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Alibaba served an 'Inspiration' Monday post while recounting how far he has come and also narrating how he got disowned by his father.

The ace comedian said his father disowned him after he started doing stand-up comedy in 1988, because he never saw a future in what he took up as a career. Alibaba also disclosed that he got discouraged by people who thought the ladder to success was exclusively by climbing as a Doctor, Lawyer, Engineer, Banker, Architect, Accountant and Civil Servant.


He wrote;

In 1988, when I started doing stand up comedy, there many told me that much. My father disowned me. His reason? He could not see any future in what I did.

Many people are limited by history of things and what they already know. Those who create the future get triggered by things that can be seen in the future.

How futuristic are your dreams? What is it that needs to be developed? Who will benefit from it? What are the things that will make it happen?

I look back now and think about how many people tried to discourage me. Those who thought the ladder to success, was exclusively by climbing as a Doctor, Lawyer, Engineer, Banker, Architect, Accountant, Civil Servant...

Today, there are comedians who are worth 3 billion (more or less) in assets and liquid cash. There are comedians, whose social impact and economic value, has empowered many who are in those core walks of life mentioned above.
_
The Eiffel Tower was built in the 1800s. Today, that structure, is the centre of the economy of Paris.
_
What structures do we have, to drive economic development and help trigger different dreams.
_
We live from hand to mouth. We sell the oil. Spend it. Drill for more oil. Spend it. And the fraction we even spend is small. The rest of the money stolen. We have been stolen blind. And the thieves are living large amongst us.
_
The Pyramids built in the days of Moses, still feed Egypt. The Walls of China. The leaning Tower of Pissa. The Ruins of Rome... every where.
_
Where can you see those iconic landmarks in Nigeria?. How have their values been maximized? Visit our Museums. Yet we want the artefacts taken away, that are getting the best treatment, to be returned. Laughable.
_
We must start creating the future, developing our infrastructures now and prepare them for the next generation.
_
Buhari needs to act now. He must act now


See more here; gistmore.com/my-father-disowned-me-when-i-started-doing-stand-up-comedy-in-1988-alibaba

The French club are desperate to get rid of Neymar but have now accepted he will only leave on loan and not for €180m.

PSG are trying to find a solution to their Neymar problem this week. Despite the Brazilian's wish to rejoin FC Barcelona, it appears they are determined to talk with everyone else before calling Josep Maria Bartomeu. Neymar knows he is being offered around and one of those sides was Manchester United - but they turned him down.

Before Ligue 1 begins this weekend, PSG want the situation resolved. The issues between the management and Neymar is beyond repair and know they must get him out before the season kicks off to avoid any further embarrassment. They spoke to United about taking Neymar on loan and Real Madrid have also asked about the Brazilian's availability.

Neymar only has eyes for Barça after making the decision to leave at the end of last season. He wants PSG to discuss a move so he can start planning for his second stint at the Camp Nou.

Source: amp.sport-english.com/en/news/barca/psg-offered-neymar-to-manchester-united-but-they-turned-him-down-7583273

The Trump administration has frozen all Venezuelan government assets in a significant escalation of tensions with socialist leader Nicolás Maduro. It places Washington’s trade relations with the South American country on a par with Cuba, Syria, Iran and North Korea.

The ban on Americans doing business with Venezuela’s government takes effect immediately.

“All property and interests in property of the Government of Venezuela that are in the United States ... are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in,” the executive order says.

The order, signed by President Trump on Monday, cited Maduro’s continued “usurpation” of power and human rights abuses by those loyal to him.

While the order falls short of an outright trade embargo, it represents the most determined US action to remove Maduro since the Trump administration recognised opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s rightful leader in January.

As such, it places Venezuela on par with adversaries such as Cuba, Syria, Iran and North Korea, who have also come under strident US measures.

Previous sanctions have targeted dozens of Venezuelan government insiders as well as the South American nation’s oil industry, the source of almost all of its export earnings.

As part of the executive order, Americans will be banned from engaging in transactions with anyone determined to be assisting Maduro or his government. The same Maduro supporters will also be banned from entering the US.

Exceptions will be allowed for the delivery of food, medicine and clothing. Transactions with Venezuela’s still sizeable private sector do not appear to be affected either.

China and Russia have continued to back Maduro, prompting US national security adviser, John Bolton, to warn the two countries on Monday against doubling down in their support for him.

On Tuesday Bolton, and US Commerce Secretary, Wilbur Ross, represent the United States at the International Conference for Democracy in Venezuela.

The conference is being attended by representatives from more than 50 nations that recognise Guaidó as Venezuela’s president and consider Maduro’s re-election last year to be fraudulent.

Moments after the executive order was announced, Bolton tweeted that he was looking ahead to what he hopes will be a “productive” day in Lima.



www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/aug/06/trump-freezes-all-venezuelan-government-assets-in-us

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With 139 of the world’s 239 real estate billionaires, China accounted for a whopping 58% of the world’s total, leaving other countries far behind, according to the Hurun Global Real Estate Rich List released Thursday. The runner-up, the U.S. has 26 real estate billionaires, followed by the U.K., with 17.

Hong Kong had the highest concentration of real estate billionaires in the world with 25.

"The urbanization megatrend in China has driven the biggest wealth explosion in the history of world, with the result that most of the world’s largest real estate developers today come from China," Rupert Hoogewerf, chairman and chief researcher of Hurun Research Institute, publisher of the list, said in a statement.

Chinese developers swept the list’s top four spots. Xu Jiayin of Shenzhen-based Evergrande Group ranked first with a net worth of US$37 billion. Li Ka-shing of Hong Kong conglomerate Cheung Kong Holdings came in second, with US$29 billion.

Third place went to Lee Shau Kee of Hong Kong-based Henderson Development, with US$27 billion. Yang Huiyan of Foshan-based Country Garden landed fourth with US$23 billion. She was the only female real estate billionaire in the top 10.

he richest U.S. real estate billionaire was Donald Bren, chairman and sole owner of California-based developer the Irvine Company. He had a net worth of US$17 billion.

U.S. President Donald Trump came in at 82nd place with US$3 billion.

More: Manhattan’s Luxury Rental Market Heats Up

Adam Neumann, the Israeli-American businessman who co-founded the office-sharing company WeWork, is the only self-made real estate billionaire under age 40, according to the report. Neumann’s net worth was estimated at US$6.5 billion, double what it was a year ago. His company’s value also doubled during the same period to US$42 billion.

The Hurun Global Rich List , which was released last month, counted a total of 2,470 billionaires across the world.

Hurun used the market data as of Jan. 31, 2019, to calculate the billionaires’ wealth.



www.mansionglobal.com/articles/china-has-58-of-world-s-real-estate-billionaires-leaving-u-s-far-behind-124189?reflink=outbrain_editorial_00884da1021b5de908ebca4084efd02a77

Michelle Obama is a master in the subtle art of shade.
The former first lady took to Twitter Saturday to honor a step-dancing team from Baltimore, just hours after President Donald Trump attacked a prominent African-American congressman and referred to his Baltimore district as a "disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess."
"On #NationalDanceDay, I'm shouting out the Lethal Ladies, a Baltimore STEP team who I saw perform back in 2017. I'm so proud of you all—and everyone who's dancing today!" Obama wrote.

On #NationalDanceDay, I'm shouting out the Lethal Ladies, a Baltimore STEP team who I saw perform back in 2017. I'm so proud of you all—and everyone who's dancing today! pic.twitter.com/U15Be9wSMs
— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) July 27, 2019

Her tweet came as Baltimore leaders and residents are defending their city against the President's tirade, which targeted Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings. The lawmaker represents Maryland's 7th Congressional District and recently lambasted conditions at the US-Mexico border.
Obama's tweet makes no mention of Trump. But if you watch the video clip, the message is clear.
"When someone is cruel or acts like a bully, you don't stoop to their level," one of the women can be heard saying in the video. "Our motto is ..."
Then the rest of the women on the team chant back a version of the phrase that the former first lady made famous: "When they go low, we go high. Raise our standards to the sky."
Michelle Obama made a similar veiled reference to the President last week after his racist attack on four progressive Democratic congresswoman of color.

Trump had implied in a series of tweets that the congresswomen weren't born in America and suggested "they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came."
"What truly makes our country great is its diversity," Michelle Obama wrote. "I've seen that beauty in so many ways over the years. Whether we are born here or seek refuge here, there's a place for us all. We must remember it's not my America or your America. It's our America."

edition.cnn.com/2019/07/28/us/michelle-obama-baltimore-trump-tweets-trnd/index.html

After stunning the world at Wimbledon, Cori "Coco" Gauff reached her third career main draw at the weekend by dominating qualifying at the Citi Open in Washington.
The 15-year-old American Gauff needed just 64 minutes to win her final qualifier, cruising past Japanese opponent Hiroko Kuwata 6-1 6-2 to confirm her place in one of the main warm-up tournaments for the US Open.
Previous to this success, Gauff had only qualified for the Wimbledon and Miami Open main draws.

"I was glad that I was able to get a feel of how it is, the site, playing those two qualifying matches," Gauff said after her final qualifying match.
"The weather is similar to home, so I felt like I've been practicing at home. I'll be happy playing on any court."
Gauff will also be teaming up with 17-year-old Catherine McNally in the women's doubles in the US capital.

'Always dream big'
Gauff became a household name after her heroics at the All England Club where she became the youngest player to win a main draw match since 1991.
She beat the likes of Venus Williams on her way to the last 16 where she was ultimately beaten by eventual champion Simona Halep.
The teenager gained a global following at her maiden grand slam, with the likes of Michelle Obama and Serena Williams praising the 15-year-old.
Chinese tennis legend Li Na also said it would only be a matter of time before Gauff won a grand slam, as long as she stayed "hungry" for success.

Banana Island, which is Nigeria’s answer to Paris’s Seventh Arrondissement, San Diego’s La Jolla, New York City’s Tribeca and Tokyo’s Shibuya and Roppongi, is a small man-made island in the Ikoyi neighborhood of Lagos.

Completed in 2000, it’s a billionaires’ paradise populated by the country’s richest and most well-known families, who savor its quiet, peaceful atmosphere far from the clamor and crowds of Lagos, the country’s largest city and financial center.

Its name comes from its distinct shape.

Boundaries

The 1.63-million-square-meter sand-filled island in Lagos Lagoon is a little more than 5 miles east of Tafawa Balewa Square, the commercial and ceremonial heart of Lagos. A dedicated road connects it to a network of roads near Parkview Estate. First Avenue in the north and Second Avenue in the sound merge and run around its perimeter.

Price Range

As in the rest of the country, real estate prices on Banana Island are based on the value of the land, which according to Roberta Nouboue, managing director of Madingwa Real Estate, is NGN400,000 (US$1,101 per square meter).

Ms. Nouboue said prices for detached houses, which rarely come on the market because there are not many on the island, start at NGN1 billion (US$2.75 million). The most expensive listing now on the market, NGN5 billion, is for a six-bedroom detached house on 2,600 square meters of land, she said.

She added that four-bedroom, single-family terrace/townhouses that are on average 400 square meters and are on 1,000 square meters of land generally range from NGN350 million to NGN500 million.

One current listing, she said, is for NGN750 million. That’s the price for each of the twin townhouses on 600 square meters of land.

The island also has three prominent condo developments: Ocean Parade Towers, Bella Vista Towers and Lakepoint Apartments.

The Chinese government has accused pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong of committing "evil and criminal acts" that have seriously damaged the semi-autonomous city's "reputation" and "stability."
At a press conference in Beijing on Monday, Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office spokesman Yang Guang called the situation in Hong Kong "grave," adding that Beijing would not allow any challenge to the Chinese government's authority or threats to national security.
"No civilization or society under the rule of law would ever allow acts of violence to take place. We call on the general public of Hong Kong to be aware of the grave nature of the current situation," Yang said, calling on Hong Kong citizens to condemn protester violence.

"Hong Kong is China's Hong Kong. Hong Kong's affairs are China's domestic affairs," he added. Hong Kong has been governed under a "one country, two systems" model since the city transferred from British to Chinese rule in 1997.
Coren: Protesters were peaceful, then riot police charged



It was the first time China's top Hong Kong policy office had given a briefing on the mass demonstrations that began in early June in opposition to a controversial -- and now-shelved -- bill that would have allowed extradition from the city to mainland China.
Yang also used the event as an opportunity to reaffirm China's strong support for Hong Kong's leader, Chief Executive Carrie Lam, and the city's police force, which has been the target of many protesters' ire for deploying what they believe to be heavy-handed tactics.
Jimmy Shum, of the Civil Human Rights Front, which has organized many official protests in recent weeks, called the press conference "disappointing":
"As an agency with the power to dismiss Carrie Lam, it did not call for her to step down. So the press conference wasted Hong Kong people 40 minutes of their time," Shum said.

Mass protests have now been happening in Hong Kong, a major global financial hub, for eight consecutive weeks.
Protesters' demands over that period have broadened to encompass issues such as greater democracy for the city, an inquiry into alleged police brutality and the resignation of Lam.
The demonstrations have also steadily escalated in terms of violence and rhetoric.
On July 1, protesters trashed the Hong Kong Legislative Council offices, the city's seat of government. On July 21, an armed mob at Yuen Long train station, in the north of the city, attacked people in a subway station, many of whom were protesters returning from a march police had broken up in the central Hong Kong. The mob was wearing white, while most of the demonstrators were clad in black, the color of the protest movement.

Last Saturday, protesters staged a march in the small town of Yuen Long, near Hong Kong's border with China, where they clashed with riot police. On Sunday night, much of downtown came to a standstill after riot police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters who had defied a police ban to march through the city.
Beijing has previously denounced the protesters in state media, including their decision to target the Chinese government's headquarters in the city on July 21. State-run news agency Xinhua called the demonstrators "radical protesters" and said their actions were an "open challenge to the central government's authority."
"If this can be tolerated, what can not?" Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece People's Daily said in an editorial.

At a Ministry of Defense briefing last week, spokesperson Wu Qian said the Chinese military was watching the situation in Hong Kong closely.
When asked if the Chinese military would intervene, Wu referenced a law that allows the Hong Kong government to request assistance to maintain public order from Beijing's military garrison in the city -- a point Yang repeated at Monday's press conference when asked by CNN.

edition.cnn.com/2019/07/29/asia/china-hong-kong-protests-intl-hnk/index.html

Gilroy Mayor: "It’s been a long and sad day"

There won't be many new details coming later today in the Gilroy shooting investigation, according to the town's mayor Roland Velasco.

Velasco said there will be a press conference at 10 a.m. local time (1 p.m. ET) at the Gilroy Police Department, but “there won’t be a lot of new information."

Instead, authorities will be "setting the expectations for what the investigation will look like during the day.”

"It’s been a long and sad day," Velasco wrote in a Facebook post.

The mayor also posted a local emergency proclamation, which allows the city to request personnel, equipment and facilities while it tracks expenses that could get reimbursed by the state.

"This is critically important since we have police, fire and FBI personnel that will remain on-scene for the next few days processing the crime scene,” Velasco said.


ass shootings like the one that struck the Garlic Festival in Gilroy, California, have become the "new normal" in the US, James Gagliano, a CNN law enforcement analyst, said Monday.

But the retired FBI supervisory special agent said it was "extremely fortuitous" that armed law enforcement officers were on the scene swiftly and able to engage the gunman within one minute.

Mass shootings are often over in 5 to 10 minutes, with the gunman typically engaging with police or leaving the scene before authorities arrive, according to Gagliano.

The fast work by local law enforcement prevented "far more damage" from occurring, Gagliano added.

edition.cnn.com/us/live-news/gilroy-california-shooting-intl-hnk/index.html

Is It Okay For My Mum To Send Money And Food To My Married Sister ??
Hello guys, please I need enlightenment on this



My sister got married Last Year, she was pregnant already when she married, the man she married is over 40 years old, my sister got her husband through a religion organization, when the leader of the organization insisted that she must marry that man..

Now my concerns about is that this man she got married too is not financially okay, My mum always send money to my sister..


When my sister was about to give birth my mum finance nearly all the hospital Bill, the funniest thing is that my mum also borrowed the money somewhere..

My question is that,

Is is okay for my mum to send money to my sister after she is married??

Is it okay for the leader of a religion organization to dictate to my sister to marry this man??

Please I need enlightenment on this issues

Would You Score Your Students 39 And 69 Or Would You Add 1 To The Score?
Adding (+1) Mark, The Conscientious Marking Task Teachers Face.

On a very lighter note, as a teacher, would you score your student 69 or add 1 to the score? Ditto for 39!
If no, why?

- Assessment is meant to be an objective process, the human behind the process makes it largely subjective.

Someone said a student that scored 69 is as good as the one that scored 70, really? Also consider the impact of the above on the CGPA of the student:

NB: 60 - 69 is B
70 - 100 is A
39 is F
40 is pass

A teacher could feel 69 can be left without a 1 added, if in truth it doesn’t earn a 1 mark more. This is because of the purpose of assessment. It’s meant to reflect the TRUE ability of a student. It’s important that the student understands that he is a B student, and needs to work harder to become an A, than to dance and rejoice in the euphoria of a grade he didn’t earn, which can make him relax and even score much more less in the next assessment process.

For a 39 score, there can be a lot of subjectivity in place. If the teacher is aware of the efforts the student has put in place to get to that point, there might be a reconsideration. An additional mark to keep the students’ hopes up might be needed, especially for motivation and positive reinforcement. For this option, the teacher needs to clearly know where the student is coming from, and also understand the challenges.

If a student scores a 69, he/she has passed. It's not the same as a 39, for which he/she fails. some teachers may or may not even bother with the 69; However, if the student had had a perfect score up until that point, and that would ruin his/her chances, giving a +1 mark could be highly considered. Again, it depends the individual's(marker) respective values.

Read some other opinions: onegoodhead.com/teachers-adding-1-mark-39-69/

Man Commits Suicide In Front Of A Trailer In Ibadan
Depressed man dies after throwing himself in front of a trailer, yesterday, in Ibadan, Oyo State.

See more photos here; gistmore.com/depressed-man-dies-after-throwing-himself-in-front-of-a-trailer-in-ibadan

""It is more likely that I will be reincarnated as an olive, locked in a disused fridge, decapitated by a flying frisbee" - Boris Johnson in 2015, when asked by Channel 4 News about his chances of becoming prime minister."

And yet, here we are. Boris Johnson's lengthy journey to the summit of British politics was completed on Tuesday, when he was announced as the new leader of the Conservative Party -- and Britain's next prime minister.

"Dude, we're going to energize the country," he promised a packed event hall.

Johnson will take the keys to Downing Street on Wednesday, shortly after Theresa May's last Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons. May will travel to meet the Queen and formally resign in the afternoon, before Johnson makes the same journey to ask to form a government.

When he crosses the threshold into Number 10, he will be met with a bulging in-tray, a rash of resignations and a flimsy working majority of just two seats.

And so will begin another round of drama at the heart of British government.

You can follow our coverage throughout the day on Wednesday -- but for now, we're closing up our live updates and getting out of here, dude.

edition.cnn.com/uk/live-news/boris-johnson-jeremy-hunt-tuesday-dle-gbr-intl/index.html

Warplanes from four countries faced off Tuesday in a chaotic and unprecedented confrontation above a small, disputed island off the coast of South Korea and Japan.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff issued a statement claiming they had fired more than 300 warning shots at a Russian A-50 command and control military aircraft early Tuesday morning after it had twice violated the country's airspace, the first such incident between the countries.
Moscow furiously denied Seoul's account of the encounter, claiming that South Korean military jets had dangerously intercepted two of its bombers during a planned flight over neutral waters.

But in a statement Tuesday afternoon, Japan's Ministry of Defense backed up South Korea's claims, saying the A-50 had flown over the islands and that Tokyo had scrambled fighters to intercept.
In a further complication, both South Korea and Japan said that two Chinese H-6 bombers had joined the Russian military aircraft on sorties through the region as well.
The confrontation took place over disputed islands in the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
The two, small islands, known to the Koreans as Dokdo and to the Japanese as Takeshima, are claimed by both countries.
What triggered the confrontation or why the planes were in the region is unclear, but analysts said the mission may have been designed by Russia to draw out South Korean and Japanese aircraft for intelligence gathering purposes.
"This mission will have given them a comprehensive map of the (South Korean) national air defense system," said Peter Layton, a former Royal Australian Air Force pilot and analyst at the Griffith Asia Institute.

Chaos in the skies
The incident came during what South Korean officials have claimed was a joint Russian-Chinese military exercise.
According to South Korea, two Chinese H-6 bombers passed into Seoul's Air Defense Identification Zone (KADIZ) beginning from 6.44 a.m., joined by two Russian Tu-95 strategic bombers.
The four planes then entered the KADIZ together at about 8.40 a.m. and remained there for 24 minutes.
Airspace is defined as the area 12 nautical miles from a country's borders, which falls entirely under its control. An ADIZ is an area in which the controlling country demands identification, location and control of aircraft's direction, but doesn't necessarily have any rights of engagement under international law.
South Korea's KADIZ was first established in 1950 and most recently adjusted by Seoul in 2013.
After the KADIZ flyover, Seoul said a Russian A-50 flew above the contested islands first at 9.09 a.m. local time and then again at 9.33 a.m., each time for just a matter of minutes.
In response, South Korea deployed F-15F and KF-16 fighter jets, the statement said, and fired 360 warning shots ahead of the Russian aircraft, 80 during the first violation and 280 during the second. The shots were fired using 20mm weapons, according to the country's Ministry of Defense.
The South Korean military said they also sent out 30 warnings to the Russian plane but received no response. The A-50 is an unarmed AWACS plane, standing for Airborne Warning and Control System, designed for tracking and observation.
A Beriev A-50 airborne early warning and control training aircraft flies over Moscow during the dress rehearsal of a Victory Day air show.
A Beriev A-50 airborne early warning and control training aircraft flies over Moscow during the dress rehearsal of a Victory Day air show.
In a statement on Tuesday afternoon, the Russian Defense Ministry confirmed its aircraft had taken part in a "joint patrol" with Chinese long-range aircraft and said that they were conducting the "first joint air patrol using long range aircraft in the Asian-Pacific region."
The statement said that two Russian Tu-95 bombers and two Chinese H-6 bombers had conducted an air patrol over the waters of the Japan and East China Seas.
It added that the patrol was "carried out in order to deepen and develop Russian-Chinese relations" and was "not aimed against third countries."
Earlier in the day, the Defense Ministry furiously denied the South Korean reports and accused South Korean fighter pilots of acting inappropriately.
"(They) conduced unprofessional maneuvers by crossing the course of Russian strategic missile carriers, threatening their security," the ministry said in the statement.
"This is not the first time the South Korean pilots have unsuccessfully tried to prevent Russian aircraft from flying over the neutral waters," the Russian statement said, adding it didn't recognize South Korea's KADIZ.
Although neither of those statements made any reference to the A-50, later on Tuesday, in an on-camera statement, the commander of the Russian Air Forces Long Range Aviation Lieutenant-General Sergey Kobylash said that the mission was "supported" by the A-50 and KJ-2000.
South Korean air forces F-15 fly in formation during the media day of the 65th South Korea Armed Forces Day ceremony on September 25, 2017 in Pyeongteak.
South Korean air forces F-15 fly in formation during the media day of the 65th South Korea Armed Forces Day ceremony on September 25, 2017 in Pyeongteak.
He also denied that there was any "warning fire," from the South Korea fighters and said: "If Russian pilots had identified such a threat, an immediate adequate response would have followed."
After Moscow released its initial statement, Japan confirmed it had also scrambled fighter jets in response to the Russian incursion Tuesday.
"We confirmed Russia's A50 has invaded Japan's airspace while two of Russian TU-95 bombers and two Chinese H-6 bombers flew around Japan. We took measures against the invasion," said a spokesman for the country's Ministry of Defense.
When asked about the incident, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said they weren't aware of the details and referred the question to the Defense Department.
"You used the word 'intrusion' and I'd caution against using such terms, considering China and South Korea are friendly neighbors and the situation is not clear yet," spokeswoman Hua Chunying said.
War of words
Chung Eui-yong, director of South Korea's National Security Office, said that he had sent a "strong" message of complaint to the Russian authorities over the incident.
"We are taking this situation very seriously, and if this kind of action is repeated, we will take even stronger measures," Chung said, without detailing what those measures could be.
The Japanese government said that it had issued a strong protest against both the Russian and the South Korean governments for intruding on what they regard as their airspace.
The South Koreans said they had dismissed Japan's protests. Moscow has not responded to either country's concerns.
Carl Schuster, a former director of operations at the United States' Pacific Command's Joint Intelligence Center, said that shooting a warning shot in the air was "very very serious" and "very, very rare."
Russian President Vladimir Putin and South Korea&#39;s President Moon Jae-in hold a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka on June 28.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and South Korea's President Moon Jae-in hold a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka on June 28.
Schuster said that the fact shots were fired meant Seoul had viewed the violation as a serious and deliberate act, adding he couldn't explain why the Russian plane would come back again after the first warning.
"Penetrating to a point of requiring warning shots to turn away is normally the result of a deliberate decision to penetrate that airspace," he said.
On Tuesday, Pentagon Spokesman Lt. Col. Dave Eastburn told CNN that the United States' is in "close coordination" with their Korean and Japanese allies and that the US "will continue to monitor activities as they follow up with their Russian and Chinese counterparts through diplomatic channels."
"The United States' commitment to the defense of its allies is ironclad," he added.
Though East Asia is riven by numerous, long-standing territorial disputes, Russia and South Korea rarely come into conflict.
Top Russian and South Korean leaders at the G20 in Osaka, Japan, in June, where they praised their warming bilateral relations. Russian President Vladimir Putin said South Korea was "one of our key partners" in Asia.
It is the second tense incident involving the Russian military in East Asia in less than two months. On June 8 two vessels from the United States and Russia almost collided in the Pacific, coming within 50 feet of each other.

The exact location of the standoff wasn't clear but it was believed to take place in the waters off the coast of China.
Relations between Beijing and Moscow have reached an "unprecedented" peak in the past year, according to Russia's Putin, including growing cooperation between their two militaries.

CNN's Barbara Starr, Nathan Hodge and Yoko Wakatsuki contributed to this report.

edition.cnn.com/2019/07/23/asia/south-korea-russia-military-intl-hnk/index.html

After the much-awaited ministerial list of President Muhammadu Buhari has been made public today 23 July, pressmanng.com has made some observations and found out that the president gave preferential treatment to some state by giving them two ministerial slots.



There are 7 states with two ministerial slots each.

Anambra state is among the most noticeable states that got two ministerial slots from president Buhari, however pressmanng could not come up with the probable reason for this:

Anambra - Dr Chris Ngige
Anambra - sharon Ikeazu


The next state that got the two ministerial slot is Bauchi. Bauchi was among the states that gave president Buhari the most arousing welcome during his Campaign and they also showed support to the president by giving him a reasonable margin of votes.

Bauchi - Adamu Adamu
Bauchi - Ambassador Mariam Kategu

The most obvious reason for giving Edo state two ministerial slots could be that APC chairman, Adams Oshiomhole was from that state and he is among the right hand people of president Buhari.

Edo - Osagie Ehanire
Edo - Clement Agba

Kaduna is home to president Buhari because after Daura the next best destination for the president is Kaduna, he has a residential house there and the current governor of the state, Nasir El-Rufai is his right man this the reason for giving the state two ministerial slots

Kaduna - Zainab Ahmed
Kaduna - Mohammed Mahmud

Kano had as usual given the president Muhammadu Buhari the most votes in the last general Election and its understandable if the state is given two ministerial slots

Kano - Sabo Nanono
Kano - Major Bashir Sani

Lai Muhammad is among the 11 ex ministers that made it to the new ministerial list of president Muhammdu Buhari, the reason is obvious, as a minister of information, Lai Muhammad had protected the interest of the president at all cost. The second name that came from kwara state on the ministerial list was that of the sister to former senate president who abandoned her brother and supported president Buhari in the last election. What more reason do we need?

Kwara - Lai Mohammed
Kwara - Gbemisola Saraki

Lagos the commercial city of Nigeria and the home to Vice President, prof Yomi Osinbajo and the APC talisman who is also presumed to be the next APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmad Tinubu The Jagaban can be said to have deserved the two ministerial slots

Lagos - Babatunde Raji Fashola
Lagos - Adeleke Mamora

www.pressmanng.com/2019/07/the-7-states-president-buhari-gave-two.html?m=1

Cassie proceeds with her string of free drops, restoring this week with her “Speaking Of” track.

The tune touches base as the most recent arrival of her #FreeFridays arrangement and on it, the songstress coolly murmurs over the Chris N Teeb-delivered background to detail the requirement for explicit consideration: “I envision myself on you when I’m not with you/And infant that is all I truly wanna do, is be on you.”

The trail of discharges is good to go to lead into Cassie’s hotly anticipated sophomore collection if all goes as arranged.



It will check the primary full-length collection from the vocalist since her 2006 self-titled introduction.

“I would state that my inventive procedure has changed since working with another group,” Cassie as of late told L’Officiel of the innovative procedure behind her new music.

“I feel upheld so I settle on choices dependent on what’s best for me. I used to invest the most energy overthinking the littlest things and continually agonizing over how individuals felt that I dismissed how I truly felt and what might fulfill me.

I wasn’t making from the heart. Despite everything i’m ensuring that things are very much idea out, yet I’m doing what bodes well for my life. I’m only a lady making my mark figuring out how to confide in myself. It’s empowering.”

Quotable Lyrics

I can cool you off with this water babe, you let me know
Do you want a taste of flavor, baby let’s go
We don’t have to argue
I don’t wanna argue with you
Baby I just wanna heart you

Audio Here:
abhype.com/cassie-speaking-of/

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On Monday July 8,2019 Actress Lilian Esoro and MMM CEO Ubi Franklin were to appear in court for their divorce to be finalised but alas something strange and unheard of in the history of divorce cases happened....

The Judge sitting at a high court in Ikeja,held that their that the reason for wanting divorce is not Valid and said that since Lilian confirmed that Ubi provides for their child and both f them are very god friends ,then there is no reason for divorce..According to sources ''She tell them say make Dem go settle their differences say nah small pikin dey worry Dem.
Stella nah so Judge take cancel the divorce ooh and everybody inside court room burst into laughter oh''

Actress Lilian Esoro and Music Boss Ubi Franklin got married in November 2015 and a few months later,things had fallen apart and the centre could no longer hold and they parted ways without letting out why their union crumbled.

They both Co-parent their son and if the truth be told,Ubi and Lilian have managed their separation very well.


www.stelladimokokorkus.com/2019/07/exclusive-judge-throws-out-lilian-esoro.html?m=1

Edwin Clark, leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, has warned President Muhammadu Buhari against reintroducing Rural Grazing Areas (RUGA) in the country.

Mr Buhari had approved the creation of Ruga settlements for herdsmen across the nation without stakeholders carried along.

Though it is said to be optional, for interested states, the project was suspended largely due to the rejection of it in the South, fuelling speculation in some quarters that the government was out to grab lands for herders of Fulani extraction.



There are reports that the initiative will be reintroduced after been repackaged with presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, saying the federal government has gazetted lands for the project in the 36 states of the country.

Warning against the reintroduction, Clark while addressing journalists at his Abuja residence on Monday said the move will disintegrate the nation if brought back.

“Let us go back, we have been living with Fulani and their herds for very long time; even when I was young, they lived with us. When they are bringing their cows, they used their sticks and everybody gave way but today we see herdsmen armed with Ak-47 all over the country moving around, killing people, raping women, killing children and so forth, destroying farms and today not one single one has been arrested, no single one has been caught and his gun removed; that is the country we belong,” the elderstatesman said.

He wondered why the government wants to establish settlements for those it claimed were foreigners killing Nigerians if the present administration had no ulterior motives.

“Government is not interested in seeing that the herdsmen with arms that came from Niger, Libya and other places are addressed; they want those people to be settled in our midst. It is not the Fulani who are going round with cows that they want to settle. These (foreigners) are not the ones they want to settle. So I disagree with that project.”

Clark called on the federal government to withdraw the initiative rather than suspend it because it will not be acceptable to Nigerians.

He described the project is an abomination to the entire people of Nigeria made up of other ethnic nationals.

“They should now withdraw it completely. Whether they suspend it for another 10 years or so, if it comes back, Nigeria will not survive as a country. It is good they withdrew it. If they say they have just suspended it and they are bringing it back, no Nigerian will agree to it and that may be the beginning of the disintegration of this country. God forbid!”

While applauding the government’s effort at diversifying the economy, the elderstatesman suggested ranching as the solution to herders and farmers clashes.

“Ranching is the solution. If you want to maintain cattle rearing, it is ranching. That is what operates everywhere in the world. Even in less civilised developed countries in Africa. If you go to Brazil and East Africa, ranching is what they are doing. Even our founding fathers in the first republic established ranches. There were ranches at Obudu Cross River State, Ondo State and in the north. Nobody kicked against it but for you to introduce a settlement for resolving the problem between herdsmen and farmers is unthinkable,” he added.


Read More: todaypoliticsng.com/dont-bring-back-ruga-if-you-dont-want-nigeria-to-disintegrate-clark-warns-buhari/

Super Eagles captain, Mikel Obi has vowed to make his last Africa Cup of Nations one to remember for Nigeria and believes his presence in the squad could be a crucial factor in their bid for success.

The midfielder, 32, concedes this will certainly be his last appearance on the continental showpiece event and possibly for his country. “It’s been an amazing ride for me in the national team,” Mikel told BBC Sport.
"Obviously winning the Nations Cup in South Africa was the high point, that’s why I want to help this young team to hopefully achieve their dreams. Thirteen years I think is enough. I’ve won trophies, I’ve had a lot of amazing time.

I think it’s time for these young guys to carry on. I’m mostly here in Egypt to support the young guys and make sure they’re on the right track. I think my presence is always important for them, hopefully I can finish with the trophy.”

Mikel has won a total of 89 caps for Nigeria, playing for them in the past two World Cups and helping the Super Eagles win the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. He also helped Nigeria finish third at the 2006 and 2010 Nations Cups. He has made two appearances for his country at the ongoing tournament in Egypt, but missed their last-16 tie through injury as Nigeria secured a quarter-final date against South Africa with a 3-2 win over bitter rivals Cameroon.

Now Mikel is determined to play a part in Nigeria’s quest for a fourth continental title. “If I’m fit, I’d love to play in the quarterfinal, but no need to rush. Hopefully if we can make it to the semi-finals I’ll probably be ready then and help the team if I’m needed. A finalist with the youth side at the under-20 World Cup in 2005, the former Chelsea player believes he has had a successful run for the West African nation.

Obviously winning the Nations Cup in South Africa was the high point, that’s why I want to help this young team to hopefully achieve their dreams. If we are able to win it here, I’ll be proud and they’ll be proud, then they can carry on from here” he added.

He was also one of Nigeria’s three over-age players as the African side won a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

Source: www.collinsuchendusblog.com/2019/07/super-eagles-captain-mikel-obi-admits.html?m=1

When Lord Of Ajasa appealed for funds to undergo surgery

Earlier in January 2019, it was revealed that Lord Of Ajasa was lying critically ill in the hospital and is in dire need of funds so as to undergo surgery. In a post shared on the veteran singer, Alariwo's Instagram page on Monday, January 14, 2019, he announced the veteran rapper is sick in the hospital and requires some amount of money for him to be moved to a better hospital where surgery can be carried out.

"My dear colleagues, Our brother, Legendary Nigerian Afro hip hop artist and pioneer of Yoruba rap, Segun Osaniyi aka lord of ajasa is critically ill and needs funds to undergo a peptic Ulcer operation...He's currently at ikorodu general hospital, where he's receiving treatment...However, he needs to be moved to a better and more equipped hospital so as to get the BEST medical attention...
"I got a message from his wife begging me to speak to his colleagues to save her husband...When I called ajasa earlier today, he ajasa confirmed that the story is true...Let's all come together as fast as we can to help out as nothing is too small...Supporting him financially to stay alive is the best remedy than saying sorry, which we reject in JESUS name. Send your donation to...GOD," he wrote.

Respite finally came for Ajasa as some of his friends in the industry were able to raise some money to foot the bills for the needed surgery.

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In a lengthy exchange with reporters on the White House South Lawn on Friday, President Donald Trump claimed that the outcome of the Mueller investigation shows "I'm a very honest guy."
Before and after that pronouncement, he made false claims about Barack Obama, NATO and tariffs.

Here's our fact check:
In responding to a question about the veracity of his previous statements that President Barack Obama had "begged" for meetings with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Trump defended his claim and repeated it.
"He called Kim Jong Un on numerous occasions to meet," Trump said. "President Obama wanted to meet with Kim Jong Un, and Kim Jong Un said no. Numerous occasions he called."
Facts First: As CNN laid out in an extensive fact check earlier this week, there is no evidence Obama ever tried to secure a meeting with Kim Jong Un, let alone that he "called" North Korea on "numerous occasions."
Multiple former Obama officials, including former national security adviser Susan Rice and former deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes, have gone on the record to declare Trump's claim false. Independent experts contacted by CNN also said Trump was wrong.
Obama's administration did conduct occasional diplomatic outreach to North Korea, but its primary intent was to convince Kim Jong Un and his father and predecessor Kim Jong Il to return to the six-country negotiations that had collapsed. No presidential summit is known to have been floated at any point.
Obama pursued a policy, commonly known as "strategic patience," of declining to directly engage with the Kims' regime at all, let alone at the presidential level, as long as they refused to stop their belligerent behavior.
Tariffs on China
Trump again claimed that China is single-handedly paying for the US tariffs.
"(B)y the way, billions and billions of dollars of tariffs are coming in and China is paying for it, not our people."
Facts First: No matter how many times Trump makes this claim (and he's made it a lot recently), it's false to say that China is paying the tariffs. The majority of the costs of these tariffs fall on American consumers and businesses.
CNN's Facts First team has looked into this claim from Trump several times. Here's what we found:
Economic studies have found that US consumers bear the majority of the weight of these tariffs, not China.
Two recent papers have found that tariffs on Chinese goods have raised prices on American consumers because importers often pass along the tariff price tag to domestic producers, which sometimes increase the price of their product to cover the cost, and sometimes eat the cost themselves.

A March paper from economists at Columbia, Princeton and the New York Federal Reserve found that the "full incidence" of Trump's tariffs have fallen on domestic companies and consumers -- costing them $3 billion a month by the end of 2018. The paper also found that the tariffs led to a reduction in US income, by $1.4 billion a month.
A separate academic paper also found that the tariffs led to higher consumer prices. It estimated that the tariffs will result in a $7.8 billion per year decline in income.
The Chinese supplier might take on some of the burden of the tariff by reducing its prices to maintain a market in the United States, but these studies show that the burden heavily falls on US consumers and companies.
For their part, the White House's Economic Report of the President, also released in March, acknowledged that American consumers do pay some of the cost of these tariffs. Domestic producers, according to the report, benefit from price increases from the tariffs, but "offsetting these benefits are the costs paid by consumers in the form of higher prices and reduced consumption."
Ivanka jobs
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Friday, Trump praised his daughter Ivanka for her work on jobs.
"Ivanka has worked on almost 10 million jobs, training and going to companies and getting them to hire people," Trump said.
Facts First: Trump is right that Ivanka has worked on job training, but it's not true that 10 million jobs have been created.
In July of last year, Trump signed an executive order creating the National Council for the American Worker, co-chaired by Ivanka Trump and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. One of the council's priorities is asking companies across the US to sign the Pledge to America's Workers. The pledge involves "committing to expand programs that educate, train, and reskill American workers from high-school age to near-retirement," according to the White House.

Two hundred and eighty-two companies have agreed to the pledge, with each providing different numbers of training opportunities. According to the White House website, the total number of opportunities pledged is just over 9.9 million.
Earlier this year, CNN checked out a similar — but not identical — claim Trump made that Ivanka Trump had "created millions of jobs." That wasn't true.
This time, Trump is hewing closer to the truth by saying she "worked on" job creation. But is overstating what the administration has secured from companies.
It's true that Ivanka is working with companies on job training programs. But it's not accurate to say they all constitute new jobs. Instead, they are training opportunities. In a press release last year, the White House described these opportunities as "apprenticeships and work-based learning, continuing education, on-the-job training, and reskilling." These opportunities can be for current employees.
Many of these opportunities pledged were also already planned by the companies. As CNN previously reported, Walmart's pledged amount over five years would just about match the rate that its program Walmart Academies has trained since it started in 2016. The Associated Builders and Contractors provides a similar example as it pledged to provide roughly as many opportunities in five years as it trains in one year.
So it's inaccurate to suggest that the number of training opportunities pledged are "jobs." The timeline for these opportunities spans five years. And many of them match existing company goals and numbers.
NATO spending
Trump criticized the previous administration's policy toward NATO.
"Tell Biden that NATO has taken total advantage of him and President Obama ... we were paying for almost all of NATO. We're protecting countries. Those countries have to protect themselves with us. They have to make a contribution. In my first year I raised over $100 billion from those countries. Biden didn't know what the hell he was doing and neither did President Obama. NATO was taking advantage of them. Now they're paying. They still owe us a lot of money. Biden doesn't know about that."
Facts First: This is inaccurate in multiple ways. US military spending has long represented the majority of military spending by the entire NATO alliance, but it was not "almost all" during Biden's tenure as vice-president. NATO countries do not "owe" the US money to make up for their previous military spending levels. Spending by NATO members began rising before Trump took office. And Trump was exaggerating how fast the additional spending has occurred during his tenure.
US spending represented close to 72% of all NATO members' military spending each year from 2015 to 2017, according to official NATO figures. In 2014, it was 69%. Those are big numbers, but "almost all" is at least a slight exaggeration. Separate from the military spending of individual nations, NATO has its own direct budget to run its offices and programs. The US pays for an agreed-upon 22% of that budget.
NATO countries have agreed to a guideline of spending 2% of their Gross Domestic Product on their militaries. Contrary to Trump's repeated claims, a failure to meet the 2% guideline does not result in anyone having any debt. Trump is free to argue that countries that are spending little on defense owe the US a debt of gratitude or a policy favor, but he is wrong to suggest they owe actual money.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has credited Trump for pressuring members into increasing their spending, but Trump is slightly exaggerating the size of the increase: Stoltenberg has made clear that it is $100 billion extra by the end of 2020, not $100 billion in Trump's "first year."

Also, Trump is wrong to suggest that spending increases are only "now" happening. Military spending by non-US NATO members increased by 1.8 per cent in 2015 and 2.8 per cent in 2016, while Biden was still vice president.

edition.cnn.com/2019/07/05/politics/fact-checking-donald-trump-obama-north-korea-china-tariffs/index.html

The body of University of Utah student Mackenzie Lueck has been found in a canyon north of Salt Lake City, police said Friday.
Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown said in a news conference that he was "relieved and grief-stricken" to report that Lueck's body was recovered Wednesday in Logan Canyon, about 90 miles north of Salt Lake City. Investigators were subsequently able to forensically confirm it was Lueck, Brown said.
The 23-year-old was last seen in the early morning hours of June 17 when she was dropped off at a park in North Salt Lake City. There, police have said, she met another individual and vanished.

Last Friday police arrested 31-year-old Ayoola Ajayi in connection to Lueck's death and at the time said he was expected to be charged with aggravated murder, aggravated kidnapping, obstruction of justice and desecration of a body. He's currently being held without bail.


Police said at that time they had searched Ajayi's home and property. Neighbors told police they saw Ajayi using gasoline to burn something in his backyard on June 17 and 18, Brown said last week.
A subsequent search of the burn area yielded "several charred items that were consistent with personal items of Mackenzie Lueck," Brown said.
Police also discovered charred material that was determined to be female human tissue consistent with Lueck's DNA profile, he said.
Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill, who earlier this week was granted an extension to file charges against Ajayi, said at Friday's news conference that his office would move forward with formally filing charges in the "early part of next week."
The investigation, Gill stressed, remains ongoing.
A suspect would typically only be allowed to be held in custody for 72 hours before charges are filed or they must be released. Because of the extension, Gill told CNN, his office has until Wednesday at 5 p.m. local time.

The Salt Lake Legal Defender Association said in a statement sent to CNN it had been appointed to represent Ajayi, and stressed that he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
"The facts in this matter will be established in due course through the processes of the criminal justice system," the statement said.

CNN's Sara Weisfeldt contributed to this report.

edition.cnn.com/2019/07/05/us/mackenzie-lueck-investigation/index.html

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2018 Osun State governorship election, Senator Ademola Adeleke on Friday congratulated Governor Gboyega Oyetola on his victory at the Supreme Court.

Adeleke in a statement by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, stated that his ambition to be the Governor of Osun State was never a do-or-die affair.

He said the Supreme Court’s decision, regardless of his disagreement and disappointment with it remained final.

He said, “As a democrat and law-abiding citizen, I accept the ruling no matter my misgivings.

“I wish Governor Oyetola well in the governance of Osun State.”

Adeleke added, “In all circumstances, we must thank God Almighty. We gallantly fought a good fight in pursuance of a democratic cause.

“The ideals we fought for lives on.

“Our ambition was never a do-or-die affair. We aspired to serve and deliver democratic dividends to the people of Osun state. Our ambition was altruistic. We wish Governor Oyetola the best in the governance of the state.”




Read more here thickmatch.com/breaking-wish-oyetola-well-adeleke-declares/

Nigerians on social media have reacted to the news that Nicki Minaj will be performing at a music festival in Saudi Arabia.

The news has angered many Muslims who feel such should never take place in the ultra-conservative kingdom because of the revealing outfits usually worn by Nicki Minaj when she performs.

See screenshots below.

www.purplefeel.com/2019/07/nigerians-kick-against-nicki-minaj-performing-saudi-arabia.html?m=1

Singer 2face Idibia has shared an advice on religion by listing the attributes of what he calls a scam god.

In a tweet, the singer stated that any god who tells you to judge others is a scam. He added that any god who says you should kill for him is also a scam.

2face tweeted:

www.purplefeel.com/2019/07/any-god-that-tells-you-to-judge-and-kill-others-is-a-scam-2face.html?m=1

Lady Flaunts Her Pet's Passport "Stop Leaving Your Pets, They Wanna Travel Too"
So you’re telling me your pets don’t have passports? grin grin grin

Tag a pet lover

source: www.titiloyeblog.com/2019/07/stop-leaving-yall-pets-they-wanna.html

(Quote) (Report) 10 Likes (Like) (Share)

Popular actor, Richard Mofe Damijo, better known as RMD, once said during an interview, that he does not consider himself a superstar until he starts seeing his pictures posted all over commercial vehicles.

Well, many would consider his statement as a veiled attempt to be humble about his status.

While superstar status might not be exactly determined by how much of your pictures adorn commercial vehicles or any other medium, however, it could suggest a fanatical following.

For instance, in the photos here is the windscreen of a Keke NAPEP. The windscreen is almost covered with images of star musical artiste, Ayo Balogun, famously known by the stage-name Wizkid.



The spread of his pictures on the windscreen is to the extent that it is almost hindering the visibility of the rider.

Doesn't this sort of fanatism a bit to the extreme?

Besides the stickers, there are other items such as ink marks, baskets, insignias, emblems, etc on the windscreen.

All these together on the windscreen can pose grave consequences to the rider and his passengers.

Shouldn't such practice be discouraged amongst commercial vehicle operators?




Source:

autojosh.com/see-what-a-wizkid-fan-did-on-the-windscreen-of-his-keke-napep-photos/

Rep. Justin Amash, the only congressional Republican who publicly argues that President Donald Trump has engaged in impeachable conduct, announced Thursday he is quitting the GOP.
"Today, I am declaring my independence and leaving the Republican Party," Amash wrote in a Washington Post op-ed Thursday morning. "No matter your circumstance, I'm asking you to join me in rejecting the partisan loyalties and rhetoric that divide and dehumanize us. I'm asking you to believe that we can do better than this two-party system — and to work toward it. If we continue to take America for granted, we will lose it."
Amash didn't mention the President by name, but his decision to abandon the party comes after months of escalating criticism not just of the President but of his own colleagues for their failure to hold Trump to account, specifically for the actions detailed in special counsel Robert Mueller's report on the 2016 election and its aftermath.

Trump appeared to celebrate Amash's departure on Twitter, slamming him as a party defector who would not have been re-elected.
"Great news for the Republican Party as one of the dumbest & most disloyal men in Congress is 'quitting' the Party," the president tweeted. "No Collusion, No Obstruction! Knew he couldn't get the nomination to run again in the Great State of Michigan. Already being challenged for his seat. A total loser!"
In May, the five-term Michigan representative became the first sitting Republican lawmaker to join Democratic calls for an impeachment inquiry. He drew scorn from GOP leaders and Trump — Amash has "been a loser for a long time," the President responded — when he wrote in a series of tweets that, after reading Mueller's report on Russian interference in the 2016 election, he believed Attorney General William Barr intentionally misrepresented Mueller's findings and Trump engaged in obstruction of justice.
Amash, a staunch libertarian, litigated the failures of the Republican Party, Congress and the American political system as a whole in his Post op-ed.
"The Republican Party, I believed, stood for limited government, economic freedom and individual liberty — principles that had made the American Dream possible for my family," he wrote. "In recent years, though, I've become disenchanted with party politics and frightened by what I see from it. The two-party system has evolved into an existential threat to American principles and institutions."
He also pointed to George Washington's farewell address, in which the first US President warned Americans of the dangers of partisanship.
"True to Washington's fears, Americans have allowed government officials, under assertions of expediency and party unity, to ignore the most basic tenets of our constitutional order: separation of powers, federalism and the rule of law," Amash said. "The result has been the consolidation of political power and the near disintegration of representative democracy."
Speculation about a 2020 challenge
Amash's break with his party adds fuel to growing speculation that he will seek the Libertarian Party nomination and launch a long-shot bid for president in 2020. The op-ed comes as Trump is embarking on his 2020 reelection campaign and it solidifies Amash's role as a leading anti-Trump conservative, representing a group that in 2016 coalesced under a loose "Never Trump" banner.
Over the past several months, Amash has repeatedly refused to rule out a potential presidential bid. Such a campaign would reshape the presidential election: Amash has a national following among Libertarians, and he could draw support from younger, conservative voters who are uncomfortable with Trump.
He told CNN in March that he never stops thinking about such possibilities "because there is a big problem with the current two-party system we have, and someone has to shake it up."
"Now, is it possible for anyone to shake it up and make a difference?" he asked at the time. "I don't know."
The move also upends the state of play in Michigan's 3rd District, where several Republican candidates have announced their plans to challenge him for his current congressional seat in the GOP primary.
As an independent, Amash wouldn't have to compete in the primary to run in the general election, although during a recent town hall in Grand Rapids, he told constituents it is "very difficult" to run as an independent in Michigan, due to straight-ticket voting and existing requirements for third-party candidates to get on the ballot.
Amash didn't address his future plans, though he pointedly called for readers to reject both parties and expressed his belief that the majority of Americans don't feel adequately represented by Republicans or Democrats.
"Most Americans are not rigidly partisan and do not feel well represented by either of the two major parties," he said. "Preserving liberty means telling the Republican Party and the Democratic Party that we'll no longer let them play their partisan game at our expense."
Odd man out
Amash has always been the odd man out among his Republican peers. He has long been known for an unusual willingness to split with the party line on controversial issues including federal surveillance powers, foreign policy and congressional procedure. That divide only widened in the Trump era.
In June, Amash stepped down from the House Freedom Caucus, a group of roughly three dozen hardline conservatives who have become some of the President's loudest defenders over the past two years.
"I have the highest regard for them and they're my close friends," Amash told CNN shortly after he informed the HFC board of his decision. "I didn't want to be a further distraction for the group."
Amash, a founding member of the Freedom Caucus, stopped attending weekly meetings long before he formally cut ties, after clashing with members for months over differing priorities. Leading up to the 2018 election, he urged his colleagues to turn back from the path they were going down, delivering impassioned speeches about how the group was "losing sight of our purpose and our principles."
It didn't help Amash this year that Reps. Mark Sanford and Raul Labrador, his closest allies in the fight for the Freedom Caucus' soul, were no longer in Congress.
"In some sense you've delegitimized objections to the President," Amash told CNN of the group's loyalty to Trump in March. "You've built up such credibility for him that you just can't challenge him anymore."
Working with Democrats
During the 116th Congress, Amash has regularly sided with Democrats on the House Oversight Committee amid investigations into the White House, even as Republicans on the panel have stuck firmly to playing defense for the President.
He recently voted to authorize a subpoena for White House counselor Kellyanne Conway after she refused to testify about her alleged violations of the Hatch Act, and he made headlines in February when he asked former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen questions designed to uncover potential wrongdoing by Trump during his appearance before the committee.
Amash was also the only Republican to cosponsor the House Democratic resolution earlier this year disapproving of Trump's use of emergency powers to seize funds from the Defense Department for the construction of a border wall between the United States and Mexico.

He has said moving forward with an impeachment inquiry would be appropriate but has not signed onto any existing impeachment resolutions, noting the decision ultimately falls to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Pelosi has been reluctant to back impeachment, arguing it would hurt Democrats in the upcoming election.
"Clearly, things that violate the public trust are impeachable," Amash said to applause during the Grand Rapids town hall. "I think it's really important that we do our job as Congress. That we would not allow misconduct to go undeterred."

edition.cnn.com/2019/07/04/politics/justin-amash-leaving-gop/index.html

4/7/19. From The Tribunal Today.

Hearing has commenced...

Prof. Ben Nwabueze (SAN), 88 is representing the petitioners today.

He requested that he may be permitted to sit in his wheelchair to address the court, and the court graciously granted him and permitted the erudite legal luminary to address the court sitting down.

A very emotional legal epic moment.

This is the right time to be in court.

Source: www.trezzyhelm.com/2019/07/buhari-vs-atiku-professor-ben-nwabueze.html

Popular musician, Timi Dakolo, whose wife is currently in a controversy over her alleged rape has reacted to the recent allegation by a former staff of Commonwealth of Zion Assembly, COZA, that Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo raped her.

The former staff of the church who pleaded anonymity on Thursday said Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo raped her sometime in 2017 at the pastor’s house.

At the time, she said she was an employee of COZA who worked directly with the pastor and was also a member of the church.

According to her, Pastor Fatoyinbo asked her to come to his house outside Nigeria on the particular day (a Thursday morning) to take some instructions and go for an errand but the scenario changed after he stopped discussing the church and grabbed her towards him.

Reacting to the recent interview, Timi Dakolo took to his Instagram page, describing the interview as truth and not an attack on the church.

According to him, the revelations are not to attack the church but an ‘attack against an individual using the church as an avenue to ruin women.’

“Then another person found her voice and boldly steps forward. This time a former church member and staff is here to tell her truth. This isn’t about the church, it has never been, so don’t get it twisted.

“Nobody can fight the church of God. We are against individuals using the church as an avenue to ruin women. Let us not expect to do what God expects us to do! This truth is not going anywhere. Must we continue in evil so that grace may abound? God, forbid!




Read more here thickmatch.com/timi-dakolo-reacts-former-coza-staff-accuses-pastor-biodun-fatoyinbo-raping/

My wife says no s*x until her mother leaves our house.
FROM A MALE READER:

I'm happily married with two young kids ages 2 and 4. We stay in a 2-bedroom apartment and usually leave the connecting door ajar so that if the kids wake up during the night they may have access to our room to seek comfort, which is very frequent especially during these noisy thunder storms.

My problem started with the arrival of my mother-in-law, less than a week ago to spend 2 months. Of course, she sleeps with her grand kids in their room.

This doesn’t stop them from frequenting our room during the night, so the door is still left ajar. Much to my amazement, my wife has now told me that she will no longer allow us to copulate during the time her mother is with us. She said her mum scolded her and feels we are rude to engage in lovemaking knowing fully well that she is in the adjoining room.

My wife has always feared her mum so it is impossible for me to convince her that this is her house, not her mum’s. I don’t see myself going one week without s*x, talk less of 2 months! Is it my fault that the bed creaks or that my wife has to make noise at her height of ecstasy?

I feel that my mother-in-law is being very intrusive and insensitive and I’m prepared to talk to her and ask her to leave if she insists on tormenting my wife, but I know that my wife won’t find it funny at all.

What should I do?

Embattled Rep. Duncan Hunter used campaign funds to pay for extramarital affairs with lobbyists and congressional staffers, prosecutors in California alleged in a court filing Monday.
The salacious revelation joins a host of other charges levied against the California Republican, who pleaded not guilty last year on counts of wire fraud, falsifying records and campaign finance violations.
Hunter's wife, Margaret, who also faced federal charges, pleaded guilty earlier this month and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors. Rep. Hunter has denied the previous allegations against him.

The filing, submitted as part of a series of motions by California prosecutors on evidence they hope to use in a trial scheduled to begin in September, provides detailed accounts of five different affairs, including one with a woman who worked in Hunter's congressional office.
According to the filing, Hunter and the unnamed staffer "occasionally spent nights together at his office" and went on dates funded by campaign cash. One night in 2015, at a Washington, DC, bar known for indoor mini golf, Hunter spent $202 in campaign funds for drinks and snacks, the filing says.
Prosecutors describe another affair, with a lobbyist, that included a rendezvous at a ski resort near Lake Tahoe in 2010, paid for in large part by campaign funds.
Hunter also went on a " 'double date' road trip" with the lobbyist and another couple, which included another congressman. He spent $905 in campaign funds on a hotel bar tab and the room he shared with the woman, the filing says.

Hunter agreed to step down from his congressional committee assignments when he was first indicted, though he later went on to win reelection, defeating his Democratic opponent after a campaign widely criticized for its anti-Muslim themes.
CNN has reached out to Hunter's congressional office for comment on the affair allegations.
Prosecutors also said Monday that Margaret Hunter may testify at trial about her and her husband's allegedly illegal spending. In a separate filing, prosecutors argued that Duncan Hunter could not aim to prevent her testimony by claiming spousal privilege if she agreed to waive the privilege herself.
Rep. Hunter has also generated headlines recently for stoking a separate controversy with his forceful defense of Edward "Eddie" Gallagher, a Navy SEAL who is accused of war crimes and who President Donald Trump has reportedly considered granting clemency.
In his defenses of Gallagher, Hunter said he posed for a photo with a dead enemy combatant and later said that as an artillery officer, his unit "killed probably hundreds of civilians."
In an interview with CNN, he later clarified that he never targeted civilians but said that those unintended civilian deaths are a consequence of war.
His attorneys also submitted a series of filings on Monday as part of an ongoing clash over the terms of his September trial.
In one fiery memo, his lawyers called the pretrial publicity "poisonous" and the prosecution's indictment "political" and claimed that Hunter, an early supporter of the President, would not receive a fair trial in an area that had voted overwhelmingly for Hillary Clinton in 2016.
They have asked the judge to move the trial from the Southern District of California to the Eastern District of California, which voted for Trump in 2016 -- a fact that Hunter's defense attorneys pointed out.
His team is also seeking to dismiss specific charges in the indictment and to limit information related to his financial background because it will prejudice the jury, his attorneys argue.
"It is hard not to see how a juror would be predisposed to cast their vote based on their politics," Hunter's legal team wrote.
For their part, prosecutors argued that Hunter's past claims that he is being targeted by the "deep state" and the Justice Department in a "witch hunt" could taint a jury pool, and they ask the judge to bar him from submitting evidence about "political bias."
Prosecutors on Monday also asked to admit evidence about Hunter's personal financial circumstances -- which lawyers for the congressman pushed back on. In a filing, prosecutors provide extensive details of the Hunter family's precarious financial situation, including thousands of dollars in overdraft fees and late mortgage payments.

Prosecutors also alluded to more potentially scandalous uses of campaign funds by Hunter -- activity that took place "during get-togethers with his close personal friends" and was "clearly non-work related" -- but said they would work with his attorneys to avoid public disclosure of it, as it could taint a jury pool.
Both sides are due back in court next Monday.

A temporary calm had returned to Hong Kong Monday Morning, hours after the city stunned its leaders and the world with a second record-breaking protest in a week against a controversial extradition bill with China.
Both worker and student strikes have been called for Monday, and hundreds of protesters were still around central government offices in Admiralty. Protesters have made clear that if the government does not take further action, either with resignations of key officials or fully withdrawing the bill, then they will take to the streets again.
The city's chief executive, Carrie Lam, officially suspended passage of the bill Saturday, following violent clashes between protesters and police earlier in the week. Many had expected the pause and the heavy use of force by police would sap numbers Sunday.

They could not have been more wrong.
Organizers said around 2 million people joined the march, exceeding last week's 1.03 million. A sea of black-clad protesters filled the streets between the starting point in Victoria Park and the legislature in Admiralty. It took more than eight hours for the last group of marchers to reach the end point.
Many of those in attendance said they felt compelled to march Sunday after seeing images of bloodied protesters at previous demonstrations. Many carried signs with the slogan "Stop Killing Us" and "Civilian, No Headshot Please." Others carried bunches of white flowers to honor a man who died after falling from a building Saturday.
Police said that 338,000 people followed the protest's original route. At least three additional streets on either side were filled with protesters, however, and overhead photos showed a far larger crowd than last week or a march in 2003, previously the city's largest ever protest under Chinese rule.

The mood on Sunday's march was completely different to the angry and tense scenes on Wednesday, when protesters seized control of key streets around the legislature, holding them until they were cleared by police using tear gas, pepper spray and rubber bullets.
In a clear change in tactics, policing around Sunday's march was nearly invisible. Those officers that could be seen were not dressed in riot gear and mainly kept themselves to directing traffic.
Protesters too did not come geared for trouble, almost none wore face coverings and only a tiny minority had helmets and other protective gear.
When small groups did attempt to stir a more forceful reaction outside central government headquarters, they were shouted down by the rest of the crowd, "keep the peace."
In a neat piece of timing that will come as an added blow to Hong Kong's government, pro-democracy icon Joshua Wong walked free from prison Monday, after serving one month of a two month sentence related to protests in 2014.
edition.cnn.com/2019/06/17/asia/hong-kong-china-extradition-hnk-intl/index.html

Within a few hours last week, two pillars of the Trump White House shook.
On Thursday, President Donald Trump revealed that press secretary Sarah Sanders is leaving to return to Arkansas. And his adviser Kellyanne Conway's fate was put into question when a federal agency wrote to Trump urging she be fired for repeated violations of the Hatch Act's prohibition on federal employees using their official positions to dabble in politics.
Apart from Trump himself, Sanders and Conway have been the most prominent White House voices explaining and defending the President's actions.

How well did Sanders do at this? Joe Lockhart, who held the same job during part of President Bill Clinton's second term, was unsparing: "She has failed in almost every aspect of the job."
He faulted her for effectively killing the daily White House briefing, failing to advocate for a transparent government and inventing the story that FBI staffers were unhappy with fired Director James Comey's leadership. But Alice Stewart, a Republican consultant, insisted that Sanders' troubles in the White House don't define her and wouldn't stop her from a successful run for governor of Arkansas, should she choose that path.
Trump said he's going to keep Conway on the job, defying the US Office of Special Counsel's report that cited her repeated verbal attacks, while in her White House role, on Democratic candidates. Jill Filipovic wrote that Conway belongs to a group of administration officials who have been accused of breaking the rules and haven't yet paid a price: "The use of public office as a mechanism for enriching oneself, bettering the position of one's allies or associates or protecting oneself from the law did not start with the Trump administration, but this President and his associates have brought it to levels previously associated with gilded dictators and greedy, gaudy tyrants."

'Too thin-skinned'
In a 52-year career in journalism, Sam Donaldson had his share of run-ins with presidents and press secretaries (Jimmy Carter's spokesman threw a glass of red wine at him), but the veteran ABC News White House correspondent said the Trump White House is different. "We have never seen a president like Donald J. Trump, whose disdain, even contempt and apparent hatred for many members of the press is almost daily on display."
Writing about CNN White House correspondent Jim Acosta's new book, "Enemy of the People," Donaldson called Trump's attacks on the press wrong and dangerous. "History shows that tyrants and would-be tyrants always attempt to destroy a free press. And that is why the First Amendment to our Constitution specifically forbids government from interfering with the work of the press."
The First Amendment's protection of free expression includes comedy. But that doesn't mean Trump likes what he hears on "Saturday Night Live" -- and he has been a particular critic of Alec Baldwin's impression of him.
Baldwin said recently he doesn't plan to appear as Trump on future shows. Dean Obeidallah attributed that, at least in part, to Trump's relentless attacks on the actor. "Comedy has long been used in America to expose the faults of people in power, especially presidents. We cannot allow comedy to be silenced or infringed upon in any way simply because Trump is too thin-skinned to take a joke." (Obeidallah's column -- "Alec Baldwin's 'SNL' departure is a win for Trump"-- prompted a tweet from Baldwin: "Wait! Wait! If pissing off Trump is the point, then I'll keep doing it! I'll keep doing it!!")

Peggy Drexler weighed in on the renewed popularity of Keanu Reeves, who gained plaudits for making sure not to touch women when posing for pictures with them. "Twitter fans are officially hailing Reeves as their 'respectful king,' a man who is taking the lessons of #MeToo to heart. Many have suggested he can serve as a role model for other men confused about what respect for women's personal space looks like in platonic settings," Drexler wrote. There could be many reasons why Reeves is so careful, she said, but little doubt that "it's never a bad idea to be mindful of another person's personal space, whether female or male."
Four-letter word
Dirt -- a compact word, derived from the Old Norse term for excrement -- made a lot of headlines last week. It was shorthand for what Trump called "oppo research," the information that candidates obtain about their election rivals.
Asked by ABC's George Stephanopoulos if he would be open to hearing dirt on his opponents from foreign governments, the President said there's nothing wrong with listening, and questioned whether he would necessarily report the offer to the FBI. (On Friday, he changed his stance, saying in a Fox News interview, "Of course, you have to give it to the FBI or report it to the attorney general or somebody like that.")
Many were shocked by Trump's initial comments. Larry Noble, the former counsel to the Federal Election Commission, said there is no doubt -- soliciting or accepting such information from a foreign government is illegal, and he faulted Robert Mueller for not charging Trump campaign officials in connection with the famous June 2016 Trump Tower meeting.
"By putting a 'for sale' sign on his forehead -- and indicating that he's open for business when it comes to receiving dirt on his political rivals -- President Donald Trump is encouraging foreign governments to attack his political opponents," Samantha Vinograd wrote.
This is precisely what the Founding Fathers feared, John Avlon wrote: They "were obsessed with foreign nations interfering with our elections and influencing our domestic debates. And it wasn't a naive or paranoid concern -- it was rooted in their understanding of how democratic republics had been undermined throughout history."
A warning for Biden

Less than two weeks before the first Democratic 2020 debates, Joe Biden still leads in polls, but he's not on a glide path to the nomination, David Axelrod wrote. The former vice president's stumble over his position on the Hyde Amendment, combined with a "Rose Garden" strategy that has kept him aloof from mixing it up with his rivals, raised questions about the solidity of his lead. "No one is going to hand Biden the Democratic nomination. He'll have to engage fully and fight for it if he is to get the face-off with Trump he is seeking," Axelrod said.
But while opponents poring over Biden's four-plus decades in politics for vulnerabilities have found quite a few, there may not be huge reason for concern on the candidate's part, Michael D'Antonio wrote. "We have a President who was elected despite a huge raft of controversies over his past. There have been bankruptcies. Multiple divorces. s*xual harassment accusations. None of it seemed to matter to his supporters. ...Trump has paved the way for politicians to withstand criticism and controversies that may have been disqualifying in the past."

The US women's national soccer team scored 13 goals in its shutout victory over Thailand, setting a World Cup record -- and drawing scorn from some for its members' exultation. Amy Bass was exasperated: The US women's team has faced battles from the beginning -- "shorter fields, shorter games and smaller balls. And incredibly, they get paid less to win more than the US men's side. Flash-forward to Tuesday: Now they score too much, and when they score, they celebrate too loudly. Anyone ever questioned Lionel Messi (or any other male soccer legend for that matter) on that?"
World on edge
Images of a tanker on fire in the Gulf of Oman said it all. Tension between Iran and the United States (along with its ally Saudi Arabia) rose to a new, worrying level. Peter Bergen warned of "a combustible mix that could be the spark for a wider regional war arising out of the rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia -- unless steps are taken to lower the tension."
On Tuesday Trump touted a "beautiful letter" he said he received from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (one official described it as a birthday greeting for the US President), but there was no sign of progress on Kim's nuclear program. Former National Security Council official DJ Rosenthal, who served in the Obama administration, suggested there might be an upside to Trump's mercurial handling of foreign policy.
"President Trump's incompetence in foreign relations, while not a cure-all, can moderate the damage that he might otherwise cause. The more exposure the world has to this President, the less he matters." While traditionally a President's words are given great weight, Trump's comments "are heavily discounted by the world."
Trade wars are an exception. In the Perspectives section of CNN Business, Dan K. Eberhart, the chief executive of a US oilfield services company, wrote, "With no end in sight in the tit-for-tat trade war, companies must turn to lower-cost nations in Asia and the Americas to find alternative suppliers. The problem is that it is becoming increasingly difficult to find a nation that is not also a target of President Trump's tariff stick."
That's dangerous, warned the editors of The Economist: "When Donald Trump arrived in the Oval Office he promised to restore America's might. His method has turned out to be a wholesale weaponisation of economic tools. The world can now see the awesome force that a superpower can project when it is unconstrained by rules or allies."
Don't be too hasty to criticize the wielding of America's economic power, wrote Marc A. Thiessen in The Washington Post, crediting Trump for Mexico's actions to limit the flow of Central American refugees to the US southern border. He observed: "The president deserves credit for forcing a reluctant Mexican government to act. He was able to do so because the administration in Mexico City knew he was willing to pull the tariff trigger."
High-heel sneakers?
Holly Thomas has "mixed feelings" about wearing high heels at work. "As a relatively short person (I'm 5 feet, 3 inches tall), I can testify that heels can be a genuine asset when trying to assert authority. They're often the difference between looking up at a boss who already infantilizes you or looking them in the eye." Still, she sides with the nearly 20,000 people in Japan who signed a petition against dress codes that require women to wear heels at work.
Heels "mildly incapacitate you. They make you swing your hips and walk more slowly," and give you "bunions, back problems, ankle sprains and tight calves" -- which helps explain why a University of Alabama at Birmingham study found 123,355 people sought treatment at US emergency rooms for high heel-related injuries over a decade.
Happy Dads' Day
As Americans celebrate Father's Day, Nara B. Milanich is out with a new book on "Paternity: The Elusive Quest for the Father." Paternity, she wrote, was long seen as "an intractable problem. Whereas the mother can be known at the moment of birth, the father, it is said, is always uncertain. DNA testing is actually a very recent historical invention -- it only emerged in the 1980s." But the quest for something like it began a lot earlier. In 1921, a San Francisco doctor named Albert Abrams introduced "a machine called the oscillophore that claimed to verify parentage through electronic blood vibrations." Nonsense, of course, but Abrams anticipated "the commercial strategies associated with the modern genetic testing industry: for $10, a patient could mail a drop of blood on white blotting paper for analysis in his lab in San Francisco."
Today's DNA-based tests are a little more expensive -- and may be a lot more reliable.
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John R. Dunne: Trump administration's case for census citizenship question is bogus
Marc Benioff and Marco Lambertini: We're failing the world's oceans
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Jamie Metzl: Ironman deaths and the risks we take

Beijing's leading drug enforcement body has blamed the legalization of marijuana in Canada and parts of the United States for a spike in the amount of drugs smuggled into the country, describing it as a "new threat to China."
At a press conference in Beijing Monday, Liu Yuejin, deputy director of the China National Narcotics Control Commission, said that the number of cannabis users in China had grown by more than 25% in 2018, rising to about 24,000 people.
"In two years, we have found increasing cannabis trafficked from North America to China," he said, though he conceded there were "few cannabis abusers in China" relative to the total population.

According to Liu, China intercepted 115 packages sent through international postal parcels, containing a total of "55 kilograms (1940 ounces) of cannabis and cannabis products" in 2018.
Liu said that most of the suspects connected to the seized parcels had been foreign students or students who had come home after working abroad. He said most of the drugs had been transported through international express delivery. Liu did not specify how many of the packages came from North America.

China severely punishes those caught smuggling or trafficking drugs, including foreigners. Anyone found with more than 50 grams (1.76 ounces) of a controlled substance can face the death penalty.
China has stepped up its efforts to combat the sale of illegal drugs in recent years. Authorities in major cities, including Beijing, have been known to carry out spot drug tests at bars and nightclubs in a bid to clamp down on recreational drug use.
The move puts it at odds with North America, where cannabis has increasing levels of social acceptance.
The first marijuana dispensaries opened their doors in Canada in October 2018 after it became just the second country in the world to fully legalize the drug. South of the border, it is legal to buy and possess marijuana in 10 US states, while many others have decriminalized possession of the drug or legalized medical marijuana.
Cannabis isn't the only drug which has caused divisions between the US and China. Washington has been trying for years to get Beijing to crack down on the country's production and distribution of fentanyl, a deadly prescription drug which is devastating parts of the US.

Fentanyl is about 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine and 30 to 50 times more potent than heroin. According to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention, it was linked to one in four overdose deaths in the US in 2018.

US President Donald Trump has previously accused China of being behind the US opioid crisis, saying in August 2018 that fentanyl was "pouring into the US postal system."
The Chinese government announced in April that it would crackdown on fentanyl-related substances in what was seen as a concession to the Trump administration, who had been pushing hard for greater enforcement.

Lufthansa's stock plummeted Monday after the German carrier warned that intense competition from low-cost European rivals was hurting its bottom line.
Shares in the airline dropped more than 12% in Frankfurt to €15.47 ($17.35), their lowest level in over two years.
Lufthansa (DLAKF) on Sunday issued a profit warning, downgrading its expected margins for 2019 to between 5.5% and 6.5% from an earlier estimate of 6.5% to 8%.

The airline said that it was facing intense price competition on short flights within Europe from budget airlines that are more concerned with growth than profit margins.
Lufthansa said in a statement that yields, especially in Germany and Austria, "are affected by sustained overcapacities caused by carriers willing to accept significant losses to expand their market share."
The German carrier said that longer flights continue to perform well, citing strong performances on transatlantic and Asian routes. But its budget division, Eurowings, would need "further turnaround measures," it added.
The profit warning also factors in a €550 million ($617 million) hike in fuel costs.
The negative outlook from Lufthansa affected other European airlines Monday. Budget carriers Ryanair (RYAAY) and EasyJet (ESYJY) were among the biggest losers, dropping roughly 4.5%. Air France KLM (AFLYY) shares dipped 3%.

The European aviation industry has had a tough time recently. Icelandic budget carrier Wow Air ceased operations in March, following the demise of Germania and British airline Flybmi a month earlier.
Some carriers such as Norwegian Air and tour operator TUI have also been hit by the grounding of Boeing's 737 Max, forcing them to cancel flights or lease alternative aircraft.

Huawei’s 5G Smart Core Network Solution has won the “Best 5G Core Network Technology” award 2019 at the 5G Global Summit held in London. The company's 5G smart core network is based on native cloud, connection + edge computing technologies. It is the first core network in the industry that truly supports 2G/3G/4G/5G NSA/5G SA deep integration.

It supports software-based three-layer decoupling, stateless design, cross-DC deployment, micro-service, grayscale upgrade, and other key technologies. Based on a distributed architecture with transfer separation, the core supports one-stop user-side plug and plays, scheduling heterogeneous on demand. It also supports edge computing for fast integration with third-party applications.

Huawei said it has obtained a total of 46 5G commercial contracts worldwide as of June 2019 and has carried out a series of cross-industry cooperation in the fields of smart grid, VR/AR, car networking, telemedicine, and intelligent manufacturing. In addition, a patent analysis firm, IPLytics statistics, shows that as of March 2019, Chinese manufacturers patent application for “standard essential patent (SEP)” in the 5G field accounts for 34% globally. Among them, Huawei ranked first in the world with 1554 “standard essential patents”.

The company is still facing sanctions from the US government, but still managing to keep its head above water. After been suspended by Google from using its Android OS, Huawei hopes to unveil its own developed Oak OS comes September this year.

Source: www.gizmolad.com/2019/06/huawei-wins-best-5g-core-network-technology-award-in-london/

Huawei will miss revenue forecasts by about $30 billion over the next couple of years because of a US campaign against its business, the founder and CEO of the Chinese tech company said Monday.
"In the next two years, I think we will reduce our capacity, our revenue will be down by about $30 billion compared to the forecast, so our sales revenue this year and next year will be about $100 billion," Ren Zhengfei said during a panel discussion at Huawei's headquarters in Shenzhen.
The embattled Chinese tech firm has become a flashpoint in the US-China trade war. The Trump administration delivered a huge blow on May 16, when it added Huawei to a blacklist that bars US companies from selling it technology without first obtaining a US government license.

Washington fears that Beijing could use its equipment to spy on other nations and it's been pressuring allies to shut the company out of next generation super-fast 5G wireless networks. Huawei has repeatedly denied that any of its products pose a risk to national security.
Despite being locked out of the US market for nearly a decade because of those concerns, Huawei grew into the world's largest telecommunications equipment maker and the No. 2 smartphone brand.
But just four weeks on the US trade blacklist is hitting the company hard, hurting its smartphone business and eroding its dominance in 5G equipment.
Overseas smartphone unit sales have "dropped by 40%," Ren said. A company spokesman said that Ren was referring to sales in June, compared to the month last year.
Falling back behind Apple?
Ren's comments come less than a week after Huawei abandoned its goal of overtaking Samsung to become the world's No. 1 smartphone brand by the end of the year.
Some analysts say Huawei may even struggle to stay ahead of Apple (AAPL) if it remains cut off from US technology for long.

If there are "positive developments" for Huawei in the next two months, then it could "possibly" maintain its No. 2 position this year, according to Kiranjeet Kaur, an analyst with research firm IDC.
"Otherwise, it will be a tough situation for Huawei, which had almost half of its smartphone shipments in overseas markets in 2018 and the first quarter of 2019," she said.
The US export ban forced companies like Google (GOOGL) and Facebook (FB) to cut Huawei off from popular apps and services, without which Huawei phones become a lot less attractive to consumers.
Top carriers in the United Kingdom and Japan are delaying the launch of Huawei smartphones, and suppliers outside the United States are reporting a decline in orders from the Chinese company. The chairman of Taiwanese chipmaker TSMC, Mark Liu, said earlier this month that "demand from Huawei has dropped so far this year."
5G dominance at risk
Beyond smartphones, Huawei's prized position as the leader in 5G technology is looking vulnerable.
Ren said the company had expected tough competition, and even conflict, once it reached a position of market leadership.
"However what we didn't foresee was that the US strategic determination to attack us would be so great, and could be so unwavering," said Ren. "We also didn't foresee that the US would strategically attack us on so many fronts," he added.

The company has invested heavily in developing the next generation of wireless technology. Huawei and its affiliated companies have made more contributions to the effort to establish an international standard for 5G than rivals Nokia (NOK) and Ericsson (ERIC) combined, according to IPlytics, a market intelligence firm that tracks tech trends.
Now, Nokia is closing the gap on Huawei by winning new 5G contracts, and some companies are reportedly avoiding Huawei at international meetings.
South Korean carrier LG UPlus, and chipmakers Intel (INTC) and Qualcomm (QCOM) have reportedly restricted employees from having informal conversations with Huawei.
A spokesperson for LG UPlus, the only carrier to use Huawei in its 5G rollout in Seoul, said "there was no formal policy within the firm about limiting conversations with Huawei." Intel declined to comment on the matter and Qualcomm did not respond to a request for comment.

Ren remains confident his company can survive, and he predicted the company could return to growth in a couple of years.
"We will not be complacent, we still want to openly collaborate with the world," he said.

edition.cnn.com/2019/06/17/tech/huawei-ren-zhengfei/index.html

An Abuja based lady identified as Samantha has taken to Instagram to call out Mavin artists, Rema and D'Prince.

According to her explanation, she was called to hang out with them at their hotel rooms in Abuja and she went with two of her friends. She claims they ended up spending the night with Rema and D'Prince but the musicians failed to pay them when they were leaving in the morning even though they are not 'prostitutes'.

Read her post...

So this guy who calls himself a celebrity barber said I should come down to maitama so we could chill with Rema ,Dprince and thier entire crew and I was like okays but am with 2 of my friends so I'll be coming with them and he was like yes thier very much welcome on getting there at first it was chilled we were at Rema's managers room I can't even remember his name I think big Shaun or so then the next thing Dprince mavin walked in and this cris guy introduced him to us and yeah he chilled in the room for a bit the next thing he stepped out and we all went down shortly after that to take pictures with Rema after taking pictures we came back to Rema's managers room and the cris guy asked to step out for a min with one of my girlfriend's and he then told her Dprince said he likes her and wants her to come to his room my girl was sceptical at first but she later agreed we agreed normals on a pay for them cause one of them went with Rema's manager the other with Dprince and they actually didn't have s*x but they cuddled and shii yes my friends aren't prostitutes neither are they street hoes they know thier worth because your a celebrity doesn't mean they should throw themselves on you you literally kept asking to have my friend they are currently not having it and might not have the courage to call y'all out but I won't let this die down so easily after y'all spent the night with them I came to knock on the Dprinces door by 4:30 Am he asked who it was I told him it was me he opened I said I wanted to see my friend for a min he was like ummm .. and I said just a min and he let her come with me I then told her I was tired I wanted to go home and sleep cause I missed the comfort of my own home she was like I should give her 30 mins she will be out by 5am let her go talk to Dprince I waited for another 2 hours before going to knock again then my friend was fast asleep Dprince answered and hissed like I was becoming a pest he didn't open the door the second time so I went back to the room where my other friend and Rema's manager where staying got my bag and the cash we had on us used the money to



See more here; gistmore.com/lady-calls-our-rema-and-dprinces-manager-over-maltreatment

Supreme Court Hearing Of Osun Governorship Election: Live Updates by Sanromeo(m): 9:51am
The Supreme Court will today (Monday) hear the appeals by the Peoples Democratic Party and its governorship candidate in the September 2018 governorship election in Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, challenging the victory of the Governor of the state, Adegboyega Oyetola and his All Progressives Congress at the poll.


I bring you live updates from the court room.

2019 seems to be the best year for Cristiano Ronaldo after winning three trophies, Series A and Italian Super cup for his club, Juventus and clinching National league for his country, Portugal.

Read his post containing his achievements for 2019...

What an unforgettable season! New experiences, gigantic club, exciting city, broken records and three more titles!

I have to thank all of Juventus fans for the wonderfull way I was welcomed in Italy! You’re a very important part of our victories! Thanks to all my fans around the world and particularly to the portuguese people that helped us reach another historical win for Portugal! You’ll allways have a special place in my heart!

Personaly, I’ll never forget the great moments and new record-breaking achievments I’ve had so far in 2019: - Italian Supercup winning goal;
- Serie A win, Best Player and 21 goals;
- Nations League win and hat-trick;
- First Player to reach 100 wins and 125 goals in Champions League;
- First Player to win 10 UEFA titles;
- First Player to score in all National Teams final stages: FIFA World Cup, UEFA European Cup, FIFA Confederations Cup and UEFA Nations League;
- First Player to score in 10 consecutive National Teams final stages from 2004 to 2019;

See you soon! Together we’ll keep fighting for new and amazing conquests! I’m counting on you

Naira Marley is finally out of Ikoyi prison, as all his bail condition has been met and approved today.

A close source, Naira Marley’s brother made this revelation known via his Instagram story today.

Watch video below:-

www.inoutnaija.com/2019/06/breaking-naira-marley-is-finally-out-of.html

Azeez Fashola, Nigerian musician better known as Naira Marley has been released from prison custody after perfecting his bail condition.

The artiste was arrested and charged to court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on an 11 count charge of advance fee fraud popularly called 'yahoo yahoo'.

Azeez Fashola, aka, Naira Marley, who had been in prison custody pending when he would perfect his bail conditions following his arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice Nicolas Oweibo of Federal High Court, Lagos.

Justice Oweibo had said one of the sureties must be on Grade Level 10 in the federal or state employment.

The other surety must have a landed property within the court’s jurisdiction.

The judge directed the EFCC to verify the bail terms and adjourned until October 22 for trial.

The EFCC is prosecuting Naira Marley for alleged credit card fraud.

He was charged with 11 counts of violating the Cyber Crimes Act of 2015.

The defendant pleaded not guilty.

The musician risks seven years in jail if found guilty.


saharareporters.com/2019/06/14/breaking-naira-marley-released-14-days-after-he-was-granted-bail

Man Destroys His Chair, Television For Losing A Basketball Game
Man Spotted Destroying His Chair, Television For Losing A Basketball Game

A man destroyed his chair and television set after losing bet to a basketball game.

In the video, he was so pissed that he couldn't take it anymore considering the stake, so hr started breaking everything around him.

Watch the video:

www.hgsmediaplus.com.ng/2019/06/man-spotted-destroying-his-chair.html?m=1

This incredible crystal-encrusted Rolls-Royce Ghost turned heads at this year's Eid al-Fitr celebrations in Manchester as thousands gathered in Rusholme to mark the end of Ramadan.

The dazzling British luxury car – which is available to rent from £350 or N159,000 –is covered with more than four million Swarovski crystals embedded on its body, roof and even its Spirit Of Ecstacy.

The iconic Spirit Of Ecstacy hood ornament alone is adorned with more than 2,000 Swarovski crystals.





Even the police at the event were forced to take photos of the car which starts at worth £237,600.

Website Poptop advertises the incredible car from £350.

It says:

"If your looking for something that will make the jaws of your guests drop and the word 'WOW' leave their lips as you pull up to your venue, then this is the one for you!

"We would like to introduce to you the First & Only Crystal encrusted Rolls-Royce, coated in over 4 million tiny crystals from top to bottom!

"Whether it be under the rays of the shining sun or the moonlit sky at night, this car will shimmer & shine like nothing you’ve ever seen before!

"Not forgetting the Spirit Of Ecstacy beautifully adorned with over 2,000 Swarovski Crystals by World famous Swarovski Artist, Vinceri UK (famous for the crystallisation of the red Swarovski Lamborghini in London).

"Provided with a first class service, including fully uniformed chauffeur, red carpet and vip barriers, you will feel like the King & Queen of the World."



autojosh.com/the-diamond-rolls-royce-ghost-that-stole-the-show-during-end-of-ramadan-celebrations-in-manchester/

I LOVE POSTMANIA BECAUSE, IT'S A PLATTFORM THAT PAY YOU FOR LOGIN,READING OF NEWS,COMMENTS, CREATING NEW TOPIC AND SO ON, MY FRIENDS,FATHERS,MOTHERS,UNCLES,AUNTS ,SISTER,BROTHER WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR ,SO COME AND REGISTER AND EARN THANKS.

At first glance, the arrest of investigative journalist Ivan Golunov seemed to be the latest in a string of attacks on the free press in Russia. The reporter was brought up last week on what to many appeared to be a fabricated drugs charge.
But the response to his detainment took the Kremlin -- and Russian society -- by surprise.
For starters, Golunov's arrest prompted an outpouring of journalistic solidarity. Over the weekend, Russian reporters took turns staging solo protests, lining up to hold placards outside the Moscow branch of Russia's Ministry of Internal Affairs. Those single-person pickets -- which do not require a permit -- continued into Monday evening.

The vigils were a spontaneous burst of protest in a country where political speech is often tightly controlled. And Russian media organizations -- both independent and pro-Kremlin -- rallied to Golunov's cause.
On Monday, three leading Russian business newspapers published identical front pages with the headline: "I/We are Ivan Golunov."
It was a phrase reminiscent of "Je suis Charlie," the slogan that went viral after the 2015 mass shooting at the offices of the French satirical weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo.

Equally striking was support from Russia's celebrities, artists and performers. Many Russian celebrities posted videos calling for Golunov's release, calling his case an important test for the rule of law.
"It's crucial that Ivan Golunov walks free not only for himself and for his loved ones, friends or colleagues," said rapper Oxxxymiron (Miron Fedorov). "It's crucial for the whole society and all of us. Because if bravery will continue to be punished and villainy will be praised, none of us have a future."
Veteran rock musician Andrey Makarevich recorded a video statement in support of the journalist, saying "We must do everything so this travesty ends." Makarevich's band, Mashina Vremeni (Time Machine), was scheduled to perform Wednesday in Moscow's Red Square to celebrate Russia's National Day, but the performance was canceled after "a call," the musician said on Facebook.
Chulpan Khamatova, the actress best known for her role in the 2003 film "Good Bye Lenin!," said, "I want to live in a country where there is no fear. I don't want to be afraid. Ivan Golunov must be free."
Many others weighed in. But Fekla Tolstoy, a TV personality descended from author Leo Tolstoy, suggested why the case resonated with so many Russians.
"It's not just the latest attack on freedom of speech, it's a signal to all of us: Anyone one of us can be arrested," she said. "And we can't put up with that."

Kremlin acknowledges conflicting information
Golunov is best known for his investigations into large-scale crime and corruption in Moscow. He investigated how family members of Moscow's deputy mayor purchased nine elite multi-million penthouses in just one day; a state communications regulator's use of artificial intelligence and hundreds of staffers to censor the Russian internet; and linked Moscow's funeral business to criminals and government circles.
The last investigation Golunov published before his arrest was an expose on how Moscow loan sharks deceive debtors to seize their property, evicting over 500 residents in five years.
Russia's police are widely criticized for corruption, and official handling of the case has only fueled suspicion that the case against Golunov has been fabricated.
Golunov was arrested Thursday and subsequently charged with intention to sell drugs in large quantities. Police initially released images from his apartment that appeared to show a kind of drug laboratory, but subsequently backtracked, saying most of the images were not from Golunov's apartment.
Even the Kremlin has acknowledged conflicting information in the case.
Asked to respond to comment on the police statements, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said: "We have paid attention to the corrections that were later published, and we also proceed from the fact that there are several issues that are in need of a clarification."
Peskov's comments were the closest the Kremlin has come to acknowledging the public outcry.
If convicted, Golunov could be jailed for 10 to 20 years. Meanwhile, Meduza, his employer, and other media outlets have raised questions about his treatment in custody.
Golunov breaks down during a hearing at a Moscow court on Saturday.
Golunov breaks down during a hearing at a Moscow court on Saturday.
The ambulance doctor who examined Golunov in police custody said the journalist had a concussion, bruising and possible broken ribs. Police subsequently allowed him to be examined, according to a statement from the Moscow branch of the interior ministry, and a prominent doctor said there was no need for him to be hospitalized -- although some questioned the doctor's political motives for saying so.
Speaking in the courtroom, an emotional Golunov clearly appeared to be under enormous stress.
"This is all very hard, it's like in a movie," he said, before breaking down and crying. "I never thought that I'll be attending my own funeral."
That spectacle, then, may also be what is driving public outrage.
Film director Andrey Zvyagintsev spoke for many when he said the case had laid bare official corruption and hypocrisy.

"This is all fake, pretend and lies," he said. "How long? How long will this dragon tribe drink our blood, when will they be sated? For how long can we observe this and be indifferent?"
Golunov's supporters have called for a march in central Moscow on Wednesday.

For anyone who watches Fox News Channel, it's not at all surprising that its anchors and hosts (with few notable exceptions) talk up President Donald Trump while knocking down the Democrats running against him in 2020.
While that position puts Fox somewhere in the gray area between journalism and activism, it's not exactly new. There are ratings in partisanship -- so Fox News engages in partisanship.
But even partisanship should have its limits. And one of those limits should be raising entirely unfounded questions about a presidential candidate's health. Which is exactly what two Fox News personalities -- Kennedy and Sean Hannity -- have done, according to this terrific piece by the Daily Beast Justin Baragona:

"Since the end of May, Fox Business Network and Fox News star Lisa 'Kennedy' Montgomery and Fox News prime-time host Sean Hannity have speculated on-air, on at least four separate occasions, that the current Democratic presidential frontrunner is secretly dealing with health issues, often comparing his condition to illness-related conspiracy theories the network pushed about Hillary Clinton during the 2016 election."

Kennedy claimed that conversations among Democratic opposition-researchers all center on "you know there is something wrong with the former vice president." She offered no proof for this claim.
Hannity, Fox's biggest star, said this: "Joe Biden's tired. He does not have the energy for this. He's not up for this challenge. They're already hiding him like they hid Hillary. They don't want him out there."

Those baseless attacks echo how Trump attacked Hillary Clinton during the 2016 campaign. "She doesn't have the look," Trump said of Clinton in late September 2016. "She doesn't have the stamina, I said she doesn't have the stamina, and I don't believe she does have the stamina." (Trump's attack came two weeks after Clinton was caught on video shakily leaving a September 11 anniversary commemoration.)
Trump himself has hinted at similar themes in his early attacks on Biden, the current frontrunner for the 2020 Democratic nod. "Joe Biden got tongue tied over the weekend when he was unable to properly deliver a very simple line about his decision to run for President," Trump tweeted in March. "Get used to it, another low I.Q. individual!" And his nickname for Biden -- "Sleepy Joe" -- isn't accidental either.

These attacks clearly are designed to raise questions in voters' minds about electing Biden, who would be 78 on Inauguration Day 2021. That would make Biden the oldest president elected to a first term, breaking the record of -- you guessed it! -- Donald Trump, who was elected at age 70. Which makes the he's-too-old-to-do-the-job argument a little tin-eared.
The Point: Trump -- and his surrogates, including those at Fox -- showed they were willing to do anything and everything to get him elected in 2016. These baseless hits on Biden's health -- more than a year before the election -- suggest they'll be following that same blueprint again.

A local Illinois weatherman criticized his own news station's "Code Red" weather alerts, saying the alert "doesn't recognize that not all storms are created equal" and that the alerts are forced upon him by a "corporate initiative."
All while live on air.
"We want you to know it's not us," Joe Crain, a meteorologist for WICS in Springfield, Illinois, said in a June 5 on-air monologue that has gone viral. "This is a corporate initiative, the 'Code Red' alert, and behind the scenes many of us have tried to dissuade it for the last few months, to try something else that's less controversial to the viewers."

Crain hasn't appeared on air since, and his job may now be on the line. In addition, several companies have stopped advertising with the station in solidarity with Crain and his commentary against the corporate decision-makers.
Crain has worked at WICS, which is a CNN affiliate, since 2004. His profile page on WICS' website was removed after his commentary was broadcast.
Crain declined to comment to CNN on his employment status. WICS did not respond a request for comment, and its owner, Sinclair Broadcasting Group, did not respond to CNN's requests for comment.
In a statement to The Washington Post, Sinclair public relations officer Ronn Torossian wrote that "we're glad they [issued a code red]. That afternoon there was significant storm damage in the area including trees falling on homes, downed power lines, and hail storms. Thankfully, residents were adequately warned to prepare."
According to the Post, Sinclair also said that the seemingly constant red alert days were the product of an active weather pattern and that the decision to issue a code red alert is made by local meteorologists,
Sinclair is the largest owner of local TV stations in the US, and the company's role and media influence has come under heightened scrutiny in the past couple years.
Sinclair's role is particularly important because, according to a 2017 Pew Research Center study, 37% of Americans say they often watch local television news. That's higher than those who get news from cable news, network TV news, newspapers, radio, social media and news websites, the Pew study found.
Weather is the most important topic of local news viewers by a wide margin. A Pew study earlier this year found that 70 percent of US adults said weather was an important local news topic for daily life, well ahead of crime, the next highest-rated topic, at 44 percent.
The problem with Code Red
In his criticism, Crain explained that the "Code Red" was an overly simple phrase for a more complicated issue.
"It's not the perfect solution because, of course, with 'Code Red,' it's all inclusive. It doesn't recognize that not all storms are created equal," he said.
The National Weather Service, he noted, puts out a 1-5 scale on severe weather that shows how frequent the storms are and their intensity.

On the other hand, Code Red was created by, likely, a journalism school graduate," he said. "That being said, I'm a journalism school graduate."
He acknowledged criticisms of the alert from viewers in the form of "thousands" of comments on social media, in letters to the editor and in calls to local radio shows.
For example, just days before his monologue, a viewer wrote a scathing letter published in The State Journal-Register, the daily newspaper in Springfield, saying he was "sick to death" of the alerts.
"It would appear that any cloud in the sky will warrant a 'Code Red.' Indeed, we have three or four for this week alone!" wrote Victor Edwards of Springfield. "This is something like the boy who cried wolf, or Chicken Little, and what it does is make the viewers skeptical of anything the weather people say when not a single one eventuates."
In his commentary, Crain said he understood the criticism of the name "Code Red" and the seriousness that implies.
"Certainly, when you hear Code Red, you think, as they say, the feces is about to hit the fan," he said. "So with that being said, we understand your concerns and we want you to know that we take them very seriously, as far as myself goes. I don't take myself very seriously, but I do take my job seriously and my responsibility to the public."
Finally, he said that the issue was a "corporate initiative," and he encouraged viewers to continue sending in their feedback.
"So, keep in mind, despite the fact that this facility is owned by a corporation, it's still licensed under the authority by the Federal Communications Commission to serve the public interest, convenience and necessity, so you still have a voice. Keep those cards and letters coming," he said.
Furthermore, CNN meteorologist Haley Brink said that the use of "Code Red" is particularly confusing because the phrase has a specific meaning for the EPA's Air Quality Index, a measure of how clean or polluted the air is.
'Joe, we support you'
Crain has been met with an outpouring of support, and several companies have suspended their advertising with WICS amid the controversy.
Sutton's, a local home improvement business that sponsored the 7-Day weather forecast on WICS, said it was pulling its advertising and will not be sponsoring the forecast for the foreseeable future.
"Joe, we support you," Sutton's marketing director Max Bumgardner wrote on Facebook. "We recognize the fact that you were responding to your viewer's concerns. We recognize how you have handled things with total class over the years. We recognize how carefully you have handled our sponsorship of the seven-day forecast on the air."

Bumgardner wrote that he would offer Crain a sales position if he ends up losing his WICS job.
"It is our hope that your services are retained at WICS-TV and that cooler heads prevail. Thank you for what you offer to our community. Know you are loved and respected by many," he wrote.
Henson Robinson Company, a home and commercial contractor which advertised with WICS, said on Facebook it "has asked WICS to suspend all advertising until facts can be reviewed."
The company also mocked the issue in a follow-up post.
"If you are having a 'CODE RED' Residential Plumbing or Air Conditioning issue, You know you can DEPEND ON US!!!!" the company wrote.
A Facebook page titled "Supporters of Meteorologist Joe Crain" has more than 11,000 likes, and the issue has even reached Congress.
US Sen. d**k Durbin of Illinois threw his support behind Crain in a press conference Sunday, according to the State Journal-Register.

Crain is "reliable and he said something that was obvious," Durbin said. "(WICS and Sinclair Broadcasting were) overstating the danger to our community. They're not the only ones doing it, but they seem to be stuck on it and they want to blame him.
"When someone sticks his neck out the way he did, those of us who believe he's right need to say so," he said.


edition.cnn.com/2019/06/10/media/weatherman-code-red-joe-crain/index.html

A vehicle accident that killed one cadet from the US Military Academy and injured 21 others Thursday is refocusing attention on a startling statistic -- more American service members are dying during training exercises than in combat operations.
Between 2006 and 2018, 31.9% of active-duty military deaths were the result of accidents, according to a congressional report updated last month. By comparison, 16.3% of service members who died during that time were killed in action.
And a large majority of those accidents occurred in circumstances unrelated to combat deployments.

"Since 2006 ... a total of 16,652 active-duty personnel and mobilized reservists have died while serving in the US armed forces. Seventy-three percent of these casualties occurred under circumstances unrelated to war," the report states.
It is a trend that has only seemed to pick up momentum of late, as noncombat deaths have exceeded the number of military members killed in action every year since 2015.
In 2017, nearly four times as many service members died in training accidents as were killed in combat, according to a House Armed Services Committee report related to the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2019 -- a key point highlighted by many lawmakers and military officials who argued for additional defense spending to help offset readiness issues that have compounded for years.

"In all, 21 servicemembers died in combat that year while 80 died as a result of noncombat training-related accidents," the report said.
The military endured a high rate of training-related deaths again in 2018 and a spate of deadly noncombat military aircraft crashes prompted then-House Armed Services Chairman Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, to say the "readiness of the military is at a crisis point."
"This crisis is not limited to military aviation," Thornberry wrote in a 2018 report. "This past summer, the Navy lost 17 Sailors in separate collisions involving the USS McCain and the USS Fitzgerald. Navy investigators later found that both accidents were related to ongoing Navy readiness problems."
One of the most recent accidents occurred in March, when two Marine pilots died in a helicopter crash near Yuma, Arizona, during a routine training exercise.

While details on the cause of Thursday's deadly accident remain unclear, the incident serves as yet another reminder of broader safety issues related to military training.

Lt. Gen. Darryl A. Williams, the superintendent of the US Military Academy at West Point, was unable to immediately provide details about the cause of the rollover vehicle accident, citing the ongoing investigation. He said the name of the deceased cadet would not be released until the family was notified.
"Today was a tragic day for the West Point community and our United States Army," Williams said.

CNN's Jamie Crawford contributed to this report.

The United States and Russian navies are at odds over an apparent near collision in the Pacific Friday with each side blaming the other.
The US and Russian warships came somewhere between 50 feet and 165 feet of each other, according to the two opposing reports, with both sides alleging their ships were forced to perform emergency maneuvers to avoid a collision.
This latest incident comes just days after the US Navy accused Russia of intercepting a US aircraft and amid tensions with Moscow on a wide range of geopolitical issues. Last month, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met Russian Vladimir Putin in the resort town of Sochi, where he warned Russia about interfering in US elections, taking a tougher public line than President Donald Trump on the issue.

"A Russian destroyer .... made an unsafe maneuver against USS Chancellorsville, closing to 50-100 feet, putting the safety of her crew and ship at risk," US Navy spokesman Cmdr. Clayton Doss told CNN in a statement.
"This unsafe action forced Chancellorsville to execute all engines back full and to maneuver to avoid collision," Doss said.
The US guided-missile cruiser was traveling in a straight line and trying to recover its helicopter when the incident occurred, he said.
"We consider Russia's actions during this interaction as unsafe and unprofessional," Doss said.
The US account was contradicted by Russia's Pacific Fleet, which claimed it was the US ship that instigated the incident, according to comments carried by the state-run RIA-Novosti news agency.
CNN has obtained a picture of the event after a US official told CNN earlier that the Navy was working to declassify images to dispute the Russian narrative that the US was at fault.
"When moving (on) parallel courses of a detachment of ships of the Pacific Fleet and a carrier group of the US Navy, the cruiser Chancellorsville suddenly changed its direction and crossed within 50 meters of the Admiral Vinogradov," forcing the Russian destroyer to take emergency evasive action, the report said.
The US Navy said the incident occurred in the Philippine Sea while the Russian report said it happened in the East China Sea. The boundary between the two bodies of water is the Senakaku Islands (also known as the Diaoyu islands in China), to the south of Japan and east of Taiwan.
Regardless, the incident occurred in international waters and unusually far away from Russia, according to Carl Schuster, a retired US Navy captain and former director of operations at the US Pacific Command's Joint Intelligence Center.
"The Russians normally harass our ships when they are operating in waters the Russian consider to be within their sphere of Influence (Black Sea, Barents Sea and the waters off Validvostok," said Schuster, who spent 12 years at sea on US warships.
The Russian destroyer Admiral Vinogradov arrives at a port to attend China-Russia Joint Sea 2019 naval exercise on April 29, 2019, in Qingdao, China.
The Russian destroyer Admiral Vinogradov arrives at a port to attend China-Russia Joint Sea 2019 naval exercise on April 29, 2019, in Qingdao, China.
"Putin clearly has ordered the Russian Navy to pressure the USN whenever opportunities exist. It may possibly be a show of political support for China while Xi is in Moscow, but more likely to signal that Russia is willing to challenge the US dominance on the world stage and at sea," he said.
International maritime law requires ships to maintain a safe distance, normally interpreted as 1,000 yards, when passing another, Schuster added. It also requires navies not to interfere with another ship conducting flight operations, he said.

On Tuesday, the US accused Russia of intercepting a US aircraft flying in international airspace over the Mediterranean Sea three times in just under three hours.
The second of the three interactions "was determined to be unsafe" due to the Russian aircraft "conducting a high speed pass directly in front of the mission aircraft, which put our pilots and crew at risk," the US Navy said.

CNN's Mary Ilyushina contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump hit back at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday in his first public comments after she reportedly said she wanted to see the President "in prison" instead of being impeached.
In an interview with Fox News, in which Trump was asked about the comments reported by Politico, the President lashed out at the California Democrat, calling her a "nasty, vindictive, horrible person."
Pelosi told Democrats pushing for an impeachment effort that rather than wanting to see Trump impeached, she wanted to see him "in prison," according to Politico. Ashley Etienne, a spokeswoman for Pelosi, said she could not confirm the comment.

"I actually don't think she's a talented person," the President said. "I've tried to be nice to her because I would've liked to have gotten some deals done. She's incapable of doing deals."
"She's a nasty, vindictive, horrible person," Trump added.
CNN has reached out to Pelosi's office for comment on Trump's remarks.
The interview took place on the 75th anniversary of D-Day while Trump was at the Normandy American Cemetery in France, where American soldiers who lost their lives in World War II are buried.
It's the second time he has referred to a woman as "nasty" or "being nasty" recently, having used the term to refer to Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Suss*x.
"I didn't know she was nasty," Trump said when asked by a British reporter about comments Markle had made about him during the 2016 presidential campaign. He later said he meant to say she was saying nasty thing about him, not that she herself was nasty.
Trump has repeatedly used the word "nasty" to characterize women who have angered him or their negative comments about him, including Hillary Clinton, Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren.
Thursday's interview was the first time he was asked about the reported remark, as he's been on an overseas trip visiting leaders in the United Kingdom, Ireland and France.
The question sparked an elongated rant from the President as the sounds of the ceremony honoring veterans who fought on D-Day could be heard in the background.
Trump called Pelosi a "terrible person" and a "disaster" and said he calls her "Nervous Nancy" "because she's a nervous wreck."

Trump said that if he had "made any statement about anybody" while overseas he would be criticized.
He said Pelosi "ought to focus" on her home district in California, where he said there are "drug addicts" and "needles all over the place" and "people living in the middle of streets."

“One man’s “magic” is another man’s engineering. “Supernatural” is a null word. – Robert A. Heinlein (Sci-FI writer)