Gaza ceasefire talks paused with resumption planned next week

Gaza ceasefire talks in Doha paused on Friday with negotiators to meet again next week seeking an agreement to end fighting between Israel and Hamas and free remaining hostages, as U.S. President Joe Biden said "we're not there yet".

In a joint statement, the U.S., Qatar and Egypt said Washington had presented a new proposal that built on points of agreement over the past week, closing gaps in a way that could allow rapid implementation of a deal.

Mediators would keep working on the proposal, they said.

"The path is now set for that outcome, saving lives, bringing relief to the people of Gaza, and de-escalating regional tensions," they said in the statement.

On Thursday, Israel and mediators began the latest round in months of talks to end the war in Gaza, which has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians. Palestinian militant group Hamas was not directly involved but was kept briefed on the talks.

A senior Hamas official, Izzat al-Rishq, told Reuters Israel "did not abide by what was agreed upon" in earlier talks, citing what mediators had told them.

BIDEN SAYS DEAL 'MUCH, MUCH CLOSER'

In Washington, Biden said a deal was "much, much closer" than before the talks began.

A senior administration official said the latest negotiations were the most productive in months, and negotiators will reconvene next week in Cairo hoping to conclude it.

"It was consensus of all of the participants over the past 48 hours that there's really a new spirit here to drive it to a conclusion," the official told reporters on the condition of anonymity.

"The Israeli team that was here was empowered...We made a lot of progress in the number of issues that we've been working on," the official said.

Biden said in a statement he had directed his negotiating team to put forward the comprehensive bridging proposal presented on Friday, which he said offers the basis for a final agreement on a ceasefire and hostage release deal.

The U.S. president said he spoke with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who he said expressed strong support for the U.S. proposal.

Teams will remain on the ground to continue technical work and senior officials will convene in Cairo "before the end of the week," he said.

Biden added he is sending U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Israel to reaffirm U.S. commitment to Israel and "to underscore that with the comprehensive ceasefire and hostage release deal now in sight, no one in the region should take actions to undermine this process."

On Friday night, Biden told reporters he was optimistic about the ceasefire deal prospects but warned that it was "far from over." Asked when a ceasefire would start if a deal is reached, Biden said: "That remains to be seen."

Israel has insisted that peace will only be possible if Hamas is destroyed, while Hamas has said it will only accept a permanent ceasefire, not a temporary one.

Other difficulties have included deal sequencing, the number and identity of Palestinian prisoners to be released alongside Israeli hostages, control over the Gaza-Egypt border and free movement for Palestinians inside Gaza.

An Israeli official said its delegation in Doha was heading home and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was expected to meet Blinken on Monday.

On Friday, Israeli forces pounded targets across tiny, crowded Gaza and issued new orders for people to leave areas it had previously designated as civilian safe zones, saying Hamas had used them to fire mortars and rockets at Israel.

As hundreds of families fled with salvaged belongings, the United Nations called for a week-long pause in fighting for a polio-vaccination campaign with disease spreading among the displaced.

The Palestinian health ministry said in a statement it has detected the first confirmed case of polio in the Gaza strip.

The latest hostilities in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered on Oct. 7when Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

Israel's subsequent military campaign has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to Palestinian health authorities. It has also displaced nearly the entire population of 2.3 million, caused a hunger crisis and led to genocide allegations at the World Court that Israel denies.

Israel has said it eliminated 17,000 fighters from Hamas while also adding that the group uses civilians as human shields.

REGIONAL FEARS

The Israeli delegation included spy chief David Barnea, head of the domestic security service Ronen Bar and the military's hostages chief Nitzan Alon, defence officials said.

The White House sent CIA Director Bill Burns and U.S. Middle East envoy Brett McGurk. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Egypt's intelligence chief Abbas Kamel were also taking part.

Washington hopes a ceasefire agreement in Gaza can defuse the risk of a wider war. Iran has threatened to retaliate against Israel after the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31.

The U.S. has dispatched warships, submarines and warplanes to the region to defend Israel and deter potential attackers.

Asked on Friday if Iran would continue to hold off on retaliating against Israel now that the ceasefire talks had been extended, Iran’s mission to the U.N. in New York said “We hope so.”

The senior Biden administration official said Washington warned Tehran about conducting a major missile attack against Israel, "because the consequences could be quite cataclysmic, particularly for Iran."

Reuters

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Russian missiles wipe out US Patriots in Ukraine – MOD

Russian missiles have destroyed two batteries of US-made ‘Patriot’ air defense systems and a German IRIS-T in two regions of Ukraine, according to videos released by the defense ministry in Moscow on Friday.

The US and its allies have sent an unspecified number of air defense systems to Ukraine,  following Vladimir Zelensky’s pleas to help Kiev deal with Russian airstrikes.

The first Ministry of Defense (MOD) video showed reconnaissance drone footage of two Patriot launchers and a AN/MPQ-65 radar station, in a field near Lyubimovka in Dnepropetrovsk Region. The field is then struck by cluster munitions from an Iskander-M missile.

The radar station can be seen exploding. The MOD said that both launchers were “completely destroyed” as well.

The second video was reportedly shot near Zhelobok, also in Dnepropetrovsk Region. The Ukrainian position consists of three Patriot launchers and another AN/MPQ-65 radar. One of the launchers can be seen releasing two missiles before an Iskander strike peppers the field with cluster bombs. Two of the launchers and the radar were completely destroyed, the Russian MOD said.

The third video shows a German-made IRIS-T launcher and a TRLM-4D radar vehicle, operating near the town of Sennoe in Ukraine’s Sumy Region before another Iskander-M missile arrives on their position.

All three strikes were filmed by reconnaissance drones, who operated deep over Ukraine unmolested.

Developed by the US military contractor Raytheon, the ‘Patriot’ system has been advertised as one of the most effective air defenses in the West since the 1991 Gulf War, when it reportedly shot down Iraqi ballistic missiles. 

According to publicly released specifications, it can engage targets at a range of up to 160km and altitudes of up to 24km. A typical Patriot battery consists of several launchers, a radar vehicle and a “power plant” truck, and is serviced by up to 90 personnel.

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Kremlin accuses the West of helping Ukraine attack Russia

An influential aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that the West and the U.S.-led NATO alliance had helped to plan Ukraine's surprise attack on Russia's Kursk region, something Washington has denied.

The lightning incursion, the biggest into Russia by a foreign power since World War Two, began on Aug. 6 when thousands of Ukrainian troops crossed Russia's western border in a major embarrassment for Putin's military.

Ukraine said the incursion was needed to force Russia, which sent its forces into Ukraine in February 2022, to start "fair" peace talks.

But the United States and Western powers, eager to avoid direct military confrontation with Russia, said Ukraine had not given advance notice and that Washington was not involved, though weaponry provided by Britain and the U.S. is reported to have been used on Russian soil.

Influential veteran Kremlin hawk Nikolai Patrushev dismissed the Western assertions in an interview with the Izvestia newspaper.

"The operation in the Kursk region was also planned with the participation of NATO and Western special services," he was quoted as saying, without offering evidence.

"Without their participation and direct support, Kyiv would not have ventured into Russian territory."

The remarks implied that Ukraine's first acknowledged foray into sovereign Russian territory carried a high risk of escalation.

Putin chaired a meeting of Russia's Security Council, including Patrushev, and said the discussion would focus on "new technical solutions" being employed in what Russia calls its special military operation.

KREMLIN SAYS UKRAINE WILL PAY FOR US INVOLVEMENT

"Washington's efforts have created all the prerequisites for Ukraine to lose its sovereignty and lose part of its territories," Patrushev said.

Ukraine said on Thursday that it had installed a military commandant in the area it controlled, even as Russia intensified its offensives in Ukraine's east.

Russia's defence ministry for its part said it had repelled a series of Ukrainian attacks along the Kursk frontline.

Kursk regional governor Alexei Smirnov said Ukraine had destroyed a road bridge over the Seym river in the region's Glushkovsky district. State news agency TASS, citing Russian security officials, said that could hinder an ongoing evacuation of the frontier district's roughly 20,000 inhabitants.

While the Ukrainian attack has revealed weaknesses in Russian defences and changed the public narrative of the conflict, Russian officials said Ukraine's "terrorist invasion" would not change the course of the war.

Russia has been advancing for most of the year in the key eastern sector of the 1,000-km (620-mile) front and has vast numerical superiority. It controls 18% of Ukraine.

After more than 10 days of fighting, Ukraine holds at least 450 sq km (175 sq miles) of territory, or less than 0.003% of Russia. But for Putin, the incursion crosses another red line.

One Russian source told Reuters the incursion could embolden hardliners in Moscow who advocate a bigger war, but Putin's choice may not be easy.

He has sought to portray Europe's biggest war in seven decades both as a limited "special military operation" that need not upset daily Russian life and as a historic fight with a West that scorns Moscow's interests and seeks to dismember Russia.

The U.S., which has said it cannot allow Putin to win the Ukraine war, so far deems the surprise incursion a protective move that justifies the use of U.S. weaponry, officials in Washington said.

But they also expressed worries about complications as Ukrainian troops push further into enemy territory.

One U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that if Ukraine started taking Russian villages and other non-military targets using U.S. weapons and vehicles, it could be seen as stretching the limits Washington has imposed, precisely to avoid any perception of a direct NATO-Russia conflict.

Russia's defence ministry has published footage that it said showed a Russian drone destroying a U.S.-made Stryker armoured combat vehicle in the Kursk region.

RT/Reuters

Whenever you visit a new place, there are likely to be aspects of daily life there that feel totally new. And personally, I love discovering international habits or customs I wish I could adopt back home. So Redditor u/danielgmal asked, "What did you experience in another country that you wish you could make a part of your regular life?" Here's what people said.

1. "The cafe culture that is so common in France. I loved just sitting at an outdoor cafe and people watching while drinking my espresso with zero sense of rush."

—u/Shot-Still8131

2. "In Portugal, I encountered lots of miradors around cities like Lisbon and Maderia. They're little shaded courtyard areas with toilets and snacks in all the best views of the city, and they're totally genius. You can spend a day seeing the city from these beautiful little lookouts. I wish that every city would do this!"

—u/danielgmal

3. "The tradition of passeggiata in Italy, which is basically a nice stroll through town before or after dinner where you can catch up with neighbors and friends."

—u/UniqueLaw4431

4. "I loved how in Japan, restaurants often provide photos alongside the names of the menu items, which is really helpful when you're deciding what to order!"

—u/WeaknessAway5843

5. "In Buenos Aires, there are little Verdulerías (fruit and vegetable shops) on pretty much every street corner. They're so convenient and I would love to have that here in the US."

—u/EpyonIII

6. "Round tables complete with lazy Susans. In China, almost every restaurant had this, which made eating with others much more involved. It made me realize how often I'm stuck at the corner of a rectangular table trying to be involved in the conversation and struggling to hear anything. The round table is what we all need."

—u/corpdorp

7. "In Japan, people have a ton of respect for schools and keeping them clean. I would love for my children's schools to hold students accountable for keeping their learning space tidy and well respected like that."

—u/ActivelyLostInTarget

8. "When I went to Italy, I ate outside everywhere. It was so lovely. Eating al fresco automatically made each meal feel more relaxed and special. My husband and I came home and immediately purchased a little dining set for our porch. I wish outdoor dining was more ubiquitous and available everywhere back home."

—u/greenappletwostep

9. "I loved how in Japan, every restaurant seemed to perfect and focus on one type of food, whether it was tempura, ramen, yakitori, sushi, or even pizza. It made for such a fun and unique dining experience. Here in the US, you often find very eclectic restaurants that try to do it all, but I loved the focused and almost studious approach to dining in Japan."

—Hannah Loewentheil

10. "I was a big fan of late dinners in Spain. It took a little while to adjust, but I ended up loving the idea of sitting down to dinner around 9 p.m. It makes each day feel longer, more leisurely, and unrushed. My husband and I have actually made a habit of eating later in the evening back in NYC."

—Hannah Loewentheil

11. "In so many places I've traveled in Europe, cafés give you a little biscuit or cookie with your coffee. I find it mind-boggling that every cafe in the world doesn't follow suit. It's such a delightful addition and can't cost much."

—u/rocketwikkit

12. "Italian happy hour. In Italy, we took advantage of it every afternoon around 5, just after we were done sightseeing. Each day involved a little wine, some cheese, and cold cuts. Then we would relax for a few hours and then go out for a proper dinner. I could definitely get used to this back home."

—u/FormicaDinette33

13. "On the flight home from London after our first visit there, my spouse asked me what impressed me the most. My honest answer was the Tube. Since then, almost every European city I've visited has impressed me with how easy it is to get around on public transportation. If only we had the same access to and ease of public transportation where we live."

—u/aeraen

14. "I loved the street food and hawker stalls prevalent in south east Asia. These countries have tons of access to cheap, clean, and relatively healthy dishes that are readily available. After a long day at work I’d love to be able to pop by a street market and grab pad Thai, chicken rice, or a big bowl of laksa for a few bucks rather than going home and cooking for myself."

—u/DR-JOHN-SNOW-

15. "I love the Scandinavian culture of wood burning saunas and cold dips. I could get used to that on the regular so quickly."

—u/tams420

16. "In Japan, many restaurants have a button to press on your table when you want the server to come. This is so your server doesn't bother you when you're not ready to order and also so you can get fast attention when you need something."

—u/WeaknessAway5843

17. "Taiwanese 7-Elevens. When I was in Taiwan, this convenience store improved quality of life tremendously. Aside from the enormous food selection (onigiri, ramen, drinks, snacks), you can also get freshly brewed coffee, pay your bills, and send postage in one place. I miss these 7-Elevens so much."

—u/GochujangChips

18. "I loved how many Italian cities boast large, car-free pedestrian zones. Sitting at a table outside a cafe without the noise and distraction of cars going by is wonderful. These traffic-free areas really add to the ambiance."

—u/sbrt
19. "Shabbat in Israel. I love this simple tradition of eating a long, peaceful dinner with family or friends on Friday evening. It's a time to let the week go and recharge. It's respected by employers so no one will ask or expect you to stay late on Fridays to work."

—jenniferj32

20. "In many bars in Southern Spain, you get tapas (light snacks) when you order a cocktail with no extra charge. It's just a little something to nibble on while you drink. I'm a big fan of this custom."

—Kieber89

Buzzfeed

A Japanese man’s personal life has recently become the talk of the internet after he revealed that he is perfectly ok with his wife of three years having a boyfriend and even bringing him into the family home.

Prince Soy, a young Japanese chef and blogger who promotes and sells additive-free okara granola online, has recently been drawing a lot of attention for very different reasons. On July 8th, he took to X (formerly Twitter) to announce that his wife Seira would be returning home after spending six months studying abroad and that she would be bringing her new boyfriend along. The controversial post quickly went viral, sparking a heated online debate about Prince Soy’s marriage and the three-way relationship. The controversy didn’t seem to bother the married man who actually documented the visit of his wife’s boyfriend through short clips and multiple social media posts.

“My wife and her boyfriend are going to live together. My wife is studying abroad and has a new boyfriend. She is coming back to Japan with him, and he is coming to stay with us,” Prince Soy told his followers on X, adding that he had no problem with the unusual arrangement.

The Japanese blogger explained that Seira had told him that she wanted to study in Australia last year, and he accepted even though he was surprised by her decision. She left in January 2024, and by May, she confessed that she had met another Japanese man who subsequently became her boyfriend. Because Prince Soy and his wife had previously decided to be in an open relationship, he had no objections to her new “acquisition”. He actually revealed friendly text messages he exchanged with his wife’s boyfriend and the Starbucks coupon he gifted him for his birthday.

“I’ve never met him before so I don’t know his preferences, and I thought if I gave him something too extravagant he might feel uncomfortable, so I gave him something very safe, like a Starbucks ticket,” Prince Soy said.

On July 12th, Soy posted a video of himself greeting Seira and her boyfriend at the airport, and over the past week, he continued documenting the unconventional living arrangement, with the boyfriend sharing their home. He and his wife slept in the bedroom, while her boyfriend slept on the couch. At one point, when his wife and her boyfriend got into an argument, he stepped in to mediate the situation.

“I thank him wholeheartedly as he supported my wife while she was having a hard time abroad,” Prince Soy said about Seira’s boyfriend. “He must be an interesting person, or my wife would not fall for him.”

Social media reactions to Prince Soy’s situation have been mixed, with some people applauding his willingness to defy social norms and respect the agreement made with his wife about their open relationship, while others said that they couldn’t understand how he was ok with the three-way relationship, especially considering that he never had a different partner since marrying Seira.

In response to questions like “Why do you forgive your wife for doing whatever she wants?“, Prince Soy said. “First of all, the word ‘forgive’ is wrong. My wife has not done anything wrong. I like to see my wife acting selfishly, doing whatever she wants, a wife who isn’t selfish is not attractive to me.”

The Japanese blogger added that he has always known that his wife’s hobby was “acquiring boyfriends,” but he never had a problem with it because he is happy as long as she is happy. He said that, in a way, he was sorry for Seira’s boyfriends, because they could never take his place in her heart.

Oddity Central

Petrol supply has continued to be on and off across the country forcing many filling stations not to dispense the product, Daily Trust investigations in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and many states across Nigeria have shown.

Our investigations show that the product sells for close to N1,000 per litre at some stations belonging to members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers’ Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) in satellite towns of the FCT; while motorists spend countless hours queuing at outlets of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and a few Major Oil marketers dispensing in Abuja city.

The IPMAN blamed the lingering petrol scarcity on shortage of direct supply from the NNPCL.

Speaking to our correspondent yesterday, a former Chairman of IPMAN, Ejigbo Depot, Lagos, Akin Akinade, said: “Our members have no direct supply from NNPC. We buy from Third Party. We buy at DAPMAN (Depot and Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria) Depot in Abule Ado.

Abuja

Many stations in Abuja were found shut by our reporters yesterday, while there were long queues at the few that were dispensing the product. This situation started days before the #EndBadGovernance protest, which commenced on the 1st of this month, and has persisted more than two weeks after.

At Umaru Ngelzarma Filling Station in Lokogoma area of Kabusa District of the FCT, one of our reporters observed yesterday that petrol was being sold for N980 per litre.

Also, at Christee’s Petrol Station, which is also in Lokogoma area of Abuja, it was found to be dispensing the product at N950 per litre.

There were long queues at the NNPCL station at Katampe, along the Kubwa Expressway with motorists saying they would pass the night there to try to buy the product at N617/litre.

Another NNPCL outlet at the Airport Junction, Jabi, was not dispensing when one of our reporters visited yesterday. The situation was similar at most petrol outlets in Abuja and environs, owing to the unavailability of the product.

Lagos  

In Lagos, one of our correspondents reported yesterday that there were queues at NNPCL stations that sold the product for N568, as well as others like Mobil, MRS and North West stations, which dispensed for between N600 and N650 per litre. 

Commercial drivers, who spoke to our correspondent, expressed deep concerns over the prevailing scarcity, and the astronomical hike in the price of the product at the few stations dispensing the product, which are mostly on the fringes of the nation’s commercial city.  

“The hike in fuel price is the major problem we have in Nigeria. I bought N900-N950 in Calabar, that is why I have not traveled again. It is affecting our business. 

“I left my bus because some filling stations sold N1,000 per litre,” Omotayo Adenikiju, a transporter, said. 

A former chairman of IPMAN, Ejigbo Depot in Lagos, Akinade, in a chat with our correspondent, disclosed that third party vendors from which some of their members source the product, “sell to us N840, N850; and by the time you add transportation to that, there’s no way our members would sell less than they’re selling.

“If they bring down their price, we’re also going to bring down our price. We’re in business to make money”, he said. 

Kano

Motorists in Kano said they bought the product for N950 per litre at independent oil marketers’ stations and N620 at NNPCL stations, including those located around Kano Line, Kofar Nasarawa, Club Road by Murtala Muhammed Way and Tal’udu Sabon Titi. 

A commercial driver, Habibu Sani said he would rather join the queue at the NNPCL station than pay over N900 for a litre.

Another motorist, Kabiru Yakasai, said he parked his car because he could not afford a litre of fuel for over N900.

At an AY Maikifi outlet around Maiduguri Road, it was discovered that the station was selling the product for N900; while at A.A. Rano  Station at Gyadi-Gyadi Zaria Road, it was being dispensed at N730.

An independent oil marketer in Kano, Bashir Umar, attributed the supply shortage to marketers’ reluctance to bring fuel from Lagos because of the possibility of the price crashing  when Dangote Refinery begins supply to the market.

According to him, marketers buy fuel for N900 per litre in Kano and sell for N950 after factoring transportation cost.

Maiduguri  

Virtually all the NNPCL filling stations visited by our correspondent in Maiduguri yesterday did not open. They were those located at Bulumkutu area, along Kano Road; Mohammed Indimi Way, Off Damboa Road and Galadima Junction along Low-Cost Road.

A driver, Aminu Idris, said: “We cannot afford to buy petrol from independent marketers at N950”. 

IPMAN Chairman, Borno State chapter, Mohammed Kuluwu, said most stations in the state deliberately suspended fuel supply owing to “the crisis resulting from the #EndBadGovernance protest”.

CSO knocks NNPCL

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) yesterday expressed concern over the persistent fuel scarcity across Nigeria.

In a statement issued by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA expressed frustration over the federal government’s silence on the matter. It said fuel scarcity had become the new norm across the country, with Abuja and other major cities continuously plagued by long fuel queues.

“Despite the various excuses provided by the NNPCL, the crisis persists, leading to speculations that the company may be benefiting from the situation.

“In the past three months alone, the NNPCL has churned out no fewer than five different excuses for the ongoing fuel scarcity, ranging from logistics challenges to supply chain disruptions.

“However, none of these explanations holds water, given that the crisis continues to linger unabated. If the NNPCL were serious about resolving the issue, they would have done so by now”, it said. HURIWA alleged that were the NNPCL not benefiting from the fuel crisis, it would have resolved it long ago.

It added: “The simultaneous occurrence of fuel scarcity and the reported challenges faced by the Dangote Refinery suggest an orchestrated effort to undermine the refinery’s operations, further entrenching the NNPCL’s monopoly over Nigeria’s petroleum industry.”

National oil company silent

There was no comment from the NNPCL yesterday as its spokesperson, Olufemi Shoneye, who promised to get back to our correspondent when contacted on the matter, did not do so up to the time of filing this report.

Daily Trust

A 22-year-old woman in Akwa Ibom State,south-south Nigeria, has been feeding her four children with chicken and fish feeds, apparently because of poverty and hunger.

The children are all girls, the oldest five years old and the youngest slightly above one year.

The woman, Grace Eseneowo, a widow, works at a small farm in Eket Local Government Area of the state. The farm, which is a fishery and poultry, is at Ikot Abia community in Okon Eket.

She lives in her father’s house in the community and earns N15,000 monthly at the farm.

Grace’s pathetic story became public a few days ago after a digital content creator, QueenPraise Uzoma, who got the story from her father, John Uzoma, who is the farm owner, posted it on her Instagram page.

The discovery

On Thursday, the farm owner, Uzoma, explained to PREMIUM TIMES how he discovered that Grace was feeding her children with animal feeds.

“We had discharged her because she wasn’t showing up at the farm regularly. But her uncle and others came to beg that we should keep her, and my wife was saying that since she lost her husband, she’ll need money to keep going on, so let her work. So, last week, I went to the farm and sent for her,” said Uzoma, an Anglican priest serving in Uyo.

“When she came, we were discussing and the other farm hand said she could come back to work but should not bring the children to the farm. I said to him, that I did not have any issue with the children coming to the farm. Are they destroying anything? He said no but that they eat the feeds for the chicken and the fish.”

Uzoma said he was shocked by what heard.

“If the boy had told me this in the girl’s absence, maybe I would have felt the boy didn’t want her to work at the farm, but the girl was there.

“So I asked the girl, is that true? She said yes. I said, why? Don’t you give them food? She said they (the children) sometimes stay for three days without food.

“My heart failed me. I am a father. I am a pastor. I felt terribly indicted. So, the little I could do was that the plantain I had cut to bring back to Uyo, I gave to her, and then I gave her the only N2,000 I had on me.”

A resident of Okon Eket, where the farm is, said that Grace usually prepared the animal feeds as akamu (fermented cereal pudding) for her children.

“I wouldn’t know about that. I didn’t go to that details,” Uzoma said in reaction. “I was particularly touched that the children were kept hungry.”

Uzoma later narrated Grace’s story to his daughter, QueenPraise, when she visited.

“We are trying to rehabilitate the girl, we have paid rent for her and have bought a lot of food items for her and the children,” he said.

QueenPraise, as of 13 August, said on Instagram that she raised N1.4 million as donations online for Grace and her children.

Akwa Ibom governor’s wife to the rescue

Meanwhile, the Akwa Ibom governor’s wife, Patience Eno, has stepped in to help Grace and her children.

“While thanking QueenPraise for drawing attention to this worrisome situation and raising over a million naira overnight from empathetic and generous Individuals, organisations and others, the First Lady has directed her NGO, the Golden Initiative For All and her aides to work with the Ministry of Women Affairs and female stakeholders in Eket, to fashion out a holistic support for the young mother and her children,” Uduak Ekong, a spokesperson to Mrs Eno, said in a statement on Tuesday.

“To start with, the Governor’s wife has made an initial personal donation of Five Hundred Thousand naira only in support of plans to provide immediate accommodation, food supplies and other basic necessities for the young family of five,” the statement added.

Akwa Ibom’s poverty rate

Akwa Ibom State has one of the lowest poverty headcount ratios in Nigeria. According to NBS, the state currently has a poverty rate of 26.8 per cent, falling below the national average of 52.1 per cent.

The state is ranked 27th on the national poverty rate ladder released by the NBS in 2019. The agency has not released new data on the state poverty rate since it was last published.

The National poverty headcount in 2019 was 70 per cent; by 2020, it had increased to 72.32 per cent, according to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Nigerian youths recently took to the streets to protest against economic hardship and rising food prices in the country.

“POS is our only employment now in Nigeria,” an Akwa Ibom resident saidin Uyo during the nationwide protest.

“Good jobs are reserved for children of the elites immediately after graduation,” he added, advising that the governments at all levels should do more to create jobs.

Hope for Grace

Grace dropped out of school when she was in SS1. Now, she wants to learn hair-dressing as a vocation, according to Uzoma.

“There’s a take-home to this,” Uzoma said of Grace’s story.

“These people are from a family, and a wealth-to-do family for that matter, but they abandoned these children. People should do more to help their relatives, regardless of family rivalry.”

PT

The recent revelation that each Nigerian senator earns a staggering N21 million monthly is not just another story of excessive greed; it is a scandalous indictment of the country's political class. In a nation where millions of citizens struggle to survive on a minimum wage of N30,000 per month, the fact that these so-called public servants are siphoning off resources at such a grotesque scale is nothing short of robbery.

This shocking figure, disclosed by Senator Kawu Sumaila, lays bare the extent of the rot within Nigeria's political elite. Each senator, according to Sumaila, pockets N21 million monthly in running costs, salaries, and allowances—an amount 700 times greater than the current minimum wage. Even when compared to the proposed new minimum wage of N70,000, this figure remains 300 times higher. This disparity is not just a number; it is a stark representation of the systemic inequality that continues to cripple the nation.

While Nigerians endure unprecedented levels of hunger and poverty, their elected representatives are living in obscene luxury, funded by the very taxes paid by the struggling masses. The recent protests that swept across the country were a desperate cry for help, a plea for dignity in the face of economic hardship. Yet, the political class has responded not with empathy or action, but with a shameless flaunting of their wealth.

What makes this situation even more intolerable is that the N21 million monthly stipend is merely the tip of the iceberg. The formal earnings of legislators are widely known to be only a fraction of the vast wealth they accumulate through corrupt practices. Under the guise of "constituency projects" and "oversight functions," these lawmakers engage in underhanded deals that drain the national coffers and enrich themselves at the expense of the people.

This grand larceny is carried out with impunity, as the National Assembly remains shrouded in secrecy regarding the actual costs and allowances allocated to its members. Despite legal frameworks like the "Certain Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc.) (Amendments) Act, 2008," which were supposed to regulate the emoluments of public officials, the reality is that the true extent of the senators' financial benefits is hidden from public scrutiny.

The silence of the Senate spokesperson, Yemi Adaramodu, on the total amount a senator earns monthly only adds to the suspicion. The Revenue Mobilisation Fiscal Allocation Commission (RMAFC) has been equally evasive, providing only basic salary figures and leaving out the more substantial "running costs" that inflate legislators’ earnings to such astronomical levels. Even when former President Olusegun Obasanjo accused lawmakers of illegally fixing new salaries and allowances for themselves, the response was a mix of denial and deflection, rather than accountability.

This blatant disregard for the suffering of the Nigerian people is not just an affront to democracy; it is a betrayal of the very essence of public service. The role of a legislator is to represent the interests of the people, to legislate for the common good, and to ensure that the nation's resources are used to uplift the many, not to enrich the few. Yet, what we are witnessing is a political class that has turned the machinery of the state into a personal ATM, draining the lifeblood of the nation while millions go hungry.

It is time for Nigerians to demand transparency, accountability, and a complete overhaul of the political system that allows such gross inequalities to persist. The current situation is unsustainable, and the continued plunder of the nation’s resources by those elected to protect them will only lead to greater unrest and instability. The Nigerian people deserve better, and they must not rest until this brazen robbery is brought to an end.

The Presidency is aware of the various failed attempts by a Chinese company, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited, to take over offshore assets of the Federal Government of Nigeria through subterfuge.

The Federal Government is not under any contractual obligation with the company. The case in which Zhongshan is trying to use every unorthodox means to strip our offshore assets is between the company and the Ogun State Government.

The federal government is fully aware of efforts being made by the Ogun state government to reach an amicable resolution to the matter.

It must be said without any equivocation that Zhongshan has no solid ground to demand restitution from the Ogun State Government based on the facts regarding the 2007 contract between the company and the State Government to manage a free-trade zone.

When the contract with Ogun State was revoked in 2015, the company had only erected a perimeter fence on the land earmarked for a free trade zone.

While the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice is working with the Ogun State Government on an amicable resolution, Zhongshan obtained two orders from the Judicial Court of Paris dated March 7, 2024, and August 12, 2024, without any notice being duly served on the Federal Government of Nigeria and Ogun State Government.

This arm-twisting tactic by the Chinese company is the latest in a long list of failed moves to attach Nigerian government-owned assets to foreign jurisdictions.

Material facts in the transaction between the Ogun State Government and Zhongshan point to another P&ID case in which unscrupulous and questionable individuals falsely present themselves as investors with the sole objective of cheating and scamming Governments in Africa.

Undoubtedly, Zhongshan withheld vital information and misled the Judicial Court in Paris into attaching the Nigerian government’s presidential jets, which are on routine maintenance in France. The use and nature of the Presidential jets as assets of a Sovereign entity whose assets are protected by diplomatic immunity forbid any foreign Court from issuing an order against them.

We are convinced the Chinese company misled the Judicial Court of Paris regarding the use and nature of the assets it seeks to attach and did not fully disclose to the court as required by law.

This same Chinese company had tried to enforce its questionable judgment in the UK and USA but failed.

Like the P&ID case, foreign companies are trying to defraud Nigeria with the collaboration of some bureaucrats. Zhongshan appeared to have sold the judgment they got to a venture capitalist seeking to make money by embarrassing the Federal Government and President Bola Tinubu.

We want to assure Nigerians that the Federal Government is working with the Ogun State Government to discharge this frivolous order in Paris immediately.

Nigerian Government will always work to protect our national assets from predators and shylocks who masquerade as investors.

Background to the Zhongshan Fucheng Case:

A contract between Ogun State and Zhongshan to manage a free-trade zone was executed in 2007. The parties entered into a dispute in 2015, and arbitration began in 2016.

By 2019, the arbitration hearing had been concluded. The Arbitral Panel awarded over 60 million USD against the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), a co-defendant, when all Zhongshan had done was build a perimeter fence around the free-trade zone.

Based on legal advice, the Ogun State Government resolved to resist the enforcement of the award. The resistance was successful in 8 different jurisdictions. There are pending appeals against recognition orders issued in both the US and UK.

Ogun State also engaged Zhongshan in settlement discussions on reasonable terms. The last meeting, held in September 2023 in London, lasted for three days and was attended by several officials of Ogun State, including Governor Dapo Abiodun and the Attorney General/Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi.

Zhongshan’s initial reasonable readiness to consider Ogun State’s offer was surprisingly reversed by the second day when it insisted on the government paying the full arbitration debt. This led to a breakdown of the mediation, with parties agreeing to meet again in the first quarter of this year.

Since then, Zhongshan has been evasive. Instead, it embarked on a series of enforcement proceedings, which the legal team appointed by the FGN and Ogun State successfully opposed. In cases similar to the present one, where Zhongshan obtained an ex-parte order, Ogun State successfully set aside the orders.

Ogun State has not given up on a reasonable settlement option, with the most recent letter sent to Zhongshan last week. Zhongshan only responded after obtaining this latest illegal order.

Bayo Onanuga

Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy

August 15, 2024

Nigeria's headline inflation rate fell in July for the first time in well over a year, dipping to 33.40% in annual terms (NGCPIY=ECI) from 34.19% in June, data from the statistics agency showed on Thursday.

Analysts had said June's reading could mark the peak in inflation as currency devaluation effects start to fade.

July's slowdown will bring some relief to frustrated Nigerians, who protested this month over cost-of-living pressures and governance issues in Africa's most populous nation.

Price pressures have been stoked by President Bola Tinubu's decision to remove a decades-old fuel subsidy, devalue the naira currency and hike electricity tariffs. The reforms are aimed at lifting economic growth and shoring up public finances but have sent inflation soaring, eroding people's incomes.

The last month that annual inflation fell was December 2022.

The central bank has increased interest rates four times this year to try to get inflation under control, but after the last hike in July some analysts said that could be the final act in the bank's hiking cycle.

The Central Bank of Nigeria's next rate setting meeting is scheduled for late September.

A report by the National Bureau of Statistics on Thursday showed food and non-alcoholic beverages continued to be the biggest contributor to inflation in July.

Food inflation (NGFINF=ECI) eased to 39.53% from 40.87% in June.

Reuters

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has raised concerns about the 8-15% dropout rate among adolescents in primary and secondary schools across the Southwest region of Nigeria, which includes Ekiti, Oyo, Lagos, Ondo, Osun, and Ogun states.

UNICEF’s Education Specialist, Azuka Menkiti, highlighted these concerns following a two-day regional stakeholders meeting on strategies for improving retention, transition, and completion rates among out-of-school children. The meeting, which took place in Ibadan, aimed to address the challenges facing education in the region.

Menkiti reported that while the completion rates for primary and secondary education among adolescents aged 10 to 18 are currently 92% and 85% respectively, the existing dropout rates pose a significant threat to the future of education in the region. She warned that if efforts to ensure full retention and completion are not intensified, the education sector could face severe setbacks.

"This meeting was focused on the Southwest zone of Nigeria," Menkiti explained. "UNICEF is working to support states in improving the retention, transition, and completion of secondary education for adolescents. This builds on a decade of successful interventions in girls’ education, which have proven effective in bringing girls to school and keeping them there."

Menkiti emphasized the importance of identifying and addressing the factors contributing to the high dropout rates. "When discussing out-of-school children, we consider those who have never enrolled, those who are unlikely to enroll, and those who have dropped out. Our focus is particularly on adolescents at risk of dropping out or failing to complete secondary education, especially in the Southwest, where enrollment rates are high but retention and completion rates require improvement."

The stakeholders' meeting brought together commissioners, SUBEB chairmen, permanent directors, and secretaries from various Southwest states to review and adapt successful intervention models to their respective contexts. UNICEF is advocating for these states to ensure adequate funding for secondary education and to develop reliable data to support efforts in improving education.

Menkiti also outlined UNICEF's focus on system strengthening, expanding access to education, and creating quality learning opportunities for children and adolescents. She stressed the need for credible data to support advocacy and for state governments to develop policies and plans that facilitate the transition to and completion of secondary education. Additionally, UNICEF is working with community and religious leaders to challenge social norms that keep children out of school.