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No Middleman Here! Putin Distances Himself from Iran-Israel Peace Talks
Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on Friday that he is not positioning himself as a mediator between Iran and Israel, but is merely offering suggestions on possible ways the two nations could de-escalate the growing conflict.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The Kremlin spent much of the week presenting Moscow as a potential peacemaker following a surge in hostilities between Israel and Iran, after Israel carried out airstrikes and Iran responded with drone and missile attacks.
However, Western leaders have largely dismissed any mediation role for President Vladimir Putin, and earlier this week, Russian officials admitted that Israel had shown little interest in Moscow’s peace overtures.
Speaking at the St. Petersburg Economic Forum, Putin clarified Russia’s position:
“We are not trying to act as mediators. We’re merely proposing ideas,” he said. “If both sides find them useful, we’d be glad.”
Although Moscow has criticized Israel’s strikes, it has not offered military support to Iran, despite a comprehensive strategic partnership the two nations signed just months earlier. Russia has also played down its obligations under that agreement.
On Thursday, the Russian Foreign Ministry warned the United States against becoming militarily involved in the conflict, as Washington considers supporting Israel’s offensive.
Pressed several times to respond to Israeli threats to target Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Putin replied on Friday:
“I sincerely hope such talk remains rhetorical.”
Following Israel’s initial strikes last week, Putin held phone conversations with both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Still, the Kremlin noted that Israel has shown little willingness to consider mediation or pursue diplomatic solutions.
Meanwhile, prominent world leaders like U.S. President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron have also rejected Putin’s mediation ambitions.
Speaking to reporters, Trump quipped:
“He actually offered to mediate, and I said: ‘Do me a favor, mediate your own problems first. Let’s sort out Russia before anything else.’”
Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, says the state has mapped out 22,435 hectares of degraded land for restoration under the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project using modern geospatial mapping technology.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
He said the initiative is part of efforts to strengthen climate resilience, tackle environmental degradation, and promote sustainable land use in the state.
Speaking at the ACReSAL mid-term review meeting in Kaduna through the Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Abubakar Buba, the governor explained that the use of geospatial tools has made it possible to accurately identify affected areas for targeted intervention.
He added that the project is not only focused on land recovery but also on boosting agricultural output and improving livelihoods in affected communities.
Sani also noted that the state is supporting the programme with empowerment initiatives, including training over 500 women, youths, and school feeding vendors in biomass briquette production.
According to him, the effort is already helping to reduce dependence on firewood while creating alternative sources of income for beneficiaries.
President Tinubu has given full backing for the implementation of the ₦68.32 trillion 2026 budget after signing the Appropriation Bill passed by the National Assembly into law.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
He also approved an amendment extending the lifespan of the 2025 budget from March 31 to June 30, 2026, to ensure completion of ongoing capital projects nationwide.
Under the 2026 fiscal plan, ₦4.799 trillion is set aside for statutory transfers, ₦15.8 trillion for debt servicing, ₦15.4 trillion for recurrent spending, while ₦32.2 trillion goes to capital projects—about half of the total budget.
The focus, according to the administration, is on infrastructure development, security, and growth-driven investments aimed at improving living standards.
Speaking on the development, presidential aide Bayo Onanuga said the extension of the 2025 budget will help ensure full use of allocated funds, especially for major ongoing projects.
Tinubu directed all ministries, departments, and agencies to ensure transparency, discipline, and value-for-money in implementing the budget, while praising the National Assembly for its swift passage of the bill.
He also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to economic reforms, revenue growth, job creation, and social welfare improvements.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State has described moves to prosecute former Senate President Bukola Saraki and former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed over alleged culpable homicide as an attempt to reopen the 2018 Offa robbery tragedy for political purposes.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
In a statement on Friday, the party’s spokesperson, Olusegun Adewara, said the development is a disturbing and dangerous politicisation of a case they claim has already been addressed through judicial processes.
He warned against dragging the state into fresh tension, accusing the state government of attempting to revive old allegations for political advantage.
Adewara said the PDP would not remain silent while what he called “political narratives” are used to influence public perception around a tragic incident that claimed multiple lives in Offa in 2018.
He also urged residents, especially affected families, not to allow their pain to be used for political gains, insisting it is unjust to associate Saraki with the crime.
The party further alleged that the move is aimed at distracting attention from governance challenges in the state.
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