Man bags six-month imprisonment for peddling marijuana (Guardian)
A Federal High Court in Lagos State has sentenced a 22-year-old man, Tunde Morakinyo, to six-month imprisonment for unlawfully dealing in 600 grammes of marijuana.
The judge, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, sentenced the marijuana peddler following his guilty plea to the charge brought against him by the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). He got a one-count charge of unlawful dealing in the banned substance.
NDLEA prosecutor, Mr Fingere Dinneys, told the court that the defendant was arrested by his agency’s operatives on February 5, 2020, along ljora-Badia Railway Line, Lagos, where he was selling the prohibited substance. Read more
Distributor bottling illegal water faces prosecution (Nation)
The Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) is investigating a distributor of a popular water brand, Mrs. Olufunmilola Salawu, for refilling used bottles, it was learnt.
A television report last Friday showed Mrs. Salawu’s workers refilling used CWAY’s bottles from a tap in her compound.
LASCOPA has sealed the premises.
The agency’s General Manager Mrs. Kemi Olugbode, on Wednesday, said Mrs. Salawu’s action flouted safety regulations in the food and beverage sector.
She said: “Mrs. Salawu confessed that her workers were abusing CWAY’s water bottles. Her workers were refilling used bottles straight from a tap without the company’s knowledge. Read more
Schools resumption: Lagos gives recipe on post COVID-19 teaching skills (Vanguard)
Ahead of an eventual resumption of schools after lockdown, the Lagos State Government has charged teachers in public and private schools to reappraise and intensify their mentoring skills as a supportive learning tool in readiness to cope with post-COVID-19 classroom expectations.
The Tutor-General/Permanent Secretary, Lagos Education District 1, Barrister Margaret Solarin, gave the charge during a maiden webinar edition: Eko Educators series, 1.0. organized for the State Post Primary School Teachers. Read more
LASWA gets new jetty (Nation)
The Lagos State Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development has handed over the newly-commissioned Baiyeku Concrete Jetty to Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA).
Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development Arch Ahmed Kabiru Abdullahi urged LASWA to make maximum use of the jetty and observe every necessary safety rule and regulation to safeguard the lives of commuters.
He urged the residents to join hands with the government to ensure that the facility is managed, secured and used to the benefit of the people. Read more
COVID-19 measures may be further relaxed despite rising cases (Punch)
The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 hinted on Thursday that government might soon relax some of the measures put in place to curtail the spread of the disease despite increasing risks of transmission.
The National Coordinator of the PTF, Dr Sani Aliyu, said this at a briefing by the task force in Abuja, just as the chairman of the task force, Boss Mustapha, said 21 local governments in the country accounted for over 60 per cent of confirmed cases.
Decrying the attitude of many Nigerians who were jettisoning the guidelines released to curtail the spread of the virus, Mustapha, who is also the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, said he would have locked down the country again if it was within his power. Read more
We have only seven patients in our isolation centre – Ogun government (Guardian)
The Ogun Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, on Thursday, said only seven out of 721 patients were in an isolation centre in the state.
Coker made this known when she joined the Deputy Governor, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, to receive 300,000 face masks donated by a Chinese company, Lee Group of Companies, located in Sagamu and Ijebu-Ode.
She said that 97 per cent of the patients were being given home treatment as directed by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control. Read more
Hushpuppi defrauded 1,926,400 persons, made N168bn – Dubai police (Punch)
The Dubai Police Force, United Arab Emirates, has revealed how it arrested Nigerian Instagram celebrity, Ramon Abass, aka Hushpuppi.
In a video released on its official Twitter handle on Thursday, the police said a special team had been tracking the suspect and his gang’s activities on the social media for about four months.
The DPF revealed that upon the arrest of Hushpuppi and 12 other members of his crew, including Olalekan Ponle, aka Woodberry, they discovered that fraud amounting to 1.6 billion dirham (N168bn) had been perpetrated by the gang. Read more
Man kills wife, dumps corpse in well (Punch)
A 40-year-old man, Abdulrahaman Abdulkarim, has been arrested by the police in Katsina for allegedly killing his wife and dumping her corpse inside a well.
Abdulkarim was said to have committed the offence in Madabu -Dabawa village in the Dutsinma Local Government Area of the state.
The spokesman for the Katsina police command, SP Gambo Isah, confirmed the incident on Thursday.
He said the victim,Wasila Sara,19 was Abdulkarim’s junior wife. Read more
Malawi presidential election: State broadcaster says opposition leading (BBC)
Malawi’s opposition is claiming victory in the re-run of last year’s presidential election – which was held again after allegations of widespread rigging.
Official results for Tuesday’s poll have not yet been declared by Malawi’s electoral commission.
But state broadcaster MBC says opposition leader Lazarus Chakwera is leading with 59% of the vote.
President Peter Mutharika, who wants a second term, has 38%, it says. Read more
French jihadist goes on trial over IS group executions in Syria (France24)
A French jihadist went on trial Thursday on terror charges amid accusations that he oversaw executions in Syria as a senior figure in the Islamic State (IS) extremist group.
Tyler Vilus, 30, is facing charges of belonging to a terrorist group, heading a unit of IS group fighters and “aggravated murder” between 2013 and 2015. He faces a life sentence if convicted.
Investigators suspect him of being part of the “Al-Muhajireen” (the immigrants) brigade, a squadron that tortured and carried out summary executions, which he denies. Read more
Lack of school structure putting children’s mental health at risk (CBC)
A lack of routine and certainty during the COVID-19 pandemic is creating mental health challenges for Ontario’s school kids, medical experts say.
“This is an extremely stressful and traumatic time,” said Dr. Gail Beck, a child psychiatrist who works with adolescents and young adults at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre.
Beck said she’s worried about how some children are coping without the daily rhythms of school days and the absence of classmates. Read more
CDC adds 3 new coronavirus symptoms to list (NYPost)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) appears to have recently added three new symptoms of the novel coronavirus to its ongoing list.
Congestion or runny nose, nausea, and diarrhea were added, joining the federal agency’s list that already included fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell and sore throat.
“This list does not include all possible symptoms. CDC will continue to update this list as we learn more about COVID-19,” per the CDC. Read more
Trudeau rejects pressure to release chinese executive (VOA)
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is refusing to release Chinese high-tech executive Meng Wanzhou in exchange for two high-profile Canadians under arrest in Beijing.
Meng is the chief financial officer of Huawei and is wanted by the United States accused of fraud.
Nineteen former Canadian politicians and diplomats, including ex-foreign affairs ministers Lloyd Axworthy and Lawrence Cannon, sent a letter to Trudeau appealing to him to free Meng. Read more
Black Lives Matter: The Dixie Chicks undergo name change (TMZ)
The Dixie Chicks are dropping “Dixie” from their name and will now be just “The Chicks” … and the change is 100% a response to the nationwide protests of systemic racism.
While the Texas-based band has yet to publicly announce the name change, the group’s Twitter handle is now @thechicks and the band made the same change on their cover photo, which features album art for their upcoming project, “Gaslighter.”
The band’s official website is also now, TheChicks.com, and simply says, “We want to meet this moment.” Read more
Russell Crowe admits first Gladiator script he read was ‘so bad’ (Metro)
It might have gone on to become one of the most iconic films of our time but Russell Crowe has admitted that the first Gladiator script was ‘bad’. Directed by Sir Ridley Scott, the film starred Crowe as gladiator Maximus, who goes through a story of betrayal when the king’s son kills his own father and takes over the throne. Maximus is forced to fight in the gladiator arena to regain his honour and we’re not sure we’re over it yet. Appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Crowe has now revealed that the first script for the 2000 box office smash was not in good shape. Read more
Liverpool win Premier League: Reds’ 30-year wait for top-flight title ends (BBC)
Liverpool’s 30-year wait for a top-flight title is over after Manchester City lost 2-1 at Chelsea to confirm the Reds as Premier League champions.
Jurgen Klopp’s side needed one victory to seal the league but City’s failure to win means they cannot be caught.
It is Liverpool’s 19th top-flight title and their first since 1989-90.
Despite being urged to “stay home” by the city’s metro mayor because of coronavirus, thousands of fans gathered at Anfield to celebrate. Read more
COVID-19: FIFA approves $1.5bn relief fund (Punch)
FIFA is to make available $1.5bn in grants and loans as a relief fund to help associations impacted by the coronavirus, world football’s governing body announced on Thursday.
Gianni Infantino, the FIFA president, said the relief fund had been “unanimously approved” by the members of its council and insisted there would be “strict controls” on how the money is spent.
All 211 member associations will be entitled to a “basic solidarity grant” of $1m each as well as $500,000 which must be invested in women’s football. Read more
Bubba Wallace: Nascar president said it was right to fear hate crime (BBC)
Nascar said it was right to fear a hate crime had been committed against driver Bubba Wallace, which was later dismissed after an FBI investigation.
It concluded that the noose found in the team garage of Wallace last Sunday was actually a handle on a garage door and had been there since last year.
“Upon learning of and seeing the noose, our reaction was to protect Bubba,” said Nascar president Steve Phelps.
“We’re living in a highly charged and emotional time.” Read more
Former Raptors star Vince Carter retires after record 22 seasons (CBC)
Former Raptors star Vince Carter made his retirement official on Thursday, announcing on his podcast that his 22-year NBA career has come to an end.
The announcement was largely a formality because the 43-year-old Carter had said many times over the course of this season that this would be his last in the NBA. His 22 seasons are the most in league history, and he became the first NBA player to appear in four different decades.
Carter appeared in 1,541 NBA games, behind only Robert Parish (1,611) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1,560) on the league’s all-time list. He started his career with the Toronto Raptors, then played for New Jersey, Orlando, Phoenix, Dallas, Memphis, Sacramento and spent his final two seasons with Atlanta. Read more
Panthers’ Matt Rhule would consider kneeling alongside players for anthem (NYPost)
The NFL insists it will support its players in protesting racial inequality and social justice. One head coach, Bill O’Brien of the Texans, has said he will take a knee during the national anthem with his players and now another, Matt Rhule of the Panthers, told reporters he may follow.
“I would consider anything as we move forward,” Rhule said on Thursday. “I’m supportive of the cause. I’m supportive of the movement. I’m supportive of social justice. I think for every person, coach or player that will be a very personal decision. I think it has to be made at the right time and the right reason for everybody.” Read more
A tournament of firsts: 2023 women’s World Cup will break new ground (France24)
The 2023 World Cup will be groundbreaking in more ways than one way.
It will be the first with 32 teams, up from the 24 nations who competed at last year’s finals in France, won by the United States.
That means more matches and more revenue to be ploughed back into women’s football.
The sports-mad host nations are expecting 1.5 million spectators, which would be another record, while prize money is set to be most ever offered, reflecting the growth of the game. Read more