₦airaland Forum

New Agreement With Nigeria’s TETFund to Bring Up to 50 International Students Seeking Ph.D.s to Morgan State University Annually

[img]https://news.morgan.edu/wp-content/uploads/DSC2047-1050x525.jpg[/img]

MSU’s Board of Regents Approves Five-Year Agreement, Bolstering University’s Potential Ph.D. Output and Leadership Among HBCUs in Producing Graduates With Doctoral Degrees

[img]https://news.morgan.edu/wp-content/uploads/DSC1970-300x200.jpg[/img]

Morgan State University (MSU) President David K. Wilson has announced a new educational collaboration with the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), a fiduciary and funding agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria. The five-year agreement with TETFund will create a pathway for international students to study in the U.S. and pursue a Morgan degree, by sponsoring cohorts of eligible and admitted graduate students from public tertiary institutions in Nigeria who will be enrolled in Morgan Ph.D. programs, in addition to cohorts of postdoctoral researchers from public tertiary institutions in Nigeria who will conduct research at Morgan. The agreement could bring up to 50 (no less than 30) new Ph.D. students and up to 20 postdoctoral researchers to campus each year.

The Morgan State University Board of Regents voted unanimously to approve the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the TETFund during the board’s spring quarterly meeting, held on May 5. The university is preparing to welcome the first cohort of students during the fall 2020 semester.

“This is an historic collaboration for Morgan State University, possibly the largest such agreement of its kind between an African nation and an American institution of higher education,” said Dr. Wilson. “Through our arrangement with the TETFund, not only will Morgan greatly enhance its standing as a high research university, but the resulting research could be globally beneficial. Morgan provides a world-class education, and we are appreciative of being given this opportunity to work in partnership with Nigeria to produce intellectual capital capable of advancing the nation toward its goals. This partnership also helps fulfill Morgan’s global aspirations while strengthening our relationships on the African continent.”
[img]https://news.morgan.edu/wp-content/uploads/IMG_4735-268x300.jpg[/img]

Through the partnership, a framework is being created in which early, mid-level and senior career faculty and staff members from Nigeria’s 238 public universities, colleges of education and polytechnics can pursue their Ph.Ds. and postdoctoral research at Morgan in fields and disciplines relevant to the developmental needs of Nigeria. Toward this end, TETFund will provide the funding, via scholarships and other grants, to support the educational expenses (tuition/fees + living expenses) of Ph.D. students and the salary plus living expenses of postdoctoral students. The agreement also calls for TETFund’s establishment of Centers of Excellence in Nigeria that will engage in collaborative research with Morgan.
[img]https://news.morgan.edu/wp-content/uploads/IMG-20200430-WA0001-169x300.jpg[/img]

signed MOU that reflects a new paradigm in TETFund geared towards content development of more than 220 public (federal- and state-owned) tertiary educational institutions in Nigeria. These institutions are the direct beneficiaries of TETFund intervention lines, being academic staff training and development, R& as well as the upcoming TETFund Centers of Excellence,” said Professor Suleiman E. Bogoro, Executive Secretary of TETFund. “We appreciate the mutual respect and understanding between the leadership of both institutions in making this historic and special agreement a reality. We look forward to the future of shared opportunities between TETFund and Morgan towards meeting the human capital development, exchange programs, infrastructure and overall economic development aspirations of Nigeria and the USA.”

For the past three years, Morgan has been exploring potential relationship opportunities with Nigeria. Nigeria now stands as the third-ranking country of origin in number of international students enrolled at Morgan. With a population of more than 200 million, Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa as well as the largest economy based on GDP. Nigeria tops all African countries in the number of students it sends to the U.S., approximately 12,000 per year, a number that is equivalent to 30 percent of all students from Africa and that ranks it 12th in the world among countries of origin of international students here.

“This historic agreement signed by two visionary leaders laid the foundation for a collaboration that will facilitate human capacity building and knowledge sharing,” said Yacob Astatke, D.Eng., Morgan’s assistant vice president for the Division of International Affairs. “This strategic partnership will definitely make a lasting positive impact on both institutions and both nations for decades to come.”



About TETFund

TETFund is the foremost public tertiary education funding and intervention agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria. It came into being as Education Trust (previously, Tax) Fund (ETF) in 1993, following the signing of an historic agreement between Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Military Government in 1992. The main objective was to create a non-budgetary funding window for Nigerian universities which were considered to be acutely underfunded. The ETF Act was amended in 1998, and later renamed Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) in 2011, when its focus changed to intervention into exclusively public tertiary institutions, and by its specific mandate, universities, polytechnics and colleges of education owned by federal and state governments. Today, TETFund is a model tertiary education funding agency that is being copied by many African countries. Besides the provision of physical infrastructure such as offices, laboratories and lecture halls, the most notable recent intervention lines are research, journals production, academic staff training and development, book manuscript development, library development and support for international conference attendance. With the recent added emphasis on R&, TETFund’s focus is mainly on deepening research. Equally important, TETFund, along with the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the industry, are championing the aggressive drive towards operationalization of the Triple Helix model that demonstrates the indispensable partnership of academia, industry and government towards realization of Nigeria’s sustainable knowledge economy in the 21st century. For more on TETFund, please visit our website: www.tetfund.gov.ng.



About Morgan

Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified doctoral research institution offering more than 126 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland’s Preeminent Public Urban Research University, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.


https://news.morgan.edu/nigeria-tetfund/

I searched but didn't see this breaking news posted.

NDDC accuses lawmakers of seeking N6.4b fake payment

May 27, 2020 in News, News Update

https://thenationonlineng.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Prof-Kemebradikumo-Pondei-600x375.jpeg

From Tony Akowe, Abuja and Mike Odiegwu, Port Harcourt

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) on Tuesday accused some federal lawmakers of demanding payment of N6.4 billion from it for unverifiable projects.

It also accused the members of asking it not to send “certain files” to its forensic auditors in a bid to scuttle the probe ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the NDDC urged the management of the National Assembly to investigate the activities of the lawmakers.

Acting Managing Director Prof. Keme Pondei, who spoke at the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, said most members of the two National Assembly committees on the NDDC were not aware of the motives behind the action of the chairmen of the committees.

Senator Peter Nwaaoboshi is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta while Rep Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo is the chair of the House of Reps committee.

Piondei said: “We have faced so much pressure from some members of the National Assembly not to send certain files to forensic auditors. We fear this will compromise the integrity of the exercise and have refused to do their bid.

“We have refused to pay out N6.4bn for the 132 jobs which have no proof of execution. We believe that an IMC set up as a cleansing structure cannot become part of the old story of rot,” he said.

Pondei lamented that 50 per cent of NDDC inability to deliver on its mandate came from the stranglehold of the National Assembly on the commission.

He said the IMC was courageous enough to tell members of the public the truth about the overbearing and selfish attitude of some federal lawmakers on the commission.

Pondei also alleged that the National Assembly was fond of delaying the passage of the commission’s budgets.

He said: “The 2019 budget was passed two months to the end of its implementation period. In fact, the hard copy was received by the commission on April 10, 2020 when the implementation period ends in May 31.

“Given the procurement rules, it is not enough time to call for tender and execution of the jobs. The statutory period for advertising tenders is six weeks.

“Two, the budgets are bastardised by the National Assembly in a way that renders it useless. A case will suffice. In the 2019 budget, we had a provision of N1.32bn to pay our counterpart funding to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) for the $129.7m Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises Programme in the Niger Delta (LIFE-ND).

“The National Assembly cut the provision to N100million. Are we going to IFAD, a United Nations agency, to tell them to bring their $129.7m when our National Assembly says we can only pay N100m out of N1.32billion obligation?

“The National Assembly members insert items we have no plans for. These items are then forced on the commission when it is not part of its master plan. Rather than be a major intervention agency, the commission is busy erecting streetlights and drainage, something local governments should do.

“The NDDC operates accounts only in the Central Bank of Nigeria and it is highly regulated. Anybody, who wants to check the NDDC is free to do so.

“Some people have decided that until this IMC is removed, they will not know any rest without minding whether the people of the Niger Delta benefit or not. They want to scuttle the forensic audit because the audit is bringing out a lot of things.”

Read Also: NDDC: Who is afraid of Forensic Audit?
While acknowledging that the National Assembly reserved the right to probe the NDDC, he said such investigations, when done in normal times, would be a welcome development.

He said: “The probe at this time is actually distracting the commission from focusing on that exercise, which all stakeholders, including governors of the nine Niger Delta states agreed with Mr. President is the way forward for the commission.

“We suspect that the probe being trumpeted by the National Assembly is not for altruistic reason but an attempt by some members to arm-twist the IMC.”.

Pondei also accused some politicians from the region of wanting to have control of the NDDC because of the 2023 governorship election in Delta State.

He said: “Sometimes last year, there was a board that was screened by the National Assembly to run the NDDC but was not inaugurated before an IMC was instituted. Many people, who felt that should not be, have continued to fight until the people they need to run the NDDC are put in place.

“But I think there is something very wrong there. How can the National Assembly nominate people to run the NDDC and give the list to Mr. President. Then Mr. President will pass the list to the same National Assembly to screen.

“There is separation of powers. Mr. President has the right to nominate whoever he feels to run a place. He has the powers to hire and fire. So, they should leave Mr. President to exercise that power. Their attempt to dabble into the powers of Mr. President is causing the blackmail.

“They want NDDC to remain the way it has always been; a place that generates money for elections. But we cannot continue to use the NDDC as a place to generate money for elections. The real problem we are seeing now is because of the governorship election in Delta State. That is just the basic truth.”

But Tunji-Ojo, the House Committee Chairman on Niger Delta, denied it all.

He said the lawmakers would not succumb to any form of blackmail in their quest to unravel corruption in the commission.

He explained that the House was merely investigating allegations and counter- allegations of corruption in the intervention agency as part of its oversight function.

The chairman also assured that the probe would not hinder the forensic audit.

Tunji-Ojo said those scared that the forensic audit might be affected need not be since the House had on its own made provisions for it in the 2019 budget of the commission.

He was reacting to a series of allegations leveled against the House and the two chairmen of the National Assembly on Niger Delta by the IMC Executive Director in charge of Projects Dr. Cairo Ojuogoh.

Ojuogoh had while featuring on Arise Television News programme, alleged that the House was delaying the passage of the commission’s 2020 budget and was bent on halting the forensic audit of the intervention agency

“It is an exercise of the system of checks and balances and not a duplicity of effort. Therefore, we will continue independent investigations in order to be equipped with information in anticipation of the outcome of the forensic audit,.” he argued

Tunji-Ojo said since blackmail had not succeeded in stopping the National Assembly from carrying out its oversight functions, anyone who has nothing to hide should be bold enough to defend himself instead of throwing tantrums.

Tunji-Ojo also dismissed claims of award of emergency contract not budgeted for by the commission.

He said: “Obviously, this is share blackmail and we expected this from the outset when the investigation process started.

“The bottom line is that we are not going to be deterred. This is coming after threat to life by militants and different text messages which have failed. The next agenda to stop the legislative work is blackmail.

“I can say it categorically that we are more determined to work for the people of the Niger Delta.”

On allegations that he demanded for payment for an emergency training which was allegedly smuggled into the 2019 budget, Tunji-Ojo said: “I have gone through the 2019 budget as approved and I can tell you that there is no provision for emergency training.

“I have said it before and let me repeat it that I don’t have a single contract in NDDC.

“All these allegations are coming because the National Assembly decided to institute a probe after calls and petitions.

“Threats have been used as a weapon to stop the National Assembly and they have not worked. The latest one is this issue of blackmail and we have told them that if they have any document against us, they should release it or approach the relevant security and anti -agencies.

“I don’t see why anybody should be scared of his or her own shadow. We are all working for the Niger Delta people.”

https://thenationonlineng.net/nddc-accuses-lawmakers-of-seeking-n6-4b-fake-payment/

Ayo8:
Majority of the slave trade deals occurred in West Africa...I think its time we introduce some kind of re-settlement scheme for African Americans willing to return to their origin...

To all the African Americans out there.... Come back home, We love you!

We can build a better society for ourselves...A society free from racism...

PS: This was Amy Cooper's plans for chris cooper when she placed a call to the cops....

you may like these videos concerning your thoughts.

African American Experience in Nigeria 7 minutes


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSGbMig2Lb4



Sustainable Living + Earth Bag Home In Ghana 34 minutes


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0Chgq3XoVA

Bill Gates Video Admits Implantable Microchip to Buy and Sell

https://www.brighteon.com/68b03f2d-c002-4fc8-b7c5-35647308a55a

https://www.nanowerk.com/nanotechnology-news2/id54263_1.jpg

glad i searched and read before posting, unlike many mumus over in the politics page. sometimes 10-20 ppl will post the same breaking story.
very serious news if true.

[img]https://media1./images/d3059cfb71f60e4351779c4b1e173032/tenor.gif?itemid=9913714[/img]

"Please advice. This is happening right now."

Mr. Don ... let some classic NL artwork advice you quick, quick!

wise move to pay the blackmailers when they allegedly have secret dirty bombs and small nukes on your soil and threaten to set them off and blame arabs. google Israeli embassy in new york and radiation hot spot.


US Senate Quietly Approves $38 Billion for Israel Amid Historic Economic Downturn

S.3176 was passed without being named, debated, or even discussed, even though it would set into law the largest such aid package in US history.

by Alison Weir

https://www.mintpressnews.com/senate-foreign-relations-committee-quitely-passes-aid-israel/267851/

coluka:
Useless and nonsensical opinion

sorry i couldn't respond, the bot banned me out of the thread for some unknown reason. i suspect it's a human bot that doesn't align with some of my political viewpoints. it sucks but that's life, and i won't lose any sleep over it.

now as far as the post. there's some very factual current events that transpired recently. the financial media reported that billionaires have reaped extremely huge paydays during the lockdown, and a dam broke in the state of Michigan forcing major evacuations of residents. i don't wanna link the stories or post any pics as proof but the news is easy to search and find.

7. No exercise

Exercise makes you more flexible and increases mobility. Without enough exercise the mobility and brain’s power of movement reduces, and decreases stability and motor skills. Studies have shown exercise help to keep us younger by releasing happy hormones called endorphins. Not just the brain, but exercise strengthens your heart and lungs too. Do you need more reason to exercise?

Ten daily habits that damage the brain

May 22, 2020 in Health, Online Special


By Fasanmi Abiola


The human brain is the most important organ of our body and we all fail to think it also requires exercise or training and nutrition to function well. Thus, forming good habits and avoiding the following bad habits will prevent brain damage and keep it healthy.

Here are 10 brain-damaging activities that you must stop doing for better functioning of the brain:

1. Skipping breakfast

Our brain needs appropriate nutrients at the appropriate time to function at its best. Due to a fast paced lifestyle, most of us avoid or end up skipping breakfast to save some time. This leads to low sugar supply and poor nutrient supply to the brain. The brain needs pure glucose to function. Poor nutrition can have long term harmful effects on the brain like degeneration of the brain cells.

2. Lack of sleep

Sleep deprivation hinders the brain’s ability to perform normally. If you have ever lost your way home or forgotten your keys somewhere and cannot recollect where, then lack of sleep has probably been behind this temporary memory loss. Sleep deprivation leads to cognitive issues. Without enough sleep, certain brain cells die and it then becomes harder for you to remember things. Psychological issues can also crop up due to bad sleep or sleep disturbances. So make sure you get your daily dose of 7 hours of beauty, as well brain-friendly sleep.

3. Over-eating

It’s said that, “too much of anything is bad”. The same applies to our brain too. We tend to overeat, if the brain is not functioning normally and vice versa, over-eating leads to brain damage. Over-eating leads to deposition of cholesterol plaques and thickening of blood vessels of the brain causing reduced blood supply to brain cells. This can cause serious damage to the normal functioning of the brain. It is found that overeating leads to Alzheimer’s disease. Over-eating leads to obesity which in turn damages our self-image and self-confidence and can lead to depression and other psychological problems.

4. Eating sugary foods

Knowingly or sometimes unknowingly, we all consume sugar in most of our food and beverages. High consumption of refined sugar is known to destroy the ability of the brain and body to absorb proteins and nutrients. Poor nutrition will lead to malnourishment and brain disorders like poor memory, learning disorders, hyperactivity and depression. So, the next time you add a large coke to your happy meal, think again because it’s loaded with nearly 20 spoonfuls of sugar!

5. Smoking

This is probably one of the most harmful habits that we indulge in, as smoking not only causes lung diseases or heart diseases, it also leads to shrinkage of multiple cells in the brain and can lead to problems like dementia, Alzheimer’s and maybe even death. Excessive smoking indirectly causes neuro-inflammation which can cause an autoimmune disorder called Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

6. Covering the head while sleeping

Sleeping with the head covered leads to increase in concentration of carbon dioxide and it further reduces the oxygen concentration in the blood. If the oxygen supply is poor, the brain functioning capacity reduces. You may feel suffocated and sleep deprived leading to fatigue and drowsiness.

7. No exercise

Exercise makes you more flexible and increases mobility. Without enough exercise the mobility and brain’s power of movement reduces, and decreases stability and motor skills. Studies have shown exercise help to keep us younger by releasing happy hormones called endorphins. Not just the brain, but exercise strengthens your heart and lungs too. Do you need more reason to exercise?

8. Consuming alcohol

The greater the percentage of alcohol, higher is the number of cells that die in the brain. Alcohol leads to chemical imbalances when continued for longer durations and large quantities. Brain volume decreases due to chronic alcohol intake. Anything more than 2 units/ day for men and 1 unit/ day for women is excess alcohol.

9. Playing loud music with earphones or headphones

Listening to music at a very high volume with your earphones or headphones might damage your hearing abilities permanently. It can result in some brain problems such as loss of memory and damage to your brain tissue in the coming future. This is because brain is the one, which takes efforts to comprehend what is being said around you. If you apply excess pressure on your brain, it’s sure to get damaged.

10. Premature stress

Stress is part of everyone’s life. Certain amount of stress related to work or family is a part and parcel of life. Stress of completing work on time or winning a competition is a healthy expression of stress. But when stress goes beyond your capacity to cope, it hinders the normal functioning of the brain and makes you feel low, depressed, angry, irritable, and sleepless. If you feel one or more of these emotions too often, it is time to seek help with a counselor or move away from things that are causing stress.

https://thenationonlineng.net/ten-daily-habits-that-damage-the-brain/

Opinion: Trump’s America is a failed state

https://2vwlfu3ynqxb3npfhm3m8lde-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/565DB7B6-25E8-43CA-B09D-7ED49B570369.jpeg

Far from making America great, despicable Don Trump has transformed America into what is arguably a “failed state.”

In fact, Trump and his Republican facilitators have decimated America in three-and-a-half short years after President Barack Obama set America right again after eight years of Republican rule. With the GOP’s valuable assistance, Trump tanked the economy and single-handedly created animosity among America’s most dependable allies and trading partners. He is also unilaterally responsible for the deaths of nearly 100,000 American citizens because his focus is solely on all things Trump.

Last week there were several articles rhetorically asking if Wisconsin was a failed state after Republicans and the courts put voters in harm’s way by giving residents a choice to be exposed to the novel coronavirus or forget participating in the democratic process. An article in “The Guardian” summarized the definition of a failed state thus:

“A failed state is one that can no longer claim legitimacy or perform a government’s core function of protecting the people’s basic security.”

The actual definition the author summarized from “Britannica” is more detailed for sure, but it accurately defines America today after three-and-a-half years of Trump and Republican rule. It reads:

“”A failed state is composed of feeble and flawed institutions. Often, the executive barely functions, while the legislature, judiciary, bureaucracy, and armed forces have lost their capacity and professional independence. A failed state suffers from crumbling infrastructures, faltering utility supplies and educational and health facilities, and deteriorating basic human-development indicators, such as infant mortality and literacy rates. Failed states create an environment of flourishing corruption and negative growth rates, where honest economic activity cannot flourish.

”
First, among the world’s richest nations, American infants are three times more likely to die than 19 similar OECD countries. Whether it is extreme poverty in the richest nation on Earth, or an atrocious lack of basic healthcare; there is little to refute the facts that America is failing to protect its people while the rich get richer at the expense of the rest of the population. The maternal death rate in America is still rising and is the only country among OECD nations with that horrific distinction.

Regarding deteriorating basic human development indicators such as literacy rates, just the fact that far too many Americans (75 percent) are unable to name the three branches of government, or comprehend that the Sun does not orbit the Earth is very revealing. According to a National Science Foundation survey, one in four Americans were unaware that the Earth revolves around the Sun. It is noteworthy that that level of ignorance is not down to the public school system; it is down to a gross lack of interest in, or outright rejection of, basic science facts and education in general.

It is no stretch to claim the Executive branch of government under Trump is a dismal failure and indeed, can hardly be considered a functioning entity.

Related to the failed Executive branch is the Federal legislature that is being hogtied by the Department of Justice, Republican-controlled Senate, and Federal judiciary – especially the uber-conservative and theocratic-minded Supreme Court.

Despite the so-called “checks and balances” giving the House of Representatives oversight authority to check the Executive branch’s abuse of power and corruption, Republicans in the Senate, Trump’s personal hit-man running the Justice Department, and a conservative High Court majority have prevented the House from exercising its Constitutional duty.

Another sign that America is a failed state is the lack of independence given the courts, the legislature, and the judiciary due to Trump’s corrupt Department of Justice. Trump himself has created the armed forces lack of independence by overruling the military’s justice system at the behest of dirty Don’s evangelical and faux-patriot movement.

America’s infrastructure has been failing for some time now and it is down to Republicans who claim there are never funds available to rebuild thousands of bridges, schools, hospitals, and research facilities.

Some Americans may recall that after Republicans caused the Great Recession of 2007-2008, President Obama and Democrats were barely able to claw $787 billion to invest in the economy and rebuild what that paltry sum allowed. Republicans railed against that investment because President Obama is Black and a Democrat. All the while, Republicans under Trump have opened up the treasury to corporations and the wealthy even as they plan to eradicate social programs because of “the deficit;” the one they created with trillions in tax cuts for the rich and their dirty corporations.

In what is a monumental failure, America under Trump and Republican rule cannot, and will not, lift a finger to protect the American people; not their health, not their jobs, not their general welfare, not their Constitutional equal rights, or their ability to provide a safe environment for their families. In fact, Republicans and Trump have been, and still are, Hell bent on eliminating access to basic healthcare. No American needs reminding that there are now nearly 100,000 American lives lost due to a failed administration that is solely interested in sustaining Trump’s environment of corruption and creating scenarios where honest economic activity cannot flourish.

America will likely continue to exist as a sovereign state regardless it is rapidly becoming a theocratic dictatorship drowning in corruption and criminality. However, by all accounts and basic definition, it is a failed sovereign state where the rule of law has ceased to exist and the concept of the state protecting its citizens is no longer possible. Trump is the source of America’s demise on the world stage as well as domestically, but without the staunch support of Republicans at all levels of government Trump’s success at destroying America could never have happened.

Sadly, with Republican assistance, it is likely that America will never be able to provide for the people’s general welfare because Trump has created a federal judiciary in his and Republicans’ image; an that screams corruption and antipathy towards the people it once existed to serve.



Rmuse
Audio engineer and instructor for SAE. Writes op/ed commentary supporting Secular Humanist causes, and exposing suppression of women, the poor, and minorities. An advocate for freedom of religion and particularly, freedom of NO religion.

Born in the South, raised in the Mid-West and California for a well-rounded view of America; it doesn’t look good.

Former minister, lifelong musician, Mahayana Zen-Buddhist.

https://www.politicususa.com/2020/05/24/opinion-trumps-america-is-a-failed-state.html/amp?__twitter_impression=true

5 Things to End The U.S. Dollar As We Know It.


The Atlantis Report


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkA2H96N69U

Bloomberg names Ibukun its West Africa bureau chief

BY CHRIS ROUSH · MAY 23, 2020

https://talkingbiznews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Yinka-Ibukun-450x450.jpg
Yinka Ibukun

Yinka Ibukun has been named West Africa bureau chief of Bloomberg News.

She is based in Accra, Ghana and oversees coverage in 21 countries.

Ibukun has been at Bloomberg since July 2013. Before moving to the Ghanaian capital and taking up this expanded role, she worked more than 10 years as a journalist in her adopted hometown of Lagos, Nigeria.

She also worked as a stringer for the Associated Press in Nigeria.

Ibukun is a graduate of Concordia University.

https://talkingbiznews.com/they-talk-biz-news/bloomberg-names-ibukun-its-west-africa-bureau-chief/

Beautiful, neat and not ostentatious. Easy to clean, maintain and cool.

@LinLinGentle Excellent grammar mr. man. your story was easy to read and comprehend unlike some of the butchered attempts of English that we try to read on NL daily.

you've tried to be a man but are married to a trouble making quarrelsome harlot. good luck with the divorce proceedings.

the drama reminded me of this recent thread. some women carry too much testosterone.

Husband And Wife Fight Over $300 In Front Of Their Young Children - Family - Nairaland

https://www.nairaland.com/5850601/husband-wife-fight-over-300

Streets Side Chick - World Premiere

By Corey Holcomb


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

i will try to post the graphs.

Please stay safe beloved NL fam. sorry i can't post the entire article.

Sweden's per capita coronavirus death toll is among the highest in the world — a sign its decision to avoid a lockdown may not be working

https://www.businessinsider.com/sweden-coronavirus-per-capita-death-rate-among-highest-2020-5

Wherever you are, pls stay safe beloved NL family.


Sweden's per capita coronavirus death toll is among the highest in the world — a sign its decision to avoid a lockdown may not be working

Holly Secon and Ruobing Su 4 hours ago

[img]https://i.insider.com/5eb3fd115f726e4fdd3e6904?width=1700&format=jpeg&auto=webp[/img]
People in Stockholm on April 8. AP Photo/Andres Kudacki


Sweden never issued a mandatory lockdown to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, instead asking its citizens to voluntarily maintain social distance.

Sweden has a relatively high per capita death toll and case count compared with other countries — signs the strategy may not be working.

These graphs compare Sweden's per capita deaths and cases, along with its death rate, to those of other countries with major outbreaks.

At least 45 countries issued lockdowns to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus in March and April. Sweden was not one of them.

Instead, the "Swedish model" encourages residents to voluntarily maintain social distance and allows businesses, restaurants, bars, and schools to remain open.

Data suggests the country may be paying a worrisome price, though: Sweden has a higher number of deaths per capita than many other countries with large outbreaks.

The following chart, based on data from Johns Hopkins, compares Sweden's per capita COVID-19 deaths with those of 16 other countries.

[img]https://i.insider.com/5ec820813f737073290c2a02?width=900&format=jpeg&auto=webp[/img]

Shayanne Gal/Business Insider
The country, which has a population of 10.23 million, has reported nearly 4,000 COVID-19 deaths. That count is small in absolute terms, compared to the number of people the virus has killed in some large countries — the US death toll has topped 95,000, for example. But relative to the size of Sweden's population, the number of people who have died is in line with countries that have had far bigger outbreaks.

Earlier this month, epidemiologist Anders Tegnell, who is leading Sweden's coronavirus response, said in an interview on "The Daily Show" that the country's high death toll was unexpected.

"We never really calculated with a high death toll initially, I must say," he said. "We calculated on more people being sick, but the death toll really came as a surprise to us."

Similarly, Sweden's death rate — a calculation that divides the number of confirmed coronavirus deaths by the number of reported cases — is among the highest in the world. Approximately 12% of people officially given a COVID-19 diagnosis in the country have died.

[img]https://i.insider.com/5ec831ae4dca680924327065?width=900&format=jpeg&auto=webp[/img]

There are several potential explanations for these numbers. Death rates, for example, can be shaped largely by testing: Lower testing rates lead more minor cases to be missed and therefore inflate the rate. Sweden's per capita testing rate is 20.78 per 1,000 people, according to tracking by Statista. That's relatively low compared to Norway's, which is 41.14, and Iceland's, at an impressive 168.75.

The US has tested 36.96 people out of every 1,000, according to Our World in Data, although the site notes that the country has been reporting its testing numbers inconsistently.

The number of tests coming back positive in Sweden also suggests this explanation could have merit. Sweden has confirmed about 32,800 cases of 209,900 tests done — a positive rate of about 15.6%. The World Health Organization has said that countries will know they're testing at a sufficient threshold when fewer than 10% of tests are coming back positive.

Sweden has only just expanded its testing to include those with mild symptoms.

Another explanation for the country's relatively high number of deaths could be that half of Sweden's deaths have been in nursing homes. Older people are far more likely to die from the coronavirus than younger people, so outbreaks in long-term care facilities are likely to be deadlier than those among other subsets of the population.

Still, Sweden's total case numbers are also high relative to its population.

[img]https://i.insider.com/5ec8209eaee6a86c8d479279?width=900&format=jpeg&auto=webp[/img]

Lockdowns worked in other countries
Sweden's strategy relies on personal responsibility: The government asks residents to monitor themselves for symptoms, stay home when sick, practice good handwashing, and avoid crowds.

"It's definitely part of the culture to follow the rules, or guidelines, and to not be too pushy about it," an archaeologist and art history professor, Nancy Wicker, who has traveled frequently between Sweden and the US for nearly four decades, previously told Business Insider.

Evidence from other countries suggests mandatory lockdowns have prevented the spread of the virus: China, Germany, and Spain all saw their number of daily infections drop off after restrictions were implemented.

A team of Italian researchers recently simulated what could have happened if the country had relaxed its restrictions in March — or never imposed them. The results suggested the country's lockdown prevented about 200,000 hospitalizations between February 21, when Italy confirmed its first case, and March 25. The policy reduced transmission in the country by about 45%.

Another study found that Chinese cities that issued restrictions before they confirmed any COVID-19 cases saw one-third fewer cases during their first week of infections than cities with delayed responses.

Aria Bendix and Hilary Brueck contributed reporting.

https://www.businessinsider.com/sweden-coronavirus-per-capita-death-rate-among-highest-2020-5

Very serious news. I wonder if Nigerian expats saved enough money to weather dis storm.

CORONAVIRUS

70% of Dubai companies expect to go out of business within six months due to coronavirus pandemic, survey says

PUBLISHED THU, MAY 21 2020

Almost half the restaurants and hotels surveyed by the Dubai Chamber expected to go out of business in the next month alone, with three-quarters of travel and tourism companies expecting to close in that time.
The Dubai Chamber of Commerce in late April surveyed 1,228 CEOs across a range of sectors.

https://image.cnbcfm.com/api/v1/image/106502140-1587628086860dubaimallclosedcoronaviruscovid.jpg?v=1587628378&w=740&h=416
A picture shows the closed compound of the Dubai Mall amid the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic on March 23, 2020 in the United Arab Emirates
Giuseppe CACACE | AFP via Getty Images

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A staggering 70% of businesses in Dubai expect to close their doors within the next six months as the coronavirus pandemic and global lockdowns ravage demand, a survey by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce revealed Thursday.

The Chamber surveyed 1,228 CEOs across a range of sectors between April 16 and April 22. Nearly three-quarters of those were small businesses with fewer than 20 employees. Of the respondents, more than two-thirds saw a moderate-to-high risk of going out of business in the coming six months. Some 27% said they expected to lose their businesses within the next month, and 43% expect to go out of business within six.

Dubai, which has one of the most diversified and non-oil dependent economies in the Gulf, relies on sectors like hospitality, tourism, entertainment, logistics, property and retail. Its hotels and restaurants are internationally acclaimed, but nearly half the restaurants and hotels surveyed by the organization expected to go out of business in the next month alone. Some 74% percent of travel and tourism companies said they expected to close in that time, and 30% of companies in transport, storage and communications expect the same fate.

“Full and partial city-lockdown measures are bringing demand in key markets to a standstill ... The double-shock impact is pushing economic activity down to levels not seen even during the financial crisis,” the Dubai Chamber wrote in its report released Thursday, entitled “Impact of Covid-19 on Dubai Business Community.”

Businesses in the UAE, as elsewhere across the world, are slashing salaries, putting employees on unpaid leave, and reducing staffing to minimal levels.

The UAE has just over 26,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, with 233 deaths as of Thursday. Dubai, the country’s commercial and tourism hub, imposed a strict 24-hour lockdown for about three weeks beginning in late March.

While the lockdown has been loosened through the Muslim holy month of Ramadan allowing malls and some businesses to open at a limited capacity, demand is slow to return and company layoffs are continuing.

For a country that relies on an 80%-expatriate population for much of its economic activity, the stakes are even higher: if residents can no longer find work, they will likely return to their home countries, depleting the consumer base needed to enable any economic recovery.

“I so far think we’re looking at a minimum population contraction of 10% for the year,” Nasser al-Shaikh, former director general of the Dubai government’s department of finance, tweeted in early May.

The Dubai Chamber added in its report: “Though this is a temporary shock for most markets – with recovery to gradually kick in as soon as restrictions are eased – trade with GCC markets is particularly challenging as they suffered double oil price / COVID-19 shocks.”

Stimulus packages
In late March the Dubai government announced a 1.5 billion dirham ($408 million) stimulus package aimed at enhancing liquidity and cushioning the blow of the virus lockdowns, which included a raft of fee refunds and reductions, and reduced utility costs. Abu Dhabi in the same month announced a $27 billion emergency stimulus plan to aid private sector businesses and banks.

The UAE’s central bank also deployed a $70 billion package to help commercial banks provide debt relief. But many businesses still need more support, or are hesitant to take on new debt given the shaky outlook for recovery, according to reports.

The Dubai Chamber report notes that in March, “banks seem to have increased lending to SMEs which saw a 5.3% y-o-y growth, to reach a value of AED93.4 billion ... This improvement was mainly due to the government stimulus package announced in March.”

Economy already slowing pre-Covid
The coronavirus crisis follows a number of years of declining revenues for some of the emirate’s most important sectors, primarily real estate and hospitality. Residential property prices have fallen 30% from their 2014 peak oversupply and weakening demand, and revenue per available hotel room is down more than 25% since 2015.

Last year Dubai’s economy grew at just 1.94%, its slowest pace since the dark days of its near economic collapse in 2009. The crisis, more than a decade ago, was sparked by a property crunch that forced Dubai to seek a $20 billion bailout from its wealthier and more conservative neighbor, UAE capital Abu Dhabi.

But the global pandemic will likely exact a toll on Dubai far greater than the downturn of a decade ago. The Chamber’s report warned: “The impact of COVID-19 crisis on the world economy during 2020 is projected to be greater than the 2008-09 financial crisis.”

[url]https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/21/coronavirus-dubai-70percent-of-companies-expect-to-close-in-six-months.html?__source=twitter%7Cmain[/url]

Covid-19 is a global menace. I know Pres Trump has a lot of fans on NL. It's tough out there o.

BREAKING: Trump National Doral Miami, President Donald J. Trump’s Miami-Dade resort hotel and golf course, has announced 250 workers who were originally furloughed indefinitely will now be permanently laid off.

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article242893666.html

Speaking of investing and economics check out this breaking news from the UK, aka the colonial master.


Coronavirus: Rolls-Royce to cut 9,000 jobs amid virus crisis

https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/business-52723107

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/695/cpsprodpb/B0C9/production/_112375254_rolls1.jpg

Rolls-Royce has said it will cut 9,000 jobs and warned it will take "several years" for the airline industry to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

The Derby-based firm, which makes plane engines, said the reduction of nearly a fifth of its workforce would mainly affect its civil aerospace division.

"This is not a crisis of our making. But it is the crisis that we face and must deal with," boss Warren East said.

The bulk of the job cuts are expected to be in the UK at its site in Derby.

I'm glad the dysfunctional fuel subsidy is almost history but like many others in this thread I don't like all this debt to western sources.
Bubu and his finance minister should know that debt/usury is slavery. I'm guessing the very powerful global banking syndicate would do some very nasty behind the scenes things to the Nigerian economy if she didn't submit to their bond/debt schemes.

abeg, where are the pics of the 11 trucks? is this not the internet/smart phone pic age?

the photo shown is stock footage of children from an 2015 news report. proof on youtube video below if interested which i no go post link.

"Nigeria's Poorest Kids Trapped By Islamist Almajiri System
15,211 views•Nov 23, 2015"

@DaddyOpe

receive sense bro, karma is undefeated!

"While they were dating, I met my wife. I was able to convince her to date me."

all toto ain't good toto!

hmmm

Akwa Ibom Govt Slashes Salaries Of Political Appointees By 20%
Channels Television
Updated May 20, 2020
https://www.channelstv.com/2020/05/20/akwa-ibom-govt-slashes-salaries-of-political-appointees-by-20/

https://www.channelstv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Akwa-Ibom-state-governor-Udom-Emmanuel.jpg

some humour and reality for the thread

Low budget Nollywood video. Next!

there's plenty of dem out dere.