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UK, France And Germany To Keep Nuclear Sanctions On Iran

By
Zoe Maven
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The UK, France and Germany are to retain sanctions on Iran in an attempt to deter Tehran from selling drones and missiles to Russia.

Iran has said the move is illegal and provocative and clearly violated the terms of the nuclear deal.

In 2015 Iran agreed to a nuclear deal and, under the terms, some sanctions were due be lifted next month. However, the European nations believe Iran breached the deal by enriching and storing uranium.

The European powers announced that they would incorporate expiring UN sanctions into their own laws.

Some of the measures are supposed to stop Iran developing and exporting ballistic missiles and drones. But despite the sanctions, many drones made in Iran have been used by Russia in its war against Ukraine.

Iran agreed to the deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), with a group of world powers known as the P5+1 – the US, UK, France, China, Russia and Germany – eight years ago.

Under the 2015 accord, Iran agreed to limit its sensitive nuclear activities and allow in international inspectors in return for the lifting of crippling economic sanctions. The accord bars anyone from buying, selling or transferring drones and missiles to and from Iran.

The agreement envisaged a transition day eight years later, when remaining ballistic missile and nuclear-related sanctions on Iran would be lifted.

The deal also included an asset freeze on a list of people and organisations believed to be helping advance the nuclear programme.

Countries such as Russia and China will no longer be bound by the restrictions if they do not adopt sanctions similar to those of the UK, France and Germany before 18 October.

The latter three countries, known collectively as the E3, said the sanctions would remain in place until Tehran was fully compliant with the deal.

Workers Start Strike At US Motor Industry Giants

By
Zoe Maven
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In the United StatesWork has been stopped at three plants owned by General Motors (GM), Ford and Stellantis.

The move came after labour contracts expired on Thursday night and the United Autoworkers Union (UAW) said the firms had not put forward acceptable offers.

The strike started at midnight eastern time (04:00 GMT) at GM’s Wentzville, Missouri mid-size truck plant, Ford’s Bronco plant in Michigan and the Jeep plant in Toledo, Ohio owned by Stellantis.

The plants are critical to the production of some of the “Detroit Three’s” most profitable vehicles.

The fight threatens to trigger higher prices for buyers and major disruption for the motor industry giants but UAW’s president Shawn Fain told the News correspondents it was now up to the companies to resolve the dispute.

The UAW however said other facilities will continue to operate, but it did not rule out broadening the strikes beyond the initial three targets.

With the deadline looming on Thursday, the White House said that President Joe Biden had spoken on the phone with Mr Fain about the negotiations but provided no further details.

The union had sought a 40% pay increase for its roughly 140,000 members over four years, noting a comparable rise in pay for company leaders.

Other demands included: A four-day working week, the return of automatic pay increases tied to inflation, stricter limits on how long workers can be considered temporary staff who do not receive union benefits.

The UAW’s proposals would more than double its US labour costs, Ford said in a statement.

Last month, 97% of the union’s members voted to authorise a strike with Workers insisting the companies could afford to be more generous after years of record profits.

Gabon’s President Relaunches Probes Into Public Markets

By
Zoe Maven
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Gabon’s new Military President, General Brice Oligui Nguema, has announced a commission of inquiry into public procurement to track down fraud.

A press release read on public television said the President had decided to reactivate the task force for controlling internal and external debt in order to carry out the verification of all public markets.

It continued, the task force will take up all the actions left suspended by the previous one without obvious reasons.

The Head of State invites the companies awarded public contracts and all the administrative entities concerned to contact the Commission upon receipt of their summons.

Also taking to social Media, General Oligui said the country requires careful and rigorous evaluation of public contracts to detect any irregularity or potential fraud.

Proclaimed transitional president who overthrew Ali Bongo Ondimba two weeks ago in Gabon, immediately called on the bosses practicing overbilling against kickbacks paid to senior officials of the deposed power to stop these maneuvers in public procurement.

A few days later, he publicly reprimanded hundreds of senior civil servants and public sector executives asking them to refund any embezzled funds within 48 hours or face repercussions.

The same day of the coup, the military arrested one of the sons of the deposed head of state, Noureddin Bongo Valentin , as well as six other young senior officials in the cabinet of the ex-president and his wife Sylvia. Bongo Valentin.

The searches at their homes, broadcast extensively by state television, showed them at the feet of trunks, suitcases and bags overflowing with wads of bank notes .Gabon is ranked 136th out of 180 for perception of corruption by Transparency International (2022).

Libya Buries Thousands In Mass Graves After Flood

By
Zoe Maven
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The Mayor of Libyan city of Derna says thousands of people have been buried in mass graves, even as search teams scoured ruins following the devastating floods.

The deluge swept away entire families on Sunday night and according to Health officials 5,500 deaths have been confirmed and 9,000 people are still missing.

Daniel, an unusually strong Mediterranean storm, caused deadly flooding in towns across eastern Libya, but the worst-hit was Derna, when two dams outside the city collapsed.

The Health Ministry further said the storm also killed around 170 people in other parts of eastern Libya, including the towns of Bayda, Susa, Um Razaz and Marj.

Meanwhile, World Meteorological Organization head Petteri Taalas told reporters in Geneva that most casualties could have been avoided if there would have been a normal operating meteorological service which could have issued the warnings.

The WMO said earlier this week that the National Meteorological Center had issued warnings 72 hours before the flooding, notifying all governmental authorities by email and through media.

Officials in eastern Libya warned the public about the coming storm but did not suggest the dams could collapse or present an evacuation plan.

The two dams that collapsed outside Derna were built in the 1970s. A report by a state-run audit agency in 2021 said the dams had not been maintained despite the allocation of more than 2 million euros for that purpose in 2012 and 2013.

Libya’s Tripoli-based Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah acknowledged the maintenance issues in a Cabinet meeting Thursday and called on the Public Prosecutor to open an urgent investigation into the dams’ collapse.

France Says Ambassador To Niger Held Hostage In Embassy

By
Zoe Maven
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President of France, Emmanuel Macron says the Country’s envoy to Niger is living like a hostage in the French embassy and accused military rulers of blocking food deliveries to the mission.

Addressing Reporters in the eastern town of Semur-en-Auxois, Macron said,” As we speak, we have an ambassador and diplomatic staff who are literally being held hostage in the French embassy.

Macron said the envoy “cannot go out, he is persona non grata and he is being refused food”.

Asked whether France would consider bringing him home, Macron said: “I will do whatever we agree with President Bazoum because he is the legitimate authority and I speak with him every day.”

Niger’s military leaders told French ambassador Sylvain Itte he had to leave the country after they overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26.

But a 48-hour ultimatum for him to leave, issued in August, passed with him still in place as the French government refused to comply, or to recognise the military regime as legitimate.

Macron has for weeks rejected the call to remove the French ambassador, a stance backed by the EU which has described the demand as “a provocation”.

France keeps about 1,500 soldiers in Niger, and said earlier this month that any redeployment could only be negotiated with Bazoum.

The country’s new leaders have torn up military cooperation agreements with France and asked the troops to leave quickly.

EU foreign affairs spokeswoman Nabila Massrali last month, said like France, the EU does not recognise the authorities that seized power in Niger.

Mediterranean Crossings Of African Migrants Almost Double

By
Zoe Maven
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Irregular arrivals of migrants in Italy via the Mediterranean from North Africa amounted to almost 114,300 between January and August, almost twice as many as in the same period in 2022, according to figures by Frontex.

In a statement, Frontex said increased migratory pressure on this route could persist in the coming months, with smugglers lowering prices for migrants leaving from Libya and Tunisia, in a context of fierce competition between criminal groups.

Along with Libya, Tunisia is the departure point for thousands of migrants who cross the central Mediterranean towards Europe and arrive in Italy, mainly consisting of Ivorians , Egyptians and Guineans.

The EU coast and border guard agency have noted that this very dangerous migration route has accounted for half of irregular arrivals in the EU so far this year.

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), more than 2,000 people have died or gone missing since the start of the year attempting this crossing,

The Italian government, for its part, says nearly 126,000 migrants had arrived on Italian shores since the start of the year, compared to 66,000 during the same period last year.

Located less than 150 km from the Tunisian coast, the Italian island of Lampedusa is facing an influx of migrants in recent days: it has welcomed more than 7,000 people, the equivalent of the entire local population.

In July, in the presence of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the EU signed a partnership with Tunisia in order to reduce the number of migrant arrivals from this country, providing for aid worth several hundred million euros.

But the agreement arouses controversy, due to the authoritarian drift of Tunisian power and the abuses perpetrated against sub-Saharan migrants in this country.

2 Locations In Ukraine On UNISCO List Of Historic Sites In Danger

By
Zoe Maven
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The U.N.’s World Heritage Committee has placed two major historical sites in Ukraine on its list of such sites that it considers to be in danger.

The iconic St. Sophia Cathedral in the capital, Kyiv, and the medieval center of the western city of Lviv, are UNESCO World Heritage Sites central to Ukraine’s culture and history.

The decision was made at the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee, which is being held in Saudi Arabia and which maintains UNESCO’s World Heritage List and oversees conservation of the sites.

Neither site has been directly targeted since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and Lviv has largely been spared from the fighting. But Russia has unleashed waves of strikes on Kyiv and other cities, hitting residential areas and critical infrastructure with Iranian-made attack drones.

The gold-domed St. Sophia Cathedral, located in the heart of Kyiv, was built in the 11th century and designed to rival the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. The monument to Byzantine art contains the biggest collection of mosaics and frescoes from that period, and is surrounded by monastic buildings dating back to the 17th century.

The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, also known as the Monastery of the Caves, is a sprawling complex of monasteries and churches some underground that were built from the 11th to the 19th century. Some of the churches are connected by a labyrinthine complex of caves spanning more than 600 meters.

Ukraine Deputy Culture Minister Anastasia Bondar, welcomed the move expressing happiness at the Country’s very rich history and culture which has been over thousands of years, and which they try to preserve for future generations.

Under the 1972 UNESCO convention, ratified by both Ukraine and Russia, signatories undertake to assist in the protection of the listed sites.

Morocco 2024: Nnadozie, Oshoala, Ajibade, 21 Others To Face Sao Tome and Principe

By
Emenike Agu
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Goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, midfielder Rasheedat Ajibade and forward Asisat Oshoala are among 24 players invited to the Super Falcons’ camp for next week’s 2024 Women Africa Cup of Nations first round, first leg qualifying match against Sao Tome and Principe.

Also on the roster are captain Onome Ebi, defenders Oluwatosin Demehin, Michelle Alozie and Rofiat Imuran, midfielders Rasheedat Ajibade and Toni Payne, and forwards Ifeoma Onumonu, Vivian Ikechukwu and Gift Monday.

Nine-time African champions Nigeria will host the Sao Tome and Principe girls at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena on Friday, 22nd September, with the return leg scheduled for Tuesday, 26th September.

The winner of this fixture will be eligible to confront the winner of another first round fixture between Cape Verde and Liberia, at the second-round stage slated for the period 27th November – 5th December.

Morocco, which hosted last year’s edition of the continental showpiece, will again host next year’s spectacle.

ALL THE INVITED PLAYERS:

Goalkeepers: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC); Tochukwu Oluehi (Shualat Alsharqia FC, Saudi Arabia); Monle Oyono (Bayelsa Queens) 

Defenders: Onome Ebi (Naija Ratels); Akudo Ogbonna (Remo Stars Ladies); Comfort Folorunsho (Edo Queens); Oluwatosin Demehin (Stade de Reims, France); Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash, USA); Nicole Payne (Paris Saint Germain, France); Jumoke Alani (Edo Queens); Rofiat Imuran (Stade de Reims, France)  

Midfielders: Peace Efih (Sporting Club de Braga, Portugal); Esther Onyenezide (FC Robo Queens); Christy Ucheibe (SL Benfica, Portugal); Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico Madrid FC, Spain); Toni Payne (Sevilla FC, Spain); Regina Otu (AS Saint Etienne, France)  

Forwards: Flourish Sebastine (Bayelsa Queens); Ifeoma Onumonu (NY/NJ Gotham FC, USA); Asisat Oshoala (FC Barcelona Feminine, Spain); Vivian Ikechukwu (Besiktas JK, Turkey); Gift Monday (UDG Tenerife, Spain); Chiamaka Okuchukwu (Rivers Angels); Opeyemi Ajakaye (FC Robo Queens)   

Exploring Storseisundet Bridge, Norway  

By
Angel Gimalo
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The Storseisundet Bridge is the longest of the eight bridges that make up the Atlanterhavsveien (The Atlantic Road), the road connection from the mainland Romsdal peninsula to the island of Averøya in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway, and this bridge sits on the border between Eide Municipality and Averøy Municipality.

The bridge is also known as the road to nowhere, and it gives motorists a frightening, luckily, only an illusion that there is nothing else, but the end of the world.

The Storseisundet Bridge is 260 metres (850 feet) long and with a maximum clearance to the sea of 23 metres (75 feet). It was officially opened on 7 July 1989, but it served as a toll road until June 1999.

The bridge is built in such a way that from a certain angle, as you approach, it looks as it is more diving board than bridge. One can only imagine the creative spirit that overcame the architect as he sat at his desk.

The dramatically shaped bridge has been featured in television adverts, and as it sits on the 8 km (5 ml) long road which was constructed in 2005, it has become hugely popular with tourists.

Photograph Of The Year: Circle Of Light Is Runner-Up In Aurora Category

By
Angel Gimalo
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Circle of Light by Andreas Ettl, which shows the Northern Lights reflected on Skagsanden beach, Norway is runner-up in Aurora Category of the Photograph of the year Award.

This image by Andreas Ettl shows the Northern Lights reflected on Skagsanden beach, Lofoten Islands, Norway.

The mountain in the background is Hustinden, which the aurora appears to encircle.

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