Dons Eze
- Foreign Affairs
- June 29, 2024
- 50 views
GUINEA’S DICTATOR’S EX-ALLY DIES IN DETENTION
GUINEA’S MILITARY DICTATOR’S EX-ALLY DIES IN DETENTION The former right-hand man to Guinea’s ruling general died in detention days after being sentenced by a military court, prosecutors said Wednesday, with his lawyer branding the death suspicious. Sadiba Koulibaly was sentenced by a military court to five years on June 14 for desertion and weapons offences in a trial his supporters denounced as trumped-up. He was second-in-command to junta leader Mamady Doumbouya during the 2021 coup that brought them to power. Prosecutors at a military tribunal said in a statement that he died on June 24. An autopsy ordered by the prosecutors found his death “could be attributable to severe psychological trauma and prolonged stress” causing a heart attack, the statement added. Koulibaly’s lawyer Mory Doumbouya told AFP however he believed the death was due to “anything but natural causes”. He said his client was “healthy and calm” and had not complained of any health problems since his arrest on June 4. He said Koulibaly was held in a secret location and the authorities “refused” to let his defence team contact him. Domestic turmoil has gripped the West African nation since the coup, with the opposition calling for a return to civilian rule. Under international pressure, the junta had agreed to organise elections by the end of 2024. But army-appointed Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah backtracked on that timetable, saying that the military should remain in power until 2025 at least. After the September 2021 putsch, Koulibaly was appointed as the Guinean army’s chief of staff, a post he held until May 2023. He then became charge d’affaires at the West African nation’s embassy in Cuba. He returned to Guinea in May, saying he had come to demand that the authorities pay the embassy staff’s salaries.He was arrested on accusations of abandoning his post and prosecutors said weapons were found at his home.
- Foreign Affairs
- June 28, 2024
- 108 views
US ELECTION: DEMS LOOK TO REPLACE BIDEN AS NOMINEE AHEAD OF AUGUST CONVENTION – CNN
US ELECTION: DEMS LOOKS TO REPLACE BIDEN AS NOMINEE AHEAD AUGUST CONVENTION – CNN John King, CNN’s chief national correspondent, says the Democratic party is looking to replace President Joe Biden as its presumptive nominee ahead of its national convention in August. Biden sparred with former US President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, on Friday, in a debate hosted by CNN. The incumbent’s speech was at times slurred, throaty, incoherent, he stuttered on occasion, and his ripostes came across as weak. At one point, as the candidates debated on border closure and immigration, a gloating Trump said: “I really don’t understand what he said at the end of that sentence. I don’t think he knows what he said either.” Analysing the performances of both candidates afterwards, all the CNN panellists submitted that Biden had done himself little favours on the night. “It was a game changing debate in the sense that right now as we speak, there is a deep, a wide and a very aggressive panic in the Democratic party,” said King. “The panic started minutes into the debate and continues right now. It involves party strategists, it involves elected officials, it involves fund-raisers. “And they are having conversations about the president’s performance which they think was dismal, which they think will hurt other people down the party in the ticket. They are having conversations about what they should do about it. “Some of those conversations include should we go to the White House and ask the president to step aside? Other conversations are about should prominent Democrats go public with that call? Because they think this debate was so terrible. “They do say, in moments in the debate later, the president got better and got his footing. But then in the end, even his closing statement was a little halty. The contrast between the two candidates was stark.” Abby Phillip, CNN anchor and a senior political correspondent who anchors CNN NewsNight, said Biden’s performance was “problematic” and “damaging”. Other panellists said Biden was “deeply vulnerable”, his voice was “shaky”, and that Democrats are worried that they could be throwing away the presidency if Biden remains top of the ticket. Biden, 81, and Trump, 78, sparred on the Russia-Ukraine war, Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, treatment of veterans, abortion, taxes, Medicare, inflation, Afghanistan, and America’s standing in the world — with the Republican repeatedly putting the Democrat on the defensive. Trump was US president from 2017 to 2021. He lost his re-election bid to Biden and challenged the outcome of the vote in an unprecedented manner.His supporters infamously invaded the US Capitol building on January 6, 2021 as Trump insisted that the election was stolen from him.
- Foreign Affairs
- June 27, 2024
- 60 views
COUP ATTEMPT: BOLIVIAN POLICE ARREST LEADER
COUP ATTEMPT: BOLIVIAN POLICE ARREST LEADER Bolivian police have arrested the leader of an attempted coup, hours after the presidential palace in the capital La Paz was stormed by soldiers. Armoured vehicles and troops also took up positions on Murillo Square where key government buildings are located. They are now reported to have begun withdrawing. The rebel military officer in charge, General Juan José Zúñiga, had said he wanted to “restructure democracy” and that while he respected President Luis Arce for now there would be a change of government. He is now under arrest. President Luis Arce condemned the coup attempt, calling on the public to “organise and mobilise… in favour of democracy”. “We cannot allow once again coup attempts to take Bolivian lives,” he said in a televised message to the country inside the presidential palace. He also announced he was appointing new military commanders, confirming reports that Gen Zúñiga had been dismissed after openly criticising Bolivia’s former leader, Evo Morales. Mr Morales also condemned the coup attempt and called for criminal charges to be brought against Gen Zúñiga and his “accomplices”. The public prosecutor’s office said it would open a criminal investigation. Speaking from Murillo Square after it was taken by troops, Gen Zúñiga had said: “We are going to recover this homeland”. “An elite has taken over the country, vandals who have destroyed the country.” Gen Zúñiga also said “political prisoners” including jailed former leader Jeanine Áñez would be freed. Gen Zúñiga appeared on television on Monday and said he would arrest Mr Morales if he ran for office again next year, despite being barred from doing so. Mr Morales – who quit as president and was replaced by Ms Áñez after the chief of the army urged him to step down amid protests over allegations of vote-rigging in the 2019 election – also called on supporters of democracy to strike and block roads. Formerly allies, Mr Morales is currently opposed to Mr Arce, despite them being from the same socialist movement, and there have been growing political tensions between the pair. The coup attempt sparked international condemnation, including from several Latin American countries. The leader of neighbouring Paraguay made an “energetic call to respect democracy and the rule of law”, while Mexico’s president expressed the “strongest condemnation of the attempted coup”. The US said it was monitoring the situation in Bolivia closely and urged restraint. “The European Union condemns any attempt to disrupt the constitutional order in Bolivia,” wrote the body’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on social media. Mr Arce was elected after a period of instability following the 2019 election. Mr Morales, the first president to come from Bolivia’s indigenous majority, carried out a radical programme after winning power in 2005, aimed at addressing extreme social divisions and inequalities. The former coca union leader resigned in 2019 after attempting to bypass the constitution and seek a fourth term in power. He was succeeded by Ms Áñez, who declared herself interim president in November 2019. However, in a re-run of the 2019 election a year later, Mr Arce won, returning the Mas socialist party to power. Ms Áñez was sentenced to 10 years in jail for “decisions contrary to the constitution”..
- Foreign Affairs
- June 27, 2024
- 68 views
KENYA’S PRESIDENT DROPS TAX LAW AFTER DEADLY UNREST
KENYA’S PRESIDENT DROPS TAX HIKE AFTER DEADLY UNREST Kenya’s President William Ruto, on Wednesday, bowed to pressure from violent protesters and dropped the controversial tax bill which sought to raise $2.3billion in new levies in the Eastern Africa country. At least 23 people died in the anti-tax hike demonstration which took thousands of young men to the streets of Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya, and several other cities. The protest which began online, gathered momentum and paralysed socio-economic activities in the country for days. The original bill proposed taxes on bread, cooking oil, mobile money services, specialised hospitals and on motor vehicles – all of which Kenyans said would worsen the cost-of-living crisis. Since last week, the streets of Kenya have been marred by protests after lawmakers approved tax increases that are even unpopular with supporters of the president, who once vowed to reduce the cost of living. The doubling of the tax on petroleum products, from 8% to 16%, is expected to have a ripple effect on East Africa’s economic hub, with the prices of goods and services expected to increase. The administration of President William Ruto, who was elected last year, has only made things harder, one supporter said. “He said he was going to make life easier for us hustlers. We are now unable to afford food. Prices are higher than they were before the elections,” hairdresser Evelyne Adhiambo said. People earning above 500,000 shillings ($3,500) now will pay 32.5% in taxes, and those making above 800,000 shillings will pay 35%. Combined with a new housing tax of 1.5% and a medical insurance tax of 2.5%, the new burden will see some Kenyans part with about 40% of their income. Teresia Kathina, a civil servant for 26 years, said it will be the highest employees have ever paid in taxes. “This feels cruel because of the inflation rates,” she said. Economist Aly Khan Satchu said the new law “represents the highest tax rate across every segment.” Small businesses are also being hit, with a tax on their total sales increasing from 1% to 3%. Business people said this will kill the already struggling small businesses that have been reporting losses since the COVID-19 pandemic started. “They are essentially telling us to shut down, because we will not take loans to pay taxes,” said Moses Munyao, a wholesale shop owner in the capital, Nairobi. Ruto campaigned on a platform of reducing the cost of living. While seeking election, he accused former President Uhuru Kenyatta of letting food costs “skyrocket because he has never slept without food in his life, as he was born in a wealthy family.” Ruto’s election win was largely attributed to his appeal to voters as a fellow “hustler” who rose from a humble background to senior roles in government, including as Kenyatta’s vice president. Ruto has sought to justify the increased taxes as the only way to reduce borrowing for a government struggling with a public debt of 9.4 trillion shillings ($67 billion) and is classified by the World Bank as being at high risk of debt distress. The president was expected to sign the new bill into law before the start of the government’s financial year on July 1. Satchu, the economist, said the petrol tax is a reform that the International Monetary Fund has been championing for some time and may have been a “soft precondition” for the $1.1 billion IMF package recently announced for Kenya. “It’s a relatively frictionless tax for the government to collect. However, clearly it will create pronounced ripple effects throughout the economy in that it will raise prices across the economy and further crimp and reduce incomes, which have already been under downside pressure,” Satchu said. He said the…
- Foreign Affairs
- June 24, 2024
- 64 views
SAUDI AUTHORITIES BLAME HEAT, UNAUTHORIZED TRIP AS HAJJ DEATHS REACH 1,300
SAUDI AUTHORITIES BLAME HEAT, UNAUTHORISED TRIPS AS HAJJ DEATHS REACH 1,300 Saudi Arabia’s official death toll from this year’s Hajj exercise has reached 1,301, with extreme heat and unauthorised trips cited as major contributing factors. The Saudi government released a statement acknowledging “numerous cases” of heat stress and highlighting that 83% of the deceased were “unauthorized to perform Hajj.” The affected pilgrims, the statement claimed, “walked long distances under direct sunlight, without adequate shelter or comfort.” Two Kwara Pilgrims Die In Saudi Arabia, Board Mourns The scorching temperatures in Mecca, with highs exceeding 125 degrees Fahrenheit, have been a major concern throughout the pilgrimage. Witnesses reported pilgrims collapsing from heat exhaustion and bodies covered in white cloth lining walkways. Adding to the dangers, Saudi Arabia pointed to a surge in unauthorised pilgrimages. Hajj permits are allocated by country quota and require a license for legal entry to Mecca. These licences, however, can cost several thousand dollars, leading some pilgrims to seek alternative, often dangerous routes. Egyptian authorities recently revoked licences of 16 tourism companies accuced of facilitating illegal trips. Reports suggest hundreds of Egyptians may be among the deceased, far exceeding the official toll of 31. The companies, according to the Egyptian government, failed to provide proper visas, forcing pilgrims onto treacherous desert paths and leaving them exposed to the brutal heat.Beyond the immediate tragedy, the disaster has sparked renewed calls for improved infrastructure and better organisation of the annual Hajj. Critics point out that even with official permits, pilgrims still spend a significant amount of time outdoors under the scorching sun.
- Foreign Affairs
- June 24, 2024
- 73 views
CHINA TO INCREASE AGRIC IMPORTS FROM VOTING
CHINA TO INCREASE AGRIC IMPORT FROM NIGERIA The Chinese government has promised to increase agricultural product imports from Nigeria going forward. This was disclosed in a joint statement between Wang Yi, China’s foreign affairs Minister and his Nigerian counterpart, Yusuf Tuggar, at the first plenary meeting of the China-Nigeria Intergovernmental Committee held in Beijing. This is after Nigeria exported N572.58 billion worth of agricultural products to the Asian market including China, according to data from the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The two sides seized the moment to review the positive achievements in the development of China-Nigeria relations over the past 50 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations. Strengthening Cooperation According to the joint statement published on China’s foreign affairs website on Saturday, the two countries agreed to strengthen cooperation in infrastructure, electricity, telecommunications, finance, agriculture, industry, mining, free trade zones and other fields. The Chinese side assured of improving agriculture imports from Nigeria among other things. “China is willing to further increase imports of high-quality agricultural products from Nigeria. Nigeria is willing to strengthen its partnership with China in mining and solid mineral development and is willing to cooperate with Chinese companies to build factories locally to meet local consumption and export needs. “The two sides are willing to create an open, transparent, fair and non-discriminatory business environment for cooperation between enterprises of the two countries, support the multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core, oppose trade protectionism, and promote the liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment.” the joint statement partly reads. Furthermore, China said supported Nigeria in improving its capacity building in military security technology, equipment and intelligence to more effectively respond to traditional and non-traditional security challenges at home and abroad, in the region and internationally, and in maintaining national peace and stability. What the Nigerian government is saying In his X page on Saturday, Tuggar confirmed the deliberations in the meeting with the Chinese government. He stated that their discussions reviewed over 50 years of robust Nigeria-China relations, emphasizing mutual support in international fora like the UN, and exploring new avenues of cooperation in infrastructure, agriculture, and digital economies. “Both sides agreed to enhance partnership across various sectors and create a business-friendly environment. They also reaffirmed commitments to good governance, regional stability, and economic development, including a currency swap agreement to facilitate trade,” Tuggar tweeted. What you should know China is well grounded in commercial relations with Nigeria over the years. In the first quarter of 2024, China ranked highest among the top trading partners on the import side, followed by India, the United States of America, Belgium, and The Netherlands. Analysis by trading partners reveals that imports originated mainly from China and were valued at N2,930.10 billion, representing 23.18% of total imports “The data showed that most of the agricultural products were exported to Asia, valued at N572.58 billion, this was followed by exports to Europe with N366.11 billion,” the NBS for Q1, 2024 showed. The NBS added that further analysis showed that ‘Sesamum seeds’ worth N83.29 billion and N58.04 billion were exported to China and Japan in the period under review.
- Foreign Affairs
- June 22, 2024
- 89 views
TUNISIAN PRESIDENT SACKS RELIGION AFFAIRS MINISTRY AS 49 PILGRIMS DIED IN HAJJ
TUNISIAN PRESIDENT SACKS RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS MINISTER AFTER 49 PILGRIMS DIED IN HAJJ Tunisian President, Kais Saied, has sacked the Minister of Religious Affairs in the country after 49 Tunisians died in this year’s hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. The death toll has risen to 1126, more than half of them from Egypt, according to AFP tally on Friday, compiling official statements and reports from diplomats involved in the response. The President “decided to end the duties of Ibrahim Chaibi, the Minister of Religious Affairs,” a statement by the Presidency who posted on Facebook said without giving any further details. On Tuesday, the Tunisian Foreign Ministry reported the death of 35 Tunisian pilgrims, but the number has risen to 49 so far, according to Tunisian media. The ministry didn’t specify whether the deaths were related to high temperatures, adding that most of the dead had travelled to Saudi Arabia with tourist visas and outside of the Saudi government’s official pilgrimage programme. Each year, official permits are allocated to countries through a quota system and distributed to individuals via a lottery. Even for those who can obtain them, the steep costs can make the irregular route – which costs thousands of dollars less – more attractive. That has been especially true since 2019 when Saudi Arabia began issuing general tourist visas, making it easier to travel to the Gulf kingdom.Deaths during the pilgrimage have also been confirmed by Malaysia, India, Jordan, Iran, Senegal, Tunisia, Sudan and Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region.
- Foreign Affairs
- June 22, 2024
- 112 views
US POLLS: TRUMP SAYS HE’LL GRANT AUTOMATIC GREEN CARDS TO INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS, IF ELECTED
US POLLS: TRUMP SAYS HE’LL GRANT AUTOMATIC GREEN CARDS FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IF RE-ELECTED Donald Trump, the 45th President of the United States, has said if re-elected his government would grant automatic Permanent Resident permits, known as Green Cards, to Nigerians and other international students who graduate from US colleges. The former Republican President disclosed this recently in his immigration proposal titled ‘Build America visa’. Trump is known for his hardline and conservative immigration stance, however, the new proposal represents a potential shift in how the US handles immigration, particularly in retaining international talent. The US grants 1.1 million permanent legal resident visas yearly. “What I would like is a new legal immigration system that protects American wages, promotes American values, and attracts the best and brightest from all around the world.” He added, “What I will do is you graduate from college, I think you should get automatically as part of your diploma a Green Card to be able to stay in this country.” He stressed that this policy would apply to graduates from all types of US colleges and those with doctorate degrees.Trump is expected to battle for the US presidency with the incumbent President, Joe Biden, a Democrat, on November 5, 2024.
- Foreign Affairs
- June 21, 2024
- 95 views
AL-QAEDA JIHADIS FROM BENIN MOVE TO NIGERIA, SETTLE AT KAINJI LAKE NATIONAL PARK
AL-QAEDA JIHADIS FROM BENIN MOVE TO NIGERIA, SETTLE AT KAINJI LAKE NATIONAL PARK Jihadi fighters who had long operated in Africa’s volatile Sahel region have settled in northwestern Nigeria after crossing from neighboring Benin, a report said Wednesday, the latest trend in the militants’ movements to wealthier West African coastal nations. The extremists believed to be linked to al-Qaida have in the last year crossed over from Benin’s hard-hit northern region and settled in Kainji Lake National Park, one of Nigeria’s largest, where other armed groups have also gained access, according to the report by the Clingendael Institute think tank, which has done extensive research in the Sahel. Residents close to the park told The Associated Press that the facility, which holds one of West Africa’s fast-declining lion populations, has been closed for more than a year because of security threats from armed groups attacking neighboring villages and roads. “Before, it was like a tourism center (but) now, people find it difficult to pass through there,” said John Yerima, who lives near the park in New Bussa town. “You cannot enter that road (leading to the park) now. It is dangerous, seriously.” The security situation at the 5,300-square kilometer (2,000-square mile) park in Niger state and along the nearby border with Benin is “getting out of hand” and is “a much more explosive situation than we had anticipated,” said Kars de Bruijne, one of the authors of the report and a senior research fellow at the institute. The “sustained presence” of the armed groups in the park is the first sign of a connection between Nigeria’s homegrown extremists that have launched a decadelong insurgency in its northern region, and al-Qaida-linked militants from the Sahel, the vast arid expanse south of the Sahara Desert, Bruijne said. Their presence offers an opportunity for the extremists to claim large-scale success in both countries, already wracked by deadly attacks in recent years, he added. Known as a global hot spot for violent extremism, the Sahel region’s worsening security crisis comes as military coups are toppling democratic governments. As the military governments struggle to contain the violence, they are increasingly severing security with traditional partners France and the United States and turning to Russia for support. In northwest Nigeria, security analysts have in the past warned that the region’s remote territories, where the government is largely absent but have rich mineral resources and high poverty levels, present an opportunity for expansion for jihadi groups that had operated mainly in the Sahel, as well as the Islamic State group, whose fighters hold sway in the Lake Chad basin. “A link between Lake Chad and the Sahel is a major opportunity for al-Qaida and the Islamic State to boast about their profiles as leaders of global jihad,” the report said. There are also concerns from conservationists that the presence of armed groups in the park could further threaten the remaining lions whose populations have declined as a result of poaching and climate change. They say the park and most protected wildlife areas in Nigeria are poorly patrolled, making them easy targets for armed groups. “The security situation has become top of the list when it comes to the concerns about the lion populations in Nigeria,” said Stella Egbe, senior conservation manager at the Nigerian Conservation Foundation. The Nigerian military often conducts aerial bombardments and deploys its personnel in criminal hideouts in the conflict-battered northern region. However, security forces — fatigued by the decadelong war in the northeast — are still outnumbered and outgunned in those remote villages, and the root causes of the conflict such as poverty remain. The Clingendael report said it is unclear what the motive of the Sahel extremists in the park is and what their relationship…
- Foreign Affairs
- June 20, 2024
- 68 views
NEW ZEALAND PM TAKES COMMERCIAL FLIGHT TO JAPAN AFTER HIS PLANE BROKE DOWN
NEW ZEALAND PM TAKES COMMERCIAL FLIGHT TO JAPAN AFTER HIS PLANE BROKE DOWN New Zealand’s prime minister was forced to take a commercial flight to Japan after his air force plane broke down while refuelling in Papua New Guinea, his office said Monday. Christopher Luxon switched late Sunday to a scheduled flight from Port Moresby to Tokyo via Hong Kong because of a technical issue with the New Zealand Defence Force Boeing 757 aircraft he had been flying on. A problem with a command module for a small flap on the wing meant the aircraft could not fly as high or as fast as normal, affecting its range, a defence spokesperson said. It was detected while the plane was on the ground in Papua New Guinea. A delegation of business leaders and journalists accompanying Luxon had to wait until Monday to fly on the air force 757 to Brisbane and then catch a commercial flight to Tokyo, the spokesperson said. Luxon is expected to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during his four-day visit.In March, the New Zealand leader had to fly commercial to Australia for meetings with Southeast Asian leaders after a problem with the landing gear grounded his defence force plane while still on the tarmac in Wellington.