Burhan discusses Egypt mediation offer in talks with Sisi

Had ruled out negotiated deal with RSF foe the day before

Civilians caught in crossfire, dozens killed in Nyala

Sudanese military ruler General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan met his Egyptian counterpart on Tuesday in his first trip abroad since the April outbreak of war in Sudan, a day after rejecting calls for fresh negotiations.

The two discussed President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's offer to mediate the conflict during a short meeting in the coastal city of El Alamein, an initiative Burhan said he welcomed, according to an Egyptian presidency statement.

On Monday, Burhan said the regular army he leads would vanquish the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and never sign a deal with them, dashing new hopes of talks to end a war that has plunged Sudan into overlapping humanitarian crises.

The visit represents the first time Burhan has left Sudan since the April 15 start of the conflict, which broke out amid discord over plans to integrate their troops into a single force as part of a transition to democracy.

Burhan is also expected to visit Saudi Arabia, which along with the United States had held meetings with the two sides that yielded ceasefire pacts that were all violated in short order.

In brief comments from El Alamein, Burhan said he wanted to end the war, but did not mention the possibility of talks.

"We ask the world to take an objective and correct view of this war. This war was started by a group that wanted to take over power, and in the process it has committed every crime that could come to mind," Burhan said.

The RSF has been accused of looting homes and raping dozens of women, according to activists and victims, and of ethnic warfare that has driven out hundreds of thousands of residents of El Geneina in West Darfur.

The RSF has denied the accusations but said that any of its fighters found involved in abuses would be brought to justice.

Two Egyptian security sources said that while the RSF had also said it welcomed the Egyptian initiative, which includes a call for a months-long ceasefire, it had appeared reluctant to take any further steps.

"The PR advantage is with Burhan," said a Western diplomat, adding that although Western nations see both sides of the conflict as belligerents, Burhan's appearances outside Khartoum would shore up his status.

Both the regular army and RSF have been accused of fighting in residential areas and indiscriminately firing heavy weapons, resulting in hundreds of civilians killed in the capital and other major cities. They both deny the allegations, accusing each other of targeting civilians.

In Nyala, capital of South Darfur and one of Sudan's most populous cities, fighting has cut off phone networks, electricity and humanitarian aid for weeks, with tens of thousands of residents trapped.

In one incident documented by medical aid agency MSF and local residents, about two dozen people, including multiple members of several families, died when caught in crossfire while hiding under a bridge on Aug. 23.

Reuters

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Ukrainian drones attack Russian air base near Estonia

Ukrainian drones swept across Russia in overnight attacks that destroyed military aircraft and disrupted air traffic, Russian officials said early on Wednesday, hours after the funeral service for Russian mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin.

Attacks by unmanned aircraft were reported in Pskov, Bryansk, Kaluga, Orlov and Ryazan regions as well as the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula, Russian officials said.

The most significant attack appeared to be in Pskov about 660 km (411 miles) north of the Ukrainian frontier, near the borders with Estonia and Latvia, where Russian officials said four Il-76 military transport planes were damaged.

Ukraine has stepped up its drone war in recent months, often hitting targets deep inside Russian territory in support of a ground offensive that is meeting stiff resistance on the southern and eastern front lines.

Footage published by Pskov's governor on the Telegram messaging app shows smoke rising from a large fire as the sounds of sirens and an explosion ring out. Other reports on Telegram channels showed anti-aircraft systems in action around the city, which is just 32 km (20 miles) east of the Estonian border.

"According to initial assessments, nothing serious has occurred but it is hard to determine that at night. If everything is in order, the airport will resume normal operations on Thursday," Governor Mikhail Vedernikov wrote on Telegram, adding that there were no injuries.

Tass news agency, quoting emergency services, said four Il-76 transport aircraft, long the workhorse of the Russian military, were damaged at the military airfield. Two of the planes "burst into flames", it added.

Russian military and defence officials said three Ukrainian drones were shot down over southern Bryansk region, one over central Orlov region and one over Ryazan region south of Moscow. The airspace around Moscow's Vnukovo airport was closed briefly, Tass reported.

A Russian aircraft also destroyed four Ukrainian fast-attack boats carrying up to 50 paratroopers in an operation on the Black Sea, the military said.

Reuters was not able to independently verify the reports and there was no immediate comment from Ukraine.

MORE US AID

The drone attacks came as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced a new package of military assistance to aid Ukraine in its fight against Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbour in Feb. 2022.

The package includes additional mine-clearing equipment, missiles for air defence, plus ammunition for artillery and small arms, Blinken said in a statement.

Ukraine is using vast amounts of ammunition in some of the heaviest fighting of the war as its presses its summer counter-offensive in the south and east, where Russian forces are deeply entrenched.

On Tuesday the Russian mercenary chief Prigozhin was buried in a leafy cemetery on the outskirts of St Petersburg, six days after he was killed in an unexplained plane crash north of Moscow.

Prigozhin, two top lieutenants of his Wagner group and four bodyguards were among 10 people who died when his Embraer Legacy 600 private jet crashed in unexplained circumstances on Aug. 23.

He died two months after staging a brief mutiny against the Russian defence establishment, in the biggest challenge to President Vladimir Putin's rule since he rose to power in 1999.

Moscow says it is investigating the crash and has denied any involvement, but in Washington White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre gave her strongest statement yet about the possibility that Putin directed the killing.

"We all know that the Kremlin has a long history of killing opponents," she said. "It's very clear what happened here."

Russia informed Brazil's aircraft investigation authority that it would not probe the crash of the Brazilian-made Embraer (EMBR3.SA) jet under international rules "at the moment", the Brazilian agency told Reuters on Tuesday.

Russia’s aviation authority is not obligated to follow international investigation protocols as the flight from Moscow to St Petersburg was domestic.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Washington is waging war on Russia ‘to the last Ukrainian’ – Moscow

The US government has announced another round of military aid for Ukraine worth $250 million, including artillery shells, air defense munitions and mine-clearing equipment, among other gear. The latest weapons transfer comes as Kiev attempts a wave of attacks on Russian cities as part of its straggling summer offensive.

The State Department outlined the new lethal aid on Tuesday, noting that Ukraine would receive additional munitions for the HIMARS rocket system, AIM-9M air defense missiles, Javelin and other anti-tank weapons, as well as 3 million rounds of small arms ammunition.

Russia’s embassy in Washington later condemned the weapons transfer as “the height of hypocrisy,” saying US officials “will not give up the concept of fighting Russia to the last Ukrainian.”

The embassy went on to connect the aid to recent comments by US Senator Mitt Romney, who declared that American assistance to Kiev was helping to “weaken” both Russia and China at a bargain price, calling the aid “the best national defense spending I think we’ve ever done.”

“Without a second thought, [Romney] said bluntly that ‘the United States is diminishing and devastating the Russian military for a very small amount of money. We are losing no lives in Ukraine,’” the embassy continued. “His words dot the i’s and cross the t’s. The lives of citizens of other countries do not matter much.”

Drawn from existing stockpiles, the new $250 million arms package brings direct US military aid to Kiev to more than $43 billion since the conflict with Russia escalated last year. Despite significant support from Western sponsors, however, Ukrainian forces have struggled to reclaim territory in their much vaunted summer counteroffensive.

Though Kiev is aiming to capture a swath of land toward the Azov Sea coast in hopes of severing Moscow’s land bridge into Crimea, behind the scenes US intelligence officials have raised doubts about its chances for success, according to the Washington Post. Instead, officials believe Ukraine will fall “well short” of its “principal objective.”

Amid lagging efforts to reclaim land, Ukrainian forces have increasingly turned to strikes further into Russian territory, including a series of attempted drone bombings in Moscow in recent weeks. Early on Wednesday, Russia’s Defense Ministry said air defenses continued to intercept UAVs, and had repelled several coordinated attacks across five different regions.

** Russian MOD claims destruction of Ukrainian landing force

A Russian Navy attack jet has sunk four boats transporting a force of Ukrainian commandos, the Defense Ministry in Moscow announced early on Wednesday.

“At around midnight on August 30, a naval aircraft of the Black Sea Fleet destroyed four military speedboats carrying a landing force of Ukrainian special operatives, numbering up to 50 men, in the waters of the Black Sea,” the Russian Defense Ministry statement said, without giving a more precise location.

Earlier this month, Moscow published a video of a Russian military jet destroying a Ukrainian speedboat off the coast of Snake Island, near Odessa.

The watercraft was identified as a Willard Sea Force boat, sold to Kiev a decade ago by the US-based Willard Marine. Ukraine had purchased several versions, capable of carrying anywhere from six to 26 troops each.

Last week, Ukrainian military intelligence claimed to have landed a group of commandos on the coast of Crimea, to raise a flag on the country’s independence day. The Russian Defense Ministry did not comment on the alleged incident, while some Russian social media reported the destruction of a Ukrainian raiding party in a firefight with local security forces.

Ukraine continues to claim Crimea, even though its residents had overwhelmingly voted to return to Russia in 2014, following the US-backed coup in Kiev.

Reuters/RT

It was a fairly regular day on the ward for Canberra hospital infectious diseases physician Sanjaya Senanayake, until a neurosurgeon colleague called him and said: “Oh my god, you wouldn’t believe what I just found in this lady’s brain – and it’s alive and wriggling.”

The neurosurgeon, Dr Hari Priya Bandi, had pulled an 8cm-long parasitic roundworm from her patient, prompting her to call on Senanayake and other hospital colleagues for advice about what to do next.

The patient, a 64-year-old woman from south-eastern New South Wales, was first admitted to her local hospital in late January 2021 after suffering three weeks of abdominal pain and diarrhoea, followed by a constant dry cough, fever and night sweats.

By 2022, her symptoms also included forgetfulness and depression, prompting a referral to Canberra hospital. An MRI scan of her brain revealed abnormalities requiring surgery.

“But the neurosurgeon certainly didn’t go in there thinking they would find a wriggling worm,” Senanayake said. “Neurosurgeons regularly deal with infections in the brain, but this was a once-in-a-career finding. No one was expecting to find that.”

The surprising discovery prompted a team at the hospital to quickly come together to uncover what kind of roundworm it was and, most importantly, decide on any further treatment the patient might require.

“We just went for the textbooks, looking up all the different types of roundworm that could cause neurological invasion and disease,” Senanayake said. Their search was fruitless and they looked to outside experts for help.

“Canberra is a small place, so we sent the worm, which was still alive, straight to the laboratory of a CSIRO scientist who is very experienced with parasites,” Senanayake said. “He just looked at it and said, ‘Oh my goodness, this is Ophidascaris robertsi’.”

Ophidascaris robertsi is a roundworm usually found in pythons. The Canberra hospital patient marks the world-first case of the parasite being found in humans.

The patient resides near a lake area inhabited by carpet pythons. Despite no direct snake contact, she often collected native grasses, including warrigal greens, from around the lake to use in cooking, Senanayake said.

The doctors and scientists involved in her case hypothesise that a python may have shed the parasite via its faeces into the grass. They believe the patient was probably infected with the parasite from touching the native grass and transferring the eggs to food or kitchen utensils, or after eating the greens.

Senanayake, who is also an infectious diseases expert based at the Australian National University, said the patient needed to be treated for other larvae that might have invaded other parts of her body, such as the liver. But given no patient had ever been treated for the parasite before, care was taken. Some medications for example could trigger inflammation as the larvae died off. Inflammation can be harmful to organs such as the brain, so they also needed to administer medications to counteract any dangerous side-effects.

“That poor patient, she was so courageous and wonderful,” Senanayake said. “You don’t want to be the first patient in the world with a roundworm found in pythons and we really take our hats off to her. She’s been wonderful.”

The patient is recovering well and is still being regularly monitored, Senanayake said, and researchers are exploring whether a pre-existing medical condition that caused her to be immunocompromised could have led to the larvae taking hold. The case has been documented in the September edition of the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, three-quarters of new or emerging infectious diseases in people come from animals.

Senanayake said the world-first case highlighted the danger of diseases and infections passing from animals to humans, especially as people and animals start to live more closely together and habitats overlap more.

“There have been about 30 new infections in the world in the last 30 years,” he said.

“Of the emerging infections globally, about 75% are zoonotic, meaning there has been transmission from the animal world to the human world. This includes coronaviruses.

“This Ophidascaris infection does not transmit between people, so this patient’s case won’t cause a pandemic like Covid-19 or Ebola. However, the snake and parasite are found in other parts of the world, so it is likely that other cases will be recognised in coming years in other countries.”

Infectious diseases physician Prof Peter Collignon, who was not involved in the patient’s case, said some cases of zoonotic diseases may never be diagnosed if they are rare and physicians don’t know what to look for.

“Sometimes, people die with the cause never being found,” he said.

“It’s worth taking care when encountering animals and the environment, by washing foods thoroughly and cooking food properly, and wearing protection like long sleeves so you don’t get bitten,” he said.

The Guardian, UK

Gary Marcus, cofounder of the Center for the Advancement of Trustworthy AI, has for years been highly critical of generative artificial intelligence and large language model applications like OpenAI’s ChatGPT. These programs consume vast quantities of data to perform various functions, from creating new cocktail recipes to sharing insights about the folding sequences of proteins.

Marcus recently wrote that there are “not one, but many, serious, unsolved problems at the core of generative AI.” He isn’t alone. During an interview earlier this month, theoretical physicist Michio Kaku dismissed AI chat bots as “glorified tape recorders” that are only a “warped mirror of what’s on the internet the last 20 years.”

Yet that hasn’t stopped popular culture, business blogs, and tech enthusiasts from contemplating their supposedly revolutionary implications. There are many unknowns about general artificial intelligence and its role in American society, but one point is becoming clear: Open-source AI tools are turning the internet into an even murkier den of confusion. 

One of Marcus’s chief concerns is that these models can create self-amplifying echo chambers of flawed or even fabricated information, both intentionally and unintentionally. AI researchers Maggie Harrison and Jathan Sadowski have each drawn attention to what the latter cleverly termed “Habsburg AI,” which appears when AI-generated information is fed back into another AI program on a loop. What results is a sort of information “inbreeding” that drives the AI mad, causing it to spew abominations of data. Yet even absent these conditions, human influence on the information filtering process creates opportunities for additional forms of distortion.

Practices known as search-engine poisoning, keyword stuffing, or spamdexing involve programmers boosting the visibility of certain sites or products artificially by manipulating a search engine’s indexing system. Unfortunately, AI can supercharge these manipulative schemes. But malicious intent aside, the sheer breadth of online data can lead programs to mistake such volume for veracity. Take, for instance, something as simple as a famous quote.

“The society that separates its scholars from its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting done by fools” is one of the most misattributed phrases on the internet. Google and Bing searches yield an avalanche of results giving credit for this wisdom to the fifth-century B.C. Athenian general Thucydides. Indeed, the quote is one of ChatGPT’s top three responses to the prompt “Thucydides quotes.”

Though he was a warrior and a scholar, Thucydides never wrote those words. The quote, transformed over the years through endless paraphrasing, is from a biography of British General Charles George Gordon written by Sir William Francis Butler and published in 1891. Ironically, another quote frequently misattributed to Thucydides is that “knowledge without understanding is useless.”

Yet according to the dominant search engines — increasingly popular sources of human knowledge — Thucydides did say those things. This is one example of an artificial historical fact. The problem might seem trivial when quoting an ancient Athenian, but what about when vetting U.S. foreign policy for historical context, responding to a rapidly evolving pandemic or trying to make sense of potentially cherry-picked declassified intelligence that could lead a nation to war?

Earlier this month, I published a study describing how disinformation made its way into trusted sources and shaped the consensus to invade Iraq in 2003. If available at the time, AI-powered news filters could have further reinforced that narrative and stifled or altogether silenced opposition. Such a predicament emerged during the Covid-19 pandemic and the 2020 presidential election, as social media platforms banned what they considered suspect reports that wound up being true. Society’s insatiable demand for rapid and continuous information access has also become a lucrative market that large language models are perfectly suited to exploit.

Questionable AI-authored literature now floods online bookstores, luring buyers with trending topics and promises of expertise on a budget. One error-riddled book about the recent fires in Maui appeared on Amazon within two days of the disaster. It had the same title as Michael Wolff’s wildly popular 2018 book on the Trump administration, “Fire and Fury.” The book was #1 in the natural disasters category before Amazon took it down, and this incident is far from isolated. 

If these practices are not curbed, they could produce a Tower of Babel effect by creating an online ecosystem of self-replicating fictions. Americans read fewer books, have less faith in the news, view higher education as less important and rely more than ever on TikTok for their news, all of which makes the modern world fertile ground for algorithmic manipulation. Making matters worse, traditional checks on specious information — such as expert knowledge, reputable publishing agenciesand hard news sources — have lost much of their influence.

AI’s threat to society therefore looks less like James Cameron’s vision of a cyborg Armageddon and more like a hopelessly polluted information environment in which everything is disputed and meaningful communication is impossible. Advanced search tools can reinforce rather than refine the prejudices or policies of their human masters, which hyper-accelerates human bias online.

AI itself poses less of a risk to humanity than malign actors who seek to abuse it or those who put misplaced faith in its role as a gatekeeper of human knowledge. If Washington and Silicon Valley wade into the age of artificial truth without a clear strategy for managing its risks, America could end up drowning in a sea of incoherence.

Capt. Michael P. Ferguson, U.S. Army, is a Ph.D. student in the Department of History at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is coauthor of “The Military Legacy of Alexander the Great: Lessons for the Information Age.” The views expressed are those of the author and do not reflect the official policies or positions of the U.S. Army, U.S. Department of Defense or U.S. Government.

The Hill

Few names command as much respect and admiration as Warren Buffett in business and investment. The "Oracle of Omaha" is known for his exceptional investment prowess and his unwavering commitment to ethical practices.

One of the most crucial lessons he imparts is the significance of hiring people with integrity. He often cites the quote, "In looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And if they don't have the first, the other two will kill you."

For Buffett, integrity isn't just a nice-to-have quality; it's a non-negotiable foundation on which successful companies are built.

Integrity as a competitive advantage

Buffett's emphasis on integrity is not just a moral stance; it has far-reaching implications for decision-making and long-term success. 

He believes that when a company's leaders and employees operate with integrity, they are more likely to make decisions that benefit the organization as a whole, rather than pursuing short-term gains or engaging in unethical practices.

I agree. 

In my work as an executive coach, I have seen numerous companies with a strong culture of integrity as having a competitive advantage. Businesses that prioritize ethical behavior tend to attract loyal customers and dedicated employees, fostering an environment of trust that is invaluable in the business world.

Two big lessons for business leaders

Warren Buffett's emphasis on hiring people with integrity carries profound lessons for both established business leaders and aspiring entrepreneurs:

1. It cultivates trust

Investing in individuals with integrity fosters an environment of trust and accountability that pays dividends over time. 

When someone exercises good judgment, trust is gained, especially with those working and collaborating in close proximity. Colleagues see one another as dependable and accountable for their actions. In turn, people feel safe in each other's presence.

2. It sets the tone for ethical behaviors

Integrity should be a way of life for how people behave in the business world. And it starts with leaders modeling the way. They must embody the values they espouse and set the tone for ethical behavior throughout the organization. 

A leader who walks the walk of integrity becomes a role model who commands respect. By hiring and promoting people with integrity up the ranks, the workforce will naturally gravitate to their leadership because they respect the decisions they make on behalf of others and the organization.

Warren Buffett's belief that integrity is the bedrock on which successful companies are built serves as a guiding light for leaders in today's ever-shifting business landscape. His words remind us that integrity isn't just a virtue – it's a strategic imperative.

Inc

KPMG has adjusted its growth forecast for the Nigerian economy to 2.65 percent in 2023 – down from 2.85 percent earlier projected.

The professional services firm, in a flashnote titled ‘Underwhelming Q2 2023 GDP Growth Recorded’, and released over the weekend, said the revision is premised on various considerations.

KPMG listed the factors to include the recent contraction in oil production, muted government investment in the economy, the impact of subsidy removal and foreign exchange

(FX) rates unification on households, among others.

“Q2 2023 GDP results is broadly in line with our earlier downward revision of 2023 GDP to 2.85%. Nevertheless, we are adjusting our 2023 forecast further downwards to 2.65%,” KPMG said.

“Firstly, half-year 2023 GDP currently stands at 2.41% and will require an average growth in H2 2023 of 3.30% and 3.50% to end the year at 2.85% and 3.0% respectively for 2023 which we believe is challenging and unlikely.

“Q2 2023 is however the quarter where the impact of Subsidy removal, FX unification and other reforms of the new administration had it major impact on squeezing household consumption demand and firms’ costs of operations as well as reduced private investment as firms continued to adopt a wait and see approach, tweak strategies to cope with rising costs and reduced demand for their goods and services and struggled to find FX to operate. These factors will likely constrain non-oil growth given that household consumption and private investment constitute the largest share of GDP.

“The impact of subsidy removal was evident in the biggest contraction in road transportation GDP since the new GDP series. Though, subsidy was only removed in June 2023 representing one month impact of the three months of the quarter, road transport GDP contracted by -55.14% in Q2 2023, representing the biggest contraction in road transport GDP in history.

“This contradicts the muted results recorded with respect to inflation for that same month which according to NBS was not expected to fully reflect on the CPI though methodologically, the Inflation rate in each sector is used to deflate nominal GDP for that sector.

“At the same time, there has been muted government capital investment in the economy in Q2 2023 and the first half of Q3 2023 so far, with new administrations at the Federal and State level settling down in Q3 2023.

“Furthermore, oil production has started Q3 2023 with a further contraction in July 2023 and if this trend continues for the remaining two months of Q3 2023, we will have a situation where non-oil sector growth and oil sector growth underperform.”

The firm also said it expected further increases in inflation for the rest of the year which would make the pressure on nominal to real gross domestic product (GDP) to be higher, thereby curtailing higher real GDP growth in Q3 2023.

Recently, the National Bureau of Satistics (NBS) disclosed that Nigeria’s GDP slowed to 2.51 percent in the second quarter (Q2) of 2023 due to the challenging economic conditions being experienced.

The Cable

The Supreme Court has put to rest the lingering argument and confrontation between the Police Force headquarters and the Police Service Commission (PSC) over who is statutority responsible for recruitment of personnel into the force.

The court ruled that it was the mandate of the PSC to recruit police personnel, with chairman of the PSC, Solomon Arase, declaring that the judgment was for the overall best interest of national security.

Arase said “the judgment simply and legally cements the resolution of the issue in a win-win situation for the two institutions which ordinarily cannot effectively function, and deliver on its respective mandates without the cooperation of each other.”

Making this known in a statement yesterday, spokesman of the commission, Ikechukwu Ani, said: “On July 11, 2023, the Supreme Court decided and laid to rest the contentious issue and controversy between the Police Service Commission and the Nigeria Police Force, as to whose duty it is to recruit Constables for the Nigeria Police.

“In the judgment; the Supreme Court unequivocally pronounced the Police Service Commission as the agency statutorily mandated to do so.

“Prior to the judgment, efforts were already in process and at advanced stage towards amicable resolution of the issue between the two critical institutions, as it was highly embarrassing to government, and, indeed, other stakeholders for the duo which ought to work in harmony and mutuality to have engaged in such avoidable legal disputation over an issue that sought understanding, respect and compromise.

“It must be said and seen, therefore, that the judgment was delivered for the overall best interest of our national security, and goes to underscore the need for harmonious working relationship and mutual trust amongst agencies of government.

“Consequently, it is important that all concerned de-escalate and eschew all forms of hostilities, misconceptions, preconceptions and prejudices against each other which were at the base of the hitherto characterizing of a no love lost relationship between the Commission and the NPF.”

Arase noted that the unnecessary imbrogilo impacted negatively on staff of Police Service Commission and officers as well as other ranks of the Nigeria Police Force.

“Going forward, he announced that a Recruitment Board has been constituted, chaired by the Police Service Commission, with other relevant stakeholders as members, and will be inaugurated in no distant time.

“The Board will screen and ensure that only able and qualified members of the public are recruited into the NPF, reflecting also the principle of federal character.”

”The imperativeness of peace, harmony and cordiality between the two institutions, according to him cannot be over-emphasized, as contemporary security provisioning has become more tasking than ever, and demands a robust policy guideline from the commission.

This is to ensure that the “Nigeria Police Force is repositioned for greater efficiency and effectiveness in not only meeting up with the myriad of security challenges confronting our dear country, Nigeria, but also birthing a responsive, responsible and accountable police to our people.

“Peace is essential for growth and success of any institution in delivering on its mandate, and it is hoped that the Commission and NPF will continue to build and consolidate on the emerging trust, confidence and mutual respect,” he added.

Vanguard

Police Service Commission has compulsorily retired four Deputy Inspectors General of Police.

The commission said it took the decision “pursuant to the Third Schedule, Part 1 M, para A&B of the 1999 Constitution, reinforced with Section 6 of the Commissions (Establishment) Act 2001, para a, c, d, e, &f.”

The affected DIGs are Dan-Mallam Mohammed, Moses Jitiboh, Hafiz Inuwa and Adeleke Bode.

The PSC, in a statement by its spokesperson Ikechukwu Ani, said it took the decision following the refusal of the officials to resign after the appointment of their junior, Kayode Egbetokun, as the new Inspector General of Police.

“In the wake of the appointment of the acting Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun on the 19th of June, 2023 by Mr. President, the Commission had expected in consonance with the revered tradition of discipline and regimented culture of the Nigeria Police Force that those DIGS who were seniors in rank prior to his elevation would voluntarily apply for retirement or elect to leave the Force.

The Commission, having waited for ample time with no such application from any of them, took the decision to compulsorily retire them in order to uphold discipline which is the bedrock of the Force, and to discourage status reversal which is inherently inimical to the exercise of authority by the Inspector General.”

PT

Nigerians and other individuals living within the country have used Bolt for over 250 million rides since the firm began operations in 2016.

The firm disclosed this recently as it commemorated 10 years of global operations in Europe and Africa. It stated that it has seen over three billion kilometres in distance recorded by users on the app.

According to Bolt, it has surpassed 150 million customers in over 45 countries and 500 cities, and these customers are spread across a suite of mobility products which include ride-hailing, micro-mobility (scooter and e-bike rental), food delivery, grocery delivery, Bolt Drive, a free-floating car-sharing service, and Bolt Business, a corporate mobility service.

It noted that it now has over 3.5 million partners (drivers and couriers) using the app to earn a living, including over one million in Africa alone.

In a statement, the Country Manager, Nigeria, Yahaya Mohammed, said, “As we reach these remarkable milestones in the ride-hailing market, we remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring safety, affordability, and reliability for all users on our platform.

“Even amid the challenges posed by the ever-changing macroeconomic landscape, our dedication to providing exceptional service remains unwavering.

We also remain dedicated to collaborating with our driver partners, regulatory bodies, and other industry stakeholders to ensure the growth of the ride-hailing industry in Nigeria.”

Commenting on its strides in Nigeria, the firm added, “Implemented innovative safety features and protocols to safeguard the welfare of both riders and drivers. For example, the audio trip recording feature which empowers both drivers and riders to initiate an audio recording of their trip within the Bolt app, offers a solution in situations where they may feel uncomfortable during the ride.”

The Guardian

A private warehouse in the Kpansia area of Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital used by the state government to store foodstuffs and other materials was on Sunday invaded by some residents of the state capital who stole food items and others.

The items included bags of rice and garri as well as cartons of noodles and bottled water said to be part of the relief materials donated by some concerned Nigerians during the 2022 flood in the state.

The incident occurred around 7.30pm when the residents stormed the warehouse located along the Isaac Boro Expressway with pick-up vans and private vehicles to move the foodstuffs, most of which had already gone bad, away.

While the looting was ongoing, the state government deployed men from its security outfit called Doo Akpo to disperse the residents and secure the building.

The state government expressed surprise and concern over the invasion of the premises of the privately owned warehouse and described the incident as unwarranted, saying the food items were remnants being gathered for disposal as they were no longer fit for human consumption.

A statement issued by the State Emergency Management Agency, on Monday, said the incident happened around 7.45pm on Sunday after the Director-General of BYSEMA, Walamam Igrubia, and some personnel of the agency had left the warehouse premises.

 The statement read in part, “During the 2022 flood in the state, the agency used the warehouse to store food items.

 “As part of preparations for an impending flood this year, the DG visited the premises, and in his presence, remnants of food items, notably rice and garri that were no longer fit for consumption, were cleared from the warehouse and placed outside for disposal the next day.

 “The remnants, which were swept from the floor and packed in disused bags, were less than 10 bags of rice and garri and with some broken cans of oil. For emphasis, BYSEMA states that these items were not fresh food palliatives and were not hoarded by the agency or the state government.

 “These items are unfit for human consumption and a responsible, caring government like ours will not give Bayelsans such items as palliatives. In essence, there were no food items to loot. So, those who carted away the unfit items are please advised in their interest not to consume them.”

Punch