NIGERIA: President Buhari’s 55th Independence Day speech

55th Independence Day Speech by President Muhammadu Buhari

October 1st is a day for joy and celebrations for us Nigerians whatever the circumstances we find ourselves in because it is the day, 55 years ago; we liberated ourselves from the shackles of colonialism and began our long march to nationhood and to greatness.

No temporary problems or passing challenges should stop us from honoring this day. Let us remind ourselves of the gifts God has given us. Our Creator has bequeathed to us Numbers – Nigeria is the ninth most populated country on the planet. We have in addition:

Chaos Feared as Millions of Russians Gain Right to Go Bankrupt

From Oct. 1, for the first time in the country's history, millions of Russians who cannot pay back their debts will be able to file for bankruptcy.
The measure is meant to ease the financial situation of people struggling with repayments amid a deep recession, and it brings Russian law into line with similar systems in many other countries, where bankruptcy law gives rights and protections to both borrowers and banks.
However, analysts warned that the introduction of the legislation could lead to a huge number of bankruptcy cases that will strain the court system and cause serious losses to banks.
"Some unscrupulous borrowers are not repaying their loans on purpose and waiting for the new law to enter into force to declare bankruptcy," Sergei Grigoryan, head of analysis at the Association of Russian Banks, told The Moscow Times.

Polygamist sect limits sex to 'seed bearers,' court document says

It's hard to imagine that a convicted child rapist would be allowed to lead a church from prison, but that's exactly what's going on with Warren Jeffs.

Jeffs leads a polygamist sect known as the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It gained worldwide attention in 2006 when authorities accused Jeffs of sexual offenses against girls he took as wives. At one point Jeffs disappeared, prompting the FBI to put him on its 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list until he was captured.

In 2008, authorities raided the church's sprawling Texas ranch. Police removed more than 460 children from the property, including mothers under 18 years old. Authorities seized and shut down the ranch last year.

Taliban Kunduz attack: Afghan forces 'regain city'

Afghan officials say they have regained control of key areas of the northern city of Kunduz from the Taliban.
An operation launched overnight saw forces recapture government landmarks and inflict heavy casualties on the militants, officials said.
There has been no word from the Taliban, but fighting is reported to be ongoing.
The city's capture was a huge blow to President Ashraf Ghani, coming on the first anniversary of his taking power.

US accuses Russia of 'throwing gasoline on fire' of Syrian civil war

Washington has accused Moscow of throwing “gasoline on the fire” of the Syrian civil war, rejecting Russia’s claims that its first airstrikes in the war-torn country had targeted Islamic State terrorists.
In a dramatic escalation of the conflict in Syria, Russia launched a series of airstrikes on Wednesday that it said were aimed at Isis terrorists but which mainly appeared to hit less extreme groups fighting Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
The Russian gambit – the first time the country has launched major military action outside the borders of the former Soviet Union since the end of the cold war – came two days after the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, spoke to the UN and called for an international coalition against terrorism to fight Isis.

Students invent a condom that changes colour if you have an STI

Brilliant.

High school students in the UK have come up with the idea of a condom that changes colour when it comes into contact with the pathogens that cause sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as chlamdyida or herpes.
Their hypothetical condom, which they’re calling the 'S.T.EYE', would have molecules built into the rubber that attach to specific bacteria and viruses. These molecules would then cause the condom to fluoresce different colours in low light, depending on the pathogens present. For example, the condom could glow green for chlamydia, yellow for herpes, purple for human papillomavrius or blue for syphilis.

NIGERIA: Army Chief Buratai Reiterates Army’s Determination To End Insurgency By December

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has reiterated the military’s determination to end Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria in December, a statement said.
The statement was issued by the acting Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, in Abuja on Wednesday.
It said Buratai restated the commitment during a routine operational visit to frontline troops in parts of the Northeast.
“I want to reassure Nigerians that Nigerian Army is ever determined to succeed in meeting up with the set deadline of defeating Boko Haram terrorists by the end of this year,’’ it said.

Nigeria: Buhari Appoints Petroleum Minister, to Name Other Ministers Wednesday

Rather than trust anyone else with a key source of government revenue, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said Tuesday he will keep Nigeria’s oil portfolio for himself. However, Buhari also said he will appoint a minister of state in his new Cabinet who would oversee the daily running of the petroleum sector, according to Reuters.
“I intend to remain the minister of petroleum resources,” Buhari reportedly said Tuesday in an interview on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City.
Having been head of the petroleum ministry under military rule, there was earlier speculation that Buhari might indeed appoint himself to the powerful post as he works to overhaul the oil sector, which provides the Nigerian government with about 70 percent of its revenue.

Edward Snowden Set to Reach 1 Million Twitter Followers After Less Than a Day

Russia conducts first airstrike in Syria

Russia has conducted its first airstrike against ISIS in Syria, a Russian Defense Ministry spokesman said Wednesday.

The airstrike targeted ISIS military equipment, communications centers, vehicles and ammunition, Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said, as part of pinpoint strikes against ISIS ground targets.

But a senior U.S. administration official told CNN's Elise Labott the Russian airstrike near the city of Homs "has no strategic purpose" in terms of combating ISIS, which "shows they are not there to go after ISIL." ISIL is another acronym for ISIS.

The official said the U.S. had no intention of preventing the strikes but that Russian planes didn't seem to be flying in areas where the U.S. was operating. "They are not stupid," the official said.

The State Department said U.S.-led coalition missions were continuing as normal despite an advance warning and request from Russia to stay out of Syrian airspace.

Troops from U.S.-led mission fight Taliban near Afghan city

Taliban fighter talks with residents at the main square, a day after insurgents took control of the strategic northern city of Kunduz September 29, 2015

Special forces from the U.S.-led military coalition in Afghanistan battled insurgents on Wednesday near the northern city of Kunduz that was captured by the Taliban this week, a coalition spokesman and Afghan official said.
It was the first report of on-the-ground clashes between Taliban militants and foreign troops supporting their Afghan allies during three days of sometimes heavy fighting for control of the strategic city of 300,000.

Timbuktu mausoleum destruction suspect appears at ICC

A suspected Islamist militant accused of destroying cultural sites in Timbuktu has appeared before the International Criminal Court (ICC), in the first case of its kind.

Ahmad al-Faqi al-Mahdi is suspected of war crimes over the destruction of nine mausoleums and a mosque in the ancient Malian city in 2012.
He was handed over by Niger after the ICC issued a warrant for his arrest.
Islamists occupied the city until they were ousted by French forces in 2013.

Central African Republic prisoners escape in Bangui

Hundreds of inmates at a prison in the Central African Republic have escaped as a wave of violence left dozens dead.

After a Muslim taxi driver was killed, clashes erupted on Saturday between Christian militia and Muslim groups.
Members of a Christian militia known as the anti-Balaka attacked the prison on Monday, freeing hundreds of soldiers and militiamen.
The CAR has been wracked by violence since a mainly Muslim rebel group, the Seleka, seized power in March 2013.
The Seleka group was then ousted, sparking a wave of violent reprisals against the Muslim population, thousands of whom fled their homes.

PORT HARCOURT-Nigeria: Policeman to die by hanging for murder

A Rivers State High Court has sentenced one Inspector Samuel Timothy of the Nigeria Police to death by hanging for shooting and killing a sachet water dealer, Onyekachi Nwasouba.

The court’s ruling is coming about five years after Nwasouba was murdered by the police at about 5am on November 10, 2010 at No. 34, Old Aba Road, Port Harcourt.

Nwasouba, who was a graduate of Industrial Chemistry, was branded an armed robber by the police while he was on his way to distribute his products to customers within the Port Harcourt metropolis.

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The deceased was shot dead by a team of policemen, led by Timothy, at the front of his residence, even after he (Nwasouba) shouted to the hearing of the policemen that he was only a pure water producer and not an armed robber.

Ensure stolen funds’ return, Nigerian President Buhari urges world leaders

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday appealed to world leaders, in whose domain stolen funds and assets are being kept by corrupt individuals, to help return such to their countries of origin.

Buhari also called on the international community to urgently redouble its efforts at strengthening mechanisms for dismantling safe havens for proceeds of corruption.

He said in his address to world leaders at the 70th United Nations General Assembly holding in New York.

The President identified corruption, cross-border financial crimes, cyber crimes and human trafficking as major challenges of the 21st century, which he said the international community must work to collectively overcome.

Putin's UN Speech Fails to Surprise

A much-anticipated speech by President Vladimir Putin to the United Nations General Assembly on Monday saw the Russian leader criticize Western policy in the Middle East and Ukraine, but did not deliver any surprises or dramatic new policy initiatives.
The build-up to Putin's address was given blanket coverage by state-controlled media in Russia with newscasters and pundits promising a "historic" moment.
See the photo gallery: President Putin Attends UN General Assembly in New York

Much of the substance of the speech, which touched on climate change as well as the crisis in Syria, was ground that had been covered by Putin in previous interviews and hinted at in briefings by Russian diplomats.

Obama, Putin discuss Syria; essential difference over Assad remains

Russia and the United States agreed on Monday to look for a diplomatic end to the Syrian civil war but clashed over the central question of whether Syrian President Bashar al-Assad should retain power.
During a 90-minute meeting, U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed that their armed forces should hold talks to avoid coming into conflict in Syria after a Russian military buildup there over the last several weeks.
The United States, France and allied countries are bombing Islamic State militants, who have exploited power vacuums to seize parts of Syria and neighboring Iraq as part of a stated goal of creating an Islamic caliphate.

Putin steals Obama's thunder on the world stage

Vladimir Putin is back -- and stealing Barack Obama's thunder.

The Russian president showed up at the United Nations on Monday for the first time in a decade, proposing a coup against U.S. global leadership and seeking to wrest control of a coalition battling ISIS away from America's grip.

And he wasn't the only leader of a country challenging the United States to effectively upstage Obama at the annual global meeting, which a U.S. president traditionally uses to command the spotlight.

BREAKING: Rep McCarthy Running for Speaker

Republican U.S. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy officially announced his candidacy to replace John Boehner as speaker of the House of Representatives on Monday, promising to heal the party's divisions."If elected speaker, I promise you that we will have the courage to lead the fight for our conservative principles and make our case to the American people," McCarthy wrote in a letter to his House Republican colleagues. "But we will also have the wisdom to listen to our constituents and each other so that we always move forward together."

Sourced from reuters.com

Govt. workers have right to refuse gay marriage licenses: pope

Pope Francis said on Monday government officials have a "human right" to refuse to discharge a duty, such as issuing marriage licenses to homosexuals, if they feel it violates their conscience.
Speaking to reporters as he returned home from a 10-day trip to the United States and Cuba, Francis also repeated his condemnation of priests who had sexually abused children, saying the victims had been "crushed by evil".
Although the Argentine-born pontiff delved into some of the United States' thorniest political debates during his visit, he never specifically referred to a controversy over same-sex marriages, which the Church firmly opposes.

Burkina Faso coup guards RSP 'refuse to disarm'

A unit of guards that carried out a coup in Burkina Faso before handing back power is refusing to disarm.

The chief of army staff accused presidential guards of intimidating people carrying out the disarmament.
Interim President Michel Kafando was formally reinstated on Wednesday after an intervention from the army and several West African leaders.
On Friday, his government ordered the presidential guards' unit that carried out the coup to be disbanded.

BREAKING: Taliban seize half of Afghanistan's Kunduz city, police say

Hundreds of Taliban fighters have stormed the strategic northern Afghan city of Kunduz, seizing control of half of it, police say.

A police spokesman said militants had occupied some government buildings and heavy fighting was continuing.
One report said the Taliban had raised their flag in the city centre.
Monday's attack appears to be one of the most significant mounted on a provincial capital by the Taliban, correspondents say.

Abuja: Senate President'sTrial: Saraki, loyalists lobby emirs

Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki and some members of the Like Minds in the Senate have reached out to some emirs.
They are trying to explore ways of resolving the crisis of confidence between the Senate President and the Presidency, The Nation has learnt.
Some of them were said to be urging the emirs to prevail on the Federal Government to drop charges against Saraki, who is facing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) for alleged false declaration of assets.
But President Muhammadu Buhari may not accept under-the-table deal in matters relating to corruption, a source said.

Pope of the people, and the politics, in historic U.S. visit

Pope Francis dove into some of the United States' thorniest political debates during his historic visit by urging the world's wealthiest nation to welcome immigrants, to end homelessness and do more to address climate change.
Sometimes his political messages were blunt, like when he pleaded before the U.S. Congress for Americans to end "hostility" toward immigrants. Other times, they were more subtle, like the climate-conscious pope's decision to ride around in a tiny Fiat rather than a gas-guzzling SUV.
While Vatican officials said the pope was only re-stating Church social teachings and not making political statements in his first U.S. visit ever, many in the public and across the political landscape saw it differently.

Russia, Ukraine Reach Agreement on Gas Supplies

Ukraine will pay a price for Russian gas of around $230 per thousand cubic meters in the fourth quarter, including a discount, Russia's Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Saturday, Russian news agencies reported.
Russia cut off its gas supplies to Ukraine in July when an existing contract expired. Ukraine had refused to keep paying the price of $247 per thousand cubic meters that it had paid in the second quarter.

Liquid water exists on Mars, boosting hopes for life there, NASA says

Potentially life-giving water still flows across the ancient surface of Mars from time to time, NASA scientists said Monday in revealing a potential breakthrough in both the search for life beyond Earth and human hopes to one day travel there.

While the discovery doesn't by itself offer evidence of life on Mars, either past or present, it does boost hopes that the harsh landscape still offers some refuge for microbes to cling to existence.

"The existence of liquid water, even if it is super salty briny water, gives the possibility that if there's life on Mars, that we have a way to describe how it might survive," said John Grunsfeld, associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA.

British troops for Somalia peacekeeping mission

Dozens of British troops are to be sent to Somalia to help peacekeeping efforts to counter Islamist militants, David Cameron has announced.

Up to 70 personnel will join a United Nations contingent supporting African Union troops fighting al-Shabab.
Up to 300 could also be deployed in South Sudan over time.
The PM, who will pledge the support at the UN General Assembly summit, said the approach could help curb migrants coming to Europe.

Iran denounces Saudi Arabia over haj and demands apology DUBAI

Iran demanded an apology from Saudi Arabia on Sunday over the deaths of 769 people at the haj pilgrimage and accused it of trying to evade blame, while Riyadh in turn accused Tehran of playing politics with the disaster.
At least 155 Iranian pilgrims died in the crush of pilgrims on Thursday near Mecca and 300 other Iranians remain unaccounted for. Iranian officials say that, three days after the incident, they suspect most of the missing are dead too.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Muslim countries should demand Saudi Arabia be held to account for the deaths. The kingdom presents itself as the guardian of Islamic orthodoxy and custodian of its holiest places in Mecca and Medina.

CAR clashes in Bangui after Muslim taxi driver killed

Deadly clashes broke out in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic (CAR), after a Muslim motorbike taxi driver was killed.

About 20 people have been killed with at least 100 others wounded in the violence.
UN peacekeepers took up positions as the fighting spread from the city's only Muslim neighbourhood to an area where many Christians reside.
CAR has experienced religious and ethnic unrest for more than two years.

'God weeps,' pope says, after meeting clergy sex abuse victims

Pope Francis confronted the sexual abuse of children by Roman Catholic clergy on the final day of his U.S. visit on Sunday, meeting with five adults abused as children and vowing to hold accountable those involved in the crimes and cover-ups.
"I have in my heart the stories of suffering and the pain of the minors who were sexually abused by priests," the 78-year-old Argentine pope, speaking in his native Spanish, told bishops in Philadelphia after meeting privately with the victims, three women and two men.

Buhari misses UN’s Boko Haram meeting

President Muhammadu Buhari and his delegation were not present at a United Nation’s meeting to discuss and proffer solution to the problems of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
The United Nations, Chad, Niger and Cameroon appealed on Friday for help for millions of people in the Lake Chad Basin region forced to flee the violence of Boko Haram and hit with repeated droughts and floods that have brought malnutrition and disease.

Ukraine Bans Russian Airlines With New War Sanctions

Ukraine is banning flights by Russian airlines from Oct. 25 as part of a wave of sanctions against Russia over its support for separatists in the east of the country, the government said Friday.
Kiev said last week it was imposing restrictions on more than 90 companies or groups, mostly from Russia, and including airlines Transaero and Aeroflot, the national flag carrier.
Spelling out the details of the sanctions, Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk told a government meeting: "In accordance with a decision by the Security Council, the government of Ukraine is adopting a decision to ban flights by Russian companies, primarily Aeroflot and Transaero, to Ukraine."
The government website quoted him as saying: "Russian planes with the Russian tricolour have no business in Ukrainian airports."

On way to Philadelphia, Pope veers to see Statue of Liberty

Pope Francis flew over New York's Statue of Liberty and the former immigration station of Ellis Island aboard a helicopter on Saturday, in an unscheduled detour that gave him nostalgia for his home town Buenos Aires.
Flying to JFK International Airport to take a plane to Philadelphia, the pope asked the helicopter pilot to circle the landmarks, New York's Cardinal Timothy Dolan said.
"You could see he was very, very moved," Dolan told reporters. "And he said 'You know, Buenos Aires was a city of immigrants too,'" Dolan said.
The son of an Italian immigrant family and the first Latin American pope, Francis has taken up the plight of immigrants as one of the main issues of his papacy, along with climate change, economic equality and religious freedom

Burkina Faso coup leaders' assets frozen

Burkina Faso has frozen the assets of the leader of last week's failed coup, Gen Gilbert Diendere.

Another 13 people suspected of involvement have also had their assets frozen, the state prosecutor says.
Interim President Michel Kafando was reinstated on Wednesday after an intervention from the army and West African leaders.
On Friday, his government ordered the presidential guards' unit that carried out the coup to be disbanded.
At least 10 people were killed and more than 100 injured in clashes during the take-over which Gen Diendere described as "the biggest mistake".

Pro-Lawan senators move to impeach Saraki

There were indications on Friday that members of the Senate Unity Forum had started wooing senators loyal to the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki.

Saturday PUNCH reliably gathered that the move was part of fresh efforts to change the leadership of the Senate.

The group comprises senators, who were opposed to the emergence of Saraki as senate president.

It was learnt that the SUF members, who contacted the pro-Saraki senators, hinged their argument on the ongoing trial of the Senate President at the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

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It was gathered that the group might have succeeded in securing the support of 12 pro-Saraki senators, mainly the Peoples Democratic Party members.

Abuja: B’Haram: Prominent northerners engage marabouts to frustrate soldiers –Army

The Nigerian Army has raised the alarm that some prominent indigenes from the North-East are planning to subvert the on-going campaign against Boko Haram insurgency.

The Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, said in an electronic mail on Friday that the individuals and political groups were engrossed in looking for ways to reverse the gains of the war against the terror gang.

Usman alleged that those involved in the mischief were engaging marabouts, non-government organisations and others to frustrate the operation.

He said the Army was aware of the evil plan and would not tolerate the antics of those behind the plot, warning that the military would not hesitate to deal with them.

John Boehner's resignation sparks succession fight

John Boehner's sudden resignation is launching an unexpected leadership battle in Congress that may be a turning point for Republicans, likely pitting the establishment wing against tea party conservatives.

The Ohio Republican, who has served as the Speaker of the House since 2011, told colleagues in a closed-door gathering Friday morning that he would leave at the end of October, sending shockwaves through the chamber.

Even as Boehner's fellow lawmakers were still digesting the news, the speculation over who would succeed him had already begun. One person who is naturally next in line is House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, but this could be a moment for the tea party to make a splash.

Putin Praises American Qualities in Interview with U.S. Television

In excerpts from an upcoming American television interview, Russia's President Vladimir Putin said he admired American creativity and open-mindedness — a break from his usual anti-U.S. rhetoric ahead of a planned meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama.

CBS network's “60 Minutes,” an American TV news program, posted an interview preview on their website Thursday.

In the transcript correspondent Charlie Rose told Putin that he was a frequent subject of discussion in the U.S., to which Putin said, “Maybe they have nothing else to do in America but talk about me,” before laughing.

Under pressure from the right, House Speaker Boehner quits

U.S. House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner will leave Congress at the end of October after struggling with repeated rebellions by conservatives during a tumultuous five-year reign as the chamber's top Republican.
The 65-year-old Ohio lawmaker stunned Republican House members at a meeting on Friday morning with the announcement that he would leave the top job in the 435-seat chamber and resign his seat effective on Oct. 30.

US: Government finds new emails Clinton did not hand over

The U.S. Defense Department has found an email chain that Hillary Clinton did not give to the State Department, the State Department said on Friday, despite her saying she had provided all work emails from her time as secretary of state.
The correspondence with General David Petraeus, who was commander of U.S. Central Command at the time, started shortly before she entered office and continued during her first days as the top U.S. diplomat in January and February of 2009.
The Defense Department provided the emails to the State Department in "the last several days," State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement.

Burkina Faso coup guards unit to be disbanded

Sourced from BBC

A unit of guards that carried out a coup in Burkina Faso last week before handing back power is to be disbanded.

The interim government announced it was disbanding the presidential guard.

Interim President Michel Kafando was formally reinstated on Wednesday after an intervention from the army and several West African leaders.

Coup leader Gen Gilbert Diendere admitted the putsch had been "the biggest mistake". "We knew the people were not in favour of it," he said.

At least 10 people were killed and more than 100 injured in clashes during the take over.

The node pole: inside Facebook's Swedish hub near the Arctic Circle

From the outside, it looks like an enormous grey warehouse. Inside, there is a hint of the movie Bladerunner: long cavernous corridors, spinning computer servers with flashing blue lights and the hum of giant fans. There is also a long perimeter fence. Is its job to thwart corporate spies? No – it keeps out the moose.

Nigeria reaches polio 'milestone'

Nigeria is set to be removed from the list of polio endemic countries in what is being regarded as a "milestone" on the quest to eradicate the disease.

The announcement by the World Health Organization, is expected at a meeting of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in New York.
It follows Nigeria going more than a year without a case of wild - naturally occurring - polio.
Three years without cases are required before it can be declared polio free.
It will mean there will be just two endemic countries - Pakistan and Afghanistan - where transmission of the paralysing virus has never been interrupted.

BREAKING: Matthias Mueller named Volkswagen CEO

Matthias Mueller named Volkswagen CEO, in wake of scandal of rigging emissions tests in diesel cars

Nigeria's Boko Haram fighters surrender

Some 200 members of the Boko Haram Islamist militant group have given themselves up, in the biggest such surrender, Nigeria's army says.

The fighters are said to have handed themselves over in the town of Banki on the border with Cameroon.
The military earlier said the town had been recaptured from Boko Haram but there is no independent confirmation.
Some 17,000 people are said to have been killed in the six-year insurgency, mainly in northern Nigeria.

LAGOS Nigeria: Saraki Vs CCT: We can’t overlook a lot of things -Tinubu

Apparently reacting over the ongoing trial of the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki by the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu yesterday said the present administration cannot overlook certain things in its fight against corruption.
Meantime, Tinubu has called on Nigerians to often put God and the nation first in their daily activities, saying “What is missing (in Nigeria) is patriotism, dedication to God and to our people.
Tinubu in an interview after observing his two rakat prayer as part of the activities for the

Nigerians among 717 Saudi stampede victims

No fewer than 717 people, including Nigerians, taking part in the Hajj pilgrimage were yesterday killed in a stampede near the Islamic holy city of Mecca.

Another 863 people were injured in the incident at Mina, which occurred as two million pilgrims were taking part in the Hajj’s last major rite.

It is the deadliest incident to occur during the Hajj in 25 years. About two million people are performing Hajj this year including 70,000 Nigerians.

A U.S. official told CNN Thursday that Russian fighter jets turned off their transponders as they flew into Syria in an apparent attempt to avoid detection. The official said the fighters flew very close to a transport plane that had its transponder on and functioning.

U.S. satellites rapidly saw that the aircraft were there, according to the official.

The assessment over the weekend was that the fighter jets were on their way. The same official said the Russians have begun flying drones around the coastal city of Latakia.

With no ISIS fighters in the area, the move raises serious questions about the Russians' intentions with their military buildup, which the U.S. has questioned the purpose of and watched with wariness. The action points to a higher likelihood that the Russian plan is to prop up Syrian President Bashar al-Assad rather than fight the terror group.

Putin has called Elton John after prank, Kremlin says

This time, Elton John appears to have had an actual phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Putin called the British musician Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Russian state-run Sputnik news agency, days after news emerged that a prankster claiming to be the Russian leader had phoned him to talk about gay rights.

In the real Putin-John call, the Russian President agreed to meet the singer if their schedules coincided, Peskov said.

Energy Sector Accounts for 98% of Russian Corporate Profits

Oil and gas companies earned 98 percent of all profits made by large Russian firms last year, a new ranking showed, making a mockery of attempts to wean Russia off its reliance on energy exports.
A list by the RBC news agency of the biggest 500 Russian companies — whose combined revenues equaled 77 percent of the country's economic output — also found that their combined net debt rose by almost two-fifths to 15.9 trillion rubles ($283 billion under the exchange rate at the end of 2014), an amount slightly larger than the entire Russian federal budget for that year.

Hajj stampede: witnesses blame Saudi officials and police as King Salman orders review

A pilgrim prays on the Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, near the holy city of Mecca. Photograph: Mosa'ab Elshamy/AP

Witnesses to a stampede that left more than 700 people dead at the hajj in Saudi Arabia on Thursday blamed Saudi authorities and said they were afraid to continue the rituals.
The worst tragedy in 25 years at the annual Muslim pilgrimage occurred on Thursday during the symbolic stoning of the devil at Mina, just outside the holy city of Mecca.

U.S. directs up to $45 million to support countries fighting Boko Haram

The White House said on Thursday that it would send up to $45 million in defense services, including military training, to support African countries in their efforts to defeat the militant Islamist group Boko Haram.
Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria will receive support that builds on the training and

Breaking: Obama and Putin to meeet next week

It has been confirmed from reliable sources that United states President Obama and Russian counterpart are to meet in Ukraine next week.

Pope rounds up his 50 minutes address to a joint session of US congress

Pope Francis raised lots of issue mostly political and religious. One among this issue is to abolish  of capital punishment.

Pope address to a Joint Session of US Congress

If we want security, let us give security; if we want life, let us give life; if we want opportunity, let us provide opportunity. The yardstick we use for other is the yardstick which time will use for us

Usher Quietly Got Married And Honeymooned in Cuba

According Times R&B star Usher has married his girlfriend Grace Miguel — an affair so quiet that the world didn’t catch wind of it until Miguel posted a picture to Instagram of the two on what appears to be a Cuban honeymoon.

The lovebirds had reportedly been engaged since February, but plans for a larger wedding in Usher’s hometown of Atlanta apparently gave way to the decision to elope in relative secrecy.

The hajj pilgrimage in Saudi and what it means in Islam

MOUNT ARAFAT, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Each year between 2 to 3 million Muslims from around the world take part in a five-day pilgrimage in Mecca called the hajj. They circle Islam's most sacred site, the cube-shaped Kaaba, and take part in a series of intricate rituals. Here's a look at some questions and answers about Islam's holiest site and the pilgrimage:
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WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE HAJJ?
Muslims believe that taking part in the hajj pilgrimage leads to a spiritual rebirth. The Quran holds that on the Day of Judgment, God will weigh a person's sins and good deeds and based on that they will face heaven or hell. The hajj is seen as a chance to wipe clean past sins and start fresh. Many unveiled women return from the hajj covering their hair in an effort to remain devout.

BREAKING: BMW Drops on Report That X3 Diesel's Emission Exceeded EU Limit

BMW AG fell as much as 9.3 percent in Frankfurt after a German magazine reported that the X3 xDrive 20d sport utility vehicle emitted as much as 11 times the European limit for air pollution in a road test, adding to concern that the investigation weighing on Volkswagen AG may spread to other manufacturers.

The SUV was road-tested by the International Council on Clean Transportation,

Nigeria's Boko Haram crisis: Cars banned in Borno state

Nigeria has banned all cars, public transport, horses, donkeys and camels in Borno state to prevent an attack by militant group Boko Haram over the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday.

The ban came into effect on Wednesday evening and lasts until Friday.
Borno is the home of Boko Haram and its state capital Maiduguri was hit by a triple bombing on Sunday which killed at least 54 people.

Death toll rises to 700 in stampede at hajj in Saudi Arabia

Death toll is said to have increased to 7000 while hundreds of pilgrims are said to have sustained various degree of injuries in a stampede in the Saudi city of Mina, according to DW.

ABUJA, Nigeria: Senate President Saraki’s trial: PDP plots to pick Senate president

Barely 24 hours after the arraignment of Senate President Bukola Saraki, some of his loyalists and Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) senators are planning to fight back, according toThe Nation newspapers has learnt.

They are said to be working on a plan which will lead to the election of a new Senate President from the opposition party, should Saraki be convicted by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) – the “worst case scenario”.

UK, France and Germany lobbied for flawed car emissions tests, documents reveal

The UK, France and Germany have been accused of hypocrisy for lobbying behind the scenes to keep outmoded car tests for carbon emissions, but later publicly calling for a European investigation into Volkswagen’s rigging of car air pollution tests.
Leaked documents seen by the Guardian show the three countries lobbied the European commission to keep loopholes in car tests that would increase real world carbon dioxide emissions by 14% above those claimed.

Egypt releases Al Jazeera journalists Fahmy and Mohamed

Two Al Jazeera journalists jailed in Egypt for broadcasting false news have been freed after receiving pardons from President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi.

Mohammed Fahmy, a Canadian, and Baher Mohamed, an Egyptian, were among 100 prisoners whose release was ordered.

State media said a third person from the case was also pardoned. It is not clear if this is the Australian Peter Greste, who was deported in February.

China's Xi promises better investment climate, cyber war deal seen

Seeking to warm bilateral ties and project a sunny climate for U.S. business, Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed on Wednesday to cut restrictions on foreign investment, while his chief Internet regulator appeared to lay the groundwork for a basic agreement later this week on cyber warfare.
Xi's busy stop on the West Coast is the first leg of a week-long trip to the United States and offers him a chance to highlight China's cooperation with U.S. companies before he heads to Washington, where he will contend with the full spectrum of irritants in relations, from tension in the South China Sea to human rights.

VW recall letters in April warned of an emissions glitch

In April of 2015, Volkswagen of America, Inc.(VOWG_p.DE) sent letters to California owners of diesel-powered Audis and Volkswagens informing them of an “emissions service action” affecting the vehicles.
Owners were told they would need to take their cars to a dealer for new software to ensure tailpipe emissions were "optimized and operating efficiently."
The company didn’t explain that it was taking the action in hopes of satisfying government regulators, who were growing increasingly skeptical about the reason for discrepancies between laboratory emissions test results and real world pollution from Volkswagen’s diesel cars.

Kremlin Threatens Response to U.S. Nuclear Bomb Deployment in Germany

The Kremlin on Wednesday lashed out at U.S. plans to modernize 20 nuclear weapons stationed at a German airbase, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov characterizing the move as a potential "violation of the strategic balance in Europe," that would demand a Russian response.
The reaction comes after German television station ZDF on Tuesday cited a Pentagon budget document saying that the U.S. Air Force would deploy modernized B61 nuclear bombs to Germany's Buchel air force base this autumn — replacing the 20 weapons already at the site — as part of a broader nuclear modernization initiative launched by the U.S. in 2010.

EU refugee summit in disarray as Donald Tusk warns greatest tide 'yet to come'

Emergency talks end with pledge of hundreds of millions of euros to help transit countries as European Council president says greatest challenge is yet to come

Ian Traynor in Brussels,

 

Thursday 24 September 2015 03.03 BST Last modified on Thursday 24 September 2015 08.10 BST

European heads of government met in Brussels on Wednesday night in an attempt to bury months of mutual mudslinging over the EU’s biggest ever refugee crisis, but failed to come up with common policies amid signs they were unable to contain and manage the migration emergency.

Volkswagen chief executive Martin Winterkorn resigns

Volkswagen chief executive Martin Winterkorn has resigned following the revelation that the firm manipulated US diesel car emissions tests.

Mr Winterkorn said he was "shocked" by recent events and that the firm needed a "fresh start".
He added that he was "not not aware of any wrong doing on my part" but was acting in the interest of the company.
VW has already said that it is setting aside €6.5bn (£4.7bn) to cover the costs of the scandal.
The world's biggest carmaker admitted last week that it deceived US regulators in exhaust emissions tests by installing a device to give more positive results.

Burkina Faso coup: Michel Kafando 'back in charge'

Burkina Faso's interim President Michel Kafando has said he is back in charge and civilian rule restored after last week's military takeover.

His announcement came as coup leader Gen Gilbert Diendere went to welcome several African leaders arriving to oversee the transfer of power.
His presidential guard agreed to a deal overnight with the regular army to avoid violence.
They pledged to return to barracks and the army to withdraw from the capital.

EFCC re-arraigns Lamido, two sons, others for graft

A former governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, and his two sons – Aminu Sule Lamido and Mustapha Sule Lamido, were on Tuesday arraigned before Justice Ademola Adeniyi of a Federal High Court in Abuja, on a 27-count amended charge bordering on corruption and money laundering.

Also arraigned with them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission were Aminu Wada Abubakar, Batholomew Darlington Agoha and companies through which they perpetrated the alleged fraud.

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The companies are Bamaina Holdings Limited, Bamaina Company Nigeria Limited, Bamaina Aluminium Limited and Speeds International Limited.

Lamido and others accused had on July 9, 2015, been arraigned before Justice Evelyn Anyadike of a Federal High Court in Kano, over misappropriation of funds belonging to Jigawa State.

Their case was later transferred to the FHC, Abuja, where a vacation judge, Justice Gabriel Kolawole, granted them bail and adjourned the matter till September 22, 2015.

At the resumed hearing on Tuesday at the Abuja FHC, counsel for the EFCC, Chile Okoroma, presented the court with the amended charge, dated September 15, 2015, which added Agoha, Manager, Speeds International Limited, as one of the accused persons.

The case was, however, adjourned briefly to allow the registry assign a new charge number to the amended charge sheet, since the case was originally heard in Kano.

But when the charges were read to them, all the accused pleaded not guilty and the case was thereafter adjourned till October 21 and 22.

Burkina Faso coup leaders sign deal to end crisis

Burkina Faso's coup leaders have agreed to a peace deal with the regular army to avoid an outbreak of violence.

It was signed overnight in front of the West African nation's most influential traditional ruler, the Mogho Naba.
Under the agreement the presidential guards behind last week's coup pledged to return to their barracks and the army to withdraw from the capital.

Volkswagen needs to explain away software to avoid criminal charges, experts say

Raindrops are seen on the badge of a diesel Volkswagen Passat in central London, Britain September 22, 2015.

Reuters/Stefan Wermuth

Volkswagen AG (VOWG_p.DE) will probably have to show there was some legitimate reason to install software that led to false vehicle emissions tests if it is to avoid U.S. criminal charges, lawyers said on Tuesday.