Buhari Extends Phase Two Of COVID-19 Lockdown by Four Weeks

Buhari extends phase two of COVID-19 lockdown by four Weeks
Guardian Jun 29, 2020Read original

Nigerian Government on Monday extended the second phased of the eased lockdown for another four weeks.

The chairman of the presidential task force on COVID-19 Boss Mustapha during the daily briefing said that President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the extension of the phased lockdown for four weeks.

Mustapha said his team is “committed to striking a delicate balance between lives and livelihood.”

“Mr. President has carefully considered and approved that with the exception of some modifications, Phase 2 of the Eased Lockdown will be extended for another 4 weeks : 30 June – 27 July 2020,” Mustapha said.

However, the government made some modifications of the phase 2 of the eased lockdown which include the reopening of airports for local flights “as soon as practicable,” reopening of schools for exiting students in secondary schools and the lift of ban on interstate travels.

Mustapha said the reopening of schools was meant to allow students in graduating classes to resume preparation for examinations.

According to him, nationwide curfew from 10pm to 4am is still intact while the use of face masks in public places is still mandatory.

Offices are still meant to be 75 per cent filled while banks retain it’s full working hours.

On Sunday, 490 new confirmed cases and 7 deaths of coronavirus were recorded in Nigeria, having carried out a total daily test of 3,006 samples across the country.

To date, 24567 cases have been confirmed, 9,007 cases have been discharged and 565 deaths have been recorded in 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

A total of 130,164 tests have been carried out as of June 28th, 2020 compared to 127,158 tests a day earlier.

Big Brothers Announces Date For 2020 BBNaija Reality Show

Big Brother announces date for 2020 BBNaija reality show

The organizers of the Big Brother Naija, BBNaija entertainment programme have announced the date for the commencement of the 2020 reality show.

In a tweet on its official Twitter page on Monday, the BBNaija organisers said the show will resume on the 19th of July despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The tweet read: “BREAKING NEWS, The newest season of #BBNaija launches 19th July

“That’s the tweet.”

Recall that auditioning for this year’s show took place from May 20th to 30th.

Participants interested in the reality show were asked to upload a video introducing themselves and giving reasons for their interest in the show.

The audition was open to young adults above 21years, with valid Nigerian passports.

Nigeria, US, Others excluded from list of Travellers Permitted To Enter Europe from July 1

Nigeria, US, others excluded from list of travellers permitted to enter Europe from July 1

Ahead of the planned reopening of its borders to international travellers on July 1, the European Union Commission has released a list of 54 countries that qualify for travels into Europe and Nigeria is conspicuously absent.

Schengenvisainfo.com reports that citizens from Nigeria, Brazil, Qatar, the US and Russia would not be allowed to travel into Europe until such a time when the epidemiological situation in their countries with regards to COVID-19 improves.

According to the report, the countries whose citizens have been granted permits into Europe include Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Australia, Bahamas, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Canada.

Others listed are Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Palau, Paraguay, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Serbia, South Korea, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vatican City, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, China, Costa Rica, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Dominica, Egypt, Ethiopia, Georgia, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Lebanon and Mauritius.

Speaking on the development, Eric Manner, the EU Commission spokesman, said the union had the right to choose who would enter its borders. He added that it was based on health criteria.

“The European Union has an internal process to determine from which countries it would be safe to accept travellers” he said

The EU commission on June 11, presented its recommendation on the reopening of internal Schengen borders on June 15, so that Europeans could travel freely within the borderless areas just as they did before the COVID19 pandemic.

Bishop Oyedepo Blasts Nigerians Again; Freedom of Worship is No Longer a Constitutional Right.

Freedom of worship is no longer a constitutional right but now determined by some people' - Bishop Oyedepo lashes out once again

Bishop David Oyedepo has again lashed out at the governments of Lagos and Ogun state over the continous closure of churches.

The founder of the Living Faith Church International aka Winners’ Chapel in his sermon on Sunday June 28, alleged that Lagos and Ogun have been inflicted with anti-church virus rather than the Coronavirus pandemic.

Oyedepo wondered why marketplaces where people no longer observe social distancing or hygiene will remain open while churches have not been allowed to reopen.

He said;

“No handwashing, no nothing, everyone is in the market running over each other every day of the week and there is no outbreak from the market but there is now outbreak, perceived outbreak from the church. Prophets are God’s voices to the nations. Caution!

“Now, freedom of worship is no longer a constitutional right but now determined to buy some individuals. It is a hard thing to kick against the priest.

“This is no longer coronavirus in Lagos and Ogun. It is now anti-church virus clean and clear.”

He also claimed that 10 members of his church testified to being healed from the disease in the last one week. Oyedepo insisted that there would have been more testimonies if churches have been allowed to reopen.

He added;

“Can anybody silence the church? Never! I have never heard of anybody that God healed in the market but people get healed in every church day and night, real tangible healing. We have recorded 114 coronavirus healing testimonies. We got 10 this week.

“And that is the place that is vulnerable, not the market.”

Nigeria Singer Burna Boyn Wins BET Awards 2020

BET Awards 2020: Burna Boy wins Best International Act for the second consecutive year (Video)

Burna Boy has won the Best International Act for the second consecutive year, becoming the first Nigerian artiste to win the BET Awards back to back.

The Nigerian singer floored Innoss’B (DRC), Sho Madjozi (South Africa), Dave (UK), Stormzy (UK), Ninho (France), and S.Pri Noir (France) to scoop the gong at the first-ever virtual BET Awards which held on Sunday night.

British supermodel, Naomi Campbell presented the Best International Act award to Burna Boy, who gave his acceptance speech virtually due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

In his acceptance speech, the singer said:"I'll like to use this opportunity to say that sometime around 1835, there was a mission to turn Africa into a dominated nation."

"Now is the time to overturn that and go back to the royalty that we were, because, in order for black lives to matter, Africa must matter"

Nigeria Federal Reps Tells FG To Enlist Fresh Graduates Into Nigeria Army

Reps member tells FG to enlist fresh graduates into Nigerian Army

A member of the House of Representatives, Zakariya Dauda Nyampa, has advocated for fresh graduates to be enlisted into the army.

Nyampa who represents representing Michika/Madagali constituency of Adamawa state, said the military service should replace the mandatory one-year National Youth Services Corps (NYSC).

The lawmaker made the suggestion at a virtual meeting organised by a non-governmental organisation, Leadership newspaper reported.

He said graduates who do not have the interest to serve as military personnel should be allowed to venture into other endeavours after the mandatory one-year training and service in the Nigerian army.

BREAKING: FG Of Nigeria Lifts Ban On Interststate Movement

BREAKING: FG Lifts Ban on Interstate Movement

President Buhari

The Federal Government on Monday lifted ban on interstate movement effective from July 1, 2020.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation and chairman Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, disclosed this during the daily media briefing.

National coordinator of PTF, Dr. Sani Aliyu also added that only fifty per cent of the passengers of the buses are allowed during travels.

“Only 50% of the passengers are allowed with compulsory use of face mask,” he said.

The PTF, however, reaffirmed the continuation of the nationwide curfew between 10 pm and 4 am adding that “travels are not expected at this period.”

U.S ARMY ANSEWRS FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT VANESSA QUILLEN

U.S. Army answers frequently asked questions about Vanessa Guillen

The U.S. Army released answers to questions many have been asking while the search for Vanessa Guillen continues.

Her car keys, barracks room key, identification card, and wallet were later found in the armory room where she was working earlier in the day.

Fort Hood officials and Special Agents from the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command are asking for the public’s assistance in locating Pfc. Vanessa Guillen, a 20-year-old Soldier stationed at Fort Hood, Texas. (Fort Hood Press Center)

Guillen was last seen April 22 between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. at Fort Hood in the parking lot of Regimental Engineer Squadron Headquarters, 3rd Cavalry Regiment. She has not been heard from since.

LATEST ON THE NOVEL CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK

Latest on the novel coronavirus outbreak

Updated: June 28, 2020

The novel coronavirus has spread across China and beyond.

June 29

China

Data released by National Health Commission by midnight, June 28, 2020.

- Chinese mainland reports 12 new COVID-19 cases, 7 locally transmitted from Beijing and 5 imported

Outside China

The latest figures reported by each government's health authority as of June 29, 2020.

- Global COVID-19 cases top 10 million and deaths surpass 500,000, Johns Hopkins University data shows

- With increasing infections, Mideast states strive to stave off COVID-19 resurgence (Read more)

- COVID-19 spike hits most US western states after reopening (Read more)

- Italy's coronavirus data still positive despite cluster outbreaks in 11 hotspots (Read more)

- Japan will not declare another state of emergency, despite more than 100 new coronavirus cases being reported (Read more)

- Researchers at the University of Barcelona say they have detected the presence of the novel coronavirus in waste water samples collected in Barcelona on March 12, 2019 (Read more)

June 28

China

Beijing's first air-inflated testing lab, called the Huoyan, was put into use in Daxing district on June 23, 2020. [Photos by Feng Yongbin/China Daily]

 - Beijing has conducted nucleic acid testing for 7.69 million people, with more than 8.3 million samples collected, said an official with the city's work group on COVID-19 control and prevention on Sunday.

- Chinese mainland reports 17 new COVID-19 cases, including 14 locally transmitted in Beijing.

Outside China

- US COVID-19 cases surpass 2.5 mln - Johns Hopkins University (Read more)

- US Florida sets new daily record for COVID-19 cases (Read more)

- EU poised to bar US travelers as bloc reopens in July (Read more)

- Britons to be allowed to go on Europe holidays from July 6 (Read more)

June 27

China

- Mosquitoes and flies cannot transmit novel coronavirus, China CDC expert says

- The Beijing Municipal Commerce Bureau has revised the guidelines for hair and beauty salons during the epidemic to protect themselves and customers from getting infected (Read more)

- Chinese mainland reports 21 new COVID-19 cases, including 17 locally transmitted in Beijing

Outside China

- Up to 20m in US may be infected with virus (Read more)

June 26

China

- Chinese mainland reports 13 new COVID-19 cases, including 11 locally transmitted in Beijing (Read more)

Outside China

- As of Thursday morning, 307,980 people have tested positive for the disease in Britain, a daily increase of 1,118

- Egypt confirmed on Thursday 1,569 new COVID-19 infections, bringing the total cases registered in the country since mid-February to 61,130

- California reported 5,349 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, down from a high of 7,149 one day before

- Total COVID-19 deaths surpassed the 15,000-mark in India on Friday, reaching 15,301, as total cases reached 490,401

June 25

Outside China

- Russia has confirmed 7,113 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, raising its total number of infections to 613,994, its coronavirus response center said in a statement on Thursday.

China

People wearing protective masks visit a former industrial park that has been converted to an art district on the Dragon Boat Festival holiday in Beijing, on June 25, 2020. [Photo/Agencies]

- Chinese mainland reports 19 new COVID-19 cases, including 13 locally transmitted in Beijing (Read more)

June 24

Outside China

- Global coronavirus cases exceed 9.1 million: Johns Hopkins University

- UK abandons 2-meter social distance rule (Read more)

- Portugal needs to 'reactivate' economy to create jobs: PM (Read more)

- Argentine authorities call for greater efforts from public to battle pandemic (Read more)

- Urgent action needed for 600m South Asian children threatened by COVID-19: UNICEF (Read more)

- New daily COVID-19 cases in US Texas surpass 5,000 for 1st time: Governor

China 

A man wearing a face mask walks past sealed freezers containing seafood products at a supermarket in Beijing, on June 19, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]

- No need to quarantine people from low-risk areas in Beijing: National Health Commission

- China's daily nucleic acid testing capacity tops 3m; Chinese medical institutions had carried out 90.41 million nucleic acid tests as of June 22: National Health Commission (Read more)

- Chinese mainland reports 12 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday with 9 domestically-transmitted cases

June 23

Outside China

- Tennis world number one Novak Djokovic says he has tested positive for coronavirus, joining a slew of other infected players who took part in an exhibition tennis tournament in the Balkans (Read more)

- Global confirmed COVID-19 cases topped 9 million on Monday, reaching 9,003,042: Johns Hopkins University

- England to reopen pubs and ditch 2 meter rule (Read more)

- WHO expert says COVID-19 well-established at global level (Read more)

- Flu-like illness surveillance reveals spike in undetected US COVID-19 cases in March (Read more)

- 2 more Trump campaign staffers at Tulsa rally test positive for coronavirus (Read more)

- US COVID-19 deaths surpass 120,000 amid soaring new cases (Read more)

- Saudi Arabia says to limit number of Hajj pilgrims over coronavirus concerns (Read more)

China

Staff members in protective suits stand in front of mobile laboratories for nucleic acid testing, at a sports centre in Daxing district in Beijing, on June 23, 2020. [Photo/Agencies]

- Beijing's large-scale cultural and tourism activities for Dragon Boat Festival moved online (Read more)

- Chinese mainland reports 22 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, with 13 domestically-transmitted cases, all in Beijing

- Beijing reported 13 newly confirmed domestically-transmitted COVID-19 cases, 2 suspected cases and one asymptomatic cases Monday

- 2.34 million Beijing residents tested for virus between June 12-22 (Read more)

June 22

Outside China

- Germany's meat processing company outbreak infects 1,331 (Read more)

- Aussie state scraps easing of COVID-19 restrictions after spike in cases (Read more)

- Italy's coronavirus outbreak weakens with lowest one-day deaths since March 2

- COVID-19 cases surpass 400,000, deaths cross 13,000-mark in India

- COVID-19 cases surge in several US states as reopening efforts continue (Read more)

- The number of COVID-19 cases has totaled 173,324 in the US state of California as it recorded its highest single-day spike in coronavirus infections on Sunday

- Over 40 mysterious respiratory deaths in California could rewrite narrative of COVID-19: report (Read more)

- Iran's COVID-19 cases nudge 205,000 as Turkey's tally exceeds 187,000 (Read more)

China

People eat food with partitions on tables in a restaurant in Beijing, on June 22, 2020.[Photo/Agencies]

- Reports of coronavirus infection drop in Beijing (Read more)

- Beijing doubles daily nucleic acid testing capacity to over 230,000 (Read more)

- Chinese mainland reports 18 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, with 9 in Beijing (Read more)

- A site to collect samples for nucleic acid tests in a makeshift program has been built within 70 hours at the Peking Union Medical College Hospital (Read more)

June 21

China

A man receives a nucleic acid test at a testing site in a residential community in Beijing, on June 21, 2020. [Photo/Agencies]

- Chinese mainland reports 26 new COVID-19 cases, with 25 locally transmitted and 1 from overseas (Read more)

- The Beijing branch of food corporation PepsiCo suspended operations after one employee was confirmed as a COVID-19 patient on June 15 (Read more)

Outside China

- Global cases top 8.7 million: Johns Hopkins University

- COVID-19 cases surpass 400,000, deaths cross 13,000-mark in India (Read more)

- COVID-19 cases in Brazil surpass 1 million amid ballooning caseload (Read more)

June 20

China

Residents undergo nucleic acid tests for COVID-19 at a stadium in Beijing's Xicheng district on June 15. [Photo by Zou Hong/China Daily]

- China to include COVID-19 testing in medical insurance

- Beijing's outbreak data shared with world (Read more)

- Beijing reported 22 newly confirmed domestically-transmitted COVID-19 cases, four suspected cases and two asymptomatic cases Friday.

- Over 2m Beijing residents tested so far amid infections (Read more)

Outside China

- Washington D.C. to begin phase two of reopening next week (Read more)

- EU leaders enter tough negotiation for massive recovery plan (Read more)

- French govt allows fans back into stadiums from July 10, with an initial limit of 5,000 (Read more)

June 19

China

-Chinese mainland reports 32 new cases on Thursday, with 25 in Beijing.

- Students from moderate- to high-risk regions of coronavirus infections should wear masks when taking the national college entrance exam (Read more)

- Although initial analysis showed the virus strain was from Europe, the Beijing strain is older than existing strains in prevalence in Europe at present : CDC researcher (Read more)

- Customs inspections find no virus in imported food since Beijing outbreak (Read more)

Outside China

- Global COVID-19 deaths surpass 450,000: Johns Hopkins University

- Influential COVID-19 model raises forecasts to over 200,000 deaths in US by Oct 1 (Read more)

- Germany reports 770 new COVID-19 cases after slaughterhouse outbreak (Read more)

- Johnson, Macron hold first face-to-face talks since coronavirus pandemic started (Read more)

- EU leaders mull COVID-19 recovery plan but divisions remain

- Turkey steps up measures against COVID-19 amid resurgence of cases (Read more)

- Governor orders all Californians to wear face coverings in public (Read more)

June 18

Workers disinfect a waiting area in Beijing Railway Station on Thursday. [Photo by Zou Hong/China Daily]

China

- Chinese mainland reports 28 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, with 21 in Beijing.

- Beijing closes workplaces, restaurants, hotels in high-risk areas (Read more)

- Beijing restricting people from leaving the city doesn’t mean the capital is locked down - official (Read more)

- An elementary student in Xicheng district tests positive for coronavirus

Outside China

- Global coronavirus cases exceed 8.3 million: Johns Hopkins University

- WHO chief highlights China-Africa cooperation on COVID-19 fight (Read more)

- Kazakhstan's first president Nursultan Nazarbayev has self-isolated after testing positive for COVID-19 (Read more)

- Several US states hit record highs for COVID-19 cases

- Italy's active COVID-19 infections drop to lowest level since mid-March (Read more)

- EU plans to speed up COVID-19 vaccine development through advance purchase (Read more)

- Turkey not to consider lockdown despite increasing COVID-19 cases: Minister (Read more)

June 17

China

- Beijing reports 31 new COVID-19 cases

- As of 9:10 am, two airports in Beijing have cancelled 1,255 flights, nearly 70 percent of all scheduled trips (Read more)

- The national railway operator will allow passengers who booked train tickets in and out of Beijing as of Tuesday to refund tickets without charging fees. (Read more)

- Beijing prepares for both online, offline schooling next semester

Outside China

- Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez says he has been diagnosed with novel coronavirus (Read more)

- Mexico, US extend ban on non-essential cross-border travel amid pandemic (Read more)

- Powell: US economy faced with 'uncertainty' (Read more)

- German govt launches official COVID-19 warning app (Read more)

- Chilean govt proposes more economic aid for poorest in pandemic (Read more)

- Poland resumes EU passenger air service, COVID-19 cases top 30,000 (Read more)

June 16

COVID-19 patients rest at a ward in Beijing Ditan Hospital in Beijing, June 16, 2020. [Photo by Cheng Gong/chinadaily.com.cn]

China

- Beijing will raise its public health emergency response from the third to the second level (Read more)

- Starting Wednesday Beijing halts return to campus, resumes online courses for middle, primary school students; suspends college students' return to campus

-Beijing asks libraries, museums, parks to limit visitors up to 30 percent of full flow

- Beijing halts cross-province group tours

- Chinese mainland reports 40 new COVID-19 cases, of them 27 being locally transmitted in Beijing

- Wuhan clears all asymptomatic cases of novel coronavirus (Read more)

- Beijing plans to roll out sweeping nucleic acid tests for residents living near a produce market in the capital's Xicheng district, after a market employee was confirmed to be infected with COVID-19 on Sunday (Read more)

- Shanghai to quarantine those arriving from local high- and medium-risk zones (Read more)

Outside China

- Global confirmed COVID-19 cases topped 8 million, reaching 8,001,138: Johns Hopkins University

- WHO working closely with China over COVID-19 cases (Read more)

- European nations relax border controls with vigilance while gearing up to cut tourism fallout (Read more)

- FDA revokes emergency use of anti-malaria drugs for COVID-19 (Read more)

- Italy's reconstruction chief outlines three pillars to post-pandemic era (Read more)

- COVID-19 causes much more hospitalizations, deaths for patients with underlying conditions: CDC (Read more)

June 15

China

Residents undergo nucleic acid tests for COVID-19 on Monday night at a stadium in Beijing's Xicheng district. [Photo by Zou Hong/China Daily]

- Chinese mainland reports 49 new COVID-19 cases, of them 36 being locally transmitted in Beijing

- Zhou Yuqing, deputy head of southern Beijing's Fengtai district, has been removed from the post for "failing" in his duty to prevent and control COVID-19 (Read more)

- Beijing completes nucleic acid testing sampling collection of 29,386 people who visited Xinfadi market over past 14 days (Read more)

- Beijing municipal authorities announced on Monday that up to 76,499 persons in the city received nucleic acid testing on Sunday, and 59 have tested positive (Read more)

Outside China

- Global coronavirus cases exceed 7.8 million: Johns Hopkins University

- UK reports lowest daily deaths, France 'turns page of first act of crisis' (Read more)

- WHO says blood donation key to strengthening COVID-19 response (Read more)

- Spain will reopen its frontiers with the European Union countries - with the exception of Portugal - on June 21, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez says (Read more)

- Argentine president 'concerned' by rise in COVID-19 cases (Read more)

- UNICEF delivers COVID-19 medical equipment to Yemen's Sanaa (Read more)

June 14

China

Residents undergo nucleic acid tests at a stadium in Beijing's Xicheng district on Sunday. DU YANG/CHINA NEWS SERVICE

- Beijing reports 8 new COVID-19 cases between midnight and 7:00 am on Sunday, all linked to Xinfadi market (Read more)

- Tianjin and Hebei province, Beijing's two neighbors, have taken measures to enhance prevention and control measures to lower the infection risk for the novel coronavirus, after the capital reported local infected cases in recent days (Read more)

- Beijing has demanded that hospitals offer more tests to screen fever patients for novel coronavirus infections as the city began to register new cases after a weeks-long lull (Read more)

- Chinese mainland reported 57 new COVID-19 cases, including 36 locally transmitted cases in Beijing and two in the northeastern province of Liaoning. (Read more)

The 19 imported cases were found in Guangdong province (17), Shanghai (1) and Chongqing (1). (Read more)

- Guangdong province reports 17 imported cases and four asymptomatic patients on Saturday. (Read more)

- China Southern flight CZ392 from Dhaka to Guangzhou was suspended for 4 weeks, after 17 passengers onboard were tested for coronavirus. (Read more)

- Two new COVID-19 cases reported in NE China's Liaoning province (Read more)

Outside China

The latest figures released by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University at 1000 GMT, June 14.

- Russia has recorded 8,835 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking its total to 528,964 (Read more)

- Bangkok's nighttime entertainment venues remain temporarily closed despite end of curfew

June 13

Outside China

- Indian state crosses 100,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19

- Africa's confirmed COVID-19 cases pass 225,000 mark

- Poland reopens EU borders after 3-month lockdown

China

Tourists have fun at the Ocean Park in Hong Kong, China, June 13, 2020. Hong Kong's iconic theme park Ocean Park resumed operations on Saturday after being temporarily closed for more than four months due to the COVID-19 epidemic. To ensure the health and safety of visitors, employees and animals, the maximum instantaneous in-park capacity will be reduced to 9,000 people, 25 percent of the usual level, in the first two weeks following the reopening. [Photo/Xinhua]

- Chinese mainland reports 11 new COVID-19 cases, 5 imported and 6 local cases in Beijing.

- Liaoning reports 2 new asymptomatic COVID-19 cases (Read more)

June 12

Outside China

- Global coronavirus cases exceed 7.4 million: Johns Hopkins University

- India's COVID-19 cases surge to overtake the number of cases in the UK, making it the world's fourth-worst affected country 

- An influential COVID-19 model produced by the University of Washington has revised its projections, forecasting nearly 170,000 COVID-19 deaths in the United States by Oct 1 (Read more)

- US biotech firm Moderna expects to begin a phase-3 study of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate in July (Read more)

- Winter raises risk for COVID-19 spread in Southern Hemisphere: Australian microbiologist (Read more)

China

People visit the ninth Central China International Auto Expo in Zhengzhou, capital of Central China's Henan province, June 12, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]

- Chinese mainland reports seven new COVID-19 cases Thursday, six imported and one local (Read more)

- Two new COVID-19 cases confirmed in Beijing's Fengtai district, senior district official says

June 11

Outside China

- Global coronavirus cases exceed 7.3 million: Johns Hopkins University

- US COVID-19 cases surpass 2 million: Johns Hopkins University 

- WHO calls for more research on asymptomatic transmission of COVID-19 (Read more)

- Latin America's coronavirus crisis reached a new milestone with total deaths exceeding 70,000 (Read more)

- Some European Union member states have announced new steps to reopen their borders with the improvement of the COVID-19 situation (Read more)

- France to enter four-month transition after state of emergency ends on July 10: gov't (Read more)

- Canada, US discuss extension of cross-border restriction to non-essential visits (Read more)

China

Face masks are displayed in the Guangzhou international medical protective supplies fair at Poly World Trade Center Expo in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong province, June 10, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]

- Chinese mainland reports 11 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday, all imported (Read more)

June 10

Outside China

- Studies show people with the coronavirus are most infectious just at the point when they first begin to feel unwell, WHO experts said (Read more)

- Gilead's remdesivir prevents lung damage in COVID-19 study on monkeys (Read more)

- New study shows temperature, humidity, surface affecting coronavirus survival time (Read more)

- More than half US states may undercount COVID-19 cases: media report (Read more)

- AMC Entertainment reports 2.17-bln-USD quarterly loss amid pandemic (Read more)

- National Guard troops in Washington DC test positive for COVID-19 (Read more)

- Surge sees Iran back atop Middle East cases (Read more)

- Global coronavirus cases exceed 7.1 million: Johns Hopkins University

- Lockdowns in 11 European countries may have prevented over 3 million deaths: Study (Read more)

China

Passengers check in for a flight from Wuhan, Hubei province, to Beijing on June 9, 2020. As the infection risks in Wuhan remain low, and since Beijing lowered its emergency response to the epidemic, flights between the two cities resumed on the day. [Photo by Xiao Xi/For China Daily]

- Chinese mainland reports three new COVID-19 cases Tuesday, all imported (Read more)

June 9

Outside China

- WHO urges health precautions at mass gatherings (Read more)

- Researchers find that face coverings and masks reduced the spread of the virus by up to 80 percent (Read more)

- New study shows northern California's COVID-19 resulted from multiple virus strains (Read more)

China

Community workers take the temperature of a resident in a residential community in Shulan, Jilin province, on June 9, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]

- Chinese mainland reports 3 new COVID-19 cases Monday, all imported

- Beijing cleared all its domestically transmitted COVID-19 cases as the last patient was cured and discharged from hospital on Monday (Read more)

June 8

Outside China

- Global confirmed COVID-19 cases reach 7,007,948 as of 0233 GMT on Monday, with a death toll of 402,709 - Johns Hopkins University

- The number of COVID-19 deaths in the US topped 110,000, reaching 110,028: Johns Hopkins University

- The number of confirmed COVID-19 positive cases across the African continent reached 183,474

- Trials for hydroxychloroquine as virus treatment resume after study retracted (Read more)

- New York starts to shake off virus; Europe recovering (Read more)

- COVID-19 cases exceed 170,000 in Iran, Turkey; Saudi Arabia's tally surpasses 100,000 (Read more)

- Pakistan's confirmed COVID-19 cases cross 100,000 mark

- New Zealand will drop social distancing restrictions form midnight on Monday as it moves to a level 1 national alert from Level 2 (Read more)

China

Pedestrians pass by a jewelry store on the Han Street of Wuhan, capital of Central China's Hubei province, on March 30. [Provided to China Daily]

- Chinese mainland reports four new imported COVID-19 cases Sunday (Read more)

- Nine COVID-19 patients discharged from hospitals on Chinese mainland (Read more)

June 7

China

Residents purchase fruit and dessert in a night market in Baocheng Road in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei province, on June 1, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]

- Chinese mainland reports six new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, all but one from overseas [Read more]

Outside China

- Global COVID-19 deaths surpassed 400,000, reaching 400,225 as of 7:33 am (1133 GMT), according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University

- Places of worship in New York state in the US will be permitted to reopen with 25 percent occupancy during phase two of reopening; Places of worship in the state's seven regions that are already in phase two will open on Sunday

- British places of worship to reopen partly on June 15

- Film, TV productions in California permitted to resume from June 12

- COVID-19 cases nudge 170,000 in Iran, Turkey with different speed

June 6

Outside China

- Spanish govt to levy fines on violators of face mask rules (Read more)

- WHO upgraded its guidance on the use of face masks for control of the COVID-19 disease as the global pandemic continues to spread across Latin America (Read more)

- Italy confirms downward trend in new infections, facemasks ready for high school exams (Read more)

- UN preparing for gradual reopening of headquarters in New York (Read more)

China

A student (1st, L) goes through procedures to move to his dormitory at Tsinghua University in Beijing, capital of China, June 6, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]

- Chinese scientists have launched a phase I clinical trial for the world's first neutralizing antibody treatment against COVID-19 (Read more)

- Graduating students of universities in Beijing return to campuses (Read more)

- Beijing lowers its public health emergency response from the second to the third level starting on June 6 (Read more)

- Beijing to resume municipal sports after emergency response lowered (Read more)

- Chinese mainland reported three new COVID-19 cases on June 5, all imported

June 5

Outside China

- 'Historic commitments' at Global Vaccine Summit as $8.8b pledged (Read more)

- European Central Bank pumps $675 billion into pandemic fund (Read more)

- Italy confirms downward trend in new infections, facemasks ready for high school exams (Read more)

- UK PM urges funding, global cooperation in virtual Global Vaccine Summit (Read more)

- COVID-19 pandemic still threatening Canadians' health, Trudeau says (Read more)

China

Visitors watch sea animals at Beijing Aquarium on June 5, 2020. [Photo by Zou Hong/chinadaily.com.cn]

- Chinese mainland reports 5 new COVID-19 cases, all from overseas (Read more)

- The remaining confirmed cases in Hubei have been reduced to zero (Read more)

June 4

Outside China

- WHO especially worried about Central and South America: WHO chief (Read more)

- US Senate sends small business loan reform bill to Trump (Read more)

- Germany unveils 130-billion-euro stimulus package to boost virus-hit economy (Read more)

 Turkey does not expect second wave of COVID-19: Health minister (Read more)

- WHO resumes hydroxycholorquine trial after 'threat' queried (Read more)

- Spanish parliament approves sixth extension of State of Alarm (Read more)

China

Visitors dressed in Tibetan attire walk in front of the Potala Palace on June 4, 2020. [Photo by Palden Nyima/chinadaily.com.cn]

- China will allow domestic and overseas airlines to increase the number of international passenger flights in and out of the country if the epidemic risks are controllable: Civil Aviation Administration of China (Read more)

- Chinese mainland reports one imported new COVID-19 infection on Wednesday (Read more)

June 3

Outside China

- New Zealand could return to normal life as early as next week (Read more)

- Brazil registered another record number of novel coronavirus deaths over the last 24 hours: 1,262 deaths

- Mexican health authorities reported an additional 3,891 cases of the novel coronavirus, a new record of daily cases, and 470 more deaths

- Mass protests in US may speed up COVID-19 transmission (Read more)

- COVID-19 RNA in wastewater reflects epidemic situation: Finnish study (Read more)

China

People visit Qianmen Street in Beijing, capital of China, June 3, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]

- The city of Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang province, is prepared to conduct coronavirus tests across the city

- Shulan, a county-level city administered by Jilin city in Jilin province, has been downgraded to low-risk for COVID-19 (Read more)

- Chinese mainland reports one imported new COVID-19 infection on Tuesday (Read more)

June 2

Outside China

- The number of COVID-19 cases in the US tops 1.8 million, reaching 1,804,206: Johns Hopkins University

- US health experts and government officials warned that large street protests over racial inequities and excessive police force could worsen the spread of the coronavirus

- Russia will start giving patients its first drug approved to treat COVID-19 next week (Read more)

- Poland scraps school reopening plan as COVID-19 cases top 24,000 (Read more)

- COVID-19 has not changed in terms of transmissibility or severity: WHO officials (Read more)

- Mexico's coronavirus death toll surpasses 10,000

- Chile's cases exceed 100,000

China

A teacher measures a student's body temperature at a primary school in East China's Shanghai, June 2, 2020. More students in the Shanghai Municipality returned to school as public kindergartens and the first to third grades of primary schools reopened on Tuesday. [Photo/Xinhua]

- A woman surnamed Li who hid her health condition from flight crew and tested positive for COVD-19 after arriving in Beijing on a flight from the US in March has been detained (Read more)

- Chinese mainland reports 5 new COVID-19 cases, all from overseas (Read more)

- Eight COVID-19 patients discharged from hospitals on Chinese mainland

- After nearly 10 million tests in Wuhan, no confirmed cases but 300 asymptomatic patients (Read more)

June 1

Outside China

- Brazil's COVID-19 cases top 500,000, death toll nears 30,000 (Read more)

- Egypt sees daily record of 1,536 COVID-19 infections, tally nears 25,000 (Read more)

- China extends help in Jordan, Sudan to fight COVID-19 (Read more)

- COVID-19 hotspots in South Africa may be placed on higher alert level: president (Read more)

China

Children participate in a family event at a kindergarten in Nanming district of Guiyang, Southwest China's Guizhou province, June 1, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]

- Wuhan reports no new asymptomatic patients on Sunday for first time

- Chinese mainland reports 16 new COVID-19 cases, all from overseas

Click here for previous reports

New President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo General Assembly Worldwide/National Executives Emerged

BREAKING NEWS: New President General Of Ohanaeze Ndigbo General Assembly Worldwide/ National Executives Emerged

Barr. Basil Onyeachonam Onuorah

Barr Basil Onyeachonam Onuorah has emerged as the new President General of OHANAEZE NDIGBO GENERAL ASSEMBLY WORLDWIDE.

Onyeachonam is an indigene of Mmiata Anam in Anambra West LGA of Anambra State, the Principal Partner of ONYEACHONAM CHAMBERS, two time governorship candidate in Anambra State, philanthropist, author and a scholar of international repute.

Barr ONYEACHONAM in his inaugural address said that OHANAEZE NDIGBO GENERAL ASSEMBLY is not a factional body but the main Ohanaeze Ndigbo which is being restructured to exist legally as a lawful organisation, represent the interest of Ndigbo and be accountable to Ndigbo.

He maintained that it is a thing of joy to announce to Ndigbo all over the world that OHANAEZE NDIGBO is now registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission in Nigeria with the registration number RC N0:144918, and that OHANAEZE NDIGBO is witnessing its first formal inauguration as a lawful organization with corporate identity.

He further stated that as the apex Igbo sociocultural organisation, the newly inaugurated National Executive will provide the much needed unity, direction, guidance, advice, mentorship to the youths and political way forward for NDIGBO.

He made bold to state that come 2023 an Igbo man will be elected as the President of Nigeria.

The newly inaugurated National Executive wants the Federal Government of Nigeria to equitably address the genuine agitations of Ndigbo and also insisted that President Muhammadu Buhari must sit up to the current security challenges in Nigeria, most especially in Igbo land, to dissuade our Ndigbo from inevitable self-help.

The National Publicity Secretary of the organization, Hon Sir Chimzobam Kingsley Nnalue made the incorporation certificate available to the press and affirmed that this is the first time OHANAEZE NDIGBO GENERAL ASSEMBLY WORLDWIDE is registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission and has also gained the recognition of notable Igbo leaders, Federal Government of Nigeria, Charter of the United Nations and The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

Eze Dr Kelly Nkeli Nzekwe

The Chairman Board of Trustees, His Imperial Majesty Eze Dr Kelly Nkeli Nzekwe said that he was one of the founding fathers of OHANAEZE NDIGBO GENERAL ASSEMBLY WORLDWIDE in 1976 and called on Ndigbo all over the world to join hands together and make OHANAEZE NDIGBO great again.

He said that the principal aim of the founding fathers then was specifically to unite Ndigbo and speak with one voice. He regretted that the organisation later lost its principal focus and degenerated to a political tool in the hands of some greedy politicians which created room to the formation of several Igbo organisations, due to lack of confidence in the affairs of Ohanaeze.

Eze Dr Nkeli stated that on the 25th of November 2019, some notable Igbo stakeholders visited his palace to discuss way forward on how to restructure Ohanaeze Ndigbo and give it a corporate legal status instead of merely existing as a pressure group and a political tool in the hands of few individuals.

He expressed his happiness that the newly inaugurated National Executive led by Barr Onyeachonam has given the organization the much needed legal status as a corporate personality and acceptability to Ndigbo.

J 

One Of The Police Officer At The Scene Of The Killing Of George Floyd is A Nigerian

The Police Officers At The Scene Of George Floyd’s Killing Is A Nigerian

One of the black police officers at the scene of the killing of George Floyd by a white officer in Minneapolis in May has a Nigerian father.

Alex Kueng who joined the police largely because he believed diversity could force change in a Police Department long accused of racism,

New York Times reported that Mr Floyd, whose name has been painted on murals and scrawled on protest signs, has been laid to rest. Mr Kueng, who faces charges of aiding and abetting in Mr Floyd’s death, is out on bail, hounded at the supermarket by strangers and denounced by some family members.

Long before Mr Kueng was arrested, he had wrestled with the issue of police abuse of black people, joining the force in part to help protect people close to him from police aggression. He argued that diversity could force change in a Police Department long accused of racism.

He had seen one sibling arrested and treated poorly, in his view, by sheriff’s deputies. He had found himself defending his decision to join the police force, saying he thought it was the best way to fix a broken system. He had clashed with friends over whether public demonstrations could actually make things better.

“He said, ‘Don’t you think that that needs to be done from the inside?’” his mother, Joni Kueng, recalled him saying after he watched protesters block a highway years ago. “That’s part of the reason why he wanted to become a police officer — and a black police officer on top of it — is to bridge that gap in the community, change the narrative between the officers and the black community.”

As hundreds of thousands of people demonstrated against the police after Mr Floyd’s killing on May 25, Mr Kueng became part of a national debate over police violence toward black people, a symbol of the very sort of policing he had long said he wanted to stop.

Derek Chauvin, the officer who placed his knee on Mr Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes, has been most widely associated with the case. He faces charges of second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter; Mr Kueng and two other former officers were charged with aiding and abetting the killing. At 26, Mr Kueng was the youngest and least experienced officer at the scene, on only his third shift as a full officer.

The arrest of Mr Kueng, whose mother is white and whose father was from Nigeria, has brought anguish to his friends and family. “It’s a gut punch,” Ms Kueng said. “Here you are, you’ve raised this child, you know who he is inside and out. We’re such a racially diverse family. To be wrapped up in a racially motivated incident like this is just unfathomable.”

Two of Mr Kueng’s siblings, Taylor and Radiance, both of whom are African-American, called for the arrests of all four officers, including their brother. They joined protests in Minneapolis.

LAZARUS CHAKWERA SWORN IN AS MALAWI PRESIDENT AFTER HISTORIC WIN

Lazarus Chakwera sworn in as Malawi president after historic win
BBC AfricaJun 28, 2020

Lazarus Chakwera has been sworn in as president of Malawi after winning an election rerun.

"Time has come for us to wake up and to make our dreams come true," Mr Chakwera said in his victory speech.

He defeated incumbent Peter Mutharika with 58.57% of the vote in Tuesday's poll.

In February, Malawi's constitutional court annulled Mr Mutharika's victory in the May 2019 election, citing vote tampering.

The country was bitterly divided in the run-up to this week's election.

Other countries in Africa have had elections annulled - it happened in Kenya in 2017 - but for the opposition candidate to then go on and win a rerun is unprecedented.

Speaking ahead of Saturday's results, Mr Mutharika said that while he found the election "unacceptable", it was his "sincere hope that we should take this country forward instead of backwards."

Saulos Chilima, Mr Chakwera's running mate, was also sworn in as vice-president at a ceremony in the capital, Lilongwe.

Mr Chakwera, a Pentecostal preacher and former theology lecturer, will first have to heal a nation that has been through many months of political turmoil.

NWC Dissolution: Yahaya Bello reveals Oshiomhole, Tinubu's new Role in APC

NWC Dissolution: Yahaya Bello reveals Oshiomhole, Tinubu’s new roles in APC - https://politicsnigeria.com/nwc-dissolution-yahaya-bello-reveals-oshiomole-tinubus-new-roles-in-apc/

PDP Speaks on 10 Governors Defecting to APC

BREAKING: PDP speaks on 10 governors defecting to APC https://news.phxfeeds.com/share?docId=5151016067576910047&source=phx

Uber Driver Who Bashed a Man's Car Burts into Tears As He Receives Cash Gift From The Man He Damaged His Car

Uber driver who bashed a man’s car bursts into tears as he receives cash gift from the man who told him not to pay for damages
Henry Iheanacho   0 June 26, 2020 3:50 pm

An Uber driver who left a huge damage to the bumper of a man’s car after crashing into it, got the surprise of his life after the man stopped him from paying for damages and gifted him cash.

Alabo Braide, the victim whose car was hit by the Uber driver shared details of the incident on Twitter and narrated how his wife stepped in for the Uber driver.

Alabo Braide

He said at first, he wasn’t going to let him go without paying for damages, but after witnessing the condition of the Uber driver and how he has been struggling to make ends meet, he got emotional.

Speaking further, he disclosed how his caring wife begged him to give the Uber driver back his keys and allow him go free. He obliged to her request and gave the young man his keys.

READ ALSO:  Poverty has made girls think that they need to be paid to be loved - Lady says
The reaction of the Uber driver towards his little action made him more sober and he was left with no other choice than to gift him some cash to take care of himself.

He wrote: “So yesterday, I had a humbling experience. Trying to cautiously enter Admiralty Road after sending some items at GIGL. I was unaware a car was driving one-way. The next thing I know, it rips off part of my bumper. The Uber driver who was about to pay for his stupidity. I wasn’t going to let him go. The usual thing happens – people gather and start assessing a situation that isn’t any of their business.

“The driver keeps me waiting for about an hour, by then, my wife is at the scene to pick me up and my mechanic on his way to make his assessments and give the erring party their bill. He comes and says it will cost 105k to replace all parts We decide, his car stays in my custody till he gets the money. He drives to my estate and parks the car. I take pics to avoid unnecessary claims and then I see tears. My wife hears him

“Tell someone in a call how he only managed to make N2600 the whole day. She walks up to him and give him 2k for transportation. On our way up to the apartment, she tells me to give him back his car. I agree, call him back and as I give him back his key, I see the shock and

“Confusion on his face. He burst into tears and tries to dorbale (i didn’t allow him do that). Before I know it, I tear up. Giving him all the money I had in my bag. He couldn’t drive for about 10mins after going into his car.

“I remembered the times I was help. Times I was given a pass. Times I didn’t have. Times people had mercy. I pray life get better for everyone of us. Sometimes, having mercy makes no logical sense but let’s listen to humanity’s appeal. BE GOOD.”

Governor Obiano Suspends Eke Awka Market Closure, Directs its Opening From Monday ,29th June 2020

Governor Obiano Suspends Eke Awka Market Closure, Directs Its Opening From Monday,29th June 2020

By Uche Nworah (ABS News)

Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra state has suspended the government’s earlier directive to close Eke Awka market for violating Anambra state Covid-19 law.

A statement on Friday,  26th June 2020 by the Secretary to the State government, Professor Solo Chukwulobelu said; “Governor Willie Obiano has considered the various pleas by Eke Awka market traders and other stakeholders, and following assurances by the traders that going forward, they will strictly abide by, and enforce the state government’s Covid-19 law and other directives on stopping the spread of the virus in the state. Also, the traders have signed an undertaking with the state government in that regard hence His Excellency on compassionate grounds has directed that the directive to close Eke Awka market which came into effect on Monday, 15th June, 2020 be suspended”.

Professor Chukwulobelu said that Eke-Awka market will re-open for business on Monday, 29th June 2020 and this includes Eke Awka market and surrounding markets such as Oderah market, Uwakwe Ukaegbu market, Author Eze Avenue market and Ziks Avenue.

He urged all market leaders in the state to enforce the terms of the undertaking signed with the state government on Friday, 26th June, 2020 concerning observing and enforcing Covid-19 safety protocols in their various markets.

“We are entering a new phase of engagement with market leaders in the state whose support is critical to stopping the spread of Covid-19 in Anambra state. The market leaders now know that sanctions more stringent than the almost 2-weeks closure of Eke Awka market will apply if they fail to enforce Covid-19 safety protocols in their various markets including wearing of protective face masks, maintaining of social distancing in the markets, provision of buckets and water for washing of hands etc”, Professor Chukwulobelu concluded.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2466629413628424&id=100008441678927

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa's Daughter Test Positive To Coronavirus

Delta state governor, Ifeanyi Okowa and wife go into Isolation after one of their daughters test positive for Coronavirus

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state, and his wife, Edith, have gone into self-isolation after one of their daughters recently tested positive for the novel Coronavirus.

The governor disclosed this on his Instagram page on Friday June 26.

''Earlier today, Edith and I received the news that one of our daughters has tested positive for #COVID19. Hence, in-line with the laid out procedures, we are both going into isolation for the next 14-days.

We will continue to keep you all updated.'' he wrote

Delta state currently has 715 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

Ghana President, Nana Akufo- Addo Apologizes To President Buhari Over The Demolition Of Nigerian High Commission in Accra

Ghanaian President, Nana Akufo-Addo apologizes to President Buhari over the demolition of Nigerian High Commission in Accra

Ghanaian President, Nana Akufo-Addoa has called President Muhammadu Buhari Over the demolition of the Nigerian High Commission in Accra.

In a telephone conversation on Tuesday, June 23, Akufo-Addo apologised over the unfortunate incident that has sparked reactions from the Nigerian government.

Last week Friday, June 19, a businessman who claimed to be the owner of the land where the staff quarters were erected, led some thugs and a bulldozer to demolish the building.

A statement released by President Buhari's Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicit, Garba Shehu, says the Ghanaian President told the President he has ordered an investigation into the matter.

Nigeria May Hit 100000 cases of COVID-19 by Sept.--IHVN CEO.

Nigeria may hit 100,000 cases of COVID-19 by Sept. — IHVN CEO
VanguardJun 22, 2020

The Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Human Virology of Nigeria, IHVN, Dr. Patrick Dakum on Monday predicted that Nigeria may record over 100,000 cases of Coronavirus in the next two or three months (September) even as he urged the 36 state Governors to take responsibility in tackling the spread of the virus.

Speaking on a television programme, Dakum who said the country may not experience a second wave of the virus said the current rise in cases was just an exponential rise and not second wave.

He said: “It is extremely difficult to put a figure to it but from what we have now because from 5,000 a month, we get to another 5,000 a month and now you get 17,000. If we don’t do anything about the people that are infected because most of the new infections were a result of the carelessness of people, we are still going to see that as we move on.

“If we are not careful within the next two or three months Nigeria may get over 100,000 cases. It is just an estimate because the virus behaves the way it behaves. It is a new virus; it is like building a ship and sailing the ship at the same time.

We are learning about it and taking action. Together, we will support everyone to take responsibility.” Continuing, he said the rise in over exponential rise in COVIID-19 cases requires an exponential response. Dakum said:

“We are not yet in the second wave. For Nigeria, my prediction is that there may not necessarily be a second wave but there may just be one big wave that is prolonged for a period of time. It is something we just saw coming and aggressive prevention measures could have slowed down but unfortunately, we are where we are now and therefore, we just have to deal with the situation the way we have found it,” he added.

He said presently, Nigeria requires extraordinary measures coupled with the already put in place measures to tackle the spread. Specifically, Dakum said the 36 State governors have to take responsibility to tackle the spread by ensuring aggressively testing in each of the states.

Dakum said the state governments should take deliberate measures to ensure that every state has more than one testing centres to ensure that more people are tested.

“Another important measure in this aggressive drive is to be able to at some point narrowed this infection to communities and clusters and the only way we can do that is that except every state governor take responsibility in testing. Take responsibility for additional testing sites.

Spend the money as a governor and get additional centres. When you are fighting a war you need to concentrate on where the enemy is. This enemy is a virus we can find out by testing. We should rate every Governor on the COVID-19 by the number of tests they have carried out and now when we have now identified the positives, there will be clusters.”

The IHVM boss stressed the need for state governments to begin to implement some measure of enforcement of the guidelines, adding that combining both soft and hard measures would help drive the response.

“Sometimes unless people see somebody taking the brunt through some level of disciplinary measures it is difficult for them to relate to it. He said although, there is knowledge about the disease across the country, many Nigerians are yet to get the message.

“For example, standing on the pulpit and just say wear your face mask is not enough anymore. But the message must go down to the little communities. Somebody needs to debunk the myths. We have done enough on the knowledge but the practice is very low.  And to get that attitude we must go down to interpersonal communication,” he added.

Coronavirus: FG gives fresh Updates On School Resumptions, warns Mankinde, other Governors

Coronavirus: FG gives fresh updates on school resumptions, warns Makinde, other governors

Following the increasing cases of coronavirus in the country, the federal government has warned the state governments against the reopening of schools because of pressure from the children and parents.

Nigerian Tribune reports that the minister of state for education, Chukwuemaka Nwajiuba, who spoke on Monday, June 22, while reacting to questions at the daily briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, also said the federal ministry of education did not give Oyo state any guidance to reopen schools.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, during a presidential briefing of COVID-19. Credit: PTF

He, however, announced that the final year students preparing for the West African Examination Council (WAEC)’s Senior Senior Secondary School Examination (SSCE), National Examination Council (NECO) and National Business and Technical Education Board (NABTEB) examinations would soon be allowed to resume for revisions.

He appealed to parents and other stakeholders to continue to bear with the government while the situation is being monitored so as to guarantee the safety of children when the schools are eventually reopened.

The minister said:“The ministry of education did not give guidance to Oyo state to reopen schools. We also think that is a little bit of contradictory because if you look next to them is Ogun state that actually had a lockdown.

“So, there is no reason why there should be more numbers in Oyo state than there are in Ogun state, where we thought we had the problem. Something is not okay in that respect. However, Oyo state like all other sub-nationals have Governors and under our Constitution, governors are responsible for their states.

“You may have heard from our interactions with you that out of 774 local governments in Nigeria, there are actually few LGs with a lot of this burden. Therefore, it is very easy to get perception from the edges of the country that some things are not happening, because it is not happening within your immediate locality."

Nwajiuba, however, said that the primary purpose of government is the security of its citizens, stressing that public health was key and primary in the security delivery.

He said this was why the government has been extremely conscious of making any pronouncement around the reopening of schools.

He insisted that the education sector owns the largest number of infrastructure in the country with 138,000 primary schools around the country.

“If we just reopen that alone, there are nearly 600 all kinds of institutions awarding certificates around Nigeria and at any giving time in Nigeria, there are nearly 30 million people attending one form of formal education or the other. That is about the largest in Sub-Saharan Africa. For you to unleash this number to the public in the face of the pandemic will be very insensitive,”he said.

The minister noted that Nigeria has not even gotten into optimal testing and could not even forecast the hazard the pandemic is most position at, saying the least government could do was to keep the children he described as the most pride and future of Nigeria under lock and key.

He added that when the government was sure to release them, it would gladly do so.

It was reported that the NCDC revealed that 35 states and Abuja have confirmed cases of coronavirus.
Many Nigerians still don't believe Coronavirus exists - NOA DG.

Police Parade Three Brothers Arrested For Running A Fake Foundation

Police parade three brothers arrested for running a fake foundation using the name of force spokesperson, Frank Mba
   
   

Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have arrested three brothers identified as Emmanuel Ushie 23; Henry Ushie, 30 and a graduate of Statistics from Anambra State University and Matthew Ushie, 28, and an OND graduate from Federal Polytechnic Oko, for running a fake Frank Mba Foundation bank account with FCMB.

A statement released by the spokesperson of the Force, Frank Mba, said the trio used a fake Facebook account and then fraudulently operated bank accounts to defraud innocent Nigerians of their hard-earned monies under the pretext that the Foundation is raising money to help vulnerable Nigerians during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Investigations by officers attached to the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) reveal that the brothers engage extensively and serially in such frauds and other related cybercrimes.

During the unrelenting manhunt of the fraudsters, Henry Ushie, an elder sibling to Emmanuel Ushie, was identified as the gang leader of the syndicate behind the scam. He went underground as his younger siblings also involved in the crime were arrested.

   
   
Following weeks of intense follow-up and meticulous investigations, Henry was arrested on Thursday, June 11 at a hideout in Ihiala, Anambra State. His arrest eventually led to the arrest of his younger brother Mathew Ushie ‘m’ who is also an active member of the syndicate.

Further investigation revealed that Mathew Ushie had been arrested in Ghana last year in a well-publicized bust of fraudsters where he and other international fraudsters used the name of the Inspector General of Police of Ghana, John Kudalor to defraud unsuspecting Ghanaian policemen in the guise of providing an opportunity for them to attend United Nations peacekeeping mission using a fake Facebook account. Information about his arrest and parading before the press in Ghana is available on the internet.

Similarly, Henry Ushie had also been arrested in 2017 by the IRT for impersonating then ACP ABBA Kyari, the Commander IRT on Facebook, and defrauding many innocent Nigerians before he was arrested and subsequently charged to court for impersonation. He eventually got bail from the court and went back to the same crime.

Mba said all the suspects will be charged to court at the conclusion of investigations.

The police spokesperson added that 21 other suspected fraudsters including a woman, have been arrested for their involvement and indictment in cases of romance and online dating scams, generating and deployment of fake bank alerts, hacking and fraudulent wire transfers, cyberstalking and impersonation of high-profile personalities in Nigeria and across the world. 

   
 

United Nationa Appoints Tuface Idibia As Its Refugee Ambassador

#LatestNews

The United Nations has appointed Nigerian singer, Innocent "Tuface" Idibia as its Refugees Goodwill Ambassador.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced this on Tuesday via Instagram.

Tuface also made the announcement via his Instagram account, writing: "I am honored and humbled by my new appointment as a regional goodwill ambassador of UNHCR.

“Thanks for the recognition, this will no doubt deepen my commitment to supporting the effort of UNHCR personnel and volunteers who are on ground every day, working hard to provide support and hope to millions of forcefully displaced persons across the world.

“Blessings one and all.”

In a video shared by UNHCR, Tufce said he knows he's equal to the task. He also promised to raise awareness for those forced to flee from their homes.

Watch the video below.

NIGERIANS RECORDS 661 NEW COVID-19 CASES, TOLL NOW 19,808

Nigeria records 661 new COVID-19 cases, toll now 19,808

Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu

Nigeria has recorded 667 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 19,808.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control announced this on Saturday through its official Twitter handle.

NCDC said that the 661 new confirmed cases were reported in 14 states, with 19 deaths.

The health agency said that no new state reported a case in the last 24 hours.

The NCDC said that Lagos reported the highest number of cases with 230 new cases and Rivers was second with 127 new infections.

Others are Delta(83), FCT(60), Oyo(51), Edo(31),Bayelsa(27), Kaduna(25), Plateau(13), Ondo(6), Nasarawa(3), Ekiti(2), Kano(2), Borno(1). 

The NCDC said out of the 19,808 confirmed cases, 12, 584 are active while 6,718 cases have been treated and discharged.

The centre also said that 111,052 samples have been collected while Nigeria recorded 506 deaths recorded in 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The health agency reiterated that its mandate is to protect the health of all Nigerians and as such, it was obliged to state the facts. 

The NCDC said it is leading the expansion of testing capacity for COVID-19 in Nigeria, as part of the national strategy to scale up COVID-19 testing published in March 2020, and they were leveraging GeneXpert equipment currently used for the diagnosis of tuberculosis. 

“The use of GeneXpert will significantly scale-up testing for COVID-19 and improve turn-around time for results in the country.

“Nigeria is one of many countries around the world using the GeneXpert system to scale up testing capacity. 

“This expansion process is in collaboration with the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme and supported by partners at the US- CDC, KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation, Institute of Human Virology Nigeria and others.

“There are 400 sites in Nigeria with GeneXpert equipment for the diagnosis of tuberculosis. 

“However, we have prioritised the roll-out of GeneXpert in states where there is a high level of community transmission and states with limited or no laboratory capacity for the diagnosis of COVID-19 at the moment,” NCDC stated. 

The health agency listed the states as Abia, Adamawa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Lagos, Enugu, Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Benue, and the FCT. 

“Already, we have worked with NTBLCP and our partners to activated two GeneXpert laboratories in Kaduna and Nasarawa States. Eventually, we plan to roll out the GeneXpert testing sites for COVID-19 in every state in Nigeria,” it said. 

NCDC, however, said that one of its responsibilities at the centre was to scale-up the capacity for COVID-19 diagnosis in Nigeria as it responds to the pandemic. 

“Our ability to promptly detect cases and halt the spread of the virus in our communities is largely dependent on our ability to scale-up access to testing for Nigerians.

“We remain strongly committed to our mandate to protect the health of Nigerians,” it said. 

The health agency urged Nigerians to remain aware of the risks of COVID-19 and to adhere to the preventive measures advised by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and the Federal Ministry of Health.

ONDO DEPUTY GOVERNOR RESIGN FROM APC

BREAKING: Ondo Deputy Gov resigns from APC
ThenationonlinengJun 21, 2020Read original

Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Hon. Agboola Ajayi, has resigned his membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Ajayi resigned from the APC On Sunday at Ward 2, Apoi in Eseodo local government.

The Ondo Deputy Governor immediately picked membership card of the People’s Democratic Party immediately at his ward where he resigned.

It is speculated that nine members of the Ondo State House of Assembly would joined him to officially defect to the PDP on Monday.

BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE TO QUINTESSENTIAL LEADER HON EJIKE OKECHUKWU, OGBUEFINAUKOEFI

*BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE TO HON. CHIEF SIR EJIKE OKECHUKWU (OGBUEFINUKOEFI)*

On behalf of the Entire Members of Anaocha Square watsapp group of Anaocha LG, members of the honourable group by name Ego Kristi  Movement Square Worldwide and members of Ego Kristi Youth Movement International(EKYMI) aka Young International/African Leaders Assembly(YILA/YALA), we say a big congratulations to you on this your 2020 birthday celebration.

Sir, we fully know that if not because of our sad moment due the exit our icon, a role model, your boss, who have been like your biological father; in a couple of days ago; in this my joyful this days i would have love to host you today so that your 2020 birthday celebration will get to the climax, but death why???

Ogbuefinaukoefi you have been a source of hope and inspiration to soo many youths that have come across you, specifically i am one of those youths whom you have continued to encouraged with your words of advise before now to always persevere, "PERSEVERANCE EVEN WHEN YOUR POSITIVE INPUT IN THE POLITICAL SYSTEM IS NEGLECTED/TERMED EVIL BY YOUR OPPOSITIONISTS" that one day the right-minded people, leaders with fear of God will takeover the same POLITICAL SYSTEM AND START LOOKING FOR YOU BECAUSE OF THAT YOUR POSITIVE IMPACT WHICH WAS NEGLECTED SOME YEARS BACK".

Hon Ejike immediately you got to Anambra State house Assembly, after working with many youths of Anaocha as a Special Assistant to the Governor, you became a source of hope to these millions of youths, including myself because they believe that you will now do for them times ten(×10) what you have been doing for them as the Special Assistant to the Governor Chief Willie Obiano, EYES ON THE BALL ALWAYS.
Sir, we heartily felicitate with you as our proactive, pragmatic and progressive member in the Anambra State house of Assembly, representing "us the youths" and the people of Anaocha 2 Constituency and the entire people of Anaocha LG in Anambra State House Assembly(ANSHA).

Hon Ogbuefinaukofi is an epitome of wisdom and leadership par excellence, on this unique occasion of your  birthday Celebration we say a big congratulations, as we wish you many more fruitful years ahead.

Dear Hon. Chief Sir Ejike Okechukwu, we are grateful and proud of you and your tremendous achievements since you assumed office as a member, Anambra State House of Assembly. We thank you for your diligent, quintessence, momentum and Sagacious Leadership style which you have exhibited soo far, you're indeed an inspiration and motivation to many of us.

We join your family, Friends, the people of Neni town, people of Anaocha 2 Constituency, people of Anaocha LG, the Anambra State House of Assembly members, good people of Anambra State, your well wishers, APGA Anaocha LG and entire APGA Family worldwide, in wishing you a fantastic birthday celebration, and we pray God Almighty to Bless you abundantly according to His words of abundance in Philliipians 4;19, Ephesians 3;20, 2 Corinthians 9;8, Deuteronomy 28;12, 1 Samuel 2;8, Deuteronomy 7;14 and Phillipians 3;10 in Jesus name, amen.

_*Congratulations and Happy Birthday_ Ogbuefinukoefi*

From Evangelist Ositadimma Luke Iloghalu(Founder, Ego Kristi Youth Movement International"EKYM" aka Young African/International Leaders Assembly"YILA" and an Executive Assistant to Governor Chief Willie Obiano)