Pyongyang warns of pre-emptive strike to ‘liberate’ South Korea

U.S. and South Korean Marines take positions during a military exercise in Pohang, South Korea on Saturday. | AP
If U.S.,
S. Korean troops participating in military drills attempt invasion
North Korea said on Saturday its military is ready to pre-emptively attack and “liberate” the South in its latest outburst against the annual joint military drills by the United States and South Korea.
In a statement carried through state media, the General Staff of the North’s Korean People’s Army said its frontline units are prepared to strike first if they see signs that American and South Korean troops involved in the drills were attempting to invade the North.
The KPA said it will counter the drills by the United States and South Korea it says are aimed at advancing into Pyongyang with plans to “liberate the whole of South Korea including Seoul” and also that it is capable of executing “ultra-precision blitzkrieg” strikes against enemy targets.
At the start of the drills on Monday, the North warned of an indiscriminate “pre-emptive nuclear strike of justice” on Washington and Seoul.
In response to North’s statement, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff called for North Korea to stop its threats and “rash behaviour” and warned that a provocation from the North would result in the destruction of its highest leadership.
North Korea has condemned the annual military drills staged by Seoul and Washington in South Korea, calling them preparations for an invasion.
The allies say the drills, which this year are described as the biggest ever and follow the North’s recent nuclear test and long—range rocket launch, are defensive and routine.
From Around The Web

Russia to disarm world's largest nuclear ballistic missile submarine

A Typhoon-class Russian nuclear missile submarine prepares to dock at the military port in the Kola peninsula, northern Russia © Dmitry Barinov / AFP

In 2016 Russia is set to disarm the missile system of the Typhoon-class Arkhangelsk submarine, the largest in the world. The disarmament will be carried out in accordance with the New START agreement between Moscow and Washington.

Working in accordance with the New START treaty between Russia and US, the country’s leading Zvezdochka shipyard in the northern Russian city of Severodvinsk will disarm the missile system of the Arkhangelsk submarine, the shipyard’s press service told TASS news agency on Friday.

“We will remove the covers of the submarine’s missile launchers and seal them, thus making it impossible to use the vessel’s missile weapons, ” the press service said. “We are not talking yet about dismantling the submarine itself. The tender for this procedure has not yet been announced.”

According to the data published by the Russian nuclear agency Rosatom, the sub’s disarmament is estimated to cost some 28 million rubles (about US$ 400,000).

See what Nigerians opinions are concerning Buhari’s administration :'Buhari’s Honeymoon With Nigerians May Not Last Long

Editor’s note: Ben Murray-Bruce, the Chairman of Silverbird Group, advises Muhammadu Buhari how to move the country forward, stressing that the president-elect must think of what is best for Nigeria rather than what is best for his party and its chieftains.

Murray-Bruce warns Buhari that he will soon wish he didn’t win the presidential elections if he does not take serious measures to improve Nigeria’s economy.

Story highlights:
– Politics is war, therefore, many of the rules of war and peace apply to politics.
– Nigerians people voted for Muhammadu Buhari, not his party and he should serve the people the dish they are angling for.
– Buhari’s honeymoon period with Nigerians may not last very long.
– Nigeria and other nations should look to China for oil markets.
– Austerity measures must start from Aso Rock.
Ben Murray-Bruce
(This day) – Now that Major General Muhammadu Buhari has been chosen by the Nigerian people, it is my duty as a patriotic Nigerian to help him succeed even though my candidate was President Goodluck Jonathan, a man to whom I will always be loyal and appreciative.
General Buhari is about to mount the saddle and I for one am in a very good position to tell him some home truths because as a senator-elect, I have a very fulfilling job awaiting me and I do not need a job or favours from Buhari so I do not have to play nice.
Looking at the personalities he has appointed to his transition council, I am convinced  to believe that General Buhari needs to expand his circle of friends and advisers.
As a military strategist, the president-elect must be familiar with the principle that the people you use in subduing an opponent are not necessarily the same persons you will need in rebuilding the territories you took. I may be using military terms, but I am sure General Buhari is aware that politics is war by other means and therefore many of the rules of war and peace apply to politics.

The General will be best served if he thinks of what is best for Nigeria rather than what is best for his party, the All Progressive Congress (APC), and its chieftains. He must remember that in Nigeria’s subjective politics, it was his person that the people voted for not his party and he should therefore serve the people the dish they are angling for.
And what are the expectations of Nigerians from General Buhari? Definitely not business as usual. The president-elect ran on a promise of change and while that change was not really defined by its chanters, Nigerians defined it as a change in their situation. To borrow from the famously potent prayers of Mountain of Fire and Miracle members, the Nigerian masses defined change as a situation where wealth and power must change hands from the elite to the masses by fire by force and they see General Buhari as the enforcer angel that will bring about this change.
With this type of expectation, Buhari’s honeymoon period with Nigerians will not last very long if he does not take drastic steps to adjust Nigeria’s economy to the realities of falling oil prices and a dearth of buyers for the Bonny Light Sweet Crude.
To put things into perspective, when the United States started buying less and less of Nigeria’s oil, we looked to China as an alternative buyer of oil but it has since come to light that whereas America spent $101 billion on clean energy between 2012-13, China spent $125 billion within the same time frame.

Buhari may wish he did not win the 2015 elections when the reality of our economic situation sets in. In his December 2014 Channels Television interview, Buhari said he was going to “stabilise the oil market”. The General will learn soon enough that today’s oil market is a buyers’ market. And the General’s choices are limited because he cannot (unless he is extraordinarily brave and politically callous) do the obvious and sack civil servants. Yes, he will eventually have to reduce the over bloated federal civil service, but before he can do that, he has to build up political capital by reducing the overhead of the Executive and persuade the Legislature to follow suit.
We need an absolute change not impostures

Nigerians blame Buhari for current state of nation

– Buhari’s popularity drops for 30% since last year
– The president scored low on jobs, economy, and power
– According to the poll Ibe Kachikwu remains the best minister
– Nigerians stop blaming the previous government for all nations’ problems
President Buhari during the swearing-in ceremony on May 29, 2015.

Many Nigerians have scored President Muhammadu Buhari low on jobs, economy, and power for the first time in months according to Governance Advancement Initiative for Nigeria (GAIN).

It’s the first time since December last year that a monthly poll that track the performance of governments at all levels in Nigeria, has recorded main approval rating slide.

Earlier the survey found that majority of Nigerians did not accuse President Buhari of Nigeria’s ongoing economic troubles. They blamed ex-president Goodluck Jonathan instead.

Meanwhile, the trend changed significantly in February as country’s economic crisis bit harder, in what the poll coordinators suggested that Buhari’s “honeymoon” is over.
Malcolm Fabiyi, one of the poll’s coordinators said: “The survey was administered using electronic media between February 22nd and 29th, 2016. A total of 757 complete responses were received. The survey results have a 4% margin of error at a 95% confidence level.”

Lai Mohammed says economy gone out of Buhari's control

– President Buhari travels a lot to stabilise the prices of crude oil
– Lai Mohammed claims that incumbent government don’t control economy

Lai Mohammed, the minister of information, has said on March 12, that the Nigerian economy has gone totally out of President Muhammadu Buhari’s control.
The minister clarified that this was so because Nigeria cannot regulate the price of crude or gas.
Answering to the critics of the incumbent government Mr. Mohammed said President Buhari’s frequent trips abroad, particularly to the oil-producing nations, became imperative because of the urgent need to encourage support for the stability of the global oil prices and also to draw Foreign Direct Investment into Nigeria.
He noted that stabilizing the prices of crude oil will assist in propping up the naira. The minister added that Buhari has been spending countless times outside the country to find solution to the crash in oil prices.
“Then why Answering to the critics of the incumbent government Mr. Mohammed said President Buhari’s frequent trips abroad, particularly to the oil-producing nations, became imperative because of the urgent need to encourage support for the stability of the global oil prices and also to draw Foreign Direct Investment into Nigeria.
He noted that stabilizing the prices of crude oil will assist in propping up the naira. The minister added that Buhari has been spending countless times outside the country to find solution to the crash in oil prices.
“Then why the president cannot stay here. Staying here in Nigeria is like an army general who in the face of war remains in the bunker, ” Mohammed said.

The minister, who made these comments while answering on questions from a radio station in Abuja, said the fact that the incumbent government led by Buhari is still managing to drive the economy is a credit on its side. 
The minister, who made these comments while answering on questions from a radio station in Abuja, said the fact that the incumbent government led by Buhari is still managing to drive the economy is a credit on its side.

“Hunger Drives Me” Jane Michael Ekanem shares her inspiring story with CNN African Voices

CNN’s African Voices features celebrity stylist and fashion designer.

Jane Michael Ekanem in its latest edition.
The stylist talked about her life and career as a stylist plus her journey so far in the industry. From humble beginnings in the Surulere suburbs of Lagos, Jane Michael Ekanem had a brush
with poverty in her childhood.

After turning her passion for clothes into a booming business, the celebrity stylist and designer tells CNN the story of how she made it to the top of her industry in Nigeria and what keeps her going every morning.

EPL: Man City suffer blow to title hopes with Norwich stalemate

Manchester City’s hopes of regaining the Premier League title suffered a potentially grievous blow on Saturday as they were held to a goalless draw by struggling Norwich City at Carrow Road.

The unpredictable 2014 champions dominated possession and territory but still did not have the urgency nor invention to pierce a well-organised Canaries’ rearguard.

Sergio Aguero’s first half snapshot, well saved by John Ruddy at full stretch was the nearest they came to scoring as they had to settle frustratingly for remaining fourth in the title race, still nine points behind leaders Leicester City.

Norwich came closest to breaking the stalemate with Patrick Bamford, on his Norwich debut, hammering a brilliant half-volley against the crossbar just before halftime, reports Reuters.
The point, though crucial to Norwich’s fight against relegation, still leaves them in the bottom three.