PINK REPUBLIC/ MY BLOG IS A STORY MARATHON.

                        According to sources,US President Barack Obama has announced a major environmental policy changes aimed at increasing efforts to combat climate change.Obama says the pkan is the most important one ever taken in tackling climate change.The aim of the revised Clean Power Plan is to cut greenhouse gas emissions from the US power stations by nearly a third within 15 years.President Obama said yesterday monday while unveiling the plan designed to reduce power plant emissions and fated to be a major 2016 campaign issue.,''Combating climate change will protect the nation's economy,security and health.This is our moment to get this right and leave something better for our kids''Democratic presidential candidates praised the plan as a good way to confront the challenges of climate challenge.Republicans cast it as over regulation that will reduce jobs and inflate utility bills,and vowed to change it if elected''.More photos below.              

                           At least eight people were killed today tuesday and about 100 others were kidnapped by suspected Boko Haram militants in an overnight raid on a village near Cameroon's northern border,a local government and a military source said.Tchakarmari,the village targeted early today tuesday,lies north of Maroua,where dozens of people were killed in a series of suicide bombings by the Nigerian Islamist group last month.The local government source in the far North region said ''Residents said the attacks headed back to Nigeria where Cameroon is not allowed to pursue them''.A Senior military officer deployed as part of a Cameroonian military operation aimed at curbing the spillover of violence from Boko Haram's stronghold in north-eastern Nigeria said the attackers had crossed over from Nigeria shortly after midnight.

                                      83 years old prominent anti-apartheid cleric and veteran South African leader,Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu was released from the hospital today tuesday after being re-admitted for a recurring infection related to treatment for this prostate cancer.His daughter Reverend Canon Mpho Tutu said her father who was hospitslized over the weekend at a Cape Town hospital,would continue his recovery at home.''The infection was a consequence of treatment for prostate cancer that the archbishop has received over the past 18 years.The cancer it self was well under control''.

              The Centre for Crisis Communication,a non-governmental organisation today tuesday said that some persons claiming to be Boko Haram members had approached it for dialogue to end insurgency in the country.The Executive Secretary of the centre,retired Air Commodore Yusuf Anas,disclosed this when he briefed newsmen on sundry national issues,including cattle rustling and Nation Assembly crisis in Abuja.He did not reveal the identities of the persons,but he said the centre strongly believed in their renewed request for dialogue because of several telephone conversion with them.He said the centre was working on authenticating the proposal,stressing that it would facilitate a meeting with relevant government agencies to finalise the process.''The recent statement by President Muhammadu Buhari on government's readiness to negotiate with credible members of the sect has rekindled the hope for dialogue.The centre views this gesture as a good one as it has opened a window

                             Today tuesday,a 48 year old teacher Ismaila Mohammad was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment by a Lugbe Grade 1 Area Court,Abuja for allegedly defrauding his neighbour of N224,500.The Senior Judge,Mr Gambo Garba convicted Mohammad after he pleaded guilty to charges of criminal breach of trust and cheating.Garba,however gave him N20,000 option of fine for the two count charge and also ordered him to refund the sum of N224,500 to the complainant.He warned the convict to be of good behaviour and to desist from crimes after serving out his punishment.The convict was docked on a three count charge of joint act,breach of trust and cheating.Earlier,the prosecutor Cpl.Lliya Maji,told the court that one Mohammed Nasir of Iddo Village,Abuja,lodged the complaint at Iddo Police station on July 27.Maji said that the convict collected the sum of N100,000 from the complainant to process immigration recruitment for his son,N90,000 to buy vehicle and N34,500 to buy some cha