Villeworth Security Services Ltd

week 28

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PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

Police in Imo Rescues Kidnapped Indians

Imo State government has sealed off a hotel alleged to be a hideout for kidnappers and other criminals in the state. The Special Adviser to the state Governor on Security Matters, George Egu, warned that anyone found around there would be treated like as criminal. In a related development, men of the state Police Command, at the weekend, arrested some kidnappers and armed robbers who abducted two Indians, while about four persons were feared dead when suspected armed robbers shot indiscriminately in Orlu, while they robbed some banks.

Kidnappers Abduct SSS Official

Kidnappers in Akwa Ibom State on Saturday dared security agencies in the state by kidnapping a senior officer of the State Security Service (SSS). The lady, Mrs Nneka Bush, was whisked away from their residence along Ikono Street, Uyo, by four men in a black vehicle. The husband of the victim, Mr Bush said that he was around when the incident occurred but that the hoodlums later called him using a hidden phone number, and demanding a ransom of N20 million. The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Walter Rugbere said his men begun action immediately.

Henry Okah Accepts FG’s Amnesty
•MEND Ready for Negotiation

The detained leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Henry Okah, Thursday, accepted the Federal Government's amnesty for Niger Delta militants. The latest move by Okah was the outcome of high level negotiation between top government officials, security chiefs and Okah's lawyer. It has also spurred MEND, which also announced that it was ready to have dialogue with the federal government. The new developments were hailed by President Yar’Adua who said necessary machinery were being put in place for the eventual release of Okah.

EFCC Hands Over N44.5bn to Bayelsa

Assets worth about N44.5bn were on Thursday handed over to the Bayelsa State government by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).  They were part of the loot recovered from former governor of the state, Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha, who was jailed for corrupt practices. The EFCC Chairman, Mrs. Farida Waziri, said the return of the recovered assets was as a result of painstaking investigation and successful prosecution of the erstwhile governor. Bayelsa State Governor, Mr Timipre Sylva, while receiving the assets, promised to judiciously use the money and the assets.

Varsity Sacks 5 Lecturers over Sexual Harassment

At least five lecturers have been sacked by the Abia State University over alleged sexual harassment of female students, while some others voluntarily resigned as they were being probed. The Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Mkpa Agu Mkpa, said that the cases of sexual abuse against lecturers, had been fully disposed off, as the university has been sanitized. Mkpa also said the management of the institution had warned the students not get involved in any criminal act, including kidnapping. The penalty, he said was summary dismissal.

Spokesman to Enugu State Governor Abducted

The Chief Press Secretary to the Enugu state Governor, Dan Nwome, was last weekend waylaid by gunmen who grabbed and took him away. His captors had not established contact with the family at press time. The state Police Public Relations Officer, Ebere Amaraizu, could not immediately confirm the incident, but a government official confirmed Nwome's abduction, and that the government is worried about it.

Gunmen Kill Five in Rivers Community

Five persons were reportedly shot dead at Rumuekpe community in Emohua LGA of Rivers State by unidentified gunmen. Three others were also seriously injured. The youth president of Rumuekpe clan, Prince Augustine Chim expressed shock and accused the oil companies in the area and their contractors for launching the latest attacks to give the impression that there is no peace when the community has almost achieved total peace.

Militants Prefer Truce to Amnesty

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) says it prefers armistice to the amnesty offered by the Federal Government. MEND's spokesman, Jomo Gbomo, said they do not need amnesty because they are freedom fighters and not criminals, saying that the FG should rather create an enabling environment that allows a cessation of hostility by all parties. MEND also accused JTF of killing the traditional ruler of Egbema Kingdom, Chief Isaac Thikan. JTF's spokesman, Col. Rabe Abubakar, denied the allegation, saying that it was a calculated attempt to derail the peace efforts of the Federal Government.

MASSOB Camp Leader Arrested For Murder of Chinese

The Nigeria Police recently paraded a suspected kidnapper, the Camp leader of the Movement For Actualisation for the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), for the death of a Chinese man in Ebonyi state. The Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro, said the suspect with his gang kidnapped two Chinese nationals, Nia Eric, Fend Shenyi and a Nigerian, Sylvester Unigwe, in March 17, but the police rescued Eric and Unigwe while the suspect escaped into the thick jungle with some members of his gang and one of the Chinese hostages, Shenyi, who later died. The suspect said Shenyi died as a result of severe cold in the bush where they hid him.

FG Seeks Military Aid from UK over Niger Delta Crisis

The Federal Government on Tuesday called for military assistance from Britain to arrest the crisis in the Niger Delta. Britain has also promised to explore the possibility of resuscitating the declining military cooperation between the two countries. Minister of State for Defence, Chief Demola Seriki, made the appeal when he received the Director, Policy and Plans (International) Ministry of Defence, United Kingdom, Mrs. Teresa Jones, in his office at the Ship House in Abuja, and said if nothing is done to curb the current security situation, it may lead to an internal crisis in the country that would end up in the devaluation of the naira.

Abandoned "Witch Children" Protest Police Brutality in Akwa Ibom

Over 300 children from Child Rights and Rehabilitation Network (CRARN) centre for abandoned children in Eket, Southern Akwa Ibom state, Tuesday, took to the streets to protest Police brutality at the centre last week leaving the inmates of the home with serious injuries. Armed men, who claimed to be policemen, last weekend, invaded the centre and brutalized the children in an effort to arrest the President of CRARN, Mr. Sam Ikpe-Itauma. The Children took their protest to Eket council headquarters, where they were received by the Council Secretary Mr. Emmanuel Abasiubong who pledged to make their grievances known the Akwa Ibom state government.

Asari Drags Yar’Adua to Court over Amnesty

Leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF), Alhaji Asari Dokubo has approached a Federal high court sitting in Abuja with a request to invalidate the amnesty granted by President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua to Niger Delta militants.He is claiming that though Mr President has the powers under section 175 of the 1999 constitution to grant amnesty. He said such pardon is for convicted criminals and not for political agitators. He said since most of the militants whose names appear on the list of the beneficiaries of the presidential pardon have never been charged to court for any offence known to law or convicted of same, he said President Yar’Adua misapplied his constitutional powers and therefore the pardon so granted is null and void. He is inviting the Federal high court to pronounce on the validity of the said amnesty.

Eni Declares Force Majeure

Italian energy group Eni SpA (ENI.MI) declared force majeure Friday on some of its crude production in Nigeria, following an act of sabotage on a pipeline located north of Brass River field earlier in the week. The attack on the pipeline Tuesday resulted in oil production loss equivalent to 24,000 barrels a day, and the company confirmed about 4,800 barrels a day was Eni equity. The company declined to say how long the measure would be in place, or whether it applied to Brass River crude exports. Unrest in the Niger Delta costs Nigeria hundreds of thousands of barrels a day in lost crude oil production.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

23 Militants Surrender Arms, Accept Amnesty

Inspector-General of Police, Mike Okiro, has clarified that the FG would not give money to militants who surrender their arms for amnesty. Okiro made the clarification last weekend in Warri when 23 militants surrendered their arms and ammunition at the Area Commanders office. He further said that government will provide every opportunity to the repentant militants and also afford them the rare privilege of going to school.

Four Killed in Delta Road Crash

Four persons, including the driver of a commercial bus, died on the spot when the vehicle had a head-on collision with a Toyota Carina car along the Osubi - Orerokpe Road in Delta State. Eight others sustained various degrees of injuries in the accident. According to eye witnesses, the accident occurred when one of the vehicles at top speed attempted to avoid a pothole thereby losing control. The Police and officers of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) were not immediately on hand when the accident occurred.

Suspected Robbers Killed in Warri

Three suspected armed robbers were, penultimate Saturday, shot dead at Enerhen junction in Warri, Delta State by mobile policemen. It was gathered that the robbers met their death during an exchange of fire with the police, when they besieged the residence of one Addy Zid Agoh at Okumagba Avenue around 7.30pm, on Friday. Sources said that the victim and his children succeeded in apprehending one of the robbers and dispossessed him of his gun while others fled the scene.

Militants Blow-up Chevron Pipeline, Hold Tanker, Crew Members Hostage

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) on Sunday claimed it blew up a crude oil facility belonging to Chevron. MEND also said it seized a chemical tanker and detained its six-man crew 20 nautical miles off the Escravos in Delta State. The group had also on the same day attacked a Shell oil well in the Cawthorne Channel around Bonny in Rivers State. Despite MEND’s claim, the JTF insisted that the attacks on the trunk lines were thwarted by their men and the militias escaped without detonating their explosives. Meanwhile, the Senate has summoned the National Security Adviser (NSA), Inspector General of Police (IGP), Internal Affairs Minister and the Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS), over measures being put in place to curb the growing incidents of kidnapping and hostage-taking in the country. MEND has demanded the release of its leader, Henry Okah, in return for setting free the crew, and also denied entering into any amnesty deal with the FG.

N’Delta Elders Support Amnesty

Efforts to get more militants in the Niger-Delta to accept the presidential amnesty for them has received a boost, with the Niger-Delta Elders Forum throwing its weight behind the amnesty offer. The elders, after a meeting in Warri, also stated that they would meet with the various militant groups with a view to persuading them to hand over their arms and embrace the reprieve as soon as possible. They, however, called for the implementation of the Mittee Technical Committee Report, as well as quicken the process of returning the Ijaw people displaced by the recent military operations in Delta State.

Doctors Lament Insecurity in Edo

Medical doctors in Edo State have asked the state government to take serious steps against the worsening security situation in the state. Through the state chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), they called for a declaration of a state of emergency on security situation in the state, saying that medical personnel had become the victims of kidnappings in the state as four medical practitioners had been abducted and released on payment of ransom in the past three weeks.

Chevron Renews GMoU with Itsekiri Communities

Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) and Delta State Government have signed a new Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU)) with Itsekiri Regional Development Committee (IRDC). The new agreement was signed last Monday, following the expiration of the first GMoU. Engineer Femi Odumabo, General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs, who signed on behalf of CNL, described the renewal signing as exceptional and a declaration of the commitment of the NNPC/Chevron Joint Venture and other stakeholders towards ensuring sustainable development in communities close to Chevron's operations in the Niger Delta of Nigeria.

JTF Foils Attack on Pipeline
...Nabs suspected militants

Two suspected militants were on Wednesday arrested by operatives of the Joint military Task Force (JTF) at Forcados in Burutu LGA of Delta State, while trying to blow up crude pipelines with explosives, according to the JTF spokes-man, Col. Rabe Abubakar. He said the equipment recovered from the suspected militants included a speedboat, two electrical batteries, chemicals and dynamite.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

Organisations Urge Lagos to Protect Witnesses in Ogundeji’s Murder

Three human rights organizations have called on the Lagos State government to immediately strengthen the protection for witnesses in the coroner inquest on the death of Mr. Abayomi Ogundeji, a member of the editorial board of Thisday Newspapers, who was killed on August 17, 2008 in Lagos. The organizations - Amnesty International, the National Human Rights Commission, and the Nigeria Bar Association Human Rights Institute made the call following the murder of one Tunmise, a key witness in the incident. She was killed by unknown gunmen in her house in Ogun State on June 30, 2009.

MEND Claims Attack on Oil Facility in Lagos

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) says it carried out an attack on an oil tanker facility close to the main commercial city of Lagos. Residents claim to have heard the blast, but there has been no official confirmation. In a statement, Mend said that "heavily armed" men had "carried out an unprecedented attack on the Atlas Cove Jetty in Lagos last Sunday. The jetty is the main entry point for ships entering Nigerian waters from the west and for oil tanker loading. MEND maintains its demand for the release of its leader, Henry Okah. Lawyers for Okah said on Friday, that he had accepted the amnesty offer and he is expected to be released early this week.

Security Guard Stoned to Death by Angry Customer

A security guard identified as Solomon Bojememe, at Dynamic Micro Finance Bank, 143, in Lagos state was stoned to death by an angry customer over trapped money. His death led to the arrest of the woman and the manager of the bank, who was said to have caused the problem. It was revealed that the bank had denied depositors access to their funds for several months, and on the fateful day, the woman identified as Funke, had gone as usual to demand for her money, but the bank manager, reportedly called on the security to push Funke out of the bank after she got held him by the collar, and in annoyance, she picked a stone and threw it at his head, leading to serious bleeding and eventual death of the security man.

2 Brothers Crushed to Death by Lorry Driver

Two brothers, who were returning from school on Monday, in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti state, were crushed to death by a lorry. The brothers, who were said to have lost their father about a month ago, were about to cross the road to their house when the truck lost control and ran over them. The unfortunate mother, said to be breastfeeding her newest baby, fainted immediately she was confronted with the sad news.

Headmaster Arrested for Allegedly Raping 9-Year-Old Pupil

A thirty- nine-year-old school headmaster, Umana Inuanam, has been arrested for raping a nine-year-old primary five pupil of his school, Meoka Nursery and Primary School, Ishefun, Ayobo, when other pupils had gone home. The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Frank Mba, said the suspect confessed to the crime, adding, however, that the suspect claimed he had sex with the girl with her consent and not rape.

Oyo Governor’s Aide Regains Freedom

The Executive Assistant to the Oyo State Governor on Administration, Mr. Richard Fagbemi, has been released by his captors after 13 days. The governor’s aide, who was kidnapped while he was returning from a trip in Abuja, was released on Wednesday. He was kidnapped together with his sister-in-law and his driver between Ondo and Edo states. His driver and sister-in-law were also said to have been released. Though the kidnappers had demanded for N20 million before he could be released, the government source said that no ransom was paid but added that the government made efforts to get him released.

Boy, 14, Commits Suicide

A 14-year-old boy at Pantomi in the Gombe metropolis has reportedly committed suicide by hanging, a family member said on Thursday. The boy’s elder sister, Naomi John, said that the incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon. The Public Relations Officer of the Gombe Police Command, Abdullahi Kamba, confirmed the incident, saying that investigation was under way.

GENERAL

Transparency International, Others Task IG on Excesses in Police

Transparency International (TI) has decried the brazen penchant of policemen to intimidate and extort money from motorists across the country, urging the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mike Mbama Okiro, to check the trend. Also, a media patron and businessman, Dr. Olusegun Ologbese, implored Okiro to curb brutality meted out to hapless Nigerians to save its image from irredeemable damage.

Nigeria May Face Hard Times By 2014 -Reps

The House of Representatives has warned that the Nigerian economy, which largely depends on crude oil, may witness a major shrink in five years unless the Federal Government aggressively pursue a policy of diversification of its source of revenue. The warning is coming on the heels of the enactment by the United States Congress of the American Clean Energy and Security (ACES) Act of 2009 which aims at reducing the country's oil imports by one-quarter in the next five years.

22 Die as Boat Capsizes

A boat mishap has claimed the lives of 22 people in Jibu village at Wukari LGA of Taraba State. The boat was conveying 40 people, to a naming ceremony, Sunday evening, when it capsized. It was gathered that 22 dead bodies have been recovered and rescue effort was still going on. The State Police Public Relations Officer, Sani Baba, also confirmed the incident.

Gunmen Kidnap LG Boss’ Wife

Wife of the chairman of Kubau LGA of Kaduna State was on Thursday kidnapped by unidentified gunmen in Zaria. Witnesses said two kidnappers who wore caftan stormed the house of the chairman in a Toyota car pretending to be relatives of the LG boss. Assistant Commissioner of Police in Charge of Zaria police headquarters, Abubakar Danmalam said that he was not aware of the kidnap

Mother Sells Child for N15, 000

A woman, Ijeoma Emeto, who allegedly sold her two weeks old daughter for N15, 000 has been arrested by the police in Abuja. The Area Commander (Metro), Federal Capital Territory Police Command, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Sunday Odukoya, said Ijeoma Emeto sold the baby to one Patience Donatus Ejioku a week after her birth. Emota, a single mother, with two other children, said when she found that the baby was ill and she could not settle her medical bills she took her to Donatus for care and Donatus gave me N15, 000 for my medical expenses.

300 Nigerians in Ghanaian Prisons – Obanikoro

Three hundred Nigerians are currently serving various jail terms in Ghanaian prisons, the Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana, Musiliu Obanikoro, disclosed. Obanikoro said that the Nigerians were serving jail terms for offences ranging from kidnapping, drug peddling, human trafficking, internet scam and armed robbery. Obanikoro said the High Commission was currently discussing with the Ghanaian government, the possibility of facilitating the release of the prisoners to the Nigerian government, for them to serve their terms in Nigeria.

Ex-NNPC Staff Appointed Chairman Equatorial Guinea's Zafiro Committee

Leading Africa-focused gas conglomerate, Gasol Plc, has announced a former staff of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Charles Osezua, as Chairman, steering committee of the multi-billion dollars Zafiro gas monetisation project in Equatorial Guinea. The project is being developed by SONAF G.E. SA, a joint venture between Gasol and Sociedad Nacional de Gas, G.E. ("SONAGAS G.E."), the national gas company of Equatorial Guinea. In his new role, Osezua will provide strategic direction to the project and oversee its execution.

Kaduna Refinery Tam Completed

The seventh Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) of the Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) has been completed and the plant will soon start operations. The Group General Manager, Public Affairs of the NNPC, Dr. Levi Ajuonuma, stated this on Tuesday in Kaduna, adding that the cost was made within the stipulated budgetary provision by the Federal Executive Council. The Managing Director, Engineer Bolanle Ayodele, said the plant is currently producing at 60 percent and that subsequent increase will be recorded soon.

 

Oil Falls Below $64

Oil on Monday continued its price erosion shedding $3 to sink below $64 a barrel, but rebounded slightly on Tuesday. Brent North Sea crude for delivery in August gained 49 cents to 64.54 dollars per barrel in morning London trade. New York's main contract, light sweet crude for August delivery, rose 55 cents to 64.60 dollars a barrel after shedding nearly three dollars on Monday. Oil had slumped to 10-week lows on Monday after recent US data showed job losses surged more than expected to 467,000 in June.

1,500 Police Constables Lack Basic Qualifications

The ongoing credentials check of men of the Nigeria Police initiated by the management of the Police Service Commission (PSC) has unmasked several constables within the service without the requisite basic qualifications. The PSC officials were stunned that over 1,500 constables are without the basic entry qualifications into the force. The PSC officials disclosed that states affected are mostly within the South West and the northern parts of the country.

13 Soldiers Face Court-Martial

At least 13 soldiers are to be court-martialled for alleged offences ranging from murder to stealing and sodomy. However, out of the 13, only one, Corporal Moses Maina of 3 Brigade Kano, accused of sodomy, appeared at the military court that sat in Kaduna State on Thursday. According to the military police investigative officer, two civilians were caught having anal sex at Corporal Maina’s house and confirmed that Maina was equally their sex partner. After the civilians were arrested, they confessed to the act and named Corporal Maina as a sex partner to the two of them.

Reps ask Foreign Company to Pay N14bn for Illegal Crude Oil Lifting

The House of Representatives, on Wednesday, ordered an oil company, MRS Oil and Gas, to produce the sum of N14 billion, which it allegedly failed to remit to the federation account after illegally lifting 900 million metric tonnes of crude oil between 2002 and 2003. The House gave the order at the resumed hearing on the probe of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), alleging that MRS Oil and Gas perpetrated the alleged fraud by lifting the volume of oil at the domestic price of $68 per barrel, but illegally exported it at $200 per barrel price. According to the ad hoc committee probing the NNPC, it was wrong for the oil company to divert the crude oil for export, when it purchased the commodity at domestic price and for domestic use.

Israeli Woman Held Hostage in Nigeria

An Israeli woman was reportedly kidnapped in Nigeria by armed Muslims and was kept hostage for a week, until a ransom of several hundred dollars was paid. The woman, in her late 50s, has been residing in recent years both in Nigeria and in Israel and has family members in both countries. The affair was kept secret by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Israeli Embassy in Nigeria, and the woman's family. The kidnappers demanded in exchange for her release a ransom of $50,000 and threatened to kill her should the sum not be paid.

Filipinos, Ukrainians Kidnapped Off Cameroon, Not Chinese

Three Filipinos and two Ukrainians were seized from a trawler off the Cameroon coast, a source close to an investigation into the abductions said Thursday. Several armed groups operate in waters off the Bakassi peninsula in southern Cameroon, which is potentially rich in oil and natural gas resources, as well as fish stocks. Cameroonian officials on Thursday declined to comment on the affair, saying only that they were still gathering further information.

INTERNATIONAL

Over 140 killed in China Ethnic Clash

At least 156 people were killed and over 800 others injured after violence erupted in China's Xinjiang region, the officials said Monday. Ethnic Uyghur residents in Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang, took to the streets Sunday afternoon in a protest that prompted a police lock-down of the city. The protesters reportedly attacked passersby, burned public buses and blocked traffic. Witnesses speculated that the protest may have been a reaction to racial violence in southern China. The violence reportedly happened at a toy factory in Guangdong province, where a brawl between workers of Uyghur and Han nationalities, led to the death of two Uyghurs. The city's Communist Party boss promised those behind the killings would be executed.

2 British Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan

Two British soldiers were killed in separate incidents on Thursday in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province, the British military said Friday. In the first incident, a soldier died in an explosion while on foot patrol near Nad Ali. The second died of a gunshot wound while soldiers were engaged with insurgent forces near Lashkar Gah, as part of Operation Panther’s Claw, the ministry said. The two deaths bring to nine the number of British troops killed this month in Afghanistan.

Suicide Bombing Kills 2 in Afghanistan

A suicide car bombing, Monday, at the Kandahar airport killed two and injured 16. The explosives, loaded in a minivan, detonated at the airport gate where cars are stopped for security checks, according to military commander Sher Mohammad Zazai. Kandahar is east of Helmand province, where a U.S.-led operation is under way to oust the Taliban from their strongholds. Helmand, a poppy-growing region, is the focus of the U.S.-led Operation Khanjar, or Strike of the Sword.

Clerics in Iran Declare Election Invalid

Iran’s biggest group of clerics has declared President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s re-election to be illegitimate and condemned the subsequent crackdown. The statement by the Association of Researchers and Teachers of Qom is an act of defiance against the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has made clear he will tolerate no further challenges to Mr Ahmadinejad’s “victory” over Mir Hossein Mousavi. Professor Ali Ansari, head of Iranian Studies at St Andrews University, said: “It’s highly significant. It shows this is nowhere near resolved.”

OAS Suspends Honduras over Coup

Following the refusal of a caretaker government in Honduras to reinstate President Manuel Zelaya, who was toppled recently, the Organisation of American States (OAS) has suspended the country's membership from its bloc. The OAS response is the strongest move yet by foreign governments to isolate the caretaker government. The interim government said it ordered the military to prevent the landing of a plane carrying Zelaya or any unidentified plane.

Floods kill 31 in Vietnam, China

Heavy floods have wreaked havoc in China and Vietnam, killing about 31 people sacking 550,000 including some 300 teenagers stranded at a school with limited supplies of food and water. In Hanoi, Vietnam, landslides and floods, according to cut off roads, telecommunications and power supply to a district in Bac Kan after heavy rains fell last Friday. Vietnam is often struck by floods and storms between July and October but the government has said 47 people were dead or missing from natural disasters in the first half of this year.

Iran's Opposition Remains Defiant

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran has sought to disperse the clouds of doubt surrounding his re-election in his first major television address. But even as he spoke, opponents went to their rooftops shouting "death to the dictator," a sign of continuing defiance.  In a bid to win over skeptics, he promised to accomplish "higher and grander things" during his second term, saying his government would focus on improving the economy. Two thirds of people detained during post-election unrest in Tehran last month have already been freed and another 100 will soon be released, Iran's police chief was quoted as saying on Wednesday. Rights activists have said 2,000 detained during the vote's turbulent aftermath may still be held across Iran.

Bomb Blast in Central Afghanistan Kills 25

A massive bomb blast triggered in central Afghanistan killed 25 people including primary school students, Thursday. The bomb was detonated in a timber truck overturned on the side of the road, killing 21 civilians and four policemen in Logar province, south of Kabul, ministry spokesman Zemerai Bashary said. After police arrived to clear the road, militants apparently decided to blow up the truck, Khan said, adding that authorities believe the explosives were mixed with timber in the back of the vehicle and remotely detonated.

US, Russia Agree on New Nuclear Arms Limits

President Obama of the United States and President Dmitry Medvedev of Russia have signed a "joint understanding" Monday committing both country to a new, legally binding arms-control treaty, which will limit the number of nuclear warheads each side can deploy and the number of missiles they have to launch them. It is designed to replace the START I agreement, which is nearly two decades old and expires December 5. Obama said a genuine resetting of relations between the countries must go beyond the governments and include a partnership between peoples, while he ruled out possible war with North Korea over its nuclear tests.

U.S Frees Iranian Diplomats

The U.S. military has released five Iranian diplomats detained in Iraq since early 2007, the Iraqi government and Iran's embassy in Baghdad said Thursday. The five have been transferred to Iraqi custody and were expected to be taken to the embassy. The military said were thought to be connected to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force, a group believed to be providing funds, weapons, bomb technology and insurgent training. Last month, the Iraqi government freed a man who had been held in the killing of five U.S. soldiers, a government spokesman said Tuesday. Laith al-Khazali was detained in March 2007 along with his brother Qais in the killing of the soldiers in the central city of Karbala two months earlier. The bodies of two of those hostages have been returned to Britain. The condition of the remaining three was not known.

Bomb Explosion Kill 43 as Violence Surges in Iraq

A spate of bomb blasts killed 43 people in Iraq on Thursday, days after U.S. troops handed security control to local forces. At least 35 people were killed and 65 wounded in a double suicide bombing in northern Iraq on Thursday, according to the Military. Violence erupted in Nineveh on Wednesday as well. The first bomb struck the house of a security official working in counterterrorism operations, the official said. The second bomb detonated just minutes later, after people had gathered at the scene in a predominantly Shiite Turkmen area of the city.

Car Bomb Strikes Iraqi Wedding Celebration; 2 Killed

A car bomb struck a wedding celebration south of Baghdad Wednesday evening, killing at least two people and wounding 18 others, an Interior Ministry official told CNN. The attack happened in the town of Mussayyab in Babil province, about 30 miles (50 km) south of Baghdad. It was a parked car bomb, the official said.

S’Korea Says North's Missiles can Hit Key Targets

South Korea has admitted that the ballistic missiles that North Korea test-fired last weekend were capable of striking its key government and military facilities. North Korea launched seven missiles into waters off its east coast over the weekend in a show of force that defied United Nations (UN) resolutions and drew international condemnation. The missiles appear to have travelled about 250 miles (400 kilometres), meaning they could have reached almost any point in South Korea.