Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Kerry urges Kurds to save Iraq from collapse
John Kerry arrived in Iraq's Kurdish region Tuesday in a US diplomatic drive aimed at preventing the country from splitting apart in the face of Sunni militants pushing towards Baghdad. Iraq's security forces have managed to retake a crucial border crossing along the frontier with Syria, but were struggling to contain advances by insurgents, led by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), who have taken swathes of five provinces north and west of the capital.
More than 1,000 killed in Iraq this month - UN
At least 1,075 people have been killed amid the current wave of violence in Iraq in June, the UN human rights office reports.
Most of the dead were civilians, said Rupert Colville, the spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. He added that the tally of dead "should be viewed very much as a minimum."
It includes alleged executions of civilians and police, as well as non-fighting soldiers.
Ukrainian army carries out artillery strikes against self-defense in Slavyansk despite ceasefire
Ukrainian government forces continue to carry out artillery strikes against the militia's strongholds in defiance of the declared ceasefire, the defense minister of the self-proclaimed "Donetsk People's Republic", Igor Strelkov, has said.
"After 6:00 pm yesterday, artillery fire exchanges and local gun battles continued in the Semyonovka area. The adversary opened mortar fire on the village and continued to "hunt" passing cars by firing at them from a tank stationed at their checkpoint near the village of Vostochny," Strelkov was quoted as saying by Donbass people's governor Pavel Gubarev on his Facebook account, Interfax reports.
Fayose still has a case to answer —EFCC
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has described media reports that it had dropped corruption case against the governor-elect of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, as untrue. The agency’s Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, told our correspondent on Monday that the recent election of Fayose had not affected the ongoing trial of the governor-elect at the Federal High Court, Ado-Ekiti, for alleged corruption.
Uwujaren said that the case would come up for hearing on July 15, 2014, adding that the immunity clause in the Constitution only applied to the President, the Vice President, sitting governors and their deputies, and not governors- elect.
Drama as soldiers stop, search Tambuwal’s car
Culled from Punch Nigeria
A mild drama ensued in Kaduna on Monday after soldiers stopped the motorcade of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, and searched his official car.
Findings showed that Tambuwal, who was in the flagged car on his way to the venue of an international conference on security, was asked to wind down his window glass to the surprise of other VIPs, who drove past the same route.
This made the security details attached to Tambuwal to protest but the soldiers stood their ground. Some of the soldiers were said to have insisted that they were acting on “orders from above.”
Actress Uche Nnanna's Dad is Dead.
Ase!
Monday, June 23, 2014
#2 of 5 Innovations you will not Believe are coming out of Africa, Produced by Africans.
Mellowcabs are high-tech electric pedicabs manufactured from recycled materials. These vehicles primarily provide first and last mile public transport in urban areas, thereby filling the gap for commuters who need micro transport within a 3 km radius.
Mellowcab was developed in South African by South African serial entrepreneur Neil du Preez.
Egypt sentences 3 Al-Jazeera journalists to 7 years imprisonment
Three Al-Jazeera journalists, Peter Greste (correspondent, Australian), bureau chief Mohamed Fahmy (Canadian/Egyptian) have been sentenced to 7 years in prison each over allegations of false reporting and association with the now outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. While a 3rd journalist, Baher Mohamed (producer) was given 10 years for same charges and also for being in possession of ammunition.
The three journalists were arrested in December 2013 after security forces raided their work suite office in Cairo on charges of 'spreading false news' and holding meetings with Muslim Brotherhood.
The journalists had reported on how Egyptian security agencies killed hundreds of peaceful protesters in sit-ins in Cairo. This was when Egyptians took to the streets to protest the coup by the army that removed former Egyptian president, Mohammed Morsi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood from power in July 2013 and demanding for his reinstatement.
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Suicide bomber kills 3 soldiers in Borno, Boko Haram kills 40 in new attack
Three soldiers were reportedly killed yesterday June 22nd after a suicide bomber suspected to be from the Boko Haram sect attacked a military post near a Secondary school in Gwoza, Borno state.
Vanguard reports the suicide bomber drove through Wala and Warabe villages before addressing the military post where in fact the bomb detonated and a loud sound immediately followed, with the car the suicide bomber rode in and other things in the attack scene destroyed.
Among the residents of the location, Mallam Usman Yaro who spoke with Vanguard said residents of the location were still in bed when the bomb detonated.
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Nigeria security forces arrest suspected Kano bomber.
Confirming the arrest, Kano State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Adenrele Shinaba said investigations begins immediately.
"The suspect is in our custody, and the vehicle he used for the operation has also been towed to the police headquarters. We will get to know the motive behind the attack, and who sent him on this deadly errand." he said
Putin, Obama discuss implementation of Poroshenko's peace plan by phone
Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed proposals for peace in Ukraine with US President Barack Obama on Monday, the Kremlin said in a statement, after Ukraine's leader announced a ceasefire in military operations in the east, informing Reuters. US President urged Putin to support peace in Ukraine and said Moscow would face further "costs" if it did not take steps to reduce tensions in the country, the White House said.
"They discussed ... the implementation of the peace plan proposed by the President Petr Poroshenko," the Kremlin said. "Putin stressed that priority must be given to halting military operations and to the start of direct negotiations between the opposing sides."
Anti-gov't protest under way in Donetsk during peace talks
An anti-government demonstration started outside the regional administration headquarters in Donetsk on Monday evening even as representatives of the Ukrainian government, eastern Ukrainian militias, Russia and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe were holding peace talks inside the building.
The demonstrators were holding banners reading "Donbass is Russia and "Get fascism out of Donbass."
Pensioners and women were joining in the demonstration, Interfax reports
Kiev court issues arrest warrants for leaders of Donetsk, Lugansk People’s Republics
Kiev's Shevchenkivsky District Court has issued arrest warrants for 11 leaders of the "Donetsk People's Republic" and "Lugansk People's Republic" at the request of the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office, the office said on Monday.
EU overtakes US as main food exporter
The EU beat out the United States to become the world's top exporter of agricultural and food products last year, AFP cites a European Commission report on the global farming market as saying Monday.
Fuelled by record sales to China and other emerging markets, in 2013 the 28 countries of the European Union sold 120 billion euros ($163 billion) in agri-food products, up 5.8 percent and with cereals alone accounting for over two thirds of the jump.
A market of 500 million people, the EU remained the world's biggest importer of farming and food products, though the level was mostly unchanged from 2012 at 101.5 billion euros.
A quarter of Chinese imports came from the United States, but the EU saw its share rise to 9.1 percent in 2013, mainly on sales of malt extract for beer brewing, and pork.
Referee to be Petitioned for Celebrating Nigeria's Win Over Bosnia
New Zealand referee drew widespread criticism after wrongly disallowing an Edin Dzeko strike after 21 minutes.
Emmanuel Emenike also appeared to “clip the heels” of Emir Spahic which went unnoticed by the referee.
Consequently of these, a Bosnian fan has sent the petition to FIFA, asking for O'Leary's removal.
Dzeko who spoke to us describes the referee as “shameful”.
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Missouri church lures young parish with rifles
Nowadays, the church has to be creative to bring more people in. In a bid to “get more people to follow Jesus,” a Joplin, Missouri, church held a raffle giving away two Black Rain AR15 assault rifles as a prize.
On Father’s Day, men were given an opportunity to put their names in a hat to win one of two AR-15 rifles. Each father was eligible to submit a ticket for himself and a ticket for each of his children he brought to church with him. An additional ticket was given if a man brought his own dad.
US hypocritical and extortive towards its citizens living abroad – immigration expert
More expatriate Americans are parting with their US citizenship than ever. Overseas US offices reported 1,000 US citizens and green-card holders had renounced their allegiance in just the first three months of the year. The figure puts 2014 on track to top last year's total of almost three thousand renunciations, which was already a record high since the government began disclosing such data.
The figures are somewhat disturbing, as it is more than three times higher then the number in 2012, and greater than the combined totals for 2011 and 2012, according to the US Treasury Department.
Gunmen Attack Convoy Of Edo Deputy Speaker, Others.
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Gunmen Attack Convoy Of Edo Deputy Speaker, Others.
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