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A 40-year-old South African man named Nkosinathi Phakathi has been sentenced to 42 life terms for committing up to 90 sexual assault cases between 2012 and 2021. According to reports, Phakathi not only forced children to “watch” the assaults but also coerced boys into attacking female friends. The ruling came from the High Court in Johannesburg.

Phakathi’s crimes primarily took place in the Ekurhuleni metropolitan municipality and surrounding areas, with most victims being school-aged children. The youngest victim was just nine years old, while the eldest was 44.

The National Prosecution Authority (NPA) of South Africa revealed that Phakathi typically chose his targets while they were commuting to and from school or work. On occasion, he posed as an electrical repairman to gain access to victims’ homes. He was shot by police while being pursued in 2021, resulting in the amputation of his right leg.

The presiding judge noted that Phakathi showed no remorse for his actions and displayed no intention of reform. He received life sentences for offenses that included sexual assault, kidnapping, theft, and assault.

Reports indicate that sexual violence in South Africa is alarmingly prevalent, with over 9,300 cases of rape reported from April to June of this year—a 0.6% increase compared to the same period last year. Many of these incidents are tied to gang conflicts, often occurring in impoverished areas where police intervention is rare. A detective mentioned that gangs are increasingly testing the limits of law enforcement.

The annual enrollment period for Medicare, commonly known as the “Red, White, and Blue Card,” began on October 15 and will run until December 7. During this period, any Medicare plans selected will take effect on January 1, 2025.

To help the public navigate the significant changes coming to Medicare in 2025, UnitedHealthcare is breaking down the key updates, ensuring you understand and can choose the best plan for the upcoming year.

Here are three crucial changes to watch out for in 2025 that will impact all standalone Medicare Part D prescription drug plans as well as Medicare Advantage plans that include drug coverage:

**Change 1: Elimination of the Coverage Gap**
In 2025, Medicare Part D will feature three distinct coverage phases:
– **Annual Deductible Phase**: If a plan has a deductible for prescription drugs, members must cover the entire cost of their medications until they reach that deductible amount.
– **Initial Coverage Phase**: During this phase, members will pay either a copayment or coinsurance for their prescriptions.
– **Catastrophic Coverage Phase**: Once a member’s total out-of-pocket costs for covered medications reach $2,000 (including the deductible), they will enter the catastrophic coverage phase, where they will pay $0 for covered prescription drugs for the remainder of the plan year.

**Change 2: Reduction of the Out-of-Pocket Maximum for Part D**
In 2024, the out-of-pocket maximum for Part D prescription drugs across all Medicare plans is set at $8,000. However, in 2025, this maximum will be lowered to the lowest level ever. After a member and their representative pay a total of $2,000, the member will not have to pay any copayments or coinsurance for covered Part D prescriptions for the rest of the plan year. Although this change aims to reduce prescription drug costs, it could result in higher deductibles or premiums for 2025.

**Change 3: Introduction of a New Prescription Payment Plan**
A new optional plan will be available in 2025: the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan. This plan will allow beneficiaries to spread their out-of-pocket costs throughout the year rather than paying all at once at the pharmacy when picking up their prescriptions. Members can manage their costs through monthly billing.

For more information about the Medicare annual enrollment period, please contact UnitedHealthcare’s Chinese language hotline at 1-800-801-1900 or visit a local UnitedHealthcare Asian Information Center.

Locations include:
– 161 Kenmare St, Manhattan (Chinatown)
– 35 E. Broadway, Manhattan (Chinatown)
– 136-02 Roosevelt Ave, Flushing
– 3752 82nd St, Jackson Heights
– Room G101, 6402 8th Avenue, Brooklyn
– 2343 86th St, Brooklyn
– 350 Broad Ave, Palisades Park, NJ
– 1715 Rt. 27, Edison, NJ

UnitedHealthcare has been serving the Asian community for 30 years, understanding your needs and offering reliable Medicare plans. For more information, visit www.uhcAsian.com.

On the evening of October 14, during the 2024 National Table Tennis Championships held in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, Huang Youzheng from the Beijing Baixi Team and Liu Weishan from the Tianjin 729 Women’s Team claimed the titles in the men’s and women’s singles competitions, respectively.

Huang Youzheng dominated his match against Ao Hualei, winning with a score of 4-0 to secure the men’s singles championship. Born in 2005 in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, Huang was selected by the Bayi Table Tennis Team in 2015 and joined the Beijing Baixi Team in 2020. He earned a spot on the National Youth Team in March 2023.

Meanwhile, Liu Weishan triumphed over Yang Yiyun with a score of 4-1 to win the women’s singles title. Born in 1999, Liu is a member of the Tianjin 729 Women’s Team and joined the National Table Tennis Second Team in November 2015. She was the champion of the women’s singles category at the 2016 Chinese Table Tennis Club A League (Bengbu Station) and was promoted to the National First Team on February 23, 2019.

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
Despite years of collaboration with security agencies under different codenames and with several billions of Naira gone down the drain, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has said that cross-border smugglers were freely making money under the erstwhile petrol subsidy regime.
In fact, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the national oil company, Mele Kyari, said in Abuja that petrol smugglers were making as much as N17 million per truck in neighbouring countries they smuggled the products to.
Snippets of a meeting with Kyari, relayed by Channels Television yesterday saw the GCEO reiterating that cross-border smuggling was rampant due to the fuel subsidy before the current administration.
The federal government, having now deregulated the petrol supply market is expected to tell Nigerians the exact litres of petrol consumed daily in the country. Smuggling, which it had also persistently blamed for moving of Nigeria’s fuels to neighbouring countries should also significantly reduce.
On August 9, 2018, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the installation of technology monitoring schemes and structures under the Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF) for N17 billion.
The deployment of the automated fuel system management and censor network, the government said, would ensure 100 per cent tracking and monitoring of petroleum products.
In addition, the government said that the system would enable Nigerians to know how much petrol is consumed in Nigeria; volumes of products moved out illegally and the whole impact on Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).
However, the N17 billion automated fuel system management was never installed and if it was, never worked.
Apart from the acquisition of the software to stop the smuggling of petroleum products from Nigeria, the NNPC also embraced the suggestion to establish mega stations in the neighbouring countries, a policy that was later discarded.
Senior lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, recently argued that the measures were deliberately sabotaged in order to boost the smuggling of petrol from Nigeria by the Nigerian authorities.
But Kyari, while defending the removal of subsidy, said that for decades the system allowed arbitrage, arguing that while a tanker to Maiduguri will make a profit of roughly N500,000, cross-border smugglers were making about N17 million per load.
Kyari said: “In the last 47 years, PMS (Premium Motor Spirit) has always been subsidised and subsidy is creating arbitrage. That means there is a difference between price in one location, lower than what it should be in another location.
“And when Mr. President announced the removal of subsidy in June, what he did was to recalibrate the price. There is no longer any value in anyone taking the product across the border. If you do, you’re not going to make those profits than you do.
“In a 6,000-litre truck, you can actually gain up to N17 million from just one truck. How are you going to stop someone who with two trips can just easily make N17 million times two—which is the price of the truck itself?”, he argued.
Aside all the other initiatives launched with fanfare, in 2019, the NNPC launched ‘Operation White’, to according to the oil firm, monitor and track every molecule of petroleum products imported into the country and follow it through to the pump. This also did not work.
“However, when you take a truck legally maybe N8 million, say, to Maiduguri, the legitimate value you have is less than N500,000. Why will I see N17 million and then take all the trouble go to Maiduguri, keep it in the fuel station for one month and then make N3 to N4 million,” the NNPC boss asked the television station.
Falana has variously argued that the federal government was ridiculing itself by suggesting that it cannot halt the illegal smuggling of petroleum products across the borders. In Nigeria, like in other countries, the federal government controls the armed forces and other paramilitary organisations.
The Nigeria Customs had also launched ‘Operation Whirlwind’ to stop the menace, arguing that being among the countries with the cheapest PMS in the African region, the situation has created a lucrative black market for smugglers.
But Kyari said that the removal of petrol subsidy in Nigeria had effectively eliminated the incentives enjoyed by smugglers, insisting that the retention of subsidy made petrol smuggling highly profitable.
“This is a positive development for Nigeria’s energy sector, as it can help to ensure that consumers are paying fair prices for fuel, “ he argued.
In his inaugural address on 29 May 2023, President Tinubu announced the removal of the subsidy to relieve the government of a major financial burden, causing serious inflation and hardship for Nigerians.
From the N194 per litre he met it, Tinubu has now moved the pump price to over N1,000 per litre, with the hope that it will end government subsidies and end smuggling across the borders. The former is yet to be seen.

As we enter mid-October, the weather in Ningxia is starting to cool down. The vineyards along the eastern slope of the Helan Mountain are wrapping up their grape pressing season. Staff members are busy trimming, trellising, and bundling the grapevines in the cultivation areas, while some are already burying the vines in preparation for their “winter slumber.”

Burying the vines in soil during winter and uncovering them in spring is a unique agricultural practice in northern China’s wine-producing regions. As winter approaches, grapevines need to be pruned and buried to help them withstand the harsh cold. When spring arrives, the vines are excavated, trained onto trellises, and prepared for a new growing season.

The Helan Mountain eastern slope wine region experiences dry, windy winters, with ground temperatures plummeting to around -20 degrees Celsius. To prevent frostbite on the vines, this area is one of the few in the world that requires vines to be buried during winter. Each year, the burying process begins in late October and lasts until mid-November, preceded by essential pruning work.

In this region, pruning is often referred to as “winter pruning.” It’s important to note that “winter pruning” doesn’t happen in the dead of winter; rather, it occurs about a month after the grape harvest. This is the time when the vines are trimmed in preparation for burying. According to an official from the Helan Mountain eastern slope vineyard management committee, “During winter pruning, we only leave two buds close to the main vine as a sign of hope for the coming year.” Proper pruning helps balance vine growth and fruit-setting, ensuring the plants remain vigorous and prolonging both their productive years and lifespan. Therefore, the quality of winter pruning directly impacts the healthy growth and yield of the grapes the following year.

The winter pruning season also sees an increase in labor across the wineries in the region. To save on labor costs, smart agricultural practices are now prevalent in the vineyards. In the past, clearing the pruned grapevines from the rows was a labor-intensive process. Today, new technology like mobile vine choppers allows for the quick grinding and returning of the vine waste directly to the soil, reducing the need for transportation and promoting waste recycling.

This year, many wineries in the Ganchengzi area, located in Qingtongxia City, are experimenting with a “hanging vine wintering” method. Some wineries have chosen to let the grapevines hang instead of burying them and will wait until early March when labor demands are lower to prune them. This approach not only helps reduce wind and prevent sand drift, making the winter vineyard appear less bleak, but it also creates a microclimate that raises surface temperatures. The pruned branches can later be returned to the soil, contributing to the sustainable and green development of the wine industry.

After winter pruning is completed, wineries will conduct systematic drip irrigation and disinfection, providing the vines with their last dose of “fertilizer” for the year. Following this, the extensive burying operation will commence.

They have become as routine as Botox and lip filler. But what can people do when their dream of a perfect smile turns into a nightmare?
Simon UsborneWed 16 Oct 2024 00.00 EDTShareCatherine thought she was being smart when she chose a clinic near Harley Street, the London address long synonymous with high-end private healthcare. She was in her early 30s and wanted to improve her smile. At least, looking back now – after all the pain, the nightmares and the legal fees – she thought she did.
“With hindsight, my teeth weren’t actually that bad,” Catherine (not her real name) says. “But they were quite gappy. I didn’t have the confidence to smile in photographs and used to talk with my hand over my mouth. And then I saw this voucher deal. That’s when I took the plunge.”
The offer was for veneers, a cosmetic treatment that is in soaring demand as part of a wider boom in cosmetic dentistry. They have become a shortcut to what used to be known as a Hollywood smile but could now be called the Love Island smile, such is the unnatural perfection of even non-celebrity teeth on reality TV and social media.
I didn’t have the confidence to smile in photographs and I used to talk with my hand over my mouth. Then I saw this voucher deal. That’s when I took the plungeVeneers can be sculpted from resin or applied like false nails. For a cost that can be more than £1,000 a tooth, you can choose your shade of white, while increasing the surface area of the tooth to close gaps or create neatly aligned edges that would be the envy of an ancient Greek stonemason.
View image in fullscreenJudy Garland, early adopter of the ‘Hollywood smile’. Photograph: Bettmann/Bettmann ArchiveVeneers were indeed born in Hollywood, where dentists were recruited to, for example, fill the gap in Judy Garland’s front teeth or help with continuity when Shirley Temple’s baby teeth fell out. They used acrylic or denture powder to make these temporary fixes. By the 1980s solid veneers had been developed and the movie stars of the 90s redefined the perfect smile.
There are no statistics on the demand for veneers today, but dentists who dabble in cosmetic work say veneers have become as routine as Botox or lip filler for people with cash to burn who would once have tolerated or ignored crooked gnashers. For so long the butt of jokes for their charming disorder, British teeth are not what they used to be.
“There is a huge demand for veneers that is largely driven by social media and this desire for anatomically symmetrical white smiles,” says Anshu Sood, a co-owner of Helix House Orthodontics, a clinic in Nottingham.
Sood specialises in moving teeth, but has expanded what Helix House offers to meet rising demand for veneers as a follow-up to braces. She says patients want to transform more than just “the social six” – the upper front teeth most visible in a smile. “Now they want everything straightened, they want a wider smile,” she says.
Sam Jethwa, the founder of Bespoke Smile, a clinic and training academy in central London and Marlow, Buckinghamshire, has fitted more than 10,000 veneers in his time. “We now do around 80 new consultations a month, and place around 1,500 veneers a year,” he says.
View image in fullscreenRylan Clark-Neal … male patients seeking veneers are on the increase, dentists say. Photograph: Linda Nylind/The GuardianJethwa, who is also president-elect of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, says veneer consultations have quadrupled in the past four years. “We’re noticing increasing numbers of male patients,” he adds.
Costs vary according to the material used. Most in demand are porcelain veneers, which are half a millimetre thick and made in a lab. Fitting them generally requires what should be minimal preparation of the teeth, using a drill, before they are chemically bonded with a specialist glue. A cheaper alternative uses a composite resin, which can be applied as 3D-printed veneers or sculpted directly on the teeth.
Robbie Hughes, a dentist and the principal director of Dental Excellence UK, a clinic in Liverpool that has become popular with Premier League footballers (he’s responsible for ex-Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp’s dazzling smile), says veneers for 20 teeth cost from about £7,000 using composites to £20,000 for porcelain veneers. His patients tend to be aged 20 to 40, and 40% are men.
Demand has increased for ever-whiter veneers as patients want to show off teeth that are obviously the result of expensive work. Sood says this has further skewed perception of what “perfect” teeth should look like. Hughes, who has noticed a recent trend for more natural shades, also did Roberto Firmino’s teeth. He says the Brazilian former Liverpool player pointed to a space beyond the whitest end of a porcelain colour chart and asked for “maximo”.
View image in fullscreenDazzling … former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp. Photograph: Michael Regan/Getty ImagesAll the dentists I speak to say coronavirus boosted demand as home working induced a bout of self-scrutiny in mirrors and video calls. In a pattern that has applied to a whole range of cosmetic treatments, less talented or scrupulous practitioners have raced to meet the demand by competing on price and investing in social media marketing.
Catherine’s deal for several front teeth meant they were half the price she might otherwise have paid. She was impressed by the clinic’s equipment and decor. “And the dentist appeared to know what they were talking about,” she says. She went in for a consultation so that the veneers could be made, and returned to have them fitted over several hours.
The dentist set to work with a drill, but ground away far too much of Catherine’s teeth. “They showed me them in a mirror before the veneers went on and I looked like a witch,” she says. The dentist had left small pegs where Catherine’s healthy teeth had been. When the veeners were applied, her mouth wouldn’t close properly, so the dentist started to shave down her bottom teeth to make room.
I was hysterical. I couldn’t stop crying. The treatment was so rough and I knew I’d made the biggest mistake of my life“I was hysterical. I couldn’t stop crying,” recalls Catherine, who owns a small business in the south of England. “The treatment was so rough and I was so upset because I knew I’d made the biggest mistake of my life.”
When the painkillers wore off, Catherine says she couldn’t eat properly. Her veneers started to fall off, revealing the “witchy” pegs. Fearing that repairs elsewhere would cost her thousands more, she reluctantly returned to Harley Street to have the veneers refitted. Later, when one tooth split while Catherine was eating, she made an emergency visit to a local dentist.
“That’s when everything started unravelling. He was so shocked,” she says. The new dentist told her the wrong kind of glue had been used for the wrong veneers, and that her existing teeth had been horribly overprepared. “He said they were an absolute mess.”
He took pity on her and charged Catherine the same reduced price to have her veneers done properly. When the original dentist ignored Catherine’s demands for a refund, she contacted Russell Sutton, a solicitor who is in growing demand among the victims of botched cosmetic dentistry.
“It can be tempting for these dentists to take a few thousand pounds off young people and do a half-arsed job and leave them in the lurch, because it’s good quick money for them,” says Sutton, who set up TJL Solicitors in Manchester in 2000.
View image in fullscreen‘It can be tempting for dentists to do a half-arsed job and leave people in the lurch, because it’s good quick money.’ Photograph: mahiruysal/Getty ImagesChristopher Dean, a dentist turned solicitor at the Dental Law Partnership, says the firm receives about five inquiries a week about badly fitted porcelain veneers, 30% more than last year. He describes a case in which a patient’s front teeth had been so overdrilled that the dentist had exposed the internal pulp chambers containing blood vessels and nerves.
Meanwhile, inquiries from unhappy customers to the General Dental Council (GDC), which regulates UK dentists and dental health professionals, doubled from just over 2,000 in 2018 to more than 4,000 in 2022.
Sutton took Catherine’s case but warns that legal routes to compensation are out of reach for many people. He and Dean operate on a no-win, no-fee basis, meaning they will only take cases they are confident they can win, and where the payout is likely to be significantly more than their fees, which can amount to £20,000. This also requires the dentist to have the proper insurance to cover a payout.
Lawyers in the UK won’t touch a patient who has suffered from bad treatment abroad, which is a growing problem for a whole range of cosmetic work. “Choose your jurisdiction carefully,” says Dean, whose firm routinely turns away regretful dental tourists.
Turkey in particular has emerged as a centre for cosmetic work. The briefest online search shows numerous deals for veneers costing as little as €100 (£83) a tooth, or packages including up to 20 teeth, as well as flights and hotels, for a few thousand pounds.
Some of the social media and reality TV stars who have fuelled the trend for “Turkey teeth” have talked about their regrets. Jack Fincham’s smile helped him to victory on Love Island in 2018. He had gone to Turkey six months earlier and was soon inundated on Instagram by fans asking him about his teeth.
Yet Fincham later admitted he had not done his research. The term “veneers” is often used to describe far more invasive crowns, which is what he had. To fit crowns – caps designed to fit over an entire tooth, typically when it is badly decayed or damaged – dentists must first reduce the teeth to pegs to make space. And, Dean says, even when a crown is done perfectly, there’s a risk that it will kill the tooth.
View image in fullscreenBefore and after … a good-quality, well-maintained veneer can last for 20 years; a cheaper equivalent much less. Photograph: Marina Demeshko/Getty ImagesFor every veneer horror story, there are no doubt several more patients who are delighted. “They look fantastic!” says Neil Fowler, who had his “social six” done at a Brighton clinic several years ago when he became conscious of his wonky teeth in business meetings. “I’m confident anyway but it definitely made me feel better to suddenly go from crooked, slightly yellow teeth to a Hollywood smile.”
Patients with problems typically visit their local NHS dentist. Dean says the NHS is obliged to carry out any emergency treatment to rescue dying teeth, for example (but not, say, to fit replacement porcelain veneers). The NHS says its dentists are feeling the effects of botched work in other countries. “This puts unplanned pressure on dental teams who are working hard to deliver essential care for patients within the NHS,” says Jason Wong, the chief dental officer for England.
Even perfect treatment locks patients into a lifelong cycle of costly replacements. At best, Hughes says, a good, well-maintained porcelain veneer (perfect hygiene, no chomping on toffees) can last 15 to 20 years. It can often be less, and as little as a few years before cheaper composites start to leak, crack or fall off. “I once accidentally swallowed one in a New York bakery,” Fowler says. “I don’t need to go into the details but let’s just say it’s back in my mouth now.”
I think I’ve got PTSD from it all. Even now I won’t bite into food and have nightmares that my teeth are falling outRegardless of the material or lifespan, the damage that bonding does to enamel means there’s no going back to natural teeth once veneers have been fitted – something dentists tell me impressionable young patients don’t always consider. Returning to a less skilled dentist for replacements can compound the problem. “To get a good bond the second time round, they remove more tooth, and perhaps all of the enamel,” Dean says. “So then you’re into dentine, which is the inner core of the crown of the tooth, and you can’t glue to that as effectively.”
Dean says crowns are then often the only solution, with the risk of tooth failure and ultimately the need for implants (typically £2,000-3,000 each). “And these were healthy teeth to start off with,” he says, telling me he advises anyone wanting to improve their smile to consider bleaching and braces instead.
It took Catherine more than a year to get a payout from her first dentist’s insurer. She isn’t rich, but has the confidence to know she will be able to afford replacements when the time comes. She was also relieved to learn that, in an unrelated case, the dentist was struck off by the GDC.
But money and a sense of justice have done nothing to banish her memories of a botched treatment, or the knowledge that her teeth have been ruined. “I think I’ve got PTSD from it all,” she says. “Even now I won’t bite into food and have nightmares that my teeth are falling out. I feel really angry about the whole thing.” She says she enjoys her smile now, but tells friends and colleagues who are considering veneers to think twice. “I just say, leave them alone, because once they’re gone, they’re gone.”

A recent study published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour, part of the Springer Nature group, suggests that soccer may play a role in helping prisoners improve their behavior while incarcerated and reintegrate into society after release. The research provides new insights into how social connections can help reduce recidivism rates by drawing on coaching techniques and transferable skills learned from professional soccer players.

The study introduces a program known as The Twinning Project, initiated in the UK and now also active in the US, Italy, Australia, and South Africa. This program organizes soccer-based activities for incarcerated individuals to enhance their physical and mental well-being. It also assists prisoners in developing skills such as relationship-building and self-control, as well as obtaining certifications aimed at improving their conduct in prison and facilitating their transition back into society upon release.

The Twinning Project pairs prisons with local soccer clubs, including famous teams like Liverpool, Manchester United, and Chelsea. However, the effectiveness of this initiative in improving inmate behavior, reducing recidivism rates after release, or increasing employment opportunities for released individuals remains unclear.

To assess the success of The Twinning Project, the study’s lead and corresponding author, Martha Newson from the University of Oxford, along with her colleagues, analyzed the behavior of inmates across 45 UK prisons. By comparing the conduct of 676 participants in the program with 1,874 non-participants, they found that involvement in the project, which strengthens social connections, is typically associated with decreased misconduct in prison and an overall improvement in behavior.

Additionally, the research surveyed 1,797 individuals with hiring experience to identify factors that influence their willingness to employ ex-offenders. The results indicated that people are more likely to hire individuals with criminal records who have completed educational programs like The Twinning Project.

The authors conclude that soccer can create opportunities to foster social connections, aid rehabilitation, and support reintegration for prisoners. They also caution that the outcomes of the program may depend on the optimistic attitudes of the incarcerated individuals.

India’s culinary landscape is incredibly diverse and is largely based on locally sourced ingredients. According to the World Wildlife Fund’s *Living Planet Report*, India boasts the most environmentally friendly dietary habits among the G20 nations. The report suggests that if more countries were to adopt similar eating practices, we could see a significant reduction in environmental damage, with visible effects on climate change mitigation by 2050.

In a recent segment, WION, a prominent English-language television channel in India, highlighted the 2024 edition of the *Living Planet Report*. The findings indicate that India’s dietary choices are the most eco-friendly. The report ranks other countries following India, with Indonesia and China coming next. Conversely, food consumption patterns in countries such as Argentina, Australia, and the United States are viewed as detrimental to sustainable development, potentially exacerbating global warming beyond critical thresholds.

The report emphasizes that one of the most pressing environmental challenges we face is the alarming growth in food overconsumption, particularly concerning fats and sugars. This trend significantly contributes to the global obesity crisis, with approximately 2.5 billion adults classified as overweight and 890 million suffering from obesity.

Additionally, as reported by *India Today*, Indian cuisine is rich and varied, emphasizing local ingredients. Northern India primarily features flatbreads made from lentils and wheat served with meat, while southern India focuses on steamed rice cakes and pancakes made from rice and millet. In contrast, the eastern, western, and northeastern regions of India often pair fish with traditional grains. This local sourcing can serve as a model for balancing dietary preferences while protecting the environment.

*The Times of India* has also noted the stark warnings presented in the report. It cautions that if by 2050 everyone adopts the current food consumption habits of major economies, we could see a temperature increase of more than 1.5 degrees Celsius due to dietary choices alone. The report also indicates that greenhouse gas emissions from food will exceed original targets by 263%.

The findings of the *Living Planet Report* urge all nations to reevaluate their food supply systems and promote practices that favor public health and sustainability.

As the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) plans to forcibly close Sutro Elementary School, the school community in Richmond District has launched an intense opposition campaign. On October 13, a group of Chinese American parents and supporters gathered to argue that the district’s closure decision is “inequitable, unreasonable, and unsafe.” They pointed out that Sutro Elementary has primarily served low-income families and Chinese immigrant students for many years.

To protest the closure plan, parents and supporters organized a community outreach event titled “Protect Sutro” at the farmer’s market on Clement Street. They distributed flyers and engaged with community members to raise public awareness about the issue and seek additional support.

Chinese parent Zhao Chengguo expressed, “This isn’t just about Sutro Elementary; it’s about the future of our entire community. Our children rely on the education here. As new immigrants, they get the chance to learn multiple languages.”

Another parent added, “This school is not just about education; it’s a part of the community. Children grow up here, making friendships and receiving support tailored to our specific needs. If the school closes, we aren’t sure where we can find these language, arts, and cultural education resources.”

Matt Wayne, the SFUSD Superintendent, stated that the closure plan results from declining enrollment and financial constraints. He emphasized that the district faces significant budget pressures, forcing it to make difficult decisions to utilize resources effectively.

However, Wayne’s explanation did little to calm the fears of parents and community members. Many parents voiced concerns that the district’s plan overlooks Sutro’s role as a vital pillar for low-income and immigrant families. The Chinese American community is particularly worried that shutting down the school will have long-term negative impacts on students’ academic performance and further limit their access to quality educational opportunities.

Chinese parent Zhang Ke shared, “Our children face various challenges, from language barriers to cultural adaptation. This school understands our needs and provides targeted support. If it closes, our children will lose this assistance, and other schools may not offer the same level of education.”

City Councilmember Chen Shimin joined the gathering, showing solidarity with the protesters. Supporters of Sutro Elementary stated that this protest is merely the beginning, with plans for more activities to raise awareness across the city. A protest against the closure is scheduled to take place at the school next Wednesday.

The organizers declared, “We will not stop fighting until the district listens to our voices and finds a reasonable solution for our children. We hope this event will attract more media and public attention, prompting the district to reconsider its closure plan.”

As of the publication of this article, there has been no recent response from the San Francisco Unified School District.

•UBA empowers women with 78% of its loan, says Elumelu
•Arthur Eze donates N100m to women initiative
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has disclosed that his government remains committed to advancing women’s empowerment and gender equality in the country.
Speaking Tuesday at the State House, Abuja at the launch of Women Affairs Ministry’s Empower-Her: Nigeria for Women Farming, Health, Empowerment, Justice, Entertainment and Fund-raising Dinner, the President emphasised that “As the President of Nigeria, I am committed to advancing the cause of women empowerment and gender equality in our dear nation. Don’t forget my mother was a great market woman”.
He also stressed the importance of addressing challenges facing women.
The women initiative, which is aimed at creating an enabling environment for women to fulfill their potential, received presidential endorsement as President Tinubu urged government and private sectors to join hands and support the programme.
The President, who was represented by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, noted the important role women play in agriculture, contributing over 70% of the labor force, and stressed the need for investment in agricultural training, access to land, and financial services for women farmers.
This, he stated, will increase their yield, improve livelihoods, and contribute to Nigeria’s food security.
President Tinubu also highlighted health disparities affecting women and girls, with a focus on increasing access to quality healthcare, education, and economic opportunities.
He said strengthening institutions, promoting gender-sensitive policies, and supporting women’s rural organizations are essential to ensuring women have access to justice and protection from violence and discrimination.
According to him: “We recognise the challenges women face with limited access to education and healthcare, gender based violence and economic disparity. This is imperative for us as a nation to together to drive down development and create opportunities for women to thrive and succeed.
“Empowering women in agriculture must prioritize investment in agricultural training, access to land (This is critical) and financial services for women farmers.
“This will enable women increase their yield, improve their livelihood and contribute to Nigeria’s food security. By doing so, we will unlock their full potential that will drive different economic growth.
“We must also address the health disparity that disproportionately affect women and girls. By increasing access to quality health care, education, economic opportunities, we can empower them to control of their health and wellbeing. Allow them to express themselves
“In our quest for justice and sustainability, we must ensure women have access to justice and protected from all forms of violence and discrimination, which requires strengthening our institutions, promoting gender sensitive policies, and supporting womens rural organizations.
“It is in view of this that this Empower-Her initiative solidly deepen the vision we have for our country. We must empower women, not just for their sake, but for the sake of our entire nation. When we have empowered families, communities are viable.
“I call on us both in government and private sector to join hands and support and promote Empower-Her initiative, which has created an enabling environment for every woman in nigeria to fulfill her potential and contribute meaningfully to society.
“To the women of Nigeria, I say this, your voice matters, your talents are invaluable and your potential limitless, stand tall, speak out the future of Nigeria lies in you, to build a Nigerian where every woman”, he said.
Earlier in his speech, Chairman of the United Bank for Africa (UBA), Tony Elumelu, emphasized the importance of empowering Nigerian women.
In an address read on his behalf by UBA’s CEO, Oliver Alawuba, Elumelu praised President Tinubu’s leadership in promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment.
He also acknowledged wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu’s advocacy and Minister of Women Affairs Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye’s commitment to addressing gender inequality.
He highlighted the crucial role women play in agriculture, contributing over 70% of the labor force, yet facing challenges in accessing resources.
According to Elumelu, UBA’s commitment to gender equality was evident in its 50% female board representation, 40% female senior management, and 59% female graduate management trainees.
The bank has also provided 78% of its working capital loans to women-led businesses.
The UBA Chairman also stressed that empowering women is not only morally right but also economically beneficial, citing the potential $12 trillion increase in global GDP by 2025 if the gender gap is closed.
He canvassed collective action from individuals, organizations, and the private sector towards supporting women’s empowerment.
Meanwhile, Oil magnate and businessman, Chief Arthur Eze, led the train of donations to the initiative by announcing the sum of N100 million to support the women Empowerment programme.
Eze said he was in support of what Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, was doing to empower women and girls.
His words: “I am here to support the women particularly the honourable minister. President Bola Tinubu had a vision as a brilliant man to locate this woman. She cares for the pauper, she learnt from the First Lady of Nigeria, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu who is going everywhere both north and south in Nigeria, taking care of the poor, the women whether you are in the PDP, APC, APGA.
“So we must support them to change Nigeria. All of us are hungry. We inherited it not caused by Tinubu. We pray to God to keep him alive so that he can change Nigeria and change the people.”
On what prompted him to donate N100 million, Eze said: “I have seen what this woman (minister of women affairs) did. The money is not for her but to help the poor. People have been dying for many years.
“Politicians have been putting the money in their pockets, building houses, towers everywhere in Europe and Abuja. Where are they going to? Are they going to heaven or hell”, he said.