₦airaland Forum

nairavsdollars:
Why is this young man beaming with smiles even after his arrest by NDLEA?

African Women Lured to Produce Russian War Drones

A Ukrainian drone in late April hit the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in Russia’s Tatarstan region, where kamikaze drones are made by factory workers, many of them women from Africa. Although there were no reported casualties, several African women were wounded last year in a similar drone attack on the Alabuga factory, about 1,000 kilometers east of Moscow.

African women working at the factory may not have realized they would be working in a war zone when they applied for their jobs. Many responded to social media ads promising employment with good pay and a new life in Russia. The advertising photos showed women smiling as they cleaned floors and wearing hard hats while directing cranes at a factory in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia.

The ads, targeting workers from countries such as Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Sudan and Uganda, included videos with upbeat music that showed African women visiting Tatarstan’s cultural sites or playing sports. They promoted a program called “Alabuga Start” that touted a free plane ticket to Europe and a well-paying job upon arrival.

The ads said Alabuga Start sought “talented people from all over the world,” especially women between 18 and 22. The ads also endorsed the benefits of a work-study program in fields such as catering or hospitality. In one video, an African woman arrives in Alabuga and begins work at a restaurant, where she waits on a young Russian man. She later returns to the restaurant as his pregnant wife.

According to Maxim Matusevich, a Russia-Africa expert and global history professor at Seton Hall University, the financial appeal to young unemployed Africans is understandable.

However, the vast majority of recruits are involved in manufacturing drones, according to the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime.

The drones are used by the Russian military to target Ukraine, that frequently , results in civilian deaths. On June 23, a Russian drone attack in northeastern Ukraine killed three civilians, including a 5-year-old boy, and injured six others, including two 17-year-old girls and a 12-year-old boy, The Washington Post reported.

African women are forced to manufacture drones under hazardous, grueling conditions and are paid much less than promised. One worker told The Associated Press the job was “a trap,” adding that the cost of accommodations, airfare, medical care and Russian-language classes were deducted from her salary. She said the African workers were treated “like donkeys.”

“I don’t think many [African women] know about the firm’s bad labor practices,” an Ethiopian woman, who canceled her Alabuga Start application after reading about the factory online, told The Economist.

The women also are forced to handle toxic materials, which is forbidden in Russian labor law, David Albright, founder of the Institute for Science and International Security, told VOA. Investigations by Protokol, a Russian independent media outlet, showed that the company also has a record of surveilling workers involved in drone manufacturing and keeping details about production secret.


The Alabuga facility manufactures up to 300 Iranian-style Shahed drones and their Russian-made variants daily. More than 6,000 of these drones were produced in Alabuga last year, along with thousands of decoy drones, , an official at Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, told The Kyiv Independent.

Since its 2022 launch, Alabuga Start has recruited about 350 women from more than 40 countries and aims to bring 8,500 more this year, Bloomberg reported. The workers are needed due to a labor shortage fueled by Russia’s war in Ukraine.

In a 2024 analysis, the Robert Lansing Institute for Global Threats and Democracies Studies said Russia was exploiting “not only Africa’s natural resources but also its people — victims of economic crises — through deception and restrictions on their freedom.”

“The lack of response from the governments of the African countries involved is striking,” according to the report, which characterized Russia’s recruitment efforts as human trafficking.

Interpol began investigating Alabuga Start for possible involvement in human trafficking after the company’s social media posts were brought to the organization’s attention.

Human trafficking involves the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receiving of people through force, fraud or deception, with the aim of exploiting them for profit, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Traffickers typically use fake promises of education and job opportunities to trick and coerce their victims.

US President Donald Trump is set to meet the leaders of five African states, an invitation the White House sees as an "incredible" commercial opportunity.

Trump's choice of guests include the leaders of Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania and Senegal - none of whom represent the major economies of the continent.

The three-day summit is expected to concentrate on Trump's "trade, not aid" policy and with all of them facing 10% tariffs on goods exported to the US, they may be hoping to do deals to negotiate this rate down.

Those up for grabs may include ones over critical minerals, with maritime security, migration and hosting deportees also likely to be on the table.

With the exception of Gabon, they lie along routes used by migrants, as well as drug traffickers from Latin America.

Some of the nations are also potentially vulnerable to the southward spread of the Islamist insurgencies that affect their neighbours further inland - so discussions on co-operation in tackling this threat are also likely.

Earlier this year Gen Michael Langley, who heads the US Africa Command (Africom), warned that one of the jihadists' new objectives was gaining access to West Africa's coast - and that that also raised "the chance of threats reaching US shores".

Senegal's former ambassador to Washington, Babacar Diagne, said the invitations to the African leaders reflected the recent "paradigm shift" in US policy towards the continent.

After taking office in January for his second term, Trump cut US aid to the continent, saying it was wasteful and incompatible with his "America First" policy.

With Trump and the Republican Party at the helm, there is also doubt about whether the US will renew later this year its African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), which guarantees duty-free access for certain goods from Africa.

"It's not like before with the Democrats. There were two strong points with them: poverty reduction and development issues, through Agoa and other initiatives. All that is over," Mr Diagne told the BBC.

According to the former diplomat, the Trump administration's position will mirror how it has dealt with Ukraine war-time leader Volodymyr Zelensky.

"Pure trade. It's give and take, win and win. We saw it with Ukraine. You sign the agreement on minerals and you'll have us on your side, otherwise, you forget everything," Mr Diagne said.

Indeed Nicaise Mouloumbi, head of a leading non-governmental organisation in oil-rich Gabon, said the Trump administration's focus on Africa was down to increasing competition from rival powers - including China and Russia - for its prized resources.

"All these [invited] countries have important minerals: gold, oil, manganese, gas, wood and zircon - Senegal, Mauritania and Gabon, in particular," he told the BBC.

Gabon holds around a quarter of the global known reserves of manganese - and it provides 22% of China's of the mineral, which is used in the production of batteries and stainless steel.

Mr Mouloumbi added that the US might be most keen to strengthen ties with Gabon not only because it had "strategic" minerals like manganese and uranium, as well as oil, but also because it was strategically located along the Gulf of Guinea, with a coastline of about 800km (500 miles).

It could host a US military base that America plans to build in the region, Mr Mouloumbi said.

Mr Diagne made a similar point about piracy, saying that "maritime terrorism in the Gulf of Guinea has become an extremely important issue" for the US.

Many tankers carrying oil and gas travel through the Gulf of Guinea, which has been known as a piracy hot spot for several years.

For Mauritania and Senegal, migration will be central to discussions, according to Ousmane Sene, the head of the West African Research Centre (WARC),

"Let's not forget that between 2023 and 2025, no fewer than 20,000 young Mauritanians left for the US via Nicaragua, along with hundreds of young Senegalese," the analyst told the BBC.

"All these countries are also departure points for illegal emigration," he added.

"That's an extremely important point in his [Trump's] migration policy, and every day people are turned back at the borders."

Mauritania is the only one of the five countries that does not have diplomatic ties with US ally Israel - cutting them in 2009 over an offensive in Gaza - and sources have told Semafor that restoring them may be a sticking point for any would-be White House deal.

Liberia may also be considering a US proposal to accept people deported by the US, including criminals. The country, which has close historical links to America, was reportedly included on a proposed list of countries that the US had approached.

Guinea-Bissau, which has suffered a series of coups and attempted coups over the years, is reportedly keen for the US embassy to reopen in the capital, Bissau, following its closure after the army mutinied in 1998.

President Umaro Cissoko Embaló was clearly proud of the White House's invite for Guinea-Bissau, which several years ago was labelled a "narco-state" by the US and UN as it was once a major transit hub for cocaine from Latin America to Europe and North America.

"Guinea-Bissau has now emerged from a state of disorder to become a real state. The Americans do not invite just any state to their country - only a well-structured state," he was quoted as saying at the airport before he left for Washington.

He and his counterparts - Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema of Gabon, Joseph Boakai of Liberia, Mohamed Ould Ghazouani of Mauritania and Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal - will be hoping they hold some cards to do a deal with Trump.

In fact, it seems to have completely backfired as this week Africa's biggest economy found out that from next month its exports to the US are being slapped with a 30% tariff.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen defended herself before the European Parliament Monday as she faces a largely symbolic no-confidence vote that could force the resignation of the entire EU executive, in the unlikely event it succeeds.

But the vote also gives von der Leyen's critics — and even some of her backers — a rare chance to call for a public accounting.

Thursday's vote focuses on "Pfizergate" — a 35 billion euro ($38.5 billion) deal with Pfizer for up to 1.8 billion Covid vaccine doses that von der Leyen, head of the EU executive branch, negotiated through text messages with the company's CEO. The European Court of Auditors called this "the biggest Covid-19 vaccine contract signed by the commission."

This marks the first time since 2014 that a commission president has faced such a challenge. Von der Leyen is in the midst of negotiating a crucial trade agreement with the United States. A highly unlikely successful vote would create a leadership vacuum as the EU faces potential U.S. tariffs and ongoing war in Ukraine.

But the Pfizergate scandal has become emblematic of broader concerns about von der Leyen's leadership style, particularly her tendency to conduct important negotiations outside normal institutional channels. Even some within her own European People's Party privately express concern about her approach, though they remain publicly supportive.

Though the motion is virtually certain to fail in the EU Parliament, it crystallizes the fundamental tensions reshaping European politics: rising far-right nationalism, crumbling centrist coalitions, and public frustration with Brussels' lack of accountability. Mainstream parties find themselves caught between addressing real governance problems and refusing to hand victories to anti-EU forces — leaving legitimate questions unanswered to avoid strengthening the EU's harshest critics.

The challenge is led by Romanian far-right lawmaker Gheorghe Piperea. He collected 79 signatures from lawmakers — just above the 72-member threshold needed. The signatures came primarily from far-right and nationalist groups from Germany, Poland, and Romania.

The vote is not secret, forcing each of the 720 parliamentarians to publicly declare their position. The motion requires a two-thirds majority — virtually impossible given current parliamentary numbers. It serves as a public airing of grievances at a critical moment, with the real impact likely being political embarrassment rather than institutional change.

Political Theatre

During Monday's debate, Piperea sought to frame the far-right initiative in constitutional rather than partisan terms.

"The democratic concentration of decisions in the hands of the president of the European Commission happens against the principle of separation and balance," he said.

Von der Leyen appeared with her entire team of commissioners — who, like the U.S. presidential cabinet, each oversee specific policy areas — including top diplomat Kaja Kallas, seated prominently.

"It is taken right from the oldest playbook of extremists," von der Leyen said, dismissing the challenge as conspiracy-mongering. She defended her contacts over the vaccines: "It is no secret that I was in contact with top representatives of the companies producing the vaccines."

European People's Party leader Manfred Weber launched a scathing attack on the motion's supporters, linking them to Russian interests.

"Putin will like what his friends are doing here," he said, calling specific parties "puppets of Putin."

Weber argued the motion threatens European interests at a critical time, warning that "in a few days Donald Trump's tariff pause will end. Millions of jobs are at risk."

"Where are the MAGA friends in this house?" he asked.

Liberal and center-left lawmakers also oppose the motion despite frustrations with von der Leyen.

"We need a strong Europe with a stable commission — this motion only seeks to undermine both," a spokesperson from Renew Europe — the liberal political group that includes French President Emmanuel Macron's party — told Courthouse News

The liberal group's opposition reflects the difficult position facing pro-European parties. While many are genuinely concerned about transparency and von der Leyen's leadership style, they refuse to hand a political victory to far-right forces they view as fundamentally opposed to European integration. This dynamic has allowed von der Leyen to survive previous controversies by essentially making herself "too big to fail" within the current political structure.

Social Democratic leader Iratxe García attacked both the far right and von der Leyen's conservative allies.

"We will not give a single vote to those who want to destroy the European Union," she said. She criticized the European People's Party's strategy of working with far-right groups and warned von der Leyen: "If you betray it once again, social democracy will lead the resistance."

García's comments reflect a broader breakdown in European Parliament alliances, as the EPP increasingly seeks support from far-right parties rather than its traditional centrist coalition partners.

Recent examples include the EPP joining with nationalists to block environmental NGO funding transparency measures, dilute climate policies including controversial carbon credit schemes, and push for reduced environmental regulations.

In June, Von der Leyen announced withdrawal of the Green Claims Directive one day after the EPP and far-right groups jointly demanded it, raising questions about her independence from these political pressures.
‘Pfizergate’

She has led the commission since 2019, overseeing the bloc's response to Covid-19 and Russia's war in Ukraine.

Her presidency has been marked by both significant achievements and persistent controversies. Supporters credit her with leading Europe through multiple crises, from the pandemic to the war in Ukraine, while securing unprecedented EU borrowing for the post-Covid recovery fund. Critics, however, point to a pattern of opacity and increasingly authoritarian decision-making that they argue undermines democratic accountability.

The controversy began in March 2021 when von der Leyen bypassed normal EU procedures to negotiate directly with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla via text. The New York Times revealed the messages' existence in April 2021.

Von der Leyen has a history of transparency issues. As Germany's defense minister, she faced investigation over improperly awarded consulting contracts. While formally cleared, investigators found she "hardly signed any decision documents herself" and had erased messages when probed.

The EU paid substantially more for the vaccines von der Leyen negotiated — 19.50 euros ($21.45) per dose versus 15.50 euros ($17.05) in previous contracts, according to leaked EU documents reported by European media — costing taxpayers billions. The text messages could contain vital information about how this price escalation happened and whether proper competitive procedures were followed.

The scandal also involves concerns about the sheer volume of doses purchased. The 1.8 billion dose contract was signed when EU vaccination rates were already climbing, raising questions about whether such quantities were necessary. Critics point out that significant amounts of the vaccine supply now sit unused in warehouses across Europe, representing billions in potentially wasted public funds.
Years of transparency battles

The current crisis stems from years of stonewalling over the text messages. When journalists requested them in summer 2021, the commission claimed they were "short-lived" documents not preserved.

The European Ombudsman — an independent watchdog that investigates EU institutional misconduct — found in January 2022 that the commission's refusal constituted "maladministration." The European Court of Auditors published a damning report in September 2022 finding von der Leyen had conducted Pfizer negotiations improperly.

In May 2025, the EU's General Court delivered a scathing ruling against the commission in a case brought by The New York Times. The court found von der Leyen's administration violated EU transparency rules and failed to explain the missing messages.

The ruling established that text messages can constitute official documents subject to public access laws. The court noted the commission admitted "text messages have been exchanged" but couldn't explain what happened to them. Legal experts called the decision a watershed moment for EU transparency, potentially forcing institutions to archive all communications related to official business, regardless of the medium.

The court's decision completely invalidated the commission's 2022 refusal to provide the text messages, forcing the EU executive to either release the documents or provide legally sound justifications for withholding them. The commission could still appeal to the European Court of Justice, but legal observers say the ruling's comprehensive nature makes a successful appeal unlikely.

The European Public Prosecutor's Office has investigated the vaccine deals since October 2022, examining potential "interference in public functions, destruction of SMS, corruption and conflict of interest."

The office told Courthouse News the case remains ongoing and it cannot release details "in order not to endanger its outcome."

The case involves disputes between European and Belgian authorities over jurisdiction, leaving the criminal investigation split between different legal systems.

The political drama unfolds as von der Leyen faces pressure over stalled U.S. trade talks. The U.S. has threatened tariffs up to 50% on European exports, with the highest rates applying to countries failing to reach agreements by August.

The EU is exploring a deal maintaining 10% tariffs on exports to the U.S. in exchange for relief from sensitive sectors. Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič returned from Washington on Friday to present a draft agreement in principle to member states. While the White House announced Sunday that the deadline had been extended to August, a European Commission spokesperson said Monday that European negotiators expect to announce a deal by the original July 9 deadline.

To serve you better we will be carrying out scheduled maintenance on:

Wednesday, July 9 between 12:30 AM and 2:30 AM

During this time, data bundle subscriptions and balance enquiry will be temporarily unavailable.

Please activate or renew your data plan in advance to avoid disruptions.

We apologies for any inconvenience.

Thank you for your patience and for choosing

MTN

madridguy:
Definition of illiterate: unable to read or write.

I still don't know why the North always top this list despite the fact that majority of Northerners can read and write in Arabic language.

This is a region that has a working system before the arrival of the colonial master. They have their schools already and this is the reason till tomorrow the Nigeria Army motto is written in Arabic.

Arobaga:
This was when Tinubu was busy forging certificates




That was when he graduated from a secondary school in Lagos before the school was established

Percentage of children who CANNOT write beyond their names

1. North-west: 90.1%
2. North-east: 90.0%
3. North-central: 73.7%
4. South-east: 54.9%
5. South-south: 43.2%
6. South-west: 34.8%

<WorldBank 2023/2024>

#TheCableIndex

Biodun556:
The same way Israel failed against operation true promise 3

mariovito:
The book "Sapiens" by Yuval Noah Harari comes to mind. Just exactly as he predicted and described.

I need to go reread it and his other titles; Homo Deus, 21 lessons for the 21st century and Nexus.

Biodun556:
Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces: We have prepared a crippling plan against the Zionist regime, and if they make a mistake, we will put it into action

Microsoft says its new health AI beat doctors in accurate diagnoses by a mile

In a blog post published on Monday, the tech giant said its AI system, the Microsoft AI Diagnostic Orchestrator, diagnosed cases four times as accurately as a group of experienced physicians in a test.

The experiment involved 304 case studies sourced from the New England Journal of Medicine. Both the AI and physicians had to solve these cases step by step, just like they would in a real clinic: ordering tests, asking questions, and narrowing down possibilities.

The AI system was paired with large language models from tech companies like OpenAI, Meta, Anthropic, and Google. When coupled with OpenAI's o3, the AI diagnostic system correctly solved 85.5% of the cases, Microsoft said.

By contrast, 21 practicing physicians from the US and UK — each with five to 20 years of experience — averaged 20% accuracy across the completed cases, the companyadded. In the study, the doctors did not have access to resources they might typically tap for diagnostics, including coworkers, books, and AI.

The AI system also solved cases "more cost-effectively" than its human counterparts, Microsoft said.

"Our findings also suggest that AI reduce unnecessary healthcare costs. US health spending is nearing 20% of US GDP, with up to 25% of that estimated to be wasted," it added.

"We're taking a big step towards medical superintelligence," said Mustafa Suleyman, the CEO of Microsoft's AI division, in a post on X.

He added that the cases used in the study are "some of the toughest and most diagnostically complex" a physician can face.

Microsoft did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Will AI replace doctors?

Microsoft said in the blog post that AI "represents a complement to doctors and other health professionals."

"While this technology is advancing rapidly, their clinical roles are much broader than simply making a diagnosis. They need to navigate ambiguity and build trust with patients and their families in a way that AI isn't set up to do," Microsoft said.

"Clinical roles will, we believe, evolve with AI," it added.

"AI will come in and provide medical IQ, and there won't be a shortage," he said on an episode of the "People by WTF" podcast published in April.

But doctors have toldBI that AI can't and shouldn't replace clinicians just yet.

Chatbots and AI tools can handle the first mile of care, but they must escalate to qualified professionals when needed, he told BI last month.

SonofElElyonRet:
Misleading headline once again. She says money personally raised. Doesn't mean it's her personal money. Operative word here is "raised"

First Lady Remi Remi Tinubu has donated ₦1 billion to victims of the recent attacks in parts of Plateau State.

The First Lady who announced the donation during her condolence visit to the state, on Thursday, said the money she donated is not government funds, but money she has personally raised to help others

“Today, I have come with a donation of ₦1 billion for the Renewed Hope Initiative. I do not have vast sums of money, but what I have is meant to bring life, not to pour money into a basket.

“If I kept money for personal gain, it would only serve to satisfy greed. But my goal is to use the resources I have for good, for the development of this country, not to waste it.

“Please understand that the money I have for this initiative is not government funds. It is money I have personally raised to help others. As I continue to travel and see the impact of our work, I ask for your prayers as we seek to make a lasting change.

“I have been praying, especially for those affected by the floods in other places too. I have been praying that the rains will nourish the land with food and not destroy it. God has already heard our prayers, and we will visit other places in need of support, like Benue and Niger.

“Lastly, I want to appeal to the traditional leaders here. You are the custodians of this land. We as office holders will come and go, but you will remain. Please, I urge you to bring peace to this land. God will help you to protect and preserve this land. I pray that Plateau State will flourish, and Nigeria will grow in peace and unity.”

According to her, the children should not be afraid to travel or explore Nigeria and must protect our future generations from living in fear, adding that she travelled far and wide, and even served in Kano State during her National Youth Service year.

She added that her love for the country is not political, but about how the country has blessed her.

In his remarks, Governor Caleb Mutfwang said he can confidently confirm that the First Lady had become a mother, and a woman who entered government with a clear focus.

He said while she has always been a politician in her own right, her current concern and burden are about uplifting humanity.

“On behalf of the good people of Plateau State, I want to assure you, Ma, that your visit means so much to us. The gestures you have extended to us will leave lasting memories in our hearts.

“One thing I would like to assure you is that, by the grace of God, we are coming together—leaders of faith, tradition, and various sectors of society—to bring an end to the three decades of crisis and violence in Plateau,” Mutfwang stated.