Death penalty in US: 'absolute violation of human rights' - Amnesty Int'l

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Struggling to find drug supplies for lethal injections the American states that still have death penalty are mulling other methods of execution. The states’ authorities are considering a wider use of electrocution or gasing instead of lethal injections. Sergei Nikitin, the head of Amnesty International Russia told our source that death penalty in all cases "is absolutely an ultimate violation of human rights."

US weighs targeted sanctions against South Sudan.

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The United States is weighing targeted sanctions against South Sudan due to its leaders' failure to take steps to end a crisis that has brought the world's youngest nation to the brink of civil war, sources briefed on US discussions told Reuters.

"It's a tool that has been discussed," a source told Reuters on condition of anonymity about the possibility of US sanctions against those blocking peace efforts or fueling violence in South Sudan. Another source confirmed the remarks, though both declined to provide details on the precise measures under consideration.

White House still researching how to continue non-lethal supply to Syria rebels.

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The White House said on Friday that it is still reviewing how to resume shipments of non-lethal aid to moderate rebel groups fighting in Syria after an incident last month where Islamist fighters seized supplies from a warehouse.

"No decisions have been made yet regarding the resumption of non lethal assistance to the (Syrian Military Council), but we have resumed deliveries of non-lethal assistance into northern Syria to civilian actors," White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters at a briefing.

"This has nothing to do with our support for the moderate military opposition, but rather the security of our assistance," Carney said.

Video: Free Syrian Army funded by US and Saudi Arabia – FSA warlord.

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Free Syrian Army funded by US and Saudi Arabia – FSA warlord

US-funded project supported illegal mining, Afghan watchdog alleges

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A project in Afghanistan funded by the US Defense Department provided equipment and money to a local police commander for the illegal extraction of chromite, an Afghan anti-corruption watchdog alleged Sunday.

The commander of the Afghan Local Police, a village protection force, in the eastern province of Kunar, extracted the chromite for more than a year, said Integrity Watch Afghanistan (IWA) in a report.

PLAN B: Boko Haram Keeps Releasing Fake Shekau Videos – U.S. Think-Tank (PHOTOS & VIDEO)

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The United States Council on Foreign relations, a top US security think-tank and government advisory, apparently has recognized as fake the video released by AFP on November 4th.

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‘US spies on Nigerian security agencies’

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Indications emerged on Saturday that the United States has been spying on the Nigeria’s security agencies, especially the State Security Service, and probably the Presidency.

Nigeria Spends U.S.$13 Billion On Peacekeeping - Ex-Polish Envoy

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Abuja — FORMER Polish Ambassador to Nigeria, Grezgorz Walinski has said that Nigeria has spent about $13 billion on peacekeeping operations since 1960 and has also sent over 250,000 members of the Nigerian armed forces to the United Nation's sponsored missions worldwide.

Ambassador Walinski disclosed this at the stakeholders' dinner reception for the Nigeria Security Exhibition and Conference, 2014, organised by First Security Guards Limited in Abuja.

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Head of the US intelligence publishes classified materials about NSA - Full Update

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Head of the US National Intelligence James Clapper has released several secret documents about the programs of surveillance of the National Security Agency (NSA), EFE reports Tuesday.

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US Senator Pleads for Peace Meeting with Nigerians over Controversial ‘419’ Joke.

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US Senator Ted Cruz has asked for a peace meeting with Nigerian-Americans who have demanded that he retracts his controversial  joke last week which many of them considered insulting. In a letter from the Senator to leaders of the Nigerian community in Houston, Texas, where the controversial
comments were made, the Senator said he “regrets any misunderstanding.”

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Empire Mates Entertainment –EME- Boss: Banky’s Grass To Grace Story:” ‘I begged to sell CDs in US salons to survive’ -

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Many see the glamour but are ignorant of the hard work and pains that preceded the fame of Nigeria’s rhythm and blues, R&B, superstar, Banky W. From an undergraduate begging for audience at salons in the United States, US, where his musical career started, 32-year-old Banky has built a musical empire that has produced internationally acclaimed artistes like Skales and Wizkid. Christened Olubankole Wellington, the Empire Mates Entertainment –EME- boss was born in the US to Nigerian parents who later relocated to Nigeria when he was five.

3 of Yinka Ayefele's band boys missing in the US

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Gospel music styled secular singer, Yinka Ayefele left Nigeria on September 2nd with a 14-man band for a six-week musical tour of the US, which took them to New York, Washington, Houston, Atlanta, Baltimore, Maryland and Dallas. He returned to Nigeria this week with three band members missing. The three missing men based on a petition filed by Ayefele are:

1. The lead vocalist of Ayefele's Merry-Makers Band, Solomon Motimoke popularly called ‘Yatty'who dumped the band while they certainly were in Washington DC on 11th October.
2. Ojoyido Adegbenga Ezekiel (Keyboardist), who disappeared at the band's hotel at Howard Johnson Inn on Rockaway Boulevard, New York on Tuesday, 15th October
3. Olusola Kayode Isaac (vocalist), who disappeared at the La-Guardiala Airport, New York on Monday, 14th October on his way from Houston.

Yinke Ayefele has written to the US Homeland Security, asking them to track and deport these men.

"Ogogoro consumers From Abuja Cannot Dictate to us", says Nyako

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Speaking when he received an emissary of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Alhaji Umaru Duhu, who is the national vice chairman of the party for the Northeast, Nyako carpeted leaders of his party saying “the era when some few Ogogoro consumers from Abuja would chart the destiny of their state has ended, because people have vowed to take their destinies within their hands.

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Julius Agwu Visits His Child, Zahra's School In Houston, US

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Nigerian Ace comedian Julius Agwu is currently in the US, where he and his wife just welcomed their second child.  The comedian shared photos of himself and daughter hanging out in Houston, Texas.
Apparently, Julius made out time to also visit his daughter's school and shared friends picture of Zahra her classmates and teachers.  On October 7, 2013, Agwu and his wife, Ibiere welcomed their second child and first son – Zadok. More photos following the jump.

Who made the US the policeman of the world? ('Notions of exceptionalism almost always end in tragedy' - analyst)

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"History shows that notions of exceptionalism almost always end in tragedy. But I think that is also a function of empire because how you’re going to justify the kinds of actions that the US takes around the world unless it can be couched within the rhetoric of freedom, within the rhetoric of liberty and within the context of so-called deep-promoting democracy. This is how the US does it," Eric Draitser, an independent geopolitical analyst based in New York City and the founder of StopImperialism.com, told The VOR

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Cancer Patient Debbie Osarere's Surgery Successful In US

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Nearly all of you'll remember Debbie, the 28 year old lady who had been diagnosed with Cancer couple of years ago. N6million raised on her behalf online this past year mostly through blogs for her  to be treated in the US. She has had her breast surgery and her breasts were completely removed after 12months of chemotherapy. The breasts removed will be replaced with implants and Debbie will be back again to Nigeria, once that's done. Thank God for making #savedebbie a success.

Washington live: US government tweets its shutdown

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Lots of federal services are disrupted in US as the government shutdown went deep into a second day. What keeps kicking is Twitter. Federal agencies didn’t forget to tell Netizens that they were not working anymore.

First of all most agency branches' simply tweeted of the news.

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33-Year Old Nigerian Man Charged To Court In US For Supporting Al Qaeda

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A Nigerian, Lawal Babafemi, 33, was on Friday arraigned in a U.S. Federal Court, on charges of providing material support to al Qaeda and criminal use of firearms.

Babafemi, who is also known as “Ayatollah Mustapha’’, was arraigned on a four-count charge of indictment, conspiracy, providing material support to AQAP, and use of firearms.

He allegedly provided the support to the group in the Arabian Peninsula, the terrorist organisation’s Yemen-based affiliate.

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US Congress to hold hearing on B’Haram, terrorism

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The United States Congress will next week hold a public hearing on the militant Islamic sect, Boko Haram.

The leader of American Congress Committee on African Affairs, Mr. Chris Smith, said this in Abuja on Tuesday during a meeting with the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor.

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US and Russia agree plan on Syrian chemical weapons ( Full Update)

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Assad’s government must submit a comprehensive list of its chemical weapons stocks within a week ahead of their transfer and destruction, US Secretary John Kerry said.

The deal worked out between Moscow and Washington on settling the Syria crisis stipulates that Syria’s chemical weapons will be rapidly destroyed.

Kerry said the Syrian government should provide the UN with full access to its chemical sites, and insisted that the plan to remove the chemical arsenal should be transparent.

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