Belarus Seeks Partnership With Nigeria On Agriculture

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October 8, 2023

The Ambassador of Belarus to Nigeria, Vyyacheslav Bril says the eastern European country is looking to partner with Nigeria in the area of agriculture as part of efforts to boost food security in Africa’s most populous country.

The Ambassador was speaking when he paid a courtesy visit to Nigeria’s Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris at his office in Radio House, Abuja.

Ambassador Bril said that Belarus had a deep agricultural experience that has led to trade with new markets in Africa. As a result, the Ambassador said; “Belarus was looking to move forward on the continent by partnering with Nigeria in the area of food security.”

“We can assist Nigeria with cattle farms, food processing plants, storage facilities many other things,” the Ambassador said, stressing that the strength of Belarus in terms of mechanisation of agriculture can be deployed in boosting Nigeria’s food security efforts.

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Bril said that the Republic of Belarus had a strong export-oriented agricultural sector, noting that Belarus accounts for almost 30% of global fertilizer production, which is very important for food security in the world.

His country, he said, has had long and fruitful relations with Nigeria since 1992.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris welcomed the offer of agriculture partnership with Belarus, saying “Nigeria is ready to work with the country to boost food security in Nigeria.”

Idris said; “We have the arable land and we have the people. What we lack is the technology and the necessary investment in the value chain. And this is where we want Belarus to come in to help Nigeria. I’m sure that the Nigerian government is ever ready to cooperate in that regard.”

Kano Govt. To Launch Second Batch Of Palliatives

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Rhoda Onuzulike

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October 8, 2023

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Kano State government in Northwest Nigeria under the leadership of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf is set to distribute the second batch of palliatives to the youth, women and people living with disabilities.

Further to his government’s effort of providing succour to the people of the State to alleviate the effects of fuel subsidy removal, arrangements have been completed for the distribution of grains comprising of rice and maize across the 484 wards within the 44 LGAs of the State.

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Governor Yusuf made this known on Saturday at a meeting with the State and local government chairmen/Secretaries of four grassroots Mobilisation platforms (Community Re-Orientation Committee (CRC), Lafiya Jari, Kano PRO-PA and Kwankwasiyya) an event that was held at Coronation hall, Kano government house.

The Governor said the second batch distribution is imperative looking at the difficulties people are going through and made a clarion call on the distribution committees at the State and local levels to be just in the exercise to achieve the goal of cushioning the current hardship of extreme hunger and abject poverty.

He added that plans are in the pipeline for empowerment programmes that were envisaged for three categories of beneficiaries totalling 4,840 across women, youth and people living with disabilities who will be trained and provided with start-up capital.

“We will also ensure the introduction of Amana taxis and buses scheme for our teaming youth, some Tricycles riders (Yan Adaidata Sahu) will be included in this scheme to upgrade their status.”

N-Power: FG to Employ 5million Youths in 5 years

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Rhoda Onuzulike

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October 8, 2023

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The federal government has said that the on-going overhauling of the N-Power programme will bring about the employment of five million youth in five years.

This is contained in a statement by the National Programme Manager of N-Power, Akindele Egbuwalo.

Egbuwalo, who urged Nigerians to understand the rationale behind the suspension of the programme and the subsequent restructuring it is undergoing, said the federal government was working to restore confidence in the programme.

N-Power: FG Suspends Programme, Probes Fund Disbursement

Egbuwalo stated: “This restructuring and transformation will also birth an expanded programme to reach beneficiaries aged 18-40 (the previous age limit was 35).

‘We are targeting 5 million beneficiaries in 5 years at a pace of 1 million per year under the graduate and non-graduate stream”

Giving further details on what the restructured N-Power would look like, Egbuwalo disclosed that it will accommodate some new programmes, in education, health, works, agriculture, technology, fashion, entertainment, and other relevant areas of skill acquisition and employability.

He stated: “To earn the confidence of Nigerians in the expanded programme, transparency and accountability will be the benchmark. It shall no longer be business as usual as we make concerted efforts to put the nation on the right footing, ensuring that no one directly or indirectly unleashes suffering on Nigerians.

He also explained that suspension of the Programme became imperative following the discovery of sharp practices and to also give room for a detailed investigation into its operations in the last twelve months.

Egbuwalo: “There is a need to audit the number of people in the programme, those who have exited the programme, those who are being owed, whether they reported to work or not, and how funds have been utilised over this period.

“Recently, we discovered instances of programme beneficiaries whose participation has lapsed since 2022 but have remained on and continue to expect payments from the government. In addition, some beneficiaries must honour their obligation to the programme. They do not report to their places of primary assignments as required but still receive monthly payments.

“These instances have made the need for a thorough audit imperative, as we also look into claims of those being owed for up to eight to nine months stipends to ascertain the veracity of their claims”

He assured all beneficiaries with genuine claims that the federal government will not owe anybody as it will resolve all cases and honour all valid outstanding obligations once the verification exercise is completed.

Homophobic Chants: Four PSG Players Suspended

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Emenike Agu

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October 8, 2023

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Paris St Germain players Randal Kolo Muani, Ousmane Dembele, Achraf Hakimi and Layvin Kurzawa have been handed one-match suspensions for their role in homophobic chants, the Ligue de Football Professionnel (IFL) said on Thursday.

During last month’s Ligue 1 match against Olympic de Marseille at the Parc des Princes, PSG fans were heard celebrating with homophobic chants directed at Marseille, and reports said PSG players were also involved.

The IFL handed the players suspensions from Oct. 10 and decided to close the Auteuil stand at the Parc des Princes for two matches, one of which was suspended.

“The Club regrets that the Disciplinary Commission has opted for an excessive and collective measure, likely to undermine the work of dialogue and prevention undertaken by the Club with associations, institutions and fans,” PSG said in a statement, adding that they will not appeal.

Nigerian-Born Udogie Gets Italy First Call-Up For Euro Qualifiers

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Emenike Agu

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October 8, 2023

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Italy have included Nigerian-born Tottenham Hotspur defender Destiny Udogie for the first time in their squad for this month’s European Championship qualifiers against Malta and England, the Italian football federation (FIGC) said on Friday.

Luciano Spalletti included the former Udinese left back in his second squad selection as Azzurri manager after the 20-year-old started for Spurs in all seven of their Premier League games so far this season.

Midfielder Lorenzo Pellegrini is sidelined after suffering a muscle injury in AS Roma’s Europa League game against Servette on Thursday.

Italy are in second place and trail England by six points with a game in hand on all of their Group C rivals. They host bottom side Malta on Oct. 14 in Bari before travelling to face England at Wembley three days later.

Italy squad:

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris St Germain), Alex Meret (Napoli), Ivan Provedel (Lazio), Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham Hotspur)

Defenders: Francesco Acerbi, Alessandro Bastoni (both Inter Milan), Cristiano Biraghi (Fiorentina), Matteo Darmian (Inter), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Federico Dimarco (Inter), Federico Gatti (Juventus), Gianluca Mancini (AS Roma) , Giorgio Scalvini (Atalanta), Destiny Udogie (Tottenham)

Midfielders: Nicolo Barella (Inter), Giacomo Bonaventura (Fiorentina), Bryan Cristante (Roma), Davide Frattesi (Inter), Manuel Locatelli (Juventus), Sandro Tonali (Newcastle United)

Attackers: Domenico Berardi (Sassuolo), Federico Chiesa (Juventus), Moise Kean (Juventus), Giacomo Raspadori (Napoli), Gianluca Scamacca (Atalanta), Mattia Zaccagni (Lazio), Nicolo Zaniolo (Aston Villa)

NPFL KICK OFF: Last Season’s Top Three Begin Quest For Fresh Honours

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Emenike Agu

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October 8, 2023

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Enyimba, Remo Stars and Rivers United, the podium finishers at the last season’s Nigeria premier League play-off begin action this Sunday hoping victories in their first matches this season.

The trio had their Match Day 1 fixtures postponed owing to continental engagements of Rivers United who were to host Remo Stars and also that of Bendel Insurance who were to be away to Enyimba.

The three teams are back in action playing their Match Day 2. Remo Stars host Enugu Rangers in Ikenne in what could be the toughest match of the week.

When both met in May 2021 Remo Stars won 1-0. The reversed leg in Enugu ended goalless.

That may have informed Rangers’ coach, Fidelis Ilechukwu’s anticipation of a tough match. Last season, he led Plateau United to the same stadium and was able to get away with a draw.

He is quoted by Punch newspapers as acknowledging the tough challenge by Remo Stars, but he is optimistic that starting the season with a win over Doma United have lifted their spirits.

Instead of their normal practice of honouring away matches by travelling by road, Enugu Rangers took a flight to Lagos and then embarked on the short trip to Ikenne.

Remo Stars who have in the past three seasons been having steady rise in Nigerian football scene are hopeful to win the title this time. In the previous season, they finished third on the log.

Last season, they were runners-up. This might be their season if the steady growth is maintained.

Writing on Platform X (previously Twitters), Remo Stars’ coach, Daniel Ogunmodede hopes to begin their title chase on a winning note.

“We are fully focused and ready to kick off the 2023/2024 NPFL season with a bang. Let’s make history, one game at a time.”

For Rivers United, Nigeria’s sole survivor in the continental venture, the team hope to keep the momentum as they face Niger Tornadoes. They also hope to maintain their unbeaten record against the Minna side. Niger Tornadoes lost their opening match by a lone goal to Abia Warriors on Match Day 1. Another loss, this time at home may spell doom for them.

Defending champions, Enyimba will be away to Gombe United. When they met in May this year, Enyimba beat Gombe 5-0 in Aba. In the earlier leg, Enyimba also won 2-1 to make it a double over the Niger State team.

At Least 120 Killed, 1,000 Injured In Afghanistan 6.3 Earthquake

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Angel Gimalo

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October 7, 2023

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Hundreds of people are believed to have been killed and at least 1,000 injured after a powerful earthquake struck western Afghanistan near the Iranian border.

The magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck about 40 kilometers west of the city of Herat at around 11 a.m. local time (06:30 GMT).

Many buildings were damaged, leaving people trapped under rubble and there were at least three strong aftershocks. Survivors described their horror as office buildings first shook and then collapsed around them.

“We were at the office and suddenly the building started shaking. Wall plaster started to fall down and the walls got cracks, some walls and parts of the building collapsed.” Herat resident Bashir Ahmad said.

“I am not able to contact my family, network connections are disconnected. I am too worried and scared, it was horrifying,” he added.

The province’s disaster management chief Mosa Ashari told reporters: “So far more than 1,000 injured women, children, and elderly citizens have been included in our records, and about 120 people have lost their lives.”

Early reports put the confirmed toll at 15, but this was always likely to rise once emergency workers confirmed the full scale of the widespread destruction.

Unconfirmed reports put the current toll at more than 300.

Video recorded from Herat Central Hospital shows multiple casualties involving mobile IVs being treated on the tarmac outside the main building – a sign of the sudden and overwhelming need for health care. large in case of emergency.

Other emotional footage showed scenes of devastation in Herat’s Injil district, where rubble from destroyed buildings blocked roads, hindering relief efforts.

Exploring The Kuchlbauer Tower In Germany

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Angel Gimalo

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October 7, 2023

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The Kuchlbauer Tower is an impressive and unique observation tower, located on the premises of the Kuchlbauer brewery in the town of Abensberg in the southeastern Federal Republic of Germany.

At first, the tower was supposed to be about 70 meters (230 feet) tall, but for some reason the tower we can see today is 34 meters (112 feet) taller than the surrounding area.

Originally designed by famous New Zealand-Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser, the tower was redesigned and planned by Austrian architect Peter Pelikan.

The Kuchlbauer Tower was built between April 2007 and August 2008 and officially opened to the public in January 2010, allowing everyone who visits the brewery to climb to the top and get an overview more about the surrounding area.

However, the tower itself is as unique as Hundertwasser’s imagination, with no straight lines but more fluid organic lines, where the structure creates an unusual chimney-like structure with an onion-shaped dome big on top.

This gilded dome is about 10 meters (33 feet) in diameter and is estimated to weigh about 12 tons.

Much symbolic in its construction, the Kuchlbauer Tower is certainly an artificial tree of knowledge that wants to express the beauty of beer by presenting it through unusual artistic architecture.

Indian Rescue Team Strives To Reach Flood-Hit Areas

By

Angel Gimalo

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October 7, 2023

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Officials said on Saturday that Indian rescue teams were working to reach flood-hit areas in the northeastern state of Sikkim, where more than 140 people were missing, as the region continued to be pummeled by rain. big.

Lake Lhonak overflowed on Wednesday after a downpour caused torrential rain and apparent avalanches, causing major flooding on the Teesta River.

“We are waiting for weather conditions to improve, because only then will the Air Force and other rescue teams be able to enter the flood-hit area,” said V.B. Pathak, Chief Secretary of State.

According to a government official overseeing rescue operations from Gangtok, the state capital, the death toll rose to 44, two more than on Friday. Hundreds of search and rescue personnel have been deployed across Sikkim and the neighboring northern state of West Bengal.

Areas near the river are still on alert.

Fifteen soldiers are among those missing.

Another official said about 2,000 tourists gathered in Lachung,

Lachen and Chungthung areas in north Sikkim were deemed safe and the army had provided them with satellite phones so they could communicate with family.

At least 13 bridges were washed away, hindering rescue operations. All bridges downstream of the Teesta-V NHPC (NHPC.NS) hydroelectric plant were submerged or washed away.

The key highway connecting Sikkim with Siliguri in West Bengal also collapsed due to floods.

Bandana Chettri, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Tourism, said local lawmakers are studying whether walking routes can be used to reach disaster areas.

Sikkim, a small Buddhist country located between Nepal, Bhutan and China, is home to about 650,000 residents.

11 Newly Licensed Electricity Distribution Operators

By

Rhoda Onuzulike

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October 7, 2023

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Full list of the 11 Newly Licensed Independent Electricity Distribution Network Operators announced by the federal government of Nigeria.

The Federal Government earlier this week announced that it had issued licences to 17 Independent Electricity Distribution Network operators, among which 11 are currently operational.

LN247 reported that this was disclosed by the FG in the 2022 Market Competition Report released on Tuesday by the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, an agency of the Federal Government.

Electricity: Federal Govt. Licenses Firm To Generate 723MW

The report, made available to news correspondent, reads in part, “The commission has also licensed 17 Independent Electricity Distribution Network operators of which 11 are operational.”

The 11 operators include:

1. Gateway Electricity Limited

2. Energy Company of Nigeria Plc

3. PIPP LVI Disco Limited

4. Bodituv Nigeria Limited

5. Uraga Power Distribution Company

6. Ariaria Independent Energy Distribution Network Ltd

7. Ladol Integrated Logistics Free Zone Enterprise

8. Babcock Consulting Limited

9. Constant Independent Electric Power Distribution Company Ltd

10. Alausa Distribution Limited

11. Notore Industrial City Limited.