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  A handout photo taken on May 23, 2024 by the Ashiya City government shows Tomiko Itook, ebelieved to be the world's oldest living person, celebrating her 116th birthday  Handout / Courtesy of Ashiya City/AFP/File TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — The number of people in Japan aged 100 or older has hit a record high of more than 95,000 — almost 90 percent of them women according to government data. The figures further highlight the slow-burning demographic crisis gripping the world’s fourth-biggest economy as its population ages and shrinks. As of 1 September, Japan had 95,119 centenarians, up 2,980 year-on-year, with 83,958 of them women and 11,161 men, the health ministry said in a statement. On Sunday separate government data showed that the number of over-65s has hit a record high of 36.25 million, accounting for 29.3 percent of Japan’s population. The proportion puts Japan at the top of a list of 200 countries and regions with a population of over 100,000 people, the Ministry of Internal

Pastor Ngozi Mouka, wife of Pastor Lazarus Mouka, General Overseer of the Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Movement, had been laid to rest in a solemn ceremony attended by prominent figures. Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, was among the high-profile guests, who were present at the burial held on Friday, September 13, 2024, in Mgbidi, Oru-West Local Government Area of Imo State. The Governor shared images from the ceremony on his official Facebook page, stating: “His Excellency Senator Douye Diri, Governor of Bayelsa State, today attended the burial of his friend’s wife, Pastor Joy Ngozichukwuka Muoka.” Pastor Joy, who passed away at the age of 61, was honored by many, including former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, and businessman Obinna Iyiegbu, popularly known as Obi Cubana. Governor Diri’s entourage included the Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abraham Ingobere, Commissioner for Information, Hon. Ebiuwou Obiyai Koku, former Secretary to the State Gov

Elder statesman and business magnate, Alhaji Aminu Dantata, has donated N1.5 billion to support flood victims in Maiduguri, Borno State, following the recent devastating floods. Dantata, during a visit to the Borno State Government House on Tuesday, expressed his condolences to Governor Babagana Zulum and the people of the state, particularly those who lost loved ones. He urged the country’s elites and political leaders to fear God and repent, lamenting the worsening economic situation in Nigeria. In his response, Governor Zulum expressed deep gratitude to Dantata, noting that his gesture has brought hope and solidarity during these difficult times. “The people of Borno deeply appreciate this show of magnanimity by a 96-year-old to visit us. Let me announce it: Our Baba has donated the sum of N1.5 billion to support the flood victims,” Zulum said. This follows an earlier donation of N1 billion by Dantata’s nephew, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, bringing the total donation from the family to N2.

(Sahara reporters) Residents of Ayetoro community in the Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State have raised the alarm over the alleged demolition of their buildings by the Lagos State government officials, especially the Task Force and the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA). The demolition, which reportedly took place on Monday without prior notice, has left thousands of families homeless and in distress, according to a report by SaharaReporters. One of the residents, Ajimuda Gbenga, told SaharaReporters on Tuesday that some policemen and LASEMA officials came and demolished their building. Samuel Adebayo, a representative of the community, told SaharaReporters that he had spoken to several notable people about the incident but he was not sure who could come to their aid as soon as possible. According to him, "This is a matter of urgency, and I trust SaharaReporters to bring attention to such issues. "Our community existed long before the Oko-

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that it is illegal and unconstitutional for Julius Abure to continue parading himself as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP). The electoral body said it no longer recognises Abure or other members of the party’s national working committee, as their tenures expired in June 2024. This is contained in a counter-affidavit INEC filed in response to a suit brought by the Labour Party challenging its exclusion from the commission’s refresher training for uploading party agents ahead of the Edo and Ondo governorship elections. The Commission argued that the Labour Party’s leadership, including Abure, is now invalid, stressing that it does not recognise the party’s March 2024 National Convention, which purportedly re-elected Abure as chairman. It maintained that the convention contravened both the Nigerian Constitution and the Electoral Act, stressing that it only deals with parties that have legitimate leadership in place

  By Lawrence Agbo Vanguard Nigeria  It is important for Point of Sale, POS, operators in Nieria to stay informed, especially with the recent demand from the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC. The CAC now requires that all POS operators and fintech merchants in Nigeria register their businesses according to Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, guidelines by July 7, 2024. Failure to meet this deadline could result in fines or even arrest. Understanding these demands from CAC not only helps you avoid legal issues, but also ensures your business runs smoothly and gains a solid reputation. Here are five important details every POS operator should know about CBN registration: 1. CAC registration It is important to know that every POS operators is expected to first register with CAC. Thereby getting the firm a legal identification. Importance: As a POS operator, if you plan to work with banks and Mobile Money Operators (MMOs), obtaining legal identification for your firm through CAC registration is

Getty Images BBC  Ananya Panday says she is going to let her "work speak" in the debate around nepotism Is your success because of who you are, or who you know? Nepotism - giving work opportunities and advantages to your friends and family - has been the subject of debate in showbiz around the world for a number of years. Some feel "nepo babies" - those who've been given a boost because of their parents - don't deserve their success, while Gwyneth Paltrow called that term "ugly". But it's not just a Hollywood thing. Bollywood actress Ananya Panday has been criticised and heavily trolled over nepotism because her father Suyash "Chunky" Panday was a successful actor in the late 1980s. While accepting her privilege, Ananya has often disputed how much of an impact his success had on her career. But now the 25-year-old says she wants her work to do the talking. "I was always the first person to be like: I know I come from a [film] fam

Blasts rocked one of Russia's strategic bomber bases in the city of Engels in the Saratov region overnight, according to local reports. Powerful explosions were heard in the area of the Engels-2 air base, which houses Russian Tu-95 and Tu-160 strategic bombers, Ukraine's 24 Kanal reported. Russia's Tu-95 and Tu-160 strategic bombers are capable of carrying out nuclear and conventional long-range strikes, and have repeatedly been used by Russia's military to launch missile attacks on Ukraine. The military base is located some 500 miles southeast of Moscow, and it has been targeted several times throughout the war. A Tupolev Tu-95MS strategic bomber, left, and an Ilyushin Il-78 tanker aircraft fly over the Kremlin during rehearsals for the Victory Day Parade in front of the Kremlin in Moscow on May 7, 2021. Explosions... More Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images Kyiv has said that Russian military bases are legitimate targets in the conflict, and its forces regularly target them

  Bloomberg   South Africa’s plan to attract more professionals to its skills-starved economy through the introduction of the so-called nomad visa for remote workers has been slowed by the need to amend tax regulations. The impediment comes after an initial delay when changes to the visa regime had to be temporarily withdrawn because mandatory public consultation procedures had not been followed. President Cyril Ramaphosa announced his intention to introduce a remote-working visa in his 2022 state-of-the-nation address.  “There is just a tax-related matter that needs to be addressed in the regulations,” Leon Schreiber, the country’s Home Affairs Minister, said in a response to queries. “Once that is done, the department will commence with the rollout.” South Africa’s byzantine work permit regime, which means that securing a work permit can take well over a year, has been flagged as a hurdle to economic growth by both the presidency and the country’s main business organizations.  Still,

“Over the next three years, the city intends to invest R43 billion in infrastructure at a rate far outpacing any other metro. These infrastructure investments will create an estimated 135,000 jobs over the next three years,’ said the city’s Executive Director for Future Planning and Resilience, Gareth Morgan. Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis previously said that lower-income households will directly benefit from 75%—or R9 billion—of Cape Town’s R12 billion infrastructure spending in 2024/25. This is larger than the entire infrastructure budget of any other metro. That said, the city admitted that it is experiencing a shortage of a vital set of skilled professionals – engineers. “The city is currently experiencing a shortage of professional engineers to support its main goal of infrastructure development. Many engineers within the city are reaching retirement age.,” said Theresa Uys, Mayoral Committee Member for Corporate Services. “The city needs to plan ahead to mitigate any impact

South Africa has issued 4,913 critical skills visas since 2020 to nationals from over 100 countries, with more than half (55%) of those going to people from Zimbabwe and India. Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber revealed the information in a recent parliamentary Q&A, where he noted that the department exhausted “all efforts” to determine that no South African citizens or permanent residents had the necessary skills and qualifications to fill the positions before issuing the visas to foreign nationals. “This was done in collaboration with the Department of Higher Education and Training. The methodology used to determine the critical skills is detailed in a Technical Report on Critical Skills published on the website DHET,” he said. Out of the 4,913 visas issued since 1 January 2020, 1,794 were issued to Zimbabwean nationals for hundreds of different jobs. The biggest job category for which Zimbabwean nationals were issued a critical skills visa was trainee auditors, followed by in

   When I was 38, an astrologer in New York City warned me about traveling around my 40th birthday. "Stay close to home," he said. Erin Levi ignored an astrologer's warning and traveled to Uzbekistan to celebrate her 40th birthday.Erin Levi An astrologer warned Erin Levi not to travel around her 40th birthday. She ignored his advice and convinced her boyfriend to join her on a last-minute trip to Uzbekistan. Despite experiencing some paranoia on her birthday, she's glad she was able to trust herself. While I'm all for letting the stars decide where to travel next and have been intrigued by astrocartography — a type of astrology that tries to determine the best places to visit — on that day I was seeking love and career insights. I wasn't there seeking travel advice, and I found his ominous words triggering. According to family lore, a psychic told my mother when she was in her 20s that she would experience a terrible loss at the age of 40, and two months after

A 17-year-old Nigerian girl, Mariam Ibrahim has been left stranded and helpless after her aunt, Temitope Marelin Odukoya who she has been living with, travelled abroad with her children. The teenager’s parents, identified as Aliu Sezuo Ibrahim and Nosimot Omobolanle Ibrahim, have been kidnapped for over seven months, and their whereabouts remain unknown. Our correspondent gathered that Mariam who has been living with her aunt since she was a kid currently has nowhere to go or anyone to take care of her since the parents she can go back to have been kidnapped. To make matters worse, the husband of the sister, Olaolu Dada Odukoya who could have potentially taken care of the teenager, is bedridden and unable to provide support. The teenager’s parents were kidnapped in February, and despite efforts by the authorities, their whereabouts remain unknown. The family has received no ransom demands or communication from the kidnappers. Speaking with our correspondent, the teenager’s aunt lamente

.                               CP Opara The Police Service Commission has approved the posting of CP Peter Opara as the substantive Commissioner of Police Federal Capital  Territory Abuja. According to the PSC’s Head, Press and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani, Opara replaces CP Benneth Igwe who has since been promoted to the next rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police, and posted to Zone 7 Abuja as the Zonal Assistant Inspector General of Police. The new FCT Commissioner was the immediate CP Force Secretary’s office and former Deputy Commissioner of Administration and Finance Imo State Command. He also served as Personal Assistant to former Chairman of the Police Service Commission,  IGP Mike Okiro (Rtd). CP Opara was DCP Legal Studies, Police Academy. POLAC, Wudil Kano, Area Commander, Aba and Uyo; Area Crime Officer kubwa, and Senior Deputy Defence Adviser Police, Permanent  Mission of Nigeria to the United Nations, New York. He was severally Personnel Assistant to the Inspec

By BRIAN P. D. HANNON  The Associated Press FILE – The Jackson 5, Michael Jackson, front right; Marlon Jackson, front left; Tito Jackson, back left; Jackie Jackson, back center; and Jermaine Jackson, back right; pose for this undated photo together in Los Angeles. AP Photo, File Tito Jackson, one of the brothers who made up the beloved pop group the Jackson 5, has died at age 70. Tito was the third of nine Jackson children, which include global superstars Michael and sister Janet, part of a music-making family whose songs are still beloved today. “It’s with heavy hearts that we announce that our beloved father, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Tito Jackson is no longer with us. We are shocked, saddened and heartbroken. Our father was an incredible man who cared about everyone and their well-being,” his sons TJ, Taj and Taryll said in a statement posted on Instagram late Sunday. The Jackson 5 included brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael. The family group, which was inducted

  Anthony Odiong is accused of sexual assault by at least eight women whom the priest had been counseling Ramon Antonio Vargas The criminal case that authorities are building against a Roman Catholic priest accused of preying on women whom he met while working in south-east Louisiana and Texas is progressing, with a grand jury in the latter state indicting him on three felony sexual assault charges. Anthony Odiong, 55, faces two counts of second-degree sexual assault as well as one of first-degree sexual assault in the charges handed up against him recently in the McLennan county, Texas, state court. The charges against Odiong – who was first arrested in July – involve two women. He could receive up to life imprisonment if convicted of the first-degree charge, a stiffer penalty that stems from the fact that the alleged victim in the case was a woman whom Odiong was prohibited from “marrying or purporting to marry” under Texas law. The second-degree counts each carry up to 20 years in p

     Gists9ja Support groups made up of the Obidient Movement, Labour Party (LP) members and other support groups have endorsed the appointment of Senator Nenadi Usman as the caretaker national chairman of the party. In a statement co-signed by Eze Morrison Onyenmaechi and Dr Danjuma Sale, the groups noted that Nenadi made impact in Kaduna State and the country in general as a member of the presidential campaign council of the party in the 2023 election. Part of the statement read: “We, the support groups, the Great Obidients, and LP Stakeholders in the State stand firmly behind Sen. Nenadi Usman and pledge our unwavering support for her appointment as the chairman of the Labour Party national caretaker committee. “We are confident that she will utilize her skills and experience to reposition the Labour Party, organizing all-inclusive and expansive congresses at all levels – from the ward, local government, and state to the national convention. “We wish to extend our heartfelt congratu

David Lin's daughter believes White House adviser Jake Sullivan (left) had a hand in her father's release (Reuters) An American pastor detained in China for almost 20 years has been released from prison and flown home to his family in Texas. David Lin, 68, was given a life sentence in 2006 on charges that the US says were bogus, after he was convicted of fraud for helping an underground church launch a meeting centre in Beijing. His release took place just weeks after US national security adviser Jake Sullivan met China's foreign minister in the Chinese capital. His daughter, Alice, told Politico: "No words can express the joy we have - we have a lot of time to make up for." She added the US State Department contacted her on Saturday to confirm Chinese authorities had released her father from prison and that he would be flying into San Antonio, Texas, on Sunday. "We welcome David Lin's release from prison in the People's Republic of China," a Sta

Washington (AFP) – TikTok faced pushback in a federal court on Monday in its efforts to stop a law that requires the app to divest from its Chinese ownership or face a ban in the United States. Social media app TikTok has come under scrutiny from the US government © Antonin UTZ / AFP/File A three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals in Washington heard arguments from TikTok, its owner ByteDance, and a group of users claiming that the ban violates free speech and is unconstitutional. The US government alleges TikTok allows Beijing to collect data and spy on users. It also says TikTok is a conduit to spread propaganda. China and the company strongly deny these claims. TikTok has until January to find a buyer or face the ban, which would likely provoke a strong response from the Chinese government and further strain US-China relations. It would also upend the social media business and rile many of the app's 170 million US users. ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, has stated it

Joe Williams Javi Guerra has been linked with a move to Arsenal. The Gunners had a positive summer transfer window with Mikel Arteta adding quality to an already good squad after challenging Manchester City for the Premier League title over the past two seasons. David Raya – who spent last season on loan from Brentford – joined on a permanent deal for £27m, while Riccardo Calafiori, Mikel Merino and Raheem Sterling were also brought in to provide extra support. Arsenal were also heavily linked to a number of strikers with many pundits and former players claiming that the Gunners need a prolific goalscorer to finally beat Man City to the title. But it’s another midfielder that Arsenal are now being linked to in the form of Valencia’s Guerra after the Spain Under-21 international’s proposed transfer to Atletico Madrid collapsed in August. That saw Conor Gallagher move to join Diego Simeone’s side instead after Atletico failed to meet a deadline Valenia imposed on them to get a deal over

  By Chinwe Onuigbo, Awka As the festive season approaches, the Anambra State Government, in collaboration with Descendants Fortune Investments Limited, proudly unveiled the “Anambra Christmas Village 2024” over the weekend. The launch event took place at the International Convention Center in Awka, the state capital and featured several prominent attendees, including Mr. Chinedu Nwoye, Chief of Protocol and Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Chukwuma Soludo; Mr. Don Onyenji, Commissioner for Culture, Tourism, and Entertainment; and Mr. Christian Udechukwu, Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, alongside members of Descendants Fortune Investments Limited. During his remarks, Commissioner Onyenji highlighted that the Anambra State Executive Council approved the establishment of the Christmas Village as part of Governor Soludo’s vision to position the state as a premier destination for tourism and festive activities. He emphasized that the village will enhance attractions such as the so

AP The lead engineer for an experimental submersible that imploded en route to the wreck of the Titanic has testified that he felt pressured to get the vessel ready to dive and refused to pilot it for a journey several years earlier. "'I'm not getting in it,'" Tony Nissen said he told Stockton Rush, co-founder of the OceanGate company that owned the Titan submersible. Mr Nissen, OceanGate's former engineering director, was the first witness to testify at what is expected to be a two-week US Coast Guard hearing.  The hearing was told a 2019 dive to the Titanic was abandoned because the Titan was "not working like we thought it would". (Reuters: OceanGate Expeditions) The Titan imploded on June 18, 2023, killing Mr Rush and four others on board and setting off a worldwide debate about the future of private undersea exploration. Mr Nissen said Mr Rush could be difficult to work for and was often very concerned with costs and project schedules, among oth

According to Porscheclassy news, The Lagos State Government, has through the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), sealed The Donalds Restaurant located in Lekki, Lagos, due to persistent noise pollution and environmental infractions. According to reports, LASEPA had issued multiple warnings and abatement notices to the restaurant, situated on Adebayo Doherty Street, Lekki. However, the establishment allegedly disregarded the agency’s directives. Read original story on Porscheclassynews 

By Howard Altman                         Israel raid Israel destroyed a secretive missile production facility in northwest Syria last week in an attack that included inserting special operations forces by helicopter to retrieve equipment and documents, media outlets are reporting. The new details shed light on an attack initially described as only an airstrike. Not only did the raid strike at the heart of the Iranian military presence in Syria, but it also sent a clear message to Tehran that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) can and will attack deep underground complexes with ground troops that it otherwise cannot destroy from the air. The raid, which took place September 9, “obliterated” the facility, located in northwestern Syria near the Lebanese border, The New York Times reported, citing unnamed American and other Western officials. “A number of people” were killed at the site, those sources said. It is located about 140 miles north of Israel. According to the Times, independent exp

A Nigerian cyber security expert based in South Africa, Charles Awuzie has alleged that the Biafra agitator, Simon Ekpa has renewed his threats against him. Awuzie said that the world should hold Ekpa responsible if anything happens to him. According to him, Ekpa started his threat against him during the last presidential election when he stood up against Ekpa’s declaration that there will be no election in the South East. The cyber security expert made the allegation known in a post on his Facebook page on Saturday, saying he stood up against Ekpa’s declaration, when nobody did for fear of being killed. Awuzie said that the Biafra agitator was contained and election held in the South East. Sharing a Facebook post alleged to be from Ekpa in which the agitator had vowed that he wouldn’t forget or forgive him, Awuzie said he has lost his once private life because Ekpa is now after him. Part of his post read: “Dear Simon Ekpa, I am not afraid to die…. “Few hours to my arrival in Lagos, dr

                New York Times Images Former President Donald Trump is safe following an apparent assassination attempt at his Florida golf course, and a "potential suspect" is in custody, US authorities have confirmed. Secret Service agents spotted the barrel of a rifle poking through some bushes and opened fire at him, officials said. The FBI said Trump was 300-500 yards away at the time. An AK47-style firearm and scope, along with two backpacks and a GoPro camera, were later found at the scene. A witness reported seeing the suspect running from some bushes and jumping into a black Nissan car after the agents had fired at him multiple times. Police give update on shooting in Trump 'vicinity': Follow Live The witness took a picture of the vehicle and it was stopped later in Martin County, north of the club. In an email to his supporters, Trump said he was "safe and well". "Nothing will slow me down," he wrote. "I will never surrender!" T