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  (FILES) Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev attends a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council at the Kremlin in Moscow on May 25, 2023. – Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev accused Moscow on December 29, 2024 of having tried to hide the cause of a deadly jet crash this week and called for Russia to admit “guilt” in the disaster, saying the plane was mistakenly shot down. (Photo by Mikhail METZEL / SPUTNIK / AFP) Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev accused Russia on Sunday of firing at an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet before it crashed and of initially trying to cover up the cause of the fatal disaster, demanding that Moscow admit guilt.   Aliyev's unusually forthright accusation of his country's traditional ally came a day after he spoke by phone to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Aliyev made the accusation in an interview to state media at Baku airport four days after the AZ...

Firefighters and rescue personnel work near the wreckage of a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 series aircraft after the plane crashed and burst into flames at Muan International Airport in South Jeolla Province, some 288 kilometres southwest of Seoul on December 29, 2024. (Photo by JUNG YEON-JE / AFP) A Jeju Air plane carrying 181 people from Thailand to South Korea crashed on arrival Sunday, smashing into a barrier and bursting into flames, killing everyone aboard except for two flight attendants plucked from the wreckage.   Only two people, both flight attendants, were rescued from the crash, the fire department said A bird strike was cited by authorities as the likely cause of the crash — the worst ever aviation disaster on South Korean soil — which flung passengers out of the plane and left it “almost completely destroyed”, according to fire officials. Rescue personnel are seen near the tail secti...

  The Global Gas and Refining Limited has alleged that the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission’s (NUPRC) reported approval of the sale of $2.4 billion in onshore assets of the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) to Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, a local oil and gas consortium, “undermines the rule of law but also sets a dangerous precedent for corporate governance in Nigeria.”  Mr. Kenneth Yellowe , Chairman , Global Gas , disclosed this in a statement . He maintained that his company expresses disappointment that the development allegedly “ undermines a court injunction restraining the Nigerian government, through the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), from granting approval” to Shell. Nairametrics previously cited a Reuters report, which stated that the divestment approval was announced by Renaissance in a statement on Wednesday and the approval was reportedly given by the Minister o...

  This stance has sparked controversy, with many interpreting it as a threat to the transgender community and their rights, AFP reports.    President-elect Donald Trump vowed to tackle what he termed "transgender lunacy" from the outset of his presidency, aligning with the Republican Party's ongoing efforts to challenge LGBTQ rights.  This stance has sparked controversy, with many interpreting it as a threat to the transgender community and their rights, AFP reports.  Trump's comments have been met with concern, as they may indicate a rollback of protections and support for transgender individuals. "I will sign executive orders to end child sexual mutilation, get transgender out of the military and out of our elementary schools and middle schools and high schools," the president-elect said at an event for young conservatives in Phoenix, Arizona. He also vowed ...

  LAGOS – United Airlines has airlifted no fewer than 175 million passengers across its routes worldwide in 2024, a statement by the airline has said. The statement said that the figure was a record number for the airline in one year. The statement hinted that the airline has a unique insight into what the everyday person was interested in watching, eating and more when travelling. It therefore pulled together some of the top trends its passengers were watching onboard. According to the airline, travelers were in their Eras era. On average, United saw a 25 per cent boost in demand for flights as fans filled one blank (calendar) space at a time travelling around for the biggest concert tour of the year. United was well-prepared to fly travellers swiftly and safely for some of the biggest demand increases during summer tour dates in Europe, including Milan and Munich, both up 40 per cent when compared to 2023. Other travelers were in their rawd...

  No fewer than 20 people were killed in attacks Friday on villages in central Mali that have been the target of jihadist groups, local officials and sources said Saturday. “Six villages in the region of Bandiagara were attacked yesterday (Friday) by jihadists. Grain silos were burned, the local populations fled. There were also about 20 dead,” a local elected official who asked not to be named told AFP. A Mali security official told AFP that five villages in Bandiagara were attacked. “We counted 21 dead and many injured,” the official added. Bocary Guindo, a representative of a local youth association, said there had been at least 22 deaths in four villages and two other villages had been burned. Mali since 2012 has faced attacks from groups linked to Al-Qaeda and Islamic State, as well as by separatist movements and criminal gangs. Last weekend seven people were killed during attack...

…MTN, Airtel drive recovery Mobile subscriptions in Nigeria rose to 157.3 million in October 2024, up from 154.6 million in September 2024, reflecting a 2.7 million increase. The development marks a steady recovery following the Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) audit and the enforcement of the NIN-SIM linkage exercise, which had led to a drastic reduction of 64.3 million subscriptions between March and September. According to the latest data released by the NCC on Wednesday, leading operators MTN and Airtel were the driving forces behind this growth, recording significant increases in their subscriber bases during the period. The country’s teledensity, which measures the number of active telephone connections per 100 inhabitants, also rose to 72.7 per cent in October, up from 71.46 per cent in September, based on an estimated population of 216 million. The statistics showed that MTN, the largest telecom operator, added 2.2 million subscriptions, ...

  Dangote refinery Dangote Refinery has announced a reduction in the price of Premium Motor Spirit to N899.50 per litre, in a bid to offer Nigerians some relief as the holiday season approaches. This was contained in a statement issued by the Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer of Dangote Group, Anthony Chiejina, on Thursday. The refinery, Africa’s first privately-owned oil refining facility, had previously cut the price to N970 per litre on November 24. The latest reduction aims to ease transportation costs during the festive period, a time when Nigerians often face increased travel expenses. ...

  Deadline : 15-Jan-25 The Public Diplomacy section at U.S. Embassy Norway is pleased to announce that funding is available through its Annual Program Statement Small Grants Program. All programs must include an American element.  Examples of American elements include, but are not limited to, connections with American expert/s, organization/s, or institution/s in a specific field that will promote increased understanding of U.S. policy and perspectives. The program should have a public outreach component that specifically engages audiences in Norway. Examples of successful PD Small Grants Program programs include, but are not limited to, programs that advance the policy areas above through: Academic and professional lectures, seminars, and speaker programs Educational and informational public programs Projects that build sustainable ties between civil society organizations and interest groups in the U.S. and Norway Artistic and cultural workshops, joint performanc...

  Global development leaders; EU, OACPS, BMZ, GIZ and TEF join forces to empower African women for a sustainable future   EU, OACPS, BMZ, GIZ and TEF are driving economic growth with gender-focused green initiatives   African women entrepreneurs engaged in comprehensive training on business sustainability and green innovation, preparing them to drive meaningful impact in their communities.   [Nigeria, December 16, 2024] – Earlier this year, the European Union (EU), Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) reunited to introduce the second instalment of the “Invest in Young Businesses in Africa – Women Entrepreneurship for Africa” (IYBA WE4A), building on t...

  Ghana President Nana Akufo-Addo. (REUTERS/Caitlin Ochs) The decision by Ghana’s apex court is expected to shift the focus to outgoing President Nana Akufo-Addo, who must now decide whether to sign the bill into law before his term ends on 6 January 2025. The Supreme Court of Ghana has unanimously dismissed two legal challenges seeking to prevent the passage of the controversial anti-LGBTQI bill, clearing the way for its potential enactment. “Upon hearing the parties orally, we come to the unanimous decision that the plaintiff writ does not properly invoke the exclusive jurisdiction of this court,” Justice Avril Lovelace-Johnson, president of the seven-member Supreme Court panel, said in the ruling on Wednesday. “It will be premature for this court to exercise its interpretive and enforcement jurisdiction to intervene. Consequently, the action fails. Until there is p...

The project, supported by the African Development Bank Group, will increase the rate of socio-professional integration among young people in Côte d'Ivoire. The African Development Bank Group has approved loans totaling €139.68 million to support youth employment and entrepreneurship in Côte d'Ivoire, targeting key sectors with high job creation potential. The loan comprised of €126.32 million from the Bank Group’s commercial African Development Bank window and €13.36 million from its concessional lending arm, the African Development Fund, will help bolster the socio-professional integration of young Ivorians by developing their skills and supporting micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. A key component of the project is establishing the Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank (YEIB) in Côte d'Ivoire to boost financial access for young entrepreneurs, provide technical assistance services, offer equity and quasi-equity financing, and create loan guaran...

  Lookman speaks after winning CAF Player of The Year 2024 Award in Morocco. X/@CAF_Online   The newly crowned African Player of The Year, Ademola Lookman, says to be recognised as the best player on the continent is something incredible. The Super Eagles of Nigeria and Atalanta of Italy forward said this during his speech after receiving the award in a glittering ceremony organised by CAF in Marrakech, Morocco on Monday. “This award today is a blessing to me, to my family, to my nation, and to be recognised as the best player in Africa is something incredible and I am extremely proud of,” Lookman said. Recalling his struggles as a footballer about four years ago, the 27-year-old advised young people never to allow their past failures define their future. “Just over four years ago I failed in front of the world, fast forward to four years I am the best player in Africa,” Lookman recalled. “I want to say to...