₦airaland Forum

A bomb blast in Moscow on Tuesday killed a senior general in charge of Russia's nuclear protection forces, Russia's investigative committee said.

"Igor Kirillov, the head of the radiation, chemical and biological protection forces of the armed forces of the Russian Federation, and his assistant were killed," the investigative committee statement said.

Kirillov, a lieutenant general, was the head of Russia's Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Protection Troops.

Homemade device caused explosion
The explosion occurred outside a residential building on Ryazansky Prospekt, about 7 km (4 miles) southeast of the Kremlin.

According to police sources, a homemade device was used to cause the blast. The bomb was reportedly concealed in an electric scooter.

Photographs on the messaging app Telegram showed a destroyed building entrance, rubble, and blood-stained snow.

DAMASCUS -- Ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad said in a statement Monday he wanted to stay in the country after rebels captured the capital Damascus a week ago, but the Russian military evacuated him from their base in western Syria after it came under attack.

The comments are the first by Assad since he was overthrown by jihadi-led insurgent groups just over a week ago.

Assad said in a statement on his Facebook page that he left Damascus on the morning of Dec. 8, hours after insurgents stormed the capital. He said he left in coordination with Russian allies to their Hmeimim air base in the coastal province of Latakia, where he had planned to keep fighting.

Assad said that after the Russian base came under attack by drones, the Russians decided to move him on the night of Dec. 8 to Russia.

“I did not leave the country as part of a plan as it was reported earlier,” Assad said.

“At no point during these events did I consider stepping down or seeking refuge nor was such proposal made by any individual or party,” Assad said in the English text of his statement. “The only course of action was to continue fighting against the terrorist onslaught.”

Obeida Arnaout, spokesman for the political department of the new transitional government formed by the former insurgents, said in an interview Monday that with the Syrian factions entering Damascus, “the Assad regime is finished with no return" and that Russia “should reconsider its presence on Syrian territory as well as its interests.”

Arnaout said Syria has entered a new phase that will be open to the world, and its new government is looking to build good relations with its neighbors and the world. He called on the U.S. and other countries to reconsider the designation of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham — the main rebel group and a former affiliate of al-Qaida — as a terrorist organization, calling it “not right and not accurate” designation.

Syria is home to multiple ethnic and religious communities, often pitted against each other by Assad’s state and years of war. Many of them fear the possibility that Sunni Islamist extremists will take over.

The new Syrian leadership had already been in contact with the U.S. to return American citizen Travis Timmerman, who was among the prisoners released from government detention centers when Assad fell, Arnaout said.

“There are political contacts at the highest levels in a way that benefits the Syrian people’s and that strengthen the current administration,” he said.

Asked whether the new government's security forces would cooperate with the U.S. to combat militants with the Islamic State group, Arnaout said Syrian factions have ousted and rejected IS and the group no longer has a significant presence in the country.

U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led forces in northeast Syria have been the main U.S. ally in fighting IS, and oversee detention centers housing IS militants. However, the future of the Kurds and the semi-autonomous region they control remains unclear in the country's new post-Assad order. Clashes over territory have taken place in some areas between Kurdish forces and the armed groups that overthrew Assad.

Arnaout said the Kurds are part of the Syrian people and their rights will be protected. However, he said the new government will not accept that any part of Syria be outside of Damascus' control.

“Kurds are one of the components of the Syrian people and we are very keen that this group has its rights protected,” he said. “The social fabric in Syria is a source of strength and not weakness. But we affirm that we don’t any part of Syria to be separated, and we will not allow that any part of Syria be out of the Damascus government control.”

Also Monday, a U.K.-based war monitor said Israeli airstrikes early Monday hit missile warehouses on the Syrian coast and called it the “most violent strikes” in that part of Syria since 2012.

Israel has been pounding what it says are military sites in Syria after the dramatic collapse of Assad’s rule, wiping out air defenses and most of the arsenal of the former Syrian army. Israeli troops have also seized a border buffer zone, sparking condemnation, with critics accusing Israel of violating the 1974 ceasefire and possibly exploiting the chaos in Syria for a land grab.

immortalcrown:
Why?

immortalcrown:
Is it only the government that can get something right?

immortalcrown:
But ESN is condemned.

Benue state governor Hyacinth Alia inaugurated Benue state civil protection guards on December 14th with 5,000 security personel for the take off, he donated 100 hilux vans, 600 combatant motobikes

The event was attended by the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, Inuwa Yahaya; Yobe State Governor, Mai Buni; Kogi State Deputy Governor, Joel Salifu; representatives of the Nasarawa and Taraba State governors; and the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Ibrahim Gaduje.

In a groundbreaking achievement, Nigerian model Nwajagu Samuel has become the first African and Nigerian to win the prestigious Mister International title.

Righteousness2:
Always yarning rubbish with confident.
You know nothing but you yarn loads of crap

Nigeria's Samuel Nwajagu bested 46 other competitors to win Mister International 2024 on Saturday, December 14 at Fashion Island in Bangkok, Thailand.

The 23-year-old software engineer, athlete & model with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering also bagged the Best in Swimwear award. He is 6’3″ tall.

He succeeds last year's winner Kim Goodburn from Thailand.

Nguyễn Mạnh Lân of Vietnam & Glenn Victor Sutanto of Indonesia were the first and second runners-up, respectively, while Anthony Henricus of the Netherlands, Rafael Dominguez of Spain, & Justine Ong of the Philippines (fav-vote winner) rounded out the Top 6 finalists.

The rest of the Top 10 finalists were the contestants from Mexico, Italy, Korea, Ecuador & China.

This year's competition marked the 16th edition of the Mister International pageant and it was the first time for a Black / African to win the highly coveted title.

Zonefree:
Here please.

Zonefree:
A good and upright man will always find favours from his enemies.

OkpaNsukkaisBae:
I disagree. She's speaking the truth. You have to acknowledge that there's a problem so you can start searching for remedies and solution.

Judolisco:
Where are the personnels?

Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State, on Saturday, inaugurated a new security outfit called the Benue State Civil Protection Guards.

Governor Alia explained that the security outfit aims to complement conventional security operatives in tackling insecurity within the state.

He highlighted that the establishment of the outfit underscores his administration’s commitment to ensuring the security of the people.

“The goal is to decisively combat criminality and create an environment where our people can live, farm, work, and thrive without fear,” he said.

The launch of the 5,000 gallant officers, along with the donation of 100 vehicles and 600 special combatant motorcycles, is part of efforts to secure the state.

“It is my firm belief that with these initiatives, we are not only reinforcing our commitment to safeguarding lives and property but also sending a clear message that the fight against insecurity in Benue State is already won,” Governor Alia stated.

He urged the personnel to uphold the safety and security of the communities and to embody the highest standards of professionalism and ethics in their duties.

“Your role is critical to the success of our security initiatives, and I am confident that you will rise to the occasion,” he added.

Governor Alia expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for his unwavering support to the people of Benue State, commending his consistent concern for national security and the assistance his administration continues to provide in strengthening security in the state.

The event was attended by the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, Inuwa Yahaya; Yobe State Governor, Mai Buni; Kogi State Deputy Governor, Joel Salifu; representatives of the Nasarawa and Taraba State governors; and the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Ibrahim Gaduje.

South Korea's parliament has voted to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived attempt to impose martial law earlier this month. On Saturday, the country's National Assembly voted by 204 to 85 to impeach Yoon and suspend his powers and duties, the Associated Press reported.

The motion required the support of two-thirds of lawmakers to pass. Yoon had survived a first impeachment vote last Saturday after most of his ruling People Power Party (PPP) boycotted it.

Yoon issued a martial law decree on December 3, which caused political turmoil across the country. It lasted only six hours as the country's parliament voted to block the decree. South Korea's Constitutional Court has 180 days to decide whether to dismiss Yoon as president or restore his powers. If he is forced out, an election to choose his successor must be held within 60 days.

Yoon's refusal to resign and his insistence that he was right to declare martial law convinced some lawmakers from his own party to cross the aisle and meet the two-thirds majority, or 200 votes, required to oust him, The Washington Post reported. Yoon justified the martial law declaration as a move to thwart "anti-state" activities by the opposition parities controlling the National Assembly.

He sent hundreds of troops and police officers to the parliament in a bid to block its vote on the decree. He said on Thursday that his decision was an act of governance, and accused the main liberal opposition Democratic Party of being a "monster" that had tried to impeach officials and undermine the government's budget bill

Korean democracy has survived a close call, and other democracies with a presidential form of government should take heed of the lessons from this episode," said Tom Pepinsky, government and public policy professor at Cornell University. "President Yoon's attempt to declare martial law reveals the fragility of the rule of law in divided societies, especially those with presidential governments in which the chief executive cannot be easily dismissed by the legislature," he told Newsweek.
Pepinsky said it was fortunate that the martial law declaration was decisively opposed by the country's National Assembly, as well as the media, civil society, and the rank-and-file members of the military who opted not to use violence against protesters and lawmakers.

Most importantly, no members of President Yoon's own party were willing to defend his actions in public, nor did any vote in defense of his martial law declaration," he added. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will serve as interim president as South Korea enters a period of uncertainty.

CyrusVI:
A lady that thinks demarketing her country is a big flex would prolly be inhumane in most of her actions and comments

You shouldnt expect much from her

My worry tho, is why we keep giving her this free publicity in our media space...She's British for godsake

Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the United Kingdom's Conservative Party, has stated that she identifies more with her Yoruba heritage than with Nigeria as a whole.

In an interview with The Spectator, Badenoch expressed that she feels little connection to northern Nigeria, which she described as a "haven for Islamism and Boko Haram."

“I find it interesting that everybody defines me as being Nigerian. I identify less with the country than with the specific ethnicity (Yoruba),” she remarked.

“I have nothing in common with the people from the north of the country, the Boko Haram where Islamism is,” she added.


Her comments have drawn significant backlash from many Nigerians, including high-profile figures.

Among her critics is Nigeria’s vice-president, Kashim Shettima, who recently told Badenoch she could change her name if she wished to disassociate from Nigeria, calling it the “greatest black nation on earth.”

Despite the criticism, Badenoch has doubled down on her stance, asserting that her true identity lies in her Yoruba roots.

She added, "Somebody once told me when I was very young that my surname was a name for people who were warriors. They protected the crown, and that’s what I see myself as doing.”

She further emphasised, “I am here to protect and I will die protecting this country because I know what’s out there.”

Meanwhile, Saharareporters earlier reported that Vice President, Kashim Shettima, accused Kemi of disparaging her country of origin, Nigeria.

He had made the statement on Monday during the 10th Annual Migration Dialogue at the State House in Abuja.

Shettima said, “Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the British Labour or Conservative Party. We are proud of her in spite of her efforts at denigrating her nation of origin.”

He further added, “She is entitled to her own opinions; she has even every right to remove the Kemi from her name but that does not underscore the fact that the greatest black nation on earth is the nation called Nigeria.”

The Vice President highlighted Nigeria’s significance on the world stage, stating, “One out of every three, four black men is a Nigerian and by 2050, Nigeria will support the United States, and will be the third most populous nation on earth.”

nedekid:
The unfortunate thing is that these same people have played into the hands of their destroyers.
Sadam, qadaffi and others that did not tow the dictates of the western colonisers were all labelled dictators, killers etc, they even went as far as demonizing idi amin to the extent they said he ate human flesh. Today Libyans wish for the life they had under qadaffi, the free education to even foreign universities, new house paid by the state for a newly married couple, I heard even at a certain age you get money to buy or build a house. Libya is now a failed state along with the others after western countries lead by the US used any means including sponsoring terrorists to remove the governments.
Poor Syrians, Europe will soon deport all of them, Turkey is sending them back, they must all go back to Syria and face the reality of a failed state they allowed themselves to be used to create.
Israel the land thief has already moved their troops towards Damascus, be sure they will never leave and will create new settlements in Syria then annex the land, the Turkish have cut out their own chunk, the US (oil thief) has also caved out their part, ofcouse the area that contains all 100% of the oil in syria.
Omo, the Syrians are in for a long thing, theirs will be worse than gaza. Someday they will cry and beg for Assad that kept their country together.

Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia, on Wednesday, presented a budget estimate of N550 billion for the 2025 budget.

Presenting the proposed budget to the state Assembly, Alia explained that the estimate represented a 47.5% increment over the 2024 revised and approved budget.

Tagged ‘Budget of Human Capital Development, Food Security, and Digital Economy’, the governor said the intention of his administration was to stay within the limits of its recurring revenue to build dreams, without accruing unnecessary debts for generations unborn.

He added that since the proposed 2025 budget was a deficit one, he envisaged that his government may borrow a conservative sum of N26 billion.


While the budget proposed the sum of over N174 billion as current expenditure to sustain the minimum wage payments and other incidental costs associated with overheads, the proposed capital expenditure stands at N375 billion which represents 71.5% increase over the 2024 revised budget.

The governor said, “Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, the intention of the government is to stay within the limits of its recurring revenue to build the Benue of our dreams, without accruing unnecessary debts for generations unborn.


‘Let me take it again,' Okpebholo struggles with numbers during budget presentation
“This explains why Benue State is among the few states in the country that are offsetting the indebtedness, paying salaries, and meeting other financial and infrastructure commitments without recourse to borrowing.


“However, since the 2025 budget is a deficit one, it proposes a borrowing plan of a conservative sum of Twenty-Six Billion, and Fifty-Three Million, Nine Hundred and Fifty-Three Thousand, Seven Hundred and Thirty-Six Naira Thirty-Two Kobo only (N26,053,953,736.32K).

“This represents a modest 4.7% of the proposed aggregate expenditure for 2025. This is lower than the State’s Debt-to-GDP ratio of 8.2% which is within the benchmark of the 25% debt sustainability threshold.

According to the sectoral breakdown of expenditure estimates, the administration took the lion’s share with over N212 billion and the economy about N197 billion.

Further sectoral breakdown of expenditure estimates includes education & knowledge management to gulp about N83 billion, health & human services about N83 billion, agriculture & food security N84 billion, law and justice about N27 billion, security about N47 billion, infrastructure, N110 billion and Social Welfare, N5 billion.

Others are commerce about N59 billion, digital economy about N19 billion and others about N35 billion.