Boko Haram finalise negotiations for release of 2nd batch

276 schoolgirls were abducted from a Government Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State , two years ago.

Two weeks ago, 21 of the girls were released following negotiations brokered by the Swiss Government and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The next batch will be received by the government and people of Nigeria, the source said: “Soon…soon enough. Nigerians will have cause to celebrate soon enough”.

Lai Mohammed who is the Minister of Information and Culture, had expressed confidence that more Chibok girls will soon regain their freedom after the first batch of 21 made their way out of Boko Haram custody.

“We see this as a credible first step in the eventual release of all the Chibok girls in captivity. It is also a major step in confidence-building between us as a government and the Boko Haram leadership on the issue of the Chibok girls,” Mohammed had said.

There have been reports that a swap deal between Boko Haram and the Federal Government was struck before the first batch of 21 made their way out of Sambisa forest.

Officially, the Federal Government has denied it entered into a swap arrangement with the insurgents. However, intelligence sources and back channels have maintained that there was indeed a swap.

Russia tests prototype nuclear warhead for Satan II which could destroy Britain Texas and France

Russia has reportedly tested a prototype of a controversial new warhead 

Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borsiov said the Sarmat warhead was capable of destroying targets flying across both North and South Poles, Russian state news agency TASS reported Tuesday.

The missile will have a range exceeding 11,000 kilometers (6,835 miles), TASS said. The warhead will weigh 100 tons and is designed as a successor to the R-36M Voyevoda.

According to a statement posted on the maker's website, "the Sarmat is designed to provide strategic Russian forces with a guaranteed and effective fulfillment of nuclear deterrence tasks" and is being co-developed with the Russian military.

The Makeyev Rocket Design Bureau's website describes it as "one of largest research and design centers in Russia for the development of rocket and space technology."

Russian DM Shoigu blasts double standards, urges joint effort in fighting terrorism

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu has reiterated the position that all members of the anti-terrorist coalition must abandon double standards and consolidate their forces to achieve victory.

“ One thing is absolutely unacceptable on the anti-terrorist front – this is the use of double or sometimes triple standards. 

The same terrorists cannot be terrorists on Monday and become moderate opposition on Tuesday. Undoubtedly, we need all sane forces to consolidate in order to fight this evil of the 21st century ,” Sergey Shoigu said in an address to the Russia-India intergovernmental commission on military and technical cooperation. Shoigu took part in the commission’s session as part of his visit to New Delhi.