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Thailand Welcomes Back Stolen Artifacts After San Francisco Forfeiture

Zoe Maven
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Thailand Welcomes Back Stolen Artifacts After San Francisco Forfeiture

Thailand on Monday held a welcoming ceremony to mark the return of two ancient hand-carved artifacts that were stolen decades ago and smuggled out of the country to the United States.

The two 680 kg Khmer-style stone carvings had been on display at the Asian Arts Museum in San Francisco, which was required to forfeit them when a settlement was reached in February between the U.S. government and San Francisco authorities.

Thailand had informed the United States in 2017 that the lintels, which date back to the 10th and 11th century, had been stolen.

The sandstone lintels were once parts of the structure of two religious sanctuaries in Thailand’s northeast. The government will assess whether they can be returned to their original locations.

Thai culture Minister Itthiphol Kunplome said at the Bangkok ceremony today is the day that they are finally returned to their home country and displayed here.

Tanongsak Hanwong, who located the artifacts and pushed for their return said this is a legal battle that has set an excellent example for the museums that still own Thai artifacts illegally because they know they will lose the case.

He added that many museums have chosen to reach out to begin the return process instead of going into the legal process.

Kingibe Appointed Buhari’s Special Envoy To Chad and Lake Chad Basin Region

Angel Gimalo
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Kingibe Appointed Buhari’s Special Envoy To Chad and Lake Chad Basin Region

President Muhammadu Buhari, has approved the appointment of Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, as his Special Envoy to Chad and the Lake Chad Basin Region.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF, Mr Boss Mustapha who disclosed this in a statement Monday in Abuja said the appointment is of a “Cabinet Rank Status”.

The statement reads; “President Muhammadu Buhari, has approved the appointment of Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, as his Special Envoy with Cabinet Rank Status, to Chad and the Lake Chad Basin Region.

“This appointment of a Special Envoy by the President is also in consonance with the resolution of the Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Lake Chad Basin Commission Member Countries, on the situation in Chad on the 25th of May, 2021.

“The Special Envoy will amongst others: Monitor developments in Chad and the Lake Chad Basin Region; aid reconciliation and seamless progress towards return to democratic rule at the end of the current Transitional Military Council’s rule; Collaborate with member Countries and partners in the region with similar initiatives to restore stability, promote peace and, security; and, Promote any other initiative ancillary to the restoration of peace and security in Chad, the North East Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin Region.

“President Buhari has by this appointment demonstrated the determination of Nigeria to lead regional security efforts that will stabilize the Lake Chad Basin Region, bring peace to Chad and ultimately eliminate the Boko Haram Insurgency in the North East zone of Nigeria.

“This is also a fulfillment of the President’s promise to General Mahamat Deby Itno, the President of the Transitional Military Council of Chad, to support a seamless progress towards return to democratic rule, when he visited Nigeria in May, 2021

“The Special Envoy, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe is an accomplished multi-lingual diplomat, who had at various times served the nation as Federal Permanent Secretary, Secretary to the Constituent Assembly, Cabinet Minister and Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

He had also participated in previous Nigeria-led Chadian reconciliation talks (Kano 1 & II as well as Lagos 1 & II)”.

Indigenous Groups Call For Identifying Graves After Remains Of 215 Children Found

Zoe Maven
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0
Indigenous Groups Call For Identifying Graves After Remains Of 215 Children Found

Indigenous groups in Canada are calling for a nationwide search for mass graves at residential school sites after the discovery of the remains of 215 children at one former school last week shocked the country.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who did not make specific commitments, said on Monday that searching for more mass graves was an important part of discovering the truth.

Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation announced last week they had found the remains of 215 children, some as young as three years old, buried at the site of the Kamloops Indian Residential School, once Canada’s largest such school.

Between 1831 and 1996, Canada’s residential school system forcibly separated children from their families, subjecting them to abuse, malnutrition and rape in what the Truth and Reconciliation Commission tasked with investigating the system called “cultural genocide” in 2015.

Last week’s announcement sparked outrage, prompting flags to be flown at half-staff and people to lay hundreds of tiny shoes in public squares, places of government and on the steps of churches, in reference to the role of Christian churches from a range of denominations in running the schools.

There have long been rumors within indigenous communities, also discussed by the commission, of children buried at these schools.

The fourth volume of the commission’s report, titled ‘Missing Children and Unmarked Burials,’ identified 3,200 children who died at residential schools, about a third of whom were not named. Since that report’s publication in 2015, an additional 900 have been identified.

Brazil, Not Argentina, To Host Copa America, Says CONMEBOL

Zoe Maven
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Brazil, Not Argentina, To Host Copa America, Says CONMEBOL

South America’s soccer federation CONMEBOL on Monday said it would move next month’s Copa America to Brazil, thanking Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro for stepping in after original host Argentina pulled out over reports of surging COVID-19 cases.

The surprise decision, relocates the competition from one South American country to another, meaning the oldest international tournament in the world will kick off as planned on June 13, with the final on July 10.

It is a boost for Bolsonaro, a far-right former army captain who has railed against lockdowns and urged Brazilians to return to normal life.

In a separate tweet, CONMEBOL thanked Brazil’s president, who has long minimized the severity of the virus, for his help.

Brazil has routinely reported the continent’s highest case numbers and deaths, and currently ranks second highest in the world for both daily reported cases and deaths.

Meanwhile, Omar Aziz, one of the senators running a high-profile congressional probe into Bolsonaro’s handling of the pandemic, said he did not see any major problems with Brazil hosting the tournament, as long as there were no crowds and the correct safety measures were followed.

But many others in Brazil, where soccer is a national obsession, were outraged by the decision.  

The CONMEBOL announcement comes less than 24 hours after Argentina said its outbreak meant it could not longer host.

This year’s Copa America was to be the first featuring joint hosts, but Colombia was removed as co-host on May 20 after a wave of protests demanding social and economic change spread across the country.

Naomi Osaka Withdraws From French Open After Media Boycott

Zoe Maven
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Naomi Osaka Withdraws From French Open After Media Boycott

Japan’s Naomi Osaka on Monday announced she was withdrawing from the French Open in the wake of her decision to boycott post-match media duties at the Grand Slam tournament.

Osaka said in the build-up to the tournament that she would not attend the obligatory press conferences, citing that the way journalists quiz players adversely impacts her mental well-being.

The four-time Grand Slam champion made good on her threat on Sunday when, after winning her first round match, she did not hold a press conference.

She was fined $15,000 by Grand Slam organisers who issued a statement later warning of possible expulsion from Roland Garros and future majors if she fails to change her stance.

On Monday, the world number two decided to take matters into her own hands to end the stand-off.

Taking to Twitter, the 23-year-old Osaka said the best thing for the tournament, the other players and her well-being is that she withdraws so that everyone can get back to focusing on the tennis going on in Paris.

Osaka, one of the biggest name’s in women’s sport, went on to say she had suffered from depression since 2018 and that she has had a really hard time coping with that.

She added that she never imagined or intended this situation when she posted a few days ago.

She said anyone who knows her know’s she is introverted, and that she often wears headphones at tournaments to help dull her social anxiety.

There was no immediate response from tournament organisers.

Macron, Merkel Demand Explanations From US, Denmark Over Spying Report

Zoe Maven
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Macron, Merkel Demand Explanations From US, Denmark Over Spying Report

French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday that they expected the US and Danish governments to present explanations over allegations of spying by Washington on European allies with Copenhagen’s aid.

Macron after a French-German summit meeting held via video conference between Paris and Berlin said this is not acceptable between allies, and even less between allies and European partners,”.

Macron said he was attached to the bond of trust that unites Europeans and Americans,”, adding that “there is no room for suspicion between us.”

“That is why what we are waiting for complete clarity. We requested that our Danish and American partners provide all the information on these revelations and on these past facts. We are awaiting these answers,” he said.

Giving her position, Merkel said she “could only agree” with the comments of the French leader.

In an investigative report on Sunday, Danish public broadcaster Danmarks Radio (DR) and other European media outlets said the US National Security Agency (NSA) had eavesdropped on Danish underwater internet cables from 2012 to 2014 to spy on top politicians in Germany, Sweden, Norway and France.

The NSA was able to access text messages, telephone calls and internet traffic including searches, chats and messaging services — including those of Merkel, then-foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and then-opposition leader Peer Steinbruck, DR said.

Merkel said at the summit that she was “reassured” by statements by the Danish government, especially Defence Minister Trine Bramsen, condemning such actions.

Myanmar Journalist To Seek Asylum In Spain

Zoe Maven
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Myanmar Journalist To Seek Asylum In Spain

Myanmar correspondent Mratt Kyaw is set to arrive in Madrid on Tuesday where he will for asylum after fleeing the military junta in Yangon.

The 30-year-old correspondent, who will travel to Spain after failing to obtain asylum in Germany, won AFP’s Kate Webb award in 2017 for his outstanding coverage of the ethnic and religious conflicts in Myanmar.

According to the Spanish news agency EFE, which he worked for, Mratt Kyaw said the junta issued an arrest warrant for the reporter, forcing him to seek safety abroad.

Mratt, who has worked for EFE since 2018, criticised the military junta which overthrew civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1. He has spent four weeks in a detention centre  and would tomorrow fly from Frankfurt to Madrid to ask for asylum in Spain.

A spokesman for Spain’s interior ministry said Mratt’s arrival had not been officially registered but would be treated according to international law.

Reporters Without Borders spokeswoman in Germany Katja Gloger said the interior ministry there had been asked to handle the asylum request after stressing the journalist’s life was in danger.

Myanmar has been in uproar since the putsch, with near-daily protests and a nationwide civil disobedience movement with over 800 people being killed by the military, according to a local monitoring group.

The press has been caught in the crackdown as the junta tries to tighten control over the flow of information.

Myanmar ranked 140 out of 180 countries in the 2021 Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index.

Laurent Gbagbo Plans To Return To Ivory Coast On June 17

Zoe Maven
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0
Laurent Gbagbo Plans To Return To Ivory Coast On June 17

Former Ivourian President Laurent Gbagbo is making a come-back to politics with plans to return home on June 17 following his acquittal on charges of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court, ICC

Assoa Adou, the leader of a pro-Gbagbo party, announced the date of the former President’s home-coming in front of a crowd that had come to celebrate Gbagbo’s birthday in Abidjan.

Gbagbo, who turned 76 on Monday, served as president from 2000 until his arrest in 2011, after his refusal to concede electoral defeat to Ouattara. Post-election violence spiralled into a civil war that claimed the lives of 3,000 people.

On March 31 the ICC upheld a 2019 decision which ruled prosecutors had failed to present enough evidence to prove their case against Gbagbo and Charles Ble Goude, a former youth leader and one of his aides.

In April President Alassane Ouattara said Gbango was free to return from the Hague but did not say whether Gbagbo had been pardoned.

Analysts say Gbagbo’s return could be complicated by an outstanding 20-year sentence given to him in absentia in November 2019 by an Ivorian court for misappropriating funds from the regional central bank.

Kante responds to Ballon d’or nomination call after UCL win

Henry Williams
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Kante responds to Ballon d’or nomination call after UCL win

N’golo Kante has distanced himself from suggestions from fans that he should be nominated for this year’s Ballon d’Or.

The Frenchman was instrumental as Chelsea ended the 2020/2021 season as Champions of Europe. He was everywhere on the pitch against Manchester City.

The Former Leicester City Midfielder won the man of the match award in the second leg of the Knockout round against Atletico Madrid. He won the man of the match award in both legs of the Semi-final clash with Real Madrid. He also won the award in the Final against Manchester City at Estadio do Dragao Stadium in Porto.

Ngolo Kante is now being tipped by many as an early contender to win the Ballon d’Or later this year.

According to the report from Metro Sport, he said:

“The man of the match award is secondary. The main thing is the work of the whole group. It is pride and joy. We fought to qualify for the Final and we have received the reward for our hard work”

He was asked if he could potentially be nominated for the Ballon d’or this year. He replied:

“No, for the moment, we are savouring the UEFA Champions League trophy. I will join with France’s squad soon for the European Championship. I hope to win that as well”

2023: North East youth group endorse Kogi governor for president

Henry Williams
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2023: North East youth group endorse Kogi governor for president

A coalition of groups from Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe State called the North East Youth Coalition Group, has called on the Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello to run for the 2023 presidential election.

Chairman of the coalition Alhaji Salisu Magaji made call when he led members of the groups to address a press conference at Zaranda Hotel in Bauchi, saying that Magaji Governor Bello is youth, energetic, focused and a charismatic leader that believes in uniting the country for sustainable development.

Magaji explained that said the coalition decided to support the Governor because it believes that he has a vision to address the socio economic and political challenges facing the country for peace, unity and stability.

He said members of the coalition after their deliberation, commended Bello, fir his foresight and patriotism and explained that its high time for youth to lead this country.

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