Putin, Macron Back Iran Nuclear Accord

Russian President Vladimir Putin and French leader Emmanuel Macron on Monday called for the “strict observance” of the Iran nuclear accord, with US President Donald Trump still deciding whether to scrap the agreement.

“The Presidents of Russia and France spoke in favour of keeping the Plan and its strict observance,” the Kremlin said, referring to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

The statement was released after Macron called Putin to inform him of his talks with Trump in the United States.

Trump faces a May 12 deadline to decide on the fate of the Iran nuclear accord and is demanding changes that European capitals believe would represent a legal breach.

On Sunday, US National Security Advisor John Bolton said the mercurial US president had not yet decided whether to scrap the accord.

Macron, who held talks with Trump last week, has positioned himself as an emissary for European officials seeking a compromise that would keep the deal intact.

Macron has earlier proposed an additional deal that extends Iran’s nuclear restrictions.

Russia has said that there was “no alternative” to the agreement and that Iran’s position was on the issue was paramount.

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani rejected any hopes of rewriting the nuclear deal.


AFP

UPDATED: Court Jails Senior Lawyer, Nwobike Over Justice Perversion

A Lagos High Court Sitting in the Ikeja area has convicted a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Joseph Nwobike on charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Justice Raliat Adebiyi, who delivered the verdict today also sentenced the Snr Advocate to a jail term of one month.

The court held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission proved beyond reasonable doubts that the SAN was in constant communication with some court officials to influence the assignment of his cases to preferred judges.

The EFCC had alleged that Nwobike offered N750,000 and N300,000 gratifications to Justices Mohammed Yunusa and Hyeladzira Nganjiwa. Both are Federal High Court judges.

The EFCC claimed that Nwobike offered them the money to pervert the course of justice. The SAN denied these charges.

The court also did not find him guilty on any offence of offering gratification to a judicial officer.

The EFCC had also detailed in court an exchange of text messages between a deputy registrar of the Federal High Court and Mr Nwobike. The commission alleges that the SAN used the msgs to influence the assignment of his cases before certain judges of the court.

In its amended charges, the Commission specifically listed Mrs Helen Ogunleye, a former registrar to Justice Musa Kurya and another Mr Jide, an assistant Chief Registar as persons whom the Snr Advocate regularly communicated with.

At his trial, Mr Nwobike admitted sending the messages but denied that the intention was to influence the outcome of his cases.

Buhari, Trump Meeting To Focus On Security, Economy

President Muhammadu Buhari will today be meeting with United States President, Donald Trump in Washington to hold talks on security and the economy.

President Buhari will be the second African leader to be received by Trump’s White House administration, after Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah Sisi.

Buhari’s visit comes after Trump met German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday and French President Emmanuel Macron last week to discuss the contentious Iran nuclear deal and biting trade sanctions.

According to a White House statement, the talks will focus on fighting terrorism and insecurity, economic growth and democratic development in Nigeria, set to hold presidential polls in February next year.

Trump’s relationship with the continent suffered a further setback in March when former secretary of state Rex Tillerson was fired while in Nigeria on his first trip to the continent.

As a result, the visit revealed little about Trump’s Africa policy.

Nigeria is entering its ninth year fighting Boko Haram extremists, who have devastated the northeast of the country and killed over 20,000 people in a bloody quest to establish an Islamist state.

Buhari is also battling a so-called herdsmen crisis, a sectarian conflict hardening along religious lines that has claimed scores of lives this year in escalating violence.

“I think both sides have a clear agenda in this meeting and its security and economic issues. They both have something to gain,” J. Peter Pham, director of the Africa Center at the Washington-based Atlantic Council, told AFP.

All eyes will be on Trump after he earlier called African nations “shithole” countries, a damaging remark he has since denied.

“On President Trump’s side, it’s definitely putting that controversy behind him,” Pham said. 

“On President Buhari’s side, it’s having the prominence of being the first African leader received at the White House in this administration.”

– Improved relations –

In spite of Trump’s remarks, Nigeria’s relationship with the United States has improved since he came into office, according to Lauren Blanchard, African affairs specialist with the Congressional Research Service.

“(The visit) is intended to signal that the United States continues to see Nigeria as one of its most important partners on the continent,” Blanchard said. 

“Cooperation has improved over the course of President Buhari’s tenure but not as fast as both sides would like,” she added.

Buhari, who like Trump has a tendency to make gaffes, had lambasted former President Barack Obama shortly after coming into the office for refusing to sell Nigeria weapons to fight Boko Haram.

“Unwittingly, and I dare say unintentionally, the application of the Leahy Law Amendment by the United States government has aided and abetted the Boko Haram terrorists,” Buhari said during a visit to Washington.

Under the legislation, the US is prevented from offering weapons or training to countries where there is credible information of human rights abuses by authorities.

In contrast, Trump’s administration has gone ahead with the reported $496 million sales of up to a dozen Super Tucano aircraft, a plane with surveillance and attack capabilities, set to be delivered in 2020.

The deal has recently come under scrutiny in Nigeria, a country with endemic corruption, where lawmakers are accusing the president of illegally withdrawing funds to purchase the planes.

– Re-election momentum –

While no major trade announcements are expected, Trump and Buhari will also be talking about ways to deepen economic cooperation.

“There is the security element and the economic element that dovetails with Trump’s agenda to push American business,” said Pham.

Buhari, who is seeking re-election in 2019, is likely to play up his administration’s agriculture reforms and underline his commitment to democracy.

This trip will also be used by his government to underscore that Buhari is fit for office after a series of health scares during his tenure.

“It undercuts the ‘Baba go slow’ narrative,” said Pham, referring to a nickname given to Buhari for his slow pace in office. “It’s a build-up to his re-election campaign.”

The 75-year-old former military ruler was Nigeria’s first opposition challenger to defeat an incumbent in a largely fair poll.

His election as president triggered a wave of optimism for oil-rich Nigeria, which has Africa’s biggest population but wrestles with rampant corruption and poor governance.

John Cena Opens Up About His Split From Nikki Bella, Says ‘I’m gonna get through it, but I love her.’

The wrestlers recently broke off their engagement and put to end their 6 years relationship.

John Cena, 40, is heartbroken following his break up from Nikki Bella, 34.

The wrestlers recently broke off their engagement and put to end their 6 years relationship.

The pair who got engaged one year ago at Wrestlemania 33 revealed their separation to US Weekly.

“While this decision was a difficult one, we continue to have a great deal of love and respect for one another,” the couple told US in a statement. “We ask that you respect our privacy during this time in our lives.

Reacting to the shocking split in a new interview with Entertainment Tonight, John said:

“I love Nicole with all my heart and the split’s tough. It’s a tough time but that’s life. We all go through highs and we all go through lows. I’m gonna get through it. I love her. I’ll always love her.” 

“The fact that my heart hurts for her … I know I was in love. So, I’ll always have that.”

China Hails ‘Courage’ Of North, South Korean Leaders

China on Friday heaped praise on the leaders of the two Koreas for holding a landmark summit, calling their handshake over the Military Demarcation Line that divides the peninsula a “historic moment”.

“We applaud the Korean leaders’ historic step and appreciate their political decisions and courage,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a regular press briefing.

“We hope and look forward to them taking this opportunity to further open a new journey of long-term stability on the peninsula.”

She also cited a poem that reads: “We remain brothers after all the vicissitudes; let’s forgo our old grudges, smiling we meet again.”

China is North Korea’s sole major ally but it has supported a series of United Nations sanctions to punish Pyongyang over its nuclear and missile tests.

Beijing has pressed for dialogue to peacefully resolve the nuclear crisis.

AFP

N. Korea’s Kim Jong Un Says A ‘New History Begins Now’

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Friday hailed the beginning of a new era of peace, ahead of a summit with his Southern counterpart Moon Jae-in.

“A new history begins now – at the starting point of history and the era of peace,” read the message Kim wrote in a guestbook at the Peace House summit venue on the southern side of the Demilitarized Zone that divides the Koreas.

AFP

REAKING: Detained Senator Peter Nwaoboshi Gets Bail

The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has granted bail to the Senator representing Delta North in the National Assembly, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi on self-recognisance.

Justice Mohammed Idris also ordered that the Senator must present two sureties, who must produce a N50 million bond within 72 hours or the bail will be revoked.

The judge also directed him to deposit his passport with the court and he’s not to travel outside the court’s jurisdiction without permission.

The Federal High Court Sitting in Lagos had on Wednesday, April 25 ordered the remand of Senator Nwaboshi in Ikoyi Prison.

The remand order follows his arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of fraud.

Senator Nwaboshi, the lawmaker representing Delta North district at the National Assembly, was arraigned by the anti-graft agency on Wednesday on two counts of alleged fraud.

Counsel to Senator Nwaboshi had asked the court to grant his client bail on self-recognisance, but the EFCC opposed the bail application.

The anti-corruption agency informed the court that there were still pending charges against the lawmaker.

Senator Nwaboshi is being arraigned over the purchase of a property identified as Guinea House located on Marine Road, Apapa-Lagos.

The EFCC alleged that the money used to acquire the property by the senator formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act of fraud.

The accused is being charged alongside Golden Touch Construction Projects Limited and Suiming Electricals Nigeria Limited.

Nine Killed, Two Police Officers Injured In Borno Boko Haram Attack

Nine persons have been killed with two police officers injured in the Boko Haram attack on Jiddari Polo area of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

Troops of the Nigerian Army had on Thursday said they repelled an attack by Boko Haram terrorists in Maiduguri after the insurgents made their way through a cashew plantation to the Jiddari Polo area of the state capital before launching the attack around 6:00 p.m.

Officials of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) however confirmed to Channels Television on Friday that nine people were killed in the attack.

NEMA North East coordinator, Bashir Garga, disclosed the figure after the agency conducted evacuation on the scene of the attack.

Five of the bodies recovered was that of suicide bombers while the four others are residents who fell victims of the attack. One of the victims was killed in the mosque while another reportedly died of shock.

The police, also in a statement on Friday said two police officers were injured in the attack. The police in the statement which was signed by the spokesperson, Damian Chukwu aid the terrorists shot sporadically at security agents and also detonated IEDs.

“The terrorist gunfire sporadically and detonating IEDs. We promptly deployed SARS/PMF/EOD to assist DPO and Army at the scene. Were repelled after the fierce gun battle with profuse tear smoke applicant.

“Two of our SARS personnel were injured in the battle,” the police statement read in part.

Several others victims injured are still in the hospital with bodies evacuated to Specialist Hospital and the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital,

BREAKING: Oyo House Of Assembly Speaker Dies At 47

Speaker of the Oyo House of Assembly, Honourable Michael Adeyemo, is dead.

Some members of the House of Assembly confirmed this to Channels Television, on Friday and expressed shock over the news of the death.

The cause of his death is, however, yet to be ascertained.

His body is currently being taken to the morgue.

Adeyemo died at the age of 47.

Details Later…

Trump, Macron Call For ‘New’ Nuclear Deal With Iran

United States President Donald Trump and French counterpart Emmanuel Macron called for a “new” deal with Iran Tuesday, looking beyond divisions over a landmark nuclear accord that now hangs in the balance.

Trump pilloried a three-year-old agreement designed to curb Iran’s nuclear program as “insane” and “ridiculous”, despite European pleas for him not to walk away from the accord.

Instead, Trump eyed a “grand bargain” that would also limit Iran’s ballistic missile program and support for militant groups across the Middle East.

“I think we will have a great shot at doing a much bigger, maybe, deal,” said Trump, stressing that any new accord would have to be built on “solid foundations.”

“They should have made a deal that covered Yemen, that covered Syria, that covered other parts of the Middle East,” said Trump.

“No matter where you go in the Middle East, you see the fingerprints of Iran behind problems.”

Macron, visiting Washington on a landmark state visit, admitted after meeting Trump that he did not know whether the US president would walk away from the nuclear deal when a May 12 decision deadline comes up.

“I can say that we have had very frank discussions on that, just the two of us,” Macron told a joint press conference with Trump at his side.

Putting on a brave face, he said he wished “for now to work on a new deal with Iran” of which the nuclear accord could be one part.

Trump — true to his background in reality TV — teased his looming decision.

“This is a deal with decayed foundations. It’s a bad deal, it’s a bad structure. It’s falling down,” the US leader said. “We’re going to see what happens on the 12th.”

Trump’s European allies have repeatedly tried to persuade him not to walk away from the 2015 deal, which gave Iran massive sanctions relief and the guarantee of a civilian nuclear program in return for limiting enrichment that could produce weapons-grade fuel.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel will make a similar pitch when she visits Washington on Friday.

Neither Trump nor Macron indicated what Iran would get in return for concessions on its ballistic programs or activities in the Middle East.

Iran, meanwhile, has warned it will ramp up enrichment activities if Trump walks away from the accord, prompting Trump to issue a blunt warning.

“They’re not going to be restarting anything. If they restart it, they’re going to have big problems, bigger than they ever had before. And you can mark it down,” he said.
Simmering tensions

For months American and European officials have been working behind the scenes to trying to find a compromise over Trump’s demands to change the agreement.

Officials have toyed with the idea of a separate joint declaration: promising to tackle non-nuclear issues, while searching for a tougher successor agreement.

The challenge, they say, is to find a solution that allows the mercurial US president to claim a public victory, while keeping the deal intact.

More hawkish American officials accuse Europeans — particularly Germany — of putting business interests ahead of security, and of opposing a tougher stance against Iran to safeguard investments in the Islamic Republic.

That charge is sharply rejected by European officials, who are increasingly frustrated at spending time dealing with Trump’s complaints rather than tackling Iran’s behaviour.

The disagreement threatens to plunge transatlantic relations to their lowest point since the Iraq War.

Trump comments contrasted markedly with the red carpet roll out that Macron received at the White House.

Earlier Tuesday both men waxed lyrical about shared heroes of yore — from the Marquis de Lafayette to Alexis de Tocqueville — and listened to strains of “La Marseillaise” and “The Star-Spangled Banner” echoing around the South Lawn of the White House.

“The wonderful friendship we have developed over the last year is a testament to the enduring friendship that binds our two nations,” Trump glowed.

In the Oval Office, Trump offered another, slightly awkward sign of their intimacy.

“We have a very special relationship, in fact, I’ll get that little piece of dandruff off,” Trump said, swiping something off Macron’s jacket. “We have to make him perfect — he is perfect.”

Observers are uncertain that Macron can translate the privileged relationship into concrete results.

There are also problems in the economic sphere, with Macron and Merkel both trying to secure a permanent exemption for Europe from US steel and aluminum tariffs.

Trump complained about having to do trade “deals” with the European Union as a bloc, rather than individual states like France.

AFP

Buhari Describes Benue Church Attack, Killings As Satanic

President Muhammadu Buhari has described the killing of worshippers and two priests at a Catholic Church in Benue as ‘vile and satanic’.

The President condoled with the government and people of Mbalom Community in Gwer East Local Government Area where the incident occurred.

In a statement by the President’s spokesman, Femi Adesina, says, “I extend my sincere condolences to the government and people of Benue State, the Mbalom community, and especially the Bishop, priests and members of the St Ignatius’ Catholic Church, whose premises was the unfortunate venue of the heinous killings by gunmen.

“This latest assault on innocent persons is particularly despicable. Violating a place of worship, killing priests and worshippers is not only vile, evil and satanic, it is clearly calculated to stoke up religious conflict and plunge our communities into endless bloodletting,” the President said.

The President is angered by this recent attack where suspected armed herdsmen on Tuesday stormed the Catholic church killing two priests and 11 other people during an early morning mass.

He has vowed hunt down the assailants and ensure that they pay for the sacrilege committed.

The President also stated that the country will not bow to the machinations of evildoers.

Rapper Meek Mill Freed After Uproar Over Harsh Term

Rapper Meek Mill won freedom from prison on Tuesday after an unusually harsh sentence triggered protests that pointed to racial biases in United States probation laws.

The 30-year-old Philadelphia rapper, who was jailed in November over a case from his teenage years, was ordered out on bail by Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court.

As he walked at least temporarily free, Mill thanked supporters who campaigned for him as well as the Philadelphia district attorney’s office that sided with him.

“I understand that many people of colour across the country don’t have that luxury and I plan to use my platform to shine a light on those issues,” Mill wrote on Twitter. 

“In the meantime, I plan to work closely with my legal team to overturn this unwarranted conviction and look forward to reuniting with my family and resuming my music career,” said Mill, whose last album “Wins and Losses” reached number three on the US chart.

Mill, raised by a single mother after his father was killed, was thrown into jail over his arrest on drug and gun possession charges in 2008, well before the rapper born as Robert Rihmeek Williams achieved stardom.

At what had looked like a routine hearing, Philadelphia judge Genece Brinkley handed Mill a term of between two and four years for violating terms of parole, including scheduling shows that conflicted with the court schedule and entering a publicised scuffle in St. Louis.

Ordering Mill out on bail, the state’s Supreme Court cited “credibility issues” over a police officer who was a witness.

Mill has said he was badly beaten during the 2008 arrest and placed a bloody mugshot of himself as the cover of his “DC4” mixtape.

The Supreme Court did not throw out the case but asked the local court to reach a resolution within 60 days. It also did not remove Brinkley but noted she “may opt to remove herself from presiding over this matter.”

In addition to street rallies, Mill enjoyed the support of celebrities including hip-hop mogul Jay-Z, whose Roc Nation management signed Mill.

In an op-ed last year for The New York Times, Jay-Z said that Mill’s case was “just one example of how our criminal justice system entraps and harasses hundreds of thousands of black people every day.”

Probation, which dates from English common law, was initially seen as a compassionate way for courts to grant freedom to people who pose little risk.

But a survey by The Marshall Project, a non-profit news organisation that covers the US judicial system, found that at least 61,250 people — and probably far more — are in prison across the United States for minor parole violations like missing appointments, failing drug tests or staying out past curfew.

AFP

UPDATED: Melaye Hospitalised After Jumping Out Of Moving Police Vehicle

Senator Dino Melaye on Tuesday landed in a hospital in Abuja after he reportedly jumped out of a moving police vehicle.

The lawmaker was rushed to Zankli hospital in Mabushi district of Abuja after jumping off the police vehicle around Area One.

The police vehicle was conveying him to Lokoja, Kogi State where he is expected to be interrogated by the police in connection with the allegation that he armed some thugs and in relation to other criminal activities.

Police authorities in a statement later on Tuesday confirmed that Senator Dino Melaye jumped from the moving vehicle allegedly in a bid to escape.

Melaye had earlier been interrogated by the police over his alleged involvement in the supply of arms to some political thugs arrested in Kogi State in January.

The lawmaker, representing Kogi West had earlier refused to honour the invitation of the police for questioning over his alleged involvement in that incident, claiming he does not feel safe in Lokoja.

Senator Melaye was detained and subsequently released at the International wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe international airport on Monday by the Nigerian Immigration Service.

The lawmaker had also raised an alarm on the social media on Monday evening on how the police had laid siege to his home in Abuja.

‘Police Briefing In Kogi’

The Police during a briefing in Kogi on Tuesday disclosed that Senator Melaye has been on the police wanted list since March 2018.

The lawmaker, however, surrendered himself in order to answer the alleged criminal conspiracy and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms kidnapping in Kogi State.

Explaining further, the Deputy Force Public Relations Officer Force Headquarters Abuja, Aremu Adeniran told journalists in Kogi that Dino Melaye has since been arrested and will be charged to court after a diligent investigation by the police force.

Adeniran said on January 19, 2018 two suspects Kabiru Saidu also known as ‘Osama’ and Nuhu Salisu also known as ‘Small’ who have been terrorising Kogi State Police Command and Federal Special Anti-robbery Squad at Ogojueje in Dekina Local Government Area upon interrogation confessed that they have been working as political thugs for Senator Dino Melaye.

See more photos from Melaye’s attempted ‘escape’ below…

Senator Dino Melaye on the ground after allegedly jumping off the police vehicle in Abuja.Senator Dino Melaye on a stretcher in the hospital.Senator Dino Melaye on a stretcher in the hospital.Senator Dino Melaye taken in an ambulance to the hospital.Senator Dino Melaye taken in an ambulance to the hospital.

How Hoodlums Tried To Help Dino Melaye Escape From Custody – Police

Police authorities have confirmed that Senator Dino Melaye jumped from a moving vehicle today in Abuja, allegedly in a bid to escape.

The Police in a statement signed its spokesperson, Jimoh Moshood, said some hoodlums who drove in two Hilux vehicle tried to help the Senator’s escape by blocking the police vehicle conveying him to a court in Kogi State.

“At about 1200Hrs of today Sen. Dino Melaye while in lawful custody of the Nigeria Police Force and being taken for arraignment in Federal High Court, Lokoja from Abuja, escaped from lawful custody when hoodlums and miscreants in Two (2) Toyota Hilux Vehicles blocked the Police vehicle conveying Senator Dino Melaye around Area 1 Round About, Abuja. 

“In the process, the Senator jumped out of the Police vehicle through the window and was rescued (sic) from the Policemen by hoodlums and miscreants to an unknown destination,” the statement read in part.

According to the police, the lawmaker was taken away by the hoodlums after he jumped from the window of the moving vehicle.

Melaye was however re-arrested by the police at the hospital where he was rushed to after sustaining injuries from the incident.

“The Police team re-enforced and trailed Senator Dino Melaye to Zankli Hospital, Abuja where he was re-arrested. The Senator would be arraigned in court without further delay,” Moshood added.

The Police have also recovered the Toyota Hilux vehicles used by the hoodlums.

A thorough investigation, according to the police will be conducted into the circumstances leading to Senator Dino Melaye attempted rescue from police custody.

Italy Bosses Confirm Ancelotti Talks, Insist No Front-Runner

Italian football federation (FIGC) chiefs on Tuesday confirmed talks had taken place with Carlo Ancelotti concerning the vacant Italy coaching job but insisted there was no front-runner yet.

Ancelotti, who was sacked by Bayern Munich last September, met with FIGC commissioner Roberto Fabbricini and sub-commissioner Alessandro Costacurta in a Rome hotel on Monday.

It was reported the 58-year-old has been offered a two-year contract, with the only sticking point financial terms which would be less lucrative than his previous deal with the German champions.

But Fabbricini insisted the meeting was not an official one. “Ancelotti has a fairly serious family problem, and that’s why he was in Rome,” Fabbricini told Italian radio.

“Costacurta, having a strong friendship with Ancelotti, met him and I also took part in that meeting.

“We talked about a future scenario though, but we still have a coach (Luigi Di Biagio) under contract.

“I don’t think a coach can a priori rule out a prestigious job like leading Italy. The Azzurri bench is always an objective for any coach.
May 20 deadline

“But of course there are other factors which affect the decision – the desire to work every day for example.

“No-one is in pole, we want to respect the date of May 20 because the national team will play on May 28 (friendly against Saudi Arabia).”

Italy have been without a permanent coach since Gian Piero Ventura was sacked after the four-time champions failed to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in 60 years after losing to Sweden in a two-legged playoff in November.

Costacurta — who was coached by Ancelotti at AC Milan in the 1980s — was appointed to find a successor to Ventura and insisted the deadline remained May 20.

Among the other names being touted are Zenit St Petersburg coach Roberto Mancini, Chelsea boss Antonio Conte and former Leicester coach Claudio Ranieri, now in charge of French club Nantes.

“Carlo was in Rome for personal reasons, the chosen hotel was the one where I always stay myself and we found ourselves there at the same time,” Costacurta told Sky Sports Italia.

“We didn’t talk about the Italy bench, we only joked about the opportunity, we could not talk about the programme and the financial part. We are loyal to the rules.

“If there will be an official meeting? Yes, but I still do not know when. We need people to make themselves available, we can’t get close to contracted coaches.”

Ancelotti, who has also managed Chelsea, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Juventus, Roma and Paris Saint-Germain, has three Champions League titles to his name as a coach. He has also won the league in Italy, France, Germany and England.

The FIGC budget for a new coach and his staff is five million euros ($6.1 million) per year, which would be a big drop from the reported 12 million euros plus bonuses that Ancelotti earned at Bayern Munich.

Ancelotti joined Bayern in 2016 and won the Bundesliga title in his first season but was sacked following a 3-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.

Costacurta was reported to have offered Ancelotti, who has also been linked with former club Chelsea and the soon-to-be-vacant manager’s job at Arsenal, a free hand in choosing his staff.

Ancelotti’s son Davide, who was his assistant at Bayern, could play a role as well as former stars such as Andrea Pirlo, Gianluigi Buffon and Paolo Maldini.

Italy’s under-21 coach Di Biagio has been filling the position on an interim basis.

AFP

Suspected Herdsmen Kill 11 Worshipers, Two Priests In Benue Church

Suspected armed herdsmen have killed no fewer than 13 people including two Catholic priests in Ayar-Mbalom community in Gwer East Local Government Area of Benue State.

The armed men reportedly stormed the St. Ignatius’ Catholic Church, during an early morning mass on Tuesday, killing the priests and 11 others.

The Bishop of St Murray hospital Makurdi where the corpses were deposited confirmed to Channels Television that 13 bodies have so far been recovered.

The attack comes barely four days after the murder of 10 persons by suspected herdsmen in Guma Local Council.

Many innocent persons were killed during the attack which started on Friday night and lasted until the early hours of the next day.

However, the Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, who is said to be out in the field, is yet to confirm the attack.

Dinner Over, Trump And France's Macron Get Down To Business

After a friendly dinner at a US landmark, US President Donald Trump and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron were to get down to business Tuesday on divisive issues like the Iran nuclear accord and international trade.

They were to meet face to face for half an hour, and then again for an hour in a broader meeting with more aides -- the climax of of Macron's three-day state visit to Washington.

Before getting the full red carpet treatment at the White House on Monday -- payback for wooing Trump with military parades and a dazzling Eiffel Tower dinner in Paris last July -- Macron took an impromptu stroll to the Lincoln Memorial with his wife Brigitte.

Hailing the "very important" visit, Macron then rolled into the West Wing from Lafayette Square -- named after the storied French general who fought in America's war for independence -- beneath dozens of fluttering tricolor French flags and before a full US military color guard.

Waiting at the door, the US president smiled and held out his hand for Macron to shake, and the French leader kissed him on both cheeks.

Later, the first couples had dinner at Mount Vernon, the mansion that was the home of George Washington, the first US president.

They talked about the state of the US economy, Trump's approval rating, the mid-term elections in November in the US, internet regulation and the fight against Islamist terror, according to the French leader's office.

Trump is deeply unpopular in France and Macron, like other world leaders -- from Japan's Shinzo Abe to Britain's Theresa May -- is under growing pressure to show voters the benefits of his courtship with the 71-year-old Republican.

Looming over it all are two May deadlines that have the potential to wreck already fragile trans-Atlantic relations.

- War 'against everybody... doesn't work' -
Biting trade sanctions on European steel and aluminum will enter into force on May 1 unless Trump agrees to sign a waiver. If he refuses, there are fears of a full-fledged trade war.

Meanwhile, France and other European nations are battling to save a complex nuclear deal with Iran, which Trump will scuttle if he refuses to waive sanctions against Tehran by a May 12 deadline.

Iran says it is ready to relaunch its nuclear program -- which the West suspects is designed to produce a bomb -- if Trump kills the deal.

European officials say Trump's demand to reopen the deal are impossible, and are scrambling to address his concerns on Tehran's missile testing, inspections and the regime's behavior in the region.

There is growing frustration in European capitals that Trump's stubbornness over the Obama-era agreement is diverting attention away from other pressing issues.

In an interview broadcast on the eve of his arrival, Macron went on Trump's favorite television channel, Fox News, to make his pitch.

"If you make war against everybody," Macron said, "trade war against Europe, war in Syria, war against Iran – come on -- it doesn't work. You need allies. We are the allies."

Macron will also be keen to temper Trump's instinct to precipitously pull the US military out of Syria, amid cooperation in fighting the Islamic State group and coordinated strikes on chemical weapons installations operated by Damascus.

"I think the US role is very important to play," he said.

"Why? I will be very blunt. The day we will have finished this war against ISIS, if we leave, definitely and totally, even from a political point of view, we will leave the floor to the Iranian regime, Bashar al-Assad and these guys."

- 'Now - we will work together' -

In public, both countries are keen to emphasize their historic relationship -- recalling that France was the first ally of American revolutionaries fighting for independence.

Macron brought with him an oak sapling that he and Trump planted at the White House on Monday as a symbol of friendship.

It comes from near the site of the Battle of Belleau Woods in northern France, where 2,000 US Marines perished at the end of World War I.

The pair, clearly relaxed, also briefly visited the Oval Office before heading to Mount Vernon.

On a personal level, despite sharp differences in political background, age and lifestyle, the presidents seem to have struck up a bond as fellow outsiders who outwitted the establishment to gain power.

"We have a very special relationship because both of us are probably the maverick of the systems on both sides," Macron told Fox News.

Trump himself told Macron their "friendship" was "unbreakable" during his trip to Paris last year.

When asked about their first encounter -- a much-scrutinized six-second handshake during a NATO summit in May -- Macron acknowledged it had was a "very direct, lucid moment" that had set the tone between them.

"And a very friendly moment," he added. "It was to say now, we will work together."

On Wednesday, the centrist leader will demonstrate his English-language skills -- a rarity for a French president -- in an address to a joint session of Congress.

Women's Vote Campaigner Statue Unveiled In London

The first statue of a woman in London's Parliament Square was unveiled on Tuesday to celebrate the 100th anniversary of women winning the right to vote in Britain.

The statue of women's rights campaigner Millicent Fawcett will stand alongside those of 11 men, including Britain's wartime leader Winston Churchill, Indian independence icon Mahatma Gandhi and anti-apartheid figurehead Nelson Mandela.

Prime Minister Theresa May -- Britain's second female premier after Margaret Thatcher -- led the unveiling ceremony.

Were it not for Fawcett, "I would not be here today as prime minister, no female MPs would have taken their seats in parliament, none of us would have the rights we now enjoy," May said.

"The struggle to achieve votes for women was long and arduous," and Fawcett "devoted her life to the cause".

May said Fawcett faced decades of fierce opposition as she campaigned on women's rights throughout Britain and the wider world.

"It is right and proper that, today, she takes her place at the heart of our democracy," May said, whilst warning that the fight for equality was "far from won".

The statue marks February's centenary of the Representation of the People Act, which extended the vote to around eight million women aged over 30.

It was not until 1928 that British women gained the same voting rights as men, but the 1918 act was a major step that put the kingdom ahead of some contemporaries such as France.

- Courage -

The campaign for a statue of a woman opposite the British parliament started with an online petition two years ago by feminist campaigner Caroline Criado Perez.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said: "Finally, Parliament Square is no longer a male-only zone for statues."

The statue was created by British artist Gillian Wearing, who won the 1997 Turner Prize for visual arts. She is the first woman to produce a statue for Parliament Square.

The monument shows Fawcett holding a placard reading "Courage Calls To Courage Everywhere", in tribute to a speech she gave upon the death of Suffragette Emily Wilding Davidson at the 1913 Epsom Derby horse race.

Fawcett herself was a Suffragist, part of a moderate movement that predated the more militant Suffragettes.

She is best known for her campaigns to improve women's opportunities in higher education and was a co-founder of the women-only Newnham College at Cambridge University.

She was also president of the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies between 1897 and 1901.

Fawcett died in 1929 aged 82.

The 11 pre-existing statues in the square are of former British prime ministers Churchill, David Lloyd George, Viscount Palmerston, the Earl of Derby, Benjamin Disraeli, Robert Peel and George Canning; South Africa's PM Jan Smuts and president Mandela; US president Abraham Lincoln, and Gandhi.

Canada Van Driver Charged With Murder, Trudeau Reassures Nation

A van driver who ran over 10 people when he plowed onto a busy Toronto sidewalk was charged with murder Tuesday, as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urged a rattled nation not to live in fear after the "senseless attack."

Police said the suspect, 25-year-old Alek Minassian, was not known to them before Monday's carnage in Canada's most populous city, which also left 15 people injured.

He also was not in the crosshairs of intelligence and security agencies, leading Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale to sideline the theory of a terror attack such as those carried out by extremists in London, Nice and other major cities.

"On the basis of all available information at the present time, there would appear to be no national security connection to this particular incident," Goodale said.

But authorities said the incident during the busy lunch hour Monday was undoubtedly deliberate, and Minassian -- his head shaved, and in a white police jumpsuit -- was charged with first degree murder in a brief court appearance.

He also faces multiple counts of attempted murder over those injured in the incident.

Two South Koreans were among the dead, a foreign ministry official in Seoul told AFP, adding that another of the country's citizens seriously injured.

As the wounded recovered in local hospitals, federal, provincial and local investigators were probing the case, Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders said.

"Canadians across the country are shocked and saddened by this senseless attack," Trudeau told a news conference.

But, he added: "We must not start living in fear and uncertainty every day as we go about our daily lives."

- 'Kill me' -

Students who attended a Toronto vocational school with Minassian described him as withdrawn and a bit awkward.

The suspect lived with his father in the Toronto suburb of Richmond Hill, and attended Seneca College, according to his LinkedIn social media profile.

Minassian kept mostly to himself at school, and seemed to constantly rub his head or hands -- a sign of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), classmates told local media.

Ari Blaff, one of the students, told public broadcaster CBC that Minassian's behavior "was usually quite strange." But he'd "never noticed anything violent" -- the suspect just "made people feel uneasy around him."

Minassian, who has an imposing physical build, defied a police officer during his arrest.

Wielding an object in his left hand, standing near the van with its front end smashed, the suspect shouted "kill me" to the police officer with his gun drawn, according to an amateur video posted on social media.

The police officer approached the suspect as he knelt and handcuffed him.

The city's police chief later said Minassian was unarmed.

For 30 minutes prior, panic struck along the nearly kilometer-long (half-mile) stretch of Yonge Street where the driver had jumped the curb onto the sidewalk.

"He was going really fast," witness Alex Shaker told CTV television.

"All I could see was just people one by one getting knocked out, knocked out, one by one," Shaker said. "There are so many people lying down on the streets."

On Tuesday, police continued to comb the crime scene for evidence, while crowds gathered at a makeshift memorial to leave messages of condolences and flowers.

"We must remain a country that is open and free and comfortable with its values, and we will continue to do that," Trudeau said.

Officials will "reflect on the changing situations in which we are in, and do everything we can to keep Canadians safe," he added.

Fulani Herdsmen Attacks Catholic Church In Benue, Killed 2 Priest

It has been confirmed that the bodies of the dead are been brought to St. Theresa’s Hospital Makurdi.

Fulani herdsmen has struck Benue again.

The herdsmen early this morning attacked a Catholic Church, St. Ignatius Quasi Parish killing 2 priests and other worshipers who went for 5:30am mass in a village at Ayar Mbalom in Gwer East Local Government.

It has been confirmed that the bodies of the dead are been brought to St. Theresa’s Hospital Makurdi.

More details later....

Facebook Unveils Appeal Process After Removing Posts

Facebook said Tuesday it will give users the right to appeal decisions if the social network decides to remove photos, videos or written posts deemed to violate community standards.

Plans to roll out an appeals process globally in coming months came as Facebook provided a first-ever look at internal standards used to decide what posts go too far in terms of hateful or threating speech.

“This is part of an effort to be more clear about where we draw the line on content,” Facebook public policy manager in charge of content Siobhan Cummiskey told AFP.

“And for the first time we’re giving you the right to appeal our decisions on individual posts so you can ask for a second opinion when you think we’ve made a mistake.”

The move to involve Facebook users more on standards for removing content comes as the social network fends off criticism on an array of fronts, including handling of people’s data, spreading “fake news,” and whether politics has tinted content removal decisions.

California-based Facebook already lets people appeal removal of profiles or pages. The appeal process to be built up during the year ahead will extend that right to individual posts, according to Cummiskey.

The new appeal process will first focus on posts remove on the basis of nudity, sex, hate speech or graphic violence.

Notifications sent regarding removed posts will include buttons that can be clicked to trigger appeals, which will be done by a member of the Facebook team. While software is used to help find content violating standards at the social network, humans will handle appeals and the goal is to have reviews done within a day.

“We believe giving people a voice in the process is another essential component of building a fair system,” vice president of global product management Monika Bickert said.

“For the first time, we are publishing the internal implementation guidelines that our content reviewers use to make decisions about what’s allowed on Facebook.”

Some 7,500 content reviewers are part of a 15,000-person team at Facebook devoted to safety and security, according to Cummiskey, who said the team is expected to grow to 20,000 people by the end of this year.

“It’s quite a tricky and complex thing drawing lines around what people can and cannot share on Facebook, which is why we consult experts,” said Cummiskey, whose background includes work as a human rights attorney.

AFP

Indonesia Jails Former Speaker 15 Years For Corruption

Indonesia’s former parliament speaker was given a 15-year prison term on Tuesday in one of the country’s toughest sentences for graft, marking a victory in a continuing clampdown on widespread corruption.

Setya Novanto, once among the country’s most influential politicians, had been accused of taking millions of dollars in kickbacks and bribes linked to the national roll-out of government ID cards.

“We have found defendant Setya Novanto, beyond a reasonable doubt, guilty of violating the anti corruption law,” presiding Judge Yanto told the packed Jakarta courtroom.

Novanto — once praised by Donald Trump as one Indonesia’s most powerful figures — said he would need time to consider an appeal.

His months-long trial came after a string of manoeuvres — including allegedly faking an injury in a car crash — which critics say the 62-year-old used to dodge serious charges.

Prosecutors had demanded a 16-year sentence.

Judge Yanto, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, also fined Novanto 500 million rupiah ($36,000), far less than the $7.4 million prosecutors had wanted him to pay as restitution to the state.

Novanto, who had managed to sidestep corruption allegations in the past, was accused of playing a key role in embezzlement from the $440 million ID card project, with some $170 million disappearing from state coffers.

Several other politicians, government officials and businessmen have been charged in the scandal.

The scale of the graft shocked many Indonesians even in one of the world’s most corrupt countries. Payoffs and bribes are rife at all levels of society and endemic in many state agencies, including the police force.
Grappling with graft

Indonesia ranked 96th out of 180 countries on Transparency International’s corruption index last year, while it scored a lowly 37 on a scale of perceived public corruption with 100 seen as “very clean” and zero “highly corrupt”.

The war on graft has come with a high price for some.

A top investigator for Indonesia’s powerful Corruption Eradication Commission was partially blinded in a 2017 acid attack as he was heading the probe into the case involving Novanto and others. No one has yet been arrested.

The verdict comes several years after the former chief justice of Indonesia’s constitutional court, Akil Mochtar, was jailed for life for accepting bribes to issue favourable decisions in local election disputes.

It was the country’s heaviest-ever sentence for corruption.

Novanto, who dodged questioning by the anti-corruption agency for months, was arrested in hospital in November after he claimed to have been injured in a car crash.

The reported accident came shortly after a failed raid on his palatial estate.

Indonesia’s graft-buster subsequently charged Novanto’s then-lawyer and doctor with obstructing justice over allegations they booked a hospital room for the supposedly injured politician before his purported car accident happened.

Novanto had been forced to quit as speaker in 2015 after he was caught on tape trying to extort a stake in the Indonesian unit of US mining giant Freeport-McMoRan in exchange for extending the company’s right to operate in the archipelago.

He was later cleared and reappointed as speaker in 2016. He quit again last year after the most recent charges were laid.

AFP

South Africa Wine Production Drying Up In Water Crisis

South Africa is set for a steep decline in wine production in 2018 as the country grapples with a water crisis ravaging Cape Town and surrounding areas, a Paris-based global organisation said Tuesday.

Africa’s top wine producer is set to produce 8.6 million hectolitres of wine this year, down 20.4 percent down from 2017, the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) said in a statement.

The Western Cape region has gone without significant rains for more than three years, forcing South Africa’s second city to slash residential water consumption.

While cautiously welcoming the water shortage’s impact on improved grape flavours, South African winemakers have been struggling with the drought, which has sown panic across the Cape Town area.

More broadly, overall production in the southern hemisphere is set to remain stable at around 52 million hl — only a marginal change from last year.

Argentina, the world’s sixth-biggest producer, will see its production rise 14.2 percent to 13.5 million hl.

In Chile, also a rising star in the world of wine, is set to see a 19 percent rise to 11.3 million hl.

Australia, the world’s fifth producer, will however see its production dip 8.7 percent to 12.5 million hl.

The OIV meanwhile confirmed a historic drop in production triggered by unusually long winters in the world’s top three winemakers — Italy, France and Spain.

But in more positive news, in a sign that wine lovers may have finally put the global financial crisis behind them, global consumption stabilised in 2017 at 243 million hl.

“The downturn in the consumption of historic consumer countries –- France, Italy and Spain –- appears to have stabilised, while the consumption of the United States, China and Australia continued to increase,” the OIV said in a statement.

AFP

Three Suicide Bombers Killed In Failed Attempt To Attack Borno

Three suicide bombers were on Monday killed as security operatives foiled an attack in an attempt to infiltrate Bama town through Ajilari in Borno State.

The bombers, when sighted by the guards on duty hurriedly, detonated the IED strapped to the bodies thereby killing themselves.

In a statement by the Borno State PPRO, DSP, Edet Okon, the area has been rendered safe by PMF and EOD personnel of the Nigeria Police Force and normalcy has also been restored.

The Commissioner of Police Borno State, CP Damian Chukwu has urged residents to go about their lawful activities without fear as the police will continue to do their best to protect lives and properties.

President Buhari Has Disappointed, Failed Nigerians – Sowore

A media entrepreneur, Mr. Omoyele Sowore, has regretted that President Muhammadu Buhari, has failed to deliver his campaign promises to Nigerians three years after assuming leadership of the country.

Sowore, who is also a Presidential aspirant, stated this while featuring as a guest on Sunday Politics aired on Channels Television.

“President Buhari, having disappointed as a leader and failed a majority of Nigerians will lose in 2019,” he said.

Sowore, however, explained that he is not disturbed in any way with the President declaring his intention to seek reelection ahead of 2019.

The media boss is rather optimistic that the current administration would be sacked owing to what he describes as ‘failure’ on the part of the Federal Government.

He added, “What were his plans for coming to power? He promised security but the people of Dapchi know better.

“Boko Haram is still flourishing. He promised to make the economy better and fight corruption. But you know what the corruption is all about.”

The media practitioner also took a swipe at the corruption was embarked by the Federal Government.

If given the mandate to serve the nation, he promises to revamp the power sector, provide massive jobs to the teeming Nigerian youths, tackle insecurity, curb corruption among several others.

FG To Use Retruned $322.5m Abacha Loot For Social Investment

The Federal Government has announced plans to use the recovered 322.5 million dollars Abacha loot to fund the Social Investment Scheme.

According to the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, the investment will help address the health and education challenges affecting the poor and vulnerable.

The minister who was speaking at a joint news conference with the Central Bank governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele to wrap up events at the spring meeting of the World Bank /IMF in Washington is optimistic that the success recorded in the nation’s economic rating will yield more results in the days ahead.

The CBN governor disclosed that the nation’s external reserves now stands at 47.93 billion dollars but warned that the figures will keep fluctuating in the meantime.

The Minister had on April 11, 2018, denied controversy surrounding the recovered Abacha loot.

Reports had emerged that the minister allegedly wrote a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, blocking the payment of $16.9million fees to lawyers for the repatriation of the funds.

In her reaction on her personal Twitter handle, Adeosun said, “Let me make this clear: the media reports claiming that I wrote to the President regarding the Abacha refunds are all false and should be disregarded. There is no controversy whatsoever regarding the recovery.”


Let me make this clear: the media reports claiming that I wrote to the President regarding the Abacha refunds are all false and should be disregarded. There is no controversy whatsoever regarding the recovery. The $322.5m received from the Swiss Govt in Dec 2017 is with @cenbank. https://t.co/6ahsrpDTcR

— Kemi Adeosun (@HMKemiAdeosun) April 10, 2018

Similarly, in the statement, the minister insisted that there was no time she wrote a “strongly-worded letter to the President” or any member of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), objecting to the payment of fees to two lawyers for the recovery of Abacha funds.

The minister also denied claims of controversy surrounding the Abacha recovery, disclosing that the sum of US$322,515,931.83 was received into a Special Account in the Central Bank of Nigeria on December 18, 2017, from the Swiss Government.

“For the avoidance of doubt, there is no controversy concerning the recovery of the Abacha monies from the Swiss Government,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Minister who led the Nigerian delegation to the 2018 IMF-World Bank spring meeting, also affirmed that the country’s positive growth outlook would be sustained.

BREAKING: Police, Shiite Protesters Clash Again In Abuja

Police in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has again clashed with protesters of El-Zakzaky Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) also known as Shiites.

The protesters during the clash with the security agents in Maitama area of Abuja threw stones and other objects, thereby causing damage to cars and buildings in the area.

The police agents teargassed the protesters in order to disperse them.

The Islamic movement has been agitating for the release of their leader, Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, who has been in detention since December 2016.

The protesters were reported to have earlier stormed National Communications Commission (NCC).

Several of the protesters have been arrested.

Details Later…

World Book Day: Australia’s Oldest Library Works To Promote Reading

On the celebration of this year’s World Book Day, The News South Wales State Library, Australia’s oldest library, said is making efforts to promote reading and literacy throughout the community.

The official made the remark on Monday to mark World Book Day or World Book and Copyright Day, a yearly event celebrated on April 23 by UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation to promote reading, publishing and copyright.

A wide range of activities took place on Monday at the library to mark the World Book Day, held on the anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death for lovers of literature to promote reading, publishing and copyright.

The library’s Manager of Research and Discovery, Maggie Patton, said “with collections of more than six million items including books in foreign languages in particular Chinese, a lot of them are available to read on site, but we also lend them through our public library network.

“We also have some much older manuscripts and rare books in Chinese as well.’’

Dating back to 1826, the library located in the centre of Sydney, Australia, showed off some of its rarest and most iconic works of literature to the public, including Shakespeare’s four folios, first edition of Jane Austen’s Emma and various editions of Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quixote.

Apart from holding some of the greatest works of literature, Patton said the state library was often flooded by students looking for non-fiction as well.

She said “we have lots of students coming in to look for books on business, economics and commerce.

“We have our traditional services, where we expect people to come in and have a look at the materials here, but we also have online service through our website and we subscribe to numerous electronic journals and electronic books.

“We also have a massive digitisation programme, where we’re digitalising some of the materials so it can be viewed online from anywhere in the world.’’

The library is also working to promote reading and literacy throughout the community.

One of the roles of the state facility is to help fund a public network of 300 libraries across New South Wales.

Patton said “Onsite in the library we have a fantastic learning services team and they do a lot of programmes for young people, from kindergarten through to high school graduation.

“The students read, do author talks, and there are lots of activities through reading here in the library,’’ he said.

NAN

“Don’t Block Roads During Prayers” – Lagos Govt. To Religious Bodies

The Lagos State Government on Monday urged religious bodies to desist from causing obstruction in public places or blocking roads during worship.

Dr Abdulhakeem Abdullateef, Commissioner for Home Affairs, said this at the 2018 Ministerial Press Briefing of the Ministry to mark the three years in office of Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, at Alausa, Lagos.

Abdullateef said that causing obstruction or blocking the public road to offer prayers was not proper, as it could endanger lives of worshipers.

“Let us face the fact; you know I am a chief Imam. There are places where your prayers will not be accepted by God, and this is serious.

“If you block the road while praying, that prayer is not acceptable to God. Worshiping in the middle of the road and denying other road users is unacceptable and should stop.
“It has happened before, where people claimed that they were having their prayer and an ambulance was taking a woman to hospital. 

“We fought to disperse all of them, one of them even accused me that I am not a believer, I told him, yes I’m not a believer in obstruction,” he said. 

Abdullateef said religious bodies had no right to block the road during prayers as they did not have survey plan of the road as part of their property. 

“Nobody has survey plan of the road as part of his own C of O. When a Mosque or Church is approved for construction by the Ministry of Physical Planning, you will never see the road as part of your property. So, you have no right. 

“All we need to do is that if you have population explosion, you can pray twice. A group can pray first, the second group can pray later.

“So, obstruction of public spaces during prayer is unacceptable; even religion does not allow it, and the same thing applies to both Muslim and Christian religion. 

“Whatever we want to do, let us keep ourselves within the ambit of the law,” he said.
The commissioner urged residents to report Churches or Mosques who constitute nuisance or cause noise pollution during their religious activities. 

“I need to explain the difference between trespassing and nuisance that trespassing is when you carry out what you want to do on a premises that is not yours while nuisance is when you are doing something within your premises and you now extend to somebody else’s premises. 

“We will continue to engage religious leaders in the state because this issue is not about sentiment but the law. 

“The Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), Lagos chapter, is doing a good job in resolving issues like this at the local level to promote peaceful co-existence among religious bodies,” he said.

NAN

Mob Burns Nigerian To Death In South Africa

Another Nigerian has been burnt to death in Rustenburg, South Africa after his vehicle was set ablaze by a mob in the country.

The President of the Nigerian Union in South Africa, Mr Adetola Olubajo, confirmed the attack to Channels Television in an interview on Sunday.

According to him, the incident is the latest onslaught on Nigerians living in the country, following a series of attacks on citizens of Africa’s most populous nation.

Meanwhile, the South African Police authorities have also confirmed the attack, saying there were two separate incidents where two vehicles were burnt by unknown suspects.

They noted in a statement that in one of the incidents, a man sustained serious injuries after being set ablaze but later died in hospital.

The killing of the Nigerian comes less than 10 days after another Nigerian, ThankGod Okoro, was murdered in Florida West Rand in Johannesburg.

Data revealed that no fewer than 117 Nigerians have been killed in South Africa since February 2016.

Belgian Court Jails Paris Suspect For 20 Years

A Belgian court on Monday found Salah Abdeslam, the last surviving suspect in the Paris attacks, guilty of terrorism-related attempted murder over a shootout with police in Brussels days before his capture in 2016, and sentenced him to 20 years in jail.

In its judgment, the court in the Belgian capital said “there can be no doubt” about jihadist Salah Abdeslam and his co-defendant Sofiane Ayari’s involvement in extremism.

Prosecutors had asked for 20-year jail terms for both.

Neither 28-year-old Abdeslam — who is being held in jail in France pending a separate trial over the 2015 Paris attacks in which 130 people died — nor Ayari, 24, were in court for the verdict.

Four police officers were wounded in the gun battle after police acting on a tip-off over the Paris attacks raided a flat in the Forest area of Brussels on March 15, 2016.

Abdeslam, a Belgian-born French national, was arrested three days later in the largely immigrant Molenbeek area of the Belgian capital, near his family home.

On March 22 suicide bombers from a cell linked to the Paris attacks killed 32 people and wounded hundreds more at Brussels airport and a metro station in the Belgian capital.

The judgment said Abdeslam had written a document addressed to his mother saying that “Allah guided me and chose me among his servants to open his path. It is for that reason that I had to fight the enemies of Allah with all my strength.”

He added that his brother Brahim, who blew himself up during the Paris attacks, “did not commit suicide — he is a hero of Islam.”

The judgment on Monday said that 34 shots in total were fired during the shootout.

Belgian police mounted tight security around the imposing Palace of Justice building in Brussels for the verdict.
‘Trust in Allah’

Abdeslam has spent most of the last two years in jail in France.

He was transported to the court from France for the first day of the trial amid tight security including a helicopter escort, while Tunisian national Ayari, 24, is in jail in Belgium.

On the first day of the trial, Abdeslam proclaimed that he would only put his “trust in Allah” and accused the court of being biased against Muslims.

He then refused to attend the rest of the proceedings.

Investigators say Abdeslam’s arrest spurred the Brussels bombers to bring forward the 2016 attacks, which had originally been planned for a later date, as they feared they could be captured.

Prosecutors have said that DNA links Abdeslam to the apartment in the Forest district of Brussels where the shooting took place, but not to the weapons that were used.

After Abdeslam refused to return to court for the trial in February, his lawyer Sven Mary sought the case’s dismissal on a technicality over how the judges were named to investigate the gun battle, and said media leaks had denied him a fair trial.

But lawyers for police wounded in the gun battle accused Abdeslam of “mocking” the trial.

One of the injured police officers was still suffering from after-effects including brain lesions, epileptic fits and vision and balance problems.

An organisation representing victims of the Brussels attacks and their families has asked for symbolic damages of one euro from the trial.

The Belgian trial is a prelude to a bigger one that Abdeslam will face in France at a later date over the Paris attacks of November 13, 2015, which were claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group.

AFP

Mexico Records 7,667 Murder Rate In Three Months

Some 7,667 people were killed in Mexico in the first quarter of 2018, up 20 percent on the same period last year, making it the most violent year in two decades, government figures showed Sunday.

In 2017, the figure stood at 6,406 violent deaths, according to the Mexican security services.

The worst month was March, when 2,729 people were killed, most of them shot dead. January’s figure stood at 2,549 murders, with another 2,389 in February.

The bloodshed follows a proliferation of gangs involved in drug trafficking, as well as stealing fuel, kidnappings, extortion and other criminal activities.

In 2017, a total of 25,339 people were killed in Mexico, the highest number since monitoring began 10 years earlier.

The violence comes as Mexico gears up for a July 1 ballot that will include presidential elections as well as a vote for the two branches of Congress and a number of local seats.

AFP

Miracle Wins Big Brother Naija 2018

Miracle Ikechukwu Igbokwe has emerged the winner of Big Brother Nigeria #BBNaija, reality show.

Miracle beats one of the most controversial housemates, Cee-C to win the ultimate grand prize of N20million cash, a brand new SUV among other prizes.

Miracle is a young pilot and also a model.

A total of 170 million votes were cast in the 85-day event, with 30 million votes coming in the final week of the show.

Also referred to as Fly Boy, Miracle won with over 38% of the entire votes cast.

Hip Hop Star, Davido thrilled the fans at the live eviction show as he rendered his popular tracks LikeThat, FIA among others.

Tagged Double Wahala, the Big Brother 2018 reality show, came to an end on Sunday amidst social media hype with increased campaigns for housemates during the 85-day event.

The show started with a total number of 20 housemates.

The last five housemates were Tobi Bakre (Tobi) who emerged the second runner up, Asogwa Alexandra Amuche Sandra (Alex), Miracle Ikechukwu Igbokwe (Miracle), Chinonso Nina (Nina) and Cynthia Nwadiora (Cee-C).

BREAKING! Officials Of Immigration Arrest Kogi Senator, Dino Melaye

Men of the Nigeria Immigration Service have arrested the Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Dino Melaye.

Senator Melaye was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International airport Abuja on his way to Morocco.

His arrest may not be unconnected to his refusal to report at the Force Headquarters in Kogi for questioning.

Melaye took to Twitter to announce his arrest.

Meanwhile, the police are yet to confirm the arrest.



More to follow shortly

At Least 24 Dead In Nicaragua Protests

Days of clashes between protesters and security forces in Nicaragua have killed at least 24 people, a rights group said Sunday, as looting also gripped parts of the Central American country.

The unrest erupted Wednesday over pension reforms, with students a prominent group.

A robust response ordered by leftist President Daniel Ortega has seen the army deployed to the streets, independent media muzzled, journalists assaulted and pro-government demonstrators mobilized to counter the protests.

The European Union, the United States and the Vatican have expressed concern at the situation and called for calm.

The Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights told AFP that at least 24 people were killed since Wednesday, according to a toll it has compiled.

The center’s director, Vilma Nunez, warned that there was “a lot of misinformation” going around that made obtaining the figure difficult.

On Friday, the government put the number of people killed in two days of protests at 10. No more recent official toll has yet been made available.

On Saturday, a local journalist, Miguel Angel Gahona, was shot dead by a bullet in the city of Bluefields, on Nicaragua’s Caribbean coast. Some local media reports said a police sniper was suspected to be responsible.

Looting was seen at stores in Managua. In some locations, armed store owners stood guard outside their premises to stop mobs from entering.

Parts of the capital were strewn with rubble, remnants of clashes between demonstrators and riot police.
‘Live rounds’

A doctor treating those wounded in the clashes, Eyel Almanza, said in an interview that police officers were resorting to deadly force.

“The wounds suffered by students have been from firearms. Anti-riot police had been using rubber bullets, but not anymore — they are using marbles,” he said.

Soldiers armed with rifles stood guard at public offices in Managua, as well as in the northern city of Esteli. The army said it was “providing protection to entities and strategic sites.”

Police on Thursday said one 33-year-old officer had been shot dead.

Nicabus, an international bus line with links to Costa Rica and Honduras, said it had suspended services due to the violence.

Protest groups announced a march to the Polytechnic University in the capital, where hundreds of students have been holed up since Thursday.

One male student who declined to give his name said the aim now was to see Ortega step down from office.

“We don’t want him as our president anymore. We don’t want this dictatorship,” he told AFP.

The protests are the biggest in the 11 years Ortega has been in power.

On Saturday, the president was rebuffed when he offered to speak to the private sector’s top business association about the pension reforms, which would see employee contributions increased and benefits reduced in a bid to tamp down on a climbing deficit.

The business association said there could be no dialogue unless Ortega’s government “immediately ceases police repression.”

International alarm

Throughout the protests, journalists have reportedly faced attacks, been temporarily detained and had their equipment stolen.

Four independent television outlets were taken off air on Thursday. By Sunday, only one remained barred.

Panicked residents in Managua and elsewhere emptied supermarket shelves and bought fuel to see through what could become a prolonged crisis.

“With this stoppage, it’s possible we could be left with nothing to eat,” said Ines Espinoza, a resident in the north of capital who walked out of a store with her two children, carrying bottles of water, biscuits and canned food.

The unexpected wave of violence in an otherwise relatively tightly controlled country has caused international alarm.

The United States denounced the “excessive force used by police and others” in Nicaragua.

A US State Department statement urged Ortega’s government to allow journalists to work freely and to engage in “a broad-based dialogue” to calm the chaos.

The European Union called the violence “unacceptable” and also demanded that news media be permitted to do their work.

“Protests need to be conducted peacefully, and public security forces must act with maximum restraint,” EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said in a statement.

Pope Francis, meanwhile, used his Sunday service in St Peter’s Square in the Vatican to ask that the “pointless spilling of blood is avoided and the underlying issues be resolved peacefully and with a sense of responsibility.”

Analysts and business leaders said the protests were fueled by dissatisfaction that went well beyond anger over pension reform.

“This has not been seen for years in Nicaragua,” said Carlos Tunnermann, a former Nicaraguan ambassador to the US.

“There is a malaise of the population not only over the reforms, but for the way in which the country has been run,” he added.

AFP

Four Killed, Eight Injured In Borno Mosque Attack

Four people have been killed and eight others injured in a suicide attack on a mosque in Bama Local Government Council, Borno state.

The State Emergency Managment Agency (SEMA) chairman, Yabawa Kolo, confirmed the death toll to Channels Television.

The incident occurred when two suicide bombers, a male and female between the ages of 13 and 14 invaded a mosque at about 5:15 am on Sunday morning around the Bama Dina area, when people were in the middle of prayers and detonated their Improvised Explosive Devices (IED).

Most of the injured were adults (males) who have been evacuated to the General Hospital in Maiduguri by the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) for treatment.

Meanwhile, the area has been secured as the police IED team, military personnel and CJTF helped the evacuation process.

Most of the victims are recently returned Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who have just been resettled by the Borno state government.