Unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) are becoming increasingly popular in the fight against sea crimes, including illegal fishing. Such vehicles, also known as USVs or maritime drones, can be used to detect suspicious activities without endangering personnel and can be equipped with artificial intelligence autonomy systems to gather, process and transmit information. Their enhanced communication systems enable seamless data sharing with command centers and improve situational awareness through persistent surveillance and reconnaissance missions. According to Engineering News, cutting-edge USVs include sensor suites with cameras, sonar, radar and acoustic systems to give operators a complete picture of the environment. They may include military-grade…
Author: Abdallah el-Kurebe
Rice field maintenance techniques are crucial for optimizing crop yields and reducing environmental impact. Here are some key techniques: Water management Irrigation scheduling: Proper timing and amount of water application. Drainage management: Effective removal of excess water to prevent waterlogging. Water recycling: Reusing water from flooded fields to reduce waste. Soil conservation Crop rotation: Rotating rice with other crops to improve soil fertility and structure. Mulching: Applying organic mulch to reduce soil erosion and retain moisture. Conservation tillage: Minimizing soil disturbance to reduce erosion and promote soil health. Weed and pest control Integrated Pest Management (IPM): Combining physical, cultural, biological,…
The world’s leading polio eradication programme faces a 40% budget cut next year as the paralysis-causing virus surges in its last strongholds of Afghanistan and Pakistan and war-torn regions, threatening to reverse decades of progress toward eradicating the disease. By Disha Shetty & Stefan Anderson “The Global Polio Eradication Initiative is facing a 40% budget cut in 2026,” Dr Hanan Balkhy, regional director of the WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office, told the World Health Assembly on Friday — the same body that launched the global eradication effort 36 years ago. The convergence of funding cuts, conflict, and viral resurgence now threatens to…
A group of 47 Nigerian medical students who escaped the war in Sudan in 2023 are now facing a bureaucratic impasse that threatens to derail their careers. Despite completing their training and earning degrees, they remain unable to register for the mandatory Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) qualifying examination due to documentation requirements that most could not meet because of their emergency evacuation. The students, formerly enrolled at Sudan International University (SIU), were in their final year when violent conflict broke out in Sudan. As chaos engulfed Khartoum, the Nigerian government swiftly evacuated its citizens, many without exit…
In the week that just ended, Nigeria was again jolted by a brutal reminder of the unchecked terror plaguing its northeastern region and other parts of the northwest and central regions. Over 50 lives were violently cut short in Borno State as Boko Haram’s JAS faction descended on the villages of Gatamarwa and Tsiha in the Chibok Local Government Area. Survivors recounted horrors too gruesome to forget, residents rounded up, accused of treason for supposed collaboration with rival factions, and then slaughtered in cold blood. But as if the massacre wasn’t damning enough, a more sinister truth now weighs heavily…
President Bola Tinubu, has reappointed Prof. Garba Hamidu Sharubutu as the Executive Secretary of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN). The President also made agriculture-related appointments, including Yazid Shehu Umar Danfulani as Managing Director of the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC) and Abubakar Umar Jarengol as NAIC’s Executive Director, Operations, and Engr. Kabir Abdullahi Barkiya was appointed as Chairman of the Nigerian Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA). Other appointments include: Hamza Ibrahim Baba – Programme Manager, Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) Barr. Sama’ila Audu – Executive Director, Administration, Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) Prof. Musa Garba Mai…
In what could be one of the biggest gold finds in recent history, Uganda has announced the discovery of over 31 million metric tonnes of gold ore, with the potential to refine more than 320,000 tonnes of pure gold. Estimated to be worth over $12 trillion, the discovery has sparked a wave of excitement and cautious optimism across the country. For many Ugandans, especially in mineral-rich but underdeveloped regions like Karamoja, this announcement brings a renewed sense of hope. The government says the find could unlock a new era of economic prosperity, job creation, and infrastructure development. “This gold could…
In spite of the economic hardship visibly biting its citizens, Nigeria has been notably excluded from the list of the world’s least happy countries, as 23 African nations featured in the bottom tier of the 2024 World Happiness Report. The report, which ranks 147 countries based on factors such as social support, income, health, freedom, generosity, and corruption, places Afghanistan at the bottom of the list. Among African countries, Sierra Leone (146), Malawi (144), Zimbabwe (143), Botswana (142), and DR Congo (141) are among the lowest-ranked. Other African countries featured include Comoros, Lesotho, Eswatini, Tanzania, Egypt, Ethiopia, Zambia, Madagascar, Liberia,…
The College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences (ACES) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has announced an international education partnership with the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ), which aims to transform the future of food and agricultural communication. The collaboration formalizes the launch of a Certificate in Global Agricultural Communications, a flagship initiative of the proposed James F. Evans Global Center for Food and Agricultural Communications. The announcement was made during a ceremonial signing event attended by ACES Dean Germán Bollero and IFAJ Vice President Adalberto Rossi. The certificate will be delivered entirely online and made globally accessible.…
A kitchen staple in millions of Nigerian homes may soon get more expensive. Indonesia—the world’s largest producer of palm oil, has increased its export tax on crude palm oil (CPO) from 7.5% to 10%, effective May 17. This is in a move that could ripple across global markets, including Nigeria, which is its fifth-largest producer globally. The tax hike is part of Jakarta’s broader strategy to fund its expanding biofuel program and replant aging trees, many of which are no longer yielding optimally. It also reflects Indonesia’s growing focus on energy security and sustainability, as the country recently raised the…