Newscast - Africa

Sahara Group has announced several directorate appointments to support the continuing strategic expansion of its businesses across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
The Head, Group HR, Sahara Group, Ivie Imasogie-Adigun, says the appointments reinforces Sahara’s commitment to equipping its agile and ambidextrous employees to grow into various leadership positions as arrowheads of Sahara’s existing and unfolding businesses across markets.
Imasogie-Adigun says the appointments which took effect on March 1, 2022, would give impetus to Sahara’s operations across the power, upstream, midstream, downstream and infrastructure sectors.

Another set of Nigerians fleeing the crisis in Ukraine, have been successfully evacuated by the Nigerian Government.
The 306 Nigerians arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on Sunday morning.
They were brought home via an Air Peace flight from Budapest, Hungary where they had crossed over to safety from Ukraine.
The Director-General of NEMA, Mustapha Habib Ahmed, informed them that President Muhammadu Buhari had approved the evacuation back home to safety and also provided a sum of USD$100 to be given to each of them in aid of their transportation to their various locations.
The DG NEMA further informed the returnees that arrangement has also been made for a night’s accommodation for them to rest before continuing to their homes.

Canada is stripping Russia and Belarus of their status as the most favoured nation trading partners in response to ongoing Russian attacks on Ukraine, which have forced at least one million people to flee the country.
Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland says the move means that all Russian and Belarusian exports to Canada will now be subjected to a 35-per cent tariff.
Freeland added that the only other country in the world that does not enjoy the most favoured nation status with Canada is North Korea.

California is set to shell out even more with the Golden State more exposed to surging oil prices than the rest of the country in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Auto club AAA says Diesel prices at the pump rose to a record-high $5.185 a gallon adding that the state’s gasoline also rose to a fresh record of $4.94 a gallon while San Francisco prices topped $5.
Brent crude futures have surged around 20% in the days since the Ukraine war started, signalling that retail fuel prices could rise further.

A China-led development bank has suspended all business with Russia and Belarus, a sign of the limits of Beijing’s support for Moscow as it faces sanctions and censures over its war in Ukraine.
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank says it had put all activities related to the two countries on hold in light of the evolving economic and financial situation.
The bank however did not elaborate on the reason for its decision but extended its thoughts and sympathy to everyone affected.
The announcement comes after several Chinese state-owned financial institutions, including the Bank of China, ceased financing for deals involving Russian oil and firms.

The UK government says it was imposing sanctions on billionaire businessman Alisher Usmanov and former Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov as part of punitive measures over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Foreign Office says the pair, who are worth a combined $19 billion and have significant interests in the UK and close links to the Kremlin are sanctioned with immediate effect.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced that he will seek a second term in office at elections next month, with Russia’s war in Ukraine likely to eclipse the campaign but boost his chances.
Macron formally announced his attempt to become the first French president to be re-elected in 20 years in a letter to the French people published online by numerous news sites.
Macron acknowledged that the election would not be a normal one due to Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Russia and Ukraine agreed to create humanitarian corridors for civilians fleeing intensifying fighting as Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow’s advance was going to plan and schedule.
The adviser to Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky says the agreement was the only tangible progress from the second round of talks between Moscow and Kyiv, and it was not immediately clear how they would work.
A Russian negotiator, nationalist lawmaker Leonid Slutsky, confirmed the initiative and said it would be implemented soon.
Putin earlier told French President Emmanuel Macron that Moscow intends to continue the uncompromising fight against militants of nationalist armed groups.

Senegal's foreign ministry says a Facebook post by Ukraine's embassy that called on Senegalese volunteers to enlist in the fight against Russia was illegal.
The ministry says recruitment of volunteers, mercenaries and other foreign fighters was illegal in the country and punishable by law.
Ukrainian ambassador Yurii Pyvovarov was summoned to the ministry to explain the post, where after verifying its legitimacy he was asked to take it down.
Senegal was among 17 African countries that abstained from voting at the UN General Assembly on a resolution deploring Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and calling for the immediate withdrawal of its forces.

Burkina Faso's military junta has appointed Albert Ouedraogo as the new transitional prime minister.
Mr Ouedraogo has experience in the management of public administrations, development projects and private companies.
The Junta says he will form a government whose main task will be to secure the country from an Islamist insurgency that has killed thousands and forced at least 1.5 million people to flee their homes.