WASHINGTON, 01 April 2022, (TON): At a historic groundbreaking ceremony highlighting the enduring bilateral friendship and partnership between the United States and Nigeria, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu joined U.S. Ambassador Mary Beth Leonard and U.S. Consul General Claire Pierangelo to officially mark the beginning of construction of a new, modern U.S. Consulate General in Lagos.

Located on a 12.2-acre site in the rapidly developing Eko Atlantic City on Victoria Island, the new U.S. Consulate General in Lagos will support diplomatic and commercial relations between the United States and Nigeria and will provide U.S. and Nigerian Consulate employees with a safe, secure, sustainable, and modern workplace. 

The construction project will take approximately five years, with completion expected in 2027.

Ennead Architects LLP of New York is the design architect, Pernix Federal, LLC of Lombard, Illinois, is the design/build contractor, and EYP, Inc. of Albany, New York, is the architect of record. 

A variety of energy efficiency strategies will be incorporated into the site and building design to address varied seasonal conditions and to significantly reduce energy demand.

Over the course of construction, an estimated $95 million will be invested in the local economy through local subcontractors, and suppliers.  Overall, the project will employ approximately 2,500 Nigerian citizens, including engineers, architects, artisans, construction workers, and administrative staff.

TEL AVIV, 01 April 2022, (TON): According to Palestinian medical sources “two Palestinians were killed by Israeli security forces in Jenin on Thursday, and 14 more were injured.”

Yazid Saedi, 27, and Sanad Abu Attyiah, 17, were killed in Jenin, in the northern West Bank, during a large-scale operation by Israeli forces.

An Israeli settler, meanwhile, killed another Palestinian on a bus in southern Bethlehem after the Palestinian allegedly stabbed another passenger.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health confirmed that Nidal Juma’a Ja’fara, 30, was killed south of the town.

The violence coincided with an extremist member of the Knesset, Itamar Ben-Gvir, visiting Al-Aqsa Mosque, where he photographed some areas with his mobile phone.

It added “people there were angry Jenin Gov. Maj. Gen. Akram Rajoub described to Arab News the situation in the city and refugee camp as very tense.”

He added “the Israeli occupation army’s incursion into the camp and the city this morning had no justification as they did not arrest anyone and did not enter a house as in the previous incursions. They deliberately shot with the aim of killing and wounding, perhaps to satisfy Israeli public opinion.”

VIENNA, 01 April 2022, (TON): It was not possible to extend the mandate of the Special Monitoring Mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe because of the position of Russia.

Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau “this statement was made on Thursd-ay by the OSCE Chairman-in-Office.”

The mission’s mandate has been renewed annually for a year since 2014. On March 31, 2021, it was extended until March 31, 2022.

The current mandate expires at midnight. Rau, together with OSCE Secretary General Helga Schmid, expressed their regret at the lack of consensus on the extension of the mandate of the OSCE SMM in Ukraine.

Rau said in a statement “I deeply regret that we were unable to reach an agreement to renew the mandate of the Special Monito-ring Mission due to the position of the Russian Federation.”

He said “over the past eight years, the mission has played a decisive role, providing objective information on the security and humanitarian situation on the ground and working tirelessly to mitigate the consequences conflict for the civilian population.”

BERLIN, 01 April 2022, (TON): Contracts for the purchase of Russian gas provide for payment in euros or dollars, and should remain so. This was announced in Berlin by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

The chancellor said “we looked at the contracts for gas supplies, it says that payments are made mostly in euros, sometimes in dollars.”

“During a conversation with the Russian president, I made it clear that it would remain so.”

Scholz said “it is important for enterprises that they want, can and will pay in euros.”

Finance Minister Christian Lindner said for his part “we will check in detail what was proposed and what was required.”

“But it is clear that we cannot talk about a form of political blackmail. Contacts will be made in the form in which they were concluded.”

MOSCOW, 01 April 2022, (TON): Russia, in response to anti-Russian sanctions, is expanding the list of representatives of EU member states and European structures that are prohibited from entering the country, restrictions are extended to the top leadership of the European Union.

This is stated in the statement of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

“In response to the massive unilateral sanctions of the European Union, in accordance with the principle of reciprocity, which is basic for international law, the Russian side has significantly expanded the list of representatives of the countries members of the European Union and European structures, which, in accordance with the federal law “On the procedure for leaving the Russian Federation and entering the Russian Federation” dated August 15, 1996 No. 114-FZ, entry into the territory of our country is prohibited, – the diplomatic department indicated.

Restrictions apply to the top leadership of the European Union, including a number of European commissioners and heads of military structures of the EU, as well as the vast majority of deputies of the European Parliament, promoting anti-Russian policies.

The retaliatory Russian blacklist also included seniorincluding representatives of the governments and parliaments of some EU member states, as well as public figures and media workers who are personally responsible for promoting illegal anti-Russian sanctions, inciting Russophobic sentiment, infringing on the rights and freedoms of the Russian-speaking population.

ADDIS ABABA, 01 April 2022, (TON): Hundreds of Ethiopians arrived back in Addis Ababa, the first contingent of some 100,000 nationals to be repatriated from Saudi Arabia over the coming months.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said “around 900 returnees, including many mothers with young children, landed at Addis Ababa International Airport throughout the day.”

IOM said in a statement “it is estimated that about 750,000 Ethiopians currently reside in the Kingdom (of Saudi Arabia) with about 450,000 likely to have travelled to the country through irregular means and will need help to return home.”

Human rights organisations have for several years denounced the detention conditions of Ethiopian migrants in Saudi Arabia.

Jemila Shafi, one of the returnees from Saudi Arabia said “we were crying daily.”

She said “they were given one loaf of bread and a pot of cooked rice to be shared between 300 people.”

UN migration agency said “returnees were assisted and registered by IOM staff and offered, among others, food, temporary accommodation, medical help and counselling services.”

STOCKHOLM, 01 April 2022, (TON): Mette Frederiksen, said “Denmark may commit to sending 800 more troops to the Baltic States, that country’s prime minister.”

The Danish premier was in Estonia and appeared at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Kaja Kallas at Tapa.

Denmark is already a regular contributor to the NATO Enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) Battlegroup at Tapa, and around 200 of its personnel are currently based there.

Frederiksen said “for an increased number of Danish troops to get the go ahead, NATO must first request them, while Denmark’s parliament, the Folketing, must also approve the move.”

Upon being asked at the press conference about the potential troop commitment, Prime Minister Frederiksen said it was much more than an idea.

Accompanied by Kaja Kallas “the U.K. recently doubled the number of troops it is deploying there, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine starting February 24. Prime Minister Frederiksen’s Estonian visit included a visit to Tapa.”

WASHINGTON, 01 April 2022, (TON): White House said “US President Joe Biden met with the parents of a former US Marine imprisoned in Russia and promised to work to end the nightmare of his detention.”

US citizen Trevor Reed is serving a nine-year prison term in a penal colony some 500 kilometers (300 miles) southeast of Moscow after being convicted of assaulting police officers while drunk in 2019.

Presidential spokeswoman Jen Psaki said “President Biden met with Joey and Paula Reed, the parents of Trevor Reed, who is wrongfully detained in Russia.”

“During their meeting, the President reiterated his commitment to continue to work to secure the release of Trevor, Paul Whelan, and other Americans wrongfully held in Russia and elsewhere.”

“We understand the pain felt by all of Trevor’s families and friends enduring the nightmare of his absence, which we are committed to bringing to an end.”

A spokesman for Reed said “the ex-Marine was back on hunger strike and back in solitary.”

LONDON, 01 April 2022, (TON): UK Ambassador Neil Bush pays tribute to Ukrainian civil society organisations for their work in shining a light on Russian atrocities so Russia can be held accountable for its actions.

Thank you Mr Chair. This week at the Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting, we heard harrowing stories from Ukrainian civil society organisations about the human impact that President Putin’s premeditated and unjustified war on Ukraine has created.

Our colleagues from civil society described how they took shelter in basements during the Russian shelling that has rained down on villages, towns and cities across Ukraine.

Every day the human cost of Russia’s indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas continues to grow. Tragically, according to the UN over 100 children have already been killed.

I am grateful also to Governor Kim for joining us today and sharing the appalling impact of Russia’s invasion on his region, including the recent attack on the regional administrative building.

I offer the UK’s condolences to all the victims and their families.

LONDON, 01 April 2022, (TON): Latest shipment left Birmingham with thousands of supplies, including ventilators following an urgent request from Ukraine

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and Foreign Secretary affirm UK’s commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine

More than five million items of medical supplies have now been given to Ukraine by the UK to help the country cope with the medical emergency caused by the Russian invasion, helping to save tens of thousands of Ukrainian lives.

The 13th flight carrying items including ventilators and other medical supplies following an urgent request from Ukraine left Birmingham Airport destined for Poland, from where the items will be transported to sites across Ukraine.

The flights have left from Stansted, Birmingham and Heathrow Airports and RAF Brize Norton over the last month, carrying items including lifesaving medicines, intensive care equipment and wound packs donated by NHS England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.