USAID Administrator Samantha Power held talks Monday with Cindy McCain, head of the UN World Food Program, to discuss providing urgent humanitarian relief to Gaza during a temporary ceasefire. In the call, Power thanked WFP personnel in Gaza for “putting their lives at risk” to deliver food and assistance on the ground. She reaffirmed U.S. commitment to reach Palestinians impacted by recent violence. For her part, McCain updated Power on WFP operations in Gaza including challenges staff face in getting aid to those in need. The two discussed coordinating efforts between USAID and WFP to accelerate and expand assistance to…
Author: Editor Francis
In a statement from the White House on November 27, 2023, President Joe Biden expressed his deep engagement in sustaining a deal brokered through extensive U.S. mediation and diplomacy, ensuring positive outcomes. Over 50 hostages, including young children and mothers, have been released, among them Abigail, a four-year-old American girl held captive by Hamas terrorists since October 7th. President Biden assured ongoing support for Abigail’s recovery. The humanitarian pause facilitated increased humanitarian assistance for civilians in Gaza, with the United States leading these efforts. ‘The humanitarian pause has also enabled a significant surge in additional humanitarian assistance to the innocent…
The United States and Kenya convened for the second U.S.-Kenya Cyber and Digital Dialogue in Nairobi on November 27. This meeting, hosted by the Government of Kenya, marked the fulfillment of a commitment made by both nations during the U.S.-Kenya Bilateral Strategic Dialogue earlier in the year. Leading the U.S. delegation was Ambassador at Large for Cyberspace and Digital Policy, Nathaniel C. Fick, along with representatives from the Departments of State, Defense, and Justice. The Kenyan delegation, headed by Mr. Thomas Sakah, Secretary Security for the Ministry for Internal Security and National Administration, comprised representatives from key agencies, including the…
In a decisive ruling today, the State and National Assembly Appeal Court in Lagos upheld Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s victory in the March 18, 2023, governorship election. The unanimous decision saw the dismissal of four appeals from opposition candidates—Tonye Cole (APC), Beatrice Itubo (Labour Party), Innocent Ekwu (Allied People’s Movement), and Lulu Briggs Dumo (Accord Party). The court emphasized that the appellants failed to substantiate claims of Electoral Act non-compliance. Additionally, the court criticized the tribunal for wrongly dismissing Tonye Cole’s appeal based on the withdrawal of APC’s petition, asserting that Cole retains the right to pursue his case independently.
Angola has officially commenced diamond mining at its expansive Luele project, marking it as the largest in the country and one of the world’s largest by estimated resources. The project, formerly known as Luaxe, was discovered by Angola’s state-controlled diamond miner, Catoca, in 2013, representing one of the most significant diamond industry finds in over 50 years. Despite the global diamond industry facing a downturn due to factors such as high U.S. interest rates, a slow post-pandemic recovery in China, and competition from lab-grown diamonds, the Luele project aims to tap into its vast resources. With an estimated 628…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has received numerous complaints from concerned Nigerians regarding unauthorized bank withdrawals linked to Automated Teller Machine (ATM) debit card swapping fraud. Investigations by the Commission have unveiled a growing trend in this fraudulent activity. According to EFCC ,Fraudsters employing this modus operandi approach unsuspecting bank customers at ATMs, posing as helpful individuals. In a swift maneuver, they swap the customer’s debit card with one from the same bank while memorizing the PIN used during the transaction. The victim, often unaware, finds the fraudulent card stuck in the machine due to an intentionally incorrect…
President Joe Biden privately apologized last month to a group of prominent Muslim-American leaders for publicly questioning the number of Palestinians killed in Gaza, the New York Post has learned. The meeting came a day after Biden’s Oct. 25 comments doubting the Gaza casualty figures reported by the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry stirred outrage in the Islamic community. According to sources, Biden vowed to “do better” and heard the leaders detail how people they knew were personally impacted by the conflict. “I’m sorry. I’m disappointed in myself,” Biden admitted over the course of the more than hour-long gathering. Previously, Biden had…
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has given the nod for a contract worth N3.23 billion for the supply and installation of customised explosive and narcotic detection screening systems. The advanced screening systems will be deployed at five international airports in Nigeria, including Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos, Mallam Aminu Kano Airport in Kano, Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, and Port Harcourt Airport in Rivers State. Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, made the announcement after the weekly council meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu. The decision to invest in…
In the latest Global Traffic Congestion Rankings for 2023 by Traffic Index, Lagos, Nigeria, has claimed the undesirable title of the city with the worst road traffic in the world. Following closely behind are Riga, Latvia, and Tehran, Iran, securing the second and third positions, respectively. The list continues with Mexico City, Mumbai, and Krakow in the fourth, fifth, and sixth spots. Istanbul, Lima, Cairo, and Bucuresti round out the top 10 cities grappling with severe traffic challenges.
In response to public concerns over dilapidated federal roads, Minister for Works, Dave Umahi, declares the initiation of rehabilitation and palliative work on failed federal roads, starting from December 1, 2023. The comprehensive plan aims to address major road infrastructure challenges across the nation. Umahi, in a statement shared on his social media account, outlines the government’s commitment to tackling road issues head-on, despite the heavy debt burden inherited from ongoing projects. The rehabilitation effort encompasses critical roads, including the Makurdi-Nsukka 9th Mile Road, East-West Road, Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Benin bypass road, collapsed bridges on various routes, and more. The minister…
President Bola Tinubu is scheduled to present the 2024 budget to a joint session of the National Assembly on Wednesday, as confirmed by the Secretary, Research and Information at the National Assembly, Dr. Ali Umoru. The presentation is expected to be made with certain restrictions on the number and category of individuals allowed access to the National Assembly Complex due to space constraints and security considerations. President Tinubu had previously submitted the 2024–2026 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP), proposing a total expenditure of N26.1 trillion for the 2024 fiscal year. The Senate, after two weeks…
The Federal government is considering significant tax reforms that could lead to an 18% surge in the ratio of tax revenue to GDP, according to statements made by Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Wale Edun, after the Federal Executive Council meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu. Edun revealed that the Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Committee has been actively working for the past 90 days, formulating initial reforms and outlining crucial targets for the economy. The proposed reforms, driven by the tax administrators, include the policy to remove VAT on diesel, aimed at boosting the government’s…