At Last, Aruna Conquers Assar To Claim African Title

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September 10, 2022

Since 2018 Quadri Aruna has been playing second fiddle to Egyptian Omar Assar in finals of continental tournaments but yesterday in Algiers, the Nigerian broke the jinx to emerge as the new African Men Champion.

Both players were not really tested at the ITTF African Senior Championships until the final where they both played their best match in the tournament.

Aruna won the title in a comeback fashion having been down 2-0 against the Egyptian and was on the verge of losing again when Assar was leading 3-1. But the Nigerian tenacity and prowess came to the fore as he fought back to level at 3-3 and was leading in the final game for the tie to go into 12-12.

Good shots from the Nigerian were all he needed to conquer the Egyptian and claim his first continental title since 2018. Aruna won 4-3 (8-11, 9-11, 11-8, 6-11, 11-7, 13-11, 14-12)

An elated Aruna described the tie as energy-sapping while he lauded his opponent for a good display. “I think I gave my all and even when I was down I did not give up. I think I just stayed focused and this worked out for me and I am happy that my efforts in Algiers paid off,” he said.

This win will shore up Aruna’s ranking in the world.

Exploring Buracona In Cape Verde

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Angel Gimalo

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September 10, 2022

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Buracona is a small but very popular bay which is located in the northwestern part of the Sal Island within the eastern part of the Republic of Cabo Verde.

As the bay is constantly hit by the strong waves of the Atlantic Ocean, the volcanic rocks nowadays have unique shapes and crevices where natural pools can be seen, nonetheless, the area is well known mainly due to the underground cave which is also known as the Blue Eye.

As the cave is an open hole in the ground, the crystal clear waters at the cave’s bottom change colors depending on the orientation of the sun.

In the mornings, usually between 10 and 11, the rays of the sun draw the most serene blue color, making the cave to be exactly like a blue eye.

There is the possibility to swim and dive in some parts of the bay, however, having in mind that there are very strong waves, during windy days only the most experienced ones should be doing this.

In addition, there is also the possibility to walk around and enjoy in the wonderful vistas of the Monte Leste mountain on one, and the rough Atlantic Ocean on another side, and the plain flat desert landscape in between them.

All in all, this adventurous place is certainly worth the visit whenever on the island, as it will show something extraordinary that cannot be quite often seen on the other islands of the small island nation of Cabo Verde.

Akwa Ibom To Deliver World Class Airport To Handle International Flights, Cargo Services

By

Angel Gimalo

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September 10, 2022

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Governor Udom Emmanuel is changing the outlook and capacity of the Victor Attah International Airport from a mere aircraft landing bay to a world class airport that can handle International flights operations, cargo services and repairs/maintenance of all manners of aircraft.

This is in line with Mr Emmanuel’s promise to transform Akwa Ibom into one of the best aviation hubs of Africa.

The nearly completed terminal building is currently undergoing installation of mechanical and electrical components and looks set to meet the vision of the State Chief Executive. It comes with:

A digital self check-in by a robot, (pre-planned before Covid-19) and a clinic.

Five bridges, seven elevators, and four escalators which are pressure sensitive and only move when a passenger is detected.

Special roofing that can last up to 200 years without changing its colour.

Very high security architecture with access through fingerprint, digital pass or card pass.

Four methods of fire prevention: fire extinguishers, fire water sprinkler system, fire detectors, FM 200 ie automated fire suppression system.

The terminal which is designed to accommodate one million passengers per year, occupies a total area of about 30,000 square meters.

Also nearly completed is the 1st ever Maintenance, Repairs and Overhaul facility of the airport which is estimated to be 91% completed.

The airport also comes with a second runway and new aprons for all categories of aircrafts.

To handle the impending influx of massive traffic to the airport, Mr Udom Emmanuel is expanding the dual carriage Uyo – Airport Road, into an Eight-Lane Highway.

With Aviation Development as one of the fundamentals of his Eight Points Agenda, Mr Udom Emmanuel is silently exhibiting character and competence in fulfilling his campaign promises to the state.

SmartChange: A P2P crosschain marketplace

By

Abidemi

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September 10, 2022

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Smartchange is a crosschain P2P marketplace where buyers and sellers can swap their cryptocurrencies or tokens.

Unlike other P2P marketplace where buyers and sellers can only buy or sell stablecoins, smartchange will feature a crosschain transaction.

Just as we have the different bridges that connect blockchains, crypto traders will be able to exchange a crypto on a blockchain for the tokens built on another blockchain.

For instance, if you have Binance coin, you can easily exchange it for Algo or Matic without converting to USDT first.

Before now, if you wanted to get a cryptocurrency on another blockchain, you might need to convert your crypto to a stablecoin or go to Binance first, and then the stablecoin is exchanged for another cryptocurrency of your choice.

But with Smartchange, you can swap the cryptocurrency on a P2P level with a verified merchant.

According to Karla Obakpolor, founder of Crypto Smart, “Smartchange is not limited to cryptocurrencies on different blockchains, users will be able to swap tokens built on different blockchain on a p2p level”

To further explain, you can swap $Hag, built on Binance chain, for $CSA built on Algorand blockchain.

P2P Marketplace

P2P refers to peer-to-peer which is a decentralized service where two individuals interact directly.

The current P2P that we have allows only limited cryptocurrencies while some only allows stablecoins.

According to a report, Bitcoin P2P trading in nigeria has increased by over 15% Year over Year since CBN directive.

Crosschain Bridge

Crosschain is the interoperability between two relatively independent blockchain. It refers to the capacity of two independent blockchain to communicate with one another.

A cross chain bridge enables an exchange of information, cryptocurrency or NFTs from one blockchain network to another.

One of the biggest problems of blockchain was the inability to work together which has caused each blockchain to be limited by the walls of its domains.

Crosschain bridges solve this problem by enabling token transfers, smart contracts and data exchange between two independent blockchains.

Benefits of using SmartChange

Easy and fast exchange

Despite the interoperability, exchanging tokens built on different blockchain has been a dilemma.

However, with the launch of smartchange, users will be able to swap tokens on a particular blockchain for tokens built on another blockchain.

No liquidity issue

Even with decentralized exchanges, swapping tokens built on the same blockchain is not possible due to limited liquidity.

Sometimes, you might need to convert your token to the native coin of the blockchain before exchanging it to your desired token.

Smartchange will facilitate easy and direct exchange on a P2P level.

Reduction in transaction fees

One major challenge in crypto trading is the transaction fee for exchanging cryptos on both centralized and decentralized exchanges.

For instance, to buy $CSA, you will need to convert $Yiedly (another token on algorand) to Algo first. That translates to two transactions on which fees will be paid for each swap.

The transaction fee will be limited to the transfer of assets while using smartchange.

Fiat to crypto and crypto to fiat exchange

Aside from the ease of swapping tokens on different blockchains, users will be able to exchange fiat for any token on any blockchain.

Reduced risk

In this current crypto attacks, smartchange will reduce the risk of loss of funds due to rigorous processes of exchanging cryptocurrencies for tokens on another blockchain.

For instance, anyone holding $Cake and want to buy $CSA will follow the following steps:

Swap $Cake for $BNB on decentralized exchange
Swap $BNB for $USDT or $BUSD
Convert $USDT for Algo on centralized exchange
Transfer $Algo to personal wallet
Swap $Algo for $CSA

The risk of loss of crypto assets is high while following this process which is almost the same for any transaction of such nature but with direct exchange of different tokens, the risk will be at the barest minimum.

Verified and trusted merchants

Every merchant on SmartChange undergoes a physical KYC process with the Crypto Smart team before they’re verified on the Smartchange App, so you can be sure your trades are safe.

Did you miss any of this?

Do you know how to use personal savings as a tool for creating wealth, you might want to read Personal savings: a ladder to wealth creation

You might also want to know what asset management is?

About Crypto Smart

Crypto Smart is a B2B Crypto Asset Management company founded in January 2021 by Karla Obakpolor, a blockchain business developer and Algorand ambassador in 2020.

Crypto Smart offers fast and secure services which are based on a well-encrypted system with 24/7 customer support services. The company has grown from offering its services to individuals to companies and major enterprises as well as providing crypto education through various crypto courses.

Crypto Smart upscaled to the Algorand blockchain and offers blockchain products which include SmartChange; a cross-chain P2P marketplace, Bitsave Protocol; a SaveFi protocol that combines savings with DeFi.

South Sudan declares disaster in flood-affected areas

By

Henry Williams

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September 10, 2022

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South Sudan’s government has declared flood-affected parts of the country as national disaster areas and appealed for assistance.

Friday’s appeal came after torrential rains in the Upper Nile and Bahr el-Ghazal regions.

Information Minister Michael Makuei Lueth said the floods have displaced thousands of people and claimed hundreds of lives.

Earlier this week, President Salva Kiir appealed to humanitarian partners for help.

South Sudan has experienced extreme flooding over the past three years, with more than 800,000 people affected in 2021 alone.

Since the beginning of rainy season in May, flooding in parts of the country has forced some health centers to close and stranded populations, leaving them vulnerable to water-borne diseases and snake bites.

King Charles proclaimed Canada’s new head of state

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Henry Williams

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September 10, 2022

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King Charles III was officially announced as Canada’s monarch Saturday in a ceremony in Ottawa.

Charles automatically became king when Queen Elizabeth II died on Thursday. But like the ceremony in the United Kingdom hours earlier, the accession ceremony in Canada is a key constitutional and ceremonial step in introducing the new monarch to the country.

Charles is now is the head of state in Canada, a member of the British Commonwealth of former colonies.

Though Canadians are somewhat indifferent to the monarchy, many had great affection for the late Queen Elizabeth II, whose silhouette marks their coins.

Overall, the antiroyal movement in Canada is minuscule, meaning that Charles will almost certainly remain king of Canada. One reason is that abolishing the monarchy would mean changing the constitution. That’s an inherently risky undertaking, given how delicately it is engineered to unite a nation of 37 million that embraces English-speakers, French-speakers, Indigenous tribes and a constant flow of new immigrants.

Russia announces troop pullback from Ukraine’s Kharkiv area

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Henry Williams

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September 10, 2022

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Russia’s Defense Ministry said Saturday that it is pulling back forces from two areas in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region where a Ukrainian counter offensive has made significant advances in the past week.

Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said the troops would be regrouped from the Balakliya and Izyum areas to the Donetsk region. Izyum was a major base for Russian forces in the Kharkiv region.

Konashenkov said the move is being made “in order to achieve the stated goals of the special military operation to liberate Donbas,’” one of the eastern Ukraine regions that Russia has declared sovereign.

The claim of pullback to concentrate on Donetsk is similiar to the justification Russia gave for pulling back its forces from the Kyiv region earlier this year.

Queen Elizabeth II: Family takes in tributes at Balmoral Castle

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Henry Williams

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September 10, 2022

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Members of the royal family have stopped to take in a sea of floral tributes left by the public outside the gates of Balmoral Castle in Scotland after attending a prayer service nearby.

Queen Elizabeth II’s three youngest children — Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward — as well as their families greeted a crowd of people who gathered Saturday to line the route outside the castle.

Princess Eugenie, Andrew’s daughter, was seen laying a bunch of flowers, while the rest of the family took time to read the many tributes to the queen.

The tribute came two days after the death of Queen Elizabeth II and the same day that her eldest son King Charles III was officially proclaimed Britain’s monarch.

Nigeria To Partner With American Technology Company On Digital Services

By

Henry Williams

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September 10, 2022

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Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is to collaborate with an American technology company, Amazon on digital services for operators in the country

The Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa made this known to Journalists after he received the Amazon representative in Africa and the Middle East, Narrimane Benakcha, in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

The visit provided an opportunity for the Director General to explain the mandate of the agency and its scope of operation in implementing the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy for a digital Nigeria.

Inuwa expressed concerns over the enormous cost incurred by some fintech operators in accessing hosting services from Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft and other related services.

“As a government, we have a Cloud-first strategy. We encourage even the government’s ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to go to Cloud because it is easier, cheaper, faster and convenient to deploy your services without the stress of overhead and other costs,” he said.

He urged Amazon and other multinational organisations to have a common interest in Nigeria, adding that the market is appropriate and foretells that Nigeria will be the next frontier in digital services.

Inuwa postulated that digital services would thrive in Nigeria because of the nation’s youthful population.

President Buhari Inaugurates Committee On National Economy
President Muhammadu Buhari has stated that despite the disruptions in global economy and internal troubles, the Nigerian economy has continued to be resilient and maintains an upward trajectory.

Speaking on Friday at the inauguration of the Presidential Committee on the National Economy, President Buhari said the COVID-19 pandemic; the war in Ukraine and the loss of substantial volumes of oil have had negative impacts on the Nigerian economy.

The President noted, however, that some of the problems could be addressed internally, making the constitution of the seasoned economic experts expedient:

“It is however important to note that some of the issues we must address are peculiar to us. For example, the decline in our production of crude oil. It is estimated that last month, August 2022, we produced less than 1mn barrels. The fall in production is essentially due to economic sabotage.

“With the high price of oil in the world markets, producing at about half our OPEC quota has deprived us of much needed revenue and foreign exchange. Government is working tirelessly to reverse this situation,” he added.

The Presidential Committee on the Economy is chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari and has as members the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo; Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum; Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, Minister for Finance, Budget, and National Planning; Niyi Adebayo, Minister for Industry, Trade and Investment; and Chief Timipre Sylva, Minister of State for Petroleum.

Other members include Mr. Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation; Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, Chief of Staff to the President; Mr. Godwin Emefiele, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and Dr. Mohammed Sagagi, Vice Chairman of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council.

Angola Overtakes Nigeria as Africa’s Biggest Oil Producer in August

By

Henry Williams

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September 10, 2022

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High Angle View Of Worker Offshore Platform In Ocean — Wokers at jack up oil rig leg when checking everything in rig move operation

Nigeria lost its crown as Africa’s largest crude producer as Angola surpassed the country for the first time in more than five years.

Angola’s average daily output in August of 1.17 million barrels was more than Nigeria’s at 1.13 million barrels, according to Bloomberg’s survey of monthly OPEC output. The last time that happened was in April 2017 when both nations were pumping about 500,000 barrels a day more, the same data show.

Nigeria’s production has declined steadily since 2020 and has reached multi-decade lows this year. The government has blamed massive levels of theft on the pipelines that crisscross the oil-rich Niger Delta in southern Nigeria.

Libya produced 1.08 million barrels of crude a day in August, according to the survey, and could soon overtake Nigeria if the West African country continues on its current trajectory.

Statistics published by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission paint a bleaker picture, with output at only 972,000 barrels a day last month. That figure rose to 1.18 million barrels when condensate – a light hydrocarbon that is exempt from OPEC quotas – is included.