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Author: Ummul Idris

  • G7 states agree huge loan for Ukraine using frozen Russian assets

    G7 states agree huge loan for Ukraine using frozen Russian assets
    Assets
    Bari, Italy, June 13, 2024 (dpa/NAN) G7 states have agreed to lend Ukraine 50 billion U.S. dollars using money generated from frozen Russian state assets, diplomats said on Thursday at the first day of G7 summit in Italy.
    War-ravaged Ukraine is to use the loan package to strengthen its military defence against Russia, pay for the reconstruction of infrastructure and funding for Ukraine’s state budget.
    The U.S. government says around 280 billion U.S. dollars of Russian central bank money has been immobilised in Western countries due to sanctions imposed since the full-scale Russian attack on Ukraine more than two years ago.
    The bulk of the money is within the European Union.
    The bloc’s member states recently approved the use of interest income generated from Russian state assets to finance aid for Ukraine.
    The Brussels-based financial institution Euroclear, by far the largest holder in the EU of frozen Russian central bank assets – recently said that it had collected around 4.4 billion euros (4.7 billion U.S. dollars) in interest in 2023.
    Planning for the structure of the loan package has been under way for months.
    The United States had originally campaigned in favour of collecting not only the interest income, but also the frozen assets themselves and using them to provide financial support to Kiev.
    Some European capitals, however, had major reservations about this.
    G7 leaders are meeting for a summit in southern Italy from Thursday to Saturday.  (dpa/NAN) (www.nannes.ng)
    UMD/IKU
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    Edited by Ummul Idris/Tayo Ikujuni

  • UNICEF urges Taliban to allow girls return to school

    UNICEF urges Taliban to allow girls return to school

    Girls

    Islamabad, June 13, 2024 (dpa/NAN) Marking 1,000 days since girls in Afghanistan were banned from secondary school, the United Nations children’s agency UNICEF has urged the Taliban to allow girls to go back to school.

    “For 1.5 million girls, this systematic exclusion is not only a blatant violation of their right to education, but also results in dwindling opportunities and deteriorating mental health,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said in a statement on Thursday.

    The statement emphasised the far-reaching consequences of the ban, extending beyond the immediate loss of education.

    “It exacerbates the ongoing humanitarian crisis and has serious ramifications for Afghanistan’s economy and development trajectory,” the statement added.

    Russell appealed for the return of girls to schools, pointing to the fact that no country could move forward when half its population was left behind.

    “I urge the de facto authorities to allow all children to resume learning immediately. And I urge the international community to remain engaged and support these girls, who need us more than ever.”

    Since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban has banned girls and women from studying beyond primary school.

    However, in some parts of the country, women and girls still attend religious schools, as well as midwifery and nursing schools.

    The Taliban government is not recognised internationally.  (dpa/NAN)(www.nannes.ng)

    UMD/AMM

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    Edited by Ummul Idris and Abiemwense Moru

     

     

  • Blinken says Netanyahu backs U.S. proposal for ceasefire in Gaza

    Blinken says Netanyahu backs U.S. proposal for ceasefire in Gaza
    Netanyahu
    Tel Aviv, June 11, 2024 (dpa/NAN) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu supports the plan presented by the U.S. for a ceasefire in the Gaza war, according to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
    “I met with Prime Minister Netanyahu last night, and he reaffirmed his commitment to the proposal,” Blinken told journalists in Tel Aviv on Tuesday.
    When asked whether Netanyahu would pledge his continued commitment in the event that the Palestinian militant Hamas movement agreed to the plan, Blinken replied in the affirmative.
    At the end of May, U.S. President Joe Biden surprisingly presented a three-stage plan for a ceasefire in the Gaza war.
    The plan envisages the release of a certain group of Israeli hostages during the complete ceasefire.
    In return, Palestinians imprisoned in Israel would be released.
    In the next phase, the fighting would then cease permanently and the remaining hostages would be released.
    According to the draft, the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip would begin in a final phase.
    Blinken also held talks with Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and other high-ranking Israeli government representatives.
    “And I think there is a strong consensus, again, behind moving forward with the proposal,” he continued.
    According to the U.S., only Hamas has not yet agreed to the plan.
    However, the Netanyahu government has not yet given its clear and public approval to the plan either.
    The UN Security Council has now backed the plan.
    On Monday, it adopted a resolution to this effect.  (dpa/NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
    UMD/AMM
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    Edited by Ummul Idris and Abiemwense Moru

  • Gaza: Guterres urges all parties on ceasefire agreement

    Gaza: Guterres urges all parties on ceasefire agreement
    Ceasefire
    Cairo, June 11, 2024 (dpa/NAN) UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has urged all parties involved in the war in Gaza to reach a ceasefire agreement.
    “The horror must stop, it’s high time for a ceasefire along with unconditional release of hostages,” he told a humanitarian aid conference for the Gaza Strip held by the Dead Sea in Jordan.
    “I urge all parties to seize this opportunity and come to an agreement,” Guterres added.
    “The speed and scale of carnage and killing in Gaza is beyond anything in my years as Secretary General,” he said.
    “Nowhere is safe, conditions are deplorable.”
    The conference is organised by Jordan, Egypt and the UN.
    It aims to find ways in which the international community can respond more effectively to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. (dpa/NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
    UMD/EAL
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    Edited by Ummul Idris/Ekemini Ladejobi

  • Scholz urges more air defence for Ukraine at Berlin conference

    Scholz urges more air defence for Ukraine at Berlin conference
    Defence
    Berlin, June 11, 2024 (dpa/NAN) German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called for the further strengthening of Ukraine’s air defence against Russian attacks.
    Scholz made the call at the start of an international reconstruction conference for Ukraine which is being held in the German capital of Berlin..
    He called on allies to support a German initiative to bolster Ukraine’s air defences “with everything possible.”
    “Because the best reconstruction is the one that doesn’t have to happen in the first place,” Scholz said.
    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is also attending.
    Scholz held out the prospect of far-reaching and long-term commitments for reconstruction in the country, which has been severely scarred by more than two years of costly all-out war and years of simmering conflict before that.
    Scholz said he would push for those kinds of commitments at an upcoming summit of the G7 group of wealthy democratic countries, which begins in Italy on Thursday.
    The chancellor pointed out that the World Bank estimates that 500 billion dollars in reconstruction aid will be needed over the next decade.
    He also called on private companies to participate in investments: “Given the scale we are talking about here, private capital must be added.”
    Hundreds of German companies continue to do active business in Ukraine, with automotive firms alone employing about 35,000 people in Ukraine, Scholz emphasised.
    Inspite of the war, there was no reduction in German investment in Ukraine, Scholz said, and the volume of trade had increased significantly since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
    “All of this shows me that the business sector understands the potential Ukraine has,” Scholz said. (dpa/NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
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    (Edited by Ummul Idris/Emmanuel Yashim)

  • Man who murdered pregnant woman jail for life in Denmark

    Man who murdered pregnant woman jail for life in Denmark
    Woman
    Copenhagen, June 11, 2024  (dpa/NAN)  A man in Denmark has been sentenced to life imprisonment and subsequent preventive detention after stabbing a heavily pregnant woman to death in 2016, the district court in Glostrup announced the sentence.
    The now 30-year-old man is said to have stabbed the woman 11 times with a knife in a park near Copenhagen and then cut off a piece of her nose, according to the court’s statement.
    The man denied the crime and his defence lawyer said that he would appeal against the judgement.
    The murder weapon has still not been found and there is no technical evidence such as fingerprints or DNA to prove the man’s guilt.
    In 2020, the police deployed an undercover investigator as a cellmate of the suspect, who was serving a prison sentence for the attempted murder of his ex-girlfriend.
    The undercover investigator recorded the man describing how he had killed the pregnant woman, which contributed to the court’s decision to find him guilty.   (dpa/NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
    UMD/EAL
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    Edited by Ummul Idris/Ekemini Ladejobi

  • Egypt’s Sisi, Blinken agree to intensify efforts toward Gaza ceasefire

    Egypt’s Sisi, Blinken agree to intensify efforts toward Gaza ceasefire
    Ceasefire
    Cairo, June 10, 2024 (Xinhua/NAN)  Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken agreed on Monday to intensify efforts to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
    In a meeting in the Egyptian capital Cairo, Sisi and Blinken reviewed the latest developments pertinent to joint efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza as well as a hostages-prisoners swap between Israel and Hamas.
    The meeting also discussed Egyptian efforts to secure access to humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza, the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.
    Sisi emphasised the importance of international cooperation to remove obstacles to the delivery of humanitarian aid, and the necessity to end the war in the region and prevent the escalation of conflict.
    He said the two-state solution should be implemented.
    The Israeli army launched a military operation in Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah in early May, then took control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt.
    The move led to the closure of the vital crossing, with Egypt demanding Israeli withdrawal to resume the crossing’s operation.
    During the talks, Blinken expressed the U.S. appreciation for Egypt’s ongoing efforts on both the political and humanitarian tracks and its commitment to continuing work and coordination with Egypt to restore security and peace to the region.
    The United States, Egypt, and Qatar managed to mediate a week-long Israel-Hamas truce in late November 2023.
    However, Israel and Hamas, engaged in a deadly confrontation in Gaza since October 2023, failed to reach another ceasefire agreement after talks in Cairo in May.  (Xinhua/NAN) (www.nannes.ng)
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    (Edited by Ummul Idris/Emmanuel Yashim)

  • Hungary detains 32 Ukrainians who fled across border

     

    Hungary detains 32 Ukrainians who fled across border

    Ukrainians

    Kiev, June 10, 2024 (dpa/NAN) Hungary has detained 32 Ukrainian citizens who fled across the border in a lorry, the Ukrainian border guard agency said on Monday.

    “The neighbouring side reported that they had discovered a vehicle and detained 32 Ukrainian citizens,” Andriy Demchenko Ukrainian border guard spokesman said.

    Demchenko acknowledged there had been speculation that the lorry belonged to the Ukrainian military on the basis of its green paint and black number plate, which is normally seen on army vehicles.

    But he said the truck is not believed to have come from the military.

    There was initially no confirmation from the Hungarian side.

    Martial law was imposed in Ukraine with the onset of Russia’s invasion in February 2022 and men of conscription age are barred from leaving the country with few exceptions.

    There are frequent attempts by men trying to illegally flee across the border into neighbouring EU states and Moldova.

    The bodies of those, who fled have been found in the border river Tisza and in the Carpathian Mountains. (dpa/NAN) (www.nannes.ng)

    UMD/AMM
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    Edited by Ummul Idris and Abiemwense Moru

  • Japan Govt. inspects Honda headquarters over vehicle test fraud

    GJapan Govt. inspects Honda headquarters over vehicle test fraud
    Inspection
    Tokyo, June 10, 2024  (Xinhua/NAN)  Japan’s transport ministry has inspected  Honda Motor Co.’s headquarters in Tokyo after the company and other automakers admitted to carrying out improper tests for vehicle certifications required for mass production.
    According to local media reports, after the inspections, the Ministry will decide whether to impose administrative punishments to prevent a recurrence.
    It would also determine if recalls are required by examining whether the affected vehicles meet its safety and environmental performance standards, the report said.
    Honda said vehicle tests for 22 models were improperly conducted, including the reporting of falsified data.
    None of its current models are affected, according to the report.
    Honda became the fourth company to be inspected under the road transport vehicle law following Toyota Motor Corp., Yamaha Motor Co. and Suzuki Motor Corp., a week after five automakers unveiled safety tests were not conducted in line with government specifications.
    A total of 38 models manufactured by the five automakers are affected.
    Six of the affected models produced by Toyota, Mazda and Yamaha Motor are currently on the market and the ministry has ordered shipments to be halted, the report said.
    The ministry wiould commence a probe into Mazda Motor Corp. soon, it added.
    The latest misconduct was disclosed after the ministry instructed 85 automakers and parts suppliers to investigate whether certifications were acquired properly, following a series of similar scandals that hit Toyota group firms in 2022 and later.  (Xinhua/NAN)(www.nannes.ng)
    UMD/HA
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    Edited by Ummul Idris/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu

  • Australia to attend int’l conference on Gaza humanitarian aid

    Australia to attend int’l conference on Gaza humanitarian aid
    Conference
    Canberra, June 10, 2024 (Xinhua/NAN)  Australia will attend an international conference on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the government confirmed on Monday.
    Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong announced that Anne Aly, the minister for early childhood development and minister for youth, will represent Australia at the conference in Amman, Jordan, that has been convened by Jordan, Egypt and the United Nations (UN).
    Wong said that Egyptian-born Aly was chosen because of her lived experience and understanding of the conflict in the Middle East.
    They said in a joint statement that Australia has been clear that Israel must comply with the orders of the International Court of Justice and allow the provision of basic services and humanitarian assistance to Gaza and reiterated calls for the war to end.
    “The humanitarian situation in Gaza is catastrophic. Over one million Palestinians are facing catastrophic levels of food insecurity and around 1.7 million people have been displaced, many several times over.
    “Humanitarian access remains grossly inadequate,” Aly said.
    Since the beginning of the conflict,  Australia has committed 62.5 million Australian dollars (41.1 million U.S. dollars) in humanitarian assistance to the region, including 41 million Australian dollars (27.0 million U.S. dollars) to address urgent needs in Gaza. (Xinhua/NAN)(www.nannes.ng)
    UMD/HA
    Edited by Ummul Idris