600 Russian ground troops land in Syria

                       
For the first time since Russia joined the Syrian battlefield last September, ground troops have been deployed near the strategic city of Aleppo in the Syrian north.
Their aim is to provide logistic support in the upcoming major battle for Aleppo.
Over the past 48-hours, six hundred Russian special forces have landed at the Hmaymeem Airbase on the Syrian coast and been transferred to Al Safira, a city in the Aleppo governorate strategically located on the Damascus-Aleppo Highway. From there they will be placed along the Castello Road, formerly the main lifeline for the Syrian Opposition from Turkey, helping channel arms, money, and food to Turkish-backed militants in eastern Aleppo.
That road has been fully seized by the Syrian Army, with strong Russian air cover, since mid-July.
It will now be used to bring UN aid to war-torn Aleppo; both the opposition held eastern part of the city, with its 200,000 inhabitants, and regime-held western Aleppo, with its 1.2 million residents.

ASUU’ threatens FG with Planned Nationwide Strike

                             
Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, has said government is not aware of the grounds for the planned strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU.
A statement by the ministry said ASUU had not officially communicated such decision.
The terse statement added: “When we do so, we shall look into the matter, the ground of agitation by ASUU, this will include of course dialoguing with both parties; we are conciliators and be rest assured we are working relentlessly to ensure industrial harmony.”
 The ASUU had earlier in the week threatened to embark on a nationwide strike to press home its demands for the implementation of its 2009 agreement with the Federal Government.

Ambode vows to demolish illegal structures

                                               
                                                  Akinwunmi Ambode 

The Lagos State Government on Saturday said it would intensify efforts to rid the State of illegal structures.
It also said owners of the buildings demolished in Ikoyi were duly served with contravention, removal and quit notices before the exercise was carried out.
In a statement issued by the Commissioner, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, the Government said it had noted with dismay, the flagrant disobedience of Building Regulations, and has therefore resolved to ensure removal of all structures that are in contravention of the law.
Speaking against the backdrop of recent demolition of some illegal structures in Ikoyi, Ayorinde reiterated Government’s determination to rid the State of Illegal developments saying “In our effort to maintain a sustainable, organized, liveable and friendly environment, the Government will not renege on its declared stance of zero tolerance for structures and properties without development permit or approved building plans.
He also warned that all those who choose to erect illegal structures in violation of our laws in order to take advantage of third parties will not only have those structures removed but will also be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

BREAKING NEWS:Uzbekistan President Karimov dies of brain haemorrhage

                                             
Uzbekistan president, Islam Karimov, is dead, the state television has said.
Karimov’s daughter Lola said earlier this week that the 78-year-old had suffered a brain haemorrhage, but the government had remained silent, making its first announcement on Friday following days of unofficial report that Karimov was critically ill or even dead.
“Dear compatriots, it is with a heavy heart that we inform you that the health of our President has sharply deteriorated in the past 24 hours to reach a critical state, according to the doctors,” the statement said.
Three diplomatic sources had spread the news that Karimov was dead and a further government announcement would come and name the head of the commission in charge of organising the funeral.

Wedding: Kano screens 1,000 prospective couples

                             
The Kano State Hisbah Board said it had commenced medical screening of 1,000 prospective couples for the next Mass Wedding Programme in the state.
It was reported that no fewer than 4, 395 prospective couples were registered by the state government to participate in the programme.
The Director General of the board, Dr Abba Sufi, told reporters in Kano that the screening which started last week was aimed at ensuring the health status of the couples before the marriage.
“The medical screening started about eight days ago and it is intended to ascertain the health status of each and everyone of them.

Peru sentences army officers for Accomarca massacre

                                   
It was one of the most notorious mass killings of Peru’s bitter internal conflict between Maoist guerrillas and the state in the 1980s and 1990s.
Now, 30 years on, a Peruvian court has handed down sentences to the army officers responsible for the Accomarca massacre.
The family members of the victims finally had their day in court. After a trial lasting nearly six years, judges sentenced 10 former army officers to jail terms of between 10 and 25 years.
Junior soldiers received shorter terms or were acquitted while the maximum term was given to the former general convicted of giving the order to kill.
Telmo Hurtado, the ex-officer who led the attack in August 1985, had been dubbed the ‘butcher of the Andes’ for the massacre in Accomarca. He was extradited from the U.S. in 2011.
Using machine guns and grenades and torching homes with the victims inside, the soldiers killed more than 60 villagers, and among them more than 20 were children.

10 Things that will happen if Nigeria invited Mark Zuckerberg

                                  
We all know that Mark Zuckerberg  was herein Lagos Nigeria without informing The Federal Government of Nigeria and we all got to realise that he is a humble person.
Assuming The Federal Government invited him,i believe this will be the outcome me:,

1. The presidency will set up a standing committee to welcome him to Nigeria.
2. The Senate/House committees on Information technology will also set up committees to welcome him too.
3. There will be traffic everywhere in Lagos because all roads will be blocked.
4. Mark cannot walk the streets of Yaba because he will be heavily guarded by soldiers (Not Police).
5. Lai Mouhammed will tell us that Mark Zuckerberg is here to support Buhari’s fight against corruption.
6. At the airport he will be welcomed by the following, a)Minister of Information however, Minister of Youths and sports will welcome him to the United States of Nigeria b)NCC Chairman c) Chairman House Committee on ICT d) Chairman Senate Committee on ICT e) Spokesperson of the Senate/House f) Senate president g)Speaker of the House h) National Chairman of APC i) National Troupe j)National women leader.
7. Young people will wear shirts with his images, women also will tie wrapper bearing his images.
8. The pages of National newspapers will have felicitation messages welcoming him to Nigeria.
9. N900million will be budgeted for his logistics and feeding
10. In 2019 some government officials will be investigated by EFCC based on misappropriation of funds during this visit.

9 highlights from Hillary Clinton's FBI report

                                 
Hillary Clinton's email scandal roared back to life Friday after the FBI released a report detailing her interview with investigators.

The top finding: Clinton seemed repeatedly unable to recall key information about her use of a private email server as secretary of state. Here are some other highlights from the new documents.

'I do not recall'

On 39 separate occasions, Clinton told the FBI that she did not "recall" or remember key elements of the training or classified information process.

What's a classification marking?

In regards to an email with classification markings, Clinton said she did not know what they meant and speculated it indicated paragraph markings.

According to the report, Clinton said "she did not pay attention to the 'level' of classified information and took all classified information seriously. CLINTON was not concerned the displayed email contained classified information. CLINTON believed the email amounted to a 'condolence call' and questioned the classification level."

A level of trust

Clinton repeatedly said she had no reason to think emails to her contained info that was inappropriate for personal email. She said she trusted those emailing understood what was appropriate.

"Clinton did not recall receiving any emails she thought she should not be on an unclassified system," the report read. "She relied on State officials to use their judgment when emailing her and could not recall anyone raising concerns with her regarding the sensitivity of the information she received at her email address."

The drone program

Clinton defended discussion of the Obama administration's controversial drone program in emails on her server, saying she felt conversation was "part of the routine deliberation process" and "did not give her cause for concern" regarding classification. She recalled many conversations about future strikes "that never occurred."

The former secretary of state said she thought drone strike information classification "depended on the context," noting it was an important tool but "frequently in the press."

Hundreds had her address

Clinton said it was well known she used that email address: "At least a hundred, if not several hundred State employees" had that contact info.

Yet some State employees said they did not know her actual address since she appeared merely as the letter "H" in the sender field of the email. And "the majority" of Clinton's aides interviewed by the FBI, including her most senior staffers, did not know of the home server until it became publicly reported or after Clinton left the State Department.

Skirting FOIA rules?

Clinton said she did not have conversations with anyone "with regard to using the server to avoid" Freedom of Information Act regulations. Clinton denied that avoiding FOIA rules was a reason for setting up the system.

Sidney Blumenthal's role

Clinton's correspondence with confidante Sidney Blumenthal has drawn particular scrutiny. But Clinton said that while Blumenthal is a "prodigious" writer, she said the information he provided was "sometimes accurate and sometimes not."

Removing markings

Regarding an email asking an aide to remove markings, Clinton said she was directing him to create talking points and "had no intention to remove classification markings." She explained she thought a "non paper" was a way to convey the unofficial stance of the US government to foreign governments.

The 'oh s*** moment'

Clinton's team had an "oh s*** moment" in late March of last year, according to the report. A few weeks after The New York Times first revealed the information about Clinton's private email use, a person -- whose name has been redacted -- "deleted the Clinton archive mailbox" and "used BleachBit to delete the exported .PST files he had created on the server system containing Clinton's emails."

 

Compiled by Theodore Schleifer 

Culled from CNN

WEDDINGS;Cutting Down on Your Catering Costs

                                  

In most cases wedding catering is the largest expense of a wedding. Aside from the cost of the food itself, you're paying for beverages, kitchen staff, waiters, cutlery and crockery rentals, and potentially extra decorations. But this needn't cost you an arm, leg, and your firstborn.  If you're working within a tight budget, read on for our simplest and most effective tips.

• Do your research and do not be afraid to ask. Many venues who include catering in their quotes have a bit of flexibility when it comes to their budget. Try asking if there's any compromise you can reach, such as bumping up the number of attendants to get an overall better price on the food. If you're organising your venue seperately from your catering service, ask the venue for particular recommendations. Ring around and see which companies can work within your budget, and which are most flexible. Those that won't budge are simply weeding themselves out- chances are that they'll be inflexible in other respects too. The main idea here is to simply find where to get the most bang for your buck.
   
• Be ruthless with your guest list. Less people= less food needed. Enough said.
  
• Forego formal service. A substantial portion of your payment will go towards the service itself. So bypass paying the wages of the waiters and either organise a buffet-style layout, or get family and friends to serve the food.
   
• Better yet, cater yourself! If your venue allows for you to cater yourself, consider organising a pot-luck meal! Have everyone bring a dish (you can even specify a theme, such as 'authentic Greek cuisine') and enjoy the spoils! This is one wedding meal that definitely won't be forgotten. Alternatively, if you and your family/ friends are into cooking and it wont be far too strenuous, you could simply cater the wedding yourselves.
   
• Go vegetarian! For those whose family and friends may have specific (and expensive) meal requirements, such as halal or kosher foods, cut out the meat. This will by no means cut down on the diversity available- think of meat alternatives, such as tofu, seitan, falafel, quorn etc. This also means for religious groups that you can have dairy included in the meal! And having a hearty falafel pita pocket followed by cheesecake is certainly something to praise God for, am I right ladies?
  
• Use meat sparingly. If you don't want to go all- out veggie, simply use meat for the main. There are plenty of delicious vegetarian appetiser options that will ensure that meat is not missed.
   
• Don't fall prey to the idea of an elaborate buffet. Sure, organising a buffet will save you money on service, but many overcompensate with numerous entree, main course, and dessert options, which can end up being more costly than a simple plated dinner. Avoid this trap by offering your guests a couple of options- just because there are more options doesnt mean they'll appreciate the food any more.
  
• Presentation is key. Remember that all people eat with their eyes before their stomachs! In other words, no matter how simple your menu is, plate it up like a professional would. For instance, don't just spoon out a dollop of mashed potato, pipe it into a beautiful, intentional shape with a piping bag. Fan out your celery sticks rather than heaping them into a higgeldy- piggeldy pile. Use opposite colours when you can to create a dramatic effect- for example, garnishing steamed greens with roasted beetroot or tomato. This will give your food a distinctly refined edge, and encourage your guests to appreciate the flavours and textures of the food more.
  
• Away with alcohol! It's considered particularly bad etiquette to not have an open bar, yet free flowing drink could easily run you into thousands of extra dollars on your bill. Skip the alcohol altogether and and instead serve up virgin versions of popular drinks: think sparkling cider for champagne, and virgin cocktails. Bonus: you won't have to deal with any overly drunk attendees, which is one of the fastest routes to ending an otherwise great night.
  
• Hold a cheese buffet. Serve a variety of cheeses with rustic breads, chutneys, jams and fruit. Voila! Cultured catering for a fraction of the cost.
  
• Get symbolic by breaking bread together. For centuries, breaking bread with others has been regarded as the great equaliser- the act of sitting together and sharing one of the most basic foods so intimately has been regarded as the symbol for comraderie, mutual respect and appreciation. Instead of offering a starter's course, offer a variety of breads with an array of different oils and vinegars for dipping. This is not only delicious, but the informality of using your hands to eat is fun and will encourage a relaxed atmosphere.
  
• Eat seasonally. Not only will eating foods naturally available during your wedding season keep the costs down, but it'll taste better and is far more environmentally conscious (you'll be saving plenty of energy that would otherwise be used to artificially produce the product, as well as that energy used for transporting the goods).

• Don't bother with renting cutlery. You can cut costs by using paper and plastic goods instead of glassware, china plates, cloth napkins, and silverware. Additionally, you can order biodegradable and reusable options online- perfect for future picnics or simply donating them to those in need.
• Create a special menu for those in need. For instance, those who are lactose or gluten itolerant or vegetarian. Creating these meals in bulk will not only save you money, but allow the caterers to spread their creative wings, and show the guests that they have been thought of specifically. Win- win- win.
• Keep the kids in mind. Count exactly how many kids under 10 will be attending, and organise a separate menu accordingly. You'll save money on the actual food they eat as well as the portion size, and just as importantly, the kids will love it.
• Pay attention to the clock. If the event runs over your allotted time, you may have to pay extra charges. Be sure to find out how long you have the reception site/facilities for.
• Don't restrict yourself to a sit-down dinner reception. In fact, choosing a different time of day for your reception will generally result in significant savings. You should, however, make clear in your invitations the set-up of  note on the invitation, however, the type of reception you are holding in order to save guests Consider the following options, for instance:
  • Tea receptions. Generally held at 'tea time', between 2-4 pm. Traditionally, served items include: canapés, finger sandwiches, tea, scones, pastries, cakes, cupcakes and a variety of cheeses (the specifics of whichwill depend on your caterer).
  • An hors d'oeuvres reception can take place at almost any time of the day- either between 11am-5pm or after an evening wedding. As the name suggests, you would serve light finger foods such as: chips and dips, fruit and vegetable platters, cheeses, and crackers, meat and cheese trays, shrimp cocktails, oysters, egg rolls, sausages, chicken wings, and tea sandwiches.
  • A cocktail reception can similarly be held between 11am- 5pm or after dinner. This could include passed trays of food as well as small stations with finger food. Be sure to have to have plenty of napkins, plates, cutlery and seating on hand to avoid messy dining. The reception's finale will be the cake-cutting ceremony and coffee service, which can be supplemented by after-dinner drinks and petites fours.
  • An all dessert reception can be held after lunch or dinner- between 1-5pm or from 8pm onwards. Here, an extensive assortment of rich desserts such as cheese cakes, tarts, tortes, cookies, pies, cakes, pastries, cobblers, biscotti, ice cream, sundaes, and candies are served. Supply with coffee, tea, hot chocolate, milkshakes, soft-drinks and/ or juices. Again, your wedding caterer should be able to provide your with a wide range of options.
  • If you're looking for a super-simple option, hold a classic 'cake and punch' reception. This is usually heald either mid-morning or mid- afternoon. It can additionally be made as simple or elaborate as you like- varying from simply offering a piece of the wedding cake and some home- brew, to a number of different cakes, drinks, lollies, biscuits and nuts on offer. 
  
  Written by Andi Willis