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PLANE CRASH WAS AVERTED

Another air disaster was averted on Sunday as a plane belonging to IRS Airline made an emergency landing in Kaduna, north-west Nigeria.

It was reported that the aircraft’s hydraulic system developed a problem warning, thereby forcing the pilot to take a precautionary measure by asking ground control to confirm that all gears were down and locked.“The front tyres didn’t come out on time and the pilot had to land the plane without its tyres out,” an airport source said.

We have also reliably learnt that the plane, 3390 was carrying passengers from Lagos to Kaduna. “There was no casualty” the source confirmed to us. The aircraft had 89 passengers on board.

Some days ago, a chartered Associated Airlines plane crashed in Lagos seconds after take-off, killing 15 people.

Meanwhile, the last incident in Kaduna airport was on 20 August 2010, when a Chanchangi Airlines Flight 334, operated by Boeing 737-200 5N-BIF struck the localizer antenna and landed short of the runway. Several passengers were slightly injured and the aircraft was substantially damaged. Chanchangi Airlines later suspended operations following the accident.

WEAPON WATCHDOG WINS NOBEL PRIZE

 

The Nobel Peace Prize has turned the global spotlight back on the conflict in Syria.

The prize committee in Oslo, Norway, awarded it Friday to theOrganisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the international chemical weapons watchdog helping to eliminate the Syrian army's stockpiles of poison gas.

EXCLUSIVE: Inside lab that tested Syria chemical weapon evidence

Its inspectors have just begun working in the active war zone, and the Norwegian Nobel Committee said it hopes the award offers "strong support" to them as they face arduous and life-threatening tasks.

But the OPCW did not receive the prize primarily because of its work in Syria, committee chairman Thorbjorn Jagland said. "It is because of its long-standing efforts to eliminate chemical weapons and that we are now about to reach the goal and do away with a whole category of weapons of mass destruction. That would be a great event in history, if we can achieve that."

Nevertheless, OPCW Director-General Ahmet Uzumcu said he wants the prize to inspire everyone to reach for peace in Syria.

"I truly hope that this award ... will help broader efforts to achieve peace in that country and (ease) the suffering of its people," Uzumcu said told reporters Friday afternoon.

Uzumcu, saying he was "pleasantly surprised" by the award and acknowledging it was a great honor, added that "events in Syria have been a tragic reminder that there remains much work yet to be done."

"The recognition that the peace prize brings will spur us to untiring effort, even stronger commitment and greater dedication," he said.

U.S. President Barack Obama congratulated the group. A White House statement said "this award honors those who make it their life's work to advance this vital goal."

"Today's award recognizes that commitment, and reinforces the trust and confidence the world has placed in the OPCW, Director-General Ahmed Uzumcu, and the courageous OPCW experts and inspectors taking on the unprecedented challenge of eliminating Syria's chemical weapons program," the statement said.

Chemical weapons team faces many dangers

Team in Syria

A team from the OPCW and the United Nations has been in Syria since October 1, and it oversaw the first destruction of chemical weapons equipment this week.

On Sunday, Syrian personnel used "cutting torches and angle grinders to destroy or disable a range of items," the OPCW said. "This included missile warheads, aerial bombs and mixing and filling equipment."

U.N.: Destruction of Syria's chemical weapons begins

Given the danger the inspectors face, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon this week described the joint OPCW-U.N. mission in Syria as "an operation the likes of which, quite simply, have never been tried before."

The joint mission is tasked by a U.N. Security Council resolution with eliminating all chemical weapons in the country by midyear 2014.

Nobel recognizes risks faced by weapons inspectors

Ban has set out the three phases of the mission: establishing an initial presence and verifying the Syrian government's declaration of its stockpiles; overseeing the destruction of chemical weapons; and verification of the destruction of any and all chemical weapons-related programs or materials.

The team is in Syria is made up of 35 members, but the OPCW is preparing to deploy a second team to strengthen the effort. The group plans to grow the team to 100.

Where are Syria's chemical weapons?

The government in Damascus has been cooperative so far, and there is hope they will reach their goal. "These developments present a constructive beginning for what will nonetheless be a long and difficult process," Uzumcu said.

On August 21, a chemical attack outside Damascus led the United States and its allies to call for military intervention in Syria's civil war -- a confrontation that was defused in mid-September, when Damascus agreed to a U.S.-Russian plan to give up its chemical weapons stockpile.

The United States estimates the Syrian arsenal at about 1,000 tons of blister agents and nerve gas. The Syrians provided an initial declaration of its stockpile and must submit a plan for destroying the weapons by October 27, Uzumcu said.

Nobel justification

The award to the OPCW was intended in part as a message to countries still harboring chemical weapons to get rid of them, Jagland said.

In awarding the prize, the Norwegian committee highlighted the widespread use of chemical weapons in World War I and efforts to stop it since.

In 1925, the Geneva Convention prohibited their use. But during World War II, the Nazi dictatorship under Adolf Hitler employed them to extinguish the lives of millions of concentration camp inmates in the Holocaust.

Chemical weapons: The desperate commander's escape from stalemate

The Geneva Convention left some loopholes open, though, the Norwegian committee said. It does not prohibit the production and storage of chemical weapons.

But in 1997, an international convention banning that as well was instituted.

About the OPCW

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, based in The Hague, in the Netherlands, is the independent implementing body for the Chemical Weapons Convention, an international arms control treaty.

The Chemical Weapons Convention entered into force in April 1997, at which point 87 states had ratified it, and the work of the OPCW to implement its provisions began at that point.

Syria: Are chemical weapons worse than conventional attacks?

According to the treaty's wording, signatories are "determined for the sake of all mankind, to exclude completely the possibility of the use of chemical weapons, through the implementation of the provisions of this Convention."

Sixteen years later, more than 100 additional states have ratified the treaty. In September, Syria became the latest nation to ask to join the convention. It is due to enter into force in Syria on October 14, when it will become the 190th member state.

Peace prize

In the lead-up to the prize announcement Friday, the global media speculated that an individual would win, possibly Congolese physician Denis Mukwege, who treats victims of gang rape, or Malala Yousafzai, the teenage education activist from Pakistan whom a Taliban assassin shot for her work to promote education for girls.

Malala appeared to be the front-runner in headlines around the world.

CNN's Monita Rajpal asked Jagland why she did not win.

"Fortunately, we have many good candidates every year, actually this year, more than 250. And the woman you mentioned, Malala, is an outstanding woman, but we never comment on why she or others didn't get the prize," he said. "The right answer is that she didn't get the prize because OPCW got it. She and others will probably be candidates in the years to come."

A Twitter account in Malala's name sent out a message congratulating the OPCW and thanking it for its work. In an interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour, which is to air at 7 p.m. Sunday, Malala said it might be premature for her to receive the Nobel Peace Prize this early in her life.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon congratulated the OPCW, saying it has "greatly strengthened the rule of law in the field of disarmament and non-proliferation."

"From the battlefields to the laboratories to the negotiating table, the United Nations is honored to work hand-in-hand with the OPCW to eliminate the threat posed by chemical weapons for all people and for all time," Ban said Friday.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry also voiced congratulations. He highlighted the organization's role in Syria.

"The Nobel Committee has rightly recognized their bravery and resolve to carry out this vital mission amid an ongoing war in Syria," he said.

Last year, the Norwegian committee awarded the peace prize to the European Union as it grappled with the worst crisis since its founding -- devastating debt and the threat of disintegration.

The award was a salute to the struggling 27-nation union for its work in promoting democracy and reconciliation since World War II.

It is common for the Nobel Peace Prize to go to organizations.

Opinion: Why Europe deserved the Peace Prize

Other large organizations that have won it include the United Nations, Doctors Without Borders, U.N. peacekeeping forces, the U.N. atomic energy agency, the Red Cross and the International Campaign to Ban Landmines.

The Peace Prize is the fifth Nobel Prize to be awarded this week, preceded by honors in medicine, physics, chemistry and literature.

The final Nobel Prize, recognizing achievement in the field of economics, will be awarded Monday.

AFRICAN UNION ACCUSES ICC OF BIAS, SEEKS DELAY OF CASES AGAINST SITTING LEADERS

The African Union urged the International Criminal Court to postpone cases against sitting leaders as accusations of unfair treatment grow against the war crimes tribunal.

Leaders from the 54-nation body gathered in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa on Saturday to review their relationship with the court based in The Hague, Netherlands.

Kenyan and Sudanese presidents face charges at the court, and African leaders have long accused it of unfair treatment.

'Loud and clear'

"Sitting heads of state and government should not be prosecuted while in office and we have resolved to speak with one voice to make sure that our concerns are heard loud and clear," said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Ethiopian foreign affairs minister.

The trial for Kenyan Deputy President William Ruto is under way while his boss, President Uhuru Kenyatta, is scheduled to appear in court next month.

Both are on trial for alleged crimes against humanity linked to postelection violence six years ago. They deny the charges.

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has largely shunned an ICC warrant for his arrest for alleged war crimes.

"We are deeply troubled by the fact that a sitting head of state and his deputy are for the first time being tried in an international court, which infringes on the sovereignty of Kenya and undermines ... the country's reconciliation and reform process," Ghebreyesus said.

Growing accusations

Others including Ethiopia and Uganda have joined in, accusing the court of targeting their leaders.

"African countries form the largest constituency of the Rome Statute and I think all of them have expressed issues that they want addressed at one time or another," said Amina Mohamed, the Kenyan minister for foreign affairs. "The summit will present that opportunity."

ICC history

The International Criminal Court was set up in 2002 to prosecute claims of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Rights groups say the court is crucial in ending impunity in African politics.

"Some of the most heinous crimes were committed during the conflicts which marked the twentieth century," the ICC said. "Unfortunately, many of these violations of international law have remained unpunished."

Kenya's previous administration reneged on a deal to set up a special tribunal to try suspects in the postelection violence that left more than 1,000 people dead, prompting the international court to step in.

Accusations of double standards

The court has consistently said it is not a substitute for domestic justice systems, and only intervenes if the national judicial system is either unwilling or unable to carry out justice.

But some leaders have accused it of double standards, with the Ethiopian foreign minister saying it is jeopardizing peace efforts.

"The International Criminal Court's way of operating particularly its unfair treatment of Africa and Africans leaves much to be desired," he said.

So far, all cases before the court are against Africans in eight countries, including Ivory Coast , Uganda, Sudan and Mali.

Some of the cases were handed over by their respective African governments, including Ivory Coast; others were referred to the court by the U.N. Security Council.

Rights groups: Court ensures justice for all

Rights groups are urging African leaders to support the court, saying it is crucial in ensuring justice for everyone.

"African countries played an active role at the negotiations to establish the court, and 34 African countries -- a majority of African Union members -- are ICC members," Human Rights Watch said in a statement.

"Any withdrawal from the ICC would send the wrong signal about Africa's commitment to protect and promote human rights and to reject impunity."

The Kenyan parliament voted in September to withdraw from the court's jurisdiction after repeatedly calling on it to drop the cases.

A withdrawal would take a while to implement because it involves steps such as a formal notification to the United Nations.

 ASUU STRIKE EFFECT ON STUDENT

It cannot be denied that when the strike first begun back in July–it was a thing of relief to students especially the final year students who knows that project deadline was just around the corner. Then students would say let it just go on for few weeks after then should be called off; we will be energized to take any exhausting academic activity that comes our way again. Well, to their dismay, the federal government and ASUU have more in mind than the students had thought.

A month went by; student were still enjoying the stress free disguised holiday planned for them by the federal government and ASUU without complaints, rather fixing in their mind the time they feel the strike should be called to an end. Yes, there were meetings being held at that time between ASUU and the federal government which gave some students hope that the strike wouldn’t be going for so long, but could be called off within a short time. Meetings kept on holding at different times of several weeks till it got to a time that a protest was even initiated by the Joint Action Force which comprises of all educational association of the country meaning the strike is beyond ASUU’s 2009 academic infrastructures and fund implementation, rather it is about the increment of the education fund allocation that is around 6 to 7 percent to 26 percent. To further improve the standard of education in the country, the federal government should include in their annual budget 26 percent education fund allocation.

Two months now and still counting; some students already begun to grumble, complain, lament, clamour, rant, protest and say all sort of things about the effect of the strike on them psychologically, academically, mentally, financially, socially and physically. Some students have been affected negatively as their source of money has been halted and the time it will be resumed is yet unknown, therefore, engage themselves in several things that could get them money and satisfy them socially, financially, physically, psychologically, mentally or academically. Some, still are indifferent about the strike, because they have plans they had set for the summer holiday to carry out; so the strike is only a mere push for them to actually do more plans a for a better result or to kick start earlier for a more rewarding result. Even the final year students cannot deny their indifferent feelings towards the strike as it has prolonged project time for some if not all to start and finish their project.

More than the feelings of some students, the truth is then strike is of no benefit to the students in general rather has only rendered some if not most of the students useless due to idleness and some have even gone into shady deals that has caused the stains. The ladies have even been reported to be engaging in immorality as they haven’t prepared their minds to go on vacation which means going home, rather make use of the time given to them on platter of gold in the disguise of strike to carry out their immoral intentions. Some are moral actually as they marry and get pregnant. The immoral deeds of these ladies have got some of them into trouble; some got pregnant and aborted as they don’t see themselves fit to bare children yet and some that could not abort don’t know the father of their children to be is as there were more than one players that had their mark in their post. The ladies with moral intentions will have ASUU and the federal government to thank for the time given to them to achieve their aims at the same time may be pleading for more time as they will be looking to extend and enjoy their honeymoons, break and other activities they are involved in.

The men, in this case are not so bothered, but concerned. They are not so bothered because they have thought of what life will be for them after graduation, but with this strike they have time to plan and even start something meaningful. But not everyone is thoughtful as some are playing away the time and swaggering around doing all sort of things that is of no benefit to them academically and in every aspect of their life.  Due to this strike, some have become fathers, killers, criminals, etc. and many more is feared to be expected.

What then is the ideal thing about this strike; nothing I see, not anything meaningful. The reason for the strike initially was defeated by a greater one–even the greater one is yet to be met not to talk of the initial one to be implemented. Why the suffering? The government on one hand is not bothered as they are busy with their political selfish ambition, which they have placed above as their major priority while education as their minor one. The strike has not improved the students academically; instead it has taken from many. It is now a thing of “no private school no quality education” because there is no quality in what is done at intervals rather on a stretch and well done at once.

The strike should be called off, but on the basis of the government including 26 percent education fund allocation into the country’s budget and meeting ASUU 2009 implementation. The government should consider the students, because they are the morrow’s nation builder or destroyer depending on how they are treated and taught today.

Zakaria: World has problem with U.S. as prosecutor, judge, jury and hangman

CNN speaks with Fareed about President Obama’s speech Tuesday night on Syria, Russia’s proposal on the country’s chemical weapons, and why the international community is skeptical of military action. These remarks have been edited for length.

Do you think the president needed to go ahead and make his speech last night? This was clearly a speech scheduled before, when military action seemed to be imminent.

I think he wanted to make it because clearly he needed to shore up his position – the position that this was serious, this was a threat to international security, this was a threat to American security.

I think at the end of the day, though, it has made his case much more difficult. And even though he made a very eloquent and intelligent speech, as he often does, I think it would be difficult for me to believe that three or four weeks from now if we are haggling with the Russians over the wording of a U.N. resolution, and the Russians say we don't want this phrase because it might imply the threat of force and the United States says, no, no, no, we must have that phrase because that is precisely what gives teeth to this resolution – and those talks collapse – the president can go to the world and the American people and say, let's go and use force.

You're saying he cannot?

I think it would be tough. There is now the possibility of a diplomatic path. It may be it will take weeks and months, and I think it will be quite difficult, because remember the Iraq inspections, UNSCOM. Those guys were going in there…[and] and the country was not at civil war. So all I'm saying is two or three weeks from now can you say ‘Remember that case I was making for war? Let's come back to that.’

I think that it may be true initially that people don't change their minds, because the moral case I think is one Americans understand. They feel Assad is a terrible person. What is happening is gruesome and barbaric. But of course he's killed people in an equally gruesome manner with conventional weapons.

More from GPS: Don't let Syria distract from Iran

What I think changed, what was very persuasive to me as somebody who's been cautious about getting engaged in a very complicated civil war, was the president's very disciplined way in which he said, this is not going to be Iraq, it's not going to be Afghanistan, it's not even going to be Libya.  In other words, this is going to be a very limited, curtailed strike that is meant to deter Assad from ever using these weapons again, because it would be a sign that he would invoke the wrath of the United States and strikes from the United States. So he was very clear about saying, we're not going to get involved in this war. We're not going to escalate. This is not open-ended. That would be I think quite unsatisfying...

What do you make of the Russian offer?

The most difficult piece of this could be whether the Russians and the Syrians will create so many roadblocks and obstacles in the negotiation…Won't the Syrians hide stuff? Won't they be unwilling to allow the kind of free rein across the whole territory and landscape that you had in Iraq?

You can make the case that this is a win-win for Putin. Assad stays in power. He has to provide access. He's the conduit for all this. And the weapons get taken away. And the Russians have always worried that these weapons could fall into the hands of jihadist Sunni militias, which would then use them in Chechnya, Dagestan, in Russia. Remember, this is the part of the world where the Tsarnaev brothers come from.

More from GPS: Syrians seem to be playing clever game

If the Russians are really serious that they would like to see Syria free of these chemical weapons because that removes the possibility of some kind of spillover, then they might actually cooperate. And they can press the Syrians and they can say you have got to get real inspectors. But I don't know if the Russians are serious.

The problem I think that he [Obama] faced is, and he faced it, and this was a tension in his speech, is he's trying to make the case that this is an absolute urgent necessity to do something. But what he's proposing is, what he keeps saying is a very limited military strike. Something that his secretary of state called unbelievably small.

And I think that tension, where you're trying to drum up a great deal of support, I think a lot of Americans look at it and say, yes, it's a terrible thing. Yes, chemical weapons are bad; Assad is bad. Is this in our national interests? The first principle of international law, as I understand it, is that you do not take military action except in self-defense, unless it is authorized by the U.N. Security Council.

So the problem which a lot of people around the world have is not with the cause, but the idea that the United States is prosecutor, judge, jury and hangman. And that is the problem. And I'm not saying this with any skepticism about the case. I think Assad did use weapons. I think that he is a terrible person. But this is the issue for me – how is it that the United States, when everybody else says no, they say yes? There is, to use John Kerry's phrase when he was running for president, there is a question – can we put this to a global test? And right now, that's the problem.

Post by:

CNN's Jason Miks

FAAN To Begin Fencing Of Airports Nationwide

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) is to embark on a total of 500 kilometre fencing of all airports in the country as a result of the recent stowaway incident in Benin City.

The Managing Director of FAAN, Mr George Uriesi who disclosed this while visiting the Oba of Benin and the Edo State Governor in Benin City yesterday, said they were on a sensitization tour to communities around the airport to forestall a repeat of the stowaway incident.

At the Edo State Government House, Governor Oshiomhole brought in Daniel, the stowaway boy who he said is already on Edo State government scholarship and has gained admission into State government owned Edo College.

Responding to the airplane incident, Mr George Uriesi commented that the survival of the boy in the stowaway incident still baffles him as it is a miracle.

He however said FAAN will be embarking on the fencing of all airports in the country, contrary to its initial plan as a result of the stowaway incident

Governor Adams Oshiomhole however reiterated his appeal for runway lights to be installed in the Benin Airport to enable take-off and landing of aircrafts at night.

“We Are Winning The War Against Terrorism”– Pres. Jonathan

With the fight against terrorism still going on, the number one citizen of Nigeria, President Goodluck Jonathan has reiterated that winning the war against terrorism has always swung in the direction of the special force, set up to crackdown the Islamic sect Boko Haram, after President Jonathan declared state of emergency in three Northern states where the terrorist group have their stronghold.

“I can with all humility and thanksgiving to god say that we are winning the war against terrorism, more than winning the war we are also winning space for peace and security, the daily routine of businesses and schooling have also re -emerged in almost the whole north east”.

The President made this declaration at the St Peters Anglican Church today in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa state capital, where he attended the official opening of the standing committee of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion and the unveiling of the Anglican cable network of Nigeria.

Governor Seriake Dickson who was in attendance in his addresses commended Nigerians for their prayers, solidarity and support for President Goodluck Jonathan, urging them that they should be more fervent in their faith as the nation is undergoing trying times where brothers are seen fighting against brothers.

The Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate of All Nigeria, Most Reverend Nicholas Okoh, while reeling out the achievements of the President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration urged him to find a lasting solution to the ASUU strike.

The President having assured Nigerians on his administration’s preparedness to end the strike action says he will continue to do his best to ensure Nigeria remains an indivisible nation.

The event had in attendance most leaders of the Anglican Communion in Nigeria.

Storms to cause widespread chaos as 70 mph gales set to batter Britain

GALES and rain will lash Britain over a wet and wild weekend that finally marks the start of autumn, forecasters warned last night.

Gusts of up to 70 miles an hour and as much as two and a half inches of rain are expected to wreak havoc.

Those living in parts of northern England and exposed coastal towns were warned that storm-force winds could cause structural damage while torrential rain could lead to flooding. The storms are expected to start tomorrow but will reach a crescendo on Sunday and last into Monday, meaning Britain will wake up to a soggy start to the working week.

People were advised last night to dust off their waterproofs and wellies but not to bother with the brolly because it will only blow away. Autumn started officially on September 1 but Britain has enjoyed a prolonged spell of higher-than-average temperatures.

The sea change expected this weekend will make it feel much more autumnal but those looking for a ray of sunshine might not be disappointed. Forecasters say October could yet see an Indian ­summer, with unseasonably high temperatures expected.

Jonathan Powell, of Vantage Weather Services, said: “Overall, October looks much more settled. November will be cold, although I’d like to scotch the idea that a harsh winter always follows a beautiful summer because that’s just not the case.

“This weekend those who like to go out and watch the waves need to be careful and not push their luck because this is going to be quite a severe storm.

“People need to be mindful the weather packs a punch – it can be a destroyer and a killer. If it reaches its full potential this is going to be a severe storm that really heralds the start of autumn.

“By Sunday most of the UK will have experienced rain but it’s the wind speeds that really worry me – we could see gusts of up to 70mph in some parts. We are talking severe gales, potentially storm force, and certainly enough to cause some minor structural damage.

“I haven’t seen anything like this for some time. It looks as if this storm is really going to pack a punch. There is the chance of localised flooding and driving conditions will be hazardous.

“The critical point is going to be Sunday into Monday because Britain could be waking up to a particularly nasty start to the week.”

The reason for the sudden change in the weather is a deep area of low pressure over the Atlantic.

Met Office forecaster Lindsay Mears said: “It looks as if there is some nasty weather coming in this weekend with strong winds and rain and lower temperatures bringing a much more autumnal feel.”

Next week temperatures will remain “typically autumnal”, struggling to get much beyond 59F (15C).

NIMET Warns On Possible Flooding

Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) has warned residents of Bauchi, Gombe, Jos and Kaduna states to prepare for a possible flooding as the rain continues in September.

Addressing a news conference in Abuja, Director General of the Nigeria Meteorological Agency, Dr Anthony Anuforom says the Bauchi, Gombe, Jos and Kaduna axis are already saturated and any heavy rain as experienced in the last few days could result in flooding.

Dr Anuforom who announced that the agency has achieved 75 per cent of its 28 seasonal rainfall prediction however warned residents in other states to be watchful in terms of excess rainfall as the rains gets to its peak in September.

Nigeria Konduga Mosque Shooting: At Least 44 Dead In Attack By Suspected Islamic Militants

By HARUNA UMAR and MICHELLE FAUL

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria — Suspected Islamic militants wearing army fatigues gunned down 44 people praying at a mosque in northeast Nigeria, while another 12 civilians died in an apparently simultaneous attack, security agents said Monday.

Sunday's attacks were the latest in a slew of violence blamed on religious extremists in this West African oil producer, where the radical Boko Haram group, which wants to oust the government and impose Islamic law, poses the greatest security threat in years.

It was not immediately clear why the Islamic Boko Haram would have killed worshipping Muslims, but the group has in the past attacked mosques whose clerics have spoken out against religious extremism. Boko Haram also has attacked Christians outside churches and teachers and schoolchildren, as well as government and military targets.

Since 2010, the militants have been blamed for the killings of more than 1,700 people, according to a count conducted by The Associated Press.

The news about Sunday's violence in Borno state, one of three in the northeast under a military state of emergency, came as journalists received a video featuring Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau, who gloats over recent attacks, threatens more, and even says his group is now strong enough to go after the United States.

The mosque slayings occurred Sunday morning in Konduga town, 35 kilometers (22 miles) outside Maiduguri, the capital of Nigeria's Borno state.

A state security service agent and Usman Musa, a member of a civilian militia that works with the military, said Monday they counted the bodies at the mosque after the attack. Musa said four members of his group – known as the Civilian Joint Task Force _also were killed when they reached Konduga and encountered "fierce resistance from heavily armed terrorists."

Musa and the security service agent said the attackers wore military camouflage uniforms used by the Nigerian army, which they may have acquired in one of their attacks on military bases.

On their way back from Konduga, the security forces came upon the scene of another attack at Ngom village, 5 kilometers (3 miles) outside Maiduguri, where Musa said he counted 12 bodies of civilians.

Twenty-six worshippers at the mosque were hospitalized with gunshot wounds, said a security guard at the emergency ward of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital. He and the state security agent both spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to give information to reporters.

Nigeria declared a state of emergency in much of the northeast on May 14 to fight the onslaught after Boko Haram fighters took over several northeastern towns and villages in this nation of more than 160 million people, which is divided almost equally between the predominantly Muslim north and the mainly Christian south.

In the video received by journalists Monday, Shekau brushes off any gains asserted by the security forces.

"You soldiers have claimed that you are powerful, that we have been defeated, that we are mad people," Shekau says, speaking in the local Hausa language. "But how can a mad man successfully coordinate recent attacks in Gamboru, in Malam Fatori, slaughter people in Biu, kill in Gwoza and in Bama, where soldiers fled under our heavy fire power?

"We have killed countless soldiers and we are going to kill more."

He further insists the extremists' "strength and firepower has surpassed that of Nigeria. ... We can now comfortably confront the United States of America."

Shekau also said Nigeria's military is "lying to the world" about its casualties. "They lied that they have killed our members, but we are the ones that have killed the soldiers."

He apparently was referring to Aug. 4 attacks on a military base at Malam Fatori and a police outpost in Bama, both near the border with Cameroon. Joint Task Force spokesman Lt. Col. Sagir Musa told reporters 32 extremists, two soldiers and one police officer were killed. But when the Borno state governor called on the head of the task force to commiserate, Maj. Gen. Jah Ewansiah told him in front of reporters that they lost 12 soldiers and seven policemen. Nigeria's military regularly lowballs casualty figures of civilians and military.

Under orders from the military, cellphone and Internet service has been cut in Borno, making communications difficult. The military says the extremists were using cellphones to coordinate attacks. But some government officials argue that the lack of communication prevents civilians from informing them of suspicious movements and getting help when they are attacked.

Federal Government Denies Ordering Customized Gold iPhones For N682million

The Federal Government of Nigeria has reacted to the news that they ordered 53 gold gold-plated iPhone 5S for N682million. The report went viral after the CEO of Gold and Co., UK, Amjad Ali, told UK newspaper, The Independent, that Nigerian government ordered these phones from his firm as part of the memorabilia for the nation’s 53rd Independence anniversary on October 1, 2013. Jonathan’s government has denied this and issued a statement.

Below is a statement issued by the presidency:

We consider the reports in a section of the media claiming that the Nigerian government had ordered customized gold iPhones from a Dubai-based company to mark the country’s 53rd independence anniversary in October not only false and misleading, but utterly mischievous.

It is instructive that despite the refutation of the story by the company, which ought to have laid the mischief to rest, a number of politically-minded news media continue to insist on promoting the blatant falsehood. We deplore their antics as yet another attempt to use any trick or means possible to discredit President Jonathan’s well-meaning, hardworking and focused administration.

The company, Gold and Co., has since explained that what was written on Independent was different from what the CEO actually said. They explained that the phones were not ordered by the government but by a Nigerian who asked them to put the crest of the Nigerian govt on the back.

It is certainly a matter of public record and knowledge that since his assumption of office, President Jonathan has ensured that October 1 independence-day anniversaries are low-key, without any pomp or pageantry. Ironically, even this prudence generated criticisms from a cynical and opportunistic segment of the public which alleged, in 2011, and again in 2012, that the President was either too scared to celebrate or that the government was broke.

This administration has no intention to depart from its established habit of prudent management of resources and modest celebration of the country’s independence anniversary. This year, the public should be assured that the October 1 anniversary will also be low-keyed. Neither the Federal Government nor its agencies has ordered any gold iPhones to mark the anniversary.

We do not see any justification for such extravagance either now or at any other time. The Jonathan administration’s gold standard is to continue to provide responsible, committed, and result-oriented leadership, not to engage in the purchase and distribution of party gifts.

We urge the Dubai-based company, which has since said that the order for the said 53 gold i-phones was placed by a private individual and not the Nigerian Government, to go ahead and disclose the identity of that individual. We appeal to the public to beware of the increasing desperation of those with politically vested interests, seeking to pull down this administration. Their moral bankruptcy is condemnable.
The Jonathan administration will remain focused as it continues to serve the Nigerian people diligently.

- See more at: http://www.omg.com.ng/2013/09/jonathans-government-denies-ordering-customized-gold-iphones-for-n682million/#sthash.byqnRD5h.dpuf


PRESIDENT JONATHAN RELIEVES NINE MINISTERS AND APPOINTS OVERSEERS

President Goodluck Jonathan has discharged some of his ministers from his cabinet.

 

Those affected include the Minister for National Planning; Dr. Shamsudeen Usman,Minister of State for Defence; Erelu Olusola Obada,Minister of State for Power; Zainab Kuchi,Minister of Foreign Affairs; Amb. Olugbenga Ashiru,Minister of Education; Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i,Minister of Environment; Hadiza Ibrahim Mailafa,Minister of State for Agriculture; Alhaji Bukar Tijani Borno ,Minister of Housing and Urban Development; Amma Pepple and the Minister of Science and Technology; Prof. Ita Okon Bassey Ewa.

The Information Minister, Labaran Maku said that President Jonathan expressed satisfaction and appreciation to the sacked ministers for the excellent ways they have handled their offices, and that he assured them that he would engage them in other national assignments whenever opportunities arise.

Briefing newsmen shortly after the FEC meeting today, Maku said that the President promised to forward a new list of potential ministers to replace the ones sacked to National Assembly for confirmation soon.

He said that in the meantime, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs has been asked to supervise the activities of the ministry, in the same way the Minister of State for Education is to oversee the office of the sacked minister.

Similarly, Minister for Niger Delta would oversee the activities of the Ministry of Environment, Minister of Solid Mineral will look after the Ministry of Land, Housing and Urban Development as the Minister of Communication Technology oversees the Ministry of Science and Technology while the Minister of Information oversees the Ministry of Defence, and Minister of State for Works supervises the Ministry of National Planning

MUKKTAR YERO DUSTS CABINET

The Kaduna state governor relieved members of the state’s executive council of their duties

 

Governor Mukhtar Yero today announced the dissolution of the State Executive Council with immediate effect,10 months after he was sworn in as Governor of Kaduna state, following the death of his predecessor, Mr Patrick Yakowa who died in a helicopter crash in Bayelsa state on the 15th of December last year.

According to a statement released by the Director General Media and Publicity of the state, Mr Ahmed Miyaki directed all commissioners to hand over to their permanent secretaries by Friday.

Governor Yero thanked the outgoing members of the council for their valuable contributions to the state and wished them success in their future endeavours in the statement.

However, no reason was given for the dissolution of the cabinet.

Woman 'Hid Drugs In Fake Pregnancy Belly'

Police said they discovered a false belly made of latex taped to the suspect's body as well as 2kg of cocaine inside the prop.

A woman has been arrested in Colombia for allegedly trying to smuggle cocaine in a fake baby bump.

Canadian Tabitha Leah Ritchie was stopped while preparing to board a flight from the capital Bogota to Toronto.

When an anti-drugs inspector asked how long she had been pregnant, Ritchie responded seven months.

The officer then touched the belly and felt it was cold and hard during a frisking at El Dorado international airport.

Police discovered a false belly made of latex taped to her body as well as 2kg of cocaine inside, said Colonel Esteban Arias Melo.

He said: "The Canadian citizen tried to fool public security forces by faking a pregnancy."

If convicted for drug trafficking, 28-year-old Ritchie, who arrived in Colombia on August 6, could face up to eight years in prison.

Some 44 foreigners have been arrested at international airport terminals in Colombia trying to smuggle drugs since the start of 2013.

Colombian officials say 874 foreigners are being held in the country's jails, most on drug charges.

Prince William quits RAF; will move to Kensington Palace with Kate Middleton and Prince George within week

After leaving operational duty on Tuesday, William is now working towards expanding his core charitable interests particularly in the field of conservation of endangered specie

Prince William has left the armed forces after completing his tour as an RAF search and rescue helicopter pilot, it was announced today. 

The Duke of Cambridge carried out his last shift on Tuesday and he, wife Kate and baby son George are set to move from their home in Anglesey to their official residence in Kensington Palace within weeks. 

After leaving operational duty, William is now working towards expanding his core charitable interests particularly in the field of conservation of endangered species.

The 31-year-old will continue to carry out royal engagements but is not expected to increase his number of public duties.

The second in line to the throne is in a "transitional" year, sources have said, and is considering options for his "public service", an announcement will be made about his decision within the next 12 months.

Kensington Palace said in a statement: "His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge is to leave operational service in the Armed Forces.

"He completes his Tour with the Royal Air Force Search and Rescue Force at RAF Valley, Anglesey, after more than seven-and-a-half years of full-time military service.

"He will continue to support the work of the Queen and the Royal Family through a programme of official engagements, both at home and overseas, with The Duchess of Cambridge.

"The Duke will work closely over the next 12 months with the Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry. He will expand his work in the field of conservation, particularly in respect of endangered species.

"The Duke will continue to work with his charities on issues relating to children and young people, veterans and serving members of the Armed Forces.

"The Duke is currently considering a number of options for public service, a further announcement on which will follow in due course.

"The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince George are expected to move into their official residence at Kensington Palace within the next few weeks."

Obama backs off over Syria strike... for now

AMERICA must be prepared to strike Syria to deter other rogue states from using chemical weapons, Barack Obama said yesterday.

The US President insisted he was certain Bashar Assad’s regime was responsible for the gassing of hundreds of civilians near the capital Damascus last month, and said it was in America’s interest to respond with a targeted strike.

But he put any immediate attack on hold while he pursues diplomacy to remove Syria’s lethal stockpile.

Damascus has agreed to a Russian plan to hand over its arsenal of chemical weapons.

In a televised address from the White House, Mr Obama said that although he had suspended a Congressional vote to authorise force against Syria, he had ordered the military to be in “a position to respond if diplomacy fails”.

Acknowledging voters’ lack of appetite for another military campaign, Mr Obama said: “I will not put American boots on the ground in Syria. I will not pursue an open-ended action like Iraq or Afghanistan. I will not pursue a prolonged air campaign like Libya or Kosovo.

“This will be a targeted strike to achieve a clear objective – deter the use of chemical weapons and degrade Assad’s capabilities. A targeted strike can make Assad, or any other dictator, think twice about using chemical weapons.”

Mr Obama is continuing discussions with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, while Secretary of State John Kerry has been sent to meet his Russian counterpart.

Mr Obama said he was also speaking to David Cameron and French leader Francois Hollande and would work with Russia and China to put forward a resolution at the United Nations Security Council requiring Assad to give up his chemical weapons.

Last night it was revealed that five new licences were issued in the past 10 years allowing UK firms to export chemicals to Syria which can be used to make nerve gas.

The Commons Committees on Arms Exports Control released a letter from Business Secretary Vince Cable detailing the licences for four tons of sodium fluoride.

Mr Cable said that all of the licences pre-date the outbreak of the civil war in 2011. He said he was “confident” that the exports were for legitimate commercial purposes, although they can be used to make deadly Sarin gas.

LAGOS RETIRES PRINCIPAL, 8 EDUCATION OFFICERS FOR EXAMINATION MALPRACTICE

 

Nine officers including a school Principal, his deputy and other senior teachers of the Lagos State Ministry of Education have been retired compulsorily from the State Civil Service for their hand in examination malpractices during the last May/June West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE). They are Mr. S. O Amure, School Principal on GL 17, Mr. V. A Joseph- the Vice-Principal on GL 16, Mr K.E Ogunleye, the Mathematics teacher on GL 15, Mr. A. I Banjoko, the Examination supervisor on GL 12, Mrs. L. D Akinterinwa on GL 15, Mr. A. O. Araba on GL 15, Mr. V. O Towoshe on GL 14, Mr. S.I Oladipupo and Assistant Examination Supervisor on GL 08.

The Officers, who are staffers of the state’s Senior Model College, Igbogbo, Ikorodu, were found guilty of aiding and abetting the students to cheat writing their Mathematics exam. All the Officers were equally found culpable of offences ranging from dereliction of duty, failure to monitor the examination, directly assisting in solving questions, abandoning the hall and classrooms where they were supposed to invigilate, thereby condoning examination malpractices and failure to carryout thorough supervision of examination.

Investigations carried out by West African Examination Council (WAEC) Officials show that the officers deliberately abandoned the examination hall during the examination in an attempt to give the students they were supposed to invigilate an opportunity to cheat, WAEC which found on the students several incriminating evidence also presented recorded tape that confirmed the culpability of the officers. Commenting, the Honourable Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Lateef Aderemi Ibirogba noted that such decision would serve as deterrent to other officers in the State Civil Service, saying the government would not Condon any act of fraud in the system. He advised officers to continue to live above board to justify the confidence reposed in them by the government and the people of the state.

US REMEMBERS 9/11 VICTIMS

A man runs past the 9/11 Empty Sky memorial at sunrise in New Jersey

 

The US has remembered the victims of the 9/11 attacks in a series of memorials marking the 12th anniversary.

The 11 September 2001 attacks killed almost 3,000 people in New York, the Washington DC area and Pennsylvania.

In New York, families of the victims read the names of each person who died at the World Trade Center.

President Barack Obama honoured the dead at a memorial ceremony outside the Pentagon.

"We pray for the memory of all those taken from us... Our hearts still ache for the futures snatched away, the lives that might have been," he said.

The attacks led to a long war in Afghanistan and created an expansion of government surveillance powers that have recently been the subject of intense debate.

'Gone but not forgotten'

A separate memorial service was held outside Shanksville, Pennsylvania, honouring the passengers and crew of United Flight 93. They struggled with the hijackers of the plane, preventing it from hitting its intended target, believed to be the White House or the US Capitol building.

All 33 passengers and seven crew members on the flight were killed after the plane crashed into a field about 75 miles (120km) south-east of Pittsburgh.

The White House marked the 12th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks with a memorial service

"No matter how many years pass, this time comes around each year, and it's always the same," Karen Hinson, who lost her brother, Michael Wittenstein, in New York, told the Associated Press news agency. His body was never found.

More than 1,000 people gathered on Wednesday at the National September 11 memorial plaza in New York City to read the names of all those killed in the 2001 and 1993 attacks on the building.

Bagpipes and a youth choir began the proceedings, held around two reflecting pools that stand in the footprint of the destroyed towers.

"To my nephew Michael Joseph Mullin, we miss you and think of you every single day," said one of the 250 people chosen to read names, many of them family members of the victims.

"You're gone but not forgotten," another woman said of her lost cousin.

The reading was paused for several moments of silence, including 8:46 local time (12:46 GMT), when the first plane hit the North Tower; when the second plane hit the South Tower; when each building fell; and when the third and fourth planes hit the Pentagon and the field outside Shanksville.

Timelapse of One World Trade Center's construction

A number of other cities held memorial services on Wednesday.

Builders are meanwhile putting the finishing touches to the new World Trade Center tower and a museum dedicated to the attacks.

One World Trade Center is now the tallest building in the Western hemisphere, its spire reaching to 1,776ft (541m), a symbolic number alluding to the year of the US Declaration of Independence.

On Tuesday, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for what will be a visitor centre on the site of the Flight 93 national memorial park.

The building, expected to open in late 2015, will be broken in two where the plane flew overhead. Visitors have already left 35,000 tributes at the site.

Osama Bin Laden and al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for the 9/11 attacks, in which 19 hijackers also died when they seized control of four planes, crashing three of them into their intended targets.

YOBE STATE EMPLOYS 35 PROFESSORS FROM INDIA AND PHILIPPINES FOR STATE UNIVERSITY

The Yobe state government has employed 35 professors from India and Philippines for its state own university in Damaturu the state capital.

 

The Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Musa Alabe informed the governor while on a visit to the institution that the first of the learned fellows that were earlier approved for resumption in the university will be arriving the state capital this weekend.

He said series of advertisement made in the national dailies requesting for qualified academic staff in the institution yielded little or no desired result.

The decision to employ the said professors according to him is to improve the standards of teaching and learning in the various fields of human endeavour in the institution.

Professor Musa Alabe says 21 of the professors were employed from India while 14 others were from Philippians.

He thank the governor for granting approval for the employment of the said professors pointing out that it will greatly enrich the quality of education in the institution.

Speaking shortly after inspecting the law faculty of the institution, Governor Ibrahim Gaidam expressed happiness on the progress made on the facilities in the school while assuring that his administration will continue to improve on the existing progress made in the school to make it one of the best in the country,

The governor then donated the sum of N30 million towards enriching the law Library of the university and directed that the library be stock with latest law books that will improve learning and research in the institution.

Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam also directed the allocation of 20 number housing units recently completed at the 300 housing estate to accommodate the employed professors urging the university authority to provide the best of facilities at the estate for the expected professors.

He also directed the construction of additional three kilometres of road within the university so as to ease movement of people within the institution.

The present administration had suspended academic activities in the state university with a view to providing conducive environment for both teaching and learning, on assumption of office.

Obama seeks support for attacking Syria while pursuing diplomacy

By Tom Cohen, CNN

Washington (CNN) -- President Barack Obama tried Tuesday to sell a military intervention he never wanted to an American public that opposes it, telling the nation that he needed authorization to attack Syria as leverage in a newly emerged diplomatic opening from Russia.

Calling the United States "the anchor of global security," Obama offered moral, political and strategic arguments for being ready to launch limited military strikes while trying to negotiate a diplomatic solution to what he called Syria's violation of a global ban on chemical weapons.

"Our ideals and principles, as well as our national security, are at stake in Syria, along with our leadership of a world where we seek to ensure that the worst weapons will never be used," Obama said in making the case that the United States must act when dictators such as Syrian President Bashar al-Assad "brazenly" violate international treaties intended to protect humanity.

The 15-minute nationally televised speech initially was planned as Obama's final push to win support from a skeptical public and Congress for his planned attack on Syria for what his administration calls a major chemical weapons attack on August 21 that killed more than 1,400 people in suburban Damascus.

New offer impacts Obama's challenge

 What Senator wants to hear from Obama? Kerry: Syria deal must be real, swift How sarin gas affects the human body How sarin gas affects the human body

However, Monday's unexpected diplomatic overture by Russia changed the strategic and political equation. Under the Russian plan, which still lacks any details, Syria would turn over its chemical weapons stockpiles to international control.

That would meet Obama's main criterion of ending the chemical weapons threat by the al-Assad regime.

However, Russia canceled a U.N. Security Council meeting it had called for Tuesday and rejected an initial proposal by France for the framework of a resolution, raising questions about whether the diplomatic effort was serious or a stall tactic to put off a U.S. attack on Syria.

For Obama, the Russian proposal prompted by a seemingly off-the-cuff comment by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry further muddied an already complex challenge in Syria compounded by public concerns of another possible military quagmire.

The president called the Russian offer an encouraging sign, but warned that "it's too early to tell whether this offer will succeed, and any agreement must verify that the Assad regime keeps its commitments."

Therefore, he said, he asked Congress to postpone a vote for now on authorizing military force against Syria.

In addition, the diplomatic push will provide more time for United Nations inspectors to report their findings on the August attack and allow his administration to continue rallying support for an international response, the president said.

Military to remain current posture

At the same time, Obama said he ordered the U.S. military to maintain its "current posture to keep the pressure on Assad and to be in a position to respond if diplomacy fails."

Kerry made the same argument at a congressional hearing Tuesday, telling legislators that "nothing focuses the mind like the prospect of a hanging."

However, congressional support for military action reflected public opposition. A CNN/ORC International poll released Monday said 59% of respondents opposed congressional authorization of military action, while 72% said American strikes would achieve no significant goals.

In an instant poll of people who watched the speech Tuesday night, 61% favored Obama's approach compared to 37% who opposed it.

The CNN/ORC International survey showed almost two-thirds of respondents thought the Syria situation would be resolved through diplomatic efforts, while 47% said Obama made a convincing case for military action compared to 50% who said he didn't.

By CNN's best estimate, the sample of poll respondents -- 37% Democrats, 20% Republicans and 43% independents -- was about seven percentage points more Democratic than the general public.

Critics call the situation faced by Obama his own doing for a confused Syria policy that he has never fully explained.

"There's a degree of incoherence that I have never seen the likes of," veteran Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona told CNN on Tuesday.

In the most emotional part of the speech, Obama cited the videos his administration made public that showed victims of the Syrian sarin gas attack.

"The images from this massacre are sickening: men, women, children lying in rows, killed by poison gas, others foaming at the mouth, gasping for breath, a father clutching his dead children, imploring them to get up and walk," the president said in emphasizing the horror of chemical weapons.

"The question now is what the United States of America and the international community is prepared to do about it, because what happened to those people -- to those children -- is not only a violation of international law, it's also a danger to our security," Obama added.

Directly addressing questions he received from members of Congress and letters from the public, the president insisted that any U.S. military strike would be limited in scope and mission.

No American boots on the ground

"I know that after the terrible toll of Iraq and Afghanistan, the idea of any military action -- no matter how limited -- is not going to be popular," he said, later declaring: "I will not put American boots on the ground in Syria. I will not pursue an open-ended action like Iraq or Afghanistan. I will not pursue a prolonged air campaign like Libya or Kosovo. This would be a targeted strike to achieve a clear objective, deterring the use of chemical weapons and degrading Assad's capabilities."

At the same time, he rejected criticism that such a limited military response would prove meaningless, saying "the United States military doesn't do pin pricks."

"Even a limited strike will send a message to Assad that no other nation can deliver," Obama said. "I don't think we should remove another dictator with force. We learned from Iraq that doing so makes us responsible for all that comes next. But a targeted strike can makes Assad -- or any other dictator -- think twice before using chemical weapons."

He described the U.S. role in the world as "doing more than forging international agreements; it has meant enforcing them."

"The burdens of leadership are often heavy, but the world's a better place because we have borne them," Obama said before making a direct appeal to both sides of the political spectrum.

"To my friends on the right, I ask you to reconcile your commitment to America's military might with the failure to act when a cause is so plainly just," he said. "To my friends on the left, I ask you to reconcile your belief in freedom and dignity for all people with those images of children writhing in pain and going still on a cold hospital floor, for sometimes resolutions and statements of condemnation are simply not enough."

He concluded by challenging "every member of Congress and those of you watching at home tonight to view those videos of the attack, and then ask what kind of world will we live in if the United States of America sees a dictator brazenly violate international law with poison gas and we choose to look the other way?"

McCain, Graham react

McCain and fellow GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina responded by saying Obama failed to speak forcefully enough "about the need to increase our military assistance to moderate opposition forces in Syria, such as the Free Syrian Army."

They called for the United States and its allies on the U.N. Security Council to "immediately" offer a resolution "that lays out what steps Syria would have to take to give up its chemical weapons, including making a full and accurate declaration of all of its chemical weapons and granting international monitors unfettered access to all sites in Syria that possess these weapons."

"This resolution would have to threaten serious consequences if the Assad regime does not comply," they said, calling for an up-or-down vote by the Security Council, where Syrian allies Russia and China have so far blocked any U.N. action against Syria.

Rep. Elijah Cummings, a Maryland Democrat and staunch Obama supporter who is undecided on Syria, praised him for "a very good job" but said his position on the issue remained unchanged.

"It was not a wasted speech," said Cummings, noting his constituents are tired of war. "I thought he made a great moral argument."

Obama's reluctance on Syria

For two years, Obama resisted calls by conservative hawks such McCain to back rebels fighting the al-Assad regime, saying the United States sought no role in the Syrian civil war.

When evidence of chemical weapons use emerged earlier this year, and Hezbollah fighters from Lebanon helped al-Assad's forces gain the upper hand, Obama agreed in June to provide military aid to the rebels.

The August attack clearly crossed a "red line" he declared earlier against chemical weapons use, prompting his decision for what he hoped would be an international military response against Syria.

However, Britain's Parliament voted against joining a military response, denying Obama a normally reliable ally. He then decided to seek authorization from Congress to provide political cover and buy time to build a broader international coalition.

Now legislators from both parties are threatening to oppose a resolution authorizing a military response, and Obama has asked for time to let the diplomatic process play out.

Kerry heads to Geneva on Thursday for talks with his Russian counterpart, who first offered his government's proposal Monday after Kerry earlier said Syria's turning over its chemical weapons was the only way to avoid a U.S. attack.

Syria agreed Tuesday to the Russian proposal, with Foreign Minister Walid Moallem saying his government was ready to disclose the location of its chemical weapons, halt production, and show its facilities to representatives of Russia, the United Nations, and other unspecified states.

At the same time, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that "all of this will only mean anything if the United States and other nations supporting it tell us that they're giving up their plan to use force against Syria."

"You can't really ask Syria, or any other country, to disarm unilaterally while military action against it is being contemplated," Putin said in an interview with a Russian television network.

Obama: Threat of strikes still critical

For his part, Obama sought to persuade Americans of the opposite -- that the diplomatic stirrings by Russia and Syria occurred because of the credible threat of a military attack intended to deter Syria from using its chemical weapons again.

The president has not said whether he would launch strikes without the support of Congress.

Meanwhile, a bipartisan group of eight senators is working on an alternative resolution to the one authorizing military action already passed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. It would include "guidelines, reporting process and benchmarks that have to be met," McCain told CNN.

On the House side, Democratic Rep. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland said he was working on a version of a resolution that would authorize a military response if the diplomatic process failed to yield an acceptable result in 30 days.

The Obama administration has launched a sweeping lobbying effort, with the president meeting on Capitol Hill on Tuesday with senators from both parties as part of a series of classified briefings, hearings and other consultations on the Syria issue.

Since Friday, the administration has spoken with at least 93 senators and more than 350 members of the House, a White House official said Tuesday.

Despite such outreach, indications were that the congressional push wasn't working.

Sen. Mitch McConnell, the top-ranking Republican in the Senate, announced Tuesday he will vote against authorizing military action on Syria.

So did Democratic Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts, who won the seat vacated by Kerry when he became secretary of state.

A running CNN vote count showed most members of Congress remained undecided, with significant opposition in both chambers among the much smaller numbers who have announced their decision leaving the outcome in doubt.

Egypt bomb Sinai intelligence HQ in Rafah

The attack follows a major military offensive on militant outposts in Sinai

A car bomb has hit Egypt's intelligence headquarters in the Sinai peninsula, killing at least three soldiers, reports say.

Twenty other people were wounded in the attack on the building in Rafah, on Egypt's border with the Gaza Strip.

A second blast hit a nearby army checkpoint. It is unclear whether anyone was hurt.

Sinai has seen a steep increase in militant attacks since the army deposed Islamist President Mohammed Morsi.

A suicide bomber drove a car at high speed into the one-storey army building, burying a number of people under the debris, Associated Press reported.

Witnesses told the BBC that a body had been found inside the car.

The powerful explosion sent a plume of smoke rising from the building at around 0800 local time (06:00 GMT), shattering windows in the Imam Ali area in Rafah.

The security headquarters is considered the most important intelligence office in North Sinai.

Shortly afterwards, militants targeted an army checkpoint, firing rocket-propelled grenades, reports said.

Army crackdown

The attacks come just days after at least nine Islamist militants were killed in a major military offensive near the towns of Rafah and Sheikh Zuweyid. On 7 September, army helicopters carried out air strikes aimed at destroying weapons caches, vehicles and hideouts, in what was said to be the biggest operation of its kind in recent years in the area.

The army has accused Mr Morsi of being too lenient toward militant activity in the region, after he released Islamists from prison and vetoed military operations in Sinai.

Egypt's first democratically-elected president was removed from office by the military on 3 July after mass street protests against him.

His ousting polarised Egyptian society and plunged the country into a new period of bloodshed and political uncertainty.

Two pro-Morsi camps in Cairo were broken up by security forces on 14 August, killing hundreds of his supporters. Dozens of security personnel also died in Egypt's bloodiest day since the pro-democracy uprising two years ago ejected long-time president Hosni Mubarak.

Analysts say the army's crackdown on Mr Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood is adding impetus to militants in the northern desert.

Military deployments in the peninsula are subject to the 1979 peace treaty between Israel and Egypt.

An agreement between the two neighbours has been reached on Egyptian forces being bolstered by an additional mechanised brigade, additional tanks, commando units and Apache helicopters.

73 Nigerian Citizens Repatriated From Tunisia

by: Channels Television 

About 73 citizens of Nigeria, most of them from Edo state, south -south Nigeria have been repatriated from Tunisia.

The immigrants who landed early Tuesday, at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport Lagos and received by officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said life in Tunisia is no longer favourable.

12 teenagers who returned have been handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons (NAPTIP) for rehabilitation.

Le Vell Rape Trial: Corrie Star Not Guilty

Soap actor Michael Le Vell says being found innocent of child sex abuse charges is a "big weight off everyone's shoulders".

Coronation Street actor Michael Le Vell has said he is "delighted" after being found not guilty of child sex abuse charges, including rape.

Mr Le Vell, 48, who was on trial under his real name Michael Turner, breathed out and said "thank you" as the jury's verdicts were announced.

He had maintained his innocence throughout and was cleared of 12 child sex offences.

The actor held his head up as the male foreman began giving the verdicts to a hushed and packed courtroom after around five hours of deliberations.

His brother and sisters, who sat in the public gallery, were in tears as the verdicts were delivered. One man shouted "get in" when the last verdict was read out.

Surrounded by supporters outside court, Mr Le Vell said the verdict was a "big weight off everyone's shoulders".

He added: "I might go and have a drink now."

Asked when he would return to Coronation Street, Mr Le Vell replied: "I don't know, I might have a holiday first. I'll have to go and have a chat with my boss."

A Coronation Street spokeswoman said: "We are looking forward to meeting with Michael to discuss his return to the programme."

His accuser, who cannot be named, was not in court for the verdicts, but she had earlier sobbed as she claimed Mr Le Vell - known to millions as the ITV show's Kevin Webster - raped her as she clutched a teddy bear.

The charges included five of rape.

The eight female and four male jurors had been told they had to decide whether the alleged victim was telling the truth or had set out to "quite literally destroy the life" of the accused.

During the eight-day trial the "demons" in Mr Le Vell's private life were laid bare - his alcoholism and womanising while his wife battled breast cancer.

The court heard of his "dark secret" - that he had enjoyed a string of one-night stands behind the back of his wife of 25 years, Janette Beverley.

And he had abandoned the family home to get drunk in the pub each night.

dawhiizzadinfo.blogspot.com

The actor said the trial had been a 'traumatic time'

But while Mr Le Vell might be described as a "weak, stupid and drunk man" and a "bad husband", he was not a child rapist, the jury was told.

It was a "strange case of child rape" without any DNA evidence or injuries to the alleged victim, who claimed she had been raped and abused while a young girl, his legal team said.

One of his supporters and close friend Nigel Pivaro, who played Terry Duckworth in Coronation Street, said: "He has suffered two years of hell and probably more also due to his high profile far more than most.

"It has been a long journey for him. Now the jury has spoken, he can pick up his career and his life."

Mr Le Vell was initially arrested on September 30, 2011, but the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided not to proceed with the case.

After a review of the evidence following fresh allegations by the girl, he was re-arrested and charged in February 2013.

A CPS spokesman said: "This case was reviewed in great detail, and the evidence subject to careful scrutiny before a decision was taken to prosecute.

"On the basis of the reviews the CPS concluded that there was sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction.

"As these were very serious allegations of child sexual abuse it therefore followed that it was in the public interest to place that evidence before a jury at court."

Mr Le Vell first joined Coronation Street in 1983 and quickly endeared himself to fans, who have followed the trials and tribulations of Kevin, from his days as Brian Tilsley's apprentice mechanic through to his stormy marriage to Sally, played by Sally Dynevor.

He did not appear in any episodes of the soap during the legal proceedings.

Airforce Successfully Completes First In-Country Maintenance Of Fighter Jets

by: Channels Television 

The Nigerian Air Force has successfully serviced its fleet of “fighter jets” within the country with the security challenges facing Nigeria, it was deemed necessary by the Air Force to change the face of the game and will be done periodically henceforth.

During the hand-over of the six alpha jets and a c-130h jet, the Minister of State for Defence, Olusola Obada, emphasised that the fleet will help in tackling the nation’s security challenges.

“It’s a great day, not just for Nigeria but for the Nigerian Air Force”

“For the very first time ever, we have had a successful periodic maintenance of our aircraft in-country without having to carry them out of the country to other countries for maintenance

“And as you can see, the aircrafts are already in operation, they are flying and it is the start of good things to come along the line with the transformation agenda of Mr. President that we should look inwards, for the benefit of our country

“Now many of engineers have worked on these aircrafts and they are acquiring knowledge, that means we can now go ahead and maintain and reactivate many other aircrafts that have been more or less moribund, we can bring back to life, we are gaining expertise, we are gaining and saving Nigeria hard-earned foreign exchange and we are all the happier for it, to God be the Glory” she ended.

According to report, the next phase for the aircrafts will be utilisation and the pilots couldn’t hide that the joy that the days of redundancy are over.

British lawmaker in rape charges

By Lindsay Isaac, CNN

London (CNN) -- The deputy speaker of Britain's House of Commons resigned Tuesday after being charged with a variety of sexual offenses, including rape, in cases dating more than a decade.

Nigel Evans, a member of the ruling Conservative Party, said he would "robustly defend my innocence" when the case goes to trial. But he said he would remain in Parliament, just not in the leadership, to continue to represent his constituents.

"Whilst I am saddened that this case has not been closed today, I am certain of two things: firstly that I am innocent, and secondly that my innocence will be demonstrated," Evans said in a statement.

Evans has been charged with one count of rape, five counts of sexual assault -- a charge involving allegations of intentional, unwanted sexual touching -- and two counts of indecent assault. The eight counts involve a total of seven people, prosecutors said.

All of the victims in the charges are men, prosecutors said in a statement announcing the charges. Evans came out as gay in 2010 and has made a name for himself as a prominent gay rights activist in England.

The investigation began in May, when Evans was arrested and questioned by police after two men in their 20s leveled accusations against him. The charges date back as far as 2002, prosecutors said.

Evans has been a member of Parliament since 1992 and served as the Tories' vice chairman between 1999 and 2001. The Conservatives had no comment on the charges, calling it a police matter.

Zimbabwean President Mugabe announces new Cabinet

By Columbus S. Mavhunga, for CNN

 

Harare, Zimbabwe (CNN) -- Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe announced Tuesday a 26-member Cabinet mainly composed of allies from his previous appointments. It retains a ministry for enacting the policy of seizing the majority stake of foreign-owned firms.

"I am glad we now have a government of Zimbabwe following the harmonized elections," Misheck Sibanda, chief secretary to the president and Cabinet, told journalists at the State House. "The Cabinet has been reduced from 33 under the government of national unity to 26 ministers."

Zimbabwe has had no functioning Cabinet since the July 31 elections when Mugabe was re-elected. Prior to that, Mugabe's Zanu PF party and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC party shared power.

The new Cabinet retains the Ministry of Indigenisation, the policy of seizing the majority stake of foreign owned firms and giving them to black Zimbabweans. Critics of the policy have said it mainly benefits a few elites.

In the list released, Jonathan Moyo bounces back as media, information and broadcasting services minister. He was the minister who drafted tough media laws in 2002 that have resulted in the deportation of foreign journalists and the closing of some media organizations.

Mugabe tossed him out of Zanu PF after Moyo stood as an independent in the 2008 elections.

Former Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa is now the finance minister, taking over from Tendai Biti, who was from the MDC party under the 2009-2013 coalition government.

The 89-year-old Mugabe and Zanu PF got more than a two-thirds majority in parliament in the July 31 elections.

KWHA Speaker Condemns Withdrawal Of Saraki’s Police Aide

 

by: Channels Television

The Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Rasak Atunwa, has condemned the withdrawal of the police orderly of former Kwara governor turned senator, Bukola Saraki  threatening to relinquish the police orderly attached to him latest by Friday the 13th , if the police orderly attached to Senator Bukola Saraki is not restored before then.

While briefing journalists on the resolution of the House today, Mr Rasak noted that the House passed a resolution condemning the action of the withdrawal of the police orderly attached to the Senator which he said constitutes a breach of the law.

He made it known that the Kwara state pension law of 2010 allows the former governor, the provision of police security as part of his pension entitlements adding that he has notified the state commissioner of police of his intention to relinquish his orderly latest by Friday if that of the senator is not restored.

This is probably one of the consequences of the former governor’s resolve to pitch tent with the new PDP faction led by Baraje, however this has not been confirmed, but it appears the Kwara State House of Assembly has pledged their untainted support  to the former governor , pending the resolve of the crisis rocking the PDP.

Mexico arrests alleged leader of kidnapping cell

By CNN Staff

 

(CNN) -- Authorities have arrested a man they say was the leader of a kidnapping cell responsible for kidnapping, raping and torturing victims along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Serafin Medina-Angel was arrested at his home in Tijuana, Mexico, on September 1, according to a Monday statement from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

He is accused of kidnapping Mexican citizens attempting to cross into the United States from Mexico. His victims were tortured and raped while accomplices tried to collect ransoms from their families, CBP said.

Medina-Angel was arraigned last week and charged with three counts of kidnapping, the statement said.

Many migrants moving through Mexico on their way to the United States are victims of violence along the border, but the journey is perilous from the moment it begins.

The danger has grown as Mexico's drug gangs expand their reach.

Slayings frighten Ciudad Juarez bus drivers, commuters

Mexico arrests 'Ugly Betty,' alleged leader of New Juarez Cartel