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Tag: US

  • US Suspends Ban on TikTok Downloads

    US Suspends Ban on TikTok Downloads

    The ban on TikTok downloads in the United States scheduled to start on Sunday (September 20) has been averted as progress was made on a deal that will see ownership of the company change hands.

    Recall that President Donald Trump recently placed a ban on the app over concerns about the security of American users’ data.

    As part of the deal rescuing TikTok, US tech company, Oracle, is joining hands with retail giant, Walmart, to form a new entity called TikTok Global, which will be headquartered in the country. The deal will, however, see ByteDance, the app parent company, hold its majority ownership position.

    Oracle and Walmart are planning to own a combined 20 per cent of the new TikTok entity, officials at TikTok said. Beijing-based ByteDance is expected to own about 80 per cent of the company, but since 40 per cent of ByteDance is owned by US investors, TikTok Global says it is majority-owned by American investors.

    US President Trump has given tentative approval to a deal that will keep TikTok alive in the US, resolving months-long confrontation after months of battle over the risks it poses to the country.

    “I have given the deal my blessing,” Mr Trump said. “I approve the deal in concept.”

    TikTok, which has over 100 million active monthly users in the United States, is owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance. For months, the Trump administration has been pushing TikTok to sever its ties to ByteDance.

    Officials in the White House and some Democrats in Washington fear China’s authoritarian regime could access Americans’ data through the app and use the information to blackmail or launch disinformation campaigns.

    Under the new arrangement, Oracle will host all of TikTok’s U.S. user data and will safeguard the TikTok’s computer systems so as to ensure the country’s national security requirements are fully satisfied.

    Analysts say Oracle’s cloud computing business will receive a major boost as a result of the deal. Oracle has been lagging behind competitors, like Amazon, Microsoft and Google for the cloud storage business.

    Also, Walmart stands to benefit from the deal by tapping into a vast consumer base of mostly young people who use the app.

    Besides being a major investor in the new TikTok company, Walmart said it will bring its e-commerce retail capabilities to the app, which could allow TikTok users to shop on Walmart online store through TikTok.

  • Visa ban: FG tackles US, UK, says sanctioning electoral offenders disrespectful to Nigeria’s sovereignty

    Visa ban: FG tackles US, UK, says sanctioning electoral offenders disrespectful to Nigeria’s sovereignty

    The Nigerian government has said it considers it disrespectful to the Sovereignty of the country for any outside country to apply punitive measures such as visas restriction on its citizens.

    The Nigerian government made this known in a statement issued by Mr Ferdinand Nwonye, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday in Abuja.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that this comes as a response to the recent announcement of the U.S. and the United Kingdom to impose visa restrictions on those who undermine electoral processes.

    The Nigerian Government said it was committed to providing all necessary logistic, financial and security support to the electoral process.

    “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to state that the Nigerian government has taken note of the concerns of some of our partners, especially the U.S. and UK governments regarding the elections in Edo and Ondo States.

    “They have also expressed their intentions to take punitive measures against those who decide to, in what they termed as, undermine democracy.

    “It is important to highlight that the responsibility for the conduct of elections in Nigeria solely resides with the Independent National Electoral Commission and State Independent Electoral Commissions.

    “The Federal Government, and especially the President, is committed to providing all necessary logistic, financial and security support to the electoral process.

    “The President has continually urged all parties and contestants to peacefully conduct themselves before, during and after the elections, and supported patriotic non-governmental initiatives such as the Abdusalami Abubakar-led Peace Committee.

    “Furthermore, it should be noted that there are ample provisions in our laws to sanction violators and perpetrators of electoral violence and fraud.

    “It would be considered disrespectful of the sovereignty of Nigeria for any outside authority to sit in judgment over the conduct of our citizens and apply punitive measures such as visa restriction, unilaterally.

    “While we appreciate the support and encouragement of our international partners such as the EU, we urge our equally valued partners such as the UK and U.S. to cooperate with our relevant agencies,” the government said.

    The government called on the partners to support security agencies by providing them whatever concrete evidence of observed misconduct to allow our laws and regulations to take their course.

    The Nigerian government also expressed solidarity with the government and people of the U.S. as regards their forthcoming election, which it hoped would be free from interference and violence.

  • Electoral fraud: Kogi Gov. Yahaya Bello writes letter of protest to US over inclusion of his name in visa ban list

    Electoral fraud: Kogi Gov. Yahaya Bello writes letter of protest to US over inclusion of his name in visa ban list

    The Kogi State Government has said it protested the visa ban imposed on its officials by the United States over alleged election compromise because the various courts in the land validated the election that brought in Governor Yahaya Bello.

    The US had included Kogi government officials, including the governor Yahaha Bello among those to be affected by the visa ban.

    Kogi has protested the ban in a letter to the Ambassador of the United States of America signed by the Secretary to the Government of Kogi State, Mrs Folashade Arike Ayoade.

    The letter is titled: “Re: Visa Restrictions On Individuals And Inclusion Of The 2019 Kogi State Gubernatorial Elections In US State Department List Of Allegedly Compromised Elections – A Letter Of Protest.”

    In the letter, the governor, Bello said Kogi State Government became aware of a United States Government list of individuals who received US visa restrictions for alleged electoral malpractices through a Press Statement to that effect posted on the US Embassy website.

    According to Bello, in the words of the US, the still-unnamed individuals were cited as guilty of ‘acts of violence, intimidation, or corruption that harmed Nigerians and undermined the democratic process’ and that they were also alleged to ‘have operated with impunity at the expense of the Nigerian people and undermined democratic principles and human rights.’

    He said the US also noted in the statement that the sanctions were derived from unspecified misconducts by the said individuals which extended from the February/March 2019 General Elections in Nigeria through the off-cycle November 2019 gubernatorial elections in Kogi and Bayelsa to the yet unheld governorship contests in Edo and Ondo States.

    READ ALSO Bello’s re-election will change Kogi’s fortunes – FCT Minister
    He urged the US to note that for the purposes of this protest letter the Kogi government was only interested in the citations to the extent that they were referable to Kogi State and her citizens.

    Bello said in the letter that for the most part, the government conceded that elections in Nigeria were complex affairs which would continue to require improvements for the foreseeable future and that the 2019 Kogi State Gubernatorial Election was also not without its challenges.

    However, the governor said it was crystal clear from critical and composite analyses of the records (official, media, observers, etc) of the November 16, 2019 polls that regrettable incidents were limited to a few polling units, while the overwhelmingly larger portions of the ballot were free, fair and credible.

    READ ALSO Kogi fingers external collaborators in Tawari attacks
    He said the political parties which alleged electoral malpractices went to court to contest the outcome of the polls and lost, as the court said the outcome of the polls were in line with the Nigerian constitution and the electoral act.

  • Nigeria, US meet over visa ban

    Nigeria, US meet over visa ban

    The Federal Government and the United States are presently holding a meeting on the visa ban on some categories of Nigerians.

    The meeting, which is ongoing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is expected to provide the country the opportunity to brief the US government on steps taken so far to resolve the issues.

    The Nigerian delegation is headed by the Permanent Secretary, MFA, Amb. Mustapha Sulaiman, while the American side is headed by the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Leonard.

    Also in attendance is the Comptroller-General of Immigration, Muhammad Babandede, and senior officials from relevant ministries, departments and agencies.

    Details later…

  • BREAKING: US imposes visa restriction on election riggers in four Nigerian states

    BREAKING: US imposes visa restriction on election riggers in four Nigerian states

    The United States Government on Monday said it is imposing a visa restriction on individuals for their actions in the November 2019 Kogi and Bayelsa State elections.

    The US government said it is also extending the restriction to individuals who operate with impunity in the run-up to the September and October 2020 Edo and Ondo State elections.

    Although elections have not yet held in Edo and Ondo states, the Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, imposed the visa restriction on these individuals due to their conduct in the run-up to the poll.

    This was revealed in a statement signed by the spokesperson for the Department of State, Morgan Ortagus, on Monday.

    “In July 2019, we announced the imposition of visa restrictions on Nigerians who undermined the February and March 2019 elections. Today, the Secretary of State is imposing additional visa restrictions on individuals for their actions surrounding the November 2019 Kogi and Bayelsa State elections and in the run up to the September and October 2020 Edo and Ondo State elections.

    “These individuals have so far operated with impunity at the expense of the Nigerian people and have undermined democratic principles,” the statement read in part.

    Although the US Government did not reveal the identities of those who have been banned, it said the decision reflects its commitment to strengthening democracy in Nigeria.

    “The Department of State emphasises that the actions announced today are specific to certain individuals and not directed at the Nigerian people. This decision reflects the Department of State’s commitment to working with the Nigerian government to realise its expressed commitment to end corruption and strengthen democracy, accountability, and respect for human rights,” the statement read.

    The US said it remained a steadfast supporter of Nigerian democracy and commended all those Nigerians who participated in elections throughout 2019 and have worked to strengthen democratic institutions and processes.

    It condemned the acts of violence, intimidation, or corruption that harmed Nigerians and undermined the democratic process.

    “As the Edo and Ondo State off-cycle elections near, we urge all stakeholders, including the Independent National Electoral Commission, the political parties, and the security services, to uphold the tenets of democracy and facilitate genuinely free and fair elections, conducted in an appropriately transparent and non-violent manner,” the US stated.

  • U.S. cancels visas of over 1,000 Chinese students, researchers

    U.S. cancels visas of over 1,000 Chinese students, researchers

    The United States government has revoked visas for more than 1,000 Chinese nationals under a presidential measure denying entry to students and researchers deemed security risks.

    According to the State Department, on Wednesday, China called the move a violation of human rights.

    Chad Wolf, the acting head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said earlier that Washington was blocking visas “for certain Chinese graduate students and researchers with ties to China’s military fusion strategy to prevent them from stealing and otherwise appropriating sensitive research.”

    In a speech, Wolf repeated U.S. charges of unjust business practices and industrial espionage by China, including attempts to steal coronavirus research, and accused it of abusing student visas to exploit American academia.

    Wolf said the U.S. was also “preventing goods produced from slave labour from entering our markets, demanding that China respect the inherent dignity of each human being,” an apparent reference to accusations of abuse of Muslims in western Xinjiang.

    A State Department spokeswoman said the visa action followed a May 29 proclamation by President Donald Trump as part of the U.S. response to China’s curbs on democracy in Hong Kong.

    “As of Sept. 8, 2020, the department has revoked more than 1,000 visas of PRC nationals who were found to be subject to Presidential Proclamation 10043 and therefore ineligible for a visa,” she said.

    She said the ineligible “high-risk graduate students and research scholars” were “a small subset” of the Chinese coming to the U.S. for study and research, and that legitimate students and scholars would continue to be welcomed.

    About 360,000 Chinese nationals studying in the U.S., bringing its college’s significant revenue, though the COVID-19 pandemic has severely disrupted the return to campus this autumn semester.

    In Beijing on Thursday, a foreign ministry spokesman described the U.S. move as “naked” political persecution and racial discrimination that seriously violated human rights.

    “China reserves the right to make a further response on this issue,” Zhao Lijian told a daily media briefing.

    China-U.S. relations have sunk to historic lows with the world’s two biggest economies clashing over issues ranging from trade and human rights to Hong Kong and the coronavirus.

  • Spy plane: US is provoking us – China

    Spy plane: US is provoking us – China

    China on Wednesday accused the United States of provocation.

    Beijing said a U.S. plane spied on its military in the country’s north.

    Foreign Ministry spokesman, Zhao Lijian, stated that an Air Force U-2 spy plane entered the no-fly zone for live-fire exercises without authorization.

    “This is a stark provocation; China has lodged a solemn protest with the U.S. about the issue,’’ Dpa quoted him as saying.

    The Chinese Army is conducting drills over the Bohai Sea until September 30.

    Reacting, U.S. Pacific Air Forces told CNN that a plane flew in the Indo-Pacific area but did not violate international rules.

    The two world powers are at loggerheads over the coronavirus pandemic, trade and Hong Kong/Xinjiang.

  • Reggae music legend, Majek Fashek to be buried in US

    Reggae music legend, Majek Fashek to be buried in US

    Reggae musician, Majekodunmi Fasheke popularly known as Majek Fashek will be buried in New York, United States where he died.

     

    This was made known by his son Randy on Monday in a video.

    However, no date has been announced for the burial yet.

     

    TheNewsGuru recalls that Majek Fashek died on June 2 in a New York hospital. His demise was announced by his manager Omenka Uzoma in a video shared on Instagram.

     

    Omenka said:” Yes, it is true that the legend has gone to be with the Lord. But this time I want to say we should all celebrate him, his achievements. He has done a lot for Nigeria and for Africa.

     

    “Whatever the family decides, I will get (it) to you. This is all I have to say for now.”

     

     

     

     

  • Beirut explosion: China, UK, EU, US, Qatar pledge €252m aid to Lebanon

    Beirut explosion: China, UK, EU, US, Qatar pledge €252m aid to Lebanon

    Britain, Qatar, the United States, the European Union, China, the World Bank have pledged immediate humanitarian relief worth over 252 million euros (297.08 million U.S. dollars) to Lebanon.

    Beirut, the Lebanese capital was rocked last week by two huge explosions that have claimed at least 158 lives and injured 6,000 others.

    The aid pledge followed a UN-backed virtual conference hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron.

    The donors thereafter issued a joint statement, pledging solidarity with and support for the Lebanese people.

    “The participants agreed that their assistance should be timely, sufficient and consistent with the needs of the Lebanese people, well-coordinated under the leadership of the United Nations, and directly delivered to the Lebanese population, with utmost efficiency and transparency,” said the statement.

    “To help Lebanon overcome the tragedy and recover better, we will need all hands on deck,” UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed told the conference.

    Noting that the devastating Beirut port blast will have “deep social and economic impacts,” Mohammed called for a focus on the support of “four priority sectors — health, food, the rehabilitation of buildings and the rehabilitation of schools.”

    “The Lebanese people deserve a stable and secure future,” the UN deputy chief said, adding that “with determination and solidarity, we can help them reach that long-sought goal.”

    Calling for quick reconstruction support at the conference, Lebanese President Michel Aoun said “we have great needs at the moment and we must meet them quickly before the winter as citizens will suffer a lot without shelters during the cold weather.”

    “The earthquake struck us while we are in the midst of economic and financial crisis, in addition to the existence of over 1 million refugees in Lebanon and the repercussions of COVID-19. Dealing with all these is way beyond the capacity of Lebanon,” Aoun added.

    A dozen of countries and international organizations have expressed solidarity and sympathy with Lebanon over the deadly explosions, with medical supplies and foodstuff to the Middle East country.

    The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said Friday that it is mobilizing assistance to support its staff and refugees affected by the deadly blasts.

    “We are making available our stocks of shelter kits in the country, plastic sheets, rub halls, and tens of thousands of other core relief items including blankets and mattresses for immediate distribution and use. Additional stockpiles in the region will come in reinforcement,” the UNHCR said in a statement.

    Lebanon has received field hospitals from a number of countries in the past few days, including France, Jordan, Russia and Qatar, to aid in the treatment of injured people and COVID-19 patients.

    The blasts hit the Port of Beirut at around 6:10 p.m. local time (1610 GMT) on Tuesday, causing massive casualties and costing the city 3 billion to 5 billion dollars in property losses.

    The causes of the blasts remain unknown and an investigation is underway, but Interior Minister Mohammad Fahmi said the 2,700 tons of explosive chemicals stored at Port of Beirut may have led to the explosions.

    Lebanese Environment Minister Demianos Kattar and Information Minister Manal Abdel Samad on Sunday submitted their resignations following the blasts, local media reported.

    A number of members of parliament also presented their resignations a day earlier due to the explosions.

  • Edo polls: US speaks on ‘deteriorating political climate’, warns politicians

    Edo polls: US speaks on ‘deteriorating political climate’, warns politicians

    The U.S. has expressed worry over reports of deteriorating political climate in Edo and interference by security forces in political matters, ahead of the September gubernatorial election.

    The U.S Embassy in Abuja, in a statement called for free, fair and credible elections where the will of the Nigerians would be reflected in results.

    According to the mission, the U.S pledges support to Nigeria’s democratic process, stating that as long-time friends, it will continue to follow political developments ahead of off-cycle elections in the country.

    “The U.S. supports a democratic process where the will of the people is reflected in the results, and does not favour any party or candidate.

    “We are concerned with reports of the deteriorating political climate in Edo and are disappointed with the role played by some political actors in the state.

    “We are especially concerned with allegations of interference by security forces in political matters, which we will continue to monitor closely in the run up to gubernatorial elections in September.

    “As we approach the 2020 off-cycle elections in Edo and Ondo, we urge all stakeholders to work toward a free, fair, transparent, and peaceful process.

    “We encourage all stakeholders, including INEC, political parties and the security services to continue to improve the electoral process. We look to Nigeria as an important leader on the African continent,” it said.

    The U.S said that as a democratic partner of Nigeria, it remained committed to working together to achieve mutual goals of peace and prosperity for the citizens of both our countries.