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Health workers at the National Public Health Reference Laboratory in Gaduwa, Abuja. Photo .   Nigeria has recorded eight new cases of coronavirus in Lagos, the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and Kaduna State. The eight new cases bring the total number of infections in the country to 232. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control made this known via its Twitter handle at 09.32pm on Sunday. Details later…

Pope Francis celebrated Palm Sunday Mass without the public since the traditional ceremony in St. Peter’s Square was scrapped because of the coronavirus pandemic. Normally, tens of thousands of Romans, tourists, and pilgrims, holding olive tree branches or palm fronds would gather for an outdoor Mass led by the pontiff. Instead, Francis was leading the ceremony inside St. Peter’s Basilica, which seemed even more spacious than usual because it was so empty. Pope Francis called the pandemic a tragedy on Sunday that ‘must be faced with courage and hope’. “Today, in the tragedy of a pandemic, in the face of the many false securities that have now crumbled, in the face of so many hopes betrayed, in the sense of abandonment that weighs upon our hearts, Jesus says to each one of us: ‘Courage, open your heart to my love’,” the pope said. Besides his aides, a few invited prelates, nuns and laypeople were present, sitting solo in the first pews and staggered meters (yards)

Former minister of finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has advised Nigeria and other African countries to quickly pressure the G7 and G20 for debt-relief in order to deal with the economic and health issues arising from the novel Coronavirus. The economic expert who played a huge role in getting Nigeria an $18 billion debt-relief as minister of finance, stated a debt relief will aid in getting resources to tackle the spread of Coronavirus. Okonjo-Iweala averred that the money owed by some African countries can be channeled towards dealing with Coronavirus. “You know we have several sources, you’ve got the African Development Bank, which has just floated a social bond for $3 billion that will be available to the countries on the continent,” she said. “You have the World Bank that has set aside $14 billion of which they’ve already committed $2 billion to 25 countries — and 11 of them are Africans. Many of our countries need to move, to take advantage of this, and they are will

  The Lagos State Police Command said it has arrested Nollywood star, Funke Akindele for defying government’s order on lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus in the country. Funke on Saturday hosted a birthday party in her apartment which led to an uproar. However, Funke, who had since apologized profusely through her twitter handle, was the topic of criticism on social media (instagram) on Sunday after videos of the birthday party that also included Naira Marley and Eniola Badmus went viral. When contacted, a senior official of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, LASEPA, who preferred anonymity, said the agency, has not been notified officially, “but the state government will not hesitate to investigate and apply necessary sanction if found wanting. I will get back to you if there is any update on the matter.” LASEPA is saddled with the enforcement on compliance of Presidential directive on measures against COVID-19 in the state. Th

  Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka's president, says he has released 2,961 inmates in the past two weeks as part of an effort to reduce congestion in prisons during the COVID-19 pandemic. Those released include people who had served a major portion of their sentences or were being held in remand for minor offences and had been unable to pay bail, he said in a post on Twitter. Based on recommendations by expert committee comprising reps from BASL, Min of Justice & Prisons Dept, 2961 prisoners who were in remand for minor offenses & unable to pay bail or had served major portion of their sentence, were released with conditions, over the past 2 weeks  

Israeli police arrested the Palestinian minister for Jerusalem affairs on Friday for allegedly violating an Israeli ban on Palestinian political activities in occupied East Jerusalem . The Palestinian Authority's Jerusalem Affairs Ministry said in a statement that the Israeli police raided Fadi al-Hadami's house in Suwana neighbourhood of Jerusalem and took him into custody. It said the police broke down doors and smashed windows of the minister's house. A sum of 10,000 sheqalim (about $2,750) was also seized before the minister was taken away to an interrogation centre. The Israeli police have yet to give any details on the arrest of al-Hadami, who has previously been arrested three times by the Israeli security forces. The PA says such arrests of Palestinian officials in East  Jerusalem  are  related to their activities in the city.   Follow us on twitter (ajuede.com) or on Instagram (ajuedeman) for details of the global situation presently.

Two migrants were shot dead last month as they tried to enter Greece from Turkey after Ankara "recklessly encouraged" thousands of migrants to cross the border to Europe, Amnesty International said on Friday. A third migrant is missing and presumed dead after Greek soldiers fired shots towards her as she attempted to cross a river into Greece, the rights group said. Asylum seekers waiting to enter Europe leave the border with Greece in Edirne, Turkey [Cihan Demirci/Anadolu Agency] Amnesty's Turkey research director Andrew Gardner said it was not confirmed who fired the shots that killed the migrants but they were hit in areas where Greek security personnel were present, and he urged Greek authorities to find those responsible. Amnesty said Greek efforts to repress the migrants' movements included the use of live ammunition. Greece dismissed Amnesty's account. Follow us on twitter (ajuede.com) or on Instagram (ajuedeman) for details of t