AD-DICTION MEDIA CONCEPTS

  By: Agosu Omoleye Washington, United States: The United States on Monday eased its warning against travel to China, acknowledging that the nation had made progress against Covid-19 despite frequent US criticism of its pandemic role. The State Department still urges Americans to reconsider travel to China, but it upgraded its advice from a blanket warning not to go to the country. The People's Republic of China "has resumed most business operations (including daycares and schools)," the State Department said. "Other improved conditions have been reported within the PRC," it said. The State Department separately still cautioned US citizens about the risk of arbitrary arrest in China, including in Hong Kong as Beijing enforces a tough new security law. The updated travel advice comes a week after China declared victory over the virus as President Xi Jinping decorated medical professionals in a triumphant ceremony. China's propaganda machine has sought to refr...

By: Agosu Omoleye The federal government had banned international flights in March as parts of measures to check the spread of COVID-19. But on Thursday, Sani Aliyu, national coordinator of the presidential task force on COVID-19, asked the aviation authorities and airline operators to begin the process for the resumption of international flights. “For international travel, we have made recommendations to the aviation industry to commence the process for opening international airports provided all existing international and local prevention guidelines and COVID-19 are in place,” he said. Aliyu said passengers for international flights would arrive three hours before departure time. “We have modified the advice with the regards to arrival for flights: Passengers arriving at the airports for domestic flights advice to arrive at least one and a half hours before their flight, and three hours before international flights where these restart,” he said. Domestic flights resumed operation on ...

By: Agosu Omoleye Aviation Investigation Bureau (AIB) Reveals Why Vice President Osinbajo’s Helicopter Crashed during the last election campaigns. Osinbajo had departed Abuja on a chartered helicopter flight to Kabba in continuation of the family chats and next level engagements. Nigeria’s Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo’s helicopter crash on February 2, 2019 was caused by an inflight visibility restriction, the Accident Investigation Bureau has revealed. The Agusta Westland 139 chopper with registration number 5N-CML owned and operated by Caverton Helicopters Limited had crash-landed at Kabba Stadium. AIB Commissioner, Akin Olateru, said the crew of the flight, which took off from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport for Kogi, sighted the intended landing area – a football field – and “approached with the speed of 20 kt to about a 100 ft, and entered a hover to land”. Listing the causal factors, Olateru blamed the incident on misjudgment of distance by the crew members, inappropriat...

By: Agosu Omoleye The Minister for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, has been urged to open the Nigerian Airspace for airline operators, to avoid further economic meltdown ravaging the country. Speaking to with newsmen in Lagos on was the CEO, Aeroland Travels, Mr. Segun Adewale, who has tasked the Federal Government, to see reasons with operators and those in related businesses as regards why Airports across the country should be opened for both local and international operations. According to him, since the lockdown started in March due to COVID19, the Travel and Tours Idustry which has over 20,000 direct members and employees running into hundreds of thousands have not had it any good. He said, it was good that the government worked very hard to contain COVID-19 pandemic, which is a global phenomenon, but while the airspace was locked down, that, it did not inhibit private jets and chartered aircraft from moving in and out of Nigeria, which negates the need for a lockdown of our airspace in th...

By: Agosu Omoleye The late Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile, who was the first-ever female combat helicopter pilot in Nigeria, may have been murdered. This was contained in a statement issued by an arm Oodua People's Congress. Apapo O'odua Koya, (AOKOYA) in a statement has on Tuesday called on the International community to investigate her death. The group said the least it expects is an independent enquiry into the circumstances surrounding Arotile's death. "We have very strong reasons to assume that Tolulope Arotile was murdered. We are aware she had altercations with top military commanders before her death and some hated her to a tilt for her brilliance and exploit against Boko Haram and bandits " AOKOYA said in the statement signed by its officials, Captain Abigo Oritsebugbemi (rtd) and its Middle Belt Coordinator, Akeem Meduna. AOKOYA said the theory that Arotile died in a motor accident inside the Airforce base is not only fictitious but funny and doubtful. ...

By: Agosu Omoleye Don’t touch the screen!” warned an organiser as participants attempted to print their badges, via barcodes sent to their phones, at Dubai’s first “real life” business conference since the coronavirus shutdown hit in March 2020 The glitzy Emirate hosts dozens of conventions and world class events every year, from political events to technology and lifestyle forums, but for months the virus forced the lucrative sector to move from conference halls to computer screens. Now, 10 days after reopening its doors to tourists, the city that received more than 16.7 million visitors last year has also restarted its conference business, with an event focusing on the artificial intelligence industry. In a vast hall at the city’s World Trade Centre, until recently converted into a field hospital for coronavirus patients, was a full house on Thursday as hundreds of attendees at the AI Everything conference occupied rows of chairs spaced far apart under social distancing guidelines. O...

By: Agosu Omoleye     Arotile first female combatant Helicopter        Pilot  Air force’s first female combatant helicopter pilot dies — eight months after special recognition Eight months ago, Tolulope Arotile, the first female helicopter pilot in the history of the Nigerian Air Force, was decorated by Sadique Abubakar, chief of air staff. Arotile had just ended a programme at the Starlite International Training Academy, South Africa. While decorating her alongside Kafayat Sanni, the first female fighter pilot, Abubakar had said: “They are not only female officers but outstanding aviators. While one of the two pilots is the first female fighter pilot in the 55 years history of the NAF, the second one is the first female combatant helicopter pilot.” But less that a year after, Arotile was killed in an accident at the Nigerian Air Force base in Kaduna state. Arotile: She has embarked on a journey of no return. According to a statement, the deceased did ...

By: Praise Banwo (UK) England has unlocked travel to and from 59 countries by lifting quarantine requirements, but visitors from the United States will still be subject to restrictions, the UK government said. Officials have revealed a new "travel corridor" list, with travelers from 59 nations,  including France, Germany, Italy and Spain and 14 British Overseas Territories no longer having to self-isolate for 14 days on arrival. The list, which comes into effect on July 10, will open foreign travel to English holidaymakers after four months of lockdown, just in time for the peak travel period, provided there are no restrictions in place at the destinations. "The government is satisfied that it is now safe to ease these measures in England and has introduced travel corridors for some countries and territories," the UK's Department for Transport said Friday in a statement. "This applies to all travel to England, by train, ferry, coach, air or any other route,...

By: Agosu Omoleye Passengers planning to travel by air from Wednesday, July 8, upon flight resumption after the four months lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, should be prepareed to pay  double of their old fares. Virtually all airlines have increased their fares in a bid to abide by the social distancing protocol for all air travellers since they will not be flying in full capacity. Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, recently announced that domestic flights would resume on July 8 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja and Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos. The Kano, Port Harcourt, Owerri and Maiduguri airports would reopen on July 11, while other airports across the country will join on July 15. All the eight operating airlines, yesterday, expressed readiness to hit the airspace from next week, though not all were deemed ready by the NCAA. Findings by our crew revealed that virtually all airlines have jacked up their fares by at least 75 per cent ahead of the resu...