TheNewsGuru

Tag: Restrictions

  • Biden unveils new export restrictions on U.S-made AI technology

    Biden unveils new export restrictions on U.S-made AI technology

    Outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday unveiled new export restrictions on state-of-the-art artificial intelligence technology, including chips and AI models used for software.

    This is in an effort to keep it out of the hands of adversaries.

    A group of 20 partner countries would be exempt from the restrictions, which were announced just a week before Biden leaves office and could still change following input by experts and industry insiders.

    “In the wrong hands, powerful AI systems have the potential to exacerbate significant national security risks, including by enabling the development of weapons of mass destruction.

    “It is supporting powerful offensive cyber operations, and aiding human rights abuses, such as mass surveillance,’’ a White House statement said.

    The “overwhelming majority of chip orders’’ will not be affected as they do not contain cutting-edge technology, meaning the impact on universities, medical institutions and research organisations will be minimal, it said.

    The Biden administration said that it would ensure that the U.S. opponents do not obtain the advanced tech.

    It also created carves outs for entities in allied countries that have been proven to meet high security standards.

    The U.S. government has already restricted exports of AI chips to China, a step felt by U.S. firm Nvidia, a leader in AI chip making.

    Nvidia’s chip systems are used around the world to train applications using artificial intelligence.

    Heavyweights such as Google and the Meta group use them to fill entire data centres but AI start-ups such as the company behind ChatGPT, OpenAI, also rely on them.

  • CBN releases additional FX reforms, relaxes restriction on domiciliary accounts

    CBN releases additional FX reforms, relaxes restriction on domiciliary accounts

    Following the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) new guidelines in the Foreign Exchange (FX) market recently released, the apex bank has announced further policy changes.

    According to the Director, Corporate Communications, Dr Isa AbdulMumin, these policy changes aims to promote transparency, liquidity and price discovery in the FX market.

    AbdulMumin said that this is in order to improve FX supply, discourage speculation, enhance customer confidence and ensure overall stability in the FX market.

    He said that in line with deliberations at an extraordinary Bankers’ Committee meeting held on June 16, the CBN provided further guidance to Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) as follows:

    “All visible and invisible transactions (medicals, school fees, BTA/PTA, airline and other remittances) are eligible for the Investors’ and Exporters’ (I & E) window.

    “DMBs shall ensure expeditious processing of all eligible invisible transactions on behalf of their customers using the applicable rate at the I & E window.

    “Ordinary domiciliary account holders shall have unfettered and unrestricted access to funds in their accounts.

    “Domiciliary account holders are permitted to utilise cash deposits not exceeding 10,000 dollars per day or its equivalent via telegraphic transfer,” he said.

    The CBN spokesman said that the DMBs are mandated to provide returns to the CBN, including the “purpose” for such transactions.

    He added that cash deposits into domiciliary accounts would not be restricted, subject to DMBs conducting proper Know Your Customer (KYC), due diligence.

    “The CBN will prioritise the orderly settlement of any committed FX forward transactions as they fall due in order to boost market confidence further.

    “The Bank will normalise its Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) maintenance processes and ensure equity in
    its implementation across the banking industry,” he assured.

    He added that the apex bank would continue to engage stakeholders and issue further guidance as it implements the ongoing reforms.

  • NNPCL attributes fuel queues to movement restrictions for elections

    NNPCL attributes fuel queues to movement restrictions for elections

    The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. (NNPCL) has attributed fuel queues in Abuja and some parts of the country to restrictions of businesses and movement during the presidential and National Assembly elections.

    The NNPCL said operations had resumed at the depots and trucks were being dispatched to various parts of the country.

    Mr Garba Deen Muhammad, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer, NNPCL, in a statement said its latest updates released on Saturday showed a total of 2.1 billion litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) stock.

    Muhammad said this represented 0.9 billion litres in all the land depots nationwide and 1.2 billion litres on marine vessels.

    This, he said, was equivalent to 35 days sufficiency as of March 4.

    Muhammad, while reassuring Nigerians of a robust supply of PMS, said the NNPCL planned to close the month of March with about 2.8 billion litres, equivalent to 47 days of sufficiency.

    “The appearance of pockets of queues in Abuja and some parts of the country, is largely due to restrictions in businesses and movement, to allow for the conduct of the presidential and NASS elections to enable Nigerians to exercise their civic right.

    “However, operations have now resumed at the depots and trucks are being dispatched to various parts of the country.

    “We expect normalcy to be restored in the next few days.

    “NNPC Ltd. and all its partners and stakeholders will continue to work together to ensure seamless distribution of petroleum products around the gubernatorial and State Assembly elections.

    “We, therefore, enjoin Nigerians not to engage in panic buying,” he said.

  • Ghana reopens land and sea borders, lifts COVID-19 restrictions

    Ghana reopens land and sea borders, lifts COVID-19 restrictions

    Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo on Monday announced the re-opening of land and sea borders, and the lifting of most of the COVID-19 restrictions.

    In his 28th nationwide COVID-19 address, the president said the decision was made after reviewing the raft of measures put in place to help win the fight against the virus, against the background of rapidly declining infections, and the relative success of the vaccination campaign by the Ghana Health Service.

    “From Monday, the wearing of face masks is no longer mandatory.

    “I encourage all of you to continue to maintain enhanced hand hygiene practices and avoid overcrowded gatherings.

    “All in-person activities, including religious gatherings, conferences, workshops, and funerals, may resume at full capacity, as long as the audience and participants are fully vaccinated, but hand washing and hand sanitizing points should be made available.

    “Fully vaccinated travelers will be allowed entry through the land and sea borders without a negative PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test result from the country of origin.

    “It has been a difficult two years, and we see light at the end of a very long tunnel. I appeal to all of us to live responsibly, protect ourselves, and do everything we can to stay safe as we lift these restrictions,” Akufo-Addo said.

  • COVID-19: Ekiti reintroduces restrictions, bans large gatherings, vehicles’ overloading

    COVID-19: Ekiti reintroduces restrictions, bans large gatherings, vehicles’ overloading

    The Ekiti Government on Tuesday announced new measures to contain the increasing cases of the COVID-19 pandemic across all the 16 local governments areas of the state.
    The new directive marks the third time the state government would be imposing such restrictions between 2020 and August, 2021.
    The restrictions, had in the past paralysed businesses and lowering social activities in government offices.
    Governor Kayode Fayemi, who made announcement after an emergency briefing, anchored on his behalf by the Commissioner for Health, Dr Oyebanji Filani in Ado-Ekiti, expressed concerns over the increasing cases of third wave of the pandemic in the state.
    Justifying the state government latest action, Fayemi said that 180 cases were recorded from July to the last few days in August alone.
    He explained that, as a way of curtailing the third wave, restrictions had been re-imposed on social, religious and political gatherings across the state and directed transporters to reduce the number of their passengers by half.
    Fayemi said that all efforts must be geared toward stopping the further spread of the deadly variant in the state.
    According to him, the state recorded 95 cases in July, and a frighteningly 85 cases in the last few days in the month of August.
    He said, “We are constrained to respond to this development with the following non-pharmaceutical control measures which remain our best means of containing the pandemic in the state.”
    Fayemi said that the patients were stable across the isolations centres in the state, advising residents to go about their businesses with strict adherence to the safety protocol.
    The governor said: “We must never trivialise the danger that COVID-19 continues to pose to us. We must ensure we do not have a reversal of fortune.
    “We cannot afford a community infection that could easily overwhelm our capacity and return us to another round of stay-at-home with even more stringent measures.
    “it is my duty to inform you that Ekiti State is experiencing an unwelcome increase in the number of COVID-19 confirmed positive cases.
    “In the month of July, we recorded 95 cases, and we have now recorded 85 cases in the first week of August, meaning 85 cases in just six days.
    “We are obviously experiencing the third wave with more cases than we experienced in the second wave in March, 2021.
    “Besides, with the introduction of the Delta strain of the COVID-19 virus in the country and the recent evidence of its community transmission as reported by NCDC, it is imperative for us as a state, to enforce our existing COVID-19 regulations more strictly to safeguard the health of our people.”
    He directed that public gatherings, especially social, political and business in the state should be restricted to only 50 people with social distancing of six feet and mandatory use of face masks.
    On religious centres, Fayemi said: “Our religious gatherings in the state would be with temporary restrictions, starting from Friday, Aug. 13, 2021 for Muslims and Sunday Aug. 15, 2021 for Christians.
    “All gatherings must be held in strict and full compliance with the regulations regarding worship centres, which include social distancing of six feet between worshippers, handwashing and wearing of face masks.”
    He maintained that officials of the state government would be out to monitor the level of compliance, saying that defaulters would be punished in accordance with the law.
    Fayemi, who disclosed that the state was expecting about 95,000 doses of Moderna vaccine in addition to the earlier AstraZeneca vaccine received, called on residents to make themselves available for the second phase of the vaccination.
    “Evidence has shown that fully vaccinated individuals are protected from severe COVID-19 infection and death.
    “Vaccines have been confirmed to be safe and 70,049 people have received at least one dose of the vaccine in the state without any side effect.
    “As we await the second phase of the vaccination, I encourage all eligible citizens to take their jabs as soon as the vaccines are available,” the governor said.
  • Restriction of movement during elections illegal – Adegboruwa

    Restriction of movement during elections illegal – Adegboruwa

    Activist-lawyer Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa has said there is no legal basis to restrict movement during elections.

    He said cited a Federal High Court judgment, which nullified the restriction of movement during environmental sanitation, saying the verdict’s principles ought to apply during elections.

    Adegboruwa recalled the Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu had announced that there would restriction of human and vehicular movements for 12 hours from 6am to 6pm due to the elections, which were later postponed.

    He said it was beyond the IGP’s powers to forcefully keep people at home because of elections.

    According to him, there is no law in force in Nigeria authorizing such unlawful restriction of movement.

    “The Federal High Court had occasion to pronounce on a similar illegal directive in the case of Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, Esq. v. Inspector-General of Police & 5 others in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/1690/2014.

    “In that case, the applicant, a legal practitioner, was on his way to honour an invitation as a guest speaker of Channels Television for an early morning programme on June 29, 2013, being the last Saturday of the month.

    “He was accosted by policemen and LASTMA officials at the Ketu end of the Third Mainland Bridge, where the road had been barricaded on account of some compulsory three-hour environmental sanitation programme declared by the Lagos State Government.

    “The applicant was denied free movement and was arrested and detained briefly but later released.

    “Being dissatisfied with the action of the policemen, the applicant instituted an action at the Federal High Court to challenge his arrest and denial of his right to move around,” the senior lawyer said.

    According to him, in striking down “this odious practice”, Justice Mohammed Idris (now of the Court of Appeal), held that restriction of movement on account of environmental sanitation was illegal.

    The judge held: “Consequently, the restriction imposed on the applicant and other peace loving residents of Lagos State during the environmental sanitation day without a law prescribing such restrictions is unjustifiable and a gross infringement of the right to personal liberty and movement of the Applicant and the court so holds.

    “Everyone high or low must be prepared to justify his acts by a reference to some statute or common law power which authorises him to act precisely in the way in which he claims he can act.

    “Superior orders or state necessity are not defence to an action otherwise illegal.”

    Adegboruwa said the IGP did not appeal against the judgment, “yet he proceeded to hold people down at home on February 16, 2019, contrary to the express order of injunction granted by the court in this case against any repeated illegal practice of keeping citizens indoors.”

    “We will, therefore not condone or agree with any attempt to restrict people’s movement illegally, on February 23, 2019 or indeed any other day, by reason of elections,” Adegboruwa added.