Saudi Arabia Vs Iran: The War of Nerves

audi Arabia’s mass execution of “terrorists” whose victims include the senior Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr has triggered a crisis between Saudi Arabia and Iran, whose radicals ransacked Saudi embassy in Tehran and which resulted in Saudi Arabia breaking off relations with Iran, that threatens to spill into outright warfare and has additionally polarized the Middle East. What is behind Riyadh’s and Tehran’s moves and what are the likely consequences?

Written by J.Hawk exclusively for SouthFront: Analysis & Intelligence

Obatala Festival Hosted By Ita Oosa Grows For 2016

Once again Ojise Obatala Edena – Oloye Oriyomi Ifagbenjo Orisagbemi and Ita Osa convene their annual Obatala Festival. Obatala Festival celebrates many qualities and attributes of Yoruba sacredscience practice and positive attributes. Among the many attributes and aspects that will be celebrated are those of creativity, transformation of planet Earth, molding of human beings,laughter,etc.

US Navy's Pacific Fleet Shrinks in Face of Rising China

The US Navy's Pacific Fleet has fewer ships now than in the mid-1990s, leading to a debate about whether the United States has enough ships to meet challenges posed by China’s growing and assertive navy.


China announced last week that it would build its second aircraft carrier. China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, is a second-hand Soviet ship built more than 25 years ago. It was commissioned in 2012 after extensive refits.

US Navy officials maintain that vastly improved technology on its ships outweighs any disadvantage from a drop in numbers.

China Voices Strong Protest Against North Korean Test of Hydrogen Bomb

Beijing voiced strong protest in light of North Korea's test of hydrogen bomb, China's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Wednesday.

BEIJING (Nigeria Property) — Earlier in the day, South Korean media reported an earthquake near the North Korean nuclear facility. Seoul suspects that Pyongyang has performed a nuclear bomb test. Later, North Korea confirmed that it had indeed tested a hydrogen bomb, which it said was a success.

"Today North Korea has announced a nuclear test. The Chinese government firmly opposes it. The prevention of nuclear proliferation and the provision of peace and stability in Northeastern Asia — this is China's position," Hua said.

She added that Beijing called on Pyongyang to act in accordance with its obligations in the area of nuclear non-proliferation.

North Korea Confirms Successful Testing of Hydrogen Bomb

North Korea announced a successful test of a hydrogen bomb in a special statement broadcasted by the country's central TV and South Korean TV channels.

According to the statement, Pyongyang claimed the reason for the test was the country's right for "self-defense," and promised not to use nuclear weapons if the international community respects its sovereignty.

Subsidy Removal, Naira Devaluation… 5 Things IMF Boss, Lagarde, Discussed With Buhari.

Christine Lagarde, managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), advised President Muhammadu Buhari and his team to be flexible with its monetary policy and let go of petroleum subsidies.

At a meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, Lagarde said Nigeria would not need any programme and/or loan from the IMF to enhance its economy.

MOSOP Issue 30-Day Ultimatum To Buhari To Implement UNEP Report

Based on a perceived delay in the clean up of crude oil spill impacted on sites in Ogoniland, the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People, MOSOP, has issued a 30-day ultimatum to the Federal Government led by President Muhammadu Buhari to commence the implementation of the United Nations Environmental Programme Report on Ogoni, Rivers State.
This was disclosed during the 23rd anniversary of Ogoni people, at Birabi Memorial Grammar School, Bori, the ancestral headquarters of Ogoni people.

INEC Ad-hoc Staff Protest Over Unpaid Allowances In Lokoja

Ad hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from the 21 Local Government Areas of Kogi State yesterday staged a peaceful protest in Lokoja, the state capital over non-payment of their allowances since the conclusion of the November, 21 2015, governorship election. The protesters who marched through some major streets in Lokoja were demanding for the payment of their N17, 500 being the fee for their participation in the governorship election exercise. Chairman of the ad hoc staff, Yusuf Bello, and Secretary, John Okpanachi, who spoke with Thisday said they had to take to the streets so as to push for their entitlements.

Jonathan: We Shamed Prophets Of Doom In 2015.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan says Nigerians proved wrong those who had negative prophecies about the country in 2015.  Reacting to the honour bestowed on him by The African Sun Times Newspaper, which named him its International Person of the Year, Jonathan reaffirmed his belief in the country he led for five years. The publication is number one and largest newspaper in America. “I thank The African Sun Times for naming me as its International Person of the year, 2015. I am indeed humbled by this honour,” he wrote on Facebook.

Don't Throw The Arab World Into Crisis, UN Warns Saudi Arabia, Iran

United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, on Monday, urged Saudi Arabia and Iran to avoid any actions that could further exacerbate the situation between the two countries and in the region as a whole. Ban made the call in a telephone call he made to Mr Abel bin Al-Jubeir, the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia and Mr Mohammad Zarif, the Iranian Foreign Minister.

Buhari meets IMF MD

0A-C President Muhammadu Buhari discussing with The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Mrs Christine Lagarde during an audience with IMF Team at the State in Abuja.JAN 5 2016. 1A. R-L; President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Prof Yemi Osinbajo, The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Mrs Christine Lagarde, Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, and CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele 2. President Muhammadu Buhari in a hand shake with The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Mrs Christine Lagarde (m) flanked by the Vice President Prof Yemi Osinbajo left and CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele and others PRESIDENT BUHARI RECEIVES IMF MD LAGARDE 3. L-R; President Muhammadu Buhari, The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Mrs Christine Lagarde and CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele PRESIDENT BUHARI

Buhari Bows To Outrage, Orders Reduction Of Presidency’s N19bn Budget.

Following the outrage which had trailed the billions of Naira allocated to the Presidency in the 2016 Budget, President Muhammadu Buhari has reportedly ordered for a downward review of the budget. DAILY POST gathered on Tuesday that the president was angered at the bashing he was receiving over the billions allocated to his office, that of his vice, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, as well as Aso Rock as a whole. Details provided by Nigeria’s budget office shows that the presidency got N19billion. DAILY POST had published the breakdown of 2016 budget about a week ago.

Inter-Ministerial Committee Will Be Established To Fast-Track NNPC Reforms - Buhari.

President Muhammadu Buhari said Tuesday in Abuja that an inter-ministerial committee will soon be established to speed up the re-organization and reformation of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Speaking at a meeting with the Chief Executive Officer of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Jin-Yong Cai, at the Presidential Villa, President Buhari said that the reformation of the NNPC had become inevitable in view of the corruption and abuse of its present structure in the recent past. The President also cited Nigeria's current need to maximize income from every source of revenue as a further imperative for reforming the NNPC.

Court Asks IGP To Monitor Haliru Bello At Abuja Clinic..

The Inspector General of Police, IGP Solomon Arase, has been asked to supervise the stay of the former National Chairman of the PDP, Haliru Bello, at the Abuja clinics. A Federal High Court gave the directive on Tuesday, pending the determination of Mr Bello’s bail application which has been fixed for January 7, 2016. The order followed the plea by his counsel and evidence in court that the accused person came from the Abuja clinics to take his plea.

INEC Urged To Probe $2m Bribe Offer To Wife Of Bayelsa REC By Timipre Sylva

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been urged to launched an immediate investigation into an alleged $2 million bribe offer to the wife of Bayelsa Resident Electoral Commisioner (REC) by the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva. A statement issued by the leader of Friends of Bayelsa, Otobo Osborne, also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to use the instruments of government at his disposal to order an investigation into how and where Chief Timipre Silva got the $2 million dollars to offer the wife of Bayelsa INEC REC in the state.

DSS Searches Governor Mimiko Of Ondo State's Plane

In a commando like operation, as seen in movies, the plane conveying Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State to Port- Harcourt enroute to Bayelsa State was searched by men of the DSS. The stern looking men of the DSS swooped on the plane as soon as it landed at the Port-Harcourt Airport. The DSS men searched the plane, and even "physically" searched the Governor, his security details and aides.

Saudi Arabia May Fall Victim to Oil Price War It Started

Saudi Arabia has been flooding the market with cheap oil to drive competitors out of business, but now it is getting more and more difficult. The oil war Saudi Arabia has waged in the oil global market may have negative consequences for the Saudi economy, American author and journalist Matt O’Brien wrote.  "The next casualty in Saudi Arabia's oil price war might be its own economy," the article in WP read.

Lagos to install 10,000 CCTV cameras across the state

Lagos state government says it has concluded plans to install 10,000 CCTC cameras across the state. The state Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Akinyemi Ashade, stated this while giving a breakdown of the 2016 budget, tagged ’The Peoples’ Budget’ before newsmen.
“We will be expanding our ICT infrastructure statewide. Consequently, a budget of N9.6 billion has been approved for this purpose in 2016. This will include a Smart City project targeted at deploying technology to enhance security in the state.
It will also aid our revenue generating efforts. We will be increasing coverage of CCTV installations in the state. Our goal is to have over 10,000 active cameras, connected by Broadband. The existing 1,000 cameras will be reactivated and these will be increased by an additional 3,000 cameras after the completion of the first phase of this project.”‎he said

Shi’ites ask the FG to tell Nigerians the whereabout of El-Zakzaky

Three weeks after his arrest, members of the Islamic sect, Shi’ites, yesterday, asked the Federal Government to tell Nigerians the whereabout of their cleric, Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky and his wife.

The President of the Islamic Movement Media Forum (IMMF), Ibrahim Musa in a statement said:
The condition and whereabouts of the Islamic Movement’s leader Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky as well as that of his wife, are still unknown, three weeks after their arrest and detention by the  security operatives.

First thoughts on the Saudi-Iranian conflict: is an attack on Iranian forces in Syria next?

First and foremost, a disclaimer: I don’t normally comment on an event right after it has happened, if only because in most cases the key information needed to make an evaluation is missing.  In this case, however, I am confident that three things are already obvious:

First, the murder by the Saudi Wahabis of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr and 46 other Shia was a deliberately planned provocation.  The Saudis knew, knew full well, that it would result in an explosion of rage in the Shia world.  Not only that, but the timing was also carefully chosen.

The Three Stooges: Current Ukrainian Leadership Has Crippled the Country (Photo)

The Ukrainian 'revolution of dignity' thrust the country into the quagmire of hopelessness and corruption.  The leaders of the so-called 'revolution of dignity' which toppled the government of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych are little more than ‘political losers’ who have caused the country's collapse, according to the Austrian publication Contra Mgazin.

Bahrain Cuts Diplomatic Relations With Iran

Bahrain calls for Iranian diplomats to leave the country within 48 hours.

Bahrain has severed diplomatic relations with Tehran following storming of Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran, state news agency BNA reported.

"Bahrain decided to break off diplomatic relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran and calls upon all members of the mission to leave the kingdom within 48 hours," BNA said.

9 of 10 Incredible Pictures Of Extremely Cold Weather (Super-Human Strength)

9)Super-Human Strength



The cold weather can make you feel almost superhuman at times. This person managed to snap the handle of his car door after it froze in a snow storm.

Saudi Arabia cuts diplomatic ties with Iran following yesterday’s protest and attack on their embassy in Teheran

Saudi Arabia cuts diplomatic ties with Iran following yesterday’s protest and attack on their embassy in Teheran. The tensions were sparked when Saudi Arabia executed a Shiite cleric.

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said that in a time period of 48 hours all diplomats must return to their country. According to Al Arabiya TV, all Saudi diplomats have been evacuated from Iran and are currently in Dubai.

9 of 10 Most Expensive Cars In The World (Lamborghini Veneno)

9) Lamborghini Veneno

This car was built to celebrate the automaker’s 50th birthday, and the word Veneno literally means poison in Italian, and at $4.5 million, paying for it might make someone sick.