Uchestanley blog

The UK's ambassador to the EU, Sir Ivan Rogers, has resigned. Sir Ivan, appointed to the job by David Cameron in 2013, had been expected to play a key role in Brexit talks expected to start within months. The government said Sir Ivan had quit early so a successor could be in place before negotiations start. Last month the BBC revealed he had privately told ministers a UK-EU trade deal might take 10 years to finalise, sparking criticism from some MPs. What has actually happened since Brexit? Brexit: All you need to know Ministers have said a deal can be done within two years. Labour said Sir Ivan's departure was "deeply worrying" and Prime Minister Theresa May must be prepared to listen to "difficult truths" about the likely complexity of the Brexit process. The diplomat was due to leave his post in November. A government spokeswoman said: "Sir Ivan Rogers has resigned a few months early as UK permanent representative to the Europ...

Saying Funke Akindele throws a mean party, would be the understatement of the year 2017. The Nollywood actress who threw a lavish housewarming party » for her new home with hubby, JJC Skillz, has left the tongue of her guests wagging on end. ALSO READ: Actress' surprise from husband will warm your heart » The love birds moved into their new home in Aen Estate, Lagos state, in December 2016. The housewarming party which was lit to say the least, saw the likes of Niniola, Tara Durotoye, Kate Henshaw, Tiwa Savage, Seyilaw, Toke Makinwa, DJ Spinall, Falz, Seyi Law and a whole lot more. ALSO READ: Funke Akindele, JJC Skillz still glowing in love » Photos from the housewarming party shows that it was every bit grand. Take a look at the gallery above.

The Chairman of the Gambian Electoral Commission has fled the country following threats to his life, his nephew said on Tuesday. Alieu Momar Njai had declared Adama Barrow the winner of the Dec. 1 presidential election, but President Yahya Jammeh has refused to relinquish power, challenging the election results in court. Modou Njai told newsmen that his uncle had left the country because of the threats. “He was not willing to leave but the family had to put pressure on him. “I understand that he is currently outside Gambia,’’ he said. Security forces had earlier occupied the office of the electoral commission and denied staff access for weeks, but have since left the premises. Barrow said on Monday that he would take power on Jan. 19 as mandated by the constitution, in spite of Jammeh’s court challenge. After over two decades in power, Jammeh, 51, lost the election to Barrow, a former real estate agent who was little known even in Ga...

The first reprint of Adolf Hitler's "Mein Kampf" in Germany since World War II has proved a surprise bestseller, heading for its sixth print run, its publisher said Tuesday. The Institute of Contemporary History of Munich (IfZ) said around 85,000 copies of the new annotated version of the Nazi leader's anti- Semitic manifesto had flown off the shelves since its release last January. However the respected institute said that far from promoting far-right ideology, the publication had enriched a debate on the renewed rise of " authoritarian political views" in contemporary Western society. It had initially planned to print only 4,000 copies but boosted production immediately based on intense demand. The sixth print run will hit bookstores in late January. The two-volume work had figured on the non- fiction bestseller list in weekly magazine Der Spiegel over much of the last year, and even topped the list for two weeks in April. The institu...

Thai politicians across rivalling parties have called on the ruling military junta to live up to its promise of holding general elections in 2017. This followed indications from lawmakers that the elections could be postponed until mid-2018. Former Deputy Prime Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul of the Pheu Thai party on Tuesday described Prime Minister Prayut Chan- ocha’s promise to hold general elections by 2017 as a “social contract” that the government could not retract. Citing a bill that was passed by the parliament swiftly a week ago, Deputy Leader of the Democrat party Nipit Intarasombat questioned the lawmakers’ claim that they would need no less than 15 months to finalise election laws. He said he suspected that the junta was trying to delay giving up power. Somjet Boontanom , member of the junta- appointed National Legislative Assembly (NLA) , on Sunday suggested the assembly would need no less than 15 months to finalise the laws ...

The gunman who killed 39 people at an Istanbul nightclub had fought in Syria for Islamic State jihadists, a report said on Tuesday, as Turkish authorities intensified their hunt for the attacker. Police released pictures of the suspect who went on the rampage at the plush Reina nightclub on New Year's night, spraying some 120 bullets at terrified guests before slipping away into the night. Of the 39 dead, 27 were foreigners, mainly from Arab countries, with coffins repatriated overnight to countries including Lebanon and Saudi Arabia. The Islamic State group on Monday claimed the massacre, the first time it has clearly stated being behind a major attack in Turkey. The government said Monday that eight people had been detained but media reports said the number had increased to 12 after new detentions in the Anatolian city of Konya. The Dogan news agency said they included a woman suspected of being his wife but gave no further details. 'Specially selected...

South Korea said Tuesday that US president-elect Donald Trump had sent a "clear warning" to North Korea with a tweet dismissing Pyongyang's ballistic missile claims. " North Korea just stated that it is in the final stages of developing a nuclear weapon capable of reaching parts of the US, " Trump tweeted. " It won't happen!" Trump's tweet came a day after North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un appeared to try to pressure the incoming president by announcing his country is in the " final stages" of developing an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Kim also said his country had significantly bolstered its nuclear arsenal last year. Washington has repeatedly vowed that it would never accept North Korea as a nuclear-armed nation, but Trump has not previously clearly stated his policy on the isolated Stalinist state. " President-elect Trump's message is significant since it is his first mention of North Kore...