In response to heightened turmoil in the Balkans, dozens of Iowa National Guard soldiers from Company C (Medevac) are gearing up for a nine-month deployment to Kosovo on December 29. The mission, part of a longstanding NATO peacekeeping effort, aims to conduct live aerial medevac operations and provide crucial support to the United States, Kosovo Security Forces, and the coalition developed over more than a decade. While tensions escalate in the region, the Iowa-Kosovo partnership, established in 2011, serves as a strategic alliance, fostering collaboration in defense, agriculture, tourism, and energy. This deployment, unrelated to Russia and Ukraine, underscores the…
Author: Editor Francis
The Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy officially opens applications for teaching positions in its Build-A-Thon initiative program. Launched in December, the program aims to foster early technology adoption among senior secondary students. Scheduled for four days in January 2024, the initiative plans to engage 1,500 students from 150 schools across Owerri, Maiduguri, and Abeokuta. The call for applications targets visionary educators, teachers, and tech enthusiasts capable of guiding the next generation of innovators. Prospective candidates can apply on the program’s website, as the ministry emphasizes the importance of shaping future tech leaders through initiatives like Build-A-Thon. Minister Bosun…
In a recent announcement, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, disclosed the formation of a 10-member Commonwealth Expert Team (CET), tasked with observing the upcoming Bangladesh general elections on January 7th, 2024. The initiative follows an invitation extended by the Bangladesh Election Commission, prompting the appointment of a diverse team of experts. Heading the CET is the former Prime Minister of Jamaica, the Hon Bruce Golding, who expressed his honor in leading the mission to observe Bangladesh’s elections. The team comprises distinguished individuals, including Prof. Attahiru Jega, a former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),…
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed deep concern over the alarming number of out-of-school children in the country. During a meeting with the National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos yesterday, the president emphasized the need to address this issue by establishing more schools, hiring teachers, and providing a daily meal for school children. He stressed that these efforts should align with the progressive ideology the administration aims to pursue. President Tinubu underscored the importance of a progressive and inclusive democracy, with a primary focus on combating poverty through the creation of job opportunities…
In a groundbreaking development, Nigeria is gearing up for the debut of its inaugural regulated Naira stablecoin, cNGN, marking a significant shift since the lifting of the two-year ban on cryptocurrency trading through official channels. Developed collaboratively by a consortium comprising Nigerian banks, fintechs, and blockchain enterprises, the cNGN stablecoin aims to adhere to the regulatory frameworks set by stakeholders, establishing itself as a controlled Naira stablecoin. Set to maintain a 1:1 peg with the Nigerian Naira, cNGN stands out by being owned by Nigerian banks, thus acquiring legal tender status. The scheduled debut for this pioneering stablecoin is slated…
Half of the container-ship fleet that regularly transits the Red Sea and Suez Canal is avoiding the route now because of the threat of attacks, according to new industry data The tally compiled by Flexport Inc shows 299 vessels with a combined capacity to carry 4.3 million containers have either changed course or plan to. That’s about double the number from a week ago, and equates to about 18% of global capacity. The diverted journeys around Africa can take as much as 25% longer than using the Suez Canal shortcut between Asia and Europe, according to Flexport. Those trips are…
Chinese smartphone maker, Xiaomi took the wraps off its first electric vehicle on Thursday and promptly announced it was aiming to become one of the world’s top five automakers. Reuters Reports The sedan, dubbed the SU7 with the SU short for Speed Ultra, is a highly anticipated model that Chief Executive Lei Jun touted as having “super electric motor” technology capable of delivering acceleration speeds faster than Tesla cars and Porsche’s EVs. But the car – likely to go on sale in several months – is making its debut at a time when China’s auto market – the world’s largest…
President Vladimir Putin promised Chinese leader Xi Jinping that his invasion of Ukraine would last five years, the Japanese newspaper Nikkei reported Thursday, citing multiple anonymous sources familiar with Russian-Chinese diplomatic maneuvering. Putin’s remark apparently came during Xi’s visit to Moscow in March 2023, when Russia was already one year and one month into the war and had suffered a series of embarrassing setbacks. Nikkei interpreted Putin’s words that Russia “will fight for [at least] five years” as an assurance that Moscow would emerge victorious in the end and a possible warning for Xi not to reverse China’s pro-Russia policy.…
The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has granted an extension for companies to submit their annual returns, revising the timeline from January 1 to April 1, 2024. This decision was communicated in a statement released by the commission on Thursday, December 28, 2023. The extension was attributed to technical glitches on the company’s registration portal (CRP) and in consideration of appeals from the Micro, Small, and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSME) sector. The CAC had previously issued a circular indicating its intention to delist 91,843 companies by the end of the month for failing to submit their annual returns on the commission’s…
The Federal Government has issued a strong commitment to apprehending those responsible for the Christmas Eve killings in Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi Local Government Areas of Plateau State. The Minister of Police Affairs, Senator Ibrahim Gaidam, delivered this assurance in a statement released on Thursday. Expressing solidarity with the people of Plateau State, Senator Gaidam stated, ‘The loss of innocent lives is a tragedy that touches us all, and we stand united with the people of Plateau State during this difficult time. In line with the directives of Mr. President, we will leave no stone unturned in apprehending both the collaborators…
The Defence Headquarters has cited challenging terrain and other factors as contributing to the delayed response of troops during the recent attacks in Bokkos and Biriki-Ladi Local Government Areas of Plateau State. The attacks, which occurred on Sunday, resulted in the tragic loss of 150 lives, with over 10,000 people displaced, according to reports by GOVIMA Governor Caleb Mutfwang acknowledged the room for improvement in the response time during an interview on Channels Television. He emphasized that distress calls were issued, but responses were hindered by various factors, including the nature of the terrain. The governor, however, cautioned against hastily…
There have been milk products right from the time humans started experiencing innovation but there has been a milk brand whose products can never but stand out amongst others. It is the product from FrieslandCampina, the maker of Peak Milk and other diary products. I have used few of their products and consciously followed up how they engage in social service, hence I make bold to say it is never surprising that they are more than just a global organization; they are a force committed to creating better nutrition for the world. With a widespread presence in 30 countries and…