In a renewed effort to bring lasting peace to farmers-herders relations and sustain the cordial relationship between Fulani communities and their host settlements, the Council of Fulani Chiefs of South West Nigeria has rolled out measures aimed at curbing insecurity in the region, extending also to Kwara State in North-Central Nigeria. This was contained in an address delivered by the Chairman of the Council and Sarki Fulani of Lagos, Mohammed Abubakar Bambado II, during a world press conference held in Lagos on Sunday, September 7, 2025. Bambado II announced that the council had unanimously agreed to impose an absolute ban…
Author: Abdallah el-Kurebe
Russia has officially announced that a domestically developed personalized mRNA cancer vaccine is ready for clinical use and will be distributed free of charge to cancer patients. The vaccine, developed by the Gamaleya National Research Center, targets tumor-specific neoantigens tailored to each patient’s genetic profile and is expected to launch treatment for patients starting in September-October 2025. The cancer vaccine has shown promising results in preclinical trials, particularly targeting colorectal cancer with tumor size reduction rates between 60% and 80%, and increased survival rates. Further development is underway for vaccines targeting other cancer types, including glioblastoma and melanoma. The vaccine…
The Federal Government has unveiled the Nigeria Postharvest Systems Transformation Programme (NiPHaST), an ambitious initiative aimed at building a resilient, efficient, and inclusive post-harvest handling and storage system across the country. Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, announced the programme at the Nigeria Legacy Programme, organized by the Africa Food Systems Forum in partnership with the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) in Dakar, Senegal. Kyari said the initiative is in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes poverty eradication, food and nutrition security, and sustainable economic growth. According to him, NiPHaST…
This Sunday, September 7, 2025, a spectacular total lunar eclipse will be visible across Nigeria and many other African countries. The celestial event, also known as a “blood moon,” occurs when the Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon, casting a shadow that fully covers the lunar surface. In Nigeria, the eclipse will begin at approximately 6:31 PM local time with the Moon entering Earth’s penumbral shadow. The total eclipse phase, during which the Moon will be completely obscured by the Earth’s umbra, will start around 6:31 PM and last until about 7:52 PM, spanning a duration of roughly…
Car exhaust. Factory smoke. Wildfire haze. Chances are, no matter where on Earth you live, you’re exposed to some form of air pollution almost every day. The consequences of this pollution can be debilitating – and deadly. Air pollution caused 8.1 million premature deaths in 2021 alone, found one prominent study. On 7 September, the world celebrates the International Day of Clean Air for blue skies, which showcases solutions to air pollution. The theme this year is Racing for Air, which reflects the urgent need to address what United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called a “global emergency.” It is also a nod to…
Nigeria’s waterways weave through the heart of our country’s agriculture and economy, carrying the lifeblood of food markets and rural livelihoods. Yet instead of engines of growth, these rivers have become deadly crossings where too many lives—mostly farmers and traders—are lost in tragic boat mishaps. President Bola Tinubu must urgently act to stem this tide of death that is quietly depopulating Nigeria’s farmers and undermining our food security. Since 2018, over 1,200 Nigerians have perished in boat accidents nationwide—averaging 17 lives lost every month. Farming families have been wiped out in terrifying tragedies: in July 2025, 25 souls drowned in…
The World Health Organization (WHO) has updated its Model Lists of Essential Medicines (EML) and Essential Medicines for Children (EMLc), adding new treatments for cancer, diabetes, obesity, cystic fibrosis, psoriasis, haemophilia and other blood disorders. The revisions, covering the 24th edition of the EML and the 10th of the EMLc, bring the total to 523 essential medicines for adults and 374 for children. The lists are used by more than 150 countries to guide procurement, insurance coverage and access to medicines. Among the cancer medicines added are pembrolizumab for metastatic cervical, colorectal and non-small cell lung cancers, with atezolizumab and…
Health authorities in Adamawa State have reported an outbreak of a rare, flesh-eating disease that has infected 28 people, mainly in Malabu community, Fufore Local Government Area. The condition, which begins as a painful boil before spreading to destroy flesh and bone, has left victims with severe wounds and unbearable pain. Some patients said they had spent large sums on treatment without relief. According to Dr. Suleiman Bashir, Chairman of the Adamawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, eight patients are currently receiving treatment at Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital, Yola, while samples have been sent to the Nigeria Centre for…
Wildfires around the world have been identified as a major driver of worsening air pollution in 2025, according to the World Meteorological Organization’s latest Air Quality and Climate Bulletin. The report shows that the Amazon basin experienced some of the sharpest increases in fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅), largely due to record wildfires and prolonged drought. Similar wildfire-linked pollution spikes were recorded in Canada, Siberia, central Africa, and parts of India. In contrast, some regions, including China, recorded declines in PM₂.₅ levels, reflecting progress in local pollution control measures. The bulletin warns that climate change is intensifying wildfires by driving hotter,…
The National Association of Shea Products of Nigeria (NASPAN) has appealed to the Federal Government to grant a 90-day grace period following its recent ban on the export of raw shea nuts. ASHENEWS recalls that the Nigerian government, on August 26, 2025, issued a directive for a temporary ban on the export of raw Shea Nuts, effective immediately. It said the decision aimed to regulate the current export activities and possibly enhance local processing and value addition within the country. The temporary ban is seen as part of broader efforts to boost local industries, safeguard critical agricultural resources, and promote…