BBC
NCDC: Nigeria records 13 cases of UK coronavirus variant
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said it has found six more cases of the B.1.1.7 COVID-19 variant in the country. This brings the total number of people who have tested positive to the variant in Nigeria to 13. The B.1.1.7 COVID-19 variant was first detected in the United Kingdom and has since spread to other parts of the world. The Director-General of NCDC, Chikwe Iheakwazu, while speaking at the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 briefing on Monday, said the six new cases were detected in Lagos State by scientists at the Africa Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), at the Redeemers University in Ede, Osun State. “Last week we detected six additional samples of the B.1.1.7 variants in Lagos state,” Mr Ihekweazu said. “We already have five c...
The Serpent: How to Steal Monique’s Sultry and Bohemian ’70s Style
BBC’s new true-crime series The Serpent takes us on a journey of glamour, seduction, and murder. It follows the story of ’70s French serial killer Charles Sobhraj (played by Tahar Rahim) who goes by the name “Alain” and his menacing partner-in-crime girlfriend Marie-Andrée Leclerc (played by Jenna Coleman) who goes by “Monique.” While the pair prey on Western tourists traveling in Southeast Asia, Monique uses her charm and fashion sense to lure in unsuspecting victims — and although we absolutely condemn her predatory behaviour, we know exactly how to copy her sultry French-bohemian style. In the 1970s, the ideal fashion look included flared, high-waisted blue jeans or trousers secured with a wide belt. Oversize sunglasses were also very popular, as well...
UK needs tighter coronavirus rules to avert catastrophe – epidemiologist
Britain’s government needs to bring in tighter coronavirus lockdown rules to avert a fresh wave of deaths from a new strain of the disease, a leading epidemiologist and government adviser warns. Britain reported 41,385 new COVID cases on Monday, the highest number since testing became widely available in the middle of 2020, and English hospitals say they have more COVID patients than during the first wave of the pandemic in April. “We are entering a very dangerous new phase of the pandemic, and we’re going to need decisive early national action to prevent a catastrophe in January and February,” said Andrew Hayward, professor of infectious disease epidemiology at University College London, on Tuesday. More than 71,000 people in Britain have died within 28 days of a positive test for the dis...
His Dark Materials Renewed For Third and Final Season
Although season 2 doesn’t wrap up until next week, HBO and BBC have a third and final season for His Dark Materials. The TV adaptation of Philip Pullman’s beloved book trilogy has already covered The Golden Compass and The Subtle Knife, so season three will correspond with the events in The Amber Spyglass, thus bringing the fantasy-drama epic to a close. Production is set to begin in Cardiff, Wales in March 2021. According to Deadline, season two only consisted of seven episodes due to COVID-19 restrictions, but season three will take eight episodes to tell the conclusion of Lyra (Dafne Keen) and Will’s (Amir Wilson) journey. The series is produced by Bad Wolf in association with New Line Cinema for BBC One and HBO, with Pullman himself involved in New Line’s rost...
Governor Oyetola: Yoruba believe in unity of Nigeria
The Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, on Saturday said the Yoruba people are a nation of hospitable, accommodating and warm people who believe in the oneness of Nigeria. Oyetola, who fielded questions from international media organisations: BBC, Voice of America, DW News and Radio France, during the 29th edition of Owu International Conference, also lauded the Yoruba race for the role it is playing in fostering peace and unity in the nation. Commenting on the theme of the conference: “Harmony in Owu polity: A recipe for national unity,” Oyetola described the Yoruba race as a believer in the harmony and oneness of the nation, adding that the migration of other tribes to their territories and settlements is not an issue because they are accommodating and hospitable. Oyetola also comme...
BBC Radiophonic Workshop Pioneers Will Use Internet Latency to Create Music
“We had the bright idea of using latency to make a loop of music.” BBC‘s Radiophonic Workshop is the team behind the iconic themes from Doctor Who and The Hitchhiker’s Guide To the Galaxy as well as the storied Beatles song “Carnival of Light,” which was never released and remains in the possession of Paul McCartney. Now, the Radiophonic Workshop seeks to make history once again. They’ll hold a special livestreamed performance of “Latency,” a virtual performance inspired by Zoom meetings that uses latency to create musical loops and improvised performances. The brains behind the “Latency” concept, Bob Earland and Paddy Kingsland, were inspired by the struggle of playing in synchronicity during ...
Star-Studded BBC Charity Single ‘Stop Crying Your Heart Out’ Is Racing to No. 1 In U.K.
One of the most star-stacked pop songs of the year — or any year — is on track for the U.K. No. 1. The likes of Cher, Kylie Minogue, Robbie Williams, Mel C, Bryan Adams, Lenny Kravitz and Nile Rodgers performed on the BBC Children In Need single “Stop Crying Your Heart Out,” an Oasis cover which dropped last Friday (Nov. 13). Based on sales and streams over the weekend, the BBC Radio 2 Allstars number leads the way and is on course to become the eighth Children In Need single to reach No. 1, the Official Charts Company reports. {“nid”:”9483617″,”type”:”post”,”title”:”BBC\u2019s All-Star Charity Single \u2018Stop Crying Your Heart Out\u2019 Is Here: Stream It Now”,”relative_path”:”\/article...
BBC’s All-Star Charity Single ‘Stop Crying Your Heart Out’ Is Here: Stream It Now
Wipe away those tears, the year’s glitteriest all-star collaboration has arrived. The likes of Cher, Kylie Minogue, Mel C, Lenny Kravitz and Robbie Williams appear on the 2020 charity single for BBC Children in Need, a new cover of Oasis’ “Stop Crying Your Heart Out,” with a backing track featuring the BBC Concert Orchestra and Anoushka Shankar on sitar. {“nid”:”9481923″,”type”:”post”,”title”:”Cher, Kylie Minogue, Mel C, Lenny Kravitz Cover 'Stop Crying Your Heart Out' For BBC Children in Need”,”relative_path”:”\/articles\/columns\/pop\/9481923\/cher-kylie-minogue-bbc-children-in-need-charity-single\/”,”media”:{“width”:1548,”height”:1024...
#EndSARS: ICC begins probe into shooting of protesters
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has disclosed that it’s conducting a preliminary investigation into the recent #EndSARS protests in Nigeria, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reported on Wednesday. In a statement, the office of the ICC prosecutor had earlier said it had received information on alleged crimes. The examination will “assess whether the legal criteria for opening an investigation under the Rome Statute are met.” For weeks crowds of peaceful protesters gathered in streets in major towns of the country to demonstrate against police brutality, leading to a crackdown. Rights group Amnesty International said security forces opened fire on protesters, killing and injuring a number of people. Both the police and the army have rejected Amnesty’s allegation. The ICC sai...
Shawn Mendes Tapped For BBC’s Children In Need Appeal Show
The 22-year-old is on a streak. His first three studio albums all hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, and in the U.K., his last two LPs peaked at No. 3. This year’s Children In Need show will be hosted by Mel Giedroyc, Alex Scott, Stephen Mangan and Chris Ramsey, and includes appearances by celebrated British soul singer Beverley Knight, and the cast of West End musical Six. During the lockdown earlier in the year, Children In Need and Comic Relief joined forces to create The Big Night In. The event raised more than £67,100,000 ($87 million) for good causes and featured the premiere of the video for Radio 1’s Stay Home Live Lounge charity single, an all-star cover of Foo Fighters‘ “Times Like These.” The track went straight in at No. 1 on the Official Singles...
BBC exposes European pyramid scam exploiting Africans, others
A new investigation by BBC Africa Eye has uncovered a global pyramid scam, run from Europe, that is using smartphones to cheat ordinary people across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Crowd1 describes itself as “the fastest growing crowd marketing company in the world” and produces social media videos which show members buying new cars and enjoying luxury holidays. Using nothing but a smartphone, Crowd1 claims, you can become a millionaire by promoting and selling a series of exciting digital products to your network. These claims have persuaded thousands of people across Africa to hand over the 99 Euros that buys an entry-level membership to Crowd1. But a six-month investigation by BBC Africa Eye reveals that, behind the slick marketing, Crowd1 is peddling a range of bogus products and fal...
European Union backs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for WTO role
The European Union has endorsed former Nigerian finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the next director-general of the World Trade Organisation, Bloomberg reported. The business news outlet cited anonymous officials familiar with the matter that all the 27 EU member countries agreed on Monday in Brussels to support Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala. Bloomberg also reported that the United States has decided to back Yoo Myung-hee, South Korea’s trade minister, for the role. The position has been fiercely contested amongst candidates of different countries since Roberto Azevedo resigned in August. Last month, Okonjo-Iweala and Myung-hee were selected as the last two candidates in the contest. The EU’s endorsement is seen as a significant boost for Okonjo-Iweala’s candidacy, with the final winner expected...
