Posts

Showing posts from September 7, 2014

How letting women fail can help them succeed.

Image
Failure In life, and especially at work, women often are afraid to break the rules. They are also afraid to fail in ways that can differ from men. Often, this holds them back in their careers. It isn’t an irrational position. Instead, it’s more likely a reaction to social pressures that tell them they will be more harshly judged than their male peers on their perceived missteps.

Fed change unlikely to blunt equities' appeal over bonds.

Image
Fed change unlikely to blunt equities' appeal over bonds A Wall Street sign is pictured outside the New York Stock Exchange in New York, October 28, 2013. Credit: Reuters/Carlo Allegri (Reuters) - The recent wobbly stretch in both stocks and bonds may persist for the short term if the U.S. Federal Reserve next week lives up to expectations and signals the days of near-zero interest rates are numbered, but it is unlikely to tip valuation scales in favor of bonds any time soon.

Open Letter To Ndigbo By Joe Igbokwe.

Image
When has Igbo become so ethically compromised that they do must defend even thieves from Igboland? Are these Igbo not aware that such fight, like in the case of Stella Oduah not only ridicules the Igbo but belittles them before others? What happens to the sanctimonious resolve of our fore fathers never to get involved in war of blame?

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever.

Image
Key facts The Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus causes severe viral haemorrhagic fever outbreaks. CCHF outbreaks have a case fatality rate of up to 40%. The virus is primarily transmitted to people from ticks and livestock animals. Human-to-human transmission can occur resulting from close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected persons. CCHF is endemic in Africa, the Balkans, the Middle East and Asia, in countries south of the 50th parallel north. There is no vaccine available for either people or animals.

FACTS ON DEAFNESS AND HEARING LOSS.

Key facts 360 million people worldwide have disabling hearing loss 1 . Hearing loss may be inherited, caused by maternal rubella or complications at birth, certain infectious diseases such as meningitis, chronic ear infections, use of ototoxic drugs, exposure to excessive noise and ageing. Half of all cases of hearing loss are avoidable through primary prevention. People with hearing loss can benefit from devices such as hearing aids, assistive devices and cochlear implants, and from captioning, sign language training, educational and social support. Current production of hearing aids meets less than 10% of global need. WHO is assisting countries in developing programmes for primary ear and hearing care that are integrated into the primary health-care system of the country.

FACTS ON BURNS.

Key facts An estimated 265 000 deaths every year are caused by burns – the vast majority occur in low- and middle-income countries. Non-fatal burn injuries are a leading cause of morbidity. Burns occur mainly in the home and workplace. Burns are preventable.

SIERRA LEONE FACT SHEET.

Image
All countries which are Members of the United Nations may become members of WHO by accepting its Constitution. Other countries may be admitted as members when their application has been approved by a simple majority vote of the World Health Assembly. Territories which are not responsible for the conduct of their international relations may be admitted as Associate Members upon application made on their behalf by the Member or other authority responsible for their international relations. Members of WHO are grouped according to regional distribution (194 Member States).Let us look at the fact sheet of Sierra Leone according to WHO.after this break..

EBOLA:The Cuba Move,A Laudable Move.

Image
Cuban medical team heading for Sierra Leone WHO/M. Missioneiro Cuba is known the world over for its ability to train excellent doctors and nurses who can then go out to help other countries in need. Currently there are more than 50 000 Cuban-trained health workers in 66 countries. And now Dr Roberto Morales Ojeda, Minister of Public Health, has announced that Cuba will send a medical team of 165 people to Sierra Leone to help in the frontline in the Ebola response efforts.

Ukraine 'repel rebels in Donetsk airport'

Image
Tensions remain high in the east despite the ceasefire between the two sides. Ukrainian government troops say they have repelled an attack by pro-Russian rebels on Donetsk airport. All Saturday morning gunfire was heard from the area, controlled by government forces despite rebel victories in the rest of the eastern city.

Ebola Situation in Senegal remains stable.

The situation in Senegal, which confirmed its first case of Ebola virus disease on 29 August, remains stable. To date, 67 close contacts of the initial case have been identified and monitored twice daily. 2 of these contacts who developed symptoms were tested for Ebola. Test results were negative. An additional 3 suspected cases across the country were also tested, with negative results.

Dimgba Igwe mourned by COSON .

\\ The board, members and management of the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) have received with shock the news of the passing on of veteran journalism, Dimgba Igwe. Until his death, Igwe was the vice chairman of The Sun Newspapers and co-founder of Entertainment Express.

EBOLA:Gabon denies Eaglets entry into Libreville over Ebola

Image
•NFF protests to CAF The Nigeria Football Federation has protested to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) over Friday’s unsavoury treatment of the Golden Eaglets delegation expected to play in an African U-17 championship on today. Eaglets coach, Emmanuel Amunike On Friday in Lome, Togo, the Gabonese authorities disembark members of the U-17 National Team delegation from a Gabon –bound ASKY Airline flight.

Black Scorpion dies.

Black Scorpion dies at a ripe age, 78. Brig.-Gen Benjamin Adekunle (retd.)who was an active player in the Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970)., is dead. The war veteran, better known as Black Scorpion, died this morning at the age of 78 in Lagos, according to his wife, Folake.

Army Moves to Turn Tide Against Boko Haram, Kills 100 in Konduga.

Image
Photo: Premium Times Nigerian soldiers. Determined to turn the tide against the terrorists Boko Haram, the Nigerian Army yesterday inflicted heavy casualty on the sect fighters who attempted to capture Konduga, a strategic town just about 35km to Maiduguri, killing over 100 and halting their match to Maiduguri.

Church building collapses kills three, more feared dead.

(Reuters) - At least three people were killed when a Lagos guest house being built by one of Nigeria's biggest Christian churches collapsed, and the final toll was likely to be higher, rescue officials said on Saturday.

Prostitutes defy Ebola in Port Harcourt.

“ Something must kill a man,” is a phrase commonly used by people addicted to substances, behaviours and dangerous lifestyles, as a form of defence or bravado; but it does not take away the fact that they are on the path of self-destruction.

The verdict: What's next?

Image
Pistorius has reached out to Reeva Steenkamp's family His sponsors cut ties with him after the killing. (CNN) -- Long before he was accused of murder, Oscar Pistorius was toasted the world over for his triumph over a disability. His lightning running speed -- which took him all the way to the Olympics despite using carbon legs -- attracted sponsorships worth millions.

PISTORIOUS:Mother of dead model wants to meet Oscar Pistorious,stunned by verdict.

Image
The mother of South African model Reeva Steenkamp expressed "disbelief" over dismissal of murder charges against the man who killed her daughter. A judge found Oscar Pistorius guilty Friday of culpable homicide, which is akin to negligent killing. The conviction came a day after Judge Thokozile Masipa cleared him of murder -- premeditated or otherwise -- in Steenkamp's death.

Russia: Aid convoy of more than 200 trucks crossed Ukraine border without permission-Official.

Image
Lorries, part of a Russian humanitarian convoy, cross the Ukrainian border on September 13, 2014. STORY HIGHLIGHTS A convoy of trucks is carrying humanitarian aid to Luhansk, Russian state media says Ukrainian Border Service official says 217 Russian trucks entered Ukraine Ukrainian authorities were not able to check the trucks, he says The European Union and United States have imposed fresh sanctions against Russia.

Putin wants to destroy Ukraine and restore Soviet Union, says Yatseniuk.

Image
Ukranian PM tells a conference of European politicians that his country is in a ‘stage of war’ and Russia is the aggressor A Ukrainian soldier stands next to a tank near the eastern Ukrainian town of Pervomaysk on Friday. Photograph: Gleb Garanich/Reuters The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, wants to destroy Ukraine as an independent country and to restore the Soviet Union, Ukrainian prime minister Arseny Yatseniuk said on Saturday.

UN:Secretary-General Welcomes World Solidarity in Ebola Response.

Image
12 September 2014 Secretary-General SG/SM/16141 Department of Public Information • News and Media Division • New York Calls for Greater Support to Affected Countries. The following statement was issued by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today:

EBOLA:Welcoming boost in Ebola response, Ban urges greater global support to fight epidemic.

Image
Welcoming boost in Ebola response, Ban urges greater global support to fight epidemic                                                                                                                                                                           A non-contact thermometer being used to take body temperature while screening for Ebola symptoms at Hôpital Perfectoral de Coyah in Guinea. Photo: WHO/A. Pallangyo United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon yesterday welcomed signs of solidarity in the fight against the Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa and called on all countries and organizations to move swiftly to support the Governments of the countries affected.

UKRAINE CONFLICT: UN agency launches emergency food aid operation in country's east.

Image
A resident of the Artema suburb of Sloviansk, Ukraine, in the rubble of what used to be her summer kitchen, in July 2014. Photo: UNHCR/Iva Zimova  The United Nations World Food Programme ( WFP ) is rolling out its first operation in Ukraine, providing food assistance to vulnerable people affected by the conflict with distributions in transit centres and public shelters in Donetsk and Luhansk in the country’s east.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH 7,000 CARS?....ASK SULTAN BOLKIAH.

Image
About Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah is the head of state and Yangi-Di Pertuan of Brunei. He  has an estimated net worth of $20 billion. Hassanal Bolkiah is one of the world’s richest and has been head of state since 1967.

Ebola Aid Worker Forced to Turn Away Patients in Liberia.

Image
Medical worker Pierre Trbovic helped run an Ebola clinic in Liberia. Specifically, he helped keep patients out, as the facility was far too small to harbor the number of patients storming in. In a column for  The Guardian , Trbovic attempts to explain the feeling of turning Ebola patients away.

Ancient Maps Undercut China's South China Sea Claims.

Image
On September 11 the Philippines put "dozens of ancient maps on display" which they say show that China's territorial claims have not historically included the Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea.

Lagos Schools To Resume On Sept. 22.

The Lagos state government has said in a release issued by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Information, Mr. Lateef Raji, in Ikeja on Friday that it   has directed all schools to resume on September 22 in compliance with the Federal Government’s directive and also added that  an upward shift of the date was no longer necessary.

Reason Why Overachievers Dont Really Achieve.

Image
(Thinkstock) You’ve worked hard. You’ve gone above and beyond. You’ve forsaken your friends, activities and even a few meals to achieve your goals. You have all the signs of being a classic over-achiever, striving for perfection, promotion and notice among supervisors. So why haven’t you progressed higher in your career?

Pistorious Trial:The Tweets From BBC.

Image
Oscar Pistorius verdict: First day round-up Judge Thokozile Masipa began reading out the verdict in the trial of Oscar Pistorius for the killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. She gave a summary of the proceedings, analysing the evidence and the defence and prosecution cases. But after concluding that Mr Pistorius could not have committed murder, the judge adjourned the trial saying that a charge of culpable homicide was still under consideration.Now let us look at some tweets from one of the foremost media outfit in the world,THE BBC-after this break.

Scottish independence: What will happen to the Queen?

Image
Buckingham Palace has made it clear that the Queen does not wish to influence the Scottish referendum, saying it is "a matter for the people of Scotland". But would the Queen's role north of the border change if Scotland votes for independence?

Malala Yousafzai suspects arrested, Pakistan army says.

Image
Malala was only 15 when she was shot three times in the head by Taliban gunmen in the restive Swat valley Militants suspected of shooting activist Malala Yousafzai have been arrested, Pakistan's army says. The teenager was shot in the head by Taliban gunmen in October 2012 because of her campaign for girls' education.

Ukraine: New EU sanctions on Russia go into effect.

Image
Luhansk airport - now controlled by pro-Russian rebels - was devastated by fighting New EU sanctions against Russia have gone into force, blocking loans for five big state banks and curbing EU business with oil and defence firms.

New clinic key to Sierra Leone's Ebola fight

Image
New clinic key to Sierra Leone's Ebola fight Red Cross facility near eastern city of Kenema set to admit first patients, relieving pressure on government hospital. Sierra Leone, Kenema - The second Ebola treatment centre to be built from scratch in Sierra Leone is set to

ETHIOPIA'S WATER 'FAMINE' IN PIX

Image
A .  A I P A A r I D N A I

TACKLING ISIS.

ISIS HAS BECOME A KIND OF CANCER WHICH CONTINUES TO GROW ESPECIALLY BY THE NUMBER OF FOREIGN FIGHTERS FROM WESTERN NATIONS JOINING THIS GROUP IN DROVES.HOW DO WE TACKLE THE ISIS?CLICK THE  LINKS:                                                     Syria: Strikes mean aggression                                                                                                                                                             ISIS can muster tens of thousands                                                                                                   Obama: There's no safe haven                                                Key rival: F-16 is not a strategy                                                                                         Critics: Al Qaeda tactics won't work                                                                                          China likely to give 'quiet' backing

Senator's fund-raising appeal: Michelle Obama may run for Senate.

Image
First lady Michelle Obama has said she has no plans to run for office after her husband leaves the White House. STORY HIGHLIGHTS Sen. Kirk implies in a fund-raising email the first lady may run for his Senate seat Kirk ties the Obama "rumor" to 1999 suggestions Hillary Clinton would run for Senate He asks supporters to help him "fend off a challenge from a Democratic opponent" But even the President has said there's no chance Michelle Obama will ever run for office.

UKRAINE CONFLICT:1,000 Russian troops in Ukraine.

Image
Ukraine: 70% of Russian troops withdraw. Russia still has about 1,000 troops inside eastern Ukraine, a NATO military officer said Thursday, a week after Ukraine's government and pro-Russian rebels agreed to a ceasefire aimed at ending months of conflict. NATO also sees 20,000 more Russian troops aligned along the border, the NATO officer told CNN. He was not named according to standard practice in the organization.

TERROR ALERT HIGH IN AUSTRALIA.

Image
Australia has raised its terror alert level to "high" for the first time since the national alert system was introduced in 2003. According to the four-level system, a reading of "high" means a terrorist attack "is likely," however the country's Prime Minister Tony Abbott said no specific threat had been made

ISIS:Number Of People Fighting For ISIS Is More Than Three Times The Previous Estimates.

Image
U.S. surveillance flights begin in Syria. STORY HIGHLIGHTS Iraqi video apparently shows captured Saudi teen fighter More than 15,000 foreign fighters, including 2,000 Westerners, have gone to Syria The CIA says ISIS "can muster between 20,000 and 31,500 fighters across Iraq and Syria" Baghdad (CNN) -- Just 18 years old, teenager Hamad al-Tamimi says he was a religious studies student in Riyadh before jihadists influenced and recruited him online.

OSCAR PISTORIOUS GUILTY OF CULPABLE HOMICIDE.

Image
STORY HIGHLIGHTS NEW: Judge grants him bail; sentencing starts on October 13 The maximum prison sentence for culpable homicide is 15 years Sentencing will come after more legal argument Judge also found him guilty of one of three weapons charges.

Kallmann syndrome.

Image
Kallmann syndrome The structure of GNRH1 (from PDB 1YY1 ) ICD - 10 E 23.0 ICD - 9 253.4 OMIM 308700 147950 244200 138850 607002 DiseasesDB 7091 eMedicine med/1216 med/1342 MeSH D017436 Kallmann syndrome is a genetic condition where the primary symptom is a failure to start puberty or a failure to fully complete puberty. It occurs in both males and females and has the additional symptoms of hypogonadism and almost invariably infertility . Kallmann syndrome also features the additional symptom of an altered sense of smell; either totally absent ( anosmia ) or highly reduced ( hyposmia ). [ 1 ] [ 2 ] Kallmann syndrome occurs when the hypothalamic neurons that are responsible for releasing gonadotropin-releasing hormone ( GnRH neurons ) fail to migrate into the hypothalamus during embryonic development.

HERMAPHRODITE.

Image
Mating Helix aspersa (garden snails). In biology , a hermaphrodite is an organism that has reproductive organs normally associated with both male and female sexes . [ 1 ] Many taxonomic groups of animals (mostly invertebrates ) do not have separate sexes. [ 2 ] In these groups, hermaphroditism is a normal condition, enabling a form of sexual reproduction in which both partners can act as the "female" or "male". For example, the great majority of pulmonate snails, opisthobranch snails and slugs are hermaphrodites.

FACIAL NERVE PALSY.

Image
Facial nerve paralysis Moche Culture Representation of Facial Paralysis. 300 A.D. Larco Museum Collection Lima , Peru . ICD - 10 G 51 ICD - 9 351 MedlinePlus 003028 eMedicine plastic/522 MeSH D005158 Facial nerve paralysis is a common problem that involves the paralysis of any structures innervated by the facial nerve . The pathway of the facial nerve is long and relatively convoluted, and so there are a number of causes that may result in facial nerve paralysis. [ 1 ] The most common is Bell's palsy , an idiopathic disease that may only be diagnosed by exclusion.

UNICEF: progress for children rights in south Asia, but inequalities exist.

Image
UNICEF says children rights in south Asia have made strides but inequalities exist. Photo: UNICEF Despite rapid economic growth and huge progress in realizing the rights of children, young people in South Asia are paying a heavy price, the United Nations Children’s Fund ( UNICEF ) reported today, noting that “everybody in South Asia has an obligation – and the potential – to do more to realize the rights of every single child in the region.

Meeting Afghan presidential candidates, UN political chief urges unity, pledges support.

Image
News conference hosted by UNAMA with the two candidates in the country’s Presidential election, Dr. Abdullah Abdullah and Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai on 8 August 2014. Photo: Fardin Waezi / UNAMA In Kabul today, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman met with Afghanistan’s two presidential candidates, Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, and underscored the world body’s call for a successful conclusion to the country’s election process.

UN: detained Fijian peacekeepers in Golan released in good condition.

Image
A UNDOF base in the Golan. Photo: UNDOF     Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed today the release of the 45 United Nations peacekeepers that had been forcibly taken on 28 August 2014 in the Golan and detained by armed elements. The world body had earlier announced today that the 45 Fijian peacekeepers were released and are in good condition.

PISTORIOUS FINALLY CLEARED BUT...

South Africa court clears Pistorius of murder Relief for amputee athlete accused of killing girlfriend in 2013, but final verdict on culpable homicide still awaited. Last updated: 11 Sep 2014 15:45 South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius has been cleared of murder over the killing of his model girlfriend, but a final verdict on culpable homicide, which is an equivalent to manslaughter, remains to be issued.

ISIS:Coalition against Islamic State?

The US seeks a global coalition to take on fighters who have seized large areas of Iraq and Syria. US President Barack Obama is building a coalition of nations to combat the threat posed by the Islamic State group, a threat the White House says now extends beyond Iraq to the wider region and the world.

Obama's ISIS Speech Not 'Sufficient'-Chris Matthews.

MSNBC’s “Hardball” anchor Chris Matthews was critical of President Obama’s address to the nation on ISIS during MSNBC’s special coverage of the event on Wednesday. Matthews argued “I didn't hear in there how we're going to encourage the Arab countries, the Islamic world to go after ISIS. I didn't hear that. I heard airstrikes by the United States.

LAGOS JUSTIFIES ITS OVER 160 BILLION NAIRA DEBT.

Image
Governor Babatunde Fashola, yesterday, justified the decision of the Lagos State government to take a loan of over N160 billion from the World Bank, saying strategies were in place to ensure it is repaid on time. Fashola said this while fielding questions from journalists shortly after an inspection tour of the ongoing construction of the light rail terminus at Orile- Iganmu, Lagos.

Five lessons we learnt from Nigeria's disappointing draw against South Africa.

Image
Just when the Nigerian teeming fans were expecting a turnaround in fortunes of the Super Eagles they somehow contrived to dash those expectations. A drab 0-0 draw ensured that the Super Eagles are win-less after two matches in the 2015 African Nations Cup qualifiers. Time is running out,and with just four matches left in the qualifying series,the African Champions are in danger of not making it to the Nations Cup in Morocco

How Obama can really defeat Isis in Syria, Iraq and beyond.

Image
Forget the talking points – we asked commanding officers for battle plans. President Obama is prepared to detail air strikes in Syria and more to confront Isis. What does ‘more’ mean? Photograph: Pete Souza / White House How to dismantle Isis, by Ret Adm James G Stavridis. Goals: know the resources, but don’t blink To contain Isis, you must understand its resources – of fighters and ammunition, fuel and financial support – that allow Isis to flourish. Then, cut those off, essentially turning the organization inside-out to kill it. But you must put safeguards must in place to ensure the fire does not, in effect, re-flash the moment you look away

ISIS:WHY WOULD A BRITON BECOME A SUICIDE BOMBER?

Image
Meet the family of a suicide bomber STORY HIGHLIGHTS British-born Abdul Waheed Majeed carried out a suicide bomb attack on Aleppo prison His mother misses him and his elder brother says "his intentions were bona fide" The soon-to-be bomber had sent his family pictures of him hard at work in tent camps According to his brother, Majeed never made a farewell phone call to his family

EBOLA:ROBBING DEATH OF ITS DIGNITY IN LIBERIA.

Image
Ebola robs death of its dignity as victims' bodies are quickly burnt with the plastic suits they are wrapped in With warnings from officials that the Ebola virus is "spreading like wildfire" in Liberia, Sarah Crowe, who works for the UN children's agency (Unicef), describes her week on the Ebola front line: Flights into disaster zones are usually full of aid workers and journalists. Not this time.

ISIS:INSIDE THE WORLD OF THE JIHADI WOMEN.

Image
Experts say women have flocked to join ISIS, which has seized swathes of Iraq and Syria One group estimates that up to 15% of ISIS' foreign recruits are women In February ISIS formed Al-Khansaa, a female battalion with about 60 members, all under the age of 25 Umm Khattab is an online foodie. She posts pictures of Vietnamese grilled chicken and other recipes on the Web, peppering her conversations, like many young women her age, with emojis and lols. Then there's the photo of the AK-47 next to the Quran that she posted online, calling for British Prime Minister David Cameron's head on a spike.

9 things you should know about Postorious' case.

Image
 South African Olympian Oscar Pistorius is on trial for the murder of his girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp , at his Pretoria home last year. Prosecutors say Pistorius murdered Steenkamp following an argument in the early hours of Valentine's Day in 2013. The track star says he mistook her for an intruder. What is Oscar Pistorius charged with? Photos: Oscar Pistorius murder trial In addition to being accused of the premeditated murder of his girlfriend, Pistorius also faces a gun charge related to the killing, along with two additional gun-related charges for two separate instances of firing a gun in a public space before the killing.

Ozone layer recovering but remains threatened – UN reports.

Image
The Earth's protective ozone layer is well on track to recovery in the next few decades. Photo: UNEP   The Earth’s protective ozone layer is on track to recover by the middle of the century, the United Nations t reported on wednesday, urging unified action to tackle climate change and curb continued fluctuations to the composition of the atmosphere.

START OF A NEW SCHOOL CALENDAR IN JEOPARDY FOR THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN IN IRAQ-UNESCO.

Image
A group of internally displaced Iraqi girls queue for food at a community kitchen in a village in Iraqi Kurdistan's Dohuk governorate. Photo: UNHCR/B. Szandelszky  The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's chief on wednesday called for urgent international action and mobilization to support Iraq’s children and young people to get back to school

LIBYA CRISIS:END THE CRISIS AND START BUILDING NOW-UN URGES LIBYA.

Image
A resident of Tayuri stands against a bullet-riddled wall of his house, part of which was destroyed during clashes in Libya. Photo: IRIN/Zahra Moloo The United Nations envoy to that country wednesday reiterated that the violence in Libya must stop, calling for “meaningful, effective” dialogue to end what is among the worst fighting the country has seen since leader Muammar al-Qadhafi was ousted in 2011.

NIGERIA:THE SURGE OF THE FEMALE OIL BOSSES.

Image
Catherine Uju Ifejika is one of Africa's few female oil industry bosses The oil and gas industry is still overwhelmingly male, with surveys showing that the executive boardrooms of petroleum companies are mostly a boys' club. In Nigeria, a number of well-financed businesswomen are aiming to change the picture there.

A SHORT BRIEF ON NIGERIA FROM THE BBC.

Image
Nigeria profile After lurching from one military coup to another, Nigeria now has an elected leadership. But the government faces the growing challenge of preventing Africa's most populous country from breaking apart along ethnic and religious lines.