₦airaland Forum

oyatz:
NURTW is a registered union of transport workers present in ALL the States of Nigeria.

Most of the commercial drivers are members.

Registered with CAC, correct! Anyone can register an association.

A government agency? No, but they are acting like an arm of government here in Lagos.

Are most of these commercial drivers in this association?

Why are they forcing toll on non-members?

hakeemhakeem:
They are set professional people who come together to formed and registered under the law.what you should call for is regulations

Are those motorists they (NURTW) are forcing toll on their members?

They should toll their members, not the general commercial transporters.

But we all know they work with Lagos state “unofficial” sanction....�

kingvalonline:
Power supplies such as AC-DC converters rely on electronic components. These power supplies convert alternating current (AC) voltage to direct current (DC) voltage. The electronic circuit known as a “power supply unit” must perform this task reliably for a piece of electronic equipment to function correctly.

A power supply unit consists of four core components. Let’s take a look at each of them before delving into power supply component availability.

1. The Transformer
The transformer is used to step the AC voltage up and down as well as provide isolation between the electronic system and the AC power. It transfers electrical energy between the primary winding and secondary winding, and it does so without changing the frequency. The transformer’s primary winding connects to the ac voltage source, while the secondary one correlates to the load. The two windings aren’t physically connected, but there is an induced voltage in the secondary winding in accordance with Faraday’s law.

2. The Rectifier
The rectifier is responsible for changing AC power to pulsating DC power. The basic rectifier is a diode — that is, a unidirectional device operating as a rectifier in the forward direction. The half-wave, the full-wave bridge type, and the full-wave center-tapped are the three basic rectifier circuits that use diodes.

3. The Filter
The filter changes the pulsating DC produced by the rectifier to a smooth DC level. It suppresses ripple, which is the AC component in a signal following rectification. High ripples can damage the load. There are two main types of filters for power supplies: C-filters and RC-filters. C-filters are the simplest version of the two.

4. The Regulator Circuits
The voltage regulator helps ensure that the DC output voltage is steady regardless of any variation in the input voltage, which enables the load to operate properly. The most common types of regulators are the series voltage regulator and the shunt voltage regulator.

Hi. I am interested in this topic. I have a few questions on VAC 250uf capacitors for AC filtering.

Kingsley1000:
USA has made everything non_western evil.
We need to sit down and look at it logically.
Nigeria has been struggling to fight BH for decade, US has
never shown any genuine support, infact, at a time they're
were technically supporting BH by blocking every
opportunity to access weapons. Whereas, the same US has
been building sophisticated millitary bases all over Africa
with several billions of dollars even all over islands in
Africa. In a continent struggling to provide as basic thing as
clean water, road, edu, etc. In term of infrastructural
development, US hasnt built anything tangible anywhere in
Africa despite her big economy and influence. On the other
hand, China is building projects across Africa from
electricity to train to Airport, roads, scholarships to
Africans, etc even with their own money.
Let's say we can't pay and they take over them, who would
still be using those infrastructure, Chinese? At least they
brought them here, so if we can't pay back and they take
over them these things would still be in use by Africans
and improve quality of life, just like every private business.
US/Trump that everyone is supporting call Africans all kinds
to unprintable names, visa ban, reporting weak sides of
African nations and continuously ridiculing everything we
do. The list is long. China hasnt done any of these yet,
western media still find their ways into the hearts of
Africans to hate Chinese. Sadly, enough some fake pastors
joined this brainwashed citizens. Look at China, how many
times have they tumbled African govt? How many nations
have China invaded in Africa? How many times has
Chinese embassy criticize our local affairs? Etc
New York started have underground train in 1809, that's
200yrs, they never extended such to Africa. China started
booming just 20yrs ago and they've extended everything
technology they have to us, that have improved our lives;
From phones, train, Good Airport, Naval ship, Telecom,
Roads, scholarships, etc Africans must sitdown and think.
China is not your enemy

Nice one!

“At what cost?” Is the line they (west) have often used to denigrate Chinese investments in the third world.

We in the third world need these investments in infrastructure.
We need that technology transfer.
We need industries.

Datboredberry:
Why do Nigerian men do this?

I went out not long ago... An evening stroll...

I was with my phone... Listening to a song... I wasn't paying much attention...

From no where, this dude...(probably someone's dad)...walked over to where I was standing... Unzipped his trouser... and starts peeing!!!

Less than three feet from where I stood... Dude doesn't mind that I'm a young girl... That I can see his junk... No concern, no shame!

He could have peed elsewhere... But he chose not to... That's weird...

Why do men pee in public? Especially Nigerian men... Like, it's gross... No one wants to see to see that thick black worm sticking out from your tangled bush... It's just not appealing...

Second reason it's irritating... Most of you don't wash your hands after peeing...

I was told never...never...NEVER...touch a man's hand and eat immediately after... He's probably eased himself... Just shook the pee off his pẹnis and didn't bother to wash his hands... Honestly?

Allergic to good hygiene? Or what?!!

Another issue I have... What's with the zero consideration for the kids who see your pẹnises? Imagine, I'm a girl who squats in front of a teen boy... Vagina in his face and I start peeing...

It's indecent exposure... It's damn wrong... Most of you do this in the presence of children... It's not right...

Before you leave your homes, ease yourselves...
I don't know if men have weaker bladders... Women tend to hold it in better... But if you can't... Walk into an eatery... Or a gas filling station... There are clean restrooms...

Don't drink much water... Okay?

And if you just gotta pee... Buy a sachet of water beforehand... It's just ₦20... Affordable...!


Unrelated: glad to be back from a ban...

Good one. This is really a problem.

luwiizy:
If you don't have anything important to say please young girl go and wash plate

This is important!

Why do they pee on the road? In traffic? Isn’t it madness?

We have really gone retrograde as a nation.

emae009:
NO!... what's the color of your problem.
Coldwar is termed that way because they were actually at war just with no fighting involved, more of threat of nuclear bombardment

Lol....

Amassing troops at border,
setting up dual use patriot/nuclear missile systems aimed at Russia,
Frequent “recon” flights,
Hypersonic missile deployment,
Sailing into the Black Sea with offensive weapon systems,
Expelling diplomats and closing diplomatic missions,
Plethora of sanctions,

Is it not Cold War?

If by miscalculation between them, we may get a “hot “ war

emae009:
Yandex is your friend... you can educate yourself.
The Countries bordering Russia are they not part of NATO? or because they are bordering Russia, NATO should leave them defenseless?

oh! it's Russia that doesnt fly recon planes all over Europe and Alaska.
As you said, you really need to educate yourself

With the above , isn’t it Cold War?

emae009:
because it was during the cold war.

You think the Cold War is over?

Can you count the number of sanctions the west currently have on Russia? Plethora of sanctions...

The west have moved NATO troops to countries bordering Russia, and now they want to get Ukraine and Belarus so as to encircle Russia.

The west flies “recon” missions to Russian border, testing radar response and gathering SIGINT.

If this is not Cold War ... then educate me.

Reflect7:
Same propaganda they are pulling with regard to China in Africa.

Whereas the European colonialists did nothing but loot African resources, leaving her underdeveloped at independence, the Chinese are building infrastructure, and being cast as the 'enemy' who wants to 'take over Africa'.

Now you know why BBC is in pidgin; they love you so much to use their (U.K.) tax payers money to fund a free radio channel for you. They do really love you!

noisy45:
An average America living in America fears Russia military capabilities with there little military budget. If it is left for Americans to vote going to war against Russia I swear they will vote massively against it. Russia will invade Ukraine and America will do nothing militarily other than economic sanctions.

The truth is Russia would not invade Ukraine. They don’t need to invade. The DONBAS is full of ethnic Russians.

emae009:
that's their only problem with Ukraine. I thought their defense system was so strong to resist anything from the West. Why are they so bothered?

Why was America bothered when USSR set up base in Cuba?

DaddyFabooluz:
Enjoying life overseas after recking Nigeria. There is God oooo

When they are in power
They lack sense and brain
They forget what’s good for the common man

When they are out of power
They turn critics and analyst
They remember what’s good for the common man

“That’s the western media shaping a false narrative about China. The war on hearts and minds.”

This is the Western media’s bizarre messaging to the people of Laos, a nation that was carpet bombed by America, and which is now being vilified for accepting a new $9 billion railway line paid for by China.
Thursday was National Day in Laos, a celebration marking 46 years since the landlocked Southeast Asian nation deposed its monarchy and became a revolutionary communist state, an effort which was supported by Vietnam.

This year, the anniversary had added significance, as it saw the opening of a major new project, an electrified high-speed and freight railway system connecting the capital city, Vientiane with its northern neighbour, China.

The $9 billion project is part of the Belt and Road Initiative, and has been hailed as one of its flagship achievements. It is the first commercial and industrial railway in Laos, which, given its geography and the fact it is surrounded by mountainous terrain, has not previously had many options to expand its exports and generate economic growth.

Now, though, it has a direct rapid link into the world’s second largest economy and the world’s largest consumer market by population, and a connection to the booming ports of Guangdong. In terms of what it will bring to Laos, it is a game changer. So, what’s not to like about it?

To nobody’s surprise, the mainstream media have responded to the railway with the usual anti-China negativity. A plethora of articles sought to paint the project as a ‘debt trap’, promoting the accusation that Beijing loans countries money for projects they cannot afford and then exerts political leverage over it.

The Financial Times, for one, ran with a cynical article headlined ‘Laos to open Chinese-built railway amid fears of Beijing’s influence’. It implied that somehow Laos feels threatened or fears the construction of this very pioneering railway project (which the country’s own leader made sure he was the first to travel on). This suggestion of ‘fears of Chinese influence’ has become a common feature on such stories, which seek to cast doubt over anything positive China may be achieving or doing.

A common Twitter meme among pro-China users which has followed from stories like this asks: “but at what cost?” highlighting the frequency of such negative coverage.

And if you Google “China, but at what cost?” you can find a great many examples of articles published in major outlets. In producing such pieces, the broader intention is to depict Beijing’s actions as unwanted, threatening and constantly facing opposition. In the case of the Laos railway project, the ‘problem’ is it was financed by debt, and therefore it is not a positive step.

Yet this argument is as insulting as it is outright insensitive to Laos’ contemporary history. Anyone who knows anything about Laos’ relatively recent past will be well aware that China is not the country to fear, but the United States – the nation that dropped over 260 million cluster bombs on Laos and completely devastated the country as an extension of the Vietnam War, making it the most single bombed nation in history and claiming over 50,000 lives.

Many of these bombs remain unexploded and litter the countryside of Laos, continuing to kill civilians. In constructing the new railway, workers first had to clear the unexploded ordnance. How is it that the world and the mainstream media remain indifferent to this atrocity? And how, by any stretch of the imagination, can they claim that China is the true threat to Laos, and that the US and its allies act in the true interests of the country?

Herein lies the problem. Such a mindset symbolizes the elitism, chauvinism and self-righteousness of the countries of the West, which are ideologically inclined to believe that they stand for the ‘true interests’ of the ordinary people in the countries they profess to liberate.

Western politics peddles the assumption that through countries’ adherence to liberal democracy, they exclusively hold a single, universal, impartial and moralistic truth, derived from the ontological legacy of Christianity, and they have an obligation to introduce it to others. The West always acts truthfully and in good faith, while its enemies do not. And therefore, so the logic goes, any policy the US or its allies direct towards Laos is motivated by sincere intent and goodwill for its interests, and in turn, anything that China does is bad-faith, expansionist and power-hungry behaviour motivated by a desire to influence or control the country.

This creates the bizarre scenario whereby Beijing is depicted as evil and sinister for building a railway to connect to its neighbour – but we should forget America dropping millions of bombs on the country because it was done in the name of ‘freedom’. I’m sure you can imagine how the media would react if China did the latter.

Those who push this narrative predictably omit any insight into how Laos itself thinks about the situation. Another piece which took a similar stance, published in The Diplomat, was titled ‘Laos-China Railway inaugurated amid mounting debt concerns’.

But like the ‘fears of Beijing influence’ expressed in the FT, who are these ‘concerns’ from? The report cites the “Washington-based Center for Global Development” and what it merely describes as a “US based analyst” as sources who push the ‘debt trap’ narrative. But nowhere in any of these articles is there an actual voice direct from Laos who raises any fear of China, or objects to the railway’s existence.

Instead, they simply talk on the country’s behalf, obscuring the reality that a communist state which suffered from extreme levels of aggression from the US probably does not see its northern neighbour – and its most important economic partner – as a threat to its regime. With many more articles running variations of the same theme, there is minimal effort given to the consideration that the railway will help the country rapidly expand its exports, sustain greater growth and help Laos pay for the project.

The Laos-China railway has provided a textbook example of how the media can distort a story in order to fortify an incriminating narrative, while brushing aside brutal realities. We are shown a lopsided world, where the travesty of a country being bombed into oblivion with consequences lasting decades is ignored, and the preference is to try to convince us how that same country’s first commercial railway line is, in fact, what it should really be scared of.

It is a demonstration of how the power of the English-language, pro-US media distorts reality itself and how they can blow up an issue, yet hide the truth, by professing to care dearly about the wellbeing and interests of a country which the West poured death, destruction and carnage upon in the name of freedom.

By Tom Fowdy

DominusPrime:
See them up there swearing for their lineage as if they are the ones causing their problems.

By the way who remembers how apc shut down Lagos during Gej tenure over plans to remove subsidy? None of them was harassed.

Small lekki dem call soldiers. Now the same subsidy they claimed was a ruse is now what they want to remove so we can buy fuel at over 320.

I still don't know which is worse. Pdp or apc.

Even the fools they gave a chance to prove the lekki injustice still went ahead to include fictitious names. The problem of this country is from both the oppressors and the oppressed.

This tells you that your ruling elites are a bunch of greedy morons who would say anything just to get their hands in the cookie jar; and steal they will!

No end in sight!

nokspos:
oga jaz dey o , there's black power. no dey form over educated o

There is jazz? And we still cannot transfer electrons from one point to another for 365days without break.... let jazz help NEPA.

Litmus:
The news is very likely fake in whatever relevant permutation this may take but responses by many on here is why I tend to air on the side of Nigeria authorities than with complaining masses (see, it's because I can't trust the peoples judgement!!) Responses inform me that many Nigerians on here (people affluent and educated enough to use mobile phones, PCs and navigate Crypto and Social Media) actually believe that humans have the magical ability to reconfigure the molecular structure and DNA of one thing into another through charms and potions. It would be even more tragic but unsurprising If the old man was indeed killed and killed because others thought he turned children into yarms.

These are the so called poor masses that we are to sympathies with over the government. We are supposed to break up Nigeria because someone from Abroad can gain the support of masses of people like these, people without mental maturity

Now you know why the intellectuals will never get the chance to rule this country.

Litmus:
And even if you believe someone has the ability to reconfigure molecules, the first thing you do is to kill him? Not even worship him or take him for scientific research so we can use him and similar others to make Nigeria the greatest power on earth?

That’s Africa for you!

bolaayenimo:
Why not let him transform them back into humans before setting him ablaze? Will the boys become yams forever?

It takes a zygote 9 months to turn human.

If we in the 21st century believe this nonsense of a story then our educational system has truly failed!

jaxxy:
I’m talking of countries killing their own people and u are here defending the nonesense with stories of their achievements. Who cares about that? Is that more important than human rights reforms??

Pls let’s call bad what it is. If they have achieved much go and live there and see what u will face. Instead U all run to the US,

Who told you that, CNN?

Who told you that Iranian and Cubans dont have human right?


How worse can human right be when your beloved American supports a Saudi Arabian government that committed horrific murder in it’s embassy, and has being bombing and killing Yemenis? Don’t the people of Yemen want human right too?


Do you know that your beloved America is sponsoring Mujahedins ( MEK rebels) terrorizing and bombing Iran all in the name of regime change?

Libyans are suffering immeasurably all because the Yankees brought “human right” to them. Aren’t they better off under Ghadafi? Why all these regime changes that never bring any right to the people but immense suffering!

jaxxy:
Keep deluding urself. A dictatorship is always oppressive. Go and live in Iran or former Cuba and see urself.

Despite the odds against these two countries you mentioned, they have achieved immense technological progress in medicine and core science.

Do you know the odds against them? You can not send money to these countries. Trading with these two countries will attract sanctions. Visiting any one of them guarantees that you will be treated as a pariah.

Why should it be so? Why can’t nations be free and choose their alliances? They don’t want US hegemony?

Remember the Cuban missile crisis, and how the US screamed “murder” because USSR had set up base With missiles in Cuba? But now the US and allies are setting up the same around Russia, with nuclear capable missiles in Poland etc.. Is it fair?


With Nigerian alliance to the US, what have we achieved? Democracy? China and its technological transfer to the third world is a god-sent that we in this part of the world are overlooking until it passes us by. With 5000$ you can set up a processing plant, thanks to Chinese technology. Was it possible when the west harbored these same technology?

Let the western world allow the rest of the world to model their own democracy to suit their unique circumstance. It must “not”be American rule-based order.

Some countries are good with strong-man rule. If it works for them ...good!

Some countries have theocracy and it works for them. Some have queens and Kings.

Others like the US have big-money democracy, and it seems to work for them.

Russia and China have strong-man rule type of democracy ... and they are enjoying prosperity.

There is no one road to prosperity... it is a multipolar world, let them forge their democracies

————
Ethiopia have been growing strong on economic and democratic terms. Because they are part of the Chinese BRI, the allied west have brought war to destroy the country... why?

Look at Syria....Venezuela ....

jaxxy:
Cubans were under oppression and they put international sanctions on them. There is nothing wrong in that. Sanctions for the right reasons is not an attack.

Iran is killing its own people for speaking out for their human rights and u say they shouldn’t be sanctioned?

Based on above quote, I think you will agree with that too much exposure to CNN is indeed a terrible disease.

Reference:
What is wrong with this silly man. The global economy has yet recovered from the Covid pandemic and this lunatic is about to send it into another recession.....

Can the good people of Russia just do the world a favour and take him out.... please.

Take out a leader who has restored the glory of mother Russia? This must be a joke. The history books will guide you on how the so called democratic west crippled Russia by imposing reforms that literally dis-industrialized Russia , looted her resources and attempted to break Russia apart.

Russia under the leadership of Putin has undergone tremendous restoration; and Russians are happy!

U.K. and US and engaged in an information war against Russia. Never take what they write about Russia as the truth.

jaxxy:
U are telling a one sided tale which obviously and automatically becomes a lie just to paint the US bad. Why didn’t US attack other countries and even Cuba beside it which they have had major disagreements in the past?

Us will attack where there is a growing threat not because they disagree.

There is an ongoing attack on Cuba since the 60s... not a military attack, though. The western world and allies, companies do not engage with Cuba; otherwise you get sanctioned. It’s an economic attack plus illegitimate attempts to remove the government in power through social media engineering and engineered demonstration. There was an attempt a few months back, the US sponsor demonstration to oust the ruling government; but it failed.

Cuba is also under attack
So as Iran, Venezuela, Syria, Honduras and Bolivia. US sponsored regime change is bringing chaos to the world.

The same junk media refused to state that the US have refused to renew visa for Russia diplomats and families in the US. Russia is merely responding to US “undiplomatic” moves.

Ukraine is engaged in a war with separatists in the Donbas region. The west is egging Ukraine on with more offensive weapons despite the fact that there is standing agreement with Ukraine, Germany, France and Russia for diplomatic settlement of the Donbas issue. Russia is merely positioning should the crazies in Kiev think they can militarily overrun the Donbas, then Russia will respond fiercely. As Putin warned, “any attempt to overrun Donbas, then there will be no Ukraine.” The majority of the ethnic group in Donbas are Russians.

incogni2o:
Wetin today do this Putin sef.

First you blew up space junks that could be catastrophic to space vehicles.

Then this one again.

That what powers does.

Absolute Power corrupts absolutely.

More so they say short people have inferiority complex.

Better calm down and leave the world alone.

ObodoNaija:
Guys please help me look into my first and second transcript. Let me know what went wrong. I will be going for the third one soon.


First interview by the Korean VO in October.

VO: Have you travelled out before?

ME: No, I have not.

VO: I can see you have a scholarship, who will be paying the deficit?

ME: My uncle who is the HSE Manager at *** and also has a business that deals on importation of cars and Safety materials will be covering the deficit.

VO: ( He started typing and after that he looked at me and asked) Where do you work?

ME: I work at *** as an Assistant Lecturer where I share academic workload with ***

The next thing he said was thank you for coming... and he handed the blue paper to me


Second Transcript

Second interview by the Tattoo VO in Lagos ( November). He was the only VO on seat that day.

ME: Good morning

VO: Good morning

VO: I can see you are going for your Ph.D in Educational Psychology at Texas Tech University.

ME: Yes

VO: What is your highest qualification?

ME: I have a Masters degree in Educational Administration and planning from ***.

VO: When did you graduate?

ME: I graduated in 2018

VO: After that what have you been doing?

ME: Immediately after my graduation I was retained in *** as an Assistant Lecturer where I share academic workload with ***

VO: Why are you going for a Ph.D program?

ME: This program would not only position me to take up a senior Lecturing role in *** where I currently work as an Assistant Lecturer but it will also enhance my competences in understanding and discovering the strategies that can help educate all students including those with severe and multiple disabilities in a general education classroom, and with this I can be able to impact the Educational sector in Nigeria in terms of policy building and development as it pertains to Curriculum development.

VO: How do you intend to sponsor yourself?

ME: I got a research assistantship position that qualifies me for a tuition waiver and supplementary fees with a stipend of $1283 and my uncle who is not just my uncle but my guardian and mentor since the death of my father in ***. He has been the one taking care of my needs, in short I grew up thinking he is my elder brother because he lived with us before he got married in 1993 ( Immediately I said that he looked at me).

VO: What does your uncle do?

ME: He is the HSE Manager at *** and also a Real Estate investor. He has properties in four states Lagos, Port Harcourt, Imo and Abia State ( I noticed he picked up his pen and started typing)

VO: Will you be the only one studying abroad? ( When he asked this question I felt he was going to approve my visa, cus there was a lady he asked same question and he approved the lady's visa)

ME: Yes, I will

VO: ( He was staring at his desktop screen and was tapping his pen on the table) Have you travelled out before? ( When he asked this question, I knew instantly that I have lost the chance)

ME: No, I have not.


He picked up the blue paper and said the normal you are... then he handed it to me.

Please how do I combine that my uncle is into Real Estate and importation of cars and Safety materials too. In my first interview I mentioned importation of cars while in my second I mentioned Real Estate investor. He does the two but I didn't mention both in my second interview, I mentioned them differently ( I didn't say them together so it wont look like he is into too many things, and all same I think cus I didn't mention importation of cars and Safety materials the second VO might have thought I am lying cus I feel they usually have a record of all we say).

Please do advice me on what you think might have gone wrong and the next step to take.

Hmmm... in your second interview, you were so close to getting this visa but there is a not-so-positive remark the first VO wrote on your profile. This is the hindrance. Honestly, I hope you’ll get a better VO that may overlook those remarks and issue you a visa.

Good luck

Should China counter US efforts to derail the BRI projects in Ethiopia?

I am afraid that’ll mean a bloody Civil war.

Tensions have been running high in Ethiopia for some time, but recent revelations suggest Washington and its allies have decided a changing of the political guard is in order in Addis Ababa.

A secret video shows former and current EU, UK, and US diplomats conducted a clandestine meeting with a representative of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), a political movement-cum-party designated as a terrorist group by the Ethiopian government. On November 21 they discussed what amounted to an effective greenlighting of a coup to overthrow the country’s democratically elected government.


The footage, which runs to two hours, was recorded by an unknown source, and passed to independent writer Jeff Pearce. Already pulled from YouTube due to alleged “privacy concerns”, the clip has nonetheless been preserved by a third party for all to see.

Numerous Western officials, most prominently those based in the US, have consistently stuck to the line that they are not taking sides and support a diplomatic resolution to the crisis which has unfolded in Ethiopia over the past year. Liberation Front fighters are inching ever-closer to Addis Ababa, and the threat of all-out war grows daily. The remarkably revealing video published by Pearce starkly exposes the West’s protestations of impartiality to be outright lies.

Participants on the Zoom call included Donald Yamamoto, who recently retired as US Ambassador to Somalia; and Vicki Huddleston, former US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for African Affairs and US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa.


The former declared that Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister since 2018, was “not listening,” and Olusegun Obasanjo, African Union envoy, who calls for a peaceful resolution, had “not been extraordinarily helpful or very active.” He asked Berhane Gebre-Christos, the TPLF official present, “are there any other opportunities that you see?”

Huddleston, Chargé d’Affaires in Ethiopia during the TPLF’s time in power, was far less guarded, stating openly “Abiy should step down [and] there should be an all-inclusive transition government.”

“I hope that you’ll have military success fairly soon, because it seems as if the situation is only becoming more drastic,” she continued. “Yourself and leaders in Tigray have been very effective in carrying out the conflict and fighting back, and to me that sort of means that Tigrayans will be in charge of a new government.”

Others on the call were well-familiar with Gebre-Christos. Tim Clarke, former EU ambassador to Ethiopia, said it was a “huge honor and privilege” to see him again, unctuously stating, “you haven’t changed at all… I’m really impressed at how you’ve kept your youthful appearance and are articulate and as convincing as ever.”

That Gebre-Christos is very much the West’s man was made abundantly clear at a press conference in Washington in early November, when groups in Ethiopia announced they’d formed an alliance, the United Front of Ethiopian Federalist and Confederalist Forces, as a prospective transitional government should Ahmed’s administration collapse.

“There is no limit for us. Definitely we will have a change in Ethiopia before Ethiopia implodes,” Gebre-Christos bombastically pledged.

As Pearce records though, many of the TPLF official’s compatriots were markedly less eloquent, and indeed unknown to Ethiopian citizens at home. It was later revealed that several of the group were members of the Ethiopian diaspora – at least two of whom were limousine drivers in Canada – and some needed to be specifically bought formal garb for the day.

Amusing as that may be, Western support for the TPLF is no laughing matter, least of all for Ethiopians.

During its time in power – from 1991 to 2018 – it ruled with an iron fist, making the country “one of the most inhospitable places in the world,” carrying out vicious actions “bearing the hallmark of crimes against humanity,” according to Human Rights Watch. Untold billions provided in financial aid was embezzled by state officials and spirited out the country, and Ethiopia became the second-worst jailer of journalists on the continent.

Ahmed was elected by landslide in April 2018, and quickly set about a program of radical political and economic reform to improve living standards and crack down on corruption. He released thousands of prisoners, allowed political exiles to return to Ethiopia, and arrested former TPLF officials on numerous charges, including rape and torture.

That June, he survived an assassination attempt via grenade at a political rally, seemingly organized by Getachew Assefa, prominent TPLF official and the country’s former intelligence chief. Undeterred, three months later Ahmed signed a peace treaty with Eritrea, ending the two-decade-long war between the neighboring countries, for which he won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Though Ahmed may not be entirely without fault, by contrast, ever since the TPLF began advancing on Addis Ababa, it has left a trail of bloodshed and devastation, engaging in gang rapes, extensive looting, and mass murder of civilians. The November 2020 Mai Kadra massacre saw as many as 1,100 slain in cold blood, while children have been extensively used as human shields.

Even representatives of USAID, a US intelligence front, have been forced to acknowledge that its fighters have “caused a great deal of destruction,” looting on an industrial scale, and stealing food aid from civilians desperately in need in northern Ethiopia.

It’s ironic that such a clan enjoys clear support from Washington, given the Biden administration is allegedly committed to a program of furthering human rights abroad, in particular “the rights of women and girls… by focusing on measures to address gender-based violence internationally.”


However, the rationale for this sponsorship is very clear. The Biden administration is also wedded to a policy of countering Chinese influence in Africa, and Ethiopia is a participant in Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative, which has seen an extensive network of railways and highways and other infrastructure built across the country.

China is also the largest importer of Ethiopian goods and services, accounting for 60% of foreign direct investment in the country, and between 2000 and 2018 lent $13.7 billion, compared to Washington’s $9.2 billion.

The US has threatened visa bans, trade restrictions, and economic sanctions against Ethiopia if the “ongoing crisis” isn’t resolved promptly, and has charged that all parties to the conflict “have taken no meaningful steps to end hostilities or pursue a peaceful resolution.”

Yet, the leaked Zoom recording makes clear that the US is intensely relaxed about the TPLF, the very cause and source of the violence, seizing power via armed insurrection. Indeed, its representatives are being actively encouraged in that direction.

By Kit Klarenberg, an investigative journalist exploring the role of intelligence services in shaping politics and perceptions. Follow him on Twitter @KitKlarenberg

Kaandi:
Well, from antecedents I've come to see Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi as one of the few politicians in the present Federal administration that can get things done, either right or in the right direction.

For this project, Amaechi once said FG had acquired armoured vehicles for coastal patrol, two special mission vessels, fast interceptor boats and special mission aircraft for surveillance. And that the deep blue project will bring an end to the some of the surveillance contracts given to individuals and ex militants in the region.

Sincerely, I hope it works. It's not about the technology alone. We could have all the pirates fighting ammunition and still have collaborators in the navy and nimasa. Most times initiatives fail in Nigeria because of saboteurs who are living off a failed system

Was the contract awarded to a company? .... or funds to equip the Navy? They didn’t mention this in the report.

HolinessForever:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nyhg8p4Kl_c

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/16776314/putins-hypersonic-zircon-missile-destroys-target-tensions-rage-west/

Who ever wrote this article in “thesun” is really a clown. This is not the first time Zircon has been tested. It has been undergoing test in all carrier platforms since 2017.

For the western media, any skewed report to make Russia look like a “bad bear” is all good. Just like the anti-satellite missile tested a few days ago, the Americans, Chinese and Indian have all tested “direct ascent” anti satellite missiles. Why the noise?