TheNewsGuru

Tag: U.S.

  • Taliban confirms release of U.S. citizen in prisoner swap

    Taliban confirms release of U.S. citizen in prisoner swap

    Afghan authorities on Monday confirmed the swap of a prisoner, U.S civil engineer, in exchange for an Afghan drug lord who was sentenced to a life term in prison by a U.S. court.

    The U.S. national, Mark Frerichs, disappeared in Afghanistan in 2020.

    Speaking at a press conference, Taliban Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, said the swap of famous drug dealer, Haji Bashir Noorzai, for Frerichs took place with a U.S. delegation in Kabul’s International Airport.

    The U.S. authorities have not commented on the prisoner swap yet.

    It was suspected for a long time that Frerichs had been abducted by the Haqqanis, a notorious network within the Taliban, who demanded the release of Noorzai.

    Noorzai was a financial supporter of the Taliban during their first period in power in the 1990s but was hired as an undercover agent on behalf of the U.S. government in the early 2000s.

    He was arrested in 2005 in the U.S. for heroin smuggling and sentenced to life in prison.

    After his release, Noorzai was welcomed at Kabul airport by the Taliban’s notorious GDI intelligence forces with flowers. Later he spoke at a televised event at a grand hotel in the city.

    Noorzai said he was in prison for more than 17 years and his release would have been impossible without the Taliban’s efforts.

    He also hoped that his release would bring the relations between the Taliban in Kabul and Washington closer.

    The Taliban has a history of hostage-taking in return for ransom or other political aims.

    In June, five British nationals being held by the Taliban in Afghanistan were released from detention.

    Simultaneously, London announced it did not support anyone seeking to achieve political change through violence in Afghanistan.

  • JUST IN: Osinbajo makes first trip out of Nigeria after surgery

    JUST IN: Osinbajo makes first trip out of Nigeria after surgery

    After meeting with the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors on Tuesday in Abuja, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, in the early hours of Wednesday travelled out of Nigeria for some important meetings in the United States of America (USA).

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that this will be Osinbajo’s first international trip after recovering from the knee surgery he had, following a successful surgical operation and rehabilitation at the Duchess International Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos.

    While in the U.S., VP Osinbajo will lead a federal government (FG) delegation to Washington DC, pitching the recently launched Energy Transition Plan, according to a tweet by Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Office of the VP.

    The meetings, which start on Sept. 1, are to promote the plan and secure global support from the U.S. government, the private sector, and other development partners.

    The vice president is also scheduled to speak on Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan at the Centre for Global Development in Washington DC.

    “VP Osinbajo leaves Abuja today leading a FG delegation to Washington DC pitching the recently launched Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan. He will be meeting American VP Harris in the White House, World Bank Group President, other top US govt leaders and private sector interests,” Akande tweeted.

    Osinbajo is leading Nigeria’s Energy Transition Implementation Working Group (ETWG) on the U.S. mission for meetings.

    The ETWG, which is chaired by the vice president, comprises relevant ministers and other top government officials.

    Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan, inaugurated the previous week at a global virtual event, is a homegrown, data-backed and multi-pronged strategy developed for the attainment of 2060 net-zero emissions.

    Their commitments are in 5 critical sectors — Power, Cooking, Oil and Gas, Transport and Industry.

    Nigeria needs 410 billion dollars to deliver the Transition Plan by 2060.

    Among other highlights, the plan needs at least 10 billion dollars per annum above business as usual spending for effective implementation.

    At the inauguration, the World Bank and a renewable energy organization – Sun Africa, pledged 1.5 billion dolars each, totaling an initial 3 billion dollars investment to support the implementation of Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan.

    TNG reports that the Vice President was discharged from the hospital on July 25 following a successful surgical operation on July 16 and rehabilitation at the Duchess International Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos.

    Following the surgery and recovery, Osinbajo only attended official functions virtually. He was first physically present at an official government engagement at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on August 24.

    TNG reports that the vice president’s delegation to the U.S. include Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning,  Zainab Ahmed, Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola and Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu.

    Others are Minister of Environment,  Mohammed Abdullahi, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva and the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General/CEO for Sustainable Energy for All, Damilola Ogunbiyi.

    Nigeria’s Ambassador to the U.S., Uzoma Emenike, will also join the delegation.

    The vice president will return to Abuja early next week.

  • BREAKING: Request to extradite Abba Kyari to US dismissed

    BREAKING: Request to extradite Abba Kyari to US dismissed

    A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, refused to grant the extradition application filed by the Federal Government for permission to extradite the suspended DCP Abba Kyari to the United States (US).

    Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a judgment, described the extradition request as “an abuse of court process,” on the grounds that Kyari was already standing a criminal trial before another court.

    Recall that the Federal Government had on March 2, through the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), filed the extradition suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/249/2022, praying the court to grant the plea for Kyari to face a criminal charge levelled against him by the U.S. government.

    The U.S. authorities had applied to the Nigerian government for Kyari’s extradition in relation to his alleged link with a suspected international fraudster known as Ramon Abbas, who is popularly known as Hushpuppi.

    In a three-count indictment in case number: 2:21-cr-00203-RGK filed on April 29, 2021 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Kyari was accused of “conspiracy to commit wire fraud in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Sections 1349; conspiracy to commit money laundering in violation of Title 18, U.S. Code, Sections 1956(h).

    Although there is no death sentence imposed on the offences for which he is being accused, if found guilty, the punishment for the offences as contained in the superseding indictment carries a maximum of 20 years imprisonment for count 1; 20 years imprisonment for count 2 and 2 years imprisonment for count 3 consecutive to any other sentence imposed respectively as contained in the various United States laws.

    Meanwhile, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), in an eight-count charge dated Feb. 25 and filed Feb. 28, accused Kyari and six others of allegations bordering on a cocaine deal.

    In a counter affidavit filed by Kyari’s team of lawyers which include Nureni Jimoh, SAN; Hamza Dantani, among others, the suspended DCP had urged the court to dismiss the application on the grounds that he was currently standing trial on offences allegedly committed contrary to and punishable under the NDLEA Act, Cap N30, laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

    Delivering the judgment, Justice Ekwo held that Kyari’s averment had not been controverted by the AGF. According to the judge, by the role given to the AGF in Section 10 of the NDLEA Act, the NDLEA commences criminal proceedings in court by his (AGF’s) fiat.

    “Indeed, charges under the NDLEA Act, are normally brought in the name of the Attorney-General of the Federation. Therefore, the Attorney-General of the Federation being the applicant in this case cannot say that at the time this application was initiated on 2nd March, 2022, he was not aware of the pendency of the criminal proceedings in Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/57/2022, FRN v. DCP Abba Kyari & Ors. (Exh. 2) which was commenced on 28th February, 2022,” he said.

    Ekwo said it was contrary to the provisions of the Extradition Act to surrender Kyari for trial in the U.S. when he was still facing a criminal charge in another court of competent jurisdiction.

    “The position of the law in Section 3(6)(a) of the Extradition Act is that a fugitive criminal who has been charged with an offence under the law of Nigeria or any part thereof, not being the offence which his surrender is sought, shall not be surrendered until such time as he has been discharged whether by acquittal or on expiration of the sentence or otherwise.

    “By the wording of Section 3(6)(a) of the Extradition Act, the law mandatorily estops the court from making an order to surrender a fugitive who has been charged with an offence under the law of Nigeria or any part thereof.

    “This, in my opinion, is plain and easy to understand. The duty of the court is to interpret the words contained in the statute and not to go outside the clear words in searching far an interpretation which is convinient to the court or to the parties in the process of interpretation,” he said.

    Ekwo further stated that by Section 3(2)(a) of the Extradition Act, the court was also empowered not to make an order for surrender where the request though purporting to be made in respect of extradition crime was not made in good faith.

    “The phrase ‘good faith’ has an enlarged scope in its character and transcends limitations,” he said.

    The judge said the applicant, being the AGF, ought to have known that Kyari is standing trial in a sister court and shouldn’t have brought the extradition application in view of the provision of Section 3(6)(a) of the Extradition Act.

    “In the end, I find that this application is not brought in good faith. It is also in breach of the provision of Section 3(6)(a) of the Extradition Act and cannot be allowed.

    “By that fact, it is incompetent. It is equally bereft of merit and ought to be dismissed. I make an order dismissing this application. This is the judgement of this court,” Ekwo declared

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for Central District of California, Los Angeles, had recently confirmed that  Hushpuppi would be sentenced on Sept. 21.

  • Zoom’s growth slows further after initial pandemic-induced boom

    Zoom’s growth slows further after initial pandemic-induced boom

    Zoom is seeing slower growth after its initial pandemic-induced boom, with a year-on-year increase of 8 per cent to just under 1.1 billion dollars in the most recent quarter.

    The video conferencing service announced the latest figures for the second fiscal quarter to the end of July after the U.S. stock exchange closed on Monday.

    Profit fell to 45.7 million dollars from 316.9 million dollars a year ago. One reason cited was the significant increase in marketing expenses.

    Zoom was originally developed for corporate use but it suddenly became a mass market product during the coronavirus pandemic as stay-at-home orders came into force across the globe.

    Companies turned to the software to keep home offices running and consumers used it for other purposes including family communication and yoga classes.

    The explosive growth the firm saw began levelling off as coronavirus restrictions were wound down.

    Zoom is now seeking new growth by focusing on large enterprise customers and call centre business, as well as leveraging its strong position in video conferencing to offer phone services to corporate customers as well.

    The firm said the past quarter was the best yet for Zoom Phone.

    A decline of 7-8 per cent is expected for the current fiscal year in Zoom’s online business, which is primarily from consumers and small businesses.

    Zoom previously expected revenues to stay consistent.

    Zoom lowered its revenue forecast for the fiscal year to just under 4.4 billion dollars to just over 4.5 billion dollars previously.

    The stock went down by around 8 per cent in after-hours U.S. trading.

  • FBI raids Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home

    FBI raids Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home

    Former U.S. President Donald Trump said in a statement Monday that the FBI was searching his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, in what he described as a “raid.”

    It was not immediately clear why agents were present at his Palm Beach summer home, but Trump said the property was “under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents.” He added that the agents broke open his safe.

    “After working and cooperating with the relevant government agencies, this unannounced raid on my home was not necessary or appropriate,” he said.

    Executing a search requires the signoff of a federal judge, who issues a warrant based upon evidence of a potential crime.

    It is unlikely that such a high-profile warrant to search the personal residence of a former president would be sought without top Justice Department officials reviewing the evidence and approving the request.

    Trump was not at his Palm Beach estate during the search and was in the New York City area, according to a person familiar with the situation.

    In his statement, Trump called the search an attempt to influence the midterm elections in November and compared it to the Nixon campaign bugging the Democratic National Committee during the Watergate scandal.

    Several former Trump administration officials have testified before a grand jury recently as part of the Justice Department investigation into the events around the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.

    But it was not immediately clear whether the search is connected to that or to other Trump-related investigations, including the potential destruction and removal of presidential records that took place when he left office.

    Earlier this year, the National Archives and Records Administration recovered 15 boxes of official records from Trump’s home at Mar-a-Lago, some of which were reportedly labeled classified or top secret, others of which were reportedly destroyed.

    The agency, which is tasked with preserving the records for the public under the Presidential Records Act, also asked the Justice Department to determine whether charges were warranted.

    “The scene was set for this kind of dramatic move when it became clear Trump had taken documents with him to Mar-a-Lago,” said Timothy A. Naftali, a presidential historian at New York University.

    The potential punishment for improperly concealing or destroying presidential records is a fine, up to three years imprisonment and having to “forfeit his office and be disqualified from holding any office under the United States.”

    Trump has strongly indicated he will seek another term, with an announcement expected as soon as in the next few weeks.

    The U.S. attorney’s offices in Washington and the Southern District of Florida did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

    Attorney General Merrick Garland was appointed by President Joe Biden and Trump appointed FBI Director Christopher Wray.

    A spokesman for the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol declined to comment.

    The committee’s investigation into Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election is ongoing, with hearings expected to resume in September.

    The Justice Department has been tight-lipped about the target of its ongoing investigation, though Garland has emphasised that no one will be above the law.

    A White House official said on background that the administration was not informed of the search in advance.

    Biden has said little about the Jan. 6 hearings and has been careful not to comment about his predecessor’s potential legal liability, stating repeatedly that the Justice Department operates with complete independence.

    Trump’s immediate politicisation of the raid is no surprise considering his past responses to a special counsel investigation, two impeachments and the other ongoing federal inquiries into his business dealings.

    He is no longer constitutionally immune to prosecution as a sitting president.

  • BREAKING: U.S. President Biden tests positive for COVID-19 again

    BREAKING: U.S. President Biden tests positive for COVID-19 again

    President of the United States of America, Joe Biden has tested positive again for Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the White House has said.

    His physician said he’s not experiencing any symptoms, but that he will isolate at the White House.

    Earlier last week, Biden tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, despite being “fully vaccinated and twice boosted” with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

    The White House press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, disclosed this in a statement, noting that the 79-year-old president is experiencing “very mild symptoms.”

    Biden has begun taking Pfizer’s Paxlovid, an antiviral pill that can reduce the risk of hospitalisation for people who test positive for the virus, the press secretary said.

  • U.S. economy hits back-to-back negative growth, slips into recession

    U.S. economy hits back-to-back negative growth, slips into recession

    The economy of the United States of America (USA) has recorded two back-to-back negative growth in the year 2022, which can be said to be a recession.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that the U.S. economy shrank in the last three months by 0.9%, the second consecutive quarter where the economy has contracted.

    In the first quarter of 2022, the gross domestic product (GDP) of the country decreased at an annual rate of 1.6%.

    A nonprofit, non-partisan organization called the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) determines when the U.S. economy is in a recession.

    An NBER committee made up of eight economists makes that determination and many factors go into that calculation.

    However, the opposition Republican Party has said, no matter how the White House spins it, it is a recession.

    “The White House can spin all it wants but the numbers are clear. We just hit two back-to-back quarters of negative growth putting us in a recession.

    “No matter how the White House spins it Joe Biden has let down the American people,” a statement on the party’s official Twitter handle reads.

    Reacting to the second quarter GDP report, President Biden said it was not surprising that the economy is slowing down. He expressed optimism about coming out of it stronger and more secure.

    “Coming off of last year’s historic economic growth – and regaining all the private sector jobs lost during the pandemic crisis – it’s no surprise that the economy is slowing down as the Federal Reserve acts to bring down inflation.

    “But even as we face historic global challenges, we are on the right path and we will come through this transition stronger and more secure,” Biden said.

  • I won’t wait forever for Iran’s response on nuclear deal – Biden

    I won’t wait forever for Iran’s response on nuclear deal – Biden

    U.S. President Joe Biden, on Thursday, said that the country would not wait forever for Tehran’s response on returning to a 2015 nuclear deal.

    He made the statement following a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid.

    The U.S. and Iran have been holding indirect talks in an attempt to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) agreement under which Iran limited its nuclear programme in return for relief from economic sanctions.

    “We’ve laid out for the leadership of Iran what we’re willing to accept in order to get back into the JCPOA.

    “We’re waiting for their response. When that will come, I’m not certain, but we are not going to wait forever.’’

  • Court grants Okorocha permission to travel abroad for medical attention

    Court grants Okorocha permission to travel abroad for medical attention

    A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, granted an application filed by Sen. Rochas Okorocha, seeking an order granting him leave to travel to the U.S. for medical treatment.

    Justice Inyang Ekwo, while granting the order after Okorocha’s counsel, Ola Olanipekun, SAN, moved the motion to the effect, however, warned the lawmaker against failure to appear on the next adjourned date.

    Newsmen report that Okorocha, who represents Imo West Senatorial District, had, on Thursday, approached the court with the motion.

    Okorocha had, through his lawyer, Daniel Alumun, made this known when the matter came up before Justice Ekwo.

    Alumun, however, informed the court, shortly when the case was called, that he was unable to serve the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the complainant/respondent, with the motion.
    Justice Ekwo consequently adjourned the matter until today for a hearing of the motion.

    Upon resumed hearing, Okorocha’s counsel, Olanipekun, told the court that he had a motion on notice marked: FHC /ABJ/CS/28/2022 dated June 22 and filed June 27.

    The lawyer said the motion sought for an order granting the applicant (Okorocha) leave to travel outside Nigeria for medical treatment; and return before Nov. 7, the next adjourned date for his trial.

    But the EFCC’s lawyer, Chile Okoroma, who is the Director of Legal Services for the agency, opposed the request.
    He explained how the applicant flouted the earlier administrative bail granted him by the anti-corruption agency.

    He said he took the agency about six months after the matter was filed to bring the applicant before the court.

    Okoroma, who said Okorocha is a flight risk, said if allowed to travel abroad, the lawmaker would jump bail.

    The judge, however, said that since Okorocha had appeared in court, arraigned and the trial commenced, everyone should look forward to the future development.

    “I am going to grant this application. But if I grant this application and the defendant fails to appear in the next adjourned date, I will make an order declaring him wanted,” the judge said.

    Okoroma, who said he was satisfied with Justice Ekwo’s intervention, withdrew all his initial grounds for opposing the application.

    Ruling, Justice Ekwo said that he was of the opinion that the application be granted because it was on medical grounds.

    He held that this would afford the applicant the opportunity to stand his trial
    “Upon perusing the prayers sought by the applicant and the averments in the counter affidavit of the respondent, I am of the opinion that this application be granted because it is of medical grounds.
    “Prayers 1, 2, 3 and 4 are hereby granted as prayed,” he said.

    He ordered Okorocha to return his travel documents to the court registry no later than three days upon his return.

    “There shall be consequences if the 1st defendant (Okorocha) fails to appear on the next adjourned date,” Ekwo ruled.

    The judge adjourned the matter until Nov. 7, Nov. 8, Nov. 9, Nov. 10 and Nov. 11 for trial continuation.
    newsmen reports that the lawmaker also sought a consequential order for the release of his Nigerian international travel passport booklet, which was deposited with the court registrar in partial fulfilment of the conditions for bail granted to him.

    He further sought for “a consequential order that reliefs(1} and (2) above be communicated by the registrar of this honourable court to the Nigerian Immigration Service, to facilitate the passage of the applicant.

    “An order directing the 1st defendant/applicant to return his international passport to the registrar of the honourable court upon his return to Nigeria.”

    The lawmaker, who gave three grounds why the reliefs sought should be granted, said he was admitted to bail pending trial in charge number: FHC/ABJ/28/2022.

    He said he has duly complied with all the terms of the bail including depositing his travel documents with the registrar of the court.

    He said prior to his arraignment, he underwent surgery at the Ambulatory Surgery Centre, Texas, the U.S. for distal femur fracture, which he sustained in an accident.”

    According to Okorocha, he has been on regular/scheduled care and treatment at the same Ambulatory Surgery Centre, where he has been scheduled for further medical tests, observation and treatment on July 19, 2022, or immediately thereafter.

    He was alleged to have laundered the funds while serving as governor of Imo.

    Others arraigned are Anyim Chinenye, Naphtali International Limited, Perfect Finish Multi Projects Limited, Console Projects Consulting Limited, Pramif International Limited, and Legend World Concepts Limited as 2nd to 7th defendants respectively.

  • Nigerians in U.S. writes FG on scarcity of passport booklets

    Nigerians in U.S. writes FG on scarcity of passport booklets

    Nigerians in New York, U.S, have written the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola on the scarcity of passport booklets in Nigerian Consulates and embassy in the U.S.

    In the letter, jointly signed by Mr. Francis James, a board member of the Organisation for the Advancement of Nigerians (OAN, inc) and other leaders of 16 Nigerian associations, they expressed the frustration Nigerians went through to get their passports.

    A copy of the letter, made available in New York, stated the frustration of Nigerians applying for passports in its missions in the U.S. due to lack of passport booklets.

    OAN had on June 29, held a virtual Town Hall meeting to discuss the challenges Nigerians faced in getting their passports and deliberated on ways to address the challenges.

    OAN had summoned the meeting based on the information that prior to June 28, passport issuance had stopped for four weeks at the Consulate in New York, according to James, OAN liaison with the Nigeria Consulate in New York.

    The meeting agreed that a letter would be written to the minister of interior and other key relevant officials to communicate the three-point resolutions from the meeting.

    Meanwhile, Aregbesola, had on June 16 denied shortage of passport booklets in Nigeria, saying the country was contending with “human challenges”.

    “We are requesting your Excellency to work together with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama and facilitate the provision of adequate passport booklets.

    “This will enable the Consulate in New York to clear the backlogs at all processing locations and ensure that Passport processing from application to issuance is completed within a reasonable time frame of not more than three months.

    “The ministry should expand the number of available appointments on the central portal to at least 100 each day, or to the number each Embassy or Consulate has the capacity to handle.

    “It should also hold Innovate1, the vendor managing the payment portal, accountable to improve their service and deliver a more customer friendly platform to Nigerians,’’ it stated.

    According to them, by taking the three steps, the Nigerian Community will be well served and there will be little or no friction at missions, noting that Nigerians will be very proud of their Embassies and Consulates.

    “Nigerian Consulate in New York has come a long way in improving consular services to the Nigerian community, and we would hate to see all their efforts go to waste.

    “OAN, Inc. and other Nigerian Organisations have worked diligently with the Consulate in New York to improve the delivery of consular services to Nigerians who need such services and the Consular officers have responded very well to Nigerians seeking their services.’’

    The organisations emphaised that there were tremendous service improvements in the New York Consulate before the shortage of passport booklets set in.

    “Unfortunately, all the service gains made over several months in the past are in jeopardy of being lost, due to the consistent chronic shortage of passport booklets.

    “When booklets are eventually released, the number is grossly inadequate to serve the large number of applicants.

    “If this shortage of passport booklets should continue, we are afraid that the safety of the Consulate officials, as well as the Nigeria House, New York and other Nigerian Missions in the United States, may be in grave danger.

    “The recent unwarranted aggression towards our fellow citizens working in our Consulates is not an aberration. It is the product of consistent Consulate’s inability to provide basic consular services to them.’’

    In addition, they condemned in strongest term, the needless suffering of Nigerians due to the constant shortage of passport booklets, adding that it was a basic service that any government can effortlessly deliver to her citizens.

    Confirming the development, an official at the consulate, who pleaded anonymity, said that the mission received 2,000 booklets on June 29 and had resumed its passport issuance immediately after stopping for four weeks.

    The source confirmed that the consulate had a backlog of 7,000 passports to clear, and that a steady supply of 2,500 booklets monthly, would be enough to meet the needs of its citizens in New York.

    According to the source, the consulate normally receives 1,000 booklets monthly sometimes 500, explaining that insufficient booklets is responsible for the backlog.