Headline

FCCPC Committed To Ensure Quality, Safe Food – Official

Published

1 year ago

July 9, 2024

Dr Adamu Abdullahi, the Ag Executive Vice Chairman, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), says that the commission was committed to ensure that consumers get quality and safe food.

He stated this during a one-day sensitisation programme on forceful ripening of fruits, adulterated palm oil, contaminated meat and grains organised for traders, farmers, artisans and food vendors in Bauchi on Tuesday.

Represented by Dr Nkechi Mba, Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, FCCPC, headquarters, Abdullahi said this was done by educating the farmers, sellers and buyers, hence the sensitisation.

“The FCCPC is passionate to ensure that the consumers get quality and safe food products. Consumer health is our concern.

“When we consume unsafe and poor quality or substandard food products, there are health implications because these adulterated food products become hazardous to the human body.

“Things like forceful ripening of fruits with chemicals like calcium carbide are harmful to the body.

“When we don’t allow food to get ripped before harvesting them and we use chemicals to artificially ripen them, it is not good for our body.

“We may make profit from selling these goods but people can die from what you have sold to them. People can have allergic reactions and even organs get damaged,” he said.

He called on the participants to make use of the knowledge gathered for the good of their families and the country at large.

Also speaking, Mr Yahaya Kudan, Director, Consumer and Business Education Department of FCCPC, lamented the increased incidences of harmful practices in food production and processing.

These practices, he said, did not only pose significant health risks but also undermine consumer trust in the food industry.

According to him, the FCCPC is committed to protecting consumers and ensuring that they have access to safe and high-quality food.

“This program is a testament to our dedication to educating and empowering consumers, farmers, vendors, and all stakeholders involved in the food supply chain.

“Throughout today’s sessions, we will hear from experts who will share valuable insights on how to identify and prevent these harmful practices.

“We will learn about the dangers of forceful ripening, the risks of consuming adulterated palm oil, the hazards of contaminated meat, and how to ensure the quality and safety of grains.

“Our goal is to equip you with the knowledge and tools needed to make informed decisions and advocate for safer food practices in our communities,” he said.

Headline

Netanyahu Asks Israeli President For Pardon From Corruption Charges

Published

2 hours ago

November 30, 2025

Editor

Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has asked the country’s president for a pardon in his long-running corruption case, saying the criminal proceedings are hindering his ability to govern and that ending the trial would benefit the nation.

Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, has denied the bribery, fraud and breach of trust charges.

His lawyers told the president’s office that he still believes the legal process will eventually lead to a complete acquittal.

“My lawyers sent a request for pardon to the president of the country today. I expect that anyone who wishes for the good of the country support this step,” Netanyahu said in a brief video statement released by his Likud party.

The prime minister, who has been on trial for five years, has not admitted guilt, and neither have his lawyers. Opposition leader Yair Lapid said Netanyahu should not receive a pardon unless he admits wrongdoing, expresses remorse and immediately withdraws from political life.

Pardons in Israel are usually granted only after a conviction, but Netanyahu’s lawyers argued the president can step in when public interest is at stake, saying intervention could help heal national divisions and promote unity.

President Isaac Herzog’s office described the request as “extraordinary” with “significant implications”. His office said the president “will responsibly and sincerely consider the request” after receiving the necessary opinions.

United States President, Donald Trump, recently wrote to Herzog urging him to consider approving the pardon, describing the case against Netanyahu as “a political, unjustified prosecution”.

Herzog’s office said the request will be sent to the justice ministry’s pardons department to gather assessments that will be forwarded to the president’s legal adviser, who will prepare a recommendation.

(Reuters)

Headline

US: Four Killed, 10 Others Wounded In California Shooting

Published

13 hours ago

November 30, 2025

Editor

Four people were confirmed dead and 10 others injured after a shooting at a family gathering in California, United States on Saturday night, according to US police, who described the attack as a “targeted incident.”

The incident occurred inside a banquet hall in Stockton, northeast of San Francisco, shortly before 6:00 pm, spokesperson for the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, Heather Brent, told reporters during a news briefing.

Brent said the victims, ranging from “juveniles to adults,” were rushed to nearby hospitals, noting that details about the shooting remained limited.

“What we have confirmed at this time is that there was a banquet hall where a family was celebrating. We have 14 victims of this shooting. Four of those are deceased,” Brent said.

“Early indications suggest that this may be a targeted incident. Investigators are exploring all possibilities at this time.”

The sheriff’s office posted on social media that detectives were “working to determine the circumstances leading up to this tragedy.”

“We are urging anyone with information, video footage, or who may have witnessed any part of this incident to contact the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office immediately,” the post added.

Authorities said no suspect had been identified at the time of the report.

California Governor Gavin Newsom was briefed on the development, his office said in a social media statement.

Data from the Gun Violence Archive shows there have been 504 mass shootings in the United States so far this year, including the Stockton attack.

(AFP)

Headline

FULL LIST: US To Review Green Cards From 19 ‘Countries Of Concern’ After Washington Shooting

Published

2 days ago

November 29, 2025

Editor

The Trump administration announced on Thursday that it will review the immigration status of all permanent residents, or “Green Card” holders, from Afghanistan and 18 other countries following the attack on National Guard troops in Washington, D.C.

U.S. officials identified the suspect in Wednesday’s shooting as a 29-year-old Afghan national who previously worked alongside American forces in Afghanistan.

The individual was granted asylum earlier this year, not permanent residency, according to AfghanEvac, an organisation that assists Afghans resettled in the United States after the Taliban takeover in 2021.

“I have directed a full-scale, rigorous reexamination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern,” said Joseph Edlow, director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), on X.

The review follows a June executive order from President Trump classifying 19 countries as “of Identified Concern.”

The order banned entry for nearly all nationals from 12 countries, including Afghanistan. The full list of these countries is:

Afghanistan

Myanmar

Chad

Congo-Brazzaville

Equatorial Guinea

Eritrea

Haiti

Iran

Libya

Somalia

Sudan

Yemen

A partial travel ban applies to seven additional countries, though some temporary work visas remain allowed: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.