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Beautiful Nigeria: Ikirike Hill, Enugu State
The Ikirike at Idaw River is one of the most beautiful hill in Enugu and the most hiked trails in the city, this scenic hills features stunning greenery-lined trails.
You can also enjoy breathtaking Enugu city views by following hiking trails to a range of cliff lookouts or camping.
While at the Ikirike hill area, also consider visiting one of the oldest settlement in the city of Enugu, The Coal Camp, Aaron Camp or Alfred Camp.
Exploring A Shallow Salt Lake, Laguna Colorado, Bolivia
Laguna Colorada, also known as Red Lagoon, is a shallow salt lake that is located in the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve, in the Sur Lípez Province of the Potosí Department, within the southwestern part of the Plurinational State of Bolivia.
Located at an altitude of about 1,219 meters (4,000 feet) above the sea in the Altiplano of Bolivia, this lake has a surface area of about 60 sq km (23 sq mi), with 11 km (7 mi) maximum length and 10 km (6 mi) maximum width.
Still, this mesmerizing place is quite the unusual one as it is dotted with white borax islands that give an impressive landscape view, and due to the variety of algae which thrive in the salt water in addition to the red sediments, the color is blood red, thus the name Red Lagoon.
Furthermore, the water is rich with plankton which allows for some birds to come and feast here, and most particular ones are the endangered James’s flamingos that are abound in the area, nonetheless, Andean and Chilean flamingos can be seen too, but in minor quantity.
One of the really interesting facts is that the feathers of the flamingos are actually white, however, they look pink because the algae in the water stains their feathers.
This jaw-dropping sight is definitely enriched with the “take-off” of the flamingos because as they are heavy, they have to get up to a speed like a plane on a runway in order to start flying.
Still, there are also pumas, Andean foxes and cats, domesticated llamas and alpacas, as well as reptiles, amphibians and fish that are amazingly thriving in the area.
Due to the importance Laguna Colorada has, in June 1990 it was also included on the Ramsar Wetland list, confirming that this magnificent pearl of Bolivia should be carefully monitored in order to protect it for the fauna to be able to continue thriving here.
All in all, a definite gem that should not be missed whenever in the small state of South America, as it allows everyone to feel like they are on another planet.
80-year-old Abandoned Concrete Water Tower Turned Into A Million Pound Luxury Home
A UK resident, Rob Hunt has transformed a concrete water tower into a spectacular £1million four-bedroom mansion in two years.
Hunt spent two-and-a-half years on the incredible conversion of the 80-year-old derelict concrete tank into an eye-catching property at Clovelly Cross in Bideford, Devon.
In one of the UK’s most ambitious home renovation projects Rob transformed the abandoned concrete water tower into a million pound luxury home.
Purchased late in 2019 the redundant 1940s water tower was turned into a luxurious four-bedroom family home with large windows and underfloor heating to keep the property warm and comfortable all year round.
He said: “I haven’t done anything like this before.
“I used to have a couple of rentals and done the odd house renovation but all pretty standard stuff.
“I found the water tower scrolling through Zoopla.
“I always wanted to do something different – it was just pot luck it was within 20 miles of me and with the scope to do something really special with.”
Living on his own on site in a second-hand caravan Rob spent weeks alone cutting through 10 inch thick reinforced concrete before bringing in a builder friend to help.
He is planning to sell the property next summer.
Doctors Without Boarders Collaborate With Journalists To Fight Lassa Fever In Ebonyi
The international medical organisation, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), also known as Doctors Without Borders is encouraging communities to take measures to help prevent Lassa fever by detecting the disease early and by taking preventive hygiene measures.
The MSF Project Coordinator, Mr Elton Mbofana, stated this while interacting with Journalists on the best way to work in Synergy to ensure that Lassa fever is totally eradicated in Ebonyi State, Southeast Nigeria in particular and the country at large.
Mbofana disclosed this during the Press Conference held at the office, the Medicine Sans Frontieres in Abakaliki the State capital. Lassa fever is a contagious disease spread through contact with infected rats and through uncovered food, contaminated with rat faeces or urine. “Prevention and early detection of Lassa fever are key to saving lives.” Mbofana said.
Early diagnosis and treatment can radically increase people’s chances of survival. Over recent years, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), has recorded an increase in cases of Lassa fever. From January to August this year, there were 894 reported cases, compared to 510 cases for the whole of 2021.
So far this year, MSF teams in AE-FUTHA have treated 58 patients for the disease, while also providing them with mental health support and conducting awareness-raising activities in the community.
MSF teams have also responded to emergencies and outbreaks of other diseases in Ebonyi and neighbouring states. There is no vaccine to prevent Lassa fever, while diagnosing the disease is complex and unaffordable for many.
The MSF Project Medical Coordinator, Dr Slaymen Ammar said, “The time between infection and the appearance of symptoms ranges from 3 to 21 days. Lassa fever infects around 300,000 people in west africa each year and causes around 5,000 deaths, with most cases in Nigeria occurring during the dry season from December to March.”
The MSF project medical referent, Dr Slaymen Amma said, “On top of all this, people infected with Lassa fever often suffer stigma because of its association with hunting rats – a common source of food for lower socio-economic groups. The cost of treatment need to be subsidised to ensure that everyone has early access to care, we urge the Nigerian health authorities to improve funding so that treatment of Lassa fever is free of charge and so that staff in health facilities can implement effective infection prevention and control measures.
The main drug used to treat Lassa fever, Ribavirin, is also expensive, putting treatment out of reach for most people across West Africa. Ribavirin needs to be given to patients within six days of being infected and has not been proven effective in randomised controlled trials.
Shortly after the Press Conference, there was a tour of the Alex Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (AE-FETHA), where the Nursing Activity Manager, Mr Pierre Dianzenza, showed Journalists some health projects where MSF has worked in conjunction with AE-FUTHA to reduce the mortalities associated with Lassa fever.
Police Launch Manhunt In Enugu For Students’ Kidnappers
The Enugu State Police Command has launched a manhunt for the kidnappers of students of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and other abducted passengers.
It also said that nine suspected kidnappers have been arrested in two other kidnap incidents with three victims rescued.
Several students and passengers whose numbers were yet to be ascertained traveling to Nsukka on Sunday evening were reportedly abducted along the Nike-Opi-Nsukka road.
The students, according to sources, were returning to campus following the resumption of academic activities after eight months of industrial action embarked on by lecturers in public universities across the country.
An unconfirmed report had it that the kidnappers are demanding N300 million from the parents of the victims for ransom.
However, the command in a statement issued on Thursday by its spokesman, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, said it has deployed security assets to the location with a view to rescuing the victims and arresting the perpetrators.
The statement was titled: “alleged abduction: Enugu CP orders adequate emplacement of security along Ugwuogo-Nike/Opi/Nsukka road, rescue of alleged abducted victims and arrest of culprits.”
Ndukwe said that the Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmed Ammani, had on receipt of the report of the alleged attack and abduction of some travelers at Agu-Ekwegbe community axis of Ugwuogo-Nike/Opi/Nsukka highway, in the evening hours of October 23, 2022, ordered the maximum deployment of operational and intelligence resources of the command “to ensure adequate security on the said road, rescue unascertained number of persons allegedly abducted and arrest the hoodlums.”
“Consequently, the Commissioner has reassured users of the said road and the citizenry of the Command’s unwavering commitment to ensure that their security and safety are maximally maintained, while categorically stating that onslaught on unrepentant criminal elements in the State shall be sustained.”
Ndukwe, however, disclosed that operatives of the command serving at Independence Layout Police Division, on October 20, 2022, at about 2.30 pm, arrested three kidnapping suspects.
He gave the names of the suspects as Chidi Jobbison (m) aged 24; Emmanuel Ogbu (m) aged 25 and Ogochukwu Nweke (f) aged 17, at Nkwo in Ugwuaji community of Enugu South LGA, and rescued their male kidnapped victim.
He explained that their arrest was a sequel to the swift response of the operatives to credible information alleging the trio and other members of their gang who were operating in a minibus, had abducted the said victim from his house.
They were reported to have taken the victim to a bush in Ugwuaji and obtained a ransom of N650,00.00, through a POS Operator.
The Operatives according to him succeeded in clamping down on them, arrested the suspects and recovered a yellow-colored Suzuki mini bus with Reg. No. UKP 270 YP and two (2) masks which they operate with.
“Similarly, Police Operatives serving at Udenu Police Division of the Command, on 16/10/2022 at about 1.25 pm, promptly responded to a distress call and arrested six kidnapping suspects and rescued two of their victims, at Igbokwube Village, Amalla community in Udenu local government area.
“The suspects include Okechi Chijioke (male) aged 29 and Ugwu Christiana (f) aged 24 (principal suspects), Ndidi Ekwueme (female) aged 27 (jujuist), Chinwe Okoro (female) aged 35 (ransom receiver), Nwabueze Friday (male) aged 26 (tricyclist) and Titus Ekeh (male) aged 70 (provider of accommodation used for keeping the kidnapped victims).
“Ongoing investigation reveals that the male principal suspect lured the victims through Facebook, with the promise of selling cheap clothes and bags to them. But instead, took them to the said location working with his cohorts, and obtained a combined ransom of N500,000.00 without releasing them, before they were apprehended and the victims rescued.”
Items recovered from them include – One Dane gun, one mock gun, one tricycle, one gas burner, one 8-inches Winco foam, four bags containing clothing materials and other incriminating items.
The PPRO said the suspects would be arraigned in court after investigations were concluded.
Paraguay Artist Who Painted Boots For Messi Looks To Bring Color To World Cup
Lili Cantero, a 29-year-old Paraguayan artist famed for painting intricate and personal soccer boots for stars including Lionel Messi and Ronaldinho, is preparing a new colourful show of her work to take to the World Cup in Qatar.
The Asuncion-born artist is painting some two dozen sets of boots, balls and canvases, many inspired by the Middle Eastern nation and its capital Doha, which will host national teams from around the world next month to compete for the World Cup crown.
Cantero made a name for herself painting soccer boots, including a pair she sent to Argentine star Lionel Messi when he was playing at Barcelona, lovingly detailed with a gallery of black and white images of the striker and his family.
She hadn’t known if he would even receive them, but to her surprise she received a photo of Messi, one of the world’s best soccer players, holding the boots. That marked a turning point for Cantero at a time she had almost decided to stop painting.
“Messi’s boots marked a before and after,” said Cantero, who wants to create her own sportswear brand and bring Paraguayan art to major global events. “It was a nice moment because thanks to that many doors were opened and my career really started.”
Her colourful designs drew attention from other players. She met two years ago in Asuncion former Brazil striker Ronaldinho Gaucho, to whom she gave boots and a ball portraying a kiss his mother had given him after winning the Ballon d’Or in 2005.
In Qatar, Cantero plans to exhibit eight balls with designs that pay tribute to the countries that have lifted the trophy throughout history: Brazil, Germany, Italy, Argentina, Uruguay, France, England and Spain.
The boots will be presented within 3D structures that reproduce the eight stadiums that Qatar built for the World Cup in Doha, Lusail, Rayyan, Al Khor and Al Wakrah. The remaining series will combine elements of Qatari and Paraguayan cultures.
“I have been working on this for three years and it is a great pride for me to represent my country at this World Cup,” Cantero said.
“In Latin America, football is lived with a great passion and that influenced me a lot. Since I was a girl, I have been living football… it is something that I always liked as well as art and so I found a way to connect the two things”.
UK Premier Re-appoints Nigeria’s Kemi Badenoch Into Cabinet
UK’s Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak has re-appointed British-Nigerian, Kemi Badenoch as International Trade Secretary.
Badenoch rose to prominence during this summer’s leadership contest.
Rishi Sunak has also appointed her as women and equalities minister – a post she held previously during Boris Johnson’s premiership.
Badenoch, MP for Saffron Walden, came fourth in the Tory leadership contest this summer.
She has been outspoken on issues such as gender-neutral toilets – which she opposes – and stood on an “anti-woke” platform in the Tory contest.
She also argued that the state needed to be slimmed down.
The former software engineer worked in banking and later as a director of the Spectator magazine before being elected to the London Assembly.
She entered the Commons as MP for Saffron Walden in 2017, and lists her interests as including engineering and technology, social mobility and integration.
WHO trains Health promotion officers on Infodemic
The World Health Organisation, in collaboration with Yobe Government has organised a two-day training for health promotion officers on infodemic.
The WHO State Coordinator, Dr. Nuhu Ningi, while addressing participants on Wednesday in Damaturu, said the training is necessary to empower health promotion officers across the 17 local government areas of the state.
reports that infodemic is a rapid and far-reaching spread of both accurate and inaccurate information about something, such as a disease.
Infodemic also means an excessive amount of information, usually not trustworthy, which spreads fast, hindering reliable solutions.
Such information includes false or misleading stories in digital and physical environments during a disease outbreak.
The WHO coordinator, therefore, said that the training of health promotion officers is apt, for the prevention and prompt response to the outbreak to curtail morbidity.
Read Also: Healthcare investment can solve Nigeria’s challenges – Expert
Ningi explained that correct and sound information is vital in the transformation of how situations are approached, especially outbreaks in communities.
He added that “when we have distorted information, which is not grounded in science and reason, it will be difficult to curtail the outbreak of diseases in the community.
“So, your role as health promotion officers is to provide necessary correct information on how diseases occur, how to prevent the occurrence and how to remain safe during disasters or outbreak situations.”
The WHO official also advised participants to pay attention during the training to ensure successful deliberations.
Dr. Kundi Machina, the Executive Secretary, Yobe Primary Healthcare Management Board, commended WHO for its collaboration with the state government.
He said at the end of the training workshop, participants should be able to provide appropriate and adequate information
on risk communication and how best to curtail various forms of epidemic diseases across the state.
Pharmaceutical Society Of Nigeria Holds 29th AGM, Scientific Conference
Pharmacists under the aegis of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) Anambra State Branch, converged in Awka, the state capital for their twenty-ninth annual general meeting and scientific conference.
The conference themed Broadening and Strengthening the Nigerian Pharmaceutical and Health Sector: The Anambra State Perspective, provided a platform for practitioners to discuss, proffer solutions and work out implementable strategies to solve different challenges facing the sector.
The keynote address, lectures and remarks made by industry experts and academics at the conference, highlighted the importance of pharmacists maximizing their potential, playing key roles in the health sector and increasing pharmaceutical based and health service research. These are expected to expand the horizon of the members of the profession and consequently improve general health care access and services.
Significantly, the keynote speaker and dean, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Professor Festus Okoye identified areas where pharmacists must pay close attention to including community pharmacy, primary health sector, traditional medicine, taking up leadership roles in the health sector and also engaging in periodic and regular skills update.
Professor Okoye asked the professionals to take up slots in the new Coordinated Drug Wholesale Centre, Oba which Governor Chukwuma Soludo recently laid its foundation as a way to increase better control of drug distribution and supply value chain in the state.
Contributing, the Chairman of the Occasion and Commissioner for Housing, Honourable Paully Onyeka, encouraged pharmacists to get involved in politics and run for elective offices that will put them in a better place to influence policy making in the health sector and incentive research and other collaborations.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Anambra State Branch, Pharm. Josephat Obasi said the conference gives members of the profession the opportunity to identify ways to solve the collective problems facing the pharmaceutical sub-sector.
The scientific conference also had in attendance the Vice Chancellor, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Professor Charles Esimone and the Special Adviser to Governor Chukwuma Soludo on Medicals and Pharmaceuticals, Dr Godwin Nnadozie. It also featured exhibitions on recent academic and industry based researches and products.
