₦airaland Forum

The police have arrested a Chinese couple in Abuja for allegedly locking up their Nigerian employees in their apartment for the past 4 month. Eight domestic workers were rescued by the personnel of the Utako Divisional Police Station on Tuesday following a tip-off by a resident, who reported the incident to the Human Rights radio station.

The police raided the residence of the Chinese in the Jabi area of Abuja and took the unidentified couple and their domestic employees to the station. In footage provided by the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, the victims said they had been locked up in the apartment since February.

A lady, who did not give her name, said the domestic workers were not allowed to move out of the building and that the couple refused to allow her to go for treatment when she took ill. She stated, “When I was seriously sick, I asked these people (Chinese employers) to open the gate for me, but they refused until I became very angry before they opened the door. I know my life may be at risk but I don’t mind, let the world know what is happening.

“They told us that if someone was going out, he could help buy something for us, but when this man (referring to a colleague) went out to buy sachet water, they deducted his salary. What do they want us to do? We had to stay in the room and talk to people through the windows. They didn’t give us food; apart from the salary, they didn’t give us anything; they even cut our salaries.”

The driver of the Chinese, who simply identified himself as Alex, said he and the 7 others had been working against their will for the couple since the outbreak of COVID-19 in February. Alex stated, “They never allowed us to go out since February; if any of us went out and they know, a certain percentage of the person’s salary would be deducted. “Even on Monday when this man (pointing at one of his co-workers) sent someone to buy water, N500 was deducted from his salary that has yet to be paid.”

Another worker said the couple deducted N3,000 from his salary, because he went out to fill his pension form. But sources told PUNCH Metro on Thursday that the workers were refusing to cooperate with the police, adding that when they got to the station, they claimed that they were not forcefully detained by their employers.

“We were surprised by the refusal of the Nigerians to narrate the details of their ordeal to the police. All of them claimed that they chose to stay with the Chinese couple without coercion, but that was not the information that prompted our visit to the apartment. From the look of things, there may be more to what they are telling us,” a police source said.

The spokesman, Federal Capital Territory Police Command, DSP Anjuguri Manzah, confirmed the incident, noting that investigation had commenced. He said the Chinese couple had been released on bail.

SOURCE: https://punchng.com/chinese-couple-lock-up-eight-nigerian-employees-for-four-months/

Students in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA, who have been diagnosed with COVID-19, have been throwing parties in the city as part of a contest to see who contracts the virus first, an official has claimed. According to ABC News, Sonya McKinstry, a Tuscaloosa city councilor, alerted the authorities to the development on Wednesday, noting that the students sought to intentionally infect each other with the contagion.

McKinstry said she had informed the city council of the disturbing stunt, expressing concerns that the organisers of the parties are purposely inviting guests who have tested positive for COVID-19. “They put money in a pot and they try to get COVID. Whoever gets COVID first gets the pot. It makes no sense. They’re intentionally doing it,” she said.

Confirming the trend, which the students reportedly dubbed ‘COVID Party’, Randy Smith, a fire chief, during the city council meeting, on Tuesday, said that he initially doubted such “careless” behavior. “We thought that was kind of a rumor at first. We did some research. Not only do the doctors’ offices confirm it but the state confirmed they also had the same information,” Smith said.

Regarding efforts to stop the trend, McKinstry, who alleged that infected students are obviously disregarding precautionary guidelines, said that there are ongoing efforts to break such parties. “It’s nonsense. How can you truly fight something that people are constantly trying to promote when dealing with those doing stuff like that and spreading it intentionally,” she said.

Tuscaloosa is the 7th-largest city in the state and home to the University of Alabama along with several other colleges. The city has seen a spike in cases with a total of 2,049 testing positive and 38 deaths, according to the Alabama department of public health.

The US is also among the worst-hit countries with over 130,000 deaths and more than 2 million COVID-19 cases.

SOURCE: https://lifestyle.thecable.ng/extra-alabama-students-throw-covid-parties-to-see-who-gets-infected-first/

A lady has advised men to make women stop using sex as a weapon against them by simply mastering what she referred to as the art of saying no to sex. According to the lady with username @Ayigbe_Nani on Twitter, women have been brought up to believe that men cannot do without sex, so they try to take advantage of it to exploit them.

Well, all hope is not lost. @Ayigbe_Nani said men can be in control of their lives by learning to decline sex offers from women. In her view, when men “master the art of saying NO to sex, women who are opportunists will stay away from them, adding that sex is the only thing women use to get what they want from men.

“As a man, you should master your sexual discipline. Women use sex to get what they want. That’s their only game plan because they are told from an early age that men only want sex. Master the art of saying NO and you will see how useless women will leave you alone,” the lady counsels.

SOURCE: https://www.pulse.ng/news/metro/master-the-art-of-saying-no-to-sex-useless-women-will-leave-pretty-lady-advises-men/mhfjdcz

A wedding in India turned out to be a coronavirus super-spreader, killing the groom (whose family ignored his wishes to postpone the nuptials amid his spiking fever) and infecting more than 100 guests, according to reports.

The 30-year-old software engineer developed diarrhea and a high fever before his June 15 wedding, but his family forced him to swallow a painkiller and go through with the ceremony, which was attended by more than 360 people in Paliganj, the Hindustan Times reported. Two days later, his condition took a turn for the worse and he died on the way to a hospital. His body was quickly cremated without being tested for the coronavirus.

All of the deceased man’s close relatives were tested for the illness on 19 June, and 15 were confirmed to be infected. In a desperate attempt to prevent the spread of the disease, a camp was set up where samples were taken from the other attendees. Of those, 86 have tested positive, officials said Tuesday. The bride was not among those who tested positive for the bug.

“Even though he was feeling unwell by June 14 and wanted the wedding deferred, family heads from both sides advised against it, citing huge financial losses if the arrangements had to be canceled,” a relative told the Indian Express about the groom. Another relative, who tested negative, said no one suspected that the groom had COVID-19. "As rural areas are almost COVID-free, we were relaxed,” the relative said.

By the day of the wedding, he was running a high temperature, raising some concerns among his relatives, who “prayed that it was not COVID infection,” the relative said. “He performed all the pre-wedding functions after taking Paracetamol,” he added, referring to the brand name for over-the-counter acetaminophen.

Community official Chiranjeev Pandey said: “Our first priority now is to prevent the infection and break the chain. We have sealed parts of the neighboring Meetha Kuan, Khagari and some parts of the sub-urban marketplace of Paliganj.”

SOURCE (abridged): https://nypost.com/2020/07/01/groom-infects-100-guests-with-coronavirus-dies-two-days-later/

As the world works to contain the spread of COVID‑19, parents and caregivers are having to juggle the needs of children (who are home from school) while often working to financially support their families. This pandemic is unprecedented in its scale and reach and it is dominating the news and the dinner table as families adapt to new information and safety measures. The changes we’re experiencing can be especially stressful for the young people in our lives.

Mercy Corps has decades of experience responding to emergencies around the world—and we’ve seen how kids can be among the most vulnerable in times of crisis. We’ve seen how crucial it is for parents and caregivers to be equipped to help children understand and communicate what they are going through.

Carol Dell’Oliver, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist who has consulted on global programs for children, youth and caregivers worldwide, helping them cope with and heal from the effects of natural disasters and political conflict. She Dell’Oliver offers these tips for how parents and caregivers can help children cope with frightening or traumatic events. Her advice can help families who are navigating this new global crisis together.

1. BE AWARE OF COMMON REACTIONS TO CRISIS
Each child is unique in how he or she responds to frightening events. Some children may become more quiet or withdrawn, while others may become irritable or act out to get more attention. Many kids will begin acting younger by sucking their thumb or clinging to parents. It’s important to remember that these are all normal reactions to times of uncertainty and to respond in a calm and caring way.

2. BE PREPARED TO DEAL WITH FEARS & WORRIES
Common childhood fears may intensify after a crisis. Kids are often more afraid of the dark and being alone. Sleep problems and physical symptoms such as stomachaches and headaches become more frequent, especially for younger children who cannot verbalize their feelings. You can help children soothe themselves by reading stories, playing gentle music, giving back rubs and serving comfort foods. They need to be reassured with both words and hugs.

3. CREATE A SENSE OF SAFETY
Because children will feel vulnerable and overwhelmed, it’s important to initially focus on being protective and offering them physical comforts (blankets, favorite foods, calming activities) to restore their sense of security. Spending extra time together as a family is a refuge to kids in times of uncertainty.

4. LIMIT EXPOSURE TO NEWS
Don’t rely on the news to give your child the information they’re looking for. Sounds and images from news reports are often too vivid for children and make them internalize the trauma even more. It’s important to clarify their confusion and give honest answers, but stick to the basic facts and follow up with the reassurance that their safety is the most important thing to you.

5. TAKE TIME TO LISTEN
Make sure children have opportunity to express their feelings and concerns. Asking open-ended questions (“What news did you hear? How do you feel? Do you have any questions?”) allows them to identify their needs. Actively listen without correcting or minimizing their emotions and follow up with clear statements of reassurance.

6. ENCOURAGE WRITING & DRAWING ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE
Some kids may not feel like talking, so provide other ways for them to express themselves. Writing and drawing pictures can help kids deal with what’s troubling them. Use these as an opportunity to remind them it's okay to feel the way they do; you can help by continuing to listen and accepting where they are emotionally throughout the healing process.

7. REMEMBER TO PLAY
Play is every child’s natural form of communicating and processing events. Kids can tell stories about what they’ve heard and how they feel, even if they don’t fully comprehend it. It’s also a healthy distraction from difficult circumstances and provides an outlet to relieve pent-up energy and stress.

8. MODEL HEALTHY COPING SKILLS
Your kids will look to you not only for reassurance, but how to deal with their own complicated emotions. Allow yourself enough private time to process what you’re going through so you have the resources to be there for them. But don’t feel like you need to hide signs of distress all the time — should your children see you get upset, you can be an example by telling them that you may be feeling sad right now, but you have ways to help yourself feel better soon.

9. MONITOR BEHAVIOR OVER TIME
While it is normal for children’s behavior to change in response to crisis, symptoms of stress can become problematic if they linger. Simply keep an eye on changes in their sleeping, eating, playing, studying and socializing; if there are no improvements over time, reach out to a professional for help.

10. INSPIRE A POSITIVE RESPONSE
Kids need to rediscover a sense of personal empowerment and resilience after an event very much out of their control. Help them direct their feelings constructively and consider what they can do to help others. One way kids can help is through supporting local and global organizations providing relief during this crisis. By starting a fundraiser like 7-year-old Ava’s Birthday Wish, they can share their voice and join a powerful force for good. Having them start a fundraiser, write a card, or volunteer along with family not only gives them something positive to focus on, but sets the tone for giving back through anything life brings.

We hope these tips are helpful as you and your children navigate this stressful time and adapt to our new normal during the COVID‑19 crisis.

SOURCE: https://www.mercycorps.org/blog/tips-helping-children-through-crisis

The Federal Government has commissioned the operations of Dukia Gold and Precious Metals Project (DGPMP). The project is expected to enable Nigeria mine her gold reserves properly, trade responsibly and refine locally.

The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, while performing the virtual commissioning of the project, said Nigeria has potential reserves of 200 million ounces of gold reserves. He disclosed that the Dukia Gold and Precious Metals Project has been under construction for 7 years and it was his pleasure to see that the project is ready to start operations.

According to a press statement issued by the Director of Press, Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Mr. Edwin Okpara, the Vice President said, “I believe the Dukia gold project will encourage the emergence of smaller-scale mining companies which, for the first time, would have a transparent and welcoming market for their mined gold and precious metals. This would create jobs and unleash the economic potential of mining communities.”

Going further, he said, ‘’The project will create primary employment for local artisanal miners and mining cooperatives across the solid minerals value chain. Off-take agreements between DGPMP and local mining communities and owners of recyclable gold will be a useful provider of jobs in our post COVID-19 economy.”

Osinbajo also commissioned the Dukia-Heritage Bank Gold and Precious Metals Buying Centers, which is part of valuable private sector collaboration. He opined that the buying center would provide a sustainable way for Nigerians to exchange their gold jewelry and other precious items for cash.

The vice president added, “This system of exchange not only helps to encourage a culture of recycling, but will also serve as a complementary source for the raw materials needed for the Dukia Gold & Precious Metals Refining Company.”

Osinbajo promised that the federal government would provide support and facilitate policies to ensure successful deployment, implementation, and sustainable operations of the Dukia gold project as well as continuous support of the mining sector.

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mr. Olamilekan Adegbite, in his own statement, said the launch of Dukia-Heritage is a testament of the unwavering effort of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to serve as a business-friendly regulator by providing the enabling environment for business to thrive.

Adegbite stated that the Buying Centre Initiative (BCI) would bring about efficiency and transparency to physical trading and transactions of mineral commodities in the country and also ensure that artisanal miners would receive the right pricing for their goods relative to illegal off takers. The minister pointed out that his ministry has licensed two gold refineries and created a conducive fiscal and regulatory enabling environment for them to thrive of which Dukia is one of them.

https://nairametrics.com/2020/06/11/fg-inaugurates-gold-refinery-project-boosts-smaller-scale-mining-operations/

Personnel of the Ogun State Police Command have arrested two robbers on the Long Bridge, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, in the Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of the state while dispossessing motorists of their belongings.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said this in a statement on Sunday. Oyeyemi said the suspects – Ibrahim Nura, 27, an indigene of Kebbi State, and Isaac Kyegh, from Benue State, were arrested while dispossessing motorists of their valuables on the bridge.

He explained that the suspects, who reside at Kara, Isheri, Ogun State, were apprehended while attacking one Adebayo Agoro and Toheeb Olalekan, whose vehicle developed a mechanical fault on the bridge. He added that the victims were attacked by the suspects while trying to fix their faulty car.

According to him, the two men suddenly appeared from under the bridge and threatened the duo with knives and a cutlass so as to dispossess them of their valuables. Oyeyemi stated, “In the process, the patrol team from the Warewa Division, led by the DPO, SP Folake Afeniforo, which was on a routine patrol on the bridge, caught them in the act.

“On sighting the policemen, the suspects took to their heels and jumped under the bridge, but they were hotly pursued and apprehended right under the bridge, where they had turned into their hideout.” The PPRO said a jack knife was recovered from the suspected robbers.

He added that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Kenneth Ebrimson, had ordered the immediate transfer of the suspects to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad for discreet investigation and prosecution.

Meanwhile, a yet-to-be-identified motorist crushed a motorcyclist to death on the Long Bridge on Sunday. PUNCH Metro gathered that the motorist was heading to a destination in the state when he lost control of the vehicle and crushed the motorcyclist to death. Another motorcyclist, who was also plying the route, was reportedly knocked down by the motorist.

The second motorcyclist, however, survived the crash and was rushed to the Oakland Hospital, Warewa, for treatment. An eyewitness, Quadri Aderibigbe, said the motorcyclist’s corpse had been deposited in a mortuary, adding that the other victim suffered minor injuries.

He stated that policemen from the Warewa Division, led by Afeniforo, arrested the driver and impounded his vehicle. Aderibigbe said, “The accident involved a black Acura car and two motorcyclists. The driver of the car lost control of the vehicle and knocked down both victims. One of the motorcyclists died on the spot, while the other survived the accident, but sustained minor injuries.

“From what I gathered, the injured motorcyclist has been taken to the Oakland Hospital for treatment, while the corpse was deposited in the Divine Touch Private Mortuary in Ibafo.”

SOURCE: https://punchng.com/two-traffic-robbers-nabbed-on-lagos-ibadan-expressway/

Like the ever-changing chameleon, they come under different guises – Flipcash Investment, Binomo Investment, Helping Hands Investments, and so on. But their catchline is always the same: “Invest now and get 3 times your money in 45 minutes.”

Findings revealed to Nairametrics the activities of these scammers. How do they operate? How to identify them? And how you can keep your money safe? It is an insightful report with first-hand experiences of different individuals.

THE LURE
I received a message request on my Instagram handle. After accepting it, the stranger identified herself as Mrs Adebayo Jennifer (appears to be a false name). Claimed that she hailed from Ibadan and worked with United Capital Plc. I introduced myself as well, omitting my surname and place of work.

Then the toasting began. “Have you benefited from United Capital Plc’s ongoing program?” she asked. “What program?” I responded. She told me about some online trading business platform, where my money could be tripled in the next 45 minutes.

When I asked what the money would be invested in, “Hard currency” was the response I got. At this point, I knew something was off. I had seen several ads about United Capital Plc, and every single one carried the disclaimer, “United Capital Plc does not double your money in 45 minutes.”

She claimed that the company made a 400% return on investments, and gave three parts to the investor, while keeping the last part. It was almost 11 pm at the time so I told her I would like to start the following morning, but she suggested I not waste any more time.

I sent her some details for the registration (all false, except for the phone number). After she supposedly finished registering me, I opted for a 15k investment, even though it was not among the options. She agreed and sent account details for me to make the payments.

The next message I received was, “Are you making the payment now so I can start posting your chat on my page for people to see your testimony?” Now, here’s the scam!

I did a quick skim through her Instagram posts, and noticed that she always reposted all of the images on the actual United Capital Plc handle. With this, the page could easily pass off as belonging to a staff of the company, at least to unsuspecting followers.

Four things I noticed from there:
1st, the testimonials, which made up over 180 posts, were from just three chats. Same names, same conversations, same alerts! Repeated multiple times, to seem like multiple clients.

2nd, the name of the client testifying was same as the name of a supposed “secretary” whose account details she sent to another person. The name was ‘Lawal Mutiu.’ Whether it belonged to a partner, or an unsuspecting mule, there was no way to confirm.

3rd, some of the previous testimonials used different business names belonging to actual registered businesses, all of which were not involved in any kind of money doubling or tripling venture.

Lastly, care had been taken to cover the name of the supposed depositor, using other texts. The overlapping text was just thick enough to prevent one from reading it clearly, but also light enough to let one see that the supposed business had paid a beneficiary.

Smart, huh?

I pretended to make the payment but later told her my bank had reversed my money into my account, so I insisted I was going to make a bank deposit instead. She continued to trouble me for the next 24 hours, and she even suggested I use Paga to make the payment.

Eventually, I told her I was not going to make payment into an individual’s account or any payment platform. If United Capital Plc was going to pay me at the end of the day, then I wanted to make payment directly into their account. She asked me to hold on so she could get the account number, then the chat went cold on the evening of Thursday, June 11, 2020.

It took her 4 days to get her “company’s” account number, but she eventually got back to me on Sunday with an account number which she claimed belonged to United Capital Plc. As expected, it was not a genuine account number, so my Quickteller app could not verify the beneficiary details. It all came back to her asking me to just go ahead and make payment into her account number since the payment into the company’s account could not go through.

I refused, and at that point, we both realized it was a dead case or ‘bad market’ as they would call it.

APPROACHING VICTIMS THROUGH A TRUSTED FRIEND
Mrs. Jennifer Obinabo woke up on Monday, June 15, and could not log in to her Facebook account. the error report showed that her login details were wrong. “I tried registering for training on Facebook the previous day. I dropped my number after which I got a call from someone telling me they wanted to add me to the WhatsApp group.

“He asked me to send the confirmation code which I received to him so that he could confirm I was the right person, and I did. That happened sometime in the evening, and on Monday morning, I could not log in anymore,” she recounted.

Before the end of the day, she had received several calls from friends asking of the investment she had told them about on Facebook. As soon as they confirmed that the account had been hacked, one of them made a post about it, and this might just have been what saved others from falling victims.

She used the Facebook help page to try retrieving the account, but the phone number had been changed so she resorted to using her email address to receive the reset code. This is an easy trap, but one you must be mindful of.

AN ACTUAL SCAM
Onyinyechi got admitted to Nnamdi Azikiwe University in 2019, and her parents handed her the sum of N75,000 to cover her registration fees and some other costs. She delayed going to school due to a warning strike action at the time. During this wait, she was added to a WhatsApp group by a strange number.

She recounts her experience thus:
“I was added to a WhatsApp group and after checking the contacts there, I saw that I did not know anyone on the group. I remained on the group trying to observe what was going on, and they presented an investment opportunity called Helping hands investment.

You pay in money and you get matched with someone else who pays you double of what you had paid. I saw it as another kind of MMM, so I felt I could get out a little if I started with N5000.”

This was only the beginning of her problems. They claimed there was no plan for N5000, as the least investment she could make would be N20000 so she went ahead to make the payment. While waiting to receive her returns within the next hour, she was told that the person she was paired with had opted for a higher investment option of N80,000. To qualify to receive his payment, she had to up her investment to N40,000.

This trend continued until Onyinyechi exhausted the N70,000 in her account, hoping to get N140,000. Again, she was told to up the investment to N100,000, but at this point, there was nowhere else to get money from, and the supposed manager said that there was nothing he could do for her unless she added another N30,000.

“I kept calling till he stopped picking my call. When I called with my mum’s line, he would pick the call but as soon as he realized I was the one, he would end the call. My brother tried to involve the police, but we didn’t see any hope in it, so we gave up,” she said.

...AND A FAILED SCAM
Mr. Anthony Agabue also shared his experience with Nairametrics. According to him, everything about the so-called investment was wrong, and he only played along to see where it was leading to. He claimed to be a fisherman, and so he received a baptism of promises–promises to make him rich.

There are several names used in these scams, mostly investment companies like United Capital Plc, or some other existing company which can be found during an online search. This research further showed that they even use the pictures of top executives and upcoming events in the company as their display pictures (DP).

Whatever the name, they only use it to lure victims into their nets. As soon as the actual discussions begin, they avoid mentioning the name again. This way, the victim may not even question it when he is given a personal account to make payments into.

DON'T BE A MULE
Often, the account details could belong to some unsuspecting online friend or lover who will later be convinced to send a bulk of the money to the scammers, in the claims that the sum had been transferred in error.

Picture this: an online friend claims he is feeling generous and asks you to send your account details so he can pay in N10,000. Eventually, you receive an alert of N100,000 which he claims was sent in error and pleads with you to send back N90,000. Do you get the picture?

Of the companies whose names were mentioned, we could only get to United Capital Plc via its verified social media handles. Interestingly, the company has repeatedly had its name used by fraudsters who try to ride on its integrity and public image to defraud victims.

CAVEAT EMPTOR
We discovered that the company had taken steps to curtail such activities in the past, and has several posts where it warns people not to fall prey. A source in United Capital, who preferred anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue, said:

“It is surprising that people still fall for these tricks despite all the campaigns to enlighten them. Most times, they only come to report to the company after they have invested and cannot get their money back. For those who follow the company’s social handles, they can also see the warning on every post that United Capital Plc does not double money.”

Nairametrics can confirm that the company has run several campaigns including publications in 2 national dailies, enlightening the public that it is not a money-doubling venture.

As long as people keep falling into their nets, these fraudsters will remain in business. Don’t be the next. It is important to note that any individual or company that offers to triple your investment is not regulated by any agency, and is not even legal. After all, if money could be doubled in minutes, even beggars will have mansions by now.

SOURCE: https://nairametrics.com/2020/06/20/invest-and-earn-300-how-scammers-came-after-me/

From a scriptural perspective, we know the following:

(1). The soul and the spirit are NOT the same
(Heb 4:12 "For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" )

(2). Human beings are triune in nature i.e. they consist of spirit, soul and body
(1 Thessalonians 5:23 "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and [I pray God] your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." )

(3). Based on the above, it means humans can contact 3 worlds:

(A). The SPIRITUAL world, via our spirit (also known as "the innermost man" or "hidden man of the heart" ).
--The voice of the human spirit is the CONSCIENCE.

(B). The PHYSICAL (or bodily) world, via the 5 senses of sight, touch, smell, hearing, taste.
--The voice of the human body is SPEECH.

(C). The SOULISH (or psychological) world, via our mind, will, and emotions.
-- The voice of the soul is THOUGHT (or reasoning).

(4). Understanding the above immediately makes many scriptural concepts clear e.g.

(A). When a person becomes "born again" (by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Redeemer), it is the person's spirit that is immediately transformed (by getting reconnected to Almighty God). The body and soul are unchanged at that moment.

(B). The need to renew our souls through study/meditation on scripture. A person who is genuinely born again may continue to struggle with sin (and sometimes display his or her old character) until the mind gets sufficiently renewed.

(C). The possibility of receiving information that comes neither from the body or the mind e.g. via intuition, revelation or inspiration.

Nigeria’s digital economy is on the rise. With increased poverty level, more youths and adults are making an entrance into the global digital economy by providing digital services as freelancers. Consequently, Nigerians have trouble receiving payments from their foreign clients. They are not allowed to use even the most famous American-based Paypal; and other options like Money Gram and TransferWise are not only expensive and slow but also have an inflexible verification system.

Bitcoin however, offers them a flexible, almost instant, and cheaper means of receiving cross border payments, like e-commerce platforms, after rendering their services to clients and companies.

The many economic problems in Nigeria, including inflation and devaluation of the naira, have made the country’s fiat currency a poor store of value; pushing some to store their value in a deflationary currency like Bitcoin, which can protect its owners from excess money printing from central authorities and other uncertainties.

With COVID-19 pandemic still raging on and upsetting markets, Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin have outperformed the Nigerian stock market and even most global equities; only performing worse than gold. Investors attribute Bitcoin’s performance to bets/bids made to hedge against inflation.

Between April and June 2020, Bitcoin has posted a gain of about 45% compared to Nigeria’s stock market that gained less than 20%. Also, it should be noted that Bitcoin has a market capitalization of over $178.34 billion as of June 08, 2020. It is much bigger and more liquid than the Nigerian stock market (market cap less than $33.5b dollars —N13.704 trillion est. June 08, 2020).

Like stocks and other riskier assets, Bitcoin climbed in the wake of massive stimulus packages launched by fiscal authorities and central banks around the world to ease the economic damage caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.

SOURCE: https://nairametrics.com/2020/06/10/bitcoin-nigerias-new-goldmine/

This write-up is the result of my personal research on the Internet, drawn from a multitude of sources...

(A). INTRODUCTION
Yorubas of south-western Nigeria call it "Ewedu". You may be surprised to know that it is actually very popular in many parts of the world including West Africa, the Middle East, Asia, East Africa, North Africa, Australia, South America and some parts of Europe.

(B). NAMES
Its Botanical name is Corchorus olitorius Linnaeus. Here are the names by which it is known in various parts of the world:

Igbo: Ahinghara, Kerenkeren
Hausa: Rama, Lalo, Ayoyo
Yoruba: Ewedu
English: Jute leaves, Jute mallow, Nalta jute, Jew's mallow, Tossa jute, Bush okra, West African sorrel.
French: Corète potagère
German: Langkapseljute
Italian: Juta
Chinese: Chang shouo huang ma
Spanish: Gute malevaceo
Swedish: Tossajute
Ghana: Ayoyo
Uganda: Otigo
Northern Sudan: Khudra
Francophone W/Africa: Krinkrin
Fulbe: Rama
Egypt: Malukhiyah
Songhay (Mali): Fakohoy
Derja (Tunisia): Mulukhiyah
Luyhia (Kenya): Mrenda / Murere
Swahili: Mlenda
Cameroon: Tege
Zimbabwe: Derere
Togo: Ademe
Israel: Molohiya
Arabic: Molokhia
Thailand: Bai Po
Philippines: Saluyot
Cyprus: Molocha
Japan: Molohiya
India: Nalita, Nalta Sag
...etc

(C). NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS
Dietary jute is reported to have the following benefits:
1. Low calorific content - good for weight loss.
2. Strengthens the immune system.
3. Contains antioxidants for fighting stress, heart disease, diabetes etc.
4. Has beta-carotene, good for eyesight.
5. Anti-inflammatory properties, useful against arthritis, acne, asthma, cold, etc.
6. Has Vitamin A - for repairing body cells & improving eyesight
7. Has Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) - improves circulation & lowers risk of cataracts/ other eye disorders
8. Has Vitamin E - attenuates aches & pains associated with aging, holds infertility at bay & increases stamina.
9. Has Vitamin K which -reducies risk of bleeding in the liver, poor nutrient absorption, jaundice or the combination of long term use of antibiotics / aspirin.
10. High percentage of calcium - for strong teeth & bones.
11. Contains iron, protein, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folate & dietary fibres.
12. Helps control blood pressure/cholesterol & lowers risk of asthma, cancer, diabetes & heart disease.
13. Its dried leaves can be made into a tea believed to cure headaches, dysentery, stomach aches & ulcers
14. Considered a remedy for pregnant women experiencing prolonged labour.
15. Aids milk secretion in lactating mothers.
16. Helps in overcoming problems from premenstrual symptoms (PMS) & in maintaining regular menstrual cycle.
17. Also recommended for women going through menopause.
...etc

(D). ADVERSE EFFECTS
1. This vegetable should be avoided when taking antibiotics like ciprofloxacin, in order not to reduce their effectiveness.
2. Should also be avoided in the 1st & 2nd trimesters of pregnancy.

(E). OTHER USES OF JUTE
Jute is the second most important vegetable fibre after cotton, due to its versatility. It is a natural fibre with golden and silky shine and hence called The Golden Fibre. It helps make best quality industrial yarn, fabric, net, and sacks used as raw materials in packaging, textile, non-textile, construction, and agricultural sectors.

It is used for making a variety of robust products including carpet backing, tarpaulins and rope. Curtains and other upholstery textiles are also made from jute, interwoven with other fibres such as cotton.

The stem of the plant can be burnt as firewood while the stalks are used for industrial products like pulp, paper, fibre and composites. The plant's wood is light and soft and is used in making sulphur matches. Jute leaves can be used to make cosmetics like face masks, creams and serums.

Jute is fully sustainable; it is estimated there is enough jute to provide everybody in the world with 2 jute bags per year!

(F). History
Corchorus cultivation dates to ancient times. 4th century Greek botanist Theophrastus referred to cultivation of the plant, and Pliny the elder (Roman naturalist and philosopher) was aware that the Egyptians grew Corchorus.

The renowned 1849 text "The Genera of the Plants of the U.S.", written by American botanist Asa Gray, includes a description of Corchorus and states the etymology derived from the ancient Greek name for wild asparagus, or some other wild herb, of unexplained meaning.

Simple processes can make wood tough, impact-resistant, or even transparent. New techniques for “densifying” wood can turn the ubiquitous substance into a super-material suitable for constructing buildings and body armor.

Some varieties of wood, such as oak and maple, are renowned for their strength. But scientists say a simple and inexpensive new process can transform any type of wood into a material stronger than steel, and even some high-tech titanium alloys. Besides taking a star turn in buildings and vehicles, the substance could even be used to make bullet-resistant armor plates.

Wood is abundant and relatively low-cost—it literally grows on trees. And although it has been used for millennia to build everything from furniture to homes and larger structures, untreated wood is rarely as strong as metals used in construction. Researchers have long tried to enhance its strength, especially by compressing and “densifying” it, says Liangbing Hu, a materials scientist at the University of Maryland, College Park. But densified wood tends to weaken and spring back toward its original size and shape, especially in humid conditions.

Now, Hu and his colleagues say they have come up with a better way to densify wood, which they report in Nature. Their simple, two-step process starts with boiling wood in a solution of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and sodium sulfite (Na2SO3), a chemical treatment similar to the first step in creating the wood pulp used to make paper. This partially removes lignin and hemicellulose (natural polymers that help stiffen a plant’s cell walls)—but it largely leaves the wood’s cellulose (another natural polymer) intact, Hu says.

The second step is almost as simple as the first: Compressing the treated wood until its cell walls collapse, then maintaining that compression as it is gently heated. The pressure and heat encourage the formation of chemical bonds between large numbers of hydrogen atoms and neighboring atoms in adjacent nanofibers of cellulose, greatly strengthening the material.

The results are impressive. The team’s compressed wood is three times as dense as the untreated substance, Hu says, adding that its resistance to being ripped apart is increased more than 10-fold. It also can become about 50 times more resistant to compression and almost 20 times as stiff. The densified wood is also substantially harder, more scratch-resistant and more impact-resistant. It can be molded into almost any shape. Perhaps most importantly, the densified wood is also moisture-resistant: In lab tests, compressed samples exposed to extreme humidity for more than five days swelled less than 10 percent—and in subsequent tests, Hu says, a simple coat of paint eliminated that swelling entirely.

A 5-layer, plywoodlike sandwich of densified wood stopped simulated bullets fired into the material—a result Hu and his colleagues suggest could lead to low-cost armor. The material does not protect quite as well as a Kevlar sheet of the same thickness—but it only costs about 5% as much, he notes.

The team’s results “appear to open the door to a new class of lightweight materials,” says Ping Liu, a materials chemist at the University of California, San Diego, unaffiliated with the Nature study. Vehicle manufacturers have often tried to save weight by switching from regular steel to high-strength steel, aluminum alloys or carbon-fiber composites—but those materials are costly, and consumers “rarely make that money back in fuel savings,” Liu says. And densified wood has another leg up on carbon-fiber composites: It does not require expensive adhesives that also can make components difficult, if not impossible, to recycle.

Densified wood provides new design possibilities and uses for which natural wood is too weak, says Peter Fratzl, a materials scientist at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Germany who did not take part in the study. “Instead of creating a design for the material at hand, researchers can create a material to suit the design they want,” he says, alluding to a familiar process among aerospace engineers who have a long history of developing ever-stronger alloys to meet their needs.

One possible obstacle to the widespread use of densified wood will be engineers’ ability to scale up and accelerate the process, Liu notes. Hu and his team spent several hours making each coffee-table book–size slab of densified wood used for testing. But there are no practical reasons the process could not be sped up or used to make larger components, Hu contends.

Although Hu and his team have sought to enhance wood’s strength, other researchers have pursued more unusual goals—such as making it transparent. One team, led by materials scientist Lars Berglund at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, has come up with a way to make windowpanes of wood. The first step in that process (as in Hu’s) is to remove lignin, a substance that not only stiffens wood but also creates its brownish color. The researchers infuse the lignin-free wood with a polymer called methyl methacrylate (MMA), a material better known by trade names such as Plexiglas and Lucite.

Because MMA’s index of refraction (a measure of how much it bends light) matches that of the lignin-free wood, rays of light pass right through the MMA-infused composite instead of getting bounced around inside empty cells. This renders the material remarkably clear. Berglund and his team described their feat two years ago in Biomacromolecules. Coincidentally, at the same time Hu and his colleagues were also developing a method for rendering wood transparent.

Research like Hu’s and Berglund’s can only add to the wild prospects for the future of materials science. Someday soon it might be possible to live in a home made almost completely from one of Earth’s most abundant and versatile building materials—from floors to rafters, walls to windows. In the garage there may be a car whose chassis and bumpers could be composed of densified wood rather than steel and plastic.

SOURCE: https://getpocket.com/explore/item/stronger-than-steel-able-to-stop-a-speeding-bullet-it-s-super-wood?utm_source=pocket-newtab-global-en-GB

The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control says the use of masks is more effective than face guards. Director-General of the NCDC, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, said this during the Presidential Task Force briefing on Thursday. The NCDC boss said anyone who opts for face guard must still wear a mask underneath.

The use of face guards has become common in the last couple of weeks with governors and other top government functionaries using it in public places.

The price of face guards ranges from N1, 500 to N4, 000.

SOURCE: https://punchng.com/covid-19-mask-more-effective-than-face-guard-ncdc/

Sequel a tanker accident that claimed two lives on Kara bridge, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Sunday, the Federal Ministry of Works has said the road will be shut for integrity tests.

A letter addressed to the Lagos State Government and signed by the Deputy Director, Highways, Federal Ministry of Works, K.Y. Ibrahim, solicited support of the state for the success of the job. Ibrahim said the contractor handling that section of the expressway requested that the bridge be shut from Friday to Sunday in order to ascertain the bridge’s “serviceability state after the fire incident”.

“We now request the support of the Lagos State Government in terms of handling the expected high traffic volume that may be generated along the axis during the work and also to help evacuate the wreckage of the accident still on site,” the letter said.

SOURCE: https://punchng.com/breaking-fg-shuts-kara-bridge-along-lagos-ibadan-expressway/

France’s largest Telco, Orange, is reportedly making a play to enter two of Africa’s biggest markets, Nigeria and South Africa. Reports say Orange CEO, Stephane Richard said the company is looking to widen its footprint in Africa by establishing a presence in these countries, but this might take a few months.

This reports begs the question… What could this mean For Nigeria’s Resident Telcos?

1. COMPETITION - when this happens, they will be joining as a 5th major Telco company. This brings license revenue for the Nigerian government, increases product offering for consumers, and potentially drives prices down for consumers.
2. CUSTOMERS - if well-positioned, they could go after a new set of customers by offering new packages that are more attractive in terms of pricing and other value proposition.
3. CONSOLIDATION - the entrance may bring out new M&A activities in the space, as it may decide to acquire an existing player in the market. It is common knowledge that a few of the existing players have had their fair share of financial trouble in the past few years

With over 266 million customers and about 150,000 employees worldwide, Orange has the financial muscle and manpower to be a major player in the Nigerian market. This potential move could result in the creation of new jobs or resulting in employees of existing Telcos moving from their current positions to work with Orange depending on the proposed value

Nonetheless, with this move into the country, Orange will definitely bring in fresh and much-needed competition to the Nigerian telecom sector. Also, the payment space could also see a significant impact on mobile money users in every nook and cranny of the country. Everyone knows Nigeria has a consistently growing payments market space and this expansion plans maybe with that in focus.

Also, Orange has a payment system - Orange Pay - that seems to have gained significant traction. No doubt they will easily fit right into the growing payments space in Nigeria; existing players may also need to step up their offerings to secure their place in the market.

SOURCE: https://nairametrics.com/2020/06/21/frances-orange-move-into-nigeria-spells-trouble-for-resident-telcos/

1. Dubai launched special operation code-named 'Operation Fox Hunt 2' to solve Hushpuppi’s case.

2. Dubai police took less than 4 months to crack the case and 12 of his gang members were also arrested.

3. Dubai police describe him as “an international online scammer known as Ramon Olorunwa Abbas but who goes by Hushpuppi on social media platforms.” He was actually born Ramoni Igbalode.

4. After months of painstaking investigation and hours of monitoring the gang’s social media accounts, a team of highly-trained Dubai police officers were able to confirm the gang’s whereabouts and fraudulent activities.

5. To arrest him and his gang, 6 raids were carried out simultaneously as the suspects slept in their Dubai residences.

6. Hushpuppi was arrested on multiple fraud charges for crimes committed in different parts of the world.

7. Dubai police say he often boasted about his wealth and expensive possessions on social media, claiming he was a successful businessman.

8. Dubai police tracked Hushpuppi's every move and took note of all his social media activities.

9. Hushpuppi and his gang reportedly created fake pages for existing websites in order to redirect victims’ payments to their own accounts.

10. Hushpuppi and his gang hacked corporate emails and sent fake messages to clients in order to redirect financial transfers and people’s bank details to their own accounts.

11.He and his gang committed fraud amounting to 1.6 billion dirham (N168bn).

12. Police seized items worth more than 150 million Dirhams from the gang after taking possession of 21 personal computers, 47 smartphones, 15 flash drives and 5 hard disks.

13. Total 1,926,400 victims were allegedly scammed by Hushpuppi and his gang.

14. Total 13 luxury cars worth 25 million Dirhams were bought by Hushpuppi and his gang with money stolen from those scammed, according to the police.

SOURCE (abridged): https://www.pulse.ng/news/metro/hushpuppi-14-things-to-know-about-how-dubai-arrested-nigerian-scammer/2c3n30p

Documents seen by TheCable have shown that Nigeria is indebted to China to the tune of $3.121 billion dollars as of March 31, 2020. According to the Debt Management Office (DMO), this represents 3.94% of Nigeria’s total public debt, which stood at $79.303 billion as of March 31 (N28.6 trillion). Nigeria’s total debt to China also accounts for 11.28% of the total external debt stock of $27.67 billion.

“The total borrowing from China of $3.121 billion as at March 31, 2020, are concessional loans with interest rates of 2.50% per annum, tenor of 20 years and moratorium of 7 years,” the debt office said. According to the debt office, the low-interest rate reduces cost of borrowing for the government, and the long repayment period means the principal sum can be repaid over many years.

“These two benefits, make the provisions for debt service in the annual budget lower than they would otherwise have been if the loans were on commercial terms,” it said.

In response to whether China can take possession of the projects if there is a loan servicing default, the DMO said: “Nigeria explicitly provides for debt service on its external and domestic debt in its annual budgets. In effect, this means debt service is recognised and payment is planned for. In addition, a number of the projects being (and to be) financed by the loans are either revenue generating or have the potential to generate revenue”.

Attached below are details of all the projects, the loan amounts (in million USD), level of disbursement, and repayment due dates.

SOURCE: https://www.thecable.ng/in-detail-the-11-projects-funded-by-chinas-3-1bn-loan-to-nigeria

Time Value of Money (TVM) is a principle that everyone must understand - how it works and its application in taking business decisions. And yes, it involves maths.

TVM simply means cash in hand today is worth more than cash tomorrow.

Why? Because cash in the future will come under the influence of factors like inflation which will affect its purchasing power. TVM allows investors to compare two separate cash streams, employing quantitative methods, and select the best option.

For instance, you live in a flat in Lagos, your rent is N1m per annum, paid two years in advance. Your landlord informs you he needs cash and is willing to accept rent payment in advance for N900,000 for two years per annum if you pay now. You have two choices, pay N2m in full next year, or Pay N1.8m now. Which option will you choose?

A good way to solve this question is to ask how much in interest would an investor earn if the N2m is invested in a bank, that rate becomes our discount rate. Then compare this to the cash offer made by the landlord. So, we have our tenor of 2 years, we assume an interest payment of 5% per annum if money is put in the bank. We know our future sum is N2m. We want to determine how much that N2m paid in the future will be worth today.

We will determine this with a Present Value calculation. Present Value (PV) is simply the current value of a future sum of money, at a predetermined rate of return. PV in our example is calculated as

Present Value = FV (1+R) ^n

FV is Future Value = N2m
R is the Discount Rate = 5%
N is the time period = 2 years

Thus, the PV of N2m invested for 2 years at 5% is N1,814,058.96. Now compare to N1,800,000 the landlord requested, we should not accept the landlords offer because the Present Value of N2m paid in two years is worth more than the value of N1.8m paid today.

Keep in mind we have no way of knowing what the interest rate in two years will be. Thus, it’s always a good idea to have a sensitivity analysis where we can project out scenarios on interest rates, thus we can project with 6% or 4%. The higher the discount value the lower the PV of the cash flow

PV can also be used for just planning when making any comparison of cashflows. For instance, if you had a daughter aged 5 who wished to go to Harvard when she is 18, and the cost of Harvard tuition is $50,000. How much should you save as a one-time payment to a bank today, to have $50k in your bank account in 13 years?

Present Value =FV (1+R) ^n
FV is Future Value = $50,000
R is the Discount rate = 2%
N is the period = 13 years

You will have to save in bulk today $38,651. What happens if the discount rate doubles to 4%? Then, your bulk payment today falls to $30028.70.

In our earlier example, we used a single lump sum and calculated the Present Value. What if the payments in future were not a lump sum but instead were spread out into the future, in a stream of equal payments called an Annuity. The principle will still be the same, but we change the formula and use the Present Value of an Annuity to calculate Present Value

You earn N500,000 a year, should you request a loan of N5,000,000 today at a 5% interest rate, or simply save N500,000 every year to get N5m and spend? Again to answer this we have to compare 5m less 5% in cash today to the present value of an N500,000 paid every month. Again, our equation:

PV is Future Value = N500,000
PMT is each stream of payment = N500,000
R is the Discount rate = 5%
N is the period = 10 years

The PV is N386,000. This means you are better off borrowing N475,000 today (500K less 5% interest cost), as it has a higher value than N386,000.

Today, you can calculate PV on your phone, simply plug in the numbers. You don’t have to be a maths guru, however, you must understand the working of TVM and its application in taking business decisions.

SOURCE: https://nairametrics.com/2020/06/23/time-value-of-money/

SEGWAY IS NO LONGER MAKING ITS FAMOUS TWO-WHEELED SCOOTER
It was meant to revolutionize the transportation industry. But after more than a decade of derision and ridicule, Segway’s stand-up, two-wheeled scooter is no more. The Segway is finally ending production.

When it was first announced in 2001 — the year of the iPod, the Xbox, and Steven Spielberg’s “A.I. Artificial Intelligence” — the Segway, which you could control just by leaning, seemed futuristic. Now, its demise seems like it’s been a long time coming. Only 140,000 Segways had been sold over 19 long years — not exactly a booming business.

Speaking of booming business, e-scooters and e-bikes have taken the lion’s share of the industry since then. Remember “hoverboards?” Even those sold like hotcakes. But the company’s eponymous ugly duckling didn’t survive. The PT, the Segway company’s latest iteration, is big and heavy. Its design has barely changed. Heck, you’ve probably never even heard of it.

Making matters worse, it was tricky to even drive (ride?) the damn thing — something Segway itself was painfully aware of.

“Kick scooters are taking off, and retroactively,” Tony Ho, VP of global business development at Segway, told Fast Company. “There’s a reason the kick scooter is the dominant form factor now, precisely because it’s simple and easy to learn. There’s no learning curve.”

That lack of intuitive interface could even be dangerous. In 2010, the company’s then-owner died after accidentally driving one of the company’s scooters off a cliff.

Despite its shortcomings, the “Segway” will forever be enshrined in the history books of technological also-rans of the 21st century. Whether it was part of what drove innovation in transportation forward is a different matter. Perhaps the Segway rolled so that the e-scooter could zoom.

The Segway is survived by the company’s Ninebot, a two-wheeled self-balancing scooter, and the Electric Drifts, a bizarre and death-defying take on motorized roller skates.

It will be sorely missed.

SOURCE (abridged): https://futurism.com/segway-obituary?mc_cid=b43d51b3d9&mc_eid=5e9a93acd8

INTRODUCTION
Have you ever heard that plastic can be made out of milk?

If this sounds far-fetched, you may be surprised to learn that from the early 1900s until about 1945, milk was commonly used to make many different plastic ornaments. This included buttons, decorative buckles, beads and other jewelry, fountain pens, the backings for hand-held mirrors, and fancy comb and brush sets. Milk plastic (usually called casein plastic) was even used to make jewelry for Queen Mary of England!

In this home science activity, you will learn how make your own casein plastic out of hot milk and vinegar.

BACKGROUND
Plastics are a group of materials that may look or feel different, but can all be molded into varied shapes. The similarities and differences between different plastic products come down to the molecules that comprise them. All plastics are composed of molecules that repeat themselves in a chain, called a polymer. Polymers can be chains of either one type of molecule or different ones, which are linked together in a regular pattern. Also, in a polymer, a single repeat of the pattern of molecules is called a monomer, which can consist of just one type of molecule or include several different kinds.

Milk contains many molecules of a protein called casein. Each casein molecule is a monomer and a chain of casein monomers is a polymer. The polymer can be scooped up and molded, which is why plastic made from milk is called casein plastic.

MATERIALS REQUIRED
• Measuring cup
• Milk
• Stove-top oven and pan or a microwave and microwaveable container
• Mug or other heat-resistant cup
• Measuring spoons
• White vinegar
• Paper towels
• A clean, hard surface that is will not be damaged by dampness
• Spoon
• Cookie-cutters, glitter, food coloring, markers (all optional)
• Adult help and supervision with heating and handling hot liquids

PREPARATION
• Heat one cup of milk in a pan or on a stove top until it is steaming hot. Alternatively, you can microwave the milk in a microwaveable container by warming it at 50% power for 5 minutes. It should be about the same temperature as milk you would use to make hot cocoa; heat longer if needed.

PROCEDURE
• Add 4 teaspoons (tsp.) white vinegar to a mug or other heat-resistant cup.
• Add the cup of hot milk to the mug. You should see the milk form white clumps that are called curds.
• Mix the mug slowly with a spoon for a few seconds.
• Stack 4 layers paper towels on a hard surface that will not be damaged if it gets damp.
• Once the milk and vinegar mixture has cooled a bit, use a spoon to scoop out the curds. You can do this by tilting the spoon against the inside of the mug to let excess liquid drain out while retaining the curds in the spoon. Collect as many curds as you can in this way and put them on top of the paper towel stack.
• Fold the edges of the paper towel stack over the curds and press down on them to absorb excess liquid. Use extra paper towels if needed to soak up the remaining moisture.
• Knead all of the curds together into a ball, as if it were dough. What you have in your hands is casein plastic.
• If you want to use the casein plastic to make something, you can color, shape or mold it now (within an hour of making the plastic dough) and leave it to dry on paper towels for at least 48 hours. Once it has dried, the casein plastic will be hard.

TIP: To shape the plastic, the dough must be thoroughly kneaded. Molds and cookie-cutters work well or, with more patience, the dough can be hand sculpted. Food coloring, glitter or other decorative bits can be added to the wet casein plastic dough, and dried casein plastic can be painted or colored with markers.

EXTRA: How does the amount of vinegar used affect the yield of casein plastic? To find out, you can repeat this activity—but in addition to testing four tsp. of white vinegar with one cup of hot milk, try also testing one tsp., two tsp. or eight tsp. of the vinegar, each with one cup of hot milk. To collect the most curds and get a better idea of their casein plastic yield, instead of scooping the curds with a spoon, you can pour the vinegar and milk mixture through a piece of cotton cloth (such as an old T-shirt) secured with rubber bands on top of a cup.

EXTRA: In addition to vinegar, there are a lot of other acids that we encounter in the kitchen all the time, such as lemon juice, orange juice, soda pop and tomato juice. Do some of these common acids work better than others for making casein plastic?

EXTRA: You used hot milk in this activity that was not at a specific temperature, but using hotter or colder milk might affect the casein plastic reaction.

OBSERVATIONS AND RESULTS
After you add the hot milk to the vinegar, small, white chunks—or curds—should become visible in the mixture. This is because adding an acid (such as vinegar) to the milk changes the latter's pH (acidity) and makes the casein molecules unfold and reorganize into a long chain, thereby curdling the milk. You should be able to use a spoon to separate the curds from most of the liquid. Additional drying of the curds with the paper towels should make the curds ready to knead into a ball and use as casein plastic, which can be molded and decorated.

SOURCE (abridged): https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bring-science-home-milk-plastic/

THE DUST VEIL ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER OF AD 536
According to written records and supported by dendrochronology (tree ring dating) and archaeological evidence, for 12-18 months in AD 536-537, a thick, persistent dust veil or dry fog darkened the skies between Europe and Asia Minor.

Climatic interruption brought by the thick, bluish fog extended as far east as China, where summer frosts and snow are mentioned in historical records; tree ring data from Mongolia and Siberia to Argentina and Chile reflect decreased growing records from 536 and the subsequent decade.

The climatic effects of the dust veil brought decreased temperatures, drought, and food shortages throughout the affected regions: in Europe, two years later came the Justinian plague. The combination killed perhaps as much as 1/3 of the population of Europe; in China, the famine killed perhaps 80% of people in some regions; and in Scandinavia, the losses may have been as much as 75-90% of the population, as evidenced by the numbers of deserted villages and cemeteries.

HISTORICAL DOCUMENTATION
Rediscovery of the AD 536 event was made during the 1980s by American geoscientists Stothers and Rampino, who searched classical sources for evidence of volcanic eruptions. Among other findings, they noted several references to environmental disasters around the world between AD 536-538.

Contemporary reports identified by Stothers and Rampino included Michael the Syrian, who wrote: "[T]he sun became dark and its darkness lasted for one and a half years [...] Each day it shone for about 4 hours and still this light was only a feeble shadow [...] the fruits did not ripen and the wine tasted like sour grapes."

John of Ephesus related much the same events. Prokopios, who lived in both Africa and Italy at the time, said:
"For the sun gave forth its light without brightness, like the moon, during this whole year, and it seemed exceedingly like the sun in eclipse, for the beams it shed were not clear nor such as it is accustomed to shed."

An anonymous Syrian chronicler wrote: "[T]he sun began to be darkened by day and the moon by night, while the ocean was tumultuous with spray, from the 24th of March in this year till the 24th of June in the following year..." The following winter in Mesopotamia was so bad that "from the large and unwonted quantity of snow the birds perished."

A SUMMER WITHOUT HEAT
Cassiodorus, praetorian prefect of Italy at the time, wrote: "so we have had a winter without storms, spring without mildness, summer without heat."

John Lydos, in On Portents, writing from Constantinople, said: "If the sun becomes dim because the air is dense from rising moisture—as happened in [536/537] for nearly a whole year [...] so that produce was destroyed because of the bad time—it predicts heavy trouble in Europe."

In China, reports indicate that the star of Canopus could not be seen in as usual in the spring and fall equinoxes of 536, and the years AD 536-538 were marked by summer snows and frosts, drought and severe famine. In some parts of China, the weather was so severe that 70-80% of the people starved to death.

PHYSICAL EVIDENCE
Tree rings show that 536 and the following 10 years was a period of slow growth for Scandinavian pines, European oaks and even several North American species including bristlecone pine and foxtail; similar patterns of ring size decrease are also seen in trees in Mongolia and northern Siberia.

But there seems to be something of a regional variation in the worst of the effects. 536 was a bad growing season in many parts of the world, but more generally, it was a part of a decade-long downturn in climate for the northern hemisphere, separate from the worst seasons by 3-7 years. For most reports in Europe and Eurasia, there is a drop in 536, followed by a recovery in 537-539, followed by a more serious plunge lasting perhaps as late as 550. In most cases the worst year for tree ring growth is 540; in Siberia 543, southern Chile 540, Argentina 540-548.

AD 536 AND THE VIKING DIASPORA
Archaeological evidence described by Gräslund and Price shows Scandinavia might have experienced the worst troubles. Almost 75% of villages were abandoned in parts of Sweden, and areas of southern Norway show a decrease in formal burials—indicating that haste was required in interments—up to 90-95%.

Scandinavian narratives recount possible events that might be referring to 536. Snorri Sturluson's Edda includes a reference to Fimbulwinter, the "great" or "mighty" winter that served as a forewarning of Ragnarök, the destruction of the world and all of its inhabitants.

"First of all that a winter will come called Fimbulwinter. Then snow will drift from all directions. There will then be great frosts and keen winds. The sun will do no good. There will be three of these winters together and no summer between."

Gräslund and Price speculate that the social unrest and sharp agrarian decline and demographic disaster in Scandinavia may have been a primary catalyst for the Viking diaspora—when in the 9th century AD, young men left Scandinavia in droves and sought to conquer new worlds.

POSSIBLE CAUSES OF THE DUST VEIL
Scholars are divided concerning what caused the dust veil: a violent volcanic eruption—or several (see Churakova et al.), a cometary impact, even a near miss by a large comet could have created a dust cloud made up of dust particles, smoke from fires and (if a volcanic eruption) sulfuric acid droplets such as that described. Such a cloud would reflect and/or absorb light, increasing the earth's albedo and measurably decreasing the temperature.

SOURCE: https://www.thoughtco.com/dust-veil-environmental-disaster-in-europe-171628

Officials who were enforcing a lockdown order which led to an assault on a woman at the Ifo local government office in Ogun state have been suspended.

A Twitter user, @TeeBaibie, had posted a video of the local government officials trying to deflate her tyres on Saturday at Ojodu Abiodun area. She said she had explained that they were not aware they had crossed into Ogun state, but the officials refused to listen.

The geographical setting of Lagos and Ogun is such that both states share very close borders that are sometimes not clearly marked. While Lagos has relaxed total lockdown for all days of the week, Ogun state still enforces lockdown on Saturdays and Sundays.

According to the woman, she had gone out with her husband to get some items for her daughter’s forthcoming birthday when she was stopped by the officers. However, things escalated when the lady recording tried to ask the exact location of the local government office from a man, who was later identified by her as Mr Peter.

In a matter of seconds as she followed him, all the while recording, the said Mr. Peter turned sharply and raised his hands and legs in what appeared to be repeated slaps and a kick directed towards the person behind the camera.

The Ogun state government had responded to the video on Saturday, with a promise to investigate the “unpleasant development and sanction anyone that is culpable”.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Fola Salami, the transition chairman, Ifo local government, said the officer who assaulted the woman has been arrested, while other officers involved in the incident have been suspended until further notice.

“The attention of the Office of the Transition Chairman, Ifo Local Government, Ogun State has been called to a viral video that suggests a case of assault on a lady at Ojodu Abiodun Area of the Local Government,” it read.

“It came as a rude shock to me, when I saw the video of one of our officials enforcing the lockdown order with gross inhumane attitude. His attitude does not portray the humane nature popularly preached by Ifo local Government. On this note, I am suspending all officials involved without pay, until further notice.

“Rest assured, the public should be aware that all hands are on deck on this issue and whoever is found guilty will be dealt with decisively. Meanwhile, as at the time of this release, the primary official involved has been arrested.”

SOURCE: https://www.thecable.ng/ogun-suspends-officials-enforcing-lockdown-after-viral-video-of-woman-assaulted-in-lg-office

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Nigeria may soon be declared a polio-free country come August 2020. This is as indicated by the African Regional Commission for Certification on Polio Eradication, ARCC, an organ of the World Health Organisation, WHO. The Chairman of the commission, Professor Rose Leke, disclosed this during a meeting with the Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA and partners.

Prof. Leke says Nigeria’s performance in polio eradication efforts has been quite impressive and the results encouraging. She revealed that the commission has reviewed the documentation made by the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency on Nigeria’s progress so far and found that it tallies with the reality on ground.

“We went with you and saw the happenings in the fields all these years. The ARCC has listened to your documentation, presentation and exhaustive responses to all those questions that were put and we want to congratulate and tell you that the documentation was accepted.”

The ARCC further commended Nigeria for beating polio despite years of battling with the Wild Polio Virus. Meanwhile, the Executive Director, NPHCDA, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, who led the team, said it was gratifying to have the ARCC accept Nigeria’s polio eradication documentation.

According to Dr. Shuaib, the acceptance now paves the way for Nigeria’s polio-free status to officially be declared in July when Ministers of Health in Africa meet. Dr. Shuaib commended traditional and religious leaders, partners, past presidents, ministers, ED/CEOs of NPHCDA/NPI, leaders in the public health space, the media, polio victims, parents and others for being the driving force and motivation behind the efforts of the frontline workers.

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2020/06/19/nigeria-beats-crippling-childhood-disease-to-be-declared-polio-free-in-august/

Over 8,500 applicants have applied in the ongoing recruitment of Osun State Security Network, code name, Amotekun. The security network, Amotekun has also extended the recruitment till Tuesday, 23, 2020.

Director-General of the security outfit, Comrade Amitolu Shittu, made this disclosure in a chat with DAILY POST on Saturday. The recruitment was initially scheduled to close on Friday, June 19, 2020. The state Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, had directed the recruitment into the Amotekun corps on Monday.

He directed applicants to apply online through: https://amotekunosun.org.ng/join-amotekun

SOURCE: 8,500 people jostle for Amotekun job

Northern Governors Forum (NGF) has set up a committee to engage local vigilantes, hunters and community groups on intelligence gathering, rapid response and sustained surveillance in the region. The Chairman and Plateau Governor, Simon Lalong, said this in a statement by his spokesmen, Makut Macham on Friday in Jos.

The action was part of the resolutions of the Northern Governors during a teleconference meeting held on Thursday. Chaired by Lalong, the committee would also consult with traditional, religious and community leaders in the North, to strengthen their involvement in tackling security challenges.

A standing committee on security, headed by Kogi Governor, Yahaya Bello, was also set up to foster synergy between security agencies in the enforcement of security measures in the region. The Forum urged the Federal Government to closely look into the ECOWAS protocol on the free movement of persons, facilitating cross-border movement of herders from other countries into Nigeria.

It hailed security agencies for their efforts and called for increased synergy to further enhance their operations. The Forum sympathised with victims of various attacks and other forms of criminality in the region and also appealed to groups affected for calm.

“The state governments and the federal government are working together to forestall reoccurrence,’’ Lalong stated.

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2020/06/19/insecurity-northern-governors-take-new-action/

You can also watch this video to learn more about the eROSITA telescope:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPvNbTN2V8M

A space telescope launched in July 2019 has just completed its first survey. For months, the eROSITA telescope aboard the Spektr-RG space observatory has been scanning the entire sky, collecting observations for the deepest all-sky survey in X-ray wavelengths.

Now, all those data have been compiled into a map containing over 1 million bright X-ray objects - approximately doubling the number of such objects from the entire 60 years of X-ray astronomy prior.

"This all-sky image completely changes the way we look at the energetic universe," said astrophysicist Peter Predehl, eROSITA principal investigator at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE). "We see such a wealth of detail - the beauty of the images is really stunning."

Most astronomical objects emit X-rays, but in different proportions to other wavelengths. X-rays have very short wavelengths, and are therefore very high energy - emitted by the hottest and most energetic objects, like black holes, neutron stars, quasar galaxies, and supernova remnants.

X-rays are invisible to the naked human eye, like radio waves. So, the sky in X-ray looks very different from what we see when we look up at night. In addition, and unlike radio waves, X-rays are mostly blocked by Earth's atmosphere, so the only way we can study them is by sending telescopes into space.

A number of X-ray telescopes have been deployed, but the most recent X-ray all-sky survey was conducted decades ago, from 1990 to 1999 by the ROSAT satellite. The new sky map collected by the joint German-Russian eROSITA is, the team says, four times deeper than the map extracted from ROSAT data.

It's been painstaking work. The Spektr-RG space observatory is in one of Earth's Lagrangian points, a gravitationally stable pocket created by the interaction between Earth and the Sun, about 1.5 million kilometres away.

The instrument collected 182 days' worth of data, each exposure between 150-200 seconds, totalling 165 gigabytes. Each day, the team would connect to the satellite to downlink what it had collected. Then all those raw data had to be processed and put together.

"We were all eagerly awaiting the first all-sky map from eROSITA," said astrophysicist Mara Salvato of MPE. "Large sky areas have already been covered at many other wavelengths, and now we have the X-ray data to match. We need these other surveys to identify the X-ray sources and understand their nature."

Most of the sources in the map - around 77% - are supermassive black holes actively accreting material in the cores of galaxies, or what we call active galactic nuclei. These objects are extremely energetic, and there are a lot of them out there. There are also clusters of galaxies, glowing in X-rays because of the hot gas constrained by their collective gravity; these make up around 2% of the objects.

Other objects are a lot closer to home. Within the Milky Way, stars with hot, magnetically active coronae make up 20% of the objects. The remaining 1% is made up of an assortment - bright X-ray binaries, supernova remnants, and flares, such as those emitted by stars torn apart by black holes.

The map also reveals the structure of the hot gas within the Milky Way galaxy, and the gas that surrounds it. It's a wealth of data poised to unlock a great deal of insight into the X-ray Universe. And it's just the beginning. Over the next few years, the observatory will conduct seven more surveys, which will combine for a vastly more sensitive overall map of the sky.

"With a million sources in just six months, eROSITA has already revolutionised X-ray astronomy, but this is just a taste of what's to come. This combination of sky area and depth is transformational," said astrophysicist Kirpal Nandra of MPE.

"We are already sampling a cosmological volume of the hot Universe much larger than has been possible before. Over the next few years, we'll be able to probe even further, out to where the first giant cosmic structures and supermassive black holes were forming."

We can't wait.

SOURCE: https://www.sciencealert.com/this-is-what-the-entire-sky-looks-like-through-x-ray-eyes

Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), says he is shocked by the claim that the late military dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha, did not steal from Nigeria’s treasury and stashed the money away in foreign accounts.

Despite a series of recoveries of funds said to have been looted by Abacha’s regime, his wife, Maryam, has insisted that her husband did not steal. “What is this amount of money after 22 years? You say, ‘Oh! We have found this amount of money and we’re bringing it back! It is a shame to tell lies on a dead man! It is a shame to tell lies on your leader,” Maryam said recently.

But in an interview with The PUNCH, PACAC Chairman, Sagay, said he was shocked that anyone could claim that Abacha did not loot the nation’s treasury. Sagay wondered if all the funds recovered from foreign lands were proceeds from Abacha’s foreign estate.

He said, “All the funds being recovered, are they part of his (Abacha’s) salary or private estate? What else are you going to call it other than looting public funds? I don’t understand that argument and I didn’t think that anybody could be arguing that way. I’m shocked to hear that. Where did the money come from? From a private business?”

SOURCE: https://punchng.com/maryams-claim-that-abacha-didnt-steal-shocking-sagay/