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Oshiomhole unopposed for APC chair, Ebri bows out
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ebri noted that what happened in the leadership of the apc was directly responsible as to whether it could deliver on its promises to nigerians to provide them with better lives1 the coast is virtually clear for former governor adams oshiomholes bid for the chairmanship of the all progressives congress1 ebris decision to withdraw from the race was made known on thursday in his letter titled withdrawal from national championship race in abuja1 ebris decision came ahead of the partys national convention slated for saturday and followed two other chairmanship aspirants withdrawal from the race1 he stated in the letter that his decision to withdraw from the race came after due consultations with friends family and associates in the interest of the party1 he added that the decision was also taken in his belief that all stakeholders must tow in the same rancour free direction as the 2019 general election approaches1 the last of his rivals chief clement ebri also a former governor of cross river announced his withdrawal from the race leaving oshiomhole now unopposed1 he said that such was the core conviction that drove him into declaring his candidacy for the partys national chairmanship position in the first place1 he also stated that the fundamental task of the apc was to win elections adding that it behoved on the party to offer its elected officials a means for organising government1 this ebri said became the primary link between the people and government1 he also urged his supporters to transfer their support for his aspiration to former governor of edo mr adams oshiomhole as national chairman of the apc1 we should all render him every support and encouragement he needs as he and his team proceed to rebuild our party into a formidable unified and inclusive organisation where every voice counts he said1 -
Kaduna: Shiite members arrested over killing of policeman
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the police command in kaduna on friday said it had arrested nine suspected members of islamic movement in nigeria imn known as the shiite over violent attack on police officers in the state1 the states commissioner of police mr austin iwar disclosed this in a statement signed by the public relations officer pro mr muhktar aliyu in kaduna1 aliyu also confirmed the killing of a police officer during the attack1 he said the command had deployed men from its intelligence unit to trail the leaders and coordinators of the attack1 the command wishes to inform the general public that again on the june 21 2018 at about 1000 hours the violent members of the proscribed imn popularly refer to as shiite armed with guns knives and improvised explosive devises ieds violently attacked every police officer on sight during which they brutally killed a police officer and injured several others aliyu said1 he described the action as confrontational and a calculated attempt to force the police into conflict with the group to disrupt the peace in the state1 in the cause of containing the incident a number of suspects were arrested and will soon be charged to court1 the police will not leave any stone unturned in making sure that those who are bent on perpetrating evil through violence are brought to book1 members of the public are enjoined to work with the police and other security agencies by providing timely information on any emerging threat to our collective peaceful existence1 they are also to caution their relations and wards to desist from supporting or joining the violent group as the command has resolved to apply the full weight of the law in dealing with persons disturbing the peace in the state aliyu said1 -
5 activists gang-raped at gunpoint in India
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they filed a police complaint on wednesday while police arrested one of the suspects on thursday and detained several more for questioning1 five activists putting on a play about the horror of human trafficking were allegedly abducted and gang-raped at gunpoint in indias eastern state of jharkhand this week police said on friday1 as the play was in progress a group of six armed men came on bikes and beat up the men accompanying them1 they then took the women away at gunpoint to the forests nearby where they were sexually assaulted a local police officer said requesting anonymity1 the victims aged between 19 and 35 were later released1 the women who work with a non-governmental organisation ngo supported by local christian missionaries were staging street plays against human trafficking in khunti a predominantly tribal district on tuesday when they were attacked1 medical tests to confirm the sexual assault were being conducted1 police said the attackers were supporters of pathalgadi a tribal system that considers the village council the sole authority governing the village and which does not recognise the states authority1 the heinous crime was committed apparently by supporters of this movement who wanted to send a message to ngos and government agencies to stay clear of their villages the police officer said1 media reports said the rapists made a video and used it to threaten the women with exposure if they complained1 attacks on women particularly sexual violence have been a focus in india since the fatal gang rape of a student on a bus in new delhi in 2012 triggered mass protests. dpanan1 -
Journalist Abiri arrested for oil pipeline vandalism
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he reassured that the administration would also do nothing untoward to damage the credibility it had demonstrated in promoting press freedom since coming into power in may 20152 on the issue of the arrest and continued detention of mr jones abiri who allegedly parades himself as a journalist by the department of state services dss it is instructive to note that the accused is a guest of the security agency because of his alleged involvement in militant and criminal activities2 as a true believer in the rule of law and the integral role of the media in a democracy the presidency did interface with the security agency involved in the matter and our findings confirmed that the suspect is in custody because of alleged involvement in pipeline vandalism and theft2 abiri is not a registered journalist with any of the media professional bodies in the country2 shehu said abiri was arrested for pipeline vandalism and crude theft including militant activities in the niger delta2 he therefore frowned at those individuals or groups insinuating that president buhari was in support of restrictions on freedom of expression and the media2 it is therefore very uncharitable for anyone or group to suggest otherwise or infer that the president is in support of restrictions on freedom of expression and the media2 the presidential spokesman maintained that the buhari administration would continue to promote the freedom and safety of journalists2 abiris stock-in-trade and notoriety in the liberalised nigeria media industry include fronting as a spokesman for militants engaged in economic sabotage in the niger delta region he added1 according to the presidential aide president buhari is resolutely committed to the freedom of the press and his administration will ensure that media personnel in the country discharge their duties without let or hindrance1 the presidential spokesman was reacting to a statement at the world congress of international press institute in abuja that a journalist known as jones abiri was arrested in the course of his work1 mr. jones abiri the man said to have been arrested by the department of state services dss is not a journalist and does not belong to any chapel of the nigerian union of journlists malam garba shehu the senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity clarified thursday night1 admittedly the issue of abiri had been brought to the attention of the presidency by the committee to protect journalists cpj1 shehu further stated that there was no evidence to show that abiri belonged to any chapel or membership of the nigerian union of journalists nuj or payment of the unions check-off dues1 -
Okomu oil commits N80m to safety
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in 2017 we spent n8.4 million on environmental impact assessments and audits1 days after it declared n2.8 billion dividend the management of okomu oil palm has committed n80 million to environmental and health safety for its staff and host communities1 heifer spoke to the news agency of nigeria nan on friday on the side-line of activities to mark the companys health safety and environment hse day1 activities to mark the day were held at the companys corporate headquarters at okomu in udo ovia south west local government area of edo1 heifer said the companys management which had taken issues of hse as a priority was hopeful of getting the round-table on sustainable palm oil rspo certification this year to meet global standards1 rspo was established in 2004 with the objective of promoting the growth and use of sustainable oil palm products through credible global standards and engagement of stakeholders1 heifer said we will continue to focus our energy on environmental conservation health education and safety issues1 this is to ensure that any negative impact on our staff their families communities stakeholders and the surrounding biodiversity within our jurisdiction as result of our activities are mitigated and minimised1 the company successfully completed all statutory environmental audits in 2017 without any state and federal sanctions and continues to pursue and maintain certifications by international standards organisation to ensure that stakeholders are guaranteed the highest standards possible1 he said that the company has designated more than 10 per cent of its total area as high conservation value hcv areas a notable achievement in the area of conservation1 the managing director of the company dr graham heifer said that the 2018 commitment was in line with international best practices1 the company also spent n48 million on staff health safety and welfare programmes up from n35 million in 20161 the managing director further said that the company had invited independent auditors from internationally recognised ngos who work closely with rspo for independent assessment1 the independent auditors have said we are good to go and all that is remaining is for us to book an appointment with an auditor from rspo to do its order which we hope will take place in october1 once we are certified we are then able to display the ispo logo on our banner like the iso certification1 the certification will be pleasing to us as that will make okomu oil plc the first nigerian company to be so certified by rspo he said1 mr benson imasuen the edo chairman of the agricultural and allied employees union of nigeria commended the management of the company for its proactive measures especially on hse-related matters1 it is wonderful to know what okomu is doing with hse to ensure safety of human beings and the environment1 its one of the companies we know that is 100 per cent compliant with rspo conditions1 we as a union are confident that the company will get rspo certification this year he said1 the company on june 12 announced a n2.8 billion dividend after tax for shareholders. nan1 -
Nigeria Vs Iceland: Saraki meets Super Eagles ahead of Match (Video)
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by ifeanyi nwoko15 however nigeria who are in group d still stands a chance of qualifying as argentina only has two one point having drawn their first match and lost the second while iceland has one point from their first game against argentina1 the president of the nigerian senate dr bukola saraki has met with the super eagles players in russia ahead of their world cup match against iceland1 saraki who is in russia on a working visit on the invitation of the chairperson of the russian parliament made out time to meet and address the super eagles team1 saraki who was flanked by the super eagles coach and their trainer told the boys that his visit was to further encourage them like he did in abuja nigeria before they departed1 the nigerian super eagles will be playing against iceland in their second game at the world cup having lost their first match by two goals down to croatia1 nigeria vs iceland saraki meets super eagles ahead of match1 croatia tops the group with 6 points having won nigeria in their first leg and defeated argentina by 3-0 in the second leg on thursday1 i am here just to encourage you and to tell you that you are lucky and opportune to be here. i know that you can do it and i wish i had the talent to be here too he said1 he encouraged the players to put up their best and ensure they came out victorious in their remaining two matches at the group stage1 he assured the players of the support and the prayers of many nigerians back at home1 if nigeria wins the matcg against iceland they will be in second position on the group with 3 points1 -
Electricity generators, major cause of hearing loss in Nigeria expert
News & Trends •
according to him there are no public health strategies in the country to address risk factors and as a result the number of people with hearing loss will keep increasing1 how generator is causing hearing loss to many nigerians expert1 an expert on hearing loss dr bolajoko olusanya on friday identified generators some prescription drugs and exposure to loud noise as major causes of hearing loss in the country1 olusanya a medical director at a lagos clinic phonics hearing centre made remarks in an interview with the news agency of nigeria nan on friday in lagos1 in nigeria we use generators a lot because of frequent power outages1 the public should be sensitised to recognise that apart from getting power supply from generators staying too long near them can cause hearing loss and once you have hearing loss it is for life1 also people who are exposed to loud noise including pepper grinding machines those in the aviation industry as well as factory workers are at risk of hearing loss1 people should be made aware that if you are working where there is noise do not stay for too long and if you have to stay use ear plugs to protect your hearing1 another risk factor apart from generators is the frequent use of drugs like some antibiotics are susceptible to hearing loss he said1 the expert noted that there were no studies till date to show how prevalent hearing loss was among the populace1 he said however in 2000 the national ear care centre carried out a survey on the incidence of hearing loss that showed about 14 per cent of school children had hearing loss1 olusanya said that no other survey had been carried out since then1 by esenvosa izah1 the world health organization who says that the number of people with hearing loss is on the increase1 the organisation says it has increased from 360 million to 466 million and it is projected by that by 2050 about almost a million people will have hearing loss. so what we need to do as a country is to find out the risk factors of hearing loss in our environment and government should take steps to address them.1 it is a wake-up call that the national ear care centre should be equipped and properly resourced to create adequate awareness on the issue he said1 olusanya said that in 2005 his clinic carried out a research to find out the major cause of hearing loss in children1 according to him the findings showed that jaundice was the major cause of hearing loss in children in the nigerian environment1 other causes he said include infections some premature babies and congenital conditions such as cerebral palsy1 we are working on sensitising mothers that once a baby is born and it is discovered that the babys eyes are turning yellow they should visit the hospital immediately1 the mothers should recognise the risk factors and take necessary steps to get care for their babies olusanya said1 nigeria is said to record more than100 000 cases per year. treatment may help but the condition is not curable1 the condition is usually self-diagnosable but laboratory tests or imaging is often required and chronic cases can last for years or be lifelong1 deafness is usually the result of inner ear or nerve damage. it may be caused by a congenital defect injury disease certain medication exposure to loud noise or age-related wear and tear1 the chief symptom is an inability to hear sound. for some hearing may be possible with surgery or a hearing device. lip-reading skills written or printed text and sign language may help with communication1 -
Agbakobas NIM joins ANN
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therefore having come to the reasoned conclusion that political parties are pillars for nurturing popular democracy and nurturing good governance and that political parties that have superintended over the affairs of the country have failed1 the nigerian intervention movement nimled by olisa agbakobo on wednesday adopted alliance for new nigeria ann as the political party to contest the 2019 general elections1 agbakoba chair of nim was the former national president of the nigerian bar association nba. nims co-chair is dr abdul jelil-tafawa balewa1 the news agency of nigeria nan reports that prominent members of nim and executive members of the ann were present at the gathering1 they included debe odimegwu-ojukwu son of late founder of all progressives grand alliance apga chief odimegwu ojukwu mr fela durotoye and mrs elishama ideh both presidential aspirants under the ann platform1 agbakoba said the decision of nim to fuse into ann was borne out of the need to realise its vision for nigeria1 represented by nims deputy-director-general mallam nasir kuta agbakoba said the limited time to the general elections would not permit nim to register as a political party to pursue its vision1 agbakoba said the movement settled for ann because the party shared in its vision and ideology to build a better nigeria1 it is trite to state that the majority of nigerians have been overwhelmed by the extant quality of politics going on in our dear country as manifested by self-serving politics1 for us in nim the whole essence of political leadership and government is the welfare and wellbeing of the citizenry1 therefore there is need to restore hope to this country. the nim was formed on 28th november 2017 by a new breed of leaders of conscience towards breathing a new life of constitutional democracy and good governance trajectory that will engender a new nigeria that works for all of us1 the political movement announced its adoption of ann a relatively new party at a gathering on lagos1 and given the timeline of the general elections it was our resolve to adopt a fresh and untainted political party with elemental potential of delivering dividends of democracy towards realizing a new nigeria of our dream he said1 agbakoba added that ann was chosen after nim had scanned no fewer than 17 parties that shared its vision1 he said ann was the only party appropriate for nim to pursue its pvc driven ballot revolution in 20191 he said with the adoption of ann the political movement would gradually wind up and fuse into the party democratically1 agbakoba urged nigerians to join the ann with the nim in order to present a credible alternative in 20191 he also urged citizens to obtain their pvcs as it was the instrument with which to elect their preferred leaders1 speaking national chairman of ann dr jay osi-samuels said the adoption of ann by nim was historic1 he said the marriage of the two platforms was borne out of the need to give nigerians a credible alternative in 20191 samuels said the coming of the two platforms meant they were both one and that the structure now belonged to both groups1 he urged nigerians to trust the platform to deliver the goods in 20191 we also urged citizens to obtain their pvcs as that is what they need to realise the country of their dream he said1 -
Oshiomhole: I will ensure party supremacy as APC Chairman
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according to him the whole idea of seeking election on a partys platform is to share binding ideas and to positively impact on peoples well being1 former edo governor adams oshiomhole has said that he will ensure party supremacy if elected as the national chairman of the all progressives congress apc at its national convention on saturday1 oshiomohole stressed that it was the duty of political parties particularly a governing party to have policies on the economy social policies and policies that would determine how the society is organised and run1 he maintained that if elected he would subject the president and other elective officers to the dictates of the party1 he specifically said that his leadership would be clear on issues of the economy and governance and would promote core values of progressives governance1 my hope is that if by the special grace of god i become the apc national chairman we will need to be very clear about all these and other issues1 anyone elected on our platform including the president will be expected to conduct government and governance in a way that promote the core values of progressive governance he said1 he decried the promotion of ethnic and religious matters by major political parties in the country1 he stated this on wednesday in abuja when he had an interactive session with apc young stakeholders1 oshiomohole said it was unfortunate that we were yet to have any serious political platform where the agenda was to debate policy choices1 to me this is what a political party should represent. it is not only meeting during elections but meeting from time to time to discuss policy optionshe said1 he assured that if elected as apc next national chairman he would subject everyone to the dictates of the partys constitution1 we will remain faithful to the manifesto of the party on the basis of which we were elected by the nigerian people1 i believe that everything considered we are still the favorite party but we must not take the support of the people for granted1 my task is to be able to assist government at all levels to work in a way that will reflect the core values of the apc. he said1 the news agency of nigeria nan reports that oshiomhole would be contesting the apc national chairmanship position with prof. oserheimenosunbor who was also a former governor of edo at the partys national convention slated for june 231 -
Jacinda Ardern New Zealand PM gives birth to baby girl
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peters who became arderns deputy is now acting prime minister while she takes six weeks maternity leave although she will continue to be consulted on significant issues1 new zealand prime minister jacinda ardern gave birth to a baby girl in an auckland hospital thursday becoming only the second world leader to do so while in office1 im sure were going through all of the emotions new parents go through but at the same time feeling so grateful for all the kindness and best wishes from so many people. thank you ardern said1 she added on instagram that the baby was healthy and doing well1 were all doing really well thanks to the wonderful team at auckland city hospital1 the charismatic ardern follows pakistans prime minister benazir bhutto in 1990 as the only women in recorded history to give birth while in power but she downplayed the significance1 lots of people juggle a lot of things in their personal and private lives and im not unusual in that. plenty of women have multitasked before me and i want to acknowledge that she said when revealing the pregnancy in january1 the birth capped an eventful year for ardern who became prime minister last october three months after inheriting the leadership of the labour party when it was languishing in the polls1 when no party won sufficient support in the election to form a government she was anointed prime minister by new zealand first leader winston peters the kingmaker in a three-party coalition also involving the greens1 it was the first child for the 37-year-old and her 40-year-old partner clarke gayford with the new arrival weighing in at 3.3 kilogrammes 7.3 pounds1 new zealand opposition leader simon bridges offered congratulations1 being parents is a joy and a privilege and we are sure your new arrival will fill your lives with all the happiness our children have ours he said1 ardern who refused to discuss plans for motherhood during the election campaign waited until january to reveal on facebook she had conceived and was going to be prime minister and a mum1 her plans for a family had sparked a sexism row during the election when a television host quizzed her on the issue saying voters had a right to know before they cast their ballots1 she rejected the line of questioning as unacceptable saying pregnancy and child rearing should not hinder womens opportunities in the workplace1 it is a womans decision about when they choose to have children and it should not predetermine whether or not they are given a job or have job opportunities she said then1 pakistans bhutto who was assassinated in 2007 gave birth in january 1990 to her daughter bakhtawar who now describes herself on twitter as 1st child born to a sitting female prime minister1 ardern was due on june 17 and had said she did not want the pregnancy to drag on and was prepared to be induced if necessary1 the prime minister and gayford who hosts a television fishing show had known the sex of the baby for several months but decided to keep it secret from the public1 -
2 bombers in failed mission at Mammy market
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the borno command of the nigerian police force said two female boko haram bombers died on wednesday night while attempting to infiltrate 333 artillery military hangout in maiduguri1 edet okon the police public relations officerppro disclosed this in a statement released today in maiduguri1 okon said that the first bomber was gunned down by soldiers while trying to buy a ticket to gain entrance into mammy market where soldiers socialise. the soldiers had shot her on suspicion she was a bomber1 the bomb exploded and killed the first bomber while the second bomber detonated her ied inside the tricycle. the driver of the tricycle fled the scene1 as a result of the explosions the two bombers died instantly while fifteen persons were injured and were rushed to the hospital for treatment1 meanwhile the scene of incident has been sanitised by a team of eod personnel and normalcy has been restored1 the commissioner of police borno state cp damian chukwu assures members of the public of the commitment of the force to continue to protect lives and properties at all times1 he also urged residents to be extra vigilant and to promptly report suspicious persons and activities to the police or other security agencies for necessary actions1 -
Yoga antidote to drug addiction Priest
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source63 fr. joe pereira president of the mumbai ngo kripa foundation says that practicing yoga will help to combat drug addiction1 he was speaking to asianews ahead of the fourth international day of yoga which is being celebrated today1 he has been invited to give an address in london on an initiative on this subject organised by the parliamentary group all party uk in the house of lords1 the priest said that for 50 years he practiced the iyengar yoga method and had been a pupil of its founder bellur krishnamukari sundara iyengar1 in the same way for the past 30 years his foundation has used yoga to help in the rehabilitation of people with alcohol and drug problems1 the kripa foundation offers an intense program of yoga and meditation designed especially for people who undergo treatments and recovery sessions [from drug addiction]1 todays celebration is deeply felt not only in india but in various parts of the world1 social networks abound with photos of indian premier narendra modi as he leads an exercise of 55 thousand volunteers in dehradun uttarakhand1 howeveron the claim that the practice leads to the divine emphasizing instead the beneficial effects on body and physical health1 kripa foundation is an ngo that cares for aids patients and drug addicts1 responding to the perplexities that a catholic priest who teaches yoga raises he replies1 first of all i have been practicing iyengar yoga for 50 years1 after the second vatican council the catholic church has received elements of spirituality from the religions of the whole world1 in my work with drug addicts i have found that the answer to the thirst for love and god is fulfilled through the discipline of the body1 with the body as a temple of the spirit of god everyone has a journey towards god within his own self1 i love the catholic church he concludes because it is truly catholic it welcomes this discipline within contemplative practice he said1 he said he would continue to use yoga for the two dimensions of drug addiction and contemplative prayer1 he added that the kripa model is now used all over the world as a tool for recovery1 i will propose to the english parliamentarians to implement the same method also in the united kingdom .he added1 according to the indian priest meditation and yoga have the power to help us get in touch with the true inner self and to transcend the world of prakriti and of materialism and to operate from a level of awareness which brings us to our essential uniqueness1 -
Breaking: Buhari visits storm-ravaged Bauchi
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president muhammadu buhari has arrived bauchi capital of bauchi state where a windstorm on saturday destroyed many buildings and schools1 buhari who only several months ago visited the city returned this morning to commiserate with the people over the loss of lives and property1 president buhari had on 19 june also dispatched a team led by the minister of education malam adamu adamu to assess the damage done by the storm1 an estimated 1505 houses including the office of the news agency of nigeria were destroyed by the storm1 the presidential delegation included the director general of national emergency management agency nema mr mustapha yunusa maihaja1 gov. mohammed abubakar of bauchi had said 349 schools were damaged across the state by the windstorm1 abubakar disclosed this while receiving chairman and members of the universal basic education commission ubec governing board in bauchi on a courtesy visit1 from the report we received so far 349 schools were affected by the recent disaster from 13 out of the 20 local government areas of the state1 the schools need immediate renovation because the roofs furniture and computers were all damaged and students are about to start examination he said1 abubakar called on management of ubec to assist in renovation of some of the schools just as he urged the chairman to find time and inspect some of the affected schools1 -
South Korea to ban killing of Dogs
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source63 a revised animal protection law that aims to ban killings of dogs has been proposed by lawmakers in seoul1 it also mandates people in slaughtering business to prepare measures to minimize sufferings of animals in a killing1 the current law doesnt force suffering preventions but states that slaughtering should not cause fear or stress to animals1 this proposed bill aims to ban arbitrary killings of animals and stop any gruesome acts of killing1 the proposed legislation seeks to prohibit unlawful killings of animals such as dogs and cats that are not categorized as livestock1 across the country dogs are raised and slaughtered for the dog meat trade but are not regulated by the sanitary processing of livestock act said lee so-young pyos secretary officer1 eating dog meat has been practiced for many pears here. however it has met criticisms for the horrific conditions and ways in which dogs are raised treated and later killed for the dog meat trade1 as dogs fall into the gray area in the law there are still many cases in which dogs are slaughtered cruelly in unreported places lee so-young secretary of lawmaker pyo chang-won of the democratic party of korea told upi1 this revised law responds to the growing interest in animal protection and the need for a legislation that would offer practical measures to prevent animal abuse and illegal killings said lee1 it will give lawful protection to animals and ban any killings of animals that fall into the gray area of the current animal protection law pyo chang-won of the democratic party of korea said in the press statement1