Relations
Nigerian community disturbed over looting, destruction, violence in South Africa
The Nigerian Union South Africa (NUSA) has expressed concern over the looting, destruction and violence that has trailed the incarceration of former President Jacob Zuma of South Africa. NUSA, in a statement made available to newsmen by its President, Adetola Olubajo, urged Nigerians in South Africa, most especially in various cities in Kwa Zulu Natal and Gauteng Provinces, to be vigilant and adopt safety and security measures. ‘The union is highly disturbed seeing the extent of looting, destructions and violence perpetrated by the angry protesters during our fact-finding trip to Johannesburg this morning. ‘Violent protest erupted in KZN province during the weekend after the incarceration of former President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma. Over 18 trucks were set ablaze, businesses looted and...
Jersey extends licences for EU fishing boats
The government of Jersey, a self-governing Channel Island between France and Britain, said Monday that it had extended a transitional fishing agreement with the European Union allowing EU boats to continue operating in its waters for three months. “The EU has recently requested an extension to the transitional arrangements, which had been due to come to an end on 30 June,” a statement from the Jersey government said, adding that “Jersey ministers have agreed to that request.” Jersey lies just off France’s northern coast and access to its rich waters has become a source of friction since Britain’s departure from the EU on January 1 tore up arrangements for fishing in the Channel. To gain new licences, Jersey has insisted that EU boats hand over proof that they have been operating in its wat...
Akwa Ibom governor, former Kaduna senator urges leaders to learn vision from communist party of China
Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, has commended the Communist Party of China (CPC) for a laudable administration that transformed China into the global second largest economy. Emmanuel made the commendation as Special Guest of Honour at a symposium to mark the centenary of China’s governing party, the Communist Party of China, CPC, with the theme: “Communist Party of China at 100: Trajectories, Achievements and Prospects,” held at the Chinese Cultural Centre, Abuja recently. Emmanuel who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr. Ephraim Inyangeyen, said, China emerged over the years as a leading country in industrialisation, science and technology and information communication revolution, even adding that she is a major player in world trade, finance, commerce, aviation and int...
White House: No plans for Joe Biden to meet new Iranian leader
There are currently no plans for U.S. President Joe Biden to meet with Iran’s newly elected leader, according to the White House, which downplayed Ebrahim Raisi’s influence. Raisi, a strident critic of the West, will take over from pragmatist Hassan Rouhani on Aug. 3 after an election on Friday. In a news conference on Monday, he backed talks to salvage a tattered nuclear deal with Washington but ruled out personally meeting with Biden. read more White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Monday that little had changed because Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is the key decision maker in Tehran. “We don’t currently have any diplomatic relations with Iran or any plans to meet at the leader level,” she told reporters. “Our view is that the decision maker here is the Supreme Leader.” ...
Iran summons UK envoy over alleged attacks on expat voters
Iran summoned Britain’s ambassador Saturday to protest what it said were violent incidents targeting its expatriates as they voted in presidential elections at polling stations set up in the UK. A foreign ministry spokesman in the Islamic republic said such acts included the “beating” of a female voter. The violence was perpetrated by “anti-revolutionary, anti-democratic and terrorist elements insulting the voters and staff,” Saeed Khatibzadeh said in a statement. Iranian media had reported several incidents on Friday on the sidelines of the vote organised for Iranian citizens abroad at sites in Britain, the United States, Australia and in other countries. Iranian ultraconservative cleric Ebrahim Raisi was on Saturday declared the winner of the presidential race, on a voter turnout of 48.8...
UAE ratifies extradition deal with South Africa as hunt for Guptas intensifies
The United Arab Emirates has ratified a 2018 extradition treaty with South Africa, its embassy in Pretoria said on Wednesday, a move that President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government hopes will lead to the return of the Gupta brothers to face corruption charges. South Africa signed the treaty with the UAE in late 2018, part of Ramaphosa’s effort to crack down on those accused of corruption and influence peddling under his predecessor, Jacob Zuma. It was ratified in April, UAE’s embassy said in a statement. The Gupta brothers – Atul, Ajay and Rajesh Gupta – are accused of using connections with Zuma to win contracts, misappropriate state assets, inappropriately influence cabinet appointments and siphon off billions of rand in state funds. The Indian-born brothers, who have repeatedly denied wrong...
Troops nab two terrorist fuel suppliers in Yobe
Troops of Sector 2 Operation HADIN KAI on Saturday raided suspected Boko Haram Terrorists logistics base in Gujba, Yobe State and arrested two fuel suppliers. The director, Army public relations, Brig Gen Mohammed Yerima, said the troops following a sting operation nabbed two suspected Boko Haram logistics suppliers and recovered 11 jerricans loaded with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly called petrol, six jerricans of Automotive Gas Oil and nine empty jerricans hidden in different locations in Gujba. He said the suspects are currently in custody for preliminary investigations and would be handed over for prosecution by relevant agencies. The Chief of Army Staff, Major General Faruk Yahaya, while appreciating the troops, enjoined them to sustain the tempo and clear all suspected fortres...
President Buhari presides over extraordinary summit of Lake Chad Basin Commission
President Muhammadu Buhari has summoned an extraordinary summit of Heads of State and Government of Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja. Newsmen report that other sub-regional leaders participating in the summit include the Presidents of Niger Republic, Mohamed Bazoum and Central African Republic, Faustin Touadera. Others are Mahamat Idriss Deby, President of the Transitional Military Council of the Republic of Chad, while Cameroon’s President Paul Bryan, was represented at the meeting. Other participants at the summit include representatives of Mohamed Al-Menfi, Chairman of the Presidential Council of Libya, and the Sudanese President. Newsmen report that the leaders would be discussing the growing security threats in Sahel and Lake Chad region, politica...
Lagos registers over 400 money lenders, vaccinates 2,500 intending pilgrims
Lagos State Government has disclosed that it has registered over 400 money lenders in the last two years, just as it noted that it has also vaccinated over 2,500 intending pilgrims for the next hajj. Making this disclosure at a ministerial press briefing to commemorate the second year in office of the state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, at the Press Centre in Ikeja yesterday, the state Commissioner for Home Affairs, Prince Anofiu Elegushi, stated that the ministry is in partnership with the Money lending sector in a way that most of such organisations are mandated to register with the ministry for the coordination of their activities. According to him, “In return, the ministry has registered, profiled and monitored the viability of such companies to ensure that while the money lenders are ...
Fury over Belarus airliner ‘hijack’ set to dominate EU summit
Fury over the forced landing of a Ryanair plane in Belarus has upended the agenda of a European Union summit dinner on Monday, where leaders were due to discuss relations with Russia and Britain but will now also consider punitive steps against Minsk. Belarusian authorities scrambled a fighter jet and flagged what turned out to be a false bomb alert to force the civilian aircraft to land on Sunday and then detained an opposition-minded journalist who was among the passengers on board. The diversion of a plane owned by an EU company that was flying between two EU capitals was “an inadmissible step”, the bloc’s foreign policy chief said, and it would be raised at the summit. “The EU will consider the consequences of this action, including taking measures against those responsible,” Josep Bor...
President Buhari arrives Paris for Financing Africa Summit
President Muhammadu Buhari has arrived in Paris for the Financing Africa Summit. The president left Abuja Sunday for the summit which is being hosted by President Emmanuel Macron of France. According to Buhari’s spokesperson, Garba Shehu, the summit will draw major stakeholders in the global finance institutions and some Heads of Government, who will, collectively, discuss external funding and debt treatment for Africa, and private sector reforms. “During the visit, President Buhari will meet with the French President to discuss growing security threats in Sahel and Lake Chad region, political relations, economic ties, climate change and partnership in buoying the health sector, particularly in checking spread of Covid-19, with more research and vaccines. “Before returning to Nigeria, Pres...
Guatemalan president says graft fighter biased, ahead of Harris visit
Guatemala’s President Alejandro Giammattei criticized the country’s best-known graft prosecutor for what he said was a left-wing politicization of the fight against corruption, a view at odds with strong U.S. backing for his work. Speaking in an interview with Reuters late on Tuesday, Giammattei nonetheless expressed hope that a visit to Guatemala next week by U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris will produce shared strategies to create prosperity in rural areas prone to emigration. Harris, a Democrat, is in charge of Washington efforts to tackle the causes of mass migration from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador, collectively dubbed the Northern Triangle, including a focus on corruption and poor governance that she says limit opportunities. There is a $4 billion U.S. aid package to the reg...