Foreign News
Nigeria Seeks More Collaborations With China for Mutual Benefit
Nigeria’s ruling party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) has sought more collaboration with the Communist Party of China for the mutual benefit of both countries.
Mr John Akpanudoedehe, National Secretary, Caretaker Committee of the APC, said this on Monday, at a meeting between the two political parties in Abuja.
According to him, as a ruling party APC hopes to see great collaboration between Nigeria and the government of China in enterprise development.
“We are seeking for more collaborations in development projects that will bring a better future for our people, especially in our infrastructure.
“Electricity is one of the most important infrastructures all over the world and one of the needed ones in Nigeria.
“China has the technology for solar power, pharmaceutical development and it has industrial and electrical appliances which Nigeria has benefited from.
“We also believe that there should be some form of programme for technology transfer that will teach Nigeria how to maximise technology.
“There should also be exchange programmes between the universities of our different countries for mutual benefit,” Akpanudoedehe said.
In his remarks, Cui Jianchun, the Ambassador of the Peoples Republic of China to Nigeria, said the Communist part of China (CPC) was ready to collaborate with Nigeria’s All Progressive Party (APC) to deepen relations.
According to him, after the COVID-19, there are three sectors to deepen relations between the two country and parties; Salt exchange, Human Resources and Security.
“I do believe that we need strategies to drive the two relations forward. Salt exchange is very important because salt generates power.
“Nigeria has abundance of Human Resources so we can let the young people to take lead to develop the country.
“Nigeria, I have full confidence that, in the coming years, even if we have difficulties, we can still let the young people play a major role to build relations between the two countries.
“One of my requests is that I hope that, after COVID-19, the Nigeria side and the leadership of APC will send delegations to China specifically targeting poverty reduction,” he said.
According to him, as you know, this year, the Chinese President declared to the international community that we have accomplished the eradication of extreme poverty.
“So, we believe that, here, we have the capability.
“Nigeria I do believe that, by the year 2030, we can work together to realise your dream to eradicate extreme poverty.
“I also believe that Nigeria should and will be the agent of transforming the economy in the whole African continent and play a major role in the coming years in the international community,” he said.
According to him, China has a lot of policy programmes it will like to share with Nigeria.
“I will like to mention, we can build a secured society; the Chinese and its CPC leadership have achieved this.
“So, I believe that we can share the experience in the coming years; how we can build a secured society.
“So, these three sectors, I hope I get the support from CPC,” Cui said. (NAN)
Foreign News
Russian Army Fires Ballistic Missiles at Kiev from Crimean Peninsula
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)
Foreign News
Cambodia Arrests 2 Foreigners for Smuggling 2.27 kg Narcotics
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)
Foreign News
February Ends with Extreme Heat – WMO
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)