The Nation Newspaper

Category: Foreign

  • US troops may stay longer in Afghanistan – Biden

    US troops may stay longer in Afghanistan – Biden

    U.S. troops may stay in Afghanistan past an Aug. 31 deadline to evacuate Americans, President Joe Biden said on Wednesday and the Pentagon said the U.S. military does not have the ability to reach people beyond the Kabul airport.

    “If there’s American citizens left, we’re going to stay until we get them all out,” Biden told ABC News in an interview conducted on a day many U.S. lawmakers pressed him to extend the deadline that he had set for a final pullout.

    Biden has come under fierce criticism for his handling of the withdrawal, which in recent days has been dominated by scenes of chaos in and around the Kabul airport with people desperately trying to get out of the country.

    Read Also: Biden calls on New York Governor to resign

    “The idea that somehow, there’s a way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I don’t know how that happens,” he said.

    He also said the Taliban is cooperating for now in helping get Americans out of the country but “we’re having some more difficulty” in evacuating U.S.-aligned Afghan citizens.

    The speed with which Taliban forces retook Afghanistan, as U.S. and other foreign forces withdrew, has led to chaotic scenes at the airport with diplomats, foreign citizens and Afghans trying to flee but they are being impeded by crowds and Taliban checkpoints. Newsnow

  • Five quick facts about Afghanistan

    Five quick facts about Afghanistan

    Who in the world has not heard about the ongoing friction and tension in Afghanistan? On Sunday 5th of August 2021, what seemed to have been a long fight between the Afghanistan nation and the Taliban came into fruition, seeing the Taliban take over.

    Here are five cultural facts you need to know about the Afghanistan nation now called Islamic Emirates of Afghanistan:

    1. Afghanistan, in the Dari language, simply means land or place of Afghans. A lot of scholars over the years have tried to give an etymology to the word “afghan” and there have been speculations’ ranging from “white”, to “high-landers” to “original” yet a proper translation has not been given.

    2. Afghanistan is a multilingual nation having two major languages, the Dari and the Pashto but Dari is the preferred language for communications between government officials. They employ the Persian alphabet as their writing system.

    3. As a result of the incessant frictions happening in the country, the National anthem has been changed several times over the course of the years as at now, the Afghans currently have no national anthem presently as a result of the fall of the Kabul to Taliban forces, the last time this happened, music was banned and the nation anthem was banned as well

    4. Apart from being an Islamic-dominated nation, Afghans are also very rich in culture, ranging from hospitality to feeding to music and dances. One of the most prominent hospitality practices would be the serving of tea to guests with each family having their peculiar recipe. They’re also known for

    5. The official currency of Afghanistan is the Afghani measuring Af 1/$0.013. It is printed in two separate locations with varying exchange rate

  • Criminals in Italy, Germany increasingly using cryptocurrencies

    Criminals in Italy, Germany increasingly using cryptocurrencies

    Criminals in Italy and Germany are increasingly making use of cryptocurrencies, according to the customs directorate in Bonn.

    “The use of cryptocurrencies for online payment in the context of criminal offences is clearly on the rise,’’ the directorate said in a statement.

    According to investigators’ findings, in most cases the perpetrators use Bitcoin and the currency Monero.

    Cryptocurrency is a digital payment system that doesn’t rely on banks to verify transactions.

    Instead of being physical money that is carried around and exchanged in the real world, cryptocurrency payments exist purely as digital entries to an online database that describe specific transactions.

    READ ALSO: NDLEA arrests Italy-bound woman with 100 wraps of heroin

    Cryptocurrencies were used in the context of criminal offenses to completely anonymise ordering and shipping procedures for illicit products or services.

    In Italy, organised crime had also discovered cryptocurrencies in recent years.

    For mafia organisations, anonymity and quick transactions were advantages, which were why they use these payment methods, according to the Italian DIA anti-mafia police.

    Mafiosi especially, use digital currencies in drug trafficking.

    Neither German nor Italian police authorities provided precise information about operations, sums or damage. (dpa/NAN)

  • Queen remains at Scottish estate after worker tests positive

    Queen remains at Scottish estate after worker tests positive

    The Queen is carrying on with her Balmoral holiday after a staff member at the Scottish estate tested positive for the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

    The monarch, who is 95 and double jabbed, will remain at her private castle in Aberdeenshire as planned.

    The employee was sent home on Saturday following a PCR test, The Sun revealed.

    A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: “We have procedures in place should a member of any team get COVID-19.”

    READ ALSO: Berrettini emulates Becker to win Queen’s crown 

    It is the Queen’s first stay at her beloved Scottish sanctuary since the death of her husband the Duke of Edinburgh in April.

    She has been joined by family members including the Duke of York and his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York.

    The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children are expected to arrive later this month.

    Scotland has been a welcome retreat for the royal family since Queen Victoria’s day, with the Windsors relaxing and enjoying country pursuits in the stunning setting of the Scottish Highlands. (PA Media/dpa/NAN)

  • I won’t quit, says Lebanese president

    I won’t quit, says Lebanese president

    Lebanese President Michel Aoun yesterday said he would continue to assume his responsibilities until the end of his tenure.

    Aoun was reacting to remarks by some Lebanese on social media and TV outlets that he should resign to pave the way for parliamentary elections and the appointment of a new president.

    The critics also argued that his resignation would lead to  the formation of a cabinet capable of undertaking reforms amid the financial collapse in the country.

    But Aoun said in a  statement by the Presidency that he was determined to start rebuilding Lebanon, to be continued later with the new president.

    Read Also: Lebanese foreign minister tests positive for COVID-19, says Ministry

    “No one will shake my position or my willingness to finish what I have started,” he boasted,  hoping that those who immigrated in light of the crisis would return to the country when the situation improves.

    Aoun also said: “We hope to rein in the current crisis through forming a new government in the next few days, despite efforts by some to obstruct this formation.”

    Lebanon recently witnessed a fuel tank explosion, which killed over 28 people and left  79 injured.

    The incident sparked anger among citizens on the failure of authorities to tackle the country’s several crises, including the lack of medicines, fuel, and other basic commodities.

     

     

     

  • Buhari, Obasanjo congratulate Hichilema, Zambia’s president-elect

    Buhari, Obasanjo congratulate Hichilema, Zambia’s president-elect

    President Muhammadu Buhari and former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday congratulated Zambia’s  opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema  on his victory in the presidential election  at the weekend.

    Buhari and Obasanjo hailed Zambians for turning out en masse to freely elect a new leader.

    While Buhari lauded outgoing President Edgar Lungu for accepting the results and a peaceful transfer of power, Obasanjo urged Hichilema to be magnanimous in victory.

    Hichilema recorded a landslide victory by scoring  2,810,777 votes against Lungu’s 1,814,201 in the election.

    The victory of Hichilema is  the third time that power would  shift peacefully from a ruling party to the opposition since Zambia’s Independence in 1964.

    Buhari, in a congratulatory message by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said the peaceful conduct of the election signposted that a united, stable and prosperous Africa lies in the power of the people to freely elect their leaders.

    Read Also: Buhari exits self-isolation Wednesday

    He noted that Lungu’s patriotic disposition deserves the praise of all lovers of democracy.

    While highlighting the historic relationship between Nigeria and Zambia, the President said he  looks forward to working closely with the President-elect for the peace, development and prosperity of both nations.

    In a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, Obasanjo  said he was elated that Zambians had kept democracy alive.

    He  said:  “I congratulate the elected President, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema for his victory and also I want to congratulate the outgoing President, Edgar Lungu for working hard to maintain the tenets of democracy by conceding, when the result is clear that Hichilema won.

    “I also congratulate the people of Zambia for keeping democracy alive. I appeal to the new President to be magnanimous in victory and the people of Zambia should maintain the dignity and peace which we are all noted for in Africa.”

    Across Zambia, celebrations broke  out seconds after Zambia’s electoral commission Chairman, Esau Chulu, officially announced Hichilema’s victory.

    In a packed result centre in Lusaka, Hichilema’s supporters  wearing the red and yellow of his United Party for National Development (UPND) danced and sang, while drivers honked their horns.

    Hichilema, 59, a former chief executive officer  of  an accounting firm before entering politics, now faces the task of trying to revive Zambia’s fortunes.

    The economy of the South African country  has been buoyed only slightly by more favourable copper prices – now hovering around decade highs, driven partly by the boom in electric cars.

    In 2020, Zambia, Africa’s second-biggest copper miner, produced a record output of the metal.

    International Monetary Fund’s support is on hold until after the vote, as is a debt restructuring plan seen as an early test for a new global plan aimed at easing the burden of poor countries.

    Lungu, 64, on Saturday alleged that the election was “not free and fair” after incidents of violence against ruling Patriotic Front Party agents in three provinces. He hinted that he might challenge the outcome of the poll.

     

     

     

  • Afghanistan crisis: Five killed at Kabul airport chaos

    Afghanistan crisis: Five killed at Kabul airport chaos

    Five people were killed in a chaos at Kabul airport yesterday as hundreds of people tried to forcibly board evacuation flights meant for embassy workers.

    Taliban fighters on Sunday invaded the outskirts of Kabul, demanding transfer of power. Ashraf Gani, Afghanistan president, had fled the country as fighters entered the presidential palace.

    In the ensuing chaos, thousands of Afghans headed for the airport in the hope of catching a flight out of the country.

    But Afghanistan’s civil aviation authority announced a temporary cancellation of flights from the capital city of Kabul, leaving thousands of people stranded and many crowded on the tarmac.

    Read Also: Taliban takes Afghan capital Kabul

    The aviation authority had warned that the massive rush of passengers to the airport in the chaotic situation could lead to looting and disorderly conduct.

    According to Reuters, witnesses said it was not immediately clear how the victims died.

    A United States official reportedly said troops had fired into the air to stop people from trying to force their way onto a military flight that was set to take U.S diplomats and embassy workers out of the fallen city.

    One witness, waiting for a flight out of the city for more than 20 hours, said it was unclear if the five had been shot or killed in a stampede.

    In 2001, U.S-led forces removed the Taliban from power, but the group has returned, asking to take over the central government.

    On August 6, they took control of Zaranj, the regional capital, and have, in the past few weeks, claimed over 20 of Afghanistan’s 34 provincial capitals.

    Citizens and foreigners have been fleeing the south Asian country over concerns for their safety.

    The Taliban have, however, reportedly insisted their fighters would not enter people’s homes or interfere with businesses.

  • Sex and the City’s John Corbett marries Bo Derek after 20 years together

    Sex and the City’s John Corbett marries Bo Derek after 20 years together

    Sex and the City star John Corbett secretly tied the knot to Bo Derek after 20 years together.

    The actor, who is best known for playing the role of Carrie Bradshaw’s ex-boyfriend Aidan Shaw on the television series, publicly shared the incredible news with fans during a chat on The Talk on Tuesday.

    John, 60, said he and Bo, 65, got married “around Christmas time”, proudly showing off his flash ring.

    He told show host Jerry O’Connell the news, excitedly sharing: “Jerry, I can’t believe that I forgot to tell you that around Christmas time we got married. Bo and I got married!”

    Jerry, who appeared shocked, responded: “I noticed your ring and I was gonna say something but not on live television, but wow, congratulations!”

    “We’re pretty private people, we didn’t make an announcement,” John added. “All our friends and family knew, but this is the first time either one of us has said anything publicly about it because, really, we haven’t had an opportunity.

    “So, you’re my buddy and now I guess I’m telling all of America or the world.”

    Revealing the reason they got married, he explained: “After 20 years we decided to get married, we didn’t want 2020 to be that thing that everybody looks back at and hated. We thought, ‘Well, let’s get one nice thing out of it.”

    Read Also: Biden calls on New York Governor to resign

    The upcoming Sex and the City reboot will feature plenty of drama between Carrie Bradshaw and Mr Big, it’s been claimed.

    According to a leaked script, the on/off couple have split and will be in the midst of a bitter divorce in the new series And Just Like That.

    Fans of the original television series will be well aware of the highs and lows of Carrie and Big’s relationship, which started way back in season one in 1998.

    In the first Sex and the City movie, which was released in 2008, Carrie had her heartbroken by him yet again when he didn’t show up for their luxurious wedding due to nerves.

    However, the film ended with them getting hitched and the second movie also ended with them still being together.

    But Page Six has revealed that in the new HBO Max series, journalist Carrie is bemoaning her divorce with Mr. Big, played by Chris Noth, to her friends.

    The US publication even shared an exclusive snap of a script which shows Carrie — now in her 50s and the host of a podcast — and Mr. Big appears to be over and fighting over their finances – in a plot familiar to many real-life Manhattan socialites.

    In one alleged scene, Carrie is dining with her best friends Stanford Blatch (played by Willie Garson), Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon), and Charlotte York Goldenblatt (Kristin Davis).

    Will the reboot feature a rekindling for Big and his third wife? Or will Carrie finally leave him in her past and move on for good?

    NewsNow

  • Biden calls on New York Governor to resign

    Biden calls on New York Governor to resign

    US President Joe Biden has called on New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to resign after an investigation found that he had sexually harassed 11 women.

    Biden, at a White House press conference on Tuesday, said he believed the prominent democrat should resign.

    When asked if the governor should be impeached, Biden said, “Let’s take one thing at a time here.“

    “I think he should resign. I understand that the state legislature may decide to impeach, I don’t know that for a fact. I haven’t read all that data,” the president said.

    Biden added that he had not read the report or spoken to Cuomo.

    New York Attorney-General Letitia James released the report on Tuesday, saying at a press conference that Cuomo had “sexually harassed current and former state employees in violation of both federal and state laws.

    The independent investigation found that Cuomo harassed multiple women, many of whom were young women, by engaging in unwanted groping, kisses, hugging, and by making inappropriate comments.

    Read Also: Biden, Merkel to discuss Afghanistan, Russia, Cyber-attacks — Official

    In a video statement following James’s report, Cuomo said that he had not sexually harassed anyone and his actions with the 11 female accusers were portrayed incorrectly due to cultural and generational differences.

    He painted himself as a champion of sexual assault victims, apologising to Charlotte Bennett, one of his accusers, whom the governor said he was trying to help.

    He said he would institute new sexual harassment policies for the state.

    Cuomo also released a report on Tuesday that contains dozens of photos showing him touching and kissing numerous people, including Biden.

    He also included a photo of former President Barack Obama hugging a Hurricane Sandy victim.

    When asked about the use of the photo, Biden said, “I’m sure there were some embraces that were totally innocent, but apparently, the attorney-general decided there were things that weren’t.” (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

  • Origin tracing must be done in US – China Daily editorial

    Origin tracing must be done in US – China Daily editorial

    It would be inaccurate to interpret a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman’s remarks on Monday regarding the proposed second-phase novel coronavirus origin tracing by the World Health Organization in China as outright refusal, because in his words, “relevant experts on the Chinese side are studying it carefully”.

    But, he made it explicit that the WHO should adhere to the spirit of science, professionalism and objectivity, and work with the international community to maintain the serious scientific nature of tracing the origin of the outbreak.

    Actually, due to certain countries’ politicization of the issue, the work plan on the second phase origins study proposed by the WHO Secretariat is at odds with that approach. It is akin to presumption of guilt to target only China for a second-phase study into the origin of the coronavirus in China, while the United States, which is now known to have had infections earlier than first thought, refuses to allow the WHO to conduct its first study in the country.

    Read Also; Covid-19 Delta variant: Time to act is now!

    There are a number of points the WHO should bear in mind. The 73rd World Health Assembly explicitly requested it to try and determine the zoological origin of the virus and the route of its transmission to humans; the joint WHO-China expert team for virus origin tracing research came to the clear conclusion that a leak from the virology lab in Wuhan was “extremely unlikely” to be the source of the outbreak, and suggested conducting further research around earlier cases globally and further understanding the role of cold chains and frozen foods in the transmission of the virus; and origin tracing is a matter of science, and should be carried out by scientists from all over the world.

    In other words, the WHO should adhere to the spirit of science, professionalism, and objectivity and resist the politicization of origin tracing by the US and some of its allies.

    Any second-stage origin tracing should not begin until origin tracing studies have been conducted in other countries where the virus was known to be spreading before it was identified in China. And one site in particular — the Fort Detrick biological weapons lab in Maryland, the United States, which has a history of leaks and accidents — needs to be looked at carefully, given a cluster of lung infections in a town nearby just before the lab was temporarily shut down after a routine US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found a series of severe safety breaches.

    Asking why the US is yet to invite the WHO for a thorough scrutiny of Fort Detrick, and why the US has been excluded from the probe, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman urged Washington to face squarely the “voices of the international community including the Chinese people”.

    The most outstanding obstacle to any meaningful next-step progress in origin tracing, therefore, rests on whether the US will allow an origin tracing field study into what transpired at Fort Detrick and whether the WHO can maintain its commitments to science and professionalism.

    Source: Chinadaily.com.cn