Category: International News

International News

Finland seizes Simon Ekpa’s assets, detains him in notorious prison

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Finland on Simon Ekpa

Finnish authorities have frozen the assets of Simon Ekpa, a self-proclaimed Biafran activist, who is currently detained on allegations of terrorism-related activities. Ekpa, along with four alleged accomplices, has been held in remand for several weeks, with the assets of companies linked to them also seized. According to Finnish newspaper Yle, Ekpa is being held at the Kylmäkoski vankila (Kylmäkoski Prison), a maximum-security facility in Vanhamaantie, Akaa, Finland. The prison, built in 1993, is known for housing some of the country’s most dangerous offenders and was featured in the Netflix…

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Syria: 54 yrs after, Bashar Al-Asad’s regime has finally been toppled

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Bashar Al Asad toppled2

Iranian-backed President Bashar al-Asad has been toppled in Syria, meaning an end of the 54-year minority Alawite, (or Alawee), Shiite rule in Syria. Assad fled the country yesterday, bringing to a dramatic close his nearly 14-year struggle to hold onto control as his country fragmented in a brutal civil war, which became a proxy battlefield for regional and international powers. His sudden overthrow, at the hands of a revolt partly backed by Turkey and with roots in jihadist Sunni Islam, could allow millions of refugees scattered for more than a…

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Couple breaks world record, marries at 102, 100

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Couple breaks world record

A centenarian couple, Bernie Littman, 100, and Marjorie Fiterman, 102, are living proof that love knows no age limits, as the couple officially became the world’s oldest newlyweds with a combined age of 202 years, Guinness World Records (GWR) revealed on Tuesday. Both Marjorie and Bernie, who found love in a senior living facility, were said to have lived over 60 years of marriage to their respective first spouses, but when their spouses passed away and they moved into the same floor of a seniors’ living facility in Philadelphia, USA,…

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“ICC warrants binding; EU cannot pick and choose” – EU’s foreign policy chief

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EU's foreign policy chief

European governments cannot pick and choose whether to execute arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against two Israeli leaders and a Hamas commander, the EU’s foreign policy chief said, on Saturday. Recall that the ICC issued the warrants on Thursday against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defence minister, Yoav Gallant and Hamas leader, Ibrahim Al-Masri, for alleged crimes against humanity. All EU member States are signatories to the ICC’s founding treaty, called the Rome Statute. Several EU States have said they will meet their commitments…

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EU fines Meta $840m for ‘abusive’ Facebook ad practices

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EU fines Meta

The European Commission, (EU), yesterday fined online giant, Meta almost 800 million Euros for breaching anti-trust rules by giving users of its Facebook social network automatic access to classified ads service, Facebook Marketplace. According to the EU, the US tech titan also abused its dominant position by imposing unfair trading conditions on other online classified ads service providers that advertise on its platforms. In an issued statement, the bloc’s Competition Chief, Margrethe Vestager said, “This is illegal under EU antitrust rules. Meta must now stop this behaviour”. Meta said it…

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US places $25,000 bounty on fleeing Nigerian suspect on murder trial

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US places $25,000 bounty

The United States of America has announced a reward of $25,000 for anyone who could provide it with information that could lead to the arrest of Olalekan Abimbola Olawusi, a Nigerian, who is reportedly facing trial for the alleged murder of his own son. According to a statement by Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Don Freeman, on the agency’s website, Olawusi is now listed among the 15 ‘most wanted’ fugitives in the country. Freeman revealed that Olawusi, who previously resided in Rhode Island, was initially arraigned on two counts: first-degree murder…

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BRICS adds Nigeria, 12 new nations as partner countries

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BRICS adds Nigeria

BRICS, an acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, and China, has officially expanded its alliance, adding 13 new nations as partner countries, though not as full members. The announcement was made during the BRICS summit, which was held in Kazan, Russia, from October 22 to 24, 2024. The 2024 summit, themed: “Strengthening Multilateralism for Fair Global Development and Security”, marked the sixteenth annual gathering of the bloc, with a focus on enhancing economic integration with key emerging nations. A post on X (former Twitter) from the bloc on Thursday read, “BRICS…

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FG, Russian firm sign deal to revive Ajaokuta Steel Plant

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FG, Russian firm

The Federal Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the builders of the Ajaokuta steel plant, Messrs Tyazhpromexport, for the rehabilitation, completion and operation of the plant, and the National Iron Ore Mining Company. The Minister of Steel Development, Shu’aibu Audu, signed the agreement on behalf of the FG in Moscow, Russia, a statement by the ministry’s spokesperson, Salamotu Jibaniya, stated yesterday. According to her, the MOU was signed when Audu led a Nigerian delegation to Moscow from September 14 to 21, 2024. The Ajaokuta Integrated Steel Complex,…

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President Tinubu meets King Charles III in London

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Tinubu meets King Charles

…To explore new strategies for climate financing In a significant diplomatic engagement, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu met with King Charles III at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday. The meeting, which marked their first direct encounter since the COP 28 Climate Summit in Dubai last year, underscored the strong and enduring relationship between Nigeria and the United Kingdom. According to President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the meeting was initiated at King Charles III’s request. “The two leaders focused on global and regional issues, particularly the pressing challenge…

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UK charges’s Glencore’s billionaire ex-Head of Oil over bribing NNPCL, FG officials

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GLENCORE GLENCORE INTERNATIONAL AG, ROHSTOFFHAENDLER, ROHSTOFFHANDEL,

A billionaire former head of oil at Glencore Plc, Alex Beard, has been charged with corruption by the UK’s top fraud agency, alongside four other ex-employees from the commodities trader. Beard, 56, who was one of Glencore’s top executives for more than a decade before his departure in 2019, is the highest profile individual to be charged in a sweeping series of investigations into corruption and market manipulation at the company – and one of the most senior commodity traders ever to be charged with wrongdoing. The UK’s Serious Fraud…

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