China has begun the construction of a constellation of 36 low-orbit satellites to gather information for forecasting natural disasters and monitoring urban emergencies.
The project undertaken by the Tianjin Satcom Geohe Technologies Co., Ltd. was inaugurated on Tuesday in China’s spacecraft launch centre of Wenchang, in south China’s Hainan Province.
Guo Jianqiang, president of the tech firm based in north China’s Tianjin Municipality, said the first satellite would be inaugurated in space in June 2022.
All 36 satellites would have been inaugurated by the end of May 2023, to complete the constellation.
The satellite network would provide high-resolution images to help observers identify millimeter-level geological deformations in order to gauge the possibilities of geological disasters, such as landslide, subsidence and collapse, said Guo, also an official with China Geological Survey.
Guo said satellite data combined with geological survey and monitoring data captured by ground sensors in geohazard-prone areas could significantly improve the accuracy and timeliness of natural disaster prediction.
A baby born on board a U.S. military flight during the evacuation mission from Afghanistan has been named after the plane.
The girl was born at the U.S. Ramstein Air Base in Germany and was named Reach after the plane’s call sign, commander of the U.S. forces in Europe, Tod Wolters, said at a Pentagon briefing.
The Boeing C-17 planes used by the U.S. air force often use the call sign “Reach” followed by a combination of numbers.
The U.S. Air Mobility Command had tweeted at the weekend that a woman went into labour during the flight from Qatar to Germany and had experienced complications.
Her condition improved after the plane descended in altitude to increase air pressure, which helped to save the mother’s life.
Soldiers helped to deliver the child in the aircraft’s cargo bay upon landing, the command said.
The military has since spoken with the parents, Wolters said.
“As you can well imagine, being an Air Force fighter pilot, it’s my dream to watch that young child called Reach grow up and be a U.S. citizen and fly United States Air Force fighters in our Air Force,” Wolters joked.
The German air base was just a transit point for the evacuees from Afghanistan.
At the moment they were generally being flown from there to Dulles International Airport, near Washington DC, and then distributed to U.S. military bases.
Ramstein, near the western German city of Kaiserslautern, was the largest U.S. air base outside the country.
Wolters said it had capacity for up to 12,000, and that together with other German sites and one base each in Italy and Spain, there was capacity for 25,000 evacuees.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has called on stakeholders to work together to strengthen community resilience and response to floods in the country.
Mr Mustapha Ahmed, Director-General, NEMA, made the call at a National Consultative Workshop on 2021 Flood Preparedness, Mitigation and Response, on Thursday in Abuja.
Ahmed said that the workshop was one of its expedient steps necessary to collectively prepare for and provide strategies to strengthen flood risk mitigation and response among emergency stakeholders.
He said following flood incidences in many parts of the country, the agency is monitoring the situation to activate Emergency Operations Centres in the affected areas for search and rescue.
Ahmed said that there had been reported cases in 210 Local Government Areas in 32 States and Federal Capital Territory with attendant loss of lives, livelihoods and properties.
He added that the agency on its part would also be conducting assessment to support the displaced persons.
“As part of our collective responsibilities Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) need to always come together with the view to plan for effective response to flood, to save lives, destruction of properties and infrastructures.
“Since the release of climate prediction NiMet and Flood Outlook by NIHSA, NEMA carefully series of activities to flood preparedness, mitigation and response measures, most of which have been implemented,” he said.
The director-general, while commending the stakeholders for their performances in the past, added that the agency would continue to count on their continuous cooperation and collaboration towards saving lives, properties and attending to the distressed in the society.
Bananas are one of the widely available fruits in the world. These nutrient-rich fruits are easy to have on the go and provide instant energy. Because of their sweet taste and creamy texture, they are one of the favorite ingredients in several dishes, such as cakes, breads, puddings, smoothies and more. They have various antioxidants, minerals, vitamins and other nutrients.
Bananas contain minerals, such as zinc and selenium, and various other antioxidants. Being rich in fiber they make you feel full and prevent cravings.
Are bananas fattening for you?
There is no scientific evidence that eating bananas may cause weight gain. Bananas contain a minimal amount of fats. The carbohydrate content in a ripe banana is around 28 grams per 100-gram serving. The total calorie content in 100 g of bananas is around 110 calories. Bananas as such are not fattening. They may rather make you feel full for longer because of their fiber content. Their sweet taste and creamy texture may also help reduce cravings for unhealthy desserts, such as pastries and doughnuts. Studies show that bananas may help prevent weight gain. They can be included in a regular healthy diet, which includes three to five servings of fruits every day. Snacking on fruits and vegetables instead of processed foods, such as cookies and chips helps in weight management. If you wish to lose weight for achieving a healthy weight, you need to reduce your overall calorie intake. Consuming bananas when kept within your calorie requirements will not make you gain weight.
Health benefits of bananas
Bananas are packed with several nutrients which have several health benefits, such as:
Healthy heart and blood vessels: Bananas contain minerals like potassium, which are needed for a healthy heartbeat. They also contain several antioxidants and fiber needed for a healthy heart and regulation of blood pressure.
Healthy gut and digestion: Bananas are rich in fiber that help in bowel movement. This also helps eliminate toxins from the gut and keep the gut healthy. They are a part of the BRAT diet, which helps the gut recover from a bout of stomach flu.
Weight management: Bananas contain fiber that helps you stay full for a long time. This helps in limiting calorie intake and weight reduction. Their sweet taste and creamy texture may also help reduce cravings for unhealthy desserts, such as pastries and doughnuts. Studies show that bananas may help prevent weight gain. They can be included in a regular healthy diet that includes three to five servings of fruits every day.
Sleep: Bananas contain the amino acid, tryptophan, which is used in the body to make the substance serotonin. This helps promote calmness and sleep. Bananas may also help in getting over stress and depression.
Healthy source of energy: Bananas are excellent food options for getting energy, such as after exercise or on the go during a busy morning.
Healthy vision: Bananas contain a good amount of Vitamin A, which is used to make the pigment called rhodopsin in the retina (the light-sensitive layer inside the eye). Rhodopsin is necessary for night vision.
Bananas are nutritious fruit that are packed with a lot of benefits and you can be assured that they are not fattening and can support a healthy weight lose diet.
A Nigerian footballer, Anthony Nwakaeme has been rewarded with a huge statue in Turkey after his contributions at Super Lig side Trabzonspor.
The 32-year-old joined the Black Sea Storm from Hapoel Be’er Sheva in the summer of 2018.
He has since then contributed 65 goals. 35 goals and 30 assists in 114 appearances across competitions while winning the Turkish Cup and the Turkish Super Cups titles in the process.
The sculptor was said to have built the statue as a reminder of the striker’s reign at the Turkish club.
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Dr. Simon B. Harry as the new Statistician-General of the Federation to head the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
Dr. Harry is to succeeded the out-going Statistician-General, Dr. Yemi Kale, whose second term tenure of five years expires on 16th August, 2021.
Currently, Dr. Harry is the Director, Corporate Planning and Technical Coordination Department of NBS with almost three decades of statistical experience.
He joined the erstwhile Federal Office of Statistics as Statistician 11 in 1992 and rose to the position of a substantive Director of Statistics in 2019.
In the course of his civil service career, Dr. Harry has contributed to several reform initiatives including the reform of the then Federal Office of Statistics which transformed to the current National Bureau of Statistics, the reform of the Nigerian Statistical System which resulted to the creation and establishment of State Bureaus of Statistics at the sub-national level.
A Kebbi State High Court has ordered Prince Uche Secondus to return to his position as the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
A vacation Judge, Justice Nusrat Umar, gave the order in a suit brought before her in Birinin Kebbi, the state capital.
In the case, cited as KB/AC/M. 170/2021, Justice Umar said she was satisfied after reading the affidavit of the respondents.
She said it was necessary to issue an interim order on the purported suspension of Prince Secondus pending the determination of the case.
The order reads as follows: “An order of this Honourable court granting leave to the first respondent (Uche Secondus) to continue exercising all the constitutional powers of the office of Chairman of PDP (second defendant) as enshrined in both 1999 Constitution of Nigeria as amended and the Peoples Democratic Party’s constitution pending the hearing and final determination of applicant’s motion on notice.
“Any further order(s) as this Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstances.”
Three concerned members of the party, Yahaya Usman, Abubakar Mohammed and Bashar Suleman are the claimants/Applicant in the case while Prince Secondus and the PDP are the defendants/Respondents.
Blue Origin launched artwork painted on a capsule and a moon-landing navigation experiment into space Thursday, a month after sending founder Jeff Bezos on the company’s first passenger flight.
No one was aboard for Thursday’s 10-minute flight, which included other experiments from NASA and others.
The paintings by Ghana artist Amoako Boafo were on three parachute panels on the outside of the capsule at the very top.
Boafo painted a self-portrait as well as portraits of his mother and a friend’s mother, explaining “a mother’s love comes from a place that is out of this world,” said Blue Origin launch commentator Kiah Erlich, a company official.
Schoolchildren from Ghana tuned into the launch webcast, according to Blue Origin.
The Utah-based Uplift Aerospace Inc. commissioned Boafo’s work, “Suborbital Triptych”, as part of its new art-in-space program.
The New Shepard rocket blasted off from West Texas on Blue Origin’s 17th trip to space.
The booster landed upright several minutes after liftoff.
The fully automated capsule continued to an altitude of 66 miles (105 kilometers) before parachuting down nearby.
The paintings were on triangular-shaped panels a few feet in size and detached from the capsule when the parachutes were deployed.
A company spokeswoman said they would be recovered from the desert floor.
On July 20, Blue Origin used another rocket and capsule to launch Amazon founder Bezos, his brother and two others who, at ages 82 and 18, set records for the oldest and youngest in space.
Blue Origin offered no specific date Thursday for the next passenger flight, but reported nearly $100 million in ticket sales to date.
The company — which is not divulging ticket prices — plans to alternate between tourist and research flights, sometimes with the scientists aboard.
It was the second New Shepard flight for the lunar-landing experiment, which was mounted near the top of the booster and tested lasers and other sensors meant to ensure a pinpoint moon landing for astronauts.
Also flying was equipment for turning astronauts’ space trash into gas for recycling into fuel or dumping overboard.
1346 Battle of Crécy, south of Calais in northern France; Edward III’s English longbows defeat Philip VI’s army, cannons used for first time in battle
1682 English astronomer Edmond Halley first observes the comet named after him
1873 First free kindergarten in the U.S. started by Susan Blow in Carondelet, a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri
1924 The Catastrophe of Smyrna: known as the Asia Minor Catastrophe to Greeks. The Ottoman army expels Greeks and other non-Turks from Asia Minor. (August 13 OS)
1937 General Franco’s Nationalist troops conquer Santander during the Spanish Civil War
1959 British Motor Corporation introduces the Morris Mini-Minor, designed by Alec Issigonis, it was only 10 ft long but seated 4 passengers
1996 US President Bill Clinton signs welfare reform into law, representing major shift in welfare policy
Aug 26 in Film & TV
1951 Film “An American In Paris” with music by George Gershwin, directed by Vincente Minnelli, starring Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron premieres in London (Academy Awards Best Picture, 1952)
Aug 26 in Music
1968 “Hey Jude” single released by the Beatles in US (Billboard Song of the Year 1968, Billboard 10th biggest song of all time 2013)
Aug 26 in Sport
1971 Bobby Orr signs a five-year contract with the Boston Bruins worth one million dollars, the first million dollar contract in NHL history
2016 San Francisco 49ers Colin Kaepernick kneels in protest during the US national anthem at San Diego’s Qualcomm Stadium while playing against the San Diego Chargers, objecting to racial injustice and police brutality in the US
Would you believe this fact about today? Would You Believe?
All 25,000 applicants to the University of Liberia fail their university entrance examination
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said on Wednesday (Aug 25) he plans to leave the English champions when his current contract ends in 2023 and hopes to eventually take charge of a national team.
“After seven years in this team, I think I’ll take a break,” said 50-year-old Guardiola.
“And in this process I’d like to coach a national team: South American, European… I want to have the experience of a Copa America.”
However, Guardiola is not banking on that national team being Brazil.
“A national team will be the next step, yes,” said Guardiola, speaking at an online event organised by Brazilian financial services company XP Investimentos, and quoted by ESPN Brasil.
“I think the Brazil coach will always be a Brazilian, I can’t see a foreigner coaching a team like Brazil.”
The former Barcelona player has won the Premier League title in three of his five seasons in charge of City and last term took them to the Champions League final, where they lost 1-0 to Chelsea.
Before that he won the Champions League twice with Barcelona and also lifted La Liga three times with the Catalans and as many Bundesliga crowns with Bayern Munich.
As a player he also won the old European Cup, Cup Winners’ Cup and six La Liga titles with Barca.
However, he has yet to manage a national team, or win any trophies at international level.
Wednesday’s online event also included former US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Pakistani rights activist Malala Yousafzai, a Nobel Peace Prize winner.
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