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Mass protests across the US on May day, over workers’ and Immigrants’ rights

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Mass protests across the US on May day

Protesters rallied nationwide on Thursday, May 1, with a focus on workers’ and immigrants’ rights.

This is in the latest round of demonstrations against Donald Trump and his administration.

May Day, commemorated as international workers’ day, came after two massive days of protests on April 5 and 19, drew millions to the streets across the country.

April 5 protest was reportedly tagged ‘April’s hands off rallies’ while that of April 19 was tagged ‘April’s day of action’.

The May 1 protests are supported by hundreds of organizations and set to take place in nearly 1,000 cities, organizers said.

Turnout will probably be lower than the previous two April protests because 1 May is a weekday, but tens of thousands were expected to turn out.

“This is a war on working people, and we will not stand down,” a website for the national day of action says.

“They’re defunding our schools, privatizing public services, attacking unions, and targeting immigrant families with fear and violence.

“Working people built this nation and we know how to take care of each other.

“We won’t back down, we will never stop fighting for our families and the rights and freedoms that propel opportunity and a better life for all Americans.

“Their time is up.”

A map of May Day protests shows several major metro areas have more than one rally planned.

A coalition of groups in Los Angeles started the day with an early morning rally, then a program and march to show solidarity with the city’s workers and immigrants.

In New York, protests are planned throughout the day.

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In New York, Betsy Waters held a sign saying “due process for all”.

The 67-year-old retiree who volunteers full-time said she had come to several marches. “I feel that we have to be out here.

We have to be out here making a stand as much as we can,” Waters said.

“So I am out here making a stand, saying that what is happening in our country is just not right.”

Lydia Howrilka, a 25-year-old librarian from Queens, was holding a “only you can stop fascism” sign.

“I am standing in solidarity with my immigrant brothers and sisters in New York.

“I am standing in defense of democracy,” Howrilka said.

As Trump surpassed 100 days in office, a period filled with slashing and burning of the federal government and democratic norms, a resistance has taken shape, growing in size since February.

People have started to organize in larger numbers to pressure Democrats to stand up more strongly to Trump.

Trump’s approval ratings have fallen from positive to negative, with more people disapproving of him than approving.

The focus on workers and immigrants comes as Trump has fired a host of federal workers and as his administration has ramped up deportations.

The deportations included people who the courts have said were not supposed to be deported.

“Everyone deserves respect and dignity, no matter who they are, where they were born, or what language they speak,” the May Day protest website says.

“Immigrants are workers, and workers are immigrants.

“Our fight for fair wages, safe workplaces, and dignity on the job is the same fight for immigrant justice.”

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Organizers behind the May Day protest in Washington DC said they expect to see up to 3,000 people join the rally in the nation’s capital to demand safety on the job, legal protections and an end to unjust deportations.

“We’re seeing people abducted off the streets every day in some of the most violent and cruel ways.

“We’re seeing people like Kilmar Ábrego García, and he’s only one story.

His story is not unusual,” said Cathryn Jackson, public policy director at Casa.

Casa is a group that provides critical services to immigrant and working-class families.

Ábrego García’s wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, is expected to speak at the rally as she continues to fight for her husband.

Her fight according to media reports, is to get her husband released from the  supposedly notorious Cecot maximum-security prison in El Salvador and to be returned to the US.

“Hundreds and hundreds of people are being deported to some of the worst prisons across the country with no due process,” Jackson said.

“This rally today is about solidarity.

“It’s about saying no matter what the Trump administration tries to do, we are determined to fight back.”

Also among the speakers scheduled to address the Washington rally is María del Carmen Castellón, whose husband, Miguel Luna, died in the Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore last year.

The story of Luna and the five other construction workers who died during the tragedy is “symbolic”, Jackson said.

The six men were all construction workers originally from Latin American countries.

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“This is the story of men working in the middle of the night while all of us were sleeping, getting the roads together, doing the work that many people don’t want to do,” Jackson continued.

“We are literally physically building this country, and then being treated the way we are in return.”

The representative Delia Ramirez, a Democrat representing Illinois, addressed the crowd in Franklin Park as the “proud daughter of Guatemalan immigrants”.

“Today on International Workers’ Day, we are united,” Ramirez said.

“We’re united because we understand that this president wants to silence us.

“He wants to divide us, pit us against each other.

“But we are not going to be silenced.”

The Trump administration knows that “the only thing that will stop fascism is mobilization”, she continued, acknowledging that there will be “really hard days” ahead.

“But as long as you keep organizing, I can amplify that voice and continue to stand up to fascism.”

Jorge Mújica, said on a televised program that “the Trump administration miscalculated completely” by targeting so many constituencies in its first 100 days.

Mújica is the strategic organizer for Arise Chicago and an organizer of the city’s May Day protest,

“They are attacking everybody at the same time, and that [has] enabled us to gather a really broad coalition with labor unions, with federal workers, with students, with teachers at universities, and every other community and put together this event on May Day”, Mújica said.

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Tinubu Secures Fresh $238m Loan from Japan

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Nigeria has secured a $238 million loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to support the expansion and modernization of the national power grid.

The deal, confirmed during engagements at the ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in Yokohama, Japan, reflects a strategic shift towards implementation-driven energy development.

President Bola Tinubu highlighted that Nigeria’s participation at TICAD9 focused on concrete, outcome-oriented partnerships rather than ceremonial diplomacy.

“We are moving from planning to implementation, from agreements to delivery, and from promises to measurable results,” he said.

Details of the JICA Loan Project

The $238 million loan, supported by a Federal Executive Council counterpart funding of ₦19,083,192,805.30, will finance significant upgrades to Nigeria’s transmission infrastructure.

Key components of the project include:

Construction of 102.95 km of new 330kV double-circuit lines

Construction of 104.59 km of 132kV double-circuit lines

Development of four 330/132/33kV substations and two 132/33kV substations

Multiple line bay extensions to improve efficiency and reduce system losses

According to Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, the partnership with Japanese companies such as Toshiba, Hitachi, and Japan’s Transmission & Distribution Corporation is essential for unlocking Nigeria’s energy potential.

“Our focus is on transmission infrastructure, operational efficiency, and strategies to reduce system losses.

This $238 million loan from JICA provides the backbone for that transformation,” Adelabu explained.

Adelabu acknowledged Japan’s consistent support for Nigeria’s power sector, highlighting contributions in infrastructure, technical studies, training, and financing.

He emphasized that JICA’s backing is critical to expanding access to reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity across the country.

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The project aims to strengthen Nigeria’s power transmission network, improve system reliability, and enhance overall efficiency, ultimately supporting industrial growth and meeting rising electricity demand nationwide.

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News

‘Gate of Hell’ Will Open on Gaza’– Israeli Defence Issues Finally Warning to Hamas

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Hamas militants kill Israeli male hostage, injured two female hostages in Gaza

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has issued a fierce warning to Hamas, declaring that Gaza City will face complete destruction if the militant group refuses to accept Israel’s conditions for ending the war.

Katz, in a statement shared on social media on Friday, August 22, 2025, used sharp words to describe Israel’s next steps.

He said the “gates of hell” would open on Hamas if it failed to disarm and release all hostages.

“Soon, the gates of hell will open upon the heads of Hamas’s murderers and rapists in Gaza until they agree to Israel’s conditions,” Katz wrote.

He added that if Hamas refused, Gaza City would suffer the same fate as Rafah and Beit Hanoun, two cities previously flattened by Israeli offensives.

His comments mark one of Israel’s strongest warnings since the escalation of the conflict.

The minister’s remarks came only hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that negotiations had been ordered to free the hostages held in Gaza.

Netanyahu explained in a video address that Israel’s military operation in Gaza City would not stop during talks. “Defeating Hamas and releasing our hostages go hand in hand,” he said.

The prime minister also confirmed the mobilisation of 60,000 reservists to join the offensive.

Meanwhile, mediators have been waiting for Israel’s response to a ceasefire plan that Hamas accepted earlier in the week.

The proposal suggests a phased release of hostages, but Israel insists that only a deal ensuring the release of all captives at once will be accepted.

Israel’s hardened stance has sparked growing concern worldwide.

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International leaders have cautioned that an expanded assault on Gaza City could worsen the humanitarian disaster already unfolding in the region.

Gaza’s health ministry says more than 62,000 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed since Israel’s military campaign began.

The United Nations considers these figures credible.

The war was triggered by Hamas’s October 2023 attack, which left 1,219 people dead in Israel, mostly civilians.

Since then, the conflict has intensified, with both sides showing little sign of compromise.

With Katz’s threat to turn Gaza City into rubble if demands are not met, the conflict appears to be entering an even deadlier stage.

The international community continues to press for a ceasefire, but Israel’s leadership insists that victory over Hamas and the release of all hostages remain its top priorities.

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Health

NAFDAC Raises Alarm as Fake Cowbell Milk Floods Nigerian Markets

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The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raised alarm over the circulation of fake Cowbell “Our Milk” 12g sachets in Nigeria.

In a statement issued on Friday, August 22, 2025, the agency explained that the counterfeit milk is packaged to look like the discontinued Cowbell “Our Milk,” but it is unauthorised and unsafe for consumption.

Fake cowbell milk.

NAFDAC clarified that Promasidor Nigeria Ltd, the authentic manufacturer, stopped producing Cowbell “Our Milk” in September 2023.

The product was replaced with Cowbell “Our Creamy Goodness.” Despite this, fake versions of the old product have found their way into Nigerian markets.

Picture of Fake cowbell milk.

Picture of Fake cowbell milk.

The counterfeit sachets bear the brand name, NAFDAC registration number, and familiar packaging design, making them difficult for unsuspecting buyers to identify as fake.

Health Dangers of Fake Cowbell Milk

NAFDAC warned that the consumption of these counterfeit products poses serious health risks.

Fake milk could contain toxic chemicals, harmful additives, or diluted ingredients that endanger human health.

Infants, children, pregnant women, and the elderly are the most vulnerable. Possible dangers include:

  • Foodborne illnesses
  • Allergic reactions
  • Organ damage
  • Long-term health complications
  • In extreme cases, death

Counterfeit Product Details

  1. Product Name: Cowbell “Our Milk” 12g sachet
  2. Purported Manufacturer: Promasidor Nigeria Ltd
  3. Production Date: 04/2025
  4. Expiry Date: 12/2028

Picture of original cowbell milk.

NAFDAC Issues Strong Warning

The agency urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and avoid purchasing the counterfeit milk.

Healthcare professionals, distributors, and consumers have been advised to report suspicious sales of substandard or fake products immediately.

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Reports can be made through:

The nearest NAFDAC office

Toll-free line: 0800-162-3322

Email: sf.alert@nafdac.gov.ng

NAFDAC also called on traders and retailers to stop selling the fake sachets.

The agency assured the public that strict enforcement measures are being taken to remove the counterfeit products from circulation.

This is not the first time Nigerians have faced risks from fake food and beverages.

Experts warn that counterfeit consumables are becoming more sophisticated, often making them difficult to spot.

Consumers are advised to always check product details, expiry dates, and packaging changes announced by manufacturers.

By highlighting the dangers and raising awareness, NAFDAC says it hopes to protect Nigerians from avoidable health crises linked to fake milk products

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Africa

‘Misplaced Priority’: Peter Obi Blasts FG’s ₦142bn Bus Terminal Project

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Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has slammed the Federal Government’s approval of ₦142 billion for the construction of bus terminals across Nigeria, describing it as a reckless misplacement of priorities.

Obi issued a statement on Friday, August 22, via his Official X formerly Twitter platform, warning that the project reflects poor leadership and lack of focus in managing Nigeria’s limited resources. He titled his statement, “₦142 Billion for Bus Terminals.”

According to him, the true test of leadership is how scarce resources are prioritized.

He stressed that investing such a huge amount in bus terminals while critical sectors like healthcare suffer shows a government that is out of touch with citizens’ realities.

Obi said: “The difference between success and failure in any nation is how leaders prioritise resources.

The decision to spend ₦142 billion on six bus terminals exposes a lack of competence and vision. It is a clear sign of poor leadership.”

The Federal Executive Council had recently approved the funds for the construction of one modern bus terminal in each of the six geopolitical zones.

The government described it as part of efforts to modernise transport infrastructure and improve mobility nationwide.

But Obi strongly disagreed. He compared the allocation to healthcare funding, pointing out that the combined budget for all teaching hospitals and federal psychiatric centres in Nigeria is less than ₦100 billion in the 2024 budget.

“This is disturbing,” Obi continued, “because health remains one of the most critical sectors of development. Yet it is underfunded and deteriorating rapidly.

The World Health Organization has reported that over 20 million Nigerians live with mental health conditions.

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This is a tragic irony. How can the government ignore this crisis and focus on bus terminals?”

He argued that the health sector, alongside education and poverty reduction programs, deserves priority attention.

Obi insisted that until government spending reflects the real needs of Nigerians, the country will remain trapped in poor governance.

Many Nigerians have also taken to social media to express anger, echoing Obi’s concerns. Critics argue that the decision proves the Federal Government is disconnected from the economic struggles of ordinary citizens.

For Obi, the ₦142 billion project is not just a case of wrong timing.

He sees it as a clear example of governance failure and misplaced priorities.

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Why I’ll never encourage my son to visit Nigeria — Taribo West

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Taribo West

Former Super Eagles defender, Taribo West, has strongly criticized the treatment of Nigerian football legends, vowing never to encourage his son to set foot in Nigeria due to the neglect shown to the country’s sports heroes after their deaths.

Speaking passionately during the burial ceremony of late goalkeeper Peter Rufai, in a video shared by News Central on Friday, the former Inter Milan star expressed his deep disappointment with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Lagos State Government for allegedly abandoning Rufai’s family during their time of need.

“It’s disheartening that you have Lagos State, you have the Nigerian Football Association, and yet they drop the entire burden on the family,”West lamented.

He revealed how deeply Rufai’s passing affected him, saying: “My mother passed on, I never shed tears. My father passed on in my hands, I never shed tears. But when Rufai passed on, I had goose pimples all over my body. Tears were rolling down my cheeks. What kind of nation is this?”

West didn’t hold back in recalling similar neglect faced by other late football icons like Stephen Keshi, Rashidi Yekini, and Thompson Oliha.

He condemned the consistent abandonment of ex-players who had sacrificed so much for the country, stating that such treatment discourages him from allowing his children to represent Nigeria in football.

“With this kind of example, I will never advise even my son to put his feet for this country. Send me out! Do we have a Football Federation or a Football Association in this Lagos State? That this hero, this soldier, this football evangelist, has to be treated this way in his family”, he said.

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The former defender also highlighted the financial struggles faced by Rufai’s family, revealing that they had to solicit funds from friends and well-wishers just to cover burial costs.

“Could you imagine that the family would be crying just to solicit within our groups to ask for money? That is madness”, he exclaimed, visibly frustrated.

Peter Rufai, fondly known as “Dodo Mayana,”was Nigeria’s first-choice goalkeeper during the nation’s victorious 1994 Africa Cup of Nations campaign and its debut at the FIFA World Cup the same year.

He passed away in July 2025, leaving behind a legacy that has reignited conversations about the lack of support and respect for retired athletes in Nigeria.

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Why I’ll never encourage my son to visit Nigeria — Taribo West

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