Osinbajo to join President of Ghana, Queen of Netherlands, others at Africa CEO Forum

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June 13, 2022

The train came under gunfire as the attackers apparently surrounded the train

Kidnappers who had detained some victims of the March attack on the Abuja to Kaduna train in northern Nigeria have released 11 hostages.

The spokesman to the cleric acting as go-between for the government and the attackers, Tukur Mamu, told the BBC that 51 people were still captive.

During the gruesome assault gunmen planted explosives on the rail line and shot at travellers.

At least nine people died and the incident sparked outrage.

The government blamed the attack on a jihadist group working in collaboration with local militia, known locally as bandits.

Last month the gunmen released a heavily pregnant woman. In a video message circulating on social media, the woman said the abductors told her she had been freed on “compassionate grounds”.

Negotiations continue between the government and the kidnappers to release the remaining captives, Tukur Mamu said.

On Sunday President Muhammadu Buhari addressed the widespread insecurity caused by armed gangs in his speech marking the country’s democracy day.

He described the “daily grief and worry” he feels for the victims or “terrorism and kidnapping” and said his government would continue to seek justice for families of victims.

However, most of his speech focused on politics and the coming 2023 general elections.

Last week suspected Islamic State (Iswap) group gunmen invaded a Catholic church in the usually peaceful southwestern town of Owo killing at least 40 worshippers.

Credit: bbc.com

Nigerians must trust the military for insecurity to end; CDS Irabor

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June 13, 2022

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, on Sunday said citizens must trust the military and other security agencies for the war on insecurity to be more effective.

He made the comment while speaking on a Channels Television special program for Democracy Day.

“It is for us to have an understanding that we can’t withhold information and expect miracles to happen,” he said. “Certainly it’s not going to happen. I’m a victim as well as any Nigerian that is on the street. We are all victims together. There’s no one who is on the other side. We are in it together. We are on the frontlines. Trust is not something we need to beg for.

“I will seek and crave the indulgence of all Nigerians to say that there has to be trust. Trust must exist and trust must be given in all respect, so that together we will achieve the state of peace that we so desire.”

The General noted that “a lot of improvement” has been recorded in securing the country in the past one year. However, he admitted that the desired state of security is yet to be achieved.

Parts of the country continue to be subjected to repeated acts of violent crimes, including kidnapping and gunmen massacres.

On June 5, gunmen attacked St Francis Catholic Church in Owo, killing more than 30 people.

The CDS regretted the violent incidents but argued that security agencies have averted several others.

He said in the same week of the Owo attack, security agencies had halted what could have been a major attack in Kano and Abuja.

“We recovered a large quantum of arms and ammunition and other materials which, of course, the criminals were intending to use in various parts of the country, including Abuja,” he said.

“That the Owo incident happened does not imply that improvements have not happened.”

“Peace is a process,” he said. “It is not an end-state. We are working to get to a stage where we get to zero-incidents.”

Credit: channelstv.com

Buhari restates commitment to peaceful, transparent elections in 2023

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June 13, 2022

President Muhammadu Buhari has restated his commitment to ensuring the 2023 general elections are peaceful and transparent.

Mr Buhari stated this in his address to Nigerians on Sunday to mark the 2022 Democracy Day.

The 2022 Democracy Day is Mr Buhari’s last as Nigeria’s president as he leaves office on May 29, 2023.

“I remain committed and determined to ensure that the new president is elected through a peaceful and transparent process,” the Nigerian leader said.

He said most political parties elected their candidates in peaceful primaries and ran ‘issue-based campaigns’.

“I followed the party primaries closely from the state level to the Presidential level. I was very impressed to see across all the political parties that, most candidates ran issued-based campaigns. The language and tone throughout were on the whole measured and controlled,” the Nigerian leader said.

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74 yrs Grace Jones hold crowd in awe by spinning a hula hoop for 15 minutes

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June 13, 2022

“Bring the hula!” commanded Grace Jones, standing imperiously on a podium in an explosively feathery headpiece and vertiginous heels, her open coat exposing bare breasts. Even the 25 musicians stirring up the sinuous, funky groove of Slave to the Rhythm were gazing at their leader with expressions of open-mouthed bemusement.

Sights I never thought I’d see: a topless 74-year-old spinning a hula hoop for 15 minutes, all the while singing and grinning fiercely, eventually descending to strut around the polished catwalk stage with the hoop still gyrating around her slender waist, while a dancing crowd roared “Keep it up! Keep it up!”

The Jamaican diva was everything you could have wished her to be on the opening night of the Meltdown Festival she has curated for London’s Southbank Centre: supremely stylish, magnificently musical, kookily charismatic and apparently tuned to a different frequency to the rest of us mere mortals. “Gimme some drugs, man!” the septuagenarian supermodel roared at one point, whilst rolling around the floor, kicking her long legs in the air.

Jones was an hour and a half late taking the stage for her first concert in two and half years, but her audience seemed to cheerfully accept that as par for the course.

“It’s been a long time,” Jones announced as she slowly descended with feline grace, “and it’s like no time at all.”

Credit: yahoo.com

Morocco bans ‘blasphemous’ British film

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June 13, 2022

The ban means the film will not be screened for commercial or cultural purposes in Morocco

Moroccan cinema authorities have banned the controversial British film Lady of Heaven, after it was condemned by the country’s religious council. The film claims to tell the story of Lady Fatima, the daughter of Prophet Muhammad.

The Supreme Ulema Council said the movie was a “flagrant falsification of the established facts” of Islam. There have been protests against the film in the UK. Egypt, Pakistan, Iran and Iraq have also denounced it.

The council accused the film of “loathsome partiality” and accused the filmmakers of seeking “fame and sensationalism” and “hurting the feelings of Muslims and stirring up religious sensitivities”, according to Moroccan state media.

The BBC’s Religion Editor, Aleem Maqbool, says the criticism centres on the the way the Shia Muslim film-maker and cleric, Yasser Al-Habib, has portrayed prominent revered figures in early Sunni Islam, implying that there are comparisons between their actions with those of the Islamic State group in Iraq.

The film’s producer Malik Shlibak has lambasted those who want the film banned on his social media, describing it as bigotry.

Credit: bbc.com

52-yr-old Diddy confirms he’s dating 28-yr-old rapper Yung Miami

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June 13, 2022

Sean “Diddy” Combs addressed his romantic involvement with City Girls rapper Yung Miami during the first episode of “Caresha, Please.” Diddy publicly fessed up to dating City Girls rapper Yung Miami — who, at 28, is nearly a quarter-century his junior. The truth came out during the premiere of Yung’s new series “Caresha Please,” which featured Diddy, 52, as the first guest star.

As their conversation unfolded — and multiple rounds of drinks were consumed — the Bad Boy Records founder progressively alluded to various past experiences shared between him and Yung while dropping hints about future travel together.

“I look forward … to taking you to Mexico,” he said at one point, to which Yung responded, “We going to Mexico?”

Yung looked to have successfully caught the R&B mogul at least somewhat off-guard with her question a few minutes later, asking, “So, what the f–k do you got going on? Like, what’s your relationship status?”

Diddy, after pausing to light a blunt, answered, “I’m single … but I’m dating. I’m just taking my time with life.”

Yung pushed, “Alright. So what we is?”

Diddy then summarized his take on their “status,” telling Yung, “We date. We’re dating. We go have dates, and we’re friends. We go to exotic locations, we have great times, we go to strip clubs, church…”

In response to Yung subsequently prompting him to describe what he likes about her, Diddy elaborated, “You’re authentic, you’re one of the realest people I’ve ever met … you’re a great mother and a great friend. And we just have a good time, you know?”

Diddy’s last serious romantic partner was model Kim Porter, mother to three out of his six children, who died tragically and unexpectedly from pneumonia in 2018.

Credit: pagesix.com

Britney Spears’ mom reacts to not been invited to daughter’s wedding

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June 13, 2022

Britney Spears mom (r) and the singer’s wedding picture (L)

Britney Spears’ estranged mom congratulated the pop star on her wedding to Sam Asghari despite not receiving an invitation.

“You look radiant and so happy!” Lynne Spears commented on Britney’s Instagram post Friday featuring four photos from the ceremony at the bride’s home in Thousand Oaks, Calif.

“Your wedding is the ‘Dream’ wedding! And having it at your home makes it so sentimental and special!” Lynne added. “I am soooo happy for you! I love you!”

Britney, 40, did not invite Lynne, 67, or her dad, Jamie Spears, to her nuptials Thursday following their falling out over her controversial conservatorship, which was terminated in November 2021 after nearly 14 years.

The “Toxic” singer’s sister, Jamie Lynn Spears, was not on the guest list either, although her brother, Bryan Spears, reportedly managed to snag an invite. However, Bryan did not show up.

Asghari, meanwhile, had several family members on hand to watch him exchange vows with Britney, including his three sisters.

Celebrities such as Madonna, Paris Hilton and Donatella Versace, who designed Britney’s wedding dress, were among those in attendance. The Grammy winner and Asghari, 28, started dating in late 2016 after meeting on the set of her “Slumber Party” music video. They got engaged in September 2021.

Credit: pagesix.com

Iraqi MPs resign enbloc to end political paralysis

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June 13, 2022

Iraqi lawmakers from firebrand Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr’s bloc resigned Sunday, the parliamentary speaker said, in a move designed to up pressure to end an eight-month political paralysis. “We have reluctantly accepted the requests of our brothers and sisters, representatives of the Sadr bloc, to resign,” parliament’s speaker Mohammed al-Halbussi said on Twitter after receiving resignation letters from the 73 lawmakers.

Sadr on Thursday had urged the MPs from his bloc — the biggest in parliament — to ready resignation papers, in a bid, he said, to break the parliamentary logjam and create space for the establishment of a new government.

Parliament in Baghdad has been in turmoil since October’s general election, and intense negotiations among political factions have failed to forge a majority in support of a new prime minister to succeed Mustafa al-Kadhemi.

Credit:rfi

Bolivia ex-President Anez jailed 10yrs for staging coup

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June 13, 2022