We’ve moved Coronavirus patient to better facility now – Lagos govt (Punch)
The Lagos State Government on Saturday said it had moved the coronavirus patient to a better facility where he would be comfortable.
The PUNCH had exclusively reported how the patient was very upset about where he was isolated and had threatened to flee.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, who made the latest disclosure, said the Italian was currently receiving treatment at the Infectious Disease facility at the Mainland Hospital in Yaba area of the state.
He said, “We were renovating part of the facilities, so we kept him in a single isolation room for his privacy but we’ve subsequently moved him to one of our completed wards which were recently renovated with the full complement of facilities. Read more
FG to reopen Kara Bridge Mar 1 (Punch)
The Federal Controller of Works, Lagos, Mr Adedamola Kuti, has said Berger/Kara Bridge section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway will be opened to motorists on Sunday, March 1.
Kuti told journalists on Saturday afternoon that construction work had been completed on that portion of the road.
He said the Magboro-Punch axis would be opened on March 7 while the construction zone around Mowe would be opened in April. Read more
COVID-19: Commission frowns at arbitrary hike in price of face masks, others (Guardian)
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has frowned at the arbitrary increase in the prices of protective face masks and latex gloves by suppliers and retailers of the products.
A statement by Mr Babatunde Irukera, the Chief Executive Officer of the commission, in Abuja on Saturday described the practice as a violation of both moral codes and extant laws.
Irukera explained that suppliers and retailers were exploiting the national public health concern caused by the coronavirus outbreak to make gains. Read more
We’ll seize private jets belonging to loan defaulters – CBN (Punch)
Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele, has said the private jets belonging to loan defaulters would be seized.
Emefiele, who spoke on Saturday during a visit to the Dangote refinery and fertiliser project site in Lagos, said the chunk of the loans in the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria was being owed by Nigerians.
He said Nigerian banks were willing to support entrepreneurs in the country “but they need credible people that can come in and borrow money and pay”. Read more
Woman goes blind after having eyeballs tattooed black (Metro)
A woman has completely lost the sight in one eye and will soon be blind in the other after getting her eyeballs dyed black. Aleksandra Sadowska, from Wroclaw in Poland, took the risky decision to try and emulate a rapper named Popek – famous in her homeland for having the whites of his eyes dyed black. But the bungled procedure left the 25-year-old complaining of sharp pain in her eyes, which the tattooist reportedly told her was normal and could be treated with painkillers. Read more
Guinea’s President Condé postpones controversial referendum (BBC)
Guinea’s president has delayed Sunday’s controversial referendum on changing the constitution that if passed could allow him to seek a third term.
Alpha Condé, 81, said the “slight postponement” was because the opposition say officials have tampered with the electoral register.
The announcement comes amid mounting international concern about the fairness of the poll. Read more
Attack on security forces kills nine in Burkina Faso (Guardian)
Gunman’s killed nine soldiers and officers in an attack on a police station and military unit in northeastern Burkina Faso on Saturday, security sources said, in the latest deadly assault in a country battling an Islamist insurgency.
Several dozen heavily armed men carried out simultaneous attacks on the army detachment and police station in the town of Sebba in Yagha province, a security source said. Read more
US and Taliban sign historic peace deal to withdraw troops from Afghanistan (Metro)
The US and Taliban have signed a peace deal that could hail the end of an 18 year conflict that has ravaged Afghanistan. American and NATO troops will withdraw within 14 months if the Taliban upholds its commitments to renounce ties to terrorist groups and hold talks with the Afghan government. The two sides met in the Qatari capital of Doha to sign the historic accord, which lays out a timetable for a full US draw-down from its longest-ever war. Read more
Coronavirus: France bans large indoors gatherings in bid to curb virus (BBC)
One of the two people of died of the Covid-19 disease in France was a schooteacher
France has banned all indoor gatherings of more than 5,000 people, as part of efforts to contain the country’s coronavirus outbreak.
Measures announced after an emergency cabinet meeting also include the cancellation of the Paris half-marathon which was to be held on Sunday.
In the worst-hit area, north of Paris, all public gatherings have been banned. Read more
Biden counting on primary win in South Carolina to revive hopes (Guardian)
Voters headed to the polls in South Carolina on Saturday for the fourth contest in the Democratic presidential nomination race, with Joe Biden looking to salvage his flagging White House hopes with a big win.
The former vice president is the firm favorite in the first state with a substantial African-American Democratic electorate to weigh in — but trails far behind frontrunner Bernie Sanders in nationwide polls. Read more
Couple find 99-year-old man living inside home they tried to rent (Metro)
A 99-year-old was stunned to discover that a scammer had tried to rent out his house without his permission. A young couple had handed over £800 to a ‘landlord’ and turned up at Frank Ballinger’s door saying they had come to look at ‘their new house.’ The retired police officer from Brackla, Bridgend, said: ‘I was confused at first, I said to them “are you sure it’s not the number across the road?” as there are a couple of houses up for rent in the street. Read more
More than 200,000 hit by Congo floods (Guardian)
More than 200,000 people have been affected by floods that have ravaged Republic of Congo since last year, authorities said Saturday.
The government has issued an urgent international appeal after the flooding along the Congo and Ubangi rivers in the country’s north, inundating communities and washing away homes and cattle. Read more
Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds engaged and expecting baby (BBC)
Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his partner Carrie Symonds are expecting a baby in early summer and are engaged, the couple have announced.
A spokesperson for the couple said the prime minister and Ms Symonds were “very pleased” to make the announcement. Read more
Unbeaten Novak Djokovic defeats Tsitsipas to extend win streak and claim fifth title in Dubai (Metro)
Novak Djokovic extended his latest remarkable winning run on Saturday afternoon by dispatching Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3 6-4 to claim a fifth title at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. It’s the 79th title of Djokovic’s illustrious career and his 21st consecutive singles match win – a run that stretches back to the Davis Cup Finals in November. That run is all the more remarkable when one looks at the quality of the opposition faced by Djokovic, who has beaten the other five top-ranked players with Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Dominic Thiem, Daniil Medvedev and Tsitsipas defeated during this hot streak. Read more
Bayern & Hoffenheim pass ball between themselves in bizarre final 13 minutes (BBC)
Bayern Munich and Hoffenheim players just played the ball between each other to see the game to its conclusion
Hoffenheim and Bayern Munich played out one of the most bizarre conclusions in the history of football as they passed the ball between each other for 13 minutes after a long delay for an offensive banner in the crowd.
Bayern were 6-0 up when their fans unfurled an offensive banner about Hoffenheim president Dietmar Hopp.
The game was delayed for about 20 minutes as Bayern’s staff and players begged their fans to put the banner away before the referee took them down the tunnel. Read more
Zidane says Clasico will not decide title, Setien puts pressure on Madrid (Guardian)
Zinedine Zidane said the Clasico on Sunday will not decide the title race even if Real Madrid lose to Barcelona and fall five points behind them in La Liga.
Yet opposite number Quique Setien believes Barca’s two-point cushion at the top makes the match at the Santiago Bernabeu “much more important for Madrid” than his team. Read more
Paris half-marathon cancelled over Coronavirus fears (Punch)
The Paris half-marathon, which was scheduled for Sunday with 44,000 registered runners, has been cancelled over fears of coronavirus, officials said Saturday.
The announcement came after the French government ordered the cancellation of “gatherings of more than 5,000 people” in enclosed areas and some external events.
French Health Minister Olivier Veran said there were 16 new cases of coronavirus in France, taking to 73 the number of people affected since the end of January. Read more
Juventus vs Inter Milan title clash postponed as coronavirus calls off Serie A matches (Metro)
Several of the weekend’s Serie A matches in Italy have been called off, including Juventus’ top-of-the-table clash with Inter Milan due to growing concerns around the spread of coronavirus. Matches were due to be played behind closed doors, with Inter and Juventus set to face off in a crunch fixture at the top of Italy’s top flight, but have now been scrapped in totality. Read more
Ayew goal gives Palace win over rivals Brighton (BBC)
Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson hailed his side’s “remarkable victory” that broke their “hoodoo” against rivals Brighton.
Jordan Ayew’s second-half goal gave Palace a first win over the Seagulls in three attempts and ended a seven-year wait for a win at Amex Stadium.
“I’m very proud,” Hodgson said. “Both teams were totally aware of how important this game is. Read more
Chelsea stumble again at Bournemouth, West Ham ease relegation fears (Punch)
Chelsea needed a double from Marcos Alonso to salvage a 2-2 draw at struggling Bournemouth as West Ham boosted their chances of survival with a 3-1 win over Southampton on Saturday.
After a 3-0 thrashing on home soil by Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday, Frank Lampard was hoping for a response after what he called a “reality check” for the Blues.
Instead, Bournemouth were minutes away from securing just their third league win since they also beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in December. Read more
