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Our Ancestors Traced to Nigeria – Saint Lucian Senate President

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President of the Saint Lucian Senate, Alvina Reynolds, has highlighted the strong ancestral connections between Nigeria and Saint Lucia.‎Reynolds cited data from a British census conducted on the island in 1815, revealing that many Saint Lucians trace their origins to Nigeria.

‎She made this known while welcoming President Bola Tinubu to a joint session of Saint Lucia’s bicameral parliament on Monday.
A statement on the joint session issued by the Presidential Spokesperson, Mr Bayo Onanuga was made available to newsmen on Monday in Abuja.
‎“Of the 16,282 enslaved people in Saint Lucia that year, 3,488 were born in Africa.”‎”Of these, 34 per cent were from Nigeria, 11 per cent from Nigeria-Cameroon, and 22 per cent from the Congo.
”‎”The remaining 12,794 were born in Saint Lucia, with most of their forefathers coming from Sene-Gambia and Nigeria,” she said.‎She described President Tinubu’s visit as historic for both the Parliament and the people of Saint Lucia.‎According to Reynolds, the transatlantic slave trade, spanning over 350 years, forged enduring cultural ties between Africa and the Caribbean.Reynolds called the visit, “a mission to reunite us with our homeland and for our people to work together.”‎The Senate President also paid tribute to Sir Darnley Alexander, a Saint Lucian who served as Nigeria’s Chief Justice from 1975 to 1979.‎“This mission, Your Excellency, continues with Catholic priests from Nigeria who have answered the call and come to Saint Lucia to serve, one of whom is our special guest this morning—Father Festus.”‎“Your address to this Parliament today could not have occurred at a more auspicious time, for today is World Parliament Day—an occasion to reflect on the essential role of Parliament and the service we provide as representatives to our people.”‎In response to Tinubu’s speech, Prime Minister Philip Pierre described the State Visit as a moment of “freedom and celebration.”‎Pierre acknowledged deep ancestral and emotional ties with West Africa, calling Saint Lucia “a small fragment of Africa.”‎“Our people have been separated, but nothing has ever been able to separate us spiritually and culturally from West Africa, where some of our ancestors came from and for whom our hearts continually yearn.”‎“We are African people who have made permanent homes for ourselves on this side of the Atlantic, on the hills and valleys of the plantations on which we were enslaved.‎”But, we have built these homes, Mr. President, not for ourselves, but in the service of all humanity, especially Africa, in whose direction we continually watch, wait, hope and pray for our future redemption,” he said.‎Pierre humorously noted that, Saint Lucia’s population is smaller than Eti-Osa Local Government in Lagos.‎‎Nonetheless, the Prime Minister affirmed the island’s pride as a sovereign nation “deeply connected to the world, Nigeria, and West Africa.”‎He also acknowledged the Nigerian community’s contributions in healthcare, religion, cuisine, tourism, and social development.‎“We warmly welcome every Nigerian hand of support and embrace with gratitude their contributions to Saint Lucia’s cultural, social, and economic development.”‎”We are the richer for it,” he said.‎Reflecting on Africa-Caribbean relations, Pierre welcomed progress since the first Africa-CARICOM Summit in 2021 and anticipated the next summit in Addis Ababa.‎He listed potential cooperation areas, including tourism, air travel, creative industries, fintech, sports, renewable energy, and medical services.‎Pierre noted that while Saint Lucia receives over one million tourists annually, few come from Nigeria due to limited air connectivity.‎‎He proposed partnerships in sports, especially football and cricket, and urged Nigerian fintech and healthcare professionals to explore Saint Lucia’s expanding sectors.‎The joint session was attended by diplomats, dignitaries, and top leaders from across the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). (NAN)

Foreign News

Australian Researchers Launch Open-source, Affordable DNA Measurement Device

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Australian researchers have created an affordable, open-source device to measure DNA levels using parts made with a standard 3D printer.

The Do-It-Yourself Nucleic Acid Fluorometer (DIYNAFLUOR) offers an affordable alternative to expensive commercial DNA fluorometers, often out of reach for many researchers.

This is according to a statement released on Wednesday by Australia’s University of Queensland (UQ), which led the research.

Fluorometers, vital for DNA sequencing, which itself is essential for disease detection, therapeutic innovation, and species identification, can now be easily built at home.

Thanks to the simple, accessible device developed by UQ’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), the statement said.

The device can be built in under a day for around 60 Australian dollars (about 39 dollars) using off-the-shelf electronics and 3D-printed parts.

It’s with free instructions online and no need for advanced skills or specialised tools, said the designer of the device, Will Anderson, at the AIBN.

Once built, the device quantifies DNA by using a light beam to produce a fluorescent response from the dyed DNA present in the sample.

It would then report the DNA concentration to a connected computer, Anderson said.

“This is crucial information that can tell you whether you can proceed with more expensive tests and sequencing,” he added.

Laboratory tests confirmed the device matches the accuracy and sensitivity of costly commercial models, offering an affordable, open-source solution for researchers in resource-limited, remote, or educational settings, said the study.

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Trump Imposes 25% Tariff on Indian Goods, Criticizes Ties with Russia

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U.S. President Donald Trump said he is imposing a 25 per cent tariff on goods from India starting on Friday.

Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump sharply criticises New Delhi for its military and energy ties with Russia.

He described India as a “friend” but accused the country of maintaining unfair trade practices that disadvantage U.

S.
businesses.

India has “strenuous and obnoxious” trade barriers that keep its markets closed to companies, he wrote, adding that its tariffs are “far too high.

Trump also took aim at India’s relationship with Russia, saying: “They have always bought a vast majority of their military equipment from Russia, and are Russia’s largest buyer of ENERGY, along with China.

In addition to the new tariff, Trump said India would face a financial “penalty” for its purchases from Russia, though he did not provide further details.

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Zelensky Announces New Draft Law on Anti-corruption Bodies after Protests

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he has approved the text of a draft law guaranteeing the freedom of two anti-corruption bodies in Ukraine – days after nationwide protests broke out over changes curbing their independence.

Kyiv’s Western partners had also expressed serious concerns over the legislation.

On Thursday, Zelensky seemed to backtrack, saying the new bill was intended to safeguard the independence of Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (Nabu) and Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (Sap), and to protect them from Russian influence.

He said the text of the bill was “balanced”, but did not provide any details.

The law passed earlier this week brought Nabu and Sap under the control of the prosecutor general, who is appointed by the president.

At the time Zelensky justified his decision to curtail the bodies’ powers by citing Russian influence. The day before, Ukraine’s security services had carried out searches and arrests targeting alleged Russian spies at the agency.

The passing of the legislation instantly sparked the largest protests since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 in several cities across Ukraine, with many worrying the law would severely undermine the Nabu and Sap’s authority and effectiveness.

Thousands of people gathered in streets and squares across Ukraine, holding placards calling for the legislation to be vetoed.

Several commentators accused Zelensky of democratic backsliding. Their concerns were further exacerbated when Ukraine’s Western partners signalled their displeasure with the bill.

Ukraine has official EU candidate status and a spokesman for European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen previously warned Kyiv that the rule of law and the fight against corruption were “core elements” of membership to the bloc.

On Thursday, the Commission said it “welcomed” the Ukrainian government’s decision to take action against the bill.

“We are working [with the Ukrainian government] to make sure that our concerns… are indeed taken into account,” the spokesman said.

Nabu and Sap were created in 2014-15 as one of the requirements set by the European Commission and International Monetary Fund to move towards a relaxation of visa restrictions between Ukraine and the EU.

Writing on Facebook, opposition MP Oleksiy Goncharenko noted Zelensky said that “the independence of anti-corruption institutions must be guaranteed.”

“First we take it away, and then we say that it must be guaranteed. So why was all this necessary?”

In his message on social media on Thursday, Zelensky did not acknowledge the protests or the backlash but said it was “important that we respect the position of all Ukrainians and are grateful to everyone who stands with Ukraine.”

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