1st August 2022 | Advertise | Shop | Archive
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Welcome to August! Research now proves that “Parentese” is a global language. No matter where you go, people googoo and gaagaa at babies in similar ways, from Lagos to Lima to Los Angeles.
United Kingdom. The Prince of Wales accepted a payment of £1m from the family of Osama Bin Laden. Prince Charles accepted the money from two of Osama Bin Laden's half-brothers in 2013, two years after the al-Qaeda leader was killed.
Science. A man is now HIV-free after receiving a stem cell transplant meant to treat his leukemia. The stem cells contained a rare genetic mutation that blocked the HIV infection, providing new hope for developing a reliable cure. Globally, nearly 40 million people have HIV, but only five have ever been cured.
United States. President Biden tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 a second time on Saturday. The positive result comes only days after he recovered from COVID-19 following his first positive test. A White House physician has called Biden's case a "rebound," which sometimes happens to patients who use Paxlovid, an antiviral drug.
1834 Britain Abolishes the Slave Trade
Slavery Abolition Act 1833 comes into effect, abolishes slavery throughout the British Empire. People such as William Wilberforce were prominent campaigners for abolishing slavery.
NIGERIA
Lagos Reassurance
The Story
The Lagos state command of the Nigeria Police Force has urged residents to be calm and not panic over alledged planned attack on the state.
Calm, under the present conditions?
In a statement by the command's spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, the police assured residents that efforts are being made to stop the potential attackers. In response to intelligence about the threat by bandits to attack the state, the command's Commissioner, CP Abiodun Alabi, is said to have placed the State Intelligence Bureau (SIB) of the Command on high alert, alongside all Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers, and Tactical Commanders.
The Role of Residents
While urging residents to go about their lawful duties without panic or fear, the police urged the public to be vigilant and assist the police in ensuring that any potential threat is quickly nipped in the bud, by providing them with timely information on observed suspicious activities and movements. “The people also have a role to play by reporting suspicious movements to security agencies. It’s a collective thing", Hundeyin said.
The police command assured that all human, material, and operational resources have been deployed across the length and breadth of the state, especially at border towns, to ensure that there is absolutely no breach of the peace. Source
NIGERIA
Fear of Aviation Collapse
The Story
Aviation industry players in Nigeria have expressed concern that the sector may soon collapse if current trends are not immediately halted.
What trends?
Industry stakeholders are growing anxious as a result of the ongoing increase in the price of aviation fuel, also known as jet A1, as they express concerns that the sector may collapse and there may be significant job losses if the rising price is not reined in. According to estimates as of Friday, the price of Jet A1 fuel had increased from approximately N300 per litre in February to approximately N1,000 per litre, leading to a huge increase in ticket prices.
What's the link to a potential collapse?
There's been a continuous decline in demand as many passengers have stopped flying. And according to Capt. Roland Iyayi, former Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency and Chief Executive Officer, TopBrass Aviation Company Limited, this low demand presents a serious threat to the continued existence of airlines and the aviation sector. This concern is real as two airlines have already halted operation, and it is feared that others may soon follow. They've called on government to intervene immediately.
What sort of intervention are they looking at?
They've appealed to the government to examine the port fees and taxes on aviation fuel and determine whether they may be temporarily suspended until the price of the fuel returns to normal. Aero Contractors had announced on July 18 that it was ceasing operations, due to the impact of the difficult operating environment on its activities. Two days later on July 20, Dana Air's operations were also suspended by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority. Aviation Round Table, a body of professionals in the sector, has said more airlines may soon follow. Source
GLOBAL
Cleaning Our Environment
The Story
Scientists are studying how electrical bacteria may help clean oil spills and curb methane emissions.
What are electrical bacteria?
Cable bacteria resemble lengthy sausage links when viewed under a microscope. Their multicellular bodies can enlarge to a maximum length of 5 centimeters. Parallel "wires" of conductive proteins that the bacteria utilize to channel electrons are incorporated into each cell's outer membrane. Scientists assert that the wires are more conductive than the electronic semiconductors.
How might they help the environment?
Researchers are examining how to promote the bacteria's growth to help clean up oil spills after laboratory tests revealed that cable bacteria can assist other germs that eat crude oil. Additionally, studies have found that cable bacteria may reduce atmospheric methane emissions, a powerful greenhouse gas. Cable bacteria were originally identified in sand taken from the seafloor of Denmark's Aarhus Bay about ten years ago. Since then, streams, lakes, estuaries, and coastal ecosystems have all been discovered to contain cable bacteria on at least four different continents.
Majority of the time, cable bacteria live shallowly in the sediment, with one end inserted into deeper, sulfide-rich zones, and the other end near the surface where there is oxygen. According to Nicole Geerlings, a biogeochemist at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, cable bacteria capture electrons from sulfides on one end and off-load them to oxygen—an eager electron acceptor—on the other end using their filamentous bodies as electrical conduits. Source
Brain drain: Doctors seek FG’s intervention, threaten strike
We are not recruiting, Chevron tells job seekers
We can’t raise ransom for kidnapped actors — AGN
Commonwealth Games 2022: Olarinoye wins Nigeria’s first gold medal in weightlifting
N’Assembly proposes 63 new varsities, others, experts kick
Kenya threatens to ban Facebook
UN peacekeepers open fire in DR Congo, causing several casualties
England beat Germany 2-1 in extra time to win Euro 2022
Italy: Outrage over fatal attack on Nigerian street vendor
US lottery player wins $1.3bn jackpot
FEATURE
Politics Today
Oyo's Makinde: Beyond The Image Laundering
To many observers from a distance, Oyo state's governor Seyi Makinde is one of the governors doing well in Nigeria since 2019. The distance here includes those who are observing from outside Oyo state (seeing things about the state on social media and other platforms), and those within the state but who hardly look beyond the surface on issues. But has Makinde really governed Oyo well? Like most socio-political subjects, there can be no generally accepted answer to this. His supporters will answer in the affirmative, while his opponents will disagree. And there are those who would rather be on the fence, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
Visualizing how American's spend their time each day. Flowing Data
The year's funniest pet photos. Gizmodo
Charting every type of known cognitive bias. Visual Capitalist
Ranking China's ugliest buildings. CNN
Five ways to improve your work relationships. Harvard Business Review
TRIVIA
Word Search Puzzle
On break? Search for 20 salon-related words in this image.
INTERNET GIGGLES
Written by Seun, Mercy, and Tosin.
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