The Scotland men’s and women’s teams have also made a “substantial donation”, joining England’s men in giving to NHS Charities Together.
The donations come with the NHS on the frontline in Britain during the global coronavirus pandemic.
“We stand united as England players behind the nation during this crisis,” the players said in a statement.
“Our collective prayers and thoughts remain with all those affected.”
Andy Robertson, Scotland men’s captain, said: “We have all been at home, taking the advice of medical advisers and watching the news that highlights the heroic efforts of our NHS.
“We have all been inspired by the selflessness of nurses, doctors and all healthcare workers on the frontline – it only reinforces how vital the NHS is to our country and how we must cherish and protect this institution.”
The players’ fund that already exists in England is used to support a selection of good causes, and a portion of that money is now steered directly towards the under-pressure health service during the coronavirus pandemic.
The England Footballers Foundation was set up in 2007 and was reported to have generated over £5m in the subsequent decade.
The current batch of funds covers all senior men’s internationals since the 2018 World Cup, a total of 16 matches.
Students in Madagascar are being encouraged to drink the herbal tonic launched by the president
The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning against people using untested remedies for coronavirus.
Africans deserve access to medicines that have gone through proper trials even if they are derived from traditional treatments, it said.
Its statement comes as Madagascar’s president is promoting a herbal tonic for treating Covid-19 patients.
The African Union (AU) said it wanted to see the scientific data on the “safety and efficacy” of the product.
The tonic, known as Covid-Organics, was tested on fewer than 20 people over three weeks, a presidential aide told the BBC – which is not in line with WHO guidelines on clinical trials.
This can be a lengthy process in which a potential drug is tested in four phases, scaling up from a trial on a small number of patients to using it on a population countrywide.
Despite these reservations, several African countries, including Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea and Liberia, have already ordered Covid-Organics, which is produced from the artemisia plant – the source of an ingredient used in a malaria treatment – and other Malagasy plants.
Last week, Madagascar’s President, Andry Rajoelina, spoke to an online meeting of African leaders about the tonic.
Until a vaccine is found, the WHO says testing and contact tracing is the best way to contain the virus
In its statement, the WHO welcomed innovations based on traditional remedies and plants but said they “should be tested for efficacy and adverse side effects”.
“Africans deserve to use medicines tested to the same standards as people in the rest of the world,” it added.
On Monday, more than $8bn (£6.5bn) was pledged to help develop a coronavirus vaccine and fund research into the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
Dozens of research projects trying to find a vaccine are currently under way across the world.
Most experts think it could take until mid-2021, about 12-18 months after the new virus first emerged, for a vaccine to become available.
Several African countries acted swiftly in trying to prevent the spread of coronavirus by imposing lockdowns or curfews. But these are now beginning to be lifted as governments try to balance health and economic interests.
The easing of the lockdowns has added urgency to the need to find treatments.
Madagascar has recorded 151 cases of Covid-19 and no deaths, Africa CDC says.
The president imposed a lockdown on the three major cities, but these have now been relaxed, the AFP news agency reports.
Interim President of the Creative Arts Council, Mark Okraku Mantey, has called on the Akufo-Addo-led government to dedicate funds to the creative arts industry to be used to educate the citizenry on the Coronavirus pandemic
Speaking at a meeting with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House, Okraku Mantey said the industry needs support in charting the cause of educating the public.
According to him, the funds will be given to actors, actresses and musicians to create movies and songs aimed at educating the masses on the novel coronavirus.
“We are going to go all out in the campaign against COVID-19. But one good turn deserves another. We can’t do it as broke people. We must live to help us all live,” he said.
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, there have been calls to government to use the creative arts industry to help create awareness on the pandemic.
It would be recalled that in one of his engagements with the media, the Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah indicated that government would be engaging the services of public figures including celebrities, to help create awareness on the coronavirus.
Already, the coronavirus pandemic has rendered many in the creative arts industry jobless, and a move like this would help revive the industry, as noted by industry players.
The Creative Arts Council led by Mark Okraku Mante has embarked on a survey to know how much the industry will lose during this period, as the whole world battle the deadly coronavirus
Clubs in Germany have been training in groups and observing social distancing guidelines
Clubs in the top two German divisions have returned 10 positive results from 1,724 coronavirus tests, says the German football league.
Clubs have been training in groups, with the tests taken before a planned return to training as teams.
Measures including “the isolation of the affected person” have been taken, said the DFL.
Top-flight side Cologne have had no further Covid-19 infections after three people tested positive last week.
The trio are “symptom-free” but remain in quarantine for 14 days, said the club.
The Bundesliga is set to become the first major football league in Europe to return to competition.
Officials suggested resuming on 9 May but the government delayed the decision and a restart may now be on 16 or 23 May.
Cologne said in a statement that “only players who have been tested negatively twice in succession are allowed to train and play”.
The DFL added: “A second wave of tests will be carried out this week – here too there may be isolated positive test results, especially since one of the tasks of this second round is to reduce the likelihood of ‘false negative’ findings that can never be completely ruled out.”
Last week, chancellor Angela Merkel said that any decision on if and when sports activities could resume would be taken on Wednesday, 6 May.
The league has been suspended since mid-March because of the global coronavirus pandemic.
The DFL has warned that many top-division teams will be in an “existence-threatening” financial position if play does not resume by June.
Liverpool lead the table by 25 points but have not played a Premier League game since 7 March
A number of Premier League club doctors have raised a range of concerns with league bosses over plans to resume the season, BBC Sport has learned.
One issue that the senior medics have sought assurances over includes their own liability and insurance cover if players contract the virus.
The Premier League has also been asked to provide some clarity over medical protocols, testing and player welfare.
The Premier League is hopeful of a potential 8 June resumption.
The 20 club doctors have been holding their own discussions about Project Restart – the label given to plans to resume action – with a view to feeding their thoughts into the Premier League’s leadership.
A Premier League source told the BBC that they viewed the move by the medics as a natural part of the process with clubs, and a means of reaching “the best possible set of protocols”.
They also confirmed that the league was in talks with insurance companies over the issue of club and doctor liability, and that this would be brought up with government representatives this week.
The Premier League is represented on a cross-sport working group of medical experts and public health officials which will meet for the second time in a week on Wednesday.
The panel is devising the health and hygiene measures that players, managers and club staff will be asked to agree to before full training and then competition can resume, but only if the government deems it safe to do so.
The government is set to review its lockdown measures later this week, with the Premier League meeting to vote on the plans next Monday. A number of players and sports medics have already voiced their concerns about whether it is safe to return to action.
Eamonn Salmon, the chief executive of the Football Medicine and Performance Association (FMPA), has told BBC Sport that opinion among doctors and physios at English football clubs regarding resumption plans was varied.
Speaking last week, he said: “I guess the views of our members will be a kind of snapshot of society really.
“There are those who think it can be done, there are those that are doubtful and there are those that probably suggest it is an impossible task.
“We have to wait, this is a waiting game all the time, it is such a changing landscape and fluctuating on a day to day basis.
“This is just the start in some respects, whatever proposals are put there it is then open to debate and for comment and opinion to feed into that.”
If training is resumed before social distancing rules are relaxed, BBC Sport understands players will be tested for coronavirus twice a week and would be screened for symptoms every day.
All tests would be carried out by health professionals at a drive-through NHS testing facility that each club would have access to. Training grounds will be optimised for social distancing and high hygiene levels.
In addition:
Players must arrive at training grounds in kit and wear masks at all times. They must not shower or eat on the premises. If clubs want to provide players with food, it must be delivered as a takeaway to players’ cars. Only essential medical treatment would be allowed, with all medical staff in full PPE. All meetings and reviews must take place virtually and off-site. In Germany, where the Bundesliga is set to become the first major football league in Europe to return to competition, 10 positive results have been returned from 1,724 coronavirus tests from clubs in the top two divisions.
Cubs have been training in groups and the tests are being taken before a planned return to training as teams.
Measures including “the isolation of the affected person” have been taken, said the DFL.
Top-flight side Cologne have had no further Covid-19 infections after three people tested positive last week.
Bundesliga officials suggested resuming on 9 May but the government delayed the decision and a restart may now be on 16 or 23 May.
Broadcast Journalist with the Despite Media Group, Afia Pokuaa alias Vim Lady says Journalists are not here in Ghana to ‘lick the balls’ of any government.
Most party faithful and grassroots members of the various political parties attack and insult Journalists anytime they criticize their political parties and ask for accountability on monies spent by government or even falsehood peddled by the opposition.
But reacting to such attacks as the World celebrated World Press Freedom Day, Afia Pokuaa who is one of Ghana’s most respected media personalities said it is imperative that respect is accorded to the work of journalists especially in Ghana.
According to her, Journalists receive training to put the government on its toes and also inform the public and not just to sing the praises of the government in power or any opposition political party
She noted that it’s not for anything that the media is the Fourth Estate as stipulated by the drafter of the country’s 1992 Constitution.
“The next time you decide to insult a Journalist because of your political party, fire burn you. I’m saying this without fear or favour. This year, the Theme for the Celebration of World Press Freedom Day is Journalism Without Fear of Favour. Listen we are not here to lick any government’s balls”.
She indicated that the work of the Journalist is clearly spelled out by the Constitution of the country and if the work of the Journalist is not so important like how some people whose vision has been clouded by politics see it, the media will not have been made the fourth estate.
“Drafters of the Constitution were wise enough to have been aware of the fact that if there is no intermediary between the people and government, the people will be cheated by the government hence the role of the media in governance. We learned from the whites that the media should demand accountability from the government that takes the taxes for the people. That’s the work of the media and not praise-singing.”
There appears to be a bloody fight between incumbent Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya, Sarah Adwoa-Safo and her contender for the NPP parliamentary ticket, Mike Oquaye Jnr.
Adwoa Safo in a media report had purportedly issued a public plea to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) national executive to step into an ongoing fracas that has engulfed the Constituency ahead of the parliamentary primary.
“The national party, the MP warned, need to call for an order before the chaos that has erupted in the constituency leads to fatalities”, media reports had quoted.
Sarah Adwoa Safo, who is facing stiff competition from Ghana’s High Commissioner to India is lamenting that her life is in danger.
She accordingly stated that an attempt on her person last week backfired when assailants who thought she was in the Constituency Chairman’s residence, launched an assault on the house.
But a release by the Communications Team of Mike Oquaye Jnr is rubbishing the claims.
It says the claims are false, stating emphatically that “false propaganda and lies does not win elections.”
“Our attention has been drawn to a false publication in a newspaper called The Ghanaian Publisher with the caption on its banner headline “Oquaye’s Son Is After My Life- Adwoa Safo”.”
“We wish to state clearly that, the said publication is false and must be treated with the contempt it deserves,” the release said.
” Some unscrupulous people have resorted to use social media as well as print and electronic media to denigrate the name of the Oquaye’s as far as this Parliamentary Election is concerned in Dome Kwabenya Constituency of the New Patriotic Party.”
“The said publication which was read to the listeners of Peace fm radio network this morning in their newspaper review (in local language twi) by one of the reviewers said supporters of Oquaye Junior had besieged the house of the Constituency Chairman for NPP Dome Kwabenya and had arrived at the house with stones and clubs.”
“How can a scuffle which ensued at the house of the Chairman over a snatched album by a supporter of Adwoa be construed as a threat to her life?,” it quizzed.
“Did the album snatcher not say to the Regional police commander that he took the album to the Chairman’s house after he snatched it?”
“If this is so then when did this connection emanate from one whole week after the incident? This is propaganda, pure and simple,” the statement said.
Radio Presenter and artiste manager, Franky 5 and the husband of gospel musician, Celestine Donkor are at each other’s throat.
Franky, who is the manager for Nacee went berserk on social media and ‘fired from all cylinders’ at the people who have been gossiping about him.
Many people were confused as he was not mentioning the name of his opponent in his posts.
The anticipation to know who he was ‘fighting’ with became over after the husband of Celestine Donkor, Kofi Donkor tagged Franky 5 in a post daring him to mention his name.
This was after Franky had charged the person he was referring to not to be a coward but to come clean and face him if he has issues with his personality.
Kofi Donkor then replied he is not afraid of him and he is not a coward either.
Currently, details about what triggered this disagreement are scanty.
Manchester United will speak to defender Marcos Rojo about his conduct after apparently flouting Argentina’s coronavirus lockdown rules.
Images of Rojo, who is on loan at Estudiantes, playing poker and smoking with friends were posted on social media by the 30-year-old’s brother Franco. They were subsequently deleted.
Argentina’s lockdown rules remain in place until at least 10 May.
Rojo, 30, is the latest Premier League star to ignore lockdown demands.
Aston Villa skipper Jack Grealish, Manchester City defender Kyle Walkerand Everton forward Moise Kean have all be criticised for ignoring governmental advice since the Premier League was brought to a halt in March.
Some major airlines are now requiring passengers to wear face mask on flights to limit the spread of viruses.
Many big US airlines are bringing in new health and safety policies for both passengers and cabin crew this week.
Other carriers around the world are also making mask wearing mandatory for when they restart flights.
While around 90% of international flights have been cancelled, airlines hope to gradually resume air travel starting this month.
From Monday, US carrier Delta said it requires passengers to wear a mask or other face covering in the check-in area, premium lounges, boarding gate areas and onboard planes for the whole flight.
American Airlines and United have also said that they will start requiring masks for passengers, along with cabin crew. The carriers say these are temporary measures as they slowly resume flights.
“We are looking out for our customers’ well-being to give them peace of mind while they travel with us,” said Kurt Stache, a spokesman for American Airlines. “We’re moving quickly on these enhancements and we’ll continue to improve the travel experience for our customers and team members as we navigate these times together.”
“Face coverings will be mandatory for all passengers, and (we) will provide masks to passengers for free,” said Maddie King, a spokeswoman for United Airlines.
But not all airlines are making passengers wear face masks. Qantas said there “are no requirements in Australia to wear masks. No decisions have been made by the Government or airlines about what measures will be put in place for travel once restrictions are lifted.”
The Australian national carrier said on its website: “While the risk of contracting coronavirus on board an aircraft is regarded as low, social distancing has been put in place across all flights.” It is currently following guidelines from Australia’s chief medical officer.
When it comes to a global policy for airlines to follow, there are a number of bodies that could offer guidance including the International Air Transport Association. (IATA). “The use of face covering inflight is among the measures proposed in an industry roadmap for the restart of flights that we are discussing with industry stakeholders and governments,” said an IATA spokesman.
Other measures
Airlines are bringing in a range of safety measures onboard to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. It’s unclear if these will be temporary measures or more long term.
Major pre-flight cleaning measures to disinfect heavily used areas are being widely used along with reducing the number of people on each flight.
Passengers are also being encouraged to pack their own food and drinks to decrease contact.
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