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AU Urges Partnership Toward Tackling Challenges in Africa

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The African Union (AU) Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOSCC) has underscored the need for stakeholders of government at all levels to work closely toward tackling challenges in the continent.In his address at the inaugural ceremony of the two-day stakeholders consultative meeting in Abuja, Dr Tunji Asaolu, First-Nigerian Representative of the Permanent General Assembly of the AU-ECOSOCC, said the call had become important to achieve set targets.

The meeting themed: “Enhancing Efficiency, Growth and Sustainability Toward Implementation of AU vision in Nigera”, was organised by AU-ECOSOCC in collaboration with Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).
Asaolu said: “The meeting will not have come at a better time than now, considering the insecurity and economic challenges, which has made standard of living difficult for our people.“Hence, requiring our intervention, I therefore urge you to deeply be conscious of the importance of the purpose which has brought us here together.“So, there is need for us to come together, to deal with challenges such as eradication of poverty, illiteracy, development, conflict and law of integration in the continent.“Specifically, the scourge which undermine the progress of our people and the continent,” he said.Mrs Agbo Victoria, the Director International Organisation Department of OSGF, said government would work closely with AU-ECOSOCC to improve the wellbeing of Nigerians.“The role of government in popularising the activities of the AU in Nigeria is key, so that they could provide advisory support, including interactions with other nations in the continent.“In this wise, government will continue to provide the required support within its resources and mandate of advisory bodies.“To ensure that we get the best out of our membership in the continental body,” Victoria said.Meanwhile, Mr Anamero Dekeri, the Managing Director of Gulf Treasures Limited and Danko Investment, stressed the need for deeper relations between the AU body and government.Dekeri, who was conferred with Award of Excellence for his contribution to development in the continent, expressed appreciation to both AU-ECOSOCC and OSGF.“I want to appreciate AU body for considering me for the award I do not think I really deserved.‘It is indeed an honour that I shall never take for granted,” he said.ECOSOCC is an advisory body of the AU and was set up to give civil society organisations a voice within institutions and the decision-making processes of the AU. (NAN)

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Russian Army Fires Ballistic Missiles at Kiev from Crimean Peninsula

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The Russian Army has hit the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, with ballistic missiles, injuring four people and damaging an uninhabited three-storey building, according to officials.

Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko said  that two of the injured  people were in a central neighbourhood and  had been taken to hospital.

Rocket debris also fell in two other neighbourhoods.

According to the Ukrainian air force, two ballistic missiles were fired at the city of millions, from the Russian-controlled Crimea Peninsula.

Both were shot down.

Half a dozen explosions from anti-aircraft missiles had previously been heard in the city centre.

The air raid warning was only triggered a few seconds beforehand, it said.

Ukraine has been facing  Russian invasion for over two years.

Since then, the Ukrainian air defence system has been massively reinforced with Western systems. (dpa/NAN)

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Cambodia Arrests 2 Foreigners for Smuggling 2.27 kg Narcotics

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Cambodian customs police at the Phnom Penh International Airport said they have arrested two South Korean nationals for an attempt to smuggle 2.27 kg narcotics to South Korea.

The duo, a man and woman, were caught Sunday night while they checked in for a ZA215 flight bound for Seoul.

The General Department of Customs and Excise of Cambodia said in a news release on Monday.

In their body searches, our customs officials found many packs of drugs wrapped around their waists, the news release said.

“As a result, some 1.29 kg of crystal methamphetamine and 0.98 kg of ketamine were seized from the two suspects’ possession.’’

The Southeast Asian country has no death sentence for a drug trafficker.

Under its law, someone found guilty of trafficking more than 80 grammes of illicit drugs could be jailed for life.

According to the country’s Anti-Drug Department (ADP), Cambodia nabbed 3,899 drug-related suspects, including 106 foreigners, in 1,659 cases from Jan. 1 to March 3, 2024.

According to the report they confiscated a total of 2.79 tonnes of narcotics.

Most of the seized drugs were ketamine, crystal methamphetamine, methamphetamine tablets, heroin, ecstasy, and cocaine. (Xinhua/NAN)

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February Ends with Extreme Heat – WMO

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The UN weather agency, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), says February saw more extreme heat and unusually high temperatures in both hemispheres.

Summarising the state of the climate, it said the month ended with extreme heat in the southern hemisphere where it is summer, while high temperatures atypical of the northern hemisphere winter prevailed.

Parts of North and South America, northwest and southeast Africa, southeast and far eastern Asia, western Australia and Europe all saw record-breaking temperatures, either on a daily basis or for all of February.

“The anomalous heat is consistent with the persisting warming observed since June 2023, with seven consecutive new global monthly temperature records, including January 2024,” Alvaro Silva, a climatologist working with the WMO, said in a statement.

Global sea surface temperatures were record high. While the El Niño weather pattern “has stoked temperatures in some parts of the world, human induced climate change is the long-term major contributing factor,” he added.

Conversely, a large part of northwestern Canada, central Asia – and from southern central Siberia to southeastern China – witnessed exceptional cold during the last week of the month.

The meteorological winter in the northern hemisphere and summer in the southern hemisphere finished officially at the end of February.

Meanwhile, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) raised increasing concern on Friday that more refugees would cross into Chad from Darfur in the coming weeks amid a worrying lack of food and other essentials.

Almost a year since the start of the civil war between rival militaries in Sudan, neighbouring Chad urgently needs more humanitarian aid and significant development investment, the agency reported, especially in its eastern areas which are hosting the refugee influx.

This investment will allow the country to continue its generous open-door stance towards refugees.

“Chadian officials are concerned that many more hungry Sudanese families will come in the next weeks,” said Kelly Clements, UNHCR’s Deputy High Commissioner, who is in the country to review the relief operation.

“The country is committed to keeping its borders open, despite the fragility of this region.

“But, doing so will put even more strain on Chad, which has so graciously been hosting refugees from Sudan’s war – now raging almost a year – and other refugees still here from earlier emergencies.” (NAN)

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