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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has pledged to tackle corruption head-on, emphasising that no Nigerian is immune to its effects.
In his address at the 6th Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) – National Judicial Institute (NJI) Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Tinubu noted that corruption has become a cancer denying Nigeria the full benefits of its resources. He stressed the need for collective action against corruption.
According to him, Nigeria’s corruption crisis has reached alarming levels, denying the nation the full benefits of its resources. Tinubu declared that his administration aims to combat this through strengthened anti-corruption agencies and judicial reforms.
The President noted that the EFCC has made significant strides in prosecuting corruption cases, with notable improvements in the justice sector. However, challenges persist, including frivolous applications, intimidation of judges, and conflicting court orders.
He said, “No Nigerian is immune from corruption, a cancer which continues to deny the nation the full benefits of its God-given resources. Rather than look up only to the anti-corruption agencies for a solution to this malaise, I believe it is in our enlightened collective interest to close ranks and aggressively tackle this common enemy.
We must tackle challenges impeding the speedy adjudication of corruption cases, including frivolous applications and appeals, intimidation of judges by counsel, judgment not based on facts of cases but on technicalities. We will also continue to support the work of the EFCC to ensure that it continues to deliver its statutory mandate without let or hindrance.”
EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, highlighted additional obstacles, such as frequent adjournments, unwarranted injunctions, and suspects using courts to evade investigation.Despite these challenges, the EFCC remains undeterred, engaging stakeholders locally and globally to combat corruption. Olukoyede announced that the commission has established the Fraud Risk Assessment and Control (FRAC) to prevent corruption.
He explained, “the spectre of frequent adjournments of high-profile corruption cases arising from frivolous applications, conflicting orders by courts of coordinate jurisdiction in corruption cases, intemperate contempt orders hauled at the Commission’s leadership, unwarranted orders of injunction restraining the Commission from investigating cases, are among a plethora of issues that bother the EFCC. bloq9ja
“As a Commission, our efforts at integrating stakeholders in the fight against corruption are continuous. Earlier this year, we held a Stakeholders Dialogue on the issue of cybercrime where we equally unveiled the Commission’s new focus on corruption prevention with the establishment of Fraud Risk Assessment and Control, FRAC. We are convinced that it is ultimately more profitable to prevent than to investigate and prosecute corruption cases.”
Households squeezed by the costs of caring for elderly family members could get some relief under a policy proposed by Vice President Kamala Harris.
Harris on Tuesday called for Medicare to cover in-home health care services. The proposal could potentially offer financial help to the elderly and those in the “sandwich generation” who must care for their own children and their aging parents. Harris made the proposal during an appearance on ABC’s The View talk show.
Medicare, the government’s health care program for the elderly, currently only offers limited coverage for in-home care services. The escalating cost of care, whether at nursing homes, assisted living facilities, or by in-home aides, has strained finances for growing numbers of people as the Baby Boom generation ages into retirement.
In 2021, long-term care cost the U.S. $467.4 billion, with individuals paying 13.6% out of pocket. The rest was paid for by various federal programs and private insurance, according to the Congressional Research Service.
“There are so many people in our country who are right in the middle,” Harris said. “They’re taking care of their kids, and they’re taking care of their age and parents, and it’s just almost impossible to do it all, especially if they work. We’re finding that so many are then having to leave their job, which means losing a source of income, not to mention the emotional stress.”Harris offered few details of how the program would work but did say it would be paid for by the money the government saves from having Medicare negotiate prices for more drugs with pharmaceutical companies.
The government negotiated drug prices for 10 drugs for the first time this year under a law signed by President Joe Biden. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services estimates it would have saved $6 billion on drugs if the new prices were in effect this year instead of in 2026, when they’ll take effect.
The program was the latest in a series of policy proposals from Harris that are aimed at tackling some of the most burdensome costs faced by lower- and middle-income households including child care, housing, and groceries.
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Quelling the discomfort of atopic dermatitis, the most common form of eczema, can be a daily quest. This inflamed, itchy skin condition can interfere with sleeping, socializing, and many other activities.
If home remedies such as gentle cleansing and regular moisturizing don't provide relief, your doctor might recommend a prescription treatment to apply to your skin. Which prescription cream is most effective? A new study boils it down to a few overall winners.
What is atopic dermatitis and the itch-scratch cycle?
Atopic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease. The areas commonly affected include the face, hands, feet, or the skin folds of the elbows or behind the knees.
We don't know exactly what causes atopic dermatitis. Genes, the environment, and an overactive immune system all seem to play a role in creating inflammation, which feels itchy. Scratching the itch creates more irritation and inflammation, which causes more itching.
As the itch-scratch cycle continues, the rash gets worse. The skin might tear, ooze, and crust over, which can be painful.
Which skin treatments were more effective in the study?
Some prescription topical skin treatments for atopic dermatitis are more effective than others, according to a 2023 study published online by The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
Scientists evaluated more than 200 randomized trials involving more than 43,000 people with atopic dermatitis (average age 18). The researchers compared almost 70 different prescription creams or ointments, which are broadly called topical treatments and are designed to be applied to affected areas of skin.
These treatments fall into five categories. If you have eczema, their generic names may or may not be familiar to you, but your medical team is likely to know them well:
Researchers looked at which medications had outcomes important to patients, including which
Which atopic dermatitis medications proved to be most effective?
The study yielded some predictable results and a surprise. The overall winners were
What did these medications improve?
"That's in line with what we often prescribe," says Dr. Connie Shi, a dermatologist who often treats people with eczema at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital. "The strongest topical steroids appeared to be the most effective at reducing eczema severity in the study. However, for longer-term maintenance we may consider switching to a moderate-potency steroid, or one of the nonsteroid options, to minimize the risk of thinning the skin, which can occur with long-term use of topical steroids."
The surprise finding: the study found little to no effectiveness from using a topical cream twice daily versus just once daily. "The traditional advice is twice daily," Dr. Shi says. "Once a day would make it more convenient to use, and it may help people stay on their medication regimen without decreasing effectiveness."
Which treatments were less effective in this study? The researchers found that topical antibiotics were among the least effective treatments for eczema.
Should you change your treatment?
"While the study included more than 40,000 people, what worked for participants may not always work for you, as different people may respond differently to the same treatment," Dr. Shi explains. "There are many factors to consider when prescribing a treatment, including your age, the areas on your skin that are affected, the severity of the eczema, and potential side effects."
The bottom line? "If a treatment regimen is working for you, then continue it, as long as you don't have any serious side effects," she says. "If your current regimen isn't working well, talk with your doctor or a dermatologist to see if there's another prescription cream or ointment that you may want to try."
Source: Harvard Health Publishing
Burna Boy has responded to a woman’s claim that she became pregnant for him and later s¥ffered a miscarriage in 2016.
He said she was one of the people that called him imp%tent and her charges that year was N20,000 which he paid. Anybody who knows her can enter the comment section to confirm what he said about her charges for that year.
Major U.S. equities indexes traded in positive territory on Tuesday, boosted by a resurgence among tech stocks. The S&P 500 jumped 1.0%, while the Dow added 0.3%. The tech sector's outperformance helped the Nasdaq surge by 1.5%.
Shares of data analytics firm Palantir Technologies (PLTR) jumped 6.6% on Tuesday, the strongest daily gain in the S&P 500. Asset management firm Ark Invest spotlighted software as an area with more room to benefit from artificial intelligence (AI) trends. Rahul Bhushan, managing director of Ark Invest Europe, said firms like Palantir could be poised to take market share from the mega-cap tech companies whose cloud-computing platforms have been a focal point in the emerging AI boom.
Edwards Lifesciences (EW) shares surged 6.2%. The medical device company could see increased momentum for its heart valve repair system after The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) said it was evaluating the possibility of national Medicare reimbursement for transcatheter repair procedures.
Shares of cybersecurity provider Palo Alto Networks (PANW) were up 5.1% following positive commentary from several investment research firms. Goldman Sachs boosted its price target on Palo Alto, suggesting the company's strategy to upgrade to more advanced serviced offerings could drive growth. Meanwhile, BNP Paribas initiated coverage of the networking technology company's stock with an "outperform" rating.
Crude oil futures prices fell more than 4% amid reports of potentially easing tensions in the Middle East. The slip in prices pressured oil and gas stocks. Marathon Petroleum (MPC) shares plunged 7.7%, posting the steepest drop of any stock in the S&P 500. Shares of fellow refiner Valero Energy (VLO) closed the session down 5.3%.
Super Micro Computer (SMCI) shares slipped 5.0% on Tuesday, giving back a portion of the strong gains posted by the stock in the previous session after the company reported upbeat delivery figures for its graphics processing units. Challenges to Supermicro include reports emerging last month that the Department of Justice is conducting an investigation into the firm's accounting practices.
Analysts at KeyBanc downgraded their view on shares of industrial chemical maker Celanese (CE) to "sector weight" from "overweight," citing softness in the automotive end market and a cautious outlook for the near term. Celanese shares lost 4.6% on Tuesday.
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