Author: Phenomenal

Great soccer news: Juventus’ Rugani, Matuidi recover from coronavirus

Post author By Phenomenal
Post date April 15, 2020

There is good news for soccer. Although coronavirus is dealing its blow on the much-loved game, two key players have escaped from its fang.

They are Italian players, Regain and Mayuidi, who have now tested negative. Rugani was the first Serie A player in Italy to contract the virus before his team-mate and French midfielder Matuidi tested positive a week later. The pair have since been tested again and both result came back negative, meaning they have been given the all-clear.

Juventus said in a statement: ‘Rugani and Matuidi underwent, as per protocol, a double-check with diagnostic tests (swabs) for the coronavirus.

‘The tests came back with negative results. The players have, therefore, recovered and are no longer subjected to the home isolation regime.’

There is still a longer way to go for the club. The reason is that their Argentine forward Paulo Dybala is still battling the disease together with his girlfriend, Oriana Sabatini.

Tags Matuidi, Rugani

EDUCATION NEWS & LIFE

Fire compounds coronavirus problem at Dugbe Alawo Market, Ibadan

Post author By Phenomenal
Post date April 15, 2020

Many shop owners at the Dugbe Alawo market, Ibadan, now face double challenge as the coronavirus lull digs deeper.

A fire gutted the market on Wednesday, burning goods worth millions of naira.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the fire, which was said to have started at about 2.pm, was put out at about 4.05 pm by a combined team of fire fighters from the Oyo State Fire Service, Central Bank of Nigeria and Sweetco.

Eyewitnesses told NAN that a spark from a welder’s shop had ignited the fire which quickly spread to other shops in the market.

NAN also reports that several stores filled with beddings, clothes, furniture, electronics and travelling bags were destroyed in the incident.

, Seyi Makinde

A Deputy Director in the Oyo State Fire Service, Mr Moshood Adewuyi, said the traders failed to call the service immediately the fire started .

” I wonder why a fire incident that happened in the afternoon destroyed so much goods before fire service was called.

” If it was in the night that the incident happened, it would have been an excuse because we would have said the owners were not there.

” But the shop owners were trying to put out the fire on their own and when it failed, they decided to call the fire service after it had destroyed all the shops with goods.

” When we came, some shop owners were seen trying to pull out their goods from the stores,” Adewuyi said.

A trader, Mrs Folasade Ajiboye, admitted that the fire fighters did not call the fire service on time before it later escalated.

Mr Oriola Bodunrin, another shop owner, however, said the fire station at Aleshinloye Market was contacted, adding that officers there claimed they had no water.

He, however, commended the fire fighters for putting out the fire.

Tags Dugbe Alawo, Seyi Makinde

INTERNATIONAL

COVID-19: Afghan artist produces, shares 500 free masks daily

Post author By Phenomenal
Post date April 15, 2020

Nigeria records 13 B117 COVID-19 variant — Coronavirus testing

An amateur artist in the Afghan capital Kabul is sewing masks and donating them to people in a bid to prevent the spread of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Amanullah Kaliwaal, 30, lives in Kabul where he gets up every morning to produce face masks using his small sewing machine.

Masks and protective clothing are in short supply in Afghanistan, which has been suffering from a lack of medical care after four decades of war and crisis.

Kaliwaal produces up to 500 masks each day and donates them to people who can hardly afford to invest in personnel hygiene.

So far, he has nearly sewed a total of 5,000 masks.

After the Coronavirus outbreak was reported in Kabul, Kaliwaal visited several stores to buy masks and distribute them to people.

However, he found that there weren’t enough, so he began making his own.

With the increase of COVID-19 cases in Afghanistan, the prices of masks, hand sanitisers and food supplies have sky-rocketed.

According to Kaliwaal, producing 100 masks only costs him 2.6 dollars and in turn, he is able to help people to protect themselves.

“I enjoy helping people this way,” he said.

Overall, Afghanistan has recorded 784 Coronavirus cases and 26 deaths.

The real numbers could be higher, however, as the capacity for testing still remains low with only about 5,000 tests carried out so far

Tags Amanullah Kaliwaal

Featured PHENOMENAL LAGOS

Lockdown extension: Brides to-be express disappointment

Post author By Phenomenal
Post date April 15, 2020

Some brides to-be in Lagos on Wednesday expressed disappointment at the extension of the lockdown of the state by the Federal Government.

President Muhammadu Buhari had in a national broadcast on Monday night announced extension of lockdown of Abuja, Lagos and Ogun states for another 14 days in an effort to reduce the spread of coronavirus.

The president had earlier ordered lockdown of the states for an initial 14 days that started on March 30.

The extension began on Monday night.

The affected residents said that they were confused and frustrated by the lockdown extension as they had to cancel or further postpone their wedding ceremonies.

Miss Abimbola Ajisafe, a childcare giver, said that she had postponed her wedding ceremony when the initial lockdown was imposed on March 30.

”I tried to be hopeful that it would be lifted after 14 days, but it did not happened that way.

” Having your money tied down indefinitely on wedding plans is no joke,” she said.

Ajisafe, however, noted that safety was paramount, as the lockdown was for the safety of Nigerians.

“As sad as it may be, safety comes first,” she said.

A lawyer, Miss Sandra Omeche, told NAN that she stopped making further wedding plans when she suspected that the lockdown would be extended.

” My wedding date was fixed for May 2; so I had been calling my vendors to make sure that they still had certain things in place, but the lockdown extension would hinder cetain things.

” Just yesterday, my parents decided to postpone the wedding ceremony indefinitely,” Omeche said.

Another bride to-be, Miss Simisola Tometi, told NAN that her wedding was slated for April 18, but the lockdown distorted the plan and left her confused.

”I must say that this year has been pretty hard on me and my fiance because it was with great difficulty that we got both families to agree to our union.

”Just when we thought everything was moving smoothly, the lockdown started.

”I still can’t find words to express how I feel, but I pray that God helps me through this trying time. I am really sad,” Tometi said.

Miss Yetunde Alaka also told NAN that the lockdown hindered her wedding slated for April 5, but was a blessing in disguise as she got to know her finance’s true marital status because of the lockdown.

”I had to stay with my in-laws to-be because of the lockdown and was surprised to hear them discussing about his first wife that I never knew existed.

”They still don’t know that I know. I just came up with some excuses to go and stay with a family friend residing near them.

”When some things happen, they appear to steal your joy, but they are truly a blessing in disguise.

”I am heart-broken, but I believe that the wedding didn’t happen as planned for a good reason,” Alaka said.

Tags lagos, wedding

NEWS & LIFE

Buhari holds teleconference with Presidential Task Force on COVID-19

Post author By Phenomenal
Post date April 15, 2020

Nigeria at 60: Buhari to address Nigerians from Eagle Square — Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday held teleconference with members of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 from his office, at the State House, Abuja.

The president’s personal photographer, Mr Bayo Omoboriowo, confirmed this in a pictorial report in Abuja.

The president was updated on the daily activities of the presidential task force chaired by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.

ALSO READ: Establish a Fund Committee to manage donations – NASS to Buhari

The leadership of the Presidential Task Force on COVID -19 had on April 10 acquainted President Buhari with details of the work being done in line with its mandate towards containing the coronavirus in Nigeria.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) had disclosed that as at 11.30 p.m on April 14, there were 373 confirmed cases of COVID-19 pandemic in the country, while 99 had been discharged, with 11 deaths.

Tags Buhari, Covid-19

NEWS & LIFE

Fayemi to decongest Correctional centre to curb COVID-19 spread

Post author By Phenomenal
Post date April 15, 2020

JUST IN: APC nullifies Fayemi’s suspension — Kayode-Fayemi

Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti says he has directed the Ministry of Justice to urgently prepare modalities for further decongestion of the Federal Correctional Centre, Ado-Ekiti.

Fayemi, gave the directive in a statement issued by Mr Tunde Olaolorun, Special Assistant to the Attorney-General on Public Education, Media and Communication, on Wednesday.

The governor said the order was in line with the State and Federal Governments directives to curtail the spread of the Coronavirus in the state.

He said that the directive was based on the reasoning that inmates were likely to be more vulnerable to COVID-19 outbreak than the general population.

According to him, this is because of the confined conditions in which they live together for long period of time.

”Against this background, it has become necessary that the state government take full account of all the rights of inmates in the Correctional Centre and their families.

”Also, all staff and other persons providing support to the facility, including lawyers and service providers, when taking measures to combat the pandemic in the state,” he said.

The governor said that the Ministry of Justice would convene an emergency meeting of the Advisory Council of Prerogative of Mercy to deliberate on the below material.

“The council will approve an assessment study of the population of the correctional facility to identify individuals most at risk, taking account of all particular vulnerable groups.

“Approve a draft proposal for the reduction of population in the facility, wherever possible, including implementing a scheme of early release.

“Consider a proposal for the review of all cases of pre-trial detention to determine whether it is strictly necessary in the prevailing public health emergency in Ekiti light.

“Approve practical measures to ensure that persons released from the facility are subject to monitoring, including requirements of physical address, obtaining credible references and other appropriate non-intrusive monitoring measures,” Fayemi said.

He added that the council would be invited to review the cases of all persons in the Ado-Ekiti Correctional Centre and consider the desirability of the early release of the following four groups of detainees.

The governor noted that this was without prejudice to the rules of procedure adopted by the Council at its second statutory sitting held on Oct.7, 2019.

He listed the four groups as; Persons in pre-trial detention, particularly those for minor or low-risk offences; women with children; persons at risk population such as elderly inmates or those with underlying life threatening health issues.

The governor said that the fourth group were persons sentenced for minor, low risk offences- particularly those who have 18 months or less remaining of their sentence to serve.

Tags Covid-19, Ekiti, Fayemi

INTERNATIONAL

Germany extends land border controls until May 4

Post author By Phenomenal
Post date April 15, 2020

Controls along Germany’s land borders with its neighbours in the Schengen free-travel zone are to remain in place for another 20 days, the Interior Ministry in Berlin said on Wednesday.

Introduced a month ago due to the coronavirus outbreak, the controls are in place on the borders to Austria, France, Luxembourg, Denmark and Switzerland.

No controls are in place on the borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, although surveillance in a 30-kilometre border zone has been intensified.

ALSO READ: Germany reports more than 120,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19

Since mid-March, travellers who are neither German nor permanently resident in Germany have been permitted to enter Germany only if they can show a good reason.

These include EU citizens travelling through Germany to their home countries and truck drivers carrying essential goods.

The number of crossings has also been reduced in an attempt to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Germany’s borders with its neighbours are normally open, in line with the Schengen Agreement signed in 1985.

SPORTS

Arsenal to continue paying staff, casual workers until end of May

Post author By Phenomenal
Post date April 15, 2020

Arsenal will not use the government’s furlough scheme and will continue paying employees and casual workers their full salaries until the end of May, the Premier League club said on Wednesday.

The top-flight season has been suspended until at least April 30 due to the novel coronavirus pandemic and the north London club had initially committed to paying employees’ salaries until the end of this month.

“All our employees are receiving their full salaries and we plan to continue this. We are not currently intending to use the government’s furlough scheme.

“In addition to our employees, we are extending our commitment to pay casual workers on our payroll from the end of April to the end of May.

“For our matchday casual workers this means they will be paid for all four Premier League games that have been postponed and will be paid again should they work at these games once re-arranged ,” Arsenal said in a statement

A few Premier League clubs had initially opted to use the government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to temporarily help pay staff during the stoppage.

However, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Bournemouth reversed their decisions amid a backlash from the fans.

Arsenal said they were in talks with their players regarding “potential financial challenges” in future but had not reached an agreement with them yet on how to move forward.

Last week, West Ham United and Southampton announced wage deferrals for their players to cope with the financial impact of the pandemic.

Tags Arsenal

PHENOMENAL LAGOS

‘Stop bleaching or risk coronavirus disease’

Post author By Phenomenal
Post date April 15, 2020

A medical expert, Dr Chinonso Egemba, says users of skin-lightening creams, which contain steroids, are more likely to have severe illness or die from coronavirus disease.

Egemba, who is popularly known as ‘Aproko Doctor’, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday, that some bleaching creams and soaps contained steroids, which reduced body immunity.

He described the immune system, as the body’s defence force against disease-causing bacteria and viruses such as coronavirus and other organisms that humans touch, ingest and inhale everyday.

“If you are bleaching, stop it because it is reducing your immunity and people or patients with low immunity suffer more and may likely die from the virus.

“Steroids are basically anti-inflammatory drugs and inflammation is one way our bodies dispose off foreign substances. It could be via body swelling in form of boils or redness of the skin.

“So steroids reduce the body’s response to anything that could cause inflammation.

“Now, there are different types of bleaching creams and soaps but some particular types contain steroids and it can bleach the skin or cause skin lightening.

“When you use such cream or soap for a long time, it’s not just on the surface, your skin absorbs the steroids in the cream and it reduces your body immunity,” he said.

Egemba said some unlicensed aestheticians or skin specialists also give their clients steroids, as tablet under the guise that it would help lighten their skin.

“When you take such tablets you are reducing or weakening your immune system.

“So in relation to COVID-19, having strong immunity is one of the major ways patients are surviving the disease and if you have low or weak immunity as a result of bleaching, you suffer more and may likely die from coronavirus disease,” he said.

He urged Nigerians to imbibe healthy lifestyles so as to help boost their immune system.

“Stop smoking, drink little or no alcohol, sleeping well, eating a balanced diet, take fruits and vegetables, take regular moderate exercise and reduce stress.

“These acts help our immune systems to be in the best shape possible to tackle pathogens and even coronavirus,” Egemba said.

Tags bleaching, coronavirus

INTERNATIONAL

Thailand extends ban on international flights until April 30

Post author By Phenomenal
Post date April 15, 2020

Thailand on Wednesday extended a ban on incoming international flights until April 30, to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, the country’s aviation body said.

It is the second time the ban has been extended after being imposed on April 6, by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand.

The ban does not apply to state or military aircraft, emergency landings, technical landings without passengers, humanitarian, medical or relief flights, repatriation flights and cargo flights.

However, passengers on board these flights would be subjected to measures such as a 14-day state quarantine.

However, domestic flights were still permitted, though most airlines had since suspended operations.

Thailand is under a state of emergency until at least April 30, which gives the Prime Minister exclusive powers to introduce and enforce regulations.

Meanwhile, a nationwide night-time curfew had been imposed while most shops, hotels, malls and other public places had also been ordered to close.

The government had also cancelled the Thai New Year holiday, from April 13 to April 15, and banned the sale of alcohol during this period to discourage social gatherings.

According to the Health Ministry’s latest figures, Thailand has reported a total of 2,643 coronavirus cases, with 43 deaths.

However, a lower average number of daily new cases had been reported on Wednesday compared to previous weeks.

Tags Covid-19, Thailand