Barcelona captain, Lionel Messi, has confirmed he is staying at the club for the 2020/2021 season.
According to him, he has taken the decision to avoid a legal war.
Messi told Goal: “I told the club, to the president in particular, that I wanted to leave. They know this since the start of the past season. I told them during all the last 12 months. But I will stay here because I don’t want to start a legal war”.
The Federal Government on Friday received samples of Russia’s COVID-19 vaccine.
Russia’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Alexey Shebarshin, delivered the samples to the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, during a visit to the ministry in Abuja.
This was contained in a statement signed by the ministry’s Director of Information, Media, and Public Relations, Olujimi Oyetomi.
The statement was titled, ‘Russian Federation Ambassador to Nigeria, H.E. Alexey L. Shebarshin on courtesy visit to Nigeria’s Health Ministers, Russian-made COVID-19 Vaccine finally here.’
The PUNCH had earlier reported that Russia’s President, Vladimir Putin, said his country approved a vaccine offering “sustainable immunity” against the lethal coronavirus.
The World Health Organisation had subsequently said it would review the effectiveness of the vaccine.
Ehanire on Friday also said the vaccine would be “quickly referred” to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control as well as the Nigeria Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development, amongst other agencies, for review and possible validation.
The need for a vaccine has become more urgent globally and nationally with Nigeria recording over 50,000 COVID-19 infections and over 1,000 associated fatalities, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.
Details later…
Paris Saint-Germain on Thursday announced “three new positive cases” of Covid-19 in their squad, a day after Neymar and two teammates were revealed to have contracted the virus, casting serious doubt over the start of their season in France.
“The latest Sars CoV2 tests carried out on the Paris Saint-Germain playing staff have confirmed that there are three new positive cases,” the French champions said in a tweet, taking the total number of cases in their squad to six.
Neymar, Angel Di Maria and Leandro Paredes were the first three to test positive, all after a recent holiday on the Spanish Mediterranean island of Ibiza.
Their identities were confirmed to AFP by a medical source close to the playing staff who requested anonymity for reasons of doctor-patient confidentiality.
Sports daily L’Equipe reported that Brazilian defender Marquinhos, Argentine striker Mauro Icardi and goalkeeper Keylor Navas – who were also in Ibiza – were the new positive cases.
Another PSG player, midfielder Ander Herrera, is also known to have been in Ibiza.
PSG are due to play their first game of the new Ligue 1 season away at Lens next Thursday, September 10, but there are increasing doubts as to whether that match will now go ahead.
The Lens game was initially due to go ahead last Saturday but was controversially postponed to give the PSG squad a break after their run to the Champions League final in Lisbon on August 23, in which they lost 1-0 to Bayern Munich.
That was despite PSG – by far France’s richest club – having played just five competitive games in the preceding six months.
Instead of playing the game, their squad were granted time off but the club has now been left to deal with a cluster of coronavirus cases which raise questions about why the French league decided to postpone PSG’s match in Lens, only for so many of their players to travel abroad on holiday during a pandemic.
PSG are also due to entertain bitter rivals Marseille on September 13, three days after the new date for the Lens match.
The existing, strict French league rules stipulate that collective team training sessions must be cancelled if a club has at least four positive tests over an eight-day period, with match postponements possible.
And the six players, who will now be placed in isolation, will not be allowed to even train with their teammates for eight days under the existing health guidelines.
In recent weeks, several Ligue 1 clubs have reported positive tests, including Strasbourg, Lyon, Marseille, Rennes, Nantes and Montpellier.
Marseille’s game against Saint-Etienne on August 21, which was set to be the season opener, was postponed because of a cluster of cases.
However, the LFP is set to introduce an amended protocol that would ensure teams would be able to play games as long as 20 players — including at least one goalkeeper — provided negative tests.
The last French season was ended early, with 10 rounds of matches left unplayed, because of the health crisis, although PSG were named champions as they led the league at the time.
(AFP)
Photos have emerged from President Buhari’s 22-year-old daughter, Hanan and Turad Sha’aban’s pre-wedding event which took place on Thursday September 3.
The main wedding will take place today September 4, 2020, at the Presidential Villa, Aso Rock.
The groom is the son of a former lawmaker, Alhaji Mahmud Sani Sha’aban, who represented Zaria in the House of Representatives from May 2003 to May 2007.
See more photos below;
A nine-year-old girl has died after her mother applied a pesticide, Sniper, on her hair to kill lice.
A paediatrician at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Dr Gloria Nwosu, disclosed this in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, while addressing journalists on Thursday.
Nwosu said the woman followed the advice of her hairdresser and put the pesticide on two of her daughters, aged nine and four, respectively.
She noted that while the nine-year-old convulsed for hours before giving up the ghost, doctors at the teaching hospital saved the four-year-old.
“Their mother felt that the hairdresser would know what to do since it has to do with lice. We did everything we could to bring the child back to normal, but it was all abortive.
“She (the deceased) was very sick. The second child slumped in our presence and we immediately admitted her and gave her an antidote. So, the question now is how many of these children may have gone through this?” Nwosu said.
She explained that the insecticide damaged the victim’s brain.
“It affected her brain because she convulsed for over two hours. Now, there is something we do to check for oxygen saturation; it remained low. It never went back to normal. Then they can have something coming out from their mouth. This child kept pouring out saliva. It never went off until she passed on.
“They also have high blood pressure. This child’s blood pressure was high. We saw all those symptoms on this child,” the paediatrician added.
Nwosu called for stronger regulation of harmful chemicals.
The presidential task force on COVID-19 (PTF) has announced that 10 airlines will not be allowed to operate in the Nigerian airspace when international flight resume on September 5.
Hadi Sirika, minister of aviation, disclosed this during the PTF briefing in Abuja on Thursday.
The affected airlines are Air France, KLM, Etihad Airways, RwandAir, Air Namibia, Royal Air Maroc, Lufthansa, Cabo Verde, TAAG Angola and South African Airways.
Sirika said Air France and KLM airlines were not granted approval for flight operations because “tourist visa’s holders are not allowed entry”.
He also said South African Airways are not allowed into Nigeria because South Africa are yet to resume international flights in their country.
He said the airlines approved for international flights in Lagos are British Airways, Delta, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Africa World Airlines (AWA) Ghana, Middle East, and Kenya Airways.
For Abuja, Sirika said the airlines allowed to operate international flights include: British Airways, Emirates, Ethiopian, AWA Ghana, Middle East, Turkish and Egypt Air.
The minister said Asky and Air Peace have also been approved to commence international flights.
“I think we have done very well so far so they won’t have any reason to disallow Nigerians to travel,” he said.
“What we have done is to review the issues, what have they done to us. In the case of Britain, they said when you come, we quarantine you and we also said when you come, we will also quarantine you.”
Sirika added that all intending passengers must register online via the Nigeria International Portal, pay for a COVID-19 PCR test fee and upload their COVID-19 negative result not more than 72 hours before boarding.
He reiterated that any airline caught with passengers without a COVID-19 negative test result will be fined $3500 per passenger.
The Cable
A 22-year-old musician, Yahaya Shariff-Aminu, who was sentenced to death for blaspheming Prophet Mohammed, has filed a notice of appeal before a Kano State High Court, describing Sharia law as practised in the state as unconstitutional and undemocratic.
Shariff-Aminu was sentenced to death by an Upper Sharia Court on August 10, 2020, but was given 30 days to file an appeal.
Governor Abdullahi Ganduje had expressed readiness to sign the convict’s death warrant once the 30 days lapses.
In the notice of appeal marked CR/43/2020, and filed by his lawyer, Kola Alapinni, the convict sued the Attorney-General of the state and the governor.
He based his appeal on the grounds that the Sharia law, which formed the basis of his conviction, was illegal and unconstitutional.
The notice of appeal read in part, “The appellant’s trial, conviction and sentencing by the Upper Sharia Court of Kano State pursuant to the Kano State Penal Code Law, 2000, were unconstitutional, null, void having grossly violated and conflicted with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) as amended and having violated the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, respectively.”
The musician said the confessional statement was a nullity because the alleged crime did not exist in the constitution.
He added, “The Penal Sharia Code Law is only applicable and permissible in Islamic theocracies or countries, whose constitution allows for such, whereas Nigeria is a secular state with constitutional democracy and the constitution being the supreme law.”
The convict said the state was quick to charge and convict him but denied him legal representation even though there was an existing framework for legal aid in Kano State.
The musician noted that the trial was a secret one and was a breach of his right to fair hearing.
The appeal further read, “The Kano State Government as a party and prosecutor to the complaint was a complicit party when it failed to provide adequate security and equal enforcement of secular laws and good order for all citizens/residents regardless of ethnicity or religious affiliations and thereby encourages religious fundamentalism, vigilante activities, insecurity, lawlessness, mob actions, all of which blasphemy law or provisions seek to justify unlawfully in order to placate Muslims.”
He said the entity called Kano State was a creation of the constitution and thus could not operate outside it.
The musician therefore prayed the court to set aside the trial, conviction and sentencing handed down by the Sharia Court and enter a judgment in his favour.
PUNCH
Fuel marketers across the country adjusted their pump prices on Thursday to between N158 and N162 per litre of petrol, saying a further increase in global crude oil prices would push the pump price of petrol higher.
Petrol prices have increased for three straight months, rising from N121.50–N123.50 per litre in June to N140.80-N143.80 in July, N148-N150 in August and N158-N162 in September.
The Petroleum Products Marketing Company, a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation had, on Wednesday, increased the ex-depot price of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) to N151.56 per litre from N138.62 per litre but later reduced it to N147.67.
The ex-depot price is the price at which the product is sold to marketers at the depots.
When the collapse of global crude oil prices triggered the reduction of the pump price of petrol from N145 per litre to N125 in March, the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency said it would advise the NNPC and oil marketing companies on the monthly “guiding retail price” at which the product shall be sold across the country.
The Minister of State Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, in a statement on May 15, said deregulation was approved on March 19 this year.
“But as you all know, PMS and other petroleum products are very strategic commodities, so you cannot allow the prices of these commodities to be determined wholly by the marketers,” he added.
In June, the Executive Secretary, PPPRA, Abdulkadir Saidu, said, “For the avoidance of doubt, it is instructive to state that no private individual or group has the mandate to fix prices of petroleum products, however, the statutory regulatory body is saddled with the responsibility of advising guiding prices.”
But the PPPRA failed to issue any guiding prices in August and September and has remained silent since then, despite repeated calls and messages sent to the agency by one of our correspondents on the issue.
The spokesperson of the agency, Kimchi Apollo, however, told our correspondent on Thursday that he would get information on the development and revert. He had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.
The National Operations Controller, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Mr Mike Osatuyi, told one of our correspondents that the increase in petrol pump prices was a reflection of the global oil prices.
“In July, the crude oil price was around $43 per barrel. But rose to about $44-$45 in August. Last Monday, it increased to $46. If the crude oil price falls to $40, petrol prices will come down. But if it goes up to $50, we should be expecting petrol price to rise to about N163 per litre if the exchange rate remains the same,” he said.
Osatuyi stressed the need for government to create a level playing field by allowing marketers to also have access to foreign exchange at the official rate like the NNPC to enable them to import products.
The Chairman, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, Mr Adetunji Oyebanji, said earlier on Thursday that pump prices would have to be adjusted to reflect realities of the increase of ex-depot prices by PPMC.
“However, the magnitude of the increase, timing and location is a decision left to each company. Consistent with global best practices, MOMAN does not dictate prices to its members as this would be anti-competition in a fully deregulated market.
“We welcome government’s action in allowing the market to determine prices, as we believe it will prevent the return of subsidies, while allowing operators the opportunity to recover their costs. This will, in the long run, encourage investment and create jobs,” he added.
But a groundswell of public opposition across the country have greeted the hike in petrol prices.
The police in Anambra State have arrested a 41-year-old suspected ritual killer, Ogbonna Nwankwo, for attempting to cut off a woman’s breast in a motel in the Orumba South Local Government Area of the state.
A source told our correspondent that the suspect attempted escape but was apprehended by youths in the area.
“The mob beat him to a stupor before the police arrived and took him to a hospital for treatment,” the source added.
A police spokesperson, Haruna Mohammed, who confirmed the incident, said the state Commissioner of Police, John Abang, had directed that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for discreet investigation in order to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Mohammed said, “Around 8am, there was a report of an attempted murder of one Bella Joseph, 29, residing at Dollar Inn Motel, Ihite, in the Orumba South LGA of Anambra State by a lodger, Ogbonna Nwankwo, 41, of Ihite town, in the same LGA.
“The suspect allegedly attempted to murder the lady inside the motel room by stabbing her with a knife in her stomach. He tried to cut off the right side of her breast, using the same knife, probably for a ritual purpose. He thought that she was dead before he was apprehended following her shout for help, which drew the attention of the motel manager.
“Consequently, the scene was visited by police operatives attached to the Umunze division and the victim was rushed to a specialist hospital at Nnewi for treatment.
“The suspect, who was seriously manhandled by an angry mob and beaten to stupor, was arrested by the police and taken to the hospital for treatment.”
Mohammed said a bloodstained knife was recovered from the scene.
PUNCH
President Muhammadu Buhari has joined the governing party, All Progressives Congress (APC) and Federal Executive Council (FEC) to celebrate with Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Gidahyelda Mustapha, on his 64th birthday, Sept. 4, 2020.
President Buhari, in a statement by his spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Thursday rejoiced with family, friends, professional and political associates of the legal luminary, party stalwart and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.
Accordi g to him, Mustapha’s visionary and inclusive leadership style continues to strengthen the governing party and the administration, with remarkable results.
The President also noted, with gratitude, his sacrifices and selfless service to the nation for close to four decades.
He saluted Mustapha for taking a stand for democracy and good governance at an early age, and working assiduously to raise structures and support causes that project the ideals of a liberal and accommodating nation.
He also lauded him for serving in the Constituent Assembly in 1989, working on many committees and heading several government agencies.
The President affirmed that Mustapha had provided strong and commendable leadership as rallying point for the Federal Executive Council, and demonstrated high level patriotism by accepting the onerous position of Chairing the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.
He, therefore, congratulated him and the team for steadily guiding Nigerians in the midst of health and economic uncertainties.
Buhari prayed that the almighty God would continue to strengthen the SGF for greater service to the nation and humanity.
Newspaper is your news, entertainment, music fashion website. We provide you with the latest breaking news and videos straight from the entertainment industry.
Contact us: contact@yoursite.com
© Newspaper WordPress Theme by TagDiv
