Guided missile destroyer USS Ross enters Black Sea

A US guided missile destroyer, USS Ross, equipped with the Aegis advanced missile defense system has entered the Black Sea and is heading to the Ukrainian port city of Odessa to join the international maritime exercises Sea Breeze 2016.

The Arleigh Burke destroyer USS Ross is set to join the international exercises in the Back Sea that involve several NATO countries, including the US, Bulgaria, Greece, Lithuania, Italy, Poland, Romania, Turkey and the UK, as well as non-NATO members, such Georgia and Ukraine.

The second stage of the drills called Sea Breeze 2016 started on Monday and will last until July 30. The exercises are the 15th iteration of Sea Breeze, which is “an annual exercise held in the Black Sea designed to enhance interoperability and strengthen regional security,” according to the US Navy.

Dr. Jibrin Ibrahim on Nigerian Army-Islamic Movement clash

The Clash Between the Nigerian Army and the Islamic Movement in Nigeria - Dr. Jibrin Ibrahim, Deepening Democracy Column, Daily Trust, 18th July 2016

It would be recalled that between December 12th and 14th 2015, hundreds of people were killed in Zaria following clashes between the Nigerian Army and the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN). On Friday, the Justice Garba Commission of Inquiry on the clashes presented its report to Governor Nasir El Rufai of Kaduna State. In his speech, the Governor promised to read the report diligently and act on the recommendations. He also promised to release the report to the public for their information and scrutiny, but hesitated when he saw the Commission had marked the report “TOP SECRET” in red and added he 

Russia to mobilize forces if Finland joins NATO: Putin

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin (L) gestures during a joint press conference with Finland’s President Sauli Niinisto (unseen) at the presidential summer residence in southwestern Finland, July 1, 2016.

Russia has threatened it will mobilize its forces to areas closer to its border with Finland should Helsinki choose to join the US-led military alliance of NATO.