World Bank approves Kenya's $50m coronavirus loan

Kenya will receive $50m (£40m) from the World Bank to fund efforts intended to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe has said the amount will be used to procure protective gear for health workers, hand sanitisers as well as increasing bed capacity in hospitals.
Health workers have complained of a lack of adequate protective gear in hospitals, Kenya's Daily Nation newspaper reports.

COVID-19: Why you need to wear face masks in public — Study

A new study has adduced reasons why people may have to wear face masks whenever they are with others, especially in public places. The researchers state that COVID-19 could be spread through mere breathing and not just by large droplets emitted in a cough or sneeze, hence the need for regular wearing of face masks.
The study, published in peer-reviewed journal, Science, on April 1, explained that if the virus could be suspended in the ultrafine mist that people produce when they breathe out, protection becomes more difficult, thus, strengthening the argument that people should wear masks in public to reduce unwitting transmission of the virus from asymptomatic carriers.

Prince Charles recovers from coronavirus and is out of self-isolation

Prince Charles has reportedly recovered from coronavirus and is out of self-isolation following his diagnosis for the deadly disease.  The Prince of Wales 71, had spent seven days self-isolating in Scotland after testing positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday, March 25th. His wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, 72, was also tested and did not have the virus, but also began self-isolating.
 A Palace official has now confirmed that the prince is out of self-isolation and is currently in good health.

Kenyan Pastor investigated in UK for selling oil he claims can protect his members from Coronavirus

A Kenyan Pastor and founder of Bishop Climate Ministries in Camberwell District in South London, Climate Irungu Wiseman is currently under investigation in the UK for selling an oil he claimed could protect his members against Coronavirus.  According to a report by Independent UK, the Pastor who sold the bottle of the oil at £91 (N40,950) each, was accused of exploiting the public by selling the so-called “plague protection” kits, consisting of oil and red yarn.

Lightning kills 20 people during Congo's virus lockdown

Some 20 people were killed by a lightning strike on high-voltage power lines in Congo-Brazzaville, the authorities say. The incident happened on the first day of a lockdown in the capital, Brazzaville, to help prevent the spread of coronavirus. So far 22 cases of Covid-19, the respiratory illness caused by the virus, have been confirmed in the country, including two deaths.
The mayor of Kintele district, Stella Mensah Saddou Nguesso, said people were electrocuted by the falling cables.

Mourners celebrate Queen of Katwe actress

In the middle of the day - at the height of the dry season when the sun not only warms but burns too - hundreds of mourners are huddled under tarpaulin tents, trees and verandahs of houses - anywhere they can find some shade.
We're in Kabojja just on the outskirts of Kampala to the west.
From the speeches being given, especially by Nikita Pearl Waligwa's mother and father, the toll of her years' long battle against cancer comes to light.

COVID-19 cases pass 1 million mark globally with 51, 378 deaths

The global confirmed cases for COVID-19 have now crossed the one million mark globally with the United States of America, China, Italy and Spain highest hit nations. The total number of confirmed cases as at the time of filing thing report according to worldometer, is 1, 001, 069, with about 51, 378 deaths and 210, 245 recovered cases.
The Director-General of World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, hinted earlier that the figure could go seven digits in a couple of days but it only took hours before that was achieved, which shows the geometrical rate of growth globally.

Indonesia frees 18,000 inmates from bursting jails over COVID-19 fears

Indonesia has released 18,000 inmates in a desperate bid to stop coronavirus from rampaging through its notoriously overcrowded prison system, authorities said on Thursday. The mass release comes days after the Southeast Asian nation said it would free more than 30,000 inmates to take pressure off prisons and jails beset by unsanitary conditions and long at risk of infectious diseases. The UN has called on countries to release vulnerable inmates, with Afghanistan last week announcing it would set free some 10,000 prisoners.

Cristiano Ronaldo told he ‘must accept £62.5m transfer, agree wage cut or quit Juventus for free in 2022’ amid coronavirus chaos

According to media reports in Italy, football star Cristiano Ronaldo has been told by Juventus chiefs that he could be sold this summer for £62.5m in order for the club to balance it's financial books due to the financial losses accrued from the Coronavirus pandemic in Italy.  Italy is the worst hit country in the world, with official figures of Coronavirus deaths totaling 11,500 and the resultant effects of Covid-1 has driven the Italian economy into shambles.

Football will be different after Coronavirus saga- FIFA President Infantino

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has revealed that football will be totally diffferent once the Coronavirus  Pandemic ends. Football cross the world has been badly hit by the virus, with football leagues across Europe, Asia,South America, North America and even Africa put on hold to prevent the spread of the disease.
 Money spinning competitions like the Euros, Champions and Europa League and even the Olympics have been postponed due to the virus with major clubs forcing their players to take a pay cut during this period to prevent clubs from shutting down over losses incurred during this period of no football.

Africa is not a testing lab - Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto'o slam French Doctors who asked for new Coronavirus drug to be tested in Africa

Ivorian football legend, Didier Drogba and Cameroonian football legend, Samuel Eto'o have joined other Africans in calling out two French Doctors who asked for the new Coronavirus drug to be tested in Africa.  LIB reported earlier that Jean Paul Mira and Camille Locht who spoke on a live TV interview, insisted that Africa is the best place to conduct such test as they recalled how an experimental treatment for AIDS was carried out in Africa.

Nurse kills doctor girlfriend saying she gave him coronavirus

A nurse allegedly strangled his doctor partner to death because he thought he had caught coronavirus from her. Antonio De Pace, 28, called the police and apparently admitted he murdered girlfriend Lorena Quartana. The pair had both worked at a hospital in Messina, Sicily, and were helping fight the pandemic.

Anthony Joshua postpones his June world title defence against Kubrat Pulev

British- Nigerian boxer Anthony Joshua's World heavyweight title defence against Kubrat Pulev, scheduled for June 20, has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Two Time heavyweight champion, Joshua, who hasn't fought in UK for two years was set to face Pulev at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but now those plans have been shelved as both parties work to get a new date probably around August when it is hoped Coronavirus would have stopped.
"We're speaking to Tottenham, we've postponed the 20th date," Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn told Sky Sports on Friday.
"We are working with them for dates in July and early August as well, when we hope we'll be back.
"Hopefully we see that fight take place at the end of the summer."
 Bulgarian Pulev is the IBF mandatory challenger for Joshua, who also holds the WBA 'super' and WBO titles.

Lean On Me singer, Bill Withers dies aged 81

Bill Withers has died from heart complications at the age of 81, his family said.  The acclaimed 1970s soul singer behind hits "Ain't No Sunshine" and "Lean On Me" died on Monday, March 30, in Los Angeles, the family told the Associated Press.
 A statement from his family reads: "We are devastated by the loss of our beloved, devoted husband and father. A solitary man with a heart driven to connect to the world at large, with his poetry and music, he spoke honestly to people and connected them to each other. As private a life as he lived close to intimate family and friends, his music forever belongs to the world. In this difficult time, we pray his music offers comfort and entertainment as fans hold tight to loved ones."

Togo declares 3 months ‘state of emergency’ over coronavirus

President Faure Gnassingbe of Togo has declared a three-month “state of emergency” and curfew aimed at stopping the spread of coronavirus. The tiny West African nation of eight million has so far recorded 36 confirmed infections and two deaths from the disease.
Gnassingbe said in a televised address late Wednesday that the unprecedented move was “proof of the gravity of the situation that we face”.

Coronavirus: Belgian football chiefs cancel the rest of the top flight season and declare Club Brugge champions

Club Brugge have been declared Belgian champions after the remainder of the top-flight season was cancelled on Thursday in response to the Coronavirus pandemic.  The Jupiler Pro League's board of directors voted unanimously for cancellation of the season in a conference call on Thursday.
Before the decision was made to end to the 2019-20 campaign, Brugge were 15 points clear of second-placed Gent with one round of matches left to play before the start of the post-season playoffs, which usually determine the championship winner and the Europa League places involving the top six clubs.

Dog company asks for £1million donation to help train dogs to 'smell Coronavirus'

A dog training company, Medical Detection Dogs, which does pioneering work in cancer research and diabetes detection has opened a fundraising page to ask for  £1million so it can train dogs to learn the smell of Covid-19, thereby reducing the number of people who have to use test kits.
According to Medical Detection, Dogs could learn the smell of coronavirus within six weeks to provide a rapid, non-invasive diagnosis and save Health Ministries from spending a lot in buying and producing test kits.

Google earmarks $6.5m to tackle fake news On COVID-19

Google on Thursday said it is pumping $6.5 million into fact-checkers and nonprofits as it ramps up its the battle against coronavirus misinformation. Fact-checking organisations, which often operate on relatively small budgets, are seeing a surge in demand for their work as mistaken or maliciously false information about the pandemic spreads, according to Alexios Mantzarlis of the Google News Lab.

Coronavirus: Peru president Martin Vizcarra restrict movement by gender during quarantine

Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra announced on Thursday a new measure restricting public movement by gender in a bid to halt the spread of the Coronavirus.   In his address to the nation, he said men will only be allowed to leave their homes on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, while women are authorised to step outdoors on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. No one is allowed out on Sundays.

South Talpatti or New Moore

South Talpatti or New Moore, was a small uninhabited offshore sandbar island in the Bay of Bengal, off the coast of the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta region. It emerged in the Bay of Bengal in the aftermath of the Bhola cyclone in 1970, and disappeared around March 2010.
Although the island was uninhabited and there were no permanent settlements or stations located on it, both India and Bangladesh claimed sovereignty over it because of speculation over the existence of oil and natural gas in the region. The issue of sovereignty was also a part of the larger dispute over the Radcliffe Award methodology of settling the maritime boundary between the two nations.The matter was resolved on 7 July 2014, when the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) delivered a verdict in the "Bay of Bengal maritime boundary arbitration between Bangladesh and India" case. The PFA gave verdict in favour of Bangladesh.