Qatar says Gaza cease-fire will begin Friday morning, with aid to follow 'as soon as possible'

A four-day cease-fire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas was set to begin Friday morning, Qatar said after a daylong delay extended the agony for those hoping for some relief from the deal, which is to bring the release of dozens of hostages held by militants and Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

The diplomatic breakthrough promised some relief for the 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza who have endured weeks of Israeli bombardment, as well as families in Israel fearful for the fate of their loved ones taken captive during Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack that triggered the war.

The cease-fire was originally set to begin Thursday morning, but it appeared to hit a snag the night before when Israel’s national security adviser, Tzachi Hanegbi, announced a one-day delay without providing a reason.

On Thursday, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari announced the cease-fire will start at 7 a.m. local time Friday (5 a.m. GMT).

He said the two sides had exchanged lists of those to be released, and the first group of 13 women and children held by Hamas would be freed Friday afternoon. He did not say how many Palestinian prisoners would be freed, but officials have said three would be freed for every hostage.

Increased aid for Palestinians will start to enter Gaza “as soon as possible,” al-Ansari said. The hope is that the “momentum” from this deal will lead to an “end to this violence,” he told reporters.

RISING TOLL IN GAZA

Israeli airstrikes continued Thursday. In the afternoon, a strike leveled a residential building in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. At least 12 people were killed, according to officials at nearby Al-Aqsa Hospital.

One resident, Hosni Moharib, said his wife and several children were killed and other relatives remained buried under the rubble.

“It exploded on the house, striking the babies and young children. Everyone in the house, they are all dead,” he said, bursting into tears.

The Israeli bombardment, now in its seventh week, has killed more than 13,300 Palestinians, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza, which resumed its detailed count of casualties in Gaza from the war. The ministry had stopped publishing casualty counts since Nov. 11, saying it had lost the ability to do so because of the health system’s collapse in the north.

The new numbers were not fully broken down, but women and minors have consistently made up around two-thirds of the dead. The figures do not include updated numbers from hospitals in the north. The ministry says some 6,000 people have been reported missing, feared buried under rubble.

The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and militants in its death tolls. Israel says it has killed thousands of Hamas fighters, without presenting evidence for its count.

NETANYAHU SAYS TRUCE WON’T END WAR

The truce agreement raised hopes of eventually winding down the war, which has leveled vast swaths of Gaza, fueled a surge of violence in the occupied West Bank and stirred fears of a wider conflagration across the Middle East.

Air-raid sirens sounded across northern Israel on Thursday as Hezbollah said it fired 48 Katyusha rockets from southern Lebanon. The barrage came after an Israeli strike killed five Hezbollah fighters, including the son of the head of the group’s parliamentary bloc.

The Israeli military said it was striking the sources of the launches. Israel and Hezbollah, which fought a monthlong war in 2006, have repeatedly traded fire across the border since the war in Gaza broke out.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to continue the war after the truce expires to destroy Hamas’ military capabilities, end its 16-year rule in Gaza and return all the estimated 240 captives held in Gaza by Hamas and other groups.

“We will continue it until we achieve all our goals,” Netanyahu said, adding that he had delivered the same message in a phone call to U.S. President Joe Biden. Washington has provided extensive military and diplomatic support to Israel since the start of the war.

In Gaza’s city of Khan Younis, Palestinians welcomed the respite of the upcoming cease-fire but said four days would do little to relieve the humanitarian disaster caused by the war.

“God willing, it becomes a total cease-fire,” said Jihan Qanan. “People have had houses brought down on their heads, they’ve been expelled ... There’s no homes, no money, no possessions. The whole world is wrecked.”

SURROUNDING JABALIYA

The Israeli military said combat operations would continue until it was ordered to hold fire, and chief spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said troops would remain in place during the truce. Israeli forces hold much of northern Gaza, where they say they have dismantled tunnels and much of Hamas’ infrastructure there.

The military said it has surrounded the Jabaliya refugee camp and called on any residents inside to evacuate Thursday. The military has said it is pursuing Hamas fighters in Jabaliya, a dense urban district adjacent to Gaza City that has been heavily bombarded for weeks.

The military said Thursday it detained the director of Gaza City’s Shifa Hospital, Mohammed Abu Selmia, for questioning over his involvement in what it called “extensive” Hamas activities in the hospital. Gaza’s Health Ministry condemned Abu Selmia’s arrest and called on international bodies to intervene.

A day earlier, Israel showed a tunnel and rooms that military officials said were a major Hamas hideout beneath Shifa. Hamas and hospital staff deny Israeli allegations that Shifa was used as a militant command center. Hagari said Israel has mapped out Shifa Hospital and plans to destroy all “terror infrastructure” it has found.

Ahmed El-Mokhallalati, a plastic surgeon working at Shifa, said 150 patients are still there, with only two doctors, a nurse and three volunteer workers to care for them. “My colleagues and I are unable to continue providing treatment to patients,” El-Mokhallalati said on X.

Israel has threatened to extend its invasion to southern Gaza, where most of the territory’s population is now located. More than 1 million people, including hundreds of thousands who fled the north, have crammed into overflowing U.N.-run shelters with dwindling food, water and basic supplies.

For Hamas, the cease-fire would provide an opportunity to regroup after weeks of apparently heavy losses. Hamas leader Yehya Sinwar, who is believed to be alive and in hiding in Gaza, is likely to claim the release of Palestinian prisoners as a major achievement and declare victory if the war ends.

HOSTAGES TO BE FREED IN STAGES

Under the truce deal, 50 hostages are supposed to be freed in stages, in exchange for the release of what Hamas said would be 150 Palestinian prisoners. Women and children would be released first, and Israel said the truce would be extended an extra day for every additional 10 hostages freed.

The return of hostages could lift spirits in Israel, where their plight has gripped the country. Families of the hostages have staged mass demonstrations to pressure the government to bring them home. Netanyahu’s office said it notified the families of hostages listed for release Friday.

Hamas said 200 trucks a day will enter Gaza carrying aid. Qatar said the aid will include fuel, but has given no details on quantities.

Israel cut off all imports at the start of the war, except for a trickle of food, water and medical supplies allowed in from Egypt. The lack of fuel has caused a territory-wide blackout, leaving homes and hospitals reliant on faltering generators.

Israel’s Justice Ministry published a list of 300 prisoners eligible to be released, mainly teenagers detained over the past year for rock-throwing and other minor offenses.

The war erupted when several thousand Hamas militants stormed into southern Israel, killing at least 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking scores of hostages, including babies, women and older adults, as well as soldiers, for whom Hamas is expected to demand a large number of high-profile prisoners.

 

AP

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Unrelenting Russian attacks on Avdiivka, shelling kills four in south, Ukraine says

Ukrainian forces staved off unrelenting Russian attacks on the devastated eastern Ukraine city of Avdiivka on Thursday, a senior official said, and Russian shelling killed four people on the war's southern front in Kherson region.

With little movement along the 1,000-km (600-mile) front line, Moscow has been focused since mid-October on capturing Avdiivka, a town noted for its vast coking plant and proximity to the Russian-held regional centre of Donetsk.

Vitaliy Barabash, head of Avdiivka's military administration, said Russian forces had unleashed "the fiercest" attacks on the devastated town, where fewer than 1,400 of 32,000 pre-war residents remain.

"Basically, nothing has changed. Everything is very tough. As regards the city, there is an average number of eight to 16 to 18 air attacks per day. Sometimes 30. We don't have time to count them," Barabash told Channel 24 television.

"I am pleased the defence line has been holding for a month and a half. It has not been breached, no matter what they say."

He said 102 residents, a "certain record", had been evacuated in the past week along the lone road out of the town.

The town is protected by fortifications erected after it was briefly seized by Russian-financed separatists in 2014.

Russian accounts of the fighting rarely mention Avdiivka. On Thursday, the Russian Defence Ministry said its forces had struck Ukrainian units further south in Donetsk region.

Reuters could not verify reports from either side.

FIGHTING IN THE NORTHEAST

Ukrainian officials have noted Russian attempts to advance in Ukraine's northeast near Kupansk, a town seized by Russian forces in the days after the February 2022 invasion but retaken by Ukrainian troops about a year ago.

Military analyst Serhiy Zgurets, interviewed by the Espreso TV news outlet, quoted commanders as saying Russian forces were bearing down on Senkyvka village, with the aim of pushing Ukrainian forces back to the Oskil River.

Overnight temperatures of minus 13 Celsius (9 Fahrenheit), had frozen the ground, easing the advance for Russian vehicles.

Russian forces have focused on the east since failing in their initial attempt to advance on Kyiv. They hold a little less than 20% of Ukrainian territory.

In southern Kherson region, prosecutors said Russian forces had shelled the town of Beryslav, killing a man on a bicycle. In a separate shelling incident targeting several settlements, two men and a woman were killed, they said.

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Russian troops abandoned Kherson and the western bank of the Dnipro River late last year, but now regularly shell those areas from positions on the eastern bank.

Ukrainian forces launched a counteroffensive in June and have made marginal gains in the east and south. Kyiv last week said troops had established a bridgehead on the Dnipro's east bank, but Russian officials dispute this.

 

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Russian forces wipe out Ukrainian ammo depot, signal center at airfield near Khmelnitsky

Russian forces destroyed a Ukrainian ammunition depot and a signal center at an airfield in the Khmelnitsky Region over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Thursday.

"An air-launched ammunition depot and a signal center were destroyed at an airfield in the Khmelnitsky Region," the ministry said in a statement.

Russian forces repulse Ukrainian attack in Kupyansk area over past day

Russian forces repulsed a Ukrainian army attack in the Kupyansk area, destroying roughly 50 enemy troops over the past day, the ministry reported.

"In the Kupyansk direction, units of the western battlegroup conducted active operations with the support of aircraft and artillery fire and repulsed an attack by assault groups of the Ukrainian army’s 14th mechanized brigade near the settlement of Olshana in the Kharkov Region. In addition, they inflicted damage by firepower on units of the Ukrainian army’s 32nd and 57th mechanized brigades near the settlements of Sinkovka and Timkovka in the Kharkov Region," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in the Kupyansk direction over the past 24 hours amounted to 50 personnel, 2 armored combat vehicles and 3 pickup trucks, it said.

"In counter-battery fire, a Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery gun, a US-manufactured M777 artillery system, a D-20 howitzer and two Gvozdika motorized artillery systems were destroyed," the ministry reported.

Russian forces repel Ukrainian attack in Krasny Liman area over past day

Russian forces repelled a Ukrainian army attack in the Krasny Liman area, eliminating roughly 95 enemy troops over the past day, the ministry reported.

"In the Krasny Liman direction, an attack by assault groups of the Ukrainian National Guard’s 5th brigade was repelled by well-coordinated operations of units from the battlegroup Center, army aircraft strikes and artillery fire near the settlement of Grigorovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in the Krasny Liman direction over the past 24 hours amounted to "as many as 95 personnel, three armored combat vehicles and four motor vehicles," it specified.

In counter-battery fire, Russian forces destroyed a US-made M109 Paladin artillery system, a Polish-manufactured Krab self-propelled artillery gun and a French-made Caesar howitzer, the ministry reported.

Russian forces also inflicted damage by firepower on the Ukrainian army in the area of the Serebryansky forestry, it said.

Russian forces repulse two Ukrainian attacks in Donetsk area over past day

Russian forces repulsed two Ukrainian army attacks in the Donetsk area over the past day, the ministry reported.

"In the Donetsk direction, units of the southern battlegroup in interaction with aircraft and artillery repulsed two attacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian army’s 5th assault brigade near the settlement of Kleshcheyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. In addition, they inflicted damage on manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 22nd, 24th and 93rd mechanized brigades near the settlements of Razdolovka, Kurdyumovka and Vasyukovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in the Donetsk direction over the past 24 hours amounted to 280 personnel killed and wounded, 3 tanks, an infantry fighting vehicle and 4 pickup trucks, it said.

"In counter-battery fire, a Msta-B howitzer, a Giatsint field gun and three D-30 howitzers were destroyed," the ministry reported.

Russian forces strike two Ukrainian army brigades in south Donetsk area over past day

Russian forces inflicted damage on two Ukrainian army brigades in the south Donetsk area, eliminating roughly 140 enemy troops over the past day, the ministry reported.

"In the south Donetsk direction, units of the battlegroup East in interaction with army aircraft and artillery inflicted damage by firepower on the personnel and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 79th air assault brigade near the settlement of Novomikhailovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic and 102nd territorial defense brigade near the settlement of Priyutnoye in the Zaporozhye Region," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in the south Donetsk direction over the past 24 hours amounted to 140 personnel, 3 armored personnel carriers and 4 motor vehicles, it said.

"In counter-battery fire, the following targets were destroyed: a US-made M777 artillery system and a Gvozdika motorized artillery gun," the ministry reported.

 

Reuters/Tass

It’s not only the poor that are mad, if you get my drift. Even folks who once thought of themselves as middle class, that is, neither wealthy nor poor, are in maddening distress. They can hardly believe how life has come to be what it is today. Perhaps the most frequently asked question is: how did we get here?

My mother used to pray that things should never be difficult for her and for those who could help in a time of need. Now, both the needy and the helper are in distress.

When you have to think twice to buy a loaf of bread; to choose between a baby’s milk and the whole family sleeping hungry; when you have to agonise before showing even basic charity to otherwise hardworking folks who have fallen on hard times, then you know there’s very serious trouble.

Inflation is about 27 percent, with food, energy and transportation costs being the most affected. In a country that imports virtually everything, relying mostly on oil exports for its foreign earnings, the over 50 percent depreciation of the currency in the black market in six months has worsened price levels. Everyone uses the fallen currency as excuse to charge more or hedge.

Deeply rooted

Our misery predates the presidency of Bola Tinubu. We had barely recovered from Covid-19 and the effects of the Russia-Ukraine war on the global supply chain when it turned out that perhaps the more difficult problem was within.

As the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, said rather bluntly – I hope not at a high, post-dated political price – last week, Nigeria under President Muhammadu Buhari was broke. Yet, in spite of being technically insolvent, for every 100 naira we managed to earn, we paid 73.5k on debt-servicing.

Still, we were borrowing to pay the country’s N77trillion projected debt as of May 2023, with each Nigerian now owing 385k. Thanks, of course, to the inexhaustible patience of the Chinese creditors who, at some point, seemed ready and willing to lend us even their treasury to keep us borrowing.

All of the anger for the current distress may not be targeted at Tinubu, though he has been widely criticised for hastily announcing fundamental changes without thinking through how to manage the fallouts. Nor is it fair to blame it all on Buhari who wept to take office but after succeeding abandoned his government to hijackers for the most part.

Troubled world

The high cost of living is, believe it or not, currently a major problem worldwide. According to a World Bank food inflation hot spots cited by Bloomberg, “Domestic food prices remain high with people in Venezuela, Lebanon, Argentina, Nigeria and Egypt particularly hard hit…In real terms, food price inflation exceeded overall inflation in more than three quarters of 170 countries where figures were available.”

Ghanaians have spent more time on the streets than in their homes protesting the high cost of living and calling for the resignation of President Nana Akufo-Addo. Earlier this month in Malawi, dollar shortages forced the government to devalue that country’s currency by 44 percent. It’s a tough world out there.

But that’s not why the poor and their newer cousins from Nigeria’s impoverished middle class are mad. They are not mad because they believe that Tinubu is the cause of all their problems, that Buhari’s government was taken hostage or because they think Nigeria should have suddenly become a paradise of sorts.

They’re mad because in a number of serious countries also facing hard times, politicians appear to be making honest efforts to solve problems. But our politicians, enabled by different branches of the elite, appear not to care. The promise to make life bearable only a few months ago has been met with daylight robbery.

Echoes of the past

Let me start with the states. If you think that the palliatives’ scandal three years ago (when hungry and angry protesters broke down warehouses only to find them stuffed with rotten supplies) was the height of official callousness by states, you would be mistaken.

Since protesters have learnt to attack warehouses to help themselves to food supplies, state governors have also learnt to secure palliatives where protesters cannot reach. You will recall, for example, that a few months ago, the Federal Government approved N5billion to states to mitigate the effects of runaway food and energy inflation. The money was supposed to ease the pain of the poorest of the poor.

Some states said they bought basic foodstuffs, especially grains, for residents. What we saw on the streets, however, were videos of whole communities holding up super-small plastic bags of rice or beans, barely enough for meals for two families.

And that’s in a country where Abia, a state thought to have one of the most conservative governors by most accounts, spent N223million on food in three months; and Lagos is struggling to explain how N440million would be used to buy a special VIP jeep. But these tales of obscene spending, among many, are only a small part of the ingenuity of governors who have found creative ways of managing palliatives.

Dollar game

Multiple sources told me, confidentially, that what a number of state governors did after 36 of them received N2billion each, as the first tranche of the N5billion palliatives fund from Abuja, was to raid the black market. They converted significant portions of what they received into dollars, giving palliatives engineering a new currency.

On June 1, three days after Tinubu took office the naira traded at N734.67/$ in the parallel market. A few weeks after the federal government released palliatives to states, the naira recorded its worst slide on October 26 at N1272.62/$, the sharpest drop in value in six months.

That’s why the poor are mad. But that’s not all. They’re also mad that the evidence of politicians asking them to tighten their belts is hardly seen at the centre, long notorious for its obesity. How can federal legislators justify the purchase of SUVs costing at least N160million each on the ground that the expense is for necessity, and not to indulge their vanity?

How can they argue, openly and brazenly, that the legislature has a right to compete with the executive arm in the race for profligacy? It’s the sort of argument that turns the stomach. Some legislators even remind you that they can actually afford these luxury cars. What’s the big deal?

A fool’s ride

The big deal, as you may have seen from a trending video of a tanker buried in what is supposed to be the Nsukka/9th Mile Ngwo Expressway in Enugu State, in a long train of other marooned trucks, is that there are, in fact, no roads on which these luxury toys may be driven. Yet, it would seem that one more toy in the legislators’ garage to be used mainly inside Abuja’s central business district is not a bad idea, after all. That’s why the poor are mad.

They’re mad that at a time like this, the Federal Government is proposing a supplementary budget of N2.18trillion from which N13.5billion would be spent on renovation or construction of new buildings and offices for the Presidency; N4billion on a presidential yacht; and some more billions on vehicles.

All of this after an earlier federal appropriation of N21.83trillion which, like Hadi Sirika’s Nigeria Air, appears to have vanished into thin air. And yet the insanity of the political elite only scratches the surface of our misery.

If you, unlike those in 19th century France in Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables,are neither mad nor moved to any redeeming action by our current situation, you should ask yourself: why?

** Ishiekwene is Editor-In-Chief of LEADERSHIP

Let’s talk about the necessary evil in our academic lives — exams. 

Exams have been around forever, dating back to the time of ancient Chinese imperial examinations. 

Fast forward to now, and we still have to study for exams. And we get it — exams suck. 

Don’t worry, though. We’ve been through these before and survived.

We’ve got you covered with some effective yet easy ways to study for exams, all of which are tried and tested by the writers of Study International. 

But before we get into it, let’s take a look at the backstory of how exams came to exist. 

A history of competitive exams

The history of competitive exams began in China.

It was the first country to come up with the concept of examinations during the Sui Dynasty in 605 AD, holding the title of organising the first exam in the world. 

Back then, the Chinese government required all civil servants who wished to be employed to sit for the exam, or the imperial examination, as the Chinese called it. 

While China did invent the idea of examination, various sources have stated that the person who introduced the idea of exams into education is American-German professor Henry Fischel. 

However, there seems to be no proper evidence or historical background detailing that Henry did, in fact, come up with the idea. 

Instead, evidence shows that countries all over the world have slowly incorporated the concept of examination into their education system. 

In medieval Europe, for example, universities slowly began holding oral exams for students to test their knowledge of religious texts and philosophy. 

They simply needed to figure out who had the brains.

A few centuries later, the world would discover many have the smarts, leading to exams getting tougher and tougher.

The easiest and toughest exams in the world

Exams have gone through so many changes over the millennia, becoming a necessity in the education system, especially now that there are more students, everyone is brighter and competition is tougher. 

In fact, China requires students in their third and final year of high school to sit for the Gaokao (pronounced gow know) exam — one of the hardest exams in the world — to enter an undergraduate programme at its prestigious first-tier and second-tier universities.

Also known as the National College Entrance Examination, it lasts nine hours over a stressful period of two to three days.

Less than 0.25% of test takers achieve the qualifying score for admission to some of China’s most elite colleges, according to Erudera. 

That’s because the questions in the Gaokao exam are designed to be challenging — they go beyond simple memorisation and require a deep understanding of the subject matter. 

What about the easiest exam in the world, you wonder? 

We’re sorry to break it to you, but no one exam is particularly easy, as that just beats the purpose of having it in the first place. 

Recently, however, a bunch of 15 and 16-year-old GCSE students claimed that their Physical Education (PE) exam paper left them feeling “like world-class footballers,” according to MyLondon. 

One teacher even took to Twitter to share her thoughts on the paper, saying: “The Edexcel GCSE PE paper 1 was by far the easiest paper I have seen in all my years teaching and examining! #PE #gcse #gcsepe #edutwitter.”

How hard or easy an exam is, ultimately, boils down to how prepared you are for it. And some ways are more effective than others.

Study for exams: The secret to doing well

Before getting into our top tips to study for exams, let’s take a moment to reflect on some of the practices you’ve been incorporating into your study routine. 

One of them is putting in more hours of study. Trust us, this alone won’t get you far.

At the end of the day, it’s all about the quality, not the quantity. 

Your brain needs breaks to process info, and having marathon study sessions, fueled by sugar and caffeine, will not help you retain your study materials.

In fact, it will end up backfiring instead. 

Think about it. Have you ever gone through a six-hour study session only to learn that you could not remember a single thing you studied? 

That’s just crushing.

The quantity of time and material you work through is less important than the quality of your study habits. 

By focusing on quality, you will naturally learn the content.

Smart exam hacks: 10 fast, effective ways to study for exams

Now, let’s get down to business with 10 exam hacks that have been tried and tested by the team at Study International, which includes several law graduates who passed some of the world’s notoriously difficult exams (in one try!).

1. Active recall

Many of us struggle to remember our study materials, despite having just read them. 

An effective way to combat this problem is by using the active recall method. 

Scientifically proven, active recall is a study method where you actively engage with the material you are trying to learn rather than passively reviewing it.

One popular method for active recall is using flashcards. 

Write a question on one side of the card and the answer on the other. 

As you go through your study session, quiz yourself by looking at the question side and trying to recall the answer before checking.

It’s essentially like your brain’s workout routine! 

Other forms of active recalling you can try out include self-quizzing, concept mapping, active reading and teaching your peers what you’ve just studied.

2. Mind mapping

Struggling to connect the dots? Then try connecting them visually.

Mind mapping has been a popular, science-backed method to study for exams, and for good reasons: 

• It helps you remember and recall information
• It helps you learn new concepts
• It makes it easier to understand and process complex and heavy information
• It’s a fun way of learning
• It boosts productivity
• It boosts creativity 

So, go ahead and doodle your way to success!

3. Rewriting everything 

Rewriting your notes is a tried and tested method by this writer — it’s scientifically proven to help too!

All you essentially need to do is rewrite your notes, giving your mind another chance to consume information and process it, rather than just glancing through the material.

Make sure, however, that you’re not writing too fast, as this will cause you to simply copy and paste your notes without actually grasping any information. 

The key is to read through your notes and see if you can summarise the information into bite-sized statements or sentences. This way, you’re also actively engaging your brain in remembering your study materials.

4. Practice past papers

Working on past papers helps you not only know what to expect in your exams but also sharpens your skills and recall what you’ve been learning in class. 

The best part is it familiarises you with what the upcoming exam, especially its structure, will be like. Even if the questions are different, you’ll not be thrown off guard in the exam hall because you’ve experienced this before.

As you work on an exam paper, make sure to also time yourself, as this will help you gauge how long you will need to complete the exam. 

5. Load yourself up on chicken essence

Can’t recall your study materials at all? Consuming chicken essence might just do the trick. 

A household staple for many families, especially those in Southeast Asia, chicken essence is a liquid nutritional supplement made using selected extracts from high-quality chicken.

It’s been proven to help improve short-term memory for those who are under a lot of stress, as reported by the National Library of Medicine. 

While chicken essence is typically consumed by students during exam periods, it works just the same if you drink it during a study session, as it helps to improve your focus and concentration. 

Chicken essence can be easily found in pharmacies and supermarkets. In case you need alternatives, there are other brain-boosting foods you can eat, too, like walnuts, dark chocolate, avocados, fish, dates and kale. 

They’re really good stuff for the brain. 

6. Record yourself 

If you’re often easily distracted, try listening to replays of your lectures, Then, try to record yourself giving the lecture as if you’re the lecturer. 

By forcing yourself to do this, you’re taking charge of your learning. When you give lecturers instead of consuming them, you’ll remember much more.

7. Form study groups 

Don’t underestimate the benefits of studying in groups — it can do wonders and, overall, boost your progress. 

That’s because you’ll be busy explaining concepts to others, as well as engaging in discussions that can deepen your understanding and provide different perspectives on the material. 

Take this opportunity to quiz each other too.

But of course, you should form a study group with like-minded peers. Doing otherwise will just result in an unproductive and futile study group session. 

8. Use mnemonics 

Another tried and tested method of studying for exams, mnemonic devices or acronyms work great in helping you remember lists or sequences. 

Turning information into a memorable phrase, acronym, or even your favourite song can make it easier to recall them during the exam. 

For example, if you want to memorise the first five elements on the chemistry periodic table: hydrogen, helium, lithium, beryllium, boron, try remembering the first alphabet of each — HHLBB.

HHLBB can also be remembered as Helen Hunt Loves Betty Boop.

9. Stay hydrated and sleep well 

There’s a good reason why your Apple Watch keeps reminding you to drink water. 

Most of us don’t drink enough water — and this refers to just plain water, with no added sugar, colouring or additives.

When we’re not hydrated properly, we can feel fatigue and dizziness. Our mood shifts, out thinking is muddled, we can’t pay attention and our memory is poor.

Lack of sleep can also result in a decrease in concentration as you sit for your exam. 

If you want to ace your exams, manage your time well to ensure that you can get enough sleep, as it is essential for memory consolidation and cognitive function. 

In fact, Professor David Cresswell, a professor in psychology and neuroscience at Carnegie Mellon University, conducted a study that revealed that poor sleep can result in bad grades. 

“These college students are going to class with a ton of sleep debt, and they’re having trouble staying focused and learning in college classrooms. 

“Those things can really harm your ability to really engage with the material,” he said. 

 10. Practice mindful review

This is an obvious exam hack, but we can’t stress it enough. 

Many of us still overlook this method because we view mistakes as failures, hence, chucking them aside. Out of sight, out of mind, right? 

Reviewing past mistakes with mindfulness helps you understand why you made them and how to avoid similar errors in the future.

Every time you receive your scores and marked sheets from your lecturers, make sure to review each mistake carefully. 

Learning from your mistakes will really help boost those grades! 

 

Study International

There was confusion in Kano State on Tuesday with the emergence of a Certified True Copy of the Court of Appeal judgment on the state gvernorship election.

While the widely reported verdict of the court last Friday indicated that the appelate court upheld the decision of the petition tribunal sacking Governor Abba Yusuf, the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Haruna Isa-Dederi, argued that CTC of the judgment showed that Yusuf’s Victory at the poll was affirmed by the appeal court.

Isa-Dederi disclosed this while addressing a press conference Tuesday night.

He said  as indicated in the written judgment, the Court of Appeal set aside the judgment of the Kano Election Petition Tribunal for lacking in merit.

“The evidence contained on page 67 of the the copy of the Appeal Court judgment released on Tuesday and signed by Registrar, Jameel Ibrahim Umar, appellate court upheld the victory of Abba Kabiru Yusuf of the New Nigeria Peoples Party  as duly elected Governor of Kano,” he said.

The three-member panel of the appeal court, on Friday, November 17, 2023, had dismissed the appeal filed by the governor  on the basis of his membership status.

The appellate court subsequently affirmed Nasiru  Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress as winner of the March 25, 2023 governorship poll in the state.

Dederi noted that page 67 of the certified true copy of the judgment clearly indicated that the tribunal’s ruling that sacked the governor was set aside.

The commissioner insisted that contrary to what the justices read to the public in the courtroom on November 17, the written evidence has vindicated Yusuf as legitimate governor of the state.

Our correspondent obtained a copy of the CTC and noticed what appears to be a mix up in the conclusions.

According to the CTC, in his lead judgment, Moore Adumein,  wrote, “I will conclude by stating that the live issues in this appeal are hereby resolved in favour of the first respondent and against the appellant.”

Having been earlier sacked by the state governorship election petition tribunal, the governor who approached the Court of Appeal seeking to upturn the tribunal’s judgment is the appellant before the appellate court.

All Progressives Congress, the Independent National Electoral Commission and the NNPP are the first, second  and third respondents respectively.

According to the CTC, Adumein continued, “In the circumstances, I resolve all the issues in favour of the appellant and against the first respondent.

“Therefore, I find no merit in this appeal which is liable to be and is hereby dismissed.

The judgment of the tribunal in Petition No.: EPT/KN/GOV/01/2023 between: AL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS (APC) v. INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION & 2 ORS. delivered on the 20th day of September, 2023 is hereby set aside.

“N1,000,000.00 (one million naira only) is hereby awarded as costs in favour of the appellant and against the 1st respondent.”

In resolving all issues in favour of the appellant (Yusuf), it means the Court of Appeal granted the governor’s appeal to quash his sacking by the tribunal.

But in concluding that he found no merit in the appeal while dismissing it also means that he upheld the decision of the tribunal sacking the governor.

The mix up in the judgment became more pronounced with the judge’s final declaration that the judgment of the tribunal delivered on September 25 sacking the governor is set aside while awarding N1m in favour of the governor and against the first respondent (APC).

The two other justices of the appeal court , Bitrus Sanga and Lateef Ganiyu, agreed with the lead judgment.

 

Punch

Protesters on Wednesday trooped out on the streets of Kano over the judgment which sacked Governor Abba Yusuf.

The police tried hard to disperse the protesters who chanted: “We Want Justice.”

The lower court had declared 165,663 votes of Yusuf, who contested under the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), invalid on the grounds that they were not signed or stamped by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Last week, an Appeal Court panel had upheld the verdict of the tribunal led by Oluyemi Akintan Osadebay which sacked Yusuf on September 20, 2023.

The governor’s votes were then reduced to 853,939 while those of Nasir Ganuwa, his All Progressives Congress (APC) rival, remained at 890,705.

The appellate court subsequently affirmed Gawuna as winner of March 25th, 2023 Governorship poll in Kano.

Governor Yusuf had asked his lawyers to file an appeal at the Supreme Court. However, when the Certified True Copies of the judgment was released, page 67 of the document indicated that the tribunal’s ruling that sacked Governor Yusuf was set aside.

In the lead judgment delivered by Moore Adumein, the judge held in one of the concluding paragraphs on Page 68 that “I will conclude by stating that the live issues in this appeal are hereby resolved in favour of the 1st respondent and against the appellant.” 

The issue had triggered confusion, with the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) and APC claiming victory.

Amid the confusion, some youths stormed the streets, saying there were attempts to rob Governor Yusuf of the mandate freely given to him.

Police succeeded in dispersing some of the protesters with teargas but others were adamant.

 

Daily Trust

Federation account allocation committee (FAAC) says it shared N906.955 billion with the three tiers of government in October 2023.

The figure represents an increase of N3.48 billion compared to the September disbursement of N903.48 billion.

The committee disclosed this in a communique issued on Wednesday at the end of its November retreat held in Asaba.

According to the statement, the N906.955 billion was drawn from statutory revenue of N423.01 billion, value-added tax (VAT) of N305.070 billion, N323.446 billion from electronic money transfer levy (EMTL), and N15.552 billion from exchange difference.

It also comprised exchange difference revenue of N202.887 billion and augmentation of N60 billion.

The statement said the total revenue of N1,346.519 trillion was available in October 2023.

“Total deductions for cost of collection was N53.483 billion; total transfers, interventions and refunds was N386.081 billion,” the communique said.

“Gross statutory revenue of N660.090 billion was received for October 2023. This was lower than the N1,014.953 billion received in September 2023 by N354.863 billion.

“The gross revenue available from the value added tax (VAT) was N347.343 billion. This was higher than the N303.550 billion available in September 2023 by N43.793 billion.”

According to FAAC, from the N906.955 billion total distributable revenue, the federal government received a total of N323.355 billion, the state governments received N307.717 billion and the local government councils (LGCs) received N225.209 billion.

A of N50.674 billion (13 per cent of mineral revenue) was shared to the relevant states as derivation revenue.

FAAC said from N305.070 billion in distributable statutory revenue, the federal government received N147.574 billion, the state governments received N74.852 billion and the LGCs received N57.707 billion.

“N24.937 billion (13 percent of mineral revenue) was shared to the relevant states as derivation revenue,” FAAC said.

Also, the federal government received N48.517 billion, the state received N161.723 billion and the LGCs received N113.206 billion from the N323.446 billion distributable VAT revenue.

 

The Cable

Nigerian authorities are closely monitoring and working to contain an oil spill that occurred during loading operations at the TotalEnergies operated Egina field on Nov. 15, the maritime agency said on Wednesday.

Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) is collaborating with the spill detection agency and the oil industry regulator to contain the spill, though the volume is not yet confirmed, spokesperson Osagie Edward said in a statement.

A TotalEnergies spokesperson said the spill impact was minimal and production at the 200,000 barrel-per-day capacity oilfield was not affected. The company is working with local authorities to clear the resident sheen from the incident, he said.

Oil spills have blighted Nigeria's oil-rich Niger River delta region for decades, causing widespread environmental damage and negatively impacting the lives of millions of people in the local communities.

NIMASA said TotalEnergies is providing aerial surveillance and applying dispersant while considering further action to clean up the spill.

"Since the incident happened, our men have been liaising with other organs of government to ensure the pollution is effectively controlled and managed, to protect the marine environment and the communities close to the incident point," NIMASA chief Bashir Jamoh said.

So far, a reconnaissance survey of neighbouring areas shows that coastal communities across Andoni, Qua-Iboe terminals, Bonny Island, Opobo/Nkoro and Eastern Obolo have not yet been impacted by the spill.

Oil majors operating in Nigeria, Africa's top crude producer, have faced a string of litigation in the past over spills.

In May, Shell won a UK Supreme Court case over a 2011 oil spill off Nigeria's coast.

 

Reuters

Ahead of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s four days in exile, several staff researchers wrote a letter to the board of directors warning of a powerful artificial intelligence discovery that they said could threaten humanity, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The previously unreported letter and AI algorithm were key developments before the board's ouster of Altman, the poster child of generative AI, the two sources said. Prior to his triumphant return late Tuesday, more than 700 employees had threatened to quit and join backer Microsoft (MSFT.O) in solidarity with their fired leader.

The sources cited the letter as one factor among a longer list of grievances by the board leading to Altman's firing, among which were concerns over commercializing advances before understanding the consequences. Reuters was unable to review a copy of the letter. The staff who wrote the letter did not respond to requests for comment.

After being contacted by Reuters, OpenAI, which declined to comment, acknowledged in an internal message to staffers a project called Q* and a letter to the board before the weekend's events, one of the people said. An OpenAI spokesperson said that the message, sent by long-time executive Mira Murati, alerted staff to certain media stories without commenting on their accuracy.

Some at OpenAI believe Q* (pronounced Q-Star) could be a breakthrough in the startup's search for what's known as artificial general intelligence (AGI), one of the people told Reuters. OpenAI defines AGI as autonomous systems that surpass humans in most economically valuable tasks.

Given vast computing resources, the new model was able to solve certain mathematical problems, the person said on condition of anonymity because the individual was not authorized to speak on behalf of the company. Though only performing math on the level of grade-school students, acing such tests made researchers very optimistic about Q*’s future success, the source said.

Reuters could not independently verify the capabilities of Q* claimed by the researchers.

'VEIL OF IGNORANCE'

Researchers consider math to be a frontier of generative AI development. Currently, generative AI is good at writing and language translation by statistically predicting the next word, and answers to the same question can vary widely. But conquering the ability to do math — where there is only one right answer — implies AI would have greater reasoning capabilities resembling human intelligence. This could be applied to novel scientific research, for instance, AI researchers believe.

Unlike a calculator that can solve a limited number of operations, AGI can generalize, learn and comprehend.

In their letter to the board, researchers flagged AI’s prowess and potential danger, the sources said without specifying the exact safety concerns noted in the letter. There has long been discussion among computer scientists about the danger posed by highly intelligent machines, for instance if they might decide that the destruction of humanity was in their interest.

Researchers have also flagged work by an "AI scientist" team, the existence of which multiple sources confirmed. The group, formed by combining earlier "Code Gen" and "Math Gen" teams, was exploring how to optimize existing AI models to improve their reasoning and eventually perform scientific work, one of the people said.

Altman led efforts to make ChatGPT one of the fastest growing software applications in history and drew investment - and computing resources - necessary from Microsoft to get closer to AGI.

In addition to announcing a slew of new tools in a demonstration this month, Altman last week teased at a summit of world leaders in San Francisco that he believed major advances were in sight.

"Four times now in the history of OpenAI, the most recent time was just in the last couple weeks, I've gotten to be in the room, when we sort of push the veil of ignorance back and the frontier of discovery forward, and getting to do that is the professional honor of a lifetime," he said at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

A day later, the board fired Altman.

 

Reuters

Israel unveils what it claims is a major Hamas militant hideout beneath Gaza City's Shifa Hospital

The Israeli military on Wednesday unveiled what it claimed was a Hamas military facility under Gaza’s largest hospital, showing what appeared to be a subterranean dormitory to a group of foreign journalists who were given a rare glimpse inside the besieged enclave.

Dozens of soldiers escorted journalists through a narrow stone tunnel — which the military said stretched 150 meters (164 yards) — to a series of underground bunkers beneath Shifa Hospital in a shattered Gaza City.

The living quarters, located at the end of the tunnel, had an air conditioner, kitchen, bathroom and pair of metal cots in a room fashioned from rusty white tile. They appeared to be out of use.

Since Israel declared war against Hamas on Oct. 7, it has repeatedly accused the Islamic militant group of using Gaza’s hospitals as cover for military use. It has paid special attention to Shifa, saying Hamas has hidden command centers and bunkers underneath the hospital’s sprawling grounds.

Israeli military portrayed the underground hideout as its most significant discovery yet. Hamas and the hospital administration have denied Israel’s accusations.

“Shifa Hospital is the hugest hospital in Gaza, and it’s also the hugest terror facility of Hamas,” said Daniel Hagari, the Israeli military’s chief spokesman, as bombardment thundered nearby. “Hamas battalion commanders were conducting command and control, firing rockets from here.”

The Associated Press could not independently verify Hagari’s claims.

The AP was allowed access to Gaza on the condition that its journalist stay with the Israeli military convoy throughout the four-hour tour and submit all material to a military censor ahead of publication. There is no other way for foreign journalists to currently access the enclave.

The war was triggered by Hamas’ Oct. 7 cross-border attack that killed at least 1,200 people and took 240 others hostage. Israel’s intense aerial campaign and devastating ground invasion have leveled entire neighborhoods, and well over 11,000 Palestinians have been killed in the fighting, according to health officials in the Hamas-ruled territory.

Bent on toppling Gaza’s Hamas rulers, Israel describes the heavy toll as the inevitable cost of fighting militants who use civilians as human shields and fire rockets from densely populated neighborhoods. Israel says at least some of the hostages were brought to Shifa.

On Wednesday, Israeli soldiers showed the foreign journalists weaponry they said they found at Shifa, including dozens of AK-47 assault rifles, 20 grenades and several drones. Hagari said the cache was just a small sample.

The Israeli military has plowed through northern Gaza over the past month, leaving a trail of destruction in its effort to bomb Hamas’ tunnel network and other targets. Hamas fighters have used the underground network to ambush Israeli troops. In addition to the tunnel it showed journalists, the army says it had uncovered another two shafts near Shifa.

Although the trip was tightly controlled by the Israeli army, journalists could still catch glimpses of life in Gaza. From outside the hospital gates, at least a couple dozen exhausted Palestinians could be seen gathering their belongings, apparently ahead of an evacuation.

Hundreds of patients and doctors remain stranded at the besieged hospital. Thousands more who had been sheltering in its courtyard fled south last week as Israeli tanks drew close and fighting raged.

At one point, several Palestinians leaning out of a window at Shifa locked eyes with journalists. One man gave a thumbs-up. Others started to yell. Israeli soldiers shepherded the journalists away.

What remained on Gaza City’s ghostly streets were the ruins of collapsed buildings, spewing rubble onto streets. The facade of one abandoned building had been blown off, revealing furnished living rooms, glassware in cabinets somehow intact, mirrors still mounted on walls. Fortified bulldozers clawed through sand and gravel to clear the way for more tanks.

About 20 Israeli soldiers sat on the side of a road. They smiled and posed for the journalists’ cameras.

“There’s a great morale. Everyone’s ready to do what has to be done. Everyone’s ready to fight for the country,” said Staff Sgt. Oren, an Israeli soldier who said he is originally from Los Angeles. “Even when it’s hard, you sit with your friends and joke around a little bit. At the end of the day, you know why you’re here.”

The city’s coastal promenade that once bustled with cafes and coffee shops was gone. Instead, there was rubble and a single lifeguard hut. Recent bombing sent black plumes rising into the sky. Gunbattles could be heard rattling in the distance.

In the midst of the devastation, a line of Palestinian evacuees could be seen, carrying their bags and other belongings. As the journalists in the Israeli army convoy passed by, the men and women held up their ID cards to the armored personnel carriers. Some of them waved white flags.

 

AP