Tag: coronavirus outbreak

14Jun By dthataNo Comments

Health

Beijing Shuts Food Market And Goes Into ‘Wartime Emergency Mode’ After Fresh Coronavirus Outbreak

A district of Beijing is on a "wartime emergency" footing and tourism has been banned in the Chinese capital after a spike in coronavirus cases centred around a food market has sparked fears of a fresh outbreak. The move comes amid mounting concern over a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Eleven neighbourhoods around the wholesale market in the city's southwestern Fengtai district have gone into lockdown, where an official said it was in "wartime emergency mode". An official has said the area is in 'wartime emergency mode' The cluster was detected after throat swabs from 45 people, out of 517 tested at the district's Xinfadi market, proved positive for coronavirus, although none of them showed symptoms of COVID-19, according to the authorities. Officials have said more...

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13Jun By BobbyNo Comments

Sport

Napoli 1-1 Inter (2-1 agg): Mertens makes history as Gattuso’s side reach final

Dries Mertens scored a crucial equaliser to send Napoli through to the Coppa Italia final and become the club's all-time leading scorer. Napoli set up a Coppa Italia final against former coach Maurizio Sarri and Juventus after a record-breaking goal from Dries Mertens saw them draw 1-1 with Inter on Saturday, enough for a 2-1 triumph on aggregate. Mertens converted Lorenzo Insigne's square pass to score his 122nd goal for the club, in the process moving him clear of Marek Hamsik to sit alone in top spot as their all-time leading goalscorer. Fabian Ruiz's goal at San Siro in the first leg prior to the coronavirus outbreak had put Napoli in control of the semi-final tie at the halfway stage, only for Inter to erase the deficit inside two minutes of the return meeting. ...

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12Jun By BobbyNo Comments

News

Widow of Li Wenliang, the Late Chinese Doctor who First Raised Alarm about China’s Covid-19 Outbreak, Gives birth

The widow of Li Wenliang, a Chinese doctor who first raised the alarm about the country's Coronavirus outbreak, has given birth to their son. Wenliang's wife, Fu Xuejie on Friday shared a picture of the boy on the messaging app WeChat, calling him a "final gift" from Dr Li. His widow, Mrs Fu, now has two sons with her late husband. In her message she wrote: "Husband, can you see this from heaven? You have given me your final gift today. I will of course love and protect them." It should be remembered that Dr Li was arrested by Chinese authorities after he revealed the virus outbreak in Wuhan and was accused by authorities of "spreading rumours". In December he sent a message to fellow doctors saying that he had noticed seven cases of a virus he thought looked like S...

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12Jun By dthataNo Comments

Sport

Super Eagles and Granada midfielder Ramon Azeez delighted with La Liga return

The Nigeria international has spoken of his eagerness to return to action with the Nuevo Los Carmenes outfit Granada defensive midfielder Ramon Azeez has expressed his delight with the restart of La Liga and is keen to play again. The Spanish top-flight has been put on hold since mid-March owing to the coronavirus outbreak which is still wreaking havoc around the world. The league will, however, resume on June 11 as safety measures have been put in place with games set to be played behind closed doors, thus, becoming the second European top-flight to resume after the Bundesliga. Granada are ninth on the league table with 38 points from 27 games and will take on fifth-placed Getafe, who will be expected to parade Nigeria’s Oghenekaro Etebo on Friday. Azeez has bee...

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1Jun By BobbyNo Comments

News

Coronavirus is Weaker than it was During the Height of the Pandemic – Italian Doctors Say

Coronavirus has weakened and is no longer as potent as it was when the outbreak started. According to doctors in Italy, patients are showing much smaller amounts of the viral load in their system, compared to samples taken during the peak of the crisis in March and April,  saying the disease which has killed 370,000 worldwide - is much less lethal than it was and 'no longer clinically exists'. Italy was once the Epicenter of the Coronavirus outbreak in Europe, but Covid-19 deaths have been falling in Italy for weeks. Viruses may become weaker over time in a bid to survive if they kill or cripple all their human hosts but some virologists have now come out to cast doubt on the Italian doctors' claims, saying there is no evidence the virus is losing potency anywhere. Professor Al...

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24May By BobbyNo Comments

Sport

Brazilian Club Botafago Slam Yaya Toure After he Refused to Sign for Them

Brazilian football club Botafogo have slammed African football star Yaya Toure for allegedly backtracking on their transfer agreement after he appeared in a video with rival club Vasco da Gama. Botafogo started negotiations with the Ivorian in February after Toure became a free agent after leaving Chinese side Qingdao Huanghai last November. Toure was supposed to be signed in March by Botafogo when football was suspended due to the worldwide Coronavirus outbreak. Surprisingly Toure appeared in an Instagram video of aspiring Vasco da Gama president Leven Siano saying, “I want to thank Leven for inviting me for this project. I cannot wait to see all the Vasco fans very soon. It's going to be Vasco." A video that infuriated Botafogo officials who were hopeful that Toure ha...

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22May By dthataNo Comments

Religion

“Lets Observe Eid-El-Fitri Prayers At Home” – Sultan Of Sokoto Tells Muslims Again

The Sultan of Sokoto and President General of the Jama’atu Nasril Islam, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, has asked Nigerian Muslims to observe the congregational prayers for this year’s Eid-el-Fitri in their homes. This year’s Eid-el-Fitri to mark the end of the Ramadan amid coronavirus outbreak is slated for Saturday or Sunday and the Sultan had urged Muslims to look out for the sighting of the moon. Abubakar, who is the leader of Nigerian Muslims, also suspended all prayers, gatherings in the outskirts of towns and cities amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Sultan, who spoke through the JNI Secretary-General, Dr Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, in a statement in Kaduna, however, noted that in states where government had reached decision to mark the Eid-el-Fitri, Muslims should observe social dista...

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21May By BobbyNo Comments

News

Wuhan Officially Bans Eating Wild Animals

Authorities in Wuhan, the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak, have officially banned eating, hunting and breeding wild animals. A notice on the city's municipal government website said the ban will come into immediate effect and will last for five years. The novel coronavirus was first recorded in Wuhan late last year and the outbreak was linked to a seafood market where live animals were also sold. However, following the outbreak of the virus, hunting is now banned in Wuhan except for "scientific research, population regulation, monitoring of epidemic diseases and other special circumstances," the notice says. "Hunting of wild animals is strictly prohibited," the statement says. "The administrative area of ??the whole city is a wildlife sanctuary." There will also be...

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18May By dthataNo Comments

News

No NYSC Mobilisation Soon – Director-General, Shuaibu

Director General of the National Youth Service Corps, Ibrahim Shuaibu, has said that there are no plans to mobilise recent graduates in the country for the compulsory scheme due to the Coronavirus outbreak. Shuaibu in an interview with Economic Confidential said only Batch A, Stream 1, who were asked to leave camp due to COVID-19 would be asked to complete orientation. He said, “We don’t know when we are going to start mobilising our corps members. You know our training is also structured like that of the military and paramilitary. You can see that the Nigerian Navy recently suspended its training for its freshly recruited cadets. “So, the moment the coast is clear, we are going to key into the way others will conduct their exercise, so that our corps members can be called bac...

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17May By dthataNo Comments

News

Nigeria Impounds UK Aircraft Caught Conducting Commercial Flights

Nigeria has impounded an aircraft belonging to Flair Aviation, a United Kingdom company, after it was discovered to be conducting commercial flights to the country despite a ban on all flight operations due to the Coronavirus outbreak. The company, according to Nigeria's Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, had been granted a waiver to carry out humanitarian operations but instead carried out commercial flights. COVID-19. Flair Aviation, a UK company, was given approval for humanitarian operations but regrettably we caught them conducting commercial flights. This is callous! The craft is impounded, crew being interrogated. There shall be maximum penalty. Wrong time to try our resolve!

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15May By dthataNo Comments

Religion

Prophet Muhammad’s ‘Timeless’ Pandemic Advice Goes Viral In 2020

Advice given more than 1,400 years by Islam's Prophet Muhammad has gone viral in 2020, as the world grapples with the coronavirus outbreak. A billboard has been erected in Chicago to advise locals on how to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, using age-old advice from Islam’s Prophet Muhammad. The advertisement, organised by Gain Peace in the United States, outlines how the Prophet of Islam historically dealt with pandemics during his time, all of which are guidelines set by world health organisations to deal with the current Covid-19 outbreak. "Wash your hands frequently, don't leave infected areas and don’t visit infected areas," the billboard says, advise linked to Islam's final messenger. The guidelines are based on historic hadith, or narration, of the Prophet...

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12May By BobbyNo Comments

Sport

Arsenal Makes Final Decision on Dani Ceballos’ Future at Emirates

Arsenal has made a final decision on the midfielder, Dani Ceballos’ future at Emirates. Cabellos’ current deal at Arsenal expires at the end of June 2020. The 23-year-old joined the North London club last summer on loan from Real Madrid. His future at Arsenal is now up in the air following the suspension of the Premier League last month due to the coronavirus outbreak. However, the Spanish newspaper, El Confidencial, is now reporting that the Gunners have no plans to keep Ceballos on loan for a second season, and they do not have a purchase option in their current agreement with the Los Blancos. Ceballos recently admitted that the COVID-19 pandemic across the globe had reduced his value at Arsenal. “I finish my contract on June 30. I would have t...

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5May By dthataNo Comments

Lifestyle

Katy Perry Reveals Her Baby Shower Plans Have Fallen Prey To Coronavirus

Katy Perry is currently expecting her first baby with fiancé Orlando Bloom. The singer recently revealed that she will not be having her baby shower or other plans of celebrating the pregnancy, owing to the coronavirus outbreak. “It’s okay to feel all the feelings. I’ve had to reschedule many plans,” Perry told a fan, who shared that her own wedding is scheduled for next month but she’s having “a really hard time staying positive.” “And not like everyone does a babymoon or a baby shower, but I’m not sure I’m gonna be able to do any of that. I’m just taking it one day at a time,” Perry added. “But I’ll be grateful,” she went on. “I mean, I’m grateful now, but you know, there’s a lot going on.” On April 3, Perry revealed that she and Bloom will be having a daughter, sharin...

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5May By BobbyNo Comments

News

Jailed Saudi Princess Fears Coronavirus Risk in Prison

A year after landing in jail without charge, her mercy plea unanswered by Saudi rulers and in fear of a coronavirus outbreak behind bars, a prominent princess did the unthinkable — and went public. Princess Basmah bint Saud, a 56-year-old royal family member long seen as a proponent of women’s rights and a constitutional monarchy, mysteriously disappeared from public life in March last year. Last month, her Twitter account sprang to life with a letter from the princess claiming she had been “abducted” and “thrown into prison” along with her 28-year-old daughter, Suhoud al-Sharif, and imploring King Salman and his powerful son Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for help. The letter, a rare public appeal from a member of the secretive royal family, voiced fears that her “det...

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4May By dthataNo Comments

News

COVID-19: Goat, Sheep, Pawpaw Test Positive In Tanzania; President Orders Probe

President Magufuli says tests were found to be faulty after goat, sheep and pawpaw samples test positive for COVID-19. Tanzania's President John Magufuli has dismissed imported coronavirus testing kits as faulty, saying they returned positive results on samples taken from a goat and a pawpaw. Magufuli made the remarks during an event in Chato in northwestern Tanzania on Sunday. He said there were "technical errors" with the tests. The president, whose government has already drawn criticism for being secretive about the coronavirus outbreak and has previously asked Tanzanians to pray the coronavirus away, said he had instructed Tanzanian security forces to check the quality of the kits. They had randomly obtained several non-human samples, including from a pawpaw, a goat and a s...

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2May By BobbyNo Comments

Sport

Two Years Out of Europe Would be a Long Time’ – De Bruyne

With the club potentially banished from continental competition until 2022, the Belgian is taking time to consider his options Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne admits that the outcome of his club's appeal against their Champions League ban could have big implications for his future. City were found guilty of "serious breaches" of UEFA's Financial Fair Play regulations earlier in 2020 and given a two-year ban from European competition. The club are appealing the verdict, although there is a backlog in the Court of Arbitration for Sport due to the coronavirus outbreak and a swift resolution is unlikely. De Bruyne remains committed to City, but acknowledges that two seasons out of European football's biggest competition would be hard to stomach. "I'm just waiting," the mi...

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1May By dthataNo Comments

News

Coronavirus Delays Launch Of Africa Free Trade, Deal Postponed

The implementation of a mammoth African free trade agreement will not begin on July 1 as planned due to disruptions caused by the coronavirus outbreak, a senior official said on Tuesday. “It is obviously not possible to commence trade as we had intended on 1 July under the current circumstances,” Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area, said during a conference call. Mene did not say whether there was a new targeted implementation date, and left the conference call before the question and answer session. It is obviously not possible to commence trade as we had intended on 1 July under the current circumstances. The 55-nation continental free-trade zone would, if successful, create a $3.4 trillion economic bloc with 1.3 billion people acros...

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28Apr By BobbyNo Comments

Sport

Coronavirus: Juventus not expecting Ronaldo & other foreign stars to return before May 18

The Serie A leaders could welcome back their players to training next week, although there will not be pressure on those abroad to return quickly Juventus will not be in a rush to call back their foreign players who have chosen to leave Italy amid the coronavirus outbreak, despite confirmation that individual training sessions could start again on May 4. Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte announced on April 26 that, from May 4 onwards, "professional athletes and those of national interest will be able to train while following social distancing rules behind closed doors". Sports minister Vincenzo Spadafora added that team training would be allowed from May 18, should "conditions of safety and security" be confirmed prior to that date.

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28Apr By dthataNo Comments

Sport

Tokyo 2020 Could Be Strapped, If The Need To Re-postpone The Games Arise

Next summer’s Tokyo 2020 Olympics games, already postponed to 2021, could be strapped totally if they could not take place , warned global sport event chief Yoshiro Mori The Japanese Government and the International Olympic Committee, last month was forced to postpone the event due to the lingering coronavirus outbreak. With the pandemic spread still a course of concern and no vaccine in place yet, questions are beng asked about whether a further delay might be necessary But Mori stressed that if the Games cannot go ahead as planned in the summer of 2021, then they will be scrapped completely. When asked if the Olympic Games could be postponed again until 2022, Mori told Japanese Sports Daily Nikkan Sports : ” No , in that case ( if they would be the need to postpone again ),...

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25Apr By dthataNo Comments

Sport

Chelsea’s First-Team Squad Not Getting Pay Cut

Chelsea have said they will not impose a pay cut on their first-team squad in response to the coronavirus outbreak. But the Premier League side added they had asked players to continue donating to charities during the ongoing pandemic. It has been reported the west London club have been in talks with their players about a salary reduction of about 10% in a bid to reduce costs at a time when football has been suspended because of the virus. That figure, however, is significantly lower than the Premier League’s suggestion of 30% for all clubs. But that has not stopped the Stamford Bridge side from taking their own course of action as they highlighted the Players Together initiative launched by Premier League players earlier this month, which aims to raise and distribute funds...

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25Apr By dthataNo Comments

Business, News

COVID-19: Arik Cuts Salaries By 80%, Places 90% Of Staff On Leave Without Pay

As the world battles the deadly Coronavirus outbreak that has halted social-economic activities and plunged economies world over into uncertainty and trying times, Arik Air, Nigeria’s largest commercial airline, has ordered 90% of its 1,800 staff to proceed on leave without pay until further notice. This was disclosed in an email signed by the Chief Executive Officer of the airline, Captain Roy Ilegbolu, and sent to all staff yesterday. It stated that the suspension would be subject to monthly review. In an internal memo obtained by Premium Times, the airline’s Chief Executive Officer, Roy Ilegbodu, informed employees that the management of the company has also decided that at least 90 percent of its workers will proceed on indefinite leave without pay from May 1. 2020. In t...

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25Apr By dthataNo Comments

News

China Struggles To Block EU’s Report Alleging That Beijing Was Spreading Disinformation About COVID-19 Outbreak

China struggled to block a European Union report alleging that Beijing was spreading disinformation about the coronavirus outbreak, according to four sources and diplomatic correspondence reviewed by Reuters. The report was eventually released, albeit just before the start of the weekend Europe time and with some criticism of the Chinese government rearranged or removed, a sign of the balancing act Brussels is trying to pull off as the coronavirus outbreak scrambles international relations. The Chinese Mission to the EU was not immediately available for comment and China’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to faxed questions about the exchange. An EU spokeswoman said “we never comment on content or alleged content of internal diplomatic contacts and communication with...

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23Apr By dthataNo Comments

News

Twitter Bans All 5G Conspiracy Theorist Tweets Causing Panic And Encouraging Vandalism

Twitter is banning all posts as well as comments causing panic and encouraging conspiracy theorists to attack 5G masts over allegations it’s behind the Coronavirus outbreak. The move to cut down on the amount of misinformation and ‘unverified claims’ comes after a series of debates and controversies linking the 5G network and COVID-19. “We have broadened our guidance on unverified claims that incite people to engage in harmful activity, could lead to the destruction or damage of critical 5G infrastructure, or could lead to widespread panic, social unrest, or large-scale disorder,” the Twitter safety team said on Wednesday. Over the Easter weekend, 20 incidents were recorded, including a suspected arson attack on a mast in east London as well as one serving Birmingham’s Nightin...

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19Apr By dthataNo Comments

News

UK Not Thinking Of Easing Virus Lockdown Measures Yet, Minister Tells

Britain’s government is not thinking about easing yet the lockdown enacted almost four weeks ago to help control the coronavirus outbreak, a senior minister said on Sunday. “The facts and the advice are clear at the moment that we should not be thinking of lifting of these restrictions yet,” Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove told Sky News.

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17Apr By dthataNo Comments

News

UK Extends Covid-19 Lockdown

Lockdown restrictions in the UK will continue for “at least” another three weeks as it tackles the coronavirus outbreak, Dominic Raab has said. The foreign secretary told the daily No 10 briefing that a review had concluded relaxing the measures now would risk harming public health and the economy. “We still don’t have the infection rate down as far as we need to,” he said. It comes as the UK recorded another 861 coronavirus deaths in hospital, taking the total to 13,729. Strict limits on daily life – such as requiring people to stay at home, shutting many businesses and preventing gatherings of more than two people – were introduced on 23 March, as the government tried to limit the spread of coronavirus. Ministers are required by law to assess whether the rules are work...

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10Apr By dthataNo Comments

Entertainment

How Naira Marley And Burna Boy Are Destroying Their Music Careers

Pride, they say, goes before a fall but what does an unholy mix of pride and foolishness birth? Nigerian pop star and rave of the moment, Naira Marley and self-dubbed African giant, Burna Boy might be in a race against time to see who gets the answer first if their respective management teams don’t do something about their use of social media. In the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak in Nigeria, Naira Marley had incurred the wrath of critics and fans alike when he trivially dismissed the existence of the virus despite available and overwhelming evidence. The Soapy crooner went on to make lewd, crass and unsavory jokes about the virus while insulting those who dared to ‘drag’ him to the disappointment of several of his fans— popularly known as Marlians. Instead of taking a leaf fro...

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9Apr By dthataNo Comments

Lifestyle

Meet The Cleric Who Is A Priest By Day And A DJ By Night

Guilherme Peixoto is not your every day cleric, he loves music so much that he is a parish priest by day and a DJ by night. In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, he is helping the faithful deal with the isolation blues in his tiny northern Portuguese town. How does he do this? Every Friday and Sunday night, the 45-year-old swaps his vestments for a T-shirt, turns up the volume and presses play on Facebook to live stream some of his favourite tunes. “Right now it’s so important to use social media to bring a bit of joy into people’s lives,” Peixoto told Reuters. “And people seem happy when they see a priest playing music online.” A lot of effort goes into Peixoto’s livestream events. There are strobe and fairy lights, a turntable, mixers, a microphone and sparkling, colou...

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8Apr By dthataNo Comments

Health

Ethiopia Declares State Of Emergency Due To Coronavirus Outbreak

Ethiopia has declared a state of emergency to halt the spread of Coronavirus in the country. The country’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed made the announcement on Wednesday, saying the decision was made following intense consultations with the opposition politicians. “Considering the gravity of the COVID-19, the government of Ethiopia has enacted a State of Emergency according to Article 93 of the Constitution,” he said. የኢትዮጵያ መንግሥት የኮሮና ወረርሽኝ እየተባባሰ በመምጣቱ ምክንያት የአስቸኳይ ጊዜ ዐውጇል፡፡ pic.twitter.com/RwkPuUOg5M — Abiy Ahmed Ali ?? (@AbiyAhmedAli) April 8, 2020 “This decision is not one that we decide for today’s generation. We’re taking it for our kids too. It is not only what we take in Ethiopia today, it is a decision that we will also decide on tomorrow,” he added. The move ...

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8Apr By dthataNo Comments

Religion

Prophet Jeremiah Fufeyin Gives Back Tithes, Offering To Nigerians, Donates N300M

Popular Billionaire Prophet Jeremiah Fufeyin Gives Back Tithe and Offering to Nigerians as he donates over 300 million Naira in the fight against COVID-19* "Take back your Tithe and Offering" Popular Billionaire Prophet, Jeremiah Fufeyin, facilitates 300Mllion naira Charity against the CoronaVirus Outbreak . In a recent interview with StrokesAfrica.com, Prophet Jeremiah Fufeyin is quoted to have given back tithe and offering to Nigerians by way of charity, through his Jeremiah Omoto Fufeyin (JOF) Foundation. The Man of God said that there is no better time for Men Of God to give back to members, followers and society as a whole, than this COVID-19 Isolation period. He stressed that it is very insensitive for Pastors to suggest the collection of tithe and offering from members throu...

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6Apr By dthataNo Comments

News

Egypt, Lebanon Evacuate Citizens From Nigeria

More countries yesterday evacuated their nationals from Nigeria amidst fears of possible explosion of the coronavirus outbreak in the country. Since March 26 when countries including Israel, Germany, France commenced evacuation of their nationals, over 1000 have so far been evacuated out of the country. At the weekend, hundreds of American citizens were scheduled to be evacuated but the flight was stalled over flight permit from other countries, leaving the evacuees stranded as they later returned home. There are indications they might be evacuated either on Monday or Tuesday. But yesterday 37 Egyptians were evacuated through the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri. An Air Peace aircraft which did the evacuation mission arrived the airport at 11.27 am and departe...

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1Apr By dthataNo Comments

Sport

Major UEFA Decision Clears Path For Liverpool’s Premier League Title Hopes

UEFA have paved the way for the Premier League to complete their season and give Liverpool the opportunity to claim the title. The European governing body held a video conference meeting on Wednesday with the general secretaries of 55 UEFA member associations to discuss their latest steps amid the coronavirus outbreak. Among the decisions made was the postponement of all UEFA competition matches, including the Champions League and Europa League, until further notice. It was also determined that all deadlines relating to the qualification for next season’s UEFA club competitions – with Liverpool already qualified for the Champions League – would be postponed, with new dates set in due course. And that has given domestic leagues, including the Premier League, greater room in ...

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1Apr By dthataNo Comments

Health

White House Projects 100-240k Deaths From Coronavirus As Donald Trump Tells US To Prepare For ‘Very Painful Two Weeks’

The White House has given a chilling warning to Americans, telling them to prepare for as much as 100,000 to 240,000 deaths from Coronavirus and that is if social distancing guidelines are maintained. The nerve wrecking warnings come after the U.S. death toll rose to 3,669 as of late Tuesday afternoon officially surpassing China’s official death toll of 3300. The Coronavirus outbreak hit American shores two months ago, leaving more than 180,000 infected and sick with New York City the worst hit state in the US, and now Dr. Tony Fauci, the White House Coronavirus co-ordinator and also the director of of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has painted a very bad picture for Americans . ‘The answer is yes – as sobering a number as that is, we should be prepa...

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21Mar By BobbyNo Comments

News

#Covid-19: Emirates Airlines to suspend France, Germany, New York JFK flights

Emirates, one of the world’s biggest international airlines, is suspending all flights to France, Germany, Nigeria, New York and New Jersey due to the coronavirus outbreak, according to internal emails seen by Reuters. France, Germany and Nigeria flights would be suspended from March 23 until further notice, a company email said. Flights to New York JFK and New Jersey’s Newark EWR would be suspended from March 24 until further notice, another company email said. The airline did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. Emirates, which has already suspended dozens of routes, said in the emails it was halting the routes because of the virus epidemic that has shattered global travel demand.

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21Mar By BobbyNo Comments

Sport

Coronavirus: Willian Begs Chelsea to Allow him Leave

Chelsea winger, Willian, has asked the club for permission to return to his native Brazil, so he can be with his family amid the coronavirus outbreak. The 31-year-old’s current deal expires at the end of June, but he has insisted he would be willing to play for the Blues beyond that time. However, his immediate concern is to be reunited with his family, with Willian worried about his wife and daughters. “At the moment, I’m alone. My wife and daughters are in Brazil. “I had made a schedule before that. They went first, I was going to have a break and I was going too. Now, I’m checking here, if I have authorisation from the club,” Willian told Globo SporTV.

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21Mar By BobbyNo Comments

Sport

West Brom striker, Charlie Austin ears he Contracted Coronavirus after Attending the Cheltenham Festival.

West Brom striker, Charlie Austin believes he has contracted coronavirus after he attended the Cheltenham Festival last week. The 30-year-old English professional footballer is currently self-isolating at home after showing some of the symptoms of COVID-19. He said that he has had no face-to-face contact with his own family since last Saturday after contacting the West Brom club doctor Kevin Conrod. Austin also revealed that he believes he had the virus after his temperature soared to 39.7 degrees Celcius while also experiencing cold sweats. Speaking to The Telegraph, he said: 'I felt like someone had chucked a bucket of water over me. I was soaking.' 'I felt like I was fit and healthy and I could handle it. A week later and I would say to anyone, even those in their 20s...

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18Mar By BobbyNo Comments

Sport

Coronavirus: Arsenal Players Set to Return to Training

Arsenal players are set to return to training next Tuesday, following their period of self-isolation due to the coronavirus outbreak, Sky Sports reports. The Gunners boss, Mikel Arteta, tested positive for COVID-19 last week. The news led to the Premier League postponing all fixtures until at least April 4. Since then, all Arsenal players and backroom staff were forced into a 14-day self-isolation period. The two weeks end on Tuesday and as things stand, the club’s London Colney training base will reopen and training will resume ahead of the planned home game against Norwich on April 4. Arteta is understood to be feeling better and in good spirits.

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18Mar By Czar Owolabi MarcusNo Comments

Events

Billboard Music Awards postponed amid coronavirus outbreak

The Billboard Music Awards - which were due to take place on 29 April at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas - have been postponed amidst the coronavirus pandemic. Producers said in a statement: "In accordance with the current guidelines set forth by national and local health officials and in order to ensure the health and safety of our artists, fans, guests and staff - we are postponing the Billboard Music Awards. For more than two decades, the Billboard Music Awards has honoured the best in music based on the Billboard charts, and we look forward to celebrating the incredible artists who topped those charts over the last year." Kelly Clarkson was due to return as host of the music awards show and had previously shared her excitement at being put in charge of proceedings for t...

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16Mar By Czar Owolabi MarcusNo Comments

Sport

Asmir Begovic opens up on Italy’s ‘nightmare’ lockdown amid battle to stop spread of coronavirus

AC Milan's on-loan goalkeeper Asmir Begovic has painted a scary picture about what life is like in Italy amid the coronavirus outbreak. Milan is in total lockdown at the moment as authorities desperately attempt to prevent the spread of the deadly coronavirus, which has killed over 1,800 people in the country so far. Milan is situated in the worst affected region of the worst-hit country in Europe, and Begovic has compared the current lockdown to a scene from a movie. 'It's a total lockdown,' the 32-year-old, who is still on Bournemouth's books, told the Mirror. 'The streets are deserted. The only thing open are supermarkets. You can get a little bit of food and then it's straight back to your home. It's crazy. 'It's a big city, I live in the city and you think it's a movi...

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16Mar By BobbyNo Comments

Sport

Van Dijk fears Liverpool Winning Title amid Coronavirus Outbreak

Liverpool centre back, Virgil van Dijk, has said he would be “gutted” if the coronavirus outbreak stops their fans watching the team win the league. Premier League fixtures have been suspended until April 4 at least. Liverpool are almost certain to win the title for the first time in 30 years. The Reds sit 25 points clear of Manchester City in second place and need only two wins to be confirmed champions. Van Dijk told Dutch newspapers: “If we won it in an empty stadium and the fans weren’t there, I’d be gutted for them. “Obviously, if there are no fans at Anfield, then it will be a bit of a blow – no one wants to play games without the fans.”

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15Mar By BobbyNo Comments

Sport

Coronavirus: Lionel Messi Opens up on Self-isolation During ‘Complicated’ Times

Barcelona captain, Lionel Messi, has spoken for the first time since LaLiga was suspended because of the coronavirus outbreak. Messi, writing on his Instagram page, insisted that health must always come first. The Argentine is also on self-isolation, as the football world suffers from the spread of the pandemic. La Liga has joined Serie A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and Premier League in bringing competitive football to an immediate halt. Barcelona have also cancelled all training activities for two weeks. Messi has called on fans to stay safe and adhere to hygienic practices. He has posted on social media: “Health must always come first. It is an exceptional moment and you must follow the instructions of both health organisations and public authorities. Only in this way can...

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14Mar By BobbyNo Comments

Sport

Man Utd Players to Train During Coronavirus Enforced Break

Manchester United players will train as normal, despite the Premier League suspending fixtures because of the coronavirus outbreak, the UK Mirror reports. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his players will stick to their daily training schedule at Carrington. There will be no games in England until April 3 at the earliest, which could lead to a drop in players’ fitness levels. But United want their squad to remain at peak levels, before the expected resumption of the season. United have however not decided whether they will arrange behind closed doors games at their trading ground to keep their players sharp. The Red Devils were due to face Tottenham this Sunday.

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11Mar By Czar Owolabi MarcusNo Comments

Celebs

Babes And Mampintsha Poke Fun At Coronavirus Outbreak

The couple everybody loves to hate, has shared humorous videos poking fun at the Coronavirus outbreak that has hit our country. Almost everyday the South African Twitter trends are focused on giving out  Coronavirus updates. Even though the country is concerned about the outbreak, some have made light of the situation, by initiating the #CoronaVirusChallenge. The controversial couple Babes Wodumo and Mampintsha have joined the multitudes of South Africans who turned the hysteria into a joke! Shimora posted videos on his Instagram page where he and his girlfriend Babes are heard making fun of the virus saying that it is found in men's beards. They then encouraged men to shave their beards to prevent the spread of the virus. In another video, Mampintsha can be seen wearing...

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7Mar By BobbyNo Comments

Sport

LeBron James says he won’t play in empty stadiums as NBA plans for games to be played behind closed Doors over Coronavirus

Basketball legend, LeBron James, has hit back at NBA after concerns were raised about the deadly coronavirus spreading across the world. On Friday, NBA sent a memo to all 30 teams about the need to prepare for possibly playing games behind closed doors with only essential staff present due to coronavirus. In a statement made to Daily Star, NBA insider, Shams Charania claimed: "The NBA has sent a memo to its franchises explaining that, due to coronavirus outbreak, teams should be preparing to play games without fans in attendance and identifying “essential staff” present for these games - should it be necessary. Speaking after Lakers' win over the Milwaukee Bucks this morning, LeBron James made it clear he would refuse to play if they are made to play behind closed doors becaus...

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3Mar By Czar Owolabi MarcusNo Comments

Sport

Jurgen Klopp addresses concerns that coronavirus outbreak could stop Liverpool from winning their first ever Premier League title

Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp has allayed the fears of Liverpool fans who are worried that the government might cancel the premier league season due to the coronavirus outbreak, thereby denying Liverpool the opportunity to win their first English Premier League title. Liverpool have had to wait since 1990 to win a league title and have never won the Premier League. According to reports, fans of Liverpool are scared that the EPL results this season might be cancelled as fears of the spread of the deadly coronavirus has forced sporting events around Europe to shut down.   Though there is no legislation in place stating that the final league standings this season be curtailed prematurely, Klopp has rubbished suggestions his side could be denied the title this seas...

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1Mar By dthataNo Comments

Health

Coronavirus: Vietnam Says All Its Infected Patients Cured

Amid the rapid spread of the coronavirus outbreak around the world, Vietnam has announced that all 16 infected patients in the country were discharged from hospital and declared cured. As of Wednesday, all 16 patients, including the oldest who is 73, had been cured and discharged from the hospital. For the past 15 days, including on Friday, the government also detected no new cases of infections, the last one having been reported on February 13, even as a village north of Hanoi remains under a 20-day lockdown. "If fighting COVID-19 has been a war, then we have won the first round but not the entire war because the situation can be very unpredictable," Vietnam's Ministry of Health quoted Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam as saying, referring to the illness caused by the coronavi...

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28Feb By BobbyNo Comments

Sport

Coronavirus: Juventus to Play Inter Milan Behind Closed Doors

Sunday’s Serie A fixture between Juventus and Inter Milan will be played behind close doors because of the coronavirus outbreak in Europe. DAILY POST recalls that confirmed cases of the Coronavirus, also known as Covid-19, has been reported in Italy as more than 400 people have been infected. Almost all the cases are reported in northern Italy. Juventus confirmed this in a statement on its official website on Thursday. Maurizio Sarri’s men head to the game following a 1-0 defeat to Lyon in the Champions League round of 16 first leg encounter on Wednesday. “Juventus vs. Inter, scheduled for 20:45 on Sunday 1 March at the Allianz Stadium, will be played behind closed doors,” a club statement read. “Lega Serie A communicated, in compliance with the Decree of the President o...

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25Feb By BobbyNo Comments

Sport

South Korea League Season Postponed Due to Coronavirus Outbreak

South Korean football authorities have indefinitely postponed the start of the 2020 domestic season due to the coronavirus outbreak. The K League made the announcement after an emergency meeting in Seoul on Monday as the country grapples with the viral outbreak that began in China and has infected more than 79,000 people globally. The number of reported cases in South Korea reached 833 on Monday, including seven deaths. While the majority of infections in South Korea have been recorded in the southeastern city of Daegu, there are concerns the virus could spread nationwide. On Friday, the K League postponed the opening games of the season for Daegu FC and nearby Pohang Steelers, scheduled to be held this Saturday, but now all games will be suspended until further notice. "We...

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23Feb By BobbyNo Comments

Sport

Inter Milan Vs Sampdoria Among 3 Matches Postponed Over Coronavirus Outbreak In Italy

Inter Milan’s match against Sampdoria is one of three Serie A games that have been postponed due to fears over the coronavirus outbreak in Italy with two deaths so far. The Prime Minister of Italy confirmed that Verona Vs Cagliari and Atlanta vs Sassuolo will also not be played as scheduled before. Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte made the decision to postpone the three Serie A games over fears of the coronavirus outbreak. Several Italian lower league games were also postponed ahead of the weekend after a woman in Lombardy became the second person to die this week. Inter were looking to get back on track with Serie A leaders Juventus after their match on Saturday. Cristiano Ronaldo and Aaron Ramsey both scored to give Juve a 2-1 win over SPAL, which extended their lea...

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