Niël Barnard obituary: Afrikaner who helped to end apartheid
Niël Barnard, the director of South Africa's National Intelligence Service (NIS), was a key figure in convincing the apartheid regime to plump for the second option. He urged South Africa's president, his close friend PW Botha, to face reality: international sanctions were biting hard, while South Africa was increasingly isolated as popular support for the anti-apartheid movement increased globally. Unrest in the townships was moving towards civil war and as the decade progressed it became clear that the Cold War was ending
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BBC News
16 minutes ago
- BBC News
How much President Tinubu and ministers dey collect as salary - why dem wan review am?
Di reviewing of salaries of political office holders for Nigeria don dey gada plenty reactions for di kontri. Dis dey come afta di Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) announce say dem don begin di process to review di current Revenue Allocation Formula between di federal, state and local governments. RMAFC Chairman Mohammmed Shehu during one presser for Abuja, Nigeria capital argue say di current salary wey politicians dey receive too small, unrealistic and outdated for di face of dia rising responsibilities and economic challenge. Oga Shehu say di current monthly salary of President Bola Tinubu na 1.5 million naira ($977), while dat of ministers dey earn less dan N1 million evri month. "You dey pay di President of di Federal Republic of Nigeria 1.5m naira a month, wit a population of ova 200 million pipo. You no fit pay minister less dan one million naira per month since 2008 and expect am to put im best and e no go involve for oda tins." Di chairmo argue say meanwhile, Central Bank of Nigeria govnor or di Director General dey collect 10 times more dan di salary wey di president dey collect. "E no dey not right. Or you pay am [di head of an agency] twenty times higher dan di Attorney-General of di Federation. E no dey right at all," Oga Shehu add. Oga Shehu disclose say di last time dem carry out comprehensive revenue allocation formula review na for 1992, and dem dey adjust am small-small through executive orders from 2002 to date. E say sake of dat dem wan review di current Revenue Allocation Formula (RAF) to ensure equity, fairness, and responsiveness to di changing social economic realities of di kontri. E describe di exercise as constitutional responsibility wey don become imperative in light of Nigeria evolving socio-economic and political landscape. As tori pipo ask if di commission go review di salary of civil servants too, di RMAFC boss say dia work dey strictly restricted to political office holders, govnors, senators, legislators, ministers, DGs, and oda pipo. "Time don reach wey pipo like you and odas suppose support di commission to come up wit reasonable living salaries for ministers, DGs, plus di President. Why RMAFC dey review di salary of politicians According to Oga Shehu, dem dey review di revenue allocation formular to produce a fair, just, and equitable revenue-sharing formula wey go reflect di current responsibilities, needs, and capacities of di three tiers of govments in line with di constitutional roles. "Di recent constitutional amendments, wey share responsibilities like power generation, railways, and correctional services to subnational govment don place financial and administrative burdens on dem. Dis situation don make am essential to re-evaluate di structure of fiscal federalism to foster economic growth and ensure sustainability," e tok. E add say under di current revenue allocation formula, di federal govment share na 52.6 per cent, 26.7 per cent for di state governments, and 20.6 per cent dey allocated to di local governments. Di committee also give one per cent each to di Federal Capital Territory, ecological fund, natural resources, plus di stabilisation fund under the vertical revenue allocation. Speaking further, e quote Paragraph 32 (b), Part I of di Third Schedule of di1999 Constitution of di Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), wey compulsory RMAFC to "review, from time to time, di revenue allocation formulae and principles in operation to ensure conformity wit changing realities". "In line wit dis constitutional responsibility and in response to di evolving socio-economic, political, and fiscal realities of our nation, di commission don reolve to initiate di process of reviewing di revenue allocation formula to reflect emerging socio-economic realities. Nigerians reaction Some Nigerians don react following di announcement of di RMAFC, while some question why di commission go wan add to di salary of politicians wey already dey live very lavish lifestyle while dia citizens dey suffer, and govment dey find am difficult to pay N70,000 minimum wage. Odas hail di initiative as ogbonge development.
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Burkina Faso's junta expels top UN official over child rights report
Burkina Faso's junta has expelled the UN's top official to the West African nation over a report about children caught up in the jihadist Flore-Smereczniak was declared "persona non grata" because of her role in drafting the report that came out in a two-year period, the study detailed more than 2,000 cases of reported child recruitment, killings, sexual violence and abuse - blaming Islamist insurgents, government soldiers and civilian defence military government, which came to power in September 2022 and is led by Capt Ibrahim Traoré, said it had not been consulted by the UN, saying the report contained unfounded allegations. It did not cite any documentation "or court rulings to support the alleged cases of violations against children attributed to the valiant Burkinabé fighters", the government's statement 2015, jihadist rebels affiliated with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group have waged an insurgency that has killed thousands of people and forced millions to flee their has prompted political instability, with two military coups in 2022. Capt Traoré took power promising to deal with the dire security situation within "two to three months". How an al-Qaeda offshoot became one of Africa's deadliest militant groupsWhy Burkina Faso's junta leader has captured hearts around the worldHow 'blood gold' is fuelling conflict in West Africa Ms Flore-Smereczniak was appointed in July 2024 - more than 18 months after her predecessor was Mauritius, she has worked in areas experiencing or recovering from conflict for more than two decades, holding posts in Ivory Coast, Chad and Malawi, according to the UN representative before her, Italian Barbara Manzi, was declared "persona non grata" by the junta in December 2022 not long after publishing a blog post describing how the crisis was affecting education and health services, forcing many to close UN has not yet officially commented on the latest expulsion, but the UN chief had expressed his regret over the decision to expel Ms Manzi whilst reiterating the UN's desire to engage with the junta to support Burkinabé have been concerns over the effectiveness of Capt Traoré's operation to quash the militants - with the junta rejecting the assistance of former colonial power France in favour of the first half of 2025, jihadist group JNIM said it had carried out over 280 attacks in Burkina Faso - double the number for the same period in 2024, according to data verified by the BBCRights groups have also accused the army of targeting civilians as well as suppressing political activity and the freedom of year, the military government announced it was extending junta rule for another five also said that Capt Traoré, who has built up the persona of a pan-Africanist leader, would be allowed to run for president in 2029. You may also be interested in: Burkina Faso outcry over 'conscription used to punish junta critics'Why 'pan-Africanist' influencers pushed rumours of a coupWhy France faces so much anger in West Africa Go to for more news from the African us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Putin calls Brics allies to debrief them on his Trump summit
Russian president Vladimir Putin called the leaders of India, Brazil and South Africa to brief them about his summit with Donald Trump in Alaska, in what is being seen as an attempt to rally major Brics economies facing some of the harshest US tariffs. The Kremlin said Mr Putin spoke to Indian prime minister Narendra Modi on Monday, briefing him on the outcome of Friday's meeting with the US president. The two leaders 'discussed the prospects for a long-term settlement of the crisis in Ukraine', the Kremlin readout said, adding that they agreed to continue the dialogue on this issue. Mr Modi described Mr Putin as his 'friend' and thanked him for 'sharing insights on his recent meeting with President Trump in Alaska '. ' India has consistently called for a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict and supports all efforts in this regard. I look forward to our continued exchanges in the days to come,' he wrote on X on Monday evening. India is facing significant pressure from the Trump administration over its continued imports of energy from Russia during the Ukraine war. Mr Trump has doubled tariffs on Indian exports to the country, increasing them to 50 per cent by next week. Mr Putin also called Brazil 's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Monday, another Brics nation facing a 50 per cent tariff alongside India. The Brazilian president's office said Mr Lula and Mr Putin had a 30-minute-long conversation. Mr Lula confirmed that he and the Russian president discussed the Alaska meeting. He described the talks with Mr Putin as 'positive' and 'acknowledged Brazil 's involvement in the Group Friends for Peace', an initiative to include supposedly neutral countries – including China, one of Russia's closest allies – to find a resolution for the Ukraine crisis. "President Lula reaffirmed Brazil's support for all efforts aimed at a peaceful resolution to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine," it added. South African president Cyril Ramaphosa said the Russian leader 'expressed satisfaction' with his meeting with Mr Trump and urged for 'compromise on key issues for lasting peace.' The Kremlin said Mr Ramaphosa 'expressed support for the diplomatic efforts' on Ukraine. Mr Putin also spoke to Mr Modi, Mr Lula and Chinese president Xi Jinping earlier this month after the announcement of Mr Trump's meeting with the Russian president. Brazil, Russia, India, South Africa and China are the founding members of Brics, an economic and political bloc often seen as a counterweight to the West. Although the three-hour Trump-Putin meeting – the longest face-to-face meeting between the two leaders – was described as 'productive' by both sides, it failed to deliver a ceasefire in Ukraine. Tensions between Washington and the Brics bloc have escalated in recent weeks after Mr Trump announced a sweeping hike in trade tariffs. While India and Brazil face the steepest duties at 50 per cent, South Africa has been hit with a 30 per cent tariff. China, under a temporary trade truce, currently faces a 30 per cent tariff – with the risk of further increases if negotiations fail.
