Today’s Headlines: Tinubu told to stop retirement of military generals, Biden to host Swedish PM
Tinubu told to stop compulsory retirement of military generals
A public affairs commentator, Reno Omokri, has kicked against the compulsory retirement of military generals whenever junior officers emerge as service chiefs, urging President Bola Tinubu to stop the act.
According to him, Nigeria loses these senior military officers after millions of dollars had been expended in training them.
He described the practice as a complete waste of money and human resources.
“Nigeria spends tens of millions of dollars training military generals only to retire them when their juniors are appointed service chiefs. That is just a complete waste of money and human resources. Why?” he questioned.
In a tweet on Saturday, Omokri recalled that “General Domkat Bali was senior to General Babangida, but he served under him. Meritoriously. I might add. Brigadier Babafemi Ogundipe served under Lt. Colonel Gowon. Even more meritoriously.”
Biden to host Swedish PM for talks
Photo credit: Punch papers
US President Joe Biden will host Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson next week to talk about transatlantic security cooperation and the war in Ukraine, the White House said Saturday.
The two leaders “will review our growing security cooperation and reaffirm their view that Sweden should join NATO as soon as possible,” the White House said in a statement about the Wednesday meeting.
Sweden asked to join NATO in May 2022, three months after Russia invaded Ukraine, but its membership bid, which must be ratified by all 31 member states, has been blocked by Turkey and Hungary.
Western officials had hoped to formally welcome Sweden into the bloc by the time a NATO summit is held in Lithuania on July 11-12.
But earlier this week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan denounced Sweden for allowing a protest during which a man burned pages from the Koran, further clouding the Nordic nation’s chances of quickly joining the military alliance.
“I am delighted that President Biden is inviting us to a meeting next week, before the NATO summit in Vilnius the following week,” Kristersson said in a statement. “The focus of the visit will be on Sweden’s NATO accession.”
The White House said Biden and Kristersson will also “discuss our shared commitment to supporting Ukraine in the face of Russia’s brutal war of aggression.”
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They will additionally talk about transatlantic coordination on China, climate change and emerging technologies.
Eight Persons Feared Dead In Anambra
Photo Credit: Punch papers
About eight persons have been feared killed and 12 others injured in a multiple road accident that occurred at the Umunya Odumodu Junction along the Nteje-Awka Expressway, in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State.
It was gathered that two heavy-duty trucks, one Sienna commercial bus, one black Toyota car, and another unidentified commercial vehicle were involved in the accident, which occurred on Saturday at about 12:40 pm.
The commercial vehicles were said to be coming from Onitsha and heading to Enugu before the accident occurred. The victims were said to be mostly from commercial vehicles.
An eyewitness near the crash attributed the cause to overspeeding and recklessness by one of the drivers of the heavy-duty trucks.
25 Dead After Bus Catches Fire In India
Photo Credit:Vanguard papers
At least 25 people were killed and eight others injured in western India when a bus crashed and caught fire on an expressway early Saturday.
The bus was travelling to the city of Pune when it hit a pole and overturned after midnight, causing its diesel tank to catch fire, senior police officer Baburao Mahamuni told AFP.
There were about 30 to 35 people in the bus. Twenty-five people have died and eight others are injured,” he said.
The injured have been admitted to a hospital near the site of the crash in Maharashtra state, about 400 kilometres (250 miles) east of India’s financial capital Mumbai.
The driver and conductor of the bus were taken into custody for questioning, state rural development minister Girish Mahajan told reporters.
“The driver is saying the tyre of the bus burst, after which it hit a pole. But it seems he had dozed off. We will have to see what actually happened,” he said.
Mahajan added that the bodies had been charred beyond recognition and forensic teams were on their way to help in identification.
One of the survivors of the accident said he got out of the burning vehicle a window.
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