US President-elect Joe Biden has named ex-Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen as his nominee for treasury secretary.
If confirmed by the Senate, she would be the first woman ever to hold the post.
She was among several women chosen for top economic positions. The Biden transition team said others were set to break racial barriers if confirmed.
Mr Biden has pledged to build a diverse administration. He earlier appointed an all-female senior press team.
Mr Biden’s transition team said his picks for senior economic roles would help “lift America out of the current economic downturn and build back better”.
Mr Biden has also announced the formation of a Presidential Inaugural Committee ahead of his swearing-in on 20 January. The committee will be responsible for organising inauguration-related activities.
The 74-year-old economist has served as head of America’s central bank and as a top economics adviser to former President Bill Clinton.
She is credited with helping steer the economic recovery after the 2007 financial crisis and ensuing recession.
As chair of the US Federal Reserve, Ms Yellen was known for focusing more attention on the impact of the bank’s policies on workers and the costs of America’s rising inequality.
Donald Trump bucked Washington tradition when he opted not to appoint Ms Yellen to a second four-year term at the Fed. Starting with Bill Clinton in the 1990s, presidents kept on bank leaders appointed by their predecessors in an effort to de-politicise the bank.
Since leaving the bank in 2018, Ms Yellen has spoken out about climate change and the need for Washington to do more to shield the US economy from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
In a tweet following Monday’s announcement, Ms Yellen said: “We face great challenges as a country right now. To recover, we must restore the American dream – a society where each person can rise to their potential and dream even bigger for their children.
“As Treasury Secretary, I will work every day towards rebuilding that dream for all.”
Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity has disclosed that the farmers slaughtered by Boko Haram terrorists on Saturday didn’t have military clearance to be on the farm.
This he stated on Monday during an interview with the BBC where he spoke about the unfortunate incident in which terrorists on Saturday, mercilessly killed not less than 43 farmers in the Zabarmari area of Borno State, about 20km away from Maiduguri the state capital.
Shehu in a reaction to the sad incident noted that while most of the area has been liberated from the insurgents, the military needs to give clearance/approval before farmers can return to their farms or locals resettle in the area. He however noted that the farmers killed on Saturday didn’t have military clearance to be on the farms.
Asked if it was not a case of blaming the farmers for their own death, the presidential spokesperson said the victims are not been blamed but the truth must be said.
In his words, “The government is sad that this tragic incident has happened. 43 or thereabout of innocent farm workers, most of them had their throats slit by a heartless band of terrorists. People need to know what it is like in the Lake Chad Basin area.
Mallam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity has disclosed that the farmers slaughtered by Boko Haram terrorists on Saturday didn’t have military clearance to be on the farm.
This he stated on Monday during an interview with the BBC where he spoke about the unfortunate incident in which terrorists on Saturday, mercilessly killed not less than 43 farmers in the Zabarmari area of Borno State, about 20km away from Maiduguri the state capital.
Shehu in a reaction to the sad incident noted that while most of the area has been liberated from the insurgents, the military needs to give clearance/approval before farmers can return to their farms or locals resettle in the area.
“Much of those areas have been liberated from Boko Haram terrorists but there are a number of spaces that have not been cleared for the return of villagers who have been displaced. So, ideally, all of these places ought to pass the test of military clearances before farmers or settlers resume activities on those fields.”
He added that before the people can return to such places, lots of military clearance needs to be done to make it habitable again for civilians. The military is not present in every inch of space in that area. Even if the people are willing to go back, a lot of those areas have been mined and mine clearance needs to be carried out and those areas must be cast as being ok for human habitation or agricultural activity,” he said.
Meanwhile, Nigerians have renewed their calls for President Buhari to sack the current service chiefs and bring in fresh hands to tackle the growing insecurity in the country.
More than 43 people have been killed in what the Nigerian president has described as an “insane” attack in north-east Nigeria on Saturday.
The attackers tied up agricultural labourers working in rice fields and slit their throats near Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state, reports say.
This is one of the worst attacks in recent months in a region where the Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa insurgent groups are active.
No-one has yet claimed responsibility.
“I condemn the killing of our hard-working farmers by terrorists in Borno state. The entire country is hurt by these senseless killings. My thoughts are with their families in this time of grief. May their souls rest in peace,” said President Muhammadu Buhari.
“We have recovered 43 dead bodies, all of them slaughtered, along with six others with serious injuries,” a local militiaman who helped the survivors told the AFP news agency.
More bodies were reportedly found later – but the exact number of the victims was not immediately known.
Reports also say about 15 women were kidnapped.
The victims were labourers from Sokoto state in north-western Nigeria, roughly 1,000 km (600 miles) away, who had travelled to the north-east to find work, another militiaman told AFP.
image captionThe victims were buried on Sunday, with the state’s governor in attendance
The governor of Borno state, Babagana Zulum, attended the victims’ funerals on Sunday.
“It is disheartening that more than 40 citizens were slaughtered while they were working in their farmlands,” he told journalists.
“Our people are in very difficult situations, they are in two different extreme conditions: in one side, [if] they stay at home, they may be killed by hunger and starvation; on the other, they go out to their farmlands and risk getting killed by the insurgents. This is very sad.”
He called on the federal government to recruit more soldiers and members of other security forces to protect farmers in the region.
Correspondents say farmers have previously been attacked by militants of the Islamist group Boko Haram, who suspect them of passing on information to the military.
Last month, Boko Haram fighters killed 22 farmers working on irrigation fields in two separate incidents.
On Sunday, six soldiers were reportedly killed in a jihadist ambush near the town of Baga in Borno State, says the BBC’s Chris Ewokor, in Abuja.
The soldiers were on their way to the area to boost security at a food distribution depot for people displaced by the conflict.
Despite regional efforts to end Boko Haram’s campaign of violence, the group has stepped up its attacks in recent months.
The Nigerian government has repeatedly claimed that the Islamist militant groups have been technically defeated, correspondents say.
President Buhari, who five years ago asserted that Boko Haram had been defeated, said he had given all the support needed to the armed forces to protect Nigeria’s population.
But the Nigerian military has been unable to quell the insurgency affecting the region, in which tens of thousands have been killed or abducted.
Wilton Gregory: Pope appoints first African American cardinal
image captionWilton Gregory (right) is the first African American appointed as a cardinal
Pope Francis has appointed 13 new cardinals, including the first African American man to hold the role.
Wilton Gregory was installed at a ceremony in the Vatican, with participants donning face masks and some appearing via video link.
The 72-year-old Archbishop of Washington DC was announced as one of the new cardinals last month.
The red-robed cardinals are the most senior clergymen in the Roman Catholic Church after the Pope himself.
Their role includes electing the pope – the head of the Church – who is chosen from among them at a secret gathering known as a conclave.
As four of the new intake are over the age of 80, they will not be allowed to vote at a future conclave under Church rules.
The nine new cardinals who will be eligible to vote – aside from US citizen Wilton Gregory – come from Italy, Malta, Rwanda, the Philippines, Chile, Brunei and Mexico.
The ceremony, known as a consistory, was slimmed down due to the coronavirus. Everyone present wore a mask except for Pope Francis, and each new cardinal removed their face covering when they bent down before the pontiff to be invested.
Biocritical information about Wilton Gregory
An ordained priest since the age of 25, he became Washington’s archbishop in May 2019. He replaced Cardinal Donald Wuerl, who resigned amid criticism of his handling of abuse cases.
In the US, Cardinal Gregory has been a prominent voice in the effort to root out abuse within the Church. As president of the US bishops’ conference, he persuaded Church leaders to adopt tougher penalties for abusers in 2002.
Cardinal Gregory has been critical of President Donald Trump over his use of rhetoric and visits to religious sites.
The visit came in June, a day after the president had ordered the dispersal of peaceful protesters near the White House.
The archbishop said St John Paul II “certainly would not condone the use of tear gas and other deterrents to silence, scatter or intimidate [protesters] for a photo opportunity in front of a place of worship and peace”.
Some conservative Catholics criticised him for the remarks
Tony Hsieh, the former CEO of online shoe and clothing retailer Zappos.com, has died after a house fire in the US state of Connecticut.
Mr Hsieh, 46, who had been on a family visit at the time, only recently retired after 20 years leading Zappos, acquired by Amazon for more than $1bn.
He also played a key part in the restoration of central Las Vegas.
Tributes poured in on social media. Zappos said that the world had “lost a tremendous visionary”.
Tony Hsieh also wrote the book Delivering Happiness, which set out his philosophy of focusing on both customer and employee care.
A statement from, DTP Companies, the company Mr Hsieh invested in to transform downtown Las Vegas, said he was with his family when he died on Friday. Details of his injuries and the cause of death have not been released.
“Tony’s kindness and generosity touched the lives of everyone around him, and forever brightened the world,” the statement said.
This is the time to overhaul your car If you must travel with it for Christmas holidays. A thorough examination is necessarye to ensure it (your ride) is in good condition before travelling with it.
Essential Tips and Guidelines
1) Flush your radiator water and add Radiator coolant to avoid overheating.
2) Inspect your Camber Bushing Robbers at the front. They determine the stability of your steering.
3) Flush your break fluid and ensure your break Master and Servo are in good condition for active breaking system 4) Ensure that your Tyres have not expired. From the manufacturers date . You shall see 0216. This means 02nd week of 2016. Tyres expires after 4yrs.
5) Any time you enter porthole and your car seems to loose balance then your shock absorber is most likely to be bad. If there is Oil around your shock Absorber. Its likely to have gone bad. Or If your Mechanics after pressing It in, it does not come out slowly, then it needs replacement. But if it comes out very fast, they must have tampered with It by adding much air into it.
6) Asymco Break pad is known to be the best break pad but it does not come as break shoes.
7) When on speed and your Bonnet seems to vibrate, then you need to do wheel alignment but if the steering shakes, then you need wheel balancing.
8) If your car is missing fire then do the following: A) change the plugs B) A plug coil might not be in good condition so replace it. C) Replace your Fuel pump filter D) Service your injectors and Nozzles using Abro Chock spray. Those who sell the injector know how to do it.
9) When driving and suddenly you notice that your steering has gone one side, it’s a sign that one of your back tyres is too low.
10) Finally, as you drive and you notice your automatic gear does not change very easily. Then you need to service your gearbox oil filter. You also need to replace the gearbox oil with the right specification. It is written on the dipstick. I wish you the best.
France: Tear gas fired as protesters rally against police security bill
Protesters are rallying across France against a bill that would make it a criminal offence to film or take photos of police with malevolent intent.
Opponents say it undermines press freedom to document police brutality, but the government says it will protect officers.
In Paris, police used tear gas after protesters threw fireworks at them.
Earlier this week footage emerged of three white policemen racially abusing and beating a black music producer.
The images, which show Michel Zecler being kicked and punched at his Paris studio, have shocked the nation.
President Emmanuel Macron described the incident as “unacceptable” and “shameful”.
He demanded quick proposals from the government aimed at rebuilding trust between police and citizens.
The officers seen in the video have since been suspended and are under investigation.
Separately, the government has ordered police to provide a full report after they violently dismantled a makeshift migrant camp in Paris earlier this week, clashing with migrants and activists.
What’s the latest from Saturday’s protests?
Dozens of mass rallies are being staged across France.
image captionIn Paris, crowds gathered at the Place de la République in the heart of the capital
In Paris, thousands of people gathered at the Place de la République in the heart of the capital.
“This bill aims to undermine the freedom of the press, the freedom to inform and be informed, the freedom of expression,” protest organisers were quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.
Trade union members were expected to join the rallies, as well as people from the yellow vest movement which has staged anti-government protests in recent years.
Why is the proposed bill controversial?
The bill was backed last week by the lower house of parliament, and is now awaiting senate approval.
Article 24 of the proposed legislation makes it a criminal offence to publish images of on-duty police officers with the intent of harming their “physical or psychological integrity”.
image captionProtesters in Paris hold slogans that read Journalists under arrest (left) and Smile, you’re being filmed
It says offenders could face to up to a year in prison and be fined €45,000 (£40,445; $53,840).
The government argues that the bill does not jeopardise the rights of the media and ordinary citizens to report police abuses – and is only aimed at giving protection to police officers.
But opponents say that without such images, none of the incidents which took place over the past week would have come to light.
In the face of growing public criticism, Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Friday he would appoint a commission.
image captionThe chief executive of Hong Kong had promised to be humble and to listen to the people
Carrie Lam, a skilled bureaucrat handpicked by Beijing to lead Hong Kong, has become one of the most divisive figures in the politically turbulent city.
The chief executive sparked months of protests last year after proposing a law that would have allowed extraditions to mainland China.
She warned protesters not to push Hong Kong into an “abyss” as the rallies grew into a mass democracy movement even after the bill was withdrawn.
The city’s first female leader went on to back the controversial national security law imposed on Hong Kong by Beijing in June.
A long-serving civil servant
Ms Lam, a Roman Catholic, was born into a working-class family in Hong Kong.
The 63-year-old is often described as a “workaholic”, regularly sleeping just three or four hours a night.
She began her career in the civil service, joining as a fresh graduate from the University of Hong Kong in 1980.
Two years later she was sent to the University of Cambridge to study for a diploma in Development Studies. It’s here she also met her future husband, the mathematician Lam Siu-por.
In 2004, Ms Lam was appointed as Director-General of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London, a top role representing the city in the UK.
She returned to Hong Kong in 2006 and climbed up the ranks as an unassuming bureaucrat, known for her strong work ethic and drive.
The following year Ms Lam gave up her British nationality in order to serve as secretary for development.
Her husband and two children retained their British passports. Ms Lam’s husband resides in the UK along with one of their sons. The other lives in mainland China.
The first female leader
The former civil servant was sworn into office as chief executive by Chinese President Xi Jinping on 1 July 2017, the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to Beijing.
In her acceptance speech she said: “Hong Kong, our home is suffering from quite a serious divisiveness and has accumulated a lot of frustrations. My priority will be to heal the divide.”
But her election was controversial in Hong Kong where the chief executive is not directly elected but chosen by a committee of 1,200 people who are said to represent the city.
She was the candidate favoured by Beijing and won with a total of 777 votes, a number that became one of her nicknames.
Political crisis
Ms Lam’s time in office has been marred by the controversial extradition bill she proposed in 2019.
She argued it was necessary to protect the city against criminals. But many in the territory feared the law could be used to target political opponents of the Chinese state.
The bill triggered months of sometimes violent protests that grew into a broader movement for democracy including universal suffrage, a demand that was at the heart of the city’s earlier 2014 Umbrella Movement.
Ms Lam became a lightening rod for the demonstrations with many calling for her resignation.
In a leaked audio recording of a private meeting last September she was heard blaming herself for igniting the political crisis and telling business leaders she would quit if she could. She later denied ever offering to resign.
Even after the chief executive eventually withdrew the bill the protests continued, petering out earlier this year as the coronavirus pandemic took hold.
image captionA protester trying to extinguish a fire at a university during some of the most intense clashes seen last year
Shortly after, Beijing proposed a controversial security law for Hong Kong that was swiftly imposed by June.
Protesters decried the legislation, calling it the “end of Hong Kong”, and with it Ms Lam who they view as “China’s puppet”.
The law also triggered criticism from countries including the US and UK for eroding the freedoms guaranteed to Hong Kong when it was returned to China in 1997.
But Ms Lam has defended the legislation, saying it was not all “doom and gloom”.
“Compared with the national security laws of other countries, it is a rather mild law,” she has said. “Its scope is not as broad as that in other countries and even China
The sanctions on Ms Lam and other officials were in response to China’s new security law for Hong Kong.
Her revelation has prompted social media quips about how the government manages to transport the leader’s generous salary to her home.
In an interview broadcast on Friday night, she said she was “using cash every day for all the things”.
“Sitting in front of you is a chief executive of the Hong Kong SAR (Special Administrative Region) who has no banking service made available to her,” she told local English TV channel HKIBC.
“I have piles of cash at home, the government is paying me cash for my salary,” she added.
She also added that it was “very honourable” to be “unjustifiably sanctioned” by the US government.
She is said to be one of the highest paid leaders in the world
Mohsen Fakhrizadeh: Iran vows to avenge scientist’s assassination
Iran’s president has blamed Israel for the killing of a top nuclear scientist on Friday, and said it would not slow down the country’s nuclear programme.
Hassan Rouhani also said Iran would retaliate over Mohsen Fakhrizadeh’s killing at a time of its choosing.
Fakhrizadeh was killed in an ambush on his car by gunmen in the town of Absard, east of the capital Tehran.
Israel has not commented, but it has previously accused him of being behind a covert nuclear weapons programme.
Fakhrizadeh was Iran’s most renowned nuclear scientist, who headed the ministry of defence’s research and innovation organisation.
His killing threatens to escalate tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme with the US and its close ally Israel.
How has Iran reacted?
President Rouhani said his country would respond “in due course” but that Fakhrizadeh’s killing would not push Iran into making hasty decisions, in televised comments on Saturday.
“Iran’s enemies should know that the people of Iran and officials are braver than to leave this criminal act unanswered,” he said in a televised cabinet meeting.
“In due time, they will answer for this crime,” he added.
In an earlier statement, the president accused the “the mercenaries of the oppressive Zionist regime” – referring to Israel – of being behind the attack.
image captionMohsen Fakhrizadeh, pictured in an undated photo, was head of the ministry of defence’s research and innovation organisation
“The assassination of martyr Fakhrizadeh shows our enemies’ despair and the depth of their hatred… His martyrdom will not slow down our achievements.”
There has been no comment from Israel on the killing. The New York Times quotes three US officials, including two intelligence officials, as saying Israel was behind the attack.
Fakhrizadeh’s name was specifically mentioned in Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s presentation about Iran’s nuclear programme in April 2018.
Hossein Dehghan, military adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, vowed to “strike” the perpetrators like thunder.
Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called on the international community to “condemn this act of state terror
Despite video evidence that so many protesters were killed, Brigadier-General Taiwo, who has been representing the army at the sitting of the Judicial Panel of Inquiry set up by the Lagos State Government to unravel the mystery behind the incident, claimed no one was killed.
The Nigerian Army Council has approved the promotion of 421 senior officers from various ranks to the next higher rank.
Those promoted include 39 Brigadier-Generals to Major-Generals, 97 Colonels to Brigadier Generals, 105 Lieutenant-Colonels to Colonels and 180 Majors to Lieutenant-Colonels.
Among the Brigadier-Generals promoted to the rank of Major-General is Ahmed Ibrahim Taiwo, Commander of 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, the unit of the army that sent troops to Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos on the evening of October 20, 2020 to disperse peaceful protesters.
Nigerian Army Commander, Brigadier-General Ahmed Ibrahim Taiwo, Who Claimed No Killing Occurred At Lekki Toll Gate Despite Evidence Is Son Of Late Colonel Behind Killing Of Over 700 Civilians In 1967 Asaba Massacre0 Comments3 Days Ago
Despite video evidence that so many protesters were killed, Brigadier-General Taiwo, who has been representing the army at the sitting of the Judicial Panel of Inquiry set up by the Lagos State Government to unravel the mystery behind the incident, claimed no one was killed.
He has also given at least seven inconsistent accounts of what truly transpired at the Lekki Toll Gate that fateful night.
The most recent of his narrative came last Saturday when Taiwo told the panel that soldiers deployed to the scene led by Col. S.O. Bello, Commanding Officer of 65 Battalion, and Brig.-Gen. F.O. Omata actually went there with live ammunition – a claim totally in contrast with his earlier position on the issue.
He, however, said the live ammunition was for backup purpose and not used by soldiers deployed to the scene.
Taiwo is son of a former military governor of Kwara State, Colonel Ibrahim Taiwo, famous for the massacre of over 700 persons in Asaba, Delta State, during the Civil War.
Scotland has become the first country to allow free and universal access to menstrual products, including tampons and pads, in public facilities, a landmark victory for the global movement against period poverty.
The Scottish Parliament voted unanimously in favor of the Period Products bill on Tuesday, months after lawmakers had initially signaled their support.
It means period products will be available to access in public buildings including schools and universities across Scotland. According to the new rules, it will be up to local authorities and education providers to ensure the products are available free of charge.
“The campaign has been backed by a wide coalition, including trades unions, women’s organisations and charities,” Monica Lennon, the lawmaker who introduced the bill last year, said ahead of the vote. “Scotland will not be the last country to make period poverty history.” After the vote, Lennon said the decision was “a signal to the world that free universal access to period products can be achieved.”
The bill’s accompanying financial memorandum estimates it could cost around £8.7 million a year by 2022, depending on the number of women who will take advantage of the free products. In a document supporting the legislation, Lennon said it was reasonable to expect 20% uptake of the scheme given the fact that official inequality statistics show that nearly 20% of women in Scotland live in relative poverty.
The new law was praised by a number of equality and women’s rights groups as well as politicians from across the parties represented in the Scottish Parliament.
“Proud to vote for this groundbreaking legislation, making Scotland the first country in the world to provide free period products for all who need them. An important policy for women and girls,” Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on her official Twitter page after the vote. One in 10 girls in the United Kingdom have been unable to afford period products, according to a 2017 survey from Plan International UK. The survey also found that nearly half of all girls aged 14 to 21 are embarrassed by their periods, while about half had missed an entire day of school because of them.
Scotland’s move follows a string of recent attempts to tackle period poverty in the country. In 2018, the government announced thatstudents in schools, colleges and universities across the countries would be able to access sanitary products for free, through a £5.2 million investment. In 2019, it allocated another £4 million to make period products available for free in libraries and recreational centers. England last year also launched an initiative to provide free sanitary products in schools, and New Zealand did the same earlier this year.
Halima Aden quits runway modelling over religious views
image captionHalima Aden at Milan Fashion Week
American model Halima Aden says she is quitting runway modelling as it compromises her religious beliefs.
The 23-year-old has appeared on the cover of British Vogue, Vogue Arabia and Allure.
Writing on Instagram, she said the coronavirus pandemic had given her time to stop and think about what her values are as a Muslim woman.
“Being a ‘hijabi’ is truly a journey with lots of highs and lows,” she said.
Talking about accepting modelling jobs that went against her religious views, she said: “I can only blame myself for caring more about opportunity than what was actually at stake.”
She added that problems came from there being a “lack of Muslim women stylists” within the industry who could understand why wearing a hijab was so important.
She’s received support online from model sisters Bella and Gigi Hadid and also from Rihanna.
Halima was born in a Kenyan refugee camp to Somali parents before moving to America aged six.
She was spotted by international modelling agency IMG Models at 18 while appearing in the Miss Minnesota USA pageant as a semi-finalist.
She was the first woman to wear a hijab in the pageant and soon became known for bringing a modest dress code to the world’s most famous fashion week shows.
She’s gone on to star in campaigns for Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty and Kanye West’s Yeezy brand.
image captionHalima, seen here modelling for Tommy Hilfiger, made her runway debut at 19 at New York Fashion Week
In her Instagram Stories, she praised Rihanna for letting her wear the hijab she wore to set.
She says she’s compromised her religion many times as part of her job – including missing prayer times set out in the Islamic faith or agreeing to model without a hijab on, using another item of clothing to cover her head.
She added that she had “sobbed” in her hotel room after shooting some campaigns over not speaking up about what she thought was right.
“The truth is I was very uncomfortable,” she wrote on Instagram.
“This just ain’t me,” she added.
In February this year, she told the BBC: “Modesty is not for one culture, it is not for one group of women. Modesty is the oldest fashion staple.
“It has been around since the beginning of time. It is going to be around for another 100 years. It’s an option, just another option for people to participate in.”
Rescue operations are under way in northern Zimbabwe, where dozens of illegal miners are believed to be trapped underground after the collapse of an old mine shaft.
Mining without the proper permits has been on the rise in the gold-rich country due to high levels of joblessness and the Covid-19 lockdown.
The authorities say at least six people have already been rescued, and more than 20 others could still be trapped.
Accidents caused by explosions and flooding are common in illegal mining, which is often carried out under dangerous conditions and with little regard for safety standards.
Zimbabwe is rich in minerals such as platinum, diamonds and gold. Small-scale miners account for over half of the gold produced in the country.
Huge crowds of fans have gathered at Argentina’s presidential palace, as they seek to pay their final respects to football legend Diego Maradona.
Three days of national mourning have begun after the national hero died of a heart attack on Wednesday aged 60.
Many people wept, blew kisses or said prayers as they filed past the footballer’s coffin.
But there were tense scenes outside as police pushed back large numbers of people still queuing to get in.
Maradona’s coffin – draped in Argentina’s national flag and football shirt, bearing his trademark number 10 on the back – was expected to be on public display until Thursday afternoon ahead of a procession through the streets of Buenos Aires.
But by mid-afternoon queues stretched back for more than a kilometre, and police clashed with mourners as they tried to close off the palace in anticipation of the wake.
There were reports of tear gas being used as officers in riot gear struggled to hold back the crowd.
Later the authorities extended access to the casket for a few more hours. After that the motorised funeral cortege is due to set out for the Bella Vista cemetery on the outskirts of the city.
Maradona’s family and former teammates took part in a private ceremony earlier in the day.
One of the greatest football players of all time, Maradona had a troubled personal life marked by cocaine and alcohol addiction. He had successful surgery on a brain blood clot earlier in November and was to be treated for alcohol dependency.
Local media said the preliminary results of an autopsy showed Maradona had suffered “acute heart failure”. A spokesman told AFP news agency he would be laid to rest in a cemetery on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, where his parents were also buried.
image captionPolice struggled to control the crowds as they queued to see the coffinimage captionSome fans clapped, others wept, as they filed past Maradona’s coffin
The former Argentina attacking midfielder and manager died at his home in Tigre, near Buenos Aires. The last person to see Maradona alive was his nephew Johnny Esposito, according to statements gathered by officials.
Maradona is survived by five children and his former wife, 58-year-old Claudia Villafane, who he split with in 2004 after 20 years of marriage.https://emp.bbc.com/emp/SMPj/2.36.6/iframe.htmlmedia captionWatch all of Maradona’s World Cup goals
Maradona, who played for clubs including Barcelona and Napoli, was captain when Argentina won the 1986 World Cup, scoring the famous “Hand of God” goal against England in the quarter-finals.
To score the goal, Maradona used his hand to deflect the ball past England goalkeeper Peter Shilton, but the referee did not see it. It was one of the most controversial World Cup moments ever.
Former Tottenham midfielder Ossie Ardiles, who played alongside Maradona at the 1982 World Cup, said he was “a god” in Argentina, in Naples and all around the world.
Fans mourn ‘eternal’ giant
The death has triggered an outpouring of grief in Argentina and across the world. At 22:00 on Wednesday (01:00 GMT) – an hour chosen to match the number on his shirt – stadiums across Argentina switched on their floodlights to honour his memory.
Fans flocked to La Bombonera, Boca Juniors’ stadium in Buenos Aires, where many were in tears. One fan of the star’s former club had tears in his eyes as he explained how much Maradona meant to him.
“Maradona for me is the greatest thing that happened to me in life. I love him as much as my father and it’s like my old man died,” Cristian Montelli, 22, told Reuters news agency.
“If I die young, hopefully upstairs I can play ball and watch a Boca game with him.”
Football legend Diego Maradona, one of the greatest players of all time, has died at the age of 60.
The former Argentina attacking midfielder and manager suffered a heart attack at his Buenos Aires home.
He had successful surgery on a brain blood clot earlier in November and was to be treated for alcohol dependency.
Maradona was captain when Argentina won the 1986 World Cup, scoring the famous ‘Hand of God’ goal against England in the quarter-finals.
In a statement on social media, the Argentine Football Association expressed “its deepest sorrow for the death of our legend”, adding: “You will always be in our hearts.”
Declaring three days of national mourning, Alberto Fernandez, the president of Argentina, said: “You took us to the top of the world. You made us immensely happy. You were the greatest of them all.
“Thank you for having existed, Diego. We’re going to miss you all our lives.”
Maradona played for Barcelona and Napoli during his club career, winning two Serie A titles with the Italian side.
He scored 34 goals in 91 appearances for Argentina, representing them in four World Cups.
Maradona led his country to the 1990 final in Italy, where they were beaten by West Germany, before captaining them again in the United States in 1994, but was sent home after failing a drugs test for ephedrine.
During the second half of his career, Maradona struggled with cocaine addiction and was banned for 15 months after testing positive for the drug in 1991.
He retired from professional football in 1997, on his 37th birthday, during his second stint at Argentine giants Boca Juniors.
Having briefly managed two sides in Argentina during his playing career, Maradona was appointed head coach of the national team in 2008 and left after the 2010 World Cup, where his side were beaten by Germany in the quarter-finals.
He subsequently managed teams in the United Arab Emirates and Mexico and was in charge of Gimnasia y Esgrima in Argentina’s top flight at the time of his death.
Diego Maradona was inspirational as captain when Argentina won the World Cup in 1986
Football world pays tribute
Brazil legend Pele led tributes to Maradona, issuing a brief statement which read: “One day we’ll kick a ball together in the sky above.”
Former England striker and Match of the Day host Gary Lineker said: “By some distance the best player of my generation and arguably the greatest of all time. After a blessed but troubled life, hopefully he’ll finally find some comfort in the hands of God
Garba had dragged Dorsey to court for endorsing and supporting the recent #EndSARS protest in Nigeria.
Former presidential aspirant, Adamu Garba, has absented himself from court in a suit against Twitter Chief Executive Officer, Jack Dorsey.
Garba had dragged Dorsey to court for endorsing and supporting the recent #EndSARS protest in Nigeria.
Tope Akinyode, a lawyer, who joined the suit to defend Twitter, revealed that both Garba and his lawyer were not in court, forcing the judge to adjourn the case.
BREAKING: I was at the Federal High Court today to defend Adamu Garba’a lawsuit against @jack and @Twitter. However, @adamugarba & his lawyers failed to show up in Court without given reasons & the Court has now adjourned case to 22nd April, 2021.
Announcing his joining of the suit against Twitter and its CEO, Akinyode said, “I’ve filed court processes to challenge @adamugarba’s lawsuit against @jack and @Twitter. Jack’s support for Nigeria’s cause is commendable. We’ll protect our freedom of expression and resist the move to ban Twitter in Nigeria.”
In the notice of joinder filed in the case, Adamu Garba v. The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and nine others, Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1391/2020 and sighted by SaharaReporters, Akinyode said he was an avid user of the online microblogging platform, Twitter, adding that it had been a significant avenue for him and other Nigerians to air their opinions and exercise their freedom of expression.
The lawyer said his tweets and that of many other Nigerians have formed a bedrock of public discourses, which have shaped and are still shaping government decisions.
Garba had instituted a $1bn lawsuit against Twitter and its founder, Dorsey, at the Federal High Court Abuja, over his role in the #EndSARS protests, which had led to violence across the country, resulting in the destruction of properties and loss of lives.
Jack was accused of actively supporting the funding of the #EndSARS protests across the nation as disclosed by Adamu Garba through a series of tweet posted on his official Twitter handle on Tuesday, October 20, 2020.
The motion on notice was brought pursuant to order II Rules 1, 2, 3 of the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules, 2009 and Sections 34(1), 35(1) and 41(1), and 43 of the 1999 constitution.
Coronavirus: How Europeans are preparing for Christmas and New Year
image captionTravel restrictions will be lifted over Christmas in France
For months now, coronavirus restrictions have dictated where millions of Europeans can travel to and who they can see when they get there.
So with Christmas fast approaching, governments are having to make tough decisions on whether to ease restrictions in time for the holiday period.
Here’s a breakdown of what’s been announced so far.
Italy: Warnings against festive holidays
Many Italians head to the ski slopes over Christmas and New Year, but Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has warned against these traditional breaks. “We cannot afford it,” he said.
It means popular ski resorts in the Alps and Dolomites are likely to lose out on billions of euros in festive revenue.
Mr Conte is looking for a European consensus, on keeping the ski resorts shut and on other measures too.
image captionSki resorts are bracing to lose revenue over the festive period
“I think it is a European problem,” Mr Conte told La7 television. “If Italy decided to shut down all its ski lifts without any support from France, Austria and the other countries, then Italian tourists would risk going abroad and bringing the [virus] back home.” France’s ski resorts will also stay shut and the leader in the German state of Bavaria backs temporary closures, but Austrian tourism officials believe they can offer safe holidays once restrictions are eased on 7 December and they disapprove of the Italian plan. Swiss resorts are already open.
Italy is currently seeing the highest number of deaths since the end of March and the prime minister has told Italians to expect a “more sober Christmas, without Christmas Eve gatherings, hugs and kisses”.
Many Italian regions are under partial lockdown and travel between them is restricted. These measures will remain in place until 3 December, but reports suggest an emergency decree may see the rules relaxed after this date.
The exact details of the decree are still being discussed by ministers. The beloved Italian Christmas market, however, has already been banned.
But it’s not all bad news: Mr Conte has reassured children that Babbo Natale (Father Christmas) will definitely be visiting as he is exempt from global travel restrictions. Phew.
France: Travel restrictions lifted over Christmas
After weeks of national lockdown, President Emmanuel Macron has restrictions will start being eased from 28 November. But the majority of lockdown measures will stay in place until just ahead of the festive break on 15 December.
Shops, theatres and cinemas will reopen in time for Christmas and people will be able to visit their families over the festive period. “We will be able to travel without authorisation, including between regions,” Mr Macron said in a TV address.
It’s worth noting that France has been under a second national lockdown since late October. But on 15 December, this will be replaced by a nationwide curfew from 21:00 to 07:00. The curfew won’t apply on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, however.
image captionThe usual decorations have illuminated Paris and other cities despite the lockdown
Restaurants and schools will not reopen until at least 20 January, and this is dependent on daily cases dropping below 5,000. Bars, cafes and nightclubs are closed indefinitely.
Religious services will be free to take place from 28 November with a limit of 30 people.
The decision to keep France’s hugely popular ski resorts shut has come as a huge disappointment, with local mayors complaining of months of work wiped out. Mr Macron said they could reopen in January “under favourable conditions” but echoed the Italian prime minister’s push for a European agreement.
Germany: A cap on social gatherings
Draft guidelines agreed by the leaders of Germany’s 16 states aim to limit social gatherings over Christmas, and are set to be formalised after a video conference with Angela Merkel later on Wednesday.
From 1 December, two households and a maximum of five people will be able to meet. Children aged under 14 are not included in this limit.
But there could be a temporary easing of the rule with up to 10 people able to meet between 23 December and 1 January. The limit of two households may also be increased.
The plan calls for discussions “with religious communities on measures to reduce contacts at religious services”.
image captionMost major Christmas markets in Germany have been cancelled
Germany’s “lockdown light” would continue until 20 December. Bars, restaurants and entertainment venues are closed but schools and shops are open. This is expected to be extended over the festive period.
Most major Christmas markets have already been cancelled, but some local ones are outlining plans to go ahead on a reduced scale.
As for New Year, fireworks displays have been cancelled while letting them off in the street is likely to be discouraged.
Spain: Terrace parties and limited gatherings
The Spanish government is planning a “different” festive period with a limit of six people allowed at parties, reports say.
It is set to recommend that social gatherings in the run-up to Christmas be held on restaurant terraces or other outdoor locations.
Spanish families also traditionally celebrate the Feast of the Three Kings with a parade on the evening on 5 January and the government will recommend that celebrations do not take place.
The plan also recommends ventilating indoor spaces and maintaining social distancing where necessary. But more broadly, Health Minister Salvador Illa has said “nothing is set in stone”.
“We need to find consensus about [Christmas restrictions]. When it’s decided we will announce the measures,” he said.
Catalonia’s government is hoping to allow gatherings of up to 10 people for Christmas. “We will make our own decisions,” a spokeswoman for the region said.
While in Madrid, officials are asking the government to approve a mass testing programme at pharmacies in the run-up to Christmas to allow people to meet safely over the festive period
Meghan and Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, had their first child, Archie, on 6 May 2019.
Meghan wrote that “loss and pain have plagued every one of us in 2020”.
She said in a morning in July this year, she felt a “sharp cramp” and hours later, from a hospital bed, watched “my husband’s heart break as he tried to hold the shattered pieces of mine”.
Meghan, 39, shared her experience to urge people to “commit to asking others, ‘are you OK?'” over the Thanksgiving holiday in the US.
The duke and duchess moved to California to live away from the media spotlight, after stepping back as senior royals in January.
“Losing a child means carrying an almost unbearable grief, experienced by many but talked about by few,” the duchess wrote in her article.
“In the pain of our loss, my husband and I discovered that in a room of 100 women, 10 to 20 of them will have suffered from miscarriage.
“Yet despite the staggering commonality of this pain, the conversation remains taboo, riddled with (unwarranted) shame, and perpetuating a cycle of solitary mourning.
“Some have bravely shared their stories; they have opened the door, knowing that when one person speaks truth, it gives license for all of us to do the same.”
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