Author: straightnewsng.com

By Akanimo Sampson The coronavirus pandemic is threatening to exacerbate Zimbabwe’s dire economic and hunger crises, drastically affecting the lives of people in both urban and rural areas. Before the outbreak of the virus, severe climate- and recession-induced hunger crisis has been deepening in the country. Already, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) urgently needs $130 million to sustain through August an emergency operation to prevent millions of the country’s most vulnerable people plunging deeper into hunger. WFP which is concerned with saving lives in emergencies and changing lives for millions through sustainable development has a critical role to…

Nigeria has recorded 22 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 276. The new cases were announced on Wednesday night by Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC on its verified Twitter handle. It said “Twenty-two new cases of #COVID19 have been reported in Nigeria: 15 in Lagos, 4 in the FCT, 2 in Bauchi, 1 in Edo As at 09:00 p.m 8th April there are 276 confirmed cases of #COVID19 reported in Nigeria. Forty-four have been discharged with six deaths” As at 09:00 pm 8th April, there are 276 confirmed cases, 44…

The outbreak of COVID-19  pandemic has led to evacuation of 1,739 foreigners from Nigeria since airports were closed to international flights. The Regional Manager, South West Airports, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Mrs Victoria Shin-Aba, stated this on Tuesday following the evacuation of 200 Americans from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on Tuesday by a Delta Airlines flight which came into the country from Accra, Ghana. Shin-Aba said passengers who had passed through the airport included 399 Europeans evacuated by Air France; 238 by Lufthansa; Air Peace, 93 and Middle East Airlines, 140. She said Ethiopian Airlines airlifted 660…

Popular musician, Azeez Fashola alias Naira Marley, and a politician, Babatunde Gbadamosi Wednesday walked into freedom Wednesday following withdrawal of cases against them by  Lagos State Government. Marley, Gbadamosi and his wife were charged before the Lagos State Magistrates’ Court in Ogba for attending a crowded birthday party in violation of the government’s social distancing directive to check the spread of coronavirus. Though they were to be arraigned on Wednesday, the government withdrew the four counts filed against the three defendants. The defence counsel, Mr Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), said the state withdrew the charges on the condition that the defendants…

By Akanimo Sampson A war zone declaration by the Chadian government has displaced more than 20,000 people living on the Lake Chad islands. The government declared a war zone last week following a deadly attack by the non-state armed group, Boko Haram insurgency that resulted in the destruction of its armoury and recovery of a huge cache of firearms and ammunition. This is as Chadian President Idriss Deby has given Shekau, the Boko Haram leader, days to surrender or be killed. Already, measures taken by the government to limit the spread of a COVID-19 outbreak and the war zone declaration are having…

By Akanimo Sampson The coronavirus crisis will wipe out 6.7 per cent of working hours globally within the second quarter of 2020. This, according to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), is equivalent to 195 million full-time workers. Large reductions are foreseen in the Arab States (8.1 per cent, equivalent to five million full-time workers), Europe (7.8 per cent, or 12 million full-time workers) and Asia and the Pacific (7.2 per cent, 125 million full-time workers). Huge losses are expected across different income groups but especially in upper-middle income countries (7.0 per cent, 100 million full-time workers). This far exceeds the…

By Akanimo Sampson As COVID-19 continues to bite harder worldwide, Nigeria has confirmed 16 new coronavirus cases and six deaths in the country. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Tuesday confirmed new cases on Tuesday, bringing the total number to 254 in the country. A breakdown shows that 10 new cases were reported in Lagos, 2 in FCT, 2 in Oyo, 1 in Delta, and 1 in Katsina while 44 persons have been discharged. This is as Federal legislators are currently engaging health authorities for details the coming of Chinese doctors to assist Nigeria to respond to the…

The Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Abba Kyari, is alleged to be receiving treatment for coronavirus pandemic in London, Straightnews has learned exclusively. This is contrary to speculation that he was being treated at an undisclosed isolation centre in Lagos. Kyari, a member of Buhari’s kitchen cabinet, was said to have tested positive for coronavirus and became “very sick” following his official trip to Germany and Egypt. He was said to have been removed from Abuja to an infectious disease treatment center in Lagos as he reportedly began coughing heavily during a meeting that included, among others, the…

Amid the 14-day coronavirus lockdown imposed on Akwa Ibom State, a legal practitioner in the state has called on the government to relax it at least for one day to enable most people to retool their food supplies. Governor Udom Emmanuel imposed the lockdown on the state with effect from Friday, April 3 after Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, had published that the state has five coronavirus cases. Speaking in Planet 101.1 FM, Uyo on Tuesday, Ekemini Udim said within this lockdown period, some people might have exhausted their food supplies especially as some food items like vegetables are…

By: Israel Umoh Some people are made for a season. Others are made for a time. Few are made for a period. Season segments the time but time has elasticity that oils season. Period is the timetable of suddenness and unpredictability. Though the sequence is a centrifuge to all, frequency in achieving anything is the magic wand that uniquely identifies the capacity and passion of a person. To those born for a period belongs Iniobong Ememobong, the page boy of Use Ndon in Ibiono Ibom local government area of Akwa Ibom. A Classics graduate and a Barrister-at-law, Iniobong is…