LASU hikes tuition by 168% for new students (Punch)
Lagos State University has increased tuition of new students by 168 per cent, The PUNCH has learnt.
Our correspondent gathered that new students of the university would pay N67,048.50 as against N25,000 previously paid.
When contacted on the telephone, the spokesperson for LASU, Adekoya Ademola, confirmed the increment of tuition for new students.
He, however, clarified that returning students are not affected by the increment. Read more
Lagos govt bans burial in homes (Guardian)
The Lagos State government has banned the burying of bodies within residential premises across the state as part of measures to prevent transmission of communicable diseases. It has also prohibited the use of residential areas as morgues, embalmment centres, and burial sites.
This was disclosed by the Executive Secretary of Lagos State Law Reform Commission, Ade Adeyemo, who said the prohibition had become imperative as the state seeks to step up to the 21st century realities of preventing communicable diseases.
She explained that the commission arrived at the adopted measures after careful consideration and review of laws that address the immediate and peculiar needs of Lagosians. Read more
Hoodlums cart away Ogun Assembly mace (Vanguard)
Leadership of the Ogun State House of Assembly and the Police on Thursday were divided as suspected hoodlums burgled the Assembly complex and carted away the Assembly mace.
Vanguard gathered that men of the underworld broke into the speaker, Olakunle Oluomo’s office overnight and stole the official symbol of the legislature.
It was gathered that this is the second time hoodlums the Assembly complex has been bulged in the last three weeks.
When our correspondent visited the Assembly located metres away from the Governor’s Office, in the precinct of the State Secretariat, Oke- Mosan, Abeokuta, some security agents denied access into the complex, saying it was order from above. Read more
Uproar in Rivers as police kill three persons (Guardian)
There was uproar in Rupoku and Romokoro in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Thursday morning as trigger-happy police allegedly two people in the area.
It was gathered that a Keke driver, one of the deceased, was on his way to load passengers at about 6 am when a police officer at Rupoku/Romokoro checkpoint demanded N100 for clearance but the deceased said, he had no money as he just came out for business.
The refusal, an eyewitness at the scene, Mr. fynface Micheal said, got the police officer infuriated and he shot
the Keke driver thrice on his forehead, thus leading to his instant death. Read more
Army GOC 6th Division, Irefin, dies of COVID -19 (Punch)
The 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Bori Camp, Port Harcourt was thrown into mourning on Thursday following news of the death of its General Officer Commanding, Major General Johnson Olu Irefin, from coronavirus-related complications.
Irefim, who died in Abuja after testing positive for COVID-19, took over the command of the division in July 2020, replacing Maj.-Gen. Felix Agugo.
Efforts to reach the spokesman of the Division, Charles Ekeocha, were not successful as of the time of filing this report. Read more
Nigeria slashes internet data prices by 50% (Guardian)
Nigeria government on Thursday said it has reduced the prices of internet data by more than 50 percent.
Communications and digital economy minister Isa Ibrahim Pantami disclosed that the slashed data prices came to effect since November 2020.
“The average cost of 1GB of data has reduced from the January 2020 cost of N1,000 to N487.18 in November, 2020,” Pantami said in a statement by his technical aide Femi Adeluyi. Read more
Money Laundering Trial: Drama as Ex-Pension boss, Maina slumps in court (Vanguard)
Erstwhile Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Taskforce Team, Abulrasheed Maina, on Thursday, collapsed before the Federal High Court in Abuja at the resumed proceeding of the 12-count money laundering charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, preferred against him.
Maina, who is facing trial alongside his firm, Common Input Property and Investment Limited, slumped beside the dock where he was permitted to sit by trial Justice Okon Abang.
The former pension boss had on Wednesday after the anti-graft closed its case with nine witnesses, told the court that he would enter a no-case-submission to the charge against him. Read more
Police parade 110 suspects as Okowa inaugurates ‘Operation Delta Hawk’ (Punch)
The Delta State Police Command has paraded 110 suspects for various criminal offences ranging from armed robbery, kidnapping, cultism, jail-breaks, murder, among others.
Parading the suspects at the command headquarters on Thursday in Asaba, the Commissioner of Police, Hafiz Inuwa, said the recent #EndSARS protest which was hijacked by hoodlums had a devastating effect on the general security of life and property.
He said, “The command has been confronted with the challenges of enforcing and ensuring compliance with regulations and measures put in place. Read more
Taylor Swift announces second surprise album of 2020 (BBC)
Taylor Swift is releasing her second surprise album of 2020 at midnight, she has revealed on Twitter.
Evermore is described as a “sister album” to the delicate, escapist Folklore, which itself arrived out-of-the-blue in July.
Recorded remotely in quarantine, that record topped the US and UK charts and earned Swift nominations for six Grammy awards, including album of the year.
Swift said the new 17-track collection featured songs from the same sessions.
“To put it plainly, we just couldn’t stop writing,” she said. Read more
Chinese flight attendants told to wear diapers to avoid COVID-19 (NYPost)
Flight attendants in China are being advised to wear diapers in order to ward off COVID-19 infections — by helping them avoid the plane bathroom, according to new airline guidelines.
The disposable undergarments and other personal protective equipment — masks, goggles, shoe covers — are on a list of recommendations for flight crew on flights to and from high-risk countries, CNN reported.
“It is recommended that cabin crew members wear disposable diapers and avoid using the lavatories barring special circumstances to avoid infection risks,” says the guidelines from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, which oversees the country’s airlines. Read more
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky are ‘inseparable’ as whirlwind romance heats up (Metro)
It seems Rihanna and A$AP Rocky are complete smitten as their whirlwind romance continues to heat up. Fans were pleasantly surprised to discover the pair were giving a relationship a try after they were spotted enjoying dinner together last month. The duo have been keeping their romance as private as possible since the news broke, but that hasn’t stopped them from being spied out together in New York City. Indeed, sources claim the duo can’t get enough of each other as they told People: ‘They’ve been inseparable the past few weeks. It’s a new relationship, but they both seem very into it.’ Read more
Britons could be barred from EU entry on 1 January (BBC)
UK travellers could be barred from entering the EU from 1 January as travel rules associated with being part of the EU expire and pandemic restrictions block entry.
Unrestricted travel to countries within the bloc will no longer automatically apply to UK residents from then.
This means entry into the EU would then be based on essential travel only.
Currently only countries with low coronavirus infection rates qualify for non-essential travel. Read more
Man charged after 2 women in hijabs attacked in Edmonton mall parking lot (CBC)
A 41-year-old Edmonton man has been charged with a hate-motivated attack on two women Tuesday afternoon outside a shopping mall.
The Hate Crimes and Violent Extremism Unit is working with investigators, the Edmonton Police Service said Wednesday in a news release.
Richard Bradley Stevens, 41, has been charged with two counts of assault and one count of mischief.
At about 3:40 p.m. on Tuesday, patrol officers responded to an assault in progress in the parking lot outside Southgate Centre at 5015 111th St., police said. Read more
George Clooney was hospitalised after ‘losing 25 pounds too quickly for new film’ (Metro)
George Clooney believes his 25 pound weight loss for his new movie was to blame for his recent hospitalisation. The 59-year-old both directs and stars in The Midnight Sky, and plays a scientist who must venture through the Arctic Circle with a young girl to warn off a returning spaceship following a global catastrophe. For the role, Clooney lost nearly two stone, but he believes the way he went about losing the weight landed him in hospital with pancreatitis. Four days before he was due to start filming The Midnight Sky, the actor was rushed to hospital with stomach pains, and was eventually diagnosed with pancreatitis – a disease where the pancreas becomes inflamed. Read more
24-year-old woman dead after dropping iPhone into bath water (NYPost)
A 24-year-old Russian woman was electrocuted when her charging iPhone fell into the water as she was taking a bath, according to a report.
Olesya Semenova’s lifeless body was found by her roommate in their apartment in Arkhangelsk, East2West News reported.
“I screamed, shook her, but she was pale, did not breathe and showed no signs of life,” Daria told the emergency operator. “I was really scared. When I touched her, I got an electric shock.”
She added that she found Semenova’s iPhone 8 in the water – still charging. Read more
We can’t host Sports Festival, Edo drops bombshell (Vanguard)
Edo State deputy governor, Philip Shaibu yesterday hinted that the 2020 National Sports Festival may not be convenient for the State to host in January.
Dr Shaibu said after a tour of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium Benin City, that the Sports Ministry and the Presidential Task Force on Covid’19 did not consult Edo State, before fixing the January date after the NSF was postponed from the December 3, sparking an uproar by athletes and officials.
“We can’t host the National Sports Festival January 3-17, 2021. It is not feasible for us. Not because we are not ready infrastructure and logistics wise, but because it would be coming two days after the New Year festivities.”
“We were never consulted in fixing the new date, it was a decision from top to bottom and they were quite insensitive to the feelings of the athletes and officials,” said Shaibu. Read more
Paolo Rossi: Italy’s 1982 World Cup hero dies aged 64 (BBC)
Italy’s 1982 World Cup hero Paolo Rossi has died aged 64, his family says.
Rossi became a household name after leading the Azzurri to victory at the tournament in Spain, finishing as top scorer and being named best player.
At club level he first came to prominence as a prolific scorer for Vicenza, earning a move to Juventus and later playing for AC Milan.
His death was announced on Thursday, following what Italian media report had been a long illness.
Rossi’s wife Federica Cappelletti posted a picture of them together on social media with the words “Per sempre” (“forever”). Read more
‘We can’t wait to get our fans back’: NBA opens to mostly silence (USAToday)
Rarely has LeBron James struggled to adapting to new teammates, navigating new defensive coverages or staying disciplined with his dieting and training.
As for the Los Angeles Lakers’ star playing games without fans, though? That remains a different story. Even after competing for nearly three months on a quarantined campus without fans, James expressed uneasiness the stands will mostly remain empty when the NBA begins exhibition play Friday because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“It’ll never be something that’s comfortable, something I can be accustomed to or something that will feel regular,” James said. “When I first started playing organized sports, [fans] were there. It’s all a part of it. The fans are a part of this game.” Read more
Inter Milan crash out of Europe after Champions League stalemate (Guardian)
Inter Milan crashed out of the Champions League in the group stage for the third consecutive season on Wednesday after a goalless draw against Shakhtar Donetsk at the San Siro.
Antonio Conte’s side had needed a win to advance to the last 16 along with Spanish giants Real Madrid.
But the Italians finished bottom of their group with just one win, last week’s 3-2 victory over Borussia Moenchengladbach, having also played out a goalless draw in Ukraine. Read more
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar reveals past cancer diagnoses, bypass surgery (NYPost)
NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar penned an essay for WebMD published Wednesday, and shared — seemingly for the first time — that he he’s fought prostate cancer, leukemia, and had heart bypass surgery in the past.
The piece, titled “Black Lives Matter,” aims to shine a light on the way Black people are left behind by the US health system. Despite revealing he was diagnosed in 2008 with leukemia, Abdul-Jabbar made a point of saying his fame has afforded him health protections that many other Black people have not received.
“I’ve been fortunate because my celebrity has brought me enough financial security to receive excellent medical attention,” he wrote. No one wants an NBA legend dying on their watch. Imagine the Yelp reviews. Read more
Money and Mecca: why Fifa banned Caf president Ahmad (BBC)
Last month, FIFA banned Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Ahmad for five years after ruling that he had breached various codes of ethics. BBC Sport Africa – which broke the news of Ahmad’s impending ban in October – details the reasons for the Fifa vice-president’s sanction and why a second Fifa investigation is already under way:
Just minutes after being re-elected Fifa president for a second term in Paris in June 2019, Gianni Infantino made a triumphant declaration before the world’s assembled football leaders.
“Nobody talks about crisis at Fifa any more,” he said, referring to how Fifa’s corruption scandal had dominated when he took charge in 2016.
“Nobody talks about scandals or corruption. We talk about football… [Fifa] is now synonymous with transparency and integrity.” Read more