Villeworth Security Services Ltd

week 34

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PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

25 Suspected Kidnappers, Robbers Escape from Police Cell

25 suspected kidnappers escaped from the central cell of the State Criminal Investigation Department in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state. Suspected criminals broke the wall of the cell, disarmed the policemen on guard and took to their heels through the toilet. The Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State Command, Mr. Walter Rugbere, confirmed the escape of the suspects but said that only 20 of them left. Rugbere said that the command had arrested four out of the 20 criminals that escaped, saying efforts were being made to apprehend the others.

Enugu Lawmaker Dies 2 Weeks after Auto Crash

A member of the Enugu State House of Assembly Mr. Emmanuel Maduabu, who was involved in an auto crash which claimed his wife, driver and an unidentified commuter bus driver recently, has died after two weeks in coma. He was confirmed dead on Tuesday by doctors at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu. A Mass Transit bus had collided with the lawmaker’s Mercedes Benz car as he was returning to Enugu after a meeting with members of his constituency. Both drivers of the vehicles and the lawmaker’s wife died instantly. Members of the Assembly suspended their sitting after the news of their colleague’s death was received by the Speaker, Mr. Eugene Odoh.

10 Die in Onitsha Flood

Ten persons were feared dead in Onitsha, Anambra State, on Tuesday following heavy floods occasioned by torrential rainfall. The down pour which was said to have started at about 5pm on Monday also damaged shops and stalls. Some people who attempted to cross the surging flood were reportedly swept away by the flood. Though eyewitness account put the number of casualty at 10, the Police confirmed only four.

Shell Raises Alarm over Increase in ‘Sabotage Spills’

The Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) has raised an alarm over alleged sabotage attacks on its pipelines around Bonny in Rivers State. This is as the Bonny LGA Chairman, Edward Pepple, called on Shell and relevant agencies to come to the aid of the people of the island to save it from an oil spill. Shell said that between August 1 and 12 this year, it recorded three separate sabotage incidents on its Cawthorne Channel pipelines. Shell’s Vice President for Health, Safety and Environment and Infrastructure and Logistics in Africa, Mr. Babs Omotowa said that each incident was thoroughly investigated by a team comprising government agencies, SPDC and community representatives, which confirmed the cause as sabotage. Shell says it has intensified efforts to clean up the spillage.

Policeman Killed as LG Boss is Kidnapped in A’Ibom

A policeman was reportedly murdered on Thursday by kidnappers and another critically wounded while the Chairman of Onna LGA, Deaconess Owoidghe Ime Ekpoattai, was abducted. This comes barely 48 hours after a police officer was killed. Ekpoattai was abducted at Ikot Okubum village in Eket LGA at a police check-point where the kidnappers opened fire on the unsuspecting policemen and killed one on the spot, while the second policeman is left in a state of coma. In the hot exchange of fire, the kidnappers escaped with the council chairman, leaving two policemen as casualties.

Court Sentences Ex-Police Officer to Death over Student’s Murder

An Abakaliki High Court presided over by Justice Obande Ogbuinya on Wednesday sentenced a dismissed Assistant Superintendent of Police, Mr. Bernard Alifi to death by hanging for the murder of 23-year-old student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. Justice Ogbuinya said that the prosecution succeeded in proving his case beyond reasonable doubt that the accused actually murdered the student, Chinwendu Micha and accordingly found the ex-police officer guilty as accused. The deceased was allegedly killed by the ex-police ASP when he visited his friend.

Death in Custody: NBA Petitions Rivers Police Boss

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has petitioned the Rivers State Commissioner of Police to explain the circumstances surrounding the death in custody of a 25-year-old suspect, Benjamin Chima. NBA Port Harcourt Vice Chairman, Patrick Ukposi, accused the police of trying to cover up a case of extra-judicial murder by conducting an autopsy on the deceased without involving his family. Ukposi explained that Chima was arrested on the June 16, 2010, by police at Agip Estate. According to him, efforts by Chima’s brother to ascertain his whereabouts was unsuccessful as the police remained silent on the matter. He was later informed by a police officer that Chima died in detention.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

Vandals Destroy Oil Pipeline in Delta
…NNPC Warns of Adulterated Product in Circulation

Vandalism of oil and gas pipelines facilities reared its ugly head again as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) pipeline along Warri-Benin axis was destroyed. The suspected vandals made away with kerosene adulterated with diesel and petrol. The NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Dr. Levi Ajuonuma, warned members of the public of the presence of adulterated kerosene in the market, especially in the Warri-Benin axis, as a result of the vandalism. He advised Nigerians especially those residing in Delta and Edo states to desist from buying kerosene from unauthorised outlets and dealers as they run the risk of buying adulterated product that could result in explosions.

Chevron Declines to Pay Compensation over Delta Oil Spill

Chevron Nigeria Limited has resolved not to pay any compensation over a recent oil spill in Ekpan, Delta State, claiming that it had been absolved of complicity through a comprehensive joint investigation visit (JIV) by relevant government agencies including the National Oil and Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR). The oil firm argued that the cluster of fish farms, which is well protected by separation walls, was not impacted by any spill from Chevron’s dockyard. According to the JIV document dated July 23, 2010, NOSDRA stated that the incident occurred when a tugboat belonging to a Chevron contractor sunk near the dockyard, spilling eight litres of diesel into the water, which Chevron claimed to have cleaned-up immediately upon NOSDRA’s prompting.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

Road Accident Claims 40 Lives in Lagos

At least 40 persons were penultimate Sunday killed in a road accident along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. The accident involved a truck, saloon cars and buses conveying passengers. Several persons sustained injuries of varying degrees. Official sources attributed the cause of the accident to a brake failure of a truck carrying foams, while others said it was due to the truck driver's recklessness. But witnesses linked the accident to a patrol team that pursued the truck to the scene where the driver lost control. Officers of the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS), Nigeria Police, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), the Nigeria Police, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Lagos State Fire Service, made their way into the scene to rescue victims.

Onovo Queries Ogun, Lagos Police Bosses over Lagos Accident

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ogbonna Onovo has handed down a 24-hour ultimatum to the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Zone 2, Onikan, Lagos, to produce all the policemen on roadblocks along Lagos/Ibadan expressway, which caused the accident. Onovo said he wants to know the number of policemen that mounted roadblock at that point, who posted them there and why. The IGP had in January this year ordered that all forms of roadblocks be dismantled from Nigerian roads, adding that building of roadblocks on highways is an archaic method of checking criminalities in a complex society like Nigeria.

Cops Detained over NURTW Member’s Death

Three policemen are being detained over their alleged involvement in the killing of a member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in the state. It was learnt that the policemen were being detained for interrogation over the death of the deceased. A source said that if the result confirmed that the death of the deceased was as a result of police gun shot, the policemen would be prosecuted, but if the report proves otherwise they might be released.

Police Arrest Couple Accused of Torturing Boy to Death

A couple residing in Lagos state have been arrested for torturing a 14-year-old boy, Onakwe, who was their house help to death. According to Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Command, Frank Mba, the landlord of the couple reported that the were in the habit of maltreating their house-helps. He disclosed that the two other house-helps accused the couple, especially the wife of punishing them at the slightest misconduct and added that she used pestles, hammer and wood to inflict injuries on them. Mba said that neighbours and the landlord of the couple also corroborated the boys’ statements. But the couple alleged that the late Onakwe defiled their two year-old daughter. But the two other house helps that survived the torture, said that the allegation was fabricated to implicate Onakwe.

NDLEA Arrests 20 Suspects at Lagos Airport

The Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in July apprehended a total of 20 suspected drug traffickers with a seizure of 28.130kg of narcotics. According to the agency’s Head, Public Affairs Ofoyeju Mitchell, 18 of the suspects are males, while two are females. Mitchell said cocaine constitutes the bulk of the seized drugs with 25.185kg, adding that cannabis was next with 1.500kg and heroin 1.445kg.

NDLEA Arraigns Two Foreigners, 3 Nigerians over Cocaine Importation

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Monday arraigned two Asians and three Nigerians before a Federal High Court in Lagos on a four-count charge of conspiracy to import about 450.4kg of cocaine from Chile to Nigeria. The suspects were alleged to have imported cocaine valued at over N4billion. They pleaded not guilty to all the charges. Justice Okon Abang adjourned case to August 18 to hear arguments on whether the accused persons should be granted bail or not.

Court Jails 2 Ghanaians over Indian-Hemp

Two Ghanaians have been convicted by the Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti, for dealing in Indian-Hemp. Each of them is expected to spend two years in Ado-Ekiti Federal Prison. The state Commander of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Bamidele Akingbade, disclosed that the Ghanaians were arrested for planting and selling Indian hemp in the state. According to the Commander, the formation had arrested 73 suspects since he assumed office in May. No fewer than 76 acres of Indian hemp plantations were also discovered within the same period.

Group Petitions Oyo Police over Missing Persons

A non-governmental organisation, Group against Extra-Judicial Killings in Nigeria, has petitioned the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Baba Adisa Bolanta, over an alleged plot by his men to frustrate investigations into the circumstances surrounding the missing of two persons in Ibadan three months ago. The group alleged that stated that missing persons, who were contractors were allegedly kidnapped or murdered by an Ibadan-based woman, who invited them to Ibadan for business. The missing men were said to have lodged in an hotel to await their facilitator who later came and went away with the two men for the said business, leaving a third party alone in the hotel. After waiting endlessly for the return of the two men, the survivor reported the matter to Ojoo Alakara Police Station.

Police Arrest Suspect in Ogun Politician’s Death

The police, Wednesday, claimed they have arrested a suspected trans-border armed robber believed to be a member of the gang that shot dead, Ogun State politician, Otunba Dipo Dina of the Action Congress (AC) in January this year. At the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FORCID), Alagbon, Lagos, the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG), in-charge of investigation, John Ahmadu, claimed a robbery suspect, believed to have witnessed the killing of Dina was in their net. He said the suspected armed robber, a Beninoise, Ben Djideonou, alias Mathew Asumo, was arrested in conjunction with the International Police (INTERPOL). Ahmadu revealed that with the confession of the suspect, there was hope that the kingpin and other gang members would soon be arrested.

Muslim Students Protest in UI

A female student, who allegedly preached against Islam during a Jumat service in the University of Ibadan mosque, has been suspended. Her action led to the paralysis of all academic and commercial activities in the institution as Muslim students protested. Led by the Muslim Youths leader, Ajibola Akeem, thousands of Muslim students in the institution staged protest round the campus on Monday blaming the school authority for releasing the student to her parent. The lady reportedly deceived other Islamic faithful with a veil and sat among other females at the upper chamber of the mosque last Friday. Immediately, after the Jumat service, Muslim students who were predominantly male had gathered to beat the lady but the situation was checked by the security personnel in the institution.

NAFDAC Intercepts Fake Cerelac, Cornflakes at Seme

The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Seme Command, has announced the seizure of Cerelac baby food and cornflakes worth N25 million. The Area Commander, Mr Stanley Atabo, said that the products, which were packed in 1,583 cartons, were imported by yet-to-be- identified persons. He said the goods, which were produced by Nestle International, Spain, were illegally imported into the country without the approval of Nestle Nigeria Plc.

Oyo Police Discover Stolen Vehicles’ ‘Workshop’

The Oyo State Police Command has discovered an uncompleted building in Ibadan, the state capital, where stolen vehicles are worked on before they are sold to unsuspecting buyers. The Oyo state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Baba Bolanta, said trouble started for the syndicate on Saturday after they stole a Toyota car at gunpoint in Lagos, which was traced to Alakia Adelubi. Bolanta said the police chased the car to a fenced compound and added that suspected bandits in the compound exchanged gunfire with the policemen but later fled. Seven exotic vehicles, including the stolen Toyota were discovered.

NDLEA Arrests with Cocaine at Seme

The National Drug Law and Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a suspect, Chidebe Nwoye, with 1.6kg of cocaine at Seme border aboard Chisco Bus. The Area Commander of the NDLEA, Mr. Nicholas Ajaduruonye, said that the operatives on August 16, at Seme Border Post arrested the suspect with 77 wraps of Cocaine concealed in a polythene bag. The Area Commander said that the latest arrest was casting a doubt on the activities of Luxury bus operators. Two months ago, the men of Nigeria Customs Service handed over to the NDLEA, a suspect arrested at Seme Border aboard ABC Transport bus. Nwoye said that he bought the substance being taken to his father in Ghana for N1.5m hoping to make a profit of N1m.

GENERAL

Police Sergeant Shoots DPO, Commits Suicide

Sergeant Ibrahim Abdullahi of the Kano State Police Command last weekend shot Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Abdullahi Umar of the Bebeji Police Station and later turned the gun on himself. Confirming the incident, the command’s spokesman, Baba Muhammad Azare, said the DPO was receiving treatment but the sergeant is dead. According to a source in the command, Abdullahi committed suicide after shooting the DPO because he thought he had killed Umar, adding that the duo had been having misunderstanding at the station which he said might be reason for the shooting.  Azare said the police had commenced investigation into the matter.

160 Nigerians Serving Jail Terms in Gabon

There are currently 160 Nigerians in Gabonese prisons. The Nigerian Ambassador to Gabon, Samuel Aiyedona, gave the information, saying that Nigeria has over 150, 000 of its citizens, which is about one-tenth of Gabon’s 1.7m population, living in that country. This was disclosed as President Goodluck Jonathan was billed to arrive at Libreville, the Gabonese capital to attend that country’s 50th Independence Anniversary on Monday. He is going on the invitation of President Ali Bongo Ondimba.

Nigeria Mends Diplomatic Ties with Libya

Nigeria and Libya are currently in the process of mending their diplomatic relations perceived to have been damaged by Libyan leader, Col. Muammar Ghaddafi’s call that Nigeria be split. The countries are now to immediately normalise diplomatic relations with the designation of ambassadors to each country within 14 days. In seeking the new rapprochement, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Special Envoy of President Goodluck Jonathan, Odein Ajumogobia, conveyed a special message to Gaddafi. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the two countries revisited bilateral matters “covering political, economic and cultural issues, the African Union as well as cooperation using the central and Saharan State umbrella (CEN-SAD).”

Nigerians Protest against Murder of Compatriot in Johannesburg

Nigerians in Johannesburg, South Africa on Tuesday staged a 90-minute protest march across the city to protest the killing of one of them and to demand better treatment from the police. Theophilus Anoliefo, a real estate agent, was allegedly killed by South African police on July 31 in questionable circumstances. Col. Shadrack Khoza, an officer who received the protest letter, assured them that their grievances would be forwarded to the appropriate authorities for necessary action. Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Brig-Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd.) promised to take up the issue with the appropriate authority.

Plateau Police Allege Arms Build-up

Plateau State Commissioner of Police Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba has raised alarm over the increasing proliferation of illegal weapons in the state. He stated this as the police claimed the recovery of an AK47 rifle and ammunition from a private resident in Jos. He said the command recently smashed a gang of notorious cross-country armed robbers shuttling between Nasarawa, Taraba and Plateau States. The suspects, he said had confessed that they have carried out series of robbery operations in Taraba and Benue States.  Similarly, security agencies in Borno state arrested six men in possession of 27 rifles at separate locations in the state. The suspects were allegedly caught when attempting to ferry the rifles to Taraba and Plateau states from neighbouring Chad.

Court Sends Fake NAFDAC Director to 5 Years in Jail

A middle-aged man, Darlington Chukwu has been sentenced to a five and half-year-imprisonment for impersonating NAFDAC Director and fraud. Chief Magistrate Adomi Etaba Adomi slammed the jail sentence on the accused person without an option of fine after he pleaded guilty to the charges. NAFDAC had recorded over 80 cases of impersonation of NAFDAC regulatory officers in the last 17 years.

Army Colonel Kills Trader in Bauchi

An army colonel with the Nigerian Armoured Corps, Bauchi, hit a roadside vendor with his car, killing him instantly. According to an eye witness account, the army officer was over speeding and making a call when the accident occurred. It was gathered that sympathisers were angered that the army officer, continued with his phone calls after the accident, prompting a mob to set his car ablaze. But the officer was reported to have gone to the barracks to mobilise his colleagues who came to the scene and harassed the people in the area. Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Army Armoured Corps, Bauchi, Lt Olabisi Ayeni, said the accident was caused by a reckless commercial motorcyclist that the officer was trying to avoid. The army spokesman said the officer took the victim to the hospital immediately.

Political Clash: Police Outlaw Local Warriors in Zamfara

Following recent political clashes in Zamfara State between Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) faithful, the state police command has banned the activities of Yantauri or local warriors, who were the alleged foot soldiers of the clashing parties. The state Commissioner of Police, Abubakar Muhammad, said henceforth anybody found wearing the Yantauri attire during any political activity would be arrested. Muhammad said that one life was lost and three people injured in the crisis. The police commissioner also disclosed that the command had arrested 54 suspects.

Flood Renders Scores Homeless in Jigawa

Torrential rains have displaced many residents of Jahun in Jigawa State, destroying buildings and property worth millions of Naira. At least 200 houses were affected by the disaster. Chairman of the local council, Alhaji Idris Iliyasu Dan-Lawan pointed out that the council has directed its community department to carry out an emergency work in the affected areas by draining the water out of the affected areas. The state Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ahmad Mahmod, who visited the affected areas, directed the state Ministry of Environment to quickly intervene with a view to addressing the menace of flooding in the council.

Borno CAN Lauds Security Measures

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Borno State chapter said the security situation in the state had improved drastically even as it commended the state government for putting in place measures to avert any breakdown of law and order. CAN state Chairman, Rev Yuguda Ndunvwa, said that the Christian community was monitoring government security measures and activities of the police as well as other security agencies in the state to ensure that hoodlums did not foment trouble. He charged Christians to be fearless especially as the 2011 elections approach.

Policeman Killed in Maiduguri Midnight Shooting

A policeman at a commercial area within the Maiduguri metropolis was shot dead by unknown gunmen. This brings to two the number of policemen killed in the metropolis in strange circumstances in recent time. The victim was reported to have gone to his station where he signed for a rifle and proceeded to his duty post on his motorcycle that fateful night before he met his untimely death.  His assailants who were also on motorcycle reportedly trailed him until they overtook and shot him around the Maiduguri Monday Market area, according to an eyewitness. Last month, a mobile policeman, Sergeant Mohammed was also killed at dusk by gun men in front of his house. Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Isah Azare, said he was yet to receive signal on the incident.

Cholera Kills 1631, as 4500 are Infected

A cholera outbreak in 11 Northern states has killed 231 people this year and infected more than 4,500 others. Neighbouring Cameroon has been suffering its worst epidemic of cholera since 2004 and there had been fears that the outbreak could spread into Nigeria and Chad. Dr Henry Akpan, head of epidemiology in Nigeria’s ministry of health, said that 4,665 cases had been recorded in the country since January. He said government would provide N2.1 b ($14 million) of vaccines and syringes to combat the epidemic.

Kaduna NUJ Denies Suspected Robber is a Journalist

The Kaduna State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Tuesday, disowned a robbery suspect as its member. Mr. Dominic Uzu, the Secretary of the council, in Kaduna said that the suspected “robber journalist” was not registered with the union. On his part, the council Chairman, Malam Yusuf Idris, decried the rising spate of crime in the country due to joblessness and advised able-bodied individuals to shun criminal activities. A man said to be a journalist was on Monday arrested in connection with armed robbery in Kaduna state. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for Kaduna State Command, Mr Aminu Lawal, said that the police was trying to establish the source of the N500, 000 cash found on the suspect and his alleged link with the snatchers.

Building Collapse: FG to Conduct Test on Buildings

Following the rising cases of collapsed buildings in Abuja, which recently claimed 21 lives, the government said it would henceforth conduct structural integrity tests on all buildings under construction in Abuja. The test would be administered by relevant agencies in collaboration with professional bodies. Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Bala Mohammed, said to avoid future occurrence of any building collapse, the FCT Administration would carry out integrity tests of all buildings under construction which are above two-suspended floors in the Abuja and the exercise would be conducted at the owners’ expense.

Group Seeks Stiffer Penalties for Crimes against Women

A body of Igbo women, Umuada Igbo, has called for stiffer sanctions on perpetrators of rape, defilement, incest, torture and all forms inhuman treatment against women in the country. This is one of the resolutions adopted by participants at the yearly August meeting and a public enlightenment forum on family planning and reproductive health issues held in Imo State. National President of the body, Dr. Kate Ezeofor, said the cases as reported in Igbo-speaking states were on the upsurge and alarming, expressing regret that even some husbands force their legally married wives to sexual intercourse, a situation which has led to crisis in the homes. Ezeofor said the problem must be checked by relevant government bodies.

Man Bags 17 Years Jail Term for Hemp Possession

A Federal High Court, in Minna, Niger State, on Thursday sentenced a middle-aged man, Bayo Christopher to 17 years imprisonment for unlawful possession and transportation of 681 kilogrammes of cannabis sativa, popularly known as Indian hemp. The Court, presided over by Justice Sabiu Yahuza, sentenced the convict to prison with hard labour on a two count charge. Christopher was arrested at Lambata with the consignment, which he transported from a village in Ondo State and was standing trial before the court before he jumped bail. He was, however, rearrested few months after at Mechanic Village area of Minna, on Friday, June 25 and re-arraigned before the court.

INTERNATIONAL

130 Survive as Jetliner Crashes on Colombian Island

One person died and 130 others survived as a Boeing 737 jetliner crashed as it prepared to land and broke into three pieces at a Colombian island on Monday. Colombian Air Force Col. David Barrero said officials were investigating the cause of the crash. Passengers aboard the Aires plane said the pilot had announced an impending landing and all seemed normal as the plane descended through rain. But suddenly it hit short and then slid onto the runway on its belly as the fuselage fractured. Fire-fighters quickly doused the beginnings of a fire on a wing. Dr. Robert Sanchez of the Amor de Patria Hospital on San Andres said only four suffered major injuries.

Pakistan Flood Victims Protest Slow Aid Arrival

Angry flood survivors in Pakistan blocked a highway to protest slow delivery of aid on Monday as a forecast of more flooding increased the urgency of the massive international relief effort. Pakistan's worst floods in recorded history began more than two weeks ago in the mountainous northwest and have spread throughout the country. Some 20 million people have been affected. The scale of the disaster has raised concerns it could destabilize the country, which is pivotal to U.S. hopes of defeating al-Qaida and the Taliban. The U.N. children's agency warned 3.5 million children were at high risk of deadly waterborne disease such as diarrhoea and cholera. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon flew over the flood-hit area Sunday and urged the international community to speed up assistance.

24 Killed in China’s Accident, Explosion

About 13 people died and scores wounded after a massive explosion ripped through a fireworks factory in northeast China on Monday. Also, 11 workers died in another industrial accident after an elevator plunged on a construction site. Up to 50 people were working at the fireworks factory at the time of the explosion. A total of 148 people were injured by the blast, which could be felt up to two miles away and smashed windows nearby buildings.

Taliban Orders Stoning of Couple for Adultery

Taliban militants stoned a young couple to death for adultery after they ran away from their families in northern Afghanistan, officials said Monday. The Taliban-ordered killing comes at a time when international rights groups have raised worries that attempts to negotiate with the Taliban to bring peace to Afghanistan could mean a step backward for human rights in the country. When the Islamist extremists ruled Afghanistan, women were not allowed to leave their houses without a male guardian, and public killings for violations of their harsh interpretation of the Quran were common. District government head, Mohammad Ayub Aqyar, decried the punishment and condemned the act, which he said was ordered by two local Taliban commanders.

12 Die in Algerian Desert

Twelve Africans trying to illegally enter Europe have died from thirst and hunger in the Algerian desert, according to survivors of the failed journey who returned to northern Mali. The survivors said that their truck broke down and they ran out of water between the Algerian border and the town of Tamanrasset. One of them, Ahmed, said there were three Cameroonians, three Malians, two Ivoirians, two Senegalese, a Gambian and a Guinean among the dead. The route linking northern Mali and Algeria is popular with those migrants trying to reach Europe, mainly illegally.

Suicide Bomb Kills 60 Army Recruits

A suicide bomber blew himself up on Tuesday among hundreds of army recruits who had gathered near a military headquarters in Baghdad in an attack officials said killed 60 and wounded 125. The site receives about 250 new recruits each week as Iraqi security forces try to bolster their ranks to prepare for the U.S. military's looming withdrawal after seven years of war. At least three soldiers were among the dead and eight among the wounded, the police officials said. Officials at four Baghdad hospitals confirmed the casualties. Al Qaeda's Iraqi affiliate on Friday claimed responsibility for the  attack. In a statement, it said the army recruits were offering themselves as weapons in a war against Sunni Muslims waged by the Shi'ite-led authorities of Iraq.

67 Missing in Latest China Landslide

Fresh landslides rocked another area of China on Wednesday, sweeping through a mountain town in the southwest of the country after days of heavy rains and leaving at least 67 people missing and cutting off access to the area. Rescue workers have been sent to the Puladi Township, which is in the mountains bordering Myanmar. 25 people were hurt in the landslide. Mudslides and floods have killed at least 1,500 people around the country in the last several months. The provincial civil affairs office sent tents and clothing to the area, but it is not known when the aid and rescue workers will get there.

Taliban Kills Two in Afghan Official's Home Attack

Taliban insurgents broke into the home of a provincial official in southern Afghanistan and killed him and his wife, the latest targeted attack on those with links to the government or international forces, authorities said Wednesday. Atta Jan Kajrwal, the Zabul province director of border and tribal affairs, was killed along with his wife in the attack on Tuesday night, according to Mohammad Jan Rasoolyar, a spokesman for the governor. Also Tuesday, a joint coalition-Afghan force raided a compound used by the Taliban as a prison, freeing 27 Afghan civilians who were held captive. Thirteen Taliban fighters were killed in the raid in the Musa Qala district of the southern province of Helmand. Provincial spokesman, Dawood Ahmadi, said that five captives had been slain before the force arrived.

40 Killed in Philippines Bus Crash

A passenger bus negotiating a downhill curve plunged off a Philippine mountain highway into a 100-foot (30-meter) ravine Wednesday, killing 40 people, police said. Ten people, including a 10-year-old boy survived, according to police chief, Wilben Mayor. Mayor said most of the victims were pinned to death while others were thrown out as the bus tumbled down. He said 39 bodies were recovered from the twisted wreckage. The driver, who survived with a broken leg, would be investigated, he said. Conductor, John Patrick Flores, said that the brakes on the bus failed as the driver was negotiating a downhill curve.

Hidden Battlefield Uncovered in Lebanon

With tensions mounting along their shared border, Israel’s military has accused Hezbollah of moving fighters and weapons into the villages of south Lebanon and building up a secret network of arms warehouses, bunkers and command posts in preparation for war. Israel’s military said Hezbollah has changed strategy since the last war, moving most of its fighters and weapons from wooded rural areas into villages. It says the aim is to avoid detection and to use civilians for cover if war erupts. The military added that all of that existed under the nose of 12,000 international peacekeepers who, by their own count, conduct up to 340 patrols a day in south Lebanon but are hobbled by a hostile population and rules preventing them from searching private property.

Asia Celebrates Memorial for World War II Victims

In sombre mood, Asia penultimate Sunday, remembered Japan’s surrender to the allied forces which ended World War II 65 years ago, as the Japanese prime minister apologised for wreaking suffering on the region and the South Korean president said Tokyo's remorse was a step in the right direction. In South Korea, President Lee Myung-bak led a celebration of marking the liberation of the Korean peninsula from Japan’s 1910 to 1945 colonial rule with the August 15 surrender. He also urged North Korea to abandon military provocations and make a “courageous change” toward peace. Relations with North Korea have nose-dived after the March sinking of a South Korean warship and the North’s firing last week of a barrage of artillery into South Korean waters.

Wild Fires Reduce as Rain, Cold Temperatures Advance

As heavy rains and colder temperatures approach to finally put an end to a two-month heat wave, Russian fire-fighters have succeeded in pushing back wildfires. The Emergency Situations Ministry said there were 500 blazes still burning, but the amount of land on fire was down 15 per cent. The heat wave –unprecedented in 130 years of record keeping– has sparked thousands of fires, most of them in western Russia. More than 50 people have died in the wildfires across Russia, and more than 2,000 homes have been destroyed. Meteorologists predict that a cold front advancing from the northwest would hit Moscow, bringing rains and colder temperatures.

Three Indian Peacekeepers Killed in Congo

Dozens of rebels have attacked a United Nations (UN) peacekeeping base under darkness in eastern Congo, killing three Indian soldiers and wounding seven other peacekeepers. Indian army spokesman, Virendra Singh, said up to 50 rebels attacked a base in Kirumba in North Kivu province, leading to an exchange of gunfire. Nearly 4,000 Indian army soldiers are part of the UN Congo peacekeeping mission, which has about 20,000 soldiers from various countries. Jado Ikosi, a human rights activist who lives near the Kirumba peacekeeping base, said that the attackers left behind shoes that fell off when they were fleeing and signs of blood on the fences surrounding the base.

Deputy Al-Qaeda Commander Captured in Afghanistan

A deputy commander for an al-Qaida linked insurgent group was apprehended in an overnight operation in eastern Afghanistan that claimed the life of a woman, NATO said on Friday. The coalition also reported that a U.S. service member died Thursday in an explosion in the south, bringing to at least 18 the number of American troops killed so far this month. NATO said the deputy commander, who was captured by a joint Afghan and coalition force in Khost province, ran weapons for the Haqqani network and reported directly to the group's senior leaders across the border in Pakistan. U.S. officials have described the Haqqani network as the most potent threat to American forces in Afghanistan.

Japan Reveals Plan to Fight Pirates in Djibouti

The Japanese government is to build its foreign military base in Djibouti. The plan is aimed at strengthening and sustaining its fight against Somali pirates, Japanese ambassador to Ethiopia, Kinchi Komano, has announced on Wednesday. After the signing of a land leasing agreement a few weeks ago between Japan and Djibouti allowing the construction of a military facility in Djibouti, Japan will be the third country to have a military base in Djibouti next to United States and France. Japan has deployed two military ships and two reconnaissance airplanes to dispose of the pirates attack and as a contribution for the international effort against piracy in the Gulf of Aden, the ambassador noted.

Kenyan Jailed for Attempted Albino Trafficking

A court in Tanzania has sentenced a Kenyan accused of trying to sell an albino to 17 years in jail and a fine of more than $50,000 (£41,200). The court sentenced Nathan Mutei after he pleaded guilty to human trafficking. Police said they arrested Mutei in a sting operation as he tried to sell an albino fellow Kenyan for the equivalent of more than $250,000. The regional police commander, Simon Siro, said that Mutei had tricked the albino, Mr Robinson Mkwama, 20, into believing he would secure a job in Tanzania. In Tanzania, the body parts of people living with albinism are used by witch-doctors for potions which they tell clients will help make them rich or healthy. Dozens of albinos have been killed, and the killings have spread to neighbouring Burundi.

Iran Plans New Nuclear Sites

Despite global outcry and United Nations (UN) sanctions over its nuclear activities, Iran is planning to build 10 new uranium enrichment sites inside protected mountain strongholds, with construction on the first starting in March. Enriching uranium creates fuel for nuclear power plants but can also, if taken to higher levels, produce the material for weapons and Iran's growing capacity in this process is at the centre of its dispute with the international community. The UN Security Council has already passed four sets of sanctions against Iran to try and force it to stop enriching uranium.