We are fast approaching a time when our thoughts turn to action. That’s according to the founder of Neuralink. Meanwhile, Starboy’s baby mama No. 3 Jada Pollock has dumped him. Catch up on the gist with our Rave News Digest which summarizes some of the hottest global news you need to catch up on, saving you time and energy. Consider it your daily news fix.
Here is a rundown of five of the hottest news topics…
1. Ebola, a public health emergency of international concern – WHO
The ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo now constitutes a public health emergency of international concern, the World Health Organization announced on Wednesday. WHO defines a public health emergency of international concern as “an extraordinary event” that constitutes a “public health risk to other States through the international spread of disease” and “to potentially require a coordinated international response.”
The WHO International Health Regulations’ Emergency Committee for Ebola Viral Disease in Congo convened at the organization’s world headquarters in Geneva on Wednesday to discuss whether or not the outbreak constitutes international concern.
“The risk of Ebola spread in DRC and the region remains very high, and the risk of spread outside the region remains low. Now is the time for the international community to stand in solidarity with the people of DRC,” Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of WHO, said during a press conference on Wednesday.
With its latest declaration, WHO does not recommend any restrictions on travel or trade, but rather the organization released recommendations for affected countries, which include continuing to strengthen community awareness and screenings, among other actions.
2. El Chapo sentenced to life in prison
Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman was sentenced on Wednesday to life in prison plus 30 years and was ordered to pay $12.6 billion in forfeiture. The sentence comes after Guzman, 62, was convicted in February on charges including engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, that mandate life in prison, as well as drug trafficking and firearms charges.
Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn said in a court filing that the charges proved he was “a ruthless and bloodthirsty leader of the Sinaloa Cartel.” Guzman, who has been in isolation for two and a half years, is expected to serve out his sentence in the nation’s most secure federal prison in Florence, Colorado. Guzman’s history of escaping prison has weighed on prosecutors’ minds, both during his trial and after his conviction. El Chapo infamously escaped prison twice in Mexico.
In 2001, Guzman escaped by hiding in a laundry cart. He spent the next 13 years in hiding in and around his home state of Sinaloa. He was recaptured in 2014, but former associate Damaso Lopez testified during Guzman’s trial that he, Guzman’s wife and other family stayed in touch with Guzman while he was held in prison in the Mexican city of Altiplano. Lopez testified that Guzman asked for a tunnel to be built directly into his cell which he used to escape from prison a second time, on July 11, 2015.
3. Wizkid accused of domestic violence by Jada Pollock
Ayo Balogun, popularly known as Wizkid, has been accused by his manager and mother of his third child, Jada Pollock of domestic violence. Jada Pollock, who doubles as the 29-year-old’s manager announced that she would no longer be working with him. She made the announcement on Wednesday via her Instagram story, alleging that the singer hit her many times during their relationship.
“From today I and Ayo no longer work together. I’ve been in an abusive relationship with him for years covering for him time and time again. And I’m tired. Wiz continuously puts his hand on me, leaves me with bruises that I cover up from the world including my family and friends. It often feels like we are war in the same house. I have done all I can do to keep this all together but from today I let go. You can support someone as much as you can but at some point, you have to value yourself. I can’t raise my son in this kind of environment.”
Wizkid’s relationship with Pollock began on professional terms before the arrival of their child. She is the head of her consulting business firm she shares with the African football star, Didier Drogba and is responsible for the branding of many affluent and prominent football players.
It wasn’t the first time Wizkid was accused of not being the best of fathers. In September of 2018, Shola Ogudu, the mother of Wizkid’s first son, Boluwatife, took to her Instagram to slam the superstar for dodging his paternal responsibility. She referred to him as a deadbeat father who only took part in his son’s life on social media. Wizkid has appeared noncommital to past allegations and is yet to respond to Jada Pollock’s allegations of domestic violence.
4. Elon musk reveals Neuralink plan
Elon Musk | Photo: Instagram – elonmusk
The CEO of Tesla (TSLA) and SpaceX, Elon Musk says he wants to insert Bluetooth-enabled implants into your brain, claiming the devices could enable telepathy and repair motor function in people with injuries. Speaking on Tuesday, Musk said his Neuralink devices will consist of a tiny chip connected to 1,000 wires measuring one-tenth the width of a human hair.
Musk said the chip would feature a USB-C port, the same adapter used by Apple’s (AAPL) Macbooks, and would connect via Bluetooth to a small computer worn over the ear and to a smartphone. Neuralink, a start-up founded by Musk, says the devices can be used by those seeking a memory boost or by stroke victims, cancer patients, quadriplegics or others with congenital defects. The company says up to 10 units can be placed in a patient’s brain. The chips will connect to an iPhone app that the user can control.
The devices will be installed by a robot built by the start-up. Musk said the robot, when operated by a surgeon, will drill 2-millimetre holes in a person’s skull. The chip part of the device will plug the hole in the patient’s skull. “If you’re going to stick something in a brain, you want it not to be large,” Musk said about the device’s miniature size. He added that “The interface to the chip is wireless, so you have no wires poking out of your head. That’s very important.“
Musk said this latest project is an attempt to use artificial intelligence (AI) to have a positive effect on humanity. Trials could start before the end of 2020, Musk said, likening the procedure to Lasik eye correction surgery, which requires a local anesthetic.
5. Eagles win AFCON bronze
The Super Eagles of Nigeria defeated Tunisia 1-0 to win bronze at the ongoing African Cup of Nations in Egypt. The Eagles saw their early pressure on the opposition rewarded when they went ahead in the opening minutes of the game courtesy of a third-minute strike by Odion Ighalo.
The 30-year-old forward, who is the tournament’s top scorer with five goals, was gifted an easy tap-in following a Tunisian defensive mix-up at the Al Salam Stadium. The goal ensured that he cemented his position at the summit of the goal-scoring chart.
However, after the goal, the match then became a cagey affair with goal-scoring chances hard to come by. The game continued in the same vein for most of the match until deep into the second half when Tunisia started pouring out in their numbers.
Tunisia goalkeeper, Ben Cherifia attempted to make up for his earlier error with some good saves in the second half. He rather heroically denied Samuel Chukwueze‘s left-footed shot just after the hour mark before saving two efforts from substitute Samuel Kalu in stoppage time.
Nigeria hence ran out third place winners, securing bronze for a record eight-time in the African Cup of Nations. Our sights now shift to the finals where Algeria play Senegal in Cairo on Friday.
Muslihat Shaka reporting
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