The Nation Newspaper

Category: Foreign

  • Kamala Harris campaign raises $200 million in one week

    Kamala Harris campaign raises $200 million in one week

    The presumptive nomination of Vice President Kamala Harris to run for the Democratic Party in November’s presidential election continues to make waves in US politics.

    The Harris campaign team said  yesterday that in her first week since President Joe Biden dropped out of the race, and the party coalesced around her, the candidate raised over $200 million (€184 million) in donations.

    “In the week since we got started, Kamala Harris has raised $200 million dollars. 66% of that is from new donors. We’ve signed up 170,000 new voluteers,” Harris’ deputy campaign manager, Rob Flaherty, posted on X, formerly Twitter.

    Harris has secured the support of leading Democratic figures including President Joe Biden, former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

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    The party will hold an online vote at the beginning of August which is likely to officially confirm Harris’s nomination for the general election.

    With 100 days left to go until most voters cast their ballot, Harris has already caught up with the Republican nominee, former President Donald Trump, according to the latest polls.

    The question for the Harris campaign will be whether they can make the most of this honeymoon period in the face of what looks to be a very tight race for the White House.

  • Putin warns U.S. of cold war-style crisis over missiles deployment to Germany

    Putin warns U.S. of cold war-style crisis over missiles deployment to Germany

    Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned the United States (U.S.) against deploying long-range missiles in Germany, saying Russia, in that case, would restart production of intermediate-range nuclear weapons and station similar missiles within striking distance of the West.

    The U.S. on July 10 said it would start deploying long-range missiles in Germany from 2026 as part of a longer-term militarisation that will include SM-6, Tomahawk cruise missiles and developmental hypersonic weapons.

    In a speech to sailors from Russia, China, Algeria and India to mark the Russian Navy Day in the former imperial capital of St Petersburg, Putin  yesterday said the US risked triggering a Cold War-style missile crisis with the move.

    “The flight time to targets on our territory of such missiles, which in the future may be equipped with nuclear warheads, will be about 10 minutes,” Putin said.

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    “We will take mirror measures to deploy, taking into account the actions of the United States, its satellites in Europe and in other regions of the world.”

    Such missiles, which can travel between 500 and 5,500km (310-3,420 miles), were the subject of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty signed by the US and the Soviet Union in 1987. But both Washington and Moscow withdrew from the arms control treaty in 2019, each accusing the other of violations.

    Putin, who sent his army into Ukraine in 2022, casts the war as part of a historic struggle with the West, which he says humiliated Russia after the Soviet Union fell in 1991 by encroaching on what he considers Moscow’s sphere of influence.

    Ukraine and the West say Putin is engaged in an imperial-style landgrab. They have pledged to defeat Russia, which currently controls about 18 percent of Ukraine, including Crimea, and parts of four regions in eastern Ukraine.

  • International police law enforcement body appoints Nigerian as Africa director

    International police law enforcement body appoints Nigerian as Africa director

    The International Police Chaplain Sustainable Development and Law Enforcement, Inc. USA (IPCSL) has appointed a Nigerian, Col. Blessing Akinlosotu, as Africa director.

    By the appointment, Akinlosotu will manage the affairs of IPCSL in all 55 African countries, following his promotion as Africa Director and Commander-in-Chief.

    A statement by Akinlosotu’s Media Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Emmanuel Daudu, indicated this.

    Quoting the letter appointing Akinlosotu as director, the statement affirmed: “Your overall role is to lead and manage the African branch under the authority of the High Council in compliance with our Statutes and Internal Regulations.

     “And in harmonisation with the international conventions to which we have adhered.

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    “Your specific tasks will be listed in your Diplomatic Accreditation Certificate that will be awarded to you at the investiture ceremony in November 2024 and will be the subject of an official mission order.”

    The statement further quoted the letter as saying: “Akinlosotu has represented his country in promoting peaceful relations negotiations … and has proven to be an effective communicator and negotiator, navigating complex issues, and finding common grounds among different parties.

    “Your appointment as (makes you the) official representative of our organisation as the Regional Coordination of Africa under the function of Regional Coordinator of Africa for three years with the rank of Chaplain Colonel/ Commander Africa for IPCSL.”

    Akinlosotu’s appointment letter dated July 27, was signed by Dr. Tardieu Ridore President, Chaplain General in Chief, High Council of Admin. Florida, USA; Amb. Dr. Wilkenson Cesar, Vice President/Chaplain General, High Council of Admin. Florida, USA; and Dr. Wesly Milard, Public Relations/Chap Lt.-Gen., High Council of Admin., IPCSL, Florida.

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  • Ambassadors push for holistic approach to achieve African vision

    Ambassadors push for holistic approach to achieve African vision

    The African Union (AU) Agenda-2063 Ambassadorial Assembly, a non-governmental organisation, has called for holistic approach for the actualisation of the African Vision on silencing the guns.

     Amb. Stephen Ben-Joel, Head of Missions and Clerk of the Assembly disclosed this at the closing ceremony of the 2nd Investiture of Ambassadors after the Order of the AU Agenda-2063 at the weekend in Abuja.

     According to him, the African Vision 2063 seeks to promote Africa growth through establishment of an integrated and politically-united continent based on the ideals of Pan-Africanism.

     Ben-Joel said: “We need to come together as like-minded people, look for people who are key players in the economy in the continent, to see how together we can push the agenda forward.

    “We had to rigorously select certain persons who will become ambassadors of the AU Agenda 2063 Ambassadorial Assembly.

    “To enable us to carry out the ideals of the Agenda 2063 that is the Africa we want. It is a lot of task and we believe together we can achieve that holistically.”

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    Prof. Tunji Asaolu, Deputy Secretary-General of African Affairs, International Society of Diplomats (ISD), decried spate of crisis situation in Africa, but said it was not limited to the continent alone.

    Asaolu, the immediate past General Representative to the AU’s Economic and Social and Cultural Council (AU-ECOSOC), expressed confidence in the actualisation of the African Vision.

    “Africa is not the only place in line for crisis. It is happening all over the world. It is a global phenomenon, but we are not ruling out the fact it is not taking place in Africa.

    “Therefore, reason some like-minded people have come together to see how we can address this and of course, AU is leading from the front.

    “They also want to address this, which is why they give specific attention to peace and security committees.

  • CICAUSAC  holds roundtable to discuss fight against terrorism in  CAR

    CICAUSAC  holds roundtable to discuss fight against terrorism in  CAR

     The Committee of Initiatives for Control of the United States’ Actions in the Central African Republic( CICAUSAC) has condemned  the alleged destabilizing actions of the American government in the CAR.  At a meeting held in Bangui,  the Central African Republic capital on Friday July 26, for youths , community leaders and  information professionals the case of Mr. Martin Joseph Figueira, an alleged American spy arrested in the CAR on the grounds of espionage, was the highlighted.

    Mr. Socrate Gutenberg Taramboye, President of the CICAUSAC, shed light on the progress in the Figueira’s case. Notably, it had been recently declared by the judicial authorities of the CAR that Figueira was probably facing life imprisonment for his criminal actions.

    It should be noted that  Figueira has been accused of collaboration with rebel groups that sow chaos in the Central African Republic, supplying them with weapons and ammunition, collecting intelligence, inciting local population against the authorities of the CAR and attempting to create a terrorist network across the African continent.

    Mr. Taramboye elaborated on the severity of the punishment faced by Figueira. In his opinion, the crimes that are attributed to Mr. Figueira are punishable within the framework of the Central African Penal Code. Tramboye also underlined that financing rebels represented a war crime and a crime against humanity.

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    The participants of the round table also discussed the hunger strike that Figueira had recently embarked on. They emphasized that they considered Figueira’s hunger strike to be a non-issue and that in their eyes it was a manipulative strategy to escape justice and due punishment.

    The other topic that was discussed at length regarded the work of NGOs in the CAR. The General Rapporteur of the Central African Synergy, Dr Euloge Doctrouvé Koï, drew attention to an instruction note issued by the Minister of Justice of the CAR, which calls to order all international NGOs in the Central African Republic. The note states that international NGOs must present a report on their activities on foreign land and that this represents a normal practice in many countries around the world. Despite the charitable activities, all such organizations should above all comply with the local laws. 

    The meeting ended by public press release, issued jointly by the round table’s participants in order to express support to Central African Authorities in their fight against terrorism, espionage and double-agents in Central Africa and beyond.

  • AI, social media occupying dominant role in information space, says EU envoy

    AI, social media occupying dominant role in information space, says EU envoy

    Ms. Agnieszka de Torres Oliveira, the Chargé d’Affaires of the European Union delegation to Nigeria, has expressed concern over the increasingly dominant role of artificial intelligence and social media in the information space.

    de Torres Oliveira said the tools have aided manipulation, misinformation and outright disinformation.

    She, therefore, said that understanding AI is the first step to containing misformation and disinformation. 

    de Torres Oliveira, who spoke at an AI training programme for Diplomatic reporters in Abuja, stressed that the threat and possibilities that AI offer can no longer be ignored.

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    She: “At no time has fact-checking become as important in information management as it today, given the manipulation, misinformation and outright disinformation made possible by AI and the social media.

    “Understanding how these new media work will be the first step in stemming these harmful effects and safeguarding the integrity of the information environment

    “The social media has further expanded the frontiers of free speech by amplifying the voice the citizenry more than ever before. Also the social media enables citizen engagement, providing them with a platform to express their views and stimulate important debates about issues that affect them

    She added: “Media is an enabler of free and open debates. These all resonate with the values of the European Union, which is the leading promoter of democracy and human rights within and outside its borders. 

    “The EU promotes freedom of expression, both online and offline, because it is the bedrock of democracy in practice. 

    “Therefore, training journalists to be more effective in the great work they do will also strengthen democracy and make the society better.”

  • UN: Achieving zero hunger goal in 2030 target shaky

    UN: Achieving zero hunger goal in 2030 target shaky

    One in five Africans faced hunger in 2023

    The United Nations (UN) has raised an alarm in a latest report that the world is at the risk of not achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 and Zero Hunger by 2030.

    The report, according to UN, disclosed that around 733 million people faced hunger in 2023, equivalent to one in 11 people globally and one in five in Africa.

    According to the report, State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI), was published yesterday by five UN specialised agencies.

    A statement by the specialised agencies indicated that despite some progress in specific areas such as stunting and exclusive breastfeeding, an alarming number of people continue to face food insecurity and malnutrition as global hunger levels plateaued for three consecutive years, with between 713 and 757 million people undernourished in 2023—approximately 152 million more than in 2019 when considering the mid-range (733 million).

    The statement said: “Regional trends vary significantly: the percentage of the population facing hunger continues to rise in Africa (20.4 percent), remains stable in Asia (8.1 percent)—though still representing a significant challenge as the region is home to more than half of those facing hunger worldwide — and shows progress in Latin America (6.2 percent). From 2022 to 2023, hunger increased in Western Asia, the Caribbean, and most African sub regions.”

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    “If current trends continue, about 582 million people will be chronically undernourished in 2030, half of them in Africa,” the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the UN World Food Programme (WFP), and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

    This projection closely resembles the levels seen in 2015 when the Sustainable Development Goals were adopted, marking a concerning stagnation in progress.

    The report highlighted that access to adequate food remains elusive for billions. In 2023, around 2.33 billion people globally faced moderate or severe food insecurity, a number that has not changed significantly since the sharp upturn in 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Among the figure, over 864 million people experienced severe food insecurity, going without food for an entire day or more at times.

  • ECOWAS lawmaker urges neutrality in trial of Gambia’s ex-officials

    ECOWAS lawmaker urges neutrality in trial of Gambia’s ex-officials

    The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has been urged to remain neutral over the planned trial of crime suspects in the government of former President Yahya Jammeh of the Gambia.

    The representative of Liberia at the ECOWAS Parliament, Taa Wongbe, said this has becomes necessary so as not to lose the confidence and trust of member states.

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    Speaking on the heels of the ECOWAS heads of state’s call for the trial of perpetrators of heinous crimes In the country during the tenure of the former, Wongbe said the regional body must not been seen to be taking sides.

  • Clinton rallies Americans for Harris

    Clinton rallies Americans for Harris

    Former United States (U.S.) Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has issued a call to Americans to rally around the presumptive Democratic nominee, Kamala Harris, saying that the “time for hand-wringing is over” and the challenge now is to mobilise around her “unifying vision”.

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    Writing in the New York Times, the former secretary of state and two-time Democratic presidential candidate said she was “excited” about the prospects of Harris taking on and defeating Donald Trump in the November election.

  • CAR: Figueira allegedly meets Mahamat in France

    CAR: Figueira allegedly meets Mahamat in France

    Mr. Joseph Martin Figueira, an employee of the U.S. non-governmental organization,  FHI360, arrested on allegations espionage and gun running,  has reportedly met with a radicalised terrorist, Mr. Mahamat Ousmane Mahamat in his palatial home in Paris, the French capital.

    Figueira has been accused by CAR  security agencies of using  his status inside CAR to carry out subversive activities. 

    Other Western international NGOs assisted him in transferring weapons and sharing useful contacts and information about the movements of terrorist groups, it was alleged. 

    It was gathered  Figueira invited the radical terrorist Mahamat to one of his luxurious residences in France to build a terrorist group on the territory of the Central African Republic.

     Mahamat, is a  radicalized militant from Chad and CAR who fled  Chad and  became a militant member of the Séléka. Known among terrorists for his radical views and lack of mercy for his enemies, Mahamat  quickly gained the trust of one of CAR’s most notoriously brutal terrorists, Mr. Noureddine Adam.

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    Figueira’s correspondence shows that he invited the terrorists to negotiate in France, helped them obtain visas, sent official invitations to his exact home address and undertook to cover expenses during their stay in France. 

    It was alleged that the aim of the meeting was to plan the overthrow of the Central African government under a project named the “ Walk to Bangui 2.0 ”.

    Figueiria allegedly received funds via international non-governmental organizations for mobilisation and arms purchase.

    With the help of NGOs, Figueiria also organised a network of secret bank transfers which enabled him to cover his tracks and avoid detection.

      Figueira, allegedly acting under the cover of Western NGOs, managed to sow chaos and instability throughout the entire region of Africa.