Politics, World News

President Muhammadu Buhari has returned to Abuja after a two-day visit to the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Abu Dhabi.

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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Presidential aircraft carrying the president and members of his entourage landed at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at about 4.10 p.m.

While in Abu Dhabi, Buhari met the new President of the UAE, His Highness, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to whom he conveyed his and Nigeria’s condolences on the passing of the former president and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, His Highness, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The president also joined the Juma’ah prayers, at which prayers were offered for the repose of the soul of the deceased on Friday.

During a short interaction with Sheikh Zayed Al Nahyan, Buhari expressed his condolences and that of Nigeria on the demise of the late Sheikh Khalifa and congratulated the new president on his election.

Buhari expressed optimism that under Sheikh Mohamed the two countries would continue to actively champion a vision of sustainable security, strengthen counterterrorism cooperation, facilitate trade and investment, and promote prosperity and development.

NAN reports that the Nigerian leader returned to Abuja amidst confusion on whether or not he had signed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill forwarded to him by the National Assembly few days ago.

The amendment is crucial to the participation of statutory delegates at the primaries and national convention of political parties.

They have been excluded from voting and being voted for during the exercises in the previous amendment signed into law by the President.

When asked to confirm whether or not Buhari had indeed assented to the latest amendment, the Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly (Senate), Sen. Jide Omoworare, simply said the president ”should have signed” the amended fresh electoral act into law.

Also a member of the House of Representatives, Emeka Chinedu, representing Ahiazu/ Ezinihitte Mbaise Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, was quoted by a national newspaper confirming that the president signed the fresh amended electoral act bill on May 21.

“I can confirm to you that Mr President signed the bill into law this afternoon and we are all happy about it as it will give us and other statutory delegates the power to vote at the primaries,” Chinedu said.

However, NAN reliably gathered that the president had not signed the latest Electoral Act Amendment as being speculated in some quarters.

Earlier in the course of the week, the president had on May 17 congratulated newly-elected Somali President, Hassan Mahmud, “for successfully staging a comeback after being unseated in 2017’’.

The president commended the outgoing president, Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo, for his swift acceptance of Mahmud’s victory which inevitably would lead to a peaceful transition in the best interest of the people.

He reassured the new Somali leader that “Nigeria will continue its usual support for peacekeeping efforts in Somalia’’.

Buhari stressed that “African countries must unite against terrorists and other evil forces seeking to disrupt and destroy our territories’’.

Also on the same day, the Nigerian leader received the Secretary General of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), Mr Juan Carlos Salazar, at the State House, Abuja.

Speaking at the event, Buhari assured that more investments would be deployed to the provision of infrastructure and facilities for safe, secure, environmentally friendly and sustainable civil aviation in the country.

According to him, Nigeria will support the ideals and aspirations of ICAO and achievement of its strategic objectives, in collaboration with other Member States of the organisation.

The president also presided over the virtual meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday where members of the cabinet observed a minute silence in honour of former Minister of Communications under retired Gen. Ibrahim Babangida regime, Olawole Ige, who died at 83.

NAN recalls that the family of Ige announced his death on May 9.

The council approved N169.7 billion for the reconstruction of four roads under the tax credit scheme.

Buhari on May 18, condoled with families of victims of the Sabon Gari, Kano, gas explosion in which nine casualties were reported.

He directed relevant officials to provide adequate treatment for the injured persons.

The Presidency on Thursday stressed the significance of President Buhari’s visit to Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

According to the president’s media aide, Malam Garba Shehu, Nigeria has very strong economic and defense ties with the UAE.

The countries, which are trying to strengthen their post-COVID recovery, are banking on strategic partnerships to further commercial ties.

“UAE, which is today a recognised financial and manufacturing hub and has shown, to our admiration, a remarkable willingness for energising our industry to industry cooperation, which will help strengthen the post-COVID economic recovery in both countries,” he stated.

Sheikh Mohammed was once credited with a statement, saying that “security in Nigeria means security for Africa. If there is no security in Nigeria, we cannot say there is security in Africa”.

“Flowing from this, they have helped us to curb illicit financial flows to the Boko Haram terrorist organisation. Also ongoing are military procurements and supply to the Nigerian Armed Forces of seriously needed hardware.

”A few weeks ago, a brand new warship for the Nigerian Navy was commissioned in Dubai and has set sail to Nigeria.

”The Nigerian Army just procured 100 Mine Resistant Armoured Personnel Carriers (MRAPS) from the UAE,” Shehu said in a special feature on the president’s trip to Abu Dhabi on Thursday.

NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA

Politics, World News

APC appeal panel upholds 2,619 Kaduna delegates.

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The Appeal Committee for the Ad-hoc Delegate Congresses of the ruling All Progressives Congress in Kaduna State, on Saturday, upheld the congress while declaring the exercise as “successful.”

A total of 1,275 delegates were elected for the local and state levels each while 69 national delegates were unanimously elected, bringing the number to 2,619 delegates in all.

The party had last week conducted congresses to elect the local government, state and national delegates.

The exercise was done by consensus in accordance with APC’s elections guidelines and constitution.The five-man committee, headed by Mrs Tinuke Gbadejo-Ogunrinde, while addressing journalists at the state secretariat of the party, said the congresses were hitch-free, stating that no complaint was received before, during or after the congresses.

Ogunrinde said, “Our great party, the APC assigned us to serve as the Appeal Committee for the Special Congress held on May 17 and 18, 2022 to elect the local government, state and national delegates for Kaduna State.This Appeal Committee received records from the congress committee appointed by our great party, confirming that various categories of delegates emerged from the Special Congress in the 23 local government areas as follows: 1,275 local government delegates; 1,275 state delegates and 69 national delegates were unanimously elected during the Special Congress by consensus.

Entertainment, Lifestyle, Politics, World News

Loyalty to your political party or political leaders doesn’t mean you should trivialize the crucial times we are in. – Skit maker, Mr Macaroni.

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Comdedian and skit maker, Mr Macaroni condemned the act of some people trivializing crucial times because of the loyalty they have towards certain politicians and political parties.

He revealed his statement via his Twitter page;

“Loyalty to your political party or political leaders doesn’t mean you should trivialize the crucial times we are in.
Remember that these people you defend are well protected. When push comes to shove, it is the defenceless people that bear the brunt.”

Lifestyle, Politics, World News

Deborah’s Death: Soyinka wants National Mosque Imam sacked over blasphemy comment.

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Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called for the sacking of Professor Ibrahim Maqari, the Imam, National Mosque, Abuja, over his comment on the killing of Deborah Samuel.

The deceased, a 200-level Home Economics student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto State, was gruesomely murdered by a mob following accusation of blaspheming Prophet Muhammad.

Reacting to the dastardly act, Imam Maqari claimed that there are some red lines in Islam which must not be crossed, adding that if issues of blasphemy against the prophet are not addressed by the authority, the Muslims would do so themselves.

Soyinka has now accused the Islamic cleric of instigating his followers to take laws into their hands in the name of religion.

The Nobel Laureate made the accusation during the one-year remembrance of the late former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, and the launch of Attahiru’s biography written by author, Niran Adedokun held in Abuja on Saturday, May 21, 2022, reported The Punch.

He condemned extrajudicial killings in the name of religion, adding that the “apostate of the creed of humanity, Professor Maqari, must be removed from office.”

The Prof added that, “It is no longer sufficient for all to declaim that Islam is this and that, that the Sharia is thus and thus, that Prophet Mohammed set this or that example and made this or that humanistic pronouncement.

“We have gone beyond theocratic rhetoric that merely pays lip service to civilised norms. Let all pietistic denunciations be backed by affirmative action.”

Soyinka insisted that Imam Maqari’s comment served as further encouragement for his followers to kill anyone that commits blasphemy against the Prophet.

He said, “Professor Maqari, however, insists, with a handful of others, including vocal serving policemen quite recently, that there is no remorse involved in the torture and lynching of a young student on this earth.

“Maqari has implicitly directed his followers to take the law into their own hands in the name of religion, and innovation. That is the message of a supposedly holy man to a nation embroiled in his madness of multiple incidences.”

Meanwhile, the Sokoto state police had arraigned two suspects arrested in connection with the killing of Deborah.

The two suspects, Bilyaminu Aliyu and Aminu Hukunci, were brought before a Sokoto State Magistrates’ Court on Monday, May 16, 2022, over charges allegedly bordering on ‘public disturbance.’

Lifestyle, Politics, World News

Kumuyi cancels planned South-East crusade after IPOB warning.

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The General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor William Kumuyi, has cancelled the crusade scheduled to hold in Aba, Abia state, following warning by the proscribed group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Punch gathered on Saturday, May 21, 2022, that the cancellation was as a result of the volatile security situation in the South-East region.

The crusade was billed to take place in Aba from May 24 to May 29, 2022, but IPOB had cautioned Kumuyi against proceeding with the event citing security concerns in the region.

The newspaper spoke with an official of the Global Crusade With Kumuyi who confirmed the cancellation, adding that a new venue for the crusade would soon be announced.

The Chairman of the organising team for the crusade, Pastor James Akpofure, also issued a statement on Saturday to confirm the cancellation.

“As there are currently some security challenges at the intended alpha location (Aba, Abia State, Nigeria), the Global Crusade Convener, Pastor (Dr) W.F. Kumuyi commiserates with our people in Abia State and will be praying along for God’s Divine Intervention,” Akpofure said.

In a statement issued by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, on Thursday, May 19, 2022, the group had urged Kumuyi to consider security situation in the South-East before he comes to Aba for his gospel crusade.

Powerful also reiterated the call on Saturday when he implored Kumuyi and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to not ignore its advice, alleging that political thugs have perfected plans to attack the crusade attendees.

He said, “It is unbelievable that CAN would not summon the courage to fight for their members when Muslims and security men attack and murder their members.

“They should understand that IPOB will not fold its arms and watch our people deliberately put in harm’s way to be slaughtered because of crusade, when they know that politicians will employ their local thugs to slaughter people and tag it that IPOB was responsible for such attack.”

Powerful then asked both Pastor Kumuyi and CAN to publicly declare that they should be held responsible if anything should happen during the course of the crusade.

“Security intelligence and strategy are what is required in a situation as this, which is what we are applying now by advising Kumuyi and his ministry. The CAN must understand that IPOB has Judeo-Christians also as family members and it is our responsibility to protect them from political tugs and criminal elements.

“IPOB does not have any issues with Kumuyi or other pastors or men and women of God for that matter; what we are talking about is the security of Biafrans.

“CAN should know that all politicians in Nigeria have criminal thugs they use to pursue a particular political interest and these people are not minding the repercussions or outcome, therefore we still advise Kumuyi and deeper life ministry to think twice and stop this crusade.”

Recall that the leader of the group, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, was recently denied bail by the a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

Justice Binta Nyako, in a ruling, held that since Kanu was earlier granted bail in 2017 and jumped the bail, the court must first determine the real reason he jumped the bail before he reapplies for another one.

World News

Five rescued, four dead in Lagos building collapse -LASEMA.

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The Lagos State Emergency Agency has said that four persons died while five were rescued alive in the building collapse which occurred in the state on Saturday.
LASEMA’s Head of Public Affairs, Nosa Okunbor, made this known in a statement on Sunday titled, ‘Final Update on the collapsed four-floor building of Saturday, May 21, 2022, at 4 Alayaki Lane, Lagos Island’.
He said, “After several hours of intense overnight Search and Rescue Operation coordinated by the Permanent Secretary LASEMA, Dr Oluwafemi Oke-Osanyintolu, and combined efforts of three LASEMA Response Teams from Lekki, Cappa and the Alausa Command Control Center, a total of five adult males were rescued (alive) and taken to nearest hospitals for further treatment.
“However, four adult males were recovered (dead), bagged and handed over to officials of the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit, SEHMU to be processed further after being deposited at the mortuary.

“Remains of the self-collapsed four-floor building were then taken down to ground zero by the Agency with the use of its heavy-duty equipment-the Excavator, thereby eliminating any further threat to lives and all other proximal properties.
“Other primary responders present includes the LASAMBUS, LASG Fire Sevice, LABCA, SEHMU, Federal Fire Service, NEMA, Red Cross, LNSC and NPF
Also, the Zonal Coordinator South-West, National Emergency Management Agency, Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, said that further investigation into the incident showed that the collapsed building under construction was located within a compound and it was a frame structure as at the time of the incident. He said that the third suspended slab concrete was already in place with ongoing internal partition.

“The building crumbled during a downpour at about 1:45 p.m. Saturday.
“The building was bequeathed to the family members and some of the family members awarded it to a developer who was converting the bungalow building into a three-storey building before it collapsed,” Farinloye said.
According to the NEMA boss, Alayaki Lane where the building is located, contains a cluster of buildings and the rescue operation was hampered by the lack of space.
He said for now no one had claimed that a relative is missing.

Business, Lifestyle, World News

Flight attendant union president slams Musk over sexual misconduct allegations.

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The Association of Flight Attendants Union President Sara Nelson slammed Elon Musk on Friday over allegations that he sexually propositioned a SpaceX flight attendant.

According to a report published by Insider Thursday, Musk was accused of exposing himself to one of his SpaceX employees and asking her for sex.

Later Thursday, the Tesla CEO denied the allegations which he called “wild” and “utterly untrue.”
“The attacks against me should be viewed through a political lens — this is their standard (despicable) playbook — but nothing will deter me from fighting for a good future and your right to free speech,” said Musk Thursday.

However, Nelson said that the allegations against the billionaire are a “stark reminder” of why flight attendants organized decades ago.
“Musk’s alleged actions in the cabin are a stark reminder of why Flight Attendants first organized 76 years ago: to beat back discrimination and sexual harassment/assault by claiming our power to put misogyny and the privileged corporate class of men in check,” Nelson told The Hill.

SpaceX and the unnamed flight attendant reportedly reached an out-of-court settlement of $250,000, according to Insider. The settlement included a nondisclosure agreement.

Nelson said that Musk thinks that his wealth “gives him the right to do anything that he pleases, regardless of the rights, humanity, or protestations of others.”

“The fact that he required Flight Attendants to become licensed masseuses on their own dime demonstrates what we see all too often — the super rich think they own everything and have to pay for nothing,” said Nelson.
She continued: “Flight attendants are not just another accessory on Musk’s little rocket. His corporate America no longer holds the power it tried to take from workers.

We know our worth and the power we have together. We’re here on earth, there on SpaceX, and everywhere. He’s going to have to face it or face the final frontier without any of the people who make it possible.”

The news comes amid the news that Musk reached a deal with Twitter to purchase the social media platform. The move was cheered by lawmakers and conservatives who say that the CEO will bring the principles of free speech back to the platform.

World News

One confirmed dead, others trapped in building which collapsed in Lagos Island.

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Unfortunate incident occurs, as one person has been confirmed dead due to the collapse of four storey building under construction in Lagos State.

The building according to Lagos State Energency Management Agency (LASEMA) is located in 4 Alayaki lane , Lagos Island. The building had reportedly been captured by LASBCA district and served with all statutory notices, sealed at district and central enforcement level.

However, the developer continued operation on the site, mostly during weekends and night. Two people have been rescued alive , one person has been confirmed dead while unknown number of people are still trapped in the building.
Rescue operation is still on going.

Lifestyle, Politics, World News

Lagos NURTW Caretaker Chairman accuses MC Oluomo.

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The newly appointed Caretaker Committee Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Lagos State, Fatai Adeshina, aka Akeweje, has accused the Chairman of the Parks Management Committee in Lagos, Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly called MC Oluomo, of snatching his wife.

Adeshina’s allegation was contained in a tell-all interview published by The Punch.

The Caretaker Chairman also detailed how Oluomo hijacked his branch and unit from him despite all his efforts to make peace.

He said the age-long rivalry between them took another dimension when he contested the NURTW Chairmanship position with Oluomo in 2019.

Adeshina said despite him being the popular choice amongst the unionists, the Lagos state government settled for MC as the preferred choice, and offered him a Vice Chairman position instead

However, to his dismay, his name was struck out from the executive members list with a pen on the day of inauguration as no position was offered to him.

“When he took over as the NURTW chairman in Lagos. The worst thing he did to me that made me part ways with him was that after his inauguration, I bought a foreign used car for N13m and took it to him as a gift.

“I added N10m to the car gift, but he rejected them. I begged him but he refused to make peace. I am not MC Oluomo’s peer and he knows this, but I prostrated before him to make peace,” Adeshina said.

The Caretaker Chairman alleged that Akinsanya’s rejection of the peace offering was because he had his eyes on his second wife at the time.

He accused Nollywood actress and an associate Ronke Oshodi Oke of helping Oluomo to snatch his then second wife.

“Yes, there was a lady called Ronke Oshodi Oke, a popular actress. She was a friend to my second wife. Though they met outside my residence, Ronke started visiting my home at one point. So, I challenged her and warned her not to ever step into my house again.

“Yes, Ronke was an associate of MC Oluomo and I know what Oluomo is capable of doing. When I challenged Ronke, she told me that she came to see her boss, adding that my second wife was her boss. I told her not to come to my house anymore, because MC Oluomo and I did not belong to the same camp.

“My second wife and Ronke knelt and apologised, but after five days, I met Ronke in my house again. I was furious and I accused her of trying to carry out a mission in my house. I sent the two of them out of my house that day. To my surprise, Ronke took my second wife, who I sent packing, to MC Oluomo.”

Adeshina said his wife was housed in MC’s hotel for over one month before he purchased a house for her.

“Some concerned close allies at MC’s hotel in Oshodi phoned me that they saw my second wife at MC’s place. They asked whether MC and I had settled our issues, but I said we were yet to resolve our differences. They told me that MC had asked them to give my second wife a room in his hotel. She was there for one month and seven days in his hotel.”

“Yes, my second wife, Queen B. She stayed in his hotel for one month and seven days before he bought her a house. Unionists in the state know this story very well.”

Recall that the national body of the NURTW had sacked MC Oluomo as the Lagos branch chairman.

The union said the decision was based on the provisions of the union’s constitution.

World News

Russia expels France, Italy diplomats in retaliation

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Russia has expelled dozens of diplomats from France, Italy and Spain in retaliation for the expulsion of its diplomats by European countries protesting its invasion of Ukraine.

A statement by Russian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday said Moscow was expelling a total office 85 embassy staff in response to similar moves from the three European nations.

The ministry said 34 employees of French diplomatic missions had been given two weeks to leave the country.

The announcement came after Moscow summoned France’s Ambassador to Russia, Pierre Levy, and told him that the expulsion of 41 employees of Russian diplomatic missions was a “provocative and unfounded decision.”

27 employees of the Spanish Embassy in Moscow and the Spanish Consulate General in Saint Petersburg were also declared persona non grata and asked to leave Russia in seven days.

“The Russian authorities justify this decision on the basis of reciprocity for the expulsion of 27 Russian embassy officials in April. But that expulsion was based on justified security reasons, which are not present in this case,” a Spanish Foreign Ministry statement said while condemning the Russian action.

While announcing the expulsion of Italian envoys, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said 24 diplomats had also been expelled.

The Italian Foreign Ministry in a statement, also confirmed the expulsion of members of the country’s diplomatic and consular representatives and of the Italian Trade Agency office in Russia.

World News

Russia withdraws from Council of Baltic Sea States over opposition to war with Ukraine

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Russia has pulled out of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) with immediate effect.

The Council had on March 3 suspended Russia from its activities over the Kremlin’s military operation in Ukraine.

President Vladimir Putin had on February 24 ordered the invasion of Ukraine a few days after announcing Moscow’s recognition of two breakaway Republics in its next-door neighbour.

The development has attracted a raft of measures from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and others in the West.

The CBSS is an inter-governmental political forum for regional cooperation, comprising 11 member states and the European Union before Russia’s withdrawal.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Moscow’s exit from the Council would not affect her presence in the Baltic region.

It added that Moscow would continue to work with partners and hold events on key issues of regional development.

The statement read: “The states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and the European Union (EU) as part of the CBSS have abandoned equal dialogue and principles on which this regional organisation was created, and are consistently turning it into an instrument of anti-Russian policy.”

World News

10 people killed, three wounded in racially motivated shooting at US supermarket

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Ten black people were on Sunday, killed, with another three wounded in what the police has described as a “racially motivated hate crime” of mass shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, USA.

According to Erie County District Attorney, John Flynn who spoke at a press conference shortly after the incident, the shooting was carried out by a “heavily armed white teenager who fired a barrage of 50 shots outside and inside the Tops Supermarket.

“The suspect identified as Payton Gendron of Conklin, New York, 18, was arrested and has been arraigned on one count of first-degree murder and ordered held without bail,” Flynn said.

A police officer said the shooter had livestreamed the attack on social media and etched the names of previous mass shooters and racial epithets on the gun he allegedly used to carry out the attack.

“The gunman, wearing military fatigues, body armor and a tactical helmet, shot four people in the parking lot of a Tops Supermarket around 2:30 p.m., three fatally. He proceeded inside the store where he was confronted by a retired Buffalo police officer working security,” police said.

The Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia who also held a press conference, police officers arrived at the store one minute after getting the first report of the shooting in progress and raced toward the gunfire to confront the suspect.

“Upon seeing the officers, the assailant placed the barrel of an assault-type rifle up to his chin and threatened to shoot himself. Officers were able to de-escalate the situation and talked the suspect into dropping the weapon.

“All 10 victims who died in the attack are Black – six females and four males – ranging from age 32 to 86. One of the wounded victims was Black while the two others were white.

“Among those killed was a Buffalo police officer working as security at the supermarket. He was identified as Aaron Salter Jr. He’s a true hero. He went down fighting. He went towards the gunfire,” Gramaglia said.

World News

One killed, five wounded in California Church shooting

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The Orange County Sheriff’s Office in California, USA, has confirmed the death of one person while five others were injured in a shooting at a church in Laguna Woods, on Sunday.

Jeff Hallock, the Undersheriff at the Sheriff’s Office in a statement, said four of the wounded were “critically hurt while one person suffered minor injuries from the shooting inside the Geneva Presbyterian Church, with all the victims adults and range in age from 66 to 92 years old.”

The Sheriff’s Department said that it had arrested a suspect who was described as an Asian man in his 60s but could not be identified until after he is booked into the Orange County Jail.

“The man was taken into custody and two firearms were recovered at the scene.

Investigators are working to determine where the suspect lives and whether he has any connections to the church or its congregants; they are unsure if he is from the area.

“A group of churchgoers detained the suspect and hogtied his legs with an extension cord and confiscated two handguns from him before more people could be shot.

“That group of churchgoers displayed what we believed to be exceptional heroism, heroism and bravery in interfering or intervening to stop the suspect,” Hallock said.

The suspect was said to have opened fire at a lunch banquet at the church which had 30 to 40 people, following a morning service, while the
shooting was reported at about 1:26 p.m. local time, authorities said.

World News

DR Congo rebels kill 14 in refugee camp attack

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The Democratic Republic of Congo rebels on Tuesday killed 14 people including women and children in an attack at a refugee camp in Ituri Province in the eastern part of the country.

The army spokesman, Jules Ngongo Tsikudi, confirmed the incident in a statement on Wednesday.

Tsikudi said the attack was carried out by rebels of the Cooperative for the Development of the Congo (CODECO), a political-religious sect which claims to represent the interests of the Lendu ethnic group.

He said: “The rebels raided a site outside the eastern town of Fataki where hundreds of civilians have sought refuge in recent months, killing 14 people including children.”

A civil society leader, Dieudonne Lossa, who also confirmed the attack, said the death toll was higher than 15.

He accused the CODECO of staging another attack on a nearby artisanal mining site on Sunday that killed at least 35 people.

CODECO is renowned for targeting civilians, and only last month, killed 18 people at a church and another 60 at a displaced persons camp in February.

World News

60 Zimbabweans killed by elephants in 4 months

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At least 60 people were killed by elephants in the first four months of this year in Zimbabwe.

A government official, Nick MangwanaImage, who confirmed the development on Twitter Wednesday, said about 50 people were also injured by the animals during the period.

He wrote: “The issue of Human/Wildlife Conflict has become quite emotive. This year alone 60 Zimbabweans have lost their lives to elephants and 50 injured.

“In 2021, 72 lost their lives. Zimbabwe will hold an Elephant Summit this month.

“In the district of Bubi, the elephants have devoured everything in the fields and are now moving into homesteads.”

A wildlife expert, Tinashe Farawo, who also confirmed the elephant invasion, said the situation was likely to get worse.

“The threat is likely to increase as we move towards the dry season when the herds will be moving in search of water and food,” Farawo said.

World News

Cash-strapped South Sudan owes workers four-month salaries with oil sales tied to debt servicing

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South Sudan is battling to pay the salaries of its public servants with the government currently hit by cash crunch.

South Sudan has been beset by several challenges since gaining independence from neighbouring Sudan in 2011, and recently income from oil exports had been tied to servicing the country’s growing loans until 2027.

A statement from the country’s Finance Minister, Agak Achuil on Tuesday said the affected workers who are mostly government employees including members of the security forces, teachers, doctors and nurses, are being owed for four months and have been demanding their salary arrears.

He added that there was little the government could do as there was no money to pay them.

Achuil said: “The reason why we are not paying the arrears is that the oil money is going towards the payment of loans which have been taken before and paying for some of the priorities of the government.”

Civil servants in the war ravaged country were last paid their salaries in November and December last year and have not received their salaries for the first four months of this year.

The government depends on oil proceeds to pay salaries and finance other development projects as the internally generated revenue resources are not enough to support government expenditure.

However, the government has borrowed heavily against the country’s oil exports and in 2019, agreed to allocate 10,000 barrels of crude oil per day day as payment to Chinese firms building roads in the country.

Critics have also accused the Salva Kiir’s administration of taking corrupt loans as many were finalized without parliamentary approval.

World News

Four Russian govs resign as war-induced sanctions bite

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Four prominent Russian governors on Tuesday resigned from their positions as the country continues to feel the impact of worldwide economic sanctions imposed by the West following the February 24 invasion of Ukraine by its security forces.

The affected governors who are regional leaders of Tomsk, Saratov, Kirov and Mari El regions, all announced their immediate exit from office, while the head of Ryazan region said he would not run for another term with elections scheduled to take place in all five regions in September.

Though Russian governors are elected, they are politically subordinate to the Kremlin and several of the outgoing governors represent regions where the ruling bloc United Russia recorded low votes in last year’s parliamentary elections.

Unpopular governors are regularly removed from office, often submitting their resignations in clusters in the spring months.

The head of the Centre for the Development of Regional Politics think tank in Moscow, Ilya Grashchenkov, said the resignation of the governors was masterminded by the Kremlin.

“There’s a need to restructure the economy, especially in those regions where Western economic influence had been significant. These governors need to be replaced by younger alternatives,” he said.

World News

Taliban orders Afghanistan women to wear burkas in public

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Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers on Saturday, May 7 have ordered all Afghan women to henceforth wear burka clothing in public.

Specifically, the blue burka became a global symbol of the Taliban’s previous regime in Afghanistan from 1996 until 2001, and the decision to make it mandatory again marks an escalation of growing restrictions on women in public.

The Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice read a decree from the sect’s supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada at a press conference in Kabul.

“We want our sisters to live with dignity and safety,” said Khalid Hanafi, acting minister for the all-male ministry – which replaced the country’s women’s ministry after the militants took control in August 2021.

The decree says that if a woman does not cover her face outside the home, her father or closest male relative would be visited and eventually imprisoned or fired from government jobs.

It also states that if women have no important work to be done outside, it is better for them to stay at home.

Islamic principles and Islamic ideology are more important to us than anything else,” Mr. Hanafi said.

The decree adds that the ideal face covering is the blue burka, which shows only the eyes.

Shir Mohammad, an official from the vice and virtue ministry, said: “For all dignified Afghan women wearing hijab is necessary and the best Hijab is chadori (the head-to-toe burka) which is part of our tradition and is respectful.

“Those women who are not too old or young must cover their face, except the eyes.”

Most women in Afghanistan wear a headscarf for religious reasons, but many in urban areas such as Kabul do not cover their faces.

The Taliban previously decided against reopening schools to girls above grade six (around 11 years old), going back on an earlier promise.

The international community has urged its leaders to reconsider.

Prior to their takeover in 2021, the Taliban last ruled Afghanistan from 1996 until the US-led invasion in 2001, and banned female education and employment.

After the regime was toppled, girls and women were allowed to return to school and work, and the international community had made the education of girls a key demand for any future recognition of the Taliban administration.

World News

Over 50 worshippers killed in Kabul Mosque blast

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More than 50 worshippers were killed in a powerful explosion at a Sunni Mosque in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan during Friday prayers, the head of the Mosque, Sayed Fazil Agha, said in a statement on Saturday.

The attack came as worshippers at the Sunni Mosque gathered after Friday prayers for a congregation known as Zikr, an act of religious remembrance practised by some Muslims but seen as heretical by some hardline Sunni groups.

The Friday blast is the latest in a series of attacks on civilian targets in Afghanistan during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, according to Agha.

Agha said someone they believed was a suicide bomber joined them in the ceremony and detonated explosives.

“Black smoke rose and spread everywhere, dead bodies were everywhere. I myself survived, but lost my beloved ones. The blast was very loud, I thought my eardrums were cracked,” he said.

An emergency hospital in downtown Kabul said it was treating 21 patients and two were dead on arrival. A worker at another hospital treating attack patients said it had received 49 patients and around five bodies.

10 of the patients were in critical condition, the source added, and almost 20 had been admitted to the burns unit,” an official at the hospital said.

The deputy spokesman for the interior ministry, Besmullah Habib, who also confirmed the incident, said the blast hit the Khalifa Sahib Mosque in the west of the capital in the early afternoon, but however, put the death toll at 10 while a spokesman for the ruling Taliban, Zabihullah Mujahid, also released a statement condemning the blast and saying the perpetrators would be found and punished.

World News

North Korea warns South it would use nuclear weapons if threatened

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North Korean autocratic leader, Kim Jong Un, has warned its southern neighbours that he could order the use of nuclear weapons in preemptive strikes if threatened, as he praised his top military officials over the staging of a massive military parade in the capital, Pyongyang, on Friday.

Jong Un expressed his “firm will” to continue developing the country’s nuclear-armed military so that it could “preemptively and thoroughly contain and frustrate all dangerous attempts and threatening moves, including ever-escalating nuclear threats from hostile forces, if necessary,” he said in a statement on Saturday.

Kim who called his military officials to praise their work at the parade where North Korea showcased the biggest weapons in its military’s nuclear program, including intercontinental ballistic missiles that could potentially reach the U.S. homeland and a variety of shorter-range solid-fuel missiles, insisted he would not hold back in ordering a strike on South Korea, Japan, or any country that poses a threat.

North Korea has conducted 13 rounds of weapons launches in 2022 alone, including its first full-range test of an ICBM since 2017, as Kim exploits a favorable environment to push forward its weapons program as the U.N. Security Council remains divided and effectively paralyzed over Russia’s war in Ukraine.

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