innosreport

 Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia, Francois Hollande of France and Petro Poroshenko of Ukraine, as well as Germany’s Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel have held telephone talks, in the course of which they discussed promotion of Poroshenko’s peace plan for peace settlement in the east of the country, the Ukrainian presidential press service said Wednesday, reports Itar-Tass.

(Nigeria) One of the suspected sponsors the 486 people travelling in 35 busses to Port Harcourt, but arrested in Abia State have been identified by security agents. Coordinator of the National Information Centre, NIC, Mr. Mike Omeri who made this disclosure at a press briefing on efforts being made to secure the release of abducted Chibok secondary school girls and generally fight the menace of Boko Haram insurgents on Wednesday however, refused to name the sponsor.

(Nigeria) A former Managing Director of Bank PHB, Francis Atuche, on Wednesday denied the N25.7 billion theft charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Atuche, who was testifying before a Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, told the court that it was absurd to label him a thief.

inhua) -- A total of 22 people were killed and some 36 others wounded in air strikes carried out by Iraqi aircraft on two cities in Iraq's northern and western provinces, security source said on Wednesday, reports Xinhua.

The Moldovan opposition Party of Socialists picketed on Wednesday the United States Embassy in Chisinau, accusing Washington of putting pressure on Chisinau pushing it towards an association agreement with the European Union and towards breaking traditional ties in the east, reports Itar-Tass.

The upper house of Russia's parliament voted Wednesday to revoke a resolution approving military intervention in Ukraine at the request of President Vladimir Putin, reports Xinhua. The issue was discussed in a Federation Council plenary meeting, with Putin's request being carried 153 votes to one.

(Nigeria) Commissioner for Health in Jigawa State, Dr Tafida Abubakar, on Wednesday said an outbreak of gastroenteritis in Hadejia community in Hadejia Local Government Area had claimed seven lives. Abubakar said in Hadejia that the deaths were recorded on Monday and Tuesday.

(Nigeria) An Ogun State High Court sitting in Isabo, Abeokuta on Wednesday remanded in prison a 33-year-old man, Jimoh Owolabi, for allegedly killing his neighbour's daughter. The state counsel, Funke Fakolade, told the court that the killing was allegedly carried out on May 2, 2013 at Sagbesona Compound, Idofoi, Ayetoro Road in Abeokuta.

(Nigeria) The absence of  the prosecutor on Wednesday stalled  the trial in a Federal High Court, Lagos, of a former branch Manager, of First City Monument Bank, FCMB Plc, Rosemary Usifo, for alleged  fraud. Usifo is charged by the Special Fraud Unit, SFU of the police with the bank on a one-count charge of obtaining N30 million from a customer's fixed deposit account.

(Nigeria) The Court of Appeal sitting in Jos, Plateau State on Tuesday ordered the immediate reinstatement of the banished Emir of Akko in Gombe State, Alhaji Muhammad Ahmad. Presiding Justice Ridwan Abdullah, in the judgment, said government had no cogent reason for deposing the Emir and banishing him to Bauchi State in 2004.

(Nigeria) The Kano State House of Assembly on Tuesday passed into law the state Rape Prohibition Bill 2014. The law, which provides a maximum of life sentence for convicted rapists, was passed unanimously by members. The new law also stipulated an additional fine of N200, 000.

(Nigeria) Abductors of the National Treasurer of the Urhobo Progressive Union, UPU, Mr Mike Ederiwhevwe, have demanded N50 million as ransom to set him free.  The Public Relations Officer of the Delta State Police Command, Celestina Kalu, made the announcement while speaking with newsmen on Tuesday in Warri, Delta State.

(Nigeria) The Joint Task Force, JTF, in the Niger Delta, code named Operation Pulo Shield, on Tuesday said three suspected pirates died during a cross-fire with the group at Robot creeks in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. Lt. Col. Mustapha Anka, the JTF Media Coordinator, told NAN in Yenagoa that some 30 pirates, armed with AK-47 riffles in two speedboats, attacked the JTF patrol troop.

Fourteen people have dead and another 26 missing in a shipwreck in western Madagascar, a statement from the National Bureau of risks and disasters management said on Tuesday, reports Xinhua. Ten out of about 50 to 60 passengers were rescued, the bureau said in the statement.

No fewer than  11 people were killed and several others injured in fresh attacks at east Kenya's coastal town of Witu on Monday night, local media reported on Tuesday. Security officials received a distress call at 2 a.m., on Tuesday when the attackers were spotted at Kaketo area, a senior official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.

A four-seater plane flying from Nigeria to Gabon via Cameroon has disappeared, according to Cameroon aviation sources on Tuesday. The plane, owned by the United States company Global Aviation, took off from Kano in northern Nigeria at 1800 hours on Monday en route Libreville in Gabon, where it was scheduled to arrive at 2300 hours, after a stopover in Douala, Cameroon.

(Nigeria) A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Tuesday remanded a Pakistani, Iftikhar Arslan, 18, in prison custody for allegedly trafficking 25.4 kilogrammes of heroin. Arslan, who was arraigned by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, is standing trial on a count charge of unlawful possession of narcotic drug.

(Nigeria) A Gusau Chief Magistrate Court in Zamfara State on Tuesday remanded two men, Hamza Musa, 25, and Lawali Sarki, 18, in prison custody over an alleged case of conspiracy and rape. The accused, both of Manau village, Bakura Local Government Area of Zamfara, are facing a two-count charge of raping a 12-year-old girl.

Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al- Sisi said Tuesday that he won't interfere in the judicial verdicts, state Nile TV reported. His words came one day after three Al Jazeera journalists were sentenced from seven to ten years in jail, which stirred international outcry over the freedom of press in Egypt.

German police authority confirmed a collision of a military jet and a Lear jet on Monday over western Germany, leading to the death of one occupant of the civilian plane, reports dpa. Col. Andreas Hoppe, Army Spokesman said the mid-air collision occurred while the Euro-fighter jet was participating in a joint exercise with another fighter jet.

(Nigeria) Four months after his arraignment over allegations of defiling three minors, Godspower Eva, 52, is to be tried over alleged sexual assault and defilement of minors before a Yaba Chief Magistrate Court in Lagos State. At the resumed hearing on Tuesday, the Magistrate, Mrs Yewande Aje-Afunwa, said that the court had received legal advice from the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP on the matter.

Ukrainian military forces shot at the settlement of Privolye near the city of Lisichansk in east Ukraine’s Luhansk region overnight to Tuesday. A woman was killed in the shootout.

(Nigeria) An Ota Magistrate Court in Ogun State has remanded three men in prison custody at the Abeokuta Prisons, Ibara, over alleged armed robbery. The accused, Abdulraheem Olorunbayo, 28; Wahab Azeez, 21, and Ahmed Ganiyu, 24, whose addresses are unknown, are being tried for conspiracy and armed robbery.

(Nigeria) President Goodluck Jonathan has urged Nigerians to join hands with the Federal Government to address the challenge of terrorists masquerading as pastoralists to cause mayhem in the country. Jonathan made the call in Kaduna on Monday while declaring open an international conference on: Security and Development Challenges of Pastoralism in West and Central Africa."

(Nigeria) Authorities of the Lagos State University, LASU, Ojo, on Monday said that over 900 students had complied with the payment of the new tuition fee as directed by the management. Lagos State Government had on June 11 approved between 34 per cent and 60 per cent reduction in the LASU tuition fee following protests from students and civil society group.

(Nigeria) Mrs Cecilia Ibru, former Managing Director of the defunct Oceanic Bank International, on Monday prayed an Abuja Federal High Court to reverse the sale of the bank to Eco Bank Plc. Ibru also urged the court to reverse the takeover of Aero Contractors Ltd. by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON.

(Nigeria) The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA in  Akwa Ibom State says  it has arrested 218 persons for  trafficking in hard drugs and psychotropic substances since January. The state’s Commander of the agency, Mrs Josephine Obi, disclosed this in Uyo on Monday while briefing newsmen on activities to mark this year’s  World Drug-Free Day scheduled for Thursday.

German car giant BMW intends to recall over 100,000 cars worldwide due to failure in the system of airbags produced by Japanese company Takata, Reuters news agency reports. The issue has been found in all vehicles produced from 2002.

(Nigeria) An Ebute Meta Chief Magistrate Court in Lagos on Monday remanded a woman, Ese Itacomi, at Ikoyi Prisons, Lagos for allegedly killing her lover, Tunde Bello. The Chief Magistrate, Mrs E.B. Daodu, said the accused should remain in prison custody pending advice from the State Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP.

(Nigeria) Mr Umar Manko, the Commissioner of Police in Lagos on Monday, paraded a 64-year-old herbalist who allegedly killed a retired customs officer and her 10-year-old daughter by burying them alive. One Alhaji Olatunji Azeez was arrested by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, Lagos on Thursday in Ajuwon-Akute area of Ogun State.

A top Ukrainian separatist leader said on Monday that the pro-Russian rebels would agree to a temporary ceasefire and seek talks with the new Western-backed president on ending 10 weeks of fighting in the industrial east. "In response to the ceasefire declared by Kiev, we pledge to also halt fire on our part," Oleksandr Borodai of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic was quoted as saying by the Itar-Tass news agency in Donetsk.  "This ceasefire will last until June 27." 

Two roadside bombs struck a patrol in Iraq's northern province of Nineveh on Monday, killing five Kurdish security forces members, a spokesman said. The blasts, which went off in the Rabia area near the Syrian border, also wounded three Kurdish security personnel, according to Halkurd Mulla Ali, spokesman for the ministry responsible for the Kurdish peshmerga forces.

(Nigeria) A former Managing Director of the defunct Intercontinental Bank Plc, Erastus Akingbola, on Monday asked a Lagos State High Court sitting in  to stay proceedings in his N47.1 billion theft trial. His co-defendant, Bayo Dada, General Manager of Tropics Securities Ltd, also filed a similar application before Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo.

An appeal court in central Sudan has ordered the release of a woman on death row for marrying a Christian and refusing to convert back to Islam, reports dpa. Meriam Ibrahim's death penalty was upturned on Monday in by an appeal court in Khartoum.

(Nigeria) The Police in Kano State said in Kano on Monday that eight persons died following a bomb blast at the Kano State School of Hygiene located on BUK Road. The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Aderenle Shinaba, announced this when he briefed newsmen shortly after visiting the scene.

The European Union does not rule out further sanctions to be imposed on Russia in case of further deterioration of the situation in eastern Ukraine. President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy said this in a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Monday, reports Itar-Tass.

(Nigeria) A Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday granted bail in the sum of N2 million to a 42-year- old accused, Benjamin Chukwu, facing charges of alleged drug trafficking. The accused was charged by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, on a one-count charge bordering on the offence.

The European Union Council has decided to ban the import of goods from Crimea to the European Union, Foreign Minister of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius said, reports Itar-Tass. EU Council will consider “the strategy for non-recognition of Crimea's accession to Russia” on June 23.

Ten Russian regions are now hosting refugees who fled the turmoil in Ukraine’s south-east, Deputy Emergencies Minister Vladimir Stepanov said on Monday, reports Itar-Tass. Citizens from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions mostly arrive in Russia’s southern Rostov region and Crimea, Stepanov said.

Federation International Football Association , FIFA on Monday suspended Cameroonian defender, Alex Song, for three matches for elbowing a Croatian striker, Mario Mandzukic, during the Cameroon and Croatia match at the 2014 World Cup. Cameroon lost 0-4 to Crotia at the match played at the Arena Amazonia Manaus on June 18.

The Palestinian leadership has decided on Sunday to approach the United Nations Security Council in order to stop Israel's measures against the Palestinian territories, which notably increased after three Israelis disappeared on June 12 near the West Bank, reports Xinhua.

A total of fourteen coaches of a freight train ran off the rails between the stations of Ilovaysk and Kuteinikovo in Donetsk as a result of demolition of the track by unknown malefactors, the press service of Ukraine’s Ministry of the Infrastructure said Sunday night.

(Nigeria) A suicide car-bomber, attacked a military post in Gwoza near a secondary school, Borno State, killing three soldiers and e injured three others. The attack, said to have been carried out by Boko Haram insurgent, happened at 7a.m., on Sunday.

(Nigeria) President Goodluck Jonathan has congratulated the Governor-elect of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on his in Saturday’s governorship election in the state.

  (Nigeria) President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday in Abuja said the victory of Nigeria's Super Eagles and the Saturday peaceful election in Ekiti State were signs of unfolding greatness of Nigeria as a nation. The Super Eagles on Saturday defeated their Bosnia and Herzegovina counterparts by 1-0 at the ongoing world football tournament in Brazil, while the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP candidate in Ekiti State, Mr Ayo Fayose, won the state governorship election.

Three people have been killed in a Mil Mi-8 helicopter (NATO reporting name: Hip) crash in the Kharkov Region in eastern Ukraine, the Ukrainian Interior Ministry said Sunday, reports Itar-Tass. “On June 21, the regional Interior Ministry department unit received a report from the search and rescue emergencies center’s officer on duty stating that a Mi-8 helicopter of the Ukrainian emergency situations state service with a crew of three people on board has disappeared from radars in the vicinity of the village of Vasishchevo of the Kharkov Region,” the ministry said.

A village in the Lugansk region is under continuous shelling from artillery guns by Ukraine’s National Guard servicemen despite the announced ceasefire, the press service of the self-proclaimed Lugansk People’s Republic, LPR,) told Itar-Tass on Sunday. “Despite the announced ceasefire, the National Guards squads continue shelling the village of Ananyevka in the Sverdlovsk district from the Vasilek (Cornflower) mortars,” it said.

(Nigeria) The Pan Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere,  and the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, NPP, on Sunday congratulated the governor-elect of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose. Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC on Saturday declared Fayose, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP candidate, as  winner of the governorship election in Ekiti.

Two people have been killed and one injured in an explosion at a mine in the Orenburg Region in the Western Urals, a law enforcement source said Sunday, reports Itar-Tass. “The fate of four [other] people is unknown,” the source said. Some 200 workers are being evacuated.

(Nigeria) Governor  Kayode Fayemi  of  Ekiti State on Sunday congratulated Mr Ayo Fayose, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP candidate  in Saturday’s governorship election. Fayemi, who congratulated the governor-elect in a broadcast to the people of the state in Ado-Ekiti, described Fayose’s victory as the people’s wish.