International
PARIS SUMMIT: Africa Remains Centrepiece of Nigeria’s Economic, Foreign Policy – President Tinubu
Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has on Friday in Paris-France said Nigeria will sustain its spotlight on African countries as the fulcrum of its policies on economy and foreign policy, assuring that trade issues, security and border controls will be mutually implemented.
While receiving the President of Benin Republic, Patrice Talon, after the Summit on New Global Financing Pact, President Tinubu noted that bilateral relations with African countries, particularly at the sub-regional level will be enhanced for shared benefits in areas of security, health, energy, education and diplomacy.
Tinubu said: “We are ready to improve relations. Africa has been the centrepiece of Nigeria’s foreign policy,” he said.
“I believe in Africa. We have the necessity to grow the continent. The world’s economy is wobbling, and Africa has been left behind. On risk factors, Africa is always placed high, with higher interest rates on borrowing. We are always classified as high risk. We must work together for systematic recovery and growth,” he added.
President Tinubu described Nigeria’s relations with Benin as that of siamese twins, joined at the hips, and supported by other friendly countries.
“We must recognise the fact that we need each other. We are in a loop and no one should separate us, ” he stated, assuring that his administration will always be open and accessible to all neighbouring countries.
“I just appointed someone who will work with you as Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Bashir Adeniyi, and he will be available for our common interest,” the President noted.
The President of Benin said he was inspired with renewed hope for the sub-region and Africa at the inauguration of President Tinubu in Abuja, pledging to provide support on trade and security policy, especially at the borders.
“We are prepared to work with you, Your Excellency, in implementing policies that will protect our economies at land and sea entries. Whatever is forbidden in Nigeria will also be forbidden in Benin,” Talon added.
President Tinubu also had bilateral meetings with Swiss President, Alain Berset, and President of the African Development Bank, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina.
International
Man jailed for keeping dead mother in freezer to claim £78,000 in benefits
Passing sentence, Judge Lloyd-Clarke said Phillips repeatedly deceived medical professionals to hide the fact that his mother had died.
•Christopher Phillips
A 60-year-old man has been sentenced to two years and four months in prison after keeping his late mother’s body in a chest freezer for nearly three years while fraudulently collecting more than £78,000 in her pension and benefits.
Christopher Phillips was jailed by Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court after admitting to preventing the lawful and decent burial of his 89-year-old mother, Silvia Phillips, and pleading guilty to two counts of fraud.
The court heard that Phillips concealed his mother’s death after she died on March 8, 2023, by storing her body in a chest freezer in the living room of their home in Porthcawl, Wales.
Prosecutors said he failed to notify the Department for Work and Pensions and Bridgend County Borough Council of her death, allowing her pension and benefits to continue being paid into bank accounts he could access.
Passing sentence, Judge Lloyd-Clarke said Phillips repeatedly deceived medical professionals to hide the fact that his mother had died.
“You continued to collect her prescriptions and misled medical professionals about her whereabouts, lying when enquiries were made about your mother, repeatedly telling medical staff that she did not wish to attend appointments or undergo tests,” the judge said.
(Source: Tribune)
International
Russia Issues International Wanted on Telegram Founder Durov
Russian-born Durov — a serial tech founder who has lived outside Russia for years and holds French and United Arab Emirates passports — has frequently clashed with the Russian authorities as Moscow has tightened its grip on the internet.
•Telegram founder Pavel Durov
Russia announced on Wednesday that it was seeking the arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov over accusations of “complicity in terrorism”, alleging he had let the platform be used for recruitment by Ukraine’s security services.
Russian-born Durov — a serial tech founder who has lived outside Russia for years and holds French and United Arab Emirates passports — has frequently clashed with the Russian authorities as Moscow has tightened its grip on the internet.
His Telegram messenger is one of the country’s main communications platforms and officials have repeatedly tried to block access or thwart its success in a bid to pressure Durov to hand over user data or push Russians to use an unencrypted state-backed alternative.
The FSB security service said it had launched international search proceedings for Durov, who is also Telegram’s CEO.
“An international wanted notice has been issued… for the head of the Telegram administration, P. Durov,” it said in a statement.
International
Just In: People trapped in Japanese mall hit by earthquake, with others missing after factory chimney collapse
Reports in Japan say 20 to 30 shopping centre staff may be missing – but the figure has not been confirmed.
Image credit : BBC
Many people are trapped inside a Japanese shopping centre after an earthquake, the fire service says.
One witness reported the second floor of the mall in Kumamoto collapsing – BBC Verify has looked at some of the images from the site.
Reports in Japan say 20 to 30 shopping centre staff may be missing – but the figure has not been confirmed
Elsewhere in the Kumamoto prefecture, people are reported missing at a paper factory after a chimney collapsed
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake hit inland on Kyushu island at 16:27 local time (07:27 GMT), causing power cuts, damaged roads, a collapsed castle wall, and a destroyed footbridge.
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