Sen. Ahmed LawanPresident of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan has been picked by President Muhammadu Buhari to lead a Federal Government delegation to the ongoing 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals in Egypt.
Judge Haywood S. Gilliam, Jr. in Oakland acted in two lawsuits filed by California and by activists who contended that the money transfer was unlawful and that building the wall would pose environmental threats.
“All President Trump has succeeded in building is a constitutional crisis, threatening immediate harm to our state,” said California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who led a 20-state coalition of attorneys general in one lawsuit.
Speaking at a press conference marking the end of the Group of 20 summit in Osaka, Japan, Trump called the decision “a disgrace.”
“So we’re immediately appealing it and we think we’ll win the appeal,” he went on to say.
“There was no reason that that should have happened. And a lot of wall is being built.”
The decisions are in line with Gilliam’s ruling last month that blocked work from beginning on two of the highest-priority projects — one spanning 74 kilometres in New Mexico and another covering 8 kilometres in Yuma, Arizona.
But the fight is far from over. The US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals is expected to take up the same issue of using military money next week.
At issue is President Donald Trump’s February declaration of a national emergency so that he could divert NZ$9.9 billion from military and other sources to begin construction of the wall, which could have begun as early as Tuesday.
Trump declared the emergency after losing a fight with the Democratic-led House that led to a 35-day government shutdown.
The president identified NZ$5.3 billion from military construction funds, NZ$3.7 billion from Defence Department counterdrug activities and NZ$892 million from the Treasury Department’s asset forfeiture fund.
The judge yesterday didn’t rule on funding from the military construction and Treasury budgets.
In the second suit, brought by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of Sierra Club and the Southern Border Communities Coalition, the judge determined that the use of the NZ$3.7 billion for two sectors of the wall was unlawful, although he rejected environmental arguments that wall construction would threaten species such as bighorn sheep.
President Muhammadu Buhari has called on Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to stand together now for the purpose of crushing terrorists, bandits and other criminals that have made life difficult for law abiding citizens of the member countries.
Addressing the 55th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Abuja, Nigeria today, June 29, Buhari said that the recurring incidents of inter-communal clashes, herders-farmers conflicts, banditry and terrorist attacks in African countries have consequences on the peaceful co-existence of the peoples as well as their livelihoods.
“This unrest also undermines all our efforts in achieving full regional integration.
It is, therefore, necessary that we act collectively to end this menace in the interest of regional stability and wellbeing of our people.”
President Buhari commended member States for their sustained commitment to the consolidation of the African integration as a Community.
“I acknowledge and commend the giant strides made by ECOWAS in this regard.
“I also commend our individual and collective efforts towards the promotion of good governance, peace, stability and socio-economic development in our sub-region. We must remain focused on our collective endeavour to make the sub-region an area of peace and security.
“This is an essential prerequisite if we are to attain the primary objective of our organization which is, to “promote cooperation and integration, leading to the establishment of an economic and monetary union in West Africa, in order to raise the living standards of its people and contribute to the progress and development of the African continent.”
Professor Abdulrasheed Na’Allah, currently Vice Chancellor of the Kwara State University has emerged from over 120 Professors that applied as Vice Chancellor of the University Abuja (UniAbuja) in the Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory.
The Chairman of the Governing Council of the University, Alhaji Sani Maikudi confirmed the emergence of Professor Abdulrasheed today, June 28, while presenting a letter of appointment to him. The new Vice Chancellor is an the outgoing Vice Chancellor of Kwara State University (KWASU) where his tenure ends in July 2019.
Born in 1962 in Ilorin, Kwara State, the scholar obtained a BA in English from the University of Ilorin in 1988, with a thesis “Dadakuada: the trends in the development of Ilorin traditional oral poetry,” and received M.A. Literature in English from the same university and in 1992.
In 1999, he received his PhD in Comparative Literature from the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, and was subsequently professor and chair of African Studies at Western Illinois University before he became the Vice Chancellor of Kwara State University in Nigeria.
He is the author and co-author of numerous books, but some books of his that are most recent are Globalization, Oral Performance, and African Traditional Poetry (Palgrave Macmillan, March 2018), African Discourse in Islam, Oral Traditions, and Performance (Routledge, 2010) and Africanity, Islamicity, and Performativity: Identity in the House of Ilorin (Bayreuth African Studies, 2009), and edited a poetry book, Obama-Mentum: An Anthology of Transformational Poetry.
Professor Na’Allah has been nominated for and received numerous awards, including the Gold Key Recognition Award, University of Alberta Student Union, 1998; the Graduate Student Service Award, GSA, University of Alberta; The Alberta Heritage Charles S Noble Award for Student Leadership, 1998, the Province of Alberta, Canada; and the Black Achievements Award, Post-Secondary—Scholastic, 1998, the Black Achievement Awards Society of Alberta.
Professor Na’Allah is the author and co-author of numerous books, including: coauthor with Ladan Sulaiman and Ahmad Sambo, Functional Literacy Primer in Hausa, sponsored by the European Economic Commission and Federal Government of Nigeria, 1992; coauthor, Instructors’ Guide to Functional Literacy Primer in Hausa, 1992; coauthor with Bayo Ogunjimi, Introduction to African Oral Literature (Oral Prose), University of Ilorin Press, 1991; author, Introduction to African Oral Literature (1994); and Editor, Ogoni’s Agonies: Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Crisis in Nigeria (Africa World Press, 1998).
He wrote the article on Kwame Anthony Appiah for The Oxford Encyclopedia of African Thought.
Isaac Okorafor, CBN SpokesmanThe Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has injected the sum of $242.04 million into the retail Secondary Market Intervention Sales (SMIS) and CNY 32.3 million in the spot and short tenored forwards segment of the inter-bank foreign market.
The Bank’s Director, Corporate Communications Department, Isaac Okorafor, who made this known, said today, June 28, that the intervention was for requests in the agricultural and raw materials sectors, adding that the Chinese Yuan was for Renminbi-denominated Letters of Credit.
Okorafor expressed satisfaction with the stability of the foreign exchange which according to him, was largely due to sustained intervention by the bank.
He assured that the apex bank Management would remain committed to ensuring that all the sectors of the forex market continue to enjoy access to the needed foreign exchange.
He said that with improved inflow of foreign exchange, the exchange rate had remained stable around N360/$1 for the past 27 months.
It will be recalled that the bank on June 25, offered authorized dealers in the wholesale segment of the market the sum of $100million, while the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and the invisibles segments each received the sum of $55 million.
Meanwhile, $1 exchanged for N361 at the Bureau de Change (BDC) segment of the foreign exchange market, while CNY1 exchanged at N55 today, June 28
Meteorologists warned earlier this month that heatwaves could be a trend for summer in Europe this year due to high-pressure systemsFrance’s weather service has raised the heatwave alert as temperatures crossed the 45 Celsius threshold for the first time ever.
The weather service said that from orange to red in four southern departments, danger of heatwaves loom even as hundreds of schools have been closed and some end-of-year exams have been rescheduled.
In the Spanish city of Cordoba, a 17-year-old boy died yesterday, June 27 of heatstroke, according to authorities, while wildfires have ravaged nearly 10,000 acres across Catalonia — the blazes are said to be among the worst the region has seen in 20 years.
That was even as meteorology agency warned that temperatures could rise even further throughout the afternoon, adding: “we need to wait until the end of the day to know which town will hold the record as France’s hottest city.”
According to Metro France too, 45.1 Celsius was recorded in Villevieille, in the south-eastern Gard department at 2.59 pm CEST, beating a one-hour-old record of 44.3 Celsius in Carpentras, Provence.
The previous record was set at 44.1 Celsius during a heatwave in 2003.
French Prime Minister, Edouard Philippe has called on people to be responsible, warning that the heat encouraged people to take risks. He added that there had been “one drowning a day” during the heatwave.
A heatwave has struck the whole European continent this week.
According to Jonny Day from the European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), this is not the first example of such a phenomenon.
“In terms of the time of year and spatial pattern of warmth, the ongoing event in Europe is quite similar to the 2015 European heatwave, which most severely affected southern and central Europe, which set the all-time temperature records for Germany and Switzerland,” Day said, adding that we will need to wait until after the peak of this event to really know how severe it has been.
Europeans have been sweltering as temperatures reached between 35 and 40 degrees Celsius in most of France and Italy this week and they are potentially set to go as high as 40 Celsius in northern Spain. Forecasts showed temperatures much higher than average in Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic.
A hot air mass rising from North Africa has caused the mercury to soar.
Meteorologists warned earlier this month that heatwaves could be a trend for summer in Europe this year due to high-pressure systems.
Anca Brookshaw, an expert on seasonal prediction at ECMWF Copernicus explained this trend to Euronews: “The most recent seasonal prediction favours above-average temperatures over much of Europe, for the period July to September as a whole.
“While the seasonal average is not a perfect indicator of the risk of heatwaves (or of the severity of any such events), over Europe there is a direct correlation: seasons which include more heatwaves than usual are likely to record above-average seasonal means.”
The areas indicated as most at risk by this forecast are southwest Europe and the extreme eastern part of the continent.
According to the European Environment Agency, 2018 was among the three warmest years on record in Europe.
Euronews spoke to Dr Dim Como, an expert on climate change and extreme weather at Amsterdam University, who said: “Due to simple warming, due to global warming, these type of heat extremes are much more likely. So if you have the circulation that can bring heatwaves then heatwaves will be much more intense.”
The death toll in the latest outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has risen to 1,540, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
In an update today, June 28, the world health body said 2,284 people have been infected since the outbreak in the country’s Ituri and North Kivu provinces nearly 11 months ago.
However, vital work of tracing people infected with the deadly virus is progressing, in spite of evidence of “several” massacres in the affected area earlier this month, the organization said.
In spite of the insecurity, WHO insisted that frontline workers were doing all they could to tackle Ebola in North-east DRC.
“We had 637 people who survived the disease, and I think this is important,” Dr Ibrahima Fall, WHO Assistant Director-General for Emergency Response, told newsmen in Geneva, according to a statement.
He noted that about 90 people are currently receiving treatment for Ebola virus disease infection, while new cases have dropped from 106 two weeks ago, to 79 last week.
At the same time, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, announced that a “robust” probe found that 117 people had been killed in “several massacres” involving multiple villages in gold-rich Ituri, between June 10 and June 13.
“The investigative team confirmed that at least 94 people had been killed in Djugu territory and 23 in Mahagi territory, including a yet to be undetermined number of women and children.
“Some of the victims were beheaded. Homes and warehouses were burned down after being looted.
“The ferocity and scorched-earth nature of the attacks suggests the assailants intended to prevent survivors from being able to return to their villages,” OHCHR spokesperson, Marta Hurtado, said.
Hurtado was quoted as saying that most of the victims belonged to the Hema community, while the remaining ones were Alur people.
She added that the attackers were reportedly from the Lendu community, echoing an earlier alert from the UN refugee agency, UNHCR.
UNHCR had earlier reported that thousands of people displaced by violence had arrived in Uganda this month, with an average of 311 people crossing the border daily, double the number for May.
Fall explained that major urban centres of Butembo and Katwa were now seeing only “sporadic” cases of infection, thanks to full access.
He, however, cautioned that in Beni, a large town in North Kivu, Ebola had claimed nine lives since Monday.
Contact tracing there and other preventative work was slowed earlier this week amid attacks by taxi drivers who were upset about the death of a colleague who sought help too late, according to him.
Turning to remote areas, Fall confirmed that the “very volatile” security situation had complicated the WHO’s work to tackle “a new hotspot” in Mabalako and Mandima.
“The outbreak started there last year and spread to other regions, so it’s important to break the vicious cycle, to contain very quickly the situation in Mabalako and Mandima, where we have more than 55 per cent of the cases coming from.”
He said for the first time in the current outbreak, Ebola had also reached small forest-based villages such as Alima, where access is “more challenging”.
Fall blamed the situation on the presence of armed groups from DRC and neighbouring Uganda.
“You cannot just say, ‘I have access, I can go.’ You have to negotiate; you have to assess conscious that the risk is still important.
“This is because as you know, with Ebola, you only need one case to start spreading or one high-risk contact not followed transfers the disease,’’ he said.
Asked about the infection threat in Uganda, where three people with Ebola died earlier this month after arriving from DRC, the WHO official insisted “there has been no transmission” of the virus.
Source: The Nation.
Abubakar Sani BelloGovernor of Niger State, Abubakar Sani Bello has described those who have started campaigning for him as Vice Presidential candidate to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in the 2023 Presidential election as mischief makers.
In a statement today, June 28 by his Chief Press Secretary, Mrs. Mary Noel Berje, the Governor said that it is not the time to talk about 2023, knowing very well that Nigeria had just came out of elections and the governments are yearning to fulfil promises made to the people.
He stressed that there is no basis or justification for such campaigns and posters, insisting that it is the handiwork of mischief makers trying to distract the government’s attention from discharging its mandate to the citizens.
“Our priority is to support Federal and State Government policies and programmes and to fulfil their campaign promises as the tenure is just beginning.
“We hereby describe the posters as well as their authors as FAKE and UNPATRIOTIC.
“We are fully focused to work for our people, and we remain loyal to the ruling party and the Federal government ably led by President Muhamadu Buhari.”
There have been certain 2023 campaign posters bearing images of Governor Sani Bello and Vice President Osinbajo that emerged today, June 28 across social media platforms, projecting the governor campaigning for the position of the Vice President to Professor Yemi Osnibajo as President in 2023.
But, the governor Sani Bello called on well-meaning people of Niger state and Nigerians to disregard such posters as it is the handiwork of mischief makers who always take delight in heating up the polity for their selfish interests.
The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier-General Shuaibu Ibrahim has warned that any corps member caught smoking indian hemp would be dismissed.
General Shuaibu Ibrahim, who addressed Batch B Stream 2 corps members undergoing orientation at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Sagamu, today, June 28, stressed that if any corps member is caught breaking the rules or abusing drugs and substances, he or she would be handed over to the police and dismissed for good.
“Let posterity guide you in every decision and action you take in life. You can imagine how much your parents have invested in you so that they could have rest of mind in their old ages knowing full well you are capable of fending for yourself.
“How do you think they will feel if anyone of you is dismissed for bad conduct? Everywhere you go in life they will ask you what happened. So, I implore you to always be of good conduct and imbibe the tenets of the scheme for which you were called to serve.
“Unity and discipline, fundamental aspects of your orientation, should guide you throughout the duration of your service.”
He advised the corps members to take advantage of the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme put in place by the NYSC to empower the youth develop the entrepreneurship skills to make them self-reliant.
He said that the Bank of Industry and the CBN are ready to provide incentives in form of short loans to aid corps members’ commercial drive.
“Once you benefit from the loan scheme please I beg you not to default so that others too can benefit from the programme.
“Gone are the days where you can relax somewhere after obtaining your certificates and expect white collar jobs at the centre.
“You must develop your creative enterprise and make jobs where none exists. Seek to be employers and not employees.”
The Director General asked corps members to be security conscious at all times while also imploring them to avail themselves with the numbers of security officials at their places of posting.
“Your ID cards are what identifies and enables people to come to your aid if need be. Please have them with you at all times.”
Delegates of the Governors that were elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), yesterday, June 27, stormed Lokoja, capital of Kogi State to drum support for the second term ambition of Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello of the State.
At the APC’s state secretariat where the visit was conducted were chairman of the Progressives Governor’s Forum (PGF), who doubles as governor of Kebbi state, Senator Atiku Bagudu; Yobe state governor, Alhaji Mai Malla Bunni and other dignitaries. Also in the entourage is the immediate past governor of Bauchi state, Barrister Mohammed Abubakar.
The PGF chairman said that they were in the state to assure the party leaders and stakeholders of their support for their colleague, Governor Yahaya Bello.
The Kebbi governor described Governor Yahaya Bello as a very energetic young man, whose youthful zest has positioned Kogi on the path of progress and development.
He said that in a recent meeting of governors with representatives of World Bank, they confirmed that based on the excellent performance of Kogi on the Nigerian Erosion and Water Management Projects (NEWMAP), the state would soon access about $27million in the other phase of the projects.
He said that he and the other governors are aware that Governor Yahaya Bello has respect for the APC members and has achieved great feat in the party, confirming that all the stakeholders had worked very hard to achieve such historic feet.
He called on the party stakeholders to continue to believe the party and be a one strong indivisible household so as to continually emerge victorious.
The Kebbi State governor advised recently reconciled members to make further effort to also reconcile some other members who are still not with the party in the progressive interest of the APC in the state.
In his response, Governor Yahaya Bello said that he was highly elated by the visit of the governors and other delegates which he said was an indication of the support he has received from the APC as a party.
He said that whatsoever feat the APC has achieved in the recently concluded general and state assembly elections was a tip of the ice berg as compared to what would be witnessed in the forthcoming governorship polls.
He said that his administration has done very well in securing the people of the state, particularly integrating the seemingly divided ethic group to become one united front.
The chairman of the APC in the State, Alhaji Abdullahi Bello, thanked all the visiting governors for finding the time to come to the state, adding that the APC members had gathered to rejoice with one another over the recent achievements of the party.
He said that Governor Yahaya Bello built and groomed the APC to a winning machine in the state even as he said that when he became the chairman of the party in the state, the governor, being an all inclusive personality, charged the executives to reconcile all aggrieved parties and on the long run such drive has since yielded good fruits as the party has become a one big strong family.
He said that state party stakeholders in a previous meeting unanimously adopted indirect primaries format for its primaries owing to the success which the format offered in the last general and state assembly noting that a ‘winning team does not change formula.’
