Kalu’s release: Kinsmen hail Supreme Court’s judgment

By Mod 

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Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu

Dr Orji Kalu’s kinsmen on Friday hailed the verdict of the Supreme Court, which nullified the conviction of the former governor of Abia,  who was handed down 12-year jail term for corruption.

In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), they described the judgment as apt and well served.

Elder Uwakwe Okoronkwo, President-General, Igbere Welfare Union, expressed delight over Kalu’s release from prison and pointed out that the judiciary remained the last hope of every Nigerian.

“Thank God the Supreme Court did not compromise but has shown that it is the last hope of the common man.

“We are happy since he has been released and we urge him to continue to represent the interest of  Igbo people and the country,’’ Okoronkwo said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the court also quashed the conviction of Ude Udeogu, who was a Director of Finance and Accounts at the Abia Government House during Kalu’s tenure.

Justice Mohammed Idris had on Dec. 5, 2019, sentenced the former governor and Senate Chief Whip to 12 years in prison for allegedly stealing public funds while in office, and Mr Udeogu sentenced to 10 years in prison.

A third defendant, SLOK Nigeria, Kalu’s company was ordered to be winded up and its assets forfeited to the Nigerian government.

They were convicted for defrauding the government of Abia when Kalu was governor.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had brought the criminal charge against the duo for conspiring and diverting N7.6 billion from the coffers of the state.

Chief Ukaegbu Kazi, President-General, Amankalu Igbere Improvement Union, emphasised the need for Kalu to remain committed to championing the cause of Igbo people.

Ukaegbu a retired principal, expressed optimism that Kalu’s release from prison would enable him to be better focused in delivering good representation for his constituents at the National Assembly.

“The manner he was convicted leaves a big question mark and gave a reason for him to always apply caution.

“Kalu must always look and think carefully because this has served as a big lesson being that the people he helped turned back and stabbed him at the back,’’ Kazi said.

Chief Kalu Ogbonnaya, a Kano based businessman of Igbere extraction, also commended the Supreme Court for the judgment.

He said “in as much as the EFCC intends to re-arraign him, Kalu will still be free at the end.’’

Ogbonnaya said that the arraignment was a plot to destabilise him from contesting for the presidency in 2023.

“It is the work of the enemy and a ploy to stop him from contesting in 2023, but I urge him to go ahead to contest,’’ Ogbonnaya said.

Similarly, Elder Adiele Udeogu, former Chairman, Igbere Welfare Union, Abuja Branch, said that Kalu’s kinsmen would continue to give him the needed support to enable him to accomplish his political ambition.

“We will always support him to enable him to forge ahead and render service to humanity.

“We are also happy that he is out of prison and not disturbed that the EFC plans to re-arraign him,’’ Udeogu said.

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France records 243 new virus deaths

By Mod 

France reported another 243 coronavirus deaths on Friday, raising its total toll to 26,230, while the number of patients in intensive care continued to fall.

While the country has been one of the hardest hit in Europe, it has seen the daily death rate steadily drop and is due to start emerging from a strict lockdown on Monday.

In Friday's daily update, France reported 93 fewer patients suffering from the coronavirus in intensive care, dropping the total to 2,868. The figure rose above 7,000 at the peak of the country's epidemic in April.

Over the previous 24 hours, 111 coronavirus-linked deaths were recorded in hospitals and 132 in nursing homes.

Nationwide, there were 22,274 patients in hospital with COVID-19.

A member of French civil protection wearing a protecive suit takes the temperature of a migrant in a accommodation center in Nantes, western France, on May 08, 2020, on the 53rd day of a strict lockdown in France to attempt to stop the spread of the new coronavirus (COVID-19). (Photo by Sebastien SALOM-GOMIS / AFP)

The lockdown in place since mid-March will start to ease on Monday.

The Ile-de-France region around Paris, Hauts-de-France in the north, Grand Est in the east and central-eastern Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes account for 72 percent of hospitalisations, according to authorities.

The first three, as well as the southeastern region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comte, still carry a red classification denoting heightened concern. In those areas, the restrictions will lift more slowly.

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Breaking News: Two Dead As Tanker Explodes, Sparks Raging Fire In Ibadan

By Mod 

Photo credit: The Nation

Two persons have died in a fire outbreak caused by a fuel-laden tanker which went up in flames at Moniya area of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Friday.

The tanker which was conveying diesel lost control while descending the slope beside a filling station at Moniya, crushing a vehicle travelling to Ogbomoso.

It was gathered that several shops, cars, motorcycles, excavator including the motor park close to Akinyele Local Government Area headquarters were destroyed by the inferno which lasted several minutes.

Many traders and residents in the area scampered for safety from the flames after the tanker caught fire.

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WHO admits Wuhan market played role in outbreak of coronavirus

The World Health Organisation, WHO, has revealed that the wholesale market in the central Chinese city of Wuhan played a role in the outbreak of the coronavirus in December, 2019.

Dr. Peter Ben Embarek, a WHO expert on food safety and zoonotic viruses speaking at a Geneva news briefing said that investigations are ongoing to know the exact role played Wuhan played in the outbreak of COVID-19.

“Chinese government closed the Wuhan market in January as part of efforts to curb the spread of the virus and ordered a temporary ban on trade and consumption of wildlife.

“The market played a role in the event, that’s clear.

“But what role we don’t know, whether it was the source or amplifying setting or just a coincidence that some cases were detected in and around that market.”

He, however said it is unclear whether live animals or infected vendors or shoppers brought the virus into the market.

DAILY POST recalls that U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, said there was enormous evidence to show that COVID-19 came from the Wuhan laboratory.

However, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Hua Chunying, debunked the claim that that the coronavirus originated in a lab in Wuhan.

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Youtube Tweaks ‘Video Watch’ Page On Mobile, Gets New Features

YouTube’s video watch page on mobile has received a facelift.

The new design comes after Google announced that both Android and iOS apps will receive theates soon.

One of the latest updates that man users will notice is the positioning of the comment box.

Mobile users of the app can now view and post comments by tapping on the comment box just underneath the channel bar with subscribe button – unlike before where users had to scroll down to the very end of the video page to post or view comments.

With the update, the comment bar on any video page is now prominently visible to both Android and iOS users of the YouTube app.

Google, in a blog post last month said that the tech company found that more people were “writing comments with the new design.” Even more, Google has introduced larger thumbnails in the “Up next” feed, noting that users will “see more info about each video at a glance.”

“You’ll also notice channel icons below each video to help you recognise your favourite creators while you scroll through the feed,” the company said while explaining the YouTube update.

Lastly, Google in April had said that the YouTube Android and iOS app will display “new types” of content alongside the videos in Up Next feed of a video page.

These include “Community Posts, “YouTube Mixes”, and more. This feature has also been added to the video-sharing platform.

Meanwhile, there’s also a new ‘Explore tab’ in the YouTube Music app waiting to help users discover more songs. It also allows users get song lyrics such that they can sing along to their favourite songs.

According to Google, the update is “now available” for both Android and iOS users of the app.

Check out some new features on #YouTubeMusic. Introducing the Explore Tab, where you can find new releases and browse playlists by mood, and Song Lyrics to sing along to your favorites. Now available for Android and iOS users 

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Senate President Condoles With President Buhari Over Nephew’s Death

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has condoled with President Muhammadu Buhari over the death of his nephew, Alhaji Mutari Dauda.

Lawan also commiserated with Malam Mamman Daura over the passing of Mutari, who was his younger brother.

The Senate President said he shared in the grief of the entire Daura community, Government and people of Katsina state over the loss.

Lawan said death is the inevitable end of every life and no one but the Almighty Allah has control over when and how it comes.

He prayed that Allah will give the family the fortitude to bear the loss, forgive the sins of the departed and accept his soul into Aljanah firdausi.

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Nigeria Records 386 New COVID-19 Cases, Total Infections Now 3,912

The Nigeria Centre For Disease Control (NCDC), has confirmed 386 new COVID-19 cases in the country, taking Nigeria’s total cases to 3,912.

This is the highest number of new cases recorded in a day.

Of the 386, the NCDC said in a tweet, 176 were reported in Lagos, 65 in Kano, 31 in Katsina, 20 in the FCT, and 17 in Borno.

386 new cases of #COVID19;

176-Lagos
65-Kano
31-Katsina
20-FCT
17-Borno
15-Bauchi
14-Nasarawa
13-Ogun
10-Plateau
4-Oyo
4-Sokoto
4-Rivers
3-Kaduna
2-Edo
2-Ebonyi
2-Ondo
1-Enugu
1-Imo
1-Gombe
1-Osun

3912 cases of #COVID19 in Nigeria
Discharged: 679
Deaths: 117 pic.twitter.com/IUWL9ROjqQ

— NCDC (@NCDCgov) May 8, 2020

The NCDC also noted that 679 of the 3,912 cases have been successfully treated and discharged, while 117 cases have resulted in deaths.

Earlier on Friday, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, said that isolation and treatment centres in the country are running out of bed spaces.

“We have received reports from the states, which suggests that the treatment centres are running out of bed spaces,” Mustapha, who is also the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, said.

“As we assess the situation, the PTF shall also begin to examine our peculiar circumstances, modify the strategies for care management, and consider viable alternatives, where necessary. At the appropriate time, the guidelines and protocols shall be unfolded.”

The novel coronavirus has killed at least 271,780 people since the outbreak first emerged in China last December, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP at 1900 GMT on Friday.

More than 3,896,790 cases were registered in 195 countries and territories. Of these, at least 1,268,000 are now considered recovered.

The tallies, using data collected by AFP from national authorities and information from the World Health Organization (WHO), probably reflect only a fraction of the actual number of infections.

Many countries are testing only the most serious cases.

Since Thursday at 1900 GMT, there have been 4,862 new deaths and 90,352 new infections recorded worldwide.

The United States recorded the highest number of new deaths with 1,257, followed by Britain with 626 and Brazil with 610.

The US also has the highest number of total deaths with 76,101 out of 1,271,775 cases. At least 195,036 have been declared recovered.

Britain now has the second-highest toll with 31,241 deaths from 211,364 cases.

It is followed by Italy with 30,201 deaths and 217,185 cases, Spain with 26,299 fatalities and 222,857 infections and France with 26,230 deaths and 174,791 cases — although French authorities did not update the country’s number of infections on Friday.

The country with the highest number of deaths compared to its population is Belgium, with 74 fatalities per 100,000 inhabitants, followed by Spain with 56, Italy 50, Britain 46 and France 40.

China — excluding Hong Kong and Macau — has to date declared 4,633 deaths and 82,886 cases. It has 77,993 recovered cases.

Europe has a total of 153,690 deaths from 1,681,558 cases, the United States and Canada have 80,754 deaths and 1,338,087 cases, Latin America and the Caribbean have 17,520 deaths and 324,309 cases, Asia has 10,163 deaths and 277,011 cases, the Middle East has 7,423 deaths and 212,644 cases, Africa has 2,105 deaths from 54,944 cases, and Oceania 125 deaths from 8,245 cases.

Please note that due to corrections by national authorities or late publication of data, the figures updated over the past 24-hour period may not correspond exactly to the previous day’s tallies.

AFP

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