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 Mpox outbreak in Africa declared a public health emergency The African Union's health watchdog on Tuesday declared a public health emergency over the growing mpox outbreak on the continent, AFP reported. The outbreak has swept through several African countries, particularly the Democratic Republic of Congo. "With a heavy heart but with an unyielding commitment to our people, to our African citizens, we declare mpox as public health emergency of continental security," Jean Kaseya, head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), said during an online media briefing. "Mpox has now crossed borders, affecting thousands across our continent, families have been torn apart and the pain and suffering have touched every corner of our continent," he said. According to CDC data as of August 4, there had been 38,465 cases of mpox and 1,456 deaths in Africa since January 2022. "This declaration is not merely a formality, it is a clarion call

 Athens, Greece One dead as wildfires bear down on Athens Greece's National Observatory said on Tuesday that at least 10,000 hectares (24,700 acres) of land had been devastated after two days of wildfires that continued to rage. At least one person has died and dozens have been treated for injuries as tens of thousands of people flee their homes north of Athens. Dozens of evacuation orders were issued, after the blaze scalled Mount Pentelicus overlooking the capital. The fire has already destroyed an unknown number of homes and businesses in Nea Penteli, Palaia Penteli, Patima Halandriou and Vrilissia. Authorities said they found the badly burned body of a woman in her 60s in the ruins of a factory. Blankets of black smoke could be seen over the capital, and residents reported several power outages. There was hope however that Athens might be spared the worst of the disaster after strong winds that had pushed the blaze through the suburbs began to die down. Morever, Greece was expe

 Rome, Italy heatwave to ease slightly at Ferragosto Italy's long heatwave will ease slightly at the Ferragosto mid-August national holiday for the Catholic Feast of the Assumption but almost record-high temperatures will only fall by 2-3°C, weatherman Lorenzo Tedici said Tuesday. He said the muggy 'afa' that has meant sleepless nights for many will let up a bit with temperatures falling from 39 to 36°C. "The boiling African heat will be a little less hellish from Ferragosto on," said Tedici. Meanwhile, after the mercury in Florence hit 41°C on Sunday and Monday, temperatures will still be that high Tuesday in inland areas of Sardinia, he said.   In northern Italy, too, Forlì will see 40°C while thermometers will register 38-39° in Ferrara, Florence, Foggia, Lecce, Oristano, Prato, Reggio Emilia, Siracusa, Trento and Verona. Wednesday, the eve of Ferragosto, will see continued weltering conditions with peaks of 39°C in the south, and 38° at Ferrara and Forlì, whil

 LAWMA BOSS ADVOCATES FOR ‘ADOPT A STREET’ INITIATIVE  …Encourages Private Organizations to Embrace Corporate Social Responsibility through Community Sanitation The Managing Director/CEO of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, has called on private organizations and residents to adopt streets and communities as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to enhance environmental cleanliness across Lagos State. Dr. Gbadegesin who spoke on both Lagos Television’s “The Conversation” and Channels TV’s “Sunrise” programs, emphasised the importance of community involvement in maintaining sanitation, urging businesses and individuals to play a more active role in the cleanliness of their immediate environments. “Adopting a street or community is an excellent way for organizations to contribute meaningfully to the city’s cleanliness efforts. It goes beyond just placing bins; it’s about taking responsibility for the cleanliness and maintenance of entire n

 Nigerian singers, Rema and Tems make Barack Obama's annual summer playlist Former President of the United States (US), Barack Obama, is back with his annual Summer Playlist. In a tweet on Monday night, Obama revealed his favorite songs for Summer. Former President of the United States Barack Obama listed two Nigerian singers, Rema and Tems in his just-released annual summer playlist, featuring 44 songs from various genres. ‘Love Me Jeje’ by Tems and ‘Yayo’ by Rema are the Nigerian songs featured on the playlist. Other singers who landed on Obama's playlist include country breakout star Shaboozey. ("A Bar Song (Tipsy)"'), popstar Billie Eilish ("Chihiro") and hip-hop singer Tommy Richman ("Million Dollar Baby"). Past favorites 2Pac and The Rolling Stones also earned spots. Obama took to X on Monday to share the playlist saying, “With summer winding down, I wanted to share some songs that I’ve been listening to lately and it wouldn’t be my playl

   Ondo caterer, how we killed our boss, domestic staff confess.   Two of the three domestic staff of a caterer, Mrs. Olakunbi Adene, who was murdered in Akure, the Ondo State capital, last week, have confessed to killing the woman after their arrest. It was gathered that the two arrested suspects were apprehended in Akure and Idanre after detectives from the Ondo State Police Command tracked the woman’s two Android phones to them. According to a police source, the driver of the deceased ran away after his wife answered a call from the late woman’s phone. The source said three people were involved in the killing and confessed to murdering the caterer after she prepared a delicious meal for them to celebrate her 54th birthday. The source said, “They explained that they went to the woman’s house, where she cooked for them on that fateful Thursday. After eating the delicious food, they descended on her and killed her.” According to the suspects, “We strangled her and cut her head with a c

 Police Arrest 40-Year-Old Man Who Kidnapped And K!lled His Brother After Collecting 15Million Naira Ransom The Kano State Police Command has arrested a 40-year-old man, Abdullahi Alhassan, who connived with one Abdulazeez Adamu, kidnapped and k!lled his brother after collecting N15m ransom in Dawakin Kudi Local Government Area of the state. The State Commissioner of Police, CP Salman Dogo Garba, who disclosed this when he briefed newsmen at the command headquarters in on Monday, August 12, 2024, said the incident came to light following the arrest of Abdulazeez Adamu, in connection with the abduction of another resident in Dawakin Kudi.  According to the CP, Abdullahi Alhassan’s brother, Aliyu Alhassan, was kidnapped in 2023 and the abductors demanded N60m ransom.  The abductors later collected N15m but didn’t release the victim.  During preliminary investigation, the principal suspect, Abdulazeez, confessed to have conspired with the first victim’s brother, Abdullahi Alhassan, to kid

 Man arrested with fresh human skull in Ibadan.  A man identified only as Musa has been apprehended in the Amuloko area of Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, for being in possession of a fresh human skull believed to belong to an unidentified woman. The incident unfolded when local residents, noticing Musa’s suspicious behaviour, confronted him and demanded to inspect the sack he was carrying. To their horror, they discovered a human skull inside. The unsettling discovery was shared on social media, with a video of the suspect posted on X by Oyo Affairs. The caption read, “Man caught with a fresh human head earlier today in Amuloko area of Ibadan. He has been handed over to the police.” During initial questioning by the community, Musa reportedly confessed to being part of a syndicate involved in the sale of human body parts. He has since been handed over to the police, who have launched a further investigation into the case, with a view to prosecuting those involved in the criminal ope

  Nigerians and Indians filled up more job positions in the UK than British nationals between 2019-2023 Nigerians and Indians have seen the most significant growth in employment in the UK between 2019 and 2023, according to data from His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC).   The HMRC, which is the UK's tax authority responsible for collecting direct and indirect taxes, as well as administering benefits and tax credit payments, provided the data following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request by Neil O’Brien, a member of parliament and former government minister. The data shows a remarkable shift in the UK's employment landscape, with about 10 percent fewer jobs held by European Union (EU) nationals, while employment among people from outside the EU increased by 69 percent during the period. Of the 1.481 million additional employments recorded in the UK, 1.465 million were held by non-EU nationals, with UK nationals accounting for only 257,000. Specifically, nationals from In

 Barack Obama’s 2024 summer reading list is here. On Aug. 12, the former president dropped the annual reading list on his official Instagram account. The new list includes 14 novels and non-fiction pieces of work that explore global and American history, culture, feminism, the meaning of democracy and more. Barrack Obama wrote: "I’ve read some great books over the last few months and wanted to share some of my favorites," the caption to his post reads. "Let me know if you have any recommendations for books I should check out!" All of the books on Barack Obama’s 2024 summer reading list The former president's book list includes a novel inspired by “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” and a book that explores the golden era of basketball. Fiction  1. James” by Percival Everett — Inspired by “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: by Mark Twain, Everett's novel follows Jim, the character in the original story who is escaping slavery.  2. “Headshot” by Rita Bullwin

 Zaria Residents Petition INEC To Recall Speaker Abbas, Senator Ibrahim Khalid, Over Alleged Neglect, Poor Representation A group of concerned citizens from Zaria City, have formally petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recall two prominent political figures, Honorable Dr. Abbas Tajuddeen, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Senator Ibrahim Khalid Soba.  The petitioners alleged that the representatives have failed to provide adequate representation and address the pressing needs of their constituents. The petition, which has garnered significant attention in the region, outlined various grievances against the two elected officials.  The residents claim that Dr. Tajuddeen and Senator Soba have failed to live up to their responsibilities, despite their high-ranking positions, leading to widespread dissatisfaction among the people of Zaria. Among the concerns raised are issues related to infrastructure development, social welfare, and effective c

 How Bandits Killed Church Cleric, One Other, Abducted Eight Persons In Kaduna Community Gunmen suspected to be bandits have killed a pastor, Peter Shebayan, one other and abducted eight residents in Kaduna State. The attack occurred at Pastor Shebayan’s mission station in Katul Crossing, within the Fadan Kamantra area of Zangon Kataf Local Government Area, on the night of Sunday, August 11, 2024. In a related incident, bandits attacked the Ruruma community in Kwassam, Kauru Local Government Area, killing Dr. Ishaya and abducting eight others. A resident of the area, Benzene Godwin, disclosed that the gunmen raided the community in the early hours of Monday, August 12. Some of the abducted victims identified as, Dan’iya Barau, Bitrust Dan’iya, Esther Magada, Buba Mu’azu Tanko, Philip, Joshua Cyrus, Bege Ezekiel, and Joffrey Ezekiel. It was gathered that one of the victims managed to escape and return home. However, the bandits were said to have stolen several items, including six motor

 PRESS RELEASE  13TH AUGUST, 2024 The editors, CRIME: 62-Year-Old Man Apprehended; Significant Suspected Counterfeit Notes Seized. On the 6th of August, 2024, at approximately 09:00 AM, a concerned citizen from Jos North LGA, Plateau State boarded a commercial Vectra vehicle from Sabon Garin Narabi Toro LGA, Bauchi State, en route to Bauchi. Upon reaching Tilden Fulani Market in Toro LGA, Bauchi State, a 62-year-old man named Tahir Ahmed stopped the vehicle and joined the journey to Bauchi. While in transit, Tahir Ahmed allegedly transformed some papers into new one thousand naira notes through what appeared to be ritualistic chanting, giving rise to suspicion that the notes might be counterfeit. Upon reaching Bauchi metropolitan around Yandoka road, a Good Samaritan  reported  to the  police station. Upon interrogation, the suspect reportedly admitted to the aforementioned crime. Investigations are ongoing to uncover further details related to this incident. Recovered items: - A sum o

 Family announces funeral arrangements of Late Pa Akinkunmi’s, Nigerian flag designer The family of the late Pa Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi has revealed the funeral arrangements for the esteemed designer of Nigeria’s national flag, who died on August 29, 2023, at the age of 87. His son, Akinwumi Akinkunmi, thanked everyone for their kindness during their mourning. The burial will take place from Wednesday, September 4th, to […] The post Family announces funeral arrangements of Late Pa Akinkunmi’s, Nigerian flag designer appeared first on Gistlover.

 “ My husband is so insecure , what he doesn’t understand is I’m OVER MY ex Diamond Platnumz “ Zari  “ Honestly I might end the relationship if he doesn’t change . Anytime I go to visit my baby daddy with the kids he calls every minute . Worst is if I have to sleep . I don’t like an insecure man . It’s time he fix up . “she said 

  JIMI LAWAL REFUTES MEDIA REPORTS...SAYS I'VE NOTHING TO HIDE The attention of the media office of Chief Jimi Adebisi Lawal (JAL), former Senior Counsellor and Chairman, Kaduna State Economic Development Council (2015 - 2022), has been drawn to a malicious report credited to The Nation newspaper and feasted on by some online platforms that he is being watchlisted because he failed to honour an invitation by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over an alleged N11 billion light rail project. We wish to state that nothing could be farther from the truth. The facts of the matter are as stated presently.  On the 1st of August, 2024, Lawal missed a call from an unknown number. As a highly courteous and responsible citizen, when he called the line back, the person at the other end identified himself as an ICPC official and that he had an invitation letter dated 1st August , 2024, for him to appear at Headquarters of the commission the next day.

 Azman Air Suspends Operations, Asks Workers To Embark On Leave Without Pay Azman Airline has suspended flights operation indefinitely, attributing it to the ongoing C-checks on all its aircrafts and the high cost of operations. A source who is familiar with the issue but does not what his name mentioned disclosed to The Guardian saying "We have temporarily suspended our operation and it was because all the Boeing 737 we are using for domestic operation are due for C-checks," The source stated that two of their aircraft were sent to the maintenance facility in Turkey for C-checks, but unfortunately, they will wait for a long queue at the hangar which would take some time to be ready. He added that the two other aircraft are due for maintenance, while the other one of them has achieved 9o percent completion and it's expected back in the country by October." Meanwhile, the airline in an internal memo titled 'Placement of Leave Without Pay', issued to staff memb

 Former Bol MD, Pitan, replaces Iluyomade as RCCG City of David's parish pastor Pastor Kayode Pitan has been appointed as the new pastor of the City of David Parish, Lagos of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. He will succeed Pastor Charles Kpandei, who has been serving as the interim pastor since the suspension of Pastor Idowu Iluyomade. Church Times Nigeria reported on Sunday that Pitan’s appointment followed the suspension of Iluyomade due to certain allegations. While some media outlets initially reported that Pitan had already taken over, it was Kpandei who has been leading the parish since June, following Iluyomade’s suspension. The agency stated that a top source in the RCCG informed Church Times that Pitan has now been formally designated as the incumbent pastor of the City of David. The decision was said to have taken by the governing council of the church during the just-concluded convention of the church. Prior to his new role, Pitan was the Pastor in Charge of the Ta

 Olympic Gold Medals: 1908 Vs 2024 A photo making rounds on social media has sparked conversations about the changing composition of Olympic gold medals over the years. The image contrasts a gold medal from the 1908 Olympics, which was made of 100% pure gold, with a 2024 Olympic gold medal, reportedly containing just 1% gold. The 1908 medal, a relic of the early modern Olympics, represents a time when the prestige of the games was mirrored in the material value of the medals themselves. In contrast, the 2024 Olympic gold medal, although still highly symbolic, reflects the evolution of the games and the shifting priorities in material usage due to economic and environmental considerations. This comparison has fueled discussions online, with many expressing nostalgia for the older, purer medals, while others emphasize the significance of the achievements these medals represent, regardless of their material composition. The photo serves as a stark reminder of how the Olympics—and the worl

 "As part of concerted efforts undertaken by the State Government to mitigate the trend of alcohol consumption by commercial drivers across different parks and garages in the State as discovered to be a primary trigger for motor accidents, the Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (@lagescofficial ) popularly known as KAI impounded alcoholic drinks during a raid on Olupese Terminal Park and Oshodi-Bolade Garages on Tuesday.  The Corps Marshal of the Agency, Major Olaniyi Olatunbosun Cole (rtd) equally read the riot act to street traders and hawkers to desist from their banned activities as enshrined in the Environmental Laws of the State just as he maintained that the resolve of the Agency in the war against street trading, displaying wares for sale in traffic, on walkways, setbacks, lay-bys, gutter slabs, road verges, medians and kerbs will be sustained and defaulters will be met with stiff opposition. #ZeroToleranceLagos #CleanerLagos @lagosstategovt"- Tokubo Wahab.  Watch v

 ***VIEWERS DISCRETION ADVISED*** 𝐓𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐁𝐲 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐝'𝐬 𝐒𝐨𝐧 𝐈𝐧 𝐋𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐬 An incident of alleged rape has been reported in Alakuko, Lagos, where a 14-year-old girl was reportedly raped by the son of her landlord. The incident occurred yesterday, according to an X user who tweets anonymously as #Rhwaley  Rhwaley added that when the family confronted the landlord about the incident, he dismissed their concerns, saying "Nothing will happen". Sharing videos of the victim #Rhwaley wrote, "🔞🔞 - A 14yrs old girl was raped yesterday by her landlord's son in Alakuko Lagos. The parents and family of the girl are helpless. The landlord said nothing will happen!!  "Cc: #Princemoye1 #Mr_JAGs #Letter_to_Jack #the_Lawrenz #followlasg" Jubril Gawat, Senior Special Assistant on New Media to the Lagos State Governor, assured that no one is helpless in the matter and urged the family to contact the Lagos Stat

 #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria: Court dismisses suit seeking to bar citizens from further protesting Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday dismissed an application seeking an interim injunction to stop protesters from continuing the #EndBadGovernance protest. Aggrieved Nigerians who were frustrated with the economic hardship in the country in some parts of Nigeria trooped out from August 1 to 10, to protest the removal of fuel subsidies, bad governance, and rising hunger in the country. Danladi Goje, Buky Abayomi, Adiza Abbo, and 13 other Nigerians had in an application dated August 12, sought the enforcement of their fundamental rights against the organisations who chaired the protests. The applicants sued Take It Back Movement, Concerned Nigerians, Nigerians Against Hunger, Initiative For Change, Human Rights Co-advocacy Initiative, Nigerian Against Corruption Initiative, Citizens for Change Advocacy Initiative, Timely Intervention organisations, Active Citizen

 UNICAL Pro Chancellor commends NYSC for exposing fake graduates The Pro-Chancellor of the University of Calabar, DIG Udom Ekpoudom (retd), has commended the National Youth Service Corps for exposing fake graduates who were fraudulently mobilised. He made this known in a phone interview with a journalist. He pledged to take action against the staff involved in mobilisation of these fake graduates from the institution. It should be recalled that the NYSC’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Eddy Megwa, listed 101 individuals who were fraudulently mobilised from UNICAL between the 2021 and 2023 service years. The NYSC described this as a major crackdown on certificate fraud and a step towards ensuring the integrity of the national programme and preventing unqualified individuals from participating. DIG Ekpoudom disclosed that the institution is conducting a thorough investigation to identify the staff responsible and vowed to sanction the offenders accordingly. “NYSC has done

 Edo: Calling me impostor affront to judiciary – Shaibu fires back at state govt The reinstated Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, on Tuesday, insisted that he’s not an impostor. Reacting to claims by the state’s Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, Shaibu said calling him an impostor was an affront to the judiciary. Nehikhare had called Shaibu an impostor shortly after he resumed office as the Edo State Deputy Governor. However, speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Musa Ebomhiana, Shaibu faulted Nehikhare’s claim. He said, “Our attention has been drawn to a statement credited to Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, describing the state Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu as an impostor. “To say the least, the statement, in its entirety, is an affront to the judiciary, and a clear violation of a valid court order of July 17, 2024, as delivered by Hon Justice James Omotosho of the FCT Federal High Court. “We a

 Johannesburg mayor resigns amid anger at state of city The mayor of South Africa's powerhouse city Johannesburg stepped down Tuesday after months of political wrangling and anger about the dilapidated state of the vast African economic hub. The resignation of Kabelo Gwamanda - who held the job for less than 15 months - means the city of at least 4.8 million people will get its eighth mayor in five years when his replacement is installed. Gwamanda had been under huge pressure to quit, with residents angry over poor delivery of services, including of water and waste collection, amid rising tariffs and deteriorating infrastructure, AFP reported. Demanding the mayor's dismissal, the Johannesburg Crisis Alliance (JCA) complained last month of a "virtual collapse of services in terms of road maintenance, cleanliness and the provision of affordable housing". The city said in a statement it will meet on Friday to elect a new mayor. Media reports have tipped senior African Na

 We say no to Arewa Republic - Middle Belt Forum The Middle Belt Youth Forum has condemned the call for  Arewa Republic. The leader of the group, Capt. Brent Kane, who described the idea as laughable, stated that the Middle Belt was standing for the unity and oneness of Nigeria. The statement said: “Our attention has been drawn to a trending secessionist video on the social media space of certain individuals and groups purportedly displaying a figment of their imagination which they christened the ‘Republic of Arewa’ and to which they even went further to attach a gamut of state paraphernalia such as a flag, logo, map, coat of arms and perhaps an anthem of some sort. “In this delusional imagination of theirs, they grouped the entire 19 states in northern Nigeria into a monolithic entity which they have so named the ‘Republic of Arewa.’ “This is not only laughable but also irrational as we the leadership and members of the Middle Belt Youth Forum not only reject the move in its totality b

 Iraq To Reduce Legal Marriage Age Of Girls To 9 Years A controversial bill to reduce the legal marriage age of girls to 9 and boys to 15 has been introduced in Iraq's parliament. This has caused a lot of concern among human rights groups and women’s organistions. Currently, the law in Iraq says that people must be at least 18 to get married. However, the new law, proposed by the Iraq justice ministry, would let people choose whether to follow religious rules or the civil court system for family matters. Critics are worried that this change could reduce women's rights in areas like inheritance, divorce, and child custody. If the law passes, it would allow girls as young as nine and boys as young as 15 to get married. This has raised fears that there will be more child marriages and exploitation of young girls. Human rights groups and activists are strongly against the bill. They warn that it could have serious negative effects on young girls’ education, health, and overall well

Babies in Nigeria are born with antibiotic-resistant bacteria – Report  Nigerian babies are born with antibiotic-resistant bacteria, specifically colistin-resistant strains.   This is according to a recent report by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, an international organization focused on improving vaccine access for children in the world’s poorest countries, which raised concerns on the future health of babies in Nigeria.  The report which examined samples from mothers and newborns in Nigeria stated that babies younger than one week old already had colistin-resistant bacteria, even though neither the mothers nor the infants had been treated with colistin.   Out of the 4,907 samples analyzed, 1% had genes conferring colistin resistance, affecting 41 mothers and eight babies.  Colistin is considered a last-resort antibiotic, critical for treating severe infections when other antibiotics fail. The presence of colistin-resistant bacteria in newborns is particularly concerning because it sugges

 Elon Musk interviews Trump live on X after delay United States Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump has returned to the social media platform X as he attempts to recover from a rocky couple of weeks on the campaign trail. On Monday, he marked the occasion by sitting down for a chat on Spaces with platform owner Elon Musk, who has publicly endorsed Trump’s campaign for re-election. The last time Trump had posted on the social media website was when he posted his mugshot from being processed at an Atlanta jail in the Georgia election subversion case in August of last year. Trump had gained around 900,000 new followers as of Monday night since he started posting again on the platform. The discussion eventually got under way about 40 minutes late after what Musk claimed was a “massive” cyberattack on the platform, previously known as Twitter. He said the audience would be limited and a recording would be shared afterwards. Over a rambling chat that lasted near

Ogun Not Owing WAEC a Dime, Withheld Result Caused by Technical Hitch - Branch Controller The Branch Controller of the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) in charge of Ogun State, Mr. Ayobami Suberu has faulted an online media report insinuating that the results of some public school students in the state were withheld due to indebtedness. Suberu, in a chat with newsmen on Tuesday morning, described the report as mischievous and unbalanced, adding that the Ogun State Government was not indebted to the Council in any way. The branch controller explained that the results of the affected students were still pending because of a technical hitch, which is being looked into for quick redress and immediate action. According to him, there is ongoing communication between the branch and the Head of the Test Administration Division of the Council in that regard, as he promised that the results would be released before the close of work on Tuesday. "Let me say categorically that Ogun Stat