APRIL 15, 2023

BY  Biz Carson and Devon Pendleton, Bloomberg News

(Bloomberg) -- Jeff Bezos should have his new superyacht in time for the summer.

The 417-foot (127-meter) Koru left a shipyard in the Netherlands last week and anchored Wednesday off the coast of Spain near Mallorca, where it’s undergoing tests.  

The Koru’s excursion is part of the sea trials where an owner puts the boat through its paces to make sure everything is working properly, according to a person familiar with its travels, who requested anonymity discussing private matters. It could return to the shipyard for final tweaks before being delivered.

The three-masted superyacht is estimated to have cost the Amazon.com Inc. founder more than $500 million. Bezos, 59, is the world’s third-richest person with a fortune of $126.2 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Previously known as Y721, the ship is now registered as Koru and is flying under a Cayman Islands flag. It’s the largest sailing yacht afloat, according to Boat International, and one of the biggest to be built by Alblasserdam, Netherlands-based Oceanco. 

Read More: Jeff Bezos’s New Superyacht Heralds Roaring Market for Big Boats

An Amazon spokesperson didn’t respond to a request for comment.

The superyacht’s size has caused a number of headaches for Bezos and its builders. The height of its masts was originally going to force the city of Rotterdam to dismantle a historic steel bridge, De Hef, for the boat to be able to make it to the ocean. 

City officials initially agreed to temporarily take apart the bridge’s central section, but Oceanco ended up retracting the request amid public outcry. The shipbuilder eventually towed the vessel out to sea without its masts. 

The size of the sails also meant that the yacht couldn’t have a helipad on board. Instead, Bezos and his helicopter pilot partner Lauren Sanchez will rely on a support boat, which is currently crossing the Atlantic with a destination of Gibraltar, according to vessel-tracking data.

APRIL 15, 2023

by Michael Kraw

Applying for a UK visa from Nigeria can be a complex process, but with the right guidance, you can successfully navigate it. This article provides a step-by-step guide for Nigerian citizens seeking to obtain a UK visa, whether for tourism, work, study, or other purposes.

1. Determine the Type of Visa You Need

The first step is to determine the type of visa that suits your purpose of travel. Common visa categories include:

• Standard Visitor Visa: For tourism, visiting friends or family, or short-term business purposes.
• Work Visa: For those with a job offer in the UK, such as Tier 2 (General) or Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) visas.
• Student Visa: For individuals who plan to study at a UK educational institution, such as the Student visa (previously Tier 4).
• Family Visa: For those joining family members who are already settled in the UK.

Visit the UK government’s visa and immigration website to learn more about different visa types and their requirements.

1. Complete the Online Application Form

Once you’ve determined the appropriate visa type, you’ll need to complete the online application form. Visit the UK government’s visa application website (https://www.gov.uk/apply-to-come-to-the-uk) to start your application. You’ll be asked to provide personal information, details about your travel plans, and the purpose of your visit.

1. Pay the Visa Fee

After completing the online application form, you’ll need to pay the visa fee. Fees vary depending on the type of visa and duration of your stay. Ensure you pay the correct fee for your specific visa category.

1. Schedule a Biometric Appointment

As part of the application process, you’ll be required to provide your biometric information (fingerprints and a digital photograph). You’ll need to schedule an appointment at a UK Visa Application Centre (VAC) in Nigeria, operated by Teleperformance. There are VACs located in Lagos and Abuja.

1. Gather the Required Documents

Before your biometric appointment, gather all the required documents for your visa application. Typical documents include:

• A valid Nigerian passport with at least one blank page.
• A recent passport-sized color photograph.
• Proof of finances, such as bank statements or pay slips.
• Proof of accommodation in the UK.
• Travel itinerary and booking confirmations.
• Employment or study-related documents, such as a job offer or admission letter.

Check the UK government’s website for a full list of required documents for your specific visa category.

1. Attend Your Biometric Appointment

Attend your scheduled biometric appointment at the UK VAC. Bring your appointment confirmation, application form, passport, and all required documents. Your biometrics will be taken, and you’ll submit your documents for processing.

1. Track Your Application

After submitting your application, you can track its progress online using the reference number provided at the UK VAC. Processing times vary depending on the visa type and application volume. Generally, it takes 15 working days for a decision, but it can take longer during peak periods.

1. Collect Your Passport and Visa

Once your visa application has been processed, you’ll receive a notification from the UK VAC to collect your passport. If your visa has been granted, it will be affixed to your passport. If your application was unsuccessful, you’ll receive a letter explaining the reasons for refusal.

Conclusion:

Applying for a UK visa from Nigeria can be a time-consuming process, but with careful preparation and attention to detail, you can increase your chances of success. By understanding the visa types, completing the online application, gathering required documents, and attending your biometric appointment, you’ll be well

APRIL 15, 2023

Authorities in Cyprus have revoked passports from three investors who acquired citizenship in this country through the Citizenship by Investment Scheme known as the Golden Passport Program, thus benefiting from Cyprus’ passports.

- Advertisement -

The decision, according to the government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis was taken after the “necessary investigation in this regard was undertaken,” SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.

A 2023 bill in order to protect the collective interest of consumers was also approved by the country’s cabinet.

“The bill modernises the existing institutional framework for protecting consumers’ collective interests,” which permits courts to order a stop to behaviours that go against the legislation on consumer protection.

The bill also includes new rules that courts are eligible to use in order to issue corrective decisions where consumers have been wronged.

Wealthy investors from foreign countries were eligible to acquire citizenship in Cyprus if they made a financial contribution of at least €2.5 million and met specific conditions.

Even though it helped Cyprus’ economy rapidly grow, attracting investors from China and Russia particularly, it also turned a blind eye to many unlawful affairs, including corruption, tax evasion and money laundering.

Cyprus abolished its Golden Passport Scheme back in 2020, following a report provided by Al Jazeera named the Cyprus Papers, which brought into light the fact that persons involved in illegal acts also managed to acquire residency in Cyprus through this program.

A previous report by AP revealed that Cyprus’ authorities revoked a total of 222 passports granted through the Citizenship by Investment Scheme. The deputy government spokeswoman Niovi Parisinou stressed that such figures also included a total of 63 investors and 159 of their relatives, including spouses, children and parents.

According to the Cyprus Probe report provided last year, 6,779 people benefited from this program for a period between 2007 and 2020.

Last year, the Audit Office found that the country’s Golden Visa Program remained rotten until the end, thus causing the loss of millions in public revenue.

Besides, the report also stressed that several actions of the Cyprus government officials could also account for criminal acts.

The government spokesman Marios Pelekanos noted that a response would come in the name of the government “as soon as possible after the findings of the report are studied with due diligence, alongside the findings of the [separate] Nicolatos inquiry and always taking into account the opinions of the attorney-general.”

Previously it was reported that the former President of the country’s Parliament and three other former Members of Parliament were charged with corruption over their involvement in the country’s Citizenship by Investment scheme.

APRIL 15, 2023

Make sure you don't get caught out by the new passport rules before it's too late…

BY JENNY SOUTHAN

Did you know that the expiry date on burgundy British passports might be meaningless when travelling to EU countries (except Ireland) or Schengen zone countries such as Switzerland, Norway and Iceland? This is because since Brexit, British passports cannot be more than 10 years old when used to travel to the EU – which means you need to look at the date the passport was issued, rather than the date it expires. Most people – understandably – assume that an adult passport lasts 10 years, but if your passport was issued before 1 October 2018, extra months might have been added to its expiry date if the previous passport was renewed before it fully expired (the additional months used to be rolled over).

In spite of being a travel journalist, I was caught out by this sneaky rule on a recent trip to France (you can read more on the FCO’s website). It was ironic because I was aware of it, and then forgot about it. I had completed a trip to the US just the previous week and hadn’t thought twice about a trip to France with my daughter for the Easter holidays because I still have seven months left on my passport – it expires in November 2023 (you need a minimum of three months to travel to the EU). So I checked in online with Easyjet – uploading my passport details as requested – travelled to London Gatwick with my four year old, had our passports checked before dropping off our suitcase, and then proceeded through security.

A couple of hours later we were queuing to board the plane, but when it came to our turn a member of Easyjet staff scanned my passport and it flashed up as “amber” on her screen. She sternly proceeded to tell me that my passport had expired and we wouldn’t be allowed to board. My daughter started crying and begging to be allowed to see her grandparents whom we were supposed to be visiting. The Easyjet representative was unsympathetic – insisting there was no way we could travel and telling me to step away from the gate. I was shocked – it felt like an arbitrary rule. She wouldn’t even acknowledge that it was confusing for flyers and accepted no responsibility on behalf of the airline for not flagging it during the booking or check-in process.

APRIL 15, 2023

Exclusive: You can travel where you wish within the CTA, but you are expected to carry some ID

by  Simon Calder  Travel Correspondent

Many travellers are concerned about potential delays in renewing their passports ahead of journeys this spring and summer.

A five-week strike by members of the PCS union working at HM Passport Office is under way, with 1,000 staff on strike in a dispute over Civil Service pay.

In addition, the Home Office has revealed it has no intention of reducing the current advice that travellers should allow 10 weeks for passport issue or renewal.

Since Brexit, rules for entering the European Union have become more complex with stipulations on the maximum age of a passport on departure to the EU (10 years) and the minimum validity on the day of return (three months).

As a result, some travellers may feel they are unable to venture overseas because they cannot guarantee having a valid document.

Yet thanks to agreements stretching back a century, British travellers can venture without a passport (subject to the airline’s policy) anywhere within the Common Travel Area (CTA). This comprises one EU nation – Ireland – as well as the “Crown Dependencies” of the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. You could think of the arrangement as a “Schengen Area for the British Isles”. The UK government says the CTA “underpinned the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement”.

These are the key questions and answers.

When and how did the CTA come into being?

The Common Travel Area is an open-borders agreement that predates such arrangements in Continental Europe. It has its origins in the border deals made in 1923 when formalising links between the newly created Irish Free State and the United Kingdom – comprising England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

It now also embraces the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey (including the smaller Channel Islands) and the Isle of Man, but not British Overseas Territories such as Gibraltar and Bermuda.

What benefits does it confer?

Numerically, by far the most significant benefits are for British and Irish citizens. They can “move freely between the UK and Ireland”. British citizens can work and take up residence in Ireland, and Irish citizens can do the same in the UK “without any requirement to obtain permission”. Professional qualifications are mutually recognised. And citizens of each country “have the right to access emergency, routine and planned publicly funded health services in each other’s state, on the same basis as citizens of that state”.

As a British citizen, what do I need to travel within the Common Travel Area?

To Ireland from Great Britain (England, Wales, Scotland)

The Irish government says: “There is no requirement for Irish and British citizens to carry passports when travelling within the Common Travel Area.

“However, it is the case that airline carriers in many instances require all passengers to have a passport in their possession before allowing them to board aircraft. This is not an immigration requirement.”

Ryanair demands a passport for all travellers from Great Britain to Ireland. The airline says: “A valid passport is required for travel with Ryanair between Ireland and the UK. No exceptions will be made. Driving licences are not acceptable for travel with Ryanair between the UK and Ireland.”

British Airways says: “If you are a citizen of the UK or Republic of Ireland who was born in that country you do not need a passport to travel between the two countries but you do require some form of photographic identification, such as a driving licence. All other travellers require a valid passport to travel between the two countries.”

Aer Lingus says acceptable identification includes:

• Valid passport or Irish passport card
• Driver’s licence with photo
• International student card
• Government issued photo ID cards
• Health insurance cards with photo/social security cards with photo
• Bus pass with photo
• Work ID with photo

Ferry companies follow the Aer Lingus policy, broadly.

To Ireland from Northern Ireland

The Irish government says: “For journeys on and across the island of Ireland, British and Irish citizens do not require any travel documents.”

To the Isle of Man

No passport necessary.

To the Channel islands

No passport necessary, but “All visitors do require some form of photographic identification”.

APRIL 16, 2023

Michael Freeman, Israeli ambassador to Nigeria, says direct flights from the country to Israel will begin on April 20, 2023.

Freeman, in an interview with NAN on Saturday, said the flight operations would be run twice weekly by Air Peace airline from Nigeria to Tel Aviv.

The Israeli envoy said the development was possible due to the support of the Nigeria’s government.

“On April 20, we will be starting direct air links between Israel and Nigeria; there will be twice weekly flights from Lagos, Abuja, and Tel Aviv with Air Peace airline,” Freeman said.

“This would not have been possible without efforts by the current administration. The ministers of aviation and foreign affairs were instrumental in making this happen.

“Now, it is important for us to make it clear that this government made this happen and we have to understand the positive differences these flights will make.

“At the moment, if you plan to fly to Israel, you have to go through Ethiopian, Turkish, or British airlines and experience 13 hours of delays overseas, whereas a direct flight is five hours and 20 minutes.

“The direct flights will do a number of things; especially, they will bring our countries closer together. “

Freeman also assured that the Israeli mission in Nigeria would work closely with the federal government to deepen diplomatic ties between the two nations.

He said Israel with its holy land and 3,000 years of history had been playing host to Christian, Muslim, and Judaism pilgrimage.

The envoy added that business relations between both countries would also improve since Nigeria is the largest economy in Africa and Israel is known for thriving businesses.

According to Freeman, the air transportation link will strengthen business opportunities, increase tourism potential, and enhance foreign currency flow to Nigeria as well.

PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES BETWEEN NIGERIA AND ISRAEL

“There are lots of areas where Israel and Nigeria can work together. I think the most important is in the area of human capital development,” he said.

“45 percent of Israel’s GDP comes from human capital and high-tech innovation. It is noteworthy that Israel is a country with no natural resources, but relies on human capital.

“In other areas such as agriculture, I believe that Israel and Nigeria can work together to create millions of jobs.

“Another area is homeland security. We can talk about education, health, and high-tech.

“New programmes will be developed by Nigerian innovators given  programme mentorship. Nigeria is a country with potential that I have ever seen.”

Freeman said Israel — a country with huge potential — is eager to share its knowledge and expertise with Nigeria.

Advertisement

He also expressed confidence that the incoming leadership in Nigeria “under Bola Tinubu will improve the lives” of citizens.

AIR PEACE CONFIRMS NIGERIA-ISRAEL FLIGHTS 

Advertisement

Corroborating Freeman’s disclosure on the development, Air Peace, Nigeria’s flag carrier, said scheduled flights operations to Israel would commence next Thursday.

In a tweet on Sunday morning, the airline announced bookings for flights from Nigeria to Tel Aviv.

“Are you ready for Israel kick-off? Save the date — April 20, 2023. Direct, non-stop flight connectivity to Tel Aviv from Lagos and Abuja,” Air Peace tweeted.

Last year, the airline had announced it readiness to operate direct flights to the Middle East nation.

APRIL 16, 2023

Another Nigerian startup airline claims to have received its air operator's certificate. Nigerian Eagle (operating as NG Eagle) airline is even reported to be in the running to act as a national carrier following litigation preventing Nigeria Air from taking to the skies.

NG Eagle, based at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, is a new startup airline formed partially from assets belonging to Arik Air. The prospective carrier is a 22 billion naira ($53 million) airline startup project by the state-owned Asset Management Corporation (AMCON). Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, however, has yet to confirm the Nigerian media reports that startup NG Eagle has finally been granted an air operator's certificate (AOC).

What is the latest on an operating certificate?

When reached by Nigeria's LEADERSHIP publication, Alex Nwuba, President of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of Nigeria, alleged NG Eagle had received an AOC for domestic operations, adding the airline was "potentially Nigeria Air," referencing the stalled national carrier. Government officials were more hesitant to confirm the news. When reached by ch-aviation, NCAA Spokesperson Sam Adurogboye said on Thursday, "I am not aware of an AOC to NG Eagle."

Discover more aviation news with Simple Flying.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) recently proposed amendments to civil aviation regulations. The motion would entail changing several processes, including acquiring and renewing Aircraft Operating Charters.

Where did it come from?

The startup carrier is a project of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), a department of the Federal Government designed specifically for the recovery of debts. There are reports that NG Eagle began with assets repossessed from one of AMCON's other assets, Arik Air, which was acquired in February 2017 due to "mismanagement" and significant debt.

The Nigerian National Assembly ruled in February 2022 declared NG Eagle would not be certified until Arik Air offsets an outstanding debt of 10.8 billion naira ($24.8 million). Unions in the country were divided on the subject as some argued it would increase employment in a country where the aviation industry is facing a lack of job opportunities instead of a shortage of pilots.

The Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals and the National Union of Pensioners warned the NCAA against granting NG Eagle its Air Operators Certificate based on the debt Arik Air owes the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria. Other unions have insisted that there is "no correlation between the legacy debt and the issuance of AOC by the regulatory body." The opposing unions described the call as provocative and irresponsible, citing that the two unions in question do not have members in Arik Air or NG Eagle.

The Chief Executive Officer of Arik Air, Captain Roy Ilegbodu, in a 2021 interview with AirInsight in Lagos, highlighted that the AMCON-owned airline NG Eagle is an entirely different entity from Arik Air (also owned by AMCON) as there is no connection between both airlines. Ilegbodu explained to the paper that the fact that two Arik aircraft livery were painted in NG Eagle colors was because the assets were mortgaged for a loan, and the owners (AMCON) took possession of their assets:

“In reality, there is no connection between the two. That said, you are aware that NG Eagle is solely owned by AMCON and of course you know that Arik Air itself is in receivership and the receivership was instituted by AMCON which is based on the fact that Arik owes significant sums of money to AMCON"

A third Boeing 737 belonging to Arik Air has since been spotted sighted at Ethiopian Airlines' Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, awaiting rebranding into the NG Eagle fleet.

APRIL 17, 2023

BY  Eric Ombok and Anurag Kotoky, Bloomberg News

(Bloomberg) -- Kenyan authorities reopened the only runaway at the nation’s main airport after removing a Singapore Airlines Ltd. cargo plane that aborted a takeoff.

“The plane has been removed from the runway albeit an hour later than we expected,” Kenya’s Transport Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said on Twitter. “Flights will resume shortly,” he said.

The Singapore Airlines-operated Boeing Co. 747 plane, which was en route to Amsterdam, stopped on the runway about 35 minutes after starting to taxi, data from Flightradar24.com showed. 

The aircraft “experienced a technical issue with one of its engines,” a spokesperson for the airline said. “The aircraft’s crew safely stopped the aircraft before take-off. Some of the aircraft’s tires, however, deflated as it came to a stop on the runway,” the spokesperson said. 

Singapore Airlines worked with the airport authorities to move the aircraft from the runway. The process of moving the plane required evacuating 100 tons of cargo and replacing damaged tires, Murkomen said. 

APRIL 20, 2023

The striking aviation unions on Tuesday vowed to have a total shutdown of the airports after seven days as they staged a procession to the…

 By Abdullateef Aliyu

The striking aviation unions on Tuesday vowed to have a total shutdown of the airports after seven days as they staged a procession to the international wing of the Murtala Muhammad International Airport (MMIA).

Security operatives also took over the venue of the protest where the unions converged on Monday, the first day of their two-day warning strike when the barricaded access roads.

The unions comprising the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE); Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP) and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Employees (NAAPE) are demanding implementation of conditions of service, halt in demolition of aviation agencies’ offices in Lagos, payment of relocation allowances, among others.

The activities at all the agencies including the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) were paralysed as their offices were locked.

General Secretary of ANAP, Comrade Abdulrasaq Saidu who spoke at the MMIA said, “After seven days, we go to a total shutdown, we will try to cut Nigeria away from other countries.”

He said, “For eight years, conditions of service were not implemented. Sirika usurped the functions of the governing boards, there is no check and balance.

“They wanted to coerce us to come to Abuja, but we didn’t go to the meeting. No conclusions, no genuine meeting with the government.”

The Federal Ministry of Aviation had on Monday urged the workers to embrace dialogue rather than industrial action.

APRIL 20, 2023

Dr Richard Montgomery CMG has been appointed British High Commissioner to the Federal Republic of Nigeria in succession to Ms Catriona Laing CB.

Dr Richard Montgomery CMG has been appointed British High Commissioner to the Federal Republic of Nigeria in succession to Ms Catriona Laing CB who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Mr Montgomery will take up his appointment during April 2023.

Curriculum Vitae

Full name: Richard Hugh Montgomery

Married to: Naheed Bilgrami

Children: Two

 >2015 to 2018

Date	Role
2018 to 2022
Department for International Development (DFID), Director, Asia, Caribbean & Overseas Territories (AsCOT) Division
2013 to 2015	Islamabad, Counsellor (Development) and Head of Office, DFID Pakistan
2009 to 2013	Abuja, Counsellor (Development) and Head of Office, DFID Nigeria
2006 to 2009	DFID, Deputy Director and Head of Corporate Human Resources, and Head of Security, East Kilbride
2005 to 2006	DFID, Deputy Team Leader, Top Management Group
2002 to 2005	Lusaka, Deputy Head, DFID Zambia
1999 to 2002	Dhaka, Senior Social Development Adviser, DFID Bangladesh
1996 to 1999	New Delhi, Social Development Adviser, DFID India
1993 to 1996	Swansea University, Lecturer in International Development, Centre for Development Studies
1992 to 1993	Manchester University, Research, Institute for Development Policy & Management
1992	GKW Consult Mannheim, Sociologist
1988 to 1991	University of Cambridge, Doctorate (Ph.D) in Social Anthropology