Chelsea surmount Shheffield United

Chelsea hit back in impressive fashion after going behind to overwhelm bottom club Sheffield United 4-1 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

The win meant they move into third-place in the English Premier League (EPL).

David McGoldricks neat flick gave the visitors a surprise ninth minute lead but Chelsea responded with goals by Tammy Abraham and Ben Chilwell before half-time

Frank Lampards side bossed the second half and captain Thiago Silva scored his first goal for the London club with a 77th minute header.

This was before Timo Werner added a fourth.

Moroccan international Hakim Ziyech, another of Chelseas recent signings, claimed two assists in a masterful performance.

Chelsea have 15 points from eight games, one behind surprise leaders Southampton and title holders Liverpool, who visit Manchester City on Sunday.

Sheffield United are still looking for their first victory of the season and have picked up only one point so far.

It is the joint-lowest total after eight games in Premier League history.

Once they scored the reaction was important and the reaction of the team for the rest of the game was spot on, Lampard said.

They are a hard team to play against. So, some great signs, but we have to keep going.

Chris Wilders side began brightly and took the lead with a well-worked short corner kick routine.

The ball eventually played in by George Baldock to Sander Berge whose shot was cleverly re-directed by McGoldrick past goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.

Chelsea did not take long to get into their stride though and were level after 23 minutes.

This was when Abraham was picked out by Mateo Kovacic and his bouncing shot beat goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.

Ziyech was a constant threat to the Manchester United defence and his superb delivery almost embarrassed Ramsdale who scooped the ball away to Werner whose shot then struck the crossbar.

Another Ziyech ball a minute later caused more havoc and, as Ramsdale hesitated, Chilwell crept in at the far post to score.

It was Ziyechs left foot that gave Brazilian central defender Thiago the chance to glance in Chelseas third.

Ziyech has been a huge plus for us and he will continue to be so, Lampard said of the former Ajax Amsterdam player.

Germany striker Werner wrapped up a good night for the Blues with a clinical right-foot finish after a loose ball rebounded kindly into his path in the 80th minute. (Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Anglican Bishops

By Jessica Onyegbula

Rev. Godwin Robinson, Bishop of Lafia Diocese, Anglican Communion, on Saturday charged the government to do more to protect and secure the citizens of the country as every Nigerian is an asset in the country.

Robinson, who gave the charge in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, stressed that the developed world could not do without Nigerians.

According to Robinson, the government is duty bound to provide security for lives and property of its citizens.

If our government makes up its mind, it can do it.

That comes at a price,leadership must not be sentimental. It must step on toes. The change should nevertheless start with every Nigerian.

The government is doing so little in security.

Government is an institution to maintain law and order.

In Nigeria, we dont value ourselves and our leaders dont value us.

Nigerians do not place much value on the human life.

Every Nigerian is an asset. The developed world needs Nigerians, he said.

Robinson said that the leadership of any country does not require only political leadership.

It also requires traditional opinion and even religious leadership.

They all add to what makes the leadership of a country.

The family leadership is the building block of the society but once it is faulty you find it hard to have the correct thing at the top.

The leaders dont drop from the sky.

The average Nigerian, what is his value? Who is he? That is what makes up the leaders we have.

Im not about scoring the leaders on a certain percentage. Ideal leadership is Gods leadership.

How many of our leaders are there to sincerely serve the people and not selfish interest? When you look for selfless leaders, they are very scarce.

If the leadership takes the bull by the horn and says it wants change, it can definitely get things right.

God cannot come down physically, he comes down through the people.

It doesnt always have to be through the political leaders, it can also be through the religious leaders and the youth as well, he added.

Robinson stressed that the country was in dire need of honest and selfless leaders.

Once someone sees something wrong and is moved to do something, then, obviously that person is moved by God.

The EndSARS protest was not motivated by anybody but it is a natural response to oppression.Nobody will remain oppressed forever.

The power of any society lies with the people. The people give power to the government. The leaders are there for as long as the people put them there.

Anybody in any political office should look at the good of humanity. It has gone beyond yourself. Now you need to look towards the welfare of society and humanity.

The youth should go beyond the EndSARS five-point demands. They should demand for good governance and integrity from the leaders.

They should also apply wisdom in agitations. Burning of public infrastructure will only affect the countrys economy and the masses will suffer, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Joe Biden

By Harrison Arubu

Democratic candidate, Joe Biden, on Friday night said he had already started preparing for work as President of the United States.

In a speech from Wilmington, Delaware, Biden reiterated that he would win the election, even with counting of votes still ongoing.

We dont have a final declaration of victory yet, but the numbers tell us its clear. We are going to win this race, he stated.

The former vice president said he and his running mate, Kamala Harris, were already meeting with experts as they prepare for the White House.

As of the time of the speech, Bidens lead over President Donald Trump was growing in Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and Pennsylvania where Trump was initially ahead.

He said Americans had given him a mandate for action on the coronavirus pandemic, the economy, climate change and systemic racism.

According to Reuters, Bidens address was originally planned as a victory speech, but he changed his approach in the absence of formal declaration of a winner.

Were beating Donald Trump by over four million votes, and thats a margin that is still growing as well.

One of the things Im especially proud of is how well weve done well across America, he said.

Acknowledging the frustration of many Americans over the slow voting counting process, Biden sued for patience.

I know watching these vote tallies on TV moves very slow, and as slow as it goes, it can be numbing.

But never forget, the tallies arent just numbers. They represent votes and voters, men and women who exercised their fundamental right to have their voice heard, he said.

As of the time of filling this report, Biden was ahead with 264 electoral college votes against Trumps 214, according to the Associated Press tally.

Trump has remained defiant, warning Biden in a tweet not to wrongfully claim victory.

Joe Biden should not wrongfully claim the office of the President. I could make that claim also. Legal proceedings are just now beginning!, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

President Donald Trump

By Harrison Arubu

U.S. President Donald Trump has warned former Vice President Joe Biden not to wrongfully claim victory as counting of votes in Tuesdays election continues.

Joe Biden should not wrongfully claim the office of the President. I could make that claim also.

Legal proceedings are just now beginning!, Trump said in a tweet on Friday evening.

The president said he had such a big lead in all of these states late into election night, only to see the leads miraculously disappear as the days went by.

Biden has overtaken the president in the swing states of Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and Pennsylvania where Trump was initially ahead.

Perhaps these leads will return as our legal proceedings move forward! he added.

As of the time of filling this report, Biden was ahead with 264 electoral college votes against Trumps 214, according to the Associated Press tally.

Vote counting was still ongoing in five battleground states as of 8.30 p.m. (2.30 a.m. Nigerian time).

For Biden and Democrats, victory is not a matter of if but when, with the former vice president saying on Thursday he had no doubt he would be the next president.

Trumps campaign organisation dismissed the projection, saying it was based on results in four states where the president was still in the race.

Matt Morgan, counsel to the campaign, said Bidens false projection as the winner was based on results in four states where the president is still in the race.

Georgia is headed for a recount, where we are confident we will find ballots improperly harvested, and where President Trump will ultimately prevail, Morgan said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai

By Philip Yatai

The Kaduna State Government says it is considering the establishment of a Nutrition Agency to coordinate all nutrition activities in the state.

Mr Jibril Isah, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, State Primary Health Care Board disclosed this on Friday in Kaduna at a two-day meeting organised by Civil Society-Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN).

The meeting was organised to strengthen advocacy skills and capacity of health and nutrition CSOs, media and government officials, to identify areas of priorities in nutrition interventions.

Isah said that Gov. Nasir El-Rufai had already presented a memo to the Executive Council to that effect, and that the memo was currently before the Planning and Budget Commission and Ministry of Health for advice.

He said that the move was to ensure effective coordination of nutrition interventions by the ministries, department and agencies, development partners and relevant stakeholders.

According to him, the state has recruited 76 nutritionists to provide technical nutrition services at healthcare centres in the state.

Isah said that the 76 nutritionists were part of the over 1,300 health workers recently recruited under the ongoing exercise for over 3.000 health workers in the state.

The recruitment is being done in phases as part of efforts to improve the quality of health and nutrition services delivery in health centres.

The nutritionists have been deployed to health facilities across the state, he said.

Responding, CS-SUNN Coordinator in the state, Mr Silas Ideva, commended the state government for efforts to improve the nutrition status of women and children in the state.

Ideva commended the current administration in tackling the scourge of malnutrition, considering the number of nutrition strategies, plans and policies approved by the state government.

Considering that nutrition is a multisectoral issue that requires a multisectoral approach, several ministries, departments, and agencies are implementing nutrition activities coordinated by different government agencies.

For us in CS-SUNN, the plan to establish a nutrition agency is strategic as it will serve as a central coordinating point that will coordinate all nutrition activities in the state.

This will prevent duplication of services and also provide the needed coordination for effective utilisation of available resources for result driven cost-effective nutrition intervention, he said.

The coordinator also commended the state government for the ongoing establishment of nutrition corners in health facilities to create the needed awareness and knowledge on how to prepare nutritious meals for children.

Source: NAN News

UNICEF

The United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have expressed extreme concern about severe shortages of critical vaccines in Libya that threaten the health of children.

In a joint statement issued on Thursday, UNICEF and WHO noted that over the past seven months, unprecedented vaccine shortages in the country had disrupted childrens immunization schedules, putting them at risk of illness and death.

The statement pointed out that there had been an alarming decline in the number of children receiving life-saving vaccines worldwide.

It said in Libya, this decline is a direct consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to the closure of international borders, movement restrictions and delays in vaccine procurement and distribution.

The two UN agencies pointed out that many vaccination centres have been forced to close due to the lack of personal protective equipment for health workers.

According to the press release, a recent assessment of 200 of the 700 vaccination sites in Libya, carried out by the National Centre for Disease Control, with the support of UNICEF and WHO, showed that they had stock-outs of BCG vaccine and extremely limited quantities of hexavalent vaccine.

The BCG vaccine protects children against tuberculosis (TB), the worlds leading infectious killer, while the hexavalent vaccine protects against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, haemophilus B and hepatitis B.

The statement stated that the evaluation also showed that the vaccines against polio and measles would be exhausted by the end of the year, and unless urgent measures were taken to replace them, the diseases they prevent were likely to spread rapidly, with disastrous consequences.

UNICEF and WHO urged national authorities to secure immediate funding to replenish the vaccine supply, stressing that vaccines are one of the most critical public health interventions in the world.

Immunization protects children against serious vaccine-preventable diseases and reduces child mortality, said Elizabeth Hoff, WHO Representative in Libya.

She gave the assurance that WHO would spare no effort to improve immunization coverage of children across the country to ensure a healthy childhood and a prosperous future.

The statement stressed the importance of ensuring that the progress achieved through the Expanded Programme on Immunization in Libya was sustainable as the world considered multiple ways to curb the COVIDC-19 pandemic.

It is essential that all immunization sites receive an immediate supply of all vaccines to ensure uninterrupted implementation of the immunization schedule based on national protocols, added UNICEF Special Representative in Libya Abdelkader Moussi.

Source: NAN News

Gov. AbulRahaman AbdulRazaq

By Afusat Agunbiade-Oladipo

Gov. AbdulRahaman AbdulRazaq of Kwara has called for a stronger and more viable policing system that prioritises the welfare of officers and men of the police.

AbdulRazaq made the call on Friday during a meeting with a delegation of the Police Officers Wives Association (POWA), as part of his ongoing engagements with various stakeholders in the state.

The governor, however, commended the president for acting fast to review the salary of policemen as part of his responses to the recent EndSARS protest.

One of the lessons from the EndSARS and the subsequent events is that police is our first line of defence as a society, he said.

He also commended the efforts of the police and other security agencies in the recent disturbance

Police are the ones in the front and we need to take care of you as part of the police family.

We cannot leave everything in the hands of the federal government. That is why I called this meeting on how to move forward.

What has happened in other states, following the EndSARS protest, is unimaginable

Some police officers were killed, police formations and installations were damaged or burnt in some cases, correctional centres were invaded and prisoners were released.

We thank God we do not have such havoc in Kwara state.

We appreciate the effort of the police and other security agencies in Kwara because the state is one of the safest in Nigeria, the governor said.

Responding to some of the requests of the POWA delegation, AbdulRazaq said he would move quickly to solve the water crisis in their barracks.

We will look into your requests immediately, so that we can start seeing the benefits of this interface

We will engage you more to know the exact locations to sink boreholes, said the governor.

Earlier, Mrs Elizabeth Egbetokun, Chairperson of POWA and wife of the state Commissioner of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, commended the governor for taking interest in the activities of the POWA.

She called for governments support on the ongoing construction of a vocational training centre.

According to her, there are 15 police barracks in Kwara and six out of these are in Ilorin metropolis that need boreholes.

Kindly look into this, so that the police family can have potable water to drink, she said.

Source: NAN News

Police IG Mohammed Adamu

By Monday Ijeh

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Mohammed Adamu, has ordered the deployment of legitimate force to protect lives and property of citizens, including police officers.

The Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Mr Frank Mba, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday in Abuja.

Adamu said the protection must also cover personnel of other law enforcement agencies, their families and prevent attacks on private/public assets from violent persons or groups operating under any guise.

He called on senior Command officers, including Commissioners of Police (CPs), and Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs) to resist all riotous elements forthwith.

The IGP urged the CPs and AIGs to checkmate any form of violent/riotous protests in line with Section 33 (1) and (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).

He said the section of the constitution provides for the use of such force as is reasonably necessary, for the defence of any person from unlawful violence or for the defence of property.

Adamu said the section also allows for force in order to effect a lawful arrest or to prevent the escape of a person lawfully detained for the purpose of suppressing a riot, insurrection or mutiny.

The IGP said the force will not tolerate a repeat of attacks and killings, arson and wanton destruction, and looting of public and private assets witnessed during the recent violent protests in some parts of the country.

He warned that the Force will deploy the full weight of the law and legitimate force, if necessary in preventing a reoccurrence.

Adamu pledged the commitment of the force to ensure the safety and security of law-abiding citizens across the country ahead of the yuletide.

He called for the collaboration and support of citizens in the ongoing reforms of the Force.

In the wake of the ENDSARS protests and the violence that followed, a total of 51 civilian fatalities and 37 injured persons were recorded.

Report shows that that 22 policemen were murdered and 26 others injured by the protesters with 205 police stations, corporate facilities and private property attacked, burnt or vandalized. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Lagos Judicial Panel on SARS brutality

By Moji Eniola

The absence of the two youth representatives serving in the Lagos Judicial Panel on EndSARS protest on Saturday stalled proceedings as the panel could not form a quorum.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Brig.-Gen. A. I. Taiwo was already on hand to give Nigerian Armys testimony on the alleged shooting of peaceful protesters at Lekki on Oct. 20 but the panel failed to form a quorum.

NAN learnt that the two youth representatives Mr Temitope Majekodunmi and Ms Olorunrinu Oduala did not make an appearance at the panel on Saturday in protest against the freezing of Odualas First Bank account by Central Bank of Nigeria.

Odualas bank account was allegedly frozen on Nov. 6 over alleged sponsorship of the #EndSARS protests.

Justice Doris Okuwobi (retired), Chairperson of nine-member panel, said that due to the absence of Oduala and Majekodunmi, proceedings will not hold because the panel could form a quorum.

She said: We are confronted with a situation which prevented her from coming. We do not know if the two youth representatives will eventually pull out.

We do not want a situation where proceedings will go on and it is impugned that with controversy due to a lack of quorum.

Justice Okuwobi stressed the importance of all the panels sitting being in accordance with the law.

In all matters, we have to wait for them to join us, without them we are handicapped, the retired judge said.

Reacting, Mr Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN), counsel the Nigerian Army, noted that the military were at the panel in response to a summons dated Oct. 28 and asked the panel when the military should return to give evidence.

Mr Kayode Enitan (SAN), counsel for the Lagos State Government, aligned with the submission of the counsel for the Nigerian military. He however noted the importance of a quorum.

The issue of quorum is of utmost importance as to the competence of the panel to proceed and as to the integrity of recommendations to be made at the end of proceedings.

Therefore, the directive that the panel should adjourn is quite appropriate, the LASG counsel said.

Justice Okuwobi adjourned the panels proceedings to Nov. 14. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

USAID logo

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced a grant of US million to the World Food Programme (WFP), to purchase wheat for the people of Sudan.

The grant by the U.S. government is subject to Congressional approval, and would help to alleviate the shortage of the cereal grain in the country.

A press release by USAID, published in Khartoum on Saturday, said the funding will enable the WFP to procure approximately 65,600 metric tons of wheat for Sudan.

It added that the civilian-led Transitional Government of Sudan will use the wheat to help reduce shortages of flour and bread in the greater Khartoum area.

Khartoum currently witnesses long queues by civilians in front of bakeries to get their daily supply of bread.

This grant represents the United States contribution to a US million commitment to provide the Government of Sudan with wheat needed to address the immediate shortage.

The Government of the United Arab Emirates will be matching the U.S. contribution with US million, and the Government of the State of Israel will be providing US million, it further said.

The press release said the USAID announcement came as Sudan entered a promising new era for its people, together with joining the Abraham Accords and moving toward the normalization of diplomatic relations with Israel.

The announcement also came as Sudans Transitional Government reformed laws and state institutions to represent and better respond to the needs of Sudanese people, and engage in difficult negotiations with armed groups to sign a peace agreement in October.

These efforts demonstrate the Transitional Governments commitment to ending and combating terrorism and decades of violence and corruption in Sudan, USAID stressed.

It added: The United States looks forward to a new era of cooperation with the Transitional Government, civil society, and the private sector in Sudan to bring stability and prosperity to the Sudanese people. (PANA/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Gov. Atiku Bagudu while inaugurating the State Contributory Healthcare Scheme for vulnerable people in Birnin Kebbi

By Ibrahim Bello

The Kebbi State Governor, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu, has inaugurated the State Contributory Healthcare Scheme (KECHES), in a move to boost access to affordable healthcare services by vulnerable people in the state.

Bagudu, who officially kicked off the scheme in Birnin Kebbi on Saturday, said the initiative by the state government was aimed at ensuring that the people were healthier and productive through the provision of quality primary healthcare services.

The Contributory Healthcare Scheme is a great milestone and we will leave no stone unturned to ensure that it thrives successfully, the governor said, adding that the scheme provides ample opportunities for the communities across the state to collaborate with the state and local governments in running primary healthcare centres.

He explained that such collaboration would enable the efficient running of the PHCs and the possibility that over 80 per cent of diseases could be dealt with at the PHC level with only the rest 20 percent of diseases requiring referrals.

All these will be done without over burdening the families and what more can be better and happier than this?, he asked.

He pledged to do everything humanly possible to ensure that the scheme functions effectively, especially by ensuring sustainable training of all the personnel to handle the scheme, provision of the needed facilities and sensitization, while commending the invaluable contributions of all the stakeholders, development partners, traditional and religious leaders, to the scheme.

Earlier, the state Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Jafar Muhammad, said that the state had been taking the appropriate steps towards ensuring Universal Health Coverage (UHC) as one of the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The scheme is a strategy at ensuring sustainable funding for health, and to defray out of pocket expenditure (OOPE) for health care, hence the domestication of the State Social Health Insurance Scheme (SSHIS) in line with our culture and religious beliefs.

It is also established to ensure that residents of the state, irrespective of tribal, religious or social affiliation, enjoyed unfettered access to qualitative and affordable health care without the risk of financial hardship linked to paying for care, he said.

Muhammad said that the vulnerable groups, pregnant women, children under five years and orphans as well as the elderly would be cared for from the pool of funds generated from others and from government subsidy in the form of equity funds as provided for in the law.

The commissioner assured the people of the state that the scheme would be people-centred, urging them to own the scheme and participate fully in order to ensure successful outcomes.

In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of the schemes management agency, KECHEMA, Dr. Jafar Augie, commended Gov. Bagudu for his visionary leadership and foresight both of which, he said, would help in achieving UHC in the state.

The organized labour, CSOs, State Council of Ulama, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the association of private medical practitioners were all important in proactively shaping the contributory healthcare scheme. They remain important stakeholders whose support is practically indispensable for the agency, he said.

The secretary also commended the Wife of Gov. Bagudu, Dr Zainab Shinkafi- Bagudu, for her advocacy and being a true ambassador of KECHEMA.

Giving an overview of the Scheme, the Permanent Secretary state Ministry of Health, Alhaji Ibrahim Maigandi, told the gathering that the Agency came into being in line with the National Healthcare policy on the provision of accessible quality health care as the foundation for socio-economic development.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Kebbi State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Abubakar kaoje, welcomed the establishment of KECHEMA, describing the action as an important achievement and blessing to Kebbi as it would enable more communities access quality healthcare without facing any financial problems.

He disclosed that all primary healthcare centres in the State were now functional as 112 health centres have been renovated and upgraded statewide.

Alhaji Attahiru Gwandu, the State Coordinator of the National Health Insurance Scheme, ( NHIS), in his speech at the occasion, described the introduction of KECHES by the government as a huge step forward in reducing expenses incurred on health services by the people. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Maureen Mmadu

By Chimezie Anaso

Former Super Falcons Coach, Maureen Mmadu has launched a football talent hunt for young girls aged between 10 and 15 years with the aim of building capacity in female football and reviving recent flagging interest in the game.

Tagged: Anambra Football Kiddies Camp: Discovering The Next Super Falcons, the programme seeks to gather 300 talented or interested youths who would be in closed camp between Dec. 17 and Dec. 23, 2020, for intensive on and off field training and mentorship.

Mmadu told sports writers in Awka on Saturday that in addition to training, each participant will get football kits including bag, set of jersey, booths, shin guard, stockings and other accessories for free.

I have played football at the highest level. I have played for European clubs where I also worked as Coach developer but now I want to give back to Nigeria, particularly Anambra where it all started.

I want to build and develop female football. I want 300 girls of ages 10 and 15 years for an intensive training camping.

My dream is to produce future Super Falcons stars who will take over from us and I am calling parents to make their children available for this opportunity of good beginning, she said.

She, therefore, urged parents to go to designated points in Awka, Nnewi and Onitsha and obtain the application forms for their wards.

Mmadu, who had won a record 101 national caps in her career, one of the highest in Africa, said her desire was to have as many females as there were males in football so that they too could benefit from the fortunes and fame the round leather games could offer players.

The former Super Falcons Assistant Coach also said she wants to develop players that would form the nucleus of the Anambra Female Football club which the state government was establishing. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

ASUU Strike

By Abbas Bamalli

A prominent Islamic Scholar in Kano State, Sheikh Abdulwahab Gadon-Kaya has appealed to the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to find a lasting solution to the ongoing ASUU strike.

The Islamic Scholar made the call during a Town Hall meeting tagged Struggle: In Defense of Nigerian Public Universities held on Saturday in Kano.

According to him, there was the need for the urgent reopening of the Universities because the seven month old strike had generated a lot of issues, includingpushing many students into committing different crimes, especially robbery, drug abuse and girls roaming the streets.

Gadon-Kaya also wants the Federal Government to look into the demands of the lecturers so that the students can return to school and continue their studies, pointing out that the strike mostly affected children of the masses.

You should also seriously look into the issue by softening your demands so that government can be able to meet up with them. He told ASUU, whileappealing to the National Assembly to intervene on the issue so that the strike could be called off.

In his remarks, the Kano Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, Prof. Mahmud Lawal said the meeting was to engage the public and create better awareness on why the Union was on strike.

We think there is the need to engage the communities where the Universities are located so that they could appreciate the reasons for the strike and how it affects their children also.The meeting was also called to hear their views on the strike and their suggestions on how to resolve the problem between us and the Federal Government. He said.

He further explained that on many occasions, the Union had softened its demands andon different occasions we had agreements with the government, but many of them were not respected by the government.

Also speaking at the meeting, Sani Garba, President Students Union, Bayero University Kano (BUK), said students were tired of the strike and appealedto the Federal Government, ASUU, National Assembly and all stakeholders to do everything possible so that they could go back to school. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Djokovic rules

Novak Djokovic has sealed the year-end mens world number one tennis ranking for the sixth time to go level with childhood hero Pete Sampras, after closest rival Rafael Nadal opted against playing in the ATP Tour event in Sofia next week.

Spains 20-time Grand Slam champion Nadal, ranked second, was the only player who had a chance to stop the Serbian from finishing as the top-ranked player in 2020.

Pete was somebody I looked up to when I was growing up, so to match his record is a dream come true Djokovic said in an ATP statement.

I will also keep striving to be a better player, hopefully have more success and break more records in a sport I love with all my heart.

During the year Djokovic won the ATP Cup in January before picking up a record-extending eight Australian Open Grand Slam in Melbourne. He also won the Cincinnati Masters and a record 36th ATP Masters title in Rome.

In September Djokovic also overtook American Pete Sampras, who ended as No. 1 for six straight years between 1993 and 1998, for the most weeks overall at the top ranking and will begin his 294th week in first spot on Monday.

The 33-year-old Djokovic, the winner of 17 Grand Slam titles, has mentioned that Roger Federers record of 310 weeks as No. 1 remains his target and he will have a chance to move past the Swiss on March 8 if he can hold on to his top spot.

To finish the year as No. 1 is one of the most impressive achievements in our sport, one which requires sustained excellence across the season, ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi added.

To see Novak achieve this for the sixth time and match Petes record is simply incredible, and he continues to cement his place in the history books.(Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Casemiro and forward Eden Hazard

Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro and forward Eden Hazard have tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of their La Liga clash at Valencia, the Spanish champions said on Saturday.

Our players Casemiro and Hazard have given positive results in the COVID-19 tests carried out on Friday morning, Real said in a statement.

The club said that all other first-team players and coaching staff, as well as the club employees who work directly with them, had returned negative tests.

Real defender Eder Militao had tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week and was forced to miss Tuesdays 3-2 victory against Inter Milan in the Champions League.

Real, who are a point and place behind La Liga leaders Real Sociedad with a game in hand, face 13th-placed Valencia on Sunday. (Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State

By Ariwodola Idowu.

Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State has approved 121 new appointments into boards of agencies and commissions in the state.

The appointments were announced in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ado Ekiti on Thursday.

The statement, which was signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Olayinka Oyebode, stated that the gesture was intended to enhance service delivery and smooth running of government businesses.

It further announced the governors approval of the appointment of some Special Assistants and Senior Special Assistants to take charge of some critical responsibilities in his administration.

The appointees include Anifowose Badejo, Chairman, Environmental Protection Agency and five others as board members.

Rtd. Capt. Sunday Adebomi serves as Chairman, State Emergency Management Agency with two other members.

The State Education Trust Fund has Prof. Muyiwa Igbalajobi as Chairman with three other members.

The State Boundary Commission has Mr Kayode Olaosebikan as Chairman with 13 statutory members from Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government.

Other boards with between three and five members are Muslims Pilgrimage Welfare Board, Micro-Credit And Enterprises Development Agency, Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, State Electricity Board and State Scholarship Board.

The list also includes the State Housing Corporation, State Traffic Management Agency, State Tourism Board, State Library Board and State Traditional Medicine Board.

Others are the State Board of Internal Revenue and State Aids Control Agency, Sustainable Development Goals Network, Water Corporation, State Sports Council, State Pension Commission, Judicial Service Commission, Investment Promotion Agency, State Signage and Advertisement Agency, and Ekiti Agric Marketing Agency.

According to the statement, all the appointments take immediate effect. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Joe Biden

Democratic candidate Joe Biden has taken the lead in the U.S states of Pennsylvania and Georgia, two of the final states still in play in the presidential election.

Biden has overhauled what was a substantial lead for President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania, and on Friday he pulled slightly ahead as mail-in ballots were added to the tally, broadcasters CNN and Fox reported.

The results of a little over 30,000 ballots were announced, Biden won around 87 per cent of those votes.

Winning Pennsylvania would give either candidate 20 of the crucial Electoral College votes needed to win the presidency.

This is more electoral votes than any other of the undeclared swing states, and could on its own be enough to push Biden over the critical 270 mark.

A win for Biden in Georgia not at all certain given that the margin is less than 1,000 votes would hand him the states crucial 16 Electoral College votes.

If Georgia, which has voted Republican every election cycle since 1992, is called for Biden and Arizona holds for the Democrat, this would also push him over the 270 mark.

The pressure is rising on Trump, who has fewer paths to victory with time running out for him to overturn Bidens leads.

Election officials say staff are diligently working in several states to count every vote, noting that mail-in balloting has added some time to the tallying process.

Trump has made repeated unsubstantiated claims of fraud since Tuesdays election, with Twitter slapping warning signs on post after post, saying the president is apparently spreading misinformation.

No election officials have reported fraud.

In a speech from the White House, his first since the night of polls closing, Trump railed against his opponents, claiming they were aiming to rig the election against him.

The president blamed a conspiracy of big media, big money, and big tech for the whittling away of his lead.

Biden has struck a markedly different tone, noting that votes take time to tally and that he was content to wait until the end of counting, saying he has no doubt that he would emerge the winner.

Democracy is sometimes messy and sometimes requires a little patience as well, he said in brief remarks from his home state of Delaware on Thursday. (dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Nigerian Stock Exchange building

By Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

Investors on the Nigerian Stock Exchange on Friday traded 637.49 million shares worth N5.23 billion transacted in 6,354 deals.

This was in contrast with 430.12 million shares valued at N6.62 billion achieved in 4,319 deals on Thursday.

Omoluabi Mortgage Bank was the toast of investors exchanging 139.50 million shares worth N83.70 million.

It was trailed by FBN Holdings with 91.37 million shares valued at N594.95 million, while Sterling Bank traded 51.50 million shares worth N93.69 million.

Access Bank sold 47.27 million shares valued at N382.07 million while UBA exchanged 44.55 million shares with N356.44 million cost.

Also, the market capitalisation rose by N144 billion or 0.90 per cent to N16.206 trillion from N16.062 trillion achieved on Thursday.

Dangote Cement led the gainers chart with N5.50 to close at N174.50 per share.

Guaranty Trust Bank gained N1.20 to close at N33.50, while Presco improved by N1.10 to close at N67.

Guinness garnered 95k to close at N17.50, while Dangote Sugar Refinery rose by 95k to close at N16.50 per share.

On the other hand, BUA Cement dominated the losers chart, dropping N2.45 to close at N43 per share.

Flour Mills lost 40k to close at N27.20, Mansard was down by 20k to close at N2 per share.

NEM Insurance dipped 18k to close at N2.05, while Oando depreciated by 6k to close at N2.70 per share. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

DTigers

By Bushrah Yusuf-Badmus

DTigers coach Mike Brown has released a provisional list of 20 players for the 2021 Afrobasket qualifiers slated for Kigali in Rwanda from Nov. 27 to Nov. 29.

Afolabi Oni, the Media Officer of Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), disclosed this in a statement on Friday.

Brown who is officially starting his coaching stint with Nigeria submitted a list featuring seven players who were at the 2019 FIBA World Cup where Nigeria qualified for the Tokyo Olympics.

Team captain Ike Diogu will lead the group which includes 29-year-old Stan Okoye (Gran Canaria), Ben Uzoh, Ike Iroegbu, Talib Zanna, Ekpe Udoh and Michael Eric.

Festus Ezeli, a 2015 NBA winner with Golden State Warriors, also has a chance to represent Nigeria for the first time ever alongside Mike Gbinije, a member of the 2015 Afrobasket-winning team, he said.

Oni stated that France-based Ike Nwamu, after missing the final 12-man team to the World Cup, will make another return to the team.

He is there alongside Tonye Jekiri, Christopher Obekpa, Braxton Ogbueze, Mike Efevberha, Obinna Emegano who at some point featured during the teams 2019 qualifiers series.

Chima Moneke who has averaged 12.3 points and 5.8 rebounds in four games for Orlan in the French league has also been called up for the first time.

Zaid Christopher Hearst-Okpalannaka who plies his trade in the second tier of the French league is also on the list.

Other new faces who will hope to earn their first cap include Real Betis power forward, Obi Enechionyia, alongside Ogbunu John and Rasheed Sulaimon who play for Casademont Zaragoza.

FULL LIST

S/No. Name Position Club

1.Stan Okoye Small Forward Club Baloncesto Gran Canaria (Spain)

2.Ikechukwu Nwamu Shooting Guard Cholet (France)

3.Ike Iroegbu Point Guard Capital City Go-Go (NBA G League, U.S.)

4.Talib Zanna Centre Hapoel Tel Aviv B.C(Israel)

5.Chima Moneke Power Forward Orlans Loiret Basket (France)

6.Obinna Enechionyia Power Forward Real Betis (Spain)

7.Micheal Gbinije Shooting Guard BC Nevis (Lithuania)

8.Obi Emegano. Shooting Guard Baloncesto Fuenlabrada (Spain)

9.Mike Efevberha Shooting GuardJA Vichy-Clermont Mtropole (France)

10.Michael Eric Centre Turk Telekom Basketball (Turkey)

11.Tonye Jekiri Centre Club Deportivo Saski-Baskonia (Spain)

12.Rasheed Sulaimon Shooting Guard Casademont Zaragoza (Spain)

13.Zaid Hearst-Okpalannaka Shooting Guard Antibas (France)

14.Ekpe Udoh Centre

15.Ben Uzoh Point Guard

16.Christopher Obekpa Centre

17.Ike Diogu Centre

18.Braxton Ogbuezue Guard

19.Festus Ezeli Centre

20.John Ogbunu. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

U.S., China flag

The United States has become Chinas largest source of service imports, contributing the most to Chinas deficit in service trade in 2019, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

Chinas service imports from the United States amounted to 257.45 billion U.S. dollars since the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2017, the ministry said on Friday in a report released on the sidelines of the ongoing third China International Import Expo.

The defining feature of China-U.S. trade-in-services cooperation is mutually beneficial, said the report, noting that U.S. companies have played an active role in the development of Chinas service trade.

Meanwhile, Chinas service imports have substantially met the needs of U.S. service exporters, which have gained substantial profits and returns, thus promoting the development of the U.S. economy, it said.

However, the economic and trade frictions between China and the United States have significantly affected Chinas import of services from the United States, the report noted.

In 2019, Chinas service imports from the United States dropped by 4 per cent year on year to 83.47 billion U.S. dollars, which accounted for 16.6 per cent of Chinas total service imports, data from the ministry showed. (Xinhua/NAN)

Source: NAN News