This African country could be getting a massive new high-speed rail network
The country in question? That would be Nigeria, where on Tuesday August 12, a syndicate of construction companies and developers, De-Sadel Consortium, brought a high-speed rail proposal to the government.
Set to be funded by the Asian Development Investment Bank (a China-backed institution, which is one of the largest of its kind on the planet), it's projected to cost a staggering – wait for it – $60 billion.
According to Newsweek, the railway could stretch to 2,500 miles and the first phase of the project will connect the cities of Lagos, Aduja, Kano and Port Harcourt, with journey time between those first two cities slashed from 12 hours to a mere three.
If approved, this first phase (which itself will cost an estimated $55 billion) will commence sometime in the next few years, once it has passed environmental authorisations, reports Ecofin Agency.
'The rail line is from Lagos to Abuja, to Kano, and from Abuja to Port Harcourt. So this is a very great work that the government has done. The federal government of Nigeria, through the ICRC, approved the outline business case,' said De-Sadel Consortium CEO Samuel Uko. 'And the next step now was for us to submit the proof of funds to the government, which we just did. So I believe in the shortest possible time, Nigeria will start enjoying high-speed rail in Nigeria.'
So, while this project is still awaiting approval from the Government of the Federation, and there's no clear timeline for its completion yet, it all sounds like an exciting development for the region. Stay tuned for more updates.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
3 hours ago
- The Guardian
Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Ted Hui reportedly granted asylum in Australia
The former pro-democracy Hong Kong legislator Ted Hui, who is wanted by authorities in the Chinese city, has been granted asylum in Australia, he said in a social media post, calling on Canberra to do more for those who remain jailed. The special administrative region, handed back to China by the UK in 1997, has seen dissent quashed since Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law following huge and at times violent pro-democracy protests that erupted in 2019. Hui, a high-profile participant at the time who has since resettled in Adelaide, where he works as a solicitor, said the Australian government had granted him a protection visa this week, with asylum also extending to his wife, children and parents. Sign up: AU Breaking News email 'I express my sincere gratitude to the Government of Australia – both present and former – for recognising our need for asylum and granting us this protection,' he said in a Facebook post on Saturday. A vocal critic of Hong Kong and Beijing authorities, Hui is among several overseas activists targeted in 2023 by police bounties of HK$1m each (A$196,000). The bounties, which have previously drawn strong criticism from western countries, are seen as largely symbolic given that they affect people living abroad in nations unlikely to extradite political activists to Hong Kong or China. Earlier this year, an anonymous letter sent to Hui's Adelaide office offered his colleagues $203,000 for information on his whereabouts and his family. Fake pamphlets falsely accusing Hui of being an pro-Israel lawyer willing to 'wage war' against Islamic terrorism were also allegedly mailed to mosques in Adelaide in an apparent attempt to intimidate him. In this Facebook post, Hui urged the Australian government not to forget other Hong Kong activists who remained jailed, including media mogul Jimmy Lai, who has been behind bars since 2020. 'Australia must do more to rescue them and to speak up for their humanity,' Hui said. 'Its stance matters internationally, and its protection of Hongkongers sets a precedent for other democracies.' Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion He added that he and his family will 'give back to Australia in every way we can – through our work, our civic engagement, and our commitment to the values of democracy and freedom'. While Hong Kong's government did not comment directly on Hui's case, a spokesperson said on Saturday those who absconded should not think they could evade 'criminal liability'. 'Any country that harbours Hong Kong criminals in any form shows contempt for the rule of law, grossly disrespects Hong Kong's legal systems and barbarically interferes in the affairs of Hong Kong,' the spokesperson said. The Australian foreign minister, Penny Wong, has previously objected to Hong Kong's arrest warrants and bounties. 'Freedom of expression and assembly are essential to our democracy,' she said last month on social media. 'We have consistently expressed our strong objections to China and Hong Kong on the broad and extraterritorial application of Hong Kong's national security legislation, and we will continue to do so.' The Department of Home Affairs has been contacted for comment.
BBC News
7 hours ago
- BBC News
Beyond chow mein: Can a new wave of restaurants help China win hearts?
Grilled fish on a generous bed of numbing chillis and peppercorns from China's south-western metropolis, Chongqing; cumin-laced lamb skewers from Xinjiang in the far north; and fiery rice noodles flavoured with snails from the famed rivers of Guangxi in the of this on a walk down Liang Seah Street in food is having a moment outside China, driven by huge success and intense competition back home. And nowhere is this clearer than in Singapore, where ethnically Chinese people make up more than three-quarters of the multicultural trend is not surprising given that Chinese soft power seems to be on the rise – think viral Labubu dolls, humanoid robots and futuristic cities that are impressing and sophisticated, Chinese cooking is not among Beijing's list of priorities for turning the country into "a powerhouse in culture" by yet, as an increasingly authoritarian China tries hard to win the world over, a sumptuous table may just be its most effective, and underrated, draw. First stop: Singapore Luckin, China's answer to Starbucks, opened its first overseas store in Singapore in March 2023. Two years on, there are more than 60. Last month, the chain made its US debut with two New York major Chinese brands, Luckin included, currently run 124 outlets in Singapore, double the number they owned in 2023. It's hard to miss the evidence: huge, bright ads of chilli-laced dishes and, sometimes, Chinese idioms, in malls, buses and subway established chains to mom-and-pop stores and chic restaurants that challenge tired stereotypes, they have all been taking off here before leapfrogging further afield, to elsewhere in South East Asia and then across the in Singapore is "a proof of concept for later expansion, convincing potential investors that the chain is ready to go global," says Thomas DuBois, a historian of modern China. It's an easy enough place for new restaurants to set up shop. And it is diverse, which makes it a great test kitchen for very different palates, from South Asian to importantly, Singapore is a travel hub where, Mr Dubois says, eating is almost like a national pastime: "People go to Singapore to eat."And what they will find is menus that go beyond the ubiquitous dumplings and hot pot. The entrepreneurs behind the new Chinese culinary wave want to show people just how vast and diverse China is. And they cannot fake of the visitors to Singapore are ethnic Chinese – not just from China, but from Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Jakarta and so on – with a sophisticated understanding of Chinese is no one kind of fiery, says Claire Wang, the marketing manager for Nong Geng Ji, a chain from Hunan in central China, which is famous for its spicy fare has "a tangy aftertaste achieved through fermented chilli peppers", she says, unlike "Sichuan's numbing-spicy or Guizhou's sour-spicy".After launching more than 100 restaurants in China, Nong Geng Ji opened its first overseas stop in Singapore in late 2023. It has since set up six more here, five in Malaysia, one in Canada, and is now eyeing opportunities in Thailand, Japan, South Korea and the certainly proof of the growing appetite for chillies, especially the Chinese kind – a trend that would please China's former leader Mao Zedong. Born and raised in Hunan, he believed, "You can't be a revolutionary if you don't eat chillies". Finally, 'proper' Chinese food For the less revolutionary among us, there is plenty more on the table: steamed buns, red meats, preserved vegetables, rice, seasonal stir-fries and delicately-flavoured quite the spread compared to the "Chinese food" much of the world has become used to, especially in the West – food cooked up by Chinese immigrants in the 19th and 20th Centuries, whose scrubby, nondescript restaurants were often seen as low-brow. The food was simplified to suit local tastes, and that's how the US ended up with un-Chinese staples such as orange chicken and chop suey, and the UK with its chow mein and sweet-and-sour chicken very basic, largely made-up dishes "clouded appreciation of the diversity and sophistication of Chinese gastronomic culture", writes Fuchsia Dunlop in her new book, Invitation to a Banquet. Ms Dunlop, a British food writer, has spent her career cooking in China's kitchens and studying its there is the stereotype, dubbed the Chinese Restaurant Syndrome, a partly xenophobic myth that the food can make people feel sick because of supposedly high concentration of additives, particularly the flavouring agent MSG. New research suggests MSG does not make you sick, and while older Chinese restaurants probably used shortcuts to flavour, they were hardly unique in using a growing diaspora is making it possible for Chinese restaurants to stay true to their roots, knowing they have customers demanding "proper Chinese food". And that has coincided with more adventurous palates in the world's biggest Thomas Tao was a student in New York in the 2010s, he says he rarely came across Chinese fine-dining, but Americans were very willing to pay for, say, Japanese he is the vice-president of the Green Tea Restaurant chain, which has more than 400 outlets in China serving fresh seafood and savoury soups from Zhejiang. It will open its first outpost in Singapore later this it goes beyond food, with "immersive" restaurants. Diners listen to the guzheng, a Chinese zither, while they sit at boat-shaped tables surrounded by landscapes around the West Lake, an icon of the coastal province."We want to help people be more accepting of our culture and to correct the idea that Chinese cuisine is 'lousy'," Mr Tao says. It is not the only chain to try this. Sichuan Alley, which opened its first outlet in New York last year, is inspired by "alley culture" characteristic of early 20th Century Chengdu – a warren of old streets where people mingled and tells the story of a people, and short of visiting a place, it is perhaps the best glimpse into can the Chinese table help soften the image of a country whose ambitions often clash with those of Western powers and neighbours? The price of soft power In her book, Dunlop cites one of her readers suggesting that Beijing could more effectively project its soft power by "changing its controversial overseas Confucius Institutes into top-notch Chinese restaurants".Beijing is battling plenty on the international front: Trump's tariffs, alleged espionage plots and a world that is wary of its economic this explosion in Chinese restaurant chains is worrying local businesses in Singapore who wonder if they can keep competition in China and a spending dip are forcing these chains offshore. And their pace of expansion is insatiable – they bring with them a reliable supply chain, marketing acumen, and deep pockets that allow them to sacrifice they have a playbook. First you are encouraged to sign up for a free membership that gets you a discount. The meals come with a free flow of tea, dipping sauces and pickled winner? Unlike in most Singaporean restaurants, tissues – much-needed after a spicy meal – are is not the first time the exports of China's success have sparked anxiety in its smaller South East Asian neighbours. It has already happened with plenty of Chinese imports, from clothing to food, some believe, can sweeten that deal."Chinese people take great pride in their culinary culture, which also serves as a powerful form of diplomacy," says Felix Ren, director of Singapore-based food consultancy is encouraged by the table tennis matches that helped thaw historic tensions between Beijing and Washington in 1971."Chinese cuisine," he says, "may just be the new ping-pong diplomacy."
Daily Mirror
13 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Two-month-old baby girl and parents killed by Israel airstrike in Gaza while living in tent
The two-month old girl and her parents were killed during an Israeli airstrike on the area with neighbours speaking of their horror as Palestinians gathered to pray over their bodies A baby girl and her parents have been killed in Gaza after an Israeli airstrike on Saturday, hospital officials and witnesses said. The baby, who is said to have been two months old, was wrapped in blue as she was placed on top of her parents after the bombing as Palestinians stood over them and prayed. Motasem al-Batta, his wife, and the girl were all killed in their tent in the crowded Muwasi area. "Two and a half months, what has she done?" neighbour Fathi Shubeir asked. "They are civilians in an area designated safe." It comes as Israel's military said it is dismantling Hamas ' military capabilities and is taking precautions not to harm civilians. The country said it will not be commenting on the strike without more details. Muwasi is one of the most heavily populated areas in Gaza and is where Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the country plans to widen its military offensive. The mobilisation of the country's forces is expected to take weeks, and Israel may be using the threat to pressure Hamas into releasing more hostages from the October 7, 2023, attack which sparked the war. Families of the hostages have said they fear the offensive further endangers the 50 remaining people in Gaza, just 20 of them thought to be alive. They, and other Israelis, were horrified when they saw the recent videos showing the hostages, speaking under duress, pleading for help and food. A group representing the families of the hostages in Gaza held by Hamas has urged the people of Israel into the streets on Sunday. The group said in a statement: "Across the country, hundreds of citizen-led initiatives will pause daily life and join the most just and moral struggle: the struggle to bring all 50 hostages home." The United Nations has warned that levels of starvation and malnutrition in Gaza are now at their highest since the war began with Palestinians drinking contaminated water as disease spreads. A further 11 deaths linked to malnutrition have occurred in the last 24 hours, Gaza's Health Ministry said on Saturday, with one child among the 11. The total malnutrition-related deaths during the war has now reached 251. The UN and partners said getting aid into the territory of two million people, and then onto distribution points, continues to be highly challenging with Israeli restrictions and pressure from crowds of hungry people. At least 1,760 people were killed seeking aid between May 27 and August 13, the UN human rights office said. 766 are said to have been killed along routes of supply convoys and 994 in the vicinity of "non-UN militarised sites" - a term used to reference the Israeli-backed and US supported Gaza Humanitarian Foundation which has been the primary distributor of aid in Gaza since May. The Hamas-led attack in 2023 killed around 1,200 people in Israel. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed 61,897 people in Gaza, according to the Health Ministry, which does not specify how many were fighters or civilians but says around half were women and children. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals. The U.N. and independent experts consider it the most reliable source on casualties. Israel disputes its figures but has not provided its own.
