Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Why Ukraine Will Never Retake Crimea







Written especially for Russia Insider


The Ukrainian Defense Minister Valerii Geletei is hardly a credible figure.

Not only did he recently declare that Russia had threatened the Ukraine with nuclear strikes, he even told a Ukrainian journalist that Russia had already executed two tactical nuclear strikes on the city of Lugansk (apparently to explain why the Ukrainian forces had to retreat from there). The Junta later denied the story and blamed it on the journalist who first published it. 

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Russia's Lavrov Calls US Interference in Ukrainian Internal Affairs 'Inappropriate'





Events in Ukraine are an internal affair of that country, and it is inappropriate to dictate the conflicting sides how to implement ceasefire agreements, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday.


Kiev authorities and independence supporters in eastern Ukraine signed on September 5 a ceasefire agreement (the Minsk Protocol) in the Belorussian capital, Minsk, and on September 19 supplemented the document with its detailed implementation plan (the Minsk Memorandum).
"The Ukrainians met in Minsk several times. They signed two documents there, while representatives from Russia and the OSCE have helped them to establish dialogue," Lavrov told reporters on the sidelines of a UN General Assembly session.

UN Official Claims 10,000 Child Combatants are Fighting in South Sudan





The number of child soldiers, fighting in South Sudan has risen to almost 10,000, UNICEF chief for child protection in the country Fatuma Ibrahim told Anadolu Agency Wednesday.
“Now the figures have reached 10,000… around 70 percent or so are [with] the white army [Nuer White Army], where thousands of these youths are being recruited," Ibrahim said, referring to Riek Machar's rebel forces.
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Shocking: Obama places Russia between the Ebola virus and international terrorism





Full speech here.
Video of speech here.

This is the except in which Russia and the Ukraine are mentioned:

(...)  Russia’s actions in Ukraine challenge this post-war order. Here are the facts. After the people of Ukraine mobilized popular protests and calls for reform, their corrupt President fled. Against the will of the government in Kiev, Crimea was annexed. Russia poured arms into Eastern Ukraine, fueling violent separatists and a conflict that has killed thousands. When a civilian airliner was shot down from areas that these proxies controlled, they refused to allow access to the crash for days. When Ukraine started to reassert control over its territory, Russia gave up the pretense of merely supporting the separatists, and moved troops across the border. 

China Offers Benin Ebola Prevention Materials: Reports




The government of China has offered Ebola disease prevention materials worth $840,000 to Benin, an unnamed source in Cotonou told Xinhua on Wednesday.  The corresponding agreement was signed by Benin's Foreign Minister Arifari Bako Nassirou and China's ambassador to the country Tao Weiguang on Monday.  Weiguang also announced that the Chinese Embassy would give $20,000 to the Benin Red Cross to speed up preparations for the Ebola disease.

ISIS-linked terrorist group beheads Frenchman abducted in Algeria



  55 year old Herve Gourdel, has been beheaded by the ISIS-linked Islamist group Jund al-Khilifa in Algeria in revenge for France launching airstrikes on Iraq. The French man was captured in Algeria while hiking in the Djurdjura National Park on Sunday September 21st just 1 day after he arrived the country for a walking holiday. The terrorists threatened to kill the Frenchman unless France stops bombing militants in Iraq. They killed him several hours later and released the video showing his beheading. France started bombing ISIS in Iraq last Friday...

War on terror: Nigerian Army confirms Boko Haram leader Shekau is dead



The Defence Headquarters has released a statement claiming to have killed a man posing as the leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau (or his impersonator) in an attack (both land and air) in Konduga Borno state between 12nd to 17th September. See the statement after the jump... 

T.B. Joshua’s alleged bribe: The truth - written by journalist Simon Ateba





Simon Ateba is a reporter with PM News. In his piece, Ateba said as long as Nigerian journalists are not paid well, they will continue to accept 'bribe'. Read his thought provoking piece below...
People have been asking me, “Simon , were you at that press conference on 14 September where Prophet T.B. Joshua allegedly gave N50,000 to journalists to write a positive story on the building collapse that killed many people?”, my answer is always the same.

I was not at that event, I do not know if he gave a bribe, I do not know if it was N50,000, and cannot comment on it. But I do not feel better or more righteous in any way than those who might have collected anything, if money was given.‎
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Why I want to be President of Nigeria -Atiku




The former Vice President said the 2015 election was about Nigeria’s youth and the nation’s future.
He stressed that the nation under the current administration has failed to provide the required environment for the youth to reach their full potentials.  
Atiku said 
“It is inspiring that amidst difficulties and growing anxiety over the future of our country, our people have refused to succumb to despair and hopelessness.
“This never-say-die attitude gives me immense hope and it is one of the reasons why I can never give up on Nigeria.”

2015: We’ll stop candidates with criminal records, says IG




The Acting Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba, has stated that the Police will stop candidates with criminal records from contesting in the 2015 general elections.

Abba who hinted that the Force would collaborate with the Department of State Security to carry out the task, added that he had made adequate arrangements for security for all activities leading to the elections, including party primaries, conventions, and campaigns by candidates.

Int’l Organizations Should Join Probe Into East Ukraine Mass Killings: Moscow





Russia wants international organizations to join an investigation into the deaths of civilians buried in a mass grave near the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, the Russian Foreign Ministry's human rights ombudsman Konstantin Dolgov said Wednesday.
"We have been trying to attract attention of inter-governmental and [non-governmental] human rights organizations to the reports about mass graves near Donetsk. We believe that they should make a practical contribution and ensure that this investigation is unbiased and effective," Dolgov said.

"The international community should insist on the inevitable punishment of those guilty of these crimes," he said on his Twitter account.

#FreeOurSoldiers: 'We won't plead for the 12 soldiers sentenced to death' - Senate



The Chairman, Senate Committee on Defence, Senator Thompson Sekibo has said that members of the Senate will not be intervening on the death verdict handed to 12 soldiers for mutiny by a military court on September 16th.

Senator Sekibo who spoke with journalists after a closed-door meeting between the senate committee on Defence and the Service Chiefs at the National Assembly in Abuja yesterday September 23rd, said the verdict of the military court is meant to instill discipline into the military. 

Ambassador: Israeli, Palestianian Officials to Hold Next Round of Talks Late October





Fayed Mustafa, Palestinian Ambassador to Russia, has confirmed to our source that the next round of peace talks between the Palestinian Autonomy and Israel will be held late October.
"Yes, we confirm that a round of indirect talks between Palestine and Israel ended yesterday in Cairo. There was an agreement to resume talks in the second half of October," the ambassador said Wednesday.
The ambassador also stressed the importance of Palestinian president speaking at the UN General assembly on September 26.

Graphic Video: Destroyed ukrainian military column near Novozar'evka



APC lawmakers walk out of session in protest over $9.3m smuggled to SA





There was major drama in the House of Reps today September 23rd after APC lawmakers staged a walk out during a session in the House after a motion to debate the $9.3m smuggled into South Africa by two Nigerians on behalf of the Federal Govt on September 5th was denied by PDP lawmakers.

According to reports, the APC lawmakers had moved a motion through the the House Deputy Minority Leader, Ismaila Kawu to debate the matter on the floor of the House but the motion was stopped after a voice note called by the deputy speaker, Mr Emeka Ihedioha went in favor of the majority PDP members.

S’Africa shouldn’t return seized $9.3m yet – APC





The All Progressives Congress has said South African government should not return the $9.3m it seized from two Nigerians and an Israeli who were arrested by security agencies after the private jet on which they were travelling touched down in the country.

Following their arrest, the Federal Government said the money was meant for the purchase of arms for the prosecution of the ongoing war against terror but the South African government has threatened that the Federal Government may have to forfeit the money if proper explanations are not offered as to how such a huge amount of money was moved into the country in cash without the strict compliance with the relevant laws.
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Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Enugu Govt Declares Thursday as Public Holiday because of Pres. GEJ's Rally






On Thursday, September 25, markets, banks and schools in Enugu State won't open for business as a result of rally to be held in honour of President Goodluck Jonathan's reelection efforts. A statement signed by the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Chuks Ugwoke, explained that the vacation “was allow Enugu State citizens and other residents to participate fully in the rally in honour of His Excellency, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, organized by the Enugu State Movement for the Re-election of President Jonathan.” The rally will hold on Thursday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu by 10:00 am. The statement also advised relevant authorities to observe the directive while urging Enugu citizens to honour the President by turning out en-masse at the rally.

US Court Closes Company Purporting to Offer Bitcoin Computers: Reports





A US court has shut down the Kansas-based company Butterfly Labs after accusing it of deceiving the public by promoting computers that purportedly mined bitcoins, The Guardian reported Tuesday.
"We often see that when a new and little-understood opportunity like Bitcoin presents itself, scammers will find ways to capitalize on the public's excitement and interest," Jessica Rich, director of the US Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) Bureau of Consumer Protection, was quoted by The Guardian as saying.
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President Assad Says Syria Supports International Anti-Terrorism Efforts: Reports





Syrian President Bashar Assad said Tuesday that his country continues to battle terrorism and supports all international efforts in that direction, according to Syrian state media.
"[Syria] supports any international effort to fight against terrorism," Assad said as quoted by Syria's state news agency SANA.

Speaking at a meeting with Iraqi National Security Adviser Faleh Fayad in Damascus, Assad noted that the success of anti-terrorism efforts is linked not only to military action, but also depends on commitment to international resolutions on the cessation of all forms of support to terrorist organizations.
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Pentagon Confirms Fifth-Generation Fighter Jets Used in Combat in Syria




The United States used F-22 fighter jets - fifth-generation aircraft - to make airstrikes on Islamic State targets in Syria on Tuesday, Gen. William Mayville, Joint Staff director of operations, said at a Pentagon briefing.
“This strike was the first time the F-22 was used in a combat role. The flight of the F-22s delivered GPS-guided munitions - precision munitions targeting only the right side of the building,” Mayville said.
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US Blocks Nigeria’s Purchase Of Chinook Helicopters From Israel




Concerns mount over double standards, US’ intent over Boko Haram



Efforts by the Nigerian military to procure US-made Chinook helicopters from Israel, to facilitate the movement of troops and the injured, have been blocked by the United States Government, THISDAY has learnt.
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Gen. Olukolade denies releasing any statement stating Chibok girls were released



  The Defence Headquarters spokesman, Gen Chris Olukolade has denied claims he issued a press statement earlier today confirming the release of some Chibok girls. See more tweets after the break...

Dictatorship In Cote D'Ivoire(Ivory Coast) Under The Regime of Allassane Outtara backed by Obama & FRANCOIS





HOLLANDE ( FRANCE)---The Western media and their governments trying hard to portray Allassane Ouattara as an "elected president in Cote d'Ivoire and trying his best to bring peace in the country" is a stabbing insult on Human Rights around the world. Since the coup d'Etat of France on April 11,2011 against the democratic government of President Laurent Gbagbo, and imposing Allassane Ouattara, his xenophobic/ tribal regime has carried a load of disregard to civil liberties, illegal detention sites and arbitrary arrests around the country. The pictures here of the prisoners are just a single salient facet of what is the illegal regime of Allassane Ouattara.
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Syrian wars of proxy - Written by A professor




The Syrian war is not only a proxy war. There is a strong internal dimension to the war in Syria but it has been obscured by various layers and dimensions of outside intervention and agendas. The Syrian regime wants to stay in power at any cost while there was certainly a civil popular opposition in Syria when the uprising first began. 
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America's Plan B, and the Houthi fly in the ointment




by Mindfriedo

 
From the start of the conflict in Syria, one thing has been conspicuously absent: Balance, tit for tat, and eye for an eye. Hafiz Al Assad understood these concepts well. He kept his friends close and his enemies closer. The Israelis and the great powers understand balance, at least when dealing with equals. Bashar was overtly loyal to Iran and the resistance, he should have seen things coming. His father would have. The Saudi's failed bid to woo Syria was the harbinger to Syria's ills. 
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Ex-Police boss kills self, wife & son in Ogun state



A retired Assistant Commissioner of Police, Sunday Isokpehi, who at one time served at the Lagos state police command anti-robbery squad, on Saturday September 20th, killed himself, his wife Gladys and their son at their Sango Ota, Ogun state residence after a heated argument with his wife.

According to reports, the former police boss and his wife began fighting when they returned home from a wedding on Saturday after he accused her of disgracing him at the wedding by getting drunk.
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Photos: Another 1st Made-in-Nigeria APC under President GEJ




The first made-in-Nigeria APC (armoured personnel carrier) unleashed in the North- East. Introducing the IGIRIGI APC made by the Nigerian Army Electrical and Mechanical Enginners (NAEME) The PDPYF Germany wishes the IGIRIGI Happy Hunting in the North-East and all other Areas of deployment. foto:Beegeagle's Blog
See more photos after the break.

EFCC: Man arraigned for duping another of ₦100k




Below is the EFCC press release


The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on September 22, 2014 arraigned one Musa Yunusa alias Yassa Mustapha Aliyu before Justice Darius Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court on one count charge of obtaining money by false pretense. The accused allegedly obtained the sum of N100, 000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira Only) from one Abdulkadir Abbas under the guise that he had power voltage regulators to sell to him.
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10 more Boko Haram commanders surrender and how Shekau was killed —Military





ANOTHER set of 10 terrorists, on Monday, surrendered to the Nigerian troops at Kawuri, Borno State, with their catche of arms and ammunition.
According to a statement on the Twitter handle of the Defence Headquarters, operations were ongoing in Konduga and its environs.
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US soldier beats his 2 year old daughter to death





20 year old Texas soldier, Dartarious Graham, (pictured centre) has been charged with capital murder after his 2 year old daughter Peyton was found unresponsive with ‘suspicious’ injuries in his home in Fort Bliss, Texas. According to police, the young father beat his 2-year-old daughter to death after he became upset that she had soiled her diaper.

They also arrested Graham’s cousin Robert Franklin, 19 (pictured left), for witnessing the attack and not doing anything to help the little girl. The child's mother Elizabeth Graham, 23 (pictured right) was charged with injury to a child by omission for no protecting the child and failing to report the abuse which had been constant before the fatal beating...
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No Chibok Girls Released – Defence Headquaters Nigeria




Minutes after reports by local and international sites like the BBC that the Chibok girls had been released this evening,the Nigerian army has rubbished the reports.They say the buses were conveying other individuals.. The BBC earlier reported that the Nigerian Army Spokesperson confirmed the girls had been driven into the Barracks this evening and more girls were still being released..

Syrian General: ‘Moderate Opposition’ in Syria Figment of Obama’s Imagination





The "moderate opposition" that US President Barack Obama said Washington would train and equip to address the Islamic State (IS) militant threat in Iraq and Syria does not exist, Maj. Gen. Yahya Suleiman told Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency on Tuesday.
"We are accustomed to the fact that the United States is often hypocritical. The biggest hypocrisy was displayed by the American side, when the US president announced that there is a "moderate opposition" in Syria. However, this was nothing more than a figment of his [Barack Obama's] own imagination," Maj. Gen. Suleiman said.
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Tehran: US-Led Military Attack on IS in Syria Violates Int'l Law, Sovereignty of State





Tehran has denounced the US airstrikes against IS targets in Syria as an illegal action and violating the Arab country's sovereignty.  "These bombings [launched by US in Syria] do not have any legal standing so we can interpret them as an attack," claimed Hassan Rouhani, the president of Iran, as cited by the Wall Street Journal.  The American Air Force conducted airstrikes Islamic State targets in Syria's Raqqa and the surrounding countryside on early Tuesday. Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan have taken part in the strikes along with the United States, CNN reports, quoting a senior US military official.
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Some of Nigeria’s Kidnapped Schoolgirls Freed: Reports





Some of the nearly 200 schoolgirls that were kidnapped in Nigeria this April by Boko Haram have been freed, BBC News Africa reported Tuesday.
BBC News Africa quoted Nigerian Army spokesman Brig. Gen. Chris Olukolade as saying that the exercise was "ongoing".
The spokesperson did not specify the number of the girls freed, who are reported to be currently held in a barracks.

Photos: Seventh Day Adventist building on fire in Lagos



 The Seventh Day Adventist Church building located at Maryland Lagos happens to be on fire. This has been burning for some hours now while they await help from the fire service. See more pics after the break..

2015: Association of Witches Declares Jonathan Winner





Inner Coven Society Worldwide, a non-political affiliate and association of witches, says there is no vacancy in Aso Rock, come 2015 presidential election.  According to the society, the election has already been concluded in the spiritual realm and won by President Goodluck Jonathan. President-General of the society, Dr. Omo Ebosele,  told SunNews: 
“The Inner Coven Society World-wide, as the minds that have travelled into the unseen and the unknown, is using this opportunity to say that the 2015 presidential election in Nigeria is a foregone issue. The election has been won and lost in the spirit realm. The candidate who by destiny has the overwhelming support of our society as well as other supernatural principalities in the high places is President Jonathan  and he has won the election.”
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60-yr-old Man Stabs 2-yr-old, 1 Other to Death





File photo

A 60-year-old man, one Musa Sule, believed to be a person of unsound mind, last Saturday, at Sabonngari, Sade in Darazo Local Government Area of Bauchi State, suddenly went berserk and stabbed a two-year-old girl and a 12-year-old girl to death.

The incident, according to a statement from DSP Haruna Mohammed, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in charge of the Bauchi State Police Command, happened at about 4:20pm, when the deranged man picked a knife and started stabbing everyone on sight.
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South African Gay-Friendly Mosque Closed Down After Only 3 Days in Service





The first gay-friendly mosque in South Africa has been closed down indefinitely after only three days in service, the BBC reports.  According to a Cape Town official, the mosque violated municipal by-laws by failing to have parking spaces.


Despite criticism from members of the local Muslim community, the mosque, which intended to include all Muslims regardless of their gender, sexual orientation and sect, was opened on September 19, the Washington Post said.
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Obama Vows to Continue Fight Against Islamic State, Boost Coalition Efforts




US President Barack Obama pledged on Tuesday to continue the fight against Islamic State militants and build up an international coalition in his first public remarks on US strikes against Islamic State militants in Syria.


"Once again, it must be clear to anyone who would plot against America and do Americans harm that we will not tolerate safe havens for terrorists who threaten our people," Obama said. in a brief statement at the White House. Obama praised the efforts of the US-led international coalition, which now comprises over 40 countries, to defeat the Islamic State and affiliate terrorist groups.
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Judge Flees as Thugs Disrupt Proceedings against Fayose.



Victims of the attack

There was confusion at the Ekiti State High Court on Monday after hoodlums invaded the court to disrupt proceedings in a case challenging the eligibility of the Governor-elect, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, to contest the June 21 governorship election.


Punch reports that the invasion took place shortly after the judge, Justice Olusegun Ogunyemi, refused an application to set aside an order abridging the time for the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate to file his defence in the case filed on behalf of socio-political group, Ekiti-11 by a member, Mr. Femi Ajakaiye. The judge had adjourned sitting till 12 noon to prepare a ruling in a similar matter filed by the Citizen Popular Party before trouble started.
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Syrian Ambassador to Russia: US Airstrikes on IS Targets Uncoordinated With Damascus




The Ambassador of the Syrian Arab Republic in Russia Riyad Haddad denied any coordination with the United States Air Force regarding the US airstrikes against the Islamic State (IS) targets in Syria on Tuesday, but confirmed that Damascus knew of the upcoming operation in advance.


"There has been no coordination with the US Air Force, and what is being said [of such coordination] is not true," the ambassador said in an interview with RIA Novosti adding that "The United States has informed the permanent Syrian Ambassador to the United Nations Bashar Jaafari that the United States and some of its supporters are going to carry out airstrikes on IS targets in Syria."

According to the ambassador, the United States had informed Damascus of the upcoming airstrikes a few hours before the launch of the operation.
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Xi and Modi Challenge Unipolar World Order




“Xi and Modi Map Out New Era”, China Daily reported. What kind of new era could that be? VR is discussing it with Boris Volkhonsky, the Head of Asia Section at the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies.
Last week’s visit to India paid by the Chinese leader resulted in numerous agreements opening the way for cooperation projects worth billions of dollars and, what’s even more important, raising prospects of a new – and unprecedented – regional alliance. “Xi and Modi Map Out New Era”, China Daily reported. What exactly are the strategic shifts under way in Asia and what kind of new era could they create?
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#FreeOurSoldiers: We'll name Boko Haram collaborators in military hierarchy if...





Aggrieved soldiers warn

JUNIOR officers of the Nigerian Army have threatened to expose senior military officers who collaborate with the Boko Haram insurgents in protest of the death sentence passed on their colleagues  by the military martial court that tried them for mutiny.  
According to our source, Nigerian soldiers are fiercely proud of their exploits and anything that makes them lose face must be dealt with squarely. This according to him was responsible for the alleged mutiny which led to the court marshalling of some of their colleagues. Our source, a serving soldier who pleaded anonymity said that the unfortunate uprising leading to the attack on the vehicle of the General Officer Commanding the 7th Division of the Nigerian Army, General Ahmed Mohammed was as a result of poor tactics in the field.
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DSS Arrests NTA Reporter over ₦50M Bribe Demand





The Niger State command of the Department of State Services (DSS) on Monday paraded Sampson Oghenedoro, a 28-year old staff of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) for demanding N50 million from the state government to stop him from broadcasting a story on alleged fraudulent activities within the government.

According to DailyTrust, the suspect was paraded at the state command in Minna and the state of director, Dr. Larry Obiagwu, said Sampson was picked up by his men at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja while on his way to Minna to collect the said amount.
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Syrian Twitter User First to Report US Airstrikes on IS in Raqqa




– Abdulkader Hariri, a Twitter user living in Raqqa, is believed to be the one who broke the news of US airstrikes against the Islamic State (IS) targets in Syria 30 minutes before Pentagon confirmed that information, the Telegraph reports. Hariri posted his first tweet on the popular microblogging service stating that “huge explosions shook the city” of Raqqa, IS stronghold since early 2013 and the capital of the so-called caliphate.
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US Airstrikes on Militants in Syria Only Destabilize Situation: Moscow





US airstrikes on Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria violate Syria's sovereignty and are destabilizing to the region, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.

"Attempts to pursue own geopolitical goals through violating the sovereignty of other states only escalates tensions and aggravates the situation even further," the statement reads. "Moscow has repeatedly warned that those who initiated one-sided military scenarios bear full international legal responsibility for the consequences."
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"I can feel the bullets are destroying the organs of my body’ -Survivors of Wednesday’s terror





Survivors of  Wednesday’s terror attacks at the Federal College of Education, Kano, are still traumatised by the carnage which left 13 of their colleagues dead.

Terrorists believed to be suicide bombers launched an assault on the college, the fallout of which is still rocking the city of Kano. Saturday Tribune was at the sick bed of some of the 34 ‘lucky survivors’ who though savour a lucky escape but have given up the pursuit of academics if that will save their dear lives.
  • At the Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital, Abdulyasar Nasir narrated his ordeal.
At age 12, Nasir is simply too young to study at the College but the boy is known at the school 
premises as a hawker of sachet water.

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Monday, September 22, 2014

SA minister says death toll at Synagogue building collapse now 115




South African minister, Jeff Radebe today Sept. 22nd, said that the death toll from the Synagogue building collapse has risen to 115. Radebe said this at an airforce base, North of Johannesburg in South Africa where 25 South Africans who were injured in the collapsed building were brought home in a military C-130 aircraft (pictured above) for treatment. He however maintained that 84 South Africans died in the tragedy.

"We understand from our assessment team that the total number of people who have perished is now 115, but those are not all South Africans. South Africans are about 84 that have died" Jeff Radebe told reporters.

ST

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