The United States consulate in Lagos has warned its citizens residing in the state of increased crime rate in some parts of the state.
The consulate in an alert notice on Tuesday said the crime in prevalent in the highbrow Ikoyi and Victoria Island axis.
It warned further that what started majorly as a night affair has now degenerated into a day light operation.
The consular warned drivers to keep their vehicle doors and windows locked to avoid falling prey to the dangerous criminals.
The United States of America (USA) will resume use of the Johnson & Johnson Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine, the the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have said.
The announcement by the FDA and CDC followed a thorough safety review after blood clots were reported from the use of the vaccine, ending the recommended pause.
“The FDA and CDC determined that the recommended pause regarding the use of the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 Vaccine in the U.S. should be lifted and use of the vaccine should resume,” both agencies stated in a joint statement.
Recall the pause was recommended after reports of six cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot in individuals following administration of the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine.
During the pause, medical and scientific teams at the FDA and CDC examined available data to assess the risk of thrombosis involving the cerebral venous sinuses, or CVST (large blood vessels in the brain), and other sites in the body (including but not limited to the large blood vessels of the abdomen and the veins of the legs) along with thrombocytopenia, or low blood platelet counts.
The teams at FDA and CDC also conducted extensive outreach to providers and clinicians to ensure they were made aware of the potential for these adverse events and could properly manage and recognize these events due to the unique treatment required for these blood clots and low platelets, also known as thrombosis-thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS).
Following the thorough safety review, the two agencies determined that the use of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine should be resumed in the United States and that the FDA and CDC have confidence that this vaccine is safe and effective in preventing COVID-19.
“The FDA has determined that the available data show that the vaccine’s known and potential benefits outweigh its known and potential risks in individuals 18 years of age and older.
“At this time, the available data suggest that the chance of TTS occurring is very low, but the FDA and CDC will remain vigilant in continuing to investigate this risk,” a statement by both agencies reads.
Commenting on the development, Janet Woodcock, M.D., Acting FDA Commissioner said the recommended pause was an example of extensive safety monitoring.
Woodcock further stated that the pause was lifted based on the FDA and CDC’s review of all available data and in consultation with medical experts and based on recommendations from the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
“Safety is our top priority. This pause was an example of our extensive safety monitoring working as they were designed to work—identifying even these small number of cases.
“We’ve lifted the pause based on the FDA and CDC’s review of all available data and in consultation with medical experts and based on recommendations from the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
“We have concluded that the known and potential benefits of the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine outweigh its known and potential risks in individuals 18 years of age and older. We are confident that this vaccine continues to meet our standards for safety, effectiveness and quality.
“We recommend people with questions about which vaccine is right for them have those discussions with their health care provider,” the Acting FDA Commissioner said.
Also commenting was CDC Director, Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, who said health and safety are at the forefront of the decision to lift the pause.
The CDC Director further explained that as more Americans are vaccinated, all signals would be closely watched.
“Above all else, health and safety are at the forefront of our decisions. Our vaccine safety systems are working. We identified exceptionally rare events – out of millions of doses of the Janssen COVID-19 administered – and we paused to examine them more carefully.
“As we always do, we will continue to watch all signals closely as more Americans are vaccinated. I continue to be encouraged by the growing body of real-world evidence that the authorized COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, and they protect people from disease, hospitalization, and death,” the CDC Director stated.
TNG reports on April 13, the FDA and CDC announced that, out of more than 6.8 million doses administered, six reports of a rare and severe type of blood clot combined with low blood platelet levels occurring in people after receiving the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine had been reported to VAERS.
In these cases, a type of blood clot called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) was seen in combination with low levels of blood platelets (thrombocytopenia).
“Today, the agencies can confirm that a total of 15 cases of TTS have been reported to VAERS, including the original six reported cases. All of these cases occurred in women between the ages of 18 and 59, with a median age of 37 years. Reports indicated symptom onset between 6 and 15 days after vaccination,” the joint statement by FDA and CDC reads.
The United States announced economic sanctions against Russia on Thursday and the expulsion of 10 diplomats in retaliation for what Washington says is the Kremlin’s US election interference, a massive cyberattack, and other hostile activity.
President Joe Biden’s executive order “sends a signal that the United States will impose costs in a strategic and economically impactful manner on Russia if it continues or escalates its destabilizing international action,” the White House said.
More to follow . . .
The United States of America (USA) has called for an immediate halt of the use of a Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) made the call on Tuesday.
Both the FDA and CDC in a joint statement called for a temporary suspension of the use of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
FDA and CDC discovered six cases in the United States of a rare and severe type of blood clot that developed about two weeks after the vaccine was administered in these patients.
The joint statement issued on Tuesday by CDC and FDA reads: “As of April 12, more than 6.8 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccine have been administered in the U.S.
“CDC and FDA are reviewing data involving six reported U.S. cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot in individuals after receiving the J&J vaccine.
“In these cases, a type of blood clot called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) was seen in combination with low levels of blood platelets (thrombocytopenia).
“All six cases occurred among women between the ages of 18 and 48, and symptoms occurred 6 to 13 days after vaccination.
“Treatment of this specific type of blood clot is different from the treatment that might typically be administered. Usually, an anticoagulant drug called heparin is used to treat blood clots. In this setting, administration of heparin may be dangerous, and alternative treatments need to be given.
“CDC will convene a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) on Wednesday to further review these cases and assess their potential significance.
“FDA will review that analysis as it also investigates these cases. Until that process is complete, we are recommending a pause in the use of this vaccine out of an abundance of caution.
“This is important, in part, to ensure that the health care provider community is aware of the potential for these adverse events and can plan for proper recognition and management due to the unique treatment required with this type of blood clot.
“Right now, these adverse events appear to be extremely rare. COVID-19 vaccine safety is a top priority for the federal government, and we take all reports of health problems following COVID-19 vaccination very seriously”.
Najeebat Sule, a former Nigerian beauty queen has been shot dead while sitting in her car in front of her family’s home in the United States.
The bizarre killing of the Nigerian beauty queen, who is a doctoral student in Philadelphia, has forced her family into hiding out of fear for their lives.
Najeebat Sule, 24, known to her loved ones as Najee, was killed shortly before 6pm on March 12, steps away from her residence in the 8800 block of Frankford Avenue.
Nearly three weeks later, police have not found a motive and have made no arrests, leaving Sule’s family and friends searching for answers.
She had only recently earned a Master’s degree in public health.
Magaji was among the last people to have seen Sule alive before she was gunned down.
The two women had spent the night before at Magaji’s home, eating snacks and watching Netflix together.
Less than 24 hours later, Sule was sitting in her grey Toyota Corolla, exchanging text messages with Magaji, when an unidentified man walked up to the vehicle with a gun drawn and shot her several times.
Sule’s father, Adewale Sule, heard the gunfire and emerged from the house just in time to see the suspect fire the last of the shots at his daughter.
“I saw the guy shooting my daughter. He shot the last round, and I pursued him. He ran back to his car,” the father said.
Najeet was rushed to Jefferson Torresdale Hospital, where she was pronounced dead about 30 minutes later.
Her mother, Tawakalitu Sule, said she last heard from Najeet less than two hours before the shooting when her daughter asked her when she would be home.
“All of my children have been crying every day because of their big sister. They miss her. I miss my daughter,” she said in a report by DailyMail.
Najeet is survived by her parents and two sisters. ‘She was very talented, smart and funny,’ one of her siblings told 6abc.
The family are currently staying at an undisclosed location over unspecified concerns for their safety.
Sule and her family immigrated to Philadelphia from their native Nigeria in the early 2000s.
Sule had only recently earned a Master’s degree in public health from West Chester University and was pursuing a doctorate.
In 2019, she was crowned a second runner-up at the Miss Nigeria International pageant.
‘Queen Najibat was an amazing young lady whose presence at the Miss Nigerian beauty pageant left a great ripple that continues to resonate,’ pageant organizers wrote on Facebook. ‘She was a breath of fresh air and her presence added a distinct touch that made the event memorable. She carried herself with great dignity and grace and her strength of character and approachability made her such a joy to work with.’
Her Instagram page, which has more than 3,000 followers, features photos of the glamorous PhD student modelling a wide variety of fashionable outfits and accessories.
‘Our joke was that she was like a Nigerian princess,’ Sule’s high school friend, Tamira DeSeignoria, told the newspaper. ‘Whatever Najee wanted, Najee got.’
Sule’s shooting death comes amid a surge in gun violence in Philadelphia, which has seen a 29 per cent homicide rate increase over the last year.
In the first three months of 2021, there have been 120 killings in Philadelphia, with 15 of the victims being children, reported Fox 29.
‘This is unacceptable,’ Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said on Wednesday during a meeting about the latest crime statistics, stressing that ‘these are human beings that we’re talking about.’
The United States Government has said that information on the number of fatalities recorded during the #ENDSARS protests in Lekki Tollgate last year, is not available.
According to the US Department of State’s 2020 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, “Accurate information on fatalities resulting from the shooting was not available at year’s end”.
It says: “On Oct. 20, members of the security forces enforced curfew by firing shots into the air to disperse protesters, who had gathered at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos to protest abusive practices by the Nigerian Police Force’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
“Accurate information on fatalities resulting from the shooting was not available at year’s end.
“Amnesty International reported 10 persons died during the event, but the government disputed Amnesty’s report, and no other organisation was able to verify the claim.
“The government reported two deaths connected to the event. One body from the toll gate showed signs of blunt force trauma.
“A second body from another location in Lagos State had bullet wounds. The government acknowledged that soldiers armed with live ammunition were present at the Lekki Toll Gate,” part of the report stated.
TheNewsGuru.com, TNG notes that the report is contrary to claims by the CNN, which initially reported 38 protesters were killed during the incident, a claim the Federal Government vehemently rejected.
TNG reports that year’s end, the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution continued to hear testimony and investigate the shooting at Lekki Toll Gate.
The U.S. Department of State has delivered a subtle warning to would-be irregular migrants from Africa, who may be drawing inspiration from the crisis at the country’s southern border.
A spokesperson of the department, Mr Jalina Porter, who gave the warning, on Friday, said anyone seeking to enter the U.S. should do so through “legal pathways”.
“The Biden administration certainly prioritises responsible and safe migration practices, and this doesn’t preclude anyone, whether you’re in the Northern Triangle or Central America or whether you are from Africa.
“So, we say to those in Africa who are looking at what’s going on along the border that the border is and always has been closed to irregular migration.
“Anyone seeking to come to the U.S. should seek to do so via legal pathways,” she told reporters at a news briefing.
Porter was responding to a question on whether there would be consideration for asylum seekers from Africa in President Joe Biden administration’s proposed immigration reforms.
A part of the question centred on irregular African immigrants already in the U.S. watching the situation at the southern border and hoping to get some relief.
The Biden administration is currently grappling with an influx of illegal migrants, mostly from Mexico, at the southern border.
Reports say an average of 5,000 unauthorised migrants are crossing into the country though that route every day, posing a huge logistical and humanitarian challenge to the new administration.
U.S. authorities are reportedly allowing about half of the migrants to stay in the country and seek asylum.
After taking office in January, Biden reversed a policy by his predecessor, Donald Trump, of turning back unaccompanied children.
Now, the government processes them and places them with sponsoring families in the U.S., according to the BBC.
Critics are blaming these new policies for the surge in illegal migration, the BBC reported.
The Kremlin has reacted angrily to US President Joe Biden’s remarks that Russian leader Vladimir Putin is “a killer,” calling the comment unprecedented and describing the relationship between the two countries as “very bad.”
Controversial United States rapper, Kanye West has become the richest black man in US history, with his net worth reported to have reached $6.6bn (£4.7bn).
The new total has been reported by Bloomberg and gives Kanye West a commanding lead over the likes of investor and businessman Robert F Smith and basketball legend Michael Jordan.
After claiming he was $53m (£38m) in debt just three years ago, the rapper and fashion tycoon became a certified billionaire last year with the help of his successful apparel and sneaker brand, Yeezy, and a new multi-year contract with clothing retailer Gap.
According to Bloomberg, West’s Yeezy brand – and deals with Gap and sportswear giant Adidas – is valued at $3.2bn (£2.2bn) to $4.7bn (£3.4bn).
The new Yeezy Gap line, set to release later this summer, is expected to be worth more than $970m (£694m).
As he is the sole owner of the Yeezy company, much of Kanye West’s personal net worth comes from there.
Some also comes from the $1.7bn (£1.5bn) that he earns from additional assets – including his significant investment into his soon-to-be ex-wife’s Skims label.
Reality star Kim Kardashian who herself became a billionaire last summer – recently filed for divorce from the Gold Digger rapper after nearly seven years of marriage.
TMZ said sources described the divorce as “amicable”, saying Kardashian West is asking for joint legal and physical custody of the couple’s four children, which Westis “fine” with.
Despite the COVID pandemic, sales for Yeezy’s Adidas trainers continued to grow, rising by 31% to nearly $1.7bn (£1.5bn) in annual revenue last year and making Yeezy $191m (£136.7m) in royalties, according to a private document reviewed by Bloomberg.
An unaudited balance sheet of West’s finances has also revealed that West has $122m (£87m) in cash and stock, while his entire music catalogue is worth $110.5m (£79m).
President Joe Biden says the United States is on track to deliver 100 million jabs to Americans in his first 60 days in office.
“When I came into office , I said I intended to get 100 million shots in people’s arms in my first 100 days in office,” Biden said in his first prime-time address to commemorate one year since the pandemic began shutting down much of the nation’s public life.
“We are actually on track to reach this goal in my 60th day in office. No other country in the world has done this,’’ he said.
The president expressed hope that families would be able to celebrate Independence Day on July 4, in small groups.
Biden, who has been in office nearly two months, made it his top priority to accelerate the federal response to the nation’s Coronavirus crisis, which has killed almost 530,000 people in the U.S.