By Rotimi Ijikanmi

Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, on Monday described the Grammy Awards of music stars Burna Boy and Wizkids as endorsement of Afrobeat genre of music

The Minister, while congratulating the music stars for their feats, said that Afrobeat genre of music has propelled Nigerias increasing dominance of the music world.

Ina statement issued by the minister in Lagos, Mohammed described the awards as fitting rewards for the persistent and hardwork of the duo.

He expressed the hope that the clinching of the prestigious awards by the two music stars would not only spur them to greater heights, but would also serve as a source of inspiration for others.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the twoNigerian Afrobeatsstars won awards at the 2021 Grammys.

Burna Boy won the Best Global Music Album category, while Wizkid won the Best Music Video for his song with American music star, Beyonc; Brown Skin Girl, from Lion King: The Gift album.

Beyoncs daughter, Blue Ivy, was also a winner on the song.

Burna Boy, real name Damini Ogulu, a nominee for a second consecutive year, won with his Twice As Tall album.

The 63rd Grammy Awards was held in Los Angeles, United States of America. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Facebook Inc, on Monday said it had started adding labels to posts that discussed the safety of the shots and would soon label all posts about the vaccines.

The social media company, which has been criticised by lawmakers and researchers for allowing vaccine misinformation to spread on its platforms, said in a blog post that measures were now in place to check that.

It also said it was launching a tool in the U.S. to give people information about where to get COVID-19 vaccines and adding a COVID-19 information area to Instagram, its photo-sharing site.

False claims and conspiracies about the COVID-19 vaccines have proliferated on social media platforms during the pandemic.

Facebook and Instagram, which recently tightened their policies after long taking a hands-off approach to vaccine misinformation, remain home to large accounts, pages and groups that promote false claims about the shots and can be easily found through keyword searches.

Facebooks Chief Product Officer, Chris Cox, said in an interview that the company had taken viral false claims very seriously but said there was a huge gray area of people who had concerns.

The best thing to do in that huge gray area is just to show up with authoritative information in a helpful way, be a part of the conversation and do it with health experts, Cox added.

The company said it was labelling Facebook and Instagram posts that discussed the safety of COVID-19 vaccines with text, saying the vaccines went through safety and effectiveness tests before approval.

In the blog post, it also said since expanding its list of banned false claims about the coronavirus and vaccines in February, it had removed an additional 2 million pieces of content from Facebook and Instagram.

Facebook said it had also implemented temporary measures including reducing the reach of content from users who repeatedly shared content marked false by fact-checkers. (Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN News

The strongest sandstorm in ten years swept across Northern China on Monday, with authorities in Beijing issuing a yellow alert and warning of severely restricted visibility.

Pollution in the Chinese capital reached a dangerous level after heavy winds brought in sand from the north-west of the country.

The China Meteorological Administration announced the yellow alert on Monday morning, saying around 12 provinces were or would be affected.

That makes the storm both the strongest sandstorm in ten years and the one covering the largest territory.

According to Chinese media, Beijing airports had to cancel more than 400 flights.

Spring is sandstorm season in northern China. Strong winds carry sand and fine dust from the Gobi desert and Mongolia into the often heavily smoggy and densely populated industrial regions. (dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN News

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to threaten the lives and rights of refugees, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has welcomed the Rwandan governments vaccination last week of 416 refugees one of the first countries in Africa to do so.

Nearly one year since the countrys first registered COVID-19 case and as part of Rwandas national vaccination drive, the Rwandan Ministry of Health inoculated 224 refugees residing in the Emergency Transit Mechanism (ETM) centre in Gashora and 192 refugees in six refugee settlements working on the front lines of the pandemic as community health workers and cleaners or security guards at health clinics in the refugee settlements.

UNHCR said in a statement that some 230,000 people in Rwanda have been vaccinated against COVID-19, one week after a countrywide campaign began.

We commend Rwandas inclusion of refugees in its response to the pandemic, said Clementine Nkweta-Salami, UNHCRs Regional Bureau Director Bureau for the East, Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes. We appeal to all countries to include refugees in their vaccination programmes on par with nationals to ensure that everyone is safe.

There are nearly 138,000 refugees hosted by the country, mainly from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi.

The first dose of COVID-19 vaccine is being given to high-risk groups such as health workers, teachers, elderly people with chronic health issues, those aged over 65 years, and other frontline workers. Refugees who meet these criteria are included in the first stage of Rwandas vaccination campaign.

UNHCR reiterates that refugees, internally displaced and stateless people and their local host communities must be included on an equal footing with citizens in all national responses to the pandemic, including public health access, vaccines, and social safety nets. (PANA/NAN)

Source: NAN News

A 46-year-old man was killed by an elephant in northern Namibia, police confirmed Monday.

According to Omusati regional commander, commissioner Titus Shikongo, the deceased, Abner Petrus died after he was trampled by an elephant at the Okatha- Kiikombo Village in the Okatseidhi area on Sunday.

He said the deceased, together with his wife and daughter were trying to chase away a herd of elephants that invaded their crop fields.

It is alleged that the man and his family managed to drive the animals out of the field and after they tried to chase them further away into the bushes.

In the process, one elephant emerged from behind and attacked the man, he said.

Last week, Namibias environment minister Pohamba Shifeta said the country had seen a surge in human-wildlife conflicts involving elephants, buffaloes, and other animals mainly in the north and northeastern parts of the country.

Shifeta said the country had resorted to auctioning off some of its elephants while relocating others to national parks as they are causing the most damage to crops, water infrastructure, and property in nine of the fourteen regions. (Xinhua/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Italian government on Monday effected a new phase of lockdown for more than 40 million people due to rise in Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country.

Apart for Sardinia, where hardly any restrictions applied, all Italian regions are subject to the medium-strict rules of an orange zone under Italys colour-coded system, or the strictest lockdown rules of a red zone.

In addition to the economically strong Lombardy with its metropolis of Milan and Lazio with its capital Rome, Veneto and Emilia-Romagna also fall into the red zone.

People there are only supposed to leave their homes in urgent cases, such as for shopping, emergencies or work.

Sports in the fresh air are only allowed alone. Pupils have to switch back to lessons via the internet.

Distance lessons have become unbearable for me, especially after I was allowed to have some face-to-face lessons again, a pupil from Rome told said.

In view of the Easter holidays, the government under former European Central Bank (ECB) Chief Mario Draghi already decided on Friday that the red zone would apply to the entire country between April 3 and 5.

Most recently, the coronavirus pandemic had worsened in the country of 60 million people, with new infections rising daily and incidence values increasing on a weekly basis.

So far, more than 102,000 people have died as a result of an infection with the coronavirus and authorities have recorded more than 3.223 million cases.

The rules now in force were decided according to the principle of the greatest possible caution, the Health Ministry expert, Franco Locatelli said in an interview with Mondays edition of the newspaper Corriere della Sera.

The aim, he said, was to be in a better epidemiological situation after Easter. Health comes first, even if a socio-economic crisis prevails, Locatelli explained further. (dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN News

The newly-selected executive authority of Libya on Monday was sworn in before the House of Representatives (parliament) in the eastern city of Tobruk, Libyan National TV reported.

The new executive authority, which consists of the Presidency Council and the Government of National Unity, took the oath during an official session of the parliament.

In a speech during the session, Aguila Saleh, speaker of the House of Representatives, urged the new executive authority to spare no effort to achieve national reconciliation, work to improve the countrys economy, and prepare for the elections to be held later this year.

The UN-sponsored Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) recently selected a new executive authority for the North African country, which was welcomed by all the Libyan parties.

Moahmmed Menfi was appointed as President of the Presidency Council along with new Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah.

Dbeibahs government was granted confidence by the House of Representatives on March 10.

The new governments main task is to hold general elections on Dec. 24 as agreed by the LPDF. (Xinhua/NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Nigerian Army says the troops of Operation Lafiya Dole, have eliminated scores of the Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists on Saturday in Borno.

The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Yerima, disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

Yerima said the encounters, which took place around the fringes ofalso led to the destruction of terrorists gun trucks and recovery of large cache of arms and ammunition.

He said that the combined troops of Sector 2 advanced and cleared Daban Massara and Ali Sherifti villages among other settlements before they harbored for replenishment and retrofitting along the axis.

The army has began the second phase of their operations and advancing along the Kukawa Monguno road, about 14 kilometers to their base, they sighted terrorists gun trucks and swiftly commenced pursuit with heavy fire and deft manouver.

In the course of the hot pursuit which was aided by air cover provided by the Air Task Team of Operation Lafia Dole, several terrorists were neutralized and their gun trucks destroyed.

Unfortunately however, one officer and three gallant soldiers paid the supreme sacrifices while those wounded in action are currently receiving medical attention at 7 Division Medical Services and Hospital in Maimalari Cantonment.

Above is on-the-spot account of the encounter between Nigerian troops and the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists in Mugono area and environs.

Members of the public are assured that the troops are on top of the situation and working assiduously to end the insurgency and terrorism in country in line with the directives of the Chief of Army Staff, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Mohammad Tijjani

The Kaduna State Government has confirmed the abduction of primary school pupils and teachers in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of the state.

Samuel Aruwan, Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, said in a statement that the pupils and teachers were abducted on Monday.

He however said that the number of those abducted has not been ascertained.

The Kaduna State Government is receiving security reports of kidnapping of some pupils and teachers in a primary school located in Rema, Birnin Gwari local government area.

According to preliminary reports, the incident occurred at an LEA Primary School in the LGA.

The Kaduna State Government is currently obtaining details on the actual number of pupils and teachers reported to have been kidnapped and will issue a comprehensive statement as soon as possible, he stated. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Bukola Adetoye

Brig.-Gen. Mohammad Buba Marwa (Retired) on Sunday said that the late first Executive Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, lived an exemplary life worth emulating by all Nigerians.

Marwa, the military governor of Lagos State between 1996 and 1999, said this when he paid a condolence visit to Alhaja Abimbola Jakande, the wife and family members of late Jakande at the Lagos residence of the deceased.

Marwa is the curent Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

The News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) reports that Alhaji Jakande died on Feb.11,2021.

Jakande was the first Executive Governor of Lagos State, from 1979 to 1983.

He was a journalist and he first worked with the Daily Service and then in 1953, he joined the Nigerian Tribune Newspaper where he rose to become its Editor-in-Chief.

He was the first President of the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN).

He was Minister of Works under the late Gen. Sani Abacha-led military regime from 1993 to 1998, among other giants achievements.

The NDLEA boss also described the late Jakande as a great humanitarian.

According to him, it is very sad to pay the condolence visit to the family of his predecessor in office.

However, God knows the best.

He was a very religious man and a journalist per excellence and a lover peace.

He did very well as a former governor of Lagos State because he brought smiles to the people as their governor between 1979 and 1983 through his people-oriented programmes.

Marwa said that when he served as the governor of Lagos State between 1996 and 1999, Jakande was supportive of his administration.

When I was appointed as the chairman of NDLEA, he also sent me a congratulatory message.

I prayed that he rests well, May God give us the heart to accept his passing away as no one lives forever, Marwa said.

The widower, Alhaja Abimbola Jakande, in her words thanked the NDLEA boss for the visit.

I thank you all for putting us in mind, God bless, she said.

NAN reports that the entourage that followed the NDLEA boss on the condolence visit include the NDLEA Lagos Commander, Mr Ralph Igwenagu; and the Apapa Seaport Commander, Mr Samuel Gadzama.

Others are: the Director of Airports operations, Mrs Joyce -Titus Awogbayi and the Commander, Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Command, Mr Ahmadu Gatba. (NAN)

Source: NAN News