TDJ.JERRY

File photo China reported the biggest drop in new cases from the coronavirus outbreak in nearly a month on Thursday. The National Health Commission said that more than 74,500 people have now been infected nationwide by the virus, which first emerged in central Hubei province in December. The death toll jumped to 2,118 on Thursday after 114 new deaths were reported — most in Hubei province, the hard-hit epicentre of the outbreak. Most of the new cases were in the provincial capital Wuhan, where the virus first emerged. Hubei health officials said Thursday there had been 615 new cases in Wuhan and 13 more elsewhere in the province. However, the Hubei health commission said it was reducing the number of previously reported cases in a number of cities in the province by 279. Even without the adjustment, the number of new cases was sharply lower than the province’s daily updates of recent weeks. On Wednesday, there were 1,693 new cases reported in Hubei

The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) • Union declares Nigerians among top 10 illegal immigrants in Europe • Nigerian criminal networks active, says EU, demands solution Eniola Akinkuotu and Olaleye Aluko The European Union says it can impose restrictive visa implementation rules on Nigeria, if it fails to play its part in the return and readmission of its nationals staying illegally in the EU. The EU, which comprises Germany, Italy, Spain, France and 23 other countries, further stated that although it would not place a visa ban on Nigeria, it could make its visas more difficult for Nigerian applicants if Nigeria failed to meet its standards. The EU Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Ms Virginie Battu-Henriksson, said this in an email chat with  The PUNCH  on Tuesday. Recall that the United States had last month imposed immigrant visa ban on Nigeria and five other countries. Under the new policy, citizens of the affe

Published   February 18, 2020 Senate Sunday Aborisade, Abuja The Senate on Tuesday began the process of resolving the competition crisis between two soft drinks manufacturers,  Messrs 7-Up Bottling Company, makers of Pepsi; and Rites Foods Limited, makers of Bigi brands. The Senate took the decision when representatives of the two soft drinks’ firms appeared before the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions. They were invited by the panel led by Senator Ayo Akinyelure following a petition by the lawyers to the Rites Foods Limited against the 7-Up Bottling Company. Rather than allowing the parties to defend their cases at a public hearing, the Senate panel decided to attend to them behind closed doors. The meeting lasted two hours, and the two parties were asked to hold a meeting to resolve the conflict among them. Akinyelure told journalists after the closed session that both parties have been asked to return in two weeks after

Katsina massacre: Bandits snatched babies from mothers, threw them into burning fire – Village Head • Incident ‘act of divine providence’ - Gov Masari tells survivors  1 Agaju Madugba,  Katsina Leaders of Tsawan community in Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State on Monday relived gory details of last weekend’s attack which led to the mass slaughter of residents in the area. The bandits had launched an onslaught on the community as well as the neighbouring Dankar village killing a total of about 30 residents. “The bandits snatched babies from their mothers and threw the infants into burning fire,” the Tsawa village head, Ibrahim Zangina, told Governor Aminu Bello Masari who paid a condolence visit to the survivors. According to him, the attackers stormed the village riding on well over 180 motorcycles with each carrying between two and three passengers and started shooting at anybody and anything on sight. He further expla

By   Newsfenzy  - February 19, 2020 The National Leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement and former Kano State Governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has sought the support of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, National Leadership, for the review of Kano Governorship election petition at the Supreme Court. Senator Kwankwaso, along with the PDP Governorship Candidate, Engr. Abba K. Yusuf, also known as Abba Gida Gida, and other prominent PDP Stakeholders from Kano State, paid a solidarity visit to the National Executive Council, NEC, in Abuja. Senator Kwankwaso appealed to the National Working Committee, NWC, to as a matter of responsibility, facilitate the process of the Supreme Court’s review on the Kano election petition. He lamented that Kano people were robbed of their mandate, through voter disenfranchisement and manipulation of the judicial processes. Responding, the National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, who was represented

Rowena Mason Deputy political editor The Guardian 17 February 20 Andrew Sabisky: Boris Johnson's ex-adviser in his own words. Opinions include: ‘The benefits of giving everyone modafinil once a week are probably worth a dead kid once a year’ More A controversial new adviser to Boris Johnson resigned on Monday night after MPs and experts accused No 10 of condoning his controversial claims that intelligence is linked to race. Andrew Sabisky, who was brought into Downing Street by Johnson’s senior aide  Dominic Cummings  as part of  his appeal for “misfits and weirdos” , became the subject of intense media scrutiny after details emerged of  his views on subjects ranging from black people’s IQs  to  whether benefits claimants should be encouraged to have fewer children . But amid mounting criticism within the Conservative party after No 10 stood by the appointment, Sabisky said that he would be stepping down as a “co