U.S. strike in Somalia targets Al-Shabaab

 The United States conducted an airstrike Monday in Somalia against Al-Shabaab, said Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby, Pentagon press secretary. The strike, which took place in the area of Saakow, was targeting a senior leader of the Islamist militant group. "At this time, we do not assess there to be any civilian or bystander casualties. We are assessing the results of the operation and will provide additional information, when appropriate, as...

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The Interview makes $15m in online release

Controversial Sony film The Interview has become the number one online movie ever released by the studio just four days after its release on 24 December. The film raked in over $15m (£9.6m) and was downloaded more than two million times as of 27 December. The film, about a fictional American plot to kill North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, was initially halted from being released by the studio. It angered North Korea and was behind a wide scale cyber...

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Alicia Keys Gives Birth: Singer and Husband Swizz Beatz Welcome Second Child Together!

Alicia Keys is a mama on fire! Just days after celebrating the holidays with her family, the "Girl on Fire" and "Fallin" singer welcomed her second child, another boy, with husband Swizz Beatz. Their baby was born early on Saturday. His name: Genesis Ali Dean. "The joy of joy is joy!! It's a boy!!" Key said on Instagram on Sunday. "We are so grateful!!#blessings!!❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️" The Hollywood couple is already proud parents to their...

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Chris Rock Files for Divorce From Wife Malaak Compton-Rock, Couple Has "Been Living Separate Lives"

Chris Rock and his wife Malaak Compton-Rock are ending their marriage, amicably. The two are parents to two daughters, ages 12 and 10. News about their split was confirmed on Sunday, three days after Christmas. "Chris Rock has filed for divorce from his wife, Malaak," the actor's rep told E! News. "This is a personal matter and Chris requests privacy as he and Malaak work through this process and focus on their family." "After much contemplation...

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Missing plane likely at 'bottom of the sea'

The missing AirAsia jet probably crashed into the sea, Indonesia's top rescue official said Monday, citing radar data from the plane's last contact. "Our early conjecture is that the plane is in the bottom of the sea," Bambang Sulistyo, head of Indonesia's national search and rescue agency, told reporters, saying the view was based on the plane's flight track and last known coordinates. But searchers still don't know exactly where the aircraft...

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Flight diverted over boiling water incident

Earlier this month, "nut rage" prompted the pilot of a Korean Air flight on the tarmac of New York's JFK airport to turn back to the gate. Now, "hot watergate" has forced a China-bound Thai AirAsia flight to return to Bangkok, angering not just the passengers on board but also the Chinese government and public. Shortly after flight FD9101 took off last Thursday evening from Bangkok for the eastern Chinese city of Nanjing, a male passenger asked a flight attendant for boiling water for his girlfriend's instant noodles, witnesses told China's state...

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China's new rules for singing national anthem

China's 1.3 billion citizens may soon find it much harder to belt out their national anthem at will. A series of rules proposed by the government will set strict limits on when, where and how "March of the Volunteers" -- the anthem of the People's Republic since 1949 -- can be performed, state-run Xinhua news agency reported Friday. The anthem is not allowed to be played or sung at private weddings and funerals, dancing parties, commercial events, or any other setting with "an inappropriate atmosphere." When singing the anthem, people should dress...

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Grim Sydney investigation: Two hostages, gunman dead

The deadly siege of a central Sydney cafe has ended but the investigation is just beginning. Australian authorities stormed the cafe where a self-styled Muslim cleric had been holding hostages early Tuesday, killing the gunman. They moved in some 16 hours after the siege began, after hearing gunfire inside the Lindt Chocolate Cafe, New South Wales police Commissioner Andrew P. Scipione told reporters. Two of the 17 hostages initially held by the gunman died, according to Scipione. They were later identified as Katrina Dawson, 38, and Tori Johnson,...

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Housemaid abducts bosses’ two kids

A housemaid, identified simply as Juliet, has allegedly abducted the two children of her bosses who live on Gateway Crescent in the Magodo, Isheri area of Lagos State. The 24-year-old housemaid was said to have fled home with the kids –Rafael (3), and 15-month-old Michael– who are nephews of a Nollywood actress, Kate Henshaw, on Sunday evening after their parents went out around 6pm. Our correspondent gathered that the kids’ mother, Mrs....

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28 Internet acronyms every parent should know

Internet has affected virtually every aspect of human lives, and the increasing way at which children immerse themselves in this new order, opens new challenges making parenting. Parents today, need to get acquainted with languages used by their children in order to better understand them. Here, we present to you a report gathered by CNN’s correspondent, Kelly Wallace, who compiled popular acronyms widely used by children on Internet, especially on social media and texting apps, to offer a shorthand communication in the instant messaging world...

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Court hears arguments on Pistorius appeal

South African prosecutors say Oscar Pistorius' sentence of five years in prison for shooting dead his girlfriend is nowhere near enough punishment. They want the double-amputee track star to be convicted of a more serious charge and to face a longer prison term. On Tuesday, a court in Pretoria began hearing arguments for and against an appeal of the original verdict in which Pistorius was found guilty of culpable homicide, or negligent killing,...

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The last POW: Story of an 85-year old 'spy'

After days of relentlessly questioning Merrill about his role in the Korean War, the North Korean "investigator" suddenly switched subjects. "They started in on why I came," Newman recalled. "I said it was because I wanted to find out what was really going on in North Korea. Then they began to focus on my asking our guides to help me locate old soldiers or their relations or descendants if we got to Kuwol Mountain. "They tried to make it into...

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South African judge throws out murder case

A judge threw out a high-profile murder case Monday against Shrien Dewani, who was accused of killing his wife while they were on their honeymoon in South Africa. Judge Jeanette Traverso called the state's case "weak" and said evidence fell "far below" the standard needed for conviction. It took years for prosecutors to bring him to trial over the killing of his wife, Anni. Dewani, 34, was accused of hiring hit men to kill her in Cape Town in...

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Senate to release torture report

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Iran charges US journalist detained since July

The family of a Washington Post correspondent detained in Iran since July is calling on Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei “to show the international community that Iran is indeed a country that respects its laws.” Jason Rezaian, who holds dual American and Iranian citizenship, has been officially charged with unspecified crimes, the newspaper reported. His family released a statement on Sunday saying that “in its ongoing disregard of Iran’s own laws, the Iranian judiciary has continued to deny Jason access to legal representation,...

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Leo Messi keeps pace with Cristiano Ronaldo

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are matching each other hat-trick for hat-trick as their remarkable scoring battle continues apace. Messi grabbed his third treble in four games Sunday to lift Barcelona to a 5-1 derby victory over Espanyol in the Nou Camp. It came the day after Ronaldo took his La Liga record for hat-tricks to 23 as Real Madrid stayed top of the standings with a 3-0 win over Celta Vigo. Barcelona's come from behind win has seen them move back into second spot, two points behind its arch rival. Both men have scored over 200 goals...

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France admits ownership of seized plane in Kano

France has admitted ownership of the cargo plane that was impounded by military authorities at the Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, last Saturday. It said that the flight was covered by a diplomatic clearance given by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja, noting that the Autonov 124 Russian commercial plane was forced to land at the Kano airport because of dense air traffic at Ndjamena airport,Chad. A statement from the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Jacques Champagne de Labriolle, on Sunday, stated that the Antonov plane had to divert...

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FG impounds Russian plane with arms in Kano

The military has placed under protective custody, a large cargo of arms and ammunition that was intercepted at the Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, on Saturday. The arms which were said to have originated from Russia, were being flown to Ndjamena, the capital of Chad, but the plane landed in Kano and was promptly seized by the military. A security source said investigation has commenced into the source of the cargo and content, adding that the arms have been placed under protective custody pending the conclusion of the probe. The source...

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2015 Grammy Nominations for Album of the Year Revealed!

Things were a bit different this year when it came to releasing the nominations for the 2015 Grammys. Instead of revealing all of the nominees at once, the nods for different categories were revealed throughout the day via Twitter, and culminated with the announcement of the contenders for Album of the Year contenders on A Very Grammy Christmas, which aired on CBS tonight. The pre-taped telecast, hosted by LL Cool J, included performances by...

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Pakistan raid kills top al-Qaeda leader

A top al-Qaeda leader, who has been indicted in the US over a bomb plot, has been killed during a raid in Pakistan’s tribal region, the country’s military said. Adnan Shukrijumah was killed, along with two other suspected fighters, in Pakistan’s South Waziristan tribal area early on Saturday, a millitary source said. “The al-Qaeda leader, who was killed by the Pakistan army in a successful operation, is the same person who had been indicted in the United Stated,” said a senior Pakistani army officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity as he...

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Typhoon Hagupit barrels toward Philippines

Rain lashed parts of the Philippines on Saturday as Typhoon Hagupit barreled toward the coast, bringing roaring winds and the threat of massive storm surges. Satellite images show the eye of the storm, which lost its super typhoon status again Saturday, about 250 kilometers (150 miles) off the eastern coast of the island nation. The storm, the strongest so far this year, is expected to make landfall Saturday evening or Sunday morning, local time,...

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Al Qaeda kills U.S. hostage during raid

Al Qaeda militants killed American hostage Luke Somers in Yemen during a raid conducted by U.S. forces to rescue him, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Saturday. President Barack Obama ordered the raid because "there were compelling reasons to believe Mr. Somers' life was in imminent danger," he said. During the raid Friday, the militants also killed a second hostage, South African Pierre Korkie, according to his employer, Gift of the Givers. It...

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Aliko Dangote has emerged as the Forbes Africa Person of the year2014

Nigerian business man, Aliko Dangote has emerged as the Forbes Africa Person of the Year 2014. Other finalists of the most coveted award were Thuli Madonsela, South Africa’s Public Protector, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Nigerian author, Arunma Oteh, Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Nigeria and Donald Kaberuka, President of the African Development Bank. In selecting Dangote, the panel of judges noted that “Aliko Dangote is...

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deportation of igbos fashola wins case

Justice Musa Kurya of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Friday entered judgment in favour of the Lagos State Government in a suit filed by some people alleging a breach of their rights. The applicants, Rosemary Nathaniel, Friday Ndukwe, Grace Igbochi, Ugulori Tutua, Chinyere Nicholas and Osondu Mbuto filed the suit on their behalf and 77 others, seeking the enforcement of their rights. Joined as respondents in the suit are the Lagos State Government, the state attorney-general and the commissioner of police in the state. The applicants...

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Islamic State setting up Libya training camps, US says

Various Islamist militant groups are competing for power in eastern Libya Islamic State militants have set up training camps in eastern Libya, the head of the US Africa command says. Gen David Rodriguez said there could be "a couple of hundred'' IS fighters undergoing training at the sites. He said the camps were at a very early stage, but the US was watching them "carefully to see how it develops". Libya has been in turmoil since Muammar Gaddafi...

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Man, 27, rapes 11-yr-old girl with Down’s Syndrome

By Gabriel Enogholase BENIN—A 27-year-old man, Austin Okonkwo, has been remanded in prison custody by an Evboriaria Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Ikpoba-Okha, Edo State, for allegedly raping an 11-year-old Down Syndrome girl. The accused, who was described with unprintable words when his victim was presented in the court, pleaded not guilty to the one-count charge preferred against him. Police Prosecutor, Aigbedion Obakpolor, informed the court that the offence was committed on November 29. When the case was mentioned, Chief Magistrate Frank...

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Nigeria now 39th most corrupt nation, says TI

The global corruption watchdog, Transparency International, has ranked Nigeria as the 39th most corrupt nation in the world. According to the Corruption Perception Index 2014 released on Wednesday, Nigeria scored 27 out of a maximum 100 marks to clinch the 136th position out of the 175 countries surveyed for the report. Nigeria appeared to have improved by eight points against its 2013 rating of 144th of 175 countries last year. It will be recalled that the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index ranked Nigeria 35th most corrupt...

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13-year-old flees home with suspected lover

The police in Lagos are battling to find a 13-year-old girl, Chikwuo Ezennia, who reportedly fled her house with a yet-to-be-identified man, suspected to be her lover. PUNCH Metro learnt that Ezennia, who is in Basic 4, had come to Lagos from Nneni village in the Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State to spend her holiday with her relatives. Our correspondent gathered that the girl, however, fled her relatives’ apartment on Ishola Bello Close, Iyalla Street, Alausa, Lagos, in the afternoon of Thursday, November 20, when the family had...

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Oops! Rihanna Accidentally Reveals That Kanye West Is Going on Tour in 2015

Kanye West, we're gonna let you finish, but Rihanna already spilled the beans. While promoting her charity earlier today, the Barbados beauty also accidentally broke the news that Yeezy is planning to go on a North American tour next year. Oops! RiRi tweeted, "Help Clara Lionel Foundation make a difference! Bid on exclusive items in the #DiamondBall auction: http://smarturl.it/CLFa  #GivingTuesday," and among the lavish items up for bid...

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Suicide bomber targets Iranian ambassador’s house in Yemen

A suicide attacker drove a car laden with explosives at the Iranian ambassador’s residence in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, security officials said, killing as many as three people. Ambassador Hasan Nam Wadi was not harmed when the attack took place in the diplomatic district of Hada, officials said. The Wednesday morning blast also heavily damaged several buildings in the area. Interior ministry said that one of the embassy guards and two transpassers, a woman and a child, were killed in the attack, adding that four were injured, one in critical...

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Head of Egypt’s Al-Azhar condemns IS ‘barbarity’

The head of Al-Azhar, one of the most prestigious centres of Sunni Islam learning, on Wednesday condemned “barbaric crimes” committed by the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. Militants are acting “under the guise of this holy religion and have given themselves the name ‘Islamic State’ in an attempt to export their false Islam,” Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb told the opening session of a two-day international conference in Cairo on fighting extremism. “I wonder and ask why this blind division exists that has tainted Arab blood,” Sheikh Tayeb said,...

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Japan launches asteroid-hunting spacecraft

Japan’s space agency has launched an ambitious space mission which aims to mine an asteroid and hunt for clues about the birth of the solar system. About the size of a fridge, and fitted with an explosive bullet, Japan’s asteroid-hunting spacecraft embarked on a six-year space mission on Wednesday. Building on a previous mission, which managed to bring rock fragments from another asteroid back to Earth in 2010, this time Hayabusa2 aims to do more. The $260m spacecraft uses ion engines – a system which uses electricity to accelerate gas particles. “That...

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Snake bite, fibroid, hernia treated free in Langtang

By Sola Ogundipe THIRTY three snake bite victims including a 60-year-old woman, Hanatu Dashe and 11-year-old Satya Ventnom were among 4,560 persons with various health challenges that accessed free comprehensive medical care during the 4th edition of the GEJ Medical Outreach in Zamko Comprehensive Health Centre in Langtang North Local Government Area of Plateau State. The patients were rushed to the Centre and administered Anti-snake venom-EchiTAbG 10ml, depending on the level of complication. It was gathered from nurses on duty confirmed that...

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Obama seeks $75m for police body cameras

Spurred by the Ferguson, Missouri shooting, President Barack Obama is calling for $75m in federal spending to get 50,000 more police to wear body cameras that record their interactions with civilians. However, Obama is not seeking to pull back federal programs that provide military-style equipment to local law enforcement. The president was making the announcements on Monday from the White House during a series of meetings with his Cabinet, civil rights leaders, law enforcement officials and others. At least for now, Obama is staying away from...

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Republican aide resigns over criticism of Obama daughters

A senior Republican employee is resigning after her comments that the Obama daughters should “try showing a little class” caused a firestorm of criticism on social media this over the weekend. Elizabeth Lauten, communications director for Tennessee Rep. Stephen Fincher, confirmed to CNN that she planned to resign onMonday. She faced heavy backlash when she wrote a Thanksgiving-Day screed against the Obama daughters, as well as the President and first lady, on Facebook that quickly went viral across the web. In it, she scolded Malia and Sasha...

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Terrorists behead Tunisian policeman

“Terrorists” in Tunisia have abducted and decapitated an off-duty policeman, media reports on Monday cited the interior ministry as saying. The officer and his brother were in a car in the Kef area of the northwest when gunmen seeking to rob them immobilised the vehicle. During the robbery, the attackers discovered that the man was in the police and they kidnapped and later killed him, radio stations Mosaique and Express-FM quoted a ministry spokesman as saying. The man’s brother was not harmed in Sunday’s attack. Security forces are now engaged...

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Gadhimai: World's biggest ritual slaughter

Motilal Kushwaha had promised the Hindu goddess Gadhimai that he would offer her a male goat if one of his children found a job. Last year his son was successful -- and on Saturday he was one of tens of thousands of people killing the animals at the temple of Gadhimai in southern Nepal as part of the biggest religious mass slaughter in the world. "From my village everyone has made a vow [to offer animals]," says Kushwaha from Bariyarpur, a community...

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two sisters beating up three men, who were allegedly sexually harassing

The incident was captured by a passenger on a mobile phone A video of two sisters beating up three men, who were allegedly sexually harassing them on a moving bus in India, has gone viral on social media. The men have been arrested and charged with assault, police said. Friday's incident, recorded by a passenger on a mobile phone, took place in the northern state of Haryana. Violence against Indian women has been in the spotlight since the gang...

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Baby found buried on Sydney beach

  Police said they were trying to locate the parents of the baby Australian police have urged the mother of a baby found dead and buried in the sand at Sydney's Maroubra beach to come forward. The body, which was discovered by two young boys, was buried under 30cm (12in) of sand, police said. Police said they could not immediately tell the age or gender of the baby, as the body was badly decomposed. A post-mortem examination will be conducted. It...

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Suspect robs to source funds for musical album

The police in Lagos have arrested two armed robbery suspects who allegedly specialised in robbing motorists on the highway and snatching expensive vehicles. PUNCH Metro learnt that the suspects, John Sunday and Onyekachi Oshonu, were arrested by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad on Friday, November 21. Our correspondent learnt that Sunday, 25, and Oshonu, 24, were nabbed in their hideout in Agege, Lagos State at about 10pm. According to the police, information reached the command on same Friday that some robbers had converged on a...

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4 suspected cultists arrested for allegedly raping girl during initiation

By Dayo Johnson Akure — THE Ondo State Police Command has arrested four suspected cultists for gang-raping a girl in Ondo town, after which they stole her handset. According to the police, the victim (identity withheld) was raped as she was being initiated by the cultists. The command said the rapists were among 14 cultists arrested alongside six suspected robbers, three burglars, one fraudster and four kidnappers terrorising the state. Parading the suspects, the state Police Commissioner, Isaac Eke, said items recovered include N11,000 cash, a...

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