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  • Oshiomhole Pleads For Forgiveness As APC Asks Members To Withdraw Court Cases

    Oshiomhole Pleads For Forgiveness As APC Asks Members To Withdraw Court Cases

    Oshiomhole Pleads For Forgiveness As APC Asks Members To Withdraw Court Cases 1

    Oshiomhole Pleads For Forgiveness As APC Asks Members To Withdraw Court Cases 2


    Embattled National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole, has asked members of the National Working Committee to forgive him of all shortcomings in piloting the affairs of the party.

    Oshiomhole made the plea on Tuesday in Abuja at the end of the meeting by the  committee.

    He said that the move was aimed at promoting peace and building confidence within the party. 

    The APC also directed all members to withdraw all pending cases in court as part of measures to resolve the crisis within the party.

    He said, “I have asked everyone and they have accepted, whatever they consider to be my own shortcomings, I have asked for forgiveness and they have forgiven and whatever I considered to be anyone’s shortcoming that irritated me, I have also forgiven. 

    “This is the way it should be. It can only be abnormal if people know how to fight and they do not know how to settle.” 

    Oshiomhole also announced the lifting of suspension of two members of the NWC, Lawan Shuaibu, Deputy National Chairman, North, and Inuwa Abdulkadir, National Vice Chairman, South West.
     

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    Oshiomhole Pleads For Forgiveness As APC Asks Members To Withdraw Court Cases
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  • South African Airways grounds international flights till May over virus

    South African Airways grounds international flights till May over virus

    South Africa’s flag carrier on Friday suspended all international and regional flights until the end of May following a travel ban aimed at curbing the spread of coronavirus.

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    https://techxplore.com/news/2020-03-south-african-airways-grounds-international.html

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  • Dracunculiasis eradication: intensifying surveillance amid continued zero human cases in Ethiopia and Mali

    Dracunculiasis eradication: intensifying surveillance amid continued zero human cases in Ethiopia and Mali

    A total of 54 human cases of dracunculiasis (guinea-worm disease) were reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2019, with Chad reporting 48 out of the 54 cases.

    In Chad, Ethiopia, Mali and South Sudan, trained volunteers are supporting surveillance and detection of infections in domestic dogs and cats. Surveillance has been heightened, as evidenced by the increase in reports of rumoured human cases which in 2019 peaked at 108 207 out of which 106 678 were investigated within 24 hours.

    “We are working with the broader scientific community to understand the epidemiology of animal infections, mainly in dogs in Chad, where the highest number of human cases were reported in 2019,” said Dr Dieudonné Sankara, who leads WHO’s eradication and elimination team in the Department of Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases. “Interestingly, there have been no human cases in Ethiopia and Mali, and 4 human cases in South Sudan in 2019, compared with 10 in 2018.”

    In Mali, the number of animals infected with Dracunculus medinensis (the guinea-worm) has decreased from 20 animals in 2018 to 8 dogs and 1 cat in 2019. However, insecurity remains a challenge to freely accessing some endemic areas in Mali.

    Conversely, Chad reported 1935 infections in dogs and 46 in cats in 2019, an increase of 85% from 2018, and a 176% increase among humans.

    Angola reported only 1 human case in 2019. Community-based surveillance is being reinforced mainly in Cunene Province where a case was reported in 2018.

    In South Sudan, integrated surveillance activities have been carried out with the trachoma and onchocerciasis control programmes, in accordance with WHO’s recommendation that programmes collaborate, integrate and co-implement activities, whenever possible, to strengthen surveillance.

    In order to strengthen cross-border surveillance, WHO led a mission to Cameroon in November 2019 to investigate circumstances around an “imported” case in the country’s Far North Region. Discussions were held with the health authorities to establish active surveillance in all villages in the area, including training for application of temephos.[1]  

    Also, in 2019, and with the support of trained field workers, vector control was intensified to larvicide ponds and water sources in more than 400 villages, compared with 72 villages in 2018.

    In late 2019, WHO supported cross-border meetings with officials of national dracunculiasis eradication programmes from Mali, Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire in West Africa; between Ethiopia and South Sudan in East Africa, and between Angola and Namibia in Southern Africa, to share experiences and plan joint surveillance activities across the borders to prevent transmission of the disease.

    The disease

    Dracunculiasis is a crippling parasitic disease caused by infection with D. medinensis, a long, thread-like worm. It is usually transmitted when people drink stagnant water contaminated with parasite-infected water fleas.

    WHO works with Member States and in partnership with The Carter Center and the United Nations Children’s Fund to support efforts to eradicate the disease. WHO provides technical guidance, works with national programmes to coordinate surveillance in dracunculiasis-free areas, and monitors and reports on the progress achieved.

    WHO is the only Organization mandated to certify countries as free of transmission of the disease following the recommendations of the International Commission for the Certification of Dracunculiasis Eradication.

    Since 1995, WHO has certified a total of 199 countries, territories and areas, including 187 Member States, as free of dracunculiasis transmission.

    [1] Temephos is a cyclopicide used to kill water fleas (cyclops) that carry the infective guinea-worm larvae.

     

    Dracunculiasis eradication: intensifying surveillance amid continued zero human cases in Ethiopia and Mali
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  • WHO teams with partners to mitigate the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in malaria-affected areas

    The rapid spread of COVID-19 is testing the resilience of robust health systems around the world. WHO and its partners are taking measures to mitigate the potential impact of sustained transmission of the coronavirus in malaria-endemic settings –
    particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, which shoulders more than 90% of the global malaria burden.

    To date, a small proportion of the global COVID-19 cases have been identified in malaria-affected countries. However, as of 17 March, 25 countries in the African Region had reported cases of COVID-19, and local transmission of the disease had been detected
    in 6 countries (Algeria, Cameroon, Kenya, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa).

    “At this point, we still don’t know what the COVID-19 pandemic will look like in sub-Saharan Africa,” said Dr Pedro Alonso, Director of the WHO Global Malaria Programme. “But we do know that when public health emergencies have
    hit parts of Africa with weak health systems and high malaria transmission, the impact on malaria disease and death has been very severe.”

    The 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, for example, undermined malaria control efforts and led to a massive increase in malaria-related illness and death in the 3 countries.

    Joint action 

    To support malaria-affected countries, WHO has identified the need for a set of inter-related actions among global partners: 

    • generating, using and disseminating accurate information; 
    • mitigating against health system disruptions; and 
    • ensuring the continuity of routine malaria-specific interventions while also providing, where needed, additional emergency measures, such as mass drug administration, in health systems significantly impacted by COVID-19. 

    The Organization convened partners on 17 March to discuss areas of collaboration, coordination and next steps.

    WHO has begun monitoring the evolving geographic location of COVID-19 cases to understand the extent to which the coronavirus and malaria affect the same target groups. This information will reveal who is likely to be at greatest risk, where and when,
    and thus inform the need for malaria-specific interventions to save lives.

    In parallel, WHO is working across the 3 levels of the organization to ensure that any advice intended to curb coronavirus transmission and to guide COVID-19 disease management is appropriate in malaria-affected settings.  

    In recent days, there have been reports of disruptions, as a result of COVID-19, in the production and global supply chains of essential malaria commodities, such as the long-lasting insecticidal nets, diagnostic testing and antimalarial medicines. Coordinated
    efforts are required to ensure the availability of key malaria control tools – particularly in countries with a high burden of the disease – and that efforts to limit transmission of COVID-19 do not compromise access to malaria prevention,
    diagnosis and treatment services. 

    Malaria-affected countries may also experience disruptions in health systems in the coming months. A marked increase in febrile patients seeking treatment for COVID-19 at health facilities, for example, would present a significant challenge for a health
    workforce that may itself be depleted by the disease.

    Policy guidance

    WHO is developing guidance for national malaria control programmes and implementing partners to prepare them for the challenges they may face as result of COVID-19.  Among other areas, the guidance will address the mitigation of stockouts of
    malaria medicines and commodities; the use of preventive malaria therapy for health workers; the deployment of emergency measures in some settings; and the generation of information relating to the geographic distribution and populations affected
    by COVID-19 in malaria-endemic settings.  

    Restrictions around grouping people together – for training, social and behavior change communication activities, fixed-site distribution and clinical care – as well as the restrictions around movement of people in the country, will require
    significant adaptations in order to deliver quality interventions and care.

    All people living in malaria-affected areas are advised to follow same precautions as the general population, including: frequent hand-washing, respiratory hygiene, social distancing, seeking prompt medical care if symptoms arise (cough, fever,
    difficulty breathing), and other WHO-recommended actions. 

    WHO stands ready to work with countries and other stakeholders to mitigate the negative impact of the coronavirus on malaria responses worldwide and, where possible, contribute towards a successful COVID-19 response.  

    About COVID-19

    COVID-19 is the infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus. This new virus and disease were unknown before the outbreak began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Essential information on the COVID-19 pandemic can be found in
    a dedicated WHO site.

    About malaria

    Malaria is a preventable and treatable disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. In 2018, there were an estimated 228 million cases of malaria worldwide and
    405 000 malaria-related deaths. For more on malaria, visit: www.who.int/malaria

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  • We have to respect the coronavirus – and learn as the disease evolves

    We have to respect the coronavirus – and learn as the disease evolves

    China, South Korea, Singapore and Canada show just how important testing and quarantine are for tackling the coronavirus, says the WHO’s Bruce Aylward
    We have to respect the coronavirus – and learn as the disease evolves
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    https://www.newscientist.com/article/2237493-we-have-to-respect-the-coronavirus-and-learn-as-the-disease-evolves/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home

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  • Rates of death after stroke have fallen by a quarter in south London

    Rates of death after stroke have fallen by a quarter in south London

    Rates of death and disability after a stroke have fallen by a quarter in south London in the past 16 years, perhaps due to specialist stroke centres
    Rates of death after stroke have fallen by a quarter in south London
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    https://www.newscientist.com/article/2237240-rates-of-death-after-stroke-have-fallen-by-a-quarter-in-south-london/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home

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  • ‘Opinion-mining’ algorithm summarizes social media sentiments automatically

    ‘Opinion-mining’ algorithm summarizes social media sentiments automatically

    Documents that express an opinion abound, especially in the so-called web 2.0 era of social media and social networking. Jae-Young Chang of the Department of Computer Engineering at Hansung University, in Seoul, South Korea, suggests that there is a need to find ways to summarize their contents for a wide range of applications.

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    https://techxplore.com/news/2020-03-opinion-mining-algorithm-social-media-sentiments.html

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  • Taekwondo Drug Testing

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    Every athlete which will participate in any athletic events including Taekwondo tournaments are sanctioned to undergo drug testing which is to be performed solely by their respective Anti-Doping Agency which practices the Protocol for Olympic Movement Testing.

    In the past, there were already several athletes who have been sanctioned by the board and were not allowed to participate in Taekwondo tournament because they failed this drug test. So it is a must that every Taekwondo athlete should never refer to the use of drugs just to enhance your potentials.

    History of Drug Tests amongst Athletes:

    The history of drug test amongst athletes originated during the Summer Olympic Games which involves Carl Lewis and Ben Johnson in their 100m dash competition. Ben Johnson crossed the finish line in a remarkable finish which made him the fastest man alive but this was soon disregarded after he was positively diagnosed to have anabolic steroids in his system a week after the competition.

    This revelation prompted the Olympic Game organizers to have urine drug screens on its participants so as to guarantee that fairness and equality will remain in the competition. Drugs which are prohibited to be used by these athletes include stimulant drugs, beta blockers, masking agents and anabolic androgenic steroids. These drugs are known to help increase and enhance the athletic performance of athletes after they are taken but will also result to several negative side effects which are detrimental to the athletes’ health in the long run.

    How is the drug test performed?

    The drug test will take place at any time during the competition. The athlete is unaware when it will take place but a Doping Control representative will notify the athlete if the time for his or her drug testing has been scheduled. He or she will then be required to comply with the policies and arrive at the Doping Control Station so he or she can proceed with the drug test procedure.

    The Doping Control Representative allows him or her to bring a chaperone but the athlete should remain in the sight of the DC representative all throughout the drug testing procedure.

    What will happen if the athlete refuses to take the random doping test?

    Any athlete who refuses to take the random doping test will be duly sanctioned by the Organization in charge of the event and may receive an athletic suspension of two years such as what has happened to Park Hyo Ji, a South Korean Taekwondo athlete.

    How to pass the required drug test for Taekwondo athletes?

    There is no safer way to pass the urine test for Taekwondo athletes than to do practice a clean and healthy lifestyle. In the end you will be the sole benefactor of your healthy living. Do not fool yourself because honour and prestige which is earned through hard work is always sweeter compared to something acquired through deception. If in doubt, consult the list of banned substances and supplements which are available in all area agencies. Again always cover yourself, if you are taking something that isn’t on the accepted list, that doesn’t mean it has no performance enhancing properties. Write to your Governing Doping Agency to get the all clear prior to starting a new or unknown supplement.

    Keep in mind the Five Tenets of Taekwondo. Be true to your oath as a student and live the principles of you were taught.

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    Source by Brendan Mark Smith

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  • How Dirty Bunks At Summer Camp Can Teach You How To Heal

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    When I was a child and a young adult, I spent twenty summers at Camp Ramah, a network of Hebrew-speaking summer camps located throughout North and South America, Israel, Russia and even Eastern Europe. I was a camper, counselor, teacher, division head, Camp Rabbi and assistant camp director at Ramah in the Poconos and Ramah Massachusetts. Aside from having a wonderful time learning all about what it meant to be a “good Jewish boy,” I now realize that it was at Camp Ramah that I learned a valuable life-lesson which would teach me-and you– how to heal from the pain of loss.

    Surprisingly enough, I learned that lesson from our dirty bunks!

    Every single day, our bunk needed to be cleaned, except for Shabbat, our Sabbath. Chores were divvied up, sometimes using a daily “job Wheel of Fortune,” sometime a weekly cleaning assignment, and sometimes the counselor simply told us what to do. No one liked to clean the bunk, but from bunk clean-up, I learned my first, and perhaps most important healing lesson: mourners need to clean out the losses from their lives, to make room for the life of joy and celebration that is waiting to enter. It wasn’t about the clean-up at all, it was about having something to do each day that would help us reach our goal. We were never allowed not to have a job, that was not an option. Each day we had to actually do something, we couldn’t just sit on our beds and read comic books, and we couldn’t just lie in bed all day!

    Now I am a man, and I do not see dirt, whether it was in my bunk at camp or in my home now. But somewhere in the recesses of my mind, I knew then, and know now, that there was indeed dirt which we needed to clean up and remove. Though I mostly didn’t want to clean, I knew it was necessary.

    You could say that when loss enters our lives, our life-bunks become covered with dirt. The dirt won’t go away by itself, it needs to be swept out. That’s why routine tasks are crucial-they help us get out of bed every morning and tend to the chore of cleaning our bunks. Or our lives..

    If you’re like me, you would sometimes rather not do anything to heal, perhaps just wait until “the right time comes along.” It’s too hard, or it hurts too much, or I don’t like making changes so I’ll just stay the way I am right now-as if you could…

    I know people, and so do you, who are still grieving a loss from ten, twenty or even thirty years ago. I know some one whose husband died ten years ago, and to this day has still not emptied out his clothes closet. When I asked her why not, her answer was: I like to feel that he’s still here with me. Okay, I get that, but for her, he is still alive while she is drowning in sadness, and that is not how life is supposed to be. If she cannot clear out his clothes, then she cannot ever begin to heal, because for her, he hasn’t truly died, and she has not yet said goodbye to him. It’s easier, she thinks, to do nothing. Except we know the truth. Doing nothing is worse than just doing nothing. Doing nothing only makes it harder and harder to begin to sweep out that dirt and let the beauty of life enter into our lives.

    So at camp, the dirt needs to be cleaned up and swept out, or else the bunk will get even dirtier. The lesson is clear. When loss comes, we need to similarly begin to clean up, do what needs to be done, and let the healing begin.

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    Source by Dr. Mel Glazer

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  • Rich and Varied Heritage

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    India is always remembered as a land of diverse cultures. The geographic position, climate and the extent of exposure to foreign cultures have totally influenced the traditions and culture of the different regions at different periods. The greatness of Indian culture has been in adopting the best from all the invaders and intermingling their customs and styles with the existing and this is visible in all aspects of culture.

    Indian culture have always been attached to the great river systems, the watersheds of the Indus and Ganges, the Deccan plateau and South India.

    Secular India is home to Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and other innumerable religious traditions. Hinduism is the dominant religious faith followed by the majority of the population. Colorful traditional festivals are almost 400 that have been happening for centuries. Not a single day passes by without a festival in one region or the other. It is an occasion for men to put on a new traditional costumes and jewelery.

    Traditional wears like the silk saris, cholis have fascinated many a traveler over the centuries. Men in villages are still more comfortable in traditional attire like kurtas, lungis, dhotis and pyjamas.

    Indian literature, Indian poetry, Indian epic poetry Ramayana and Mahabharata, Painting, Sculpture, Architecture- everything is depicted and interpreted through religion and philosophy.

    Well known classical styles of dancing on the Indian stage are Bharatanatyam, Kathakali, Odissi, Kathak, and Manipuri. Folk dances also contribute to the plethora of Indian dances. The common root of all classical dance forms can be traced to Natyasastra, ascribed to Sage Bharata who is believed to have lived between the 1st and 2nd Century AD

    18 Indian languages with 1600 regional dialects are spoken and the linguistic lines are drawn by State boundaries Besides Hindi and English, the other popular languages are Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Oriya, Telugu and Urdu

    Indian Cuisine skill lies in the subtle blending of a variety of spices to make various delicious recipes. These spices are used as home medicines too.

    A typical North-Indian meal would consist of wheat. Rice is the staple diet in South Indian food. Coconut and oil are essential ingredients in all the meal. A meal is rounded off with betel leaf which holds an assortment of digestive part.

    Women are the mirrors of culture of a society. Indian women are becoming increasingly visible and successful in the professional and public sphere. Whether it is Barkha Dutt, Arundhati Roy, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, they have all heralded the arrival of Indian women professionals.

    Latest outsourcing of technological agility, quality, flexibility, cost control, time-to-market and competitive advantage have made India well known in the business world.

    India exports software to 95 countries around the world, outsource high quality brain-power 82% of the US companies ranked India as their first choice for software outsourcing.

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    Source by Shobana Sridhar

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