UpDATE: Injuries reported as police fire tear gas, water cannon at Istanbul protesters

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The police have fired water cannon and tear gas to drive away protesters from both Istanbul’s Taksim Square and Gezi Park, hours after Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan demanded the square to be “evacuated.” Protesters claim multiple injuries.

Several people have been taken away in ambulances after being loaded onto stretchers, RT reports from Istanbul.

The crowd, which had been chanting: "Everywhere is Taksim, everywhere is resistance," was sent scrambling by the police, the latest escalation of tensions in more than two weeks of mass anti-government demos.

Turkish PM warns security forces will evict Istanbul park protesters

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan warned protesters occupying a central Istanbul park that they should leave before a ruling party rally on Sunday or face eviction by the security forces.

"We have our Istanbul rally tomorrow. I say it clearly: Taksim Square must be evacuated, otherwise this country's security forces know how to evacuate it," Erdogan told tens of thousands of supporters at a rally in the capital Ankar

Protesters took to Hong Kong streets: " Shame On The U.S Government, Respect Human Right, Support Snowden" - Protesters (photo)

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Protesters took to the streets in Hong Kong Saturday to show their support for NSA leaker Edward Snowden and demand a "thorough explanation" of the secret surveillance program he exposed. Roughly 200 people braved the rain to march to the U.S. consulate, chanting "Free Snowden" and "Arrest Obama." Others carried large posters with pictures under the headline "Big brother is watching you."

Outside the U.S. consulate, demonstrators blew their whistles saying they "were all whistle-blowers today," then handed over a letter to Consul General Steve Young, demanding an end to all surveillance of "innocent internet users" under the NSA program.

"The idea of mass surveillance not only violates the right to privacy and human dignity, but threatens the very fundamental Human Rights of freedom of thought, opinion, expression and association," the letter said.

US' moves in Syria to intensify bloody stalemate - expert

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US allegations about the use of chemical weapons reinforce the need for UN inspectors to be deployed to Syria, and for increased efforts to find a political solution to the conflict, the European Union has declared. Following the claims US President Barack Obama has given the green light to sending US weapons to Syrian rebels after the White House said it has proof the Syrian government used chemical weapons against opposition forces.

This became the “red line” that Barack Obama was talking about when threatening to initiate military intervention into Syria.

For more in this I'm joined on the phone by Richard Heydarian, a Manila-based foreign affairs analyst.

Lagos Businessman Dies During S-éx With A Sweet Lady (R.I.P)

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Detectives in Asaba, Delta State capital, have arrested a popular big girl in the city and hotel workers over the death of a business man inside the hotel room where he was lodged.

Police spokesman in the state, ASP Lucky Uyabaeme, said the 35-year-old man identified as Peter died under mysterious circumstances after having an "affair" with the lady in the hotel.

It was gathered that the victim, a Lagos-based businessman, was in Delta state for some business deals and later contacted a friend of his to “arrange” a sweet lady for him...

It was learnt that the friend assisted the deceased to check into the popular hotel (name withheld) with the big girl named Stella and after an interaction the businessman and Stella went into the hotel bar for hours before they entered into the hotel room while the contact man retired to the bar.

Again!!! Another Nigerian cab driver killed in New York

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Less than two weeks after a Nigeria cab driver was shot dead in Washington DC (if you missed it, read it HERE) another one has been killed...this time in New York.

54 year old Orji Ama Uro from Ekoli Edda, Ebonyi State, was brutally stabbed in the eye with an umbrella after dropping off two people, a man and a woman, in Brooklyn around 5pm on Thursday June 13th. The point of the umbrella pierced Ama Uro's brain, killing him. 

Eye witnesses told police that the man and woman came down from the cab on Thomas S. Boyland St. in Brownsville and immediately started arguing with the cab driver. The man, believed to be in his 20s, then stabbed Uro in the right eye with an umbrella, piercing his brain. Continue After The Break.

Images: UNIBEN student shot in the head at school complex

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A 200level Mathematics student of the University of Benin known as Snazzy was shot in the head by an unknown gun man around 2pm yesterday afternoon during the biometrics registration held in the university sports complex. Eye witnesses say the gunman dropped the gun and disappeared into the crowd before he could be identified. Snazzy was immediately rushed to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital. Don't know for sure if he died or survived. Will update as soon as I have confirmation.

Governors Amaechi and Wamakko Are Dropping PDP For The APC

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Governors Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State and Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, have finally commenced a serious discussion with the leadership of the mega opposition party, APC, in preparation to officially dump the ruling PDP and pitch their tent with the APC ahead of 2015. 

This big political move was revealed by the Interim Chairman of Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, in Katsina State, Alhaji Farouq Adamu Aliyu. Speaking during the inauguration of the CPC local governments interim committees on Thursday, Alhaji Aliyu added that:

“More PDP governors, whom I don’t want to mention their names, have also indicated their interest in APC and I am sure they will soon come out and tell the world their intentions. Our door is open for any interested PDP governor to come and join the wagon of the APC.

Ex-Soldier Butchers Partner For Objecting To his plans To Marry His Mistress

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A retired soldier, yesterday murdered his wife, Mrs Onyonishoyi Ukana-Nee Akarutu, in Igarra Community of Akoko –Edo Local Government Area of Edo State, following her refusal to allow him marry his long time mistress.

Ukana, a retired Warrant Officer 2, was said to have macheted his wife at about 1am Friday morning dismembering her body. Sources close to the family said their 18 year old son also sustained several machete cuts in an attempt to rescue his mother.

His son was reported to have raised an alarm which attracted neighbours in the night when his mother’s moan in agony, as she was being butchered by his father woke him up.

Veteran Fatai Rolling Dollar buried (Photos)

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The veteran high life musician, who died on Wednesday June 12th, was buried yesterday June 13th at his building site at Ikorodu, Lagos. May his soul rest in peace

Terrible: Nigerian Man To Be Hanged For Drug Trafficking in Malaysia

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A Nigerian man was sentenced to death by hanging by the High Court here today after being found guilty oftrafficking in 1124.10gms of methamphetamine at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, two years ago.

Anoliefo Peter Ndubuisi, 36, committed the offence at the airport Customs inspection counter at 4pm on July 30, 2011. Justice Noor Azian Shaari in her judgement on Friday, said Anoliefo’s defence saying that he was not aware of the presence of the drugs inside the 13 bottles of hair cream he was asked to carry by a friend whom he knew for only two days, was not logical.

Deputy public prosecutor Aida Mastura Mohamed Aman called 16 witnesses at the prosecution hearing while counsel James George called only one witness during the defence’s trial.

Source: the star

Buhari's Comments On Boko Haram Has Subjected Him As A Sectional Leader – Arewa Youths

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Some concerned members of theArewa Youths Forum have called onformer Head of State Maj-General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), to desist from making inciting statements in his pursuit of political relevance.

The youths also advised the presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change  (CPC) in the 2011 elections to measure the mood of Nigerians beforethrowing his hat in the ring come 2015.

Buhari was also advised to prevent deluding himself into believing that what happened to those that contested elections in other climes repeatedly before winning would be his fate.

Jibril Mamman Vatsa, the spokesman of the group who made this known in a statement in Kaduna, said the recent statements by Buhari to the effect that the existing military operation against the Boko Haram sect was anti-north hadexposed him as a sectional leader.

How Europe Underdeveloped Africa - Walter Rodney. Must read

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Walter Rodney (March 23, 1942 to June 13, 1980) was a prominent Guyanese historian and political activist. Rodney's most influential book was How Europe Underdeveloped Africa, published in 1972.

In it he described an Africa that had been consciously exploited by European imperialists, leading directly to the modern underdevelopment of most of the continent. The book became enormously influential as well as controversial. Make sure everyone reads it.

Rodney's most influential book was How Europe Underdeveloped Africa, published in 1972. In it he described an Africa that had been consciously exploited by European imperialists, leading directly to the modern underdevelopment of most of the continent. The book became enormously influential as well as controversial.

Okonjo-Iweala Opens Up, Says Nigeria Economy Is In Danger

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On Monday, June 10, at the third round of the 2013 ministerial platform in Abuja, Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, spoke glowingly about the Nigerian economy, saying the fundamentals were strong and that the economy was buoyant beyond danger.

But a few hours later, on Tuesday, when all the doors were closed, the minister sang a different tune. She told her colleagues in government point blank that the Nigerian economy is shaky despite the official fundamentals and that drastic steps are needed to save it from collapse.

Mrs Okonjo-Iweala spoke at the 50th meeting of the 15-member Federal Government Economic Implementation Team held behind closed-doors at the presidential villa.

We are Not Going Back On Same S-èx Marriage..Don't Disturb Us - Mark Speaks

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Senate President David Mark has said the decision of the National Assembly to ban same-s-èx marriage in the country was irreversible. Mark, according to a statement, said this at a dinner hosted in his honour by the Nigerian Community in Prague, Czech Republic, yesterday.

The Senate president explained that the bill, which has been approved by both chambers of the National Assembly, would not in any way infringe on the rights of Nigerians. He said: “The law against same-s-èx marriage is an approval of the wishes of the generality of Nigerians who are desirous of living within our cultural bounds. “The law is not designed to infringe on the human rights of Nigerians in any way.

Also, wherever you go in our country today, our people are completely in support of the National Assembly because the practice of same-s-ex, as you all know, is alien to us.”

Plane crash victims survive after eating their dead friends

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16 plane crash victims remained alive for 72 days until being rescued by eating their dead friends’ bodies, a victim told the news media.

Forty years since the accident that changed his life forever, Dr. Roberto Canessa still vividly remembers having to eat the flesh of friends to survive.

He was one of 16 men who escaped death when their chartered plane crashed in the desolate Andes mountains between Chile and Argentina on October 13, 1972. It took 72 days until they were rescued after Dr. Canessa, then a 19-year-old medical student and another survivor wandered for 10 days to get help.

SEE How South Africans hijack $20billion Dollar ship bunkering business in Nigeria

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The Nigerian Licensed Ship Chandlers Association a week ago took a swipe at the Directorate of Petroleum Resources DPR, apex regulatory organ of the downstream segment of the Nigerian petroleum industry over hitches connected with ship bunkering regulation in Nigeria, which gives South African firms a benefit over their Nigerian counterparts.

Secretary Board of Trustees of the association, Dr. Emeka Enebeli, who spoke in an interview, disclosed that the bunkering business in Nigeria is worthover $20bn, but regretted this segment of the maritime industry has become an exclusive preserved for South African firms.

In accordance with him, till date, no Nigerian individual or corporate has a ship bunkering license, saying that the stringent conditions listed by the DPR makes it almost impossible for almost any Nigerian individual or corporate has a bunkering license.

Gov Rochas Okorocha To Send Uneducated Traditional Rulers and Igwes To School

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Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has said that all the illiterate traditional rulers in their state would be given the chance to visit school to improve their ability to supply robust service with their people through the Community Government Council (CGC).

Okorocha spoke while addressing the original rulers and other stakeholders at Ahiajoku Convention Centre in Owerri, their state capital. According to the governor, a programme would be introduced next season in tertiary institutions to aid illiterate traditional rulers to obtain basic knowledge in governance.

He said: “Africa and Nigeria particularly can just only develop more if the community government council becomes stronger than the area government; local government stronger than their state government and state stronger than the Federal Government.”

Nigeria Accuses Detained Lebanese Of ‘Serious Terrorism Charge’

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Nigeria authorities have said that the three Lebanese arrested last month for alleged possession of illegal arms in the northern city of Kano and Abuja, the nation’s capital are involved in a much more serious case of terrorism and a threat to national security.

According to court papers filed in response to a lawsuit filed by the three Lebanese challenging their detention by the Department of State Service (DSS), preliminary investigation has established a much more serious case of terrorism and their activities constitute a threat to national security.

The suspects, Abdallah Thaini, Mustapha Fawaz and Talal Roda were brought to court in obedience to a court order directing the secret police to produce them to enable them prosecute their case.

Amaechi Says Rivers Governorship To Rotate Among Ethnic Group

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The Governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Amaechi

The Governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Amaechi has said that the process of selecting who govern the oil rich state would rotate among the different ethnic groups in the area.

The governor disclosed this on Thursday while receiving thousands of delegates from Etche ethnic group, who had paid him a solidarity visit at government house in Port Harcourt in support of his administration.

”Any area that has produced governor before should go and sleep and allow other areas to produce,’ Mr Amaechi said. He called for the setup of Etche Enlightenment Committee to educate and mobilise the people on the need to exercise their voting power in the next elections.  He insisted that the people’s vote must count since that is one way the Rivers people will elect their leaders independently without external influence in 2015.

While blaming the current political crisis in the state on some detractors, the governor said his administration is poised to do more for the Etche people promising that his administration will not abandon them. The Chairman of the Etche traditional rulers council, Emmanuel Opurum said Governor Amaechi’s administration is godsend as Etche people has witnessed unprecedented development since his inception.

FULL UPDATE: Information on use of chemical weapons by Syria's Assad fabricated - senior Russian lawmaker

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A senior Russian lawmaker said on Friday that information on the use of chemical weapons by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces was fabricated and suggested the United States would use it to justify intervention in the conflict.

"Information about the use by Assad of chemical weapons has been fabricated in the same place as the lies about (Saddam) Hussein's weapons of mass destruction," Alexei Pushkov, head of the foreign policy committee in the lower chamber of the Russian parliament, said on Twitter. "Obama is taking the same path as George Bush."

A U.S. official said on Thursday that President Barack Obama has authorized sending U.S. weapons to Syrian rebels for the first time, after the White House said it has proof the Syrian government had used chemical weapons against opposition forces.

See More Updates After The Break