Mom confesses to killing five babies

A French mother was charged Thursday with murdering five of her babies in a case solved by DNA evidence obtained years later after a brawl between neighbours. Fourteen years after the bodies of four of the babies were found in a forest, Sylvie H., aged 53, has admitted to murdering five children, the public prosecutor in the eastern city of Mulhouse told a press conference. The killings are believed to have taken place from 1993-1995 and 2003-2005. The body of a fifth baby was found at the suspect’s home. The mother, who has three other children aged 18, 27 and 32, revealed this week that she gave birth alone at home each time, without the father’s knowledge. Investigators had for years puzzled over who was behind the infants’ deaths. An autopsy showed at least two were strangled with cords. But with no DNA evidence linking the babies to a parent, the case went cold until September 2016 when Sylvie H., her partner and her eldest son were involved in a fight with their neighbours. Investigators looking into the dispute took DNA samples from the mother — and to their surprise realised they had a match with the samples taken from the babies in 2003. When officers arrived to arrest the woman at her home in a Mulhouse suburb on Tuesday “she understood immediately why they had come for her” and confessed to the killings, prosecutor Dominique Alzeari said. The father of the children, who appeared “absolutely unaware” of the killings, was “very upset”, Alzeari added. The woman’s motives remain unclear. She faces life imprisonment if convicted. In Germany, a woman was sentenced to 14 years in prison last year after being found guilty of killing four of her babies by suffocation.

Saudi women scholars call out prince's reform agenda

Leading female scholars from Saudi Arabia have described moves to ease restrictions on women as government spin aimed at an international audience to bolster support for efforts to liberalise its ailing economy.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is seeking to appeal to western governments as a reformist while cracking down on the very women inside the country who have been campaigning for an end to systematic discrimination, they say. Rights groups welcomed a decision to end a ban on women driving in Saudi Arabia, but have called for more comprehensive changes to the kingdom's "guardianship" system", which Human Rights Watch describes as the main obstacle to realising women's rights. Hala Aldosari, a prominent Saudi woman academic in the United States, told Al Jazeera: "The government is trying to portray itself as reformist by tackling certain things that are visible to their outside patrons. They need international businesses to recognise the leadership of Saudi Arabia as a reformer in order to show that they are not discriminating against women and are reforming their competitiveness. "But they are trying to pick and choose those kinds of reforms that they know will make a high impact on the international media and their allies, while at the same time silencing anyone within Saudi Arabia for demanding those reforms." A number of policy changes by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman included an announcement in September that women will gain the right to drive in 2018. Saudi women activists have been campaigning for this since 1990 - it is the only country in the world that prohibits women from getting behind the wheel - and some have been jailed for defying the ban or are in self-exile. External observers attribute recent policy changes to an ambitious economic masterplan unveiled by the crown prince, Vision 2030, aimed at ending the country's dependence on oil by kick-starting its private sector. Aldosari, a fellow at Harvard University's Radcliffe Institute, praised Saudi women for their activism but said the country's rulers are now trying to "hijack" their efforts in order to promote their credentials as reformists. "Saudi Arabia needs to reform its economy, and that is why they have to remove barriers to women's employment - and one of the main barriers mentioned over and over again is the lack of public transport and hence the ability of women to commute in an affordable, convenient way." She added: "What worries me is that, with every reform, the government tries to silence the activists who have called for it so that it can be controlled. They want to manage what reforms are enacted and how." Aldosari's views chime with those of Professor Madawi Al-Rasheed, another prominent Saudi academic at the London School of Economics, who told a recent conference in London that it was no coincidence the driving announcement came on the eve of a UN Human Rights Council decision on sending observers to Yemen to investigate war crimes allegations. "All the respectable journalists in the west were hailing the decision to give women the right to drive in the 21st century as if it were the ultimate reform that we Saudi women could aspire to," said Al-Rasheed. The academic warned liberals outside Saudi Arabia not to be "taken in" by the driving reform. "These are media and PR exercises that want us to believe that the regime has actually changed," she said. "We need to be aware, as women, how our gender issues are used by these autocrats as unelected, unrepresentative people, in order to show the world their soft face - that velvet glove." Jane Kinninmont, senior research fellow at the Chatham House think-tank in London, said lifting the driving ban will have important repercussions on the lives of many women, and the fact that men will not be able to dictate whether they can get a driving licence points to this being a "significant change". "It fits with Mohammed bin Salman's focus on the economy as well, because you have seen a growing number of Saudi women in the workplace yet there is basically no public transport if you need a way to get to work." Kinninmont said the growing role of women in work and the shift towards utilising more female talent after significant investments in women's education has become "one of the huge underlying stories in the Saudi economy". She said: "Women are now the majority of students at Saudi universities, they are getting the best degrees, and they are increasingly interested in having a career." Human rights organisations have welcomed the decision on driving as a step in the right direction, but have called for comprehensive action to dismantle the "guardianship" system, under which women are in effect legal minors who must defer to men to make key decisions about their lives. Rothna Begum, women's rights researcher covering the Middle East for Human Rights Watch, told Al Jazeera: "The lifting of the driving ban is an achievement for Saudi women activists who have faced imprisonment, harassment, and intimidation for more than two decades. "However, these reforms are limited unless the authorities dismantle the male guardianship system, which is the most serious impediment to women realising their rights in the kingdom." Samah Hadid, director of campaigns for Amnesty International in the Middle East, said: "We still need to see a whole range of discriminatory laws and practices swept away, including the repressive guardianship system where every woman has a male guardian to make decisions on her behalf. "Saudi Arabia urgently needs to reform laws that treat women as second-class citizens in comparison to men." Hadid noted the announcement came at a time when Saudi Arabia continues an "unabated crackdown" against activists. A new counterterrorism law has been denounced by rights groups for giving the authorities in the kingdom a powerful tool to silence critics. "Ironically, following the announcement Amnesty International received reports that women's rights activists who campaigned for the ban being lifted received phone calls warning them against publicly commenting on the development - or else they will face interrogations," Hadid said.

Australia senate passes same-sex marriage bill

Australia's upper house has approved legislation to legalise same-sex marriage, meaning it could be signed into law as early as next week.

Politicians rejected efforts from conservative politicians to allow religious objectors to refuse services to same-sex couples. Australians overwhelmingly supported legalising same-sex marriage in a postal survey run by the national statistics agency and the bill easily passed the Senate by 43 votes to 12. Conservatives had pressed for broad protections for religious objectors, among them florists, bakers and musicians, to refuse services to same-sex couples. But amendments for celebrants to refuse to solemnise same-sex marriages and for caterers to refuse service at wedding receptions were either defeated or abandoned during two days of debate in the Senate, where same-sex marriage supporters are in the majority. "The Australian people voted to lessen discrimination, not to extend it and we, the Senate, have respected that vote by rejecting amendments which sought to extend discrimination, or derail marriage equality," Labor Senator Penny Wong, who voted down all the amendments, told the parliament. The bill moves to the lower house next week, where it is expected to pass easily. Yet conservative politicians still hope for a renewed push to add measures exempting objectors to same-sex marriage from existing laws against discrimination. "I do not think we have made these changes in a way which advances rights fully," said centre-right National Party Senator Matt Canavan. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's Liberal-National coalition government and the main opposition Labor Party have said they wanted to pass the law through parliament by 7 December. If the legislation passes as expected, Australia will become the 26th nation to legalise same-sex marriage, a watershed for a country where some states held homosexual activity illegal until 1997.

Eidil Maulud:Nigerian govt declares Friday public holiday

The federal government has declared Friday as public holiday in commemoration of the Muslim Eid-El-Maulud celebration. The Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, made the declaration on behalf of the federal government, according to a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja. The statement was signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Abubakar Magaji. It said Mr. Dambazau urged all Muslim faithful and Nigerians in general to use the occasion to pray for peace, progress and unity of the nation. He further urged all Nigerians to support the President Muhammadu Buhari administration in its efforts at building a virile nation, and wished Nigerians a happy Eid-El-Maulud celebration. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Eid-El-Maulud is celebrated every year by Muslims on the 12th day of the Islamic month of Rabi-ul-Awwal as the birthday of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). (NAN)

Amnesty: Shell involved in Nigeria abuses in 1990s

Amnesty International has obtained internal documents pointing to complicity by Royal Dutch Shell in crimes committed by the Nigerian military during the 1990s. The rights group released a report on Tuesday that alleges that the British-Dutch oil giant and the Nigerian government operated as business partners, having regular meetings to discuss the protection of their interests. At the time, protests by the Ogoni people of southeastern Nigeria were taking place in response to years of oil spills at Shell facilities, which devastated their environment. Documents obtained by Amnesty show that on October 29, 1990, Shell requested "security protection" to subdue peaceful demonstrations. Over the next two days, police attacked an Ogoni village with guns and grenades, killing at least 80 people, and burning almost 600 homes. Nevertheless, Shell continued to ask for military help in the following years, Amnesty said. The allegations have been known for some time, but thus far had not been substantiated with internal documents. The rights group has gone through thousands of pages of Shell's documents and testimony statements. The files show that Shell repeatedly urged the Nigerian army to take action against protests by the Ogoni community. According to the organisation, Shell called for military support from senior officials, even after the military forces had killed, tortured or raped many demonstrators. The directors of Shell in The Hague and London were aware of this, according to Amnesty. In a statement to Al Jazeera, Shell in Nigeria denied it was involved in human rights violations. "We have always denied, in the strongest possible terms, the allegations made in this tragic case," the statement read. "Amnesty International's allegations are false and without merit. Shell did not collude with the authorities to suppress community unrest and in no way encouraged or advocated any act of violence in Nigeria," the statement added. Amnesty has compiled a case to start a lawsuit against Royal Dutch Shell.

Kenyatta sworn in as president of Kenya

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has been sworn in for a second and final five-year term, a month after winning a bitterly disputed election rerun marked by delays and boycott. Several heads of states and tens of thousands of his supporters attended the inauguration at a stadium in the capital, Nairobi, on Tuesday. Kenyatta, 55, won 98 percent of the votes cast in October's poll, which was boycotted by the main opposition leader, Raila Odinga, who alleged the poll wouldn't be free and fair. The election was marked by a low turnout with only 38 percent of the registered voters casting their ballot – 7.6 million of the 19.6 million registered voters. Last month's poll rerun occurred after the country's Supreme Court annulled August's presidential election results citing "illegalities and irregularities" with the voting process. Meanwhile, the opposition coalition attempted to gather for a "memorial rally" to honour the more than 50 people killed, mostly by security forces, in four months of political violence. Al Jazeera's Fahmida Miller, reporting from Nairobi, said police cordoned off the grounds where the opposition were planning to hold their rally. "Police have been out in force to prevent people from gathering and have fired tear gas to disperse people trying to reach the grounds. The local government has said the planned opposition rally is illegal," Miller said. Kenyatta's inauguration comes after the Supreme Court validated his victory in last month's rerun election. Kenyatta is the son of the east African country's founding father.

Hungary To Rebuild Churches, Others In N/East

The government of Hungary has expressed its readiness to rebuild persecuted churches in the Northeast, as well as provide other humanitarian assistance to the internally displaced persons (IDPs). The deputy state secretary, Ministry of Human Capacities Deputy State Secretariat for the Aid of Persecuted Christians, Hungary, Tristan Azbej who spoke at a press conference in Abuja during the weekend, said they are in Nigeria to gather first hand information and see what exact way or ways the government of Hungary will provide succor to Christians in the Northeast devastated by Boko Haram terrorist group. ”In general we are here to visit the conflict and crisis regions in Northeast Nigeria, and know the international development projects to be done to make their lives more meaningful. “We are are aware of the atrocities committed by Boko Haram terrorist group. We are here to build a direct connection between Nigeria and Hungary and see the way we can assist them,” he said. In his speech, the Ambassador of Hungary to Nigeria, Prof. Gabor Ternak expressed optimism that the crisis is nearing its end. He, however, said that he was in Bama himself and saw the wanton destruction there. “I promised to come back there, today, the government of Hungary is here and everyone will be carried along,” he added. The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Maiduguri, Oliver Doeme who was full of gratitude to God, lauded efforts of the Hungarian government. He averred that the Hungarian government is out to assist the persecuted church globally including Nigeria and most especially the Northeast. ”I was recently invited to Hungary to share our experience with the government and people of Hungary in July, 2017. It was a profound experience, they listened to me and reiterated their support for the church both physically, morally and one of the steps is the scholarship granted to 14 students who are currently studying in Hungary. ”They are also making moves to rebuild churches of all denominations destroyed by the Boko Haram terrorist group and that is why I was invited here. I am thankful, to the government of Hungary,” he said.

Pope Francis fails to mention Rohingya crisis in key Burma address

Pope Francis has called for Burma to "respect each group and its identity" on a visit to the country, but failed specifically to raise the persecution of Rohingya Muslims as some activists had hoped he would. The Pope ended his key address in the Burmese capital, during a meeting with the country's de facto leader Aang San Suu Kyi, without using the word "Rohingya", which would have itself been controversial. Speaking after Ms Suu Kyi's address, the pontiff lamented in his speech how Burma's people have suffered "and continue to suffer from civil conflict and hostilities" which have "lasted too long and created deep divisions," insisting that all people who call the country their home deserves to have their basic rights guaranteed. He said Burma's future must be based on "respect for the dignity and rights of each member of society, respect for each ethnic group and its identity". "Religious differences need not be a source of division and distrust, but rather a force for unity, forgiveness, tolerance and wise nation-building," he added. More follows…

What we want from Buhari’s govt – South-east, South-south governors

The South-East and South-South Governors’ Forum on Monday called on the ​Buhari government to increase allocation to the states from the Federation Account. The governors made the call in a communiqué at the end of the forum’s meeting in Uyo. ​The​ communiqué signed by its Chairman, Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom, expressed concern that in spite of increase in oil price and production level, revenue accruing to states had not reflected such realities. “The forum therefore urges the Federal Government to ensure improved revenue allocation to the states to reflect the current realities to enable the states meet the yearnings and expectations of their people. “The forum also proposed that the Federal Government should relinquish all federal roads​ ​to states, where such roads are located, facilitate legislation that would ease concession of the roads​”. ​ The governors appealed for current intervention on critical infrastructure located in the South-South and South-East​, including​ airports in Calabar, Enugu, Imo and Port Harcourt as well as roads in the zones. The forum expressed concern over alleged shoddy approach to infrastructural development by some intervention agencies of the Federal Government operating in the regions. It, therefore, appealed to the Federal Government to direct the agencies to liaise with state governments in the identification and execution of projects. It expressed belief that the approach would ensure that projects carried out by intervention agencies were in synergy with the developmental agenda of the states. The meeting was also attended by Rochas Okorocha of Imo, Nyesom Wike of Rivers, Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu. Others were Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, Ivara Esu and Dr Nkem Okeke, both Deputy Governors of Cross River and Anambra.

Rohingya crisis: Pope Francis visits Burma in shadow of refugee exodus and genocide accusations

Pope Francis had landed in Yangon, the start of a delicate visit for the world's most prominent Christian to majority-Buddhist Burma, which the United States has accused of “ethnic cleansing” its Muslim Rohingya people. The Pope will also visit Bangladesh, to where more than 620,000 Rohingya have fled from what Amnesty International has dubbed “crimes against humanity” by Burmese security forces, including murder, rape, torture and forcible displacement.

The Burmese army denies the accusations.Only about 700,000 of Burma's 51 million people are Roman Catholic. Thousands of them have travelled by train and bus to Yangon, the country's main city, to catch a glimpse of the pope.

Ogoni youths give FG ultimatum to start clean-up

Ogoni youths, under the aegis of the National Youth Council of Ogoni People, have given the Federal Government a 21-day ultimatum to mobilise workers to site and commence the clean-up of their polluted land.

President of NYCOP, Dr. Young Npkah, warned that the Federal Government should be ready to engage the people in a fresh legal and internationally-recognised opposition. Npkah, who spoke in the Khana Local Government Area, also expressed worry on insecurity, pipeline laying/oil resumption and the delay in the clean-up of Ogoniland, adding that some unknown persons laid pipes in the Tai and Gokana LGAs without negotiating with the people of Ogoni. He warned those involved in such acts to stop immediately, maintaining that pipes couldn’t be laid in Ogoniland without the clean-up of the area. He said, “It is quite regrettable, if not shocking to note that some strange elements whose interest is to milk or fleece us of our God-endowed resources have laid pipes in Tai and Gokana Local Government Areas without bothering to have the decency to negotiate with the people. “We therefore use this medium to warn in strong terms that such an unwholesome, selfish and thieving operation should stop forthwith. Pipes cannot be laid nor can oil exploration resume in Ogoniland without an all-encompassing negotiation with the people. “We are two years away from that sugar-coated innuendo of promise regarding the clean-up of Ogoniland. And sorrowfully today, nothing has taken place. Not even a grain of sand, a tea-spoonful of our polluted waters or a leaflet has been cleaned.’’

Malibu church 'pressured to end meals for the homeless' because it 'lures the needy'

A church in upmarket Malibu has decided to stop providing free meals for those in need after claiming they were told by officials they were attracting too many homeless people.

The United Methodist Church, one of many churches that provides food and help, has been offering free meals twice a week. But it said it was going to stop after being told the meal service was luring too many homeless people. Dawn Randall, a member of the church, said it recently received an email from city officials. “Very succinctly, they claimed we are increasing homelessness,” she told CBS. Volunteer at the Thursday night dinners for the homeless at Malibu Methodist Church, shares her experience. #newswaves32 pic.twitter.com/R9Ymv7XLGy — Alexa Garza V (@Alexagava) November 14, 2017 Reports suggest that the California city of Malibu, famed for its gorgeous beaches and multi-million dollar homes, has a growing problem with homelessness, an issue that was met with both charity and taxpayer money. The Los Angeles Times said the city, which has a population of 13,000, has roughly 180 homeless residents, but no shelter or housing for poor people. The United Methodist Church and Standing on Stone, a Christian group, had been hosting twice-weekly homeless dinners on Wednesdays and Thursdays. But the newspaper said once the metro line to Santa Monica opened last year, a number of residents complained that mentally-ill and other homeless people were camping at the beach and entering schools. “A homeless person was taking a shower in the girls locker room in middle school - that wasn’t real good,” Gary Peterson, a retired developer, told the newspaper. “Providing dinner is a nice thing to do and a good thing, but it’s the location.” At a public hearing this week, Malibu Mayor Skylar Peak denied making the order and apologised for any miscommunication. “No they were never formally asked to stop feeding the homeless,” said Mr Peak. “Not at all.” Neither the church or Mr Peak immediately responded to inquiries.

SUPERSTAR actors, Omotola Jalade-Ekehinde and Ali Nuhu, alongside filmmaker, Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen, will be bestowed with the Best of Nollywood Special Recognition award, organisers have announced.

The event holds Saturday, December 16 at the Cultural Centre, Abeokuta, Ogun State. The chief host is the state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun. Speaking on the choice of the awardees, Seun Oloketuyi, executive producer, BON Awards, said, “We are glad to announce Omotola Jalade Ekehinde, Ali Nuhu and Lancelot Oduwa-Imasuen as recipients of this year’s Special Recognition Awards. You would concur that they deserve it for their achievements and contributions to the industry.” Describing Omotola as perhaps Nigeria’s biggest cinematic export, Oloketuyi said; “There was no contest in her choice in spite of her relatively young age. Here is a lady who broke into the industry before she turned 18 and two decades after, is still a veritable box-office face in an industry known for ephemeral stars. It goes beyond luck. The recognition from TIME Magazine as one of the Most Influential 100 people in the world in 2013 is a pointer to her relentless artistic enterprise and ingenuity. And we at BON Awards are happy to be associated with such iconic actor.” In the same vein, Oloketuyi spoke glowingly about Lancelot Oduwa-Imasuen who he describes as a director’s director. “Lancelot’s longevity and relevance in Nollywood is the stuff of legends. In spite of the incursion of younger, technology-savvy directors into Nollywood, Lancelot has evolved and attained a pied piper status of sort. He deserves the recognition like the others.” Over the years, the BON Awards Special Recognition has been received by among other actors, Liz Benson-Ameye, Nobert Young, Pete Edochie, Adebayo Salami and Kasim Yaro, a legend in the Hausa entertainment industry.

UK teen given 5 years over death of 7-year-old girl

London - A British judge on Friday handed a five-year sentence to a 16-year-old girl accused of manslaughter over the death of a seven-year-old who died of injuries sustained in a playground attack. Katie Rough was found near her home in York, northern England, in January having been attacked with a box cutter and smothered, a case that grabbed headlines across Britain. Teddy bear The defendant, who was 15 at the time of the attack, had been given a life sentence with a minimum five-year term of detention at a previous hearing in Leeds after admitting manslaughter due to mental issues. Judge Michael Soole on Friday called the case "truly exceptional" as he issued his ruling on the teenager, who appeared via video link, clutching a teddy bear. Her identity was not disclosed because she was a minor. "The gravity of the offence of killing a small child speaks for itself," he told the court. "The level of danger to the public is high, he added. "In the circumstances of your continuing silence, the critical question is whether there is any reliable estimate as to how long that danger will continue". Delusional thoughts Rough was found with severe cuts to her neck and chest on a playing field, but her death occurred after being smothered, the court had earlier heard. Prosecutors said the defendant was suffering from delusional thoughts, including the belief that people "weren't human and were robots".

Many feared dead in Imo tanker’s accident [PHOTO]

No fewer than 20 people were feared dead yesterday in an auto crash, at Njaba bridge, along the ever busy Owerri-Umuaka-Okwudor-Orlu federal highway.

The automobile crash involved a tanker loaded with about 33,000 litres of premium motor spirit, PMS, and a fully loaded 18-seater commercial bus. According to an eyewitness, the tanker that was headed to Owerri, suddenly lost control while climbing the hill on the Njaba Bridge and started rolling backward before it burst into flames, which engulfed on an eighteen seater bus that was following behind and burnt the whole occupants to death. Speaking with newsmen, the state commandant of FRSC, Kayode Aremu, who confirmed the tragedy, said he had yet to be briefed about the casualty figure. Aremu said, “My men are at the scene of the incident on rescue mission and controlling traffic. “We have not ascertained the cause of the accident and we don’t have the casualty figure yet.” On his part, the state Police public Relations Officer, Andrew Enwerem, said, “Immediately we learnt of the incident, the command quickly contacted professional fire fighters. “They are at the scene battling to extinguish the inferno. We don’t have the casualty figure yet. The situation is being managed.”

Father docked for allegedly raping own 12-year-old daughter

A 35-year-old father, Emmanuel Idoko, appeared before an Ogudu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on Friday for alleged rape of his 12-year-old biological daughter. The prosecutor, Lucky Ihehie, said Mr. Idoko slept with his daughter in his home at 35, Akinwonsola St.,Oworonshoki, Kosofe Area of Lagos.

The accused is facing a three-count charge bordering on rape of a minor contrary to Sections 137, 160 and 170 of Criminal Code Law 2015. Corroborating the incident, the coordinator, Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT), Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, told the court that the rape started in mid 2017. “The alleged defilement started precisely in July, 2017 in their single room apartment where the 12- year- old girl was allegedly assaulted sexually by her biological father. “According to reports, the mother of the survivor (name withheld) divorced her father over three years ago but Idoko did not allow the mother to go with her children. “The father, the survivor and his other nine-year-old daughter live together in his single room apartment. “The survivor recalled that the first incidence happened in July when her father forcefully undressed her at about 11:00 p.m. even though she resisted, but her own father raped her. “She said since then, her father’s gruesome act has been consistent weekly and precisely on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.” “This caused serious emotional trauma for the young girl who is in primary five. She kept this to herself until she finally opened up to a mandated reporter. “It was the mandated reporter who reported the case to the police, took her to Mirabel Centre, a sexual assault referral centre in Lagos, which examined and confirmed forceful penetrations on her. “At the sexual assault referal centre, she was administered drugs and lodged in a private children centre in the area. “The matter was reported to DSVRT on Nov. 21 by Ketu Police Station Family Unit after presenting hospital reports, then the father was arrested,” she said. The accused pleaded not guilty. The Magistrate, Sule Amzat, granted the accused N200,000 bail with two sureties in like sum. She adjourned the case until December 12 for continuation of trial. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Section 137 stipulates 14 year imprisonment for offender. (NAN)

PROJECT INSPECTION: RIVERS PEOPLE CELEBRATE GOVERNOR WIKE

Thousands of Rivers people on Friday trooped out to celebrate the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike as he embarked on projects inspection in Eleme, Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas. The carnival-like celebration of Governor Wike projects execution across the 23 Local Government Areas peaked at Slaughter Road/Bridge where market women and shop owners sang the praises of the State Governor. The crowd joined the governor as he walked for over two kilometres to inspect progress of work on the strategic road near the Slaughter. Accompanied by the Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Austin Opara and the Former Minister of Transport, Dr Abiye Sekibo, Governor Wike also inspected the Produce House And the National Industrial Court. He further inspected the Woji-Akpajo Bridge , the Elelenwo-Akpajo Road, Garrison-Trans-Amadi-Elelenwo Road, Mile One Market, Judges Quarters, Birabi Street and the TY Danjuma Street. Addressing journalists after the projects inspection, Governor Wike expressed satisfaction that the state is using first class contractors to deliver quality projects. He said that the street celebration by the people signifies their appreciation of the delivery of projects by his administration. "We have no regrets allowing major contractors to execute our projects. The delivery is encouraging. When Government delivers, the people are happy. "Our government delivers and we don't give excuses. We shall continue to deliver in order to keep the people and in line with our development blueprint ". Simeon Nwakaudu, Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor, Electronic Media.

Egypt mosque attack: Death toll rises to 235, the deadliest terrorist atrocity in the country's modern history

The death toll in a militant attack on a mosque in Egypt’s north Sinai region has risen to 235, Egyptian state television reported, quoting the public prosecutor. It was more deadly than the October 2015 bombing of a Russian Metrojet flight, which claimed 224 lives. Militants targeted members of Egypt’s security forces attending Friday prayers at the Al Rawdah mosque in Bir al-Abed, near Arish city. They opened fire from four off-road vehicles on worshippers inside the mosque during the sermon, blocking off escape routes from the area by blowing up cars and leaving the burning wrecks blocking the roads, three police officers on the scene said. Resident Ashraf el-Hefny said many of the victims were workers at a nearby salt firm who had come for Friday services at the mosque, which had contained some 300 worshippers. “Local people brought the wounded to hospital on their own cars and trucks,” he said.US President Donald Turmp condemned the “horrible and cowardly terrorist attack on innocent and defenceless worshippers”, while Prime Minister Theresa May said she was “Appalled by the sickening attack”. Egypt's presidency declared a three-day mourning period, as President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi convened a high-level meeting of security officials.

BREAKING: Atiku formally dumps APC, writes party about decision

Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has finally left the All Progressives Congress (APC) over what he described as the failure of the ruling party to live up to the expectations of Nigerians. A statement announcing his resignation from the APC made available to the media by the Atiku Media Office, the Waziri Adamawa did not however reveal any plan to join any political party. The statement Statement of resignation of His Excellency Atiku Abubakar (Waziri Adamawa) Vice President of Nigeria, 1999-2007 from the All Progressives Congress On December 19, 2013, I received members of the All Progressives Congress at my house in Abuja. They had come to appeal to me to join their party after my party, the Peoples Democratic Party, had become factionalized as a result of the special convention of August 31, 2013. The factionalization of the Peoples Democratic Party on August 31, 2013 had left me in a situation where I was, with several other loyal party members, in limbo, not knowing which of the parallel executives of the party was the legitimate. It was under this cloud that members of the APC made the appeal to me to join their party, with the promise that the injustices and failure to abide by its own constitution which had dogged the then PDP, would not be replicated in the APC and with the assurance that the vision other founding fathers and I had for the PDP could be actualized through the All Progressives Congress. It was on the basis of this invitation and the assurances made to me that I, being party-less at that time, due to the fractionalization of my party, accepted on February 2, 2014, the hand of fellowship given to me by the All Progressives Congress. On that day, I said “it is the struggle for democracy and constitutionalism and service to my country and my people that are driving my choice and my decision” to accept the invitation to join the All Progressives Congress. Like you, I said that because I believed that we had finally seen the beginnings of the rebirth of the new Nigeria of our dreams which would work for all of us, old and young. However, events of the intervening years have shown that like any other human and like many other Nigerians, I was fallible. While other parties have purged themselves of the arbitrariness and unconstitutionality that led to fractionalization, the All Progressives Congress has adopted those same practices and even gone beyond them to institute a regime of a draconian clampdown on all forms of democracy within the party and the government it produced. Only last year, a governor produced by the party wrote a secret memorandum to the president which ended up being leaked. In that memo, he admitted that the All Progressives Congress had “not only failed to manage expectations of a populace that expected overnight ‘change’ but has failed to deliver even mundane matters of governance”. Of the party itself, that same governor said “Mr. President, Sir Your relationship with the national leadership of the party, both the formal (NWC) and informal (Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso), and former Governors of ANPP, PDP (that joined us) and ACN, is perceived by most observers to be at best frosty. Many of them are aggrieved due to what they consider total absence of consultations with them on your part and those you have assigned such duties.” Since that memorandum was written up until today, nothing has been done to reverse the treatment meted out to those of us invited to join the All Progressives Congress on the strength of a promise that has proven to be false. If anything, those behaviours have actually worsened. But more importantly, the party we put in place has failed and continues to fail our people, especially our young people. How can we have a federal cabinet without even one single youth. A party that does not take the youth into account is a dying party. The future belongs to young people. I admit that I and others who accepted the invitation to join the APC were eager to make positive changes for our country that we fell for a mirage. Can you blame us for wanting to put a speedy end to the sufferings of the masses of our people? Be that as it may be, after due consultation with my God, my family, my supporters and the Nigerian people whom I meet in all walks of life, I, Atiku Abubakar, Waziri Adamawa, hereby tender my resignation from the All Progressives Congress while I take time to ponder my future. May God bless you and may God bless Nigeria.

Arab countries blockading Qatar expand blacklist

Two Islamic organisations and 11 individuals have been added to an existing "terror list" drawn up by four Arab countries that are blockading Qatar, claiming the entities and individuals are supported by Doha.

State-run Saudi Press Agency issued a joint statement by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Thursday, saying the quartet's move was taken "in light of their commitment to fighting terrorism, drying up their sources of funding, combating extremist ideology…and its promotion". Saudi Arabia and its allies, which have imposed a land, sea, and air blockade on Qatar since June, accuse Doha of supporting "terrorism". Qatar has denied this. The two organisations that were added to the blacklist were the International Union of Muslim Scholars, headed by Yusuf al-Qaradawi, a prominent theologian from Egypt, and the International Islamic Council for Da'wah and Relief. The two listed entities are terrorist organisations working to promote terrorism through the exploitation of Islamic discourse and its use as a cover to facilitate various terrorist activities," the statement read. "The Individuals also have carried out various terrorist operations in which they have received direct Qatari support at various levels, including providing them with passports and assigning them to Qatari institutions with a charitable appearance to facilitate their movement," it further read. The 11 individuals include the director of relief and international development at the Qatar Red Crescent, Khaled Nazem Diab, Bahraini dissident Hassan Ali Mohammed Juma Sultan, and the acting general leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, Mahmoud Ezzat. It also includes Muslim Brotherhood leader Alaa Ali Al Samahi, and Egyptian dissidents such as Qadri Mohamed Fahmy Mahmoud Sheikh. A Qatari national, Mohammed Suleiman al-Haydar, is among the new entries, while some of the other additions are from Egypt, Libya and Somalia. The blockading countries said Qatari authorities have not "taken effective action to stop terrorist activity", and reaffirmed their commitment to establishing "security in the region". Al-Qaradawi was initially on the list when it was first released in June. In addition, 18 Qatari nationals including businessmen, politicians and senior members of the ruling family, were on the list. In a round of additions, six Libya-based entities and three Yemen-based organisations were included. The four Arab governments accused them of having ties to al-Qaeda. SPA previously reported that three Qataris, three Yemenis, two Libyans and a Kuwaiti were also banned on the basis of being implicated in "fundraising campaign to support [former al-Qaeda affiliated] al-Nusra Front and other terrorist militias in Syria". In a separate development on late on Wednesday, Qatari Prime Minister Abdullah bin Nasser Al Thani said in a television appearance that the ongoing Gulf crisis' objective was to "intervene" in Qatar's internal affairs. This is unacceptable and is a red line for us and the people of Qatar," he said while stressing the importance of dialogue at this time. "Qatar has supported ... mediation efforts and continues to do so," he said. "Qatar is open to dialogue provided that the sovereignty of states and the principle of non-interference in internal affairs are maintained." Demands made by the quartet have included suspension of support for groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood, cooling of ties with Iran, shutting down the Al Jazeera media network and several other media outlets, and the removal of Turkish troops from Qatar. Qatar has strongly denied the accusations and rejected the demands.

Brazil striker Robinho gets nine-year term for rape

Former AC Milan and Real Madrid striker Robinho was sentenced to nine years in prison in Italy on Thursday after he was convicted of gang rape, according to local media reports.

The alleged incident occurred in January 2013, when Robinho was playing for Milan in Serie A. He was found guilty in absentia by an Italian court for sexually assaulting a 22-year-old Albanian woman. Five other people were also accused of the same crime, but their sentences are not yet known. According to Milan daily Corriere della Sera, Robinho and five friends made the young woman drink “to the point of making her unconscious and unable to resist”. They were then said to have engaged in “sexual intercourse multiple times in a row” with her. Robinho has denied the charges and can appeal the decision. The 33-year-old is currently playing for Atletico Mineiro in Brazil. He has 100 international caps for his country.

FG approves fresh N28bn budget support for 35 states

The Federal Government has approved fresh budget support loan facility for 35 states across the country.

Each of the states will get N800m, totaling N28bn to meet their salaries and other obligations. The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udoma, disclosed this to State House Correspondents on Thursday at the end of a meeting of the National Economic Council presided over by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Udoma said the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun; and the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, had been directed to effect payments. Udoma said the Accountant General of the Federation reported to Council that approval has been received and CBN has been directed to pay N800 million to each of the 35 States of the Federation. Only Lagos State is not taking the loan. The minister said, “The Accountant-General reported to the council that approval has been received and CBN has been directed to pay N800m to each of the 35 states of the federation.”

Cyntoia Brown: Who is the former child sex slave facing life in jail?

Cyntoia Denise Brown was 16 when she was sentenced to life in prison for killing a man who had picked her up for sex. She has been behind bars for 13 years, but her story is now spreading around the world after a social media post about her went viral. The post - shared on Twitter and Instagram by Rihanna and Kim Kardashian West - was part of a campaign to see her released. Here is what we know about her case.

Who is she and what happened to her? Brown had been given up for adoption at the age of two by her white birth mother Georgina Mitchell, who faced issues with alcohol and served in prison herself. Ms Mitchell would not see her biological daughter again until after she was already incarcerated. Brown had been adopted by Ellenette Brown - a substitute teacher Ms Mitchell had known - but by the age of 16 in 2004 had been living with a 24-year-old man nicknamed “Cut Throat.” He began pimping out the teenager, who already had a lifelong history of physical, sexual, and drug abuse. Why is she in jail? One night in August 2004, Brown was picked up by Johnny Allen, a 43-year-old real estate agent, outside of a Nashville fast-food restaurant. According to Brown’s testimony, the pair at dinner at Mr Allen’s home. She had spent the previous two weeks on a cocaine binge. Mr Allen had allegedly made unwanted sexual advances towards her, and Brown's testimony said she thought he was reaching for a gun. She said she remembered that he claimed to have been a sharpshooter in the military. Brown said she reached for the pistol in her purse that “Cut Throat” had given her for protection and fatally shooting Mr Allen. Her lawyers argued that shot Mr Allen in self-defense. She then took two guns, some money out of his wallet and drove his truck to a Walmart parking lot The jury rejected Brown's claims of self-defense. She was found guilty of first-degree murder and prostitution, sentenced to life in prison and only up for parole when she is nearly 70 years old. While in prison Brown has finished her two-year degree and is reportedly working on a Bachelor’s degree through a prisoner education programme. Why is her story making headlines now? Filmmaker Daniel Birman made a 2011 documentary about Brown that tracked her for nearly seven years, called Me Facing Life: Cyntoia's Story. He shared a clip from it on a Nashville television station last week, which appears to have inspired the viral post. "This is a young girl who's at the tail end of three generations of violence against women...She had no chance” Mr Birman said. Tennessee changed the law in 2011 to prevent those under the age of 18 from being charged with prostitution which, Mr Birman explained, meant Brown would have been treated as a child trafficking victim had her case been heard later. After seeing the post, reality television star Kardashian West tweeted that she “called my attorneys yesterday to see what can be done to fix this." Rihanna wrote on her Instagram post: “did we somehow change the definition of #JUSTICE along the way?? cause..... Something is horribly wrong when the system enables these rapists and the victim is thrown away for life!” Model Cara Delevingne also tweeted about Ms Brown, calling the justice system “so backwards.” What happens next? Ms Brown has served just a quarter of her 51-year sentence before parole eligibility. Her attorney Charles Bone took on her case pro bono seven years ago. He has continued to file appeals with the court system in the state in a bid to get Ms Brown's sentenced reduced. How are people campaigning for her release? After the story on Mr Birman’s documentary and a flood of support from such high-profile celebrities, a clemency petition was launched. It has received more than 220,000 signatures thus far by people who argue Ms Brown was just a child when she committed the crime, has served her debt to society, and deserves to have her case heard by Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam and a parole board. It needs 250,000 signatures to reach the Governor's desk. Several of the celebrities sharing the post have also been using the hashtag #freecyntoiabrown on Instagram and Twitter to grow awareness of her story.

Nigeria to host Facebook’s first community hub space in Africa

Facebook announced a new nationwide initiative in Nigeria to further cement its commitment and investment in the country, and across the continent. Incorporating a series of high profile partnerships, training programmes and a physical space that will serve as a centre for learning and skills development, this set of initiatives is aimed at helping to develop and nurture communities, including small businesses, the tech and start-up ecosystem, youths and creatives.

“In Nigeria, more than 22 million people use Facebook every month and 87% of SMEs say that when they hire, digital skills are more important than where an applicant went to school. This demonstrates that the power of digital skills to aid economic growth and development has never been more important”, commented Ebele Okobi, Facebook Public Policy Director, Africa. “At Facebook, our mission is clear: To give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together. Our investments and commitments announced in Lagos today further reflect our intent to partner with Nigeria’s policy makers and its vibrant tech and entrepreneurial eco-system to create economic opportunity and independence in Nigeria and across Africa.’’ NG_HUB from Facebook In partnership with CC Hub, Facebook will be opening the doors to its first community Hub space in the heart of Lagos, scheduled to open early next year. ‘NG_HUB from Facebook’ will be a multi-faceted creative space, which will connect and bring together developers, start-ups and the wider community to collaborate, learn and exchange ideas. The NG_HUB will also host a start-up incubator programme, as well as bespoke trainings, guest speakers and a dedicated event space, all aimed at attracting the best talent and driving innovation in Nigeria’s tech ecosystem. Additionally, across Nigeria, Facebook will be supporting a number of existing tech Hubs to serve the communities outside Lagos. The hubs will function as learning centres for local communities, providing multiple opportunities for training and access. Commenting on the announcement of NG_HUB in partnership with CC Hub, and Facebook’s further support of local hubs across Nigeria, Emeka Afigbo, Head of Platform Partnerships, Middle East & Africa said “Nigeria is producing a new generation of exciting start-ups that have incredible potential. We understand the important role Facebook plays here in Nigeria with developers and start-ups and are invested in helping these communities build for the next billion. One of our key passions at Facebook is nurturing and helping to develop the tech and start-up community, and I’m excited to announce our partnership with the Nigerian tech hub ecosystem especially the NG_HUB space, here in Lagos.” Facebook is committed to working with Nigerian small businesses, tech entrepreneurs and the next generation of leaders to better understand and utilise the power of digital tools for economic growth. Launching a series of learning-based programmes facilitated by local training partners, these have been designed to provide skills that lead to employment and to support the growth of small businesses. The goal is to train and support over 50,000 students, small businesses and creative entrepreneurs across the country through a series of scaled digital skills trainings, as well as long-term impact programmes. The training programmes will include: Aspiring Entrepreneurs: Digital (in partnership with the Fate Foundation) – a four-week intensive programme for entrepreneurs across Nigeria. This will be offered throughout the year in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Calabar, Ibadan, Kaduna and Enugu Jobs for Youth: Coding for Employment – a training programme to develop Nigeria’s next generation of coders – designed to upskill developers and prepare them for employment Boost your Business – designed for small, medium sized businesses owners, teaching the fundamentals of digital marketing for business growth, with the goal to help business owners better understand their brand, audience and how to best reach and service them online Creative Entrepreneurship Training – specialised training designed specifically for creatives, including photographers, filmmakers, musicians, artists, bloggers and other creative content creators Online Safety + Digital Literacy Training in Schools and Universities – featuring a series of online safety and digital literacy courses for secondary school and university students Ahead of the programme launch, Facebook undertook a detailed ‘Economic Impact Study to further understand how communities like small businesses and consumers in Nigeria use the platform, and the effectiveness of social media as a growth tool. Nearly 1 in 2 small businesses on Facebook say they built their business on the platform, and 62 per cent stated they have been able to use Facebook to help find employees for their business, whilst over half (58 per cent) of small businesses on the platform say they have been able to hire more employees’ due to growth since joining Facebook.

Pastor dies during hotel sex romp with teen girl

A Pentecostal pastor (name withheld) has been reported dead during an alleged sex romp with a 19-year-old-girl in a hotel room in Kwale, Ndokwa West Local Government Area of Delta state.

Delta Police Command Spokesperson, DSP Andrew Aniamaka, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Asaba. Aniamaka said the victim’s wife reported the incident to the police on Nov. 19. He said the hotel workers were alerted on the incident after the girl raised the alarm for help when she noticed the pastor was gasping for breath. “The incident happened last Sunday evening. We learnt the pastor took the girl, who is said to be 19 years of age, to the hotel room. “While they were in the room after some few minutes, the girl reportedly raised alarm which attracted workers in the hotel, who rushed into the room to find the pastor dead. “The wife of the pastor was called to the scene of the incident, where he met her husband stone dead,” the police spokesperson said. “She subsequently reported the matter to the Police Division in Kwale,” Aniamaka said. The police said an autopsy would be conducted to determine the cause of death of the pastor, adding that the police had since launched an investigation into the incident. (Source: NAN)

US warns citizens against travelling to Saudi Arabia

The US State Department has cautioned its citizens "to carefully consider" travelling to Saudi Arabia, citing persisting terrorist threats and a spillover of violence from Yemen across the border.

The travel warning, issued on Tuesday, warned of the threat of ballistic missiles fired by rebel groups from Yemen into the kingdom. "In the past year, rebels have fired several long-range missiles into Saudi Arabia capable of reaching the vicinities of Riyadh and Jeddah, and they have publicly stated their intent to continue doing so," the State Department said. The most recent missile fired into Saudi Arabia landed north of the capital, Riyadh, on November 4 and caused debris to fall near the King Khalid International Airport Saudi Arabia has been leading a coalition at war in Yemen since March 2015, when the oil-rich kingdom intervened to push back Houthi rebels and reinstate the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. The State Department also banned US government employees and their families from travelling to any area within 50 miles of the Saudi-Yemeni border, including the cities of Jazan and Najran. "Yemeni forces also routinely fire artillery at Saudi border towns and launch cross-border attacks against Saudi military personnel," it said. "As a result, the US Mission's ability to provide consular assistance in this region is limited, and US citizens should not travel to this area." Furthermore, the warning restricted US citizens from going to several volatile areas, such as Qatif in the eastern province and the Al Ahsa region, where Saudi forces are in regular confrontation with the Shia minority residents there. SOURCE: AL JAZEERA NEWS

Army orders all soldiers to learn Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo

The Nigerian Army has ordered all its officers and men to be proficient in Nigeria’s three major languages before 2019.

The Army, in a statement by its spokesperson, Brigadier General Sani Usman, on Wednesday directed the soldiers to immediately commence the learning of Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba as part of the force’s new language policy. The statement reads, “The Nigerian Army has introduced a new Language Policy. The study of foreign and local languages is worldwide practice among armies, in which officers and soldiers are encouraged to be multi-lingual. The Policy will foster esprit-de-corps and better communication with the populace to enhance information gathering, civil-military relations, increase understanding between militaries when operating abroad and assist officers and soldiers to perform their duties professionally. “It is to be noted that English remains the official language in the Nigerian Army. Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa languages could be used during Civil Military Cooperation activities or interrogation. Therefore all Nigerian Army personnel have been given one year to learn the three major Nigerian languages. Invariably, by December 2018, all Nigerian Army personnel are expected to learn the three major Nigerian languages. The standard of proficiency to be attained is the basic level. Certificated proficiency level will attract Language Allowance. “The ability to speak the 3 major Nigerian languages will be an added advantage to those applying for recruitment or commissioning into the Nigerian Army. Therefore, prospective candidates are encouraged to learn Nigerian languages other than their mother tongues. “Before now, the Nigerian Army officially encouraged the learning of French, Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese and Swahili. French language is an assessed subject in some career courses and examinations for Nigerian Army personnel.”

BREAKING: Zimbabwe’s Mnangagwa may be named interim president Wednesday

Zimbabwe’s Emmerson Mnangagwa, whose sacking as vice president sparked the crisis that led to Robert Mugabe’s resignation, could be named as the country’s new leader on Wednesday, a ruling party spokesman told AFP. “I believe that the fired vice president Mnangagwa, who the party central committee endorsed… will come back in the next 24 hours or so and he will be the one who will be sworn in to be president for 90 days,” said ZANU-PF spokesman Simon Khaya Moyo on Tuesday. Details soon…

Nigeria mosque bombing: At least 50 killed as people arrive for morning prayers

At least 50 people have died after a suicide bomber struck a Nigeria mosque as worshippers arrived for morning prayers in one of the deadliest attacks in the region in years, police said. The attack in northeastern Adamawa state was carried out a young man carrying explosives. Suspicion fell on Islamist insurgents Boko Haram, although there was no immediate claim of responsibility. Police spokesman Othman Abubakar said the young man detonated his explosives while mingling among the worshippers. ​Ahmed Musa, chairman of Mubi council, said dozens of people had been injured but the exact number of casualties was not yet known as the wounded had been dispersed among several different hospitals. Boko Haram militants held territory in Adamawa in 2014 but they were pushed out by Nigeria's army backed by troops from neighbouring countries in early 2015. Tuesday's attack bears all the hallmarks of the terrorist group, whose modus operandi has been attacks on mosques and markets to inflict maximum damage. Boko Haram has also increasingly been using teenagers or young women as bombers, many of whom have been abducted. Since 2009, Boko Haram has waged an insurgency in northeast Nigeria in its attempt to create an Islamic state in the region, killing more than 20,000 and forcing around two million people to flee their homes. Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari's claimed late last year that the extremist group had been "crushed". Additional reporting agencies

Breaking: Bomb blast kills many in Adamawa

There has been a report of bomb blast in Mubi in Adamawa states with many casualties recorded. According to report by Hassan Shallpella he said ‘bomb blast in Mubi town, Adamawa state North-East Nigeria this morning, many casualties recorded. More details soon

‘More to come’ – Wizkid says after announcing his 3rd son’s name

Nigerian music star, Wizkid who announced the birth of his third child with his third baby mama who accidentally is his manager Jada Pollock, has just made a statement on social media that he plans to have more children. Wizkid who has 3 sons now is just getting started with having children out of wedlock. After he announced the name of his third son with his manager, Jada, he took to his Snapchat to say more are coming! The picture above are his 3 sons; Boluwatife, King Ayo and now Zion.

Germany faces new elections as coalition talks collapse around Angela Merkel

Angela Merkel backed new elections on Monday after coalition talks between German parties collapsed over the weekend. The CDU leader, who has been Chancellor since 2005, said she would prefer fresh elections to leading an unprecedented minority government after the liberal FDP dropped out of talks. Ms Merkel had been hoping to form a coalition with the liberals and the Greens, a so-called "Jamaica Coalition" – but the chasm between the parties willing to do a deal appears to have been too great. The country's largely figurehead president Frank-Walter Steinmeier holds the power to call fresh elections, because Ms Merkel is not officially chancellor. He has called on the parties to "reconsider their attitudes" in order to avert a political crisis in what has long been the most stable country in the EU. More follows...

Why Saudi-Israeli normalisation could be dangerous

Driven by succession plans and a strategy to confront Iran's influence in the Arab region, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) has engaged in several taboo-breaking steps. These include the arrest of dozens of princes and ministers and a process of normalising relations, at least partially, with Israel.

But taking concrete measures to end the Arab boycott of Israel, without reaching a just solution to the Palestinian issue first, will be detrimental to both Palestine and Saudi Arabia. On Thursday, the Israeli army's chief-of-staff, Gadi Eizenkot, gave the first-ever interview to a Saudi news outlet, saying that Israel is ready to share intelligence with Saudi Arabia on Iran. Also for the first time, Israel co-sponsored with Saudi Arabia a resolution against Syria in the UN Human Rights Council last week. Furthermore, Israeli Communications Minister Ayoub Kara extended a warm invitation to Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti, Abdul Aziz Al Sheikh, to visit Israel for what he said were his friendly comments about the country. To "legitimise" steps taken to normalise relations with Israel, Saudi Arabia summoned Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to Riyadh last week, to convince him to accept a peace plan put forward by US President Donald Trump's special adviser, Jared Kushner. Saudi-Israeli collaboration is an integral part of that plan. According to the New York Times, the proposal could include, among other normalisation measures, "overflights by Israeli passenger planes, visas for business people, and telecommunication links" with Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and the UAE. If MBS proceeds with the plan, he risks Saudi Arabia's leading position in the Islamic world being delegitimised. Abbas' cooperation is essential for Saudi-Israeli normalisation to proceed; without it, the Saudi move would be seen as a betrayal to the Arab and Muslim position on Palestine. Although not much has been revealed about what really happened during Abbas' visit to Riyadh, some reports talk about the Saudi leadership pressuring Abbas to accept whatever plan Kushner puts forward, or to resign. Abbas is in an unenviable position, as pressure on him is likely to increase when Kushner's plan is released in the not-so-distant future. He needs Saudi and US financial support for the Palestinian Authority (PA) to continue to function. However, the Kushner deal will not do even minimum justice to the Palestinian national project. While the deal offers strategic gains to Israel, such as ending a Saudi Arab boycott, it offers only tactical gains for the Palestinians, such as financial assistance, prisoners' release, and a silent, partial freeze of settlement activities outside the large settlement blocs. The Kushner deal will practically fragment the Saudi-sponsored 2002 Arab Peace Plan that offered Israel full normalisation in return for full withdrawal from Arab lands occupied in 1967. By pressuring Abbas to accept the deal, the Saudi leadership is undermining its own initiative, accepting to partially normalise relations with Israel in exchange for an alliance against Iran. Moreover, the Saudi normalisation plan is likely to further complicate internal Palestinian reconciliation. Aiming to end Iranian influence in Gaza, Saudi Arabia's close ally, Egypt, brokered - or as some view it, dictated - Palestinian reconciliation that resulted in Hamas surrendering power to the Palestinian Authority. To pressure Abbas further, Saudi Arabia reportedly summoned his bitter enemy, Mohammed Dahlan, to Riyadh at the same time he was there. The purpose of the move was supposedly to have the two discuss Fatah's internal "reconciliation". In other words, Saudi Arabia brought Dahlan into the scene in case the PA president rejects the Kushner deal. In what could be interpreted as a sign of resistance to the Saudi pressure, some commentators in the West Bank and Gaza observed that upon his return to Ramallah, Abbas started cracking down on Dahlan's supporters. Just a few days later, another blow was dealt to the PA. On Sunday, the US administration announced that the license of the PLO office in Washington will not be renewed - this could not be a mere coincidence. In fact, it might be another strong sign that Abbas continues to resist Saudi-US pressure. In line with this argument, Mohammad Shtayyeh, Fatah Central Committee member and one of the candidates to succeed Abbas, told me, "Reconciliation will not be a railway for a regional political project at the expense of the Palestinian cause." Saudi's demands have put the Palestinian president is a very difficult position, as his people would overwhelmingly reject the stipulations of the Kushner deal. This situation is reminiscent of his predecessor, Yasser Arafat's, dilemma at Camp David in 2000, when he faced US pressure to accept Ehud Barak's plan offering partial Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and Gaza. Immediately after the Camp David Accords, Arafat was sidelined and, two years later, died mysteriously. To what extent Abbas will be able to resist US-Saudi pressure and hang on to his presidency is yet to be seen. What is clear, however, is that Saudi Arabia will proceed with its normalisation efforts with Israel, with or without Abbas. The way MBS is managing succession at home and escalation with Iran abroad suggests that he is up for making radical decisions. But his move on Israel might not work as well as some of his other bold policies have. In fact, he might end up shooting himself in the foot. Pushing through with the Kushner deal would mean acting against the consensus of Arab and Muslim countries, which reject normalisation with Israel without a fair and just solution to the Palestinian cause. Saudi Arabia might receive support from countries like the UAE, Bahrain, Egypt, and Jordan, but not from the rest of the 57 Muslim-majority member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Kuwait, for example, is already holding anti-normalisation activities at home.

If MBS proceeds with the plan, he risks Saudi Arabia's leading position in the Islamic world being delegitimised. His father, King Salman, the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques, will appear to be conceding on the third holiest site for Muslims - al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. If he normalises relations with Israel, MBS will be giving Tehran the strongest hand to play against Riyadh, in Iran's efforts to delegitimise Saudi Arabia in the Muslim world.

Resign or face impeachment: Ruling party tells Mugabe to resign or face impeachment

Zimbabwe's ruling party has told Robert Mugabe that he must resign as president of the country by midday on Monday, or face impeachment.

The ultimatum given to the veteran leader, who has been in power for 37 years, came five days after the military seized power and placed Mugabe under house arrest. The embattled 93-year-old leader has so far appeared resistant to demands to step down, but is increasingly running out of options. On Sunday, the ruling ZANU-PF party dismissed Mugabe as its leader and also expelled his wife, Grace, from its ranks. It said if Mugabe does not resign by midday on Monday, then it will start impeachment proceedings when parliament resumes on Tuesday. Members also voted to name the sacked Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, whom Mugabe fired on November 6, as new party leader. 'Let the old man resign and go home' In opening remarks at ZANU-PF's Central Committee meeting, Obert Mpofu, the minister of home affairs who chaired the gathering, blamed First Lady Grace Mugabe and her allies for taking advantage of the veteran leader. "We meet here today with a heavy heart, because Mugabe's wife and her close associates have taken advantage of his frail condition and abused the resources of the country," he told members. "I warmly welcome you all to this historic meeting which will mark a new era, not only for our country but for the party." Members cheered as the resolution to recall Mugabe was read out. "It will be very honourable for him to resign than to face impeachment," a war veteran in the capital, Harare, told Al Jazeera. "It will continue to soil his record - and that's our advice, please let the old man resign and go home." Earlier on Sunday, the ZANU-PF Youth League, which Grace Mugabe leads, called for her expulsion from ZANU-PF "forever" and demanded the president resigns as leader of the country and party, "so that he can rest as the elderly statesman he is". The group also condemned the "unprocedural expulsion" of Mnangagwa. Power struggle Mugabe has been under military quarantine at his residence since Wednesday, when the army placed him under house arrest and took over state TV and key government sites. Mugabe's decision to sack Mnangagwa, who was touted as his most likely successor, spurred an internal power struggle. First Lady Grace Mugabe was tipped to take over as second secretary and vice president, prompting a military takeover with the army saying it wanted to "target criminals" around Mugabe who were leading the party and state astray. In a rare sign of solidarity between the people and the army, which has often been a pillar of support for Mugabe's near 40-year rule, Zimbabweans on Saturday expressed support and praise for the military's operation. Huge crowds swelled on the streets. Civilians could be seen giving hugs and fist bumps to soldiers, and taking selfies with army personnel camped outside parliament, the presidential offices and other strategic sites. There was a convivial mood in the capital as people played loud music and danced after marching to State House to demand Mugabe's resignation, in scenes described as "historic" and representing a "day of freedom". Zimbabweans have never before gathered in such numbers to march against Mugabe. 'It's very hard' Patrick Chinamasa, a senior ZANU-PF official and former minister, said he was expecting "cooperation" from Mugabe following the "overwhelming decision" taken by the ruling party's central committee and Saturday's "massive demonstration". "It will make the transfer of power smooth, and it will be very good for our country if in fact we were able to achieve it without any prolonged and protracted procedure," he told Al Jazeera from Harare. Chinamasa said if Mugabe refused to step down, then there was no other option than the parliament to begin impeachment proceedings. "It is a route that we don't want to go - it will be most unfortunate if we were to go down that road - but it's the constitutional route available to parliament to remove a president from his position," he added. Striking a more emotional tone about the events of the past few days, Chinamasa said Mugabe has been a politician that has "shown very good leadership" over the years, but was recently taken advantage of by the people close to him, including his wife. "We have travelled with the president for decades," he said. "We have faced many challenges together as a party and he has provided very good leadership, and the unfortunate thing which is happening to me, when you part ways with a person you respect, who has scored many achievements for this country, for the region, for the continent and for the world, it is very hard [to see it ending this way]. "But it's all unfortunately because of his advance in age, he became a victim to his wife and the allies of his wife who basically abused his position and directed him to do things which were not in the interest both of the party and government." Zimbabwe is expected to hold elections next year.