Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s former drummer, composer and songwriter, Tony Allen, has passed away. Allen died in Paris, France, on Thursday, aged 80. He was born in Lagos and regarded as one of the founders of Afrobeat. Fela once stated that “Without Tony Allen, there would be no Afrobeat.” Allen has also been described by Brian Eno as “perhaps the greatest drummer who ever lived” Allen’s career and life story were documented in his 2013 autobiography Tony Allen: Master Drummer of Afrobeat, Afrobeat combines elements of West Africa’s fuji music and highlife styles with American funk and jazz. Allen, who was…
Author: Doris Emmanuel
Irrfan Khan, an Indian actor who brought a modern sensibility to recent hit films and had roles in Hollywood movies such as “Life of Pi” and “The Namesake”, died on Wednesday, aged 54. The death, after a prolonged battle with cancer, was confirmed by a spokesman who said Khan was surrounded by family at the time. “He fought the many battles that came with it,” the spokesman said in a statement, referring to the diagnosis of Khan’s rare cancer in 2018. Khan was among the first Indian actors to make a consistent mark in Western cinema, following in the footsteps…
A Nigerian woman put up for sale on Facebook in Lebanon has been rescued – days after a man suspected of involvement in the advert was arrested. The advert caused an outcry in Nigeria. The chairperson of the Commission for Nigerians in the Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, told the BBC that the 30-year-old woman was now safe at the Nigerian embassy in Beirut after she was rescued by the Lebanese authorities. Ms Dabiri-Erewa did not give details about how the woman was rescued but said the lockdown imposed by the Lebanese authorities to fight the coronavirus pandemic helped in tracing her.…
A criminal gang responsible for the kidnap and murder of a Catholic Seminarian, Nnadi Michael, of the Catholic Good Shepherd Major Seminary at Gonin Gora, Kakau, Kaduna state, has been busted. Mr Nnadi Michael and three other seminarians were kidnapped by the gang at the Seminary on January 9, 2020. The three other seminarians were released on January 31 after a ransom was paid, and the lifeless body of Mr. Nnadi was discovered in the bush. Investigations also revealed that the suspects were part of a 19-man gang that kidnapped the wife of one Doctor Ataga and her two daughters…
Nigeria’s military says it has killed 89 bandits responsible for a series of attacks against civilians in the country’s north-western Zamfara state. The operation was supported by troops from neighbouring Niger and led to the recovery of assault rifles and hundreds of stolen cattle, spokesman Major-General John Enenchie said. He also said five people who had been kidnapped were rescued. The Nigerian military said that the hostages and cattle were due to be formally handed over and tweeted photos of some of the recovered items. Zamfara, which is bordered by Niger to the north, has long faced problems with armed…
The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Saturday that there was currently “no evidence” that people who have recovered from COVID-19 and have antibodies are protected from a second coronavirus infection. In a scientific brief, the United Nations agency warned governments against issuing “immunity passports” or “risk-free certificates” to people who have been infected as their accuracy could not be guaranteed. The practice could increase the risks of continued spread as people who have recovered may ignore advice about taking standard precautions against the virus, it said. “Some governments have suggested that the detection of antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2, the…
The star of Netflix crime drama series Money Heist, Alvaro Morte, who plays The Professor, has congratulated a group of Nigerian boys for reenacting a scene from the Spanish-language series. He is the latest celebrity to notice the talents of the Ikorodu Bois who have built a huge following online for using homemade props to re-enact scenes from popular films. Morte, who is a cult figure amongst fans of Money Heist – one of the most-watched shows on Netflix – commented on a video shared by the Ikorodu Bois, saying that they had done “an amazing job”: What an amazing…
Africa could become the next epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned. UN officials also say it is likely the pandemic will kill at least 300,000 people in Africa and push nearly 30 million into poverty. The past week in Africa has seen a sharp rise in coronavirus cases. There have been almost 1,000 deaths and almost 19,000 infections across Africa, so far much lower rates than in parts of Europe and the US. The UN Economic Commission for Africa – which warned 300,000 could die – called for a $100bn (£80bn) safety net for…
Amid the global Coronavirus pandemic, American Democratic politicians are still battling it out on who will run against President Donald Trump in November’s Presidential Election. And with Vermont senator Bernie Sanders pulling out of the race last week after – reportedly being convinced by Barack Obama to drop out – the stage looks all but set for former Vice President Joe Biden to go up against President Trump – and the US 2020 Election betting odds are more-or-less neck-and-neck between the pair. But, who will come out on top? Read on as we take an in-depth look. As things stand, Biden, who is running…
US coronavirus deaths rose by 2,228 in a single-day record on Tuesday as President Donald Trump escalated his feud with the World Health Organization announcing a hold on US funding for it in a move widely seen as an attempt to deflect mounting criticism of his administration’s missteps in handling the outbreak. More than 25,980 people had died of the coronavirus in the United States till Tuesday evening, according to the Johns Hopkins tracker and 608,377 had been infected – almost a third of the total number of cases in the world, which was close to 2 million; the toll…
A new case of the Ebola virus has been confirmed in eastern Congo, just three days before the country expected to declare an end to the outbreak, the World Health Organization said Friday. The new case was confirmed in Beni, a community that had been an epicentre of the second-deadliest Ebola outbreak in history. It had been nearly 42 days without a case, and WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Congo’s declaration had been planned for Monday. “We have been preparing for and expecting more cases,” he said, reflecting the caution that mixed with optimism in recent days. Maybe that’s…
Opec producers and allies have agreed to cut output by around 10% to counter the slump in demand caused by coronavirus lockdowns. The group said it would cut output in May and June by 10 million barrels to help prop up prices. The cuts will then be eased gradually until April 2022. Opec+, made up of Opec producers and allies including Russia, held talks on Thursday via video conference. Talks were complicated by disagreements between Russia and Saudi Arabia. The group and its allies agreed to cut 10 million barrels a day or 10% of global supplies from their pre-crisis…
There have now been nearly 1.5 million positive tests for coronavirus worldwide. The scale of testing has varied considerably from country to country, but the real number of infections for many nations is thought to be much higher than the number of positive tests. Here are the countries with the most positive tests to date: US 432,132 Spain 148,220 Italy 139,422 Germany 113,296 France 83,080 China 82, 867 Iran 64,586 UK 61,474 Turkey 38,226 Belgium 23,403 Out of the 1,484,811 people who have tested positive, nearly 330,000 are known to have recovered. More than 88,500 deaths have been linked to…
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson spent a second night in intensive care and was in a stable condition after receiving oxygen support for COVID-19 complications while his foreign minister directs the country’s battle against the outbreak. Johnson, who tested positive nearly two weeks ago, was taken to St Thomas’ hospital on Sunday evening as he had a persistent high temperature and cough but his condition deteriorated on Monday and he was rushed into an intensive care unit. The 55-year-old British leader received oxygen support but was not put on a ventilator and his designated deputy, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, said…
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has spent the night in intensive care at a central London hospital after his coronavirus symptoms worsened. Mr Johnson, 55, has been given oxygen but has not been put on a ventilator, cabinet minister Michael Gove said. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has been asked to deputise for the PM. Arriving at No 10 on Tuesday, he said the prime minister was “in very good hands”. World leaders have sent messages to Mr Johnson wishing him well. The prime minister, 55, was admitted to St Thomas’ Hospital with “persistent symptoms” on Sunday evening and moved to the…
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been admitted to hospital for tests, 10 days after testing positive for coronavirus, Downing Street has said. He was taken to a London hospital on Sunday evening with “persistent symptoms” – including a temperature. It is said to be a “precautionary step” taken on the advice of his doctor. The prime minister remains in charge of the government, but the foreign secretary is expected to chair a coronavirus meeting on Monday morning. Mr Johnson, 55, spent the night in hospital and is having what has been described as a series of “routine tests”. In a…
The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, has met with the NASS leadership led by Senator Lawan to formally inform them of an Executive proposal to establish a N500 billion COVID-19 Crisis Intervention Fund. She said the proposed fund would be dedicated to upgrading of existing health facilities in states across the federation. The Fund would also be deployed to take care of special Public Work Programmes currently being implemented by the National Directorate of Employment(NDE). She said: “What we are proposing is an establishment of a N500 billion COVID-19 Crisis Intervention Fund,” the minister told…
The Consul General of Nigeria in New York, Mr Benaoyagha Okoyen, has confirmed the death of three Nigerians from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the United States. Okoyen made the announcement in a statement sent to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in New York on Saturday evening. He said one of them, a doctor from Abia, contracted the virus while on duty in New York, the epicentre of the pandemic in the U.S. The envoy identified the second person as 25-year-old Bassey Offiong, a final year Chemical Engineering student of Western Michigan University whose case has been reported by the…
Queen Elizabeth will deliver a special message to the UK and the Commonwealth on Sunday night as the death toll in the United Kingdom from the coronavirus pandemic rose to 3,605 and a new mega-hospital was inaugurated by Prince Charles on Friday. Queen Elizabeth, 93, is also the head of the Commonwealth. A statement from the royal family said the message will be addressed to the UK as well as the 54 countries in the Commonwealth, including India. The special address reflects the seriousness of the situation: it will be her only fourth such address at a time of national…
China on Saturday mourned the thousands of “martyrs” who have died in the new coronavirus outbreak, flying the national flag at half-mast throughout the country and suspending all forms of entertainment. The day of mourning coincided with the start of the annual Qingming tomb-sweeping festival when millions of Chinese families pay respects to their ancestors. At 10 a.m. (0200 GMT) Beijing time, the country observed three minutes of silence to mourn those who died, including frontline medical workers and doctors. Cars, trains and ships sounded their horns and air raid sirens wailed. In Zhongnanhai, the seat of political power in…
You’ve got to eat it, to beat it: That’s the philosophy of one Hanoi chef who is attempting to boost morale in the Vietnamese capital by selling green, coronavirus-themed burgers. Staying upbeat in the face of the pandemic, chef Hoang Tung and his team now spend their days moulding dozens of green-tea stained burger buns complete with little “crowns” made of dough to resemble microscopic images of the coronavirus. “We have this joke that if you are scared of something, you should eat it,” said Tung, at the Pizza Home takeaway shop in downtown Hanoi. “That’s why the coronavirus isn’t…
Chad has deployed troops to boost security after Boko Haram militants killed 92 soldiers and wounded 47 more in the deadliest attack ever on the country’s military. The soldiers were attacked on Monday on the island village of Boma in the swampy Lake Chad zone in the west of the country, where the armies of Chad, Nigeria and Niger have been fighting the terrorists for years. Boko Haram has stepped up its attacks in recent months on the islands of the Lake Chad basin where it takes advantage of the vast terrain to launch assaults. Boko Haram’s insurgency has killed…
Prince Charles has tested positive for coronavirus but remains in good health, Clarence House announced on Wednesday. Prince Charles, 71, was tested for the virus in Scotland, where he is with the Duchess of Cornwall, who tested negative. A spokesperson for Clarence House said: “In accordance with Government and medical advice, the Prince and the Duchess are now self-isolating at home in Scotland. The tests were carried out by the NHS in Aberdeenshire where they met the criteria required for testing”. “It is not possible to ascertain from whom the Prince caught the virus owing to the high number of…
European nations like Italy and Spain have now become the epicentre of coronavirus outbreak outside China. Iran is also one of the countries to have reported a large number of Covid-19 infections and related deaths. Earlier this week, the World Health Organisation said that the pandemic is “accelerating”. According to the WHO figures, the virus has infected 375,498 people globally and claimed 16,362 lives. Here’s taking a quick look at coronavirus latest developments from across the globe. 1. Tokyo Olympics has been pushed to 2021. 2. Over 100 people died in the US on Tuesday. The WHO warned the country…
Angola, Eritrea and Uganda confirmed their first cases of coronavirus, while Mauritius recorded its first death as the virus spreads across Africa despite measures by governments to hold it back. Two male residents who flew back from Portugal on March 17-18 have tested positive, Angolan Health Minister Silvia Lutucuta said on Saturday, while Eritrea said its first case was a 39-year-old national who had arrived from Norway. Uganda’s first case was announced early on Sunday by Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng. She said the man flew in to the country from Dubai on Saturday and was in stable condition. More…
The highly contagious novel coronavirus that has exploded into a global pandemic can remain viable and infectious in droplets in the air for hours and on surfaces up to days, according to a new study that should offer guidance to help people avoid contracting the respiratory illness called COVID-19. Scientists from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, attempted to mimic the virus deposited from an infected person onto everyday surfaces in a household or hospital setting, such as through coughing or touching objects. They used a device to dispense…
Actor Idris Elba has announced that he has tested positive for Covid-19. The star of Luther and The Wire said on Twitter “I feel OK”, and does not have any symptoms. Elba, 47, said he has been isolated since finding out he was exposed to the virus. “Stay home people and be pragmatic,” he said. “I will keep you updated on how I’m doing. No panic.” Elba, who posted a video also featuring his wife Sabrina Dhowre, said she has not been tested and is “doing OK”. Elba said he got tested after finding out on Friday that he had…
The first participant in a clinical trial for a vaccine to protect against the new coronavirus will receive an experimental dose on Monday, according to a government official. The National Institutes of Health is funding the trial, which is taking place at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute in Seattle. The official who disclosed plans for the first participant spoke on condition of anonymity because the move has not been publicly announced. Public health officials say it will take a year to 18 months to fully validate any potential vaccine. Testing will begin with 45 young, healthy volunteers with…
The coronavirus outbreak could cost the global economy up to USD 2 trillion this year, the UN’s trade and development agency said, warning that shock from the epidemic will cause a recession in some countries and depress global annual growth to below 2.5 percent. “We envisage a slowdown in the global economy to under two percent for this year, and that will probably cost in the order of USD 1 trillion, compared with what people were forecasting back in September,” Director, Division on Globalization and Development Strategies at United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Richard Kozul-Wright said. The…
The number of people infected with the coronavirus topped 119,000 across the world as the outbreak spread to more countries, causing greater economic damage. DEATHS/INFECTIONS – More than 117,100 people have been infected globally and over 4,000 have died, according to a Reuters tally of government announcements. – Mainland China had 24 new cases by Tuesday, up from 19 cases a day earlier, bringing the total to 80,778. The death toll reached 3,158, up by 22 from the previous day. EUROPE – The death toll in Italy jumped by 168 to 631, the largest rise in absolute numbers since the…
