George Floyd : Floyd Mayweather offers to pay for funeral

Reports reaching us have it that retired boxing star, Floyd Mayweather Jr. has offered to pay for all the four funerals which have been planned for George Floyd.

The first media outlet to report the news was Hollywood Unlocked. On Monday, the CEO of the website, Jason Lee spoke about his private discussion with Mayweather on the matter.

We further confirmed that Mayweather offered to pay for the funeral services for Floyd in Houston, Minnesota and Charlotte, in addition to another that Floyd’s family hopes to hold at a yet-to-be-named location.

Last week, George Floyd died in Minneapolis after a police officer knelt on his kneck for what felt like ages.

The officer, Derek Chauvin has been arrested and charged with the murder of George Floyd. The tragedy has sparked protests and riots around the country, including the Los Angeles area.

Police wants Maryam Sanda's death sentence affirmed

The police in the Federal Capital Territory have urged the Court of Appeal in Abuja to affirm the death penalty imposed on Maryam Sanda, who was sentenced to death by the FCT High Court in Abuja for the murder of her husband, Bilyaminu Bello.

Justice Yusuf Halilu of the FCT High Court had held his judgment delivered on January 27, 2017 circumstantial evidence proved that Maryam “fatally” stabbed her husband to death in Abuja on November 19, 2017.

Maryam, a mother of two, had on February 19, 2020 filed 20-ground notice of appeal, praying for an order discharging, and acquitting her.

She contended that the judgment convicting her was tainted by bias and prejudices resulting in her being denied her right to fair hearing.

She also noted that her conviction was based on circumstantial evidence despite that there was reasonable doubt arising from the evidence of the witnesses in her favour.

But in their brief of argument filed in opposition to the appeal, the police maintained that contrary to the appellant’s contention, the trial judge properly evaluated the evidence in arriving at his judgment.

Police lawyer, Mr. James Idachaba, confirmed the filing of the brief of argument to our correspondent on Sunday.

He argued in the brief that setting aside the judgment would serve as an incentive to angry and unhappy spouses to take the life of their partners.

Idachaba maintained that affirming the judgment imposed by the judge would serve as deterrent to others who wished to commit the crime of culpable homicide.

He contended that Maryam was guilty of taking her husband’s life and was therefore deserving of the death penalty imposed on her by the judge.

NMA, resident doctors attack Abiodun over strike comment

On Monday, the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Ogun State chapter and the South-West caucus of the Association of Resident Doctors attacked the state governor, Dapo Abiodun, for berating doctors at the Olabisi Onabanjo Teaching Hospital, Sagamu.

The NMA said it was disappointed and ashamed of the governor for calling its members irresponsible for demanding their rights.

The NARD South-West stated its position in a statement by its leader, Dr Oiwoh Sebastine, to journalists in Abeokuta on Monday.

The NARD caucus comprising members in Ogun, Lagos, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states said the doctors’ demand was in line with international best practices needed for the care of the entire populace.

Abiodun was reported to have described the strike embarked upon by the Resident Doctors at the OOUTH, Sagamu, as irresponsible and politically motivated.

But the NMA on Monday expressed disappointment over the governor’s comment.

The NMA chairman, Ismail Lawal, said he was ashamed over the comment made by the governor.

He lamented that political leaders were fond of making doctors to beg for their rights. Lawal said, 

“I am ashamed and disappointed. It implies that we are already grooming a constituted authority in the state. At our level, I believe that any doctor who passed through medical school for a minimum of six years to get NBBS, that person should have something to offer.

It is unbecoming of political officers to see your asking for your rights as if they are doing you a favour.”

The NMA chairman urged the governor to implement the recommendations of a committee set up to look into the crisis at the OOUTH.

The NARD in its statement stated that without going pedestrian, the demand of the Ogun State doctors was not misplaced especially as the time of COVID-19 pandemic with Ogun State being one of the epicentres in Nigeria.

It added, “Surprisingly, owing to the outmost respect our members have for the seat of power in the state, our members had expected that His  Excellency, the governor of Ogun State will carefully holistically and needed pragmatism look into the demands devoid of any emotional blackmail

But the use of unprintable words by the governor is in the least unbefitting and unacceptable from the occupant of that exalted seat.’’

Kim K and Kanye West threaten ex bodyguard with lawsuit

Hollywood power couple, Kanye West and Kim Kardashian West have reportedly threatened their former bodyguard, Steve Stanulis with a 'cease and desist' letter.

They said that they will sue him if he continues making statements about the couple in the media.

As reported by TMZ, the West's 'cease and desist letter' alleged that Stanulis broke a confidentiality agreement he signed with the couple after he made explosive claims about Kanye West last month, claiming that the rapper made him stand yards away from him while protecting him.

Stanulis also claimed in the Podcast last month that Kanye had a meltdown on the first day he started working for him. 

He said, "Kanye was 'one of my least favorite people to work with over the course of time'".

According to documents obtained by TMZ, Kim, 39, and Kanye, 42, fired Stanulis in 2016, but Stanulis signed an agreement in February 2016 that prohibited him from speaking about any personal or business-related information about Kim and Kanye. 

TMZ reports that Kanye had already warned Stanulis in 2016 to avoid talking about him or his family.

Sex with someone you don't live with is now illegal - UK

UK citizens have been banned from having sex with anyone outside of their own household under new coronavirus lockdown legislation rolled out by the Government.

On Monday June 1, the UK government introduced new measures that ban people from socialising indoors with anyone not already in their household. The new regulation reads: 

‘No person may participate in a gathering which takes place in a public or private place indoors, and consists of two or more persons.’ .

Previously, anyone who goes inside another person’s home would be breaching the lockdown rules but now both persons could be prosecuted under the new amendment to the.

The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations 2020 bill, that was tabled before Parliament on Monday.

According to the new rules, only those with ‘reasonable excuses’ will be allowed to meet privately indoors, which does not include meeting up to have sex. Reasonable excuses include jogging or exercising for elite athletes, movement of vulnerable people and key or essential workers.

COVID-19 : Ondo State records 2 new deaths

Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State says that the state has recorded two new deaths of COVID-19, raising the number of fatalities to four in the state.

Akeredolu confirmed this on Monday on his twitter handle. According to him:

"Today, we recorded three new cases and unprecedented number of deaths from COVID-19 in Ondo state.

Two of the new cases passed on at University of Medical Science Teaching Hospital (UNIMED) in Ondo town this morning.

The 3rd case is currently at the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) in Akure undergoing treatment.” Akeredolu said.

The number of cases in the state has increased to 28 in all, as at June 1, 2020.

FG relaxes restrictions on churches, mosques

The Nigerian Government relaxed the restrictions on religious centres in the country today.

The restrictions were put in place as part of the measures to reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus in the country.

This was announced by Chairman of the presidential task force on covid19, Boss Mustapha.

“Relaxation of restrictions on places of Worship based on guidelines issued by the PTF and Protocols agreed by State Governments,” he said.

“Managed access to markets and locations of economic activity to limit the risk of transmission,” he said.

Anthony Joshua not interested in fighting Mike Tyson

Anthony Joshua is not interested in fighting Mike Tyson, if the former heavyweight champion does make a comeback. This is because he thinks no one would want to see him win.

Tyson, 53, is plotting a return to the ring after working hard in training, getting in fearsome shape and releasing some impressive videos hitting the pads.

Iron Mike has also got back in the limelight by appearing at AEW and getting involved in a brawl with wrestling legend Chris Jericho.

Whether the youngest world heavyweight champion in history does step between the ropes again or not is yet to be seen, but it will not be against AJ.

The current WBA, WBO, IBF, and IBO heavyweight champ cannot see the upside in fighting Tyson, with the fans not wanting to see him beat Iron Mike.

“With all due respect I wouldn’t,” Joshua told news reporters.

“Even if I fought Iron Mike and beat him, I think I’d be the only one cheering. People would boo. He is a legend. He is the greatest boxer of the modern era."

COVID-19 : Lagos records 4 new deaths

Four new deaths have been recorded in relation to coronavirus-related complications in Lagos State.

This was contained in the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control’s Situation Report 93 published today, Monday.

The four fatalities bring the total number of COVID-19 deaths in the state to 54.

The report noted that 14 COVID-19 deaths were recorded in eight states in the last 24 hours in Nigeria.

Part of the report read, “307 confirmed cases were reported in the last 24 hours in 15 states – Lagos (188), FCT (44), Ogun (19), Kaduna (14), Oyo (12), Bayelsa (9), Gombe (5), Delta (3), Kano (3), Bauchi (2), Imo (2), Niger (2), Rivers (2), Kwara (1) and Plateau (1).

No new state recorded a confirmed COVID-19 case in the last 24 hours.

The total number of states including FCT that have reported at least one confirmed case in Nigeria is still 36 (35 states + FCT).

One hundred and fifty-one (151) cases were discharged in the last 24 hours in eight (8) states – Lagos (59), Kano (40), Jigawa (26), FCT (9), Rivers (7), Bauchi (6), Ogun (3) and Delta (1).

14 deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours in eight (8) states – Lagos (4), FCT (2), Gombe (2), Kano (2), Bauchi (1), Delta (1), Kaduna (1) and Rivers (1).”

Banks get 2 week deadline on ATM complaints

The Central Bank of Nigeria has directed all banks to resolve all outstanding issues relating to failed Automated Teller Machine, Point of Sale terminal and other electronic banking transactions within two weeks, starting June 8, 2020.

It also revised timelines for reversals and resolution of refund complaints on electronic channels.

A statement signed by the Director, Corporate Communication, CBN, Isaac Okorafor, said this was to further enhance service quality, particularly quick refunds when customers experience failed transactions, dispense errors or disputes in the banks.

The CBN stated, “All banks are directed to resolve backlog of all ATM, PoS and web customer refunds within two weeks starting June 8, 2020.”

It also said, “Failed ‘On-Us’ ATM transactions (when customers use their cards on their bank’s ATMs) shall be instantly reversed from the current timeline of three days.

Where instant reversal fails due to any technical issue or system glitch, the timeline for manual reversal shall not exceed 24 hours.

Refunds for failed ‘Not-on-Us’ ATM transactions (where customers use their cards on other banks’ ATMs) shall not exceed 48 hours from the current three to five days.

Resolution of disputed/failed PoS or Web transactions shall be concluded within 72 hours from the current five days."

It added that key service providers in the Nigerian payments system had committed to establish an integrated dispute resolution platform for the industry and enhance their payment system infrastructure and processes to reduce incidents of transaction failure.

“Members of the public are therefore requested to refer to the updated guidelines for the operation of electronic payment channels on the bank’s website,” it stated.