Category: Foreign

The African Diaspora Congress (ADC) has denounced attacks and coup d’états against legitimately elected governments in Africa.

Secretary General of ADC Prof. Apollos Nwauwa told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the organisation stood in solidarity with people of Mali and other affected countries.

Nwauwa said coups often hinder the growth of democracy in Africa and urged African leaders to take necessary measures to end the menace on the continent.

According to him, ADC has been watching with deep concern ongoing events in Mali and two other countries in West Africa and states its position.

“Mali, like many other African countries have been enduring poor governance and visionless leadership which, sometimes, trigger popular protests, civil unrest and coup, African leaders must engage in deep sober reflection.

“Yet, as an organisation that prides itself on respect for the rule of law and egalitarianism, ADC denounces all forms of terrorism and coup d’état against legitimately elected governments.

“A coup is like an ill-wind that does no one any good no matter how well-intention; forceful military dethronement of democratically elected government should not be encouraged and or justified in any way,” he said.

He condemned forceful military dethronement to create vicious circle of coup and counter coups with domino effect in the sub-region, thereby provoking violence and worsening socio-economic and political hardships for the people.

Nwauwa explained that while the ECOWAS could not simply fold its hands and watch the deteriorating situation in Mali, the sub-regional body should do more to end coup in West Africa.

According to him, ADC strongly believes that ECOWAS’ total or blanket sanctions on Mali are counterproductive.

“This is because it would have unintended crippling effects on Mali economy, resulting in untold hardship for ordinary Malians already impoverished, consequently, ADC appeals to ECOWAS to reconsider its blanket sanctions.

“Just as we enjoin the Malian interim government to take immediate steps towards restoring power to a democratically elected government that will tackle the challenges facing the country.

“Furthermore, ADC would like to reiterate its position against all forms of foreign or external domination and or interference in Mali and other African countries,” he said.

He said although France’s notorious stronghold on economies and politics of its former colonies is largely to blame for the Malian crisis.

Nwauwa said ADC disapproved of African leaders who behave like puppets to foreign governments and invite them to act with impunity in their internal matters.

ADC is a coalition of the various groups and concerned citizens from Africa and African Diaspora.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy sought yesterday to tamp down tension with Russia by suggesting that NATO membership for Ukraine was not on their agenda.

At a news conference in Kyiv, Scholz and Zelenskiy played down the likelihood of Ukraine joining the military alliance in the foreseeable future.

With more than 100,000 Russian troops near Ukraine’s border, Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared that any further NATO expansion to the east would be “unacceptable” and demanded “security guarantees” for Moscow.

“The question of [Ukrainian] membership in alliances is practically not on the agenda,” Scholz said at the press conference, which followed a two-hour meeting between the leaders.

“And that is why it is strange to observe that the Russian government is making something that is practically not on the agenda the subject of major political problems,” Scholz added. “That is the great challenge that we actually face: That something that is not even on the agenda is being made an issue.”

While Scholz stressed that each country should be able to make decisions on which alliances to join, he said it was important to “look at the reality” and seek to de-escalate tensions, just days after the U.S. warned that a Russian invasion of Ukraine could be imminent.

Zelenskiy said NATO membership was a remote “dream” but added: “For us, NATO membership is not the absolute goal. That’s not a question that comes from us.”

Russia has accused Ukraine of not undertaking the necessary steps that could lead to a resolution of the conflict, such as elections in the disputed regions.

Scholz will travel Tuesday to Moscow to meet Putin.

Finance ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) nations said yesterday they are prepared to impose “massive” economic sanctions on Russia should it attack Ukraine.

They called the Russian build-up of forces on Ukraine’s borders “a cause for grave concern” and that should a military invasion proceed as the West fears, then there would be a rapid impact on Russia.

In a joint statement they wrote` `we reiterate that in particular any further military aggression by Russia against Ukraine will be met with a swift, coordinated and forceful response.

“We are prepared to collectively impose economic and financial sanctions which will have massive and immediate consequences on the Russian economy.”

Top U.S. officials said in recent days that intelligence suggests Russia could be planning to invade Ukraine “at any time.” Washington now puts the number of Russian troops amassed near its neighbour at 130,000.

The G7 promised to continue its “significant financial support” to Ukraine. The G7, along with the International Monetary Fund, has provided Kiev with 48 billion dollars since 2014, the statement said.

The U.S. and its NATO allies charge that Russia was preparing a renewed attack on Ukraine, following the 2014 annexation of Crimea, an accusation that Russia rejects and calls “scaremongering.”

France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the U.S., Britain and Canada form the G7. The rotating presidency is currently held by Germany.

Western leaders have been scrambling to defuse the crisis but their conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin including U.S. President Joe Biden have failed to make progress.

 

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said they arrested 11 people and seized 13 long guns as well as handguns and a large quantity of ammunition in province of Alberta on Tuesday.

The arrests were made when the police broke up a group that was supposedly prepared to use violence to back a truckers’ blockade at a border crossing with the United States.

Those arrested were reported to have “a willingness to use force against the police if any attempts were made to disrupt the blockade”, the force said in a statement.

People gather in protest against COVID-19 mandates and in support of a protest against COVID-19 restrictions taking place in Edmonton, Alberta earlier this month.

People gather in protest against COVID-19 mandates and in support of a protest against COVID-19 restrictions taking place in Edmonton, Alberta earlier this month. CREDIT:AP

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday AEDT plans to invoke rarely used emergency measures to tackle ongoing protests that have shut border crossings, and also blocked the capital for more than two weeks, sources said.

Separately, the prime minister’s office said Trudeau would speak to reporters at 8.30am AEDT Tuesday without specifying why.

One of the sources, who could not speak on the record due to the sensitivity of the situation, said the aim of using the emergency powers was to provide federal police support to local and provincial forces, not to use the military.

A six-day blockade of North America’s busiest trade corridor in Windsor, Ontario, ended on Sunday while protests in Ottawa entered a third week.

Several trucks were parked outside Trudeau’s downtown office, along with portable toilets.

Protesters had also shut down smaller border crossings in Alberta and Manitoba last week and, over the weekend, shut down the Pacific Highway border point in British Columbia.

The Windsor bridge blockade choked the supply chain for Detroit’s carmakers, forcing Ford Motor Co, the second-largest US automaker, General Motors and Toyota Motor Corp to cut production. US President Joe Biden raised the matter with Trudeau last week.

Trudeau has shown reluctance to invoke the Emergencies Act to deal with previous crises, given the potential political fallout from Ottawa interfering in provincial jurisdiction. He was due to speak to the 10 provincial premiers yesterday.

Ottawa police, complaining they do not have enough officers, have so far largely stood and watched the protests, much to the fury of residents and businesses that have shut down.

Palestine Red Crescent Society on Monday reported that over 30 people were injured in clashes with Israeli police in the neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem.

The Israeli police reported riots in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood on Sunday, saying on Twitter that dozens of police officers were working on restoring order and several people were arrested.

The Palestine Red Crescent said that 31 people, including three medics, one journalist and two foreign nationals, were injured.

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In January, France, Germany, Italy and Spain expressed concerns about the Israeli decision to construct new houses in East Jerusalem and demolish buildings in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, and called on Israel to reconsider the move.

A major conflict erupted over an Israeli court’s decision to evict several Palestinian families from the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, which prompted a major confrontation on Israel’s border with the Gaza Strip.

(Sputnik/NAN)

Local police on Monday confirmed that 11 people were injured in a stabbing incident that occurred in Albuquerque, the largest city in the U.S. state of New Mexico.

The police said officers are investigating seven possible scenes, stretching from Downtown to Central and Wyoming with reports of 11 stabbed victims.

The Albuquerque Police Department on Twitter said all victims were in a stable condition, adding that the lone suspect was in custody.

The Albuquerque Journal reported, citing police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos that at least two people were in critical condition following the stabbing spree.

READ ALSO: Police arrest man for stabbing wife to death

“The attacks appear to be random, someone was involved with an accident here on Central, a person just came up and said they were stabbed.

“There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason at this point,’’ Gilbert Gallegos said as quoted by the local KRQE channel.

Citing officials, KRQE said that the suspect was on a BMX bike and had a large knife at the time of the arrest. The suspect was arrested without incident.

 

(Sputnik/NAN)

Ukraine has vowed to keep its airspace open to international travel despite Western warnings that Russian troops conducting drills near its borders could invade at any point.

The Dutch carrier KLM on Saturday became the first major airline to indefinitely suspend flights to the former Soviet republic because of the rising risks.

Ukraine’s budget airline SkyUp said yesterday that its flight from Portugal to Kyiv was forced to land in Moldova because the plane’s Irish leasing company had revoked permission for it to cross into Ukraine.

SkyUP added that European leasing companies were demanding that Ukrainian airlines return their planes to EU airspace within 48 hours.

Ukraine’s infrastructure ministry responded by holding an emergency meeting aimed at maintaining foreign travel and keeping the country from becoming more isolated in the heat of the crisis.

“The airspace over Ukraine remains open and the state is working on preempting risks for airlines,” the ministry said after the meeting.

Industry analysts believe other international airlines may soon also ban flights into Ukraine because of the growing cost to travel insurers.

The travel industry is still haunted by the memory of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 being shot down while flying near eastern Ukraine’s conflict zone in July 2014.

All 298 passengers aboard the Amsterdam-Kuala Lumpur flight died.

Ukraine’s infrastructure ministry acknowledged that “some carriers are facing difficulties linked to fluctuations on the insurance market”.

 

The Nigerian community, under the aegis of Nigeria Union South Africa (NUSA) has appealed to the South African and Nigerian governments to stop extra-judicial killings of its citizens in that country.

According to a statement from Pretoria by Mr. Collins Mgbo, President of NUSA, two Nigerians were on Friday allegedly killed as South Africans attacked foreign nationals over drugs.

“Following the killing of two Nigerians as South Africans attacked foreign nationals on Friday, we call on the governments of both countries to stop extra-judicial killings in South Africa.

“Two of our members were killed in Vereeniging, near Johannesburg, by members of the community at a Taxi Rank; the people had alleged the foreigners were involved in drug dealings.

“Nigeria Union condemns unequivocally any form of criminal activity by Nigerians in South Africa, but calls on the governments, especially the Consul General of Nigeria to South Africa, to intervene in the matter.

“We do not condone crime but justice must be served by the court of law should anyone be found guilty of any criminal act,’’ Mgbo said.

He noted that for many, Vereeniging had become one of the most dangerous and unsafe places in the Vaal Triangle, as it has become notorious for drug dealing and robbery.

He said for years, the community’s cry had fallen on deaf ears, about foreign nationals that flood the area selling drugs.

“Yesterday, Vereeniging came to a standstill as taxi drivers closed Voortrekker and allegedly took matters in their own hands, by attacking foreign nationals believed to be drug dealers and beating two of them to death”.

Mgbo disclosed that when the union contacted the police personnel, Sgt. Nombulelo Mohlakwana, the latter confirmed the two deaths.

“When police officers arrived at the Vereeniging taxi rank, we found a Nigerian citizen dead and two males badly assaulted. The two were transferred to Kopanong hospital where one of them later passed on.

“We have no proof that it is taxi drivers who did that, but it happened at Vereeniging taxi rank,’’ he quoted Mohlakwana as saying.

He added that the police officer informed the union that the police were investigating the case and urged anyone with relevant information to contact the police.

Mgbo also said in a related development, also on Friday, a Nigerian citizen, identified as Nicholas, was attacked by a South African gang for allegedly buying a stolen laptop.

He was beaten alongside his friends who they believed was an accomplice, while the South African criminal who stole the laptop and sold to Nicholas was left unharmed.

The NUSA president said Nicholas was now battling for his life in the Intensive Care Unit at Kimberly Hospital.

He explained that Nicholas had bought a stolen laptop from another South African, so, the owner of the laptop apprehended the South African who stole the laptop and he took him to the Nigerian who bought it.

The Nigerian, who bought it, had sold it apparently to another Nigerian. They asked him to call the Nigerian he sold it to and he did, but when he arrived, he told them that he didn’t have the laptop anymore but agreed to pay them for it.

The owner of the laptop agreed but the owner came with a group which wanted to rob him of his phones and he refused, and that is when they beat him to comatose state, where he was left for dead.

He, however, said that other Nigerians who were at the scene called an ambulance that took him to the hospital, adding that they were informed by the medical doctor at the hospital that his brain was damaged and he might not make it.

In a separate interview, Mr. Abdulmalik Ahmed, Consul-General of Nigeria to South Africa, confirmed the incident.

“A Nigerian died after being mobbed by the taxi rank for receiving a stolen mobile phone.

“One of his two other South African accomplices also succumbed to his injuries. The police are on top of the matter,” Ahmed said.

Canadian police have cleared protesters and vehicles that had blocked a vital trade route on the border with the United States and arrested remaining protesters.

The protesters have been blocking the crossing that sees 25 per cent of all trade between Canada and the U.S.

The protesters have been blocking the crossing that sees 25 per cent of all trade between Canada and the US. (AP).

Police have moved in to clear and arrest the remaining protesters near the busiest U.S.-Canadian border bridge, trying to end a demonstration against Covid-19 restrictions that has hurt the economy of both nations.

Windsor police said yesterday arrests were being made and vehicles were being towed just after dawn near the Ambassador Bridge that links their city, and numerous Canadian automotive plants, with Detroit.

“Enforcement will continue in the demonstration area and there will be zero tolerance for illegal activity. The public should avoid the area,” Windsor police said.

It was not immediately clear when the bridge might be opened but Windsor’s mayor said he hoped it would be yesterday.

Only a few protesters had remained after police on Saturday persuaded demonstrators to move their pickup trucks and others cars that they used to block the crossing.

With the bridge closed, auto plants on both sides have been forced to shut down or reduce production. The standoff came at a time when the industry is already struggling to maintain production in the face of pandemic-induced shortages of computer chips and other supply-chain disruptions.

The protests have reverberated across the country and beyond, with similar convoys in France, New Zealand and the Netherlands.

The US Department of Homeland Security warned that truck convoys may be in the works in the United States.

 

The U. S. has again urged its citizens in Ukraine to leave the country immediately amid alleged threats of Russian military action, the U.S. State Department said in a travel advisory.

“Do not travel to Ukraine due to the increased threats of Russian military action and COVID-19 and those in Ukraine should depart now via commercial or private means.

“If remaining in Ukraine, exercise increased caution due to crime, civil unrest and potential combat operations should Russia take military action some areas have increased risk,” the advisory said.

On Jan. 23, the state department authorised evacuation of U.S. diplomats’ family members and of direct hire employees.

The department also recommended that U.S. citizens, who were present in Ukraine should consider departing right away due to unpredictable security situation.

Earlier in February, Ned Price, State Department spokesperson says it is estimated that some 6,600 U.S. citizens permanently live in Ukraine in October, while some news outlets reported that there are at least 30,000 Americans in the country. (Sputnik/NAN)