The United Nations General Assembly, Dan Fogarty, ECOSOC Adviser for the United States, articulated the US position on the recently adopted resolution, “International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations.” Fogarty began by welcoming international efforts to promote dialogue and intercultural exchange, noting the broad global acceptance of these concepts. He clarified that the US interprets “civilizations” in the resolution to be synonymous with “cultures,” thereby embracing cultural diversity and the organic processes of cultural exchange within and among societies. Highlighting the principles of the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), Fogarty reiterated the foundational belief that human…
Author: Omolemi Eboisetale
The Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) convened its concluding joint meeting with the 2023-2024 Advisory Committees and Councils, marking the start of the EXIM Annual Conference 2024. Held at the Washington Hilton, the event featured key discussions led by EXIM President and Chair Reta Jo Lewis, who praised the committees for their valuable contributions to advancing American exports. Chair Lewis emphasized the importance of the insights and recommendations provided by the Advisory Committee, Sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committee, and the Councils on Climate, China Competition, Small Business, and Advancing Women in Business. “The collective decades of experience and…
Apple on Monday will attempt to persuade doubters on its AI strategy after rivals raced ahead in adopting artificial intelligence. AI and perhaps even a partnership with ChatGPT-maker OpenAI will likely be a driving theme at the kickoff of Apple’s WWDC developers’ conference in Silicon Valley, according to analysts. The conference is Apple’s annual rendezvous for developers who create apps for iPads, Macs and iPhones — and CEO Tim Cook will work hard to convince his audience that the company is a major AI player. While Apple has been quietly including AI features in its hardware for years, it has…
Humanitarian aid to Gaza has recommenced after repairs were completed on a floating pier deployed by the U.S. military, which had been damaged in heavy seas. The U.S. Central Command announced that deliveries restarted at approximately 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, with about 1.1 million pounds of aid arriving in Gaza. The aid delivery had been temporarily halted from May 25 after parts of the pier broke off due to rough weather conditions. However, the structure has now been fixed, enabling the continuation of this critical humanitarian operation. Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, who oversees the operation, indicated that despite potential future…
In a State of the Union address, President Joe Biden sought to “wake up” Congress, vigorously responding to hecklers and directing criticism at former President Donald Trump without mentioning him by name. The 81-year-old president appeared invigorated, shedding concerns about his approval ratings and the anxiety within his party regarding his political and physical health. Throughout his speech, Biden referenced his predecessor 13 times, aiming sharp critiques at Trump. He also engaged directly with Republican lawmakers, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., and sarcastically challenged GOP members over their refusal to pass a bipartisan border bill. “I know you know…
In one of the deadliest operations of the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict, an Israeli raid on the Nuseirat refugee camp resulted in the deaths of at least 274 Palestinians, Gaza’s Health Ministry reported on Sunday. The raid, which took place on Saturday, was launched to rescue four Israeli hostages held by Hamas. The freed hostages — Noa Argamani, 26; Almog Meir Jan, 22; Andrey Kozlov, 27; and Shlomi Ziv, 41 — are reportedly in good medical condition and are currently undergoing medical examinations at a hospital, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The United States provided crucial intelligence that assisted…
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has released its weather forecast for the upcoming three days, predicting a mix of sunshine and thunderstorms across various regions of the country from Monday to Wednesday. According to the weather outlook released on Sunday, NiMet expects sunny skies with patches of clouds over the northern region on Monday, accompanied by morning thunderstorms in parts of Taraba, Adamawa, and Borno states. The afternoon and evening will see thunderstorms in Zamfara, Jigawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna, Borno, Kano, Taraba, and Adamawa states. In the North Central region, cloudy skies with sunshine intervals are anticipated, with morning thunderstorms…
The Federal Government of Nigeria has launched a resurgence plan to rejuvenate the country’s cotton, textile, and apparel industry, in collaboration with development partners and the private sector. This initiative, revealed by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite, aims to breathe new life into a sector that once thrived as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s manufacturing industry. Speaking on the ministry’s achievements over the past year, Uzoka-Anite highlighted that approximately $3.5 billion in investments have been secured to revitalize the moribund textile sector. The minister stated the broad scope of the textile industry, which spans the entire clothing…
As organised labour and workers anxiously await an update on the minimum wage struggle, reactions have continued to trail the shutdown of the national grid by the unions during the two-day nationwide strike. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) initiated an indefinite strike on Monday, demanding an increase in the national minimum wage and a reduction in electricity tariffs. As part of their actions, the unions disrupted the national grid, flights and businesses across the country for two days before suspending the strike for five days to allow for negotiation with the federal government.…
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against President Bola Tinubu’s administration, demanding the publication of detailed accounts of loans acquired by previous administrations. The suit, lodged with the Federal High Court in Lagos, targets the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, and the Debt Management Office (DMO). SERAP is pushing for the release of loan agreements and expenditure details from the governments of former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan, and Muhammadu Buhari. The organization emphasizes that transparency in these financial dealings is crucial for public…
Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserve has rebounded to $32.8 billion, marking a positive shift after a 10-week decline that saw a drop of $1.8 billion. Data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) shows that as of June 6, 2024, the reserve increased by $110 million from $32.69 billion on May 31. The reserve’s upward trend has been steady over the past six days, starting at $32.74 billion on June 3, then rising to $32.77 billion on June 4, and reaching $32.79 billion on June 5. This growth indicates a recovery process for Nigeria’s external reserve, which is vital…
President Bola Tinubu is set to receive a bill advocating for a return to a regional system of government in Nigeria next week. The bill, titled ‘A Bill for an Act to substitute the annexure to Decree 24 of 1999 with new governance model for the Federal Republic of Nigeria’, aims to establish a new federal/regional governance structure under “The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria New Governance Model for Nigeria Act 2024.” The proposal stated the non-autochthonous nature of the 1999 Constitution, which was implemented by a military decree without the explicit consent of the Nigerian populace.…