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Penang rickshaw peddlers to receive three-month aid payout

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government will issue full payments for April to June to rickshaw peddlers affected by the Covid-19 outbreak next month.

State Tourism Development, Arts, Culture and Heritage Committee chairman Yeoh Soon Hin said each rickshaw peddler would receive a sum of RM500, which included an allowance of RM300 and a one-off cash assistance of RM200.

“I have communicated with various sectors to understand the needs of the various parties and I have also conveyed the needs and recommendations to the state government to get the best help for them.

“The payout is expected to benefit about 318 peddlers,“ he said in a statement today.

The state government previously allocated RM100 a month to peddlers in the state to help those with no fixed income.

Yeoh said a total of 1,367 tour guides registered with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture would also receive a one-off cash assistance worth RM500 each.

“10,000 e-hailing drivers in Penang will also receive RM300 one-off assistance while 2,248 taxi drivers will benefit from an initial incentive payment of RM300 with an additional RM200 one-off.

“All of these assistance is part of the Penang People’s Aid Package announced by Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow yesterday. I will continue to monitor the situation to ensure that the people and sectors that need the most help will benefit, ” he said.

Yesterday, Chow announced a RM75 million People’s Aid Package to be distributed to 15 target groups involving over 400,000 recipients who are affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. – Bernama

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March 26, 2020
Muslims urged to perform hajat prayer simultaneously tomorrow

PUTRAJAYA: Muslims in Malaysia are encouraged to perform solat hajat (prayer of need) simultaneously in their respective homes after the Zohor prayer tomorrow in seeking protection and blessings in the face of the current situation in the country.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Seri Dr Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri said the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah had urged that he proposed a plan for the prayer to be performed simultaneously nationwide.

“After much contemplation I have decided that the appropriate date and time for the prayer to be held simultaneously by Muslims wherever they may be, is on Friday, March 27, after zohor prayer,“ he said in a statement today.

Instead of the congregational prayer this Friday, Zulkifli called on Muslims to increase their zikr adding that this is the time for them to turn back to Allah in forgiveness, repentance and supplication.

In another development Zulkifli said the application for aid to those affected by the Covid-19 outbreak regardless of their race, religion, state or political affiliation, has been simplified to expedite distribution.

In fact he said to facilitate submission of application to the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council, the required documents could be sent via WhatsApp without having to go to the office.

“I would like to emphasise that the aid which include other provisions is not only extended to Muslims but also to others who are in need,” he said adding the quantum from the related agencies and the number of beneficiaries would be announced soon.

Zulkifli added that since the #MUSAADAHCOVID-19 mission started on March 19 to date, RM29.01 million have been spent on the vulnerable groups.

He said donations which were given to those living in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Labuan as well as other states would continue until the MCO ruling ends,

The mission was the joint efforts of the Malaysian Islamic Economic Development Foundation, Federal Territory Zakat Collection Centre, Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council, Waqaf Foundation Malaysia and the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department. – Bernama

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March 26, 2020
International working group on Ethics & COVID-19

The response to the COVID-19 pandemic raises a number of difficult ethical issues, related to e.g. clinical trials, social distancing, priority-setting, health-care workers’ rights and obligations etc. WHO has established an international Working Group on Ethics & COVID-19 in order to develop advice on key ethical questions that Member States need to address.

Related document

Distilling existing guidance to support COVID-19 Research & Development [pdf, 263kb]

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https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/20-03-2020-who-has-established-an-international-working-group-on-ethics-covid-19

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March 26, 2020
Two Persons Allegedly Die Of Coronavirus After Attending 80th Birthday Party Of Nigeria’s Ambassador To United Kingdom, Okoya, Osoba Among Top Guests At Lavish Ceremony

Two yet-to-be identified persons are alleged to have died of Coronavirus after attending the lavish and star-studded 80th birthday party of Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, George Adetola Oguntade.

The colourful ceremony, which took place on March 10, 2020, was held at the London Hilton on Park Lane, a posh area of UK’s most popular city – London.

Apart from the two guests alleged to have died of the virus after attending the event, one other attendee is said to be on ventilator at a hospital in London.

One of the two persons that died is said to be related to Dorlapoh Crystals, a popular UK-based business owner whose company customises fashion items.

The development has since raised fears that scores of other attendees at the ceremony could have contracted the deadly virus.

Among prominent Nigerians, who attended the party are billionaire Rasak Okoya and his wife Sade, a former governor of Ogun State, Olusegun Osoba, Kessington Adebutu (Baba Ijebu), Oba Saheed Elegushi, music icon – Ebenezer Obey, and Dele Momodu.

Many of these high-profile guests have since returned to Nigeria, further raising concerns that some of them may have imported the dreaded virus into the country without knowing.

Coronavirus was first detected in the United Kingdom on January 31 and since that period, there has been 8,077 confirmed infections and 422 deaths.

Therefore, as at the time Oguntade’s birthday was staged in London on March 10, the virus had fully taken up strategic positions across most parts of the UK.

In a recent interview, Momodu, a veteran journalist and Publisher of Ovation International, confirmed attending the party in London but said that he had no symptoms of the pandemic.

Senior airport sources however, told SaharaReporters that many top Nigerians, who arrived in the country from UK and other parts of the world before the ban on international flights into Nigeria was announced, refused to submit themselves for medical screening for the virus.

Already, a number of prominent Nigerians have been confirmed to have contracted the virus.

Video of Full Video: Justice George Oguntade’s 80th Birthday Celebration

Full Video: Justice George Oguntade’s 80th Birthday Celebration

Full Video: Justice George Oguntade’s 80th Birthday Celebration

Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Abba Kyari, Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed, and Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, Frank Okiye, have all tested positive to the virus while dozens others including state governors, who came in contact with them in recent days have now gone into self-isolation in order to ward off the pandemic.

Nigeria has 46 confirmed cases of Coronavirus so far and one recorded death.

Though government at the federal and state levels have adopted series of measures to curtail the pandemic, there are fears of the virus spreading further in the coming days.

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March 26, 2020
World TB Day 2020: It’s Time for solidarity
At this unique time in history when the world is grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic, the WHO Department of Global HIV, Hepatitis and STI Programmes stands in solidarity with governments and communities as they seek to maintain health services
and continue to address the needs of patients suffering from HIV and tuberculosis (TB).

Despite being preventable and treatable, tuberculosis remains the world’s biggest infectious killer and the leading cause of death among people living with HIV (PLHIV), responsible for 32% of the 770 000 lives lost to HIV in 2018. People
living with HIV are far more vulnerable (nearly 20 times more) to TB infection than people without HIV and are three times more likely to die during TB treatment.

While there are proven interventions that reduce TB deaths – such as provision of TB preventive treatment, adoption of novel diagnostics for earlier TB diagnosis and linkage to treatment, and antiretroviral therapy (ART) – we are far behind
in scaling these up, and diagnostic and treatment gaps remain, with only half of estimated TB cases among PLHIV reaching care in 2018, only half of estimated PLHIV with TB receiving ART, and less than half of PLHIV new on ART initiating TB preventive
treatment in a subset of countries which reported globally.

On this World TB Day, WHO highlights two key interventions to reduce unnecessary TB deaths among PLHIV:
- (1) provision of TB preventive treatment for all eligible PLHIV; and
- (2) increased uptake of newer diagnostic tests such as the lateral flow urine lipoarabinomannan assay (TB-LAM.)
As the new Director for the Department of Global HIV, Hepatitis and STI Programmes, I support current efforts to continue and to take to scale TB activities. It’s Time for solidarity!

-Meg Doherty, Director Global HIV, hepatitis and STI Programmes, WHO

HIV programmes are encouraged to ensure that TB preventive treatment, including shorter WHO-recommended regimens, with updated guidance launched today, are provided to all eligible PLHIV as part of a routine package of care, including provision of ART, and that treatment completion is ensured.

In recent months, WHO has also released guidelines for use of a bedside urine TB-LAM test to accelerate earlier TB diagnosis, with significantly expanded eligibility criteria. As this test is “point of care” with the potential for earlier
TB diagnosis and treatment initiation, HIV programmes should consider these recommendations as they enhance strategies for TB diagnosis among PLHIV, including as part of a routine package of advanced HIV care.

It’s Time to urgently scale up TB preventive treatment and TB diagnosis and strengthen referral and linkages to TB treatment at HIV service delivery points in all countries and continue to scale-up ART among PLHIV with TB. This applies to all populations
at risk, including children, pregnant women and marginalized groups, to ensure no one is left behind.

WHO calls for continued collaboration in countries across health programmes for harmonized and integrated policies and service delivery, and engagement with communities and other sectors. Unless HIV programmes scale up interventions to close these
gaps in prevention, diagnosis and treatment both for TB and HIV, countries and their development partners will not meet our common target: a 75% reduction in TB deaths among PLHIV between 2010 and 2020. HIV mortality cannot be reduced without addressing
the leading cause: tuberculosis.

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https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/24-03-2020-world-tb-day-2020-it-s-time-for-solidarity

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March 25, 2020
Nigeria’s Vice President, Osinbajo, In Self-isolation Over Coronavirus —Aide

Nigeria’s Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, is currently in self-isolation in compliance with a directive from the Nigerian Center for Disease Control.

The development is coming after President Muhammadu Buhari’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday.

In a Twitter post on Tuesday, Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant to Osinbajo on Media and Publicity, said the VP was continuing to work from home where he is isolated.

He said, “VP Osinbajo yesterday at the office conducted his meetings via video conferencing while observing social distancing.
“Today, he continues his work from the home office as he is in self-isolation in accordance with NCDC protocols.”

VP Osinbajo yesterday at the office conducted his meetings via video conferencing, while observing social distancing. Today, he continues his work from the home office, as he is in self-isolation in accordance with NCDC protocols. Photo: Tolani Alli pic.twitter.com/dRYqlTL8cc

— Laolu Akande (@akandeoj) March 24, 2020

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March 25, 2020
N3.6bn Fraud: NDDC Confirmed Genuineness Of Contract Leading To Omatsuli’s Trial —EFCC Witness

An investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Adamu Usman Yusuf, has disclosed that the contract leading to the trial of a former Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Tuoyo Omatsuli, was genuine.

He told Justice Saliu Saidu of the Federal High Court in Lagos that the authenticity of the contract was confirmed by the NDDC in its response to an enquiry sent to it by the anti-graft agency.

Yusuf made the disclosure while testifying in the on-going trial of Omatsuli and three others over alleged N3.6bn fraud.

The EFCC investigator had earlier in his examination-in-chief told the court that investigations by his team revealed that about N12bn was paid to a firm known as Starline Consultancy Services, which was engaged by the NDDC to recover three per cent statutory allocation from oil and gas companies operating in the Niger Delta.

He said a document received from the NDDC revealed that Starline was paid 10 per cent of the money recovered as its commission.

However, while being cross-examined by Omatsuli’s lawyer, Prof Amuda Kannike (SAN), the witness was asked to throw more light on the contents of the NDDC’s document on the contract that led to the charge filed against Omatsuli.

Responding, the witness said, “NDDC’s response to our request for the award of contract to Starline Consultancy Services said that the contract was genuine.

“The House Committee on NDDC also played a crucial role by performing their oversight function in the execution of the contract.”

Further hearing in the trial has been adjourned until June 8, 2020.

The anti-graft agency had on Monday re-arraigned Omatsuli alongside Don Parker Properties Ltd, Francis Momoh and Building Associates Ltd before Justice Saidu on a 52-count amended charge of alleged N3.6bn fraud.

In the charge, Omatsuli was said to have procured the third and fourth accused (Momoh and Building Associates) to utilise a total sum of N3.6bn paid by Starline Consultancy Services Ltd into an account operated by fourth accused.

The prosecution said that they ought to have known that the said sums formed part of the proceeds of their unlawful activities including corruption and gratification.

The offences, which were allegedly committed between August 2014 and September 2015, were said to have contravened the provisions of Sections 15(1), 15(2), 15(3) and 18 of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011, as amended by Act No 1 of 2012.

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March 25, 2020
BREAKING: Buhari’s Chief Of Staff, Abba Kyari, Reportedly Sick, Suspected Of Contracting Coronavirus

Abba Kyari, Chief of Staff to Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari, is said to be seriously ill and in fact suspected of being infected with Coronavirus.

A top government source told SaharaReporters on Monday that Kyari has been seriously “down” since returning from a trip abroad.

Kyari visited Germany and Egypt and only returned this week, giving credence to the fact that he may have indeed been infected with the virus.

Egypt has 327 confirmed cases of Coronavirus and 14 deaths while Germany has 29,056 infections and 123 deaths.

Though coughing severely, Kyari is said to have been attending meetings including with Buhari, Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, ministers and other members of the Federal Executive Council.

Executive Chairman of Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, Prof James Momoh, was said to have accompanied Kyari on the trip to both countries.

The latest development comes hours after a leaked memo showed Kyari telling Nigerian legislators, who recently returned from foreign trips, to submit themselves for Coronavirus test.

It also comes after Aisha Buhari, wife of Nigeria’s President, disclosed that one of her daughters was in self-isolation after returning from the United Kingdom, one of the high risk countries for the virus.

On Monday, Nigeria confirmed its first Coronavirus death after a former Managing Director of Pipelines and Products Marketing Company, a subsidiary of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Suleiman Achimugu, succumbed to the virus in Abuja.

Earlier, the Nigerian Center for Disease Control announced a total of 36 confirmed cases but with Kyari’s suspected infection, that figure may have now risen to 37.

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March 24, 2020
BREAKING: Presidential Villa Staff Jubilate After Redeployment Of State House Permanent Secretary, Jalal Arabi

Workers in Nigeria’s Presidential Villa in Abuja are currently jubilating following the redeployment of State House Permanent Secretary, Jalal Arabi.

In a letter on Monday, Head of Service of the Federation, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, announced the redeployment of Arabi and two others, Tijani Idris Umar and Sabi’u Zakari.

Arabi has now been moved to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.

Umar was moved to the State House from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs while Zakari was moved from Ministry of Transportation to Defence.

According to findings by SaharaReporters, Arabi became a thorn in the flesh of State House workers after rising through the ranks to become Permanent Secretary.

“He turned out to be a monster and by far the worst Permanent Secretary in the history of the State House.

“People are jubilating and openly saying it’s good riddance to bad rubbish.

“Everyone thought he was going to be a good person having been in the Villa for over 15 years. He rose from a mere Legal Officer in the Villa to State House Counsel before being appointed Permanent Secretary.

“The whole Villa is jubilating over Arabi’s ouster.”

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March 24, 2020
Bacteria found leaking from gut to body in people who are obese

Bacterial DNA has been found in the blood, liver and fat of people who are obese, showing bacterial fragments or even live bacteria are leaking into their bodies. This may help explain the development of type 2 diabetes

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March 23, 2020