In a meeting held in Washington, DC, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres reaffirmed their commitment to advancing the proposed ceasefire deal in Gaza. The meeting, which took place on June 4, 2024, underscored the urgency of addressing the ongoing crisis in the region. Secretary Blinken expressed gratitude for Secretary-General Guterres’ public endorsement of the ceasefire deal aimed at securing the release of hostages and bringing an end to the Gaza crisis. Both diplomats emphasized the necessity for the UN Security Council to advocate for the swift implementation of the ceasefire agreement. Humanitarian aid…
Author: Omolemi Eboisetale
SpaceX’s project, Starship, is gearing up for its fourth test flight, a step toward the goal of sending humans to Mars. This test, scheduled for Thursday, will lift off from the company’s Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, during a two-hour window starting at 7:00 am local time (1200 GMT). After three previous attempts ended in fiery destruction, SpaceX remains undeterred. The fourth flight test will shift focus from merely achieving orbit to demonstrating the ability to return and reuse both the Starship and its booster, Super Heavy. This approach aligns with SpaceX’s rapid trial-and-error development methodology, which has proven…
UNICEF has raised the alarm that more than one in four children under the age of five globally are living in severe food poverty. This translates to over 180 million children at risk of adverse effects on their growth and development. Severe child food poverty is defined as children consuming two or fewer food groups daily, leading to heightened risks of severe malnutrition, emaciation, and long-term developmental challenges. Harriet Torlesse, a lead writer of the new UNICEF report, stated, “It is shocking in this day and age where we know what needs to be done.” The report highlights…
Fidelity Bank has officially initiated a capital-raising campaign to secure approximately N127.1bn through a public offer and a rights issue. The bank aims to generate N97.5bn from the public offer and an additional N29.6bn from the rights issue. The rights issue will provide existing shareholders with one new ordinary share for every 10 ordinary shares held as of January 5, 2024, at a price of N9.25 per share. Concurrently, the public offer will make 10,000,000,000 ordinary shares of 50 kobo each available to the general public at N9.75 per share. The signing ceremony for this dual offer took…
USAID Administrator Samantha Power met with the newly appointed CEO of Wellcome Trust, John-Arne Røttingen, to discuss collaborative efforts on key global health initiatives. The meeting, announced by Acting Spokesperson Shejal Pulivarti, highlighted the mutual commitment to addressing global health security, mental health, and the intersection of environmental and public health concerns. Power and Røttingen stated the importance of accelerating innovation to create significant impacts in these critical areas. They explored partnership opportunities aimed at leveraging their organizations’ strengths to foster advancements in global health initiatives. The discussion stated a shared vision of promoting health security worldwide, tackling the mental…
In a bid to address the global plastic pollution crisis, Administrator Samantha Power of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will collaborate with Unilever and EY to launch a great initiative. The collaboration aims to reduce plastic use, tackle plastic waste, and promote the development of circular economies. The announcement event is scheduled for Thursday, June 6, at 8:30 a.m. EDT and will be available via livestream. Joining Administrator Power will be Rebecca Marmot, Unilever’s Chief Sustainability Officer, and Amy Brachio, EY’s Global Vice Chair – Sustainability. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Dan Sullivan, prominent co-sponsors of the bipartisan…
Ukrainian forces have achieved victory in the ongoing conflict in Kharkiv, capturing dozens of Russian troops near the embattled town of Vovchansk. Amidst fierce battles in the region, Ukraine’s Khortytsia operational-strategic group spokesperson, Nazar Voloshin, confirmed the capture of approximately 60 Russian soldiers, highlighting a potential turning point in the struggle for control. Reports indicate that Ukraine now controls 70 percent of Vovchansk, a town that has been ravaged by war and had a prewar population of 17,000. The area has witnessed intense clashes since the Kremlin’s forces launched an offensive on May 10, seizing villages along Ukraine’s northeastern frontier…
Migrants caught illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border could be denied the chance to claim asylum and quickly deported or turned back to Mexico under new restrictions announced on Tuesday, part of a sweeping enforcement effort by U.S. President Joe Biden. The new measures will take effect immediately and will have exceptions for unaccompanied children, people who face serious medical or safety threats and victims of trafficking, a senior official said on a call with reporters. Biden, a Democrat, has toughened his approach to border security as immigration has emerged as a top issue for Americans in the run-up to Nov.…
The Federal Government, through the National Orientation Agency (NOA), released the standardized version of Nigeria’s reintroduced national anthem on Wednesday, June 5. This they said is to unify the lyrics following President Bola Tinubu’s recent enactment of the bill to revert to the original anthem composed by British expatriate Lillian Jean Williams, which was in use from 1960 to 1978. The reintroduction of the national anthem has sparked widespread debate, with some Nigerians criticizing the decision as a misplaced priority. To address the emergence of various versions of the anthem across the country, the NOA assured citizens on Tuesday that…
Craig Austin Lang, a former U.S. soldier extradited from Ukraine, has made his first court appearance in Florida following allegations of an “international crime spree.” Craig Lang, 34, who once fought with a volunteer battalion against Russian separatists in Ukraine, faces charges including murder, robbery, passport fraud, and aggravated identity theft, according to the U.S. Justice Department. Craig Lang, originally from Surprise, Arizona, was dishonorably discharged from the U.S. Army in 2014. He joined the far-right Ukrainian nationalist group Right Sector in 2016, where he met fellow ex-soldier Alex Jared Zwiefelhofer, now 27. The two allegedly attempted to join the…
Indian voters have dealt Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) a surprising blow, as the party fell short of securing a majority in the 2024 parliamentary elections. Despite finishing first, the BJP’s performance pales in comparison to its decisive victories in 2014 and 2019. This time, the BJP is projected to win around 240 seats, falling short of the 272 needed to form a majority in the 543-member Lok Sabha, necessitating a coalition government with allies. The unexpected results have invigorated India’s opposition parties and signal a rare setback for Modi, who has consistently secured majorities…
Mr. Israel Ayeni, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) governorship candidate for the upcoming November 16 election in Ondo State, has officially withdrawn from the race. Ayeni, who secured his candidacy by polling 100 votes to defeat his sole rival, Prof. Ibrahim Ajagunna, at the party’s primary on April 26, announced his decision in a letter made available to journalists on Wednesday in Akure. Ayeni’s letter of withdrawal emphasized that his decision was made in the best interest of the NNPP. “I, Ayeni, Oluwatosin Israel, a governorship candidate of NNPP for the November 16, 2024 election in Ondo State,…