The Nigerian army has repelled an attack on a military base in western Nigeria where nearly 1,700 jihadists are being held, killing eight suspected insurgents affiliated with the Islamic State group, two military sources said Monday.
Dozens of Islamic State in West Africa (Iswap) fighters tried to break into the Wawa military base in Niger state near the border with Beninon Saturday to free hundreds of jihadists, the two officers told AFP on condition of anonymity.
The attack is a reminder of Iswap’s ability to strike hundreds of kilometres from its northeastern stronghold, where the army is fighting a 13-year-old jihadist insurgency.
“The terrorists attacked the base around midnight in large numbers but were pulverised by air support, leading to the death of eight of them,” said one of the officers.
Three attackers, including their commander, were captured in the attack, he added.
There was no official comment from the army.
The soldiers had been alerted by intelligence and were waiting for the insurgents to attack the base, said a second officer who gave the same account.
The heavily armed jihadists tried to blow up the base gates but met “stiff resistance” from the soldiers, he said.
“It was obvious that they wanted to free other terrorists held in the base as they did in Kuje prison,” he added.
Last July, Iswap fighters attacked Kuje prison, located near the capital Abuja, and freed hundreds of detainees, including many jihadi commanders.
Between 2017 and 2018, the Wawa base had been used as a court to try hundreds of Boko Haram and Iswap jihadists.
On Friday, the Nigerian police tightened security especially in the capital after the US and UK warned of an “increased risk of terrorist attack” in Abuja.
Washington did not give further details but ordered the families of its diplomatic staff to leave Abuja.
Iswap has increasingly claimed responsibility for attacks far from the northeast, including in Kogi and Niger states, both of which border the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), where Abuja is located.
The jihadist insurgency in the northeast has killed nearly 40,000 people and displaced two million.
Students at Zawadi Yetu Academy in Mogotio Baringo County in East Kenya are the IT specialists of the future. That’s thanks to a project that uses digital skills to unlock global opportunities in remote parts of the country.
Founder Nelly Cheboi grew up here in Mogotio village and had never touched a laptop until she won a scholarship to study in the United States. When first faced with a computer, she had no IT skills and did not even know how to type.
Her experiences made her think of school children in her village and inspired her to start a programme that teaches kids vital IT skills. So she founded Techlit Africa.
It uses old computers donated by companiesand big institutions.
Cheboi offers the computers for free but local schools have the responsibility of paying the teacher, which costs parents around a dollar per day in addition to the Ksh 4500 (37 US dollars) per term at Zawadi Yetu Academy. Other schools have different fees .
“We collect computer donations from companies and institutions. We import them into Kenya, we have a refurbishment centre here where we wipe the computers, install our own custom operating system and then we deploy into schools,” explains Cheboi.
“We also partner with youth in the community that we train to run our classes so our classes are part of the school curriculum. Our teachers are doing classes from 8am to 4pm and the kids are learning this everyday as part of their curriculum. It is not a token project where they are doing it over the weekend or over the summer. It is so embedded that this is something that they are learning. When you have someone in grade one they are going to be doing it until they are in grade 8. ”
Sammy Ruto, a student at Zawadi Yetu Academy, says he wants to work in IT when he grows up and the skills he is learning here will help him to that.
He says: “In this class I have been taught how to use visual studio studio code, to make my own website using HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) the I have been taught about openshot and about NASA to make my own rocket when I grow up. So I hope this class will help me in future to be an IT expert.”
Elysee Dusabinema is an IT teacher at the school.
He believes the lessons will ensure that the pupils can compete in a digital world.
“This is something that will help kids know how they can brand themselves online and how they can do business online because that is where the world is heading.”
TechLit Africa is targeting remote areas where people rarely have access to computers or electronics, arguing that there no need for children to travel long distances to get education.
“Most of these students would not have used a computer because we are targeting the most remote parts of Africa and so right now we have students who don’t even speak Swahili yet, knowing how to use a computer, building websites and the coolest part is that they can still do that in their own village. They do not have to go to Nairobi to do that, they do not have to go to America to do that,” says Cheboi.
Innocent Kimutai, an educational expert and consultant, says that IT skills will help prepare young people for the future.
“As a third world country, we have been left behind in terms of technological advancements. I believe what Zawadi (school) is doing, actually taking these kinds of machines to kids who are in a marginalized area, will try and kind of equalize the playing field. Most of us were actually exposed to laptops at 18 or our first time when we went to university,” he says.
“But these kids, exposing them at such an early age, it will enable them to be able to learn skills that is coding, programming which will in turn, because we are living in a world where we are now going to digital currency, things like Bitcoin, cryptocurrency, fintech, basically financial technology. Should these kids begin these particular skills at this age, I am sure by the time they are actually out of university they will be implementing these skills and not looking for jobs like most of us did.”
The programme is currently running in 13 schools across Kenya, equipping 5,000 students from the ages of 4-12 years with skills to unlock their future.
Water management is a major challenge for Algeria, as both the need for drinking water, and the consistent spells of drought, make the process a race against time. To confront this challenge, the country relies on its desalination plantsand its dams.
In the region of Tipaza, Kef Eddir is one of the 81 large dams in Algeria, where four new dams bring the storage capacity to 9 billion cubic meters. Dozens of other similar projects are planned in the country, which has just experienced three of the driest summers in its history.
“The interannual storage of water will of course enable us, first of all, to meet the population’s drinking water supply needs. But also the development of agriculture, and in turn food security. We also have the use of water for industrial purposes,” says Nadia Ouchar, central director of the National Agency for Dams and Transfers (ANBT).
This dam has a strategic role in supplying three wilayahs (regions) with drinking water – Tipaza and its neighbouring wilayahs of Ain Defla and Chlef.
“Interconnectivity is important for regional balance, for equity in the supply of drinking water to the population, and of course for solidarity between the different regions,” Ouchar adds.
The dam’s reserve lake hopes to soon supply the greater Algiers area – some 150 kilometres away. The first stage of the water supply work consists of large pipes, pumping stations and reservoirs that stretch over dozens of kilometres towards the region’s capital, Tipaza. Upon completion, about half a million people will benefit from this regional project.
Digging underground
There are no dams in the very arid south of the country. But the Sahara has some of the largest underground reserves in the world. The inhabitants of Tamanrasset, the big city in the Hoggar region, rely on the waters drilled under the sand of the neighbouring wilayah, and are transferred 700km journey across the desert.
“Tamanrasset is supplied by the town of In Salah through the use of 24 boreholes. We have six pumping stations that lead to the terminal reservoir,” says Mohamed Belouafi, head of the Tamanrasset Water Resources Department. “For the moment, the supply is only to the main town of the wilayah. But we have plans to supply other cities.”
Desalination
Again concerning the coastal regions, priority is given to seawater desalination plants. The plants already provide 17% of the country’s drinking water, a figure that is expected to reach 60% by 2030, thanks to new stations.
The Bateau Cassé plant, in the Algiers district of the same name, was put into service in record time. “The work began in October last year and we delivered this plant and started producing in March 2022, at full capacity, (that’s) 10,000 m3 per day. Given the water stress, we gave it our all to get it up and running as quickly as possible,” says Sami Ghezala, the project manager at the Algerian Energy Company (AEC).
He adds, “This station produces the equivalent of 10 million litres per day. If we consider that a citizen consumes 100 litres per day, it can cover the needs of 100,000 inhabitants.”
The water is drawn 1 kilometre from the coast. It then undergoes several purification processes, including – the more energy efficient – reverse osmosis, before being mineralised. This technology could be deployed all along the Algerian coast.
All in all, Algeria’s ingenuity and innovation secure the country’s water supply for the future.
More than 20 international delegations of professional dancers took part in the 17th edition of the World Salsa Festival.
Spectacular dance moves and strong beat animated the 2-day event in Cali, western Colombia.
Amateur competition also attracted many dancers. In his black and white tuxedo, Andres Leudo champions dancing as the best sport routine.
“I am 57 years old. I jump, laugh and dance as if I were 15. To me, that’s life and that’s what I recommend to the whole world: dance salsa, don’t pay for an EPS (health plan)”, he says laughing.
Salsa is extremely popular in South America and the Carribean. The Cuban salsa style or the salsa Rueda, are just two of the 6 main different styles that exist.
“People come from all over the world to learn our style. There are different ways of dancing salsa, but our Cali style has taken the world by storm”, salsa school owner Maria Isabel Velez.
Many parts of the world were indeed represented during the festival.
Solo as well as couple competitors from Latin America, Asia or Europe showed off their best moves.
“In Switzerland people mostly know how to dance Salsa Cubana and LA Style Salsa”, professional dancer Morganne Guillaume explains.
“I am one of the only people in French-speaking part of Switzerland who teaches Salsa Caleña [Editor’s note: also known as Colombian Salsa]. Little by little it is growing and I am very happy to be part of it and to show the joy and the richness of dancing Salsa Caleña.”
111 elite dancers were awarded in the different categories in which over a thousand competed to be crowned the best salsa dancers on the planet.
In addition to the dance, the music was also celebrated. Salsa orchestras battled to come off as the best in their categories.
Nearly 30,000 people attended the closing ceremony in late October.
Patrolling the vast Kafue National Park in Zambia, these rangers are always on alert. Their team leader is Neddy Mulimo. He works for the anti-poaching unit of Game Rangers International, a non-profit wildlife conservation organisation established in Zambia in 2008.
Mulimo’s work has been recognised and he year’s recipient of a prestigious award, the Tusk Wildlife Ranger Award. Sponsored by the Nick Maughan Foundation and launched by Prince William in 2013, the Tusk Wildlife Ranger Award gives international recognition to the men and women who face danger daily as they protect Africa’s wildlife.
“The animals we have need to be looked after and be passed on to future generations,” says Mulimo.
Mulimo first joined the Zambian government’s National Parks and Wildlife department (now called the Department of National Parks and Wildlife) back in 1985.
The country’s national parks are teeming with wildlife that also attract heavily armed poachers determined to take prized items such as elephant tusks.
Mulimo explains that educating local people about the importance of wildlife is a key part of his job :
“As you know the threat of our wildlife comes from the people who live within the community. So first thing, show them that you love them, you need to protect them, then bring in your words and encouragement on how they can help you to take care of the wildlife.”
His colleague Britius Munkombwe, a community outreach manager with Game Rangers International, agrees.
“It is very important to support communities living adjacent to other protected areas, the GMA’s (game management areas) and the National Park because they are regarded as major stakeholders in wildlife conservation. Historically, these community members that live alongside the GMA actually used to live in the GMA and they gave out (donated) that piece of land for the purpose of wildlife conservation, so its very important that we work with them and consult them on many matters to do with wildlife conservation, because they know more that what anyone can know in terms of the history of these areas and how these animals have actually been in existence.”
The danger associated with the job is amplified by findings from the Game Rangers Association of Africa Roll of Honour, which showed that more than 100 wildlife rangers were killed in the line of duty in Africa in the last year alone.
Rangers such as Mulimo often spend weeks away from their families when they are on duty.
As a leader, Mulimo says an integral part of his job is to protect the rangers he works with and to ensure that their welfare is taken care of.
“I am happy and this means the world has recognised my job that I have done for a very long time as a ranger and therefore encourage the growing (number of ) rangers doing the same job to carry on the job of resource protection. This job, it requires sacrifice, and (is) very demanding, someone should have passion, love for nature and then everything will be OK,” says Mulimo.
The Tusk Wildlife awards take place in Hampton Court Palace near London on November 1, 2022.
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde on Sunday sent a subtle solidarity message to the presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress(APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in the 2023 general election.
This was made known by the Deputy Governor of Oyo state, Bayo Lawal who represented Seyi Makinde in Ondo State at the reception of Tinubu by the leader of Afenifere, Pa Reuben Fasoranti.
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde on Sunday sent a subtle solidarity message to the presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress(APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in the 2023 general election.
This was made known by the Deputy Governor of Oyo state, Bayo Lawal who represented Seyi Makinde in Ondo State at the reception of Tinubu by the leader of Afenifere, Pa Reuben Fasoranti .
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Recall Vanguard had earlier reported that Tinubu will be visiting Fasoranti and the leadership of Afenifere, the Yoruba cultural and political organisation to present his Action Plan on how he intends to tackle the economic and other problems the country is grappling with.
Lawal noted that though separated by political affiliation, but united by strong ethnic bonds.
Seyi Makinde and four other PDP governors believed to be aggrieved over party leadership tussles have been at loggerheads with the Chairman of the People Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Iyorcha Ayu over the zoning of the party’s chairmanship seat.
Makinde and notably, Rivers state governor, Nyesome Wike boycotted Atiku’s campaign launch in Akwa Ibom state including a recent campaign held in Edo state, moves believed to have heightened tensions in the camps of Atiku’s loyalist
Political pundits predicted defections with many believing the five aggrieved PDP governors, including Makinde might pitch their tents with the APC presidential candidate, Tinubu.
Speaking in the Yoruba language at the event, the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Mr Bayo Lawal who represented Gov Makinde, stressed that the people of his state will stand with the decision of Yoruba leaders as regards the 2023 presidential election.
His words: “ Since Makinde became governor, he doesn’t joke with anything that concerns the Yoruba people, whenever baba (Pa Fasoranti) calls him, he is always available.
“Whenever there is an event, either organized by Afenifere or any other Yoruba group, Gov Makinde will always be supportive. Though we are not of the same political affiliation, but we are bound by ethnicity”.
“The message he sent me to deliver here is that, whatever you are doing in Yorubaland, Makinde, Oyo people are in support of it.”
After ending his speech at the event, Lawal sang a song Yoruba song, “…Asiwaju ni wa, Asiwaju ni wa” which literally means “We are the one who leads” and the same song can be interpreted as a pledge to Tinubu (Asiwaju)
Vanguard reported that Bola Tinubu visited Afenifere leader, Pa Fasoranti where he unveiled his action plan and was blessed by the Yoruba leader who dismissed Ayo Adebanjo to labour party’s candidate, Peter obi.
Despite the listing of churches among potential targets for attacks by terrorists in Abuja, and the tension the development is generating, places of worship in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will open for services today.
But the opening of the places of worship for services is not without adequate precautionary measures.
Sunday Vanguard survey, yesterday, showed that several churches in Abuja had beefed up their internal security structures ahead of today’s services.
The United States (US) Embassy had started the rash of advisories on elevated risk of terror attacks in the FCT, among other targets across the country, last Sunday.
After the US Embassy warning, the British High Commission issued its own advisory to the staff on movement while also announcing reduced services.
Then Canada, Australia, Germany, Bulgaria, Ireland and Denmark, among others, said they were reducing services and will be attending only to criticalneeds.
In another circular released, on Thursday, the US government recommended that its citizens should avoid Nigeria and advised anyone who may decide to travel to the country to keep a low profile and prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations.
Same day, it asked its Embassy non-essential staff to leave Abuja.
Also on Thursday, one of the biggest malls in Abuja shut down indefinitely, citing safety concerns.
A few hours after, Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, placed his men on alert nationwide and released emergency numbers to the public.
Meanwhile, construction giant, Julius Berger, yesterday, shut down operations in Abuja, citing security concerns.
Also, yesterday, IGP Baba rolled out ‘special operations order’ to prevent terror attacks while Sunday Vanguard learnt that some suspects may have been arrested in connection with potential terror attacks in the FCT.
Apart from churches, other potential targets of terrorists in the FCT, according to the US Embassy advisory, include markets, shopping malls, hotels, bars, restaurants, football viewing centres, displacement camps, transport terminals (including train networks), government buildings, security and educational institutions (schools, further education colleges and universities, international organisations.
Vulnerability assessments
Following the terror advisories and preparatory to today’s services, a survey revealed that for many churches in Abuja, the first line of action taken was the conduct of vulnerability assessments to identify porous entry and exit points.
Our correspondent learnt that worshippers will be duly screened before entering church auditoriums today, while an increased number of armed bearing security agents will also be deployed in many churches within FCT towns and outskirts to ensure safety.
During a visit to Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA) Head Church in Guzape Hills Abuja, Sunday Vanguard observed, yesterday, that sophisticated surveillance infrastructure had been installed around the church while a ‘stop and search’ unit around the entrance point had been established.
It was also gathered that some prominent denominations like the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), the Winners Chapel, the Deeper Christian Life Church, and the Dunamis International Gospel Centre, amongst others, had launched threat assessment exercises to guide them in developing effective security envelopes.
According to data collected by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, there have already been 34 separate attacks on church premises so far this year.
In 2020, there were 19, and, in 2021, there were 33. The data shows 1,664 persons have died in targeted attacks against churches, 390 persons sustained different forms of injuries, and 188 sanctuaries have been burnt or destroyed by terror arsonists since 2010.
Reacting to the terror alert by the Foreign Missions in Abuja, several church leaders, yesterday, allayed the fears of their followers and congregations.
Speaking, the Director, Social Communications, Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, Fr. Patrick Alumuku, adequate measures were in place to protect worshippers during services.
According to him, some of the measures include the installation of security checks at church entrances to keep terrorists in a position of being unable to move closer while attempting to attack and disrupt services.
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He explained that many parishes had mobilised a combined team of armed operatives, para-military personnel and internal volunteer security agents to provide surveillance during services and promptly arrest suspects.
“The faithful, including you (our correspondent), are welcome to mass on Sunday. The church has done what it should do. There will be adequate security in church. We have mobilised sufficient personnel,” Alumuku told Sunday Vanguard.
Similarly, Pastor Jane Ohioghame of Holyhill Church, a fast-growing pentecostal denomination in Mpape, Abuja, said they would implement stringent security searches for people who may try to enter the church for service.
She said, “Yes, there will be service on Sunday. Nevertheless, we are aware of the terror alert and are working in collaboration with our facility managers to monitor movements within and around the worship centre.
“We are glad the church premises has a perimeter fence around it with only one gate which is an advantage because that will make it easier for us to observe entry and exit to church.
“Above all, we have a system of identifying our congregants. So, we can fish out stranger with relative ease. We have told our people that if they see someone who they are not so sure of, they need to alert the security personnel.”
In the same breath, Special Prophet Elisha Bamigbogun, of Cherubim and Seraphim Church, Angwan Bassa, Lugbe East, Abuja, was of the view that worshippers themselves needed to be vigilant as part of their contributions to making worship centres safer.
According to him, addressing terror threats against the church cannot be treated independent of the call for broader security reform by the authorities, and heightened awareness and vigilance on the part of church goers.
Some Christians residing in Abuja, yesterday, vowed to continue attending church services despite the terror alert by the foreign missions.
For Ms. Msendoo Kumbul, there’s no cause of alarm, insisting that nothing will discourage her from being in church and going about her lawful duties without fear of attack.
On his part, Joel Nimshak, a member of Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA Goodnews, Pykasa Abuja, beyond the isolated efforts of individual parishes and denominations, there’s a need to strengthen policing capability across board.
He told Sunday Vanguard, “In view of the recent terror alert in Abuja, the government must amend section 214 of the 1999 constitution which has firmly fixed policing power in the hands of the Federal Government.
“We must decentralise policing to create a community-focused approach that affords all stakeholders, including the churches in any particular community, the opportunity to make operational inputs towards collective security in the area.
“In my mind, that makes more sense than the current situation where churches are working in silos to ensure security measures around their premises.”
Shut down
Julius Berger, yesterday, shut down its operations in Abuja over the terror advisories.
In a statement by the company’s Managing Director and Corporate Security Manager, Lars Bichter and Poul Nielsen respectively, the company advised the staff to avoid public places throughout the weekend until tomorrow morning.
The statement reads: “In response to the ongoing security concerns within the FCT and Central Abuja.
“It is advised to avoid all public events within the FCT environment, including: Supermarkets, restaurants, hotels, bars, clubs and other areas where many may meet. This advice is applicable from, 28.10.2022 in the evening until Monday, 31.10.2022 in the morning.
“It remains possible to move to other JBN work or residential locations throughout the weekend.
“Your safety is our primary concern.”
‘Special operations order’
Confirming the ‘special operations order’ rolled out, yesterday, by IGP Baba, Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Muyiwa Adejobi, said, “The IGP has rolled out an operation order, a robust document, to guide our operations and deployment in order to effectively police the FCT.
“We have put all necessary measures in place to protect critical infrastructures, worship centres, public places etc.
“FCT has been fortified with both human and material resources. So we don’t envisage any ugly incident in the FCT or any part of Nigeria”.
Sunday Vanguard also learnt that the authorities at the Army Headquarters Garrison and Guards Brigade in Abuja carried out massive deployments of heavily armed troops with counter-terror equipment in all the entry and exit points of the FCT while soldiers were deployed to communities bordering states of Niger, Kaduna, Kogi and Nasarawa from where kidnapping gangs often terrorized FCT inhabitants.
Joint Security patrols involving troops, police personnel, DSS personnel and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps were also observed patroling major roads in Abuja including the Kubwa, Zuba-Suleija Road, the Jabi Expressway, Airport Road up to Giri junction and Zuba – Gwagwalada Road, yesterday.
Critical government infrastructures and ministries were not left out as soldiers and policemen were seen mounting security at NNPC Towers, Central Bank of Nigeria, National War College, the National Assembly Complex while embassies witnessed more security deployments.
Before the advisories, however, a joint police, military and other security team, under the headship of the FCT Police Command, had, in several operations, stormed uncompleted buildings, shanties and dark spots housing criminal elements, smoked them out and arrested many criminals elements, miscreants and drug dealers.
Sources disclosed that intelligence agencies had further dispatched plain clothes intelligence operatives to the satellite towns, including Bwari, Kubwa, Suleja, Zuba, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Lugbe and other places, where terror suspects were believed to be hibernating.
One of the sources said, “The ongoing operation has yielded successes as many suspicious elements who could not explain what their mission was in the FCT, or the areas where they were found, were arrested and would be profiled”.
Authoritiesof Obosi community in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra state have read riot acts to criminals, cultists and fraudsters operating in the area, even as they warned such perpetrators against the dire consequences of their nefarious acts.
Traditional ruler of Obosi Kingdom, His Majesty, Eze Chidubem Iweka III who read the riot acts on Saturday during his 11th Iwaji/Obiora annual cultural festival, disclosed that the community has established adequate synergy between the Police and Anti-Cult in conjunction with the vigilante operatives and Obosi youths to achieve quite a formidable crime-fighting force.
Eze Iweka who insisted that it would no longer be business as usual for criminals in the area, further disclosed that the community has equally established a Movement Against Cultism in Obosi, MACOB, as part of its new anti-cult agenda.
Flanked by his cabinet chiefs, including the Project Manager of Second Niger Bridge project, Mr. Frederick Weiser whom he gave a chieftaincy title of (Agu Simba of Obosi Kingdom) during the festival, Igwe Iweka declared:”I must commend our Police DPOs and Obosi Anti- cult Commander, the President- General of Obosi Development Union, ODU, President of Obosi Urban Landlords, the Scorpion Vigilante and our Youths for their concerted efforts in fighting criminality in Obosi to a virtual standstill”.
According to the monarch, “We hereby read a riot act to the criminals in the land, the hard drug dealers, the fraudulent POS operators who collude with criminals to siphon money from victims’ bank accounts, the 419 operators and hardcore bandits”.
” Cultism has become a cankerworm biting hard into the social lives of communities across the country and we have had our unfair share of this deadly and senseless scourge that has claimed the lives of dozens of our promising young men, over the years. We have always sought for the most adequate measures to eradicate Cultism in Obosi and environs and finally, the idea of a mass all-fraternity denouncement of Cultism evolved”, said the monarch.
He also warned that anyone found committing crimes under the guise of masquerading would be arrested and prosecuted in a court of law, even as he also warned against violation of the red cap meant for only Ndichie, Ndi Ogbueshi, Ndi tolu ogbo, Ndi isi mmuo and honorary chiefs in the area.
Zambia’s Green Buffaloes laid down an early marker in the Women’s African Champions League with a 4-0 win over Determine Girls of Liberia in the opening match.
Maweta Chilenga opened the scoring in the eighth minute on Sunday with a deflected effort which looped in and Natasha Nanyangwe doubled the lead on the half hour mark from Ireen Lungu’s low cross.
Lungu set up Hellen Chanda to make it 3-0 shortly after, before the Zambia midfielder got on the scoresheet herself 13 minutes into the second half, drilling a shot in off the post to complete the scoring in Rabat.
Lungu was top scorer in regional qualifying, where Green Buffaloes beat Women’s African Champions League holders Mamelodi Sundowns on penalties to become Cosafa champions.
In the other Group A match on Sunday, hosts AS FAR beat Tanzanian club Simba 1-0.
Forward Ibtissam Jraidi broke the deadlock in the 67th minute when she headed in from Ghizlane Chhiri’s ball into the box, giving the Moroccans – who reached the semi-finals of the competition last season – all three points.
Group B gets under way on Monday, with South African champions Sundowns facing Nigerian outfit Bayelsa Queens and Egypt’s Wadi Degla taking on TP Mazembe of DR Congo.
The Somali government has created a $1m (£867,000) emergency fund to help people affected by twin bombings in the capital city on Saturday, that killed at least 100 people and injured more than 300.
Two private firms have also pledged support towards the victims’ fund.
Major security changes are also planned following this latest attack, says the government, which is Somalia’s deadliest since a truck bombing in the same area five years ago that killed more than 500 people.
An uneasy calm has settled over the Zobe area of Mogadishu since Saturday’s attack. The road where it happened reopened Sunday night to public traffic.
But the lasting damage is plain to see, as buildings which hosted many businesses in the vicinity have been destroyed by the impact of the twin blasts.
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state has described the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Iyorchia Ayu as ungrateful over his comments against the Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State.
Wike made this assertion during a press briefing at his private residence in Rumiprikon, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area on Sunday.
Wike also described as unfortunate Ayu’s comment claiming that he has the power to stop Ortom’s senatorial ambition and those of others eyeing various positions on the platform of the party.
According to Wike, it was unfortunate for Ayu to speak against Ortom who helped him to become the party’s chairman because the governor told him what he was not doing right.
Reacting to Ayu’s comment on sacking, Wike said the issue was not about anyone sacking Ayu but honouring his promise if he has any integrity left in him.
He said, “It is most unfortunate. Nobody has said Ayu should be sacked. The word sacking and keeping to your promise are two different things,” the governor said.
The Rivers state governor said his camp’s position remained that since the party’s constitution said there must be zoning for elective and political offices, adding that there is no way the presidential candidate and the party’s national chairman will come from one zone.
Wike added, “Saying that nobody can sack him does not arise because nobody has said he must be sacked. For you to be sacked, there are procedures for sacking people.
“If at this point, you are a national chairman of a party who has told Nigerians that this is what you will do if this happens and now that it has happened, you are running away from doing that. How do you expect Nigerians to now believe you? How do you convince them to vote for your party when they know you won’t keep to integrity?
“I heard when he said he would have stopped Ortom from running. You see how ungrateful human beings are.
“This was the same Governor Ortom who pleaded with us, and said listen, ‘I can take this risk and let him (Ayu) become the national chairman.’ The governors agreed that no national chairman should come from where a governor comes from.
“We agreed on that. But Ortom came, and he is a man we respect, he said I want to promote my people. Let them be at the national politics and we said okay, in your honour we will agree.
“This is a man (Ayu) who never campaigned anywhere. This is a man who never bought a form or a poster. Even the money they gave him to print posters, he never printed any posters. Now he is saying he can stop the man who brought him, who became his guarantor.”
The authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo announced on Saturday the expulsion of the Rwandan Ambassador in Kinshasa.
The expulsion follows months of tensions between the DRC and Rwanda accused of supporting the M23 rebels in the east of the country.
The spokesman for the Congolese government, Patrick Muyaya, made the announcement.
“In view of the above facts, the Superior Defence Council requests the Government to: 1. expel, within 48 hours of notification, Mr Vincent Karega,
the Rwandan Ambassador Plenipotentiary posted in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This is due, on the one hand, to Rwanda’s persistent aggression against the DRC and its support for the M23 terrorist movement, which it is using for this purpose”, said the spokesman.
“And on the other hand, the arrogant disregard of the Rwandan authorities for the Nairobi and Luanda processes, as well as for the recommendations of the international community, more precisely the United Nations (UN), the African Union (AU), the East African Community (EAC), the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and multilateral partners unanimously demanding the cessation of terrorist activities by the M23 and all external support for it, and its withdrawal without delay or conditions”, concluded Muyaya.
The UN’s mission in the country, MONUSCO, condemned what it described as “the hostile acts of M23” and called for an immediate halt to the fighting.
After last week’s clashes, the M23 rebel fighters have made advances along the strategic RN2 highway in the eastern province of North Kivu, according to local officials and witnesses.
The rebel group, a mostly Congolese Tutsi group, resumed fighting in late 2021 after lying dormant for years, accusing the government of having failed to honour an agreement over the demobilisation of its fighters.
A woman has smashed through the ‘triple-glazed glass ceiling’ to become Britain’s first blind and Black barrister, in an achievement that has been described as ‘truly remarkable.
Jessikah Inaba, 23, qualified last week after studying for five years at university in London.
She completed her entire course using Braille and credits her friends and tutors for helping to fill in the gaps.
Jessikah, from Camden, north London, known as Jess, has now joined the Bar – likely as the nation’s first blind and black barrister.
None of the UK’s many legal organisations contacted – including the four Inns of Court, the Bar Council and the Bar Standards Board – could find another example.
Jessikah Inaba, 23, (pictured) from Camden, North London, qualified as a barrister earlier this month.
The student was rushed to hospital in 2019 after she kept fainting – which she attributes to only having ‘three hours sleep a night for two years’
Jess said: ‘It’s been crazy – I still can’t really believe I’ve done it. One day I’ll wake up and realise how amazing this is.
Jessikah Inaba, UK’s first blind Black barrister
‘It was hard and I often thought of giving up, but my supportive family gave me courage and strength.
‘I always believed in myself from the start – there’s nothing about me which means this isn’t possible.
‘I know I can do this job really well, and the more people like me who go through training the easier it will become.
‘It’s a really good feeling, I know I’m giving hope to others in similar situations to mine. There’s a triple glazed glass ceiling.
‘I’m not the most common gender or colour, and I have a disability, but by pushing through I’m easing the burden on the next person like me.’
Jess says that, because there are so few black barristers, no one has given thought to how hard it is to pop a wig over her hair – so she has to have it platted.
The Braillenote Touch Plus machine (pictured) is one of the specialist items Jess used throughout her studies
Jess is completely blind and had to use Braille throughout her time at the University of Law – London Bloomsbury.
She started her accelerated law degree in September 2017 before starting a master’s two years later alongside a professional training course.
Braille can be read on a special screen that usually gives one line at a time, or from specially printed books.
But Jess claims it took seven months for her university to obtain one of her two key study texts so she could read on her computer, and five months for the other.
And, because of pictures and tables in the books, her Braille screen missed huge chunks of material, she said.
She says she got through most of her studies by making her own Braille materials from her lecture notes, or from friends reading books to her.
In the new year, Jessica is planning to apply for a pupillage – where newly qualified barristers get their first placement in chambers .
And she added that the university organised one-on-one tuition to support her when the lack of books held her back.
Jess said: ‘I was spending more time preparing my own learning materials than I was studying.
‘I was hospitalised because I kept fainting in October 2019 because I’d been functioning on about three hours sleep a night for two years.
‘I would sometimes get 45 minutes a day to eat, but often I ate while at my computer.
‘The university had other visually impaired people who used text to speech, but I just can’t work like that.
‘I need to read it physically for myself or I can’t remember it. Everyone is different and has a different work around for various situations.
‘A lot of people registered blind have some vision, so they can sometimes use large print, or some blind people manage well just by listening to text.
‘Braille is expensive to produce because you need a lot of special software and equipment.’
In court, Jess uses a tiny electronic machine with a Braille keyboard which has one key for each dot and a small screen where symbols pop up.
The Braillenote Apex machine that Jessikah Inaba uses to read. It has one key for each dot and a small screen where symbols pop up
In court Jess uses a tiny electronic machine with a Braille keyboard which has one key for each dot and a small screen where symbols pop up.
It means she can keep her ears free to listen and can read and edit easily just using her hands.
Jess is blind because of an eye condition called Bilateral microphthalmia, where babies are born with smaller than usual eyes.
She grew up in Lewisham, south-east London with her parents and siblings and now lives in Camden.
She went to local mainstream schools, and secondary school in Surrey, all of which had units to support pupils with visual impairment.
Jess says she now wears her gown and wig with pride – having worked so hard to earn them.
But she says that, because there are so few black barristers, no one has given thought to how hard it is to pop a wig over her hair – so she has to have it platted.
Jess (pictured at home) says she has to ‘justify her need for her specialist equipment’ to clients, as a person from a minority group.
Jess is blind because of an eye condition called Bilateral microphthalmia, where babies are born with smaller than usual eyes.
Jess and her family and friends celebrated her achievement with a huge boat party after her ceremony.
She now plans to apply for a pupillage – where newly qualified barristers get their first placement in chambers – when applications open in January.
She said: ‘I’m very proud but I do wish it had all gone smoothly.
‘I feel because of disabled access problems my results aren’t a true reflection of my ability.
‘I reckon as a black person I have to work 10 times harder than others just to be accepted by society.
‘Before I can see a client I have to prove I’m a lawyer and justify my need for my specialist equipment.
‘If I was an older white man who can see my professional life would be so much easier.
‘I have to accept I might never be competing on a level playing field – that’s hard.
What is Bilateral microphthalmia?
Microphthalmia and anophthalmia is where one or both of eyes don’t grow properly in the womb.
Sometimes, no eye grows at all (anophthalmia) or it may not grow to its full size and therefore be smaller than normal (microphthalmia).
Affected eye or eyes will look smaller than normal and the front of the eye may look cloudy or completely white, or pupil might look an unusual shape.
Most cases occur by chance and the cause isn’t always known. Sometimes, it is caused by changes in genes which means eye don’t form properly.
Microphthalmia affects 1 in 10,000 babies.
Source: NHS
‘People from minority groups training to do this will face discrimination, hopefully that will get easier with time.
‘If it happens don’t be too shocked, just carry on following your dreams – you’ll get there.’
The University of Law said: ‘Jess is the first black and blind student to study at The University of Law.
‘As a university we were able to provide additional support to ensure Jess was able to succeed on the courses.
‘There were challenges with sourcing materials in braille but we were pleased to be able to provide these eventually.
‘We are extremely proud of Jess’ achievements and we know she will be an inspiration to all students, showing that you can succeed in the face of physical challenges.
‘We wish her the very best in her future career.’
Sam Mercer, head of diversity and inclusion at the Bar Council, said: ‘Huge congratulations to Jessikah on joining the Bar.
‘The Bar Council celebrates diversity in order to create a profession that is representative of all and for all.
‘Role models, like Jessikah, within the profession have an important part to play in helping us to break down barriers to the Bar and encourage a more diverse profession.’
A Bar Standards Board spokesperson said: ‘We are delighted to hear that Jessikah has been called to the Bar and we send her our congratulations.’
And Mrs Justice McGowan DBE, Treasurer, the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, said: ‘Being called to the Bar is a remarkable achievement; being called to the Bar as a blind person is truly remarkable.
‘We are proud to have been able to call Miss Jessika Inaba on October 13.
‘We wish her every success for the future. The commitment and tenacity she has shown demonstrates that she will be a great success.’
An attempt by some terrorists to attack the Wawa Military Cantonment in Borgu Local Government of Niger State, Saturday night, was thwarted as the army killed eight of the terrorists.
It was gathered that the intended attack, which would have been another setback to the military and bloodshed in the adjourning communities was foiled by the joint efforts of the Nigerian Air Force and the Army in the area.
It was also gathered that the aim of the terrorists was to set some of their colleagues in the military cantonment free and possibly attack neighbouring villages.
While eight of the terrorists were gunned down, unconfirmed sources said three of them, including their leader, were captured by the Army.
Some of the terrorists were also said to have escaped with bullet wounds while some of the soldiers also sustained some injuries during the fireworks.
The Army has beefed up security in the barracks and the area to forestall any possible reprisal from the terrorists.
Troops eliminate 7 terrorists in Kaduna
Meanwhile, troops of 1 Division, Nigerian Army on Operation Forest Sanity in fierce encounter with terrorists at Maidaro, Kagi Hill, Kusharki and Anguwan Madaki in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State neutralised four.
Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier-General Onyema Nwachukwu, in a statement added that others fled in disarray.
He said: “The gallant troops recovered two AK-47 rifles with two rounds of 7.62mm special, one automatic pump action gun with three cartridges, six Dane guns, three locally fabricated pistols with one 9mm round and four motorcycles.
“In a separate operation conducted by another fighting patrol team of 1 Division of Nigerian Army, troops along Sabon Birnin- Zartake, Ungwan Lima Riyawa and Tungan Madaki general area, closely supported from the air by Nigerian Air Force platforms, intercepted fleeing bandits from Kagi Hill. In the firefight that ensued, the troops neutralised 3 terrorists.
Zimbabwe’s ruling party, ZANU-PF, endorses President Emmerson Mnangagwa as sole party candidate ahead of next year’s polls.
Speaking on Saturday at the party’s congress in Harare, President Mnangagwa called for unity in the party.
“Let us mobilize and encourage our people to register to vote and turn up in numbers to vote for ZANU-PF on election day” (…) “Never grow tired of preaching unity, never grow tired of preaching peace and never grow tired of preaching love, never grow tired of preaching harmony among our people”, declared he president during his speech.
Eighty year-old, Emmerson Mnangagwa, came to power in 2017 after toppling long-time ruler Robert Mugabe in a coup backed by the army.
In 2018 he won disputed elections which his main rival Nelson Chamisa, then leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) insists were rigged.
A French-Australian national has been freed in Chad after being abducted on Friday.
Jérôme Hugonnot had been taken hostage by unknown individuals in the eastern Wadi-Fira province, near the Sudanese border.
On Sunday, Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Déby announced his release in a post on Twitter
, saying he was “delightedfalse
with the happy ending”.
The Chadian leader did not indicate how the French national was released.
The privately owned Tchadinfos website said he was released in an operation by French special forces supported by troops of the Chadian national army on the afternoon.
It quoted Mr Hugonnot as telling journalists that the kidnap had been “shocking”, shortly after arriving at the Adji Kossey military base in the capital N’Djamena.
In a statement,
the French foreign ministry said it had “learned with relief the release of our compatriot.
“France thanks the Chadian authorities who worked for this release,” it added.
Chad’s border areas are often volatile due to limited state authority, inter-communal clashes and armed group activities..
The Mozambican authorities have seized 1,165 fake Apple iPhones and arrested two Chinese nationals following a raid at an apartment in the capital, Maputo, where the counterfeits were being assembled.
Police said the suspected counterfeiters were able to use complex technical procedures, including assigning unique serial numbers to the phones.
The suspects have denied any wrongdoing.
Customs officials said they found the suspects thanks to a tip-off.
“We received a complaint that caused suspicion. So we activated our operational lines to determine the veracity and after three weeks of investigation we discovered this factory,” said Gino Jone, the director of Mozambique customs operational area in Maputo City.
He added that some of the seized phones are suspected to have been smuggled into the country, while others were obtained through theft.
“It’s an apartment but it works like a factory. Mobile phones are made here, IMEIs [unique serial numbers] are placed and sold in a store located in the Alto-Maè area,” he said.
Amid controversies over the position of the Finance Minister, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, on the decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to embark on the redesigning of Naira notes, President Muhammadu Buharisaid yesterday that the CBN has his support on the project.
Ahmed, at the weekend, declared that the CBN did not carry her Ministry along in the new Naira note plan, warning that the new notes could have dire consequences on the value of the Naira.
But Buhari in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said he is convinced the nation will gain a lot by doing so.
Speaking in a Hausa radio interview with Halilu Ahmed Getso and Kamaluddeen Sani Shawai, Buhari said reasons given by the CBN convinced him that the economy stands to benefit from a reduction in inflation, currency counterfeiting and the excess cash in circulation.
He said he did not consider the period of three months for the change to the new notes as being short.
According to him, “people with illicit money buried under the soil will have a challenge with this, but, workers, businesses with legitimate incomes will face no difficulties at all.”
Experts call for harmony
Meanwhile, economists and financial experts have harped on the need for harmony between the fiscal and monetary policy authorities while maintaining the independence of the CBN.
David Adonri, Vice-Chairman, Highcap Securities, said that, while it is important for both the CBN and the Finance Ministry to synergise on policy-making in order to achieve a better outcome, the independence of the CBN as obtained in other economies does not require the permission of even the president to undertake a project such as the redesigning of the Naira.
In his words: “The economy is managed by the government through macro-economic policies (fiscal and monetary policies); while the Federal Ministry of Finance (FMoF) is the fiscal authority, CBN is the monetary authority. They are expected to work harmoniously in policy formulation and implementation. Any discord between these authorities is detrimental to economic management.
“Before any policy is formulated by any of them, there ought to be in-depth consultation between them and thorough analyses to know the sensitivity on either side of the economy.
“Although each authority has its areas of exclusivity, which it may exercise without recourse, carrying each other along will facilitate superior policy outcomes.
“In this particular instance, the reasons for changing of currency by CBN are justifiable but there is no reason for not carrying the FMoF along for them to be prepared for the change. Where the monetary authority is independent, which we clamour for, the Central Bank does not even require permission from the President to undertake any monetary action.
“Independence of a central bank is essential so that monetary policy will not be influenced by political expediency.”
Further insight from CBN
The CBN, reacting to the position of the Finance Minister at the weekend, said it was surprised by the minister’s outburst and that due process was followed in arriving at the Naira redesign project, including obtaining the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Also, the apex bank doused concerns about the cost of printing the new notes, saying they will come at no outrageous cost, printed in the country and within the budget of the apex bank.
According to a statement from the CBN’s spokesman, Mr Osita Nwanisobi, the apex bank stressed that the CBN remains a very thorough institution that follows due process in its policy actions.
According to Nwanisobi, the management of the CBN, in line with provisions of Section 2(b), Section 18(a), and Section 19(a)(b) of the CBN Act 2007, had duly sought and obtained the approval of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) in writing to redesign, produce, release and circulate new series of N200, N500, and N1,000 banknotes.
However, urging Nigerians to support the currency redesign project, he said it is in the overall interest of Nigerians, and that some persons were hoarding significant sums of banknotes outside the vaults of commercial banks. This trend, he said, should not be encouraged by anyone who means well for the country.
Why Naira redesign is necessary — Moghalu
Commenting on the issue, a former Deputy Governor of the CBN, Kingsley Moghalu, said that the decision of the CBN to redesign the naira notes is a ‘necessary step’ for the good of the economy.
Moghalu averred his support for the decision in a series of tweets on his Twitter account on Friday.
He explained that the CBN is trying to gain control over the money supply in the economy.
“I fully support the Central Bank’s redesign of the Naira,” he said. “If 80% of banknotes in circulation are outside the banks, that’s troubling. The CBN obviously wants to force all those notes back into the banking system. Those with the notes must surrender to get new ones or else it becomes illegal tender after January 31 2023.
“This is also a way to withdraw currency from circulation, an unorthodox way of tightening the money supply since the country is battling high inflation.
“The flip side is that people who are holding huge amounts of cash outside the banking system for nefarious reasons will go the parallel forex market to buy hard currency, putting further downward pressure on the value of the Naira as too much Naira will be chasing too few dollars.
“I doubt it will solve inflation because there also are other major reasons for inflation such as the forex crisis, which this new move could exacerbate, as well as impact of the security crisis on food price inflation. But overall it is a necessary step.
“I just think the time window for its implementation is rather short. This will put a lot of operational pressure on commercial banks and the financial system in general. A 90-day window would have been better, but one can understand the need to avoid interfering with the elections.”
Dr Mala Abdulwahab, the Borno Programme Manager of State Emergencyand Child Intervention Centre (SEMCHIC), has urged mothers not to believe any claim that there is substitute for breast milk.
Abdulwahab made the call in Maiduguri on Friday during a roundtable with news men on exclusive breastfeeding, organised by an International Organisation, FHI360 in collaboration with National Agency For Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and Borno State Primary Healthcare Development Agency.
Abdulwahab said the call became necessary because of some misconceptions that there were substitute for breast milk and richer.
Abdulwahab said infants were expected to be breastfed within 30 minutes or one hour after birth which should be sustained for six months before adding any supplements approved by NAFDAC in feeding the child.
“We are advocating that immediately after birth, a child should be given the first breast milk which is yellowish in colour.
“We call it cholesterol; it is the first vaccine every child needs,” Abdulwahab said.
He said that the roundtable with the media was to seek for more collaboration to encourage exclusive breast feeding in line with Improved Maternal, Infact and Youth Child Nutrition (MIYCN).
The State Coordinator of FHI Solutions, a subsidiary of FHI360, Dr Bashaar Abdul-Baki said the FHI Solution Alive and Thrive Project were Initiatives to save lives.
He said the initiative was also to prevent illness, and ensure healthy growth and development through improved breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices.
Abdul-Baki observed that good nutrition in the first 1,000 days from conception to two years of age remained critical to children’s health and productive lives.
He said that the project to be implemented was expected to scale MIYCN in Borno, Kaduna, Kano, Sokoto, Bauchi, Yobe and Lagos states.
The Chief Regulatory Officer of NAFDAC in Borno, Mr Ushadari Kayam, noted that breast feeding remained the most cost effective and impactful interventions for reducing malnutrition and under-five mortality.
He said breastfeeding protected children from infectious and chronic diseases.
“It increases cognitive development and lowers health care costs for families and societies,” Kayam said.
He observed that other roles expected of the media in promoting breast feeding was to know the laws and regulations on marketing breast milk substitutes in Nigeria and to reject any advertisement promoting breast milk substitute products.
President Muhammadu advises the nation’s security establishment and entire citizens to continue being vigilant and careful with security, saying it is important to avoid panic.
He urges citizens to remain calm. The recent changes in travel advice from the US and UK governments should not be a cause for panic.
Nigeria is no exception in having terror threats listed in foreign government’s travel advice to their citizens. UK and US travel advisories also state there is a high likelihood of terror attacks in many Western European nations.
Indeed, the UK and US advice to their respective citizens for travel to one another’s countries contain the same warning. Unfortunately, terror is a reality the world over.
However, it does not mean an attack in Abuja is imminent. Since the July prison raid, security measures have been reinforced in and around the FCT. Heightened monitoring and interception of terrorist communications ensure potential threats are caught further upstream.
Attacks are being foiled. Security agents are proactively rooting out threats to keep citizens safe – much of their work unseen and necessarily confidential.
Nigerians’ safety remains the highest priority of government.Security services are working around the clock to keep harm at bay.
The President gives assurances that the government is on top of the security situation in country.
While noting, in addition that security threats are real and have been with us for a long while, the nation’s military, the police and other security agencies have shown a capability to deal with it, as is evident from the fact that a majority of our partners, including the United Nations agencies in our midst have not seen the threat as being sufficient to warrant any form of panic or order citizen evacuations.
The President stresses that that while being security conscious, being alert and careful is crucial, it is also important that responsible members of the society do not create situations leading to unnecessary panic.
President Buhari commends the military and other security agencies for the recent turn around in the nation’s security, and directs that additional precautionary measures be put in place and that these must not slacken now, and during the upcoming festive period.
President Buhari expresses optimism that given the on-going efforts on the part of the military and other security and intelligence agencies with the active support of the civilian population, the nation will emerge victorious against the current challenges facing it.
At least six school children from 3 different schools tested positive for the Ebola Virus in Kampala Uganda, with one of them losing the battle to the disease that has been on the rise in the country.
Ugandan Minister for Health Doctor Jane Ruth Aceng told journalists on Wednesday six children who hail from the same neighborhood were from an earlier contact that succumbed to the virus.
“These learners attended three schools in the Rubaga division. We have listed 170 contacts from these schools for follow up.” Says the Minister Doctor Jane Ruth Aceng.
Aceng also blamed the escalation of the virus on Ugandans who are shying away from hospitals.
When The Associated Press visited God’s Will Primary School, classes remained closed and the headmaster, in an interview, said they closed the school to mourn the passing of their pupil.
“Before the child passed on, the KCCA (Kampala Capital City Authority) medical team was here to ensure that they put in place what the Ministry of Health requested for us to ensure that we curb the spread of the Ebola,” Steven Lwanga said.
One of the most affected schools, Green Valley Primary School has had to close 3 classrooms including Primary Seven Candidates who are due to sit for the National Examinations.
“I think they are disturbed a little they are traumatized, they are demoralized in a way they are not sure whether they are going to sit so that is their worry,” said Ian Mugisha.
The outbreak has sent fears among the communities surrounding the schools.
Steven Lwanga, the Headmaster of God’s Will Primary School said the community is shunning school staff and pupils even when they do not present any symptoms.
“We are becoming a nuisance to the community. People are fearing coming closer to us, when they see you they run away they think you have Ebola, so the Ministry should together with the Government do a lot to sensitize the public,” Lwanga said.
Natukunda Rosette, a shopkeeper and neighbor to the school, said she has been interacting with the children on a daily basis as she sells snacks and other scholastic materials.
She said since the announcement was made, she has been living in constant fear hoping she has not contracted the disease.
“I stopped selling those eats and whoever is coming to buy something I be far away from that person.”
The Ugandan government declared the Ebola outbreak in the Central district of Mubende on September 20, after a 24-year-old man tested positive.
According to the Centre for Disease Control, to date, at least 31 people have lost their lives to the virus and over 109 people have tested positive to the Ebola virus.
Installations by worldwide artists are displayed at the Giza pyramids necropolis during the second edition of the Art D’Égypte exhibition “Forever is Now”.
“These kinds of events bring people closer to contemporary art,” said Egyptiansculptor Therese Antoine, author of the Camouflage 1.168:
The Unfinished Obelisk installation. “It’s open to all, even those who aren’t familiar with art.”
“It is so great to be a part of this great event, which has gathered artists from all over the world. These kinds of events bring people closer to contemporary art, breaking the taboo of opening galleries about which only a few people know. Now, it’s open to all, even those who aren’t familiar with the art, they’re coming to see this,” said Therese.
The event began Thursday and will run until 30th November.
The event has attracted dozens of several artists from different countries that include UAE, the UK among others.
“I think artists are able to work with the universal language of art, and can maybe inspire people or educate them, raise their awareness on the importance of, you know, that we only have this planet, so we have to save it,” said Zeinab Alhashemi , Emirati conceptual artist.
Pakistan’s spy chief and military spokesman demanded an independent investigation into the mysterious killing of journalist Arshad Sharif in Nairobi. The government will send a team of civilian investigators to Kenya.
Thousands of people Thursday (Oct 27) mourned the death of an outspoken Pakistani journalist in the capital.
Arshad Sharif, 50, was killed Sunday night (Oct 23) when the car he was in sped up and drove through a checkpoint outside Nairobi.
His body was flown home Wednesday (Oct 26) and his funeral took place Thursday in Islamabad. The killing has drawn widespread condemnation in Pakistan.
Pakistan has not launched its own investigation into the killing of the journalist. Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan has said, however, that the government will soon send a two-member team of civilian investigators to Kenya to determine the circumstances surrounding the journalist’s death.
Police in Kenya’s capital have issued contradictory statements deepening the mystery behind Sharif’s death. Initially, they expressed regret over the incident, saying it was a case of “mistaken identity.” They said Sharif was killed during a search for a similar car involved in a child abduction case.
Later, police said someone opened fire from Sharif’s car, wounding a police officer and officers shot back.
Grey areas
Sharif’s family, his friends and Pakistani government officials are demanding a fair investigation. Sharif left Pakistan in August to avoid arrest following a citizen’s complaint against him alleging he maligned the country’s national institutions. Most of his friends until his death only knew that he was in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.
Sharif’s employer — the private ARY Television in Pakistan — had fired him in August, saying he had violated the TV station’s social media policy. His talk show POWERPLAY, which aired on Mondays and Thursdays, was discontinued.
As more than 15,000 mourners gathered for Sharif’s funeral at the country’s largest Faisal Mosque in Islamabad, Lt. Gen. Nadeem Ahmed Anjum, the country’s spy chief, and military spokesman Lt. Gen.
Babar Iftikhar, demanded an investigation. It was the first time in the country’s history that its spy chief took part in a news conference in the garrison city of Rawalpindi.
“Arshad did not want to leave but he was told that his life is in danger,” Iftikhar said. Among the questions were why Sharif was in Kenya, where he was traveling with another Pakistani resident, Khurram Ahmed, when their car failed to stop despite being flagged down at the checkpoint.
Anjum, the spy chief, said at the news conference his agency was deliberately distancing itself from any domestic investigation as he wanted an independent probe to accurately conclude why Sharif left Pakistan in September when there was no threat to his life, and why he did not come back after his Dubai visa expired in September.
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is in full swing. Zimbabwe held its nerve for a 1-run victory over Pakistan in the latest upset at the tournament in Australia, Thursday (Oct 27).
Three games in Group 2 took place Thursday with South Africa crushing Bangladesh by 104 runs. Rilee Rossouw posted the first century of the tournament.
Pakistan’s brittle middle-order batters were restricted at 129-8 in a thrilling game at Perth after Zimbabwe chose to bat first and struggled against pace on a bouncy wicket to make 130-8.
It just proved enough for Zimbabwe, helped by 14 extras.
Unorthodox spinner Sikandar Raza bagged 3-25 and brought Zimbabwe back in the hunt in the 14th over with the wickets of Shadab Khan and Haider Ali off successive deliveries.
Raza then dealt a major blow by having top-scorer Shan Masood (44) stumped off a wide ball down the leg side in the next over.
“I’m lost for words, my throat’s dry probably because of all the emotions,” Raza said.
“The way our seamers started at the top as well is just unbelievable and the way we backed it up in the field and the way we kept believing, I don’t think there’s any words I can share right now.”
Third-place Zimbabwe, whose opening group game was abandoned against South Africa, has three points, one more than Bangladesh.
Pakistan is in trouble with zero points. It was Pakistan’s second successive defeat after a nerve-wracking loss against arch-rival India.
About the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup
The ICC T20 World Cup is the apex global event for T20 cricket, the game’s fastest growing format.
Australia was originally scheduled to host the event in 2020, before it was postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic.
The world’s best players from 16 teams will play 45 matches around the country.
It’s the first time Australia hosts the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. In March 2020, it hosted the Women’s T20 World Cup. The final in Melbourne was won by Australia over India in front of 86,174 spectators, a record crowd for women’s sport on the island and the second-highest crowd ever recorded for a women’s sporting event globally.
The son of Ugandan leaderYoweri Museveni, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, said in a tweet on Thursday that he will “certainly” be president after his father.
The 48-year-old Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who recently became embroiled in a diplomatic row with Kenya, has long been seen by observers as a possible successor, even though Kainerugaba said in 2013 that “Uganda is not a monarchy”.
“The only way I can thank my beautiful mother is to become president of Uganda. And I certainly will,” Muhoozi Kainerugaba tweeted on Thursday.
Yoweri Museveni, 78, who has ruled Uganda with an iron fist since 1986, could again be a candidate in the presidential election scheduled for 2026.
On 18 October, Yoweri Museveni declared that his only son who also has three daughters would no longer tweet about the country’s affairs after a series of controversial tweets in early October had threatened to invade Kenya.
The head of state had said that his son could still express himself on the social network, provided he limited himself to comments on sports,for example.
But Muhoozi Kainerugaba did not care, saying on Twitter the next day: “I am an adult and no one will ban me from anything.
In early October, the president’s son had suggested that it would take him and his army not “two weeks” to take over the Kenyan capital Nairobi. He apologised a few days later to the new Kenyan President William Ruto.
On 4 October, the son of the Ugandan head of state was replaced as head of the country’s ground forces.
Already in 2022, a series of comments on Twitter by Muhoozi Kainerugaba in favour of the rebels in the Ethiopian region of Tigray, which is at war with the federal authorities, had also incensed the authorities in Addis Ababa.
In 2013, Ugandan police raided the offices of two newspapers and a radio station after a confidential memo from a general claimed that President Museveni was grooming his son to succeed him and planned to assassinate opponents.
A study released on Thursday found that air pollution in African cities is growing rapidly and is more deadly than feared, but green solutions could save tens of thousands of lives.
“Air pollution (in African cities) is high and rising, it’s rising quite rapidly,” said Desmond Appiah, the Ghanaian director of the Clean Air Fund, the British NGO that published the study. “It’s a silent killer.”
Urban pollution has been largely neglected in Africa, according to the study.
Africa’s population is predominantly rural and has only recently experienced an exodus to urban centres.
Earlier research in the Lancet Planetary Health concluded that toxic air – particularly particulate matter and gases from industry and transport, but also from wood-burning stoves – caused the premature death of 1.1 million people in 2019.
By comparison, 650,000 people died from HIV/AIDS-related diseases worldwide in the same year, according to UN figures.
The study looked at the situation in four rapidly growing cities on the African continent – Ghana’s capital, Accra, Cairo, Johannesburg and Lagos – to assess the health, environmental and economic costs of pollution.
It compares the results between a business-as-usual trajectory to 2040 and a green scenario in which cities take measures to improve air quality, such as upgrading public transport and introducing cleaner cookers.
Adopting a green approach could save 125,000 lives and $20 billion in costs and also reduce emissions in these cities by about 20% by 2040, according to the study.
If nothing changes, the financial bill will increase sixfold.
“Africa’s economic growth will be driven by rapidly expanding cities,” said Clean Air Fund. “More than 65% of the continent’s population is expected to live in urban areas by 2060.
“By the end of the century, Africa will have five of the world’s 10 largest megacities. The big question now is how fast, how fair and how sustainable this growth will be,” the source said.
Meanwhile, a Boston-based research group, the Health Effects Institute (HEI), warned on Thursday that the human cost of air pollution in Africa is among the highest on the planet.
In sub-Saharan Africa, the death rate from air pollution is 155 deaths per 100,000 people, nearly double the global average of 85.6 deaths per 100,000 people, HEI said in a report.
A tiny goal, no goalkeeper and a field the size of a handball court: in Côte d’Ivoire, some dream of seeing the popular maracana, a kind of six-a-side soccer born on campuses some 50 years ago, become an Olympic sport.
On an empty field on the banks of Abidjan’s Ebrié Lagoon, youngsters dribble in the sand, two tires serving as an improvised goal.
The small size of the field and the goal forces the players to combine technique and precision, making maracana, named after the famous stadium in Rio de Janeiro, an ideal training ground for eleven-a-side soccer.
For the youngest members of the Xenox de Treichville club, a “traditional” amateur soccer team in this neighborhood of Abidjan, maracana training is a must every week.
“When you want to teach a child to play soccer, the basis for me is the maracana,” says Adama Ira, who coaches a youth team at Xenox.
“The kids work more on conservation and pressing techniques. When the child is used to bear this pressure, the big field has no secret for him,” adds club president Seydou Badjan Traoré.
While it is impossible to date the invention of maracana with precision, experts of this popular sport believe that the rules were born in the 1970s on the campuses of Côte d’Ivoire.
At the time, students had difficulty gathering enough classmates and having suitable fields to play soccer.
“A discipline apart”
From this constraint were born singular rules: “Maracana is played six against six, without a goalkeeper and on a field with dimensions similar to those of handball” summarizes Charlemagne Bleu, president of the International Federation of this sport.
In the stands of the multipurpose hall of the Treichville Sports Park, the president proudly observes his national team training.
At the end of September in Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire won for the eighth time – in nine editions – the Mara’CAN, the African Cup of Nations of maracana.
For Charlemagne Bleu, who works for greater recognition of the discipline, the stakes are high.
“Maracana is not soccer, it is a discipline apart. Our goal is to make it an Olympic discipline,” he said.
According to him, 72 countries on four continents have a federation of this discipline.
Another particularity: it is a discipline that gives pride of place to old hands.
At the Mara’CAN, Africa’s flagship competition, players must be between 35 and 45 years old, an age often synonymous with retirement in soccer.
“The young people (15-34 years old) have their national maracana championship, but generally they remain more attracted to soccer. The seniors are more numerous because they can’t play soccer anymore so they turn to maracana,” explains Charlemagne Bleu.
Some high-level footballers, such as Issouf Koné, 40 years old, are extending their careers.
“Like many of my teammates I played professional soccer at a high level, so the conversion was not too difficult. We plunged back into the maracana so as not to lose the thread of sport and especially soccer” explains the one who played his fourth Mara’CAN with the Ivorian national team.
“Today to be a professional in soccer, it has become so difficult that I think that maracana is a platform that could help many young people” he adds.
A bone infection brought Carlosand Evadula together in Germany. The young Angolan spent two years at the NGO Friedensdorf International headquarters, but now he returns home. Besides the free treatments, the two young people shared personal experiences.
Carlos took a lot of things in his luggage, some given to him by Evadula from Afghanistan, in this long awaited return to his family.
“I suffered a lot with this boy. He went to Germany, stayed there for one year, there they straightened one foot, another foot, he came back, but it wasn’t finished. So he stayed here for two years and then he went back to Germany. This time he stayed for two years.” says Madalena Paulo, Carlos’ Mother
With the return of Carlos and another 40 young Angolans, the opportunity opens for just as many children to make the journey in the opposite direction.
Faustina Sousa, is the Vice President of Kimbo Liombembua. “The godmothers, the godfathers, the mothers, the tutelary parents are the ones who help us identify the children in the farthest corners of our country, in the villages, in the ombalas. Then they are selected and screened at the level of health services in the provinces.” (* she referes to the NGO “godparents”)
The number of vacancies is insufficient for all those who seek treatment in Germany. For those who stay in Luanda, the NGO doctors promise to continue helping, although from a distance.
Euronews correspondent Neusa e Silva reports that forty-two children who have passed the screening process will now benefit from medical attention at the Friedensdorf International association. Like them, almost 2,500 children have already benefited from this project.
Most of the children who traveled to Germany suffer from osteomyelitis. The treatment of this bone infection is one of the priorities of the German NGO that promotes free treatment in countries in crisis or very poor countries.
But the most important thing is that the children smile again.
Cypriot police fired tear gas Friday after a fire broke out in an overcrowded migrant reception centre amid clashes sparked by an argument between different nationalities, officers said.
One person needed hospital treatment after being injured at the Pournara camp for migrants, on the edge of the capitalNicosia.
People hurled rocks and objects at each other, forcing many to flee in panic, and firefighters rushed to extinguish a blaze that sent billowing smoke into the sky. Tensions later “calmed”, a police said.
Chief of police Stelios Papatheodorou blamed the violence on overcrowding at centre, which holds more than double its original 800 capacity.
“Police are doing everything possible to protect the area and those residing in the camp,” said Papatheodorou.
Cypriot news outlet Philenews said clashes broke between asylum seekers from Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria, two of the largest migrant groups in Cyprus.
European Union member Cyprus says it is on the frontline of the bloc’s irregular migration flows, and last year reported the highest number of asylum applicants per population.
The small EU state has lobbied Brussels to take action over the “disproportionate” numbers of asylum seekers it receives.
New asylum applications multiplied to over 13,000 last year in Greek Cypriot-administered southern Cyprus, with its population of 850,000.
In March, a report by the Cypriot children’s rights commissioner described chronic overcrowding, woeful bathroom facilities and reports of meagre food rations in the Pournara camp, prompting officials to vow to work to improve conditions.
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa and visiting Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Thursday agreed to strengthen bilateral relations.
Ramaphosa told reporters at a joint news conference with Sanchez that there was consensus between the two countries about the effects of climate change on the continent.
“South Africa and Spain agree that climate change, the loss of biological diversity and other environmental challenges must be addressed within the context of sustainable development. Particularly, for those who are in areas that are vulnerable and will be negatively affected by the transition that we foresee” said Ramaphosa.
“An important part of our collective responses to climate change is increased support for green, sustainable energy policies and technologies.” added Ramaphosa.
On his part; Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called on global leaders to prioritise solutions to the climate change crisis threatening food security in Africa and the effects on the continent of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Sánchez said now more than ever, Spainwas determined to deepen its relations with the African continent as the two shared many common challenges.
“Spain wants to establish strong alliances with African countries to face together the challenges we share,” he said.
“The technological revolution, food security currently affected as a result of the crisis in Ukraine or migratory movements poses the firm determination of the Government of Spain to strengthen our bilateral relations with South Africa, both political and economic and commercial ones,” said Sánchez, speaking through a translator.
Sánchez was speaking during an official visit to South Africa where he met president Cyril Ramaphosa a day after meeting Kenyan president William Ruto.
Sánchez announced that the Spain would be available funding of up to 2.1 billion euros to South Africa over the next five years, which would be invested in various sectors including the renewable energy.
Similar to many carriers, TAAG is undergoing a transformation in order to confront the challenges of the times. With a new management team, a new partnership with Iberia Airlines, new destinations on the horizon and a firm commitment to making Luanda a global cargo hub, TAAG’s future looks promising.
Improved service, expansion and comfort
One of the airline’s fourteen destinations inside Angola, is a flight from the capital Luanda to the northern agricultural and mining province of Uíge. This is in addition to the dozen exisiting international destinations, and that number is increasing.
Passengers are seeing a difference in the new TAAG, the acronym for Transportes Aéreos Angolanos. One diamond trader is on his way to a meeting in Uige and enjoys not having to drive more than four hours anymore to get there.
“It’s 45 minutes only, Luanda to Uige. I think it’s better because people can do things really quickly.” Says Antonio Oliveira, Diamond Entrepreneur.
“The service, it’s also improving. The progress, it’s visible. All the people can see TAAG is making progress. Even services, prices. I think they are in a good way.” Continues Antonio.
This is exactly what the new CEO, Eduardo Fairen, likes to hear. With decades of experience running airlines in Latin America and Spain, he is turning TAAG around with a new team.
“I have had the fantastic opportunity to launch successful airlines and also revamp older ones. And I have also had the opportunity to enjoy having and have collaborated with fantastic team members that allow us to reach those goals.” Explains CEO, Eduardo Fairen.
A major hub in Africa, with an eye on the rest of the world
One of the ways to achieve those goals, is by teaming up with Iberia in a code-sharing agreement. Now that TAAG is again fully certified by European regulators, the alliance with the Spanish carrier is a major boost for TAAG to spread its wings across the globe.
“Iberia has been a very good deal now because in fact, Angola, TAAG, needs to come up and show up on the international scene for the very first time.” Says Eduardo.
For TAAG, it will tap into Iberia’s hub in Madrid, connecting it to the world.
“The link with Iberia means they can access not only a wider reach of destinations in Europe, but also in North and South America too, It’s definitely a win-win. There’s no massive cost involved, there’s increased exposure for both airlines.” So says John Strickland, Director of JLS Consulting.
Meanwhile, Angola is building itself as a major hub in Africa, with a new airport in the capital Luanda which is due to open at the end of next year.
The Antonio Agostinho Neto airport, named after the country’s first president, is being built to handle 15 million passengers a year.
“In the West African area, that will be probably the only hub that is operating because the closest hub could be Dakar or Casablanca. And on the South, Jo’burg is on the southern side, is 4 hours away from here.” Says CEO, Eduardo.
That is why TAAG is already adding flights to expand that reach. More flights to Mozambique, Namibia and Brazil, as well as Cabinda in Angola, to meet market demand.
Privatisation for TAAG
TAAG are also planning to go private by 2025, which could help it raise the capital needed for its expansion.
The key to that is investor confidence, says airline consultant John Strickland.
“It has a good opportunity to grow for the future and provided investors have that confidence that the business is being run commercially, they may well be able to attract adequate funds for this privatisation plan.”
With that new partnership bringing a wider reach for TAAG, one of Africa’s most historic national airlines, is betting on its ambitious strategy.
The State Department has ordered the families of U.S. embassy staffers in the Nigerian capital to leave due to heightened fears of a terrorist attack as it repeated a warning for all Americans to reconsider travelling to any part of the country and not to visit Abuja at all.
The announcement came just two days after the department said it would allow nonessential personnel at the embassy in Abuja to depart voluntarily due to elevated security concerns.
It did not provide details but the change suggested the U.S. has indications that an attack may be imminent.
“The department (has) ordered the departure of family members of U.S. government employees from Abuja due to the heightened risk of terrorist attacks there,” it said in a revised travel advisory for Nigeria.
Nigeria has battled an Islamic insurgency in its northeast for more than a decade, but attacks have been rare in Abuja.
In 2011, Islamic extremists linked to the Boko Haram group targeted the United Nations building there with a car bomb, killing 21 people.
The U.S. embassy in Abuja has been warning since Sunday about an “elevated risk of terror attacks” in the city, saying that possible targets include government buildings, places of worship and other public places. It has urged Americans there to avoid all nonessential movements and crowds.
The British mission in Nigeria has issued similar alerts.
Nigeria’s secret and intelligence police, the Department of State Services, has called for calm and has advised that “necessary precautions” are being taken to prevent such attacks.
The much anticipated FIFA World Cup kickstarts in 23 days as Qatar become the first Arabian national to host the biggest football festival in the world.
32 countries out of the 211 national associations including the Black Stars of Ghana will be competing for the golden trophy worth $42 Million.
Eight stadiums have been designed to host the 2022 Mundial and will be the first time that football will be played in stadias fully equipped with air conditioners.
The huge investment made by the Qatari government to prepare for the tournament will make the 2022 World Cup the most expensive in the history of the competition which started in 1930.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup according to multiple reports will cost the Qatari government the sum of $200billion which is about 14 times higher than the amount any country has invested while hossting the Mundial.
Aside Qatar, we look at the top four other countries that invested billions of dollars to host the World Cup.
Russia 2018 – $14.2 billion
The host of the 21st edition of the FIFA World Cup spent $14.2 billion to prepare for the competition.
Russia built some high-tech stadiums and imported turf from other countries to build their pitches for the competition.
They used 12 stadiums to host the 64 games in the 2018 World Cup that was won by France.
Brazil 2014 – $11.6 billion
The record winners of the FIFA World Cup come third on our list for using $11.6 billion to host the competition which even resulted in various demonstrations in the country.
Brazil used 12 stadiums (seven new and five renovated) in twelve cities to host the 2014 World Cup which saw the Black Stars exit from the group stages without a single point.
Japan/Korea 2002: $7 billion
Two Asian powerhouses, Japan and Korea combined to host the first World Cup in the 21st century and they didn’t disappoint the world.
The stadiums in Daegu, Suwon, Yokohama, and Saitama all hosted 4 matches each, while the other 16 stadiums hosted 3 matches each.
Though $7 billion was used to host the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Japan/Korea are 5th on the list because they combined resources to host the competition.
Germany 2006: $4.3 billion
Last on the list was the 2006 World Cup staged in Germany and won by the Italian national team.
It was Germany’s second hosting of the competition, but they didn’t let that stop them from spending heavily as they invested $4.3 billion in the project.
Germany also used 12 stadiums to host the World Cup just like Russia and Brazil while South Africa used 10 stadiums to host the 2010 edition.
Watch the latest edition of GhanaWeb Mundial, Sports Debate and Sports Check below
Sports Debate: What is the cause of Hearts of Oak’s problem?
On this episode of the GhanaWeb Sports Debate, Joel Eshun interacted with Accra Hearts of Oak fans on the street to engage them about the problems in their team and how best they can be solved.
Abductors of passengers and several students from the University of Nigeria who were travelling to Nsukka along the Ugwuogo-Nike/Opi/Nsukka Road have reportedly demanded a ransom of N300 million.
The act is suspected to be perpetrated by herdsmen on Sunday, October 23.
It is unclear how many were abducted, but sources say there were more than 10.
A family member of the abducted who spoke to SaharaReporters on Wednesday evening said that the abductors contacted his family and demanded they collectively raise N300 million to secure the release of the abductees.
According to him, the kidnapperswere seven in number and allegedly Fulani.
He said the abductors rejected the N500,000 offered as a ransom to secure the release of the students. They, instead, asked them to start preparing for their burial if “we’ll even see their bodies to bury.”
“They are now threatening that they will kill all of them if the money is not complete.”
SaharaReporters learnt that some passengers were killed a few metres from the military checkpoint along Ugwuogo-Nike-Opi-Nsukka Road on Sunday.
The passengers, according to SaharaReporters, were travelling in five vehicles when they were attacked.
The report says some narrowly escaped.
Many of the passengers were students of the University of Nigeria who were returning to school following the suspension of eight months of industrial action by lecturers and the subsequent resumption of academic activities.
The Mobile Telephone Network (MTN), a South Africa-based multinational mobile telecommunications company, has announced plans to invest up to US$150 million in network connectivity infrastructure to improve its products and services in Africa.
This is expected to boost MTN’s international connect services, including voice, SMS, signalling and roaming capabilities.
Mr Frederic Schepens, the Chief Executive Officer of MTN Global Connect, made this known in Accra during the inauguration of the company’s Network Operation Centre.
MTN Global Connect is a digital wholesale and infrastructure services company operating within MTN, managing its international wholesale activities.
It aimed at offering reliable wholesale and infrastructure solutions to fix connectivity and sell mobility solutions.
Vice President Bawumia, who inaugurated the Centre, said the initiative was in sync with the Government’s digitalisation agenda to grow the Ghanaian economy and create jobs for the teeming youth.
He said Ghana had been undergoing a massive digital transformation and, therefore, positioning her as a prime destination for insourcing and outsourcing by multinational technology companies.
The choice of Ghana by MTN for its global network and service operating centres was further testament to the strides the country had made over the years and emerging as a destination of choice for global technology giants, Dr Bawumia stated.
“The tangible sign of Ghana’s digital transformation justifies our vision to benchmark the country against the best in the world,” he added.
Mr Ralf Mupita, the President of theMTN Group, in an address, said the Global Connect initiative was part of MTN’s 2025 Strategy to focus its resources and attention on the African continent to strengthen its fibre optic network to improve connectivity and services.
He acknowledged the current global economic difficulties and underscored the need for Africans to rely on themselves to accelerate socioeconomic growth, create jobs and eradicate poverty.
The United States Department of State has issued a follow-up to a warning of a suspected imminent terror attack on strategic places in Abuja, Nigeria, putting its citizen on evacuation notice.
The first terror alert was issued on October 23, 2022, and, in its latest warning, the US said it is granting “authorised departure status” to American citizens and embassy staff.
In the latest alert released in the early hours of October 26, 2022 and posted on Twitter page, the US said it had made arrangements to assist its citizens.
Before the issuance of “authorised departure status’’, the United States Department of State had on Sunday, October 23, 2022, warned citizens to remain indoors.
Public places targeted
It warned that terrorists were targeting public places such as schools, markets, malls, parks and public gatherings.
The State Department pledged to provide routine and emergency services to US citizens in Nigeria and advised them to “keep a low profile” and “take advantage of commercial transportation options” if they wish to depart Nigeria.
“The Department authorised the departure of non-emergency US government employees and family members due to the heightened risk of terrorist attacks.
“The US Embassy in Abuja continues to have limited ability to provide emergency assistance to US citizens in Nigeria. The US Consulate in Lagos is providing all routine and emergency services to US citizens in Nigeria,” the advisory read.
The Department further urged American citizens who are out of Nigeria to “reconsider travel to Nigeria due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, and maritime crime” as some areas have increased risk.
Britain had on Sunday also warned of possible terror attacks in Abuja, especially at government buildings, places of worship, schools and other centres where large crowds gather.
‘Mischievous’
But the Nigerian intelligence countered the alert as ‘mischievous, counterproductive’.
“There are reasons to conclude that the security alerts being issued by some foreign embassies in Nigeria appear alarming,” intelligence agents said in Abuja on Wednesday.
Dr Peter Afunanya, the spokesperson of Nigeria’s secret police, the Directorate of State Service, said the alert was similar to that which was issued by the service recently.
“The Department of State Services has received several enquiries relating to the security advisory issued by the US Embassy in Abuja. The public may recall that the Service had variously issued similar warnings in the past.
“While advising that necessary precautions are taken by all and sundry, the populace is enjoined to remain alert and assist security agencies with useful information regarding threats and suspicious criminal acts around them.
“Meanwhile, the Service calls for calm as it work with other law enforcement agencies and stakeholders to maintain peace and order in and beyond Abuja,” Dr Afunanya said.
Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed on Wednesday dismissed the terror alerts by the United Kingdom and the US, saying Nigeria is safer than it was in May 2015 when President Muhammadu Buhari came into office.
Daring attacks
A number of daring attacks have happened in Abuja in 2022 and other parts of the country.
On July 5, 2022, insurgents invaded the Kuje prison in Abuja and freed hundreds of inmates, including hardened Boko Haram fighters.
The marauders also in the same month attacked the advance convoy of the president near Dutsinma in Katsina State.
In August, the terrorists ambushed and killed some members of the Presidential Guards Brigade in Abuja.
On March 28, 2022, terrorists attacked a Kaduna-Abuja train, killed scores, kidnapped other passengers and held them hostage for over six months before their eventual release earlier in October.
Terrorists on June 5, 2022, attacked a Catholic church in Owo in South West Ondo state, killing over 40 worshippers and injuring many others.
Former Black Starsgoalkeeper Joe Carr has narrated how the late Muammar Gadafi tried to give the squad some money before Ghana’s game against Libya in the 1982 Afcon final.
Carr stated that the Sports Minister for Libya promised them $5000 and he was ready to take the money.
On why the payment did not happen Carr added that Ghana’s president the late JJ Rawlings got a hint of the attempted bribery and sent a letter to the squad warning them.
“Nkrumah’s promises weren’t fulfilled same as Rawlings. Rawlings was the most painful one because before the finals Libya’s sports minister came and promised us $5000 each, if we let them win. They were hosting and Gaddafi wanted to win,” he said on Dan Kweku Yeboah TV as monitored by footballghana.com
“It seems someone told Rawlings, so he wrote a long letter and Akataporri who was the leader of the delegation came and read it to us”
We had already celebrated the 6th March and the match was on 7th March. So he read it and all that the letter entailed was that he has heard about the money issues if we don’t win the cup none of us should step foot in Ghana,”
South African-born Elon Musk has completed his $44 billion deal to buy Twitter, a source familiar with the deal told CNN Thursday, putting the world’s richest man in charge of one of the world’s most influential social media platforms.
Musk fired CEO Parag Agrawal and two other executives, according to two people familiar with the decision. Twitter declined to comment.
The deal’s closing removes a cloud of uncertainty that has hung over Twitter’s business, employees and shareholders for much of the year. After initially agreeing to buy the company in April, Musk spent months attempting to get out of the deal, first citing concerns about the number of bots on the platform and later allegations raised by a company whistleblower.
By completing the deal, Musk and Twitter have avoided a trial that was originally set to take place earlier this month. But Musk’s takeover, and the immediate firings of some of its top executives, now raises a host of new questions for the future of the social media platform, and the many corners of society impacted by it. Musk on Thursday also fired CFO Ned Segal and policy head Vijaya Gadde, according to the two sources.
Musk has said he plans to rethink Twitter’s content moderation policies in service of a more maximalist approach to “free speech.”
The billionaire has also said he disagrees with Twitter’s practice of permanent bans for those who repeatedly violate its rules, raising the possibility that a number of previously banned, controversial users could reemerge on the platform.
Perhaps most immediately, many will be watching to see how soon Musk could let former President Donald Trump back on the platform, as he has previously said he would do.
Depending on the timing, such a move could have major implications for the upcoming US midterm elections, as well as the 2024 Presidential campaign.
Namibia says it will ask the German government to renegotiate the deal it agreed last year for payment relating to the genocide of the Ovaherero and Nama peoples.
In May 2021, the German government for the first time formally recognised the colonial-era atrocities.
It is estimated that 60,000 Ovaherero, more than 80% of the ethnic group’s total population in the region, and 10,000 Nama, 50% of its population, were killed between 1904 and 1908.
Germany announced financial aid worth over €1bn ($1bn; £870m) to descendants.
But the deal has been criticised by the opposition as flawed. The allegation is that some of the affected communities were not consulted.
Namibian National Assembly’s Vice-PresidentNangolo Mbumba reportedly said the request to review the deal was made in July following discussions in parliament.
“The government of Namibia is awaiting a response from the German side on what we have proposed,” the AFP news agency quoted him as saying on Thursday.
The Namibian newspaper quoted Esther Muinjangue, a deputy minister and head of the National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo) party, as saying that she was committed to fighting for justice for the affected people.
She said she intended to raise the matter at a forthcoming conference in Germany next week for a renegotiation of the deal.
“What we are saying is that the process was not fair, because members of the affected communities were not represented. So, what we are saying is start the process again, because it is not something new,” she is quoted as saying.
East and central Africa’s largest telecoms firm Safaricom has switched on 5G services in five cities in Kenya, including the capital, Nairobi.
People who can afford it – and the costs are high – could experience data speeds 10 times faster than a 4G connection. For example, if conditions are right, then a whole movie could be downloaded in 10 seconds.
The opening up of 5G is expected to boost the country’s digital economy – e-commerce and the ICT sector in general – which is enjoying a boom in growth.
But to take advantage of it at the moment, customers will either have to buy a 5G router costing around $250 (£210) or invest in a 5G-ready handset. Both options also come with higher data costs.
South Africa, Nigeria, Botswana and Zimbabwe are some of the countries on the continent to have already rolled out 5G.
However, the take-up of 4G is still low in Africa – accounting for just about a quarter of total connections compared to a global average of 60%, according to research by the Global System for Mobile Communications Association.
South Africa has honoured the country’s first black student to graduate with a degree in engineering.
Dr Solomon Boyce Isaac Lefakane studied civil engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, and was awarded a degree in 1961 – when the racist apartheid system was in operation.
Now, as part of the university’s centenary, Dr Lefakane, now 84, has been inducted into a brand new hall of fame at the Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment.
Dr Lefakane was the son of a domestic worker and gained a scholarship to pursue his studies.
“I knew I was facing very heavy odds at the time and I worked as hard as I could,” he told the BBC’s Focus on Africa radio programme.
Reflecting on his time there Dr Lefakane said he did not socialise with the white students, but there was a black student residence and “we made our own lives enjoyable”.
After graduation he tried to get with Johannesburg City Council but was offered a far smaller salary than his white counterparts. As a result he left South Africa, eventually ending up in the US.
When Susan Wamaitha started feeling sick a year ago, she thought it was the side effects of a contraceptive pill she had started taking a few months earlier – but it turned out that she was eight weeks pregnant.
The 32 year old is now a mother of three children. Unbeknown to her, the pill that she began using in June 2021 was banned in Kenya.
Its street name in Kenya is “Sofia” but it is manufactured in China and all the details about the product on the packaging are only written in Chinese.
A translation of the first line says it contains “Levonorgestrel Fast Estradiol Tablets”. The pill is a “long-acting oral contraceptive”, according to the second line. Then there is information about the manufacturer on the third: “Zizhu Pharmaceutical Co Ltd”.
The sale of the pill was prohibited by Kenya’s authorities 10 years ago because of high levels of levonorgestrel – more than 40 times the recommended levels.
Levonorgestrel is a hormonal medication used in a number of birth control methods.
The health ministry did not share the full lab results about its findings, but said children conceived after the pill failed were found to have developed early puberty.
Headaches and nausea
“I did not know it was banned. Many of my friends were using it and had no side effects,” Ms Wamaitha told the BBC.
Like many other Kenyan women, she was attracted to the pill by its affordability and the convenience of taking it only once a month.
Image source, PPBImage caption, The pills are often imported illegally from neighbouring countries
Women tend to buy the Sofia tablet each month – most suppliers will not sell it in bulk. Each pill costs between 300 Kenyan shillings ($2.50; £2.20) and 400 Kenyan shillings.
Other family planning methods available in the country include the daily contraceptive pill. A month’s supply costs about $1.70 from government hospitals but their stock is not always guaranteed so women then have to buy it from pharmacies for considerably more.
This makes the hormonal implant that lasts three months, offered at state clinics at a cost of around $5, and various intrauterine devices, like coils, that last several years and cost up to $9, more common alternatives.
Condoms are offered for free in public offices and toilets but sometimes run out, though they can be bought in shops.
“Because I had a non-hormonal copper T-shaped coil that was giving me back pains, I decided to remove it and use the pill,” Ms Wamaitha told the BBC.
She was also impressed that her friends who recommended Sofia had not gained any weight – a key consideration for her as she says she struggles with keeping the pounds off.
However, right from the beginning she did not feel great on it – though she thought it would just take time for her body to get used to the new medication as she had to take two pills initially followed by one a month.
“I started having headaches and nausea. The first month I missed my period,” Ms Wamaitha said.
But she did not worry as she had her period the following month. It was only when it skipped again in the third month that she began to get concerned.
Her husband then started researching the contraceptive pill and that is when he found out it had been banned.
“We started panicking about using a banned pill and when I realised I was pregnant I was worried about the effects it may have on my baby,” she said.
They now have a healthy three-month-old girl, but the couple are upset by the lack of information and possible implications for their daughter as she grows up.
‘One size does not fit all’
Only 50% of women in sub-Saharan Africa in need of modern contraceptive methods have access to them, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Josephine Kibaru
A woman is likely to trust a neighbour and friend more than a healthcare worker who has been posted at the dispensary”
In Kenya, contraception tends to be discussed in hushed tones – mostly because of cultural and religious beliefs in what is a patriarchal society.
Some men do not allow their wives to use contraceptives while some religious sects are against it. The Kavonokya Sect in eastern Kenya, for example, rejects all modern medicine as it believes the Bible only recommends prayer as an intervention.
For population and development expert Dr Josephine Kibaru, a grassroots approach would be best to gain acceptance for modern family planning methods.
“We need community health volunteers to be more empowered with information because a woman is likely to trust a neighbour and friend more than a healthcare worker who has been posted at the dispensary,” Dr Kibaru told the BBC.
She says there is a chasm of ignorance about the birth control methods available, along with many myths and misconceptions that need to be dispelled.
A combination of both is probably what is required as gynaecologist Brigid Monda says women should consult healthcare providers to be able to find a family planning method that works for them.
“One size does not fit all,” she told the BBC.
Yet some women have also been forced to mix different contraceptive methods because of a lack of consistent supply at dispensaries located in rural areas.
Sofia remains easily available despite its ban. The fact that women do not know it is banned is down to poor public health messaging, according to Dr Kibaru.
“Using the media alone is not enough. Intentional public messaging at grassroots level is important to ensure the masses understand well why a drug has been banned,” she says.
Sold to trusted customers
Pharmacists do know it is banned – another warning was issued by the health ministry last month – yet they still sell the pill because of demand.
It is not on display, but sold under the counter to trusted customers who come in to buy it each month.
The BBC visited several pharmacies in the capital, Nairobi, to make inquiries about Sofia – most said the drug was not for sale.
One seller – who spoke on condition of anonymity – explained that it was available, just not on display, and pharmacies were able to buy it from suppliers who brought it in from neighbouring countries.
Earlier this month, a Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) official told Kenya’s Standard newspaper a shipment had been intercepted at the Ugandan border.
Ms Wamaitha says she actually bought her pills from a friend who gets them in bulk from one of these suppliers.
She says this friend and others knew the pill was banned when they recommended it to her.
Her pregnancy has not persuaded them to stop using it – nor do any of the complaints on the various Facebook groups for Kenyan mothers.
On at least three of these forums there have been discussions about Sofia, where several women taking it said they had fallen pregnant.
This has convinced Ms Wamaitha to keep on urging her friends and other women to consider a different form of birth control.
“I just know that the mention of that Sofia pill makes me get chills on my body. I don’t know what family planning method I will use to prevent a fourth pregnancy, but I’m done, done with that pill.”
Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State says the N2.5 billion AbdulSamad Rabiu (ASR) Initiative’s infrastructure projectswill bridge health sector manpower shortfall in the state.
Tambuwal said this on Thursday during groundbreaking ceremony for construction of Administration Block at Sultan Abdulrahman College of Health Technology in Gwadabawa Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Health, Dr Ali Inname, said that the projects would augment government efforts in producing required manpower needs in the state’s health sector.
Tambuwal said the state has about 800 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs), 30 general hospitals and comprehensive healthcare centres and specialists hospitals, with about 3,000 manpower shortfall in PHCs alone.
He listed projects to be executed under the ASR Initiative to include the construction of College of Medical Science at Sokoto State University and construction of Administrative Building and School Clinic at College of Nursing Sciences located at Tambuwal Local Government Area.
He said the infrastructure intervention projects would enhance the graduation of manpower needs and improve healthcare service delivery across the state.
According to him, the ASR Africa Initiative led by former Minister of Health and Foreign Affairs, Dr Aliyu Idi-Hong, presented intervention award to the state government on Aug. 25, 2022.
He described the support as “hallmark achievements toward improving peoples’ wellbeing” and urged other corporate bodies and industries to emulate the gesture.
Earlier, Alhaji AbdulSamad Rabiu, the Founder of ASR Initiative Africa, represented by Dr Ubon Udoh, the Managing Director of the initiative, explained that the ASR Africa is the brainchild of Rabiu, who is dedicated to the development of Nigeria and African continent as a whole.
He said “ASR is committed to helping Africans to look inward and solve their problems, while implementing solutions to such challenges.”
He observed that Sokoto State met some criteria, which ensured the institutions to benefit from the projects.
He assured that the best contractors have been engaged to ensure commitment and standard execution according to international quality, as well as timely completion of the projects. He said 40 per cent mobilisation had already been paid.
The District Head of Gwadabawa, Alhaji Lawal Zayyanu, and the local government Chairman, Alhaji Aminu Aya, lauded the ASR Initiative and urged managements to ensure proper utilisation to achieve the desired results.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Udoh, Inname, along with other delegation inspected the ongoing construction at the Sokoto State University site.
Meanwhile contractors expressed commitment to complete the projects according to specifications, ensure standard and timely completion.
NAN further reports that construction of the College of Medical Science building at State University will gulp N1.8 billion, to be handled by Calder Construction Company, while the Administrative Building at Sultan Abdulrahman College of Health Technology, Gwadabawa, will cost N1.66 million, to be handled by Paydirt International Limited.
The Administrative Building and School Clinic at College of Nursing Sciences, Tambuwal, will cost N243 million, contracted to Mann’s Chaft Nigeria Limited. (NAN)
Wake up with the sniffles and a scratchy throat, and the first thing you probably think is: Do I have Covid, or maybe it’s the flu?
With so many overlapping symptoms and multiple viruses floating around, it can be tough to tell what’s making you ill: the flu vs. Covid. Health experts predict that winter 2022/2023 could see a Covid-19 surge, as new variants circulate and cases are rising in Europe and Asia. Along with that, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports early increases in flu activity.
So, what should you do if you start feeling lousy and aren’t sure what’s causing it?
“The first thing you should do when you get sick with any type of illness is to stay away from other people,” Brian Labus, Ph.D., MPH, REHS, assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, tells Men’s Health.
“We got good at this during Covid,and we should continue this behavior as other types of respiratory diseases spread,” he says. “If you have to go out, wear a mask to help protect others.”
It’s understandable that every cough, sneeze, or fever makes you wonder if you have Covid, the flu, or even a cold, says Evelyn Darius, M.D., a physician with PlushCare. She recommends getting tested for Covid-19 first, since the virus remains prevalent.
Also pay close attention to your symptoms, she urges. If you have shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, chest pain or pressure, upper abdominal pain, sudden dizziness or confusion, inability to awaken or stay awake, fainting, weakness, or pale gray or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds, go to the hospital.
“These are emergency symptoms and could be life-threatening,” Darius says.
Since Covid and the flu will continue to circulate, here’s a refresher on the symptoms of each illness, when you should get tested, and how to protect yourself during Covid, cold, and flu season.
Covid vs. Flu Symptoms
Flu and Covid symptoms overlap so much that it’s often difficult to figure out what you have based solely on how you feel, Labus says. One distinguishing sign is that colds tend to be milder than the flu and Covid, and are less likely to cause fever and body aches.
Symptoms of a viral respiratory illness—whether it’s the flu or Covid-19—can include the following, Darius says:
Fever or feeling feverish/chills
Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Fatigue
Sore throat
Runny or stuffy nose
Muscle pain or body aches
Headache
Gastrointestinal symptoms, like vomiting and diarrhea
Some Covid variants (but not all) have caused loss of taste or smell, which is rarely seen with the flu, Labus says.
Flu symptoms also typically appear more suddenly, while Covid symptoms come on more slowly, Darius says. Most people recover from the flu and Covid within a few days or a week or two.
Both flu and Covid can cause serious complications, especially for people over age 65, or who are immunosuppressed or have chronic conditions, Darius says. These include pneumonia, sepsis, and inflammation of the brain, heart, or muscle tissues.
She says Covid can lead to “unique complications” that scientists are still understanding, like skin rashes, respiratory failure, heart conditions like arrhythmias, blood clots, and excessive immune response.
When to Get Tested for Covid or the Flu
So, how can you really know if you have Covid vs. the flu? Get tested, health experts say.
“As the rates of different diseases change in the community, so does the usefulness of our tests,” Labus says. Covid tests are easily accessible at pharmacies and retailers nationwide, and are especially useful if you start feeling sick after a known Covid exposure, he adds.
“I recommend that everyone with cold symptoms be tested for Covid-19 and/or the flu,” Darius says. “Your test results will help determine the next steps of any treatment or care plan.”
At-home flu tests are also available, and there are some tests that check for both Covid and the flu. You can also ask your doctor about getting a flu test.
How to Protect Yourself in Flu and Covid Season
Whenever you’re feeling under the weather, it’s best to avoid contact with others, Labus says. The CDC recommends isolating yourself and staying home for five days if you test positive for Covid.
Here are some other ways to protect yourself from Covid and the flu:
Get vaccinated
It’s the best protection against both viruses, Labus says. “You can get both your flu shot and Covid booster at the same time, and getting vaccinated early in the fall will protect you before the flu really takes off.” Updated Covid boosters targeting the omicron variant are available now to anyone age 5 and up.
Check your community spread
Pay close attention to the Covid and flu cases in your area by checking with your local health department. Labus says this data might help you identify which illness you’re more likely to have and which test is most necessary. “If flu is circulating at a high level and COVID isn’t, an at-home COVID test isn’t as meaningful,” he adds.
Avoid close contact with others
Social distancing and avoiding large gatherings can keep illnesses from spreading. “The more time we spend in close contact with others, the greater our risk of getting sick,” Labus says. Spread out when you’re in rooms with others and try to stay in well-ventilated areas. Also, wear masks when you’re in close quarters—and any time you’re not feeling well.
Practice good hygiene
By now, you’ve heard how crucial it is to wash your hands and cover your mouth when you sneeze and cough. Well, it’s worth emphasizing again! Darius says regularly washing your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds, covering your mouth, using alcohol-based hand sanitizer, and not touching your face, eyes, and mouth will reduce the spread of Covid and the flu.
Monitor your symptoms
Seek medical care if you have trouble breathing, chest pain, or any other problems that concern you—or if your symptoms don’t seem to be going away.
People with underlying health conditions, who may be at greater risk for severe disease, should contact their doctor if they get sick to see if they need a prescription to reduce their risk for hospitalization, Labus says. “As these drugs are most useful soon after you begin to get sick, you should talk to your doctor before you get sick and have a plan for what to do at the first signs of illness.
If you’ve never gotten into a fight with your partner, I’d love to know all your secrets. However, most of us have been in relationships with both quickly-resolved arguments and passive-aggressive stand-offs that last for days. While you never want to be mistreating each other, working through conflict can lead to some healthy new agreements. The real key to respectful communication that leads you to growth mostly has to do with how your approach fights — and that can be described by your *taps mic* love language.
This idea originates from the book The Five Love Languages by relationship therapist Gary Chapman, who says that there are five primary ways we express love: words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving and giving gifts, quality time, and physical touch. For personality-type obsessed people, the love languages are a critical barometer in our self-perception of how we feel we are truly loved.
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If you’re not sure what your love language is, think about what usually causes you to lock horns in your relationship. What do you complain about most often? If you say “I wish you would pay more attention to me” when your significant other is glued to their phone during dinner, you’re revealing that “quality time” is your love language because you want their undivided attention. When your partner continually leaves household chores up to you, and it’s emotionally upsetting in a deep way, you’re revealing that “acts of service” are your love language. Your vexed grumbles divulge what your heart wants most, and they also say a lot about your fighting style. Here’s what you need to know:
Quality Time
People with this love language understand the value of time and attention. It’s not enough for you and your partner to be in the same room, they need to give their full eyes and ears. It makes sense then that, when you fight, you like to keep open lines of communication. Stonewalling? Never heard of her.
You tend to communicate assertively through direct interaction and connection, because time is a precious commodity. However, if your partner is treating your disagreement with indifference, you cling even harder to a particular issue because you’re fighting for engagement. Briana MacWilliam , licensed and board certified creative arts therapist, says that people with the “quality time” love language are at risk for over-control during arguments. “The first thing to remember is that whenever we are feeling triggered it is usually because we are experiencing a threat to our connection on some level. Some of us cope with that by trying to grasp for control, which can come across as criticizing or nagging.”
Physical Touch
People who give and receive love through physical touch are often uncomplicated and straightforward. You’re comfortable in your skin, which is why you have no problem holding hands, playing with hair and squeezing hard.
As such, being distant and cold with your partner is not the vibe, because even in the middle of a fight you’re probably longing to be held. That doesn’t mean you aren’t a formidable foe when you go toe-to-toe; with an action-oriented mentality, you have no problem speaking your mind and telling your partner exactly how you feel. The one thing to watch for in the middle of a disagreement? Placing too much blame, hello.
“Notice how you’re communicating with your partner,” advises relationship coach Amanda Blair. “Are you owning your feelings? So often when we communicate we say things like, ‘You make me feel X.’ And that comes across as blame and will make the other person defensive and shut down. Instead try, ‘When X happens, I feel X.’” When you communicate like this you are taking ownership of feelings, and doing so allows the other person to hear what’s really going on and show up in the same way.
Acts of Service
First of all, love you. So let’s be honest: people who prefer acts of service as their love language can be a bit utilitarian. I may be biased because this is my secondary love language, but here’s the way I see it: productivity and efficiency are flowery and romantic. You’ve got a soft spot for people who mow the lawn and make you a coffee in the morning while you’re answering emails. That means when you fight you’re focused on what’s practical and useful, and as such you might be abstracting yourself from true intimacy.
Even though you view your partner as your ultimate support system, you tend to be avoidant with your head firmly buried in the sand, keeping them at arm’s-length through “acts” and delegating, safely distanced from other displays of love that might lead to resolution.
Gifts
People think the “gifts” love language is materialistic, but it’s really about surrounding yourself with objects that make you feel sentimental. You love when your partner surprises you with something that says “they remembered me” — the cost or the value doesn’t matter, only the effort.
MacWilliam notes that those with the gifts love language have a tricky time during fights. The opposite of receiving gifts in a loving way is vamoosing out of there real fast because you feel downright uncomfortable.
“We give up and shut down because we think the conflict is creating a threat,” she explains. However, preemptive withdrawal is really just an expression of fear and needing reassurance. And maybe that means you need a physical reminder of your partner’s love for you, such as a bouquet or printed photo.
Words of Affirmation
As a person motivated by words of affirmation, you rely on external sources to keep you feeling good through approval and reassurance. You tend to be the most sensitive to people’s words — the critical ones especially — about your opinions and actions. Fighting makes you feel miserable because you hate ugly language, and heated arguments are the worst case scenario. However, you’re not quick to forgive. Not to be dramatic, but it might take a while before words of reassurance from your partner feel lasting again. You want the fight to be reconciled, but you do not want to ignore wrongdoing.
In the middle of conflict remember that it’s all right to feel extreme emotion! And as a strong communicator, it’s acceptable if in a disagreement you want to talk through, well… everything. Just try to resist letting insecurity and codependence take over. If you do, you risk becoming a pit that no daily barrage of compliments can fill.
The success of long-term relationships really comes down to a shared ability to communicate. Love is often put to the test with stress, set-backs, and disagreements — but they don’t have to become stumbling blocks. Much of communicating effectively relates back to understanding your partner’s needs and how they communicate, which is where love languages come into play. No matter your fighting style, if you want to find resolution you can always listen to understand your partner’s point of view as it relates to their love language. Offer them empathy and try to walk in their shoes, even if it doesn’t make sense to you.
Every elite athlete, whether a runner, cyclist, swimmer or gymnast, was once a beginner at her sport. Just like you, she started at ground zero, learning the bare basics, stumbling along through successes and mistakes and eventually coming out on top.
Whether you’re brand new to exercise or are returning after a long hiatus, there are a few things you should know before jumping in. Keep these in mind as you drive unequivocally toward your fitness goals.
Gyms are great, but you don’t need one to succeed
If you’re not down with sharing your space with other sweaty folk, or are trying to save your pennies, not to worry: You can get a killer workout without leaving your living room. All you need is your bodyweight, dumbbells or resistance bands and sneakers.
Don’t stress about concocting a bodypart split
Total-body workouts are best for beginners. These programsuse compound movements — ones that work multiple muscle groups simultaneously such as squats, dips, push-ups and lunges — to build your body evenly and synergistically while burning a ton of calories. Here’s a plus: If you do these moves in quick succession (i.e., without a lot of rest in between), the workout also becomes cardiovascular, burning even more calories and saving you a ton of time trudging on a treadmill.
Make your cardio quick and to the point
Yes, there is a place for long bouts of slow, steady cardio if you’re a marathoner or have medicalissues. If neither one applies, keep your cardio to sub-30 minutes per session and hit it hard. Research indicates that higher-intensity workouts burn more total calories, improve endurance and maximal oxygen consumption, and strip fat in half the time it would take to achieve the same result with traditional cardio. Bonus: High-intensity training also boosts the production of muscle-making and fat-burning compounds such as growth hormone, keeping you younger inside and out.
Put static stretching last
Returning exercisers might be surprised to learn that static stretching, in which you assume a stretch and hold it, has been replaced by dynamic stretching — in which you loosen your limbs with active range-of-motion movements such as leg swings and arm circles — preworkout. Save your static stretches for afterward when you’re warm and want to relax and lengthen your muscles.
You will be hungry
OK, you might even be ravenous. Don’t freak out: This is a good thing. It means your body is changing — growing muscle and shedding fat — and in order to do that it needs fuel. Feed the machine with lean protein such as grilled chicken and fish, complex carbs such as oatmeal and brown rice, and plenty of fruits and veggies.
You might gain weight
In reality, muscle weighs more than fat but takes up less space. Consider that weight is only a measure of how hard gravity is pulling you toward the Earth’s center. It does not take into account your percentage of fat versus muscle, your height, the time of the month or any of a dozen other factors that could affect your physical weight from day to day. A better way to gauge progress is how your clothing fits. If it is getting looser, even if you’re getting heavier, you’re on the right track.
The “golden rule” is 80/20
We all need a chocolate bar or gooey plate of nachos from time to time. If you eat healthy and clean 80 percent of the time, you can be a stress-free, regular human the other 20 percent. Allowing yourself a little indulgence now and again will make eating clean and sticking to your program easier, and will ultimately get you the results you want.
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Your body has millionsof parts working together every second of every day. In this series, Dr. Jen Caudle, a board-certified family medicine physician and an associate professor at Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, explains how the body works — and all of its quirks.
Scientists have discovered a rare group of people who can actually induce goosebumps when they want to. But if you’re like most people, you only get goosebumps involuntarily — namely, when you’re cold or experiencing intense emotions, such as fear, anger or even sadness.
You probably ignore them when they appear — after all, they’ll go away on their own. But why exactly do we get goosebumps in the first place? And is having goosebumps ever a cause for concern? Here’s what experts have to say.
What causes goosebumps?
Goosebumps occur when the body releases hormones that tighten the tiny muscles surrounding the roots of your body hair, Dr. Jen Caudle tells Yahoo Life. This tightening causes the hairs on your epidermis to stand straight up, forming small bumps on the skin.
These bumps show up when you’re cold and can also form when you experience intense emotions, such as fear, adds Caudle.
Goosebumps also regulate body temperature, by trapping a layer of air close to the skin. So when we’re cold, this can help keep us warm, Dr. Hana Patel, a London-based general practitioner in family medicine tells Yahoo Life.
Fun fact: Animals get goosebumps, too. The same phenomenon helps some animals look bigger, in response to something that could harm them.
Why do we get them when we’re experiencing strong emotions?
If you have goosebumps even when you don’t feel cold, it could mean that you’re feeling strong emotions, such as fear, anger, awe, pleasure and surprise. Simply listening to music that moves you, appreciating art or watching a scary horror movie can trigger the effect.
Researchers don’t entirely know why this happens when people experience intense emotions. But the body’s “fight or flight” response and adrenaline release contribute to goosebumps involuntarily forming, Dr. Nesochi Okeke-Igbokwe, an internal medicine physician and health expert, tells Yahoo Life.
What’s the difference between chills and goosebumps?
Although people think of goosebumps and chills as being interchangeable, they happen for different reasons.
“Chills are typically linked to fever and can be a response to a bacterial or viral infection,” Okeke-Igbokwe explains. Your body might also shiver when you have chills. Conversely, “Goosebumps typically arise as a response to stimuli such as cold air or strong emotions,” she says.
Are goosebumps ever a sign of a health condition?
“In some instances, goosebumps can be a sign of a health issue,” says Okeke-Igbokwe. “Goosebumps are linked to underlying health conditions, like certain brain disorders,” such as temporal lobe epilepsy. Opioid withdrawal symptoms may also cause goosebumps, she adds.
Patel notes that goosebumps resemble another, harmless, skin condition called keratosis pilaris or chicken skin. You can tell the difference by noting other skin changes. Keratosis pilaris causes the skin to be red, dry and itchy. If you’re experiencing these symptoms and have concerns, experts recommend consulting a doctor or dermatologist.
You’ve likely heard the term “narcissist” thrown around in relation to friends, family members, and partners. To some, the word simply refers to a person who thinks highly of themselves or is notably self-centered. But to mental health professionals, the term suggests narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) and has criteria for diagnosis.
“The narcissistic personality is comprised of the following core traits: lack of empathy, selfishness, deceit, manipulation, exploitation, entitlement, and a grandiose sense of self-importance,” explains Laura Bonk, MA, PLPC, a therapist at Heartland Therapy Connection. Further, narcissism exists on a spectrum, meaning someone can be highly narcissistic without being diagnosable with NPD. Read on to hear from therapists about the red flags that mean your partner may be a narcissist. Catch it early and connect with a professional before things spiral.
READ THIS NEXT: 5 Relationship Red Flags Everyone Misses, Experts Warn.
1
They seem too good to be true at first.
One of the primary signs your partner or future partner could be a narcissist is if they’re overly charming and charismatic at the beginning of your relationship. “The person seems too good to be true, you find yourself drawn to them, and they appear to be ‘perfect’ in so many ways,” says Lindsey Ferris, MS, LMFTA, a licensed marriage and family therapist associate in Washington. “This is not to say that sometimes this happens with people that are not narcissistic, but be mindful as you get to know this person that narcissists draw you into their web by mirroring your needs and wants.”
Narcissists do this because they need to mask their true selves to win you over. This gets you to trust them before they begin to engage in the more clear signs of narcissism. “You will have a more challenging time seeing [those] once they’ve won you over,” Ferris adds.
2
They think they’re superior to others.
Some of the biggest signs your partner is a narcissist have to do with how they relate to others. For example, “[narcissists] often think that they’re superior to others because of their accomplishments, wealth, status, or looks,” says Colleen Wenner, LMHC, MCAP, LP, founder and clinical director of New Heights Counseling&Consulting. “They believe that everyone else is envious of them and jealous of their success.”
This belief causes them to act entitled and think they deserve special treatment. Their air of grandiosity is frustrating to those around them and makes it difficult for the narcissist to accept criticism.
READ THIS NEXT: 7 Body Language Signs That Mean Your Partner Is Cheating, According to Therapists.
3
They never accept blame or apologize.
On a similar note, a narcissist will rarely apologize. “Blaming others and not taking responsibility are hallmarks of narcissism that create a catch-22 that thwarts healthy emotional growth and learning,” says Nikki Eisenhauer, MEd, LPC, LCDC, psychotherapist and the host of the Emotional Badass Podcast. “Narcissism creates a loop of self-righteousness. Basically, if I am always right and I am always the person in the room with the best ideas, why would I ever be compelled to humble myself, look in the mirror, swallow pride, offer forgiveness to myself or others, to learn something new?”
This way of thinking means the narcissist never learns or seeks out ways to better themselves. “Round and round a narcissist’s righteousness goes, disinterested in ever emotionally evolving as people with healthier empathy do,” Eisenhauer adds.
4
They fish for compliments.
We all love to receive positive feedback now and then, but narcissists absolutely crave it. “People who are narcissistic will often go out of their way to elicit a compliment, sometimes even asking for one directly,” says Adam Holman, LCSW, of Main Quest Psychotherapy. “At the root, people who are narcissistic need to feel better than other people in order to feel valuable. Receiving praise helps feed the idea that the person is superior to others.”
If your partner constantly fishes for compliments about their appearance before a big night out or about their career success in general conversation, there may be a bigger issue to discuss.
5
They gaslight you.
Because narcissists cannot feel empathy, they put the people around them through the emotional wringer. One way this could show up is through gaslighting, or telling you that your feelings or experiences are wrong. “Questioning a person’s experience creates doubt—doubt within yourself about yourself,” says Sarah E. F. O’Brien, LCSW, LCSW-C, CCATP, CTMH, a licensed clinical social worker. “That leaves room for the narcissist to take control. Control over people and circumstances is the objective of a narcissist.”
If you suspect this is the dynamic at play between you and your partner, you’ll want to connect with a professional.
The world’s top cocoa producers, Ghana and Ivory Coast, are boycotting meetings in Brussels of the World Cocoa Foundation on cocoa sustainability this Wednesday and Thursday (October 26 and 27).
Authorities in the two West African countries accuse multinational chocolate companies and traders of blocking measures to improve cocoa farmers’ incomes.
Ghana and Ivory coast’s grievances concern the Living Income Differential (LID) set at a standard of $400 per tonne and charged on top of world prices. The LID was introduced in 2019 to guarantee cocoa farmers a minimum price that would improve the income of farmers, many of whom live in poverty.
But commodity traders set a negative differential for the two nations at 260 dollars per tonne.
In July 2022 a further decision was taken to no longer sell their cocoa with negative country differentials.
Both countries account for about two-thirds of global cocoa production, but farmers in those countries earn less than 6% of revenues in a chocolate industry valued at more than $100 billion a year.
Arguing that farmers have always been given a raw deal when it comes to pricing, four civil society organizations in Ghana and Ivory Coast have thrown their weight behind the boycott.
The World Cocoa Foundation, a group representing 80% of the global market, says its 2022 meetings are to discuss steps to improve farmer pay, combat child labor and end deforestation linked to cultivation of the crop.
