Israeli military set to launch ground operation in Gaza Strip tonight!

Following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's instruction, Israeli military reportedly began ground artillery bombardment in Gaza strip this evening.

Israeli Army spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Peter Lerner told newsmen "We are now continuing with the ground forces to strike terrorist infrastructure, Hamas infrastructure, in multiple areas throughout the Gaza Strip,". he said.

The Israeli army said its ground offensive in the Gaza Strip would hit Palestinian fighters' targets throughout the Hamas-controlled territory.

Not Again...Kuala Lumpur bound Malaysia's passenger Flight MH17 crashed in Ukraine!

Just months after Malaysia’s Flight MH370 disappeared on March 8 with 239 on board, another Malaysian liner carrying 298 passengers, flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur reportedly crashed in insurgency-wracked east Ukraine, regional officials said Thursday. 

Malaysia Airlines said it had “lost contact” with the Boeing passenger liner, which Ukrainian officials said had come down in a rebel-held zone in the Donetsk region.

“Malaysia Airlines has lost contact of MH17 from Amsterdam,” the airline, still reeling from the disappearance of flight MH370. 

“The last known position was over Ukrainian airspace,” it said on its Twitter account., promising more details soon.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said the jet may have been shot down.

“We do not exclude that the plane was shot down and confirm that the Ukraine Armed Forces did not fire at any targets in the sky,” Poroshenko said in a statement posted on the president’s website.

Regional officials in Donetsk confirmed the plane had come down near the town of Shaktarsk.

From all indications, there are no survivors. 

Headphones and computers were reportedly scattered throughout a field of sunflowers. While a Dutch passport lay open, bodies fell from the sky, looking like rags or clumps of ash in another field.

Emergency services were rushed to the scene, a security source reportedly told Interfax-Ukraine.

It was gathered that US stocks fell sharply following reports the Malaysia Airlines plane had been shot down, while Britain’s Foreign Office said it was “working urgently to find out what’s happened.”

A man believed to be on flight MH17 allegedly posted this before flight took off. “Should it disappear, this is what it looks like.

Malaysia Prime Minister Najib Razak, while speaking on TV says Ukraine President has pledged a "thorough and independent investigation."




On his part, Russian President Putin says Ukraine "bears responsibility" for the crash of MH17 Malaysia Airlines plane".


May the souls of the departed, R.I.P....

Behold the newest bride of the Okoye brothers!

Isn't she just l.o.v.e.l.y.....

Wondering who she is???

She is  Ify Umeokeke, the beautiful wife of Jude Okoye (elder brother to Peter and Paul of Psquare)

Gist reaching us revealed that the traditional marriage of the love birds is holding right now at Nnewi - Anambra state.

More photos from the Star studded traditional marriage:

We wish the couple a beautiful life together.

Israel ready for a five-hour 'Humanitarian' Pause in Gaza as long as Hamas respects same!

News reaching our news desk says the Israeli army has agreed to a "humanitarian" pause in strikes in the Gaza Strip. The five-hour cessation in shelling is scheduled for Thursday between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. local time, a statement from the Israel Defense Forces read. Israel said it was prepared to honor the cease-fire as long as Hamas, which rules Gaza, didn't use the pause to launch its own strikes.

"This humanitarian window is meant to allow the civilian population of the Gaza Strip to engage in resupply for their humanitarian needs," the statement read. "Should the humanitarian window be exploited by Hamas or other terror organizations for the purpose of launching attacks against Israeli civilian or military targets the IDF will respond firmly and decisively."

Israeli officials in Washington said the pause in hostilities was in response to a request from Robert Serry, the United Nations special coordinator for the Middle East peace process. The cease-fire will allow aid to come into Gaza through checkpoints. More than 200 people have died in Gaza since the attacks began last week, including four children who were killed in a strike Wednesday while playing on the beach.

Source: NBC news

Tension as lawmakers insist on Al-Makura impeachment!

The Clerk of the house, Ego Maikeffi Abashe, disclosed this in an interview with journalists in Lafia on Tuesday, that the Nasarawa State House of Assembly may serve the state Governor, Alhaji Umar Tanko Al-Makura, an impeachment notice through the media, as all efforts to serve the governor the impeachment notice proved abortive.

Moves to impeach the governor began on Monday during plenary through a motion under urgent matters of public importance moved by Mohammed Baba Ibaku (PDP) representing Udege/Loko and seconded by Mohammed Okpede,(PDP), Doma North constituency.

Briefing journalists in his office in Lafia, the state capital, on Tuesday, the clerk of the house said that he had made attempts to serve the governor the notice of impeachment at the Government House.

He said that he was stopped by the security personnel stationed at the gate by the Al-Makura.

Abashe, however, revealed that the House would be left with no option than to serve the governor the notice of impeachment through the media if he could not be reached personally.

Investigation by THE PUNCH indicated that the governor had not shown any concern as he went about his normal duties since yesterday (Monday) when the House began the impeachment procedures against him on allegations of gross misconduct.

Further finding by our correspondent showed that the legislators had since flown out of the state for security reasons; just as tension and confusion trailed the impeachment saga within and outside the state.

Culled from PUNCH news

Kate Middleton Pregnancy Rumors Riled British Gamblers Up!

News has been going round, about Kate Middleton's 2nd pregnancy, over the past week, various gossipy outlets have hypothesized that Prince George—who turns one on Tuesday—might soon have a younger sibling joining him in Kensington Palace. Their cited source? Kate's “friend” Jessica Hay, who had allegedly told an Australian newspaper that she had heard the news from “several different friends of theirs” and there would be an “official announcement in weeks.” 

The story got a bit of pickup, before Entertainment Tonight Canada inquired and Kensington Palace said Kate has not spoken to this Jessica Hay in “years,” casting doubt, obviously, on the entire report.

But, due in part to these rumors, two London bookmakers have decided to now close bets on Kate’s potential pregnancy, due to rampant activity. On Monday, one of these firms, Coral, stopped all bets on Kate announcing a pregnancy by the end of July. "When bets come in at once late in the evening, it sets alarm bells off," a Coral representative told People. "It's been quiet and then all of a sudden, a week before Prince George's birthday, this happened. The bets sealed our opinion that someone knows something we don't." 

Bashar al-Assad sworn in for another seven-year term!

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad was sworn in today for a new seven-year term in a red carpet ceremony in Damascus, after an election his opponents had slammed as a "farce".
   
Assad swore by the Koran before the country's parliamentarians in an extraordinary session, 40 months into a conflict estimated to have killed more than 170,000 people.


   
"Syrians, three years and four months... have passed since some cried 'freedom'," he said, referring to the start of a March 2011 revolt that demanded his ouster.
   
"They wanted a revolution, but you have been the real revolutionaries. I congratulate you for your revolution and for your victory," Assad told his supporters.
   
"Those who lost their way can now see clearly... the monstruous faces have been unveiled, the mask of freedom and the revolution has fallen."
   
More than 1,000 people were invited to the inauguration ceremony, with Assad arriving at the presidential palace in a black sedan car before being met on a red carpet by a military band.
   
Parliamentarians and other guests cheered for Assad in the hall where Assad was sworn in and then gave a speech.
   
Assad won a June 3 election held only in regime-controlled territories by 88.7 percent, defeating two other candidates seen as figureheads, rather than genuine opponents.
   
The opposition National Coalition branded the election a "farce" even before it was staged, in a statement later echoed by US Secretary of State John Kerry and NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen.
Source: SBS news