WAEC Nigeria Hosts 37th AEAA Conference, Adenipekun For Investiture As Next President

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) Nigeria National Office under the leadership of Mr. Olu Isaac Adenipekun, has concluded all arrangements to host the 37th Annual Conference of the Association for Educational Assessment in Africa (AEAA).

According to a detailed release by Mr. Demianus Ojijeogu (anipr) Nigeria’s image-maker of the Council, the week-long conference will commence Monday, 5th and last till Friday, 9th of August, 2019 at the Congress Hall, Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.

The Conference, the release stated, will be declared open by the Minister of Education or his Representative.

IT further informed that over 400 delegates from around the world are expected to attend the weeklong conference.

Meanwhile, as of Friday, July 27, 2019, 343 delegates had already registered to attend the conference via the AEAA website: http://bit.ly/2GFaWzr even as provision has also been made for registration at the conference venue by delegates.

Several erudite scholars have been selected as Keynote Speakers.

Among the side attraction-activities lined up for the international conference is a guided tour of various tourist sites within the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and the neighbouring Niger State on Wednesday, August 7, 2019.

“On Friday, August 9, 2019, during the closing ceremony by the Nigerian Honourable Minister of Education or his representative, Mr. Olu Isaac Adenipekun, Head of National Office, WAEC Nigeria will be handed the baton of leadership of the Association as President during an investiture.”; the statement concluded.

The post WAEC Nigeria Hosts 37th AEAA Conference, Adenipekun For Investiture As Next President appeared first on Independent Newspapers Nigeria.

Source: Independent

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL CONTENT

Brought to you by: RIDBAY | WEBSITE DESIGN & DIGITAL MARKETING

China's factory activity contracted in July, a private survey shows

China's Caixin/Markit factory Purchasing Managers' Index for was 49.9 — slightly better than expected.
Source: CNBC World News

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL CONTENT

Brought to you by: RIDBAY | WEBSITE DESIGN & DIGITAL MARKETING

Saudi Law Firms Refusing To Act Against Pirate Football Broadcaster BeoutQ : FIFA

Saudi Arabia’s beoutQ has been slammed by football’s leading governing bodies and domestic leagues for its continued illegal streaming of European and international football, with the alliance again calling on Riyadh to take action against the “pirate broadcaster”.

FIFA, the AFC, UEFA, Germany’s Bundesliga, Spain’s LaLiga, the English Premier League and Italian Serie A issued a joint statement Wednesday regarding the activities of beoutQ in Saudi Arabia.

“We, the rights holders of various football competitions, collectively condemn in the strongest possible terms the ongoing theft of our intellectual property by the pirate broadcaster known as ‘beoutQ’ and call on the authorities in Saudi Arabia (KSA) to support us in ending the widespread and flagrant breaches of our intellectual property rights taking place in the country,” the group said in a statement.

BeoutQ emerged following a major diplomatic dispute between Qatar and a number of neighbouring states, after the Saudi-led coalition’s surprise blockade on Doha in June 2017.

Saudi Arabia and its allies, looking to undermine, blocked the Qatari broadcaster BeIN Sports, which provided football fans from across the Arab world access to English Premier League, Spanish La Liga and other important games.

After BeIN was blocked, a mysterious pirate broadcaster emerged in Saudi Arabia, illegally streaming matches provided by the Qatari provider.

Since May 2018, FIFA, UEFA, the AFC and major football leagues said they have been working with an international legal counsel to monitor and compile evidence against beoutQ of its illegal broadcasting of games on an industrial scale.

They concluded that beoutQ is specifically targeting customers in Saudi Arabia and is “utilising the facilities of at least one KSA-based entity”.

Over the past 15 months, the football alliance said it had spoken to nine law firms in Saudi Arabia which refused to act on their behalf against beoutQ, the statement said.

“As copyright holders we have reached the conclusion, regrettably, that it is now not possible to retain legal counsel in KSA [Kingdom of Saudi Arabia] which is willing or able to act on our behalf in filing a copyright complaint against beoutQ,” the alliance said in a statement.

“We feel we have now exhausted all reasonable options for pursuing a formal copyright claim in KSA and see no alternative but to pursue beoutQ and a solution to this very serious problem of piracy by other means.”

It did not mention what action it might take yet, but stated that initial pledges by the Saudi government to act against the pirate broadcaster have come to nothing.

“Given the scale of beoutQ’s piracy in KSA and that the piracy continues unabated, we request that the Ministry and the Saudi Government take swift and decisive action against beoutQ,” it added.

“We are committed, collectively and individually, to working with all relevant authorities to combat the beoutQ piracy.”

The post Saudi Law Firms Refusing To Act Against Pirate Football Broadcaster BeoutQ : FIFA appeared first on Independent Newspapers Nigeria.

Source: Independent

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL CONTENT

Brought to you by: RIDBAY | WEBSITE DESIGN & DIGITAL MARKETING

Havertz Could Succeed Me As World Player Of The Year” – Matthäus

Germany legend Lothar Matthäus has tipped rising Bayer Leverkusen star Kai Havertz to follow in his footsteps by being officially recognised as the best player in the world.

Havertz, who turned 20 in June, scored a stunning 17 Bundesliga goals from midfield last season to help Leverkusen finish fourth and to seal a return to the UEFA Champions League.

Capped three times by Germany, he finished second to Borussia Dortmund captain Marco Reus in the voting for the 2019 German Footballer of the Year prize.

Matthäus, meanwhile, was named the FIFA World Player of the Year in 1991 – a year after captaining West Germany to FIFA World Cup glory. The 58-year-old, who won seven Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich, now feels that Havertz has the potential to one day win the Best FIFA Men’s Player prize.

“He has set the bar very high – for me he was the player of the season,” Matthäus told kicker magazine.

“If Havertz can maintain this high standard, with his natural talent, cleverness, presence on the pitch, and goal threat, then he could someday follow me as world footballer of the year.”

Matthäus praised Havertz for keeping his feet on the ground to date, and said that playing in the Champions League again will further help his development.

Leverkusen goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky echoed club captain Lars Bender by also telling kicker that he has been hugely impressed by his teammate – often smiling to himself while watching how easy Havertz makes the game look.

“The lads here are just happy to play with him,” Hradecky said.

“Players even want to join us in order to play with him. This elegance, calmness, and sense of space usually only comes to a player when they’re 28.”

Last year, at the age of 18 years and 307 days, Havertz became the youngest player in Bundesliga history to make 50 appearances.

In April he scored on his 100th appearance for Leverkusen, and his brace in the 5-1 win over Hertha Berlin on the final day of 2018/19 made him the highest-scoring teenager in a single Bundesliga campaign.

The Aachen native, who started all but one of Die Werkself’s league matches last term, also netted three times in the UEFA Europa League.

The post Havertz Could Succeed Me As World Player Of The Year” – Matthäus appeared first on Independent Newspapers Nigeria.

Source: Independent

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL CONTENT

Brought to you by: RIDBAY | WEBSITE DESIGN & DIGITAL MARKETING

Dollar hits two-year high against the euro as Fed's Powell rules out prolonged easing cycle

The dollar rose to a two-year peak against the euro and hit a two-month high versus the yen on Thursday as U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell ruled out a lengthy easing cycle after delivering the first rate cut since the financial crisis.
Source: CNBC World News

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL CONTENT

Brought to you by: RIDBAY | WEBSITE DESIGN & DIGITAL MARKETING

Biden and Harris go on the attack in Democratic debate

Democratic presidential front-runner Joe Biden and rival Kamala Harris battled fiercely over their healthcare plans in a debate on Wednesday, picking up where they left off last month when they had an explosive confrontation over race.

Source: Reuters Politics

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL CONTENT

Brought to you by: RIDBAY | WEBSITE DESIGN & DIGITAL MARKETING

Joel Valencia: Brentford Sign Piast Gliwice Winger

Brentford have signed Ecuadorian winger Joel Valencia for an undisclosed fee on a four-year deal.

The 24-year-old joins from Polish side Piast Gliwice, having helped them win the title in 2018-19.

“Joel had an excellent season last season and was one of the main reasons Piast Gliwice won the league for the first time,” boss Thomas Frank told the club website.

“He is a player with incredibly quick feet and he will excite fans.”

The 24-year-old joins from Polish side Piast Gliwice, having helped them win the title in 2018-19.

“Joel had an excellent season last season and was one of the main reasons Piast Gliwice won the league for the first time,” boss Thomas Frank told the club website.

“He is a player with incredibly quick feet and he will excite fans.”

The post Joel Valencia: Brentford Sign Piast Gliwice Winger appeared first on Independent Newspapers Nigeria.

Source: Independent

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL CONTENT

Brought to you by: RIDBAY | WEBSITE DESIGN & DIGITAL MARKETING

Japan-South Korea dispute may be good news for memory chip prices

If Japan takes away special trade privileges from South Korea, Samsung could be forced to look for alternative suppliers for its memory chips and that could give prices a boost, says Mark Newman from Sanford C. Bernstein.
Source: CNBC World News

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL CONTENT

Brought to you by: RIDBAY | WEBSITE DESIGN & DIGITAL MARKETING

Backstop Holding Up Brexit Deal

How to keep the Irish border free-flowing has proved to be the toughest issue to resolve in negotiating Britain’s exit from the European Union, According to Ednh.news.

Goods and people freely cross the land border between British Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, as both countries are members of the EU.

The withdrawal agreement negotiated last year between London and Brussels contains a “backstop” plan to maintain this situation whatever happens with Brexit.

However, British MPs have rejected it three times and new Prime Minister Boris Johnson warns the backstop must go or Britain will leave the EU on October 31 without any deal.

– Why is this an issue? –

As members of the EU, Britain and Ireland are both part of the bloc’s single market and customs union, and their 300-mile (500-kilometre) border is largely invisible.

Local businesses and individuals cross over numerous times a day to transport goods, to go to school or work.

After Brexit, the border will become part of the EU’s external frontier, suggesting checks will need to be made on products coming in and out.

But free movement is considered vital to maintaining peace in Northern Ireland, which was for decades plagued by violence over British rule.

During “The Troubles”, in which around 3,500 people were killed, the border was a flashpoint for attacks and a lucrative smuggling route that helped fund paramilitaries.

British and Irish army checkpoints were removed after the 1998 Good Friday peace accords.

Police have warned that any new infrastructure along the border could become a target for dissident militants.

In December 2017, London and Brussels agreed to “the avoidance of a hard border, including any physical infrastructure or related checks and controls”.

– What was agreed? –

In November 2018, the EU and Britain concluded a withdrawal agreement covering various issues related to the Brexit separation, including the Irish border.

The agreement set out plans for a post-Brexit transition phase until December 2020, during which Britain’s relationship with the EU would remain unchanged in practice while the two sides agreed new arrangements.

Britain wants to resolve the Irish border issue as part of a new trade deal with Brussels, but this could take years, well beyond the transition phase.

As a result, it agreed to a backstop, or insurance plan, which guarantees an open border unless and until the new arrangements are in place.

The backstop plan would keep Britain aligned with rules of the EU’s customs union, while Northern Ireland would adhere to some rules of the single market, such as on agricultural production.

– What is the problem?

The EU made a considerable compromise with the backstop, which allows Britain to remain in its customs union indefinitely without being a member of the bloc.

But in London and Belfast, many view it as a trap, and the backstop is the main reason that the British parliament repeatedly rejected the withdrawal agreement.

London and Brussels have agreed to put all their efforts into finding alternatives, but neither can end the backstop unilaterally, nor is there a time limit.

Eurosceptics fear it will keep Britain close to the EU for years after Brexit.

Meanwhile in Belfast, Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) fears the backstop creates a separate economic status from the rest of the United Kingdom.

The DUP has huge influence in London, as the party that props up the Conservative government.

– What now?

Johnson is pressing for the backstop to be removed from the withdrawal agreement, and the issue of the Irish border resolved after Britain leaves the EU.

He and fellow Brexit supporters in London say any checks can be carried out through “alternative arrangements” away from the border, including using new technology.

Brussels has committed to looking into alternatives that would mean the backstop never comes into force, but says there is no current solution and so it must stay.

Without agreement, Johnson says Britain will leave the EU regardless on October 31, risking huge disruption.

The post Backstop Holding Up Brexit Deal appeared first on Independent Newspapers Nigeria.

Source: Independent

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL CONTENT

Brought to you by: RIDBAY | WEBSITE DESIGN & DIGITAL MARKETING

Row over EKSU/AOCOED affiliated programmes

Tribune Online
Row over EKSU/AOCOED affiliated programmes

FORMER students of Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti on affiliated education degree programmes with the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Otto-Ijanikin, Lagos (2016/2017 set), are currently at loggerheads with the college’s management over delay in the release of their final results and the demand for N25,000 from each student to collect the results.

They claim that while delay has denied many of them employment opportunities, promotion at work places as well as impeded further studies, asking them again to pay N25,000 just to collect notification of results (not certificates) is exploitative and unacceptable.

Police to prosecute banned Shiites protesters, using Terrorism Act ―…

The ex-students, under the aegis of Concerned Students, wondered why their mates in other EKSU-affiliated colleges, including Michael Otedola College of Primary Education, Noforija-Epe, Lagos; Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, Oyo and Kwara State College of Education, Oro, have since collected their own results after the payment of just N15,000.

Mr. Hassan Raheem, the leader of the group of over 200 affected persons, told Tribune Education in an exclusive chat that AOCOED and not EKSU is responsible for their ordeals.

He alleged that it is AOCOED that did not remit, as and when due, all the fees paid by the students to the university, which is why the university has not processed the results.

According to him, each student paid N100,000 as tuition per session for the four-year degree programme, apart from various other small levies.

“So, we paid heavily without owing the school a kobo. We paid N400,000 each and those among us who had an extra year paid an additional N100,000 to make half a million in all. And you have to pay your tuition in full to be allowed to sit for each semester exam in the college.

“So, why did AOCOED not remit the amount meant for EKSU from the money as agreed between the two institutions,” he asked, describing the action as fraudulent and a breach of trust.

Raheem, however, said the group had formerly taken some steps, including petitioning the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) for intervention in the matter.

Raheem said: “We sent a petition to ICPC when we realised that AOCOED management had not been doing anything positive since May 2018 when we started the struggle to ensure our results are released after our several appeals to the college yielded no desirable result.

“We have sent two petitions so far to the anti-graft agency. The initial letter was addressed it to the director in charge of Lagos office of the agency, but to our utmost surprise, nothing was done for whole two months after submission.

“We then wrote directly to the head office in Abuja and addressed to the chairman of the commission. And within that same week, we received a telephone call from the Lagos office, telling us that they had been directed by the headquarters to wade into the matter without delay.

“They invited me to their office as the leader of the group, but I went with some other mates.  It was then they opened a file and documented our complaints and then invited the leadership of the college; but we’re yet to hear from them again.

“And now, whether ICPC intervenes or not, we can’t pay N25,000 for notification of results. The amount is outrageous and we cannot afford it. Majority of us, including my humble self, paid through the nose to be able to complete our programmes in the college. Some even obtained loans and are yet to pay back.

“So, AOCOED should not turn us to ATM (automated teller machine). Is it not even disheartening to hear that students will have to pay as much as N25,000 to collect ordinary notification of results when they will still have to pay N50,000 to collect certificate? Notification of result is supposed to be free since it won’t be useful again once the certificates are available.”

But when contacted, AOCOED’s Information and Public Relations Officer, Mrs A. O. Osinaiwo, confirmed the delay of the results but said the director in charge of the affiliated degree programmes in the college, Dr Joseph Owoso, should be able to give details on the matter.

When contacted, the director, who also confirmed the delay, claimed that the results were now ready and had been approved by the EKSU senate for collection by students.

“It is now left for students to come forward for their statement of results,” he added.

When asked about the N25,000 mandatory collection fee to be paid by each student, Owoso confirmed it, saying “N25, 000 is what the school charges for the collection of statement of results, and that the collection of the amount did not start with the 2016 set.

“Aside that,” he explained further, “every affiliated college with EKSU running degree programmes has the power to charge independently for notification of results. This is N25,000 in AOCOED, and the students who need the results have since been coming to collect theirs. Even today (Monday), some students came to collect their results; and likewise last Friday.

“So, if there is now a group of students who are saying they don’t want to pay the N25,000, that is their own cup of tea and not mine. After all, they are not paying to my private purse but to the college.

“They should go to the University of Lagos (UNILAG) to do the same programme. They will know how much they will pay for admission fee alone. They may also go to Michael Otedola College of Primary Education, Noforija-Epe, Lagos; or Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, Oyo as well as Kwara State College of Education, Oro and find out how much they pay there.

“So, are those students going to tell us that it costs each school the same amount of money to run the programmes? The distance of each of these colleges to EKSU is not the same and likewise the resources expended.

“It’s like they don’t want to know how much it will cost the school to process the results, how much they will need to pay as alumni fee, and how much the college paid lecturers that taught them and all that.”

While confirming that the group had taken the matter to ICPC, Dr Owoso said the group believes in confrontation to resolve issues.

Meanwhile, Tribune Education contacted the director of the satellite programme at EKSU, Professor Michael Omirin on the matter after the university’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Bode Olofinmuagun, had denied knowing about the affiliated programmes.

The professor of Tests, Measurement and Evaluation, however, blamed AOCOED for the delay in releasing the results and also refuted the claim by AOCOED’s director that the students have started collecting their results.

According to him, though both EKSU and AOCOED have resolved the issue that caused the delay and the university is through with the results, the senate is yet to approve them.

“The senate is expected to do that on Wednesday (yesterday) and by Friday stamp them; and the director of the programme at AOCOED can then come to collect them on that same day and hopefully start giving them out to students by next week.

While declining to mention specific amount each affiliated college is supposed to charge for notification of results on the premise that he is not a school bursar, Professor Omirin noted that the certificates could be issued for collection only after convocation ceremony, and that he does not know the date yet.

Row over EKSU/AOCOED affiliated programmes
Tribune Online

Source: Tribune

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL CONTENT

Brought to you by: RIDBAY | WEBSITE DESIGN & DIGITAL MARKETING

Govt should play less politics with education —Professor Osofisan

Tribune Online
Govt should play less politics with education —Professor Osofisan

At the 9th valedictory service of Lord’s Secondary School and the 19th graduation and prize giving ceremonies of Lord’s Kiddies College, Ilora, Oyo State, Professor Adenike Osofisan of the Department of Computer Science, University of Ibadan, who was the chairperson at the event, speaks wto Hassan Olatunji on how to engender improvement in Nigeria’s education sector.

 

WHAT is unique about the Lord’s Schools?

There are many things that make Lord’s Schools unique. They give the students holistic education and teach them the fear of the Lord. The children are trained to be good citizens of Nigeria. They also have a cattle ranch, poultry, farm, among others.

Police to prosecute banned Shiites protesters, using Terrorism Act ―…

How would you compare the standard of education in your days and now?

A lot of people get it wrong. The facilities available today are more than what was available in our days. During our time, General Science was only introduced in our final year. However, today, even from primary school, children are exposed to computing, science and the like. For me, I think the problem we have today comes from the parents. Parents over-pamper their children; we want to do everything for them, such that we make them become weaklings. During JAMB Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations, we have more parents/wards than students at some centres. Sometimes, we see that results are bought for the children. During our time, we attended lessons and you were on your own when it was time to sit for the examinations. Today, parents almost want to sit the examinations on behalf of the children. That’s part of the problem.

 

How would you rate the effect of social media on the upbringing of children?

There is no invention that doesn’t bring good and bad. However, it depends on which aspect you want to adopt. To take an example, when a woman gives birth, there is the baby and the placenta; you throw away the placenta, and you take the baby home. I tell people that ‘Teach these children how to use social media well; don’t let them discover it on their own’. You can get a lot of education from social media, both good and bad. Let us train our children to adopt only the good part of social media.

 

What’s your advice for government on improving education?

While at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife), there were scholarships, whether state government, local government or even community scholarships. I don’t believe in saying ‘don’t pay school fees’, because that is the crux of the matter. Government cannot do it all. That’s why a lot of state governments, local governments and even communities have abandoned the responsibility of giving scholarships. My father was a community leader; I know a lot of people whom he sent to school who were not his children. That was part of the community service in those days. To train a student in the university is a lot of money. We play too much politics with education, and as long as you play politics with education, things will not go well. That is the truth.

Govt should play less politics with education —Professor Osofisan
Tribune Online

Source: Tribune

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL CONTENT

Brought to you by: RIDBAY | WEBSITE DESIGN & DIGITAL MARKETING

1,300 Nigerian mathematics, science teachers for training

Tribune Online
1,300 Nigerian mathematics, science teachers for training

NO fewer than 1,300 mathematics and science teachers in private secondary schools in Lagos and Rivers states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja will be trained on the 21st century requirements for those subjects.

The School Kits Limited, a distributor of CASIO calculators in Nigeria, and Casio Middle East, an electronics manufacturer, will be responsible for the training and have signed the memorandum of understanding to that effect in Lagos.

BREAKING: WAEC official confirms Buhari’s result with 5 credits to tribunal

Speaking at the event, the managing director/chief executive officer, School Kits Limited, Mrs. Temilola Adepetun, said the essence of the training was to enhance teachers’ skills in mathematics and other science subjects such as physics and chemistry, with a view to broadening students’ knowledge and understanding of the subjects and encouraging many more of them to take science and technology-related fields as careers.

According to her, Casio’s scientific calculator has become an indispensable tool for every student across the world and the School Kits Limited deemed it fit to contribute its own quota as part of its corporate social responsibility initiatives to the development of science subjects in the country.

‘‘As the world gets smaller and more complex, Casio Middle East has designed scientific calculators capable of solving any problem and, therefore, it is our hope that the training would add significant value to the development of mathematics and science education,” she explained.

She noted that the training would be extended to teachers in other states in the future.

In his remarks at the event, the vice president, Mathematics Association of Nigeria, Mr. Mamman Musa, said in a statement made available to newsmen that the partnership would greatly improve skills of teachers in science subjects and those of students in applying particularly mathematics in solving real-life challenges.

He promised that the beneficiaries would apply the knowledge to be gained during the training to their teaching and other roles.

Also speaking, the managing director of Casio Middle East, Mr. Koji Naka, said his company decided to buy into the training to promote technology in the field of mathematics and science in Nigeria by training teachers in line with the latest trends in the basic education system.

1,300 Nigerian mathematics, science teachers for training
Tribune Online

Source: Tribune

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL CONTENT

Brought to you by: RIDBAY | WEBSITE DESIGN & DIGITAL MARKETING

UAE Participates In 9th International Conference On Mars In California

The UAE has participated in the ninth International Conference on Mars and the 37th Meeting of the Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group, MEPAG, held recently at the California Institute of Technology, Caltech, in Pasadena, California, According to Wam.ae.

Sarah bint Yousif Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Sciences, Chair of the UAE Council of Scientists, and Deputy Project Manager of the Emirates Mars Mission headed the UAE delegation.

Held once every four years, the conference marks a perfect opportunity to examine the latest major scientific discoveriesmade by countries worldwide, and focuses on bringing togetherglobal researches in space exploration. It serves as a platform to review means of developing and leveraging scientific projects aiming to explore the red planet, and introduces technologies that will lead to space exploration and achieving scientific objectives in the coming years.

Speaking during a session at the conference, Al Amiri shed light on the Emirates Mars Mission, EMM, and stressed that the UAE is investing heavily in human capital, knowledge and the future. She added that the country’s space exploration programmes are a key pillar to establish a scientific and technological renaissance in the UAE and the wider region.

“The Emirates Mars Mission marks a significant milestone in the journey of knowledge transfer about space science and technology. This critically important sector has great potentials and holds valuable opportunities to promote the development of scientific capabilities and knowledge creation, all of which sum up the UAE’s long-term vision of building a diverse knowledge-based economy for the future,” she noted.

“The Emirates Mars Mission embodies the UAE’s aspirations to explore the Red Planet. The ‘Hope Probe’, led by a highly qualified team of talented and skilled young Emiratis, has become the largest of its kind homegrown project in the region to explore other planets. The mission reflects the vision of our leadership to achieve a paradigm shift through the difficult and complex space field to set an example and to achieve a leading stature that would serve the global scientific community,” she added.

The UAE Minister of State for Advanced Sciences presented an overview of the latest developments pertaining to the UAE Emirates Mars Mission project, its objectives and the current studies conducted by the team. She indicated that the UAE has set forth a clear methodology to achieve its goals, and is keen to join the space exploration race while working onachieve sustainable growth in the space economy. Notably, attendees commended the Emirates Mars Mission project and its importance in filling important gaps in current human knowledge about the Red Planet and its atmosphere.

Al Amiri affirmed, “The UAE leadership gives top priority to promoting the space sector as the largest and the most ambitious of its kind in the region. The UAE strategy includes a wide array of ambitious projects and spaces missions, as well as scientific research projects, development of national research centers and space services.”

The conference tackled several topics pertaining to space exploration, as well as the latest developments in research, technology and Mars missions, with extensive participation from leading scientists and space exploration experts, engineers and researchers. A group of researchers and scientists from the Emirates Mars Mission’s as well as students from the Research Experience for Undergraduates, REU, took part for the first time in the conference and presented their scientific research on Mars.

At the 37th Meeting of the Mars Exploration Programme Analysis Group, MEPAG, the UAE Minister introduced scientists, engineers and high-ranked officers from space agencies around the world to the UAE’s objectives and vision that culminated in the launch of the Emirates Mars Mission. She shared with the prestigious audience the latest developments related to the project, its launch date and the experiments the team will execute upon arriving to Mars.

MEPAG is responsible for providing scientific input needed to plan and prioritise Mars exploration activities. It also provides analysis and establishes the targets of the Red Planet’s exploration projects for several institutions such as NASA and the National Academy of Sciences. MEPAG defines most Mars exploration missions under four main categories: explore the possibility of life on Mars, the history of Mars’ climate and its changes over the past centuries; the origins and evolution of Mars as a geological system; as well as those mission that will help in preparing for human exploration.

The post UAE Participates In 9th International Conference On Mars In California appeared first on Independent Newspapers Nigeria.

Source: Independent

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL CONTENT

Brought to you by: RIDBAY | WEBSITE DESIGN & DIGITAL MARKETING

Contraception Women At High Risk Of HIV: Solutions Under Spotlight

Over the past three days, the World Health Organisation guideline development group has been meeting to discuss its recommendations for the use of contraceptive methods by women at high risk of contracting HIV, According to Dailymaverick.co.za.

In particular, the group will review the status of the three monthly injectable contraceptive Depo-Provera, using new evidence from a randomised clinical trial, the Evidence for Contraceptive Options and HIV Outcomes (Echo) trial, published in the Lancet in June.

The Echo trial was carried out in South Africa, Kenya, Swaziland, and Zambia, and was designed to settle ongoing uncertainty and debate over whether the three monthly injectable contraceptive Depo-Provera, a copper IUD (non hormonal inter-uterine device) and an LNG implant (a progestin-based implant containing the hormone levonorgestrel) increased the possibility of HIV transmission in women who used it.

The study found no substantial difference in the risk of getting HIV among 7,829 women randomly assigned to use one of three reversible, highly effective contraceptives: DMPA-IM, copper IUD and LNG implant.

But the global leaders in an open letter to WHO argue that the way that the study was designed showed a “lack of concern for high rates of HIV infection and lack of access to safe contraception”.

“It is clear to us that for African women and girls, it has been decided that a pregnancy is worse than an HIV infection. This must end today,” Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng said in a statement.

“The Echo consortium designed a study that could only measure a 50% increase in HIV risk from using the contraception Depo-Provera. Rather than measuring an individual’s risk and then claims the study findings show no increased risk of HIV. To us, this shows African’s well-being was not considered. The WHO GDG must ensure our need for truthful information, and policy which protects us from hazard is taken seriously,” Rev Phumzile Mabizela, Executive Director of The International Network of Religious Leaders Living with or Personally Affected by HIV, INERELA+ which operates in 18 countries, and three continents said.

“WHO is undermining the vulnerability of women,” Mabizela told Daily Maverick, “they need to report on the findings accurately and not downplay it.”

Announcing the results of the Echo trial in June, WITS RHI Executive Director, Professor Helen Rees said the results were reassuring but added: “our findings are also sobering because they confirm unacceptably high HIV incidence among young African women irrespective of which contraception method they were assigned to”.

Dr Nelly Mugo, Head of the Sexual, Reproductive, Adolescent and Child Health Research Programme at the Kenya Medical Research Institute in Nairobi, Southern and East African, said women face the double jeopardy of high HIV prevalence and high maternal-infant mortality from unintended pregnancies.

“Tens and millions of women in the region rely on DMPA-IM, which is often the only modern method of contraception available in local family planning clinics,” Mugo said in a statement released by the Echo Consortium.

The open letter, signed by medical doctors, religious leaders, HIV activists, public health educators, and members of the Echo Trial outlines three key requests:

1. That the WHO provide more time to the GDG, African Health authorities, civil society and scholars to consider the relevance of new epidemiological, and biological evidence, including the
recently announced findings from the Echo randomised clinical trial for policy.

2. That the GDG demand transparency from Echo researchers on their trial. In particular on how a 50% increased risk was determined as an appropriate margin – and by whom. And further that the GDG determine if this margin is still ‘clinically relevant’, and if it ever was?

3. That extensive discussion take place at the GDG on what is meant by “high-risk” women to determine how, and if the Echo Trial’s “calculated effect size of potential increased risk of 30%” is valuable enough to inform global guidelines.

Daily Maverick attempted to get comment from WHO’s regional office but was unsuccessful. This story will be updated when comment is received.

Meanwhile, a previously released statement by WHO stated that its updated recommendations will be issued by the end of August 2019. DM

The post Contraception Women At High Risk Of HIV: Solutions Under Spotlight appeared first on Independent Newspapers Nigeria.

Source: Independent

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL CONTENT

Brought to you by: RIDBAY | WEBSITE DESIGN & DIGITAL MARKETING

China to halt individual tourism permits for Taiwan amid rising tension

China will stop issuing individual travel permits for Taiwan to people in 47 mainland cities from Aug 1, its culture and tourism ministry said on Wednesday, citing the state of ties with the self-ruled island, but gave no details.
Source: CNBC World News

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL CONTENT

Brought to you by: RIDBAY | WEBSITE DESIGN & DIGITAL MARKETING

Mother’s ‘Nightmare’ After U.S. Teen Admits Killing Italian Cop

The mother of a U.S. teen detained in Rome over the killing of an Italian police officer spoke Wednesday of her shock at the arrest of her “thoughtful boy,” as the suspect’s father arrived in Italy, According to Japantimes.co.jp.

Finnegan Elder, 19, has been charged with aggravated homicide along with friend Gabriel Natale Hjorth, 18, following the death of officer Mario Cerciello Rega, who suffered multiple knife wounds in Friday’s attack.

Elder has confessed to stabbing Cerciello, 35, with a U.S. Marine partially-serrated, close-quarters combat knife, according to police. But says he mistook the plain-clothed officer for a dangerous drug dealer and used the weapon in self-defence

His father Ethan Elder said on arrival in Rome that “the first thing I need to know is how to get into prison to see my son,” before heading directly with his lawyer to the city’s Regina Coeli jail, according to Italian media reports.

“We feel like our world has come crashing down,” Elder’s mother Leah said in an interview with Italy’s La Stampa daily.

“I don’t know how to describe it. It’s like a nightmare we’ll wake up from.”

Their son was high on a mix of spirits, beer and prescription medicines when the attack took place, police said Tuesday. Cerciello had tackled him to the ground during a nighttime drugs raid in a genteel Rome neighborhood.

“Finn is a thoughtful boy. The only explanation I can give, if he really is involved directly in this tragedy, is that he was terrified and therefore reacted rashly,” the suspect’s mother said.

She added that he had in the past taken powerful painkillers for an injury to his hand suffered while working part-time in a car parts shop.

He had to have part of a finger amputated after a nasty fall off a ladder which left his left hand partially paralized, she said.

The teenager took “strong painkillers and opioids” to manage the pain, as well as marijuana, she added.

Cerciello and his plainclothes partner Varriale had been tasked with intercepting the Californian teens after an intermediary on a drug deal reported them to the police for stealing his bag after they were sold aspirin in the place of cocaine.

“I didn’t know he did any other drugs,” Leah Elder said.

Asked about a violent incident when her son was younger, in which he punched a fellow teenager who fell and hit his head, she said it was part of a boxing ritual called “fight night” and not a sign Finnegan was violent.

“Finn had agreed to take part in a match with a friend, the other kids were gathered around watching. He hit him and the boy fell and hit his head and was hurt badly, but recovered in a few days and is very well now,” she said.

He was ordered to perform community service and after that his criminal record was wiped clean, she added.

The weapon used in the attack on Cerciello, which has an 18-centimeter (seven-inch) blade, was brought over from the US.

“Having a knife is not unusual for a kid of his age in our neighborhood,” Elder said.

The family, which has Irish, Lithuanian and Spanish roots, had sentimental ties to Italy.

The Elders had been on their honeymoon in Tuscany and “we fell in love with the country.”

“When Finn said he was going to Italy too, where I used to go as a girl, we were happy,” Leah Elder said.

The post Mother’s ‘Nightmare’ After U.S. Teen Admits Killing Italian Cop appeared first on Independent Newspapers Nigeria.

Source: Independent

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL CONTENT

Brought to you by: RIDBAY | WEBSITE DESIGN & DIGITAL MARKETING

Instagram Influencer found Stabbed to Death in Suitcase at her Apartment

A 24 year old Russian Instagram model Ekaterina Karaglanova, has been found stabbed to death and put in a suitcase at her apartment in Russia.

Russian newspaper Moskovsky Komsomolets reports that she was found throat-slit by her parents who went to check on her at her apartment after becoming concerned when the deceased did not contact them for several days.

The reported stated that jealousy is being investigated as a possible motive for the killing as Karaglanova started a new relationship and the police said CCTV footage showed her former boyfriend had visited her apartment in the days around her disappearance.

The former boyfriend’s whereabouts is currently unknown.

Karaglanova who had more than 85,000 followers had recently graduated
as a doctor.

The post Instagram Influencer found Stabbed to Death in Suitcase at her Apartment appeared first on .

Source: 36Ng

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL CONTENT

Brought to you by: RIDBAY | WEBSITE DESIGN & DIGITAL MARKETING

Shiites suspend Protests, sue FG over Proscription

The Islamic Movement in Nigeria, IMN, also known as Shiites, has announced the temporary suspension of its daily protests.

The protests, which the group started to press for the release of their detained leader Ibrahim El-Zakzaky who has been in custody since 2015, had turned violent on several occasions, resulting in the death of an NYSC member and a Deputy Commissioner of Police.

According to Sahara Reporters, a statement signed by The President of the Media Forum of the IMN, Ibrahim Musa, said the protests have been suspended so that the case instituted by their lawyers on the proscription order made by the federal government could take its full course.

He said: “We sincerely hope an amicable way could be found to solve the crises surrounding the illegal detention of our leader for almost four years now

The post Shiites suspend Protests, sue FG over Proscription appeared first on .

Source: 36Ng

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL CONTENT

Brought to you by: RIDBAY | WEBSITE DESIGN & DIGITAL MARKETING

Former Physics Teacher Who Got Teenage Student Pregnant Found Guilty Of Sex With Minor

A former secondary school teacher, who developed a romantic relationship with his 15-year-old student and impregnated her, was found guilty of sexual penetration of a minor on Wednesday (July 31), According to Straitstimes.com.

The 41-year-old man, who cannot be named to protect the girl’s identity, was convicted of 19 counts of sexual penetration which occurred on 10 occasions in August and September 2015 at his house.

The man had taught the teenage girl science and physics for all four years of her secondary school education from 2012 to 2015.

She is now 19 years old and has a two-year-old child fathered by the man.

In December 2013, towards the end of the year, he offered to give the girl private tuition in physics. However, as she felt the fees were too expensive, he suggested that they looked for another student to lower the cost.

After discussions with her family, the girl agreed to the arrangement and the teacher began giving her and another student weekly private tuition at his house on Saturday mornings. This continued until the victim completed her O-level examinations in November 2015.

During the June school holidays that year, the teacher invited her to his house outside of the tuition sessions. They would talk and he would play her songs he had composed .

Some time in July that year, he told her that he liked her and she subsequently agreed to be in a relationship with him.

They would hide their relationship by making sure his mother was not at home when the girl came to the house, and that she was not seen by the neighbours.

He soon became physically intimate with her by kissing and hugging her, and rubbing his private parts on hers while they were both clothed.

Eventually, on Aug 10, he had penetrative sex with her for the first time.

This intimate relationship continued until the girl ended it in September or October the following year, when she entered polytechnic.

In November 2016, she discovered that she was 16 weeks’ pregnant, and told the man about this through a text message.

The next month, after telling her family about the pregnancy, the girl lodged a police report. She later testified that when she made the report, she was afraid it would get the man in trouble.

While he admitted he had initiated the relationship, he denied engaging in any penetrative sexual activity with her before her 16th birthday.

He claimed that their physical intimacy had developed slowly and was restricted to kissing, touching each other, and rubbing with only their underwear on.

He added that he started engaging in sexual intercourse with the girl only in December 2015 after she turned 16.

However, in WhatsApp messages between the two after Aug 10 of that year, he had described their physical acts as “deeper penetration”.

He had also wrote that “there is a sense of when to get it out” in one text message, when the girl told him that she was worried about getting pregnant.

During the trial, he gave three reasons for not having sex with the girl before her 16th birthday: that it was illegal to have sex with a minor, that she was unwilling to have premarital sex and he respected her view on this, and that they were both afraid of her getting pregnant.

District Judge Chay Yuen Fatt said he accepted the testimony of the victim as it was consistent and supported by the text messages she exchanged with the man.

The man is expected to return to court on Aug 29 for mitigation and sentencing.

For each count of sexual penetration of a minor, he could be jailed for up to 10 years, fined, or both.

The post Former Physics Teacher Who Got Teenage Student Pregnant Found Guilty Of Sex With Minor appeared first on Independent Newspapers Nigeria.

Source: Independent

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL CONTENT

Brought to you by: RIDBAY | WEBSITE DESIGN & DIGITAL MARKETING

21-Year-Old Found Guilty Of Sexually Assaulting Girls He Met Online

An Orthodox Jewish man from Stamford Hill has been found guilty of sexually assaulting young girls he met on social media, According to Jewishnews.timesofisrael.com.

Abraham Yousef, 21, of Woodmill Road, is known throughout the Orthodox area as Avi Karni, a Yemenite Jew brought to the UK as a child by London’s Satmar leaders.

He was arrested in September last year after the parents of a 14-year old girl found indecent images on her phone, and at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Monday he was found guilty of a string of sexual offences.

These included causing a child to engage in sexual activity, sexual communication with a child, meeting a child following sexual grooming, two counts of sexual activity with a child, three counts of possessing an indecent image of a child and attempting to sexually communicate with a child.

His brother Yousef, 29, was also found guilty of perverting the course of justice, after he contacted one of the victims after Abraham’s arrest and put pressure on her to change her story. Both men will be sentenced on 27 September.

“Abraham Ibrahim was a lone, opportunist offender who targeted his young victims on social media platforms knowing they were vulnerable, pursuing them for his own sexual gratification,” said Det Insp Mark Rogers, who led the investigation.

“Yousef Abraham has tried to influence the course of the investigation. His actions were utterly reckless, misguided, and resulted in his conviction. I like would to praise the children and their families who have shown great courage in supporting the investigation and giving evidence in a difficult and traumatic court case.”

The post 21-Year-Old Found Guilty Of Sexually Assaulting Girls He Met Online appeared first on Independent Newspapers Nigeria.

Source: Independent

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL CONTENT

Brought to you by: RIDBAY | WEBSITE DESIGN & DIGITAL MARKETING

Asia set to trade lower after Fed dampens hopes of more rate cuts

Asia stocks were set to trade lower on Thursday after U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell dampened hopes of further rate cuts later this year.
Source: CNBC World News

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL CONTENT

Brought to you by: RIDBAY | WEBSITE DESIGN & DIGITAL MARKETING

Our women have been caged in ‘the other room’ again!

Tribune Online
Our women have been caged in ‘the other room’ again!

There is no tool for development more effective than the empowerment of women —Kofi Annan (1938-2018) former United Nations Secretary-General.

 

NIGERIA is not taking durable lessons from events around it from countries whose equal-gender institutions are propelling them to achievements. We (or is it our leaders?) appear to be running with others in this global village in the race against time, yet we are rooted to the same spot when other nations in the competition have moved on—moved on to destinations where we can’t even sight their tail lights, after squinting into the distance. One of the big factors that have winged their traction for meteoric move is the preponderant or balanced presence of their women in government at the top, not on the periphery of political office, government and bureaucracy. They invest enormously in the fair sex to enlist them for work for the state and its people, the same way they press the male into national assignment, gender no stumbling block. Their women can conquer the peak to become the head of government and the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. But in Nigeria, we say we aren’t ready for a female president. Why spend on them when at the end of the day the place of the woman is the kitchen? Our president has put our women where he believes they belong: ‘the other room’. They are baby factories. They are to be given in marriage at an early age, at the pleasure of the parents. Not for school.

FG sets up committee to recover N5trn owed AMCON

They are to be housewives, protected from the wear and tear of the toil of the streets. Why? Because we misunderstand the Scriptures’ portrayal of women as the ‘weaker vessel’. So why would you waste precious resources on what we have decided would be chattels in the long run? Are they not weaklings, incapable of lateral thinking? Weaker vessels who wouldn’t know the nuances of governance? Who wouldn’t in numerous cases outdo the menfolk if offered the opportunity to perform, with a level playing field? Weaker vessels who would not be able to go to the moon as did the man who landed on that planet 50 years ago? Elsewhere, people are not as backward, besotted,bewitched and befuddled as to be circumscribed in their relationship with women.

In 2015, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau formed the first gender-balanced cabinet in the country’s history. There were 15 women in the cabinet of 30. This historic feat set two scholars to work. What would be the effect of such ‘large-scale’ invasion of the masculine no-go areas by these weaker vessels? Professor Carles Muntaner of University of Toronto and his colleague, Assistant Professor Edwin Ng of the University of Waterloo, wrote as part of their findings: ‘’Canada’s gender-equal cabinet vaulted the country from 20th to fifth in terms of percentage of women in ministerial positions… Also, research has shown that women in government tend to work in more collaborative and bipartisan ways and employ more democratic leadership style compared to men’s autocratic style. Women are also more effective at building coalitions and reaching consensus…When we tested government spending as a mediating factor, we found that women in government in Canada have reduced mortality rates by triggering…specific types of health-producing expenditures… Women spend more on health and education.’’

Here in Africa, two of the continent’s fastest growing nations, Ethiopia and Rwanda, are also drawing from the inexhaustible well the womenfolk dig when they are drawn into power in their great numbers. In Ethiopia, 50 per cent of the cabinet are women, with strategic portfolios including Defence falling into their laps in a severely patriarchal culture. In Rwanda, the 26-seat cabinet also has half of them. Its parliament is 68 per cent so-termed weaker vessels. In both countries, the drafting of women to the front line of political theatre has helped to push their societies to dizzying masculine heights unexplored when it was a male-centric show in the past. For instance, a World Economic Forum has published a survey by the International Monetary Fund putting Ethiopia as the ‘’fastest growing economy in sub-Saharan Africa.’’ This, it attributed to new policies worked out by a ‘’government no longer dominated by a few to the exclusion of a productive sector’’. It is the same fairy-tale picture in Rwanda. Paul Kagame’s government has tapped into vast resources of a critical wing of the country, women, to build a society now the envy of most of Africa after the 1994 genocidal war against the Tutsi ethnic group pulverised Rwanda.

Socialist Cuba remains an abiding example of a country whose women have been empowered to assert their place in every area of the society, side by side with men: government, military, education, medicine, administration etc.In the 70s and 80s many Africans were alarmed to see young Cuban women soldiers and doctors storm our continent to join us in the liberation struggle in Southern Africa. These countries would have lost the battle for survival without the full participation of their women, as Nigeria has repeatedly lost it with its misogynist policy which has bared its fangs again in the proposed cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari.  Why are there only seven women in a list of 43 at a time the world is realizing that society needs the full utilization of all its human capital to survive? An inhibiting and miserly 16.3 per cent! It implies that we are still in the prehistoric age, unworthy of today and unprepared for the future where all others, including smaller nations like Rwanda and Ethiopia, are heading.

Buhari needs to revise the list and bring in more women. The states are not faring better. For instance, in Oyo only one female has been mentioned in a 14-member team sent to the lawmakers. We need far more of them to reflect our multi-gender strength and corral them for development. They will give the nation the thinking of the age that is moving those accommodating them to the real next level. The distortion in governance that denies our women, apolitical technocrats, youths and those with disabilities their say in the affairs of the nation is responsible for our poor showing and inability to run Nigeria at the elemental speed necessary to liberate our people from the deprivation we have been sentenced to. Building the nation shouldn’t be in the hands of male politicians alone.

• Ojewale lives in Lagos

Our women have been caged in ‘the other room’ again!
Tribune Online

Source: Tribune

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL CONTENT

Brought to you by: RIDBAY | WEBSITE DESIGN & DIGITAL MARKETING

‘Why Nigerians Must Consume Locally Produced Sugar’

LEADERSHIP :

The executive secretary of the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Dr. Latif Busari, in this interview with Juliana Agbo, reviewed the challenges and the progress made so far in the sugar industry. The NSMP which is the roadmap for the sugar industry is in its 7th year of implementation, how has the journey been so […]

The post ‘Why Nigerians Must Consume Locally Produced Sugar’ appeared first on Leadership Newspaper and NNN.

Source: Leadership News

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL CONTENT

Brought to you by: RIDBAY | WEBSITE DESIGN & DIGITAL MARKETING

Huawei H1 Revenue Rises By 23% Despite US Trade Restriction

LEADERSHIP :

Huawei Technologies has announced a 23.2 per cent revenue increase in its first half 2019 financial results to $58.3 billion (CNY401.3 billion) over the same period last year despite trade restrictions from the United States (US) government. Huawei chairman, Liang Hua, who announced the results yesterday, said that the company’s net profit margin for H1 […]

The post Huawei H1 Revenue Rises By 23% Despite US Trade Restriction appeared first on Leadership Newspaper and NNN.

Source: Leadership News

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL CONTENT

Brought to you by: RIDBAY | WEBSITE DESIGN & DIGITAL MARKETING

Democratic debate highlights: Moderates assail 'impossible' liberal agenda

The Democratic Party’s two leading progressives came under fire on Tuesday from a debate stage stuffed with moderates who said their “impossible” proposals and “wish-list economics” risked keeping Republican President Donald Trump in the White House for four more years.

Source: Reuters Politics

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL CONTENT

Brought to you by: RIDBAY | WEBSITE DESIGN & DIGITAL MARKETING

China, US officials meet for trade talks in Shanghai

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin shook hands with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He before beginning trade talks in Shanghai.
Source: CNBC World News

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL CONTENT

Brought to you by: RIDBAY | WEBSITE DESIGN & DIGITAL MARKETING

Indian coffee tycoon's body found, police say

Authorities on Wednesday confirmed they have located the body of Cafe Coffee Day founder VG Siddhartha from near the Netravathi River.
Source: CNBC World News

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL CONTENT

Brought to you by: RIDBAY | WEBSITE DESIGN & DIGITAL MARKETING

Katy Perry Facing Multi-Million Dollar Payout

Pop star Katy Perry is facing a multi-million dollar payout after a jury found her 2013 hit Dark Horse had been copied from a Christian rap song.

The singer-songwriter, 34, denied lifting beats and notes from the 2009 gospel hit Joyful Noise, arguing the claim by rappers Flame and Da’ Truth and beats creator Chike Ojukwu was an attempt to “own basic building blocks of music”.

But a Los Angeles court today found Perry and co-creators of the song, as well as four corporations including Capitol Records, all liable for copyright infringement.

The jury will now consider how much money Perry and her co-defendants must pay to the creators of Joyful Noise.

Katy Perry – In pictures

reimagine Donald Trump in the history books after questioning his 9/11 claims

Today’s ruling follows on from last year’s high-profile court defeat for singers Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams, who were ordered to pay almost $5 million (£4 million) to the family of Marvin Gaye.

The pair were accused of copying their smash-hit Blurred Lines from Gaye’s 1977 track Got To Give It Up, and lost a long-running copyright infringement battle.

Perry, pictured arriving at court, defended the way Dark Horse was created during the trial.

She drew laughter after suggesting she could “perform it for you live” when technical difficulties prevented playback of the song and told the jury it had been written in four hours in a music studio in her Santa Barbara hometown.

She denied co-writers on Dark Horse, Dr Luke and producer Cirkut, had lifted the origins of the track from the internet and said she was drawn to the beat because of “the kind of dark feeling” it inspired.

It was a “moody metaphor like the Trojan horse and the power of a woman and not to cross a woman because that karma is not good for you”, she added. The case focused on the notes and beats of the song rather than the lyrics, leading some watching the trial to believe Perry would not be found liable.

But in a surprise ruling, the jury decided all the creators, including rapper Juicy J who only wrote the rap for the song, should be involved in the payout.

Perry’s lawyer, Christine Lepera, had argued that a ruling against her would leave many singers and songwriters liable to copyright claims in the future.

“They’re trying to own basic building blocks of music, the alphabet of music that should be available to everyone,” she said. Perry was not present when the verdict was delivered.

The post Katy Perry Facing Multi-Million Dollar Payout appeared first on Independent Newspapers Nigeria.

Source: Independent

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL CONTENT

Brought to you by: RIDBAY | WEBSITE DESIGN & DIGITAL MARKETING

Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUSOK) Cut-Off Mark for 2019/2020 Academic Session

Latest Nigerian University and Polytechnic News
Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUSOK) Cut-Off Mark for 2019/2020 Academic Session

Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, UDUSOK cut off mark for pharmacy, medical laboratory science as well as other courses for the 2019/2020 academic session has been announced. The management of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, (UDUSOK) has announced the admission cut off mark for all courses, 2019/2020 admission exercise. Candidates who scored exactly or above the UDUSOK […]

Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUSOK) Cut-Off Mark for 2019/2020 Academic Session
Legendk!D

Source: Nigerian Schools

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL CONTENT

Brought to you by: RIDBAY | WEBSITE DESIGN & DIGITAL MARKETING

ASAP Rocky Pleads Not Guilty To Assault In Sweden

ASAP Rocky has pleaded not guilty to assault in Stockholm.

The US rapper, real name Rakim Mayers, is on trial accused of assaulting a 19-year-old Afghan refugee in the Swedish capital a month ago.

Two members of the 30-year-old’s entourage are also on trial and have pleaded not guilty.

ASAP Rocky and the two other suspects, who’ve been held in prison after a fight that took place on 30 June, claim they were acting in self-defence.

Warning: There are images below showing bloody injuries to a person’s body, which you may find upsetting
The trial – which is in its first day – was delayed starting due to the massive media and fan interest in the case.

There were issues getting in and out of the court and some fans had to be turned away from the public gallery as it quickly filled up.

The prosecution are going through a detailed 522-page preliminary report, which contains extensive photographs of injuries the alleged victim suffered.

The alleged victim, who is not being named by media, has claimed damages of roughly £12,000 (139,700 Swedish Krona).

They allege that ASAP Rocky used a weapon – claiming the injuries are consistent with the use of a bottle or a similar blunt object.

Injuries on the alleged victim’s body – which prosecutors claim are consistent with use of a bottle
A lawyer for one of the rapper’s co-defendants claims he has completely new evidence that he believes will ensure the trio are found not guilty of assault – but would not yet reveal what type of evidence it is.

It’s expected that evidence will be shown to the court on Thursday.

Inside the courtroom
Maddy Savage, BBC News

Sat in the front row, ASAP Rocky has appeared really engaged throughout the hearing.

He’s wearing a green T-shirt – a standard-issue uniform given to suspects detained in Sweden before a trial – and his braids are tied back off his face, so you can see the earpiece he’s using to listen to a translation of the proceedings.

The document that’s being presented to the court includes text messages from some of ASAP Rocky’s friends, graphic photos of the alleged victim’s injuries, and transcripts of conversations witnesses had with the police.

Photographs of the bottle allegedly used during the fight have also been shown.

ASAP Rocky’s mum is in the front row in the gallery, where his supporters and media are sitting.

It’s separated from the main courtroom via a glass screen. She’s being mobbed by journalists as she enters and leaves the courthouse and looks unsettled by the attention.

Just before the court broke for lunch she shared a long hug with one of ASAP Rocky’s other supporters in the gallery.

The trial is scheduled for Tuesday, Thursday and Friday – although it could finish before then.

Assault causing actual bodily harm carries a maximum prison sentence of two years in Sweden.

ASAP Rocky has been held in custody since 3 July following an alleged assault which took place on 30 June.

His imprisonment has attracted the attention of US President Donald Trump, who said he’d spoken to the Swedish Prime Minister after requests to intervene from Kanye West and his wife Kim Kardashian West.

The prosecutor in charge, Daniel Suneson, previously told Radio 1 Newsbeat he hadn’t spoken to any White House representatives, or any representatives of the Swedish government, while investigating.

President Trump later demanded that Sweden “Give A$AP Rocky his FREEDOM

The post ASAP Rocky Pleads Not Guilty To Assault In Sweden appeared first on Independent Newspapers Nigeria.

Source: Independent

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL CONTENT

Brought to you by: RIDBAY | WEBSITE DESIGN & DIGITAL MARKETING