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 to an alternate international airport and the  closest airport facility being Kano, the Russian crew decided to fly there, to refuel, and to take off again to reach Njamena Airport.

He denied that the plane was carrying arms and ammunition, stressing that it was conveying two light Gazelle helicopters, spare parts and maintenance items belonging to the French Army.

Labriolle further explained that due to the nationality of the aircraft, and the nature of the cargo, airport authorities in Kano, decided to check the flight plan, the clearance and the cargo manifest before authorizing the plane to leave.

He said that official information has been supplied by the French Embassy in Nigeria, noting that the federal and airport authorities, being satisfied with the documents and the genuine character of the flight, have announced that the plane will be authorized to pursue its flight to Ndjamena.

The envoy stated  that the French Armed Forces had on December 6, 2014, chartered the flight on the Russian commercial company “224 Flight Unit,” to ship two light helicopters from Bangui to Ndjamena.

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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 said, “The military has already launched an investigation into how the aircraft found its way to Kano, the origin of the weapons, the destination and other important details surrounding the shipment.”

The Director, Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade could not be reached for comments as calls to his phone indicated that it was not available.

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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 Pharrell Williams, Ariana Grande, Tim McGraw, Maroon 5, Mary J. Blige and Sam Smith.

"What we wanted to do is add a twist," Grammys longtime executive producer Ken Ehrlich told the crowd at the Shrine Auditorium ahead of the taping. "And everyone loves Christmas specials."

MORE: Check out some more Grammy nominations!

Each artist took the stage to belt a Christmas jingle, and also shared various holiday experiences.

But ultimately, it came down to revealing the celebs who have been recognized for Album of the Year, and we don't want you to wait any longer...

ALBUM OF THE YEAR:

•Morning Phase, Beck

•Beyoncé, Beyoncé

•X, Ed Sheeran

•In The Lonely Hour, Sam Smith

•Girl, Pharrell Williams

Find out who snags the top award when the 2015 Grammys air on Feb. 8.

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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 was not authorised to talk to journalists.

The FBI had offered a $5-million reward for his capture.

Federal prosecutors in the US alleged Shukrijumah had recruited three men in 2008 to receive training in the lawless tribal region of Pakistan for bombng New York subway system.

The New York indictment links him to the Manhattan plot and a similar never-executed scheme to attack British subways.

Attorney General Eric Holder has called that plot one of the most dangerous since the terror attacks of September 11, 2001.

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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, over the Eastern Samar to Northern Samar area, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
It's packing sustained winds of 195 kilometers an hour (313 mph) near the storm's center, with gusts of up to 230 kph (370 mph).
Millions of people have been scrambling to get out of the typhoon's way, or battening down in hotels on higher ground, away from the coast.
Public storm warning signals have been applied in a number of provinces amid predictions winds could rip off roofs, cut power and damage buildings. Residents in low-lying areas have been warned about possible flash floods and landslides.
Preparing for the worst
While current forecasts show the storm skirting north of Tacloban, the people there aren't taking any chances.
They suffered enormously when Super Typhoon Haiyan smashed into the coast last November, killing more than 6,000 people and creating apocalyptic scenes of splintered houses, ships on streets and and debris piles for as far as the eye could see.
Tacloban Mayor Alfred Romualdez said they're better prepared this year after learning the lessons of Haiyan a year ago. Residents are taking the storm warnings seriously and most people have fled the city, he said.

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