News
Iranian Vice President Zarif Resigns After 11 Days
Iran’s Vice President, Mohammed Javad Zarif, has stepped down from his position only 11 days after his appointment.
Zarif announced his resignation via his social media platform, expressing dissatisfaction with his role and regret over his inability to meet expectations.
Zarif’s resignation is attributed to disagreements over the selection of ministers for President Massud Pezeshkian’s new cabinet.
Zarif indicated that the composition of the cabinet did not align with his preferences, noting that at least seven of the 19 nominated ministers were not his first choices.
This resignation marks the second significant challenge for President Pezeshkian since he assumed office at the end of July.
The first crisis involved the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. Zarif, who was a crucial ally during Pezeshkian’s presidential campaign, had been instrumental in the campaign’s success due to his popularity.
Following the election, Zarif and his team were tasked with recommending candidates for key government positions to help implement promised reforms.
However, the cabinet list presented by Pezeshkian was seen by observers as inconsistent with the reform plans. Speculation suggests that Iran’s conservative hardline faction may have influenced the ministerial appointments.
Zarif, who previously served as Iran’s chief diplomat from 2013 to 2021 and played a key role in negotiating the 2015 nuclear agreement, was expected to contribute significantly to Pezeshkian’s foreign policy and the resumption of nuclear negotiations.
The hope was that with a new team, Pezeshkian could address the economic sanctions impacting Iran’s economy.
TV anchor Rufai Oseni makes headlines as he speaks on fuel subsidy in Nigeria. He shared that Nigeria can have fuel subsidy without the long queues at filling stations.
“When we were still paying subsidies, there were no long queues. We were subsidising. So you can still have a subsidy regime going on, and there will be no long queues because production was close by. Dangote had it. That’s just it. That argument also falls flat.
“The biggest beneficiaries of subsidy are not Nigerians. They are crony capitalists that have big infrastructure, and they do contracts. They have been the biggest beneficiaries of the subsidy,” he said.
Lagos State Governor, Sanwo-Olu, speaks to those in the electricity sector about the usual blackouts in the state.
He speaks on ways things can change in the state and how electricity can be provided.
“We need to drop corporate egos, abandon long-standing excuses, and confront the harsh realities obstructing progress in the power sector.”
“We, state governments, used to give excuses that everything is centralised, so the Federal Government has unbundled it now. What have we done in a year and a half?” Sanwo-Olu asked.
“We take two steps forward, we go five steps backward,” he said.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has declared Thursday, August 20, a work-free day for public servants in the state to mark the Isese Festival.
Speaking on the celebration, he said “Ìṣẹ̀ṣe is not a relic. It is a living expression of our traditions and a celebration of Yoruba spirituality as an important part of Nigeria’s cultural and religious landscape,” he said.
He added “When the drums sound in Lagos on Thursday, they answer drums in Havana, in Salvador, in Port of Spain. Fifty-five million people and counting. Lagos is not observing a local holiday. Lagos is standing at the centre of a global heritage,” Aregbe said.
“Fighting for Nigerians Is Tiring” — VeryDarkMan Recalls Burna Boy’s Words
Enzo Fernández Moves Closer to Manchester City Transfer
