Nigerian doctor fined nearly $1m for cutting trees in US

The Oakland City Council has ordered Nigerian doctor Matthew Bernard and his partner Lynn Warner to pay nearly $1 million for cutting down protected trees around their property. The sanction follows years of disputes with city authorities over unlawful tree removal. Bernard defended his decision by stating that the trees were in poor condition, but the city imposed a fine of $915,135.40 and placed a lien on the property.