|
|
| |
Good morning. There are currently only two white rhinos left in the world, but scientists have managed to collect eggs and create embryos that will hopefully lead to a calf being born in the next two to three years.
The process to be used is an amazing work of science.
- - -
P.S. Was this forwarded to you? Sign up here.
|
|
|---|
|
☕️QUICK BITES
|
| China. Officials said it will take at least 15 more days to reach workers trapped in the Hushan gold mine in the country's eastern Shandong province. The crew has already been trapped 1,300 feet below the surface for more than 12 days, after a Jan. 10 explosion caused 70 tons of debris to block the mineshaft. |
| Nigeria. The Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore herdsmen group has called on the Federal Government to heed the call for the restructuring of the country to allow the Fulani go their way. Group says that herdsmen were being marginalised in the country and that it was best if they were on their own where they would be protected. |
| Iraq. Twin suicide bombings killed at least 32 people and injured 110 others. It's the capital's deadliest attack in three years. In 2017, Iraqi forces (backed by the US) defeated ISIS fighters. The area's thought to be safer since then. But the attack comes amid rising political and economic tensions in Iraq, reinforced by recent anti-gov protests and delayed elections. |
| United States. The official White House website has been updated to allow visitors to specify their preferred pronouns. LGBTQ+ advocates see this move as a symbolic change made by the Biden administration, showing that their voices are heard. The list of available prefixes to choose from also changed, adding the gender-neutral “Mx.” to the previously available “Mr.,” Mrs.,” and Ms.” |
|
|
|---|
|
#ONTHISDAY
|
1949 1st Israeli election won by David Ben-Gurion's Mapai party.
1971 Military coup in Uganda under Major General Idi Amin.
2010 Ethiopian Airlines Flight 409 crashes into the Mediterranean Sea shortly after take-off from Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport, killing all 90 people on-board.
2018 Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi asked "are there any bookshops in Nigeria?" in controversial French interview.
2019 Longest-ever US government shutdown ends after 35 days when President Donald Trump agrees to three week of negotiations on border security by a House-Senate conference committee.
|
|
|---|
|
JUDICIARY
|
Again, Family Loses Bid To Reclaim Abacha's Loot
|
Image Source: Punch
|
The Story
Efforts by the Abacha family to regain access to their bank accounts, which have been frozen for decades, have been denied by the supreme court.
On what ground does the family want the court to unfreeze the accounts?
Ali Abacha, brother to the former Head of State, had challenged the Nigerian government's action in freezing all accounts traced to the late Abacha, his family members and relatives in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Jersey, Liechtenstein and Luxembourg. Ali Abacha prayed the court to, among others, void the freezing of the accounts on the grounds that the AGF lacked the powers under the Banking (Freezing of Accounts Act, Cap 29, Laws of Nigeria, under which he claimed to have acted, to request the foreign nations to freeze his accounts and those of the companies in which he is a director.
Why did the court deny the plea?
The apex court, in a unanimous judgment of a five-man panel led by Justice Sylvester Ngwuta on Friday, held that Ali Abacha’s case was statute-barred as of when it was commenced in April 2004 at the Federal High Court in Kaduna. In the lead judgment prepared by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, but read on Friday by Justice Ejembi Eko, the Supreme Court held that having dismissed a similar appeal February last year in its judgment on an appeal filed by Alhaji Abba Mohammed Sani on behalf of the Abacha family, it had no reason to depart from its reasoning.
But why freeze accounts that are not in Sani Abacha's name?
The Obasanjo-led administration had made the decision on the allegation that such accounts contained looted funds and were held by the holders as proxies for the late former Head of State. According to court documents, the then President, Olusegun Obasanjo, in December 1999, authorised the then AGF to request the Swiss authorities to freeze all bank accounts held in its jurisdiction by the late Abacha, his children, servants, agents and any other individuals or companies linked to them between 1993 and 1998.
The Nigerian government was said to have requested the Swiss authorities to seize and detain all banking and other documents relating to the affected accounts, charge and prosecute all holders of such accounts, to recover and pay over to the Federal Government of Nigeria all funds falsely and fraudulently taken from the government and people of Nigeria. SOURCE
|
|
|---|
|
SECURITY
|
Attack on Fulani may destabilise Nigeria ― ACF
|
Image Source: Tribune
|
The Story
The Arewa Consultative Forum has condemned moves to chase the Fulani community away from some parts of the southwest, insisting that such an act was a social upheaval that may destabilize the country.
What are they saying?
The forum's National Publicity Secretary, Emmanuel Yawe, in a statement on Saturday entitled “STOP THE DRIFT IN THE SOUTHWEST”, recalled that the civil war in the 1960’s started with attacks and counter-attacks like the Oyo attack on Fulani. He stated that “this morning, we received reports of an attack by Yoruba Youths on Alhaji Saliu Abdulkadir, the Serki Fulani in Oyo State.
What did they say about crimes allegedly committed by some Fulanis in the affected areas?
There was no comment from the forum on that. The ACF, while recalling events that preceded the Nigerian civil war, asked that 'governments be proactive and stop history from repeating itself'. "Those who carried out these attacks must be apprehended and the due process of the law allowed to take its course. If this is not done there may be counter attacks in the north and the country will be up in flames. The authorities must act. The ACF is very worried and calls on them to act fast", the statement read.
The ACF also criticized the security agencies, saying that they "stood by helplessly as the attack was carried out.” The Forum expressed worry 'about this trend and calls on the Federal and State Governments in the South West to move quickly to avert a social upheaval that may destabilize the whole country'. SOURCE
|
|
|---|
|
INTERNATIONAL
|
Court Condemns Kremlin’s Contemptuous Cleansing
|
Image Source: WRIC
|
The Story
The small Caucasian nation of Georgia declared its independence from Russia in 1991.
What's the news?
Later, pro-Russian separatists took control of two regions, Abkhazia and South Ossetia. In 2008 Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili declared his intent to bring the two regions back under Georgian control, which instigated a bitter five-day war between Russian-backed separatists and Georgian forces.
What then happened?
There was a ceasefire, but hostilities didn't end. After the ceasefire, Russian ground troops continued entering ethnic Georgian villages, sealing off entrances and exits. Ossetian forces and other irregular soldiers then systematically burned down Georgian homes and entire villages, carrying out summary executions and threatening individuals with death if they refused to leave.
How did the Georgian government respond?
It is estimated some 192,000 people in the separatist territories were displaced as a result. In 2018 Georgia sued Russia for war crimes, human rights violations, and a “rampage” across its territory during the military conflict. Finally, in a landmark decision Thursday, the European Court of Human Rights held Moscow accountable for multiple violations during the August 2008 fighting.
But how will this make up for the damages done?
The court found the Kremlin guilty of unlawfully rounding up ethnic Georgians, murdering civilians, torturing prisoners of war, expelling villagers from their homes in South Ossetia, and looting and burning Georgian homes. The court on Thursday instructed both sides to make submissions about reparations.
Georgia’s justice minister, Gocha Lordkipanidze, described the verdict of the court’s grand chamber as a “historic victory”. He said it upheld his country’s claim that Russian-occupied South Ossetia – or the Tskhinvali region, as he put it – was an integral part of Georgia, together with Abkhazia, another breakaway territory. SOURCE
|
|
|---|
|
INTERNATIONAL
|
Russia arrests thousands amid unprecedented pro-Navalny protests
|
Image Source: DW
|
The Story
Russians have taken to the streets in demonstration against the arrest and detention of Kremlin critic, Alexei Navalny.
Wow! How are the authorities responding?
Security forces detained more than 3,000 people and violently broke up rallies across Russia as tens of thousands of protesters ignored extreme cold and police warnings to demand the release of Navalny. In a video, a woman – identified as Margarita Yudina – is seen asking three policemen in full riot gear why they were detaining a young unarmed protester. One of the police officers then kicks her in the stomach. Yudina, according to reports, is now hospitalized and in serious condition.
Isn't that sad?
Prosecutors in St Petersburg said in a statement late Saturday they were probing violations including “on the part of law enforcement” and the use of force against an unidentified woman. The statement was released after local media published the video showing the middle-aged woman falling to the ground after being kicked by the riot police. Navalny, who was arrested last weekend as he returned to Russia from Germany for the first time since being poisoned with a nerve agent that he says was applied to his underpants by state security agents in August, had called on his supporters to protest on Saturday.
Why was he arrested?
Navalny, a known critic of President Vladimir Putin, accuses the Russian leader of ordering his attempted murder. Putin has dismissed that, alleging the 44-year-old is part of a US-backed dirty tricks campaign to discredit him. Navalny is in a Moscow prison pending the outcome of four legal matters he describes as trumped up. He could face years in jail. Authorities accused him of violating the terms of a suspended sentence in a 2014 conviction for financial misdeeds, including when he was convalescing in Germany.
Authorities had warned people to stay away from the protests, saying they risked catching COVID-19 as well as prosecution and possible jail time for attending an unauthorised event. But protesters defied the ban and bitter cold and turned out in force in more than 60 Russian cities. SOURCE
|
|
|---|
|
WHAT ELSE IS FRESH...
|
Falana: FG is portraying itself as ‘defender of Fulani herders’.
APC has failed Nigerians, says Buhari’s former minister.
Police, govt delegation visit Oyo community to broker peace between Fulanis and Igangan residents.
‘You can’t threaten us with war’ — Afenifere hits back at ACF.
Jega: Buhari has disappointed many Nigerians.
‘She’ll be first American woman to lead WTO’ — US leaders write Biden to back Okonjo-Iweala.
Forbes: Dangote, Adenuga among ‘Africa’s wealthiest’ who made more money during pandemic.
Unilag to conduct non-physical post-UTME test.
Winners Chapel to commence 100,000 capacity Ark auditorium project soon.
Trust in traditional media hits a new low.
Honduras lawmakers seek to lock in ban on abortion for ever.
UK insists it will not grant EU ambassador full diplomatic status.
EU eyes scheme to share surplus COVID-19 vaccines with poorer nations.
Twitter says locked account of China’s U.S. embassy for Xinjiang-related tweet.
This Chinese Lab Is Aiming for Big AI Breakthroughs.
Judge denies Parler’s bid to make Amazon restore service.
Google Threatens To Pull Search Engine From Australia.
BlackRock May Start Trading Bitcoin Futures in its Funds.
LG to sell its for mobile unit.
Honda to collaborate with GM on self-driving service in Japan.
Scientists discover a 98 million-year-old titanosaur fossil.
The Japanese government denied a report that it had decided to cancel the Olympics this summer.
No Time to Die, the 25th James Bond film, has been delayed for the third time...to October 8.
NBCUniversal is shutting down its NBCSN sports network.
|
|
|---|
|
PICKS OF THE DAY
|
Untold story of Sunday Igboho’s childhood days and his ‘powerful’ grandfather. The Cable
The important lessons a quant manager learned in 2020. Bloomberg
50 companies to watch in 2021. Bloomberg
A history of the White House's first dogs. WhiteHouseHistory
How a 22-Year-Old L.A. Native Became Biden’s Inauguration Poet. The Los Angeles Times
Toronto woman wins $47M with lotto numbers from a dream. UPI
'Big Six' boredom: Why games between the Premier League's elite are so dull. Goal
What Is the Right Incubation Process for Your Startup? Entrepreneur
Downstream Oil Sector and the Dangote Factor. ThisDay
How your brain responds to stories -- and why they're crucial for leaders | Karen Eber. TED Talks
Loops, the Limits of Language, the Paradoxical Loneliness of “I Love You,” and What Keeps Love Alive. Brain Pickings
The enduring allure of conspiracies. Nieman Lab
|
|
|---|
|
TODAY'S TRIVIA
|
Riddle
A doctor and a bus driver are both in love with the same woman, an attractive girl named Sarah.
The bus driver had to go on a long bus trip that would last a week. Before he left, he gave Sarah seven apples.
Why?
|
|
|---|
|
QUESTION & ANSWER
|
QUORA QUESTION:
What would happen to an American spy in Russia if his cover were blown?
Boris Ivanov
|
|
|
An American called Paul Whelan is in Moscow jail right now. He was arrested for an attempt to obtain secret information in December of 2018.
Whelan is doing reasonably well. He has some medical trouble, but he doesn’t want Russian doctors to operate on him. He expects to be released and to be treated in the USA. Whelan claims to be totally innocent. His trial will start in the earnest sometime in spring.
If convicted, Whelan can get up to 20 years in prison. Although, it is possible that he would be exchanged for somebody Russian in the hands of Western justice. There is a question, whether America really wants him. But he is a citizen of several countries, so one of them may bite.
A Norwegian spy Frode Berg was exchanged in November last year. He got 14 years in April 2019 for gathering information about Russian nuclear submarines.
Because Western spies are usually in Russia legally, as diplomats, businessmen or tourists (like Whelan), Russia can’t really do anything drastic to them without causing an international incident. Arresting and prosecuting spies under the watchful eyes of the appropriate foreign consulate is the worst we can do.
It is the same in the West, with our spies. As long as they are legally recognized as our citizens. Maria Butina was held in solitary confinement for months, but that was the worst thing Americans were able to do to her.
Whelan, by the way, is not in solitary confinement. He shares his cell with a Russian accused of illegal weapon trading. SOURCE
|
|
|---|
|
TRIVIA ANSWER
|
Riddle Answer
An apple a day keeps the doctor away!
|
|
|---|
|
LITERATURE
|
Short Story
Night as It Falls - Jakuta Alikavazovic
Poetry
After They Say There Would Be No Cross-Over Services, A Poem Becomes My Alternate Path Into A New Beginning. Samson Ajala
Satire
Miracle: CNN COVID Death Counter Begins Counting Backward
|
|
|---|
|
|
