(Reuters) - Alphabet Inc's (GOOGL.O) Google said on Monday its first 5G-enabled phones, Pixel 4a (5G) and Pixel 5, will be available this fall at a starting price of $499.

The company also cut the starting price for its smartphone lineup with a non-5G version of 4a priced at $349, looking to broaden its appeal to budget-conscious customers.

Google's lower-priced devices have been top sellers, but are far from being major profit drivers. Higher-priced devices have gained little traction versus those from industry leaders such as Samsung Electronics Co (005930.KS) and Apple Inc (AAPL.O) because of limited marketing and stiff competition.

The 5G models will be available in the United States, Canada, UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Japan, Taiwan and Australia, Google said.

India has donated essential medicines worth 50 million dollars to African countries as part of the country’s collaboration with Africa to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

The High Commissioner of India to Nigeria, Mr. Abhay Thakur, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Abuja after he donated some items to the Federal Government.

The Government of India had on Friday donated seven tonnes of a consignment of essential medicines, including hydroxychloroquine and medicine, including antibiotics to Nigeria.

The seven tonnes of consignments (586 cartoons) were received by the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, on behalf of the Federal Government.

The envoy said it would be very difficult to put a cost on the items donated, noting: “I will say for the whole of Africa, our donation is more than 50 million dollars.

“I am talking about the whole of Africa.”

Thakur said India would be willing to collaborate with Nigeria on the production of the COVID-19 vaccine, as the country had made some progress in the development of the vaccine.

He said “there are many centres in India where serious work and research is happening; there are institutions that are working across India to produce the vaccine.

“One of the most promising ones is developed by one of the institutions and has already gone into the first phase of testing; we hope phase two will start soon.

“We hope to hear encouraging news about the COVID-19 vaccine on the forthcoming India independence day, which is on Aug. 15.”

The envoy said India would continue to support Nigeria in building the capacity of its human resources as it continued to offer e-ITEC training ( Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation).

“We are offering short online webinars on COVID-19 management and research; there are about 10 programmes; we are working together and we will continue to do so.

“So far, 14 Nigerian medical professionals have benefited from online courses on COVID-19 management strategies in Africa.

“Our focus now is on the capacity building but we can expand to research. I will take this message home and encourage some of our researchers to work with Nigeria on medical research.’’

He expressed optimism that the measures taken by the two countries had helped to manage the spread of COVID-19.

“In fact, I will like to mention here what President Muhammadu Buhari said in his speech in early May that India had taken strong measures and very strong lockdown measures to curb the virus.

“The exchange of experience is very important and we look to each other in combating this pandemic.

India had been enjoying longstanding, multifaceted, friendly relations and deep-rooted bilateral relations with Nigeria since it established its Diplomatic House in Lagos in November 1958, two years before Nigeria became independent on Oct. 1, 1960.


NAN


Vanguard.

Says resumption will be in phases.

Recommends distance learning, satellite centres, online teachings, learning, others.

Also recommends staggered classes, attendance of pupils, students

To fumigate schools, restructure classes in line with social distancing guideline

Train teachers on hygiene, other safety measures


THE Federal Government, Monday, released guidelines ahead of the resumption of schools at every level in the country, but it failed to disclose when schools will resume.

The guidelines for the safe reopening of schools and learning facilities after the COVID-19 pandemic outlined actions, measures, and requirements needed for the safe reopening of schools.

The safe distancing measures in the new guidelines require that in schools and other learning facilities, learners should be supported to stay two meters apart.

“However, there are exceptions where the two meter rule cannot be reasonably applied and other risk mitigation strategies may be adopted. Examples include early years, younger primary school children, and those with additional needs,” the document read.

It added: “In these circumstances, risk assessments must be undertaken with the best interests of the learners, teachers, and other education personnel in mind.

“The scenarios require organising learners and children into small groups with consistent membership and compliance with the risk mitigation strategies. The membership of these groups should not change unless the NCDC public health guideline suggests otherwise. "

With the release of the document, the government will conduct a rapid assessment and determine the funding requirement for upgrading infrastructure and facilities (such as classrooms, furniture, WASH, and ICT facilities) to meet and sustain prescribed safe school reopening requirements.

The Federal Ministry of Education, in the guidelines it developed in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment, the Federal Ministry of Health and health safety experts, said it was time for it to plan and address the eventual safe reopening of schools and learning facilities.

It will be recalled that at the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria, schools and all learning facilities were closed in order to safeguard the health and general wellbeing of children, youths, teachers, and educational personnel.

Notable among the items in the guidelines are recommendations for the review of existing policies, practices, and risk mitigation strategies in the use of schools for other purposes, such as distance learning centres, temporary shelters, isolation, quarantine and treatment centres, markets, voting centres, among others.

The government, while noting that, “COVID-19 pandemic poses an enormous risk to the health and safety of learners, teachers, parents, school administrators, education practitioners, and the wider community”, regretted that, “More than 1.5 billion children and young people globally have been affected by school and university closures.

“As a responsible government, it is also our duty to provide comprehensive guidelines for a safe and hitch-free reopening of schools and learning facilities. We do so knowing that the health, safety, and security of learners,

teachers, education personnel, and families are priorities,” the government said in a guideline signed by the Ministers of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu and Hon Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba.

The guidelines dealt extensively on equitable plans for school reopening and operations.

The document focuses on attendance, social distancing, hygiene, cleaning, and non-pharmaceutical interventions for safe and healthy school activities and programmes.

Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, explained that the need to develop the guidelines became imperative, “Given that COVID-19 may be with us for a while. ”

He said the guidelines also highlight the urgent need to maintain and improve upon distance-learning programmes.

“Our aim is to identify and strengthen programmes that will guarantee the recovery of learning gaps resulting from the pandemic,” Adamu said, adding that “The guidelines were drafted in close coordination with health, environmental, education, and school safety experts who were tasked with the responsibility of charting a pathway for safely reopening our schools and learning facilities for quality teaching and learning. "


The approach, according to him, ensured that stakeholders provided regular feedback throughout the process.

“The Federal Ministry of Education expresses gratitude to the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19, the Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and the Education in Emergencies

Working Group in Nigeria (EiEWGN) for their support and contribution to the development of the guidelines.”

While noting that, “Collaboration and partnerships are also a key focus of this document”, Adamu “thank the various stakeholders who have pledged their support and assistance toward the implementation of the guidelines.”

olawalepopoola:
I am also trying to start blogs too with diverse interest.
Please can you give clue to getting money from it.
I am already learning how to design websites with HTML and CSS

timekeeper1:
Never......

Only God, me and gtb knows my balance

thariodamaniac:
Say who die.... You don't know who is whispering into their ears except me and my partner are in the same biz... Highest I can do is joint account where I can be feeding in house keeping money.... Because if i put it in her account and i ask for account statement it will be a problem....
Yes i will ask for account statement because i monitor and record finances at month end...

vhuqnl:
lol. people are going to Abuja sef.

andyguy2k1:
You can travel if u really want to, from Ibadan, find ur way to challenge by the filling station, there are vehicles mainly sienna cars loading from there to Ibadan on daily basis.
On your way back to Ibadan, join them at toll gate or Berger. These parks only operate very early in d morning, 6am to 6.30am.

Olude193:


So that you will go report to authorities


No be una dey complain say people are moving upandan

Rhemzie:

A developer, webpreneur.

Hypekolo:
Will you leave schooling permanently for 25million naira? Is it worth your education?
Remember education is key.

Rhemzie:
Seun is not a blogger mind you

ProfAmaben:
Very possible

Donmoscojaja:
if you know what you doing you can earn up to $12k plus monthly, its not the blog....but you

Lawsimon:
I have two friends who are experienced bloggers - more than 2 years in the field. Both earn in six digits every month. In fact, one earns 400k + every month, though it fluctuates from time to time. I have seen his dashboard with my eyes no be hear say.

I'm just a newbie; my blog is a few months old: www.educommander.com so I've not started earning yet. I hope to start earning from June by God's grace.

Yes, one can earn reasonable income from blogging, if you know your onions.