March 14, 2020

Late Surge Lifts Wall Street Stocks Admist Virus Attacks

Late Surge Lifts Wall Street Stocks Admist Virus Attacks

Wall Street stocks concluded a bruising week on a positive note Friday, rallying as President Donald Trump declared the coronavirus a national emergency and set the stage for more testing in the United States.

A late-afternoon surge enabled the Dow to finish almost 2,000 points higher, or 9.4 percent, at 23,185.62, nearly reversing the losses from Thursday, when the blue-chip index suffered its worst session since 1987.

The furious rally at the end showed volatility remains elevated in markets, a trend also apparent in Europe where major bourses gained but finished well below session highs as the World Health Organization …

Some Rome Churches Reopen After Angry Pope Steps In

Some Rome Churches Reopen After Angry Pope Steps In

Some of Rome’s Catholic churches reopened Friday after Pope Francis voiced displeasure with the Italian authorities’ push to shut them because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The rare standoff between the 83-year-old pontiff and Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte’s government came as Italy’s death toll reached 1,266.

The Mediterranean country has suffered more than half the COVID-19 fatalities reported outside China and has seen the toll grow by hundreds each day.

Conte has responded by shuttering most shops and all restaurants and other public places in the hope of stemming contagion and easing the burden on overstretched hospitals.

Italians have been told …

Countries Bolster Virus Defences As Spain Cases Spike

Countries Bolster Virus Defences As Spain Cases Spike

Governments around the world ramped up the battle against the new coronavirus on Saturday by shutting borders and promising cash injections, as Spain emerged as a global hotspot registering more than 1,500 new infections in just 24 hours.

A week that saw schools and businesses shut down indefinitely, millions of travellers barred from crossing borders, celebrities and politicians become infected and the whole of Italy locked down ended with a flurry of government announcements.

US President Donald Trump declared a national emergency and announced a $50 billion package, with similar measures being taken by governments from Austria to …

Couple Seized In Burkina Faso Two Years Ago Found In Mali

Couple Seized In Burkina Faso Two Years Ago Found In Mali

A Canadian woman and her Italian partner kidnapped in Burkina Faso in 2018 have been found in good health in the northwest of Mali after fleeing their captors and were set to be repatriated, diplomatic and UN sources said on Saturday.

Tedith Blais and Luca Tacchetto, both in their thirties, managed to escape near the northern city of Kidal on Friday and were taken to the local base of the UN mission in Mali, known by its French acronym MINUSMA.

The pair were then flown out on Saturday afternoon on a special plane to Mali’s capital Bamako.

They appeared …

Former World Champion Ogier Leads Mexico Rally

Former World Champion Ogier Leads Mexico Rally

France’s six-time world champion Sebastien Ogier leads the Mexico Rally in his Toyota after the sixth stage of racing on Friday, in one of the rare sporting events to go ahead despite coronavirus fears.

Ogier is 9.7 seconds ahead of Finland’s Ford driver Teemu Sunien in the hills outside the northern city of Guanajuato.

Title holder Ott Tanak is in seventh after having originally taken the lead from Belgium’s Olivier Neville who was in first spot after Thursday’s two’s night street stages.

Championship leader Welshman Elfyn Evans is fifth.

Read Also: 4 More Sampdoria Players, Doctor Catch Coronavirus

The race …

Bayelsa Is Safe In Diri’s Hand – Dickson

Bayelsa Is Safe In Diri’s Hand – Dickson

The immediate past governor of Bayelsa State, the Honourable Henry Seriake Dickson, has said that the state was in safe hand under the new leadership of Governor Douye Diri.

The former governor who called for strengthened unity among Ijaw youths across the country, urged them to give the expected support to Gov Diri to deliver on his mandate as governor of the state and the Ijaw nation.

A statement by his media adviser, Mr. FIdelis Soriwei, quoted him, as having made the comment while receiving the Exemplary Leadership Award from the leadership of the Central Zone of the Ijaw …

Afghan Government Delays Taliban Prisoner Release

Afghan Government Delays Taliban Prisoner Release

The Afghan government has postponed its plan to release Taliban prisoners, a senior official said, a decision that could sabotage a peace deal signed last month between the armed group and the United States.

Javid Faisal, a spokesman for the National Security Council, said on Saturday the releases were being delayed because more time was needed to review the list of Taliban prisoners.

Read Also: Trump, Taliban Chief Hold Talks As Afghan Violence Rises

“We are ready to start the process the way it is described in the presidential decree but we won’t release anyone if there is no guarantee

Rocket Fire On Iraq Base Wounds 3 US Coalition Officers

Rocket Fire On Iraq Base Wounds 3 US Coalition Officers

A fresh spate of rockets targeted an Iraqi base north of Baghdad on Saturday where foreign troops are deployed, Iraqi and US security sources told AFP, in a rare daytime attack.

It was the 23rd such attack since late October on installations across Iraq where US troops and diplomats are based, with the latest rounds growing deadlier.

None of the attacks have ever been claimed but the US has blamed hardline elements of the Hashed al-Shaabi, a network of armed groups incorporated into the Iraqi state.

At least 33 rockets hit Iraqi air defence units at the Taji air base

Paul Play Returns With Angel Of My Life Rmx, With Runtown

Paul Play Returns With Angel Of My Life Rmx, With Runtown

After what will be considered years of hiatus, veteran singer, songwriter, and producer, Paul Play Dairo returns to the music scene with the remix of his mega hit song Angel Of My Life featuring Gallardo singer, Douglas Jack Agu popularly known as Runtown.

The new hit, which has Afrobeats flavour was released yesterday. It is believed that while people who grew in the 2000s will like the original version, the remix is not a bad project.

Recalled that when the singer stormed the music scene with a resurrected version …

Trailer Loses Control, Crushes 3, Injures 7 In FCT

Trailer Loses Control, Crushes 3, Injures 7 In FCT

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said three persons were crushed to death on Saturday while seven others were injured by a trailer along Gwagwalada-Kwali road in the FCT, Abuja.

The Corps Public Education Officer (CPEO), Mr. Bisi Kazeem, who confirmed the incident said that the accident occurred at about 08:50 a.m at Wazobia Park.

Read Also: 1 Dead, Many Injured As Trailer Crushes Vehicles In Abuja

“At about 08:50 a.m, a trailer fully loaded with cows had lost control at Gwagwalada road while heading to Kwali.

“Our officers arrived five minutes after the crash and immediately swung into action

Candidates React As JAMB Starts 2020 UTME

Candidates React As JAMB Starts 2020 UTME

Some candidates of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) have expressed optimism in the conduct and outcome of the 2020 exercise.

The candidates spoke in separate interviews with NAN in Abuja on Saturday.

JAMB had earlier scheduled the examination to commence from March 14 to April 4 in its over 600 accredited Computer Based Test (CBT) centres nationwide.

Roseline Abeh, a candidate at the JAMB/UTME CBT centre in Kogo, Bwari, said she was sure to do her best since she had acquired all necessary knowledge especially the use of a computer.

She said she was sitting for the examinations for …

Sylva Replies Diri - Stop Drama, Face Governance

Sylva Replies Diri: Stop Drama, Face Governance

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and former governor and leader of the APC in Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva has knocked Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State over a statement credited to him blaming him (Sylva) for the violence that swept through the state after the Supreme Court judgment that sacked Chief David Lyon of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as governor-elect.

Diri had on Thursday during an inspection tour of properties destroyed during the violence blamed the utterances of the APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole and Sylva for the violence.

Sylva, however, in his reaction contained in …