Hillary Clinton Slides Behind Bernie Sanders In National Polls

Democratic presidential front runner Hillary Clinton's popularity appears to be dropping nationally while her primary rival Bernie Sanders gained a slight lead for the first time, according to a latest national poll.

Sanders, 74, now has support of 47 per cent of Democratic primary voters as against 44 per cent people who back Clinton.

A month ago, Clinton, 68, had support of 49 per cent of the Democratic primary voters.

And last summer, Clinton had a lead of 46 points and that of 22 points as recently as two months ago.

This is the first time that Sanders is leading a national poll against Clinton, who not long ago was regularly described as the "presumptive" Democratic nominee, according to the poll released by Fox news ahead of the South Carolina primary on February 27.

"One thing that is clear from our poll - and others - is that Clinton has been losing support and Sanders has been gaining. And this process appears to have accelerated since the contests in Iowa and New Hampshire," said Democratic pollster Chris Anderson.

"Historically, lesser-known candidates beating establishment candidates in early contests have seen the biggest boost in their national support," said Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who jointly conducted the Fox news poll with Anderson.

Clinton, however, continues to lead in South Carolina where the Democratic primary is scheduled for later this month. But her lead with Sanders has reduced.

Likely Democratic primary voters favor Clinton over Sanders by 28 points (56-28 per cent), the poll said.

In December, Clinton held a 44-point lead (65-21 per cent).

On the Republican side, front runner Donald Trump leads with 36 per cent support from Republican primary voters.

He is followed by Texas Senator Ted Cruz with 19 per cent and Florida Senator Marco Rubio 15 per cent.

Soldiers Demand Allowance Before Posting to Maiduguri

                                                                     Lt. Gen. Burantai, Chief of Army Staff

There was tension at the 55 Battalion Bonny Camp, Lagos on Thursday following the grumbling by 200 soldiers over the alleged non-payment of their three months mission allowances.

The 200 soldiers were part of the 800 troops that just returned from Darfur, Sudan, where they had gone to for a peace keeping operation.

The soldiers after their return, it was learnt, were redeployed again to the North-East to join the battle against insurgents.

The contingent is said to be led by Lt. Col. H. Dasuki, who unconfirmed sources said, is related to the immediate former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.).

The soldiers said they would not proceed to Maiduguri except their allowances for the Sudan operation were paid. This, they argued, would enable them to leave money behind for their families.

A military source said such posting without payment of allowances was not acceptable to the military high command as it was contrary to a directive from the Defence headquarters.

Reacting to the subtle protest, the Public Relations Officer of the 81 Division, Lt. Col. Kingsley Samuel, said that the soldiers who returned from foreign mission in Sudan were not involved in such a protest. He said that that there was no grumbling whatsoever in the Bonny Camp.

 “There is nothing like grumbling in that battalion. It is not true,” he said.

They are expected to leave Lagos for Maiduguri on Friday (today).

Lagos Light Rail Will Take Off in Dec- Ambode

                                                                            Gov. Ambobe of Lagos State

Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, yesterday restated that the Blue Line of the Light Rail Project will commence in December.

Governor Ambode spoke at the 5th Lagos Corporate Assembly, which is a forum for public-private sector engagement held at the Banquet Hall of Lagos House, Ikeja.

Responding to questions from captains of commerce and members of the Organised Private Sector (OPS), Ambode debunked claims that work had stopped on the first phase of the project connecting Mile 2 to CMS, saying the allegation is untrue.

“The truth is, you might not see the contractors but they are actually working on the waters for now and by December this year, the project will start running. So, work is seriously ongoing,” he said.

He said the government was also about to conclude the channelization of the waterways to improve on water transportation so as to reduce the pressure on roads.

The governor assured OPS members and would-be investors that the state is willing to create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive in order to improve the citizens’ socio-economic well-being.

He said efforts were on to reduce traffic in Apapa and make life comfortable for people and businesses in the axis. He added that, “the idea is that when we open up the area and construct the Ishawo-Oke-Oko creek road to connect the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway from there, we would have greatly reduced the traffic gridlock on the expressway and then finally put a stop to the activities of pipeline vandals so that we can begin to directly pump petroleum products from Atlas Cove in Apapa to Mosimi, and then the tankers will have no business to come to Lagos to lift product.”

He promised to perfect the method for rates collection and unfold a plan to tackle the menace of touts.

On power, Ambode said between now and 2017, he will create clusters of Independent Power Projects (IPPs) across the state to improve on power generation and ensure 24 hours supply.

Nigerian Army Rescues 195 Boko Haram Victims

                                                   Nigerian troops celebrating the capture of a town in Borno State

Nigerian troops yesterday destroyed a patent medicine outlet and a major market operated by Boko Haram insurgents and rescued 195 captives at various locations in Borno State.

The army spokesman, Col. Sani Usman, said ‘quite a number of the insurgents were killed and a lot of items were recovered during the raid.’

 “The Nigerian troops of 7 Division Garrison comprising 112 Battalion and Armed Forces Special Forces yesterday carried out a joint clearance patrol on suspected Boko Haram terrorists locations at Kwaptara, Mijigete, Garin Boka, Mosole, Ngubdori, Ma’asa, Dukje and Gulumba in Dikwa and Bama Local Government Areas of Borno State.

“The troops discovered Boko Haram terrorists camp, patent medicine outfit and major market at Gulumba.

“Quite a number of Boko Haram terrorists were killed and several items were recovered. This includes two logistic trucks, 180 motorcycles, 750 bicycles and various perishable and non-perishable items such as a 100 KVA Mikano generator and grinding machine.

“In addition, they also rescued 195 persons held hostage, recovered 300 cows, 200 sheep and 130 goats rustled by the insurgents.

“The troops also recovered military items such as camouflage uniforms as well as rifle magazines and grenades.

“The unprecedented feat was achieved through the renewed cooperation and support of the public who provide timely information to the troops.

“Consequently, we would like to thank all those good citizens who provide the timely information and enjoin all to see the fight against Boko Haram terrorists as a collective responsibility to enable us clear the remnants of the insurgents in the north east and other parts of the country,” Col. Usman said.

Conjoined Texas Twins Celebrate One Year Since Separation

Formerly conjoined twin girls Adeline and Knatalye Mata were wheeled into an operating room at Texas Children’s Hospital one year ago today to undergo a highly complicated and risky surgery to separate them.

They were just 10 months old at the time and had spent their entire young lives living face-to-face. They shared a chest wall, diaphragm, intestines, lungs and lining of the heart and pelvis. Their chance of surviving the long surgery was still an unknown at the time.

But now it’s been one year since the surgery and the twins, whose middle names are Faith and Hope, are continuing to beat the odds. Both girls are thriving and will celebrate their 2nd birthdays on April 11.

“The girls are both doing so well,” Dr. Darrell Cass, the lead surgeon on the case and co-director of Texas Children’s Fetal Center, said in a statement. “Neither have experienced any complications and they are both making steady progress.”

The girls’ mother Elysse Mata said in an interview provided by the hospital that both girls have reached different developmental milestones and are growing into their own personalities.

“Knatayle is trying to walk,” the girls’ father Eric Mata added. “She knocked out crawling so now she’s trying to walk.”

“Addie can’t walk or crawl, we’re working on that,” Mata continued. “But she scoots and she’s also all over the place too."

“Nightline” was at Texas Children’s Hospital last year as a team of 12 surgeons spent 26 hours performing the separation surgery on Knatalye and Adeline.

Since the surgery, the girls have continued to come to the hospital for procedures and follow-up appointments.

Dr. Cass said the next step will be for Knatalye to undergo an operation on her chest again “to remove the metal struts that were used to stabilize the rib cage and to formally close her chest wall.”

While Adeline’s lungs are improving, Cass said she is still on a ventilator, but they are working on weaning her off it, and she will continue to work on speech and physical therapy.

“A year ago, we were up almost 48 hours and we didn’t know what was going to happen,” Elysse Mata said. “So to be able to look back on that and think, ‘Wow, here they are’ … it’s exciting. You look at them and you wouldn’t know that a year ago they were lying on a hospital bed facing each other, miserable because that’s all they could do, and I’m just excited about the next years.”

Venezuela increases fuel prices for the first time in 20 years

 Venezuela just raised gas prices for the first time in about two decades.

Prices will now increase more than 60 times — to 6 bolivars a liter up from 9.7 centavos, a 6,200% increase according to Javier Blas of Bloomberg.   

Using the weakest exchange rate of 202.94 bolivars per dollar, Venezuela's announced increase translates to about $0.11 a gallon, says Bloomberg.  

Even with this price hike, however, Venezuela still has the lowest gas prices in the world!

Venezuela's government has long subsidized the country's fuel, allowing the people to have the cheapest gas in the world. Back in 1989, an increase in food and gasoline prices led to nationwide protests, which eventually led to the late President Hugo Chavez's rise.Venezuela last raised gas prices in 1996. 

Venezuela also devalued its currency on Wednesday, cutting the value 37% and taking its primary exchange rate to 10 bolivars a dollar from 6.3.

"The devaluation will ease the drain on government coffers by giving state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela SA more bolivars for each dollar of oil revenue, while higher gasoline prices will reduce expenditure on subsidies," wrote Andrew Rosati and Pietro Pitts of Bloomberg. 

"At the same time, the devaluation will probably force the government to raise the cost of staple foods such as rice and bread that most of the country now depends on to eat," they added.

In the larger scheme of things, things in Venezuela have not been great as its economy has been crushed by lower oil prices. The country relies on the commodity for about 95% of its export revenue.

IMF figures suggest that Venezuela's GDP contracted by a record 10% in 2015 and is set to decline 8% in 2016. Inflation is expected to rise from a world high of 275% in 2015 to a mind-blowing 720% in 2016.

Given the situation, many economists and analysts think that the country is looking at another rough year.

"Perhaps no country in OPEC has suffered such a severe economic shock amid the collapse in oil prices as Venezuela," wrote Helima Croft of Capital Market. 

"Given these severe headwinds, we believe that Venezuela’s economic fortunes – and its ability to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe – will largely hinge on whether China continues to open its checkbook to the country this year," Croft added.

Somalia's Islamist Insurgency's Head of Intelligence Killed

 Kenya has killed the commander of an elite unit within Somalia's al Shabaab Islamist insurgency, a man blamed for masterminding a deadly attack on a Kenyan military camp in southern Somalia last month, the Kenyan military said on Thursday.

Kenyan troops, working under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), killed Mohamed Karatey, al Shabaab's deputy commander and head of intelligence, at a graduation ceremony for insurgent fighters on Feb. 8, the Kenya Defence Forces said in a statement.

"It is believed Karatey played a major role in the recent attack on KDF troops in El Adde by the deployment of his suicide bombers," KDF said in a statement.

"His killing now adds to that of the killing of Abdi Dek, the operation commander of the Abu Zubeyr Brigade that carried out the attack in El Adde."

The statement gave no further details on killing of Karatey but said the Kenyan military had also killed 42 al Shabaab recruits and 10 other mid-level al Shabaab commanders during the raid. It was not possible to independently verify the killings.

Kenyan troops took heavy losses when al Shabaab launched a dawn raid on their camp in El Adde near the Kenyan border on Jan. 15, although they have not disclosed exact casualty figures.

Al Shabaab claimed the attack had killed more than 100 soldiers. The Islamist insurgents have links to al Qaeda and seek to overthrow Somalia's weak Western-backed government and drive out the African Union soldiers supporting them.

Al Shabaab has inflated casualty figures in the past, while other official estimates often play them down.

The unit that Karatey headed - known as Amniyat - comprises spies, suicide bombers and explosives experts.

Ugandans Vote for President Amid Long Delays

Ugandans began voting on Thursday in a presidential election that pits President Yoweri Museveni, in power for three decades, against a long-time rival who said he did not believe the vote would be "free and fair."

All sides contesting the election accuse each other of stoking tensions and assembling vigilante groups, and the leading opposition candidates have predicted vote rigging.

"Such a day is highly undermined by the lack of free and fair elections," opposition candidate Kizza Besigye said as he cast his vote in Rukungiri village in western Uganda. Besigye, 59, has run unsuccessfully in three previous elections.

Museveni, 71, came to power in 1986 after waging a five-year guerrilla war and many Ugandans credit him with providing relative peace and economic stability. He is a staunch U.S. ally; Ugandan soldiers lead an African Union peacekeeping force against Islamist fighters in Somalia.

But many voters among Uganda's youthful population say they want change and blame Museveni for not tackling endemic corruption or creating enough jobs.

"I was a baby when Museveni came in. Now, even my own children are seeing that same face. Is he the only one who can rule this country?" asked Uthman Kalyango, 32.

His polling station was among many in the capital, Kampala, which opened hours after the official opening of polling at 7 am local time (0400 GMT), worrying many voters.

"We were almost ready to go away. We were getting tired," he said, adding that he was supporting Besigye, like many young voters interviewed by Reuters in the capital.

Zimbabwe police fire water cannon to break-up war veteran protest

Zimbabwean police on Thursday fired teargas and water cannon to disperse hundreds of war veterans planning a march on the ruling party's headquarters, witnesses said, as factions tussle over who should succeed President Robert Mugabe.

War veterans have previously mobilised election support for Mugabe, a fellow veteran who turns 92 on Sunday, but they have publicly criticised a group in the ruling ZANU-PF party led by Mugabe's wife Grace which has been dubbed G-40 by local media.

Though Grace Mugabe has said she has no ambitions to run for president, experts believe she is a leading candidate to succeed her husband, with Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa also a likely frontrunner and part of a rival Zanu-PF faction.

Witnesses saw police fire teargas and chase war veterans from a sports centre outside Harare's central business district, breaking them into small groups at a nearby open ground.

 Police were seen spraying the groups with water cannon. Dozens of armed police kept watch at the ZANU-PF offices.

The veterans who fought in the war that led to independence from Britain in 1980 have been angered by what they call disrespectful comments by Grace Mugabe and her G-40 allies.

They say she and her allies do not have support within the ruling party but are using their proximity to Mugabe to manipulate him.

However, for all the talk of succession, Mugabe shows no intention of stepping down, despite being Africa's oldest leader and the only president Zimbabwe has known since independence.

The G-40 has attempted to fire some leaders in the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA). In turn, the ZNLWVA has affirmed support for its leaders and branded the G-40 group "counter-revolutionaries".

Ankara Bomb Blast: Turkey Retaliates With Airstrikes

Turkish warplanes have bombed Kurdish militant camps in northern Iraq - as an explosion hit a second military convoy in southeast Turkey.

Six people were said to have been killed in Thursday's attack near Diyarbakir - a day after a car bomb was detonated near a military headquarters in the Turkish capital Ankara, killing 28 people and injuring dozens of others.

Turkey blamed both attacks on Kurdish militants.

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the suicide bombing was carried out by a Syrian national, in conjunction with Turkey's Kurdish rebels.

The Syrian, identified as Salih Neccar, had registered as a refugee in the country in July 2014

He also said 60 to 70 militants had been killed in the overnight air raids targeting rebel positions of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK.

Some 14 people have been arrested in connection with Wednesday's deadly attack.

"The attack was carried out by the PKK together with a person who sneaked into Turkey from Syria," said Mr Davutoglu.

In an apparent appeal to the United States, Mr Davutoglu called on allies to withdraw their support for Kurdish militias fighting in Syria.

Turkey regards the Syrian Democratic Union Party (YPD), and its military wing, the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) as terrorists because of their affiliation to Turkey's outlawed Kurdish rebel group.

However, the YPG, which has strong links to the PKK, has been fighting the Islamic State terror group, alongside the US.

No-one has claimed responsibility for the Ankara bombing which targeted several buses carrying military personnel.

The rush-hour blast was 300m in front of the Chief of Staff's Building, the base for the heads of Turkey's Army, Air Force and Navy and close to the seat of parliament.

Salih Muslim, leader of the YPD, denied his group were behind the Ankara attack.

South Korean spy service says North Korea is preparing attacks (AP)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un recently ordered preparations for launching "terror" attacks on South Koreans, a top Seoul official said Thursday, as worries about the North grow after its recent nuclear test and rocket launch.

In televised remarks, senior South Korean presidential official Kim Sung-woo said North Korea's spy agency has begun work to implement Kim Jong Un's order to "muster anti-South terror capabilities that can pose a direct threat to our lives and security."

He said the possibility of North Korean attacks "is increasing more than ever" and asked for quick passage of an anti-terror bill in parliament.

North Korea has a history of attacks on South Korea, such as the 2010 shelling on an island that killed four South Koreans and the 1987 bombing of a South Korean passenger plane that killed all 115 people on board. But it is impossible to independently confirm claims about any such attack preparations. The South Korean presidential official did not say where the latest information came from.

Earlier Thursday, Seoul's National Intelligence Service briefed ruling Saenuri Party members on a similar assessment on North Korea's attack preparations, according to one of the party officials who attended the private meeting.

During the briefing, the NIS, citing studies on past North Korean provocations and other unspecified assessments, said the attacks could target anti-Pyongyang activists, defectors and government officials in South Korea, the party official said requesting anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak to media publicly.

Attacks on subways, shopping malls and other public places could also happen, he said.

The official quoted the NIS as saying North Korea could launch poisoning attacks on the activists and defectors, or lure them to China where they would be kidnapped.

The Saenuri official refused to say whether the briefing discussed how the information was obtained. The NIS, which has a mixed record on predicting developments in North Korea, said it could not confirm its reported assessment.

The standoff with North Korea is not expected to ease soon, as Seoul and Washington are discussing deploying a sophisticated U.S. missile defense system in South Korea that Pyongyang warns would be a source of regional tension.

The allies also say their annual springtime military drills will be the largest ever. South Korea's defense minister said Thursday that about 15,000 U.S. troops will take part, double of the number Washington normally sends.

The North says the drills are preparation for a northward invasion.

Seoul defense officials also said that they began preliminary talks on Feb. 7 with the United States on deploying the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense, the same day North Korea conducted what it said was a satellite launch but is condemned by Seoul and Washington as a banned test of missile technology.

The talks are aimed at working out details for formal missile deployment talks, such as who'll represent each side, according to Seoul's Defense Ministry.

The deployment is opposed by China and Russia too. Opponents say the system could help U.S. radar spot missiles in other countries.

The United States on Wednesday flew four stealth F-22 fighter jets over South Korea and reaffirmed it maintains an "ironclad commitment" to the defense of its Asian ally. Last month, it sent a nuclear-capable B-52 bomber to South Korea following the North's fourth nuclear test.

Foreign analysts say the North's rocket launch and nuclear test put the country further along it its quest for a nuclear-armed missile that could reach the U.S. mainland.

Cameroon 2015 inflation rises to 2.7%

Cameroon’s consumer inflation rate increased to 2.7 percent in 2015, according to a report issued by the National Institute of Statistics on Monday.

The prices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco rose by 8.9 percent, of transport by 7.5 percent and hotel and restaurant services by 5.9 percent, the report said.

The increase in transportation costs stems from an end to government subsidies of fuel prices in July 2014.

Cameroon, the largest economy in central Africa, has an inflation ceiling of 3 percent. Inflation was 1.9 percent in 2014.

The International Monetary Fund has predicted that Cameroon’s economy would grow by 5.2 percent in 2016, while the World Bank predicts growth of 6.2 percent this year.

MTN pays 542bn CFA francs to Cameroon between 2010 and 2014- Government Official

The local subsidiary of the South African operator, Mobile Telecommunications Network (MTN) said it had “paid 542 billion CFA francs to Cameroon between 2010 and 2014.’’

The communications giant made the claim a day after a regular session of its board of directors. The company talked about its “outstanding contribution” to public revenue and the socio-economic development of Cameroon, through the payment of 467.65 billion CFA francs to the government and the telecommunications regulatory agency (TRA) in terms of taxes, duties and other charges, in strict compliance with the regulations in force.”.

In the same vein, out of the 75 billion CFA francs paid last year for the renewal of its operating license, MTN is proud to reinvest 53.1 % of its annual turnover in the business and the local economy, through infrastructure strengthening, the payment of salaries, the payment of invoices to service providers, the payment of commissions to partners and charitable activities.

This announcement was made after the publication of a report of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) accusing MTN, but also the Cameroon Telecommunications Company (state-owned CAMTEL) and the French firm Orange of owing the state, for the past few years, the sum of 176 billion CFA francs in taxes, charges and unpaid fines.

Cameroon Lionesses Win Their First Ticket Ever To The Olympics

The Lionesses, as the volleyball players from Cameroon are known, booked their first ticket ever to the Olympic Games after a thrilling five-setter. The girls performed the feat in front of about 5,400 of their fans in Yaoundé, the capital. They defeated Egypt 3-2 (25-14, 25-27, 21-25, 25-23, 15-7), in the final of the 2016 African Women’s Olympic Qualifier.

 Opposite Nana Tchoudjang was the best scorer for the Cameroonians with 21 points, followed by middle blocker Stephanie Fotoso with 19. Egyptian Aya El Shami, who scored 22, topped the game.

This is the fifth time an African women’s team participates at the women’s volleyball tournament in the Olympics. Kenya qualified for Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004. Algeria took part in Beijing 2008 and London 2012.

A dream come true

In an interview with CRTV, a local station, Nana Tchoudjang said this an old dream that finally came true. Cameroon’s coach, Jean René Akono, talked about the fighting spirit of his squad, while also emphasizing the qualities of the other semi-finalists.

In the third place match, Kenya beat Algeria 3-0 (25-19, 25-21, 26-24). Other three teams – Botswana, Tunisia and Uganda – participated in this qualifier in Yaoundé.

Egypt and Kenya will join Colombia and Puerto Rico for a qualifier that will give an Olympic sport, later in May, in a place to be defined – Colombian and Rican federations made a bid to host the tournament. Puerto Rico is the favourite team to grab the berth.

Seven teams have secured their place in Rio: Brazil (host country), USA, Russia, China, Serbia, Argentina and Cameroon. There are five remaining spots. Besides the tournament aforementioned, Japan will host, in late May, the World Olympic Qualifier, when four tickets will be given. The three best teams plus the best Asian will qualify to Rio 2016. The participants are Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Italy, Netherlands, Dominican Republic and Peru.

Arab Contractors Replaces Sinohydro on the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium Rehabilitation Project

Arab Contractors has replaced Sinohydro on the Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium rehabilitation project, in the run up to the Africa Women Cup of Nations.

The Egyptian company has been chosen by the Cameroon government to complete the rehabilitation of the Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium and its adjoining stadia, in the run up to the Africa Women Cup of Nations which the country will host between November and December 2016.

This contract was first awarded to the Chinese company, Sinohydro, was cancelled last week by the government because of unsatisfactory results. Infact three months after the start of work, which was scheduled to last 8 months, Sinohydro was only able to complete 5% of the expected work.

Moreso, none of the engineers mentioned in the offer made by the Chinese company were seen on the site.

With 9 months to go before the start of the competitions, it is doubtful whether the new contractors will be able to complete work on the stadium.

Cameroon last hosted a major competition like this one in 1972, when they hosted the Africa Nations Cup then.

Robert Mugabe`s ex-deputy Mujuru sets up rival Zimbabwe party

Zimbabwean former vice president Joice Mujuru announced Wednesday she was forming a new party to challenge President Robert Mugabe`s all-powerful ZANU-PF, in a move that could shake up the country`s politics.

Mujuru, who is the widow of Zimbabwe`s first post-independence army general, was fired from the government and the ruling ZANU-PF party in December 2014.

Her ousting came after a campaign by Mugabe`s wife Grace denigrating Mujuru and accusing her of corruption, fomenting division in the party and plotting to topple Mugabe.

Many of her allies and perceived sympathisers met a similar fate in a party purge.

Mujuru, 60, who was replaced as vice president by long-time Mugabe ally Emmerson Mnangagwa, denied all Grace`s accusations.

She was a guerrilla fighter during Zimbabwe`s 1970s liberation war before rising to become vice president in 2004.

China Sends Missiles To Contested South China Sea Island. According to Reports

The Chinese military has deployed an advanced surface-to-air missile system to one of its contested islands in the South China Sea, Fox News reported on Tuesday, citing civilian satellite imagery.

The images, from ImageSat International, show two batteries of eight surface-to-air missile launchers as well as a radar system on Woody Island, part of the Paracel Island chain in the South China Sea, according to Fox News.

Woody Island is also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam.

Bill Urban, a Pentagon spokesman, said: "While I cannot comment on matters related to intelligence, we do watch these matters very closely."

The report comes as US President Barack Obama and leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations concluded a summit in California.

US Stealth Jets Fly Over South Korea Amid North Korea Standoff

Four US F-22 stealth fighters flew over South Korea on Wednesday in a clear show of power against North Korea, a day after South Korea's president warned of the North's collapse amid a festering standoff over its nuclear and missile ambitions.

The high-tech plane is capable of sneaking past radar undetected. They were seen by an Associated Press photographer before they landed at Osan Air Base near Seoul. They were escorted by other US and South Korean fighter jets.

North Korea will likely view the arrival of the planes as a threat as they are an apparent display of US airpower aimed at showing what the US can do to defend its ally South Korea from potential aggression from North Korea.

The United States often sends powerful warplanes to South Korea in times of tension with North Korea. Last month it sent a powerful nuclear-capable B-52 bomber to South Korea after North Korea defiantly conducted its fourth nuclear test.

U.S. Air Force sends F-15 jets to Finland

 The U.S. Air Force will send six F-15s to Finland this spring for exercises that will operate out of a base about 100 miles from the border with Russia, military officials say.

The six jets from the 173rd Fighter Wing at Kingsley Field Air National Guard Base in Oregon will fly training missions with Finnish forces as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, which the United States initiated in 2014 to reassure NATO allies after Russian military intervention in Ukraine.

The United States requested the exercises, said Maj. Sheryll I. Klinkel of U.S. Air Forces Europe. Though Finland is not part of NATO, it shares an 813-mile border with Russia and has worked with the United States several times in the past few years.

Vietnamese Prisoner Escapes Death Row By Getting Herself Pregnant

Nguyen Thi Hue, 42, was arrested in the coastal province of Quang Ninh in 2012 on charges of drug trafficking, local newspaper Thanh Nien News reports. She was sentenced to death two years later. When she appealed, the court upheld her sentence.

But she may avoid the gallows after all. The Vietnamese penal code forbids the execution of pregnant women or mothers with children under the age of 36 months and orders that in those cases the death penalty should be converted to life imprisonment.  

Investigators discovered that Hue paid a 27-year-old male inmate more than $2,000 in August 2015 for his semen and syringes, which they say she used to inseminate herself. The baby is due in April, and Hue's sentence will officially be reduced to life imprisonment after the birth.

Trump hits back after Obama calls him unpresidential: ‘You’re lucky I didn’t run last time’

Donald Trump brushed off President Obama’s suggestion Tuesday that he’s not serious enough to win the presidency, calling it a “great compliment” because Obama has done “such a lousy job as president.”

Speaking at a press conference Tuesday, Obama lashed out at the Republican presidential primary field, telling reporters that foreign observers were “troubled” by the rhetoric of GOP candidates on issues like climate change and the Syrian refugee crisis, including a suggested ban on Muslims entering the United States. But he voiced a particular disdain for Trump, the GOP frontrunner, calling him an unserious candidate who doesn’t have the political staying power to win the White House.

“I continue to believe Mr. Trump will not be president,” Obama said at a press conference in California, where he is hosting a trade summit with Asian leaders. “I have a lot of faith in the American people. I think they recognize that being president is a serious job. It’s not hosting a talk show or a reality show. It’s not promotion. It’s not marketing. It’s hard.”

Chelsea’s aim was to get an away goal against PSG – Mikel Obi

John Mikel Obi has admitted that Chelsea were disappointed to lose against Paris Saint-Germain, but achieved their aim of scoring an away goal against the Ligue 1 champions.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic opened scoring at the Parc des Princes, before Mikel Obi equalized from close range. But Edinson Cavani came off the bench to make it 2-1 and hand PSG a narrow advantage.

The Nigerian midfielder conceded the free-kick, which allowed Ibrahimovic put the French club in the lead.

“I had to fall in because he [Lucas] was going deeper and deeper into our 18-yard box,” Mikel told BT Sport. “I had to – if not get the ball – foul him, which I did. And then the free kick as well just skipped off my feet and went into the back of the net.

“But we came back strong as well, but we’re very disappointed to have lost the game.

“We know they’re a very good team. Our aim was to come out here and get a goal and we’ve done that tonight. We still have the second leg to play back home, so we have to take that back home and capitalise on that and make sure we build on that.”

Dasuki paid N300m to PDP chairman to fund election campaign – EFCC

The EFCC on Tuesday told a Federal High Court in Abuja that the office of the National Security Adviser, paid N300 million to former National Chairman of PDP, Bello Haliru to fund election campaign.

Mrs Roukayya Ibrahim, forensic expert with the Commission made the statement while testifying before Justice John Tsoho on Tuesday.

Ibrahim said the outcome of forensic analysis on financial transactions in the Sterling Bank account used indicated that the money was not payment for contract executed.

She said that the office of the National Security Adviser headed by retired Col. Sambo Dasuki authorised the payment.

“The bank account that was used belonged to Abbah Bello, son of the third defendant (Haliru Bello),’’ Ibrahim said.

She added: “between October and November 2014, a special Task Force was created to investigate Defence and arms contract.

“Allegation of financial misappropriation in the office of the NSA has been reported at the commission.

“After the Task Force was constituted, we studied intelligent reports and commenced investigation.

“During the course of the investigation, we invited relevant government agencies and banks to discuss with them.

“Specifically, we spoke with senior staff from the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and Central Bank of Nigeria.

“One of the discoveries was a letter from the Ministry of Finance to the CBN requesting the release of N100 billion on March 2, 2015.

“The money was actually meant for disbursement to agencies of government with the office of the NSA getting N30 billion out of the fund tagged to be used for security issues.

“On March 3, 2015, the Accountant-General of the Federation sent a memo to the Ministry of Finance in respect of the N30 billion.

“And on March 5, the Accountant-General of the Federation sent another memo to the CBN requesting urgent release of the N30 billion which was eventually paid into the NSA office account on March 11.

“On March 17, the N300 million was transferred from the N30 billion into the Sterling Bank account operated by BAM Project and Properties Ltd owned by Abba Bello.

“When Abba was arrested and interrogated, he denied knowledge of the transaction that ran through his bank account.

“Then his father, Haliru Bello was away in abroad, but the story changed when we spoke with him on telephone.

“During the course of the investigation, we got to know that Bashir Yuguda, former minister of State for Finance was used to actualise the transaction.’’

“During forensic analysis, we discovered that on March 18, disbursement of about N137 million was made to Kumugumu Ltd, on the same day, another N178 million was sent to North pole Ltd from the N300 million’’.

“On March 28, Abba transferred the sum of N163 million to Hijra Textiles Ltd on the instruction of his father, Haliru Bello.

“Abba who is the sole owner of BAM Project and Properties Ltd whose bank account is been used withdrew the sum of N20 million in two tranches of N10 million each.

“Then on May 28, Abba made another transfer of N50 million into another of his personal savings account.’’

Ibrahim said Abba had specifically confessed to the commission that BAM Project and Properties Ltd did not execute any contract for the office of the National Security Adviser.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the duo are standing trial for alleged unlawful collection of part of the funds meant for arms purchase for the military.