Curator

http://ift.tt/2rZHkpO Former FBI Director James Comey testifies during a US Senate Select Committee on Intelligence hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, June 8, 2017. Fired FBI director James Comey took the stand Thursday in a crucial Senate hearing, repeating explosive allegations that President Donald Trump badgered him over the highly sensitive investigation Russia's meddling in the 2016 election. / AFP PHOTO / Brendan Smialowski Fired FBI director James Comey took the stand Thursday in a crucial Senate hearing, repeating explosive allegations that President Donald Trump badgered him over the highly sensitive investigation Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election. In a jam-packed hearing room on Capitol Hill, Comey immediately faced pressure from the Senate Intelligence Committee over whether Trump was obstructing justice in phone calls and meetings they held before the president fired him on May 9. “This is not how a president of the United States behaves,” said Democ...

http://ift.tt/2s4BQdR This file photo taken on February 3, 2014 shows the leader of South Africa's opposition Democratic Alliance political party, and a former Mayor of Cape Town Helen ZIlle attending a press conference in Johannesburg. South Africa's main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, on June 3, 2017 suspended former leader Helen Zille over Twitter messages in which she said colonialism had brought benefits to the country. The DA, which won 22 percent of the vote in the last general election, hopes to make major gains in the 2019 election but it has struggled to shed its image as a "white" party.MARCO LONGARI / AFP South Africa’s main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, said Saturday its former leader Helen Zille faced being suspended over a tweet in which she said colonialism brought benefits to the country. The DA, which won 22 percent of the vote in the last general election, hopes to make major gains in the 2019 vote, but it has struggled...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Continental Broadcasting Services Limited (CBS), owners of Television Continental (TVC) and Radio Continental has closed down its TVC News Africa arm. The winding down of the channel will allow it concentrate on its core channels consisting of TVC News Nigeria, TVC Entertainment and Radio Continental, the firm said in a statement on Friday. It said there was a need for it to restructure its operations in order to reposition “the business for better and greater delivery of its services to audiences and advertisers alike.” The restructuring, it said, will lead to the disengagement of 145 staffers. “For those staff members affected by today’s announcement the Board of CBS Ltd. has approved a generous severance package in addition to a programme of assistance to enable them to seek new employment,” CBS said. “The CBS Board of Directors has also approved substantial new investment in our staff across the group of companies which will enable us substantially e...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J The Northern Elders Forum has declared that the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo cannot replace President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 should anything happen to Buhari who has been abroad for a medical follow-up. Chairman of Northern Elders Forum, Professor Ango Abdullahi, said should President Muhammadu Buhari’s fail to seek re-election in 2019, the North must retain the presidency by fielding a candidate through the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, party. Abdullahi said although Professor Osinbajo, according to the constitution, should be allowed to complete the current tenure being Buhari’s Vice, he must not contest in 2019 should Buhari fail to recontest for a second term. “The constitutional provision says that in the event that the president dies in office or becomes incapacitated for one reason or the other and cannot perform the duties of his office, he will be succeeded by the Vice president.” “But no one is in a position to know at what point ...

http://ift.tt/2pC59nM Mrs Habiba Lawal, Acting Secretary of the Government of the Federation. Mrs Habiba Lawal, Acting Secretary of the Government of the Federation, has directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to commence procurement in anticipation of the passing of the 2017 Appropriation Bill. She said this on Monday in Kaduna at the opening of the 1st batch conversion training for procurement cadre officers for federal parastatals and agencies, organised by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP). Lawal was represented by Mr Yinka Aguda, Director, Planning, Research and Statistics. “It is expected that the 2017 Appropriation Bill would soon be signed to enable the implementation of the budget. “I have been briefed that the aim of this training is to strengthen the capacity of participants to implement the budget. “MDAs are therefore enjoined to commence their procurement processes in anticipation of the passing of the Bill into law.’’ She said that public p...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J The European Union on Monday called for Venezuela to engage in an urgent, constructive and effective dialogue between the government and the parliamentary majority in order to overcome the political crisis in the country. Report says the opposition, which won parliamentary elections at the end of 2015, is demanding a presidential election and wants Nicolas Maduro, whom they accuse of trying to create a dictatorship, to step down. It added that since the start of April, almost 40 people have died and around 800 have been injured in fighting between security forces and protesters. “The fundamental rights of the Venezuelan people must be respected, including the right to peacefully demonstrate. “It is crucial that all parties refrain from violent acts. “In this light, the announcement to expand and further strengthen armed civilian groups is worrying as it can fuel further violence and does not contribute to a solution. “The EU also recalls that the use of mili...

http://ift.tt/2oUxAwN PHOTO: Google.com/search Microsoft has taken the unusual step of re-releasing security updates for some older versions of its Windows platforms to counter a massive global wave of cyber ransomware attacks. In a blog post, the US tech giant recalled that it had published an update in March to address the weakness exploited in Friday’s attacks, a security flaw exposed in documents leaked from the US National Security Agency. The attacks struck targets in dozens of countries, ranging from British hospitals to Russian banks. “Those who have Windows Update enabled are protected against attacks on this vulnerability,” the company said in the post published on its website. “For those organizations who have not yet applied the security update, we suggest you immediately deploy Microsoft Security Bulletin MS17-010.” The so-called “Wannacry” virus notably attacks Windows XP, which in principle has not been supported by Microsoft since 2014. “Some of our custo...