An emergency measles vaccination campaign has been launched in Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), in partnership with the Zamfara State Ministry of Health and the Zurmi LGA authorities, in response to a deadly outbreak of the disease that has already claimed the lives of 24 children. The six-day campaign, which kicked off today, is targeting children aged between 6 months and 5 years, most of whom are unvaccinated and highly vulnerable. According to MSF, the goal is to quickly curb the spread of the disease and prevent more deaths, especially in underserved communities…
Author: Abdallah el-Kurebe
The human heart, a fist-sized muscular organ at the center of life, performs a truly remarkable feat every single day — beating approximately 100,000 times, circulating about 2,000 gallons (7,500 liters) of blood throughout the body. Over a typical lifetime, this adds up to an estimated 2.5 billion heartbeats, depending on factors such as lifespan and physical health. Medical experts confirm that the average adult heart rate ranges from 60 to 100 bea8ts per minute, which translates to roughly 100,000 beats per day. Multiplied across a year, the total reaches about 35 million beats, and over an average lifespan of…
China has significantly expanded its visa-free travel policy, now allowing citizens from 74 countries to enter the country for up to 30 days without a visa. The move is aimed at boosting tourism and business ties, as well as repositioning China’s global image as it emerges from years of pandemic-related isolation. The announcement by China’s National Immigration Administration marks one of the broadest visa-free initiatives ever undertaken by the country. However, noticeably absent from the list are Nigeria and other major African nations, prompting questions about Beijing’s strategic preferences in international diplomacy and tourism. Under the new policy, which applies…
The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, has launched a US$580,000 initiative to transform South Sudan’s fragile seed sector into a resilient and competitive ecosystem that better serves farmers and drives agricultural productivity. The project, titled “Support Towards Improved Seed Sector Performance and Competitiveness in South Sudan,” is funded by the Royal Norwegian Embassy and guided by AGRA’s Seed Systems Assessment Tool (SeedSAT), a diagnostic tool developed under the AGRA Center of Excellence for Seed Systems in Africa (CESSA). Unveiled at an inception workshop in…
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has warned that artificial intelligence (AI) could soon reshape the world of work in ways we’ve never seen before. According to Gates, the rapid advancement of AI technologies will leave only a handful of job categories untouched, while millions of others risk being automated out of existence. Speaking recently on the future of work, Gates noted that we are on the cusp of a major shift: “AI is moving faster than many expect. Within a decade, it’s possible that most roles we know today—doctors, teachers, office workers—could look completely different, or vanish entirely.” While Gates stopped…
At the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro (July 6–7), leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa jointly emphasized the critical need for data protection mechanisms to curb unchecked artificial intelligence (AI) growth. They issued a draft communique condemning excessive data collection and advancing fair remuneration for copyrighted material used in AI training . The move reflects mounting concerns from emerging economies over the dominance of major tech firms—many based in developed countries—that amass vast troves of user-generated data without compensating creators. The BRICS bloc pressed for global AI governance structures that: Prevent broad, unauthorized harvesting of…
A Nigerian Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) surgeon, Dr. Adebayo Adefolaseye has issued a stark warning to President Bola Tinubu, dismissing claims that Nigeria has surplus doctors to export and describing the country’s healthcare sector as being in a state of silent emergency. She was responding to a recent agreement between Nigeria and Saint Lucia that allows skilled Nigerian professionals to work in the Caribbean country. This deal is meant to strengthen cooperation between countries in the Global South and reconnect with African communities overseas. The agreement was signed in Saint Lucia’s capital, Castries, by Yusuf Yakub, head of Nigeria’s…
In villages once brimming with life and harvest, silence now hangs in the air. The rhythm of hoes tilling the land, of grain-laden trucks heading to market, and of farmers trading smiles over a good yield is fast becoming a distant memory. Across Nigeria, the agricultural sector, once our pride and provider, is withering under the pressure of climate change, growing insecurity, and government inaction. Today, hunger is no longer just a problem of the poor, it is a growing reality for middle-class families too. A bag of rice, a staple in most homes, now costs more than what a…
A powerful new report by the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES-Food) has laid bare the extensive and often hidden role of fossil fuels in every stage of the modern food supply chain—from farm to table. Titled “Fuel to Fork: What Will It Take to Get Fossil Fuels Out of Our Food Systems?”, the report reveals that the global food system is not just a victim of climate change, but also a major contributor, responsible for roughly 15% of all fossil fuel use worldwide. The study, released in July 2025, warns that global food chains are dangerously…
Burkina Faso’s transitional government has officially renamed and expanded the country’s regions and provinces, replacing colonial-era names with indigenous ones rooted in local culture and language. The move is to assert national identity and enhance grassroots governance. Following a Council of Ministers meeting held on July 2, 2025, the government announced the creation of four new regions and two new provinces, bringing the total to 17 regions (up from 13) and 47 provinces (from 45). The sweeping administrative reform is aimed at deepening decentralization and aligning the country’s territorial divisions with its cultural heritage. “The renaming and reorganization of our…