Headline
China Opposes US Moves To Sabotage Belt, Road Cooperation

The Chinese government on Friday opposed the U.S. alleged sabotage of Belt and Road cooperation through the means of force.
It also expressed regret over Panama’s decision not to renew the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Lin Jian, disclosed this at the regular virtual news conference by the ministry in Beijing, China.
He spoke against the backdrop of recent announcement by Panama’s President José Mulino, reportedly saying he instructed a 90-day notice for withdrawal from Belt and Road cooperation agreement with China to be submitted to Beijing.
READ ALSO: Trump’s New Tariffs Target Canada, Mexico, China
Lin said, “China firmly opposes the U.S. smear and sabotage of Belt and Road cooperation through the means of pressuring and coercion, and deeply regrets Panama’s decision to not renew the MoU on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
“The BRI is an economic cooperation initiative with the participation of more than 150 countries, including over 20 Latin American and Caribbean countries, and its outcomes have benefited people of many countries, including Panama.
“In recent years, China and Panama’s cooperation under the BRI has produced fruitful outcomes and continued to deliver tangibly for the two peoples.
“We hope that Panama will bear in mind the overall bilateral relations and the long-term interests of the two peoples, steer clear of external interference and make the right decision.”
READ ALSO: CBN Lists Conditions For Sale Of FX To BDC Operators
He explained the Panama President’s decision to exit the Belt and Road agreement with Beijing before the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit, saying China had made a response.
According to him, since the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Panama, the two countries have seen comprehensive and rapid growth of bilateral relations.
He also said that both parties have achieved fruitful outcomes in the cooperation under the framework of the BRI, which delivered tangibly for the two peoples.
Fielding questions on China’s commitment to achieve global regulation of Artificial Intelligence (AI), he disclosed that Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing would attend the AI Action Summit global governance scheduled to hold in France.
READ ALSO: China Restricts Key Chipmaking Material Exports To US
Zhang, a Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council, would travel to France at the invitation of the host country from Feb. 9 to 12 to attend the summit.
“China is an active advocate and practitioner of AI global governance. In October 2023, President Xi Jinping put forward the Global Initiative for AI governance, which proposed China’s solution and contributed China’s wisdom on this profound topic of our times.
“During Xi’s visit to France in May last year, China and France released a joint declaration on AI and global governance, which stated that China is willing to participate in the AI Action Summit to be held by France in 2025.
“Zhang attending the Summit as Xi’s special representative is a step to implement the common understandings between the two presidents and demonstrate China’s responsible attitude as a major country in the field of AI and its commitment to advancing development and security of AI.
“Through this Summit, China looks forward to enhancing communication and exchanges with all sides, pooling consensus for cooperation and actively advancing the implementation of the U.N. Global Digital Compact.
“We also welcome countries around the world to participate in the 2025 World AI Conference in China, shape an AI global governance framework based on broad consensus and promote AI for good and for all,” he stated.
Headline
Netanyahu’s Plane Takes Unusual Route To UN Summit

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plane took an unusual route to New York on Thursday, skirting several European countries en route to the United Nations General Assembly.
Although France had authorised Israeli use of its airspace, according to a French diplomatic source who spoke to AFP, flight-tracking data showed Netanyahu’s aircraft instead took a southern path.
It crossed Greece and Italy, then veered south through the Strait of Gibraltar before heading across the Atlantic.
READ ALSO:Netanyahu Has Become ‘A Problem’, Says Danish PM
Britain, France and Portugal were among a string of countries to recognise a Palestinian state this week, a move Netanyahu bitterly opposes. Ireland and Spain announced their recognition in May.
Israeli media, meanwhile, reported that the detour by Netanyahu’s plane was intended to avoid countries that are signatories to the Rome Statute, which could enforce an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court in case of an emergency landing.
The ICC in November issued warrants for Netanyahu and his former defence minister, Yoav Gallant, over alleged war crimes committed during Israel’s military offensive in Gaza.
Spain last week announced it would support the ICC investigation and had set up a team to probe alleged human rights violations in Gaza, as part of its broader push to pressure Israel to end the war.
Netanyahu is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly on Friday. He is also slated to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House next week.
AFP
Headline
Japan Scraps ‘Africa Hometown’ Project After Visa Confusion

The Japan International Cooperation Agency has cancelled its ‘JICA Africa Hometown’ initiative, citing “misunderstandings and confusion” over the programme.
JICA announced the withdrawal in a statement on its website on Thursday, weeks after reports claimed Japan would create a special visa category for Nigerians who wished to relocate to Kisarazu, a city designated as “hometown” to Nigerians and other Africans under the scheme.
On August 26, the Japanese government denied the visa plan after the Director of Information at the State House, Abiodun Oladunjoye, issued a statement relaying that Japan would introduce a “special visa category” for highly skilled, innovative, and talented young Nigerians who want to move to Kisarazu to live and work.
Clarifying its position, JICA said the use of the term “hometown” and the idea of “designating” Japanese municipalities as such led to “misunderstandings and confusion within Japan, placing an excessive burden on the four municipalities.”
READ ALSO:Two Japanese Boxers Die From Brain Injuries At Same Event
The statement read, “Originally, under this initiative, it was envisioned that exchange programs would be coordinated and implemented among the Japanese local governments, relevant African countries, and JICA. The specific details were to be determined later.
“However, JICA believes that the very nature of this initiative—namely, the term “hometown” and the fact that JICA would ‘designate’ Japanese local Governments as “hometowns”—led to misunderstandings and confusion within Japan, placing an excessive burden on the four municipalities. JICA sincerely apologizes to the municipalities involved for causing such situation.
“JICA takes this situation seriously. After consulting with all parties involved, JICA has decided to withdraw the “JICA Africa Hometown” initiative.”
The initiative was launched in August during the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development with the goal of promoting exchanges between four Japanese municipalities and four African countries through cultural and educational programmes.
READ ALSO:Japan City Mulls Two-hour Daily Smartphone Limit
JICA, however, stressed that it had never undertaken initiatives to promote immigration and has “no plans to do so in the future,” adding that it would continue supporting other forms of international exchange.
In August, confusion arose after the State House announced that Japan had designated Kisarazu city as the “hometown” for Nigerians and would introduce a special visa category for young, skilled Nigerians wishing to live and work there.
However, the Japanese government quickly dismissed the claim.
READ ALSO:Japan’s Petabit: What To Know About Internet Speed That Can Download 67 Million Songs In A second
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan clarified that while the JICA Africa Hometown initiative aimed to promote cultural and developmental exchanges between selected African countries and four Japanese cities, it did not involve immigration benefits or special visas.
The clarification came after Nigeria’s Chargé d’Affaires in Japan, Florence Akinyemi Adeseke, and Kisarazu’s Mayor, Yoshikuni Watanabe, publicly received a certificate naming the city the “hometown” of Nigerians, further fuelling reports of migration opportunities.
Headline
17 African Countries Back Electricity Reforms—World Bank

The World Bank said seventeen African governments have committed to reforms and actionable plans to expand electricity access as part of Mission 300, an ambitious partnership led by the lender and the African Development Bank Group that aims to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030.
The lender said in a statement on Wednesday that governments from Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Comoros, the Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sierra Leone, and Togo endorsed National Energy Compacts at the Bloomberg Philanthropies Global Forum.
The Bank described the compacts as policy blueprints intended to guide public spending, drive reforms, and attract private investment, while serving as a model for the rest of the world.
Nigeria was not part of the latest group; it had joined earlier this year alongside Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Tanzania, and Zambia. Collectively, those countries pledged more than 400 policy actions to strengthen utilities, reduce investor risk, and remove bottlenecks.
READ ALSO:World Bank Appoints Africa’s Richest Man, Dangote
“Electricity is the bedrock of jobs, opportunity, and economic growth.
“That’s why Mission 300 is more than a target; it is forging enduring reforms that slash costs, strengthen utilities, and draw in private investment,” World Bank Group President Ajay Banga said.
Since the launch of Mission 300, 30 million people have already been connected, with more than 100 million in the pipeline.
African Development Bank Group President Dr Sidi Ould Tah said, “Reliable, affordable power is the fastest multiplier for small and medium enterprises, agro-processing, digital work, and industrial value-addition.
“Give a young entrepreneur power, and you’ve given them a paycheck,” he added.
READ ALSO:FBI Places $10,000 Bounty On Nigerian Wanted For Bank Fraud
National Energy Compacts are at the core of Mission 300, developed and endorsed by governments with technical support from development partners. Tailored to each country’s context, these practical blueprints integrate three core tracks: infrastructure, financing, and policy.
The World Bank Group and the African Development Bank Group are working with partners, including the Rockefeller Foundation, Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, Sustainable Energy for All, and the World Bank’s Energy Sector Management Assistance Program trust fund, to align efforts in support of powering Africa. Many development partners and development finance institutions are also supporting Mission 300 projects through co-financing and technical assistance.
President of Botswana, Duma Boko, said, “This National Compact is our shared pledge to ensure accessible, reliable and affordable energy as a basic human need, to transform our economy and create jobs, and to electrify our journey to an inclusive high-income country.”
President of the Republic of Cameroon, Paul Biya, said, “The government of the Republic of Cameroon is committed, through its Energy Compact, to a determined transition towards renewable energies, promoting inclusive universal access and sustainable development based on partnerships and ambitious reforms to build a low-carbon future.”
READ ALSO:Police Restores Peace After Bomb Explosion Rocks Imo Community
President of the Union of the Comoros, Azali Assoumani, noted, “The Comoros Energy Compact is a call for collective action to achieve universal access to electricity by 2030, to ensure the country’s emergence in dignity, equity, and shared progress.”
President of Ethiopia, Taye Atske Selassie, noted, “Our National Energy Compact exemplifies Ethiopia’s unwavering dedication to ensuring universal, affordable, and sustainable energy access for all.
“By unlocking our vast renewable resources and strengthening regional interconnections, we aim to foster inclusive growth domestically and propel Africa’s collective momentum toward ending energy poverty. Together, we are committed to building a resilient, equitable, and sustainable energy future for generations to come.”
- News5 days ago
FG Introduces Chinese Language Into School Curriculum
- Entertainment5 days ago
Tiwa Savage Opens Up On ‘Disrespectful’ Secret Romance With Nigerian Celebrity
- Metro4 days ago
Police Arrest Three Kidnappers Over ₦6.9m Ransom, Victim’s Murder
- Entertainment5 days ago
VIDEO: ‘I Want To See A Baby On My Next Visit’ – Mother-in-law Tells 2Face, Natasha
- Entertainment5 days ago
Afrobeats Songs Dominate UK Chart As Rema’s ‘Fun’ Debuts At #2
- Metro5 days ago
NDLEA Arrests Lady Smuggling Drugs Inside Butt Pads, Phone Chargers
- News5 days ago
JUST IN: Ooni Visits Olubadan-designate Ladoja In Ibadan
- News5 days ago
FULL TEXT: US Govt Releases Text Messages Between Charlie Kirk’s Suspect, Roommate
- News5 days ago
JUST IN: FG Revokes 1,263 Mineral Licenses Over Unpaid Fees
- Headline5 days ago
Fresh World Trouble Looms As Netanyahu Tells Western Leaders ‘There Will Be No Palestinian State’