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Putin Revokes Russia’s Ratification Of Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

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Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday signed a law revoking Russia’s ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, a move strongly criticised by the United States.

The 1996 treaty outlaws all nuclear explosions, including live tests of nuclear weapons, though it never came into force because some key countries — including the United States and China — never ratified it.

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The West has accused Russia of using reckless nuclear rhetoric since it launched its offensive on Ukraine last February.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken criticised Putin’s announcement on Thursday, and called on Moscow to commit to not carry out testing.

READ ALSO: Putin Accuses IOC Of ‘ Ethnic Discrimination’ Against Russians

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“Unfortunately, it represents a significant step in the wrong direction, taking us further from, not closer to, entry into force” of the treaty, Blinken said in a statement.

This continues Moscow’s disturbing and misguided effort to heighten nuclear risks and raise tensions as it pursues its illegal war against Ukraine,” he said.

Putin last week oversaw ballistic missile drills in what Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said was practice for a “massive” retaliatory nuclear strike against an unnamed enemy.

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Putin also said last month he was “not ready to say” whether Russia would carry out live nuclear tests.

READ ALSO: We Killed 600 Russian Soldiers, Destroyed Putin’s Party Headquarters In One Day – Ukraine

– ‘Deeply regrettable’ –

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The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) has urged Russia to continue its commitment to the treaty, including the use of monitoring stations capable of detecting the slightest explosion in real time.

“Today’s decision by the Russian Federation to revoke its ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty is very disappointing and deeply regrettable,” CTBTO head Robert Floyd said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

France, one of the treaty’s original signatories, said it “deplored” Russia’s decision to revoke the ratification.

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“Russia’s decision compromises the work of making the treaty universal. We reaffirm the importance of the CTBT and its full implementation,” it said.

The bill to revoke the treaty passed through Russia’s parliament last month in a fast-track process.

READ ALSO: Why We Shot At Fubara — Rivers Police

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During parliamentary hearings, State Duma speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said the move to revoke the treaty was a response to the United States’ “cynicism” and “boorish attitudes” on nuclear weapons.

Although it never entered into force, the agreement was ratified by 178 countries, including nuclear powers Russia, France and Britain, and has symbolic value.

The United States as well as China have never ratified the treaty, a key obstacle for it coming into force.

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President George H.W. Bush in 1992 signed into law a unilateral ban on US nuclear testing that has since been extended. But the Senate rejected ratifying the test ban treaty in 1999.

Current President Joe Biden and his Democratic predecessors have supported ratification but treaties under the US Constitution require two-thirds support, a prohibitive threshold with many Republicans wary of any international limits on US power.

The treaty’s backers say it established an international norm against live tests of nuclear weapons, but critics say the potential of the deal remains unrealised without the ratifications of major nuclear powers.

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Russia’s parliament ratified the agreement in June 2000, six months after Putin first became president.

 

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9 Most-requested Documents For Work Visas

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Planning to work abroad? Whether you’re heading to Canada, the UK, Germany, Australia, or the UAE, securing a work visa is a critical step and the process often comes with a long list of required documents.

While specifics vary by country, most immigration offices demand a core set of paperwork before granting a work visa. Here’s a breakdown of the most commonly requested documents:

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1. Valid Passport

Your passport must typically have at least six months’ validity beyond your intended stay. Some countries require blank visa pages as well, so double-check the requirements.

2. Job Offer Letter

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This is one of the most important documents in your visa application. It must come from a verified employer or government-approved sponsor. The letter should include details such as your job title, salary, and terms of employment.

READ ALSO:Fashion Designers, IT Specialists: UK Opens Door To Foreign Talents With New Visa Rules

3. Educational Certificates

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These include your university degrees, diplomas, and any vocational qualifications relevant to the job you’re applying for. In some cases, you may need to have these credentials assessed or authenticated.

4. Proof of Work Experience

Most countries will want to see evidence of your past employment. This could include:

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Reference letters from previous employers
Employment contracts
Payslips

5. Language Proficiency Test Results

If you’re going to an English-speaking country like the UK, Canada, or Australia, proof of English proficiency is often required. Commonly accepted tests include:

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IELTS
TOEFL
PTE Academic

Some non-English-speaking countries may ask for proof of proficiency in their official language.

READ ALSO:PHOTOS: President Tinubu Hosts Class Of 1999 Governors In Aso Villa

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6. Police Clearance Certificate (PCC)

This is a document issued by law enforcement to confirm that you have no criminal record. It’s essential to prove your good character and legal standing in your home country.

7. Medical Certificate

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Many countries require a medical exam to ensure you’re fit to work and free from contagious diseases. The test is usually conducted by a panel physician authorized by the destination country’s immigration authority.

8. Proof of Funds

You may need to show bank statements or other financial documents to prove you can support yourself (and your dependents, if applicable) until you start earning.

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9. Professional Accreditation or Licensing

If you’re applying for jobs in regulated sectors like healthcare, education, or engineering, you may need proof of accreditation or registration with a professional body in the destination country.
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Over 1.3 Million Return To Homes In Sudan – UN

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More than 1.3 million people who fled the fighting in Sudan have headed home, the United Nations said Friday, pleading for greater international aid to help returnees rebuild shattered lives.

Over a million internally displaced people (IDPs) have returned to their homes in recent months, UN agencies said.

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A further 320,000 refugees have crossed back into Sudan this year, mainly from neighbouring Egypt and South Sudan.

While fighting has subsided in the “pockets of relative safety” that people are beginning to return to, the situation remains highly precarious, the UN said.

Since April 2023, Sudan has been torn apart by a power struggle between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, commander of the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. The fighting has killed tens of thousands.

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READ ALSO: Militia Attack On DRC IDP Camp, Kills 10, Mostly Women, Children

The RSF lost control of the capital, Khartoum, in March and the regular army now controls Sudan’s centre, north and east.

In a joint statement, the UN’s IOM migration agency, UNHCR refugee agency and UNDP development agency called for an urgent increase in financial support to pay for the recovery as people begin to return, with humanitarian operations “massively underfunded”.

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Sudan has 10 million IDPs, including 7.7 million forced from their homes by the current conflict, they said.

More than four million have sought refuge in neighbouring countries.

– ‘Living nightmare’ –

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Sudan is “the largest humanitarian catastrophe facing our world and also the least remembered”, the IOM’s regional director Othman Belbeisi, speaking from Port Sudan, told a media briefing in Geneva.

He said 71 percent of returns had been to Al-Jazira state, with eight percent to Khartoum.

READ ALSO: Katsina, UNDP To Return 270,000 IDPs To Ancestral Homes

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Other returnees were mostly heading for Sennar state.

Both Al-Jazira and Sennar are located southeast of the capital.

We expect 2.1 million to return to Khartoum by the end of this year but this will depend on many factors, especially the security situation and the ability to restore services,” Belbeisi said.

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With the RSF holding nearly all of the western Darfur region, Kordofan in the south has become the war’s main battleground in recent weeks.

He said the “vicious, horrifying civil war continues to take lives with impunity”, imploring the warring factions to put down their guns.

READ ALSO: Panic In Borno IDP Camp As Police Defuse IED Planted By Boko Haram/ISWAP Insurgents

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“The war has unleashed hell for millions and millions of ordinary people,” he said.

“Sudan is a living nightmare. The violence needs to stop.”

– ‘Massive’ UXO contamination –

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After visiting Khartoum and the Egyptian border, Mamadou Dian Balde, the UNHCR’s regional refugee coordinator for the Sudan crisis, said people were coming back to destroyed public infrastructure, making rebuilding their lives extremely challenging.

Those returning from Egypt were typically coming back “empty handed”, he said, speaking from Nairobi.

READ ALSO: One Dead, Scores Injured As Mysterious Fire Hits IDPs’ Camp 

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Luca Renda, UNDP’s resident representative in Sudan, warned of further cholera outbreaks in Khartoum if broken services were not restored.

What we need is for the international community to support us,” he said.

Renda said around 1,700 wells needed rehabilitating, while at least six Khartoum hospitals and at least 35 schools needed urgent repairs.

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He also sounded the alarm on the “massive” amount of unexploded ordnance littering the city and the need for decontamination.

He said anti-personnel mines had also been found in at least five locations in Khartoum.

“It will take years to fully decontaminate the city,” he said, speaking from Port Sudan.

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Trump Says Hamas Doesn’t Want A Deal, ‘Want To Die’

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President Donald Trump said Friday that Hamas did not want a ceasefire deal in Gaza, after Israel and the United States quit indirect negotiations with the Palestinian militant group.

It was too bad. Hamas didn’t really want to make a deal. I think they want to die,” Trump said.

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In Qatar, mediators had been shuttling between Israeli and Hamas delegations for more than two weeks in a bid to secure a ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages after nearly two years of fighting.

READ ALSO:US Appeal Court Rules Against Trump Birthright Citizenship Order

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his government was still seeking a deal despite recalling its negotiators from Doha.

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Trump blamed Hamas, saying “now we’re down to the final hostages, and they know what happens after you get the final hostages.”

The US president also dismissed the decision by France’s Emmanuel Macron to recognize a Palestinian state.

He’s a very good guy, I like him, but that statement doesn’t carry weight,” Trump said.

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