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Curfew will be imposed in the city of Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, within the next few hours, the press service of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic reported. According to itar-tass, “From 8.00 pm local time public transport will be halted until the situation normalizes. Besides, curfew is imposed in Donetsk between 10 p.m., and 6a.m.,” a source from the press service said. He said getting out within this period of time “without emergency is dangerous for life.” “One must always carry ID documents,” the source added. Besides, the leadership of the self-proclaimed republic asks people not to live personal vehicles on the streets adjacent to administrative buildings.

Russia’s Air Force will intensify surveillance of the Baltic countries’ airspace if North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, NATO warplanes begin flights on a large scale there, a high-ranking source in the General Air Force Staff told itar-tass on Tuesday, commenting on NATO plans to conduct large-scale training flights of its aviation over the Baltic states on May 27 - 28. “If such flights really begin, we will intensify the surveillance of the airspace of the Baltic countries from our territory. To this end, we will fly fighters that are based in the Western Military District,” the source said. At the same time, the Russian General Air Force Staff representative does not believe that NATO aviation flights over the Baltic counties pose a military threat to Russia. “There is no threat of any kind here. Yes, they fly, but we also fly when we need to, and don’t ask anybody’s permission,” he said. According to previous media reports that referred to the Latvian Defen

Leader of Sloviansk’s volunteer force suggests evacuating people Former Russian human rights ombudsman Vladimir Lukin has urged the creation of humanitarian safety corridors to evacuate children, women and elderly people from Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, itar-tass. “Considering the difficult situation in Donetsk and large-scale military activities (taking place there), I am calling on everyone on whom it depends to provide humanitarian corridors to evacuate children, women and the elderly,” he said on Tuesday. Mikhail Fedotov, Chairman of the Russian Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights, recalled that the council had already appealed to the Ukrainian authorities and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, OSCE, for assistance in organizing humanitarian safety corridors in the Donetsk Region, but it received no reply. “Individuals and private institutions help us bring this initiative to work,” Fedotov said. “Neither the

United States President Barack Obama has promised full support to Ukraine in a telephone conversation with newly elected president Petro Poroshenko, the White House reported. According to itar-tass, “President Obama called President-elect Petro Poroshenko of Ukraine today to congratulate him on his victory and offer the full support of the United States as he seeks to unify and move his country forward,” the White House said. The statement says that “the President (Obama) stressed the importance of quickly implementing the reforms necessary for Ukraine to bring the country together and to develop a sustainable economy, attractive investment climate, and transparent and accountable government that is responsive to the concerns and aspirations of all Ukrainians.” “The United States will continue assisting Ukraine in these efforts,” the White House noted. Obama and Poroshenko agreed to continue their conversation during the US President’s upcoming trip to Europe.

(Nigeria) The Ondo State House of Assembly on Tuesday elected a new Speaker, Mrs Jumoke Akindele, to fill the gap created by death of the former Speaker, Mr Samuel Adesina, reports NAN. Adesina died on February 25 after an ailment. The election, which took place at the hallow chamber of the House, was contested by Soji Akinkurolere, Oyebo Aladeitan and Mrs Jumoke Akindele. At the end of the voting, Akindele pulled 13 votes; Aladeitan , 9; while Akinkurolere scored zero vote. The House, which was presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Mr Dare Emiola, representing Akoko South-West Constituency 1, declared Akindele, representing Okitipupa Constituency 2, the winner. Earlier, the motion for the election of a Speaker was moved by the Majority Leader, Mr Ifedayo Akinsoyinu, representing Ondo West Constituency 2. It was seconded by Mr Olujuyigbe Adekunle, representing Akure South Constituency 2. Akindele, who could not control her emotion, burst into tears, saying she was overw

Suspected Boko Haram gunmen attacked the military and police in the town of Buni Yadi in Yobe State, where the group massacred scores of students earlier this year, witnesses said on Tuesday. Multiple witnesses told AFP that the insurgents stormed the remote town at 8:00 pm (1900 GMT) on Monday, firing first on soldiers manning a checkpoint and razing the local police station. They then torched the home of local government leader and several government buildings before turning their guns on an empty primary school, said witness Kura Babagana. "When they started attacking, people began to flee," he said. "There were casualties on the part of the security personnel but I don't know how many." Scores of vehicles were also burnt during the attack, he added, an account supported by other witnesses including Buni Ibrahim, a trader who was in the town at the time. Details were slow to emerge because of poor mobile phone reception in the area, where the I

(Nigeria) A Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja on Tuesday admitted more exhibits in the trial of an oil marketer, Opeyemi Ajuyah, charged with N1.1 billion fuel subsidy fraud. Ajuyah, and her company, Majope Investment Ltd., are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, before Justice Lateefat Okunnu. They are standing trial with Abdullahi Alao, son of Ibadan based business mogul, Alhaji Arisekola Alao and Olanrewaju Olalusi, a staff member of Sterling Bank Plc. During Tuesday's proceedings, the court admitted as exhibit, a petition written by Falana and Falana Chambers to the EFCC on behalf of Ajuyah and her company. The court also admitted the statement of one Mr Adelakun Saheed, a surveyor with General Marine Oil Services Ltd., as exhibit. Both documents, which were tendered by Ajuyah's counsel,  were admitted as Exhibits P37 and P38 respectively. Following the development, counsel continued with the cross-examination of the pr

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed into law a bill that limits the term of the Ukrainian hryvnia circulation in Crimea and Sevastopol, former Ukrainian territories that have become part of Russia, by June 1, 2014, reports itar-tass. The law signed by Putin amends the legislation on admitting Crimea and Sevastopol into Russia and forming two new Russian constituent members, which allowed for the simultaneous circulation of the Ukrainian hryvnia and the Russian ruble on these territories until January 1, 2016. A decision, however, was made to reduce this term to June 1, 2014. After this date, the Ukrainian hryvnia will have the status of a foreign currency. Before June 1, 2014, hryvnias will be exchanged for Russian rubles at the official exchange rate set by the Central Bank of Russia. The same rule applies to payments of taxes, customs and other duties, payments to government extra-budgetary funds, payments of wages and salaries at budget-financed orga

Six illegal miners have died after a pit in which they were digging for gold collapsed on them, police reported. The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Richard Salifu, made the announcement on Tuesday in Accra. The reports said the accident occurred on Monday in the Ashanti Region, one of the four regions that have been experiencing a big increase in illegal mining which destroyed the environment and polluted the sources of drinking water. Police said that there were 10 illegal miners in the pit when it collapsed and that one of them managed to escape. ``Six died and three were rescued and were being treated at a local hospital. They were digging for gold on a concession belonging to a mining firm, the Oweriman Mining Company. ``They were trapped about eight metres underground after they must have set off an explosive device to blast rocks,’’ Salifu said. Report says illegal miners being trapped in pits is a regular occurrence and does not deter those engaged in it. Howev

Ukraine's military will continue operations in the country's eastern region until all forces of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, DNR, have been crushed, representative of the country's armed forces Alexei Dmitrashkovsky said on Tuesday, according to media reports. According to itar-tass, "We'll continue the operation until all the DNR forces have been destroyed or until they have surrendered," local media quoted Dmitrashkovsky as saying, adding that at least 200 members of DNR militia had been killed in the fighting. Earlier on Tuesday, parliament-appointed Interior Ministry Arsen Avakov said law-enforcement bodies fully controlled the international airport in Donetsk. "We reacted to the seizure of the airport. As a result, the airport is fully controlled [by the Ukrainian military]," Avakov said. "The enemy has suffered serious losses. We haven't had any casualties."

Automatic fire has broken out again near the Donetsk airport, with helicopter gunships and fight planes flying over, a militia representative told itar-tass. Helicopters opened fire at militia units' ground positions, according to preliminary reports. Jets have returned to the air space over Donetsk on Tuesday, but pilots have not been conducting any operations yet, itar-tass reported from the scene. Ukraine’s law-enforcers have blocked all exits from Donetsk and do not even let passenger buses leave the area of military operation, a militia representative said. "The only road out of the city is towards the settlement of Makeyevka, but you'll need detours to get there anyway," he said. Meanwhile, the city has scrambled to evacuate schools and all the housing and public utilities departments have been ordered to prepare bomb shelters in case of active fighting and bombings. The press service of the self-

(Nigeria) Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has commissioned two industrial borehole projects built by the Edo State Government for the use by the Officers and Men of the 322 Artillery Brigade, Benin City. The two projects will provide 100,000 litres of water in their overhead tanks and both are connected to power Generators when electricity in the national grid fails. Speaking at the Commissioning on Tuesday, Oshiomhole said that the gesture will end the hardship of potable water scarcity suffered by the soldiers in the past five years. Oshiomhole who praised the efforts of the soldiers in stemming crime in the state said, “Edo State Government is indebted to officers and men of the army as represented by men of the 4 Brigade. You have in addition to your constitutional role identified with government and people of Edo state by participating in the internal security of the state. “A lot of the kidnappers and violent criminals that have been arrested have been a resul

(Nigeria) The Akwa Ibom  State command of Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, says it has repatriated 612 irregular African nationals to their countries of origin in the last five months. The state Controller of Immigration Service, Alhaji Abdullahi Garba, said this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria in Uyo on Tuesday. Abdullahi explained that the presence of the illegal migrants was a threat to the internal security of the state in particular and Nigeria in general. He said that the affected migrants were mainly nationals from Niger, Cameroun, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Guinea, Gambia and Togo. “They were shown the way out for lack of valid travel documents and substantive means of livelihood,” Abdullahi said. He said that those nationals from ECOWAS countries were repatriated through Seme border post while those from Niger Republic repatriated through Jibiya border post in Katsina State. Abdullahi said illegal migrants from Cameroun were repatriated from Oron control

Coalminers in the Donbass coalfields have gone on an open-ended strike to demand that Ukrainian troops and other forces leave the Donetsk Region, Konstantin Kuzmin, First Deputy Coal Minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, told itar-tass. “Donbass coalminers are starting an open-ended strike to demand an end to the military crackdown and the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the region,” he said. Six coalminers have joined the industrial action so far. "We expect that many more will follow suit,” he said. In the meantime, fighter planes keep flying over Donetsk. The situation in the center of the city is relatively calm, but many businesses, including shops, banks and cafes, are closed. Public transport operates depending on the situation. The press-service of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic said the authorities in Kiev resumed the military operation on Tuesday afternoon. According to some sources, local residents have be

(Nigeria) Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has condemned the N100 million pension bill just passed into law by the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, following prompting by Governor Godwill Akpabio, describing it “as immoral, unfair, unconstitutional, unreasonable, and a rip-off on a massive scale. “Akwa Ibom must be the only place on the planet where such pension scheme exists. The governor must now put Akwa Ibom ahead of his own personal bank balance by immediately withdrawing this grotesque bill.” SERAP in the statement by its Executive Director, Mr Adetokunbo Mumuni, said  “Nigerians should not be made to subsidise these bloated pensions and clearly undeserved perks. The governor obviously views disadvantaged Nigerians and poor pensioners according to Orwell’s Animal Farm dictum: ‘All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others’. Signing the bill into law will amount to a fundamental breach of the governor’s constitutional oath dec

The self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, DPR, in eastern Ukraine has started switching over to Russian laws, Denis Pushilin, the chairman of the DPR Supreme Council presidium, said Monday, reports itar-tass. “Today the decision was made to start intensively switching over to Russian laws,” Pushilin said while speaking near the government building (former regional administration). All ministries of the self-proclaimed republic already operate, he said. Instability embraced Ukraine after the country saw a coup in February. New people were brought to power amid riots as security concerns caused President Viktor Yanukovich to leave the country the same month. Massive protests against the new Ukrainian authorities erupted in Ukraine’s Russian-speaking southeastern territories after the secession of the Crimean Peninsula, which declared independence on March 11 and joined Russia on March 18 following a referendum. Demonstrators in southeastern regions, who have bee

Suspected Boko Haram gunmen stormed a Christian village in northeastern Nigeria, killing 20 residents, a government spokesman said Monday. The heavily armed gunmen stormed Waga village in Adamawa state on Sunday and opened fire, Ahmed Soji said. "The gunmen believed to be Boko Haram insurgents in trucks and on motorcycles attacked the village where they killed 20 people and burnt several houses," Soji said. "The whereabouts of several other people are still unknown but it is assumed they fled into the bush to escape the attack and are yet to return," he said. A second attack by the marauding gunmen on nearby Gublak village was repelled by soldiers in the area, Soji said without saying if there were casualties in the shootout. Adamawa state, which is one of three states under emergency law along with Borno and Yobe, has seen a string of deadly Boko Haram attacks. In February, the group killed 34 people and burnt scores of homes in coordinated bombing

(Nigeria) The Supreme Court on Monday ordered Dr Dickson Osuala to pay N8 million fine to Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State and three others for abuse of court process. Osuala was counsel to Chief Great Ogboru, candidate of the Democratic People’s Party in the 2011 Delta governorship election. Other parties in the N8 million cost are the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, who are to get N2 million each. Osuala ‎ had, on behalf of his client, applied for a review of the court’s judgement which in 2013 upheld the election of Uduaghan of the PDP. He had claimed in his application that, Section 285 (7) of the 1999 Constitution which the Supreme Court relied on to dismiss the case, was ``fraudulently inserted by the National Assembly''. He argued that due process was not followed by the National Assembly on the section. The counsel, therefore, submitted that it was w

(Nigeria) The Minister of State for Defence, Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro, on Monday in Abuja, expressed  confidence in the ability of the Nigerian military to win the war against Boko Haram. Obanikoro  gave the assurance when a delegation from the Royal College of Defence Studies, Britain, paid him a courtesy visit. He said ``I can beat my chest anywhere in the world to say we have some of the finest military men and women in uniform. ``So, with that kind of satisfaction, I am not worried about our capacity to prosecute this war. In a crisis situation, all these western media that are writing negative things about us always queue behind their own governments. So, our own media should take a queue from that, this is not a Jonathan's war, this is not a Federal Government war, it is a Nigerian war, all of us must stand up to be players and be counted.’’ The minister said that whenever there was crisis such as the insurgency going on in Nigeria, all manners of things would be

Ahead of the 2014 National Childrens’ Day, United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF, on Monday, called for collective effort from stakeholders to protect the rights of children. The call is contained in a statement by Mr Geoffrey Njoku, the Head of Media and External Relations, UNICEF in Abuja. The statement quoted Ms Jean Gough, the UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, as saying that there was need to create a protective environment for all children to ensure a bright future. Gough said ``as we celebrate another children’s day, one area where our collective responsibility is urgently required is the protection of our children, the collective includes the family, community, society and the state. ``Every day in the media, we hear of one form of abuse or the other against children, rape of underage children, child trafficking and so on. Let us all work together collectively to ensure that our children are protected against harm so they can grow into productive adults who will

(Nigeria) The Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, said on Monday that the military would not use force in the rescue of the abducted Chibok girls. Badeh gave this assurance while speaking to members of the Citizen Initiative for Security Awareness, CISA, a non-governmental organization, who were on solidarity campaign to the Defence Headquarters in Abuja. "We want our girls back, I can tell you that our military can and will do it, but where they are held, can we go there with force?  Nobody should say Nigerian military does not know what it is doing; we can’t kill our girls in the name of trying to get them back. ``So we are working, the President has empowered us to do the work, anybody castigating the military, definitely there is something wrong with him. The good news for the parents of the girls is that we know where they are, but we cannot tell you. We cannot come and tell you the military secret, just leave us alone, we are working to get the gir

(Nigeria) The Akwa Ibom House of Assembly on Monday passed former governor and deputy governor’s Pension Bill 2014 into law. The executive bill, which had earlier passed the first and second reading, was presented for deliberations at committee of the whole at plenary. The bill seeks a pension for life at a rate equivalent to the salary of the incumbent governor to a former governor and deputy. The law also provides for a former governor   a sum not exceeding N5 million per month to employ domestic staff while the deputy gets N2.5 million for the same purpose. A former governor will also be entitled to free medical services for himself his spouse at a sum not exceeding N100 million per annum and N50 million for a former deputy governor. The bill also seeks to provide for a former governor a befitting accommodation not below a 5- bed room maisonette  in either Abuja or Akwa Ibom. The bill also provides for yearly accommodation allowance of 300 per cent of annual basic sal

The mayor of the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk told residents to stay home Monday after fierce fighting between the military and separatist rebels that he said had caused casualties among civilians. "Keep an eye on your children and try not to leave your homes unless it is an emergency," Oleksandr Lukyanchenko said in a statement on the mayoral website, advising residents to avoid the airport and the railway station, reports AFP. Gun battles were reportedly continuing after fighter jets and helicopters gunships hit the airport's main terminal after it was seized by scores of armed insurgents in a dramatic escalation of the conflict in the east. "There are civilian casualties," the mayor said without elaborating. AFP journalists saw the body of a woman lying not far from the Donetsk railway station but it was not clear how she had died.

Two civilians have been killed in the city of Sloviansk (eastern Ukrainian Donetsk region) when a residential neighborhood on the outskirts of the city came under artillery fire, a representative of people’s militia told itar-tass on Monday. The Ukrainian law-enforcers resumed on Monday morning artillery fire on the settlement of Semyonovka near the besieged eastern Ukrainian town of Sloviansk. Sloviansk was also subjected to shelling by the Ukrainian military on Sunday night. Submachine-and machine-gun fire could be heard. Armed clashes near Sloviansk resumed on Sunday evening, almost immediately after the early presidential elections in Ukraine were over. Polling stations in Donetsk, Sloviansk and other cities of the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions that had proclaimed their independence from Kiev at the May 11 local referendums did not open during the entire day on Sunday. Self-defense forces said the Kiev authorities “had not even tried

(Nigeria) A 27-year-old man, Matthew Julius, was on Monday charged with sexual assault at an Apapa Senior Magistrate Court in Lagos. The accused, a resident of No. 8/9, Akumbo St., Olodi-Apapa, Lagos, who is standing trial on a two-count charge of sexual assault and assault, however, entered a ``not-guilty’’ plea. The Prosecutor, Sgt. Uche Jackson, told the court that Julius committed the offences on May 12, at his residence. He alleged that the accused assaulted his 28-year-old victim with a knife and wounded her on her legs and hands; forced her into his room where he had unlawful carnal knowledge of her. ``The woman later reported the matter to the police and the accused was arrested and brought to court after investigation,’’ Jackson said. The prosecutor said the offences contravened Sections 171 and 261 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. Section 171 provides three years imprisonment for assault, if convicted. Section 261 also prescribes three years imprisonme

Head of Ukraine’s Central Election Commission, CEC, Mykhailo Okhendovsky has ruled out the possibility of the second round of presidential elections in the country, reports itar-tass. “We can already make a very important conclusion. There is no need to hold the second round of elections. Ukraine’s new president was elected on May 25, 2014,” Okhendovsky said. The head of CEC said Petro Poroshenko won the presidential election in Ukraine. Okhendovsky noted that Poroshenko will make his first international visit to Warsaw. Around 89.21 percent of ballots have been processed in the “Elections” electronic system. According to the latest data, businessman Petro poroshenko leads with 54.18 percent, former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko received 13.01 percent of votes, Oleh Lyashko – 8.43 percent, Anatoliy Hrytsenko – 5.41 percent, and Serhiy Tihipko got 5.28 percent. Petro Poroshenko’s biography Petro Poroshenko was born September 26, 1965, in the Ode

(Nigeria) The Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Zone -B, has condemned the attack on a  crew of  the  African Independent Television, AIT, in Ikere Ekiti on  Saturday This was contained in a statement in Akure on Monday by the Vice-President of the zone, Mr Dele Atunbi. The statement described the attack on the media outfit that went to cover the Labour Party campaign rally in Ikere as disheartening. ``The barbaric event is a dangerous dimension to the political developments  in Ekiti State. The NUJ is of the opinion that the political class in Ekiti State seems not to have learnt anything from the country's political history, especially `` Operation  Wetie’’  in the defunct Western Region,'' it  said. It also condemned the damage done to the station's Outside Broadcast Van as well as its  equipment.  ``The union questions the rationale behind the attack on an innocent media outfit that was carrying out its constitutional duties.  We also want to caution the

(Nigeria) The President, Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Mr Okey Wali, SAN, on Monday said that with concerted efforts, the combat against terrorism could be won. Wali expressed the optimism at the Eight Annual Business Law Conference of the NBA Section on Business Law, NBA-SBL, held in Lagos. The conference had the theme: ``Exemplary Governance: Enhancing Economic Development in Nigeria." Wali said that the fight against terrorism was multi-faceted and shouldn’t be left to the Federal Government alone. He said: ``It is a battle that must be won and we must all be involved. ``We hereby appeal to the abductors of the over 200 girls, to please, in the name of God and all that they hold holy, release those children and let them go home to their families unhurt.” Speaking on the theme of the conference, the NBA president said that a good and exemplary leadership could only be achieved in a country where democratic institutions were strong and independent. He said that

(Nigeria) Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo on Monday said that the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, were not at war. Oshiomhole, who said this in Benin, Edo State during the state congress of the APC, said the two political parties only differed on ideas about how to move the nation forward. The governor said that in spite of the differences in ideologies, the two parties were united in making the nation better. Oshiomhole said that he was a thorough democrat, who understood the principle of multi-party democracy. ``APC is not at war with the PDP. APC recognises the legitimacy of the PDP. `We are only here to contest the basis and ideas but we are all united in sharing the commitment to build a great nation. We may not agree on the best way to do it, which is why we are building an alternative party,’’ the governor said. He said the APC as a party was poised to change the usual ways politicians do things to an unusual way. Oshiomhol

Donetsk self-defense forces and National Guard units clash near the railway station of Donetsk. Shooting and explosions can be heard from that area in a reported attempt of Ukraine’s law enforces go get into the city, reports itar-tass. Meanwhile, fighting is in progress between people’s militia and law enforces on the outskirts of the city and in nearby settlements. Self-defense units have brought down a military helicopter, which airlifted National Guard fighters to the airport, near the settlement of Peski, five km from the airport of Donetsk. Fighting is in progress in the settlement of Grobari (8 km from the airport) and Avdeyevka (10 km from the airport). Clashes are also under way on Stratonavtov Street (500 m from the airport), where a group of Russian and foreign reporters came under fire earlier. Fighting continues with the use of sub-machine and machine-guns, as well as grenade launchers. The zone of cordoned-off areas has broaden

(Nigeria) A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday, declared unconstitutional the Executive interference with judicial funding. The court held that the continued dependence of the judiciary on the Executive Arm for its Budgeting and funds release violates Section 81 (2) and Section 84(1), (2), (3), (4) and (7) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Trial judge is Justice Mohammed. It will be recalled that on February 7, 2013, Dr Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, the plaintiff, approached the court, challenging the present appropriation practice whereby the Judicial Arm of Government is dependent on the Executive Arm of Government for judicial estimates and funding. The case is Olisa Agbakoba vs Attorney General of the Federation, National Judicial Council and National Assembly. Agbakoba had sought the following reliefs which were all granted by the court: *A declaration that by Section 81 (2) and Section 84(1), (2), (3), (4) and (7) CFRN 1999 the remunera

The All Progressives Congress, APC, has tasked the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to immediately commence the process that will lead to the use of the e-card reader for the forthcoming elections in Ekiti and Osun States, if indeed the electoral body is committed to ensuring that the polls are free, fair and transparent. APC in a statement in Lagos on Monday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said using the simple but fool proof device for the Ekiti gubernatorial polls next month and that of Osun in August will make it possible for INEC to fine-tune its deployment on a nationwide scale for the 2015 general elections. It said INEC must stop trying to justify why it cannot use the e-card reader to verify the permanent voter cards which the commission has spent time and money to develop and given to all registered voters, in an effort to ensure the transparency and credibility of its elections. ''Contrary to what INEC has sai

The Ukrainian government has signed loan agreements worth a total of $1.48 billion with the World Bank on Monday to finance three new projects in the country, reports itar-tass. “The package of three new projects is part of the total volume of aid to Ukraine announced by World Bank Group in March this year,” the Ukrainian government’s press office reported. “This aid worth a total of $3.5 billion is expected to be delivered to Ukraine until the end of 2014,” the press office said. The first loan of $750 million will be spent on “the budget support,” the Ukrainian government said. “Also, municipal heat and power companies in ten cities will receive $382 million as part of a project to raise energy efficiency,” the press office said. The remaining $350 million will be provided to ten water supply enterprises and one waste disposal company, the government said. On Ukraine’s behalf, the document was signed by parliament-appointed Vice-Premier Volodymyr

The Federation Council has praised Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov’s role in freeing LifeNews journalists, reports itar-tass. “Ramzan Kadyrov’s role in this issue (release of reporters of TV channel LifeNews) was just brilliant. It is not accidental the Russian president thanked him personally yesterday. Finally, Ramzan Akhmatovich played a remarkable role in this issue,” First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee for International Affairs Vladimir Dzhabarov told itar-tass. It was proposed at the committee meeting to consider awarding Kadyrov’s for his outstanding mediating role in the affair. “We will request the parliament upper house and the Federation Council speaker to award him within the powers that we have,” the first deputy chairman of the committee said after the meeting. Ukrainian law enforcers detained LifeNews journalists Oleg Sidyakin and Marat Saichenko near the city of Kramatorsk in east Ukraine’s Donetsk Region. Deputy secretary o

There is heavy gun battle close to the international airport of Donetsk, eastern Ukraine. Meanwhile, a group of Russian and foreign reporters has come under fire of Ukrainian law enforces half-a-kilometer from the international airport of Donetsk. Fighting is currently underway at the airport, and a sniper is shooting at reporters who are trying to capture the developments on video, reports itar-tass. According to some reports, residents of districts located close to the airport are being evacuated. On the videos broadcast live from the site of the events can be seen law enforcement officers asking a group of journalists to leave the combat area. However, the reporters fail to withdraw from the site, because all the area near the airport is under gunfire. The traffic in Donetsk downtown, as well as all the approaches to the international airport are blocked by traffic police. According to preliminary reports, Ukrainian Air Force is applying assault avi

   Murder suspect Oscar Pistorius on Monday reported to the Weskoppies psychiatric hospital near Pretoria, South Africa, where he will undergo a 30-day mental health evaluation. Judge Thokozile Masipa last week ordered the Paralympian to undergo observation to determine whether his state of mind played a part in the shooting to death of his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. The Judge made the order after a psychiatrist testified that he suffers from a Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) which makes him hyper-vigilant. Masipa said the appointed psychiatrists and psychologist will submit reports for the court’s perusal. Prosecutor Gerrie Nel earlier said if the accused does indeed suffer from a psychiatric illness. It might then have impacted on what happened on the night of the shooting and it was necessary for the court to know. The double-amputee, who shot to stardom when he outran able-bodied athletes, has pleaded not guilty to murder, saying he thought he was shoot

(Nigeria) The Presidency on Sunday accused the opposition APC of dishonesty and playing politics with insurgency and terrorism. The Presidential Spokesperson, Dr Reuben Abati, made the statement in a reaction to a statement credited to the APC accusing President Goodluck Jonathan of abdicating his responsibility in the fight against terrorism. "It is very clear that the APC is being dishonest. Its intention is to play politics with insurgency and terrorism. I think the question needs to be pointedly asked: `What country does the APC belongs to? What country is the APC seeking to preside over? "As it appears, the APC seems blinded by its own narrow ambition and that is why in recent times, you can find some persons purportedly speaking for the APC making completely illogical and unreasonable statements. "If you look at the statement by Lai Muhammed, he is accusing the government of abdicating its responsibilities. President Jonathan has never at any time abdica