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Tunisia’s powerful UGTT workers union holds nationwide strike

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Tunisia’s biggest labour union is staging a nationwide strike to protest against the government’s refusal to raise the salaries of 670,000 public servants.

Rail, bus and air traffic stopped while schools, ports, hospitals, government offices and state media were affected on Thursday following the strike by the powerful Tunisia General Labour Union (UGTT).

Tunisia is under pressure from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to freeze public sector wages as part of reforms to help reduce the country’s budget deficit.

International lenders have threatened to stop financing the economy, which has been in crisis since the toppling of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in 2011.

Prime Minister Youssef Chahed said the state will provide minimum services in vital sectors, including aviation, ports, buses and trains.

Tunisia’s state-owned airline, Tunis air, said it expected major disruptions to its flight schedule and urged customers to change bookings, adding that at least 16 flights could be postponed.

Chahed said the strike will be “very expensive” but the government could not raise wages disproportionately to the state’s ability to afford it.

Sami Tahri, deputy secretary-general of the UGTT, said the government is under the dictates of the IMF and has chosen the difficult solution of confrontation with public servants.

Government and union sources told Reuters news agency that the government had proposed spending about $400m on pay rises while the UGTT asked for about $850m.

Tunisia struck a deal with the IMF in December 2016 for a loan programme worth around $2.8bn to overhaul its ailing economy with steps to cut chronic deficits and trim bloated public services, but the progress has been slow.

Tunisia’s economy has been in crisis since Ben Ali’s toppling, throwing the country into turmoil, with unemployment and inflation shooting up.

The government aims to cut the public sector wage bill to 12.5 percent of gross domestic product in 2020 from the current 15.5 percent, one of the world’s highest levels, according to the IMF.

source- AlJazeera

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Foreign News

NiDCOM BOSS HAILS DR. ELENITOBA-JOHNSON ON HIS INDUCTION INTO THE US ACADEMY

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NiDCOM BOSS HAILS DR. ELENITOBA-JOHNSON ON HIS INDUCTION INTO THE US ACADEMY

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H
Hon. Abike Dabiri- Erewa, Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has congratulated Dr. Kojo Elenitoba-Johnson on his induction into the US National Academy of Medicine (NAM), describing it as “an honour well- deserved”.

In a statement by Abdur- Rahman Balogun, Director of Media,Public Relations and Protocols, stated that Dr. Elenitoba- Johnson has yet achieved another ground breaking milestone in the Medical world globally.

Dabiri-Erewa described the honour as a demonstration of his outstanding professional achievement and unwavering commitment to service in the medical field.

She applauded his constant research and studies on ways of ameliorating the needs of his patients which has earned him this great honour, the highest honour in the field of health and medicine.

The NiDCOM boss urged Elenitoba- Johnson not to be relentless in the discharge of his duty and to keep making Nigeria proud as hard work pays, an example being the honour he just got. 

She also prayed to God for protection and directions as he joins the League of Medical Professionals doing great things globally.

Dr. Kojo Elenitoba-Johnson, an international leader in the fields of Hematopathology and Molecular Genomic Pathology as well as a translational researcher also held leadership positions at the University of Utah, University of Michigan and University of Pennsylvania.

National Academy of Medicine (NAM) works alongside with the National Academy of sciences and National Academy of Engineering to provide independent objective analysis and advice to the nation and conduct other activities to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions.

NAM members make a commitment to volunteer their services in National Academies activities.

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NiDCOM BOSS CONGRATULATES GBENGA OGUNJIMI ON D.C’s HONOUR TO NIGERIAN CENTRE

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NiDCOM BOSS CONGRATULATES GBENGA OGUNJIMI ON D.C’s HONOUR TO NIGERIAN CENTRE

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/ CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has congratulated Gbenga Ogunjimi on the honour bestowed on Nigerian Center, a center he established in the District of Columbia.

In a statement by the Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, stated that October 1st has been declared as Nigerian American Day in Washington, D C .

The declaration was announced by the Secretary of the District of Columbia, Kimberly Bessett on behalf of D.C Mayor Muriel Bowser in celebration of the enormous work the center has provided to immigrants in D.C and uplifting the contributions of Nigerians and Nigerian Americans in the District as well as nationwide Dabiri-Erewa applauded Gbenga on this milestones, describing it as the first of its kind in the District and a great honour to Nigeria.She encouraged him to keep up the good work while urging other Disporans to key into this feat and be the best in whatever they are doing as hard work, determination and dedication leads to greater success.

According to Ogunjimi, the Nigerian Center provides a variety of services like walk-in immigration support,IRS free tax counseling, pathway to Prosperity micri-loan program and Nigerian language training classes in collaboration with African Ancestry inc.

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Africa CDC Strengthens Laboratory Capacity for Mpox and Other Outbreaks in Burundi

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and referral processes while ensuring biosafety and biosecurity practices. These outcomes are crucial for an effective response to mpox outbreaks and generally contribute to strengthening sample referral and biosafety and biosecurity measures in Burundi.

Africa CDC has also strengthened Burundi’s response to the ongoing mpox outbreak by donating critical equipment and materials.

The donation includes an Illumina MiniSeq sequencing system and reagents, a high-performance computer server, mpox qPCR testing kits, and other essential consumables.

In addition, the INSP team has been trained on molecular testing, sequencing, and interpretation of results.

“These resources provided, and skills built, will enhance the country’s molecular testing and sequencing capabilities, enabling accurate and timely detection and characterization of mpox cases and boosting the national testing and pathogen detection capacity,” said Dr. Yenew Kebede.

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