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US, Japan Seek UN Meeting on North Korea Missile Launches

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Kim Jong Un
  • US, Japan Seek UN Meeting on North Korea Missile Launches

Washington and Tokyo sought Monday an emergency UN Security Council meeting after nuclear-armed North Korea fired a defiant salvo of ballistic missiles toward Japan.

The call came after Pyongyang had earlier launched at least four missiles, with three splashing down in the sea close to key US ally Japan.

The launches present a challenge for US President Donald Trump, who has described North Korea as a “big, big problem” and vowed to deal with the issue “very strongly.”

South Korea said four missiles were fired from Tongchang County in North Pyongan province into the East Sea — its name for the Sea of Japan.

The missiles traveled about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) and reached an altitude of 260 kilometers (160 miles), a spokesman for South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

Monday’s launches were the latest in a series of test-firings that violate UN resolutions barring Pyongyang from developing missile technology.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer said North Korea poses a “very serious threat,” adding the Trump administration was taking steps to “enhance our ability to defend against North Korea’s ballistic missiles.”

Such defenses include the planned deployment to South Korea of a missile-defense system called THAAD.

US Defense Department spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis suggested North Korea had attempted to launch more than four missiles and these were medium-range rockets, not ICBMs.

“There were four that landed. There may be a higher number of launches, but we are not commenting on” that, the Pentagon spokesman said.

Seoul and Washington last week began annual joint military exercises that always infuriate Pyongyang, drawing the North’s military warning of “merciless nuclear counter-action.”

Under leader Kim Jong-Un, Pyongyang wants to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of reaching the US mainland — something Trump has vowed would not happen.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said three of the North Korean missiles came down in Tokyo’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) — waters extending 200 nautical miles from its coast.

“This clearly shows North Korea has entered a new stage of threat,” Abe told parliament.

The emergency UN meeting is likely to be scheduled on Wednesday when ambassadors return from a visit to the Lake Chad region in Africa, diplomats said.

America’s ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, said on Twitter that the world “won’t allow” North Korea to continue on its “destructive path.”

– ‘Real threats’ –

Pyongyang carried out two nuclear tests and a series of missile launches last year, but Monday was only the second time its devices had entered Japan’s EEZ.

After an emergency meeting of South Korea’s National Security Council, acting president Hwang Kyo-Ahn called the North’s nuclear and missile provocations “immediate and real threats” to his country.

“Considering the North Korean leadership’s brutality and recklessness shown through the murder of Kim Jong-Nam, the results of the North having a nuclear weapon in its hands will be gruesome beyond imagination,” he said.

Seoul has blamed Pyongyang for the killing of the half-brother of the North’s leader by two women using VX nerve agent at Kuala Lumpur International Airport last month.

Hwang called for the “swift deployment” of THAAD, a proposal which has infuriated neighboring China, the North’s key diplomatic protector and main provider of trade and aid.

– ‘Send a message’ –

Monday’s launch came ahead of a trip to Japan, China and South Korea by new US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson this month, Dongguk University professor Kim Yong-Hyun noted.

Pyongyang was “trying to send a message early on in Trump’s term that North Korea will not be dragged around by his administration,” he said.

The North is barred under UN resolutions from any use of ballistic missile technology.

But six sets of UN sanctions since Pyongyang’s first nuclear test in 2006 have failed to halt its drive for what it insists are defensive weapons.

Three years ago, then-president Barack Obama ordered the Pentagon to increase cyber attacks against North Korea to try to sabotage its missiles before launch or just as they lift off, The New York Times reported over the weekend.

Several of the North’s devices have failed soon after launch.

Kim Dong-Yup, an analyst at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies at Kyungnam University, noted that unlike previous launches the three missiles that reached Japan’s EEZ were fired in different directions.

“North Korea may have attempted to show it can strike US bases in Japan simultaneously,” he said.

Seoul and Washington launched their annual Foal Eagle military exercises last week.

North Korea has regularly taken action to protest the drills, such as firing seven ballistic missiles during the exercises last year.

Beijing has become increasingly frustrated with Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile activities, and last month announced a suspension of all coal imports from the North until the end of the year — a crucial source of foreign currency.

Is the CEO/Founder of Investors King Limited. A proven foreign exchange research analyst and a published author on Yahoo Finance, Businessinsider, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur.com, Investorplace, and many more. He has over two decades of experience in global financial markets.

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Government

Senate Suspends Senator Abdul Ningi for 3 Months Over Budget Padding Allegations

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Abdul-Ahmed-Ningi

The Senate has announced the suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi for three months following his allegations of budget padding to the tune of N3.7 trillion in the 2024 budget.

Ningi, who represents Bauchi Central and chairs the Senate Committee on Population, had made the claims in a recent interview with the Hausa service of the BBC.

During a plenary session, Senator Olamilekan Adeola, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, raised a motion to address Ningi’s allegations, citing the urgent need to address what he termed as “false allegations.”

The transcript of Ningi’s interview was read on the Senate floor, prompting deliberation on the appropriate action to take.

Initially, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim proposed a 12-month suspension for Ningi, but Senator Chris Ekpeyong moved to reduce it to six months.

Eventually, Senator Garba Maidoki amended the motion further, suggesting a three-month suspension.

The amended motion was put to a voice vote, and Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the decision to suspend Ningi for three months.

Following the ruling, Ningi was escorted out of the Senate chamber by the Sergeants-at-arms.

The suspension comes amidst division within the Senate over Ningi’s claims, with some senators disowning his allegations and calling for a thorough investigation.

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Ekiti Governor Unveils Multi-Billion Naira Relief Programmes Amid Economic Crisis

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Biodun Oyebanji

Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, has announced a comprehensive relief package aimed at alleviating the hardship faced by the people of the state.

The relief programs encompass various sectors to cushion the impact of the economic downturn.

One of the key initiatives entails clearing salary arrears amounting to over N2.7 billion owed to both State and Local Government workers.

This move signifies the government’s commitment to addressing the financial burdens faced by its workforce.

Furthermore, Governor Oyebanji has approved a substantial increase of N600 million per month in the subvention of autonomous institutions, including the Judiciary and tertiary institutions.

This augmentation is intended to enable these institutions to implement wage awards in alignment with State and Local Government workers’ salaries.

In addition to addressing salary arrears, the relief programs extend to pensioners, with the approval of payments totaling N1.5 billion for two months’ pension arrears.

Moreover, an increase in the monthly gratuity payment to state pensioners and local government pensioners will provide additional financial support, totaling N200 million monthly.

The relief initiatives also encompass agricultural and small-scale business sectors.

The allocation of funds for food production and livestock transformation projects underscores the government’s commitment to enhancing food security and economic sustainability at the grassroots level.

Governor Oyebanji emphasized that these relief programs are part of the state’s concerted efforts to mitigate the adverse effects of the economic downturn and foster shared prosperity.

The comprehensive nature of the initiatives reflects a proactive approach towards addressing the challenges faced by Ekiti State residents.

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President Tinubu Orders Immediate Settlement of N342m Electricity Bill for Presidential Villa

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power project

President Bola Tinubu has directed the prompt settlement of a N342 million outstanding electricity bill owed by the Presidential Villa to the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC).

This move comes in response to the reconciliation of accounts between the State House Management and the AEDC.

The AEDC had earlier threatened to disconnect electricity services to the Presidential Villa and 86 Federal Government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) over a total outstanding debt of N47.20 billion as of December 2023.

Contrary to the initial claim by the AEDC that the State House owed N923 million in electricity bills, the Presidency clarified that the actual outstanding amount is N342.35 million.

This discrepancy underscores the importance of accurate accounting and reconciliation between entities.

In a statement signed by President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency affirmed the commitment to settle the debt promptly.

Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila assured that the debt would be paid to the AEDC before the end of the week.

The directive from the Presidency extends beyond the State House, as Gbajabiamila urged other MDAs to reconcile their accounts with the AEDC and settle their outstanding electricity bills.

The AEDC, on its part, issued a 10-day notice to the affected government agencies to settle their debts or face disconnection.

This development highlights the importance of financial accountability and responsible management of public utilities.

It also underscores the necessity for government entities to fulfill their financial obligations to service providers promptly, ensuring uninterrupted services and avoiding potential disruptions.

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