IYANDA'SBLOG

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Sunday's curfew would test India's ability to fight the virus.

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
Scott Morrison said people must take social distancing seriously after crowds flocked to Bondi Beach.

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
Over the past two centuries, fizzy drinks have become a $8bn (£6.9bn) industry in India.

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
How the Pet Shop Boys inadvertently ended up with the best tour diary in pop history.

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
The removal of the revered emir of Kano raises questions about the continued role of Nigeria's traditional rulers.

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
Russia's president intends to defy the spread of coronavirus and push ahead with a national vote.

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
Few scientists think climate change will cause society to collapse any time soon - but some people are getting ready anyway.

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
Stereotypes and myths about race are not just used by racists. Here's how to debunk five myths.

Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mubashiru Obasa, has shut the door to the possibility of any reconciliation between him and two principal officers of the arm of government removed from office. 

The affected officers are Muyiwa Jimoh and Abiru, Deputy Majority Leader and Chief Whip of the Assembly respectively. 

SaharaReporters investigation revealed that the Speaker in company with Clerk of the Assembly and private security guards broke into the offices used by the removed principal officers. 

According to a source in the Assembly, it was the Clerk, who called Abiru to inform him of the break into their offices and demanded where his personal belongings should be kept for him. 

Obasa had placed the offices under locks since the officers were removed over a week ago. 

Investigations by SaharaReporters revealed that the crisis was unlikely to end soon.  

Interestingly, at the heart of the crisis between the Speaker and removed officers are allegations of corruption, immorality and extortion against Obasa. 

Apart from the company directly used by the Speaker for securing and implementing contracts from the parliament and ministries -- De Kingrun Multipurpose Nigeria Ltd -- Obasa is owner of several other companies used for similar purpose. 

These companies include Adesav International Ventures, Quick Solution International Ventures, Whitehoney Enterprises, Cream On Ice Services and A.B DELCO Nigeria Company. 

Others are Fabric Splash Ventures, Skye-macosh Company, Swifthill International Ventures, Silver Section Global, Davedab Global Ventures and Jose Macosh Company.

Politics Exclusive News AddThis :  Featured Image :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2Usn9gU

 

Barcelona and Brazil legend, Ronaldinho, is spending his 40th birthday in a Paraguayan prison.

The World Cup winner was jailed earlier this month along with his brother after entering the South American country with a fake passport.

Ronaldinho took part in a football tournament in the prison last week and led his team to victory and the first prize – a 16kg suckling pig.

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the Brazilian legend has had to spend more time in prison than was originally expected. 

According to Standard UK, inmates organised a barbecue party on Saturday to keep the former Ballon d'Or winner in good spirits on his 40th birthday.

Meanwhile, Ronaldo and Rivaldo sent messages of support to their former Brazil team-mate on Instagram.

Sports News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2y1MFCd

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
The 51-year-old is accused of loosening bolts on a railway track just before a bridge outside Frankfurt.

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
Even before the coronavirus pandemic, one church has been experimenting with virtual reality.

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
Playwright Nick Green launched the Social Distancing Festival to shine a spotlight on lost projects.

 

The police in Lagos have announced that the enforcement of the ban on social gatherings in the state had commenced.

The announcement was made by the spokesperson for the Lagos Command, Bala Elkana, on Saturday. 

The state government had placed a ban on gatherings of more than 20 persons after 10 more cases of Coronavirus were confirmed in the country on Saturday. 

The police said the enforcement was to curb the spread of the virus in the state.

Elkana said, “The enforcement of ban on social gatherings like clubs, parties, ceremonies and religious gatherings of more than 20 persons has begun in order to curb the spread of Coronavirus.”

Out of Nigeria’s 22 confirmed cases, 18 were discovered in Lagos. 

Two persons earlier isolated have been discharged after recovering from the virus.

Police PUBLIC HEALTH News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2DNR2Ah

Governor Dapo Abiodun

The Ogun State Government has deployed an enforcement team to ensure compliance of the ban on public and social gatherings across the state.

Governor Dapo Abiodun has directed that large gatherings bringing together 50 or more persons be banned with immediate effect in order to contain the spread of Coronavirus in the country.

The governor stated that the ban would be in place for the next 30 days without tampering with anyone's rights to freedom of association and movement.

The ban also affects schools, churches and relaxation centres.

“Ogun State Government deploys enforcement team to check social gatherings across the state including parties, clubs, lounges, schools and religious assemblies,” the administration said in a statement.

Nigeria has now recorded 22 confirmed cases of the virus with two persons earlier isolated discharged after testing negative a number of times.

 

PUBLIC HEALTH News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/39rzAiP

Google

A 74-year-old man visiting Ondo State from Maryland, United States, earlier suspected of having Coronavirus has tested negative for the pandemic.

The man named David was initially placed at the Accident and Emergency Unit of the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital, Ondo Town, before being moved to a section where patients suffering from stroke are attended to.

In a statement on Saturday, Chief Medical Director of UNIMEDTH, Dr Oluwole Ige, announced that the test result on Mr David returned negative and that he was responding well to treatment.  See Also Breaking News BREAKING: US Returnee Suspected Of Having Coronavirus In Ondo Rushed To Government Hospital 0 Comments 2 Days Ago

He said, “We are pleased to announce that the test result returned negative for Covid-19.

“The patient has improved significantly and will soon be discharged.”

Speaking further, Ige urged medical workers at the hospital not to panic but remain committed to their duties as the Ministry of Health in the state had the capacity to handle the virus in case of a confirmed infection.

Ten new cases of the deadly virus was confirmed in Nigeria on Saturday, bringing the total number of infections to 22. 

 

PUBLIC HEALTH News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2I6wuVD

 

Passenger services are to be suspended by the Nigerian Railway Corporation from Monday, March 23, 2020.

Personal Assistant on New Media to President Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), Bashir Ahmad, made the announcement on Saturday on Twitter.

He said, “The Nigerian Railway Corporation plans to suspend all passenger railway services in the country, part of the measures being taken by the Federal Government to prevent the spread of Coronavirus pandemic.

“The suspension is set to take effect on Monday, March 23. #COVID19.”

Nigeria on Saturday recorded 10 new cases of the virus, bringing the total number of confirmed infections to 22. 

 

PUBLIC HEALTH Travel News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2UvKTAy

 

Gatherings of more than 20 persons have been banned in Lagos by the state government after 10 more cases of Coronavirus was confirmed in the country on Saturday.

In a post on Facebook, the state government said that the move was to further protect residents and prevent the spread of the deadly virus.

Earlier, the state had announced a ban on gatherings of over 50 persons including in religious places in a bid to curtail the spread of the pandemic.

The state authorities had also announced the closure of schools across the state to reduce the chances of the virus spreading further.

With Saturday’s discoveries, the total confirmed number for Coronavirus cases in Nigeria now comes to 22.

PUBLIC HEALTH News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/3de6zdf

 

Bayelsa State governor, Douye Diri, has ordered the immediate closure of all public and private primary and secondary schools in the state in order to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The governor also announced restriction on all gatherings at religious worship centres, night clubs and public places of more than 50 persons.

School are to proceed on break from March 26, 2020 and the suspension of public gathering of persons above 50 will take effect from Monday, March 23, 2020.

Governor Diri made this known on Saturday during a statewide broadcast.

He further noted that the Bayelsa State Government had activated its emergency preparedness and response plan to protect residents from the virus.

He said, “As a responsive government, we have already set up a multi-sectoral COVID-19 task force charged with the responsibility of coordinating and implementing the state’s response to the pandemic.

“We have also stepped up surveillance and case finding as well as improving isolation facilities at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri, and stockpiling of medical consumables.

“To underscore the seriousness attached to preventing the threat of COVID-19, I have with effect from today assumed the chairmanship of the state’s task force and will directly oversee its activities.

“Local government chairmen have also been mandated to constitute similar task force in their respective councils.”

 

PUBLIC HEALTH News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2QBskK8

UNILAG VC, Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe

 

Some concerned stakeholders of the University of Lagos have asked the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, to proceed on immediate leave over his role in the crisis that had rocked the institution in recent times.

On March 5, 2020, the university announced the suspension of its 51st convocation after a disagreement between the management and Pro Chancellor of the institution, Dr Wale Babalakin.

Shortly afterwards, Chairman of UNILAG’s Academic Staff Union of Universities, Dr Wale Ashiru, addressed journalists and thereafter declared that Babalakin should no longer be seen within the school’s campus in Akoka.

But reacting to the crisis, the concerned stakeholders in a statement on Saturday said, “We, the Concerned Stakeholders of the University of Lagos, comprising staff, old students, parents and students, have finally been vindicated on the current state of impunity and lawlessness which is actively backed by the university's ASUU leadership on our darling campus.

“When the university council under the leadership of Dr Wale Babalakin sought to call management to order from its avowed path of financial recklessness, outright departure and flagrance disobedience to the university's edict, it was bullied and accused of seeking to hijack the authority of the Vice Chancellor.

“But the sequence of events as recorded by the council minutes and relayed in the latest edition of Campus News leading to the tragedy of postponing the university's 2019 convocation, has exposed the unrelenting path of insanity and lawlessness embarked upon by the management as cheered on by ASUU leadership.

“To make things worse, UNILAG ASUU Chairman, Dr Dele Ashiru, addressed a press conference in which among other misrepresentations of the truth of what transpired, went ahead to take the laws into his hand by threatening the life of the Pro Chancellor and forbidding him from further stepping on the campus.

“We hereby alert the Inspector-General of the Nigerian Police and Director-General of the Department of State Services to take urgent steps to pre-empt the UNILAG ASUU Chairman from carrying out his avowed criminal intentions of preventing the Pro Chancellor from carrying out his lawful duties on campus as Council Chairman.

“In order not to hold our 2019 graduands to further strain and for the university to move on; we advise the relevant authorities to advise the Vice Chancellor to proceed on immediate leave while a Deputy Vice Chancellor should be allowed to take over in an acting capacity to lay a detailed plan and new date for the 2019 convocation ceremonies before the council for scrutiny and approval.”

Education News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2U8i0LR

 

A staff in United States Vice President, Mike Pence’s office, has tested positive for Coronavirus.

A spokesperson for Pence announced this, making that individual the first publicly-known positive case of a White House staffer, Foxnews.com reports.

Pence’s office did not identify the individual or provide other personal information.

But the Pence spokesperson said steps were being made to trace others the person had come in contact with.

Further contact tracing was being conducted in accordance with CDC guidelines.

Pence was appointed by President Donald Trump to lead White House’s Coronavirus task force, which had been holding daily press briefings on the virus.

In recent days, Trump has joined Pence and others on the task force for briefings.

A week ago, Trump took a Coronavirus test after exposure to AN infected individuals but revealed that it came back negative.

 

United States of America News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2QyGDPy

 

The first case of Coronavirus in Nigeria, an Italian, who flew into the country via Istanbul, Turkey, has tested negative and certified fit to go home, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu announced.

In a statement signed by Chief Press Secretary to governor of Lagos, Mr Gboyega Akosile, on Saturday, the government said that after weeks of medical attention by health workers at the Infectious Diseases hospital, Yaba, that the patient has now tested negative to the virus and had been released to return home.

Sanwo-Olu said, “As the COVID-19 Incident Commander for Lagos State, I am glad to inform you that the index case, an Italian gentleman, is now negative.

“Through a combined effort of Lagos State, Ogun State and Federal Health Authorities, we were able to limit the transmission of the virus to a single contact. This involved aggressive contact tracing and containment strategies.” 

The governor said that there were new imported cases, saying that he hopes that same contact tracing strategy method can be applied along with social distancing practices to slow down the outbreak.

Sanwo-Olu revealed that index patient graciously donated a unit of white blood before he was discharged, adding that the white blood, otherwise called plasma, was rich in antibody proteins that target COVID19 virus.

Speaking further, Sanwo-Olu applauded the professional handling of the index patient by the Lagos State medical personnel, the EOC team and others, who collaborated with the state government and the Federal Government for the success recorded.

 

PUBLIC HEALTH News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2J5IF5C

 

The Nigerian Government has ordered the closure of airports to international flights.

This was done in preventing the further import of Coronavirus into the country.

The closure of the airports was announced by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority on Saturday.

As part of precautionary measures to curb the spread of the pandemic, the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria had announced that only Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos, and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, were opened to receive international flights effective from Saturday, March 21, 2020.

The new message from NCAA directed all airports not to receive any international flights except from emergency and essential flights.

“Effective Monday, March 23, 2020 to April 23, 2020, Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos, and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, will be closed to international flights.

“Henceforth, all airports in Nigeria are closed to all incoming international flights with the exception of emergency and essential flights,” the notice reads partly.

Ten new cases of the deadly virus were confirmed in the country on Saturday, bringing the total number to 22.

 

PUBLIC HEALTH Travel Breaking News News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2l7Zwfj