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Showing posts from July, 2013

FAAN MD visits Oshiomhole, apologises over disruption in flights

(Nigeria) Authorities of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, have apologised to the Edo State Government and air travelers over the incident which led to the closure of the Benin Airport on Tuesday. FAAN’s Managing Director, Mr. George Uriesi, who led other management staff which included Mr. Yakubu Dati, General Manager, Mr. Kolawole Adefomiwa, Deputy General Manager, Mr. Adeboye Festus, the Chief Security Officer and Mr. Ayodele Sunday, Airport Manager, Benin City said “we deeply regret the events of yesterday and we will like to find out how we can avoid a situation like this arising in the future, because it is neither in the interest of FAAN nor in the interest of Edo State Government for the Airport to be closed down, because there was a lot of hardship and serious economic consequences as a result of the shutdown and there is need to settle this matter. “I want to assure your (Governor Adams Oshiomhole) that FAAN is a good corporate citizen, I am convinced that

Audit shows massive age falsification by Edo teachers

(Nigeria) Edo State Government audit of Primary Schools in the State has revealed massive falsification of age of Primary School Teachers in the State Public Schools. In a town hall meeting on education on State yesterday Governor Adams Oshiomhole said its audit carried out by the State’s Information and Communications Technology showed that 789 teachers out of 1,379 obtained their Primary School Leaving Certificates before the age of 8 or 9. He said “some of the records show there were a few who were particularly gifted and they finished Primary School before they were born. “We found that of all our Primary School Teachers, only 1,287 representing 9% out of 14,484 teachers have proper and accurate records in our system.  91% have various forms of discrepancies in their records. Oshiomhole said “about 1,379 teachers representing 11.5% claim that they obtained their Primary School Certificates after they had been employed as teachers.  In fact, some obtained their Primary Sch

US gays pour out anger, vodka over Russia laws

Demonstrators poured vodka down the drains of New York on Wednesday in protest over new Russian laws that have been widely condemned as anti-gay. The "Vodka Dump" outside the Russian Consulate in Manhattan came as calls for a global boycott of the spirit and other Russian products gathered momentum in the US, Canada, Europe and Australia. "We're here! We're queer! We're only drinking beer!" activists chanted as the spirit splashed onto the sidewalk. "Russian vodka: infused with hate," read one placard. The protesters are calling for the repeal of a law signed last month by President Vladimir Putin which bans "propaganda" in support of "non-traditional" sexual relations if it is deemed to be aimed at minors or if it implies equivalence between heterosexual and homosexual relationships. The legislation provides for fines for Russian citizens and detention of up to 15 days and deportation for foreign nationals. Puti

Rivers House Leader, Lloyd limps to court

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(Nigeria) Chidi Lloyd, Majority Leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly, was, Wednesday, brought  before a Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, eight days after police arrested him over alleged criminal role in the July 9 fracas in the state Assembly. Lloyd, brought to court by heavy Police men at  11am, limped on one leg and had to be aided by two persons to ascend the stairs to the second floor of the court building, where Justice L. Nyorde, the trial judge has his court room. Meanwhile, following argument over technical issues between lawyers in the matter, the court had to adjourned till August 6, to rule and for the proper arraignment of Lloyd. Following the development, Lloyd was returned to police custody, to the anger of his supporters and political associates, who thronged the court, hoping to have him, granted bail. Also in court were some of the state lawmakers. His limping might not be unconnected to the alleged torture he suffered in the hand

Nigeria name members of 28 government parastatals, agencies

President Goodluck Jonathan,  has approved the composition and appointments of the Chairmen and members of the Governing Boards of the following 28  federal parastatals and agencies: The include 1              Nigeria Export-Import Bank 2              Nigerian Agricultural, Co-operative & Rural Development Bank 3              National Primary Health Care Development Agency 4              Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TET FUND) 5              Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board 6              Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) 7              Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency 8              National Automotive Council 9              Board of National  Parks 10           Geological Survey  of Nigeria Agency 11           Rural Electrification Agency 12           Nigeria Copyright Commission 13           Nigeria Arabic Language Village, Ngala, Borno 14           National Gallery of Art 15           Consumer Protection 

UN inspectors get access to Syria chemical arms sites

The United Nations said Wednesday that its inspectors will go to Syria to investigate three sites where chemical weapons have allegedly been used. "The mission will travel to Syria as soon as possible to contemporaneously investigate three of the reported incidents," said UN spokesman Martin Nesirky.

Nigeria village cleared of lead after deadly outbreak

(Nigeria) Medical charity MSF said Wednesday a Nigerian village that suffered an unprecedented and deadly lead poisoning outbreak had been cleared of the toxin, but that nearly 1,000 exposed children needed treatment. The crisis in northwest Zamfara state first came to light in 2010, and was "the worst outbreak ever recorded," Medecins Sans Frontieres said. At least 400 children have died from poisoning. Lead exposure in several areas of Zamfara was blamed on unsafe techniques used in extracting gold. Illegal mining is more lucrative than agriculture for impoverished farming communities. Initially, the communities had largely concealed or denied the fatalities and illness that came from lead poisoning for fear that authorities would ban mining activities. The problem was compounded by a requirement that medical staff clear the entire area of toxins before treatment could begin. Michelle Chouinard, MSF's Nigeria country director, said the cleanup process was co

UK foreign minister seeks meeting with Iran counterpart

Britain's foreign minister has suggested a meeting with his Iranian counterpart and is open to better relations with the country, the ministry said Wednesday. In a phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi on Wednesday, Britain's William Hague "said he was willing to meet the Iranian foreign minister during the UN General Assembly in New York in September," a statement said. "He made clear that the UK was open to improvements in the bilateral relationship with Iran, on a step-by-step and reciprocal basis." Britain suspended diplomatic relations with Iran after hardline demonstrators stormed its Tehran embassy in November 2011. But both sides have indicated they may be open to a restoration of ties since Hassan Rowhani, a former nuclear negotiator who has championed engagement with world powers, was elected Iranian president in June. Hague also "reiterated the need for urgent progress to resolve the international community'

7 arrested in murder of Costa Rican environmentalist

Costa Rican police arrested seven people Wednesday in connection with the murder of an environmentalist who was killed protecting sea turtle nesting areas from poachers. The arrests were made in a series of raids in El Limon, a Caribbean port 100 kilometers (60 miles) northeast of San Jose, judicial police spokeswoman Marisel Rodriguez said. Jairo Mora, 26, was shot dead on May 31, after being intercepted on Moin beach by a group of hooded men. Mora was accompanied by four women -- three Americans and a Spaniard -- who were walking the beach with him to keep poachers from robbing turtle eggs. The women were separated from Mora and locked in an abandoned building, while the environmentalist was taken away to his death. His nude, bound body was found face down in the sand with a gunshot wound to the chest. Police said that in Wednesday's raids they recovered some bags that belonged to the women, and that some of the arrested had records for assault and violations of env

Protests in India over new state creation

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Protests erupted Wednesday in southeast India a day after the national ruling coalition approved the creation of a new state, leading to hundreds of arrests, police and reports said. Protests were staged in the coastal and southern regions of Andhra Pradesh state against the creation of Telangana state, while a strike shut some schools and businesses, police and witnesses said. Demonstrators pelted police with stones, injuring some officers, and damaged buses, at rallies in the district of Anantapur, area inspector Gorantla Madhav told AFP. A local office of the Congress party in Anantapur was also partly damaged when protesters attacked it, Madhav said. The street protests, which blocked traffic on main roads in the coastal and southern Rayalaseema regions, were largely peaceful, although police said over 500 people were arrested. "Above 500 people have been arrested in Chittoor, Kadapa and Anantapur districts," police inspector general R.K. Reddy said. In

Swedish 'serial killer' cleared of all charges

A Swedish man long considered Scandinavia's worst serial killer has been cleared of eight murders he once confessed to, after prosecutors Wednesday dropped their final charge against him. The prosecution said it lacked proof that Sture Bergwall, 63, killed a 15-year-old boy who died on a cold winter night in northern Sweden in 1976. The convictions against Bergwall -- for many years known as Thomas Quick -- have been dubbed Sweden's grossest miscarriage of justice in recent times because of the swiftness with which he was found guilty of the eight murders, which occurred between 1976 and 1988. "Today is a day of joy and a day of reflection," Bergwall wrote on his blog, demanding that a commission be set up to identify those responsible for "things going so wrong". Bergwall, who is serving a life term in a psychiatric institution, was convicted of the boy's murder in 1994 based on his own testimony, which included macabre descriptions of molesta

Libya oil exports plunge as protesters block terminals

Libyan oil exports have plunged by more than 70 percent after protesters forced the closure of shipping terminals, Prime Minister Ali Zeidan said on Wednesday. "Groups closed the ports of Ras Lanouf, Zueitina, Al-Sedra and Al-Hariga (on Tuesday), forcing a drop in production to less than 30 percent" of normal levels, Zeidan told a press conference in the capital.

INEC registers APC

(Nigeria) The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has approved the application by three political parties, namely Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP and the Congress  for Progressive Change, CPC, to merge into one, to be known as the All Progressives Congress. INEC in a statement, said “On considering the application, the Commission found that the applicant-parties have met all statutory requirements  for the merger, and has accordingly granted their request. “Consequently, the Commission has  approved the withdrawal of  the individual certificates of the applicant-parties, and  the issuance of a single certificate to the All Progressives Congress.”  

Return of slave trafficking in Nigeria and Lagos Government’s infantile defence

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By Emeka Umeagbalasi The leadership of International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law sees the last weekend defence by the Government of Lagos State over its roles in dumping in Onitsha Upper Iweka, Anambra State of 72 less privileged citizens, which it called destitute; as constitutionally impeachable. This is because it amounts to gross misconduct, contrary to Section 188(2b) of the Constitution. It is also a grave violation of Section 1(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999. By Section 1(3), the Constitution does not share her supremacy with any other law and policy in Nigeria that are clearly incoherent with her provisions. From every indication, the Government of Lagos State is a clear opposite of an enclave under organic solidarity and a rabid proponent of mechanical solidarity. Following thunderous and deafening condemnations that trailed the dumping of 72 destitute in Onitsha Upper Iweka, Southeast Nigeria by the Governmen

Nigerian bank earnings to be crimped by segulation---- Fitch

(Nigeria) Nigerian banks will see profitability decline because of tougher regulations and higher funding costs, said Fitch Ratings, reports Bloomberg. “We expect new limits on bank charges imposed by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to dent what have been highly profitable fees and commissions, particularly for those with large retail franchises,” Fitch said in a statement today. “Monetary policy continues to be tight with the central bank last week raising the cash reserve requirement on public sector deposits.” Nigeria’s central bank introduced a 50 percent cash reserve requirement on public sector funds on July 23 after warning of the risk of excess liquidity in the banking system. The regulation, which applies to about N1.3 trillion ($8.1 billion) of deposits, could result in N500 billion of liquidity being withdrawn, Fitch said. Lower Treasury bill yields this year may weaken interest income, said Fitch. An increase in the annual levy paid by the country’s banks to fund

Shell moves to Nigerian offshore fields amid onshore woes

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At Royal Dutch Shell Plc’s (RDSA) compound in the Nigerian city of Warri, the gate is locked, the grounds are empty and grass has overgrown since Europe ’s biggest oil company closed its operations in March after more than 40 years, reports Bloomberg. After Warri saw some of the nation’s worst unrest in two decades, Shell has sold land-based fields that pumped about 400,000 barrels a day in the 1990s, valued at $1.2 billion a month at today’s crude prices, and is buying fields offshore. International oil companies including Shell and Chevron Corp. (CVX) are shifting their efforts in Africa ’s largest producer from land-based operations to offshore fields, where the risk of kidnapping, sabotage and crude theft is lower. The increased security also brings costs that are more than 40 percent higher, according to estimates from Nigeria’s national oil company. “Due to the increased level of oil theft and disruptions, a number of oil companies have started selling blocks in the

China promotes 6 officers to general

The Central Military Commission, CMC, promoted six senior military officers to the rank of general on Wednesday, reports Xinhua. The senior officers include deputy chief of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Political Department Wu Changde, political commissar of the PLA General Armament Department Wang Hongyao, political commissar of the Academy of Military Sciences Sun Sijing, political commissar of the Beijing Military Area Command Liu Fulian, commander of the Nanjing Military Area Command Cai Yingting and commander of the Guangzhou Military Area Command Xu Fenlin.

11 injured in Hong Kong bus attack

Eleven people were injured in a knife attack on a coach in Tuen Mun, Wednesday morning,reports Xinhua. The attack happened as the coach was taking workers to their offices at Tai Po Industrial Estate. Police said a 60-year-old man attacked other passengers with a chopper, injuring the 11 people, most of whom suffering minor injuries. The attacker was quickly subdued by passengers and later detained by the police. He was also injured. The police are now investigating the case.

Zimbabweans vote in 3rd Mugabe-Tsvangirai battle

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Zimbabweans went to the polls on Wednesday to choose a winner between the southern African country' s two long-time political rivals -- President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, reports Xinhua. The presidential poll showdown between the two is the third time in a decade. Mugabe, Africa's oldest head of state at the age of 89, won the previous two elections which were disputed by his rivals. Both leaders are hopeful that they will romp to victory in Wednesday's elections and are basing their confidence on the huge numbers that attended their campaign rallies. Asked at a press conference Tuesday what his chances of victory were, Mugabe said, "As good as the chances we had in 1980." Asked the same question at a previous interview, Tsvangirai said, "I am very bullish about the outcome of this election. It will indicate to you the resilience of the people." Some 6.4 million voters are also expected to vote for more than 200 m

Bangladesh garment workers set fire to factory over benefits

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Hundreds of Bangladeshi garment workers set fire to their factory on Wednesday to demand a better bonus before the country's main Muslim festival, police said. Firefighters battled to control the blaze which gutted the warehouse on the ground floor of the factory at Mouchak, 40 kilometres (25 miles) north of Dhaka. "The workers angrily protested at the amount of bonus they got from the owners for the upcoming Eid al-Fitr festival," local police chief Omar Faruq said. "At one stage they walked out of the factory and set the godown (warehouse), which was on the ground floor of the factory, on fire," Faruq told AFP from the site. Protests over poor wages and benefits have hit Bangladesh's garment industry, the country's economic mainstay, since April when a factory complex collapsed and killed more than 1,100 people. The fire, which started at about 2.30 pm at the five-storey Libas Textiles factory, was now under control, said a police officer

9 killed in fresh violence in Iraq

Attacks in Iraq killed nine people and wounded 19 on Wednesday, officials said, as the country witnesses its deadliest violence since 2008. Gunmen killed five people and wounded eight in two attacks in Baghdad province, while two bombings in Kirkuk province, north of the capital, wounded five soldiers and a policeman. And gunmen armed with automatic weapons shot dead two people near Baquba, north of Baghdad, in an area that has been hit by frequent attacks in recent weeks. A car bomb also wounded five people south of Tikrit. With the latest violence, more than 850 people have been killed in July, and more than 3,100 since the beginning of the year, according to AFP figures based on security and medical sources. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called on Iraqi political leaders to bring the country "back from the brink," while the interior ministry has warned of civil war. Iraq has faced years of attacks by militants, but analysts say widespread discontent amon

Egypt crisis in stalemate amid EU mediation bid

Egypt was mired in political stalemate on Wednesday despite the diplomatic efforts of a top EU official, with the threat that protests will be forcibly dispersed hanging overhead. EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton flew out empty-handed on Tuesday, after three days of talks aimed at finding "common ground" between the army-installed interim government and supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi. The rival camps appeared as entrenched as ever in their positions, despite her efforts which included Morsi's first visit since his detention hours after his July 3 ouster by the army. The international community made clear it would continue to push for reconciliation, with the EU saying on Wednesday that its Middle East envoy would arrive later in the day to continue Ashton's efforts. In Washington, two leading senators said the White House had asked them to head to Cairo to push for an "inclusive, democratic approach." But on the ground, ther

Mass jail break in Pakistan as Taliban gunmen storm prison

In an operation carried out with military-like precision, Taliban fighters disguised as police and armed with bombs broke into a prison and discharged 250 inmates from a Pakistan jail on Tuesday. The jail break is believed to have been done with the help of what appeared to be insider informants. The attack in the city of Dera Ismail Khan showed the ability of the al Qaeda-linked Pakistani Taliban to strike at the heart of Pakistan's heavily guarded prison system and walk away with dozens of senior Taliban fighters and commanders. The overnight assault on the Central Prison took place in spite of reports that regional officials had received intelligence days, if not weeks, ago suggesting such an attack was imminent. Officials blamed a combination of negligence and lack of communication among Pakistan's many security agencies, but some suggested there may have been a degree of insider help. Just hours before the attack, army and police units had met at the jail

Saudi Website editor sentenced to 7 years in prison, lashes

 The editor of a Saudi Arabian social Website has been sentenced to seven years in prison and 600 lashes for founding an Internet forum that violates Islamic values and propagates liberal thought, Saudi media reported on Tuesday. Raif Badawi, who started the ``Free Saudi Liberals’’ Website to discuss the role of religion in Saudi Arabia, has been held since June 2012 on charges of cyber crime and disobeying his father - a crime in the conservative kingdom and top U.S. ally. Al-Watan newspaper said the judge had also ordered the closure of the Website. France was concerned by the sentence and remained committed to ``freedom of opinion and of expression’’, the foreign ministry said in a statement. Officials from the Saudi National Society for Human Rights could not be reached for comment. Badawi's website included articles that were critical of senior religious figures such as the Grand Mufti, according to Human Rights Watch. The watchdog said in December that Badawi

Kenya jails nine Somali pirates for attacking German ship

A Kenyan court in the coastal city of Mombasa sentenced nine Somalis on Tuesday to five years in prison each for attempting to hijack the German merchant vessel MV Courier in the Gulf of Aden in March 2009. The men were arrested by international anti-piracy forces before being handed over to Kenya to be prosecuted, as Somalia was not considered able to try them properly. Although the number of attacks has fallen markedly since 2011 because of tougher security aboard ships and increased Western naval patrols, the World Bank said in April that piracy emanating from the Horn of Africa nation may still cost the world economy about $18 billion a year. Prosecutors told the court that the men attacked the ship armed with a rocket launcher, an AK-47 rifle, a pistol, a SAR80 carbine rifle, and other weapons. ``The suspects used violence to hijack the vessel, and took control of it, putting in fear the lives of those aboard," prosecutors said in the charge sheet. Kenyan o