Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba took part in an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in New York, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said at a press conference on Wednesday.
According to him, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister took part in the first part of the meeting to share and inform his counterparts about the latest developments in Ukraine. Borrell stressed that this meeting was necessary to understand what was at stake.
US President Joe Biden and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday at a meeting in New York reaffirmed support for Ukraine and discussed issues related to Iran and China, the White House press office reported.
“The two leaders reaffirmed their continued support for Ukraine’s efforts to defend itself against Russian aggression. They also discussed efforts to prevent Iran from ever acquiring a nuclear weapon, as well as our ongoing cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region and challenges posed by China,” the statement said.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell
New EU sanctions against Russia will be both personal and sectoral, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrel said on Wednesday at a news conference following an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers.
“Today it’s clear <..> that we will continue and increase our military support, providing arms to Ukraine. And we will study, we will adopt new restrictive measures, both personal and sectoral,” Borrel said. He did not specify which sanctions he was referring to, noting that a political decision had been made only today.
On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a special military operation in Ukraine following a request for assistance from the leaders of the Donbass republics. After that, the US, the EU, the UK, as well as a number of other countries imposed sanctions against Russian individuals and legal entities. In addition, Western countries began to supply arms and military equipment to Kiev worth billions of dollars at this stage.
On September 19, the Civic Chambers of the Lugansk and Donetsk People’s Republics (LPR and DPR) appealed to the heads of the republics, Leonid Pasechnik and Denis Pushilin, with the initiative to immediately hold referendums on becoming part of Russia. The next day, LPR and DPR authorities announced that the referendum would be held from September 23 to 27. Also on September 20, the administrations of the Kherson and Zaporozhye Regions announced plans to hold referendums on the same dates.
The choice of Senator Orji Uzor Kalu as senator representing Abia North senatorial district has been described as the best decision taken by constituents of the zone in the 2019 general election.
The constituents in Umunneochi Local Government made the declaration during the mid-term constituency report tour organised by the Chief Whip of the Senate to meet and interact with electorates in all the wards in the five local government areas of Abia North.
Kalu said the exercise is to ascertain the impact of his leadership in terms of human resources empowerment and infrastructural projects on his constituents and to also receive direct feedback on other challenges faced by them.
In Nneato ward, he was warmly received and hosted by community stakeholders made up of traditional rulers, community president generals and executives, youths and elderly women and men.
In the course of interaction with Kalu, the elated constituents testified to the various projects and empowerment sited in their communities as highlighted by the senator, while also expressing their gratitude, adding that their decision to vote Kalu have paid off.
Ezeugbo Uwabunkeonye, who represented the president general of Nneato community, commended Kalu for the construction of a two-kilometre road at Ubahu community.
He also mentioned the installation of a motorised water borehole at Ezeoba, reconstruction and the furnishing of Eziama central school with chairs and tables as well as distribution of books, textbooks and school bags to pupils of both primary and secondary schools.
Ezeugbo thanked Kalu for the construction of the roads leading to Achara and Aro-Ipka and the two-kilometre Ubahu community road.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, according to statements from both sides.
On the issue of Ukraine, Wang stressed that China would continue to “maintain its objective and impartial position” and “push for peace negotiations,” according to a readout from the Chinese Foreign Ministry released Thursday.
It is hoped that all parties will not give up on dialogue and commit to resolving security concerns through peace negotiations,” Wang said.
A summary of the meeting from Russian state media agency TASS noted that the two sides discussed subjects including Ukraine, but did not provide details on what was said about the issue, which looms large at the opening of this year’s assembly.
It was unclear whether the two discussed the “partial mobilization” of Russian citizens announced by Russian leader Vladimir Putin in an address Wednesday morning Moscow time, or his endorsement of referendums on joining Russia that Russian-appointed leaders in four occupied regions of Ukraine announced they would hold this week. Both actions were decried by Ukraine and its allies.
When asked about the referendums in a regular scheduled press briefing on Wednesday, a spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry in Beijing said China’s position on Ukraine had been “consistent and clear.”
“We believe that all countries deserve respect for their sovereignty and territorial integrity, that the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be observed, that the legitimate security concerns of any country should be taken seriously,” said spokesperson Wang Wenbin.
“China stands ready to work with members of the international community to continue to play a constructive part in de-escalation efforts,” he said, before declining to respond further when asked specifically about the mobilization.
Some context: China has refused to condemn Russia’s attack on Ukraine and has decried Western sanctions on Moscow, while boosting its own purchases of Russian energy. During a face-to-face meeting between Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Uzbekistan last week, Putin praised China’s “balanced position” on the Ukraine war, though conceded Beijing had “questions and concerns” over the invasion.
More than 1,300 people have been detained in dozens of cities across Russia in a crackdown on anti-war protests, according to the independent protest monitoring group OVD-Info.
The group said the figure includes at least 502 people in Moscow and 524 people in St Petersburg.
Wilfred Ndidi has been ruled out of the Super Eagles friendly game with Desert Foxes next Tuesday due to injury.
This was revealed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on their Twitter handle on Thursday morning.
Though the nature of the injury was not disclosed.
Also, the NFF disclosed that Ndidi has left the Eagles camp and returned to England.
The NFF wrote: “Super Eagles midfielder Wilfred Ndidi is injured and out of the game against Algeria. He has left the team’s camp and returned to England. Get well soon Wilfred.”
Recall Ndidi missed the Super Eagles 2022 World Cup qualifiers against the Black Stars of Ghana after sustaining injury.
His last appearance for the Super Eagles was in January this year in the round of 16 of the 2021 AFCON against Tunisia.
Europe’s football governing body UEFA is considering plans to revamp the Super Cup.
According to the Mail, as per Diario AS, the body are considering plans to replace the Supercup with a new four-team tournament, as they seek to increase their income.
The tournament would consist of four teams in similar format to that of the Spanish Supercup currently. The invited teams would consist of the winners of the Champions League, Europa League, the Europa Conference League and MLS.
It would be a summer tournament and there is potential for the matches to be taken out of Europe, as UEFA pursue fresh audiences.
Further discussions are set to take place at the European Club Association’s General Assembly in Istanbul on Thursday and Friday, with the organization keen to foster a spirit of innovation.
From 1972 to 1999, the UEFA Super Cup was contested between the winners of the European Cup/Champions League and the winners of the European/UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup.
After the discontinuation of the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, it has been contested by the winners of the Champions League and the winners of the UEFA Cup, which was renamed the Europa League in 2009.
Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has said that the All Progressive Congress, APC, presidential candidate, Senator Ahmed Tinubu, is a man of integrity.
Ganduje said Tinubu’s presidency in 2023 would accelerate national growth and development, NAN reports.
He stated this on Wednesday while accepting an appointment as the APC National Integrity Movement (ANIM) patron at the Government House, Kano.
”Tinubu’s track records and pedigree show that he can propel Nigeria to greatness if elected president.
“Asiwaju is a man of integrity and a good product. He has contributed significantly to the growth and development of our democracy.
“He is a consummate democrat and the leader of progressives who fought to bring the democratic rule that Nigerians are enjoying today,” he said.
He, therefore, urged ANIM to consolidate their support and advocacy for Tinubu after the presidential election in 2023.
Ganduje also expressed appreciation for the recognition by the group and promised to work hard for the election of Tinubu as president.
No fewer than 500 persons have benefitted from the federal government’s empowerment scheme attracted by the member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency, Rep. Sam Onuigbo.
This comes as he urged the benefitting constituents to make effective use of the empowerment opportunity to enhance the lives of their family members and their communities.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony at the end of a three-day development training facilitated by the lawmaker in collaboration with the federal co-operative college Oji River held in Umuahia, he said the scheme is part of President Muhammadu Buhari’s efforts to ensure that more Nigerians are pulled out of poverty.
Represented by his chief liaison officer, pastor Abraham Osondu, the lawmaker who is seeking election into the Senate in 2023 reiterated his commitment in ensuring that the people of Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency are not left out in the scheme of development at the federal level as their representative, urging the beneficiaries not to discard the knowledge acquired.
Beneficiaries were trained in various vocational skills, including fashion designing, poultry, and fish farming among others.
They were also given stipends to enable them start their own means of livelihood.
The liaison officer, Pastor Osondu dismissed insinuations that the beneficiaries were drawn from Rep. Onuigbo’s political party, insisting that they are persons from various corners of the constituency irrespective of their political parties.
He added that the empowerment program is a promise made to empower people and over one thousand five hundred people have been trained in fashion designing, poultry, fish farming among others.
Some of the beneficiaries appreciated the facilitator of the training, Sam Onuigbo for his benevolence. They also prayed to God to grant Onuigbo success in his Abia Central senatorial ambition.
One of the beneficiaries Mrs Glory Ikeanya from Isi-ala Ibere in Ikwuano LGA thanked Rep. Sam Onuigbo for the opportunity. In her words, “ I want to thank Rep . Sam Onuigbo. He is a man of the people, a man people should reckon with, being on his seat right now as a Rep-member and he is doing this much, if voted in for senate he will do more”.
One of the resource persons, Mr Emeka Awom taught the beneficiaries on how to manage fish farming from fingerlings stage to time of harvest, as well as how to market their fish to avoid waste.
The Abia State Government has announced the cancellation of the Monthly Environmental Sanitation Exercise earlier scheduled to hold on Saturday, December 20, 2025.
The announcement,...
