David Curry, CEO of Open Doors USA, an organization that monitors persecution in 60 countries, told The Christian Post that underground churches in Iran have surfaced amid the COVID-19 crisis to answer Jesus’ call to love their neighbors.

“It just began with people spending their own time and their own money to make sure neighbors have the care and support they need because of lost incomes and the COVID pandemic fallout,” Curry said, adding that efforts have become more organized over time as local church networks have gotten involved. 

“The church [serves] as a rally point [and] centers of care and compassion for Muslim communities that they are living in,” he explained. 

For security reasons, Curry could not go into detail about how many churches are involved in distributing aid and how the aid distribution works. He said that churches, which are already under tremendous societal pressure, are taking “extra risk” by trying to organize help for people who are struggling. 

“The remarkable thing about the Iranian church is their ability to mobilize online networks into offline outreach in this highly restrictive, risk-laden environment,” Curry explained. 

Iran is ranked by Open Doors USA as the ninth worst country in the world when it comes to Christian persecution. 

Iranian society is governed by Islamic law and churches are banned from holding services in the nation’s most common language, Farsi. People caught attending underground house churches face arrest and many are arrested every year. 

“The Church has always been strong in the underground among supporting each other,” Curry stated. “This is something different because they are having to come above ground, so to speak. They are starting in their pockets and their communities and neighbors, people who they know who are hungry and need hygiene kits and things like that. But it has gotten more organized, which brings greater risk. They have not done this sort of above-ground relief before. It’s a historic thing.”

The bold effort comes as the Iranian economy was hit hard over the last few years. The situation has gotten worse thanks to alleged mismanagement of the COVID-19 crisis by Iranian leaders. 

So far, Iran has over 209,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and over 9,800 people have died. In recent weeks, it has been seeing more than 2,000 new cases a day.

“The added pressure of sanctions and the COVID pandemic shutdown has really hurt,” Curry said. “The leaders are always going to make sure they have theirs. But the working-class people, the elderly are suffering greatly in Iran.”

According to Curry, any type of underground church activity to serve neighbors in need is considered illegal in Iran because the regime has laws to “interpret these kinds of things.”

“They would see that as trying to coerce people,” he said. “There is no evangelism involved in this. It is just Christians loving their communities. They will interpret it as a reason to crack down on Christians, certainly.” 

Curry assured that the distribution of food and hygiene packets does not involve evangelism. 

“This is just people loving each other in Jesus’ name. Of course, [there are] individual stories. There are people who recognize that these are Christian folks who are helping them,” he said. “But this is not about trying to preach sermons or evangelize to people, per se, but just do the right thing because their faith calls on them to do it.”

Despite the risk, Curry said Open Doors felt compelled to share about the Iranian Church’s aid efforts because “there are many people right now who need some good news.” 

“They need an example of the Church being the Church in the midst of the very intolerant situation,” he said. “I just think it is a good example for us to stand up, be brave. There are people in worse situations that are doing this and it is having a tremendous impact and it is the right thing to do.”

Despite the persecution, the underground church movement in Iran continues to grow. Open Doors estimates that there are over 800,000 Christians in Iran, a significant increase from the 450,000 Christians the group estimated in 2016. The 2011 census found 117,704 reported Christians in Iran.

Curry believes that the Church in Iran has been able to grow because people have been able to share their experiences of what Jesus has done for them on a personal level with their Muslim brothers and sisters who need hope. 

“You have a very smart connected community in Iran, which is a great country that has been victimized by this regime. It has really been very organic,” Curry said. 

Similar church-led aid efforts are happening in other countries where Christians are persecuted, such as India, where there have been reports of Christians being denied aid by radical Hindus. 

“We have organized, big movements to help Christian communities and Christians are being salt and light to those around them,” Curry explained. “The situation is different [in India]. There are major needs there. There are mostly Christians being isolated in radical Hindu communities from aid. Churches are having to help each other survive. So it is a somewhat different manifestation but there is a lot of issues intensifying persecution in various countries.”

Source: christianpost.com, Author: Samuel Smith

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It comes after Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki all revealed they had coronavirus after playing at Djokovic’s Adria Tour competition.

Djokovic, 33, played fellow Serb Troicki in the first event in Belgrade.

The remaining Aria Tour events in Banja Luka and Sarajevo have now been cancelled, Djokovic’s brother Djordje has confirmed.

“Unfortunately, due to all the events that happened in the last few days, we have decided that the most important thing right now is to stabilise the epidemiological situation, as well as for everyone to recover,” said Djordje Djokovic, who is a director of the tournament.

Britain’s Andy Murray said the positive tests were a “lesson for us”, while Australian Nick Kyrgios called playing a “bone-headed decision”.

A statement on Djokovic’s website said: “Immediately upon his arrival in Belgrade [after the second event] Novak was tested along with all members of the family and the team with whom he was in Belgrade and Zadar. He is not showing any symptoms.”

There have been no ATP Tour events since February because of the global pandemic and the Adria Tour, which is not an ATP Tour event, was one of the first competitions to be staged since then.

The first leg in Serbia attracted 4,000 fans, and players were later pictured dancing close together in a Belgrade nightclub.

Bulgaria’s Dimitrov played Croatia’s Coric on Saturday in the second leg in Zadar, Croatia.

With Croatia easing lockdown measures, players were not obliged to observe social distancing rules and were seen embracing at the net at the end of their matches.

Pictures on the tournament’s social media site from Friday showed Dimitrov playing basketball with Djokovic, Alexander Zverev and Marin Cilic, while he also put his arm around Coric before their match.

Zverev, Cilic and Andrey Rublev, who also played in the Adria Tour, have tested negative, but suggested they will all now self-isolate for up to 14 days.

The ATP Tour season is set to restart on 14 August and the US Open will be held without fans from 31 August to 13 September, despite some players voicing concerns about travelling to New York.

I am extremely sorry for each individual case of infection – Djokovic’s statement

The moment we arrived in Belgrade we went to be tested. My result is positive, just as Jelena’s, while the results of our children are negative.

Everything we did in the past month, we did with a pure heart and sincere intentions. Our tournament was meant to unite and share a message of solidarity and compassion throughout the region.

The Tour has been designed to help both established and up and coming tennis players from south-eastern Europe to gain access to some competitive tennis while the various tours are on hold due to Covid-19.

It was born with a philanthropic idea, to direct all raised funds towards people in need and it warmed my heart to see how everybody strongly responded.

We organised the tournament when the virus had weakened, believing the conditions for hosting the Tour had been met.

Unfortunately, this virus is still present, and it is a new reality we are learning to cope and live with. I am hoping things will ease with time so we can all resume lives the way they were.

I am extremely sorry for each individual case of infection. I hope it will not complicate anyone’s health situation and everyone will be fine.

I will remain in self-isolation for the next 14 days, and repeat the test in five days.

Source: bbc.com

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People with blood type O have less of a chance of getting COVID-19, according to a number of studies published all over the world during the pandemic. But people with type A might be more vulnerable. After the pandemic broke out, one of the questions that scientists and doctors became puzzled by was why are some people more susceptible to contracting and even succumbing to the disease caused by coronavirus than others?

Several studies have researched the link that genetics plays in susceptibility to contracting the virus, and some more specifically have linked the role played by blood type. The studies all came to a similar conclusion: People with blood type O have less of a chance of getting COVID-19. 

Two studies came out of Wuhan, the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak, one that researched the link between blood type and COVID-19 susceptibility, and the other that investigated the link between blood type and the risk of contracting pneumonia caused by SARS‐CoV‐2 – the novel coronavirus.

Another study came out of Italy and Spain, which looked into the link between genetics and SARS-CoV-2 respiratory failure. But apparently the most popular, as well as most recent study is the ongoing research published by the personal genetics company 23andMe regarding evidence that blood type plays a role in COVID-19. 23andMe is a company that sends out personal genetics testing kits to individuals who are interested in finding out their genetic history and or their predisposition to certain genetically transmitted diseases such as certain types of cancer. 

According to the company’s blog, they did a study that contained more than 750,000 participants. Their preliminary data suggests that O blood type appears to be protective against the virus, and people with that type are between 9-18% less likely than other individuals to have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. 

But how does blood type actually play a role in infection? 

WHILE THE answer is not exactly known, Andre Franke, the lead scientist from the study done in Spain and Italy, suggested an answer to The New York Times. He noted that the gene region that codes for blood type is associated with elevated levels of key immune molecules.

Their study included extracting DNA samples from 1,980 COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized for respiratory failure. They scanned the samples using a rapid technique called genotyping, and looked at nearly nine million genetic letters.

The researchers then carried out the same experiment on 2,205 blood donors with no evidence of COVID-19. They found that the ill patients shared a number of similar genetic variants compared to those who were not ill.  The scientists were looking for spots in the genome called loci, which they ultimately found.

The gene that determines blood type is in one of those spots. Their analysis showed a higher risk for A-positive individuals and a protective effect for blood group O. The researchers in Wuhan came to a similar conclusion. After eliminating other confounding risk factors such as age, gender and comorbidity, the team investigated and confirmed a connection between people with ABO blood groups and a risk of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia in patients from three hospitals in Wuhan.

In short, their findings also found that people with blood type A were at higher risk of hospitalization while O patients had the lowest risk. Other past research done in 2005 during the 2002 SARS epidemic supports the O blood type protection theory. Research at a Hong Kong hospital analyzed an infected patient who exposed 45 healthcare workers. Of 18 people with type blood O, 8 became infected (44%), compared to the other 27 people having other blood types, of whom 23 contracted the virus (85% – almost twice as much).

BLOOD TYPE is determined by specific sugar molecules that are added to proteins or lipids on our blood cells and other cell types, according to Chemical Science and Engineering News. Those that are in the A blood type group carry A-sugar-antigens; the same goes for people with blood type B having B-antigens. But those with O blood type have neither. This means that the immune systems of people with type A blood develop antibodies for B antigens, people with type B blood have antibodies for A antigens, and people with type O blood have antibodies for both.

Blood type influences blood clotting, and a growing body of evidence suggests that COVID-19 pathology often involves overactive blood clotting. People with type O blood have lower levels of proteins that promote blood clotting.SARS-CoV-2 can replicate in cells that express blood type antigens, Jacques Le Pendu, a glycobiologist at the University of Nantes told Chemical and Engineering News.

This means that when an infected person coughs or sneezes, there’s a possibility that they release viral particles coated with their blood type antigens. Explained more in depth, a person in the blood type O group will have antibodies against virus transmission from someone in the blood type A group, which can fight the virus.

However, a person in the blood type A group won’t have those same antibodies. 

Source: jpost.com/ Author: Celia Jean

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Interestingly, history tells us that Coronavirus disease 2019, also known as COVID-19, is not the first pandemic the world has ever witnessed. The Spanish flu in 1918 was also declared a major global pandemic with all its devastating effects. That simply means that, pandemics are often or usually characterized by devastating effects. And the Coronavirus pandemic has not spared the entire world of these same effects either.

Globally, almost every sphere of human engagement in the likes of the aviation industry, economic industry, educational institutions, health sector, tourism and art industry, agricultural sector and even sports industry have been greatly affected and plaqued by this deadly pandemic.

Incidentally, religious organizations and institutions have also not been spared of the fangs of this deadly and ‘demonic’ virus with its ripple effects on the current modus operandi as far as church services and activities are concerned . Hence, my focus on the church and particularly the pastor in this article. And my chosen title “THE PASTOR IN A PANDEMIC” . 

In this piece, I will attempt to unravel and plainly point out what I call, ” THE 5Ps OF THE PASTOR IN A PANDEMIC .” I seek to bring to bear what you may call it, the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic on the church and particularly, the pastor.

Let me, however, begin by saying that truly the scripture cannot be broken and that the portion of the scripture that strongly admonishes that, ” Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm.” (Psalm 105:15) is still relevant and applicable to all God’s chosen men and women of God (pastors), especially in these trying times. Furthermore, the promise made by our Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 16: 18, concerning the building of His own church and that the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it has also not been made obsolete. Neither has it been diluted by this pandemic. Jesus is still building His glorious, unconquerable and triumphant church even in the midst of this global pandemic.

However, it is worthy to note that scripture did not promise us a hitch- free or a free and fair journey as far as doing the work of the ministry especially in this End time is concerned. Jesus Himself reiterated unequivocally that, there is going to come a time where,  “They are going to throw you out of the meeting places. There will even come a time when anyone who kills you will think he’s doing God a favor.” (John.16: 2) (MSB).

It is in the light of this that I humbly want to draw the minds of all pastors, church leaders and all church folks to these underlying factors (changes) that I have observed have surfaced in our churches and ministries at the dawn of this Coronavirus pandemic.

Part one was published earlier on this website.

First, our provisions.
By provisions, I mean the income and the economic life of the church and for that matter the pastor. This pandemic has not only crippled the global economy but has also had a little bite on the financial life of most churches and pastors worldwide.

Almost every church gets its greatest income and provisions through the offerings, tithes and other seeds from members, even though God Himself is the ultimate provider of all things. Having closed these churches for some months now due to this pandemic, one can easily predict the financial drain it has had on almost every ministry. Some churches who used to give their staff some reasonable payments, allowances and stipends have now reduced it to some minimal percentage just to sustain the financial life of the church during this pandemic.

Recently, I heard a very popular man of God saying in an interview that, their church Easter convention offerings alone could equal another ministry’s whole year income. That wasn’t a statement of pride but a statement of fact. Probably due to their numbers as a church and (or) due to the special grace of giving amongst the church members. But unfortunately, they missed these huge sums of money that could have come from their annual Easter convention because of this pandemic.

So the point still remains clear that, this pandemic has not only affected the global economy and the economic life of the church alone but also the very pockets of some pastors! And more dangerously the pockets of those money- conscious, stomach-driven prophets and pastors.! For once, they’re missing their huge consultation fees, counseling fees, special seed and prophetic offerings and their ‘no-nonsense seeds’ from their gullible members!

To those genuine pastors out there, God says He will surely supply all your needs even in this pandemic. To those money- seeking, stomach-directed preachers, pastors and prophet , God says, use this pandemic season to repent and return to Him and He will gladly receive you.!

Second, our priorities.
The economists would call this, the scale of preference. To begin with, understand that the topmost priority of any nation hit by this pandemic is not to get its citizens to strictly and religiously pay taxes in these times (In fact, most nations have adopted tax relieve services to their citizens) . It’s also not to get their citizens to work so hard now to restore back their broken and downtrodden economy either. No! The topmost priority of every nation on earth currently, is to first secure a vaccine for its citizens who have been victimized by the deadly pandemic.

Secondly, it is also the topmost priority of nations to now ease the economic stress and burden on its citizenry by providing basic necessities like free food, water and in some cases free electricity to its citizens . So you see, the attention has now shifted from citizens-must-give-to-the-nation to the vice versa. This is what I mean by, priorities.

Apparently, this priority-shift in most countries has not been so different from that of the church. Whilst formerly the church sought to appeal for funds through tithes, offerings and other fund raising ventures from its members (even though it still does now), now the equilibrium seems to have shifted to the church giving back to its members and even to its nation in these trying times (Though members are still encouraged to give in these hard times as a means of getting blessed!).

This was widely seen by most churches especially at the onset of this pandemic. Most churches went all out to donate to the COVID-19 alleviation fund as part of their occasional charitable deeds to the society, and for that matter the nation. Some also provided personal protective equipment (PPE) and other health logistics to various health institutions to help curtail or alleviate this deadly pandemic.

Ordinarily, some churches wouldn’t have been involved in this benevolent activities but for this pandemic. A shifted priority indeed. It now seems that, almost every church and for that matter pastor, is doing one charitable deed or the other. Left to some of these pastors, they would have honorably used these church funds for a major church project or even hold a major program like a crusade or some form of revival in advancement of the kingdom. But Coronavirus has slightly shifted their plans and priorities into doing other things. Truly, desperate times, they say, calls for desperate measures.

However, I must humbly advise that even though this pandemic has slightly and cunningly shifted our priorities as a church and as pastors, yet we must always remember that whether in a pandemic or not, the core mandate of the church to preach and win the lost to Christ must still stand and be maintained. We certainly cannot allow a passing pandemic to poorly and poignantly padlock our perpetual plans and projections of preaching the gospel to the ends of the earth. Showing love and doing charitable deed is good but our focus must still be on the propagation and the promulgation of the powerful gospel and not be distracted by this powerless pandemic.

Pastors, let’s wake up to this worthy course and prioritize our preaching on christ and Him crucified. Let’s arise and preach until He (Christ) is fully formed in every rapturable soul on earth. For what is the need of providing all the necessary PPE and all other necessary logistics to our health workers to save COVID-19 patients, without the salvation of their souls!

Remember, our number one priority is to preach and save souls from hell and we must always endeavor to keep it as such! Therefore, do all your godly and charitable deeds in these trying times as a pastor, but ultimately prioritize the preaching of the word, which even has the power to heal all forms of sickness and disease including the Coronavirus disease. Never relegate and substitute your core mandate of making disciples of all nations to just doing a charible deed. Blend the two in these trying times and see the glorious impact in the kingdom and your ministry as well. Always remember, if a man’s priorities are right, his principles and practices would also be right! Selah.

Finally, our people.
A very renowned man of God was recently heard to have quoted in an interview hosted by a Joy FM journalist that, “I want us to go back to church, not necessarily for the monies of my members, but just that I have greatly missed my members” (Paraphrased by me). Seriously, this man of God couldn’t have missed that point! He hits the hammer right on the nail. No wonder the wise man said, ” In a multitude of people is a king’s honor, but in the lack of people is the downfall of a prince.” (Prov. 14:28).

Honestly, church is basically about people. And without people, there is no church. It is that pastor-congregation relationship that makes the church family a pleasant and a vibrant one. One without the other unfortunately renders the church family incapacitated. I have been a pastor for some time now, and I know how it feels to preach to a very small congregation and a large congregation. The anointings can never and ever be the same! But how about preaching to empty plastic chairs too? Well, your guess could be as good as mine!

Unfortunately, that is where we are as a church by virtue of the novel Coronavirus. It has rendered almost every church auditorium and building empty (even though, the child of God (the Christian) who is the real and the true church is not empty because of the presence of Christ Jesus in him [see Colossians 1:27]).

I’ve watched how many pastors have struggled and are still struggling to preach to empty chairs almost every Sunday for the past months due to the ban on social and public gathering. And honestly, I could feel the difference in the anointing when there were large congregations and now with little or no congregation. “Man of God, are you now equating the size of the congregation to the anointing?”, someone may ask. No! But remember we’re just earthen vessels carrying His treasure in us. And as human as we are, when we’re faced with such situations, we often cannot help but succumb to that human element in us. Especially seeing how some pastors were used to preaching to large congregations. And now preaching virtually to invisible beings. It will be quite challenging trying to adjust to that!

However, I must admit that most men of God I’ve been listening and following lately have fully adjusted to this new trend of doing ministry and are now flowing freely as though they were preaching to their usual large congregation, even though they initially admitted the difficulty associated with this new venture.

What do I want to say in all these? It is just to bring to the fore, the dire consequences this pandemic has posed to the church, particularly the pastor. All of a sudden, your pastor has to adjust preaching to empty pews. All of a sudden, he has to imagine his entire congregation in his mind as he ministers online almost every week. All of a sudden, your pastor has to take your offering through mobile money (MoMo). And the uncertainties goes on and on!

It is in view of all these, that I gladly beckon all Christians to boldly arise and wage a holy anger in prayer against this demonic pandemic, and say to this Coronavirus pandemic, enough is enough!!! So that when all is said and done, we can return gloriously and joyously to our various churches to return all glory and honor to His holy name. Amen and Amen!

Author: James Quayson

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A video shared by Gospel Musician Sinach on her Twitter account shows a doctor speaking about this recent announcement of the WHO.

The World Health Organisation at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic warned against the transfer of the virus from asymptomatic individuals to uninfected persons. To curb the spread and “flatten the curve”, they encouraged social distancing and many nations across the world went into lockdown some for months.

The global count for coronavirus now stands at 7,500,341, with 419,973 deaths and 3,806,942 recoveries. Ghana currently has 10,358 confirmed cases, 3,824 recoveries, representing 36.91% of total confirmed cases and 48 deaths (less than 0.1%).

Author: Chrife.com.gh reporter

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A total of 1,008 players and staff were tested in the third round of testing.

Phase two of ‘Project Restart’ will see players “train as a group and engage in tackling while minimising unnecessary close contact”, the league said.

Discussions continue on plans to resume the season when “conditions allow”, it added.

So far 12 people have tested positive after 2,752 tests across the league.

Premier League players and staff will continue to be tested twice a week for coronavirus, with the capacity increased from 50 to 60 tests available per club for the fourth round of testing.

Any players or staff to test positive must self-isolate for a period of seven days.

The decision to return to contact training was agreed following consultation with clubs, players, managers, the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), the League Managers’ Association (LMA) and the government.

Plans for the third phase of Project Restart include a step towards normal training and build-up to competitive games.

Speaking on Friday, Premier League chief executive Richard Masters told BBC Sport the league was “as confident as we can be” about resuming the season in June, with 92 fixtures still to play.

Squads started non-contact training last week for the first time since the Premier League was suspended on 13 March because of the pandemic.

Clubs will discuss further issues on Thursday including the use of neutral stadiums, how to decide the season in the event of curtailment and voting on rebates to broadcasters.

This is a significant step on the timeline towards the resumption of the season, but brings with it a heightened risk of transmission.

This next stage would enable clubs to do 11 v 11 close-contact training, and clearly they will need to do that to get to a point where they are ready to play competitive matches again.

But it is yet to be explained who else would need to isolate if a player tests positive and had been training with several of their team-mates. It is likely to come down to the type of contact and length of contact with that person, using GPS trackers to determine this.

Social distancing will still need to be maintained off the field, and players and staff will have to actively opt-in to agree to the strict requirements – but also the added risks – that come with entering this next phase.

Source: bbc.com, Author: Laura Scott

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The Council has advised that such a move should be done gradually. 

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has hinted that consultations are ongoing with relevant stakeholders on the form and timing for the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.

The President says the proposed easing is meant to restore social and economic lives.

Speaking to Citi News the General Secretary of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council, Rev. Emmanuel Barrigah said their call for a gradual easing of the restrictions will give them ample time to prepare their congregants for the resumption of Church services.

“When we think about the easing of restrictions, we are not thinking of a sudden lifting of the ban on social gatherings including churches –for instance, an announcement coming in a day telling us to reopen the following day for activities. We think we should put in place certain protocols and then educate our members so that when we start with the new normal life of the church, we will know how to behave when we come to church at all times.”

Rev. Barrigah also announced that they have presented to government some measures that will make the church safe for congregants.

He said during communion services, churches “could get the kind of communion that has the bread and the wine together in one small pack so that each member will pick and administer to him or herself after the priest has said prayers over them.”

“In the area of offertory, we want to discourage the use of offertory bowl that is passed around. We are advising the use of placing of that offertory bowl in front of the congregation so that in rows with social distancing in mind church members could move around and drop the offertory in the bowl.”

A ban was also placed on all public, social and religious gatherings by President Akufo-Addo on March 15, 2020, as part of measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease.

When he extended the ban, the President said there was a unanimous decision with the leaders of the major interest groups that it was early to lift it.

Heads of Christian Ecumenical Bodies in Ghana recently, however, expressed their preparedness to resume activities, as they put together a proposal for the government to clearly spell out modalities under which they can safely carry out their church services without endangering the lives of congregants.

Source: citinewsroom.com, Author: Kojo Agyeman

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The Cleric, who is popularly called Pastor Chris, spoke during his ministration at a broadcast of Your Loveworld on Saturday, May 23, 2020, which is widely watched on YouTube, Facebook and several other online, satellite, terrestrial networks and radio stations across the world. He said: “There are Pastors who are impoverished by this situation/crisis. There’s no way that you can know all of them, but some of them were brought into very desperate circumstances. They have no food, no money, nothing! This week, I want us to do something if we can find them, if we can get to know who and where they are.”

According to Pastor Chris, the initiative is not just a good idea from his head but an instruction from the Spirit of God. He further expressed hopes that this will go a long way to encourage and support the beneficiaries.

To participate in this Special Relief Project, either as a recipient or a donor, please send an email to info@theinnercitymission.ngo or visit any Christ Embassy church close to you.

This is not the first time the cleric has organised Emergency Food Relief interventions as his foundation, Chris Oyakhilome Foundation International, has so far provided food supplies to over 300,000 families and households across the six geo/political zones of Nigeria and many more in several other countries around the world.

See the video below:

Source: nationaldailyng.com

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The robots, which were unveiled at a public ceremony on Tuesday 19th May, are designed to limit the exposure healthcare workers get to virus cases, according to Rwandan minister of health Dr Daniel Ngamije. Officials said that the robots could deliver food and medication and screen the temperatures of 50 to 150 people per minute.

They are also able to screen people to see if they are wearing masks or not. If not, they can warn people they need to wear one.

The robots were developed by Zora Bots, a Belgium company and cost about £2,700, according to local media. They have each been given Rwandan names — Mwiza, Ikizere, Akazuba, Urumuri and Ngabo.

Dr Ngamije said that it will take staff at the ministry of health about a month to be trained how to operate them.

“We need additional robots for other duties like disinfection in public space, and we are working to get them,” he said. 

So far Africa has recorded over 88,000 cases according to the African Centre for Disease Control in Addis Ababa. 

Source: telegraph.co.uk, Author: Will Brown

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The Premier League leaders worked in small groups at their Melwood training ground on Wednesday for the first time since the coronavirus lockdown.

The English top flight hopes to resume in June, with 92 fixtures left to play, having been suspended since 13 March.

“I woke up even earlier than usual and then I realised it was my first day,” Klopp told Liverpool’s website.

“It felt like the first day at school – for me, it was 46 years ago, but it must have been similar.

“I dressed myself in my uniform again – and for the right reason, for going to training.”

The easing of government restrictions have allowed players to train in small groups in staggered sessions, with all 20 clubs unanimously agreeing to stage one of the return-to-training protocols at Monday’s “Project Restart” meeting.

As well as training in groups of no more than five, sessions must last no longer than 75 minutes for each player. Social distancing must be adhered to.

Liverpool are 25 points clear at the top of the table, with nine games to play, and need just two more wins to secure their first Premier League title.

The league had previously identified 12 June for matches to possibly start again, but there is now an expectation this will need to be pushed back.

Klopp said he was “really happy” to see his players again and that they were all in “good spirits” and “good shape”.

“We don’t know exactly how long we have, but we have some time to prepare the rest of this season and already the next season, because I don’t think there will be a massive break between the two,” he said.

“It’s a pre-season for us. We don’t know how long and we will not have test games or friendlies.

“Maybe we can organise it between us when we are allowed to, but it will not be the same like in other pre-seasons.”

Klopp said he was glad his players had had a “real rest” during nine weeks off in lockdown, as opposed to two or three weeks of holiday per year.

However, he added: “Of course, you cannot rest when you are worried about the situation in the world, not in the same way like you do on a proper holiday.”

Defender Adrian Mariappa and two staff members at Watford and Burnley assistant manager Ian Woan are among six positive Premier League tests for coronavirus revealed on Tuesday.

A total of 748 players and staff were tested in the first round of twice-weekly testing as part of the return-to-training measures.

Official protocols sent to players and managers last week, and obtained by the BBC, revealed corner flags, balls, cones, goalposts and even playing surfaces will be disinfected after each training session.

Klopp said the the protocols are “brilliant” and that he felt his side were able to train in a “very, very safe place”.

He added: “Then hopefully for all of us we will get good news because that always would mean the development was in the right direction for the whole country and then for the league as well.”

Source: bbc.com

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