Commotion as police officer killed in U.S. Capitol attack – Newstrends
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Commotion as police officer killed in U.S. Capitol attack

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A motorist rammed a car into U.S. Capitol police on Friday and brandished a knife, killing one officer and injuring another and forcing the Capitol complex to lock down in an attack that police said did not appear to be terrorism-related.

Police shot and killed the suspect.

Yogananda Pittman, acting chief of the U.S. Capitol Police, said the suspect drove into the officers, then hit a barricade and got out of the vehicle, lunging at them with a knife.

“It is with a very, very heavy heart that I announce one of our officers has succumbed to his injuries,” she told a news conference, her voice choked with emotion.

Police identified the slain officer as William “Billy” Evans, an 18-year veteran of the force and father of two children. Officials said the other officer was in a stable and non-life threatening condition.

“It does not appear to be terrorism-related but obviously we’ll continue to investigate,” said Robert Contee, acting chief of the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington.

President Joe Biden said he was heartbroken by the attack and ordered flags at the White House be lowered to half-staff. In a statement, he said he was being briefed on the investigation.

Multiple media organizations, citing anonymous sources, named the suspect as Noah Green, 25, of Newport News, Virginia. Green’s brother told the Washington Post that his sibling struggled with drug use and paranoia and his family worried about his mental state.

According to media reports, Green spoke on Facebook about the “end times”, the anti-Christ, and government “mind control”. He also said he was unemployed after leaving his job, “partly due to afflictions,” and praised Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.

Facebook said in a statement that it removed the suspect’s accounts from Facebook and Instagram and were in contact with law enforcement.

Brendan Green told the Washington Post his brother had been violently ill on Thursday evening at the Virginia apartment they shared, and later sent him a text message saying that he planned to become homeless.

Police said the suspect was not known to them, and they had yet to determine what motivated him.

“Clearly this was someone who was actively trying to just get at whoever or whatever – we just don’t know right now,” Contee said. “Whether the attack was at law enforcement, or whoever, we have a responsibility to get to the bottom of it and we’ll do that.”

Dozens of police cars, marked and unmarked, raced toward the iconic domed white building, in an unwelcome reminder of Jan. 6, when thousands of supporters of then-President Donald Trump overran the complex.

It was the worst security threat at the Capitol since that day, when scores of Capitol police were wounded, one was killed and two others later committed suicide.

U.S. spy agencies warned in mid-March of an ongoing threat that racially motivated violent extremists, such as white supremacists, will carry out mass-casualty attacks on civilians while militia groups target police and government personnel and buildings.

Roads leading to the complex were blocked by police cars or officers and people inside the Capitol were told to stay away from windows for much of the afternoon before police announced that the lockdown had been lifted.

Videos and photographs from the scene showed a blue car rammed into a security barricade, a front door open.

HEAVY SECURITY

There were few people at the Capitol. Members of Congress were not in Washington on Friday, with both the Senate and House of Representatives in recess for the Easter holiday.

Dozens of National Guard troops, who have been stationed at the Capitol since the January attack, quickly deployed. Heavily armed and in riot gear, they jogged in columns to stand in rows at the scene and around the complex.

Authorities have begun only in the past couple of weeks to remove the outer ring of high, razor-wire-topped fencing erected around the sprawling Capitol complex after the Jan. 6 rampage. Many of the thousands of National Guard troops posted at the building in January had also been sent home.

Lawmakers have been arguing about how much security should remain on Capitol Hill, which is a popular park for city residents as well as the seat of government. Members of Congress from both political parties have introduced legislation to make it illegal to erect permanent fencing around the building.

The Jan. 6 assault took place while the House of Representatives and Senate, with the Senate presided over by then-Vice President Mike Pence, was certifying Biden’s November election victory over the Republican Trump.

At the time Trump’s supporters shouted slogans including “Stop the Steal” and “Hang Mike Pence” as they attacked the Capitol and said they hoped to stop the election certification.

Biden, a Democrat, took office on Jan. 20.

“This has been an extremely difficult time for U.S. Capitol Police after the events of Jan. 6 and now the events that have occurred here today. So I ask that you keep our U.S. Capitol Police family in your thoughts and prayers,” Pittman said.

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Lagos-Calabar coastal road: Train track work begins 2025, says minister

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Lagos-Calabar coastal road: Train track work begins 2025, says minister

The Federal Government plans to begin constructing train tracks on Section I of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway in 2025.

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, made this announcement during an inspection of Sections I and II of the project, which are located within Lagos and being handled by Hitech Construction Company Ltd, on Friday, December 20, 2024.

The details of the announcement were published in a statement on the ministry’s official website on Saturday.

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“The President has given very serious attention to road infrastructure. Don’t forget that this Coastal Highway and, of course, the four Legacy Projects all have the train track incorporated. The construction of the train track for this section I is going to take off in 2025,” Umahi stated.

The Works Minister outlined plans to enhance the Lagos-Calabar Highway in Sections I and II of Phase 1, including solar-powered CCTV cameras, lay-bys every 5-15 kilometers, and security posts for improved safety and monitoring.

He announced that 20 kilometers of Section 1 are scheduled for commissioning by May 2025. The Federal Controller of Works, Engr. Olukorede Kashia, noted challenges such as large refuse dumps and unsuitable soil conditions requiring extensive remediation during the project.

Lagos-Calabar coastal road: Train track work begins 2025, says minister

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Copyright: Court orders Adele’s song removed from platforms

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Adele Laurie Blue Adkins

Copyright: Court orders Adele’s song removed from platforms

A Brazilian court has ordered the removal of Adele’s 2015 song Million Years Ago from radio and streaming platforms worldwide following a copyright lawsuit filed by local composer Toninho Geraes.

The ruling, delivered by Judge Victor Torres, comes after Geraes accused the British singer of copying his 1996 classic Mulheres, originally performed by Brazilian artist Martinho da Vila.

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Geraes claims the track from Adele’s album 25 closely mirrors his 1995 composition, demanding recognition and compensation for the alleged infringement.

In the lawsuit, Geraes is seeking $160,000 in moral damages, lost royalties, and a songwriting credit on Adele’s track.

The court has also imposed a fine of $8,000 per act of non-compliance on the Brazilian subsidiaries of Sony Music and Universal Music Group.

 

Copyright: Court orders Adele’s song removed from platforms

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Marketers react after NNPCL slashes petrol price to N899 per litre

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Marketers react after NNPCL slashes petrol price to N899 per litre

The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has praised Dangote Refinery’s management for bringing the price of its gasoline down to N899.50K per litre.

PETROAN spokesperson Joseph Obele said in a statement on Thursday that the action is a huge relief for drivers and Nigerians in general.

“This price reduction, a decrease of N71 per litre from the initial price of N970, is a significant relief for motorists and Nigerians at large, especially during the holiday season,” PETROAN stated.

According to PETROAN president, Billy Gillis-Harry, Dangote Refinery’s price cut would lessen Nigerians’ suffering and lower living expenses over the holiday season.

“The price reduction will alleviate the suffering of Nigerians and reduce the cost of living and transportation during this festive period,” he said.

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Anthony Chiejina, a company representative, stated that the price cut is intended to reduce transportation expenses during the holiday season. Additionally, the refinery stated that customers could purchase an extra litre of fuel on credit for every litre of fuel purchased with cash.

In November, the privately held refinery reduced the price of its gasoline to N970 per litre. “To alleviate transport costs during this holiday season, Dangote Refinery is offering a holiday discount on PMS. From today, our petrol will be available at N899.50 per litre at our truck loading gantry or SPM.

“Furthermore, for every litre purchased on a cash basis, consumers will have the opportunity to buy another litre on credit, backed by a bank guarantee from Access Bank, First Bank, or Zenith Bank,” said Chiejina.

News Direct earlier reported that oil marketers have continued to rely on imports to deliver gasoline across the country, even though two significant refineries in Nigeria started producing the fuel within the last three months.

According to data gathered last week, marketers imported 2.3 billion litres of gasoline between September 11 and December 5, 2024. This ongoing importation runs counter to previous declarations made by certain marketers who stated their intention to cease importing and instead concentrate on locally produced goods.

 

Marketers react after NNPCL slashes petrol price to N899 per litre

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