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Russia's delicate 'missile diplomacy' and the unpredictable future of EuropeST. PAUL, Minn. — Former Minnesota Senate leader Kari Dziedzic passed away Friday after a long battle with caner. Her family released a statement on Saturday saying Dziedzic "entered eternal life surrounded by her family" and "Kari will be remembered by her family and those she served for her enthusiastic and humble leadership, which inspired all who knew her. She had a heart of gold, willing to go to any measure to help those she loved." Dziedzic stepped down as the Minnesota Senate Majority leader in Feb. of this year, after learning her cancer had returned. She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in early 2023. Dziedzic's personal health struggles prompted a policy proposal: Health insurance should cover wigs for cancer patients. Her bill requires insurance coverage with a doctor's prescription for wigs up to $1,000 per year. The bill is set to go into effect on Jan. 1. Dziedzic was tapped to take over the DFL leadership role after they secured a one-seat majority in the senate in 2022. During the 2023 session, under her leadership, legislators swiftly passed laws codifying abortion rights, securing school meals for Minnesota students and expanding voting rights for prior felons. Dziedzic is survived by her mother, five siblings and their spouses and her nieces and nephews. Her family is requesting privacy at this time. Note: The above video originally aired in March 2024. Caroline Cummings is an Emmy-winning reporter with a passion for covering politics, public policy and government. She is thrilled to join the WCCO team.The confidential briefing note is part of the tranche of documents made public in the annual release of State papers from the Irish National Archives. An Irish Department of Foreign Affairs official focusing on justice and security created the list in October 2002. The document starts by referencing a 1999 interview given by George Mitchell, the chairman of the Good Friday Agreement negotiations, in which he claimed the British and Irish governments, as well as Northern Ireland’s political parties, had leaked information to manipulate public opinion. However, he further accused the NIO of attempting to sabotage the process by leaking information on British Government policy to the media. Mr Mitchell, a former US senator, is said to have expressed alarm and anger over the frequency of leaks from the NIO – saying they were uniquely “designed to undermine the policy of the British Government of which they were a part”. The Irish civil servant notes Mr Mitchell himself was subjected to an attempted “smear” when he first arrived in Northern Ireland, as newspaper articles falsely claimed his chief of staff Martha Pope had had a liaison with Sinn Fein representative Gerry Kelly with ulterior motives. The Irish civil servant goes on to list several “leaks”, starting with the publication of a proposed deal in a newspaper while “intense negotiations” for the Downing Street Declaration were under way. Next, the Department lists two “high-profile and damaging leaks issued from the NIO”. A so-called “gameplan” document was leaked in February 1998, showing papers had been prepared weeks before the Drumcree march on July 6, 1997. In the preceding years, there had been standoffs and clashes as nationalists opposed the procession of an Orange parade down Garvaghy Road in Portadown. The gameplan document showed then secretary of state for Northern Ireland Mo Mowlam, who was publicly expressing a desire for a negotiated solution to the 1997 parade, advocated “finding the lowest common denominator for getting some Orange feet on the Garvaghy Road”. In 1997, a large number of security forces were deployed to the area to allow the march to proceed. The incident sparked heightened tension and a wave of rioting. The document further describes the release of a document submitted by the NIO’s director of communications to the secretary of state as a “second major leak”. It claims a publicity strategy was released to the DUP in the aftermath of the Good Friday Agreement and showed how the UK Government would support a yes vote in a referendum following any talks agreement. In addition, it is claimed unionists used leaked sections of the Patten report on policing to invalidate its findings ahead of its publication in 1999. The report recommended the replacement of the Royal Ulster Constabulary with the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the changing of symbols, and a 50-50 recruitment policy for Catholics and Protestants. At the time, UUP leader David Trimble said the recommendations would lead to a corruption of policing in Northern Ireland. Chris Patten, chairman of the independent commission on policing, said some of the assertions were a “total fabrication” and designed to “muddy the waters” to create a difficult political atmosphere. Elsewhere, the author notes it was leaked to the media there was serious disagreement between the governments of the UK and Ireland on the composition of that commission – with not a single name submitted by the Irish side being accepted by the other. The author notes this incident, still under the heading “NIO leaks”, was believed by British officials to have emanated from the Irish side. The report turns to leaks of other origin, claiming “disgruntled Special Branch officers in Northern Ireland” were blamed by the British Government for a series of releases about the IRA which were designed to damage Sinn Fein in the 2001 general election in Northern Ireland. One senior Whitehall source was quoted in the Guardian as complaining that Special Branch was “leaking like a sieve” after details of an IRA intelligence database containing the names of leading Tories – described at the time as a “hit list” – was passed to the BBC in April 2002. The briefing note adds: “This was followed days later by a leak to The Sunday Telegraph which alleged that senior IRA commanders bought Russian special forces rifles in Moscow last year. “The newspaper said it was passed details by military intelligence in London.” The briefing note adds that other Special Branch leaks were associated with the Castlereagh break-in. The final incident in the document notes the Police Ombudsman’s Report on the Omagh bombing was also leaked to the press in December 2001. Then Northern Ireland secretary John Reid said at the time: “Leaks are never helpful and usually malicious – I will not be commenting on this report until I have seen the final version.” The reason for creating the list of leaks, which the Irish National Archives holds in a folder alongside briefing notes for ministers ahead of meetings with officials from the UK Government and NIO, is not outlined in the document itself. – This document is based on material in 2024/130/6.
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Putin apologizes for 'tragic incident' but stops short of saying Azerbaijani plane was shot down MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin has apologized to his Azerbaijani counterpart for what he called a “tragic incident” following the crash of an Azerbaijani airliner in Kazakhstan that killed 38 people. He stopped short of acknowledging that Moscow was responsible. The Kremlin said that air defense systems were firing near Grozny, the regional capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya, to deflect a Ukrainian drone strike as the plane attempted to land on Wednesday. Putin apologized to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev “for the fact that the tragic incident occurred in Russian airspace.” The Kremlin also says Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are jointly investigating the crash site near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan. Israel detains the director of one of northern Gaza's last functioning hospitals during a raid DEIR AL BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Gaza's Health Ministry says Israel’s army has detained the director of one of northern Gaza's last functioning hospitals. The announcement on Saturday came after health officials said Israeli troops stormed the hospital and forced many staff and patients outside and told them to strip in winter weather. Israel’s military alleges the hospital director is a suspected Hamas operative and says it detained over 240 others. It acknowledges it ordered people outside and that special forces entered the hospital. It says it “eliminated” militants who fired at its forces. Kamal Adwan officials have denied that Hamas operates in the hospital. Abortions are up in the US. It's a complicated picture as women turn to pills, travel Even with abortion bans in place in most Republican-controlled states, the number of people obtaining them has grown slightly. That's part of a complicated picture of the impacts of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade two and a half years ago. Abortion pills are more common now. So is traveling to other states for care, often on journeys hundreds of miles long. Public support for the right to abortion has also increased since before the ruling. That's been reflected in most ballot measures to add the right to abortion to state constitutions being adopted. Drought, fires and deforestation battered Amazon rainforest in 2024 BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — The Amazon rainforest staggered through another difficult year in 2024. A second year of record drought contributed to wildfires that worsened deforestation across the massive forest, which spans Brazil, Peru, Colombia and other Latin American nations and is a critical counterweight to climate change. There were some bright spots. Both Brazil and Colombia reported lower levels of deforestation compared to prior years. Experts say Amazon countries need to do more to strengthen cross-border collaboration and that the global community who reap the benefits of commodities from the rainforest also need to pitch in. Bloodied Ukrainian troops risk losing more hard-won land in Kursk to Russia KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Five months after their shock offensive into Russia, Ukrainian troops are bloodied by daily combat losses and demoralized by the rising risk of defeat in Kursk. Some want to stay in the region at all costs. Others question the value of having gone in at all. Battles are so intense that commanders are unable to evacuate their dead. Lags in communication and poorly timed operations have cost lives and commanders say they have little way to counterattack. The overstretched Ukrainians have lost more than 40% of the territory they won in the lightning incursion that seized much of Kursk in August. Afghan forces target Pakistan in retaliation for deadly airstrikes Afghanistan's Defense Ministry says its forces hit several points inside Pakistan in retaliation for deadly airstrikes. Pakistan last Tuesday launched an operation to destroy a training facility and kill insurgents in Afghanistan's eastern Paktika province. The strikes killed dozens of people. The ministry said Saturday that its forces hit points “serving as centers and hideouts for malicious elements and their supporters who organized and coordinated attacks in Afghanistan.” Pakistan accuses the Taliban of not doing enough to combat cross-border militant activity, a charge the Taliban government denies. Former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who instituted economic reforms, cremated in New Delhi NEW DELHI (AP) — Manmohan Singh, the former Indian prime minister widely regarded as the architect of the country’s economic reform program, has been cremated after a state funeral. The veteran leader, who was also credited for a landmark nuclear deal with the United States, died late Thursday at age 92. Singh’s body was taken Saturday to the headquarters of his Congress party in New Delhi, where party leaders and activists paid tributes to him and chanted “Manmohan Singh lives forever.” Later, his body was transported to a crematorium ground for his last rites as soldiers beat drums. A mild-mannered technocrat, Singh was prime minister for 10 years until 2014. Sweden embarks on a sober search for more cemetery space in case of war GOTHENBURG, Sweden (AP) — Burial associations in Sweden are looking to acquire enough land for something they hope they’ll never have to do. And that's to bury thousands of people in the event of war. The search follows new crisis preparedness guidelines from the country's civil defense agency and the military. The issue is seen in a new light after Russia's invasion of Ukraine led formerly neutral Sweden to join NATO. Sweden and Finland sent out updated civil preparedness guides in November with instructions on how to survive in war. The guides are similar to those in Denmark and Norway, though they don't mention Russia by name. Olivia Hussey, star of the 1968 film 'Romeo and Juliet,' dies at 73 LONDON (AP) — Olivia Hussey, the actor who starred as a teenage Juliet in the 1968 film “Romeo and Juliet,” has died, her family said on social media. She was 73. Hussey died on Friday, “peacefully at home surrounded by her loved ones,” a statement posted to her Instagram account said. Hussey was 15 when director Franco Zeffirelli cast her in his adaptation of the William Shakespeare tragedy. “Romeo and Juliet” won two Oscars and Hussey won a Golden Globe for best new actress for her part as Juliet, opposite British actor Leonard Whiting. Decades later, the pair brought a lawsuit against Paramount Pictures over nude scenes in the film they said they were coerced to perform. The case was dismissed by a Los Angeles County judge in 2023. Winning ticket for $1.22 billion lottery jackpot sold in California, Mega Millions says At least one Mega Millions player has plenty of dough to ring in the New Year after drawing the winning number. After three months without anyone winning the top prize in the lottery, a ticket worth an estimated $1.22 billion was sold in California for the drawing Friday night. The California Lottery said the winning ticket was sold at Circle K (Sunshine Food and Gas) on Rhonda Rd. in Cottonwood. The winning ticket matched the white balls 3, 7, 37, 49, 55 and the gold Mega Ball 6. The identity of the winner or winners was not immediately known. The estimated jackpot was the fifth-highest ever for Mega Millions.Open defecation practice among traders in Ebute-Ero and four other major markets in Lagos has become a public health threat to the residents as they have raised the alarm over looming disease outbreaks. CHIJIOKE IREMEKA reports The scorching sun blazed down that Tuesday afternoon, overpowering the usually cool breeze wafting through the Ebute-Ero waterside community. Though the breeze offered a momentary reprieve from the heat, it carried a stench enough to make one lose one’s lunch. Ebute-Ero, an ancient community on Lagos Island, is known for its bustling Ebute-Ero market. Ebute Ero market which is lined with open stalls and lockup shops is one of the oldest and largest markets in Nigeria. It is located in the Lagos Island Local Government Area. Currently, the market has become infamous for the unchecked dumping of human waste directly into its surrounding water bodies (lagoon). The cause of the stench, PUNCH Healthwise discovered during visits to the market, was the indiscriminate passing of human waste into the water bodies. Our correspondent during the visits saw some of the traders squatting down on the concrete barriers to defecate inside the water bodies. Also, along the CMS-Ebute-Ero route, others were spotted relieving themselves on patches of green vegetation. Further observation of the area revealed a frequent influx of individuals, traders, artisans, drivers, and visitors to water bodies to relieve themselves. It is common to see them rushing to the concrete barriers with one or two sachets of water or a plastic bottle of water to clean up after defecating. Women, it was observed, often sought more private areas, which was why some squat between closely parked vehicles, defecate in nylon bags, and toss them into the water. Pretending to be pressed, our correspondent squatted down on the concrete barriers to observe. A few minutes later, a young man joined the throng of men mounting the concrete barriers and relieved himself into the water. Striking up a friendly conversation with the newcomer to the scene, 26-year-old Basiru Olateru, a wholesaler in beverages, our correspondent confirmed that many visitors and workers alike answered nature’s call in the water body. The Osun State indigene noted that many of the public toilets meant to serve their needs were often in a filthy state, creating an easy excuse to pass their waste into the Lagoon. Olateru said the public toilets in Oke-Arin and Apongbon markets close to Ebute-Ero market were notorious for their lack of cleanliness, maintenance, and the absence of basic hygiene supplies. He said, “The public toilet is usually dirty and lacks maintenance. In some cases, you will go there to defecate but the state of the toilet will push you away. The place lacks maintenance, and there is no soap or disinfectant. “Apart from the smell that comes from there, in some cases, people use the toilet and leave them in a terrible position until the operators come and clean it up. You will see stains and patches of excreta in the toilet bowl that would make you uncomfortable. “They would want you to sit down to defecate, but that is the part I don’t like because it brings my body in close contact with the bacteria that can cause infections.” He claimed to have treated an infection he got from a public toilet and would not want a repeat of the situation, hence his decision to defecate outside of the public toilets. Available but dirty toilets A middle-aged driver at the Ebute-Ero park, Jide Adesola, waited his turn to call passengers into his vehicle. He told PUNCH Healthwise that he paid N100 each time he used the toilet. Uncomfortable with the charges, Adesola chose to defecate directly into the lagoon, undeterred by the presence of law enforcement officers. However, that seemed not to be his only alibi. He mentioned that despite the N100 charge, the toilets were dirty. The driver said, “In most cases, the toilets are dirty and overcrowded. I feel uncomfortable and unsafe using them. Even the smell will not allow you to breathe, and that is why I use the one in the water each time I visit. At least our wastes go into the water and do not smell.” Water from Lagoon However, this practice poses serious environmental and health risks for some residents who depend on this water for fishing and other domestic purposes. Online maps show that Makoko, a community known for its fishing and living on the Lagoon, is situated south of Ebute-Ero. This implies that the excreta deposited at the Ebute-Ero end of the lagoon would be carried towards the fishing town, polluting the water body. Our correspondent further learnt that the Ebute-Ero community relied on water from the lagoon for daily activities, such as cooking, cleaning, and fishing. Residents who spoke with PUNCH Healthwise said this practice had exposed the entire community to waterborne diseases including cholera, diarrhoea, and even incurable hepatitis B and C, among other infections. They raised concerns about the lack of sanitation facilities in the markets, saying that existing ones were often in poor condition, dirty, and overcrowded, thereby pushing people to practice the outlawed open defecation by using the lagoon. The residents lamented that efforts to address the situation have been hindered by a lack of government oversight and willpower to restore sanity, thereby creating a public nuisance. Street boys built toilets in water While the state is grappling with this unwholesome practice, louts defied the environmental and sanitation laws and built a toilet directly in the water for people to use at a fee. However, the legality of the toilet built in the Marine Water at Ebute-Ero, opposite the Oke-Arin Market, was yet to be unravelled. This unwholesome practice is happening at a time when the state was battling cholera and other infectious diseases. Findings revealed that the Lagos State Ministry of Environment had at a point dismantled the toilet but was rebuilt by the boys, and since then, no government official, not even the local government council, had raised an eyebrow at this menace. Over 3.9 million toilets needed According to the Joint Monitoring Programme, Open Defecation, popularly known as OD, refers to the practice of defecating in fields, forests, bushes, bodies of water, or other open spaces. “Defecating in the open is an affront to dignity and a risk to children’s nutrition and community health,” it added. Recently, the United Nations Children’s Fund said Nigeria will need to build no fewer than 3.9 million toilets annually to meet the 2025 target for ending open defecation practices. UNICEF chief, Jane Bevan, disclosed this at the opening of a two-day Maiden Toilet Business Owners Conference in Abuja, saying, “About 1.3 per cent of Gross Domestic Product, or N455 billion, is lost annually due to poor access to sanitation—health, health care savings, and productivity.” She stated that current toilet construction in the country stood between 180,000 and 200,000 toilets annually, describing it as inadequate. More so, Nigeria presently occupies the topmost level on the ladder of OD and in order to combat the menace, former President Muhammadu Buhari declared a state of emergency on OD as contained in Executive Order 009 titled: The Open Defecation Free Nigeria by 2025 and Other Related Matters. The declaration was expected to be followed by actions from each state to domesticate the Order and plan towards its application and sustenance to achieve Open DefecationFree status by 2025. Sequel to this, the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo–Olu, took the lead role and set the pace for others to emulate by signing an Executive Order titled: Enforcement of Law and Order in Respect of Traffic and Sanitation Matters. This Order was to restore stability and accountability to all citizens to become active stakeholders in bringing necessary changes to transform Lagos into the desired state. However, these have not achieved the desired goal as over 46 million Nigerians still practise OD, according to UNICEF’s report. Bridge turned toilet To further examine the extent of open defecation and the neglect of public toilets in other markets in the state, our correspondent visited Oke-Arin, Apongbon, Oshodi, and Iyana-Iba markets. At Iyana-Iba, street urchins, popularly called Omo-Ita, traders, and their visitors turned a newly constructed bridge adjoining Ojo General Hospital’s site into an open defecation destination. Traversing the bridge from the Expressway to the back of the hospital is a difficult and unpleasant journey, as one is forced to hold one’s breath to avoid the overpowering stench of faecal matter scattered across the bridge. PUNCH Healthwise noticed an inscription written in red ink on the sidewalls of the bridge, “No Toilet. N5,000.” This warning, perhaps intended to discourage people from using the bridge as a latrine, yielded no success as our correspondent observed several individuals defecating there without restraint or fear of punishment. A 23-year-old petty trader, Juliet Obor, explained that there were three major toilets used by people in the market, emphasising that many, particularly the ‘area boys,’ still preferred using the bridge as a toilet. Obor, who sells grains, noted that while the privately owned toilet was well-maintained and disinfected, the government-run toilets were often neglected and dirty. When asked why the government toilets were not as clean as the privately owned ones, she responded, “Can the government toilet ever be neater than the private one? Who cleans it? But here, the operator cleans it immediately after someone uses it.” Obor explained that although she used the private toilet whenever she needed to urinate, she preferred to go to her house nearby to defecate. The state of the bridge, she added, was an embarrassment to the environment and government, expressing concern about how the construction company would continue work at the site amid such extensive faecal contamination. Related News Lagos residents decry incessant crashes in Badagry N5m donation tears Celestial church apart, founder’s son disrupts service Sanwo-Olu swears in eight new perm secs, tutors-general Similar situation in Apongbon A trader, Chizoba Ndilika, said the scarcity of clean public toilets pushed him to urinate in the open. He said, “If the toilets are well maintained, I will be using the public toilet. But with the experience I had with the public toilet, I don’t like using it anymore. It is hard for you to see clean public toilets. “I can urinate there but can’t sit on that bowl to defecate. Like I said, the least I can do is to be there.” Deplorable toilet walls At Oshodi, the story is similar, as our correspondent spotted some individuals defecating on the railway towards Mushin. One of the perpetrators, identified as Taju, and suspected to be one of the louts on the street of Oshodi, said he had no time for public toilets. Some of the toilets visited at Oshodi were in extremely poor condition. One was dilapidated to the extent that the exposed blocks on the walls were visible through the crumbling plaster. Fear of contracting disease Some traders who spoke with PUNCH Healthwise at the market said the fear of infection was the reason they did not patronise certain toilets in the market. One of the traders who deals in baby wear, Hayatu Ishola, said it was a common practice to see women covering themselves with wrappers while urinating on the streets rather than going into the public toilets. She said that squatting down to urinate in a dirty toilet could make women contract infection. But when she was heavily pressed, she would manage the toilet but would get antibiotics immediately after to prevent infections. “Ordinarily, I don’t enter those public toilets because they are dirty. The only one I manage to use is the one at the BRT plaza. But each time I use it, I must take antibiotics to protect myself against infections. “Women’s bodies are open, and you don’t urinate or defecate anywhere you see else you will carry infections. It pays me to go to the nearby bush to ease myself rather than to go to a public toilet unless that toilet is clean. “There is always water on the floor of the toilet, and the water is not free from bacteria, and there are many sicknesses in the country now. The best is for you to avoid this market toilet unless the toilets are well disinfected. I pity the women who use public toilets regularly,” Ishola said. Totally against our sanitation laws –Lagos Speaking on the development, the Director of Public Affairs, Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Kunle Adeshina, said constructing such toilets on the water bodies was strange. He said, “Some of these are managed by local governments while some are managed by private owners with whom we have a very robust relationship. What is however strange, is the fact that this toilet you are talking about has been built on the water body which is totally against our sanitation laws. “The relevant department in the Ministry will investigate this and apply necessary sanctions where necessary. For the umpteenth time, open defecation has no place in this state. We will continue to enforce the provisions of the law against them. “The problem of open defecation is a major social issue that the present administration is tackling headlong. We are combining enforcement with moral suasion because the state believes that if advocacy is stepped up as it is being done now, people will come to realise the health hazards of open defecation and refrain from it.” The Lagos State Government on Tuesday reiterated its commitment to eliminate open defecation and prioritise good sanitation practices across the state. The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, made this known at the Year 2024 World Toilet Day celebrations held at Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Alausa, Ikeja, saying the government would continue to proffer solutions to all sanitation challenges across the state. He said every World Toilet Day celebrates the importance of toilets, raising awareness of the 4.2 billion people living without access to safely managed sanitation. He added that the day was also about taking action to tackle the global sanitation crisis and achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6: Water and Sanitation for all by 2030. Wahab stated that the national theme, “Use the Toilet and Have Peace,” was very apt as it focused on the fact that for billions of people, sanitation was under threat arising from conflict, climate change, disaster and neglect. He said, “When sanitation services are destroyed, damaged or disrupted, untreated human waste spreads in the environment, unleashing deadly diseases such as cholera and diarrhoea which affect community health and the well-being of citizens.” Wahab explained that in addressing the menace of open defecation in the state, the government had developed four cardinal roadmaps which are advocacy/sensitisation; bridging the infrastructure gap; standardisation and regularisation of existing facilities as well as ensuring adequate monitoring and enforcement. In 2022, UNICEF stressed that the impact of open defecation in Nigeria was huge, indicating that more than 100,000 children under five years of age die each year due to diarrhoea; of which 90 per cent was directly attributable to unsafe water and sanitation. It noted that one in four children under five years of age exhibit severe stunting, while one in 10 is wasted, due to frequent episodes of diarrhoea and other Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene-related diseases. UNICEF also launched a national campaign tagged ‘Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet’ to jump-start the country’s journey towards becoming open defecation-free by 2025. 90% households consume faeces-contaminated water – NBS Also, the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey carried out in 2017 by the National Bureau of Statistics in collaboration with UNICEF, said 90 per cent of households in Nigeria consume faeces-contaminated water and other impure substances. According to UNIC’s Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, Mrs Maureen Zubie-Okolo, the water and sanitation situation in the country is worrisome; water-borne diseases, such as diarrhoea have been the leading cause of hospital admissions, especially among under-five children. The World Health Organisation ranked Nigeria as fifth among countries practising open defecation, while India topped the chart with 626 million people. We’ve warned them Reacting to the situation, one of the market leaders, Rassaq Azeez, said that the market leadership had warned them to stop using the place as a toilet but they refused to listen. “We have written a warning on almost all the pavements there to stop them, but they paid a deaf ear. You can see the heap of faeces on the bridge and how the company would handle it is what I don’t know. “We have several toilets here, not as if we don’t have toilets in this place, but the majority of them will not want to pay N100 or N50 to use the toilet. The money paid is to keep the toilet clean,” he said. Also, an operator of a privately owned toilet, who simply identified herself as Sola, said that some people make use of the toilet, while others don’t. “My toilet is the most used because I keep it clean. We disinfect it immediately after someone finishes using it,” said the operator of a privately owned toilet. We have enough toilets – Market leader Reacting to the condition of the public toilets, one of the market leaders working with the Iyaloja, Ade Olakunle, said, “We have enough toilets in this place. Each new building comes with toilet facilities.” On the reason people preferred open defecation to public toilets, he said, “Don’t mind those people going there to defecate. The practice has mastered them. It is a decision they have taken over a long period. “As for this Oke-Arin market, we have enough toilets to take care of the traders and visitors to the market. The one over there was provided by the area boys where they defecate. They collect N100 for others to use.” Asked why Lagos State allowed such environmental and aquatic degradation, he said, “It used to be bigger than this but the Ministry of Environment came and scattered it, but the area boys put it back. “When the local government came back, they couldn’t do anything about it. And the structure has been there for a long time. The area boys resisted the government. “So, we have enough toilets, but if you are talking about other markets, I don’t know. There are several markets here. They are also called the Ebute-Ero market.” The leader of Methodist Plaza, Emeka Onubogu, affirmed that some of the toilets were dirty, saying that he only used toilets in Methodist Plaza and another at the Post Office side along Oshodi Road for fear of infections. He, however, said that most of the people who practice open defecation in Oshodi were the street boys who were not ready to part with a dime even if the toilet was at their doorstep. Onubogu said, “We have enough toilets here but not all are clean and infections can be gotten from such dirty places. I use only the toilets in my plaza and one at the Post Office. Outside these two, I do not use anyone again.” Re-orientation way out – Experts Reacting to the spate of open defecation in the state, an environmentalist and a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Ibadan, Dr Oladapo Okareh, said Nigerians should be given proper re-orientation on the dangers of OD, saying that the practice could lead to an outbreak of diseases like cholera and diarrhoea. “Open defecation constitutes a major public health problem. It’s a public menace because it easily leads to outbreaks of communicable diseases like cholera, typhoid, diarrhoea, intestinal infections, and respiratory diseases,” he added. Also, a public health expert at the Nnamdi Azikwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State, Mrs Joy Anichebe, said water-borne diseases like cholera and diarrhoea were deadly diseases that could kill a child within one hour of the ailment. She noted, “Diseases like urinary tract infections, gastroenteritis, skin infections such as cellulitis, and even Hepatitis B and C, could be prevented if our public toilets are well taken care of and the people stop contaminating the water bodies and the land with faeces of infected persons.” We’re partnering with locals, transport unions – MOE&WR The MOE&WR Director of Public Affairs, who earlier spoke with PUNCH Healthwise, said the state government was constructing 100 new public toilets. “These new eco-friendly toilets will complement the existing toilets, which will be available for use at minimal charges. We will continue to enlighten residents on the dangers. “For Iyana-Iba market and similar locations where we have rampant cases of open defecation, the state is partnering with locals and transport unions to have people monitor the areas and apprehend people who try to defecate there. “Most of them use the cover of darkness to perpetrate this act. A success of this template has been recorded at Ojodu Berger which used to be a scene of unprecedented open defecation but is being policed round the clock by volunteers now,” Adeshina said.Joe Burrow's home broken into during Monday Night Football in latest pro-athlete home invasion
It was a murder case almost everyone had an opinion on. O.J. Simpson ‘s “trial of the century” over the 1994 killings of his ex-wife and her friend bared divisions over race and law enforcement in America and brought an intersection of sports, crime, entertainment and class that was hard to turn away from. In a controversial verdict, the football star-turned-actor was acquitted in the criminal trial but later found civilly liable in the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman. Years later, he served nine years in prison on unrelated charges. His death in April brought an end to a life that had become defined by scrutiny over the killings. But he was just one of many influential and noteworthy people who died in 2024. Here is a roll call of some noteworthy figures who died in 2024 (cause of death cited for younger people, if available): Zvi Zamir, 98. A former director of Israel’s Mossad spy service who warned that Israel was about to be attacked on the eve of the 1973 Mideast war. Jan. 2. David Soul, 80. The actor-singer was a 1970s heartthrob who co-starred as the blond half of the crime-fighting duo “Starsky & Hutch” and topped the music charts with the ballad “Don’t Give Up on Us.” Jan. 4. Franz Beckenbauer, 78. He won the World Cup both as a player and coach and became one of Germany’s most beloved personalities with his easygoing charm. Jan. 7. Jack Burke Jr., 100. He was the oldest living Masters champion and staged the greatest comeback ever at Augusta National for one of his two majors. Jan. 19. Marlena Shaw, 81. The jazz and R&B vocalist whose “California Soul” was one of the defining soul songs of the late 1960s. Jan. 19. Mary Weiss, 75. The lead singer of the 1960s pop group the Shangri-Las, whose hits included “Leader of the Pack.” Jan. 19. Dexter Scott King, 62. He dedicated much of his life to shepherding the civil rights legacy of his parents, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. Jan. 22. N. Scott Momaday, 89. A Pulitzer Prize-winning storyteller, poet, educator and folklorist whose debut novel “House Made of Dawn” is widely credited as the starting point for contemporary Native American literature. Jan. 24. Herbert Coward, 85. He was known for his “Toothless Man” role in the movie “Deliverance.” Jan. 24. Car crash. Carl Weathers, 76. A former NFL linebacker who became a Hollywood action movie and comedy star, playing nemesis-turned-ally Apollo Creed in the “Rocky” movies, starring with Arnold Schwarzenegger in “Predator” and teaching golf in “Happy Gilmore.” Feb. 1. Bob Beckwith, 91. A retired firefighter whose chance encounter with the president amid the rubble of ground zero became part of an iconic image of American unity after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Feb. 4. Toby Keith, 62. A hit country crafter of pro-American anthems who both riled up critics and was loved by millions of fans. Feb. 5. Stomach cancer. John Bruton, 76. A former Irish prime minister who played a key role in bringing peace to Northern Ireland. Feb. 6. Alexei Navalny, 47. The fiercest foe of Russian President Vladimir Putin who crusaded against official corruption and staged massive anti-Kremlin protests. Feb. 16. Lefty Driesell, 92. The Hall of Fame coach whose folksy drawl belied a fiery on-court demeanor that put Maryland on the college basketball map and enabled him to rebuild several struggling programs. Feb. 17. Hydeia Broadbent, 39. The HIV/AIDS activist came to national prominence in the 1990s as a young child for her inspirational talks to reduce the stigma surrounding the virus she was born with. Feb. 20. Richard Lewis, 76. An acclaimed comedian known for exploring his neuroses in frantic, stream-of-consciousness diatribes while dressed in all-black, leading to his nickname “The Prince of Pain.” Feb. 27. Nikolai Ryzhkov, 94. A former Soviet prime minister who presided over botched efforts to shore up the crumbling national economy in the final years of the USSR. Feb. 28. Brian Mulroney, 84. The former Canadian prime minister forged close ties with two Republican U.S. presidents through a sweeping free trade agreement that was once vilified but is now celebrated. Feb. 29. Chris Mortensen, 72. The award-winning journalist covered the NFL for close to four decades, including 32 as a senior analyst at ESPN. March 3. David E. Harris, 89. He flew bombers for the U.S. military and broke barriers in 1964 when he became the first Black pilot hired at a major U.S. airline. March 8. Eric Carmen, 74. The singer-songwriter fronted the power-pop 1970s band the Raspberries and later had soaring pop hits like “All by Myself” and “Hungry Eyes” from the hit “Dirty Dancing” soundtrack. March 11. David Mixner, 77. A longtime LGBTQ+ activist who was an adviser to Bill Clinton during his presidential campaign and later called him out over the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy regarding gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or queer personnel in the military. March 11. Joe Lieberman, 82. The former U.S. senator of Connecticut nearly won the vice presidency on the Democratic ticket with Al Gore in the disputed 2000 election and almost became Republican John McCain’s running mate eight years later. March 27. Complications from a fall. Louis Gossett Jr., 87. The first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries “Roots.” March 28. Lou Conter, 102. The last living survivor of the USS Arizona battleship that exploded and sank during the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor. April 1. The Rev. Cecil L. “Chip” Murray, 94. An influential pastor and civil rights leader who used his tenure at one of Los Angeles’ oldest churches to uplift the predominantly Black neighborhoods following one of the country’s worst race riots. April 5. Peter Higgs, 94. The Nobel prize-winning physicist proposed the existence of the so-called “God particle” that helped explain how matter formed after the Big Bang. April 8. Ralph Puckett Jr., 97. A retired Army colonel awarded the Medal of Honor seven decades after he was wounded leading a company of outnumbered Army Rangers in battle during the Korean War. April 8. O.J. Simpson, 76. The decorated football superstar and Hollywood actor who was acquitted of charges he killed his former wife and her friend but later found liable in a separate civil trial. April 10. William Strickland, 87. A longtime civil rights activist and supporter of the Black Power movement who worked with Malcolm X and other prominent leaders in the 1960s. April 10. Faith Ringgold, 93. An award-winning author and artist who broke down barriers for Black female artists and became famous for her richly colored and detailed quilts combining painting, textiles and storytelling. April 12. Carl Erskine, 97. He pitched two no-hitters as a mainstay on the Brooklyn Dodgers and was a 20-game winner in 1953 when he struck out a then-record 14 in the World Series. April 16. Dickey Betts, 80. The guitar legend who co-founded the Allman Brothers Band and wrote their biggest hit, “Ramblin’ Man.” April 18. Roman Gabriel, 83. The first Filipino-American quarterback in the NFL and the league MVP in 1969. April 20. Duane Eddy, 86. A pioneering guitar hero whose reverberating electric sound on instrumentals such as “Rebel Rouser” and “Peter Gunn” helped put the twang in early rock ‘n’ roll and influenced George Harrison, Bruce Springsteen and countless others. April 30. Bernard Hill, 79. An actor who delivered a rousing cry before leading his people into battle in “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” and went down with the ship as the captain in “Titanic.” May 5. Steve Albini, 61. An alternative rock pioneer and legendary producer who shaped the musical landscape through his work with Nirvana, the Pixies, PJ Harvey and more. May 7. Pete McCloskey, 96. A pro-environment, anti-war California Republican who co-wrote the Endangered Species Act and co-founded Earth Day. May 8. Roger Corman, 98. The “King of the Bs” helped turn out such low-budget classics as “Little Shop of Horrors” and “Attack of the Crab Monsters” and gave many of Hollywood’s most famous actors and directors early breaks. May 9. Peter Buxtun, 86. The whistleblower who revealed that the U.S. government allowed hundreds of Black men in rural Alabama to go untreated for syphilis in what became known as the Tuskegee study. May 18. Bill Walton, 71. He starred for John Wooden’s UCLA Bruins before becoming a Hall of Fame center for his NBA career and one of the biggest stars in basketball broadcasting. May 27. The Rev. James Lawson Jr., 95. An apostle of nonviolent protest who schooled activists to withstand brutal reactions from white authorities as the Civil Rights Movement gained traction. June 9. Lynn Conway, 86. A pioneer in the design of microchips that are at the heart of consumer electronics who overcame discrimination as a transgender person. June 9. Jerry West, 86. Selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame three times in a storied career as a player and executive, his silhouette is considered to be the basis of the NBA logo. June 12. Willie Mays, 93. The electrifying “Say Hey Kid” whose singular combination of talent, drive and exuberance made him one of baseball’s greatest and most beloved players. June 18. Donald Sutherland, 88. The Canadian actor whose wry, arresting screen presence spanned more than half a century of films from “M.A.S.H.” to “The Hunger Games.” June 20. Shelley Duvall, 75. The intrepid, Texas-born movie star whose wide-eyed, winsome presence was a mainstay in the films of Robert Altman and who co-starred in Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining.” July 11. Shannen Doherty, 53. The “Beverly Hills, 90210” star whose life and career were roiled by illness and tabloid stories. July 13. Richard Simmons, 76. He was television’s hyperactive court jester of physical fitness who built a mini-empire in his trademark tank tops and short shorts by urging the overweight to exercise and eat better. July 13. James Sikking, 90. He starred as a hardened police lieutenant on “Hill Street Blues” and as the titular character’s kindhearted dad on “Doogie Howser, M.D.” July 13. Cheng Pei-pei, 78. A Chinese-born martial arts film actor who starred in Ang Lee’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.” July 17. Bob Newhart, 94. The deadpan accountant-turned-comedian became one of the most popular TV stars of his time after striking gold with a classic comedy album. July 18. Lou Dobbs, 78. The conservative political pundit and veteran cable TV host was a founding anchor for CNN and later was a nightly presence on Fox Business Network for more than a decade. July 18. Abdul “Duke” Fakir, 88. The last surviving original member of the beloved Motown group the Four Tops, which was known for such hits as “Reach Out, I’ll Be There” and “Standing in the Shadows of Love.” July 22. Jack Russell, 63. The lead singer of the bluesy ’80s metal band Great White, whose hits included “Once Bitten Twice Shy” and “Rock Me,” and who was fronting his band the night 100 people died in a 2003 nightclub fire in Rhode Island. Aug. 7. Juan “Chi Chi” Rodriguez, 88. A Hall of Fame golfer whose antics on the greens and inspiring life story made him among the sport’s most popular players during a long professional career. Aug. 8. Susan Wojcicki, 56. A pioneering tech executive who helped shape Google and YouTube. Aug. 9. Wallace “Wally” Amos, 88. The creator of the Famous Amos cookie empire went on to become a children’s literacy advocate. Aug. 13. Phil Donahue, 88. His pioneering daytime talk show launched an indelible television genre that brought success to Oprah Winfrey, Montel Williams, Ellen DeGeneres and many others. Aug. 18. Ruth Johnson Colvin, 107. She founded Literacy Volunteers of America, was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame and received the nation’s highest civilian award: the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Aug. 18. Al Attles, 87. A Hall of Famer who coached the 1975 NBA champion Warriors and spent more than six decades with the organization as a player, general manager and most recently team ambassador. Aug. 20. John Amos, 84. He starred as the family patriarch on the hit 1970s sitcom “Good Times” and earned an Emmy nomination for his role in the seminal 1977 miniseries “Roots.” Aug. 21. Leonard Riggio, 83. A brash, self-styled underdog who transformed the publishing industry by building Barnes & Noble into the country’s most powerful bookseller before it was overtaken by the rise of Amazon.com. Aug. 27. Edward B. Johnson, 81. As a CIA officer, he traveled into Iran with a colleague to rescue six American diplomats who fled the 1979 U.S. Embassy takeover in Tehran. Aug. 27. Johnny Gaudreau, 31. An NHL player known as “Johnny Hockey,” he played 10 full seasons in the league. Aug. 29. Killed along with his brother when hit by a car while riding bicycles. James Earl Jones, 93. He overcame racial prejudice and a severe stutter to become a celebrated icon of stage and screen, eventually lending his deep, commanding voice to CNN, “The Lion King” and Darth Vader. Sept. 9. Tito Jackson, 70. One of the brothers who made up the beloved pop group the Jackson 5. Sept. 15. John Ashton, 76. The veteran character actor who memorably played the gruff but lovable police detective John Taggart in the “Beverly Hills Cop” films. Sept. 26. Maggie Smith, 89. The masterful, scene-stealing actor who won an Oscar for the 1969 film “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” and gained new fans in the 21st century as the dowager Countess of Grantham in “Downton Abbey” and Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter films. Sept. 27. Hassan Nasrallah, 64. The Hezbollah leader who transformed the Lebanese militant group into a potent paramilitary and political force in the Middle East. Sept. 27. Killed in an Israeli airstrike. Kris Kristofferson, 88. A Rhodes scholar with a deft writing style and rough charisma who became a country music superstar and an A-list Hollywood actor. Sept. 28. Pete Rose, 83. Baseball’s career hits leader and fallen idol who undermined his historic achievements and Hall of Fame dreams by gambling on the game he loved and once embodied. Sept. 30. Lilly Ledbetter, 86. A former Alabama factory manager whose lawsuit against her employer made her an icon of the equal pay movement and led to landmark wage discrimination legislation. Oct. 12. Thelma Mothershed Wair, 83. One of nine Black students who integrated a high school in Arkansas’ capital city of Little Rock in 1957 while a mob of white segregationists yelled threats and insults. Oct. 19. Fernando Valenzuela, 63. The Mexican-born phenom for the Los Angeles Dodgers who inspired “Fernandomania” while winning the NL Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year in 1981. Oct. 22. Phil Lesh, 84. A classically trained violinist and jazz trumpeter who found his true calling by reinventing the role of rock bass guitar as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. Oct. 25. Teri Garr, 79. The quirky comedy actor rose from background dancer in Elvis Presley movies to co-star in such favorites as “Young Frankenstein” and “Tootsie.” Oct. 29. Multiple sclerosis. Quincy Jones, 91. The multi-talented music titan whose vast legacy ranged from producing Michael Jackson’s historic “Thriller” album to writing prize-winning film and television scores and collaborating with Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and hundreds of other recording artists. Nov. 3. Bernard “Bernie” Marcus, 95. The co-founder of The Home Depot, a billionaire philanthropist, and a big Republican donor. Nov. 4. Timothy West, 90. A British actor who played the classic Shakespeare roles of King Lear and Macbeth and who in recent years along with his wife, Prunella Scales, enchanted millions of people with their boating exploits on Britain’s waterways. Nov. 12. Bela Karolyi, 82. The charismatic, if polarizing, gymnastics coach turned young women into champions and the United States into an international power in the sport. Nov. 15. Chuck Woolery, 83. The affable, smooth-talking game show host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later became a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the government of lying about COVID-19. Nov. 23. Prince Johnson, 72. The Liberian former warlord and senator whose brutal tactics shocked the world. Nov. 28. Ananda Krishnan, 86. One of Malaysia’s richest tycoons with a vast business empire including telecommunications, media, petroleum and real estate. Nov. 28. Lou Carnesecca, 99. The excitable St. John’s coach whose outlandish sweaters became an emblem of his team’s rousing Final Four run in 1985 and who was a treasured figure in New York sports. Nov. 30. Debbie Nelson, 69. The single mother of rapper Eminem whose rocky relationship with her son was known widely through his hit song lyrics. Dec. 2. Tsuneo Watanabe, 98. The powerful head of the Yomiuri Shimbun, Japan’s largest newspaper, who had close ties with the country’s powerful conservative leaders. Dec. 19. Rickey Henderson, 65. The baseball Hall of Famer was the brash speedster who shattered stolen base records and redefined baseball’s leadoff position. Dec. 20. Shyam Benegal, 90. A renowned Indian filmmaker known for pioneering a new wave cinema movement that tackled social issues in the 1970s. Dec. 23. Osamu Suzuki, 94. The charismatic former boss of Suzuki Motor Corp. helped turn the Japanese mini-vehicle maker into a globally competitive company. Dec. 25. Manmohan Singh, 92. India’s former prime minister who was widely regarded as the architect of India’s economic reform program and a landmark nuclear deal with the United States. Dec. 26. Richard Parsons, 76. One of corporate America’s most prominent Black executives who held top posts at Time Warner and Citigroup. Dec. 26.
DALLAS (AP) — The Washington Nationals will have the No. 1 overall pick in the amateur draft next summer after winning the lottery in a drawing of ping-pong balls at the winter meetings Tuesday. Unlike last year, when the Nationals were ineligible after initially coming out with the top spot, they will get to make the first pick in July in Atlanta, the site of the All-Star Game. Washington was ineligible for a top-six pick last year because the collective bargaining agreement states a team that pays into the revenue-sharing plan cannot have a lottery selection in back-to-back years. The Nationals chose outfielder Dylan Crews with the No. 2 pick in 2023. The Los Angeles Angels have the second pick for next summer. Seattle, Colorado, St. Louis and Pittsburgh round out the top six. A weighted lottery among the 18 teams that failed to make the playoffs this season determined the order of picks for the third year in a row. The Nationals went in with a 10.2% chance, the fourth-best odds, for getting the No. 1 pick. Colorado and Miami, both 100-loss teams, had the best odds at 22.45%, ahead of the Angels at 17.96%. Miami instead ended up with the seventh pick. Seattle got the No. 3 overall pick after having a 0.53% chance to get the No. 1 pick, the second-worst odds among 16 eligible teams. The 121-loss Chicago White Sox, who had the most losses of any major league club since 1900, were not eligible for the draft lottery since they had one of the top six picks last year (No. 5) and is a team that pays into the revenue-sharing plan. The CBA also doesn’t allow teams that receive money in revenue sharing to have lottery picks three years in a row. That made the Athletics (69-93) ineligible for the lottery — they picked fourth last year after having the No. 6 selection in 2023. Chicago instead got the 10th pick, one spot ahead of Oakland — the highest possible positions for those two teams because of their recent lottery picks. AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLBWhat will a second Trump presidency bring?: Explained
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Georgia has a chance to post its best start to a season in 94 years ahead of its home meeting with South Carolina State in Athens, Ga., on Sunday. Georgia (11-1) hasn't appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 10 seasons and hasn't won a tournament game since 2002, but the Bulldogs seem primed to make a return. The Bulldogs have won six straight games and a seventh would mark their best start since beginning 13-0 in the 1930-31 campaign. Georgia hasn't played since a Dec. 22 home win over Charleston Southern. Head coach Mike White knows the intensity of the schedule will soon increase as Southeastern Conference play revs up, but that's not to say his team will overlook its next opponent. "We've had a much-needed break, both mentally and physically," White said. "Our guys need to get away from it a little bit, miss it, then come back rejuvenated for one more tune up for the grind of the SEC -- the best league in the country. But we'll be prepared for South Carolina State. They're dangerous, they play really hard, they've been really competitive. They're another good team." Adding to Georgia's success has been the play of De'Shayne Montgomery. After being academically ineligible for the first 10 games of the season, the Mount St. Mary's transfer has averaged 19 points per game in two contests. Asa Newell follows with 15.8 points in 12 games, while fellow Mount St. Mary's transfer Dakota Leffew chips in 12.9. South Carolina State (6-8) will play its fourth road game of a six-game stretch away from home. The other Bulldogs prepare for their final regular season meeting with a power conference team following losses at South Carolina Upstate and Xavier. South Carolina State faces Morgan State on Jan. 4 to start Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play. Led by third-year head coach Erik Martin, the team boasts a rare roster figure in today's college basketball landscape. "We brought back 90 percent of our returnable student athletes this year," Martin said. "I can pretty much guarantee I'm the only person in America that did that." Sophomore Drayton Jones leads the team with 13 points per game, followed by Omar Croskey's 9.4. Georgia is 2-0 all-time against South Carolina State, last earning a 76-60 win in Nov. 2021. --Field Level Media