A British tourist has plunged to his death, killing a local man on the ground after falling from the seventh floor of a Marbella hotel in Spain.
The double tragedy occurred at 1.45am this morning July 11th at the five-star Melia Don Pepe Hotel in Marbella.
The tourist said to be in his 50s plummetted from the balcony of the hotel, killing the 43-year-old Spanish victim as he enjoyed a late-night drink on the terrace below. The two men died instantly.
According to local reports, the Brit had been on holiday with his family after Brits were allowed to travel to Spain following the country’s lockdown easing.
A source said: “The man who jumped or fell is a British man aged around 50.
“The man who was enjoying a drink on the hotel terrace below him is a 43-year-old Spaniard.”
Authorities are now trying to establish if the holidaymaker jumped or fell by accident from the seventh floor.
A spokesman for the National Police in Malaga said: “I can confirm two men have died at a hotel in Marbella after one plunged from the seventh-floor and landed on top of another.
“We are investigating.”
A Foreign & Commonwealth Office spokesman said: “We are supporting the family of a British man following his death in Spain and are in touch with the local police.”
The World Health Organisation has warned that the Coronavirus pandemic is “accelerating and getting worse” as lockdown measures are being relaxed in several countries in the world.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the WHO, said the Covid-19 pandemic has still not reached its peak as he warned that coronavirus is not under control “in most of the world” and is in fact “getting worse”.
He said the Coronavirus cases were increasing drastically, with almost 12million confirmed infections since the pandemic first began in China back in December.
Speaking at the member state briefing on the Covid-19 pandemic evaluation, he said: “The virus has upended health systems in some of the world’s wealthiest nations, while some countries that have mounted a successful response have been of modest means.
“We know that when countries take a comprehensive approach based on fundamental public health measures – such as find, isolate, test and treat cases, and trace and quarantine contacts – the outbreak can be brought under control.
“But in most of the world, the virus is not under control. It is getting worse.
“More than 11.8 million cases of Covid-19 have now been reported to WHO. More than 544,000 lives have been lost.
“And the pandemic is still accelerating. The total number of cases has doubled in the last six weeks.”
The United States has the highest caseload and deaths in the World, with over 3 million coronavirus cases and more than 130,000 fatalities recorded so far.
Gal Pissetzky, lawyer to instagram celebrity Ramon Abbas a.k.a Hushpuppi has continued his social media defence of the alleged fraudster, claiming he was ‘kidnapped’ by the FBI as no legal documents were made for his arrest and no extradition treaty exists between the US and the UAE where Hushpuppi was residing.
Hushpuppi was arrested in june in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, by the Dubai Police and later handed over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States.
The FBI in affidavit alleged that the suspected Nigerian fraudster “conspired to launder funds stolen in a $14.7 million cyber-heist from a foreign financial institution.”
He was also accused of being involved in a fraudulent scheme which defrauded a New York-based law firm of approximately $922,800 through a combination of computer hacking and social engineering.
Hushpuppi, allegedly duped about 1,926,400 victims, and is facing charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering, among others in the US, facing a possible prison term of 20 years.
Hushpuppi’s lawyer Pissetzky on Thursday July 9, in an interview with Forbes claimed Hushpuppi is “an entrepreneur” who made his money legitimately through “real estate” and “promoting brands”
Speaking with BBC on Friday July 10, Chicago based lawyer Pissetzky said the US had no authority to transport Hushpuppi from Dubai claiming the US Department of State and the FBI ‘kidnapped’ his client.
“In my opinion, the FBI and the government here acted illegally when they kidnapped him from Dubai without any legal process to do so,” Mr Pissetzky told the BBC.
“There was no extradition, there were no legal steps taken, there were no court documents filed, it was simply a call to the FBI. He is not a citizen of the United States, the US had absolutely no authority to take him,” his lawyer says.
Pissetzky refused to discuss how he was getting paid for legal fees and says the case could last several months, even longer than a year.
One person has been confirmed dead and six others have been rescued after a three-storey building collapsed at number 20 Freeman street in Lagos Island in the early hours of Saturday, July 11.
The occupants were fast asleep when the building collapsed.
Men of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency LASEMA, National Emergency Management Agency, Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning, Lagos State Ambulance Services (LASSMBUS) and many others have arrived the scene of the incident.
Six persons have been rescued from the rubbles and are currently receiving medical attention while the body of a young boy has been recovered from the rumbles and deposited in a morgue.
“Nine to 10 people are suggested to be living in the building. Efforts are on to rescue the remaining people,” said Southwest Coordinator, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Ibrahim Farinloye.
Sitting in her immaculately organized bedroom, Bukola Ayodele recalls some of the challenges she’s faced as a black woman in tech. She doesn’t work with many people who look like her, she says, which can feel isolating. Occasionally, the security team in the office building where she’s worked for three years will stop her in the lobby, not believing she belongs there until she shows her badge.
But Ayodele tells CNBC Make It that she isn’t deterred by these obstacles. Her parents encouraged her to pursue a well-paying profession, and Ayodele makes over $200,000 a year as a software engineer. She works hard to save and invest smartly.
Now, she wants to inspire more women, and especially black women, to join her in tech.
The Ayodele family. Courtesy of Bukola Ayodele
The statistics make it obvious why this is an important goal for her: While women of color comprise 39% of the female-identified population in the U.S., according to a 2018 report from the Kapor Center, Pivotal Ventures and Arizona State University’s Center for Gender Equity in Science and Technology, they earn less than 10% of all computing bachelor’s degrees.
More startling: Less than 2% of workers at 177 Silicon Valley firms are women of color, the same report found.
Ayodele attributes that low percentage, partly, to being unaware of the opportunities available. To help fill the gap, she started a YouTube channel called The Come Up to provide black women and other women of color with the resources and advice she wished existed when she first considered pursuing a career in tech.
“It’s mostly white men who are software engineers, but I don’t think you should let that stop you,” Ayodele tells CNBC Make It. “The more black women in tech, the better.”
Ayodele earns around $210,000 pre-tax annually as a software engineer at an analytics company, including her base salary, bonus and equity. She doesn’t touch the equity and lives off of her base salary and bonus.
Her parents placed a premium on education and it was expected that she would pursue a professional career. Born in Nigeria, she immigrated to America with her parents and sister when she was six. Her family worked hard to build a new life in the U.S., her mother as a middle school teacher, and her father first as an accountant and later as a school administrator.
She attended Columbia University where she studied political science. She graduated in 2016 with $7,000 in student loan debt, thanks to combination of needs-based financial aid and holding a job throughout college, as well as financial support from her grandmother and her parents, who also took out some loans. She paid off her loans by the beginning of 2018.
Growing up, “we had a saying that you could either be a doctor or a lawyer or a disgrace,” she says, and after college, she expected to go into law. But it didn’t take her long to realize she wasn’t passionate about the work.
Bukola Ayodele in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn.CNBC Make It
Computer science, though, had appealed to her since she took an introductory course in undergrad. After researching careers online, Ayodele quit her job in compliance in 2017 to attend a three-month engineering retreat at the New York City-based RECURSE Center to refresh her programming skills.
Leaving behind a steady job is never an easy call, especially when you’re living paycheck to paycheck, like Ayodele was. While the retreat itself was free, she saved around $6,000 in the months before she quit her job. Making that career change is what inspired her to start taking her finances more seriously: She watched YouTube videos, listened to podcasts and cut her expenses down as far as she could to save up.
“When I wanted to leave my job, I had basically nothing in my bank account,” she says. “And I just realized that, wow, not having savings really limited me, because I couldn’t take the risks that I wanted to take.”
Bukola Ayodele, pictured center.Courtesy of Bukola Ayodele
It was abit of a gamble quitting her full-time job to pursue a career in computer science, but she considered it an investment in her future, and it turned out to be a pretty good call: Ayodele says her old salary was about a quarter of what she earns now. She’s not living paycheck to paycheck anymore.
“My parents told me that I was making a huge mistake and that I shouldn’t do this at all,” she says. “But I decided that this is my life, my decisions.
“They’re not as mad anymore, to be honest,” she says with a laugh.
She also tries to keep her savings rate high. Though it varies each month, she typically stashes around $2,000 in a Capital One 360 account. Eventually, she plans to use this money to buy an apartment in the city. Even on a high salary, Ayodele’s savings habits are impressive, which she attributes to the lessons she learned from her mom and dad.
“My parents came here in their thirties, and they were very frugal,” she says. “Part of the reason why I save so much comes from what I’ve learned from my parents.”
Total rent for a three-bedroom apartment Ayodele shares with her sister and another roommate in the Prospect Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn totals $4,000 a month. Ayodele pays $1,400.
“This is actually the most I’ve ever spent on rent,” she says. “I was a little mad to spend this much, but the area is really nice. And it’s even closer to work, so I save time in my commute. I actually really love living here.”
She helps support her younger sister, who graduated from college last year, and gives money to her parents to repay them for taking out loans for her college education. “It’s the least I can do for what they’ve done for me,” she says.
She also gives around $50 per month to Black Girls Code, and occasionally to other organizations or GoFundMe campaigns.
“I’m a black girl who codes, and I think the organization is doing really great stuff to get more black women into technology,” she says.
“I learn so much whenever I travel,” she says. “It’s a lot of fun.”
The suspended acting chairman of the EFCC Ibrahim Magu seems to be engulfed by bigger allegations now – Magu was questioned by the panel over 380 houses and seven crude oil-laden vessels – The panel also grilled the embattled EFCC chairman on assets worth N37 billion
The ongoing probe of the embattled acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, continues as he was questioned over more allegations. The probe which entered day three on Wednesday, July 8, took an interesting turn after the Justice Ayo Salami-led presidential panel quizzed him over 380 houses and seven vessels loaded with crude oil.
Magu who was also confronted about the disposal of assets worth N37 billion was asked to give an account, Vanguard reports. The embattled boss of the anti-graft agency is being grilled by a presidential panel following over 20 allegations leveled against him by Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN).
Legit.ng reported that witnesses were reportedly invited to testify in the ongoing probe of the embattled acting chairman of the EFCC. Magu was grilled for over 10 hours over the allegations leveled against him by Malami, after which he returned to the custody of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) where he is being detained.
The probe is getting widened as the panel invited top officials of the EFCC and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) to respond to relevant questions. The panel also reportedly clarified that it had no information that Magu had been suspended from office. In other news, Olusegun Adeniyi, chairman of This Day editorial board, said Magu reportedly thwarted a move by Theophilus Danjuma, former defence minister, to purchase an aircraft, around the same time some EFCC agents raided the residence of a former Nigerian head of state, Abdulsalami Abubakar.
The renowned journalist who a media aide to a late Nigerian former president, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, added that it took some time for President Buhari to convince Danjuma that he was not aware of Magu’s move against him.
Gal Pissetzky, lawyer to self-proclaimed ‘Billionaire Gucci Master’ Ramon Abbas a.k.a Hushpuppi has defended him amid allegations of being involved in fraud and money laundering.
Hushpuppi’s lawyer who spoke to Forbes, insisted that he is “an entrepreneur” who made his money legitimately through “real estate” and his work “promoting brands” as an “Instagram personality.”
Recall that an FBI affidavit alleges that the suspected Nigerian fraudster “conspired to launder funds stolen in a $14.7 million cyber-heist from a foreign financial institution.” The date and amount mentioned in the affidavit matches that of the attack on Malta’s Bank of Valletta in February 2019.
He was also accused of being involved in a fraudulent scheme which defrauded a New York-based law firm of approximately $922,800 through a combination of computer hacking and social engineering.
Pissetzky told Forbes that his client was running a legitimate business and a very legitimate Instagram account, and did not take part in any scam or fraud. He said;
“Absolutely not guilty of [the] charges they are accusing him of. Abbas was running a legitimate business and a very legitimate Instagram account and did not take part in any scam or fraud.”
On how Abbas paid for his lifestyle, Pissetzky said;
“He’s an entrepreneur. He has real estate involvement … [he’s] an Instagram personality. He was promoting brands and that’s how he was very legitimately making his money.”
On his relationship with Premier League footballers Tammy Abraham and Ezri Konsa, his lawyer added;
“Mr Abbas is friends with a lot of people. Somebody who has that many followers – obviously he knows and has friends in a lot of places … it’s all legitimate.”
Hushpuppi who is currently being held at MCC Chicago pending a bail hearing, faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. A hearing in Chicago on Monday July 13, will determine if Abbas will be detained pending trial.
A man on micro-blogging website, twitter with the handle @KingAtoki has inspired social media users after showing off his newly acquired crib.
According to his post on Twitter, 4 years ago he used to sleep in his car and would shower in a nearby gym.
He shared a photo of himself posing in front of his crib and wrote
4 years ago I was homeless sleeping in my car, showering at the gym, wondering where my next meal would come from. Today I’m officially a homeowner!
He went further to narrate his journey to becoming a homeowner.
Read his lengthy narration below ;
So I got some time to write. About 5 years ago I was working full time at a warehouse and I was going to college full time. I had to work full time because I had to give my mom what equates to about a weeks worth of pay every two weeks at the time.
I would wake up at 7 AM and go to class until about 3 PM. I would take a 2 hour nap and go to work at 5pm and work a 12 hour shift until 5 am. Took another 2 hour nap and back to school again. It was hard but I just sucked it up 🤷🏾♂️
One day my manager at my job says he has to cut a few people’s hours and since I’m in school, he picked me to be on of those. I figured it was fine. I could still pay mom rent and I would be able to sleep in so yay right? Nope. I think it might’ve been two weeks later. They start letting people go and I was one of the people that had to be let go because “I didn’t work enough hours”. I’m like ??????? But you guys cut my hours. Doesn’t matter. Jobless.
Here I am 18 years old. Only job I had was filling trucks and I’m still going to school because that’s what I was taught you have to do to make it. The problem is with no income and no parental help I lost even more. Had to drop out of school because I couldn’t afford it anymore since I wasn’t working. (Yes I applied for literally hundreds of scholarships and got 1, but still couldn’t afford it). And I had a falling out with mom so I got kicked out.
On top of that my car gave out. It was a $1000 95 ford thunderbird and I got kicked out in November in the cold. Tried to crash on my grandmas couch. Didn’t last. Tried to stay and my girlfriends dorm. Nope her dad didn’t like that. Understandable.
So I had to stay in my car. I remember the day. I parked in front of Walmart. Freezing cold. Less than a dollar in my account. I think it was like $0.83 or something. No family. No friends. No money. Hungry. Felt like giving up. Cried. Tried to sleep.
I didn’t sleep. I was thinking about how much I hated everything. My mom, my dad, my father. My family. My job. College. My rusty car. People. But most of all myself. I told myself that my situation was an accumulation of why my life didn’t matter.
After days of contimplating ending my life I took a look in the rearview mirror and realized the only person I could truly count on was myself. Idk what it was. It was like almost looking at myself outside of myself? And it’s like I had something to fight for
I really don’t know how to explain it but I told myself that I would fight for myself as long as I live. Maybe someone can explain it better but either way I felt like I was born again. Like a different person. I was going to grab life by the horns
After that I went to the library and applied for EVERYTHING. I mean anything. Warehouse, factory, meat packer, wedding DJ assistant, solar panel canvaser (twice), insurance agent, etc,and finally mattress sales man for a company where I had to go meet clients
My car got repoed but I saved enough doing these odd jobs that I was able to put a payment down and get another car. I did this job for a while until driving 400 miles a day started to wear on me. Eventually I applied to Mattress Firm and got the job.
I thought I was doing well for myself making 30k year. I couldn’t afford an apartment yet so I would shower at the gym next to the store and show up to work. On the days when I was the only one working the showroom I would sleep on the beds instead of my car.
Eventually I almost got caught because I overslept and one coworker decided to come in especially early so I decided I had to look for a place. Just like with the job I looked for anywhere. And I found a decent room for 550 a month 👍
I was doing this for a while but I wasn’t happy. I didn’t want to do this for the rest of my life, but I also couldn’t go back to school. I looked up some online schools and after a while I saw @LambdaSchool come up.
The only thing is back then they only had full time. But once again I worked full time so I thought I couldn’t do it. I wanted to go so bad so I emailed the CEO @Austen. I didn’t think he would respond but he did. I never had the CEO talk to me about anything. I didn’t even know who the CEO of Mattress Firm was (still don’t) but talking to him pushed me to do it.
It wasn’t much,but if we didn’t talk I guarantee I wouldn’t be where I am now today. So I didn’t have internet at my apartment or work so I used my hotspot on my phone to attend the classes while I was working. It sucked but once again I’m doing this for me.
I kept at it through a few challenges but things were pretty smooth, plus my son came into this world. Another reason to fight and push myself. I wasn’t the best father when he was first born but I’ve corrected my mistakes and pushed on.
I’ll wrap this up because it’s getting quite long. After LS I went back as a teaching assistant. I wanted to help students achieve the same goals I did and get the same guidance that I wanted. I gave my all to each one of them and they know. All 100s of them
Eventually I applied to tech jobs and got my first one in Philly. I LOVED what I did. And I doubled what I made the previous year. I kept grinding and kept learning and I moved on to another job where I was making more on top of that. And didn’t stop there
So that’s most of my story. I’m in a financial position greater than I ever thought possible.I’ll end and say no matter where you are.Find that motivation to push you to do better. It doesn’t happen overnight. I’m nobody special. I just took control of my life
My goal is to show people that no matter the circumstances you can overcome it. I’m a 24 year old black man with tattoos and was homeless just 4 years ago. To now owning a $350k home on 1.24 acres. If I can do it. You definitely can. I’m proud of myself.
London-born twins who have never left the UK are facing deportation to different countries in the Caribbean after their jail terms for grievous bodily harm.
24-year-old Darrell Roberts has been issued with a deportation notice informing him that the Home Office plans to send him to the Dominican Republic following his release. He believes officials made an error because his father was born on the island of Dominica.
His twin brother, Darren Roberts, has also been warned he faces deportation to Grenada – the country where his mother was born – when he finishes his own jail sentence, according to his partner.
Darrell told The Guardian that he and Darren entered social care aged 13 when their mother, from Grenada, and uncle died in quick succession from cancer. He claims that Ealing social services were negligent for not applying for citizenship on behalf of himself and his brother.
According to the report, Darrell will soon be released from a six-year sentence for grievous bodily harm after he beat a 35-year-old man over the head with a metal pole in Willesden in 2013. He also hurled bricks at the man’s car and committed the attack while the victim’s wife was watching on.
As for his brother, his grievous bodily harm conviction are unknown, but it stems from a separate incident.
Speaking from behind bars, Darrell said he was shocked to learn that he faces deportation.
He told the Guardian: “It was heartbreaking. I’ve finished my sentence; I was expecting to be released,” he said, speaking from prison. He tried to explain to prison staff that he should not be deported.
“It is mentally draining; the stress is unnecessary. I’ve got grey hairs and I’m only 24 years old.” He said prison staff laughed when he told them he was born in the UK and appeared not to believe him.
The deportation notice states: “Our records show you have no legal status in the United Kingdom.” The home secretary has deemed “deportation to be conducive to the public good and accordingly it is in the public interest that you be removed from the United Kingdom without delay”, the letter reads.
Darrell was also offered a reintegration package worth £1,500 to ‘return home’ if he agrees to repatriation.
“I told them I was born here that I’d been in primary school and secondary school here. They weren’t sympathetic. When I’ve tried talking to officers they say it is out of their control,” he said.
His partner and mother of his five-year-old son said Darrell spoke to her six months ago that prison staff had warned him he would be sent to Grenada at the end of his prison term.
“He said it didn’t make sense, and asked me to make arrangements to bring our son to visit him. He was shocked,” she said.
A spokesperson for Ealing council told The Guardian: ‘Ealing council’s children’s services have repeatedly engaged with both Darren and Darrell, their solicitors and the prison services to provide all documentation to allow them to apply for immigration status, in Darrell’s case as recently as May 2020, but neither of the young men signed the documentation to allow it to be progressed.’
A Home Office spokesperson said: ‘Prisoners who are served with a deportation notice are given the opportunity to provide reasons why they should be exempt from deportation. All representations made will be carefully considered before any action is taken.’
The Nigerian government has announced that Nigerian students will not be participating in the forthcoming West African Examination Council (WAEC) examinations.
Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu made the announcement after the virtual Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday July 8.
The Minister who also disclosed that there is no date yet for school resumption, added that he will prefer Nigerian students lose an academic year than expose them to danger.
How Magu Embezzled N39billion, Gave Osinbajo N4billion, Begs For Soft Landing.
Embattled former acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, allegedly embezzled over N39billion and gave Vice President Yemi Osinabjo N4billion, after the VP gave instructions to him to release some of the recovered loots, Sources within the panel investigating the former EFCC boss told Pointblanknews.com
This is even as investigators discovered that as early as 4 am on Tuesday, EFCC staff members suspected to by “Magu Boys” invaded the headquarters of the anti-graft agency and made away with files and computers containing important information.
According to the source who does not want to be named, Magu sold recovered properties, vehicles, houses.
Specifically, 167 recovered trucks missing from its Port Harcourt office, could not be accounted for. 27 of those trucks recovered, were sold this year.
The source told Pointblanknews.com that Magu admitted that he flagrantly defied the Act setting up the EFCC which stipulates he reports to the supervisory ministry which is the Ministry of Justice and Office of the Attorney General of the Federation.
According to the source, Magu consistently ignored requests of assistance to investigate and recover about N67billion by sister agencies including the office of the Inspector General of Police and the Presidency.
The source hinted that Magu could not account for missing N37billion as indicated in the submitted report of the presidential asset recovery panel headed by the chairman of the FIRS.
Specifically, Magu was said to have mentioned a N4billion that he released to the VP based on directives the very day the president left the country for the United Kingdom on medical treatment.
Pointblanknews.com gathered that Magu was headstrong on Monday when he was picked up. Investigators said he refused to speak on any issue they asked. On Tuesday, when they showed him documents and evidence, he started confessing. He is now begging for a soft landing, an investigator said.
A new official has reportedly been selected to head the EFCC following Ibrahim Magu’s suspension – An unmanned EFCC official said Magu’s replacement is Mohammed Umar, the director of operations at the commission –
The source said the reported suspension of the acting chairman has not been officially communicated to the anti-graft commission Following the reported suspension of Ibrahim Magu, the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), a new official has reportedly been selected to head the affairs of the anti-corruption agency.
A new official has reportedly been selected to head the EFCC following Ibrahim Magu’s suspension. Photo Credit: EFCC Source: UGC A senior EFCC source, who does not want to be named, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday, July 7, that Mohammed Umar, the director of operations at the commission has been picked to oversee the affairs of the agency in place of Magu.
According to the official, Umar was selected by EFCC’s hierarchy after the commission learnt that Magu has been suspended.
The EFCC source said the reported suspension of the acting chairman has not been officially communicated to the anti-graft commission. However, when contacted about Magu’s reported replacement, the spokesperson of the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, declined to comment.
Meanwhile, amid the raging arguments over the suspension of Magu, the acting chairman of the EFCC, a Lagos-based lawyer and human rights activist, Femi Falana, has mocked President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption fight.
Channels TV reported that Falana said Magu’s probe has put a big question mark on the anti-graft agency. Legit.ng gathered that he disclosed this on Wednesday, July 8, during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.
He said: “Even though Mr. Ibrahim Magu is presumed innocent of all the allegations levelled against him, it is an anti-climax for an anti-corruption czar to be linked to a miasma of corrupt practices.” Speaking further, the legal practitioner said the federal government should not make the mistake of appointing someone, who he described as an outsider, to head the EFCC in acting capacity should Magu be suspended or found guilty of the allegations.
According to him, this is to ensure that the name of such nomination would easily be sent to the National Assembly for confirmation Falana also called on the Justice Ayo Salami-led panel to carry out a thorough investigation into the allegations of corrupt practices levelled against the EFCC boss.
A 35-year-old Brazilian man who went into long-term remission after being treated for less than a year with an intensified multi-drug cocktail of AIDS medicines, has raised hope of a potential breakthrough on Tuesday July 7.
The man who tested positive for HIV in 2012, was treated with a base of antiretroviral therapy or ART which was boosted with additional antiretrovirals, plus a drug called nicotinamide (a form of vitamin B3).
His intensified treatment was halted after 48 weeks and researchers who unveiled their findings at this week’s virtual International Aids Society conference, said the patient has now gone more than 57 weeks with no HIV treatment and continues to test negative for HIV antibodies.
Dr Ricardo Diaz of the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil, who led the study said he was “trying to wake up the virus” and boost the immune system’s ability to eliminate it once it’s flushed out of hiding.
Diaz said;
“We can’t search the entire body, but by the best evidence, we do not have infected cells.
“I think it’s very promising. This patient might be cured, but it will take more time to know.”
Professor Sharon Lewin, an HIV and infectious diseases expert at the University of Melbourne who was not involved in the research, said the fact that the patient has no antibodies was significant.
She said;
“When someone is infected with a virus they make antibodies. And antibodies don’t budge, even when you’re on treatment and there’s no detectable viral load. But this showed he had no antibodies which is supportive of him being cured.
“It’s interesting, but it’s hard to know how significant it is when it’s just a single case. I’d also like to know what happened to the other patients.”
In the last few years, only two men known as “Berlin” and “London” patients appear to have been cured of the disease after undergoing high-risk stem cell bone marrow transplants to treat cancer.
Over 75 million people have been infected since the AIDS epidemic began in the 1980s. 33 million people have also died from the virus.
Two-year-old conjoined twins have been successfully separated in what an Italian hospital said was a first-of-its-kind operation.
The twins – Ervina and Prefina – had been joined above the nape of their necks.
They were born with a condition the Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù in Rome described Tuesday as “one of the rarest and most complex forms of cranial and cerebral fusion,” Agence France-Presse reported.
However, surgeons succeeded in separating the girls and they are doing well.
The hospital — whose name translates to Baby Jesus Pediatric Hospital — said it was the first time in Italy and likely the world that surgeons were able to separate twins who shared the back of their skull and its venous system.
The two sisters were brought to Italy in September 2018 from Bangui, Central African Republic, after the hospital’s president met the babies and their mom where they were born, according to AFP.
Medical tests showed the girls to be generally in good health, but one sister’s heart was working harder to maintain the “physiological balance of the organs of both, including the brain,” the outlet reported.
The twins had “distinct” personalities, with Prefina being vivacious and playful while Ervina was more serious and quietly observing, according to the hospital.
The greatest challenge facing doctors was the shared network of blood vessels bringing blood from the girls’ brains to their hearts, the hospital said.
That required “three very delicate operations to progressively reconstruct two independent venous systems,” it added.
On June 5, the twins underwent the final operation, which took 18 hours and included 30 doctors and nurses who worked to divide the bones of the shared skull.
The surgeons then reconstructed the membrane covering the two brains and recreated the skin lining over the girls’ new skulls.
“A month after the final separation, the twins are fine,” said the hospital, which shared a video of a party it threw on June 29 for their second birthday.
In the video, the girls are seen with their heads wrapped in protective bandages as their beaming mum carried them.
The hospital said the girls would have to wear protective helmets for a few months due to the ongoing risk of infection, but their brains were found to be “intact” and they will have the opportunity to “lead a normal life, like all girls of their age.”
Brazilian president, Jair Bolsonaro, has announced live on television that he has tested positive for Coronavirus but feels ‘perfectly well’ and has only mild symptoms.
‘I’m well, normal. I even want to take a walk around here, but I can’t due to medical recommendations,’ Bolsonaro told a group of journalists on Tuesday, July 7 – insisting he had only mild symptoms.
The right-wing leader, 65, told supporters in Brasilia on Monday July 6 that he had been tested at a hospital and that an X-ray showed his lungs were ‘clean’.
‘I can’t get very close,’ he said in comments recorded by Foco do Brasil. ‘I came from the hospital. I underwent a lung scan. The lung’s clean.’
The test was his fourth Coronavirus test, having tested negative three times in March after meeting with US president Donald Trump in Florida.
Bolsonaro has been widely criticized for his response to the Coronavirus outbreak in Brazil, with many blaming him for the high death toll and cases. Brazil currently has no permanent health minister after two officials quit the job in less than a month after clashing with Bolsonaro over the pandemic.
The South American country has suffered one of the world’s worst outbreaks of the coronavirus, with more than 1.6 million confirmed cases of Coronavirus and over 65,000 deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
Usain Bolt has shown the world his newborn daughter’s face for the first time and he also revealed her name.
The award-winning Jamaican sprinter, 33, welcomed a daughter in May with his girlfriend Kasi Bennett and he revelaed today that his daughter’s name is Olympia Lightning Bolt.
He shared photos of his daughter as he celebrated his girlfriend Kasi on her 21st birthday.
He captioned the photos: “I want to wish my gf @kasi.b a happy birthday and To let u know I am happy I get to spend ur special day with u. I want nothing but happiness for u and will continue to doing my best keeping a smile on ur face. Now we have started a new chapter together with our daughter Olympia Lightning Bolt I look forward to what the future will bring for us but be reassured that I will be the ROCK for this family. I Love you and happy 21th birthday.”
Usain Bolt is an eight-time Olympic gold medalist, world- record holder and fastest man in history.
The Senate has passed the Sexual Harassment Bill which is to stop sexual abuse of female undergraduates in tertiary institutions in the country.
The bill titled: ‘A Bill for an Act to prevent, prohibit and redress Sexual Harassment of students in tertiary educational institutions and for matters concerned therewith, 2019’, was sponsored by the Deputy Senate President. Ovie Omo-Agege, and 106 other senators.
The bill among many things is geared towards promoting and protecting ethical standards in tertiary institutions. It will also protect students against sexual harassment as well as prevent sexual harassment of students by educators in tertiary institutions.
The bill which has 27 clauses, proposed up to 14 years jail term, with a minimum of 5 years, without an option of fine for any educator who commits sexual offenses in tertiary institutions. The bill defines sexual offenses as including sexual intercourse with a student or demands for sex from a student or a prospective student or intimidating or creating a hostile or offensive environment for the student by soliciting for sex or making sexual advances.
Other forms of sexual harassment identified in the bill are grabbing, hugging, kissing, rubbing, stroking, touching, pinching the breasts or hair or lips or hips or buttocks or any other sensual part of the body of a student; or sending by hand or courier or electronic or any other means naked or sexually explicit pictures or videos or sex-related objects to a student, and whistling or winking at a student or screaming, exclaiming, joking or making sexually complimentary or uncomplimentary remarks about a student’s physique or stalking a student.
When the bill was read on the floor of the Senate and passed its second reading in November 2019, Omo-Agege addressed fears that some female students might see this as an opportunity to make false claims about a lecturer or educator.
“On suggestions of inadequate sanctions for students who falsely accuse educators of sexual harassment, the reality is that this bill prescribes expulsion for those students. In addition, an educator whose character is maligned is at liberty to sue for defamation under the law of defamation which is well-settled in our jurisprudence and needs no duplication in this bill.
There is also the suggestion that some students, especially females, harass educators by their mode of dressing and that this bill may not be doing enough to protect educators. I understand this concern. However, the educator can activate institutional disciplinary actions against such students,” he explained.
The bill was read for the first time on October 9, 2019.
Recall that a documentary, Sex for Grades, released by the BBC last year, exposed two lecturers of the University of Lagos, and a lecturer of the University of Ghana for sexual harassment. The documentary sparked reactions from many Nigerians who described the issue as a norm in many Nigerian universities.
The US government is ‘looking at’ banning TikTok and other Chinese social media apps over national security concerns.
Mike Pompeo, the Secretary of state suggested the move during an interview with Fox News’ Laura Ingraham on Monday, July 6.
When asked by Ingraham whether the United States should be considering a ban on Chinese social media apps, “especially TikTok.”
He said: “With respect to Chinese apps on people’s cell phones, I can assure you the United States will get this one right too, Laura. I don’t want to get out in front of the President [Donald Trump], but it’s something we’re looking at.”
Washington’s top diplomat added that people should only download the app “if you want your private information in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party.”
His comment comes after US lawmakers raised national security concerns over TikTok’s handling of user data, accusing the short-form video app of being a threat to national security because of its ties to China. They also allege that the company could be compelled to “support and cooperate with intelligence work controlled by the Chinese Communist Party.”
Reacting to Pompeo’s comments, a TikTok spokesperson said in a statement: “TikTok is led by an American CEO, with hundreds of employees and key leaders across safety, security, product, and public policy here in the US. We have no higher priority than promoting a safe and secure app experience for our users. We have never provided user data to the Chinese government, nor would we do so if asked.”
Last week, the Indian government banned 59 Chinese mobile applications, including top social media platforms such as TikTok, Helo, and WeChat, to counter the threat posed by these applications to its “sovereignty and security”.
TikTok is owned by Beijing-based startup ByteDance.
Twenty-five Nigerians have filed a lawsuit against the Peoples Republic of China before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court over its alleged culpability in the spread of the novel Coronavirus and are demanding a $200 billion compensation over the effects of the pandemic on their livelihoods.
A team of 11 Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) and other lawyers led by Professor Epiphany Azinge (SAN) filed the lawsuit. The lawyers say the COVID-19 pandemic started due to their negligence, nuisance, and breach of environmental and humanitarian rights of the Chinese government. The defendants in the suit were listed as the Peoples’ Republic of China, Communist Party of China, Minister of Justice China, Minister in charge of the National Health Commission, National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan Institute of Virology and Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.
The claimant in the class action instituted for themselves and other Nigerians affected by the COVID-19 pandemic include; Kingsley Obioha, Shehu Mohammed Bello, Goodrand Nigeria Limited, Chief Ekene Ebuzeme, Prince Akin Oladipo, Sir Mark Olajide, Mr. Tanko Beji, Chief Victor Nwosa, Chidi Onwuemere, Pasaya Travel and Tours Limited, Trips Shop Limited, Mrs. Susan Akporiaye, Carolyn Asoanya, Jerry Azinge, His Royal Majesty Williams Ezugwu, Ogugua Ogosi. Others are Ayobami Bakare, Olusegun Nelson, Oshineye Adebowole, Adeolu Odusesan, Yinka Omotosho, Mojeed Adelakun, Ajetoke Oyekan, Abdulhakeem Adeleke and Ademola Toromade.
According to the 1st Claimant, Kingsley Obioha, a young erudite lawyer who represents the class of legal practitioners in the country, the legal practitioners in the country on account of the pandemic have been unable to conduct legal business and make appearances in court.
“The class due to the impasse and the attendant restrictions continues to incur heavy financial losses” Obioha said
In the same vein, Shehu Bello, the 2nd claimant and a Bureau de change operator representing the class of forex traders carrying on business across the country, argued that the forex market was shut down due to the pandemic, causing many forex traders to lose huge returns.
“Most of the operators lost their capital because of the pandemic and with the easing of restrictions are witnessing a volatility of the market leading to a decline in investment,” the claimant said
They accused China of failing to act in accordance with the Articles and the provisions of the International Health Regulations, 2005 which it equally ratified on June 15, 2007 (the IHR) and failing to promptly inform the World Health Organisation (WHO) of its discoveries relating to Covid-19. They argue that China’s action constitutes a breach of the above Articles, and admittedly an express neglect of an international obligation.
Among the reliefs sought include a declaration that the defendants were negligent in their handling of the COVID-19 outbreak which resulted in untold hardship, death, loss of livelihood and disruption of socio-economic activities.
“A declaration that the defendants handling of the Covid-19 outbreak violated the Claimants’ humanitarian rights guaranteed under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, resulting in social exclusion, loss of human dignity psychological trauma and social deprivations,” among others.
A suspected ritualist in Togo has reportedly been arrested by the Togolese security operatives after a tip-off.
A source informed ElombahNews of the development along with photos to attest to the veracity of the story.
According to the source, the suspected ritualist was arrested with 2000 dead bodies dried like stock fish.
He also informed that about 500 dead bodies were found to have been buried alive.
Further, he disclosed that thousands of skeletons were found at the man’s compound.
Worse yet, “it was later discovered that over, 5000 Nigerians, Togolese, Beninoise and nationalities from Africa are in queues waiting for their turns for the rituals,” the source disclosed. Related Posts
See the attached memo the photos which reads:
“This man from Togo is where Nigerians especially the Yorubas, troupe to for money rituals, police recently raided the compound and discovered 2000 people who have been dried like stock fish,500 persons buried alive and thousands of skeletons, this man and his over thirty servants were picked up,it was later discovered that over, 5000 Nigerians, Togolese, Beninoise and nationalities from Africa are in queues waiting for their turns for the rituals which they have paid for…. MAY GOD DESTROY THIS GENERATION..AMEN”
See photos below:
Suspected ritualist from Togo allegedly found with thousands of dead bodies in his compound
Super Bowl MVP, Patrick Mahomes has signed the richest contract in sports history after inking a 10-year extension deal with the Kansas Chiefs that will pay between $450 million and $503 million.
The 24-year old is already under contract for the next two years, but the 10-year extension would tie him up with the team through the 2031 season until he is 36.
“Since he joined the Chiefs just a few years ago, Patrick has developed into one of the most prolific athletes in all of sports,” Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt said in a statement.
“With his dynamic play and infectious personality, he is one of the most recognized and beloved figures to put on the Chiefs uniform. He’s an extraordinary leader and a credit to the Kansas City community, and I’m delighted that he will be a member of the Chiefs for many years to come.”
The deal is worth $450m over the 10-year period and could be worth up to $503m, league sources told the sports news service ESPN.
The report added the deal is the richest contract in the history of North American team sports and includes an injury guarantee of $140m (£112m).
The contract is also believed to be the largest in sports history, topping those of Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout ($426.5 million) and boxer Canelo Alvarez ($365 million).
Mahomes, 24, was the youngest ever player to be named Super Bowl MVP when he guided the Chiefs to the team’s first Super Bowl title in 50 years last season with a comeback victory over the San Francisco 49ers in February.
In his first 31 games, Mahomes has a 24-7 record with 76 touchdown passes and 17 300-yard games with the Chiefs.
Some policemen suffered an attack upon storming a “hospital” in a Umuocha community in Oguta council of Imo state, while trailing a man who allegedly stole a baby from its mother at gunpoint.
Upon entering the health facility the man they were trailing ran into, the policemen saw many children and expectant mothers allegedly used for child trafficking.
However while asking questions about the property, the owner of the hospital identified as Innocent Onuoha allegedly mobilised youths of the village who surrounded the building, demobilised the police vehicle and attacked the four policemen with different objects, inflicting various degrees of injuries on them.
A member representing Oguta State constituency in the state house of assembly, Frank Ugboma intervened and helped the policemen escape from further attacks.
The Nation reported that Ugboma said;
“The policemen told me that immediately they stormed the illegal baby factory disguised as hospital, the owner raised the alarm and the youths came out and started resisting the police from arresting the man. They overpowered the policemen and destroyed their vehicle that night while the policemen managed to escape”.
The state police spokesperson, Orlando Ikeokwu confirmed the incident and also disclosed that the owner of the baby factory was arrested but released by the youths. A police inspector also sustained injuries in the attack.
U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is set deport foreign students in the U.S. whose schools will switch to online classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Monday, July 6, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), which is run by ICE, made the announcement for non-immigrant students taking online courses during fall 2020 semester.
Under the new rule, foreign nationals enrolled in U.S. educational institutions will have to take other measures, such as transferring to a school with in-person or they must take the online classes out of the country or risk deportation if they stay.
It was also revealed that the U.S. Department of State will no longer issue visas to students if they are going to schools that offer online classes only.
“The U.S. Department of State will not issue visas to students enrolled in schools and/or programs that are fully online for the fall semester nor will U.S. Customs and Border Protection permit these students to enter the United States,” a news release said.
“Active students currently in the United States enrolled in such programs must depart the country or take other measures, such as transferring to a school with in-person instruction to remain in lawful status. If not, they may face immigration consequences including, but not limited to, the initiation of removal proceedings.”
A couple, Chidi and Maureen Martins, allegedly running a baby factory at a church in the Rumuolumili area of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, have been arrested by the police.
Three newborns, their mothers and three pregnant teenagers, were reportedly found at the facility.
Another couple ready to take away two babies bought at the church, Grate Mercy Deliverance Ministry, were also apprehended by operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team.
The operators reportedly scouted for teenagers who could not take care of their pregnancies across Rivers, Abia, Akwa Ibom and Imo states.
City Round learnt that Martins worked with a woman identified simply as IB, who found buyers for the babies. IB is still at large.
To fast-track the criminal deal, they reportedly induced their victims to give birth at eight months. After births, they allegedly gave them drugs that would make them sleep off.
“When they woke up, they would be told the babies were dead whereas they (the babies) had been sold to waiting buyers,” a police source said.
It was learnt that the syndicate was busted recently after a relative of one of the victims, Patience, lured into the church from Akwa Ibom State, reported her missing to the IRT.
Consequently, a team of detectives trailed Patience to the church where they found three pregnant teenagers, three newborn babies and their teenage mums, including Patience.
The source stated, “One of the pregnant teenagers, Lovett, is five months’ pregnant. She is from Ngor-Okpala area of Imo State. We also found one Chisom, from Ohaji Egbema, Imo State. She is 18 years old and seven months’ pregnant. The third pregnant lady is Chioma.
“Patience was found with a day-old baby boy and two other teenagers Favour and Chizaram, were found with a baby girl and a baby boy respectively. In the course of investigations, it was discovered that pregnant teenagers were usually induced into labour in their eighth-month due to demands from people who wanted to buy the babies.
“The suspects, Maureen Matins, and her husband Chidi, who used the church to perpetrate the criminal act, promised the expectant teenage mums accommodation, feeding and maternity care and assured them they would be sent back after delivery. They worked with a woman known as IB who is on the run now.
“A couple, who came to buy a baby boy and a girl from Maureen, were also arrested. They paid N3.5m. The children are those of Patience and Favour. The two babies were sold to the couple as twins. There are over seven rooms in the church where the girls were kept. Maureen said she had lost count of the number of babies she had sold.”
The victims
Another source disclosed that after selling the babies, Maureen and her husband would give the mothers N30,000 to travel back to their states.
He added, “It was discovered that Maureen had been operating the baby factory for over six years and people came from across the country to buy babies from her. She usually sold baby boys for N1.5m each, while baby girls were sold for N1.1m each. Maureen is the general overseer of her church, while her husband is an associate pastor.
“We are currently tracing over 20 children which they have sold. When children are born, Maureen will ask their mothers not to breastfeed them so that they don’t get used to breast milk.”
While being paraded, Maureen, 45, said she is a nurse and only helped to take delivery of babies at the church. She stated that it was IB who scouted for the pregnant teenagers and sold the babies.
She said, “I am from Isiamba North, Imo State, but I reside in Port Harcourt. I am married with two children and I am also a nurse. It was IB who introduced this ‘business’ to me. She was the one who brought the pregnant ladies and sold their babies.
“I don’t know where she got them from; mine was to look after them until they were delivered of their babies. IB would take the babies to the buyers and I would tell the girls that their babies are dead and give them money to return home.”
One of the victims, Favour, said she ended up in the baby factory because the man who impregnated her did not take care of her. She stated that one Precious, who offered to help her, took her to the centre, where she stayed for one month before she gave birth.
She stated, “I left secondary school in 2019. My delivery date was not due yet. I was given an injection. I was locked up in a room with some other girls for hours. I slept off and when I woke up, they told me that my baby was dead. They didn’t feed us well. I heard that they sold my baby and one other child for N2.5m.”
In her account, Lovett said she fell victim to the syndicate after her parents and boyfriend’s relatives rejected her.
She stated, “I am from Imo State and when I got pregnant, my mother rejected me. My boyfriend took me to his relatives and they also rejected me. His friend told me that a woman would take care of me at her home and after giving birth, my boyfriend would pay and pick me up. I was taken to the woman but I didn’t suspect her. They locked us inside the house for 10 hours most days.”
The Federal Government is set to shut the Third Mainland Bridge, the longest bridge in Nigeria located in Lagos State, for six months for maintenance.
The development was confirmed to newsmen by the Lagos Federal Controller of Works, Mr. Olukayode Popoola.
The closure will start from Friday, July 24 and is hoped to have been completed withing six months.
Both lanes will be closed one after the other for 3 months each.
People who work on the Island but lives in Gbagada, Ogudu, Anthony and adjourning areas are expected to be adversely affected.
According to Mr. Popoola, consultations are ongoing for another phase of repair works to begin on the 11.8km bridge.
The Federal Controller of Works explained that the work will commence on the outward mainland section of the bridge.
He also explained that the ministry is working with relevant agencies to bring traffic under control during the period.
The bridge has gone through a series of repair works and was last shut in August 2018 for a three-day investigative maintenance check. Related Posts
There have also been reports of some worn-out expansion joints on the structure, raising concerns over the state of the bridge.
This development will force motorists in Lagos who ply the bridge to begin making arrangements for alternative routes.
When contacted, traffic authorities expressed concern that the closure will caused serious challenges.
They, however, raised hopes that they will improvise and come up with viable alternatives to the situation.
Meanwhile, residents of Lagos have appealed to the governor, Mr. Jide sanwoolu to, if possible rescind the decision.
They lamented that with Eko Bridge still closed, the New Costain bridge unfinished, the type of rainy season not witnessed in a while, this could hardly be the right time to close the Third Mainland bridge.
“Surulere is going to be a total mess to get around!” lamented a Lagos resident.
“My own problem with the Third Mainland Bridge closure for repairs is: why was it not done during the lockdown?” wondered Wale Adetona.
US Prosecutors have asked a judge to schedule a Friday court appearance in New York for Ghislaine Maxwell, the British socialite and former girlfriend of Jeffrey Epstein who is accused of grooming underage girls who were sexually abused by the late US financier.
The 58-year-old was arrested last week at a $1m estate in Bradford, New Hampshire, where she had been hiding.
In a letter sent to a judge, prosecutors say Maxwell’s defense lawyer, Christian Everdell, who would like a bail hearing on Friday after written arguments are submitted by both sides. She will also be arraigned at the hearing.
Maxwell has been indicted on multiple charges, including that she conspired to entice girls as young as 14 to engage in illegal sex acts with Epstein from 1994 through 1997 at his residences in New York City, Florida and New Mexico and at her residence in London. Prosecutors say the charges carry a potential penalty of up to 35 years in prison.
Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s alleged victims, said in a civil lawsuit that Maxwell recruited her into Epstein’s circle, where she claims Epstein forced her to have sex with him and friends including British royal Prince Andrew – who has strongly denied the allegations.
The British socialite has previously repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and called some claims against her “absolute rubbish”.
Epstein, who pleaded not guilty, killed himself in a Manhattan jail last August while he awaited trial on federal sex trafficking charges.
Ibrahim Magu, the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, has been arrested by officials of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Magu who was arrested today Monday, July 6, is currently undergoing interrogation at the DSS Headquarters In Aso Drive.
According to reports, Magu was arrested over allegations he was diverting some of the funds recovered from suspected looters by the commission. It was learnt that the security details to Magu put up a stiff resistance during the arrest of their principal.
Magu’s arrest comes a few weeks after Abubakar Malami, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), wrote a letter to President Buhari demanding Magu’s removal.
Malami in his letter accused Magu of corruption raging from diversion of recovered loot to insubordination and misconduct.
EFCC’s Spokesperson has since claimed that Magu was not arrested but only invited for questioning.
Senator Dino Melaye has said he will not glorify the ruling party, APC, with a response over claims made by the party of his supposed affiliation with suspected fraudster, Hushpuppi.
Over the weekend, the deputy National Spokesperson of the APC, Yekini Nabena, released a statement in which he called on EFCC and other security agencies to investigate the links between Hushpuppi and some PDP stalwarts.
According to Nabena, some of the PDP chieftains like Dino Melaye, Atiku Abubakar, Yakubu Dogara, and Bukola Saraki have been photographed with Hushpuppi and so they must be investigated for any possible links.
”We note that the EFCC has already declared the arraigned Instagram celebrity wanted over fraud allegations. However, the EFCC, Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and other sister agencies must investigate money laundering reports linking some PDP leaders and financiers to the Dubai-based international criminal ring.
PDP leadership turned Dubai into their “Strategic” meeting place ahead of the 2019 general elections in Nigeria and “Hushpuppi’s” affinity with the PDP leadership is not mere coincidence. At different times, “Hushpuppi” was been photographed in Dubai meeting with the PDP’s 2019 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, former Senate Preident Yakubu Dogara, Dino Melaye and other PDP stalwarts”Nabena said in his statement
Reacting to Nabena’s statement, Dino said he will not be glorifying the party with a response. Taking to his Instagram page, he wrote
”I will not glorify a religiously lunatic character nor the caretaker party(APC) with a response on Hushpuppy. SDM”
Early Sunday morning, Billionaire rapper and fashion entrepreneur, Kanye West took to his Twitter handle to announce he will be running for the president of the United States in 2020, joining the political fray with the incumbent Donald Trump and the Democratic challenger Joe Biden.
The announcement did not come as a surprise as Kanye had on several occasions discussed his presidential ambitions, and after visiting Trump in 2018 wearing a “Make America Great Again” MAGA hat, revealed he will be contesting in 2024 after Trump’s tenure.
Kanye on Sunday tweeted “We must now realize the promise of America by trusting God, unifying our vision and building our future. I am running for president of the United States! #2020VISION”
It is not yet clear if West was serious about vying for the presidency four months before the Nov. 3 election or if he had filed any official paperwork to appear on state election ballots.
His tweet has received a lot of reactions from twitter users including its CEO, who endorsed Kanye’s presidential ambitions. Kanye West is the number two trending topic on Twitter worldwide.
Some people commented that Kanye plans to take black votes from Biden, so that Trump and Biden will compete for white votes and Trump will win.
One other commenter chimed that “if Kanye wins, we will have 2 first ladies in a row that did p*rn”
Getting a French visa is a complicated affair and navigating the rules regulating the process can be something of a headache. Hopefully, this step-by-step guide will make things a little easier.
Before jumping on a plane to France, non-European citizens will often need to apply for a visa.
US citizens, Canadians, New Zealanders, Australians and a long list of other nationalities wanting more than a holiday in France must first visit a French embassy in their home country and provide a long string of documents to get a visa fitting for their purpose.
Soon this is likely to include British nationals, as after the Brexit transition period ends on December 31st British people will become third country nationals. Exactly what the arrangements will be for British people who want to move to France from 2021 onwards will be we don’t know – it’s one of the many things still to be negotiated – but it seems likely they will follow the visa model of other third country nationals such as Americans and Canadians.
If you need a visa, you need to arrange this in your home country BEFORE you make the move to France.
So if you fall into any of those groups, here’s how you go about getting a visa.
1. Find out if you need a visa
This bit is easy. The French government has set up a visa wizard website (link here) where you can easily check whether or not you need a visa for your trip to France. The website is accessible both in French and English.
Fill in your nationality, age and where you’re travelling from, how long you are planning to stay (more or less than 90 days), and what kind of travel document you will use.
If you are a visitor from a country outside the EU and/or Schengen area, chances are you will be told that you need a visa. Some countries are exempt from the rule, but their citizens are told to bring a long list of other documents that they might be asked to show upon entering France.
The website currently does not process requests regarding UK citizens because of the still ongoing Brexit transition period. Once the period ends on December 31st 2020, British nationals will likely be able to go to France on holiday without a visa, but anyone who wishes to stay more than three months will probably have to apply for a long-stay visa.
Spouses and relatives of EU/EEA/Swiss nationals do not need a visa to enter France, but must apply for a residence permit (carte de sejour) within two months of arriving in France.
2. Find out what kind of visa you need
There are a range of different types of visas you can apply for depending on your nationality, where you are travelling from and your purpose for going to France.
Short-term visas
A visa de court séjour (short-stay visa) permits you to enter France or another Schengen country for a period that lasts up to three months (90 days). Your stay must be for non-professional purposes, meaning you cannot work in France while you are here.
Some non-EU, non-Schengen countries have agreements that make it possible for their citizens to come to France for short stays (like holidays) without such a visa. This list includes the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand (full list available here).
For example, a US citizen going to France for less than 90 days does not need a visa, but must be able if asked to show a range of other documents upon their arrival, including proof of where they will live and that they will be able to pay for their stay (full list here).
For further information about the short-term visa and the exceptions related to it, you can access the French official website here, in English.
Long-term visas
Anyone from a non-EU, non-EEA, non-Schengen country who is planning a stay exceeding three months must apply for a visa de long séjour(long-stay visa), which allows the the holder to stay in France for a period of up to a year.
If your end-goal is a residency permit you will need a long-stay visa first. You cannot apply for a residency permit while on a short-stay visa.
Long-term visas cover:
Joining family members
Education
Professional reasons (job, internship or training)
Extended tourist stays or other personal motives like retirement
If you wish to join a family member in France, you will need to provide supporting documents that will depend on your nationality, the nature of the relationship and the reasons for your stay (more details here).
If you want to work in France you will need an approved contract from your employer before applying for a visa. You can come as a self-employed to set up a business in France, but you will need to prove the financial viability of the project to get a visa (more details here).
Those working in a liberal profession or a business must be able to prove that they have sufficient financial resources, earning at least the French minimum wage (SMIC).
If are coming as a visitor you will need to prove that your financial situation is sufficiently robust to finance your stay in France. The documents you need will depend on your particular case and will be indicated in the visa wizard, but you will likely be asked to provide information about your financial situation (pension, savings), your accommodation and health insurance which will cover any medical costs in France (more information here). You must also formally agree not to engage in any professional activity during your stay in France.
3. Apply
Visa applications cannot be submitted more than three months prior to the start of your trip for a long-term visa and six months for short-term visas.
You can access the application here. You need to register as a user and then you can begin to plot in all the necessary information (you don’t need to do the whole thing at once as you can save the form every time you go pass over to a new step).
When you have completed the application, you print out the form along with the receipt and the other supporting documents that they will ask you to provide (eg work contracts, financial information).
Bring all the document to the French embassy or consulate in your country of residence, where you can when you submit your file. Some countries allow you to submit your application by post, others insist you attend the embassy or consulate in person – which can be at the other end of the country to where you live.
Usually, as the authorities process the application, you’ll be invited back for a meeting in person.
You are able to track the status of your application here.
4. Pay
Visas are not free, you will be charged a fee and this is not refunded even if your application is denied.
You can find the full list of fees here, but generally short-stay visas are €80 and long-stay are €99.
This is only part of the cost, however. Any supporting documents that you supply must be translated into French and you will need to pay for a certified translator to provide these. Find out more about certified translations and costs here.
5. Longer stays
If you are intending to move to France on a permanent basis, you first arrive with a visa, and then once you are in the country you apply for a carte de séjour (residency permit). You can find out more about the carte de séjour process here.
Kanu needs guidance. He’s throwing away goodwill, support and trust of millions. His language is increasingly belligerent, uncouth, his logic tilting towards the irrational and his attacks on Christianity, the Clergy, individuals, groups and other institutions, untenable and unnecessary.
He should limit himself to issues that solely have to do with the restoration. There presently is a huge leadership crisis in the land under a comatose leader, who can’t tell his ankle from his knee. Kanu could seek ways to take advantage! Offer a strongly interesting alternative!
In addition, he could look for ways of stirring up the awareness of the people as banditry, terrorism, killings, corruption, erosion of every single national value have plagued the country. So many people are disillusioned and will buy into the struggle if he displays tact and maturity!
Kanu could play down on that Elohim stuff.Dwell more on quota system, federal character and their inner workings. Nnamdi could say little on Jubril, reveal more on the injustice of oil wells ownership and the destruction of the ecosystem of the Niger Delta. Mazi could focus less on events in Aso Rock and tell us more about the untapped wealth in the bowels of the earth in SE and how it will be harnessed. Wealth deliberately unexploited by the FG!
Nwannekaenyi could draw our minds to what Biafra could do for the thousands of creative, innovative, well-gifted young men and women in Nnewi, Onitsha and Aba who could singlehandedly put us on the world science and technology map when given the right impetus, excellent environment and moral support!
Onye-ndu could and should harp on the bright side of Igbo/Yoruba relationship; the goodwill of individuals like Fani-Kayode, Adekunle Fajuyi, T.O.S. Benson, Adeniran Ogunsanya, Bashiru Owoade. Men who remained loyal to their Igbo friends/bosses/proteges. Make a narrative from the goodwill of the Western regional government that returned Igbo properties at the end of the war!
This is better than cast aspersions on an entire people, a good number of whom acknowledge that Igbos and people of old Eastern region have been dealt a bad card.When you highlight the goodness in inter-ethnic relationships, many people key consciously and unconsciously into your struggle; you further undermine those who have created the stifling and oppressive system that has retarded the country and left it broken, battered, bloodied and destroyed!
The church is a powerful institution. Kanu should realize there are people far more eloquent and persuasive on pulpits scattered across the land than he is! They could undermine his immense support and destroy his struggle! I have heard pastors, priests and bishops stick out their necks to rail against the status quo and support the agitation. Where does this blanket tagging of all of them as criminals and unsavoury characters leave them and their churches?
He could call on clerics to preach equity and justice, condemn terrorism, impunity and cluelessness of the state. He’ll find far more resonance with the clerics when he does this than when he alienates them. They too have been victims of the slaughter of herdsmen, Boko Haram and bandits. Co-opt them as comrades in the struggle instead of this humiliating chastisement. Kanu could retain his fiery exterior without recourse to insulting sensibilities of people or sections of the populace…It is also not every criticism he should respond to.
Many may not like this post, but Igbos are eternal democrats. We speak our minds! It is not his fight alone! We all are stakeholders. Great hunters of old used to say…”Ihe meturu nwanza ga-emetu nwaobu.” – That which disturbs the Sparrow will hurt the Robin…”
Do the elders not say the length of the night does not give an impatient man a hunch back? You have done well thus far, but in the way of Ndigbo and related people, we ask you to discard the baggage that brings opprobrium!
Zenith Bank Plc has emerged as the number one bank in Nigeria by Tier-1 Capital in the 2020 Top 1000 World Banks Ranking published by The Banker Magazine.
The Bank climbs a whopping 29 spots to 386 from 415 in 2019 in the 2020 global ranking of banks.
Zenith Bank retained its position as the number one Tier-1 bank in Nigeria with Tier-1 Capital of $2.79 million, an increase of 16.1% on the $2.4 million recorded in the 2019 rankings.
The ranking, which was published in the July 2020 edition of The Banker Magazine of the Financial Times Group, United Kingdom, was based on the 2019 year-end Tier-1 capital of banks globally.
According to the ranking report, Zenith Bank extended its lead over the second-placed bank in Nigeria. Zenith’s financial performance for the year was underpinned by a 29% increase in non-interest income, with an improved market share in both retail and corporate sectors.
In a statement from Zenith Bank, while commenting on the latest rankings, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive, Mr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu said: “This ranking, which further attests to our market leadership, is the outcome of a well-thought-out strategy of always delighting and creating value for our teeming customers through a broad range of superior product offerings, best-in-class service and top-of-the-range technology.”
Tier 1 capital describes the capital adequacy of a bank, and it is the core measure of a bank’s financial strength from a regulator’s point of view. According to the ranking, Tier 1 Capital, as defined by the latest BIS guidelines, includes loss-absorbing capital, i.e. common stock, disclosed reserves, retained earnings and minority interests in the equity of subsidiaries that are less than wholly owned.
Zenith Bank has clearly distinguished itself in the Nigerian financial services industry through superior service quality, unique customer experience and sound financial indices. The bank, with a knack for setting the pace and raising benchmarks, is a clear leader in the digital space with many firsts in the deployment of innovative products, solutions and an assortment of alternative channels that ensure convenience, speed and safety of transactions
Amazon.com has agreed to pay over US$1-billion to buy self-driving start-up Zoox, The Information reported on Thursday, citing sources, in a move that would expand the e-commerce giant’s reach in autonomous vehicle technology.
The report did not mention the exact purchase price and added Amazon is unlikely to disclose it when the deal is announced, likely to be on Friday.
A majority of Zoox investors are getting their money back, with some making a positive return, the report added. Lux Capital, DFJ and Atlassian co-founder Michael Cannon-Brooks are some of the investors.
Amazon and Zoox did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Wall Street Journal reported last month that the companies were in advanced talks and the deal could value Zoox at less than the $3.2-billion it achieved in a funding round in 2018.
Amazon has stepped up its investment in the car sector, participating in a $530-million funding round early lastyear in self-driving car start-up Aurora Innovation.
Forty-three youngsters suspected to be prostitutes and cultists on Friday were arrested for allegedly engaging in job scams in Ebonyi State.
it was gathered that the suspects are between the ages of 16 and 22 years.
The suspects were arrested by a joint team, made up of the police, neighborhood watch and special assistant to governor David Umahi on security and utility in the capital city and the governor’s SSA legal.
The arrest of the suspects was made known in a statement signed by the governor’s aid on security and utility capital city, Saint Nchekwube Anakor.
According to Nchekwube: “We arrested 43 young boys and girls with the help of some neighbourhood watch and the division police.
“It is an eyesore to look at what I saw. Small boys and girls walking around the town in the name of networking and marketing of food supplement drugs. Their age brackets are between 16-22years.
“They paste flyers on every corner in town, telling you about jobs. Opportunities that never exist. The funny thing is that if you call the number, they wrote on the wall, one of them will pick the call and tell you how u have been suffering but now is your hour of salvation.
“The next thing is that they will tell you to get your bag, then meet them in a place where they will tell you and join them in the business. Imagine the problem our society is facing.
“These people have no relations and no shelter, or where they stay. Yet every night you see them sneaking out to paste their job opportunity posters or flyers.
“The worst is that I don’t even know how to prosecute them. They are hungry-looking, haggard and bereaved with hunger. My worry is that their parents may not know where they are.
“Funny enough, some of them are Ebonyians while many others are from outside the state including Yorubas and Hausas.
“Some of them are secondary school dropouts, some claim to have their SSCE. As we took them to the police division, and after interrogation, they confessed to engaging in dirty jobs.
“From walking around the streets, the girls turn to prostitution, while the boys join cultism. How did we get here? parents what are we doing?
“When you don’t train your children, they will learn how to engage themselves in dirty jobs.
Parents should look after their children and know what kind of business they are doing in the township” he stated.
Google will pay partnered media publishers in three countries and offer some users free access to paywalled news sites, the tech giant said Thursday.
The announcement comes after legal battles in France and Australia over Google’s refusal to pay news organizations for content.
In a blog post the firm said they would launch “a licensing program to pay publishers for high-quality content for a new news experience” due to launch later this year.
Brad Bender, Google’s vice-president of product management, said they had been in discussions with partnered publishers — including the Spiegel Group in Germany, Schwartz media in Australia and Brazil’s Diarios Associados — for several months, “with more to come.”
“Google will also offer to pay for free access for users to read paywalled articles on a publisher’s site,” the statement said, without offering any further details.
Bender said the program will help publishers “monetize their content through an enhanced storytelling experience.”
He added it would build on the 2018 Google News Initiative, a $300 million project that aimed to tackle disinformation online and help news sites grow financially.
It comes after growing calls for internet tech titans, notably Google, to pay for content.
A number of European and global publications — including AFP — have called on the European Union to adopt laws requiring internet companies to pay for the material they produce.
In April, France’s competition regulator said the firm must start paying media groups for displaying their content, ordering it to begin negotiations after refusing for months to comply with Europe’s new digital copyright law.
And earlier this month, Google rejected an Australian ruling that it pay hundreds of millions of dollars per year in compensation to local news media under a government-imposed revenue-sharing deal.
KING Philippe of Belgium descends from his heavenly throne this week to sign a letter to President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo of the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC, acknowledging for the first time in 113 years, Belgium’s genocide in that country. Philippe danced round the subject of his country’s massacre of over 15 million Congolese men and women, children and adults, the old and the young.
He mentioned “deepest regrets” for the “suffering and humiliation” Belgium inflicted on the African people. But he never rendered an apology. That would be too much for a Belgian monarch, one of whose predecessors, King Leopold II, led Belgians to inflict unconscionable pain on humanity. Rather, he talked glibly about the need “to further strengthen our ties and develop an even more fruitful friendship”, adding “we must be able to talk about our long common history in all truth and serenity”.
It was to mark this Tuesday, the 60th anniversary of the DRC’s independence, one which lasted three months before the murderous Belgians and their British and American first cousins unleashed another round of atrocities, murdering more Congolese for another four decades.
Belgium’s genocide in the DRC has been the bloodiest, most atrocious, most inhumane and most outrageous in human history. While the Holocaust in which some six million Jews were exterminated by the Germans in one of the most insane acts ever perpetuated by human beings is still being talked about, documented and made into films with memorials, there is silence in the Congo case which had three times more casualties.
The difference is that those killed in the Holocaust were Whites while the victims in the Congo were Blacks. That is why the beneficiaries of the African tragedy who, until today, swim in the riches stolen by King Leopold II cannot apologise not to talk about returning part of the stolen wealth. Leopold II from his business of killing so many human beings and amputating hands and limbs, made a personal profit of some 220 million francs (or $1.1 billion in today’s dollars) from a country he never set foot.
In his insulting letter, King Philippe, a cousin of the butcher Leopold II wrote: “Our history is made of common achievements but has also experienced painful episodes. During the period of the Congo Free State, acts of violence and cruelty were committed, which still weigh on our collective memory.” What are the “common achievements” between the robbery squads from the Belgian monarchy and governments, and the Congolese people
Leopold II wiped out villages that did not meet his rubber quota demands, children as young as five years were amputated if they were found not to be hard working; it was death penalty for adults who did not meet quota allocations. For education, the Belgians allowed only orphans to be taught in Catholic schools, to be soldiers or workers for the King. His criminal enterprise also brought people from China, Nigeria, the Caribbean, Zanzibar and other African countries to slave in the DRC.
Although they were all colonialists carrying out forced labour, theft, exploitation of the African peoples and massacre of the colonised people, and despite being first cousin of Britain’s Queen Victoria, the European establishment thought Leopold’s atrocities were too extreme and moved against him by establishing an International Commission which confirmed the genocide. But rather than allow the Congolese to be free, the country was handed over to the Belgian government whose further 52-year rule was better only by degrees.
If the King cannot apologise, what about the Belgian government? In 2019 during a visit to Belgium, a team of United Nations Human Rights experts established “clear evidence that racial discrimination is endemic in institutions in Belgium”. So, will such a system apologise to the African people?
Yes, there have been Black Lives Matter protests in Belgium during which some made critical remarks against Leopold II, but there are many in the country’s leadership who see nothing wrong in his criminalities. Just in June, Prince Laurent, King Philippe’s brother, rose to the defence of Leopold II with the unintelligent talk: “He never went to [DR Congo] himself. I do not see how he could have made people there suffer.”
He, however, said whenever he met African heads of state he always apologised “for the actions Europeans have done to Africans in general”. That is his way of saying Belgians were not the only criminals who looted Africa blind. A possible difference is that while other Europeans looted Africa as governments or traders and colonised it, Leopold II saw the DRC as his personal estate over which he had proprietorial control over its people, resources and lands like a man owns a farm and its animals.
Yes, to him, Africans were not human beings, they were at best animals who were not even entitled to animal rights. Yet the size of the DRC is 2.345 million kilometres while the entire Belgium is 30,689 kilometres, which means the DRC is 7,581 percent larger.
Despite the documentation of his unspeakable Hitlerite actions, Leopold believed he was a missionary. He was quoted as saying: “I undertook the work of the Congo in the interest of civilisation and for the good of Belgium.”
The DRC was led to independence by a principled trade unionist, Patrice Lumumba, a former postal worker. Within weeks of the June, 1960 independence, the Belgians sent troops to strengthen a revolt in the Katanga region. As Prime Minister, Lumumba asked for United Nations troops, but under the influence of Belgium, Britain and United States whose President Dwight D. Eisenhower ordered Lumumba’s assassination, the UN troops put Lumumba under house arrest.
He escaped from the UN troops but was captured in flight. Taken to the rebel enclave of Katanga where he and two other senior officials were tied to trees in the forest and executed under the command of the Belgian troops. The corpses were then butchered and soaked in acid. One of the Belgian officers, Gerard Soete, took Lumumba’s teeth as trophy which until today, is kept in his house in Belgium.
The DRC, Africa’s richest country in terms of natural resources, remains unstable until today with local and international gangsters roaming the country and looting its resources.
In this era, as the world grapples with scapegoating the digital citizens, this caveat seems necessary and compelling. All internet users starting from the digital natives (the iGeneration) through the digital pioneers (Millennials or the Generation Y) to the digital migrants (Generation X) should bear in mind that the Internet neither forgives nor forgets. Similarly, the digital strangers (Gen. Boomers) can and do also experience the boon or bane of the Internet.
Everything one enjoys in life has a price. There is no free lunch even in Freetown, for, generally, someone pays. This reality informs why we need to be careful in our indulgence with the Internet. Every action has its consequence; nothing is free. Except for the Christian faith, which teaches that salvation is free because Christ has paid in full, every other thing in life has a cost. Therefore, one pays for everything else, somehow, somewhere and sometime; and the Internet is no exception. You pay! The Internet has no debt cancellation program. It never forgives. It never forgets. Beware!
Besides the fact that someone sees and can locate whoever is using any device that has a tiny front camera (cell phone, tablet, laptop or desktop), you leave digital footprints each time you use the Internet. Is it not surprising that often the search engines and online marketing platforms suggest to you things similar to what you have already searched for or bought? This fact is possible because you leave digital footprints.
These footprints are indelible on the Internet so long as the Internet exists. Deleting is a pure scam because it gives you the impression that the stuff is gone. But it remains. It is gone from one level of internet operations but remains at other deeper layers. All our digital footprints and records are all stored in the cyber cloud. A simple analysis of your activities on the Internet for the past ten years will shock you the extent the Internet remembers.
With artificial intelligence, the Internet can write your biography with surprising details probably only known to your intimate circles, especially your confessors and best friends. The Internet keeps tracks; it follows you and introduces you to your interviewers, prospective employers, suitors and contract awarding authorities. It acts like a spell that spells the lives of unsuspecting fellows. Undoubtedly, the Internet has assumed the status of a critical stakeholder in the lives of many, who, often, are not mindful of its character.
God always forgives, humans forgive sometimes, but the Internet never forgives. While the human mind is a faculty that forgets, the Internet never forgets. With its alluring charm, the Internet ruins the lives of some who, out of youthful exuberance, depression, the euphoria of pleasure or power, untrained emotion or sheer indiscipline, engage in shameful, reprehensible and disgusting acts online. Some of these unwholesome acts could be criminal and fraudulent transactions or even uploading of nude pictures and videos, thus succumbing to exploitation through cyber-sex. In so doing, they barter their peace and happiness.
It is common knowledge that those behind the internet platforms engage in a sort of digital voyeurism, thus unethically prying on users. The hi-tech guys and digital eavesdroppers follow you about such that cyber-world is not a haven. Each time you visit any site, you leave footprints and can always be located. These footprints cannot be erased. Any website you have visited is retained and kept in memory for you.
Deletion is a scam; it is deceptive. It is also a fact that with digital technology, ubiquitous online spies and hackers have made worthless the concepts of obscurity and privacy. The internet voyeurism by the proprietors of the cyber-tech companies and smart guys out there has made the Internet not safe for any person with disreputable intents. They use data from you to advance their businesses.
The Internet makes users, many of whom firm their lives on the pillars of social media, easily susceptible to blackmail. The young ones innocently abandon themselves to various forms of atrocities ignorant of their repercussions and ramifications. The Internet tells the world of your deeds, good or evil. As such, the consequences of stripping or dancing naked for money or engaging in online fraud (yahoo) on one’s personality in later life are dire since the Internet remembers.
Not a few have missed dream jobs, wonderful opportunities or privileges because of unconscionable acts like lying in connection to politics, uploading nude pictures, and engaging in all manners of evil online. The Internet leaves them devastated.
Yet responsible use of the Internet can be a boon for a young person such that it is unlikely to have a smartphone and be poor. A stitch in time saves one from falling prey to the gripping destructive ramifications of the abuse and misuse of the Internet. Rightly said, unexamined use of the Internet and irresponsible indulgence with the social media stages psycho-socio-emotional turbulence that upsets progress and ruins a person.
While engaging the Internet, be mindful that your activities today can work against you in near, distant or eternal future when you might have grown or changed. What you do with and on the Internet when you are unknown can promote or destroy you when most people know you. Refrain from doing or writing stupid things. And avoid foolish and silly trends to prevent shame, regret, defamation and pain in future.
The Internet never forgets; so be cautious of your activities on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Snapchat, Whatsapp and Pinterest. While engaging in social media, project into the future, so as not to allow the Internet doom your dream. Indeed, some suffer dire consequences because of their naivety, carelessness or ignorance. Keep in mind always: the Internet neither forgives nor forgets.
Pray for my dad, Patrick Adimike, who died on the 11th of June. May he find peace and happiness in the embrace of the Eternal Father’s welcome, amen.
Wife to Peter Okoye, Lola, has shared her experience with coronavirus.
Lola Okoye in a video shared on her Instagram page on Wednesday said she went through so much pain while battling with COVID-19.
Recall that her husband, Peter of the defunct Psquare had few days ago revealed that his entire family including his domestic staff tested positive for the virus.
But narrating her experience, Lola said it was a painful one and she wishes no one including her worst enemy passes through such.
“I do not wish COVID-19 upon my worst enemy and I need to let everybody known that COVID-19 is real. I suffered, I went through a lot of pain, I watched my family go through it.
A priest, Rev. John Anthony Clohosey, accused of raping a woman more than 30 years ago will now stand trial next year according to reports.
Rev. Clohosey was priest at Our Lady Immaculate and St Cuthbert’s RC Church in Crook, County Durham until he was suspended last year when he was accused by a woman of raping her more than 30 years.
The 71-year-old priest is alleged to have sexually attacked the woman in Gateshead in 1986.
He did not appear before Newcastle Crown Court on Friday due to the coronavirus pandemic, but his barrister indicated he would have pleaded not guilty if he had been at the hearing. His trial will now take place at Newcastle Crown Court on May 17, 2021.
A man identified as Chidiebube Okeoma has taken to his facebook page to solicit for help for a 20-year-old, Nkechi Ezenwa, banana hawker who gave birth to triplets after she was raped.
The girl named Nkechi Ezenwa who was allegedly raped while selling her products, gave birth to triplets and she stated that she discovered at the point of delivery that she was having more that one child.
The new mother has reportedly been slammed with almost N422,000 bill for the delivery of her babies.
Ezenwa said she was delivered of a baby boy at the health center. After her son was born, they discovered there were more babies and she needed to be operated on.
She was rushed to another hospital where two more babies were delivered via caesarean section.
Unfortunately, she hasn’t been able to clear her medical bills and thus Chidiebube Okeoma shared her story on the platform with details of the hospital where the babies were born and how people can donate.
Nigeria records 15,839 new positive cases, 317 deaths in 30 days Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has disclosed that 80 more coronavirus (COVID-19) patients have recovered and cleared to reunite with their families and the society after testing negative to the virus.
In a statement, the governor said the death toll in the state has risen to 43, with the elderly accounting for a large number of the fatalities, urging residents to observe precautionary measures to stay safe, healthy as well as protect the aged.
Obaseki noted: “We have discharged 80 more COVID-19 patients from our isolation centres.The number of discharges now stands at 498. We lost one more person to the virus, bringing the number of fatalities to 43. Stay safe and protect our aged parents, who are most endangered.”
Meanwhile, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Patrick Okundia, said the state has recorded a total of 1,203 confirmed cases, 6,046 suspected cases and exited 2,532 others, including 2,185 line-listed contacts and 347 persons-of-interest (POI), who have completed the compulsory 14-day follow-up and tested negative.
Okundia said the 1,203 confirmed cases were recorded in Oredo (391), Esan West (117), Egor (223), OviaNorth East (86), Ikpoba-Okha (160), Uhunmwode (14), Etsako Central (2), Esan South East (7), Akoko-Edo (1), Esan Central (107), Ovia South West (19), Owan East (1), Esan North East (43), Etsako West (20), Etsako East (9), Orhionmwon (2), Owan West (1) Local Government Areas (LGAs).
The commissioner, who reassured residents that the state government would continue to intensify efforts to contain the pandemic and protect the Edo people, said the state has tested over 6,371 residents and is contact-tracing 2,794 others as well as visited over 1,035 rural and urban communities for Active Case Search (ACS) activities.
He added: “While the state government intensifies efforts to protect the Edo people from this deadly disease, we urge all citizens to stay at home and observe all precautionary measures against the spread of the infectious disease, including regular handwashing with soap under running water and the use of alcohol-based hand sanitisers. Cover your mouth and nose properly when sneezing and/or coughing.”
Nigerian music sensation and record label boss, David Adeleke also known as Davido has congratulated Burna Boy for winning the just concluded BET Awards.
If you can recall, Burna Boy and Davido clashed some weeks ago after Davido took to his social media pages to post a photoshopped image of Wizkid and himself, tagging the image “Greatest of all time”.
This got Burna Boy angry and got him throwing shades at Davido.
However, Davido has overlooked the beef between himself and Burna Boy and has come online to congratulate him.
He posted Burna Boy’s photo and captioned it “Congrats, you over deserve this brother, more to come”.
Burna Boy beat music acts like Sho Madjozi from South Africa , Stormzy from UK alongside four other singers to win the award.
Hence, this is second time Burna Boy is winning the Best International Act category after he won it last year.
The ceremony marks the award show’s 20th year on air and 40th anniversary of Black Entertainment Television(BET) as well as the first-ever virtual ceremony in its history due to effects of the pandemic.
Wizkid’s feature on Beyonce’s ‘Brown Skin Girl’ track won him the BET Her Award category as he currently makes history as the African artiste with the most BET awards win.
Other winners include: Best Female Hip Hop Artist – Megan Thee Stallion, Video of the Year – DJ Khaled featuring Nipsey Hussle & John Legend, Best Female R&B/Pop Artist – Lizzo, Viewers Choice Award – Megan Thee Stallion featuring Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign and Best New Artist – Roddy Ricch
Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, 37, a.k.a. “Ray Hushpuppi” and “Hush,” a Nigerian national, arrived in Chicago Thursday evening after being expelled from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Abbas made his initial U.S. court appearance this morning in Chicago, and he is expected to be transferred to Los Angeles in the coming weeks.
Abbas was arrested last month by UAE law enforcement officials. FBI special agents earlier this week obtained custody of Abbas and brought him to the United States to face a charge of conspiring to engage in money laundering that is alleged in a criminal complaint filed on June 25 by federal prosecutors in Los Angeles.
The affidavit alleges that Abbas and others committed a BEC scheme that defrauded a client of a New York-based law firm out of approximately $922,857 in October 2019. Abbas and co-conspirators allegedly tricked one of the law firm’s paralegals into wiring money intended for the client’s real estate refinancing to a bank account that was controlled by Abbas and the co-conspirators.
The affidavit also alleges that Abbas conspired to launder funds stolen in a $14.7 million cyber-heist from a foreign financial institution in February 2019, in which the stolen money was sent to bank accounts around the world. Abbas allegedly provided a co-conspirator with two bank accounts in Europe that Abbas anticipated each would receive €5 million (about $5.6 million) of the fraudulently obtained funds.
Abbas and others further conspired to launder hundreds of millions of dollars from other fraudulent schemes and computer intrusions, including one scheme to steal £100 million (approximately $124 million) from an English Premier League soccer club, the complaint alleges.
If convicted of conspiracy to engage in money laundering, Abbas would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
Dbanj procured the services of controversial and foremost Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), to slam a libel suit of N1.5 billion naira on the Ms. Seyitan, a lady who had accused him of rape.
The accuser, Ms. Seyitan, had alleged that Dbanj raped her on December 31, 2018, at Glee Hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos.
She revealed that the popular musician after acquainting with her at a party earlier where she had turned down his advances for intimacy
– had driven all the way from Eko hotel where he was staying and came down to Glee hotel in Victoria Island at midnight 2.40 am
– collected her room’s spare key from the receptionist and forcefully gained access into her room threatening to walk her out of the room naked if she refused him even as he kept his fingers in her vagina and repeatedly raped her.
Hence, On Thursday, 18, 2020, events took a turn as varying reports emerged of D’banj’s arrest of Seyitan.
Information gathered revealed that some policemen allegedly acting on the instruction of the singer, reportedly detained Seyitan for over 24 hours
– and made her delete all chats, social media posts, and other vital information related to the matter from her phone.
However, The incident elicited a wide range of criticism on social media with Nigerians calling out D’banj for intimidation and abuse of power.
The European Union has approved the use of remdesivir to treat severe cases of Coronavirus.
The announcement was made on Friday July 3, days after the US effectively stockpiled the world’s entire supply of the antiviral medication. Its approval came after two major US studies showed that remdesivir can reduce the duration of hospital stay for COVID-19 patients.
EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides said in a statement;
“Today’s authorisation of a first medicine to treat COVID-19 is an important step forward in the fight against this virus.
“We are granting this authorisation less than a month after the application was submitted, showing clearly the EU’s determination to respond quickly whenever new treatments become available.”
Remdesivir which is the only anti-coronavirus medication to be given the green light in the EU, was originally intended as a treatment for Ebola. It was approved in UK at the end of May, with health officials outlining that it would only be used to treat the sickest patients. It is one of two drugs approved in Britain to treat COVID-19, the other being a cheap steroid called dexamethasone.
The world’s first self-proclaimed gold-plated hotel is now open for business in Vietnam.
The hotel which has 24-carat plating across lobbies, an infinity pool and rooms with even cutlery, cups, shower heads and toilet seats receiving the golden treatment, took about $200m and 11 years to build. Coffee is served in a gold cup and bath time is taken in gilded splendor.
“Dolce Hanoi Golden Lake hotel” which sits by Giang Vo Lake in the centre of the Vietnamese capital, has 400 rooms and will operate under the American Wyndham Hotels brand. Prices start at $250 a night for rooms, and there are also apartments for rent.
Phillip Park, a South Korean guest said;
“When I arrived here… I felt like a king, you know, the Pharaoh… the king of Egypt.”
The relatively modest construction price tag was achieved by sourcing the gold plating locally — significantly reducing costs.
Nguyen Huu Duong, chairman of Hoa Binh group that owns the hotel said;
“We want the ordinary people to the super rich… to check-in. Our group has a factory that can do gold-plated stuff, so the cost for our equipment and furniture here is quite cheap.”
On Coronavirus cramping global travel and tourism, Duong expressed hope of making back the money used in constructing the hotel in 2021.
Here are more photos and a video of the hotel below;
French President, Emmanuel Macron has appointed Jean Castex, as the country’s new prime minister after Edouard Philippe’s resignation.
He replaces Edouard Philippe, who resigned earlier today with his government after President Macron promised a reshuffle for the last two years of his term.
Mr. Castex, 55, a senior civil servant played a key role in the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He coordinated France’s reopening strategy after the lockdown.
One senior French official described him as the ideal “Macronian” choice, because he is both a respected high-level civil servant with government experience and an elected mayor of a small town in the foothills of the Pyrenees.
He knows the arcane workings of Paris, but is also rooted locally in the countryside,” the official said. “He’s someone who comes from the right, but is a ‘social Gaullist’”.
The police have arrested a Chinese couple in Abuja for allegedly locking up their Nigerian employees in their apartment for the past four months.
Eight domestic workers were rescued by the personnel of the Utako Divisional Police Station on Tuesday following a tip-off by a resident, who reported the incident to the Human Rights radio station.
The police raided the residence of the Chinese in the Jabi area of Abuja and took the unidentified couple and their domestic employees to the station.
In footage provided by the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, the victims said they had been locked up in the apartment since February.
A lady, who did not give her name, said the domestic workers were not allowed to move out of the building and that the couple refused to allow her to go for treatment when she took ill.
She stated, “When I was seriously sick, I asked these people (Chinese employers) to open the gate for me, but they refused until I became very angry before they opened the door. I know my life may be at risk but I don’t mind, let the world know what is happening.
“They told us that if someone was going out, he could help buy something for us, but when this man (referring to a colleague) went out to buy sachet water, they deducted his salary. What do they want us to do?
“We had to stay in the room and talk to people through the windows. They didn’t give us food; apart from the salary, they didn’t give us anything; they even cut our salaries.”
The driver of the Chinese, who simply identified himself as Alex, said he and the seven others had been working against their will for the couple since the outbreak of COVID-19 in February.
Alex stated, “They never allowed us to go out since February; if any of us went out and they know, a certain percentage of the person’s salary would be deducted.
“Even on Monday when this man (pointing at one of his co-workers) sent someone to buy water, N500 was deducted from his salary that has yet to be paid.”
Another worker said the couple deducted N3,000 from his salary because he went out to fill his pension form.
But sources told PUNCH Metro on Thursday that the workers were refusing to cooperate with the police, adding that when they got to the station, they claimed that they were not forcefully detained by their employers.
“We were surprised by the refusal of the Nigerians to narrate the details of their ordeal to the police. All of them claimed that they chose to stay with the Chinese couple without coercion, but that was not the information that prompted our visit to the apartment. From the look of things, there may be more to what they are telling us,” a police source said.
The spokesman, Federal Capital Territory Police Command, DSP Anjuguri Manzah, confirmed the incident, noting that investigation had commenced.
He said the Chinese couple had been released on bail.
Prime Minister of France, Edouard Philippe, 49, and his government have submitted their resignations
The Élysée Palace announced that Philippe submitted his government’s resignation but would remain as head of an interim government until a new cabinet is named.
No reason for his resignation was not given in the short statement issued on Friday, July 3, but a cabinet shuffle had been widely expected after President Emmanuel Macron promised a reshuffle for the last two years of his term.
The Élysée statement said: “Mr Édouard Philippe has today handed his resignation from the government to the president of the republic who has accepted it. He will remain, with other members of the government, to deal with current matters until the nomination of a new government.”
Philippe, 49, was appointed in 2017 after Macron’s presidential election victory. At the time he was a member of the centre-right Les Républicains (LR) party.
The announcement of Philippe’s resignation comes days after he was re-elected mayor of Le Havre with a large majority
Jason Njoku, the co-founder and CEO of iROKOtv took to Twitter to serve an update about his mother who survived Coronavirus earlier this year.
According British-Nigerian entrepreneur, his mother is still struggling to recover after surviving Coronavirus and leaving the hospital on March 21.
He tweeted;
My mum survived Covid19 leaving the hospital 21March. 15wks later she’s still struggling to recover. Not even close to back to ‘normal’. Scarred lungs, shortness of breath etc.
Coronavirus Survivors: Here’s What Recovery May Look Like – NYT
The New York Attorney General’s office has announced a nearly $19 million settlement for women who were sexually abused and harassed by imprisoned former movie mogul, Harvey Weinstein, 68.
“Harvey Weinstein and The Weinstein Company failed their female employees. After all the harassment, threats, and discrimination, their victims are finally receiving some justice,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement on Tuesday, June 30.
The settlement stems from a 2018 civil rights lawsuit filed by the New York Attorney General’s office against Weinstein, Robert Weinstein, and the Weinstein companies at large for “egregious violations of New York’s civil rights, human rights, and business laws,” the attorney’s office said at the time.
Under the plan, a $18,875,000 victims’ compensation fund will be created and distributed among “women who experienced a hostile work environment, sexual harassment, and gender-based discrimination while working at The Weinstein Company, as well as sexual abuse by Harvey Weinstein,” the attorney general’s office said.
As part of the agreement, survivors will also be released from confidentiality, non-disclosure, or non-disparagement agreements with The Weinstein Company or any of the former representatives of the company related to any sexual misconduct by Weinstein. They will now be free to tell their stories without fear of retribution, prosecutors said.
But the agreement must still be approved by the district court and the bankruptcy court that is presiding over The Weinstein Company’s bankruptcy case.
“This agreement is a win for every woman who has experienced sexual harassment, discrimination, intimidation, or retaliation by her employer,” New York Attorney, General Letitia James said.
Reacting to the agreement, Douglas H. Wigdor and Kevin Mintzer, the attorneys for several of Harvey Weinstein’s alleged victims disagreed with the settlement and consider it deeply ‘unfair’ because Weinsten doesn’t not accept responsibility for his actions.
“The proposed settlement is a complete sellout of the Weinstein survivors and we are surprised that the Attorney General could somehow boast about a proposal that fails on so many different levels,” the attorneys told CNN in a statement.
“We are completely astounded that the Attorney General is taking a victory lap for this unfair and inequitable proposal, and on behalf of our clients, we will be vigorously objecting in court,” they added.
Weinstein is serving 23 years at Wende Correctional Facility, a maximum-security prison in Alden, New York, after being convicted of committing a criminal sex act in the first degree and rape in the third degree.
The disgraced movie mogul is also facing several charges in Los Angeles, including forcible rape, sexual penetration by use of force, and sexual battery. Weinstein has denied all the allegations.
Newborn twin sisters died after they were savagely attacked by their family dog in Brazil. The premature twin girls — Anne and Analú — were mauled to death by the animal when their mother, Elaine Novais, left them briefly to speak to a neighbor.
According to The Sun, the baby girls died on June 23, the same day they were scheduled to be born by cesarean. But they arrived a month early.
The dog involved in the killing of the twins is Labrador and American Foxhound mix. The animal had been with the family for five years, and has been described usually docile. However, since the arrival of Anne and Analú, the dog became jealous after losing affection from its owners.
The reports claimed on the day of the incident that happened in Piripá, in the northeastern state of Bahia, the 29-year-old mother of the twins rushed to her bedroom where the 26 day-old babies lay after hearing their cries. After reaching the room, she pulled the dog away from the children but the animal had already critically damaged the abdomen of the two.
They were rushed to the hospital, however, doctors said that one of the babies died even before reaching the hospital while the other one suffered a cardiac arrest and the medical team could not save her.
Suspected Nigerian fraudsters, Ramon Igbalode Abbas a.k.a Hushpuppi and Olalekan Jacon Ponle a.k.a Mr Woodberry have been extradited to the United States.
This was confirmed in a post shared on the official page of the Dubai Police. FBI’s Director, Christopher Wray thanked the Dubai Police for their cooperation in extraditing the Nigerian suspects who were accused of committing multiple money-laundering and cyber crimes.
The Director of the Federatal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Christopher Wray has praised the exceptional efforts exerted by the United Arab Emirate, represented bu the Dubai Police General HQ, in combating transnational organised cybercrime including the recent arrest of Raymod Igbalode Abbas, known as “Hushpuppi” and Olalekan Jacon Ponle aka “Woodberry” who were taken down in operation “Fox Hunt 2”.
Mr Wray also extended his appreciations to Dubai Police for their cooperation in extraditing the wanted criminals, who committed money-laundering and multiple-cybercrimes, to the United States.
561 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded in Nigeria on Tuesday, June 30.
According to the Nigeria Center for Disease Control NCDC, Lagos recorded 200 new cases, Edo -119, Kaduna-52, FCT-52, Niger-32, Ogun-19, Ondo-16 ,Imo-14, Plateau-11, Abia-8, Oyo-8, Bayelsa-7, Katsina-6, Kano-5, Bauchi-3, Osun-3, Kebbi-3, Borno-2, Jigawa-1.
Nigeria has now recorded 25,694 cases of COVID-19 with 590 deaths, while 9,746 patients have been discharged from various Isolation centers across the country.
