Villeworth Security Services Ltd

week 32

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PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

Ex-Army General Kills Kidnapper in Abia

Gunmen, who unknowingly took on a retired Brigadier General in Abia State on Monday, were unable to kidnap him, as he succeeded in killing one of them killed. Joseph Okoloagu, former Nigerian military attaché to Pakistan, shot dead a member of the gang which attempted to abduct him while travelling to Port Harcourt. Okoloagu was in the company of his private driver and a security detail when the heavily armed men suddenly ambushed them and opened fire on the car. Okoloagu, however, pulled out his revolver and fired at the man.  Others ran into the bush from where they exchanged fire with the ex-military man. The gunfire attracted an Army patrol team, and the kidnappers fled. Okoloagu and the two other occupants of his car, who also received bullet injuries, were taken to the hospital for treatment.

Police Arrest Man with Fresh Human Skulls

The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested one Nse Antai with two fresh human skulls. The command arrested one Felix Smith, who was allegedly parading himself as a soldier. The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Walter Rugbere, said the man who was in possession of human skulls was arrested in Ebughu village in Mbo LGA. Rugbere said the fake soldier was arrested based on information by a motorist. The police boss listed items recovered from Antai’s house to include two human skulls, one of which one was still fresh; one locally made pistol, some human bones and a pot containing some fetish objects. Antai claimed that some youths in his village killed the people and that he was in possession of their skulls based on the instructions of the village head.

Two Cops Dismissed for Car Snatching

Two policemen from the Rivers State police command have been dismissed from service for alleged involvement in car snatching. The state Commissioner of Police, Suleiman Abba, on Tuesday, while parading the dismissed officers alongside 11 suspected criminals, said the two ex-police officers were part of a car snatching gang, which specialised in escorting snatched cars to other parts of the state before they were apprehended. One of the dismissed policemen confirmed that he was called by someone to serve as an escort for a car travelling to Abia State, without knowing that the car was stolen.

Abia Monarch Abducted

The paramount ruler of Ike Mgboko Autonomous Community in Obingwa LGA of Abia state, Eze Hyacinth Onyendinazu, was on Wednesday kidnapped by armed men while he was in a meeting with leaders of the community. The kidnappers are demanding a ransom of N10 million. The incident took place close to the headquarters of the Anti-Terrorism Squad, (ATS) and a son of the king said they have contacted the commander of the ATS who said he was making frantic effort to secure the release of the monarch.

Police Rescue Abducted Boy, Arrest Four

The Imo State Police Command, Monday, smashed a kidnap syndicate and rescued a-5-year-old boy, Chinaza Onyike, held by the gang. Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr Gwary Usman, disclosed that the men of the command rescued the boy hale and hearty five days after his abduction. He added that one Okechukwu Hilary of Amauzari Mbano was arrested, alongside three others. Other suspects took to their heels when the police invaded their hideout at Umuno Okwu Ikeduru where the little boy was held.

DPR Employee Abducted in Rivers

Unknown gunmen, penultimate Sunday, kidnapped an employee of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Mr. Olabode Omosegbon, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Omosegbon was said to have been whisked away by four armed men who pretended to be passengers in a taxi. The victim’s Toyota Corolla car was also taken away by his kidnappers. Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the state police command, Dr. Rita Inoma-Abbey, said one suspect had been arrested in connection with the incident.

JTF Takes over Security in Yenagoa

Soldiers of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF), penultimate weekend, took over security in Bayelsa State following a spate of killings and armed attacks on homes of political office holders, including that of the former Deputy Governor, Peremobowei Ebebi. The deployment of the soldiers is to help the Police in the state. In the last two weeks, there have been seven deaths that followed a similar pattern of gang-related killings and mafia style hits. Lt. Col. Anthiga, spokesman for the JTF, said the deployment of soldiers was at the instance of the state government and it is to complement the security provided by the police.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

Ex-Militants Clash in Warri over Post Amnesty

The Joint Task Force (JTF) deployed soldiers to quell a clash in Warri between the second batch of ex-militants invited for training at Obubra, Cross River State, and a group that had not yet enrolled for the programme. Trouble started when the ex-militants, who recently protested their exclusion from the training stormed the take-off point for those going for the training and took over the 12 luxurious buses meant to convey them. This action was resisted by those going for the training, leading to a clash until the soldiers came to the scene to restore order. A source said the Federal Government was still reviewing the cases of those who accepted the amnesty after the October 4, 2009 deadline.

Children Petition Onovo over Their Abducted Mother

Four months after his mother, Mrs. Grace Ilugbekhai, was abducted from her home and taken to an unknown destination by gunmen on April 15, Mr Samuel Ilugbekhai, and his siblings have appealed to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Ogbonna Onovo and security agencies to fish out those behind the abduction and find their mother. Mrs. Ilugbekhai was reportedly kidnapped from her home in Edo state four months ago. Mr Ilugbekhai said shortly after the kidnapping of their mother, the abductors demanded for a ransom of N50 million, which was negotiated to N1m and same was made available to them.

Rampaging Youths Kill 3 in Delta over Oil Largesse

Gun-wielding youths yesterday killed three persons, as the oil crisis rocking Oleh community in Isoko South LGA of Delta State, worsened. Police spokesman, Charles Muka, said that policemen have been deployed to quell the uprising and two persons have been arrested. The crisis erupted during a meeting of a youth group who started an argument over the control of an oil largesse, which recently accrued to the community, leading to the invasion of the main market by some rampaging youths who held several people hostage and smashed about eight vehicles belonging to their opponents.

NNPC Benin Depot Resumes Operation

The loading of petroleum products commenced last Monday at the Benin Depot, four years after the Petroleum Products and Marketing Company Ltd (PPMC) suspended the lifting of the products from the depot. Members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers of Nigeria (IPMAN) and other marketers were overjoyed as several tankers loaded from the depot. The tanker drivers said that the resumption of the lifting of petroleum products from the depot, has addressed the hardship and financial constraints faced by them, as most of them had to travel to Akure or Lagos to lift the products.

Police Kill Suspected Armed Robber in Delta

The police in Agbarho, Ughelli North LGA of Delta State, Wednesday, killed a member of suspected armed robbery gang laying siege on the Ughelli/Warri Road. A source said they ran into the armed robbers on their way from Warri, adding that their driver on sighting the road block made a quick U-turn to the Agbarho police station. A victim of the armed attack was also rushed to the police station with a deep cut on his head after being dispossessed of his valuables. A senior police officer confirmed the incident and expressed the readiness of the police to combat crime in the area.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

NDLEA Nabs Six Suspected Drug Traffickers

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) penultimate weekend, arrested six suspected drug traffickers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos. Lagos Airport Commander, NDLEA, Hamza Umar, disclosed that an average of four suspects was apprehended for drug trafficking at the airport every week.

Police Deploy APC to Ibadan Motor Parks

The Oyo state police command has deployed Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) and heavily armed mobile policemen at some motor parks believed to be flash points of politically-sponsored violence in the state. This follows a report on an alleged planned take over of the parks by one of the factional leaders in the National Union Road Transport Workers (NURTW).

Businessman in Court for Importing Fake Drugs

National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has arraigned a businessman, Paulinus Onuorah, before a Federal High Court in Lagos over alleged importation of fake drugs. Onuorah, who was arraigned before Justice Mojosola Olatoregun –Ishola, was arrested in May while trying to smuggle the fake drugs into Onuorah pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the charges while Justice Olatoregun-Ishola granted him bail in the sum of N10m with two sureties. The matter has been adjourned till September 23.

Man Banished for Defiling Daughter, 14

The Badagry community in Lagos State, Ajara, has banished a man for allegedly defiling his 14-year-old daughter. The Baale of Ajara Agamathen, Agano Toniyan 1, said that the man was banished to protect the community’s tradition. Toniyan said, said that the daughter claimed that she was drugged before her father defiled her. He added that since it is a criminal offence, he also referred the matter to the police after the man was banished. Lagos State police spokesman, Frank Mba, confirmed that the suspect was being detained by the police for alleged incest.

Two Killed as Lagos Police Battle Armed Robbers

At least one policeman and a suspected member of a robbery gang were feared killed on Tuesday after policemen engaged hoodlums in a gun duel at Makoko, Lagos suburb. A police source disclosed that policemen had a hard time trying to dislodge the robbers that had attempted to raid a bank. It was learnt that shortly before the police arrived, the criminals sensed trouble and made an attempt to retreat but were cut off by policemen who approached from both directions, leaving the hoodlums no other option but to engage the law enforcement agents in a gun battle. Police Inspector, Daniel Okechukwu, of the anti-robbery unit of Makoko Police Station said the policeman thought to be the second casualty was only injured.

3 In Court for Illegal Arms Importation

Three businessmen appeared before an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court in Lagos on Thursday for allegedly importing 100,000 cartridges and 55 rounds of live ammunition illegally. The prosecutor, Sgt. Peter Nwangwu, said the arms were imported through the border town of Shaki, Oyo State in February without a license. Nwangwu said the Police found the arms and ammunition and a Beretta pistol with two of the accused at the border town. All the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted bail with one million naira with two sureties in like sum each. Further hearing on the case was adjourned to October.

GENERAL

NAPTIP Arrests Culprit, Mother for Abducting 10-Year-Old

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and Other Related Matters (NAPTIP) has arrested one Miss Chinyere Vivian Ewua and her mother over alleged abduction of a 10 year old orphan, Kelechi Alamezi in Abuja. Little Kelechi was allegedly abducted by Chinyere but rescued in Afikpo, Ebonyi State, while her abductor was seeking a buyer. The spokesperson of NAPTIP, Mr. Orakwue Arinze, confirmed the arrest and said that the suspects would soon be arraigned in court.

FRSC Convicts 532 Offenders

The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) has held 17 Mobile Court sessions, 532 people convicted and others discharged 48 out of 1,336 people apprehended over various traffic offences in Benue State. The Sector Commander, Mr.  Sunday Oghenekaro disclosed this at the flag-off ceremony of an exercise, tagged “Operation Eagle Eye”. He also said the command was compelled to introduce the operation as a result of a flood of reports of road crashes and the loss of several lives and properties, caused by “negligence and undisciplined behaviour of drivers and road users”.

FG Charges Immigrations on Border Security

The Federal Government, on Monday, alerted the new management of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) on the need to beef up security around the Nigerian borders as well as improve on migration management and control. Minister of Interior, Capt. Emmanuel Iheanacho, while decorating the new Comptroller-General of Immigration, Mrs. Rose Uzoma, with her new rank, urged the NIS to close rank in tackling security challenges, including terrorism and other forms of international insecurity. The Immigration boss, Mrs. Uzoma, said the NIS, was ready against any form of terrorism.

FCT Police Recover 50 Stolen Vehicles

The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has recovered 50 exotic cars from an eight-man gang in Abuja. Also, the command has apprehended a fake colonel, Yakubu Mohammed, and confiscated two pairs of an electronic device used in jamming radio frequencies, disabling car security and restricting GSM telephone signals. Parading the suspects on Tuesday, the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, Haruna John, said the suspects were arrested in Kaduna, Kano, Nasarawa and Sokoto states where they had ready buyers for the stolen cars.

Plateau Police Arrest Suspected Rifle Thieves

The Plateau State Police Command has arrested 11 persons for stealing police service rifles and selling them. The principal suspect, Nanfir Nanfa allegedly broke into the homes of a sergeant and a constable to steal two AK 47 rifles and sold them. Police Commissioner, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba said the gun stealing syndicate was smashed through intelligence reports while another four-man gang of suspected burglars and receivers of stolen items was smashed. Nanfa confessed that that he capitalized on the failure of the policemen to surrender their arms and ammunition to the armoury when they are off duty to break into their apartments to steal them. The commissioner said two AK47 rifles and ammunition, three telephone handsets and one laptop computer were recovered from the suspects.

Police Rescue Seven Female Victims of Trafficking, Arrest Suspects

The police in Sokoto on Wednesday intercepted a suspected human trafficker with 7 ladies enroute Agadas in Niger Republic, and arrested the driver of the vehicle. The Police Public Relations Officer, Lawal Abdullahi, who confirmed the incident, said a team of policemen on patrol along Kware -Illela road, intercepted the vehicle the conveying young ladies aged between 17 and 19 led by one Mrs. Helen Obi aged 40 when one of the victims raised an alarm that drew the attention of the police. He said that the Commissioner of Police directed that the case be transferred to the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for further action, adding that patrol has been intensified along the border area.

Court Frees 3 Charged For Treason

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday discharged three persons accused of treasonable felony and sponsoring of Niger Delta militants by supplying arms and ammunition to them. The released persons are Omomo Ogooluwa, Ibukun Omosehin and Balogun Samuel. Justice A.I. Kafarati, who made the order for the release of the three accused persons who have been in detention since 2008 in his ruling, observed that the accused were discharged for lack of diligent prosecution. Justice Anwuri Chikere of the Federal High Court in November last year, granted bail to one Osaisai Timilabboebieri Diginien, who allegedly got involved in the transfer of ammunitions for which the three accused persons were charged to court.

Guard Arrested for Shooting Suspected Thief

The police at Kuje division have arrested a security guard for allegedly shooting dead a suspected robber at Pasali in Kuje. A police source stated that the police got a report on July 29 that a man was lying dead somewhere off Prisons Yard road in Pasali. He said the Divisional Police Officer, Danladi Isah, mobilised some detectives to the crime scene where the corpse was located, adding that witnesses in the area accused the security man of the crime. He said a double barrel gun, suspected to be the murder weapon and three cutlasses were recovered from the suspect’s apartment. The suspect was arrested and he confessed that he heard people running after the victim and shouting ‘thief,’ which made him shoot the man on his right thigh.

Nigerian Student Killed in US

A Nigerian-born student has been killed in Missouri, Kansas City, United States. Olawale Oladimeji Oladipo’s life was prematurely terminated by an unknown gunman or gunmen. His body was found in the early hours of the day by workers at McDonald fast foods in the parking lot. Police had not yet revealed how he was killed, but they were investigating the occurrence as homicide. According to the family, he left home a few blocks away. But they did not know how he ended up at the destination where he was found dead.

INTERNATIONAL

Aid Group Protests Attack in South Sudan

As violence between rival tribes surges in South Sudan, aid group, Doctors without Borders, has suspended work over attacks against its staff. The group said that armed men stole medical equipment from one of its health clinics and Staff members have also been attacked while delivering aid. Heavily armed southern tribes have had to compete for scarce water and pasturage in the area. Clashes reignited more than a year ago and intensified beyond traditional cattle raids to include attacks on civilians across the entire south. Aid agencies have said some 2,500 people were killed and 350,000 others were displaced due to the violence.

Angola Jails Activists

Four human rights activists have been jailed in Angola for reported links with a separatist group which attacked the Togolese football team in January. They were said to have met exiled leaders of the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda in Paris. Amnesty International and other groups have condemned the ruling, saying that Angola is using the 30-minute machine gun attack on the Togolese football team to justify a crackdown on critics. Two Togolese officials and an Angolan bus driver were killed in the shooting in January. A faction of Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (Flec) said they carried out the attack. The jailed men are believed to have met with exiled Flec leaders to try to set up dialogue with the Angolan government in a bid to end decades of violent struggle.

Over 1500 Killed in Pakistanis Worst Flooding

Floodwaters ravaged hundreds of villages in Pakistan on Wednesday. Aid workers warned that bloated rivers would soon surge into the country's south, prompting more evacuations. This year's monsoon season has prompted the worst flooding in Pakistan and has killed more than 1,500 people. The army used boats and helicopters to move stranded villagers in the area to higher ground. Water levels were so high in large tracts of Kot Addu and the nearby area of Layyah in the south of the province, that only treetops and uppermost floors of some buildings were visible. Military spokesman Maj. Gen. Nadir Zeb said at least 30,000 people have been rescued from the flood-hit zones. He warned that more flooding was expected as weather forecasts predicted more rains in the next few days.

Russian Wildfires Claim 34

The death toll from wildfires in Russia rose to 34 on Monday as fire fighters made making some headway against the blazes that have destroyed hundreds of homes, burned through vast sections of tinder-dry land and forced thousands to evacuate. Residents awoke on Monday to the smell from the smouldering peat bogs south and east of the capital. Wildfires were still burning Monday across 309,000 acres (125,000 hectares), mostly in central and western Russia, slightly less than the area torched over the weekend, Vladimir Stepanov, head of Russia's Emergencies Ministry's crisis centre, said. About 1,500 homes have been wiped out by fires, spurred by the heat wave that has dried forests and fields to a crisp.

Islamist Group Claims Attack on Oil Tanker

A militant Islamist group has claimed responsibility for the explosion aboard an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz near Oman last month. The Abdullah Azzam Brigades included a picture of a man they claimed carried out a suicide attack on the tanker on July 28. The group said the attack was intended to "strike an economic blow to the infidels." The group, said to be inspired by al Qaeda, is believed to be behind several attacks in the Middle East, including the October 2004 attack on a hotel and nearby camp sites in Egypt that killed more than three dozen people.

Soldiers Killed in Israel, Lebanon Deadly Border Clash

A clash between Lebanon and Israel along their volatile shared border Tuesday left an Israeli officer and several Lebanese soldiers dead while escalating fears of renewed violence between the nations. A Lebanese army spokesman said at least two Lebanese soldiers were killed and several others were wounded. In a statement, the spokesperson for UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, said the UN Interim Force in Lebanon "took immediate steps through contacts with the parties and the presence of the acting force commander alongside peacekeepers at the location to help restore calm in the area." An initial U.N. investigation showed Israeli forces were on their own side of the border when Lebanese troops opened fire, United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said Wednesday.

Ex-South African Police Chief Jailed for Corruption

A South African court has sentenced former National Police Commissioner, Jackie Selebi, to 15 years in jail for corruption. Selebi, a former president of Interpol, was convicted in July of receiving bribes from a drug dealer. Convicted dealer, Glenn Agliotti, paid Selebi 1.2m rand ($156,000; £103,000) to turn a blind eye to his business. Selebi is the most senior official appointed by the country's government to have been convicted of corruption. The sentence is the minimum recommended for senior police officers found guilty of corruption.

Somali Pirates Seize Cargo Vessel

Somali pirates have hijacked the Panama-flagged MV Suez cargo ship with 23 crew members on board, the European Union naval force (EUNAVFOR) has said. The ship, which is carrying a cement consignment, came under small arms fire while sailing in a recommended shipping lane in the Gulf of Aden. Its crew are from Egypt, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India. Last week, 11 Somali pirates were sentenced to 10 years in prison in the Seychelles for attempting to seize a coastguard boat in December.

3 School Children, Teacher Killed in China Knife Attack

A knife-wielding man, Tuesday, went on a slashing rampage in a kindergarten in eastern China, leaving three children and one teacher dead in the country's latest school attack. Officials refused to release details of the attack, saying they feared reports could inspire copycat killers. The assault was the latest in a spate of gory rampages this year in schools and in public spaces that have left dozens of people dead and scores wounded. The assailant entered the school at about 4 pm as parents were picking up their children, according to witnesses. Authorities have responded with increased security at schools and orders to limit media coverage of the attacks to discourage more violence and calm public fears.

Siberian Plane Crash: 11 Dead, 4 Survive

A passenger-plane crashed Monday night near the Krasnoyarsk region of Siberia in north-central Russia, killing 11 of the 15 people aboard, a spokeswoman for the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry said, citing preliminary information. The ministry initially reported that all 15 aboard had died; then said only seven had died. Andrianova said the Antonov-24 plane had taken off from Krasnoyarsk and was landing at Igarka when it crashed.

Rockets Hit Israel and Jordan

One person was killed and five others injured when a rocket landed in front of a hotel Monday in Aqaba, Jordan, according to reports from Ali Al Ayed, the Jordanian minister of state for media affairs and communications. Israeli military radio also reported that one rocket landed in an open field near Eilat, while two more landed in Jordanian territory and two others in the Red Sea from Egypt. No damage or injuries were reported. The Israeli military and Jordanian security forces said separately that they were investigating. In a related incident, a large explosion left 40 injured and destroyed the house of a Palestinian militant leader in central Gaza on Monday. It was not clear what caused the blast.

Suicide Bomb Kills 6 Children in Afghanistan

A suicide car bomber blew himself up next to a police truck conveying an Afghan official on Monday, killing six children nearby, officials said. The official who was targeted is the district government chief Ahmadullah Nazak. A bodyguard who was driving with Nazak was wounded, he said. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, though it fits the pattern of Taliban attacks targeting government officials in the south. As additional U.S. forces have poured into southern Taliban strongholds in Kandahar and Helmand provinces, insurgents have mounted a counter-campaign of bombings and assassinations aimed at those affiliated with the Afghan government. Militants attacked a second government official in the east the same day.

Govt Troops Kill 5 Protesters in Kashmir

Government troops fired into crowds of protesters Monday as tens of thousands of people across Indian Kashmir demonstrated their rejection of India's rule over the predominantly Muslim region, police said. Five people were killed and more than 30 wounded. The top elected official in Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, met with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on Monday to discuss defusing the crisis that has caused 38 deaths over seven weeks.

Bomb Explosions, Shooting Kill 8 in Iraq

Two bombings and a drive-by shooting killed eight people on Monday. The latest violence and government figures shows that July was the deadliest month for Iraqis in more than two years revived persistent questions about the readiness by Iraqi security forces to take over from the Americans as the U.S. military draws down its forces and ends all combat operations at the end of the month. They also confirm the widely spread belief that insurgents are taking advantage of a political impasse over forming a new government after a March 7 parliamentary election failed to produce a clear winner. In the worst incident on Monday, suspected al-Qaida militants blew up the house of a policeman west of Baghdad and killed him, his wife and 4-year-old daughter.

Mystery Gunman Shoots College Student Dead

A gunman leaned out of a vehicle, penultimate Saturday, and opened fire into the crowd, killing one teenager and seriously wounding another, police said. Robinson Lageunesse, 19, was killed by the shotgun blast. As people ran for cover, the shooter unleashed several more deadly rounds into the crowd before speeding off, witnesses said. Robinson Lageunesse, a psychology student at Queensborough Community College, died minutes later despite the best efforts of a registered nurse who heard the shots and ran to help. Additionally, 17-year-old Davon Jeffers was shot in the abdomen and was in critical condition. People suspect that the shooter was looking for someone else, his target remains a mystery.

6 Teenagers Drown in Louisiana River

Six teenagers from at least two families drowned in the Red River in northwest Louisiana after they stepped off a ledge from shallow water into a chasm about 20 feet deep on Monday, officials said. A 14-year-old was rescued. Shreveport Assistant Fire Chief Fred Sanders said he believed the victims, ages 13 to 18, included three brothers in one family and a sister and two brothers in another. Sanders said he did not know whether one teen fell and pulled down others, or if they were trying to rescue each other. It took more than three hours to find all the bodies, he said.

5 Iraqi Soldiers Killed by al-Qaida Militants

Suspected al-Qaida militants killed 5 Iraqi soldiers in a brazen dawn attack on Tuesday at a western Baghdad checkpoint and planted their group's black banner before fleeing the scene, officials said. Police and hospital officials said the attackers arrived in three cars and used pistols fitted with silencers in the assault in the mainly Sunni Mansour district. A similar attack took place five days earlier when suspected al Qaeda militants stormed a checkpoint, killing 16 members of the security forces and planted their banner nearby before fleeing.

China Coal Mine Gas Leak Kills 9

Nine workers were killed and seven others trapped after lethal gas leaked into a coal mine in central China on Monday. About 127 miners were reportedly underground and 111 escaped unharmed, according to an official with the Zhengzhou Coal Industry Co. Ltd. Over the weekend, 24 workers were trapped in a flooded mine in northeast China's Heilongjiang province, while a blast at a workers' dormitory at another mine in the northern city of Linfen in Shanxi province killed at least 17 people.

Ethiopian Prison Collapse Kills 9

A prison building has collapsed in western Ethiopia, killing at least nine prisoners, while injuring dozens, Ethiopia police said here on Wednesday. The prison collapse was attributed to the heavy rainfall in the area. It is reported that there were over 30 prisoners in the collapsed cell. The current heavy rains in Ethiopia are causing a lot of damage in several parts of the country. A few weeks ago, lightning killed three people and their livestock. The rain has also interrupted electricity supply for the past few days in some parts of Addis Ababa.

Poland to Hand over Israeli 'Agent' to Germany

A Polish appeals court has upheld a decision to hand over to Germany an alleged Israeli agent wanted over the murder of a Hamas commander in Dubai. Uri Brodsky is suspected of helping to forge a German passport used in connection with the murder of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in January. Mr Brodsky, an Israeli citizen, was detained in Poland in June on an arrest warrant issued by Germany. Mossad secret agents are suspected of having killed the Palestinian militant. Dubai police have said they are 99% sure that members of the Israeli intelligence agency were involved, although Israel says there is no proof.

US Makes Historic Appearance at Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Anniversary

Representatives from 74 nations - including the US, for the first time - gathered to mark the moment the bomb was dropped. The Japanese city of Hiroshima is marking the 65th anniversary of the world's first atomic bomb attack. For the first time, a representative of the United States, which dropped the bomb on the city, is attending. About 140,000 people were killed or died within months of the bomb being dropped by a US aircraft in 1945 in the final days of World War II. Japan surrendered after a second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki three days later on 9 August. A minute's silence was held at 0815 - the exact time the bomb fell.