Upon being sworn in, Castex said that he was taking over the leadership of the French government during a difficult period in which priorities and methods will have to be adapted.

More than ever, we will need to bring the nation together to fight the crisis that is taking hold, he said.

Castexs appointment came hours after Macron dropped centre-right premier, Edouard Philippe, and his government.

It is common practice for a French president to replace a prime minister during the five-year presidential term.

The centrist presidents move came despite opinion polls showing that Philippe has gained public support during the coronavirus crisis and is now considerably more popular than Macron.

A survey by polling firm Elabe for BFMTV television, published on Wednesday, showed that 57 per cent of respondents wanted Philippe to stay on.

Even before the epidemic hit, the president was polling poorly.

His administration has been buffeted by huge protests for more than a year, first by the Yellow Vests movement and then by trade unions opposed to planned pension reform.

There has been speculation that Macron could seek a more social orientation to compensate for the perception that his government has been strongly pro-business.

Sundays municipal elections, which saw Green mayors take power in six new major cities while Macrons centrist party flopped, may also influence the new government line-up.

The president told French regional newspapers, in an interview published late Thursday, that there would be only a few priorities for the coming period.

He cited restarting the economy in the first place, along with reconstructing Frances social and environmental protection systems, re-establishing a fair republican order, and defending European sovereignty.

Yes, there is always a need for new faces, for new talent, the president said.

In an address to the nation two weeks ago, Macron promised to reinvent himself after the coronavirus crisis.

He said he would set out a new path in another speech in July.

In the interview, Macron said he would be going ahead with a controversial pension reform that should see Frances multiple systems merged into a single national pension scheme.

But he said he was not opposed to the reform being transformed. (dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN News

PMS Pump

By Edith Ike-Eboh

Prof. Uche Uwaleke, a former Imo state Commissioner of Finance, says the July price band for the pump price of Premium Motor spirit (PMS) also known as petrol was an indication that government is ready to exit subsidy regime.

Uwaleke made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday.

NAN recalls that the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) had on July 1 announced a price band of N140.80 to 143.80k per litre for the pump price of Petrol.

The PMS pump price band of N140.80 to N143.80 advised by the PPPRA for the month of July from N123.50 in June, in my view, reflects governments desire to gradually exit the flawed and corruption-riden fuel subsidy regime.

This is particularly so in view of plummeting government revenue and the pressure on government finances occasioned by COVID-19, he said

He said that the Nigerian economy was fortunate with the OPEC production-cut agreement that was yielding positive result and helping oil price recovery.

This, he said translated to higher cost of petroleum products imports.

So, until we develop the capability to refine enough crude oil for domestic consumption, the pump price of PMS will continue to be exogenously determined. This is the sad reality, he added.

He said that Nigeria could not afford any round of fuel scarcity as government had lifted the ban on inter-state travel as part of measures to restart the economy.

He called for the full deregulation of the downstream oil and gas sector of the economy.

In due course, especially post COVID- 19, I expect the government to fully deregulate the downstream sector, paving way for private investments and generating a competitive environment that will drive down petroleum products prices ultimately.

Only then, will the hand of the PPPRA become less visible, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

United Nations

By Harrison Aubu

The United Nations says it has suspended two male staff members involved in a recent viral sex video in Israel,Mr Stephane Dujarric, said.

Dujarric spokesman for the Secretary-General, disclosed this in a note to UN correspondents in New York on Thursday.

Dujarric said both employees had been identified and placed on Administrative Leave Without Pay pending the conclusion of ongoing investigation into the allegation.

The video, which surfaced online last week, shows a couple apparently having sex on the back seat of a UN official car in Tel Aviv.

On Friday, Dujarric told correspondents that the organisation was shocked and deeply disturbed by the footage, and that investigation had been launched.

He confirmed that the video featured a 44 vehicle, containing personnel likely assigned to the UN Truce Supervision Organisation (UNTSO) headquartered in Jerusalem.

The short video shows a white woman in a red dress straddling an equally white man in the back seat of the white SUV bearing the UN inscription.

With them in the moving vehicle were the driver and a bald-head man sitting on the passenger side, in front.

Media reports say the footage was recorded on HaYarkon Street, a major thoroughfare in Tel Aviv, Israeli capital.

The UN spokesman said in Thursdays note that the investigation was being handled by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS).

He said: Two male international staff members, who were in the UN vehicle in Tel Aviv have been identified as having engaged in misconduct, including conduct of sexual nature.

Given the seriousness of the allegation of failing to observe the standards of conduct expected of international civil servants, the two staff members have been placed on Administrative Leave Without Pay.

This is pending the results and conclusion of the ongoing OIOS investigation.

UNTSO has re-engaged in a robust awareness-raising campaign to remind its personnel of their obligations to the UN Code of Conduct.

The OIOS investigation continues, and we will keep you informed, he said.

According to the organisation, UNTSO is the first ever peacekeeping mission established by the UN in 1948.

It says the mission comprises military observers to monitor ceasefires, supervise armistice agreements and prevent military escalation.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that sexual misconduct is not new among employees of the global body.

In 2019, the UN said it received and investigated 175 allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse against its staff.

Out of the total, 16 were substantiated, 15 unsubstantiated and all others still being investigated.

Source: NAN News

Coronavirus

By Edith Ike-Eboh

Dr Emmanuel Agogo from Resolve to Save Lives, a COVID-19 response Initiative has advised journalists to focus on four lenses when reporting the pandemic.

Agogo gave the advice in a webinar hosted by the African Centre for Diseases Control and public strategy firm, Gatefield, to help journalists improve their reporting around the COVID-19 pandemic on Thursday.

The findings of the report by the Partnership for Evidence- Based Response to Covid-19 (PERC) Consortium, was the focus of discussion at the webinar.

He said the areas are lives, livelihoods, liberties and the long term.

Agogo said, These were the lives that were affected, the impact on peoples livelihoods, the liberties of people as well as the long-term effects that it would have.

He said that though Africas COVID-19 numbers had been lower than the rest of the world, it was important to identify the common trends, issues and attitudes across the phases of the outbreak.

Outbreaks and pandemics come in various phases. We need to keep vigilant.

COVID-19 will hit rural areas and villages later than urban centres.

Resolve to Save Lives is an initiative that has been funded to look at the COVID-19 response, said Agogo.

In his remarks Mr James Ayodele, Principal Communicator at the Africa Centre for Disease Control (ACDC), said that the continent had adopted a continental operations strategy that hoped to conduct 10 million COVID-19 tests in Africa.

According to him, the continent also deploys one million community health workers, train 100 000 health care workers by the end of 2020 and set up a procurement platform on the CDCs site to help supply member states with the necessary health equipment.

A statement by ACDC on Thursday noted that the report by PERC Consortium revealed that across the continent, less than half the people interviewed about the deadly COVID-19 pandemic believed they faced the risk of contracting the virus.

The consortium is made up of public health organisations such as the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention; Resolve to Save Lives, an initiative of Vital Strategies and the World Health Organisation.

Others are the UK Public Health Rapid Support Team; and the World Economic Forum and private sector firms such as market research company, Ipsos.

It said that more than 60 per cent believed that COVID-19 could be prevented by drinking lemon or taking vitamin C and just over 40 per cent believed that Africans could not get COVID-19.

It gathered real-time information about the dynamics of the pandemic, governments responses to it, and peoples perceptions of both, to help governments implement the best public health and social measures to contain the virus.

The study found four in five respondents anticipated that COVID-19 would be a big problem in their states but their personal risk perception for contracting the virus was low.

In addition, about 73 per cent thought that a hot climate prevented the spread of the virus and 61 per cent believe that avoiding a person who has recovered from COVID-19 prevents them from getting it.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

Gov. Simon Lalong

Death

By Thompson Yamput

Mr Ezekiel Mandyau, Management Committee Chairman, Barkin-Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau, is dead, Dan Mandyau, brother of the deceased said.

Mandyau confirmed the incident to the New Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Barkin-Ladi.

He said the chairman died about 6:00 p.m. on Thursday at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), where he was receiving treatment for pneumonia.

He explained that the deceased took ill on Monday and went to JUTH for treatment, but his condition continued to deteriorate until he died this evening.

He described the death of the chairman as devastating to the family and the people of the area.

Dan said the corpse of the chairman had been deposited at the JUTH mortuary.

Source: NAN News

NITDA

By Ijeoma Olorunfemi

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has called on Certified Computer Manufacturers of Nigeria (CCMON) to improve the quality of indigenously made devices.

Mr Kashifu Inuwa, the Director-General of NITDA, made the appeal in a virtual meeting monitored in Abuja between the agency and CCMON.

The meeting agenda was on issues affecting the increasing adoption of indigenously assembled devices in Nigeria and possible ways of moving the countrys ICT hardware sub-sector of the economy forward.

Inuwa said that through adequate implementation of local content policy, CCMON could build synergy to ensure devices meet the minimum standards and requirements.

According to him, the requirements will enable Original Equipments Manufacturers (OEMs) have sufficient after-sales-support of their devices.

The director-general announced a joint committee between the two institutions to address all concerns and ensure strategic plans, headed by Mr Kassim Sodangi, National Coordinator, Office for Nigerian Content, NITDA.

Inuwa encouraged the manufacturers to be competitive in terms of price and also set their target to meet public needs.

On his part, Sodangi said that the agency had been engaging Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) through its IT project clearance channel.

Sodangi added that they had also encouraged purchases of local devices.

He regretted that NITDA cannot be everywhere to monitor compliance to local devices patronage, but had insisted that IT procurements should give preference to indigenous manufacturers as stipulated in Executive Order 003.

The national coordinator admonished OEMs to do their marketing and promote their products because some MDAs need where to purchase their devices in large quantity.

The President of CCMON, Mrs Adenike Abudu, said that comparative patronage of Nigerian OEMs was relatively low and that investments made by indigenous OEMs was still underutilised.

Abudu added that several government agencies still did not patronise indigenous OEMs as required by the Guidelines for Nigerian Content and Executive Orders 003 signed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

She however identified gaps in communication between NITDA and the association, noting that there is a need to improve interaction.

The president also said there was need for partnership with NITDA to ensure implementation of policies that would help OEMs to thrive and create more jobs.

The specification of these devices by MDAs is complex because the components of hardware are the same.

The only difference is the processor and there are over 10 different types of processors and OEMs cannot stock up one type of processor, they work with the requested specifications at every given time, Abudu said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

L-R: Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello; Secretary of the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Committee, Sen. John Akpan Udo-Udehe; Yobe Governor and Chairman of the Committee, Mai Mala Buni; APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Kebbi State Governor, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu, during a courtesy visit to the APC National Leader at his Bourdillon Residence in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Thursday, July 2, 2020.

By Florence Onuegbu

The APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Thursday night declared that there was no differences to be sorted out in the party.

Tinubu, also said, there is no crisis in the party, hence, no fight to reconcile.

He made the declaration shortly after a closed door meeting with Gov. Mai Mala Buni, Chairman of the APC Caretaker Committee and other members at his Bourdillon Residence in Ikoyi, Lagos.

Buni, also Governor of Yobe, led other members of the APC National Caretaker Committee to the Lagos meeting with Tinubu.

We have no differences to be sorted out in the APC; we just had consultation and it is how our party, the APC, would continue to be a progressive party, he said.

According to him, the committee is a consultation and not reconciliation committee since nobody is fighting anybody.

There are instances when you disagree, but it doesnt mean that you cannot discuss it over and be a good example in leadership and politics, Tinubu said.

The former Lagos State governor also said that politics without seeming media crisis would be less interesting.

But the question is, are we committed to building this party and Nigeria? That is what we are all about.

We are steering the ship of our nation and our party in the right direction, Tinubu said.

He said that the party leadership had trust and respect for the chairman of the caretaker committee and would support him to succeed for the party to continue in its progressive governance of the country.

The committee chairman, who led other members to the meeting, said that the meeting was part of the consultation the committee was making.

You know the task before us is daunting, and we need guidance, experience and prayers from our leaders, Buni said.

The host Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, expressed his pleasure to have his colleagues in the state.

Its been a very fruitful discussion we have had here this evening, Sanwo-Olu said.

Other members of the committee in attendance included the Chairman of Progressive Governors Forum, Gov. Abubakar Atiku Bagudu; Secretary of Caretaker Committee, APC, Sen. James Akpan Udo-Edehe and Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Bello. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Lionel Messi

FC Barcelona captain Lionel Messi has called off negotiations over renewing his contract with the club, according to a report by Spanish radio station Cadena Ser on Friday.

The report added that the Argentina captain was even ready to leave the Catalans when his current deal expires in 2021.

It said Messi and his father Jorge had begun discussing renewing his last deal with the club, which was signed in 2017. But he no longer wishes to stay at the Camp Nou.

The report added that Messi was angry about leaked media reports which appeared to make him seem responsible for events at the club.

Two of such are those about the January sacking of coach Ernesto Valverde, and that he is frustrated about the squads lack of quality.

The Argentines representatives and FC Barcelona did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Messi, who turned 33 last month, scored his 700th career goal on Tuesday against Atletico Madrid.

But the milestone strike ended in disappointment as Barca drew the game 2-2 in the latest blow to their bid to retain the Spanish title.

Barca trail Real Madrid by four points in the title race with five games remaining after Real beat Getafe 1-0 on Thursday.

Previously known for his shy personality off the pitch, Messi has become more vocal in his criticism of the club in the last year.

In January he hit out at sporting director Eric Abidal, who he said had implied players had led to Valverde being sacked.

In a February interview with newspaper Mundo Deportivo, he declared the team were not good enough to win this seasons UEFA Champions League.

Then in April he criticised the board for implying players were not willing to accept a pay cut to help the teams financial difficulties during the coronavirus pandemic.(Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Nestle Nigeria

By Vivian Ihechu

Experts say nutrition is a critical part of health and development. It plays a big role in physical growth, mental health, cognitive development, building immunity, giving strength and other diverse necessities

The WHO says better nutrition is related to improved infant, child and maternal health, stronger immune systems, safer pregnancy and childbirth, lower risk of non-communicable diseases (such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease), and longevity.

Healthy children learn better. People with adequate nutrition are more productive and can create opportunities to gradually break the cycles of poverty and hunger.

Malnutrition, in every form, presents significant threats to human health. Today the world faces a double burden of malnutrition that includes both undernutrition and overweight, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

With an already stressed need to improve nutritional outcomes to lessen the burden of malnutrition, the challenge becomes increased with the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.

With the pandemic, WHO identified a robust and diverse food supply as being an essential part of the health and nutrition response to COVID-19.

Nestle Nigeria, alongside WHO and other partners are providing nutrition and food safety guidance and advice during the COVID-19 pandemic for governments, food businesses, health workers and the general public, advocate maintenance of good health and prevention of malnutrition in all its forms.

Nestle Nigeria is lending its expertise and resources in diverse ways to ensure citizens maintain good health to prevent malnutrition.

This is especially as Nutrition, Health and Wellness is Nestls strategic direction, a path to enable people make healthy choices about food and beverages.

Asides from the donations of products, food items and PPEs to governments, it identifies that good and effective communication is also an important way to make certain that people achieve and maintain good nutrition, health and wellness.

Consequently, in the first two weeks of June 2020, Nestl Nigeria and the Lagos Business School hosted the 2020 Advancing Nutrition, Health and Wellness(NHW).

The virtual media training programme came at a critical time when the public needs to be well informed on nutrition health and wellness to help curtail the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has brought the role of healthy nutrition in supporting the immune system to the limelight and this is very significant in view of the triple burden of nutrition that Nigeria must deal with: malnutrition, under nutrition and micronutrient deficiency.

With many seeking solutions, there has been a proliferation of fake news and false, sometimes dangerous recommendations for building immunity against the virus.

The role of the media in setting the record straight cannot be overemphasized and the intervention of Nestl and LBS to equip journalists to carry out this essential role was therefore timely.

Some of the facilitators at the Advancing Advancing Nutrition, Health and Wellness(NHW) through the Media programme included the LBS faculty, Nestl Nigeria resource persons and health and nutrition experts.

The courses the trained media personnel on the concept of Creating Shared Value (CSV), Data Interpretation, Analysis and Reporting for journalists, Role of Nutrition in Pandemics, Research and Information Sourcing and Ethical Journalism among other current affairs around COVID-19.

Speaking on the importance of the training, Victoria Uwadoka, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Manager of Nestl Nigeria, says: The essence of this training is to provide a platform for journalists to acquire knowledge and skills to improve fact-based storytelling.

This is to help their audiences and consumers get the right information to make the right nutrition and lifestyle choices to promote a healthier lifestyle.

Uwadoka urges the media to apply the learning on research and fact verification in their reporting to set the records straight especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Director of the LBS Sustainability Centre, Professor Chris Ogbechie says: Building the capacity of the media is key to Nigerias achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, especially SDG3 good health and well being.

This is why Lagos Business School and Nestle Nigeria developed the Advancing NHW through the Media programme to harness the impact the media can have through professional and innovative reporting on Nutrition Health and Wellness issues.

It would be worthy to note that the media training programme was developed in 2019 by Nestl Nigeria and the Lagos Business School (LBS), to bridge the gap in nutrition health and wellness reporting in the media.

It is a key part of Nestl Nigerias media capacity building program in line with progress towards actualising its purpose of enhancing quality of life and contributing to a healthier future by providing individuals and families with the right information to make healthier nutrition and lifestyle choices.

Advancing Nutrition, Health and Wellness(NHW) Through the Media is supported by the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME).

This is as part of an MOU signed in 2018 to build media capacity through continuous training and the institution of an annual nutrition writers award to recognise and reward best practices.

Nestl believes that, given the right tools and resources, the media is well positioned to help improve access to nutrition health and wellness information for all Nigerians.

In summary, people are in a better position to make good choices when they are well informed, and a key avenue to getting the right information is through the media.

It thus becomes essential for the media to know the right facts as regards nutrition and the indices, positively or otherwise, because nutrition, health and wellness basically define mans outcome in life.

Eating the right food combinations with micro nutrients in instances, as well as water , fruits and vegetables are paramount.

The many benefits to nutrition, health and wellness are entwined; good nutrition improves well-being . Good and healthy nutrition prevents malnutrition and protects from diseases like obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancer and stroke.

It gives energy, helps to increases focus, helps to maintain ones immune system, reduces the risk of chronic disease; healthy eating positively affects ones mood, delays effects of aging and indeed, healthy diets may lengthen ones life.

Food should be for its purpose by making the best eating choices to reduce malnutrition in all its forms, especially as it is cheaper to be healthy than to be unhealthy (NANFeatures)

Source: NAN News

Mr Ebubeagu Ekenulo an Activist

By Ikenna Osuoha

A social activist, Mr Ebubeagu Ekenulo, on Thursday expressed fears of increase in coronavirus (COVID-19), cases in Imo State.

Ekenulo, who expressed these fears in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Abuja, said this was because of the attitude of residents, who continued to flout the executive order prohibiting burials and funeral ceremonies in the state.

NAN reports that Gov. Hope Uzodimma had in May, using Executive Order No.001, announced the ban of all forms of burials and funeral ceremonies, in order to curb spread of COVID-19.

The activist said such unpatriotic behaviour was capable of undermining the efforts of both state and federal governments in the fight against coronavirus pandemic.

Ekenulo also decried what he described as the reckless manner people conducted their daily affairs in Imo, even in the face of the deadly pandemic that had continued to ravage the world.

He called on Uzodinma and the police command in the state, to enforce the order and bring perpetrators to book.

I want to inform the governor that the executive order prohibiting burials in the state, in view of the upsurge in COVID-19 cases, are not being enforced by the relevant agencies.

One also wonders why the special assistant on security, and his counterpart on public safety to the governor, are not out to enforce the order.

The fact that 13 members of Imo Assembly tested positive to COVID-19, shows that there is great danger beyond what the eye might see, he said.

Ekenulo therefore, stressed the need for stringent law enforcement and taking responsibility by all stakeholders in containing the pandemic.

According to him, no person is above the law, so those who are in contravention of the governments order should be arrested and prosecuted, to serve as deterrent to other will be defaulters.

The activist advised clerics and community leaders to support governments efforts in containing the spread of the virus in their areas to prevent community infection.

He said: If the clergy or Church is not complying with the prohibition, then we are in for a moral war in largest scale. (NAN)

Source: NAN News