meghan cover faces with bandanas as they walk their dogs in LA (Metro)
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were seen donning blue bandanas as they walked their two dogs in LA on Thursday. Prince Harry was pulled along by their black Labrador Oz while Meghan Markle walked the family’s rescue beagle Guy. Travelling in their Porsche SUV, the couple followed Southern California rules requiring the wearing of face masks to combat the spread of coronavirus, but their security guard was thought to have flouted the regulation. The Sussexes stepped down as senior royals on March 31. They initially moved to a rented home in Vancouver, Canada, before travelling to Los Angeles last month to settle down permanently with their 11-month-old son Archie. Meghan, 38, wore skinny white jeans and a baseball cap as she walked the dog while Harry, 35, worse a faded polo shirt, jeans, desert boots and a grey cap. Earlier this week the pair were spotted in public for the first time since their move, dressed down in masks delivering meals to sick people. Read more
Germany staggers world with low COVID-19 death rate (VOA)
While countries around the world struggle with a lack of hospital beds and equipment for coronavirus patients, German cities such as Bremen have taken in patients from neighboring countries.
On a recent Saturday, Bremen received its first two French coronavirus patients from Strasbourg as Germany’s neighbor France struggles with hospitals at their limits.
The city could theoretically take more patients from abroad, hospital group Gesundheit Nord spokeswoman Karen Matiszick told local news outlet Buten un Binnen – although the situation could rapidly change. Bremen currently has had 567 cases and 24 deaths, according to official statistics. Read more
Coronavirus may have started spreading in September, scientists say (Metro)
The coronavirus outbreak could have began in mid-September, British scientists studying the diseases mutations have claimed. They also believe it may not have started in the Chinese city of Wuhan as is widely believed. Researchers from the University of Cambridge are trying to trace the origins of the deadly disease by mapping its genetic history to patient zero. So far they have mapped out its journey from China, to Australia, Europe then the rest of the world. The scientists have found three distinct but related variants of the bug more prevalent in different parts of the world. Read more
Lisa Loeb sued by photographer for using his pic on social media (PageSix)
A Florida photographer is suing singer-songwriter Lisa Loeb for posting his picture on social media without permission.
Loeb allegedly uploaded the shot of her clutching a guitar and wearing her hair in rainbow-ribboned buns on Instagram, which has garnered 992 likes. The photo, posted in October of 2019, appears beside the message “I stand with our LGBTQ youth against bullying.” The image also appears on Loeb’s Facebook page. Read more
‘Murder-suicide mother carried her baby into the path of an oncoming train’ (Metro)
A mother and her 15-month-old son were killed in what is being considered a horrific murder-suicide. Therese Papagayo, 36, and her son were fatally struck by a commuter train a Los Angeles Metro train Wednesday morning, according to the Los Angeles County Department Medical Examiner and the Monrovia Police Department. The coroner later ruled Papagayo’s death a suicide from ‘blunt force traumatic injuries’ after performing an autopsy. The Monrovia police department said Thursday that they are treating the case as a murder-suicide. Read more
No birthday celebrations for Queen Elizabeth as Covid-19 wracks UK (France24)
In an unprecedented step, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II will not celebrate her 94th birthday in any special way and has asked that there be none of Britain’s traditional gun salutes to mark the occasion because it would not be appropriate while the country battles a deadly coronavirus outbreak.
Britain is at or near the peak of an outbreak in which more than 14,000 people have already died – the fifth highest national death toll of a pandemic linked to at least 150,000 deaths worldwide.
The Trooping of the Colour, ceremonial gun salutes in which blank rounds are fired from various locations across London, are typically used by the royal family to mark special occasions such as anniversaries and birthdays. Read more
Child who vanished in 2014 is found starved but alive in hotel room (Metro)
A child who vanished in 2014 has been found emaciated but alive by FBI agents six years on. Penelope Inks was tracked down at a hotel in Madisonville, Texas, earlier this month, six years after she vanished at the age of 11.
Philip Klein, who was hired by Penelope’s father to try and track down the youngster explained: ‘She had her first meal. She was refusing to eat. She was living on Dr. Pepper and candy. She’s emaciated. Weighed 74 pounds at the age of 16 years old. She’s confused on who to trust, on who not to trust.’ Penelope is now in care of child protective services, and will be returned to her father after receiving mental and physical health assessments. Read more
Masari’s unflinching support making Katsina Utd best NPFL club – Badamasi (DailyTrust)
The chairman of Katsina United football club, Prince Abdussamad Badamasi has said the unflinching support coming to the club from the governor of the state, Hon. Aminu Masari is making the club to be the best in the Nigeria Professional Football League. Speaking to Daily Trust on Sunday, the youngest club chairman in the NPFL said the governor who is using the club to empower the youth of Katsina State and others across the country has remained unwavering in his support for the club. He explained that despite several contending issues amidst lean resources in the state, the governor has been consistent in making sure that the club’s monthly allocation is released promptly so that players and officials salaries and bonuses are paid as and when due. Read more
Fight against Whyte will be one-sided, says Joshua (Punch)
Anthony Joshua claims he will not have any problems in once-again defeating old rival Dillian Whyte should a long-awaited rematch between the two take place.
There is no love lost between the London-born pair who first fought as amateurs in 2009 before a feisty first professional encounter in 2015 in which Joshua claimed the British title in round seven.
Promoter Eddie Hearn is desperate for Joshua, who now holds three of the four world heavyweight titles, to face off against Tyson Fury, leaving White with a chance to face the winner for the title. Read more
Mancini sure of football returning to boost Italy amid COVID-19 pandemic
(Guardian)
Italy head coach Roberto Mancini hopes football in the country can return as soon as possible. Like all major competitions across the world, Serie A is on hiatus as part of efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19, with northern Italy particularly badly affected by the virus.
Mancini was due to lead the Azzurri at Euro 2020 in June, but the tournament has been put back 12 months.
The former Inter and Manchester City boss believes sport can act as a social boost for a population hit hard by the events of recent weeks.“It is a terrible thing for many families who have lost loved ones,” Mancini told SportMediaset. Read more
NBBF mourns teen sensation Deborah Onu (DailyTrust)
The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), has expressed shock and sadness over the passage of Deborah Onu one of one the rising prospects in the game who succumbed to the cold hands of death yesterday in Abuja.
She died at the Primus hospital in Karu in the early hours of the day due to complications from tuberculosis of the spine. The Secretary-General of the NBBF, Afolabi-Oluwayemi Olabisi who briefed the board following the unfortunate incident said while briefing the late Deborah was responding to treatments after undergoing treatment at the intensive care unit of the hospital before the sad incidence. Read more
Premier League return date still not clear, says Brady (Vanguard)
West Ham chief executive Karren Brady claims the Premier League’s return date is still unclear despite hopes the top-flight season can restart in June.
The Premier League said on Friday that wrapping up the remaining 92 fixtures remains their goal, but the on-going coronavirus crisis means no fixed schedule can be drawn up yet.
Brady’s West Ham were perilously placed in the English top flight when football was suspended, sitting above the relegation zone on only goal difference with nine games remaining. Read more
Psychologist in constant touch with players says Arteta (DailyTrust)
Arsenal’s psychologist has been in constant communication with the Premier League club’s players to offer any help they may need during the lockdown due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, manager Mikel Arteta has said. Soccer in England has been suspended since 13 March because of the virus that has infected more than 2.23 million people globally causing over 151 000 deaths at the time of this article’s publication. Arsenal’s players have been self-isolating since 12 March when Arteta tested positive for the virus – before the lockdown in Britain – and the Spaniard said that all efforts were being made to ensure the players were in good spirits. Read more
Not concluding this season’s Bundesliga will be a disaster’
(Guardian)
RB Leipzig CEO, Oliver Mintzlaff, believes it will be an “absolute disaster” if this season’s Bundesliga is not completed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Germany has started easing lockdown measures implemented to slow the spread of COVID-19, however, large gatherings remain banned until the end of August.
That decision effectively removes the possibility of the Bundesliga being finished with fans in the stadium.There is hope it can be finished behind closed doors and Mintzlaff sees this as a necessity to prevent several clubs being condemned to financial ruin.
In an interview with General Anzeiger, Mintzlaff said of not finishing the season: “That would be an absolute disaster because it could lead many clubs to bankruptcy. Read more