Daybreak, Politics, Entertainment, Sport

Author: Alpha Maidawa

With Wimbledon 2020 lost, Federer and Williams running out of opportunities for Grand Slam wins
The cancellation of Wimbledon this week has not only fanned the possibility of a total tennis wipeout for the rest of the season.
But it may also have put an end to the Grand Slam title chase for both Roger Federer and Serena Williams.
Wimbledon was scrapped for the first time since World War Two on Wednesday due to the coronavirus pandemic, with the suspension of professional tennis extended to July 13.
The entire claycourt and grasscourt seasons have been cancelled, with the four-month shutdown wreaking havoc on the finances of the lower-tier players.
Tennis Australia head Craig Tiley has said it would be tough for the sport to return before 2021.
Also, All England Lawn Tennis Club CEO Richard Lewis agreed that it was not unrealistic to believe tennis might be done for the year.
While 38-year-old Federer is well insulated from the shutdown’s financial fallout, it could well impact his hopes of adding to his record haul of 20 Grand Slam titles.
The last of Federer’s Slams came at the 2018 Australian Open and the closest he came to adding to his tally was last year’s Wimbledon final.
Federer’s last match was in the Australian Open semi-finals before he underwent keyhole surgery on his knee in February.
Now his next chance at a Grand Slam would be the U.S. Open, scheduled in New York from Aug. 31 to Sept. 14.
The French Open, an event he has skipped in the past, has been rearranged from May to September —- a week after Flushing Meadows.
Australian Todd Woodbridge, a nine-times Wimbledon doubles champion and singles semi-finalist, was unsure what was in store for Federer if the season is lost.
“The question that Roger will have to ask himself is how motivated is he to come back for another year?” Woodbridge told Australian Associated Press this week.
“Or, has this actually helped him? But the less match play that you get in this period at that age, it’s so much harder to come back and recover once you start again.
“It has stopped the potential … of Federer winning one or two more. It becomes very highly unlikely for him.”
While Federer has said he would still be around for Wimbledon next year, Williams has been tight-lipped on her future.
The American, who turns 39 in September, lost in last year’s Wimbledon final and remains one Grand Slam short of tying Margaret Court’s record 24 major titles.
She has reached four Grand Slam finals since giving birth to daughter Olympia in 2017 but failed to win any of them.
Martina Navratilova, winner of 18 Grand Slam singles titles, says the situation is not ideal for anyone but for players like Williams and Federer the clock is ticking.
“The youngsters are missing a chance to improve and match up against higher-ranked players,” she said. “The middle players are kind of stuck, and the older players like Serena Williams and Roger Federer, time is not their friend.
“So they lost basically this year this opportunity.”(Reuters/NAN)
April 3, 2020
Turkish leftist band member dies after 288 days on hunger strike
A member of a Turkish socialist music collective died after being on a hunger strike for 288 days protesting persecution by the authorities and a ban on the group’s concerts.
Grup Yorum – yorum means comment or interpretation in Turkish – on Friday announced the death of one of two hunger-striking members, singer Helin Bolek.
“Our demands were never that difficult to meet,’’ a solidarity group tweeted.
Bolek and Ibrahim Gokcek were on a fast unto death, demanding the government lift the ban on their concerts, release jailed members, remove members from wanted lists, drop lawsuits against them and stop raiding their cultural centres.
The government says Yorum is linked to the far left Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C), which is designated as a terrorist organisation in Turkey.
The collective, formed in 1985 by four friends, became popular in Turkey and internationally for its left wing stance that combined Turkish and Kurdish folk music.
Their focus on anti-capitalism, opposition to Ankara’s policies, anti-gentrification and tracks about a mining disaster that killed more than 300 also drew condemnation from the authorities.
In 2017, they released the album `Ille Kavga,’ which means struggle no matter what, the cover shows instruments allegedly smashed by police during a raid the previous year.(dpa/NAN)
April 3, 2020
Prince Charles opens new coronavirus hospital by video link
Prince Charles on Friday opened a new hospital designed to have up to 4,000 beds by video link, praising its rapid construction as an example of how people can achieve the unthinkable through human will.
The National Health Service (NHS), Nightingale hospital, housed in a former exhibition centre in London, has an initial 500 beds to cope with an expected rise in the number of patients with severe COVID-19 symptoms requiring intensive care.
“It is, without doubt, a spectacular and almost unbelievable feat of work in every sense, from its speed of construction, in just nine days – to its size and the skills of those who have created it,’’ Charles said.
Charles, 71, who was infected with coronavirus but suffered only mild symptoms, said that COVID-19 would be defeated globally.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is also infected with the virus and still self-isolating, thanked those involved in the building of the hospital.
“This immense effort means we will have an extra 4,000 beds to care for coronavirus patients,’’ Johnson said.
Speaking at the hospital, Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, said the extraordinary project was launched when it was clear, a few weeks ago, that the country needed to expand its NHS critical care capacity.
Many health experts have criticised the government’s slow response to the crisis, the low level of testing for the virus and the poor provision of intensive care beds, ventilators and protective equipment.
However, the experts warned that Britain could face one of the world’s highest death rates from COVID-19 in the next few weeks. (dpa/NAN)
April 3, 2020
Covid-19: FG to source protective equipment locally – Lai Mohammed
The Federal Government says it will meet with indigenous manufacturers to discuss and facilitate the local production of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), to enhance the fight against the novel coronavirus (Covid-19), pandemic ravaging the world.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, disclosed this in Abuja when he featured on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum, to give an update on government efforts at containing the pandemic.
Mohammed said that the the Minister of State for Health, Dr Olorunnibe Mamora, and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investments, Mr Adeniyi Adebayo, would meet with the manufacturers on behalf of the government.
He said that the move had become necessary in view of the shortage of the equipment and the need to encourage and develop local manufacturing of medical equipment.
“PPE is in short supply globally and we want to see how we can start manufacturing them locally .
“All over the world, people are making mask locally because there is a short supply of masks.
“Those ones we got from Jack Ma have been shared to the states.
“We call them starter packs and they contain masks and test kits. We have given them to states according to their needs.
“Naturally, Lagos got more because it is the epicenter of the virus.
“We are trying to source the PPE more locally, but one thing about PPE is that if you don’t get it right, you may lose more lives,” he said.
Speaking on whether or not the two weeks lockdown directed by the government could be extended, the minister said it was dependent on how Nigerians behaved themselves.
“If we don’t behave ourselves, there is likely that the lockdown will be extended, but if we behave ourselves, there might not be extension and I hope we do so.
“If we stay at home for two weeks and we are doing everything we are supposed to do, we should be able to effectively contain the disease.
“Therefore, my appeal to Nigerians is that they should obey the directive on social distancing, personal hygiene and shun gatherings; after two weeks, we will resume our normal life.
“But if they think it is a joke, then we may have to stay at home more than the two weeks,” he said.
President Muhammadu Buhari, in a national broadcast, had directed the cessation of all movement in the FCT, Lagos and Ogun States for an initial period of 14 days effective 11p.m. of March 30.
He said that all citizens in the affected areas are to stay at home, adding that the containment period would be used to identify, trace and isolate individuals that had come in contact with confirmed cases.
“The idea is to restrict further spread of the pandemic,” Mohammed stressed. (NAN)
April 3, 2020
COVID-19 lockdown: Women decry hike in prices of food items in Ekiti
Some women in Federal Housing, Ado-Ekiti, on Friday said that the lockdown order, occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic, is taking its toll on them.
They decried the sudden hike in prices of some food items and disruption of their petty trading.
Speaking to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ado Ekiti, Mrs Ilori Abodunde, a civil servant, said that a bag of Sachet water now goes for N170, as against N150 before the lockdown.
She said that before the directive, the same bag directly from the distributors cost N100, now goes for N150.
“The price of fuel has reduced, so we are not supposed to experience hike in the price of food items at this time,” Abodunde said.
Mrs Tina Adesegun, a housewife, said buying fish in the area had become very expensive too.
She said that the fish that normally sells for N120 now goes for N200, which had made it extremely difficult for her to cook a befitting soup for her family.
Mrs Nana Seidu, a petty trader, said the disruption in her groundnut trade was of major concern.
She said that the lockdown notice was short and that the government did not consider the poor like her who feeds “from hand to mouth”.
She said she survived on her daily income as a groundnut seller, saying that her daily income was barely enough to feed her and her kids.
Seidu said she would be happy if the state government could assist her and her kids to feed, while the lockdown period lasted.
The women said while they fully understood that the lockdown was very necessary at this time, the government should intervene in ensuring stability of prices of food items. (NAN)
April 3, 2020
Covid-19: Retired Doctors, Nurses volunteer services
Retired Doctors, Nurses and Laboratory Scientists across the country have volunteered their services to the cause of fighting the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic spreading across States in Nigeria.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made this known in Abuja, when he appeared as guest on News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum.
Mohammed said that the decision was reached when the Minister of Health, Dr. Osage Ehanire, met with the Nigerian Medical Association and other umbrella associations of the other health workers.
The minister, who was giving an update on the activities of the Presidential Task Force for the Control of Coronavirus, expressed government’s appreciation to the retired health workers.
“All retired medical doctors, nurses, and laboratory scientists have volunteered to help us in this fight and we are grateful.
“The beauty of having the personnel is that they need little or no training, they will just need refresher courses.
“We believe we are getting the necessary support from the public and private sectors.
“As at today, we have trained 150 medical personnel for contact tracing and 600 personnel to manage the facilities we have been able to identify here in Abuja,” he said.
The minister said that government was also getting the encouraging support of the World Health Organisation (WHO), with a member of staff of the global body in the presidential task force.
“We also get the consent of WHO in whatever we do and whichever strategy we adopt in fighting the pandemic,” he explained.
The minister said that the federal government had taken a lot of measures to cushion the effects of Covid-19 on Nigerians, recalling that on March 18, government reduced the price of petrol from N145 per litre to N125 per litre.
“That reduction went further down to N123.50 per litre few days back.
“Petrol is not just for transportation; many of us power our generators with petrol but the multiplier effect of high cost of petrol is that food stuff become more expensive because of the cost of transportation.
“Now that we have reduced the price of the petrol, we are indirectly trying to regulate and bring down the price of food stuff,” he said.
The minister recalled that in his nationwide broadcast, President Muhammadu Buhari gave a whole lot of measures to cushion the effect of the pandemic and lockdown on FCT, Lagos and Ogun States.
He said that the President directed a three-month repayment moratorium for all TraderMoni, MarketMoni and FarmerMoni loans as well as all Federal Government-funded loans issued by the Bank of Industry, Bank of Agriculture and the Nigeria Export Import Bank.
Mohammed said that interest rate for intervention fund had been slashed from nine to five per cent, while the CBN had put aside N50 billion fund to help SMEs.
He said that to cushion effect of the lockdown, satellite towns around Lagos and Abuja were being given relief materials while the vulnerable are being taken care of.
“For those receiving Conditional Cash Transfer monthly stipend, the President directed that they should be given two months pay and also ordered more food given to those in the IDPs camps,” Mohammed said. (NAN)
April 3, 2020
Kaduna Electric promises residents uninterrupted power supply
The Kaduna Electric on Friday reiterated its commitment to provide uninterrupted power supply to residents in its franchise states where measures were put in place to curb Coronavirus ( Covid19) pandemic.
The company’s chairman, board of directors, Alhaji Hamisu Abubakar, spoke while on a tour of some of the company’s injection substations and service centers in Kaduna.
He said that the company was in full support of the measures taken by the federal government and some state governments to curtail the spread of Covid-19.
The chairman said that the company would continue supplying uninterrupted power to assist residents cope with their stay indoors during the restriction period.
Abubakar promised that Kaduna Electric would provide adequate power to
all hospitals,water works, security organisations and other essential services to ensure that they discharge their duties effectively.
He urged the staff of the company to see their sacrifice as a duty to the entire residents of the company’s franchise state and humanity.
” In this difficult time, all Nigerians, particularly the business community, have a responsibility to come together and offer selfless service.
“Nigerians should adhere to the advice of health officials and government and ensure the relevant protocols to combat the spread of the virus”, he said.
Abubakar said that the company would continue to provide qualitative service to its customers beyond the lockdown. (NAN)
April 3, 2020
Covid-19: I can’t do giveaway now – Davido tells followers
Renowned Nigerian entertainer, David Adeleke, popularly known as “Davido”, has told his followers that he has no money to do ‘giveaway’ amid the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic lockdown, due to lack of show.
The singer stated this while responding to a follower (fan)@cythianthebread on his Twitter page, who tweeted, asking him “to do giveaway” just like other celebrities.
The ace singer responded by telling the fan that there were no shows in sight, adding that his source of income is limited.
“No money for now,.., no show insight abeg..we all dey here together!,” he wrote.
The music star also said he “never had N30 billion” while responding to another fan @olayinka, who asked him if he has finished spending his N30 billion.
According to the singer “even celebrities are not finding it easy in this period of Coronavirus pandemic”.
Some Nigerians on social media platform were looking to celebrities to help them out with money and food in this Coronavirus lockdown period.
This ‘giveaway’ gesture is now a trendy term on social media, which aimed at reducing the economic effect of COVID-19 pandemic on citizens.
Many Nigerian celebrities are now sending ‘giveaways’ in form of money or data to fans, so that they can stock up their homes with foodstuff as they observe the stay-at -home order.
Some celebrities who have been involved in the social media ‘giveaways’ spree included Peruzzi, Toyin Abraham, Yemi Alade, Don Jazzy and DJ Kaywise, among others. (NAN)
April 3, 2020
“Top Gun” movie sequel moved to December as Coronavirus hits home
The release of the much anticipated movie sequel to “Top Gun” has been moved to December, Paramount Pictures said on Thursday, the latest disruption in the movie industry caused by the coronavirus epidemic.
“Top Gun: Maverick,” starring Tom Cruise, was originally scheduled to open in movie theatres worldwide on June 24 more than 30 years after the original movie launched his career as a global action star.
The delay to Dec. 23 was the latest in a series of blockbuster movies that have been delayed, including the new James Bond film “Never Say Die” and Disney’s “Mulan,” because of the coronavirus that has closed movie theatres in the U.S. and much of Europe and Asia.
“Top Gun: Maverick,” picks up decades after the 1986 box-office hit and features actor Miles Teller as the son of Anthony Edwards’ pilot Goose, who is killed during a training exercise in the first movie.
Most of the big movies that make up the lucrative summer season in North America have been postponed.
But Hollywood studios are hopeful theatres will reopen and crowds will return in late summer.
Paramount said on Thursday that the animated “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run”, previously scheduled for a May release, would now open on July 31.
“Wonder Woman 1984” from Warner Bros has also been rescheduled from June to Aug. 14. (Reuters/NAN)
April 3, 2020
Entertainment: Warner Media to partner Nigeria’s Trending Media Africa
Warner Media, a leading media and entertainment company on Friday announced partnership with Nigeria’s Trending Media (TMA) to diversify both company’s stream.
Trending Media Africa (TMA) is one of Nigeria’s leading media sales representatives for satellite TV, radio and other related media platforms with a cumulative experience spanning over 50 years.
According to a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), this partnership would diversify Warner Media’s business streams and offer TMA clients, access to advertising solutions on several American blockbuster movie channels.
NAN reports that Warner Media is an American entertainment company that creates and distributes premium and popular content through its consumer brands including; HBO, Warner Bros, TNT, TBS, CNN, DC Entertainment, New Line, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and others.
Guillaume Coffin, VP Head of Commercial and Business Development Turner France, Africa & Israel while commending the partnership said it would offer clients more value.
“Our wide portfolio allows us to target a large array of segments from young adults to families, kids. We can, therefore, offer clients a fully integrated advertising offering on our channels.
“We know that clients are looking for fully integrated advertising packages which Warner Media is now able to do in Nigeria through our TMA partnership.
“With TMA’s expertise and its ability to bringing game-changing innovation coupled with trade marketing flair, we are convinced that with this new partnership, we will bring more value to clients.” he said.
Julius Osumah, Managing Partner, Operations at TMA also expressed the company’s excitement on the partnership, adding that it would help deliver best returns.
“We are excited to partner with the world’s leading media and entertainment giant.
“Nigeria is a vibrant market that holds a lot of growth potential for the brand, and, we will work closely with Warner Media to deliver the best returns.” he said.
“TMA is now representing Warner Media’s channels in Nigeria, giving clients access to a broader distribution with its kids’ channels and movie destination TNT, being available across DStv’s Family and Premium offerings.
“At the same time, Cartoon Network and TNT are accessible to GOtv subscribers on GOtv MAX and TNT also featuring on the GOtv Jolli package.
“Following the new partnership, Cartoon Network and Boomerang will be bringing more fresh content to their channels as well as exciting line-up with great blockbusters.” it read. (NAN)
April 3, 2020