The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has directed all its missions abroad to compile lists of willing nationals who wanted to come back home. Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, disclosed that this was a sequel to requests by Nigerians stranded abroad in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. She, however, said that the financial implications will be borne by the prospective evacuees, who will be compulsorily quarantined when they returned. According to a statement on Friday by the Head, Media and Public Relations Unit, NIDCOM, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, interested citizens should inform the embassy in their country of residence about…
Author: Peters Okwudili
Bill Withers, a soulful singer best known for the 1970s hits “Lean on Me,” “Lovely Day” and “Ain’t No Sunshine,” has died at age 81 from heart complications, his family said on Friday. Withers produced nine albums, most of them written and recorded in the 1970s, starting with “Just As I Am,” which included “Ain’t No Sunshine,” which won him the first of three Grammy Awards, according to his official website. His musical career ebbed in the 1980s as he left “the hype and the hoopla” of the spotlight for a more private life, it said. “A solitary man with…
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for coronavirus and is self isolating but will still lead the government’s response to the outbreak. “Over the last 24 hours I have developed mild symptoms and tested positive for coronavirus,” Johnson said. “I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the government’s response via video-conference as we fight this virus.” A Downing Street spokesman said Johnson, 55, experienced mild symptoms on Thursday – a day after he answered at the prime minister’s weekly question-and-answer session in the chamber of the House of Commons. “The prime minister was tested for…
The U.S. House of Representatives will begin a debate on a $2.2 trillion coronavirus aid bill on Friday as virus cases in the country rose to the highest in the world. Mainland China reported its first locally transmitted case in three days, while India slashed interest rates. DEATHS, INFECTIONS – Almost 531,500 people have been infected globally and over 24,000 have died, according to a Reuters tally. – For an interactive graphic tracking the global spread, open tmsnrt.rs/3aIRuz7 in an external browser. EUROPE – The coronavirus death toll in Italy rose by 662 to 8,165 on Thursday. – The number…
Coronavirus cases across the globe jumped on Thursday as Japan planned to set up a special virus task force and New Zealand went under lockdown. The U.S. Senate unanimously backed a $2 trillion bill aimed at helping unemployed workers and industries hurt by the epidemic. DEATHS, INFECTIONS – More than 470,800 people have been infected across the world and over 21,200 have died, according to a Reuters tally. – For an interactive graphic tracking the global spread, open tmsnrt.rs/3aIRuz7 in an external browser. EUROPE – Summer is unlikely to stop the spread of the virus, and every country in Europe…
International Olympic Committee member Hayley Wickenheiser said Tuesday that vows to press ahead with plans for the Tokyo Games are “insensitive and irresponsible.” Wickenheiser, a member of Canada’s women’s ice hockey team that won four straight Olympic golds between 2002 and 2016, made her comments on Twitter. The 41-year-old IOC Athletes Commission member was speaking as the IOC said there was no need for “drastic decisions” over the staging of the July 24-August 8 event. IOC and Japanese officials have insisted they are working towards staging the Olympics as planned despite the escalating coronavirus pandemic. “This crisis is bigger than…
Nigeria has foreseen the economic problems that may come in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and will explore all alternatives to protect her people, President Muhammadu Buhari has said. The President spoke Tuesday at State House, Abuja, during a briefing session by the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC) led by Professor Doyin Salami. With oil prices oscillating between 29 and 30 dollars in recent times, as opposed to the 57 dollars benchmark for the year 2020 Budget, President Buhari said many variables, including production cost and political impact, determine oil prices, “and we will see how to survive fallen…
The Philippine Stock Exchange closed indefinitely on Tuesday while currency and bond trading were suspended, the first market shutdowns worldwide in response to the coronavirus, with authorities citing risks to the safety of traders. The shutdown comes after some bourses around the world closed trading floors or paused trade after withering falls in market value, but it is the first blanket market halt. And while it was done for health reasons, amid a broad lockdown in the Philippines, it raises the prospect other exchanges may follow and has drawn analysts’ attention. “Given the unprecedented speed of the slump in equity…
President Donald Trump has tested negative for the new coronavirus, according to the president’s personal physician. The White House released the test results Saturday night after Trump told reporters hours earlier that he had taken the coronavirus test, following days of resisting being screened despite the fact that he had been in recent contact with three people who have tested positive for the virus. Trump told reporters at a White House briefing on Saturday that he had his temperature taken and it was “totally normal,” shortly before stepping into the room to discuss the government’s efforts to halt the spread…
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo paid a condolence visit to the family of late Inspector Ali Gomina in GUI, Abuja. The 45-year-old deceased, who was one of the police escort riders in the Office of the Vice President, was killed after a runaway Toyota Camry car ran into him, knocking him down and throwing him against a moving tanker way ahead of the convoy while on official duty on Friday 13th March 2020. Addressing the chief of the village and others shortly after interacting with the family, Prof. Osinbajo said “We all loved him. He served very dutifully and diligently. We…
Holders Liverpool crashed out of the Champions League in the last 16 after Atletico Madrid scored three goals in extra time to earn a shock 3-2 victory at Anfield on Wednesday that sent them through 4-2 on aggregate. After falling 2-0 down on the night, substitute Marcos Llorente struck twice in extra time and Alvaro Morata added a late third to ensure a famous victory for Diego Simeone’s side against a Liverpool team unbeaten in their last 25 home games in European competition. Premier League leaders Liverpool enjoyed the greater possession, created more chances, drew a series of saves from…
Former vice-president Joe Biden expanded his lead over Senator Bernie Sanders with projected victories in three of the six states that held their Democratic presidential nominating contests Tuesday, including the prize catch of the evening, Michigan, a key state rich in delegates needed to win the race. Biden also picked up Mississippi and Missouri, continuing his winning spree from the South Carolina primaries. He had gone on to win 10 of the 14 states that polled in the Super Tuesday contests last week in a stunning reversal of fortunes, resurrecting his campaign that had been given up for dead. Washington…
Two boys who allegedly specialized in killing gay people have been arrested after allegedly killing a homosexual man who recently contacted them via Facebook. Kito, aka Utali Ekwensu (the devil’s cane), and his accomplice, Chidi, confessed to the crime and narrated how it happened. Kito said the deceased, who is from Benue State but lives in Owerri, Imo State, contacted him on Facebook and demanded sex. He accepted and they agreed to meet. The man also promised to give him N20,000 after their romp. However, Kito had other plans. He said he connived with his friend to steal the N20K…
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on Monday bid adieu after making their last appearance as working members of the royal family as part of their intention to ‘step back’ and live a new life of independence in Canada and the UK. The couple joined Queen Elizabeth, Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Commonwealth secretary-general Patricia Scotland, members of the royal family and diplomats from various countries at the Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey. Prince Charles greeted Johnson and other dignitaries with ‘namaste’, in keeping with official advice not to shake hands due to the growing incidence of Coronavirus in the UK.…
Manchester United completed a first Premier League double over Manchester City for 10 years as Anthony Martial and Scott McTominay punished two errors from visiting goalkeeper Ederson for a 2-0 win at Old Trafford on Sunday. The victory keeps United hot on the heels of Chelsea for a top-four finish in the Premier League just three points behind the Blues in fifth place, which could be good enough for Champions League football next season. Outgoing English champions City is banned from European football for the next two years pending an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and on…
North Korea has fired three projectiles, Seoul’s military said Monday, a week after it launched what the South said appeared to be two short-range ballistic missiles. Three devices were fired eastwards over the sea from the Sondok area in South Hamgyong province, the South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. “The military is monitoring for additional launches and maintaining readiness,” it added. Monday’s launch was the North’s second weapons test in a week. After last week’s launch, the North’s state media said leader Kim Jong Un had overseen a “long-range artillery” drill but it was not clear if…
Six people have died in the collapse of a hotel in the Chinese city of Quanzhou, the Ministry of Emergency Management said on Sunday, after state media said the place was being used to quarantine individuals under observation for the coronavirus. The hotel began to collapse on Saturday evening. As of 11:30 a.m. Beijing time on Sunday, authorities had retrieved 43 individuals from the site of the collapse, the ministry said. Of that total, six have been confirmed dead, 36 have been sent to the hospital for care, and one individual has been deemed in need of no medical treatment,…
President Donald Trump is expected to sign an $8.3 billion measure on Friday to help tackle the coronavirus outbreak. The legislation would provide federal public health agencies money for vaccines, tests and potential treatments, and help state and local governments prepare for and respond to the threat. The Senate passed the measure Thursday to help tackle the outbreak in hopes of reassuring a fearful public and accelerating the government’s response to the virus. Its rapid spread is threatening to upend everyday life in the U.S. and across the globe. The money would pay for a multifaceted attack on a virus…
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has challenged Manchester United to compete on three fronts after they moved into the FA Cup quarter-finals with a 3-0 win at Wayne Rooney’s Derby on Thursday. Solskjaer’s side was never in danger of a shock fifth-round exit against the second tier Rams as Luke Shaw’s opener and Odion Ighalo’s double-booked a quarter-final trip to Norwich. Rooney, United’s record goalscorer, is back in English football after moving to Derby from DC United in January and he was twice denied by Sergio Romero in his first meeting with his old club since 2018. But United was always on…
Rapper Nicki Minaj’s husband, Kenneth Petty, has been detained in federal custody after turning himself in on Wednesday, following his indictment for failing to register as a sex offender. The 41-year-old was convicted for first-degree attempted rape 25 years ago in New York and served four years. He was ordered to register as a sex offender after his release, but he failed to re-register when he moved to California in July 2019. He is now facing charges for failure to register and faces a maximum of 10 years in prison if convicted. In 2006, Petty pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in the 2002…
Dark Mode is officially here. After staying in testing for more than a year, WhatsApp officially launched the feature for its 2 billion users around the world. WhatsApp says the Dark Mode is aimed at reducing eye strain in lowlight environments. The Facebook-owned company revealed that the combination of pure black and white creates high contrast which can further cause eye fatigue. This is why, according to WhatsApp, the Dark Mode on the app has a dark gray background and off-white colour. WhatsApp claims the new colour scheme reduces the glare and helps improve contrast and readability. Here’s how to enable WhatsApp…
Pope Francis, who is suffering from a cold, has tested negative for the coronavirus, an Italian newspaper reported Tuesday, as Italy battles Europe’s worst outbreak. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni did not respond to a request for comment on the report in the Messaggero newspaper. Francis canceled a Lent retreat for the first time in his papacy this weekend, after axing all public meetings at the end of last week over the cold. The new coronavirus has spread from China across much of the world, with Italy among the worst affected with over 2,000 people infected and 52 deaths. The 83-year-old…
Twitter Inc. is “strongly encouraging” its almost 5,000 global employees to work from home due to concerns over the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus, the company said Monday. The social media company made the suggestion as part of a blog update one day after it suspended all non-critical travel for workers, including pulling out of the South by Southwest conference scheduled for later this month in Austin, Texas. Twitter says it’s mandatory for employees in Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea to work from home, but that other offices will remain open for those who choose or need to come…
The Uyo Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has uncovered a criminal syndicate of bankers that specialized in forging signatures of dead bank customers and stealing from their accounts. They also execute fraudulent financial transactions, including unauthorized debits of depositors’ funds. The members of the criminal syndicate, which include, Mbong Essien, Akwa Ephraim Akwa, Precious John, Kenneth Udoetuk and Ubong Udom were on Monday, March 2, 2020, arraigned before Justice Archibong Archibong of the Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo, on a 23-count charge bordering on conspiracy, forgery, obtaining by false pretense and criminal…
Real Madrid won the Clasico and might have saved their season as they ended their slump in the best way possible on Sunday, by beating Barcelona 2-0 and returning to the top of La Liga. Vinicius Junior’s deflected finish and a stoppage-time goal from Mariano Diaz decided a frenzied contest at the Santiago Bernabeu, where Madrid was given life after a Champions League defeat by Manchester City had left them on the brink of crisis. Instead, an affirming victory sends them one point clear at the top of the table and shifts focus back to Quique Setien’s Barcelona, who were…
Algeria has confirmed two new cases of coronavirus infections, a woman and her daughter aged 53 and 24 years respectively, the health ministry said on Monday. The cases brought to three the number of people infected with the virus in the North African country. The two people were put in isolation in Blida province south of the capital Algiers, the ministry said in a statement. The woman and her daughter in February hosted an 83-year-old man and his daughter based in France who were tested positive for coronavirus after their return to France, the statement said. Algeria last week announced…
Nollywood actress Ngozi Ezeonu has been accused of marrying off her daughter without the consent of her dad, Edwin Ezeonu. In an interview with newsmen, the man accused his ex-wife of trampling on his right and honour as a man. He described his daughter’s traditional wedding in Delta State as an abomination as he was kept in the dark throughout the whole process. According to the aggrieved ex-husband: “I’m a real son of the soil in Igboland and I am knowledgeable enough about Igbo traditional marriage. In Anambra State where I come from, a woman does not and has no…
Liverpool’s 44-game run without defeat in the Premier League came to a crashing end as relegation-threatened Watford thrashed the European champions 3-0 on Saturday. Ismaila Sarr’s double and Troy Deeney’s strike 18 minutes from time ended Liverpool’s hopes of romping to a first league title in 30 years with an unbeaten season as they lost in the league for the first time since January 2019. Jurgen Klopp’s men still enjoy a 22-point lead at the top of the table, but their sluggish return from a two-week winter break earlier this month was finally punished. After single-goal victories over struggling Norwich…
The United States signed a peace agreement with Taliban militants on Saturday aimed at bringing an end to 18 years of bloodshed in Afghanistan and allowing U.S. troops to return home from America’s longest war. Under the agreement, the U.S. would draw its forces down to 8,600 from 13,000 in the next 3-4 months, with the remaining U.S. forces withdrawing in 14 months. The complete pullout, however, would depend on the Taliban meeting their commitments to prevent terrorism. President George W. Bush ordered the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in response to the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Some U.S. troops currently…
Three Chinese have been quarantined in Wase local government area of Plateau State over concerns that they may have contracted coronavirus. Nimkong Ndam, the state commissioner of health, who confirmed the development, said the men arrived the state from Ethiopia on Friday. Ndam said they were in the state for mining activities. Dan Manjang, Plateau commissioner for information, who also confirmed the news, said the Chinese arrived Abuja on Friday and headed for Jos, the state capital, on the same day. Manjang said the trio have been quarantined and are being examined by medical experts deployed by the state ministry of…
