₦airaland Forum

Coronavirus pandemic
Prime Minister Boris Johnson: "Now is the time to take action"
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced a second national lockdown for England to prevent a "medical and moral disaster" for the NHS.

He said Christmas may be "very different" but he hoped taking action now would mean families can gather.

Non-essential shops and hospitality will have to close for four weeks from Thursday, he said.

But unlike the restrictions in spring, schools, colleges and universities can stay open.

After 2 December, the restrictions would be eased and regions would go back to the tiered system, he said.

Mr Johnson said: "Christmas is going to be different this year, perhaps very different, but it's my sincere hope and belief that by taking tough action now we can allow families across the country to be together."

What are the new lockdown plans for England?
'A new lockdown will be far worse for businesses'
Covid spreading faster than 'worst-case scenario'
Winter virus plans revealed in leaked Sage report
The prime minister told a Downing Street news conference that he was "truly, truly sorry" for the impact on businesses, but said the furlough system paying 80% of employee wages will be extended through November.

"No responsible prime minister" could ignore figures which suggested deaths would reach "several thousand a day", with a "peak of mortality" worse than the country saw in April, Mr Johnson said.

He said hospitals even in the south-west of England, where cases are among the lowest, will run out of capacity in weeks.

"Doctors and nurses would be forced to choose which patients to treat, who would get oxygen and who wouldn't, who would live and who would die," Mr Johnson said.

Under the new restrictions:

People are being told to stay at home unless they have a specific reason to leave, such as work which cannot be done from home and education
People are allowed to exercise outdoors alone, with their household or with one other person
Meeting indoors or in private gardens will not be allowed
Pubs, bars, restaurants and non-essential retail across the nation will close but takeaways and click-and-collect shopping can remain open
Construction sites and manufacturing workplaces can remain open
People are still allowed to form support bubbles
Children can move between homes if their parents are separated
Clinically vulnerable people are asked to be "especially careful" but people are not being asked to resume shielding
Mr Johnson, who chaired a cabinet meeting on Saturday afternoon, will make a statement to Parliament on Monday.

The UK recorded another 21,915 confirmed coronavirus cases on Saturday, bringing the total since the pandemic began to 1,011,660.

Another 326 people were reported to have died within 28 days of a positive test.

The UK is the ninth country to reach the milestone of a million cases - after the US, India, Brazil, Russia, France, Spain, Argentina and Colombia.

But the true number of infections is expected to be higher due to a lack of widespread testing at the start of the pandemic.

Graphic showing UK coronavirus figures
Prof Neil Ferguson, whose modelling was crucial to the decision to impose the first lockdown, said keeping universities and schools open meant infections would decrease more slowly this time.

He said the new restrictions could reduce cases by anywhere between 20% and 80%, adding that he hoped larger groups of people would be able to gather by Christmas "if only for a few days".

Mr Johnson had previously resisted pressure to introduce nationwide restrictions, saying they would be "disastrous" for the UK's finances and opting instead for a three-tiered system targeting local areas in England.

Ahead of the news conference, school and university unions called for education institutions to be closed and for teaching to move online in another national lockdown.

The National Education Union said it would be "self-defeating" to ignore how schools helped to spread the virus.

And "the health and safety of the country is being put at risk" by the insistence on keeping in-person teaching on campuses, the University and College Union said.


Analysis box by Nick Triggle, health correspondent
The month-long lockdown may suppress the virus, but what is less clear is whether the government will be in a better position to stop it rebounding.

There have been calls to fix the test and trace service, but that is easier said than done.

Testing capacity is being increased. In the coming days, the government is expected to announce its labs are able to process 500,000 tests a day. That should allow the system to speed up turnaround times.

But improving the tracing side of the service is likely to be much more difficult.

Councils in England are being encouraged to set up their own local contact tracing teams to support the under-pressure national system.

About a third of areas have now launched their own services and there are some encouraging signs in what's being achieved.

But questions are quite rightly being asked why this is only happening now as the second wave hits.

Significant levels of transmission are also being seen in care homes and hospitals, where one in six of the new daily admissions are suspected to be cases where patients have caught the virus in hospital.

Expect infection levels to come down quickly - and eventually that to translate to fewer hospital admissions and deaths.

But the true test of the lockdown lies elsewhere.

Presentational grey line
The British Chambers of Commerce said the new restrictions would be a "devastating blow" to businesses, which were in a weaker position now than they were in March.

Director general Adam Marshall said the government must increase business support and "must not squander" the extra time bought by another lockdown.

Elsewhere in the UK, Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford said the 17-day "firebreak" there will end as planned on 9 November.

He said that his cabinet will meet on Sunday to "discuss any potential border issues for Wales in light of any announcement by No 10".

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has issued new advice that people should not travel to or from England, except for essential purposes, ahead of the nation's five-level system of restrictions coming into force on Monday.


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The lockdown decision for England comes as scientists warned the NHS could be "overwhelmed within weeks" and documents suggested the UK was on course for a much higher death toll than during the first wave.

Sir Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust, said the current restrictions were not enough to stop the virus spreading and without action, "there's absolutely no doubt that many more of us would have seen loved ones die, suffer with long-term Covid symptoms or from other illnesses".

Documents seen by the BBC, understood to be part of a presentation by the government's pandemic modelling group SPI-M shown to Mr Johnson, show projections by several different groups of the likely course of the disease.

All models predict that hospitalisations are likely to peak in mid-December, with deaths rising until at least late December before falling from early January.

Projected daily deaths
One key document shows several UK daily death projections by different modellers, compared with the first wave and the government's "reasonable worst-case scenario" - which was seen in a report in August
Graphic showing projections for hospital capacity

A separate document circulating in government - based on NHS England modelling from 28 October - warns that the NHS would be unable to accept any more patients by Christmas, even if the Nightingale hospitals are used and non-urgent procedures cancelled.

It warns that south-west England and the Midlands will be the first to run out of capacity, potentially within a fortnight.

These latest papers come after a statement from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) revealed that Covid is spreading much faster in England than the predicted "worst-case" scenario.

US election 2020
Donald Trump

To think we began 2020 supposing the US presidential election would be the foremost news event of year: the story that would monopolise our journalistic attention; the travelling carnival that would see us clocking up tens of thousands of miles; the democratic spectacle that would distance us from our families.

As we entered election year, the main health story to intrude on the campaign was the cardiac condition of Bernie Sanders, the 78-year-old candidate who had suffered a heart attack while campaigning in Las Vegas. Then there was the question of whether Joe Biden had the stamina to cope with the relentless schedule of the round-the-clock campaign. In a field crowded with 70-something politicians, the mortality of the leading candidates became a legitimate subject for discussion.

Back then, though, we had no inkling of how the deaths of more than 225,000 Americans would overshadow everything.

All of us sensed we would be covering an epoch-defining election. Maybe the most important of the past 50 years. But few of us foresaw how the history would be so epic and so deadly.

2020. Not since 1939 has a dateline been freighted with so much meaning.

Nostalgia has become a driver of modern-day global politics, but rarely have we witnessed such a yearning for the immediate past. The days only 10 months ago when few of us had heard of Wuhan; when the handshake was a gesture of amity rather than menace; when t-shirts, bumper stickers and yard signs were the most obvious markers of your politics rather than whether you wear a mask.

Four years ago, the political genius of Donald Trump's Make America Great Again slogan was that it became a sentimental catch-all. Rather than sketching out a timeline himself, he let voters decide for themselves when America had last been great. This gave his supporters the historic licence to conjure up kingdoms of the mind, places that sometimes existed only in the abstract.


For some, American greatness was found in the Reagan years of the 1980s, the era of resurgence after the long national nightmare of Vietnam, Watergate and the Iranian hostage crisis. For many it was the Fifties, before African-Americans had been granted a full menu of civil rights; before the women's liberation movement challenged what had always been a male-dominated society.

In the final weeks of this campaign, however, Donald Trump has been more specific. He has pin-pointed a date. He has told us where to travel back in time. America was great "before the plague", he keeps on telling his campaign rallies - when the United States had what he reckons was the strongest economy in the history of the world.

For a time his campaign toyed with the new slogan Make America Great Again Again. But it sounded more like a taunt - a reminder of the here and now, and how his mishandling of Covid-19 has come to imperil his presidency.

Trump at rally

Before the coronavirus, the political vital signs for Donald Trump were strong. He had survived his impeachment trial. His presidential approval rating was the highest it had ever been. He could boast a strong economy and benefit from the advantages of incumbency, a combination that usually yields a first-term president four more years.

If in 2016 the coverage of the election had been based on the false predicate that a former reality TV star could never win the presidency, earlier this year the idea was starting to take hold that Donald Trump could not lose. In Iowa and New Hampshire, the more voters saw of his main rival Joe Biden, the more they noticed his weaknesses. And would America ever vote for the other main Democratic contender, Bernie Sanders, a former socialist? That arguably required a greater leap of imagination than the thought of a Trumpian second term.

Then, of course, everything changed. Covid granted Joe Biden a cloak of invisibility, a useful concealment for a candidate often so fumbling and frail. Donald Trump wrapped himself in the mantle of a wartime president, but in a battle that America quickly started to lose.

Trump's shortcomings make a weak opponent look strong
So 2020 has not been a re-run of the 2016 election, a banal observation that's worth restating nonetheless.


Trump is now the incumbent rather than the insurgent. He's got a record to defend. His opponent is not a hate figure like Hillary Clinton, but a genial grandfather, a likeable old man. Biden's radiant smile has become a valuable political weapon, so, too, his long personal experience of grief. It's partly why there seem to be fewer Trump Democrats around in 2020, and more Biden Republicans.

Four years ago there was an underlying brilliance in Donald Trump's ability to articulate the grievances of his supporters; to say things that were once considered unsayable. But what's been noticeable about this election is how he's given voice more to his own frustrations: venting, often in a self-pitying tone, about having to contend with "the China virus"; lashing out against public health officials, such as Dr Anthony Fauci; targeting Democratic governors whose state shutdowns have paralysed the Trump economy; complaining, as ever, about the press.

Trump succeeded in 2016 because he presented himself as an anti-Obama and an anti-Hillary. Part of the reason Joe Biden is leading in the polls is because he so easily fits the role of the anti-Trump.


The night American democracy hit rock bottom
What we all get wrong about the Mayflower
A letter to our newborn American daughter
The time when America stopped being great
Presentational grey line
Yet for so much of this campaign we have been witnessing Trump versus Trump. The president has seemed to be his own political enemy: not taking the coronavirus seriously enough at the start; inviting ridicule for speculating whether bleach might offer a cure; and being so aggressive in the first presidential debate that he ended up wounding himself.

For me, the most memorable moment of the campaign came when I was woken just after one o'clock in the morning with the news that the president had Covid - which had the jolting effect of drinking Red Bull from a firehose. In Michigan at the time, the next morning I spoke to Democrats who believed that the president was faking it and Republicans who still thought the coronavirus was a hoax - yet another reminder of how America has become a country where there is no longer an agreed-upon set of facts.

For a few days, the campaign felt more like a vigil. We waited on news of the president's condition, and weren't entirely sure whether we could trust the medical updates from his White House doctor. Then came that triumphant homecoming to the White House, which looked to his supporters like the happy ending of an action movie, and to his detractors like a scene from a comic opera.

Trump on the balcony of the White House

This became the defining moment of the Trump presidency not just because it borrowed from the visual grammar of reality TV, but because it was so instantly polarizing. Were you watching an all-American hero returning after vanquishing a deadly enemy, or the self-satirising theatre of some American Mussolini? How Americans answer that question could determined how they vote.

Given all the false prophecies of four years ago, most of us have been cautious about predicting the outcome of this election. And it is always worth remembering that we are correspondents, not clairvoyants. But there is one prediction I am prepared to make. Those who see this election as a panacea will, I suspect, be disappointed.

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Washington will remain a hotspot of dysfunction. Along with the coronavirus, the country will still confront a gun epidemic, an opioid epidemic, an obesity epidemic and an infodemic. The disease of disinformation remains virulent, fuelled by ramapant conspiracy theories such as QAnon. The militia groups will still brandish their AR-15s. Far right groups, such as the Proud Boys will remain on stand-by.

Armed individual at anti-mask rally in Washington state

Americans will continue the trend of living in like-minded communities, the red and the blue, and to segregate themselves politically both residentially and online. To many who feel like castaways in the post-industrial economy, the American Dream will continue to be a chimera. Then there is the enduring plague of racism, the scourge that for centuries has been upon us.

It's a constant reminder that division is endemic; that disunion is this country's long-haul condition.

On the eve of this election, we do not even know whether the president will accept the result, which many will interpret as another symptom of what they see as the creeping authoritarianism of the past four years, another septic sign of America's democratic decay.

Since his emergence onto the national scene forty years ago, Donald Trump has so often embodied the zeitgeist. He first caught our eye because he personified the 1980s. He was a creature of the tabloid excesses of the Nineties. He started this century as a star of a new form of entertainment, reality TV; and then made the leap into cyberspace as a viral sensation in our disruptive digital age. Now, though, he has an unwanted persona that speaks of this fatal moment: America's pandemic president is fighting for his political life.

Full moon
A bewitching sight awaits stargazers on Halloween night
Halloween fans are in for an extra spooky treat as a full moon is set to light up the night sky on Saturday.

Traditional festivities will look very different this year because of coronavirus.

However, on the plus side aspiring werewolves will be able to practise their howling.

This will be the first time since 1974 that there has been a Halloween full moon across Ireland and the UK, according to Astronomy Ireland.

And, as it is the second full moon of October, this is also known as a 'blue moon', although it will not appear as blue in the night sky.

"The perfect full moon occurs at 14:49 on Halloween and as the sun sets, the moon will be rising at the same time" said David Moore from Astronomy Ireland.

"The Halloween full moon probably only happens a few times every century and it won't happen again in Ireland and the UK until 2039."

Full moon
A full moon at Halloween is a once in a generation event
The organisation is expecting a lot of excitement around the celestial event.

"You associate Halloween with ghosts and ghouls, but this year it'll also be werewolves because of the full moon" added David.

"So, it's good fun for the general public and hopefully it'll get everyone excited."

It will also be the first time a Halloween full moon will be visible across the whole world since 1944.

"Anything that makes people aware of what's happening in the sky is very useful," said Terry Moseley from the Irish Astronomical Association.

"I suppose there's a certain connection between the full moon and witches and spirits moving around on Halloween night that gets people interested.

"It's just one of those things that comes around every so often."

Storm Aiden
The question is - with Storm Aiden set to move in on Saturday, will we be able to see the moon at all?

The good news is that, although the storm will bring strong winds, rain, and cloud at times, some clear spells are expected through the evening and night.

Full moon


The full moon should be visible during clear spells between the clouds
So, if you can, why not take a break from the sweets, toffee apples and scary movies to catch a glimpse of the Halloween full moon?

It'll be the last one for 19 years.

The US-Mexico border barrier

Building a "big, beautiful wall" between the US and Mexico was the signature promise of President Donald Trump's 2016 election campaign. A concrete barrier, he said, would serve to stop what he described as a flow of illegal immigrants and drugs over the border.

But what actually happened to the wall? How much of it has been built? And how effective has it been?

1. How much 'new wall' Trump has built is up for debate
Any calculation of the miles of new wall constructed by Mr Trump and his administration depends very much on the definition of the words "new" and "wall".

Graphic showing the 350 miles of new, replacement primary and secondary barrier built by the Trump administration

Before he took office, there were 654 miles (just over 1,000km) of barrier along the southern border - made up of 354 miles of barricades to stop pedestrians and 300 miles of anti-vehicle fencing.

Now, according to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in its 6 October status report, the southern border has 669 miles of "primary barrier" - the first structure people heading from Mexico to the US will encounter - and 65 miles of "secondary barrier" - which usually runs behind the primary structure as a further obstacle.

This means that in areas where no barricades existed before, they have built 15 miles of new, primary barrier or "border wall system", as it is called by CBP.

​​About a further 350 miles of barrier has been built, according to CBP, made up of replacement structures and some new secondary barrier.

More is planned, too, with 378 miles of new and replacement barrier either under construction or in the "pre-construction phase". Less than half of this will be in locations where no barriers currently exist, according to CBP.

Satellite images show recent construction work along the border

Presentational white space
However, Mr Trump himself doesn't make a distinction between these new stretches of barrier and replacement structures, regarding both as new wall.

This is because, he says, replacements involve "complete demolition and rebuilding of old and worthless barriers".

When the Military rips down an old & badly broken Border Wall in an important location, & replaces it with a brand new 30 ft. high Steel & Concrete Wall, Nancy Pelosi says we are not building a Wall. Wrong, and it is going up fast. Brandon Judd just gave us great marks! @FoxNews

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 26, 2019
And he regards the progress made so far as a success.

"My administration has done more than any administration in history to secure our southern border," Mr Trump said in June during a visit to the wall.

But what Mr Trump has actually built is far from what he promised at the start of his 2016 election campaign, when he pledged to build a concrete wall along the border's entire 2,000-mile length.

He later clarified that it would cover only half of that. And by the time of his State of the Union address in February this year, his pledge had been reduced to "substantially more than 500 miles" by January 2021.

Donald Trump at the new barrier

Mr Trump is still short of that target - even if you include all the new, replacement and secondary barriers erected so far.

Yet how much more will be built is uncertain, with Democratic rival presidential candidate Joe Biden saying that, while he would not tear down the barrier Mr Trump has built, he would not expand it further.


2. Most of the wall isn't 'wall' at all
As well as scaling back his ambitions for the length of the border barrier, Mr Trump has also changed his view of what constitutes a wall.

Graphic showing the bollard fencing built by the Trump administration

Throughout his 2016 election campaign, when he described it, he talked about concrete.

But once elected, he began referring to a barrier made of steel, which would enable border agents to see through it.

And what has been built so far is mostly such steel fencing.

Specifically, much of the current wave of construction is 18-30ft (5.4-9m) reinforced bollard fencing, according to a report by the non-partisan Congressional Research Service.

"It poses a formidable barrier, but it is not the high, thick masonry structure that most dictionaries term a 'wall'," the report states.

Trump and an image of the bollard barrier

However, the report adds that while the new barriers may not be made of concrete and in many cases replace existing structures, they do pose "a new obstacle that changes the calculus of those attempting to cross the border between ports of entry".

Having said that, although Mr Trump's barriers are not themselves made of concrete, they have been constructed using a significant amount of it, according to CBP.

Some 774,000 cubic yards (592,000 cubic metres) of concrete have been used in construction so far, alongside 539 tonnes of steel.

3. How it's being paid for remains controversial
Despite Mr Trump's pledge on the campaign trail in 2016 to get Mexico to pay for the wall, it is the US government that has spent billions of dollars to expand and reconstruct it.

Just over $5bn (£3.9bn) in funding has come via traditional means through the CBP, but Mr Trump has also ordered almost $10bn in Department of Defense (DoD) funding to be diverted - a move that has sparked legal action.

Chart showing how Mr Trump paid for the barrier - $5bn from CBP, $10bn diverted from DoD budgets

Back in 2019, after his request for a further $5.7bn for the wall was rejected and Congress allotted only $1.4bn, Mr Trump declared border control a national emergency and used powers under the National Emergencies Act to move cash from DoD budgets.

Some $6.3bn of counter-drugs funding and £3.6bn of military construction funding has so far been diverted to the wall project, according to the CBP.

But Mr Trump's decision to bypass Congress in this way has triggered a number of legal challenges - one from a number of environmental groups, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, along with the states of California and New Mexico.

Two lower US courts have ruled in favour of these groups, concluding that the diversion of an amount of $2.5bn from DoD to construct barriers in California, New Mexico and Arizona was unlawful.

However, the Supreme Court - the highest federal court in the US - has allowed barrier construction using the funds to continue pending the appeals process. It will hear a challenge by President Trump's administration against the lower courts' decision next year.

Meanwhile, Democrats in the House of Representatives have also launched separate legal action.

4. Illegal crossings appear to have fallen this year
Mr Trump made reducing illegal immigration a top priority of his administration and it has been a key part of his re-election campaign.

The latest figures suggest the number of migrants apprehended at the southern border this year have fallen after doubling between 2018 and 2019.

Chart showing how border apprehensions fell, rose last year, and then fell again

In particular, the number of children and those travelling in family groups apprehended at the border has dropped significantly in the 12 months to October, compared with the previous year.

How much this fall in numbers is down to the new barriers is unclear, though, and immigration experts say the drop is likely to be the result of the deterrent effect of a whole raft of anti-immigration measures introduced by Mr Trump's administration rather than the barrier alone.

Those fleeing violence or persecution to the US have found asylum rules tightened, been forced to wait in camps for long periods as their cases are determined and come up against new limits on the number of refugees accepted into the country.

The administration has also adopted emergency procedures during the coronavirus pandemic that allow agents to expel those crossing the border back to Mexico, bypassing normal immigration and asylum proceedings.

"Any effect that the physical wall has had in reducing unauthorised migration has paled in comparison to the administration's bureaucratic wall," says Sarah Pierce, US immigration policy analyst at the independent Migration Policy Institute.

A series of "interlocking policies" have "significantly reduced unauthorised arrivals", she told the BBC.

But although figures for detentions at the border are likely to have dropped for the year as a whole compared with 2019, monthly figures have been rising since the spring and reached a 13-month high in September.

Chart showing monthly apprehensions at the southern border - and how they have been rising again since spring
This is driven partly by single adults from Mexico who have been trying to enter the US repeatedly, according to CBP figures. Data shows the "recidivism rate" - the number of repeat crossers - has risen by 37% since the end of March.

Mark Morgan, CBP's acting commissioner, has suggested worsening economic conditions due to the coronavirus pandemic in Mexico and further afield could be to blame.

5. A key migrant camp is emptying
Thousands who have made the journey to the southern US border have found refuge in temporary border communities - often in shanty towns with little infrastructure or resources and vulnerable to pressure from violent organised-crime gangs.

Map showing where a migrant camp is located in Matamoros, Mexico

According to Human Rights Watch, these migrants are under threat from criminal organisations which kidnap them on the assumption that they have relatives in the US who could be extorted for money.

In the town of Matamoros, across the border from Brownsville, Texas, hundreds of people set up one such camp in 2018 near the entry point, in the scrubland on the banks of the Rio Grande.

By the start of this year, the camp had around 3,500 people living in tents - men, women, and children from across Central and South America and beyond. Another 10,000 asylum seekers are thought to be living elsewhere in the city.

Charities such as the World Food Kitchen, the Dignity Village collective and Global Response Management (GRM) provide food, tents, clothing and medical care to those living in the camp, where around 50% of residents are under the age of 15.

Child at a migrant camp enjoying being splashed with water

But Andrea Leiner, director of strategic planning for GRM, says coronavirus and July's Hurricane Hanna have had dire consequences.

Coronavirus restrictions have meant the border has been closed for all but essential travel and immigration hearings have been postponed.

Hurricane Hanna not only brought floods to the camp but also caused an infestation of rats, snakes and mosquitoes, forcing many residents to flee.

Ms Leiner says the repeated blows of plague, famine, and hurricane, on top of the legal restrictions, have drained people of hope.

"These people have nowhere to go. They can't go home - they will be killed if they go home - and they can't get into the US, so they are stuck in this purgatory right now and we don't see that ending any time soon," she says.

6. The barrier is unlikely to stop most kinds of drugs coming into the US

Mr Trump has claimed in the past that 90% of heroin in the US comes across the southern border and that a wall would help the fight against drugs.

However strengthening and extending the border barrier is unlikely to do much to reduce illegal drugs - such as heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine - because most come through established border checkpoints, known as ports of entry.

While the majority of the heroin in the US does come from Mexico, the Drug Enforcement Administration says most of it is hidden in privately owned vehicles or transporter lorries, mixed with other goods, and smuggled through legal entry points.

CBP figures for drugs - excluding marijuana - seized on the southern border also show most come through ports of entry, although a report by the Congressional Research Service does state that border barriers can serve to push people to cross in places where they are more likely to be "detected, intercepted, and detained".

Chart showing drugs seized at the southern border

Rodney Scott, chief of the US Border Patrol, agrees - and gives the example of San Diego, where he says cartel lorries used to drive across the border "three or four at a time on an almost daily basis, with high-speed pursuits throughout town".

"Those stopped immediately with the border wall system, " he says. "It does not mean cartels will stop smuggling drugs - now we're going to deal with tunnels and other aspects - but it pushed that threat, the daily life-and-death threat for kids waiting for a school bus near the border, out of those areas."

Smugglers also appear increasingly to be using boats to try to land drugs on the beaches of southern California - with the numbers intercepted by CBP's air and marine operations jumping 82% last year.

Marijuana is the most trafficked drug, with more than 227 tonnes seized on the southern border this year. It is also the drug most likely to be smuggled in areas away from the border checkpoints.

Traffickers regularly use underground tunnels to smuggle tonnes of marijuana, mainly in the California and Arizona stretches of the border.

Design by Zoe Bartholomew and Gerry Fletcher

The lamp is now in the hands of the police
Two men have been arrested in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh for allegedly duping a doctor into buying an "Aladdin's lamp" that they promised would bring him wealth and health.

As part of the con, they even pretended to conjure up spirits from the lamp, in line with the tale from The Arabian Nights, Indian media report.

The men had reportedly wanted more than $200,000 for the lamp but settled for a down payment of $41,600.

A third, female, suspect is at large.

The doctor reportedly filed a complaint with local police in Meerut, western Uttar Pradesh, earlier this week.

In the complaint, quoted by NDTV, he said he met the two men when he began treating a woman he understood to be their mother over the course of a month.

"Gradually they started telling me about a baba (godman) whom they claimed also visited their home. They started brainwashing me and asked me to meet this baba," he says, according to NDTV. He then did meet the baba "who seemed to perform such rituals".

He also reportedly said that "during one visit 'Aladdin' actually made an appearance in front of me" and it was only later that he realised one of the accused had been dressing up as the iconic figure.

Other reports in Indian media suggest that the suspects pretended to conjure up a genie, to convince the doctor of the lamp's authenticity.

The men eventually offered him the lamp, promising it "would bring wealth, health and good fortune", for 15,000,000 Indian rupees ($201,200) but settled for a down payment of 33,10000 rupees ($41,584).

A senior Meerut police officer, Amit Rai, told NDTV that the same men were suspected of cheating other families in similar ways. "Two have been arrested. A woman is on the run," he said.

#EndSars protests
A demonstrator wearing a blindfold with an inscription "End Sars", gestures during protest against alleged police brutality in Lagos, Nigeria October 17, 2020.

image captionThe protestors' initially demanded the Nigerian police unit called the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (Sars) be shut down
Rihanna, Kanye West and Nicki Minaj are among the many celebrities who have come out to support protests against police brutality in Nigeria. But protesters hit out when Beyoncé spoke up. Why?

Protesters against police brutality say that on Tuesday night in Lagos men in army fatigues closed in on them and shot at them while they sang the national anthem, something the army denies as "fake news".

The irony struck a chord across the world. South African comedian Trevor Noah said: "Just like we've seen in the US, the police in Nigeria are responding to protests about police brutality with more police brutality.

Just like we've seen in the U.S., the police in Nigeria are responding to protests about police brutality with more police brutality. pic.twitter.com/j1K5Ydxefm

— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) October 21, 2020
Nigerian horror over shootings in Lagos
The young Nigerians who forced the president to back down
How Nigeria's anti-police brutality protests went global
A host of international A-list of celebrities showed their support for protesters.

Rihanna tweeted a picture of a blood-soaked Nigerian flag.

#ENDSARS �� pic.twitter.com/59lrs8JnDA

— Rihanna (@rihanna) October 20, 2020
Nikki Minaj talked directly to protesters in her tweet in solidarity, saying: "Your voice is being heard".

Standing with & praying for the brave young people of Nigeria who are on the front lines of this senseless violence. Your voice is being heard. �� #EndSARS

— Mrs. Petty (@NICKIMINAJ) October 20, 2020
And then Beyoncé's statement came.

Through her charity, BeyGood, she said: "I am heartbroken to see the senseless brutality taking place in Nigeria... we are collaborating with coalitions to provide emergency healthcare, food and shelter."

A message from Beyoncé. pic.twitter.com/5Ng7JF2stf

— BeyGOOD (@BeyGood) October 21, 2020
This did not go down well.

"Who told Beyoncé that we are hungry?" commented digital entrepreneur Papi Jay.

Who told Beyonce that we are hungry? Sis just lend your voice like Riri and co.

— Papi Jay (@JohnMarsAuto) October 21, 2020
That sentiment was echoed by skincare vendor Mercy Ehimare. "Can somebody tell this woman we are not hungry? We need support to fight for our existence," she replied.

Can somebody tell this woman we are not hungry?



We need support to fight for our existence

— Mercy It Is (@MercyEhimare1) October 21, 2020
Tweeters were offended that Beyoncé appeared to assume they were poor.

That certainly wasn't how the Nigerian press described the people who started the protests online.

They opted instead to refer to them as "social media influencers".

In the early days of the protests, the BBC's Nduka Orjinmo described the people marching on the streets as "mostly comfortably-off young people, some with dyed hair, pierced noses and tattooed bodies".

BBC Nigeria correspondent Mayeni Jones notes that, while now she is now seeing a more socially mixed crowd at protests in Lagos, the people who started the protests online were "middle-class kids".

They were people like media strategist Rinu Oduala, who had persuaded other protesters to spend the night outside government house in Lagos on 7 October.

What's more, is that they had already raised funds among themselves to cover the costs of the protest, writes Nigerian author Naomi Ndifon, in Black Women Radicals.

So at this point, the protesters only really wanted their message against police brutality amplified.

Beyoncé has more than 15 million followers on her personal Twitter account - a tweet from that account would reach a lot of people.

But they were left frustrated, says a commenter on Beyoncé's post dor_gd, who points out that she only supported protesters on her charity account.

Exactly..she couldn't even post that on her main twitter account that has more than 15M followers for the message to reach more people.

But when it comes to profiting off black people and nigerians she will be the first��������#EndBadGoveranceInNigeria #BuhariResignNow

— ONLINE protester���...������ (@dor_gd) October 21, 2020
Critics also said Beyoncé turned up late to the protests.

This is a bit too late. The protests started two weeks ago and we never heard from you publicly. May have made all the difference before it culminated in senseless violence and deaths.

— Kelly'C (@Kellyceeee) October 21, 2020
The protests had started weeks before and she was in the second wave of celebrities showing their support.

People like Star Wars actor John Boyega, Arsenal footballer Mesut Özil and rapper Kanye West had tweeted their support more than a week before her.

Three years ago Nigeria’s police chief re-organised SARS after public condemnation about the violence that came with their operations. That change has done nothing for Nigerians and today many are still in danger. #EndSarsProtests

— John Boyega (@JohnBoyega) October 9, 2020
Horrible to hear what’s been going on in Nigeria. Let's make this a trending topic everywhere ▶️ #EndSARS - My thoughts go out to everyone who has been affected. ��� #EndPoliceBrutality

— Mesut Özil (@MesutOzil1088) October 11, 2020
I stand with my Nigerian brothers and sisters to end police brutality, the government must answer to the peoples cries #EndPoliceBrutalityinNigeria

— ye (@kanyewest) October 12, 2020
By the time she tweeted, the peaceful protests had already turned bloody.

By Peter Mwai

BBC Reality Check

Reality Check
A demonstrator wearing a blindfold with an inscription "End Sars", gestures during protest against alleged police brutality in Lagos, Nigeria October 17, 2020. Picture taken October 17, 2020. REUTERS/Temilade Adelaja
IMAGE COPYRIGHTREUTERS
image captionProtests about the Sars police unit have been going on for two weeks
Protests began earlier this month in Nigeria calling on the authorities to abolish a controversial police unit called the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (Sars).

The story has started trending globally, with thousands of posts on social media, but not all of them factual.

We have looked at some of the misinformation that has spread online.

The woman protestor whose brothers were not killed by the police
A striking image of a woman called Ugwu Blessing Ugochukwu crying while holding a folded Nigerian flag, and sitting on top of a statue have been widely shared on Twitter.

Screen shot of social post labelled False
The image is real, and she had joined protests in south-eastern Nigeria. But as the image was shared, people started adding misleading information.

"Not one brother...3...on the same day...killed and dumped in a well," a widely-circulated reply to one of the posts with the image said, claiming she'd lost family members at the hands of the police.

How Nigeria's anti-police brutality protests went global
When we contacted a spokesperson for Ms Ugochukwu called Gideon Obianime, he told us this was not true.

He said Ms Ugochukwu herself was briefly detained by Sars forces in 2018, but although she has brothers, none of them had been killed by Sars forces.

"I think people started adding assumptions to the photo. She has been getting a lot of backlash [over this]," Mr Obianime told the BBC.

Carrying the national flag will not protect you from the army
Screen shot of Facebook post labelled misleading
This unproven claim has gone viral - that a soldier cannot shoot someone holding the Nigerian flag.

It's been widely shared on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, with some suggesting there's an unwritten military code to that effect.

The claim appears to have originated from a screenshot of a conversation, in which someone says they were told this by their dad, a retired army officer.

Someone replies saying: "I think this is military code... You guys should repost so protesters will see."

However, there's no evidence for this, and some accounts have since deleted their posts after other online users pointed out it was misleading.

Onyekachi Umah, a lawyer in Nigeria, told the BBC there were laws about respecting the national flag, but added: "Just the fact that someone is holding the flag would not mean they [the army] cannot act."

We have asked the army to find out if the practice is not to target any person holding the flag, but they have yet to respond.

However, a Nigerian journalist told us they had asked a former senior officer about this, and had been told no such practice existed.

No, a senior Nigerian official didn't call the protests 'child's play'
Screen shot of Twitter post labelled misleading
A few days into the protests, a video was posted online showing one of President Muhammadu Buhari's advisers, Femi Adesina, apparently referring to them as just "child's play".

Many interpreted this to mean the president's adviser was dismissing the protests.

Alongside the video was a message: "If you are not angry enough, I hope this video helps you."

But the video is old and has been edited out of context.

It relates to a different set of protests held two months ago - and has nothing to do with the Sars issue.

At the time, Mr Adesina had been on a local TV station talking about those protests. But the video posted on Twitter has been edited to remove the introduction, which would have given the proper context.

The TV station concerned, Channels TV, has now issued a clarification about the video.

And Mr Adesina himself has released a statement, thanking the station for the clarification, and saying that the misleading video led to his phone being "bombarded.... with curses, expletives, and messages from the pit of hell".

The 'fake' shopping mall incident that wasn't fake
A screenshot of a tweet claiming a video was an old video
And now for an example of something being called out as fake that did happen - although exactly who was involved is not clear.

A video showing looting and violence at a shopping mall in south-west Nigeria's Osun state over the weekend became the subject of accusations and counter-accusations about links to the anti-police brutality protests.

The short video was posted by a Twitter account belonging to the All Progressives Congress UK - a group allied to Nigeria's ruling party - alleging that protesters linked to the anti-Sars movement were looting.

But some online users supporting the anti-Sars protests were quick to dismiss the video.

They said it was not related to Sars protests, but from the retaliatory attacks last year against South African-associated businesses after Nigerians had been targeted in South Africa.

Others claimed the video was staged.

From the video, some shops in the location can be clearly identified and we found they match photos posted on the Osun Mall website.

The BBC spoke to one of the shop owners and someone who witnessed the attack, who confirmed it took place.

Also, this mall only opened in December last year, some months after the xenophobic attacks - which rules out the video being from then.

We have contacted the state police to try to find out who was involved in the incident, but have yet to receive a response.

Nigerian Catholic bishops and an anti-Sars protest
A tweet which used an old photo of Nigerian Catholic bishops on a march
A tweet that has been re-tweeted thousands of times falsely claimed that Catholic bishops had marched in support of the protests.

The tweet included a photo showing bishops among a procession of people, most of them wearing black, with some carrying placards.

But this photo is old.

A reverse image search shows it is from March, when the Catholic Bishop's Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) led a protest in Abuja against killings and kidnappings in the country.

The umbrella body of Catholic Bishops in Nigeria has issued a statement supporting the Sars protests, but they have not physically joined in any protests.

Additional reporting by BBC Monitoring's Linnete Bahati and BBC Africa's Yemisi Adegoke

By Nduka Orjinmo

BBC News, Abuja

Published 2 hours ago
Related Topics
#EndSars protests
People in hospital
IMAGE COPYRIGHTREUTERS
image caption
Those injured at the Lekki toll gate in Lagos shooting are being treated in hospital
Horror and shock are the two words that sum up how Nigeria is feeling after people in Lagos, many of them draped in the green and white colours of the national flag, were fired upon by men in military camouflage while taking part in a protest against police brutality

"We were sitting on the ground and singing the Nigerian national anthem and most of us had flags in our hands and we raised it up," an eyewitness, who asked not to be named, told the BBC.

"Then they opened fire directly straight at us and they kept on advancing and advancing. One or two people got hit. Everybody got up and it became total chaos," he said.

It had been dusk when the trouble began - two hours after a curfew had just come into force in Nigeria's commercial hub.

The curfew had been imposed on Tuesday to stem protests which had begun against the much-hated police unit, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (Sars), and had morphed into greater calls for better governance.

Street lights turned off
The protesters - gathered at the Lekki toll gate to prevent cars from using a major motorway for the last two weeks - say they did not want to go home but they meant no trouble.

However, men in army fatigues began to kettle them. Then video footage shows there was darkness as the street lights were cut off.

Days before, a message had spread on social media that military officers would not engage unarmed civilians singing the national anthem and holding the flag. So as the platoon of around 20 armed men closed in, the protesters sat down, locked hands and began singing in unison.

This is when they say the shooting began. In one emotional video the voice of a man, singing the anthem, rose above the chaos and then began to quaver as the shootings increased.

Footage coming from #Nigeria is heartbreaking: #EndSars Protestors here singing the National Anthem as shooting begins.



You can hear the man’s voice break up at end. We don’t know exact death toll yet. 10:30 pm there: pic.twitter.com/SJwfSMGLwz

— Joyce Karam (@Joyce_Karam) October 20, 2020

But some did not finish the anthem. By the time the shooting subsided, witnesses say a dozen or so protesters were lying dead.

Photos shared on social media show some bodies were covered in bloodied Nigerian flags.

Graphic showing the location of the shooting in Lagos, Nigeria

Hundreds of thousands of viewers watched live on Instagram as protesters tried to remove a bullet lodged in the thigh of a protester with tweezers sterilised in alcohol.

"We need to seal it so it doesn't get infected and wait for the ambulance," one volunteer said.

But the ambulances never arrived as they were turned back by the men in military camouflage, witnesses say.

"They were actually taking up the dead bodies. Maybe they did not [want] to leave evidence behind," one eyewitness told the BBC.

"And they created a barricade. Ambulances couldn't actually, you know, get to the protest ground," he said.

Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu (R) visiting some of the injured in hospital - 21 October 2020
IMAGE COPYRIGHTREUTERS
image caption
Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu (R) visited some of the injured in hospital
The Nigeria army has dismissed reports that it was responsible for Tuesday's carnage as "fake news".

Video footage from the scene shows those shooting were in military camouflage uniforms, which only the army is allowed to wear.

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You may also be interested in:
How Nigeria's anti-police brutality protests went global
The young Nigerians who forced the president to back down
Nigeria's 60-year struggle for unity

Many at the scene believe it was a premeditated attack.

Just before sunset, witnesses say men wearing uniforms of the private company that manages the toll gate - which is operated as a joint-venture and is a major source of revenue for the state - came and took away the CCTV at the location.

Witnesses believe the perpetrators did not want events recorded.

But thanks to their smart phones, protesters were able to beam the incident to the world prompting outrage as scenes were also shared of the injured being treated in hospital.

"The Nigerian government, you guys are a shame to the world for killing your own citizens, sending military to the streets to kill unarmed protesters because they are protesting for their own rights?" tweeted Odion Ighalo, the Nigerian footballer who plays for Premier League side Manchester United.

Pray for NIGERIA��✊� pic.twitter.com/V7i4Ngs9qd

— Odion Jude Ighalo (@ighalojude) October 20, 2020
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Pop star Burna Boy, who is very critical of the government, urged the UN to intervene.

Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu says 25 people were wounded in the "unfortunate shooting incident".

"This is the toughest night of our lives as forces beyond our direct control have moved to make dark notes in our history, but we will face it and come out stronger," he said.

No experience of military rule
Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari has called for "calm and understanding" as curfews are introduced in several states as unrest spreads, but did not directly reference the shooting on Tuesday.

End Sars protesters on a car with a Nigerian flag in Lagos, Nigeria 1- October
IMAGE COPYRIGHTEPA
image caption
The protesters' demands have grown to include demands for better governance
A former army officer, President Buhari briefly led a military regime in the 1980s - and three decades on as democratic head of state is now the commander in chief of the army.

Even under democratic rule, the army has a bloody history when brought in to quell protests.

A judicial inquiry found that the army had killed more than 300 Shia Muslims whose procession had blocked a highway to a military convoy sparking clashes in the northern city of Zaria in 2015.

Yet the #EndSars protests were against the brutality of a police unit, accused of illegal detentions, assaults and shootings.

Two weeks ago Mr Buhari bowed to the protesters' demands and disbanded Sars - and has ordered investigations into the accusations against them.

Muhammadu Buhari wearing a face mask - 1 October 2020
IMAGE COPYRIGHTAFP

image caption
President Buhari, seen here at an event to mark Nigeria's 60 independence anniversary on 1 October, is regarded as a stoic
But the authorities, though they will not admit it, have been taken aback by the organisation and bravery of the protest leaders, many of whom did not experience military rule in Nigeria which ended in 1999.

As the protesters have widened their demands - for an end to bad governance and poor economic conditions - there has been speculation that some political opponents of Mr Buhari might be fuelling them from behind the scenes.

The anger over the events of Tuesday evening shows a threshold has been crossed and that Mr Buhari's government, which is in its second and final term, is experiencing its most trying moment yet.

The 77-year-old president cannot deny there is now a stand-off between the ruling class and the massive youth population, which is showing relentlessness and courage

BBC Reports
Published 51 minutes ago


Demonstrators in Lagos
IMAGE COPYRIGHTGETTY IMAGES
image caption
Demonstrators on Wednesday defied a curfew in Lagos to protest against the shootings
Buildings have been set aflame and there are reports of gunfire in Nigeria's biggest city after demonstrators were shot at a protest.

Witnesses and the rights group Amnesty International said several people were killed and wounded when soldiers opened fire in Lagos on Tuesday.

Authorities have imposed an indefinite round-the-clock curfew on the city and elsewhere, but some defied the order.

Protests against a police unit have been taking place for two weeks.

Demonstrators have been using the social media hashtag #EndSars to rally crowds against the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (Sars).

President Muhammadu Buhari disbanded Sars on 11 October. But protests have continued, with demands for more changes in the security forces, as well as reforms to the way the country is run.

Nigerian horror over #EndSars protest shootings
In pictures: Nigeria's End Sars protests

Buildings were set alight across the city and police put up roadblocks. A major Nigerian TV station with links to a ruling party politician was on fire after people attacked with petrol bombs.

Police in different districts of Lagos fired shots in the air on Wednesday to disperse protesters defying the curfew, the BBC's Nduka Orjinmo reports from the capital, Abuja. He also reports that the palace of the most senior traditional leader in the city was looted, though the leader was evacuated beforehand.

Authorities deny anybody was shot dead on Tuesday, saying that a number of people were wounded in the incident.

What happened in Lagos?
Witnesses spoke of uniformed men opening fire on around 1,000 demonstrators in the wealthy Lekki suburb on Tuesday.

Soldiers were seen barricading the protest site moments before the shooting, BBC Nigeria correspondent Mayeni Jones reports. Social media footage streamed live from the scene shows protesters tending to the wounded.

Map showing where incident in Lagos took place

An unnamed witness told BBC News that shortly before 19:00 local time (18:00 GMT) soldiers "pulled up... and they started firing directly" at peaceful protesters.

"They were firing and they were advancing straight at us. It was chaos. Somebody got hit straight beside me and he died on the spot," he said.

In a tweet, Amnesty International Nigeria said it had "received credible but disturbing evidence of excessive use of force occasioning deaths of protesters at Lekki toll gate in Lagos", and a spokesman said they were "working on verifying how many" people were killed.


Demonstrators defy the curfew in Lagos
By Mayeni Jones, BBC Nigeria Correspondent

This morning we drove over the Lekki-Ikoyi toll bridge, passing through gates that had been burned out the night before. Broken glass from a number of businesses was scattered on the floor, cash machines burned out.

Closer to Lekki, where there are a number of shopping centres, the streets were mainly empty. It's a bustling area usually, but no cars were on the road, just young men on foot.

The young Nigerians who forced the president to back down
Celebrities pledge support for Nigeria protests
At the Lekki toll gate itself there were around 200 people, who crowded round us, wanting to tell their stories of the night before, angry but also determined to stand their ground. Pools of blood could be seen on the floor.

Protesters were waving flags that looked covered in blood - they told me that the Nigerian flag, usually green white green, turned green red green yesterday from all the killing. Many of them had been at the site of the shooting the night before and recounted horrifying stories of seeing other protesters shot before their eyes.

The calls for police reform have morphed into chants that President Buhari must go. Demonstrators say they are sick and tired of the status quo.


Smoke seen rising over Lagos
IMAGE COPYRIGHTREUTERS
image caption
Smoke was seen rising over Lagos on Wednesday
How have officials responded?
Lagos state governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said about 25 people had been wounded, adding that authorities were investigating the death of one man by "blunt force trauma to the head". It is unclear if he was a demonstrator.

On Wednesday he called for flags to be lowered at government buildings and an "immediate suspension" of all state activities over the next three days.

"There are no excuses for the unfortunate incident that took place last night, and as the Governor, I apologize for every action and inaction," he tweeted.

media caption
Who is policing Nigeria's police?
Mr Sanwo-Olu told the BBC's Newshour programme that the military had been present at the scene, despite public assurances that soldiers would not deploy until after the start of a curfew at 21:00.

"I think about seven o'clock or thereabouts there was a small unit of the military that went [to Lekki] and we heard that gunshots were fired," he said.

On Twitter, the army has described media reports about the incident as "fake news".

President Buhari did not directly refer to the shootings in a statement on Wednesday, but called on people to have patience as police reforms "gather pace", and appealed for "understanding and calm".

What's been the international reaction?
Protests have taken place in the UK, South Africa and Kenya against police brutality in Nigeria, while officials around the world condemned Tuesday's events.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said it was "alarming to learn that several people have been killed and injured during the ongoing protests", adding it is "crucial" to bring those responsible to justice.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called on police "to act at all times with maximum restraint while calling on protestors to demonstrate peacefully and to refrain from violence" his spokesman said on Wednesday.

Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called on President Buhari and the army "to stop killing young #EndSARS protesters" in a tweet.

And former US Vice-President Joe Biden - who is standing against President Donald Trump in next month's election - also urged authorities to end the "violent crackdown on protesters".

It's very urgent. 09033716621 .I'm broke. I need it for urgent communication �

May God bless anyone that wishes to help

It's very urgent. 09033716621 .I'm broke. I need it for urgent communication �
May God bless anyone that wishes to help

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Berlin patient: First person cured of HIV, Timothy Ray Brown, dies
By James Gallagher
Health and science correspondent
30 September 2020
Share
Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES
The first person cured of HIV - Timothy Ray Brown - has died from cancer.

Mr Brown, who was also known as "the Berlin patient", was given a bone marrow transplant from a donor who was naturally resistant to HIV in 2007.

It meant he no longer needed anti-viral drugs and he remained free of the virus, which can lead to Aids, for the rest of his life.

The International Aids Society said Mr Brown gave the world hope that an HIV cure was possible.

Mr Brown, 54, who was born in the US, was diagnosed with HIV while he lived in Berlin in 1995. Then in 2007 he developed a type of blood cancer called acute myeloid leukaemia.

His treatment involved destroying his bone marrow, which was producing the cancerous cells, and then having a bone marrow transplant.

The transfer came from a donor that had a rare mutation in part of their DNA called the CCR5 gene.

HIV resistance
CCR5 is a set of genetic instructions that build the doorway that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) walks through to infect cells.

Mutations to CCR5 essentially lock the door and give people resistance to HIV.

"I quit taking my medication on the day that I got the transplant, after three months there was no HIV any more in my body," Mr Brown told the BBC in 2012.

The virus was never detected in his body again. He was in effect "cured".

"I was excited about it, but I still kind of feared it might come back, but it didn't," he added.

But the leukaemia, that led to his HIV cure, returned earlier this year and spread to his brain and spinal cord.

"It is with great sadness that I announce that Timothy passed away... surrounded by myself and friends, after a five-month battle with leukaemia," his partner Tim Hoeffgen posted on Facebook.

He added: "Tim committed his life's work to telling his story about his HIV cure and became an ambassador of hope."

Closer to a cure?
Mr Brown's cure was too risky and aggressive to be used routinely - it remains principally a cancer treatment. The approach is also too expensive for the 38 million people, many in sub-Saharan Africa, thought to be living with an HIV infection.

However, Mr Brown's story inspired scientists, patients and the world that a cure could eventually be found.

The International Aids Society (IAS) said it was mourning with "a profoundly heavy heart".

"We owe Timothy and his doctor, Gero Hutter, a great deal of gratitude for opening the door for scientists to explore the concept that a cure for HIV is possible," said Prof Adeeba Kamarulzaman, the IAS president said.

The second person cured of HIV was announced earlier this year. Adam Castillejo - known as the London patient - had a similar treatment to Mr Brown and could come off his HIV drugs.

Second patient cured of HIV, say doctors
"Although the cases of Timothy and Adam are not a viable large-scale strategy for a cure, they do represent a critical moment in the search for an HIV cure," said Prof Sharon Lewin, the director of the Doherty Institute in Melbourne, Australia.

"Timothy was a champion and advocate for keeping an HIV cure on the political and scientific agenda.

"It is the hope of the scientific community that one day we can honour his legacy with a safe, cost-effective and widely accessible strategy to achieve HIV remission and cure using gene editing or techniques that boost immune control."

AustineJohn908:
please can you send me those books ? here is my WhatsApp contact..08185808733

I didn't think of that.
Cos I'm trying to download them.
This is my WhatsApp digits(09080374873)

majesticguy:
Calm down, take a deep breath.

First, you made a mistake by not going for a course you are passionate about or know too well.

-Ok try this. While reading, try to picture & imagine what you are reading about. Don't stress your brain, try to flow naturally. Your ability to capture & imagine what you have just read would solidify that information to your brain.

-Take notes or try to summarize a chapter by making points of what you've just read by using mnemonics

-Take short breaks after reading a particular chapter & try to recall ( make it a kind of discussion with your brain) what you have just read.

-Try no to be tensed up while reading, cause clearly, you are.

-Do away with every negativity. Never say I CAN'T. Speak positivity into your consciousness.

-Don't see studying as a herculean task, rather, see it as a fun task.

-Try to pay apt attention to your lectures & it's very much advisable you read immediately after lectures. This system helps you retain information. If after lectures, you have a free time, look for a quite place & try to go through the points from the previous lecture, ask your intelligent colleagues or course mates to put you through if you aren't clear.

-Use a reward based system while studying. Be like, "if i can recall & interpret this particular chapter, I'd gift myself this".

-Hang out with friends, colleagues & course mates you can discuss what you have just read with.

I was once in your shoes & the above really helped me.

Wow, I'm blessed. Thanks so much. I really appreciate

paul100:
Get a notebook and set questions for yourself with the mindset of "this kind of question can be asked by the lecturer".For example,you are reading organic chemistry and chapter 1 is ALCOHOL.
This is it what you will do.When you read Alcohol,remember they will be many subheadings in this topic.You can set questions for them like this,let say
1)what is the general formula of alcohol?
2)What is the functional group of alcohol?
3)What are the types of alcohol and explanation them?
4)How is alcohol prepared?
5)what are the physical and chemical properties of Alcohol?
If you check any organic chemistry textbook, you will surely see the answers to this question.As i say buy a notebook and write this question.
Also look in between lines of every paragraph.For example, primary alcohol have one carbon atom,so you can set question like
a)primary alcohol have how many carbon atom?
Now if you can get all this questions,it means you are ready for your exams.Now this is where there is little problem.
You said you don't like reading in the night but you can try and sacrifice time before you sleep,to go through this question again.
Now,if you can remember everything or atleast 65% the night before you sleep,you are doing well.That remaining35%,you did not remember,try to do through your note again.
Now,you will do what is called reading spaced repetition.Let say the next morning you can still remember 100% after going through them.You start the process of spaced repetition,don't read it day 2,go through it again the third day,if you get everything.You go through your note and the question you set again day 6 and you will see small small even if you did not open that note and questions you set for 1whole week,you will remember everything.
I am also a student in 200level,I wish I did this in year 1,I could have been on 4.5 and above but don't worry we will get through.
Also pray and avoid pornography because if you are an addict of porn,you will not be able to concentrate.You are reading something and instead of concentrating fully.You are seeing flashing images of girls with big ass and boobs.Pornography affects the brain.

Wow I really really appreciate.
This would surely Help Bro.
Thanks so much.
Porn? Me? It's useless swears, it's bullshit. I don't do it, it's a truth.

samuelson06:
Well, there's no point repeating what others have said. But if I may ask you, do you masturbate or watch porn? If you do, please stop. As a young person, you'll find it very difficult to concentrate with your studies if you do any or both of these things. In fact, they'd render your life meaningless.

Secondly, learn to teach others what you've read. Whether that thing likes it or not, it will stick. You can also try watching YouTube videos about a subject instead of just reading it.

Porn? Masturbate? No I don't.
Yeah thanks

Rgade:
Op it's not your fault. PIC is a very demonic course.
That one along with physics and astronomy. Na twins Dem be.
The problem is not peculiar to you,most PIC students I Know complain of the same thing too.
For a very technical course like that which you weren't grounded in B4 entering the uni, the amount of study you are currently putting in probably isn't enough.
Make more time for study.
Learn to read at night. It helps.

Oh. I'll try. Thanks

BigDick70inch:
Well..
From the lil u said..
U seem to me line for craming type/momerizin tho..
If thats what u do ehn??
There is no way u will remember virtually every thin words for words..yo brain ain't memory card okay??

Oh, yeah cramming which I don't like.

BrainRider:
One; Find your best moment. Detect when you assimilate better. Know thy self.
Two; we have to type of minds, the conscious and subconscious mind. Subconscious mind takes in what ever it's fed by conscious mind, it doesn't filter what it's fed, it only acts. Change that belief that you will forget to you won't forget.
Say it repeatedly to yourself that you won't forget, belief you won't, and you shall not.

You can read this: HOW TO READ BETTER AND FASTER BY Norman Lewis
To sharpen your reading skill.
All the best

I really appreciate, I'll do so too

adeboi1:
Bro you need to find out the type of learner you are(through Google) there are different kinds of learners,you need to find out the one you fall under to make life easier for you.I will also like to recommend some books(PDF) that will help you
1.Improve your reading by Ron fry
2.Ace any test by Ron fry
3.Take notes by Ron fry
4.there's one other book on memory improvement also by Ron fry(find it)
5.How to study by Ron fry

I will suggest you start with no.1and3 then you can go for number 4.

I really appreciate. Thanks Bro

DankemzI:
But you're still remembering A B C D, you know why? As kids you sang ABCD in the church, at home, school, everywhere etc.
Now you're no longer singing ABCD, it'll be ridiculous af to hear an undergraduate singing his notes,....
The problem is you don't know your study mode and time.
Try reading out loud like you're tutoring a class in day time and night for 3 weeks
Try reading silently for 3weeks same day and night.
Try reading in a secluded spot or Gardens in the evening, morning or night time
Try reading in a busy crowdy place with earphones.
Keep trying different study modes until you find the method your brain will easily pick up

Oh Thank you so much

Madibahisback:
Weed is helpful

Are you for real?

Well, I attend Federal University Oye Ekiti. I'm in my 2nd year studying industrial chemistry.

Ever since secondary School, I've wanted to study civil engineering. Chose UI twice but I wasn't picked. Not until I chose Fuoye, this time I had to go for a course in science. I got confused, I don't know which to do. My best or favorite subject then in Secondary School was mathematics, I know it to the core. But I thought of not studying it cos I don't want to go deep into maths, I want something different.

Choosing a course to do became difficult cos I was being careful as not to choose what I'd regret later cos I feel doing a certain course in school isn't about choosing any course.

I also didn't want to go deep into Physics, despite the fact that I know Physics well just after maths, then I went for industrial Chemistry. My Dad was worried too, he felt probably I should go for something related to engineering. I felt chemistry would do

Resuming, most of my course mates would say they're studying industrial chemistry cos Chemistry was their best subject and they had interest in it. I felt disturbed cos studying it for me is of a different reason.

Coming to exams and grades, which is the main part. There's something bout me, I hate qualifying myself. I prefer wen people do so themselves. With my grades n intelligence, they say I was the 3rd best graduating student in my secondary School. But for me,I'm really really average.

Everyone dislikes reading school notes I guess,most read to pass not to understand. In University, you must learn to read well and assimilate well. When I go for lectures, read my notes after, at the next day I'd forget all I've read.

This stuff has been happening since secondary School I guess but it became worse in University. My Dad is so brilliant, he's always wanting the best from us as the children especially I as the first born. I've prayed several times,fasted,even met with a lecturer n a counselor on what to do.

This discouraged me that I don't really have to read after lectures,instead I read when it's 4 to 3 days to exams so as to remember some, making it be like I'm reading to pass. Cos if I read them long ago, I'd have forgotten. The problem is that the notes tends to be now plenty to assimilate n understand.

I'm always depressed about this,and I'm tired,I don't know what else to do. The main problem is remembering most I've read. Some times I'd want to read my notes, I'd be like if I read, I'll still forget once it's tomorrow ���‍♂️. I don't know what's wrong with my retentive memory.

If I can read n remember most things I read I'll be having good grades. Infact I'm so so ashamed to write out my CGPA. even if my parents or friends in school sees it, they'd be so disappointed cos if the fact they know how intelligent I am.

For my 100level,it's just 3.00.. it's so so so so lowwwww. My dad could cry if he sees it. He wants me to graduate with a first class also I too.
We haven't done first semester exams yet in this 200level,I need to do well at least have more than 4.00. I cry when I imagine how can this be possible. I've bought lots of photocopied past questions of each courses. Just as how I've gotten handouts. I look at how plenty those notes are and past questions are and be like how will I read , assimilate and remember all.

I'm so bemused right now cos school's resuming soon. And we might be rushed to so exams. I don't want to fail. I even picked my notes recently at home and after reading the first page of the handouts,I saw how much lessons the notes still hold and how much I'll read,I stopped feeling discouraged and just now as am typing,I can't seem to remember all I read in that first page. It's annoying and painful.

Is there something I can drink or take or do I have to keep reading and reading and never stop till it's stuck in my head. Maybe a topic from each courses per day, I don't know. I'm not lazy to read the notes. I'm only feeling discouraged of my ability not to remember wen I read.

And something,I am not a night reader like most do. I don't read at night. I've never done it. That's wen I get to sleep. My lecturer says if it's like that prolly I should be reading at the noon time or when am free during the day, making use of all opportunities during the day.

I go to classes by 7,come BK by 5 during Mon n Tuesday, 7 to 3 on Wednesday n Thursday n on Friday it's 10 to 12,by 5 to 6,I go for church choir rehearsal. Saturdays, a lecturer could get us to come for some classes,by 4 to 6, I'd still go for Choi rehearsals cos am an esco



PLEASE I NEED EVERYONE'S HELP

First when I started growing, it has always been Don Moen.

But now my favorite has been Hillsong for years now. The three Hillsongs(Worship, United, Young and free)

Let's all share ours.

BBC News, Lagos

US social media giant Facebook has announced it will be opening an office in Lagos, Nigeria, next year.

It will be its second office on the African continent.

According to the company, it will also be its first African office to house a team of expert engineers.

Facebook opened an office in Johannesburg in 2015.

Its Nigerian office will hire teams working in sales, partnerships, policy and communications.

In a statement, Facebook said it hoped its new hub would develop products created by Africans for Africa and the rest of the world.

In 2016, the company’s founder Mark Zuckerberg visited Lagos on his first trip to the continent.

Since then the company has helped open a tech community hub space in the city.

Earlier this year Facebook announced it would be teaming up with telecoms companies to build a 37,000km (23,000-mile) undersea cable to supply faster internet to 16 countries in Africa by 2024.

My brother loves all about chemistry, very sound and good in it too.

But he got confused hearing there's Industrial Chemistry n there's just pure Chemistry on which he is to go for.

It's been hard figuring out which is best or suitable for him or are they just the same with slight unimportant difference?

Mine is Thursdays. So stress-free n cool. Gets me to rest n prepared for Friday.

Our choices differs tho

They've been lots of comparism with Nigeria and these two countries.

USA is the sense that, they've passed through all these killings, secession, corruption just like China too including the population etc

Now look at them now, so is there a possibility, Nigeria would get there someday maybe by Grace or we might just keep on wishing and hoping and Nigeria still continues to be the same

Just wondering

It's my first doing a night plan
I've never joked with my sleep
But I'd be awake by midnight for a reason so I need to do some urgent stuff