RUSSIA: ...President Vladimir Putin's ‘Personal Army’ Could Be Allowed To Fire Into Crowds...

It has been nicknamed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “personal army,” and now the recently created National Guard of Russia could be authorized to shoot into crowds.

Putin announced the creation of the National Guard in early April, saying its mandate would include maintaining public order.

The guard comprises troops from the Interior Ministry, led by Viktor Zolotov, Putin’s former bodyguard. Zolotov has served by Putin’s side since his rise to power as prime minister in 1999. The Russian leader said lawmakers were working to ensure the National Guard would be a fully working service.

“Its key function is control of the turnover of weapons. Besides, in close contact with the Interior Ministry and the Federal Security Service (FSB) it will fight terrorism and organized crime,” Putin saidThursday.

Russia’s State Duma Committee on Defense recommended that the National Guard also be allowed to shoot into crowds, according to local media reports Thursday. The National Guard is currently not allowed to use its weapons in situations where there is “a large gathering of people, as a result of which random people may be affected.” Russian politicians, however, have argued that in the case of terror attacks or hostage situations, the National Guard should be allowed to fire into crowds.

“We believe that in these cases the risk of harming random individuals will be justified,” the committee’s statement said. Lawmakers said if members of the force need to fire, they should not be held liable.

Critics of the guard allege Putin created the force in order to protect himself before scheduled September parliamentary elections. Putin said in February Russia’s “foes abroad” would interfere in the election. The Kremlin has denied the National Guard force was created for this reason.

“The National Guard is not just another law enforcement agency. This is another army, with the right to conduct military operations on the territory of the country and against the country's citizens,” sociologist Ella Paneyakh wrote when the force was created.

The creation of the National Guard comes amid an economic crisis in Russia. Government officials admitted Thursday that the country’s economy would not experience any growth in 2016 amid low global oil prices and Western economic sanctions.

source:ibtimes

This 30-Year Old man was Posing as a Teenage High School Basketballer... He's a teenager

A 6 foot 9 high school Basketball player has been arrested by the authorities in Canada for claiming to be 17 years old when he is actually a 30-year old man.

Jonathan Nicola was arrested at the Canadian border last week and is currently being held for “contravening the Immigration Refugee Protection Act”.

Nicola was in Canada on a student visa and was attending the Catholic Central High School as a 11th grader. Reports say that he was even leaving with his high school team’s head coach.

Quick laugh for my readers...

Pops was so drunk he tried to drink out of the breathalyser...

source:facebook

I'm not retired' Conor McGregor posts explosive 651-word rant hitting back at UFC

UFC star Conor McGregor had on Tuesday in a cryptic tweet said he will retire from fighting at UFC, which shocked many fans considering he was at the prime of his career and he was just 27.

On Tuesday, he posted on Twitter to his 1.5m Twitter fans saying  'I have decided to retire young. Thanks for the cheese. Catch ya's later.' But on Wednesday, he told fans through Twitter, to expect a statement from him on Thursday, and the Irishman kept true to his words, confirming on Facebook he won't be retiring while also hitting back at the UFC in an explosive 651 word rant.

'I am just trying to do my job and fight here.' the statement began.

'I am paid to fight. I am not yet paid to promote. I have become lost in the game of promotion and forgot about the art of fighting. There comes a time when you need to stop handing out flyers and get back to the damn shop. 50 world tours, 200 press conferences, 1 million interviews, 2 million photo shoots, and at the end of it all I'm left looking down the barrel of a lens, staring defeat in the face, thinking of nothing but my incorrect fight preparation. And the many distractions that led to this.

'Nothing else was going through my mind. It is time to go back and live the life that got me this life. Sitting in a car on the way to some dump in Conneticut or somewhere, to speak to Tim and Suzie on the nobody gives a f*** morning show did not get me this life. Talking to some lady that deep down doesn't give a f*** about what I'm doing, but just wants some sound bites so she can maybe get her little tight a** a nice raise, and I'm cool with that too, I've been giving you all raises. But I need to focus on me now. 

'I'm coming for my revenge here. I flew an entire team to Portugal and to Iceland to make my adjustments in preparation and fix my errors I made with the weight and the cardio prep. With the right adjustments and the right focus, I will finish what I started in that last fight. 'I will not do this if I am back on the road handing out flyers again.

'I will always play the game and play it better than anybody, but just for this one, where I am coming off a loss, I asked for some leeway where I can just train and focus. I did not shut down all media requests. I simply wanted a slight adjustment. But it was denied. 

'There had been 10 million dollars allocated for the promotion of this event is what they told me. So as a gesture of good will, I went and not only saved that 10 million dollars in promotion money, I then went and tripled it for them. And all with one tweet. Keep that 10 mill to promote the other bums that need it. My shows are good. I must isolate myself now. I am facing a taller, longer and heavier man. I need to prepare correctly this time. I can not dance for you this time.

'It is time for the other monkeys to dance. I've danced us all the way here. Nate's little mush head looks good up on that stage these days. Stuff him in front of the camera for it. He came in with no s*** to do that last one. I'd already done press conferences, interviews and shot the ads before RDA pulled out. 'Maybe I'll hit Cabo this time and skull some shots pre-fight with no obligation. I'm doing what I need for me now. It is time to be selfish with my training again. It is the only way.

I feel the $400million I have generated for the company in my last three events, all inside 8 months, is enough to get me this slight leeway. I am still ready to go for UFC 200.

'I will offer, like I already did, to fly to New York for the big press conference that was scheduled, and then I will go back into training. With no distractions. 'If this is not enough or they feel I have not deserved to sit this promotion run out this one time, well then I don't know what to say. For the record also - For USADA and for the UFC and my contract stipulations - I AM NOT RETIRED.'

He later posted a picture of himself with the caption: 'I've got my bills paid. My money made. And the entire game slayed. #YourMove.'

FIFA president Gianni Infantino meets Russian President Vladmir Putin (photos)

FIFA President Gianni Infantino met up with President Vladimir Putin recently, wrapping up a two-day visit to Russia in which he gave an overall positive assessment of the state of preparations for the 2018 World Cup. More photos after the cut.

source:lindaikejisblog

BREAKING: Iconic Artist Prince Has Passed Away At The Age Of 57

Prince’s body was discovered at his Paisley Park compound in Minnesota early Thursday morning.

The singer — full name Prince Rogers Nelson — had a medical emergency on April 15th that forced his private jet to make an emergency landing in Illinois. But he appeared at a concert the next day to assure his fans he was okay. His people told TMZ he was battling the flu.

Prior to his most recent appearance however, Prince had cancelled two shows due to health concerns.

source:bossip

Africans: To all the African Leaders... You've got a role model in this man,President of Tarzania, President John Magufuli. (VIDEO)

Gotta make Africa great... Improve the living standards of the mass, Enforce law and order on everybody including the big boys(laughs), Stop animal poaching in Africa; these wild lives make Africa really unique, Prosecute all trophy hunters if necessary.
Stop the greed and develop these countries coz you might never have access to all the stolen money you've stashed...  

Nothing Justifies Violence. So there's gotta be a punishment for racism as well...

He got beaten up badly for lacking whatever it is that could/would have kept him out...

Don't poke the bear!

BASKETBALL DRILLS: JUST FOR LAUGHS(VIDEO)

FOR MY READERS...

LAUGHS FOR MY READERS... LIVE RIGHT, LIVE HEALTHILY!

UNITED KINGDOM: Referendum on abolishing monarchy must be held when Queen dies- Repulicans

The republican movement in Britain has announced it will campaign to make the case for holding a referendum on the future of the British monarchy after the Queen's death.

Republic, a grassroots movement that has over 5,000 members and 35,000 supporters, claims the British monarchy is not the “harmless tourist attraction some people think” – rather, it has a history of abusing public money and meddling in politics. 

In a statement posted on the group’s website on the eve of the Queen's birthday, they added the event "reminds us that support for the monarchy is bound up with support for the Queen." A pink banner on the homepage also wishes "Mrs Windsor" a "happy birthday", alongside the subtle hashtag: "Stop the reign". 

Speaking to The IndependentGraham Smith, chief executive of Republic, said the organisation’s view is to have a referendum as soon as possible. He believes the period of time in between the Queen’s funeral and Prince Charles’s coronation will provide an opportune moment. 

 “It will be the first time most people have seen a change in the head of state,” he says. “I think that’s going to be a slightly odd, jarring experience for a lot of people. All of a sudden you’ve got this this other monarch who has been hoisted upon us and no debate about who it is going to be. 

“For once, actually seeing hereditary power in practice – you’ll actually see the inheritance of the throne taking place”. 

He added: “It [the referendum] is to get rid of it… it needs to be a straight-forward constitutional reform referendum. We may win or we may lose but the succession would change public opinion, it will change the nature of the debate.

“I think most public opinion is indifferent to the whole thing and awful lot of it is tied up with the Queen. Over the next ten years the debate is going to pick up because people will be coming alive to the fact that Charles is looming on the horizon as King.”

During a convention of the Alliance of European Republic Movements in Madrid last week Mr Smith said that while there is “nothing wrong with turning 90,” there is “something wrong with turning 90 when you have been Queen of England for sixty-something years”. 

In a recording of the event published on YouTube, Mr Smith added: “When the Queen dies, the moment she is declared dead, Charles is king. So there is no gap. And there is certainly no official plan for a referendum. He is king immediately. The coronation would be about six months later.

“So that will be an opportunity, after the funeral and before the coronation, for us to do some campaigning and say, ‘Hang on a minute, this is the 21st century, if we are going to have a new head of state then perhaps we want to have a vote.’ 

The group has also condemned the BBC’s coverage of the Queen’s birthday. A statement published by Mr Smith said: "The Queen's birthday does not warrant this kind of coverage, it is inappropriate to celebrate a political figure like this and the public just aren't that excited about the royals."

"The BBC has a duty to report, not to celebrate the royals.  That reporting must be fair, balanced and proportionate. So far this week the BBC has failed completely on those measures."

“It’s completely over the top,” Mr Smith told The Independent. “I don’t wish the Queen anything but a happy birthday but it does raise all these questions about the future of the monarchy.” 

source: independent