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HOMEF Partners US-based NGO, Announces 2023 ORA-A Fellowship 

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HOMEF Partners US-based NGO, Announces 2023 ORA-A Fellowship

Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) in collaboration with Commonweal, a US-based NGO with 45 years of engagement and accomplishment in diverse fields announces a call for nominations and applications from visionaries, involved in movements or struggles from the African Region into its 2023 Omega Resilience Awards Fellowship programme. This fellowship seeks communicators, artists, and public intellectuals from

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diverse fields who are based in Africa to engage in laying bare the
connections between seemingly disparate phenomena – climate, water, health, and migration, taken together often referred to as the polycrisis – and how they interact within the larger system.

The Omega Resilience Awards – Africa (ORA-A), focuses primarily on identifying young visionaries begins today. The fellowship is open to Africans who are under the age of 40 years and are preferably involved in social movements and have their origins in the communities of
struggles.

This award understands that nature should be the focus for solving the
polycrisis and to charting pathways toward a more resilient future.

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According to Jay Naidoo, a one time minister in President Mandela’s government who is a member of the advisory board of ORA-A, the fellowship will help unravel the meaning of life and the meaning of service in the midst of the complexities.

“The journey of life is a celebration of joy in service and gratitude to Mother Earth,” he said.

Dr. Firoze Manji, Publisher, Daraja Press and member of the advisory board, speaking on the fellowship stated that “We are faced today with the multiple crises created by destructive capitalism that threatens not only the planet’s survival but also encourage the degeneration of human
social relations into the realms of hate and terror. What is required
today are propositional politics that create today the elements of the
world we want to live in tomorrow, a world based on love, hope and
creativity. The Omega Resilience Awards -Africa is critical for
supporting such developments amongst militants connected with movements of the oppressed and exploited.”

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Also commenting, Nnimmo Bassey, Director of HOMEF, and member of the advisory board noted, “Conceptual climate change discourses in Africa
have been largely restricted to academic and social movements circles. The impact of climate change is a living reality for communities across
the continent where hazards and vulnerabilities often if collide to
produce disasters.”

He added that this is a critical reason why we need practicing visionaries in various fields to bring up clear interpretations of the polycrisis from a uniquely African perspective.

“We are excited at the launch of the ORA-Africa program,” said Mark
Valentine, Chief Strategy Officer for ORA.

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It is our belief that we’re
headed into a profound reckoning where society will be forced to
reorganize itself in response to the social and environmental pressures
of the polycrisis. For the ORA Fellows program, we are looking for
people drawn from diverse walks of life who understand that the old
approach to solving problems in silos is no longer viable and that
instead we need to apply a systems thinking lens but not through a way
that paralyzes people with complexities. We need people who can translate complexity into actionable steps that help communities slow and eventually reverse the damage being done by the polycrisis. We’re excited at the prospect of a new cohort of fellows from Africa working in concert with other cohorts being formed in Latin America and India who collectively will illuminate new pathways towards resilience.”

Applicants are expected to show a history of experience in activism,
innovative thinking and should also illustrate how active they are as
change-makers in their communities. In addition they should be ready to participate in regular seminars/webinars throughout the program. The ORA Africa fellowships will be awarded yearly with each fellow receiving a grant of $10,000.00 (Ten Thousand US Dollars only) in support of their
work.

HOMEF announces that interested applicants are to complete and submit an
online application form accessible at the organisation’s website,
www.homef.org

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For any clarifications, please feel free to contact
OduduAbasi Asuquo – ORA-A@homef.org
Ogechi Cookey – ogechi@homef.org

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Again, Russia Claims Another Village In Ukraine’s Region

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The Russian army Monday claimed to have captured another village in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, moving deeper into Ukrainian territory as peace efforts stall.

Russian forces are slowly but steadily gaining ground in costly battles for largely devastated areas in eastern and central Ukraine, normally with few inhabitants or intact buildings left.

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Russia’s defence ministry said its forces had seized the settlement of Zaporizke in the region, which Russian troops recently advanced into for the first time in the three-and-a-half-year offensive.

READ ALSO:Russia, Ukraine Exchange Prisoners Of War, Civilians

Kyiv denies that Russian troops have gained a foothold in the Dnipropetrovsk region, an important industrial hub.

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After another push by US President Donald Trump to broker a Ukraine-Russia summit, hopes for peace dimmed when Russia last week ruled out any immediate meeting between presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky.

The central region of Dnipropetrovsk has previously been largely spared from fighting that has ravaged swathes of eastern and southern Ukraine, until Russia said its forces broke through in July.

READ ALSO:Russian Politicians Mock European Leaders After White House, Ukraine Talks

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Dnipropetrovsk is not one of the five Ukrainian regions — Donetsk, Kherson, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia and Crimea — that Moscow has publicly claimed as Russian territory.

Ukraine said Russia had launched over 100 drones Monday, killing a 37-year old civilian driver and wounding two people in the northeastern Sumy region.

Moscow said Kyiv had launched about two dozen drones targeting western Russia

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US Comedian Reggie Carroll Shot Dead In Mississippi

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A United States comedian, Reginald “Reggie” Carroll, has been shot dead in Southaven, Mississippi.

The 52-year-old Carroll, widely known as the Knockout King of Comedy, was reportedly killed on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds.

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The Southaven Police Department confirmed the incident in a Facebook statement on Saturday.

“Southaven officers located one male victim suffering from gunshot wounds.

READ ALSO:US Defends New Social Media Vetting For Nigerian Visa Applicants

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The officers and medical personnel provided life saving techniques but the individual succumbed to his injuries,” the statement partly read.

The victim was later identified as Carroll, a Baltimore native.

Police said one suspect was arrested and charged with his murder.

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One male is in custody and has been charged with the murder of Reginald Carroll.

READ ALSO:Russia, Ukraine Exchange Prisoners Of War, Civilians

“Our thoughts are with the family of Mr. Carroll.

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“Thank you to the community for their patience and understanding,” the department added.

The police further assured that there was no ongoing threat to residents, describing the case as “an isolated shooting.”

Carroll, who built his career in stand-up comedy, gained national recognition touring with Katt Williams and headlining his own showcase, Knockout Kings of Comedy.

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READ ALSO:Leader Of UK Christian Group Convicted Of Sexually Abusing Women

He also featured in the 2000 edition of Showtime at the Apollo, appeared on the UPN sitcom The Parkers alongside Mo’Nique and Countess Vaughn, and starred in the 2022 television film Rent & Go.

In 2023, he produced the stand-up special Knockout Kings of Comedy.

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The Southaven Police Department disclosed that an investigation into his death is ongoing.

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US Defends New Social Media Vetting For Nigerian Visa Applicants

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The U.S. Mission in Nigeria on Monday reaffirmed that the safety and security of the United States remain the cornerstone of its visa application and decision-making process.

The US said this following its directive last week that mandates Nigerians to disclose all social media usernames and handles used over the past five years as part of the visa application process.

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US Mission said Nigerian visa applicants must provide a comprehensive list of their social media profiles on the DS-160 visa application form, and warned that omitting the information could lead to visa denials.

READ ALSO:US Ambassador To Paris Slams Macron Over Rising Antisemitism

Reacting to the development, the Federal Government said US citizens intending to visit Nigeria will be subjected to the same measures.

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“The best we can do is to carry out reciprocal action. Some people from the US might want to apply for a visa, and we will adopt the same measures,” spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said last Monday.

However, in a statement released Monday on X, the US Mission said prospective visa applicants undergo careful vetting to maintain a safe and welcoming environment in the US.

READ ALSO:US Suspends Work Visas For Nigerian, Foreign Truck Drivers

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It said, “The safety and security of the United States is at the heart of every #USVisa application and decision process.

“That’s why prospective applicants undergo careful screening to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all.”

The Mission added, “These measures help protect American citizens and communities while supporting secure and responsible travel.”

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