From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? ~ Mark 6:2b.

Introduction

As we think about the life of Jesus Christ, we stand all amazed in every way! For example, we can’t mistake the uniqueness of the circumstances surrounding His coming to earth — His conception and His birth. All the works He did, and is still doing, both for us and through us, are simply wrapped up in absolute wonders.

Indeed, Jesus Christ performed wonders without number! He defeated evil forces everywhere He went. He made the lame to walk, the blind to see, the deaf to hear, and the infirm to stand (Mark 1:21-27; 7:31-37; Luke 9:37-43). He fed multitudes of people with supernatural meals. He also walked upon the sea, raised the dead, cleansed lepers, etcetera.

He once called forth an incredible draught of fishes at the same location and time where great toils had produced none (Luke 5:9). Peter was a veteran fisherman, but he toiled all night and caught nothing until Jesus intervened. At His Word, Peter cast his net again, and he caught a boat-sinking and net-breaking multitude of fishes!

We are amazed at His life, His baptism and His supernatural operations. At only twelve years of age, He was already about His Father’s business, discussing very intelligently with the elders in the temple (Luke 2:49).

In His earthly ministry, Jesus Christ spoke with an unusual authority (Matthew 7:28; 13:54; Luke 4:32). He also dazed the whole world with His incredible wisdom and mighty acts, to the extent that His generation asked: “Is this not the Carpenter” (Mark 6:1-3). They missed it by a very wide margin. Jesus Christ is the One in whom “dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9-10).

Meanwhile, as incredible as this may sound, the truth is that the believers were recreated in Christ Jesus to live in the same realm of wonders as Jesus did. Everything Jesus did we're supposed to do, and in whatever way He manifested we're meant to manifest, “because as he is, so are we in this world” (1 John 4:17).

The day we became born-again, we were born into a family of wonders. No matter your stature, present position or social status, the moment you're born-again you become a walking wonder. And, irrespective of where you were born or live, you’re no longer a wanderer but a wonder on earth (Psalm 71:7).

The Bible uses the word “sons” in John 1:12, not “sons and daughters”, intentionally. No variant of religious discrimination or misogyny, such as was characterized under the Old Testament, is any longer tenable under this new dispensation of grace. Women are now co-inheritors of God's riches and divine nature.

The total truth is, as children of the Most High God, we’re spirit beings, not just lumps of flesh (Hebrews 12:9). God dwells in you (Colossians 1:27). You're a God-carrier, and therefore, the Headquarters of the Universe is inside you!

This is an incredibly dizzying truth indeed. No wonder Jesus Christ said the believers carry a staggering capacity for wonders, in the class of the works He did and even greater works (John 14:12-14).

How Jesus Did It & How We Too Can Live In Wonders Today!

We may ask, how did Jesus live, walk and operate so easily in the realm of wonders? He never failed; no, not once.

On one occasion, the tax collectors thought to embarrass Him by demanding tribute from Him. At His word, the mouth of a fish became a money dispenser! But how did Jesus operate in such a superlative status? He simply operated in the power of the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 11:1-3; Luke 4:14, 18-21; Acts 10:38)!

The essential question of destiny at this juncture is: how can we also live in the same supernatural realm as Jesus did? By simply following in the steps of Jesus, living and walking in the power of the Holy Spirit as He did in all our daily operations.

The early Church practically operated in the realm of wonders at the instance of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:1-7). The Apostles acted, and the people in their generation marveled because they operated the way Jesus did. Today, if we also dare to live our everyday lives in the realm of the Holy Spirit, operating in the realm of the supernatural will be a given.

Creating The Enabling Environment for Wonders

In order to walk in wonders, we must devote quality time to dwelling in God's presence. Jesus Christ often retreated into lonely places to be in the presence of the Father, to commune with Him as well as to renew His strength. The early disciples also spent quality time with Jesus Christ before their practical manifestations in the power of God (Acts 4:13).

Unfortunately Christianity has become so modernized by our modern-day errors to the detriment of the realm of wonders. Our generation is rather far too noisy, too gregarious and too toxic to attract the glory of God's presence for any appreciable length of time.

No one ever thinks great thoughts in a noisy atmosphere. Excessive joke-cracking, laughter, mirth, talkativeness and noisiness bring much pollution to the soul. Those who talk too much cannot think or do so much, neither can they enjoy the sweet presence of the Holy Spirit.

As such, no one that’s immoderately engrossed in the socio-political dimensions of social media — WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter etc — should hope to operate fully in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Most importantly, serious-minded Christians cannot afford to be given to impetuous cursing, bitterness, caustic and combative words for any reason and still expect to relish in the wonders of God’s presence.

I am most amazed at the moment when Jesus, after staggering under His load to the crest of Calvary, said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do”(Luke 23:34). This is a higher order of amazement! How could He forgive His tormenters at that moment? With all that pain? With blood dripping from every pore? Still He was thinking of others?

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus also gave something of a last requirement for walks of wonder. He said all must “love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).

This is one of the most difficult things to do; yet, Jesus Christ did it. Through it all, He would not condemn those who persecuted Him. We also must strive to emulate this, if we ever hope to live in the realm of wonders.

Furthermore, to enjoy the realm of the supernatural, you need a regular devotion and an aloneness with Jesus. Being with Jesus, giving quality time to dwell in His presence will always enable you to reflect His glory and majesty, and generate amazement amidst God’s people, even today (Zechariah 10:1).

We must be focused, diligent and determined under God to give supernatural living all it takes: holiness, prayers, fasting, and a diligent pursuit of God’s glory. When we do, Jesus Christ, the Wonder of All Ages will also tip us forward to our era of wonders. Never forget: He’s living in you! Beloved, you will fulfill destiny, in Jesus Name! Amen. Happy Sunday!

____________________

Bishop Taiwo Akinola,

Rhema Christian Church,

Otta, Ogun State, Nigeria.

Connect with Bishop Akinola via these channels:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/bishopakinola

SMS/WhatsApp: +234 802 318 4987

Bolaji Ogundimu had only recently been appointed as my secretary when she put in an application for a housing loan. I had put aside a lump sum of money that could be borrowed by my staff interest-free. This was operated as a round-robin. As some pay back every month, new loans could be disbursed.

However, Bolaji’s chances of getting a loan in the short term were slim because many others were in the queue before her.

But then two “good Samaritans” came to see me. They insisted that Bolaji should be given a loan right away.

What kind of favouritism is this, I wondered? “Bolaji has just applied,” I pointed out. “There are so many others who applied before her and are yet to receive. How could you, in good conscience, argue that she should leapfrog over those she met in the queue? Won’t people say she is being favoured because she happens to be my secretary?”

Bolaji’s “lawyers” were not easily dissuaded. “The problem,” they said, “is that Bolaji’s condition is a bit desperate. We have seen where she lives and feel something needs to be done for her very urgently.”

“How would you feel,” I asked them, “if you were one of those who applied before Bolaji? Would you be so understanding then?”

I put my foot down. “We must do things by the book. We must be fair and be seen to be fair. Bolaji will be given a loan when it is her turn. In the meantime, there is nothing I can do.”

Guilty as charged

I was on a trip to New York when the Lord revisited the issue of Bolaji’s housing loan. Suddenly He asked me:

“Femi, do you love Me?”

“Of course, I love you,” I replied immediately.

But then the Lord continued: “Femi, you don’t love Me.”

I was nothing less than devastated.

“How could you say I don’t love you?” I protested.

“So how come you did not give My son a housing loan?” He continued.

Then I knew I was really in trouble. When the Lord reprimands you concerning someone and then refers to that person endearingly as “My son,” you know you are really in trouble. If the Lord calls Bolaji (who happens to be a woman) “My son,” what does that make me?

“But Bolaji is not qualified for the loan,” I insisted. “There are many other people in the queue before her.”

“What would qualify Bolaji for the housing loan?” the Lord wanted to know.

By this time, I was past argument. My face was simply covered in tears. The Lord pointed out that He had sent two people to me to impress on me the deplorable state of Bolaji’s housing condition. Nevertheless, I failed to respond out of adherence to my so-called principles of fairness.

Then came another bombshell. “You have to make up your mind whether you are going to follow your principles or follow Me.”

I cried non-stop for the next two days. It was deliberately on a weekend, and I could not reach Bolaji until Monday, as she did not have her phone. On Monday morning, I phoned her in my office to apologise to her. I asked her to forgive me for being insensitive to her housing situation.

I told her to take the money for her rent from my office safe, which she operated. “It is not a loan,” I said. “It is a gift from me.” That way, the procedure of the housing loan scheme was not violated. Nobody could accuse me of discrimination. But the love of God had found a way to deal with Bolaji’s urgent housing problem.

The set-up

I thought I was in the clear until the day I was leaving New York to come back to Lagos. First, I wasted some time by haggling with the taxi driver over the fare from Canarsie to John F. Kennedy Airport. It is normally 20 dollars, but he insisted it was 25. Then the queue at the Swiss Air check-in section was slower than usual.

When I finally got to the counter, there was a malfunction with the computer. The lady attendant sought the assistance of a supervisor, who came to fix the problem. I waited, while they discussed, analysed, and fiddled with whatever was on the screen. This went on for about twenty minutes when suddenly another gentleman came to announce that the counter was closed.

Closed? I could not believe my ears. “How could the counter be closed?” I protested. “I have been waiting here for the last twenty minutes while your colleagues have been trying to fix a fault on this terminal.”

I heard the man’s response correctly. I was supposed to hear him. He said to me: “According to the principles of Swiss Air, this terminal closes at six o’clock. Once it is six o’clock, no more passengers are taken on board the plane.”

The man was not one to argue. After he dropped this bombshell, he simply walked away.

I was in a panic. My situation had become rather desperate. I had only $100 left on me. I could not afford to stay any longer in New York. I just had to get on that plane.

And then I heard that still small voice of the Holy Spirit. “So, Femi,” He asked, “how do you intend to get on the plane? They have principles too at Swiss Air.”

Reversal of fortunes

I had been set up by none other than the Holy Spirit. The Lord had brought about a reversal of fortunes. With the housing loan scheme, I was the one who had the prerogative of mercy (or so I thought). With my flight back to Lagos, I was the one in need of mercy. It was time to plea-bargain.

I told the Lord: “I thought you’ve forgiven me concerning Bolaji.” I pointed out that I had not waited until I got back to Lagos to make restitution for my heartlessness. I phoned Bolaji from New York and gave her the money.

“Please, Lord Jesus,” I prayed. “Only Your love can get me on this plane. Please get me on this plane for Your name’s sake.”

Just then a gentleman came and tapped me on the shoulder. He was wearing a Swiss Air uniform. “What seems to be the problem?” he asked. I gave him chapter and verse of everything, including the computer malfunction. “Don’t worry,” he said. “Come with me. But you are going to have to bring your luggage.”

I promptly put my luggage back on the trolley and followed this good Samaritan. This instrument of God’s salvation took me to the Swiss Air boarding gate, got me a boarding pass and put my luggage on the plane.

“Where are you from?” he asked me. I told him I was from Nigeria. He smiled and pointed out that he was from Kenya. I would not have guessed it because he was white. Then he said to me:

“The only thing I don’t like about Nigerians is that you always beat us in football.”

He then shook hands with me and went away.

In both your business or personal lives, there will be times when you need to persuade people to do what you want, or to see your side of things. 

But it’s easy to go about it the wrong way, and instead of winning people over, you may wind up alienating them.

As language psychology experts, we’ve found ways to be more convincing to other people without being manipulative or irritating. It’s just a matter of saying the right words in the right way at the right time.

1. Use “you” more than “I.” 

This is the simplest and most effective strategy. Studies show that people react well to the word “you.”

When you address someone using “you,” you’re personalizing your message. You make it clear that you’re talking directly to them and considering their individual needs, thoughts and interests. 

When you let the listener know you care about them, they’ll be more open to listening and agreeing with your persuasion efforts.

2. Use “you” when speaking to large groups.

It’s tempting to be more formal when you’re addressing a group, like giving a speech or writing an email to a list of recipients.

But research has shown that loosening up and using “you” in group settings works to your advantage because it comes across as more casual.

It’s called the “generic you,” and its results are definitely not generic! It makes what you’re saying seem more personal and relatable, which will help you win people over.

3. Include yourself in the picture with “we” and “us.”

“We,” “us” and “our” are inclusive words that show you consider yourself as part of the team. This creates a sense of unity and mutual collaboration. 

When you position yourself as a partner to your listeners or readers, they’ll be more receptive to what you’re talking about, since you’re working with them, not preaching to them or ordering them to do something.

4. Refer to the person you’re talking to by name.

People like hearing their own names. It makes them feel like you really see them, and that they’re important to you.

Just don’t overdo it! If you keep using the person’s name over and over again, you wind up sounding insincere and will erase those goodwill feelings you had initially evoked.

5. Repeat yourself, but not in the same way.

Repeating the main thrust of your argument and certain key phrases can make what you’re saying more memorable and create a feeling of persuasive familiarity.

You don’t want to sound like a broken record, but you do want to reiterate the idea or concept you are pitching two or three times, in subtly different ways. The last part is key. 

6. Don’t reel off statistics or abstract concepts. Make it personal.

Studies have found that people are more inclined to understand, remember and accept “sticky ideas.”

So when you’re trying to persuade someone to go along with your suggestion, don’t just state it flat out. Use someone specific as an example, even yourself, to explain why it works. Stories about people are more compelling than dry facts and figures. 

7. User “power words” with intention.

Power words evoke a strong emotion in listeners and readers, sometimes without them even knowing it. 

Of course, the specific words you’ll use depends upon what you’re trying to persuade someone to do, but some examples include: “proven,” “easy” and “new.” 

It’s a common practice to use them in sales and advertising, but they work in personal or business situations, too.

8. Ask rhetorical questions.

Rhetorical questions — queries that don’t need an answer but can have one — get people thinking.

The result is people are usually more interested in what you’re talking about because you’ve engaged their imagination. And they’re subtly guided to the conclusion you want them to come up with, without having to hammer it home.

9. Explain your request or idea with a “because” clause.

After you’ve mentioned your main point, follow up with an explanation of why you’re bringing it up: “I need you to do this because…” or, “This new concept will work for us because…”  

It’s human nature to react well to rational explanations. So when people hear “because,” they think you’re being reasonable and you’re sharing legitimate justification for your request. This makes them more inclined to go along with it. 

Even if your “because” explanation isn’t that great, people will likely still be open to your proposition, because it sounds legitimate.

In that same vein, words and phrases that indicate “cause and effect reasoning,” such as “accordingly,” “consequently,” “due to,” “for this reason,” “since” and “therefore” can also help you craft a more persuasive and effective argument. 

Kathy and Ross Petras are the brother-and-sister co-authors of “Awkword Moments: A Lively Guide to the 100 Terms Smart People Should Know,” “You’re Saying It Wrong” and “That Doesn’t Mean What You Think It Means.” They co-host the award-winning NPR podcast ”You’re Saying It Wrong,” and have been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post and Harvard Business Review. Follow them on Twitter @kandrpetras.

CNBC

The World Bank has approved a fresh $700m loan for Nigeria to enhance adolescent girls’ learning and empowerment.

It disclosed this in a statement published on its website on Friday.

The new loan is to provide additional funds for an ongoing project known as the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment.

The statement read, “The World Bank approved additional financing of $700m for Nigeria to scale up the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment programme whose goal is to improve secondary education opportunities among girls in targeted states.

“The additional financing will scale up project activities from the current seven states to eleven additional states and increase the targeted beneficiaries to include out-of-school girls, those who are married, and those who have disabilities.”

It was noted that Nigeria had over 12 million to 15 million out of school children in the school- age group, with many of them in Northern Nigeria.

It was also noted that an estimated one million children were affected by increased insecurity around schools in 2020-2021.

The statement added, “In the seven AGILE programme implementing states – Borno, Ekiti, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, and Plateau – the number of girls in secondary schools has increased from about 900,000 to over 1.6 million.

“Under the programme, over 5,000 classrooms have been renovated and over 250,000 eligible girls have received scholarships.

“The AGILE programme has supported construction and rehabilitation of WASH facilities in secondary schools and the installation of computers and solar panels which make attending school more convenient and conducive for both girls and boys. Life skills, systems strengthening, and advocacy are other key aspects of the program which address social norms impeding girls’ education.”

The World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Shubham Chaudhuri, stated that, “Closing the gender gaps in economic empowerment by ensuring girls have access to education and skills is key for Nigeria’s development and economic prosperity.

“Nigeria’s working population will soon be one of the youngest and largest around the world, which means that investing in adolescent girls is imperative when addressing overall economic prospects and growth.”

The statement noted that aside from the girls that would benefit from the financing, others included over 15 million students and beneficiaries, such as teachers, administrators, families, communities, and staff in existing and newly constructed schools.

It added that the new fund would push the project to 18 states and help Nigeria to achieve better education and health outcomes for girls.

This is the third loan facility approved under the administration of Bola Tinubu.

The first was approved on June 9, 2023, with a loan of $750m to boost Nigeria’s power sector.

The second was a loan of $500m to help Nigeria drive women’s empowerment, and was approved on June 22, 2023.

Punch

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said Olayemi Cardoso has assumed office as the acting governor of the apex bank, as he awaits the approval of the senate.

In a statement on Friday, Isa AbdulMumin, director, corporate communications at CBN, said Cardoso took the relevant oaths of office at a brief ceremony held at the bank’s headquarters in Abuja.

Also, the deputy governors nominated by President Bola Tinubu were sworn in and assumed their duties pertaining to the monetary and financial sector policies of the federal government.

The development followed the resignation and suspension of Godwin Emefiele, former CBN governor, and Fola Shonubi, who was appointed temporarily to the position.

The deputies working alongside Shonubi — Aisha Ahmad, Edward Lametek Adamu, and Kingsley Obiora — also resigned.

Commenting briefly on Cardoso’s profile, CBN said: “An Economic and Development Policy Advisor, Financial Sector Leader, former Chairman Citi Nigeria and Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget in Lagos, Cardoso brings over three decades of managerial experience on board.”

Cardoso, according to the bank, is an alumnus of Aston University, Birmingham, United Kingdom, “where he studied managerial and administrative studies”.

“He also holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School, United States of America,” the CBN added.

Cardoso was nominated as CBN’s governor on September 15, 2023.

He was expected to head the apex bank’s monetary policy committee meeting on September 25 and 26, but the CBN postponed the meeting without giving a reason.

The new date has not been communicated.

The Cable

Amina Augie, a supreme court justice, has retired from the bench having reached the mandatory retirement age of 70.

Augie’s retirement further depletes the number of justices at the apex court to 11.

In July, the number of justices at the supreme court was reduced to 12 after the death of Chima Centus Nweze, a member of the bench, as against the maximum requirement of 21.

Speaking at a valedictory session held in her honour on Thursday, Augie decried the workload that the apex court justices have to deal with.

She added that a constitutional amendment is needed to limit the cases that come up to the court.

“One remarkable day, we found ourselves entertaining an appeal in an unusual criminal case,” she said.

“Surprisingly, it was not the accused or convict, who had filed the appeal. It was the state. The case involved an incident of arson where 12 goats were set ablaze. 

“As we grappled with the load of pending judgments and the stack of files awaiting review for our upcoming conference- a sacred ritual in this court- I could not help but voice my astonishment.

“Something must change. This court is the apex court, and its final decisions shape society’s social order. Justices should be able to focus on what truly matters.

“They could issue directives for formulating specific policies or amend existing ones to better serve their intended purposes. 

“But how can they do that when they are drowning in an overwhelming caseload?

“This marks the final instance where my voice will be heard in any court and I wish to use this opportunity to directly address the 10th National Assembly, through distinguished Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who was once my student at the Law School. 

“I had the privilege of teaching him evidence and I trust that he learned well. 

“Hence, it should be evident to him that swift action is needed from the 10th national assembly to accomplish what others could not – amending the Constitution to enhance the functioning of our courts in Nigeria.”

In his speech, Lateef Fagbemi, attorney-general of the federation (AGF) and minister of justice, said the federal government is committed to improving the welfare and condition of service of judicial officers in the country.

“President Bola Tinubu-led government shall guarantee excellent conditions of service and remunerations good enough to appreciate the onerous duties of judicial officers at all levels,” Fagbemi said.

Earlier in his speech, Olukayode Ariwoola, chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), described Augie as “a rare gem and unblemished symbol of humility and piety”.

“Her judgments are not only incisive but equally analytical and rich in content and context,” the CJN said.

“Her robust contributions to the development of our jurisprudence are fascinating and captivating, too.

“Her impeccable attention to detail in every matter that came before her is alluring and salutary as well.”

The Cable

Gunmen broke down doors, shattered windows and abducted 24 female students from hostels of a university in northwestern Zamfara state in the early hours of Friday, witnesses said, in the latest kidnapping to hit the state.

As they marched their victims away, the armed men also took a security guard and 10 construction workers who were sleeping in a makeshift shelter on the premises of Federal University Gusau, local officials said.

"The armed bandits arrived on motorcycles and started shooting sporadically, that's when I woke up. They went to the girls' hostels near the campus, breaking windows and doors and shouting for the students to come out," said student Hussaini Abubakar, who lives in a nearby hostel.

The students were marched through bush paths at the back of the university campus, which is not fenced, said Abubakar.

Armed gangs have plagued the northwest in recent years, kidnapping for ransom, looting and destroying communities and murdering civilians. Security forces' attempts to halt their rampage have met with little success.

Zamfara is one of the hot spot states for kidnapping.

The state governor's spokesperson said 35 people from the university were taken in the first major abduction involving students this year.

Another student, who identified himself as Sodiq Moshood, said he was woken by the sound of gunfire.

"I was very scared and the gunshots lasted several minutes. It was around 3 a.m. (0200 GMT) and there was commotion outside," Sodiq said.

The university is 20 km (outside Zamfara state capital.

Six students had been rescued by security forces, the university spokesperson said.

A long-running Islamist insurgency festers in the northeast, kidnappings for ransom remain rampant in the northwest, gang and separatist violence in the southeast continues to claim lives and dozens have been killed during farmer and herder clashes in the central belt.

Reuters

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Poland says it will no longer supply Ukraine with weapons

The Polish government said on Thursday it will only carry out previously agreed weapons deliveries to Ukraine but has not ruled out deliveries in the future.

The latest comments come on the heels of an announcement by Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, who said on Wednesday that Poland would no longer send weapons to Kyiv and instead focus on its own defense.

Warsaw has also summoned Kyiv's ambassador amid a growing row over grain exports.

What did the Polish prime minister say?

"We are no longer transferring weapons to Ukraine, because we are now arming Poland with more modern weapons," Morawiecki said.

"Ukraine is defending itself against Russia's brutal attack, and I understand this situation, but we will defend our country," he said.

His comments were made in response to a question from a reporter on whether Warsaw would continue to support Kyiv despite the disagreement over food exports.

Poland to carry out previously agreed deliveries

Poland's state assets minister Jacek Sasin confirmed the halt, but said future deliveries were not out of the question.

"At the moment it is as the prime minister said — in the future, we will see," Sasin told Polish media.

Government spokesperson Piotr Muller said on Thursday that Poland will only carry out previously agreed supplies of arms and ammunition.

He emphasized Poland's role early on in Russia's invasion, and said an international aid hub will continue to operate out of Poland.

"In the first months of the war, when other EU countries discussed support, Poland consistently helped during Russia's invasion," Muller told the Polish press agency.

Polish officials push back against criticism

Polish officials defended the move, saying that Warsaw "already sent Ukraine what it had in stocks" and that Poland was faster than other countries to send aid to Kyiv.

"I understand that there is an ongoing, heated debate but we need to see a bigger picture regarding Polish central role in helping Ukraine resist the Russian invasion," a Polish official told DW in Brussels, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The United States has also sought to allay concerns that the move could lead to splintering among Ukraine's allies.

"At the end of the day we're all human and there are moments of tension and there can be frustration on all sides," a senior US government official told DW.

"That doesn't mean that there's going to be some dramatic shift in alliance unity or even Poland's fundamental position and determination to support Ukraine for as long as it takes," they added.

Poland summons Ukrainian ambassador

Earlier Wednesday, Poland said it summoned Kyiv's ambassador over remarks by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the United Nations General Assembly.

Speaking about grain exports, Zelenskyy said some nations feigned solidarity with Ukraine. Warsaw denounced his comments as "unjustified concerning Poland, which has supported Ukraine since the first days of the war."

Poland has played a key role in arming Ukraine through its unilateral supply of military equipment such as MiG-29s and Leopard tanks and by allowing foreign allies to store and transport arms over the Polish border into Ukraine.

It was the first NATO member to pledge fighter jets to Ukraine in March this year and started to make deliveries in early April. Poland is also host to some one million Ukrainian refugees.

Tensions between Warsaw and Kyiv have intensified in recent days over Poland's ban on Ukrainian grain imports to protect the interests of its farmers.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has shut down Black Sea shipping lanes that were used before the war. Russia agreed to a deal that allowed maritime exports from Ukraine but withdrew in July.

This has resulted in the EU becoming a vital transit route and export destination for Ukrainian grain.

The EU agreed to restrict imports to Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia in May, with the aim of protecting farmers in those countries who complained the imports had caused a slump in prices on local markets.

The measures had meant that the products could keep transiting through the five countries but were not sold on their own markets.

However, the European Commission last week said it was ending the import ban, claiming that "the market distortions in the five member states bordering Ukraine have disappeared."

Poland, Hungary and Slovakia immediately said they would not comply, while Ukraine said it would file a complaint with the World Trade Organization.

** Ukraine attacks Russian Black Sea navy HQ in Crimea

At least one Ukrainian missile struck the headquarters of Russia's Black Sea navy in the Crimean port of Sevastopol on Friday, and a major cyberattack interrupted internet services on the peninsula, Russian-installed officials said.

Russia's defence ministry said one serviceman was missing after the attack, revising its earlier statement that the man had been killed. Air defences had downed a total of five missiles, the ministry said.

Ukraine's military confirmed it had attacked the Russian Black Sea fleet's headquarters, but gave few details.

"On September 22 close to 12:00 (0900 GMT) Ukraine's defence forces successfully struck the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea fleet command in the temporarily occupied Sevastopol," it said on the Telegram messaging app.

The Russian-installed governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhayev, reported that emergency services had brought a fire in the building under control.

"But an equally important stage of work is now actively under way - the pouring of water on sections of the building and dismantling damaged structures," he wrote on Telegram.

Razvozhayev said some nearby roads could remain closed during this work. He also said that Sevastopol residents gathered in the streets, singing the Russian national anthem.

"Today showed that nothing can break Sevastopol," he wrote. "And the most beautiful thing about this is that this event was spontaneous."

Razvozhayev had earlier said there were no civilian casualties or damage to civilian infrastructure in his account of the missile strike posted on Telegram.

Ukraine has intensified attacks in the Black Sea and Crimea, which was seized and annexed by Russia in 2014, as Ukrainian forces press on with a nearly four-month-old counteroffensive to regain Russian-occupied territory.

Ukrainian officials have described attacks on Russian military targets in Russian-held territory as legitimate.

Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraine's Security Council said there were two options for the future of the Russia's Black Sea fleet - voluntary or forced "self-neutralisation".

If it did not choose the voluntary option, it "will be sliced up like a salami," he said on X.

Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said Crimea "will definitely be demilitarized and liberated". Moscow says it will never give up the peninsula.

Russian-installed authorities said air defences downed another missile on Friday near the town of Bakhchysarai.

Separately, Oleg Kryuchkov, an aide to Crimea head Sergei Aksyonov, said internet service providers on the peninsula were under an "unprecedented cyberattack", leading to interruptions in service.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Тwo Leopard tanks destroyed in Ukraine – Russia

Russian forces have destroyed another two German-made Leopard tanks in the Kupyansk region, according to a report issued by Russia’s Defense Ministry on Friday.

It stated that Russia’s “Western” military group had opened fire on Ukrainian forces near the settlements of Artemovka in Russia’s Lugansk People’s Republic, as well as Sinkovka, Berestovoe and Ivanovka in Ukraine’s Kharkov Region.

The ministry claimed that Kiev’s forces had lost a total of 20 servicemen, two Leopard tanks, and three other vehicles in the attacks.

RT has obtained footage purporting to show the destruction of the German tanks. According to the commander of the brigade that destroyed the tanks and supplied the video, the vehicles were discovered at night and destroyed at 8am using Lancet UAVs.

The Defense Ministry also reported that Russia’s Southern Group of forces repelled four Ukrainian attacks near the settlements of Vodyanoye and Maryinka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The ministry’s latest report suggested that up to 200 Ukrainian servicemen had been killed and wounded in those attacks, and that two infantry fighting vehicles and three cars were also destroyed.

Meanwhile, Ukraine has reportedly been rejecting some Leopard deliveries from its Western partners. According to German news outlet Der Spiegel, Kiev refused to accept a batch of 10 Leopard 1A5 main battle tanks, arguing that they were in need of extensive repair and maintenance work requiring special parts and technical expertise that Kiev simply doesn’t have.

It follows confirmation from Denmark that it was using tanks from museum exhibits to train Ukrainian crews how to operate them.

In February, Berlin vowed to deliver more than 100 Leopard tanks to Kiev in a joint effort with the Netherlands and Denmark. However, according to a Die Welt report in early August, only 10% of the pledged tanks had so far been delivered. 

After Kiev rejected the delivery, the German side reportedly dispatched a team of specialists to Poland, where the tanks were supposed to enter Ukraine. 

After examination, the specialists allegedly concluded that the Leopards were “already quite worn out after the training of the Ukrainian soldiers in Germany and needed repairs.”

** West preparing to ‘dump’ Zelensky – Lukashenko

Washington has given the go-ahead to its partners to “dump” Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky as he has become a nuisance, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko claimed during a government meeting on Friday.

Lukashenko pointed to the ongoing grain dispute between Poland and Ukraine as an example of this new policy, noting that Warsaw had been one of Zelensky’s staunchest supporters but is now sharply critical of its partner.

This shift occurred after Poland, along with Hungary and Slovakia, unilaterally banned the import of Ukrainian grain despite the EU having chosen to lift its bloc-wide embargo. In turn, Kiev filed disputes against the three countries with the World Trade Organization.

“Do you think that Poland is putting pressure on poor Ukraine today for no reason? No, they have been given the go-ahead from overseas: We need to dump this Zelensky, we’re tired of him,” Lukashenko said.

He noted that the US has an upcoming presidential election and suggested that no one will care about Zelensky at that point.

At the same time, US President Joe Biden stressed on Friday that Washington would stick with Zelensky throughout the Russia-Ukraine conflict and announced that US-made Abrams tanks would start arriving in Ukraine next week.

Meanwhile, Zelensky, who is on his second wartime visit to Washington, insisted that Kiev’s continued fight against Russia relied on sustained US military assistance and reportedly said that if it doesn’t get the aid, it “will lose the war.”

So far, the Biden administration has spent $115 billion on military and financial aid to Kiev, recently asking for an additional $24 billion to be approved by the end of the month. However, a growing number of lawmakers, predominantly from the Republican Party, have started to oppose the financing of the Zelensky government with US taxpayers’ money.

Republican Senator Josh Hawley from Missouri stressed on Wednesday that the US should stop endlessly pouring money into Ukraine, especially since Kiev has “nothing to show for it.” The senator was apparently referring to Kiev’s much-touted summer counteroffensive, which has failed to yield any significant territorial gains.

Hawley insisted that the US should not spend “a dime more on Ukraine”and should instead conduct an audit of the billions that have already been provided. He also suggested that Germany and other European allies should “step up to the plate” to aid Kiev.

DW/Reuters/RT

Western deception has been with Africa forever:

1493: Pope Alexander VI issued a papal bull, “Inter Caetera,” proclaiming the right of Spain and Portugal to enslave Africans and own the land. They were subjects. They stole your people and your land.

1885: Africa was a Dark Continent. It required colonization to become civilized. Europe would bring change and civilize them. They stole your raw materials and truncated your self-development.

1940: When over a million Africans fought in Europe, North Africa and the Far East during the Second World War, the West convinced them they were dying for freedom and democracy. But where in Africa do they receive freedom and democracy? Indeed, Apartheid was inaugurated in 1948 in South Africa.

When will this deception come to an end? So, Gabon and Niger were democracies before the 2023 coups? You must be using the wrong dictionary to define democracy. Cameroon under the invalid Paul Biya is a democracy? You must be confusing the Mali Empire with the modern country of Cameroon. And the presidents who rule for as long as they want practising democracy?

You need a little education.

Recent developments in Africa’s political space, particularly the growing number of military takeovers, have informed fresh queries around the expressions of neo-colonialism in Africa and the commitment to liberal democracy as the ideal political model for the region. The point of reference for these queries is the ceremonial reactions from the acclaimed “champions of democracy” in the West, who waste no time issuing condemnations at every instance of “democratic failure” on the continent without any actual commitment to ensuring that power indeed lies with the people. Not only have these champions of African interests—the United States (US), Britain and France—touted democracy as the best system of political organization to achieve political stability and economic prosperity in Africa, but they have also prosecuted wars, allegedly in its defence, which cost millions of lives and destabilized entire regions. However, it is not enough to accuse our benevolent friends in the West of hypocrisy without providing compelling proof of double-dealing in delivering their duties as democratic crusaders. After all, in a democratic setting, all are innocent until proven guilty. 

As a philosophy of government, democracy has existed since the Greco-Roman times. However, its foray into Africa can be traced to the eve of independence when Britain and France introduced forms of local representation as concessions to indigenous demands for independence. Thus, from 1959, parliamentary elections and other democratic institutions started to become commonplace on the continent. But, as it would turn out, this democratic experiment, which formed part of the third (global) wave of democracy, was to be short-lived—derailed as it was by fluctuating Western interests on the continent. 

Guiding Western interest in Africa from the 1950s was the ideological war between the West (mainly the USA) and the Soviet Union. The “Cold War,” as it came to be known, was the first incident to unmask the real intentions of the West for post-colonial Africa. In their quest to emerge as the world’s sole superpower, the US and the Soviet Union, who actively strove to undermine each other’s influence by, among other things, advancing their political ideologies around the world, turned to Africa as another important frontier of conquest. While the Soviet Union armed African revolutionary movements against their Western colonial overlords and provided support to openly communist governments, Washington concluded that, to effectively check the spread of Soviet influence on the continent, it was more expedient to enthrone biddable leaders in African states than it was to woo them with any ideological arguments or economic incentives.

Anxious to ensure power was handed over to reliable politicians, Britain and France became eager participants in the US policy in Africa. Together, the US and its allies targeted venal local strongmen, preferably with military backgrounds and authoritarian tendencies, who, in collaboration with its intelligence agencies, ousted legitimate/democratic governments. Notable victims and beneficiaries of this plot included (in the former category) Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Patrice Lumumba of Congo DRC, Sylvio Olympio of Togo and (in the latter category) Idi Amin of Uganda, Mobutu Sese Seko of Congo DRC and Gnassingbé Eyadema of Togo, to mention a few. Consequently, thirty-three African countries that achieved independence between 1956-1970 became authoritarian immediately or not long after. 

Another demonstration of the complete disregard that the West has for democracy, peace/stability and human rights in Africa is its willingness to engulf the entire region in conflict so that it can achieve its “strategic interests.”  Once again, we begin from the Cold War era where, having recently come out of a highly destructive war in Europe (in 1945) and being cautious of engaging in another, the West and the Eastern Bloc turned Africa into the site of their proxy wars. In southern Africa, where the US considered both Angola and Mozambique as areas of “strategic interests,” Washington armed the 200,000 Portuguese conscripts, who went on to fight a protracted war against local nationalist revolutionaries, with imported weapons, which included defoliants and napalm. In Angola, the US, in cooperation with Apartheid South Africa, backed the National Union for Total Independence (UNITA) against the country’s (Soviet-backed) leading national liberation front, the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA). There were also similar cases in northern Africa where Sudan was funded and armed by the US against Egypt and Ethiopia, who had also pitched their tents with Moscow. These conflicts and the resultant proliferation of arms saw the loss of millions of African lives from war and famine and a general destabilization of the region. 

While the West cannot be said to have been directly involved in all the occasions of transition from democratic to authoritarian rule, in more than a few instances, the leaders of newly independent democratic/multi-party African states seized the opportunity of Western patronage to quickly switch to one-party/despotic rule. In other cases, it was the corruption, resource mismanagement, “tribalism,” patrimonialism, clientelism and imperialism perpetrated by a Western-backed ruling political class which formed the basis of military takeovers (coups). Nevertheless, in this atmosphere of quasi-democratic rule, full-fledged despotism, military rule and Apartheid—where national resources were siphoned by kleptocratic regimes and millions of Africans either became refugees or died as a result of civil wars, hunger, and human rights abuses—our western “friends” were content to look the other way if the government in place proved itself an ally of Washington.      

Perhaps the most glaring example of the West’s democratic hypocrisy in Africa was its age-long support for the highly racist and politically repressive Apartheid regime in South Africa. Like the French, who were able to cajole Washington into believing that they were fighting communist-backed insurgents in Algeria, the South African Apartheid regime, for forty years, posed as the last bastion against communists in Africa—an attitude that was able to secure a steady flow of western arms. This, alongside the West’s tacit approval, allowed for one of Africa’s most despicable shows of human debasement, carried out in the name of imperialism and racial superiority. After all, as President Ronald Regan remarked in 1981, South Africa was “essential to the free world in its production of minerals we all must have.”  

The end of the Cold War changed Western attitudes towards Africa. Without the Soviet threat, the West leaned more towards development diplomacy and foreign aid regimes as the main thrust of its foreign policy in Africa. Foreign aid to Africa, however, turned out to be a Trojan horse. Already saddled with the task of building vibrant economies whilst also harmonizing the aspirations of the different ethnic nationalities which characterized them, African countries, especially in Francophone Africa, also had to grapple with the undermining economic and political agreements they had been coerced into signing with their erstwhile colonial overlord as a condition for independence and continued patronage. To make matters worse, some African countries were, at the end of the Cold War, either fighting or had just come out of civil war. This, combined with the widespread corruption and mismanagement of national resources which characterized Africa’s tyrannical governments, put many African countries at the mercy of international monetary agencies (the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank) and their financiers whose aid they were now heavily dependent on. 

At first, these Bretton Woods institutions were content to grant loans/aid, at debilitating interest rates no less, to authoritarian leaders who used them to perpetuate themselves in power and, in return, provided the former with mineral and other economic concessions. However, without the Cold War pressures, more emphasis was placed on the liberalization and capitalist/free-market aspects of US foreign policy to guarantee return on investments. Soon enough, Structural Adjustments Programmes (SAPs) were introduced as a precondition for further loans/aid. Said adjustments, which demanded limited government intervention in the public sector, i.e., removing government subsidies in energy (fuel/gas), education and health care, brought untold hardships to already suffering populations. And as research has shown, poverty and non-tax revenue make for the ideal democratic environment. In other words, “when the government is not beholden to citizens for its funding, there is less accountability and less reason to democratize” (Tilly 1990). Instead, leaders simply use the “free” funding from natural resources (oil) and foreign loans/aid to buy enough support to remain in power. 

Judging from the various expressions of Western interests in Africa over decades, it goes without saying that the West simply pays lip service to ideologies when convenient. Although many Africans might not object to the cynical pragmatism that has always guided Western foreign policy in Africa, I dare say they will not stand for the continued lies and hypocrisy that have characterized Western reactions to African developments. Even if the above-described instances of Western hypocrisy in Africa were to be argued to be in the past, it is a living past for Africa.  

Africa, today, still has authoritarian governments in place whose political repression and human rights abuses go on unchecked by our democracy and rule of law-loving friends in the West. After being siphoned by kleptocratic governments, our commonwealth still finds its way to Western banks, where it sits and improves the local economy. Western interests continue to impoverish Africans and destabilize their regions. So, Africans are today saying to the West, its diplomats, presidents, and the other agents of its propaganda: “Your gambit in Africa is up. Our people are awakened!”   

The West has sold you a fake product called democracy. Africans, your vote is not a sign of democracy. It is no more than a deception. There is no democracy without accountability. You are just voting thieves to power. There is no democracy without transparency. You are just using your votes in support of crooks and thugs. There is no democracy without good governance. Your vote is facilitating theft. Maybe you are waiting for your turn to steal. There is no democracy without development. Your vote is moving you back to the Stone Age. Even early humans knew when to replace stones with iron during the Stone Age. Africa, you don’t have a democracy. Anyone you have not appointed cannot disappoint you! Citizens are being deceived, and they are deceiving themselves. Organize yourselves at various levels and think of alternatives to democracy or, at the minimum, how accountability and transparency will form the core of your democratic practices. Your lifetime president is not a Democrat. He is an authoritarian kleptocrat far worse than the combination of Doris Payne, Stephane Breitwieser, Simon Leviev, Veerappan, Derek Smalls, Vincenzo Peruggia, Bonnie and Clyde, Natwarlal, Carl Gugasian, Frank Abagnale, Anna Sorokin, Albert Spaggiari, Jesse James, Anthony Strangis, and Bill Mason. Do you know these names?

The differences between European and American cultures is always an interesting — and sometimes controversial — topic to discuss. As an American, I personally find it very interesting to learn of these differences. So of course when I found this thread on Reddit where u/a_m42_ asked: "Americans, what is something that Europeans have/do that makes no sense to you?" I had to do a deep dive and read all the responses. Here are some that really stood out to me.

1. "I'm Canadian, but it always baffled me that some Europeans consider a half hour's worth of driving a long time. That wouldn't even get me out of the area I'd consider local."

—u/TwoFingersWhiskey

2. "In Germany, apartments supposedly don't normally come with a kitchen. It's purchased and installed by the tennant. Sometimes you luck out but not usually."

—u/Widegina

3. "Paying to use the bathroom in public spaces."

—u/Neat_Serve730

4. "No AC? Sure, fine. But then no screens on your windows so all the bugs get in? Not sure if this is all of Europe, but definitely the UK."

—u/Curiosity13

5. "I've always been curious how carbonated water became the default in many places."

—u/thedevilsgame

6. "The smoking. I stayed with a host family in France and my 16-year-old host’s sister smoked like a chimney, as did all her friends. Like you're so young. Why?"

—u/101bees

7. "Charging for water at a restaurant is something that I would have expected Americans to do and Europeans be the ones making fun of it."

—u/Optimistic_Futures

8. "The cute-sounding police sirens in Europe. In America, the police sirens seem like an urgent, semi-deranged warning to GTF out of the way, like 'SHIT'S GOING DOWN AND I'M NOT THERE!! MOOOOOOOOVE!!!!!!!!' Meanwhile, every European police siren I've heard just kind of politely annoys you out of the way. Like 'bee doooo bee doooo, pardon me but a spot of bother has occurred and I must hasten to it, pardon me as I simply must attend to it, pardon me.'

"And the police cars themselves are so small. American police cars are big and brawny like they might need to make their own garage door into a building."

—u/Alpha-Sierra-Charlie

9. "It still seems marvelous to me that in France (other places I'm sure, but I learned this in French class) it is common to buy groceries every day. You may wake up and go to the bakery for fresh baked bread, or stop by for fresh produce on the way home to make dinner. Yes, having walkable grocery stores nearby makes it easier, it seems so much easier to buy three to four days or a week's worth of groceries at a time."

—u/dishonourableaccount

10. "Why do you guys like to put bathroom light switches outside the bathroom?"

—u/XXMAVR1KXX

11. "I saw this mostly in the UK — why do they have two separate faucets for hot and cold water? Washing my hands was the worst."

—u/Athlete_Aromatic

12. "Solid month of vacation in the summer."

—u/winkt42

13. "Swedish here, living in Norway at the moment, and lived in DC for a while as well. The first time in the States, I was baffled by how many people could just strike up a conversation or just compliment your outfit, hair, or makeup. I absolutely loved it since I’m quite an extrovert and love talking to people. If you do that here (both Sweden and Norway) you’ll probably get a massive side eye and no response. But, as you said, once people feel comfortable with you in their inner circle, you’ll feel like family."

—u/ellielovisa

14. "I went to Scotland recently and was baffled by the weird half-shower doors that swung outward. Water got everywhere even if it was 'closed.'"

—u/Chelseedy

15. "Dinner takes six hours."

—u/turkeylamb

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