Villeworth Security Services Ltd

week 15

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PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

Akwa Ibom Cedes 86 Oil Wells to Rivers

The Supreme Court has ruled that Akwa Ibom State government should transfer to the Rivers State Government 86 oil wells with revenues accruing from them since April 2009. Counsel to Rivers State, Ade Okeaya-Inneh, said the amount, about pay N350 billion, was a conservative estimate of what Akwa Ibom would pay to Rivers. In a unanimous judgment, seven justices of the Supreme Court held that Akwa Ibom was bound by an agreement it signed with the Rivers State government. The agreement, which was supervised by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, saw the states agreeing to a political solution to the dispute. But the Akwa Ibom State government denied entering into any agreement with its Rivers counterpart in 2004 on sharing of the 172 oil wells.

SSS Arrests Illegal Arms Producers

The Enugu State Command of the State Security Services (SSS) on Tuesday uncovered an illegal arms manufacturing factory in Nenwe, Aninri LGA, recovering over 150 dangerous weapons, including different calibres of guns amongst others. The Director of the service, Mr. Tanimoa Adalkhali, said the large cache of arms was discovered following an intelligence report received by his office. The SSS boss also said four of the suspected five illegal arms manufacturers were arrested during the raid. According to him, the suspected arms manufacturers would be handed over to the police after investigations had been concluded.

8 Die in Uyo Violence

Clashes between the supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) at Ikpe Annang in Ikot Ekpene LGA of Akwa Ibom State, led to the killing of at least 8 people and the mass destruction of cars and buildings. As a result, men of the armed forces have completely taken over security in the state. The state’s Commissioner of Police, Felix Uyanna, on Wednesday, said that 51 suspects had been arrested in connection with the violence. Uyanna listed some of the property destroyed to include, the presidential campaign office of Goodluck/Sambo, which was set ablaze, 127 cars and 157 tricycles. He warned that the days ahead might even be more challenging. As follow up, opposition governorship candidate, John James Akpanudoedehe, has been charged with treason, police said on Saturday.

Gunmen Kidnap Poly Rector, Doctor in Akwa Ibom

Suspected kidnappers, Monday, abducted the Rector of Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Dr. Sylvester Akpan, and the Chief Medical Director of Demark Hospital, Dr. Isaiah Akpan, at Ikot Ekpene LGA of the state. The rector was whisked away by armed hoodlums in his home as he was about entering his car, while the CDM was kidnapped in a separate kidnap incident shortly after returning from work. Some factions of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, led by the Chairman, Mr. Iboro Ibara, have been arrested over the abduction of the rector.

Police Kill Two Youths in Anambra

Angry youths from Oba community in Idemili South LGA of Anambra State, last weekend, set ablaze a police patrol van and vandalised a police post as they protested the killing of two people by policemen. They also blocked the vital Onitsha–Owerri Expressway and the Oba–Ichi road to underscore the seriousness of their protest.  The first victim of the police shooting, an Indian-Hemp seller, was allegedly shot as he tried to escape police arrest.  The second victim, a commercial motorcycle rider, was said to have been killed by a stray bullet fired by the police, in a bid to dismiss the protesting youths. The youths were allegedly trying to burn a police station. The State Police spokesman, Emeka Chukwuemeka, said the killings resulted from accidental discharges.

Gunmen Kill FRSC Staff in Owerri

A road marshal, Mr Francis Iwuji, attached to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Imo State command, has been shot and killed by unknown gunmen, while another has been hospitalised with serious injuries. Corps Marshal of FRSC, Mr Osita Chidoka, condemned the killing of the officer while discharging his duties. Details of the incident, as released in Abuja, on Monday, by the FRSC headquarters, indicated that the patrol team noticed suspicious movements in a nearby bush, but as they moved towards the bush, they were felled by gunshots.

Gunmen Attack Party Supporter at Rally in Bayelsa

Attempt by gunmen to disrupt the political rally of the Labour Party in Bayelsa State, where the party governorship candidate, Mr. Timi Alaibe and others were formally presented the party’s flag was, on Thursday, foiled by the police. The rally ground was filled to capacity, when unknown gunmen started firing shots from across the road, causing pandemonium. But the security operatives deployed to the campaign ground, returned fire, leading to a gun duel that lasted several minutes. The gunmen succumbed to the superior fire power of the police and escaped through the opposite Ekeki Phase 2 Housing Estate.

INC Wants Security Agencies to Fish out MEND

Members of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) have called on the security agencies to fish out those behind the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), saying that anyone calling for violence was not speaking for the people of the region. MEND had, few days ago, asked Nigerians to steer clear of political rallies in Abuja, Lagos, saying that it was planning to also bomb strategic places in the oil-rich Niger Delta region. The Acting President of the INC, Chief Joshua Benamaisia, advised all genuine freedom fighters from the region to embrace peace. Meanwhile, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has denied ever sponsoring MEND. This follows a report that some northern leaders, including Atiku are behind MEND.

Hoodlums Attack Ngige, Okonkwo

Suspected political thugs in Anambra state attacked two senatorial candidates at two different markets in the state, killing one person in each Market, where the candidates of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Dr. Chris Ngige, and his counterpart in the Accord Party, Senator Annie Okonkwo, had gone to campaign. A policeman, attached to Okonkwo, was injured in Awka, while several vehicles around the areas of the attacks were vandalised when traders refused him the chance to campaign in the market. In the Onitsha incident, said some youths stopped Ngige from entering the main market. But the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Emeka Chukwuemeka, said no one was killed in any of the incidents.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

Senator Escapes Death, ADC Killed in Gun Attack

Suspected assassins, late on Sunday, attacked the convoy of the senator representing Edo South senatorial district, Ehigie Uzamere, killing his aide-de-camp (ADC) and injuring his driver. Uzamere, who escaped unhurt, is also the Edo South senatorial candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). Policemen in the convoy of Senator Uzamere were said to have responded to the gunfire of the assailants, killing one of them. Two other suspects were arrested by the operatives of the state’s Joint Military Task Force.

Kidnappers Abduct Politician’s Mother

Suspected kidnappers, last weekend, abducted the 90-year-old mother of Ighoyota Amori, the Delta-South Senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The kidnappers are reported to have demanded N50 million as ransom for her release. The latest case came on the heels of the abduction of the daughter of former chairman of the Editorial Board of a National Newspaper in Warri and Mr. Chiedu Mekoma, the vice chairman of Aniocha-South Council by gunmen. Chairman of Ethiope-West Local Council, Dr. Wilson Omene, lamented that politics in the state had become violent.

18 Killed In Road Accident

Eighteen persons were feared dead, penultimate Sunday near Ogbese River between the border of Edo and Ondo States when an 18-seater bus conveying passengers from the eastern part of the country plunged into the river. The bus was said to have skidded off the road when the driver lost control of it. Further details were not immediately available.

Man Murders Sick Son

A man, Fred Iboh Ighohwo, 27 of Out Jeremy, who allegedly murdered his son, 3, by forcing a cupful of poison into his stomach, has been arrested by the Delta state police command. The 3-year-old was allegedly sick for a long time and the father got frustrated, prompting the action. Ighohwo’s mother-in-law suspected some foul play in the boy’s death and reported to some elders of the community. The suspect eventually admitted that he killed the boy, explaining that he used Gammalin 20 to poison him. The case was then reported at the Otu-Jeremi police station and Ighohwo was arrested. His wife was also arrested and the case transferred to the CID Asaba for investigation.

One Killed as Explosion Rocks DSC

Explosion rocked the Delta Steel Company (DSC) Aladja on Monday night killing a staff of the steel company. It was learnt that the explosion occurred in one of the furnaces of the plant and blasted the deceased. It was learnt that another staff of the company, was seriously wounded. Sources disclosed that the victims were working under furnace two 33 KVA breakers in the control room in the workshop when the furnace exploded and threw them apart.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

Abducted Pupil Rescued by Residents

Residents of Ejigbo, last Friday foiled an attempt by three men to abduct an eight-year-old boy. The boy, who was returning from school in the company of his siblings, was forcibly dragged into a cab by three men.  But his sibling raised the alarm which alerted some concerned neighbours to their plight. On sensing danger, two of the suspected kidnappers escaped, but the residents were able to apprehend the third man, who later gave his name simply as Chinedu. The residents later handed him over to the police at Ejigbo Police Station.

NDLEA Clamps Down on Drug Cartel, Arrest 2

In a major crackdown, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said it has aborted a plan by a syndicate to import 6.4kg of white cocaine worth about N64 million into the country. One of the suspects arrested was said to have arrived at the Lagos airport from Brazil en-route Dubai in an Emirate flight on Sunday with the drug in his luggage. The second suspect, a member of the cartel in Nigeria, was also arrested. Describing the latest onslaught against drug barons as impressive, the Chairman/Chief Executive of the Agency, Ahmadu Giade, noted that the success was as a result of the red alert declared on the Nigerian-Brazil route.

Army, Police to Carry out Joint Patrol

The 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Ibadan and the Nigeria Police are to carry out joint patrols within Ibadan and its environs during the April general elections. Lt. Col. Omale Ochagwuba, Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, who made the announcement, said the joint patrol, scheduled to commence on March 21, was in line with army’s constitutional role of giving aid to civil authority. Ochagwuba assured the public of the army’s readiness to protect lives and property when the need arises, and urged parents and guardians to warn their wards against being used by politicians to perpetrate violence. He appealed to the public to avail the army of useful information on the activities of criminals and trouble makers who posed any threat to law and order in the state.

Gunmen Kidnap Mother of Businessman, Jimoh Ibrahim

The 65-year-old mother of businessman, Jimoh Ibrahim, was Penultimate Sunday, kidnapped in Ondo State. The woman, Mafe Jimoh, was said to have been abducted by four heavily-armed young men, who stormed the country home of Ibrahim. The state command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Aremu Adeniran, assured the family that it would do everything possible to ensure that their abducted matriarch was released unhurt.

Armed Men Abduct Ibadan Politician

Some armed men suspected to be members of a faction of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Oyo State Chapter, penultimate Sunday, abducted a chieftain of the Accord Party, Mr. Julius Olaoye. Another member of the party, Mr. Ajasa Balogun, and his wife, Kehinde, were also injured during the attack, allegedly led by a factional leader of the NURTW. In Osun state, a major distributor of drinks, Alhaji Raifu Olaiya, was kidnapped penultimate Sunday. An eyewitness said Olaiya was kidnapped by two gun-wielding men. It was gathered that Olaiya had often received threat letters from unknown persons. The Osun State Commissioner of Police, Mr Solomon Olusegun, said that investigation had opened and was ongoing.

Youths Protest Police Brutality, Beat Policeman to Coma

Irate youths on Tuesday beat a police inspector to a coma and vandalised a patrol van in Ibadan, Oyo State. An eyewitness said that trouble started when some policemen, who were on duty along Muslim-Beere Road, stopped a commercial motorcyclist. In the process of escaping from the policemen, the motorcyclist was said to have fallen and his passenger was injured. In annoyance, the passenger was said to have hurled abuses at the policemen. But this was said to have infuriated the police inspector who allegedly hit the passenger with the butt of his gun. The development reportedly angered eyewitnesses who quickly mobilised and descended on the policeman.

Five Killed In Ondo, Ekiti Robberies

Gunmen struck in Ondo and Ekiti states on Thursday, killing about five persons: three in Ondo and two in Ekiti. In Ondo state, suspected armed robbers attacked a bank and killed three people. No fewer than seven people were also said to have been injured in the incident that lasted for about one hour. However, the police spokesman in the state, Aremu Adeniran, said only one person died in the incident. In Ekiti State, gunmen also struck and left Toyin Akinlade, the Organising Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ido/Osi LGA and one night guard, Lawrence Adebayo (70) dead. The State Police spokesman, Mohammed Jimoh, however, confirmed that only one person was killed. In another incident, four students of the School of Health Technology, were kidnapped but later released. The police confirmed this.

1000 Bags of Indian-Hemp Seized in Ibadan

About 1,000 bags loaded with weeds suspected to be Indian hemps were, on Tuesday, recovered by policemen in Oyo State. Also arrested was one Anthony Owoeye, who was found in the building where the bags were concealed, while the police were on the manhunt for a principal suspect, Peter Boxing, who allegedly owned the exhibits. The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr Mohammed Ladan, said the recovery was as a result of information acted upon by the police. The arrested suspect said that he was employed by Mr Boxing four months ago to keep the surroundings of the building. Though he said he was using one of the rooms, Owoeye denied knowing that the bags of weed were kept in the house.

GENERAL

Pilot Dies in Air Force Plane Crash

Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, was Tuesday closed to flights following an air crash involving a fighter aircraft, F7-1, belonging to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).  The incident claimed the life of the pilot, who was on a routine training, according to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) authorities. The Director of Information, NAF, Air Commodore Yusuf Anas, said the F7-1 fighter aircraft was in Kano for a two-week training exercise before returning to Makurdi. Umar said the NAF headquarters had already set up an accident investigation panel to unravel the circumstances that led to the accident.

Sokoto Police Mobilise 4000 Policemen for Polls

Sokoto State Police Command, Wednesday, said that about 4000 policemen would be deployed to ensure hitch-free April polls in the state. The Commissioner of Police in Sokoto, Alhaji Adeola Adeniji, said the move was aimed at ensuring adequate security within the metropolis and its environs during the elections. He said that each polling unit would be manned by a policeman to ensure free and credible polls. Adewola added that the police would partner with FRSC, Immigration, Customs and NSCDS to ensure maximum patrol during the polls.

STF Arrests 3 Bomb Manufacturers

Men of the Special Task Force (STF) in Plateau State have arrested three suspects for making explosive devices and locally made bombs. The media officer of the STF, Captain Charles Ekeocha, disclosed that 20 assorted bomb-making equipments were recovered from the suspects. Ekeocha said men of the STF apprehended one of the suspects with a black nylon bag containing equipment used in manufacturing explosives and upon interrogation, he mentioned one Farouk Anyor as the owner, leading to a raid of the residence of the kingpin which was used as the manufacturing site.

Military DNA Facility Ready for Use

The Minister of Defence, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode, has said an 80,000 capacity Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) bank established by the Defence Headquarters with the support of the Ministry of Defence in 2008 was ready for use. Kayode, who spoke at the sensitisation and awareness campaign of the DNA banking project in Abuja on Monday, said the bank was ready to receive over 80,000 samples. The minister said the project was designed to be of immense benefit not only to the military and paramilitary organisations but also to the entire country. He said that the DNA project was a response to problems of identification of Nigerian soldiers killed on peacekeeping assignments.

Spanish Police Officers Face Charges over Nigerian’s Death

The trial of two Spanish police officers accused of causing the death of a Nigerian, Osamuyi Aikpitanyi, has begun in the Elche Court 7 in Costa Blanca, Spain, according to Media reports. The report said the Spanish Public Prosecutor is seeking a three-year prison sentence for each of the two National Police officers for ‘murder by negligence’. They were accused of restraining the 23-year-old Nigerian by handcuffing him and placing tape around his arms, legs and mouth after he ‘forcefully fought against’ being deported from Madrid to Lagos on June 9, 2007. The prosecutor said this prevented him from being able to breathe properly, which prompted a secondary cardiac arrest and asphyxia by suffocation and death. The Nigerian House of Representatives had rejected the body and sent it back to Spain in a quest for justice.

INEC Bars Armed Security Aides at Polling Centres

Ahead of April’s polls, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has barred armed security men from accompanying their principals to polling centres during the elections. Chairman of INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, said the action was born out of the need to check the incidence of abuse and influence. Jega said the commission was ready for the elections and restated that he was not under any pressure from anybody or quarter to rig or manipulate the elections.

NDLEA Officials Arraigned over Escape of Suleja Bomber

The Police in Niger State on Wednesday dragged three officials of the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency to the Chief Magistrates Court in Minna for allegedly facilitating the escape of a suspect, who allegedly carried out the bombing a rally organised by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Suleja on March 3, killing several persons. The NDLEA officials arraigned by the police were said to be the leader of the team that arrested the suspect. They were arraigned on a six-count charge of criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, abetting, aiding escape of a terrorist, and destruction of vital exhibit, negligent conduct and mischief.

Govt Orders Crackdown As Polls Violence Rages

The FG, Wednesday, declared as unacceptable the current orgy of violence in the polity, and has ordered security agents to bring perpetrators to book. Meanwhile the violence continues as politicians and their supporters in Ekiti, Ondo and Jigawa states battles each other. In Ekiti State, violence broke out with the police allegedly shooting to death, a PDP supporter while attempting to quell the mayhem. Another resident was wounded. In Jigawa, supporters of the PDP, ANPP, and CPC engaged in a free-for-all in Hadejia Local Council. In Ondo State, supporters of the ruling Labour Party (LP) and the PDP clashed with seven people injured and one dead. Minister of Information and Communications, Labaran Maku, said President Jonathan has resolved to take decisive actions against anyone, party, or group that threatened the life and property of others.

Police, Youths Clash In Kaduna over Arrest of Suspects

Normalcy has returned to Pambegua in Kubau LGA of Kaduna State following clash between some youths and the Police in which about three persons were killed by the police on Tuesday. The clash arose when the youths tried to forcefully seize some of their colleagues who had been earlier arrested in connection with a killing in the area. The State Police Commissioner, Ballah Nasarawa, explained that the youths attacked the police in an attempt to free suspected criminals. However, another report said the feuds arose following an attack on an Islamic cleric in the area but this could not be verified.

Boko Haram Raid Hospital, Remove Patient

Gunmen suspected to be members of Boko-Haram, last weekend, stormed the male ward of the Abubakar Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi, shooting sporadically and forcefully removed their member who was admitted in the hospital. Confirming the attack, the Bauchi State Police Commissioner, Abdulkadir Mohammed Indabawa, disclosed that eight suspects including the one taken from the hospital were arrested and were in police custody. The Police said items recovered from them include explosives, ammunition and other weapons.

Three Arrested over Journalist’s Murder in Kaduna

Three suspects have been detained and are undergoing interrogation by the police in connection with the murder of a Kaduna-based female journalist, Naya Iliyasu, who was recently found strangled and covered in her night dress in her apartment. Her boyfriend, Timothy Kwaha, was said to have been the first to report the incident to the police, as he claimed he found the body the morning after her death when he went to visit her. He and two security men guarding the compound are being detained by the Police for interrogation. The police public relations officer (PPRO), Aminu Lawal, confirmed their arrest.

Police arrest 41 Nigeriens

The Police in Abuja on Monday said it had arrested 41 Niger nationals in the Gwarinpa area of the city. The arrested foreigners were picked up at an uncompleted building within the area. It was gathered that the large number of people, who were said to have dressed in dirty clothes and moving in a suspicious manner, attracted the attention of a passerby. The passerby, it was further gathered, was said to have informed the police of the discovery. Those arrested were being questioned on how they entered the country and why they were moving in large number.

Police Deploy ATS to INEC Headquarters

Security at the headquarters of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has been beefed up with the deployment of officers and men of the Anti-terrorism Squad (ATS). The ATS personnel were stationed at strategic positions within and around INEC headquarters. It was learnt that the deployment of the squad to the electoral commission’s headquarters became necessary, following increased violence across the country since INEC offices could become targets of political thugs and other miscreants who do not want the elections to hold.

Boko Haram Kills Party Youth Leader

Gunmen suspected of being members of a radical Islamic sect, Boko Haram, shot dead the youth leader of the All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP) in Borno State on Sunday. Confirming the incident, the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, said that "the killers had come on their motorbikes and shot their victim on the head and chest".

5 Killed as Buhari Campaigns in Jos

Presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Monday, defied police order as he addressed a rally in Jos. The police had a hectic time controlling excited supporters of Buhari and those of other political parties who were annoyed with the attitude of the CPC supporters. The police had earlier told Buhari not to come to Jos on the grounds that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship rally was scheduled to hold on the same day and at the same venue. At least five supporters of the CPC were feared dead at the rally. In Kano, several people sustained injuries on Thursday when a bus ran into a rally of the CPC. The incident occurred when the driver of the vehicle, carrying supporters of the CPC lost control and rammed into the gathering.

8 Killed In Jos Attacks

Following the Sunday bomb explosions targeted at some local churches in Jos, the Plateau State capital, a free for all became the order of the day in Farin-gada between natives and Hausa-Fulani settlers, with about eight people were killed and several others wounded. Investigations revealed that the fight was ignited Sunday night with the killing of one unnamed Christian. Sporadic gun shots were heard in the neighbourhood. Soldiers of the Special Military Task Force (STF) were drafted to keep peace and maintain law and order.

Action Congress Faces Attacks in Zamfara, Bauchi

Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) presidential candidate, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, escaped being lynched in Zamfara, penultimate Saturday when furious youths barricaded and stoned his motorcade at the palace of the Emir of Gusau. It took the intervention of the police to disperse the crowd. The party is enmeshed in crisis, following the replacement of its governorship standard-bearer, Alhaji Sarki Surajo, with Alhaji Bala Muhammad Dansadau. Meanwhile, one person was killed while seven others injured when armed thugs attacked the campaign team of Bauchi State governorship candidate of the ACN, Senator Baba Tela. The ACN deputy governorship candidate, Mallam Ali Wakili, said that the thugs burnt down vehicles and molested people until policemen came to their rescue.

Nigeria gets Bomb Detectors from UK

British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Andrew Lloyd, penultimate Friday, donated four explosives and drugs detecting devices to Nigeria for use at the nation's airport. Making the presentation in Abuja to the Managing Director of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr. Richard Aisuebiogun, Lloyd said the equipment will help in fighting terrorism, insecurity and ensuring safety at the airports.

Fleeing Nigerian Day-care Owner Submits to Police

Fugitive day care owner, Jessica Tata, last Saturday, reportedly surrendered herself to Nigeria’s security operatives. Tata, 22, who was charged in the United States with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, was accused of going shopping and leaving children Unattended when a fire broke out on February 24 in a day care at Houston, United States. The house, which served as a day care facility called Jackie’s Child Care, had seven children at the home when the fire broke out. Extradition experts say that the four manslaughter charges allowed extradition from Nigeria.

Fire Razes Katsina Market

Properties valued at millions of naira were destroyed on Monday following a fire outbreak at a section of the Katsina Central Market. The fire, whose cause was yet to be established, razed 30 shops. One of the victims, Salisu Mohammed, said that the fire started from a generator-mechanic’s shop and spread to other shops. Another victim, who also lost everything to the inferno, commended the men of the fire service for their prompt response. The fire, which lasted for more than one hour, was brought under control through the combined effort of the state fire service and fire fighters from the Federal Airports Authority, Katsina.

INTERNATIONAL

20,000 Dead or Missing in Japan

Crews fighting to cool reactors at Japan's stricken nuclear plant struggled Sunday to switch partial power back on after a natural disaster that has left more than 20,000 people dead or missing. The Fukushima plant was crippled on March 11 by a massive earthquake and tsunami which, with 8,133 people confirmed killed is Japan's worst natural disaster since 1923. Another 12,272 are missing, feared lost to the tsunami or buried in the wreckage of buildings. According to the charity Save the Children, around 100,000 children were displaced by the disaster, and signs of trauma are evident among survivors as the nuclear emergency and countless aftershocks heighten their terror.

Mine Blast Traps 30 in Pakistan

Methane gas sparked an explosion inside a coal mine run by the state-owned Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC) the province of Baluchistan, trapping around 30 miners, penultimate Sunday. Such explosions are not uncommon in coal mines in Pakistan, most of which are located in Baluchistan and neighbouring Sindh province, where safety measures can be lax. The country has huge coal reserves estimated at more than 184 billion tonnes. It produces 4 million tonnes of coal annually, most of which is consumed by brick-making.

Death Toll Hits 52 in Yemeni Crisis

Medics raised the death toll from a sniper attack on Yemeni protesters to 52 and thousands rallied despite a state of emergency imposed by the government. The slaughter in Sanaa on Friday afternoon was the bloodiest day in weeks of unrest that have shaken the regime of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, a key US ally in the war against Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula militants. Witnesses said pro-Saleh "thugs" rained bullets from rooftops around a square at Sanaa University, which for weeks has been the centre of demonstrations calling for the end of Saleh's 32-year rule. Many of the victims were shot in the head and more than 120 people wounded, medics said. Saleh has promised on Thursday to transfer power peacefully, but gave no indication of the timing or conditions.

Earth Quake in Myanmar Kills over 70 People

A strong earthquake in north-eastern Myanmar has killed more than 70 people, and there were fears the toll would mount. The Thursday quake, measured at a magnitude 6.8 by the U.S. Geological Survey, and felt hundreds of miles away in the Thai capital, Bangkok, and Vietnamese capital, Hanoi. Myanmar state radio announced Friday that 74 people had been killed and 111 injured, with at least 390 houses, 14 Buddhist monasteries and nine government buildings damaged. Most of rural Myanmar, one of Asia's poorest countries, is underdeveloped. The country's military government is also usually reluctant to release information about disasters.

Cote d’Ivoire: ECOWAS Seeks UN Approval on Use of Force

Three months after it mooted the idea of allied forces to ease out Laurent Gbagbo of Cote d’Ivoire from office, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has called on the United Nations Security Council to pass a resolution to use force to restore constitutionality in the country. The group said the UN Security Council’s nod on use of force has become necessary as Gbagbo has resisted other measures to force him out of office while the security situation in the country deteriorates. President of the ECOWAS Commission, James Victor Gbeho, said the authority of Heads of State and Governments already have the backing of the African Union and the United Nations in the actions it had lined out to ensure peace in Cote d’Ivoire.

Suicide Bombers Kill 20 Construction Workers

A team of suicide bombers detonated their explosives in the compound of a road construction company in the Barmal district of Paktika province in eastern Afghanistan, killing 20 people and wounding about 50, on Sunday, the Interior Ministry said. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was targeting a joint Afghan-NATO operating base. Mokhlis Afghan, spokesman for provincial Governor Mohibullah Samim, said all the victims were laborers and there were no Afghan or foreign forces at the site.

2 Dead as Boat Sinks off San Diego

Ten people were thrown into the waters of San Diego Bay Sunday when their sailboat capsized, leaving two men drowned and eight people injured, authorities said. The boat flipped over for reasons that remained unclear and then sank near Shelter Island, San Diego Fire-Rescue spokesman Maurice Luque said. Harbor police pulled all 10 from the water and took them to a boat dock where some 60 firefighters and paramedics were waiting. Harbor police were leading the investigation into the cause.

Israel Launches Air Strikes in Gaza

At least 17 people have been injured by a series of Israeli air strikes in the Gaza Strip. Witnesses say militant training camps operated by Hamas were targeted, as well as a workshop and cement factory. On Saturday, Palestinian militants fired dozens of mortars into southern Israel in what was reportedly their heaviest such barrage in two years. Four Palestinian family members have died in Gaza, doctors say, in an apparent Israeli artillery strike as four Israeli tank shells hit a home east of Gaza City. The Israeli military regretted in a statement that "non-combatants were hurt because Hamas attacks from civilian areas." The militants launched more mortars against Israeli troops on Tuesday.

Egypt’s Interior Ministry Set Ablaze

An Egyptian security official has said that police protesting in front of Egypt’s Interior Ministry have set fire to part of the downtown complex. The official protesters lit Tuesday’s fire in the building housing in the ministry’s personnel department. It then spread to an adjacent building. The fire followed a protest by thousands of low-ranking police officers calling for better wages and working conditions. Mass demonstrations that toppled former Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, on February 11 have set off frequent protests by labourers seeking to improve their lot.

Allied Forces Intensify Raid, Target Gaddafi’s Residence

Even as the allied forces bombing Libya claim their intention is not to kill the country’s leader, Col. Muammar Gaddafi, his residence in Tripoli was hit by a cruise missile Monday just as forces loyal to his government attacked and killed 17 rebels in the cities of Misurata and Ajdabiya. Gaddafi has warned of a long war if attacked. Meanwhile, one of Gaddafi’s sons, named Khamis, was killed on Monday night by a kamikaze Libyan air force pilot. Khamis ran the feared Khamis brigade of elite troops of Gaddafi, who is currently in hiding. Following these attacks, Gaddafi has reportedly ordered the use of women and children as human shields. Libya's rebel forces closed in Monday on Moammar Gaddafi's hometown of Sirte, the gateway to the western half of the country, after it was targeted for the first time by international air strikes.

Explosion Hits Jerusalem Bus

At least 20 people have been injured after a bomb explosion hit a bus in central Jerusalem, officials say. The bomb had been left in a bag by the side of the road near the central bus station, police said. Jerusalem suffered a spate of bus bombings between 2000 and 2004 but attacks have stopped in recent years. Witnesses said the force of the blast shook buildings over a wide area. Israeli police spokesman, Mickey Rosenfeld, said they were searching for a suspect and a vehicle believed to have been used in planting the bomb.

UK Missiles Target Gaddafi’s Forces

UK forces have launched further missiles at Libyan air defences during a fifth night of coalition action to enforce the UN resolution on Libya. On Wednesday RAF commander of the air operations over Libya, Air Vice-Marshal Greg Bagwell, said the Libyan air force was no longer a fighting force. Ships from NATO nations have also started patrolling off the Libyan coast to enforce a UN arms embargo against Col Muammar Gaddafi's regime. They aim to intercept and board ships suspected of ferrying arms to the Libyan government. Bagwell said the coalition was now applying pressure on Libya's armed forces.

US Soldier Jailed over Afghan Civilian Deaths

A US soldier accused of being a part of a rogue squad that killed unarmed Afghan men has been sentenced to 24 years in prison. Jeremy Morlock, 22, pleaded guilty to three counts of murder and other crimes. Under a plea deal he is expected to testify against four comrades also to be tried over the killings last year in Kandahar province. Morlock is part of the 5th Stryker Brigade, which deployed to Afghanistan last year and saw heavy fighting around Kandahar. Meanwhile, two soldiers from 1st Battalion Irish Guards have been killed in an explosion in Afghanistan, six days before they were due to return to the UK.  The Ministry of Defence said the soldiers died on Wednesday in an explosion in central Helmand province.

Police in Dubai Confiscate Shipment of Illegal Arms

Dubai police have intercepted an illegal shipment of 16,000 pistols from Turkey to Yemen, Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, the Dubai Police commander-in-chief, said on Thursday. The weapons were found in a shipping container in Dubai's port. "The huge amount of brand-faked hand guns along with additional bullet chambers, manufactured in Turkey, were carefully hidden among wrapped boxes carrying furniture in a container which was temporarily stored in one of Dubai's storehouses," according to the government. Yemen has recently experienced growing unrest.

15 Killed in Syrian Clashes

Escalating violence between Syrian security forces and anti-government protesters claimed 15 people Wednesday in the city of Daraa, according to witnesses and rights activists. It was reported the government fired the governor of Daraa province, a flash point of anti-government protests. At least 21 people have died in unrest in the city since Friday. The violence comes a day after Syrian authorities arrested a prominent rights leader as anti-government demonstrations continue. Although the demonstrators have not demanded the resignation of President Bashar al-Assad, the unrest is the most serious challenge to his rule since he succeeded his father 11 years ago.

Suicide Attack Kills 5 in Pakistan

A suicide bomber killed five people and injured 36 in Pakistan's northwest on Thursday, police said. Four civilians and a policeman died in the attack, Abdul Rasheed Khan, police chief of the Hangu district said. The explosion occurred when a suicide bomber in a car detonated explosives at a barrier next to a police station in the village of Doaba. Eight houses near the police station were damaged by the blast, he said. Hundreds of people have been killed and injured in bombings in the province in the past six months. While police stations are a frequent target for violence, mosques have also been attacked.