Friday, September 5, 2014

Defense Budget Constraints May See US Shedding Allies: CSBA





If the US Defense Department is going to adjust to the current threat environment while operating within current military budget constraints, it may be forced to back out of security contracts and shed allies, Todd Harrison, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic Budget Assessment (CSBA), said at a press conference.
According to Harrison, the downsizing could occur “by shedding missions, by coming up with innovative concepts to execute missions with fewer resources.”
Continue..

Rasmussen: NATO Not Involved in Member States’ Decisions on Military Aid to Ukraine




NATO as an alliance is not involved in member states’ decisions regarding military assistance to Ukraine, as the alliance does not possess military capabilities, according to NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen. «NATO as an alliance is not involved in delivery of equipment because we do not posess military capabilities. This are possessed by individual allies. So such decisions are national decisions and we are not going to interfere with that,» Rasmussen said ahead of Ukraine-NATO commission consultations. On 

Slovakia Asks EU to Cut Sanctions Against Russia




Slovakia speaks against some sanctions against Russia, proposed by the European Union, according to the Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico. “We have addressed the EU, asking them to remove some clauses from the sanctions proposal. We want a number of products included in the list to be exempt from sanctions, so that we can continue exporting them to Russia,” Fico said during press conference after a special meeting dedicated to the discussion of new EU sanctions against Russia. The ministers, who took part in a meeting, spoke against proposed export ban on goods that can have both military and civilian use, aimed for Russian private companies. 
Continue..

Russia Bans All Ukrainian Candy, Confectionaries Imports - Consumer Watchdog




Russia’s consumer watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, has decided to ban imports of Ukrainian candy and confectionaries beginning Friday.  “In line with providing consumer rights, Rospotrebnadzor has suspended the import of Ukrainian confectionary goods into the territory of the Russian Federation beginning September 5, 2014,” the consumer watchdog said in an announcement. Earlier in August, Moscow suspended imports of Ukrainian alcoholic beverages to Russia, citing violations of consumer rights.

Continue..

Rasmussen: NATO Ready to Welcome Putin’s Peace Plan for Ukraine if It Is Genuine




NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen expressed his readiness to welcome Russian President Vladimir Putin’s peace plan for Ukraine in case it is genuine. “If recent statements from President Putin represent a genuine effort to find a political solution, I would welcome it, because that is exactly what we need, a constructive political process,” Rasmussen said during joint press conference with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in the course of NATO summit in Wales.

Continue..

Hollande Threatens: Ceasefire Should Be Reached In Ukraine For France to Deliver Mistral to Russia




French President Francois Hollande set terms for Mistral delivery to Russia, saying that his conditions were a ceasefire and a political settlement in Ukraine, Reuters reported Thursday. «What are the conditions? A ceasefire and a political settlement… Today these conditions are not in place,” Hollande said as quoted by Reuters. On the sidelines of a NATO summit currently held in Wales, Hollande told reporters that the contract for two Mistral-class helicopters carriers was neither cancelled, nor suspended, but mentioned that the above conditions must be met in order for the ships to be delivered to Russia. 
Continue....

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Maiduguri youths march against Boko Haram




Thousands of youths on Thursday thronged the streets of Maiduguri   protesting   against the increasing spate of attacks on Borno State by Boko Haram.
The youths, who first assembled at the popularly Ramat Square Ground, later moved to the palace of the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar   Elkanemi, saying they were willing to confront the terror group if given the go ahead.

I’ve given Igbo positions they’ve never had – Pres.Jonathan





President Goodluck Jonathan has applauded the attention his administration is giving the Igbo, whom he said, are well represented in his government and are being appointed to positions which no previous administrations ever gave them.

The President also said the Igbo had also benefited from many projects completed by his government in the South-East.

He said these during this year’s World Igbo Congress Day in Huston, United States of America.

Delta dismisses herbalists’ cure claim





Delta State Government has dismissed claims by some traditional medicine practitioners in the state that they could cure the Ebola Virus Disease.

In a press release by the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Chike Ogeah, on Thursday, the state government said, “The claims are completely false, untenable, dangerous and represent a threat to public health.

“It is hereby restated that there is no known cure yet for the Ebola Virus Disease. The media, especially television and radio broadcast houses, should refrain from promoting any claim of cure for EVD by any unorthodox medical practitioner.

Ondo opts for cremation





THE Ondo State Executive Council has sent a bill to the state House of Assembly for the disposal of bodies by cremation. The state Commissioner for Information, Kayode Akinmade, said in Akure, the state capital, on Thursday that the bill was part of government’s efforts to prevent the spread of the Ebola Virus Disease in the state. He said the bill was necessitated by the need for a law to provide for the disposal of bodies by cremation of persons who died of contagious diseases, in order to prevent the spread of such diseases. He said the law would also be applicable to others who might wish to be cremated. Akinmade said the bill was aimed at empowering the Commissioner for Health to establish or permit the establishment of such number of crematoriums as might be required in the state for the disposal of human remains by burning.

Tanker crushes two army officers in Abia




A tanker carrying diesel on Thursday crushed two army officers at the Leru junction, Umunneochi council of Abia State on the Enugu- Port Harcourt Expressway. Eyewitnesses said the deceased were at a road block when the tragedy occurred. The driver of the tanker was said to have also lost his live in the auto crash as the tanker reportedly caught fire after the accident. According to an eyewitness account, the tanker driver apparently lost control and the vehicle started hitting the drums used as barricade on the road and eventually plunged into the median of the highway. 
Continue..

Remains of Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh to be buried September 12th




 The remains of late Dr. Stella Ameyo Adadevoh, the phenomenal doctor who died on August 19th after being infected with the Ebola virus by Liberian Sawyer, will be buried on Friday September 12 at a private family funeral.


A memorial service will hold at the Holy Cross Cathedral opposite the City Mall in Lagos by 10am before her ash, which has been obtained by her family, will be committed to mother earth.

Her family had obtained her ashes after her corpse was decontaminated and cremated by the Lagos State Government. Continue...

ST

Please Like Us On facebook