The Deputy Governor of Kebbi State, Umar Tafida, has debunked reports that villages in the state are under bandits’ control. Tafida, who stated this on Tuesday, labeled the claims as mere imagination from news sources, emphasising that the state government has fortified security across communities to prevent any security breaches. While interacting with newsmen in […]

No community under bandits’ control in Kebbi – Deputy Gov, Tafida

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, has assured that the Federal Government will soon begin payment of the pension backlog. Edun gave this assurance on Tuesday in Abuja during a peaceful rally by the Nigeria Union of Pensioners Contributory Pension Scheme Sector, NUPCPS, at the Federal Ministry of […]

Nigerian Govt to commence payment of pension backlog – Finance Minister Edun

Ebonyi State House of Assembly has given a 24-hour ultimatum to all illegal motor park operators in Abakaliki to shut down operation or face the full wrath of the law. This was contained in a statement signed by the state Assembly’s Public Relations Officer, Sylvester Egede and made available to newsmen shortly after the Ebonyi […]

Ebonyi Assembly bans illegal motor parks

TOKYO — Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, battered in parliamentary elections last month, has survived a rare runoff vote against the opposition to remain the country's leader but he still faces turmoil ahead. One of his top priorities is dealing with the aftermath of a major corruption scandal in the long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party, in which dozens of lawmakers from the party are alleged to have pocketed profits from event ticket sales as kickbacks. Ishiba also now has a much-emboldened, opposition eager to push through policies long stymied by the LDP. Support ratings for his Cabinet have fallen to about 30%. Here is a look at what's happening in Japan's tumultuous politics, and what it might mean for Ishiba and his government as they prepare to navigate a second term of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. Why did the vote in parliament take place? A parliamentary vote for a new leader is mandatory within 30 days of a general election. In the past that was mostly ignored as the head of the LDP usually enjoyed a majority in the Lower House, the more powerful of Japan’s two-chamber parliament. This time, though, because Ishiba's LDP and its junior coalition partner lost its majority in the recent election, the runoff on Monday couldn't be avoided — the first in 30 years. What's next for the prime minister? Opposition's top leader, Yoshihiko Noda, has noted that nearly half of all lower house steering committees are now headed by the opposition. That’s a huge change from the pre-election domination of the LDP, which controlled all but three of the 27 committees. “We are going to have a new landscape in Japanese politics,” Noda said. Twelve of the committees in key areas, including budget, political reforms, national security and legal affairs, will be headed by Noda’s Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and two other main opposition groups. What's certain is that the era of LDP’s one-sided rule is over, for now, and the opposition has a chance to achieve policies long opposed by the ruling conservatives, including on issues like gender equality and diversity. Noda last Friday said a legal committee that is now headed by his party’s gender equality chief, Chinami Nishimura, is aiming to achieve a civil code revision to allow married couples the option of keeping separate surnames. That change has been stalled by LDP conservatives for 30 years despite widespread support by the public and a United Nations panel on discrimination against women. Who is the opposition kingmaker? Yuichiro Tamaki is head of the conservative Democratic Party for the People, which quadrupled its seats to 28 in the election. The vote elevated his party from a fringe group to a major player. He is now being cast as a potential key to Ishiba’s survival. A Harvard-educated former Finance Ministry bureaucrat, the 55-year-old Tamaki has seen success by pushing for the raising of a basic tax-free income allowance and an increase of take-home wages. His messages on social media have appealed to younger voters, who have long been ignored by LDP policies catering to conservative elderly. Ishiba apparently seems to find Tamaki’s 28-member DPP an attractive partner to secure a majority. The two parties, which have common ground in some areas — including support for greater nuclear energy use and a stronger military — have started policy talks. Ishiba met with both Tamaki and Noda on Monday but Tamaki may be cautious about moving too close to a scandal-plagued LDP ahead of another election next year. Noda is struggling to form a unified opposition to force a change of government, which he says is his next goal. What does this mean for Ishiba's government? For Ishiba, the “hung parliament” requires him to win over opposition forces so he can push his policies. While considered unstable, it might also provide a chance for a more consensus-based policy making process, experts say. “I’m taking the current situation positively as a chance to get our opposition voice heard more carefully,” Tamaki said. Ishiba also faces challenges of restoring unity in his own party. A number of senior LDP lawmakers are waiting to overthrow Ishiba, though their priority is to resolidify their footholds, not infighting — and nobody is eager to do damage control at this difficult time anyway. “The [Ishiba] administration is quite unstable. ... He will have to get opposition parties' cooperation every time he wants to get a bill approved, which could stall policies,” said University of Tokyo political science professor Yu Uchiyama. And even if Ishiba survives politically in the coming months, there could be a call for his replacement ahead of next elections. “Japan is likely to return to a period of short-lived government,” Uchiyama said. How does this affect Japan's diplomacy, security and ties with Trump? Ishiba congratulated Trump hours after his victory and in a brief telephone conversation, they agreed to closely work together to further elevate their alliance. While experts say Trump understands the importance of U.S.-Japan relations, he may — as he did in his first administration — pressure Japan to pay more for the cost of 50,000 U.S. troops in Japan or to buy more expensive American weapons. Trump's possible tariff proposals could also hurt Japanese exporters. Ishiba on Saturday renewed his pledge to pursue an ongoing military buildup plan under a strategy that calls for a counter-strike capability with long-range cruise-missiles. He has long advocated a more equal Japan-U.S. security alliance but could face difficulty pursuing those plans. ‘’It will be a fantastic experiment to see if a national unity government can get Japan through until the next election,” said Michael Cucek, an expert in Japanese politics at Temple University in Japan.  

Guddiga Doorashooyinka iyo xuduudaha dowlad goboleedka Jubaland ayaa doortay Guddoomiye, Guddoomiye kuxigeen iyo xoghaye. Guddiga doorashada…

The post Guddiga Doorashooyinka Jubaland oo doortay Guddoomiye iyo Kuxigeen appeared first on Horseed Media.

Xildhibaanada kumetela Puntland Baarlamaanka federaalka ayaa soo saaray warsaxaafadeed ay sheegeen in aysan qeyb ka aheyn…

The post Xildhibaano soo saarey warsaxaafadeed: “Waxaan ka digeynaa duulaanka Xasan Sheekh ee Puntland iyo Jubaland” appeared first on Horseed Media.

Jawiga siyaasadeed ee Soomaaliya ayaa muddo dheer ahaa mid jaahwareersan  oo cakiran. Saddex xilli ayaa la…

The post Ma la gaaray xilligii uu Raysal Wasaare Xamse Barre is casili lahaa? appeared first on Horseed Media.

In Somalia’s complex political landscape, the tenure of Prime Minister Hamse Abdi Barre presents a compelling…

The post The Paradox of Power: Analyzing PM Hamse Abdi Barre’s Leadership Crisis in Somalia appeared first on Horseed Media.

Ra’iisul Wasaaraha Xukuumadda Jamhuuriyadda Federaalka Soomaaliya, Mudane Xamsa Cabdi Barre, ayaa gelinkii danbe ee Salaasada ku…

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– Owanari Duke Retires from Group Board United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, has announced the appointment of Henrietta Ugboh as a Non-Executive Director on the Group’s Board. The appointment, according to a statement from the bank, has been duly approved by the relevant regulatory bodies including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) whose approval […]

The post UBA appoints Henrietta Ugboh as non-executive director  first appeared on Business Hallmark.

The newly sworn-in governor of Edo State, Monday Okpebholo,  is set to probe the administration of his predecessor, Godwin Obaseki. Okpebholo announced he will set up a panel of inquiry to investigate the past administration’s refusal to inaugurate 14 elected lawmakers of the State House of Assembly in 2019. The 14 lawmakers elected on the […]

The post Edo: Okpebholo to probe Obaseki’s govt first appeared on Business Hallmark.

On June 25, 2018 I woke up to yet another social media trend – a news story with the bold and quite salacious headline “How Safe Are Customer Deposits At FCMB?” had taken over the digital airwaves. Between the shares and likes and comments, a storm in a cup had brewed to great proportions in […]

The Worrisome Trend of Sensational Social Media “Journalism” and the Impact On Legitimate Business Concerns: Recent Travails of FCMB, GTBank and First Bank

FCMB Bank (UK) Limited, an independently incorporated subsidiary of First City Monument Bank Limited (which is a member of FCMB Group Plc), has introduced its Personal and Business banking proposition in London, United Kingdom and Lagos, Nigeria at an impressive ceremony attended by the top echelon of the business community within and from outside the […]

FCMB Bank (UK) Limited Launches Personal and Business Banking Proposition to Deepen Inclusiveness

Baku, Azerbaijan — The annual U.N. climate summit kicks off Monday with countries readying for tough talks on finance and trade, following a year of weather disasters that have emboldened developing countries in their demands for climate cash. Delegates gathering in Azerbaijan's capital of Baku are hoping to resolve the summit's top agenda item – a deal for up to $1 trillion in annual climate finance for developing countries. The summit's negotiating priorities, however, are competing for governments' resources and attention against economic concerns, wars in Ukraine and Gaza and last week's U.S. re-election of Donald Trump, a climate-change denier, as president of the world's biggest economy. COP29 host Azerbaijan will be tasked with keeping countries focused on agreeing to a new global finance target to replace the current $100 billion pledge expiring this year. The Caspian Sea nation, often proud of being home to the world's first oil wells, will also be under pressure to show progress from last year's COP28 pledge to transition away from fossil fuels. The country's oil and gas revenues accounted for 35% of its economy in 2023, down from 50% two years prior. The government says these revenues will continue to decline, to roughly 32% of its GDP this year and 22% by 2028. Before the summit talks can even begin, countries will need to agree on an agenda by consensus – including an 11th-hour proposal by China to bring trade disputes into the mix. The Chinese proposal - made on behalf of the fast-developing "BASIC" group of countries including Brazil, India and South Africa - asked for the summit to address "restrictive trade measures" such as the EU's carbon border tariffs going into effect in 2026. Those concerns have been compounded by Trump's campaign promise to impose 20% tariffs on all foreign goods – and 60% on Chinese goods. China's request showed it was flexing power following Trump's re-election, which signaled the United States' likely disengagement from global climate cooperation, said Li Shuo, director of China Climate Hub at the Asia Society Policy Institute. Trump has called climate change a hoax and vowed to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Agreement, the global treaty to reduce planet-warming emissions. The European Union, along with current U.S. President Joe Biden's administration, have been pressing China and Gulf oil nations to join the pool of climate finance donor countries. "If the EU wants to talk about climate finance with China, if it wants to talk NDCs, part of the conversation should be how to resolve our differences on trade and your tariffs," Shuo said. Extreme pressure With this year on track to be the hottest on record, experts noted that climate extremes were now challenging rich and poor countries alike – from flooding disasters in Africa, coastal Spain and the U.S. state of North Carolina, to drought gripping South America, Mexico and the U.S. West. Most countries are not prepared. "Election results don't alter the laws of physics," said Kaveh Guilanpour, vice president for international strategies at the nonprofit Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. "Unless the world collectively steps up its efforts, the impacts of climate change will become increasingly severe and frequent and will be felt by an increasing number of people in all countries, including in the United States." Many in Baku were worried that a U.S. disengagement could lead other countries to backpedal on past climate pledges or to scale back future ambitions.

CATARROJA, Spain — Thousands of students in Spain's eastern Valencia region returned to classes on Monday, two weeks after floods killed over 200 people and devastated towns in the area. Controversy over the regional government's handling of the floods still rages, and a teachers' union accused it of exaggerating the number returning and leaving the clean-up to teachers and pupils. Twenty-three people remain missing in the Valencia region after heavy rains caused rivers to overflow, sending tides of muddy water through densely populated city suburbs, drowning people in cars and underground car parks, and collapsing homes. A total of 47 schools in 14 affected municipalities reopened to more than 22,000 children on Monday, the region's education department said. Last week, it said it expected around 70% of students in the worst-affected areas to return this week. "The schools that have opened their doors today have followed cleaning and disinfection protocols to ensure maximum safety for students, teachers and staff," it added. But the regional teachers' union STEPV said it believed that the numbers returning on Monday were lower, without providing an alternative figure. Spokesperson Marc Candela said many schools were not ready to resume lessons, adding: "Teachers and parents are cleaning the schools with their own materials such as brooms." Educators wanted professional cleaning crews to sanitize facilities, as was done during the COVID-19 pandemic, he said. Parents are also worried about their children's emotional states, said Ruben Pacheco, head of the regional federation of parents' associations, FAMPA: "Families are exhausted, suffering psychologically, and nothing should be decided without consulting them so as not to generate more discomfort than they've already suffered." Candela said the department had held an online course for teachers last week with recommendations for psychological care, but had not dispatched additional counselors. Carolina Marti, head teacher at a school in Castellar-Oliveral, said it had received 60 children from neighboring towns, while five teachers were on medical leave. She said children and teachers were struggling to reach the school as many roads remained impassable.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Tropical Storm Rafael strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane on Tuesday as it swirled past the Cayman Islands and chugged toward western Cuba.  It was another stroke of bad news for Cuba, which has been struggling with blackouts while recovering from another hurricane two weeks ago that killed at least six people in the eastern part of the island.  The storm was located 20 miles (35 kilometers) southeast of Little Cayman in the Cayman Islands on Tuesday morning. It had maximum sustained winds of 75 miles per hour (120 kilometers per hour) and was moving northwest at 15 mph (24 kph), according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.    Forecasters warned that Rafael was expected to slam into Cuba on Wednesday after dumping rain on Jamaica and the Cayman Islands on Tuesday. The center warned of floods, storm surges and mudslides.  The U.S. State Department issued an advisory for Cuba on Tuesday afternoon, offering departure flights to non-essential staff and American citizens, and advising others to “reconsider travel to Cuba due to the potential impact of Tropical Storm Rafael.”  On Tuesday morning, the Cuban Civil Defense called on Cubans to prepare as soon as possible, because when the storm makes landfall “it’s important to stay where you are.” The day before, authorities said they had issued an evacuation order for 37,000 people in far eastern Cuba, in the province of Guantanamo, due to bad weather.  A hurricane warning was in effect Tuesday for the Cayman Islands and the Cuban provinces of Pinar del Rio, Artemisa, La Habana, Mayabeque, Matanzas and the Isle of Youth.    A tropical storm warning was in effect for the Cuban provinces of Villa Clara, Cienfuegos, Sancti Spiritus and Ciego de Avila, as well as the lower and middle Florida Keys from Key West to west of the Channel 5 Bridge, and Dry Tortugas. The warning was lifted in Jamaica after the storm passed by the western coast. A tropical storm watch was in effect for the Cuban provinces of Camaguey and Las Tunas.  Officials in the Cayman Islands closed schools and government offices as they urged residents to prepare. Long lines were reported at grocery stores as the storm approached.    Forecasters warned Rafael would unleash heavy rains across the western Caribbean that could lead to flooding and mudslides in parts of Cuba and the Cayman Islands.  Heavy rainfall also was expected to spread north into Florida and nearby areas of the southeast U.S. during the middle to late part of the week. The Hurricane Center predicted storm surges in Florida could reach 1 to 3 feet in Dry Tortugas and 1 to 2 feet in the Lower Florida Keys. A few tornadoes also were expected Wednesday over the Keys and southwestern Florida.    Rafael is the 17th named storm of the season.  The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted the 2024 hurricane season was likely to be well above average, with between 17 and 25 named storms. The forecast called for as many as 13 hurricanes and four major hurricanes.    An average Atlantic hurricane season produces 14 named storms, seven of them hurricanes and three major hurricanes. 

HAVANA — Rafael strengthened Wednesday into a powerful Category 3 hurricane ahead of its expected landfall in western Cuba, where it was forecast to bring "life-threatening" storm surges, winds and flash floods.  The storm, which knocked out power and dumped rain on the Cayman Islands and Jamaica, is expected to hit the Isle of Youth in the coming hours and make landfall later on Wednesday.  Classes and public transport were suspended on parts of the island as authorities issued an alarm for the incoming weather for the west of the country. Workers secured buildings and cleaned up garbage along Havana's coastline in preparation for floods. Authorities also canceled flights in certain areas like Havana and Varadero. Thousands of people in the west of the island were evacuated as a prevention measure.  "Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion," warned the National Hurricane Center in Miami.  The storm was located about 65 kilometers (40 miles) east-southeast of the Isle of Youth and around 135 kilometers (84 miles) south-southeast of Havana. It had maximum sustained winds of 185 kph (115 mph) and was moving northwest at 22 kph (14 mph), according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.  Forecasters expected the storm to later weaken over Cuba, but emerge in the southeastern Gulf of Mexico as a hurricane.  Cubans have already been struggling with blackouts while recovering from another hurricane two weeks ago that killed at least six people in the eastern part of the island.  The U.S. State Department issued an advisory for Cuba on Tuesday afternoon, offering departure flights to non-essential staff and American citizens, and advising others to "reconsider travel to Cuba due to the potential impact of Tropical Storm Rafael."  On Tuesday morning, the Cuban Civil Defense called on Cubans to prepare as soon as possible, because when the storm makes landfall "it's important to stay where you are."  Silvia Perez, a 72-year-old retiree living in a coastal area of Havana, was among those scrambling to prepare. As other neighbors moved appliances and other furniture from ground floor homes, worried about floods, Perez stocked up on water and food.  "This is a night I don't want to sleep through, between the battering air and the trees," Perez said. "I'm scared for my friends and family."  A hurricane warning was in effect on Wednesday for a portion of the Cayman Islands and the Cuban provinces of Pinar del Rio, Artemisa, La Habana, Mayabeque, Matanzas and the Isle of Youth.  A tropical storm warning was in effect for the Cuban provinces of Villa Clara, Cienfuegos, Sancti Spiritus and Ciego de Avila, as well as the lower and middle Florida Keys from Key West to west of the Channel 5 Bridge, and Dry Tortugas.  The storm on Tuesday knocked out power in parts of Jamaica and unleashed flooding and landslides. The Jamaica Public Service, the island's electricity provider, said in a statement late Tuesday that impassable roads were preventing crews from restoring power in some areas.  Power outages were reported across the Cayman Islands after a direct hit late Tuesday, and schools remained closed on Wednesday.  "While conditions have improved on Grand Cayman, residents are advised to exercise extreme caution on the roads and near coastlines as rough seas and residual flooding risks may persist," the government said in a statement.  Heavy rainfall also was expected to spread north into Florida and nearby areas of the southeast U.S. during the middle to late part of the week. The Hurricane Center predicted storm surges in Florida could reach 1 to 3 feet in Dry Tortugas and 1 to 2 feet in the Lower Florida Keys. A few tornadoes also were expected Wednesday over the Keys and southwestern Florida.  Rafael is the 17th named storm of the season.  The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted the 2024 hurricane season was likely to be well above average, with between 17 and 25 named storms. The forecast called for as many as 13 hurricanes and four major hurricanes.  An average Atlantic hurricane season produces 14 named storms, seven of them hurricanes and three major hurricanes. 

Hurricane Rafael has knocked out Cuba’s electric service after hitting the island Wednesday as a Category 3 storm, blowing down trees and utility towers in an island nation still reeling from earlier storms and recent power failures. In its latest report Thursday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said the storm is 320 kilometers west-northwest of Havana and it had weakened to a Category 2 storm, with maximum sustained winds of about 155 km per hour. The storm is still expected to continue bringing heavy rains to the island Thursday, raising the threat of mudslides at higher elevations. The hurricane center said the storm made landfall in Cuba’s western Artemisa province Wednesday afternoon. More than 70,000 people were evacuated from their homes in Artemisa and neighboring Pinar del Rio province. State newspaper Granma said airports in the western part of the country, including in Havana and the resort town of Varadero, had been temporarily closed because of the storm. By Thursday morning, the newspaper reported power was being restored in the central and eastern parts of the country. Rafael was the latest blow to the communist-run country's already precarious electrical grid, which just two weeks ago collapsed multiple times, leaving many in the country without power for days. The Energy and Mines Ministry said it had already begun work to reconnect the national grid late Wednesday but warned that the process would be slower in western parts of the island, which were hardest hit by the storm. Rafael had knocked out power and dumped heavy rain on the Cayman Islands and Jamaica earlier in the week. Forecasters said Rafael is expected to move to the west later Thursday through the weekend. They said the storm should remain a hurricane for the next couple of days as it moves over the southern Gulf of Mexico and then weaken to a tropical storm by Saturday. No new watches or warnings have been posted for populated areas. Some information for this report was provided by The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.

LA PAZ, BOLIVIA — A constitutional court in Bolivia has barred former President Evo Morales from running again for office, ushering in a new phase in the country's long-running political crisis. Morales, who led Bolivia from 2006 to 2019, had been vying for the candidacy of his MAS party, alongside his former mentee-turned-rival, President Luis Arce. But, in a decision last week that was reported on Friday, Bolivia's constitutional court ruled that presidents were limited to serving two terms, whether consecutive or nonconsecutive. After his first two terms, a court ruling allowed Morales to serve a third term because his first preceded a constitutional rewrite. He ran for a fourth term in the 2019 elections but fled the country after the results were disputed and unrest ensued. Arce was elected in 2020. "Without a doubt, this ushers in a new era of politics in Bolivia," opposition lawmaker Marcelo Pedrazas told journalists Friday. "In 2025, we'll have an election without Evo Morales on the ballot." Morales' lawyer, Orlando Ceballos, called the court's ruling politically motivated. "What are they trying to do? To get rid of MAS, to disqualify Evo, that's the point," Ceballos said in a radio interview, adding that they would take up the matter with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Morales and Arce have increasingly butted heads in past weeks, with Morales supporters using roadblocks to halt commerce and raiding military bases. Morales has called for peaceful talks with the government but went on a nearly weeklong hunger strike in protest of what he considers political persecution by Arce's administration. On Friday, lawmakers loyal to Morales caused chaos in Congress, shouting and throwing flowers at the vice president ahead of Arce's planned yearly address and forcing him to deliver his speech from the presidential palace.

Mexico City — Gunmen in a truck pulled up to a bar in central Mexico and opened fire, killing 10 people, authorities said, in an area that had been spared the worst of the country's raging criminal violence.  Security camera footage published by local media showed the perpetrators leaping from the vehicle and bursting into the venue as terrified customers fled or dived to the floor.   The attack late Saturday on Los Cantaritos bar in Queretaro's downtown district left 10 people dead and at least seven injured, according to the city's public security department chief Juan Luis Ferrusca.   "Emergency services arrived at the scene and confirmed that at least four people armed with long weapons had arrived on board a pickup truck," Ferrusca said in a video on social media.  One suspect was detained and the vehicle used in the attack was found abandoned and set on fire, he said.  The victims included three women, according to the Queretaro state prosecutor's office, which said forensic experts were examining the scene of the attack and the vehicle.  Queretaro, the capital of Queretaro state, is considered one of the safer cities in Mexico, which has been plagued by years of drug cartel-related violence.  "The entire security system of Queretaro is mobilized to find the criminals" behind the attack, state governor Mauricio Kuri said on social media platform X.  "We will continue to shield our borders and maintain the security of our state," he said, adding, "Those responsible for this brutal act will be punished."  Queretaro, a city known more for its colonial architecture than for its crime, is around 200 kilometers northwest of Mexico City.   Across Mexico, spiraling violence, much of it linked to drug trafficking and gangs, has seen more than 450,000 people murdered since 2006.   Tackling the murders and kidnappings that are a daily occurrence is among the major challenges facing President Claudia Sheinbaum.  The former Mexico City mayor, who became the country's first woman president on October 1, has ruled out declaring "war" on drug cartels.  Instead, she has pledged to continue her predecessor's strategy of using social policy to tackle crime at its roots, while also making better use of intelligence.   The northwestern cartel stronghold of Sinaloa has seen a surge in violence since the July arrest of drug lord Ismael Zambada in the United States unleashed a wave of gang infighting.   There has also been a spike in bloodshed in the southern state of Guerrero, the scene of long-running gang turf wars.   Authorities said Thursday that the bodies of 11 people, including two minors, were found abandoned in a pickup truck in the state capital Chilpancingo.  They were part of a group of 17 people -- reported to be traveling merchants -- who were declared missing last month.         

Havana — A 6.8 magnitude earthquake shook eastern Cuba on Sunday, after weeks of hurricanes and blackouts that have left many on the island reeling.  The epicenter of the quake was located approximately 40 km south of Bartolomé Masó, Cuba, according to a report by the United States Geological Survey.  The rumbling was felt across the eastern stretch of Cuba, including in bigger cities like Santiago de Cuba. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.  Residents in Santiago, Cuba's second largest city, were left shaken on Sunday. Yolanda Tabío, 76, said people in the city flocked to the streets and were still nervously sitting in their doorways. She said she felt at least two aftershocks following the quake, but that among friends and family she hadn't heard of any damages.  "You had to see how everything was moving, the walls, everything," she told The Associated Press.  The earthquake comes during another tough stretch for Cuba.  On Wednesday, Category 3 Hurricane Rafael ripped through western Cuba, with strong winds knocking out power island-wide, destroying hundreds of homes and forcing evacuations of hundreds of thousands of people. Days after, much of the island was still struggling without power.  Weeks before in October, the island was also hit by a one-two punch. First, it was hit by island-wide blackouts stretching on for days, a product of the island's energy crisis. Shortly after, it was slapped by a powerful hurricane that struck the eastern part of the island and killed at least six people.  The blackouts and wider discontent among many struggling to get by has stoked small protests across the island. 

The recent summit underscored Hong Kong's position as a "super-connector" and "super value adder," solidifying its status as a premier regional business hub and a vital link to the global market, that could support the eight major steps announced by President Xi Jinping last year to enhance the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

The United States on Wednesday said Israel must avoid any Gaza-like military action in Lebanon after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned it risked "destruction" like that in the Palestinian territory.

US-ROK-Japan Trilateral Global Leadership Youth Summit

Asian Development Bank-Japan Scholarship Program

The promised global shift from fossil fuels remains unmet as fossil fuel continues to expand in Southeast Asia with the backing of international financiers, environmental groups said.