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By Vivian Ihechu

The organisers of the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME) on Wednesday in Lagos called for entries of works produced in 2019 for this years Nestl Prize for Nutrition Reporting.

Nestl Nigeria Plc also calls on nutrition and wellness writers to take advantage of the opportunity to showcase and be recognised for their articles and stories in the Nestl Prize for Nutrition Reporting category of the DAME awards, now in its 29th year.

The Nutrition Writers Category instituted in 2018 was born out of the need to not only reward, but also recognise, and celebrate excellence among nutrition and health writers.

The award is part of Nestls commitment to empower journalists who are gatekeepers to ensure the wellbeing of individuals and families by providing adequate information to help them make healthier nutrition choices, Victoria Uwadoka, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Manager, Nestl Nigeria, said in a statement.

We achieve this by collaborating with other stakeholders, including the Lagos Business School (LBS), the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and DAME Trust Fund to provide training and support to produce more fact-based reporting.

We have seen an improvement in the quality of the work submitted for Nestl Prize for Nutrition Reporting over the past two years and look forward to even better entries this year, Uwadoka said.

The 2019 winner of the prize, Chioma Obinna of the Vanguard Newspapers said: It was gratifying to be winner of the prestigious 2019 DAME Nutrition Reporting Category Award.

The prizes were fabulous! Aside from the recognition and prize from DAME, I became a proud owner of a brand new laptop, an iPad and a full Nestl pack.

I am grateful to Nestl for sponsoring the category. I will also like to thank the company for choosing Nutrition particularly at this time the country is facing challenges of malnutrition.

While appealing to other corporate organisations to emulate Nestl, I encourage journalists, particularly health writers to participate in this years DAME.

She advised all to submit their entries on the DAME website, www.dameawards.com on or before the close of business on Friday, Oct. 16, 2020 as announced by the organisers.

All categories open for entries include Nutrition Reporting, Agriculture Reporting and Education Reporting among others.

Speaking on the third year of the Nestl Prize for Nutrition Reporting, Mr Lanre Idowu of DAME said: The Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME) was created to stimulate and reward the pursuit of excellence in media work.

DAME has the privilege of being the only awards scheme in Nigeria, which covers the media disciplines of Journalism, Broadcasting and Advertising.

We are, therefore, pleased with this collaboration with Nestl Nigeria to host the Nutrition Awards.

With all the challenges we face in the area of Nutrition, Nigeria certainly needs more well-equipped Nutrition and Health reporters to help improve the health indices.

It is commendable that Nestl does not only sponsor the awards, but also invests in continuous training of the media all through the year.

In the past two years, Nestl in collaboration with the Lagos Business School, Pan-Atlantic University have carried out several media training sessions for nutrition, health, wellness and agriculture reporters. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

COVID-19

Uganda on Wednesday reported 124 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the east African country to 10,069.

The health ministry said in a statement that out of 2,258 samples tested over 24 hours, 122 contacts and alert cases and two Ugandan returnees from Jordan turned positive for the novel coronavirus.

According to the statement, Uganda has conducted a total of 513,414 samples since the index case was reported on March 21.

The ministry said so far, Uganda has registered a total of 6,531 recoveries and 95 deaths related to COVID-19.

Source: NAN News

EU climate goals on buildings

The European Commission wants to ramp up the rate of renovations of buildings that are inefficient in terms of energy use in the EU in the next decade to speed up the transition to climate neutrality.

EU Energy Commissioner, Kadri Simson, said this while presenting the plan on Wednesday in Brussels.

In practice, this could mean renovating an extra 10 million homes, workplaces or public buildings by 2030 a total of up to 35 million Simson said.

We know that it can work because elements of what we are promoting already exist, Simson said, citing examples of programmes inmember states of Lithuania, the Czech Republic and Sweden.

The EU has committed itself to reaching net emissions neutrality by 2050, and the commission recently proposed raising the 2030 emissions-slashing target from minus 40 to minus 55 per cent.

At present, buildings gobble up 40 per cent of total EU energy consumption and account for 36 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions from energy, according to the commission.

To get the bloc on track for the 2030 targets, emissions from energy used for heating or supplying power to EU buildings must fall by 60 per cent.

Officials inBrussels hope this renovation wave can help 34 million EU citizens, who struggle with energy bills, and create 160,000 new jobs.

The ambitious goal comes with a price tag of 275 billion euros of additional investment each year.

Funds are to come from the still unapproved EU long-term budget and its coronavirus economic stimulus plan, worth a combined 1.8 trillion euros (.1 trillion) between 2021 and 2027. (dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Akeredolu and Deputy Gov.-elect, Lucky Ayedatiwa, receive certificate of return from INEC

By Mufutau Ogunyemi/Ayodeji Alabi

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Tuesday, presented certificate of return to Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, as the duly-elected governor in the Oct. 10 election in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Akeredolu, of the All Progressives Congress (APC), emerged winner of the election after defeating Eyitayo Jegede of the Peoples Democratic Party and Agboola Ajayi of the Zenith Labour Party.

He polled 292,830 votes as against Jegedes 195,791 and Ajayis 69, 127.

Receiving the certificate, Akeredolu pledged to treat all citizens equally, regardless of their party affiliations, adding, however, that he would not run for any elective position in the state again.

He said that his administration would continue to work for the entire state, regardless of the area that voted or that did not vote for him during the election.

I want to pledge to the people of Ondo State that, with the confidence reposed in us, we will continue to do our best to serve them in a way they have never seen before.

Those who voted and those who did not, we will treat everybody equally. We will continue to work for the state, irrespective of political affiliations, he said.

Akeredolu, who said that the certificate would be his last in the state, dedicated the victory to the people of the state, his deputy and his immediate family.

I promise you that I will not run for any elective position in the state again, even the senate. So this victory is not for me alone but also, for the people of Ondo State.

And also, it is a victory in which a few things have been established for generations to come. It is clear that no other person has ever won in 15 local government areas before in the state; it is unprecedented, he said.

Earlier, Dr Rufus Akeju, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, explained that the presentation of certificates of return to winners of the election to the office of the governor and deputy governor was in line with the provisions of Section 75 (1) of the Electoral Act 2010 (As Amended).

According to Akeju, the law says that the certificate of return shall be issued within seven days to every candidate who has won an election under the act, adding it is the spirit of this law that we are fulfilling today.

He reassured all stakeholders in the electoral process that INEC would continue to build on the high level of credibility it had achieved so far and would not do anything to undermine it.

The REC also urged stakeholders to continue to cooperate with INEC in its efforts at consolidating and deepening the countrys democratisation process by playing their roles, in line with the constitution and other regulations of the commission.

I want to use this opportunity to appeal to the governor-elect and the deputy governor-elect to be magnanimous in victory by using the renewed mandate given to them by the good people of the Sunshine State to serve them diligently and truthfully.

This will go a long way in reviving the lost spirit of participation by majority of voters who had lost hope in our democracy as a result of seeming lack of governance with direct impact on their lives, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Monarch urges Akeredolu to fulfil electoral promises in Ondo state

By Alaba-Olusola Oke

Oba Frederick Akinruntan, the Chairman, Ondo State Council of Obas and the Olugbo of Ugbo Kingdom, has urged Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to fulfil his electoral promises which got him re-elected for a second term.

Oba Akinrutan stated this in a congratulatory message on Tuesday in Akure.

Akeredolu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, polled 292,830 votes to defeat his closest rival, Mr Eyitayo Jegede of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who had 195,791 votes in the Oct. 10, polls.

The monarch, who urged the reelected governor to be magnanimous in victory, said that campaign promises of the governor had encouraged voters to vote for him.

I want the governor to be magnanimous in victory and to continue to execute the great plans he has in mind for Ondo State.

And to hold firm the pre- election promises he made which had encouraged the voters to trust and vote for him, he said.

According to him, the governor is not described as talk and do for nothing but he means what he says.

Gov. Akeredolu made the people of Ondo State many promises in his first term and executed them.

We recall that he said he would construct a flyover at Ore to put an end to the carnage on that busy high way and he executed the project to a conclusion, visible to every discerning user of that road.

He has promised the people of Ondo south in the Ilaje axis a deep seaport and we are confident more than ever before that the governor will make this promise a reality, he stated.

The monarch noted that it was an act of joy that Ilaje area of the state gave the governor bulky votes of 26,657, which was the second largest in the election.

According to him, it is a confirmation of trust in the administration of Akeredolu.

Oba Akinrutan thanked the people of the state for their overwhelming votes for the governor.

He explained that the reelection excited him and people of Ugbo kingdom in particular because it established good deeds of Akeredolu-led government.

Gov. Akeredolu is ordained by God and his steps are God ordained.

His victory has put an end to the spurious claims of undemocratic forces who planned to slow down the progressive strides of Gov. Akeredolu which he has promised to improve on in his second term in office.

If not for the steadfastness of the ever conscious and progressive minded people of Ondo state.

The opposition would have pulled the wool over the peoples eyes and misled them at the polls thereby drawing back the hand of development in the state, he stated.

The monarch prayed God to make the second term of the governor hitch-free and very successful.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

We will connect Ondo to global economy Akeredolu

By Chijioke Okoronkwo

Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State says one of his administrations targets in the next four years is to connect the state to the global economy.

The governor fielded questions from State House correspondents after meeting with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Akeredolu was re-elected for a second term in the Ondo State Governorship Election held on Oct. 10 under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He was accompanied by the Deputy Governor-elect, Mr Lucky Ayedatiwa, Mai Mala Buni, APC Caretaker Chairman and Governor of Yobe State, Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, among others.

Akeredolu had earlier presented his Certificate of Return to President Muhammadu Buhari and thanked him for his support.

According to the governor, his victory is principally because of God and the unity in APC at the national and levels.

Our people were so united and it is amazing that when we are all united, we achieve a lot and that is what this election has proven; that in unity, we stand together and we achieve a lot.

So, it is because of these; having all the governors come together to support a particular cause in one state; it was overwhelming and I think we owe the victory to that.

My targets are clear; I have a few outstanding works that we are yet to complete and that is one of the reasons people voted for us; they wanted continuity; so that we can complete those work; we have our teaching hospital.

We have a lot of road projects that are ongoing; so, principally, we are concerned about connecting Ondo State to global economy; so we are determined to ensure that we have port declaration; so, that Port Ondo will be the icing of whatever effort we have made in Ondo State.

He said that aside the industrialisation going on in the state, his administration was targeting establishing Port Ondo.

Akeredolu said that he would work towards making the Akure Airport an International Cargo Airport with the support of the Federal Government.

So, when we have those two, then, we are connected to global economy, Ondo State has no business with poverty.

We have mineral resources and we are determined also to ensure that our bitumen come on board so that Nigeria will be at peace.

We dont have to go and be importing bitumen again; these are our goals, he said.

On his part, Sanwo-Olu, who was the chairman of the APC National Campaign Council for the Ondo Governorship Election, said that Akeredolu was a good product as his achievements made his reelection easy.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

Cristiano Ronaldo in tears

Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo has tested positive for COVID-19, Portugals Football Federation said in a statement on its website on Tuesday.

The 35-year-old Juventus striker will miss Wednesdays UEFA Nations League game against Sweden, but is well, has no symptoms and is in isolation.

The federation added that the rest of the Portugal squad had undergone tests as a result of Ronaldos positive, but that they had all tested negative and would be available for the Sweden match.

Five-times world player of the year Ronaldo appeared in his sides 0-0 draw away to France in the Nations League on Sunday and Wednesdays 0-0 draw in a friendly at home to Spain.

He will now be doubtful for Juves Serie A trip to Crotone on Saturday and their Champions League group stage opening game away to Dynamo Kiev next Tuesday. (Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN News

COVID-19 Vaccine Research

Indias federal health minister Harsh Vardhan on Tuesday said the vaccine against COVID-19 was expected to be available from multiple sources in the country by early 2021.

Vardhan was quoted as having said this during a meeting of the Group of Ministers in New Delhi.

Were expecting that early next year; we should have vaccine in the country from maybe more than one source.

Our expert groups are already formulating and devising strategies to plan on how to roll out the distribution of the vaccines in the country, who do we give the vaccine first and then, of course, we are strengthening the cold chain facilities, Vardhan said.

The ministry said in August that about 30 COVID-19 candidate vaccines were under various stages of development in the country and of them, three were in the advanced stage.

Vardhan has also said previously that the COVID-19 vaccine was likely to be available in India by the first quarter of 2021.

On Sunday, the minister said that considering the large population of India, one vaccine or vaccine manufacturer will not be able to meet the requirements of vaccinating the whole country.

Therefore, we are open to assessing the feasibility of introducing several COVID-19 vaccines in the country as per their availability for the Indian population, he said.

On Tuesday morning 55,342 new COVID-19 cases and 706 related deaths were recorded in the country during the past 24 hours, pushing the countrys COVID-19 tally to 7,175,880 including 109,856 deaths. (Xinhua/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Alcohol poisoning

At least 44 people were killed within days in Turkey due to poisoning linked to toxic liquor, with police making several arrests and confiscating tons of bootleg spirits, state broadcaster TRT said.

Since Oct. 9, at least 30 people have separately been hospitalised from methanol poisoning across Turkey, where the price of alcoholic drinks has been steadily rising following several tax hikes.

In raids across the country, police detained 22 suspects and seized nearly 20 tons of ethyl alcohol and bootleg liquor since last week, state news agency Anadolu reported.

Anadolu shared footage of police seizing bottles and tools used in the alcohol production that had been seized during the raids.

The consumption of home-made or distilled alcohol produced in unsanitary conditions have been increasing in Turkey, according to local media.

Police began clamping down on home brewers over the summer.

Turkey had the highest price of alcohol compared with the EU and European Free Trade Association countries in August, according to Eurostat data.

Tax on alcoholic beverages must be reduced to avoid more fatalities, the local chamber of chemical engineers advised the government on Monday.

The tax translates into more than 70 per cent of the price of alcohol, the chamber said, criticising the conservative government of President Recep Erdogan of trying to eventually ban alcohol. (dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN News

IGP

By Monday Ijeh

The Inspector General of Police (I-G), Mr Mohammed Adamu, has set up a new Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team to fill the gaps created by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) dissolution.

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

He said prospective members of the new team would undergo psychological and medical examination to ascertain their fitness and eligibility for the new assignment.

They are to commence training at the different Police tactical training institutions nationwide, next week.

Personnel from the Police Commands in the South-East and the South-South will be trained at the Counter-Terrorism College, Nonwa-Tai, Rivers.

Those from the Police Commands from the North and the South-West will be trained at the Police Mobile Force Training College, Ende, Nasarawa State and the Police Mobile Force Training College, Ila-Orangun, Osun, respectively, he said.

Mba said the I-G had ordered personnel of the defunct SARS to report at the Force Headquarters for debriefing, psychological and medical examination.

He said the order was in accordance with Section 18 (10) of the Police Act, 2020.

Mba said the psychological and medical examination were prelude to further training and reorientation before redeployment into mainstream policing duties.

According to him, the medical examination will be carried out by the newly set-up Police Counselling and Support Unit (PCSU).

He said the unit, would henceforth, be engaged in psychological management, reorientation and training of officers of the Force deployed for tactical operations and other duties.

The FPRO said the unit, domiciled with the Force Medical Department, would be coordinated by the force medical officer.

He said membership of the unit would be drawn from psychiatrists, psychologists, medics, pastors and imams, public relations practitioners, civil society and other human rights groups with relevant qualifications and expertise.

Mba pledged the commitment of the I-G to ensure successful and holistic implementation of the police reforms.

He enjoined the public, particularly protesting citizens, to exercise restraint and allow measures being put in place to come to fruition and engender a Police Force that would meet the yearnings and aspirations of citizens. (NAN)

Source: NAN News