Villeworth Security Services Ltd

week 30

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PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

Policeman Kills Colleague in Umuahia

The Abia State Police Command is investigating the shooting to death of a corporal attached to the Government House, Umuahia, Mr. Clement Amaechi, by his colleague, Corporal Umaru Mohammed, on Monday in their residence very close to the Government House. The duo were said to have been having disagreements, which culminated in the shooting. The Command’s Spokesman, Mr. Geoffrey Ogbonna, confirmed the incident. It was gathered that the shooting might be connected with a gift allegedly given to the security details by the governor, and Mohammed was allegedly short-changed in the sharing.

Police Corporal Arrested over Alleged Sale of Baby

A police Corporal in Port Harcourt, Rivers State Command has been arrested over the theft of a five-month-old baby and selling it for N250000 to a childless woman. The policeman had allegedly connived with four others and a family friend of the baby’s parents (called Anthony) to steal the child. Anthony had presented himself as a top official of a motherless babies’ home in the city to the childless woman, while the policeman, who impersonated an officer of the home, said he would sign all the necessary papers to procure the baby from the home. It was learnt that Anthony visited the business shop of the child’s mother and pretended to play with the baby, while the woman typed some documents brought by him. But shortly afterwards, he bolted with the child. The woman quickly raised alarm and reported the incident to the police. Anthony was picked up at his residence.

7 Children Drown in Anambra Community

Seven school children have been reported drowned and thousands rendered homeless by floods in Iyiowa Odekpe, in Ogbaru LGA of Anambra State. The flood that sacked some residents of the area was caused by blockage of a water channel in the area by Power Holding Company of Nigeria, (PHCN). Spokesperson of the community, Sir Peter Okala, lamented that most houses in the area had been totally submerged in the flood, which had been growing unabated, adding that the only solution was to re-open the water channel earlier blocked by the PHCN while erecting high tension poles.

Auto Crash on Causes Shutdown of Niger Bridge

Commuters and other road users were last weekend stranded for several hours at the Niger Bridge head as a truck loaded with goods exploded in the middle of the bridge following an accident that occurred when a 40 feet truck rammed into one of the poles at the bridge head. As a result of the accident and the resulting heavy traffic, one of the trucks on the bridge developed electrical fault, exploded and caught fire. The driver of the burnt truck, which belongs to Sumall Company, Ibadan, said the goods that were consumed by the inferno were cartons of Biscuit which according to the driver belonged to one Mr. Otozi in Uyo in Akwa Ibom State.

UNEP Stresses Importance of Ogoni Clean Up

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has said the success of a clean-up operation within Ogoniland, Rivers State would be extremely important in the Niger Delta region. The body, which recently concluded a US$9.5 million study of scores of oil spill contaminated sites in Ogoni, said it was still awaiting the Federal Government’s nod for an agreeable date for the formal publication of the report. Meanwhile, the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has accused the Rivers State government of a breach of internationally recognized best practices in land resettlement schemes. MOSOP stated this following the State government’s revocation of right of occupancy notice in respect of over 258,954 hectres of land required for the services of the Federal government for a proposed new town development project at Nyokuru and Beeri communities.

Ex-Militant Drags NLNG to Court over Pollution

An ex-militant, Orinaemi Hart, has dragged the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) to court for causing environmental pollution in Bonny LGA of Rivers State. According to Hart, Bonny kingdom was seeking a monetary compensation of U.S.500 million to clean up the polluted environment and transform the economic state of Bonny. He claimed that due to the oil pollution and incessant gas flaring, the people are now faced with the risk of skin cancer, their farm crops have been destroyed and fishermen can no more go fishing because of oil pollution.

Enugu Evacuates 177 Indigenes from Maiduguri

The Enugu State Government has joined other state in the evacuation of its indigenes from Borno state. This is as about 177 of its indigenes arrived from Maiduguri on Tuesday night and were received by some officials of the government. The state indigenes expressed gratitude to Governor Sullivan Chime for his quick response to their distress call, saying his intervention had saved them from further anguish and fear of the unknown.  The spokesman, and President of the Enugu State Union in Maiduguri, Mr. Paul Igwesi, said they were compelled to send the distress call to the governor when it became obvious that non-indigenes had become principal targets of the attacks by Boko Haram members.

NDLEA Parades 13 Drug Suspects in Akwa Ibom

The Akwa Ibom State Command of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), on Wednesday, paraded 13 suspected drug traffickers. The commander, NDLEA, Mrs. Ruth Obi, said one of the offenders, Mr. Ifiok Essien, was arrested after many failed attempts to arrest him. She added that a total of 52.755kg of cannabis was recovered from him. According to Obi, a total of 28.351kg of cannabis was seized from the other suspects.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

Asaba Airport Commences Operations

Commercial flights to and from Asaba, the capital of Delta State, began on Monday, following the successful installation of necessary navigational and operational facilities at the Asaba Airport. Overland Airways will operate daily flights to Abuja and Lagos from the airport, according to reports. The airport has been certified for the commencement of commercial flights by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, which already have their complement of personnel on ground.

Ex-Militants Protest Irregularities in Payment of Allowance

Over 300 ex-militants shut down the Ohoror Delta state axis of the East/West Road, last weekend, to protest alleged irregularities in the payment of their allowances. The repentant militants accused the Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on the Niger Delta, Mr. Kingsley Kuku and the repentant militant generals of complacency. They stressed that the protest would continue until their allowances were directly paid into their accounts and not through the ex-militant generals.

Gunmen Abduct Wife of Edo AG

A few days after a medical doctor was abducted in Benin, Edo state, the wife of Edo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mrs Florence Obayuwana was on Monday morning kidnapped in front of their house at Ohonre Quarters in Benin. The suspected kidnappers are reportedly demanding N20 million as ransom for her freedom. An eye witness account had it that the suspected kidnappers crossed the way of the school teacher in front of the family house, shot into the air to scare bystanders and whisked her away.

Party Chieftain Faces Prosecution for Killing Brother

The Delta State police command is set to prosecute a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Warri North LGA of Delta State, who stabbed his younger brother to death. Mr Boro Akposi, who is the secretary of the party in Ward 10 of the council area, allegedly killed his 27-year-old brother in Sapele recently, following an altercation that ensued between them. The state Police Relations Officer (PPRO), Charles Muka, confirmed that the suspect would soon be charged to court.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

Two Killed as Hoodlums Clash in Ogun

Two persons were on Monday feared dead in Sango in Ota LGA of Ogun State as a 10-man gang of hoodlums launched an attack on the area. It was gathered that trouble started in the area when a member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers identified simply as Alfa, came from Lagos to take over one of the motor parks of the NURTW in the area. The fracas, which lasted several hours, disrupted human and vehicular movements along Sango-Ota Road. One of the motorists affected, Mr. Samuel Owoyele, described the prompt response of the police as having gone a long way in reducing the number of casualties. Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, however, said only one person died, while the other was receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.

Politician Drowns in Lagos Lagoon

A Lagos politician, Mr. Al-Mustaim Alade Abaniwonda, 56, the senatorial candidate of the PDP for Lagos East senatorial district, and a ministerial nominee, on Monday, drowned in the Lagoon at Leventis Bus Stop, Marina. The Lagos State Police Command has said that it has commenced investigation into the death of Abaniwonda purported to have committed suicide by drowning. The deceased’s driver had disclosed that they were coming from a bank on Lagos Island when the deceased said he needed to use the toilet. The driver has since been arrested by the police officers. Abaniwonda’s corpse was found the following day, and he has been buried according to Islamic rights. The state Police spokesman, Jinadu Samuel, confirmed the incident and said the police are investigating the death.

NDLEA Uncovers Illegal Drug Production Centre in Lagos

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has uncovered a three-bedroom bungalow in Iba area of Lagos that is used for the illegal production of methamphetamine drugs. The clandestine ‘factory’, the agency noted, has been sealed off. It has a production capacity of 20 to 50 kg per cycle, thus making it a large production centre similar to the ones found in Mexico. The anti-narcotic officials were, however, working to ascertain the possibility of a link with other international drug networks.

Robbers Ambush Police Team, Kill Policeman

Suspected armed robbers on Tuesday ambushed a police patrol team at Emure-Ile junction of Ekoro Road in Ondo State, killing an Assistant Superintendent of Police, Mr. Amisu Arogunrerin. The police team attached to the B Division of the Ondo State Command had been alerted to a robbery and was heading to the spot when it was attacked. Confirming the incident, the spokesman for the command, Mr. Aremu Adeniran, said it was being investigated.

Tenant Stabs Landlady to Death

A 30-year-old female tenant, Olamide Alonge, has been remanded in prison custody by an Osogbo Magistrate’s Court for allegedly stabbing her landlady, Mrs. Kehinde Awopetu, to death on July 10, 2011 when the landlady went to Alonge’s apartment to effect her ejection. The magistrate ordered Alonge to be remanded in Ilesa prison till August 19, 2011 when the case would come up in court. In a related incident, the same court has remanded a 35-year-old farmer, Azeez Adeyemi, in prison custody over an allegation that he caused the death of an 80-year-old woman, Limota Jimoh. The charge sheet read in court, on Tuesday, alleged that the suspect committed the offence on July 5, 2011 at Olo Farm in Ila-Orangun, Osun State.

Reps Endorse Islamic Banking, Withdrawal Limit

The House of Representatives has accepted the arguments advanced by the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, in favour of the policies on Islamic component of non-interest banking and the limitation of daily cash withdrawals. Sanusi explained that the introduction of the non-interest banking was to provide bank customers, particularly small scale businessmen, with an alternative banking platform that would allow them to borrow money to finance their enterprises without running into the huge debt burden usually associated with the conventional banking system. The cash withdrawal limit policy, Sanusi said, was intended to reduce cost of service, increase access and convenience as well as advance Nigeria into the club of countries that run cashless economies.

Patrol Team Escapes Explosion in Maiduguri
…Boko Haram: Israel ready to assist Nigeria – Envoy

Some men of the Joint Task Force (JTF) deployed in Maiduguri, Borno State, on Thursday escaped death by a bomb targeted at them by suspected members of Boko Haram. Confirming the incident, the newly appointed spokesman of JTF, Lt. Col. Hassan Mohammed, said an improvised explosive device (IED) targeted at a team of JTF exploded in the area but no casualty was recorded. Meanwhile, Israel has declared its readiness to help Nigeria check the rising insecurity caused by Boko Haram. The Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Moshe Ram, said if adequate and timely measures were not taken to curb the menace, it might lead to the emergence of suicide bombers.

UK Deports 61 Nigerians

Sixty-one Nigerians were, on Thursday, deported from the United Kingdom (UK) and handed over to the Nigerian Immigration officials at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. The immigration officer, who received the deportees, said they were rounded up in various parts of UK for immigration related offences. The officer said anywhere in the world, illegal immigrants put untold pressure on public services at a time when countries cannot afford to support people not entitled to it. The development came as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) expressed commitment to new ways of fighting the menace of human trafficking in Nigeria.

Arewa Alleges Fresh Violence Plots in Kaduna

Members of Arewa Youths Forum (AYF), on Thursday, in Kaduna warned against plots by some religious and ethnic groups in the state to instigate fresh violence. The AYF observed that from the unfolding scenario at the ongoing Kaduna State Judicial Panel of Inquiry into the Post-Election Violence, there are indications that the war drums would soon start to rent the air in the state. Also, the Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) yesterday condemned the recent cataclysm in the country. In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Kunle Famoriyo, the group said it will not support violence and killings in any form or guise.

Task Force Arrests Suspected Gun Manufacturer in Plateau

A suspect believed to be involved in gun manufacturing and supply, was on Thursday arrested by the Special Task Force (STF) at a military check point in Bokkos Council of Plateau State. According to STF spokesman, Captain Charles Ekeocha, He added that suspect was arrested during a routine stop and search operation with iron implements that he used in producing rifles and empty cases of 7.62 ammunitions.

ALNCA Boss Attacked by Gunmen

Unidentified gunmen attacked and injured the vice chairman of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Muritala Muhammed International Airport chapter, Mr. Tope Akindele, in Sango, Ogun State. The bandits, who shot their victim on the leg, also snatched his Infinity jeep. The victim was returning home from his office, in Ikeja, when he was ambushed by the assailants. Narrating his experience, Akindele, listed other items stolen along with the vehicle to include, 2011 Customs License, 2011 Customs Authority Card, tax clearance certificates, three cell phones, an IPad, personal identification card and a bag containing an assortment of documents such as membership certificate of Independent Corrupt Practices and offences Commission (ICPC), Certificate of Incorporation of CPCN, shipping papers, photocopies of the stolen vehicle's particulars and customs papers.

Suspected Hacker Nabbed by Customs

Officers of Tin-Can Island port Command of Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, on Monday, arrested a suspected hacker, Adedoyin Shofola, who allegedly broke into the customs workstation and downloaded vital information. The suspect was captured with an electronic device filled with valuable data retrieved from the customs workstation. The Customs Area Controller, Eporwei Edike, who paraded the suspect before newsmen, said the intention of the suspect was to use the information to release at a cheaper rate, containers in the ports awaiting customs’ clearance.

FG to Fight Floods in Lagos

The Federal Government has pledged its readiness to provide all necessary assistance to the Lagos State government to cushion the effects of recent flooding, which claimed many lives and displaced hundreds of people. Permanent Secretary, Ecological Funds in the Office of the Presidency, Mrs. Ibukun Odusote, revealed this when she led a team of experts to the state to assess the effects of the rains and flood in several parts of the state. The state Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello, said the state government would require about N13 billion to solve the problem of flooding in the state, adding that it had begun demolition of buildings erected on drainage channels across the state.

GENERAL

IGP Places Embargo on Movement of Explosives

The Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Hafiz Ringim, has placed embargo on the movement of explosives in the country without clearance from his office. Ringim gave the order during a briefing on the seizure of 700 explosives in Abuja, last week, brought by certain construction companies. He disclosed that under the law, the police monitored and checked various companies that imported dynamites and explosives used to blast rocks by quarry companies. He said that the two policemen who escorted the explosives were on lawful duty and had since been released. Ringim said the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) was working to ensure that the activities of all security agencies were coordinated and harmonised in a bid to find a lasting solution to the security challenges facing the nation.

Soldiers to Remain in Maiduguri

President Goodluck Jonathan, leaders of Borno State and Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) Wednesday rose from a meeting on the security situation in the state with the decision that the military would not be withdrawn as demanded by some pressure groups. The Committee of Borno Elders and Leaders of Thought and some other organisations had demanded the withdrawal of troops because of accusations of indiscriminate killings and rape. But it was Wednesday resolved that soldiers who indulge in excesses and abuse of people’s rights would be punished in accordance with laid-down procedures and rules of engagement through relevant authorities which are already on ground.

Five Killed in Renewed Jos Attacks

Five people have been confirmed dead in a new wave of violence in Jos, the Plateau state capital. Twelve others were seriously injured in the bloody clash said to have occurred between some Christian and Muslim youths at Angwan Rukuba area of Jos North LGA on Wednesday. It was gathered that trouble started when one Dahiru Musa was invited by an unidentified man to repair his door for him, but the man ended up being killed. This was said to have angered some Muslims youths, who mobilised for a reprisal, leading to a fight. Media Officer of the Special Task Force, Captain Ekeocha, said soldiers were immediately deployed in the area and normalcy had been restored.

Trailer Crushes 20 to Death in Abuja

A fatal road accident on Monday in Abuja claimed at least 20 lives when a trailer lost control and rammed into about eight vehicles along the Maraba-Nyanya road. According to an eye witness, the trailer, loaded with iron rods, was coming from the Abuja axis of the road to Nyanya/Maraba axis, and swerved into the other lane, crushing about eight oncoming vehicles. The eyewitness said the only survivor of the first bus hit by the trailer was an eight-month-old baby. Men of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other paramilitary agencies had hectic time removing the remains of the victims as well as controlling the traffic.

622 Corps Members in Bauchi Appeal for Enhanced Security

In the wake of the brutal murder of 10 corps members in Bauchi State, many parents, especially in the Southern part of Nigeria, had vowed not to let their children serve in the state if they are posted there by the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC. But the state government had moved to douse the anger and tension by assuring concerned parents that it was committed to protecting the lives of corps members under its care. This is as the NYSC state Coordinator, Mr Ibrahim Tzihe, confirmed 633 young graduates were posted to Bauchi State to participate in the 2011/2012 Batch ‘B’ service year. The corps members strongly appealed to the Bauchi State Government to provide adequate security measures to safeguard their lives during the service year.

Trial of Police Officers in Extra-judicial Killing of Sect Leader Commences

Five senior police officers attached to the Borno State Command were on Tuesday arraigned before Justice Donatus Okorowo of a Federal High Court in Abuja for allegedly killing the leader of the Boko Haram Islamic sect, Mohammed Yusuf and his followers on July 30, 2009. The charges alleged that the five accused persons conspired and summarily executed the leader of the Boko Haram sect shortly after being handed over to police authorities by soldiers who arrested him. All the accused persons pleaded not guilty. Justice Okorowo adjourned the case till July 28, but remanded one of the accused in prison custody, pending the hearing and determination of his bail application. The others were released on bail with an order that they should be closely monitored to ensure their availability for trial.

5000 Workers Lose Jobs over Insecurity

Security threat has forced the Savannah Sugar Company in Adamawa State, a subsidiary of Dangote Group of Companies, to close down indefinitely thereby causing 5,000 workers to lose their jobs. The company, which is situated in Lamurde, southern part of the state, has been having a running battle with its host communities over compensation and employment. Confirming the closure, Head of Human Resources of the company, Ibrahim Biu said the company was facing security threats from its casual workers, adding that the casual workers had insisted that their appointment be converted to permanent employment. Biu said the company would remain closed until the security situation is addressed.

Flood Destroys 50 Houses, Renders Several Homeless in Bauchi

About 50 houses and property worth millions of naira were destroyed by floods after a heavy downpour at Dallaji Village in Warji LGA of Bauchi State. The displaced victims are taking shelter in public buildings and their relatives’ home as a result of the disaster. Chairman of Warji LGA, Alhaji Adamu Muhammed Danjummai, called on the government and well meaning Nigerians to come to the aid of the victims. Danjummai said the council had already set up a committee to assess the level of damage in order to submit to the state relief agency for necessary action. The Warji council boss urged the people of the area to clear their drainages to reduce the cases of flood.

Labour Suspends Strike

The Nigerian Labour Congress, on Tuesday, suspended its threatened warning strike after government agreed to implement the new minimum wage across board with effect from August. Labour hinged its decision on the agreement it reached with the Federal Government to commence full implementation of the Minimum Wage Act as from August 1, 2011. The Federal Government had on Monday said it would only pay a certain category of workers for a start and commence the full implementation of the new wage regime next year.

INTERNATIONAL

U.N. Declares Famine in Somalia

The United Nations declared a famine Wednesday in parts of southern Somalia as the east African nation suffers the worst drought in half a century. Thousands of Somalis have fled in search of food and water, trekking for days in scorching temperatures in desperate attempts to reach refugee camps in neighboring Kenya and Ethiopia. The declaration of famine in the southern regions of Bakool and Lower Shabelle represent the worst food security crisis since a famine in Somalia in 1992. Mark Bowden, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Somalia, said nearly half of the Somali population -3.7 million people- are now in crisis and roughly $300 million is needed in the next two months for intervention. The Executive Director of United Nations’ Children Fund (UNICEF), Anthony Lake, called for an immediate expansion of assistance across the Horn of Africa’s drought ravaged communities, to address the grim needs of more than two million children.

93 Killed in Norway as Gunman Opens Fire on Youth Camp

At least 93 people were killed in Norway when a gunman caused an explosion at a government facility and opened fire on a youth camp. The man who confessed to the twin attacks that killed 93 people in Norway will be arraigned in court for the first time Monday and has requested an open hearing so that he can explain his massacre to the public. Anders Behring Breivik, 32, has confessed he was behind the bombing in downtown Oslo and shooting massacre at a youth camp outside the capital, but denies criminal responsibility. The search for victims continues and police have not released their names. Breivik laid out his extreme nationalist philosophy as well as his attack methods in a 1,500-page manifesto.

18 Die in Malawi’s Protest

The death toll from a police and army crackdown on two days of street protests against Malawian President, Bingu wa Mutharika, rose to 18 on Tuesday, health ministry spokesman, Henry Chimbali, said. Police staged running battles throughout the day with activists who denounced the soaring cost of living and what they believe is a growing autocratic streak in Mutharika’s presidency. After a group of Mutharika supporters announced their own rally, a court issued an injunction blocking the rally to prevent “possible disruptions and undesirable incidents”. The injunction was overturned later in the day, but when police moved to enforce the initial order in Lilongwe, protesters torched police officers’ homes and two government vehicles.

WHO Wants TB Blood Test Banned

Blood tests designed to detect active TB are inaccurate and should be banned, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said. The organisation’s review of these tuberculosis test kits says they give wrong results in around 50 per cent of cases. The kits are mainly sold in the developing world. However, most of the 18 kits on the market are produced in Europe and North America. According to Dr. Mario Raviglone, the director of the WHO Stop TB Department, the tests must be banned.

13 Killed in Uzbekistan Quake

Emergency officials said about 13 people were killed in a powerful earthquake that hit Uzbekistan’s heavily populated Ferghana Valley region on Thursday. A magnitude 6.2 temblor centered in neighbouring Kyrgyzstan hit shortly after midnight in a mountainous area, which has a population of more than 200,000. Uzbekistan’s Emergency Services Ministry said that of the 86 people being treated for injuries, 35 have been hospitalised. Also, a number of residential buildings in several towns in the Ferghana Province have been damaged. Uzbek President, Islam Karimov, has given instructions for emergency workers to take prompt action to mitigate the fallout from the quake and provide assistance to victims.

Gunmen Kill Top Afghan Officials

A key adviser of Afghan President Hamid Karzai and a parliament member were killed, penultimate Sunday, in a home west of Kabul. At least three attackers entered the home of Jan Mohammad Khan, the former governor of Uruzgan province, and killed him, his security detail and Uruzgan parliament member Hashim Watanwal, according to police and Gov. Khaudai Rahim. One attacker was also killed. Afghan Security Forces are currently engaged in a firefight with the remaining attackers, still raging at the former governor's home west of Kabul. International Security Assistance Force spokeswoman, Lynn Kibler, said NATO forces are not currently involved. The Taliban has taken credit for the attack, according to a statement from them.

30 Killed in Syria

At least 30 people were killed in 24 hours in the central Syrian city of Homs in clashes between supporters and opponents of President Bashar al-Assad's regime, a human rights activist said on Sunday. According to reports, the deaths came as the army moved in on two border towns in the east and west seeking to quell anti-regime protest. Rami Abdel Rahman, a member of the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said the clashes came after three regime supporters kidnapped were killed and their dismembered bodies were returned to their relatives last weekend. The military on Sunday also set its sights on the town of Zabadani near the Lebanon border as it pressed ahead in its campaign to overcome the revolt, another rights activist said.

Mexico Seizes Huge Meth Precursors

The Mexican army has seized a cache of over 926 tons (840 metric tons) of precursor chemicals used to make methamphetamines, one of the largest such seizures to date in the country, agency reports stated. The discovery came last Wednesday, the same day an army patrol in another location found a sophisticated underground meth lab reachable by a 35-yard (meter) long tunnel. Mexico has become a centre for meth production, based on precursor chemical shipped in from foreign suppliers, often in Asia. The Defence Department said soldiers found thousands of sacks of phenylacetamide in a warehouse in the north-central state of Queretaro.

Indonesians Flee as New Volcano Erupts

Thousands of Indonesian residents have been forced back into emergency shelters after a volcano in central Indonesia unleashed its most powerful eruption in weeks. Mount Lokon, on Sulawesi, started erupting penultimate Sunday, spewing hot ash and smoke 3,500-metres (11,500ft) into the air, according to reports. There were no immediate reports of casualties. Before the eruption, residents had been returning to their villages along the mountain’s slopes, despite warnings to stay away from the crater. Airlines travelling within 10 kilometres (six miles) of Mount Lokon’s peak have been told to reroute their flights. There are 28,000 people living within a two miles evacuation zone which was established on north Sulawesi.

Kurdish Rebels Killed 13 Turkish Soldiers

Separatist Kurdish rebels have killed 13 Turkish soldiers and wounded seven others in an ambush on Monday in southeastern Turkey, authorities said. The ambush near the town of Silvan prompted an emergency meeting chaired by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Turkish capital of Ankara. At least two of the wounded soldiers were in critical condition. The rebels of the Kurdistan Worker’s Party, or PKK, have been waging a campaign for autonomy in southeast Turkey. The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people since 1984.

Israeli Forces Take over Gaza-Bound Boat, Deport Crew

Israeli naval forces, Tuesday, took over a boat of activists that was intent on breaking what they call the "siege of Gaza" without violent resistance. Benny Gantz, chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces, confirmed that naval forces had been ordered to seize the vessel, known as the Dignite, as it approached the coast of Gaza, where a maritime security blockade is in force. The Dignite is carrying 10 activists and a crew of three and is affiliated with the Free Gaza Movement, whose aim is to break the "siege of Gaza." Greta Berlin, spokeswoman for the Free Gaza Movement, said the boat declared its destination as Alexandria, Egypt, so that it could leave Greek waters. But it changed its destination in international waters, which is legal, Berlin said. Four navy boats surrounded the Dignite as it approached the coast of Gaza, the boat's organizers said. Israel has since deported the passengers and crew to Greece.

Guinean President Survives Gun Attack

Heavily armed assailants attacked the residence of Guinean President, Alpha Conde, early on Tuesday, killing one person while Conde escaped with injury. It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack. Eyewitnesses said the attack took place at Conde’s personal residence and lasted over an hour, but it was repelled by Conde’s personal guard. Conde came to power last December after the first free election in the country since independence from France half a century before. The country had been ruled by a military junta since the death of longtime leader Lansana Conte in 2008.

Rebels Attack Garrison in South Sudan

The most powerful rebel group in Sudan’s Western Darfur region said it successfully attacked a government position alongside anti-Khartoum fighters in a key oil state bordering South Sudan. The report by the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) could not be independently confirmed. Senior JEM official Al-Tahir al-Feki said the group attacked a government garrison in Southern Kordofan on July 10 a day after the South seceded in a joint operation with the Northern branch of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army. The operation ended on the night of July 17, he added. South Sudan formally seceded from Sudan on July 9 under a 2005 peace deal that ended decades of civil war with the North.

CAR, Rebels Sign Peace Deal

The Central African Republic (CAR) government and a 500-man breakaway faction of the country’s last active rebel movement have signed a peace deal, state radio announced on Tuesday. It said the pact between the government and a dissident faction of the Convention of Patriots for Justice and Peace (CPJP) was signed Sunday in the eastern town of Nzako. Mediator Paulin Pomodimo said that the new deal was penned by faction leader, Mahamat Salle, who “has many men, slightly more than 500 men, and many arms.” It provides for the dissident faction to disarm and recognise state institutions while providing security guarantees for Salle to quit the bush and move around freely in the country.

NATO Hands over Lashkar Gah to Afghan Forces

British troops in Afghanistan's volatile Helmand province, Wednesday, handed control of the city of Lashkar Gah to Afghan security forces. The handover is seen as a critical step in a transition of power before foreign troops end combat operations in 2014. A handover ceremony took place at the governor's palace in Lashkar Gah. Before the handover, a bomb exploded near a police station outside the city on Tuesday. The roadside bomb hit a police vehicle near a newly built police station in Bolan, just outside the bustling market city of Lashkar Gah. Initial reports suggested there were no casualties in the blast.

Last Yugoslav War Crimes Suspect Captured

Goran Hadzic, the last Yugoslav war crimes suspect, was captured in Serbia on Wednesday, a war crimes tribunal announced. An ex-Croatian Serb rebel leader who has been a fugitive for seven years, Hadzic was wanted for crimes against humanity and war crimes in connection with the wars that followed the break-up of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s. Hadzic is accused of trying to remove Croats and other non-Serbs from the territory and the "extermination or murder of hundreds of Croat or other non-Serb civilians," among many other crimes. He was the last fugitive of the 161 people indicted by the tribunal.

Six Killed in Yemeni Clashes

Fighting between government forces and opposition supporters erupted in Yemen's capital Sanaa Monday, killing six people, opposition sources said. The fighting, according to reports, is the first to break out in Sanaa since President Ali Abdullah Saleh flew to Saudi Arabia for treatment after sustaining severe burn wounds when an attempt to assassinate him was made in June.

Missile Warheads Stolen from Romanian Train -Officials

Romanian officials have reassured the public that the more than 60 missile warheads from a train cannot be used for any security threat. The warheads were taken from a train that was carrying military equipment to Bulgaria last week Saturday. Officials said the stolen warheads could not be detonated because they were in component form without explosives. Investigators say the missiles could have been stolen for their scrap metal value. Officials are investigating how the theft could have happened while the consignment was being guarded by paramilitary police.

New Airstrikes Rattle Tripoli

Fighting between Libyan rebels and government troops raged around the eastern Libyan oil town of Brega last weekend as NATO warplanes launched a sustained pre-dawn raid on Tripoli's eastern suburbs, having warehouses full of tanks, troop carriers and ammunition. The Western alliance has been bombarding Libya since late March a U.N. mandate to protect civilians from forces loyal to Moammar Gaddafi, who is attempting to put down a revolt against his nearly 42-year rule. Rebel forces claim to have routed most of Gaddafi’s troops in Brega. Meanwhile, Russia criticized the United States and other countries for recognizing the rebel leadership as the legitimate government of Libya, saying they were taking sides.

Policemen Kill Rioters in Xinjiang

Police in western China’s restive Xinjiang on Monday “gunned down” several rioters who attacked a police station and killed about four people, with an exile group claiming that the incident started when police fired on peaceful protesters. Reports said the incident took place in the desert city of Hotan when a mob attacked a police station, taking hostages and setting it on fire. Two hostages, a paramilitary policeman and a guard died in the violence, as well as several of the attackers. Six hostages were freed.

ICJ Orders Thai, Cambodian Troops out of Temple Area

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague has ordered Thailand and Cambodia to pull their soldiers out of a newly defined demilitarised zone on a disputed part of their border around an ancient temple. The court also told both countries to revive talks to resolve the decades-old conflict. Thailand said it would honour the ruling and Cambodia said it looked forward to the cessation of hostilities. Tens of thousands of villagers on both sides have been relocated, and 18 people have been killed in fighting between the two countries since February.

Greek Oil Vessel Hijacked, Released Near Nigeria

A Greek oil tanker was hijacked by gunmen off the coast of Nigeria and released along with its 20 crew members last weekend. The Liberian-flagged oil tanker, Aegean Star, was returning to the Ghanaian port of Tema, a coastguard officer said. He added that the owners had handled the negotiations and could not give information on whether a ransom had been paid. The ship had been hijacked on Saturday 30 nautical miles off the coast of Nigeria. It had originally set off from Ghana and was headed towards Benin. The 20-person crew included three Greek nationals, among them the ship's captain, authorities said.