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Kate Middleton and Prince William Welcome Third Baby

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Kate, the wife of Prince William, gave birth to a boy at a hospital in London on Monday, the third child for the British royal couple and now fifth in line to the throne. Kensington Palace said the baby was born at 1001 GMT and weighs 8 lbs 7oz (3.9 kg). William was present for the birth at St Mary’s Hospital in west London where their other two children, George and Charlotte, were also born, it added.

“The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry and members of both families have been informed and are delighted with the news,” Kensington Palace said.

“Her Royal Highness and her child are both doing well.”

The new prince is Queen Elizabeth’s sixth great-grandchild and fifth-in-line to the British throne behind siblings George, 4, his two-year-old sister Charlotte, their father William, and grandfather and heir Prince Charles.

A 2013 change to the law means the boy will not supplant his older sister Charlotte in the line of succession. Before that change younger males would take precedence over older female siblings.

“That would in fact be the first time that has ever happened,” royal historian Hugo Vickers said.

William’s younger brother Harry, who marries U.S. actress Meghan Markle next month, falls to sixth on the list.

Kensington Palace said the name of the new royal would be announced in due course. Bookmakers have made Albert, Arthur, Jack and Fred the favourite names for a boy.

In keeping with tradition, the official announcement of the birth will be made by placing a notice on an easel in the forecourt of the queen’s London home, Buckingham Palace.

William and Kate met as students at St Andrews University in Scotland. They got married in a pageant-packed ceremony at Westminster Abbey in April 2011 and have since become well-known across the global stage.

The couple now live at Kensington Palace and last year William gave up his day job as an air ambulance pilot to concentrate full time on royal duties on behalf of his grandmother, having faced some criticism from British newspapers who dubbed him “workshy Wills”.

He has been determined to play a hands-on role in bringing up his children while also protecting their privacy, an issue close to his heart after the death of his mother, Princess Diana, in a 1997 Paris car crash as her limousine sped away from chasing paparazzi.

“I think he takes on a lot more engagements than he used to,” said royal biographer Claudia Joseph.

“But compared to members of the general public who have full-time jobs, he still has some time off to look after the children, to give them their baths, to put them to bed and I think he’ll continue to do that,” Joseph said.

Royal prince

The British royals are rarely out of the media glare, but the baby arrives at a time when the Windsors have particularly been in the limelight.

On Saturday William joined the queen and other senior royals, with the exception of Kate, as the monarch celebrated her 92nd birthday at a televised concert.

The queen also played a prominent role at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in London last week, where it was announced that Charles would succeed her as head of the network of mainly former British colonies.

William and Kate’s wedding and the birth of Prince George, who is destined to be a future king, generated a worldwide media frenzy. While interest in their third child has been more muted, large numbers of photographers and broadcasters massed outside the hospital, along with some dedicated royal fans.

“We’ve been camped here outside the hospital for 15 days,” said John Loughrey, 63, from south London, who was wearing a Union Jack onesie and hat and holding a baby doll adorned with a crown that said ‘feed me mummy’ every few seconds.

“We’ve been coming out doing this for 21 years. We were here for George and Charlotte and we’ll be there for the royal wedding too,” he said, referring to Harry and Meghan Markle.

However, not everyone in Britain is so enamoured.

“The arrival of a new prince or princess highlights the unfairness of the hereditary principle – for the millions of children told they’ll never be good enough and for the baby whose life has been predetermined,” anti-monarchist group Republic said.

“The absurd media speculation ignores these serious questions while showing us the kind of intrusion the royal baby can expect for the rest of its life.”

 

Culled from NDTV

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Tinubu, Fubara Parley in London, Suspension Soon to Be Lifted – Report

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President Bola Tinubu has held a private meeting with suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara in London, as part of efforts to resolve the political crisis rocking the oil-rich state, according to The Africa Report.

The paper reported that the meeting took place last week following Tinubu’s departure from Paris, and that the talks were initiated at Fubara’s request, amid his growing efforts to regain his position following his suspension and the imposition of a state of emergency in Rivers State.

During the meeting, Fubara reportedly pledged to make certain concessions in a bid to ease tensions. A senior presidential adviser, who spoke on condition of anonymity, revealed that negotiations are still ongoing but suggested that Fubara’s suspension is likely to be lifted before the six-month period elapses.

Another aide to the president indicated that Fubara is considering joining the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), a move that could improve his standing with the presidency and enhance Tinubu’s political influence in the state. “If Fubara joins the APC, the president’s chances of winning Rivers State will increase significantly,” the aide noted.

Notably absent from the London talks was former Rivers Governor and current FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, who is reportedly uneasy about being sidelined in the reconciliation process. However, President Tinubu is expected to facilitate a broader meeting involving Fubara, Wike, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to find a lasting resolution to the impasse.

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Jigawa Gov Knocks Danjuma over Defend Yourself Advice

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Jigawa State governor, Umar Namadi, has cautioned against calls for self-defence from mauruding bandits and killer herders, warning that such a move could plunge the country into anarchy.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Monday, Governor Namadi responded to recent comments by retired General Theophilus Danjuma, who urged Nigerians to defend themselves against bandits and armed attackers, particularly in Benue and Plateau states.

General Danjuma, a former Minister of Defence, had argued that reliance on the government for protection was no longer tenable given the spate of violence and killings in the country.

“It is now very clear that the government alone cannot protect us. We must stand up and defend ourselves, our families, and our lands before these criminals overrun the entire country,” Danjuma said during a public event in Takum, Taraba State, on Saturday.

But Governor Namadi rejected that approach, describing it as a dangerous path.

“He (T.Y. Danjuma) is a very senior security person, and his words deserve respect and analysis,” Namadi said. “But I think if you say citizens should be allowed to defend themselves, you’re causing anarchy. I don’t think we’ve reached that level yet.”

He argued that rather than encourage armed self-defence, the government at all levels must continue to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.

“The government is doing its best in terms of security arrangements. If you allow the people to defend themselves, that means you are encouraging a crisis between farmers and herders,” the governor warned.

Namadi cited his administration’s approach to resolving the long-standing farmer-herder clashes in Jigawa State as a better alternative. According to him, when he assumed office, he prioritised non-violent conflict resolution strategies.

“When we came in, we decided to employ a lot of strategies and tactics, including dialogue,” he said. “We engaged traditional rulers, as well as representatives of both farmers and herders. We sat down, reached a consensus, and established standing committees to reconcile all parties.”

He added that these efforts helped halt a decades-long conflict:
“The people now understand that the 25 years spent fighting and killing each other were not worth it. Today, they are able to work, interact, and live together in peace.”

Governor Namadi further noted that Jigawa is currently not among the states facing severe threats such as insurgency or mass killings by bandits. Instead, the primary challenge had been farmer-herder clashes, which his administration has successfully curtailed.

“We thank God that Jigawa State is not affected by insurgency or insecurity for no. The major issue we are dealing with is the herders-farmers clash, and we are addressing it decisively,” he said.

Despite the worsening security in other parts of the country, Governor Namadi insisted that self-defence is not a viable solution and could deepen the crisis:
“So, I think the government is doing its best, both at the federal and state levels. The issue of asking people to defend themselves — I think we have not reached that level yet.

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Adeleke Condemns Burning of Court Building, Orders Investigation, Security of Court Premises

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Governor Ademola Adeleke has condemned the burning of Ilesa High Court 2 building by yet to be identified criminals, describing the arson as “an unjustifiable attack on the state judiciary”

The incident which happened overnight led to the destruction of court sensitive documents and exhibits with the entire building largely burnt to the ground.

The state fire service was mobilised to the scene but the havoc was already over by the time of their arrival. Reports indicated that files relating to sensitive court cases were destroyed.

Governor Adeleke in the statement directed thorough investigation into the incident as well as beefing up security across all court premises in the state.

“Thorough investigation must be conducted by the security agencies to apprehend the suspects and ensure they face the consequences of their actions. I further direct security agencies to beef up surveillance across the various court buildings.

“Additionally, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice is to join hands with the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure for the immediate rehabilitation of the burnt down building.” the statement noted.

Governor Adeleke who described the attack as a threat to democracy said the judiciary remains the stabilizer and critical arbiter of the democratic process, urging support rather than attack for the judiciary.

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