Hamas - Israeli 72-hour-ceasefire

Early this morning, the 72-hour-ceasefire that began on August 5th, 2014 ended with more than 30 rockets fired from Gaza into Israel.

According Israeli sources, "Hamas is committing a double war crime by firing rockets at Israeli civilians from civilian areas in Gaza.

We will continue to strike terror sites in Gaza until Hamas ceases to threaten our civilians.

Every rocket fired by Hamas is meant to kill Israeli civilians. Every rocket is a war crime. We will not allow Hamas to threaten the safety of Israel, and are responding by striking terror sites in Gaza".

WHO Declaration On Ebola

The WHO made a statement regarding the 2014 Ebola Outbreak in West Africa today August, 8, 2014 during the Meeting of the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee. Below is the full statement:

The first meeting of the Emergency Committee convened by the Director-General under the International Health Regulations (2005) [IHR (2005)] regarding the 2014 Ebola Virus Disease (EVD, or “Ebola”) outbreak in West Africa was held by teleconference on Wednesday, 6 August 2014 from 13:00 to 17:30 and on Thursday, 7 August 2014 from 13:00 to 18:30 Geneva time (CET).

Members and advisors of the Emergency Committee met by teleconference on both days of the meeting. The following IHR (2005) States Parties participated in the informational session of the meeting on Wednesday, 6 August 2014: Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria.

During the informational session, the WHO Secretariat provided an update on and assessment of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. The above-referenced States Parties presented on recent developments in their countries, including measures taken to implement rapid control strategies, and existing gaps and challenges in the outbreak response.

After discussion and deliberation on the information provided, the Committee advised that:

• the Ebola outbreak in West Africa constitutes an ‘extraordinary event’ and a public health risk to other States;
• the possible consequences of further international spread are particularly serious in view of the virulence of the virus, the intensive community and health facility transmission patterns, and the weak health systems in the currently affected and most at-risk countries.
• a coordinated international response is deemed essential to stop and reverse the international spread of Ebola.

It was the unanimous view of the Committee that the conditions for a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) have been met.

Facts about Ebola Transmission Mode

In the light of the rumor about Ebola we woke up to this morning in Nigeria. Kindly watch this video and get educated about the disease.

Nigeria And The Ebola Virus Infection

So far Nigeria has experienced the death of 2 victims from the ebola virus. One of these is the Liberian-american infected with the virus and died in Lagos; the second is a nurse that took care of this Liberian while in the hospital.

Today Nigeria announced five other known cases of Ebola virus, bringing the to 7 known cases of Ebola infection in Nigeria. The good news however is that Nigeria and American has agreed to collaborate to manage the event of Ebola virus (EVG) spread.

Ebola virus is spread by contact with the blood, sweat, urine and semen of the infected person or animals like bats and monkeys. The obvious symptoms are: Fever, vomiting, diarrhea and bleeding.

Safety techniques: Wash your hands always, avoid contact with wild animals, safe yourself and others by reporting any of these symptoms to healthy expert on the following Ebola hotlines:

• 08055281442
• 08033065305
• 08023169485
• 08033086660 

 Or on the Ebola official website:

Website: www.ebolaalert.org
 Facebook page: www.facebook/ebolaalert

Click here to get other useful resource materials from our Facebook

History of Gaza Strip

The Gaza Strip or simply Gaza, is an exclave region of Palestine on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea that borders Egypt on the southwest for 11 kilometers (6.8 mi) and Israel on the east and north along a 51 km (32 mi) border. Gaza makes up part of the Palestinian territories which includes the West Bank and in 2012, the United Nations General Assembly "accorded Palestine non-Member Observer State status in the United Nations".

In 1994, Israel granted the right of self-governance to Gaza through the Palestinian Authority. Prior to this, Gaza had been subject to military occupation:

·         Turkey when Gaza had been part of the Ottoman Empire,

·         Great Britain (1918–48),

·         Egypt (1948–67),  

·         most recently by Israel (1967–94),

·         Hamas (2007 – date)

Since 2007, the Gaza Strip has been de-facto governed by Hamas, a Palestinian group claiming to be the representatives of the Palestinian National Authority and the Palestinian people. Gaza forms a part of the Palestinian territory defined in the Oslo Agreements and UNSC Resolution 1860.

This Day in Jewish History

Harry Houdini was a Hungarian - American illusionist and stunt performer, noted for his sensational escape acts. 

 

He first attracted notice as "Harry Handcuff Houdini" on a tour of Europe, where he challenged police forces to keep him locked up.

 

On August 6, 1926, master illusionist Harry Houdini performed his greatest feat, spending 91 minutes underwater in a sealed tank before escaping. 

ZMapp (The Experimental Drug For Ebola Virus)

The experimental drug for Ebola virus, known as ZMapp, was developed by the biotech firm Mapp Biopharmaceutical Inc., which is based in San Diego. The patients (Dr. Kent Brantly and Nancy Writebol) were told that the treatment had never been tried before in a human being but had shown promise in small experiments with monkeys.

According to company documents, four monkeys infected with Ebola survived after being given the therapy within 24 hours after infection. Two of four other monkeys that started therapy within 48 hours after infection also survived. One monkey that was not treated died within five days of exposure to the virus.

Brantly and Writebol were aware of the risk of taking a new, little-understood treatment and gave informed consent, according to two sources familiar with the care of the missionary workers. In the monkeys, the experimental serum had been given within 48 hours of infection. Brantly didn't receive it until he'd been sick for nine days.

American Doctor Infected With Ebola Virus

The picture to your left shows Dr. Kent Brantly - on the left in the picture - treating an ebola patient. 

Dr Kent Brantly who was on a humanitarian service with the Samaritan's Purse Aid Organization of Monrovia, Liberia. Helping to care for ebola victims when he contracted the deadly disease.

On Thursday, Dr. Kent Brantly thought he was going to die. It was the ninth day since the American missionary worker came down sick with Ebola in Liberia. His condition worsened by the minute, so he called his wife to say goodbye.  Thankfully, God intervened in his situation; according to him 'God saved my life for a purpose'.

Another American missionary, Nancy Writebol, is also undergoing treatment. Brantly's and Nancy Writebol's conditions have significantly improved after receiving medication.

LIVE UPDATES: Truce Holding Across Israel-Gaza Border

Truce across Gaza-Israel border holding six hours in; rocket barrage targets Israel moments before 72-hour cease-fire due to begin. According an Israeli senior commander: "If Palestinians violate truce, Israel will respond".

The video below shows the Israeli soldiers leaving the Gaza strip.

Click to watch the video clip

Israel, Palestinians Agree To A 72-hour Cease-fire

Information reaching us from senior Israeli officials says that Israel has agreed to an Egyptian proposal for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip beginning 8:00 A.M. today. The unconditional cease-fire will last for 72 hours, with a possibility for extension. During the coming days, an Israeli delegation will set out for Cairo for talks on a more permanent cease-fire agreement.

This senior official stated, “if the cease-fire lasts, there will not be a need for a continued IDF presence within the Gaza Strip,” meaning that the IDF forces that have remained in Gaza will likely return to Israeli territory a few hours after the cease-fire goes into effect.

Palestinian officials said they expected progress in the cease–fire talks in Cairo and that "the ball is in Israel's court." Most of the Israeli security cabinet ministers first heard news of the cease-fire from the media. Slightly before 11:00 P.M. on Monday night, National Security Advisor Yossi Cohen called the cabinet ministers to inform them of the cease-fire deal, and that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to the Egyptian proposal.

Shell And Ogoniland Oil Polutions

Little action has been taken to clean up pollution caused by oil production in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region, either by the government or Shell Oil, Amnesty International and other groups charged Monday.

Oil production has contaminated the drinking water of at least 10 communities in the Ogoniland area but neither the Nigerian government nor Royal Dutch Shell’s Nigeria subsidiary have taken effective measures to restore the fouled environment, said the new report by Amnesty International, Friends of The Earth Europe, Center for Environment, Human Rights and Development, Environmental Rights Action, and Platform.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corp., the state-owned oil company, has not yet responded to a request by The Associated Press for reaction to the critical report.

Key Facts About Ebola Virus

Point to note about Ebola:

1. Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever, is a severe, often fatal illness in humans.
2. EVD outbreaks have a case fatality rate of up to 90%.
3. EVD outbreaks occur primarily in remote villages in Central and West Africa, near tropical rainforests.
4. The virus is transmitted to people from wild animals and spreads in the human population through human-to-human transmission.
5. Fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family are considered to be the natural host of the Ebola virus.
6. Severely ill patients require intensive supportive care. No licensed specific treatment or vaccine is available for use in people or animals.

Israeli Soldier Possibly Kidnapped

A cease-fire in Gaza unraveled Friday less than two hours after it took effect, with both sides accusing each other of violating the fledgling truce and the Israeli military saying one of its soldiers possibly was kidnapped.

Gaza Health Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said an Israeli attack on Rafah in southern Gaza killed at least 27 people and wounded more than 100.

The official Palestinian news agency WAFA said assault involved Israeli artillery shelling, calling it a "violation of the cease-fire."

Hamas spokesman Osama Hamdan told CNN that the latest cease-fire attempt between Israel and Hamas made it clear that there was to be no military action whatsoever, and Israel violated it by attacking houses in Rafah. Hamas is still committed to the cease-fire, but will protect itself, he said.

Israeli forces were attacked in a "brutal incident" in the Rafah area that required them to defend themselves, Israeli spokesman Mark Regev told CNN. At the same time, rockets were launched into southern Israel from Gaza, he said.

"This clearly is Hamas violating this U.N.-sponsored cease-fire," he said.

Israel To Resume Gaza Operation As Truce With Hamas Crumbles

The Israeli military has resumed operations in Gaza, saying Hamas broke a planned 72-hour ceasefire just hours after it had begun.

Palestinian sources said at least 27 people had been killed in an Israeli attack in Gaza. Israel said Hamas began the hostilities.

The Israeli army said it was checking reports a soldier had been captured.

Some 1,460 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have died in the conflict and 63 Israelis, mostly soldiers.

The ceasefire had been brokered by the US and UN to give civilians a reprieve from the violence, and had been seen as an unforeseen breakthrough after days of diplomatic deadlock.

Palestinian and Israeli delegations have arrived in Cairo, Egypt, with the hope of negotiating a longer-term cessation of hostilities, but the fate of the talks now seems unclear.

Gaza militants 'seize Israeli soldier' as ceasefire ends

Israeli forces are searching for a soldier believed captured, as a Gaza truce collapsed and 27 Palestinians were killed in Israeli shelling.

The Israeli military said the soldier went missing during an attack on forces trying to destroy a tunnel from Gaza built by militants into Israel.

Israel accused Hamas of breaching the 72-hour ceasefire.

Palestinian sources said 27 people were killed by Israeli shelling in the southern town of Rafah.

In 2006 Palestinian militants captured an Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, who was held for five years until November 2011. He was released in exchange for 1,000 Palestinian prisoners.

President Jonathan Appoints New Inspector General Of Police

The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, has approved the appointment of AIG Suleiman Abba as the new Inspector-General of Police.

According to Reuben Abati (the special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity), the AIG Abba, currently the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 7, comprising Abuja, Kaduna and Niger states, replaces the incumbent Inspector-General of Police, IGP Mohammed Abubakar who proceeds on statutory retirement on July 31, 2014 having completed 35 years in service.

The incoming Inspector-General, a lawyer, hails from Jigawa State and is an alumnus of the Nigerian Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies.

Positions previously held by him in the Police include Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department, FCT Command, Deputy Force Secretary and Commissioner of Police, Rivers State.

His appointment is with effect from Friday, August 1, 2014

Prof. Dora Akunyili's Family Has Announced Her Burial Rites

A Night of Tributes is to hold at International Conference Centre Abuja from 5:00 p.m. on Monday, August 25, while a Mass would be held for her at Pro-Cathedral Catholic Church, Abuja, by 10:00 a.m. the next day, August 26.

After the Church Service, Dora’s body would leave for Enugu, where there would be a Mass at KSJ Temple at 4:00 p.m. After a High Requiem Mass at Holy Ghost Cathedral Enugu at 9:00 a.m. the next day (Wednesday, August 27), Dora’s body would be taken to UNCOMA Hall, College of Medicine, Ituku Ozalla, Enugu, for Final College Assembly to start from 11:30 a.m. From there, the body would be taken to Awka for Anambra State Government activities, then to Dora’s father’s house in Nanka, before being returned to her husband’s house at Agulu for a Vigil Mass/Wake-Keep.

West African Governments Step Up Response to Ebola Epidemic

Sierra Leone Joins Liberia in Sweeping Measures to Contain Deadly Virus

 Sierra Leone's president called in the army Thursday to quarantine Ebola-stricken neighborhoods and conduct house-to-house searches for people exposed to the virus. WSJ's Drew Hinshaw reports on the latest from Lagos, Nigeria.

LAGOS, Nigeria—Sierra Leone joined Liberia on Thursday in taking sweeping measures to try to contain an outbreak of the Ebola virus that has killed at least 729 people across West Africa, in a sign that governments are starting to speed up their response to the epidemic.