Coronavirus
ZLP: Governor Akeredolu not sincere about fees slash in tertiary institutions
The governorship candidate of Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Hon Agboola Ajayi, has described the planned reduction of school fees of tertiary institutions by the state government as an afterthought. Ajayi said one of the reasons he fell out with Governor Rotimi Akeredolu was the increase in school fees of the state-owned tertiary institutions without consideration of the earnings of parents. “The announcement by governor Akeredolu last week that he might consider school fees reduction when students are on holiday due to coronavirus pandemic was an afterthought as he was afraid of losing the October 10 governorship election. Ajayi Media Adviser Mr Allen Sowore in a statement said ‘the public would recall that one of the major disagreements between Agboola Ajayi and his boss the Governor was on...
Abia governor to honour virus frontline workers, others
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has directed the organizing committee of the 29th Anniversary of Abia State to celebrate frontline workers and honor them for their sacrifices during the coronavirus pandemic. Ikpeazu ordered the celebration in order to encourage others to make similar or even greater sacrifices in service to humanity. He listed those to be honored as; 1. Dr Stanley Okerulu 2. Dr Ijeoma Nduka 3. Lady Peace Nwaogwugwu 4. Dr Azubuike Onyebuchi 5. Nurse Lilian Anyanwu 6. Nurse Kemi Olowoniyi Governor Ikpeazu also commended a staff of Transport and Indiscipline Management Agency of Abia State (TIMAAS) who has distinguished herself in the task of controlling traffic, particularly at FMC junction of Ikot Ekpene Road, Umuahia. The staff turns up every morning before rush hour...
Thousands Turn Out for EDM Concert in Wuhan, China
Wuhan, China, once the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic, has returned to a sense of normalcy. This past weekend, in fact, thousands of people turned out for an electronic music concert. The event took place at the Wuhan Maya Beach Water Park, an open-air venue with a capacity of around 15,000. Though organizers restricted capacity to 50%, the event still drew thousands, with a vast majority choosing not to wear a mask or practice social distancing. A number of attendees even watched the concert from inflatable rubber tubes floating in a giant pool. While such scenes are unthinkable in the era of coronavirus, Wuhan has reported no new cases of the virus since mid-May and has largely lifted the stringent lockdown restrictions in place since January. Wuhan, China — once the glo...
13 People Killed During Stampede at Illegal Nightclub Party in Peru
At least 13 people were killed and six others injured in a stampede at an illegal nightclub party in Lima, Peru on Saturday, as partygoers attempted to escape a police raid on the venue, according to CNN. Mass gatherings are currently prohibited in Peru because of the coronavirus pandemic. After receiving reports from nearby residents, police conducted a raid on Thomas Restobar at around 9:00 p.m. local time. Approximately 120 people were in attendance at the time, and they rushed to escape through a single door located on the ground level. Peru’s Ministry of the Interior said police did not use “any type of weapon or tear gas to clear the premises.” Instead, they said the deaths and injuries occurred when people attempted to flee the second floor of the venue and were trampled on the stai...
Ondo gives 30 percent discount on inputs to farmers to ensure food security
The Ondo State Government on Sunday said it had provided discounted agricultural inputs as palliatives to farmers as part of measures to ensure food security in the state. Mr Akin Olotu, the Senior Special Assistant to Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu on Agribusiness, said this to newsmen in Akure. He said that the government also had put in place various interventions to cushion the effects of COVID-19 among farmers in the state . Olotu said the palliative (discount) was structured such that 30 per cent discount was given to interested farmers on inputs they purchased. He, however, said that maize farmers were given inputs for free on the directives of the governor. Olotu said that if farmers were not assisted speedily from the havoc wreaked on Agriculture and Agribusinesses by the coronavirus ...
UEFA supremo backs continuation of one-legged Champions League knock-out rounds
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has stated his belief that the current one-legged knock-out format of the Champions League’s quarterfinals and semi-finals should be considered as a full-time fixture in the competition as it is, in his opinion, “more interesting”. The one-off format, put together in order to finish up the season in a timely manner following the coronavirus-enforced suspension of sport around the world, has produced several upsets already, most notably Manchester City and Atletico Madrid being dumped out by Lyon and RB Leipzig respectively. Eight teams headed for Lisbon in August to play out the remaining fixtures on neutral ground in order to avoid squabbles over home and away advantages, and Ceferin believes having only one game to make it through makes for more exciting...
Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Already Linked to Multiple Coronavirus Cases
No one saw this coming: the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally has been linked to at least seven new cases of the coronavirus, with many more likely to come in the days ahead. On Thursday, the Panhandle Public Health District confirmed seven new cases of COVID-19 in South Dakota and nearby Nebraska “tied to the rally,” according to NBC News. Meanwhile, ABC 5 News reports that local Sturgis officials are planning to conduct mass testing of its residents next week in an attempt to mitigate a possible outbreak of infections from the rally. South Dakota health officials say they’ve seen a 43% increase in positive coronavirus cases over the past two weeks, with 125 new cases alone confirmed on Thursday. Upwards of 450,000 people attended the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally earlier this month, making it the...
Nigeria confirms 476 new virus cases
The Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC), has confirmed 476 new cases of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in the country. The NCDC confirmed this through its official Twitter handle on Thursday. The agency said that seven deaths were recorded in the country. NCDC said that till date, 50,964 cases have been confirmed, 37,569, discharged and 992 deaths recorded in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. According to it, the 476 new cases are reported from 18 states. It said that Lagos has the highest figures of 235 cases, followed by FCT with 44 cases. Others were Kaduna (41), Borno (33), Plateau (28), Abia (13), Edo (13), Rivers (12), Imo (11), Oyo (10), Kano (9), Kwara (7), Enugu (5), Katsina (5), Gombe (4), Ogun (4), Nasarawa (1), and Zamfara (1). The NCDC stated that...
Cheers Bar Closing Permanently Due to Coronavirus
The coronavirus pandemic has forced countless businesses to close their doors due to a sudden lack of income. Unfortunately, that list now includes the replica bar from Cheers in Boston, Massachusetts. Cheers sits inside Faneuil Hall Marketplace as an exact replica of the NBC sitcom’s joint. The spinoff location first opened in 2001 to immediate praise and has since become a constant fixture in both the city’s bar scene and its tourism industry. Tom Kershaw, the founder of the Cheers bar, said he tried everything he could to salvage the spot. “I have faced, and pulled through, many kinds of downturns and upticks in the economy within the last 20 years Cheers Replica Bar at Faneuil Hall Marketplace has been in business,” he said in a press release. “Sadly, the COVID-19 pandemic, combin...
Scotland Bans Music in Bars to Prevent “Leaning in to Talk”
Scotland is one of the few countries that’s created an extensive fund to support its performing arts venues, but that hasn’t stopped it from tightening restrictions on music elsewhere. Last week, Scottish government officials proposed a ban on music in bars and other hospitality venues to help prevent “leaning in to talk,” reports BBC. This order arrived alongside other updated guidelines for bars and restaurants to prevent the spread of COVID-19. By law, there should be “no background music and TVs should be muted so that people do not have to lean in to be heard.” Additionally, bars and restaurants in Scotland must provide table service, allow pre-booking, and avoid customers standing together or queuing. Police and local environmental health teams will enforce these regulations if neces...
Nashville Venues Encourage Fans to #MaskNowPartyLater to Speed Concerts’ Return
Promoters in the city have launched a new social media awareness campaign, asking the touring industry to step up and spread the word. Venues and event creators in Nashville have banded together to encourage Americans to wear a mask and take safety precautions to help slow the spread of COVID-19 through a new campaign. The #MaskNowPartyLater campaign officially launched Wednesday (Aug. 19) with the incentive of bringing awareness to the live music sector and how slowing the spread of the virus now will bring live music back sooner. The collective of event creators, vendors, sports teams, venues, athletes and artists in Nashville began educating the public on what it’s going to take to get live events back sooner with the hashtag and are now calling upon the entire sector to step up and sha...
Group lauds governments, Nigerians on fight against coronavirus
The Woman and Half Initiative (WAH), a group of successful professional women, has hailed the efforts of governments and Nigerians to contain the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Mrs Chile Udemgba, the WAH Promoter, made the commendation in a statement to newsmen in Lagos. She expressed joy that Nigeria was among the countries which recorded the lowest COVID-19 cases. “As the society gradually evolves from a crippling lockdown occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic, we celebrate the effusive Nigerian spirit which has seen us all wrestle this pandemic down with our country recording some of the lowest incidences in the world,” she said. Udemgba noted that the lockdown caused many economies and businesses to collapse, thereby hindering progress. According to her, the group would celebrate...