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http://ift.tt/2pQ7WIa German police on Sunday evacuated 50,000 people from the northern city of Hanover in one of the country’s largest post-war operations to defuse World War II era bombs. Residents in a densely populated part of the city were ordered to leave their homes for the operation, planned since mid-April, to remove several recently discovered unexploded bombs. Authorities had expected to remove as many as five bombs but as the day developed it emerged that there were fewer. By mid-afternoon, experts had extracted three British bombs — two of which were defused successfully. The third bomb will require special equipment to be made safe. At two other sites, only scrap was found. Seven retirement and nursing homes were affected and some rail traffic through the city was disrupted because of the operation, which was expected to last all day. Local authorities arranged sports, cultural and leisure activities, including museum visits and film screenings for residents ...

http://ift.tt/2qbktrp French President Francois Hollande on Saturday promised a response to the hacking of centrist presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron’s campaign following the publication online of thousands of stolen emails and documents. “We knew that there were these risks during the presidential campaign because it happened elsewhere. Nothing will go without a response,” he told AFP during a visit of a cultural institute in Paris. “If there has been any interference or appropriations, there will be procedures which will begin,” he said, adding: “We need to let the investigations happen.” France’s electoral commission has warned French journalists not to reveal the contents of the hacked messages on the last day before the election when no campaigning is authorised. The documents spread on social media just before midnight on Friday in what Macron’s team termed an attempt at “democratic destabilisation, like that seen during the last presidential campaign in the Unite...

http://ift.tt/2qwb4KN Barcelona's Brazilian forward Neymar looks on during the Spanish league football match RCD Espanyol vs FC Barcelona at the Cornella-El Prat stadium in Cornella de Llobregat on April 29, 2017. Barcelona won 3-0. / AFP PHOTO / PAU BARRENA Barcelona forward Neymar and his parents will stand trial over alleged fraud and corruption, making the Brazilian the latest football superstar to have to take the stand, a Spanish court ordered on Thursday. The National Court also ordered Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu and his predecessor Sandro Rosell to be sent to trial over alleged fraud and corruption over Neymar’s transfer from Santos in 2013. They will stand trial for “business corruption and fraud”, the court said in a statement. The two clubs, Barcelona and Brazil’s Santos, were also ordered to stand trial. Neymar’s arrival from Brazil’s Santos has been a huge success for the Spanish champions on the pitch but a judicial nightmare off it. The 25...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed said that the absence of President Muhammadu Buhari at the Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting followed medical advice from his doctors. Mohammed stated this while briefing State House correspondents after the FEC meeting, which was presided over by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, in the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He explained that the President, who was in office on Tuesday, was asked to take some rest by his doctors. He thanked Nigerians for their concern and prayers for the quick recovery of the president. “I know you will want to know why the President was not at the meeting. “You are also aware that the President was at his office yesterday (Tuesady) and worked at the office. ” I think about a few days before now we did come out to say he has been asked to take some rest by his doctors and he chosed today to rest instead of attending the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting. “I want to u...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Amidst increasing pressures on the three levels of government to increase revenue generation, albeit, non-oil for the federal government and Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, for states and local governments, more unintended   negative consequences are surfacing. Many observers and affected stakeholders have lamented the aggression by revenue agencies of the various governments. Their method, most times, borders   on abuse of power and excessive use of force resulting in violation of   citizens’ rights. We are particularly concerned with   small business category,   micro, small and medium scale enterprises, MSMEs. The importance of this group to the economy, especially at a critical time like this , cannot be over emphasised. All over the world, this category of businesses is the engine of growth and largest employer of labour. Nigeria cannot afford to pull down this economic power   house for whatever ...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J The President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki has described Nigerian workers as the pillars and driving force of the nation in view of their invaluable contributions to national development. Saraki made this known in a message signed by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Mr Yusuph Olaniyonu, in Abuja at the weekend to mark this year’s 2017 Workers’ Day celebration. He lauded the resilience and commitment of workers in both the formal and informal sector describing their contribution to the nation and the economy as “priceless’’. “From the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) that contribute over 47 per cent to our Gross Domestic Product (GDP), to the civil servants who are the driving force behind our government; “All the way to the unregistered business owners who work to make a living for themselves and their families, every Nigerian worker in both the formal and informal sectors makes a priceless contribution to the sustainability of our nation. “As ...