Lagos vows to tackle flooding (Punch)
The Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources has said several constructions and dredging have been embarked upon towards bringing about a permanent solution to the challenge of flooding.
According to a statement signed by the Director, Public Affairs, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, Kunle Adeshina, the ministry had already commenced the construction and concrete lining of the nine-kilometre Akinola/Aboru drainage channel.
Adeshina noted that the construction, with a completion period of 24 months, would permanently solve the Aboru flooding problem, which he said dated back to 1989. Read more
Lagos offers free COVID-19 test for people living with disabilities (Sun)
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has disclosed that COVID-19 test for people living with disabilities will soon become free of charge .
Sanwo-Olu made this known at an interactive session with people living with disabilities, at a program tagged: “A Day with Mr. Governor”, held at the State House Annex, Marina.
Besides, the governor while pledging better welfare package for the people, also revealed that the state government has earmarked N500 million as disability fund.
The event was attended by representative of various groups of people living with disabilities in the state, they all aired their grievances and also agitated for better welfare, education, free health care among others. Read more
Sanwo-Olu calls for ethnic, religious harmony in Lagos (Guardian)
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has canvassed cooperation from Lagos citizens to enable him deliver the necessary dividends of democracy. The governor also said the only way Nigeria could thrive and achieve greatness is when the components that make it up live in ethnic and religious harmony.
Speaking during the end-of-year Christmas outreach organised by the Lagos State Public Service Christian Fellowship, in conjunction with the Chapel of Christ the Light, Alausa, Sanwo-Olu said his administration would require maximum support of the people to ensure continued development of Lagos.
The governor, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Christian Religion, Revd. Bukola Adeleke, noted that peaceful and harmonious relationship among the various ethnic groups residing in Lagos was important. Read more
Oyo govt now to allow crossover service (Tribune)
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, on Wednesday, approved the suspension of the 12 a.m. to 4 a.m. curfew earlier imposed on states by the Federal Government, saying that officials of the State’s Task Force on Covid-19 will ensure strict compliance to the guidelines and advisories during the Yuletide and after.
The governor, has, therefore, directed that religious centres be allowed to hold crossover worship services only in strict compliance with COVID-19 protocols.
The Technical Team of the Task Force on COVID-19 had earlier stated that it was ruling out the crossover services in view of the 12 a.m. to 4 a.m. curfew imposed by the Federal Government. Read more
Kidnapped Owerri bishop not dead, says Catholic church (Punch)
The Archbishop of Owerri Catholic, A. Obinna, has described as false the news making the rounds that the auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese, Moses Chikwe, who was kidnapped on Sunday in Owerri, the Imo state capital, had been killed by his abductors.
There were reports on Tuesday evening that the corpse of the prelate was allegedly found somewhere at the Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of the state, causing panic in the state.
But the archbishop of the archdiocese in a statement swiftly issued by Rev. Fr. Nnaemeka Njezi, who is the assistant secretary of the Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri, stated that there was no truth in the death rumour. Read more
COVID-19: FG cautions against self-medication, says can cause organ damage (Guardian)
The Federal Government has advised Nigerians against self-medication for COVID-19, saying it could lead to body organs damage.
Dr Adebimpe Adebiyi, Director of Hospital Services, Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Wednesday in Abuja.
NAN reports that articles about various home remedies and ways to prevent COVID-19 have been circulating on social and conventional media since the onset of coronavirus pandemic. Read more
Sexual abuse: We’ll not cover up, says Deeper Life (Punch)
The Deeper Life High School has pledged commitment to ongoing investigations into the alleged case of sexual abuse of a student, Don Davis.
Davis, a Junior Secondary School 1 pupil at the Deeper Life School in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, was alleged to have been abused by fellow student in the school’s dormitory.
The 11-year-old was admitted to a hospital barely a few weeks after he returned from school, as he was emaciated.
His mother, Deborah Okezie, took to social media to call out the school management, claiming her son’s anus had been damaged. Read more
FG reopens more borders this week as experts foresee spike in forex rate (Sun)
The Federal Government is expected to reopen the remaining land borders this week amid concerns by experts that the action might impact negatively on local manufacturers whose products cannot compete against their foreign counterparts. Some experts who spoke to Daily Sun, however expressed fears that the naira exchange rate could rise because of rising forex demand.
Professor of Capital Market at Nasarawa State University, Keffi, and former Commissioner of Finance, in Imo State, Uche Uwaleke observed that apart from the negative impacts, customs collections will increase and this will affect government’s revenues.
“As I mentioned earlier, the reopening of the borders, especially in this festive period, will help moderate inflationary pressure and lower the cost of commodities. Government’s revenue is expected to increase through increased customs collection. Read more
Ethiopian refugee, symbol of integration in Italy, killed on farm (AlJazeera)
An Ethiopian refugee who became a symbol of integration in Italy, her adopted home, has been killed on her farm where she raised goats for her cheese business, police said on Wednesday.
A Ghanaian employee on her farm in the northern Italian region of Trentino has admitted to killing Agitu Ideo Gudeta, 42, with a hammer and raping her, Italian news agency Ansa reported.
The report could not immediately be confirmed.
Gudeta had made her home in the mountains of Trentino’s Valle dei Mocheni, making goat’s cheese and beauty products in her farm La Capra Felice (The Happy Goat), which was built on previously abandoned land. Read more
Contagion sequel confirmed after original surged in popularity during coronavirus pandemic (Metro)
Fans of the hit blockbuster Contagion will be thrilled to know a sequel is in the works following the renewed interest in the original. The 2011 drama, which starred Kate Winslet, Gwyneth Paltrow, Matt Damon and Jude Law, followed the now very familiar story of how government and healthcare workers handled the global pandemic during a virus outbreak which originated in China, and their mission to find a vaccine. As the real life coronavirus pandemic began to unfold in March, Warner Bros. enjoyed a huge spike in sales and streams of Contagion which made a reentry on the film charts. So it only makes sense that director Steven Soderbergh is planning a follow-up. Read more
21 missing, buildings hang over edge of crater after Norway landslide (CBC)
Ten people were hurt, one of them critically, and 21 people remained unaccounted for after a landslide in southern Norway swept away more than a dozen buildings in the early hours of Wednesday, police said.
The landslide struck a residential area in the municipality of Gjerdrum, some 30 kilometres north of the capital Oslo.
Photos of the site showed a large crater with destroyed buildings at the bottom of it. Other buildings hung on the edges of the crater. Read more
At least 15 feared dead in PNG landslide (Guardian)
Up to 15 people were feared dead after a landslide struck a mining camp in central Papua New Guinea following heavy rain, officials said Wednesday.
Local MP William Samb said the camp in Goilala was buried as miners slept early Monday.
“Unfortunately there are no survivors from what we hear,” Samb told ABC, Australia’s national broadcaster. Read more
Blasts hit Yemen’s Aden airport as new unity government arrives (AlJazeera)
Loud blasts and gunfire were heard at Aden’s airport shortly after a plane carrying the newly formed Yemeni government arrived from Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, witnesses said.
The cabinet members, including Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik, were transferred safely to the city’s presidential palace, according to witnesses and Saudi media.
“The number of casualties have not been confirmed yet but sources said the explosions were powerful,” Al Jazeera’s Mohammed al-Attab, reporting from Sanaa, said. Read more
Argentine Senate approves historic bill legalising abortion (CBC)
Argentina’s Senate passed a law legalizing abortion early Wednesday after a marathon 12-hour session, a victory for the women’s movement that has been fighting for the right for decades.
The vote means that abortion will be legalized in Pope Francis’ homeland up to the 14th week of pregnancy, and also will be legal after that time in cases of rape or danger to the mother’s life. It will have repercussions across a continent where the procedure is largely illegal.
The measure was passed with 38 votes in favour, 29 against and one abstention, after a session that began late Tuesday. Read more
Gabon approves constitutional change if president incapacitated (AlJazeera)
Gabon’s parliament has approved constitutional changes to fill a legal void if the president becomes incapacitated and grant heads of state immunity after they leave office.
The question of a constitutional vacuum became a crunch issue in the central African state two years ago when President Ali Bongo Ondimba suffered a stroke that needed months-long convalescence.
Under the change, the president’s power will be transferred to a triumvirate – the speakers of its chambers of parliament and the defence minister – if the head of state becomes temporarily or permanently incapacitated. Read more
Tokyo Olympics: Nigeria to compete in 11 sports, says minister (Punch)
Team Nigeria will compete in just 11 sports with comparative advantage at the Tokyo Olympics, Minister of Youth and Sports, Sunday Dare, has said.
The minister made this known in a statement issued by his Special Adviser (Media), John Joshua-Akanji, on Wednesday in Abuja.
Dare declared that the days of jamboree at the Olympics are over, as Nigeria would only leverage on sports with comparative advantage and prospects of a podium finish.
He said preparing and leveraging on such short will be the focus of the ministry. Read more
How African women’s sport grew – despite everything – in 2020 (BBC)
How does one begin to sum up this year?
We said goodbye to 2019 with massive hopes that 2020 will be a year of big sporting moments – as the Olympic Games, Africa Women’s Cup of Nations and Uefa men’s Euros beckoned.
But then the coronavirus pandemic happened. Every facet of life – including sport – came to unexpected halt. And as competitions were cancelled, jobs were lost and salaries cut, it was women’s sport that was hit particularly hard.
When measures were put in place to allow some elite sports return, women’s sport was often not considered “elite” enough. Read more
Tottenham vs Fulham called off due to COVID-19 outbreak (Metro)
Tottenham’s Premier League clash against Fulham on Wednesday evening has been postponed due to a coronavirus outbreak at the west London club. Scott Parker’s side were due to face Tottenham in north London at 6pm on Wednesday but the match is now the second Premier League fixture to be called off this week after Manchester City’s clash with Everton on Monday was also postponed. Fulham posted a number of positive results for Covid-19 following their latest round of testing and had been in talks with the Premier League over whether the fixture could be played. Read more
MLS reopens collective bargaining agreement amid drastic financial losses (CBC)
Less than a year after agreeing to a new five-year collective bargaining agreement, Major League Soccer and its players union are heading back to the bargaining table.
The league has told the MLS Players Association that it will trigger a “force majeure” clause in the agreement signed in January because the COVID-19 pandemic has had drastic impacts on its business.
A source with knowledge of the situation says the lack of fans has led to a significant lack of revenue and the intention of triggering the clause is to discuss modifications to the agreement over a 30-day period. Read more
Premier League plans to carry on behind closed doors as Liverpool enters tier 3 (Metro)
The Premier League and EFL have no plans to implement a two-week ‘circuit breaker’ despite a spike in coronavirus cases which forced the abandonment of a second top flight fixture in the space of three days. Tottenham had been due to face Fulham this evening, but the match was postponed just over three hours prior to kick-off, much to the annoyance of Spurs manager Jose Mourinho. Manchester City’s game against Everton, meanwhile, had been called off at equally short notice on Monday, just two days after it had been confirmed that both Kyle Walker and Gabriel Jesus had tested positive for Covid-19. Read more
NBA: Milwaukee Bucks set three-pointer record as Orlando Magic continue fine start (BBC)
Giannis Antetokounmpo was the only Bucks player not to register a three-pointer against Miami Heat
The Milwaukee Bucks set an NBA record of 29 three-pointers in a game in a 144-97 win over the Miami Heat.
The Bucks dominated – leading by as many as 51 points at one stage – and broke the Houston Rockets’ record of 27 three-pointers in a single game.
Orlando Magic beat Oklahoma City Thunder 118-107 and have now won the first four games of a season for the first time in their 32-year history.
Only Orlando and Atlanta Hawks remain unbeaten in the new NBA season. Read more
Solskjaer sees Man Utd of old in late win over Wolves (Guardian)
Manchester United are recreating the habit of late winners that could lead to an unexpected Premier League title challenge, according to manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Marcus Rashford’s deflected strike deep into stoppage time beat Wolves 1-0 on Tuesday to move United up to second and within two points of leaders Liverpool.
After coming from behind wins at Brighton and Southampton already this season, United have now won three of their first 15 games of the season in added time, a trait Solskjaer knows well from his playing career at Old Trafford under Alex Ferguson. Read more
