
United States President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that China has agreed to refrain from sending weapons to Iran, stating he received personal assurances from President Xi Jinping. Trump shared on Truth Social that Xi would give him a "big, fat, hug" during their upcoming May 14-15 summit in Beijing. In a separate interview with Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo, Trump mentioned that Xi had "essentially" promised not to deliver weapons after Trump wrote a letter requesting this. The Middle East conflict has intensified the relationship between the US and China. The Trump-Xi summit was initially set for March but was postponed due to Trump's decision to initiate the war. China had previously accused the United States of "dangerous and irresponsible" behavior regarding its blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz, with Xi pledging Beijing would play a "constructive role" in Middle East peace. Trump also stated on Truth Social that China is "very happy" about his permanent opening of the Strait of Hormuz, which he is doing for them and the world. China is Iran's largest trading partner and a significant oil client. When asked about reports of a Chinese cyber attack against the FBI, Trump did not confirm it directly but commented, "We do it to them. They do it to us." He described China as "never easy" but affirmed that relations were "great" and that he was "the toughest person" on China.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.

Amnesty International has collaborated with female lawyers in Imo State to enhance prevention and response efforts against gender-based violence. During a capacity-building event in Owerri, Helen Addah, Human Rights Education Officer of Amnesty International, stated that the training aims to equip lawyers with skills in media engagement, information gathering, and survivor protection. She emphasized the importance of implementing policies and laws on gender-based violence, particularly utilizing the Sexual Assault Referral Centre to provide necessary services for survivors. Addah highlighted that a human rights-based approach could significantly reduce gender-based violence in the state. Rosemary Hamza, a resource person, stressed the need for effective referral pathways for survivors, noting that these pathways are crucial for connecting survivors with coordinated services addressing their physical, emotional, legal, and social needs. She urged lawyers to track and report violence cases to deter offenders, explaining that effective referral systems prevent delays, fragmented services, repeated questioning, and breaches of confidentiality for survivors. Ndidi Anike Val-Okeoma, former Chairperson of FIDA, described the training as vital for female lawyers in handling and advocating for gender-based violence cases. She added that trained lawyers would educate society on how to respond to gender-based violence issues, including understanding referral pathways, and emphasized the
Must ReadIndependent petroleum marketers and energy experts have expressed strong opposition to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery's decision to price petroleum products in US dollars. They warn that this move could intensify foreign exchange pressures and destabilize Nigeria's downstream petroleum sector. Stakeholders, including the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria PETROAN and the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria IPMAN, argue that while the refinery is a private entity, dollar-denominated pricing for locally consumed products could lead to a dollarized economy and increased pump price volatility. PETROAN National President, Billy Gillis-Harry, stated that this decision could force marketers to pass on the burden to consumers and urged the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to revive national refineries to foster competition. IPMAN National Publicity Secretary, Chinedu Ukadike, appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene, emphasizing that petroleum product prices are directly linked to crude oil prices and exchange rates. He warned that tying more transactions to the dollar would increase demand for scarce foreign currency, ultimately driving up pump prices. Conversely, some energy experts, like petroleum economist Professor Emeritus Wumi Iledare, view the refinery's decision as a commercial strategy to manage foreign exchange risks, given that crude oil and other inputs are dollar-linked. He clarified that this is not price

Nigeria's Super Falcons, the reigning champions, will play an international friendly against Ghana in Casablanca on Saturday as part of their preparations for the 14th Women鈥檚 Africa Cup of Nations. The tournament is set to begin in Morocco next Sunday. The 10-time African champions opened their camp in Casablanca on Monday and held their first training session on Tuesday at Stade Larbi Zaouli. As of Tuesday lunchtime, 10 players had arrived at the team's hotel, with midfielder Toni Payne expected to join on Wednesday. The Super Falcons will face Malawi in their opening Group C match in Rabat on Tuesday, July 28, followed by matches against Zambia on Saturday, August 1, and Egypt on Wednesday, August 5.