MENA

Chu Maoming, Chioma Gabriel China’s Consul General in Lagos, Chu Maoming, said at the weekend his country would defeat the coronavirus disease. The Consul-General spoke in Lagos as the local Chinese community was celebrating the Chinese New Year at the Tafawa Balewa Square with Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, in attendance. Chu Maoming said China has full confidence and capability to win the battle against the outbreak of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus. He said: “Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the Chinese government has always put the people’s safety and health first, and thus the prevention and control of the outbreak is China’s most important work for now. “Chinese President Xi Jinping chaired a special meeting of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee on the outbreak on the first day of this Chinese new year. President Xi’s personal guidance and deployment ...

IPHONE-11 The Anambra police command has arrested one Paul who confessed to killing his elder brother so as to inherit his iPhone 11. The 26-year-old suspect made the confession while being interviewed by newsmen in the state police command. He further revealed that he carried out the evil act because he could not afford to buy the phone and also because his friends were constantly mocking him. Read Also:  Two Laptops, N100k, iPhone – Akin Alabi Shares His Nine-Year-Old Son’s Christmas List He was said to have killed his brother with the use of a sniper. His mum has since been pleading with the police that he should be spared because she can not lose two children at the same time. Source: https://www.informationng.com/2020/01/i-killed-my-brother-to-inherit-his-iphone-11-suspect.html

US Soldiers About 9,000 members of the U.S. military, stationed in South Korea, on Wednesday, urged to leave if a dispute over the sharing of the costs for the 28,500 U.S. soldiers stationed in the country remains unresolved. According to U.S. Armed Forces, upon expiration of an agreement on funding from 2019, no follow-up deal for the U.S. Forces/Korea (USFK), has been reached and employees were notified of a potential administrative furlough from April. “Without the Republic of Korea’s continued commitment to share the cost of employing our Korean National workforce, USFK will soon exhaust programmed funds available to pay their salaries and wages,’’ USFK said. Meanwhile, the notice was sent 60 days in advance of the potential commencement date for the leave. However, it could only come into effect if the two sides were unable to negotiate an agreement over the next couple of weeks. The U.S. has long been demanding that its allies increase their financial support for its military pre...

Nigerian Singer Zlatan A new video has emerged online capturing the moment popular singer,  Zlatan  Ibile was spotted mocking some policemen at the checkpoint and asked them if they don’t watch television. In the video, the singer was driving in his posh car when he approached the police checkpoint and he was flagged down. The police then asked him for identification and he replied them by saying his face is his identification. Read Also:   Come To Daddy: Zlatan Shoots His Shot At Tacha (Video) He then mocked them by asking if they don’t watch TV- a pointer to why they don’t recognize him. Watch the video below: Source: https://www.informationng.com/2020/01/zlatan-mocks-police-at-checkpoint-asks-them-if-they-dont-watch-tv-video.html

British citizens evacuated from Wuhan, the epicentre of a deadly virus outbreak, will be isolated for two weeks with "all necessary medical attention", Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Wednesday. "Anyone who returns from Wuhan will be safely isolated for 14 days, with all necessary medical attention," he wrote on Twitter. "We are working hard to get British nationals back from Wuhan," Hancock added. "Public safety is the top priority." Britain is preparing to evacuate hundreds of its citizens from the central Chinese city following in the footsteps of several other countries this week. Thousands of foreigners are among millions of people stuck in the metropolis as  China  struggles to get to grips with the spread of a SARS-like virus which has claimed 132 lives and begun to spread around the world. In London, the Foreign Office, which is coordinating the evacuation of British nationals, declined to give details of the arrangements being made...

Tottenham have completed the signing of Netherlands international Steven Bergwijn for a reported £27million. The 22-year-old winger has signed a deal until 2025 having emerged as one of the Eredivisie’s star players with PSV. Bergwijn enjoyed a particularly impressive season last term, scoring 14 Eredivisie goals and setting up another 12 as PSV finished second to Ajax. He had been strongly linked with a move away before the season started, with Bayern Munich and Sevilla said to be particularly keen, but no transfer materialised and he began the campaign with PSV. However, with Spurs having lost Christian Eriksen to Inter, the club have made a move to bolster their creative options with the gifted Bergwijn. Jose Mourinho has already brought in Gedson Fernandes on loan with an option to buy and signed Giovani Lo Celso on a pemanent deal as he seeks to guide Spurs to a top-four finish in the Premier League. Spurs are sixth, six points behind fourth-placed Chelsea, and still have aspirati...

The German government is in possession of evidence that Huawei [HWT.UL], the leading maker of telecoms network equipment, has collaborated with Chinese intelligence, the Handelsblatt daily reported on Wednesday. “At the end of 2019, intelligence was passed to us by the U.S., according to which Huawei is proven to have been cooperating with China’s intelligence authorities,” the newspaper quoted a confidential foreign ministry document as saying. No comment was immediately available from the German government or from Huawei on the Handelsblatt report. Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government and her conservative ruling party are split on whether Huawei’s equipment poses a security threat to Europe’s largest economy, where the three mobile network operators are all customers of the Chinese firm. The Foreign Ministry is among the skeptics, with Handelsblatt citing the document as saying that the U.S. evidence amounted to a “smoking gun” that meant Chinese companies could not be trusted to he...

British Airways British Airways has suspended all direct flights to and from mainland China after Britain warned against all but essential travel to the country due to the coronavirus outbreak. BA.com, the airline’s website, shows no direct flights to China are available in January and February. “We apologise to customers for the inconvenience, but the safety of our customers and crew is always our priority,” BA said in an emailed statement on Wednesday. “Customers due to travel to or from China in the coming days can find more information on BA.com.” Britain on Tuesday advised against “all but essential” travel to mainland China due to the coronavirus outbreak. Vanguard Kindly Share This Story: Source: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/01/breaking-british-airways-suspends-all-flights-to-china-over-coronavirus/

Five people were killed in an overnight attack by jihadists in the Lake Chad region of northern Cameroon, sources said on Wednesday. “Five civilians were killed by Boko Haram in Blaram,” a village in the Blangoua district of Cameroon’s Far North region, a local official said. The toll was confirmed to AFP by an army officer in the region. Based in neighbouring Nigeria, Boko Haram has stepped up attacks in the vast Lake Chad region where the borders of Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria converge. Cameroon says the group has carried out nearly 13,000 attacks on its territory since 2014, with the loss of “several thousand” lives. The insurgency has forced more than 250,000 people to flee their homes and triggered an influx of 60,000 people from Nigeria. AFP Source: https://www.channelstv.com/2020/01/29/five-killed-in-jihadist-attack-in-cameroon/

(FILES) In this file photo taken on February 18, 2018, Manchester United’s executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward takes his seat for the English FA Cup fifth round football match between Huddersfield Town and Manchester United at the John Smith’s stadium in Huddersfield, northern England. – The home of Manchester United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward was attacked with flares and graffiti late on January 28, 2020, by a mob of disgruntled supporters. Woodward has been a target of offensive chanting by United fans in recent matches due to his role in the club’s declining fortunes on the field over the past seven years. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) /  The home of Manchester United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward was attacked with flares and graffiti on Tuesday night by a mob of disgruntled supporters. Woodward has been a target of offensive chanting by United fans in recent matches due to his role in the club’s declining fortunes on the field over the past seven years. In a statem...

Cristiano Ronaldo 2020 is looking good for CR7. The Madeira-born superstar has broken records on and off the pitch. One of his most recent feats which he attained in the early hours of Wednesday 29th January 2020, was reaching two hundred million followers on the photo-sharing platform, Instagram Selena Gomez,his closet competition and the one who he overthrew to become 'King of social media' back in October 2018, is some 32million follows away from reaching Cristiano. According to Forbes, Ronaldo makes a staggering $47.8million dollars per year from paid-instagram posts. He will be looking to continue his free-scoring form when Juventus hosts Fiorentina on Sunday after a disappointing result last time out. Ronaldo has scored 33goals in all competitions for club and country this campaign and would be looking to increase his tally come Sunday.   Source: https://www.tori.ng/news/140814/cristiano-ronaldo-hits-milestone-with-200-million.html

A married woman identified as Rabi has set herself on fire at Gayawa quarters, Ungoggo local government area of Kano State, a radio station in northern Nigeria, Freedom Radio, reported. Rabi set herself on fire after her husband, Malam Badamasi, married a second wife. Salisu Safiyanu, Ms Rabi’s brother-in-law, told journalists that he found the deceased in her matrimonial home, burnt beyond recognition. Also, Malama Mariya, a sister to the deceased, told journalists that she was devastated as her sister lost her life due to “extreme jealousy”. Although the police spokesperson in Kano, Abdullahi Kiyawa, has confirmed the incident, he is yet to release a statement. Source: https://guardian.ng/news/nigeria/woman-sets-herself-on-fire/

Japanese citizens evacuated from the epicentre of a deadly virus outbreak described an atmosphere of fear and confusion in the Chinese city and expressed relief as they arrived in Tokyo on Wednesday. A total of 206 Japanese citizens landed at Tokyo's Haneda airport from Wuhan on Wednesday morning, with health professionals carrying out checks onboard and at the airport. No mandatory quarantine was planned, but five passengers who said they felt unwell were hospitalised on arrival, with two diagnosed with pneumonia. Hospital officials said it will take time to determine if they had been infected with the new coronavirus. The health ministry said seven more people who showed flu-like symptoms during checkups at a disease prevention centre after landing will be admitted to hospitals. The flight arrived as several other countries worked to extract their nationals from Wuhan, with an American charter flight also leaving the city on Wednesday bound for an airport in the Los Angeles area....

The United States and Japan flew citizens out of the Chinese city at the epicenter of a new virus outbreak on Wednesday, as the death toll rose sharply to 132 and the first case appeared in the Middle East. The World Health Organization (WHO) has said it is confident in China’s ability to contain the coronavirus, but concern is mounting as health authorities reported the number of confirmed cases had jumped by 1,459 to 5,974. Streets were deserted in many major cities as the number of deaths from the flu-like virus rose by 26 to 132, almost all in the province of Hubei, the capital of which is Wuhan, where the virus emerged last month in a wild animal market. The central province of about 60 million people is under virtual lockdown. “I was extremely worried that I was stuck there while the situation was changing very rapidly,” said Takeo Aoyama, who arrived in Tokyo on a chartered plane carrying 206 Japanese nationals out of Wuhan, with more flights planned. “I feel really relieved,” A...

The founder of Reseau Docteur has said that America, and indeed the whole world, where blacks can be found, need more black doctors to attend to blacks, because, according to him, blacks tend to feel more comfortable with their own kind. Reseau Docteur, meaning ‘Doctor’s Network’ was founded in the US by a Nigerian Alexander Oladele. “America needs more black doctors and there is a wealth of data that shows that African Americans are more likely to trust a healthcare system when the health provider actually looks like them,” Oladele said. “There is a huge gap within the healthcare community and it’s due to a lack of diversity.” He added that they formed the network to change the narrative and perception of blacks, saying they have achieved a lot in that regard. He said: “The goal of forming Reseau Docteur was to reverse the psychological impact that was affecting many African Americans at a point where a lot of black men were getting killed. Sadly, many of these images and interactions...

Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed that 23-year-old midfielder, Giovani Lo Celso has signed a permanent deal with Jose Mourinho’s men from Real Betis that will keep him at the club until 2025. This is coming after playmaker,  Christian Erisken left the club  to join Inter Milan on Tuesday. Spurs made this known in a statement on their official website on Tuesday. The statement read: “We are delighted to announce that we have exercised the option to convert the loan of Giovani Lo Celso from Real Betis Balompié to a permanent transfer. Gio has signed a contract with the Club until 2025. “The midfielder has produced impressive performances after establishing himself in the team following a hip injury which restricted his playing time in the early part of his loan at the Club. A former player at Rosario Central and Paris Saint-Germain, Giovani has appeared in 20 games for us so far in all competitions and registered two goals, including netting the first FA Cup goal at our new stadi...

Aston Villa have qualified for the final of this season’s Carabao Cup. The Midlands club defeated Leicester City 2-1, in the second leg of their semi-final tie on Tuesday night. With the score delicately poised at 1-1, both teams came into the match at Villa Park with a chance to progress. Jack Grealish set up Matt Targett to smash a shot past Kasper Schmeichel to make it 1-0, before Kelechi Iheanacho equalized in the 72nd minute. Trezeguet then scored a dramatic late winner as Villa edged it 3-2 on aggregate. Five-times winners Villa will face either Manchester United or Manchester City, who play in the other semi-final on Wednesday. Source: https://dailypost.ng/2020/01/29/carabao-cup-aston-villa-to-play-man-utd-man-city-in-wembley-final/

The United States, US, President, Donald Trump has described his impeachment move as a “political con job.” Trump made the remark while maintaining that his impeachment was a hoax. In a tweet, the US President lambasted lawmakers of the Democrats for pushing for his impeachment. “No matter how many witnesses you give the Democrats, no matter how much information is given, like the quickly produced Transcripts, it will NEVER be enough for them. “They will always scream UNFAIR. The Impeachment Hoax is just another political CON JOB!,” he tweeted. Recall that Trump was on December 18, 2019,  impeached by the House of Representatives , for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress related to his dealings with Ukraine. However,  Trump’s impeachment trial  commenced in the US Senate on Thursday, starting with a reading of charges against the US President. Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for Trump had said she hoped the  impeachment trial could wrap  up by the end of this we...

A recent review and meta-analysis have investigated whether a plant pigment called quercetin could reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. In particular, the authors identified that quercetin reduced blood pressure. A compound that occurs naturally in a range of fruits and vegetables, including red onion, may help reduce blood pressure. Globally, cardiovascular disease is responsible for about 17.3 million deaths each year. As the population’s average age increases, experts expect cardiovascular disease to rise in step. Researchers have identified a range of lifestyle factors that increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, such as poor diet, low physical activity, smoking, and consuming alcohol. Certain biological markers, including high blood pressure, raised serum lipids, and high blood glucose levels, also predict cardiovascular disease. Although lifestyle and medical interventions benefit most individuals, they do not work for everyone. For this reason, some researchers are fo...

Cruise liners cancel trips to Shanghai As coronavirus spreads like wildfire and nations tighten up their entry points, Nigeria has failed to map out strategies to prevent the importation of the virus through the sea. The Guardian observed that there are still no serious measures by government agencies such as the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, The Ports Health and the Immigration Service to ensure that seafarers coming to Nigeria through the sea are properly screened against the virus. The seafarers and the dockworkers are the first point of contact at the seaport whenever a foreign vessel is coming into the country. Coronavirus has reportedly spread to 16 countries now. With the latest tested positive in Cote D’ Ivore, Africa appears to be in vulnerable. Already, seafarers calling at Chinese ports have been advised to wear masks and take precautionary measures to avoid getting infected with the coronavirus and prevent its potential spread. When entering Chinese po...

By Providence Adeyinka Afrocet Montgomery, organiser of West African Cyber Security Summit, WACSS, has said that about 94 percent of companies in Africa and Middle East experienced cyber attacks in 2019. Also, the organisation announced plans to hold the WACSS on March18, 2020, with the theme: ‘Building Sustainable Defence through Information Security’, alongside Securex West Africa exhibition on March 17 and 18 2020, all at the Landmark Centre, Lagos. In a statement, the organiser said that there are not enough skilled cyber security professionals  to properly plan, manage, integrate and optimize security devices, strategies and protocols, explaining that the two-day event which encompasses commercial, cyber, homeland and perimeter security, fire and safety, will welcome industry members from and across the African region to share insights, experience and innovation. Over the next five years, economic loss due to cybercrime is predicted to reach an unprecedented $5.2 trillion – al...

US President Donald Trump announces his Middle East peace plan in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC on January 28, 2020. Trump says his plan ‘could be the last opportunity’ for Palestinians. MANDEL NGAN / AFP President Donald Trump Tuesday unveiled long-awaited details of a US plan for solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, warning it may represent the last chance at statehood for the Palestinians. “Today, Israel takes a big step towards peace,” Trump told a White House news conference, standing alongside visiting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he revealed key points of the plan already strongly rejected by the Palestinians. “My vision presents a win-win opportunity for both sides, a realistic two state solution that resolves the risk of Palestinian statehood to Israel’s security,” Trump said. The plan was warmly welcomed by Israel’s prime minister, who called it a “historic day” for the Jewish state. The plan, Trump said, proposes a four-year freeze of Israel...

BBNaija Mercy Eke American rapper,  Cardi B ‘s outfit to the 2020 Grammy awards ceremony has got fans of 2019 Big Brother Nigeria winner,  Mercy  Eke pointing out that the multi-talented rapper stole the design from the reality TV star. Read Also:  Set Goals That Makes You Jump Out Of Bed In The Morning, Mercy Advices This was fueled because the reality Tv star first rocked the outfit while in Dubai late last year and her fans feel the singer saw the outfit on her and decided to come up with something similar. Do you agree with them??? Check out the photo of the duo below: Source: https://www.informationng.com/2020/01/cardi-b-allegedly-stole-mercy-ekes-outfit-rocked-it-to-the-grammy-photo.html

The Federal Government has assured Nigerians of its readiness to strengthen surveillance at five international airports in the country to prevent the  spread of Coronavirus. The five international airports are in Enugu, Lagos, Rivers, Kano and the FCT. The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, who disclosed this at a news conference on Tuesday in Abuja, said the government would also set up multi-sectoral committee to scale up surveillance and vigilance. According to the minister, the committee will help to scale up surveillance to detect suspicious cases and ensure containment. “The committee shall comprise of critical stakeholders in the health, security, aviation and transport sectors and also include development partners, bearing in mind that air travellers are more likely carriers of the virus. “Attention will be given to five international airports to ensure that the point of entries are monitored and the ministry is working to forestall the importation of coronavirus to the...

Breastfeeding Ugandan men have been found to force their wives to  breastfeed  them, according to new study. Sarah Opendi, the country’s minister of state for health, raised the alarm while speaking at the parliament. “Men are part of the problem during breastfeeding. A mother is breastfeeding, you also want something on the other side, saying that it can cure HIV/AIDS, cancer, male dysfunction. It is a myth,” New Vision quoted her to have said this while addressing the house in August 2018. She added also that “a growing culture of men demanding to suckle, which was becoming a problem for some breastfeeding mothers and their babies”. Read Also:   I always breastfeed my husband: Ebony Lips reveals There was a recent study by Kyambogo University in Kampala and Britain’s University of Kent, supported by the Global Challenges Research Fund on the practice. The Guardian UK, reports that findings from the study conducted in the rural Buikwe district showed the practice is now ...

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with US President Donald Trump, speaks during an announcement of Trump’s Middle East peace plan in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC on January 28, 2020.  MANDEL NGAN / AFP Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed a US peace plan for the Middle East Tuesday as a “realistic path to a durable peace” that assures Israeli sovereignty over the Jordan Valley. “This is a historic day,” Netanyahu said, speaking alongside President Donald Trump who presented the plan at a White House ceremony. “Too many plans tried to pressure Israel to withdraw from vital territory like the Jordan Valley. But you, Mr President, you recognized that Israel must have sovereignty in the Jordan Valley and other strategic areas of Judea and Samaria.” Trump’s proposal, Netanyahu said, would also involve the United States recognizing settlements as part of Israel. Ambassadors for the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman were in the audience but Pa...

Donald Trump’s lawyers, eager to attain his swift acquittal, pushed back forcefully Monday against explosive new allegations from former national security advisor John Bolton, insisting the US president’s dealings regarding Ukraine were not impeachable. The defense also injected Joe Biden and his family directly into the argument for why the president should not be ousted. At only the third impeachment trial in US history, they stressed that Trump’s requests to Ukraine to investigate his potential Democratic White House challenger were motivated by concerns about corruption. Republicans faced fresh pressure to subpoena Bolton as a firsthand witness at Trump’s Senate impeachment trial following new revelations, which could amount to damning evidence about the president’s actions. As Clinton impeachment investigator Ken Starr and Harvard constitutional expert Alan Dershowitz defended the president, three Republican senators indicated they could favor hearing testimony from the 71-year-ol...

​Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has confirmed that the club are interested in signing Valencia striker Rodrigo, guaranteeing that a new forward will join the club in the near future. La Blaugrana have been searching for a new striker all season, but their plans have been accelerated after Luis Suárez was sidelined for four months with a knee injury. Rodrigo quickly moved into their sights, and a deal is ​thought to be fairly close. That has since been backed up by Bartomeu, who admitted (via ​Marca) that club officials are discussing a move for Rodrigo this month. “We don’t talk about players from other teams. But [Rodrigo’s] name is on the table of the coaches,” he said. “And a replacement will arrive. I do not know whether it will be from Barcelona B or from outside [the club]. I like many players.” As confirmed by ​COPE Valencia, Rodrigo did not take part in Valencia training on Monday, suggesting talks are at an advanced stage. The deal is thought to be worth around €60m,...

Manchester United have increased their offer for Bruno Fernandes twice in the past 24 hours, Sky Sports reports. It is believed the second bid is worth 55m euros (£46.59m). One of the proposed add-ons will see Sporting Lisbon receiving a further 10m euros, if Fernandes plays a certain number of games for United. This comes amid reports that Barcelona are in talks with Sporting and have  proposed signing him  this summer until 2025. However, the LaLiga champions want to loan him to Valencia until the end of the 2020-21 season. Barca’s bid also appears to match Sporting’s valuation, so the decision on which club to join will rest with the player. Source: https://dailypost.ng/2020/01/28/transfer-man-utd-increase-offer-for-bruno-fernandes-following-barcelonas-interest/

Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Carrie Lam (L) gestures as she takes part in a press conference while wearing a facemask in Hong Kong on January 28, 2020. Anthony WALLACE / AFP Hong Kong on Tuesday announced drastic measures to cut the number of people crossing into the city from mainland China in a bid to curb the spread of a SARS-like virus that has already killed more than 100 people. With tour groups from the mainland suspended earlier, the new measures blocking individual travellers will dramatically reduce the number of Chinese able to visit the semi-autonomous city. The number of flights from the mainland to Hong Kong will be halved and all ferry services suspended to “reduce the mobility of people from both sides”, city leader Carrie Lam said, adding six of 14 border checkpoints will close from January 30 “until further notice”. Cathay Pacific Airways, which has its main hub at Hong Kong International Airport, announced that it would be “progressively reducing” flights to and from ...

The president of the German FA has ramped up the pressure on coach Joachim Loew by saying he expects the national team to reach at least the semi-finals of Euro 2020. “We must, and ‘Jogi’ (Loew) won’t like hearing this, reach the semi-finals. Perhaps even the final,” Fritz Keller, president of the German Football Association (DFB) said Tuesday. Keller was speaking in Leipzig at celebrations to mark the 120th anniversary of the founding of the DFB. This summer’s European Championship, which runs from June 12 to July 12, is a big test for Loew after Germany’s failure at the 2018 World Cup. READ ALSO:  Wrestling: NWF names 15 athletes for 2020 African championships in Algiers The 2014 world champions crashed out in the group stage in Russia, marking the first time since Loew took charge in 2006 that Germany failed to reach the knockout stages of a major tournament. Germany face holders Portugal, world champions France and a play-off winner in their three Euro 2020 group matches on hom...