Tag Archives: Absence

North Korea: Kim Jong-un’s Wife Reappears In Public After Long Mysterious Absence

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The wife of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has reappeared in public after a nine-month-long absence. The reasons for her disappearance are still not known, but speculation has been rife.

Ri Sol-ju emerged in public along with Kim during an air combat training competition conducted by the Korean People’s Air Force and Defense (KPAF).

Pyongyang’s state-run mouthpiece Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported the event without many details about the presence of Ri. The exact date of the occasion is also unclear.

This is said to be the first time in nearly nine months Ri was mentioned by the North Korean state media as her last appearance was on 28 March.

Rumours have been doing the rounds that she might have been removed from Kim’s inner circle.

During the event jointly attended by Ri and Kim, the North Korean leader provided “field guidance” to the country’s air force personnel asking them maintain high vigilance. The

The KCNA dispatch said Kim “stressed that once an order of final attack is issued, they should promptly take off and mercilessly blow up the strongholds of aggression and pave a broad avenue to the units of the People’s Army advancing southward”.

The Korean peninsula has become highly unstable in recent months after the North’s nuclear and missile tests. Despite global condemnation, Pyongyang has refused to scale down any of its programmes. The regime has also reacted strongly to the recent economic sanctions announced by the UN Security Council.

The regime has also reacted strongly to the recent economic sanctions announced by the UN Security Council.

Credit: ibtimes

Asset Declaration: Witness’ Absence Stalls Saraki’s Trial

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The trial of the Senate President Bukola Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) over alleged false and anticipatory assets declaration was today stalled due to the absence of prosecution witness, Michael Wetkast.

The trial could not continue today because the witness was testifying before Justice Ademola Adeniyi of an Abuja Federal High Court, in a matter brought against former governor of Jigawa state, Sule Lamido, and his two sons by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). This is contrary to reports in circulation that the witness’ absence was because he needed rest or because of the Senate President’s appeal at the appellate court.

Confirming the situation through an SMS, the prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), said: “Our witness is busy before Hon. Justice Ademola of the Federal High Court Abuja in respect of Sule Lamido case”.

As at the time of filing this report, no new date has been announced yet.

It will be recalled that an appeal by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, challenging the jurisdiction of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) to try him over alleged false and anticipatory assets declaration was yesterday stalled at the Court of Appeal, Abuja as the panel could not form a quorum.

One of the three-man panel of Judges who appeared for the matter, Justice Moo Adumie, had told the court that hearing on the application could not  be held because the court cannot sit if a quorum is not formed.

While he did not give any reason why the two other judges were absent, Justice Adumie adjourned the matter to June 2, 2016 to enable the court form a quorum.

Credit: dailytrust

Justice Minister’s Absence Stalls Dasuki’s Suit Hearing Again

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The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami, has failed to appear before a court over the right enforcement suit filed by the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki (Rtd).

Mr Malami again refused to show up at a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, to explain why the order of the court granting Mr Dasuki permission to travel for medical treatment was being flouted.

At the resumed hearing of the suit on Monday, the Federal Government opposed the application for the enforcement of fundamental human rights filed by Dasukion the ground that he needed to be present in court to seek any relief.

The prosecutor, Mr Mohammed Diri, informed the court that he had filed an application seeking to revoke the bail granted the former NSA.

Relying on section 266 of the administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, lawyer to Colonel Dasuki, Mr Joseph Daudu, disagreed with the prosecutor.

Mr Daudu said that his client was not on trial and as such, it was not mandatory for him to be physically present in court.

Justice Adeniyi Ademola subsequently adjourned the suit till November 26 for ruling, just as the trial was expected to commence on the same day.

Credit: ChannelsTV

Absence of Ministers Delays U.S Assistance to Nigeria

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Notwithstanding the success of President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to the United States of America last month, the US government was said to have informed him that it would not start to address the requests brought by the Nigerian government until Buhari sets up his cabinet.

Buhari had gone to the US with a number of requests including seeking assistance from America in Nigeria’s war against Boko Haram, support in the reconstruction of the North-east, support in the war against corruption, assistance in tracking down Nigeria’s stolen funds by past corrupt government officials, and increased trade and investment between Nigeria and the US.

But he US government made it clear that while it was willing to help Nigeria address some of its challenges, its officials advised Buhari during his three-day visit to the country to set up his cabinet and put in place a crack team that could help address the multi-faceted problems of the country.

Reports provide that the issue was raised during some of the meetings the US government officials held with Buhari and his team, when the US, led by its president, Barak Obama, said it had expected Buhari to come to Washington with crucial members of his cabinet in order to hold fruitful and productive deliberations.

According to a source at the meetings, the US officials were somewhat disappointed with the president’s team during the visit, which comprised mainly civil servants, adding that the US reckoned that the civil servants would not be able to address any of the country’s requests or provide policy direction until Buhari sets up a team that would help him realise his plans for the country.

Although the source maintained that Buhari’s US visit was “highly successful”, given the renewed relations between the two countries, he stated that Nigeria should not expect much from the US until Buhari’s cabinet emerges, adding that the US was quite emphatic on Buhari’s team before lending support to Nigeria.

He revealed that the position of the US was reiterated during Buhari’s meeting with the US Secretary of State John Kerry.

Read More: thisdaylive

Rivers Chief Judge’s Absence Will Not Stall My Swearing-In, Says Wike

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The River State Governor-elect, Nyesom Wike, has debunked speculations that the absence of a substantive chief judge in the state would stall his inauguration on May 29.

Mr. Wike, who spoke through his media aide, Simeon Nwakaudu, blamed the All Progressives Congress, APC, for creating an impression that the state would run into a constitutional crisis.

“There is no constitutional crisis whatsoever. He is going to be sworn on May 29. These are issues being raised by the APC to confuse people,” Mr. Nwakaudu said told PREMIUM TIMES.

“There is an administrative judge in Rivers State as we speak as appointed by NJC. Even though the outgoing governor pretends not to recognise the administrative judge, the judge is still there. The administrative judge can still perform the function of the state chief judge.

“The Customary Court of Appeal in Rivers State also has an administrative judge that can also perform the functions of the chief judge.

“The constitution also talks about any other judicial officer as appointed by the NJC. The NJC can as well do that on May 29, so there is nothing to worry about.”

Mr. Nwakaudu insisted that the absence of a chief judge does not constitute a hindrance to the swearing in of the new governor.

He argued that the chief judge of any state in the country could be invited to administer oaths on the new governor and his deputy.

Read More: premiumtimesng

Obama Attacked for Missing Unity Rally in Paris Sunday

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World leaders – forty of them (French station BFM said 44) – joined the people in Paris, including French President Francois Hollande, British Prime Minister David Cameron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. The Ukraine sent President Petro Poroshenko and Russia, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Though French President Holland asked them not to, according to Haaretz, even Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu put aside their differences long enough to join in common purpose in a march down Boulevard Voltaire.

But not President Barack Obama. It was not a secret or a surprise, since Agence France-Presse had reported he would not be there, and even the Russian news agency, Tass, had reportedhe would be absent.

It is not clear why he did not attend, whether it was security concerns (critics point out other world leaders were able to get around this concern) or for some other reason. WhiteHouse.gov shows no public schedule for the president on Sunday.

Secretary of State John Kerry was in India for a trade conference, meeting with another absent world leader, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but the White House has not explained President Obama’s absence, or that of Vice President Joe Biden. Attorney General Eric Holder was in Paris and attending security meetings as well as taping interviews for American news shows,excluding Fox News.

Credit: politicususa.com