The Nation Newspaper

Tag: U.S

  • Trump’s surprise wins in crucial U.S. states rattle world markets

    Trump’s surprise wins in crucial U.S. states rattle world markets

    Republican Donald Trump scored a series of surprising wins in battleground states including Florida and Ohio on Tuesday, opening a path to the White House for the political outsider.

    The result is rattling world markets counting on a win by Democrat Hillary Clinton.

    With investors worried a Trump victory could cause economic and global uncertainty, the U.S. dollar sank and stock markets slammed into reverse in wild Asian trading.

    Opinion polls before Election Day had given Clinton a slim lead.

    Mexico’s peso plunged to its lowest-ever levels as Trump’s chances of winning the presidency increased.

    Concerns of a Trump victory have weighed heavily on the peso for months because of his threats to rip up a free trade agreement with Mexico and tax money sent home by migrants to pay to build a wall on the southern U.S. border.

    Trump won in Florida, Ohio and North Carolina.

    With voting completed in 49 of the 50 U.S. states, he also narrowly led in Michigan, New Hampshire and Wisconsin, giving him a clear advantage in the state-by-state fight for 270 Electoral College votes needed to win.

    Both candidates still had ways to reach 270, but Clinton would have to sweep most of the remaining battlegrounds including Pennsylvania, Michigan and either Nevada or New Hampshire.

    Trump captured conservative states in the South and Midwest, while Clinton swept several states on the East Coast and Illinois in the Midwest.

    After running close throughout the night in Virginia, Clinton pulled out the swing state that is home to her running mate, Senator Tim Kaine.

    At 8:55 p.m. EST (0155 GMT on Wednesday), Clinton acknowledged a battle that was unexpectedly tight given her edge in opinion polls going into Election Day.

    She tweeted: “This team has so much to be proud of. Whatever happens tonight, thank you for everything.”

    As of 11:10 p.m. EST (0410 GMT on Wednesday), Trump had 215 electoral votes to Clinton’s 209, with U.S. television networks projecting the winner in 38 of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

    Before Tuesday’s election, Clinton led Trump, 44 percent to 39 percent in the last Reuters/Ipsos national tracking poll.

    A Reuters/Ipsos States of the Nation poll gave her a 90 per cent chance of defeating Trump and becoming the first woman elected U.S. president.

    Also at stake on Tuesday was control of Congress.

    Television networks projected Republicans would retain control of the House of Representatives, where all 435 seats were up for grabs.

    In the Senate, where Republicans were defending a slim four-seat majority, Democrats scored their first breakthrough in Illinois when Republican Senator Mark Kirk lost re-election. But Republicans Rob Portman in Ohio and Marco Rubio in Florida won high-profile Senate re-election fights.

    In a presidential campaign that focused more on the character of the candidates than on policy, Clinton, 69, a former U.S. secretary of state, and Trump, 70, accused each other of being fundamentally unfit to lead the country.

    Trump again raised the possibility on Tuesday of not accepting the election’s outcome, saying he had seen reports of voting irregularities.

    He gave few details and Reuters could not immediately verify the existence of such problems. (Reuters/NAN)

  • U.S. election: Campaigns, normal activities ongoing with no security deployment

    U.S. election: Campaigns, normal activities ongoing with no security deployment

    U.S. witnessed normal government and commercial activities on Tuesday in the ongoing historic election with no security personnel deployed to polling stations.

    A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in the U.S. reports that government offices, commercial banks, schools and other activities remained open with no restriction of movements.

    Working class individuals were also seen coming early to the polls to cast their votes before going to their offices.

    Elections officials told NAN that security personnel are not deployed to polling stations as violence are not usually anticipated.

    They, however, said that security personnel could be called should there be any hitch to the poll at any of the centres.

    NAN also reports that campaigns were ongoing at the polling centres with supporters of candidates publicly soliciting for votes.

    NAN, however, reports that guns could be carried into some polling centres like churches and other public places except schools, according to officials.

    The laws of some states in the U.S. permit carrying of guns except in mostly northeastern states.

    A commissioner at the Department of Elections, State of Virginia, Mr Edgardo Cortes, said that law enforcement officials are prohibited from being deployed to polling centres.

    “Law enforcement agents are not deployed to polling centres. They are not deployed to protect ballots; it is prohibited.

    “Law enforcement agents are only on calls to respond if there are disturbances, but we ask them not to set up speed stops or checks that could deter people from accessing voting places.

    “Holidays are also not declared,” he told NAN.

    He also said that campaigns are allowed at the polling centres within certain perimeters.

    “Campaigns are allowed outside 40 feet of the polling centres. There is no law banning campaigns on election day.

    “There is going to be campaigns going on as the voting is going on,” he said.

    At all the polling stations visited by NAN, no security official was sighted.

    Ms Joyce Gunderlach, Chief Election at Kiln Greek precinct in Newport News, said that the centre did not require any law enforcement official as no incidences of violence had been recorded there in history.

    Similarly, Mrs Linda O’Dell, Election, Chief Election Officer at Old Courthouse Way Community Centre, said she could call the police if their services are required but expressed confidence that such would not be necessary.

    Results from the elections are expected to be declared tonight while the president-elect would also be announced by major media networks later on Tuesday. (NAN)

  • 5.0-magnitude quake hits Oklahoma

    A 5.0-magnitude earthquake hit the U.S. state of Oklahoma on Monday with no major damage being immediately reported.

    According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake occurred around 0144 GMT with an epicentre located about 1.6 km west of Cushing, a city in the northern part of Oklahoma.

    The Cushing police confirmed that the quake caused considerable damage but details were not immediately available.

    Cushing, a city with a population of nearly 8,000, is home to the Cushing Tank Farm, a massive oil storage facility that is billed as the World’s largest.

    Recently, a 4.5-magnitude earthquake rocked the northern part of Oklahoma with an epicentre near the city of Pawnee.

    In September, a 5.6-magnitude earthquake also struck Oklahoma with an epicenter around 14.4 km northwest of Pawnee.

    Scientists have linked the state’s rise in earthquakes to the underground disposal of wastewater from oil and gas production.

  • Osinbajo receives U.S. congressional proclamation of honour

    Osinbajo receives U.S. congressional proclamation of honour

    Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has been presented with an honorary United States (U.S.) Congressional Proclamation to commemorate his visit to Texas and also honour the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

    It took place during the gala/dinner event organised by the Christian Association of Nigerian-Americans (CANAN) in Houston, USA on Friday night.

    The event was attended by leaders of the Nigerian community in U.S. and American political leaders, including U.S. Congress Woman Sheila Jackson-Lee.

    Jackson-Lee presented the vice president with the honorary congressional proclamation.

    According to her, the U.S. Congress takes Nigeria as a very serious partner, which informed the reason it gave great support to the ongoing fight against Boko Haram.

    She said Nigeria was one of the countries that have their own caucuses among the elected representatives in the U.S. Congress, made up of both Democrats and Republicans.

    A statement by Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity in the Office of the Vice President, said Osinbajo reiterated his call on Nigerian elite to come together based on a common consensus to build the nation.

    He said: “Even in the midst of all the country is going through, there is a growing consensus by all and sundry on the need for good governance.”

    Explaining the need for a group of Nigerians committed to lifting the nation to rise up, he noted that this was important to counter and stop those working to pillage the country’s resources.

    Osinbajo pointed out that the administration “takes diaspora issue very seriously”, a reason, according to him, that the President appointed a Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora in person of former House of Representatives member, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa.

  • U.S. pledges to repatriate Nigeria’s stolen funds

    U.S. pledges to repatriate Nigeria’s stolen funds

    THE United States (U.S.) will assist Nigeria to repatriate its fund stashed abroad by corrupt public office holders and politicians, its Special Representative to Muslim communities Shaarik Zafar said yesterday.

    Zafar, who spoke in an interactive session with reporters in Kano, explained that the U.S. was committed to fast-tracking the process of bringing back the stolen money.

    According to him, “before the stolen money could be brought back to Nigeria, certain legal procedures needed to be followed and that is what the U.S. is facilitating.’’

    Zafar was optimistic that the fight against corruption in Nigeria would succeed.

    He was in the city for an inaugural workshop on anti-corruption tool for religious leaders.

    The workshop was organised by Zafar’s Office under the U.S. Department of State.

    He said if corruption could be effectively tackled, the country would witness socio-economic growth.

    “I am optimistic that if corruption can be tackled, the trend is positive for Nigeria based on the commitment,’’ Zafar said.

    According to him, the U.S. was committed toward assisting Nigeria in the fight against corruption.

    He added: “Nigeria’s success is America’s success; hence our decision to work with government, civil society organisations and religious groups on areas to prevent corruption.”

    The U.S. envoy said the workshop would address how religious communities could work together to combat corruption, promote accountability and encourage transparency.

    “I have a global mandate. So, I will encourage a continued focus by religious leaders on the critical challenge of combating corruption. This is not only because of their moral voice. Critically, religious leaders speak a common language with their communities.

    “They also have incomparable access, unique networks and level of respect that can help in this common battle against corruption and to promote accountability,”  Zafar stated.

  • U.S, Russia reach Syria deal

    Russia and the United States have agreed to coordinate air strikes against Islamist militants in Syria, part of a detailed agreement to reduce the violence there.

    The plan will begin with a “cessation of hostilities” from sunset on Monday, the BBC reports.

    Syrian forces will end combat missions in specified opposition-held areas.

    Russia and the U.S will then establish a joint centre to combat jihadist groups, including so-called Islamic State (IS).

    A Syrian opposition coalition has cautiously welcomed the agreement.

    “We hope this will be the beginning of the end of the civilians’ ordeal,” said Bassma Kodmani, a spokeswoman for the High Negotiations Committee.

    “We welcome the deal if it is going to be enforced.”

    Turkey welcomed the plan, and said aid needed to reach those in need “from the first day.”

    The European Union foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, urged the United Nations to “prepare a proposal for political transition” in Syria.

    British Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, urged Russia to “use all its influence” to ensure the Syrian government “delivers on its obligations.”

     

  •  Zika may damage brain cells- Experts

     Zika may damage brain cells- Experts

    Researchers said aside that Zika virus caused microcephaly and brain abnormalities in foetuses, new study had revealed that adult brain cells critical to learning and memory may also be infected.

    The research published in Cell Stem Cell journal in Washington, U.S. on Friday, reveals that more studies are needed to determine if the damage has long-term biological implications or the potential to affect behaviour.

    It said that for now, the findings suggested the possibility that the Zika virus may be more harmful than previously believed.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Joseph Gleeson, a professor at the Rockefeller University and one of the co-authors of the study, said that the research was the first study looking at the effect of Zika infection on the adult brain.

    “Based on our findings, getting infected with Zika as an adult may not be as innocuous as people think.

    “In developing foetuses, the brains are comprised entirely of neural progenitor cells, the kind of stem cells that in healthy individuals grow and divide rapidly to become fully formed neurons,’’ he said.

    Gleeson said that current evidence suggested that Zika could target neural progenitor cells in developing foetuses, leading to microcephaly and a wide variety of developmental disabilities.

    He said that the research revealed that the mature brain retained some niches of the neural progenitor cells, which the researchers suspected were also vulnerable to Zika infection.

    “These niches exist primarily in the sub-ventricular zone of the anterior forebrain and the sub-granular zone of the hippocampus, two regions vital for learning and memory in mice.’’

    Gleeson said he and his colleagues created a mouse model and then injected a modern Zika strain into the mice’s bloodstream to mimic Zika infection in humans.

    According to him, the results showed adult neural progenitor cells can indeed be hijacked by the virus.

    “It was very clear that the virus wasn’t affecting the whole brain evenly, like people are seeing in the foetus.

    “In the adult, it’s only these two populations that are very specific to the stem cells that are affected by virus. These cells are special, and somehow very susceptible to the infection,’’ he said.

    The researchers recognised that healthy humans may be able to mount an effective immune response and prevent the virus from attacking.

    However, they suggested that some people, such as those weakened immune systems, may be vulnerable to the virus in a way that had not been recognized.

    They said that although there were still many unanswered questions, as the findings raised the possibility that Zika was not simply a transient infection in adult humans, and that exposure in the adult brain could have long-term effects.

    “The virus seems to be travelling quite a bit as people move around the world.’’

    They advised that as a result of the study, the public health enterprise should consider monitoring for Zika infections in all groups, not just pregnant women.

  • Ekweremadu to deliver U.S. Constitution Day lecture

    Ekweremadu to deliver U.S. Constitution Day lecture

    Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu will deliver the 2016 edition of the United States of America (USA) Constitution Day Lecture, entitled: “Influence of the U.S Constitution on African Democracies”.

    A statement by the Special Adviser, Media, to Ekweremadu, Uche Anichukwu, said the nomination was announced by the U.S Law Library of Congress, organisers of the annual event, at the weekend.

    It said by this, Ekweremadu, who also chairs the Senate Committee on Review of the 1999 Constitution, would be the first non-U.S citizen to deliver the lecture commemorating the ratification of the world’s oldest written constitution on September 17, 1787.

  • APC: Buhari’s wife’s trip to U.S. exposes Fayose as a liar

    APC: Buhari’s wife’s trip to U.S. exposes Fayose as a liar

    The ongoing official visit of the President’s wife, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, to the United States (U.S.) has exposed Governor Ayo Fayose as a “liar, who has made lies and deceit a principal policy of his maladministration”, Ekiti State All Progressives Congress (APC) said yesterday.

    Fayose had accused Mrs. Buhari of involvement in the Haliburton scandal, claiming that she could not visit the U.S. over an alleged fear of being arrested. The governor accused President Muhammadu Buhari of shielding his wife from investigation.

    But the President’s wife filed a defamation case against Fayose in the court over the comment, maintaining that she was never involved in the Haliburton scam and had never been involved in any criminal act both in her private and public life.

    The Presidency also denied the charge, saying Buhari’s wife knew nothing about the scandal, even as investigations by online publications indicated that the “Aisha Buhari” named in the scandal was not Buhari’s wife.

    The state APC scolded Fayose for blackmailing Mrs. Buhari in a bid to score cheap political point and gain undeserved popularity.

    It said: “The governor’s indiscretion on his claim on the president’s wife has exposed him as a man lacking integrity to hold the responsible position of the governor of Ekiti State.”

    In a statement yesterday signed by its Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, the Ekiti APC advised Fayose to resign from office, describing the governor’s conduct as a “collective shame to Ekiti people”.

    Olatunbosun said it was regrettable that a man of “less honourable conduct is the one in charge of responsible position of the governor of Ekiti State”.

    He said the President’s wife did not only visit America, but also met with the U.S. top leaders, United Nations (UN) officials and several non-governmental organisations that promised her cash and materials in aid of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the Northeast.

    The party spokesman contended that Ekiti people did not deserve a leader, who had lost respect among Nigerians over indecent conduct, including recklessly telling lies and other unbecoming behaviours that were disgraceful.

    He said: “Recently, Fayose’s men wrote a letter published online in the name of Ekiti State APC spokesman (my humble self) purportedly accusing the President’s wife of involvement in the Harlliburton scandal and asking her to submit herself for prosecution in the U.S.

    “This fraud was reported to the police and investigation is ongoing. But this was after the governor had earlier lied that a spiritualist advised me to beg him to return to the PDP so that the sore on my thigh would heal even though I never nursed any injury in any part of my body and I have never spoken to him for more than three years.

    “He stage-managed a meeting with Femi Bamisile with some traditional rulers after asking them to invite the politician for a meeting, only to emerge from where he was hiding somewhere in the hotel to beg Bamisile to return to the PDP, which the latter rejected. But minutes after, the news was all over that Bamisile had returned to PDP after begging Fayose.”

    Olatunbosun also noted how the governor allegedly blackmailed an elder statesman and lawyer by pasting his posters as a governorship aspirant in the run up to 2007 election.

  • U.S. launches airstrikes against Islamic State in Libya

    The U.S. has launched airstrikes against Islamic State strongholds in Libya’s Sirte city at the request of the Libyan Presidency Council, Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj said on Monday.

    “The Presidency Council decided in its capacity as the supreme command of the Libyan armed forces, to demand direct U.S. support to conduct targeted airstrikes against the strongholds of the Daesh organisation.

    “The first of these airstrikes has already kicked off on specific locations in Sirte, causing severe loses in the ranks of the enemy” Sarraj said.

    According to Sarraj, the airstrikes has enabled Libyan ground forces to control important strategic sites in the city.

    He said that the call for U.S. support came in response to a request from the command of the Bonayan al-Marsous operation that fought against Islamic State and after consulting the defence minister.

    Pro-government forces started an offensive in May to retake Sirte from Islamic State.

    Sirte, about 450 km east of the capital Tripoli, is strategically important because it links Libya’s east and west.

    The Mediterranean city has been under Islamic State control since last year, becoming the group’s biggest bastion outside Syria and Iraq.

    Libya has been in turmoil since the 2011 revolt that toppled long-time dictator Moamer Gaddafi.

    Islamic State has taken advantage of the chaos to seize territory along the sparsely populated central coast and expand in the oil-rich country.