Germany Bans Exports Of Arms To Turkey After Syria Offensive

Germany's Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Saturday October 12, announced a ban on arms export to Turkey over its targeted attack on the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) militia — a force that has played a key role against the Islamic State group in Syria.

According to Heiko Maas, the German government had implemented a very restrictive route for arms exports to Ankara since 2016, especially after the Turkish military offensive against the northern Syrian region of Afrin.

“In the context of the Turkish military offensive in northeastern Syria, the government will not issue any new permits for any military equipment that could be used in Syria by Turkey,” Maas told Bild. 

However commenting on the ban, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Cavusoglu said it will only make Turkey stronger. 

"Let me put it this way: This is a vital question for us and a question of national security, a question of survival," Cavusoglu said. "No matter what anyone does, no matter whether it is an arms embargo or anything else, it only strengthens us." 

"Fifteen years ago we produced only 20% of the goods we needed, now we produce over 70% — all this only strengthens us," he told DW.

Recall Turkey launched a military operation in Syria on Wednesday October 9, after U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew some U.S. troops who have been protecting Kurdish forces in the fight against the Islamic State.

Germany exported arms worth 243 million euros ($268 million) to Turkey in 2018, accounting for almost one third of its weapons exports, according to Bild Am Sonntag. In the first four months of 2019, Turkey received weapons from Germany worth 184 million euros, making it the biggest recipient country. 

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U.S. Deployed More Forces To Saudi Arabia To Counter Iran Threat

The United States announced the deployment of additional American military forces to Saudi Arabia on Friday to bolster the kingdom’s defenses after the Sept. 14 attack on its oil facilities, which Washington and Riyadh have blamed on Iran.

The large deployment, which was first reported by Reuters, includes fighter squadrons, an air expeditionary wing and air defense personnel, the Pentagon said. Together with the 200 forces to Saudi Arabia announced last month, the deployment totaled about 3,000 troops, it said.

U.S.-Iran tensions have risen to new highs since May 2018, when the Trump administration withdrew from a 2015 international nuclear accord with Tehran that put limits on its nuclear program in exchange for the easing of sanctions.

As Trump reinstated U.S. sanctions, increasing pressure on the Iranian economy, there have been a series of attacks that Washington and close allies have blamed on Iran, including the attack on the world’s biggest crude oil-processing facility. Iran denies responsibility.

In a bid to better shield Saudi Arabia, the Pentagon said it was sending two additional Patriot batteries and one Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system (THAAD).

“We thought it was important to continue to deploy forces to deter and defend and to send the message to the Iranians: Do not strike another sovereign state, do not threaten American interests, American forces, or we will respond,” Esper told reporters during a press briefing.

Trump said the United States would not bear the expense of the deployment. “Saudi Arabia, at my request, has agreed to pay us for everything we’re doing,” he told reporters.

Some of Trump’s Republican allies have called for retaliatory strikes, which the president has so far declined to carry out.

It was unclear whether some of the newly announced troops might replace other American forces expected to depart the region in the coming weeks or months.

The Pentagon has yet to announce, for example, whether it will replace the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and its strike group when it eventually wraps up its deployment to the Middle East.

Esper declined to say whether the carrier, which itself includes thousands of troops and massive firepower, would be replaced.

The deployment is part of a series of what the United States has described as defensive moves following the attack on Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities last month, which rattled global energy markets and exposed major gaps in Saudi Arabia’s air defenses.

Iran has responded to previous U.S. troop deployments this year with apprehension. It denies responsibility for the attack on Saudi Arabia as well as attacks on oil tankers earlier this year.

The additional deployment comes as many members of Congress have questioned the longstanding U.S.-Saudi security alliance and backed several efforts - which have failed so far - to stop Trump from selling arms to the kingdom without congressional approval or providing support to the Saudi-led military coalition fighting in Yemen.

Criticism of close U.S.-Saudi ties under Trump increased last year after the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Eleven Saudi officials are on trial in Riyadh for the murder, which took place inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

Source: Reuters 

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Teenager Remanded In Custody After Raping Neighbour’s 50-year-old mother

A teenager identified as Babangida Inusa, who allegedly raped his neighbour’s 50-year-old mother,  has been ordered by a Chief Magistrates' Court sitting in Kano State on Friday to be remanded in a correctional centre, pending legal advice.  

The police charged teenager , who resides at Falgore Village, Kabo Local Government Area of Kano, with rape.

Chief Magistrate, Muhammad Idris, who did not take the plea of Inusa, ordered the police to return the case file to the Kano State Directorate of Public Prosecution for legal advice. Idris adjourned the case until December 12 for further mention.

Earlier, the prosecution counsel, ASP Badamasi Gawuna, told the court that the complainant, Rabiu Hussain, reported the case at the Garo Police Division Kano.

Gawuna alleged that Inusa attacked and raped the complainant’s 50-year-old mother on her farmland in Kabo Local Government Area of Kano. He said that the offence contravened the provisions of Section 283 of the Penal Code.

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The First Human To Walk In Space 54 Years Ago, Dies At 85

Alexei Leonov, the first human to walk in space 54 years ago, has died in Moscow at the age of 85.

According to Roscosmos in a statement on its website says Leonov died on Friday, October 11th. Leonov performed his spacewalk on March 18, 1965, when he exited his Voskhod 2 capsule, secured by a tether.

On his second trip to space ten years later, Leonov commanded the Soviet half of the Apollo-Soyuz 19 mission. It was the first joint space mission between the Soviet Union and the United States, carried out at the height of the Cold War.  

The cosmonaut turned 85 in May. Several days before that, two Russian crewmembers on the International Space Station ventured into open space on a planned spacewalk with stickers attached on their spacesuits paying tribute to him, and congratulated him from space.  

Roscosmos said Leonov would be buried Tuesday at a military memorial cemetery outside Moscow.

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Ruggedman Attacked In London By 4 Young Men (Watch Video)

Nigerian rapper, Ruggedman, was attacked in London at 805 restaurant by four young men. 

Details later but it looks like it might have to do with the Yahoo Yahoo (Fraud) boys saga where some boys threatened to put hands on him whenever they see him for talking against Naira Marley who just came back from Prison.

Watch the video below; 

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Neymar Rape Accuser Released WhatsApp Conversations Between Them (Screenshots)

Here is the  WhatsApp conversations including raunchy messages between Paris Saint-Germain and Brazilian player, Neymar Jr and rape accuser, Najila Trindade Mendes de Souza have been released by the Brazilian TV channel Globo.


Trindade who appeared on Brazilian TV, news station SBT for the first time on Wednesday, said she was the victim of 'aggression and rape' by the Paris Saint-Germain player in a hotel room in the French capital on May 15.

She claimed the encounter started out consensual but quickly turned violent, leaving her with bruises and scrapes to her legs and buttocks, with Neymar refusing to stop.

This comes after Neymar had taken to Instagram to share a video explaining himself and revealing WhatsApp conversations between the pair, as well as photos of Najila. He denied raping her but admitted that what happened between them was consensual.

A video which was later shared online showed the moment the model confronted him in a hotel room about the alleged assault.

Here is their WhatsApp conversations (screenshots)

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California Bill To Expand Privacy Protections Fails

California’s senate blocked a bill on Thursday that would have expanded the ability consumers to sue companies over their handling of personal data, a win for tech industry groups concerned about wide-ranging privacy lawsuits.

Under California’s data privacy law, which is set to take effect next year, consumers may file complaints to the state attorney general over alleged violations of privacy rules, but can sue over a data breach.

The new bill, introduced in February and endorsed by the attorney general, would have strengthened that law to enable consumers to sue over any alleged violations.

Adam Schwartz, a senior staff attorney at the San Francisco-based privacy group the Electronic Frontier Foundation, said the bill’s failure marked “a sad day for consumer data privacy.”

“The act last year was a start, and it puts in place good rules. But a law is only as good as its enforcement,” he said.

California’s law, the toughest in the United States, enables fines of up to $7,500 for intentional failure to disclose data collection or selling others’ data without permission.

As other states have begun drafting bills, Facebook Inc’s Mark Zuckerberg and other tech leaders have called for federal privacy legislation to set industry-wide guidelines for how personal data should be collected and used.

But tech lobbying groups have also said they would fight any legislative proposals that could open the door to a flurry of consumer lawsuits.



Source: Reuters

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Small Plane Crashes Near Dubai Airport, Killing Four People

A small plane involved in upgrading a runway at Dubai International Airport crashed Thursday night, atleast four people dies and halting traffic at the world's busiest airport for international travel for nearly an hour.

The UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority said all four people on board, three British citizens and one South African, were killed in the crash that took place 3 miles (5 kilometers) south of the airport.

The aircraft is owned by the US tech giant Honeywell. A statement released after the crash stated that the aircraft was on a mission to calibrate terrestrial navigation systems at the airport.

A spokesman said: "All operations at the Dubai airport are running smoothly after a slight delay and diversion of some flights as a precautionary measure to ensure security."

The city-state’s last major aircraft incident happened on Aug. 3, 2016. An Emirates Boeing 777-300 coming from Thiruvananthapuram, India, crash landed, but no lives were lost among its 300 passengers and crew. A firefighter was killed in a subsequent explosion of Flight EK521.

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Nnamdi Kanu Calls Off Election Boycotts

The leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi kalu has called off the election boycott. 

The leader divulged  this message through his Facebook account.

He wrote;

Having confirmed this evening that all our preconditions and terms have been met, signed, sealed and delivered; I hereby call-off the election boycott across Biafraland on Feb. 16, 2019. I dedicate this historic victory to the formidable #IPOB family worldwide.

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Fake News Alert: Any Finger Can Be Used For Marking A Ballot Paper, Says INEC

Today, 13th of February, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has debunk the information flying around that it is only the index finger (Warning Finger) that is allowed for marking a ballot paper.

According to the viral social media fake message, especially on WhatsApp claimed that;

“INEC has changed the pattern of voting without the majority of citizens being aware. You don't have to vote with your THUMB again. You vote with your INDEX FINGER ( Warning Finger). Any vote cast with the THUMB is void (cancelled) vote.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has made voting more easy by saying that BALLOT PAPER is not finger sensitive, Use any finger but should ensure that his or her mark is clear and placed inside the box of the political party of his or her choice and does not stray into another box.

According to INEC today's tweet;

 Fake News Alert: Any finger can be used for marking a ballot paper🗳#NigeriaDecides2019

Fake News Alert: Any finger can be used for marking a ballot paper🗳#NigeriaDecides2019 pic.twitter.com/Q0eP2LX8tR

— INEC Nigeria (@inecnigeria) February 13, 2019

“Ballot Paper is not Finger Sensitive”#NigeriaDecides2019 pic.twitter.com/CULA6fJMfZ

— INEC Nigeria (@inecnigeria) February 12, 2019

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45-Year-Old Man Landed In Prison For Raping A 13-Year-Old Girl

Ado-Ekiti Magistrates’ Court has remanded a 45-year-old man identified as Ajibade Olaoluwa, in prison for allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl.

According to NAN reports, the prosecutor, Mr Oriyomi Akinwale, told the court that the accused defiled the 13-year-old girl who was sent on an errand.

Akinwale said that the brother of the accused, who lured the victim into the house, held the victim’s legs while he was raping her.

He also stated that the victim’s noise drew the attention of neighbours who entered the room and met her on the bed crying.

The prosecutor also urged the court to remand the accused in prison pending receipt of legal advice from the office of the Director of Public Prosecution.

The plea of the accused was also not taken.

The Magistrate, Mrs Modupe Afeniforo, ordered the remand of the accused and adjourned the case till March 4 for mention.

The offence contravened Section 31 of the Child Rights Law of Ekiti State, 2012.

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So Sad! All Passengers Robbed, Kidnapped By Gunmen And Driver Shot Dead (Photos)

It was a bad day for the passengers in Agofure bus who were travelling from Ughelli in Delta to Port-Harcourt, Rivers state capital, have been attacked by gunmen.

According to reports, the passengers were robbed and kidnapped by the gunmen who also shot the driver dead at Ndele axis of the East-West road in Rivers state.

Report has it that only a lady with an injured leg was let go. About 12 passengers were reportedly kidnapped.

According to a Facebook user, Dymphna Akusu, wrote:-

Just happening. Agofure bus from Ughelli to PH robbed and passengers kidnapped, only one lady with bad leg freed, at the Ndele axis. Driver shot dead.

More photo below,

 

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SO SAD! ABU Student, Aisha Omolola Commits Suicide On Boxing Day, She Dropped Note (Photos)

A 300 Level student in ABU, Aisha Omolola,  took her own life on Boxing Day. 

According to report, Aisha, who is a 300L students took poison “Sniper” on Boxing Day  in her apartment at Samaru which immediately took her life.

She left a letter attached to her body bidding farewell to her friends and loved ones.

Read the note she dropped before the suicide.

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Christmas Market Gunman Shot Dead By French Police (Photo)

Cherif Chekatt, the suspect in the shooting in Strasbourg, France. Picture: French Police/APSource:AP

The French police on Thursday have shot dead a gunman who had been on the run since killing three people at Strasbourg’s Christmas market as the Islamic State jihadist group claimed him as one of its "soldiers".

Chekatt who had 27 criminal convictions, receiving the first at age 13, allegedly shouted “God is great!” in Arabic and sprayed gunfire during Tuesday’s rampage, where he also wounded 13 people.

Over 700 French security forces had been hunting for the callous 29-year-old Cherif Chekatt since the bloodshed on Tuesday night.

Some minutes before Cherif Chekatt was shot dead on Thursday evening local time, a helicopter with powerful searchlight flew over Neudorf.

According to the Interior Minister, Christophe Castaner, three police tried to question Chekatt after spotting him on the street in the Neudorf area of the northeastern French city where he grew up, but he opened fire.

“The police immediately returned fire and neutralized the assailant,” Castaner said.

People gathered at the police cordon where Chekatt was shot and applauded, some shouting "bravo!", a source said.

"It's really a huge relief," said Alain Fontanel, a local official in the mayor's office, describing the anxiety that locals had felt since Tuesday's attack.

"We didn't really feel very safe," one 18-year-old local named Arthur told AFP.

France has been hit by a wave of attacks from people claiming allegiance to Al Qaeda or IS since 2015, which have claimed the lives of nearly 250 people.

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BREAKING: Floyd Mayweather Backs Out Of Fight With 20-Year-Old Kickboxer, Says He Was 'Blindsided'

American professional boxer, Floyd Mayweather, has dramatically appears to have backed out of a planned New Year’s Eve fight with 20-year-old Japanese kickboxer, Tenshin Nasukawa. 

Less than three days after he appeared at a Tokyo press conference announcing the bout, claiming he was “blindsided” by the promoter regarding the nature and magnitude of the event

The 41-year-old had initially confirmed the bout for 31st of December 2018 during a press conference which took place on Sunday night in Tokyo. It was also understood that he revealed that he signed with Japanese mixed martial arts promotions company RIZIN Fighting Federation.

The five-division boxing champion said in an Instagram post on Wednesday that he had agreed to a three-round exhibition “purely for entertainment purposes with no intentions of being represented as an official fight card” and was “completely derailed by the new direction this event was going”.

Read his post on IG below;

He wrote:

Now that I am back on U.S. soil after a long and disappointing trip to Tokyo, I now have the time to address you, my fans and the media in regard to the upcoming event on December 31st that was recently announced. First and foremost, I want it to be clear that I, Floyd Mayweather, never agreed to an official bout with Tenshin Nasukawa. In fact (with all due respect) I have never heard of him until this recent trip to Japan. Ultimately, I was asked to participate in a 9 minute exhibition of 3 rounds with an opponent selected by the "Rizen Fighting Federation".  

What I was originally informed of by Brent Johnson of "One Entertainment" was that this was to be an exhibition put on for a small group of wealthy spectators for a very large fee. This exhibition was previously arranged as a "Special Bout" purely for entertainment purposes with no intentions of being represented as an official fight card nor televised worldwide. Once I arrived to the press conference, my team and I were completely derailed by the new direction this event was going and we should have put a stop to it immediately.  

I want to sincerely apologize to my fans for the very misleading information that was announced during this press conference and I can assure you that I too was completely blindsided by the arrangements that were being made without my consent nor approval.
For the sake of the several fans and attendees that flew in from all parts of the world to attend this past press conference, I was hesitant to create a huge disturbance by combating what was being said and for that I am truly sorry.

I am a retired boxer that earns an unprecedented amount of money, globally, for appearances, speaking engagements and occasional small exhibitions.

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Unbelievable As Manchester United Defeated Juventus In Turin (Photos/Video)

Manchester United defeated Italian champions, Juventus, in Turin with two goals in the final five minutes earned themselves a good chance of qualifying for the Champions League knockout stages.

Former Manchester United player, Cristiano Ronaldo, had put the hosts ahead with an outstanding volley.

With five minutes to go, Spanish international midfielder, Juan Mata, curled in a brilliant free-kick to leveled the game before Ashley Young’s set-piece was bundled into his own net by Juventus player, Leonardo Bonucci.

Manchester United boss, Jose Mourinho was angrily confronted by Leonardo Bonucci when the Portuguese taunted the Juventus fans after Manchester United’s epic comeback in Turin.

Before things could escalate, Mourinho and Bonucci were separated as Ashley Young stepped in to keep the Juventus star away from his manager. Mourinho was then ushered off the pitch to avoid any more flash-points.

Watch the goals highlight below;

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Actress, Yvonne Jegede And Her Hubby, Abounce, Welcomed Their First Child (Photos)

Nollywood actress, Yvonne Jegede Fawole and her hubby, Kunle Fawole, popularly known as Abounce , have welcomed their first child in the U.S. 

They got married in February, 2017.

The new mother made the announcement via her Instagram handle.

She wrote;

When i first laid my eyes on you, heard your cry and felt your heartbeat, i developed an unconditional love. I never knew i could witness an angel on earth, you are so beautiful X. From the moment you were handed to me, i felt something new awakened inside my heart. You have brought me so much joy I cannot explain. I promise to give you everything i have. Hold unto my hand and never let it go, i will cross any ocean before i let you down. I know someday you'll grow into someone who will shine super bright for the world to see because you are a star, don't let anybody tell you otherwise because there's no dream in this world that you cannot achieve.
Thank you for choosing me as a channel to come into this world, it is a privilege I will never take for granted.
With love,
Mamma � 

#MyGreatestAchievementIsHere
#ALetterToMyFirstChild
#MyMostPreciousGift
#TheNewTitleMummy
#GratefulHeart
#Testimony
#Miracle
#Nov1

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Boko Haram: Many killed As Air Force Jet Attacked Terrorists’ Hideout In Borno

The Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation Lafiya Dole has decimated a Boko Haram Terrorists’ (BHT) hideout and neutralized several terrorists at Bogum in Northern Borno State.

This was confirmed by Ibikunle Daramola, Air Commodore, and Director of Public Relations and Information, in a statement on Monday.

According to him, “the attack was carried out on Sunday, 14 October 2018, after intelligence reports indicated significant BHT activities within the settlement.

“The ATF scrambled two Mi-35 Helicopter Gunships to engage and destroy the identified BHT positions in the village.

“Overhead the target, the concentration areas of the BHTs were attacked in successive waves by the helicopters with direct hits recorded on the targets, leading to the neutralization of several BHTs.
“The few surviving BHTs were tracked and mopped up in subsequent follow on attacks.

“The NAF, working in concert with surface forces, will sustain the tempo of operations with a view to destroying all remnants of the terrorists on the fringes of Lake Chad and other areas in Northern Borno.”

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Killings: PDP Declares Seven Days Of Mourning

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has declared a seven-day mourning for the victims of the gruesome killings of innocent Nigerians by bandits in Plateau state and other parts of the country.

The party directs that its flags at all its offices and formation at all levels across the country be flown at half-mast during the period in honour of the victims. 

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbodiyan, PDP urges the people of Plateau state to exercise their rights as global citizens, work with other public-spirited Nigerians and groups and take President Muhammadu Buhari and his government to the International Criminal Court (ICC) at the Hague for acting helpless in the face of continuous mass killings in our country. 

The PDP expressed the belief that the life of every Nigerian is sacred, saying: “All Nigerians must be protected whether they are Birom, Basange, Igbira, Tiv, Idoma, Hausa, Igbo, Fulani, Gbagyi, Yoruba or from any other tribe whatsoever.

The fundamental duty of government all over the world is the protection of lives and Nigerians can no longer continue to fold their hands while compatriots are being daily hacked down by marauders'.

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Handshake Begins Historic:Trump And Kim Jong-un Hold Meetings In Singapore

History was made as the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump meet-face-to-face at the summit in Singapore.


It's the first ever meeting between a sitting U.S. president and North Korean leader.

Donald Trump said he expected to have a "terrific relationship" with Kim Jong-un after the two leaders shook hands ahead of a historic summit in Singapore on Tuesday.

In the first ever meeting between sitting leaders from both countries, the pair greeted each other warmly at a luxury hotel on Sentosa Island, before heading in for one-to-one talks about denuclearisation. 

The US president and North Korean leader approached each other while walking along outdoor corridors lined with white colonnades, with Mr Trump coming from the right and Mr Kim from the left.

Mr Trump, who is 6 foot 3 inches, towered over Kim, who is around 5 foot 7 inches and close to 40 years younger than the US president.

Mr Trump then directed Mr Kim to walk down a hallway, where they briefly spoke.

"Nice to meet you Mister President," Mr Kim said as he sat alongside Mr Trump, beaming broadly as the US president gave him a thumbs up.

With cameras of the world's press trained on them, the two leaders built an initial atmosphere of friendship.

"I feel really great. We’re going to have a great discussion and will be tremendously successful. It's my honour and we will have a terrific relationship, I have no doubt," Mr Trump said.

"It was not easy to get here....There were obstacles but we overcame them to be here," Mr Kim replied.

After about 40 minutes of talks, the leaders emerged, with Mr Trump predicting  they will solve the "big problem" on the Korean peninsula.

Mr Trump and Mr Kim smiled and waved to the cameras before heading to wider bilateral talks with aides.  Asked how the meeting had gone, Mr Trump said: "Very good. Very, very good. Excellent relationship."

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