Russia has accused Norway of imposing restrictions that block goods destined for Russian-populated settlements on the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, and has threatened unspecified “retaliatory measures” unless Oslo resolves the matter.
Svalbard, located midway between Norway’s north coast and the North Pole, is part of Norway, but Russia has the right to exploit the archipelago’s natural resources under a treaty signed in 1920, and some settlements on the archipelago are populated mainly by Russians.
Norway, which is not in the European Union but enforces EU sanctions against Russia, has said sanctions would not affect the transport of goods by ship to Svalbard.
But much of the freight for the archipelago’s Russian settlements passes first through a checkpoint in mainland Norway, which is closed to sanctioned Russian goods.
“We demanded that the Norwegian side resolve the issue as soon as possible,” the Russian foreign ministry said on Wednesday after summoning Norway’s charge d’affaires in Moscow.
“We indicated that unfriendly actions against Russia will inevitably lead to appropriate retaliatory measures,” the ministry said.
Norway’s restrictions have disrupted the work of the Russian consulate-general on Spitsbergen, the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago, and a Russian coal mining settlement there, the ministry said.
Vehicles carrying food and medical supplies to Spitsbergen have been stuck on the border, the ministry said.
Since invading Ukraine in February, Russia has been hit with sanctions restricting the transit of its goods through Europe.
Earlier this month, Lithuania began enforcing restrictions on some goods shipped by rail to Russia’s Baltic Sea exclave of Kaliningrad.
Russia said the restrictions on goods by Lithuania amounted to a “blockade” and has promised unspecified retaliation.
Cyberattack
Also on Wednesday, Norwegian authorities said a cyberattack likely by Russian hackers had temporarily knocked out public and private websites in Norway in the past 24 hours.
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved projects to shore up power supply across the country.
Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu, briefed State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Aliyu said that the projects were aimed at strengthening the capacity of the Transmission Company of Nigeria(TCN) and shore up power supply in the country.
“I presented two memos to council today which council has approved; the first memo council approved the award of contract for design supply and installation of 1x60MBA, 132×33 KV transmission substation with associated 4×132 KV line bay extension at Hong local government and Adamawa in the sum of N6.5 billion consisting of two components one is offshore and onshore.
“The offshore is 6.9 million dollars and the onshore is N3.3 billion at the CBN prevailing exchange rate and 7.5 per cent VAT; the delivery period is 24 months.
“This seeks to raise the capacity of the supply around that area and it’s going to affect so many towns and villages, there’s a very important local government headquarters around that area.
“It is going to affect Song which is a local government headquarters in Adamawa state; Gombi is also another local government headquarters; Garkida town and then Hong.
“Then Mudi, Woba, Michika, Madagari. There is an existing 132 that passes through this area; so, what we’re doing now is to drop a substation there.
“The hope is by the time all these interventions we are making on the grid, reaches up to 11,000 or there about that it will be able to withstand and take it off; so, this is the intervention.”
The minister said that the second memo also was to procure power transformers and associated spare parts for TCN to be deployed to six locations.
“One is to Aiyede in Oyo; Offshore component 1.8 billion dollars, the onshore is N98 million.
`The second one is Gusau in Zamfara; the third one is Kankia in Katsina state; the next one is Minna, Niger; then the fifth one is to Okearo in Ogun.
“The sixth one is in Damaturu, Yobe; this one is very peculiar because as you may be aware, for over one year, Maiduguri has not been enjoying full electricity.
“We were able to take electricity supply through an old line of 33 KV which we repaired and restored and were able to take 10 megawatts to Maiduguri over 130 kilometers on a 33 single circuit.
“We restored that around three to four months or thereabout; so they are enjoying but very little; by the time the electricity reaches Maiduguri, it will drop to six or seven megawatts because of losses along the way.”
Aliyu said that the 330 takes power to Maiduguri was vandalised by insurgents.
He said that the ministry tried a number of times to restore it but the insurgents would go back and pull down the towers.
“So, we now decided, in the main time to take electricity through the 33 KVA which they are enjoying but not as they may like it to be. It’s being rationed around the time.
“So, we are currently procuring another 33 double circuit new one to Maiduguri along the same route.
“So the idea is if someone tampers with it, it is easy to restore it within a day or two, unlike the bigger one which is the 330 which takes weeks or months to restore because it’s in the bush.
“So, as it is now even the one that we have installed, we have been doing hide and seek, sometimes they will pull one two poles, we will repair and this is why we are doing this endeavour by the roadside; it is this to keep on restoring back.”
He said that, at present, the contractor has returned to restore the main line, 330 that was vandalised some time back.
The minister said that, in order to have enough electricity for Damaturu and environs, from that substation Damaturu, and take some to Maiduguri, the project would boost the capacity of Damaturu substation.
“So, the sixth one which is at the cost of 6.7 million dollars while the local component is N1.3 billion for the Damaturu upgrade injection transformer.
“So, the total approved for these is the dollar component is 22. 6 million dollars and the naira component is N5.1 billion and the council graciously approved the two memos,” he said.
The number of active oil rigs in Nigeria fell by 23.8 per cent to 16 in April amid the coronavirus-induced collapse in prices and demand for crude.
Fifty-seven oil fields located onshore and swamps of the Niger Delta were handed over to local oil companies by the Federal Government, with a charge on them to quickly develop the fields and produce first oil.
Matrix Energy, Ardova Oil, Suntrust Oil, Energia Ltd and Mainland Oil were among the over 100 companies awarded Petroleum Prospecting Licence, PPL, and given at most six years to develop the fields and produce oil.
With Nigeria producing an average of 1.2 million barrels oil per day, far short of the 2022 budget benchmark of 1.88 million barrels per day and 1.77 million per day OPEC quota, the Federal Government has stepped up efforts to boost the nation’s oil production.
Of the 57 fields, 41 fields have been fully paid for, with 37 PPLs issued.
Speaking at a ceremony in Abuja yesterday where the PPLs were presented to the companies, the Minister of State Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, said the decision to award the oil fields to the indigenous companies was a deliberate government policy to encourage more indigenous participation in petroleum operations.
“Indeed, this will boost activities in the oil and gas sector, add to our production output and create additional employment opportunities,” he stated.
Sylva explained that the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA, 2021 has abolished the marginal oil field policy making it possible to issue new owners with PPLs.
“As you are aware, the implementation of the PIA is in top gear. Consequently, the new awardees should note that their assets will be fully governed by the provisions of the PIA as a result each successful field will be issued a PPL in line with the PIA.
“This is a complete departure from what used to be there where the marginal field owners had no licences.
“This marks the beginning of a new era for us in the oil and gas sector and urges the awardees of the PPL to take advantage of the opportunities presented to exploit, develop and bring the assets to productive use”.
The Minister who also officially unveiled the Host Communities Development Regulations, urged the companies to conduct their operations in an environmentally friendly manner and also ensure that host communities were taken care of.
1613 Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London, burns down during a performance of “Henry VIII”
1900 The Imperial Chinese Court issues what is essentially a declaration of war against foreigners in China blaming them for hostilities and giving license to the Boxers for even greater ferocity
1964 Civil Rights Act of 1964 passes after an 83-day filibuster in the US Senate
1966 Vietnam War: US planes bomb the North Vietnamese capital Hanoi and the port city of Haiphong for the first time
1994 US reopens Guantanamo Naval Base to process refugees
Historical Events Today
Today in Film & TV
1964 1st draft of Star Trek’s pilot “Cage” released
Today in Music
1888 First (known) recording of classical music made, Handel’s “Israel in Egypt” on wax cylinder
Today in Sport
1958 FIFA World Cup Final, Råsunda Stadium, Stockholm, Sweden: Vavá & Pelé each score 2 goals as Brazil beats Sweden, 5-2
MORE FACTS….
1990 World’s first female diocesan Anglican bishop, Dr Penny Jamieson, appointed in New Zealand
Famous Weddings
1822 Nephew of Napoleon, biologist and ornithologist Prince Charles Bonaparte marries cousin Zenaide Bonaparte
1854 English Novelist and author of “Jane Eyre” Charlotte Brontë marries curate Arthur Bell Nicholls
1931 Actress Mary Astor (25) weds Dr. Franklyn Thorpe
The Kenyatta International Convention Centre, or as it is the short name for it KICC, is a 28-story building located in Nairobi, Kenya.
Situated in the center of the capital, KICC is a well known and one of the most popular events venue in Africa.
Commissioned by Mzee Jomo Kenuatta, the 1st President of the Republic of Kenya, in 1967, it was designed by the Norwegian architect Karl Henrik Nøstvik and the construction was carried out by contractors Solel Boneh & Factah.
This was done in three phases. Phase I was the construction of the podium, Phase II consisted of the main tower and Phase III involved the Plenary.
Construction was completed in 1973, with the opening ceremony occurring in September 1973 presided over by President Kenyatta.
The KICC was returned to the state in 2003, when KANU was voted out of the government.
The KICC nowadays is one of the tallest buildings of Kenya.
It is 105 meters (344 feet), with 28 floors, including a revolving restaurant which offers panoramic views of the city, rotating 360° in 76 minutes.
The building’s light teracotta façade reflects traditional African architecture, as does the use of simple solid shapes, cuboids make up the Plenary hall, the tower consists of a cylinder composed of several cuboids and the amphitheatre and helipad both resemble cones.
Also, the KICC is facilitated with state-of-the-art facilities and services and caters mostly towards assuring the comfort and suitability of the visitors and exhibitors.
Further, the Kenyatta International Conference Center is the world class venue which provides advanced meeting rooms, office space for rent, VIP rooms, parking facilities, decoration services, catering services and many more.
The close convenience to various 5-star hotels that gives it an edge over other venues and make Kenyatta International Conference Center, the first choice of many organizers from Africa and abroad.
The Auditorium represents the traditional African hut ideal for symposia and seminars.
This is the place where heritage meets modernity. The courtyard is a paved 75 square meter (802 square foot) courtyard surrounding the Jomo Kenyatta statue.
It was designed as a respite for those attending conferences.
The courtyard includes gardens, pools and geyser fountains. Numerous flag poles and balconies in the courtyard are fashioned to host promotional identities. Truly amazing and breathtaking.
Governor of Lagos state, Babajide Sanwo-olu has commissioned the Greater Lagos LBIC Apartments.
He wrote on social media:
Today, I commissioned and handed over the Greater Lagos LBIC Apartments, Ijaiye-Ogba to the new occupants.
This housing project was conceptualized and constructed by our administration to further bridge the housing deficit in Lagos.
I am particularly excited about this project because during the construction of the Pen Cinema bridge, some residents were displaced as a result of the project.
We made a promise to restore their houses and as they said today, they thought the promise of restoring them to the place they had resided for over 30 years would not be fulfilled.
With this project we have again restored the confidence of our people in government and it has confirmed that indeed, Lagos State Government is a promise keeper.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control says Nigerians are not following the preventive measures against the current outbreak of Monkeypox.
The NCDC Director of Health Emergency Preparedness and Response, Dr. John Oladejo, stated this on Tuesday in Ibadan, while speaking with journalists on the sidelines of the ongoing Second Ibadan Public Health Conference.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the conference was organised by the Faculty of Public Health, University of Ibadan, in collaboration with NCDC and the World Health Organisation.
The conference’s tagline is: “Public Health in a Changing World”.
Oladejo said that behavioural attitude and negligence in following precautionary measures were contributing to the outbreak of viral diseases in the country.
“The main problem in the country, as related to these viral diseases, is the people themselves.
“When you give them instructions or protocols, they don’t follow it.
“So, at the community level, there is always behavioural problem,” he said.
NCDC
Oladejo, however, said that the Federal Government has scaled up the surveillance system, with immediate actions focused on training healthcare workers on monkeypox surveillance and response at the state and local government levels.
“We have actually done a lot of work in terms of preparedness and activated the monkeypox emergency operations centre to strengthen our preparedness and response.
“We have trained our health workers in every state of the federation.
“It was this training we did that made the states wake up and go out for active surveillance and get new cases that were treated immediately.
“We are using a digital surveillance system and molecular laboratory to know the sequencing of Monkeypox in Nigeria.
“We have done a lot to ensure that we can control as well as prevent the spread of Monkeypox in the country.
“The prevalence is very low, contrary to what many people think, the total number of cases from 2017 to date is 569,” he said.
According to him, there are a number of measures that can be taken to prevent infection with the monkeypox virus, including good hand hygiene and avoiding contact with animals that could harbor the virus.
Earlier, Prof. Godson Ana, Dean, Faculty of Public Health of UI, said that aim of the conference was to engage different stakeholders in the scientific community to share their experiences and provide opportunities for mentoring upcoming scholars in the field of public health.
“The theme speaks for itself, the world is changing and most of the change we see in the world is affecting communities and populations.
“The theme is very apt and timely, coming at a period the world is grappling with a myriad of public health-related issues ranging from overpopulation, insecurity, climate change, COVID-19 pandemic, and recently, the monkeypox outbreak.
“Public health interventions can have an impact on life expectancy and disease prevention and outcomes,” Ana said.
The Nigerian Government has awarded 57 marginal fields to about 49 new investors, adding that a total of N202.91bn was raked in by the government from the just concluded 2020 marginal field bid round.
It also revealed that 13 out of the 30 marginal fields awarded since 1999 were not producing crude oil, as only 17 of the fields were currently meeting the target of crude oil production.
The government disclosed this during the issuance of the Petroleum Prospecting Licence to the successful awardees in the 2020 marginal field bid round. This, it said, was pursuant to the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021.
This came as successful awardees, such as Matrix Energy Group, Petrogas Energy, among others, promised to begin oil search from the fields in earnest to boost the country’s crude oil production.
In his address at the event, the Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Gbenga Komolafe, stated that one of the major tasks inherited by the NUPRC upon its inauguration last year, was the need to conclude the 2020 bid round.
South African state utility Eskom said on Tuesday that it would implement the country’s worst-ever power cuts lasting at least six hours a day, after 10 generation units went offline overnight and as a strike disrupted its operations.
The so-called “Stage 6” power cuts have only been implemented once before in Africa’s most industrialised nation, where economic growth has been constrained for more than a decade by Eskom’s outages.
The so-called “Stage 6” electricity cuts Eskom is currently facing have only been implemented once before in its history, it said.ageing coal-fired power station fleet is highly prone to faults, and its ability to return units to service has been constrained by labour protests.
Eskom has been implementing Stage 4 power cuts requiring up to 4,000 megawatts (MW) to be shed from the national grid since late last week. Stage 6 outages would require up to 6,000 MW to be shed, and were only implemented once before, in December 2019.
The rand, which had been trading stronger against the dollar in early trade, weakened on the warning from Eskom.
South African state power utility Eskom sees an opportunity to emerge from years of crisis by shifting from coal-fired power generation towards natural gas and renewables, its chief executive told Reuters.
Eskom has implemented power cuts for more than a decade in Africa’s most industrialised nation that have held back economic growth and deterred investment. It has roughly 400 billion rand ($25 billion) of debt that it services through regular government bailouts.
The South African economy has been experiencing frequent bouts of load shedding (the local term for rolling blackouts) which has negatively impacted local industry and economic growth.
In South Africa, approximately 85 percent or 42,000 MW, of the nation’s electricity is generated via coal-fired power stations. Despite environmental concerns, coal will continue to provide the majority of South Africa’s power for the next decade,
Eskom, the vertically integrated, state-owned power company, generates approximately 95 percent of electricity used in South Africa, as well as a substantial share of the electricity generated on the African continent. It sells to Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, eSwatini Zimbabwe. South Africa has an electrification rate that is amongst the highest on the continent,
The world must do more to tackle the increasing global food insecurity worsened by Russia’s war in Ukraine, the African Development Bank Group President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina told a G7 ministerial conference on Friday.
Governments, multilateral Development Banks, international and regional organizations, non-governmental organizations, civil societies, and philanthropists demanded, among others, the release of millions of metric tons of food trapped in Ukraine due to the war.
The German government hosted the conference titled ‘Uniting for Global Food Security,’ to coordinate responses to the global food crisis caused by climate change, the Covid-19 pandemic, and heightened by the war in Ukraine.
In her opening speech, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said there was an urgent need as a result of the war and disruptions to food production in Ukraine, one of the world’s leading food baskets, to provide humanitarian assistance, especially to vulnerable groups. She said in 2022, Germany would provide €2.8 billion to its humanitarian partners to support relief effort.
“We are calling on everybody to join forces to help put food on the plate for those who are starving, to bring medicine to the sick and to provide shelter to those who have had homes taken from them,” she said: “In all of this, our response needs to be swift and bold – it’s not an easy task, but we are here today to say we are acting united around the world.”
African ministers speak out on impact of global food crisis.
African ministers on Friday outlined the impact that the global food crisis is having on their countries and added their voices to calls for action.
Addressing the conference by videoconference, Dr. Adesina urged Germany and other G7 countries to support a $1.5 billion African Emergency Food Production plan developed jointly by the Bank and the African Union to help African countries avert a looming food crisis.
“While the African Development Bank has mobilized $1.3 billion of the $1.5 billion needed for the African Emergency Food Production Plan, we have a financing gap of $200 million. I would therefore like to request that Germany and all G-7 countries help provide this balance of $200 million,” the Bank Chief said.
Africa relies heavily on cereal exports from Russia and Ukraine. Due to the war, the continent faces a shortage of at least 30 million metric tons of food, especially wheat, maize, and soybeans imported from both countries.
The African Emergency Food Production Facility will provide 20 million smallholder farmers with certified seeds. The plan will increase access to agricultural fertilizers and enable them to rapidly produce 38 million tons of food worth $12 billion.
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