This pink manta ray, nicknamed Clouseau, has resurfaced off Australia’s coast. No one knows why it has a bubble-gum pink underside or if there are others out there
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KAIST researchers have developed a novel wearable strain sensor based on the modulation of optical transmittance of a carbon nanotube (CNT)-embedded elastomer. The sensor is capable of sensitive, stable, and continuous measurement of physical signals. This technology, featured in the March 4th issue of ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces as a front cover article, shows great potential for the detection of subtle human motions and the real-time monitoring of body postures for healthcare applications.
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https://techxplore.com/news/2020-03-wearable-strain-sensor-transmittance-physical.html
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A follower on Twitter asked me on Saturday whether it is “constitutional” for the government to restrict religious and social gatherings because of Coronavirus?
By virtue of Section 45 of the 1999 constitution, the rights to peaceful assembly and free movement can be interfered with in the interest of public health and public safety. Is Coronavirus a threat to public health and public safety? The answer is obviously in the affirmative.
Section 14 (2)(b) of the constitution states that “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.”
However, I urge President Buhari to declare a state of emergency throughout the federation in line with Section 305 of the constitution.
Section 305 (3)(d) of the constitution, allows for a state of emergency when “there is clear & present danger of breakdown of public order and public safety in the federation or any part thereof requiring extraordinary measures to avert such danger.” COVID-19 is a clear and present danger to public safety.
Unlike in the United States, States in Nigeria cannot declare emergency. A governor supported by 2/3 members of the House of Assembly can only request the president to do so for them as stated in Section 305 (4) of the constitution. This is an example of the fraudulent nature of our federalism.
Since there is no special law to my knowledge, apart from laws establishing national and States emergency management agencies, to address public health crisis, it is necessary for the President to declare a state of emergency in Nigeria to address the outbreak of Coronavirus.
In the absence of a law enabling these restrictions to social and religious gatherings, the legality of these measures is questionable. This is because fundamental rights cannot be derogated from except as prescribed in a law that is “reasonably justifiable in a democratic society.”
It is either a law is urgently enacted across the volatile states or the President invokes the state of emergency clause. As at today, there is no strong legal basis for restricting gatherings. None of the governors or the President has issued even an ordinary ‘Executive Order’.
In the United States for example where we copied our presidential system, President Trump declared a national emergency, and at least 48 States in the US have also declared emergency due to COVID-19. The American Congress also passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.
In Nigeria, we are resorting to our usual militaristic way of doing things by relying on arbitrary executive fiat to tackle COVID-19. Nations do not become great just by the “good intentions” of politicians. Nations become great principally by adhering to the rule of law.
In the light of the foregoing, I strongly urge the federal and state governments to urgently take steps to address the apparent legal loopholes in their efforts to tackle Coronavirus. It is obvious that Nigeria is not prepared for an outbreak. We are doing trial and error.
We need a legal framework; not only to give legal backing to the restrictions on the fundamental rights of Nigerians to religion, association, assembly, movement, etc., but to also provide for reliefs for families and victims of COVID-19.
We should not wait for the worst to happen.
I wish to draw the attention of the government to the decision of the Court of Appeal in the celebrated case of Okafor v. Lagos State Government (2017) 4 NWLR (Pt. 1556) 404 where it was held that disobeying the “order” or “directive” of a governor is not a criminal offence.
In that case, Lagos State issued an order restricting movement during environmental sanitation, Okafor was arrested for disobeying the order. The court declared the arrest illegal and unconstitutional since there was no law that criminalized violation of the governor’s order.
Without a law or a state of emergency, it is illegal to arrest anyone for violating a mere executive order. Emotions cannot change the law. If religious leaders whose places of worship have been closed decide to challenge the closure in court, the government will likely lose.
I hope the government at all levels will listen to the voice of reason and initiate appropriate legal frameworks to support the containment of COVID-19. It is either we are a country of laws or a banana republic.
We should not yield to authoritarian rule because of expediency.
Inibehe Effiong is a Lagos-based legal practitioner and human rights activist
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http://saharareporters.com/2020/03/22/covid19-restrictions-peaceful-assembly-and-movement-without-law-or-state-emergency
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Growing competition has made it necessary for businesses to be available to their customers all the time. Official websites of the company are one of the most preferred ways in which consumers choose to connect with businesses. This makes it essential for businesses and marketers to understand how exactly their customers use their website and what it is that they are looking for. Getting into these details can help them to a great extent in improving their online presence as well as coming out with online marketing campaigns…
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http://www.associationofmarketing.org/articles/view.php?article_id=14160
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Groupon is a great tool for marketers. It helps them to get their products discovered and attract new customers. It helps them gain a foothold in new markets and helps them find new customers who may not have tried their products before. However, there are several considerations that a marketer should keep in mind before making use of Groupon. Groupon has several pros and cons, both of which…
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http://www.associationofmarketing.org/articles/view.php?article_id=14076
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There’s still a great deal of uncertainty as to what impact the coronavirus pandemic will have on the UK’s cultural life. More and more people are now choosing to self-isolate and theatres, cinemas, clubs and concert halls are closing down for the duration with talk that an enforced lockdown is ever more imminent.
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https://techxplore.com/news/2020-03-lockdown-online.html
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Quite a few Gmail users found the ?Display Images? option on email platform rather inconvenient. Now, however, you do not have to click on the option for images in emails to be displayed. On Thursday, Google added improvements to its software and received a great number of positive responses from users worldwide…
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http://www.associationofmarketing.org/articles/view.php?article_id=14262
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John B. Neff, who directed Vanguard Windsor Fund to great success, has died.
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https://investornews.vanguard/vanguard-mourns-passing-of-windsor-fund-legend-john-neff/
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Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), commonly known as drones, are widely used in mapping, aerial photography, rescue operations, shipping, law enforcement, agriculture, among other things. Despite great potential for improving public safety, use of drones can also lead to very undesirable situations, such as privacy and safety violations, or property damage. There is also the highly concerning matter of drones being harnessed to carry out terrorist attacks, which means a threat to public safety and national security.
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https://techxplore.com/news/2020-03-drone-safety.html
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How would you feel if you found out the number of people who saw and read your last tweet? It would feel great!
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http://www.associationofmarketing.org/articles/view.php?article_id=14542
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