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The Federal Government has declared Friday, May 1, 2020, as a public holiday to mark this year’s International Workers’ Day Celebration. The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government in a statement by signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Georgina Ehuriah. In the statement, Aregbesola commended Nigerian workers “for their resilience, patience and understanding, particularly in their support at stemming the spread of COVID-19”. Aregbesola who further thanked Nigerians and the labour force for their “sacrifices in the present period of trial”, assured that their “commitment and patience will complement the efforts being made by Government and other stakeholders to ensure the speedy control of the virus”. He said, “With the cooperation of every citizen, as well as strict adherence to the measures being put in place by relevant authorities, the challenges being faced by Nigerians as a result of the disease...

The Premier League and other European leagues have been given until May 25 by UEFA to provide plans to restart their season. European football's governing body has issued guidelines to all 55 associations after an agreement last week that qualification for next season's Champions League and Europa League must be decided on 'sporting merit' this season. The guidance, issued by UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and UEFA general secretary Theodore Theodoridis states: "National associations and/or leagues should be in a position to communicate to UEFA by 25 May 2020 the planned restart of their domestic competitions including the date of restart and the relevant competition format." UEFA has also asked associations, such as the Dutch FA, to "explain the special circumstances justifying such premature termination" by the same deadline, in relation to the clubs it wants to compete in Europe next season. The guidance has been issued by UEFA pre...

Satguru Maharaji, the founder of the One Love Family Sect, has called on Nigerians to reconnect with their culture and tradition to curtail the spread of COVID-19. He made the call on Sunday while addressing newsmen at his Maharaj Village on the Ibadan-Lagos expressway. The sect leader said the best way to combat COVID-19 in Africa, particularly Nigeria, was through culture and tradition. “In the past, all the various forms of diseases were combated through cultural and traditional cures. The black race must wake up. “Naturally our culture and tradition are now backstage. All we need to do is to reconnect and recognise our traditional rulers. “Any society that disconnects from its culture and tradition to make money is bound to face several challenges,” he said. He disclosed that Nigerians are infected with foreign diseases because they had abandoned their tradition and subjected themselves to foreign control. Maharaji said the Ife-Modakeke crisis was resolved through ...

Ogun State has launched Africa’s very first COVID-19 mobile laboratory. The lab which has the capacity to carry out up to 400 tests a day is contained in a 40ft container and has been set up within the grounds of the intended 250 bed hospital in Abeokuta. It provides a unique plug and play feature and is fully equipped with all necessary instruments and biosafety materials to support COVID-19 testing while ensuring the safety of the workforce. Solar panels have also been installed to utilise solar energy as an alternative source of power.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has said the use of non-medical face masks, which include self-made or commercial masks or face covers made of clothes, only reduce and not prevent the spread of diseases. The agency in a statement released today said face masks made with cotton materials are more effective. The statement in part reads Non-medical face masks include self-made or commercial masks or face covers made of cloth, other textiles or other materials such as paper. They are not standardized and are not intended for use in healthcare settings or by healthcare professionals. They serve to limit the spread of droplets and offer some measure of protection to those around you. The material of construction is usually cloth(textile fabric), non-woven wadding, or paper-like materials. For these Barrier Masks, 100% cotton is preferred though, polyester, linen or knit fabric can be used. Simple test: If wearer can put off a flame f...

The African Action Congress has slammed President Muhammadu Buhari over his nationwide broadcast on Monday, saying there was nothing in his speech to give hope to the masses, who are already being weighed down by hunger as a result of the lockdown occasioned by the spread of Coronavirus. The party in a statement by its National Organising Secretary, Oshioks Philips, described the President’s speech as a rehearsal of obvious irresponsibility. Phillips said the speech was a register of promises of nothing tangible and a mirror of the confused state of the government. The statement reads, “President Buhari and the APC only delayed us to listen to a speech that says nothing new; correctly analyse pertinent challenges; nor resolves the bloody problems afflicting the people. “Buhari has nothing to say specifically about palliatives neither did he have anything to say or do about the fact that hunger virus and military bullets kills more than Coronavirus. “The speech is a register ...

1. Eat Foods Rich in Calcium and Vitamin D Hormonal changes during menopause can cause bones to weaken, increasing the risk of osteoporosis. Calcium and vitamin D are linked to good bone health, so it's important to get enough of these nutrients in your diet. 2. Eat Lots of Fruit and Vegetables A diet rich in fruits and vegetables can help prevent a number of menopause symptoms. Fruits and veggies are low in calories and can help you feel full, so they're great for weight loss and weight maintenance. They may also help prevent a number of diseases, including heart disease 3. Avoid Trigger Foods Certain foods may trigger hot flashes, night sweats and mood swings. They may be even more likely to trigger you when you eat them at night. Common triggers include caffeine, alcohol and foods that are sugary or spicy. 4. Reduce Refined Sugar and Processed Foods A diet high in refined carbs and sugar can cause sharp rises and dips in blood sugar, making you feel tired a...

Liverpool are set to finally end their 30-year wait to be champions of England after UEFA ruled out the Premier League season being declared 'null and void'. European football's governing body insisted that domestic campaigns would be settled on 'sporting merit' on Thursday if they cannot be finished. The Premier League was suspended last month due to the spread of coronavirus and remains on an indefinite hiatus with lockdown in full effect. Reds fans had been concerned that the pandemic would deny them a first league title since 1990, but UEFA's directive appears to have taken that possibility off the table. It is likely that Champions League places will be decided on a points-per-game basis if remaining matches cannot be played. A play-off could also be held, but Premier League clubs are believed to favour PPG as the fairest method. Liverpool are 25 points ahead of second-placed Manchester City and 37 clear of Manchester United in fifth wit...

Arsenal's players will be allowed to return to their London Colney training ground next week, but will continue to train individually in accordance with government health guidelines Access for Mikel Arteta's players will be limited, carefully managed, and social distancing will be maintained at all times. Squad members will travel alone, do their individual workout, and return home afterwards. All buildings at the Colney centre will remain closed. Arsenal's players have been partaking in training sessions from home as a result of the disruption caused by coronavirus. Earlier this week, the club contacted its first-team players to remind them of their responsibilities during the lockdown, after David Luiz, Alexandre Lacazette, Nicolas Pepe and Granit Xhaka all broke social distancing guidelines. Meanwhile, Arteta, the majority of the Gunners' first-team squad, and core coaching staff members have all agreed to 12.5 per cent pay cuts. Uncertainty remains ov...

People involved in mobile telecommunications services in Nigeria are likely to spend an estimate of N348.75bn on airtime purchase in April, investigations have shown. The huge voice and Internet traffic from Nigerians, who are working and learning online from home in April, had been predicted to be a huge revenue earner for Nigerian mobile network operators and Internet Service Providers. Many Nigerian businesses now operate virtually and some online businesses started to thrive when a lockdown was announced by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), in the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos and Ogun states for four weeks, which started on March 31, 2020. Some states also announced lockdown, exempting people offering essential services, amid efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The N348.75bn airtime earnings are based on an estimate of the number of subscribers in April, and a projected Average Revenue Per User for voice and data services provided by ana...

Australia has launched a smartphone app to trace people who come in contact with coronavirus patients despite privacy concerns that authorities insisted Sunday were unwarranted. The COVID Safe app uses a phone’s Bluetooth wireless signal to store information about people’s interactions, and can be accessed by health officials if a person contracts coronavirus. Australia’s chief medical officer Brendan Murphy said the app would speed up a “laborious process” for health authorities tracking down users who have been within 1.5 metres of someone who has the virus. “What this will do is give a list of the mobile phone numbers of those people who have been in contact within that distance for 15 minutes or more,” he said. “That could lead to someone being contacted a day or two earlier than they otherwise may have been.” Australia has recorded just over 6,700 cases of COVID-19 and 83 deaths from the virus. The rise in infections has slowed considerably in recent weeks, with ju...

Mr John Coumantaros, Chairman of the Flour Mills of Nigeria Group (FMN Group) has donated a $1.5 million worth of ventilators and other essential personal protective equipment and testing kits to the Federal Government. Coumantaros, an industrialist and known philanthropist said that the first batch of the supplies, sourced through FMN’s global supply chain, focused on the most essential needs of the government at the moment, had arrived. A statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by the Group’s Chief Operating Officer, Boye Olusanya, said that the supplies which will continue to arrive until March 31, will beef up Nigeria’s fight against COVID-19. Olusanya said that the supplies were an additional contribution by FMN through its Chairman, Coumantaros. The Group had also redeemed an initial One Billion Naira pledge to the Federal Government of Nigeria. He noted that despite procurement restrictions on supplies by several countries to ensure their frontline responders had suffici...

A middle-aged man, Johnbosco Ejiogu, from Umudagu Mbieri, Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State, on Friday was arrested by the Imo State Police Command, for allegedly stabbing his own mother, after which he was said to have set fire on himself and mother, Pauline Ejiogu, in the house. According to the police’ own investigation, the State Police Public Relations, PPRO, Orlando Ikeokwu, in Owerri, said that it was an altercation between Ejiogu and his mother Pauline, that led to the ugly incident. However, the police said that both of them were rescued from the fire with the help of the residents around the scene of the incident. “Both of them have been taken to the hospital,” police said. According to the police image maker, “On the 24/4/2020, at about 1020 hrs, operatives of Mbieri Divisional hqtrs, while reacting to a distress call arrested the above-named suspect and rescued the above victim. “Preliminary investigation revealed that the said Johnbosco Ejiogu stabbed his...

Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, has explained why the lockdown measure should not be relaxed amid efforts to contain the coronavirus pandemic. The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), had on March 29 ordered a lockdown of the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos and Ogun states for 14 days to curb COVID-19 spread. Many states had also followed suit. But as the number of COVID-19 cases increased, the President on April 13 extended the lockdown for 14 more days. As of the time of filing this report, the coronavirus had spread to 26 states and the FCT, with 1,095 cases recorded across the country by the NCDC. While 208 patients had been discharged, 32 had died. The new cases were 80 in Lagos, 21 in Gombe, five in FCT, two each in Zamfara and Edo, and one each in Ogun, Oyo, Kaduna and Sokoto states. Speaking on Friday at a media briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in Abuja, the Director-General of the NCDC, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, said it was not yet t...

1. It doesn't seem to harm lung capacity, and may even improve it. There's a fair amount of evidence that marijuana does no harm to the lungs, unless you also smoke tobacco. One study published in Journal of the American Medical Association found that not only does marijuana not impair lung function, it may even increase lung capacity. 2. It may help control epileptic seizures. Some studies have shown that cannabidiol (CBD), another major marijuana compound, seems to help people with treatment-resistant epilepsy. 3. A chemical found in marijuana stops cancer from spreading, at least in cell cultures. CBD may help prevent cancer from spreading, researchers at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco reported in 2007. 4. It may decrease anxiety in low doses. Researchers know that many cannabis users consume marijuana to relax, but also that many people say smoking too much can cause anxiety. So scientists conducted a study to find the "Goldilocks" ...

Many home remedies can help improve a person’s acne pimples and sores. Home remedies for acne include gentle herbal creams and gels, essential oils, natural supplements, and some simple lifestyle changes. Consistent use of any of these remedies will guarantee you a place among people with smooth, flawless skin and the good news is that most of these remedies can be found in your kitchen and around the home. 1. Reducing stress The American Academy of Dermatology lists stress as a possible cause of acne flare-ups. Stress causes levels of the hormone androgen to increase. Androgen stimulates hair follicles and oil glands in pores, increasing the risk of acne. Tips for managing stress include: talking to family, friends, a doctor, or other supportive people getting enough sleep eating a healthful, balanced diet and avoiding skipping meals exercising regularly limiting alcohol and caffeine consumption practicing deep breathing, yoga, mindfulness, or meditation 2. Choo...

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) HIGHLIGHTS • On the 24th of April 2020, 114 new confirmed cases and one new death were recorded in Nigeria • One new state (Zamfara) has reported a confirmed case in the last 24 hours. • Till date, 1095 cases have been confirmed, 208 cases have been discharged and thirty two deaths have been recorded in 27 states and the Federal Capital Territory • The 114 new cases are reported from nine states- Lagos (80), Gombe (21), FCT (5), zamfara (2), Edo (2), Ogun (1), Oyo (1), Kaduna (1), Sokoto (1). • A multi-sectoral national emergency operations centre (EOC), activated at Level 3, continues to coordinate the national response activities Don't forget to share with friends!

Saudi Arabia has abolished flogging as a punishment, the supreme court announced, hailing the latest in a series of “human rights advances” made by the king and his powerful son. Court-ordered floggings in Saudi Arabia — sometimes extending to hundreds of lashes — have long drawn condemnation from human rights groups. But they say the headline legal reforms overseen by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have brought no let-up in the conservative Islamic kingdom’s crushing of dissent, including through the use of the death penalty. The Saudi supreme court said the latest reform was intended to “bring the kingdom into line with international human rights norms against corporal punishment”. Previously the courts could order the flogging of convicts found guilty of offences ranging from extramarital sex and breach of the peace to murder. In the future, judges will have to choose between fines and/or jail sentences, or non-custodial alternatives like community service, t...

Evan Blass has just released a render that looks like it’s intended for the press. We can see on it the Huawei Y8s phone, which – as shown in the picture – will have an indentation in the display, i.e. a notch, a physical fingerprint reader on the back, and a double camera under which the LED will be illuminated. The camera module is to be placed on a rectangular plan, which is quite traditional. For now, unfortunately, it is not known what specification the phone has, but the Y series is most often the equivalent of the Chinese series Huawei Enjoy, i.e. phones that are among the cheapest in the offer of the Chinese manufacturer. It is also worth adding that Huawei has not yet released the Y8 phone, although there are already models from the Y9 series. Let us add that Huawei has officially presented its latest tablet, i.e. Huawei MatePad 10.4, which has, among others Kirin 810 processor and 7250 mAh battery. The company has recently boasted of the latest chipset developments, i....

The internet has presented us with many benefits and opportunities. We can get information in an easy and quick fashion. There were days when we could only use the internet on our desktop computers but wih mobile phones, we can carry the internet anywhere we go. This has caused many mobile web browsers to be built and developed.  Each has their pros and cons and we have curated 5 of them here. 1. Brave Browser This is one browser that came out newly in 2016. It has many features built into it such as as blocker. In addition, it can block third party cookies, block scripts, and it has HTTPS everywhere. Added to this features is per-site setting just in case you are in need of that. There are optimisations for speed and battery life Improvements. You can have  track of all what the browser blocks.  It is a very functional browser and it is fun to use. The basic feature you find in other browsers are there like bookmarks, history, and a privacy (incognito) mode. Downlo...

We use the internet for various things which could be sending a mail, viewing our social media feeds, searching for information, downloading, or playing games. These things have become better with the internet involved. We can also do all these on our mobile phones like iPhone or iPad as they are powerful enough to handle them. There has to be an app to enable us do them and that is a web browser. We’ve gotten for you 5 best web Browsers for iPhones. 1. Google Chrome This is a top browser available for Windows and Android devices. The Google owned browser is also available for iOS devices. Accessing your recently opened tabs, bookmarks, and favorites on different devices is not that difficult as all you need do is to sign in with your Gmail ID. Many like this browser not only for its remarkable cross-platform support but also for its seamless browsing. The app allows you to access previously visited pages in a quick manner. Download 2. Puffin Browser Puffin browser is known f...

Many people today use anonymous browsing windows to search all sorts of things on the Web. Whether it’s to see things on sites that only the user in question can know, or even be able to buy items at lower prices. (Bearing in mind that your browsing data is not stored in the browser, and your searches on sales websites are not personalized.) However, the big problem in the middle of all this is that there are people who think that anonymous browsing windows make their experience on the Web much safer, which is a big lie. After all, although it seems that you are under a cloak of invisibility when you browse an anonymous tab, this is just an opinion and in reality, your device can be easily monitored and detected. Do you usually open incognito windows in Chrome? Be careful! So, in case you don’t know how it all works, we have to inform you that anonymous browsing windows are only used to avoid storing login data, browsing history and cookies in the browser. This of course is, if w...

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Players, coaches and fans have two weeks to get used to new rules around soccer in South Korea after the K-League announced Friday that the delayed season will kick off on May 8. Jeonbuk Motors will take on Suwon Bluewings in the opening game, which was originally scheduled for Feb. 29. The league was suspended when South Korea went into lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic, and players have recently returned to training and started playing practice games this week. There have been more than 10,700 cases of COVID-19 in South Korea, and 240 deaths according to a tally compiled by Johns Hopkins University. Restrictions are gradually being lifted and new daily cases of the coronavirus have dropped to single digits this week in South Korea after peaking in February, but not enough to allow fans to attend games at the start of the season. The league is also imposing strict social-distancing regulations for players on and off the field. On the field, i...

KUWAIT CITY, Kuwait (AP) — Regional rivals Qatar and Saudi Arabia will compete to host the 2030 Asian Games. The capital cities of Doha and Riyadh are the two bidders to meet the entry deadline, the Olympic Council of Asia said Thursday. The sporting rivalry extends from a political one that intensified in 2017 when Saudi Arabia and regional allies imposed an economic and transport boycott on Qatar, the host of soccer's 2022 World Cup. OCA members are set to pick the Asian Games host on Nov. 29 at a meeting in Sanya, China. Doha staged the Asian Games in 2006, and Saudi Arabia has yet to host the multi-sport event. “With these two bids for the 2030 Asian Games we now have stability and continuity in our sports movement for the next decade,” OCA president Sheikh Ahmad al-Fahad al-Sabah said in a statement. The next Asian Games editions are in 2022 in Hangzhou, China, and in 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Sheikh Ahmad continues to lead the Asian Olympic body while self-su...

The English Premier League has been asked by human rights activists and one of its major broadcast partners to consider blocking Saudi Arabia's attempt to buy Newcastle United. Amnesty International wrote to league chief executive Richard Masters to say the takeover could be exploited by Saudi Arabia to cover up “deeply immoral” breaches of international law, citing human rights violations and the role of the crown prince leading the sovereign wealth fund. Qatar-based broadcaster beIN Sports said the kingdom should be held to account for a Saudi-backed pirate network stealing live broadcasts of games. Yousef Al-Obaidly, the beIN Media Group CEO, warned of the “danger of allowing the acquisition ... given the country’s past and continuing illegal actions and their direct impact upon the commercial interests of the Premier League.” The intervention of a broadcast partner who has helped the league become the world’s richest soccer competition comes amid growing financial press...

Man United vice chairman Ed Woodward has told fans there will be reduced spending on players as the entire football industry deals with the financial consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. English Premier League games have not been played for more than six weeks and stadiums are due to be closed to fans when the season resumes in June at the earliest. It could be several months before social distancing restrictions are eased to allow supporters back into games, dealing a significant financial blow to United, which generated more than 55.2 million pounds ($68 million) in matchday revenue in the first half of the season. That will impact the finances available to spend on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's squad. “Nobody should be under any illusions about the scale of challenge facing everyone in football and it may not be ‘business as usual’ for any clubs, including ourselves, in the transfer market this summer,” Woodward said in a conference call with 12 fan representatives on Fr...

NYON, Switzerland (AP) — The Women's European Championship in 2021 was postponed by one year on Thursday, moving out of a direct clash with the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics. UEFA'sexecutive committee agreed that the 16-nation tournament in England will now be played from July 6-31 in 2022. The switch was inevitable after the IOC decided last month on a one-year postponement for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics due to the coronavirus pandemic. Women's soccer games begin before the Tokyo opening ceremony on July 23 next year. An Olympic title is prized more in women's soccer than in the men's game, and three European teams — the Netherlands, Sweden and a British team potentially with mostly England players — are in the 16-nation lineup in Japan. “With the Olympics now being confirmed for summer 2021, we firmly believe that moving to 2022 is in the best interests of the (Euro) tournament,” UEFA head of women’s soccer Nadine Kessler said in a statement. The move also avoids ...