the voice

A university student has been ordered to write an essay on the dangers of drugs after being convicted of planning to sell cannabis cakes. Police arrested Chikwanda Chisendele, a first-year civil engineering student at the Copperbelt University, on Monday. The 21-year-old was caught with cannabis-laced cakes weighing more than 1kg (2.2lb), police said. As part of his punishment, a judge sentenced him to write a 50-page essay on drug use. In court, he was told to write letters of apology to his university, parents and to Zambia's Drug Enforcement Commission (DEF) before 15 November. The judge also gave Chisembele a two-year suspended jail term, meaning that he will not spend any time in jail unless he commits another offence. The DEF said it has "intensified efforts to nab individuals" baking cakes containing cannabis. In a warning to universities, the agency urged them to "be alert in view of the trend of cakes and scones laced with cannabis being tra...

California becomes first state in US requiring public universities to offer abortion pill on campus!!!! Gov.  Gavin Newsom  (D) signed a bill into law on Friday that makes California the first state in the U.S. to require public universities to offer medication abortion at on-campus student health centers. The state assembly  voted in September to pass  Senate Bill 24  in a 55-19 vote, several months after the state Senate first voted to approve the measure in May. The new law requires that “each student health care services clinic on a California State University or University of California campus to offer abortion by medication techniques.” The 34 University of California and California State University schools have until January 2023 to comply. In a medical abortion, which is nonsurgical and noninvasive, women within the first 10 weeks of their pregnancy can take two prescription pills to induce a miscarriage. It is diff...

The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Nigeria, on Tuesday reminded Nigerians that it was no longer in the business of issuing them visas. The Embassy’s Charge d’ Affaires, Mr Michel Deleen, told newsmen in Lagos that the Embassy had since 2013 swapped its visa issuance processes in Nigeria. Deleen said that the Embassy had since 2013 swapped its visas issuance to Nigerians with the French Consulate General in Lagos and the Embassy of Belgium in Abuja. “Let me remind Nigerians that since 2013, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Nigeria had signed agreements with the French Consulate-General in Lagos and the Embassy of Belgium in Abuja. “What this means is that we have swapped our visa application processes in Nigeria with the French Consulate-General in Lagos and the Embassy of Belgium in Abuja. “Let me remind Nigerians that under these agreements, any Nigerian that wants to visit the Netherlands for business, study or tourism ...

INEC says it will enter into strategic partnership with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) to ensure an effective distribution of materials and personnel ahead of the 2019 elections. Prof Godswill Obioma, INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Ebonyi, said this at a meeting attended by representatives of the 29 branches of the NURTW and INEC officials on Saturday in Abakaliki. Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Obioma commended the union for the previous partnership with the commission in the area of transport arrangements. The REC said that transportation was a critical component of election involving timely movement of INEC personnel and electoral materials. According to him, elections are held between 8a.m. and 4p. m. “It becomes pertinent that adequate transportation arrangements are made to ensure that INEC officials and materials are moved to designated election centres on time.” He sai...

Tanzania arrests witchdoctors over attacks on albinos At least 200 people detained during special operation linked to wave of attacks and murders of albinos. At least 76 albinos have been murdered in Tanzania since 2000 [File:AP] At least 200 people have been arrested in Tanzania as part of a nationwide crackdown on witchdoctors linked to a wave of albino attacks and murders, police have said. Police said on Thursday that they had arrested 225 unlicensed traditional healers and soothsayers during a special operation carried out in several parts of the east African country and due to be extended to all 30 regions. "Some of those arrested were found in possession of items like lizard skin, warthog teeth, ostrich eggs, monkey tails, bird claws, mule tails and lion skin," police spokesperson Advera Bulimba said in a statement. Bulimba said the police campaign would target the entire network of gangsters, traders and witchdoctors, adding that 97 o...

Liberian women hit back against Ebola stigma Shoana Solomon, fed up of discrimination, tells the voice the story behind their viral social media campaign. Shoana Solomon's video has been viewed tens of thousands of times online [credit: Shoana Cachelle] Ebola has killed more than  2,700 people in Liberia, making it the hardest hit of the the three West Africa countries most severely affected by the worst ever outbreak of the unrelenting virus. Many Liberians have fled the country and some Liberian immigrants , especially those living in the United States, have become victims of what...

        KILLING OF BACTERIA FOR A STERILE ENVIRONMENT IN OUR HOMES  In a bid to increase their sales, some manufacturers of detergents and antiseptics are conducting a vicious campaign misinforming the public that it is good to create a sterile environment on our bodies and in our homes because there are germs everywhere and they are all harmful. We are being persuaded to use antiseptic soaps and solutions in our bath water and on all surfaces and clothes that we clean. The companies inveigle the medical and nursing fellows to lend the credibility of their professions by uploading the lies contained in these advertisements. Member of these groups should realize that they are violating the ethics of their profession by contributing to shamefully misleading the public on the very issues they have the duty to educate us on. Living organisms are indeed everywhere. Human beings think they are basically a sterile being, and regard the billions an...