fc188 ph login President Bola Tinubu on Saturday expressed his strong determination to confront Nigeria’s problems, which he described as diverse and deep-rooted. Tinubu noted that his solutions would come through agriculture, which remains a strategic sector for diversifying Nigeria’s economy. The president stated this on Saturday in Umuahia on the occasion of the 12th convocation ceremony of the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. He added that this was why his government increased the number of agricultural universities in the country. Tinubu, who was represented by the Director (Extension), the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Deola Lordbanjou, said, “Our nation’s problems are diverse and deep-rooted, but we are strongly determined to confront them. Agriculture remains a strategic sector for diversifying our economy, disproportionately dependent on oil. Nigeria certainly needs the solid support of her agricultural scientists and experts as strategic game changers to end hunger in this country. Consequently, the government increased the number of agricultural universities in the country. Your technical skills and expertise will continue to be required until we reach the Promised Land of food security. “This administration is aware of the unique role that quality education can play in developing men and women of character who are citizens dedicated to the service of their fatherland. Our problems as a nation are numerous, multi-faceted, and complicated. Good education is necessary to understand the complexity of the problems and develop innovative and effective strategies to address the socio-economic and political issues confronting our nation. “Believing that we must guarantee access to education as a necessary tool to fight poverty and foster growth, this administration has set up the National Education Loan Fund (NEL Fund) to grant student loans on generous terms. This people-orientated initiative will not significantly alleviate the sufferings of Nigerian students and their parents.” The president added that the establishment and progressive increase of specialised universities of agriculture in the country was well thought out and properly planned to make the country self-sufficient in food production. “As a nation, we are looking up to the universities to innovatively drive the transformation of our agricultural sector to achieve food security, diversify the economy, and broaden the base for industrialisation. The potential for agricultural investments in our country is excellent, considering the diversity of our soils, crops, livestock, and climate. Related News Nigeria, France sign €300m agreement on agriculture, food security FG unveils unmanned aerial vehicles lab Reps confirm Oluyede as COAS “Despite our large population, I feel confident that we can provide our needs for staple foods from local production. We can quickly and significantly reduce our dependence on imported food items with solid determination,” he added. Tinubu further encouraged private organisations and public-spirited individuals to join hands with the government and Nigeria’s frontline institutions to achieve the dream. He also solicited support from Nigerian universities of agriculture in forming partnerships and linkages to scale up agricultural research findings with a win-win target. The President said, “The socio-economic and political problems that this administration inherited are gradually being addressed. However, we acknowledge the difficulties our citizens are going through. We have accepted the challenge of confronting our problems. “With great determination, we are vigorously evolving sound policies, swiftly fine-tuning and strategically re-aligning them to deal firmly with the root causes of the problems. There are no easy fixes for these problems, but do not doubt that our people will gladly rejoice when these measures are implemented. “The complete deregulation of the downstream petroleum sector, painful as it may be at the beginning, is the key to our energy security and a catalyst for investment in that sector. Healthy competition would ultimately be to the advantage of the consumer and at no cost fo the poor. We are committed to these measures and to the overall development of our nation. “The burden of insecurity is still with us, but our security agencies and armed forces, with the government’s active support, are not giving the criminal elements any respite. Our forces are determined to end banditry and all forms of insecurity in Nigeria, and they have the strong support of my administration. We must secure every inch of our country so law-abiding citizens can go about their lawful business unhindered by fear.” The President assured of the government’s continued support in improving Nigerian tertiary institutions’ teaching and learning infrastructure and pleaded, stating, “Similarly, please reciprocate the government’s effort by ensuring a peaceful and conducive environment for proper teaching and practical learning.”. Earlier, the Vice Chancellor, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, MOUAU Prof. Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe, highlighted the major challenges of the university, including paucity of funds, provision of essential amenities, state of access roads, and japa syndrome of trained staff, while the state governor, Alex Otti, represented by his Deputy, Ikechukwu Emetu, said his administration is committed to enhancing supportive learning environments. The Pro-Chancellor, Comrade Fidelis Edeh, assured the university community, stating, “Our Governing Council would rather strive to uphold accountability and demonstrable results in Council affairs.”Deluxe ( NYSE:DLX – Get Free Report ) was downgraded by equities researchers at StockNews.com from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note issued to investors on Thursday. Deluxe Trading Up 1.3 % Shares of DLX opened at $23.24 on Thursday. Deluxe has a 1-year low of $17.60 and a 1-year high of $24.87. The company has a market capitalization of $1.03 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.74, a P/E/G ratio of 0.64 and a beta of 1.46. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.38, a current ratio of 0.92 and a quick ratio of 0.83. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $20.16 and its 200 day simple moving average is $21.14. Insider Buying and Selling In other news, CEO Barry C. Mccarthy purchased 2,820 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 10th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $19.08 per share, with a total value of $53,805.60. Following the completion of the purchase, the chief executive officer now directly owns 178,670 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,409,023.60. This trade represents a 1.60 % increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link . 4.23% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Deluxe About Deluxe ( Get Free Report ) Deluxe Corporation provides technology-enabled solutions to enterprises, small businesses, and financial institutions in the United States, Canada, and Australia. It operates through Merchant Services, B2B Payments, Data Solutions, and Print segments. The Merchant Services offers credit and debit card authorization and payment systems, as well as processing services primarily to small and medium-sized retail and service businesses. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Deluxe Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Deluxe and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

Workday earnings beat by $0.13, revenue topped estimatesPlayoff volleyball: Solano College falls to Shasta in second round of playoffs.As party postpones national convention The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum has called for greater unity within the party’s ranks, urgent economic reforms and a reform of the electoral system. The PDP governors made the call in a communique read by Bala Mohammed, Bauchi State governor and chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum at the end of the party’s 7th meeting held on Saturday in Jos, the Plateau State capital. The meeting, which was attended by influential leaders within the PDP, including the National Working Committee (NWC), the Board of Trustees (BOT), and other major party figures, addressed various issues affecting the party and the nation. The forum expressed its commitment to addressing divisions within the party, emphasising the importance of unity ahead of the next general elections. “The Forum notes the concerns of Nigerians, PDP founding fathers, elders and members of our great Party of seeming divisions within the ranks and files. The Forum wishes to state categorically that it remains resolute in its determination to ensure unity and cohesion of this great Party that Nigerians have come to trust as the best platform for democratic governance.” A major development from the meeting was the acceptance of the postponement of the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, which was originally set for next week Thursday. The delay was made out of respect for the loss of the wife of Governor Eno Bassey of Akwa Ibom State. The party expressed its condolences, urging prayers for the governor and his family. The forum also urged the NWC to schedule the rescheduled NEC meeting by the first week of February 2025. “The Forum is constrained to accept the latest postponement of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Party in empathy with our colleague, H.E. Governor Eno Bassey, whose late dear wife will be buried on the same day earlier scheduled for NEC. Once again, the Forum wishes to commiserate with our colleague and pray that God will grant him and the family the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss. “The Forum is strongly advising the NWC to call NEC latest by the first week of February 2025 to allow for elaborate consultations with critical stakeholders of the Party. The period between November and February is to address the existential problems confronting the Party, with a deliberate timeline of activities within the period under review to address issues of leadership and litigations confronting the Party.” In response to the severe economic challenges facing Nigeria, the PDP governors called on the president to urgently review the country’s economic policies. They condemned the ongoing hardships inflicted on Nigerians under the policies of the APC-led federal government, with the PDP Governors’ Forum pledging continued efforts to alleviate these issues at the state level. They also took aim at recent electoral irregularities, specifically in Edo and Ondo States, accusing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of manipulating results to favour the ruling APC. The PDP called for a thorough examination of these electoral malpractices and urged the judiciary and National Assembly to intervene in order to safeguard the integrity of Nigeria’s democratic process. “The Forum empathizes with Nigerians who are groaning under the oppressive economic hardship foisted on the nation by the policies and decisions of the APC-led Federal Government. The Forum calls on the President to urgently review both macroeconomic and fiscal policies that will address the welfare and well-being of Nigerians. The Forum wishes to pledge that all PDP Governors will continue to aggressively pursue policies and programs that will reduce the hardship and ensure progress and development. “The Forum notes with concern the rape of democracy in Edo Governorship elections. It is clear to everyone with conscience that INEC manipulated results in favour of the APC candidate when in fact majority of lawful votes were won by the PDP candidate, Mr. Asue Ighodalo. Meanwhile, we are still examining the documents in Ondo Elections where the APC manipulated results after openly buying votes. The Forum calls on the judiciary to save Nigerian democracy and the National Assembly to look into our electoral laws to make it difficult for institutional sabotage of the will of the people,” the communique read in part. In addition, the forum expressed condolences over the recent disasters in Plateau and Jigawa states, including the devastating fire at Katako Market in Jos and the tragic tanker explosion in Jigawa. They pledged their support for the affected communities, while also acknowledging the progress made in Plateau State under its current government. The governors thanked Plateau State government for hosting the event and showcasing the state’s progress, particularly in areas such as social services, tourism, and transportation. Looking ahead, the PDP affirmed its commitment to reclaiming political power in Nigeria, with the party’s leaders expressing optimism about regaining their rightful place in the country’s political landscape by 2027.NEW YORK -- A judge's scathing ruling Wednesday moves New York City's troubled Rikers Island jail complex a step closer to a federal takeover. Judge Laura Taylor Swain found the city and the Department of Correction in civil contempt over 18 separate claims of failing to rectify use of force and safety issues. A 2012 lawsuit against the DOC led to a settlement that required sweeping reforms, which Swain described as happening at a "glacial pace." "The court is inclined to impose a receivership: namely, a remedy that will make the management of the use of force and safety aspects of the Rikers Island jails ultimately answerable directly to the court," Swain said. Swain noted in the nine years since the settlement, the city and the department have failed to comply with provisions of several court orders related to implementing a force directive and holding staff accountable. Swain ordered the city to meet with a court-appointed monitor to go over the framework of federal receivership of the jail. Swain ordered the city and attorneys suing the city to provide her with a plan for receivership by Jan. 14. Mayor Eric Adams, who has opposed such a takeover, insisted his new commissioner is making headway, but acknowledged more needs to be done. "We are proud of our work, but recognize there is more to be done and look forward to working with the federal monitoring team on our shared goal of continuing to improved the safety of everyone in our jails," Adams said in a statement. The Legal Aid Society responded to her ruling with a statement, calling it an "historic decision." "The court's recognition that the current structure has failed, and that receivership free from political and other external influences is the path forward, can ensure that all New Yorkers, regardless of incarceration status, are treated with the respect and dignity guaranteed to them under the law," the statement read in part. "With this contempt ruling today, the federal court made loud and clear that the status quo cannot continue and that radical reform is necessary," said Mary Lynne Werlwas, director of the Prisoners' Rights Project at the Legal Aid Society. "The court was very clear that reform will lie in the hands of a person who is politically independent, not accountable to City Hall, but accountable only to the federal court." The union representing correction officers took issue with the ruling. "Today's ruling by Judge Swain was largely based on the false and erroneous narrative promulgated by the Federal Monitor, who continues to misrepresent the root cause of increased violence in our jails. The judge is flat out wrong to assert that our workforce is overstaffed. In fact, we are down to approximately 5,000 Correction Officers from over 9,000 Correction Officers from just four years ago, all while our inmate population, which is around 6,700, is the highest its been in years. We have been defunded, short staffed, scapegoated and handcuffed by the New York City Council and Federal Monitor, which have ignored every proposal we've made to keep our jails safe for everyone," Correction Officers' Benevolent Association president Benny Boscio said. "Seventy percent of our inmate population is facing violent felony charges and that same population is driving the hundreds of assaults on our officers, including sexual assaults, as well as inmate on inmate attacks, which requires necessary, not excessive force, to keep everyone in our jails safe. Outsourcing control of Rikers Island to a federal receiver, will not be a silver bullet and will not solve any of these problems. Giving correction officers the manpower and resources to enforce law and order in our jails will." The news comes a day after Harvey Weinstein's lawyers filed a claim against the city , saying he is being subjected to unhygienic conditions and substandard medical treatment at the jail complex. Earlier this year, the city reached a more than $28 million settlement with Madeline Feliciano , whose 18-year-old grandson suffered brain damage after he tried to hang himself in custody in 2019. "Rikers Island needs to be shut down. No human being should go through what my grandson is going through," Feliciano said this spring. Rikers is scheduled to close in August 2027 but it's unlikely , in part because the community jails that are supposed to replace it won't be ready in time, and because they are only supposed to hold about 4,000 of the more than 6,000 people currently at the complex. Adams inherited the longstanding issues, along with the plan to close the jail. Last year, he appointed Lynelle Maginley-Liddie to lead the correction department , in hopes of staving off a receivership. "Show me a successful receivership in the country. Show me where someone has come in and they have taken over and they've fixed the systems. And so we're saying to everyone that's involved, we want the challenge," Adams said at the time. CBS News New York reached out to the City Law Department and the mayor's office for a response. Marcia Kramer contributed to this report. Renee Anderson is a digital producer at CBS New York, where she covers breaking news and other local stories. Before joining the team in 2016, Renee worked at WMUR-TV.

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JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel approved a United States-brokered ceasefire agreement with Lebanon's Hezbollah on Tuesday, setting the stage for an end to nearly 14 months of fighting linked to the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip. Israeli warplanes meanwhile carried out the most intense wave of strikes in Beirut and its southern suburbs since the start of the conflict and issued a record number of evacuation warnings. At least 24 people were killed in strikes across the country, according to local authorities, as Israel signaled it aims to keep pummeling Hezbollah before the ceasefire is set to take hold at 4 a.m. local time on Wednesday. Another huge airstrike shook Beirut shortly after the ceasefire was announced. Israel's security Cabinet approved the ceasefire agreement late Tuesday after it was presented by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his office said. U.S. President Joe Biden, speaking in Washington, called the agreement “good news” and said his administration would make a renewed push for a ceasefire in Gaza. An Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire would mark the first major step toward ending the regionwide unrest triggered by Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. But it does not address the devastating war in Gaza, where Hamas is still holding dozens of hostages and the conflict is more intractable. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to bring peace to the Middle East without saying how. The Biden administration spent much of this year trying to broker a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza but the talks repeatedly sputtered to a halt . Still, any halt to the fighting in Lebanon is expected to reduce the likelihood of war between Israel and Iran, which backs both Hezbollah and Hamas and exchanged direct fire with Israel on two occasions earlier this year. Netanyahu presented the ceasefire proposal to Cabinet ministers after a televised address in which he listed a series of accomplishments against Israel’s enemies across the region. He said a ceasefire with Hezbollah would further isolate Hamas in Gaza and allow Israel to focus on its main enemy, Iran, which backs both groups. “If Hezbollah breaks the agreement and tries to rearm, we will attack,” he said. “For every violation, we will attack with might.” The ceasefire deal calls for a two-month initial halt in fighting and would require Hezbollah to end its armed presence in a broad swath of southern Lebanon, while Israeli troops would return to their side of the border. Thousands of additional Lebanese troops and U.N. peacekeepers would deploy in the south, and an international panel headed by the United States would monitor all sides’ compliance. But implementation remains a major question mark. Israel has demanded the right to act should Hezbollah violate its obligations. Lebanese officials have rejected writing that into the proposal. Biden said Israel reserved the right to quickly resume operations in Lebanon if Hezbollah breaks the terms of the truce, but that the deal "was designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities.” Netanyahu’s office said Israel appreciated the U.S. efforts in securing the deal but “reserves the right to act against every threat to its security.” Hezbollah has said it accepts the proposal, but a senior official with the group said Tuesday that it had not seen the agreement in its final form. “After reviewing the agreement signed by the enemy government, we will see if there is a match between what we stated and what was agreed upon by the Lebanese officials,” Mahmoud Qamati, deputy chair of Hezbollah’s political council, told the Al Jazeera news network. “We want an end to the aggression, of course, but not at the expense of the sovereignty of the state.” of Lebanon, he said. “Any violation of sovereignty is refused.” Even as Israeli, U.S, Lebanese and international officials have expressed growing optimism over a ceasefire, Israel has continued its campaign in Lebanon, which it says aims to cripple Hezbollah’s military capabilities. An Israeli strike on Tuesday leveled a residential building in the central Beirut district of Basta — the second time in recent days warplanes have hit the crowded area near the city’s downtown. At least seven people were killed and 37 wounded, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. Strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs killed at least one person and wounded 13, it said. Three people were killed in a separate strike in Beirut and three in a strike on a Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon. Lebanese state media said another 10 people were killed in the eastern Baalbek province. Israel says it targets Hezbollah fighters and their infrastructure. Israel also struck a building in Beirut's bustling commercial district of Hamra for the first time, hitting a site that is around 400 meters (yards) from Lebanon’s Central Bank. There were no reports of casualties. The Israeli military said it struck targets in Beirut and other areas linked to Hezbollah's financial arm. The evacuation warnings covered many areas, including parts of Beirut that previously have not been targeted. The warnings, coupled with fear that Israel was ratcheting up attacks before a ceasefire, sent residents fleeing. Traffic was gridlocked, and some cars had mattresses tied to them. Dozens of people, some wearing their pajamas, gathered in a central square, huddling under blankets or standing around fires as Israeli drones buzzed loudly overhead. Hezbollah, meanwhile, kept up its rocket fire, triggering air raid sirens across northern Israel. Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee issued evacuation warnings for 20 buildings in Beirut's southern suburbs, where Hezbollah has a major presence, as well as a warning for the southern town of Naqoura where the U.N. peacekeeping mission, UNIFIL, is headquartered. UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti told The Associated Press that peacekeepers will not evacuate. The Israeli military also said its ground troops clashed with Hezbollah forces and destroyed rocket launchers in the Slouqi area on the eastern end of the Litani River, a few kilometers (miles) from the Israeli border. Under the ceasefire deal, Hezbollah would be required to move its forces north of the Litani, which in some places is about 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of the border. Hezbollah began firing into northern Israel, saying it was showing support for the Palestinians, a day after Hamas carried out its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel, triggering the Gaza war. Israel returned fire on Hezbollah, and the two sides have been exchanging barrages ever since. Israel escalated its campaign of bombardment in mid-September and later sent troops into Lebanon, vowing to put an end to Hezbollah fire so tens of thousands of evacuated Israelis could return to their homes. More than 3,760 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon the past 13 months, many of them civilians, according to Lebanese health officials. The bombardment has driven 1.2 million people from their homes. Israel says it has killed more than 2,000 Hezbollah members. Hezbollah fire has forced some 50,000 Israelis to evacuate in the country’s north, and its rockets have reached as far south in Israel as Tel Aviv. At least 75 people have been killed, more than half of them civilians. More than 50 Israeli soldiers have died in the ground offensive in Lebanon. Chehayeb and Mroue reported from Beirut. Associated Press reporters Lujain Jo and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut, and Aamer Madhani in Washington, contributed. Find more of AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-warStock market today: Wall Street drifts to a mixed close in thin trading following a holiday pause

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Offering patients an injection is more effective than the current care of steroid tablets and cuts the need for further treatment by 30%, according to a study. Benralizumab is a monoclonal antibody that targets specific white blood cells, called eosinophils, to reduce lung inflammation. It is currently used as a repeat treatment for severe asthma at a low dose, but a new clinical trial has found that a higher single dose can be very effective if injected at the time of a flare-up. The findings, published in the Lancet Respiratory Medicine, included 158 people who needed medical attention in A&E for their asthma or COPD attack (COPD is a group of lung conditions that cause breathing difficulties). Patients were given a quick blood test to see what type of attack they were having, with those suffering an “eosinophilic exacerbation” involving eosinophils (a type of white blood cell) being suitable for treatment. Around 50% of asthma attacks are eosinophilic exacerbations, as are 30% of COPD ones, according to the scientists. The clinical trial, led by King’s College London and carried out at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, saw patients randomly split into three groups. One group received the benralizumab injection and dummy tablets, another received standard care (prednisolone steroids 30mg daily for five days) and a dummy injection, and the third group received both the benralizumab injection and steroids. After 28 days, respiratory symptoms of cough, wheeze, breathlessness and sputum were found to be better in people on benralizumab. And after 90 days, there were four times fewer people in the benralizumab group who failed treatment compared with those receiving steroids. Treatment with the benralizumab injection also took longer to fail, meaning fewer visits to a GP or hospital for patients, researchers said. Furthermore, people also reported a better quality of life on the new regime. Scientists at King’s said steroids can have severe side-effects such as increasing the risk of diabetes and osteoporosis, meaning switching to benralizumab could provide huge benefits. Lead investigator Professor Mona Bafadhel, from King’s, said: “This could be a game-changer for people with asthma and COPD. “Treatment for asthma and COPD exacerbations have not changed in 50 years, despite causing 3.8 million deaths worldwide a year combined. “Benralizumab is a safe and effective drug already used to manage severe asthma. “We’ve used the drug in a different way – at the point of an exacerbation – to show that it’s more effective than steroid tablets, which is the only treatment currently available.” Researchers said benralizumab could also potentially be administered safely at home or in a GP practice, as well as in A&E. First author Dr Sanjay Ramakrishnan, clinical senior lecturer at the University of Western Australia, said: “Our study shows massive promise for asthma and COPD treatment. “COPD is the third leading cause of death worldwide but treatment for the condition is stuck in the 20th century. “We need to provide these patients with life-saving options before their time runs out.” Dr Samantha Walker, director of research and innovation at Asthma and Lung UK, welcomed the findings but said: “It’s appalling that this is the first new treatment for those suffering from asthma and COPD attacks in 50 years, indicating how desperately underfunded lung health research is.” AstraZeneca provided the drug for the study and funded the research, but had no input into trial design, delivery, analysis or interpretation.