Author: Faith Daniel
JOHANNESBURG, Jan 27- China’s position as a major financier of developing economies has shifted over the past decade, with lending to poorer nations declining sharply while repayments on existing debt continue to climb, according to new analysis from ONE Data. The inaugural report by the ONE Data initiative shows that many low- and middle-income countries — especially across Africa — are now sending more money to China in debt repayments than they are receiving in new loans from the world’s second-largest economy. This change has occurred alongside a significant rise in net financing from multilateral institutions, which have become the…
WASHINGTON, Jan 26 Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced on Monday that state employees will no longer be permitted to use hardware or software from Shein, Alibaba, and TP-Link, citing concerns about protecting the “privacy of Texans” from the Chinese government. According to the statement, the restriction also extends to online shopping platform Temu and battery manufacturer CATL. The move represents another instance of a U.S. state official blocking technology from Chinese-owned companies on security grounds. Under Abbott’s directive, state workers are barred from accessing the affected companies’ physical hardware, artificial intelligence tools, and software on government-owned devices and networks. The…
Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary has dismissed Elon Musk’s suggestion of buying the airline, brushing off insults from the billionaire as a public spat between the two intensified. O’Leary spoke on Wednesday amid an escalating war of words sparked by Ryanair’s decision not to install Musk’s Starlink satellite Wi-Fi system on its aircraft. The airline has said the system’s antennas would increase fuel drag, making it too costly to operate. After Musk accused him of being “misinformed,” O’Leary told an Irish radio station: “I would pay no attention whatsoever to Elon Musk — he’s an idiot.” Musk fired back on…
ABUJA — Nigeria reaffirmed its commitment to defeating banditry and terrorism and strengthening national security through deeper cooperation with the United States, as National Security Adviser Mallam Nuhu Ribadu hosted a high-level U.S. delegation in Abuja for a strategic security session. The meeting was led on the U.S. side by Allison Hooker and brought together senior figures from Nigeria’s security and intelligence establishment, including the Nigerian ambassador to the United States, Lateef K. K. Are, service chiefs and heads of the intelligence community. Those present included the chief of defence staff, the chiefs of army, air and naval staff, the…
EL-OBEID, Sudan — When shelling hit their school in the Sudanese city of el-Obeid, 18-year-old twins Makarem and Ikram were sitting in different classrooms, unaware their lives were about to change forever. Makarem was attending an English literature lesson while Ikram was in a science class when they heard what Makarem described as “strange sounds” coming from outside the school. Moments later, shells began to fall. Makarem said she felt her shoulder “tilt” as shrapnel struck her. Panic spread through the classroom as students dropped to the floor, trying to shield themselves from the blasts. “We hid by the wall,…
Daniel Bwala, special adviser to President Bola Tinubu on policy communication, has said that Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara is the recognised leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, insisting that former governor Nyesom Wike is not a member of the ruling party. Bwala made the statement during an appearance on Channels Television’s Hard Copy programme amid the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State, which has escalated into impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara in the state assembly. He said that while Wike may still wield influence within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, he has…
Nigeria’s national power grid collapsed on Friday, marking its first failure of 2026, just weeks after a similar incident on 29 December 2025 that triggered widespread blackouts across the country. Electricity generation plunged sharply from over 4,500 megawatts to about 24 megawatts by 1:30 pm, according to available data. All 23 power generation plants connected to the grid reportedly lost output during the incident, resulting in zero power allocation to the country’s 11 electricity distribution companies. Grid collapses in Nigeria have often been linked to technical faults, poor maintenance of transmission infrastructure and fluctuations in generation capacity. The exact cause…
South Sudan’s army chief has given troops seven days to “crush the rebellion” in the east of the country, amid fears that escalating fighting could threaten the capital, Juba. Fighting has intensified in Jonglei state, where forces loyal to the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) are reported to have attacked and captured several areas. The claims could not be independently verified, but the violence has placed Jonglei’s capital, Bor, just two hours’ drive from Juba, under growing threat. The SPLA-IO is led by suspended First Vice-President Riek Machar, who is currently on trial on charges including murder, treason…
Renowned Nigerian master wood carver Kasali Akangbe Ogun has been laid to rest following his death last week after a brief illness. Born into a distinguished lineage of Yoruba wood carvers in Osogbo, south-west Nigeria, he carried an ancestral tradition from its local roots onto the global art stage. Akangbe Ogun was celebrated for a distinctive artistic style marked by elongated faces and fluid, dynamic forms. Nigerian art patron Olufemi Akinsanya described his work as uniquely expressive, combining spiritual depth with visual movement. He was a central figure in the New Sacred Art Movement, founded in the 1960s by the…
A South African court has ruled that personal items belonging to Nelson Mandela may be sold and exported after his eldest daughter won a legal battle against the country’s heritage authority. The artefacts include a prison cell key from Robben Island, where Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in jail, a pair of Aviator sunglasses, and one of his iconic floral shirts. Other items include a copy of South Africa’s 1996 Constitution signed by Mandela, a charcoal drawing, an identity card, a tennis racquet he used while imprisoned, and gifts from world leaders such as former US President Barack…
