Lockdown
British parliament approves second national lockdown
The British Parliament has approved a four-week coronavirus lockdown plan to begin Thursday morning. Lawmakers approved the plan Wednesday, 516-38. Beginning 1 a.m. Thursday, all nonessential businesses including pubs, restaurants, hairdressers, golf courses, gyms, swimming pools, entertainment and sporting venues will close until at least December 2. The vote on Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s lockdown plan was never really in doubt after the opposition Labor Party said it would support the move, even though it criticized Johnson for acting too slowly. Some in Johnson’s own party, however, voted against the plan, saying a national lockdown was too severe. The plan is an effort prevent COVID-19 from escalating out of control and overwhelming Britain’s National Health Service. It represents ...
Zlatan Ibrahimovic overhead kick seals AC Milan win at Udinese
Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored an acrobatic late winner as AC Milan consolidated top spot in Serie A with a 2-1 win over Udinese on Udinese. The 39-year-old has scored seven goals in four league games played having missed the other two after contracting coronavirus. Stefano Pioli’s side are top of the table with 16 points from six games, four points ahead of Atalanta. Champions Juventus are sixth — seven points behind AC Milan — before Sunday’s game against promoted Spezia where Cristiano Ronaldo starts on the bench after testing negative for Covid-19. Magic from Zlatan Ibrahimović! 🙌 Just when his team needed it, he came up with an acrobatic finish which will likely seal the win for Milan 🔥 pic.twitter.com/oNPtU0KCdo — Premier Sports 📺 (@PremierSportsTV) November 1, 202...
Top Turkish officials close to President Erdogan test positive for coronavirus
Two top Turkish officials who work closely with Turkey’s president have said they tested positive for COVID-19. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, said on Saturday he had light COVID-19 symptoms and was nearing the end of treatment. He did not say how long he has been sick. His comments came hours after Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said he, his wife and daughter all tested positive after feeling unwell on Monday. They are being treated in a hospital. “Thankfully we are a bit better,” he said. Soylu was criticised in April for announcing Turkey’s first weekend-long coronavirus lockdown just two hours before it went into effect, leading to scenes of chaos at markets. The president rejected his resignation. Both men routinely meet Erdogan, who was travelling on Sat...
Eid-el-Maulud: President Buhari preaches love, honesty
President Muhammadu Buhari has urged all Nigerians to seize the opportunity of this year’s Eid-el-Maulud to reflect on the virtues of the Holy Prophet by showing love and understanding for fellow citizens. He also urged Nigerians to avert second wave of COVID-19 in Nigeria, saying the nation’s economy cannot bear another round of lockdown. Buhari’s position was contained in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, titled “President Buhari welcomes Maulud, urges love and understanding among citizens.” The statement read, “As Muslims in Nigeria join others all over the world to mark the Eid-el-Maulud, President Muhammadu Buhari has urged all citizens to use the occasion to reflect on the virtues of the Holy Prophet by showing love and understanding for...
Jordan Henderson: Liverpool don’t need excuses over heavy schedule
Jordan Henderson says Liverpool are not making any excuses ahead of a period filled with matches. The Reds face four huge games in the next 12 days, including an away trip to Manchester City. “We do have a tough period coming up, yeah, but we love playing football. We want to play these games,” Henderson said. “If you look back a few months ago and were sitting in the house during lockdown, couldn’t go out…we’d have played football every single day if we could. There are a lot of things going on in the world and it’s tough for people sitting at home. These things have a huge impact on people. So we really have to try and put a smile on the face – even if it is just for tonight. “So for us, it is physically demanding, but we are used to it. And we enjoy it. “We will use all the lads in the ...
Joe Okei-Odumakin urges government to address citizens’ grievances
Cross River Watch Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, President, Women Arise and Centre for Change, on Friday urged all tiers of government to urgently implement policies that would address the grievances of citizens. Okei-Odumakin, in a statement made available to newsmen in Lagos, said that there was so much pent up anger in the land as a result of deprivations and poverty. “It is time to now address such frustration and hopelessness that has made decent living impossible for millions of our people. “Staggering youth unemployment and high cost of living needs to be addressed,” she said. Okei-Odumakin said the high-handedness in dealings with citizens must become a thing of the past to regain the confidence of the people. Okei-Odumakin, therefore, urged the government to start making efforts to win bac...
ICPC uncovers N5.17 billion fraud in education, agric ministries
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says it has uncovered diversion of part of the N2.67 billion payments made to some Federal Colleges for school feeding during lockdown. The Chairman of ICPC, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, who stated this at the 2nd National Summit on Diminishing Corruption with the theme: “Together Against Corruption and Launch of the National Ethics and Integrity Policy”, said preliminary investigation had indicated that part of the N2.67billion was diverted to private accounts. The event, presided over President Muhammadu Buhari, was held at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday. The ICPC boss said: “We observed that transfer to sub-Treasury Single Account was to prevent disbursement from being monitored. ...
Governor Abiodun congratulates Laycon over #BBNaija win
The governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, has congratulated the winner of the Big Brother Naija reality television show, Olamilekan Agbelese. Abiodun made this statement via his verified Facebook page. He described Laycon as a pacesetter, saying his victory was aptly a confirmation of his brilliance. “I am delighted to congratulate one of our own in Ogun State, Olamilekan Agbelesebioba, AKA @itslaycon for emerging winner of Big Brother Naija Lockdown. “The pacesetter that you are, you have emerged one of the best in academic and social engagements, so this victory is aptly a confirmation of your brilliance, intellect and maturity,” he said. The governor seized the opportunity to reassure the citizens of the state that his administration will continue to support and empower the youths. “Our...
Airline operators dissociates from unions’ strike
Few hours to the commencement of the nationwide strike over the increase in pump price and hike in electricity tariff, Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has disassociated themselves from the action. Alhaji Abdulmunaf Yunusa, the President of the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) in a statement said that the association would not join the strike called by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC). Abdulmunaf noted that airlines had suffered huge losses for over three months during the COVID-19 lockdown and were forced due to no fault of theirs to even lay off staff and significantly reduce the salaries of those that were retained. He said: “It would be very insensitive therefore and a show of lack of understanding and compassion for Nigerian aviation workers who ha...
#BBNaija: Prince reveals housemates to make it till final day
Big Brother Naija 2020 housemate, Prince, has revealed that he and Dorothy will be in the Lockdown house till the final day. Prince, while having a discussion with Dorothy, said he was positive that the both of them would be in the house till the final day. Dorothy also affirmed it, adding that she knows that she’s not going anywhere anytime soon. She further stated that she believes that their friendship will go a long way. “You know that the both of us have come a long way considering the fact that we both started getting close at the beginning before you went after Nengi. “Honestly, at a point I felt you were going mad even, because Ozo was already showing interest in her too and then I was closer to Ozo. “I just didn’t want the drama and that was why I stayed away,” she said. However, ...
Gareth Bale: Real Madrid blocked my return to Premier League
Gareth Bale has accused Real Madrid of making it “very difficult” to leave the Spanish club as the Wales forward looks to end his Bernabeu exile. Bale is out of favour with Real manager Zinedine Zidane and played just 48 minutes of Madrid’s 12 games when the Spanish season resumed after the coronavirus lockdown. Zidane, who has feuded with Bale throughout his two spells in charge, said the winger did not want to play in last season’s Champions League last-16 second-leg tie at Manchester City. Bale has two years left on his Real contract, but there appears little chance he will force his way into the manager’s plans. The 31-year-old almost joined Chinese Super League club Jiangsu Suning in 2019 before Real pulled the plug on the deal, a decision that still irks Bale. “I think the club needs...
Brazil court fires Rio governor over corruption
Brazil’s High Court of Justice removed Rio de Janeiro Governor Wilson Witzel from office Friday, as police raided his official residence in a probe into accusations he stole emergency funds to fight the coronavirus pandemic. The raids also targeted the far-right governor’s wife and inner circle. Among those arrested was Pastor Everaldo, an evangelical preacher and leader of Witzel’s Christian Social Party. Helicopters circled over the stately governor’s residence, Laranjeiras Palace, starting at dawn as federal police executed a sweeping series of search and seizure orders and arrest warrants. The court ruling suspends Witzel, 52, from office for at least 180 days as authorities investigate claims he took a reported 274.2 million reals ($50 million) in kickbacks. “This criminal organizatio...
