Lottery agency recommits to poverty reduction
The Executive Secretary of the National Lottery Trust Fund, Dr Bello Maigari, has expressed the agency’s commitment to poverty reduction in the country. He stated this during a courtesy visit by the leadership of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors’ Forum for President Tinubu/Shettima, recently in Abuja. “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has done his part by sharing with his vision with the eight-point agenda. NLTF recently conducted surveys and engaged field officers to identify needs across the country. Mustapha said the forum was part of stakeholders of Nigeria’s project as well as advocacy on good governance and leadership to promote Tinubu’s key agenda.
Source:Punch
January 29, 2024 15:43 UTC
Tata Punch EV first drive review: Loaded & Smart but has some flaws
Tata Punch.ev: PlatformTata Punch.ev: How does it look? Tata Punch.ev: Powertrain and Battery packTata Punch.ev: How does it perform? After the blockbuster hit of Tata Punch ICE, the company now wants to replicate the same in an all-electric model. Well, you might expect that the Punch might have a lower ground clearance due to the battery pack but with the electric Punch, it is higher. However, the EV feels solid and there’s a fair amount of weight on the doors and bonnet.
Source:Punch
January 29, 2024 15:15 UTC
Everyone will gradually accept blessings for same-sex couples – Pope
A special case are Africans: for them homosexuality is something bad from a cultural point of view, they don’t tolerate it. Last month, a Vatican document called Fiducia Supplicans (Supplicating Trust), which allowed blessings for same-sex couples, sparked widespread debate in the Catholic Church and around the world. However, the Vatican made it clear that blessings should not be included in regular church ceremonies or linked to civil unions or weddings. According to the bishops, there was a misinterpretation of Pope Francis’s decision to allow the blessing of same-sex marriage. “Asking for God’s blessing is not dependent on how good one is.
Source:Punch
January 29, 2024 14:45 UTC
Falling FDI and states’ wasteful spending
Between 2021 and the third quarter of 2023, these states failed to attract any of the $14.85 billion that international investors channelled into Nigeria. Many of the states on the list are among the lowest revenue-earning states in the country. NBS data showed that between 2018 and 2023, FDI into Nigeria had declined consistently. In the first three quarters of 2023, Nigeria only attracted a total FDI of $193.4 million. It is obvious that governors are spending the money their states don’t have, thereby piling debt for future generations.
Source:Punch
January 29, 2024 14:11 UTC
Drone strike in Jordan kills three US troops, injures 34
Three US service members were killed and at least 34 wounded in a drone attack by Iran-backed militants on US troops in northeastern Jordan near the Syrian border, President Joe Biden and US officials said on Sunday. It is the first deadly strike against US forces since the Israel-Hamas war erupted in October and marks a major escalation in tensions that have engulfed the Middle East. “While we are still gathering the facts of this attack, we know it was carried out by radical Iran-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iraq,” Biden said in a statement. Iran’s mission to the United Nations said in a statement on Monday that Tehran was not involved in the attack. Two US officials said the drone struck near the barracks early in the morning, which could explain the high number of casualties.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
January 29, 2024 09:23 UTC
Tata Punch EV Interior Explained In 15 Images
Front SeatsThe Tata Punch EV, in its top-spec Empowered Plus variant, boasts dual-tone grey leatherette seat upholstery. DashboardThe dashboard of the Tata Punch EV features the same dual-tone treatment with a layered design. Also Check Out: Explained: Tata Punch EV Adventure Long Range Variant In 8 ImagesThis variant comes with chrome-finished door handles. Steering WheelThe Tata Punch EV gets the same new 2-spoke steering wheel with an illuminated Tata logo as its bigger sibling, the Tata Nexon EV. Boot SpaceThe Tata Punch EV offers a boot space of 366 litres, and an additional 14 litres of storage at the front, under the bonnet.
Source:Punch
January 29, 2024 02:34 UTC
Leprosy still exists globally, not relic of the past — BACATMA
The general Public has been called upon to recognise that leprosy far from being a relic of the past, still exists across the globe. The call was contained in a statement issued by the Bauchi State Programme Manager, Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme of Bauchi State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (BACATMA), Dr Yakubu Gida Abdullahi to commemorate the 2024 World Tuberculosis Day (WLD). He stated that the 2024 World Leprosy Day with a Theme: “Beat Leprosy” campaign called for adequate attention on people suffering from the infection. According to him, the commemoration emphasises the preventability and treatability of Leprosy, highlighting that no one should suffer needlessly. The statement was issued to journalists in Bauchi on Sunday by the Information Unit, BACATMA.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
January 28, 2024 16:02 UTC
Navy arrests retired soldier with 400kg hemp in Kogi
The Nigerian Navy Ship Lugard, Lokoja, has arrested a retired soldier and a civilian with over 400 kilogrammes of substance suspected to be hemp along the Ajaokuta-Lokoja Road in Kogi State. The two suspects, a retired corporal in the army, Denis Foukorighe, and Paul Obor, along with the illicit substance, were handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency on Friday in Lokoja. The Commander, NNS Lugard Lokoja, Commodore Ugochukwu Ajulu, while parading the suspects disclosed that the illicit substance was loaded in a Honda Accord saloon car conveying them from Edo State to Garki, Abuja, for commercial purposes. He added that the suspects, both natives of Benue State, were arrested on Tuesday during the navy’s check operations along the Ajaokuta-Lokoja Road. The officer-in-charge of Strike Force, NDLEA, Kogi State Command, Superintendent of Narcotics, Olorunfemi Abolarinwa, who received the two suspects on behalf of the agency, said they would be investigated thoroughly before facing prosecution to serve as a deterrent to others.
Source:Punch
January 28, 2024 15:25 UTC
Improve oil production to stabilise naira, analysts tell FG
Financial and economic analysts have urged the Federal Government to ramp up crude oil production to improve liquidity in the country’s foreign exchange market and help stabilise the naira. I think the short route for now within our country is to improve on crude production. Meanwhile, Nigeria’s oil production rose to 1.4bpd in December, according to the Organisation of Exporting Countries. For the Chief Executive Officer of BIC Consultancy Services Limited, Dr Boniface Chizea, who is an economist, improved oil production would bolster the country’s economy. “If we are able to produce more oil and sell it, that will help stabilise the naira.
Source:Punch
January 28, 2024 14:41 UTC
Used smartphone demand rises, says IDC
The used smartphone market grew by 9.5 per cent in 2023, the International Data Corporation has disclosed. Worldwide shipments of used smartphones, including officially refurbished ones, will reach 309.4 million units in 2023, according to IDC. “IDC forecast new smartphone shipments to decline 3.5 per cent in 2023 as demand, inflation, and political unrest continue to impact the global economy. In contrast, the used market demonstrated fierce resilience to overcome these unforeseen circumstances by displaying nearly 10 per cent growth for the year.”It noted that the used smartphone market continued to grow at an impressive pace when compared to the new smartphone market, which continued to struggle. This lengthening can also be witnessed in the new market where shipments declined 3.5 per cent for 2023.”Nigeria has a large secondhand smartphone market.
Source:Punch
January 28, 2024 14:31 UTC
MMA Ring Or Maldives Parliament? Punches, Kicks, Hair Pulled During Session
Maldivian MPs seen fighting on the floor of parliamentMen in suits and ties heave at one another like madmen. All this took place on the floor of Maldivian parliament, where a key vote on parliamentary approval for the Mohamed Muizzu government was scheduled for today. The footage also shows other members trying to push the MP away. The two men seen in the fight are Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Isa and ruling PNC MP Abdullah Shaheem Abdul Hakeem. Reports say several ruling party members barricaded the House and disrupted the session.
Source:Punch
January 28, 2024 13:43 UTC
Tata Motors steps up its electric game with Punch EV: A Nexon EV successor with enhanced features and safety
Tata Motors has taken a significant stride in the electric vehicle (EV) market with the launch of its latest offering, the Punch EV. However, the question that lingers is whether it stands up to the benchmark set by its predecessor, the Nexon EVAt first glance, the Punch EV adopts a familiar face reminiscent of its older sibling, the Nexon EV. LED Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) with welcome and goodbye sequences, smart charging indicators, and LED projector headlamps with cornering fog lamps contribute to a design that echoes the successful Nexon EV. Tata Motors prioritizes safety with the Punch EV, equipping it with six airbags, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), and ISOFIX child seat mounts as standard. For an in-depth look at the Tata Punch EV and a comprehensive review, watch the accompanying video.
Source:Punch
January 28, 2024 12:53 UTC
How to ease rising external debt-service pressures in low-income countries
Despite this, vulnerabilities remain, with high debt servicing costs a growing challenge for low-income countries. Financing pressures due to relatively high interest payments and the pace at which low-income countries need to repay debt are straining budgets. Low-income countries also have significant debt repayments falling due in the next two years. Low-income countries can already seek debt relief through the Group of Twenty’s Common Framework, including to reduce their immediate debt servicing burden. Overall, the funding squeeze facing low-income countries must be closely monitored.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
January 28, 2024 07:15 UTC
I am with you always (II)
When the disciples focused on seeking the Lord, they enjoyed His divine presence in very tangible ways. It was an experience of tangible and impactful divine presence. As they did, they continued to enjoy experiences and encounters of divine presence. It was not hard for the early disciples to experience God’s presence because they kept busy doing God’s will and God’s work. Let us also get busy doing His will and His work, and we shall experience His presence in tangible and impactful ways.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
January 28, 2024 06:50 UTC