LaryzoneCars

An Anambra State-born  businessman, in South Africa, has lamented the operation of a syndicate that allegedly used dubious means and threats to extort big sums of money from some Nigerians, especially those of Igbo extraction, in that country. The businessman who did not want his name in prints, for security reasons, described the syndicate as ‘powerful and dangerous’. He explained that the extortionist gang were working in tandem with some Nigerian prisoners in South Africa. He revealed that their modus operandi was to make anonymous calls to some businessmen who were doing well in that country, demanding specific amounts of money in hard currencies from their targeted victims, who were expected to pay the money or risk losing their lives or lives of dear ones. He said members of the alleged extortionists would even trace their victims or members of their families to their home towns in order to execute their mission in case the money demanded was not paid...

With the North Korean nuclear crisis looming large, 51 countries on Wednesday were to sign a new treaty outlawing nuclear weapons that has been fiercely opposed by the United States and other nuclear powers. The treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons was adopted by 122 countries at the United Nations in July following negotiations led by Austria , Brazil, Mexico, South Africa and New Zealand . None of the nine countries that possess nuclear weapons — the United States , Russia , Britain , China, France , India , Pakistan , North Korea and Israel —took part in the negotiations . UN Secretary - General Antonio Guterres formally opened a signing ceremony at the United Nations, hailing it as a milestone as the first multilateral disarmament treaty in more than two decades . But Guterres acknowledged that much work was needed to rid the world of its stockpile of 15 ,000 atomic warheads . “ Today we rightfully celebrate a milestone. Now we must continue along the hard road...

An Iranian television translator defended himself Wednesday after being widely criticised for soft - balling US President Donald Trump ’s attacks on Iran in his maiden speech to the UN General Assembly . A translator for state broadcaster IRIB , Nima Chitsaz, said he had decided in the heat of the moment to spare his Persian - speaking viewers from the verbal attacks by the US president . “ I don ’t think it would be nice for me to speak on national TV against my own country , ” he later told IRINN television . As a result, when Trump accused Iran of being a “depleted rogue state whose chief exports are violence , bloodshed and chaos,” Chitsaz’s Persian translation was simply : “ Iran speaks of destroying Israel. ” Trump later told the UN assembly : “ Other than the vast military power of the United States… Iran’s people are what their leaders fear the most . ” Which was translated for Iranian viewers as: “ The US Army is a very strong army and the Iranian nation is a very strong ...

NATO on Wednesday condemned a UN treaty banning nuclear arms as unrealistic and warned that it risked undermining the international response to North Korea ’ s atomic weapons programme . The United Nations adopted the treaty in July , though none of the nine countries that have nuclear weapons took part in shaping it or voting on it , and three of them — NATO members Britain , France and the United States — immediately said they had no intention of joining it . NATO said the treaty “ disregards the realities of the increasingly challenging international security environment ” in the face of growing threats, particularly from Pyongyang , which recently carried out its sixth nuclear test and most powerful to date . “ At a time when the world needs to remain united in the face of growing threats, in particular the grave threat posed by North Korea ’s nuclear programme, the treaty fails to take into account these urgent security challenges ,” the 29 -nation alliance said . It added : ...

Spanish police on Wednesday seized millions of ballot papers in Catalonia due to be used for an independence referendum which has been banned by Madrid , a source close to the case said. The source , who requested anonymity , said that officers were currently counting them again, but that the number of ballots confiscated in Bigues, about 45 kilometres ( 28 miles) north of Barcelona , could reach nine million . The seizure comes as thousands took to the streets in Barcelona on Wednesday over the detention of 13 Catalan government officials as the wealthy northeastern region presses ahead with preparations for the October 1 vote . Catalonia ’ s separatist leaders want the region ’s 7. 5 million inhabitants — who are deeply divided over the issue — to be able to answer the question : “ Do you want Catalonia to be an independent state in the form of a republic ?” But the country ’s Constitutional Court has deemed such a referendum illegal . The constitution states that t...

Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre- Emerick Aubameyang is not concerned by Bayern Munich rival Robert Lewandowski making a flying start to the season. Lewandowski converted a penalty in the champions' 3-0 win at Schalke on Tuesday to move on to six goals in five Bundesliga outings this term. Dortmund can regain top spot with victory at Hamburg on Wednesday, where last season's Torjagerkanone winner Aubameyang will look to improve upon a record of four in four. The Gabon international scored 31 to Lewandowski's 30 last term as the battle to be Bundesliga top scorer went down to the final day and Aubameyang is happy to play the long game. "The race is on. When Lewy moves ahead, I am used to catching him up," he told Bild. "It's enough for me to overtake him shortly before the season finishes." Lewandowski won the Torjagerkanone during his final season with Dortmund in 2013-14 with 20 goals and hit 30 to...

Country singer Don Williams has died at the age of 78. The late country star passed away after a “short illness” on Friday. A press release from the singer’s PR team confirmed his death, saying that funeral arrangements are pending. In a statement Friday,  Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, said, “Don Williams offered calm, beauty, and a sense of wistful peace that is in short supply these days. “His music will forever be a balm in troublesome times.” An internationally popular country star, Don was referred to as the “Gentle Giant” of country music and he earned 17 #1  country hits throughout his career. Some of his hits are ‘I Believe in You,’ ‘Lord, I Hope This Day Is Good’, ‘You’re My Best Friend’, ‘Some Broken Hearts Never Mend’, and ‘Till the Rivers All Run Dry’. According to  Rolling Stone  magazine, Don Williams was born in Floydada, Texas, on May 27th, 1939 and was raised in Po...

Some financial experts advised the Federal Government to strength current monetary and fiscal policies which exited the country out of economic recession.  The experts gave the advice in separate interviews with pressmen in Lagos while reacting to the second quarter report of National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) which indicated that Nigeria was out of recession.  They lauded the Federal Government for getting the country out of recession, but called for more efforts to sustain economic growth.  Prof Sheriffdeen Tella, a Professor of Economics at Olabisi Onabanjo University Ago-Iwoye, Ogun, advised that bank lending rates should be brought down for the manufacturing sector to have access to credit.  Tella said that government should ensure early passage and implementation of annual budgets, stressing that capital allocations were necessary to sustain the current economic mometum.  He also called for complimentary monetary and fiscal policies.  “CBN and...