Seoul, June 4, 2024 (dpa/NAN)South Korea’s government has approved suspending an agreement with North Korea on détente measures, clearing the way for resuming all military activities along the heavily fortified border between the two countries.
Vice Defence Minister Cho Chang Rae said that all activities of its armed forces along the military demarcation line and on the north-western islands, which were restricted by the 2018 military agreement, would resume in Seoul on Tuesday.
The Cabinet and President Yoon Suk Yeol approved a temporary motion to lift the agreement.
In September 2018, the two sides agreed to a series of measures as part of a temporary rapprochement to avoid incidents along the heavily defended border.
There have been increasing tensions on the Korean peninsula over the past few months.
South Korea recently warned North Korea of harsh counter-measures after balloons carrying refuse were sent over the border.
South Korea’s military also accused its neighbour of jamming the GPS satellite navigation system in the border region.
Pyongyang described its balloons as a response to propaganda flyers sent over the border by South Korean organisations.
It said on Sunday that it planned to halt the balloon campaign temporarily.
The 2018 agreement provided for no-fly zones in the border area and a ban on naval manoeuvres in a buffer zone in the Yellow Sea.
South Korea suspended parts of the agreement in November due to the launch of a spy satellite by North Korea.
Pyongyang then announced that it would no longer honour any parts of the agreement.
Cho did not give any details about planned military activities on the border.
However, the suspension of the agreement means that South Korea can, again, hold military exercises close to the border line. (dpa/NAN) (www.nan.ng)
Palestinians to join S/Africa’s genocide lawsuit against Israel
Lawsuit
Amsterdam, June 4, 2024 (dpa/NAN)The Palestinians plan to join South Africa’s genocide lawsuit against Israel currently before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry in Ramallah has applied to join the case, the court announced in The Hague on Monday evening.
The ministry requested this on behalf of Palestine, which the United Nations has not recognised as a state, but has observer status at the UN.
It is unclear when the court will rule on the Palestinian application.
If it were approved, the Palestinian authorities would be allowed to participate in the proceedings.
Other countries have also signalled their intention to join South Africa’s lawsuit.
These include Colombia, Libya, and Nicaragua.
South Africa filed a complaint against Israel with the highest court of the United Nations at the end of 2023, accusing the state of violating the Genocide Convention due to its attacks on the Gaza Strip.
In three decisions to date, the court has obliged Israel to take immediate measures to protect civilians.
However, the main proceedings on the accusation of genocide are not affected by this.
It could drag on for years.
Israel has strictly rejected the accusations and invoked its right to self-defense following the terrorist attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas and other groups on Oct. 7.
Around 1,200 people were murdered in the attack.
According to the Palestinian authorities, more than 36,000 people have been killed by Israeli attacks since then. (dpa/NAN) (www.nan.ng)
Abuja, June 4, 2024 (NAN) Some West African stakeholders are upbeat about the prospects of business startups growing up to become big companies owned by business moguls, complementing today’s major industry players as employers of labour.
They expressed this optimism in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at a preparatory meeting ahead of the second West African startup awards scheduled to hold later in the year.
“Startups are supposed to be unicorns and they’ve dovetailed into becoming future employers of businesses, huge ones.
“They’re not SME’s, but businesses that will have both continental and regional impact.
“We’re trying to build up young ones so that they can go into complementing the current business moguls.
“Those business moguls, who are even the ones to mentor them now, so that they also grow up to do the same things that the big ones are doing.
“So, for me, I think it’s a step in the right direction to create businesses,” ECOWAS Ag.Director, Private Sector, Anthony Elumelu said.
According to Guinea Bissau’s Cesaltina Tavares,Communications Officer, ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) Lomé, Togo, the sky is the limit for the growth of startups.
Tavares said that explained why EBID was prepared to give tremendous financial support to select startups, to enable them to achieve their dreams and boost the ECOWAS private sector.
“My take in this event is that the startups really need institutions like us to improve the work they are doing already.
“They are not just businesses. Startups for private sector is a dream.
“So, on this note, we are here to support them with all our financial power.
“So that we can improve the ECOWAS private sector. I believe that this is just the way forward,” Tavares said.
Also speaking, Chinenye Akandu, Partnerships Executive of The Tony Elumelu Foundation, said that it was in realization of the great potentials of startups that the foundation came to their rescue.
She disclosed that the foundation had doled out a whooping $100 millionto identify, train, mentor and fund 10,000 young african entrepreneurs over a period of ten years.
“In terms of the collaboration between ECOWAS and other organizations in support of startups and entrepreneurs in West Africa.
“I believe entrepreneurship and startups are like the life wire, the lifelong economic growth and development on the continent.
“We at the Tony Elumelu Fondation are at the forefront in terms of supporting these young African entrepreneurs.
“We believe that private sectors have a huge role to play in terms of economic development and social welfare across the continent. So entrepreneurship to us is the baby.
“We believe that they have a crucial role to play on the continent and everything in terms of economic growth and development, entrepreneurship is the number one.
“They are the live wire. They are the live blood. They are the seeds that you plant, and they are the seeds that will germinate and bring forth growth and development on the continent.
“So, first of all, we started with $100 million commitment to identify, train, mentor and fund 10,000 young African entrepreneurs over a period of ten years.
“And we are actually in our 10th year of the program, the 10th cycle, and we’ve been able to empower and fund over 20,000 young African entrepreneurs,” she said.
Michael Oyeyiola, Ecobank Manager, FCT and Northern Nigeria, said that buoyed by the potential of startups to boost West Africa’s economy, the bank had helped the ecosystem by way of their mentoring and capacity building.
“We were deeply involved in the first part of this program, where we supported the ecosystem in terms of executing this program, financially and otherwise.
“A significant role we actually played was also in terms of the mentoring and capacity development of those people.
“Resourcing is one, but also helping those individuals to be able to navigate necessary partnerships, is necessary,” he said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
ECOWAS acting Director, Private Sector, Anthony Elumelu
Startups
By Mark Longyen
Abuja, June 4, 2024(NAN)The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) says it is working towards creating an ecosystem, where startups thrive and the subregion leads in innovation, attracting investment and empowering its youth.
ECOWAS acting Director, Private Sector, Anthony Elumelu, stated this during the preparatory meeting for the 2nd West African startups awards on Tuesday in Abuja.
Elumelu said that achieving this aim would require stakeholders collaborating beyond borders, stressing that together, they would build bridges, break down barriers, and amplify opportunities.
“As we embark on this journey, I invite each of you to be an ambassador for West African startups.
“Mentor a young founder, invest in a promising venture, or champion an innovative solution. Together, we can create a legacy that transcends generations.
“Let us remember that startups are not just businesses; they are dreams, taking flight. Let us be their wind beneath the wings,” he said.
Elumelu described startups as the heartbeat of innovation, the dreamers, the risk-takers, and the change-makers.
“From fintech to healthtech, from sustainable energy to agribusiness, our startups are redefining what’s possible.
“Their resilience and creativity inspire us all. Today, we reaffirm our commitment to nurturing the startup ecosystem in West Africa, “ he said.
Elumelu, however, said that it was not enough to envision an ECOWAS startup ecosystem, stressing that stakeholders must support and advocate for policies that foster innovation, ease regulatory burdens, and encourage risk-taking.
He also urged them to work tirelessly towards ensuring that startups had access to funding, mentorship, and networks, besides building capacity by investing in skills development, mentorship programs, and knowledge-sharing platforms.
The private sector director further called for collaboration across borders, sharing of best practices, learning from one another, as well as gender equity, diversity, and inclusion.
“We stand on the shoulders of the success of the inaugural West African Startups Award.
“It was not merely an event; it was a catalyst, a spark that ignited innovation, collaboration, and entrepreneurship across our region.
“The Authority of Heads of State of ECOWAS recognized its impact and unanimously endorsed its continuation as an annual tradition,” he added.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the participants were drawn from financial institutions, the academia, international organisations, implementing partners, migration organizations, and ECOWAS institutions, among others.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Makkah, June 4, 2024 (NAN) An Islamic Cleric, Malam Lukman Hamidu-Yauri, who is a member of ‘Da’awah’ Committee, Kebbi Pilgrims Welfare Board, says prayer for the restoration of peace across Nigeria is sacrosanct.
The cleric disclosed this during a nasiha (enlightenment) session, shortly after Subhi (dawn) prayer in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the morning enlightenment session has now become a routine exercise to educate the pilgrims on rituals of Hajj towards an acceptable pilgrimage.
The cleric observed that prayer for Nigeria was not only important, but compulsory “in view of the critical security challenges bedeviling our dear country.
“We should use this opportunity to consistently pray for peace to reign across Nigeria. We should also pray to Almighty Allah to guide our leaders right, to give them the wisdom to fix the nation’s economy.
“We should also beg God to give them the capacity to be just while steering the affairs of our motherland.
“We must specially pray for our Governor, Dr Nasir Idris, to succeed in Kebbi. He has started well; we can attest to the fact that the fertilisers he distributed free-of-charge to farmers is a gesture never witnessed in Kebbi.
“I tend to agree with a writer, who recently wrote that we have had many governors in Kebbi before, who actually performed, but Idris supercedes them.
“I believe that each one of you here is a living witness to that fact,” he said.
In his submission, Malam Kabiru Umar-Wasagu, Deputy Imam, Central Mosque, Birnin Kebbi, urged the pilgrims to be patient in all their dealings with one another.
He recalled that without patience, “our noble Prophet Muhammad wouldn’t have succeeded.”
He reminded them that the religion of Islam grew from strength-to-strength due to the patience and resilience of the Holy Prophet and his companions.
The cleric observed that patience was critical to a successful Hajj exercise, hence the need for pilgrims to always imbibe the spirit of tolerance and understanding.
“There is always a need to be our brothers’ keepers,” he declared.
Commenting on pilgrims’ plastic identity card produced by the Saudi authorities, Umar-Wasagu advised them to be patient and orderly, saying that every pilgrim would receive his card in due course
He admonished them to remain close to Islamic clerics and frequently ask questions on grey areas of Hajj exercise. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Abuja, June 3, 2024(NAN) The President, ECOWAS Court of Justice (CCJ), Justice Edward Asante, has called on workers participating at the institution’s 16th administrative and budget retreat to engage in productive dialogue.
Asante’s counsel is contained in his address at the event held on Monday in Abuja.
He explained that the call was necessary, considering the essential role that budgetary allocations play in the court’s activities.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the retreat is expected to foster thoughtful discussions, encourage open dialogues and constructive debates, leveraging participants’ collective wisdom, diverse perspectives and shared experiences.
“We have to be able to judge all and put our heads together to come up with the best budget.
“When this is presented to the Administration and Finance Committee (AFC) and to the Council of Ministers, they will look at it as a very good budget and approve it for us.
“We know budgetary issues are very important for every institution since that is the mainstay,” he said.
He urged participants to contribute thoughtfully to the budget discussions, urging them to deploy collective wisdom and strategic planning during the retreat discussions.
The President also expressed the court’s intention to advocate for the preservation of its budget, highlighting its reliance on community funding.
According to him, the comprehensive efforts made to collate inputs from all departments and units will ensure that the proposed budget reflects the diverse needs and priorities of the entire court.
Justice Asante, who also noted that ECOWAS was facing some financial challenges, cautioned participants against overburdening its resources.
He disclosed that administrative and operational costs constituted 80 per cent of CCJ’s budget, leaving limited funds for planned activities, stressing, however, that in spite of the constraints, it was committed to its mandate.
“We must all know that the community is now financially weak and does not have to overburden itself.
“We still have to do our programmes to let people know that the Court is also performing its function.
Also speaking, Dr William Towah, the CCJ’s Director of Administration and Finance, expressed confidence that the retreat would pave the way for innovative solutions, inspire new ideas, and renew the sense of purpose in the institution.
He said the retreat was a platform to assess the Court’s progress and strategise for the future, and lauded its staff’s collective dedication and diligence which had propelled the institution to new heights.
Towah noted the challenges and emphasised the need for continuous improvement while calling for a critical assessment of the Court’s shortcoming and the identification of areas for enhancement.
“Our collective efforts have earned the respect and trust of our stakeholders, creating a positive impact on the lives of those we serve.
“By embracing these challenges, we can further strengthen our foundation and ensure that the Court remains a beacon of justice and fairness,” he added.
NAN reports that the event was attended by the CCJ’s Vice President, judges,,directors, among other members of staff of the court.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Maldives to ban Israeli passport holders from visiting over Gaza war
Passport
New Dehli/Tel Aviv, June 3, 2024 (dpa/NAN)The government of the Maldives said plans were on to bar Israeli nationals from entering the archipelago due to the ongoing Gaza war.
The cabinet had recommended amending “necessary laws to prevent Israeli passport holders from entering the Maldives,” the office of President Mohamed Muizzu said on Sunday.
Muizzu had decided to follow the proposal, it said.
The ban would be enforced as soon as possible, Interior Minister Ali Ihusaan told journalists.
“Additionally, in the case of Palestine and Israel, the President decided to appoint a special envoy to assess Palestinian needs,” the statement continued.
“The President further decided to set up a fundraising campaign to assist our brothers and sisters in Palestine with the help of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.”
The Israeli Foreign Ministry responded by recommending that Israeli citizens refrain from travelling to the Maldives, a high-end holiday destination known for its white beaches, coral reefs, and crystal waters.
The ministry said those already in the country should consider returning to Israel.
Israel issued a travel warning for the Maldives in December, citing anti-Israeli sentiments over the Gaza war in the Muslim-majority country where Islam is the state religion.
The two nations don’t maintain full diplomatic ties, but Israelis have so far been able to holiday in the Maldives.
Last year, some 11,000 Israeli tourists visited the archipelago, according to Maldives officials. (dpa/NAN) (www.nan.ng)
Woman diagnosed with rare condition that makes her appear drunk
Diagnosis
London, June 3, 2024 (PA Media/dpa/NAN)A 50-year-old woman who visited hospital seven times with slurred speech and extreme tiredness, only to be discharged with a diagnosis of being drunk, had a rare condition that gave her the appearance of being intoxicated.
This happened even after saying she had not been drinking.
Called auto-brewery syndrome, the condition sees fungi in the gut create alcohol through fermentation.
Researchers say awareness of this syndrome – which has social, legal, and medical consequences – is essential for proper diagnosis and management.
Over two years the woman visited the emergency department complaining of extreme daytime sleepiness and slurred speech.
She had been on several antibiotic courses for recurrent urinary tract infections alongside a proton pump inhibitor to reduce the amount of acid in her stomach.
Despite not drinking alcohol, she also had elevated blood alcohol levels and alcohol on her breath.
After each hospital visit the woman was discharged with the diagnosis of alcohol intoxication, despite her reports of no alcohol intake, which her family confirmed.
The patient needed up to two weeks off work after each episode and during this time she ate very little.
Her symptoms would improve after one to two weeks but would return every one to two months.
On the third visit, the mother was even certificated under the Mental Health Act, as the doctor had concerns about self-neglect when she discharged herself before psychiatric assessment.
However, on her seventh visit the emergency doctor considered a diagnosis of auto-brewery syndrome, and after being prescribed some medication, she was referred to a specialist.
A dietitian suggested a low-carbohydrate diet, and after completing a one-month course of antifungal medication and the diet, the woman’s symptoms went away and remained absent for four months.
The woman slowly started to eat carbohydrates again, but one month after doing this she had a recurrence of slurred speech and drowsiness, which led to a fall.
She was advised to restart the low-carbohydrate diet again, and her symptoms resolved.
Writing in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, Dr Rahel Zewude, University of Toronto, and her co-authors, said: “Auto-brewery syndrome carries substantial social, legal, and medical consequences for patients and their loved ones.
“Our patient had several (emergency department) visits was assessed by internists and psychiatrists, and was certified under the Mental Health Act before receiving a diagnosis of the auto-brewery syndrome, reinforcing how awareness of this syndrome is essential for clinical diagnosis and management.” (dpa/NAN) (www.nan.ng)
Several killed by suspected Israeli strikes in Syria – Report
Strikes
Beirut, June 3, 2024 (dpa/NAN)Several people were killed in a suspected Israeli attack near Aleppo in north-western Syria, state media reported early Monday citing a military source.
The area around Aleppo was targeted by airstrikes overnight, it said.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported missiles had hit the positions of a pro-Iranian militia in the Hayan area north of Aleppo.
The information could not initially be independently verified.
There was initially no comment from the Israeli side.
Israel’s air force repeatedly bombs targets in neighbouring Syria, to prevent its arch-enemy Iran and militias allied with Tehran from expanding their military influence in the region.
Iran is one of Syria’s most important allies.
Since the start of the war in the Gaza Strip almost eight months ago, Israeli attacks, most of which are not officially confirmed by Israel, have increased. (dpa/NAN) (www.nan.ng)
Cleric tasks Muslims on seeking wealth through legitimate means
Wealth
By Muhammad Lawal
Makkah, June 3, 2024 (NAN) An Islamic cleric, Malam Kabiru Umar-Wasagu, Deputy Imam, Central Mosque, Birnin Kebbi, has charged Muslims to be proactive in seeking wealth through lawful means to meet their daily demands.
The cleric disclosed this in an address shortly after Subhi (dawn) prayer in Makkah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Monday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the morning enlightenment session has now become a routine exercise to educate the pilgrims on rituals of Hajj towards an acceptable Hajj (Hajj Mabrur).
Umar-Wasagu said: “As Muslims we need to seek wealth through lawful and legitimate means. None of the Prophets of Allah (SWT) depended on people to survive but each one of them has a trade to live on.
“Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him) was an animal rearer and a businessman.”
He said that Islam did not in any way encourage laziness, begging or waiting/relying on others for a living.
While asking the Muslims to seek knowledge about Islamic history, the cleric recalled that the Prophet (SAW) worked for his wife, Nana Khadija as a boy, who traded her business between Makkah and Syria.
He explained that the very first time that the Prophet (SAW) led a business entourage, multiple of profit was realised which attracted affinity and love from the owner of the wealth, Nana Khadija due to his trust, truthfulness and humility.
“These peculiar attitudes of his drew the attention of Khadija close to him which led to their marriage,” he said.
On revelation of the holy Qur’an, the cleric said the Prophet used to go to the Hira cave, pondering about the world and who might have created it, saying: “One day an Angel appeared before him and he came back home offset telling his wife to cover him up.
“However, as a courageous and experienced woman, she encouraged him telling him about his excellent attitudes towards people, therefore, God Almighty will never betray him.
“She took him to one knowledgeable man of that period and her relation,
who was vast in the Books revealed Prophet Musa (Moses) and Prophet Isah (Jesus), the man asked him several questions.
“He then confirmed that what the Prophet (SAW) saw in the cave was the Angel that brought a message to Prophets Musa and Isah,” he said.
Umar-Wasagu recalled that when the Prophet was very young on a trade journey with his grandfather, one knowledgeable man told his grandfather that: “he should be very cautious about the life of this boy, he might have been the last prophet due to some signs I noticed in him.”
He said when the Prophet (SAW) was instructed to convey Allah’s message, the first four people to embrace Islam included; Nana Khadija, Abubakar, Aliyu and Zaidu but Umar came later and his coming to Islam boosted the religion immensely.
The cleric added that Quraish were not happy with the development, debunking the message, humiliating and persecuting those who accepted islam and forced some of them out of Makkah.
“The Prophet spent 10 years in Makkah propagating Islam preaching to people to believe in Allah and avoid intake of wine, fornication, lottery and other illicit acts.
“Persecution upon persecution forced some of the Muslims to migrate to Ethiopia, where the then ruler received them with dignity but the disbelievers followed them to bring them back to Makkah.
“However, the ruler shielded them and asked the Muslims to remain there to practice their religion in peace.
”The disbelievers planned to either kill, imprison or chase the Prophet out of Makkah but they later settled on killing him by selecting one person from each tribe to strike him at the same time.
Umar-Wasagu added,””So that none of the tribes will be held accountable. But all their plans went astray.”
He said there was a plan by the Quraish to eliminate the Prophet and he was later instructed to migrate to Madina, adding that over 80 chapters (surah) were revealed in Makkah calling on the people to believe in the oneness of God but Hajj and all its instructions were revealed in Madina. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
