Take personal responsibility to curb COVID-19 spread, says Lagos commissioner (Guardian)
As the gradual ease of Covid-19 lock down reached day three in Lagos, the state government has appealed to residents to abide by the safety guidelines provided to curb further spread of Covid-19 virus in the State.
The Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde gave the advice while featuring on a Lagos Television programme ‘Lagos Today’.
He disclosed that the State government has deployed transportation safety guidelines which the residents and operators of public transport must abide by, if we must end the coronavirus pandemic in due time. Read more
Lagos Public Defender gets new director (Nation)
The Lagos State Ministry of Justice has appointed Dr. Babajide Martins as Director, Lagos State Office of the Public Defender (OPD).
Martins succeeds Mrs Olayinka Adeyemi who has been deployed to the Lagos State Ministry of Justice as the new Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).
The new director holds an LLB from the University of Lagos, Masters in law from University of Leicester and doctorate in law from Birbeck College, University of London
Before his appointment, he was a Director in the Directorate of Public Prosecution, Lagos State Ministry of Justice. Read more
COVID-19: FG decries violations of lockdown, guidelines (Guardian)
The Federal Government has decried the continued violation of the new guidelines set up as part of measures to check the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the country.
Mr Adeniyi Adebayo, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, on Wednesday in Abuja, frowned at the deliberate violation of the guidelines.
The minister warned against the backlash of violating guidelines like physical distancing, wearing of face masks in the public, among others. Read more
COVID-19: FG bans flights for another four weeks (Nation)
The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 pandemic has announced a four-week extension of the suspension imposed on air travels in the country.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Chairman of the PTF Mr Boss Mustapha disclosed this during Wednesday’s edition of the daily press briefing by the Task Force.
The PTF also raised the alarm over the observed abandonment of care by the population, with regards to warnings against crowding and observation of various protective measures, noting that all indications pointed at dangers ahead. Read more
Dangote contributes N1.5 Bn ($3.8m) to Nigeria UN COVID-19 Basket Fund (DailyTrust)
Alhaji Aliko Dangote. The Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) has contributed a total sum of N1.5 Billion (equivalent to USD $3.8 million) to the Nigeria UN COVID-19 Basket Fund. ADF’s collaboration with the UN will bolster the Nigerian Government’s efforts of strengthening the functional capacity of the healthcare systems and support to those affected by the coronavirus. The contribution from ADF, will go towards the procurement of the much-needed testing and medical supplies and equipment, to aid the healthcare response towards the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more
Two coronavirus patients flee isolation centre in Oyo (Guardian)
Oyo State Government on Wednesday said two coronavirus patients have fled the isolation centre where they are being treated for the disease.
“Of the 33 active cases being managed by the state, two have absconded, possibly to their permanent places of residence. This brings the number of active cases in Oyo State to 31,” Oyo State governor Seyi Makinde tweeted.
The governor was however silent on what actions are being taken about the abscounded patients. Read more
Lockdown lift: Keeping safe is like a camel passing through the eye of a needle – Abuja residents (DailyTrust)
Operatives under the FCT COVID-19 security team barricade the UTC Shopping Centre at Area 10 to enforce the market operational days announced by the FCTA in Abuja yesterday Photo: Felix Onigbinde The Federal government of Nigeria announced a total lockdown on the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos and Ogun States on March 30th, 2020. These lockdown lasted for a month with only essential workers and services in operation. On Monday, the federal government eased weeks of lockdown imposed on the states. However, with the increasing number of Covid19 cases in the country, the easing of the lockdown to some is “freedom”, and while to others, it is a “call to more wreck”. Read more
Nigerian woman gives birth on repatriation flight from UAE (Punch)
A Nigerian woman on Wednesday gave birth to a baby mid-air on the repatriation flight from the United Arab Emirates, The PUNCH has learnt.
Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa revealed this to our correspondent.
She said the woman was delivered of a baby boy and both son and mother were doing well at a hospital in Dubai.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, had said 265 Nigerians would arrive in Lagos from Dubai on Wednesday as part of efforts to bring Nigerians willing to come back into the country amid the coronavirus pandemic. Read more
Harry and Meghan release video of Archie to celebrate his first birthday (Metro)
Harry and Meghan have released videos of their son Archie to mark his first birthday. Archie, who turns one today, is seen in the video with Meghan Markle as she reads the story ‘Duck Rabbit’ to him. Prince Harry filmed the footage and can be heard laughing behind the camera. Archie has rarely been seen in public and in the video he smiles and grips the pages of the story, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld, which playfully asks whether an ambiguous image is a duck or a rabbit. Read more
Trump clarifies that coronavirus task force will ‘continue on indefinitely’ (CBC)
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday the White House coronavirus task force would continue its work on the pandemic, focusing on vaccines and therapeutics, a day after appearing to give support to the possibility it would wind down its operations.
“Because of this success, the Task Force will continue on indefinitely with its focus on SAFETY & OPENING UP OUR COUNTRY AGAIN. We may add or subtract people to it, as appropriate. The Task Force will also be very focused on Vaccines & Therapeutics,” Trump said in a series of tweets.
On Tuesday, Vice-President Mike Pence, who leads the task force, told reporters the White House may start moving co-ordination of the U.S. response on to federal agencies in late May. Read more
Coronavirus: Germany reopens shops as lockdown is relaxed (BBC)
Chancellor Angela Merkel has agreed to reopen all shops as part of a deal with the leaders of Germany’s 16 states to ease restrictions on society.
General contact rules will continue for another month. Schools will reopen gradually this term and Bundesliga football has been given the green light to restart.
The states have agreed to take control of timing the reopening.
They will operate an “emergency brake” if there is a new surge in infections. Read more
Pandemic shows power of doctor’s phone call to provide care (CBC)
It was intended as an interim measure to protect people during the pandemic, but now that doctors across Canada have embraced virtual care, some clinicians and patients would like to see it continue.
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced more than $240 million in funding to expand the capacity for virtual health care by, among other things, creating digital platforms and apps and improving access to online mental health supports.
Moving some services online could ease the burden on the health care system when patients don’t need to see their family physician, pediatrician or nurse practitioner in person. Read more
Millie Small: My Boy Lollipop singer dies aged 72 (BBC)
The star was most famous for her hit single My Boy Lollipop, which reached number two in both the US and the UK in 1964.
It remains one of the biggest-selling ska songs of all time, with more than seven million sales.
Island Records founder Chris Blackwell announced her death and remembered her as “a sweet person… really special”. Read more
Microsoft launches Surface Book 3 to take on the new MacBook Pro (Metro)
Days after Apple announced a newly-updated MacBook Pro, Microsoft has unveiled a series of new Surface devices to compete.
The Surface Book 3 headlines the announcement that also includes a new Surface Go tablet, refreshed Surface Headphones and brand new Surface Earpods that serve as a rival to the AirPods. Microsoft’s slate grey gadgets have won considerable praise over the last few years thanks to the premium performance and excellent build quality. Read more
Leroy Sane: Man City unwilling to let winger leave cheaply for Bayern (BBC)
Manchester City would prefer to let winger Leroy Sane enter the final year of his contract rather than let him leave cheaply for Bayern Munich.
Bayern have been interested in Sane for 12 months, with the player understood to be keen to return to Germany.
Manager Pep Guardiola sees the 24-year-old as a key part of his squad, though. Read more
Lionel Messi undergoes coronavirus test at Barcelona training (Metro)
La Liga’s stars including Barcelona’s Lionel Messi reported to their training grounds on Wednesday morning to be tested for coronavirus as the Spanish league looks to ramp up plans to restart the season. The government in Spain has eased some lockdown restrictions this week, with La Liga organisers now targeting a June restart date to finish the season. Players from the top two divisions in the country will train individually initially after coming to an agreement with Spain’s sports and health authorities that guaranteed the safety of players and staff. Read more
British boxing chiefs issue guidelines for return to ring (Guardian)
Boxers fighting in Britain would be required to wear masks during ring walks and would be banned from using a spit bucket under proposals to allow for a resumption of the sport, it was reported on Wednesday.
Boxing authorities are reportedly gearing up for a July re-start following the coronavirus shutdown.
The BBC said a consultation document sent to promoters proposed that boxing cards would take place behind closed doors with a maximum five bouts and no “championship contests”. Read more
Coronavirus: Germany’s Bundesliga to resume this month, says Angela Merkel (BBC)
The German Bundesliga season can resume this month, Chancellor Angela Merkel has confirmed.
It will become the first major league in Europe to return to competition, with a date for resumption to be confirmed by the German Football League (DFL) on Thursday.
All matches will be played behind closed doors. Read more
Tony Ferguson slams Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor and tells UFC rivals to retire (Metro)
Tony Ferguson has once again taken aim at Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov, this time telling his UFC rivals to retire. Nurmagomedov was booked to fight Ferguson at UFC 249 last month, but was forced to pull out of the bout due to the coronavirus pandemic in Russia. Remarkably, it is the fifth time a match-up between Nurmagomedov and Ferguson has had to be cancelled and Justin Gaethje has stepped up to fight ‘El Cucuy’ this weekend in Florida. Read more
Kalou handshake video ‘shocked’ German politicians (Guardian)
A video of Hertha Berlin forward Salomon Kalou shaking hands with his team-mates “shocked” key German politicians, who are set to decide Wednesday whether the Bundesliga can resume later this month.
“The video has done the German league (DFL) and professional football a disservice,” Anja Stahmann, chairwoman of Germany’s regional sports ministers, told radio station RBB on Wednesday.
“I have heard from colleagues that they are shocked and shaken.
“We were struck by great doubts when we watched the video,” admitted the sports senator for the state of Bremen. Read more