Author: Chief Editor

Ahead of the start of the electioneering campaigns on Wednesday, tens of hundreds of supporters of the ruling All progressive congress (APC) have concluded arrangements to embark on a special prayers session and peace walk. Mr Bayo Onanuga, Director, Media and Publicity APC Presidential Campaign Council directed all the 422 party stalwarts nominated to serve in the various directorates of the council to report at the campaign headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday 28 September at 8 a.m to achieve the goal. Onanuga enjoined nominated members of the council to participate in the special prayer sessions marking the commencement of the…

Ukrainian farms have started the 2022 corn harvest, threshing 92,200 tonnes of the commodity from 0.5% of the sown area, the agriculture ministry said on Friday. The ministry said in a statement that the corn yield stood at 4.41 tonnes per hectare. The ministry has said Ukraine could harvest 25 to 27 million tonnes of corn this year versus 42.1 million tonnes in 2021 and the Russian invasion was the main reason for the decrease in the harvest. Ukraine is a major global grain producer and exporter but is likely to register a significant drop in output this year, falling…

The First Lady of Nigeria, Aisha Muhammadu Buhari and other top women in Africa on Thursday launched a call to action to promote equal participation of women of all ages in peace-building and decision-making at all levels. The correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the women launched the action at an event in New York on “The Role of Young Women and Girls in Advancing Peace and Security: Promoting a Culture of Peace in Fragile Settings’’. The High-Level event was organised by the African First Ladies Peace Mission (AFLPM) on the margins of the ongoing 77th…

*As UN seeks code of conduct against misinformation, disinformation As the world marks the International Day of Peace, the President of the Economic Community of West African States, (ECOWAS), Dr Omar Touray, has called for more stakeholders’ collaboration toward promoting peace, equality and ending racism. The president made the call at an occasion marking World Peace Day and the launching of a documentary on the ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework, (ECPF), at the ECOWAS Commission, in Abuja. He said World Peace Day is a day set aside by the United Nations (UN) to strengthen global peace through a 24-hour observance of…

Japan announced Thursday that it will lift tough Covid restrictions on foreign tourists, reopening the borders after two and a half years. Speaking at the New York Stock Exchange, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, said the pandemic had interrupted the free flow of people, goods and capital that had helped the nation flourish. “But from October 11, Japan will relax border control measures to be on par with the US, as well as resume visa-free travel and individual travel,” said Kishida, who is in the city for the United Nations General Assembly. Japan, along with China, has been a holdout in…

The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr Ayuba Wabba, has urged the Federal Government to immediately begin the payment of hazard allowance to health workers in the country. Wabba made the call at the 2022 annual Federal Capital Territory Nurses Week/Scientific Workshop of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives on Thursday in Abuja. At the workshop with the theme, “Invest in Nursing and respect rights to secure global health,” Wabba said the allowance has been reviewed but payment is yet to begin. “Many health workers have fallen victim to diseases in taking care of patients. I salute…

The People’s Democratic Party has finalised plans to inaugurate its presidential campaign council on Wednesday, September 28, regardless of the withdrawal of some party heavyweights and prominent campaign council members led by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike. The party revealed that all its programmes would be carried out as scheduled, adding that it had no plan to suspend them for any reason. The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba, disclosed this to The PUNCH in Abuja on Thursday. The party made this position known after a series of meetings by its leadership between Wednesday and Thursday, following the…

Three major U.S. banks are raising their prime lending rates to the highest levels since the global financial crisis of 2008, following a hefty interest rate hike by the U.S. Federal Reserve. JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N), Citigroup Inc and Wells Fargo & Co (WFC.N) said on Wednesday the new rates, including the latest 75 basis point hike, would take effect on Thursday. Lending rates rose to highest since global financial crisis after Fed rate hike on Wednesday Lending rates rose to highest since global financial crisis after Fed rate hike on Wednesday The U.S. central bank has remained steadfast in its decision…

Ancora Holdings, one of the hedge funds that spearheaded a board shake-up last year at Kohl’s Corp , is now pushing for the removal of the U.S. retailer’s chief executive and board chairman, according to a letter seen by Reuters. The move marks the beginning of a new round of shareholder unrest for Kohl’s after the company explored a sale and decided in July to remain independent, leading to a plunge in its shares and disappointing investors who had pushed for a deal. Ancora, which holds a 2.5% stake in Kohl’s, asked in the letter to Kohl’s board on Thursday…

ExxonMobil is gradually shutting down its 235,000 barrel per day (bpd) Fos-Sur-Mer refinery in France as a result of ongoing strike action, the company said in an emailed statement on Thursday. Walkouts caused the gradual shut down of Exxon’s 240,000 bpd Port Jerome-Gravenchon oil refinery and Notre Dame de Gravenchon (NDG) petrochemical site in France on Sept. 20 before spreading to Fos-Sur-Mer 24 hours later. French unions CGT and Force Ouvriere called for a strike on Tuesday following wage negotiations with Exxon Mobil related to rising inflation in Europe. “We are gradually shutting down the Gravenchon refinery and petrochemical plant…