Trump pushed Abe to mediate in Iran, knowing it would fail, Bolton claims in memoir

US President Donald Trump last year urged Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to act as a mediator between the United States and Iran amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran, even though he did not expect the Japanese leader to succeed in the mission, former US national security adviser John Bolton said in his memoir published on Tuesday.

It later emerged, Bolton said, that Trump was using his relationship with Abe to press for a boost in farm exports to Japan.

In the hope of brokering dialogue between the two foes, Abe made the trip to Iran in June 2019, becoming the first sitting Japanese prime minister to do so since 1978. But the mission ended in failure and he was embarrassed after two tankers, one operated by a Japanese company, were attacked near the Strait of Hormuz during his stay |||READ MORE

This partnership helped prevent 13 million deaths

Vaccines have been saving lives for centuries. But from the time Edward Jenner created the first vaccine in the late 1700s, not everyone has had equal access to them. As a result, children in some parts of the world continued to die from diseases that were preventable in other parts.

When Melinda and I learned about this inequity over twenty years ago, we thought it was infuriating—and deeply unfair. So, in 2000, our foundation teamed up with countries whose children were impacted the most, the World Health Organization, the World Bank, UNICEF, vaccine manufactures, and donors to do something about it. Together, we created an organization called Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

Gavi works with governments to make sure that every child has access to the lifesaving vaccines they need. The organization makes this happen by negotiating vaccines at prices that are affordable for the poorest countries. Since Gavi guarantees high volumes, manufacturers are able to lower the cost of vaccines quite dramatically. Gavi also helps low-income countries strengthen systems to deliver vaccines to all communities |||READ MORE

 

 

Inspector General of Police regulates social media use for officers

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Mr Mohammed Adamu, has restricted operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, NPF, on the usage of the social media with a ban on police personnel from using pictures of themselves while dressed in police uniforms on their FaceBook, Twitter handles, WhatsApp or Instagram pages.

The Police chief also banned police personnel from making, sharing or commenting on any post that ridicules, maligns or disrespects any race, gender, ethnicity, tribe, religion or nationality as well as making controversial discussions bordering on politics and religion.

The IGP in a statement dated June 9th, 2020 warned that he is giving all police personnel in the country a grace of 30 days from June 10th for all operatives in the force to comply with the new Social Media Policy, SMP of the NPF by removing their pictures, videos in police uniforms, logos and insignias from their personal social media handles |||READ MORE

People are getting sick from coronavirus spreading through the air – and that's a big challenge for reopening

I am scientist that studies infectious diseases and I specialize in severe respiratory infections, but I also serve as a member of my church’s safety team.

Over the past few weeks as states began to loosen restrictions, we have been discussing if and how to safely start services again. But the coronavirus is far from gone. As we try and figure out how to hold services while protecting our members, one question is of particular concern: How common is airborne spread of the virus?

How to spread a virus |||READ MORE

 

FG lists conditions for reopening schools, varsities

The Federal Government has given conditions for the reopening of schools and tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

The Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, announced the conditions in Abuja on Tuesday.

He spoke at the 2020 Policy Meeting on Admissions to Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board |||READ MORE

Obaseki finally dumps APC

Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has formally announced his decision to resign his membership of the ruling All Progressives Congress.

Obaseki, who was disqualified from contesting the party’s governorship primary election slated for June 22, announced the decision to State House correspondents after meeting with the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday.

The embattled governor said he would pursue his ambition for second term in office on another platform |||READ MORE

 

2020 UTME: JAMB to announce cut-off marks today

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board and Heads of Tertiary Institutions are expected to announce cut-off marks and other guidelines for the 2020/2021 Admission exercise today.

The exam body and institution heads are holding the 2020 Policy Meeting of tertiary institutions virtually at present in Abuja.

During the meeting, the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, told the heads of institutions not to reopen without the approval of the Federal Government |||READ MORE

 

Man, wife nabbed for killing school teacher in Ebonyi

The lawmaker representing Ebonyi North West constituency in the State House of Assembly, Victor Aleke Tuesday, said  the killers of his younger brother Sam Aleke has been apprehended by the police.

Late Sam was found dead in the boot of his car along Nkwuagu road before Millitary cantonment Abakaliki about two weeks ago early Sunday morning, after he was declared missing by the wife.
But Victor Aleke who spoke to Blueprint on telephone said he employed the services of intelligent agencies that traced the killers.

He noted that the killers identified as one Engr. Nwibo and the wife conspired to kill Sam Aleke for nothing.

Though victor stressed that Nwibo alleged that he met the late brother necked with the wife in their house, but that the wife denied such thing ever happening. But said they have been handed over to police in Ebonyi state |||READ MORE

Declare State of Emergency on Gender Violence, NGO Tells FG

A non-governmental organisation (NGO), Actionaid Nigeria has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to declare state of emergency on gender-based violence following the increase in reported cases of rape and killings of women and girls, especially in May.

In a statement, the Country Director, Ene Obi, said the organisation has never been more alarmed about the cases of Gender Based Violence in Nigeria than in recent times, adding that women and girls (young and old) now live in fear as they are no longer safe even in their own homes.

“Since the lockdown in March 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, ActionAid Nigeria and her partners have documented a total of 253 cases of Gender Based Violence in Bauchi, Cross River, Enugu, Kebbi and Kwara States,” she stated |||READ MORE

 

 

 

Abacha loot: Emirs and Chiefs were consulted when money was kept overseas ― Al-Mustapha

The former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to former head of state, Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha in defence of his former boss has stated that the Abacha administration consulted Emirs, Chiefs and VIPs before moving billions of naira now referred to as “Abacha loot” overseas.

Al-Mustapha who was speaking during a program aired on BBC Hausa, monitored by Vanguard said former head of state, General Sani Abacha made such move because “there was a period Nigeria was to be sanctioned”, so there was a need to “keep money overseas so that Nigeria and Nigerians would not suffer, when the sanction was imposed on the country.”

“We gathered Emirs and Chiefs from the South and from the North, together with VIPs of that time, those in government and those not in government.” |||READ MORE

 

Placing the 9th senate on the scale, one year after

For any legislature to excel in connecting the people to good governance and protecting them from power abuse, or become a truly institutionalized manifestation of the people’s will or sovereignty; it must be a very vigilant one as well as embody the truism that leaders are elected to create opportunities or provide solutions and not problems. In addition, the leadership of such parliament must be effective, responsive, courageous, visionary and creatively ambitious.

But to fairly judge and determine if a legislature is defined by these features there are certain principles that must be considered first. One of them is that organizations and individuals alike, are rated based on the quantum of knowledge and information about them in the public domain.

Also, there are categories of persons that have already formed strong opinions about organizations and individuals to the extent that despite availability of contrary-but-superior information, they are indifferent and or, uninterested in the affairs of such entities. In other words, they have made up their minds and determined to hold on to whatever narratives that suit their disposition about their targets. Then again, organizations and individuals at one point or another in their existence face some kinds of hostilities from varied segments of the public. Though all these stem from several societal factors interplaying to shape human perceptions about the social environment, they are chiefly sequel to past experiences and accumulated information over time |||READ MORE

George Floyd's daughter, 6, says she misses him: 'Dad changed the world'

Gianna Floyd, the 6-year-old daughter of George Floyd - who died in the custody of a Minneapolis police officer who kneeled on his neck for over 8 minutes -- said in an interview with Good Morning America on Wednesday, "I miss him."

Gianna's mother, Roxie Washington, praised Floyd as a loving and doting father.

A family video of Gianna on a family friend's shoulders holding his hands shows her saying "Dad changed the world." |||READ MORE

 

Pentagon chief on shaky ground with White House after breaking with Trump over protest response

Washington (CNN)Secretary of Defense Mark Esper is on shaky ground with the White House after saying Wednesday that he does not support using active duty troops to quell the large-scale protests across the United States triggered by the death of George Floyd and those forces should only be used in a law enforcement role as a last resort.

Speaking from the Pentagon briefing room podium, Esper noted that "we are not in one of those situations now," distancing himself from President Donald Trump's recent threat to deploy the military to enforce order.

"The option to use active duty forces in a law enforcement role should only be used as a matter of last resort, and only in the most urgent and dire of situations. We are not in one of those situations now. I do not support invoking the Insurrection Act," he told reporters. Esper also distanced himself from a maligned photo-op outside St. John's Church |||READ MORE

Killings: How to make law enforcement agents more accountable

On Thursday 28th May 2020, 16-year-old Tina was shot at Iyana Oworo Berger Bus Stop in Lagos by some trigger-happy police officers and she eventually died from wounds sustained as a result of the gunshot.

While we commend the leadership of the police force for its reaction to this killing in fishing out and arresting the killer cop as well as the assurance that he will be made to “face the full weight of the law”, we are however worried at the seeming rising wave of extrajudicial killings by law enforcement agencies in recent times |||READ MORE

Court sentences three to death by hanging for murder of ex-Niger Delta agitator, one other

PORT HARCOURT: Three persons, Dougbra Ogbe, Emmanuel Gladstone, Bere Matthew, have been sentenced to death by hanging by a Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt for the murder of ex-Niger Delta agitator, Soboma George and a groundnut seller, Joy John-Ejims.

The three suspects were convicted of the three counts bordering on conspiracy and murder of George and John-Ejims preferred against them after murder of the duo in 2010.

Justice George Omereji, in his judgement, having convicted the defendants on the three charges, condemned them to death by hanging, directing that they be tied on their neck till they are confirmed dead |||READ MORE

 

 

392 killed as Military launches operation against fleeing bandits

No fewer than 392 bandits have been killed as the Nigerian Military launches ‘Operation Accord’ against bandits fleeing the North West and North Central parts of the country.

Coordinator Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche, told journalists in Abuja, that Operation Accord “was preemptively planned by the High Command of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to handle this situation”.

According to him, “following closely, in the North West and North Central parts of the Country, the gallant troops through land and air offensives successfully neutralized 392 bandits since the commencement of Operation KATSINA, which seriously degraded the bandits and other criminal elements in the two zones. Consequently, those bandits that escaped resorted to reprisal attacks on civilian targets |||READ MORE

Hungry Rivers residents scramble for spaghetti at accident scene

There was pandemonium at UTC Junction, Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Thursday following an accident involving a mini bus and a trailer loaded with cartons of spaghetti.

Scores of hungry residents, who rushed to the scene of the accident, were seen scrambling for the spaghetti, which scattered on the road because of the impact of the crash.

The residents rushed to the scene with different sizes of bags and began to pack the pieces of noodles that littered the ground as they complained of hunger |||READ MORE

Rape: Activist Urges NASS To Enact Laws That Will Accelerate Trial Of Cases

Mrs Stella Ibe, a human rights activist, has urged the National Assembly (NASS) to enact a law that will accelerate trial of rape suspects.

The lawyer who made the call in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Nsukka on Thursday, said such law was necessary in order to reduce the increasing rate of the crime in the country.

She was reacting to the recent rape and killing of a 100-level Microbiology student of the University of Benin, Miss Vera Omozuwa, in a church in Benin, Edo |||READ MORE

Rivers, Cross River, Ondo, Osun, Bayelsa Get Refund Of N148bn Spent On Federal Roads, Bridges

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) at a virtual meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday approved the refund of about N148,141,987,161.25 expended by five states to rehabilitate some federal roads and bridges.

The beneficiary states include Rivers, N78,953,067,518.29; Cross River, N18,394,737,608.85; Ondo, N7,822,147,577.08; Osun, N2,468,938,876.78, and Bayelsa, N38,040,564,783.40.

This was disclosed by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, while briefing State House correspondents on the outcome of the meeting in Abuja |||READ MORE

 

When To Return To Dating After A Split

There is a good chance that you’re going to experience heartbreak at some point. When you do, you’ll likely feel the urgency to give up and never date again. This can be very problematic but you cannot give up yet. There are plenty of beautiful men and women out there so you should give it another shot.

However, you shouldn’t rush into another relationship immediately since you might not be ready yet. When should you return to dating after a split from your significant other? You’ll find out tips to solve this problem below.

No Universal Time

Ultimately, some people will be ready to move on quicker than others. If you were in a relationship for a few weeks, your heartbreak will likely pass much faster. If you were in a long-term relationship, it will take a lot longer for your heart to mend. So, you shouldn’t try to follow what other people are doing. If your girlfriend rushes back into a relationship after a day or two, you shouldn’t feel obligated to do the same. Make sure that you have plenty of time to heal before entering a new relationship |||READ MORE