Author: Adeyinka Adeiya

Berlin prepares for protest weekend as court overturns ban

A demonstration against coronavirus restrictions can take place in Berlin this weekend, after a second court ruling to overturn a ban that had enraged protesters.

Authorities had announced the ban earlier this week after an event by the same organizers at the start of the month was broken up because the participants – numbering tens of thousands – were not wearing masks or keeping the required distance from one another.

Berlin state Interior Minister Andreas Geisel had argued that he was concerned that Saturday’s protest would again flout the rules.

He also took aim at right-wing extremists and conspiracy theorists within the movement.

A spokesperson for the administrative court in the capital said the demonstration could go ahead as long as they adhered to certain conditions, for example by maintaining social distancing.

A parade planned for before the demonstration will also be allowed to go ahead, although it will have to take a different route along larger thoroughfares.

Saturday’s demonstrations are being planned by the Stuttgart-based Querdenken 711 (Lateral Thinking 711).

The court made two separate decisions as different members of Querdenken 711 had applied for separate events in different parts of central Berlin.

In the early hours of Saturday, an appeal by police was rejected by a higher court, which gave the final decision to invalidate the protest ban.

On Friday evening, there was another gathering of some 100 Querdenken 711 supporters close to the capital’s iconic Brandenburg Gate.

The gathering against coronavirus restrictions was registered and proceeded peacefully, police said, noting they had repeatedly called on participants to follow social distancing guidelines.

Berlin chief of police Barbara Slowik said at a press conference on Friday that if Saturday’s demonstration does go ahead, police officers would end the event “very swiftly” if hygiene measures were not being adhered to.

Some 3,000 police officers are to be deployed in the capital on Saturday, including reinforcements from across Germany.

Slowik estimated that up to 30,000 people could attend the coronavirus demonstration, but said it was hard to gauge the number.

Michael Ballweg of the Querdenken initiative welcomed the court’s decision to allow the protest.

“This is a success for our basic rights,” he said in a YouTube video.

Ballweg called for peaceful protests and said “those who call for violence are not with us.”

After the ban was first announced on Wednesday, some said online that the protest should go ahead anyway, and others called for violence.

29/08/2020
NBA to resume games after player protest, turn stadiums into voting sites

NBA players who boycotted games as part of a protest against racial injustice have agreed to resume the playoffs on Saturday in a deal that includes increased access to voting in the U.S. presidential election.

The league and players association (NBPA) said on Friday.

As part of the agreement, the NBA and its players will establish a coalition that will focus on access to voting for the Nov. 3 general election, promoting civic engagement, and advocating for meaningful police and criminal justice reform.

“These commitments follow months of close collaboration around designing a safe and healthy environment to restart the NBA season, providing a platform to promote social justice, as well as creating an NBA Foundation focused on economic empowerment in the Black community,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and NBPA Executive Director Michele Roberts said in a joint statement.

“We look forward to the resumption of the playoffs and continuing to work together – in Orlando and in all NBA team markets – to push for meaningful and sustainable change.”

The players’ protest began when the Milwaukee Bucks refused to take the court for Game Five of their first-round playoff series against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday.

Bucks players said they were unable to focus on basketball due to demonstrations and violence in Kenosha, which is about 40 miles (60 km) south of Milwaukee.

After the Bucks’ boycott, the NBA postponed all three games on that day’s schedule as well as three on Thursday.

All 13 teams still on the NBA campus at Disney World in Orlando, a group that includes the defending champion Toronto Raptors and LeBron James’ Los Angeles Lakers, are practicing on Friday.

The return-to-play agreement was announced a day after players, coaches and team governors had a candid discussion regarding the next steps to further collective efforts and actions in support of social justice and racial equality.

As part of the agreement, teams who own and control their stadiums will work with local elections officials to convert their facilities into a voting location to allow for a safe in-person voting option for areas vulnerable to COVID-19.

The novel coronavirus outbreak has pushed a number states to expand mail-in voting.

U.S. President Donald Trump has been railing against mail-in ballots for months as a possible source of fraud, although millions of Americans – including much of the military – have cast absentee ballots by mail for years without such problems.

The NBA also said it will work to include advertising spots in each playoff game dedicated to promoting greater civic engagement in national and local elections and raising awareness around voter access and opportunity.

29/08/2020
COVID-19: Universities are ready to resume -Union

The National Co-ordinator, Congress of University Academics (CONUA), Dr ‘Niyi Sunmonu, on Saturday said its members were ready to resume work.

Sunmonu said this in a statement he issued after its National Executive Council meeting and made available to newsmen on Saturday in Lagos.

He urged the Federal Government to reopen universities and put in place infrastructure and COVID-19 protocols that would facilitate resumption in the institutions.

ROYAL NEWS reports that CONUA was an association of lecturers from five universities following cracks in the Association of Senior Staff of Universities (ASUU).

The new Union was announced at the end of its stakeholders’ forum at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in October 2019.

”CONUA members are ready to resume work.

”Everything necessary in terms of COVID-19 protocols must be put in place before reopening the universities in order to prevent students and staff from contracting the disease.

”The education sector cannot continue to stagnate. As it appears, COVID-19 would continue to be a threat and we must, in the circumstance, learn to strive to lead our normal life

”The Union urges the government to make available everything that can help our universities to resume work as it is being done elsewhere in the world,” he said.

Sunmonu said CONUA condemned the intimidation and harassment of some of its members by some university administrations and other unions within the university system.

He said that freedom of association as entrenched in the Nigerian constitution, a provision which allowed every academic the freedom to join any union of his or her choice.

”No amount of molestation or vilification can take the union away from the path of progressive unionism.

”Adequate measures, as far as the law and constitution of Nigeria permits, will be taken against anyone who is using intimidation or employing any other odious means to threaten our members,” he said.

Sunmonu lauded university administrations which held meetings to promote academic staff members during the COVID-19 lockdown.

‘The union received information that some universities held Senate meetings and Congregation elections, but refused to convene any meeting to carry out promotion of its members, simply because some people threatened that such promotions, if ever announced, will be reversed.

”CONUA leadership feels outraged by such pronouncements and expresses its resolve to support any effort by university administrations to facilitate the due promotion of academic staff members.’’

ROYAL NEWS reports that members of the new union were Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife; Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma; Federal University, Oye Ekiti (FUOYE); Federal University, Lokoja (FUL) and Kwara State University (KWASU), Molete.

Sunmonu said the union was formed for standard of education to be very high and for a stable academic calendar.

29/08/2020
Black Panther star, Boseman, dies at 43

Hollywood actor, Chadwick Boseman, who played King T’Challa in the 2018 American superhero movie, “Black Panther,” is dead, aged 43.

He died in Los Angeles, California, on Friday evening after a four-year battle with colon cancer, his family said in a statement on his official Twitter handle.

According to Wikipedia, Boseman’s ancestors is partly from the Yoruba ethnic group in Nigeria, and partly from the Krio and Limba in Sierra Leone.

“It is with immeasurable grief that we confirm the passing of Chadwick Boseman.

“Chadwick was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 2016 and battled with it these last four years as it progressed to stage IV.

“A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all and brought you many of the films you have to love so much,” it said.

The statement disclosed that several movies featuring the late actor, including Da 5 Bloods and Black Bottom, were filmed during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy for him.

The family added that it was the honour of his career to bring King T’Challa to life in Black Panther.

“He died in his home, with his wife and family by his side,” they stated, thanking his fans for their love and prayers for him.

Born in South Carolina, Chadwick attended the famous HBCU, Howard University and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts, according to entertainment magazine, TMZ.

29/08/2020
NCDC announces 160 new COVID-19 cases in Nigeria

The Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) has announced 160 new cases of COVID-19, with total infections rising to 53, 477.

The NCDC made this known on its official twitter handle on Friday.

ROYAL NEWS reports that the 160 new cases marked the lowest figure in the country since the last three months.

On Aug. 4, Nigeria reported 288 COVID-19 cases and 290 new cases just one week later.

The NCDC further reported 252 cases on Aug. 25 and 221 on Aug. 26.

It said that a multi-sectoral national Emergency Operations Centre activated at Level 3 had continued to coordinate the national response activities across the country.

The NCDC also stated that 291 persons recovered from isolation centres across the country in the last 24 hours with no fatality.

The public health agency noted that the new figure brought the total number of confirmed cases to 53,477 in the country.

Out of this figure, the NCDC said 41,017 had been successfully treated and discharged while the death toll remained at 1011 in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

It stated that the 160 new cases were from 15 states.

According to it, Plateau topped the list with 44 cases, Lagos came second with 27 infections, followed by Katsina, 18, Edo, 15 and the FCT, 14.

Others were Ondo with 10, Oyo, 9, Kwara, 6, Abia and Nasarawa, 4, Kano , 3, Ekiti and Kaduna, 2, Kebbi and Ogun, 1.

Meanwhile, the agency said that the reopening of places of worship did not mean that the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak had subsided.

“If you must gather to worship in the mosque today, take preventive measures to protect yourself and loved ones.

“Wear a face mask and don’t share personal items,” it said.

29/08/2020
Blasphemy: Banky W reacts to signing of Sharif’s death warrant by Ganduje

Wellington Bankole, popularly known as Banky W, has reacted to an announcement by Governor Umar Ganduje that he will sign the death warrant against Yahaya Sharif after 30 days.

Sharif was sentenced to death by an Upper Shariah Court for blasphemy, and the governor has announced that he will sign the warrant when the 30 days for appeal elapses.

Banky W in a tweet slammed the governor who was allegedly caught in a viral video stuffing his babariga pockets with Dollars.

“The Governor signing the death warrant was seen on camera pocketing thousands of dollars in bribes “allegedly”… how come the Sharia penalty of cutting off his hands doesn’t apply to him?, ” he tweeted.

28/08/2020
Breaking: Helicopter crashes into building in Lagos (photos)

Two persons are feared dead after a helicopter crashed into a building in the Opebi area of Lagos state on Friday, August 28. The cause of the accident is yet to be ascertained.

More details later. See more photos below;

28/08/2020
Muslim woman is cursed for opposing the death sentence on Kano singer

A Nigerian Muslim woman is receiving curses and her life has also been threatened after she opposed the death sentence handed to a Kano singer for blasphemy.

Activist, Fakhriyya Hashim, who was born and raised in Kaduna, mentioned that it is sad to see “Muslims jubilate over a death sentence of a person that has not even committed a criminal offence.”

She added that “it takes a level of depravity to feel elated that a man will be killed.

Her tweets angered some Twitter Muslims as they cursed her and also threatened her life.

She later returned to Twitter to reveal that people have been passing by her family home in Kano, searching for her.

This isn’t the first time she’s facing death threats for condemning the death sentence of Yahaya Aminu Sharif. Shortly after his sentencing on August 10, she spoke against it and her photo was circulated on Twitter with a noose beside her, suggesting she should be killed alongside Yahaya.

The 27-year-old also faced death threats in 2019 when she joined in championing the Arewa #MeToo movement.

Below are some of the reactions to her tweet questioning those who are rejoicing over Yahaya’s death sentence.

28/08/2020
BBNaija star, Mercy Eke gifts her sister a car on her birthday (photos)

Mercy Eke, winner of Big Brother Naija season 4, presented a Venza to her older sister who turns a year older today, August 28.

See more photos below;

28/08/2020
Number of daily coronavirus infections in Israel tops 2,000

The number of daily new coronavirus infections in Israel has breached 2,000 for the first time in a month, the Health Ministry said on Friday.

On Thursday, 2,068 new coronavirus cases were recorded, the Health Ministry said.

The last time numbers breached the 2,000-mark was on July 28, when 2,129 new cases were recorded.

Numbers in Israel were relatively low at the beginning of the pandemic due to a strict government stance, but an early easing of restriction in May caused the caseload to spike, with numbers recently stabilising around 1,650 new daily infections on weekdays.

Case numbers, however, started climbing again in recent days.

Schools in Israel are due to open on Tuesday with some coronavirus restrictions in place, although the government’s goal had initially been to get daily numbers below 400 before the end of the summer holidays.

Health officials are also concerned about contagion during upcoming Jewish festivities in September.

Health Minister Yuli Edelstein recently urged people to refrain from family gatherings during the feasts.

“This year we need to be careful,” he said.

In total, Israel has recorded 111,493 coronavirus cases and 891 fatalities related to the virus.

28/08/2020