International
ISIS claims responsibility for attack at Moscow-area concert venue that left at least 60 dead
The terror group took responsibility for the attack in a short statement published by ISIS-affiliated news agency Amaq on Telegram on Friday. It did not provide evidence to support the claim.
Video footage from the Crocus City Hall shows the vast complex, which is home to both the music hall and a shopping center, on fire with smoke billowing into the air. State-run RIA Novosti reported the armed individuals “opened fire with automatic weapons” and “threw a grenade or an incendiary bomb, which started a fire.” They then “allegedly fled in a white Renault car,” the news agency said.
The fire had been brought largely under control more than six hours later. “There are still some pockets of fire, but the fire has been mostly eliminated,” Moscow governor Andrey Vorobyov said on Telegram.
The deadliest terror attack on Moscow in decades, Friday’s assault came less than a week after President Vladimir Putin won a stage-managed election by an overwhelming majority to secure another term in office, tightening his grip on the country he has ruled since the turn of the century.
READ ALSO:
- Delta killings: Troops recover decomposing hearts of killed soldiers
- Amotekun arrest two kidnappers in Osun
- Those claiming 2024 budget was padded don’t understand arithmetic – Tinubu
The carnage broke out before a concert by the band Picnic, according to Russia 24.
“Unidentified people in camouflage broke into Crocus City Hall and started shooting before the start of the concert,” the Prosecutor General’s Office said, cited by TASS.
Video footage showed panic as the attack unfolded, with crowds of people huddling together, screaming and ducking behind cushioned seats as gunshots started echoing in the vast hall. One group sheltering next to a large wall of windows outside the concert venue were forced to break them to escape the gunfire, video obtained by CNN shows.
Footage geolocated by CNN shows an armed individual starting at least one fire inside the venue. The individual is seen carrying something in their hand and, as they walk off-screen, a bright flash of light from a large flame is seen in the video.
A SWAT team was called to the area and more than 70 ambulance teams and doctors assisted victims.
One hundred and forty-five people have been hospitalized, TASS reported. Sixty people are in a “serious condition.”
According to the Kremlin, Putin was informed about the attack and is being kept updated on measures on the ground.
The president on Saturday wished those injured in the attack a speedy recovery, the state-run RIA-Novosti news agency said. He also “conveyed his gratitude to the doctors,” RIA added.
Around 100 people were evacuated from the building by firefighters, TASS reported.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin called the attack a “terrible tragedy.”
“My condolences to the loved ones of the victims. I gave orders to provide all necessary assistance to everyone who suffered during the incident,” Sobyanin said in a statement.
Sobyanin said on Telegram that he was canceling all sports, cultural and other public events in Moscow this weekend.
Picnic’s manager told state media that the performers were unharmed.
Shaman, the band’s singer, said he would pay for the funerals of the victims and treatment for those injured.
“We are all one big family. And in a family there is no such thing as somebody else’s grief,” the singer, known for his nationalistic views, said in a video posted on the Russian social media network Vkontakte to his more than 600,000 followers.
“My people, any troubles and misfortunes have always united our country. They have made Russia tougher and stronger. It will not be possible to frighten and break us this time either.”
ISIS claims responsibility for attack at Moscow-area concert venue that left at least 60 dead
International
Palestinian envoy lambasts US for arresting protesters
Palestinian envoy lambasts US for arresting protesters
The Palestinian Ambassador to Nigeria, Abdullahi Shawesh, on Thursday, May 16, lambasted the Western World for clamping down on student protesters who were expressing solidarity and sympathy with his country.
He stressed that the arrest and clampdown on protesters negates the Western world’s stand as promoters of freedom of speech.
He said: “When college students express their solidarity and sympathy with the Palestinians, it is labelled as hate speech and anti-Semitism. These students are beaten and harshly treated. Threatened with expulsion from universities, severe sanctions in the future, imprisonment, and facing trial.
“This is the exact meaning of hypocrisy and double standards.”
Shawesh who gave a review of the 223-day battle between the Israeli forces and Hamas, said no fewer than 45,091 Palestinians have been killed, including 15,103 children and 9,961 women.
READ ALSO:
- Police arrest suspected killers of Major-General, others in Imo
- Bandits kill three, abduct 120 in fresh Zamfara community attack
- Police grill Osun monarch, Ataoja of Osogbo, over petition
He also said the battle has consumed 142 journalists and 492 medical staff.
The envoy said no fewer than 10,000 persons have been declared missing.
He added: “78,404 wounded and injured, with 72% of the victims being children and women. 17,000 children live without one or both of their parents.”
Beside the human casualties, Shawesh also listed a number of destructions recorded, which include “243 mosques destroyed and 321 partially damaged. 3 Churches targeted and destroyed, 86,000 housing units completely destroyed and 294,000 partially damaged. 103 schools and universities destroyed. 206 archaeological and heritage sites destroyed, 75,000 tons of explosives materials dropped on Gaza.
“33 hospitals along with 54 health centres were taken out of service. A total of 160 health institutions and 126 ambulances were targeted by the Israeli occupation.”
He said the state of infrastructure devastation has forced 11,000 wounded people to travel for treatment to undergo operations.
He also said that no fewer than “10,000 cancer patients face death due to the lack of medical treatment. 1,095,000 are infected with infectious diseases as a result of displacement. 20,000 cases of viral hepatitis infection due to displacement. Tens of thousands of pregnant women are at risk due to a lack of access to healthcare. There have been 310 cases of health personnel being arrested.”
Palestinian envoy lambasts US for arresting protesters
International
UK says it’s developing radio frequency to blast out drones
UK says it’s developing radio frequency to blast out drones
The United Kingdom is making strides in military technology, developing a cutting-edge weapon using radio waves to counter drones.
Known as the Radio Frequency Directed Energy Weapon (RFDEW), this innovative system utilizes radio waves to disrupt or damage critical electronic components of enemy vehicles and drones, halting their operations or causing them to fall out of the sky.
Operable across land, air, and sea, the RFDEW boasts a range of up to 1 kilometre, with potential for future extensions. Its development follows UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s commitment to increasing defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2030.
With an estimated cost of 0.10 Pounds (0.12 dollars) per radio waveshot, the RFDEW offers a cost-effective alternative to conventional missiles and holds promise for effectively countering drone swarms.
READ ALSO:
- Portable out with new song after leaving police custody
- Troops kill ISWAP’s bomb squad commander
- Many students injured as OAU lecture hall ceiling collapses
Utilizing a mobile power source, the technology generates pulses of radio frequency energy in a directed beam, capable of delivering sequenced shots to single or multiple targets. It can be mounted on various military vehicles, enhancing flexibility and adaptability on the battlefield.
Minister of State for Defence Procurement James Cartlidge highlighted the significance of such advancements in enhancing the effectiveness and safety of UK armed forces. He emphasized the importance of defending against unmanned systems, especially in light of recent global conflicts.
The RFDEW system will undergo rigorous testing with British soldiers during summer. Developed under Project Hersa by a collaborative team from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) and Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), in partnership with UK industry, this technology represents a significant leap in military capability.
DSTL chief executive Paul Hollinshead underscored the transformative impact of such systems, emphasizing their potential to provide decisive operational advantages and enhance national security. He credited decades of research, expertise, and investment in science and technology for enabling the development of world-class capabilities like the RFDEW.
UK says it’s developing radio frequency to blast out drones
International
Just in: In assassination attempt, Slovakia’s Prime Minister shot multiple times
Just in: In assassination attempt, Slovakia’s Prime Minister shot multiple times
Robert Fico, Slovakia’s prime minister, has been taken to hospital in a “life-threatening condition” after he was shot multiple times on Wednesday.
According to his official social media account, the 59-year-old leader was hit in the abdomen outside the House of Culture in the town of Handlova.
Police have detained a suspect. There was no immediate information on the motive.
Reuters reported Zuzana Caputova, President of Slovakia, as condemning the “brutal and ruthless” attack on Fico.
She said in a televised statement, “A physical attack on the prime minister is, first of all, an attack on a person, but it is also an attack on democracy.”
The Russian ambassador to Slovakia Igor Bratchikov also condemned the shooting of Fico.
“I strongly condemn this act of violence and express my conviction of the necessity of punishment for the perpetrators,” Bratchikov said in a letter to Fico that the Russian embassy shared on its Facebook page.
Fico, a third-time premier with the left-wing Smer (Direction) party, won Slovakia’s September 30 parliamentary elections, staging a political comeback after campaigning on a pro-Russian and anti-American message.
Fire guts new NNPCL tank farm in Lagos
Minister withdraws orphan-marriage suit against Niger Assembly Speaker
BREAKING: Cosmetic surgeon convicted over failed plastic surgery
-
Business2 days agoDollar crashes against Naira at official market
-
News13 hours agoUsing pre-registered SIM card may land you in jail, NCC warns
-
metro2 days agoThree police officers sentenced to life imprisonment in Anambra
-
News1 day agoWike, Fubara are ego-driven, crude – Reno Omokri
-
News1 day agoUpdated: Reps condemn assault on Nasarawa female doctor by patient family
-
Aviation1 day agoUpdated: We’ll resume Lagos-Dubai flights on October 1, says Emirates
-
metro3 days agoNigerian who killed wife in UK bags life jail
-
Auto2 days ago150 OEMs, others set for Lagos motor fair, Africa autoparts expo