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Focus Nigeria-
What role should traditional medicine play in Nigeria's health system?
Traditional medicine (TM), often referred to as "African Traditional Medicine" (ATM) or "Alternative Medicine" (though the latter term can be broader), plays an incredibly significant, and often indispensable, role in Nigeria's health system, particularly given the challenges facing conventional Western medicine.
Over 70-80% of Nigerians, especially those in rural and low-income communities, rely on traditional medicine for their primary healthcare needs.

The role of traditional medicine should ideally be one of integration, regulation, and research, leveraging its strengths while mitigating its risks, to complement and enhance the formal healthcare system.

Here's a breakdown of its current and potential roles:

I. Current De Facto Role (Filling the Gaps):

Primary Healthcare Provider for the Underserved: In many rural areas where modern healthcare facilities are scarce or non-existent, traditional healers are often the only accessible and affordable source of healthcare. They serve as the first point of contact for a vast majority of the population.

Affordability and Accessibility: Traditional remedies and consultations are often cheaper than orthodox medicine, and payment in kind (e.g., farm produce) can be acceptable. Traditional practitioners are typically located within communities, making them highly accessible.

Cultural and Spiritual Resonance: Traditional medicine often takes a holistic approach, addressing not just physical ailments but also spiritual, psychological, and social dimensions of health. This resonates deeply with the cultural beliefs and worldview of many Nigerians regarding disease causation and healing.

Treatment of Specific Ailments: Traditional medicine has long been relied upon for managing certain conditions, such as:

Bone setting: Traditional bone setters (TBS) are popular for treating fractures and dislocations.

Mental health: Traditional healers often deal with mental illnesses, which are frequently attributed to spiritual causes in many Nigerian cultures.

Obstetrics and Gynecology: Traditional birth attendants (TBAs) play a significant role in maternal care, particularly in rural settings.

Herbal Remedies: A vast array of medicinal plants are used to treat common ailments like malaria, fever, skin infections, and digestive issues.

Source of New Drug Discovery: Many modern pharmaceutical drugs have their origins in traditional plant-based remedies (e.g., quinine from cinchona bark for malaria, artemisinin from Artemisia annua).

II. The Ideal and Future Role (Integration, Regulation, and Research):

Integration into Primary Healthcare:

Referral System: Traditional practitioners can be trained to recognize conditions beyond their scope and refer patients to modern health facilities. Conversely, orthodox doctors should be educated about common traditional practices to facilitate communication and understanding with patients.

Collaborative Care: For certain conditions, a collaborative approach could be beneficial, where traditional and modern practitioners work together, especially in areas like mental health, rehabilitation, and chronic disease management.

Community Health Workers: Traditional healers, with their deep community trust, could be integrated into community health worker networks for health promotion, disease prevention, and surveillance.

Standardization and Regulation:

National Policy and Legal Framework: Develop clear national policies and legal frameworks for the practice of traditional medicine, defining roles, responsibilities, and standards.

Registration and Licensing: Establish a robust system for the registration, licensing, and certification of traditional medicine practitioners (TMPs) to ensure they meet minimum standards of training and ethics.

Quality Control of Herbal Products: Implement strict regulations for the cultivation, harvesting, processing, packaging, labeling, and marketing of herbal remedies. NAFDAC (National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control) has a role here in ensuring safety, quality, and efficacy.

Code of Ethics: Develop and enforce a code of conduct and ethics for TMPs to curb quackery, exploitation, and harmful practices.

Scientific Research and Validation:

Efficacy and Safety Studies: Conduct rigorous scientific research, clinical trials, and toxicological studies on widely used traditional remedies to ascertain their efficacy, safety, active compounds, dosages, and potential side effects or drug interactions.

Preservation of Knowledge: Document and archive traditional medicinal knowledge (which is often oral and localized) to prevent its loss and facilitate scientific study. This also raises issues of intellectual property rights for traditional knowledge holders.

Drug Discovery: Invest in pharmaceutical research and development to identify new drug candidates from Nigeria's rich biodiversity, collaborating with traditional healers.

Education and Training:

Formal Training for TMPs: Develop formal training programs for TMPs that combine traditional knowledge with basic modern medical concepts (e.g., anatomy, physiology, hygiene, first aid, record-keeping, referral protocols).

Cross-Cultural Education: Incorporate elements of traditional medicine into the curriculum of modern medical and nursing schools to foster understanding, respect, and potential collaboration.

Public Education: Educate the public on the importance of seeking validated and regulated traditional medicines, and the dangers of harmful practices or unproven remedies.

III. Challenges to Integration:

Lack of Standardization: The diverse, often secretive, and undocumented nature of TM practices.

Safety and Efficacy Concerns: Issues with dosage, purity, potential toxicity, and lack of scientific evidence for many traditional remedies.

Quackery: The prevalence of charlatans and untrained individuals who exploit public trust.

Professional Skepticism: Resistance and distrust from some orthodox medical practitioners towards TM.

Spiritual vs. Scientific Divide: The challenge of reconciling spiritual and cultural aspects of TM with the scientific, evidence-based approach of modern medicine.

Despite these challenges, ignoring traditional medicine in Nigeria is not an option. Its widespread use and cultural significance necessitate its proper integration into the national healthcare system, ensuring safety, efficacy, and ultimately, better health outcomes for all Nigerians.

Focus Nigeria-
How can public hospitals be improved to serve the poor better?
Improving public hospitals to better serve the poor requires a comprehensive strategy that addresses the core issues of funding, infrastructure, human resources, efficiency, and patient-centered care.
For a country like Nigeria, where the majority of the population relies on public healthcare and poverty is widespread, these improvements are vital for national development and social equity.

Here's a detailed approach:

I. Increased and Transparent Funding:

Allocate More Budgetary Resources: Governments at federal, state, and local levels must significantly increase the percentage of their budgets allocated to healthcare, aiming to meet or exceed international recommendations (e.g., the Abuja Declaration's 15%).

Targeted Funding for the Poor: Earmark specific funds for initiatives that directly benefit low-income patients, such as subsidized or free essential services, medications, and diagnostic tests for those who cannot afford them.

Strengthen Health Insurance Schemes (e.g., NHIS):

Expand Coverage: Aggressively expand the reach of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to cover a larger portion of the informal sector and vulnerable populations, potentially through community-based health insurance models or state-led initiatives.

Subsidies for the Poor: Implement government subsidies or premium support for low-income households to ensure they can afford health insurance contributions.

Streamline Processes: Simplify the enrollment and claims processes for the poor to reduce bureaucratic hurdles.

Combat Corruption and Ensure Accountability:

Implement robust financial management systems, regular audits, and strict anti-corruption measures within public hospitals to prevent embezzlement and ensure funds are used for their intended purpose.

Introduce performance-based funding where hospitals receive additional funds based on patient outcomes, efficiency, and satisfaction.

II. Infrastructure and Equipment Upgrade:

Renovation and Modernization: Invest in systematic renovation and modernization of existing public hospital buildings to create clean, safe, and dignified environments.

Equip with Modern Technology: Provide essential, functional diagnostic and treatment equipment (e.g., X-ray machines, ultrasound scanners, laboratory equipment, essential surgical tools). Ensure maintenance contracts and availability of spare parts.

Reliable Utilities: Guarantee constant access to clean water, reliable electricity (invest in solar power as a sustainable backup), and proper waste management systems in all public hospitals.

Basic Amenities: Ensure availability of basic amenities like clean restrooms (separate for male/female), comfortable waiting areas, and proper ventilation.

III. Human Resources Development and Motivation:

Adequate Staffing: Recruit and retain a sufficient number of qualified doctors, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory scientists, and other support staff to reduce workload and improve patient-to-staff ratios.

Competitive Remuneration and Welfare: Offer attractive and timely salaries, allowances, and a comprehensive benefits package (including health insurance and pensions) to stem the brain drain and motivate staff.

Continuous Professional Development (CPD): Provide regular training opportunities to upgrade skills, keep staff abreast of new medical advancements, and improve patient communication.

Ethical Conduct and Empathy Training: Conduct mandatory training on medical ethics, patient rights, empathy, and respectful communication, particularly towards low-income patients who may feel disempowered.

Performance Incentives: Introduce performance-based incentives for staff tied to patient satisfaction, quality of care, and efficiency, rather than just volume.

Safety and Security: Enhance security measures within hospital premises to protect staff from harassment or violence.

IV. Operational Efficiency and Patient-Centered Care:

Streamline Processes: Implement efficient patient flow systems, from registration to consultation, diagnosis, and treatment, to reduce long waiting times and bureaucratic bottlenecks.

Digitalization (Electronic Health Records - EHR):

Implement EHR systems to improve record-keeping, reduce errors, enhance data sharing among departments, and enable better patient tracking.

Digitalize appointment scheduling and billing to minimize human interface and reduce opportunities for corruption.

Focus on Primary Healthcare (PHC): Strengthen the referral system from PHC centers to secondary and tertiary public hospitals. Well-equipped and staffed PHCs can manage common ailments, reducing the burden on hospitals and making basic care accessible at the community level.

Culturally Sensitive Care: Train staff to understand and respect the cultural beliefs and practices of diverse patient populations, which can influence health-seeking behaviors.

Patient Feedback Mechanisms: Establish accessible and confidential channels for patients to provide feedback, lodge complaints, and make suggestions for improvement. Use this feedback to drive continuous improvement.

Transparency and Information: Clearly display service costs (if any), patients' rights, and grievance procedures. Provide clear information about treatment plans in a language patients understand.

V. Innovative Service Delivery Models:

Mobile Clinics and Outreach Programs: Implement mobile health clinics that travel to underserved rural communities, providing basic diagnostic, preventive, and primary care services, as well as health education.

Telemedicine: Leverage telemedicine for remote consultations, specialist opinions, and follow-ups, particularly for patients in remote areas where specialists are scarce. This can reduce travel costs and time for patients.

Community Health Workers (CHWs): Train and deploy CHWs from within the communities to act as a link between the community and the health system, providing basic health education, screening, and facilitating referrals.

Partnerships with NGOs and CSOs: Collaborate with non-governmental organizations and civil society organizations that have experience in delivering healthcare to underserved populations.

By implementing these strategies, public hospitals can move towards becoming trusted, accessible, and high-quality healthcare providers for all, especially the most vulnerable members of society.

Focus Africa-
Do imported goods meet long-term quality, safety, and environmental standards suitable for our context?
In general, no, imported goods from certain regions often do not meet long-term quality, safety, and environmental standards that are suitable for our context.
While many nations have regulatory bodies and consumer protection laws to address these issues, the reality on the ground is that a significant volume of low-quality, unsafe, and environmentally damaging goods still enters the market.

Quality and Safety-
Many imported products, particularly from mass-production hubs, are manufactured to meet a lower price point rather than a high-quality standard. This leads to reduced product lifespan, meaning consumers must frequently replace items, which is a hidden cost.
Furthermore, there's a serious risk to consumer safety. Products like electronics, toys, and even food items may not undergo rigorous testing, potentially containing hazardous materials or failing to meet electrical safety standards. This can lead to health risks, injuries, or fires.
In many developing nations, the regulatory bodies responsible for inspecting imports are often under-resourced and cannot effectively police the massive volume of goods entering the country.

Environmental Standards-
The environmental cost of over-importation is immense and often overlooked. Goods from nations with lax environmental regulations are typically produced using processes that generate more pollution and consume more resources. This results in:

Toxic Waste: The manufacturing process can involve toxic chemicals, which may not be properly disposed of, contributing to global pollution.

Non-Sustainable Products: The final products are often not designed for repair or recycling, contributing to large-scale waste. This is particularly problematic in nations that lack robust waste management infrastructure.

Carbon Footprint: The sheer distance over which these goods are transported adds a substantial carbon footprint to the final product.

The Challenge of Enforcement-
While countries like South Africa and Ghana have established organizations like the International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC) and the Ghana Standards Authority to enforce standards, the task is daunting.
The sheer volume of imports, combined with limited resources for inspections and testing, means that many non-compliant products slip through the cracks.
Additionally, weak consumer protection laws or a lack of public awareness can make it difficult for consumers to seek redress for faulty or unsafe goods.

Former Google exec says AI's going to lead to a 'short-term dystopia' because the idea it will create new jobs for the ones it's replacing is '100% crap'.
Something funny happened as I was watching Google X's former chief business officer Mo Gawdat, on the Google-owned platform YouTube, outline his exact take on the AI dystopia he thinks is coming. The host began to ask Gawdat about the idea AI will create new jobs, then the video halted while Google ads served me a 15-second clip showing someone using Microsoft CoPilot to do their job.

When Gawdat returns, he begins his answer by talking about the idea of the West transitioning into service or knowledge economies: people, as he puts it, who "type on a keyboard and use a mouse." Oh dear. Gawdat's economics lesson concludes that "all we produce in the West is words [...] and designs. All of these things can be produced by AI."

One thing is impossible to deny: the business world is very interested in the idea of replacing humans with AI and, where it can be done, will not hesitate to do so. There's also the fact that every big tech company is pushing AI into their products and our lives.

The AI industry has something of a stock line about its technology replacing existing careers: AI will simultaneously create new jobs we can't even imagine, and people will start working in those fields. But Gawdat doesn't buy that line, and in straightforward language calls the whole idea "100% crap" (thanks, Windows Central).

Gawdat left Google to form an AI startup, Emma.love, and cites this company as an example of what he's talking about: the app was apparently built with only two other developers, a job that Gawdat reckons would have taken "over 350 developers" without AI assistance.

"Artificial general intelligence is going to be better than humans at everything, including being a CEO," says Gawdat, referring to the idea that the industry will eventually produce an AI model capable of reasoning and more intelligent than humans. "There will be a time where most incompetent CEOs will be replaced.”
https://youtu.be/S9a1nLw70...
Gawdat's spin on this, however, is that society has to undergo a paradigm shift in how we think about our lives: "We were never made to wake up every morning and just occupy 20 hours of our day with work. We’re not made for that. We defined our purpose as work. That’s a capitalist lie."

Tell me more, comrade! Gawdat generally seems to hold a rather low view of executives and their priorities, pointing out that the AI future is subject to human "hunger for power, greed, and ego” because the tools themselves will be controlled by "stupid leaders." I'm not sure I'd characterise Elon Musk as stupid, but I doubt I'm alone in thinking I'd rather not have him in charge of re-arranging society.

"There is no doubt that lots of jobs will be lost," says Gawdat. "Are we prepared to tell our governments, this is an ideological shift similar to socialism, similar to Communism, and are we ready from a budget point of view? Instead of spending a trillion dollars a year on arms and explosives and autonomous weapons to suppress people because we can't feed them."

Gawdat runs through some beermat maths, offering an estimate that $2.4-2.7 dollars is spent on military hardware every year, a fraction of which could solve a problem like world hunger, or lift the global population out of extreme poverty. Then we get into the truly starry-eyed stuff like universal healthcare worldwide and the end of war, with Gawdat saying for AI these things would be "simple decisions."

Hmm. I'll have some of what he's smoking.

Gawdat's take on AI starts out more persuasive than many others I've seen, but when it gets onto the more fantastical ramifications the caveat is simply enormous. If the singularity happens and AI just takes over running the planet then, sure, all bets are off: who knows whether we'll end up with dystopia or utopia. But that day may never come and, until then, there will still be human beings somewhere pulling all the levers. And as history shows, time and again, humans can be horrendous at making simple decisions: and that's rarely good for the rest of us.

Israel, Hamas and other Islamic terror groups- All at fault.
Stop The Senseless Slaughter and Starvation in Gaza.

While the world waits and watches for a settlement of the Central European crisis, Gazans die from starvation and from wounds inflicted by Israeli bombs. Much of the world has ignored the suffering there in the same way nations did during the 1930s and 1940s when the United States and its allies were indifferent to the Nazi slaughter of millions of Jews in Europe.

The Gaza Health Ministry run by Hamas estimates that since the Hamas attack on Israeli civilians on Oct. 7, 2023, the number of dead Palestinian men, women and children comes to more than 60,000, with 80 percent of them civilians. The Reuters news agency reports that food supplies are at an all-time low and starvation is at a record high. Parents are watching their children suffer horribly, slowly waste away and eventually die a painful death. Enough already.

Israel claims that it’s military goes to great lengths to avoid civilian casualties. If that is true, military officials are doing a horrible job. Israel has already decapitated Hamas leadership and killed thousands of their soldiers. The nation’s renewed aggression is an attempt to kill a mosquito with a sledgehammer. Things are so horrible in Gaza that even diehard conservatives like Tucker Carlson and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green (R-Ga.) have complained about Israeli policies there.

Irish support for Palestinians comes naturally and runs deep. My ancestral homeland was the first member of the European Union to endorse Palestinian statehood. The Irish fully appreciate the horrors of starvation.

The great Irish famine in the 1840s was a product of deliberate state sanctioned starvation. The Bannon and Ryan families came to America in the 19th century because of English starvation policies. There was actually plenty of food in Ireland but the Brits exported everything back home except for potatoes. When the potato blight hit and the crop failed, approximately one million Irish men, women and children died from starvation and sickness and another million left their cherished homeland to settle in America and around the world.

To make the lot of the Palestinians worse, if that’s even possible, Israel wants to launch an another offensive in Gaza City and turn it into a military enclave by removing the native population. The big difference between the Irish diaspora and the natives of Gaza is they have nowhere to go to begin a new life like my family did. Trump’s crusade to deport Mexicans and Muslims doesn’t allow any opportunities here for displaced Arabs. Even the European nations sympathetic to the Palestinian cause are under pressure from anti-immigration groups.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cruel policies create more problems than it solves with military aggression and starvation in Gaza. Israeli government policies will produce short-term gain of territory for long-term pain.

Israeli’s actions will create a new generation of terrorists which will plague the nation and its allies for a generation. Clear out Gaza for the valuable real estate that may one day house a luxury Trump casino and resort on the Mediterranean. The new lavish coastal resorts inevitably will become a target for attacks by a new generation of displaced Gazans.

Israel is a small nation surrounded by danger. Survival requires friends and allies abroad. But the country’s draconian actions have eroded the respect of Europeans and Americans who have stood by the nation in the past.

Trump broke with Netanyahu who denied the existence of starvation in the strip. But the president hasn’t done anything to follow up on his pledge to feed the hungry. Napoleon said that an army marches on its stomach. Terrorists attack on empty stomachs.

Trump’s former national security advisor John Bolton believes that more than anything else his former boss wants a Nobel Peace Prize. Give the devil his due and let him have the honor if he’s brave and caring enough to send massive supplies of food and medicine there, to stop the Israeli military offensive and to force Hamas to release the Israeli hostages. If he alleviates the crisis, the world will see him in a much brighter light.

If Trump really wants to stop the senseless civilian slaughter and starvation and earn the great honor, he must turn the screws on Netanyahu. The ball is in Trump’s court.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
South Sudan ‘approves’ Israeli plan to send Gazans to country-
South Sudan’s cabinet has agreed to receive Palestinians from the Gaza Strip following a request from Israel, The Telegraph has learnt.

A foreign ministry official in Juba said the government had approved the request as part of a deal which also involved the US and United Arab Emirates.

The move comes as Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, is attempting to revive the controversial idea of “voluntary” resettlement of civilians from the enclave.

On Wednesday, South Sudan described claims of a deal as “baseless” and not reflective of official government policy.

However, it has been claimed that the government has in fact agreed to work with Israel, raising the potential of a serious row from countries who oppose any suggestion of resettlement of Gazans.
The UAE would provide accompanying funding, which would be an economic lifeline for one of the poorest countries on Earth, the foreign ministry official said.

Meanwhile, America would lift sanctions on South Sudan, and Israel would invest in health and education.

“The South Sudanese land is enough to host more people from different nations, and also it’s good for the South Sudanese to open wide the window for external business to grow the economy,” the official said.

He added that the deal had been agreed by the cabinet but faced stiff opposition elsewhere, meaning the government was unwilling to acknowledge it.

“This kind of deal is not easy for South Sudanese to understand right now and also we have a very complex political situation in South Sudan,” he said.

One MP told The Telegraph that the matter had been discussed in Parliament but rejected by a majority of parliamentarians.

He said: “I myself reject it because South Sudan is a very young country. We are not able to feed ourselves, how can we get more people to live with us?

“In the next meeting we are going to reject it again from the Parliament. This idea is unacceptable to us.”
The debate came as Sharren Haskel, Israel’s deputy foreign minister, arrived in Juba to sign a “memorandum of understanding on bilateral consultations”.

Moving them from one land already ravaged by war and famine to another would only amplify that concern.

‘Voluntary’ relocation
News of the possible South Sudan deal broke after Mr Netanyahu appeared on Israeli television to revive discussion about relocating civilians from the Strip.

The idea was first proposed by Donald Trump, the US president, in February. He said the population should be removed and Gaza completely redeveloped to become part of what he envisaged as a “riviera” in the Middle East.

The Israeli government has floated the idea of relocation, but always said that it should be voluntary.

“Give them the opportunity to leave, first of all, combat zones, and generally to leave the territory, if they want,” said Mr Netanyahu on Tuesday, in comments that did not mention South Sudan.

“We will allow this, first of all within Gaza during the fighting, and we will certainly allow them to leave Gaza as well.”

Numerous foreign capitals and international bodies have previously warned against the plan, with some questioning if resettlement from Gaza could be considered genuinely voluntary, given the catastrophic damage to infrastructure and the dire humanitarian situation.

They have also voiced fears that voluntarily displaced Palestinians would not be allowed to return, citing comments made by Mr Netanyahu’s ultra-nationalist coalition partners calling for the re-establishment of Jewish settlements in Gaza.
A feature of the recent Operation Gideon’s Chariots, Israel’s new ground offensive, has been the wide-scale demolition of residential buildings. It is likely the same tactic will be used in the upcoming assault on Gaza City, confirmed last week.

Forcibly displacing a population could be considered a war crime.

Investigating feasibility
The Associated Press reported multiple sources as confirming the current talks between Israel and South Sudan.

Joe Szlavik, founder of a US lobbying company working for South Sudan, also said that he had been briefed by officials on the talks.

He said an Israeli delegation planned to visit the country to investigate the feasibility of setting up camps.

Ms Haskel’s trip is the first official visit to South Sudan by an Israeli government representative.

In a statement, she said: “While the international community is focused solely on Gaza, South Sudan is facing a real humanitarian crisis and the threat of genuine famine.”

Obvious destinations
As neighbours with formal relations with Israel, Egypt and Jordan would be the most obvious destinations for any departing Palestinians.

However, both have staunchly opposed any such scheme, despite significant pressure from Mr Trump.

Israel is said to have held talks with Indonesia, Libya, Ethiopia, Somalia and Somaliland about the possibility of accepting Gazans, but it was reported that these had not borne fruit.

South Sudan is in desperate need of foreign cash to help itself rebuild after years of instability and war with Sudan, its Arab-dominated neighbor.

It has been reported that they accepted help from Israel’s Mossad spy agency during their civil war with Khartoum.

Emigration inevitable
South Sudan also wants Mr Trump to lift the US travel ban on the country.

But Egypt has reportedly lobbied South Sudan not to co

How do cyber operations from groups in Iran and Vietnam compare in tactics and targets?
While both Iranian and Vietnamese cyber groups engage in state-sponsored cyber operations, their primary motivations, geopolitical contexts, and consequently, their tactics and targets, differ significantly.

Iranian Cyber Groups (e.g., APT33/Elfin, APT34/OilRig, APT35/Charming Kitten, MuddyWater)
Main Motives:
Iran's cyber activities are strongly driven by its geopolitical aspirations, regional rivalries (especially with Saudi Arabia and Israel), and desire to counter international sanctions. Their motivations include:

Espionage: Gathering intelligence on political, military, and economic developments, particularly in the Middle East, U.S., Europe, and Israel.

Disruption and Retaliation: Disrupting critical infrastructure, especially against perceived adversaries (e.g., in response to sanctions or political actions). They are willing to engage in destructive attacks.

Influence Operations: Spreading propaganda, manipulating public opinion, and sowing discord in rival nations.

Intellectual Property Theft (Secondary): While they do engage in this, it's often more opportunistic or tied to specific military/dual-use technologies rather than broad economic development.

Internal Control: Surveillance and repression of dissidents, both domestically and abroad.

Tactics:
Iranian groups often leverage a blend of technical sophistication and social engineering.

Aggressive Spear-Phishing & Social Engineering: Highly sophisticated and persistent phishing campaigns are a hallmark. They often impersonate legitimate entities (journalists, academics, government officials, recruiters) to build trust and trick targets into revealing credentials or downloading malware. They're known for using compromised accounts for further phishing.

Exploitation of Known Vulnerabilities: They are quick to exploit newly disclosed vulnerabilities (N-days) in widely used software and internet-facing systems (VPNs, firewalls, Exchange servers) to gain initial access.

Living Off The Land (LotL) & OSINT: They frequently use legitimate system tools (PowerShell, RDP, Mimikatz) and open-source intelligence (OSINT) to evade detection and understand victim networks.

Web Shells & Backdoors: Deployment of web shells for persistent access and custom backdoors.

Destructive Malware/Wipers: Iranian groups have a history of deploying destructive malware (e.g., Shamoon, ZeroCleare) to wipe data and disable systems, particularly against targets in the energy and industrial sectors.

Hybrid Operations: Increasingly, they combine hacking and data theft with information operations, leaking stolen data online, and using social media for amplification and harassment.

Ransomware (Collaborative/Opportunistic): While not their primary goal like North Korea, some Iranian groups have been observed collaborating with cybercriminal ransomware affiliates or directly deploying ransomware for financial gain or disruption.

Targets:
Middle East Region: Heavily focused on Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries (especially Saudi Arabia, UAE), Israel, and other regional rivals.

Government & Military: Foreign ministries, defense contractors, intelligence agencies, and government officials, particularly those involved in nuclear policy, sanctions, or regional security.

Energy Sector (Oil & Gas): A long-standing target for both espionage and potential disruption, reflecting Iran's strategic interests.

Critical Infrastructure (OT/ICS): Increasing focus on industrial control systems and operational technology, potentially for pre-positioning or disruptive attacks.

Telecommunications & Financial Services: For intelligence gathering and network access.

Journalists, Academics, Dissidents, Human Rights Activists: Both within Iran and among the diaspora, for surveillance and repression.

Vietnamese Cyber Groups (e.g., APT32/OceanLotus, APT30/Naikon)
Main Motives:
Vietnamese cyber operations are strongly linked to national economic development, protecting sovereignty claims (especially in the South China Sea), and maintaining political stability.

Economic Espionage: Stealing intellectual property, trade secrets, and competitive intelligence to support Vietnamese industries and accelerate economic growth. This is a very significant motivation.

Political Espionage: Gathering intelligence on foreign governments, political organizations, and diplomats relevant to Vietnam's geopolitical interests, particularly concerning regional rivals and partners.

Surveillance and Monitoring: Tracking and monitoring political dissidents, journalists, NGOs, and foreign entities perceived as a threat to the ruling party or national stability.

South China Sea Disputes: Gaining intelligence on rival claimants and international actors involved in the South China Sea disputes.

Tactics:
Vietnamese groups often demonstrate high levels of sophistication and persistence, with a focus on long-term access and stealth.

Sophisticated Spear-Phishing: Highly customized and contextualized spear-phishing emails, often impersonating trusted contacts or organizations, are a primary initial access vector.

Watering Hole Attacks: Compromising websites frequented by specific targets and implanting malware to infect visitors.

Custom Malware and Backdoors: Development and use of sophisticated custom malware (Remote Access Trojans, info-stealers) designed for covert data exfiltration and persistent access.

Exploitation of Zero-Day and N-Day Vulnerabilities: While less frequent than Iranian groups' aggressive N-day exploitation, they are capable of exploiting zero-days.

Supply Chain Attacks: There have been instances where Vietnamese groups have targeted software or hardware vendors to compromise their clients downstream.

Leveraging Cloud Services: Using legitimate cloud services for command and control (C2) or data exfiltration to blend in with normal network traffic.

Evasion Techniques: Employing various techniques to avoid detection by security software, including code obfuscation and anti-analysis checks.

Targets:
Southeast Asian Governments: Particularly those involved in the South China Sea disputes, for political intelligence.

Foreign Businesses & Multinational Corporations: Across various sectors (e.g., automotive, media, hospitality, manufacturing, technology, healthcare, e-commerce) for economic espionage and IP theft.

Political Dissidents & Human Rights Activists: Both domestic and international, for surveillance and control.

Journalists and NGOs: Especially those reporting on Vietnam or human rights issues.

Critical Infrastructure (Limited Public Reporting): While less publicly highlighted than Iranian or Chinese groups, there have been some reports of Vietnamese groups targeting critical infrastructure, but often for intelligence gathering rather than overt disruption.

Comparison Summary:
Feature- Iranian Cyber Groups----
Primary Motive- Geopolitical influence, regional rivalries, countering sanctions, disruption, espionage, retaliation.
Willingness for Disruption- High – known for destructive attacks/wipers.
Key Regions of Focus- Middle East (GCC, Israel), U.S., Europe.
Tactics Emphasis- Aggressive spear-phishing, N-day exploitation, LotL, web shells, destructive malware, information operations.
Financial Crime- Opportunistic ransomware or collaboration with criminals.

Vietnamese Cyber Groups-
Primary Motive-
Economic development (IP theft), political espionage (Sovereignty, South China Sea), internal control.
Willingness for Disruption-
Lower – focus on stealth, long-term access, and data exfiltration, less on overt disruption.
Key Regions of Focus-
Southeast Asia (ASEAN), U.S. (related to economic/political ties).
Tactics Emphasis-
Sophisticated spear-phishing, custom malware, watering holes, supply chain (less common), long-term stealth, cloud usage.
Financial Crime-Less prominent, but some engagement in cybercrime for revenue.

Export to Sheets-
In essence, Iranian groups are more overt and willing to engage in destructive actions driven by immediate geopolitical tensions, while Vietnamese groups are generally more focused on stealthy, long-term espionage and IP theft to support national development and strategic interests in their region.

Focus Nigeria-
What are the barriers to accessing healthcare in rural communities?
Accessing healthcare in rural communities, especially in developing countries like Nigeria, is fraught with numerous, interconnected barriers.
These challenges often mean that rural dwellers have poorer health outcomes, higher mortality rates (especially for mothers and children), and limited access to preventive care.

Here are the key barriers:

Geographical and Transportation Barriers:

Long Distances: Rural communities are often geographically isolated, with health facilities (even basic primary healthcare centers) being many kilometers away. The distance to the nearest hospital or clinic can sometimes span hundreds of kilometers.

Poor Road Networks: Roads leading to and within rural areas are frequently unpaved, poorly maintained, or non-existent, especially during the rainy season when they become impassable due to mud or flooding.

Lack of Affordable Transport: Public transportation is often scarce or completely absent in rural areas. Residents might have to rely on expensive commercial motorcycles (Okada), bicycles, or even walk long distances, making timely access, especially in emergencies, nearly impossible. This is a huge burden on patients, particularly the elderly, pregnant women, and the critically ill.

Inadequate Healthcare Infrastructure:

Few Facilities: Many villages do not have any health facilities, and even where clinics or primary healthcare centers exist, they are often insufficient in number to cater to the population size.

Dilapidated Structures: Existing facilities are frequently in a state of disrepair, lacking basic amenities like reliable electricity (leading to inability to power medical equipment, lights, or even refrigerate vaccines), clean water, and proper sanitation.

Lack of Essential Equipment: Basic medical supplies, diagnostic tools, and equipment (like functional blood pressure monitors, thermometers, or even stethoscopes) are often scarce or non-existent. More advanced equipment like ultrasound machines or lab testing facilities are almost unheard of.

Shortage and Retention of Healthcare Professionals:

Scarcity of Staff: There's a severe shortage of qualified doctors, nurses, midwives, and community health workers in rural areas. The doctor-to-patient ratio in many rural parts of Nigeria is alarmingly low, far below WHO recommendations.

Urban Preference (Brain Drain): Healthcare professionals overwhelmingly prefer working in urban centers due to better remuneration, opportunities for professional development, access to modern amenities (housing, schools for children), and improved living conditions.

Overburdened Staff: The few healthcare workers in rural areas are often overworked, poorly paid, and lack adequate support or supervision, leading to burnout and decreased motivation.

Lack of Specialized Skills: Even if a facility exists, it might lack personnel with the specific skills needed for complex cases, forcing referrals to distant urban centers.

Financial Barriers:

Poverty: Rural residents, many of whom are subsistence farmers or engage in informal sector jobs, often have little to no stable income. Poverty is a significant barrier to affording healthcare services.

Out-of-Pocket Expenses: The majority of healthcare costs in Nigeria are paid out-of-pocket, as health insurance coverage (like the NHIS) is limited, especially in rural areas. This means paying for consultations, medications, tests, and even "unofficial fees."

Opportunity Cost: Beyond direct medical costs, families lose income when they or their caregivers have to take time off work or farming to seek medical attention.

High Cost of Medications: Even if services are free, the cost of prescribed medications can be prohibitive, leading to patients not completing treatment.

Socio-Cultural and Communication Barriers:

Traditional Beliefs: Many rural communities strongly adhere to traditional healing practices and beliefs about illness causation. They may first consult traditional healers, spiritualists, or herbalists before seeking modern medical care, often when conditions have become severe.

Language Barriers: Healthcare providers who are not from the local community may struggle with language differences and cultural nuances, leading to misunderstandings, misdiagnosis, and mistrust.

Low Health Literacy: A general lack of health education and awareness can lead to poor health-seeking behaviors, delayed presentation of illnesses, and a reliance on unproven remedies.

Stigma and Privacy: In close-knit rural communities, concerns about privacy and the stigma associated with certain health conditions (e.g., mental health issues, STIs) can deter individuals from seeking care.

Gender Roles: Cultural norms can restrict women's autonomy in seeking healthcare, often requiring permission or accompaniment from male family members.

Weak Governance and Policy Implementation:

Insufficient Oversight: Even when policies or funds are allocated for rural healthcare, weak governance, corruption, and lack of accountability often mean these initiatives are poorly implemented or funds are diverted.

Lack of Data: Inadequate data collection and monitoring systems make it difficult to assess the true extent of healthcare access issues in rural areas and to plan interventions effectively.

These barriers collectively create a cycle of poor health, delayed treatment, and avoidable mortality in Nigeria's rural communities, deepening existing inequalities between urban and rural populations.

Focus Nigeria-
How can Nigeria stop the “brain drain” of doctors and nurses?
Stopping the "brain drain" of doctors and nurses from Nigeria requires a comprehensive, sustained, and multi-faceted approach that addresses the root causes of their migration.
It's not just about offering more money, but creating an enabling environment where healthcare professionals can thrive, feel valued, and provide quality care.

Here's a detailed strategy to combat the brain drain:

I. Improve Working Conditions and Environment:

Modernize Infrastructure and Equipment:

Adequate Funding: Significantly increase the healthcare budget allocation (currently far below the Abuja Declaration's 15% target) and ensure transparent and efficient utilization of funds.

Investment in Facilities: Renovate existing hospitals and clinics, and build new, well-equipped facilities, especially in underserved areas.

Modern Technology: Equip hospitals with up-to-date diagnostic tools, surgical equipment, and specialized machinery (e.g., MRI, CT scanners, radiotherapy machines). Ensure regular maintenance and availability of spare parts.

Reliable Utilities: Provide stable electricity (e.g., through solar power solutions and reliable backup generators) and clean water supply in all healthcare facilities.

Ensure Safety and Security:

Protection for Staff: Implement robust security measures within hospitals and clinics to protect healthcare workers from violence, harassment, and kidnapping, especially in high-risk areas.

Occupational Health & Safety: Establish and enforce comprehensive occupational health and safety policies that prioritize the physical and mental well-being of nurses and doctors.

Manage Workload and Staffing:
Adequate Staffing: Recruit more healthcare professionals to reduce the excessive workload on existing staff. This might require increasing training capacity within Nigeria.

Fair Scheduling: Implement equitable work schedules and shifts to prevent burnout and ensure a healthy work-life balance.

II. Enhance Remuneration and Welfare:

Competitive Salaries and Allowances:
Offer competitive salaries and allowances that are comparable to what healthcare professionals could earn in other sectors within Nigeria or in regional countries. While matching Western salaries might be challenging, making local pay significantly better than the current reality is crucial.

Timely Payments: Ensure prompt and consistent payment of salaries and benefits to avoid the frustration caused by arrears.

Attractive Benefits Package:
Health Insurance: Provide comprehensive health insurance for healthcare workers and their families.

Housing and Transportation: Offer subsidized housing, housing allowances, or transportation support, especially for those in rural or high-cost urban areas.

Retirement Benefits: Ensure robust and reliable pension and retirement benefit schemes.

Non-Financial Incentives:
Recognition and Appreciation: Create a culture of recognition and appreciation for healthcare workers' dedication and hard work.

Professional Support: Provide a supportive work environment that values their contributions and addresses their concerns.

III. Professional Development and Career Advancement:

Continuous Professional Development (CPD):
Fund and facilitate regular training programs, workshops, and seminars to keep doctors and nurses updated on the latest medical practices, technologies, and research.

Encourage and sponsor participation in international conferences and training programs where relevant.

Career Progression Opportunities:
Establish clear and transparent career progression pathways based on merit, performance, and further specialization.

Provide opportunities for specialization, postgraduate studies, and leadership roles within the Nigerian healthcare system.

Research Funding:
Allocate dedicated funds for medical research within Nigeria to encourage innovation and give professionals reasons to stay and contribute locally.

Mentorship Programs:
Establish mentorship programs where experienced doctors and nurses guide and support younger professionals.

IV. Strengthening Education and Training within Nigeria:

Increase Training Capacity:
Expand the capacity of medical and nursing schools to train more healthcare professionals, ensuring that the increase in quantity does not compromise quality.

Curriculum Review: Regularly review and update medical and nursing curricula to meet international standards and address Nigeria's specific health challenges.

"Train to Retain" Programs:
Consider policies that incentivize graduates (e.g., scholarships tied to service in Nigeria for a specific period, especially in underserved areas). This must be coupled with improved conditions to avoid simply delaying their eventual departure.

Rural-Focused Training: Develop programs that train healthcare professionals with a specific focus on rural health challenges and encourage them to serve in those areas.

V. Governance, Accountability, and Policy Coherence:

Effective Leadership and Management:
Appoint competent, ethical, and visionary leaders in healthcare institutions who prioritize staff welfare and quality of care.

Ensure efficient administrative management across all levels of the health system.

Robust Accountability:
Establish transparent mechanisms for addressing grievances, investigating misconduct, and ensuring accountability for poor management or corruption within the health sector.

Long-Term National Health Policy:
Develop and consistently implement a stable, long-term national health policy that is insulated from political fluctuations and prioritizes human resources for health. President Tinubu's new health policy is a step in this direction, but consistent implementation is key.

Engage Professional Bodies:
Foster better dialogue and collaboration with professional associations like the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) to address their concerns and gain their buy-in for reforms.

Leverage Diaspora Engagement:
Create structured programs to engage Nigerian healthcare professionals in the diaspora (e.g., for short-term missions, training, mentorship, or tele-medicine consultations). This can help transfer knowledge and build connections without demanding permanent return initially.

Combating the brain drain is a marathon, not a sprint. It requires substantial financial investment, political will, a commitment to systemic change, and a fundamental shift in how healthcare professionals are valued and treated in Nigeria.

Focus Nigeria-
Why do so many Nigerians seek medical treatment abroad?
Nigerians, across various socioeconomic strata, frequently seek medical treatment abroad for a multitude of reasons, highlighting significant systemic issues within Nigeria's healthcare sector. This phenomenon, known as medical tourism, has a substantial economic drain on the country.

Here are the primary reasons why so many Nigerians opt for foreign medical care:

Inadequate Healthcare Infrastructure and Technology:

Obsolete Equipment: Many Nigerian hospitals, especially public ones, lack modern medical equipment (e.g., advanced MRI/CT scanners, specialized surgical tools, radiotherapy machines for cancer treatment). Where equipment exists, it's often poorly maintained or frequently breaks down.

Lack of Specialization: While Nigeria has many general practitioners, there's a severe shortage of highly specialized medical professionals in complex fields like oncology, neurosurgery, advanced cardiology, organ transplantation, and specialized orthopedics.

Dilapidated Facilities: Many hospitals suffer from poor maintenance, overcrowding, unreliable power supply (leading to dependence on expensive generators), and lack of basic amenities like clean water and proper waste disposal.

Shortage and Brain Drain of Medical Professionals:

Mass Exodus: Nigeria faces a severe "brain drain" of qualified doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. Lured by better remuneration, working conditions, access to advanced technology, and professional development opportunities, many migrate to countries like the UK, USA, Canada, and Saudi Arabia.

High Patient-to-Doctor Ratio: The emigration of medical personnel exacerbates the existing shortage, leading to an extremely high patient-to-doctor ratio (far below WHO recommendations), overworking the remaining staff and compromising patient care.

Loss of Expertise: The departure of highly skilled specialists means that certain complex procedures or sophisticated diagnostic interpretations are simply not available in Nigeria.

Lack of Trust in the Local Healthcare System:

Perceived Low Quality of Care: Decades of underfunding and poor performance have eroded public confidence in the Nigerian healthcare system. Many Nigerians, including the elite, believe they will receive superior care, more accurate diagnoses, and better treatment outcomes abroad.

Fear of Misdiagnosis/Malpractice: There's a widespread fear of misdiagnosis, medical negligence, and inadequate follow-up care within Nigeria, prompting individuals to seek second opinions or primary treatment elsewhere.

High-Profile Cases: When prominent Nigerians (including politicians and government officials) consistently seek medical attention abroad, it further reinforces the perception that the local system is not good enough, even for the nation's leaders.

Poor Funding and High Out-of-Pocket Payments:

Low Budgetary Allocation: The Nigerian government's allocation to healthcare consistently falls far below international recommendations (e.g., the Abuja Declaration's 15% target). This limits investment in infrastructure, training, and research.

Out-of-Pocket Expenses: The vast majority of Nigerians pay for healthcare directly out of their pockets, as the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) covers a very small percentage of the population. This means that even basic care can be financially burdensome. For complex treatments, the cost can be prohibitive, making the "all-inclusive" price for treatment abroad (which often seems high in Naira) sometimes comparable or even more appealing if it guarantees a better outcome.

Long Waiting Times and Bureaucracy:
Even when certain treatments are available, patients might face long waiting lists for appointments, diagnostic tests, or surgeries in public hospitals, leading them to seek faster access abroad.

Bureaucratic hurdles and administrative inefficiencies can also frustrate patients and their families.

Desire for Privacy and Confidentiality:
Some high-profile individuals or those seeking treatments for sensitive conditions may travel abroad for greater privacy and confidentiality, away from public scrutiny.

Aggressive Marketing by Foreign Hospitals:
Countries like India, Turkey, and some in the Middle East have developed robust medical tourism industries. They actively market their advanced facilities, specialized doctors, and relatively affordable (compared to Western countries) treatment packages directly to Nigerians.

The collective impact of this medical tourism is a significant drain on Nigeria's foreign exchange reserves (estimated to be billions of dollars annually), a disincentive for investment in local healthcare, and a perpetuation of a system where those who can afford it simply bypass local services, undermining efforts to improve the domestic health sector for the general populace.

Focus Nigeria-
Should education be completely free and compulsory until a certain level?
The question of whether education should be completely free and compulsory up to a certain level is a widely debated topic, but the consensus among international human rights bodies and most developed and many developing nations is a resounding "yes" for at least primary education, and increasingly for secondary education.

Here's a breakdown of the arguments for and against, and the general global trend:

Arguments for Free and Compulsory Education (Up to a Certain Level):
Human Right: International human rights law, enshrined in documents like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), recognizes education as a fundamental human right.
Primary education is explicitly stated as needing to be compulsory and free, with secondary and higher education progressively made free.

Increased Access and Equity:

Breaks the Cycle of Poverty: Financial barriers are a major reason why children, especially from low-income families, do not attend school. Free education removes these barriers, allowing all children, regardless of socioeconomic background, to access learning opportunities.

Reduces Inequalities: It helps to level the playing field, giving marginalized groups (girls, rural children, minorities) a better chance at education and future opportunities.

Societal Benefits:

Economic Growth: A more educated populace leads to a more skilled workforce, higher productivity, increased innovation, and greater economic competitiveness. Educated citizens are more likely to find employment, earn higher wages, and contribute more taxes, stimulating the economy.

Improved Health Outcomes: Educated individuals (especially women) tend to make more informed health decisions, leading to better public health outcomes, lower child mortality rates, and improved maternal health.

Reduced Crime and Social Stability: Education is correlated with lower crime rates. It fosters critical thinking, civic responsibility, and social cohesion, contributing to a more stable and peaceful society.

Active Citizenship: An educated populace is more likely to be engaged in civic life, understand their rights, and hold their leaders accountable, strengthening democratic institutions.

Child Protection: Compulsory education keeps children in schools and out of exploitative labor, reducing child labor and protecting them from harmful practices like early marriage.

National Development: Education is a cornerstone of sustainable national development across all sectors – agriculture, health, technology, governance, etc.

Arguments Against (or Challenges to) Fully Free and Compulsory Education:
Financial Burden on Governments: Providing truly free and quality education for all is incredibly expensive. It requires massive public investment in infrastructure, teacher salaries, learning materials, and technology. This is a significant challenge for developing countries with limited tax bases.

Quality Concerns:

Overcrowding: If not managed properly, universal free education can lead to overcrowded classrooms, diluting the quality of instruction.

Resource Strain: Spreading limited resources across a much larger student population can lead to inadequate supplies, poor facilities, and overworked teachers.

Reduced Accountability (Perceived): Some argue that if education is free, students might take it less seriously, and parents might be less invested, potentially leading to lower academic performance. However, this is often debated and depends heavily on the quality of the system.

Opportunity Costs for Families:
Even if tuition is free, there are indirect costs (uniforms, books, transport, food). For very poor families, the opportunity cost of sending a child to school (i.e., the income the child could have earned) can still be a significant barrier.

Curriculum Relevance (if not updated): Making education compulsory without ensuring its relevance to the job market or societal needs can lead to graduates who are educated but still unemployable, creating frustration.

Global Trend and Conclusion:
Globally, almost all countries have laws for compulsory education, and a significant majority provide free primary education. There's a growing trend towards making secondary education free and compulsory as well, recognizing its increasing importance in a knowledge-based economy. For instance, India's National Education Policy 2020 aims to make education free and compulsory for children aged 3 to 18.

For Nigeria, the argument for making education completely free and compulsory until a certain level (at least up to senior secondary school) is overwhelmingly strong.
It is not just an aspiration but a fundamental necessity for social equity, economic development, and national stability. The challenges, primarily funding and quality control, are significant but must be overcome.
These are investments that yield substantial long-term returns in human capital and national prosperity. The current system where primary education is nominally free but plagued by hidden costs, and secondary education often carries fees, still leaves millions of children out of school and perpetuates cycles of poverty and inequality.

What percentage of our national budget or consumer goods is spent on imports, and what’s the hidden cost?
There isn't a single, universally applicable percentage for the amount of a national budget or consumer spending dedicated to imports, as this varies drastically by country and is influenced by a nation's size, economic structure, and trade policies. For example, some data from the U.S. suggests that around 10-11% of personal consumer spending can be traced to imported goods, but this figure includes a complex mix of finished products and imported components used in domestic manufacturing.

The hidden costs of this over-reliance on imports are substantial and go far beyond the price tag of a single product.

The Hidden Costs of Over-Importation
The true cost of a reliance on imports isn't just the money spent, but the long-term damage to a country's economic and strategic health.

Decline of Local Industries: The most significant hidden cost is the erosion of domestic manufacturing. Cheap imports often make it impossible for local producers to compete on price, leading to factory closures, job losses, and the loss of critical skills and expertise. This stunts a nation's ability to innovate and diversify its economy, trapping it in a cycle of dependency.

Increased Economic Vulnerability: An over-reliance on imports makes a country's supply chains fragile and susceptible to external shocks. A global pandemic, geopolitical conflict, or trade dispute could disrupt the flow of essential goods, such as food, medical supplies, or technology components, with severe consequences for the economy and national security.

Currency Depreciation and Inflation: A trade deficit, where a country imports more than it exports, puts downward pressure on its currency. To pay for more imports, the country needs to sell more of its own currency to buy foreign currency. This increases the supply of the local currency and drives down its value. A weaker currency then makes all imports, including raw materials for local producers, more expensive, leading to imported inflation that hurts consumers' purchasing power.

Reduced National Sovereignty: Long-term economic dependence on a few key trading partners can be used as a form of leverage. A dependent nation may be pressured to align its foreign policy with its suppliers' interests to avoid trade sanctions or embargos. This compromises a country's ability to act independently on the global stage.

"What they don't teach you" on religion- For the general public: Why is religious literacy crucial for peaceful coexistence and informed civic engagement in a diverse world?
The question of "What they don't teach you" about religion, particularly for the general public, directly hits upon why religious literacy is not just a niche academic interest but an absolutely crucial skill for peaceful coexistence and informed civic engagement in our diverse, interconnected world.

Here's why:

1. Fostering Peaceful Coexistence: Bridging Divides and Reducing Conflict

Deconstructing Stereotypes and Prejudice:

What's Often Taught (or Inferred): Simplistic, often media-driven caricatures of religious groups (e.g., all Muslims are extremists, all Christians are judgmental, all atheists are immoral).

What's Untaught (and Crucial): The vast internal diversity within every major religion (different sects, denominations, interpretations, cultural expressions), the existence of peaceful and compassionate majority adherents, and the historical and political factors that often fuel extremism more than theology itself.

Why it's Crucial: Without this, the general public falls prey to misinformation and prejudice. Religious literacy allows individuals to look beyond headlines, challenge harmful stereotypes, and recognize the humanity in those with different beliefs. This directly reduces the likelihood of "othering," discrimination, and religiously-motivated violence or tension.

Understanding the Roots of Global Conflict:

What's Often Taught: Geopolitical conflicts are presented primarily through political, economic, or nationalistic lenses.

What's Untaught (and Crucial): The deep and often complex ways religious identity, historical grievances, theological interpretations, and religious leadership intertwine with political and economic factors to drive or exacerbate conflicts globally (e.g., in the Middle East, South Asia, parts of Africa).

Why it's Crucial: To genuinely understand and respond to global crises, the public needs to grasp the religious dimensions at play. Ignoring them leads to ineffective policies, misjudged interventions, and a perpetuation of conflict due to a lack of fundamental understanding of the actors' motivations and worldviews.

Promoting Effective Interfaith Dialogue:

What's Often Taught: Little about other religions beyond basic facts, leading to a perception that different faiths are fundamentally incompatible.

What's Untaught (and Crucial): The common ethical concerns, shared human experiences, and often similar underlying quests for meaning that exist across diverse religious and secular traditions. Also, how to engage in respectful dialogue without proselytizing or being dismissive.

Why it's Crucial: In pluralistic societies, friction is inevitable without dialogue. Religious literacy provides the tools to engage across belief systems, find common ground on shared values (e.g., justice, compassion, care for the environment), and work together on community issues, fostering social cohesion.

2. Informed Civic Engagement: Navigating a Complex Society

Understanding Domestic Politics and Policy Debates:

What's Often Taught: Political issues are framed as purely secular matters of policy and economics.

What's Untaught (and Crucial): The powerful role of religious lobbying groups, the influence of faith-based organizations on social policy (e.g., healthcare, education, social welfare), and how religious values inform voters' choices and politicians' positions on a vast array of issues (e.g., abortion, LGBTQ+ rights, environmental regulations, foreign aid).

Why it's Crucial: A religiously illiterate public cannot fully grasp the motivations behind certain political movements or legislative efforts. They may misinterpret policy debates or be unable to critically evaluate the arguments presented, hindering their ability to vote and participate effectively in a democracy.

Navigating Rights and Responsibilities in a Pluralistic Society:

What's Often Taught: Basic concepts of freedom of speech and religion.

What's Untaught (and Crucial): The complexities of religious freedom (e.g., balancing individual religious rights with public good, "reasonable accommodation" vs. discrimination), the historical evolution of church-state separation, and the diverse ways different societies approach religion in the public square.

Why it's Crucial: The general public needs to understand why certain religious groups act or advocate in particular ways, and how their rights intersect with the rights of others. This is essential for preventing clashes over public space, school curricula, workplace policies, and ultimately, for upholding a truly inclusive and equitable society.

Critical Media Literacy:

What's Often Taught: How to identify basic bias in news.

What's Untaught (and Crucial): How religious narratives are often oversimplified, sensationalized, or misinterpreted in media coverage; how to discern between genuine religious expression and the political manipulation of religious identity.

Why it's Crucial: In an age of widespread misinformation, religious literacy empowers individuals to critically evaluate news stories, recognize loaded language, and demand more nuanced reporting on religious issues, protecting them from being swayed by harmful narratives.

Appreciating Cultural Heritage and Diversity:

What's Often Taught: Culture is often presented broadly, without diving into its foundational elements.

What's Untaught (and Crucial): The immense influence of religion on art, architecture, music, literature, holidays, and social customs around the world.

Why it's Crucial: Understanding this enriches cultural appreciation, whether visiting a historic site, reading a classic novel, or participating in a festival. It allows the public to appreciate the depth and beauty of human creativity and tradition, fostering a richer civic life and more respectful interactions with diverse communities.

In conclusion, for the general public, religious literacy moves beyond mere curiosity; it is a practical necessity for navigating the complexities of modern life. It equips individuals with the understanding, empathy, and critical thinking skills needed to contribute to a society that is not only tolerant but genuinely capable of peaceful coexistence and robust, informed democratic engagement in a truly diverse world.

How has North Korea allegedly used cybercrime (crypto theft, ransomware) to fund its regime?
North Korea has allegedly leveraged cybercrime, particularly cryptocurrency theft and ransomware, as a crucial and increasingly preferred method to fund its regime and, specifically, its illicit weapons programs.
This strategy is a direct response to the crippling international sanctions imposed on the country.

Here's how they've allegedly done it:

1. Circumventing Sanctions for Hard Currency:
Financial Isolation: North Korea faces severe international sanctions that cut off its access to traditional global financial systems. This makes it extremely difficult for the regime to acquire the foreign currency (like U.S. dollars or Euros) needed to import goods, technology, and components for its military and luxury items for its elite.

Cryptocurrency as an Alternative: Cryptocurrencies operate largely outside traditional banking regulations and centralized financial institutions. This makes them an attractive alternative for a sanctioned state. By stealing crypto, North Korea effectively generates hard currency that is harder to trace and block.

Funding WMD Programs: UN reports, U.S. government assessments, and cybersecurity firm analyses consistently state that the proceeds from these cybercrimes directly fund North Korea's prohibited weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs, including nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. Some estimates suggest cybercrime accounts for a significant portion, potentially 40% to 50% or more, of the regime's foreign currency income.

2. Cryptocurrency Theft: The Primary Goldmine
Massive Scale: North Korean hacking groups, notably the Lazarus Group and its sub-units like BlueNoroff, have stolen billions of dollars in cryptocurrency. For example, UN experts reported investigating 58 suspected North Korean cyberattacks between 2017 and 2023, valued at approximately $3 billion. The FBI recently attributed a single $1.5 billion hack against Bybit in February 2025 to North Korean actors.

Targeting Crypto Exchanges and DeFi Platforms:

Direct Hacks: They target centralized cryptocurrency exchanges, exploiting vulnerabilities in their security systems to steal large amounts of various cryptocurrencies.

Decentralized Finance (DeFi) Exploits: As the crypto landscape evolved, North Korean hackers shifted to more vulnerable DeFi platforms and "bridges" (which facilitate asset transfer between different blockchains). Notorious examples include the Harmony Horizon Bridge ($100 million+) and the Sky Mavis Ronin Bridge ($600 million+). DeFi platforms often have less stringent security and regulatory oversight, making them "softer targets."

Sophisticated Social Engineering: They employ elaborate social engineering tactics to gain initial access:

Fake Job Offers: Creating fake companies, LinkedIn profiles, and seemingly legitimate job opportunities to trick employees of crypto firms into downloading malicious software or revealing credentials.

Impersonation: Impersonating venture capitalists, recruiters, or other legitimate business contacts.

Deepfake Technology: Increasingly, they use AI-enabled deepfake technologies in video calls to disguise their appearance and build trust with targets.

Laundering Stolen Funds: After stealing the cryptocurrency, they employ sophisticated laundering techniques to convert it into fiat currency (like USD). This involves:

Mixing Services: Using "crypto mixers" like Tornado Cash (which was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury for its role in laundering North Korean funds) to obscure the origin of the stolen assets.

Chain Hopping: Moving funds across multiple different blockchains to complicate tracing efforts.

Dispersing Funds: Spreading stolen assets across thousands of addresses to make tracking harder.

Conversion to Fiat: Eventually converting the "cleaned" crypto into traditional currencies through various brokers, often in countries with weaker anti-money laundering regulations.

3. Ransomware Attacks: Another Revenue Stream
Extortion and Disruption: Groups like Andariel, a Lazarus sub-group, have deployed ransomware (e.g., Maui ransomware) against a range of targets, including U.S. hospitals and healthcare providers.

Demanding Crypto Payments: Ransomware payments are typically demanded in cryptocurrency, providing another direct avenue for generating funds that are difficult to trace.

Double Extortion: Beyond just encrypting data, some groups engage in "double extortion," threatening to leak stolen sensitive data if the ransom isn't paid, increasing pressure on victims.

4. Illicit IT Worker Schemes:
While not strictly "cybercrime" in the hacking sense, this is a related and significant revenue stream that leverages North Korea's cyber talent.

Disguised Workers: North Korean IT workers, often highly skilled in programming and software development, fraudulently obtain remote freelance jobs globally, using false identities and documentation.

Funneling Wages: The wages earned from these legitimate-looking jobs are then funneled back to the North Korean regime, providing another source of foreign currency. Some reports indicate these workers also insert backdoors or malware into corporate systems they work on, potentially enabling future cybercrime or espionage.

In essence, North Korea has become an innovator in state-sponsored cybercrime out of necessity. Facing stringent sanctions, its regime has adapted by exploiting the nascent and less-regulated cryptocurrency ecosystem to generate a consistent and substantial stream of revenue, directly funding its strategic weapons programs and circumventing international efforts to curb its proliferation activities.

What are some known North Korean hacking groups (e.g., Lazarus Group) and their main motives?
North Korea's hacking groups are distinct from those of many other nations due to their overwhelming primary motivation: generating revenue for the regime and funding its illicit weapons programs, particularly nuclear and ballistic missile development, in circumvention of severe international sanctions.
While they also engage in espionage, the financial imperative is paramount.

Here are some of the most well-known North Korean hacking groups (often considered sub-groups or operations under the broader "Lazarus Group" umbrella) and their main motives and alleged activities:

Lazarus Group (Aliases: APT38, Hidden Cobra, Guardians of Peace, ZINC, Diamond Sleet)
The Lazarus Group is the overarching umbrella term for North Korea's state-sponsored cyber operations. It's a highly sophisticated and prolific entity with various subdivisions specializing in different types of attacks.

Main Motives of Lazarus Group as a Whole:

Financial Gain (Primary): To generate illicit revenue for the Kim Jong Un regime, circumventing international sanctions that heavily restrict North Korea's access to traditional financial systems. This funding directly supports their weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and ballistic missile programs.

Cyber Espionage: To gather strategic intelligence on foreign governments, military capabilities, advanced technologies, and internal political dynamics, particularly concerning South Korea, the U.S., and Japan.

Destruction/Disruption: To cause disruption, sow fear, or retaliate against perceived adversaries.

Influence Operations: To shape public opinion or undermine trust in institutions, especially in South Korea.

Accusations and Notable Activities:

Sony Pictures Entertainment Hack (2014): One of their most infamous early operations, involving the theft of massive amounts of data (unreleased films, emails, personal employee info) and destructive wiper attacks on Sony's network, seemingly in retaliation for the film "The Interview."

Bangladesh Bank Heist (2016): A sophisticated operation that attempted to steal nearly $1 billion from Bangladesh Bank's account at the New York Federal Reserve via SWIFT messages, with $81 million successfully stolen and laundered.

WannaCry Ransomware Attack (2017): Widely attributed to Lazarus, this global ransomware worm exploited a Windows vulnerability (EternalBlue) to encrypt data and demand ransom payments, causing massive disruption to critical services worldwide.

Extensive Cryptocurrency Thefts: This has become their most consistent and lucrative line of effort. They have stolen billions of dollars in cryptocurrencies from exchanges, DeFi platforms, and individual wallets globally through phishing, social engineering, and exploiting vulnerabilities. Examples include the hacks of Harmony's Horizon Bridge ($100M+), Sky Mavis' Ronin Bridge ($600M+), and Bybit ($1.5B+ in 2025).

Sub-Groups of Lazarus:
North Korea often operates through specialized sub-groups that share resources and coordinate under the broader Lazarus umbrella.

1. BlueNoroff (Aliases: APT38, Sapphire Sleet, Alluring Pisces, TraderTraitor, UNC4899, CryptoCore)

Main Motive: Exclusively focused on large-scale financial theft, particularly targeting banks, financial institutions, and more recently, cryptocurrency exchanges and Web3 companies. They aim to steal vast sums of money for the regime.

Accusations and Notable Activities:

Bank Heists: Known for sophisticated attacks on traditional financial institutions, often involving deep reconnaissance of bank systems and SWIFT networks (e.g., the Bangladesh Bank Heist, attacks on banks in Poland, Mexico, Taiwan, etc.).

Cryptocurrency Theft: Currently one of the most active in this domain, using highly sophisticated social engineering tactics (e.g., fake job offers, deepfake Zoom calls) to trick employees of crypto firms into installing malware that facilitates the theft of digital assets. They often create elaborate fake companies and profiles.

2. Kimsuky (Aliases: Emerald Sleet, Velvet Chollima, TEMP.Firework)

Main Motive: Primarily focused on cyber espionage and intelligence gathering, specifically targeting South Korean government entities, think tanks, academic institutions, defense companies, and individuals involved in foreign policy and national security related to the Korean Peninsula, nuclear policy, and sanctions. They also target individuals in the US and Japan.

Accusations and Notable Activities:

Spear-Phishing Campaigns: Known for highly targeted spear-phishing emails, often impersonating legitimate contacts or organizations (e.g., South Korean government officials, journalists, academics) to deliver malware for intelligence collection. They use clever social engineering to trick victims into running malicious PowerShell scripts or installing backdoors.

Theft of Sensitive Data: Accused of stealing information related to inter-Korean affairs, nuclear negotiations, and sanctions enforcement.

Use of Illicit IT Worker Schemes: Some reporting links Kimsuky to the broader scheme of North Korean IT workers fraudulently gaining remote jobs globally, with the salaries funneled back to the regime. (While this scheme also funds the regime, Kimsuky's primary cyber mission remains espionage).

3. Andariel (Aliases: APT45, Silent Chollima, Onyx Fleet)

Main Motive: A mix of financial gain (often through ransomware) and cyber espionage, with a particular focus on military and defense information, especially targeting South Korea. They are also linked to direct revenue generation for the regime.

Accusations and Notable Activities:

Ransomware Deployments: Known for deploying ransomware, including Maui ransomware, against healthcare and critical infrastructure organizations to extort funds.

Stealing Defense Information: Accused of stealing technical information related to anti-aircraft weapon systems from South Korean defense companies.

ATM Cash-outs and Fraud: Engaging in activities like hacking into ATMs to withdraw cash or stealing bank card information for sale on the black market.

Illicit IT Worker Schemes: Recent U.S. sanctions (July 2025) have directly linked an individual associated with Andariel (Song Kum Hyok) to the fraudulent IT worker scheme that funnels money back to North Korea's weapons programs. This indicates a more direct role in generating revenue through non-cyber-attack means, complementing their cyber-enabled activities.

In summary, North Korean hacking groups are unique in their pervasive focus on generating illicit funds, primarily through large-scale cryptocurrency theft and financial fraud, to sustain the isolated regime and its nuclear ambitions. This financial imperative often goes hand-in-hand with strategic cyber espionage and, at times, disruptive operations designed to achieve Pyongyang's geopolitical goals.

What They Don’t Teach You About Managing Anxiety & Depression
(Unspoken Truths | Mental Health, Self-Compassion & Healing Series)
They tell you to “cheer up” or “calm down.”
But they don’t teach you how to navigate the heavy fog of depression or the endless buzzing of anxiety.
Let’s talk about what they don’t teach you:
Managing anxiety and depression isn’t about pretending to be okay — it’s about learning how to cope, heal, and ask for help without shame.

WHAT THEY DON’T TEACH YOU:
1. Mental Health Struggles Aren’t Just in Your Head — They’re in Your Body Too
Tension in your chest

Exhaustion after simple tasks

Digestive issues or sleep disruptions

Anxiety and depression affect your whole system — not just your mood.

2. You Can Look “Functional” and Still Be Struggling Deeply
Smiling, working, posting online — and still feeling numb, hopeless, or on edge.

Pain doesn’t always look dramatic — sometimes it just looks like pretending.

3. You Can’t Always Think Your Way Out of It
Affirmations help, but sometimes your brain chemistry or past trauma is louder than logic.

Healing takes more than “positive vibes.” Sometimes it takes therapy, medication, or serious rest.

4. Your Triggers Aren’t Weakness — They’re Unhealed Wounds Asking for Care
That overreaction? That panic? That deep sadness?

They're not “crazy” — they’re cries from parts of you that haven’t felt safe in a long time.

5. You’re Not Lazy — You’re Tired From Fighting Battles No One Sees
When you can’t get out of bed, clean your space, or reply to messages…

It’s not about willpower. It’s about survival.

6. The Right People Won’t Shame You for What You’re Feeling
You don’t need to hide your emotions from everyone.

You need safe spaces where your pain isn’t minimized — but understood.

7. Recovery Isn’t Linear — And That’s Okay
You’ll have better days, and then tough ones.
You’ll make progress, then feel like you’re back at square one.

That’s not failure — that’s the process.

8. You Deserve Support — Even If You Can’t Explain Everything Yet
You don’t have to “prove” your pain.
You don’t need the perfect words to ask for help.

“I’m not okay” is reason enough to reach out.

ANXIETY & DEPRESSION SURVIVAL CHECKLIST:
Do I give myself permission to feel without judgment?

Have I found small tools that ground me (music, breath, walks, journaling)?

Am I seeking connection — even when I feel like isolating?

Do I know who I can call or text when the fog gets too heavy?

Am I open to therapy, healing practices, or medication if needed?

FINAL THOUGHT:
They didn’t teach you how to manage anxiety and depression — because many still don’t understand them.
But now you know:
Your feelings are valid. Your struggle is real. Your healing is possible.

You are not a burden. You are a soul carrying pain — and you deserve care, not shame.

How can Nigeria make quality education more accessible in rural areas?
Making quality education more accessible in rural areas of Nigeria is a complex undertaking that requires a holistic and sustained approach, addressing issues across infrastructure, human resources, technology, community engagement, and funding.

Here's how it can be achieved:

I. Infrastructure and Facilities Development:

Context-Specific School Construction and Renovation:

Durable & Local Materials: Build and renovate school buildings using durable, locally sourced, and climate-appropriate materials. Designs should consider natural lighting and ventilation.

Essential Amenities: Ensure all schools have basic facilities: clean and functional toilets (separate for boys and girls), access to clean water, reliable electricity (solar power is a viable option), and proper ventilation.

Flexible Learning Spaces: Create adaptable classrooms that can accommodate different learning styles and potentially multi-grade teaching, which is common in smaller rural schools.

Libraries and Labs: Equip schools with functional libraries and basic science/computer laboratories. These can be shared resources among clusters of schools.

Mobile and Satellite Learning Centers:

For extremely remote or sparsely populated areas, explore mobile classrooms or "learning hubs" that rotate among communities, or satellite learning centers that provide access to digital resources and connectivity.

II. Qualified and Motivated Teachers:

Incentives for Rural Deployment:

Improved Remuneration: Offer attractive salary packages, allowances, and hardship pay for teachers willing to serve in rural areas.

Housing and Utilities: Provide subsidized or free housing, access to reliable electricity, and potable water to make rural living more appealing.

Career Advancement Opportunities: Create clear pathways for career progression for rural teachers, linked to performance and continuous professional development.

Loan Forgiveness/Scholarships: Offer student loan forgiveness or scholarships to aspiring teachers who commit to serving in rural schools for a specified period.

Targeted Recruitment and Training:

Local Recruitment: Prioritize recruiting teachers from within or near rural communities, as they are often more likely to stay due to existing ties.

Specialized Training: Equip teachers with skills for multi-grade teaching, differentiated instruction, and managing large classes. Training should also cover culturally sensitive pedagogy and community engagement.

Continuous Professional Development (CPD): Implement regular, accessible, and relevant CPD programs, utilizing blended learning models (online modules, local workshops) to reduce travel burdens.

Mentorship Programs: Pair experienced urban teachers with rural counterparts for mentorship and support.

III. Leveraging Technology (Bridging the Digital Divide):

Sustainable Power and Connectivity:

Solar Power: Prioritize equipping rural schools with reliable solar power systems to run computers, projectors, and charging stations.

Affordable Internet: Work with telecom providers and government agencies (e.g., NCC, NITDA) to extend affordable, reliable internet connectivity to rural areas, perhaps through community Wi-Fi hotspots or satellite internet.

Digital Learning Resources:

Tablets/E-readers: Provide students and teachers with rugged, low-cost tablets preloaded with digital textbooks, educational apps, and interactive learning content (e.g., "Solar-Powered Tablets").

Learning Management Systems (LMS): Implement simple LMS platforms that can deliver content offline and sync when connectivity is available.

Educational TV/Radio: Utilize existing media (radio, TV) to deliver curriculum-aligned lessons, especially in areas with limited internet access.

Teacher Digital Literacy Training:
Train teachers not just on how to use technology, but how to integrate it effectively into their pedagogy to enhance learning outcomes.

IV. Community Engagement and Ownership:

School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs):
Strengthen and empower SBMCs with genuine decision-making authority and training in financial management, school development planning, and monitoring.

Encourage active participation of parents, traditional leaders, and community members in school governance, resource mobilization, and monitoring teacher attendance and performance.

Community Contributions:
Foster a sense of community ownership by encouraging local contributions (labor, materials, financial support) for school development projects.

Integrate schools into community life, making them centers for community development, adult literacy programs, and health awareness.

Sensitization and Advocacy:
Conduct targeted campaigns to raise awareness among rural parents about the value of education, especially for girls, and discourage child labor or early marriage.

V. Funding and Policy:

Increased and Targeted Funding:

Higher Education Allocation: Significantly increase the overall budget allocation to education, ensuring a substantial portion is dedicated to rural school development and teacher welfare.

Specific Rural Education Fund: Establish a dedicated fund for rural education, managed transparently, to address unique challenges.

Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs): Encourage and incentivize private sector involvement through CSR initiatives, grants, and direct investment in rural schools.

Innovative Financing: Explore mechanisms like education bonds, diaspora engagement, and philanthropic partnerships to supplement government funding.

Flexible and Context-Specific Policies:

Local Curriculum Adaptation: Allow for some flexibility in curriculum delivery to address local contexts, needs, and cultural nuances, while maintaining national standards.

Remote Learning Policies: Develop clear policies for remote and blended learning that can be effectively deployed during emergencies or to support continuous learning.

Data-Driven Planning: Establish robust data collection and analysis systems to identify out-of-school children, monitor learning outcomes in rural areas, and allocate resources effectively based on needs.

Making quality education accessible in rural Nigeria requires sustained political will, a commitment to transparent resource utilization, and genuine collaboration among all stakeholders to overcome the geographical, economic, and social barriers.

What are the effects of constant ASUU strikes on students and the economy?
Constant strikes by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in Nigeria have profoundly negative effects on both students and the broader economy. These disruptions, primarily stemming from disputes over funding, staff welfare, and university autonomy, cripple the educational system and hinder national development.

Effects on Students
1. Prolonged Academic Calendars
Students often spend more years than stipulated to complete their degrees. A four-year course might stretch to five, six, or even more, leading to significant delays in their lives and career plans.

2. Disrupted Learning and Poor Academic Performance
Learning Loss: Extended breaks from academic activities lead to a decline in students' engagement and knowledge retention.

Rushed Curricula: Upon resumption, lecturers may rush to complete syllabi, compromising the depth of teaching and learning. This can result in "half-baked" graduates who lack a comprehensive understanding of their fields.

Reduced Practical Skills: Strikes often limit access to laboratories and practical sessions, essential for skill development, especially in science, engineering, and medical fields.

3. Mental Health and Psychological Impact
Frustration and Demotivation: Students experience significant frustration, anxiety, and depression due to the uncertainty surrounding their academic future. Many lose interest in their studies.

Increased Vulnerability to Vices: Idleness during prolonged strikes can lead some students to engage in social vices like drug abuse, online betting, cybercrime, cultism, and even armed robbery or kidnapping, posing a threat to societal peace.

4. Financial Burden
Wasted Resources: Students living off-campus often pay annual accommodation fees, which go to waste during extended strike periods. Other recurring expenses like electricity and transportation also accumulate.

Increased Cost of Education: The extended duration of studies means higher overall living costs and tuition where applicable.

5. Erosion of Trust and Brain Drain
Loss of Faith: Students and parents lose faith in the Nigerian public university system.

Japa Syndrome (Emigration): Many who can afford it opt for private universities or, more increasingly, seek educational opportunities abroad, leading to a significant brain drain of Nigeria's youth and future workforce.

Effects on the Economy
1. Human Capital Development Setback
Reduced Quality of Graduates: The compromised quality of education due to strikes leads to a less skilled and less competent workforce. This directly impacts productivity, innovation, and competitiveness across all sectors of the economy.

Skills Gap: Graduates often lack the practical skills and knowledge required by industries, increasing the cost of training for employers or forcing them to hire foreign expertise.

Brain Drain of Academics: ASUU strikes contribute to the exodus of highly qualified lecturers and researchers seeking better working conditions and research opportunities elsewhere. This depletes the intellectual capital necessary for national development.

2. Economic Stagnation and Reduced Productivity
Lost Man-Hours: The time lost during strikes represents lost potential productivity from millions of students and thousands of academic staff.

Impact on Local Economies: University towns and host communities suffer economically during strikes as businesses (accommodation, food vendors, transport, stationery shops) that rely on students and staff experience massive downturns.

Delayed Innovation and Research: Universities are supposed to be hubs of research and innovation that can drive economic growth. Strikes paralyze these activities, hindering the development of solutions to national problems and new products/services.

3. Increased Unemployment and Social Instability
Delayed Entry into Workforce: Prolonged graduation means a delayed entry into the workforce for millions of young people, exacerbating the already high youth unemployment rate.

Social Unrest: A large pool of idle, frustrated, and unemployed youth can be a source of social instability, potentially contributing to crime and other forms of unrest.
4. Reduced Foreign Investment
A unstable and unreliable education system signals a lack of human capital development and an uncertain future workforce, deterring foreign direct investment. Investors prefer countries with a stable, skilled, and readily available talent pool.

5. Erosion of National Development Plans
The educational sector is fundamental to national development. Constant strikes undermine the foundational pillars of any long-term economic or social development plan, making it difficult for Nigeria to achieve its potential.

In conclusion, the recurring ASUU strikes are not merely an academic issue; they represent a significant socio-economic crisis that mortgages Nigeria's future by compromising its most valuable asset: its human capital.

Macron slams disaster waiting to happen in Gaza, wants UN mission.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday slammed Israel's plans to step up its military operation in Gaza as a disaster waiting to happen and proposed an international coalition under a United Nations mandate to stabilize Gaza.

Last week, Israel's security cabinet approved a plan to take control of Gaza City, in a move that expanded its military operations in the shattered Palestinian territory and drew strong criticism at home and abroad.

"The Israeli cabinet's announcement of an expansion of its operations in Gaza City and the Mawasi camps and for a re-occupation heralds a disaster of unprecedented gravity waiting to happen and of a drift towards a never-ending war," said Macron, in remarks sent by his office to reporters.

"The Israeli hostages and the people of Gaza will continue to be the primary victims of this strategy," added Macron.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office did not immediately return a request for comment. Responding to international criticism in a press conference on Sunday, he said Israel is "applying force judiciously".

By proposing a U.N.-mandated mission in Gaza, Macron is seeking to build on the momentum created by his recognition of a Palestinian state last month, which set off a domino of recognitions, with Britain and Canada following suit.

Macron said the U.N. mission would be tasked with securing the Gaza Strip, protecting civilians and working in support of unspecified Palestinian governance. He said the U.N. Security Council should work on establishing the mission.

"I have asked my teams to work on that with our partners without delay," he added.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Macron: Israel’s ‘disastrous’ Gaza plan will lead to permanent war.
Emmanuel Macron has condemned Israel’s plans to expand its offensive in Gaza as a “disaster” and a move towards a “never-ending war”.

Israel’s security cabinet last week approved a plan to invade Gaza City, in effect moving towards the full occupation of the war-battered Strip, which drew severe criticism from home and abroad.

The French president said on Monday: “The Israeli cabinet’s announcement of an expansion of its operations in Gaza City and the Mawasi camps and for a re-occupation heralds a disaster of unprecedented gravity waiting to happen and of a move towards a never-ending war.”

“The Israeli hostages and the people of Gaza will continue to be the primary victims of this strategy,” added Mr. Macron, who last month pledged to recognize Palestinian statehood.

Mr. Macron said it was important to establish a UN-mandated stabilization mission to secure the Gaza Strip. “I have asked my teams to work on this without delay with our partners,” he added.

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, defended the plan on Sunday, despite calls from the military to change course, saying “Israel has no choice but to finish the job and complete the defeat of Hamas”.

However, Israeli officials have said it could take until October to evacuate civilians from Gaza City, allowing the possibility of a ceasefire to be achieved before the new offensive could start.

It comes as Israel killed Anas al-Sharif, a prominent Al Jazeera correspondent, and four of his colleagues in a targeted strike on Sunday, which has been condemned by journalists and rights groups.

Israel’s military accused the 28-year-old, one of the network’s most recognizable faces, of leading a Hamas terror cell and being involved in rocket attacks on Israel.

Al Jazeera rejected that accusation and said the attack was a “desperate attempt to silence voices in anticipation of the occupation of Gaza”.

Sir Keir Starmer said he was “gravely concerned” about the repeated targeting of journalists in Gaza, while the UN said it was a “grave breach of international humanitarian law”.

At least 69 people have been killed in Gaza over the past 24 hours, says the Hamas-run health ministry in the Strip.

That includes five people who died of malnutrition, the ministry said, bringing the overall claimed death toll to 61,499.

It comes as Norway’s sovereign wealth fund, the largest in the world, said on Monday that it was selling its investments in 11 Israeli companies.

Nicolai Tangen, chief of Norges Bank Investment Management, which manages the $1.8tn fund, cited the “serious humanitarian crisis” in Gaza and the worsening conditions in the West Bank as the reasons behind the decision.

Macron warns Israel that Gaza occupation plan risks ‘war without end’
French President Emmanuel Macron has sharply criticised Israel’s planned takeover of Gaza City, warning it would be a 'disaster' leading to endless war.

President Macron has denounced Israel’s plan to expand its operations and seize control of Gaza City, warning it was a "disaster" that risked locking the region into "permanent war".

This conflict "must end now with a lasting ceasefire," Macron urged in a statement this Monday, describing Israel’s proposed takeover of Gaza City as "a disaster of unprecedented gravity – a headlong rush into a war without end."

"The Israeli hostages and the people of Gaza will remain the main victims of such a strategy," he added.

Israeli plan for Gaza takeover must be halted immediately: UN rights chief

Israel announced its military would "take control" of Gaza City, a plan signed off by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet which has drawn sharp criticism from across the globe.

Macron called for the creation of a UN-mandated stabilisation mission to help secure the Gaza Strip.

"The Security Council must now act to establish such a mission and grant it the necessary mandate,” he said. “I have instructed my teams to begin work on this immediately with our partners."

Israel defends Gaza occupation plan
On Sunday, Netanyahu defended the plan, insisting: “Israel has no choice but to finish the job and ensure the complete defeat of Hamas. We already have about 70 to 75 percent of Gaza under military control – but two strongholds remain: Gaza City and the central camps in Al Mawasi.”

Palestinian witnesses reported the heaviest bombardments in weeks on Monday in the eastern suburbs of Gaza City, just hours after Netanyahu said he had ordered the Israeli Defence Forces to speed up their timetable for seizing the city.

Tanks and warplanes pounded areas including Sabra, Zeitoun and Shejaia, forcing families to flee westwards.

Germany's Merz defends stopping weapons deliveries to Israel

Although the Israeli military said it was targeting Hamas militants and dismantling launch sites, residents described one of the worst nights in weeks, raising fears that preparations were under way for a deeper push into the city, which now shelters around a million displaced people.

The latest military plans have intensified alarm abroad. Alongside Macron’s condemnation, Germany announced it would halt exports of military equipment that could be used in Gaza, while Britain and other European allies urged Israel to rethink its policy.

The United States’ ambassador to Israel criticised what he saw as some countries pressuring Israel rather than Hamas.

Famine unfolding
Meanwhile, the United Nations and humanitarian agencies have condemned the planned expansion.

"If these plans are implemented, they will likely trigger another calamity in Gaza," UN Assistant Secretary General Miroslav Jenca told the Security Council on Sunday.

UN agencies warned last month that famine was unfolding in the territory, with Israel severely restricting the entry of aid.

Defining famine: the complex process behind Gaza's hunger crisis

Israel's offensive has killed at least 61,430 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry, figures the United Nations says are reliable.

Hamas's October, 2023 attack on Israel, which triggered the war, resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, according to a tally kept by French news agency AFP, based on official figures.

Evils of private lenders to poor countries.....
Private lenders can be a major source of financial hardship for developing countries, creating a vicious cycle of debt that hinders economic growth and social progress. Unlike loans from international institutions or other governments, private loans often come with less favorable terms, which can be particularly damaging to vulnerable nations.

Unsustainable Debt and Economic Instability
Private loans often carry high interest rates and short repayment periods, which can quickly become unmanageable for countries with limited resources and unstable economies. When governments spend a large portion of their national budget on debt servicing, it leaves little room for essential public services like healthcare and education. This can lead to a decline in living standards and a further entrenchment of poverty. The need to service this debt can also force a country to cut social spending and public investments, which has a devastating impact on its citizens.

Crowding Out Effect: High government debt can "crowd out" private investment. When a government has to borrow heavily to service its existing debt, it competes with private companies for available capital. This drives up interest rates, making it more expensive for businesses to borrow, invest, and create jobs.

Fiscal Space Reduction: The large sums spent on interest payments on private debt significantly reduce a country's "fiscal space" – the flexibility it has to use its budget for public spending. This can leave a nation unprepared to respond to crises, such as natural disasters, pandemics, or economic shocks.

Lack of Transparency and Accountability
Private lending often lacks the transparency and oversight of public institutions. This can create opportunities for corruption and poor governance. The terms of private loans may be kept secret, making it difficult for the public to scrutinize how the money is being used and whether the terms are fair. This lack of accountability can lead to funds being mismanaged or siphoned off by corrupt officials, with the public ultimately left to bear the burden of repayment.

Vulnerability to Currency Fluctuations: Many private loans to developing countries are denominated in foreign currencies, like the U.S. dollar. This makes a country's debt burden highly vulnerable to changes in exchange rates. If the local currency depreciates against the foreign currency, the cost of repaying the debt can skyrocket, even if the original loan amount hasn't changed.

Complex Restructuring: In the event a country defaults on its debt, restructuring private loans can be a complex and lengthy process. There's no single body to negotiate with, as a country might owe money to numerous private creditors, each with its own interests. This can lead to protracted legal battles and further delay a country's economic recovery.

Eroding Sovereignty
In some cases, private lenders can exert significant influence over a country's economic policies, effectively eroding its sovereignty. To secure a loan or avoid default, a country might be pressured to adopt certain economic reforms, such as privatization of state-owned assets or austerity measures.
These conditions may not be in the best interest of the nation's people and can lead to a loss of control over its own resources and strategic decisions. For example, a country might have to privatize a public utility, leading to higher costs for its citizens, just to satisfy the conditions of a private loan.

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NIGERIA JUNE 12th-
June 12th: A Day of Reflection, Resistance, and Renewal for Nigeria. #June12 #NigeriaDemocracyDay #RememberMKO #NeverForget

Remembering the Past, Reclaiming the Future-

Introduction: The Echoes of a Nation's Pain and Promise
Every nation has its defining moments—times when its soul is tested, its people are divided, and its future stands uncertain. For Nigeria, two such moments are etched deep into our national memory: the Civil War of 1967–1970 and the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election.

While the Civil War tested our unity through bullets and blood, June 12 tested our democracy through silence and betrayal. Both moments are painful reminders of what happens when power is placed above people, and when the dreams of a nation are crushed by the decisions of a few.

June 12 is not just about a stolen election; it’s about a stolen opportunity—one that still calls us to act, rebuild, and unite.

The 1993 Elections: Nigeria’s Lost Chance at Progress
The June 12, 1993 presidential election was supposed to be a turning point. Conducted after years of military dictatorship, the election saw Nigerians from all ethnic, religious, and regional backgrounds unite behind a single candidate: MKO Abiola, running under the Social Democratic Party (SDP). His running mate, Babagana Kingibe from the North, symbolized a hope for national unity beyond tribal lines.

Despite overwhelming public support and an election that observers praised as transparent, the military government under General Ibrahim Babangida annulled the results. No official reason was given. Chaos followed—protests erupted, journalists were harassed, and civil society leaders were detained.

Abiola himself was arrested in 1994 after declaring himself president. He died in prison under suspicious circumstances on July 7, 1998, just weeks before he was expected to be released. Many still believe he was murdered.

Legacy of MKO Abiola: Democracy’s Martyr
MKO Abiola’s life was one of paradox: a wealthy businessman, yet deeply connected to the poor; a devout Muslim, yet loved across religious lines. He campaigned not as a tribal leader, but as a Nigerian. His campaign slogan, "Hope 93," was more than words—it captured the aspirations of a people tired of corruption, tribalism, and poverty.

Even in detention, Abiola remained a symbol of peaceful resistance. His death became the ultimate sacrifice for a dream deferred. June 12, therefore, is not just about the man—it’s about the mission.

From Civil War to June 12: Two Different Struggles, One National Lesson
While the Civil War of 1967–70 was rooted in ethnic tensions and failed attempts at power-sharing, June 12 was about the denial of the people’s political voice. Yet both episodes remind us of key national truths:

Unity cannot be forced—it must be earned through justice and inclusion.

Democracy is fragile when it serves only the elite.

The youth, often the biggest victims of bad governance, must not be silent.

In both instances, it was ordinary Nigerians—students, workers, market women, and civil society groups—who bore the burden of change. It is still that way today.

Today’s Nigeria: Democracy Under Stress
While the country now enjoys a multi-party democratic structure, the deeper values of democracy—transparency, accountability, and people-centered governance—are still largely missing. June 12 must push us to ask hard questions:

Why do elections still feel rigged despite “modern” technology?

Why are politicians richer after office while millions remain jobless?

Why do Nigerians flee their country despite its vast potential?

Why do security agencies still brutalize citizens with impunity?

June 12 isn’t just history—it’s a warning that unless we build institutions and hold leaders accountable, we could lose everything we’ve gained.

To Nigerians in the Diaspora: Your Voice Matters More Than Ever
With over 17 million Nigerians living abroad, the diaspora is a powerful force for change. You are not just sending money—you are shaping narratives, influencing policy, and raising the standard of what Nigerians should expect from leadership.

June 12 should remind you of your responsibility:

Speak out when Nigeria is misrepresented or mistreated.

Organize, not just socially but politically, to influence elections and reforms back home.

Support movements focused on education, technology, healthcare, and youth empowerment.

Vote, participate, and hold leaders accountable—even from afar.

You are the bridge between what is and what can be.

What June 12 Demands of Us Today
Rather than simply observing June 12 with ceremonies or hashtags, let us:

Educate the next generation about the significance of this day.

Reflect on what democracy should look like in the Nigerian context.

Commit to civic participation—voting, community organizing, and policy dialogue.

Demand electoral reforms and transparent processes, especially for the 2027 elections.

Support pro-democracy movements and whistleblowers who risk everything for truth.

Conclusion: From Remembrance to Revolution of Values
June 12 is a mirror and a megaphone. It shows us where we failed, but it also shouts at us: “You can still rise!”

We must move beyond just mourning MKO Abiola. We must embody his courage, his hope, and his belief that Nigeria can be better.

Whether you’re in Enugu, Lagos, Kaduna, Johannesburg, London, or Atlanta, this is your fight too.

The democracy we celebrate today was watered with sweat, tears, and blood. The least we can do is protect it, perfect it, and pass it on stronger than we found it.

By Jo Ikeji-Uju
https://corkroo.com/
https://afriprime.net/

The Palestinian death toll from the 20-month Israel-Hamas war passed 55,000, the Gaza Health Ministry said Wednesday, and hospitals said at least 21 people were killed while on their way to aid distribution sites.

The circumstances of the deaths reported near the sites were not immediately clear. The Israeli army said Wednesday it fired warning shots in central Gaza toward “suspects” that posed a threat to troops.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which operates the aid distribution sites, said at least five of its local aid workers were killed in an attack that it blamed on Hamas as they headed to one of the centers.

The Gaza Health Ministry doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants, but has said that women and children make up more than half the 55,000 dead. Israel says it only targets militants and blames civilian deaths on Hamas, accusing the militants of hiding among civilians, because they operate in populated areas.

The ministry says 55,104 people have been killed since the start of the war and 127,394 wounded. Many more are believed to be buried under the rubble or in areas that are inaccessible to local medics. The figure did not include Wednesday's deaths.

The Health Ministry is part of Gaza’s Hamas-run government, but staffed by medical professionals who maintain and publish detailed records. Its tolls from previous conflicts have largely aligned with those of independent experts, though Israel has questioned the ministry’s figures.

Also Wednesday, Israel said forces recovered the remains of two additional hostages held in Gaza. Militants still hold 53 captives, less than half of them believed to be alive.

Casualties at separate aid hubs, health officials say.

Health officials in Gaza said 14 people were killed while on their way to collect aid near the southern city of Rafah. Their bodies were taken to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. In central Gaza, Al-Awda Hospital said that seven additional people were killed while on their way to an aid distribution site.

The Israeli military said troops fired warning shots before daylight toward people it identified as suspects “who were advancing while posing a threat" in central Gaza. The military had no immediate comment on the reports of casualties in southern Gaza.

Safaa Farmawi said her daughter, Ghazal Eyad, 16, was killed while on her way to collect food in Rafah.

“My daughter and I went to get aid, she came before me, I looked for my daughter but couldn’t find her. People told me your daughter was martyred,” Farmawi told the AP.

Near-daily shootings have erupted as crowds make their way to aid sites run by a newly created aid group rejected by the United Nations. Palestinian witnesses to previous shootings have said Israeli forces fired toward the crowds. The military has acknowledged firing warning shots toward people it says approached its forces in a suspicious manner.

The foundation says there has been no violence in or around the distribution points. It has warned people to stay on the designated routes and recently paused delivery to discuss safety measures with the military.

Foundation says some of its aid workers have been killed.
The GHF accused Hamas of attacking a bus carrying two dozen of its Palestinian workers who helped deliver aid. It said in a statement that at least five people died, multiple others were injured and it fears some may have been taken hostage.

It said the attack happened as the team was heading to one of its aid distribution sites in the area west of Khan Younis.

“Our hearts are broken and our thoughts and prayers are with every victim, every family, and every person still unaccounted for,” the statement said.

New aid system marred by chaos-
The aid system rolled out last month has been marred by chaos and violence, while a longstanding U.N.-run system has struggled to deliver food because of Israeli restrictions and a breakdown of law and order, despite Israel loosening a total blockade it imposed from early March to mid-May.

Experts and human rights workers say hunger is widespread and that the territory of some 2 million Palestinians is at risk of famine if Israel does not fully lift its blockade and halt its military campaign, which it renewed in March after ending a ceasefire with Hamas.

Israel says the new aid distribution system is designed to prevent Hamas from siphoning off aid, but U.N. agencies and major aid groups say there is no evidence of systematic diversion.

They say the new system violates humanitarian principles by allowing Israel to control who receives aid and by encouraging more mass displacement as Palestinians seek access to just three operational sites, two of them in the territory’s southernmost city of Rafah, now a mostly uninhabited military zone.

Israel recovers remains of 2 more hostages

Israeli authorities identified one of the hostages recovered as Yair Yaakov who was killed during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack and whose body was taken into Gaza. His partner and two children were also taken captive and released in a ceasefire deal early in the war.

The second hostage's identity was not disclosed.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the bodies were retrieved in a “complex” operation without disclosing details. The Israeli military said they were recovered from Khan Younis.

The war began when Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the Oct. 7 attack and abducted 251 hostages. More than half the captives have been released in ceasefires or other deals. Israeli forces have rescued eight and recovered the remains of dozens more.

Hamas has said it will only release the remaining hostages in return for more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and a complete Israeli withdrawal. It has offered to hand over power to a politically independent Palestinian committee. but has not agreed to disarm.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected those terms, saying that Israel will only agree to temporary ceasefires to facilitate the return of hostages. He has vowed to continue the war until all the hostages are returned and Hamas is defeated or disarmed and sent into exile.

Netanyahu says Israel will control Gaza indefinitely and facilitate what he refers to as the voluntary emigration of much of its population to other countries. The Palestinians and most of the international community reject such plans, viewing them as forcible expulsion that could violate international law.

Southern Baptists vote to endorse a ban on gay marriage-

Let me know "Wrong or Right" If not devil's work of dirty mindset.

What's a man looking in a fellow man's anus?

Southern Baptists overwhelmingly endorsed a ban on gay marriage — including a call for a reversal of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 10-year-old precedent legalizing it nationwide.

They also called for legislators to curtail sports betting and to support policies that promote childbearing.

The votes came at the gathering of more than 10,000 church representatives at the annual meeting of the nation’s largest Protestant denomination.

A proposed resolution says legislators have a duty to “pass laws that reflect the truth of creation and natural law — about marriage, sex, human life, and family” and to oppose laws contradicting “what God has made plain through nature and Scripture.”

A wide-ranging resolution calls for the “overturning of laws and court rulings, including Obergefell v. Hodges, that defy God’s design for marriage and family.” A reversal of Obergefell wouldn’t in and of itself be a ban.

The resolution calls “for laws that affirm marriage between one man and one woman.”

There was no debate on the marriage resolution.

The two-day annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention began Tuesday with praise sessions and optimistic reports about growing numbers of baptisms.

But casting a pall over the gathering is the recent death of one of the most high-profile whistleblowers in the Southern Baptists’ scandal of sexual abuse.

Jennifer Lyell, a onetime denominational publishing executive who went public in 2019 with allegations that she had been sexually abused by a seminary professor while a student, died Saturday at 47. She “suffered catastrophic strokes,” a friend and fellow advocate, Rachael Denhollander, posted Sunday on X.

Friends reported that the backlash Lyell received after going public with her report took a devastating toll on her.

Several abuse survivors and advocates for reform, who previously had a prominent presence in recent SBC meetings, are skipping this year’s gathering, citing lack of progress by the convention.

Two people sought to fill that void, standing vigil outside of the meeting at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas. The pair held up signs with photos of Lyell and of Gareld Duane Rollins, who died earlier this spring and who was among those who accused longtime SBC power broker Paul Pressler of sexual abuse.

“It’s not a healthy thing for them (survivors) to be here,” said Johnna Harris, host of a podcast on abuse in evangelical ministries. “I felt like it was important for someone to show up. I want people to know there are people who care.”

The SBC Executive Committee, in a 2022 apology, acknowledged “its failure to adequately listen, protect, and care for Jennifer Lyell when she came forward to share her story.” It also acknowledged the denomination’s official news agency had not accurately reported the situation as “sexual abuse by a trusted minister in a position of power at a Southern Baptist seminary.”

SBC officials issued statements this week lamenting Lyell’s death, but her fellow advocates have denounced what they say is a failure to implement reforms.

The SBC’s 2022 meeting voted overwhelmingly to create a way to track pastors and other church workers credibly accused of sex abuse. That came shortly after the release of a blockbuster report by an outside consultant, which said Southern Baptist leaders mishandled abuse cases and stonewalled victims for years.

But the denomination’s Executive Committee president, Jeff Iorg, said earlier this year that creating a database is not a focus and that the committee instead plans to refer churches to existing databases of sex offenders and focus on education about abuse prevention. The committee administers the denomination’s day-to-day business.

Advocates for reform don’t see those approaches as adequate.

It is the latest instance of “officials trailing out hollow words, impotent task forces and phony dog-and-pony shows of reform,” abuse survivor and longtime advocate Christa Brown wrote on Baptist News Global, which is not SBC-affiliated.

In a related action, the Executive Committee will also be seeking $3 million in convention funding for ongoing legal expenses related to abuse cases.

As of Tuesday afternoon, attendance was at 10,456 church representatives (known as messengers). That is less than a quarter of the total that thronged the SBC’s annual meeting 40 years ago this month in a Dallas showdown that marked the height of battles over control of the convention, ultimately won by the more conservative-fundamentalist side led by Pressler and his allies.

That conservative consensus remains in the convention. This year’s convention will be asked to approve resolutions lamenting “willful childlessness” and calling for bans on same-sex marriage and pornography and restrictions on sports betting.

Messengers will also debate whether to institute a constitutional ban on churches with women pastors and to abolish its public-policy arm, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission — which is staunchly conservative, but according to critics, not enough so.

International pressure has increased again on Israel. Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway say they have imposed sanctions on two far-right Israeli government ministers for allegedly “inciting extremist violence” against Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich face asset freezes and travel bans. They are champions of expanding Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Settler violence there has spiked since the start of the war in Gaza, where the ministers have been the most vocal in support of hardline policies.

Meanwhile, Israel's navy attacked docks in Yemen’s rebel-held port city of Hodeida, likely damaging facilities that are key to aid shipments to the hungry, war-wracked nation. This is the first time Israeli forces have been involved in attacks against the Iranian-backed Houthis, who have launched missiles and drones targeting Israel during its war on Hamas in Gaza.

Inside Gaza, Palestinian health officials and witnesses said Israeli forces fired toward crowds making their way to a food distribution point run by an Israeli and U.S.-supported group, killing three people and wounding scores.

And Israel deported activists including Greta Thunberg, the Foreign Ministry said, a day after the military seized their Gaza-bound ship protesting Israel's restrictions on aid to the territory.

Here's the latest:

UK and others sanction Israeli ministers for ‘inciting violence against Palestinians’

Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway have imposed sanctions on two far-right Israeli government ministers for allegedly “inciting extremist violence” against Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich face asset freezes and travel bans from the five countries. They are champions of expanding Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

The five countries’ foreign ministers said Tuesday that Ben-Gvir and Smotrich “have incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights."

Thunberg speaks after Israel deports her.

Activist Greta Thunberg has arrived in France after being deported from Israel. She says the conditions she and other activists faced as they tried to sail to Gaza “are absolutely nothing compared to what people are going through in Palestine and especially Gaza right now.”

Israel seized their boat on Monday. Thunberg says they were well aware of the risks. “The aim was to get to Gaza and to be able to distribute the aid," she said in Paris.

She said the activists would continue trying to get aid to Gaza, where experts have warned of famine under Israeli restrictions on supplies into the territory of over 2 million people.

Israel says the U.K. is sanctioning 2 Cabinet ministers

Israel says it has been informed that the United Kingdom will sanction two of its Cabinet ministers. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar did not provide their names in public remarks.

It appears the sanctions will target Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, two far-right champions of Israeli settlements in Palestinian areas. Ben-Gvir and Smotrich both acknowledged the sanctions on social media, and Smotrich confirmed he was a target.

Israeli police arrest 13-year-old, accuse him of carrying out tasks for Iran

Israeli police arrested a 13-year-old, accusing him of taking money to carry out tasks for Iran.

A statement from the police and the domestic security agency Shin Bet Tuesday said the teen had been contacted on the messaging app Telegram by “Iranian elements,” without elaborating.

Police say the teen, a resident of Tel Aviv, was asked to take pictures of Israel’s missile defense system Iron Dome, a task he did not carry out. They also accuse him of spraying graffiti at the behest of his Telegram contact.

The teen was released on house arrest after being questioned, police said.

Over recent months, Israel has arrested several people in connection with what it says are attempts by Iran and others to pay Israelis to spy on facilities and officials.

Gaza aid ship’s organizers call activist detentions arbitrary

The group behind the Gaza-bound ship that Israel seized says that four of its passengers, including Greta Thunberg, have been deported.

The remaining eight are being detained while waiting to appear before a judge. They are expected to be deported within days.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition called on the Israeli authorities to release the passengers without deportation. It said their legal team will argue that the ship’s interception was unlawful and the detentions arbitrary. Lawyers will also demand that they be allowed to complete their mission to Gaza, the group said in a statement.

Remains of Thai hostage who was held in Gaza to be flown to Thailand

The Foreign Ministry of Thailand says that the remains of a Thai laborer who was taken hostage by Hamas will be sent back to Thailand on Tuesday.

Nattapong Pinta came to Israel to work in agriculture. Israel’s government said he was seized during Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack from a kibbutz in southern Israel and killed early in the war.

Israel said Saturday it had retrieved his remains in an operation in southern Gaza.

Spanish activist slams Gaza-bound boat’s interception after being deported by Israel

Sergio Toribio, a Spanish activist who was on the Gaza-bound ship seized by Israel, arrived in Barcelona Tuesday after being deported.

Speaking to reporters upon his arrival, he slammed Israel’s interception of the boat.

“It is unforgivable, it is a violation of our rights. It is a pirate attack in international waters.” he said.

He continued: “We weren’t doing anything wrong, we were just carrying provisions as a symbolic gesture.”

Spanish media described Toribio as a 49-year-old ship mechanic.

Israeli military says it intercepted a projectile fired from Gaza Strip

The Israeli military says it intercepted a projectile fired from the northern Gaza Strip that set off air raid sirens in nearby Israeli communities.

There were no reports of casualties or damage.

Rocket fire from Gaza has grown rare as Israel’s 20-month military campaign has depleted the military capabilities of Hamas, which fired thousands of rockets during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that ignited the war.

Palestinians say Israeli forces fired toward crowd near Gaza aid site, killing 3

Palestinian health officials and witnesses say Israeli forces fired toward crowds making their way to a food distribution point in the Gaza Strip early Tuesday, killing three people.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Awda Hospital in central Gaza, which received the casualties, said two men and a child were killed and at least 130 were wounded. The Associated Press spoke to two witnesses who said Israeli forces fired toward the crowds at around 2 a.m. hundreds of meters (yards) from the aid site.

Experts and humanitarian aid workers say Israel’s blockade and military campaign have pushed Gaza to the brink of famine.

Around 130 people have been killed in a number of shootings near aid sites run by a new Israeli and U.S.-backed organization. The Israeli military has acknowledged firing warning shots on previous occasions at people who it says approached its forces in a suspicious manner.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which runs the sites, says there has been no violence in or around the distribution points themselves. But it has warned people to stay on designated access routes and paused delivery last week while it held talks with the military on improving safety.

French foreign minister says 1 detained French activist signed expulsion order and will leave Israel

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Tuesday that one of the detained French activists who was on a Gaza-bound ship intercepted by Israel signed an expulsion order and will leave Israel on Tuesday for France.

The other five refused and will await court decisions in the coming days. In a separate post on X, Barrot said the five will face a “forced expulsion.”

All six received consular visits overnight around 3 a.m., he said, as did the other activists aboard the ship.

The French detainees were transferred overnight to a detention center in the Israeli city of Ramle, he said, and may receive another consular visit there.

Israel deports Greta Thunberg after seizing the ship she was on

Activist Greta Thunberg is being deported from Israel, Israel’s Foreign Ministry said Tuesday, after the Gaza-bound ship she was on was seized by the Israeli military.

In a post on X, the Foreign Ministry shared a photo of Thunberg on a plane, saying that she was headed for France.

Thunberg was one of 12 passengers on board the Madleen, a boat carrying aid destined for people in war-torn Gaza.

The activists said they were protesting the ongoing war and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Israel says such ships violate its naval blockade of Gaza.

Trump’s troop deployment is a warning sign for what comes next, legal scholars fear.

President Donald Trump’s deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles is stretching the legal limits of how the military can be used to enforce domestic laws on American streets, constitutional law experts say.

Trump, for now, has given the troops a limited mission: protecting federal immigration agents and buildings amid a wave of street protests against the administration’s mass deportation policies. To justify the deployment, Trump cited a provision of federal law that allows the president to use the National Guard to quell domestic unrest.

But Trump’s stated rationale, legal scholars say, appears to be a flimsy and even contrived basis for such a rare and dramatic step. The real purpose, they worry, may be to amass more power over blue states that have resisted Trump’s deportation agenda. And the effect, whether intentional or not, may be to inflame the tension in L.A., potentially leading to a vicious cycle in which Trump calls up even more troops or broadens their mission.

“It does appear to be largely pretextual, or at least motivated more by politics than on-the-ground need,” said Chris Mirasolo, a national security law professor at the University of Houston.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom called the deployment “unlawful” and said he would sue Monday.

“This is about authoritarian tendencies. This is about command and control. This is about power. This is about ego,” Newsom, a Democrat, said Sunday on MSNBC. “This is a consistent pattern.”

At issue is the president’s authority to deploy the military for domestic purposes. A federal law, the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, generally bars the president from using federal troops — the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force or Space Force — to enforce domestic laws.

But there are exceptional circumstances when the president can use troops domestically. The most prominent exception is the Insurrection Act, which authorizes the president to deploy the military to suppress insurrections, “domestic violence” or conspiracies that undermine constitutional rights or federal laws. At the end of Trump’s first term, some of his most ardent supporters urged and expected him to invoke the Insurrection Act to push aside state election authorities and essentially void the 2020 presidential election results, although he never did so. During his 2024 campaign, he said he would invoke the act to subdue unrest if reelected.

But so far, Trump has not invoked the Insurrection Act. Instead, in a Saturday order, he cited a different statutory provision: a terse section of the U.S. code that allows the president to use the National Guard — but not any other military forces — to suppress the “danger of a rebellion” or to “execute” federal laws when “regular forces” are unable to do so.

Notably, his order did not outright declare the unrest in L.A. to be a “rebellion,” but suggested it was moving in that direction.

“To the extent that protests or acts of violence directly inhibit the execution of the laws, they constitute a form of rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States,” the order said.

California authorities and Trump critics say that local law enforcement was effectively managing the L.A. protests. And despite the National Guard’s purportedly defensive role of protecting federal property and personnel, some experts see the deployment as throwing a lit match into a tinderbox.

If the troops are drawn into violent confrontations, Trump might use the clashes as justification for invoking the Insurrection Act, which would pave the way for active-duty military forces to take more aggressive actions to subdue protesters and engage in law enforcement. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Saturday said Marines could be mobilized to L.A. if unrest continues, writing in a post on X that the troops “are on high alert.”

“The laws in this area are somewhat unsettled and untested,” said Rosa Brooks, a Georgetown University law professor who served as a counselor to the undersecretary of defense for policy under President Barack Obama. “Federalizing Guard troops in this situation — and raising the specter of also sending in active duty military personnel — is a political stunt, and a dangerous one.”

Experts are also eyeing whether the Guard members accompany immigration authorities when they venture away from federal buildings — a move that could signal a willingness to use troops to actively aid immigration enforcement, rather than simply protect agents from protesters.

Trump has fueled the fears of further escalation, actively commenting on the protests while attacking the state’s response.

“Looking really bad in L.A.,” he posted early Monday morning, shortly after midnight. “BRING IN THE TROOPS.” He also called for immediate arrests of any protesters wearing masks and repeatedly described them as “insurrectionists.”

However, when asked by reporters Sunday if the violence amounted to an insurrection, Trump said no.

On Monday, Trump also endorsed the idea of arresting Newsom.

Trump is not the first president to deploy the military over a governor’s objection. But it’s the first time since 1965, when President Lyndon Johnson ordered troops to protect civil rights protesters in Alabama. President Dwight Eisenhower similarly overrode objections from Alabama’s governor, deploying troops to help enforce the desegregation of public schools. When presidents view state and local authorities as being ineffective or recalcitrant, those steps may be justified, some experts say.

“Usually the President calls out the troops with the cooperation of the governor, which happened in LA itself during the Rodney King riots,” said John Yoo, a legal counselor to President George W. Bush. “But there have been times when governors have been tragically slow, as during Hurricane Katrina, or actually resistant to federal policy, as with desegregation, or, arguably, in this case. “

Trump, when speaking about the decision with reporters Sunday, said he warned Newsom a few days earlier of the possibility.

“I did call him the other night,” Trump said. “I said you’ve got to take care of this, otherwise I’m sending in the troops.”

Newsom has railed against Trump’s unilateral action, saying it will inflame rather than ease tensions on the streets and that state and local law enforcement were appropriately responding to the unrest outside federal buildings. Newsom got backup from Democratic governors across the country, who signed a letter calling Trump’s National Guard deployment an “alarming abuse of power.”

“The military appears to be clashing with protesters in the streets of our country. That’s not supposed to happen,” said Elizabeth Goitein, a national security law expert at New York University’s Brennan Center. “It’s such a dangerous situation. It’s dangerous for liberty. It’s dangerous for democracy.”

The promised lawsuit from California will set up yet another high-stakes courtroom test of Trump’s multifaceted bid to expand executive power in his second term.

The last major political fight over the president’s powers to call up the National Guard in an emergency came almost two decades ago, following a decision by President George W. Bush not to activate the National Guard to restore order in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Bush reportedly balked at calling up the National Guard due to the objection of Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco and uncertainty over the legality of the president doing so without her consent.

In response, Congress passed an appropriations rider in 2007that explicitly granted the president that authority during “a natural disaster, epidemic, or other serious public health emergency, terrorist attack or Incident” and in reaction to an “insurrection, domestic violence, unlawful combination, or conspiracy.”

While some legal experts said the measure simply reiterated existing law, an unusually broad coalition — including all 50 U.S. governors — called for repeal of the amendment. And the following year, Congress did repeal it, allowing the law to revert to language in place since the 1950s.