The feud between Nicki Minaj and Cardi B just turned physical.

On Friday night, the rappers got into a fight at the Harper’s Bazaar ICONS party that left Cardi bruised, a source confirms to PEOPLE. The bash was part of the festivities for New York Fashion Week.

An insider tells PEOPLE that Cardi arrived at the event first. After Nicki showed up, there was an “altercation” on the second-floor balcony during a Christina Aguilera performance.

“The scene was f—— crazy,” the insider tells PEOPLE. “It was entourage against entourage.”

“They had their altercation on the second-floor balcony, right above the red carpet. All of the sudden there was a big commotion and everyone didn’t know what was going on.”

Immediately following the incident, Cardi was escorted out by security while Nicki stayed inside. Cardi was seen leaving the party with a large lump on her forehead but no shoes.

“She left barefoot with her dress ripped and butt out,” source said. Cardi was wearing a red Dolce & Gabbana gown.

Videos of the incident were posted on social media. In one video posted by Twitter user Mihaela, Cardi B can be seen making a lunge towards someone, though it is not entirely clear if it’s the “Barbie Dreams” rapper.

CARDI B AND NICKI MINAJ FIGHT pic.twitter.com/Y3vDRmBwMq

— Mihaela (@mihaeladxl) September 8, 2018

Source: People.com

Many people are feared dead after an Islamist militant attack on the northeast Nigerian town of Gudumbali, two residents and a vigilante said on Saturday.

The Nigerian government in June ordered thousands of people who fled the decade-long war with Boko Haram to return to Gudumbali, one of the most dangerous areas of northeast Nigeria. Officials cut off food and other aid to those who refused.

There is mounting pressure to show progress in the war against Islamist groups ahead of a presidential election, according to sources familiar with the situation.

The militants struck Gudumbali in the Guzamala region of Borno state on Friday, wearing military uniforms and firing upon Nigerian soldiers and residents, sending both the troops and the civilians fleeing, the witnesses said.

The Nigerian military did not immediately respond to request for comment.

“Many civilians lost their lives, we don’t have casualty figures for now,” said Mohammed, one of the residents, whose first name is being used because the military threatens reprisals against those who speak to media.

“Thousand of people fled their homes.”

The vigilante, Baba Ali Musa, said the militants came on motorbikes and in pick-up trucks mounted with anti-aircraft guns, while others fired rocket-propelled grenades on the town.

“They came toward the town shooting sporadically,” he said. “They were saying if you know you’re an innocent person just leave the town, our target is not you, or if you wish to stay with us, it’s no matter, you can stay with us.”

Nigeria’s northeast is home to two Islamist insurgencies: Boko Haram and its breakaway group, Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA), now considered by security experts the stronger of the two.

ISWA had in recent months embarked on a hearts and minds campaign to win the support of the local population and create an economy the group could tax to fund its insurgency.

Gudumbali lies in territory where ISWA has greater influence.

Source: Reuters

Mr Alex Nwegbu, Director-General, Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) has assured the general public not to panic over the earth tremor experienced in Mpape district of Abuja.

Nwegbu, who said this at news conference in Abuja on Friday, further assured that there was no cause for alarm.

He said that the agency would keep a close monitoring of the area for the next 48 hours within which arrangement ought to have been concluded for a detailed survey in the area.

According to him, the monitoring involves reflecting seismic and gravity measurement.

Nwegbu said that the agency dispatched a team of geologists and geophysicists, immediately it received the news of a disturbing ground shaking, experienced by the inhabitants of Mapape.

“From the interview we conducted with people and the reconnaissance survey carried out, we found out that the vibration started around 2.30p.m on Sept. 5 which lasted about a second but reoccurred three hours later around 5.30p.m.

“The vibration was again felt around 8.00p.m which lasted for 10 seconds,’’ he said.

The Director-General said the survey carried out also showed that there were no cracks on the buildings or on the ground.

He advised that once people notice such earth tremor, they should move out of the house and monitor the progress.

Nwegbu, however, advocated increased funding to enable the agency properly carry out its mandate.

According to Nwegbu, earthquakes tend to be concentrated in particular zones which coincide with the boundaries of the tectonic plates into which the earth is divided.

The Director-General said that it was erroneous to think that countries or zones not contiguous with plate boundaries were aseismic.

Nwegbu said that Nigeria was not situated at the plate boundaries and as such the country was not at risk.

He said that the agency recently procured six earth quake monitoring seismograms to enable proper monitoring of all ground disturbances.

Nwegbu said that the process of installations of the seismograms had begun in six geological zones of the country.

According to him, the equipment will enable the agency warn people before hand, in case of any expected earth tremor.

He urged Nigerians to call the following emergency numbers: 08035956056, 08023154825 and 08037000623.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that earth tremor happened around Ijebu-Ode, Gembu in the Mambila Plateau and Ibadan in 1984.

Heads of State, Governments and delegations from 52 African countries, including Nigeria and the People’s, Republic of China met in Beijing, under the auspices of the Forum on China and Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

The tri-annual summit was held with the theme: “China and Africa: Towards an Even Stronger Community with a Shared Future through Win-Win Cooperation.”

President Muhammadu Buhari led a strong delegation from the public and private sector that included senators, state governors and the Ministers of Finance, Transportation, Power, Works and Housing, Budget and National Planning, Petroleum and Industry, Trade and Investment, and Minister of State, Aviation.

The gains for Nigeria from the recent FOCAC, which alternates its meetings between China and Africa every three years, can be summed up in three ways: Nigeria as a member of FOCAC; Nigeria-China bilateral engagement and Nigerian Government–Chinese business partnerships.

At the summit, which attracted multiple benefits for Nigeria, members agreed to bind themselves to the Belt and Road Initiative of the Chinese government, which essentially seeks to promote collectively, among one another, extensive consultation, cooperation and ensure shared gains.

Essentially, this translates into closer connection in policy, infrastructure, trade, finance and people-to-people ties. All members will share development opportunities and promote cultural exchanges.

Going forward, Africa and China will form a stronger synergy in world bodies such as the UN, World Trade Organisation and G77+China. They will align themselves in pursuit of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Agenda 2063 of the African Union and support individual national development strategies.

Overall, this should generate more resources for everyone, expand markets and create space for African development and broaden its economic prospects. To realise this, African countries have agreed to participate in November this year in China’s first-ever International Import–Export Expo in Shanghai.

It is important to note that China has categorically stated their commitment to non-interference in the internal affairs of members, as well as pledged to support development efforts without political strings attached. This should answer mostly Western critics who doubt the sincerity of China.

In line with the general principles of the accord, Nigeria, with few African countries, were preferentially treated to bilateral meetings. The Chinese and Nigerian government met exclusively to discuss matters of mutual benefits. The leaders of both countries witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding by their foreign ministers, captured as “One Belt, One Road (OBOR)’’.

There was the signing of USD 328 million financing agreement for the National Information and Communication Technology Infrastructure Backbone by the Nigerian Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun and Wang Xiaotoa, Director-General, China International Development Cooperation Agency.

As for more specific takeaways from the bilateral meetings, Nigeria received blessings of the President of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping for the building of the country’s largest hydroelectric power plant in Mambila. Work on the power project will commence on the site in early 2019.

When President Xi announced a USD 60 billion to finance aid and infrastructure projects in Africa at the FOCAC Summit in Johannesburg in 2015, Nigeria joined other countries to draw from the funds for critical infrastructure that included railways, roads and power.

In the last 24 months, China has given Nigeria support in scholarships, military trainings and security assistance, agriculture and concessionary loans to fund infrastructure. Nigeria has attracted more than USD 5 billion finance and more is still under discussion with the government of China.

With a further USD 60 billion announced for the next three years by President Xi, Nigeria should hope to make more progress in closing its infrastructure deficit.

At the Johannesburg summit, President Xi announced RMB 100 million in humanitarian and military assistance to Nigeria in the fight against terrorism. At this summit, he promised a further sum of RMB 50 million for the same purpose.

President Xi promised to open China’s market for agricultural products from Nigeria and widen cooperation between the two nations in media, sports and culture. He noted that several Nigerian footballers in China were idolised by fans. The Chinese leader also promised to step up cooperation in intelligence and military training.

While commending President Buhari for taking measures to fight terrorism and insecurity, President Xi said the Nigerian leader was decisive in dealing with terrorism. “You are resolute–the same attitude as China,” he said.

President Xi told President Buhari that he would support the reform of the UN “to increase the voice of developing countries in Africa”. He equally promised continued support for Nigeria’s infrastructure projects, citing the country’s railway modernisation project; Lekki Deep Sea Pot; Zungeru Power Project; Abuja Light Rail; ICT and infrastructure backbone and Abuja Water supply as laudable developmental projects.

The Chinese leader announced the establishment of a “manufacturing section” so that Nigeria can gain from China’s leading role in the world. “In some we lead, in others we need to catch up,” he added.

On a parting note, President Xi told President Buhari that he was fully cognisant of the status and influence of Nigeria in Africa, saying, “We will step up cooperation and will provide assistance. The relationship between China and Nigeria is as best as ever, given the deeper mutual trust. China will continue to stand with Nigeria.”

President Buhari was also accorded the honour of a state banquet by the Chinese Premier Li, who assured the Nigerian leader that China was ready “to press ahead” with infrastructure, including the Mambila hydroelectric power project. He, like President Xi, requested for “thorough feasibility and sustainability studies.”

Among the several outcomes of the engagements of President Buhari and his delegation at the FOCAC Beijing summit were the many agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) signed between the Nigerian Government and Chinese businesses, and between Nigerian businesses and their Chinese counterparts.

The Nigerian delegation was able to sign thirteen agreements during the summit out of 25, with more to be signed by the Nigeria Investment Promotion Council and the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of the Federation.

In all, more than USD 10 billion agreements were signed.

Others, still under discussion will be quantified upon the conclusion of discussions by various parties.

Among those that have been signed, in agreements or MOUs include the agreement between the China National Petroleum Corporation and the NNPC. CNPC has agreed to secure funding for the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, Ajaokuta – Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline to cost USD 2.8 billion.

There was also the agreement between the Ministry of Industries, Trade and Investment with Shandong Ruyi International Fashion Industry for USD 2 billion, for a first-ever cotton value chain; that is from cotton growing to ginning, spinning, textile manufacture and garment with Katsina, Kano, Abia and Lagos States as the chosen locations.

Another Chinese conglomerate, Capegate Integrated signed an MOU worth USD 1.5 billion for energy and organic fertilizer that will cover Abuja, Niger, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Kano to generate 300 MW of electricity, 500,000 tonnes of organic fertilizer, 60 million litres of oil from pyrolysis and create up to 10,000 jobs. The company will bring 400 garbage collection trucks and various types of city
sanitation equipment, with One million waste bins deployed.

The NNPC entered another agreement with Nanni Good Fortune Heavy Industries Group and Capegate Group for a USD 400 million investments across six states to allow for production of ethanol, a 64 MW of power plant, 72,000 tonnes of sugar per annum, 10,000 tonnes of animal farm per annum and 5,500 direct employment

The Nanni Industries and Capegate Group submitted an MOU to the NIPC for an investment in 15,000 hectares of Cassava Ethanol in the South-west, and another project of the same value and scale in the South-east.

Among other agreements that the NNPC signed was one with Obax-Complant Consortium and another with Capegate-Nanning Consortium that targets 10 biofuel complexes nationwide. NNPC’s Group Managing Director, Dr. Maikanti Baru said through these ventures, Nigeria is giving effect to her aspiration for the exploitation of renewable fuel sources.

Edo State Government, as reported widely, had signed for the construction of the Benin River Port; the Benin Industrial Park and a 550 Barrels per day modular refinery. A funding MOU between Huawei technologies and the Federal Government of Nigeria, represented by Galaxy Backbone for the training of 1,000 Nigerian government officials to acquire basic ICT knowledge and skills has been forwarded to the Ministry of Justice.

Huawei also plans the annual training of 10,000 Nigerians in ICT, with a wider and deeper training of 5,000 out of this number who, upon certification by Huawei will be employable anywhere in the world. Another attractive MOU signed was that by KhromeMonkey Nigeria Limited, behind whom is Leadership newspapers owner, Sam Nda-Isaiah and Shenzen Right Net Technology Limited.

This partnership will lead to setting up of Amanbo Nigeria, a business-to-business-consumer (B2B2C) platform and portal that would enable Nigerian exporters to trade with Chinese importers and vice-versa. This partnership holds tremendous opportunities for Nigeria in terms of creating thousands jobs, if not millions as core and support services to the platforms such as warehousing all over the country, logistics, distributorships, customer services, shipping services, credit facilities for small businesses etc. The estimated trade potential of the platform within the first three years given the current trade relationship with China is USD 500 million. This is expected to continue to grow, creating millions of jobs for Nigerians.

From addressing the FOCAC as FCOWAS Chairman, and doing so as President of Nigeria, to having 30 minutes discussions with President Xi Jinping and another 60 minutes with Premier Li, to addressing a room filled with influential Chinese businessmen and women, President Buhari’s six-day engagement in China had turned out to be really eventful, successful and highly rewarding.

Garba Shehu is the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on Media and Publicity.

The Inspector-General of Police ( I-G), Mr Ibrahim Idris has ordered the immediate disbandment of the Special Tactical Squad (STS).

Force spokesman, acting DCP Jimoh Moshood said on Friday in Abuja that all the personnel of the squad have been deployed to other departments/formations of the Force.

Moshood said that senior officers attached to the erstwhile STS who were linked with the search of Chief Edwin Clark’s residence were undergoing strict disciplinary action.

The spokesman said that tactical operations and statutory core police duties that the dissolved STS were charged with have been collapsed.

He said that the duties would be carried out by other operational, investigative and response units of the Force.

Faced with the reality of the bigwigs presidential aspirants of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), outgoing Ekiti state governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, the first to have indicated interest for the office, has dropped his ambition.

He said on Saturday that he was discontinuing his 2019 presidential ambition.

The governor was one of the earliest persons in the country to indicate intention to contest for the nation’s number one position early in the year, in spite of warnings that that the party zoned the position to the North.

He dropped the hint on Friday when he received the duo of former governor Rabiu Kwankwaso and former minister, Kabir Turaki Taminu, (both presidential aspirants) who came to lobby him and delegates in the state PDP.

He said he had to drop the ambition as mark of sympathy and concern for his deputy, Prof. Kolapo Olusola-Eleka who lost in the last gubernatorial election in the state.

” I dropped the presidential ambition because of the stolen mandate freely given to my deputy

” As a good leader, I cannot abandon my loyal deputy whose mandate was stolen by the APC and be pursuing another ambition

” My posters are there in a room. I am committed to the recovery of the mandate for now more than anything else”, he said.

It is recalled that before now, Fayose had not only opened campaign offices but also came out with retinue of branded vehicles with which to campaign for the presidential slot.

The two visiting presidential aspirants boasted that PDP would regain power in 2019, and urged the Ekiti delegates to consider their candidature so as to make the dream become a reality.

President Muhammadu Buhari `Bricks’, affordable 550 units of houses located in Zuba, Abuja currently under construction at a cost N9 billion are 50 per cent completed.

The pilot project essentially entailed houses for all categories of Nigerians, Prof. Mohammed Al-Amin, the Managing Director of Federal Housing Authority (FHA) has said.

Al-Amin, who inspected the Zuba pilot scheme construction site, said the the project was 50 per cent completed.

He explained that none of the houses would be sold above N5 million and those interested should go through government mortgaging system, especially the FHA mortgaging.

“Initially, if you are paying for a house through mortgage system in the country, you will pay 30 per cent equity but government has wiped away the equity to zero equity for houses below N5 million.

“The project started three and half months ago, it is a mixture of one, two and three bedroom flats and a total of 550 units are to be produced and every side is at different stage of construction.

“We have the money in our account, government has approved and given out the money and we are releasing it according to the details of public procurement act.

“This is not the only place in Abuja that we are doing this, we have opened Kwali, in the next two weeks, and we are opening phase two of Lugbe housing estate for low income earners in Abuja.

He said that another aspect of the project was that the FHA had to know the level of income of off-takers, with a view to ascertain the kind of flat their income could enable them to obtain.

He further said that the authority decided to use affordable building materials to give the houses value and utility deserved.

According to him, locally produced materials are also being used in the housing construction.

Al-Amin noted that the sustainability of the mass housing scheme was very important, adding that in order for off-takers to access the houses, the authority had gone far to mobilise the off-takers.

“For Zuba social housing scheme, we are targeting communities around that area and spare parts dealers and other Nigerians who cannot stay in the heart of Abuja but stay in Zuba.

“Those are the people we have profiled.

“We have FHA mortgage bank which is willing to create mortgages for them, the demand for that estate is high.

Speaking on the poor state of the access road, he said that the estate had a direct road from Lokoja express way.

He added that FHA had awarded the contract for road infrastructure but asked the contractor to stop because of the raining season.

Al-Amin further explained that the Zuba project was meant to be a pilot project of “President Muhammadu Buhari Bricks“ which essentially entailed having houses for all categories of Nigerians.

NAN reports that the board members also inspected the FHA first phase of commercial housing estate which include luxury houses and duplexes in Apo, Guzape District, and Abuja.

According to him, the commercial housing estate which is 90 per cent completed is meant for higher income earners in Abuja.

Al-Amin noted that the authority had two types of housing productions: commercial and social housing in Abuja while in the remaining parts of the country it had commercial houses in each state capital.

He added that in other locations in states, the authority had social housing which could be let out as site and services.

“We want to ensure that every sector of the country is covered and every Nigerian, irrespective of status, has option to take.

This is based on the United Nations New Urban Agenda which emphasises housing inclusiveness.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has offered former governor of Kano State, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, the senatorial ticket for Kano Central District in next year’s general elections.

At present, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, also a former governor and PDP member, is the holder of the seat. Kwankwaso won the seat as a member of the APC in 2015.

The offer was part of the terms reached by both sides which culminated in Shekarau formally parting ways with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday, The Nation reported.

The embattled Senator is also believed to be eyeing a return to the Senate in the event that he loses at the PDP presidential primaries.

The newspaper reported that Shekarau rebuffed last-minute efforts by the PDP to stop his switch to APC.

Sources said he shut his doors against the PDP and its national leader, Senator Bukola Saraki, who doubles as Senate President.

It was learnt that PDP and Saraki had made spirited efforts in the last 72 hours to reach out to Shekarau with a view to averting his defection to APC.

The only concession made to Shekarau by PDP was said to be a slot in the seven-man Caretaker Committee of the party in Kano State.

The PDP’s face-saving concession came after the legally elected PDP State Executive Committee was unilaterally dissolved by the National Secretariat of the party despite a court order.

The National Chairman of APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, yesterday led a high power delegation of the party to Kano to woo Shekarau.

The APC was said to have tabled its offers to Shekarau as a sign of its readiness to welcome him into its fold.

The terms include automatic integration of Shekarau’s group into the APC structure in the state; automatic Senatorial ticket for Kano Central, commissioner slots in the Kano State Executive Council, many seats in the House of Representatives and State House of Assembly and Federal appointments, among others.

It was gathered that there will also be ministerial slot(s) if APC government is re-elected in 2019.

A top source said: “APC delegation went to Kano in order to beg Shekarau to join our party where he has like minds with progressive inclination.

“Do not forget that he was a long-standing associate of President Muhammadu Buhari in the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).

“We considered him a prized politician who can make an electoral impact in any political party. What PDP does not value, we went for it.

“After preliminary engagement in Abuja, we decided to formally invite him into a party he deservedly belongs.”

A mentally sick lawyer, Ibrahim Waley, on Thursday caused a stir during sitting at a Yola High Court when he joined his colleagues (lawyers) at the front row while clad in traditional dress as against the formal gown and wig.

A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Correspondent at the court reports that Waley, who arrived the jam-packed court hall while judgement was being delivered, took his seat at the wrong place, to the surprise of those in court.

As at the time of his arrival, judgement was being delivered on a suit filed by some aggrieved All Progressives Congress (APC) members seeking the nullification of the recent congresses conducted by the party in the state.

Looking confident that he was in the midst of his colleagues, Waley rebuffedentreaties by a journalist who offered him alternative seat, insisting that as a lawyer, he must sit in the front row like other lawyers.

Attracted by his noise, a court staff approach and pleaded with him to accept the offer of the journalist, but he declined..

Attempt to convince Ibrahim to sit on other alternative seats, or move out of court room since all the front seats were occupied by lawyers, resulted in a heated argument, making Justice Abdul-Azeez Waziri to suspend reading his judgement briefly, calling for order.

After being forced out of the court, Ibrahim continued to protest what he described as an infringement on his right to sit in the front row.

A judicial staff who spoke on condition of anonymity, told NAN that Waley was, before his mental problem, a known lawyer and politician.

Source: NAN

The Emergency Management Agency of Nigerias Federal capital of Abuja has confirmed reports of earth tremor reported by residents.

In tweets on Friday, residents reported experiencing the shaking effects of tremor in their homes at dawn today. The agency said it could have come from the movement of the earth or it could be by the blasting of rocks or mining in the area.

Some residents of Maitama and Utako said they felt the tremor. But there was no such report from Apo and other areas of the city.

The emergency agency said the residents of Mbappe also felt it.

The agency has urged residents to stay calm and hide under tables if inside the house or stay away from buildings if outdoor.

Tremors are very rare in Nigeria. In 1984, a huge tremor was felt in the country, with many towns from Lagos, Ijebu-Ode, Ibadan reporting the experience.

Kaduna also recently reported earth tremor.

Seismologists said a small fault line from the Atlantic inwards exists, making Nigeria prone to tremors, but not earthquake.

Source: NAN

A teacher at University of Ibadan, Prof. Jacob Ayantayo, has expressed support to President Muhammadu Buhari for declining assent to Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2018.

Ayantayo, who is a Professor of Religion, Ethics, Inter-Religious Conflict Prevention, Management, Resolution and Peace-Building in the Department of Religious Studies, made his position known in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

Buhari had declined assent to the bill due to some drafting issues that remain unaddressed following the prior revisions to the bill.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Sen. Ita Enang, announced this on Monday.

The aide said that the president had communicated his position on the bill to the Senate and the House of Representatives on Aug. 30.

The development had generated heated debate across the country in view of the 2019 general elections.

Ayantayo argued that since the Constitution allowed the president to have a review of a bill before signing. It pre-suposses that Buhari is doing the right thing.

I think that the President is doing the right thing because it is one thing for a bill to be passed by National Assembly and it is another thing for the president to assent to it.

This means that the fact that he has the final assent and the Constitution allows him to have a review and look at it thoroughly.

Perhaps, because we are coming from a background in which we think that when a bill is passed, it must get presidential assent at all cost, that is why it is so surprising to us that he delays in assenting it.

I think it is part of the process it needs to pass through to grow our nascent democracy, he said.

On the implication the delay may have on the 2019 election, the don said there was an element of exaggeration in such insinuation.

I believe that the president too, is equally conscious of the implication of this.

All we need to do is to be patient with him or perhaps, come up with stronger argument for him to see reason why the bill must be signed, he remarked.

Source: NAN

The Nigerian Army said it had neutrialised 14 Boko Haram insurgents and rescued 21 hostages in Pulka village in Gwoza Local Government area of Borno.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the insurgents had on Tuesday, ambushed military escort at Amdaga area in Pulka and burnt one passenger vehicle as well as abducted some travelers.

Brig.-Gen. Texas Chukwu,Director of Army Public Relations, who disclosed this in a statement in Maiduguri on Friday said the terrorists were alleged to have haboured the insurgents that ambushed the civilian vehicle.

The troops have nutrialised 14 Boko Haram and rescued 21 civilians, comprising six women and 11 children.

Troops of 192 Battalion of 26 Task Force Brigade of Operation LAFIYA DOLE, in conjunction with Civilian Joint Task Force, neutralised the insurgents on Thursday.

The troops engagedand subdued the terrorists, following a superior fire power of troops in the village.

Four men injured during the attack are being attended to at the military hospital, he said.

Source: NAN

A study has shown that a massive wind and solar installation in the Sahara Desert and neighbouring Sahel would increase local temperature, precipitation and vegetation, thus benefiting the region.

According to its lead author Li Yan, a postdoctoral researcher in natural resources and environmental sciences at the University of Illinois, thestudy is among the first to model the climate effects of wind and solar installations while taking into account how vegetation responds to changes in heat and precipitation.

Wind and solar farms are known to have local effects on heat, humidity and other factors that may be either beneficial or detrimental to the regions in which they are situated.

The wind and solar farms simulated in the study would cover more than nine million square kilometers and generate, on average, about three terawatts and 79 terawatts of electrical power, respectively.

In 2017, the global energy demand was only 18 terawatts, so this is obviously much more energy than is currently needed worldwide, Li said.

The model revealed that wind farms caused regional warming of near-surface air temperature, with greater changes in minimum temperatures than maximum temperatures.

The greater nighttime warming takes place because wind turbines can enhance the vertical mixing and bring down warmer air from above, according to the study.

Precipitation also increased as much as 0.25 millimeters per day on average in regions with wind farm installations.

This was a doubling of precipitation over that seen in the control experiments, Li said.

In the Sahel, average rainfall increased 1.12 millimeters per day where wind farms were present.

This increase in precipitation, in turn, leads to an increase in vegetation cover, creating a positive feedback loop, said Li.

Solar farms have a similar positive effect on temperature and precipitation, but unlike the wind farms, the solar arrays have very little effect on wind speed.

The rainfall increase is a consequence of complex land-atmosphere interactions that occur because solar panels and wind turbines create rougher and darker land surfaces, said the papers co-author Eugenia Kalnay from University of Maryland.

The increase in rainfall and vegetation, combined with clean electricity as a result of solar and wind energy, could help agriculture, economic development and social well-being in the Sahara, Sahel, Middle East and other nearby regions, according to the study.

Source: NAN

China sent a new marine satellite into orbit on Friday to help improve understanding of maritime waters and climate change.

A Long March-2C rocket carrying the HY-1C satellite took off at 11:15 a.m. from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in north Chinas Shanxi Province.

The satellite HY-1C will help monitor ocean color and water temperatures, providing basic data for research on the global oceanic environment, according to the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence.

Its data will also be used in the survey of the resources and environment of Chinas offshore waters, islands and coastal zones, marine disaster relief and sustainable utilisation of ocean resources, said the administration.

With a design life of five years, the satellite was developed by China Spacesat Co., Ltd. under the China Academy of Space Technology.

Fridays launch was the 284th of the Long March rocket series.

Source: NAN

British Airways will pay compensation to customers whose data was stolen in a sophisticated and malicious hacking attack, its boss said Friday.

The carrier had revealed overnight that the personal and financial details of customers making bookings on the BA website and mobile phone app between August 21 and September 5 had been stolen.

We are 100 percent committed to compensate them, BA chief executive Alex Cruz told BBC radio.

We will compensate them for any financial hardship that they may have suffered.

BA has launched an urgent investigation into the data breach which involved 380,000 bank cards.

The stolen data comprised customer names, postal addresses, email addresses and credit card information.

The 15-day hack did not involve travel or passport details and the breach has now been fixed.

BA took out full-page adverts in the UK newspapers on Friday to apologise, while shares in parent group IAG slid three percent in early morning London deals.

Were extremely sorry for what has happened, Cruz said Friday.

There was a very sophisticated, malicious, criminal attack on our website.

He added that the company first became aware that something had happened on Wednesday evening.

The moment we found out that actual customer data had been compromised, thats when we began an all out immediate communication to our customers. That was our priority.

Police and relevant authorities have meanwhile been notified.

The National Crime Agency said it was assessing the matter, while the Information Commissioners Office added it would also be making enquiries.

Anyone who believes that they may have been affected is advised by BA to contact their bank or credit card provider and follow their recommendations.

The airline added that customers due to travel could check in online as normal.

IAG also owns Spanish carriers Iberia and Vueling, as well as Irish airline Aer Lingus.

Source: NAN

Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona, a 1986 World Cup winner, has been appointed coach of Mexican second division team Dorados, the club said on its website on Thursday.

The club issued a short video on their social media channels with the messages Welcome Diego, and Make it a 10, the Argentina greats shirt number as a player.

Although Dorados, who are based in Sinaloa state in northwest Mexico, gave no further details, Mexican newspapers said Maradona had been hired to replace Francisco Gamez.

Dorados fired Gamez earlier on Thursday after a poor start to the season that brought three points out of a possible 15. They are 13th in the 15-team league, joint bottom of the table.

The 57-year-old former Barcelona and Napoli forward is considered one of the greatest players of all time after a career that peaked in 1986 when he captained Argentina to their second and last World Cup title.

But drug-addiction, overeating and alcoholism put a sharp end to an otherwise glorious career and in 2000 he nearly died following a cocaine overdose.

Maradona previously had short stints coaching clubs in Argentina and the United Arab Emirates but his longest spell in charge was with Argentina, who he led at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

He will be presented by Dorados this weekend and will debut as coach on Sept. 15 when the club faces Cafetaleros de Tapachula.

Source: NAN

Mr. Taminu Turaki, one of the numerous presidential aspirants of the opposition PDP, and Benue Governor Samuel Ortom have submitted their nomination and expression of interest forms for the general elections.

Turaki, a former Minister of Special Duties and Inter-governmental Affairs, who submitted the completed forms on Wednesday explained that all the aspirants agreed to support whoever emerges as the partys candidate in 2019 presidential election.

He said that the aspirants were motivated by the assurances of the party leaders to conduct credible primaries.

Turaki, represented by the spokesman of his campaign organisation, Mr. Sola Atere, said he would not step down for anybody but would support anyone that emerges as PDP candidate.

He also dismissed insinuation that Turaki was fronting for somebody, and noted that he would not do such a thing given his pedigree.

It is just impossible for Turaki to step down. He is a man of honour once he has set out for a task he accomplishes it.

The question of fronting for anybody does not arise, if he fronting for anybody the person would be paying the bills. He cannot change from his good ways.

We have been to 32 states and the reception has been very good and excellent.

The Special Adviser to the Benue State governor on Special Duties, Mr Abraham Kwanghngu, who also submitted forms for Governor Samuel Ortom, said that the governor was ready to go into the partys primary.

Kwanghngu said that the PDP Constitution did not give room for automatic ticket.

He added that though the Ortom, as a sitting governor, has the first right of refusal, he was ready to go into contest with any other person that wants to go in.

We are going to participate in the primaries and I can assure you that the governor will be sure of victory. So we are not even thinking that we shall get automatic ticket.

The party belongs to all, it doesnt belong to anybody or any group of individuals that can stop somebody from entering the party.

The doors of the party are always wide open and decisions to enter the party are taken by individuals.

The governor decided, after full consultations with people of Benue state and the leadership of PDP, both at the state level and at the national level, agreed that he comes back to PDP, Kwanghngu

A governorship aspirant from Oyo State, Seyi Makinde who also submitted his form said that the defection of some politicians from the PDP in Oyo state including former governor Rasheed Ladoja, would not affect his sure victory in 2019.

We wont say that the exit of anybody, even if it is a single individual wont have an impact because this is a game of number.

But if you look at the people that came into the party when we all came back to the home we jointly built with other people, you will notice that when Sen. Rasheed Ladoja and others decided to leave the party, majority of the people they came with did not leave with them.

Twenty nine local government chairmen of PDP were presents today out of 33, same with the State executive 80 per cent of our state executive still intact, and these are committed members of the party.

I think that at the end of the day we gained more people by governor Ladojas decision to leave the party than when he was actually with us,Makinde said.

Another PDP governorship aspirant from Imo State, Sen. Anyanwu, said that the party had a solid structure in the state to reclaim PDP mandate lost to Governor Rochas Okorocha of the All Progressives Congress.

Source: NAN

Indias Supreme Court has legalised homosexuality and gay sex and decriminalised Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, holding out promise of a new dawn in personal liberty and sexual orientation.

The five judge-bench headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra delivered the much awaited verdict on Thursday, according to

Chief Justice Misra observed that, LGBT Community has same rights like any ordinary citizen. Respect for each others rights, and others are supreme humanity. Criminalising gay sex is irrational and indefensible.

No one can escape from their individualism. Society is now better for individualism. In the present case, our deliberations will be on various spectrums, CJI Misra said.

Sustenance of identity is the pyramid of life, CJI Misra added.

No one can escape from their individualism. Society is now better for individualism.Indias chief justice

Indias Supreme Court had in 2013 restored Section 377, a British-era law that bans gay sex. It had overturned a landmark judgement by the Delhi High court in 2009 which had ruled that consenting intercourse between two adults was not illegal.

The position of the court then was that overturning the outdated law was the job of Parliament, which can decide on scrapping laws.

Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code bans carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal.

Gay sex is punishable by up to 10 years in jail under the 1861 law. Prosecution under Section 377 is, however, not common, but activists complain that authorities use the law to harass or scare gay people.

After the 2013 verdict, five high-profile petitioners Bharatnatyam dancer Navtej Johar, documentary filmmaker Sunil Mehra, restaurateur Ritu Dalmia, hotelier and historian Aman Nath and business executive Ayesha Kapur challenged it and became the human faces of this battle.

Before their entry, the battle was fought since the early nineties by NGOs, the Naaz Foundation being one of them.

While reserving the verdict on July 17 this year, Misra and Justices R F Nariman, A M Khanwilkar, D Y Chandrachud and Indu Malhotra brushed aside as far-fetched the arguments from opponents of decriminalisation of Section 377 that it could also legalise incest, group sex and sodomy.

The top court had also said, no one should have to live in fear because of their sexuality.

The five petitioners had argued that Section 377 violates rights principles enshrined in the constitution, like equality before law, no discrimination based on religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth and freedom of speech and expression.

Source: NAN

By Yakubu Uba

A mentally sick lawyer, Ibrahim Waley, on Thursday caused a stir during sitting at a Yola High Court when he joined his colleagues (lawyers) at the front row while clad in traditional dress as against the formal gown and wig.

A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Correspondent at the court reports that Waley, who arrived the jam-packed court hall while judgement was being delivered, took his seat at the wrong place, to the surprise of those in court.

As at the time of his arrival, judgement was being delivered on a suit filed by some aggrieved All Progressives Congress (APC) members seeking the nullification of the recent congresses conducted by the party in the state.

Looking confident that he was in the midst of his colleagues, Waley rebuffedentreaties by a journalist who offered him alternative seat, insisting that as a lawyer, he must sit in the front row like other lawyers.

Attracted by his noise, a court staff approach and pleaded with him to accept the offer of the journalist, but he declined..

Attempt to convince Ibrahim to sit on other alternative seats, or move out of court room since all the front seats were occupied by lawyers, resulted in a heated argument, making Justice Abdul-Azeez Waziri to suspend reading his judgement briefly, calling for order.

After being forced out of the court, Ibrahim continued to protest what he described as an infringement on his right to sit in the front row.

A judicial staff who spoke on condition of anonymity, told NAN that Waley was, before his mental problem, a known lawyer and politician.

Source: NAN

The Inspector- General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, has approved the dismissal of three of the four policemen who carried out illegal search in Chief Edwin Clarks residence in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that four policemen, on Sept. 4, illegally carried out search in the Abuja residence of Clark.

The officers are: AP/No.18858, Insp. Godwin Musa, AP/No. 225812 Insp. Sada Abubakar and AP/No. 225828 Insp. Yabo Paul.

A statement by the force spokesman, acting DCP Jimoh Moshood on Thursday in Abuja, said that AP/No. 158460 ASP David Domnic was placed on interdiction, pending the decision of the Police Service Commission.

Moshood said that Dominic was queried and is being investigated for discreditable conduct, negligence of duty and an act unbecoming of a Police officer.

He said that the the offences against the officer were serious and dismissal from service was inevitable.

The spokesman said that the dismissal of Paul, Abubakar and Musa was upheld after they were tried under Oath in Orderly Room for discreditable conduct.

Moshood said the dismissed officers were also tried for Illegal duty, disobedience to Lawful Order and other misconduct, contrary to the Rule of Law.

He said that the suspect/ Informant, Ismail Yakubu, had been charged to the Upper Area Court Mpape, Abuja for giving false information and telling falsehood that misled Police action.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), also report that the police has apologised to Clark over the unauthorised search of his residence by the four policemen.(NAN)

Source: NAN