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ABUJA, Nigeria—A high-level security dialogue between the United States and Nigeria commenced in Abuja on Thursday amid diplomatic friction, as a senior U.S. official called for stronger protections for Nigerian Christians following a mass kidnapping in Kaduna state. Allison Hooker, the U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, emphasized the urgent need for Nigeria to safeguard Christian communities and ensure their right to religious practice. Her remarks, however, conspicuously omitted any reference to Muslim victims of widespread violence, sparking criticism over the selective framing of Nigeria’s security crisis.

The dialogue follows sustained pressure from the Trump administration, which has characterized violence against Christians in Nigeria as “genocide” and “persecution.” This narrative is firmly rejected by the Nigerian government and independent analysts, who note that the country’s multifaceted security threats—including banditry, jihadist insurgency, and farmer-herder conflicts—afflict both Christians and Muslims indiscriminately.

Hooker, the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit Nigeria under the Trump administration, referenced the recent abduction of over 170 individuals from several churches in Kaduna. The attack, attributed to armed criminal groups known locally as “bandits,” initially drew denial from police authorities, further exacerbating public outrage. Survivors described a coordinated assault in which villagers were beaten and forced into the bush. One escapee, Ishaku Danzumi Kurmin, recounted hiding in a water well to avoid recapture.

For many residents, such kidnappings have become a grim routine. Alice Joseph, 42, lamented that her parents were among those seized—the latest in a series of family abductions spanning four years. “I now have no solace but God,” she said, reflecting the despair gripping affected communities.

While the U.S. delegation prioritized discussions on protecting Christians and countering terrorism, it overlooked the plight of Muslim victims caught in overlapping conflicts. Nigeria faces escalating violence from bandit gangs in the northwest, a persistent jihadist insurgency in the northeast, and resource-driven clashes in the central regions—all of which claim lives across religious lines.

Hooker also inaccurately claimed that all victims of a recent mass abduction at St. Mary’s Catholic School in Niger state were Christian, despite confirmation from local Christian associations that Muslim students were among those kidnapped. This error underscored concerns about the U.S. approach to Nigeria’s complex security landscape, which requires nuanced, inclusive strategies rather than singular religious framing.

The talks concluded with commitments to advance security cooperation, though the omission of Muslim victims signals ongoing diplomatic challenges in aligning U.S. and Nigerian priorities.

DAVOS, Switzerland — In a significant address at the World Economic Forum, WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala issued a stern warning about the escalating global trend toward protectionist trade policies. While acknowledging that approximately 72% of international commerce still operates under established WTO frameworks, she expressed deep concern about recent deviations from multilateral trade principles.

The former Nigerian finance minister highlighted the complex challenges facing global trade governance, particularly regarding how nations justify protectionist measures under the guise of national security interests. “In this environment we have now, where certain countries feel ‘we need to fight for our national interests’, how do we proceed?” she questioned during a panel discussion. “What are the measures that are legitimate, and which are not? And if it’s national security, who determines your national security? What are the guardrails?”

Her comments came amid renewed protectionist actions from the United States, where President Donald Trump has implemented multiple tariff measures since returning to office one year ago. These actions, aimed at addressing trade imbalances and promoting domestic reindustrialization, represent a broader pattern of countries increasingly prioritizing national interests over multilateral cooperation.

Okonjo-Iweala emphasized the critical need for WTO reform, particularly regarding its decision-making processes. The organization currently operates on a consensus basis among its 166 member states, a system she described as ineffective. “The way we make decisions — it’s not working,” she stated bluntly, calling for greater “nimbleness” in addressing contemporary trade challenges.

These issues will take center stage at the upcoming WTO Ministerial Conference in Cameroon (March 26-29), where institutional reform and the tension between national sovereignty and international trade rules will dominate discussions. The organization faces mounting pressure to adapt its governance structures as countries including India and the United States continue to block progress on various negotiations.

In the wake of Hurricane Melissa’s catastrophic impact on Jamaica, Janice McIntosh has launched her campaign for re-election to the Global Jamaica Diaspora Council’s southern United States representative position. The Category 5 storm’s devastation has underscored the critical need for organized diaspora engagement, according to McIntosh, who is among six candidates vying to lead the 13-state bloc.

The Florida-based candidate emphasized that her central mission involves fortifying connections between southern U.S. Jamaicans and decision-makers in their homeland. “The diaspora represents one of Jamaica’s most significant untapped resources,” McIntosh stated in an interview with Observer Online. “My objective centers on creating structured channels for communication, coordination, and collaboration to ensure diaspora voices, skills, and resources contribute meaningfully to Jamaica’s sustainable development.”

McIntosh brings substantial credentials to her candidacy, having resided in South Florida since 2009 while serving eleven years as Jamaica National Bank’s chief representative officer—a role that required consistent liaison with Jamaican institutions. Her extensive community work in Lauderhill, which hosts South Florida’s largest Jamaican population, further strengthens her qualifications.

The electoral process, administered by Jamaica’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, will conduct online voting from January 28 through February 20. The southern region’s winner will succeed Peter Gracey, elected in 2023, and will join newly elected representatives from the U.S. northeast, west Midwest, and Canadian regions.

McIntosh characterizes her approach as “people-centered and highly engaged,” rejecting ceremonial representation in favor of active bridge-building and consistent follow-through with diaspora organizations, community leaders, and Jamaican citizens across demographic groups.

Venezuela’s National Assembly has initiated legislative proceedings to dismantle the state’s monopoly on its oil industry, marking a dramatic reversal from two decades of socialist energy policy. The proposed legislation would permit privately-owned companies registered in Venezuela to conduct independent oil exploration and extraction operations without mandatory partnerships with state-owned PDVSA.

This transformative shift follows the January 3rd ouster of socialist leader Nicolás Maduro, whose government maintained rigid state control over the country’s vast petroleum resources. The legislation is being advanced under the leadership of acting president Delcy Rodríguez, who served as Maduro’s vice president but has rapidly moved to normalize relations with the United States.

In a significant demonstration of warming diplomatic ties, the United States has appointed Laura F. Dogu, a seasoned diplomat with experience as ambassador to Nicaragua and Honduras, as charge d’affaires to Venezuela. This appointment signals the potential restoration of full diplomatic relations, which were severed following Maduro’s disputed 2019 reelection.

The Rodríguez administration has already taken concrete economic measures, injecting $300 million from a U.S.-brokered oil sale to stabilize the collapsing bolivar currency. While this initial intervention temporarily strengthened the national currency, economists emphasize that sustained economic recovery will require substantial foreign investment and continuous dollar inflows.

Concurrently, the new government has begun addressing human rights concerns by releasing dozens of political prisoners, including the son-in-law of opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia, who was serving a 30-year sentence on terrorism charges. These actions appear designed to garner domestic support and international legitimacy following years of economic collapse and political repression under Maduro.

The geopolitical implications extend beyond Venezuela, with the Trump administration leveraging the situation to increase pressure on Cuba by threatening to cut off the island nation’s access to subsidized Venezuelan oil that has sustained its economy for years.