NSCDC arrests eight for selling JAMB forms above official price (Nation)
The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Lagos Command, on Monday paraded eight men, allegedly involved in selling the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) forms above its official price of N4,700 per copy.
The Lagos State Commandant, Mr Cyprian Otoibhi, who paraded the suspects in Lagos, said that they were arrested during a joint operation with officials of JAMB.
According to Otoibhi, the suspects were selling each JAMB form for between N6,500 and N8,000.
Otoibhi gave the names of the suspects as: Bamiro Oluwaseun, Subair Adewale, Oshikoya Segun, Victor Faith, Olayinka Oluwashina.
“Others are: Elvis Okarafor, Igwoku Luckson and Ajetumobi Olufemi.” Read more
19-year-old housewife kills husband in Katsina (DailyTrust)
A 19-year-old housewife, Rabi Shamsudden of Danjanku Tasha village of Malumfashi LGA in Katsina state has been arrested by police for allegedly killing her 25-year-old husband, Shamsudden Salisu, with knife. Confirming the incident, Police spokesman in the state, Gambo Isah, said Rabi stabbed her husband with a knife at about 4am on Monday. He said that neighbours heard the deceased husband shouting and calling for help. He noted that people rushed to the house immediately but found the front door locked and decided to climb over the wall. Read more
Police discover dead baby in washing machine (Nation)
Police in Russia have discovered a newborn baby dead in a washing machine.
Russian authorities said in an official report that the mother of the newborn Nadezhda Z, is facing a murder investigation after the baby was found dead.
Nadezhda Z, a 31-year-old hairdresser, gave birth to her fourth child prematurely during the night.
Her husband Denis called the ambulance in the morning after seeing his wife covered in blood, inside their home in the Talitsa, Sverdlovsk region. Read more
Afghan plane crash: Mystery over crash in Taliban territory (BBC)
The US military has joined an investigation into a plane that crashed in eastern Afghanistan on Monday.
Local officials initially said the aircraft that came down in Deh Yak district, Ghazni province, belonged to state-owned airline Ariana.
But the airline denied this, prompting questions about the origin of the aircraft and the cause of the crash.
Hardline Iranian news agency Fars posted footage of what it said was the plane, with US Air Force markings. Read more
Tension in Osun as Lassa fever patient escapes from OAUTH (DailyTrust)
There was confusion amid palpable tension in Osun state on Monday as one of the patients undergoing treatment for Lassa fever absconded from the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital in Ile-Ife. The medical doctors and health workers in the hospital complex became panicked and warned their colleagues that would be resuming duty to be careful in the hospital vicinity so as not to have encounter with the the fleeing Lassa fever patient. One of the medical personnel in the hospital who preferred anonymity told Daily Trust that the female patient escaped from where she was being treated along with another patient with similar case and that it would be dangerous if she continued to mix with people wherever she is at the moment. Read more
It looks like Prince Harry has got a new job already (Metro)
Prince Harry announced he would be ‘stepping back’ as a senior member of the royal family on January 8. Since then, the twists and turns of exactly what this would look like have played out in the public eye, with he and Meghan eventually deciding to spend most of their time in Canada. Or have they? Eagle-eyed commuters reckon that Harry has already found himself a new job – as a handyman in London. Someone bearing a very strong resemblance to the prince has showed up in an advert for Ratedpeople, asking: ‘Looking for a vetted, local tradesperson? Read more
WHO to hold special meeting in Beijing as coronavirus death toll jumps (Guardian)
The head of the World Health Organization will hold a special meeting with officials in Beijing on Monday to discuss how to contain the coronavirus that has killed 80 people and left more than 400 in a critical condition.
In an effort to reduce chances of infection during what is China’s busiest travel season, officials announced the end of this week’s lunar new year holiday would be postponed until at least 2 February. Authorities have also widened sweeping restrictions on travel across the country.
On Monday, Chongqing municipality, which has a population of 30 million, said it had banned long-distance bus services. The municipality borders Hubei province, where the vast majority of deaths have been recorded. It follows similar announcements over the weekend by Beijing, Shanghai and the eastern province of Shandong. Read more
Cat with feline HIV dies months after £10,000 was raised for his treatment (Metro)
A stray cat nicknamed Smelly Cat, who touched hearts across the planet, has died at the age of 12. Maximus had feline HIV and was discovered in the streets of Great Barr, West Midlands, in November. His claws were so long they had become embedded in his paws and he could barely walk. Within days more than £10,000 had been raised for his treatment. However, suffering from breathing difficulties, he died on Friday night. Read more
Democrats call for Bolton to testify in impeachment trial (BBC)
Democrats have renewed their demand for US President Donald Trump’s former National Security Adviser John Bolton to be called to testify in the president’s impeachment trial.
It follows Mr Bolton reportedly claiming that Mr Trump wanted to freeze aid to Ukraine unless it investigated his rival, Democrat Joe Biden.
The claims, apparently made in a book manuscript, are central to the trial due to resume later on Monday.
Mr Trump denies the charges. Read more
Auschwitz survivors to return after 75 years for memorial ceremony (Guardian)
More than 200 survivors are to gather at the former Nazi extermination camp of Auschwitz, many probably for the final time, to commemorate the 75th anniversary of its liberation.
As rows over the make-up of the international guest list at the memorial ceremony threatened to overshadow Monday’s event, survivors who drew on harrowing memories of their incarceration warned the lessons from the atrocities sanctioned by Adolf Hitler’s administration and carried out often by ordinary Germans were in danger of being forgotten.
“The Holocaust was sponsored and was okayed by a government. Not only did they allow it to happen but they enforced it and encouraged regular people to become killers,” said Benjamin Lesser, a 92-year-old Polish-born Jew whose family was sent to Auschwitz in 1944. More than 1.1 million people were murdered at the camp, most of them Jews. Read more
Nick Kyrgios wins hearts but ruthless Rafael Nadal takes the spoils (Guardian)
Irrepressible but outmatched, Nick Kyrgios departed the Australian Open with a fourth-round defeat at the hands of world No1 Rafael Nadal, who took the match 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (4) at the Rod Laver Arena. Containing some of the most thrilling tennis of the tournament, the three-and-a-half-hour tussle reached fever pitch in an electric third set, which Nadal won in a tiebreak, then chiselled his way to victory. Resilient in defeat, Kyrgios lost no fans.
After a scrappy start, Nadal broke as early Kyrgios’s second service game, a drawn-out affair and a microcosm of the night, in which the Australian veered between his brilliant best and frustrating worst: twice he erred with drop shots when he had his opponent on the ropes. Quirky and captivating as ever, Kyrgios looked outdone for both power and precision in the early stages. Scything forehands that had flashed past his previous opponents’ rackets were now coming back with interest. His unpredictability, previously his trump card, now seemed to be confusing Kyrgios himself more than his opponent. Read more
Kobe Bryant: US mourns basketball legend killed in helicopter crash (BBC)
US basketball legend Kobe Bryant has died in a helicopter crash in California, sparking an outpouring of grief from fans around the world.
Bryant, 41, and his daughter Gianna, 13, were among the nine killed when the aircraft came down in Calabasas.
There were no survivors from Sunday’s crash which happened in foggy weather.
Bryant, a five-time NBA champion, played for the LA Lakers throughout his career and is considered one of the greatest players in the game’s history. Read more
Figure skater Gracie Gold’s three-year road back from the abyss (Guardian)
Two and a half years ago, Gracie Gold was done with figure skating. The bedazzled costumes she’d worn so elegantly winning two US national titles and an Olympic bronze medal between 2014 and 2016 had been packed up and shipped back to her parents’ home. Her skates had been tucked away in the back of her closet: the blades hadn’t touched the ice in over five months and Gold figured they wouldn’t ever again, at least not competitively.
In the ultra-competitive world of ice skating, two and a half years is a lifetime. But Gold, 24, defied the odds by returning to the 2020 US figure skating championships over the weekend. She wasn’t perfect – coming in 12th out of 16 – but she skated more like herself than she had in a long time. As she slid on a knee across the ice to end her program, Gold could see the crowd rising from the corner of her teary eyes. It was the third standing ovation of her career. Read more
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo pay tribute to Kobe Bryant (Metro)
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have paid their tributes to Kobe Bryant after the NBA legend died on Sunday. The former LA Lakers star and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna were two of the nine people who died on board a helicopter when it crashed outside the city of Calabasas, which is situated to the west of Los Angeles, at around 10am on Sunday morning. Tributes have poured in for Bryant from NBA legends including Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal and Dwyane Wade. Tiger Woods, who is a LA Lakers fan and a friend of Bryant, also held back the tears during his emotional interview after the Farmers Insurance Open ended. Read more
Liverpool will be Premier League champions – Guardiola (Vanguard)
Manchester City’s coach, Pep Guardiola has conceded defeat to Liverpool, saying Jurgen Klopp’s men would win the title in any of Europe’s top leagues this season with 14 games still to play.
City are 16 points behind champions-in-waiting Liverpool with a game in hand and have been no match for the world and European champions this season.
Guardiola will now concentrate on the FA Cup and Champions League where his side will face European powerhouse Real Madrid. Read more
La Liga wants Espanyol partial stadium closure for Inaki Williams incident (BBC)
La Liga wants the Spanish Football Association to punish Espanyol with a partial stadium closure after Athletic Bilbao forward Inaki Williams said he was racially abused at their ground.
After the 1-1 draw on Saturday, Williams, 25, said: “No black player or any player ever wants to hear that.”
La Liga is attempting to identify the fans involved and bring criminal charges of hate crimes against them. Read more
Barcelona lodge £67m for French league star forward (DailyTrust)
Ben Yedder Barcelona have lodged a £67million bid for Monaco forward Wissam Ben Yedder as they look to provide cover for the injured Luis Suarez. The Uruguayan frontman will be out of action for four months after undergoing knee surgery following the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia, and the Catalan outfit are in need of reinforcements as they scrap with Real Madrid for La Liga. Barca have been looking at several forward options but have reportedly been rebuffed in their attempts to sign Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Leipzig’s Timo Werner. Read more
Ronaldinho raves about Gabriel Martinelli and compares Arsenal wonderkid to Ronaldo (Metro)
Ronaldinho has tipped Gabriel Martinelli for big things in the future and likened the Arsenal youngster to his former Brazil team-mate Ronaldo. Martinelli completed a move from Ituano to north London last summer and the 18-year-old has made an immediate impact in Arsenal colours, racking up ten goals and two assists in all competitions. The teenager has found the net in each of his last Premier League games against Sheffield United and Chelsea and the attacker will be bursting with confidence ahead of Monday night’s FA Cup fourth-round clash with Bournemouth. Read more
Ofoje, Ogedegbe team up to scout for talents at St. Finbarrs College (Vanguard)
Rangers legend, Ikechukwu Ofoje has been scouting for talented soccer players at Saint Finbarrs College, who he intends to draft into the American College system, where he operates as a top head soccer coach.
Doing this in collaboration with the Ogedegbe Football Academy, an academy founded by ex-international Nathaniel Ogedegbe, Ofoje, a former Rangers of Enugu captain was weekend spotted at the football pitch of Saint Finbarrs College conducting rigorous screening exercise on more than 60 players, drawn from various secondary schools in Lagos.
Ofoje and Ogedegbe went to America Universities on scholarship based on their soccer abilities and academic brilliance and are now in the forefront of providing the same opportunities to talented football kids who are also sound academically. Read more
Man United and City cruise into FA Cup fifth round (DailyTrust)
Manchester United put a torrid week behind them by thrashing third-tier Tranmere 6-0 as holders Manchester City also cruised into the FA Cup fifth round with a 4-0 win over Fulham on Sunday. United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was badly in need of a convincing performance after 2-0 defeats to Liverpool and Burnley in the Premier League over the past seven days. Many tipped the Red Devils to get bogged down on a sandy surface at Prenton Park, but a flying start thanks to a host of unlikely goalscorers ensured there was no chance of an upset. Read more