Kenya Bans Plastic Bags

A ban on plastic bags came into force, on Monday, in Kenya, and those found in violation of the ban could be given a maximum fine of 40,000 dollars or risk imprisonment of up to four years.

The East African nation joins more than 40 other countries that have banned, partly banned or taxed single use plastic bags, including China, France, Rwanda, and Italy.

Many bags drift into the ocean, strangling turtles, suffocating seabirds and filling the stomachs of dolphins and whales with waste until they die of starvation.

“If we continue like this, by 2050, we will have more plastic in the ocean than fish,” said Habib El-Habr, an expert on marine litter working with the UN Environment Programme in Kenya.

Plastic bags, which El-Habr says take between 500 to 1,000 years to break down, also enter the human food chain through fish and other animals.

In Nairobi’s slaughterhouses, some cows destined for human consumption had 20 bags removed from their stomachs.

This is something we didn’t get ten years ago but now its almost on a daily basis,” said county vet Mbuthi Kinyanjui as he watched men in bloodied white uniforms scoop sodden plastic bags from the stomachs of cow carcasses.

Kenya’s law allows police to go after anyone even carrying a plastic bag.

Judy Wakhungu, Kenya’s environment minister, said enforcement would initially be directed at manufacturers and suppliers.

“Ordinary wananchi will not be harmed,” she told Reuters, using a Kiswahili word for “common man”.

It took Kenya three attempts over ten years to finally pass the ban, and not everyone is a fan.

Samuel Matonda, spokesman for the Kenya Association of Manufacturers, said it would cost 60,000 jobs and force 176 manufacturers to close.

Kenya is a major exporter of plastic bags to the region.

“The knock-on effects will be very severe,” Matonda said.

“It will even affect the women who sell vegetables in the market, how will their customers carry their shopping home?”

Big Kenyan supermarket chains like France’s Carrefour and Nakumatt have already started offering customers cloth bags as alternatives.

(NAN)

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Kenya Bans Plastic Bags

A ban on plastic bags came into force, on Monday, in Kenya, and those found in violation of the ban could be given a maximum fine of 40,000 dollars or risk imprisonment of up to four years.

The East African nation joins more than 40 other countries that have banned, partly banned or taxed single use plastic bags, including China, France, Rwanda, and Italy.

Many bags drift into the ocean, strangling turtles, suffocating seabirds and filling the stomachs of dolphins and whales with waste until they die of starvation.

“If we continue like this, by 2050, we will have more plastic in the ocean than fish,” said Habib El-Habr, an expert on marine litter working with the UN Environment Programme in Kenya.

Plastic bags, which El-Habr says take between 500 to 1,000 years to break down, also enter the human food chain through fish and other animals.

In Nairobi’s slaughterhouses, some cows destined for human consumption had 20 bags removed from their stomachs.

This is something we didn’t get ten years ago but now its almost on a daily basis,” said county vet Mbuthi Kinyanjui as he watched men in bloodied white uniforms scoop sodden plastic bags from the stomachs of cow carcasses.

Kenya’s law allows police to go after anyone even carrying a plastic bag.

Judy Wakhungu, Kenya’s environment minister, said enforcement would initially be directed at manufacturers and suppliers.

“Ordinary wananchi will not be harmed,” she told Reuters, using a Kiswahili word for “common man”.

It took Kenya three attempts over ten years to finally pass the ban, and not everyone is a fan.

Samuel Matonda, spokesman for the Kenya Association of Manufacturers, said it would cost 60,000 jobs and force 176 manufacturers to close.

Kenya is a major exporter of plastic bags to the region.

“The knock-on effects will be very severe,” Matonda said.

“It will even affect the women who sell vegetables in the market, how will their customers carry their shopping home?”

Big Kenyan supermarket chains like France’s Carrefour and Nakumatt have already started offering customers cloth bags as alternatives.

(NAN)

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Opportunity to Study Abroad: Apply for 2017 Clement Adesuyi Haastrup Foundation (CAHF) Annual Scholarship Award

Please find below latest scholarships for this week. Click on any of the link to apply.

1. 2017 Clement Adesuyi Haastrup Foundation (CAHF) Annual Scholarship Award
Link: www.scholarshipsandaid.org/2017/08/28/2017-clement-adesuyi-haastrup-foundation-cahf-annual-scholarship-award/

2. Scholarships for Non-Japanese Students at Saitama University in Japan, 2018
 Link: www.scholarshipsandaid.org/2017/08/26/scholarships-for-non-japanese-students-at-saitama-university-in-japan-2018/

3. Privately Sponsored Scholarships at Gifu University in Japan, 2018-2019
Link: www.scholarshipsandaid.org/2017/08/26/privately-sponsored-scholarships-at-gifu-university-in-japan-2018-2019/

4. Scholarships for International Students at Yeditepe University in Turkey, 2017
Link: www.scholarshipsandaid.org/2017/08/26/scholarships-for-international-students-at-yeditepe-university-in-turkey-2017/

5. 2017 PhD Scholarships at University of Sydney in Australia
Link: www.scholarshipsandaid.org/2017/08/25/2017-phd-scholarships-at-university-of-sydney-in-australia/



When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Married Heart Disease Patients Have Better Survival Rates-Researchers Say

 Preventable cardiovascular risk factors are responsible for up to 80 percent of heart attacks.

 Researchers at Aston Medical School in Birmingham, England, found that being married increases the survival rate for patients with heart disease.

The study, presented today at the ESC Congress 2017, of 929,552 adult patients hospitalized in England between 2000 and 2013 found that of patients who had a heart attack, married patients were 14 percent more likely to survive compared to single patients.

The study was the largest of its kind to date and consisted of 25,287 people who had a previous heart attack, 168,431 who had high blood pressure, 53,055 who had high cholesterol and 68,098 had type 2 diabetes.

Researchers found that marriage was a protective factor for patients with the three largest risk factors for heart disease. Married patients with high cholesterol were 16 percent more likely to survive the study period, married patients with type 2 diabetes had a 14 percent higher survival rate and married patients with high blood pressure had a 10 percent higher survival rate.

"Marriage, and having a spouse at home, is likely to offer emotional and physical support on a number of levels ranging from encouraging patients to live healthier lifestyles, helping them to cope with the condition and helping them to comply to their medical treatments," Dr. Paul Carter, a researcher at the ACALM Study Unit, said in a press release.

"Our findings suggest that marriage is one way that patients can receive support to successfully control their risk factors for heart disease, and ultimately survive with them. The nature of a relationship is important and there is a lot of evidence that stress and stressful life events, such as divorce, are linked to heart disease. With this in mind, we also found that divorced patients with high blood pressure or a previous heart attack had lower survival rates than married patients with the same condition."

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Atlanta to unveil Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. statue

Aug. 28 (UPI) -- As statues honoring Confederate leaders come down across the United States, a statue of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., will be unveiled Monday in downtown Atlanta.

The 8-foot-tall bronze statue will be situated at the state Capitol, grounds dominated by figures from Georgia's Confederate and segregationist history. Gov. Nathan Deal will be joined by members of the King family, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, state Rep. Calvin Smyre, Capitol Arts Standards Commission members and other dignitaries at the unveiling.

The sculpture will be visible for up to two blocks down the street named for the civil rights leader, who was assassinated in 1968. The unveiling comes on the 54th anniversary of King's celebrated "I Have a Dream" speech in Washington, regarded historically as a galvanizing moment in the civil rights movement; the date was chosen prior to recent violence in Charlottesville, Va., and the move to take down Confederate monuments.

"He's gazing slightly toward MLK Boulevard," sculptor Martin Dawe told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution of the statue. "You make people smile not by the mouth but by the eyes, so I have a slight glimmer that I hope comes through."

The statue of King will also be looking in the direction of his boyhood home, the Ebenezer Baptist Church, where his father served as pastor, and his burial site.

Atlanta's new statue comes at a time of declining popularity for Confederate statues in the United States. However, a new Confederate monument has gone up in Alabama.

Saturday, a statue dedicated to unknown Confederate war dead was unveiled in Crenshaw County, Ala. The small stone monument is part of a park on private land featuring other memorial markers, replica cannons and flagpoles flying the Confederate battle flag and other emblems.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Congolese radio journalist arrested at protest is beaten in custody

New York, August 25, 2017--Congolese authorities should immediately drop all charges against Jean Pierre Tshibitshabu, a reporter for the independent broadcaster Radio Television KADEKAS, and investigate claims that the journalist was assaulted in custody, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Security forces arrested Tshibitshabu in Lubumbashi on July 31, while he was covering protests calling for elections, according to the journalist's lawyer, David Ilunga Sheria, and the Congolese press freedom advocacy organization Journalistes en Danger. The Democratic Republic of Congo has experienced unrest since December last year, when President Joseph Kabila failed to hold scheduled elections at the end of his term.

Tshibitshabu, who was arrested alongside four activists, has been charged with "incitement and provocation," Ilunga told CPJ. The lawyer told CPJ that when he was leaving Kasapa Central Prison after visiting the journalist on August 18, he witnessed prison inmates repeatedly slap and hit Tshibitshabu, and said that the prison guards did not intervene. The journalist sustained multiple cuts and bruises in the attack. Ilunga said that the prison failed to provide adequate medical treatment and that Tshibitshabu is still suffering from multiple injuries.

CPJ's repeated phone calls to Justin Kutule, the director of Kasapa prison, went unanswered.

"Congolese authorities should immediately release Jean PierreTshibitshabu, drop all charges against the journalist, and take action against those who attacked him in prison," said CPJ Africa Program Coordinator Angela Quintal. "Journalists must be permitted to operate freely without fear of harassment or detention in the Democratic Republic of Congo, especially during times of tension."

On the day of his arrest, police confiscated Tshibitshabu's phone and seized about 30,000 Congolese francs (US$19) as well as US$20 in cash, Ilunga told CPJ, adding that the Tshibitshabu planned to file a complaint against the security forces.

When CPJ contacted the Lubumbashi police, a person who identified himself only as Major Paul refused to comment.

Chaertk Ntamdwe, the director of Radio Television KADEKAS, told CPJ the station is contacting international organizations to highlight Tshibitshabu's case and secure his release. The journalist is due to appear in a Lubumbashi court on August 29, his lawyer told CPJ.

CPJ is aware of at least 18 other journalists detained or harassed by Congolese security forces on the same day Tshibitshabu was arrested. The other arrested journalists were released without charge.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Cameroon Squad for 2018 World Qualifier Against Nigeria: List of 23 Players

Cameroon National team coach Hugo Bross has released the names of the 23 players that will face Nigerian in the world cup qualifier for Russia 2018. Here below is the full list.

1. Ondoa Frabrice (FC Séville, Spain)
2. Goda Jules (AC Ajaccio, France)
3. Bokwe Georges (Mjondalen, Norway)
4. Ngadeu Ngadjui Michael (Slavia Prague, Turkey)
5. Teikeu Adolphe (FC Sochaux, France)
6. Mabouka Ernest (Maccabi Haïfa, Israël)
7. Castelleto Jean Charles (Brest, France)
8. Leuko Serge (CD Lugo, Spain)
9. Fai Collins (Standard de Liège, Belgium)
10. Banana Yaya (Panionios, Greece)
11. Nouhou Tolo (Seattle Sounders, USA)
12. Djoum Suitchuin Giles Arnaud (FC Hearts, Scotland)
13. Mandjeck Georges (Sparta Prague, Turkey)
14. Siani Sébastien (KV Oostende, Belgium)
15. Franck Zambo Anguissa (Marseille, France)
16. Choupo Moting (Stoke City, England)
17. Aboubakar Vincent (FC Porto, Portugal)
18. Moukandjo Benjamin (Jiansung, China)
19. Bassogog Christian (Henan Jianye, China)
20. Toko Ekambi Karl (FC Angers, France)
21. Nsame Jean Pierre (Young Boys, Switzerland)

22. Moumi Ngamaleu (Rheinorf, Austria)
23. Fabrice Olinga (Royal Mouscron, Belgium)

Source: FECAFOOT


When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Rats Association of Nigeria Debunks Allegation of Vandalising Buhari's Office

A satirical and humourous post making rounds on social media to mock claims that rats have prevented President Muhammadu Buhari from resuming office is currently gaining attention.

 

President Muhammadu Buhari and some rats

 

Rats Association of Nigeria (RAN) has refuted the Presidency's allegation of vandalism against its members. 

 

An Assistant Senior Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu had stated that some rodents destroyed pieces of furniture as well as air condition facilities in Buhari's office thereby necessitating a quick renovation.

Reacting to the allegation, the National chairman Rats Association of Nigeria (RAN) Comrade Ntapia O. Ntapia said "We respect protocols, our members don't cross National Red Lines. We are peaceful and law-abiding citizens as we are found in every home across the country. We therefore urge the general public and good people of Nigeria to please disregard the ridiculous and baseless allegation"

 

In a telephone chat with the Aso Rock coordinator of the Association Chief Tụfịakwa Kpokokpo, who also debunked the accusation as false and laughable, warned the Buhari's administration to desist from instigating Nigerians against them. 

 

"You could recall that sometimes last year, this same administration accused us of spreading Lassa fever in some parts of the country which later turned to be false after mass killing of our members. As if that was not enough, they also accused us of inserting 'foreign materials' into the 2015 national budget.

 

Now, they have come again with another bunkum. We are fully aware that Buhari is doing everything possible to ruthlessly annihilate and exterminate us, but he will fail" he said. 

 

Nigerians are currently reeling in laughter over the political joke about the rat invasion. Political pundits are of the view that Buhari's failure to resume office but rather work from home is connected to his lack of fitness after spending about 104 days in the United Kingdom treating an unspecified ailment.

 

Buhari has also given oxygen to their claims as he cancelled the Federal Executive Council meeting yesterday for an undisclosed reason.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

FIFA Gives Red Card to Tombi A Roko, Creates Normalisation Commitee at FECAFOOT

 

Abdouraman    .............Tombi A Roko

Reports say the Bureau of the FIFA Council has decided to put an end to the tussle at the Cameroon Football Federation-FECAFOOT today 23 August 2017. According information circulating on the social media, FIFA has announced the creation of another Normalisation Committee (after the Owona led Committee) which will take over from the Tombi led team in conformity with article 14 paragraph 1a) and article 8, parargragh 2 of the FIFA Statutes.

Sports analysts say the decision has confirmed that which was taken by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) of the decision of the “Chambre de Conciliation et d’Arbitrage du Comité Olympique et Sportif du Cameroun” (CCA/CNOSC) to annul the electoral process that brought Tombi and his team at the helm of Cameroon Football Federation. Expressionists are waging tongues as to why only now when Cameroon is preparing to host AFCON in 2019. On the other hand impressionists have described Hamadou Babba Abdouraman has the man who saw tomorrow. This, analysts say is an exit for Tombi A Roko from football business. JB Ndeh public opinion holds is likely the man to head the FIFA Normalisation Committee given his experience.

Volcanic Sports states that the Normalisation Committee created by FIFA shall perform the following functions:

·         To draft new statutes in consultation with all stakeholders and in compliance with FIFA’s Statutes and standards as well as mandatory national law;

·         To review the statutes of the regional and departmental leagues and ensure their alignment with the FECAFOOT statutes;

·         To identify the delegates of the FECAFOOT general assembly and of the regional and departmental leagues;

·         To organise and conduct elections of a new FECAFOOT executive committee.

The normalisation committee will be composed of an adequate number of members to be identified by a joint FIFA and CAF mission scheduled to take place very shortly. 

The committee will act as an electoral committee and none of its members will be eligible for any of the open positions in the elections. 

The specified period of time during which the normalisation committee shall perform its functions shall expire no later than 28 February 2018.

 


When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

How Americans Witness First Solar Eclipse in 99 Years #PhotoNews

The U.S First Family gathered on the White House balcony and joined millions of Americans to watch the first total solar eclipse to sweep across America in 99 years.

Trump and Melania watching the eclipse

American President, Donald Trump was joined on the balcony of the White House by his wife Melania, his children, Barron and Ivanka, and cabinet members including Jeff Sessions, to watch the first total solar eclipse to sweep across America in 99 years.

According to a report by Dailymail, darkness swept across the US on Monday during the once-in-a-lifetime event as the eclipse traveled from coast to coast, ending just before 3pm EDT in South Carolina.

The celestial event began in Oregon at just after 9am PDT, and by 10.20am, the sun was completely blocked out except for a halo-like solar corona plunging the area into twilight. 

Over the next 90 minutes, the total eclipse traveled through 14 different states until ending in South Carolina. The other 36 states were all treated to a partial solar eclipse, where the moon covers only a part of the sun.

Millions had turned out to see the natural spectacle, including the Trumps and dozen of celebrities including the Kardashian clan, Ellen DeGeneres and Serena Williams. 

In Oregon, locals ran out of their homes, with eclipse glasses or homemade contraptions in hand, to watch the moon fully cover the sun. 'It's really, really, really, really awesome,' said 9-year-old Cami Smith as she watched the fully eclipsed sun from a gravel lane near her grandfather's home at Beverly Beach, Oregon. 

The temperature dropped and birds quieted down as the line of darkness raced across the continent. In Boise, Idaho, people clapped and whooped, and the street lights came on briefly in the middle of the day, while in Nashville, Tennessee, people craned the necks at the sun and knocked back longneck beers at Nudie's Honky Tonk bar.

This is the first time America has experienced a coast to coast, total solar eclipse in 99 years. 

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Coca-Cola, Pespi, Five Others Agree to Adjust Sugar Content of Drinks

Seven major drinks companies including Coca-Cola and PepsiCo will limit the sugar content of drinks they sell in Singapore, as part of the city-state’s campaign to fight diabetes.

Singapore is one of the first countries in Asia to target sugary drinks, bringing it in line with many Western nations that have sought to mitigate the health risks associated with sugar through measures such as taxes and warning labels.

Globally, beverage firms have been reworking recipes, racing to cut sugar and introduced more options to cater to increasingly health-conscious consumers.

On Tuesday, Singapore’s ministry of health said the seven firms had signed an industry pledge to remove by 2020 drinks that contain more than 12 percent sugar from their portfolios of sugar-sweetened beverages.

As well as Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, the companies include F&N Foods, Malaysia Dairy Industries, Nestle, Pokka and Yeo Hiap Seng.

“In addition to this industry commitment, Coca-Cola Singapore is making an additional commitment to reduce the sugar content in our portfolio of sugar-sweetened beverages by 10 percent by 2020,” Coca-Cola said in an email to Reuters.

It said it had been reducing sugar and calories across many of its brands, and offering more new drinks with low sugar content or no added sugar.

Daily sugar consumption per capita from soft drinks has risen since 2010 to 6.08 grammes in Asia-Pacific in 2016, with Singapore at 11.99 grammes, according to market research firm Euromonitor.

Consumption has been trending lower in Europe and the United States, but it is still higher than in Asia-Pacific.

 “Governments in Asia are actively promoting healthy consumption, such as Malaysia which launched its Healthier Choices Logo in April 2017,” said Euromonitor International analyst Nathanael Lim.

“Consumers also have an increasing preference for beverages containing natural ingredients with zero sugar.”

The World Health Organisation said in 2016 drinking fewer calorific sweet drinks was the best way to curb excessive weight and prevent chronic diseases such as diabetes, although fat and salt in processed foods were also to blame.

Among Asian countries, the Philippines has slapped levies on sugar-sweetened beverages, while Indonesia and India have been considering similar taxes.

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong mentioned the drinks makers’ agreement in a speech on Sunday, in which he also urged people to drink water, eat wholemeal bread and brown rice, but did provide details

 



When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Guys Here are Some Important Tips on How to Make Your Girlfriend Love You More?

Life is not a video game, but there are still some tried and true ways you can impress your significant other. Check out some tips on how to make your girlfriend love you even more than she does now!

File photo

 

What can make your girlfriend love you more? Here are some practical tips that will help you.

 

1. Listen to what she has to say. It might seem obvious to many, but some people still manage to miss this simple but crucial step. If you are having a conversation, really listen to her. Do not just pretend to listen and then make excuses as to why you did not hear her last sentence.

 

According to the old Russian saying, ‘women love with their ears’. However, women also appreciate being listened to. Even if she just has to vent about her annoying co-workers, pause your work and offer a sympathetic ear. We guarantee that it will not go unnoticed.

 

2. Compliment her. Women do love with their ears, so a well-timed compliment will do wonders for your romance. Do not focus only on appearance, although occasional mentions of how good her hair looks are important too.

 

Play to her strengths, compliment her on things she is most proud of. It can be a promotion, a successful meal, a win in a marathon, or anything she worked hard for. You can also try to reduce her personal insecurities by saying how much you love them and appreciate them for making her who she is.

 

3. Ask her advice. Almost any person loves being helpful and important. Your girlfriend will definitely appreciate it if you ask her help in resolving a difficult situation. This tip would work great if it is her area of expertise. However, it might be hard to think of what to ask the PhD of Quantum Physics. What is the meaning of life, maybe?

 

4. Be her support system. Every woman needs someone she can turn to when things do not go her way. In this situation, that person is you! If you see that she is upset about something, ask her about it. Nevertheless, do not press if she refuses to answer. Simply say that you are there when she needs you. Eventually, she will tell you, and you can figure it out together.

 

5. Do not be afraid of her tears. Many people feel very uncomfortable when they see open displays of intense emotions. But if you want to be the best partner you can be, set your feelings aside and offer your shoulder to cry on.

 

6. Leave the past in the past. Unless your girlfriend initiates the ‘ex talk’, do not ask her about her exes. You do not need to know who she was with before. You should only care about the relationship at hand. However, when she asks you about the people you used to date, do not compare them to her. Describe them as if you were describing one of your friends.

 

7. Have a good relationship with her family and friends. It does not mean that you have to be best friends with all of them. Be as nice as you can, even if your views on life are incompatible. If you absolutely hate all of them, try to limit your communication with them. Do not make your girlfriend choose between you and them. It is an unfair choice, and you will most likely loose.

 

8. Surprise her. This encompasses all of the cutesy romantic behaviour you can think of. Leave cute notes around the house, plan surprise dates, or show up at her workplace during lunch hour. However, make sure that she likes surprises beforehand. Do a ‘trial run’ in a safe environment or just ask her outright. Because nothing is worse than an unwanted surprise.

 

9. Treat her. This does not necessarily mean you need to spend ridiculous amounts of money just to please her. Make her favourite meal, take her to her favourite theatre, or massage her feet when she gets home. Little things like that will work better than any words. Although occasional big gestures like a luxurious romantic trip for two will be great for the both of you.

 

If you live together, do not think that she has to do all the housework. Divide the chores between you, and if she works more than you, offer to take over her responsibilities.

 

10. Give her space. You do not have to be together 24/7. Even though it is your partner we are talking about, you have no right to control her in any way. Let her have her moments of solitude, encourage her to hang out with her friends.

 

A good loving relationship should be built on trust. This means that you two can have your separate lives and still love each other immensely. Staying apart for a while will do you both some good. In those moments, try to calm your jealousy. Do not look for signs of cheating if they are not there.

 

11. Be yourself. This is the most important part many people forget about. If she is your girlfriend, it means that she already loves you. You do not have to jump out of your skin and demand the impossible. Just be the nicest version of yourself you can be. As long as you are a decent human being, she will love you with all you strengths and weaknesses.

 

These are all very generic tips. If you want to know what will definitely work for your girlfriend, why don’t you ask her? There is no definitive guide to how to make girls love you. Every woman is different, so do not be surprised if your typical wooing fails.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)