Microsoft Corp. Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella said artificial intelligence could help Google extend its dominance of the search market, as he took the stand Monday in the Google antitrust trial.
When Microsoft introduced its new Bing AI-based search in February, beating Google to the punch, Nadella touted the technology as a way for Bing to get back in the market and make Google uncomfortable. But now, he told the judge, Google could accelerate its current lead by using the massive profits it makes from search to pay publishers for exclusive rights to content it can use to make its search AI better than rivals.
Nadella also left no doubt about his perception of Google’s dominance. “You get up in the morning, you brush your teeth and you search on Google,” he said.
The Department of Justice has accused Alphabet Inc.’s search division of unlawfully maintaining a monopoly by paying $10 billion a year to rivals, smartphone manufacturers and wireless carriers to make its search engine the default option on mobile devices and web browsers. Google has denied the allegations.
To help prove its case, the DOJ hopes to use testimony from Nadella and other executives from Microsoft to show how even a company of its size and resources couldn’t unlock Google’s hold on the search market.
Last week, Microsoft business development executive Jonathan Tinter testified that the Redmond, Washington-based software giant failed to secure a deal to put its Bing search app on Apple’s products, even though it was willing to offer far better terms than Google and lose multiple billions of dollars on the agreement. In the end, Apple signed a fresh deal with Google.
During his testimony Monday, Nadella said Apple was using Microsoft to “bid up the price” it receives from Google.“Do you think Google would continue to pay Apple if there was no search competition? Why would they do that?”
Tinter also told the court that Microsoft’s Surface Duo smartphone was required to use Google search in order to license the Android mobile operating system and was limited from using Bing on its own devices. Nadella was personally involved in discussing some of these issues with his Google counterpart, Sundar Pichai, and was expected to be queried about those conversations.
Nadella was instrumental in the development of Bing, created by Microsoft in an ultimately doomed attempt to catch up with Google and capture a chunk of the online advertising market. On Monday he said Microsoft had invested $100 billion in its search engine.
“I see search or internet search as the largest software category out there. We are a very, very low share player,” he testified. “But we continue to persist in it because we think of it as a software category we can contribute to.” Nadella added: “It’s a hard game to make any breakthroughs, but no one can accuse us of not being persistent.”
While Bing has gained share on desktop computers, where it was integrated with Microsoft’s Internet Explorer and later Edge browser, it has lagged on mobile devices where people overwhelming use Google. Three or so years ago, Microsoft even discussed selling Bing to Apple, a transaction that would have replaced Google as the default option on the iPhone maker’s devices, Bloomberg reported. But a deal never came to fruition.
The presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic party(PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has asked the Supreme Court to grant him leave to tender the academic records of President Bola Tinubu given to him by the Chicago State University, United States, as fresh evidence in his bid to establish alleged certificate forgery against the president.
Recall that Atiku had days ago addressed a world press conference, insisting that Tinubu forged his academic credentials and ought to be disqualified from contesting for president or occupying the office on that ground.
Before now, the Presidential Election Petition Court sitting in Abuja had thrown out Atiku’s petition for lacking in merit while faulting the substantiality of Tinubu’s academic records tendered by Atiku’s legal team through a public interest activist.
Dissatisfied, Atiku’s legal team approached the apex court seeking orders setting aside the entire judgment of the lower court for being allegedly erroneous, perverse and a miscarriage of justice.
While the apex court is yet to announce a hearing date on Atiku’s appeal, his legal team had approached the US District Court of Illinois for orders mandating Chicago State University to release Tinubu’s academic records.
That request was granted by Judge Nancy Maldonado of the said court.
In an application following his appeal at Nigeria’s apex court, Atiku’s lead counsel, Chris Uche, asked the court to allow him “produce and for the court to receive fresh and additional evidence by way of deposition on oath from the Chicago State University for use in this appeal to wit: the certified discovery deposition made by Caleb Westberg on behalf of Chicago State University on October 3, 2023, disclaiming the certificate presented by the 2nd respondent, Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the Independent National Electoral Commission.”
Uche referred the court to Order 2 Rule 12 (7), (2) and (3) of the Supreme Court Rules which states “(1) A party who wishes the Court to receive the evidence of witnesses (whether they were or were not called at the trial) or to order the production of any document, exhibit or other thing connected with the proceedings in accordance with the provisions of Section 33 of the Act, shall apply for leave on notice of motion prior to the date set down for the hearing of the appeal.”
It remains to be seen if the apex court will admit the said fresh documents because the respondents — Tinubu and the Independent National Electoral Commission — will be given a right of reply before the court can then decide on its admissibility.
Hearing date on Atiku’s petition is yet to be fixed.
This article was originally published by Radio Free Asia and is reprinted with permission.
The executive director of an energy policy think tank has been detained and could face charges of “appropriating documents of agencies and organizations,” a Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security spokesman told reporters.
Green energy expert Ngo Thi To Nhien would be the sixth environmental activist to face charges in Vietnam in the last two years. The other five – including climate activist Hoang Thi Minh Hong, who was sentenced to three years in prison last week – were charged with tax evasion.
Nhien was detained on Sept. 15 by the Hanoi police. Her arrest came just days after a visit to Hanoi by U.S. President Joe Biden, who raised human rights and environmental concerns with Vietnam’s top leaders.
The ministry’s spokesman, Lt. Gen. To An Xo, confirmed Nhien’s arrest at a news conference on Saturday, adding that two Electricity of Vietnam, or EVN, officials had also been arrested in the case.
Nhien has worked as a researcher for the World Bank and USAID and is the executive director for the Vietnam Initiative for Energy Transition, an independent think tank that is studying the planned transition of the national energy system away from the use of fossil fuels.
The two officials, Duong Duc Viet and Le Quoc Anh, had access to EVN’s documents related to the development of the new national power grid and were also under contract as part-time consultants with Nhien’s organization, according to To An Xo.
The documents that the two officials provided to Nhien were for internal use only, To An Xo said. Nhien could be charged under Article 342 of Vietnam’s Penal Code and could face up to five years in prison, he said.
The Vietnamese government has been jailing environmental activists even after accepting US$15.5 billion to help it cut carbon emissions through the Just Energy Transition Partnership.
‘Research on energy policy is now off limits’
According to the Associated Press, Nhien has been working with the U.N. Development Program to help implement the partnership, which is being funded by the United States, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, the European Union and some European countries.
Nhien “has more than 20 years working experience, and her professional activities focus on energy and environmental economics, energy modeling, energy policy, and assessment of low carbon energy technologies,” according to human rights group The 88 Project.
“Nhien’s detention is significant as it signals that research on energy policy is now off limits,” Project 88’s co-director Ben Swanton told the AP.
To An Xo told reporters on Saturday that many overseas media outlets and organizations have cited Nhien’s arrest as the latest piece of evidence that Vietnam is cracking down on environmental activists. That conclusion is a distortion and an interference in Vietnam’s domestic affairs, he said.
Hong, 51, was the founder and executive director of CHANGE VN – a non-profit organization which aimed to raise environmental awareness in order to protect nature, combat climate change and promote sustainable development.
She shut down the organization in October 2022 following the arrest of several environmental activists.
“The Vietnamese authorities are using the vaguely worded tax code as a weapon to punish environmental leaders whom the ruling Communist Party deems a threat to their power,” Human Rights Watch Deputy Asia Director Phil Robertson said last week
“The government should stop punishing activists for peacefully advocating action on climate change and for green policies,” he said.
The Vice President of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene, has eulogised Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra, for renaming the Anambra International Cargo and Passenger Airport, Umueri, after the late literary icon, Prof. Chinua Achebe.
Okeke-Ogene said in a press statement in Awka on Saturday, that the gesture was an honour to Ndigbo, Africa and the entire black race.
He called on other South-East Governors to build monuments to immortalise the late literary icon who spent his entire life projecting Igbo social and cultural identity across the globe.
Okeke-Ogene noted that through his creative works, the late Achebe sustained the fight and outcry against “marginalisation, injustice and suppression of Ndigbo”.
He also stood for Africa and the black race in general as well as made huge sacrifices to give Igbos a strong voice and recognition across the globe.
He also recalled that in his humility, Achebe died in active service as the President General of Ogidi Town Union, in Idemili North Local Government Area (LGA) of Anambra.
Okeke-Ogene said Achebe’s literary achievements celebrated Igbo rich cultural heritage and tradition that will continue to inspire present and future generations as well as help preserve Igbo cultural identity.
He noted that the honour will equally remain a source of inspiration to young writers who will now be encouraged to explore opportunities in the creative world to attain their full potential.
The Ohaneze VP said the recognition has positive implication on young writers knowing fully well that history and posterity will remember, recognise and honour them in future.
Okeke-Ogene expressed satisfaction that Soludo has sustained efforts towards human capital development and projects that impact directly on the lives of the people.
He noted that his free education scheme would provide every child easy access to quality education to build a strong and quality human capital development as was obtained during the early years of Achebe.
“The free education of Anambra government is commendable because it will motivate upcoming generations to discover themselves and aspire to emulate successful scholar personalities in the state and beyond.
The federal government is heading to a shutdown, if Congress doesn’t pass funding legislation by the time the clock strikes midnight on Sept. 30. We’ll explain what that means and what government services could be affected.
Update, Oct. 2: Shortly before the midnight deadline on Sept. 30, President Joe Biden signed a bill that would temporarily fund the government until Nov. 17. The House passed the bill 335-91, and the Senate approved it 88 to 9.
What is a government shutdown?
Each year, Congress must pass 12 appropriations bills or a temporary funding bill — known as a continuing resolution, or CR — to fund the federal government. The federal fiscal year ends Sept. 30, so Congress has until midnight on that date to pass the spending bills or a CR.
As of Sept. 26, Congress hasn’t passed any appropriations bills for fiscal year 2024, which starts on Oct. 1, and it hasn’t been able to agree on a stop-gap funding bill to buy itself some time.
The U.S. Capitol building. Photo by tanarch/stock.adobe.com.
The U.S. Constitution — Article 1, Section 9, clause 7 — states: “No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law.” If no law is passed, a government shutdown or partial shutdown will occur on Oct. 1. (A partial shutdown happens when some, but not all, of the appropriations bills become law, as explained by the Congressional Research Service.)
Without approved funding, federal agencies must enact contingency plans to operate on a limited basis — such as requiring some essential employees to work without pay for the duration of the shutdown. (More on that later.)
There have been 20 “funding gaps” of at least one day since 1977, with the last and longest one occurring for 34 days in 2019, according to the Office of the Historian in the U.S. House.
Why might there be a government shutdown?
In the spring, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and President Joe Biden agreed on compromise legislation — the Fiscal Responsibility Act — that raised the debt limit and imposed caps on spending for fiscal years 2024 and 2025. The House approved the bill 314 to 117 on May 31, and the Senate approved it a day later 63 to 36. Biden signed it into law on June 3. (See our article “Debt Limit Agreement Breakdown.”)
Although the legislation received broad support in both chambers, a group of House conservatives strongly opposed the deal and criticized McCarthy for agreeing to it. Some of those same Republicans are now blocking McCarthy’s attempts to pass appropriations bills and threatening to remove him as speaker if he moves spending bills through the House without their support.
In order to pass spending bills, McCarthy cannot afford to lose more than four Republicans because the Republicans have such a narrow majority — 221 to 212 — in the House. Last week, a small band of conservatives forced McCarthy to pull a stop-gap spending bill and blocked two attempts to pass a defense spending bill by votes of 212-214 and 212-216. In both cases, no Democrats voted for the bill, leaving McCarthy to rely only on Republican votes. Democrats voted against the GOP-crafted defense bill because it includes spending cuts and language they oppose on such issues as climate change, reproductive rights and health care for transgender service members.
McCarthy is scheduled to take up four spending bills (defense, homeland security, state and agriculture) before Oct. 1, but the outcome again is uncertain.
Any spending bill that passes the House with only Republican support would likely fail in the Democratic-controlled Senate, where Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Republican leaders are working on a bipartisan short-term continuing resolution that would temporarily fund the government.
The Senate is scheduled on Sept. 26 to begin debate on a Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill that Schumer plans to use as the vehicle for a continuing resolution that would prevent a government shutdown and give Congress more time to negotiate a compromise.
But whether McCarthy would put the Senate bill up for a floor vote in the House is uncertain, and, if he does, he likely will need Democratic support to pass it.
Former President Donald Trump, the presumed front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, has urged Republicans to “SHUT IT DOWN” if they don’t “GET EVERYTHING” they want.
What impact does a shutdown have on federal workers?
During a shutdown, most federal workers are divided into two categories: furloughed, meaning they do not report to work; and excepted, which includes workers who are deemed to be essential and must continue working even during a shutdown. Excepted workers include those whose jobs involve the safety of human life or protection of property, such as air traffic controllers and law enforcement officers.
Federal agencies create contingency plans that spell out which workers fall into the two categories.
During a shutdown in 2013, about 850,000 federal workers were furloughed. In a 2019 shutdown, about 800,000 of the 2.1 million civilian federal employees were furloughed, the Federal News Network reported.
All of those workers will be paid, eventually, but not during the shutdown. According to the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act which became law in 2019, whether an employee is furloughed or required to work during a shutdown, the employees must be compensated “at the earliest date possible after the lapse in appropriations ends.”
Congress is paid during a shutdown. On Sept. 20, Democratic Rep. Angie Craig introduced legislation — the My Constituents Cannot Afford Rebellious Tantrums, Handle Your Shutdown Act, or MCCARTHY Shutdown Act — that seeks to temporarily block pay for members of Congress commensurate with the number of days a shutdown lasts. But the bill is unlikely to pass.
What government services would be affected by a shutdown?
A lot of government services will continue uninterrupted, but other services, particularly nonessential ones, will cease completely or will only be offered in a limited capacity.
For specifics, visit the Office of Management and Budget’s page with each agency’s most recent contingency plan, which department heads are supposed to submit for review by Aug. 1 in odd-numbered years. Some of the plans include a summary of federal agency activities or services that would stop during a funding lapse.
For example, the Social Security Administration’s 2023 plan says the agency “will cease activities not directly related to the accurate and timely payment of benefits or not critical to our direct-service operations.” Affected services would include benefit verification, which is documentation provided to show an individual receives, has never received, or has applied for Social Security, Supplemental Security Income or Medicare.
In addition, Medicare beneficiaries would not be able to get replacement cards through the Social Security Administration, the contingency plan states.
Also, District of Columbia courts would not issue marriage licenses or perform ceremonies, according to this year’s shutdown plan. And the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights advises that “the public will be unable to submit complaints alleging denial of civil rights because of color, race, religion, sex, age, disability, national origin, or in the administrative of justice.”
It’s unclear, for now, what would happen at the hundreds of U.S. national parks, which were affected in prior shutdowns. An updated plan from the National Park Service is not yet available, at least not publicly.
According to a Congressional Research Service report updated on Sept. 22, during the 2018-2019 shutdown, “The majority of parks — including units such as Yellowstone National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Yosemite National Park, the Statue of Liberty National Memorial, and the National Mall in Washington, DC — remained at least partially accessible to visitors throughout the shutdown, with varying levels of services and law enforcement.” The report noted that the NPS contingency plan from January 2019 said “no visitor services” would be available during a shutdown, although “park roads, lookouts, trails, and open-air memorials will generally remain accessible to visitors.”
The National Zoo and other Smithsonian Institution museums would be closed to the public during a shutdown, according to the Smithsonian’s guidance.
Update, Sept. 29: The Smithsonian announced on Sept. 29 that it would use prior-year funds to keep all Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo open through Oct. 7, at least, if the government shuts down.
What about Social Security checks and other direct benefits?
Social Security checks will continue to be issued during a government shutdown. That’s because Social Security benefits are part of mandatory spending, which, unlike discretionary spending, doesn’t need to be appropriated annually, as the nonprofit Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget explained in a Sept. 5 article.
But some aspects of mandatory programs could be subject to discretionary spending and therefore affected. As we noted above, benefit verification services will cease.
Mandatory programs also include Medicare, Medicaid, unemployment compensation, some nutrition programs, veterans’ benefits, retirement benefits for government employees, Supplemental Security Income (for people with disabilities and seniors), and student loans.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits — formerly known as food stamps — are part of mandatory spending. However, CRFB noted that a shutdown could affect the issuance of benefits over time, “since continuing resolutions have generally only authorized the Agriculture Department (USDA) to send out benefits for 30 days after a shutdown begins.” And “stores are not able to renew their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card licenses, so those whose licenses expire would not be able to accept SNAP benefits during a shutdown,” CRFB said.
Also potentially at risk during a shutdown: Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, or WIC, which is considered a permanent program but has been funded by discretionary spending since fiscal 2016. The program provides food, breastfeeding support and nutritional services to low-income pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women, as well as kids up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk.
Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said on Sept. 25 that there is a USDA contingency fund that could continue WIC “for a day or two,” and some states might have unspent funds that “could extend it for a week or so in that state.” But after that, he said, the nutritional assistance would cease. The program provided benefits to a monthly average of 6.3 million people in 2022.
However, the USDA’s 2021 contingency plan said that WIC, and other core nutrition programs, would “continue operations during a lapse in appropriations” using money such as “multi-year carry over funds,” “contingency reserves” and funds “apportioned by OMB to support program operations during the period of the lapse.”
What other government services would not be affected?
As we said, federal workers who are deemed to be essential must continue working, so the services they provide will continue. While those employees won’t be paid for their work during the shutdown until it’s over, CRFB said that “border protection, in-hospital medical care, air traffic control, law enforcement, and power grid maintenance have been among the services classified as essential” and “some legislative and judicial staff have also been largely protected.”
Still, the fact that employees aren’t getting a paycheck during the shutdown could have some effect. In the 2018-2019 shutdown, some Transportation Security Administration agents didn’t work, leading to long lines at airport security, and 10 air traffic controllers didn’t report to work, halting travel at LaGuardia Airport and causing delays elsewhere, CRFB noted.
Some government services that get income from fees can also continue during a shutdown. The State Department said in its contingency plan that “[c]onsular operations domestically and abroad will remain 100% operational as long as there are sufficient fees to support operations. This includes passports, visas, and assisting U.S. citizens abroad.”
The U.S. Postal Service, because it is self-funded, will remain open.
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This article was originally published by Radio Free Asia and is reprinted with permission.
Myanmar’s junta is updating the country’s antiquated paper identification system with smart electronic cards and asking China – no stranger to keeping tabs on its citizens – for technical assistance.
Late last month, the official Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported that during a recent trip to China, Myint Kyaing, the junta’s minister of immigration and population, called on Beijing to help replace his country’s national registration IDs with smart cards featuring biometric data that can be checked by computer.
In addition to making IDs less susceptible to damage, they will also include information such as a person’s name, date of birth, address, race or ethnicity, hair and eye color, and height as scannable data, the report said, as part of a bid to make the country’s election process smoother.
In June, RFA reported that a widely used Chinese video surveillance company sanctioned by Western governments incorporates an AI technology that automatically alerts authorities if a person is detected unfurling a banner.
Government tracking technologies have proliferated in China over the last several years amid the COVID-19 pandemic. A series of mass technology procurements by police forces across the country have greatly increased authorities’ abilities to clamp down on social freedoms, control citizens and, critics say, abuse groups targeted by the government.
Critics of the junta’s proposed ID update say they fear it will be used to monitor Myanmar’s citizens and keep them in line amid political instability resulting from the military’s February 2021 coup d’etat.
A resident of Yangon who gave his name as Phone Myint told RFA Burmese that the people of Myanmar have no need for the national ID scheme or any other policies put forth by the junta.
“I think it will work only if there is interest from people,” said the resident, who asked not to reveal his identity citing fear of reprisal. “Either way, we have seen the junta’s staffer starting to visit the city’s various wards to implement their project.”
Armed resistance groups in Magway region, which has been beset by conflict since the coup, vowed to oppose the plan.
Wei Kyi, an official with the anti-junta People’s Defense Force, or PDF, in Magway’s Yesagyo township said that the updated IDs are part of the junta’s efforts to maintain control of the nation.
“We assume the junta formulates policies and procedures only as a way to stay in power and that this plan is just another of its projects to keep citizens in check, as well as to target and suppress those who oppose it,” he said.
Attempts by RFA to contact junta Deputy Information Minister Major Gen. Zaw Min Tun for comment on the proposed ID update went unanswered Wednesday.
Ending bureaucracy or surveilling the people?
Thein Tun Oo, executive director of the Thayninga Institute for Strategic Studies, which is made up of former military officers, touted the “advantages” of switching to smart electronic ID cards in comments he made to RFA.
“People will be able to apply for jobs using only smart ID cards and the employers can receive all their bio data just by using the smart IDs,” he said. “If we can make use of the electronic ID system properly, it will save us time by eliminating the bureaucracy.”
Nonetheless, Thein Tun Oo acknowledged that it “could be difficult to implement the plan under the current circumstances.”
Hla Kyaw Zaw, a researcher of Myanmar affairs, said it is unclear whether China has any interest in providing technical assistance for such a project, noting that the junta has only “casually suggested” the help was forthcoming.
But he said that the junta is likely “asking for help from other countries” as well, as part of its bid to hold an election that would legitimize its control of Myanmar.
“The junta is rushing to hold an election which they seem to have considered to be a favorable solution [to ending the political crisis],” he said.
Junta chief Sr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing said at a Sept. 1 meeting that elections “will be held after the national census” in 2024, but no further details have been forthcoming.
RFA inquired about Beijing’s willingness to collaborate with the junta for the national ID scheme at the Chinese Embassy in Yangon, as well as Myanmar’s Consulate in Kunming, the capital of southwest China’s Yunnan province, but received no answer.
Political commentator Than Soe Naing suggested that the junta cares little for using the proposed IDs to prepare for the election.
He said that with roughly 4% of the population of 54 million displaced by conflict, according to data from the United Nations, and “millions of others who have left the country” or joined the armed resistance in territories outside of the junta’s control, Myanmar is not in a position to create a nationwide database of verifiable census data.
Instead, he said, the junta has a far simpler and more nefarious purpose in mind: “to further suppress the people.”
The National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has reacted to a statement by the Lagos Police Command claiming that the agency was yet to respond to an official inquiry following an allegation of complicity in the death of the late Nigerian singer Ilerioluwa Aloba (MohBad).
On Friday, during a press briefing, the Lagos Police Commissioner, Idowu Owohunwa, said, “Also being awaited is the official response from NDLEA on one of the viral videos containing allegations by the singer on his experience at the agency’s Lagos Zone sometime in October 2022”.
The agency, while responding to the statement by the police, said it “would like to state that indeed its response was sent and received by the police since Thursday 28th September 2023.”
The agency, in a statement signed by Femi Babafemi on Saturday, noted that the official response to the inquiry was also sent by flight to Lagos, which was delivered and received by the police on the same day.
The statement read partly: “The summary of our response is reproduced below for the benefit of the inquiring public:
“We also heard the unsubstantiated allegation on social media that Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, aka MohBad, was arrested and detained by NDLEA on the 24th of February 2022 and given a substance to drink.
“In response to this allegation, we wish to state categorically that MohBad was never arrested, neither was he ever detained in the custody of the NDLEA on the said date or any other date before or after.
“The foregoing being the case, the issue of giving him any substance to drink does not arise.”
THE WHISTLER had earlier reported the controversy surrounding the viral video of the late singer alleging that operatives of the NDLEA gave him a bottle of water containing a white substance after he was arrested.
Hearst Television, one of our media partners, produced a recent segment of “Get the Facts” partly based on our Q&A article about the updated COVID-19 vaccines.
In the segment, Hearst Washington correspondent Jackie DeFusco gives basic information about the updated COVID-19 shots targeting the latest variants of the disease. DeFusco debunks common myths about the COVID-19 vaccines and then uses our article to answer three questions people might have on the updated shots: who pays for them; can older adults get the updated COVID-19 vaccine, the flu vaccine and the RSV vaccine at the same time; and would people need to get a COVID-19 vaccine every year.
To get the answers to these and other questions, see our full story, “Q&A on the Updated COVID-19 Vaccines.”
Editor’s note: SciCheck’s articles providing accurate health information and correcting health misinformation are made possible by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The foundation has no control over FactCheck.org’s editorial decisions, and the views expressed in our articles do not necessarily reflect the views of the foundation.
On Thursday, Veterans Land Board (VLB) Chairwoman and Texas Land Commissioner Dr. Dawn Buckingham M.D., updated Texans on U.S. Army Veteran and Clyde W. Cosper Texas State Veterans Home resident Ethelyn Szad Bell’s request to receive 100 cards for her 100th birthday on October 4. In a stunning show of support for this incredible Texas Veteran, Mrs. Bell received over 7,200 cards from across our state and nation.
“It is deeply inspiring to see not only the Bonham community but also people from across our state and nation wholeheartedly embrace their duty to honor our Veterans. Thank you to the staff at the Clyde W. Cosper Texas State Veterans Home for helping make Mrs. Bell’s special day possible,” said Commissioner Buckingham in a news release. “As Chairwoman of the Veterans Land Board, I am honored to ensure our military men and women are adequately respected. However, there is always more we can do for these patriots, and I encourage all Texans to learn more about our impactful Veterans programs that aid and assist those who have sacrificed for the freedoms we enjoy today.”
During the party, Mrs. Bell was presented with a Texas Flag that was sent by Congressman Pat Fallon. Bonham City Council Member Wayne Moore offered a Certificate of Recognition from Mayor H.L. Compton. Mrs. Bell was also presented with a signed certificate from Commissioner Buckingham.
Mrs. Bell also celebrated her once-in-a-lifetime achievement with gifts, beautiful flower arrangements, two large sheet cakes, punch, and a specially requested margarita. Surrounded by her friends, caring staff, and thousands of cards from well wishers, Mrs. Bell expressed her appreciation for everyone who helped make this an extraordinary day.
Mrs. Bell began her service with the U.S. Army in March of 1945 at the age of 21. After completing the Basic Training Course for Army Nurses, Mrs. Bell served with the Army Nurse Corps in the Philippines and Nagoya, Japan, during World War II. During her time in the service, she rose to the rank of Second Lieutenant and was honorably discharged in June of 1946.
The VLB’s 100 for 100 program spotlights Texas Veterans who are turning 100 years old and are residents at one of the nine, soon to be 10, Texas State Veterans Homes. Through the program, a resident can request to receive 100 birthday cards for their special day and the VLB, along with the Texas General Land Office, will share the Veteran’s request on social media and with state and local news.
Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, has alerted security agencies of a plot by the opposition in the state to cause mayhem in Ogbia Local Government Area during the November 11 governorship election.
Diri also accused the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Timipre Sylva, of being anti-development and anti-progress, according to a statement issued by Daniel Alabrah, Chief Press Secretary to the Bayelsa State Governor and Member of, Publicity Directorate, on Saturday.
The Bayelsa governor, who is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, spoke at the Ogbia Constituency 2 rally at Otuokpoti after campaign stops at riverine Anyama-Ogbia and Emadike communities.
He revealed that the opposition was planning to bring in thugs to cause mayhem in Anyama-Ogbia.
“This battle is between those who are for and against development. It is between light and darkness. We are talking about your development as individuals and communities,” the statement quoted the governor as saying.
Diri further said, “Let the world know what they are planning is that in Anyama where we are strong, they are going to bring youths who are not from here, sew them military uniforms and cause mayhem in connivance with one or two people from here. Let the world and the military take note.”
Reeling out projects embarked upon by his administration in the local government, he promised to do more when re-elected into office.
“They were in government for five years and what did they do in Ogbia land? Today, we are building a road from Akaba in Yenagoa to Okodi and Emadike. The Otuoke-Onuebum road was destroyed and impassable. But now that road is almost completed.
“Elebele community was cut off and one of the first projects we started was to build that bridge. We did the same with the Imiringi community bridge too.
“The old bypass to Elebele had a metallic bridge. But we have built a befitting road there. For us, it is how we can develop the state.
“Since we came, we have been teaching the youths how to fish. Today, we have the Diri skills acquisition programme through which thousands of our youths are acquiring skills they can use without begging.
“Today, we give a grant of N200,000 monthly to 420 individuals across the 105 wards in the state to support small and medium scale enterprises.”
At Anyama-Ogbia, the governor stated that the Akaba-Okodi-Emadike road, which had been at the planning stage for several years, is under construction and would soon be completed to enhance economic activities in the area.
He promised to work with relevant agencies to embark on shoreline protection to check the erosion that had ravaged the community when he returns for a second term.
He equally said that one of the responsibilities of the government is to ensure the protection of lives and property, and called on traditional rulers to maintain peace in their domain.
The governor, who received scores of defectors from the APC, thanked the people for their support, noting that the gesture would motivate him to do more.
At Emadike, the governor promised to work with relevant individuals to fasten the resettlement of people displaced several years ago due to inter-communal crisis.
He also inaugurated a playground in the community.
Speaking at Otuokpoti, the senator representing Bayelsa East, Chief Benson Agadaga, said the Ogbia people owe the PDP a favour as the party had produced a Nigerian president from the area.
Also speaking, the Director General of the PDP Governorship Campaign Council and member representing Ogbia Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Mitema Obordor, stated that Diri deserved to be re-elected due to his numerous achievements.
Other speakers were a former member of the House of Representatives from the area, Sodaguwo Festus-Omoni, the Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Federal Otokito, a former House of Assembly member, Robert Enogha and Mr. Jude Ogbuku.
