It is believed Nigeria is currently facing a daunting socio-economic condition, one characterised by insurgency and economic recession. But experts believe these challenges may worsen, if urgent measures are not taken to address one of the offshoots of the unsavoury development: sleep deprivation. Researchers say that in the desperate bid to eke out a living, sleeping hours are fast reducing among ...

Nnimmo Bassey, Director of Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF, in his welcome words) at the Media Training on Biosafety (themed: “Promoting Biosafety in Nigeria”) held in Benin City, Edo State on Friday, March 24 2017, laments that the many myths around modern agricultural biotechnology are being peddled regularly by the industry promoting genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and their team ...

The Government of Honduras on Wednesday, March 22, 2017 deposited its instrument of accession, thereby becoming the 39th future Party to the Minamata Convention on Mercury. Just last month, Liechtenstein and Togo endorsed the global treaty. While the Government of Liechtenstein on February 1, 2017 deposited its instrument of accession, the Togolese Government two days later followed suit on February 3, ...

US president, Donald Trump, on Friday, March 24, 2017 approved a federal permit applied for by TransCanada to build the Keystone XL Pipeline. The decision comes after Trump signed an executive memorandum urging the State Department to approve the pipeline, which is proposed to run from Canada through Montana, South Dakota, and Nebraska. Environment watchdog group, 350.org, has however condemned ...

A leading oil spill expert, previously employed by Shell Nigeria, has alleged that Shell is trying to conceal data on the potential health effects of its oil spills on the Bodo community in the Niger Delta. Kay Holtzmann, who was previously employed by Shell to conduct the clean-up of the Bodo community in the Niger Delta, wrote a letter to ...

Climate change is an unprecedented and growing threat to peace, prosperity and development and addressing it presents an economic opportunity for governments and business, senior United Nations (UN) officials said on Thursday, March 23, 2017. “We are dealing with scientific facts, not politics. And the facts are clear. Climate change is a direct threat in itself, and a multiplier of ...

Speaking at the opening of the President of the General Assembly High-Level Event Climate Change and the Sustainable Development Agenda in New York on 23 March, UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa notes that the sustainable development and climate change agendas are inherently linked. “By looking at climate and sustainability holistically, we maximise the potential for positive outcomes of every action we take. ...

An inter-ministerial Dialogue has launched discussions on domestic climate finance needs for El Salvador’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), and it’s National Climate Change Plan. Both plans aim at decarbonising El Salvador’s energy supply by increasing the use of renewable energy, while improving energy efficiency, land management, urban planning and transportation. The dialogue took place recently as part of El Salvador’s ...

Biogaran, a French pharmaceutical company specialised in generic and biosimilar medicines, on Friday, March 24, 2017 announced the takeover of all the activities of Swipha, a Nigerian company that manufactures and distributes pharmaceutical products. The firm sees the development as an important step forward in its internationalisation, as well as the development of new markets. The Biogaran portfolio is said ...

Agreement announced on World Tuberculosis Day revitalises efforts to develop sutezolid as effective response to infectious disease killer On Friday, March 24 2017, the World Tuberculosis Day, TB Alliance and the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) announced a licensing agreement for the clinical development of sutezolid, an antibiotic drug candidate which demonstrated encouraging results in early studies. The sublicense pertains to ...