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  • No evidence Ukraine involved in Concert Hall attack near Moscow – U.S

    No evidence Ukraine involved in Concert Hall attack near Moscow – U.S

    Washington sees no evidence that Kiev had a hand in a terrorist attack on a concert hall near Moscow, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris said.

    Harris claimed in an interview with the ABC News broadcaster that a branch of the Islamic State terrorist group known as ISIS-Khorasan (banned in Russia) was behind the massacre.

    “No, there is no, whatsoever, any evidence (of Ukrainian involvement).

    “And in fact, what we know to be the case is that ISIS-K is actually by all accounts responsible for what happened,” she said.

    She also described the attack as “an act of terrorism.”

    “The number of people who have been killed is a tragedy, and we should all send our condolences to those families,” the U.S. vice president added.

    Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov told Sputnik that there was no need to jump to conclusions, commenting on recent U.S. statements about the ISIS involvement in the terrorist attack, as Russian special services were conducting investigations to find those responsible for the incident.

    A shooting occurred on Friday evening in the Crocus City Hall concert venue in the city of Krasnogorsk, outside Moscow, followed by a massive fire.

    A Sputnik correspondent who witnessed the attack reported that at least three men in camouflage had broken into the music hall, shooting people point-blank and throwing incendiary bombs.

    The Russian authorities said that at least 137 people were killed in the attack, while Margarita Simonyan, the editor-in-chief of RT and the Rossiya Segodnya media group, said the death toll had reached 143 people.

    Eleven people were detained in connection with the attack, including four who were directly involved, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said.

    All four suspected gunmen were detained in the Russian region of Bryansk, which borders Belarus and Ukraine, the FSB added.

    The four suspects were charged with terrorism and ordered to be held in pretrial custody until May 22, Moscow’s Basmanny District Court said.

    All of them are from Tajikistan and risk a life sentence in prison.

    The Moscow-area concert hall shooting became the deadliest attack in Russia in nearly 20 years.

  • US reacts as 40 people killed in Moscow mass shooting

    US reacts as 40 people killed in Moscow mass shooting

    Washignton has reacted to the shocking shooting attack on a Moscow concert hall which claimed the lives of over 40 persons.

    The US government on Friday ruled out the possibility of Ukrainian role in the attack.

    Recall that about four men dressed in camouflage invaded the Crocus City Hall in Moscow and opened fire on innocent persons.

    According  information briefed that the shooting which occurred at the administrative center of the Moscow region started when the music band Picnic was performing a concert.

    However, in a  video clip sighted by pressmen,  it was observed that one of the suspects has been arrested by the Russian security forces.

    In its reaction to the shocking shooting in Moscow, the US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said “there’s no indication” that Ukraine was involved in the “terrible” attack, stating quickly after the news broke that he “would disabuse you at this early hour of any connection to Ukraine.”

    “The images are just horrible and just hard to watch and our thoughts obviously going to be with the victims of this terrible, terrible shooting attack,” he told reporters.

    “There are some moms, and dads, and brothers, and sisters, and sons, and daughters that haven’t gotten the news yet. And this is going to be a tough day. So our thoughts are with them,” he added.

  • US House of Representatives votes massively to ban TikTok

    US House of Representatives votes massively to ban TikTok

    The House of Representatives in the United States has voted massively a bill that will force TikTok to divest from its Chinese owner or get banned.

    352 lawmakers voted in favour of the proposed law and 65 against it in a rare moment of bipartisan unity in politically divided Washington.

    According to CNN, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise lauded the passage of the House’s TikTok bill and downplayed concerns that going after a popular application could hurt Republicans in November.

    Scalise made it known that the bill would give  young people some layers of protection.

    “This bill protects those families and young people and lets them still use the application they enjoy. So it’s a win for families across America, and it’s a long time coming,” he continued.

    Scalise said he believes the overwhelming support for the legislation in the House will help ease its passage in the Senate. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer hasn’t committed to taking up the House’s version of the bill.

    “I’ve talked to several senators; they are looking—many of them are looking towards how strong this vote is. So the fact that it’s such an overwhelming vote, both Republicans and Democrats, bodes well for this version of the bill to be quickly taken up in the Senate,” Scalise said.

    An earlier statement by the Chinese government warned the US that the proposed ban on the Chinese-owned video-sharing app TikTok would “inevitably come back to bite” the country.

  • Wigwe: NSIB receives U.S. preliminary report on crash

    Wigwe: NSIB receives U.S. preliminary report on crash

    The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) says it has received the preliminary report from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) regarding the crashed helicopter that killed Dr Herbert Wigwe and five others.

    Mrs Bimbo Oladeji, Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, NSIB, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday in Lagos.

    On Feb. 9, Wigwe, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings, his wife, son and a former Group Chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc, Abimbola Ogunbanjo, as well as some others were onboard the ill-fated Airbus Helicopter EC130B4.

    Oladeji said that following the accident, the NSIB offered its full cooperation to the NTSB, the lead agency investigating the accident which claimed the lives of six individuals.

    The crash occured at the Interstate 15 in Halloran Springs, California, U.S.A.

    According to Oladeji, initial findings suggest that the helicopter suffered catastrophic damage upon impact, resulting in fragmentation of major components.

    She said: “The preliminary report on the Airbus Helicopter EC130B4, registered as N130CZ and operated by Orbic Air, LLC, under Part 135 regulations for on-demand flights, outlines crucial details surrounding the tragic incident.

     

    “Departing from Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, California, the helicopter embarked on a journey to Boulder City Municipal Airport in Nevada via Palm Springs International Airport.

    “However, during its flight, adverse weather conditions characterised by rain and a mix of snow, were encountered, as reported by witnesses.

    “Reports from law enforcement and eyewitnesses also indicated that several individuals travelling along Interstate 15 (I-15) observed a “fireball” in the area, prompting calls to emergency services.

    “Subsequently, the wreckage of the helicopter was discovered in the high, mountainous desert and scrub-brush covered terrain near Halloran Springs, California.

    “Analysis of the accident site revealed a scattered debris pattern about 300 ft along a 120° magnetic, indicating a trajectory from an initial impact point which was a 1.5 ft deep, 12 ft long and 10 ft wide ground crater.

    “Containing fragments of the right landing gear skid, cockpit wiring, and cabin floor structure. The right skid step protruded upward at a 45° angle at the extreme eastern edge of the ground crater.

    “All major helicopter components were identified at the accident site. The helicopter’s fuselage was fragmented, and the cockpit and cabin were destroyed.

    “Some debris and vegetation displayed thermal damage, indicative of the extent of the collision’s force. The flight control tubes and linkages leading up to the flight control servos were fragmented and continuity could not be verified.

    “All three pitch control links were attached at the swashplate and blade pitch change horns. The main rotor blades were fragmented and broomstrawed, and the blade sleeves and tips were present.

    “Data analysis utilised sources including automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data, operator personnel reports, and eyewitness accounts to reconstruct the flight path and sequence of events leading to the accident.”

    Oladeji said that the NSIB, in accordance with the prerogative granted by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO’s) Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, had the right to access investigation information.

    “On aviation accidents and incidents involving Nigerian-registered aircraft or Nigerian citizens in 193 countries that are member states of the ICAO.

    “The NSIB has been actively engaging with the NTSB since the beginning of the investigation.

    She said that as the investigation progresses, NSIB will be committed to engaging the NTSB to receive the public docket of the investigation, which will comprise the compendium of information gathered throughout the investigation.

    “This typically includes photographs, interview summaries, documentation, and other relevant data that will give a clearer picture of the factors that led to the accident.”

    Also, the Director-General of the NSIB, Capt. Alex Badeh, expressed gratitude for the cooperation extended by the NTSB, which has facilitated the sharing of vital information.

    “We will continue to work closely with relevant authorities leading the investigation, including the NTSB, to gather additional evidence and information necessary for a comprehensive understanding of the circumstances that led to this tragic event,” Badeh.

     

  • 2024 Election election : Biden joins TikTok

    2024 Election election : Biden joins TikTok

    Ahead of 2024 election, US President Joe Biden belatedly joined TikTok on Sunday, marking his debut on the social media platform with a 26-second video.

    The move comes after fierce US government criticism of the video-sharing platform in recent years, most notably from Republicans but also from the Biden administration.

    TikTok is owned by Chinese firm ByteDance and has been accused by US politicians of being a propaganda tool used by Beijing, something the company furiously denies.

    In Sunday’s video posted on the @bidenhq campaign account, the 81-year-old Democratic president touches light-heartedly on topics ranging from politics to the NFL championship game.

    Citing security concerns, a slew of individual states and the federal government have banned the app on official government devices.

    In Montana, a state government move to completely ban the app was recently blocked by a judge.

    While the platform remains scrutinized by Washington, further federal action to ban or curtail use of the app appears to no longer be in motion.

    “It seems now like the idea of a ban was being pushed more so to make political points and less as a serious effort to legislate,” David Greene, a civil liberties attorney, recently told British newspaper The Guardian.

    As the election approaches, the platform provides a conduit to young voters.

    Sunday’s video ends with the president being asked who he prefers: himself or Republican frontrunner Donald Trump.

    “Are you kidding?” he laughs. “Biden.”

    AFP

     

  • Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama sued in US for defamation

    Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama sued in US for defamation

    A former Nigerian Ambassador to Namibia, Onoh Lilian has filed a libel suit at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas against Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama.

    Aside Onyeama, another Nigerian Mr Gabriel Aduda, a Permanent Secretary at the ministry has also been dragged to court by Onoh.

    American judge, Jane Boyle has been assigned to handle the case but no date has been fixed for the hearing of the matter.

    According to the  court documents, Onoh filed, she  accused Onyeama and Aduda of using a New York-based online newspaper to defame her character.

    In the suit before the court, Counsel to Onoh, Steven Thornton, said the online newspaper, in April, published an article saying the Nigerian Government sacked Onoh on account of misappropriation of N50 million.

    Her counsel, Thornton, noted that the media outlet published Onoh’s photograph to ensure the story’s object was not mistaken.

    In court papers, her counsel decried the paper’s portrayal of his client as being corrupt, having informed its global audience of the diversion of funds meant for the running of Nigeria’s High Commission in Namibia.

    The online newspaper alleged that Aduda and Onyeama were members of the investigative committee that indicted Onoh of fraud.

    As a fight-back, in a series of memos to former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, Onoh accused Onyeama of condoning corrupt practices in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

    According to the court papers, as an Ambassador, Onoh had reported multiple incidents of embezzlement of millions of U.S. dollars and billions of Naira of Nigerian government funds by various Nigerian officials.

    She also reported an alleged embezzlement of $2.8 million in Red Cross Funds meant for Haiti earthquake victims, as well as the acts of visa racketeering in the USA and other countries in which her successor in Jamaica had engaged.

    The claimant’s lawyer contended that the media claims in the alleged offending story were false, stating that she was never terminated from any posting with the Nigerian Government for misappropriation of funds.

    He further argued that Onyeama did not create a seven-person committee to investigate Onoh, nor did Aduda head any such committee.

    In the claimant’s prayers before the judge, Thornton demanded litigation costs, “and all such other and further relief at law and in equity to which Onoh may show herself to be justly entitled”.

    Geoffrey Jideofor Kwusike Onyeama is a Nigerian diplomat and politician who served as the minister for foreign affairs of Nigeria from November 2015 to May 2023.

    He was appointed foreign affairs minister in November 2015 by President Muhammadu Buhar

  • Sad! Popular US actress dies at 93

    Sad! Popular US actress dies at 93

    American actress, Frances Sternhagen, popular for US comedy series, ‘Sex and the City’, has died at the age of 93.

    This was disclosed by John Carlin, her son, via a tribute on his Instagram page on Wednesday.

    Carlin described his mother as a “remarkable artist and human being” who was deeply admired by many.

    He added that he cherishes their close bond as mother and son.

    “Mom. Frances Sternhagen. On Monday night, Nov 27, she died peacefully at her home, a month and a half shy of her 94th birthday. She was beloved by many,” Carlin wrote.

    “I am very lucky I was able to call her my mom, my friend, and my song and dance partner. We were together last week, and we spoke Monday afternoon and said how much we loved and missed one another.

    “She always encouraged my writing and enjoyed my singing. I’ll fly back very early the next day. Fly on, Frannie. The curtain goes down on a life so richly, passionately, humbly, and generously lived.”

    Sternhagen made her acting debut at age 25 at the Cherry Lane Theater.

    In 2002, she earned an Emmy nomination for her role as Bunny MacDougal in ‘Sex and the City’.

    She was married to Thomas Carlin, a fellow actor whom she first met at Catholic University, from 1956 until his death in 1991.

    Frances Sternhagen is survived by six children, nine grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

  • Former US secretary of state, Henry Kissinger dies at 100

    Former US secretary of state, Henry Kissinger dies at 100

    Henry Kissinger, a former US secretary of state and national security adviser who escaped Nazi Germany in his youth to become one of the most influential and controversial foreign policy figures in American history, has died. He was 100.

    Kissinger died Wednesday at his home in Connecticut, according to a statement from his consulting firm, Kissinger Associates. The firm did not provide a cause of death.

    Kissinger was synonymous with US foreign policy in the 1970s. He received a Nobel Peace Prize for helping arrange the end of US military involvement in the Vietnam War and is credited with secret diplomacy that helped President Richard Nixon open communist China to the United States and the West, highlighted by Nixon’s visit to the country in 1972.

    But he was also reviled by many over the bombing of Cambodia during the Vietnam War that led to the rise of the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime and for his support of a coup against a democratic government in Chile.

    In the Middle East, Kissinger performed what came to be known as “shuttle diplomacy” to separate Israeli and Arab forces after the fallout of the 1973 Yom Kippur War. His “détente” approach to US-Soviet relations, which helped relax tensions and led to several arms control agreements, largely guided US posture until the Reagan era.

    But many members of Congress objected to the secretiveness of the Nixon-Kissinger approach to foreign policy, and human rights activists assailed what they saw as Kissinger’s neglect of human rights in other countries. No issue complicated Kissinger’s legacy more than the Vietnam War. When Nixon took office in 1969 – after promising a “secret plan” to end the war – roughly 30,000 Americans had been killed in Vietnam.

    Despite efforts to shift more combat responsibilities to the South Vietnam government, American involvement persisted throughout Nixon’s administration – critics accused Nixon and Kissinger of needlessly expanding the war – and US engagement ultimately ended with the fall of Saigon in 1975 and more than 58,000 American lives lost.

    In a highly controversial decision, Kissinger shared the 1973 Nobel Peace Prize with his North Vietnamese counterpart Le Duc Tho for that year’s Paris peace accords; citing the absence of actual peace in Vietnam, Tho declined to accept, and two members of the Nobel committee resigned in protest over the award.

    CNN

  • Despite surging FX Nigerians studying in US hit 22% in one year – Report

    Despite surging FX Nigerians studying in US hit 22% in one year – Report

    The number of Nigerians studying in the United States of America rose by 22.2 percent within one year, despite the scarcity of foreign exchange, which has made tuition fees more expensive.

    Data from the new Open Doors Report, published by the Washington-based Institute of International Education (IIE) on Monday, show that enrolment from Nigeria increased to 17,640 in the 2022/23 academic year from 14,438 in the previous year hit 17,640 in 2022/23 academic year

    It said the US hosted 1.06 million international students during the academic year, a 12 percent increase compared to the previous academic year. “It is the fastest growth rate in more than 40 years.”

    The report also revealed that Nigeria was the only African country among the top 10 countries with the highest number of students in America, while China (289,526), India (268,928), South Korea (43,847), Canada (27,876) and Vietnam (21,900) are the top five countries.

  • INSECURITY: Avoid ‘major hotels’ in Nigeria – US warns citizens

    INSECURITY: Avoid ‘major hotels’ in Nigeria – US warns citizens

    The US has issued a stern warning to its citizens in Nigeria, saying there are “elevated threats” to major hotels in the “larger cities” of the country.

    The US issued this warning in an emergency information for American citizens dated November 3.

    The advisory said the Nigerian security agencies are working to counter the threat.

    It said US citizens should exercise vigilance at major hotels, be alert of their surroundings, keep a low profile, and review the travel advisory for Nigeria before checking into any hotels.

    The notice reads, “The U.S. Government is aware of credible information that there is an elevated threat to major hotels in Nigeria’s larger cities.

    “The Nigerian security services are working diligently to counter the threat.

    “The U.S. Department of State advises U.S. citizens to consider this information when arranging lodging or visiting major hotels in Nigeria.”

    The notice also provided the addresses and telephone numbers of the US embassy in Abuja and consulate in Lagos should any US citizen require help.

    Recall the US, in October, also advised all its citizens worldwide to exercise restraint in travelling to various locations around the world. Nigeria was listed under the third tier of caution alert (Reconsider to travel).