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Biden, Trump in last-minute campaign round swing states

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A record 90 million Americans have voted early in the 2020 US presidential election, the latest statistics have shown, as President Donald Trump of Republican Party and his Democratic rival Joe Biden campaign across the country to sway the few remaining undecided voters.

The high number of early voters, about 65 per cent of the total turnout in 2016, is a reflection of the intense interest in the contest, with two days left for the campaign.

Biden was in Michigan and Trump in Pennsylvania, states that could be key to winning the White House in Tuesday final poll.

Mr Biden, joined by ex-President Barack Obama, said the US was “done with the chaos” of the Trump administration.

But Trump said there would be a “great red wave” of Republican victories.

Biden has a solid lead in the polls, but his advantage is narrower in swing states that could decide the election.

About 55 million of those that have voted did so by post, setting the country on course for its biggest voter turnout in over a century.

Concerns about exposure to the coronavirus at busy Election Day voting places on Tuesday have also pushed up the numbers of people voting by mail or at early in-person polling sites.

Mr Biden and Mr Obama campaigned at a drive-in event in Flint, Michigan, before heading to Detroit where they were joined by singer Stevie Wonder. Mr Trump narrowly won Michigan in 2016.

At the event, Stevie Wonder changed the lyrics to his song Superstition to praise Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris.

In his first appearance on the campaign trail with his former vice-president, Mr Obama compared Mr Biden’s character favourably with Mr Trump’s.

“It used to be that being a man meant taking care of other people… not looking for credit but trying to live right,” he said.

“When you elect Joe, that’s what you’ll see reflected from the White House.”

Taking the stage, Mr Biden tore into his opponent, saying it was time for him to “pack his bags and go home”.

“We’re done with the chaos, the tweets, the anger, the failure, the refusal to take any responsibility,” he added.

Mr Biden’s campaign events have generally been small, as the candidate keeps rigorously to social distancing rules.

Not so for Mr Trump, who held a series of four rallies in Pennsylvania on Saturday.

At the first, in Newtown, he appeared on stage serenaded by chants of “Four more years!” and told the state where the US independence movement began centuries ago that “three days from now this is the state that will save the American dream”.

He also joked about his recent brush with coronavirus, which also infected First Lady Melania Trump.

“At least those rumours that we don’t live together proved to be false,” he said.

After a rally of several hundred people – relatively small for him – the president flew to Reading, where thousands greeted him on the tarmac.

Mr Trump is planning another 10 rallies over the final two days of the campaign.

His campaign has five events in Michigan, Iowa, North Carolina, Georgia and Florida on Sunday, and then five more on election eve in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan.

Opinion polls show Trump trailing former Vice President Biden nationally, but with a closer contest in the most competitive States that will decide the election. Voters say the coronavirus is their top concern.

Trump has repeatedly claimed without evidence that mail-in ballots are susceptible to fraud and has more recently argued that only the results available on election night should count. In a flurry of legal motions, his campaign has sought to restrict absentee balloting.

“I don’t care how hard Donald Trump tries. There’s nothing — let me say that again — there’s nothing that he can do to stop the people of this nation from voting in overwhelming numbers and taking back this democracy,” Biden said at a rally in Flint, Michigan.

At a small, in-person rally in Newtown, Pennsylvania, Trump mocked his opponent for his criticism of the administration’s record of fighting COVID-19, which has killed more people in the United States than in any other country.

“I watched Joe Biden speak yesterday. All he talks about is COVID, COVID. He’s got nothing else to say. COVID, COVID,” Trump told the crowd, some of whom did not wear masks.

He said the United States was “just weeks away” from mass distribution of a safe vaccine against COVID-19, which is pushing hospitals to capacity and killing up to 1,000 people in the United States each day. Trump gave no details to back up his remarks about an imminent vaccine.

Sources: BBC News, thehindubusinessline.com

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Nigeria seeks fresh $300m W’Bank loan for health security

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Nigeria seeks fresh $300m W’Bank loan for health security

The Federal Government has engaged the World Bank for a new $300 million loan aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s health security infrastructure.

According to World Bank documents, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) will implement the project, with the Federal Ministry of Finance acting as the borrower.

The initiative aims to enhance Nigeria’s capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to health emergencies.

The project is currently in the pipeline stage, with a disclosure date set for February 6, 2025.

The World Bank Board is expected to approve it on July 30, 2025, after necessary appraisals and assessments. Implementation will commence in the 2026 fiscal year.

The Nigeria Health Security Programme (HeSP) will focus on expanding molecular laboratory capacity, upgrading primary healthcare centres, establishing emergency operation centres and deploying mobile laboratories.

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Others are constructing warehouses for medical supplies, installing water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities and integrating solar energy systems to power health infrastructure.

The initiative is part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s public health infrastructure, following lessons from past outbreaks, including COVID-19.

This latest loan request comes as Nigeria continues to rely heavily on external financing. Under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, the Federal Government has secured $6.95 billion in World Bank loans over the past 18 months.

Data from the Debt Management Office shows that Nigeria owes the World Bank $17.32 billion, with the International Development Association (IDA) accounting for $16.84 billion.

In the first nine months of 2024, Nigeria spent $3.58 billion servicing its foreign debt, a 39.77% increase from $2.56 billion during the same period in 2023.

Nigeria seeks fresh $300m W’Bank loan for health security

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CBN to sanction banks limiting ATM withdrawal below N20,000

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CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso

CBN to sanction banks limiting ATM withdrawal below N20,000

The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has threatened to sanction banks that limit Automated Teller Machines (ATM) withdrawal to less than N20,000 per transaction.

The apex bank disclosed this in a document addressing concerns over the reviewed fees on ATM withdrawal.

Recall that CBN on Tuesday increased ATM transaction withdrawal fees, saying, from March 1st, bank customers will pay N100 charge for every N20,000 withdrawal from the on-site  ATM of other  banks.

The CBN in a circular to banks and other financial institutions, the CBN said,  “ATM Transaction Fees On-Us for customers withdrawing at the ATM of the customer’s financial institution in Nigeria with No charge.

“Not-On-Us for withdrawal from another institution’s ATM in Nigeria; On-site ATMs will attract a charge of N100 per N20,000 withdrawal.

“Off-site ATMs will attract  a charge of N100 plus a surcharge of not more than N500 per N20,000 withdrawal.

“The surcharge, which is an income of the ATM deployer/acquirer, shall be disclosed at the point of withdrawal to the consumer.

“International Withdrawals (per transaction) whether debit/credit card: Cost Recovery – exact charge by international acquirer.

“Furthermore, the three free monthly withdrawals allowed for Remote-On-Us (other bank’s customers/Not-On-Us consumers) in Nigeria under Section 10.6.2 of the Guide shall no longer apply.”

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However, following widespread concerns over the limit on ATM cash withdrawal by banks, the apex and yesterday released a list Frequently Asked Question, FAQ, to clarify implementation of the new charge.

CBN to sanction banks limiting ATM withdrawal below N20,000

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Google CEO meets Tinubu over AI skills expansion in Nigeria

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Google CEO meets Tinubu over AI skills expansion in Nigeria

The CEO of Google, Sundar Pichai on Wednesday met with Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu in Paris, where both leaders discussed a partnership to expand Artificial Intelligence (AI) skills in Nigeria.

Pichai first shared a picture of the meeting with Tinubu on X, noting that the discussions centered on the immense potential of AI in Nigeria.

“It was great meeting with President Tinubu @officialABAT. 

“We talked about the immense potential of AI in Nigeria, and how we can partner to expand AI skills, enable innovation, and support Nigeria’s growing tech ecosystem,” Pichai posted.  

Commitment to AI in Nigeria 

Responding to the post, the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, who was also at the meeting, described the discussions as “extremely productive”.

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According to him, the meeting demonstrated the Nigerian government’s commitment to AI and Google’s ongoing support towards developing AI skills and innovation in critical sectors in Nigeria.

Last year, Google announced two separate AI initiatives in Nigeria in partnership with the Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, both aimed at empowering Nigerians with AI skills.

In the first initiative, the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR),  a N100 million AI Fund backed by Google to support Nigerian startups that are leveraging AI to develop innovative solutions.

The second initiative was a N2.8 billion support from Google to accelerate AI talent development across Nigeria.

According to the Ministry, the support, which was provided as a grant from Google.org to Data Science Nigeria, would bolster its ongoing AI-driven initiatives to upskill youth and under- and unemployed Nigerians, with a focus on AI skill development and education.

Google CEO meets Tinubu over AI skills expansion in Nigeria

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