Villeworth Security Services Ltd

week 40

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PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

15 Kidnapped School Children Freed Unharmed

Fifteen school children kidnapped by gunmen on Monday in Aba have been released unharmed following an operation by security agencies, the police said on Friday. They were rescued by a combined team of army and police on Wednesday night in the forest of Ogwe-Asa in Abia state, according to the State Commissioner of Police, Jonathan Johnson. Hundreds of soldiers in armoured vehicles sealed off the town in Abia state in a major security sweep. President Goodluck Jonathan had condemned the kidnapping as "utterly callous and cruel" and ordered security agencies to secure their release.

Soldiers Take over Aba as Governor Revokes Amnesty

A combined team of soldiers, naval police, anti-terrorist and anti-robbery detectives have taken over major streets and corners of Aba, Abia state. The action followed the revocation of the amnesty package offered the kidnappers by the state governor, Theodore Orji, who was heavily touched by the actions of the kidnappers. The Governor had lamented why the kidnappers would not accept his offer of peace, adding that the amnesty offer did not mean that government was weak.

Flood Renders Families Homeless in Calabar

Flood caused by heavy rains in the early hours of Monday morning has rendered more than 1,600 persons from about 63 families homeless in Calabar, Cross River State. Although no life was lost in the downpour which lasted about four hours, the flood destroyed property, and buildings worth millions of Naira. The devastation was caused by the overflowing of the main drainage channel which runs through the city. Due to the force of upsurge of water, most perimeter fencing and walls of houses gave way as they collapsed, causing more havoc to the occupants.

Amaechi Urges Patriotism as Nigeria Marks 50

Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi, has called on Nigerians to evolve a new patriotic consciousness that will move the country into a new era of development, as the country celebrated its Golden Jubilee on Friday. The governor said the collective experiences of Nigerians as a people in the last 50 years, should serve as a tonic to strengthen their national psyche towards making positive contributions to the growth of the country. He said Nigeria’s modern history has been replete with challenges that have tended to paint the nation in negative light. To this end, he called for a new positive re-awakening that will lift the country into greatness.

Rivers Urge Haulage Operators to Comply with Traffic Laws

Operators of haulage vehicles have been urged to partner with the Rivers State government to ensure compliance with traffic laws in the state. Comptroller General of Timariv (a body charged to enforce compliance with traffic laws), Mr Nelson Jaja, said there was need for all hands to be on deck to guarantee an effective and operational transport system in the state. He said operators of haulage vehicles rendering essential services were free to go to the state Ministry of Transport for waivers so that they could be allowed to be on the road in the day time, as he mentioned that there is an existing traffic law which placed restriction on haulage vehicles operating during the day in Port Harcourt.

Sylva’s Security Aides Attack Journalist

Security aides of Bayelsa State Governor, Timipre Sylva, on Wednesday, assaulted a reporter at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national secretariat. The incident occurred when Sylva went to submit his Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms. But during an interactive session with journalists, a reporter, Mike Odiakose, had asked the governor why indigenes of Bayelsa resident in Abuja were not at the secretariat to receive him like his other colleagues that had submitted their forms. Apparently rattled by the question, Sylva lost his composure and flared up, pointing his finger to the reporter’s face. At that point his security aids pounced on the journalist calling him an impostor.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

FCID to Investigate Six Suspected Militants Arrested in Delta

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Alhaji Rigim, has ordered the Federal Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) to take over further investigations into the criminal exploits of six militants arrested in Agbor, Delta State while allegedly attempting to unleash mayhem in the area. Rigim gave the directives following police preliminary reports on the activities of the gang members. The police Chief also queried the Delta Police Commissioner, Mr. Yakubu Alkali over the haste in releasing the suspects on bail even when the allegation against them were weighty and ordered the police in Delta to produce the six suspects for further interrogations. Meanwhile the police have launched a man hunt to track down the fleeing suspects as the police have extended their dragnets to all nooks and crannies of the State.

Six Oil Workers, Others Abducted in Warri

Kidnapping in the Warri and Ughelli axis of Delta State has continues to surge with more persons abducted by gunmen operating in the area. The latest abduction involves an official of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), who was held on Monday.  This brings the total of oil workers kidnapped in one week to six. Last Monday, a major contractor to Shell was abducted on the way to his office and his car was later found abandoned around Oviri Olomu area in Ughelli South Local Council. The previous day, one Tunji Adu, also a member of staff of Shell, was kidnapped in his premises.

Policeman Kills Driver in Asaba

There was trouble in Asaba, Delta State, when a Mobile Policeman shot dead a commercial bus driver over alleged traffic offence. The incident took place between along Nnebisi Road, Asaba. It was gathered that the policeman and his colleagues were in a Hilux van, when the said bus driver reportedly hit the van and fled. The policemen pursued him but the trigger-happy policeman shot him at the abdomen and he died immediately. Passersby mobbed the policeman, who fired the shot while other policemen in his company fled. He was beaten to pulp. Also the same night, rival cult groups clashed in Asaba, shooting sporadically, which forced many shop owners to lock up.

Navy Impounds ‘Illegal’ Ship

The Nigerian Navy on Tuesday said it impounded a vessel, MTAlegra, which reportedly entered Nigeria waters illegally as it allegedly has no requisite papers covering the ship’s location. The vessel was seized with its 25 crew around the Forcados area in Delta State. Commanding Officer, NNS Delta, Commodore Henry Babalola, said the vessel, which flew Panama’s flag was discovered to be operating in Nigerian waters without Nigerian certificate of registration after change of ownership or relevant Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) papers to operate in Nigerian waters as well as clearance to leave anchorage in Lagos for Forcados and relevant papers of nomination to load product.

Delta Inaugurates Task Force on Kidnapping

Delta State Government, on Thursday, set up a combined military task force to rid the state of kidnappers. Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, who inaugurated the team in Warri, warned hoodlums planning to use the state as a safe haven for their criminal activities to turn a new leaf or face the wrath of the law. He directed the military to comb the nook and crannies of the state for known kidnappers and suspects. The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Alkali, who spoke on behalf of the Commander, Sector 1 of the Joint Task Force, and other heads of security agencies, commended Uduaghan for taking the bold step.

Communities Petition Jonathan over Toxic Waste

Industrial toxic waste allegedly dumped in various communities in Ndokwa West LGA of Delta State has taken a new dimension with host communities petitioning President Goodluck Jonathan for immediate persecution of the oil companies responsible. The communities alleged that the waste was dumped in their land between August 30th and September 2nd, 2010 by Nigerian Agip Oil Company and their agent cum contractors, Oil Tools African Limited. The petitioners recalled that the youths apprehended one of the trucks and drivers, adding that after the initial complaints to the Delta State government, the oil company secretly embarked on the evacuation.

Ex-Militants Wants Review of Amnesty Incentives

One year after they laid down their arms, former militants in Sapele, Delta State, have appealed to the Federal Government to review the implementation of the amnesty package. The repentant armed men on the platform of Deadly Underdogs said promises of jobs and involvement of their local communities in the operations of oil companies were yet to be made. They also called for pay disparity between the leaders of the disbanded armed groups and their followers, arguing that the block N65000 monthly pay for each member was causing disaffection in their fold. Their leader, “General” Apesibewei Ezekiel, said on Tuesday that what they initially set out to achieve by picking up arms was not achieved.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

3 Die in Lagos Building Collapse

Three people were killed in a fresh building collapse in Mile 12 area in Kosofe LGA of Lagos, while 10 were rescued from the debris. The ill-fated building had been marked for demolition, after part of it was demolished to pave way for a major road construction project. This incident took place less than 24 hours after a four-storey building collapsed in Lagos Island, trapping 23 victims. They were, however, rescued with various degrees of injuries. Meanwhile, the General Manager of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed that rescue operation had been called off on the site as no victim was still trapped underneath the rubble. He said the structure would be cordoned off until it had been completely pulled down.

EFCC Seals-Off Houses of Ex-Ekiti Governor

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday, sealed off the houses of former Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayo Fayose, over what it described as his failure to obey court orders on the interim forfeiture of his assets earlier obtained by the EFCC, according to the spokesman of the anti-graft agency, Mr Femi Babafemi. Justice Tijani Abubakar had ordered that an interim forfeiture be placed on the former governor’s property pending the determination of the case. However, without vacating the court order, Fayose returned to the properties in defiance of the subsisting order, hence the commission’s decision to re-seal the property. But Fayose described the action of EFCC as political and vowed not to succumb to blackmail.

Ogun State Gov Releases 15 Prisoners to Mark Independence

Governor Olugbenga Daniel of Ogun State has ordered the release of 15 prisoners and commuted the death sentence of a murder convict to life imprisonment in commemoration of the nation’s golden jubilee. Daniel in a release signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Adegbenro Adebanjo, said that he took into consideration written reports of the cases and other relevant information before the amnesty was extended to the affected prisoners. Adebanjo said that the Governor also took the decisions after due consultation with the Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy and in exercise of the power conferred on him by the 1999 Constitution.

Family Alleges Police Killing of 27-Year-Old in Akure

Tension is heightening up in Akure, the Ondo state capital, over alleged extra-judicial killing of a 27-year old Damilola Agbede, a son of the immediate past Chief Register of Ondo State judiciary by policemen attached to the State Anti Robbery Squad, SARS. Already, the family of the deceased has petitioned the Inspector General of Police, IGP, and the Ondo state governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, over the killing of the young man. It gathered that the deceased was killed while returning from a party. The police in the state said that the deceased was an armed robber, but the family debunked this, describing it as a flimsy excuse. The father of the deceased, Mr. Olusola Agbede, said that his death was one of those extra-judicial killings by the police.

Woman Bites-off Neighbour’s Testicles over Quit Notice

A man in Lagos had his scrotum brutally bitten by a female co-tenant, penultimate Saturday. The victim, a 41-year-old man, was attacked by a gang of two men and two women.  According to the wife of the victim, the landlord of the house had served quit notices on all the tenants, who had allegedly lived there for about 13 years without paying rent. This decision apparently did not go down well with some tenants, who allegedly started peddling tales that the victim was the cause of their problem because he was the manager of the landlord’s water-producing company. This tale later snowballed into a big fight in which the woman bit his scrotum. The suspects are said to have disappeared into thin air.

GENERAL

FG, NASS, Others Approve Poll Shift

The wish by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to move the general election from January 2011 has been granted by all the key government institutions and officials. President Goodluck Jonathan, state governors, speakers of the state houses of assembly as well as the leaders of the National Assembly reached a consensus that the request should be granted to avoid a major constitutional crisis. INEC was asked to produce a new timetable which would be discussed and subsequently approved to allow for an amendment of the relevant sections in the laws by the legislature.

FG Launches New N50 Note for Anniversary

The Federal Government kicked off Nigeria’s 50th anniversary on Wednesday with the launch of the N50 commemorative note and non-circulating coins. The new note, launched by President Jonathan, will be used side by side with the circulating N50 polymer and paper notes. Its distinct features include the 50th anniversary logo, a gold band, and a goodwill message written in varnish. The non-circulating coins are produced in 22 carat gold, while others are gold plated silver. Through the American Assistant Secretary of Bureau of African Affairs, Johnnie Carson, the US government congratulated Nigeria on her 50th Independence anniversary.

Seven Killed in Independence Bomb Explosion

Two car bombs blew up on Friday as Nigeria celebrated her 50th independence anniversary, killing at least seven people in an unprecedented attack on the capital by suspected militants. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, the main militant group in the Niger Delta, had threatened to attack the festivities and warned people to stay away alleging that "For 50 years, the people of the Niger Delta have had their land and resources stolen from them". A third and smaller explosion hit a venue at Eagle Square where President Goodluck Jonathan stood with other dignitaries, about a 10-minute walk from where the car bombs detonated. The anniversary ceremony  continued without interruption.

16-Year-Old Boy Steals Police Weapons

A 16-year-old boy has confessed to stealing police rifles and selling them to warring factions in the Jos crisis. The suspect was among the 11-member gang arrested over alleged gunrunning. The self-confessed gunrunner narrated how he entered into houses of policemen through their windows, to steal arms and ammunition. He met his waterloo after he allegedly broke into the houses of a mobile policeman and a Sergeant and stole their AK 47 rifles and ammunition. He allegedly approached the village head of Nasarawa, and a youth leader in Tunfum village, to sell the stolen weapons. According to the Police Commissioner, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, the stolen arms and ammunition were traced to the suspect.

Customs Dismount Checkpoints to Control Extortion

The Federal Operations Unit of the Nigerian Customs Service has banned its men from manning checkpoints on Lagos roads to examine containers already examined at the seaports. The Comptroller in charge of the unit, Emmanuel Kane, gave the warning during his visit to the President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) at his office on Amuwo Odofin, Lagos.   There have been a series of complaints about the activities of the men of the customs in the area.

Six Killed in Niger Flooding

Six persons have lost their lives and properties worth millions of naira were destroyed in Muregi, Mokwa LGA of Niger State, following a flood caused by the overflow of the three hydro-electric dams in the state. The flood was reported to have submerged farmlands and dwelling places of the villagers. The state deputy governor, Hon. Ahmed Ibeto, who disclosed this on Wednesday, said at least five villages were affected. He further said that plans are on to resettle the affected villages to higher lands as a way of averting the havoc caused by the excess discharge of water from the dams in Shiroro, Kainji and Jebba.

NBA Calls for State Police to Tackle Insecurity

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has said the challenges of governance in recent times have kept the nation drifting aimlessly and in danger of being shipwrecked if some measures are not immediately put in place to arrest the situation. The NBA president, J.B. Daudu (SAN) said the law and order in Abia State have totally broken down. He added that the recent kidnapping of school children in Aba has brought to the fore the dire state of policing in Nigeria and the continuous failure of our criminal justice system. To this end, He called for the introduction of state police and the transformation the Nigeria police into a true public servant.

40,000 Female Nigerians Trafficked to Mali as Sex Workers

Between 20,000 and 40,000 Nigerian women and girls have been trafficked to Mali and many of them populate brothels in the country, according to the Executive Secretary of Nigeria’s Agency for the Prohibition and Traffic in Persons (NAPTIP), Simon Chuzi Egede. Egede disclosed this as the outcome of a fact-finding mission to Mali by a team of NAPTIP operatives, following revelations by a Bamako-based Nigerian clergyman on the presence of many brothels in Mali managed by “madams” from Nigeria. He said because of the findings, NAPTIP was putting finishing touches to a quick intervention operation to be jointly executed by NAPTIP and the Malian authorities to free the girls and ensure their safe return to Nigeria.

Two in Court for Attempt to Kill Emir

The police have arraigned Usman Musa and Abubakar Hamidu before a Kano Chief Magistrate Court on a four count allegation of allegedly conspiring to kill the emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero. The duo pleaded not guilty to the four count allegation of criminal conspiracy; attempt to commit homicide, abetment and being in possession of dangerous weapon slammed against them before the court. The court ordered that the accuse persons be remanded in prisons custody. The court also ordered the counsel to furnish the court registrar with copies of the citation made in his application for the release of one the accused on bail.

Nigeria Sets 2025 Carbon-Free Target

Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, on Tuesday said that the Federal Government has designed a strategy to make Nigeria Carbon Neutral by 2025. Alison-Madueke stated that Nigeria was leveraging the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) to access funds for major projects.  She also drew the attention of the world to the protracted issue of gas flaring and environmental degradation in the Niger Delta wrought by the activities of major International Oil Companies operating in Nigeria and moves by government to outlaw gas flaring. Beyond the Climate change aspirations, the Minister stated that Nigeria was aggressively pursuing its agenda to be one of the world’s top 20 economies by 2020.

INTERNATIONAL

NATO Airstrikes in Pakistan Kill 50 Militants

NATO helicopters based in Afghanistan carried out at least two airstrikes in Pakistan that killed more than 50 militants after the insurgents attacked a small Afghan security outpost near the border, spokesmen said Monday. NATO justified the strikes based on "the right of self-defense." Pakistan is sensitive about attacks on its territory, but U.S. officials have said they have an agreement that allows aircraft to cross a few miles into Pakistani airspace if they are in hot pursuit of a target. The tribal area where the strikes took place is largely controlled by militants who regularly carry out attacks against NATO troops in Afghanistan.

Sahara Army Chiefs Meet to Curb al Qaeda

Army chiefs and counter-terrorism experts from Africa's Sahel region met in southern Algeria in an effort to come to grips with the growing threat of Al-Qaeda linked militants in the region. The meeting in the desert town of Tamanrasset is focusing on counter-terrorism and organised crime. Algerian Army Chief of Staff, General Ahmed Gaid Sakah, added that the meeting which has drawn together anti-terrorism specialists from Algeria, Mali, Mauritania and Niger, aims to set clear objectives in the strategy against terrorism and provide an opportunity to exchange information. The meeting held just over a week after the kidnapping of five French and two African uranium workers in northern Niger by Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb - the North African wing of Al-Qaeda.

Gruesome Murders Threaten Burundi

A series of gruesome civilian murders in Burundi is threatening its fragile political stability, and has raised fears that a new rebellion might be brewing. The government has blamed bandits, but some analysts say the attacks bear the hallmarks of the former Forces for National Liberation (FNL) rebel group. Former FNL rebel leader Agathon Rwasa disappeared from Bujumbura in late June after boycotting presidential elections which he said would be rigged. Rwasa and a number of close allies were said to have moved to South Kivu in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.

Israel Halts Gaza-Bound Boat

Four months after a deadly raid on an international flotilla, in which nine Turkish activists were killed in clashes with naval commandos, Israeli naval forces on Wednesday intercepted a catamaran carrying nine Jewish activists toward the Gaza Strip, encountering no resistance as they took control of the sailboat and escorted it to shore. The Irene, like the earlier flotilla, had been trying to breach Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza. Israel imposed the blockade three years ago after the Islamic militant Hamas group seized control of Gaza. The closure was meant to prevent Hamas, which has fired thousands of rockets at Israel, from building up its arsenal, weaken Hamas’ grip on power and put pressure on the group to release a captured Israeli soldier.

Rwanda Drops Threat to Withdraw Darfur Peacekeepers

UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, has thanked Rwanda for dropping its threat to withdraw peacekeepers from Darfur. Rwanda was furious after a leaked report accused its troops of committing genocide in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Ban Ki-moon met Rwanda's President, Paul Kagame, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, penultimate Sunday. The joint UN-African Union force in Sudan's Darfur region is led by Rwandan Lt Gen Patrick Nyamyumba. Rwanda has some 3,300 soldiers and 86 police serving with the force, known as UNAMID. It has also some 200 troops in a separate force in Southern Sudan.

Germans, Britons behind Europe Terror Plot

Eight Germans and two British brothers are at the heart of an al-Qaeda-linked terror plot against European cities, but the plan is still in its early stages, with the suspects calling acquaintances in Europe to plan logistics, a Pakistani intelligence official said Thursday. One of the Britons died in a recent CIA missile strike, he said. The revelations underscore the role of Pakistan as a haven for many would-be Islamist militants with foreign ties. Pakistan, Britain and Germany are tracking the suspects and intercepting their phone calls, the official said.

NATO Oil Tankers Attacked in Pakistan

Suspected militants in southern Pakistan set ablaze more than two dozen tankers carrying fuel for foreign troops in Afghanistan on Friday. The Pakistani government shut the Torkham border in the northwest in apparent protest at a NATO helicopter incursion that killed three of its soldiers on the border. The events raised tensions between Pakistan and the United States, which have a close but often troubled alliance in the fight against militants. Pakistan also lodged a formal protest with NATO on Friday. The convoy of tankers attacked was likely headed to a second crossing in southwest Pakistan that was not closed. Around 10 gunmen attacked the vehicles when they were parked at an ordinary truck stop.

Ecuador Declares State of Emergency Following Police Riots

A state of emergency was declared in Ecuador after President Rafael Correa accused the opposition and security forces of a coup attempt. Correa was earlier forced to flee a protest in the capital, Quito, after tear gas was fired. Troops took over the main airport, forcing it to close. Unrest was reported in several towns, as Peru closed its border with Ecuador. The protesters are angry at a new law passed on Wednesday that ends bonuses and other benefits for public servants. On Thursday morning, members of the armed forces and police angry at the austerity measures occupied several barracks and set up road blocks across Ecuador. Correa was forced to flee the barracks wearing a gas mask shortly afterwards when tear gas was fired by the protesters.

Trapped Miners: Rescue Makes Rapid Advance

Thirty-three miners trapped underground in Chile for nearly two months could be out sooner than thought as rescuers digging to reach them say one of their drills has cut through 164ft of rock in 24 hours. At that rate they could be ready to bring the men to the surface by the middle of October. But they have warned that they could yet run into problems, and the government still says it could take until early November to get them out. A steel capsule designed to pull the miners up through the narrow rescue shaft when it is completed is standing by on the surface. A field hospital to give the men medical attention as and when they get out is being set up.

Rugby Player Found Dead at Home

Former British professional rugby player, Terry Newton, who had tested positive for human growth hormone, was found dead, last weekend. There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death, a spokesman for the Police said on Monday. His body was found Sunday at his home in Greater Manchester. Initial reports suggested the 31-year old had committed suicide. The Rugby Football League banned him for two years in February and the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats fired him. Newton also played for the Bradford Bulls, Leeds Rhinos and Wigan Warriors. He said he used human growth hormone to revive his body.

Suicide Bomber Kills Afghan Official, 5 Others

A suicide car bomber killed a deputy governor and five others on Tuesday in eastern Afghanistan, police said. President Hamid Karzai urged Afghans to decry such violence and fretted that young people will choose to flee their country. The explosion occurred when the official was driving in Ghazni city toward his office, according to Police Chief, Zarawar Zahid. The bomber rammed a motorized rickshaw into one of the vehicles in the two-car convoy, sparking a large blast. Afghan government officials are prime targets for the Taliban and other insurgent groups that have instituted an assassination campaign against people who work with either the Afghan government or NATO forces.

Police Discover Body of Mayor Stoned to Death in Mexico

A small-town mayor and an aide were found on Monday, stoned to death in a drug-plagued western state. Michoacan state Attorney General Jesus Montejano said the bodies of Tancitaro Mayor Gustavo Sanchez and city adviser Rafael Equihua were discovered in a pickup truck abandoned on a dirt road near the city of Uruapan. Tancitaro is in a region where soldiers have destroyed more than 20 meth labs in the last year and several police officers have been killed by suspected drug gang members. Also Monday in Michoacan, five gunmen and a marine were killed in a shootout in Coahuayana on the Pacific coast, the navy said. The navy said another gun battle in the state of Tamaulipas left eight gunmen and one marine dead in the border city of Reynosa.

American Held in Slayings of 2 in Iraq

An American serviceman is being held in Iraq in connection with the fatal shootings of two soldiers and the wounding of another following an apparent argument, the U.S. military said on Tuesday. A statement by U.S. forces said Neftaly Platero was in custody during the investigation into last Thursday's slayings in Fallujah, a former insurgent stronghold 40 miles west of Baghdad. Col. Barry Johnson, a U.S. military spokesman, said a "verbal altercation" broke out among four soldiers and the suspect "allegedly took his weapon and began shooting the other soldiers."

Australian Troops to Face Charges over Afghan Deaths

Three Australian soldiers will face charges including manslaughter over a raid in Afghanistan that left five children dead, Australia's chief military prosecutor said on Monday. The court action follows an operation in February last year to clear a compound in Uruzgan province where Australian forces believed aTaliban leader was hiding. Director of Military Prosecutions Brigadier Lyn McDade said a suspected insurgent was also killed in the night raid, while four people were wounded. Two of the servicemen said they would vigorously fight the charges, which are being laid after an Australian military investigation.

Hamas Leader Vows to Continue fight against Israel

The political leader of Hamas said on Monday that the Islamist group will continue to fight what he called Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory, declaring the group's resistance "a legitimate and just cause." Khaled Meshaal's comments come amid a turning point in recently renewed peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. New construction began at settlement sites in the disputed West Bank territory on Monday. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas publicly urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to extend the moratorium "for three or four months while there are negotiations under way." Hamas, a rival to Abbas' Fatah Party, is not participating in the talks.

Pirates Abandon Hijacked Ship in Somali Basin

Eleven Ukranians, from a ship that had been hijacked in the Somali basin are safe, the European Union Naval Force Somalia said Monday. The Panama-flagged MV Lugela was reported pirated penultimate Saturday, EU NAVFOR said. Late Sunday, the company owning the vessel said pirates abandoned the ship and that the MV Lugela was headed to safety. The waters around the Horn of Africa, especially off the coast of lawless Somalia, have become a hub for piracy, making the busy shipping routes among the most dangerous in the world. Somali transitional government President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed has denounced the pirates who hijack freighters in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden.

13 Drown after Skiff Capsizes

Thirteen people drowned and eight are missing after a small skiff packed with more 84 people capsized while getting aid from a U.S. Navy vessel in the Gulf of Aden, the U.S. military said Monday. The skiff was spotted adrift in the gulf by a South Korean warship, according to a statement from the Combined Maritime Forces, which conducts anti-piracy patrols. U.S. sailors attempted to distribute fresh supplies to those aboard the skiff. As they did so, the passengers rushed to one side of the vessel, capsizing it, and sending all 85 passengers into the ocean. Crews from the Churchill and an Australian patrol aircraft were able to rescue 61 of them. Thirteen drowned and eight were not found, the statement said. The Navy was investigating the incident.

Pirate Leader Sentenced to Death in Punt Land

A pirate ringleader has been sentenced to death by a court in the breakaway Somali state of Punt land. Salah Mohamed Gelle faces execution for murdering Sayid Jacfar, the Pakistani skipper of hijacked cargo ship in June. Seven other pirates who took part in the assault were sentenced to jail terms or ordered to pay fines. Pirates seized the Panama-flagged ship in the Gulf of Aden in the early hours of 2 June. The vessel had a crew of 24. When soldiers from Punt Land stormed the ship, the pirates refused to surrender and killed Mr. Jacfar.

South Sudanese Guards to be Armed against LRA

Self-defence groups in South Sudan are to be given guns to help fight off increasing attacks by Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels. Some $2m (£1.3m) will be spent arming the Arrow Boys vigilantes, Western Equatorial state governor, Joseph Bakasoro, said. LRA attacks have forced some 25,000 Sudanese from their homes this year, the UN says. The home guard units will be trained and armed so that they can provide effective defence until the regular forces can intervene, said Mr. Bakasoro.

No Deaths Recorded from Mexican Landslide

There were no fatalities, but 11 people were missing as the result of a Tuesday morning landslide in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca, Gov. Ulises Ruiz said. The figure was differs from the governor's original estimate of as many as 1,000 people trapped underneath the earth. The pre-dawn landslide happened in the Santa Maria Tlahuiltotepec municipality. Ruiz said that the first phone calls he received from people near the scene were of 300 homes buried, and he passed that information on to the public.

Guinea Bars Families of Massacre Victims from Marking Anniversary

Authorities in Guinea barred families of the 157 people killed in a massacre last September from entering or approaching the soccer stadium where the killings occurred on the one-year anniversary of the slaughter. Reports said military trucks with armed soldiers were positioned at the entrance to the sports arena where protesters had gathered to call for an end to army rule last September 28. The army had attempted to halt the protest, but when they were not able to; they sealed off the exits to the arena and then opened fire on the civilians. Women that survived the bullets were dragged to the stadium turf and gang raped. The leaders of an association representing the families of those killed in the massacre say authorities asked them to refrain from marching or going to the stadium because a large gathering could act as a flashpoint for violence.

UN to Deploy More Troops in Cote d’Ivoire

The United Nations (UN) Security Council has agreed to send additional peacekeepers to Cote d’Ivoire ahead of elections planned for October and urged the Ivoirians not to postpone the vote after years of delays. The council, Reuters reported, decided to send up to 500 additional peacekeepers to the country for at most six months to reinforce the 8,500 already deployed there. Voting is scheduled for October 31, but six dates have already been missed in the past five years because of disputes over voters' identities and the disarmament of rebel groups. UN special envoy to the Cote d’Ivoire, Young-Jin Choi, said after the council meeting that he was not worried about the possibility of violence in the run-up to the vote on October 31, a date he was optimistic the Ivoirians can keep.