News
US secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Defence chief Lloyd Austin meet with President Zelenskyy in Ukraine (photos)
U.S. Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken and Defence Secretary, Lloyd Austin, paid a secrecy-shrouded visit to Kyiv, Ukriane’s capital on Sunday, April 24
Zelenskyy had announced Saturday that he would meet with the U.S. officials in Kyiv on Sunday, but the Biden administration refused to confirm that and declined to discuss details of a possible visit even though planning had been underway for more than a week.
In video of the meeting released on Monday, by Zelenskyy’s office, Blinken praises the Ukrainian leader for the “extraordinary courage and leadership and success that you’ve had in pushing back this horrific Russian aggression.”
“We got used to seeing you on video around the world, but it’s great, it’s good to see you in person,” Blinken says with a smile.
Blinken also said U.S. diplomats returning to Ukraine likely would restaff the consulate in Lviv, in western Ukraine, before returning to the capital.
Journalists who traveled with Austin and Blinken to Poland were barred from reporting on the trip until it ended. They weren’t allowed to accompany them on their train journey into Ukraine citing security concerns.
The trip by Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was the highest-level American visit to Ukraine’s capital since Russia invaded in late February.
Blinken said Russia is failing in its war aims and “Ukraine is succeeding.”
The top officials from Washington told Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy and his advisers that the U.S. would provide more than $300 million in foreign military financing, and had already approved a $165 million sale of ammunition.
“We had an opportunity to demonstrate directly our strong ongoing support for the Ukrainian government and the Ukrainian people. This was, in our judgment, an important moment to be there to have face-to-face conversations in detail,” Blinken told reporters Monday near the Polish-Ukrainian border, after returning from Kyiv.
Austin said Zelenskyy’s response to the aid was deep appreciation for what was being given, but “he has the mindset that they want to win and we have the mindset that we want to help them win.”
Lloyd said victory, from the U.S. perspective, would include seeing Russia “weakened” militarily.
Austin addrd at the news conference that “the world has been inspired” by Ukraine during the war, and that America would continue its support.
“What you’ve done in repelling the Russians in the battle of Kyiv is extraordinary,” he said.
News
2023 Presidency: Atiku lists five-point agenda
Factual Pursuit of Truth for Progress
Former Vice President and a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant Atiku Abubakar, on Sunday, said listed his five-point development agenda for Nigeria if he becomes the next President come 2023.
Atiku made this known when he met with Abia State Special Delegates to the PDP National convention at the Government House Banquet Hall.
He highlighted his five-point development agenda to include; instituting symbols of unity, and dealing with insecurity, the economy, education, and restructure of the country.
He said that the South-East is his real point adding, “Therefore, nobody can label me anti-East or anti-race”.
According to him, by 2023, PDP would have been in opposition for 8 years, stating, “We must win the next election.Would we like to go back? Do we want to remain in opposition? These are the questions before us”
“Your aspiration as Igbo people will materialise and be realised. So, give me victory so that your aspiration will be realised.
“Together, we can achieve these goals if we unite as PDP and fight for power.”
He added, “I came with these objectives and if you should be able to give me this opportunity, I believe we will work together to achieve this”.
Earlier in a courtesy call on him, Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu saluted Atiku for his doggedness in his quest to unify and recover Nigeria.
Nigeria, he said, “has drifted further down the valley from where we are. Nigerians are faced with serious challenges and are now begging for the opportunity to live.”
Speaking, the PDP state chairman, Asiforo Okere, expressed his excitement to receive Atiku, adding, “We are not unaware of your contributions to the nation”.
Atiku was led by his campaign director general, Raymond Dokpesi who described Atiku, as “a detribalised Nigerian, astute deliverer of democracy and a unifier”.
Entertainment
Acting Involves Brainwork, Not Only Looks
Nollywood actress, Kehinde Bankole, has advised those coming into Nollywood to be ready for the intellectual work that comes with the glamour of the industry.
READ ALSO: I Added Weight For Role In Blood Sisters – Actress Kehinde Bankole Reveals
She said, “Don’t see acting as a career you can come into when all other careers are not working for you. (Perhaps), you have been told that doctors and lawyers are more professional than actors, so you decided to start acting because you couldn’t cope in other fields. Acting is not just about looking good; it involves a lot of intellectual work. You have to think on your toes, otherwise, you would become irrelevant.”
READ ALSO: #BringingMetGalaToAMVCA! BBNaija Ifu Ennada Makes Super Bold Fashion Statement In This Maskfull Outfit
Speaking further, the award-winning actress noted that being able to sustain relevance is where the real work lies. “Being able to sustain relevance is the real work, being able to make it pay your bills. Stumbling on fame doesn’t happen like that for people every time, like the case of Olajumoke the bread seller. There are people whose stories are like that but it’s usually one out of every five hundred.”
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Photo Credit: Getty
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News
FG empowers women in sanitary items production
Factual Pursuit of Truth for Progress
About 30 women were trained over the weekend by the Ministry of Women Affairs, Bauchi State on the production of sanitary items for home management.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria the training was done in collaboration with QUB Resources Limited, Abuja, which provided the training.
The women were trained on how to make liquid soaps, hand sanitisers, and other disinfectants.
The training was done under the ministry’s Women’s Economic Empowerment Workshop.
Representative of QUB Resources Limited, Mrs. Lydia Shehu, said the theme of the one-day training is, ‘Building women’s economic resilience for inclusive recovery’.
Shehu said that the aim was for the attainment of personal and family hygiene and from bacteria, and viruses, among others, and to improve their means of livelihood.
She lauded the Minister for Women Affairs and Social Development, Pauline Tallen for organising the programme, especially during this period of COVID-19 and other diseases.
The representative explained that the skills taught were not capital-intensive, adding that the trainees could start up the business with little income and train other women on the products.
