Former Argentine football player Diego Maradona tested negative for COVID-19 on Monday, his lawyer said on Monday.

Former Argentine football player Diego Maradona tested negative for COVID-19 on Monday, his lawyer said on Monday.

His announcement helped to allay fears the Argentina football legend had contacted the virus after hugging a colleague who was later found to have tested positive.

The man who led Argentina to the World Cup in 1986 took the test after coming into close contact last Friday with Facundo Contin.

Contin is a player who tested positive for the virus less than a day later.

The test that Diego Maradona took has come back negative for COVID-19, his lawyer Matias Morla said on Twitter.

Thanks to all the Argentines for their concern and best wishes. Stay safe because the virus is still out there among us.

Maradona is currently the coach of Gimnasia y Esgrima, a first division club from the city of La Plata.

The 59-year old has suffered a string of health issues in recent years and remains overweight.

Argentina has the worlds highest rate of positive COVID-19 tests, according to Oxford-linked tracker Our World In Data, with nearly six out of 10 yielding an infection.

It is a reflection of low testing levels and loose enforcement of lockdown rules.

Source: NAN News

Participants at the drug education programme at Okue Autonomous Community in Ishiagu, Ebonyi State

By Jacinta Nwachukwu

A Drug Abuse and related vices Prevention Committee has cautioned Nigerian Youth on the negative effects of drug abuse, saying it is detrimental to their health and future.

The group gave the caution during its preventive drug education campaign at Okue Autonomous Community in Ishiagu, Ivo Local Government Area in Ebonyi.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the Drug Abuse and related vices Prevention Committee was inaugurated in August by the President General of Ishiagu Town Development Union (ITDU).

It is to create awareness on the negative effects of drug abuse among the youth and how to salvage the community.

The Secretary of the committee, Mr Augustine Nduka, in a document made available to NAN noted that wrong use of drug had many negative effects on people.

He said that the effects could be noticed in the victims thinking, behaviour, mood and perception among others.

Nduka presented a paper titled Nature and types of drugs, drug abuse process and consequences with the theme: Drugs: the killer of dreams killing me softly.

According to him, drug is any chemical substance (synthetic or natural) which when taken into the body by any means whatsoever changes the structure and functions of the body or behaviour of the user.

He listed some of the harmful drugs as Cigarettes, Alcohol, Kolanuts, Rohypnol, Shisha, Cocaine, Heroin, Cannabis Sativa, Amphetamine, Codeine Cough syrup and Tramadol among others.

He said: a drug is said to be abused when its use is not medically necessary or for non- medical purpose or its use is legally prohibited and if it is excessively used.

Drug addiction is an illness, a brain disease, it is an illness with specific signs and symptoms which if recognised early treatment is easier to achieve.

When the symptoms are not recognised and handled early, it progresses to a more problematic stage with many consequences.

Also, the Chairman of the committee, Mr Joseph Nwachukwu, said that it would be beneficial for the youth to resist any pressure to engage in drug abuse and addiction.

Nwachukwu said that no excuse is good enough, including unemployment, to entail anyone to go into drug abuse.

He attributed the causes of drug abuse to peer group pressure, curiosity, availability of drugs, advertisements, illness, parental deprivation, parental drug use and environmental influence.

He, therefore, advised parents to look out for warning signs in the behavioural change of drug addicts such as chronic dishonesty, sudden outburst of inappropriate and increasing anger, and trouble with law enforcement.

He mentioned other signs to include: frequent change in friends, reduced motivation, diminishing interest in extracurricular activities, sudden changes in attitude and mood.

He added changes in personal dressing and grooming, resisting discipline at home, impaired relationship with family members, increased demand for money.

Others are selling of household items or possessions belonging to himself, his parents or friends, secretiveness as well as coming home late.

The chairman said that signs of physical deterioration resulting from drug abuse include memory lapses, short attention span and difficulty in concentration, poor physical coordination, slurred and incoherent speech, indifference in personal appearance and hygiene and grooming.

Blood shot eyes and dilated pupils as well as dramatic changes in school performance are signs also, he said.

Nwachukwu added that a drug user might also start having a drastic downward change in students grade, lack of concentration in class accumulation and abandoning of assignments, always seating behind in the class and always sleeping in the class.

NAN also gathered that the committee shared relevant flyers and materials to 108 youth members who were in attendance. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Israel launches strike on Gaza after rocket attack

Israel launched an airstrike on a Hamas target in Gaza late on Monday, following a rocket attack from the Palestinian enclave, the Israeli army said.

There were no immediate reports of any injuries or damage.

The Israeli Defence Forces said a rocket was fired from Gaza into southern Israel earlier on Monday evening.

According to local media it landed in an open field and caused an alarm to be sounded in the nearby kibbutz Kerem Shalom.

Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, is listed as a terrorist organisation by Israel, the U.S., and the European Union.

Source: NAN News

I-G bans FSARS, other Tactical Squads from routine patrols

By Monday Ijeh

He said the idea was to fast-track the resolution of all cases of infractions against police personnel and ensure that erring officers were brought to book to serve as deterrent to others. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

The Niger state government has approved N100 million for the reconstruction of an automated Minna abattoir.

Alhaji Haruna Dukku, the state Commissioner of Livestock and Fishery disclosed this at the end of the state executive council meeting in Minna.

He said that the approval was given by the state Gov. Abubakar Bello and the council approved the release of the N100 million out of the N512 million earmarked for the project.

The commissioner explained that the state government had in 2017 set up a committee to go round to see the condition of the various abattoirs in major cities and made recommendation.

The report of the committee was that the Minna/Suleja abattoir were categorised as grade A while that of Kontagora, Bida, New Bussa were grade B while others were grade C.

Based on the recommendation of the committee, the ministry approached the council for their reconstruction pending when funds are available for others, he said.

Dukku said that the reconstruction would be done in phases, adding that funds for the remaining projects would feature in the 2021 budget. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Kano State Fire Service

By Bosede Olufunmi

Kano State Fire Service says it has saved 139 lives and property worth N37 million in 36 fire incidents in the state in the month of September.

Mr Saidu Muhammad, Public Relations Officer of the Service, stated this in a statement issued on Tuesday in Kano.

Muhammad disclosed that the fire incidents were recorded between Sept. 1 and 30, in various parts of the state.

He said that 13 lives were lost and properties worth N14 million destroyed by fire in the period under review.

The Service responded to 88 rescue calls and 20 false alarms from residents of the state, he added.

Muhammad identified careless handling of cooking gas, use of inferior electrical appliances and poor wiring as the major causes of fire incidents in the state. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Liverpool and Switzerland winger, Xherdan Shaqiri

Switzerland winger, Xherdan Shaqiri, has tested positive for COVID-19, the countrys football federation said on Tuesday.

This is one day after the 28-year-old rejoined the national team for the first time in over a year.

The Liverpool player last appeared for Switzerland in the Nations League finals in June last year.

He arrived at the team hotel on Monday afternoon ahead of a friendly at home to Croatia on Wednesday.

The federation said Shaqiri has now been put in isolation, indicating We are clarifying how to proceed with the local health authorities.

Two of Shaqiris Liverpool teammates, Sadio Mane and Thiago Alcantara, tested positive in the last week.

This is the latest blow to Shaqiri, who has fallen out of favour at his club.

He featured in only seven Premier League games last season, starting two of them, and his only appearance in the current campaign has been in the Carabao Cup.

Shaqiri who asked to be left out of the Swiss squad one year ago to concentrate on his club football had not been included since until his recall for this months games.

Switzerland also visit Spain for a UEFA Nations League match on Saturday and Germany three days later. (Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN News

COVID-19

Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) on Tuesday announced that the total number of confirmed COVID-19 positive cases in Africa has reached 1,518,662, with the death toll reaching 36,921.

The Africa CDC also said the number of people who have recovered from the infectious virus across the continent has reached 1,256, 284 so far.

Amid the uneven impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on the continent, the Africa CDC disclosed that the African countries most affected by the disease in terms of the number of positive cases include South Africa, Egypt, Morocco, Ethiopia, and Nigeria.

South Africa currently has the most COVID-19 cases, which hit 682, 215.

The country also has the highest number of deaths related to COVID-19, at 17,016.

Morocco comes next with 134,695 confirmed cases and 2,369 deaths, followed by Egypt with 103,781 confirmed cases and 5,990 deaths, Africa CDC said.

According to the Africa CDC, the continents total COVID-19 cases represent about 4.4 per cent of the global tally.

The average continental fatality rate is currently around 2.4 per cent. (Xinhua/NAN)

Source: NAN News

World Bank

By Salisu Sani-Idris

The World Bank has approved the extension of its funding support to the implementation of the Community and Social Development Project (CSDP) in Nigeria.

Malam Suleiman Odapu, Information and Communication Officer of CSDP, made this known in a statement in Abuja.

Odapu said that the World Bank conveyed the approval in a letter addressed to the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed and copied to the National Coordinator of CSDP, Dr Abdulkarim Obaje.

Odapu added that the World Bank extended its financing of the project to three months.

We are pleased to inform you that the association has extended the closing date of the project and associated credits and established it to Dec. 31, 2020.

As the later date for purposes of Section IV.B.2 of Schedule 2 of the Agreements Shubham Chaudhuri, the World Bank Country Director for Nigeria stated.

The CSDP was earlier scheduled to close on Sept. 30, 2020. The Federal Government of Nigeria had on Sept. 22, 2020 written to the World Bank requesting for an extension of the closing date of the Project.

Government cited the need to strengthen the institutional framework for the implementation of the proposed Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (N-CARES) as part of the reasons for the request to extend the Project closing date.

The Federal Project Support Unit of CSDP has been designated as the Focal Agency for the preparation of the N-CARES Programme, he said.

Odapu disclosed that the CSDP became effective in 2009 and had assisted communities and vulnerable groups, including returnee Internally Displaced Persons to design and implement 17,048 micro projects in key sectors.

He said the key sectors are the rural economy such as education, water, health, transportation, electricity, environment and natural resources conservation and community Housing across the 29 states and FCT participating in the projects.

The Project, using the highly effective and community friendly tool, the Community Driven Development (CDD) approach has positively impacted on the poor communities as a core strategy for alleviating poverty and promoting inclusive growth in the country since 2009.

He said that the Federal Government received the proposed CDD Policy for Nigeria which seeks to institutionalise and regulate the mechanism for bringing sustainable peace and development to underserved communities in the country.

He said that the policy was developed by stakeholders and coordinated by the Federal Project Support Unit of the CSDP.

NAN reports that following the success story of the parent CSDP 2009 to 2013, the Federal Government sought assistance from the World Bank towards implementation of the CSDP additional financing.

The project is assisted by the World Bank and co-financed by the Federal government and the participating states of: Abia, Akwa Ibom, Adamawa, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara and the FCT Abuja.

The CSDP is a community driven development project focusing on building and rebuilding social and natural resource infrastructure services at the community level.

The overall goal of the CSDP is improved access to services for Human development, while the Project Development Objective is to sustainably increase access of poor people to social and natural resource infrastructure services.

The CSDP seeks to promote the human development of poor people at the grass root level using a CDD approach. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Court symbol

By Ugochi Ugochukwu

A 38-year-old pastor, Uche Macldurence, appeared before a Grade 1 Area Court in Kubwa, Abuja, on Tuesday charged with criminal intimidation.

Macldurence, of NEPA Road off Gado Nasko Road, Kubwa, pleaded not guilty to a one-count charge of criminal intimidation levelledagainst him.

The prosecuting counsel, Babajide Olanipekun, told the court that the matter was reported by one Mr Anthony Igokwe of Tugo Road phase 4 Kubwa Abuja, at the Kubwa Police Station on June 19.

Olanipekun said Macldurence and the complainant had a little misunderstanding during which the pastor threatened to deal with the complainant, an utterance that contravened the law.

Counsel to the pastor, Mr Dan Nwobodo, made an oral bail application for his client and assured that the defendant would neither jump bail nor tamper with investigation into the case.

He asked the court to take cognisance that the defendant is a pastor.

The Area Court judge, Mr Muhammad Adamu, admitted Macldurence to bail in the sum of N200,000, with a reliable surety in like sum.

Adamu ruled that the surety must present valid means of identification and must reside within the courts area of jurisdiction and adjourned the case to Nov. 9 for hearing. (NAN)

Source: NAN News