Author: Akintayo Adams

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced a 10% reduction in foreign student intake, set to begin in 2025. This will reduce the number of new international study permits from the 2024 target of 485,000 to 437,000. The decision aims to protect the country from system abuse while balancing economic immigration. Trudeau emphasized the need for stricter controls, stating that immigration is beneficial but should not be exploited. Additional restrictions will also affect work permits for spouses of master’s degree students and foreign workers in certain sectors with labor shortages. Immigration Minister Marc Miller confirmed the international student cap, which…

The Federal Government is taking steps to decriminalize attempted suicide in Nigeria, according to Prof. Muhammed Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare. This was announced during a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday to mark the upcoming 2024 World Suicide Prevention Day, observed annually on September 10. Currently, suicide is a criminal offense under Section 327 of the Criminal Code Act, which states that anyone who attempts suicide is guilty of a misdemeanor and can face up to one year in prison. However, there have been growing calls to decriminalize suicide, recognizing it as a mental health…

Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah have reached a boiling point, with fears of a full-scale war growing after a series of deadly explosions in Lebanon left 37 dead and thousands injured over two days. The situation escalated dramatically on Wednesday when hand-held walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah exploded in southern Lebanon, following similar pager detonations the day before. Lebanon’s Health Minister confirmed that Wednesday’s blasts in Beirut’s suburbs and the Bekaa Valley claimed 25 lives and injured over 600 people. A day earlier, 12 individuals, including two children, were killed, and nearly 2,300 were wounded. Although Israeli officials have not made…

Former referee Carlos Chandia revealed that he allowed Lionel Messi to play in the 2007 Copa America final against Brazil by sparing him a yellow card in exchange for Messi’s match-worn shirt. Messi had committed a handball in Argentina’s semi-final match against Mexico, which would have earned him a yellow card and disqualified him from the final due to an accumulation of bookings. However, Chandia decided not to penalize the football star, offering Messi a deal: his shirt in return for avoiding the card. Chandia recounted the incident on ESPN FShow, explaining that Messi’s handball occurred in the middle of…

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has announced the resolution of a technical issue that disrupted the Bank Verification Number (BVN) verification process for students applying for loans. The issue, which started over the weekend and continued through the public holiday, caused delays for numerous applicants. In a statement shared on NELFUND’s official X (formerly Twitter) account on Wednesday, the organization confirmed that the problem had been fully resolved by Tuesday morning. NELFUND encouraged all affected students to log back into the portal, complete their BVN verification, and proceed with their loan applications. NELFUND also thanked students for their patience…

The National Examinations Council (NECO) has announced the release of the 2024 SSCE internal examination results. A message on NECO’s website detailed that a token is required to check the results, which can be used up to five times. The statement reads, “Our result checker token will be used to check a candidate’s result once (up to five times). Any further checks of the same result will require the NECO E-Verify result verification portal to confirm such results.” Here’s how to check your NECO results using the new system: Before You Begin: You are to arm yourself with: Step 1:…

The National Examinations Council (NECO) has released the 2024 SSCE internal results. The announcement was made by the Registrar/Chief Executive of NECO, Professor Dantani Wushishi, on Thursday, while briefing newsmen at the organization’s headquarters in Minna, Niger State. According to him, NECO blacklisted 21 supervisors in 12 states and de-recognized one school in Ekiti State for mass cheating in two core subjects and one science subject. “Forty schools were found to have been involved in whole-school mass cheating in 17 states adding that the schools will be invited to the council for discussion after which appropriate sanctions will be applied.…

As the Edo State governorship election approaches its final stages, the competition centers around three leading candidates: Asue Ighodalo of the PDP, Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party, and Senator Monday Okpebholo of the APC. Although INEC listed 17 candidates, these three have emerged as the frontrunners. Former Governor Adams Oshiomhole and Governor Godwin Obaseki are backing their respective candidates, Okpebholo and Ighodalo. This race echoes the 2020 election, but the emergence of the Labour Party as a major force adds uncertainty, potentially altering the dynamics. Edo State operates an informal power rotation between its three senatorial districts: Edo South,…

For the first time in nearly 30 years, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters has decided not to endorse a U.S. presidential candidate, leaving both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump without the influential union’s backing. The union, which represents 1.3 million members, cited insufficient responses from both candidates on key Teamsters issues. While Harris has garnered support from some regional councils and locals, the overall neutral stance is seen as a setback for her campaign, particularly in key battleground states. This decision underscores internal divisions within the union. Despite Harris’ pro-labor stance, including her visible support of striking workers, some members…

The Naira experienced a significant appreciation against the US dollar in the foreign exchange market on Wednesday, gaining ₦116.91 compared to the previous day. Data from FMDQ indicated that the Naira strengthened to ₦1539.65 per dollar, a notable improvement from ₦1656.56 on Tuesday. However, in the parallel market, the exchange rate remained stable at ₦1660 per dollar, the same as the day before. This fluctuation in the official exchange market highlights the continued volatility the Naira has faced in recent months. Get instant and latest news updates via Our WhatsApp Community or Google News online channel.