French foreign, defence ministers in Niger as Mali pullout nears

France's anti-jihadist mission Barkhane is being reconfigured as its troops pull out of Mali. Photo: ludovic MARIN / AFP Source: AFP

Key ministers from France and Niger met on Friday as French forces revamp their mission in the Sahel following a planned pullout from Mali.

Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna and Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu arrived in the Nigerien capital late Thursday.

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Their joint visit aims to "represent the combined civilian and military" support given by France, a French diplomat said.

The talks take place as French forces complete a pullout from Mali, placing the spotlight on Niger as a frontline state in the fight against jihadism, and as the unstable region struggles with a string of military coups.

"The democratic regression in West Africa is extremely worrying," Colonna told French MPs ahead of her trip.

"However, in spite of these events (and) the withdrawal from Mali, France will continue to help West African armies fight terrorist groups."

"We are currently in consultation with our partners to determine with them, in line with their requests and needs, the kind of support that we are able to provide."

Niger is one of the biggest recipients of French aid, receiving 143 million euros (dollars) last year.

The two sides will sign agreements for a French loan of 50 million euros and a grant of 20 million euros.

The French ministers will also meet President Mohamed Bazoum and visit a base at Ouallam, north of Niamey, which oversees joint operations on Niger's western border by several hundred French and Nigerien troops.

Niger, the world's poorest country by the benchmark of the UN's Human Development Index, has been badly hit by the jihadist insurgency that began in northern Mali in 2012 and then swept to neighbouring countries.

Thousands of civilians have been killed across the region and more than two million have fled their homes.

Niger itself is facing insurgencies both on its western border with Mali and Burkina Faso and on its south-eastern frontier with Nigeria.

It hosts tens of thousands of internally displaced people, as well as refugees from Burkina Faso, Mali and Nigeria.

French forces who have been supporting Mali for nearly a decade are expected to complete their pullout in the coming weeks after France and the Malian junta fell out.

The roots of the dispute lie in a military takeover in August 2020, which was followed by a second coup in May 2021.

Friction developed over the junta's delays in restoring military rule and escalated when Mali brought in Russian paramilitaries -- personnel described by France as "mercenaries" from the pro-Kremlin Wagner group.

Coups followed in Guinea last September and in Burkina Faso in January.

At its peak, France's Barkhane mission had 5,100 troops among five Sahel allies, all former French colonies -- Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger.

The forces have provided key support in air power, troop transport and reconnaissance. In Niger, France notably has an air base at Niamey where it has deployed drones.

After the Malian pullout, the mission will have "around 2,500" troops, Barkhane commander General Laurent Michon said in an interview this month.

The reconfigured mission will emphasise "more cooperative operations," he said.

These operations will be "determined more strictly by requests from the African countries and will take the form of 'in support of' and not 'in replacement for'" the local military, he said.

More than a thousand troops will be deployed in Niger, providing air support and training, French sources say.

French troops are also in Gabon, Ivory Coast and Senegal, as well as in the east of Africa in Djibouti.

On Wednesday, French President Emmanuel Macon said he had asked the government and military chiefs to "to rethink our overall presence on the African continent by the autumn."

He called for "a presence that is less static and less exposed" and "a closer relationship" with African armed forces.

Source: AFP

Italy's government on shaky ground ahead of new confidence vote

 

The crisis was sparked Thursday after the populist Five Star movement chose to sit out a confidence vote. Photo: Andreas SOLARO / AFP Source: AFP

Italians woke to political uncertainty Friday amid an unprecedented government crisis that has put Mario Draghi's future as prime minister on tenterhooks and raised the spectre of snap elections.

The premier of Europe's third-largest economy will have until Wednesday to shore up political support in a bid to save his coalition government tackling numerous challenges, from soaring inflation to the war in Ukraine.

Italy's technocrat leader, the former head of the European Central Bank, has significantly raised the profile of his country on the world stage and within Europe.

The crisis comes at a crunch time for the country, which risks losing billions in EU post-recovery funds if the rollout of key structural reforms is threatened.

But he has presided over an unruly coalition of Italy's top political parties, save for the far-right Brothers of Italy, that has become increasingly fractious in advance of general elections planned for early next year.

The crisis was sparked Thursday after the populist Five Star movement, a coalition member with dismal poll numbers, chose to sit out a confidence vote for a cost-of-living aid package some of whose provisions it objected to, prompting Draghi's resignation.

President Sergio Mattarella, who acts as kingmaker in moments of political crisis, refused to accept the resignation, sending the premier back to parliament next week to assess the situation.

"We have a very open-ended situation, the pressure is going up, there's lots of diplomatic work taking place behind the scenes and we still have four days to go," Policy Sonar analyst Francesco Galietti told AFP.

Although political crises are nothing new in Italy, "this one is unprecedented because geopolitical factors are taking precedent", Galietti said, citing tensions with Russia over its war in Ukraine.

Draghi is scheduled to be in Algeria, a crucial gas supplier in the wake of Italy's boycott of Russian gas, Monday and Tuesday. On his return, he will deliver a speech to parliament, with or without a confidence vote.

Politicians and experts view the possibility of Draghi continuing in his mandate as extremely fraught, even though he technically has the numbers to survive a confidence vote with or without Five Star.

"The Draghi government and the coalition that supported it must continue, but right now I see it as very, very difficult," Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio told RTL 102.5 radio Friday.

Accounts of behind-the-scenes political jostling filled Italian newspapers Friday.

"Draghi resigns, Italy risks chaos," read a La Stampa daily headline.

Corriere della Sera editorialist Massimo Franco wrote that Draghi's resignation, forced by the Five Star, represents the "triumph of the suicidal instincts of political Italy".

The Five Star Movement "preferred to destroy the attempted transition to stability and normalcy represented by the anomaly of an executive of national unity led by the most eminent personality available," he wrote.

He added that the party was "desperate for a few percentage points to survive".

Experts view the Five Star's move as an attempt to appeal to its grassroots base ahead of next year's election given poll numbers lagging at 11 percent.

As Italy's left-leaning and centrist parties called for support for Draghi, the Brothers of Italy and League party called for early elections.

"With Draghi's resignation... this legislature is over," wrote Brothers of Italy leader Giorgia Meloni on Facebook.

"This parliament no longer represents Italians... Elections now," wrote Meloni, whose party currently leads in voter intention polls.

he prospect of early elections is viewed by some political leaders as desirable "because the government's ability to pass additional reforms and make politically difficult choices is close to exhaustion," wrote economist Lorenzo Codogno of LC Macro Advisors in a note.

"Draghi does not want his term in office to die with painful and slow tortures."

Source: AFP

US, Canada condemn Russia's war on Ukraine at Indonesia G20 talks

 

Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani addressed the ministers at the start of talks in Bali. Photo: SONNY TUMBELAKA / POOL/AFP Source: AFP

Western finance ministers condemned Moscow's invasion of Ukraine at G20 talks in Indonesia Friday, accusing Russian officials of complicity in atrocities committed during the war.

The two-day meeting on the island of Bali began under the shadow of a Russian military assault that has roiled markets, spiked food prices and stoked breakneck inflation, a week after Moscow's top diplomat walked out of talks with the forum's foreign ministers.

"Russia is solely responsible for negative spillovers to the global economy," US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told the Russian delegation in the opening session, according to a Treasury official.

"Russia's officials should recognise that they are adding to the horrific consequences of this war through their continued support of the Putin regime. You share responsibility for the innocent lives lost."

She was joined by Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, who told Russia's delegation they were responsible for "war crimes" in Ukraine because of their support for the invasion, a Canadian official said.

"It is not only generals who commit war crimes, it is the economic technocrats who allow the war to happen and to continue," said Freeland, according to the official.

Both Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov and Ukrainian Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko are participating virtually in the meeting.

Moscow instead sent Russian Deputy Finance Minister Timur Maksimov to attend the talks in person. He was present for both Yellen and Freeland's condemnation, according to a source present at the talks.

Host and G20 chair Indonesia warned ministers that failure to tackle energy and food crises would be catastrophic.

In her opening remarks, Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati called on ministers to work together with a spirit of "cooperation" because "the world is watching" for solutions.

"The cost of our failure is more than we can afford," she told delegates. "The humanitarian consequences for the world and for many low-income countries would be catastrophic."

The meeting has largely focused on the food and energy crises that are weighing on an already brittle global recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.

"(Russian President Vladimir) Putin's actions including the destruction of agricultural facilities, theft of grain and farm equipment, and effective blockade of Black Sea ports amounts to using food as a weapon of war," Yellen said in an afternoon seminar.

Indrawati said members had "identified the urgent need for the G20 to take concrete steps" to address food insecurity and to help countries in.

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Yellen is  pressing G20 allies for a price cap on Russian oil to choke off Putin's war chest and pressure Moscow to end its invasion while bringing down energy costs.

Yellen in April led a multinational walkout of finance officials as Russian delegates spoke at a G20 meeting in Washington, but there was no such action on Friday.

There is unlikely to be a final communique issued when talks end on Saturday because of disagreements with Russia.

G20 chair Indonesia -– which pursues a neutral foreign policy –- has refrained from uninviting Russia despite Western pressure.

"We need to act together to demonstrate why G20 deserves its reputation as the premier forum for international cooperation," Indrawati said.

Alongside Moscow and Kyiv's ministers, Chinese Finance Minister Liu Kun and Britain's new Finance Minister Nadhim Zahawi were only attending virtually.

International Monetary Fund chief Kristalina Georgieva will appear in person after saying Wednesday the global economic outlook had "darkened significantly" because of Moscow's invasion.

European Central Bank president Christine Lagarde is participating virtually, but World Bank chief executive David Malpass will not attend.

The meeting is a prelude to the leaders' summit on the Indonesian island in November that was meant to focus on the global recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Other issues being tackled by the ministers included digital financial inclusion –- with more than a billion of the world's population still without access to a bank account -– and the deadline for an international tax rules overhaul.

Source: AFP

Drug Abuse: Expert advises parents on consequences

A Clinical Psychologist, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Dr Adedotun Ajiboye, has advised parents to prevent drug abuse by talking to children about the consequences of the act and the importance of making healthy choices.

The Psychologist gave the advice in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to him, drug abuse is a social menace in the society that is ruining many lives, especially health of the users, families, communities, labour organisations and nations across the world.

“Talk honestly with your child about healthy choices and risky behaviours is very important.’’ Ajiboye advised.

He said that most of the social vices in the society such as kidnapping, cultism, armed robbery, rape, cyber-crime, domestic and societal violence, were all connected to drug abuse.

“People abuse both illicit drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, heroine among others and licit ones, such as tramadol, cigarette, alcohol and pentasocine psychoactive substances.

He said many factors  were recognised as major predictors of drug abuse in the generation,, including poor parenting, exposure to technology and the environment.

According to him, for poor parenting, parents using any of the psychoactive substances can easily influence their children to use as well.

He said a theory in psychology-social learning confirmed this, noting that when a child observed the parents using psychoactive substances, he or she could emulate them.

According to him, some environment can be seen as rearing grounds for drug addicts, adding that at such places, psychoactive substances are readily available, making people to have access and use the substances.

Ajiboye said that for technology, social media had also been recognised as platforms where people learnt how to use psychoactive substances, because many posts or advertisements on the internet promoted drug abuse.

He explained that the best way that parents could assist their children to stay safe online, was to ensure that they were familiar with technology themselves.

“One of the biggest fears for parents is that their child could either meet inappropriate people, or engage in inappropriate activity online,’’ Ajiboye said. 

According to him, many parents choose to monitor their children’s online activities and whether or not to let the child know.

On the impact of negative family environment had on the development of a child, he identified poor language development by age three and later behaviour problems, as some of the challenges.

Others, he said, were aggression, anxiety or depression, deficits in school readiness and impaired cognitive development from age three to 24.

He noted that such unsuitable home environment were not healthy for the development of children.

Ajiboye advised that taking a week break from social media platforms might improve the well-being of children and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. (NAN)

We're simply fighting for students", says ASUU

 

 The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) said it is ready to call off the over three-month-old strike if only certain conditions are met by the federal government.

As gathered, the leadership of ASUU said the conditions to be met include the federal government accepting the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) payment platform and also concurring with the 2009 agreement.

The heated battle between ASUU and the federal government is at the mercy of just two major agreements and if met, the strike will end. Photo: ASUU Source: Twitter

This was made known by the national president of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osedeke on Monday, July 4 during an interview on Channels TV.

He said:

Let government tell us they have finished testing the UTAS and sign the agreement, then tomorrow we will call off the strike.

“We challenge the government, when would they sign the agreement? When would they accept UTAS? These are the two questions we should ask the Nigerian government.”

According to Prof. Osedeke, ASUU’s agitation is in the best interest of Nigerian students in other to ensure they have a conducive and enabling environment for learning.

While speaking on the program, the ASUU president made reference to neighbouring countries like Ghana as well as South Africa whom he said had a better educational system than Nigeria.

He however reiterated that if an agreement is reached and stipulations are signed, ASUU will call off the strike.

Prior to the latest development, ASUU has been in a heated battle with federal government for its refusal to honour the 2009 agreement it entered with the union.

The agreement contains a series of demands with one of them being the preferred use of the UTAS payment platform instead of the federal government recommended IPPIS.

Others include review of salary, allowances, rehabilitation of infrastructure and other facilities in universities and a host of others.

Meanwhile, the minister for labour and employment, Dr Chris Ngige has revealed that decisions on will soon be made on the UTAS payment platform.

According to Ngige, President Muhammadu Buhari will issue a directive in light of the issue and as well as increment of salary for lecturers.

Similarly, reports have it that the federal government is on the verge of coughing out N34bn for payment of arrears for workers.

Chris Ngige who made the disclosure on Tuesday noted that the payment is not meant for ASUU alone but would also include academic staff members of Polytechnics and Colleges of Education.

Turkey to host Russia-Ukraine-UN grain talks

 

Ukraine has barricaded and mined its Black Sea ports out of fears of a Russian amphibious assault. Photo: Oleksandr GIMANOV / AFP Source: AFP

Turkey said it will host Russian and Ukrainian delegations with UN diplomats on Wednesday to discuss the resumption of stalled grain deliveries across the Black Sea.

The four-way meeting with Turkish officials comes as food prices soar around the world due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Ukraine is one of the world's biggest exporters of wheat and other grain.

But its shipments have been blocked by Russian warships and mines that Kyiv has laid across the Black Sea.

NATO member Turkey -- on good terms with both Russia and Ukraine -- has spearheaded efforts to resume the grain deliveries.

Turkish officials say they have 20 merchant ships waiting in the Black Sea that could be loaded quickly with Ukrainian grain.

Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said on Tuesday that the meeting would involve the three countries' military delegations and team from the United Nations.

"Military delegations from the Turkish, Russian and Ukrainian defence ministries, and a delegation of the United Nations, will hold talks tomorrow in Istanbul on the safe shipment to international markets of grain waiting in Ukrainian ports," Akar said.

A Russian foreign ministry spokesman confirmed the meeting but also insisted that Moscow had a list of demands.

"Another round of expert consultations is planned for July 13 in Istanbul," ministry spokesman Pyotr Ilyichev was quoted as saying by Russia's Interfax news agency.

"Our understandable conditions include the possibility to control and search the ship to avoid the contraband of weapons, and Kyiv's commitment not to stage provocations," Ilyichev said.

The Russian spokesman added that the UN team would act as "observers" at the talks.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has tried to use his good relations with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and Kyiv's Western-backed leaders to thrust Ankara into the centre of negotiations about Ukraine.

Erdogan is due to meet Putin for the first time since Russia's invasion when the two leaders are hosted by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Tehran next Tuesday.

The talks are officially due to focus on the situation in war-ravaged Syria.

But the Kremlin said Putin and Erdogan will also hold a separate meeting that is almost certain to focus heavily on Ukraine.

Turkey has been sending defence delegations to both Moscow and Kyiv in a bid to break the deadlock over Ukraine's grain.

A plan proposed by the United Nations would see the shipments start along specific corridors that avoid known locations of mines.

Ukraine has refused to de-mine the area out of fear that Russia might then stage an amphibious assault on cities such as the Black Sea port of Odessa.

Ukraine's port authority said last week that Kyiv's recapture of Snake Island in the Black Sea has allowed it to resume shipments into neighbouring Romania along the Danube River.

But those deliveries can only cover a small fraction of the 20 to 25 million tonnes of grain believed to be blocked in Ukraine.

The negotiations are complicated by mounting suspicions that Russia is stealing and exporting grain from farmers in Ukrainian regions now under its control.

Ukraine summoned Ankara's ambassador to Kyiv after Turkey last week failed to seize a Russian-flag ship suspected of carrying confiscated grain.

The ship returned to a Russian port after spending nearly a week anchored off Turkey's Black Sea coast.

Ukraine's foreign ministry said it was "deeply disappointed" with Turkey.

Source: AFP

The top 5 richest pastors in the world

Recently, the Redeemed Christian Church of God unveiled its multi-billion naira 14-storey commercial edifice in Lagos, Nigeria.

The church stated that rental income from the building it calls Trinity Towers will be used for its charity work or Corporate Social Responsibility projects.

Top 5 richest pastors in the world Credit: South China Morning Post / Contributor Source: Getty Images

The unveiling of the building sparked online debates about the church as not just a not-for-profit organisation but a viable business venture where the pastors are richer than most state governors in Nigeria.

The churches are known for their imposing buildings which accommodate thousands of congregants every week.Below is the list of the richest pastors in the world.

Kenneth Copland

The Pulse reports that US televangelist, Kenneth Copland tops the list of the world’s richest pastors.

Born in 1936, Copland is the founder of Kenneth Copland Ministries in Texas United States.

Author, public speaker and television host, Copland is worth about $300 million.

Bishop David Oyedepo

The Nigerian-born cleric needs no introduction but Oyedepo is the Pastor of the Living Faith Church Worldwide popularly known as Winners’ Chapel or Cannanland, headquartered in Otta, Ogun State.

Known for his faith-based teachings, Oyedepo owns one of the biggest church buildings in the world with 50,000 seater auditorium and two universities: Landmark University and the renowned Covenant University.

Oyedepo reportedly flies around the world in three private jets.

He owns several properties in Nigeria, the US and the UK.

Oyedepo is worth $150 million

Pastor Pat Robertson

The American preacher is a successful businessman. He is reported to have served in the US Marine Corps before he went to Law school.

He was said to have failed his bar exams and enrolled in the New York Theological Seminary, launching his Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) after leaving the seminary.

He is the founder and CEO of the Christian Coalition, a Christian Right Organisation that raises money and public support for political candidates who are conservatives.

He ran for the office of president in the 1980s.

He is worth $100 million

Benny Hinn

The faith preacher, who reportedly apologised for teaching prosperity through tithing, is said to be worth $60 million.

Renowned for televised healing crusades, Benny Hinn parks auditoriums and stadiums with his crusades where it is reported that healings take place without his personal touch.

He founded the Orlando Christian Centre in 1983.

Chris Oyakhilome

The Nigeria-born faith preacher popularly known by his followers as Pastor Chris pastor Believers’ Loveworld or Christ Embassy headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria.

Oyekhilome is worth about $50 million.

The suave pastor’s television ministry has endeared him to many young people in Nigeria and Africa. He also runs Loveworld Television, a 24 hours satellite television station.

He is a televangelist and has his church spread across Africa.

The church runs an NGO called the Innercity Missions. It also has three Christian television channels that include LoveWorld Plus, LoveWorld TV and LoveWorld SAT.

Pastor Chris is undoubtedly one of the richest pastors in the world.

Top 5 richest people in Africa in June and their net worth

Africa parades a horde of stingingly rich men and women with immense net worth which span various fields, including manufacturing, retail and even groceries.

About five Africans have featured in the new Bloomberg’s Billionaires index in 2021 of the world’s 500 wealthiest people.

According to the report, the President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, retains his position as Africa’s richest man for the 11th year running with a net worth of $20.5 billion, an increase from $20.3 billion in May. He is ranked 64th on the billionaires' table.

Source: Legit.ng