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Author: Cecilia Odey

  • 8 dead in hospital fire in Iran

    8 dead in hospital fire in Iran
    Fire
    Tehran, June 18, 2024 (dpa/NAN) Eight people have died due to fire outbreak in a hospital in Iran.

    The fire broke out in a hospital in the city of Rasht near the Caspian Sea in the north of the country, the state news agency IRNA reported on Tuesday.

    According to initial findings, the dead were patients in an intensive care unit.

    Dozens of firefighters were deployed, as the head of the emergency services in the city said in an interview with state television.

    The cause of the fire is still being investigated.

    Around 140 patients were rescued, the report said.

    There were concerns that there could be more victims.(dpa/NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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    Edited by Cecilia Odey/Tayo Ikujuni

  • Putin praises North Korea’s support for Russia’s war against Ukraine

    Putin praises North Korea’s support for Russia’s war against Ukraine

    Support
    Moscow, June 18, 2024 (dpa/NAN) Ahead of his visit to North Korea on Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin has praised Pyongyang for its support in Moscow’s fight against Ukraine.

    Putin praised North Korea’s “unwavering support for Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine,” using the Kremlin’s wording to refer to the war, in a letter published in Pyongyang’s official newspaper Rodong Sinmun.

    The Russian leader also thanked North Korea for its solidarity on important international issues.

    He added that it was committed and like-minded and ready to counter the West’s aspiration to restrain the establishment of a multipolar world order.

    According to Putin, both countries have plans to collaborate on building a security architecture in Eurasia.

    And also countering Western sanctions, and establishing independent transaction systems.(dpa/NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
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    Edited by Cecilia Odey/Sadiya Hamza

  • German minister rules out sending more Patriot missiles to Ukraine

    German minister rules out sending more Patriot missiles to Ukraine
    Missiles
    Brussels, June 13, 2024 (dpa/NAN) Germany’s Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on Thursday that his country would not provide Ukraine with any more Patriot air defence systems than the three it had supplied already.
    “There is no space for providing even more than those three systems,’’ Pistorius told reporters in Brussels ahead of a meeting of NATO defence ministers.
    He said the three systems make up a quarter of Germany’s stock.
    “Now, it’s on other partners to provide systems,’’ Pistorius said.
    Pistorius and his NATO counterparts are meeting on Thursday and Friday to discuss support for Ukraine in the war against Russia, including air defence.
    Also high on the agenda are a NATO-coordinated training and support mission for Ukraine, and long-term financial commitments.
    In a news conference ahead of the meeting, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg urged allies to approve a plan for NATO to lead the coordination of security assistance and training to Ukraine.
    The project is a major part of a defence package for Ukraine that the 32-member alliance wants to approve at a NATO leaders’ summit in Washington in July.
    The aim was to transfer responsibility for coordinating military aid for Ukraine from an informal, U.S.-led arrangement called the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG) to the formal structures of NATO.
    NATO ministers are meeting as the UDCG first on Thursday and as NATO proper in the NATO-Ukraine Council later in the day and on Friday.
    There are also talks ongoing between allies to seal a commitment to long-term financial support for Ukraine.
    Stoltenberg said in Prague last month that allies should commit to maintaining their current level of support, which he puts at 40 billion euros (43 billion dollars) per year.
    Arriving at NATO headquarters on Thursday, Canadian Defence Minister Bill Blair announced that his country would supply Ukraine with rockets, small arms ammunition and remote-controlled weapon mounts for vehicles.
    Though it has no Patriots to give, he said.
    “Canada will provide Ukraine with 2,300 Canadian Rocket Vehicle 7s or CRV rocket motors.
    “Canada will send an additional number of rounds of small arms ammunition, as well as 29 Nanuk remote systems,’’ Blair said which are remote-controlled weapon mounts for military vehicles.

    “This week, Canada is beginning the shipments of a new fleet of 50 armoured vehicles to Ukraine,” he added.
    The first four vehicles are departing Canada this week, and they will be delivered to the Ukrainian armed forces in the coming weeks.’’ (dpa/NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
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    (Edited by Cecilia Odey/Emmanuel Yashim)

  • European Commission’s anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese EVs will boomerang – Official

    European Commission’s anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese EVs will boomerang – Official

    Investigation

    Beijing, June 13, 2024 (Xinhua/NAN) A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Thursday the anti-subsidy investigation against Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) initiated by the European Commission will only boomerang.

    The spokesperson urged the EU to stop politicising economic and trade issues.

    Spokesperson Lin Jian made the remarks in response to opposing voices from Germany, Hungary, and major European automobile companies after the European Commission announced on Wednesday.

    In his announcement, Lin said an increase of provisional duties was levied on EV imports from China by up to 38.1 per cent starting July 4.

    Lin pointed out that regarding the preliminary findings released by the European Commission about the anti-subsidy investigation, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce has stated China’s solemn position.

    Chinese industry and business associations also expressed their firm opposition.

    Lin emphasised that the investigation is a typical protectionist move, ignoring objective facts and disregarding WTO rules in reverse of the historical trend.

    This will only harm others and boomerang on oneself.

    “We urge the EU side to listen carefully to all sectors’ objective and rational voices, immediately correct its wrong practices, and stop politicising economic and trade issues.

    “To also properly handle economic and trade frictions through dialogue and consultation, and avoid undermining mutual trust and dialogue and cooperation between China and the EU,’’ said Lin. (Xinhua/NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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    (Edited by Cecilia Odey/Emmanuel Yashim)

  • Tokyo stocks fall on caution before BOJ meeting outcome

    Tokyo stocks fall on caution before BOJ meeting outcome

    Meeting

    Tokyo, June 13, 2024 (Xinhua/NAN) Tokyo stocks closed lower Thursday, as a cautious mood prevailed ahead of the conclusion of the Bank of Japan’s policy meeting the following day.

    Japan’s benchmark Nikkei stock index, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average, ended down 156.24 points, or 0.40 per cent, from Wednesday at 38,720.47.

    The broader Topix index, meanwhile, finished 24.66 points, or 0.89 per cent, lower at 2,731.78.

    Stocks started the day higher, led by semiconductor and technology stocks that tracked record-high close of the U.S. Nasdaq index overnight.

    But the market soon lost steam as investors refrained from buying ahead of the outcome of the central bank’s two-day monetary policy meeting through Friday, analysts said.

    On the top-tier Prime Market, decliners were led by electric power and gas, insurance, and iron and steel shares. (Xinhua/NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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    Edited by Cecilia Odey and Abiemwense Moru

     

  • 30 killed by ADF rebels in eastern DR Congo

    30 killed by ADF rebels in eastern DR Congo

    Attack

    Kinshasa, June 13, 2024 (Xinhua/NAN) No fewer than 30 people were killed late Wednesday in an overnight attack blamed on Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels.

    The deaths occurred due to the recently launched series of deadly incursions into the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a military spokesman confirmed on Thursday.

    ADF rebels launched an attack in the village of Mayikengo, Lubero Territory, North Kivu Province, Mak Hazukay, the DRC military spokesman for Beni Territory, told Xinhua, confirming the ADF’s first presence in Lubero Territory.

    According to local sources, most of the victims, were women and children, were killed by machetes.

    This attack came days after several deadly incursions by ADF rebels into the neighbouring Beni Territory and killed 57 on June 3-8.

    This is according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

    The ADF, an affiliate of the Islamic State in Central Africa, has been notorious for its violent activities in North Kivu and Ituri province.

    The place has been under a state of siege since May 2021, with military and police authorities replacing the civilian administration.

    Hazukay said the resurgence of ADF rebel attacks against civilians was the result of heavy operational pressure exerted jointly by the Congolese and Ugandan militaries. (Xinhua/NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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    Edited b y Cecilia Odey/Ekemini Ladejobi

  • China to digitise vehicle registration licenses

    China to digitise vehicle registration licenses

    Registration

    Beijing, June 13, 2024 (Xinhua/NAN) China will pilot the digitisation of motor vehicle registration licences starting in July, to improve the traffic management services, the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) announced on Thursday.

    The reform measure would initially be implemented in 60 cities, including Beijing and Tianjin, and would be fully promoted nationwide by the end of the year, according to the ministry.

    Chinese law requires drivers to carry both their driving licenses and vehicle registration certificates while driving.

    Previously, the digitisation of motor vehicle annual inspection marks and driving licenses had been fully implemented.

    Traffic management authorities have issued 1.475 billion electronic inspection marks and 250 million electronic driving licenses.

    By the end of May 2024, the total number of motor vehicles in China had reached 440 million, including 340 million cars (excluding motorcycles and trucks).

    The number of drivers had reached 530 million.

    China ranks first in the world in terms of the total number of motor vehicles and drivers.

    Wang Qiang, director of the traffic management bureau of the MPS, said that in recent years, more than 100 reform measures were introduced.

    He said that the measures had helped in reducing costs by over 100 billion yuan (about 14 billion U.S. dollars).

    The MPS has also launched a unified mobile app called “Jiaoguan 12123” or “traffic management 12123” which can currently provide 35 types of traffic related services.

    The app has 540 million registered users. (Xinhua/NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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    Edited b y Cecilia Odey and Emmanuel Afonne

  • German state leader demands action from Scholz on migration

    German state leader demands action from Scholz on migration

    Action

    Dusseldorf, June 13, 2024 (dpa/NAN) German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has been urged to make specific proposals on migration ahead of a meeting next week between the federal government and the premiers of Germany’s 16 states.

    “This is the last opportunity for the chancellor to show that he really will make proposals for effective control and order with respect to the migration issue.’’

    The premier of the industrial heartland state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Hendrik Wüst, told journalists on Thursday.

    The conservative politician spoke just days after anti-migration parties made strong gains in Sunday’s European elections, including the Alternative for Germany (AfD) in Germany.

    The three parties in Scholz’s centre-left coalition performed poorly, managing together less than a third of the vote.

    “We have to put a stop to irregular migration’’, Wüst said in the state capital Dusseldorf, calling for plans for asylum procedures outside the European Union to be speeded up.

    Wüst said he expected expert reports resulting from an exchange between the Federal and State Governments to be presented at the June 20 ministers’ conference.

    “We really need a line from the Federal Government on this issue,’’ he said.

    While the Federal Government sets asylum policy, the states and local authorities provide the accommodation and services. (dpa/NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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    Edited by Cecilia Odey/Ekemini Ladejobi

  • China blasts ‘indiscriminate’ U.S. sanctions on Russia’s war economy

    China blasts ‘indiscriminate’ U.S. sanctions on Russia’s war economy

    Blast

    Beijing, June 13, 2024 (dpa/NAN) The Chinese Foreign Ministry sharply criticised a new package of U.S. sanctions targeting the Russian war economy, including Chinese companies accused of aiding the invasion of Ukraine.

    “We call on the United States (U.S.) to stop the indiscriminate, illegal, unilateral sanctions,’’ said Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian in Beijing on Thursday.

    She said that China was neither a party nor the cause of the Ukraine crisis and that Beijing would act to protect the rights of Chinese companies and citizens.

    China has forged strong ties with Russia since President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

    Washington said that while Beijing may not directly provide weapons for Moscow’s campaign, it has become a critical lifeline for Russia’s sanctioned economy and its military.

    On Wednesday, a day before G7 leaders gathered in southern Italy to discuss Ukraine, the Biden administration announced it was imposing 300 new Russia-related sanctions.

    Among them were multiple Chinese and Hong Kong-based companies, with the U.S. alleging some of them sent dual-use items that could be used in Russian military equipment? (dpa/NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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    Edited by Cecilia Odey and Abiemwense Moru

  • Far-right group rejects Germany’s AfD in spite dropping Krah

    Far-right group rejects Germany’s AfD in spite dropping Krah

    Rejection

    Brussels, June 13, 2024 (dpa/NAN) The far-right Identity and Democracy (ID) group in the European Parliament currently has no plans to readmit the Alternative for Germany (AfD).

    In spite of the exclusion of controversial politician Maximilian Krah from the party’s parliamentary delegation would not readmit.

    An AfD spokesperson confirmed a report by Politico on Thursday, stating that France’s National Rally party along with other ID representatives had made the decision at a meeting in Brussels.

    Last month, the ID group had expelled the AfD over scandals involving their top election candidate Maximilian Krah shortly before the June 6-9 European Parliament elections.

    After last week’s election, the newly elected AfD members of parliament decided by a majority on Monday not to include Krah in their delegation.

    Excluding Krah from the delegation was seen as part of an effort by the AfD to patch things up with the other far-right parties in the European Parliament that form the ID bloc.

    Krah described the decision as a mistake and predicted that it would not change the ID’s mind.

    Krah has been battered by several scandals, including allegations of accepting funds from Russia and China.

    A former top aide to Krah was separately arrested on allegations of having spied for China.

    Krah also made highly controversial remarks to an Italian newspaper in which he said that members of the notorious Nazi SS paramilitary were not all criminals. (dpa/NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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    Edited by Cecilia Odey/Ekemini Ladejobi