Latest news with #Northwest
Reuters
a day ago
- General
- Reuters
Nigeria army airstrike kills 20 people, Amnesty and residents says
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria, June 2 (Reuters) - At least 20 people were killed in a military airstrike in Nigeria's northwestern Zamfara state over the weekend, residents and Amnesty International said on Monday, with the rights group calling for authorities to investigate the incident. The Nigerian Army and Nigerian Air Force could not immediately be reached for comment. Residents said the airstrike occurred on Sunday in Maraya and Wabi villages in Zamfara state, one of the epicentres of attacks by armed groups, commonly called bandits, that maraud Nigeria's northwest region. The military operation was carried out by the Nigerian Air Force at the request of villagers who had suffered a bandit attack at the weekend, the residents said. An unknown number of people were wounded, they said. "The military aircraft arrived and started firing, killing at least 20 of our people," Abdullahi Ali, a Mani resident and member of a militia group of hunters, told Reuters by phone. Nigeria's military has in the past admitted to mistakenly targeting civilians while pursuing armed gangs in northwest Nigeria, where there is widespread insecurity, and has promised to investigate such cases. In January, a military airstrike killed 16 people in Tungar Kara, another town in Zamfara. Auwal Idris, another resident, said a jet dropped a bomb close to where community guards were fighting bandits, killing 20 of the guards. Amnesty said the latest incident should be investigated. "Attacks by bandits clearly warrant a response from the state, but to launch reckless airstrikes into villages — again and again — is absolutely unlawful," Amnesty said in a statement.
Al Arabiya
a day ago
- General
- Al Arabiya
Nigerian military air strike kills at least 20 civilians: Residents
A Nigerian military air strike in the country's embattled northwest has killed at least 20 civilians, three residents told AFP on Monday. A group of local vigilantes were struck as they were pursuing a criminal gang in Zamfara state, the residents said. The Nigerian army did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
BBC News
a day ago
- General
- BBC News
Nigerian air force mistakenly bomb vigilantes for Zamfara
Pipo wey dey some villages for Maru Local Goment Area for Zamfara State, northwest Nigeria, don tok say na 20 pipo die as bandits attack dem, and Nigerian army jet wey come fight di bandits drop airstrike wey kill pipo. Di villagers tok say di bandits carry more dan 50 pipo from di village wey dey work for farm, but di army jet wey come help, mistakenly kill some local vigilante wey dey try fight di bandits. Pipo for Mani area of Maru Local goment tok say di bandits wey ride come wit motorbike attack dem for afternoon wen dem dey farm. Dem tok say as di bandits reach, dem begin shoot anyhow and carry some pipo comot. One pesin wey no wan make dem call im name tell BBC Hausa say dem dey go help di pipo wey bandits attack wen di army jet come, but di jet begin shoot dem and kill some. Di man tok say, "Di bandits carry 50 pipo but as di army jet see us dey go help, e fly low begin shoot. Eviribodi run for im life and even us wey dey alive na God save us, sake say we lie down for ground." "We lie down like say dem shoot us too, and wen di jet comot, we stand up run go save ourself." Anoda pesin wey tok to BBC beg goment make dem help dem well well becos di bandits tok say dem go come back again. E tok say, "We dey beg goment make dem send more security come protect us. But make di security pipo sabi say sometimes dem dey mistakenly kill our pipo, make dem dey check well befor dem act." "We tell security afta di attack, but na so di jet just come kill our vigilante pipo." Up till now, Nigerian army neva tok anytin about wetin happun. For January 2025, Nigerian army jet mistakenly kill 16 pipo, including vigilante and farmers, for Tungar Kara village for Zamfara State becos dem tink say na bandits. Still for December 2024, anoda airstrike kill 10 civilians for Sokoto State, and di state govnor tok say na mistake wey affect innocent pipo.
Globe and Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
New power line holds key to B.C.'s ambitions for critical minerals
The B.C. government has committed to building a new transmission line to bring electricity to power-hungry projects, including a string of proposed critical-mineral mines in the province's northwest. There is no budget, no timeline, and the precise route has yet to be confirmed. First Nations along the proposed line have not yet agreed to the project. And, there are no confirmed customers for the North Coast transmission line. The line is key to delivering on Premier David Eby's promise that British Columbia can become the economic engine of Canada. Prime Minister Mark Carney and premiers across Canada have pledged a flurry of infrastructure projects to diversify markets away from the United States. But British Columbia faces hurdles, from First Nations' reluctance to embrace fast-tracking projects, to BC Hydro's spotty record of completing such projects on time and on budget. Energy Minister Adrian Dix says shovels will be in the ground the summer of 2026. 'There's no question it can be built and that it will be built,' he said in an interview this week. 'It's a critical aspect of all that work we're doing.' To clear the path, the province passed legislation on Thursday that will exempt the project from the environmental assessment review. B.C. bill fast-tracking infrastructure projects passes as Speaker Raj Chouhan casts deciding vote The new 500 kV transmission line and associated infrastructure will run from Prince George to Terrace, with possible extensions in three directions: to Kitimat, Aiyansh and Prince Rupert. The line is needed, Mr. Dix said, to supply power to proposed critical-mineral mines, liquefied natural gas projects, and an expanded Port of Prince Rupert, which features heavily in the province's ambitions for a Western transportation network that will open up more Canadian trade with Asia. Currently, BC Hydro is negotiating with 14 First Nations to determine the route. The Crown corporation is proposing Indigenous co-ownership and joint environmental studies, in lieu of a full, formal environmental assessment process that can delay construction. 'The intent is to shave off years,' Mr. Dix said. Bill 14, the Renewable Energy Projects (Streamlined Permitting) Act, and Bill 15, the Infrastructure Projects Act, were the key features of the provincial legislative session that wrapped up on Thursday. Both laws are designed to speed development of infrastructure and resource projects, including mines and energy projects ranging from wind farms to liquefied natural gas. Both bills received intense criticism from First Nations leaders, local governments and business and environmental organizations over concerns that fast-tracking approvals will mean insufficient scrutiny, and could ultimately lead to greater uncertainty and delays. Some First Nations leaders have warned that projects will face lawsuits if their rights and title are undermined. The BC Chamber of Commerce this week decried the province's failure to consult with First Nations before introducing the legislation. 'The consequence is that projects designated as 'provincially significant' now face a heightened risk of legal challenges,' Fiona Famulak, the chamber's president and CEO, wrote to Mr. Eby. Environmentalists, meanwhile, worry that the exceptional powers granted to cabinet to speed up project approvals will expose the province to greater risk of ecological disasters. Opinion: Ottawa should look to B.C.'s fast-track blueprint for big projects 'There are real threats to our ecosystems and communities if mines are listed as 'provincially significant' and bypass environmental assessments. The current regulatory regime in B.C. doesn't do enough to protect our water and lands today,' said Nikki Skuce, co-chair of the BC Mining Law Reform network. Ontario Premier Doug Ford is pushing through similar legislation in the face of opposition from First Nations. Like B.C., the Ontario government wants to fast-track critical-mineral development by creating 'special economic zones' where mines or other projects could be exempt from provincial laws. Mr. Ford said this week he will amend his proposed law to reaffirm Ontario's pre-existing constitutional obligations to consult First Nations. Even before shovels are in the ground, the potential demand for the North Coast transmission line could be under pressure, based on the projects that the B.C. government hopes to secure. Michael Goehring, president and chief executive of the Mining Association of BC, said the 18 proposed critical-mineral mines that are in advanced development in B.C. need access to significant power, or they won't move forward. The province estimates the mines projects in the Northwest alone are worth $30-billion in economic activity – but to land those investments, the province needs to provide somewhere between 400 MW to 700 MW by 2035. That could use up more than half of the power available from the new transmission line, leaving little for developing LNG, port expansion or anything else. B.C. looking to private sector for new clean power projects Mr. Dix said that's something his government is going to have to figure out. 'One of the issues that we're also going to be addressing in the coming months is questions around electricity allocation.' He is looking at the Quebec model, which prioritizes projects of provincial interest. Mr. Goehring argues that mining – especially the critical minerals that Canada has identified as a priority – should come first. 'The North Coast Transmission Line is critical to our province's mining sector and the economy of Northwest B.C.,' he said. 'There are a number of critical-mineral projects in this region like the Turnagain nickel project and Galore Creek, a world class copper-gold project, that could increase Canada's copper production by 35 per cent. Cost-effective transmission and clean electricity are essential to their development.' Before B.C. passed its streamlining law, BC Hydro estimated it will take eight to 10 years to build the North Coast line. But the Crown corporation hasn't had a track record for building major projects on time and on budget. The Site C dam, with a $8.8-billion budget, was completed for $16-billion. The Northwest Transmission Line was completed in 2014. Originally launched with a budget of $404-million, it came in at $736-million, an overrun blamed on challenging terrain and higher-than-expected costs for materials and labour. The Interior to Lower Mainland Transmission Line came into service in 2015, a year behind schedule. The delays were triggered in part because the contractor brought in faulty steel towers from India that twisted, bent and collapsed. BC Hydro said that project came in on budget – but then it ended up paying a $100-million settlement to its contractor after a protracted dispute. At the time that the details of those challenges were coming to light, Mr. Dix was serving on the opposition benches as the NDP's energy critic: 'The tendering process is a fiasco; the project is a disaster,' he said at the time. Mr. Dix insists that BC Hydro will do better this time. 'I think they they've learned from those experiences,' he said, 'and I'm confident BC Hydro will be able to build it.'
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Northwest Healthcare Properties Real Estate Investment Trust Announces Election of Trustees, a New Chair of the Board, and the Formation of an Investment Committee
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 27, 2025) - Northwest Healthcare Properties Real Estate Investment Trust (TSX: (the "REIT" or "Northwest") today announced the results of its 2025 annual meeting of unitholders (the "Meeting"). The REIT also announced the appointment of Robert Julien as Chair of the Board of Trustees (the "Board") and the formation of an Investment Committee. Voting Results All of the nominees listed in the Management Information Circular, dated April 1, 2025, prepared in connection with the Meeting were elected as Trustees. Detailed results of the vote for the election of the Board held at the Meeting are set out below: Nominee Votes For % Votes For Votes Withheld % Votes Withheld Peter Aghar 92,030,560 84.838% 16,447,067 15.162% Graham Garner 103,057,040 95.003% 5,420,587 4.997% Robert Julien 107,486,725 99.172% 897,336 0.828% Laura King 79,371,649 73.169% 29,105,978 26.831% David Klein 85,181,428 78.524% 23,296,199 21.476% Karine MacIndoe 99,820,271 92.019% 8,657,356 7.981% Maureen O'Connell 86,808,878 80.025% 21,668,749 19.975% The REIT's report of voting results on other matters presented at the Meeting can be found at The Board and Management team of the REIT would like to thank Dale Klein, the departing Chair of the Board, for his commitment and valuable contributions to the REIT and wish him the best in his future endeavours. 'On behalf of the Board, we extend our thanks to Dale Klein for his leadership and dedication over the past few years,' said Robert Julien, incoming Chair of the Board of Northwest. 'His guidance during a pivotal period-shaping strategy, enhancing governance, and refocusing leadership-has been instrumental. His efforts in transforming Northwest's capital structure have laid the foundation for long-term success. We wish him all the best in his future endeavours.' Chair of the Board and Investment Committee Following the Meeting, the REIT's Board appointed Robert Julien as Chair of Board. Maureen O'Connell and Laura King will continue as Chair of the Audit Committee and Chair of the Compensation, Governance & Nominating Committee, respectively. The Board also formed an Investment Committee and appointed Graham Garner as Chair of the Investment Committee. About Northwest Healthcare Properties Real Estate Investment Trust Northwest provides investors with access to a portfolio of high-quality international healthcare real estate infrastructure comprised as at May 14, 2025, of interests in a diversified portfolio of 169 income-producing properties and 15.8 million square feet of gross leasable area located throughout major markets in North America, Brazil, Europe, and Australasia. The REIT's portfolio of medical outpatient buildings, clinics, and hospitals is characterized by long-term indexed leases and stable occupancies. Northwest leverages its global workforce in eight countries to serve as a long-term real estate partner to leading healthcare operators. For additional information please visit: Contacts Craig Mitchell, CEO, Stephanie Karamarkovic, CFO, Alyssa Barry, Investor Relations, investors@ (416) 366-2000 Ext. 2202 To view the source version of this press release, please visit Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
