Match prayer with action Mary Njoku urges African Christians

Nollywood actress Mary Njoku has urged Nigerian and African Christians to not just depend on prayers as the solution to national issues.

The actress, while speaking on insecurity via her Instagram page, explained that physical problems demand physical solutions while spiritual problems demand spiritual ones.

She urged Christians to combine faith with practical effort, noting that issues like bad infrastructure and insecurity require action and not prayers.

“Physical problems require physical solutions. Spiritual problems require spiritual solutions. You cannot pray food onto your plate. Someone has to plant it, harvest it, transport it, cook it, or provide the means for you to get it yourself. Even in the bible, provision often came through people, work, and practical action. Good roads, quality healthcare, education, security, and economic growth will not appear simply because we pray about them. Prayer can guide us, strengthen us, and give us wisdom, but physical problems must also be addressed with physical action, planning, accountability, and hard work,” she stated.

Although Njoku did not dismiss the importance of prayer, she urged Christians to ensure that their faith works hand in hand with positive action.

“Dear African Christians, as we continue to pray, let us not confuse prayer with action. You cannot bind and cast away bad roads. You cannot rebuke a failing healthcare system into working. You cannot pray away the bandits who are terrorising our lives. Faith and action are not enemies. They work together,” she added.

Acquire arms, defend yourselves against bandits, Emir tells Nigerians

Amid growing insecurity and relentless bandit attacks in parts of Kebbi State, the Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Muhammad Samaila Mera, has urged communities under his domain to legally acquire weapons and prepare to defend themselves against criminal elements.

The monarch’s remarks came during a meeting with district heads, village heads and ward heads at his palace in Argungu, where he expressed concern over the vulnerability of many rural communities to attacks by bandits and other armed groups.

In a message that underscored the gravity of the security situation, the Emir advised residents to explore lawful means of protecting themselves, including raising communal funds to procure legally approved firearms for self-defence.

“If you acquire such weapons legally, make sure the bandits are aware that your community possesses the means to defend itself. This alone can serve as a deterrent and discourage attacks,” he said.

The traditional ruler lamented that many communities have become easy targets because they lack the capacity to resist attacks when criminals strike.

“When bandits attack, people start running, including village heads. This is happening because communities do not have adequate means of self-defence,” he stated.

The Emir said it was unacceptable for innocent citizens to continue to suffer killings, abductions and other forms of violence without any form of resistance.

“It is not right for a Muslim to remain passive while criminals kill people, kidnap innocent citizens and rape our women. Be prepared to defend yourselves, your families and your communities against any attack,” he declared.

However, the monarch was quick to clarify that he was not advocating lawlessness, vigilantism or ethnic violence. He stressed that any form of self-defence must be lawful and coordinated with security agencies.

According to him, the worsening security challenge has become too widespread for security agencies alone to tackle without community support.

The Emir also warned residents against revenge attacks and extrajudicial killings, noting that retaliatory violence only fuels further bloodshed.

“I will not support anyone carrying arms to attack other ethnic groups or engage in unlawful killings,” he cautioned.

Alhaji Mera further alleged that although many members of the Lakurawa group had reportedly left the area, armed bandits linked to the group and their collaborators remained active and continued to terrorise communities.

He therefore urged residents across the emirate to remain vigilant, cooperate with security agencies and uphold peaceful coexistence while taking lawful steps to protect their communities from criminal attacks.

CBSL tightens export proceeds conversion rules amid forex market volatility

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has amended regulations governing export proceeds, requiring exporters to convert any residual foreign currency earnings into Sri Lankan rupees by the 10th day of the month following receipt after meeting specified foreign currency obligations.

The requirement was introduced through the Repatriation of Export Proceeds into Sri Lanka Rules No. 2 of 2026, issued by CBSL Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, amending the Repatriation of Export Proceeds into Sri Lanka Rules No. 1 of 2024.

In the spot foreign exchange market yesterday, the rupee closed at Rs. 337/337.75 to the US dollar, compared with Rs. 337/337.30 on Monday.

Under the revised rules, exporters receiving export proceeds in Sri Lanka during any calendar month may utilise those funds only for a specified list of authorised payments before converting the remaining balance into rupees.

Permitted uses include current transactions related to export business, servicing foreign currency loans and other approved borrowings, dividend payments to non-resident investors, salaries of expatriate employees, business travel-related foreign currency requirements, investments of up to 10% of export proceeds in Government foreign currency debt securities, and payments to indirect exporters with foreign currency commitments.

The amendment also applies to indirect exporters receiving foreign currency payments from direct exporters, who are similarly required to convert any remaining balances into rupees by the 10th day of the following month after meeting authorised payments.

The latest change comes against the backdrop of recent volatility in the foreign exchange market, where strong demand for dollars coincided with tighter market liquidity.

Market participants said importer demand for foreign exchange had increased as some businesses sought to secure dollars in advance of future payment obligations, while exporters delayed conversions amid expectations of a weaker rupee. The resulting imbalance between demand and supply contributed to pressure on the exchange rate.

The revised rules are expected to increase the flow of export proceeds into the domestic foreign exchange market and improve the availability of foreign currency liquidity within the banking system.

Sri Lanka tightened export proceeds conversion requirements during the economic crisis, reducing the conversion period to 30 days as authorities sought to support foreign exchange inflows. The period was subsequently relaxed to 90 days as external sector conditions improved.

Although the new rules do not explicitly reintroduce a 30-day conversion requirement, they require exporters to convert residual balances monthly after meeting authorised foreign currency obligations.

The amendment follows recent engagement between the Central Bank and market participants as authorities sought to address pressures in the foreign exchange market and maintain orderly market conditions.

Sajith wants Treasury report on $ 2.5 m cyber fraud tabled in Parliament

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday called on the Government to immediately table in Parliament the Treasury’s report on the $ 2.5 million cyber fraud involving external debt payments, while separately raising concerns over what he described as conflicting economic messaging from the Government and the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL).

Addressing Parliament, Premadasa said the Treasury report on the cyber attack should be made public to ensure accountability and transparency regarding the incident.

Separately, he argued that contradictory statements issued by Government authorities and the CBSL on economic matters had created uncertainty and confusion regarding the country’s policy direction.

Premadasa said such inconsistencies risk undermining confidence at a time when fiscal and monetary policies need to be implemented with clarity and consistency.

He called on the Government to present a comprehensive framework outlining its fiscal and monetary policy approach, including the instruments being used, the targets being pursued, and the institutions responsible for implementation.

The Opposition Leader also sought details on how agreements with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, Asian Development Bank and other international institutions have influenced policy execution and how these commitments relate to primary balance and revenue targets.

Premadasa further questioned the Government’s assertion that Rs. 17,000 is sufficient for an individual to meet monthly living expenses, asking whether such an amount could realistically cover both food and non-food expenditure.

He also urged the Government to explain the measures being taken to alleviate economic pressures faced by the middle class, professionals, small and medium enterprises, farmers, fishermen and low-income groups amid higher taxes, constrained public expenditure and tight monetary conditions.

Premadasa stressed the importance of strengthening parliamentary oversight and public accountability in the formulation and implementation of fiscal and monetary policies.

Philippines targets end-2026 for South China Sea code of conduct

The Philippines is pushing to complete a long-delayed South China Sea code of conduct by the end of 2026, with monthly negotiations now underway to resolve issues that have stalled talks for years, Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro said.

Speaking at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C. earlier this month, Lazaro said ASEAN and China were moving toward a deadline set by foreign ministers in 2023, when they said negotiations had taken too long and instructed that the code be finished within three years.

The Philippines is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ host and chair this year.

“On the code of conduct, that is a very important deliverable, and hopefully one for the end of the year,” Lazaro said at the forum June 4.

The proposed code is meant to set rules for conduct in the disputed waters, where China’s sweeping claims overlap with those of several Southeast Asian states, including the Philippines. It has long been viewed as a possible mechanism to manage tensions and prevent incidents from escalating.

ASEAN and China signed the nonbinding Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea in 2002, which set for the eventual adoption of a code of conduct. Formal negotiations on the code began years later in March 2018.

Lazaro said the talks are no longer being held only quarterly, but monthly.

“I think we are closing in on some important issues because there are four milestone issues there: the scope, whether the agreement is legally binding or not, the connection between the code of conduct and the declaration, and the terms of reference,” she said.

Even basic terms remain unresolved.

“I have to be very candid, even the definition of self-restraint has not been resolved after almost 10 years,” Lazaro said. “But slowly, it is moving, and our target is really toward the end of the year.”

Manila to reject weak South China Sea code

Lazaro said the Philippines would insist that any code remain within the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

“It is very important that this remain within the provisions of UNCLOS, and that no other regime should be accepted,” she said.

Asked about concerns that ASEAN and China could finish a code that turns out to be weak, Lazaro rejected the possibility.

“No. We will make sure, as the chair, that this code of conduct, we consider it a gift to the region, a gift to the world, and we have to finish it in the right and appropriate way,” she said.

The Philippines holds the ASEAN chairmanship this year, giving Manila a central role in steering the negotiations even as it continues to face repeated confrontations with Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea.

Lazaro linked the urgency of the talks to wider concerns over freedom of navigation, saying the South China Sea should not another Strait of Hormuz, the blockage of which affected global oil supply and trade when the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran in March. The Philippines, for one, has been dealing with skyrocketing fuel prices as a major oil importer.

“We do not want the South China Sea to be a choke point like what is happening in the Strait of Hormuz. Navigational areas should remain free, and that is one reason why we have to finish this code of conduct,” she said.

The code talks come as the Philippines prepares to mark the 10th anniversary of the 2016 arbitral award in July, when an UNCLOS tribunal rejected China’s expansive claims in the South China Sea. Lazaro described the ruling as “final, binding, and non-negotiable,” saying it is now part of the global legal corpus.

New beginning: Sandara Park launches own Aradnas record label

Korean singer Sandara Park enters a new chapter of her career after launching her very own record label.

Sandara, best known today as a member of K-pop girl group 2NE1, is going independent as a soloist following the launch of her Aradnas label, which is her name spelled backwards.

The label called the milestone a “new beginning” for Sandara, who is set to release new single album “rePRISM” on June 20.

“Starting with this, she plans to continue various activities, including festivals, fan concerts, and an Asia fan concert tour,” said Aradnas in a statement.

The fan concert tour will begin in Seoul’s YES24 Live Hall on July 4, with additional stops likely to be announced at a future time. Aradnas is already populating its freshly-made social media pages with photos of Sandara as wall promos for the ‘rePRISM’ single album and eponymous fan concert tour.

Sandara was previously signed under YG Entertainment, which launched 2NE1 back in 2009. She departed the label in 2021 following the expiry of her contract, joined Abyss Company that same year, and is now going independent after five years with Abyss.

Sandara moved to the Philippines when she was 10 years old and rose to fame after finishing as a runner-up on “Star Circle Quest.”

She released several acting and music projects before returning to Korea where she debuted with 2NE1, and from time to time, Sandara returns to the Philippines for performances and the occasional holiday.

New beginning: Sandara Park launches own Aradnas record label

Korean singer Sandara Park enters a new chapter of her career after launching her very own record label.

Sandara, best known today as a member of K-pop girl group 2NE1, is going independent as a soloist following the launch of her Aradnas label, which is her name spelled backwards.

The label called the milestone a “new beginning” for Sandara, who is set to release new single album “rePRISM” on June 20.

“Starting with this, she plans to continue various activities, including festivals, fan concerts, and an Asia fan concert tour,” said Aradnas in a statement.

The fan concert tour will begin in Seoul’s YES24 Live Hall on July 4, with additional stops likely to be announced at a future time. Aradnas is already populating its freshly-made social media pages with photos of Sandara as wall promos for the ‘rePRISM’ single album and eponymous fan concert tour.

Sandara was previously signed under YG Entertainment, which launched 2NE1 back in 2009. She departed the label in 2021 following the expiry of her contract, joined Abyss Company that same year, and is now going independent after five years with Abyss.

Sandara moved to the Philippines when she was 10 years old and rose to fame after finishing as a runner-up on “Star Circle Quest.”

She released several acting and music projects before returning to Korea where she debuted with 2NE1, and from time to time, Sandara returns to the Philippines for performances and the occasional holiday.

New beginning: Sandara Park launches own Aradnas record label

Korean singer Sandara Park enters a new chapter of her career after launching her very own record label.

Sandara, best known today as a member of K-pop girl group 2NE1, is going independent as a soloist following the launch of her Aradnas label, which is her name spelled backwards.

The label called the milestone a “new beginning” for Sandara, who is set to release new single album “rePRISM” on June 20.

“Starting with this, she plans to continue various activities, including festivals, fan concerts, and an Asia fan concert tour,” said Aradnas in a statement.

The fan concert tour will begin in Seoul’s YES24 Live Hall on July 4, with additional stops likely to be announced at a future time. Aradnas is already populating its freshly-made social media pages with photos of Sandara as wall promos for the ‘rePRISM’ single album and eponymous fan concert tour.

Sandara was previously signed under YG Entertainment, which launched 2NE1 back in 2009. She departed the label in 2021 following the expiry of her contract, joined Abyss Company that same year, and is now going independent after five years with Abyss.

Sandara moved to the Philippines when she was 10 years old and rose to fame after finishing as a runner-up on “Star Circle Quest.”

She released several acting and music projects before returning to Korea where she debuted with 2NE1, and from time to time, Sandara returns to the Philippines for performances and the occasional holiday.

Philippines targets end-2026 for South China Sea code of conduct

The Philippines is pushing to complete a long-delayed South China Sea code of conduct by the end of 2026, with monthly negotiations now underway to resolve issues that have stalled talks for years, Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro said.

Speaking at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C. earlier this month, Lazaro said ASEAN and China were moving toward a deadline set by foreign ministers in 2023, when they said negotiations had taken too long and instructed that the code be finished within three years.

The Philippines is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ host and chair this year.

“On the code of conduct, that is a very important deliverable, and hopefully one for the end of the year,” Lazaro said at the forum June 4.

The proposed code is meant to set rules for conduct in the disputed waters, where China’s sweeping claims overlap with those of several Southeast Asian states, including the Philippines. It has long been viewed as a possible mechanism to manage tensions and prevent incidents from escalating.

ASEAN and China signed the nonbinding Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea in 2002, which set for the eventual adoption of a code of conduct. Formal negotiations on the code began years later in March 2018.

Lazaro said the talks are no longer being held only quarterly, but monthly.

“I think we are closing in on some important issues because there are four milestone issues there: the scope, whether the agreement is legally binding or not, the connection between the code of conduct and the declaration, and the terms of reference,” she said.

Even basic terms remain unresolved.

“I have to be very candid, even the definition of self-restraint has not been resolved after almost 10 years,” Lazaro said. “But slowly, it is moving, and our target is really toward the end of the year.”

Manila to reject weak South China Sea code

Lazaro said the Philippines would insist that any code remain within the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

“It is very important that this remain within the provisions of UNCLOS, and that no other regime should be accepted,” she said.

Asked about concerns that ASEAN and China could finish a code that turns out to be weak, Lazaro rejected the possibility.

“No. We will make sure, as the chair, that this code of conduct, we consider it a gift to the region, a gift to the world, and we have to finish it in the right and appropriate way,” she said.

The Philippines holds the ASEAN chairmanship this year, giving Manila a central role in steering the negotiations even as it continues to face repeated confrontations with Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea.

Lazaro linked the urgency of the talks to wider concerns over freedom of navigation, saying the South China Sea should not another Strait of Hormuz, the blockage of which affected global oil supply and trade when the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran in March. The Philippines, for one, has been dealing with skyrocketing fuel prices as a major oil importer.

“We do not want the South China Sea to be a choke point like what is happening in the Strait of Hormuz. Navigational areas should remain free, and that is one reason why we have to finish this code of conduct,” she said.

The code talks come as the Philippines prepares to mark the 10th anniversary of the 2016 arbitral award in July, when an UNCLOS tribunal rejected China’s expansive claims in the South China Sea. Lazaro described the ruling as “final, binding, and non-negotiable,” saying it is now part of the global legal corpus.

New beginning: Sandara Park launches own Aradnas record label

Korean singer Sandara Park enters a new chapter of her career after launching her very own record label.

Sandara, best known today as a member of K-pop girl group 2NE1, is going independent as a soloist following the launch of her Aradnas label, which is her name spelled backwards.

The label called the milestone a “new beginning” for Sandara, who is set to release new single album “rePRISM” on June 20.

“Starting with this, she plans to continue various activities, including festivals, fan concerts, and an Asia fan concert tour,” said Aradnas in a statement.

The fan concert tour will begin in Seoul’s YES24 Live Hall on July 4, with additional stops likely to be announced at a future time. Aradnas is already populating its freshly-made social media pages with photos of Sandara as wall promos for the ‘rePRISM’ single album and eponymous fan concert tour.

Sandara was previously signed under YG Entertainment, which launched 2NE1 back in 2009. She departed the label in 2021 following the expiry of her contract, joined Abyss Company that same year, and is now going independent after five years with Abyss.

Sandara moved to the Philippines when she was 10 years old and rose to fame after finishing as a runner-up on “Star Circle Quest.”

She released several acting and music projects before returning to Korea where she debuted with 2NE1, and from time to time, Sandara returns to the Philippines for performances and the occasional holiday.