Amid reports of dwindling food supplies in embattled areas in Ukraine, the World Food Programme (WFP) on Friday began ramping up operations, warning that the conflict could have consequences beyond the country. Ukraine has long been the “breadbasket” of Europe, but the fighting could disrupt global wheat trade, with knock-on impacts on food prices and overall food security. “The bullets and bombs in Ukraine could take the global hunger crisis to levels beyond anything we’ve seen before,” WFP David Beasley said during a visit to one of its hubs on the Polish-Ukrainian border. The UN agency has been setting up…
Author: Newsdesk
UN’s senior political affairs official, Rosemary DiCarlo, on Friday told the UN Security Council that heavy fighting reported overnight at Ukraine’s largest nuclear power is both unacceptable and “highly irresponsible’’. DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, told the Security Council during an emergency meeting that radiation levels from nuclear plants are normal and the facility’s cooling system was not affected. According to her, every effort must be taken to prevent a catastrophic nuclear incident. She was joined by Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), who offered to deploy rapidly to Ukraine to develop…
China will block coverage in its territory of this weekend’s English Premier League (EPL) fixtures as Britain’s biggest clubs continue to demonstrate support for Ukraine. The Premier League has expressed its intention to show solidarity with Ukraine in various ways across the 10-match programme. This will start with Leicester City’s home clash against Leeds United in Saturday’s early kick-off. Chinese rights holder iQIYI Sports had first reacted by refusing to show the matches. And although the Premier League has declined to comment, there are indications the blackout is due to go ahead. The move has been interpreted as a sign…
The European Union Delegation to Nigeria and German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), on Friday donated IT equipment to the ECOWAS Commission as technical support to ensure effective service delivery of the Commission’s staff. The EU and GIZ donated the equipment to the Commission in Abuja at the official launch of the EU-funded Institutional Support to ECOWAS (ISE) programme. The ISE programme is aimed at enhancing the effectiveness, efficiency, and impact of the EU aid in West Africa. Mrs Cecile Tassin-Pelzer, Head of Cooperation, EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, said that the programme was developed to train internal personnel who…
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has called for the inclusion of women traders in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Abebe Haile-Gabriel, Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa, FAO, made the call in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja. Haile-Gabriel said women were crucial to Africa’s agricultural development as they had continued to play crucial role in agriculture in the region. He stated that women had contributed significantly to food production, processing and marketing, food security and nutrition, natural resources management and conservation of biodiversity even in the face of climate change. He stressed that in…
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that it may suspend the ongoing nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise in July. Rotimi Oyekanmi, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu disclosed this while speaking with newsmen on the sideline of the ongoing two-day Editorial Capacity Building Workshop for INEC Public Affairs Officers in Lagos on Friday. Oyekanmi noted that the suspension might be attributed to the fact that most Nigerians are still waiting for the last minute rush before presenting themselves for the registration. He, however, said that the commission was impressed by those who…
Russian troops in southeastern Ukraine have seized Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, Ukrainian officials said on Friday. The fire was started in fierce fighting for the plant but was later extinguished, a Ukrainian government agency said, and there was no immediate sign that radiation had leaked. Across Ukraine, Russian forces are laying siege to cities and trying to control vital ports. Also, surveillance camera footage showed a flare landing at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power complex near Enerhodar, Ukraine, during shelling early Friday. However, a fire that had raised worldwide alarms was extinguished. There had been worries that the fire could…
The International Press Centre (IPC) has joined voices with Nigerian women in their protest against the National Assembly’s, NASS, rejection of bills that seek to promote the interest of the female gender in the ongoing constitutional amendment. In a statement by its Executive Director, Lanre Arogundade, the IPC said it is unfortunate that the 9th National Assembly (NASS) would contravene the country’s international legal obligations by denying Nigeria women the opportunity of better inclusion and greater representation in governance by voting against the pro-gender bills. “The bills for special seats for women in the legislature, indigeneship, citizenship and 35 percent…
The Emir of Ilorin and Chairman Kwara State Council of Chiefs, Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, has felicitated with the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Elkanemi, on his 13years coronation anniversary on the throne. Gambari who lauded the numerous achievements recorded by the Borno Emirate Council since the ascension of Garbai to the throne, prayed Almighty Allah to continue to strengthen the frontline monarch for the good of his subjects and humanity in general. This is contained in a goodwill message issued by the Emir’s Spokesman, Abdulazeez Arowona on Thursday stressing that, “the monarch has over the years remain steadfast as a worthy father…
Former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Lamido Sanusi has revealed that his unrepentant attitude of speaking truth to power cost him the position of Emir of Kano. He stated this while speaking at the closing ceremony of the AIG Public Leadership Programme Class of 2021 in Abuja on Wednesday. Sanusi stressed that he has always stood to speak the truth to power, the reason that he was removed as Emir of Kano, but that did not stop him from doing what he sees as the right thing. According to him, instead of the civil servants sticking to ethics and…