International

BREAKING: Details Of Tinubu’s phone Conversation with US Secretary Of State, Antony Blinken Surfaces

Published

3 years ago

May 17, 2023

192 Views

A telephone conversation between Nigeria’s President Elect, Bola Tinubu and the United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has revealed the promise made by Tinubu where he said he is ready to hit the ground running and unify the country upon his assumption of office on May 29.

Tinubu said among his immediate priorities would be to deliver institutional reforms and development programs to deepen democratic institutions and bring help to poor Nigerians.

According to a statement by spokesperson Tunde Rahman said Tinubu also expressed determination to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy and faithfully serve the people as their president.

During the phone conversation that lasted about 20 minutes, Tinubu spoke about his eventful sojourn in America in the 70s, where he graduated with honours as an accountant in 1979.

He also recalled how he was granted asylum by the US when, due to his determined struggle for democracy in Nigeria, he was forced into exile by the late General Sani Abacha’s military junta.

While affirming his democratic bonafide, Tinubu expressed his absolute belief that the result of the elections, which he clearly won, reflected the will of the Nigerian people.

The former Lagos governor said he would work to unite the country and ensure that Nigerians are happy and enjoy the benefits of democracy and progressive good governance.

He said without national unity, security, economic development and good governance, Nigeria would not become a better place to live or play her proper role in the comity of African nations.

Tinubu urged the US to factor in Nigeria’s important place in Africa and provide assistance in the areas of security and economic investment in order for the nation to lead the way and be a shining example to the rest of the continent.

In his remarks, Secretary Blinken assured that Nigeria should expect a good and mutually-beneficial relationship with the US.

He promised to play his part in bringing a sustained and cordial relationship between the two nations to fruition, saying a democratic and peaceful Nigeria is important to the United States as it is to Africa.

International

Death toll in Hong Kong fire rises to 44 with 279 still missing, authorities say

Hong Kong authorities say the fires in four of the buildings have been brought under control, but large plumes of smoke are still hanging over the residential estate.

Published

6 days ago

November 27, 2025

OCHEFA

56 Views

Photo: AFP

At least 44 people have been killed so far in a major fire engulfing public housing apartments in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district, with 279 people not accounted for.

Three construction company executives have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter connected to flammable materials, including mesh and plastic sheets, that may have allowed the fire to spread quickly.

More than 800 firefighters are tackling the blaze at Wang Fuk Court, which has been burning for over 18 hours.

The fire has been classified a level five blaze, the most serious level in Hong Kong.

A baby and an elderly woman were rescued during a late-night rescue, local media reports.

Hong Kong authorities say the fires in four of the buildings have been brought under control, but large plumes of smoke are still hanging over the residential estate.

I can smell it in the air. I can also see a number of small fires still burning in the apartment blocks.

Even more fire engines and an ambulance have arrived this morning to help with rescue efforts

BBC.

International

BREAKING: Indian fighter jet crashes at Dubai airshow

Published

2 weeks ago

November 21, 2025

OCHEFA

108 Views

An Indian fighter jet has crashed while performing a display at an airshow in Dubai, officials have said.

Details later.

International

JUST IN: Bangladesh war Crimes Court Sentences Ex-PM Hasina to Death

Published

2 weeks ago

November 17, 2025

Charles Flames

121 Views

A Bangladeshi war crimes tribunal has sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death.

The verdict, delivered on Monday, November 17, 2025, follows a months-long trial that found Hasina guilty of ordering a lethal crackdown on a student-led uprising last year. She received a death sentence for the killing of several protesters and a life sentence on charges of crimes against humanity.

The ruling marks the most significant legal action against a former Bangladeshi leader in decades and comes ahead of parliamentary elections expected in early February 2026. There was cheering and clapping in the courtroom as the death sentence was pronounced. The verdict can be appealed in the Supreme Court, though Hasina’s son and adviser, Sajeeb Wazed, said they would not appeal unless a democratically elected government, including the Awami League, is in office.

Prosecutors told the court that evidence showed Hasina directly ordered security forces to use lethal force to suppress protests in July and August 2024. A United Nations report estimates that up to 1,400 people were killed during the demonstrations, with thousands more injured, making it the deadliest unrest in Bangladesh since its 1971 war of independence.

Hasina, represented by a state-appointed defense lawyer, denied the charges, calling the tribunal proceedings unfair and claiming a guilty verdict was “a foregone conclusion.”

Tensions in Bangladesh had escalated ahead of the verdict, with at least 30 crude bomb explosions and 26 vehicles torched in recent days, though no casualties were reported.