Twitter To Cancel Inactive Accounts

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May 9, 2023

Twitter Chief Executive Officer, Elon Musk, announced that the platform would be cancelling inactive accounts that haven’t been used for a long period of time.

In a message posted on his social media, Musk said the company would be purging accounts that have had no activity for several years, so users will probably see follower count drop.

Musk-mandated changes at Twitter from slashing staff to doing away with free verification check marks seen as stamps of authenticity have alienated users and advertisers.

Twitter’s blue ticks were reinstated on some media, celebrity, and other high-profile accounts late in April — a move protested by many of the recipients.

Musk tweeted at the time that he was “paying for a few (subscriptions) personally.”

Many official media accounts regained a tick, including, which has not subscribed to Twitter Blue.

Twitter Chief Executive Officer, Elon Musk, announced that the platform will be cancelling inactive accounts that haven’t been used for a long period of time.

The reinstated ticks did not lure back US public radio NPR, which in mid-April suspended activity on its accounts.

The broadcaster was among those to protest the “state-affiliated” and “government-funded” labels Twitter attached to them, which were previously reserved for non-independent media funded by autocratic governments.

Since Musk bought Twitter, the company has relaxed the moderation of content on the network, letting back many users banned because of messages inciting hatred or spreading misinformation.

Market trackers say Twitter revenues have fallen as advertisers avoid the platform.

LAUTECH Doctors Strike Over Unpaid Salaries, Conditions of Service

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Cleopatra Okohai

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May 9, 2023

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Doctors at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, Oyo State began an industrial action over poor conditions of service.

The industrial action was called by the hospital’s chapter of the Medical and Dental Association of Nigeria and announced by its Chairman, Dr. Ayobami Alabi, and Secretary, Dr. Taiwo Alatishe in a statement.

They stated that the decision was based on a congress resolution arrived at, at the expiration of an ultimatum earlier issued.

The chapter’s MDCAN declared that it had critically observed the situation in the hospital and there was no definite assurance that issues in contention would soon be resolved either partly or wholly.

The association stated that it had made efforts in the past to safeguard the hospital from total collapse and to reposition it for better training, research, and services for which it was established.

It declared as unacceptable the continued non-payment of salaries of its members recently employed.

It also decried the “delay and difficulty in payment of 2016 to 2017 salary arrears by the management.

It added that some of the other issues in contention were the shortage of manpower across the different cadres of doctors, including consultants, specialists across different fields, resident doctors, specialists in training, and house officers.

“The prescribed ratio of doctors expected to function in a tertiary hospital is already distorted and highly eroded by this shortfall undermining quality training and service.

“The persistent inability of hospital management to employ doctors and other staff hinged on the excuse of paucity of funds, has led to failure in expanding the scope of training and services,’’ it stated.

It also decried the decadence in infrastructure, equipment and facilities which it stated was making the hospital operate below the optimal standard expected of a teaching hospital.

It listed the poor conditions of service to include a lack of basic facilities like offices for consultants and non-response from management in spite of years of appeal.

The withdrawal of service “is done to safeguard the hospital from total collapse and to reposition it for better training, research, and services for which it was established.

“The board of the hospital failed to respond appropriately and satisfactorily to all these challenges over the years despite our various engagements, tolerance, and show of understanding.

“This treatment is anti-labour. It is also considered inhumane with the attending psychological and emotional trauma,’’ it stressed.

It noted that it was becoming impracticable for the hospital’s management to provide basic amenities for effective service delivery.

The MDCAN appealed to the public, traditional rulers, critical stakeholders, and the state government to come to the rescue of the teaching hospital to reposition it for better output.

Twitter To Reduce Verification Prices For Small Businesses

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faith Jegede

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May 9, 2023

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Twitter CEO, Elon Musk, has announced that the company will unveil a plan with lower prices for small businesses interested in the verification badge of the platform.

He said this while responding to complaints made by users of the platforms that the $ 1,000-a-month subscription fee for businesses is too high.

Musk responded to say the $1,000 charge will be for ‘larger’ organizations.

He said, “We will have a lower cost tier for small businesses but need to manage the onboarding of organisations carefully to prevent fraud. The $1000/month is meant for larger organisations.”

According to Twitter, “Verified Organisation is a new way for organizations and their affiliates to distinguish themselves on Twitter. Rather than relying on Twitter to be the sole arbiter of truth for which accounts should be verified, vetted organizations that sign up for Verified Organizations are in full control of vetting and verifying accounts they’re affiliated with.

It further added that “Accounts affiliated with the organization will receive an affiliate badge on their profile with the organization’s logo, and will be featured on the organization’s Twitter profile, indicating their affiliation. All organizations are vetted before they can join Verified Organizations.

“We’ve already seen organisations, including sports teams, news organisations, financial firms, Fortune 500 companies, and non-profits join Verified Organizations and list their affiliated accounts publicly on their profiles.

We are now sending email invitations to approved organizations from the waitlist.”

King Charles, Queen Camilla Seen In First Official Coronation Portraits

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Koko Lawrence

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May 9, 2023

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The first official photos of King Charles, Queen Camilla and the working royal family have been shared since the jampacked coronation weekend.

In the solo picture shared by Buckingham Palace of Charles, the newly appointed king was seated in the Throne Room, wearing full regalia — which included the Robe of Estate and the Imperial State Crown.

Charles was holding the Sovereign’s Orb and the Sovereign’s Sceptre in the photograph.

The newly crowned Queen Camilla also posed for an individual picture in a white gown, with gold detailing in The Green Drawing Room of Buckingham Palace.

Camilla wore Queen Mary’s crown and Robe of Estate in the new portrait.

Working members of the royal family — including Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester, Prince Richard, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, Princess Anne, Kate, the Princess of Wales and William, the Prince of Wales, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, Princess Alexandra and Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh — were pictured with Their Majesties.

King Charles and Queen Camilla rededicated their lives to service in a statement shared alongside their portraits on Monday.

English National Opera Names Five Cities On Relocation Shortlist

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Koko Lawrence

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May 9, 2023

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The English National Opera has narrowed down its search for a new home to five cities, after being forced to move its headquarters out of London.

The opera company has been told by Arts Council England to relocate from the capital or lose its public funding.

Birmingham, Bristol, Greater Manchester, Liverpool and Nottingham are on the shortlist.

“All the cities have brilliant stuff going for them,” ENO chief executive Stuart Murphy said in an interview.

“But there’ll be different versions of the ENO depending on which city we go to.”

In November, the ENO was told to move its HQ from London after the Arts Council was instructed by the government to spread more money beyond the capital.

The Arts Council suggested Manchester, the biggest city in Europe without a resident opera company, as a possible destination.

Once Upon A Time – May 8 – 1660 – English Parliament Proclaims Charles II, King Of England

By

Angel Gimalo

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May 8, 2023

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1660 English Parliament proclaims Charles II, King of England and invites him to return

1835 1st installment of Hans Christian Andersen “Fairy Tales” published by C. A. Reitzel in Copenhagen, Denmark

1895 China cedes Taiwan to Japan under Treaty of Shimonoseki

1902 Mount Pelée on the French overseas island of Martinique erupts, wiping out the city of Saint-Pierre, killing 30,000 and leaving only two survivors
German commander Wilhelm Keitel signs the final unconditional surrender of Germany in the ruins of Berlin
Nazi Germany Surrenders

1945 V-E Day: World War II ends in Europe after Germany signs an unconditional surrender

1980 World Health Organization announces smallpox has been eradicated

2007 A new Northern Ireland Executive is formed with Ian Paisley (Democratic Unionist Party) as First Minister and Martin McGuinness (Sinn Féin) as Deputy First Minister

Historical Events Today Events in 2023
Today in Film & TV
1958 Classic Hammer horror film “Dracula” film starring Christopher Lee as the eponymous vampire alongside Peter Cushing, directed by Terence Fisher released

Today in Music
1979 The Cure release their debut album “Three Imaginary Boys” (Boys Don’t Cry in US, Australia)

Today in Sport
1984 The Soviet Union announces it will not participate in Los Angeles Summer Olympics in retaliation for the American boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics

1886 Jacob’s Pharmacy in Atlanta sells the first Coca-Cola (contained cocaine)

1993 16 year old Keron Thomas disguises himself as a motorman & takes NYC subway train and 2,000 passengers on a 3 hour ride

Famous Weddings
1783 American seamstress Betsy Ross (31) weds (for the 3rd time) John Claypoole at Christ Church

1910 Film producer Samuel Goldwyn (27) weds first wife Blanche Lasky

1959 Aspiring American actress Raquel Tejada (18) weds high school sweetheart James Wels; divorce in 1964 – she keeps his name (Raquel Welch)

Aisha Buhari Calls for Strategic Support for Women, Children

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Rhoda Onuzulike

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May 8, 2023

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Nigeria’s First Lady, Aisha Buhari has said all hands must be on deck to ensure that the crisis in Sudan is not allowed to escalate beyond what it is.

She revealed this today while presiding over the 10th General Assembly of the Africa First Ladies Peace Mission at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Recall that the 9th assembly of the mission held in November 2021 appraised the conflict situation in Africa and noted escalating threats of insecurity and violence pointing to their devastating effects on women and children who bear the greatest consequences.

The Nigerian First Lady who expressed concern over the huge humanitarian crisis caused by the war which has largely affected women and children, stated that the assembly is open to engage with all relevant bodies to advance support strategies.

Mrs Buhari also highlighted the impact of continuous challenges including banditry, and insurgency among others which according to her have festered and revived the need for more concerted action regarding the issue of women’s peace and security in Africa.

As the outgoing President of the 9th Assembly of the Africa First Ladies Peace Mission, she further reinforced the call to support women and young girls, to ensure they are not perceived or seen as victims of the war but as solutions, particularly through constructive engagements and peacebuilding.

She called for the adoption of other approaches such as constructive engagement with wealthy individuals to create deliberate opportunities for poverty reduction, engaging the media as a key player to be tasked with its agenda-setting role, emphasising that educational institutions must introduce a curriculum of peace studies and promote the development of peace clubs in secondary schools.

Women In Politics: Aisha Buhari Seeks More Foreign Support

The first lady is also expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the African Union as the tenure of her husband, President Muhammdu Buhari ends on the 29th of May 2023, a new president and vice president have been elected during the closed-door session of the 10th assembly and they are the first lady of Burundi as the President AFLPM and the Vice President is the First Lady of Niger Republic.

Among those present at the event is the wife of the President-elect, Senator Remi Tinubu; wives of Presidents and governors from other African countries and members of the diplomatic corps.

It is worth noting that the assembly is dedicated to peace, security, and mitigation of violent conflicts.

Meanwhile, contributions at the event are expected to help transform the continent, promote a culture of peace and attain the Sustainable Development Goals.

APC Reveals Zoning Formula for National Assembly Seats

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Rhoda Onuzulike

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May 8, 2023

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The All Progressives Congress National Working Committee has nominated Godswill Akpabio and Abass Tajudeen as the next Senate President and House of Representatives speaker in the upcoming 10th National Assembly, respectively.

INEC Removes APC Alhassan Doguwa’s Name from Reps-Elect List

See the full list of nominated members and zone:

SENATE:

Senate President – South-South – Senator Godswill Akpabio (Akwa-lbom).
Deputy Senate President – North West-Senator Barau Jubrin (Kano).

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:

Speaker, House of Representatives – North West – Hon. Abass Tajudeen (Kaduna)
Deputy Speaker – South East-Hon. Ben Kalu (Abia)

NDLEA Intercepts 21,800 Tramadol Tablets, Others

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Cleopatra Okohai

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May 8, 2023

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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has intercepted 21,800 tablets of tramadol in Adamawa and Edo.

This is contained in a statement by the spokesperson of the agency, Mr. Femi Babafemi and made available to newsmen in Abuja on Sunday.

Babafemi said that a suspect, Sahabi Mohammed, 39, was arrested in connection with 8,800 sachets of tramadol tablets in Adamawa.

He said that N60,000 counterfeit notes was found on the suspect while another suspect, Bala Umar, was also arrested on Wednesday.

Also 2.850kg cannabis sativa and 825 litres of formalin popularly known as ‘Suck and Die’ were also intercepted at Anguwar Laka in Numan Local Government Area of the state.

Meanwhile, in Edo, a Toyota Previa bus marked NER 460 XA conveying 13,000 pills of tramadol and diazepam was intercepted along Ewohimi road en route to Ekiti state.

The driver of the vehicle, Femi Oluwadare, was taken into custody on Friday, the spokesperson said.

Similarly, another suspect, Ahmed Rafi’u, 34, was arrested with 84 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 43.200kg, by operatives in Kogi.

In the same way, 381.1kg of the same substance was recovered from three suspects travelling in a Sienna bus in Anambra.

“The culprits were Innocent Saturday; Sunday Asuquo and Akpan Asukuma.

“They were arrested by a combined patrol team of security agents comprising NDLEA operatives and other security agencies at Nnobi in Anambra,” Babafemi said.

Messi returns to PSG training after suspension

By

Emenike Agu

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May 8, 2023

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Lionel Messi returned to training with Paris Saint-Germain on Monday six days after Argentina’s World Cup-winning captain was suspended for going on an unauthorized trip to Saudi Arabia.

His return makes it likely he will feature in PSG’s home match with relegation-threatened Ajaccio next Saturday.

PSG hold the whip hand in defending their Ligue 1 title, a six-point lead over Lens with four matches remaining.

He was suspended by the Qatar-owned club after failing to turn up for training last Monday.

Instead, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner travelled to Saudi Arabia without PSG’s permission to fulfill commitments as part of a contract with the country’s tourist office.

Messi subsequently apologized in a video posted on Instagram to his 458 million followers.

The affair has made it increasingly unlikely that Messi will remain at PSG beyond this season when his two-year contract with the club expires.