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Latest News: Training and recruitment is ongoing - Wednesday, 02 March 2011 22:54

week 17

PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

1 Killed, 3 Kidnapped in Owerri

Gunmen killed a middle-aged man, and abducted a retired army colonel and a woman after a shooting spree at Oroigwe in Owerri West LGA of Imo State last weekend. The armed gang reportedly came in a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) with sophisticated weapons and took their victims to an unknown destination. Also, a former registrar of the Imo State University was reportedly kidnapped at Ihittee Uboma. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Samuel Oodee, said he was not aware of the incidents.

JTF Dismisses MEND's Threat

The Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta, on Monday, dismissed threats by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), to attack South African interests in Nigeria. Spokesman for the JTF, Lt.-Col. Nwachukwu Onyema, said the task force is ready to counter any threat by the militants and protect all facilities in the region. MEND, had, last weekend, threatened to attack South Africa's investments in Nigeria following the continued detention of its leader, Henry Okah, by the South African authorities. Okah is facing trial in South Africa over the 1 Oct. 2010 bombing in Abuja that left about 12 people dead.

Whereabouts of Spanish Doctor, Ex-Speaker Unknown after Kidnap

The whereabouts of a Spanish medical doctor, Joe Machimbarrena, is still unknown two weeks after he was kidnapped in Enugu. Dr Machimbarrena got kidnapped on April 4 while returning from work by heavily armed gunmen. No contact had been made by the kidnappers. Enugu State police spokesman, Ebere Amaraizu confirmed the report, adding that the police are working to get the kidnappers, assuring that the doctor would soon regain freedom. Similarly, the former speaker of Imo State House of Assembly, Chief Godfrey Dikeocha, who was kidnapped on March 9, is still in captivity.

Total to Drill Relief Well to Stop Gas Leak

French oil firm, Total SA, says a natural gas leak at its plant in Nigeria delta may have been going on for weeks. Total says its Nigerian subsidiary discovered the leak April 3 at its Obite gas site in Rivers state. Total says it has evacuated the surrounding area. The company said the leak may have been caused by a "technical incident" that happened at the site March 20. Spokesman, Charles Ebereonwu, said he did not have details of the March 20 incident. The company will drill a relief well as a measure to stop the leakage. The company said a safety perimeter was being enforced around the leak.

Four Killed by Generator Fumes

A 95-year old man, Chief Sopulu Nwankwo, and his three grandchildren in Akaeze Village in Awka North LGA of Anambra State died in their sleep after inhaling generator fumes. According to witnesses, Nwankwo and his grandsons were discovered dead on Monday morning with foam in their mouth. Nwankwo’s son in-law, Mr. Charles Nwajideobi, whose two sons were among the dead, explained that the boys oftentimes slept in their grandfather’s house to watch films and football matches. Nwajideobi’s daughter, the only survivor, was rushed to a private hospital.

Protesters Clash with Police in Enugu

Thousands of villagers from Egwu Achi in the Oji-River of Enugu State who thronged the Government House on Tuesday to protest alleged imposition of leadership on the community, clashed with police and members of the Civil Defence Corps who attempted to frustrate their efforts. The security men resorted to the use of teargas on the hapless villagers who had among them elderly men and women. The protesters chanted protest songs, urging Governor Sullivan Chime to save them from an imminent danger over the battle for their traditional stool. President-General of Egwu Achi, Mr. Okechukwu Onwuka, urged the government to look into the complaints of the people and take the best decision on the traditional stool of the community.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

Urhobo Communities Mourn Okumagba

A former President-General of the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), HRM Benjamin Okumagba, has passed on. Members of the traditional council of chiefs, elders and the people of Okere-Urhobo including children of the deceased monarch led by Mudiaga Okumagba were at the palace to pay their respects to the late king. The Otota (traditional prime minister) of Okere-Urhobo, Chief Wilson Eboh broke the sombre news on Monday. The late monarch was born on October 20, 1928 in Ughelli North council, Delta State. An Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, described Okumagba as an articulate leader of the people; a man of vision who was devoted to the progress of his people and the state.

Ibori Gets 13-Year Jail Term in UK

Former governor of Delta State, Chief James Onanefe Ibori, who has been standing trial for corruption and money laundering charges in a UK court, has been jailed for 13 years, after pleading guilty to corruption in February. Judge Anthony Pitts of the Southwark Crown Court 9, London, said for the fact that Ibori had pleaded guilty to the charges bothering on fraud, money laundering and corruption put at about $250 million, his sentence would be reduced to 13 years as against 24 years he would have served. Ibori would spend about four to five years in prison considering the fact that he had spent about two years in Dubai and in UK detention. British judicial and security officials said they would ensure that the loot is returned to Delta State.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

Lawmaker's Son, 2 Others Killed in Auto Crash

Three persons were last weekend, killed in a fatal motor accident, which occurred in Oro in Irepodun LGA of Kwara State. The eldest son of a member of the state House of Assembly, Alhaja Nimota Ibrahim, who was simply identified as Shola Oniyangi and Layiwola Agboola, son of a retired Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) officer, and another person were said to have died in the motor accident. The incident occurred while they were on their way back from a wedding party in Ekiti State. It was further gathered that the driver of the vehicle was the only survivor of the accident.

Ogun Gets APCs to Boost Security

Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State has warned armed robbers and other criminals to take a rethink without further delay. He spoke, on Monday, while taking delivery of five Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) in Abeokuta. He reiterated his administration’s determination to curb the menace of armed bandits so that Ogun State would become investors’ destination of choice. Amosun thanked President Goodluck Jonathan for assisting the state in obtaining clearance papers for the APCs, adding that the equipment and 125 Hilux vans fitted with modern communication facilities would be launched on Friday by the Inspector-General of Police.

Policeman Stabs Wife to Death

A Police Inspector, Sunday Iluegben, attached to Ikeja Division in Lagos is on the run after stabbing his wife to death, penultimate Friday. Police source revealed that the Inspector and Caroline were separated, although she often visited her husband and children and slept in her husband’s house sometimes. On the day she was killed, Caroline was said to have arrived at night and slept on the same mattress with her husband in the sitting room, while the children slept in the room, according to one of the daughters. Police is on the hunt for Iluegben, who has been on the run since.

2 Docked In Lagos Over Dud Cheques

Two persons were, on Monday, arraigned before a Lagos State High Court, for allegedly issuing dud cheques, for two different banks, to Accredited Bonds and Hedges Ltd, after collecting loans from same company. The first defendant, Christopher Ononugbo, was said to have some time in 2009, issued dud First Bank cheque to the said company, when he didn’t have enough money in his account. The second defendant, Patani Onovwobote, was alleged to have in 2009, issued a dud Diamond Bank cheque, to same company, which he knew had insufficient fund. The accused, pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge. Counsel to the accused asked for an adjournment for three weeks.

Deaf, Dumb Man Remanded in Prison over Homosexual Act

The Magistrate Court Osogbo, Osun State, has ordered that, one Akinyemi Ojo, 35, a deaf and dumb man, be remanded in Ilesa Prison for alleged involvement in a homosexual act. Ojo was accused of having sex with a 12-year-old boy after he had kept him for three days in his room. The prosecutor, Sergeant Elisha Olusegun, alleged that the accused had carnal knowledge of the victim by putting his manhood into him, knowing that he is a male. He said the accused had through his action committed an offence and punishable under the laws of Osun State. The accused claimed that he did not know that it was unlawful and pleaded with the court to show mercy on him, as he vowed never to do such a thing again. The boy said Ojo forced him into sexual intercourse.

Customs Intercepts Tanker with Bags of Smuggled Rice

The Oyo and Osun States Area Command of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) have raised the alarm on the new style being adopted by smugglers in both states. The Comptroller, Mogaji Muhammad, on Wednesday, explained how a petrol tanker was reconstructed and used to conceal 208 bags of rice which had however been intercepted by his men. He stated that the tanker load of rice was coming from the Lagos axis of the command when it was intercepted at the Guru Maharaji end of the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway by his men. He added that eight suspects had been arrested in connection with the smuggled rice, contending that the suspects were granted conditional bail pending the time they would be charged to court.

Hausa Youths Clash in Lagos

An intra-ethnic clash between Hausa youths broke out in Mile 12 area of Lagos state on Friday over a struggle for the leadership (Serkin Hausawa) of the Hausa community in the area. Combatants on different sides of the divide reportedly engaged in a violent clash with various weapons. The situation has been brought under control, with the deployment of armed policemen and Armoured Personnel Carriers in the area. The area was the scene of a violent clash a month ago between Hausa and Yoruba youths after some Hausa allegedly attempted to dump the corpse of a man they had reportedly slaughtered in the nearby Majidun River.

Osun Women Campaign against Rape

Over 400 women converged in Osogbo, Osun State to campaign against rape in the state. Speaking on Thursday, the wife of the governor, Mrs. Sherifat Aregbesola, said the campaign was to create awareness for women to support the eradication of rape in the state. Aregbesola added that the administration had intensified effort in sensitising its citizens on rape, which had become so rampant in the society. She noted that dozens of ladies across the country had been raped, a situation which had turned many of them to prostitutes. She appealed to parents to always monitor their children and support the state government to achieve its goal of eradicating rape in the state. Aregbesola advised mothers to desist from sending their female children to hawk at night, stressing that evil perpetrators operated mainly at night.

GENERAL

Boko Haram Kills Spokesman

The division in the dreaded Islamist sect Boko Haram deepened, last weekend as a rival faction murdered Abu Qaqa II, the spokesman of the militant group. Abu Qaqa II was believed to have been killed on the instruction of the leader of the sect, Abu Shekau, for attempting to back out of their reign of terror. Abu Qaqa II, whose real name is Mohammed Anwal Kontagora, was from Kontagora in Niger State. He adopted the name Abu Qaqa in February after the original Abu Qaqa, also known by many aliases was arrested in January. Security sources revealed that the division and subsequent killing of the spokesman resulted from the sect’s inability to either own up or disassociate itself from the Easter Sunday bomb blast in Kaduna that killed so many commercial motorcyclists and tea vendors.

Gunmen Kill 2 in Borno

Two people were shot dead in their Maiduguri homes by gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram, on Monday. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Samuel Tizhe, confirmed the killing but said no arrest was made. He restated the appeal of the Commissioner of Police to the people to help the Police and other security agencies with credible information that could help in nipping criminal activity in the bud.  Meanwhile, two schools have been set ablaze by people suspected to be members of the sect. The two schools in Maiduguri metropolis were burnt last weekend.

Foreign Airlines Admit Evading Tax

Major foreign airlines in Nigeria, especially the British Airways (BA), and Air France-KLM Nigeria, Tuesday, admitted that they  had failed to remit the five per cent Passenger Fuel Surcharge (PFS) on their tickets to Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) as required. Country Manager of BA, Kola Olayinka, told the Senate Committee on Aviation that, “no airline is remitting the five per cent charged on air fares to the NCAA." But the General Manager of Air France-KLM Nigeria, Mr. Christian Herpi, said if an extant Nigerian law required the airline to pay five per cent from the PFS; it was ready to comply, noting that it had been a practice by airlines worldwide. However, the Senate Committee on Aviation has threatened to recommend BA for prosecution over tax evasion. The committee chairman, Senator Hope Uzodinma, said tax evasion is a criminal act and must be prosecuted accordingly.

SSS Uncover Bomb Factory in Yola

The State Security Service (SSS), Tuesday, raided a bomb factory in Yola, Adamawa State, seizing huge quantities of Improvised Explosive Devises (IED), and other materials belonging to the Boko Haram sect. This occurred as the Joint Task Force (JTF), killed four suspected armed robbers in Maiduguri, Borno State. The Adamawa State Director of the SSS, Olugbenga Jayeoba, said a suspected member of the sect, Abubakar Yola, was trailed to his house, where the SSS recovered about 20 bombs, huge cache of equipment used in making bombs and over 50 kilogrammes of ammonium nitrate, and 20 wraps of phosphorous, among other equipment used in manufacturing bombs. Jayeoba appealed to the public to avail security agencies more information and cooperation to enable them operate more efficiently.

SSS Operatives Man Dead at Checkpoint

Operatives of the Department of State Security Service (SSS), in Kano state, shot dead a middle aged man, who defied checkpoint protocol, close to their office Monday evening. The man, identified as Zaharadeen Musa Mohammad, was said to have approached the checkpoint on top speed. The incident happened in the evening as vehicles queued up for a stop-and-search exercise being conducted by a SSS team near their office located at Giginyu Quarters Badawa GRA, Kano. The incident occurred when the driver of the car, Zaharadeen Mohammed Musa and his brother defied the check point and headed toward the SSS office at high speed.

Senate Orders Probe on Waziri, Lamorde over Pension Scam

The Senate Joint Committee on Investigations into Pension Administration has asked the Police to probe the allegation that the Pension Reform Task Team paid N5.8m into the account of the former Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mrs. Farida Waziri, and her successor, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde. The committee arrived at this decision at its sitting on Tuesday, when the Chairman, Senator Aloysius Etok, said it had become imperative to get to the roots of the allegation that Waziri and Lamorde, who both denied the allegation, collected the N5.8m to travel abroad for biometric verification. But the Assistant Chief Account, Mr. Toyin Ishola, in his presentation, insisted that the N5.8m withdrawn by Madubuike and handed over to Yusuf was meant for Lamorde and Waziri.

Customs Acquire Helicopters, 5,000 Rifles to Tackle Smugglers

The Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko, on Tuesday, said the NCS was ready to confront smugglers of small arms into the country. Dikko said the agency had already acquired two helicopters for aerial surveillance of the nation’s borders and the FG had approved the purchase of about 400 units of Toyota Hilux vehicles for ground patrol. The Customs boss added that the NCS had procured about 5,000 AK47 assault rifles that would be used to equip its officers and men for the onslaught against smugglers and importers of small arms. Dikko added that the United States Embassy in Nigeria had declared its interest in training Customs officers and those of other security agencies.

JTF Arrests 13 Boko Haram Suspects in Borno

The Joint Task Force (JTF) in Maiduguri has killed a suspected Boko Haram member and arrested 13 others during a “house to house” search on Tuesday. The suspected armed sect member was killed at the Pompomari hideout of the sect, which was raided by the JTF. Recovered during the raid were a Kalashnikov rifle and some Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). Meanwhile, suspected sect gunmen have attacked the residences of a retired inspector of police (name withheld) and a resident in the Railway Quarters of Abaganaram Ward in Maiduguri, killing the duo before their wives and children on Monday night. Spokesman of JTF, Lt.-Col. Sagir Musa, confirmed the arrests and killing.

Boko Haram Kills Two Soccer Fans in Kano

Suspected Boko Haram gunmen shot dead two men near a community centre showing football matches in Kano state after the sect called for such places to be closed. The killing, penultimate Thursday in Potiskum came three days after leaflets, said to be from Boko Haram, were circulated there warning people to stay away from such viewing centres. A police spokesman said he had not been notified of the incident in northeastern Nigeria, a region where Boko Haram has carried out scores of attacks.

Boko Haram Kills 7 in Maiduguri

Seven persons were killed by the Boko Haram sect in Maiduguri, Borno State on Wednesday and Thursday. Those killed in the attacks include six civilians and a Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) officer. The gunmen had stormed Silimanti, Polo area of the town and fired gun shots at the men working at a bakery. Meanwhile, a military source hinted that one of the gunmen was eventually killed while the other one arrested. Spokesman of the Police in Borno State, Samuel Tizhe, confirmed the killings, adding that investigation have commenced.

FG Declares Emergency Gas Supply Plan

Concerned by the recent shortfall and challenges in supply of gas to thermal power stations in the country which has subsequently led to significant drop in power generation and supply, the Federal Government has declared a one-year emergency plan to address the challenges. The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, said that the new measures, which include the declaration of a 12-month emergency plan on supply of gas to power plants as well as the restructuring of the Gas Aggregation Company of Nigeria Limited (GACN) to meet up with increasing demand for gas to power plant, is expected to swiftly proffer solutions to existing gaps in the supply of gas in thermal power plants.

JTF Kills Robbery Suspects in Maiduguri

Three suspected armed robbers were killed on Thursday by men of the Joint Task Force (JTF) in Maiduguri, Borno State during a shootout. It was gathered that the men with the intention of robbing pretended as if they were members of the Boko Haram sect, but luck ran out on them when the JTF was alerted to their activities, leading to the gun battle that killed the three suspects. Spokesman of the JTF in the state, Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa, confirmed the killing and also assured that the military was ready to treat any information provided as confidentiality.

EFCC, Australian Police Sign MoU to Tackle Crime

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Australian Federal Police have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance law enforcement partnership between Nigeria and Australia. A statement by the spokesperson for the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said the MoU was signed by the EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde, and the Australian Ambassador to Nigeria, Ian McConville, in Abuja on Thursday. He said the two agencies had been collaborating in tackling transnational organised crimes and that the MoU would take the relationship between the two countries to a higher level.

JTF Kills Two Suspected Boko Haram in Maiduguri

Two suspected Boko Haram members believed to have shot and killed several persons at a bakery in Maiduguri were shot dead in an exchange of gunfire with the men of the Joint Task Force (JTF). The Field Operations Officer of the JTF in Borno State, Colonel Victor Ebhaleme said there was no casualty on the side of the military and assured residents of their safety, stressing the readiness of the joint task force to crush the insurgence of the Boko Haram sect. Items recovered from the militants include two AK 47 riffles with 20 rounds of ammunition.

Vigilante Members Killed in Fresh Jos Attacks

A fresh attack launched by suspected Fulani herdsmen on Bokkos community of Bokkos LGA of Plateau State has left two persons dead and a few others injured. House of Assembly member representing Bokkos Constituency in the state House of Assembly, Titus Ayuba Alams, confirmed the incident. A member of a vigilante group in the community who also confirmed it said the attackers, armed to the teeth and numbering about 15 surrounded the village at midnight and shot severally into the air. The vigilante group were said to have confronted the invaders and engaged them in gun duel, which resulted in the death of the two members of the vigilante. Spokesman of the Special Task Force (STF) in Jos, Capt Mdahyelyah Markus, confirming the attack, attributed it to cattle rustling.

Jonathan Seeks German Aid against Boko Haram

President Goodluck Jonathan has sought German aid to tackle terrorism in Nigeria. Jonathan told German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, at a joint news conference in Berlin that with the support of the international community; Nigeria can overcome the insurgency of the sect. According to Jonathan, Nigeria needs to deploy superior technology to counter the menace of the fundamentalist sect.  The German Chancellor promised to work with Nigeria to halt the Boko Haram menace. Chancellor Merkel said the newly established bilateral commission between Germany and Nigeria would discuss the issue and come up with details on the areas where Nigeria may need help.

US Alerts on Likely Attacks in FCT

The United States embassy in Nigeria warned, on Wednesday, that Islamist group Boko Haram may be planning attacks on Abuja, particularly in hotels frequented by westerners, but gave no further information on the threats. The U.S issued a similar message in November, but no attacks occurred in Abuja. A U.S diplomat, however, said the warning was based on specific and credible information.

INTERNATIONAL

Sudanese Air Strike Kills 5 in South Sudan

A Sudanese air raid on a border city in South Sudan killed five civilians last weekend, a local official said. But South Sudan's army said it was still in control of the disputed oil hub of Heglig. And as each side blamed the other for the increasingly violent border dispute, the United Nations highlighted the plight of thousands of civilians forced to flee the region even before the latest clashes. A Sudanese plane bombed Bentiu, capital of South Sudan's oil-rich border state of Unity, state government spokesman Gideon Gatfan said. Gatfan said earlier that the raid had failed to destroy its target. It was the second air raid reported by South Sudanese officials on Bentiu since Thursday. Sudanese warplanes bombed a UN peacekeepers' base, damaging it but causing no casualties, officials said Monday. Egypt has kick-started a diplomatic offensive to defuse tensions between Sudan and South Sudan, as Egypt’s Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel Amr arrived at Khartoum airport for talks.

Junta Shuts Air, Sea Space in Guinea-Bissau

Residents fled the capital of Guinea-Bissau on Monday after military chiefs shut the country's air and sea space following their coup, days earlier. Former colonial power, Portugal, described the junta as "absolutely illegitimate", said it had dispatched a military force in case it became necessary to evacuate its citizens. The prospect of Portuguese planes and warships appearing off the coast prompted Guinea-Bissau's military chiefs to shut the country's air and sea space to all unauthorized traffic. "Non-observance of this measure will imply a military response," the move said. Foreign governments and organizations from around the world have roundly condemned the latest putsch by the country's notoriously unruly military, which has a history of revolts and uprisings.

Five Killed in Twister Strikes

Five people have been killed after a tornado ripped through a small town in Oklahoma. The tornado was one of some 120 twisters reported over the weekend so far in America last weekend. Woodward, in the northwest of Oklahoma, was badly damaged in the twister, which struck after midnight, local time. Reports said two children were among the dead, and one person injured in the storm is believed to be in a critical condition. The National Weather Service (NWS) said there had been some 120 tornado sightings in four US states - Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa. Most were recorded in Kansas, where almost 100 twisters were spotted - including a half-mile-wide tornado close to Wichita.

Inmates Take Hostages in Brazil Prison Riot

Inmates armed with knives and three rifles were holding 131 people hostage Monday in a prison in north-eastern Brazil after an uprising over the weekend. About 400 prisoners at the Advogado Jacinto Filho de Arcaju prison in Sergipe state mutinied during visiting hours over complaints about mistreatment by guards. All but three of the hostages were relatives of the prisoners, including many women and children, who were visiting when the uprising broke out. Three guards also were among the hostages, police said. The prisoners have turned over a list of guards accused of being abusive, and were demanding better food. Captain Marcos Carvalho, an officer with the Sergipe military police serving as a negotiator, said authorities had rejected the prisoners' demands and the negotiations were at an impasse.

Danish Navy Rescues 12 Hostages, Arrests 16 Pirates off Somalia

The Danish navy announced, last week, it rescued 12 Iranian and Pakistani hostages as well as arrested their 16 captors after stopping a pirate ship off the Somali coast. The navy said no one was injured in the operation off the east coast of Somalia and that the Absalon, a command and support ship which is part of a NATO-led counter-piracy mission, had not needed to use armed force.  The rescued hostages have provided witness testimony onboard the Absalon and have now sailed home, according reports.

Militants Free 400 Pakistani Prisoners

About 400 inmates, including one on death row, were freed by dozens of Islamist militants that stormed a prison in Pakistan in the dead of night. A Pakistan’s Taliban movement, which is close to al Qaeda, said it was behind the assault by militants, who were armed with rocket-propelled grenades and AK-47 assault rifles. The report also claimed that a police official confirmed that most of the escapees from the jail in the northwestern town of Bannu were militants. A police official identified one of the inmates who escaped as a “dangerous prisoner” named Adnan Rasheed who took part in one of the attempts to kill Musharraf.

Suicide Attacks Hit Afghanistan Cities

Suicide bombers reportedly struck, last weekend, across Afghanistan in coordinated attacks claimed by Taliban insurgents. German and Japanese embassy compounds were reported hit as militants attacked the city’s diplomatic enclave and tried to storm parliament, sparking a gun-battle in which lawmakers and bodyguards fired back from the rooftop. The embassies of the United States and Britain were also targeted, the spokesman for NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), General Carsten Jacobson, said. At least three attackers were killed in Kabul, and three others died when they detonated their car-bomb in Jalalabad – injuring several people – officials and police said.

Bomb Explosions Kill Militant, Wound FSB Agent in Russia

Bomb blasts killed a suspected Islamist militant and wounded a local Federal Security Service (FSB) officer and his wife on Monday in the capital of Russia's turbulent North Caucasus province of Dagestan, Russian news agencies reported. According to Reuters, an Islamist insurgency, business and political disputes and clan feuds result in daily violence in the mostly Muslim region on the Caspian Sea in southern Russia. The suspected militant was killed when a bomb he was making exploded during the night in an apartment in provincial capital, Makhachkala. The next morning, a car bomb wounded a colonel in the local branch of Russia's FSB and his wife. A separate bomb blast outside a shop in Makhachkala late on Sunday injured two female students, it was further reported.

Iran Warns against Foreign Aggression

Iran's armed forces will make its enemies regret any act of aggression against the Islamic Republic, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad warned on Tuesday. Although Ahmadinejad did not specify any countries, such language used by Iranian officials is a common reference to the West, especially the United States and Israel. The harsh tone was typical of speeches for military events but it contrasted sharply with a sense of cautious progress after the direct talks with world powers last week on Tehran's nuclear ambitions. Both the U.S. and Israel have not ruled out a military option against Iran's nuclear facilities, which the West suspects are geared toward making nuclear arms — a charge Tehran denies, insisting its program is for peaceful purposes only.

Nurse Arrested over Shooting Death of Woman

A registered nurse, Verna Deann McClain, who was arrested for killing a new mother and snatching her 3-day-old baby in a Texas paediatrician’s office, will face capital murder charges, according to the Montgomery County district attorney. The baby, Keegan Schuchardt, was found 6 hours after his 28-year-old mother, Kayla Marie Golden, was killed on Tuesday, according to police. McClain, a 30-year-old mother of three, is in police custody. There was reportedly an altercation between both women, after which the woman got out and shot the mother repeatedly, then took the baby and drove off.

US Slams Assad, over Syrian Crackdown

The US, on Wednesday, criticized the government of Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad, for "insincerity" over its continued shelling of opponents despite a ceasefire and warned of "next steps" by the international community unless the attacks stop. The truce has held in some parts of Syria since Assad pledged to enforce it last week. But in strong opposition areas such as the town of Homs, the army has launched attacks on rebels in violation of the pledge by Damascus to pull back. Washington has been an outspoken critic of Assad's bloody crackdown on opponents of his regime in which thousands are believed to have died.

Chinese Fisherman Jailed 30 Years for Murder of Coast Guard

A Chinese fisherman was, Thursday, jailed for 30 years for murdering a South Korean coastguard during an operation to stop illegal fishing, court authorities said. Cheng Dawei, a 43-year-old fishing boat skipper, was also fined 20 million won ($17,500). The skipper fatally stabbed an officer with a knife and seriously wounded another on December 12, after they boarded his boat inside South Korea's exclusive economic zone in the Yellow Sea. It was the second time a South Korean coastguard had died at the hands of Chinese fishermen in less than four years and the incident sparked widespread public anger. Seoul urged Beijing to take stronger action against illegal fishing and lawmakers sought tougher punishment of violators. Nine other Chinese crew members were sentenced to jail terms ranging from 18 months to five years for obstructing the coastguard raid, in addition to fines of between 10 and 20 million won.

NATO Helicopter Crashes in Afghanistan

A NATO helicopter crashed on Friday in south-western Afghanistan, with four people on board, according to officials. The official said that enemy action could not be ruled out. Those on board are believed to be Americans. ISAF military officials in Kabul said the crash site is secure and the cause is under investigation. The crash occurred in what NATO terms the South West Region of Afghanistan, which includes the provinces of Nimruz and Helmand. While helicopter crashes are relatively frequent in Afghanistan, it is unusual for them to be the result of enemy fire.

Community Detains Mexican Policemen after Killings

Inhabitants of an indigenous community in western Mexico detained 14 police officers and a local official after eight of their neighbours were killed by illegal loggers. Thursday's detention was the latest flare-up of tension between the community in Cheran, Michoacan state, illegal loggers, armed gangs and the police, according to reports. The state government was trying to reach a deal to free the detainees, he said. Eight indigenous rangers were shot dead Wednesday by illegal loggers who they surprised cutting down trees, state officials said. Illegal loggers have deforested about 80% of the region's 30,000 acres (12,000 hectares) of forests in recent years, according to the community.

Group Urges Probe of Militias over Torture of Black Libyans

Amnesty International, has called on Libya’s interim government to probe the torture of members of a dark-skinned community (Tawarga) imprisoned by militias in the city of Misrata after the report of a fresh death. The group revealed that “another Tawarga man was tortured to death in a Misrata detention centre,” adding that he died in the custody of Misrata’s security committee which was created by the city’s elected local council. The rights group said it has documented more than a dozen deaths in custody at the hands of armed militias since September 2011 and widespread torture of those suspected of backing slain leader, Muammar Gaddafi. Members of the dark-skinned Tawarga community are accused of standing by Gaddafi and committing crimes during the siege and shelling of the city of Misrata last year.

Somalia Announces $500 Bounty on Al Shabaab Militants

Somalia has announced a $500 award for anyone who captures or kills a militant from the al Qaeda-linked militant group of al Shabaab, which has been attacking government and African Union (AU) peacekeepers in Mogadishu. Mogadishu mayor, Mohamud Ahmed Nur, on Wednesday, said the government would offer $500 for every “captured or killed terrorist”. Islamist militants withdrew from the capital in August but continued to launch deadly guerilla-style attacks against Somali and African Union troops. Kenyan and Ethiopian forces are also battling al Shabaab militants from entrenched positions in the southern and central parts of the lawless Horn of Africa country.

India Tests Long Range Nuclear-Capable Missile

India has successfully test-fired a nuclear-capable missile that can reach Beijing and Eastern Europe, according to reports. The development throws the emerging Asian power into a small club of nations that can deploy nuclear weapons at such a great distance. It was not immediately clear how far the rocket flew before reaching its target in the Indian Ocean. The defence minister said the test was “immaculate.” Almost entirely Indian-made, the Agni-V is the crowning achievement of a programme developed primarily with a threat from neighbouring China in mind. It will not be operational for at least two years, the government said. Only the UN Security Council permanent members and Israel are believed to have such long-range weapons.

ECOWAS, UNSC Condemn Junta in Guinea Bissau

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission has criticised the establishment of a Transitional National Council in Guinea Bissau to govern the country for two years. President of the ECOWAS Commission, Kadré Ouedraogo, stated that the junta and the 24 political parties in the country should restore democratic institutions. The President, who described the announcement of TNC as illegal, said ECOWAS condemnation followed the written undertaking by the junta to step aside. Ouedraogo reiterated the commitment of the commission to the immediate restoration of constitutional order in Guinea Bissau through on-going consultations with stakeholders in the country.

Detained Political, Army Officials Released on Mali

Mali’s military has released all the senior political and army officials it arrested last week. The army leaders behind the March military coup announced their release on Thursday. Meanwhile, Senegal said Mali’s ousted president, Amadou Toumani Toure, would arrive in Dakar on Thursday. Senegal revealed this week that Toure, who fled his palace on March 22, had been sheltering in its embassy in Bamako, the Malian capital. The arrests of 22 officials by security forces drew broad international condemnation, just days after the junta that seized power in a coup officially stepped aside for a civilian leader. Any derailment of Mali’s return to constitutional order would risk efforts by its neighbours to help Bamako try to retake northern regions seized by rebels since the coup.

Pakistan Mourns 127 Plane Crash Victims

Pakistan mourned the victims of a plane crash in a residential area near Islamabad international airport. According to reports, there were 127 persons, including 6 crew members, on board the Bhoja Air jet from Karachi to Islamabad. Officials confirmed there are no survivors. Officials say the Boeing 737's cockpit flight recorder has been recovered and would be handed to investigators. The plane was making its final approach to the airport when the crash happened. There were reports of thunderstorms at the time. Interior Minister, Rehman Malik, said that Farooq Bhoja, head of Bhoja Air, has been barred from leaving the country, as the investigation into the crash opens. Although Pakistan's air industry has been booming, critics say standards have not always kept pace with the increase in services.