News recap

The outgoing week is leaving in its trail a mixed bag of news: some good stories to report and some others left more than a bitter taste in the mouth in their wake. Regardless, we have a summary of all the top news for you.

The Nigerian economy took a hard knock at the beginning of the week with the sad news that about 14 foreign airlines were closing shops due to forex hike. The Guardian reported that the foreign airline included Iberia, United Airlines and Air Gambia.

Besides forex hike, foreign airlines operating in the country are estimated to have lost about N64 billion in the wake of the new foreign exchange (forex) policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

As the airlines flew out of Nigeria, so were some Nigerians flying somewhere, albeit within the country.

Worshippers at the church

Thousands of Catholic parishioners and worshipers of other religious faith within and outside Makurdi, the Benue State capital have ‘flew’ into St. Augustine Catholic Parish, Nenger, to catch a glimpse of the Christ crucifix that got enveloped with Jesus Christ apparition.

One of the parishioners, Mr Emmanuel Kaashima, who spoke to The Guardian about his experience, said he was shocked when he saw the Christ apparition, as it was the first time such would happen in the church since it was established.

Militants

In Bayelsa, it was a tale of woe as three soldiers attached to Operation Delta Safe were killed allegedly by militants.

The killers were said to have also made away with military gunboats, rifles and other ammunition after they ambushed operatives of the ODS at a checkpoint.

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton

On their parts, both Republican Party’s nominee and Democratic Party’s standard bearer continued their verbal slugfest which, obviously, would not stop until November 8 when American presidential election would be held, possibly days and months afterwards.

But it was Republican Party’s Donald Trump who made great, great waves. Believe me. He  took his somewhat uncouth rhetoric to another level: he made a statement suggestive of violence against Democratic Party’s Hillary Clinton and also called President Barack Obama and Clinton the co-founders of ISIS.  

But Trump later denounced his own statement, claiming he was being sarcastic and he scapegoated CNN for reporting a statement he made and doubled down on. See his tweet below.

Ratings challenged @CNN reports so seriously that I call President Obama (and Clinton) “the founder” of ISIS, & MVP. THEY DON’T GET SARCASM?

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 12, 2016

Paul Pogba PHOTO:MANCHESTER UNITED

French footballer Paul Pogba also made waves during the week. For a reason more positive than Trump’s, arguably.

Pogba on Tuesday completed a sensational return to Manchester United from Juventus for a reported world record fee.United said Pogba had signed a five-year contract but did not give the cost which British media have put at 89 million pounds.

That move saw the 23-year-old eclipse the £85 million Real Madrid paid Tottenham Hotspur for Gareth Bale in 2013.

“This is the right club for me to achieve everything I hope to in the game,” said Pogba.

For investors on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, they will not be issued e-dividend warrants as from July 1, 2017. This, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), will compel retail investors to embrace the exercise and stem the rising unclaimed dividend in the capital market, which is currently put at N80 billion.

Aisha Buhari

Remember Mrs Aisha Buhari’s Hermes Birkin bag? IT also made the news. A lot of Nigerians were miffed by President Muhammadu Buhari’s wife propensity to display ostentatious fashion items. She is in the news for toting that Hermes Birkin bag worth $105,000, which is more than N40 million in our local currency during her trip to the United States.

And that got a lot of Nigerians miffed.

The news that there are downsides to juicing may not get you miffed. But it should make you conscious of the fact that not everything about juices is totally healthy.

Grapefruit juice

We were told during the week, in a story ominously titled “The dark side to juicing in people”   that dietitians and food experts are lining up to urge caution about juicing, which they say is faddy, ineffective and may even be causing long-term harm.Migraines have been linked with juicing when whole citrus fruits are often used in the blend.

A study found when orange juice is squeezed with the rind on, it releases synephrine, a vasoconstrictor, meaning it narrows the blood vessels.

Bitter leaf

While you grappling with that dark side of sweet drinks, you may be consoled by the bright side of a bitter leaf.

Researchers have found that combining extracts of bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina) and scent leaf/ sweet basil (Ocimum gratissimum) combat the adverse effects of diabetes on male fertility.

They concluded that the use of both bitter leaf and scent leaf work in synergy to produce endowed potentials which can be exploited in the development of anti-diabetic drugs that can be used as supplements.