Egypt Seizes Cargo Ship For Blocking Suez, Demands $900 Million

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April 14, 2021

Egypt is asking for $900 million in compensation for damages suffered after the blockade of the Suez Canal by a container ship at the end of March, crippling traffic on this crucial seaway.

Head the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) Admiral Ossama Rabie, had reported on public television that negotiations were continuing, with still many points of contention with the company and the insurance.

Rabie stated that the amount corresponds to losses caused by the boat to the Authority in addition to its refloating and maintenance operations.

A source within the SCA has also confirmed ongoing negotiations with the Japanese company Shoei Kisen, owner of the ship, and insurance companies.

He said Egypt made no mistake in this incident, and blamed the ship, The Panamanian ship Ever Given which has since been seized, due to the non-payment of the sum of 900 million dollars by virtue of a judgment rendered by the economic court of Ismailia.

Traffic on the canal, which accounts for more than 10% of world trade, resumed on March 29 after the ship was refloated with the help of international experts.

According to SCA, Egypt lost between $ 12 million and $ 15 million per day the canal was closed.

Over 400 ships had been stranded north and south of the isthmus for six days, forming gigantic traffic jams.

South Africa Halts Use Of J&J Vaccine Over Blood Clot Fears

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Zoe Maven

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April 14, 2021

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South Africa has suspended giving Johnson & Johnson vaccine shots as a precautionary measure following an FDA decision to pause using the jabs while blood clot cases are examined.

Health Minister Dr. Zweli Mkhize said South Africa was halting the use of J&J jabs with the expectation that the questions over the J&J vaccine should be cleared within a matter of days.

Addressing reporters, Mkhize stated that the country has given more than 289,000 jabs of the J&J vaccine to the country’s health workers without any reports of blood clots.

Earlier, Johnson & Johnson said it was delaying the rollout of its vaccine across Europe following a U.S. probe, into reported cases of blood clots. The move appears to be further shaking vaccine confidence and complicating COVID-19 immunization efforts.

Regulators in the United States said they were recommending a pause in the single-dose shot to investigate reports of rare but potentially dangerous blood clots.

In a joint statement Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration said they were investigating six cases of unusual clots which occurred six to 13 days after vaccination with the J&J shot.

Benin’s Talon Reelected President With 86 Percent Of Vote

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Zoe Maven

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April 14, 2021

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Benin’s President Patrice Talon has been reelected to a second term, winning 86.3 percent of the vote, according to preliminary results announced by the electoral commission.

According to the provisional results, his opponents Alassane Soumanou and Corentin Kohoue got 11.29 and 2.25 percent respectively. Benin’s constitutional court must now verify the final results.

In the meantime critics have called the election a sham saying it was already stacked in Patrice Talon’s favour following a crackdown on his opponents.

Reckya Madougou, one opposition leader who was barred from running, was detained last month, accused of plotting to disrupt the vote.

Earlier, some international observer missions had noted low turnout in the election, though they said the vote generally went ahead peacefully despite prior tensions and protests.

But Government officials have dismissed the claims and said exiled opposition leaders were trying to have the vote cancelled with a smear campaign

Talon who was first elected to lead the West African state in 2016, faced two rivals in Sunday’s vote with most of his key opponents in exile or disqualified from running.

With the 62-year-old incumbent almost guaranteed victory, analysts had said voter turnout would be a key measure of his election success.

Johnson And Johnson’s COVID-19 Vaccine: 6 Recipients Develop Rare Blood Clotting Disorder

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Angel Gimalo

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April 13, 2021

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U.S. health agencies are calling for an immediate pause in the use of Johnson and Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine.

This comes as six recipients in the states developed a rare blood clotting disorder within about two weeks after being vaccinated.

One woman died and another is in critical condition.

The Central Disease and Control Headquarters will hold an advisory meeting on Wednesday to review the cases.

As of Monday, more than 6.8 million doses of the vaccine have been administered in the U.S.

Lagos Creativity Workshop: Participants Urged To Develop Valuable, Essential Skills

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Angel Gimalo

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April 13, 2021

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The Lagos State Office of Transformation, Creativity and Innovation has organised a knowledge-based Stakeholders’ Engagement for Creativity and Innovation Ambassadors, to equip them with the right skills and knowledge required for optimal performance.

Director-General, Office of Transformation, Creativity and Innovation, Mr. Toba Otusanya, said the engagement was organised to scale up the achievements recorded so far in the C&I space.

According to him, having monitored and evaluated improvements and identified gaps, the need to equip and expose the C&I Ambassadors to modern skills and trends in the Creativity and Innovation space cannot be over-emphasised.

He, therefore, urged the participants to develop valuable and essential skills such as Networking skills, Observation skills, Association skills, Questioning skills and Experimentation skills if they must succeed as C&I Ambassadors and be impactful.

“Equally important is the need to have a clear vision; the ability to identify major stakeholders to drive the initiative; the ability to start new things without entertaining fear; be persistent; be resilient; refuse to be discouraged”, Otusanya added.

The DG noted that the OTCI is developing a C&I Competition specifically for Public Servants with a Prize Money attached.

While praising Accounting Officers for their efforts towards the sustenance of the Creativity and Innovation Initiative in their MDAs, Otusanya stated that having their buy-in is crucial to the success of the initiative.

He commended the Creativity and Innovation Ambassadors for their enthusiasm and achievements so far, encouraging them to always find out what challenges, problems and issues their MDAs are faced with and see how as a team they could creatively proffer solutions to them.

Barcelona Moves Ahead Of Real Madrid, Become Forbes’ Most Valuable Football Club At £3.46billion

By

Angel Gimalo

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April 13, 2021

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Manchester United have fallen out of the top three most valuable football clubs in the world, according to Forbes.

The Red Devils, who are valued at £3.05billion, have moved down a place to fourth with German giants Bayern Munich above them in third.

At the top of the list, Barcelona have moved ahead of Real Madrid to become Forbes’ most valuable football club at £3.46billion – just marginally ahead of their LaLiga rivals – while Liverpool have jumped up three places to fifth and ahead of Manchester City.

Last year’s Premier League champions, owned by John Henry and Tom Werner, are valued at £2.98billion while City, led by the Abu Dhabi are worth £2.91billion.

Roman Abramovich’s Chelsea are England’s next most valuable club at £2.33billion while Stan Kroenke’s Arsenal are just behind the Blues in eighth place, rated at jsut over £2billion.

Tottenham, owned by Daniel Levy, have snuck into the top ten at £1.67billion – just behind Paris Saint-Germain on the list.

United have slipped out of the top three despite achieving the highest operating income on the list with £121million.

The Red Devils’ stood at £467million which was the fourth highest on the list, around £43million lower than Bayern’s.

The updated list is a blow to Real Madrid who have lost their status as Forbes’ most valuable club in the world.

Nigerian-American, Sesugh Uhaa Defeats Big E, Becomes WWE Intercontinental Champion

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Angel Gimalo

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April 13, 2021

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The Nigerian-American WWE wrestler, Sesugh Uhaa also known as Apollo Crews has emerged the WWE Intercontinental Champion.

Apollo Crews, who defeated his opponent, the Big E at the just concluded WrestleMania, dedicated his new title to Nigeria, stressing that his “ancestors will now rejoice”.

In an interview shortly after the match, the 33-year-old wrestler whose parents hailed from Benue State, said he was proud to have defeated his opponent as earlier promised.

“It doesn’t matter how it happened, what matters is that Apollo crews did what he said he was going to do and that is win.

“The I beat Big E in his hometown in front of his family and everybody.

“The best thing about it is that my ancestors can rejoice, and my family can dance.

“I made them proud and now I am the intercontinental champion, this one is for Nigeria,” he said.

The 2020 WrestleMania was the 37th annual WrestleMania professional wrestling produced by WWE for their Raw and SmackDown brand divisions.

It took place as a two-night event on April 10 and 11, 2021, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

Number Of Valid Refinery Project Licences Stand At 23, Total Capacity Is 1.09 Million Barrels Per Day

By

Angel Gimalo

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April 13, 2021

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The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has published a list of private refineries with a valid permit to operate in Nigeria.

As of March 2021, the number of valid refinery project licences stood at 23, with a total capacity of 1.09 million barrels per day (bpd) .

According to the petroleum regulatory agency, the Dangote refinery is above 80.3 percent complete.

The Dangote refinery, which is expected to process 650,000 barrels per day (bpd), is an integrated refinery and petrochemical project under construction in the Lekki Free Zone, Lagos.

It is expected to be the Africa’s biggest oil refinery and the world’s biggest single-train facility, upon completion.

Recently, the Dangote group, led by Aliyu Suleiman, its chief strategy officer, had suggested that the national assembly’s joint committee on the petroleum industry bill (PIB) include a provision that oil import licence should be granted to only companies with active refinery licences.

“Nigeria is exceptional in being a major oil producer with near-zero refining capacity. Though the Dangote Refinery will help address this, there could be periods when petroleum products may need to be imported, such as when the refinery is undergoing turnaround maintenance or if demand grows to exceed capacity,” he had said.

“To support this, licence to import any product shortfalls should be assigned only to companies with active refining licences. Import volume to be allocated between participants based on their respective production in the preceding quarter. Such import will be done under the Direct Sale Direct Purchase (DSDP) scheme.”

This means that the private companies should be the ones to benefit from their own failure to do what they were licensed and partly subsidised to deliver to the marketplace.

This idea could prevent the forces of demand and supply from determining market trends with imports not being allowed to compete with local supply and hopefully bring about a truly competitive pricing regime.

7 possible reasons why your joints always hurt

By

Chris Ottah

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April 13, 2021

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If you suffer from joint pain, you’re not alone and there are many reasons why one or more of your joints might be achy.

Joint pain is defined as experiencing discomfort around one or more of your joints. While general pain is a common signal, you may also have swelling, warmth, tenderness, redness, and pain with movement around the area.

When the cause of your discomfort is obvious, there’s usually no reason to panic, though you should still see a doctor if it doesn’t go away. But what if your joints hurt and you have no idea why? Or you also have other weird symptoms you can’t explain?

In rare instances, your joint pain might be a signal that something pretty serious is going on, such as a sexually transmitted disease or an autoimmune disorder. But in many cases, it’s likely your joints are hurting due to a more common issue. Here’s a look at some of the conditions that could be making you sore, ranging from the more common to rare.

1. You’re simply getting older.

Your joints have been supporting you your entire life, and that can be hard on them over time—especially when it comes to weight-bearing joints like your knees and hips. This is so because the Cartilage, a gel-like substance that helps cushion your joints, also wears down with time.

2. An older injury is stirring up problems again.

Having an injury earlier in your life, whether it was treated or untreated, can increase your risk of having joint pain later.

There are a few different ways this can happen, but problems like a ligament tear, tendon issues, or a bone fracture can lead to inflammation over time. And even though a doctor can help you manage symptoms, they can’t go back in time and erase the injury. So, if you had a ligament tear in your knee in your 20s, for example, it sets you up for arthritis 10, 20, or 30 years later.

3. A thyroid issue could be the underlying problem.

Your thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland in the front of your neck, and it makes hormones that control the way your body uses energy. Those hormones impact many different functions in your body, and it allows your joints and muscles to be lubricated and stay healthy.

If you have hypothyroidism, your thyroid gland doesn’t make enough of the thyroid hormones that your body needs. That can adversely affect your joints and make you vulnerable to joint discomfort or injury.

4. It could be a sign of rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is different than the wear-and-tear kind (osteoarthritis) that commonly develops with age.

RA is an autoimmune disorder, and it disproportionally targets women. Tender, swollen joints and feeling stiff in the morning are classic RA symptoms. You might also have fatigue, fever, or weight loss you can’t explain.

Although not all these causes of joint pain can be cured, they can be treated. Some will require a course of antibiotics or other prescription meds. Others may improve on their own with time and rest. But any lingering pain in your joints should be reason enough to check in with your primary care doctor.

5. Or, it could be infectious (septic) arthritis.

If you get a cut or puncture wound and don’t clean it well with soap and water, a nearby joint can get infected with common bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus or Streptococcus. You’ll notice intense swelling and pain in the area, and fever and chills could follow.

Knees are the most commonly affected joint, but hips, ankles, and wrists are also likely targets. You might need IV antibiotics, and your doctor might need to drain fluid from the infected joint. Left untreated, septic arthritis can lead to full-body sepsis, which can be fatal.

6. It could be a symptom of lupus.

Lupus is an autoimmune disorder that can wreck all your joints if left untreated. People with lupus have an overactive immune system that can mistakenly target joints, as well as skin, blood, kidneys, and other organs.

Along with swollen, painful joints, you may develop a butterfly-shaped rash across your cheeks, but symptoms are different for everyone. Hair loss, trouble breathing, memory problems, mouth sores, and dry eyes and mouth can also be signs of lupus.

7. Gonorrhea could be to blame.

This sexually transmitted disease (STD) doesn’t just affect your genitals; it can also wreak havoc on your joints, as it causes a painful condition called gonococcal arthritis. It affects women more than men and, surprisingly, is most common among sexually active teen girls.

If you have it, you may develop one hot, red, swollen joint (though some people end up with several painful large joints), along with other STD symptoms.

Will Smiths film ‘Emancipation’ Pulled Out Of Georgia Over Voting Laws

By

faith Jegede

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April 13, 2021

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Due to what the actor and producer described at “regressive voting laws”, Will Smith has pulled his movie ‘Emancipation’ from filming in Georgia.

In a statement given by the actor, he expressed that he felt ‘compelled’ to act and could not in good conscience “provide economic support to a government that enacts regressive voting laws that are designed to restrict voter access.”

The Georgia laws that are causing the actor trouble with his conscience state that, future elections will require ID for anyone requesting a mail-in ballot. This method is supposed to make postal voting more secure.

The law also prohibits anyone except poll workers from handing out food or water to people queuing outside polling stations.

However, critics argue that the new measures are likely to disproportionately affect black Americans, as they feel them to be less likely than white Americans to have voter identification.

President Biden has called the law “Jim Crow in the 21st Century” and “a blatant attack on the Constitution”, but Republicans say they are streamlining voting procedures and trying to restore confidence in the election system.

The movie sees Smith playing Peter, a slave who flees a plantation in Louisiana after being subjected to abuse. He makes the perilous journey north and joins the Union army during the American Civil War.

The film is based on a true story – a photo of Peter’s back was taken during an army medical examination and was published in 1863 and prompted many free black people to join the Union army.

Filming was due to start in June.

According to Georgia’s film commission, more top-grossing movies are shot there “than anywhere else in the world” – with recent productions including Deadpool and Avengers: Endgame to name but a few.

Film and TV production now generates more than $10bn (£7,2bn) for the state each year – and Stacey Abrams, former minority leader in the Georgia house of representatives and author has urged Hollywood not to move away en masse.

Daughter of Martin Luther King Jr, Bernice King, has also joined to ask film-makers to reconsider. “Please stop the #BoycottGeorgia talk,” she said. “That would hurt middle class workers and people grappling with poverty. And it would increase the harm of both racism and classism.”