Seplat Energy Plc has confirmed that the below currency exchange rate is applicable in determining Q3 2024 interim dividend to shareholders that will receive the dividend payment in Naira (NGN): The exchange rate for the Naira amounts payable is the NAFEM closing rate for November 11, 2024 Exchange Rate: 1 USD = 1,681.42 NGN

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Donald Trump, US President-Elect, has appointed Elon Musk, chief executive officer (CEO) of Tesla and SpaceX, to lead a soon to be established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Musk, was a staunch supporter of Trump during the electioneering leading up to the November 5 presidential election in which the former president defeated Vice-President Kamala Harris […]

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-Orders rescue of collapsing Osisioma flyover Pursuant to its declaration of state of  emergency on education and other critical sectors of the state economy, the Governor Alex Otti administration of Abia State has has declared that from 1st January, 2025,  it would be an offence for any parent  in the state  to fail to send […]

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– Lauds Oborevwori’s audacious projects in Delta The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has commended engineering construction company, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, for consistently delivering top quality jobs nationwide. The Institute also commended Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State for the construction of legacy projects across the state. NIPR Vice President, Professor Emmanuel Dandaura […]

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The Libyan Department for Combating Illegal Migration has deported seven Nigerians, three Bangladeshis, and three Ghanaians detained at the Qanfoudah Immigration Detention Centre for allegedly violating the country’s laws. The deportees were flown out of Libya via Benina International Airport in Benghazi. in a statement on their X handle on Tuesday, confirmed that these individuals […]

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  United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Africa’s global bank, has partnered with Mastercard to launch a commemorative debit card in celebration of UBA’s 75th anniversary. This collaboration, according to a statement, aims to honor UBA’s long-standing customer relationships and enhance their banking experience with a range of offers and discounts across multiple platforms. UBA’s […]

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Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun state on Wednesday presented the total sum of Three Hundred and Ninety Billion, Twenty Million, Two Hundred and Seventy Seven Thousand, Seven Hundred and Forty Naira Only (390,028,277,740.00) to the state House of Assembly as 2025 budget. Governor Adeleke who tagged the 2025 budget as “Budget of Reconstruction and Recovery” […]

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ZHUHAI, China — Authorities in the southern Chinese city of Zhuhai removed wreaths, candles and even bottles of Chinese alcohol laid at the scene of the deadliest mass killing in the country in a decade, as the government scrambled to respond and censor the outrage online. On Monday, a male driver angry at his divorce settlement rammed his car into a crowd at a sports center in the city of 2.5 million, killing 35 people and injuring 43, but the government took almost a day to announce the death toll. This prompted an outrage on Chinese social media, where posts complaining about the government's slow response and raising questions about the mental health of a nation shaken by a recent spate of similar killings, were being quickly removed. Despite the efforts to clear the site in Zhuhai, which is near Macau, delivery drivers on motorbikes kept dropping off fresh flowers on Wednesday morning, even as authorities erected temporary barriers around the makeshift vigil area and deployed security personnel. “The authorities hadn’t released any information - some colleagues mentioned it and I couldn’t believe it at first, but it was confirmed later,” said a 50-year-old man who identified himself as Zheng who brought flowers to the site. “It’s just a spontaneous feeling I had. Even though I don’t know them personally, I had family members who passed away in the past, so I understand that feeling," said Zheng. Some wreaths carried handwritten notes: "Strangers travel well. May there be no demons in heaven,” read one. On another: “May there be no thugs in heaven. Good will triumph over evil. Rest in peace.” After initially allowing journalists to briefly speak to the people laying the flowers, a handful of security personnel sporting light blue uniforms and caps told reporters not to talk to the people or to film specific messages on the bouquets. The attack happened as Zhuhai captured China's attention with the People's Liberation Army's largest annual airshow, where a new stealth jet fighter is on display for the first time. China’s state broadcaster CCTV did not mention the attack in its 30-minute midday news bulletin. Instead, the program led with President Xi Jinping's departure for the APEC summit in Peru and devoted a portion of the airtime to the airshow. Other state media, such as China Daily's Chinese language website, also prominently displayed the news of Xi's upcoming visit to Peru. The current affairs part of China Daily's website and the local area page did not mention the incident either. Hundreds of rescue personnel were deployed to provide emergency treatment, and more than 300 healthcare workers from five hospitals worked around the clock to save lives, state media's Beijing Daily reported on Tuesday. There was no indication that the attack was related to the airshow. But it was the second such incident to occur during the Zhuhai airshow: in 2008, at least four people were killed and 20 injured when a man drove a truck into a crowded schoolyard during the airshow. Police said that attacker had been seeking revenge over a traffic dispute. Xi, cited by CCTV on Tuesday, ordered all-out efforts to treat the injured and demanded severe punishment for the perpetrator. The central government has dispatched a team to provide guidance on handling of the case, CCTV said. Violent crime is rare in China due to tight security and strict gun laws. However, a rise in reports of knife attacks in large cities has drawn public attention to safety in public spaces. The deadliest attack Reuters was able to identify in recent years in China took place in Urumqi, in China's western Xinjiang region, in 2014, in which suicide bombers killed 39 people and four of the five attackers also died.

MANILA, Philippines — Tropical Storm Man-yi, which will be assigned the local name “Pepito,” continues to intensify as it moves near the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR). The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) on Thursday said Man-yi was last spotted some 1,375 kilometers (km) east of northeastern Mindanao, still outside the PAR. It packs maximum sustained winds of 85 kilometers per hour (kph) near its center, with gusts of up to 105 kph. Man-yi is moving southwestward at 25 kph, with strong to gale-force winds extending outwards up to 380 km from the tropical storm’s center. It […]...

Keep on reading: Storm outside PAR strengthens as it approaches PH, may arrive Thursday

LAS VEGAS — Former “Dances with Wolves” actor Nathan Chasing Horse is set to stand trial early next year in Las Vegas on charges that he sexually abused Indigenous women and girls, a significant development in the sweeping criminal case after more than a year of stalled court proceedings while he challenged it. His trial in Clark County District Court is currently scheduled to begin on Jan. 13, court records show. He pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to 21 felonies, including sexual assault, kidnapping and producing and possessing videos of child sexual abuse, KLAS-TV in Las Vegas reported. Prosecutors are […]...

Keep on reading: Nevada trial set for ‘Dances with Wolves’ actor in newly-revived sex abuse case

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The light haze detected in Cebu City on Thursday, Nov. 14 may prevail until Friday, the state weather bureau said. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration in Mactan (Pagasa-Mactan) said that the city may still experience poor visibility on Friday, Nov.15. According to Romeo Aguirre, weather specialist at Pagasa-Mactan, […]...

Keep on reading: Light haze in Cebu City may prevail until Friday

JAKARTA — Several airlines resumed flights to Bali on Thursday, after cancelling trips to and from the Indonesian resort island due to huge eruptions at a nearby volcano. Eighty-three international routes were cancelled on Wednesday, the general manager of Bali’s international airport said in a statement, after Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki spewed a nine-kilometre (5.6-mile) tower of ash into the sky. The volcano has erupted more than a dozen times over the last two weeks, killing at least nine people and forcing the evacuation of thousands. READ: Airlines around Asia ground Bali flights after volcano erupts Qantas and Jetstar are resuming […]...

Keep on reading: Flights to Bali resume following volcanic eruption

CEBU CITY, Philippines— Miss Universe coronation night is just a few sleeps away. And with that, many things are starting to slowly unfold for the most beautiful night for 73rd Miss Universe. One of which is the 13th crown that will be  worn by the newly crowned Miss Universe. READ MORE: LIST: Miss Universe Philippines Cebu 2025 candidates Filipina queens share bonding moments at Miss Universe 2024 This will be the first time in the Miss Universe history wherein the crown that will be used for the coronation night is made in the Philippines. This is the “Lumière de l’Infini” […]...

Keep on reading: Miss Universe 13th crown proudly made in the Philippines

As the dust settles after one of the most contentious election seasons in modern history, TV host and online personality James Deakin reflects on the shifting power dynamics in the world of journalism, censorship, and the impact of political endorsements in his new commentary uploaded on the Peanut Gallery Media Network’s online platforms. According to Deakin, the media landscape has been forever altered, and it’s clear: “The (American) mainstream media are officially dead.” Watch the full episode on the PGMN YouTube channel here: Deakin’s sharp critique points out that US-based mainstream outlets have lost the trust of the public. “People […]...

Keep on reading: As Trump reclaims the Presidency, James Deakin says 'people have had enough' of celebrity endorsements

Darius Garland scored 25 points and Donovan Mitchell took over down the stretch as the Cleveland Cavaliers remained undefeated with a 114-106 road victory over the short-handed Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA on Wednesday. Mitchell finished with 23 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists for Cleveland (13-0), which is off to the NBA’s best start since the Golden State Warriors’ record-setting 24-game winning streak to begin the 2015-16 season. The Cavaliers scuffled through much of the first half in this one before making a variety of big shots when it mattered most. Philadelphia fought hard without Joel Embiid (knee), Paul […]...

Keep on reading: NBA: Cavaliers remain perfect as 76ers can't keep up

Moira Dela Torre’s third studio album and Denise Julia’s sophomore EP dominate November music releases     Slowly but surely, Mariah Carey and Jose Mari Chan have eased their way into radio waves and mall playlists. But before the holiday classics completely take over this December, check out these upcoming and newly-released November drops. The month’s best and latest will surely be a high point for the year in music—from Moira Dela Torre’s first album in three years to Denise Julia’s sure-hit sophomore EP. READ: What makes Filipinos start celebrating Christmas as early as September? “I’m Okay” – Moira Dela […]...

Keep on reading: Moira Dela Torre, Denise Julia lead new November releases

Chelsea Manalo‘s victory as Miss Universe Philippines has been monumental because she is the first Filipino woman of black heritage to represent the Philippines in the 73-year history of the Miss Universe pageant. And while many celebrated her victory, there were still those who raise the race card and asked if she is “Filipino” enough to carry the country’s flag in a global arena. But for “La Bulakenya,” being of mixed race is an advantage. “We are already representing multicultural aspects that we have, for diversity, for inclusivity in the Philippines. And to bring that to a universal stage, what […]...

Keep on reading: Chelsea Manalo leads charge in promoting inclusivity in PH pageants

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Panthers had a resounding 75-48 victory over the University of the Philippines (UP) Cebu Fighting Maroons in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) Season 24 Men’s Basketball Tournament on Wednesday night at the Cebu Coliseum. Despite both teams being out of contention for the Final Four, the Panthers displayed their old winning form, securing a dominant win as their season is nearing its end with one more scheduled elimination game left.  READ MORE: CESAFI: CIT-U Junior Wildcats claw back USPF in come-from-behind win Cesafi basketball: Top-ranked squads plunge […]...

Keep on reading: Cesafi: USP-F bounces back strong with win over UP Cebu

Jalen Williams scored a season-high 31 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 106-88 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA on Wednesday in Oklahoma City. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 29 points, including a 3-foot basket off the glass off transition that began with a Gilgeous-Alexander blocking Brandon Boston Jr.’s dunk attempt on the other end. The basket made it 101-79 Thunder with 3:20 to play, putting an exclamation point on a dominating performance two days after Gilgeous-Alexander posted a career-high 45 points. Williams added seven assists, six rebounds, four steals and two blocks. READ: NBA: Shai […]...

Keep on reading: NBA: Thunder score impressive win over Pelicans

Iran hanged a 26-year-old man for a second time Wednesday months after a previous execution was halted half a minute in, an NGO said. Ahmad Alizadeh was arrested in October 2018 on a murder charge, which he denied, and was sentenced to death, Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR), which tracks executions in Iran, said in a statement. His death sentence was carried out on April 27 in Ghezel Hesar prison in Karaj outside Tehran. But just 28 seconds into the hanging he was brought down from the gallows when the victim's family suddenly shouted "forgiveness." His "lifeless" body was successfully resuscitated and the execution was halted, IHR said. Under Iran's sharia law, a victim's family can ask for blood money to spare the life of the perpetrator or also decide to forgive. However, in many cases the family of the condemned person cannot afford the sum set and the execution goes ahead, according to activists. Alizadeh remained under the threat of the death penalty in the absence of any deal with the victim's family for blood money. He was executed again in the Ghezel Hesar prison on Wednesday morning, IHR said. "Ahmad Alizadeh, a talented student, was hanged for the second time on charges of murder, which he denied and claimed he confessed to under torture," said IHR director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, denouncing the "execution machine of the Iranian regime." Activists accuse Iran of using the death penalty to instill fear throughout society, particularly in the wake of 2022-2023 nationwide protests which shook the Islamic authorities. According to IHR, 2024 is seeing a new surge in executions, with at least 166 executions recorded in October alone, the highest number recorded in a single month since the group began documenting executions in 2007. Activists including Amnesty International say Iran carries out more annual executions than any country other than China, for which no reliable figures are available.

While some parts of Gaza are on the verge of famine, Palestinians in the West Bank are also suffering. They are unable to work in jobs in Israel, and the entire economy of the West Bank is contracting. Linda Gradstein reports from the West Bank town of Ramallah. Camera: Ricki Rosen

new york — A U.S. appeals court on Wednesday threw out a $1.68 billion judgment against Iran's central bank that had been won by family members of troops killed and injured in the 1983 bombing of the U.S. Marine Corps barracks in Beirut.  The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan said a lower court judge should have addressed questions of state law before ruling against Bank Markazi and Luxembourg intermediary Clearstream Banking, a unit of Deutsche Boerse.  In a 3-0 decision, the panel also rejected a claim that a 2019 federal law designed to make it easier to seize Iranian assets held outside the United States waived Bank Markazi's sovereign immunity.  That law "neither abrogates Bank Markazi's jurisdictional immunity nor provides an independent grant of subject matter jurisdiction," Circuit Judge Robert Sack wrote.    The court returned the case to U.S. District Loretta Preska, in Manhattan to address state law questions in the 11-year-old case, and whether the case can proceed in Bank Markazi's absence.  Bombing victims sought to hold Iran liable for providing material support for the October 23, 1983, suicide attack that killed 241 U.S. service members, by seizing bond proceeds held by Clearstream in a blocked account on Bank Markazi's behalf.  Bank Markazi claimed immunity under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, which generally shields foreign governments from liability in U.S. courts.  Lawyers for the plaintiffs did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Bank Markazi's and Clearstream's lawyers did not immediately respond to similar requests.  Iran, other U.S.-designated sponsors of terrorism, and banks accused of providing services to terrorists face thousands of claims in U.S. courts by victims and their families. It is often difficult for these claimants to collect judgments.  In the Bank Markazi case, the plaintiffs sued in 2013 to partially satisfy a $2.65 billion default judgment they had won against Iran in 2007.  Another judge dismissed the case in 2015, but the 2nd Circuit Court revived it in 2017.  Then in 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered a fresh review in light of the 2019 law, which then-President Donald Trump signed as part of the National Defense Authorization Act.  The plaintiffs have said they hold more than $4 billion of judgments against Iran and have been unable to collect for decades.  The case is Peterson et al v. Bank Markazi et al, 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 15-690. 

The world’s largest coral colony has been discovered near the remote Solomon Islands in the Pacific Ocean – an undersea mass that is so big, it can be seen from space, National Geographic scientists announced Nov. 12, 2024.   

Washington — National Geographic scientists say they’ve discovered the world’s largest coral near the remote Solomon Islands in the Pacific Ocean — an undersea mass that is so big, it can be seen from space. The man who found it, Manu San Felix, director of cinematography for National Geographic Society’s Pristine Seas, a program dedicated to marine conservation, says the giant organism measures 34 meters wide and 32 meters long and is “close to the size of a cathedral.” “I see this as a living library that has the information of the conditions of the oceans for centuries,” he told reporters this week, underscoring it is a reminder of the need to better protect the ocean from global climate change. Eric Brown, a Pristine Seas coral scientist, said the enormous coral species, Pavona clavus, is healthy and has “high reproductive potential,” making it essential to help other coral reef ecosystems recover from the damage of a warming ocean. Corals “are very vulnerable ecosystems. So, it’s important for us to do whatever we can to protect these environments that are both small and mighty,” Brown said at a Tuesday press briefing to announce the find. The announcement comes as world leaders gather for the United Nations climate conference, known as COP29, in Azerbaijan. Attendees are trying to agree on new mechanisms to finance a global energy transition to renewables and help nations like the Pacific Islands pay for the cost of adapting to rising oceans. Pristine Seas is also encouraging nations to designate marine protected areas, or MPAs. The goal is to protect 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030. Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. is attending the summit. Palau has walled off 80% of its waters to development, while the nearby Pacific Island nation of Niue has designated 40% of its waters for protection. “It cannot just be big countries. Small countries need to do their part,” he told VOA in an interview. “So, it's all of us working together ... protecting our oceans, because we know that healthy oceans are an important part of the ecosystem and important in regulating climate.” Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele agreed. “Our survival depends on healthy coral reefs, so this exciting discovery underlines the importance of protecting and sustaining them for future generations,” he said in a press release. But so far, the Solomon Islands has created a network of 79 designated ocean conservation areas — less than 1% of its exclusive economic zone. What’s more, its economy is largely dependent on forestry — the very industry that threatens the viability of coral through sedimentation. “All that sediment is going onto a reef, and it’s smothering the reef, thereby preventing the corals from being able to feed, to grow, to reproduce,” Molly Timmers, Pristine Seas lead scientist on the Solomon Islands, said at the press briefing. According to the Observatory of Economic Complexity, an online platform that seeks to visualize the distribution of international trade, the Solomons exported $308 million in rough wood in 2022, with $260 million of it going to China. VOA asked Chief Dennis Marita, director of culture at the Ministry of Culture & Tourism, how the government can find a balance. “Much of the logging activities are happening on the mainland” away from the coral, Marita said in an interview, but “there needs to be a serious awareness about the impacts of what’s happening in the logging industry to the marine environment.” Marita sees this coral discovery as a way to attract researchers, biologists and tourists to bring in revenue to the small island nation of 740,000 people. Earlier this week, the Solomon Islands signed an agreement with China to provide visa-free travel between the two countries. “Suddenly, people will start coming to the island, but then we need to be prepared for them, and also, we need to ensure that the coral is safeguarded,” Marita said. Dr. Daniel Barshis of Old Dominion University’s Ecological Sciences Department in Norfolk, Virginia, said that idea has merit. “I would imagine this discovery would draw tourists to the area, similar to how old-growth trees inspire folks to visit,” he told VOA via email. “The fact that [corals] like this still exist is a reminder that coral reefs are still surviving and deserve us working as hard as we possibly can to save them from some of the worst-case scenarios if we don't reverse course on greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible,” said Barshis. William Yang contributed to this report.

washington — A hack of U.S. telecommunications systems linked to China that initially appeared to focus on the American presidential campaigns goes much deeper, according to investigators, and is likely part of a vast effort by Beijing to spy on the United States. The FBI and the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency warned on Wednesday that the breach first detected late last month has now “revealed a broad and significant cyber espionage campaign.” The two agencies said in a statement that their investigation has confirmed Chinese-linked hackers compromised the networks of multiple U.S. telecommunication companies, gaining access to a potential treasure trove of information. Specifically, they said the hackers would have been able to access customer call records and infiltrate the private communications of a select number of government officials and politicians. Additionally, the hackers appear to have been able to copy information requested by U.S. law enforcement as a result of court orders. “We expect our understanding of these compromises to grow as the investigation continues,” the FBI and CISA said. “We encourage any organization that believes it might be a victim to engage its local FBI field office or CISA,” they added. The two agencies first announced they were investigating a breach of U.S. telecommunications systems in late October, less than two weeks before U.S. voters cast their ballots in nationwide elections. Word of the breach followed a report by The New York Times that Chinese hackers were thought to have broken into telecommunications networks to target the campaign of President-elect Donald Trump — including phones used by Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance. The Trump campaign confirmed the breach in a statement to VOA. Separately, a person familiar with the investigation told VOA that people affiliated with the campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris were also targeted. The Chinese Embassy in Washington at the time dismissed the U.S. hacking allegations as disinformation, calling the U.S. "the origin and the biggest perpetrator of cyberattacks." The embassy has yet to respond to the latest FBI and CISA allegations. U.S. intelligence agencies warned for months that foreign adversaries were using a combination of cyberattacks and influence operations to meddle with the November 5 U.S. presidential election. In addition, reports issued by private cybersecurity firms indicated a significant uptick in activity by actors linked to Russia, China and Iran. All three nations have repeatedly denied accusations of election meddling. U.S. agencies, led by CISA and the FBI, have long warned that China-linked hackers have burrowed into U.S. computer systems and networks, in some cases hiding for years. The China-linked group, known as Volt Typhoon, has been "positioning itself to launch destructive cyberattacks that would jeopardize the physical safety of Americans," according to an advisory issued in February. "What we've found to date is likely the tip of the iceberg," CISA Director Jen Easterly said in a statement at the time.