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Showing posts from March, 2020

BREAKING NEWS: STATE OF THE NATION

Boys want into the town to see those wicked and cruel women selling food items at exorbitant price at Ubeji, Warrior (Delta State). Unfortunately for this Carri seller, she was selling Carri of N750 for N1500 and the boys threw everything away on the ground. They were upset with what they saw at the market.

PEP GUARDIOLA AND LIONEL MESSI DONATE €1,000,000 EACH TO HELP FIGHT COVID-19

Manchester City football manager Pep Guardiola alongside Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi have each contributed a whooping €1million to help Spain and Argentina in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. According to Spanish media reports, Guardiola sent the money (equivalent to his monthly wage at Manchester City) to Barcelona Medical College and the Angel Soler Daniel foundation, a foundation named after a doctor from Santpedor, the town in Barcelona Guardiola hails from.  Guardiola made the financial pledge on Tuesday following an appeal by the foundation over the weekend as the Spanish government declared a state of emergency on Saturday in a bid to quell the coronavirus pandemic. Messi, the World's 2019 footballer of the year, made his own contribution after taking part in several campaigns to raise awareness over the past week, highlighting the importance of staying at home and washing hands to avoid the virus from spreading.  According to Catalan newspaper

ASK CUBAN GOVERNMENT FOR HELP IN FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19 - FALANA

Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked the federal government to seek help on how to combat the coronavirus outbreak in the country from the Cuban government . According to reports, since the outbreak of the virus, 59 countries are reportedly receiving medical assistance from Cuba. In a letter addressed to Minister of Health Osagie Ehanire, Falana stated that Cuban medical professionals set a record in Africa when they helped fight ebola virus disease (EVD) in 2017.  He also disclosed that a Cuban drug known as ‘Recombinant Human Interferon Alpha 2B’ developed has so far proved to be the most effective weapon against COVID-19. Falana wrote;   “We have confirmed that the Cuban drug known as ‘Recombinant Human Interferon Alpha 2B’ developed by Cuba has so far proved to be the most effective weapon against COVID-19. Apart from the Chinese Government which has  chosen ‘Interfron Alpha 2B’ as one of the drugs for combating COVID-19 the Italian Government has adopted

DEATH, PAIN AND ANXIETY IN ITALY'S HOSPITALS

Italian doctors and a nurse take us to their busy hospitals, which are overwhelmed with patients on the brink of death. A medical worker treats COVID-19 patients in an ICU at the Oglio Po hospital in Cremona, Italy [Flavio Lo Scalzo/Reuters] Names marked with an asterisk* have been changed to protect identities. Turin, Italy -  It is 5am and Annalisa Baldi is about to start her shift in a COVID-19 ward at the Cremona hospital, southeast of Milan, in Lombardy. Wearing her usual uniform and a surgical mask, the 34-year-old nurse heads to the dressing area to prepare. She thoroughly washes her hands with special sanitiser and puts a protective suit on top of her clothing. She pulls on a pair of gloves. "Until the end of my shift, these gloves become my skin," Baldi told Al Jazeera. "I wash and disinfect them any time I can. I also add more layers of gloves throughout the day." Two masks - one for her own protection and the other to shield the patie

GUNMEN STORM SIKH RELIGIOUS COMPLEX IN KABUL, MANY FEARED TRAPPED

ISIL armed group claims responsibility for the attack on Sikh temple as Afghan forces locked in battle with attackers. Gunmen and suicide bombers have stormed a Sikh religious complex in the Afghan capital Kabul and were locked in a continuing battle with security forces, the Ministry of Interior has said. Security forces cordoned off the area, located in old Kabul, and were trying to counter the attack, which began at 7:45am local time, Ministry of Interior spokesman Tariq Arian said in a message to journalists.

HUBEI LIFTS RESTRICTIONS AS CHINA RREPORTS NO NEW COVID-19 CASES

People wearing face masks queue up outside to buy tickets at the railway station in Macheng, in China’s central Hubei province. Photo: AFP China lifted tough restrictions on the province at the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak on Wednesday after a months-long lockdown as the country reported no new domestic cases. But there were another 47 imported infections from overseas, the National Health Commission said, as the number of cases brought into the country continued to swell. In total, 474 imported infections have been diagnosed in China — mostly Chinese nationals returning home according to the foreign ministry. Four more people died, health officials said Wednesday, three in central Hubei province where the virus first emerged late last year. China announced on Tuesday that the lockdown would be lifted on more than 50 million people in Hubei, with residents now allowed to leave if healthy, with some airports and train stations, opening. The city of Wuhan — the ini

COVID-19: N/ASSEMBLY SHUTS DOWN, SAYS NO LAWMAKER TESTED POSITIVE

Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker of the House of Representatives. The two chambers of the National Assembly yesterday suspended legislative activities for two weeks following the spread of the deadly coronavirus disease. Senate President Ahmad Lawan announced the suspension after the Red Chamber emerged from an about one-hour executive session. He, however, said the Red Chamber would be on hand to attend to emergency issues. He said, “The Senate further resolves to adjourn sitting for two weeks from today due to the pandemic of coronavirus ravaging the entire world. The Senate resumes on the 7th of April.” He urged the federal government to devote special fund to fight the coronavirus pandemic. Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has asked its members to remain in Abuja throughout the two weeks period.  The Green Chamber’s resolution to suspend sitting followed a motion by its speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila and nine others.  Similarly, the House also passed the Eco

AS WE BATTLE CORONAVIRUS, WE MUST NEVER LOSE TRACK OF BOKO HARAM WAR - ATIKU

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said Nigeria must not lose sight of its war against Boko Haram, even as the nation battles the novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Atiku disclosed this in a tweet on his verified Twitter handle on Tuesday Night. He said,  “The ambush and killing of scores of  our gallant soldiers  by terrorists in Gorgi Village, Borno State is a reminder that even as we are focused on the battle against coronavirus, we must never lose track of the Boko Haram war.” Atiku, who was the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2019 Presidential elections said his thoughts and prayers are with the fallen. On Tuesday, there were conflicting reports regarding the latest killing of soldiers in Borno State. However, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) confirmed that not less than 47 soldiers were killed by members of the Boko Haram terrorist group. The Director of Defence Information, Major General John Enenche, who disclosed this during

MY PLANS FOR ONDO STATE- CHIEF ADETULA

Chief Olubukola Adetula, a lawyer, is a governorship aspirant of the All Progress Congress (APC) for the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Ondo state. In this exclusive interview, the former Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the entire United States of America speaks on topical issues. Excerpts: Can you tell us what led you into politics having worked as a lawyer in the United States of America for many years? Well, I was born into a family of politics. My late father, Chief Z.O.K. Adetula popularly known as ZOKA of Owo, was a political strong man here in Ondo state for many years. With that kind of father, it became very easy for me to find myself in politics. I learnt from him, the ability to be able to identify the difficulties of people around me and find solutions to them. There are some leaders that just do what they like to do and expect people to follow them but that is not the essence of leadership. As a leader, you should be able to listen to people

CORONAVIRUS: ORTOM TO ADDRESS BENUE PEOPLE ON JOINT RADIO PROGRAMME TOMORROW

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, will on Wednesday 25th Match, 2020, feature on a live radio programme to address the people of the state on the Coronavirus pandemic. During the address according to a statement signed by CPS Terver Akase last night, the governor will enumerate the efforts the State Government is making to prevent the disease from spreading to the state. The programme which is to last between 8am and 10am will originate from the studios of Radio Benue (95.0 FM and MW 918 KHz). It will be broadcast simultaneously on the following stations: 2. Ashi Waves 99.9 FM Katsina Ala 3. Choice 93.3 FM Oju 4. Harvest 103.5 FM Makurdi 5. Joy 96.5 FM Otukpo 6. ASKiNG RADiO and ASKiNG RADiO Tiv 7. Sun Rays 103.1 FM Korinya City. Governor Ortom will be accompanied on the programme by the Chairman of the State Emergency Response Committee on Coronavirus and Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Sunday Ongbabo, as well as Commissioner for Informat

CORONAVIRUS: AKURE MONARCH SUSPENDS PALACE ACTIVITIES INDEFINITELY

In a bid to prevent the deadly Coronavirus from spreading in Akure area of Ondo state, the Akure paramount ruler, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi, Odundun II, has suspended all palace activities indefinitely. This was contained in a press statement signed by the monarch’s spokesperson, Mr. Adeyeye Michael, and made available to Nigerian Concord this morning. According to the statement, the suspension of all palace activities in Akure is to strictly adhere to the directives of the state government. The statement reads: “The Deji and Paramount Ruler of Akure Kingdom, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi, Odundun II, has observed with utmost interest, the rising wave of the coronavirus across the world. “His Majesty wishes to appreciate the timely intervention of the Ondo State Governor at stemming the tide of a possible spread of the virus to Ondo State. Though, all the reported cases in Ondo State had tested negative, the efforts of the governor in ensuring a disease-free

COVID-19: REPS MAY RECONVENE TO CONSIDER DOWNWARD REVIEW OF N10.59TRN 2020 BUDGET

Indications emerged on Tuesday that the House of Representatives may reconvene to consider President Muhammadu Buhari’s request for downward review of the N10.59 trillion for the 2020 fiscal year, just as it passed the Emergency Economic Stimulus bill which seeks to cushion the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the citizenry. 9 JATraffic  recalls that the Minister of Finance had last Wednesday announced Federal Government’s decision to cut the budget by N1.5 trillion to N9.9 trillion amidst slide in the crude oil price at the international market. Hon. Gbajabiamila who stated this ahead of the debate on the Emergency Economic Stimulus bill 2020, explained that the proposed legislation which scaled through third reading was aimed at providing “relief on corporate tax liability, suspension of import duty on selected goods and deferral of residential mortgage obligations to the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria for a fixed term to protect jobs and alleviate the financial burd

COVID-19: LAGOS STATE GOVT ODERS CLOSURE OF PARKS, MARKETS, COURTS & OTHERS

THE Lagos State government on Tuesday ordered the closure of all open markets and stores, courts, all public parks, including those in private and residential estates, swimming pools, gyms, beauty salons, among others in the state for seven days in the first instance. This was just as the state government enjoined organised private sector to follow the steps of the public sector and allow as many workers as possible to work from home while urging banks and other financial institutions in the state to prioritise online channels for their services to the public; with only essential and key senior staff being in the office during these times. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu gave the fresh order while addressing newsmen at the State House, Marina, shortly after the meeting of State Security Council meeting which he chaired. The governor said the new set of directives became imperative following an increase in the total number of confirmed cases of coronavirus nationwide with Lagos le