Iraq gets support from Turkey against IS

Iraqi President Fuad Masum asked for additional military and humanitarian support from Turkey in the fight against the Islamic State militants during the official visit to Ankara.

“This virus can pass from this region to other regions,” he was referring to the IS threats at a joint press briefing on Wednesday with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

“The countries in the region have serious responsibilities,” he added.

Speaking to the Turkish press after wrapping up his talks with Turkish officials, the Iraqi leader said Turkey is ready to support Iraq.

“Turkey said it is ready to do whatever required for training Iraqi troops and provide arms to Baghdad,” Masum noted.

Turkey has been playing a role in helping both the Iraqi central government as well as Kurdistan regional government beat back the IS by providing logistical and arms support.

In March, Turkey had delivered two C-130 cargo planes full of arms and ammunition to Baghdad.

Turkey has also been providing training to Iraqi federal army troops and the Kurdish peshmerga forces.

The Iraqi president said that it will take at least two years to restructure Iraqi national army.

Masum kicked off his three-day visit to Turkey from Tuesday, on the eve of an anticipated offensive by Iraqi national army and peshmerga forces to recapture Mosul, the country’s second largest city. Mosul has been under IS’ control since June last year.

Masum stressed that Iraq does not need the help of foreign ground troops to retake Mosul, saying “if required, we may ask Turkey for help.”

Turkey already announced in March that it would support Iraq in the operation to take back Mosul from the IS.

Turkish President Erdogan said the battle against the IS cannot be won simply by air raids, and ground offensive is also required.

The Iraqi president also talked about his country’s economic hardships due to the recent oil price plunge.

Speaking at an event with Turkish Parliament Speaker Cemil Cicek, Masum said “our need for economic support has increased especially after a decline in the oil price which is our main source of revenue.”

For his part, Erdogan said the low oil prices have created economic difficulties in Iraq, and Turkey planed to purchase natural gas from Iraq to help Baghdad overcome.

In addition, Turkey has sent 750 truck-loads of humanitarian supplies to Iraq and will continue to dispatch more, said Erdogan, adding that his country has been sheltering some 300,000 refugees from Iraq and administering three refugee camps in Iraqi territory as well.

As for the disputes between federal government and Kurdistan regional authorities, the Iraqi president downplayed their differences, saying that “both sides are conforming to the articles of the agreement, and there is no dispute between them.”

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(UPDATED) Jonathan, Buhari in closed-door meeting

President Goodluck Jonathan and the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Friday met  behind closed-doors at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The meeting which lasted about 30minutes started at about 3pm with the arrival of the President-elect and members of his entourage.

A few minutes before his arrival, Jonathan walked a distance of about 100 metres from his office to the new Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa where the meeting was held.

He was accompanied by his Principal Secretary, Ambassador Hassan Tukur, and a few security aides.

Buhari who was decked in a white ‘agbada’ was accompanied by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, another chieftain of the party, Abdulrahman Dambazau, and a couple of aides.

He was driven to the front of the venue in a black Toyota Landcruiser marked Abuja ABC 329 KJ.

He was received by Tukur who ushered him into one of the small halls inside the building where Jonathan was already waiting.

About 30 minutes later, they emerged from the meeting, holding hands and beaming with smiles.

They waited for a few minutes in front of the national flag placed in the centre of the building’s lobby to allow photojournalists take shots.

As they made their way out of the venue, Jonathan told State House correspondents that the meeting was in continuation of the conversation that the two of them have been engaging in.

When probed further, the President said although he would not disclose the details of the meeting, the parley was in the interest of the country.

He said a date  would be chosen when the President-elect would come and he (Jonathan) will show him round the Presidential Villa.

The President’s  encounter with journalists was characterised by intermittent loud laughter by Buhari and members of his delegation as well as the journalists.

The following conversation ensued:

President: Thank you gentlemen. We have nothing to tell you today, formally we will take a date where the President (Buhari) will come and I will show him round the State House.

But today is not for that. Today, we are continuing with our conversation, so we don’t need to worry the President (Buhari), you don’t need to also worry the President (referring to himself).

Journalists: How did the conversation go?

President: But you see that we are smiling.

Journalists: So, the meeting was a fruitful one?

President: Yes.

Journalists: What did you discuss?

President: I will not tell you, but the meeting was for the interest of the country.

When State House correspondents turned to Buhari for his comment, he simply said, “The President (Jonathan) has said it all.”

His response also  elicited another round of laughter from those present.

That was the second time that Jonathan and Buhari would be meeting publicly since the March 28 presidential election which the incumbent lost to the APC candidate.

The first meeting which was described as “private” was held on April 3 without media presence.



President Goodluck Jonathan and the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), are currently meeting behind closed-doors.

The meeting is holding inside the new Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Buhari arrived for the meeting at exactly 3pm.

Shortly before his arrival, Jonathan moved from his office to the venue in company of his Principal Secretary, Hassan Tukur.

Details later…

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IS Clearly Want War With The Vatican :IS Video To shows murder of Christians

The Islamic State jihadist group has released a video purportedly showing the slaughter of around 30 Ethiopian Christians in Libya.

The 29-minute film purports to show militants holding two groups of captives, described in text on screen as "followers of the cross from the enemy Ethiopian Church".

A masked fighter in black brandishing a pistol makes a statement threatening Christians if they do not convert to Islam.

The video then switches between footage of one group of about 12 men being beheaded by masked militants on a beach and another group of at least 16 being shot in the head in a desert area.

It was unclear who the captives were or exactly how many were killed.

Before the killings, the video shows purported footage of Christians in Syria explaining how they had been given the choice of converting to Islam or paying a special tax, and had decided to pay.

Bearing the logo of IS' media arm, the video is similar to footage the group released in the past.

Several Libyan jihadist groups have pledged allegiance to IS, the extremist organisation which has seized control of large parts of Syria and Iraq over the past year and declared an Islamic "caliphate".

In February IS released video appearing to show the beheading of 21 Egyptian Christians in Libya.

The murders prompted Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al Sisi to order airstrikes against IS targets in Libya.

The new video emerged as Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby was making a visit to Egypt in support of the Christian minority there.

He handed over letters of condolence from the families of British terror victims to the leader of the largest Christian minority in the Middle East.

The letters are believed to include correspondence from the family of murdered British aid worker David Haines, and were given to Bishop Tawadros, the Pope of Egypt's Coptic Christians.

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White House fence jumper arrested

A person carrying a suspicious package scaled a White House fence Sunday night, but was quickly apprehended.

The person climbed the fence on the south side of the White House complex about 10:25 p.m., said Brian Leary with the United States Secret Service.

The individual is in custody and charges are pending, Leary said. The person's name or gender wasn't released.

The package was being examined and later deemed to be harmless, a Secret Service source told the social media .

Last week, a U.S. official told the social media  that temporary steel spikes may be added to the tips of the White House perimeter fence to help deter jumpers.

If done, this will be a temporary measure to protect the grounds until a new permanent one is constructed.

The official said that the proposal is not in place yet.

The Secret Service has come under heavy criticism after two incidents compromised the security of the grounds.

On March 4, two senior Secret Service agents who were reportedly intoxicated allegedly drove their car into a White House barrier. Last September, a man jumped the White House fence and made it to an unlocked door on the grounds.

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Revenge! Assassins! Reunions! Game of Thrones Season 5 Finally Heats Up In "The House of Black and White"

Warning: major spoilers below! Do not read until you have watched the Game of Thrones season five episode 2, "The House of Black and White."

Now this is a Game of Thrones episode! While the season five premiere, "The Wars to Come," served as a proper opening for the game-changing season, setting up each character's journey over the next 10 episodes, it lacked a certain something that all fans love about the HBO series.

No, we're not talking about massive battle scenes or anything like that. We're talking a specific reason, or more accurately, a specific person...Arya!

Our favorite pint-sized killer finally made her season five debut, and with her arrival brought forth what is going to be one of our favorite storylines of the season as she begins her training at the House of Black and White in Braavos, mentored by a face-shifting Jaqen H'ghar whose name isn't actually Jaqen H'ghar...

The episode begins with Arya's storyline, and don't lie, you let out an audible "Yaaaassss!" when you saw the young Stark girl's face after her absence in the season five premiere. Her boat journey finally ends when she arrives in Braavos, and she gets dropped off at the House of Black and White, where she's told that's where she'll find the man she's seeking with her iron coin. She tries to use that coin to get in the black and white doors, but the old man who answers her knocks refuses to let her in. Frustrated and out of options, she simply sits on the steps, repeating her hit list over and over again, all through the night and the rain, until she finally gives up and throws her iron coin into the sea.

After their near-miss in the premiere, Brienne and Pod find themselves in the same inn as Sansa and Littlefinger, and THANK THE OLD GODS AND THE NEW because Pod notices her! Brienne approaches her and swears her loyalty to Sansa, but Littlefinger manipulates Sansa into not trusting her. She tells Brienne to leave, and come on, that is rough when you think about how dedicated Brienne has been in locating both Stark girls, only to get rejected by both. She and Pod free all the horses and make their escape, but Pod loses control of his horse and gets dumped in the river. Brienne saves him from their attackers, and tells him they are going to follow Sansa and Littlefinger to protect her even if she doesn't want help.

Back in King's Landing, Cersei receives a threat in the form of a gift from Dorne: a snake's head holding her daughter Myrcella's necklace in its mouth. She fears for Myrcella's life, rightfully so, since they just had Oberyn publically killed during a trial by combat. Jaime vows to go to Dorne and bring "their" daughter back, for the first time openly talking about she's his and not Robert's. When Cersei worries that asking for Myrcella back when she's betrothed to a Dorne prince won't work, he simply says he doesn't plan to "ask."

Out in the country, a bromance-less Bronn is  settling into his new home, with his new, plain but enthusiastic betrothed. He seems happy and content with his new life . But then Jaime shows up, with a letter saying his new fiancé is now betrothed to someone else. Ouch? He tells Bronn that if he comes with Jaime, he'll be rewarded with a much better girl and castle. And thus, a new bromance is born!

And now the moment Game of Thrones fans have been waiting for: Dorne! South in the warm city, Oberyn's lover is pissed that his brother isn't doing anything to avenge Oberyn's death in King's Landing. She says the Sand Snakes agree with her and will get revenge for Oberyn if he won't. She even wants to kill Myrcella (so Cersei wasn't worried for nothing...), but he won't let her. Something tells us Myrcella still isn't safe in Dorne...

In Mereen, the hunt for the Sons of the Harpy heats up, as Daario takes Greyworm to a hideout his men learned about and they find a mask-wearing Son hiding in the wall. But surprisingly, it turns out they aren't rich families after all. They're poor, young men who are in turn
paid by the rich families to fight to bring back slavery. Dany holds a council to figure out what to do with the captured Son. When it seemed as if she wasn't going to show mercy, her advisor stepped in to warn her not to become her father, the mad king...and he tells her all the rumors of his cruelty were true.

That alone motivates her to give the Son of the Harpy a fair trial. But before she can, one of her former slave subjects kills him, believing he did her a favor. Dany then has Daario execute him publicly for his crime of murder, and the act sets off a brutal mob between the freed slaves and their old masters since tensions had been building for a while. The unsullied safely whisk her away from the violence but it's clear that things are not well in Mereen. Later that night, she hears a noise on her balcony and goes outside...to see Drogon! He came back! As she tentatively reaches out in happiness to her full-grown dragon, her happiness turns to fear as he snaps at her and flies away over the city.

Unaware that their new champion to take over the iron throne is currently dealing with unrest among her people and dragons, Varys and Tyrion continue their journey to Valantis, and onward to Mereen. They need to keep hidden (and Tyrion is not happy about being back in a small wooden box for the trip) because Cersei is currently offering lordship to whoever brings her Tyrion's head. While Tyrion isn't worried about being recognized this far away from King's Landing, it's clear that he does indeed need to be careful, as dwarves everywhere are being hunted and slaughtered in a race to curry favor with the queen mother.

Back in King's Landing, Cersei appoints herself as Tommen's advisor (Does he know what she's doing in his name? Doubt it.) essentially serving as the Hand of the King until he comes of age and appoints one himself. As each man on the council objects and offers to be the Hand instead, she interrupts them and offers them each new titles and bribes. But they still don't recognize her authority in place of the king's...and we're pretty sure that's a good idea on their part. Cersei with unlimited power? That's what nightmares are made of.

Up north at Castle Black, Stannis' daughter is teaching Gilly how to read, and it's actually a sweet scene. But her mother scolds her, warning her to stay away from any Wildlings. Stannis tells Jon Snow he showed weakness when he killed Mance, essentially flouting Stannis' orders, and Jon tells him the Wildlings will never follow him. Stannis again tries to cut a deal, promising Jon that he'll be Jon Stark, Lord of Winterfell, if he follows him. Even though it's all Jon ever wanted, to no longer be a bastard Snow, he tells Sam he's going to refuse it because he swore his life and sword to the Night's Watch. Now this is a true Night's Watchman, virgin or not!

And it seems as if his men agree, because during the vote for the new Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, Sam nominates Jon and everyone claps. The vote ends in a tie and the maester casts the deciding vote in favor of Jon! Meet your new Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, Jon Snow. That smile on his face is everything.

And bringing the episode back full circle, we end in Braavos, as Arya almost kills some boys in the streets when they try to steal the dinner she had just hunted with Needle, but the old man who refused her entry into the House of Black and White shows up and they fled. When she wonders why the boys were afraid of one man, he simply gives her back her iron coin, aka the one she tossed into the sea, and he changes his face to show it's Jaqen! When she asks why he previously told her that there was no Jaqen H'ghar at the House of Black and White, he says that Jaqen H'ghar does not exist. "A man is no one, and that is who a girl must become."

Say it with us once again: "Yaaasssss!" We are totally here for Arya training to become a nameless, faceless assassin. Finally, a way for her to channel her badassness hmmmm watch  more on Sunday 9pm Hbo

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2015 ACM Awards: All of the Best and Worst Moments From the Show!

Everything's bigger in Texas, right?

That's why the 50th anniversary of the ACM Awards was the biggest ever this year. Not only did they hold the event at the Dallas Cowboys' AT&T stadium, but the crowd managed to break the World's Guinness Book of World Records for Most Attended Live Award Show of All Time!

If that isn't the best way to start a party, we don't know what is...

Best Bromance: Can we just put hosts Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan in our pocket and take them with us everywhere? They are the cutest together.

TAYLOR SWIFT SIGHTING: The singer didn't make a red carpet appearance, but cameras were smart enough to let the audience know T.Swift was definitely in the building by panning over to the blond beauty rocking out to Eric Church and Keith Urban's opening performance of "Pledge Allegiance to the Hag."

Camera Man Problems: Dear whoever was controlling the camera at the top of the show, we love seeing Taylor over and over again, but you can also show us some of the other people in the room.

It's a Dance Party, Y'all!: Who says you can't have a dance party at an awards show? A few members of the crowd were up on their feet and line dancing to George Strait's performance.

Turn Up the Heat: Once Florida Georgia Line took the stage, things were really heating up. No, really. They had fire on stage.

Glam Girls: Hot Pursuit co-stars Reese Witherspoon and Sofía Vergara added some sexiness to the ACM stage in their sequin dresses and hilarious back-and-forth.

Randy Travis' Comeback: The iconic country singer made a rare public appearance at the ACMs after suffering a stroke. So happy to see you doing well, Randy!

Swoon Alert: Oh, hello Sam Hunt. Excuse us for drooling.

Sports Second: Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo arrives on stage with a football, and threw a pass to Luke! That was also the perfect opening for Blake to make a joke about whether the ball was one of the famous deflate-gate balls from the New England Patriots vs. Baltimore Ravens playoff game earlier this year.

Girl Power: Miranda Lambert sizzled on the red carpet and then brought her A-slay-game to the stage for the ACMs.

Yes, Luke, Yes!: Luke Bryan is obviously hot and funny and everything we dream of. So, obviously, we couldn't stop gushing over this handsome cowboy when he performed for us.

Family Pride: Kelly Clarkson really went for it! When the crooner was introducing the legendary Reba McEntire, she told the crowd, "I have the coolest mother-in-law and y'all can suck it!"

Tissue Alert: Shortly after revealing her cancer diagnosis, Andrea Swift got on stage to give a heartfelt speech for Taylor's Milestone Award.

Team Xtina: Country music was Team Christina Aguilera tonight when the singer joined Rascal Flatts for a powerful duet performance.

Support the Troops: American Sniper Chris Kyle's widow Taya introduced the legendary Garth Brooks, who performed a tribute to those in service. During his performance, a number of men and women in uniform marched the aisles and joined the crowd. "I just wanna take a second to thank all the men and women in the armed forces right here for protecting our freedom," Brooks said.

Don't Stop: Oh, Kenny Chesney. We could listen to you sing all night.

Poor Guy: Why would you pair Hunter Hayes with an NFL star like Jason Witten? The height difference just cannot be ignored.

Safe and Sound: Lady Antebellum proved all is well after their tour bus caught on fire, because this trio rocked it on the ACM stage.

We're So Jealous: Nick Jonas gave the country world a taste of his famous falsetto while performing an amazing mash-up with stars Dan + Shay. They brought the house down, y'all!

Reunion Time: What better way to help close the show than to bring out the recently reunited Brooks & Dunn to serenade the crowd?!

Top Honor: Host Luke Bryan was awarded with the top honor of Entertainer of the Year! Congrats Luke!

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Shakira Brings Her 2 Sons to Cheer on Daddy Gerard Piqué at His Soccer Game--See the Adorable Pics!

Shakira attended her beau's soccer game in Barcelona Saturday and brought along the duo's two very adorable boys to cheer on their daddy.

The "Hips Don't Lie" songstress prepared Milan, 2, and her two-month-old Sasha for the match by having them wear customized jerseys inspired by their father Gerard Piqué.

"300 games with @FCBarcelona! Not bad. I want 300 more! Congrats to the team and to all the supporters that came to Paris to watch the game," the FC Barcelona stud recently tweeted about his latest fútbol accomplishment.

Milan seemed to be enjoying the company of his younger brother, who also looked endearing as can be with his windblown locks and teeny-tiny Nike kicks. Both kids rocked their dad's famous navy blue, red and yellow colors.

The centre-back was obviously loving every minute of the family affair as he was seen smiling from ear to ear while holding his darling mini-me's. The lovebirds' blue-eyed cutie Sasha recently made his social media debut, thanks to a sweet post from his mama.

The Colombian-born singer opted for a comfortable and chic style while showing her support at the game by sporting a white tee and some natural, wavy curls.

Aside from rooting for Pique's success on the field, Shakira made time to give her longtime love a sideline smooch to keep him motivated.

That's one way to keep your eye on the prize!

"I would love to have eight or nine kids with Gerard  -- my own futbol team," she said in an interview with Latina magazine. "And I'm with him because he's the most amazing man I've ever met." 

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Veterinarian Sacked For Killing A Cat With Arrow

A female vet from  Texas U.S.A  whose  name is  Dr Kristen  lindsey shot a feral tomcat with  an arrow and  posted  it on  Facebook

The cat she  killed was not  hers but  an elderly couple  who  called it "Tiger"  and  said the cat got missing on Wednesday  morning and in the evening that same  cat has  been  uploaded  by lindsey on her Facebook dead. The couple  and  many  others  called the animal  clinic in Washington DC
The clinic fired Lindsey, covered her name on its marquis with duct tape, and publicly distanced itself from her actions.

"Our goal now is to go on and try to fix our black eye and hope that people are reasonable and understand that those actions don't anyway portray what we're for here at Washington Animal Clinic," said Dr. Bruce Buenger. "We put our heart and soul into this place."

The clinic told WBTX that Lindsey was not available for comment. She removed her controversial post then eventually shut down her Facebook page.She has been  sued to court and she is to give the couple $7500  for her  foolish  act.. 

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Rand Paul attacks Clinton and names the enemy of the US – 'radical Islam'

Rand Paul on Saturday attacked Hillary Clinton, the only declared Democratic candidate for president so far, over her record as secretary of state under Barack Obama, her use of a private email server while in that job and the human rights records of some donors to her charitable foundation.

The Kentucky senator also asked Republicans to help him take the party’s message to “new people… rich, poor, black, white, brown” as he campaigns for the presidential nomination in 2016.


Speaking in Nashua, New Hampshire, at the Republican Leadership Summit – where most of the declared and potential GOP candidates for president were scheduled to speak on Friday and Saturday – the libertarian-tinged candidate largely focused on foreign policy, an area in which he has been vulnerable to attack over his supposedly isolationist stance.

He named radical Islam as the enemy of the US and focused again on the Benghazi attacks of 2012 and Clinton’s role in the US response.

“Libya was a mistake,” he said, referring the Obama administration’s military support of rebels who toppled Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. “One thing that is probably true in the Middle East: every time we have toppled a secular dictator, a secular strong man, we’ve gotten chaos and the rise of radical Islam. If we want to defend our country, we have to know the enemy and we have to name the enemy.

“The president won’t name the enemy, but I will: it’s radical Islam. Until we name it we can’t defeat them, and I will tell you this: if I were commander in chief I would do everything it takes to … defend the country against radical Islam.” 

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Why My Cabinet Will Be Small ;Buhari

•We will go into action before we are sworn-in
•‘Our priorities on security, economy, unemployment, corruption’
•On indiscipline: People are more prepared to behave than in 1983
If statements from the president-elect, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, are to be believed, the incoming administration, to be inaugurated on May 29, will hit the ground running. Buhari says he intends to put together a small cabinet that may go into action even before the swearing-in.  In a nutshell, he speaks on the shape of things to come in this interview.
By Levinus Nwabughiogu
There has been an influx of defectors from the ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP, to your party, APC, since after your victory at the polls. Many think the development may destabilise the APC. How do you intend to manage the situation?
I think this is a question meant for the party. I wish John Oyegun was here to answer you because we have a system. Just because I am the presidential candidate and the president-elect, I don’t think  the system has allowed me to usurp the power of the party executives. But, certainly, in a multi-party democratic system, fundamentally, it is the number that matters for the people. But for the party, what matters is the ability to manage the number so that the majority will have its way and  there will be justice. No matter what happens to the PDP by May 29, I assure you or I assure them through you that there will be justice in the APC.
A new government, which you will head, will soon be inaugurated. Can you tell us what criteria you will be using in selecting those who you will work with?
It is a difficult time for Nigerians as you all know. I have said it in the past that, in the last 16 years, Nigeria has never realised the amount of revenue it received. The price of a barrel of crude oil rose to about 140 dollars and then  crashed to about 50 dollars. During the 16 years, we know what happened to some big companies that employ a lot of Nigerians and give them training facilities like the Nigeria Airways, Nigeria  National Shipping Line.
Even Nigeria Railway is managing to be on paper with some refurbished engines moving from Lagos to Ibadan and a few other places. If you go to their stations all over the country, you will realise that they are in a terrible shape. The important thing in a country with a huge population  of youths with more than 60 percent of them under the age of 30 who are unemployed is that you  need these institutions to give jobs and training to them. It is very disappointing that the PDP government virtually failed to use those resources to  grow the economy.
I think the worst thing is the lack of accountability and the terrible budgetary system. Imagine that over 90 percent of Nigerian budget is on recurrent. How can you sustain development in a country like Nigeria with only about 10 percent of your income? Things just have to change. There must be more money available for infrastructure, for investment in getting the factories back, employment and getting goods and services for the population. I think the sins of PDP will be coming out for several years to come.
Do  we expect a government of national unity?
Again, you want me to encroach on the party’s main power. Even if I, as president-elect, want to form a broad based government, I think that the executive of the party will have some influence on that decision. So, for me to maintain a good rapport with the leadership of the party, I want to keep your question in abeyance until further notice.
The 2015 elections did not go without pockets of violence here and there. Does that strike you in any way?
I think there are less disruptions in the second leg of the general elections on April 11 than we had  during the presidential and National Assembly elections. I hope it was as a result of the bandwagon effect because APC had the upper hand during the  first leg of elections. But what happened in the South-South and the South-East cannot be compared to what happened on  April 11 

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S’Africa not driving foreigners away – Zuma

President Jacob Zuma said on Saturday his country is not driving foreigners away after days of violence against foreigners in parts of the country.

“As government, we’re not saying to you go away. It is not every South African who is saying go away. It is a very small number of people who say so,” Zuma told a group of displaced foreigners at a camp in Chatsworth, Durban.

Zuma was visiting the camp, accompanied by Minister of Home Affairs Malusi Gigaba and other government officials.

“We are firstly going to stop the violence then allow them to stay here. Even those who want to go home, they must know that when we have stopped the violence they are welcome to come back,” Zuma said.

But he said his government was ready help repatriate foreigners who want to go back to their home countries.

Despite the South African government’s pledge to ensure the safety of foreigners, some African countries are already beginning to repatriate their citizens.

Zimbabwe’s ambassador to South Africa Isaac Moyo said Zimbabwe would on Sunday start repatriating about 1,000 Zimbabweans affected by the attacks in Durban.

The Malawi government has also started its repatriation process.

Zuma cancelled his visit to Indonesia in order to attend to matters at home relating to the attacks on foreign nationals.

He was due to leave for Indonesia Saturday evening for a state visit and to attend the Africa-Asia Summit and the commemoration of the historic summit in Bandung, Indonesia in 1955 which brought together Africa and Asia to push forward the struggle for liberation and self-determination.

Meanwhile, violence seemed to have abated in Durban and Johannesburg, where looting of foreign-owned shops was reported overnight.

Police said they are continuing to monitor the situation.

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Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden Are Coming to an NBC Drama!

Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden are checking into NBC's The Night Shift. The two will appear in the May 4 episode of the medical drama as part of a collaboration between the series and the Joining Forces initiative. In the Monday, May 4 episode of the series, the show will "illustrate the healing, resilience and sense of purpose that veterans, such as San Antonio Memorial's own TC Callahan (played by Eoin Macken), have found when they get the support they need," NBC said in a release. A public service announcement featuring Obama, Dr. Biden and the stars of The Night Shift--Macken, Jill Flint and Robert Bailey Jr.--will appear on NBC.com. In addition to the episodic guest spot, the first lady and Dr. Biden joined executive producer Gabe Sachs, director Eriq La Salle, Macken, Flint and Bailey visited the Silver Spring Vet Center in Silver Spring, Maryland. This isn't the first scripted TV appearance for either of the political figures. Both Obama and Dr. Biden have appeared on NBC's Parks and Recreation. The first lady has also appeared on numerous other scripted shows including Nashville, iCarly and Jessie. Dr. Biden has appeared on Army Wives. The Night Shift airs Mondays, 10 p.m. on NBC. (E! and NBC are both part of the NBC Universal family.)

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APC rejects May 28 handover date

There are indications that the All Progressives Congress is uncomfortable with the May 28 handover date proposed by the out-going administration.

Investigation by Saturday PUNCH revealed that the outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan and the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) are set to clash over a proposal by the Jonathan team to hand over the mantle of leadership to Buhari on May the 28th, instead of the 29th.

 Buhari team(Apc)  was already over what they considered as an act of ill-will laced with sinister motives.

This is sequel to an announcement by the Minister of Information, Senator Patricia Akwashiki, that President Jonathan would perform the handover ceremony at a dinner on May 28.

Akwashiki made the announcement after Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council meeting.

She told journalists, “By May 28, the President intends to have the formal handover done at a dinner so that we can reserve May 29 for the incoming government.”

However, since the return of democracy in 1999, the traditional date for the handover of power has been May 29, which is also observed as Democracy Day.

This tradition has been the vogue for the past 16 years. It also presents an opportunity for the outgoing President to formally present the instrument of authority to his successor in the full glare of members of the public, local and international media, as well as foreign dignitaries.

A top member of the All Progressives Congress, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media said, “It is simply not acceptable, we are rejecting it, it is a trap.”

He explained that from a security point of view, it could be considered a trap.

“How can anyone explain a situation where an outgoing president and his team will conveniently excuse themselves from an event where they are supposed to play a role when the President-elect and the Vice-President- elect are supposed to be present?” he queried.

According to the party chieftain, power abhors a vacuum as such, the constitution does not envisage a situation where Nigeria will be without a sitting President even for one hour.

He said, “If Jonathan hands over on the 28th, who accounts for the hours before the morning of the 29th when the Chief Justice of the Federation is to administer the oath of office and the oath of allegiance?

“What if there is even a sinister motive to this whole saga? As the President of the nation; who will still be the Chief Security officer until he hands over, there is no excuse that is strong enough to excuse him from the event.”

When contacted, a member of the Buhari campaign team, Mr. Rotimi Fashakin, said while he was not privy to any meeting on the subject yet, it was only logical to ask Nigerians not to rest on their oars until total liberation was achieved.

He described the announcement by President Jonathan to hand over a day earlier than was due as a ploy to rubbish the gains made with the historic win by the opposition APC.

Fashakin said, “It (the proposed handover on the 28th) portends ill for the political destiny of this nation.

“That statement is loaded and it shows that the Nigerian people should not rest yet that there is still ominous signs which we should never take for granted. If Jonathan truly said he is handing over on the 28th it presupposes that he will be absent on the 29th.

“Number one, if he hands over on the 28th to the President-elect, does Gen. Muhammadu Buhari start to act effectively on that date? The answer is an emphatic NO.

“GMB does not start to act on that date, if you get what I mean. Handing over to GMB on that date is not only meaningless, it is stupid. It has no meaning in law, or reality. It means that for 24 hours before GMB takes over there will be a vacuum.”

He further argued that on the side of morality, Nigeria borrowed its constitution substantially from the American Constitution, and as such, it should learn a thing or two about how it oper

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Pastor Adeboye prays for UK’s Prime Minister, David Cameron, others

The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, (RCCG) Pastor E.A Adeboye, prayed for UK Prime Minister, David Cameron and the congregation at the ‘Festival of Life’ programme holding in London.
Cameron will lead the Conservative Party to participate in the UK general election holding on 7th May 2015, to elect the 56th Parliament of the United Kingdom.
Pastor Adeboye shared some of the pictures on his verified Facebook page, Pastor E. A. Adeboye.

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Why I conceded defeat to Buhari – Jonathan

ABUJA — President Goodluck Jonathan spoke for the first time, yesterday, on why he conceded defeat to the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), in the March 28 presidential election, saying he did so to avert a collective tragedy.

President Goodluck Jonathan speaks during his visit to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) in Lagos, on March 12, 2015. President Jonathan visited the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on March 12, and launched a new online mobile platform, X-Gen, designed to increase local investment. The platform is targetted at increasing the number of local investors in the country and to enable about 30 millions domestic investors have access to the market. AFP PHOTO
President Jonathan was responding to remarks by the French ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Denis Guaer, who commended him for setting a record of humility, patriotism and courage in safeguarding the democratic process in Nigeria and Africa for which he will always be remembered.
The French ambassador told the President: “Nigeria is not only an economic power in the world today, but also a great democratic example. And it is all by your effort, Mr. President. The last elections and your response was truly a great achievement and you will always be remembered for it.”
In his response, President Jonathan said: “Since I assumed duty, I have been involved in quelling political crises in some African countries and I know what they passed through and what some are still going through. If you scuttle a system for personal ambition, it becomes a collective tragedy.
“You need to have a nation before you can have an ambition. It should always be the nation first. You don’t have to scuttle national progress for personal ambition. Democracy has to be nurtured to grow. Strong democratic institutions are the backbone and future of our democracy. They must be protected and nurtured. As for me, as a matter of principle, it is always the nation first.
Jonathan urges world leaders to support Buhari
“President Francois Hollande was our guest in Nigeria during the celebration of Nigeria’s centenary. He has been very supportive of the country in the fight against terrorism. I expect that the same warmth and goodwill will be extended to the incoming government.
“I expect that France will continue to work with the new administration, especially on issues of terrorism. The United Nations has been supportive as well. Our troops, supported by regional forces, have done very well in fighting the terrorists in recent times. What we need now is support to help our people get back their lives.”
Jonathan, who also had audience with the new ambassadors of Senegal and Ethiopia when they presented their letters of credence, called on world leaders and international institutions to support the incoming president, Buhari, to move the nation forward.
The President then appealed for patience, understanding and cooperation from all stakeholders in Nigeria, which he said General Buhari would need to move the country forward to greater peace, security and progress.
The French Ambassador, Mr. Guaer, the new Ambassador of Senegal, Mr. Boubacar Sambe and the new Ambassador of Ethiopia, Samia Zekaria Gutu, assured the President that they would do their best to strengthen relations between Nigeria and their countries during their tenure.
US to Buhari: We’ll support you to recover Chibok girls
Meanwhile, the United States has expressed its readiness to support President-elect, Buhari, to rescue the more than 200 girls seized by Boko Haram militants from Chibok school in Borno State one year ago.
American Vice President, Joe Biden, gave the renewed assurance in a telephone chat with Buhari in Abuja while congratulating him on his electoral victory.
The support, according to Biden, also includes the fight against Boko Haram.
Biden, according to  excerpts from their discussion, made available to diplomatic correspondents in Abuja, also said his cou

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Iraq massacre site turns into ‘shrine’ of anti-IS war

On the Tigris River waterfront where jihadists executed hundreds of captured Iraqi army recruits last year, bloodstains are gradually being covered by streaks of candle wax dripping down the quay.

A symbolic tombstone has been laid where Islamic State group fighters carried out their assembly-line slaughter, shooting the young mostly Shiite men in the head before tipping them into the river one by one.

Two weeks after troops and militia retook Tikrit, the main site of the “Speicher massacre” — named after the military base near which the victims were seized — is fast becoming a pilgrimage destination.

Every day, dozens of Iraqi fighters visit the narrow quay of the river police building, located inside the sprawling palace complex that now executed dictator Saddam Hussein built in his hometown.

Relatives, some of whom will never have a body to bury, have streamed to Tikrit from the south and other parts of the country to see the last place where their loved ones were alive.

Delegations of clerics, students and artists have also travelled to the site, which is still haunted by one of IS’s worst atrocities but also symbolises and galvanises the commitment of those fighting against the jihadists.

“This is where the martyrs’ blood was spilt, this should become a museum to all Iraqis, a symbol of pride,” Sheikh Dargham al-Juburi said as he visited the site.

The black-clad and white-turbaned cleric, a representative of Iraq’s top Shiite religious leader Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, wept and prayed over the small marble memorial.

He went on to draw parallels between the improvised Tikrit shrine and Karbala, the Shiite holy city south of Baghdad that was the scene of a 7th century battle considered a defining moment in the schism between Sunni and Shiite Muslims.

Speaking from the same spot a few days earlier, Moeen al-Kadhimi, a leader of the Badr Organisation — both an important political party and one of Iraq’s most powerful Shiite militias — vowed to preserve the site.

“We will rehabilitate this area so that it becomes a symbol of the crime committed by those Dawaesh (IS members) and their allies… so that it remains a mark of shame on their faces forever,” he said.

Kadhim Abdulhassan’s cousin was one of the up to 1,700 recruits who were seized by IS in June 2014 when the group swept through almost a third of Iraq.

He says he received a call from him on his mobile as the group was being herded to the palace complex. The line cut and he never heard from his cousin again.

Abdulhassan is a member of the Ketaeb Jund al-Imam paramilitary group and his job is to keep watch over what is now being treated like a holy site.

Every day, he takes up his post on a balcony overlooking the marble epitaph decorated with bouquets of plastic flowers and candles.

Sitting on his iron garden chair with peeling white paint, his machinegun pointed across the Tigris, his thoughts wander between grief and revenge when he stares at the water that carried the dead downstream.

“I remember them and I spend some nights crying because it’s a scene that hurts, something that is not easy,” said the 30-year-old, a green ribbon knotted into the shoulder strap of his desert camouflage jacket.

Iraqi authorities have found more than 10 mass graves believed to contain the bodies of Speicher victims. Remains are still being exhumed and taken to Baghdad for identification.

IS released pictures and video footage of some of the executions last year.

Combined with a call by Sistani for Iraqis to take up arms against them, the June 2014 massacre played a key role in the mass recruitment of Shiite volunteers to fight the jihadists.

Abdulhassan said that more and more people come every day to pay their respects to the victims and he hoped the numbers would keep increasing.

“This place will be with me until I die… I hope to bring my family and kids to visit, because it is sacred.”

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Strange disease kills 14 in Ondo community

Akure—An outbreak of a strange disease at Ode-Irele area of Ondo State has claimed the lives of 14 persons.
Already, the state government and the World Health Organization have sent representatives to the community.
Also, the Personnel Protective Equipment purchased by the government for Ebola cases and their handlers had been deployed to the area.
The outbreak was noticed on Wednesday and 12 people reportedly died same day. Four others were rushed to the hospital yesterday and two of them gave up the ghost.
Some natives of the town alleged that the gods of the community were offended.
However, the state Health Commissioner, Dr. Dayo Adeyanju, who led a delegation to the area, said the reason given by the natives could not be scientifically proved.
Dr. Adeyanju confirmed that 12 persons had died due to the strange disease, while reports reaching him was that two others, out of the four quarantined, had also died.
He said: “Investigations did not reveal symptoms of Ebola,” adding that the state government had moved into the area to curtail spread of the strange disease.
The preliminary report, he said, showed that the dead persons complained of headache and later lost their sight before they died.
He stated that it was not a case of Ebola Virus Disease, EVD.
According to him, “there were no cases of diarrhoea, vomiting and haemorrhage that are usual symptoms of the dreaded EVD.”
The commissioner said government would do everything possible to control the strange ailment, adding that World Health Organization, WHO, and other partners were already involved in the matter.
He said: “Samples taken from the victims have been sent to Lagos for proper investigation, while government had been engaging in advocacy to ensure that new cases are reported,” adding that concealment could be devastating.
Dr. Adeyanju asked relations of the victims not to bury the corpse of the affected people at home. He said they should take the dead to the cemetery and to take precautions during their burials.
He said the state government would have recovered the dead bodies from the affected families had the state a cremation law.
He said the state Disease Surveillance Team and volunteers engaged during the Ebola cases had been deployed to the area to control the ailment.
He warned against sensatio-nalizing the issues in the social media to avoid creating tension among the people.
He appealed to the people to rely only on official statements from the state government.
Meanwhile, many people have moved out of the area for fear of the strange disease.

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Reps ask FG to recall envoy from South Africa

The House of Representatives on Thursday asked the Federal Government to recall Nigeria’s ambassador to South Africa back home for “consultations” over the widespread attacks and killing of non-South African Blacks, especially Nigerians in that country.

Xenophobic attacks in South Africa have lately claimed lives and means of livelihood of many Nigerians, resulting in businesses and homes being shut for days.

A motion debated by lawmakers in Abuja, highlighted the plight of African migrants in South Africa‎, whom the House said were being “slaughtered like animals” by their South African brothers.

The motion stressed that Nigerians were among the victims.

The House specifically requested South African President, Jacob Zuma, to immediately investigate the attacks and punish those responsible.

The motion was sponsored by Chairman, House Committee on Diaspora Affairs, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa

“Nigeria frowns on the spate of killings of Nigerians in South Africa and requests President Zuma to investigate the cases and bring the perpetrators to justice,” she stated.

Dabiri-Erewa noted that though, Nigerians had suffered xenophobic attacks in the past in South Africa, the latest cases were ignited by comments credited to the Zulu King, ‎Goodwill Zwelithini, who had reportedly asked migrant Africans to return to their countries of origin.

The motion read further, “‎The House notes sadly that the recent attacks which have left many dead, businesses and shops vandalised, many beaten up mercilessly, were incited by a statement allegedly made by South African Zulu King, Goodwill Zwelithini, who told African migrants to go home as they are no longer welcomed in South Africa.

“Son of President Zuma, Edward, allegedly echoed the same statement. This ignited a strong debate, and worse still, immediate backlash of violent reactions among the Zulus in Kwazulu, who unleashed terror on foreign immigrants, including Nigerians in Jo-bourg, Durban and Pretoria.

“They steal, break into their homes, businesses, take their properties, killing them.

“At least five have been killed in Durban, hundreds stranded and unable to return home.”

Many members, who contributed to the debate, expressed sadness over the turn of events in South Africa.

They recalled with pain, the sacrifices Nigeria made to free South Africa from the clutches of Apartheid.

“What is happening in South Africa is a demonstration of the shortness of their memory,” one member from Enugu State, Mr. Tobi Okechukwu, said.

Mr. Abubakar Momoh from Kogi State, advised South Africans to turn their anger against those who oppressed them and not fellow Africans who gave so much to secure their freedom.

The motion was passed in a unanimous voice vote at Thursday session, which was presided over by the Speaker, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal.

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12 Nigerian, Ghanaian Christian migrants ‘thrown’ overboard by Muslim

Italian police said Thursday they had arrested a group of African migrants after witnesses said they threw 12 passengers overboard following a row about religion on a boat headed to Europe.
The deadly dispute, which saw a group of Muslim passengers allegedly attack a group of Christian passengers, coincided with reports of a new migrant drowning tragedy.
Four days after a migrant shipwreck off the coast of Libya, in which 400 people are believed to have died, another 41 migrants were missing feared drowned Thursday after their dinghy sank en route to Italy, Italian media reported.
The stricken vessel was spotted by a plane, which alerted the Italian coastguard but by the time a navy ship arrived at the spot only four passengers were found alive, the reports quoted the police and aid agencies as saying.
The four survivors, who came from Nigeria, Ghana and Niger, said they were part of a group of 45 people that set sail from Libya.
A separate group of migrants rescued by an Italian vessel related a deadly standoff over religion in their dinghy, which ended in 12 Nigerian and Ghanaian passengers being drowned, the police said.
The victims were “of Christian faith, compared to their attackers who were of Muslim faith,” police in the Sicilian port of Palermo said in a statement.
Fifteen migrants were arrested on suspicion of “multiple aggravated murder motivated by religious hate”, the statement added.
The incident aboard the vessel, which was carrying about 100 migrants, took place in the Strait of Sicily, between Tunisia and Italy.
According to a group of Nigerian and Ghanaian survivors, a fight broke out over religion, with a group of Muslim passengers threatening the Nigerians and Ghanaians after they declared themselves to be Christians.
“The threats then materialised and 12 people, all Nigerian and Ghanaian, are believed to have drowned in the Mediterranean,” the police statement added.
The remaining passengers were rescued and brought to Palermo, where the 15 alleged attackers, who came from Ivory Coast, Mali and Senegal, were arrested.
– ‘Human chain’ –
The boat, like many of the claptrap vessels flooding Italy’s shores each week with migrants fleeing conflict and poverty in Africa and the Middle East, had set out from Libya on Tuesday, according to the survivors.
The police said the distraught Nigerians and Ghanaians told a “dreadful” story of their struggle to escape with their lives “by forcefully resisting attempts to drown them, forming a veritable human chain in some cases.”
Some passengers had taken photographs of the incident, judicial sources who described the accounts as “coherent” told Italian media.
The International Organization for Migration said it had received reports of “a fight between different groups -– maybe for religious reasons… on one of the boats rescued some days ago.”
Italy pleaded for more help from other European Union countries Thursday to rescue the migrants risking their lives to reach Europe and to share the burden of accommodating the arrivals.
Italy is not the final destination of most of the tens of thousands of migrants who risk their lives each year in search of a better life in Europe but as their first port of call it is saddled with handling all their asylum requests as well as saving those in danger from a watery grave.
“Ninety percent of the cost of the patrol and sea rescue operations are falling on our shoulders, and we have not had an adequate response from the EU,” Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni told the daily Corriere della Sera.
“And then there is the difficult issue of knowing where to send those rescued at sea — to the nearest port? To the country where their boat came from? The EU has to respond clearly to these questions,” Gentiloni said.

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Iraq PM welcomes Iran aid, but says must respect sovereignty

Iraq’s Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Thursday welcomed Iran’s assistance in the fight against Islamic State jihadists, but warned Tehran to respect Baghdad’s sovereignty.

“Everything must be done through the government of Iraq,” Abadi told an audience of US policy experts at a Washington think tank on the third day of a visit to the United States.

“We welcome the Iranian government’s support for us,” Abadi added, on the third day of a visit to the United States aimed at shoring up US support for his fledgling government as it battles the jihadists.

Washington says Iranian officers provided advice and artillery to Shiite militias involved in the operation to retake the city of Tikrit from the Islamic State (IS) group in recent weeks.

But Abadi insisted: “Iraqi sovereignty is of utmost importance.”

The Iraqi prime minister met Tuesday with US President Barack Obama, having said that he intended to ask for a “marked increase” in heavy weapons for his forces to repel IS, which has captured a swathe of territory in Iraq and Syria.

Speaking at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Abadi said that he had come to Washington with a shopping list of weapons.

And he said he had received assurances that a number of F16 planes would be delivered on time.

Abadi also said two Iraqi brigades were to start training to retake Anbar province from the jihadists and would need heavy weapons for the fight.

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AU condemns South Africans attacks on foreigners

The African Union  on Thursday in Addis Ababa, described the South Africa xenophobic attacks on foreigners as unacceptable and called for an immediate halt.

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the Chairperson, AU Commission, said in a statement that “whatever the challenges we may be facing, no circumstances justify attacks on people whether foreigners or locals.”

The attacks had escalated with foreign-owned shops being looted and torched while some foreigners have been burnt alive and others brutally assaulted.

She welcomed current efforts by the South African government to engage those affected as well as the deployment of more police officers to provide protection and keep law and order.

The AU chief decried the incident as particularly unfortunate as the continent was approaching the celebration of the African Freedom Day on May 25.

“On 25 May we remember the founding of the Organisation of African Unity, which played such a critical role in mobilising international solidarity to end apartheid.

“The challenges faced by South Africa—poverty and unemployment, are challenges faced by all countries on the continent.

“We must work together to address them and build a better future for all Africans, she said.

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Russian defence chiefs blame US for global security risks

Top Russian defence officials lashed out at the United States Thursday, accusing it of undermining global security by funding revolutions and expanding NATO in a bid to contain Russia.

Speaking at a conference in Moscow attended by his counterparts from North Korea, Greece and Pakistan, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said the world order needs to be redefined in a speech that focused heavily on the perceived threat from the United States.

“We live in a watershed moment of history. We are the ones to determine the parameters of world order,” Shoigu told the annual Conference on International Security.

“We are concerned that the stability constructed after World War II is beginning to careen,” he said. “Some countries who consider themselves winners in the Cold War are attempting to dictate their will to others.”

Frequently using the term “some countries” to refer to the United States and its closest allies, Shoigu accused Washington of destabilising the post-Soviet sphere by luring countries away from Russia with investment and supporting popular uprisings.

“The main goal is to tear away from Russia the countries tied to it by culture and history,” he said.

“Of course, the biggest tragedy among the ‘colour revolutions’ is Ukraine,” Shoigu said, contrasting the “peaceful” transition of Crimea to Russia with “violent propagation of the European choice” by Kiev’s current leadership.

Russia deployed its special forces in February to Crimea, formally annexing it from Ukraine in March, shortly after the uprising in the Ukrainian capital led to the ouster of pro-Moscow former president Viktor Yanukovych.

The chain of events unravelled into a year-long conflict in eastern Ukraine between pro-Russian separatists and Kiev, which has claimed over 6,000 lives. Moscow has denied Western claims the Kremlin is supporting the insurgency.

“NATO countries are seeking to seize geopolitical space, building up military potential in Eastern Europe and drawing closer to Russia,” Shoigu said.

The sharp remarks were a contrast to President Vladimir Putin’s statements that Russia’s only enemies are terrorism and organised crime.

“We don’t consider anyone an enemy among participants of global dialogue,” he said Thursday in his annual phone-in session with the nation.

Shoigu’s speech was echoed by a report on threats to Russia by chief of its General Staff Valery Gerasimov, also heavily focused on the “growing military potential” of NATO and the decision by the US to “reshape the world to its liking” in a quest for “absolute domination.”

“One cannot but notice the negative effect on Russia’s military security” of NATO’s continuing expansion eastward, Gerasimov said, accusing it of holding drills and other activities near Russian borders.

“Clearly NATO’s measures to strengthen the bloc and increase its military capabilities are not of a defensive nature,” he said.

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I’ll restore military ties with US –President Elect Gen Muhammadu Buhari

The President-elect, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Tuesday said his administration would restore military cooperation with the United States of America.

In an article published by the New York Times in its Tuesday edition, Buhari promised to among other things reformed the military.

The outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration had cancelled the training component of its military cooperation with the US citing a lack of sincerity on the part of the Americans for its decision.

But Buhari said, “My administration would welcome the resumption of a military training agreement with the United States, which was halted during the previous administration. We must, of course, have better coordination with the military campaigns our African allies, like Chad and Niger, are waging in the struggle against Boko Haram. But, in the end, the answer to this threat must come from within Nigeria.”

Buhari also said he would deploy additional troops in the battle foul away from civilian areas in the south and the north central parts of the country.

In the article, the President-elect said, in the fight to end the Boko Haram insurgency, “We must start by deploying more troops to the front and away from civilian areas in central and southern Nigeria where for too long they have been used by successive governments to quell dissent.

“We must work closer with our neighbours in coordinating our military efforts so an offensive by one army does not see their country’s rid of Boko Haram only to push it across the border onto their neighbour’s territory.”

A member of the Buhari team, who pleaded for anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media said, “Without being told, you should know that what he is simply saying is that under his administration, the military will revert to their constitutional role of defending the nation against external aggression QED.”

It was also gathered that the military would be overhauled and professionalised while the police would be better empowered to take the leading role in internal security.

According to the New York Times article, which carried Buhari’s byline, the incoming administration will aside from using the military to deal with the terrorists’ threat, it will pay greater attention to counter-terrorism initiatives.

Buhari noted that his administration would seek to address why young people were attracted to join the sect. He identified some of the reasons to include poverty and ignorance.

He said, “Indeed Boko Haram – which translates in English, roughly, as “western education is sinful” – preys on the perverted belief that the opportunities that education brings are sinful.

“If you are starving and young, and in search of answers as to why your life is so difficult, fundamentalism can be alluring. We know this for a fact because former members of Boko Haram have admitted it: They offer impressionable young people money and the promise of food, while the group’s mentors twist their minds with fanaticism.

“So, we must be ready to offer the parts of our country affected by this group an alternative. Boosting education will be a direct counter-balance to Boko Haram’s appeal.

“In particular we must educate more young girls, ensuring they will grow up to be empowered through learning to play their full part as citizens of Nigeria and pull themselves up and out of poverty. Indeed, we owe it to the schoolgirls of Chibok to provide as best an education as possible for our fellow young citizens.”

He observed that Boko Haram feeds off despair, lack of hope that things can improve. The former Head-of State also argued that by attacking a school, and kidnapping more than 200 schoolgirls, it sought to strike at the very place where hope for the futurewas being nurtured, and the promise of a better Nigeria.

“It is our intention to show Boko Haram that it will not succeed,” he said.

The retired army general also promised that his administration would not only defeat the sec

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Arizona cop hitting man with car

Police in Arizona said Tuesday that an officer who intentionally used his car to run into a suspect with a rifle probably saved the man's life.

The man's lawyer strongly disagrees. Video of the incident has stirred debate about what type of force police should have used to detain a man with a gun.

"Everything in the video seems to point towards an obvious excessive use of force. It is miraculous that my client isn't dead," said attorney Michelle Cohen-Metzger.

The incident was recorded February 19 on the dashcam of two Marana police cars that were following the suspect, 36-year-old Mario Valencia.

In one video, an officer who was tailing Valencia at slow speed reports over the radio that the suspect has fired one round in the air with a rifle he is accused of stealing that morning from a Walmart.

Another patrol car zooms past, runs into the man from behind then hits a short cinder block wall next to a driveway. Video from Officer Michael Rapiejko's camera shows the officer running the man over and the windshield smashing as the car hits the wall.

"Oh Jesus Christ. Man down," the officer in the first car says.

Police in Marana, which is about a half-hour from Tucson, have justified Rapiejko's actions.

"If we're going to choose between maybe we'll let him go a little bit farther and see what happens, or we're going to take him out now and eliminate any opportunity he has to hurt somebody, you're going to err on the side of, in favor of the innocent people," Police Chief Terry Rozema said. "Without a doubt."

The situation warranted deadly force because the suspect was headed to an area where several hundred people were working.

"This officer made a split-second decision, and in retrospect, when all the dust clears, I think we look at this and say, yeah, there's things we can learn from this," he said, "but the entire community is safe, all the officers are safe, and even the suspect in this case is safe."

Cohen-Metzger said officers didn't make any effort to de-escalate the situation of a man "clearly suicidal, clearly in crisis."

"I find it ludicrous to say that we're saving this man's life whose suicidal by almost killing him," she said.

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Jonathan rejects amended constitution

President Goodluck Jonathan has rejected the amendments made to the 1999 Constitution by the National Assembly.

A top government official who pleaded anonymity told our correspondent on Tuesday that Jonathan vetoed the amendment on Monday.

The official said the decision of the President not to sign the document was because the amendment did not meet the provisions of Section 9 (3) of the 1999 Constitution.

The source explained that with the return of the document by the President, the letter accompanying it might be read on the floors of the two chambers of the National Assembly any time from Wednesday (today).

He said, “The President has vetoed the constitution amendment and he has sent it back to the National Assembly.

“The amendment did not meet the provision of Section 9 (3) of the constitution which talks about the need for four fifth of the National Assembly to agree with the amendment.”

Section 9 (3) of the Constitution reads:

“An Act of the National Assembly for the purpose of altering the provisions of this section, section 8 or Chapter IV of this Constitution shall not be passed by either House of the National Assembly unless the proposal is approved by the votes of not less than four-fifths majority of all the members of each House, and also approved by resolution of the House of Assembly of not less than two-third of all states.”

The rejected amended constitution granted approval for the separation of the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation from that of Minister/Commissioner of Justice.

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Buhari to move against pension for ex-governors

 President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), is to lead a campaign to repeal the pension laws for governors enacted by many states of the federation, Vanguard has learnt.
The proposal by the incoming president is based on what sources close to him affirm as the incongruity of the laws under the country’s socio-economic environment and also, as a way of demonstrating moral leadership from the top.
Majority of the nation’s 36 state Houses of Assembly have enacted generous pension entitlements for governors that in many cases provide 100 per cent pay for the incumbent governors buildings, generous medical allowances for them and their family members and annual holiday provisions, all of which are to last for life. Provisions in the pension allowances are also made for staff, security and vehicles that are renewable every three or four years.
Buhari’s inclination towards a review of the pension for former governors was first publicly declared few days to the presidential election at the All Progressives Congress, APC, retreat in Owerri, Imo State.
It’s scandalous
A source conversant with the development disclosed that Buhari told the governors that there was no way Nigeria could survive under the financial weight of the pensions that had been earmarked for governors. He was said to have described the pension laws as enacted by states controlled by APC and PDP governors as scandalous.
According to the source, “he was very blunt about it and said that it was something that was going to be done immediately, especially because it is not something that can be sustained.
“The feeling was that not only was it wrong and morally unconscionable, but that it was not something that should be encouraged, and he was appealing to them that it should be changed.”
However, the response of the governors, who were present at the retreat, was not immediately given.
It’s a welcome proposal —Keyamo
The development was, yesterday, welcomed by leading Lagos lawyer, Festus Keyamo, who described it as a fantastic proposal but disclosed that it was something that could, however, only be accomplished through moral suasion.
“Fantastic, fantastic. It is a very welcome proposal,” the Lagos lawyer, who backed General Buhari against President Goodluck Jonathan in last month’s presidential election said.
He, however, said the proposal was something that Buhari could only effect through moral suasion as the pension acts were enacted by state Houses of Assembly.
The crave for financial safety out of office was recently also extended to the legislature after the Lagos State House of Assembly passed pension laws to guarantee generous pension entitlements with proposals for former presiding officers of the house.
States that have passed the law
Many states of the federation had steadily been passing the law since return to civil rule. States like Lagos, Edo, Gombe, Oyo, and Rivers have passed the law, through which several former governors are already drawing applicable benefits, which in some cases are 100 per cent of what the incumbent is earning, while in others, some benefits in the pension laws are as high as 300 per cent of what obtains in some states.
100% of basic salary in Lagos
The Lagos State Governor and Deputy Governor Pensions Law of 2007 provides that “a former governor and family (spouse and children both married and unmarried) are entitled to free medical treatment which is not capped. Another highlight is that the ex-governor is entitled to a cook, steward, gardener and other domestic staff who are pensionable.
The benefits:
Annual Basic Salary: 100% of annual basic salaries of the incumbent governor and deputy.
Accommodation: One residential house in Lagos and another in FCT for the former governor; one residential house in Lagos for the deputy.
Transport: Three cars, two backup cars and one pilot car for the ex-governor every three years; two cars, two backup cars and one pilot car for the deputy governor every three years.
Furniture: 300 per cent of the annual salary. 

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INEC shifts state assembly election in Katsina LG to April 18

Katsina – The INEC has postponed the House of Assembly election in Danmusa Local Government Area of Katsina State to April 18.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Bagobiri, announced this at a news conference.
He said that some miscreants attacked INEC office in the area and prevented electoral officers from taking election materials to 10 out of the 11 wards in the area, thereby prompting the decision.
He said the election was only conducted in Dan-Ali ward which hasd11 polling units.
Bagobiri added that the hoodlums burnt election materials in one polling unit in the ward.
He said the hooliganism scared away voters in spite of efforts by security agents to maintain law and order in the area.
‘’INEC has no option other than to postpone the election to April 18,’’ he said.
Bagobiri assured that the commission would conduct free, fair and credible election in the area.
He also urged security agents and other relevant agencies to take measures that would ensure a hitch free exercise.(NAN)

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The MTV Movie Awards' 11 Most Memorable Best Kiss Moments, Ranked

Fire up those VCRs, rewind your VHS tape and make sure you're not recording over anything important like the birth of a sibling because the 2015 MTV Movie Awards are this Sunday! And then get back in your TARDIS because you're using a VCR so that means you're probably back in the '90s, which means you're on another adventure with the Doctor.

One of the highlights of the MTV Movie Awards year in and year out is the Best Kiss category. It's always one of the most memorable moments of the evening, and this year we bet Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort take home the popcorn tub for The Fault in Our Stars. But will their acceptance speech join the ranks with these 11 legendary Best Kiss moments? Check out our favorites from the past 23(!) years, ranked for your pleasure:

11. Briana Evigan and Robert Hoffman, Step Up 2 (2008)

This moment was equal parts cute and uncomfortable as these two, who were real-life lovers when they accepted the award, clearly were seconds away from ripping each other's clothes off and going at it right onstage. Someone hose 'em down!

10. Jim Carrey and Lauren Holly, Dumb and Dumber (1995)

We were expecting Jim to be silly about the whole thing, but because he would later go on to marry this woman, Carrey instead went the romantic route, calling her the sweetest woman on the globe and that he would "slay any dragon to win her favor."

9.  Will Ferrell and Sasha Baron Cohen, Talladega Nights (2007)

These guys had more chemistry during their makeout/acceptance speech than Joey and Rachel had on Friends when they were dating. Yeah, we said it.

8. Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, Twilight: New Moon (2010)

Robsten, may they rest in peace, won this category four years in a row at the MTV Movie Awards. This was the second time they won, and after Kristen pushed Rob's head away, the two finally gave the fans what they really wanted and kissed. And by "kissed," we mean they awkwardly bumped faces for a split second.

7. Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger, Brokeback Mountain (2006)

Jake accepted the award for their movie kiss on the guys' behalf, calling it at an "honor" and "a big deal" to be chosen as the winner. "Thank you, not just from me but from all those struggling with love, "he said. "Which is all of us." Fast forward to 1:00 to watch Jake's sweet speech.

6. Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, Twilight: Breaking Dawn, Part 1 (2012)

This was weeks before the Kristen Stewart cheating scandal would rock the entertainment world, so this could have been our last time seeing Robsten happily together at an award show. But Rob wasn't there, so it ended up just being Kristen, making out with herself. Get it, girl. You don't need a man to get some love!

5. Will Poulter, Emma Roberts and Jennifer Aniston, We're the Millers (2014)

His whole acceptance speech was a bit about how he dated both Jennifer Aniston and Emma Roberts at the same time, and it was amazing. Plus hotties Dave Franco and Zac Efron were both directly behind him so the whole scene was just magical.

4. Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, Twilight: Eclipse (2011)

Twilight fan-fiction writers everywhere crapped their pants watching Rob run out into the audience to lay a big one on Taylor Lautner. After winning the award for the third time, we're glad Robsten mixed it up.

3. Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, Twilight (2009)

The first time these two won was the best time because not only did Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock fangirl out while giving them the award, but they clearly had so much fun riling up the crowed with their little almost-kissing bit. Those li'l scamps.

2. Sarah Michelle Gellar and Selma Blair, Cruel Intentions (2000)

This was the first time a same-sex duo won this award, and they could have just thanked the fans and left the stage, but they gave us what we wanted and smooched, setting a standard for all Best Kiss winners thereafter.

1. Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, The Notebook (2005)

Did any of you 

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Drake Has His Own Search Engine Now and It's the Best We Ever Had

Google searches just went from zero to 100...real quick.

A new website appeared on the Internet called Let Me Drake That For You and it's just as good as it sounds: All Drizzy all the time. Basically it's a knock-off Google that produces only Drake-related results. Or as the site's description reads, it's "like Google, on fleek."

If you've got a spare five hours or so, there's nothing more fun than gathering your woes and going down the Drake rabbit hole. On a Tuesday, of course.

You can literally search anything to see how it relates to Drake. Type in "lint roller"...get pictures of the Toronto Raptors' Drake-branded lint rollers. Type in "sandwich" and you get throwback videos of that one time Drake didn't get the lunch he wanted. Type in "woes"...get this. Let Me Drake That For You even provides you with Drizzy-themed background music while the search results generate.

And possibly the best part of the whole thing is the "I'm Feelin Drizzy" button. It's a play on Google's I'm Feeling Lucky option, and every time you click you're treated to an amazing Drake-related GIF.

Google: It started from the bottom...now it's Drake.

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Everything You Need to Know About Game of Thrones' "Shocking" Season 5--With Scoop From the Cast!

It's been a long, cold winter as we've waited for the real winter to come...Game of Thrones' winter, that is! It's been one full year since we've journeyed to the land of Westeros for new episodes of HBO's hit fantasy drama and now, our wait is finally over, as season five premieres this Sunday.

This is the season we've all been waiting for, book enthusiasts and non-book readers alike, as the show has caught up to where George R. R. Martin's novels have stopped, and it's become a fact that this season is going to feature stories that haven't been in the books...yet. No one truly knows what's going to happen (besides Martin and the showrunners, of course), so for the first time since this show premiered, we're all in this together!

That's why E! News rounded up the cast at the Game of Thrones season five red carpet premiere in San Francisco to see what they could reveal about what's coming up this season.

The mastermind behind all of Game of Thrones, Martin, promises that there are going to be some major surprises for book readers...including the fates of some characters who everyone thinks are safe.

"Yes, there will be [surprises]," Martin tells E! News. "[Executive producers] David [Benioff] and Dan [D. B. Weiss] are bloodier than I am so no one is safe here. Even characters who are still alive in the books will die in the series. What can you do? Hold on to your seats and hope it's not your favorite character who winds up beheaded or disemboweled or poisoned."

Press play on the video below to see what Kit Harington revealed about Jon Snow's season five journey:

Benioff and Weiss can't wait for this season to premiere, because some characters will finally get to reunite.

"We've been looking forward to this season for a long time because for so long, the worlds of the show have been separate. There's the east and the west and they've never come together, and finally, this season, west meets east," Weiss says. "Without spoilers, the end of season four saw a couple of major characters sailing east. It's just so fun for us to write for these characters that we know and we love so well at this point when they start to encounter other characters that we know and we love so well that they haven't met before. That's one of the really exciting things to see for season five."

Because of the upcoming reunions and deviations from the books, Benioff is excited to see what viewers think of season five.

"It should be the most surprising season so far if we didn't screw it up, which is definitely possible," Benioff says with a laugh. "We'll find out in about two months!"

Press play on the video below to see what Emilia Clarke teased about what's coming up for Daenerys:

One of the biggest changes in season five is all thanks to Tyrion (Peter Dinklage), as he just murdered his father and escaped King's Landing with Varys (Conleth Hill).

"I killed our father, so that's definitely going to put a damper on things," Dinklage says of how his brother Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) feels about what he did. "He definitely didn't release me to do that, so that's a bit of a shocker, I'm sure."

And even though Tyrion made it out of King's Landing without getting caught, there will be major ramifications from Cersei (Lena Headey) for murdering their father.

"They want my head," Dinklage says. "I'm a wanted man. My strategy? Go far away and make new friends." (Certain dragon-motherin' new friends.)

Dinklage revealed he's happy that he got to work with new cast members this season, meaning Tyrion is about to meet some characters he's never been in scenes with before!

"It's incredible," Dinklage says. "I got to work with some new people this season that I've only met at these events and it's just lovely to share the screen with them at last."

Press play on the video below to see what Coster-Waldau had to say about Jaime's journey this season:

As for Tyrion's traveling partner Varys, Hill teased that the quiet schemer has big plans ahead of 

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Nigeria’s military helicopter crashes in Lagos

A military helicopter crashed on Friday during training in Lagos State.

The crash was to said to have occurred due to hydraulic failure.

It was learnt that the helicopter was returning to the Apron after the completion of the training when the crash happened.

The Nigerian Air Force said no casualty was recorded in the accident involving the Super Puma Helicopter.

In a statement issued in Abuja, the Director of Public Relations and Information of NAF, Air Commodore Dele Alonge, said, “A Super Puma Helicopter belonging to the Nigerian Air Force on training mission in Lagos on Friday morning suffered severe damage due to hydraulic failure while on taxi to the Hanger.

“However, the main Rotor debris caused damage to some ground equipment.”

It was learnt that the helicopter was carrying three Air Force personnel, the pilot, the co-pilot and the technician.

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu, has, however, ordered investigation into the circumstances that led to the incident.

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