Flowerbud News

Author: Lara Olaniyi

  • U.S. Open: Svitolina serves her way past Keys into quarter-finals

    Ukrainian fifth seed Elina Svitolina delivered a solid serving performance to beat American Madison Keys 7-5 6-4 on Sunday and secure a spot in the U.S. Open quarter-finals.

    Keys, who finished runnerup in 2017, struggled with her backhand and Svitolina won 92 per cent of her first serve points.

    She also did not face a single break point during the 75-minute clash under the Arthur Ashe Stadium lights.

    “Very pleased that I could play very consistent tonight and in such a great atmosphere is very special,” said Svitolina, who capped the match in style when she served out to love.

    With the win, Svitolina is the first Ukrainian woman to reach the U.S. Open quarter-finals since Kateryna Bondarenko in 2009.

    Up next for Svitolina will be Briton Johanna Konta, who upset Czech third seed Karolina Pliskova earlier on Sunday.

  • British parliament braces for showdown that could prompt snap polls

    Britain’s lower house of parliament on Tuesday says it is due to return from recess with lawmakers bracing for a showdown that can lead to a snap election.

    A group of lawmakers were expected to put forward legislation in a fresh bid to stop a no-deal Brexit after Johnson vowed that Britain would leave the EU on Oct. 31.

    If successful, the bill would force the prime minister to ask for Brexit to be delayed until Jan. 31, unless lawmakers approved a new deal or vote in favour of a no-deal Brexit by Oct. 19.

    However, government sources said Johnson would request to schedule a general election for Oct. 14, if the lawmakers’ move was successful.

    Johnson did his best on Monday to dampen speculation about fresh elections, however, with protesters threatening to drown him out in Downing Street.

    Johnson said: “I don’t want an election, you don’t want an election.”

    Earlier, Johnson had called an unscheduled cabinet meeting in the face of a potential revolt from some of his own Conservative members of parliament.

    Former Chancellor Philip Hammond told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that he thought “there will be enough people, to get this over the line today.

    “He called it “rank hypocrisy” that Downing Street had threatened rebel lawmakers with expulsion and deselection.

    He warned of the “fight of a lifetime” if officials attempt to prevent him from standing at the next general election as a Conservative candidate.

    Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd urged the government to think carefully about taking such a dramatic step in response to the threat of expulsion and deselection. ain

  • Top challenger of Afghan president says ready to quit elections for peace

    Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s main challenger in September’s election has said he is ready to abandon his bid for power for the sake of peace.

    This had rising more questions about prospects for an election the Taliban have vowed to block.

    The twice-delayed presidential election comes as the U.S. and the Taliban are trying to seal an agreement under which U.S. forces will withdraw in exchange for a Taliban security guarantee and a promise of power-sharing talks with Ghani’s government.

    The Taliban have denounced the election as a sham and vowed to attack rallies. Ghani is insisting an election he looks set to win should go ahead.

    Ghani’s main challenger, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, told a campaign rally on Wednesday he would drop out of the race if that could help secure peace.

    “My team is ready to quit elections for the sake of peace,” Abdullah said, according to his office.

    The Taliban want the election canceled as a condition for so-called intra-Afghan dialogue – talks after the agreement with the U.S. is struck on how power can be shared and the country organised – and a ceasefire.

    Abdullah, a former foreign minister, was Ghani’s main challenger in the last election, in 2014.
    That vote was marred by extensive fraud and Ghani became president after U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, brokered a deal creating the post of chief executive for Abdullah.

    Ghani has rejected a suggestion put forward by Western allies to postpone the election and form an interim government, perhaps with Taliban representative, after the militants strike their deal with the U.S.

    Ghani has said the people must be allowed to choose their leader and peace can only be secured under a democratic system.

    But the departure of his main challenger could undermine the legitimacy of the election.

    This month, another main contender, Hanif Atmar, a former interior minister, who also served as Ghani’s national security adviser, suspended his campaign, citing the level of violence in the country.

    The campaign opened in July with an insurgent attack on the Kabul office of Ghani’s running mate, Amrullah Saleh. At least 20 people were killed and 50 wounded.

    “With Atmar out of the race and Abdullah now giving preference to the peace deal instead of elections, it is quite clear that Ghani will have to realign his stance,” said a Western diplomat in Kabul.

    Opposition party sources said many of the 17 candidates in the race were considering a boycott because they believed Ghani was using state apparatus to help him win.

    With both the Taliban and U.S. negotiators reporting progress in their talks in recent weeks, and raising the prospect of an end to the 18-year war, the election has yet to capture much attention from the public.

    The U.S. special representative for peace in Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, who has been leading the talks with the Taliban since 2018, is scheduled to travel from Doha to Kabul this week for a meeting with Ghani.

    Two sources with knowledge of the talks, said the U.S. will press Ghani to agree to postpone the election.

  • DANGOTE ADVOCATES BETTER ROLE FOR WOMEN IN NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

     L-R, Group Executive director Dangote industries limited, Halima Dangote, Gbenga Oyebode, chairman Technical committee of conference planning, 2019 Nigerian Bar Association Annual general Conference, Managing director Aliko Dangote foundation, Zouera Youssoufou, who represent President/ CE Dangote industries limited,  at the Dangote industries limited Sponsor,  Nigerian Bar Association Annual general conference 2019, on Wednesday 28th August 2019

    L-R: Wife of Ekiti State Governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi; Group Executive Director Dangote Industries Limited, Halima Dangote; Executive Director, Women Advocate Research and Documentation Centre, Dr. Abiola Akiyode Afolabi and Victor Etuokwu, Executive Director Access Bank Plc, at the 59th Nigerian Bar Association 2019 Annual General Conference, which was sponsored by Dangote Industries Limited, Wednesday 28th August 2019

  • U.S. researchers develop new skin patch for cancer treatment

    U.S. researchers have developed a fast-acting skin patch that could deliver medications to fight cancer, according to a study released recently.

    The study showed that the new skin patch could efficiently deliver medication in one minute to attack cells of melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer.

    Using chicken ovalbumin as a model antigen, the researchers vaccinated mice with their pain-free microneedle patches, and compared the results with intramuscular and subcutaneous injections.

    The microneedle treatment produced nine times the antibody level compared to intramuscular injections and 160 times the antibody level compared to subcutaneous injections, the study said.

    The researchers also saw efficient immune activation in surgical samples of human skin, it said.

    The device is an advance toward developing a vaccine to treat melanoma and has widespread applications for other vaccines, it said.

    The study was presented at the American Chemical Society Fall 2019 National Meeting and Exposition by researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

    “Our patch has a unique chemical coating and mode of action that allows it to be applied and removed from the skin in just a minute while still delivering a therapeutic dose of drugs,’’ Yanpu He, an MIT PhD student, who helped develop the device, said.

    “Our patches elicit a robust antibody response in living mice and show promise in eliciting a strong immune response in human skin,” he said.

    “Our patch technology could be used to deliver vaccines to combat different infectious diseases,” Paula Hammond, head of MIT’s Department of Chemical Engineering and leader of the research team, said.

    “We are excited by the possibility that the patch is another tool in the oncologists’ arsenal against cancer, specifically melanoma,” she said.

    Hammond said the technology will be tested on mice and primates before going to clinic trails. The device is expected to be approved and get on the market in three to five years

  • 12th African Games: Team Nigeria now fourth on medals table after Day 12

    Team Nigeria to the 12th African Games in Morocco on Tuesday moved up the medals table to the fourth position with 20 gold, 13 silver and 16 bronze medals.

    The development meant Nigeria, who were second at the 2015 Games, now have a total of 49 medals after 12 days of competition and with only four days of competition left.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Games tagged “Rabat 2019” and slated for Aug. 19 to Aug. 31 had began on Aug. 16 and will end on Saturday.

    The medals table has defending champions Egypt leading with 40 gold, 64 silver and 38 bronze medals for a total of 142.

    South Africa are in second position with 56 medals, comprising 25 gold, 17 silver and 14 gold, while hosts Morocco are in third place.

    They are with 22 gold, 21 silver and 29 bronze in a total of 72 medals.

    Algeria are in fifth place hot on the heels of Nigeria with 19 gold, 19 silver and 39 bronze in a total of 77 medals.

    Tunisia are also close behind the front-runners in sixth place, with 18 gold, 15 silver and 19 bronze in a total haul of 52 medals.

    NAN reports that only 36 of the participating countries have gained places on the Games’ medals table.

  • Theatre, films, will foster national integration, says UNICAL VC

    he Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Prof. Zana Akpagu, says the interpretation of plays and films will promote national unity and integration in Nigeria.

    Akpagu made this known on Thursday during the 2nd Calabar International Conference of Theatre and Media 2019, holding at the Chinua Achebe Arts Theatre in the University of Calabar.

    The Vice-Chancellor, who was represented by Prof. Uche Amalu, Deputy Vice Chancellor Administration, said that theatre performances could enhance the unity in diversity, thereby encouraging oneness among Nigerians.

    He said that theme of this year’s conference, “Theatre Media and National Integration in a Globalised World’’ is apt as it is borne out of the need to foster national integration.

    The vice-chancellor expressed satisfaction with the activities and performances of the Theatre, Film and Carnival Studies Department, saying it had harnessed the potential of different cultural values through stage performances.

    “I am very confident that the papers that will be presented at this conference will no doubt espouse ways to re-engineer, restructure and reposition our great country, Nigeria for greater heights,’’ he said.

    Prof. Emmy Unuja-Idegu, Head of Theatre, Film and Carnival Studies Department, said that through the instrumentality of entertainment, theatre could enhance societal development.

    Unuja-Idegu said that theatre could deliver a serious message with great impact through music, plays, songs and dance.

    “The role of the Nigerian home movies in trying to unite the country through different plays is highly commendable.

    “The cultural and ambassadorial role that Nollywood is playing is exceptional and that is only an arm of theatre that we are talking about.

    “Government should realise the potency of media and theatre and begin to invest massively in it to promote their image laundry,’’ he said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that there were various stage plays by students of the department to showcase Nigeria’s unity in diversity.

  • NAPTIP nabs 62-year-old man for allegedly defiling 12-year-old girl

    The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Benin Zonal Command, has taken into custody, a 62 years old cobbler, Chukwudi Agustine, for allegedly raping a 12-year-old girl.

    Mr Nduka Nwanwenne, the Benin Zonal Comnander, told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday, in Benin, that the victim who is a student, also helps her mother to sell  “Zobo”, a locally made beverage drink.

    Nwanwenne said the suspect had purchased N50 worth of Zobo from the victim and gave her N500 note.

    “The little girl, who had no change, agreed to come for her money after the day’s sales because she was familiar with the suspect and the environment.

    “Two weeks later, the victim went back to the suspect’s shop to collect her money but she did not meet him there.

    “She was however, directed by the suspect’s apprentice to his house. When she knocked at his door, the suspect dragged her in forcefully and defiled her.”

    Nwanwenne said that the cry of the victim attracted the suspect’s neighbours who rescued her.

    According to the zonal commander, “on realising that the law would catch up with him, the suspect allegedly tried to settle the victim’s mother with the sum of N50,000.

    “He later reduced the settlement sum to N30,000 before he was apprehended by the men of the State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) who handed him over to NAPTIP,” he said.

    Nwanwenne told NAN that the suspect, who hails from Ishiagu Community in Ohazaria Local Government Area of Ebonyi, had allegedly admitted to the crime as investigation was being concluded to charge him to court.

  • Catholic Archbishop tasks new Ministers on diligence, patriotism and selflessness

    The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos,  Most  Rev  Dr  Alfred  Adewale  Martins  has

    admonished the newly sworn-in Ministers of the Federal Republic to serve the nation

    with utmost diligence and deep sense of patriotism in their various Ministries in

    other to help the President move the nation to greater heights.

    In a press release made available to newsmen through the Acting Director of Social

    Communications, Lagos Archdiocese, Rev Fr Anthony Godonu, Archbishop Martins,

    while congratulating the new ministers on their appointments, reminded them that

    they have a great responsibility ahead of them as the country was going through

    very difficult times in all facets.

    He challenged them to rise up to the demands of their offices by hitting the ground

    running and being alive to the yearnings of all segments of Nigerians who have been

    clamoring for a better lease of life irrespective of their religion, political party or

    ethnic affiliations.

    “There have been varying analysis and evaluation of the appointments but what is

    beyond contention is that the challenges  before the new ministers  are enormous.

    They are coming in or being re-appointed at a time when there is so much distress,

    anger and dissatisfaction among the people. The expectations of Nigerians are high

    since their desire for no more than the barest minimum of good living has been left

    unfulfilled for far too long. So, we hope that the Ministers would hit the ground

    running. Their two-day gathering or retreat should have helped them to identify the

    various ways their ministries can impact meaningfully on the lives of the people. The

    ruling Party has made a lot of promises and Nigerians hope that the Ministers would

    work to ensure that the promises would not go the way of similar promises in the

    past that were not satisfactorily discharged. It is only by making the lives of people

    manifestly better that they would be able to justify their appointments to these

    high offices.”

    The Prelate also called on President Muhammadu Buhari and his Ministers to avail

    themselves of  wise  counsel  from  all  well-meaning  Nigerians  irrespective  of  the

    source of counsel. He advised the President to use his second term in office to make

    amends for all  the  shortfalls  of  his  first  tenure,  namely:  security  of  lives  and

    property, supply of  constant  and  stable  power  (electricity),  fixing  the  dwindling

    economy  as  well  as  consolidating  on  the  construction  and  provision  of  social

    infrastructure in country.

    While praying God to imbue the President with wisdom and all the virtues needed for

    his office, he implored him not to discountenance the growing agitations coming from

    the  different  corners  of  this  country  calling  for  the  restoration  of  the  Federal

    character of the country, often referred to as restructuring of the country.

    The  Archbishop  noted  that  President  Muhammadu  Buhari,  as  the  father  of  the

    nation,  should  be  prepared  to  make  every  sacrifice  needed  to  rebuild  and  make

    Nigeria a peaceful nation, united and prosperous. We have for too long been the butt

    of jokes and cynical remarks and we hope the tides would change very soon.