Paradise News

Tag: World

  • WHO to send 100 aid trucks to Gaza Strip daily

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) will send about 100 trucks carrying humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip daily.

    The WHO regional emergency director for the Eastern Mediterranean office, Richard Brennan, disclosed this to journalists on Thursday in the United States.

    He said the US President, Joe Biden, announced that he had secured an agreement from Israel and Egypt to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza via Rafah following his solidarity trip to Israel on Wednesday.

    Brennan said up to 20 trucks would enter the sealed-off exclave but is likely to reach Gaza only by Friday.

    He said: “We hope to get up to 100 trucks a day. So, we have got to rapidly scale up that assistance. This is not a sprint, this is just the start, this is a marathon.”

    Over 3,000 people had been killed and hundreds of thousands of others displaced in the nearly two-week-old conflict between Israel and Hamas.

    The conflict which began on October 7 was the worst single bloodbath in Israeli history.

    Israel’s military had since attacked targets in the densely populated Gaza Strip with 2.7 million Palestinians.

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  • Immigration officer, two others die in Seme-Badagry Expressway crash

    An Inspector of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) in Seme Area Command, Owolabi Adebola, and two others have died in an auto-crash along the Seme-Badagry Expressway.

    The unit commander of the Federal Road Safety Corp, Badagry, Williams Manga, disclosed this to journalists on Thursday.

    Mr Manga said the accident occurred on Wednesday evening around 4:30.p.m. at Gbethrome, near Sultan Beach in Badagry.

    According to the unit commander, the command received an emergency at 4:31 p.m., and they got to the scene at precisely 4:36 p.m.

    “The accident involved one green Toyota Camry with Registration number KTU 519 HN with four passengers and the driver.

    “The immigration officer and two other passengers died instantly while the driver and one other sustained injuries.

    “The injured ones were taken to General Hospital Badagry while the bodies of the deceased were deposited at the hospital mortuary,” he said.

    According to him, the driver caused the accident by excessive speeding.

    He, therefore, urged all motorists to adhere to speed limits and conduct routine vehicle checks for prompt detection and replacement of faults.

    (NAN)

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  • Biden admin issues ‘worldwide caution’ travel advisory

    The U.S. State Department issued a “worldwide caution” travel advisory on Thursday.

    “Due to increased tensions in various locations around the world, the potential for terrorist attacks, demonstrations or violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests, the Department of State advises U.S. citizens overseas to exercise increased caution,” the advisory states.

    The State Department urged Americans to:

    • Stay alert in locations frequented by tourists.
    • Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive information and alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency overseas.
    • Follow the Department of State on Facebook and Twitter.

    The advisory comes nearly two weeks after Hamas terrorists attacked Israel, killing 1,300 people, including Americans, and wounding thousands more. The terrorist attacks triggered a declaration of war from Israel.

    The director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Christopher Wray, also warned there is a rising number of terrorist threats in the United States in the wake of the Hamas terrorist attacks.

    “In this heightened environment, there’s no question we’re seeing an increase in reported threats and we’ve got to be on the lookout, especially for lone actors who make take inspiration from recent events to commit violence of their own,” Wray said during a speech at the International Association of Chiefs of Police annual conference last weekend.

    “So I’d encourage you to stay vigilant, because as the first line of defense protecting our communities, you’re often the first to see the signs that someone may be mobilizing to violence. I’d also ask you to continue sharing any intelligence or observations you may have, and on our end, we’re committed to doing the same so that together we can safeguard our communities,” Wray added.

    Wray’s warning came one day after a former leader and founding member of Hamas urged Muslims around the world to engage in a global day of Jihad.



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  • ‘From Maryam Shetty To Kashim Imam’ — Northerners Fume Over Tinubu’s Withdrawal Of 24-Year-Old FERMA Chairman Nominee

    Maryam-Shetty-and-Imam-Kashim-Imam

    President Bola Tinubu’s decision to withdraw the appointment of Imam Kashim Imam, a 24-year-old first-class Mechanical Engineering graduate, as the Board Chairman of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) has ignited criticism from some northerners.

    President Tinubu had reconstituted the governing board and management team of FERMA for a renewable term of four years, naming Imam as the Board Chairman.

    Imam, the son of prominent Borno politician, Kashim Ibrahim-Imam, had gained attention for his academic achievements after his appointment, including a first-class degree from the University of Brighton in the UK and a master’s degree from the same institution.

    But he had only completed his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in August 2022, prompting questions about his readiness for such a high-ranking government position.

    Criticism of Imam’s appointment intensified as many Nigerians questioned whether his academic qualifications were enough to justify the appointment, given his supposed lack of work experience.

    This sentiment was shared on the micro-blogging app, Twitter (now X).

    Amid the criticism, President Tinubu ordered the reversal of Imam’s appointment, without offering any explanation for his action.

    The President’s decision was met with criticism from some northerners who expressed their disappointment on social media.

    While some had initially called on Tinubu to withdraw Imam’s appointment claiming he lacks the experience required for the position, northerners who reacted to Imam’s withdrawal on Thursday accused the president of marginalising the north by withdrawing the appointments of two young northerners who were appointed to key positions in his government.

    They noted that Imam’s withdrawal was reminiscent of a similar situation involving Maryam Shettima, popularly known as Maryam Shetty, who had her ministerial appointment withdrawn just hours before her scheduled Senate screening.

    Shetty, from Kano State, had arrived at the Senate and was waiting to be screened when news of the withdrawal broke.

    Below are some of the reactions on social media:



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  • Social Media Posts Spread Bogus Quote From Qatari Leader

    Quick Take

    Posts on social media are spreading the baseless claim that the ruler of Qatar has “threatened that if the bombing of Gaza does not stop, he will cut off the supply of gas to the world.” The country’s government gets most of its revenue from energy exports, and there’s no record of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani making such a threat.

    Full Story

    When war broke out between Israel and Hamas on Oct. 7, leaving more than 1,200 people dead in Israel, the Islamic state of Qatar issued a statement reiterating its support for Palestinian statehood and holding “Israel solely responsible for the ongoing escalation.”

    The statement also called for de-escalation by all parties and urged restraint.

    Since then, Qatari mediators have reportedly been engaged in talks to facilitate the release of about 200 hostages held by Hamas, including some Americans.

    So, Qatar has played some part in seeking to stop the violence since the conflict began, but social media posts have exaggerated that role.

    Social media posts have been spreading the false claim that Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the emir of Qatar, has “threatened that if the bombing of Gaza does not stop, he will cut off the supply of gas to the world.”

    There is no record of Al Thani making such a statement and the only evidence offered by those posting the claims is a short clip from a 2017 speech in which the emir referenced “the issue of Palestine,” according to a Google translation of the original Arabic. He did not say anything about stopping the export of natural gas in his speech, which was delivered six years before the war began.

    For example, a post from a conspiracy-theory account on X, formerly known as Twitter, shared the video clip with the claim “BREAKING: Qatar is threatening to create a global gas shortage in support of Palestine. ‘If the bombing of Gaza doesn’t stop, we will stop gas supply of the world.’”

    But, as we said, the video predates the war and doesn’t say anything about the export of natural gas.

    It’s also worth noting that oil and natural gas exports are the backbone of Qatar’s economy, so it’s unlikely that the country would cut off its own source of income.

    In 2021, earnings from Qatar’s hydrocarbon sector accounted for 81% of its total government revenues, the U.S. Energy Information Administration calculated in a March report using the most recent data available from the International Monetary Fund.

    “The strength of Qatar’s hydrocarbon sector … underpins the strong performance of the economy,” the World Bank wrote in an April report on the country.

    In another report on Qatar released in early October, the World Bank noted two major energy deals — one with China and the other with Bangladesh — saying, “These developments augur well for Qatar’s extended energy export prospects, with the likelihood of unveiling further energy contracts across Asia and Europe in the coming months.”

    Indeed, within the last week Qatar signed two more deals — one with Shell in the Netherlands and the other with TotalEnergies in France — for 27-year agreements to supply gas. In the first half of this year, Qatar was the world’s third leading exporter of liquefied natural gas behind only the United States and Australia, according to the EIA.

    Also, an anonymous Qatari official referred to the country’s liquified natural exports when he told Reuters, “such a statement has never been made and never would be. Qatar does not politicise its LNG supplies or any economic investment.”

    Sources

    Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Press release. “Qatar Expresses Concern over the Developments in Gaza Strip and Calls for De-escalation.” 7 Oct 2023.

    MacDonald, Fiona. “To Return Hostages Taken by Hamas, the US Calls Its Friend Qatar.” Bloomberg. Updated 18 Oct 2023.

    Doha Forum (@DohaForum13). “Opening Speech by: H.H. Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar.” YouTube. 18 May 2017.

    U.S. Energy Information Administration. Country Analysis Brief: Qatar. 28 Mar 2023.

    International Monetary Fund. Qatar: Selected Issues. 21 Jun 2022.

    World Bank. Macro Poverty Outlook: Qatar. Apr 2023.

    World Bank. Macro Poverty Outlook: Qatar. Oct 2023.

    Saba, Yousef. “Qatar supplies gas to Europe, vying with US to replace Russia supply.” Reuters. 18 Oct 2023.

    Reuters. “Fact Check: Qatari emir’s 2017 speech misrepresented as gas threat.” 17 Oct 2023.

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  • “A love suddenly extinguished by deception” Lupita Nyongo announces split from boyfriend months after going public with their relationship

    "A love suddenly extinguished by deception" Lupita Nyongo announces split from boyfriend months after going public with their relationship

    Lupita Nyongo has announced that her relationship with TV host Selema Masekela is over.

     

    The actress said she is “in a season of heartbreak because of a love suddenly and devastatingly extinguished by deception.”

     

    She added that she is going through so much pain but is “trusting that this too shall pass.”

     

    Lupita has now taken down all the photos of Selema she posted on her Instagram feed, including a post she made in August when she showered him with sweet words on his birthday.

     

    Announcing their breakup, she wrote: “There are much more important things going on in the world right now, and my thoughts are with those who are deeply suffering.

     

    “At this moment, it is necessary for me to share a personal truth and publicly dissociate myself from someone I can no longer trust…

     

    “I find myself in a season of heartbreak because of a love suddenly and devastatingly extinguished by deception. I am tempted to run into the shadows and hide, only to return to the light when I have regained my strength enough for me to say, ‘Whatever, my life is better this way.’

     

    “But I am reminded that the magnitude of the pain I am feeling is equal to the measure of my capacity for love. And so, I am choosing to face the pain, cultivating the courage to meet my life exactly as it is, and trusting that this too shall pass. The promise, they say, is that a tender heart is what gives birth to fearlessness. I hope it’s true… I share this to keep it 100, and hoping that the knowledge of my experience might be useful to someone else out there experiencing the grip of heartbreak who is poised to try and escape from the pain and miss out on the wisdom that comes from it.”

     

     

     

    "A love suddenly extinguished by deception" Lupita Nyongo announces split from boyfriend months after going public with their relationship

     

    Recall that in Dec 2022, Lupita and Selema made their relationship public (read here). Afterwards, tweets Selema shared in 2016, asking for lines to woo Lupita with after he met her on a plane, went viral (read here). 

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  • Tinubu Will Collide With Muslims, Be Removed From Office If He Fails To Sack ‘Satanic’ Wike As FCT Minister –Sheikh Gumi

    An Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has asked President Bola Tinubu to sack the Federal Capital Territory minister, Nyesom Wike or he “will collide with them”.

     

    The cleric, in a video sermon of over 14 minutes posted on his official Facebook page, labelled Wike as “Satanic” for receiving the Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria in his office.

     

    The cleric in the sermon also asserted that President Tinubu would be stopped from serving for eight years if he failed to take action on Wike.

     

    He said, “The Minister of the FCT is a Satanic person; I said it before when he was appointed and some people were grumbling. He has gone and brought the Israeli Ambassador, that’s what someone sent and I am yet to watch it. But what is confirmed is he said they will collaborate with the Israelis on Abuja’s security issues. Abuja will now become an extension of Tel Aviv and when they see anyone with a beard like us, they will say it is Bin Laden and we will be killed.

     

    “Where are those that worked for the Muslim-Muslim ticket? Hypocrites and worthless people. Abuja is becoming an extension of Tel Aviv and security is the bastion of the people. Have you not heard the silence? They know what they are doing. One Miyetti Allah leader came and told me that if they come to me with a proposal of negotiation with bandits, I should not be part of it, that I should leave it alone.”

     

    “For you to understand, they will bring the MOSSAD into our country. Because of this, Tinubu should know that we know their plan, he must choose. He should remove the Minister of Abuja; if not, we will collide with him. On the day of a bath, the navel is not hidden.

     

    “Let me tell you what happened during President (Goodluck) Jonathan’s time. We went to a meeting one day at the DSS headquarters and met one operative who knew my police detail. One day he called us and gave us the number of a Mercedes 4matic. He said he was in the toilet and heard the arrangement of how a hit squad had been assembled to kill Sheikh Gumi.

     

    “All the killings that happened during Jonathan’s time in Jaji were executed by the military and not Boko Haram. Now have you not known the real Boko Haram? Can Boko Haram plant a bomb in Jaji if not them? General Shuwa was killed despite having soldiers in his house. They went and killed him. They were angry because he fought the civil war. You gave them power and they killed your leaders.

     

    “All the killings perpetrated by Israelis are nothing, but the attack carried out by Hamas is now their nightmare. If any Muslim in Nigeria has ever killed a President in this country, they will have put a ceiling on our people’s military career progression. If they attain the rank of a Captain, they will not be trusted to progress and we will concede. But how about them? They killed our leaders, not one, not two, not three. Once you give them power, they will kill, they will continue to kill our people,” he added.

     

     

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  • Tinubu appoints Olusi as new MD Bank of Industry

    President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Dr. Olasupo Olusi as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Bank of Industry (BOI).

    The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Ajuri Ngelale, confirmed the appointment in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

    He said Olusi’s appointment followed the resignation of the former BOI Managing Director, Mr. Olukayode Pitan.

    The appointment, according to him, was for an initial term of four years.

    The statement read: “Olusi has served as a World Bank Economist and development finance expert over the past 20 years.

    “Between 2011 and 2015, Olusi served as the economic adviser to then Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance.

    “He is an alumnus of Hull University, United Kingdom.”

    “Olusi also obtained a Masters degree in International Money, Finance, and Investment, as well as a Doctorate in Finance and Economics from Durham University, United Kingdom, in 2005.

    “The President tasked the new BOI Chief Executive to ensure that Nigerians operating all sizes of enterprises across sectors were given fair and equitable access to much needed support.”

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  • Rehabilitation of over 135 failed roads within FCT ongoing: Wike

    The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, says over 135 failed roads within the FCT are being rehabilitated to enhance the safety of motorists and all residents.

    Mr Wike disclosed this during the flag-off of the 2023 ember months public enlightenment campaign on Thursday in Abuja.

    The minister, represented by the FCT Transport Secretary, Ubokutom Nyah, said the road rehabilitation would also make the city livable.

    “While we do these, the public is expected to compliment the administration’s efforts by obeying simple traffic rules and regulations,” he said.

    According to him, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) will not condone overspeeding, overloading, and driving with worn-out tyres.

    Mr Wike noted that increased vehicular movements with attendant traffic issues always characterised the last four months of the year.

    “This attitude brings about increased tension on our roads.

    “l am happy with the synergy between the Federal Road Safety Corps and the FCTA in the areas of traffic management and control.

    “This synergy has checkmated the apparent tendencies with which many motorists abuse road traffic rules, signage and basic operating principles. This, however, underscores the importance we attach to this campaign, ” he said.

    The minister admonished all motorists to be conscious of their speed, saying that though speed thrills, it kills and destroys installed facilities and properties.

    “FCTA will continue to partner with any organisation that shows interest in the maintenance of law and order on our roads.

    “We will continue to upgrade the road infrastructure in the territory to promote seamless traffic flow,” he said. 

    (NAN)

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  • Trump leads Biden with swing state voters, survey shows

    A recent Bloomberg News and Morning Consult poll shows that “Bidenomics” is not resonating with swing state voters, as President Joe Biden trails former President Donald Trump, largely due to voters’ concerns with the U.S. economy.

    The Bloomberg News and Morning Consult poll surveyed 5,023 registered voters earlier this month from Arizona, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, Wisconsin, Nevada, and North Carolina. Based on the survey of voters from the seven crucial swing states, Trump currently leads Biden 47% to 43%, with the poll’s margin of error at only 1%.

    According to the poll, 65% of voters who indicated that the economy was the most important issue to them showed disapproval of Biden’s economic policies. Only 26% of registered voters indicated that Biden’s economic policy, Bidenomics, has benefited the economy. Additionally, 51% of voters said the economy was stronger under the Trump administration.

    “Right now, Biden is not getting any credit for work he’s done on the economy,” Caroline Bye, vice president of Morning Consult and a pollster for the survey, stated. “Almost twice as many voters in the swing states are saying that Bidenomics is bad for the economy, as opposed to good for the economy, which is a really startling fact if you’re the Biden campaign.”

    READ MORE: Surprise candidate challenges Biden in Democrat 2024 primary

    According to Bloomberg, 49% of voters indicated they would trust Trump on the issue of the economy, compared to 35% of voters who indicated they would trust Biden. The poll also found that Trump has a 22-point advantage over Biden among independent voters regarding the issue of who to trust on the economy.

    Based on the recent poll, Trump also leads Biden in five of the seven swing states, including Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Arizona, and Georgia.

    In a statement to Axios, Kevin Munoz, a Biden campaign spokesperson, said, “Predictions more than a year out tend to look a little different a year later.” He added, “We’ll win in 2024 by putting our heads down and doing the work, not by fretting about a poll.”



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