innosreport

Relatives of young black Britons who died as a result of controversial police actions have staged a rally outside the United States embassy in London to protest against the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson , Missouri , reports The Guardian.

The grand jury testimony in the Darren Wilson case reveals some shockingly lax procedures by the Ferguson and St. Louis County police departments: Unorthodox Police Procedures Emerge in Grand Jury Documents, reports LGF. When Ferguson , Mo. , police officer Darren Wilson left the scene of the shooting of unarmed teenager Michael Brown, the officer returned to the police station unescorted, washed blood off his hands and placed his recently fired pistol into an evidence bag himself.

  (Nigeria) The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Rivers State , Wednesday, described the report of Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s directive to the managements of some state- owned tertiary institutions to collect equal amount of school fees from both indigenes and non-indigene students as politically motivated and another ruse.

 The European Commission called Wednesday for 5,000 doctors to be sent from European Union, EU states to combat West Africa's Ebola epidemic, a European source with knowledge of the matter said on Wednesday, reports France 24. "The situation is too serious and it needs an immediate response," the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP, adding that senior EU officials were in contact with national governments to mobilise the response.

( Nigeria ) Coach of the National under-23 football team, Samson Siasia, has explained the rationale for inviting prospective players of the team to a screening camp in batches. Siasia told the News Agency of Nigeria at the end of the first batch screening on Tuesday in Abuja that the technical crew does not have enough time to watch the payers.

Egypt reopened the Rafah border crossing with Gaza on Wednesday for the first time since its closure in late October after a bombing in the Sinai Peninsula , officials said, reports AFP. The crossing, which is the only access point to the Palestinian territory not controlled by Israel , will open for four hours on Wednesday and Thursday, a government official said.

Ukraine's banks have turned off ATMs and blocked the acceptance of credit cards in a region that is riddled with pro-separatist rebels in a bid to turn locals against Russia supporters, reports IBTimes.co.uk  Many banks were closed in the rebel stronghold of Donetsk on 26 November and locals were left without personal funds after cash machines had been turned off.

A Nigerian jailed in Johannesburg for masterminding a series of terror attacks in his homeland is to challenge South Africa 's right to try him, his lawyer said Wednesday, reports AFP. Henry Okah was sentenced to 24 years in prison last year for masterminding attacks including twin car bombings that killed 12 people in Abuja on October 1, 2010, and two explosions that March in the southern Nigerian city of Warri , a major hub of the oil-rich Delta region.

 A Russian journalist suspected of spying in Poland says he is fighting an attempt by Polish authorities to expel him and says he wants the case against him to be declassified.

(Nigeria) Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State has denied rumours of people he called mischief makers and political opponents that the All Progressives Congress, APC, is an Islamic party. Speaking during an interactive session with students at the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, UOE, in Port Harcourt, Amaechi said the APC is not an Islamic Party and has no intentions to Islamise Nigeria if it wins next year's Presidential election.

( Nigeria ) The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed three appeals for stay of proceedings application brought by the suspended Chief Judge of Rivers, Justice Peter Agumagu, against the National Judicial Council, NJC. Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour, in his judgment, held that the appeals were premature and dismissed them accordingly.

( Nigeria ) A civil society group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC, Mr Ekpo Nta to “urgently and transparently investigate allegations of corruption in Lagos State Councils and to bring to justice suspected perpetrators.”

  People protesting the Ferguson, Missouri, grand jury decision took to the streets in cities across the United States for a second day Tuesday, showing that the racially charged case has inflamed tensions thousands of miles from the predominantly black St. Louis suburb, reports AP.

National Guard reinforcements helped contain the latest protests in Ferguson, preventing a second night of the chaos that led to arson and looting after a grand jury decided not to indict the white police officer who killed Michael Brown, reports AP. Demonstrators returned Tuesday to the riot-scarred streets. But with hundreds of additional troops standing watch over neighborhoods and businesses, the protests had far less destructive power than the previous night. However, officers still used some tear gas and pepper spray, and demonstrators set a squad car on fire and broke windows at City Hall.

( Nigeria ) A 59-year old female lawyer, Nina Lawani, was on Tuesday brought before a Tinubu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for assaulting her colleague, Mrs Helen Ibeji. Lawani of No. 6, Shomolu Road , Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos State , is facing a charge of assault.

There are probably few other countries in the world as self-righteous and complacent as the United States when it comes to human rights issues, but the Ferguson tragedy is apparently a slap in the face, reports Xinhua. Following a grand jury decision on Monday not to indict white police officer Darren Wilson, who shot dead African-American teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson , Missouri , protests and demonstrations have flared up and expanded to scores of cities across the United States .

As violence engulfed Ferguson , Monday and early Tuesday, Russia has slammed Americans hypocrisy for supporting anti-Russian forces in Ukraine, reports New York Post . “You want to export that kind of democracy?” political scientist Alexander Domrin said on state TV, according to a Global Post report. “Thanks, but no thanks.”

  Ukraine 's National Security and Defense Council has reported of new Russian military movements in rebel-controlled eastern Ukraine , reports UPI. "The enemy is rotating manpower," NSDC spokesman Andriy Lysenko said Tuesday during a press conference.

(Nigeria) Following activities of Boko Haram terrorists in parts of the North East, thousands of displaced citizens from Gwoza have found a new town in Adamawa State called Daware in Fofure Local Government Area and there are indications that many of these may never return to their original homes.

The United States Senate will hold a public hearing on civil and human rights after a grand jury's decision to not indict a policeman who killed an unarmed black youth triggered violent protests, reports AFP.

  Police across the United States prepared for another day of demonstrations Tuesday after thousands of people in cities from Los Angeles and New York passionately protested a grand jury's decision not to indict a white Ferguson, Missouri, officer who killed a black 18-year-old, reports AP. Monday night's protests were largely peaceful but ended with violence and vandalism in at least a couple of major cities.

The ferocity of the attack on the fleeing Ukrainian troops was clear, days after the ambush by Russian-backed separatist forces, reports AP. More than 30 military vehicles lay in charred piles Tuesday. Villagers said dozens were killed, and some remained unburied. One soldier was blown out of his armored vehicle — apparently by a shell — his body left dangling from power lines high above.

The parliament of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, DPR, called on Tuesday for convening the United Nations Security Council to consider plans of sending peacekeepers to the conflict zone, reports Tass.

Ukrainian President, Mr Petro Poroshenko is holding an emergency meeting with the heads of law enforcement agencies, Ukraine’s Deputy Interior Minister, Tigran Avakyan said on Tuesday, reports Tass. “The meeting is being attended by Interior Minister Arsen Avakov and other law enforcement chiefs,” Avakyan said at a meeting of the Interior Ministry’s leadership with experts and members of the EU Advisory Mission, EUAM.

  ( Nigeria ) President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday in N'Djamena, the Chadian Capital, reiterated the need for Nigeria and its neighbours to intensify joint actions and cooperation to defeat terrorism and insurgency. This is contained in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati from N'Djamena.

( Nigeria ) Cross River State Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke has condemned in the strongest terms, the attack on the state secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Calabar on Monday. A minor explosion had rocked the state secretariat of the party ‎as the party was getting set to conduct its fresh ward congresses across the state, following the cancellation of the November 1, exercise.

(Nigeria) Two female suicide bombers carried out attacks in Maiduguri city, Borno State, which  killed more than 45 people on Tuesday, a senior security source told AFP.

(Nigeria) The All Progressives Congress, APC, has said the police invasion of the National Assembly last week is the equivalent of a coup and called for an independent inquiry to determine who ordered the invasion and for what purpose, with a view to preventing a recurrence and also meting out the necessary punishment to those behind it.

( Nigeria ) Boko Haram gunmen entered a market in the northeast town of Damasak, Borno State  about 11 a.m., on Monday and opened fire on unarmed traders, a military officer and a local government official told AFP.

( Nigeria ) No fewer than 200 traders, mainly women, have staged a peaceful protest in Awka over the imposition of levies and invasion of Igbo-Ukwu market by alleged hoodlums. The protesters, who stormed the Anambra Government House, Awka, on Monday about 2 p.m., carried placards one of which read: “We want peace at Igbo-Ukwu Main Market.”

( Nigeria ) A civil society group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, on Monday in Lagos called on Nigerians to support the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC in fighting corruption in the country. Executive Director of SERAP, Mr Adetokunbo Mumuni,  made the call at the launching of a book titled," Citizens Guide to the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission."

( Nigeria ) An Abuja Federal High Court on Monday struck out the terrorism charges against Aminu Ogwuche, the alleged mastermind of the April 14 Nyanya bus station bomb explosion that killed 75 persons. Delivering a ruling on the case, the trial judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola, struck out the two-count criminal charge filed against the accused for lack of diligent prosecution by the Police.

(Nigeria) A 22-year-old man, Abiola Adeyanju, who allegedly attempted to rape a 13-year-old girl, was on Monday brought before a Yaba Magistrates' Court in Lagos. The accused, who resides at No. 4, Ilashe St., Ikota area of Lagos, is facing a two-count charge of attempted rape and sexual assault.

Jordanian authorities have deported "vulnerable Syrian refugees," including wounded men and unaccompanied children, an international human rights group said Monday, adding that a Jordanian government spokesman denied the claim, reports AP

( Nigeria ) The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Rivers State , has commended Nigerian students, who walked out of a gathering conveyed by Governor Rotimi Amaechi for unjustifiably castigating President Jonathan and for threatening the students to support his personal political ambition at the Rivers State University of Science and Technology on Monday.

( Nigeria ) Leading governorship aspirant in Lagos State under the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Mr. Jimi Agbaje on Monday collected his Clearance Certificate from the party’s Screening Committee in Ibadan , capital of Oyo State . Agbaje, who faced screening like other aspirants from Lagos State on Sunday, collected on Monday the document confirming him to compete in the PDP primaries.

(Nigeria) The All Progressives Congress, APC, has described as plainly implausible and a witless afterthought the reasons given by the Department of State Security, DSS for invading the Data Centre of the party in Lagos State  on Saturday , calling the security service a shameless apologist of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

( Nigeria ) A 50-year-old housewife, Mrs Abeke Olowolafe on Monday approached an Ado-Ekiti Customary Court seeking dissolution of her 32-year-old marriage to her husband, James. Abeke is seeking the dissolution on grounds of public assault and blackmailing, telling the court that her husband always disgraced her in public, calling her various unprintable names.

Liberia's president on Monday urged her countrymen to double their efforts to reach the government's goal of having zero new Ebola cases by December 25, a target some experts have described as highly ambitious, reports AP. "We've set a pretty tough target. But when you set a target it means that you stay focused on that target and on that goal and then you double your efforts," Sirleaf said during a ceremony marking the docking of a Dutch aid ship in the capital, Monrovia.

( Nigeria ) The Department of State Services, DSS, on Sunday said it has arrested some suspects in Lagos , allegedly cloning of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC’s  Permanent Voters Card. A statement by the spokeswoman of the service, Ms Marilyn Ogar in Abujam said that it raided a building located at No.10, Bola Ajbola street, Allen Avenue, following a petition it received alleging ``unwholesome activities’’ there.

An Israeli border policeman, was on Sunday charged before a Jerusalem court with manslaughter in the May shooting to death of a young Palestinian during a West Bank demonstration, reports AFP. "A charge of manslaughter has been filed against the defendant," a court transcript said. The accused, named as Ben Deri, denied the charge against him.

Iranian authorities released a British-Iranian woman on bail on Sunday, the semi-official ISNA news agency said, reports AP. The report quoted Sousan Moshtaghian, mother of Ghoncheh Ghavami, as saying a judge released her daughter on nearly $30,000 bail ahead of an appeal.

Kenya's deputy president Sunday denounced the killing of 28 bus passengers by Islamic extremists and said the nation's military responded by killing more than 100 militants in Somalia, reports AP. William Ruto, speaking on a national broadcast, said Kenya is a target of international terrorist groups, including Somalia's al-Shabab, which is linked to al-Qaida. He said Kenya's security forces will protect citizens, including by raiding mosques.

A suicide bomber blew himself up at a volleyball tournament in eastern Afghanistan on Sunday, killing at least 45 people in the country's deadliest terrorist attack this year, officials said, reports AP. The bloodshed came just hours after Parliament approved agreements allowing United States and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, NATO troops to remain in the country past the end of the year.

( Nigeria ) An attack by Islamic extremist group, Boko Haram, has left scores dead in the northeastern Nigerian village of Doron Baga , in Borno State , a major fishing center on the shores of Lake Chad , witnesses said, reports AP. Fisherman Usman Abubakar said that suspected Boko Haram members drove into Doron Baga, in Borno state, "shooting people on sight."

Tension has been mounting in Ferguson and elsewhere in the St. Louis area in recent days, with many speculating that the grand jury's decision would be announced on Sunday, reports AP. That seemed increasingly unlikely by late Saturday, although there was a noticeable uptick in the preparations being made.

By Odimegwu Onwumere (Nigeria)When you say "A dead God" and "A living God" what do you have in mind? Obviously, from the Nigerian Christians' periscope, they refer "A Dead God" to represent the numerous Gods that Africa has and use "A living God" to quantify the God that is called Jehovah/Yahweh.

With tensions simmering over the deadly crisis in Ukraine, Russia has accused the West of seeking regime change in Moscow, prompting renewed comparisons with the Cold War era, reports KSAT.com. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov of Russia made the comments at an event Saturday as he attacked Western sanctions on Russian interests.

Libya 's national army has called on citizens to stay away from military targets as the army will launch military operations to "liberate" the capital city, local media al-Wasat reported on Sunday, reports Xinhua. The army said that citizens should avoid places like militant camps, headquarters, ammunition depots and places where "terrorist force Libya Dawn stationed."

A 32-year-old Palestinian resident of eastern Jabalia town in northern Gaza Strip was shot dead by Israeli border troops on Sunday, medics said, reports Xinhua. A Gaza Health Ministry spokesman said that Fadel Halawa, 32, from Jabalia was shot dead by Israeli troops' gunfire east of the town, not far from the border fence with Israel .