Vía Uzomedia http://ift.tt/2n4DIwZ
Showing posts with label 2017 at 10:10PM. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2017 at 10:10PM. Show all posts
Sunday, 5 March 2017
Jennifer Hudson – Remember Me [Mp3 + Lyrics]
Jennifer Hudson returns with “Remember Me.” We haven’t heard from singer Jennifer Hudson in a long time. She’s laid very low since the release of her JHUD album in 2014, popping up intermittently in 2015, but she hasn’t released much in the way of actual new music since then. Jennifer Hudson finally returns this weekend after a lengthy hiatus, to debut a new single “Remember Me,” on Spotify and iTunes. The record comes on the heels of a new deal with Epic Records, as well as an announcement of a role on The Voice UK. It looks like the singer will be having a busy 2017– stay tuned for more from her.
Vía Uzomedia http://ift.tt/2n4o6d5
Tuesday, 14 February 2017
White House tries to insulate Trump from Russia scandal
The White House battled Tuesday to insulate Donald Trump from a scandal over his top aide’s contacts with Russia, as it emerged that the president was aware of the problem for weeks before acting.
With calls for an independent investigation gathering pace, the White House admitted that Trump was told three weeks ago that national security advisor Michael Flynn may have misled colleagues about his Kremlin contacts.
The retired three-star general and former head of US defence intelligence initially denied discussing sanctions strategy with Russia’s ambassador Sergey Kislyak before taking office.
That may have breached US law on negotiating with foreign powers, and at minimum was a significant break with the norm that incoming administrations accept the US has “one government at a time.”
Flynn was asked to resign on Monday, after what the White House said were weeks of internal investigation that turned up no evidence of wrongdoing but “eroded” trust.
Law enforcement and intelligence agents intercepted calls and obtained phone records showing that members of Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and other aides had repeated contacts with top Russian intelligence officials in the year that preceded the November 8 presidential election, The New York Times reported.
After finding evidence that Russia was seeking to disrupt the election, US intelligence agencies tried to determine whether the Trump campaign was cooperating with Moscow on hacking and other related efforts, according to the Times. However, the newspaper said, the current and former US officials it cited have not yet found evidence of such collusion.
Paul Manafort, a former Trump advisor who was among those campaign officials picked up on the calls, dismissed the claims as “absurd” in an interview with the Times.
The White House had painted Trump’s final decision as based on Flynn having misled Vice President Mike Pence.
But it emerged Tuesday that Trump kept his deputy, who publicly defended Flynn and repeated his claims, in the dark for two weeks. Spokesman Marc Lotter said Pence only became aware of the issue on Thursday, in media reports.
Flynn is the third Trump aide to step back amid questions about his ties to Russia since the mogul began his improbable White House bid. His departure follows those of Manafort and Carter Page, an early foreign policy advisor to the candidate.
The unprecedented early resignation of a key member of staff has rocked an administration already buffeted by leaks, infighting and legal defeats. Amid the tumult, the White House denied that Trump had instructed Flynn to discuss the possibility that Obama-era sanctions would be rolled back.
“No, absolutely not. No, no, no,” said White House spokesman Sean Spicer, when asked whether such a conversation took place.
‘Eroding trust’
When first informed, on January 26, that Flynn may have made misleading statements about his talks with Russia’s envoy, Spicer said the president “instinctively thought that General Flynn did not do anything wrong.”
“The White House counsel’s review corroborated that,” Spicer said, and “determined that there is not an illegal issue, but rather a trust issue.”
“The evolving and eroding level of trust as a result of this situation and a series of other questionable instances is what led the president to ask for General Flynn’s resignation.”
Trump took to Twitter to insist that “The real story here is why are there so many illegal leaks coming out of Washington?” The White House also insisted that Trump — despite repeatedly professing admiration for Vladimir Putin and suggesting sanctions could be lifted — “has been incredibly tough on Russia.”
In a new hardening of the US line on Russia, Spicer added that “President Trump has made it very clear he expects the Russian government to de-escalate violence in the Ukraine and return Crimea.”
The State Department, meanwhile, expressed concern that Russia is in breach of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, after reports that Moscow had deployed an operational ground-launched cruise missile unit.
– Inquiries and missteps –
The White House’s efforts are likely to do little to assuage concerns on Capitol Hill about Russia’s influence in US politics.
Republicans and Democrats in Congress have now called for an investigation into what occurred, although they differ sharply on the scope and powers.
“This. Is. Not. Normal.” said Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren, insisting “Trump owes Americans a full account” of his administration’s dealings with Moscow before and after the 2016 election.
The US Senate’s top Republican Mitch McConnell said it was “highly likely” that Flynn would have to testify before an intelligence panel, potentially heaping pressure on Trump. The New York Times also reported that the FBI had interviewed Flynn on his calls with the Russian diplomat days into his job.
The CIA, FBI and other intelligence agencies have already investigated Moscow’s influence over the 2016 vote, concluding the Kremlin tried to sway it in Trump’s favour. Various committees in the Republican-controlled Congress are looking into Russia’s election-related hacking and the Trump campaign’s links to Moscow.
Potential permanent Flynn replacements reportedly include three retired military brass: lieutenant general Keith Kellogg, who is filling in temporarily; retired general and former CIA director David Petraeus; and former vice admiral Robert Harward.
Spicer said Trump hoped to make the new appointment by the end of the week.
Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2kIHrzJ
Governor wants soldiers sacked for brutalising physically- challenged man
The governor insisted that the 21 days imprisonment and demotion of the two soldiers by the military authorities were not enough punishment, though he commended the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai and the GOC, 82 Division Enugu for their quick response.
The governor made his feelings known while receiving Uraku, who hails from Itemu Amagu in Ikwo Local Council of the state at the government house, Abakaliki, yesterday, noting that the soldiers’ behaviours were terrible.
He said: “This young man’s encounter with the army was very dehumanizing. The behaviour of the two soldiers was so terrible. They behaved as if they have no fear of God in their hearts. I’m sure many of you did not watch that video but for those who watched it, even if he is not our brother and he is a human being, you must feel the way we are feeling. I suggest that those two soldiers be sacked and prosecuted.”
He also commended the governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, who he said had sought to rehabilitate Uraku, before Ebonyi State government sent for him as an indigene of the state.
Umahi donated N500,000 to Uraku for his treatment and directed his Special Adviser on Religion and Welfare, Rev. Fr. Abraham Nwali, to take custody of the physically-challenged man and see ways by which government could rehabilitate him.
Meanwhile, the Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) has condemned in strong terms the assault on Uraku. The group noted that every citizen of the country is governed by the rule of law and entitled to respect and dignity as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and Article 15 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which provides for “freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”
In a statement made available to The Guardian, the Executive Director, CCD, David O. Anyaele, described the act as “inhumane and barbaric”.
The group demanded the Minister of Defense and the Chief of Army Staff to not only prosecute the cruel behaviour of its officers but also tender a public apology to the entire disability community for the action.
Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2koyIpX
Seven farmers kidnapped in Epe
Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni
Barely 24 hours after the abducted secretary of Isheri North Landlord Association was released by his abductors, two members of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) and five farm workers of Eliasa Farm have been kidnapped in Igbodu area of Epe, Lagos State yesterday.
It was gathered that the gunmen, numbering about 15, dressed in military camouflage, stormed the farm situated along Ishiwo road around 7a.m. and abducted the OPC members, who work as security guards and the farm workers.
Investigation revealed that the two OPC members were employed by the farm owner to provide security at the farm when kidnapping in the community was on the increase in the area.
After the morning abduction, the victims were taken through the forest into a waiting boat at the riverside. As at the time of filing this report, the kidnappers have not contacted the farm management or families of the victims.
“The sound of strange voices woke me up early this morning,” said Isaac Ayuba, a farm worker who was lucky to escape. “Before I know what was going on, I saw a man ordering me to open the door to the room where I slept. I noticed there were other men in the premises. I counted six of them and they were all armed. They were ordering my colleagues to open their doors.
“One of the other men fired his weapon and the whole place was in commotion. Even the armed man standing at my door was confused. So I used the door to push him aside and ran towards the fence. He shot at me as I did but missed. That was how I escaped,” he said.
Isaac and a farm manager called the police who visited the facility and found no one. All the other workers had been kidnapped. “Marcus, James, Modiu, Alfred and three other farms workers are missing,” Isaac added.
A source in the area, who spoke on phone, said two weeks ago, the same gunmen invaded the community and abducted six farmers and one customer who came to buy farm produce.
The kidnappers also stormed the community on Friday, January 27, and abducted a 24-year-old Olabiyi Ifeoluwa, a graduate of Nutrients and Biotechnology from Ladoke Akintola University, Ogbomosho, Oyo State and three other farm workers identified simply as Busuyi, Kposu, a Togolese national and John.
The four kidnapped victims were workers of Tanda Farm. Thereafter the abductors contacted the owner. It was gathered that N2 million ransom and two cartons of red label gin were eventually paid as ransom for their release.
The negotiator, Ayodeji Akinyemi, who is Ifeoluwa’s fiancé, was said to have dropped the ransom at a designated point, as directed by the abductors. He was said to have also been instructed on phone, the direction he would lead the released workers through in the forest after their release.
Akinyemi said the kidnappers also had a room where kidnapped babies are kept, as well as first aid box for treatment of injured victims. He also revealed that one of the victims, identified simply as John, who attempted to escape, was shot in the arm.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Dolapo Badmos, who confirmed the incident, said “it is true seven farm workers were kidnapped at Igbodu area. The Lagos State Police command has commenced investigation following the report and we are working assiduously to rescue them.”
Also speaking, the Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, told The Guardian that the picture was not clear yet on the reported kidnap.According to him, “we received a distress call that some farmers were kidnapped, but when the Divisional Police Officer and his men visited the scene, they discovered there was no such incident, but after sometime, I heard that it was some farmers who were off-loading chicken that was kidnapped. We are still investigating the matter to get a clearer picture.”
Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2kIxeDd
Thursday, 2 February 2017
Why I stopped going to Abuja, by Wike
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has explained that he stopped going to Abuja in the last four months due to the ‘excessive prevalence of lies’ at the Federal Capital.
Speaking while flagging-off the second phase of the reconstruction of Port Harcourt township roads, the governor said, “The Federal Capital Capital has been enmeshed in political falsehood and deception, which negatively impacts on development.”
According to him, “I have not travelled to Abuja for more than four months because it is a centre of lies. Let them continue to lie in Abuja.“As they suffer economic downturn in Abuja, we shall continue to make progress in Rivers. They lie too much in Abuja, so there is no reason to listen to them. Here, we make promises and we keep to our promises.”
The governor also explained that the second phase of the reconstruction/rehabilitation of Port Harcourt township roads would enhance the economy of the densely populated areas.
He noted that his administration contracted Julius Berger Construction Company for the second phase of the project because it believes there is need for durable jobs in the suburbs.
The governor urged the contractor to employ youths from the state capital to be involved as they execute the project. “I am doing this for the township because you people stood by me all through the electioneering period. This is a symbiotic relationship,” he said.
Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2knUjfg
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