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Bollywood actors attack as hypocrites over George Floyd’s death
Many Bollywood stars have been labelled “hypocrites” after speaking out against racism to lend support to global protests of George Floyd death while promoting products in India designed to make people’s skin lighter.
The actors were also called and accused of “cowardice” for their refusal to call out the attacks on India’s minorities, mainly Muslims, while protesting against the killing of George Floyd in the United States.
A series of A-list Bollywood actresses, including Priyanka Chopra, shared posts on social media to protest against the death of Floyd who died in police custody after a white officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.
“End this race war here in the US, and around the world. Wherever you live, whatever your circumstances, NO ONE deserves to die, especially at the hands of another because of their skin colour,” Chopra, 37, posted on Instagram.
People were quick to call her out on social media for previously promoting an “intense fairness moisturiser”.
They also pointed at her role in a 2008 Hindi film, Fashion, in which she is ashamed of having sex with a black man.
Source___BBC
Tanzania president announce country ‘coronavirus-free’
Tanzanian President John Magufuli announced the East African country “coronavirus-free” thanks to prayers by citizens.
John Magufuli says prayers and fasting by Tanzanian citizens is the reason for the country defeating the pandemic.
Coronavirus might have been spreading in China as early as August 2019, according to a Harvard Medical School research.
More than seven million people have now been confirmed to have the coronavirus with at least 406,900 dying from the disease, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The US, the UK and Brazil have recorded the highest death tolls. The US, Brazil and Russia have the most cases.
Source___Aljazeera
US singer Bonnie Pointer has died aged 69.
Bonnie and her sisters rose to fame as the Grammy award-winning Pointer Sisters, who were best known for the hits Jump (For My Love) and I’m So Excited.
“Our family is devastated,” her sister Anita told the Associated Press on Monday.
“On behalf of my siblings and I and the entire Pointer family, we ask for your prayers at this time.”
Her and sister June Pointer originally performed as a duet and were later joined by their sisters Anita and Ruth.
The Pointer Sisters became popular in the 1970s and won the first of their three Grammy Awards for the song Fairytale in 1975.
Bonnie later left to pursue a solo career two years later but the Pointer Sisters’ success continued into the 1980s and they were awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1994.
Beginning of this year, Anita and Bonnie Pointer released a single in memory of their sister June, who died in 2006.
Their sister Ruth is the only sibling still performing in the Pointer Sisters, joined by her daughter and granddaughter.
Source___BBC
George Floyd killer suspect Derek Chauvin has bail stand at $1.25m
The killer of unarmed black man George Floyd has made his first court appearance, where his bail was set at $1.25m (£1m).
Prosecutors cited the “severity of the charges” and public outrage as the reason for upping his bail from $1m.
Derek Chauvin faces charges of second-degree murder and manslaughter. Three other arresting officers are charged with aiding and abetting murder.
Mr Floyd’s death in May led to global protests and calls for police reform.
Meanwhile, mourners in Houston, Texas, where Mr Floyd lived before moving to Minneapolis, have been viewing his body, publicly on display for six hours at The Fountain of Praise church.
On Tuesday, a private funeral service will be held in Houston. Memorial services have already been held in Minneapolis and North Carolina, where Mr Floyd was born.
It is believed a family member escorted Mr Floyd’s body on a flight to Texas late on Saturday.
Democratic US presidential candidate Joe Biden met privately with Mr Floyd’s relatives in Houston to offer his condolences on Monday.
Source___BBC
Up to 1400 Boko Haram Terrorists Have Been Killed In The North East of Nigeria – Buratai
Higher than1400 Boko Haram terrorists have been neutralized in the NorthEast of Nigeria.
This is one of the several successes disclosed by the Nigerian military according to the Chief of army staff, Tukur Buratai.
The Army Chief who has been with the troops on the frontline spoke to State House correspondents after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja.
General Buratai make known his joy with the morale and performance of the troops insisting that the military is determined to rid all parts of the country of terrorism and banditry.
Source___Channels TV
Rockets Strike Baghdad Airport Near To US Soldiers
The Iraqi army said Monday a rocket had hit within the grounds of Baghdad airport, where US Soldiers are deployed, in another attack against American interests in Iraq.
While a wave of similar attacks that began in October has since eased, the latest strike came three days ahead of US-Iraqi talks as part of a “strategic dialogue” including on future military cooperation.
A security official told AFP that the attack caused “no casualties or damage”.
‘Baghdad International Airport is closed under coronavirus lockdown measures in Iraq, which has reported some 13,000 cases including 400 deaths from the disease.’
Monday’s rocket fire was the 29th such attack against American troops or diplomats since October.
None of the attacks have been claimed, but Washington has accused armed groups backed by its arch-enemy and Iraq’s neighbour, Iran.
The US withdrew its forces from Iraq in 2011, eight years after leading the invasion that toppled dictator Saddam Hussein and set off a bitter sectarian conflict.
Thousands of American soldiers were redeployed to the country from 2014 onwards as part of a coalition battling the Islamic State group.
Source___Channels TV
First Lady should not make known her assets — Cabinet tells CRC
President Barrow’s Cabinet had asked the Constitutional Review Commission to “delete” a provision of the draft which says that the spouse of the president made known all their assets.
As per the draft, the president shall (a) within three months of assuming office, disclose to the Anti-Corruption Commission – (i) all liabilities and business interests he or she has or that is held on his or her behalf; and (ii) all the assets, liabilities and business interests of his or her spouse held by or on behalf of the spouse…
Nonetheless in its position seen by The Standard, Cabinet noted: “While the government recognises the CRC’s noble objectives in this provision, the government is also of the view that it is unfair to subject spouses who are uninterested in politics or public office to be subjected to the same level of public scrutiny as their political spouses simply because of their association to the latter as a spouse.”
Cabinet said this has the wings to tamper the right to privacy of the president’s spouse… “on account only of their status as spouse of the seeker of public office”.
The Cabinet had also asked the Constitutional Review Commission to delete the clause which proscribes the president from supporting charitable means.
“The government is of the view that it is unreasonable to prevent a president from supporting charitable causes.”
It is not an uncommon practice around the world and The Gambia should not be exception, Cabinet stressed.
Nevertheless, none of these provisions has been deleted yet.
Source___Standard Newspaper
Lagos Send home 31 Recovered COVID-19 Patients
The toll of recovered persons infected with coronavirus (COVID-19) and discharged in Lagos State has exceeded the point of 1,000.
This follows the release of 31 more patients from various isolation centres in the state where they were treated for the disease.
The COVID-19 incident occurrence commander and state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, make known the new figures in a statement on Sunday.
Briefing an update on the disease, he revealed that 31 people comprising 25 males and six females were discharged from five treatment centres across the state.
These include the government isolation facilities in Onikan, Gbagada, Agidingbi, Lekki, and Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).
Source___Channels TV
Abia Governor in Nigeria Ikpeazu Tests Positive To COVID-19, Goes Into quarantine
The Abia State Governor in Nigeria, Okezie Ikpeazu, has tested positive to COVID-19, and has gone into quarantine.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information, Abia State, John Kalu on Monday.
The disclosure noted that Governor Ikpeazu had sent his sample for a COVID-19 test on May 30th and had directed members of the State Executive Council (EXCO) and the inter-ministerial committee on COVID-19 to do the same.
As per the statement, the Governor’s first test result returned negative on Tuesday, 2nd June 2020.
The Commissioner, however, said that the Abia leader did another COVID-19 test on Thursday, 4th, June 2020 with the sample returning positive.
“As a result,” the statement added, “Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has gone into isolation, as required by relevant NCDC protocols, and he is being managed by a competent team of medical practitioners with a view to nursing him back to good health.
“Consequent on the above, the Governor has directed his Deputy, Rt Hon Ude Oko Chukwu, to act on his behalf pending his full resumption of duties.”
Source__Channels TV
British man saved after six days of getting stuck in Bali well
A British man who fell into a well on the Indonesian island of Bali has been saved after six days.
Jacob Roberts, 29, crackhis leg after falling into the 4m-deep well in Pecatu village while being chased by a dog, said AFP quoting local authorities.
The well was dry but his leg bring broke made it unable to get out. Witnesses say there was a small amount of water in the well which likely kept him alive.
Mr Roberts’ cries for help were eventually heard by a local inhabitant.
The resident had been looking for cattle feed near the area, which was in an isolated part of the village, said news outlet the Bali Sun. He alerted the local authorities.
“He looked thin and injured,” South Kuta police chief Yusak Agustinus Sooai said of Mr Roberts’ condition when he was found on Saturday.
Local search and rescue chief Gede Darmada said Mr Roberts was lifted out of the well in a stretcher by three men, according to the local search and rescue agency, Basarnas Bali.
It is not clear whether Mr Roberts was an inhabitant or a tourist in Bali.
Source___BBC
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