VISION-WORLD NEWS

(FRANKS..) The U.S. government allegedly gave Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari the names of Nigerian oil thieves who have been stealing and illegally stockpiling the West African nation’s oil. U.S. President Barack Obama’s administration provided Buhari with the names last week when the Nigerian leader was visiting the White House, according to a Nigerian newspaper that cited presidential sources. A member of the Nigerian president’s entourage told the Punch that Buhari was shocked by the names, and it could prompt him to probe the administration of former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, who was widely accused of corruption. “I can tell you that the president already has the list of names of the people engaging in the stealing of Nigeria’s oil. The list, when released by the president, will shock Nigerians,” the source, who reportedly spoke on condition of anonymity, told the newspaper on Tuesday. A second unnamed source within Buhari’s administration confi...

(FRANKS..) CNN) If confirmed to be from missing flight MH370, could a small portion of plane wing be the clue investigators need to unlock one of aviation's biggest mysteries? On the surface, it's what investigators have been waiting for -- the first physical piece of evidence as to what happened to the Malaysian Airlines flight that vanished in March 2014, carrying 239 people. Here's what could happen next: Identifying the wing fragment Planes are stamped with multiple serial numbers for exactly this purpose -- to allow parts to be identified and matched to a specific model and aircraft. "If the part numbers that are stamped on the pieces of the plane still survive, it literally could be a phone call to Boeing or the parts indices to see if it belongs to a 777. And if it belongs to a 777, it is MH370," said Mary Schiavo, CNN aviation analyst and former inspector general of the United States Department of Transportation. Schiavo points o...

(FRANKS..) Multinational troops fighting Boko Haram in West Africa will be able to pursue the militants across borders, Nigeria's presidential spokesman says. Garba Shehu told the BBC this was there was now trust between those contributing troops since the election of President Muhammadu Buhari in May. He was speaking ahead of the Nigerian leader's visit to Cameroon. A boosted force with 8,700 troops from Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria is to become fully operational next month. On Tuesday, Cameroon announced it would deploy an extra 2,000 troops along its northern border with Nigeria to fight Boko Haram. It follows an upsurge in suicide attacks in northern Cameroon blamed on the Nigerian militants. 'In disarray' With the help of troops from Chad and Niger, earlier this year the Nigerian army managed to retake most of the areas taken over by the militants in north-eastern Nigeria. Although the militants have lost their strongholds, they are still...

Today, 04:35 PM News24 Jeff Wicks, News24  Durban - Police and suspected armed robbers exchanged gunfire a high-speed car chase that wove through Morningside in Durban on Tuesday afternoon. The pursuit and dramatic gun battle followed an intelligence-driven operation that saw officers thwarting a bank robbery. Two men were arrested. Another two are on the run. According to several police sources, who cannot be named because they are not authorised to speak to the press, officers confronted a gang of men as they lay in wait outside the Standard Bank on Chris Hani [North Coast] Road, Briardene. Acting on knowledge gained from an informant network, Crime Intelligence agents set to work. It is understood that when the gang saw the police officers, they fled in their getaway vehicle, moving across the Connaught Interchange. “We received information that they were going to hit the bank and their vehicle was spotted outside [the bank] yesterday [on Monday]. Officers went to the ban...

Malaysia sackings over money scandal Updated 37 minutes ago Najib Razak has vehemently denied wrongdoing over the scandal Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak has replaced his deputy amid a continuing financial scandal. Muhyiddin Yassin had criticised Mr Najib's handling of allegations surrounding a state investment fund. Mr Najib has denied allegations that nearly $700m (£450m) were transferred to his personal bank accounts from the 1MDB fund, which he set up in 2009. Attorney General Abdul Gani Patail, who led the investigation into the scandal, was also replaced, said state media. The statement carried by the Bernama news agency said his dismissal was on health grounds. The BBC's Jennifer Pak in Kuala Lumpur says that with these latest developments, Malaysians have doubts about whether the truth of the scandal will come out. Though Mr Najib appears to have bought himself some time, there is continuing pressure and he still faces a lot of questions from opposition...

Gaddafi's son sentenced to death Updated 13 minutes ago John Simpson in the courtroom ahead of the ruling A court in Libya has sentenced Col Muammar Gaddafi's son, Saif al-Islam, and eight others to death over war crimes linked to the 2011 revolution. More than 30 close associates of the deposed leader were on trial, accused of suppressing protests during the uprising. Saif al-Islam was not present in court and gave evidence via video link. He is being held by a former rebel group from the town of Zintan that refuses to hand him over. Former head of intelligence for the Gaddafi regime, Abdullah al-Senussi, is among those also facing the death penalty, as is former PM Baghdadi al-Mahmoudi. The court also ordered the execution of former PM Baghdadi al-Mahmoudi Saif al-Islam is also wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Prosecutors say that he was part of his father's plans to "quell, by all means, the civ...

All 28 Nato members are joining an extraordinary meeting to discuss Turkey's campaign against the Islamic State (IS) group and Kurdish militants. The meeting was called by Turkey, which has staged a dramatic shift in its approach to the Syrian conflict. The previously reluctant partner in the US-led coalition against IS has launched raids against IS in Syria. Turkey's prime minister said he expects his country's allies to show solidarity and support for its campaign. Analysts say a factor in its change in stance on the Syrian conflict are plans - not yet formally announced - to establish an "Islamic State-free zone" along its Syrian border in collaboration with the US. As well as targeting IS militants, it would also allow Turkey to hit positions held by the Kurdish PKK group. Turkey says it draws no distinction between the PKK and IS, considering them both as terrorist organisations. In a series of cross-border strikes since Friday, Turkey has not only targ...

(FRANKS..) From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye , Abuja Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) has disclosed that security reports have revealed how Boko Haram plans to use  scavengers to dump refuse laden with bombs in the homes of Very Important Personalities (VIPs). The Vice President had toured Adamawa and Borno states recently and early this month, two suicide bombers had blown themselves up outside a village in Maiduguri at the time Osinbajo was visiting the city. Osinbajo disclosed this at a meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) after governors from the North-East and North-West presented updates on insurgency and other crimes such as cattle rustling and banditry in the North-West. Governors of Yobe, Borno, Taraba, Kaduna, Gombe, Plateau and Bauchi states informed the Council of security concerns in those regions. On insurgency, Governors of Yobe and Borno raised the alarm of five local government areas  still being occupied by Boko Haram. ...

(FRANKS..) Obama: 'UK has always been our best partner' 23 July 2015 Last updated at 23:39 BST US President Barack Obama has talked about the importance of the relationship between the UK and the US. In an exclusive interview with the BBC's North America editor Jon Sopel, President Obama said: "We don't have a more important partner than Great Britain." He praised UK Prime Minister David Cameron for his commitment on a "whole host of security issues".

(FRANKS..) From Bamigbola Gbolagunte , Akure The Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has expressed worry on the high level of insecurity in the country, saying its members are now the targets of killers. Specifically, the union bemoaned the rate at which its members were being killed and kidnapped across the country. Also, the union condemned the gruesome murder of the former vice chancellor of the university, Prof. Albert Ilemobade, who was killed by two of his domestic staff at his home in Ijapo, Akure on June 21 as well as the assassination of Dr. Deji Adejobi of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State. Meanwhile, the family of Prof. Ilemobade has released final burial arrangements for the late FUTA VC. The funeral arrangements, according to the family, would commence with the lying-in-state at his residence along Gani Fawehinmi Street, off Ademulegun Road, Ondo on July 29, while Ch...

(FRANKS..)Russia may no longer be considered the superpower it once was, but as developments in Ukraine have proved, the military might of the Kremlin still can pack a punch.

(FRANKS..)   A gunman has killed four US Marines and injured several others at two US Navy buildings in Chattanooga, Tennessee. A local district lawyer said the shootings were being investigated as an "act of domestic terrorism". The gunman, who was shot dead, was named as 24-year-old Mohammad Youssuf Abdulazeez by the FBI and local reports said he was born in the Middle East. President Barack Obama said the attack was "heartbreaking" and said the suspect appeared to be a "lone gunman". Abdulazeez is believed to have been born in Kuwait, but has lived in the US for several years. He was arrested earlier this year in Chattanooga for driving under the influence of alc A spokesman for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga said a student with the same name graduated in 2012 with a degree in engineering, according to local media reports. The Chattanooga Times newspaper reported that he went to a local high school and competed on the wrestling...

(FRANKS..) The Hillary Clinton interview in under four minutes 03:55 Iowa City, Iowa (CNN) Hillary Clinton was keenly aware of how long she'd gone as a presidential candidate without sitting down for a nationally televised interview. "Ninety days on Sunday," she told CNN's Brianna Keilar on Tuesday in the first of what will be a series of national interviews. As Bernie Sanders rises in the polls among liberals and Republicans continue to make Clinton the subject of a barrage of attacks, her answers offered some insight into the Democratic frontrunner's thinking at this stage of the campaign. Here are eight of Clinton's key statements -- and why they matter for 2016: Hillary: 'People should and do trust me' 00:46 PLAY VIDEO 1. "This has been a theme that has been used against me and my husband for many, many years." Three decades in the limelight have meant both Bill and Hillary Clinton have...

(FRANKS..)   Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is swinging the axe again at the software giant. Up to 7,800 people will be laid off, the company announced Wednesday morning. Most of the jobs are within its smartphone hardware business. Microsoft ( MSFT , Tech30 ) had 118,600 employees as of March 30, with about 60,000 of those workers in the United States. The cuts represents about 7% of those employees, compared to the 14% cut announced a year ago. This is Nadella's second major restructuring. Last year, he announced 18,000 layoffs in Nokia's devices and services business, following Microsoft ( MSFT , Tech30 ) 's acquisition of the handset maker. The new job cuts and restructuring will also mean a $7.6 billion writedown for the company, a one-time charge that many have been expecting. Steve Ballmer's 2013 purchase of handset maker Nokia was one of his most criticized deals. Analysts attacked the former Microsoft CEO for hampering the c...

(FRANKS..) In Hollywood, there's no better magnet for stargazing than a movie premiere. So on a Sunday afternoon in late June, the summer sun couldn't keep thousands of fans from lining Hollywood Boulevard, hoping to spot a star. This was the "Terminator Genisys" premiere , and only one star mattered: Arnold Schwarzenegger . The former governor of California shook hands, signed autographs and posed for selfies. It's the kind of personal attention Fred and Kathy Santos wish they could get from Schwarzenegger , who they say stole justice from their dead son. "He plays a hero in the movies, yet in real life he's not a hero," Fred Santos said. "He's a dirty politician." Minutes before ending his two terms as governor, Schwarzenegger issued his final act: Commuting the sentence of Esteban Nunez, the teen who pleaded guilty to stabbing to death the Santos' son, Luis, in 2008. It's not that a governor issuing cleme...

(FRANKS..)   Johannesburg - The chief executive officer of Telkom [JSE:TKG], Sipho Maseko, has denied allegations levelled against him regarding car fraud. Reports emerged on Friday that Maseko appeared in Johannesburg’s Wynberg Magistrate's Court to face charges of cloning car licence plates to avoid traffic fines. Another driver, who bought a car previously owned by Maseko, is said to have received R30 000 in fines linked to a newer car with the same licence plate. In the meantime, Telkom has responded to these allegations in an emailed statement to Fin24. “Sipho Maseko received a summons to appear in court on 5 June 2015 on allegations related to a motor vehicle licence plate,” said Telkom spokesperson Jacqui O’Sullivan. “The lack of clarity related to these allegations has been a frustration in resolving the issue. Having now received full discovery of the allegations Mr Maseko is now able to study the detail of the allegations and will respond accordingly. ...

(FRANKS..)   FROM ISMAIL OMIPIDAN, KADUNA There is confusion in Kaduna over the state of the treasury that the Peoples Demo­cratic Party (PDP) govern­ment handed over to the Mallam Nasir el-Rufai-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration on May 29. While former governor Mukhtar Yero claimed during the handover that he was leav­ing behind a whopping N8 bil­lion, a development that forced el-Rufai too to acknowledge publicly then that the situation was not as bad as APC thought, the governor later insisted that his predecessor in office lied on paper. Only last week, former deputy governor of the state, Ambassador Nuhu Bajoga, dismissed the empty treasury claim of the APC-led govern­ment. He insisted that their gov­ernment indeed left N8 billion in the state’s coffers. But el-Rufai again fired back yesterday, insisting that the PDP government left the state in deficit. Speaking through his Special Assistant, Samuel Aruwan, at a press conference yester...

(FRANKS..)   From IHEANACHO NWOSU, Abuja Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, yesterday expressed wor­ry over mass killing and bombing of churches and mosques by Boko Haram insurgents in the North East. He, however, pledged that the nation would not bow to the insurgents. Dogara, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Me­dia and Public Affairs, Tura­ki Adamu Hassan, said the motive of the terrorist was to instill fear in the minds of Nigerians. He condemned yester­day’s bomb attack on wor­shippers in a church in Potis­kum, Yobe State, describing it as “barbaric, inhuman and wicked.” The Speaker said he was deeply worried over the “new dimension” of mass murder by Boko Haram in­surgents in recent days. He urged Nigerians not to lose hope in the capacity of the state and its security ap­paratus to subdue the insur­gents and bring the violence to an end. Dogara insisted that by embarking on mass killing and destruction of communi­ties, the...

(FRANKS..) When the SkySea Golden Era embarked this month on its inaugural tour, it looked a bit different from the last time it sailed, when it was known as the Celebrity Century. Instead of featuring a nightly Elton John tribute concert, it offered a Chinese sketch comedy and a Korean magic show. Passengers could choose from Western entrees or dine at a new restaurant featuring cuisine from China’s Jiangsu province. The Golden Era is one of the latest cruise ships altering its image to woo a growing group of passengers who see cruising as a status symbol: the Chinese. Cruises have become popular choices for Chinese tourists in recent years, appealing to their interests of shopping, dining and experiencing a different type of travel. For some, it is also a chance to experience a Western style of living for the first time. “They see cruising as a new lifestyle,” said Liu Zinan, vice president of North Asia and China at Royal Caribbean International. “It’s not just ...

(FRANKS..) The bodies of eight British tourists killed in Friday's attack in Sousse, Tunisia, have arrived back at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire. The bodies on the flight are those of relatives Adrian Evans, Charles (known as Patrick) Evans and Joel Richards, as well as Carly Lovett, Stephen Mellor, John Stollery, Denis Thwaites and Elaine Thwaites. Thirty of the 38 victims are thought to have been British and the repatriation of all the bodies is expected to take several days, with a joint inquest to follow

(FRANKS..) A massive earthquake has hit the north-east of Japan, triggering a tsunami and a huge whirlpool. The tsunami warning was extended to the Philippines, Indonesia, Taiwan, the Pacific coast of Russia and Hawaii. Dramatic footage of the whirlpool was taken by a helicopter, as the BBC's Humphrey Hawksley explains.

(FRANKS..) BREAKING: Over 300 of America's wealthiest and most powerful citizens have pulled personal money from the U.S. banking system, moving cash to surprising location.   Ex Citibank Insider: "This safe haven lets you grow wealth tax-free... generate up to 100-times more interest than what banks pay... and legally hide your money from the Government. To the Federal monitors, it's as if you and your money have "vanished.'"   Over 2,300 Americans have relocated a portion of their savings here too, including 309 prominent U.S. millionaires.