R.I.P: Nollywood Popular Costumier, Lizzy Ogbodo Dies

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Popular Nollywood costumier Lizzy Ogbodo has died this morning in Enugu. Lizzy who has been treating typhoid and malaria for some time now was found lying lifeless on the staircase to her apartment by her neighbour after she collapsed. She is survived by three grown kids.

Photo News: Police Attack Governor Fayemi And Senator Ojudu During APC Rally In Ado

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See more pics bellow.

German FM warns Kiev against extreme use of force in eastern Ukraine

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German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has warned the Kiev authorities against using too much force in the east of the country.

"We should prevent the growing number of federalisation supporters as a result of the military operation in the east of Ukraine," he said in an interview for the newspaper Tagesspiegel am Sonntag. Extracts from this interview were posted in the electronic version of the newspaper today.
According to Steinmeier, in the current situation it is important to "act carefully and adequately when using weapons."

Photo: Assistant head of the Donetsk People's Republic and deputy of City Council Maxim Petruhin shot

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Assistant head of the Donetsk People's Republic and deputy of City Council Maxim Petruhin shot in his own car "Toyota Camry" in the center of Donetsk Regional State Administration next to the building. He oversaw the DPR delivery of humanitarian assistance to the population.  Denis Pushilin said that the brutal murder of his assistant Maxim Petrukhina that was committed in the center of Donetsk, is directly related to the inauguration of President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko.

New head of European conservatives dismisses UK Cameron's demands

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The new head of the biggest group of conservatives in the European Parliament dismissed on Saturday demands by British Prime Minister David Cameron to put the brakes on European integration.

Manfred Weber, the new chairman of the European People's Party (EPP), also told a German paper that the group still backed its candidate Jean-Claude Juncker to be the next Commission president despite opposition from Britain.

Crimea leaders rule out ever rejoining Ukraine

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Crimea's acting head of administration, Sergei Aksyonov, on Saturday ruled out the possibility of the peninsula ever becoming part of Ukraine again.

"Crimea will never again be part of Ukraine. That is undoubtedly a thing of the past. We have the Crimean self-defense force, it is due to receive official status on Wednesday and will stand ready to fulfill any orders from the supreme commander-in-chief of the Russian Federation," Aksyonov told reporters.

Putin orders Border Service to tighten Russian-Ukrainian border security - Kremlin

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Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the Russian State Border Service to take appropriate steps to tighten control on the Russian-Ukrainian border to curb illegal crossings. ITAR-TASS reports that this information comes from the Russian president’s press-service.

Recently, the Russian authorities have registered a growing number of Ukrainian citizens wishing to enter Russian territory. For example, on Friday 6 June, Russian children’s rights ombudsman Pavel Astakhov reported that over 12,000 people had arrived in the Rostov Region from Ukraine. On 5 June, he said that over 8,000 Ukrainian citizens crossed the border on Russia in 24 hours.

Russian PM confronts Kiev on its false claim that Ukraine has no refugees in Russia

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Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on Thursday that about 4,000 refugees from Ukraine had already arrived in Russia, while Kiev turned a blind eye to the looming humanitarian crisis in the violence-hit east.

"People are frightened, scared. At the same time, the Ukrainian government fails to notice a humanitarian proble and says there are no refugees. It's lies and it's sad to hear," he said.

Russian PM Medvedev calls G7 attitude to Ukraine's Armed Forces 'cynical'

Somali pirates release seven Bangladeshi crew of hijacked ship

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Somali pirates have released seven Bangladeshi crew members of a Malaysian-flagged ship hijacked more than three-and-a-half years ago, the government in Dhaka said Saturday.

The Bangladeshi Foreign Ministry said the crew of the hijacked MV Albedo was flown to Nairobi by a special aircraft of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.  The MV Albedo with 23 crew on board was hijacked on November 26, 2010, in Somali waters.  "All seven Bangladeshi nationals are in good health and would be staying at a local hotel in Nairobi where they will be provided with food, medicine and clothing," said the ministry.  It did not mention the other crew members, who are from Pakistan, Iran and Sri Lanka.

Vatican signs deals on financial intelligence with Britain & France

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The Vatican announced on Saturday that its financial crimes watchdog had signed cooperation deals with Britain, France and four other nations - Malta, Poland, Romania and Peru. A statement said that under the agreements, the Financial Intelligence Authority agreed to "exchange of financial information to fight money laundering and combat terrorist financing".

Similar deals are already in place with nine other countries, including Italy, Germany and the United States. Last year, the AIF was admitted into the Egmont Group, a worldwide association of financial regulators. In recent years, the Vatican has acted on international pressure to clean up its act in financial matters.

Storages of explosive materials are set on fire in Donetsk region

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Unknown criminals have set aflame the state storages of explosive materials of “Pavlovgrad chemicals producer” in Donetsk region, informs the Ukraine General Prosecutor office in their report on Saturday.

According to the report, unidentified masked and camouflaged individuals assaulted the storages of research and production association “Pavlovgrad chemicals producer”, located on the skirts of the city Ambrosievka.

30 killed in inter-ethnic conflict in Democratic Republic of Congo

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At least 30 killed in east Democratic Republic of Congo inter-ethnic conflict - official says.

At least 30 people, including women and children, have been killed overnight in inter-ethnic fighting in the province of South Kivu in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo - local sources said on Saturday.

A town councillor said "eight women, 14 women, 10 children and a soldier" were killed in the fighting in South Kivu's Mutarule village. According to AFP, the victims of the attack were people of the tribe bafuliru. Jean-Julien Miruho​​, Interior Minister of South Kivu province, said that an armed attack is brobably an act of revenge for the kidnapping of cattle.

The victims had been shot, stabbed or burned inside their homes. Some of the bodies lay inside a village church, according to a Reuters cameraman on the scene.

Just in: Prof. Dora Akunyili Dies

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We've heard rumours of her death several times before but unfortunately now it's for real. Former Director General of NAFDAC and former Minister of Information Prof. Dora Akunyili has died. She died in the Indian hospital where she was taken fully to on May 11 to get medical treatment after her health deteriorated.

Various reliable sources have confirmed her passing. She was only 59.
RIP