The Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, Amina Mohammed, has paid glowing tribute to former President Muhammadu Buhari, who died in a London hospital on Sunday.
Mohammed served as Nigeria’s Minister of Environment from November 2015 to December 2016 during Buhari’s first term in office.
She, thereafter, went on to pick up her current role where she also chairs the United Nations Sustainable Development Group.
Speaking on Channels Television on Tuesday, she eulogised her former boss, recalling how he convinced her to represent Nigeria on the global stage.
Mohammed explained that although Buhari was not comfortable with politics, he gave his all in service to Nigerians.
The Presidency has revealed two reasons why the United States reduced visa validity for Nigerians.
Recently, the US government announced that it would give three-month single-entry visas to Nigerian applicants instead of the five-year multiple-entry visa that was the norm.
Although the US embassy in Nigeria initially said its decision was based on reciprocity, it later said the decision was part of a global decision to review its visa processes globally.
However, the Presidency, in a statement by President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the US government’s decision was based on the current rate of visa overstays by Nigerians and the need for reliable access to their record.
READ ALSO: FG Raises Concern Over US Visa Rule, Calls For Reconsideration
“The United States Government has officially communicated that its decision was based on two principal factors: the current rate of visa overstays by Nigerian nationals and the need for reliable access to their records,” the statement read in part.
According to the statement, the US “further explained that the visa policy adjustment was part of its global visa reciprocity process, which is routinely reviewed and subject to change, including the number of permitted entries and validity durations”.
The presidential spokesman stated that the overstaying of visas by some Nigerians and the US government’s intention to access some records of Nigerian visa applicants, inpossession of the Nigerian government, were the major reasons.
“In response, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed all federal agencies to ensure full compliance with Nigeria’s international obligations and to strengthen inter-governmental cooperation in authenticating the identities of individuals seeking consular services abroad.
“The President calls on all Nigerians to respect the immigration regulations of their host countries and to uphold the integrity of the permits and privileges granted to them under the laws of those jurisdictions,” the statement added.
The presidential spokesman noted that despite the US stance, the Nigerian government had said it would continue to issue five-year multiple-entry visas for American applicants.
He also weighed in on the controversy surrounding UAE visas to Nigerians.
“Regarding the new conditions for issuing UAE transit visas to Nigerian nationals, the Federal Government notes that it has not received any formal communication from the UAE authorities regarding a revised visa policy,” he said.
See the full statement below:
ON RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN VISA ISSUANCE POLICIES BY THE UNITED STATES AND THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
The Federal Government of Nigeria reaffirms its unwavering commitment to maintaining and strengthening the longstanding and cordial diplomatic relations with the Governments of the United States of America and the United Arab Emirates.
The recent changes in visa issuance policies affecting Nigerian citizens by these two countries have received the attention of the Federal government. Relevant Nigerian Ministries, Departments and Agencies are actively engaging to ensure that the concerns raised are addressed through appropriate and constructive channels.
The United States Government has officially communicated that its decision was based on two principal factors: the current rate of visa overstays by Nigerian nationals and the need for reliable access to their records. It further explained that the visa policy adjustment is part of its global visa reciprocity process, which is routinely reviewed and subject to change, including the number of permitted entries and validity durations.
In response, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed all federal agencies to ensure full compliance with Nigeria’s international obligations and to strengthen inter-governmental cooperation in authenticating the identities of individuals seeking consular services abroad. The President calls on all Nigerians to respect the immigration regulations of their host countries and to uphold the integrity of the permits and privileges granted to them under the laws of those jurisdictions.
Regarding the new conditions for issuing UAE transit visas to Nigerian nationals, the Federal Government notes that it has not received any formal communication from the UAE authorities regarding a revised visa policy. However, it is observed that visa issuance is currently progressing in a gradual and orderly manner.
The President appreciates the continued cooperation of the Government of the United Arab Emirates, which has remained constructive and engaged with Nigerian authorities. Any genuine concerns raised are being addressed through the appropriate channels, in a spirit of mutual respect and collaboration.
The President assures all Nigerians that his administration will continue to pursue the best possible outcomes for citizens abroad, ensuring that Nigerians can travel, work, and live with dignity and respect in any part of the world, in line with the Tinubu administration’s 4-D Foreign Policy agenda and its Diaspora plank.
He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to deepening Nigeria’s valued bilateral relations with the Governments of the United States and the United Arab Emirates.
Former MasterChef star John Torode has broken his silence after being axed from the long-running culinary series. Torode’s contract on the BBC show will not be renewed, the BBC and production company Banijay UK confirmed this evening.
In a statement shared on social media, he wrote: “Although I haven’t heard from anyone at the BBC or Banijay – I am seeing and reading that I’ve been “sacked” from MasterChef and I repeat that I have no recollection of what I’m accused of. The enquiry could not even state the date or year of when I am meant to have said something wrong.
“I’d hoped that I’d have some say in my exit from a show I’ve worked on since its relaunch in 2005, but events in last few days seem to have prevented that. Over the past few months, I have been considering my life and the shape of it now and in the future.
Gregg Wallace and John Torode will no longer appear on MasterChef ( BBC/Shine TV)
“Celebrity MasterChef, which I recently filmed with Grace Dent along with two fantastic Christmas specials will be my last.
“Personally, I have loved every minute working on MasterChef, but it’s time to pass the cutlery to someone else. For whoever takes over, love it as I have. I will watch fondly from afar as I now focus on the many other exciting projects that I have been working towards.
“My tummy will be grateful for a rest after 20 years of eating, but what a joy it has been. Life is everchanging and ever moving & sometimes personal happiness and fulfilment lay elsewhere. Thank you for the many years of MasterChef. JOHN TORODE.”
Australian-born Torode, 59, started presenting MasterChef alongside Gregg Wallace in 2005. On Monday night, Torode confirmed he was the subject of an allegation of using racist language that was upheld as part of a review carried out by law firm Lewis Silkin into the alleged behaviour of his co-presenter Wallace.
John Torode issued a statement on his social media account ( BBC)
A statement from Banijay UK said on Tuesday: “In response to John Torode’s statement, it is important to stress that Banijay UK takes this matter incredibly seriously. The legal team at Lewis Silkin that investigated the allegations relating to Gregg Wallace also substantiated an accusation of highly offensive racist language against John Torode which occurred in 2018.
“This matter has been formally discussed with John Torode by Banijay UK, and whilst we note that John says he does not recall the incident, Lewis Silkin have upheld the very serious complaint. Banijay UK and the BBC are agreed that we will not renew his contract on MasterChef.”
The Lewis Silkin report, commissioned by Banijay UK, found 45 out of 83 allegations against Wallace were substantiated, alongside two standalone allegations made against other people, including one for using racist language.
Torode confirmed on Monday night he was the person alleged to have used racist language but said he had “no recollection of the incident” and was “shocked and saddened” by the allegation.
A BBC spokesperson said: “John Torode has identified himself as having an upheld allegation of using racist language against him. This allegation – which involves an extremely offensive racist term being used in the workplace- was investigated and substantiated by the independent investigation led by the law firm, Lewis Silkin. John Torode denies the allegation.
“He has stated he has no recollection of the alleged incident and does not believe that it happened. He also says that any racial language is wholly unacceptable in any environment.
“The BBC takes this upheld finding extremely seriously. We will not tolerate racist language of any kind and, as we have already said, we told Banijay UK, the makers of MasterChef, that action must be taken. John Torode’s contract on MasterChef will not be renewed.”
In 2022, Torode was made an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours, for services to food and charity.
It comes after the BBC addressed the future of a series of MasterChef filmed last year, which has not yet been aired, on Monday, saying they had not made a final decision on broadcasting it.
Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs onTikTok,Snapchat,Instagram,Twitter,Facebook,YouTubeandThreads.
Tesla has launched its Model Y in India for about $70,000, a significant markup relative to its other major markets, reflecting the country’s high tariffs on electric vehicle imports, which CEO Elon Musk has long criticised.
The electric carmaker announced the price on Tuesday.
Deliveries are estimated to start from the third quarter, the US automaker is targeting a niche electric vehicle segment in India that accounts for just 4 percent of overall sales in the world’s third-largest car market.
It will compete mainly with German luxury giants such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz and South Korea’s Kia rather than domestic mass-market EV players such as Tata Motors and Mahindra Auto.
On Tuesday, Tesla opened its first showroom in Mumbai and began taking Model Y orders on its website, marking its long-awaited entry into the market where Musk once had plans to open a factory.
For now, Tesla will import cars into a country where tariffs and related duties can exceed 100 percent, driving up the price for consumers.
Tesla’s Model Y rear-wheel drive is priced at about $70,000 (6 million rupees), while its Model Y long-range rear-wheel drive costs roughly $79,000 (6.8 million rupees), according to the website.
Tariff pressures
The prices include the tariff and additional levies imposed by the state. There was no breakdown of the price on the website and Reuters could not immediately ascertain the listing price.
They compare with a starting price from $44,990 in the US, $36,700 (263,500 yuan) in China, and $53,700 (45,970 euros) in Germany.
At the media-only event at the showroom, Tesla displayed two Model Y cars made in China and its supercharger, which it will install at eight different locations in Mumbai and in and around New Delhi, where it is also expected to open its next showroom.
“We are here to create the ecosystem, to invest in the necessary infrastructure, including the charging infrastructure,” Isabel Fan, a regional director at Tesla, said at the launch event.
“We are building from 0 to 100. It will take time to cover the whole country.”
Grappling with excess capacity in global factories and declining sales, Tesla has adopted a strategy of selling imported vehicles in India, despite the duties and levies.
The US EV maker has long lobbied India for lower import tariffs on cars, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s officials remain in talks with US President Donald Trump’s administration to lower the levies under a bilateral trade deal.
Tesla’s US factories also do not currently make the right-hand drive vehicles that are used in India.
Although India’s road infrastructure has improved, traffic discipline – like lane driving – is still rudimentary, EV chargers are far and few and stray animals, including cattle, and potholes on the road are a big hurdle, even in cities.
BBC director-general Tim Davie has condemned the ‘serious racist term’ used by John Torode as it is confirmed that the Aussie chef’s MasterChef contract will not be renewed
Tim Davie condemns ‘serious racist term’ used by John Torode(Image: PA)
BBC director-general Tim Davie has condemned the “serious racist term” used by presenter John Torode, after it was announced his contract on MasterChef will not be renewed. Australian-born Torode, 59, started presenting MasterChef alongside Gregg Wallace in 2005.
On Monday night, Torode confirmed he was the subject of an allegation of using racist language that was upheld as part of a review carried out by law firm Lewis Silkin into the alleged behaviour of his co-presenter Wallace. Torode broke his silence on his sacking on social media this evening.
In an interview with BBC News on Tuesday, Davie said he saw the situation as an opportunity for the corporation to “reset”. He said he was not directly involved with the matter but was told about the recommendation not to renew Torode’s contract and was “happy that the team were taking action”.
He went on: “It’s really important that we are taking this seriously. It’s a reset where we make sure that people are living up to the values we expect across the board.”
John Torode and Gregg Wallace co-hosted the BBC cooking programme but both are now gone (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)
Asked exactly what Torode said, Davie replied: “I’m not going to give you the exact term, because I think, frankly it was serious racist term, a serious racist term, which does not get to be acceptable in any way, shape or form.”
A statement from production company Banijay UK released earlier said: “In response to John Torode’s statement, it is important to stress that Banijay UK takes this matter incredibly seriously.
“The legal team at Lewis Silkin that investigated the allegations relating to Gregg Wallace also substantiated an accusation of highly offensive racist language against John Torode which occurred in 2018.
“This matter has been formally discussed with John Torode by Banijay UK, and whilst we note that John says he does not recall the incident, Lewis Silkin have upheld the very serious complaint.
“Banijay UK and the BBC are agreed that we will not renew his contract on MasterChef.”
The Lewis Silkin report, commissioned by Banijay UK, found 45 out of 83 allegations against Wallace were substantiated, alongside two standalone allegations made against other people, including one for using racist language.
Torode confirmed on Monday night he was the person alleged to have used racist language but said he had “no recollection of the incident” and was “shocked and saddened” by the allegation.
A BBC spokesperson said: “John Torode has identified himself as having an upheld allegation of using racist language against him.
“This allegation – which involves an extremely offensive racist term being used in the workplace – was investigated and substantiated by the independent investigation led by the law firm Lewis Silkin. John Torode denies the allegation.
“He has stated he has no recollection of the alleged incident and does not believe that it happened. He also says that any racial language is wholly unacceptable in any environment.
Article continues below
“The BBC takes this upheld finding extremely seriously. We will not tolerate racist language of any kind and, as we have already said, we told Banijay UK, the makers of MasterChef, that action must be taken. John Torode’s contract on MasterChef will not be renewed.”
Davie insisted MasterChef does have a future with the broadcaster beyond 2028, when its current deal runs out, while presenting the corporation’s 2024/2025 annual report earlier on Tuesday.
John Torode was at the helm of MasterChef alongside former host Gregg Wallace for 20 years, but it was a chance meeting in the 1990s that led to the duo’s partnership
Zara Woodcock Showbiz Reporter and Casey Cooper-Fiske PA Entertainment Reporter
Australian-born chef John Torode was steering the ship of MasterChef alongside Gregg Wallace for two decades before they were both axed from the BBC programme. The production company behind MasterChef recently released a report into Wallace’s behaviour on the show, conducted by law firm Lewis Silkin.
The company’s investigation substantiated 45 of the allegations made against the presenter, the majority of which related to inappropriate sexual language and humour. Meanwhile, a small number of allegations relating to the star being in a state of undress and one claim of unwanted physical contact were also substantiated.
Torode, who hosted MasterChef for nearly 20 years alongside Wallace, confirmed recently he was the person alleged to have used racist language after an investigation into Wallace. However, John claimed he had no memory of making the comment and denies it ever happened.
READ MORE: ‘Life changing’ 48p-a-day supplement that gets rid of fatigue and leaves tummy ‘flatter’
John Torode and Gregg Wallace fronted MasterChef(Image: PA Wire/PA Images)
The BBC and Banijay soon confirmed they wouldn’t be renewing his contract as they both released a statement. Before the accusations against Wallace and Torode were known to the public, the show was a huge hit with fans.
It was initially dubbed MasterChef Goes Large when the pair took up presenting duties in 2005, after first crossing paths in the 1990s when Wallace, a greengrocer to London’s finest eateries for over 20 years, started supplying Torode’s ventures.
Born in Sydney, Australia in 1965, the 59-year-old was a regular chef on This Morning, sharing screen time with Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan, before gaining widespread recognition with Wallace on the reimagined version of the programme.
Alongside Wallace, Torode also fronted the spin-off Celebrity MasterChef and co-hosted an episode of the satirical BBC quiz Have I Got News For You in 2011.
John Torode previously issued a statement on his social media account(Image: BBC)
Their take on the show was a new rendition of the original series from 1990-2001, hosted by Loyd Grossman. Over the years, whispers have circulated that the duo didn’t see eye-to-eye off-camera, although Wallace has previously stated they are on good terms.
MasterChef’s Wallace once shared a candid moment about his friendship with co-star Torode, recounting during a 2012 interview with the PA news agency: “We drank some very good red wine and we finished with a couple of brandies. We talked about love, life, weight loss, hair loss – I’m very fond of John.”
John Torode received an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2022 for his contributions to food and charity, on which he commented: “I feel very privileged, it’s a real honour and I feel great about it.”
Before misconduct allegations against Wallace came to light, the pair marked MasterChef’s 20th anniversary with a bash at Fishmongers’ Hall in London, hosting over 70 guests with ties to the series.
Torode acknowledged the validity of one isolated instance of racial insensitivity found in an investigation(Image: Instagram)
However, as accusations arose, Torode reassured fans in December that he would stay with MasterChef, expressing his attachment to the show by saying he “loves being part of” it.
Later, on a Monday, Torode acknowledged the validity of one isolated instance of racial insensitivity found in an investigation that confirmed 45 out of 83 complaints against Wallace throughout his tenure on the show.
Torode addressed his forgetfulness about the perturbing claim on Instagram, stating that he had “no recollection of the incident” and was “shocked and saddened”.
Following this revelation, both MasterChef producer Banijay UK and the BBC made the decision that Torode’s contract would not be extended.
A Banijay spokesperson declared: “In response to John Torode’s statement, it is important to stress that Banijay UK takes this matter incredibly seriously.
“The legal team at Lewis Silkin that investigated the allegations relating to Gregg Wallace also substantiated an accusation of highly offensive racist language against John Torode which occurred in 2018.
“This matter has been formally discussed with John Torode by Banijay UK, and whilst we note that John says he does not recall the incident, Lewis Silkin have upheld the very serious complaint. Banijay UK and the BBC are agreed that we will not renew his contract on MasterChef.”
In addition to his television appearances, Torode is an acclaimed author with cookbooks such as Sydney To Seoul, My Kind Of Food and John And Lisa’s Kitchen, co-written with his wife Lisa Faulkner. He also used to own popular London dining spots The Luxe and Smiths Of Smithfield.
Torode shares four children with his spouse, actress and fellow culinary connoisseur Faulkner, whom he wed in 2019 following her Celebrity MasterChef triumph.
Follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.
Article continues below
READ MORE: Sol de Janeiro’s Discovery Set sale will get you travel-friendly body mists for £6 each
