Villeworth Security Services Ltd

week 38

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PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

Gunmen Kidnap Five Female Corp Members

Unidentified gunmen, Thursday, kidnapped five female members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Omuma, River State. Police spokesperson, Rita Abbey, said they were abducted at their lodge in Umuogba Community Secondary School, Omuma LGA at about 11.30am on Thursday. The abductors also stole their generator set. Abbey said the Joint Task Force (JTF) responded, but the hoodlums escaped into neighboring Abia State, shooting sporadically.

Suspected Killers of Soboma George Arrested

Police in Ondo state have arrested the suspected killers of ex-militant, Soboma George, police said Saturday. Pere Fiofori, Emmanuel Gladstone and Dobra Ogbe were arrested on Tuesday in a hotel in Ondo town and handed over to the Rivers State police, state police spokeswoman, Rita Abbey, disclosed. The suspects were members of a breakaway faction of George's armed gang, Icelanders, and had been declared wanted over his assassination. Soboma George, a notorious ex-gangster, was shot dead in an ambush in Port Harcourt. He was a former militant of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), and the leader of the banned Outlaws group. He was one of those who accepted the government amnesty granted by late president Umaru Yar'Adua to Niger Delta militants.

Oil Workers Poised for Strike over Rivers Contributory Levy

The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, are set to start a three-day warning strike, to protest the new Rivers Social Services Contributory levy law 2010. The unions decided, on Tuesday that the strike would take effect after meeting with Governor Chibuike Amaechi this week over the law. Chairman of NUPENG, Mr Godwin Eruba, Port Harcourt zonal council and Mr Telema Smart-Jack, Zonal Acting Chairman, Port Harcourt zone of PENGASSAN said the unions would not tolerate the double taxation being introduced by the new law.

JTF Prevent Bayelsa Women from Shutting SPDC Platform

Men of the Joint Military Task Force, on Wednesday, prevented over 200 women from Torugbene community in Southern Ijaw LGA of Bayelsa state from shutting down the platform of the Shell Petroleum Development Company, (SPDC). The aggrieved women alleged SPDC of not being gender sensitive, adding that SPDC preferred dealing with men, thereby ignoring the women in the community. This development, in recent past, has led to a face-off between men and women in the oil producing community. Recently, the women allegedly disrupted the exploration and exploitation activities in the community.

Imo Police Nab Abductors of Ex-Commissioner

The Imo State Police Command has apprehended three kidnappers suspected to be members of a syndicate that abducted the immediate past commissioner for Health in the state, Dr Vin Udokwu, recently. Commissioner of Police, Mr Aloysius Okorie, however announced that the ex-commissioner is yet to regain freedom as some members of the gang escaped during Tuesday’s police raid on their hideout using their victim as shield. According to him, operatives trailed the kidnappers to a building in kwusigo LGA of Anambra State and in the course of the operation rescued three others held hostage by the hoodlums.

Indigenes Protest against EFCC in Rivers

At least 10,000 indigenes of Rivers State stormed the Port Harcourt office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) protesting the alleged commission's interference in the politics of the state and alleged intimidation of government officials. The people urged the EFCC to steer clear of the Chibuike Amaechi government, which they said, was doing so much for the people. The protest came just after the state government dissociated itself from any plan against the Commission, and also after the EFCC chairman, Farida Waziri accused Amaechi of interfering with its work with reckless statements. Deputy Governor, Tele Ikuru, while addressing the protesters, called on the Commission to obey the court injunction and stop harassing state government officials.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

Politicians Seek Police Protection in Edo

Politicians and some prominent persons in Edo State now live in panic and fear of kidnappers, who have laid siege on the state. The abductors have in recent times, unleashed sustained terror on the residents of Benin and other towns in the state. Their panic came as a former Commissioner for Education in the state and aspirant for the Federal House of Representatives, Mrs. Lucy Omagbon, was penultimate Sunday night kidnapped in Benin, shortly after her campaign tour of the area. It was gathered that the kidnappers are demanding for N6 million as ransom. Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Awhara Ejiroro, said the command was doing everything possible to ensure that she was released. More than 15 eminent personalities have been abducted in the last one month in the state.

Robbers Raid Bank in Delta, Kill Three

A gang of armed bandits, on Tuesday, attacked a bank at Ogwuashi-uku, Delta State, killing three and allegedly carted away about N28 million from the bank, which was just a few metres away from a police station. Three persons, including a fruit vendor, died as a result of stray bullets. The robbers had earlier, on Monday, hijacked a Delta State government van with the driver and another occupant of the car in Asaba, who were blindfolded and held in custody till the time of the operation in the bank. Many bank workers were seriously injured and were treated at the Federal Medical Centre.

Thugs Beat Up Retired Army General

A prominent Urhobo leader and Deputy President-General of the Urhobo Progressive Union (UPU), Brigadier-General Patrick Aziza (rtd), was on Thursday attacked by thugs suspected to be loyalists of a political chieftain in Delta state. It was gathered that the thugs, who came in their large numbers, laden with arms, stormed the PDP secretariat in Ughelli to disrupt political meeting. The thugs later made their way to the residence of Aziza to beat him up. Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan condemned the act, promising that the culprits would be brought to book.

3 Die in Auchi Road Crashes

The Auchi Unit Command of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) says it recorded three deaths while 26 persons were injured during the Eid el-Fitri celebrations. The unit Commander, Mr Olu Afolabi, disclosed that the casualties were from four road traffic crashes (RTC) recorded during the holiday period. Afolabi also said some persons were arrested for various traffic offences including non-use of seat beat, windscreen violation and wrongful overtaking.

MEND Dissociates from Threat to Dokpesi

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger (MEND) has denied reports of threat on the life of Chairman of Daar Communications, Raymond Dokpesi, credited to it and the Joint Revolutionary Council (JRC) because he accepted to be the Director of Ibrahim Babangida’s campaign organization. MEND’s spokesman, Jomo Gbomo, said it had not directed any statement of threat at Dokpesi or any aspirant interested in the Nigeria’s presidential election. The group said it remained apolitical and would not derail from its avowed commitment to fighting injustice meted on the Niger Delta.

Edo NMA Decry Insecurity

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Edo State, Thursday, petitioned President Goodluck Jonathan over alleged persistent kidnapping of its members and insecurity in the state. The state Chairman of the NMA, Dr Philip Ugbodaga and Secretary, Dr Emmanuel Ighodaro, attributed the poor security situation in the country to the insensitivity of previous administrations and urged the FG to come to the aid of the people of the state and strengthen the security situation by also redeploying heads of security apparatus in the state.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

Police Arraign Trigger-Happy Cop

A police sergeant, Ifeanyi Orumgbe, has appeared before an Ebute Meta Magistrate’s Court in Lagos for fatally shooting a commuter. Orumgbe was on patrol when he shot and killed the commuter, according to the prosecutor, Sgt. Gabriel Ekundayo. He alleged that in a bid to stop a moving Toyota Hiace bus, the accused in the company of other policemen shot at the bus, adding that the bullet fired by him hit a passenger, Michael Egwu, 33. Magistrate H.O. Omisore did not take the plea of the accused and ordered him to be remanded at the Ikoyi Prisons pending advice from the Office of the State Director of Public Prosecutions.

Police Dislodge Kidnap Syndicate in Lagos

The police in Lagos have arrested three men suspected of involvement in the alleged kidnap of a 10-year-old student. The suspects were arrested in Ondo State and the remaining one was nabbed in Lagos. The Lagos police spokesman, Mr Frank Mba, said that the men kidnapped the boy on August 28, at his parents’ residence in Lagos. The suspects contacted the boy’s mother and demanded an unspecified ransom. According to him, the mother of the boy observed from the voices of the alleged kidnappers that one of them, a carpenter, had worked for her before. The suspects have also confessed that the carpenter initiated the deal to kidnap the only son of the family in order to extort money from his parents.

NSCDC Arrest Four Suspected Oil Bunkerers in Ondo

The men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Ondo State have arrested four suspected oil bunkerers. The suspects were arrested on Monday with a bus loaded with 30 kegs of oil in Akure. While parading the suspects, the commandant of the NSCDC in the state, Madu Kelechi, said the suspects have been selling diesel to some dealers in Akure, without procuring the necessary documents. He said the product was adulterated and could damage vehicles’ engines. But the suspects denied the allegation.

Tenant Murders Landlord over Quit Notice

The police in Lagos have arrested a 45-year-old man for allegedly stabbing his landlord to death for giving him a quit notice. State police spokesman, Mr Frank Mba, said that the suspect was arrested on September 9 at Morogbo area of Ikorodu, after allegedly stabbing his landlord in different parts of the body. The suspect claimed he was not happy over the quit notice and decided to inflict injuries on him if it would make him change his mind.

Three Killed in Ibadan NURTW Clash

Twenty-five persons, including five policemen, were reportedly killed as violence erupted in Ibadan between factions of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), who engaged each other in a gun battle. But the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Olabisi Okuwobi, said only three people were killed. Their bodies, she said, were brought to the Police by Alhaji Lateef Salako, aka Eleweomo. She insisted that no policeman was killed. The attack was allegedly carried out by Eleweomo’s supporters about 1.30am. They were said to have been ambushed by supporters of the reinstated chairman of the union, Alhaji Lateef Akinsola, aka Tokyo. About 83 vehicles, including exotic cars belonging to some leaders of both factions, were reportedly vandalised.

Kidnappers Threaten to Kill Journalist’s Father

The kidnappers of Pa Olubunmi Agbana, 74 on Wednesday reduced their ransom demand to N15m from N20m. The septuagenarian was kidnapped on his farm at Irele in Ikole LGA of Ekiti State. His son, Gbenga Agbana, who is a journalist, disclosed this, adding that his father’s abductors had threatened to kill him if the family failed to pay the ransom before the end of the day. He, however, expressed the hope that his father would soon regain freedom as ‘security operatives have identified some suspects and they would soon be arrested.’

Bank Robbers Kill Policeman in Osun

A policeman was killed, on Thursday, on the Ibadan-Ife road following a bank robbery operation. Although the police said that the robbery attempt was not successful, a uniformed policeman was killed by the robbers while they were trying to escape to Ibadan. The robbers were said to have been rebuffed by security personnel and some bank staff. But as their attempts failed, they were said to have escaped and headed towards Ibadan when they saw the policeman and shot him. Osun State Police Commissioner, Mr Olusegun Solomon, confirmed the incident.

GENERAL

SSS Director, 4 Family Members Slain in Kano

An Assistant Director of the State Security Service (SSS), Garba Bello, 54, his wife and three children were on Monday killed in Kano. However, Bello Garba Bello, 20, the eldest child of the deceased, Wednesday, confessed to killing them. The suspect said he decided to wipe out his family after his discovered that his father had died and he could not carry the economic burden of the family, insisting that he acted alone. However, spokesmen of the family, Alhaji Umar Hadejia, disagreed with the findings of the police. He said based on their findings, especially accounts from the only witness, Farouk Baba, the young boy recalled sighting somebody who was called Aminu. He added that the neighbours also confirmed that they heard whistling outside the compound. The family therefore insisted that the police and SSS should carry out further investigation into the murder.

49 Villages Submerged as Dam Collapses

Over 49 villages and settlements have been submerged in Argungu and Augie LGAs of Kebbi State as the Gorokyo Dam collapsed on Friday, displacing about 6,000 people. The Emir of Gwandu, Alhaji Illiyasu Bashar, explained that approval had been given by the state government to camp the affected people in schools and dispensaries for immediate medical attention and relief. He, however, warned those who have earlier been compensated by government in its attempt to resettle them to leave the river bank areas in order to avoid that kind of situation in future.

283 Escapees Return after Bauchi Prison Break

Minister of Interior Capt. Emmanuel Ihenacho has confirmed that only 28 inmates remained following recent attack on Bauchi prison by members of the Boko Haram sect. The minister said prior to the attack, there were 759 inmates in the prison, adding that 721 left the prison after the jail break leaving only 28 inmates. The minister, who disclosed that 283 inmates have voluntarily returned, said the government is committed to protecting the lives of its citizens. Ihenacho said the prison’s authorities in conjunction with other security agencies have mounted a search team to track down the fleeing inmates.

130 Benue Teenagers Renounce Cultism

About 130 youths in Oturkpo, the ancestral home of the Idoma nation publicly renounced their membership of cult groups. The renunciation ceremony followed an earlier renunciation by over 50 youths a few weeks earlier. Chairman of Oturkpo LGA, Dr. Innocent Onuh, disclosed that 78 persons lost their lives in the council between January and August in cultism related circumstances. The LGA was under siege due to the activities of these cult groups until the vigilante group led by Major Enokela Ukwuela swung into action to flush out the cultists.  Members of different cult groups including the Red Axe Confraternity, White Confraternity, Rescue Confraternity and the Black Skull Confraternity came out and enounced their membership.

Jonathan Promotes Service Chiefs

President Jonathan has decorated the new service chiefs with new ranks, charging them to evolve new defence intelligence strategies and work with the police to end the menace of kidnapping and other crimes. The Chief of Defence Staff, Oluseyi Petirin, was elevated to the rank of Air Chief Marshal; while the Chief of Army Staff, Azubuike Ihejirika, was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General. Similarly, the Chief of Naval Staff, Ola Ibrahim, was lifted to Vice Admiral, while the Chief of Air Staff, Marshal Dikko Umar, was promoted to Air Marshal. The new Director General of State Security Services (SSS), Ekpeyong Ita, was also decorated but the acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Hafiz Ringim, was not decorated because his appointment has to be ratified by the National Council of State (NCS).

EFCC Official Killed in Kaduna

One of the top officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdullahi Muazu, was on Tuesday, murdered in his residence in Kaduna. The spokesperson for the EFCC, Mr Femi Babafemi, confirmed that the head of forensic unit of the commission was killed by unknown assailants. According to him, the chairman of the commission, Mrs Farida Waziri, had directed a team of operatives from the Abuja headquarters office of the commission to assist relevant security agencies in the investigation of the murder in Kaduna. Meanwhile, the Kaduna State police command has commenced investigation into the murder of an official of Muazu, who was killed in his residence at the outskirt of Kaduna. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Aminu Lawal, confirmed this.

Borno Arrests 10 Boko Haram Suspects

Following the jailbreak in Bauchi and the release of over 700 inmates by members of the Boko Haram sect, the police in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital have arrested 10 suspected members of the sect, who  were said to have allegedly attacked and killed nine policemen and ward heads in Maiduguri and Bama in Borno State. Even though the suspects were not found with any arms and ammunition, one Jidda, who is still at large, was said to have been involved in the production of local arms and ammunition for the Boko Haram sect members. The state Commissioner of police, Ibrahim Abudu, said that all the suspects confessed that they actively participated in the attacks and killings of policemen and ward heads.

Nigeria, U.S Sign Pact on Regional Security

In the bid to further strengthen the security system in the Niger Delta region, the United States of America (USA) has signed a bi-national agreement on regional security with Nigeria. The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Martin Uhomoibhi signed the regional security agreement on behalf of the Nigerian government, while Johnie Carson, U.S Assistant Secretary on African Affairs signed on behalf of the United States government.

US Removes Nigeria from Drug Nations' List

Satisfied with the anti-drug campaign efforts of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the US government has delisted Nigeria from the major drug nations' list. The removal is contained in the 2010 annual drugs certification report presented to congress on Saturday, is the first for Nigeria since 1991. According to the report, Nigeria, Brazil and Paraguay were removed from the list this year because they no longer meet the criteria for the list according to US law.

Jonathan Declares Presidential Ambition for 2011

President Goodluck Jonathan, Saturday, formally declared his ambition for the 2011 presidential election, ending months of doubts over his ambition. Speaking before a mammoth crowd, Jonathan vowed to unite Nigerians and urged voters to cast their ballots for him. A host of state governors, ministers and lawmakers attended the carnival-like rally in Abuja to support Jonathan. Meanwhile, national security adviser, Aliyu Gusau, has resigned to run in the presidential elections in January. Gusau submitted his resignation letter to Jonathan on Thursday. His spokesman, Adebisi Adekunle, confirmed this.

INTERNATIONAL

Gang Pleads Guilty to Trafficking in London

A group of people involved in trafficking of underage girls for sex will be sentenced Tuesday for trafficking and prostitution offenses, police said. The three women and a man pleaded guilty to the charges Monday in London. They were arrested a year ago after an undercover investigation revealed they were trying to sell girls as young as 14 for sex for as much as 150,000 pounds ($231,300)," said Detective Chief Superintendent Richard Martin. The investigation began after a woman dropped off a handwritten note at the Jumeirah Carlton Hotel in London and mentioned a rented house with girls available. Concerned staff at the hotel alerted police, who traced the phone number on the note and the woman's car. An undercover officer spoke to the woman who eventually produced the girls from Iran, England and Eastern Europe, police said.

Spain Arrests 9 Persons Suspected of Links to ETA

Spanish police early Tuesday arrested nine people for suspected links to the Basque separatist group ETA, the first such detentions since ETA declared a unilateral cease-fire earlier this month, an Interior Ministry spokesman said. Spain's Interior Minister said that police would not ease up on ETA, blamed for more than 800 deaths in its fight for Basque independence, despite its cease-fire declaration on September 5. The government and most Spanish political parties received ETA's cease-fire announcement with skepticism, because the group has used previous cease-fires to regroup its forces for subsequent shootings and bombings.

Violence Sparks Curfew in Kashmir

A round-the-clock curfew continued Monday in the city of Srinagar -capital of Indian-administered Kashmir- and other major towns, two days after massive pro-independence rallies roiled Kashmir, which has been in the throes of separatist unrest since June 11. The unrest has so far claimed 71 lives. Indian authorities moved thousands of paramilitary troops and police across Srinagar and in other towns to enforce the strict curfew that saw a total lockdown of the curfew-affected areas. No civilians were allowed to leave their homes, quelling the Eid festivities marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan in Muslim-majority Kashmir. The restrictions were, however, defied by anti-India protesters who clashed with the security forces in the capital city and in other towns.

China Demands Release of Fishing Captain Held in Japan

China on Tuesday continued its diatribe against Japan over the arrest of a Chinese fishing captain and demanded his immediate release. Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman, Jiang Yu, urged the Japanese to stop so-called legal procedures and let him return safely and immediately. The captain's fishing trawler crashed into two Japanese patrol boats last week off the disputed Diaoyu Islands, in the East China Sea. He remains in custody, accused of obstructing Japanese public officers while they performed duties. On Monday, his 14 crew members returned to China. Beijing says the Diaoyu Islands and most of the South China Sea belong to China, disputing neighboring countries' claims. The clash over territorial waters and islands is a flashpoint in the Asia-Pacific region.

Church Opens New Abuse Probe

The Catholic Church is Belgium is due to open a fresh investigation into the abuse of children by priests, said the Commission on Church-Related Sexual Abuse Complaints on Friday. The new probe opens only days after the Belgian Catholic Church released an independent report detailing hundreds of assertions of sexual abuse of children by clergy and others working for the church from the 1950s into the late 1980s. The commission said it received about 500 reports from alleged victims, about 60 percent of them from males. It cited 320 alleged abusers, of whom 102 were known to have been clergy members from 29 congregations. Thirteen of the alleged victims committed suicide, it said.

Iraq Keeps 30,000 Detainees without Trial -Amnesty

Thousands of people are being held without charge in secret prisons in Iraq, Amnesty International warned in a new report on Monday. Amnesty estimates there are 30,000 Iraqis being held without trial. The human rights group issued its report on the heels of the transfer of up to 10,000 detainees from American custody to Iraqi control, following the official end of the U.S. combat mission in Iraq. The Iraqi government had no immediate response Monday. But in April, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki disputed earlier reports charging that Iraq is torturing and abusing people in a secret prison.

China Faces Water Shortages

The water shortage in Beijing and environs has reached crisis levels. According to the Chifeng's hydrological bureau, 62% of the city's 51 reservoirs have run dry and over 250,000 people are short on drinking water. In southwest China's Guizhou province in August, a drought affected more than 600,000 people and nearly 250,000 heads of livestock. Hundreds of other Chinese cities face varying levels of water shortages and deteriorating water quality, even as industries continue to pollute water. China's quest for water has stressed downriver countries as well.

Flooding Leaves 24 Dead, 70000 Homeless in Chad

About 70,000 people have been left homeless by flooding triggered by heavy rains in the central African nation of Chad, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said penultimate Sunday. Twenty-four people have been killed and 29 others injured, said Ute Kollies, head of the office in Chad. Forty-six others have died from cholera that broke out in the wake of the floods. Nearly 145,000 people in Chad have been affected by the flooding. The same regions were hit by extreme drought last year. About 77,000 acres of crops have been destroyed.

Zimbabwe Releases Arrested Aids Workers

Zimbabwe has released on bail four US health workers who were arrested and suspected of running a clinic and dispensing Aids drugs without a licence. The four, along with two others were told by to pay $200 (£130) and surrender their passports. They will next appear in court on 27 September.  The medical team, which worked from two clinics in Mutoko and Harare, denies the charges. The penalties for the foreign workers could include a fine and deportation. The Christian volunteer health team from California includes a doctor, two nurses and a community worker.

Armed Gang Attacks Belgian Ship in Cameroon

Two sailors have been taken hostage from a ship by an armed gang off the Cameroon coast, the boat's Belgian owners say. A statement from the De Nul Group said the abducted men were from Croatia and the Philippines. They were seized from a dredger near the port of Douala. It is not clear whether a ransom demand has been made. Correspondents say there has been a recent increase in piracy off the coast of Cameroon and Nigeria.

11 Children Die in Brazil Boat Mishap

Eleven children died last weekend in a lake in Brazil after their boat overturned, police said. Sixteen members of the same extended family plus two guides boarded a motorboat for a trip on the lake, Martins Campos said. The boat overturned about a half-mile from shore, he said. It was reported that the area is known for strong winds, while others allege overloading as the cause of the mishap.

UN Warns of Refugee Camp Dangers

Camps for displaced people are among the most dangerous places for children caught up in war, a UN special investigator says.  Radhika Coomaraswamy, who has produced a report on the camps for the UN human rights council, said there was a lack of protection for children. She said they were vulnerable to sexual violence, and to forced recruitment by armed groups. Many thousands in Sudan, Chad and DR Congo live in such camps. They are there because they are fleeing war, they hope they will find safety - but for children, these camps are often not safe at all. Ms Coomaraswamy said she made her report based on visits to a number of camps.

US Airstrikes Hit Afghan Militants

Drone aircraft unleashed a missile attack in a lawless tribal region on the Afghan border on Wednesday, keeping up the most intense period of U.S. strikes in Pakistan since in 2004, intelligence officials said. The campaign is focused on a small area of farming villages and mountainous, thickly forested terrain controlled by the Haqqani network , a ruthless American foe in Afghanistan. In the latest strike, US missiles killed 12 people in a house in Dargah Mandi, officials said. American officials said the airstrikes were designed to degrade the Haqqanis' operations on the Pakistani side of the border . The missiles have killed more than 60 people in 13 strikes since September 2, according to reports. Many struck around Datta Khel, a town of about 40,000 people that sits on a vital road to the Afghan border.

Israel Hits Weapons Sites in Gaza

The Israeli air force struck a pair of weapons storage facilities in northern and southern Gaza, overnight, the military said on Thursday. An Israeli airstrike killed a Palestinian man Wednesday in southern Gaza, Palestinian security sources said. IDF confirmed the strike on a tunnel in Rafah. The attack is in response to the nine projectiles fired into Israeli territory over the last 24 hours. The violence comes amid fresh Middle East peace talks, which opened in Egypt on Tuesday and continued Wednesday in Jerusalem.

N/Korea Wants to Restart Military Talks with South

North Korea on Thursday proposed working-level military talks with South Korea. The North's request could signal further easing of cross-border tensions, but South Korea reacted skeptically to the proposed agenda. North Korea asked to discuss the countries' de facto sea border on the west coast and wants the border, known as the Northern Limit Line, redrawn farther south. Deadly naval clashes between North and South took place along the Northern Limit Line in 1999, 2002 and 2009. North Korea also wants to discuss a South Korean plan to fly anti-Pyongyang leaflets into the North, in response to the sinking of a South Korean warship in March. South Korea has since deferred the leaflet plan.

Minibus Blast Claims Eight in Turkey

A blast killed eight people in a minibus in the south-east area of Turkey where Kurdish rebels have been active. It was not immediately clear if the explosion had occurred inside the vehicle or whether the minibus had run over a landmine. Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants have officially been on ceasefire since last month. The civilian minibus was passing through the village of Gecitli and the passengers are believed to have been villagers. Three people were also injured in the blast.

Ethiopia Kills 123 ONLF Rebels

Ethiopian forces have killed 123 rebels in the eastern region of the country, an official discloses. The rebels are reportedly from the ONLF, fighting in Ethiopia's Somali region. They have been fighting Ethiopian control of the area since the 1970s. A further 90 rebels are surrounded, says Abdi Mohamoud Omar, president of the Somali region of Ethiopia. The force of around 200 rebels landed on the Red Sea coast penultimate Saturday, the authorities in Somaliland said. Somaliland has declared its independence from the rest of Somalia. Its secession has not been internationally recognised but is far more stable than the rest of the country. The ONLF is fighting for the self-determination of ethnic Somalis in eastern Ethiopia, and has not yet commented on the allegations.

Son Kills Mother, Self at Johns Hopkins

A man, identified as Paul Warren Pardus, wounded a surgeon at Johns Hopkins Hospital and killed his mother and himself with a gun after the surgeon told him 84-year-old mother who likely would never walk again. The doctor, identified by colleagues as orthopedic surgeon David B. Cohen, is expected to survive the shot at his abdomen. Jean Davis was being crippled by arthritis and rheumatism and had surgery last week, but it didn't go well, according to reports. When officers made their way into the room, they found Pardus and his mother shot to death.

Israeli Troops Kill Wanted Hamas Member

The Israeli military says troops have killed a wanted Hamas member in a West Bank raid. The military says soldiers were trying to arrest Iyad Abu Shilbaya early Friday in the town of Tulkarem when he ran at them, ignoring orders to halt. The military says troops feared he had a weapon and shot him. But the man's brother, Moetasim Abu Shilbaya, says troops burst into his house and killed him. He says his brother was a Hamas political activist, not an armed militant. The Western-backed Palestinian Authority and Israel have carried out West Bank crackdowns against Hamas. Hamas militants killed four Israeli settlers on September 1.

Photo Journalist Killed in Mexico

Gunmen attacked two photo journalists on Thursday in the drug war-torn border city of Ciudad Juarez, killing one and seriously wounding the other. Luis Carlos Santiago and Carlos Sanchez, of the Diario de Juarez, were driving to lunch when gunmen in two cars intercepted them and opened fire, newspaper director Pedro Torres, disclosed. Torres said he did not know why the photographers were targeted. He said Santiago had just started working for the newspaper two weeks ago, and Sanchez was an intern. Mexican journalists are increasingly under siege from drug cartels seeking to control the flow of information. A recent report showed that at least 22 Mexican journalists have been killed since December 2006, when President Felipe Calderon intensified a crackdown on drug cartels.

Over 21 Killed in Sri Lanka Depot Blast

At least 21 people were killed in eastern Sri Lanka on Friday after an accidental blast at an explosives depot at a police station , military spokesman, Ubaya Medawala, said. Most of the victims were policemen, who were issuing explosives to Chinese road builders who needed them to blast rock on a nearby project. The munitions were kept at the police station for safety reasons. The police station was extensively damaged.

Violence Erupts in Pakistan after Politician's Murder

Violence erupted in the Pakistani city of Karachi on Friday, a day after a prominent politician was killed in England, police said. Angry crowds set fire to vehicles and a shop, according to Rafiq Gul, a senior police official. No casualties were reported. Politician Imran Farooq was killed on Thursday in London. Heavy contingents of security forces were stationed at major intersections to ward off violence. Farooq was a prominent member of the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM). Farooq also led international relations and human-rights affairs for MQM.

Taliban Kills Afghan Electoral Workers

Taliban fighters killed two workers from Afghanistan's main election body in another attack that highlighted the threat of a violence-marred parliamentary election on Saturday. The attack occurred in a remote district of Afghanistan's northern Balkh province Wednesday morning, said Munir Ahmmad Farhad, a spokesman for the provincial governor. The death toll for campaign staff and election workers in the run-up to the vote now stands at 21, according to Tabish Forugh of Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission. The Taliban has threatened to target polling stations during the voting. The voting, Saturday, was marred by low turnout due to Taliban’s violence, and by familiar allegations of widespread ballot fraud.

Typhoon Kompasu Kills Dozens in North Korea

More than 8,300 homes and 230 public buildings were destroyed by Typhoon Kompasu. Dozens of people died in North Korea in floods and landslides caused by a typhoon which hit the country early September. Nearly 9,000 buildings were destroyed and roads, railways and power lines were badly damaged, the report said. It has prompted speculation that a rare ruling party conference has been delayed to deal with the situation. Good Friends, a South Korean humanitarian group with contacts in the North, said the meeting had been postponed as many delegates were unable to travel. North Korea had said the meeting would convene for the first time in 30 years, without giving a specific date.