Author: THE CONNECTING NEWSPAPER

By Dr. Agbu Kefas, Governor of Taraba State, Nigeria As we celebrate International Youth Day and embrace the African Union’s declaration of 2024 as the Year of Education, I wanted to recognise the extraordinary potential of Africa’s youth. Equipping young people with the capacity to harness technology presents an inspiring and long-term solution to our most pressing challenges in the global south. We as political leaders, must ensure that our young generations have the tools they need to thrive. As Governor of Taraba, a state in the northeast of Nigeria, I am aware of the challenges that our continent is…

Read More

Here is a list of over 20 athletes of Nigerian descent who participated in the recently concluded 2024 Olympics for other countries.Following the conclusion of the 2024 Olympics in Paris questions as to how many athletes of Nigerian descent had actively participated in the event have been raised with others also wanting to know which of these athletes had gone home with medals.Which Nigerian athlete won a medal at the Olympics 2024?No Nigerian representing the country won a medal at the 2024 Olympics but Athletes of Nigerian descent picked up numerous gold, silver and bronze medals.Here is a table with…

Read More

Hellams was selected in the seventh round of last year’s draft after pick No. 224 was included in the Bryan Edwards trade. He logged a special teams role right away during his rookie campaign, but as the season progressed, he also took on defensive responsibilities. The 24-year-old ultimately made four starts late in the year, surpassing former second-rounder Richie Grant on the depth chart. In all, Hellams totaled 40 tackles and did not allow a touchdown in coverage last season. That level of play — coupled with his third-phase role — had him in line to compete for a full-time…

Read More

When on July 29, the Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education announced the results of the tawjihi high school general matriculation exam, Sara wept. The 18-year-old saw on social media the joyous celebrations of other students in the occupied West Bank who were revelling in their achievements. “I was supposed to be happy at this time, celebrating the completion of my high school,” she told me with tearful eyes when I visited her in her family tent in Gaza. “I dreamed of being among the top students and having interviews to celebrate my success.” Sara was studying at Zahrat…

Read More

A 46-year-old woman was approached by two strangers and raped at knifepoint Sunday night in Brooklyn, near the Coney Island boardwalk, according to police. Two men have since been arrested and face assault charges in the 9 p.m. attack against the woman, the NYPD confirmed on Monday. Police responded to a reported assault in the area of Surf Avenue and West 16 Street, where they learned the victim had been confronted by two men, who allegedly forced her to the ground by holding a knife to her throat. One of the men raped the woman, police said, while the second…

Read More

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) engaged Member States and diverse group of maritime sector stakeholders to assess the financial, economic, and implementation options of the Praia-Dakar maritime transport project. This consultation is a key milestone towards the completion of the technical studies for the project which is aimed at advancing the larger Praia-Dakar-Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Transport Project, which strives to improve regional connectivity and promote economic integration within West Africa. The engagement meeting, which took place in Praia, brought together experts and stakeholders who considered alternatives for the establishment of maritime services, either as a Container liner or…

Read More

L-Tido Calls For An End To The “South Africans Are Xenophobic” Narrative. L-Tido has taken to social media to challenge the pervasive narrative that paints South Africans as inherently xenophobic. L-Tido Calls For An End To The “South Africans Are Xenophobic” Narrative In a candid post, the artist urged people to reconsider this stereotype, emphasizing the country’s diverse and inclusive nature. “Stop with the ‘South Africans are xenophobic’ narrative,” L-Tido wrote. “We have so many brothers and sisters from all across the continent that make a living here. This is a rainbow nation, so we automatically thrive on diversity.” Stop…

Read More

Some have openly wondered throughout the summer if Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones could view quarterback Trey Lance as a future replacement for starter Dak Prescott as Prescott remains on track to reach free agency after the 2024 season.According to Todd Archer of ESPN, Lance is still beneath career backup Cooper Rush on the Dallas depth chart.”Rush is still in the lead to be Prescott’s backup,” Archer wrote on Sunday night, “but Lance is guaranteed $5.3 million this season in the final year of his rookie contract.” Lance hasn’t played in a meaningful game since he suffered…

Read More

International humanitarian law violations should not be normalised, ICRC warns, noting 120 global conflicts as it marks Geneva Conventions’ 75th anniversary.The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has called on the world to respect the Geneva Conventions as the international treaties setting out the rules of war mark their 75th anniversary. The rule book for the conduct of war is under strain and often disregarded, ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric said on Monday. Conduct in conflicts such as in Gaza, Ukraine, Syria and Myanmar illustrate that the conventions are being largely ignored and a new commitment to international humanitarian law…

Read More

Embracing imperfection As the saying goes, good things take time, and building a lifelong bond with a new furry friend is no different.  Pet parents are often consumed with the initial excitement of bringing a new pet home, but that excitement can fade as a pet experiences the normal challenges of adjusting to a new environment, sometimes leading adopters to return pets to the shelter.However, the Hill’s Pet Nutrition 2024 State of Shelter Pet Adoption Report showed that 2 out of 3 people who did surrender a pet said intervention, like shelter support or pet food pantries, could have prevented…

Read More