Israel’s military on Tuesday reported intense fighting in the Khan Younis area of the Gaza Strip, while the United States vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, scaled up aid access and rejects the forced displacement of Palestinians.

“Demanding an immediate, unconditional ceasefire without an agreement requiring Hamas to release the hostages will not bring about a durable peace,” said U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield of the Algerian-drafted resolution.

For weeks, the United States, Egypt, Qatar and Israel have been involved in delicate negotiations aimed at the release of all hostages and an extended pause in the fighting.

“Instead, it could extend the fighting between Hamas and Israel, extend the hostages’ time in captivity, an experience described by former hostages as ‘hell,’ and extend the dire humanitarian crisis Palestinians are facing in Gaza,” Thomas-Greenfield said, adding “none of us want that.”

Senegal Leaves Presidential Election List Mainly Unchanged 

On Tuesday, Senegal’s Constitutional Council published an amended list of candidates for a presidential election delayed from February 25 to an undecided date, removing just one candidate from the initial list because she withdrew her application.

Last week, the council overturned a bill that delayed the vote to December — a move that had plunged the West African country into unchartered constitutional territory and stoked public anger against the government.

President Macky Sall, who said the postponement was needed due to a dispute over the candidate list, later pledged to abide by the court’s decision and hold consultations to organize the vote as quickly as possible.

The new candidate list was almost unchanged from the original list for the February 25 vote, apart from removing opposition contender Rose Wardini, bringing the number of candidates down to 19 from an initial 20.

The council said Wardini had withdrawn her application without providing further details.

Prominent opposition figures, including the firebrand jailed politician Ousmane Sonko and Karim Wade, the son of former president Abdoulaye Wade, remained excluded.

Navalny’s Mother Begs Putin to Release Her Son’s Body

The mother of Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny pleaded Tuesday with President Vladimir Putin to intervene and release her son’s body to her so he can be buried with dignity.

A black-clad Lyudmila Navalnaya appeared in a video outside the barbed wire of the Arctic penal colony where the 47-year-old Navalny died on Friday.

“For the fifth day, I have been unable to see him,” Navalnaya said in the video. “They wouldn’t release his body to me. And they’re not even telling me where he is.”

“I’m reaching out to you, Vladimir Putin,” she said in the video posted on social media by Navalny’s team. “The resolution of this matter depends solely on you. Let me finally see my son. I demand that Alexey’s body is released immediately so that I can bury him like a human being.”

She said authorities have refused to tell her even where Navalny’s body is. Navalny’s team says Russian authorities have said the cause of death is unknown and refused to release the body for two weeks while an inquest into his death continues.

Swedish PM to Meet Hungary’s Orban Before Vote on Sweden’s NATO Bid

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson will visit Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Budapest on Friday, three days ahead of the Hungarian parliament’s expected vote on approving Sweden for membership in NATO.

Orban said on Tuesday that it would be a “pleasure” to welcome Kristersson to Budapest, saying in a post on the X platform that they will be discussing how to strengthen “the defence and security policy cooperation between Hungary and Sweden.”

He added that during the meeting, they would also talk about “plans for the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the EU’s Strategic Agenda.”

On Tuesday, Hungary’s ruling party proposed holding the February 26 vote on the ratification of Sweden’s NATO bid and said it would support Sweden’s accession. Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson said the development is “very welcome.”

Sweden, along with Finland, applied to join the Atlantic Alliance in May 2022 in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Finland became a NATO member in April of last year.

Taiwan Says Chinese Naval Forces Board Taiwan Tourist Boat

Taiwan says the Chinese coast guard boarded a tourist boat from the self-ruled island.

Taiwan’s coast guard says the boat carrying 34 passengers and crew was boarded for just over 30 minutes while on a sight-seeing trip near the Kinman archipelago, located just off the southern Chinese coastal city of Xiamen but controlled by Taiwan.

Kuan Bi-ling, the head of Taiwan’s Ocean Affairs Council, told reporters Tuesday in the capital, Taipei, that China’s actions harmed people’s feelings, created panic and went against the best interests of people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, the 160-kilometer-wide waterway that separates the China and Taiwan.

Monday’s incident comes days after two Chinese fishermen drowned after their vessel capsized as they were fleeing Taiwan’s coast guard after they entered into restricted waters near Kinmen. Two other fishermen on board the vessel were taken into custody.

In response, China announced Monday that it would increase coast guard patrols in the waters of the Kinmen archipelago.

Australia Unveils Multibillion-dollar Navy Overhaul

Australia Tuesday announced a multibillion overhaul of its navy, which senior officials say is in response to “increasing geostrategic uncertainty.”

Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles told reporters Tuesday that the overhaul would give the navy the largest surface fleet since World War II.

The plan’s total cost over the next 10 years is estimated at $35.25 billion.

The revamp of Australia’s naval fleet intends to more than double the number of warships. Analysts say the reforms will help prepare the military for possible armed conflict in the Indo-Pacific region and a growing unease in Canberra about China’s military and territorial ambitions.

Under the Australian plan, up to 11 new general-purpose frigates and a fleet of drone-like boats can be operated remotely without sailors on board.

Last year’s review found Australia’s defence force was no longer “fit for purpose” and that the navy needed a more strategic combination of smaller and larger warships.

Zelensky Welcomes Sweden’s $683m Military Aid Package

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed a $683 million military aid package from Sweden on Tuesday as Ukrainian leaders continue to push for more international help in their fight against Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Zelensky called Sweden’s support “a significant contribution to Ukraine’s resilience in the face of Russian aggression and a powerful investment in preserving peace and freedom in Europe.”

“Artillery ammunition, air defence, grenade launchers, combat boats, armoured vehicles, and other items are meeting some of our frontline warriors’ most pressing needs,” Zelensky posted on social media.

Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson said the aid package was the largest yet his country is supplying to Ukraine and that the equipment and weapons meet “some of Ukraine’s most pressing needs.”

“Ukraine is not only defending its own freedom but that of all of Europe,” Jonson said. “Sweden will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes. Russia cannot be allowed to win this war.”

On Tuesday, Ukrainian Prime Minister Shmyhal said that while Ukraine’s military has gotten U.S. and European support, it needs more long-range missiles to bolster its air defences against Russian attacks.

Ukraine’s biggest supplier of military aid, the United States, has not delivered a new round of aid since December, when funding ran out.

UN Experts Push to Criminalise Gender Apartheid

A panel of United Nations experts is calling for the international community to officially recognize “gender apartheid” as a crime against humanity, highlighting the severe oppression of women and girls under regimes like the Taliban in Afghanistan.

The five-member group of experts from the United States, China, Mexico, Uganda and Serbia, affiliated with the UN human rights body, say this recognition is already long overdue.

“Gender apartheid is not merely a theoretical possibility or legal construct but a real threat and lived reality for millions of women and girls around the world — a reality that is currently not explicitly codified in international law,” the experts said in a UN statement on Tuesday.

Drawing attention to Afghanistan as a stark example, the experts claim the de facto Taliban government has institutionalized a system of gender-based “discrimination, oppression, and domination.”

Since seizing power, the Taliban have barred women and girls from secondary education, most workplaces, many recreational activities and unaccompanied travel over longer distances.

Supreme Court Rejects Appeal from Trump-Allied Lawyers over 2020 Election Lawsuit

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court rejected an appeal from Sidney Powell and other lawyers allied with former President Donald Trump over $150,000 in sanctions they were ordered to pay for abusing the court system with a sham lawsuit challenging the 2020 election results in Michigan.

The justices did not comment on leaving in place the sanctions against seven lawyers who were part of the lawsuit filed on behalf of six Republican voters after Joe Biden’s 154,000-vote victory over Trump in the state.

Among the lawyers is L. Lin Wood, whose name was on the lawsuit. Wood has insisted he had no role other than to tell Powell he would be available if she needed a seasoned litigator.

The money is owed to the state and Detroit for their costs in defending the lawsuit. The sanctions initially totalled $175,000, but a federal appeals court reduced them by about $25,000.

In October, Powell pleaded guilty to state criminal charges in Georgia over her efforts to overturn Trump’s loss in the state. She pleaded guilty to six misdemeanours accusing her of conspiring to interfere with the performance of election duties intentionally.

Assange Lawyers Make Last Bid to Prevent Extradition

Lawyers for Julian Assange on Tuesday made a last-ditch effort to prevent his extradition to the United States after fighting it for more than a decade.

Facing espionage charges, the WikiLeaks founder has already seen several attempts to fight extradition rejected. Addressing the Royal Courts of Justice in London, Assange’s legal team sought a new appeal hearing as hundreds of supporters rallied outside with “Free Julian Assange” signs.

His lawyers contend that his actions uncovered significant criminal misconduct by U.S. authorities and that their client risks “flagrant denial of justice” if forced into the U.S.

“He is being prosecuted for engaging in the ordinary journalistic practice of obtaining and publishing classified information, information that is both true and of obvious and important public interest,” Edward Fitzgerald, Assange’s lead lawyer, told the court.

WHO: Gaza’s Health System Hanging by a Thread Amid Ongoing Hostilities, Restrictions

The World Health Organisation warns that Gaza’s health system is hanging by a thread as health facilities throughout the Palestinian enclave cease to function, restrictions to access increase, medical supplies dwindle, and cuts in other humanitarian aid essential for patient care grow.

Gaza’s Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, where an Israeli military operation is ongoing, is one of the latest casualties. WHO, together with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the Palestine Red Crescent Society, recently conducted a high-risk mission to the medical facility to bring fuel and other essential supplies and evacuate patients in danger from the facility.

Iyke Bede

Orijin recently unveiled its highly anticipated limited edition pack at the Guinness Nigeria HQ, Ikeja,  Lagos, during a launch event graced by the incoming Managing Director, Guinness Nigeria, Adebayo Alli, Brand Ambassador, Basket Mouth, select lifestyle influencers, and distinguished members of the press.

In a celebration of resilience and cultural artistry,  the launch event featured a variety of engaging activities, with attendees witnessing the dramatic unveiling of the packs in an awe-inspiring moment punctuated by fine music, enchanting neon lights, and sumptuous finger food options.

The redesigned pack showcases enlarged versions of intricate mask designs of Nigerian origin, ones that reflect the fighting spirits of the forebears, inspiring attendees to tap into their roots to fuel their resilience as they navigate everyday life’s challenges.

Marketing and Innovations Director, Guinness Nigeria, Mark Mugisha, noted:

“We’re committed to telling the vibrant story of Guinness Nigeria and our brands. Yet, nothing compares to the 200 million unique stories of Nigerians, showcasing exceptional resilience. Today, I proudly join in amplifying Orijin’s ‘Orijinality,’ a brand deeply rooted in our culture and celebrating the exceptional Nigerian spirit.”

Hosted by Forever (Akuidolo Orevaoghene), other notable guests include  Efe Money, Neo Akpofure, and Jenni Frank. Highlights from the event included captivating performances by an Atilogu dance troupe, as well as an insightful mini-Art talk by Dadee Daniel, the artistic mind behind the new label design. 

•Palestinian envoy urges international bodies to ensure Israel vacates occupied territory

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, yesterday, said Israel was presently not at war with her neighbour, Palestine, but rather has declared a total war with Hamas and would do everything to wipe the group out.

The envoy, while stating that Israel was ready to do everything that it takes to ensure that the group goes into extinction, lamented that Saturday’s attack on Israel was the worst after the Holocaust.

He asked the international community to support the push of Israeli government to wipe out Hamas from the face of the earth.

He said Israel was only doing what any other nation would have done if its territory was invaded and its citizen slaughtered, adding that “I am not going to give a description of Hamas, but would want everyone to describe what the group is with what he has been doing so far,” he added.

Freeman, while alleging that Hamas was not only after Jews and Israelis, but every other groups including Muslims and Christians, said he expected the rest of the world to support Israel move to wipe off the threat.

He said there was no other option, but to make sure that the group never exists again, revealing that Israel was ready to roll out everything needed to put an end to Hamas and its madness and barbarism.

He admitted that civilian casualties should be expected in the war against Hamas as there was no war without civil casualties, but assured that Israel would not target civilians but Hamas though he noted that Hamas has threatened to put Israelis children and women in the warfront in the battle against Israel.

His words: It is important to state at this point that this is not a war that is between Israel and Palestine, this is not about Israel and Palestine.

“This is about Israel and Hamas, this is about good and evil, this is about civilisation and barbarism.

“Either you stand with people who are defending themselves or you stand with those who cut the heads of babies.

“That is what this is about, it is not about anything else.”

He assured of Israel’s plan to do everything within its ambit to avoid civilian casualties in the cause of the war against Hamas.

He mentioned that the Israeli move would not be about religion or Islam, Judaism or Christianity, but evil and good.

The ambassador further said that Israel does not desire war in any circumstances, but would remain committed to protecting its citizens in all possible ways.

“If Hamas will surrender this will be over tomorrow morning, if terrorism will be over that is not realistic.

“I am not asking the Palestinians anything, I am saying to the Palestinians I want a better day. I am saying this with focus on Hamas.

“I am focused on dealing with Hamas and I am focused on stopping it.”

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Ambassador to Nigeria, Abdallah Shawesh, has called on the international community to breathe down the neck of Israel and ensure the siege on Palestinian territory was immediately stopped.

He requested for the application of international laws to resolve the lingering crisis between his country and Israel, while calling on the international community to stop treating Israel as a nation above the law, calling for fair treatment of all parties.

Shawesh, said the lives of all individuals matter and condemned the killings ongoing in both countries.

On whether the Palestinian government was in support of the Hamas group, he said the group was not a terrorist organisation but fighting the course of the people to liberate their land from Israeli occupation.

The Palestinian Ambassador to Nigeria said a ceasefire agreement between the warring parties depends on Israel which he said owns a comprehensive military formation with support from allies like the United States.

He said many women and children were killed, medical doctors displaced and Ambulances destroyed in the renewed onslaught, alleging that one of the oldest churches in the world was destroyed by the Israeli forces.

Sam Ojei

Embarking on the journey of entrepreneurship is like setting sail on an uncharted sea – unpredictable, exhilarating, and ripe with possibilities. For those with an insatiable appetite for innovation and a penchant for navigating unexplored waters, the path of a serial entrepreneur beckons. In this article, we unravel the secrets and strategies that define the trajectory of a serial entrepreneur, examining the mindset, challenges, and victories that come with serial ventures.

Becoming a serial entrepreneur is not merely about launching multiple ventures; it’s about cultivating a mindset that thrives on innovation, resilience, and a perpetual appetite for learning. Serial entrepreneurs see failures not as setbacks but as stepping stones toward refinement and improvement. The ability to pivot, adapt, and extract lessons from each venture is a hallmark of the entrepreneurial mindset.

Serial entrepreneurs have a keen sense for identifying opportunities in the market. They possess an innate ability to spot gaps, inefficiencies, or underserved needs and are quick to conceptualize solutions. This keen awareness allows them to pivot from one venture to another, applying their skills and experiences to new challenges and industries.

Failure is an inevitable part of the entrepreneurial journey, but serial entrepreneurs view it as a valuable teacher. Each setback provides an opportunity to reassess, pivot, and refine their approach. The ability to extract lessons from failure and apply them to future endeavors is a distinguishing factor for those on the path of serial entrepreneurship.

Serial entrepreneurs often find success by diversifying their skill sets. While expertise in a specific industry is valuable, the ability to adapt and learn quickly across various domains is a key trait. Whether it’s technology, finance, marketing, or leadership, a diverse skill set equips serial entrepreneurs to navigate the complexities of different industries.

Successful serial entrepreneurs understand the power of networking and strategic partnerships. Building a robust network allows them to access valuable resources, insights, and potential collaborators. Whether it’s seeking mentorship, forming alliances, or attracting investors, effective networking is a vital tool in the arsenal of a serial entrepreneur.

Serial entrepreneurs excel at efficient resource management. Whether it’s financial capital, human resources, or time, the ability to allocate resources judiciously is crucial. Serial entrepreneurs understand the delicate balance between taking calculated risks and ensuring sustainable growth.

Passion is the driving force behind every successful entrepreneur, and serial entrepreneurs are no exception. The ability to maintain enthusiasm and determination across multiple ventures, even in the face of challenges, is a defining characteristic. Perseverance in the pursuit of one’s vision is what sets serial entrepreneurs apart.

Becoming a serial entrepreneur is a journey laden with challenges, triumphs, and an unwavering commitment to innovation. It’s not just about starting and running multiple businesses; it’s about embracing the inherent uncertainty of entrepreneurship with a mindset that values growth, learning, and adaptability. Aspiring serial entrepreneurs should view each venture as a chapter in a larger narrative, building upon past experiences and leveraging a diverse skill set to navigate the dynamic seas of entrepreneurship. In the end, it’s not just about the ventures launched but the lessons learned, the networks built, and the legacy left behind in the ever-evolving landscape of business.

Bola A. Akinterinwa 

The on-going war between Russia and Ukraine has the potential to generate an international insurrection in the event of use of nuclear weapons as a last resort. International insurrection cutting across several countries can then be the unwanted lot of the international community. Put differently, the use of nuclear arms by Russia is most likely. It cannot be ruled out because of the mounting pressure on Russia by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and European Union (EU) countries all of which are strongly sustaining Ukrainian resistance. In this regard, the NATO-EU’s apparent strategy is to prolong the war, and by so doing, weaken Russia and possibly renew the idea of perestroïka and glasnost (Opening and Restructuring), and make Russia irrelevant in the conduct and management of global affairs. The ultimate objective is to underscore the supremacy of Western civilisation.

Russia seriously contests the supremacy of Western civilisation in various ramifications. Russia has always differentiated between elite oligarchy and the people of the West and has always drawn global attention to the Russian position that Russia is not at war with any people of the world, but with the elite oligarchy in the United States, Europe, and particularly in Ukraine. And true enough, many international stakeholders now appear to be subscribing to the Russian school of thought. Many countries are also fighting the NATO-EU by using soft power, which similarly also has the potential to threaten international peace and security. 

For instance, some countries are currently using the Chinese Yuan in their financial transactions. The use of the Yuan is de-emphasising the importance of the dollar as an international currency. In fact, the Yuan has become a major challenger to the dominance of the US dollar with countries like Russia, Iran, Brazil, Argentina and Bangladesh using the Yuan for trade as a backup currency for trade finance, international payments, foreign exchange transactions and central bank reserve assets. In Africa, Zimbabwe has joined the users of Yuan. As such, efforts are consciously being made to de-dollarise international financial transactions. In particular, the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) is currently leading in the consideration of an alternative to the US dollar. 

Likelihood of Use of Nuclear Weapons

Opinion is mixed on the likelihood of the use of nuclear weapons in the on-going Russo-Ukrainian war. One school of thought argues that a nuclear war, no matter how limited, is mutual suicide and that President Putin cannot afford the luxury to first launch a nuclear attack, especially that Russians do not want to die recklessly. Explained differently, is Russo-Ukraine and Russo-American nuclear war confrontation possible? 

If we consider that there is a deepening military lull that has come to characterise the prosecution of the war as at today, the use of nuclear weapons may not be ruled out as there is nothing to suggest that the Ukrainian leader, Volodymyr Zelensky, is much aware of the likely use of nuclear arms against the territory of Ukraine and that Ukraine is also being used by both Russia and the United States for the destruction of the people of Ukraine. As it is today, Ukraine can be completely neutralised as the war in Ukraine, in truth, is more than just a war between Russia and Ukraine. The war is a cold war between the US-led NATO and Russia. 

In other words, it is a hot war between Russia and Ukraine and a cold war between the United States and Russia. At the level of Russia and Ukraine, Russia never liked the idea of opening and restructuring of the former Soviet Union which led to the collapse of the Union. By implication, Russia does not believe in the independence and sovereignty of Ukraine. In terms of strategic foreign policy calculations, Russia believes that Ukraine should be part of a greater Russia. While Ukraine is still enjoying its sovereignty and territorial integrity, the anger of Russia’s Putin is necessarily exacerbated by Ukraine’s hobnobbing with the US-led NATO to expand its politico-military influence to the international borders of Russia. This development has also raised the blood pressure of President Putin who sees the nearness of NATO to its borders as most unacceptable. 

In this regard, Russia has made some demands over which Russia does not intend to accept compromise for reasons of national defence and security: non-acceptance of Ukraine’s membership of the NATO; withdrawal of NATO from Eastern Europe and retain its pre-1997 structure; freezing the NATO Alliance the way the Warsaw Pact had been done as jointly agreed to; no NATO military drills in Ukraine unless with the consent of Russia; etc. Expectedly, the United States and the NATO do not accept the demands. While Russia has the agenda to reconstitute the former Soviet Empire, the United States wants to prevent the renewal of any powerful rival. The United States wants to ensure the continued vibrancy of Western civilisation and hegemony. Thus, there is the NATO order versus the Russian counter-order, prompting the disorder currently in Ukraine.  

This is why Ukraine has become a battle field and a victim of a proxy war. And perhaps more disturbingly, Ukrainian leader, Volodymyr Zelensky, has always asked for more military assistance from Europe to enable the defeat of Russia this coming summer. In the strong belief that the enemy of my enemy is my friend, Europe has not hesitated in quickly providing such assistance to Ukraine, but not reckoning with the increasing number of casualties. 

In response to the request of Volodymyr, the UK Secretary of Defence, Ben Wallace, told the British Parliament that long-range Storm Shadow missiles had been sent to Ukraine in support of its struggle against Russia. The Storm Shadow missiles, each of which costs more than £2m can strike targets in the Russian occupied Crimea. In the words of Ben Wallace, the decision was ‘a calibrated and proportionate response’ to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. More important, Mr Wallace said Russia had made ‘788 attacks on health facilities, hospitals, clinics, medical centres… The use of Storm Shadow will allow Ukraine to push back Russian forces based within Ukrainian sovereign territory. Russia must recognise that their actions alone have led to such systems being provided.’

In reaction to Mr Wallace, President Putin has said that Russia would respond appropriately. But what is the nature of the appropriate response? Is this not a deepening tension that is pointing to the likely use of Weapons of Mass Destruction? The United States and the EU allies have initially considered the non-deployment of long range missiles to Ukraine to avoid a direct military confrontation with Russia. However, the sending of long-rage Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine has now thrown into the dustbin of history the non-deployment policy. The policy response of President Putin to this development is quite thought-provoking.

On the occasion of the celebration of Russia’s Victory Day on Wednesday, May 10, 2023, President Putin said that ‘today, civilisation is again at a decisive turning point. A real war has been unleashed against our motherland but we have fought back against international terrorism. We will also protect the people of Donbars and ensure our own security. For us, for Russia, there are no unfriendly, hostile nations either in the West or in the East. Like the vast majority of people on the planet, we want to see a peaceful, free and stable future.’

This statement is noteworthy because Russia says a real war has been unleashed on her, thus raising who kick-started the war in Ukraine. Is it the NATO’s disregard for agreements done with Russia and to which Russia has to militarily respond that explains the commencement of the war? Is the Russian Special Military Intervention that began on February 24, 2022 in Ukraine not the beginning of the war and for which Russia should be internationally held responsible? Whatever is the case, what is undeniable is that the US-led NATO is largely responsible for the commencement of the Cold War while Russia started the hot war, the future of which is still difficult to predict.

As further explained by President Putin on the Victory Day, ‘we are proud of the participants in the present military operations, of all those who are fighting on the frontline, who provide support under fire, who rescue the wounded, there is nothing more important now than your combat effort. The security of the country rests on you today, the future of our statehood and our people depend on you. You are fulfilling your military duty with honour. You are fighting for Russia.’ Without doubt, this is not only a commendation for the Russian forces but a further encouragement and request to fight harder the more, meaning that there is no immediate end to the war. 

And more importantly, President Putin has it that ‘what we want for the future is a future of peace, a future of stability, not a future of blood. But the elite in the West, they keep talking of their exceptionalism (sic), of how they are different, and they are the ones creating a sense of disruption between our people. They are the one destroying family values, traditional values that make everyone on this planet human. They are forcing their will on other nations, forcing their rules on others. But it would appear that they have forgotten what Nazism was all about…’

From this statement, there is no disputing the fact that the Cold War between Russia and the United States is about Western civilisation, the supremacy of which Russia is not prepared to accept. Russia is essentially saying here that what the West is preaching or claiming, the same West has been acting contrarily to it. In other words, the West is preaching its exceptional character, but destroying family and traditional values. The implication of the foregoing conflict of interests is that the end to the imbroglio cannot be for now. More important, in the event the war is prolonged to the extent that Russia will be left to use nuclear arms to save face, the whole world may have to suffer greatly for it, especially in terms of how to cope with possible cases of international insurrection.

Scenarios of International Insurrection

Insurrection, which is synonymous with mutiny, uprising, rebellion, revolution, is generally considered as an organised violent revolt against a civil or political authority or established government. The US legal definition has it that insurrection is ‘the act or an instance of revolting especially violently against civil or political authority or against an established government’ or ‘the crime of inciting or engaging in such a revolt (whoever incites, sets on foot, assists, or engages in any rebellion or against the authority of the United States.’ 

If insurrection is defined from a municipal or national perspective, especially in terms of a rebellion at the level of the people against an established authority, who are those people expected to revolt at the level of international insurrection? In other words, which world government are the peoples of the world to revolt against? Is it the United Nations? Will the Member States of the United Nations revolt against itself? These questions are raised in order to underscore the new trend in international relations and global governance: increasing people’s revolt against their legitimate governments. Civil society organisations can protest against the United Nations but not probably revolt in the mania of a revolution. This does not mean that there cannot be a serious revolt at the UN headquarters.

It should be noted here that in Africa, the African Union (AU) frowns at non-constitutional governments. Any government that is not an offshoot of a constitutional democratic process is not acceptable to African leaders, at least in theory. The missing link, however, is the issue of people-initiated coups d’état, prolonged public protests leading to military intervention, etc. The cases of some Francophone West African countries – Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea – serve as good examples of peoples deciding the direction of their political governance. In Mali, the protests of the June 5 Movement led to the removal of an elected government and installation of a people-supported military government. If at the national level, elected governments are increasingly becoming more corrupt and inept and the people have to take the laws into their hands to remove such elected governments, rather than waiting until election time to change them, we argue here that, if nuclear weapons are eventually used in the course of the Russian-Ukrainian war, and the speculated death of not less than six million people becomes a reality, the likelihood of a general revolt of the people cannot be ruled out. The death will be as a result of a US-Russia, as well as an EU-provoked war. The war is basically a European war but with global implications.

In this regard, it has been predicted that the socio-economic impacts of any nuclear war will be terrible, particularly for developing countries and marginalised people. As noted by icanw.org, ‘the use of less than one per cent of the nuclear weapons in the world could disrupt the global climate and threaten as many as two billion people with starvation in a nuclear famine. The detonation of thousands of nuclear weapons could result in a nuclear winter which could destroy our fragile ecosystem.’

What is particularly noteworthy about health consequences of any nuclear war is that physicians have predicted in the same vein that ‘about 2.4 million people worldwide will eventually die from cancers due to atmospheric nuclear tests conducted between 1945 and 1980.’ If people are still dying from nuclear tests carried out before 1980, and outright fresh nuclear weapons are expected to be detonated from which six million people are still predicted to die as a result of Russo-Ukrainian nuclear war, we should not be talking about a nuclear winter or nuclear famine, but about a nuclear global self-suicide.

  Many related questions are raised here. First, France carried out her first and second atomic tests in the Reggane area of the Sahara in February and April, 1960 and Nigeria complained bitterly about them through the United Kingdom before her independence, but to no avail. After attainment of independence, in October 1960, France again carried out the third test in December 1960 and Nigeria strained her diplomatic ties with France as earlier promised. Now if physicians are currently saying that the atmospheric nuclear tests conducted between 1945 and 1980 still have the potential to endanger people’s lives, create cancerous situations, etc., it means that the fears of Nigeria under Sir Tafawa Abubakar Balewa administration, that the radioactive effects of the French atomic bomb tests would harm the people of Africa, could not have been more correct. Sir Tafawa Balewa argued that the radioactive effect would be blown southwards of the Sahara.

Secondly, after the French saga of 1960, the fears of a Russian nuclear attack are now being expressed. In the event of such detonation of nuclear bombs anytime from now, will there not be radioactive effects that can be blown from the theatre of war to the African continent? Will there be a way of redirecting the radioactive wind? If yes, to where will the wind be first directed? Is it really possible to prevent Russia from eventually deploying nuclear weapons in the context of legitimate self-defence? If Russia launches a nuclear war on Ukraine, which country will be able to prevent Ukraine and its European backers from also engaging in a reciprocal nuclear attack on Russia?

It is useful to recall here the many arguments that have been advanced on the inevitability of a nuclear war. Nuclear proliferation is one argument on its own. The limited the number of nuclear powers the better for global peace and security. Apart from the Nuclear Weapon States who all also are the Five Permanent Members of the United Nations Security Council, Pakistan, Israel, and North Korea are also on record to have acquired the nuclear status. Do they all have the same management capacity and capability to manage nuclear accidents? One major reason for not allowing Member States of the United Nations to develop nuclear capability for war purposes is precisely the alleged incapacity to manage nuclear disasters. 

A second reason for the inevitability of a nuclear war is the US mistreatment of Russia as a former superpower. As explained in Martin E. Hellman’s article on “On the Probability of Nuclear War” (The Times, Mateo, California, Wednesday, March 20, 1985, videe.stanford.edu) and by Orville Wright (videe.stanford.edu), the United States does not see any need in consulting with Russia as a former superpower in taking decisions. Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, there is no new military invention that does not go along with destruction. Orville Wright has it that when the first man was carrying flying machine, it was ‘thought we are introducing into the world an invention that would make further wars practically impossible. Far from ending wars, however, the airplane increased the ability to maim and kill in fire bombing raids on London, Hamburg and Tokyo. The airplane wrought previously unimaginable levels of destruction. In a single night, 80,000 people were killed and over one million left homeless.

In essence, there is nothing to suggest that African leaders are prepared for the implications of a nuclear war which is imminent. Even the management of agitations for separation, which is not in any way as dangerous as a nuclear conflict, speaks volumes of management incapacity. Nigeria has been more divided than ever before. We subscribe to the school of thought that says that, if care is not taken, Africans may be carelessly cut unawares. Hence, the most disturbing aspect of the inevitability of a nuclear war is that ‘history shows the folly in hoping that each new more destructive weapon will not be used. And yet we dare hope that this time it will be different, we (Americans) and the Soviets have amassed combined arsenal of 50,000 nuclear weapons, equivalent in destructive force to some 6,000 World War II’s, capable of reaching their targets in a matter of minutes, and able to destroy every major city in the world. All in the belief that they will never be used! Unless we make a radical shift in our thinking … nuclear war is inevitable.’ 

INTERVIEW

Roger Delves, an associate dean and professor of Practice at Ashridge Executive Education, Hult International Business School. Delves, a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and educated at the University of Oxford, shares insights in this interview on TEXEM, UK’s ‘Strategic Leadership for Enduring Impact During Volatile Periods’ executive development programme. It is scheduled to take place virtually, from April 15 – May 6, 2023, featuring world-renowned, apart from Delves, Ambassador Charles Crawford, Prof Paul Griffith and Prof Rodria Laline. Excerpts:

Can you tell us about yourself?

I’m a professor of leadership and management practice with experience that dates back over 44 years in international advertising (my first career) and (since 1996) in management development and education. I have worked in several top business schools, written books and chapters and countless articles on leadership and management. I have been on the board of an impactful MNE at the age of 30, and I have helped thousands of organisations to win. I am an alumnus of Oxford, and I have developed self-awareness from an early age and have been blessed to have studied with some of the world leaders, some of whom are still making a positive difference in many spheres of life.

What will you be doing in TEXEM UK’s April 2023 programme, ‘Strategic Leadership for Enduring Impact During Volatile Periods’?

I’ll be delivering an interactive workshop that looks at how leaders who are well-versed in thinking and acting strategically will be well-placed to make an impact throughout periods of turbulence and change. This TEXEM programme will help challenge assumptions, offer fresh insights and inspire leaders to aspire to do more with less, inspire their team to develop innovative solutions and achieve sustainable competitive advantage.

Tell us about your professional experiences and how will you apply this in assisting the global, African leader in developing the requisite skill sets to handle the present leadership challenges they are facing?

I have spent many years in senior leadership roles, including roles on boards and advisory boards and as an advisor, mentor and coach to board directors and C-suite executives. I have taught in Europe, Africa, America, Australia, India, China and many other parts of Asia, both teaching Masters level students and teaching in the company and open courses. I have taught thousands of executives literally through several different crises, including the Falklands War, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Credit Crunch, the Austerity Years, the Covid Crisis and now the Ukraine War and its consequences, alongside the growing threats of climate change crisis, the ever-increasing influence of China as a world power and so on. I am well versed in sharing best practices of lessons across diverse contexts, which will benefit all leaders. My approach entails helping leaders to develop the capacity to turn challenges into opportunities.

How do you intend to carry out the task of delivering the purpose of TEXEM UK’s April 2023 programme?

I have taught for almost 30 years. I have always believed that participants must be engaged if they are to learn, and to be engaged, they must be constantly rewarded. So I intend to create a constantly rewarding experience that will engage participants to maximise their learning experience. I will also leverage TEXEM’s tested and proven methodology, making learning fun, memorable and impactful on this programme. The TEXEM methodology comprises games, group discussion, role play and a gamified experience.

What possible experience should executives look forward to during TEXEM’s forthcoming programme titled ‘Strategic Leadership for Enduring Impact During Volatile Periods’, which holds between April 15 to May 6 2023 for the African Leader?

A relevant, purposeful, engaging, interactive and rewarding experience under the benign eye of a very experienced practitioner and with the directorship of the impactful TEXEM’s founder, Dr Alim Abubakre.

Do you have any doubts about the result of this programme, given that it is an entirely virtual programme?

The results of the programme will be very positive and beneficial. We are living in a digital world, and many of the stakeholders that we engage, we do this virtually. Moreso, for the busy executive, it is easier for them to spend an average of one hour studying every day and three hours every weekend than to travel for four weeks. Furthermore, the content of this TEXEM programme is useful, pertinent and applicable. I am confident that if participants apply themselves diligently to the content and with TEXEM’s engaging customer support, I believe they will achieve results with which they will be delighted.

Why do executives need to plan to attend TEXEM UK’s April 2023 programme, ‘Strategic Leadership for Enduring Impact During Volatile Periods’?

Executives should participate in the TEXEM forthcoming programme because it will be an excellent opportunity to network and learn how to unlock scarce value in these turbulent times. The TEXEM methodology is also another reason that participants should attend as this assures quality, and this programme will help leaders and their organisations to shore up their core competence and capabilities to thrive.

What will the programme cover?

The programme will help executives see better and understand their approaches to addressing their contemporary strategic leadership issues. To help them understand better that despite the plethora of challenges, there is a myriad of opportunities for prepared leaders. The programme will also equip them with actionable frameworks to help them make better decisions, inspire their team to act agilely and position their organisation for success.

How is the programme structured?

The TEXEM, UK ‘Strategic Leadership for Enduring Impact During Volatile Periods’, is a combination of self-paced study and live sessions. Participants will study for an average of one hour every day between April 15 to May 6, and there will be live sessions every Saturday for four weeks. The experience has been gamified such that participants will get points ranked on a league table for every article read, video watched, and comment made. The top 5 on the league table will be recognised each weekend when we have the live sessions via zoom, during which different faculty will deliver. For example, each live session on Saturday will have Prof Rodria Laline, founding director of Harvard Maximise Your Board programme, Prof Paul Griffith, the world’s first professor of Management to lead a team to launch a rocket, Ambassador Charles Crawford and I will deliver. For more information, email exec@texem.co.uk or register at https://texem.co.uk/strategic-leadership-for-enduring-impact-during-volatile-periods.

Chido Nwangwu reports that former United States President Donald Trump has oiled his political machinery with his recent declaration to run again for US Presidency in 2024

In order to make America great and glorious again, I am tonight announcing my candidacy for president of the United States…. America’s comeback starts right now,” he exclaimed. 

Thus, the divisive and cantankerous former President of the United States Donald Trump on Tuesday, November 15, 2022 “officially launched” his third campaign for the White House.

Typical of Trump’s projects, there is already conflict and division within the Republican party.

Meanwhile, one of his daughters, Ivanka, released a statement stating that: “While I will always love and support my father, going forward I will do so outside the political arena.”

Evidently and very clearly, the politics of Trump has taken a major toll on his family.  If Trump wins the election in 2024, he will become the second U.S President in history to serve two non-consecutive terms, following in the path of Grover Cleveland’s wins in 1884 and 1892.

However, long before the 2024 elections, there are several hurdles, which Trump will have to scale over.

One of those is the latest decision by the Supreme Court of the United States on Tuesday, November 22, 2022, against Trump’s unrelenting and frantic efforts to block any access to his taxes. Therefore, it removed any obstacle for Trump’s much guarded taxes to be released to the U.S. Congress. The next day he attacked the court  lashing out at the court in a series of posts on his social media platform called Truth Social.

Trump, the very controversial and twice impeached former President allleged that “The Supreme Court has lost its honor, prestige, and standing, & has become nothing more than a political body, with our Country paying the price.”

He also claimed that the same court with a conservative majority and where he appointed three Justices were ruling out of being “petrified” of the Democrats,  “politically correct” as opposed to what he characterized as “doing what is BEST for the USA.”

Trump continued: “Why would anybody be surprised that the Supreme Court has ruled against me, they always do! It is unprecedented to be handing over Tax Returns, & it creates a terrible precedent for future Presidents.”

The man scheduled his announcement far ahead of the 2024 elections, deliberately, only a few hours after the 2022 midterm elections.

Trump believed, and hoped that his Republican party would do much better in that early November elections. The political and voting reality turned out to be that  most of those he backed lost their elections,  such as Dr. Oz in the Pennsylvania senatorial battle.

Some of his party leaders blamed him and said critically that he is not the way forward or the future of the Republican party!

I think it’s important to note that those losses made it possible for  Democrats to keep the Senate while the Republicans went home with only a very slim majority in the House of Representatives. 

Trump evidently believes he will take on in 2024 President Joe Biden in a rematch. He has accused the Democrats and Mr. Biden of presiding over failed and in his extravagant words “blood-soaked streets” and “cesspool cities.”

He has looked all over the country and has reached one conclusion: “We are a nation in decline.”

President Biden does not agree with him. 2024 is faraway. Let’s see what happens between now and then.

I believe in the realistic, geopolitical possibilities that the United States and the rest of the world might change, substantially, before November 2024! Only time will tell…. 

-Nwangwu, Founder of USAfrica, founded the first African-owned, U.S-based newspaper published on the Internet USAfricaonline.com. Follow @Chido247

US President Joe Biden and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, Thursday pledged their continued support for Ukraine’s fight against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion as they held talks at the White House.
“France and the United States are facing down Vladimir Putin’s ambition,” Biden said after warmly greeting the French leader, the first to make a state visit during Biden’s presidency.
“The alliance between our two nations remains essential for our defence,” Biden said. “The US could not ask for a better partner than France.” He described France as “our oldest ally and unwavering partner in freedom’s cause.”
Macron, speaking on a sunny but chilly morning in Washington, said that with Putin’s invasion now in its 10th month, the United States and France “need to become brothers in arms once more.”
He said Washington and Paris “share the same faith in freedom and democratic values.”

South Africa’s President Risks Impeachment Inquiry
A report by an independent panel appointed by South Africa’s parliament contends that President Cyril Ramaphosa violated his oath of office, which could lead to an impeachment inquiry. The panel finds the president has to answer for the theft of at least a half-million dollars from his game farm that may not have been declared in his taxes.
Following the release of the report, Ramaphosa maintained his innocence and said in a statement that he categorically denies violating his oath.
The panel’s report stated that while it did not have all the answers, nor the authority to pursue them, it recommended an impeachment inquiry should proceed to get to the truth.
It noted there are many questions left unanswered, including where the money stolen from the farm had come from and the exact amount in question.
A former spy boss, Arthur Fraser, first brought the issue to light, claiming that between $4 million and $8 million was stolen from a sofa in the president’s farmhouse where it was hidden.
Fraser claimed the money was collected by Ramaphosa’s adviser Bejani Chauke for both him and the president during several trips he made to Middle Eastern and African countries, and it was not declared to authorities.
Ramaphosa said it was from selling 20 buffalo to a Sudanese businessman known as Mr Hazim, who paid $580,000 for them on Christmas Day in 2019. The president said he was not at the farm at the time of the sale.

India Dismisses Chinese Objections to India-US Military Drills Near Border
India has dismissed Beijing’s objections to US-India military exercises being held close to India’s disputed border with China.
The drills between Indian and US soldiers began mid-November and are due to conclude Friday. Part of annual exercises held by the two sides, this year’s manoeuvres are taking place in the Himalayan mountains in Auli in Uttarakhand state, about 100km from the border area known as the Line of Actual Control.
China said on Wednesday that the joint exercises “violated the spirit of relevant agreements” between Beijing and New Delhi. “It does not serve the mutual trust between China and India. China has expressed concerns to the Indian side over the military exercise,” foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a media briefing in Beijing.
Responding to China’s comments, Indian foreign ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi said Thursday that “India exercises with whomsoever it chooses to, and it does not give a veto to third countries on this issue.”
Bagchi said the exercises had nothing to do with the agreements China had referred to.
Tensions between India and China have escalated since a bloody border clash in 2020 killed 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers in the Ladakh area. As a result, both sides continue to deploy tens of thousands of soldiers backed by artillery, tanks and fighter jets along the disputed border and are rapidly building infrastructure in the Himalayan mountains.
Following several rounds of talks between the military commanders of the two countries, soldiers have pulled back from some so-called “friction points” along the border where they were posted close to each other, but heavy deployments continue at other points that are of strategic significance to both sides.

Spain Investigating Letter Bombs Sent to Prime Minister, Ukraine Embassy
Ukraine’s foreign minister said Thursday that a letter bomb sent to the Ukrainian embassy in Madrid was an act of terror and pledged to ensure that those responsible receive the maximum punishment.
Authorities in Spain say the bomb was one of several that went to various addresses around the Spanish capital, including that of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and were intercepted. The one that arrived at the Ukrainian embassy exploded Wednesday, injuring an employee.
Speaking on the sidelines of a NATO meeting in Romania, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the letter bomb was a serious matter, and they were carefully following it.
He said, “This is an attack against the diplomatic establishment that is defended by international law,” and he had ordered all foreign diplomatic Ukrainian establishments to immediately increase security measures.
Kuleba pledged to “defend each Ukrainian not only in Ukraine but also abroad with all available means.”
Spanish officials said packages also arrived Thursday at Spain’s defence ministry and the Torrejon de Ardoz air base. Another package arrived Wednesday at Instalaza, a company making grenade launchers Spain sent to Ukraine.
The investigation into who sent the packages is continuing.

Ukraine Urges EU to Sanction Russian Missile Production
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Thursday he had called on the European Union to sanction Russia’s missile production industry.
Kuleba tweeted that Russia’s missile production “must be put to a halt.”
He said he communicated the message in a meeting with EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and also thanked the EU for defence aid it has provided to Ukraine.
Russia has used missiles to attack Ukrainian cities, including striking key infrastructure sites such as parts of the country’s electrical grid.
Ukraine’s military said Thursday that Russian forces were shelling several towns in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, including Bakhmut, Soledar and Opytne. The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces also said Russia was using tanks and artillery to target Ukrainian positions in the southern city of Kherson.
The United States said Wednesday that Russia’s weekslong campaign targeting attacks on Ukraine’s vital heating, electrical, and water infrastructure would not diminish Western resolve to support Kyiv in its nine-month fight against Moscow’s invasion.

Zambians to Sue Mining Giant Anglo American for Lead Poisoning
A court in South Africa last week ruled that UN experts can intervene in a class action lawsuit against mining giant Anglo American over lead poisoning in Zambia. South African and British lawyers filed the lawsuit on behalf of about 140,000 Zambian children and women whose health was allegedly damaged by a colonial-era lead mine. Anglo American has denied wrongdoing at the Kabwe mine, which it was involved in from the 1920s to 1970s.
It’s a busy morning in Chowa township in Kabwe, which looks like an ordinary Zambian town on the surface.
But rights experts and lawyers say Kabwe is one of the areas in the world most polluted by lead poisoning.
Rachel Kutayaya said her three boys, aged 12, 14, and 16, were sickened by lead, but she’s unemployed and can’t afford treatment.
Kutayaya struggles to feed her kids with the $20 she makes per week selling tomatoes.
She said her children’s IQs had been affected. In school, Kutayaya said, they did not focus well, so their performance is poor. She says one of them often has stomach problems and blames lead poisoning.
Britain-based rights law firm Leigh Day estimates 140,000 Zambian children and women of childbearing age were sickened by the colonial-era lead mine in Kabwe.

Modi’s Home State Votes in Local Polls Projected as Easy Win for BJP
In India’s western state of Gujarat, voters began choosing a new state government on Thursday in an election where Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party is expected to cruise to an easy victory.
Political analysts say that while there is disenchantment with the BJP in a state that it has ruled for 27 years, the party is on course to win an unprecedented seventh term, mainly due to the popularity of the Indian leader.
Gujarat is Modi’s home state, which he headed for about 13 years as chief minister before he became the country’s prime minister in 2014, and the BJP depends on his charisma to pull in votes. In recent weeks, Modi has addressed dozens of rallies in the state.
“Overall, the Modi magic remains. A lot of people want change, and those who are voting for the BJP are only doing it because of those three words: Narendra Damodardas Modi,” Neerja Chowdhury, an independent political analyst, said. “If the party is in the reckoning, it is only because of him.”
Observers say there is dissatisfaction with the government’s track record, particularly among poorer groups. Although Gujarat is a bustling hub of commerce and one of India’s most prosperous states, it has also witnessed growing economic distress and joblessness in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Inflation and high fuel prices are hurting poor households.
However, the lack of strong opposition is helping the BJP in its bastion. Two opinion polls conducted in the run-up to the polls have projected that the party will win a larger share of seats than it holds in the present state assembly.

Taliban Defend Ban on VOA, RFE/RL Broadcasts
The Islamist Taliban government has defended banning FM radio broadcasts from two U.S.-funded news media, including the Voice of America, in Afghanistan, alleging they were offending local laws.
The ban on VOA and Azadi Radio, an Afghan extension of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, or RFE/RL, went into effect Thursday, a day after the Taliban’s ministry of information and culture said it had received complaints about programming content but shared no specifics.
It is unclear whether the ban will apply to other international broadcasters that have used the same system for FM broadcasts in Afghanistan.
“Afghanistan has press laws, and any network found repeatedly contravening these laws will have their privilege of reporting from and broadcasting within Afghanistan taken away,” Abdul Qahar Balkhi, the Taliban, foreign ministry spokesman, said in his written comments to VOA.
“VOA and Azadi Radio failed to adhere to these laws, were found as repeat offenders, failed to show professionalism and were therefore shut down,” Balkhi asserted.
The two US government-funded news organizations operate with journalistic independence and aim to provide comprehensive, balanced coverage.

Hong Kong Delays Jimmy Lai Trial
A court in Hong Kong has adjourned the trial of newspaper publisher Jimmy Lai until December 13 after the government sought to block a British lawyer from representing Lai.
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee asked China’s top lawmaking body to decide whether foreign lawyers could participate in national security cases.
Authorities accuse Lai of colluding with foreign forces, and he is also facing a charge of sedition. If convicted, he faces a possible life sentence.
Lai is the founder of the Apple Daily newspaper, which was forced to close in 2021 after its assets were frozen under a security law imposed after pro-democracy protests.

British Business Minister, Grant Shapps, said on Monday that there was no excuse for media covering protests to be beaten by the police.

Shapps said this when BBC earlier on Sunday alleged that Chinese police had assaulted and detained one of its journalists in Shanghai.

“There can be absolutely no excuse whatsoever for journalists who are simply covering the protests going on to be  beaten by the police. I know that’s a considerable concern,” Shapps told Sky News.

Shanghai is one of a number of Chinese cities that have seen protests over stringent COVID restrictions, which flared in recent days following a deadly fire in the country’s far west. (Reuters/NAN)

Shanghai authorities on Monday put up barriers around a city centre area where hundreds of people protested over the weekend against heavy COVID-19 measures.

However, this is one of several demonstrations that have flared across the country.

From the streets of Shanghai and Beijing to university campuses, protesters made a show of civil disobedience unprecedented since Xi Jinping assumed power a decade ago to oversee the quashing of dissent and establishment of an extensive high-tech social surveillance system.

“We hope to end the lockdown,’’ said 28-year-old Shi at a candlelight vigil in Beijing late on Sunday. “We want to live a normal life. We should all bravely express our feelings.’’

There was no sign of new protests on Monday in Beijing or Shanghai. The Public Security Bureau did not immediately respond to a request for comments.

The backlash against COVID-19 restrictions is a setback for China’s efforts to eradicate the virus, which is infecting record numbers of people and raising concern about the economic toll of lockdowns on the world’s second-largest economy.

The protests roiled global markets on Monday, sending oil prices lower and the dollar higher, with Chinese stocks (.CSI300) and the yuan falling sharply.

Three years after the virus emerged in the central city of Wuhan, China remains the only major country not treating COVID-19 as endemic, imposing arduous restrictions on the daily lives of hundreds of millions across the country.

China’s zero-COVID-19 policy had kept its death toll low compared with many other countries and officials say it must be maintained to save lives, especially among the elderly given their low vaccination rates.

China has not approved any Western-made COVID-19 shots and a Hong Kong study    late last year found that its CoronaVac shot made by Sinovac did not produce adequate levels of antibodies to fight the Omicron variant.

Experts say China must ramp up its vaccinations before it can contemplate reopening and many analysts say that is unlikely before March or April2022. (Reuters/NAN)

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

 The United States government has announced that it was  expanding the eligibility period for non-immigrant visa renewals from 24 months to 48 months.  

The US Mission in a statement issued on Friday said applicants whose previous US visa expired within the last 48 months or would expire in the next 3 months may now qualify to renew their visa without an interview.

It also announced that it was also opening thousands of visa renewal appointments to assist applicants who wish to renew their visas.

It said: “The US Mission is expanding the eligibility period for non-immigrant visa renewals from 24 months to 48 months

“You may be eligible for a visa renewal without an interview if your application is for a B1/B2, F, M, J (academic only), H, L or C1/D (combined only) visa, and you meet each of the following criteria: 

“Your previous visa was issued in Nigeria. 

Your previous visa is in the same classification as your current application. 

“Your previous visa was a full validity, multiple entry visa. Your previous visa expired within the last 48 months or will expire in the next 3 months from the date of application. 

“You have all your passports covering the entire period since receiving the previous visa and the passport with the most recent visa. 

“You have never been arrested or convicted of any crime or offense in the United States, even if you later received a waiver or pardon. 

“You have never worked without authorization or remained beyond your permitted time in the United States.”

The US mission explained  that processing times for the program are expected to be up to two months and applicants won’t  be able to retrieve their passports during that time.   

It said each applicant must individually meet the criteria; minors could apply without an interview only if they meet the eligibility criteria on their own. 

It stressed applicants should fill out their own forms and make their appointments themselves via the official websites.   

 “Third parties unaffiliated with U.S. Embassy Abuja and Consulate General Lagos may seek to take advantage of various visa services to target visa applicants with fraudulent offers or claims,” it added    

The European Environment Agency (EEA) has said no fewer than 238,000 people in the European Union (EU) died prematurely in 2020 due to exposure to airborne pollutants in spite of an improvement in air quality.

This is according to a new data released by the EEA on Thursday.

Analysis by the agency showed that air pollution is “the largest environmental health risk in Europe and significantly impacts the health of the European population, particularly in urban areas”, in spite of declining emissions of all key air pollutants in the EU.

According to the EEA’s latest estimates, no fewer than 238,000 people died prematurely in the bloc in 2020 due to exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), with about 96 per cent of the urban population exposed to levels above World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines.

Meanwhile, nitrogen dioxide pollution led to 49,000 early deaths and exposure to ozone to 24,000, the agency added.

The number of premature deaths from exposure to PM2.5, however, dropped by 45 per cent from 2005 to 2020.

“If this trend continues, the EU is expected to deliver on the zero pollution action plan target of a 55 per cent reduction in premature deaths by 2030,’’ the EEA said in the report.

“Nevertheless, further efforts will be needed to meet the zero pollution vision for 2050 of reducing air pollution to levels no longer considered harmful to health.’’ (dpa/NAN)

Anwar Ibrahim, the leader of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition, has been named as the Prime Minister of Malaysia, the national palace said on Thursday.

The swearing-in ceremony for Anwar will take place at 5:00 p.m. local time (0900 GMT) at the national palace, the national place said in a statement.

The place said that Malaysia needs a stable government that will reinvigorate the economy and the country’s development.

It added that Malaysia had been in a state of political stalemate following the results of an indecisive snap national polls on November 19, with no political coalition or party securing enough seats in the country’s lower house of parliament to form a government on its own.

However, Malaysian King, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, held several audiences with the heads of major political coalitions in a bid to break the stalemate and convened the conference of rulers to deliberate on the matter.

Following the meeting, Anwar, whose party coalition had secured 82 seats in the polls making his group the biggest, was named as the country’s new prime minister, allowing the formation of a new government. (Xinhua/NAN)

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said powerful explosions shook the area of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), “abruptly ending a period of relative calm” at the facility.

IAEA’s Director-General, Rafael Mariano Grossi, in a statement on Sunday, said those blasts which occurred on Saturday evening and early hours of Sunday further underlined “the urgent need for measures to help prevent a nuclear accident there”.

“As I have said many times before, you’re playing with fire!”

In what appeared to be renewed shelling near and at the site of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, IAEA experts on the ground reported that more than a dozen blasts were heard within a short period of time in the morning local time.

The IAEA team were also able to see some of the explosions from their windows.

“The news from our team yesterday and this morning is extremely disturbing,” Grossi said.

Citing information provided by plant management, the IAEA team said there had been damage to some buildings, systems, and equipment at the site, but noncritical for nuclear safety and security.

“Explosions occurred at the site of this major nuclear power plant, which is completely unacceptable,”he added. “Whoever is behind this, it must stop immediately”.

According to news reports, Russian and Ukrainian nuclear energy authorities each blamed the other side’s forces for the strikes – triggering fears of a serious nuclear accident.

So far, there have been no reports of any radiation leaks at the Russian-occupied plant.

The IAEA experts said that there were no reported casualties, and they are in close contact with site management.

Meanwhile, as they continue to assess and relay updates on the situation, the IAEA chief renewed his urgent appeal that both sides of the conflict agree to implement a nuclear safety and security zone around the ZNPP as soon as possible.

In recent months, he has been engaging in intense consultations with Ukraine and Russia on establishing a zone – but, so far, no agreement has been reached.

“I’m not giving up until this zone has become a reality,” Grossi said. “As the ongoing apparent shelling demonstrates, it is needed more than ever.”

Even though there was no direct impact on key nuclear safety and security systems at the plant, the senior UN official said: “The shelling came dangerously close to them.

“We are talking metres, not kilometres. Whoever is shelling at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, is taking huge risks and gambling with many people’s lives.”

The IAEA team of experts plan to conduct an assessment of the shelling impact on the site on Monday. (NAN)

Foreign ministers from the G7 group of rich democracies will discuss how best to coordinate further support for Ukraine.

The discussion will take place on Thursday, when they meet in Germany following recent Russian attacks on energy infrastructure that have caused widespread power cuts.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is expected to dominate the two-day meeting of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken with his G7 counterparts in the western German city of Muenster.

Although, China’s increasingly assertive role in the world and protests in Iran will also be high on the agenda.

“This G7 meeting for us is coming at an important time,’’ a senior State Department official said, noting that the group “has been a vital coordinating mechanism’’ for policy approaches on the most pressing issues.

EU Energy Commissioner, Kadri Simson, earlier on Tuesday said during a visit to Kyiv that the European Union, together with partners, were exploring ways to increase help for Ukraine’s energy sector.

Ukraine needs specific equipment and tools to repair damage to its energy infrastructure, she said.

Foreign companies should be urged to prioritise the transfer of energy equipment to Ukraine.

The G7 meeting, hosted by Germany, which holds the group’s rotating presidency, will provide an opportunity for the world’s richest democracies.

The aim is to discuss recent developments in China and security in the Indo Pacific after Chinese President Xi Jinping consolidated his grip on power at a Communist Party Congress.

“The foreign ministers will discuss the situation in Taiwan and how the G7 can strengthen partnerships with countries in the region,’’ the British foreign ministry said in a statement. (Reuters/NAN) 

Pope Francis is making the first-ever papal trip to Bahrain this week, sparking calls from the country’s majority Shia opposition and human rights activists for the pontiff to raise human rights concerns in the small island nation.

The island off the coast of Saudi Arabia is ruled by a Sunni monarchy that violently quashed 2011 Arab Spring protests there with the aid of allies Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

In the years since, Bahrain has imprisoned Shia activists, deported others, stripped hundreds of their citizenship, banned the largest Shia opposition group and closed down its leading independent newspaper.

“There’s a huge elephant in the room in this situation,” said Devin Kenney, Amnesty International’s Bahrain researcher.

“The watchwords of this visit are coexistence and dialogue and the Bahraini government suppresses civil and political freedoms, without which coexistence and dialogue cannot be sustained.”

Bahrain maintains it respects human rights and freedom of speech, despite facing repeated criticism by local and international rights activists, as well as UN human rights special rapporteurs.

Francis is making the visit to participate in a government-sponsored conference on East-West dialogue and to minister to Bahrain’s tiny Catholic community, part of his effort to pursue dialogue with the Muslim world.

This visit marks Francis’ second trip to a Gulf Arab state and his second to a majority Muslim nation in as many months, evidence that dialogue with the Muslim world has become a major cornerstone of his nearly 10-year papacy.

He visited the UAE in 2019 and travelled to Kazakhstan for a meeting of religious leaders in September.

In addition to meeting with Muslim leaders in Bahrain, he will also celebrate Mass in the national stadium for the country’s Catholic community, most of whom are expatriate labourers from the Philippines and India.

Asked if he will raise human rights concerns during the visit, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni cited Francis’ frequent calls for religious liberty and interfaith dialogue. (dpa/NAN)

The death toll from floods and landslides caused by a tropical storm in the Philippines has hit 150, with no fewer than 36 people still missing, the National Disaster Agency said Thursday.

A total of 128 were injured, the agency said.

Nearly four million people have been affected by the calamity which also left over 1.2 million displaced.

Sixty-three of the dead were from the southern province of Maguindanao, the worst hit by floods and landslides, while 33 were killed in the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon.

Another 29 people died amid floods, landslides and collapsing structures in the Western Visayas region, the agency said.

The affected areas were battered by days of heavy rains and strong winds brought by storm Nalgae, which partially or totally destroyed more than 15,000 houses.

Damage to agriculture and infrastructure was estimated at more than 5.27 billion pesos ($90.9 million).

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has placed 23 provinces affected by the storm under a state of emergency for the next six months, allowing authorities to tap additional funds for relief and rehabilitation.

The Philippine archipelago is hit by an average of 20 tropical cyclones each year. (dpa/NAN)

The conservative bloc of Israeli opposition leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, was set for a clear election victory on Wednesday, with 97 per cent of the votes counted.

His right-wing religious camp has managed to secure a majority of 65 of the 120 seats in parliament, according to Israeli media reports.

Netanyahu’s Likud party was reportedly the strongest force, with 31 parliamentary seats.

Incumbent Prime Minister Yair Lapid’s Future Party was set to come second, with 24 seats.

For the first time in Israel’s history, an extreme right-wing alliance looked set to come third.

The Religious Zionist Party of Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir was seen as a possible kingmaker for Netanyahu.

The leftwing Meretz party, as well as the Arab party Balad, could fail to clear the 3.25 per cent hurdle.

The final result was expected by Thursday.

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh raised concerns on Wednesday about Israel’s swing to the right.

He asked the international community to protect our people against aggressive Israeli policies after racist parties came to power in Israel.

The election outcome was the natural result of years of rising extremism and racism in Israeli society.

He said this in a statement, adding that: “We had no illusions that the Israeli election will produce a partner for peace.’’

Voter turnout was comparatively high, at 71.3 per cent of the approximately 6.8 million eligible voters when polls closed at 10 pm (2100 CET) on Tuesday.

Netanyahu, who was being investigated for corruption, was still eyeing his second comeback as head of government.

The 73-year-old has been prime minister several times, for a total of more than a decade and a half longer than anyone else in Israel’s history.

Netanyahu is seeking to form an ultra-right religious coalition that could help him pass legislation to avoid conviction.

The party landscape in Israel is highly fragmented and interest-driven, due in part to personal disputes and a low hurdle to enter parliament.

Even parties from similar camps are often unable to form alliances. (dpa/NAN) 

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has announced she would submit her government’s resignation in spite of her Social Democrats being set to remain the strongest force in Denmark following parliamentary elections.

In the early hours of Wednesday, the 44-year-old told party supporters in Copenhagen she would resign as prime minister and look at the possibility of a broad government across the political spectrum.

Frederiksen added that while this form of government is rare in Denmark, she said that it was the right approach given the current crises.

While her Social Democrats were again the strongest force, receiving 27.5 per cent of votes in what was their best result in 20 years, Frederiksen told supporters that it was clear that there no longer is “a majority behind the government in its current form’’.

Considering the election results, Frederiksen was likely to again receive the mandate to form a new government.(dpa/NAN)

Venezuelan and Colombian presidents met on Tuesday for the first time in years as the two neighbouring Latin American countries continue to improve their relations and promote economic and trade cooperation.

During Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s trip to the capital Caracas, the first time a Colombian head of state has visited Venezuela since 2016, he held talks with Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro.

Maduro welcomed Petro at the Miraflores presidential palace, where the latter was honoured and treated with traditional Colombian music.

Venezuela severed diplomatic relations with Colombia in 2019 after the government of then Colombian President Ivan Duque recognised opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s acting president.

After Petro succeeded Duque, he signalled a shift in foreign policy towards Venezuela, and Caracas expressed its willingness to restore ties.

The two countries restored full diplomatic relations in late August, reopening border crossings and sending ambassadors to each other’s capitals. (Xinhua/NAN)

No fewer than eight people were injured when a bomb hit a minibus that was carrying Taliban Government employees in Kabul, police said on Wednesday.

The blast was caused by a roadside bomb.

The vehicle was carrying employees from the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development, Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran told dpa.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

Following the Taliban’s return to power last year, deadly bombings often claimed by Islamic State had become a frequent occurrence.

They mostly target religious minorities and Taliban officials.

At least 53 students, primarily young women, were killed and more than a hundred others wounded in a suicide attack inside an educational centre in Kabul’s Shia-Hazara neighbourhood just over a month ago. (dpa/NAN)

Pyongyang fired at least three ballistic missiles towards the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea, the South Korean military said on Wednesday.

South Korean news agency, Yonhap, cited the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) as saying that one missile flew towards the eastern South Korean island of Ulleungdo.

The missile then crashed into international waters in the Sea of Japan.

Another fell into the sea near the de facto maritime border with South Korea, while the third dropped into waters east of the city of Sokcho, Yonhap reported.

The agency cited the military as saying that Pyongyang fired some 10 missiles of various types.

Kyodo news agency cited the Japanese government as saying there were no reports of damage to aircraft or ships.

It added that the missiles may have flown on irregular trajectories.

No further details were initially released.

UN resolutions prohibited North Korea from testing ballistic missiles of any range, some of which were capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.

The situation on the Korean peninsula was currently very tense.

Nuclear-armed North Korea has conducted a string of missile tests in the past few weeks.

The government in Pyongyang has said in its own statements that the tests were intended to simulate the firing of tactical nuclear weapons at South Korean airfields.

A major joint air exercise involving some 140 aircraft from South Korea and 100 aircraft from the United States (U.S.) Air Force kicked off last Monday.

North Korea regularly accuses the U.S. of preparing an attack through its manoeuvres with South Korea, which both countries deny.

The U.S. has 28,500 soldiers stationed in South Korea. (dpa/NAN)

Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo has said talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are going well and reassured investors that negotiations will not lead to a reduction in the face value of government bonds.

Akufo-Addo said in a speech to the nation to sought and reassure Ghanaians and the markets that the government can curb an economic crisis that has forced it to turn to the Fund for financial support.

“The talks are at advanced stages, and are going well,” he said.

“No individual or institutional investor … will lose their money as a result of our ongoing IMF negotiations.

“There will be no haircuts,” he said, denouncing as “false rumours” recent reports of a possible such restructuring.

Ghana launched talks with the IMF in July as foreign investors dumped its debt and street protests broke out over economic turmoil that has seen inflation and currency depreciation hit record levels despite repeated and severe lending rate hikes.

“I cannot find an example in history when so many malevolent forces have come together at the same time,” Akufo-Addo said.

The Ghanaian cedi has plummeted more than 40 per cent this year, straining importers of both raw and processed materials, while consumer inflation hit a new 21-year high of 37.2 per cent in September on the back of soaring import costs.

The president said the government aimed to restore macroeconomic stability within the next three to six years and to cut the debt-to-GDP ratio to 55 per cent by 2028.

“I believe we can and we will find the means to achieve these goals, even if the immediate measures we have to take are painful,” he said.

The IMF estimates Ghana’s debt-to-GDP hitting over 90 per cent by year-end. (Reuters/NAN) 

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No fewer than 100 people were killed when a suspension bridge collapsed over a river in western India, local media reported on Monday.

The accident occurred Sunday evening in Morbi in the western Indian state of Gujarat, according to the report.

It said that 141 people died and 177 people were rescued when the bridge, which had recently reopened after renovation work, collapsed.

A police official said 132 people died, 100 were injured, while some are still missing.

At the time of the collapse, up to 500 people were on the 232-metre-long suspension bridge, the report added.

Pictures and videos on social media showed the pedestrian bridge appearing to break apart in the middle and several people clinging on to avoid falling into the water.

An investigation into the accident had been launched, Gujarat Labour Minister Brijesh Merja said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s office said on Twitter that compensation would be paid to the victims’ families. (dpa/NAN) 

A female journalist was crushed to death by a vehicle carrying former prime minister Imran Khan, which was leading a protest march in eastern Pakistan.

Sadaf Naeem was run over by Khan’s truck, Channel 5 announced in a tweet after the accident Sunday evening.

The incident took place near the eastern city of Lahore after she reportedly tried to climb the truck to get a soundbite from the politician.

Details of the accident were initially unclear.

Khan declared the day’s march towards Islamabad over after the accident and sent his condolences to the journalist’s family.

Khan and his supporters are calling for early elections.

Their march, which is due to recommence on Monday, is scheduled to reach Islamabad on November 4.

Condolences poured in and #SadafNaeem started trending on Twitter.

Thousands paid homage to the reporter and also raised questions about the safety of journalists in the country. (dpa/NAN)