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Norway allocates 63 million dollars to alleviate humanitarian crisis in South Sudan

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OSLO   Five million people in South Sudan are in acute need of humanitarian assistance. ‘The crisis is expected to escalate significantly in the months ahead. The Norwegian Government is therefore allocating a further USD 63 million to humanitarian efforts in South Sudan. By making this substantial contribution, Norway is sending a clear signal about the gravity of the situation,’ said Minister of Foreign Affairs Børge Brende.

This allocation comes in addition to the USD 17 million Norway has already provided for humanitarian efforts in South Sudan this year. Since last December, when armed conflict broke out in the country, over 1.3 million people have been forced to flee, and a great many have lost their homes and their livelihoods.

Humanitarian partners expect that the current crisis will continue to deteriorate in the months to come. The UN has now increased the funding requirement for humanitarian assistance from USD 1.3 billion to USD 1.8 billion. So far, only USD 590 million has been provided by international donors. Due to the critical and growing need for emergency relief and the protection of civilians, Norway, in cooperation with the UN, is hosting an international humanitarian pledging conference for South Sudan in Oslo on 19-20 May.

‘I am deeply concerned about the large number of civilians who have been killed or attacked by the parties to the conflict. There are reports of widespread and systematic sexual violence, and there is a severe risk of hunger. Rapid action is needed to prevent the situation from deteriorating further. We are bringing together the most important humanitarian actors in Oslo so that we can agree on joint measures to provide better help to the millions of people affected by the conflict,’ said Mr Brende.

Foreign Minister Brende stressed that a cessation of hostilities would be the most important step towards mitigating the humanitarian crisis in South Sudan. This would allow people in acute need to get access to humanitarian assistance, and those who have had to flee their homes would be able to return and start to rebuild their lives.

The Norwegian contribution will be channelled through humanitarian actors on the ground in South Sudan, including UN agencies, NGOs and the International Committee of the Red Cross. In addition, some of the funds will be allocated to relief efforts in South Sudan’s neighbouring countries, which are receiving a large number of refugees.

 

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Painkillers Damaged My Kidney, Says Ufoma McDermott[VIDEO]

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Nollywood actress, Ufoma McDermott has shared how her long-term painkiller use led to kidney disease.

In a recent interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo, she opened up about her 12-year struggle with the illness and urged the public to prioritize their health.

While revealing that her condition was a side effect of long-term painkiller abuse, McDermott said; “I really wish everyone would understand the importance of health. My brother was diagnosed late on stage 4 of kidney disease and he goes straight into dialysis and has complications.

“I was diagnosed earlier, so I have lived on medication for almost 12 years now. When my brother I ran to my cardiologist. My parents were scared, thinking if this is genetic? We had to trace the kidney disease and we learned it was from drug abuse.

“I grew up with migraines, headaches and eyeaches, and I never wore my glasses because they made me look like a geek. I’d take painkillers for my migraine. I took strong painkillers and not the ordinary painkillers because I wanted the pain to go away.”

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Music Icon Quincy Jones Passes Away At 91

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Quincy Jones, the legendary music producer, composer, and cultural icon whose career spanned over seven decades, has passed away at the age of 91.

Jones died peacefully on Sunday night at his Bel Air home, surrounded by family, according to his publicist, Arnold Robinson.

“Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing,” his family said in a statement. “And although this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life that he lived and know there will never be another like him.”

Renowned for his unmatched versatility, Jones collaborated with some of the greatest musical talents of the 20th and 21st centuries, including Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, and Will Smith. He played an integral role in producing Jackson’s groundbreaking albums Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad, which catapulted the pop star to global superstardom and earned Jones worldwide acclaim.

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Born in Chicago in 1933, Jones’ journey into music began early. His childhood introduction came from a neighbor’s piano playing and his mother’s singing. After moving to Washington state following his parents’ divorce, he honed his skills in his high school band and began playing with a young Ray Charles in Seattle’s vibrant club scene.

Jones’ career took off in New York, where he played trumpet in Elvis Presley’s early TV performances and worked with bebop legends like Charlie Parker and Miles Davis. By 1958, he was working with Frank Sinatra, arranging for the singer’s band at the request of Princess Grace Kelly. Their partnership flourished, spanning several projects including Sinatra’s final album LA Is My Lady in 1984.

Throughout the 1960s and 70s, Jones’ talents extended into film and television scores, composing music for films such as The Italian Job, In the Heat of the Night, and the acclaimed The Color Purple, for which he earned three Oscar nominations. He also scored hit TV shows including The Bill Cosby Show and Roots.

In 1985, Jones produced and co-conducted the charity anthem “We Are the World” alongside Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, raising millions for Ethiopian famine relief. Despite personal and professional challenges—including surviving a near-fatal brain aneurysm in 1974—Jones’s career continued to thrive.

Jones’ influence wasn’t limited to music. In 1990, he founded Quincy Jones Entertainment, the company behind the popular sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which launched the career of Will Smith. His media ventures also included the creation of Qwest TV, an on-demand music streaming service, and the magazine Vibe, which celebrated Black music and culture.

Over his career, Jones earned 80 Grammy nominations, winning 28—making him one of the most decorated artists in the award’s history. Tributes poured in following news of his death. Actor Michael Caine, who shared Jones’ birthdate, called him “a wonderful and unique human being.” Music artists such as LL Cool J expressed gratitude, saying, “You were a father and example at a time when I truly needed one. Music would not be music without you.”

Jones is survived by his seven children, leaving behind an indelible legacy that will resonate through generations to come. His life’s work transformed music, television, and culture, proving that there truly was no limit to what Quincy Jones could accomplish.

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Prayers Won’t Build Roads, Fund Children’s Education – Jesse Jagz To Nigerians

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Singer and rapper Jesse Jagz has called on Nigerians to rethink their approach to religion.

Jagz suggested that African traditional religious gods have become ineffective, attributing this to the excessive alcohol given to them during rituals, which, according to him, has made them obese, diabetic, and unable to aid their worshipers.

Speaking on the ‘Big Talk’ podcast, the rapper also criticized followers of foreign religions for relying solely on prayer and expecting miracles without putting in the necessary effort. He stressed that prayers alone cannot provide essential social services or infrastructure.

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“When you go to a shrine and you see the priest pouring gin on the gods, Google how much a bottle of gin was in slavery. 40 slaves.

“Our gods are drunk on alcohol and meat. They are obese and diabetic.

“They can’t help us do anything. Prayers do not build roads or buy books for children. We have forgotten humanity,” he said.

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