Villeworth Security Services Ltd

week 42

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PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

N-Delta C'ttee Calls for Input of Militant Groups, Stakeholders

The Niger Delta Technical Committee set up by the Federal Government to address the socio-political crisis in the region is seeking the input of various militant groups in its reports/recommendations to be submitted to the government. To this end, the committee plans to seat at Oporoza, Delta State for the purpose of receiving oral and written memoranda from the groups operating in the region.

Court Orders Shell to Forfeit Oil Terminal

A Rivers State High Court has ordered Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), to forfeit its oil terminal in Bonny Island to the indigenes of the area. The court axed the oil giant for going behind the natives to obtain a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) in respect of the same land from the Rivers State Government without the consent and knowledge of the land owners. The terminal, which houses Shell's oil tank farm and believed to be the biggest oil terminal in Africa.

Timipre Tasks Stakeholders on Niger Delta

Governor Timipre Sylva of Bayelsa State has advised stakeholders in the Niger Delta to wage a conscious and comprehensive campaign of peace and development as a way of resolving the conflict in the region. He said: “Fighting fire with fire has only intensified the flames, as violence has begotten more violence and an endless cycle of attacks and retaliation.

Julius Berger Resumes Work in Port Harcourt

Julius Berger, the German multinational construction company, has resumed work at the Eleme Junction Flyover in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The project was initiated by the Governor Rotimi Amaechi administration. The firm had abandoned the site some months ago in protest against kidnappers who kidnapped two of its expatriate staff before their release.

Police Patrol Yenagoa over Planned Protest by Ijaw Youths

The Police in Bayelsa State have been put on alert with armed security men patrolling the streets of Yenagoa over a planned protest by Ijaw youths alleging insensitivity of the state government to their plight. The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Julian Okpaleke, said the move was to nip in the bud any likely breach of public peace.

Bayelsa Residents Flee as JTF Troops Show Force

Residents of Yenagoa, Wednesday, scampered off the busy Mbiama-Yenagoa road to safety when men of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) in several Armored Personnel Carriers (APC) and military vehicles decided to unnerve the city dwellers with dare devil maneuvers to show off their strength.  It was gathered that the action of men of the JTF may have been prompted by a signal that some militants had concluded plans to invade the state capital.

Kidnappers Get N7 Million, Release Three Kidnapped Pupils

Three students kidnapped two weeks ago by gunmen from their school in Woji, Rivers State have been released after the payment of a N7million ransom.

Nigeria, Cameroun to Cooperate on Border Security

Cameroun and Nigeria have agreed to share security arrangements in the Bakassi area. Both countries agreed to work together to protect their land and sea border from attacks by militants and pirates, as well as fight illegal trafficking of arms, drugs, oil products and migrants.

Intensive Security at Chanomi Oil Field over Planned Militants’ Attack

Round-the-clock security patrol and army troops has be drafted around the Chanomi creek pipeline, which is currently undergoing repairs, as Niger Delta militants allegedly planned to launch attack on the facilities. The Joint Military Task Force (JTF), through its intelligence report said it has drafted additional troops to guard the facility.

Julius Berger Denies Kidnap of Expatriate Staff

Following media reports penultimate weekend that Niger Delta militants kidnapped an expatriate engineer with construction giant, Julius Berger Nigeria PLC, the organisation has denied that any of its expatriate staff was kidnapped. The report had alleged that the expatriate's vehicle ran into a checkpoint mounted by the militants at a sharp bend on his way to Uyo where the militants allegedly blocked his vehicle and held him at gun-point.

5 Pipeline Vandals in NSCDC Net

Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Enugu state have arrested five suspected pipeline vandals. Found in their possession were, three petrol tankers, a generator, hose and a motorcycle used for the illegal business.

Gunmen Kidnap Mother, Children in Port-Harcourt

Gunmen on Monday abducted Mrs. Alaye Aremie and her two children, Gabriel and Amanda around Oil Mill area of Port Harcourt, while the mother of the children was taking them to school. This comes on the heels of the release of six Filipinos taken hostage two weeks ago off the coast of Bonny.

Police Nab 22 Robbers, 4 Female Cocaine Dealers

The Police in Enugu on Monday paraded 23 armed robbery suspects believed to be responsible for the rising wave of attacks on motorists along the Enugu – Onitsha expressway. Also paraded were four ladies said to be supplying hoodlums with cocaine. Recovered from them were some quantities of powdered substances cocaine and a polythene bag containing weeds suspected to be Indian hemp. Also recovered were locally made pistols, live ammunition, and mobile handsets among other dangerous weapons.

Army Recovers Dynamite, Arms After Militants’ Attack on Shell

Gunmen on Wednesday attacked naval vessels guarding the Nigerian Liquefied and Natural Gas (NLNG) export terminals at Bonny Island in Port Harcourt belonging to the Shell. Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa, spokesman for the Joint Task Force (JTF) said dynamite, arms and ammunition were recovered from the gunmen. A member of the task force was reportedly wounded and several of the attackers were killed when two of their boats were sunk, Musa said.

Gunmen Abduct Two in Port Harcourt

Five gunmen, Thursday, kidnapped the Chairman of Diobu Timber Sellers Association, Chief Job Obire and another man at the timber shed Okwelle waterside, Diobu, Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The men robbed many people and shops of valuables, after manhandling a woman in the area. The police have confirmed the incident and are on the heels of the kidnappers.

Militants Abduct Lawmaker’s Wife in Akwa Ibom

Suspected kidnappers, Thursday, in Akwa Ibom State abducted the wife of Hon. Aloysious Etok, who is representing Ikot Ekpene Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives. She was kidnapped by seven gunmen who stormed their home. Before they struck, the militants had sent word to the family, demanding N10 million. Security has been strengthened within Uyo, the state capital, with mobile policemen at strategic points. The government offered N5 million for anyone with information on kidnappers and militants.

Ocean Surge Threatens 17 Villages

About 17 villages in Effiat, one of the oil-producing areas in Akwa Ibom State, may be lost to the Atlantic Ocean if urgent steps are not taken to arrest the surge from Atlantic Ocean. The residents have blamed the surge on the exploration activities of some oil companies.

Shell to Repair Trans Niger Pipeline

The Shell Petroleum Development Company has announced plans to repair two damaged sections of the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) at K. Dere and Bodo in Gokana LGA of Rivers State. It will be recalled that unknown persons between March and August, this year, set on three separate fires on the line at K-Dere which have now been extinguished.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

BNC Decries Political Violence in Edo

The Benin National Congress (BNC), a socio-cultural organisation in Edo State, has lamented recent political violence and intolerance in Edo State following the explosion of the residence of the chairman of the State Local Government Election Petition Tribunal, Justice Rowland Amaize last week. But the Leader of the State House of Assembly, Mr Frank Okiye, has warned against politicizing the incident in order not to jeopardize police investigations.

Delta Community Sacks Court

Some angry residents of Ogbeilo community, Oshimili South Local Government, Delta State on Wednesday disrupted proceedings of the Revenue Court, following alleged failure by the Ministry of Lands Survey and Urban Development to pay a backlog of rents owed them. The town hall, which houses the court, was rented to the state government at the creation of Delta State in 1991. The government is said to owe the community a three-year rent. It is put at N600, 000. Irked by the alleged intransigence of its tenants, the Ogbeilo community sacked the court and tied fresh palm fronds round its premises, indicating a declaration of rift.

JTF Arrests Illegal Bunkerers, Refiners

The Joint Task Force (JTF) in Delta state has again arrested seven persons including a woman involved in oil bunkering and illegal refining of products. Over 1,500 drums of diesel, otherwise known as Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), four surface tanks and one wooden boat were recovered.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

Man in Court for Alleged Drugging of Ladies

A 35-year-old man, Emeka Obi, has been docked in Ibadan for allegedly drugging four ladies at a hotel and dispossessing them of their valuables. The prosecution alleged that the accused had committed offences punishable under Sections 390 (9), 249 (d) and 421 of the Criminal Code Cap 38, Vol. 11, Laws of the Oyo State of Nigeria. The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.

Student Drowns in Lagos River

A Senior Secondary School 3 (SSS) student drowned last weekend in a river at Onireke area of Lagos. The student identified as Saviour Obisi was reported to have gone to the river in the company of his friends, penultimate Saturday, to have a quick bath when tragedy struck. Saviour was just a beginner swimmer.

Robbery Victim Kills Assailants

An armed robbery victim in Lagos, Philips Ofoyeju, who was violently waylaid and robbed at gun point, alongside his family members, successfully killed one of the robbers. Ofoyeju immediately went to lodge the report at the station. Meanwhile, the matter has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Panti for discreet investigations.

Police Parade Suspected Passport Racketeers

Two suspected international passport racketeers were paraded by the police in Ibadan, Oyo State, for unlawful possession of about 75 fake Nigerian passports. Other documents recovered from them included 55 suspected forged school certificates, ministries and parastatals stamps, a bundle of West African Examination Council (WAEC) certificates, universities and polytechnic certificates, Afribank letterhead, computer, electronic typewriters and school result sheets.

7 Picnickers Die in Auto Crash

At least seven picnickers going to the Alpha beach, Lekki, were killed on Sunday, in a ghastly motor accident which occurred along the Lekki-Epe Expressway. The bus conveying the picnickers to the beach somersaulted after colliding with another vehicle.

Robberies: Fear Grips Bank Customers, Officials

The rate at which armed robbers attack banks nationwide is currently giving the officials of financial institutions as well as their customers’ concern. Most of them are apprehensive about security in Banks as robbers have been killing or injuring bank officials and customers during recent raids especially in Lagos state, where multiple robbery cases against banks were recorded last week.

Family Protest Death of Policeman in the Hands of a Senior Colleague

The family of late Sgt. Andrew Eshilama has vowed to do everything legally possible to get justice for the policeman who died as a result of an alleged highhandedness by one of his senior colleagues. Eshilama, a 48-year-old father of six children, died on Wednesday while undergoing drilling for improper dressing.

Man Organises Robbery Attack on Uncle

The Lagos state police command has nabbed a man, who allegedly connived with three others to rob his uncle at gunpoint. Idowu, the mastermind of the operation confessed robbing his uncle, to raise some money to finance his education.

Oyo Police Bust Notorious Robbery Gangs

Police operatives in Oyo state have arrested over 40 persons for various offences.
Five of the suspects allegedly robbed some victims at Apete/Ijokodo, Ibadan and raped one of their female victims. They were apprehended during robbery operation at Ijokodo and Inalende Elelede areas of the ancient city.

Lagos Boosts RRS Operations with 10 Armored Vehicles, Ammunition

Lagos State crime fighting outfit, the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) during the week got new tools from the state government to replenish its armory. It got 10 Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs), 1000 AK47 rifles with two million rounds of live ammunition and 1000 bullet proof vests, while Spring Bank donated N100 million to the security outfit as its contribution in checking the free reign of armed robbers. This occurred as a Joint Patrol between the military and Police was set up in the state to combat crime.

Robbers Engage Police in Bloody Battle

Armed robbers in Lagos Island engaged the police in a shootout on Monday during which a civilian was killed several other injured and four policemen shot. Eye witnesses said that shootings started when the robbers, numbering over 20, were returning from an operation and one of their vehicles developed fault.

EFCC Arraigns 2 Female Stock Fraudsters

Two female suspects were on Monday arraigned separately before Lagos high courts over offences bordering on stock fraud. Both ladies were alleged to have at different occasions, fraudulently collected money from people to buy shares, and presented them with fake certificates.

JTF Arrests Leader of Crime Syndicate at MMA

The Joint Task Force on security at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) has arrested an undergraduate who is at the head of a syndicate that specialises in kidnapping passengers and robbing them of their money and other valuables. The suspect was arrested while trying to kidnap a Lebanese by name Mohammed Elmamud. It was learnt that the suspect posed as a protocol officer of Adamic Group of Companies on Victoria Island, which was expecting the Lebanese who arrived the country aboard a Qatar Airways’ flight.

Auto Crash Claims 6 in Ibadan

Six people lost their lives on Wednesday morning in a ghastly motor accident that occurred at Onigari, near Ibadan Toll-Gate on Lagos - Ibadan Expressway, while several other people sustained serious injuries. The accident occurred when the driver suddenly lost control of the vehicle after one of the tyres burst while on top speed, resulting in the vehicle veering off the road into the bush.

Police Kill Two Robbery Suspects, Arrest Four in Kwara

Officers of Kwara State Police Command on Wednesday killed two suspected armed robbers who were alleged to have been terrorizing the residents of Moro local government area of Kwara State during an exchange of gunshots while four were arrested and others are at large.

Gunmen Shoot Naval Officer, Wife

Police in Lagos are working round the clock to unravel the mystery surrounding the shooting of a naval officer and his wife at their home penultimate week in Lagos. The gunmen had stormed their home and opened fire on their targets. The gunmen thinking that they were dead fled from the scene before neighbours got to know about the incident following the sound of the gun shots. The officer and his wife were rushed to the Navy Hospital Ojo.

ICPC Arrests Anti-Corruption Volunteer Corps Coordinator

The Ondo State coordinator of the National Anti-Corruption Volunteer Corps (NAVC), Reverend Gbenga Awe, has been arrested by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for fraudulent activities. He was alleged to have been extorting those who wished to be enlisted as members of the corps, collecting N18, 000 from them, whereas enlistment was free of charge.

Nigeria Customs, Beninoise Police Collaborate to Fight Trans-Border Crime

Efforts at curbing trans-border crime at the notorious Seme border has received a boost following the renewed collaboration by the Nigeria Customs Service and the Beninoise police authorities to check the menace. The bilateral cooperation was re-enacted recently when the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Benin Republic, Monsieur Zachee Godonou, paid a courtesy visit to the Nigeria Customs Area Controller, Seme border command, Mallam Ali Wakili.

GENERAL

NNPC, JV Partners to Cover $3.8bn

Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has signed an agreement with Total to pep up the presidential directive to International Oil Companies (IOCs) on their domestic gas supply obligations. The signing and exchange of the Modified Carry Agreement (MCA) would enable Total upgrade its Oil Mining License (OML) 58. With the project upgrade, Total would be able to deliver incremental gas and condensate production on time.

Tanker Drivers Give FG, NNPC 14-day Ultimatum over Bad Roads

A prolong nationwide fuel scarcity may be in the offing unless government urgently intervene to stop plans by Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) to embark on strike by the end of this month. This is even as the tanker drivers have given the Federal Government a 14 day ultimatum within which to intervene in the rising cost of diesel and carry out major repair work on some federal highways across the country.

UNICEF: Diarrhea Kills 150,000 Nigerian Kids

Over 150,000 children in Nigeria die annually from diarrhea. According to a statement from UNICEF Communication Specialist, Media & External Relations, Geoffrey Njoku UNICEF said a simple hygiene habit – washing hands with soap – could halve the figure.

ExxonMobil Licenses Gas-to-Petrol Technology

ExxonMobil has entered into an agreement on global licensing for its methanol-to-gasoline technology with the United States (US) Synthesis Energy Systems (SES). The agreement gives SES the option to execute up to 15 methanol-to-gasoline technology licenses in its global operations, ExxonMobil said. It said SES has chosen to assign the first license to a project near Benwood in the US state West Virginia, with a 7,000 b/d unit. MTG technology was originally commercialized by ExxonMobil 20 years ago in New Zealand.

$120m Solid Mineral Grant: World Bank Rates Nigeria High

The World  Bank has scored Nigeria high on the implementation of a $120 million Sustainable Management of Mineral Resource Project grant extended to the country three years ago for the resuscitation of its Solid Mineral Sector. The Project is regarded as the largest mining intervention programme of the World Bank.

NDLEA Arrests 616 Drug Suspects, Gets 95 convictions

The Kano State command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested 616 drug suspects, seizing 3,537.558 kilogrammes of various illicit drugs.  The suspects were nabbed between January and September 2008. Out of the total number of arrests, 605 were males while 11 were females. The NDLEA also saw the conviction of 95 drug dealers within the same period.

Kaduna Police Arrest 20 Robbery Suspects

The Kaduna State Police Command has arrested 20 suspected armed robbers who have been terrorizing motorists and commuters along Zaria-Kaduna highway. Among the suspects were two notorious bandits who were wearing military camouflage during operations.

Addax Uses Nigeria Navy to Guard Oil Facilities

Militant and pirate activity in Nigeria has led Addax Petroleum to hire ex-U.S. military speed boats staffed by Nigerian navy personnel. Jean Claude Gandur, chief executive officer of the company said that an attack on an Addax supply vessel in June, which left one of its contractors dead, had forced the company to act.

New Refinery Guidelines Recommend 18,000 bpd

Preview of guidelines for the establishment of private refineries is being effected by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) in a renewed bid to rev up the initiated seen as the window to meeting local demand of refined products and for export. The review is coming in the wake of the withdrawal of the license earlier granted to 18 companies for failure to activate their license.

African Finance Ministers Blame Global Financial Crisis on IMF

African ministers of finance have said that the International Monetary Fund must take part of the blame for the lapses that led to the ongoing global financial turmoil. The ministers also said at the ongoing World Bank/International Monetary Fund autumn meetings in Washington, DC, United States, that a common currency was not an immediate need in Africa.

NUPENG Threatens to Picket Shell

National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas workers (NUPENG) penultimate Sunday threatened to disrupt the operations of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and Shell Nigeria Exploration Petroleum Company (SNEPCO) over the alleged retrenchment of 21 contract staff without paying their allowances.   A statement by NUPENG Zonal Secretary, Mr. Tokunbo Korodo, said the move is imperative in view of the lackadaisical attitude of Shell and SNEPCO’s managements.

FG Seeks Foreign Assistance on Oil Spill in N’Delta

Federal Government has embarked on a campaign for international collaboration to help strengthen the country's preparedness and response capacity in dealing with the problems of oil spill in the Niger Delta. The Minister of Environment, Housing and Urban Development, Mrs. Halima Tayo Alao, along with the Director-General/CEO of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Dr. Bamidele Ajakaiye, recently visited some organisations in the United Kingdom to solicit their assistance in addressing oil spillage.

Senate Probes $5.9bn Escravos Gas Contract
• NNPC, Obaseki accuse Chevron of contract inflation

The Senate Committee on Gas Resources was, Monday, informed on how Chevron Nigeria Limited allegedly inflated the Escravos Gas-to-Liquid (EGTL) project from $1.7 billion to $5.9 billion without due process. The Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said it did not give Chevron the approval to increase the contract sum. But the Acting Managing Director of Chevron, Mr. Olasupo Shadiya, said the company wrote NNPC on the upward review of the contract sum but that the NNPC did not formally give its approval.

Shake-up in Army: Three new corps Commanders Emerge

The Nigerian Army High Command has effected a minor shake up in its hierarchy with the appointment of three new Corps Commanders, a new Commandant for the Nigerian Defence Academy and a new Director of Defence Information. Major General Mamuda Yerima, formerly the Commandant of the Nigerian Army Ordinance Corp, is now the Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy, while Major General Abubakar Atofarati is the new Chief of Operations at Army headquarters. Also, Major General Alex Ogunedo was appointed the Commandant at the Training and Doctrine Command of the Nigerian Army, Niger State and Colonel Chris Jemitola is the new Director of Defence Information (DDI).

N-Delta: UN, Int'l Communities Back FG on Oil Bunkering

The United States and other International communities have accepted to support the Federal Government's efforts in ensuring that there is criminalization of oil bunkering in Niger Delta region, Foreign Affairs Minister Chief Ojo Maduekwe has disclosed.

FG Cuts Oil Benchmark for 2009 Budget

The ongoing global financial crisis has forced the Federal Government to sharply rethink the basis of its budget projections for 2009. With oil prices falling faster than expected, government is now set to drop its projected oil benchmark from $62.5 per barrel to a more realistic figure of between $45 and $55 per barrel. Government also plans to cut and remove some items of expenditure in the budget.

Labour Set for War over Sale of Gas Firm

Oil and gas workers, Thursday, told the Federal Government to shelve the idea of its plan to sell off the Nigeria Gas Company (NGC) and the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC) or expect a full blown face-off. Although the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), which oversees the sale of state utilities, has denied the rumour, the oil and gas workers said that the agency’s words could not be relied upon and demanded a categorical statement from the Presidency.

Militants Demand Sovereign Confab, Okah’s Release

A Sovereign National Conference (SNC), the unconditional release of the detained militant group leader, Henry Okah, application of PTDF money and the immediate withdrawal of Joint Task Force (JTF) members are the preconditions specified on Thursday by militant groups for the return of peace to the Niger Delta region. The conditions were contained in a memorandum submitted to the Technical Committee on Niger Delta by three militant groups.

Police May Withdraw Officers Attached to Private Persons

More than 100,000 policemen attached to private persons in the country may soon be withdrawn in a new move to boost service-delivery to the general public by the security agents. The move to recall them is coming on the heels of trenchant complaints that the police are not performing partly because of manpower shortage, while over 100,000 of them are deployed for private service.

Mutiny: Soldiers Petition Senate

The 28 Nigerian soldiers who are currently facing trial for mutiny have petitioned the Senate asking it to intervene to prevent the exposure of a can of worms it said could emanate from their present trial. The soldiers in the petition alleged bias against them on the part of the army high command and notably, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahaman Danbazzau, who they alleged has a deep interest in the case.

INTERNATIONAL

Congo's Violence Sacks over 50,000, says UN

Intense fighting between the Congolese army and Ugandan rebels has forced over 50,000 people to flee their homes in the north-eastern Congo.  Local authorities have claimed that the bodies of 100 civilians were dumped in a river, while 80 children have been reported missing with parents fearing that they had been recruited by the Ugandan rebel Lord's Resistance Army.  Meanwhile, fresh fighting in the neighbouring province of Nord-Kivu has displaced another 100,000 people.

Bush Signs $990 Billion in Defense Spending

President George W. Bush of the United States (US) on Tuesday signed legislation allowing $990 billion in defense spending for the 2009 budget year, including a pay raise for US troops. The legislation allows a supplement of nearly $113 billion for US operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and requires more information on contractors with projects in Iraq. It also paves the way for Bush's plan to build an anti-missile system in Eastern Europe, a proposal strongly opposed by Russia.

UK Soldier Accused of Spying

A British soldier working as an interpreter for the commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan began spying for Iran because he felt he was the victim of racism in the Army. Corporal Daniel James, 45, used his position, working for General Sir David Richards, to offer secrets to an officer at the Iranian Embassy in Kabul. The Iranian-born reservist of 18 years' service had become "aggrieved and bitter" at his treatment by the military, blaming his lack of promotion on prejudice, Mark Dennis, for the prosecution, told the court.

Sudan to Try Militia Leader

A Sudanese special prosecutor investigating atrocities in Darfur has decided there are grounds to try a leader of the feared Janjaweed militia. Idris Suleiman, deputy head of Sudan's mission in Cairo, said that state-backed Sudanese militia leader Ali Kosheib will be brought to court in Darfur at a date set by a judge. Mr Suleiman said Kosheib has been in custody for months, and that the investigation accelerated after the justice ministry appointed a special prosecutor in August and access to witnesses became easier. Thirteen cases of crimes in Darfur are being investigated, he said, although he declined to say how many suspects were involved.

Scores of Taliban Die in Afghanistan Raid

About 70 Taliban fighters were killed in an overnight air strike by foreign forces in the southern Afghan province of Helmand near the Pakistan border, according to the provincial governor's spokesman. The attack took place late on Tuesday in Helmand's Baram Cha district. Violence in Afghanistan is running at its highest rate since the United States (U.S.)-led invasion to wrest control from the militant Islamist Taliban movement in 2001.

British Minister Warns of Fresh Terror Attack

Following the House of Lords' rejection of a measure that would have extended the amount of time police can hold terror suspects without charge, a government security minister has warned of fresh threat of another major terrorist attack in Britain. Alan West, a counter-terrorism minister and member of the House of Lords, said the threat is rising after having dipped slightly.

North Korea to Resume Dismantling Nuclear Facilities

North Korea has promised to resume dismantling its main nuclear facilities hours after the United States (US) removed it from a list of states sponsor terrorism. North Korea's Foreign Ministry said it would again allow inspections by the United States (U.S.) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) at its Yongbyon nuclear complex to verify the disablement process. North Korea halted its nuclear disablement in August in anger over what it called U.S. delays in removing it from the terror list and took steps toward reassembling its plutonium-producing facility.

Darfur Rebels Accuse Arab Militia of Attacking Southern Villages

Rebel commanders in Darfur have accused Arab militias of attacking villages in the southern swathe of the region, killing civilians and torching homes. The accusations are likely to increase Western concern over President Omar al-Bashir who is facing a possible arrest for war crimes.

EU Slams Mugabe, Threatens Fresh Sanctions

The European Union (EU) has condemned Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe's "unilateral decision" to form a new government and threatened fresh sanctions unless he respects a power-sharing deal.

India's PM Blames Rising Violence on Extremists

Amid heightening violence, India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has warned of rising ethnic and communal tensions in the country and blamed extremist elements for fuelling the problem. This came against a backdrop of unrest, particularly attacks by Hindus on Christians in eastern Orissa and southern Karnataka states, and clashes between Muslims and tribal groups in the north-east.

Oil Price Rebounds through European Bank Rescue Plan

A pledge by European countries to keep banks from collapsing injected optimism into oil markets Monday, with prices rebounding from a 13-month low to rise above $80 a barrel. Gasoline and heating oil also recorded substantial gains. The market was also supported by OPEC’s decision to call a special meeting next month amid members’ concerns about prices that have fallen about 45 percent since soaring to a record $147.27 on July 11.

Ohio Executes Inmate Who Argued Was Too Fat To Die

Ohio has executed a 5-foot-7, 267-pound double murderer who argued his obesity made death by lethal injection inhumane, after the US supreme refused to take further appeals from him. Richard Cooey, 41, killed two University of Akron students in 1986.

California Battered By Wind-Whipped Wildfires

Powerful winds stoked three major wildfires in California on Tuesday morning after destroying dozens of homes, forcing thousands to flee and killing two people.The fires have charred nearly 15 square miles in suburban Los Angeles and northern San Diego County in three days, with the fiercest blazes burning in the San Fernando Valley. More than 2,000 firefighters and a fleet of water- and retardant-dropping aircraft battled a 5,000 acre fire in canyons on the west end of the valley and another 5,300-acre fire at the northeast end.

African Migrant Drown in Yemeni

More African illegal migrants were killed after smugglers threw nearly 150 Somali migrants overboard in shark-infested waters in Yemen. The Gulf of Aden between Yemen and the Horn of Africa is the most lawless stretches of ocean in the world and notorious for Somali piracy. This heightened security concerns and prompted the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) last week to send warships to help United States (U.S ) Navy vessels that are patrolling the region. The latest deaths have prompted calls for the ships to also check human trafficking in the same waters.

13 Immigrants Thrown into Sea

Thirteen African immigrants were thrown overboard alive in September as they attempted to reach Italy by boat, a prosecutor on the island of Sicily said on Monday.  Sicilian prosecutors initially established the would-be illegal immigrants were already dead when they were thrown into the ocean before hearing testimony otherwise. The victims were part of a group of 59 people from Nigeria, Niger and Ghana travelling by boat to Italy. There were 14 women and two young girls on board.

4 Killed in Helicopter Crash in Chicago Suburb

A medical helicopter transporting a 1-year-old girl to a Chicago hospital crashed and burned overnight, killing all four aboard on Wednesday.The helicopter was headed for Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago from Valley West Hospital in Sandwich, about 50 miles west, when it went down minutes before midnight