Author: The Gazelle News

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has launched a fundraiser to help fight coronavirus and has called on fellow footballers to help “kick this virus away”. The AC Milan striker plays in Italy, the country so far worst affected by the pandemic other than China. It appears Ibrahimovic has made two 50,000 euro (£46,054) donations. “Italy has always given me so much and, in this dramatic moment, I want to give back even more to this country that I love,” Ibrahimovic said on Instagram. Paul Pogba had earlier also set up coronavirus fundraiser and pledges financial support “I count on the generosity of my…

The following countries disclosed some positive results on corona virus: -China has closed down its last [makeshift] coronavirus hospital. Not enough new cases to support them. – Doctors in India have been successful in treating Coronavirus. Combination of drugs used: Lopinavir, Retonovir, Oseltamivir along with Chlorphenamine. They are going to suggest same medicine, globally. – Researchers of the Erasmus Medical Center claim to have found an antibody against coronavirus. – A 103-year-old Chinese grandmother has made a full recovery from COVID-19 after being treated for 6 days in Wuhan, China. – Apple reopens all 42 china stores. – Cleveland Clinic…

The Senate on Wednesday, 18 March, 2020 urged President Muhammadu Buhari, to immediately brief Nigerians on efforts by the government to address the outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease in the country. The call on the President was contained in resolutions reached sequel to the consideration of a motion brought to the floor by Senator Danjuma Goje (APC – Gombe Central). Oluremi Tinubu (APC – Lagos Central), in her contribution to the motion said the outbreak of the disease is a wake up call for Nigerians to take personal hygiene seriously, adding that Nigerians should not go about in fear.…

By Wale Joseph, Lagos The Nigeria Olympics Committee (NOC) in conjunction with Nigerian University Games (NUGA) will be organizing an Olympic Value Education Programme (OVEP) for Nigerian University Athletes, The Gazelle News.com reports. With Sports becoming a global phenomenon in the last three decades, characterized by increasing rivalry among participating athletes and nations, the NOC deemed it fit to help in inculcating the Olympic Spirit in Nigerian athletes in the various universities which is a constituent of the International Olympics Committee (IOC). According to the NOC Secretary General, Olabanji Oladapo, “We have recognized the emerging danger amongst sports men across…

By Dare Ojelade, Lagos  Following official confirmation of Covid-19 cases in some African countries particularly Nigeria, MTN Group has taken a series of precautionary measures to ensure continuity of services and the safety of its stakeholders including employees, customers, communities and suppliers against the potential outbreak, The Gazelle News.com reports.   This assurance was given on Wednesday, 18 March, 2020 by the acting Public Relations Manager of the group in Nigeria, Lakinbofa Goodluck, in a statement released to journalists in Lagos. According to him, “a key priority for MTN is to ensure business continuity. Our services over this time will be…

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation Boss Mustapha made announcement at a media briefing on Wednesday. The affected countries are the United State of America, the United Kingdom, China, Japan, Iran, Switzerland, Norway, Netherland, France, South Korea, Germany, Italy and Spain.

The Federal Ministry of Health has announced five new cases of coronavirus bringing the total number of confirmed cases in Nigeria to eight. All the five new cases had a travel history to the United Kingdom and the United States, The PUNCH reports. Three of the new cases arrived from the US while the other two arrived from the UK. Four of the cases were Nigerians including a six-week-old baby while the fifth was a foreign national who came in through the land border. This is the first recorded case of the infection through Nigeria’s land borders. Of the five…

The Senate, on Tuesday, 17 March, 2020 said that a cut to the N10.594 trillion budget for 2020 passed by the National Assembly on December 5, 2019, is “inevitable” in view of the crash in crude oil price internationally. The resolution was reached sequel to the adoption of the recommendations of the report of the Joint Committee on Finance; Appropriations; National Planning and Economic Affairs; and Petroleum Resources (Upstream). Accordingly, the Upper chamber, while adopting the recommendations of the Joint Committee during plenary, resolved that the National Assembly, upon agreement with the Executive arm of Government, would review downward the…

Over half of us take our mobile phones into the loo with us – and with the COVID-19 virus able to live for hours, or even days, on hard surfaces like your phone screen that’s a problem As the number of cases of coronavirus infections passes the 200 mark in the UK, we are all being encouraged to take extra care with our personal hygiene to prevent the spread of the virus. Washing your hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds several times a day is the current government advice. But a bad habit that over half of us share…

President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, has charged the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and state governments to undertake strict enforcement of urban planning designs and regulations so as to avert tragic incidents likely to arise from negligence that may result in loss of lives. Lawan stated this against the backdrop of a motion considered Tuesday, 17 March, 2020,  on the recent pipeline explosions in Lagos, an incident which claimed the lives of scores. Speaking after consideration of the motion sponsored by Senator Olamilekan Adeola (APC – Lagos West), Lawan urged the Executive arm of government to, as a…

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan has urged the World Bank to come to the aid of Nigeria in her effort at poverty alleviation in the country. Lawan made the appeal on Tuesday, 17 March, 2020 when the new World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Shubham Chaudhuri led a delegation of the Bank officials on a courtesy visit to his office. Lawan said this is the time Nigeria needs the World Bank the most when the Coronavirus, the global pandemic, is making it difficult to raise revenue for the implementation of the 2020 budget. “This meeting is a very important…

By Dare Ojelade, Lagos  All important personalities coming into Lagos State through the Murtala Muhammad International Airport must undergo Coronavirus checks at the airport before they allowed entry into the state, The Gazelle News.com can report.  The Gazelle News.com reports further that the state Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, gave this order on Tuesday, 17 March, 2020 when he paid an unscheduled visit to the airport to personally assess how the response team stationed at the airport border are screening inbound passengers for the dreaded virus.  At the arrival gates, Sanwo-Olu watched how passengers were being screened by the airport officials,…

The Senate, on Tuesday, 17 March, 2020 said that a cut to the N10.594 trillion budget for 2020 passed by the National Assembly on December 5, 2019, is “inevitable” in view of the crash in crude oil price internationally. The resolution was reached sequel to the adoption of the recommendations of the report of the Joint Committee on Finance; Appropriations; National Planning and Economic Affairs; and Petroleum Resources (Upstream). Accordingly, the Upper chamber, while adopting the recommendations of the Joint Committee during plenary, resolved that the National Assembly, upon agreement with the Executive arm of Government, would review downward the…

The Senate on Tuesday, 17 March, 2020 considered two critical bills aimed at strengthening Child Rights laws and the protection of older persons in Nigeria. Both bills were sponsored by Senators Ibikunle Amosun (APC- Ogun Central); and Ezenwa Francis Onyewuchi (PDP – Imo East). Leading debate on the Child Rights Act 2003 (Amendment) bill, 2020, Senator Amosun, said the piece of legislation seeks “to protect the Nigerian child by excluding certain categories of persons from being employed either as care givers, teachers or in any other circumstances that may expose or make such a child vulnerable or susceptible to sexual…

The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN, Monday, 16 March, 2020, charged members of the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) to endeavour to intervene at the time of construction of any building in any part of the country as a proactive step to stem the incidence of building collapse and consequent loss of life and property Fashola, who gave the charge when he hosted members of the Institute who paid a courtesy visit and conferred the honorary Fellowship of the Institute on him, expressed deep condolence to the Governor, Government and people of Lagos State over the…

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) management has shut down all the orientation camp nationwide over the spread of coronavirus. The directive, which came from the NYSC headquarters in Abuja early Wednesday morning disrupted the orientation camp of the 2020 Batch A Stream 1, across the 37 centres in the country. The Lagos State NYSC Coordinator, Eddy Megwa, told corps members during morning meditation on the parade ground to leave the orientation camp as soon as possible. “We have been asked to close down all orientation camps and discharged the corps members to their various places of primary assignment,” Megwa…

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has approved the establishment of the Directorate of Defence Media Operations (DDMO) for coordinating joint information management on peacekeeping and other combat operations of the Nigerian troops. The Directorate is tasked with the sole responsibility of disseminating information on Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies during special operations. PRNigeria gathered that the new Directorate will restrict its mandates to analyzing information on combat and peacekeeping operations, while strategically and tactically liaising with critical stakeholders. The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Gabriel Olonisakin has appointed Major General John Enenche as Coordinator of the newly-established…

Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, has ordered the immediate renovation of blocks of classrooms and supply of furniture to St John Secondary School, Ode-Aje, Aremo, Ibadan and other worst-hit schools in the metropolis. The governor, who made the order during an on-the-spot assessment to St. John’s School Aremo, Ode-Aje, Ibadan, said government will try its best to ensure that the schools are fixed as quickly as possible. A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Makinde, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, quoted the governor as saying that the terrible condition of classrooms in the school would be addressed…

LONDON — U.K. aid is funding the effort to develop a rapid diagnostic test for COVID-19, which will be jointly manufactured in the United Kingdom and Senegal — a first for the African continent. The developers told Devex they intend to sell the tests at cost, making them as affordable as possible, and that producing them in Senegal will make it cheaper and quicker to distribute them across Africa.“Ensuring access upfront to diagnostics is critical, especially for outbreak-prone epidemics,” said Joe Fitchett, medical director at Mologic, the U.K. company designing the kits. “By manufacturing in Africa there is an opportunity…

People, who suspect they have caught the novel coronavirus, should not take the popular drug ibuprofen without consulting a doctor, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said. WHO gave the warning, on Tuesday, pointing to the ongoing research into possible negative effects. WHO’s spokesman, Christian Lindmeier, told a Geneva news conference that there are no recent studies that link the anti-inflammatory drug with increased mortality rates, but he added that experts are currently investigating the matter.“We recommend paracetamol, not ibuprofen in self-medication,’’ Lindmeier said. The UN agency’s comments came after leading French health officials warned against using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)…