Nigeria Ranked One of World’s Most Unstable Countries

Source: THISDAY LIVE

The Fund for Peace, a Washington D.C.-based non-profit, non-governmental research and educational institution, has ranked Nigeria as one of the world’s most unstable countries.

In its 12th annual Fragile States Index (FSI) released wednesday, Fund for Peace ranked Nigeria alongside war-torn Afghanistan, Haiti, Iraqi, Guinea, Pakistan, Burundi and Zimbabwe.

It stated that the situation in Nigeria deteriorated in 2015 when compared with 2014.

Fund for Peace cited the economic downturn occasioned by the fall in oil price and the activities of Boko Haram in the North-eastern part of Nigeria for classifying Nigeria among countries where peace deteriorated in 2015.

AUSTRALIA: Party platforms, stability named as voters' top influences

 Source: ABC NEWS

The parties' platforms and "stable government" are the two greatest influences on how Australians plan to vote in Saturday's federal election, new Vote Compass data suggests.
The policy tool asked voters to nominate what was most likely to influence their decision: 30 per cent chose "party platform" and 23 per cent nominated "stable government".
University of Sydney political scientist Simon Jackman said the high level of people selecting "stable government" (23 per cent) was "clearly a vote for the incumbent".
"And that's clearly been a theme of the incumbent Liberal National Coalition this time around," he said.

U.S. Proposes Closer Ties with Russia on Syria

Source: THE MOSCOW TIMES

U.S. President Barack Obama has set out a possible new agreement on military cooperation between Russia and the U.S. in Syria, the Washington Post reported Thursday.
The agreement would see the two countries cooperating more closely in the fight against the Islamic State if Russia agrees to stop the Assad government from bombing U.S-backed rebel groups, an unidentified White House official told the newspaper.

U.S. opens investigation in Tesla after fatal crash in Autopilot mode

 

 Source: REUTERS

A fatal accident in which the driver of a Tesla Motors Inc (TSLA.O) Model S car operating in Autopilot mode was killed in a collision with a truck has prompted an investigation by federal highway safety regulators, the U.S. government and Tesla disclosed on Thursday.

The investigation of the first known fatality to involve a Model S operating on Autopilot comes as Tesla and other automakers are gearing up to offer systems that allow vehicles to pilot themselves under certain conditions across a wide range of vehicles over the next several years.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it is investigating 25,000 Model S sedans that are equipped with the Autopilot system.
The accident, which according to a report from the Florida Highway Patrol killed 40-year-old Joshua Brown on a clear, dry roadway on May 7 in Williston, Florida, will add fuel to a debate within the auto industry and in legal circles over the safety of systems that take partial control of steering and braking from drivers.

Nigerian city of Lagos shuts 'noisy' churches and mosques

Source: BBC

Authorities in Nigeria's Lagos State have shut 70 churches and 20 mosques in an attempt to reduce high noise levels.

About 10 hotels, pubs and club houses were also closed, officials said.
Some estimates put Lagos' population at around 20 million, creating a constant background of noise - from the blaring of car horns, to the Muslim call to prayer and loud singing in churches.
The state government has vowed to make the city, the biggest in Africa, noise-free by 2020.

China June PMIs fall to 4-month low

 

Source: CNBC

Manufacturing momentum in the world's number two economy skidded to a four-month low in June, according to twin surveys released on Friday.
The government's manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), a survey that tracks the health of large and state-owned companies, came in at 50.0 last month, versus 50.1 logged in May and April. The report was bang in line with Reuters' estimates and marked the weakest result since February's 49.0 figure.

Lawyer Withdraws Suit Seeking Buhari’s Disqualification for Lack of Certificate His life allegedly threatened

Source: THISDAY LIVE

A legal practitioner, Mr. Nnamdi Nwokocha-Ahaaiwe, has filed a notice at the Federal High Court in Abuja to discontinue the suit he instituted seeking the disqualification of President Muhammadu Buhari for lack of certificate.

Nwokocha-Ahaaiwe had alleged that Buhari was not qualified to aspire for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria because he did not sit for the Cambridge West African School Certificate (WASC) in 1961 as he claimed.

The notice of discontinuance dated June 27 and obtained by THISDAY, read: “Take note that the plaintiff in this originating summons, Nnamdi Nwokocha-Ahaaiwe, hereby discontinues this action.”

THISDAY checks revealed that following the withdrawal of the suit from court, the trial judge, Justice Ademola Adeniyi will today sit and accordingly strike out the case.

3 women, 5 kids of a family killed in Mumbai fire

Source: TIMES OF INDIA

MUMBAI: Three women and five kids of a family were killed on Thursday when a fire broke out in a two-storey structure at Juhu-galli slum in Mumbai's (West) Andheri West area.

Two people sustained serious burn injuries in the incident.

"There was a medical store on the ground floor of Vigham Mistri chawl and a Khan family used to live on the upper floor. The fire started around 6am in the medical store when the family members were asleep," said an official.

Beijing defiant on South China Sea as international court nears judgement on Philippines case

Source: CNBC

An international court will issue a judgement next month on the Philippines' case against China over disputes in the South China Sea.
But China's made it clear that it will have none of it.
Manila is contesting China's expansive territorial claims in the South China Sea, which the Philippines contends are invalid under international law.
China bases its territorial claim on a so-called "nine-dash line" that it has drawn over most of the resource-rich South China Sea.
Control of the region is valuable because more than $5 trillion worth of global trade passes through the South China Sea each year, and China has been accused of ramping up tensions over control in recent years by building artificial islands on reefs, on which it has added airstrips and other military-style installations.
For now, China's staying defiant.

Erdogan Blinks First in Russian-Turkish Impasse

Source: THE MOSCOW TIMES

Seven months ago, the country watched on television as a Russian fighter jet fell to earth in a stream of flame. It had been shot down by a Turkish warplane over the border with Syria.
The nation froze, and waited for President Vladimir Putin to respond. It was the first major setback of Russia's intervention in the Syrian civil war. Two servicemen were dead. Would Russia take revenge? Hours passed before Putin, barely controlling his anger, appeared before the cameras. This is a "stab in the back," he said, and demanded an apology.
But Turkey's president, Recep Erdogan, was obstinate. Annoyed by Russia's support for his enemy, Syrian President Bashar Assad, he insisted the Russian plane had violated Turkish airspace. Moscow should apologize, he said, not him. As a result, diplomatic relations ruptured, and Moscow imposed sweeping sanctions.

EgyptAir crash: Flight MS804 black box 'confirms smoke'

 

 Source: BBC

 

A black box recording from crashed EgyptAir flight MS804 confirms smoke on board, Egyptian investigators say.

The flight from Paris to Cairo plunged into the Mediterranean Sea on 19 May, killing all 66 people on board.
Automated electronic messages sent by the plane had shown that smoke detectors went off in a toilet and in the avionics area below the cockpit, minutes before the plane disappeared.
The recorded data are consistent with those messages, investigators said.

North America leaders mount strong defense of trade despite threats

Source: REUTERS

Canada, the United States and Mexico on Wednesday mounted a fierce defense of free trade, vowing to deepen economic ties despite an increasingly acrimonious debate about the value of globalization.

U.S. President Barack Obama and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto also took swipes at U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who has vowed to renegotiate or scrap the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) if he wins November's election.

"The integration of national economies into a global economy: that's here, that's done," Obama told a news conference at the end of a summit dubbed the "Three Amigos".

"And us trying to abandon the field and pull up the drawbridge around us is going to be bad for us," he said after the talks, hosted by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Nigerians Split over Negotiating with Niger Delta Militants

Source: THISDAY LIVE

The Nigerian federal government is trying to talk its way out of an unfolding crisis in its oil-producing Niger Delta region, but activists and traditional leaders are divided over whether negotiation is the best solution.

The Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, said the government wants to work with the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), a militant group whose months of attacks on oil pipelines succeeded in reducing Nigeria’s oil production by as much as 50 per cent.

It is unclear if talks have already begun. An official at the state-owned oil company told the Voice of America (VOA) last week that the government and the Avengers had agreed to a ceasefire, a position the group denied on Twitter.

Top US diplomat John Kerry says Brexit may not happen

Source: CHANNEL NEWSASIA

WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Tuesday (Jun 29) that Britain's vote to leave the European Union might never be implemented and that London is in no hurry to go.
Speaking one day after talks with Prime Minister David Cameron, Kerry said the outgoing British leader feels "powerless" to negotiate a departure he does not want.
"This is a very complicated divorce," Kerry told the Aspen Ideas Festival, referring to Britain's negotiated exit from the EU after last week's "Brexit" referendum.
Kerry, who visited Downing Street on Monday, said Cameron was loath to invoke "Article 50" of the Lisbon treaty, which would trigger a two-year timetable for departure.

Russian Senator Against Criminalizing Familial Abuse

Source: THE MOSCOWTIMES

Senator Yelena Mizulina has urged the Federation Council to reject a bill that would criminalize familial abuse, the Meduza news website reported Tuesday.
Allowing family members to be prosecuted for abuse, especially abuse for the sake of educational purposes is problematic for Mizulina — an invasion of familial privacy and a means for juvenile justice, the report said.

Donald Trump vows to rip up trade deals and confront China

Source: CNBC

Donald J. Trump vowed on Tuesday to rip up international trade deals and start an unrelenting offensive against Chinese economic practices, framing his contest with Hillary Clinton as a choice between hard-edge nationalism and the policies of “a leadership class that worships globalism.”
Speaking in western Pennsylvania, Mr. Trump sought to turn the page on weeks of campaign turmoil by returning to a core set of economic grievances that have animated his candidacy from the start. He threatened to withdraw from the North American Free Trade Agreement and pledged to label China a currency manipulator and impose punitive tariffs on Chinese goods.

Helium discovery a 'game-changer'

 

 Source: REUTERS

Scientists have discovered a large helium gas field in Tanzania.

With world supplies running out, the find is a "game-changer", say geologists at Durham and Oxford universities.
Helium is used in hospitals in MRI scanners as well as in spacecraft, telescopes and radiation monitors.
Until now, the precious gas has been discovered only in small quantities during oil and gas drilling.
Using a new exploration approach, researchers found large quantities of helium within the Tanzanian East African Rift Valley.
They say resources in just one part of the Rift valley are enough to fill more than a million medical MRI scanners.

Suspected Islamic State suicide bombers kill 36 at Istanbul airport

Three suicide bombers opened fire then blew themselves up in Istanbul's main international airport on Tuesday, killing 36 people and wounding close to 150 in what Turkey's prime minister said appeared to have been an attack by Islamic State militants.

One attacker opened fire in the departures hall with an automatic rifle, sending passengers diving for cover and trying to flee, before all three blew themselves up in or around the arrivals hall a floor below, witnesses and officials said.

The attack on Europe's third-busiest airport was one of the deadliest in a series of suicide bombings in Turkey, which is part of the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State and is struggling to contain the spillover from neighboring Syria's civil war. It is also battling an insurgency by Kurdish militants in its largely Kurdish southeast.

ABUJA: How DPR Undervalued NNPC’s 8 Oil Blocks

Source: THISDAYLIVE

The Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Mr. Waziri Adio has explained how the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) undervalued eight Oil Mining Leases (OMLs) belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

Speaking recently when he visited the Corporate Head Office of THISDAY in Lagos, Adio said DPR valued NNPC’s 55 per cent stake in the eight OMLs at $1.8 billion, while Shell, Total and Agip valued their 45 per cent stake in the eight OMLs at over $2 billion.

UK credit default swap rates spike after wave of rating downgrades

In case you're wondering how Brexit impacts the U.K.'s creditworthiness, the derivatives market may offer different clues than the bond market.
The cost of buying protection against a default on British sovereign debt using credit default swaps rose to a three-year high on Tuesday, after rating agencies rushed to slash the U.K.'s debt rating following last week's vote to leave the European Union (EU).
It now costs $48,500 a year to protect $10 million of U.K. sovereign debt for five years, compared with levels near $32,000 before the June 23 referendum, based on the mid-point of bid and ask spreads on Thomson Reuters. This came despite a sharp fall in yields on U.K. government debt, or gilts.

Putin: Speculation on Russia's Problems 'Dangerous'

Source: THE  MOSCOWTIMES

Russian President Vladimir Putin has spoken out against the risks of “speculating on Russia's current difficulties,” in the run-up to the general election.
Speaking at the annual United Russia party conference, Putin said that although criticism of the government was both “necessary and very important,” politicians who wanted to come to power “at any cost” could not be tolerated by Russian society.

South Africa's President Zuma 'must repay $500,000 in public funds'

Source: BBC

South Africa's treasury has recommended President Jacob Zuma pay back $509,000 (£385,000) to the government for upgrades made to his private home.

This comes after the country's highest court ruled earlier this year that Mr Zuma repay some of the $23m of public funds spent on his house in 2009.
The upgrades included an amphitheatre, pool, chicken run and cattle enclosure.
Mr Zuma must now repay the money - about 3% of the total spent - within 45 days.

Abortion providers aim to reopen some closed Texas clinics

Source: REUTERS

Abortion providers in Texas reacted with surprise and elation on Monday to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to throw out the state's restrictive abortion law and said they aimed to reopen some clinics shut down since the measure was passed in 2013.

Since the law was passed by a Republican-led legislature and signed by a Republican governor, the number of abortion clinics in Texas, the second-most-populous U.S. state with about 27 million people, has fallen from 41 to 19.

"I am honestly surprised by the Supreme Court decision," Rachel Bergstrom-Carlson, health center manager at Planned Parenthood of Austin, said at the clinic that performs about 250 abortions per month in the Texas state capital.

Source: AL JAZEERA

Amman, Jordan - Weapons shipped into Jordan by the Central Intelligence Agency and Saudi Arabia intended for Syrian rebels have been systematically stolen by Jordanian intelligence operatives and sold to arms merchants on the black market, according to American and Jordanian officials.
Some of the stolen weapons were used in a shooting in November that killed two Americans and three others at a police training facility in Amman, FBI officials believe after months of investigating the attack, according to people familiar with the investigation.
The existence of the weapons theft, which ended only months ago after complaints by the US and Saudi governments, is being reported for the first time following a joint investigation by Al Jazeera and The New York Times.

Dangote Subsea Gas Pipeline To Help Nigeria Tackle Electricity Problem

Source: THISDAY LIVE

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday said the ongoing sub-sea gas pipeline project by the Dangote Group which will supply three billion cubic feet of gas daily had the potential of solving the problem of electricity shortage which had plagued the nation for decades.

Speaking when he paid a working visit to the Dangote’s ongoing $17 billion Gas pipeline, fertiliser, petrochemicals and refineries project at the Lekki Free Trade Zone (LFTZ), said the investment as a whole was an incredible industrial project being the largest and the most ambitious in Africa and possibly the entire world.

'Assassination Attempt' on Separatist Leader in Ukraine's Donetsk – Reports

Source: THE MOSCOWTIMES

An explosion at a hospital in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk has been described as an assassination attempt on a notorious rebel commander, the RIA Novosti news agency reported on Friday.
Alexander Zakharchenko, head of the self proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) has claimed that the commander of the republic’s Sparta Battalion, Arseny Pavlov, was the intended target of the blast.
“They primed an explosive device. It was a terrorist attack. There are many places that they could have got at him, yet these people chose a hospital.” said Zakharchenko.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang tells WEF digital is key to China's industrial revolution

Source: CNBC

The world's number-two economy will cultivate new growth drivers to become an innovation-driven country, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang declared on Monday.

Addressing the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Tianjin, also known as the "Summer Davos," Li focused the bulk of his speech on promoting entrepreneurship and highlighting policies catering to the sharing economy.

"We are embracing a new round of industrial revolution," he said. "We need to implement innovation-driven development."

The measures Li touted included pushing ahead with the Internet Plus initiative, a Chinese program aimed at boosting its mobile internet, e-commerce and cloud computing sectors in the international market. China would also ensure that the Internet of Things (ioT), cloud computing and other information technologies were applied to everyday life, Li said.

To Brexit or Regrexit? A dis-United Kingdom ponders turmoil of EU divorce

Source: REUTERS

To leave, or not to leave: that is the question. Still.

After Britain's historic vote to leave the European Union, there is no indication that a so-called Brexit will happen soon. It maybe never will.

Prime Minister David Cameron, who is resigning, has said he will not take the formal step to an EU divorce on the grounds that his successor should. Because the referendum is not legally-binding, some politicians are suggesting a parliament vote before formally triggering Brexit.
A petition on the UK government's website on holding a second referendum has gained more than 3 million signatories in just two days.

Madagascar stadium blast kills two

Source: BBC

A grenade explosion has killed at least two people during Madagascar's national day celebrations in the capital Antananarivo, officials say.

About 80 people were wounded in the blast at a stadium, general Anthony Rakotoarison told AFP news agency.
President Hery Rajaonarimampianina said it was a "terrorist act", and blamed it on "political divergences".
The situation remains fragile in the country, with supporters and opponents of the president at loggerheads.

abuja: NPS Confirms Jailbreak at Kuje Prisons, Investigation Ordered

Source:THISDAY live

The Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS), Mr. Francis Enobore, has confirmed to THISDAY that there was a jailbreak in the Kuje maximum Prison on Friday night but said it was yet to find out if any inmate escaped or not.

H told our correspondent on the phone that  there was an “incident” at the prison on Friday night but it has nothing to do with Charles Okah

Meanwhile, sources at the Abuja airport who craved for anonymity while speaking on phone said the airport is on alert should escapees want to use the airport.

Somalia: Al-Shabab attacks Mogadishu hotel

Source: BBC

Gunmen have stormed a hotel in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, causing fatalities, in an attack claimed by the Islamist group al-Shabab.

A vehicle bomb was detonated at the gates of the Naso-Hablod hotel before armed men entered the building, officials said.
The men then fired on people and reportedly took hostages.
Al-Shabab militants frequently carry out attacks in the city in their bid to topple the Western-backed government.

Merkel sees no need to rush Britain into quick EU divorce

Source: REUTERS

German Chancellor Angela Merkel sought on Saturday to temper pressure from Paris, Brussels and her own government to force Britain into negotiating a quick divorce from the EU, despite warnings that hesitation will let populism take hold.

Euroskeptics in other member states applauded Britons' decision to leave the European Union in a referendum that sent shockwaves around the world, with far-right demands for a similar vote in Slovakia underlining the risk of a domino effect.

With the referendum decision finally made on Thursday and Prime Minister David Cameron having announced his resignation, European politicians and institutions felt free to shower demands on Britain over its future outside the world's largest trading bloc.

Market turmoil as UK votes for Brexit, PM Cameron to quit, Carney pledges backstop

 Source: CNBC

David Cameron has announced his resignation as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom after the shock victory for the campaign to leave the European Union.
Cameron said in a statement Friday that he is likely to be gone by the time of the Conservative Party conference in October.
The leave camp secured 51.9 percent of the vote in the U.K. with 17.4 million votes, throwing markets around the world into turmoil and prompting sterling to hit its lowest level since 1985.

The Prime Minister's statement came as stock markets around Europe saw significant falls, with early signs that this could be an event that causes a shock as deep as 1987's Black Monday.
Mark Carney, the governor of the Bank of England, sought to calm markets Friday morning with a pledge to provide an extra £250 billion ($344 billion) in liquidity. He assured markets that U.K. banks were well-funded as their share prices tanked.

Fitch Downgrades Nigeria to ‘B+’, with Stable Outlook

Source: THISDAY LIVE

Fitch Ratings has downgraded Nigeria’s long-term foreign currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to ‘B+’ from ‘BB-’ as well as the country’s long-term local currency IDR to ‘BB-’ from ‘BB’.

But the global rating agency, in a statement yesterday, assigned a stable outlook to the country. The issuers rating on Nigeria’s senior unsecured foreign-currency bonds was also downgraded to ‘B+’ from ‘BB-’.

Russia Wants Bilateral Talks with Turkish Foreign Minister in Sochi

Source: THE MOSCOW TIMES

Russia is prepared to hold bilateral talks with the Turkish Foreign Minister in Sochi, according to Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Vasily Nebezhnya, the RIA Novosti news agency reported Thursday.
A meeting of foreign ministers from the member states of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation organization will take place on July 1 in Sochi. The economic organization, with headquarters in Turkey's Istanbul, includes 11 countries, six of which border the Black Sea.
“We invited all the ministers and welcome them all, including Turkey and Ukraine, but there has been no response from them. I think that this week, or by the beginning of the next week, it will be clear [who will attend],” Nebenzya said.

South African court refuses Zuma appeal request in arms case

A South African court has refused permission for President Jacob Zuma and prosecutors to appeal against its ruling that he should face corruption charges over a 1999 arms deal worth billions of dollars.

There were "no merits" in the argument requesting an appeal, it ruled.
In April, the court said a 2009 decision to drop the 783 charges against Mr Zuma was irrational.
He has always denied taking bribes over the arms deal.

'Explosive shock' as Britain votes to leave EU, Cameron quits

Source: REUTERS

Britain voted to leave the European Union, forcing the resignation of Prime Minister David Cameron and dealing the biggest blow to the European project of greater unity since World War Two.

Global financial markets plunged on Friday as results from a referendum showed a 52-48 percent victory for the campaign to leave a bloc Britain joined more than 40 years ago.

The pound fell as much as 10 percent against the dollar to touch levels last seen in 1985, on fears the decision could hit investment in the world's fifth-largest economy, threaten London's role as a global financial capital and usher in months of political uncertainty.
World stocks headed for one of the biggest slumps on record, and billions of dollars were wiped off the value of European companies. Britain's big banks took a $130 billion battering, with Lloyds (LLOY.L) and Barclays (BARC.L) falling as much as 30 percent at the opening of trade. [MKTS/GLOB]

ABUJA NIGERIA: BUHARI WARNS STATE HOUSE WORKERS AGAINST CORRUPTION

Source: THISDAY LIVE

President Muhammadu Buhari wednesday met with staff working in the Presidential Villa and warned them to shun corrupt activities.

He said as long as he remained the president, the fight against corruption would continue.
The president, who restated his resolve to fight corruption in the country headlong, said whoever is found to be corrupt would be charged to court.

He urged those who might want to try his resolve to ask those who are currently facing corruption charges in courts across the country.

Nigeria Boko Haram: Scores of refugees starved to death - MSF

Source: BBC

Nearly 200 refugees fleeing Boko Haram militants have starved to death over the past month in Bama, Nigeria, the medical charity MSF says.

A "catastrophic humanitarian emergency" is unfolding at a camp it visited where 24,000 people have taken refuge.
Many inhabitants are traumatised and one in five children is suffering from acute malnutrition, MSF says.
The Islamist group's seven-year rebellion has left 20,000 people dead and more than two million displaced.

Putin Praises Duma for Work to Integrate Crimea

Source: THE MOSCOW TIMES

Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking to the State Duma on Wednesday, called the integration of Crimea and Sevastopol into the Russian Federation its greatest achievement, the RBC news website reported Wednesday.
“I consider the legal integration of Crimea and Sevastopol as a result of your work to be a truly historic achievement, driven by your sincere, heartfelt, and emotional support of those citizens before the peninsula joined the Russian Federation,” Putin said, the state-run news agency TASS reported.
He praised the Duma for promptly adopting more than 120 laws that minimized the problems faced by citizens of Crimea after March 2014, when the peninsula was annexed by Russia.

Britain votes on EU membership after tight and bitter campaign

Source: REUTERS

Britons were voting on Thursday to decide the future of their country and Europe in a referendum on European Union membership that has divided the nation and is being nervously watched by financial markets and politicians across the world.
Opinion polls taken before the vote indicated the outcome is far too close to forecast.
Prime Minister David Cameron called the vote under pressure from his ruling Conservative Party and an increasingly powerful anti-EU party, hoping to put to rest decades of debate over Britain's place in Europe and its ties with Brussels.
Most polls put the "Leave" and "Remain" camps neck-and-neck at the end of a campaign that was dominated by immigration and the economy, and shaken by the murder of a pro-EU MP, though late on Wednesday two showed a swing to "Remain".

Troops Intercept Boko Haram Terrorist Families Escaping from Sambisa

Source: THISDAY LIVE

The Nigerian military has intercepted families of the Boko Haram terrorists escaping from the onslaught and clearance operations in Sambisa Forest towards the northern part of Borno State

This is coming as the troops of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) have launched Operation Gama Aiki, aimed at stopping the relocation of the terrorists towards the northern part of the state and to flush them out from the Lake Chad basin area bordering Chad and Niger Republics.

Steely will seen behind Kim's push for North Korea weapons that work

Source: REUTERS

Images in March of a smiling Kim Jong Un inspecting a silver sphere, purported to be a miniaturized nuclear warhead but likened in the media to a disco ball, burnished the North Korean leader's international image as deluded and reckless.
But on Wednesday, the man Hollywood and others love to mock proved skeptics wrong with what looks like the successful launch of a ballistic missile that reached an altitude of 1,000 km and got over half way to Japan's main island of Honshu.
Experts said the launch, which came after five failed tests including one earlier on Wednesday, marked progress in North Korea's weapons program, and underlined Kim's steely determination as well as his patience with scientists involved.

PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria: FG, Niger Delta Militants Agree to 30-day Ceasefire

Source: THISDAY LIVE

The federal government and militant groups in the Niger Delta, including the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), which has claimed responsibility for a series of attacks on oil and gas installations in recent months, have agreed to a 30-day truce to give President Muhammadu Buhari time to come up with a comprehensive plan for the oil-rich region, investigations by THISDAY have revealed.

The “30 days of quiet” was said to have been agreed upon last week by a federal government team led by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, and representatives of the militant groups, community leaders and the state governments.

Indonesia slams China's 'traditional fishing ground' claims

• PHOTOS

Source: CHANNELS MEWSASIA


JAKARTA: Indonesia on Tuesday (Jun 21) slammed China’s claims of a ‘traditional fishing ground’ near Indonesia's Natuna islands, in the latest standoff between the two countries over allegations of illegal fishing.
Tensions between the two countries are high after the Indonesian navy fired warning shots at Chinese fishing vessels in waters off Natuna islands on Friday and detained some sailors.
Following the clash on Friday, China's foreign ministry stated that "China and Indonesia have overlapping claims for maritime rights and interests" in the area. Previously, China had defended its actions by saying that it was operating in "traditional Chinese fishing grounds".

China has cut back on its cyber-spying activity against US firms: Study

China has scaled back its cyber-espionage activities against the U.S. and its theft of stealing company secrets, according to a new study released on Tuesday,
U.S. cybersecurity firm FireEye said it had seen a "notable decline" in China-based groups' attacks on U.S. firms.

 At the height of Chinese cyber-espionage on companies around the world, the hackers were carrying out over 70 network compromises a month. This is down to less than 10 as of May 2016, according to FireEye. The major drop-off in attacks came around mid-2014.
China's cyber activities were brought into the limelight in early 2013 after a number of breaches were disclosed. FireEye released a report at the time outlining the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) involvement in cyber espionage. The contingent known as Unit 61398 was deemed by FireEye to be behind a number of attacks and the cybersecurity company's report highlighted the group's tools, tactics and targets.

EU Envoys Extend Russia Sanctions for Six Months — Reports

Source:  CNBC

The Committee of Permanent Representatives in the European Union has agreed to extend sanctions on Russia until the end of January 2017, according to an unidentified diplomatic source, the TASS news agency reported Tuesday.
The sanctions imposed on Russia over its involvement in the Ukrainian crisis were extended for six months “in order to evaluate the implementation of the Minsk agreements,” according to the source.
The decision is to be approved by the Council of the European Union by the end of the next month, before the expiration date of the existing sanctions against Russian state oil, defense and financial institutions, the source added.
Last week, after the EU prolonged sanctions against Crimea, President Vladimir Putin claimed that Russia is unable to implement the Minsk agreements, as they demand changes to the Ukrainian constitution, which can only be made by Kiev.

Justice Department opposes new Obama proposal on Guantanamo

Source: REUTERS


President Barack Obama is again facing dissent from within his administration – this time from Attorney General Loretta Lynch - over his plans to shutter the Guantanamo Bay military prison, according to senior administration officials.
Lynch, a former federal prosecutor whom Obama appointed to head the Justice Department two years ago, is opposing a White House-backed proposal that would allow Guantanamo Bay prisoners to plead guilty to terrorism charges in federal court by videoconference, the officials said.
Over the past three months, Lynch has twice intervened to block administration proposals on the issue, objecting that they would violate longstanding rules of criminal-justice procedure.
In the first case, her last-minute opposition derailed a White House-initiated legislative proposal to allow video guilty pleas after nearly two months of interagency negotiations and law drafting. In the second case, Lynch blocked the administration from publicly supporting a Senate proposal to legalize video guilty pleas.

DR Congo warlord Bemba jailed over war crimes

Source: BBC

Congolese ex-rebel leader Jean-Pierre Bemba has been jailed for 18 years following a landmark conviction at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and sexual violence.

Bemba was found guilty in March of crimes committed in the neighbouring Central African Republic (CAR) in 2002 and 2003.
He was accused of failing to stop his rebels from killing and raping people.
Bemba's defence team have already said they will appeal against the decision.
Passing sentence at the ICC in The Hague, Judge Sylvia Steiner said Bemba had failed to exercise control over his private militia group sent into CAR, where they carried out "sadistic" rapes, murders and pillaging of "particular cruelty".

CBN Alters Rules for Selection of Primary Dealers as New FX Regime Takes off Today

Source: THISDAY LIVE

As trading on the Nigeria Interbank Foreign Exchange (NIFEX), which allows the exchange rate of the naira to be market-driven commences today, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has moved to change the guidelines for the selection of FX Primary Dealers (FXPDs) who shall deal in wholesale forex transactions with the CBN.

Last Wednesday, the CBN had unveiled the guidelines for the commencement of a flexible exchange rate regime, adding that it would appoint eight to 10 primary dealers, whom the central bank Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, referred to as “Grade A” dealers.

Others were classified as “Grade B”, whom the CBN termed as non-primary dealers, but shall remain valid and eligible to participate in the market.

Giving life to a stranger: 16-year-old gets donor liver in first such transplant in Singapore

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Source: CHANNELS NEWS ASIA

SINGAPORE: A 16-year-old girl has been given a new lease of life after receiving a donor liver in Singapore’s first altruistic liver donation without a specific recipient in mind.
When she was eight, Lim Si Jia was diagnosed with glycogen storage disease, a rare genetic condition where the body is incapable of producing a critical enzyme needed to break down glycogen – the body’s store of sugar. In the liver varieties of the disease, the glycogen accumulates in the liver and often results in the organ swelling.

Aeroflot Asks Putin for Stricter Punishments for Problem Passengers

 Source: THE MOSCOW TIMES

The head of Russia's state carrier Aeroflot has asked the Kremlin for harsher punishments against unruly passengers, the RBC news website reported Friday.
Speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Vitaly Savelyev said that he had asked for greater fines for customers who insulted crewmembers and greater rights to handcuff and tightly restrain rowdy passengers.
Savelyev said that airline staff were only able tie down out-of-control fliers with blankets. A number of Aeroflot flight attendants had received taekwondo training from Chinese airlines, he said, as quoted by RBC.
He also requested the creation of a blacklist for problem travelers, which would ban them from Aeroflot flights.

Trump says U.S. should mull more racial profiling after Orlando shooting

Source: REUTERS


Republican Donald Trump said on Sunday the United States should consider more racial profiling, in response to a question about whether he supported greater law enforcement scrutiny of Muslim Americans after the Orlando mass shooting.
"I think profiling is something that we're going to have to start thinking about as a country," Trump told CBS' "Face the Nation."
"You look at Israel and you look at others, and they do it and they do it successfully. And you know, I hate the concept of profiling, but we have to start using common sense," he said when asked if he supported increased profiling of Muslims in America.
Trump made similar comments last December about profiling, the targeting of specific demographic groups for extra scrutiny, after a Muslim American and his wife killed 14 people in San Bernardino, California.

EgyptAir crash: Tests begin on MS804 flight recorders

Source: BBC

Investigators are subjecting the flight recorders from the EgyptAir jet which crashed last month to electrical tests before analysis can begin.

Egyptian air accident investigation sources told Reuters news agency it would take "lots of time and effort" to fix the two damaged recorders.
The flight data and cockpit voice recorders were retrieved this week.
It is still unknown why Flight MS804 crashed into the Mediterranean on 19 May, killing all 66 people on board.

EU is 'sinking' and UK should leave, says economist

Source: CNBC

The European Union is too big and is "sinking," and the United Kingdom should take the chance to get out while it can, economist David Malpass said Friday.
British citizens vote next Thursday on whether the U.K. should exit the union.
"The EU is just too big. It's too expensive. It doesn't work," the president of Encima Global said in an interview with CNBC's "Power Lunch."
"They haven't even made progress on their mission, which was fiscal responsibility, banking reforms, defending the external borders. They're just not doing the job."
He believes the Brits should not squander the opportunity, noting that the last referendum the country held was in 1975.

NIGERIA: Troops Thwart Attack on Agip Facility in Bayelsa as Ijaw Youths Demand Release of Kinsmen

Troops attached to the Joint Military Force, the outfit deployed to protect oil installations in the Niger Delta, said yesterday that they outwitted suspected militants who attempted to attack an Agip oilfield in Okpoma, Bayelsa State.

Also yesterday, Ijaw youths demanded the immediate release of their kinsmen apprehended by the military who are currently carrying out an operation to fish out militants, sea pirates and pipeline vandals in the Niger Delta region.

On the foiled attack on Agip’s oilfield in Okpoma, Bayelsa State, the Joint Military Force conducted several operations codenamed, Pulo Shield, which also led to the arrest of 19 suspected vandals in May and June 2016.

LGBT Club in Ekaterinburg Issues Safety Advice After Attack

Source: THE MOSCOW TIMES

A Russian LGBT nightclub recently attacked by Russian football fans has issued a list of recommended safety measures for its clients, the Ura.ru news agency reported Friday.
Writing on its social media page, the Mono club in Ekaterinburg advised against “attracting attention on the street” and “walking alone at night.” The club also advised against using terms such as “sweetheart,” “honey” and other pet names in public. Visitors were told club had “stepped up security,” but the city was “unsafe.”
The bar also confirmed a new smoking room would be established inside the building. Football supporters had attacked clubgoers over the weekend after seeing them smoking in the street outside the venue.

FBI questions member of mosque attended by Orlando gunman

Source: REUTERS

FBI agents on Friday questioned a member of the Florida mosque attended by Omar Mateen, the man who shot 49 people to death at a gay nightclub, as new information surfaced revealing the killer had exhibited chronic behavioral problems during his youth.
Academic records obtained by Reuters showing Mateen was frequently suspended as a student - at least twice for fighting before he was transferred to a special high school for potential dropouts - added to a disturbing portrait of the long-troubled gunman who committed the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.
Mateen, the 29-year-old private security guard shot dead by police at the end of the June 12 massacre in Orlando, has been described by his first wife - whom he divorced after a brief marriage - as an abusive, mentally disturbed man with a violent temper.

South Africa virginity bursaries unlawful, rules gender commission

Source: BBC

An official body in South Africa has ruled that university bursaries offered to proven female virgins were unlawful and should be scrapped.

The Uthukela municipality in KwaZulu-Natal province introduced the bursaries to reduce Aids and child pregnancies.
But the Commission for Gender Equality ruled that a bursary "contingent on a female student's virginity is fundamentally discriminatory".

ABUJA: The World Waits for Emefiele’s Flexible Exchange Rate Today

Source: THISDAY LIVE

Three weeks after he announced the introduction of a flexible exchange rate regime, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, will today finally unveil the much-anticipated guidelines paving the way for the new forex regime, THISDAY exclusively learnt on Tuesday.

This is just as the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, disclosed that the federal government has resolved to facilitate a N90 billion loan for  the 36 states of the federation to enable them meet their obligations, but cautioned that it should not be deemed a bailout for the states but a facility with stringent conditions attached to it.

Nigeria football sponsors 'fear lesbians'

Source: BBC

Sponsors shy away from backing female football teams in Nigeria because of "the misconception" that they are "synonymous with lesbianism", a senior Nigerian football official has said.

Seyi Akinwunmi was clarifying his comments after being quoted as blaming lesbians for the national team's recent decline.
The Super Falcons are Africa's most successful national team.
But they did not qualify for this year's Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Same-sex relationships are banned in Nigeria, which is a deeply conservative country where homosexuals say they often suffer abuse.

Oscar Pistorius 'must pay for killing my daughter'

Source: BBC

South African Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius must pay for killing his girlfriend, her father has told a judge, breaking down in tears.
He was found guilty of murdering Reeva Steenkamp after a court overturned an earlier manslaughter verdict.
The sentencing hearing - expected to conclude by Friday - will decide if he will face a jail term of 15 years.
Barry Steenkamp asked for photos of his daughter's body to be made public so people could see the wounds.
Pistorius, a six-time Paralympic gold medallist whose legs were amputated below the knee as a baby, made history by becoming the first amputee sprinter to compete at the Olympics, in 2012, running on prosthetic "blades".