Foreign

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Admitted To Hospital

Published

4 years ago

July 20, 2020

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman was admitted to the King Faisal specialist hospital for tests related to gall bladder inflammation, according to the official Saudi Press Agency
Bandar AL-JALOUD

Saudi Arabia’s 84-year-old ruler King Salman was admitted to hospital in Riyadh Monday for gall bladder inflammation, the royal court said, prompting the postponement of the Iraqi prime minister’s high-profile visit.

It is rare for Saudi Arabia to report on the health of the ageing monarch, who has ruled the top oil exporter and the Arab world’s biggest economy since 2015.

The king was “admitted today to King Faisal specialist hospital in Riyadh for some medical tests due to cholecystitis,” inflammation of the gall bladder, the royal court said in a statement released by the official Saudi Press Agency.

The announcement made around 4:30 am (0130 GMT) did not disclose any further details.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi’s scheduled visit to Saudi Arabia, which was due to start on Monday, has been postponed after the king’s hospitalisation, according to the Saudi foreign minister.

“In recognition of the extremely important visit and a desire to make it a success, our wise leadership in coordination with our brothers in Iraq have decided to postpone the visit” until the king leaves hospital, Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan wrote on Twitter.

Hours before Kadhemi was to set off on his first trip abroad as premier, his office said they heard King Salman was suffering from “a sudden health issue”.

“It was decided to postpone the visit to the earliest possible date agreed upon by the two sides,” his office said in a statement.

Iraq’s oil, finance, electricity and planning ministers arrived in Saudi Arabia on Sunday to begin meetings ahead of Kadhemi’s visit, Iraqi officials told AFP.

The delegation is set to return to Baghdad after the meetings wrap up on Monday afternoon.

Under the king’s rule, Saudi Arabia launched ambitious economic reforms for a post-oil era and gave more rights to women, but also adopted a more assertive foreign policy and entered a war in neighbouring Yemen.

King Salman took the throne after the death of his half-brother Abdullah, who was around 90 years old.

In 2017, Saudi Arabia dismissed reports and mounting speculation that the king was planning to abdicate in favour of his young son, Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, who is widely seen as the de facto ruler.

“There is no possibility whatsoever that the king will abdicate,” an unnamed Saudi official told Bloomberg News, adding that Saudi kings usually remain in power even when poor health prevents them from carrying out their responsibilities.

Prince Mohammed’s meteoric rise to power has coincided with a sweeping crackdown on critics and dissenters, as well as royal family members.

Saudi Arabia has been engulfed by a series of controversies since he was named crown prince and heir to the throne in June 2017.

That includes the brutal October 2018 murder of royal insider-turned-critic Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents at the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul.

Foreign

President Bola Tinubu steps aside as ECOWAS Chairman as his tenure comes to an end today (Sunday).

Published

3 weeks ago

July 7, 2024

lagoslately

The 65th Ordinary Session of the Authority is holding at the Presidential Villa in Abuja where he is expected to pass on the torch to another leader.

The Military leaders of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso rule out returning to ECOWAS even as President Bola Tinubu leads Heads of State of the 15-member bloc in a Summit in Abuja to persuade them to return.

“Westerners consider that we belong to them and our wealth also belongs to them. They think that they are the ones who must continue to tell us what is good for our states. This era is gone forever; our resources will remain for us and our populations,”
says Burkina Faso’s leader, Capt. Ibrahim Traoré.

“”Our people have irrevocably turned their back on ECOWAS,” Niger’s General Abdourahamane Tiani says.

“The attack on one of us will be an attack on all the other members,” insists Mali’s leader, Col. Assimi Goïta.

The trio signed a confederation treaty on Saturday, underscoring their determination to chart a joint course and exit the bloc which is urging them to return to democratic rule.

Foreign

“I Am Single; Looking For Educated Man Who Can Cook, Do Laundry, Enjoys House Chores, Loves PDA And Can Perform” — US-based Nigerian Lady Reveals

Published

2 months ago

June 2, 2024

lagoslately

A US-based Nigerian woman, Ogechukwu Christine Kalu, is seeking a well educated and God fearing man for marriage.

The educational consultant, in a post on Sunday, June 2, 2024, said the man should know how to cook, do laundry, enjoy other house chores, PDA and “perform.”

“Now that my DM is clogged with “I love you” let me reinstate that I am single. Looking for a cute man, well educated, God fearing, knows how to pray and intercede for the family, can cook and enjoys laundry, is homely and can fold clothes immediately after laundry. Enjoys house chores, can take care of kids and also has a good job business and/or great career prospects. Loves PDA and can perform. Loves plants. Enjoys listening to worship. Expects loyalty, respect, faithfulness because he gives and is capable of giving them long term. Listens to understand and not to respond. Knows how to pronounce “parallelogram, Otorhinolaryngologist, and Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”

Foreign

Governor Sanwo-Olu Receives Prince Harry & Meghan Markle (Photos)

Published

2 months ago

May 13, 2024

lagoslately

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, received the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, on Sunday.

The British Royal couple was received by Governor Sanwo-Olu; his wife, Dr. Ibijoke, and some members of the State Executive Council during a courtesy visit at Lagos House, Marina.

Prince Harry, accompanied by his wife, Meghan, is on a three-day visit to Nigeria to promote the Invictus Games, which he founded in 2014. The couples had a stopover in Lagos on Sunday.

The Invictus Games are aimed at raising funds and supporting serving members of the military as well as veterans to overcome their physical and mental illness or injuries, which would help them to develop a sense of belonging and increased self-esteem.

Speaking to journalists after a closed door meeting with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Governor Sanwo-Olu praised the British Royal couple for the work they are doing with Nigeria’s military men, especially on issues around mental health.

He said: “We are honoured to receive them (Prince Harry and Meghan Markle) at the Lagos House, Marina. We are excited about the ideas and what they are planning to do, especially with the office of the Chief of Defense Staff, General Christopher Musa, and his wife, Mrs. Lilian Musa.

“For Prince Harry, it has been a very interesting and informative trip to the country. He has seen a lot. And part of the things we are hoping he will take away is the diversity and extent of how big our country is, how we continue to ensure that we live together in peace and harmony, and what role Lagos plays in the whole conversation.

“They have been to Kano, Abuja, and now Lagos. I am sure they have their own experience of what Nigeria looks like. We have extended an additional invitation to them that they can always come back when they want to.

“We are indeed happy for what they are doing, especially for our military men, on the conversation around mental health issues and how they can galvanise their various NGOs to ensure that people who require their support, both in the military and private, can seek that support.

“Mental health issues are all around us. Denial and stigmatisation, are some of the things we talked about. And more importantly, at what point in Nigeria can we have the Invictus Games that Prince Harry is known for so that the true Nigerian competitiveness can also be reflected in those games”