President Tinubu and President Mbasogo Seal Deal for Gas Pipeline in Gulf of Guinea

BREAKING: PRESIDENT TINUBU AND PRESIDENT MBASOGO SIGN AGREEMENT ON GAS PIPELINE FOR GULF OF GUINEA

President Bola Tinubu and Equatorial Guinean President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo on Wednesday evening in Malabo signed an agreement on Gulf of Guinea Pipeline Project, further affirming partnership for mutual development. 

The agreement covered legislative and regulatory measures for the gas pipeline, establishment and operation, transit of natural gas, ownership of the gas pipeline, and general principles. 

In his remarks at the event, President Tinubu, who is on a three-day official visit to Equatorial Guinea, said the signing of the agreement will open up new opportunities for gas exploration and employment.

The President stated that the two leaders had discussed issues related to the creation of employment, food security, multilateral relations, and conflict resolution mechanisms on the continent during a private meeting that preceded the signing of the agreement.

“Concerning Africa, conflicts and conflict resolution were discussed. We discussed various areas of conflicts and what we can do to promote peace.

“We talked about promotion of peace and stability in our countries, and growth and prosperity on our continent. 

“In the same way that Europe and America have kept themselves and found a solution for their conflicts, we have to look at both inadequate capital, industrialization efforts, research and development programmes, and enlighten our people, navigate our way through problems.

“Instead of the crisis and conflicts that we see in the Republic of Congo, and others, we have to look inwards to solve problems ourselves,’’ the President said. 

President Tinubu said the discussion with the President of Equatorial Guinea also covered challenges of security, African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA), and food security. 

“We are all going for it. Within Africa and the African Union, we have resolved that we will work together to make sure that the solution to many of our problems in Africa comes from within,’’ the President concluded.

In his remarks, the President of Equatorial Guinea said bilateral relations with Nigeria over many years have been rewarding and emphasized the need to deepen cooperation across salient areas. 

President Mbasogo said Africa’s vision of having a permanent seat in the Security Council of the United Nations is vital for the development of the continent, affirming that Equatorial Guinea will work with Nigeria to realize the objective. 

The President of Equatorial Guinea said the signing of the agreement was strategic for Africa’s development.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar of Nigeria, and Mr. Simeon Oyono Esono, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Equatorial Guinea, also signed the agreement.

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Lateef Fagbemi, SAN; Minister of Defence, Muhammad Badaru Abubakar; Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo; Minister of State, Petroleum, Gas, Ekperikpe Ekpo, and Minister of Youth Development, Dr. Jamila Ibrahim- Biu were present at the signing of the agreement.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale

Special Adviser to the President 

(Media & Publicity) 

August 15, 2024

According to the proposed legislation, anyone found guilty of refusing to recite the national anthem shall be fined 5 million, face a 10 year prison sentence or both

According to the proposed legislation, anyone found guilty of refusing to recite the national anthem shall be fined N5 million, face a 10-year prison sentence, or both.

The House of Representatives has introduced the Counter Subversion Bill 2024, which aims to impose stringent penalties on Nigerians who fail to recite the national anthem.

According to the proposed legislation, anyone found guilty of refusing to recite the national anthem shall be fined N5 million, face a 10-year prison sentence, or both.

Anyone who destroys a national symbol or a place of worship shall be liable to the same punishment.

The Bill, sponsored by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, is set for its second reading, where its general principles will be debated.

The Bill “stipulates that anyone found guilty of destroying national symbols, refusing to recite the national anthem and pledge, defacing a place of worship with intent to incite violence, or undermining the Federal Government shall face a fine of N5 million, a 10-year prison sentence, or both”.

The Bill also “states that anyone who sets up an illegal roadblock, performs unauthorised traffic duties, imposes an illegal curfew, or organises an unlawful procession will be subject to a fine of N2 million, five years in prison, or both upon conviction”.

Also, any person who “forcefully takes over any place of worship, town hall, school, premises, public or private place, arena, or a similar place through duress, undue influence, subterfuge or other similar activities, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of N5 million or imprisonment for a term of 10 years or both”.

“A person who professes loyalty, pledges or agrees to belong to an organisation that disregards the sovereignty of Nigeria, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of N3 million or imprisonment for a term of four years or both,” it also added among others.

In May, President Bola Tinubu signed into law the bill to revert to Nigeria’s old national anthem which was dropped by a military government in 1978.

The newly re-adopted anthem, which begins "Nigeria, We Hail Thee," was written by Lillian Jean Williams in 1959 and composed by Frances Berda.

Sahara Reporter

Ibesikpo Asutan: Elder Nsikak Nkanga Emerges as PDP Chapter Chairman

Ibesikpo Asutan: Elder Nsikak Nkanga Emerges as PDP Chapter Chairman

In a historic event, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chapter in Ibesikpo Asutan has elected Elder Nsikak Nkanga as their new chairman. This announcement was made during the party's recent local government congress, where Nkanga's leadership and political acumen were recognized by the party faithful.

Nkanga, a seasoned politician with a proven track record of service, has pledged to work tirelessly to strengthen the party's position in the local government area.

His wealth of experience and deep understanding of the area's political landscape are expected to be instrumental in driving the party's agenda and mobilizing support from the grassroots for Governor Eno leadership.

The newly elected chairman expressed his gratitude to the party members for placing their trust in him.

He has vowed to prioritize unity, inclusive leadership, and strategic planning to ensure the party's success in the upcoming elections. Nkanga's appointment is seen as a positive step in the PDP's efforts to consolidate its presence in Ibesikpo Asutan and position itself as a dominant force in the local political landscape.

Two NASA Astronauts May Face Extended Stay in Space Until 2025 due to Unforeseen Circumstances

Thursday 8 August 2024 8:45, NG

Two NASA astronauts stuck on the International Space Station (ISS) for more than two months could be forced to stay until February 2025 because of concerns over the safety of the spacecraft that brought them into orbit.

Commander Barry "Butch" Wilmore and pilot Sunita "Suni" Williams arrived at the ISS in June as the first crew to test Boeing's new Starliner.

NASA has yet to decide how to bring the pair back to Earth from the ISS and ground tests on the Starliner spacecraft have exposed the same flaws as those that happened during the flight to space.

In this photo provided by NASA, Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts Butch Wilmore, left, and Suni Williams pose for a portrait inside the vestibule between the forward port on the International Space Station's Harmony module and Boeing's Starliner spacecraft on June 13, 2024. (NASA via AP)

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NASA's Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams. File pic: NASA/AP

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Two NASA astronauts stuck on the International Space Station (ISS) for more than two months could be forced to stay until February 2025 because of concerns over the safety of the spacecraft that brought them into orbit.

Commander Barry "Butch" Wilmore and pilot Sunita "Suni" Williams arrived at the ISS in June as the first crew to test Boeing's new Starliner.

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Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video playerA United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying two astronauts aboard Boeing's Starliner-1 Crew Flight Test (CFT), is launched on a mission to the International Space Station, in Cape Canaveral, Florida, U.S., June 5, 2024. REUTERS/Steve Nesius1:18

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Watch Boeing's Starliner crewed launch

The US pair were expected to be back on Earth by now, but have been grounded by issues with the capsule, which suffered thruster failures before it docked - causing their mission to be extended indefinitely.

They may have to stay until February if NASA decides to bring them back on a SpaceX flight, rather than risk using the Starliner capsule.

That would mean they would watch from the space station as the Starliner is cut loose from the ISS to return to Earth without them.

Ken Bowersox, NASA's space operations mission chief, said the US space agency is looking more closely at SpaceX as a back-up, and "could take either path".

Mr Bowersox said during a recent meeting, they "heard from a lot of folks that had concern, and the decision was not clear".

A final decision is expected by mid-August.

It could have a knock-on effect on NASA's next SpaceX taxi flight in September, when two of the astronauts scheduled to fly may be left at home, so there is space for Mr Wilmore and Ms Williams on the return trip in February.

Three NASA astronauts and one Russian are assigned to the flight, but it's not known who could miss out.

Boeing has reiterated its capsule could still safely bring the astronauts home, but the company will need to modify Starliner's software in case it has to return without a crew.

NASA's commercial crew manager Steve Stich said they hadn't seriously thought about launching a separate SpaceX flight just to bring back Mr Wilmore and Ms Williams.

He said thruster problems have also happened during ground tests and engineers don't know why seals that swell when overheated then shrink back to their proper size.

All but one of the Starliner's five failed thrusters have since been reactivated in orbit.

Starliner needs them to back away from the space station following undocking and to keep the capsule in the proper position for the deorbit.

Technicians are also trying to plug helium leaks in Starliner's propulsion system, which is crucial for manoeuvring.

Lawsuit filed by family of French explorer killed in Titan sub implosion demands over $50 million in compensation.

The family of a French explorer who died in a submersible implosion has filed a more than $50 million lawsuit, saying the crew experienced “terror and mental anguish” before the disaster and accusing the sub’s operator of gross negligence.

Paul-Henri Nargeolet was among five people who died when the Titan submersible imploded during a voyage to the famed Titanic wreck site in the North Atlantic in June 2023. No one survived the trip aboard the experimental submersible owned by OceanGate, a company in Washington state that has since suspended operations.

Known as “Mr. Titanic,” Nargeolet participated in 37 dives to the Titanic site, the most of any diver in the world, according to the lawsuit. He was regarded as one of the world’s most knowledgeable people about the famous wreck. Attorneys for his estate said in an emailed statement that the “doomed submersible” had a “troubled history,” and that OceanGate failed to disclose key facts about the vessel and its durability.

According to the lawsuit, the Titan “dropped weights” about 90 minutes into its dive, indicating the team had aborted or attempted to abort the dive.

“While the exact cause of failure may never be determined, experts agree that the Titan’s crew would have realized exactly what was happening,” the lawsuit states. “Common sense dictates that the crew were well aware they were going to die, before dying.”

The lawsuit goes on to say: “The crew may well have heard the carbon fiber’s crackling noise grow more intense as the weight of the water pressed on Titan’s hull. The crew lost communications and perhaps power as well. By experts’ reckoning, they would have continued to descend, in full knowledge of the vessel’s irreversible failures, experiencing terror and mental anguish prior to the Titan ultimately imploding.”

A spokesperson for OceanGate declined to comment on the lawsuit, which was filed Tuesday in King County, Washington. The lawsuit describes Nargeolet as an employee of OceanGate and a crew member on the Titan.

The suit also criticizes Titan’s “hip, contemporary, wireless electronics system, and states that none of the controller, controls or gauges would work without a constant source of power and a wireless signal.

Though OceanGate designated Nargeolet as a member of the crew, "many of the particulars about the vessel’s flaws and shortcomings were not disclosed and were purposely concealed,” the attorneys, the Buzbee Law Firm of Houston, Texas, said in their statement.

Tony Buzbee, one of the attorneys on the case, said one of the suit's goals is to “get answers for the family as to exactly how this happened, who all were involved, and how those involved could allow this to happen.”

Concerns were raised in the aftermath of the disaster about whether the Titan was doomed due to its unconventional design and its creator’s refusal to submit to independent checks that are standard in the industry. Its implosion also raised questions about the viability and future of private deep-sea exploration.

The U.S. Coast Guard quickly convened a high-level investigation, which is ongoing. A key public hearing that is part of the investigation is scheduled to take place in September.

The Titan made its last dive on June 18, 2023, a Sunday morning, and lost contact with its support vessel about two hours later. After a search and rescue mission that drew attention around the world, the wreckage of the Titan was found on the ocean floor about 984 feet (300 meters) off the bow of the Titanic, about 435 miles (700 kilometers) south of St. John’s, Newfoundland.

OceanGate CEO and cofounder Stockton Rush was operating the Titan when it imploded. In addition to Rush and Nargeolet, the implosion killed British adventurer Hamish Harding and two members of a prominent Pakistani family, Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood.

The company that owns the salvage rights to the Titanic is in the midst of its first voyage to the wreckage site in years. Last month, RMS Titanic Inc., a Georgia-based firm, launched its first expedition to the site since 2010 from Providence, Rhode Island.

Nargeolet was director of underwater research for RMS Titanic. One of the expeditions Nargeolet took was the first visit to the Titanic in 1987, shortly after its location was discovered, the lawsuit states. His estate's attorneys described him as a seasoned veteran of underwater exploration who would not have participated in the Titan expedition if the company had been more transparent.

The lawsuit blames the implosion on the “persistent carelessness, recklessness and negligence” of Oceangate, Rush and others.

“Decedent Nargeolet may have died doing what he loved to do, but his death — and the deaths of the other Titan crew members — was wrongful,” the lawsuit states.

(AP)

France aims to secure their first Olympic football gold in four decades as they face Spain in the final match.

Thierry Henry's France are hoping a home crowd at the Parc des Princes can drive them on to win Olympic men's football gold but an impressive Spain side will attempt to deny them in Friday's final.

Henry, a France legend as a player, has led his country to the brink of their second football gold medal, 40 years after they won the title in Los Angeles.

That victory over Brazil came just a few weeks after the full French national team lifted their first major trophy by beating Spain on home soil in the final of Euro 84.

Just like then, the nations will meet at a packed Parc des Princes on Friday when a hostile home support will try to spur France on to victory.

They have already effectively fulfilled their objective by being guaranteed a medal, with Henry succeeding in moulding together a cohesive team after initially being met by a series of rejections from clubs unwilling to release their players.

Clubs have no obligation to let their players take part in the Olympics, where the men's tournament is reserved for those aged under 23 with the exception of three who are over-age.

Kylian Mbappe, the captain of the senior national side, wanted to come but was not allowed by his new club Real Madrid. Hopes of getting Antoine Griezmann onboard were quickly dashed.

The new Juventus midfielder Khephren Thuram was initially in the squad before being obliged to return to his employer.

But Les Bleus have been expertly led by the experienced Alexandre Lacazette and his fellow forwards, the bruising Jean-Philippe Mateta and the flying Michael Olise.

They won all three group games without conceding a goal, before seeing off Argentina 1-0 in a fiery quarter-final and then showing great character to come from behind and beat Egypt 3-1 after extra time in the last four.

We have been talking about the Games for a year and a half now and finally we get to go to Paris," said Mateta, the Crystal Palace striker who netted twice against the Egyptians.

This may be the Paris Games, but so far Henry's team have played all their matches elsewhere around the country, in Marseille, Nice, Bordeaux and Lyon.

Glorious Spanish summer

Spain, meanwhile, began their campaign with a 2-1 win over Uzbekistan in Paris. After easing past Japan in Lyon in the last eight, they had to come from behind to beat Morocco 2-1 in their semi-final in Marseille.

That victory in front of a hostile crowd, achieved thanks to goals by the outstanding Barcelona midfielder Fermin Lopez and the substitute Juanlu Sanchez, will give Spain confidence that they can handle the crowd and the pressure in the French capital.

"It's another atmosphere that I will like," Lopez, who has scored four goals at the Olympics after helping Spain win Euro 2024, told FIFA.com.

"In any situation, we can overcome anything. Now we want to get the gold."

Coached by the former Atletico Madrid defender Santi Denia, Spain are aiming for a second men's football gold after triumphing in Barcelona in 1992 with a squad including Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique.

They were silver medallists in Tokyo three years ago, but Spain's record more recently across the board in international football is remarkable.

The men's senior side won the European Championship just last month, following on from the women's team triumphing at the World Cup last year.

Less than two weeks ago they were the winners of the Under-19 Euros, and now they can complete a glorious summer with gold.

(AFP)

President Bola Tinubu is currently hosting a Security Council meeting at the Presidential Villa.

President Bola Tinubu is currently hosting a Security Council meeting at the Presidential Villa.

At the meeting, the service chiefs and Inspector General of Police, among others, will brief the President on the security situation in the country.

The meeting which started at 2:00 pm has in attendance the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, National Security Adviser to the President, all Service Chiefs, the Inspector General of Police, the Comptroller Generals of Custom and Immigration, as well as the Chief of Staff to the President.

Earlier, the Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting scheduled to hold at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, was abruptly cancelled.

The crucial meeting was set to take place in the Council Chamber, following President Bola Tinubu’s national broadcast on Sunday which attempted to address the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protests.

No reason was given for the cancellation.

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President Tinubu Calls for National Unity, Urges Suspension of Protests

My fellow Nigerians,

Today, I address you with a sense of responsibility, as we navigate through these times. The protests, which turned violent in some parts of our nation, have caused unimaginable pain and loss, particularly to the families of those who have tragically lost their lives. Our nation’s resources are stretched thin as we rebuild what has been destroyed.

As your President, I am committed to ensuring public order and protecting the lives and property of every Nigerian. We must come together, suspending further protests, and embrace dialogue for the sake of our nation’s unity and progress.

Despite the challenges, our government is making significant strides. We have doubled government revenues by blocking leakages and introducing automation, reduced debt service, and launched major infrastructure projects. Initiatives like the Compressed Natural Gas Initiative, the MSME Hubs, and the Renewed Hope City and Estate projects aim to improve the quality of life for all Nigerians. To drive down the cost of food and medicines, I have ordered the suspension of duties on critical food items and medical supplies for the next six months, in the first instance, while I can also confirm to you that billions of Naira worth of tractors and planting equipment purchased from US, Brazil and Belarus, are already on the way to our country.

We have also shown our commitment to the youth with programs like the student loan scheme and the Digital and Creative Enterprises initiative, which will create millions of jobs.

Let us choose hope over fear, unity over division, and progress over stagnation. Together, we can build a brighter future for ourselves and generations to come.

Forward Ever, Backward Never!

Thank you for your attention, and may God bless our great nation

Papuan fishermen catch animals that have never been seen before 😨#seacreatures #new #fish

Papuan fishermen recently made an astonishing discovery when they caught several unidentified sea creatures in their nets. These new species have never been documented before, causing excitement and curiosity among marine biologists and researchers worldwide. The unique findings highlight the importance of further exploration and study of the diverse marine life in the waters surrounding.

 

#seacreatures #new #fish