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    India: 7 killed in Kashmir gun battle

    India: 7 killed in Kashmir gun battle

    Four Indian soldiers and three militants were killed in an exchange of fire in India-administered Kashmir on Sunday.

    The gun battle began after a Border Security Force (BSF) patrol team noticed suspicious movement about 3.5 km into India-controlled territory along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara district, Defence Ministry spokesman Rajesh Kalia said.

    The heavily militarized LoC is a de facto border that divides the disputed territory of Kashmir in two. One part is administered by India, the other by Pakistan.

    A BSF trooper and a militant were killed in the initial exchange of fire which took place around 1 a.m. (0730 GMT), after which reinforcements were rushed to the site.

    Heavy firing followed, in which three Indian Army personnel and two rebels were killed, Kalia said.

    At least two soldiers were injured and have been evacuated. Operations, meanwhile, are continuing.

    Nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan both claim the Kashmir region in its entirety and have fought two wars over it.

    India routinely accuses Pakistan of aiding militants and helping them cross the border to carry out attacks in India-administered Kashmir.

    Islamabad denies the charges and describes the militants as freedom fighters.

    India-administered Kashmir has seen a deadly secessionist movement since the 1980s in which more than 45,000 people civilians, security personnel and militants have been killed.

    Source: NAN News

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    COVID-19: Iran records 459 deaths in one day

    COVID-19

    Irans Health Ministry reported on Sunday that the country recorded 459 deaths due to COVID-19 in a day, as the daily infection rate also reached new heights.

    There were more than 9,200 new cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the countrys total since the pandemic began to more than 682,000.

    Irans death roll has reached 38,291, ministry spokesperson Sima Lari told a state broadcaster.

    There could be twice as many cases in the country, however, given the shortage of testing facilities, according to experts.

    Presently, 25,000 people are tested each day in Iran, and there are plans to raise testing capacity to 40,000.

    However, experts say at least 200,000 tests would need to be carried out daily to obtain accurate case numbers for the populace of more than 82 million. (dpa/NAN)

    Source: NAN News

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    Economic diversification, ethical leadership panacea to Nigerias economic crisis, says Danbatta

    Prof. Umar Danbatta NCC Boss

    By Jessica Dogo

    The Executive Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta, has underscored the centrality of economic diversification and ethical leadership in tackling Nigerias economic crisis.

    Danbatta made the statement in a paper he delivered at a two-day hybrid online and onsite Annual Directors Conference, organised by the Institute of Directors (IoD).

    The paper was entitled: Ethical Leadership as an Instrument for National Sustainability in the Post-Oil Nigerian Economy: A Public Sector Perspective.

    The Director of Public Affairs of the NCC, Dr Ikechukwu Adinde, released the paper to newsmen in Abuja on Sunday.

    Danbatta stressed that the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) or digital age promises greater revenue-earning potential to the nation.

    The NCC chief also discussed Nigerias economic shift to oil revenue, following the discovery of oil, leading to the relegation of agriculture, which was hitherto, the source of Nigerias foreign exchange earnings.

    He said the Federal Government had since realised that Nigeria could not depend solely on oil revenue anymore, prompting its decision to explore ways of diversifying the economy.

    According to him, economic diversification is the process of shifting an economy from a single income source toward multiple sources from a growing range of sectors and markets.

    This is with a view to increasing productivity, creating jobs and providing the basis for sustained economic growth.

    Danbatta said that although, the government had made several attempts at economic diversification, such attempts had little impact as majority of them had folded up.

    He said that the situation had been compounded by the recent economic recession and the COVID-19 pandemic, which adversely affected the global economy, including the Nigerian economy.

    Danbatta stated that countries and societies had evolved by finding new ways of doing things to ensure economic sustainability, which he said, had led to the first, second and third industrial revolutions.

    Currently, countries are exploiting the 4IR in order to diversify their economies.

    The fourth industrial revolution, which has also been referred to as 4IR or Industry 4.0, describes the age of intelligence and encompasses technologies like high-speed mobile internet, artificial intelligence, automation, use of big data analytics and cloud computing, he said.

    Danbatta, while highlighting the major constraints facing Nigeria with regard to the fourth industrial revolution said it included inadequacy of digital skills, infrastructure deficit and the enabling environment.

    He described 4IR as the information and digital economy age, which if properly enhanced and exploited, can unleash a new phase of massive revenue generation and wealth creation for Nigeria in the post-oil era.

    This is because while natural resources such as oil, gas, and so on are finite, data and information are infinite.

    The possibilities provided by 4IR are limitless and can generate employment for Nigerias teeming youth population.

    Therefore, in order to achieve economic growth using the 4IR, there is need for ethical leadership.

    Zeroing on the centrality of ethical leadership in the public sector, Danbatta said that in order to achieve national sustainability in the post-oil Nigerian economy, the highest standard of ethical leadership was required of all leaders, especially in the public sector.

    Ethical leadership is essential for sustainable development of a country.

    Nurturing an ethical leadership culture is essential and this will determine the transformation and overall development of the country.

    Nigeria stands at the threshold of history and would definitely need ethical leaders to ensure sustainability in the post-oil era as government takes positive steps to diversify the economy, he added.

    The IoD Nigeria Annual Directors Conference is the institutes flagship event and it is usually attended by captains of industry and directors in both private and public sectors of the Nigerian economy.

    It is a forum where contemporary issues affecting leadership and corporate governance of Nigerias businesses are x-rayed and global best practice solutions provided by professionals and practitioners in corporate administrations. (NAN)

    Source: NAN News

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    NCDC rises in support of Delta, Enugu states over suspected Yellow Fever outbreak

    NCDC Boss

    By Abujah Racheal

    The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says it is supporting Delta and Enugu States in their battle against a suspected outbreak of yellow fever.

    Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abuja, its Director-General, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, said the support became expedient following the reports of a sudden spike in cases and deaths in some communities in the two states.

    Ihekweazu said Delta notified the NCDC about cases presenting with symptoms of Yellow Fever) on Nov. 2, while Enugu State followed suit on Nov. 3.

    Most of the cases presented with fever, headache, fatigue, jaundice and vomiting (with or without blood) among others.

    As of Nov. 6, three samples from Delta and one sample from Enugu State tested positive for Yellow Fever at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital Laboratory in Edo and at the NCDCs National Reference Laboratory in Abuja.

    He said more samples were being tested from both states to confirm the causative organism of the outbreak.

    The director-general said that epidemiology teams from both state were leading the investigation with support from the NCDC, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the WHO.

    He said that the NCDC had activated an incident management system to coordinate response activities and that it had sent Rapid Response Teams (RRT) to the two states.

    They are carrying out active case searches, risk communications and community engagement as well as ensuring prompt management of cases, while our sister agency, the NPHCDA is planning a vaccination campaign.

    Yellow fever is a vaccine-preventable disease. A single vaccination provides immunity for life. Symptoms of the disease include yellowness of the eyes, sudden fever, headache and body pain.

    The yellow fever vaccine is available for free in primary health care centres in Nigeria as part of the national childhood routine immunisation schedule, Ihekweazu said.

    He advised Nigerians keep their environments clean and free of stagnant water to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes, which cause fevers. He also advised the use of insecticide-treated mosquito nets.

    Ihekweazu also advised parents to ensure that their children are vaccinated against yellow fever as part of the national childhood routine immunisation schedule. (NAN)

    Source: NAN News

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    COVID-19 protocols : Oyo Govt threatens to shut down errant institutions

    COVID-19

    By David Adeoye

    The Oyo State COVID-19 Task Force has threatened to shut down any school, religious centre or workplace that violates the protocols on the use of closed space.

    In a statement issued on Saturday in Ibadan by Mr Taiwo Adisa, the Chief Press Secretary to Gov. Seyi Makinde on behalf of the Task Force, managements of schools, workplaces and religious centres were enjoined to ensure strict compliance with the established COVID-19 protocols.

    The advice became necessary following the discovery of a COVID-19 case in a tertiary institution in the state.

    The Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) of the Task Force has immediately ordered a lock-in of the affected tertiary institution to keep staff, students and the general public safe.

    The EOC has also kick-started contact tracing while subjecting every possible contact to necessary surveillance, the statement added.

    The Taskforce urged the public not to panic as all necessary protocols needed for effective management and psychosocial support had been instituted.
    It called on the public to remain vigilant.

    The Taskforce essentially wishes to implore considerable restraint at closed gatherings and environments, especially in closed educational, religious and social environment.

    It is important to note that these measures are not in any way punitive but are essentially aimed at protecting the lives of all and sundry from the menace of the virus, as well as prevent the spread of the virus within our communities.

    All hygienic practices associated with the preventive protocols are to be properly adhered to, while the utilisation of safety devices as well as social distancing should also be upheld.

    In Oyo State, the slogan has been Own Your Action (OYA).

    The task force urged the residents to take responsibility for their actions as such actions would have a collective impact on all. (NAN)

    Source: NAN News

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    FG seeks support of South-East leaders on social media regulation

    Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture

    By Stanley Nwanosike

    The Federal Government on Saturday solicited the support of South-East governors and leaders in the zone on social media regulation to check fake news and misinformation of Nigerians..

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Mr Lai Mohammed, made the appeal while speaking at a presidential delegation interaction with South-East governors and other leaders of the zone in Enugu.

    Mohammed said that the #EndSARS protest and agitation that turned violent and destructive in the country were brought about by fake news emanating from the negative use of the social media.

    According to him, the purported massacre leading to the EndSARS protest only happened in the social media.

    He said some Nigerians were misled by fake news on social media which turned out as hatred for the police as well as public and private property.

    It is time we must regulate the social media; regulation in this term does not mean stopping or gagging the social media but making its users more responsible.

    It is in ensuring that the social media and its content are used for positive deeds and to promote peace and oneness of the country, he said.

    According to him, making social media more responsible will check the sad experience of what a hate speech emanating from a fake news did to Rwanda where over 800,000 people were massacred.

    The minister also enumerated various social intervention programmes targeted at the youths to engage them and create financial opportunities for them and other Nigerians.

    He cited the initiatives to include the N75billion Youth Intervention Fund; the N75billion MSME fund, N-Power Scheme, Artisan Financial Credit Scheme, Trader Money and Farm Money.

    He said that no administration in the history of the country had put in place lots of intervention programmes to cushion poverty and create employment as the current one.

    Earlier, the leader of the presidential delegation, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, said that the delegation wanted to interact with leaders of the zone sincerely to understand the needs of the zone as well as assure them the unflinching support of the Federal Government.

    Gambari, who is the Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, said that the delegation needs more information on the unemployment level and its socio-economic consequence on the people.

    The issue of insecurity in all forms within the zone will be sorted out as no nation or people progress in the atmosphere of massive destruction of both public and private property.

    Our diversity is our strength as a nation and we want to hear from all zones, he said.

    Also speaking, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammad Adamu, decried the number of police personnel killed as well as the massive level of destruction of police stations and operational vehicles during the hijacked EndSARS protests across the country.

    Adamu, however, urged leaders of the zone to speak out against wanton destruction as well as henceforth discourage youths from destroying what was built with public money.

    The police and its amenities are put in place to serve the people.

    We cannot perform optimally if we do not get the support and backing of the civil populace, especially the leaders here, he said.

    Others in the presidential delegation included Dr Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Productivity; Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Dr Uchenna Ogah, Minister of State for Trade and Investment. (NAN)

    Source: NAN News

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    How sugary foods, poor oral hygiene affect teeth  Experts

    Decaying tooth

    By Justina Auta

    Some dental therapists on Saturday said high consumption of sugary foods, poor oral hygiene and the lack of adequate nutrition could affect the teeth.

    The experts made this known in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of a two-day conference and Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Nigerian Dental Therapists Association (NDTA).

    The conference had Repositioning Dental Therapy Practice in Nigeria as its theme.

    Dr Simon Audu, the Secretary General of NDTA, FCT zone, said that cavity, otherwise known as tooth decay was caused by the presence of bacteria in the mouth.

    Audu identified our causes to include frequent consumption of snacks and beverages, drinks that contain sugar, irregular and improper care of the teeth and the tongue.

    He said the mouth is the only gateway to the body, if a person has bad oral health, it will affect the general health and well being of the body.

    According to him, regular dental visit, adequate nutrition and adherence to oral health hygiene will aid in the prevention of oral disease.

    Mr Nwosu Chijioke, a lecturer at the Federal College of Dental Technology and Therapy, Enugu, said that the NDTA conference was meant to discuss how to reposition Nigerias dental therapy.

    Chijioke advised the public to go for dental check-up twice a year, imbibe good oral hygiene and eat balanced diet that would promote general health.

    People should go for regular dental check-up at least twice a year, change toothbrushes often and eat right foods, especially those rich in fibre like mango, oranges and watermelon, because they penetrate mouth spaces your toothbrush cannot reach, he said.

    He added that the association had embarked on advocacy visits to schools, Internally Displaced Persons Camp (IDPs), hospitals and communities.

    He noted that the advocacy visits were to sensitise the public on good oral health, how to prevent dental diseases and appropriate treatments, where necessary.

    He called on the media to continue to educate the public on measures that would encourage healthy living. (NAN)

    Source: NAN News

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    Manchester United ease pressure on Solskjaer with win at Everton

    Manchester United players celebrate win over Everton

    Manchester United eased the pressure on manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with a 3-1 win at Everton in the English Premier League (EPL) on Saturday.

    Bruno Fernandes scored twice and Edinson Cavani grabbed his first for the club.

    Manchester United have failed to win at home in the league this season and there were questions over Solskjaers future after the midweek defeat to Istanbul Basaksehir in the UEFA Champions League.

    But Manchester United, who move up to 13th and 10 points, responded with a display which, while far from smooth, was full of character.

    This was epitomised by captain Harry Maguires determined display at the back.

    We knew we had to get three points today. Its early in the season and we dont look at the table, but the points we have accumulated isnt good enough for this club, said Maguire.

    Its important to bounce back from setbacks. Weve been questioned but we know we dont answer them in 90 minutes, we answer them day in, day out.

    The lads are working tirelessly for this club. Everyone wants to improve and do better. The manager has to pull the lads off the training ground.

    The pressure on Solskjaer intensified when Everton took the lead in the 19th minute with Brazilian winger Bernards low drive squeezing through Aaron Wan-Bissakas legs into the bottom corner.

    Six minutes later though, Manchester United drew level when Fernandes met a Luke Shaw cross from the left with a perfectly angled and firm header.

    Everton left-back Lucas Digne then struck the post from a promising position.

    But Manchester United were growing into the game and it was no surprise when they took the lead.

    Fernandes floated in a cross from the left which Marcus Rashford rose to head into the bottom corner.

    Although the striker failed to connect, the ball went in off the post.

    Substitute Cavani added the third in stoppage time, finishing off a counter-attack led by Fernandes for his first goal since joining the club on deadline day last month.

    The loss was the third straight defeat for Carlo Ancelottis side who, after being the early season pace-setters, have now slipped to fifth in the standings.

    The problem was that after we scored we were not able to defend well, and they took advantage. They were able to score easily.

    We said before the game we had to defend better and we did not defend good enough. We were slow at the back, we have to improve, said the Italian.

    I know how to manage difficulties, every year you have them. We can start again after the international break, added Ancelotti. (Reuters/NAN)

    Source: NAN News

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    Zverev stops Nadal in Paris Masters

    Powerful Zverev humbles Nadal

    Top seed Rafael Nadals bid for a maiden Paris Masters title was halted on Saturday when the Spaniard was beaten 6-4 7-5 in the semi-finals by German fourth seed Alexander Zverev.

    Nadal, who reached the final at Bercy once in 2007, was only briefly in the mix, conceding serve three times.

    The 20-times Grand Slam champion broke back after falling 4-2 behind in the second set.

    But it was a brief comeback as the 23-year-old Zverev stole his serve again in the 11th game.

    He then served it out, prevailing on his second match-point when Nadals forehand flew wide.

    Zverev will look to claim his fourth Masters title against Russian third seed Daniil Medvedev, who qualified with a commanding 6-4 7-6(4) victory against Canadian Milos Raonic.

    Medvedev hit 31 winners to 12 unforced errors in a muffled atmosphere at the Bercy arena, where the tournament is being played without spectators.

    This is amid government restrictions to contain the rise of COVID-19 cases in France.

    The 24-year-old, who arrived in Paris having lost five of his eight previous matches, broke for 3-2 as Raonic made yet another forehand unforced error.

    Both then stayed strong on serve and Medvedev, who saved six of seven break-points throughout, bagged the opening set with a timely serve and volley on his first opportunity.

    Raonic dropped serve in the 11th game of the second set but he broke straight back to force a tiebreak, in which he was out of sorts.

    But Medvedev wrapped it up with a smash to reach his fourth Masters final.

    When you play against Milos, you are always at risk because (if) one time he breaks you, it is very tough to break him back, said Medvedev.

    It was shaky here and there, but I am really happy to be through to the final. (Reuters/NAN)

    Source: NAN News

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    Messi scores twice against Real Betis after starting from bench

    Lionel Messi

    Lionel Messi responded to being benched by scoring twice as a substitute and leading FC Barcelona to a 5-2 home victory over Real Betis on Saturday.

    The win helped snapped a four-game winless streak in La Liga for the Catalans.

    The Barca captain was surprisingly left out of the starting line-up by coach Ronald Koeman and they found themselves drawing 1-1.

    That was when Antonio Sanabria cancelled out Ousmane Dembeles superb opening strike on the stroke of half-time.

    Messi was brought on at the start of the second period.

    He promptly produced a sublime dummy to allow Antoine Griezmann tap into an unguarded net and put Barca back in front in the 49th minute.

    The Frenchman was finally making amends for missing four chances before the break, including squandering a penalty kick.

    Barcas all-time top goalscorer Messi then further stretched their lead in the 61st minute by emphatically dispatching a penalty kick.

    That was after Aissa Mandi was shown a straight red card, following a VAR review, for using his arm to block a shot from Dembele.

    Real Betis did manage to pull a goal back with 10 men when striker Loren Moron netted at the far post to make it 3-2 after a marauding run down the left wing by Alex Moreno.

    But Messi soon put the game beyond doubt, smashing the ball into the top corner after receiving a wonderful backheel from team mate Sergi Roberto.

    Then, 17-year-old Pedri struck the fifth after another fine pass from Sergi Roberto. (Reuters/NAN)

    Source: NAN News

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