Villeworth Security Services Ltd

week 35

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PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

Vessel with 18 Crew Members Abducted in Bonny

Suspected militants have attacked and abducted a fishing trawler, ‘Golden Harvest’ with its crew members in Bonny, Rivers State. The trawler was said to be on a fishing expedition on the Bonny high sea, with 18 crew members when the hoodlums struck. It was gathered that following military intervention, the hoodlums later released the vessel into the high sea and dumped some of their wounded victims in a hospital in Bonny. The spokesman of NNS Pathfinder, Lt. Commander A. Ayi, said that the rescue operation was carried out by Naval personnel in Bonny.

Killer Cop Dismissed from Service

The Nigerian Police Command in Anambra State has dismissed the trigger-happy policeman, who shot and killed a 26-year-old man, Onyeka Agupudo in Agulu, Anaocha LGA, recently. His dismissal came just as Agulu youths petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) on the gruesome murder, demanding justice, N150 million as compensation for the family and the immediate release of his body. Agupugo was shot dead while allegedly trying to mediate in a quarrel between a policeman and a commercial motorcycle rider (Okada) over N20 at a police checkpoint. The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Emeka Chukwuemeka said, he would be arraigned in court for murder.

Robbers Kill 2 Policemen, 3 Civilians Akwa Ibom Robbery

Four days after armed robbers trailing a bullion van gunned down two policemen in the premises of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, two other policemen were killed in Uyo by bullion van trailing armed robbers. It was reported that the robbers might have trailed the bullion van from the Central Bank to Ukana Offot by Abak Road junction where they struck, killing two police escorts, two members of staff of the bank while the third person, a passerby, was said to have been hit by stray bullet. It was learnt that after killing their victims, the robbers ransacked and carted away money in the bullion van unchallenged, despite the fact that the whole banking district is littered with armed policemen. The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the state police command, Mr Onyeka Orji, confirmed the robbery but did not give details.

Iron Explodes, Kills Woman in Akwa Ibom

A piece of metal suspected to be a relic of the civil war exploded last weekend, killing a 28-year old woman and injured two of her children in Akwa Ibom State. The explosion also destroyed a building. The woman, Mrs. Aniebiet John-Paul, used the piece of iron in supporting her pot while frying garri in her compound. Her husband disclosed that the piece of iron had been in the compound for over 30 years unknown to them that it was an explosive. The council boss promised that the council would support the family in her burial and pay the hospital bills of the injured children, while he appealed to indigenes not to use any unidentified objects but such objects, if found, should be reported to security agents. He urged the State and Federal Government to bring in experts to rid the area of all remains of the civil war.

Shell Declares Force Majeure on 300,000bpd

Nigeria’s crude oil export has suffered a major setback as Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) declared force majeure on Bonny Light exports for the remaining days in August, September and October. With this force majeure, Nigeria’s total production capacity, including condensate, which stood at about 2.6 million of crude oil barrels per day, has declined to about 2.3million bpd. Confirming the latest action, Shell’s Corporate Media Relations Manager, Mr. Tony Okonedo, said on Wednesday that the declaration of the force majeure followed what the company called “production deferment from several pipeline incidents in Eastern operations.” Joint investigation visits found that the incidents were caused by hacksaw cuts which indicate third party interference and activities of unknown persons.

1000 MASSOB Members Arrested for Wearing Biafran Regalia

The investiture of the ailing Biafran leader, Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, by Igbo Youths Movement (IYM) was almost disrupted in Enugu on Wednesday, as about 1,000 youths suspected to be members of the outlawed Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), who came to witness the event, were arrested by the police for allegedly being in possession of Biafran flags. It was learnt that the Igbo activists were alleged to have dressed in Biafran regalia to the IYM event. It was also gathered that the leader of MASSOB is being held by the police in Enugu.

Enugu Police Screen 2,800 for Recruitment

About 2,800 applicants are being screened for recruitment as Cadet Inspectors and Assistant Superintendents of Police by the Police Command in Enugu State. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the state command, Mr. Ebere Amarizu, who made this known, on Wednesday, said that three successful candidates for each cadre would emerge from each of the 17 Local Government Areas in the state.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

Ex-Chevron Worker, Lawyer Killed in Warri

A retired staff member of Chevron, Mr Eddy Eyikimi was last weekend, shot dead by hoodlums at his residence in Warri in Delta State. Also killed was one Ochuko Egbune, a lawyer, who was with him when the hoodlums attacked. Immediately after the several shots fired at the two friends, the bandits escaped with some money, shooting sporadically to scare away any intruder that may disturb them. It was revealed that Eyikimi and the lawyer had withdrawn the money from a bank to pay compensation to persons whose land was taken from them for a project in Edo state.

Teacher Blinds 10-Yr-Old for Failing Mathematic Test

A 10-year-old primary four pupil of Okhoro Primary School, Benin, Edo State, Miss Blessing Okaeben, has demanded from the state government N100milllion as compensation for her left eye which was allegedly blinded through flogging by a teacher under its employment. She threatened to institute legal proceedings against the government should it fail to meet her demand. The money is made up of N20milion as estimated cost of her travel, stay, and medical treatment abroad and N80million as damages for breach of her fundamental rights to freedom from torture, inhuman and degrading treatment. Blessing was said to have been flogged by the female teacher with a broom in June 2011 for failing her Mathematics test.

Oshiomhole Cautions Task Force on Seized Goods

Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole has warned all government committees and taskforce members to be civil in the discharge of their duties to the public, warning that the attitude of confiscating seized goods or donating them to orphanage homes should stop henceforth. The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr. Simon Imuekemhe who dropped this hint, said the meeting was called on behalf of the Governor, after the decision of the State Executive Council meeting.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

Customs Intercepts Deadly Cargo at Lagos Port

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Tuesday, at the Tin-Can Island Port, Apapa, intercepted a 40” foot container containing arms and ammunition and arrested one Mr Niyi Osunsanya, a Customs agent contracted to clear the cargo. Customs Area Comptroller, Mr. Charles Edike, said the container contained two vehicles, which were brought in from the United States. Edike said the security items found in the container were weapons that could cause damage to Nigerians, adding that with the arrest of the agent, it will not take long before the importer will be apprehended.

Police to Unmask Perpetrators of Mushin Crisis

The Inspector General of Police (IG), Mr. Hafiz Ringim, has ordered the Assistant Inspector General of police (AIG) in-charge of Zone II Command, Onikan, Lagos, Mr. Suleiman Fakai and the state Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr. Yakubu Alkali to investigate the continued skirmishes in Mushin and its environs. The AIG, Fakai, who made the revelation during a training programme organized for the Ogun and Lagos states police officers on human rights abuse, said he and the two states commissioners were brainstorming to unravel the root cause of the pockets of crisis and the perpetrators. The AIG, who warned his men to follow democratic principles and the fear of God in policing the state, said Mushin crisis would soon be a thing of the past as he would soon unravel those behind it. He said the force would deal squarely with the perpetrators of the crisis.

Security Agencies Smash Forgery Syndicate

The law caught up with about 15 suspected fraudsters and forgers who specialized in forging counterfeit documents, including Nigeria’s International Passport. In a raid on Oluwole Market in Lagos, by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), State Security Service (SSS) and the Police; the security agents also took away their equipment. Dozens of fake Machine Readable Passports, E-Passports, Fake Nigeria’s Coat of Arms, Visas of many countries, fake National Youth Service Corp Call-Up letters, signatures of University Vice- Chancellors, Registrars as well as Polytechnic Rectors were recovered from the syndicate. Comptroller of Immigration, Lagos State Command, Abbas Ahmed, said the insistence by the Federal Government that security agencies must collaborate to ensure internal security was maintained has begun to yield dividends.

Military Threatens Impersonators in Lagos

As part of the on-going efforts to stem crime and checkmate criminals in Lagos State, the Military formation in Lagos, on Wednesday warned members of the public against impersonation of soldiers, saying those caught in the act would be dealt with severely. Commander, 9 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Ikeja, Brigadier-General Sanusi Muazu, who gave the warning, also warned those he said engaged in producing fake military ID cards, pointing out that the military had not appointed anyone to that effect. He said majority of those parading themselves as soldiers in Lagos were not soldiers, and if caught, they would be dealt with.

Police Parade 7 Suspected Car Thieves in Ondo

Police in Ondo State has paraded a Mechanical Engineering graduate of University of Ilorin, and six others for allegedly snatching posh vehicles from car hire companies across the nation. Tayo, a 2010 graduate said that he was introduced into the business by one of his late friends. According to him, he successfully snatched seven cars before he was apprehended by the police in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State two weeks ago. Cars recovered from the gang include two Honda Accord End of Discussion, Audi AG, Honda CRV Sports Utility Van, Honda Accord Bullet and Nissan Primera. Giving insight into the gang’s mode of operations, the state Police Commissioner, Sani Mogagi, said the university graduate would pose as a chief executive of a big firm and approach car hire companies for their service.

Police Arrest 10 Robbery Suspects in Ibadan

Three car thieves, who specialised in removing vehicles from public car parks, were arrested on Tuesday by the police in Ibadan, Oyo state while two cars were recovered from them. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Femi Okanlawon, said that one of the three suspects, Abiola Balogun, was arrested after he had removed a wine colour Toyota Camry from the University College Hospital (UCH) car park. Similarly, the Ondo State police command has arrested eight persons, including a rusticated student of University of Ilorin, in connection with robbery and car snatching in the state.

Robbers Kill Three in Kwara Bank Robberies

Three people were reportedly killed in Offa, Kwara State, on Thursday, by armed robbers who attacked two banks. Also, an unspecified amount of money was said to have been carted away by the bandits. The robbers allegedly robbed the two banks unchallenged by security operatives. The two operations were said to have lasted for about an hour. Eyewitnesses said the robbers, who first surrounded the banks, started shooting sporadically into the air to scare away passers-by. They were said to have held the unsuspecting bank customers hostage, while some of their gang members went into the banking halls and robbed the customers. The customers, who were caught unawares in the operations, were said to have been ordered to lie face down at gunpoint while they were dispossessed of their belongings.

GENERAL

Bomb Blast Rocks UN Office Complex, 23 Killed

The four-storey building housing the various offices and departments of the United Nations (UN) in the Central Area of Abuja was on Thursday rocked by bomb blast allegedly carried out by a suspected suicide bomber. The blast left 23 people dead, including 9 UN staff. Several others were seriously injured. It was learnt that an alleged suicide bomber rammed his Honda car, laced with explosives into the building, resulting in the blast. One of the guards said the blast occurred a few seconds after the man drove directly into the ground floor, after the car was said to have been cleared through the first and second gates of the building. The building, it was learnt, is manned by Kings Guards Security, a private security organization, and no policeman was around when the incident happened. Boko Haram, Islamist sect has claimed responsibility for the attack. The Federal Government has described the bomb blast as an attack on the global community, while president Goodluck Jonathan assured that the perpetrators was be prosecuted.

Banker, 31 others Killed by Boko Haram

Suspected members of Boko Haram, on Thursday, struck Gombi LGA of Adamawa state, killing 32 people, including a bank manager and several police officers. An eyewitness disclosed that the suspected Boko Haram members invaded the Gombi Council headquarters in four buses and launched their first attack on the police station, where several police officers and personnel were killed and firearms at the Gombi police headquarters were carted away. It wasgathered that the group moved to the bank in Gombi and killed the manager and others for not reciting a portion of the holy Quran. The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. A.T. Shinaba, said the group killed four police officers and a soldier. Shinaba said the sect members made away with an unknown amount of cash from two banks.

Six Die after Beans Meal in Adamawa

A family of six members died on Tuesday night in Gombi LGA of Adamawa State, after eating beans cooked by the house wife, Hajia Hafsat Mohammed. The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Daniel Altine, who confirmed the incident, said Ali Mohammed, his wife, a four-year-old son, his grandfather, grandmother and his cousin all died after eating the beans. Altine added that another group of 11 persons were receiving treatment at Gombi General Hospital in relation with beans meal and that the police have begun investigations in order to uncover those behind the sales of the deadly beans to the public. He cautioned the public against buying foodstuff from unfamiliar persons, noting that some of the chemicals used in preserving foodstuff are harmful if not properly used.

8 Die in Bauchi Road Accident Victims

Eight people died in an accident which occurred on the Azare-Potiskum road in Bauchi State, just as the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) recovered N520030 from a commercial vehicle involved in the accident. The Sector Commander of the FRSC in the state, Mr Zakariya Mamadu, said the accident happened penultimate Saturday. He said a Honda car and a Volkswagen Golf commercial vehicle were involved in the accident, adding that it was as a result of over-speeding by the vehicles. While warning drivers to drive carefully, especially during the rainy season, Mamadu stated that, “a driver is expected to rest for at least 20 minutes in every six hours of driving. There is the need for the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) to monitor the conduct of their members.”

Bauchi NDLEA Impounds 407.5kg Cannabis from Baron’s House

The Bauchi State command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has impounded 407.5 kilogrammes of cannabis sativa from the house of a suspected notorious drug baron in Bauchi, the state capital, even while five suspects and 11 minors were arrested for other drug-related offences. The drug baron, Ibrahim Haladu, according to the NDLEA state commandant, Mr Sule Momodu, was currently on the run, as operatives of the command stormed his residence at Tirum. He said Haladu hid 24 bags of cannabis sativa, weighing 407.5 kg, inside a bunker of about six feet dug in one of his rooms and some in the ceiling, specially constructed to conceal the substance.

Kano gets New Security Outfit

Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano State has floated a new security outfit, known in local parlance as Askarawan Kwankwaso (Kwankwaso’s police) to rival the activities of Hisbah Guard in the state. The outfit, with about 7000 men has Kwankwaso as the commander- in-chief. Members of Askarawan Kwankwaso kitted in white upon green uniform, with a red cap to match, carry out similar functions as the Sharia implementation guards which the governor established in his first tenure for the enforcement of the Sharia legal system in the state. It was learnt that Kwankwaso’s decision to float new security outfit followed alleged partisanship of the Hisbah Guard on or before the 2011 general election, having withdrawn from the streets after he was announced winner of the gubernatorial election.

Six Killed in Plateau Dawn Attacks

Six people were killed in the dawn attacks in Jol and Kwi villages, Riyom LGA of Plateau state by some bandits. Many houses were also torched before the armed men escaped.  No arrest has been made. This comes a few hours after a government delegation, led by the Interior Minister, Abba Moro, visited Jos, and assured the residents of their safety. The Moro-led delegation, which had visited the state to talk on the worrisome security situation, insisted that the phenomenon “has become a national concern”. The deputy governor, Ignatius Longjan, had told the delegation that the state would cooperate with the Federal Government to deal with the perpetrators.

Gunmen Kill 2 in Attack on Village Head

Gunmen in last weekend attacked the home of the District Head of Fadiya Bakut in Zangon Kataf LGA of Kaduna State, Mr Andrew Kazah Allahmagani. It was gathered that three persons were injured from the gunshots, just as his house was said to have been ridden with several bullet. Allahmagani said there was sporadic shooting, leading to the killing of the security man attached to his house, adding that the gunmen numbering about 10 moved around the house, shooting into his windows and doors. He added that the gunmen moved to the house of his late brother where they shot and killed a five-year-old boy and injured other persons. The spokesperson of the Kaduna State Police Command, DSP Aminu Lawan confirmed the attack.

Court-Martialled Army General Faces Fraud Allegation

The Special Court Martial inaugurated by General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Armoured Division, Jos, Maj.-Gen. Sunday Idoko, to probe former Commander of the 33 Artillery Brigade, Bauchi, Brig.-Gen. Muraina Raji, over the escape of two Boko Haram suspects from the detention facility commenced proceedings, with a fresh charge that he allegedly converted N387000 belonging to the Nigerian Army. President of the court, Maj.-Gen. John Zaruwa read out the fresh allegation at the proceedings. Mr. Femi Falana, leading three other lawyers, appeared for the accused. He objected to the new charge and advanced lengthy argument on why the judge advocate should not participate in the trial.

16 Foreigners Arrested for Smuggling in Adamawa

Seventeen persons, made up of 15 foreigners from Central Africa Republic (CAR), a Camerounian and a Nigerian, have been arrested by a joint army and customs patrol team in Adamawa State with contraband goods worth over N50 million. Parading the smugglers, on Tuesday, the comptroller of customs, Adamawa and Taraba command, Mr Sambo Ton-Ipere, accompanied by the Brigade commander of 23rd Armoured, Brigadier–General John Nwoaga, said the arrested smugglers were part of the notorious and feared Kaskaade smuggling ring that used motorcycles to smuggle drugs and weapons across West African borders. He said smuggling was rampant across the Adamawa border due to the long stretch of porous borderline with the Republic of Cameroun and that the customs service had to call for the support of the Nigerian Army, for additional support and re-enforcement before they could overcome the arrested smugglers.

Kaduna Police Parade 24 Armed Robbery Suspects

The Kaduna state police command has paraded 24 suspected armed robbers, who have been terrorizing the state from different locations for the past three months. Among them were three ladies. The Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Ballah M. Nasarawa, said the men of the underworld who came from Rivers and Plateau states converged in Alama Hotel, Ungwar Television in Kaduna, from where they carried out their deadly operations. According to him, the bandits who mostly dressed in Army and police uniforms, operated mostly in highways of Kano-Zaria, Kaduna-Jos and Abuja-Kaduna, adding that the 24 suspects were arrested in different locations and on different dates.

Woman, Five Children Die as Building Collapses in Kano

A 45-year-old housewife and five children were killed in Warure quarters, Kano state on Monday following the collapsed of a one-storey building that housed the family. Alhaji Sanusi Bello revealed the building caved in and buried his wife and four of his children. Sanusi explained that his elder brother who occupied the top floor also lost his three-year-old son. Sanusi who however escaped with injury on his right leg revealed that his sister-in-law survived with waist fracture, while his elder brother and two other relations were among the injured.

US Police Donates Ballistic Vests to EFCC

The Philadelphia Police Department in the United States of America has donated 24 high-end ballistic vests to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to enhance its operations.The support from the US Police came even as the chairman of EFCC, Mrs Farida Waziri, ordered the immediate release of three posh Mercedes Benz cars worth over 350,000 Euro recovered from fraudsters by EFCC operatives in Lagos to the German police.The vehicles were fraudulently shipped to Lagos in February 2009 by a Nigerian fraudster, John Aban and two German accomplices, who had already been arrested, prosecuted and convicted in Germany. The German police, had, thereafter, contacted the EFCC for assistance on the case.

IGP Orders Investigation of Attacks on Police, Bank

The Bauchi State police command has refuted a report that three policemen were killed by armed robbers during last Monday’s robbery attack on Gamawa police station and two banks Gamawa LGA of the state. Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Hafiz Ringim, has directed the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Abuja, to take over and continue with the investigation on the Gamawa robbery attacks.The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Ikechukwu Aduba, in a statement, noted that in the course of the invasion, policemen attached to the station repelled the robbers, while one policeman was killed by the hoodlums, adding that the slain policeman killed one of the robbers before he was killed.

Mikel Obi’s father Rescued, 6 Suspects Held

Michael Obi, the father of Super Eagles midfielder, Mikel, was on Monday rescued from his abductors in Kano, after about 12 days in captivity.The Kano State Police Commissioner Ibrahim Idris, who paraded the suspects, said they were apprehended in Kabuga quarters. He said the suspects allegedly camouflaged as soldiers, using a vehicle painted in military colours.The traumatized father of the footballer said he was subjected to serious inhuman treatment. The police said they have started investigating if the arrested suspects are Nigerian army personnel. Two soldiers attached to the Military Special Task Force (STF) in Jos were arrested along with six others in connection with the kidnap of Michael Obi. According to the Plateau state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Emmanuel Dipo Ayeni, the two soldiers were the mastermind of the kidnap.

Gunmen Kill Pregnant Woman, ANPP Chieftain in Borno

A pregnant senior accountant with the Borno State Ministry of Finance, Hajiya Yakaka Kaumi and a chieftain of All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Mallam Isa Marguba (70), have been shot and killed by three suspected Boko Haram gunmen at their respective residences in Bulabulin-Ngarnam and Bulabulin-Alajiri wards of Maiduguri metropolis. Hajiya Kaumi went to aid her husband, Abubakar Ibrahim, who was under attack from the gunmen by holding down one of the attackers but was killed by six gunshots on her head and chest. The Borno State Police Commissioner, Simeon Midenda, confirmed the incident.

FCT Records 66 Accidents in One Month

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) recorded 66 road accidents in the last one month, according to the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed. Also, no fewer than 245 vehicles were impounded for various traffic offences along the Nyanya-Karu Road during the period. He explained that 80 per cent of traffic congestion on the Nyanya-Karu Road could be traced to street hawking, illegal motor parks and the Nyanya market. Mohammed said the campaign against congestion on the road would be a continuous one until it was free from all traffic bottlenecks. He directed the Chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council to immediately remove the ‘Nyanya Wednesday Market’ and return the place to a motor park.

INTERNATIONAL

Rebels Battle Gaddafi’s Loyalist

Rebel forces began to purge Tripoli’s streets of die-hard gunmen still loyal to fugitive Muammar Gaddafi on Thursday in the final phase of the battle for the Libyan capital. As a volley of shell fire broke the morning calm in Tripoli, rebels said they were confident they could mop up soldiers clinging to a leader now on the run and presumed to be in hiding in the country he ruled for four decades. Mustafa Abdel Jalil, head of the rebel National Transitional Council, has offered amnesty to any of Gaddafi’s entourage who killed him and announced a reward worth more than one million dollars for his capture. Rebels also reported fighting deep in the desert and a standoff around Gaddafi’s home town. There was no clear indication of Gaddafi’s whereabouts, though his opponents surmised he was still in or around Tripoli.

Libyan Rebels Arrest Gaddafi’s sons

Libyan rebels entered Tripoli last week and moved close to center with little resistance as Moammar Gaddafi’s defenders melted away. Opposition leaders said Gadhafi’s son and one-time heir apparent, Seif al-Islam, has been arrested. It was gathered that the fighters moved easily from the western outskirts into the regime stronghold in a dramatic turning of the tides in the 6-month-old Libyan civil war. Gaddafi’s rule of more than 40 years appeared to be rapidly crumbling. The rebels also captured Gaddafi’s heavily defended Bab al-Aziziya compound and headquarters in Tripoli on Tuesday after heavy fighting. The Bab al-Aziziya complex is reported to be connected by underground tunnels to various key locations across the city. The whereabouts of Col Gaddafi and his family are not clear.

Senior Yemen Official Dies from Injuries in Palace Attack

The third most powerful political figure in the Yemeni government has died from wounds he received in the presidential palace attack in Sanaa in June. Yemen State TV announced the death of Abdul Aziz Abdul Ghani, the president of the Shura Council. Ghani had been receiving treatment along with President Ali Abdullah Saleh, in Saudi Arabia since June 3. Saleh remains in Saudi Arabia. Ghani is the second senior official to be reported dead from the palace bombing. Ghani was known to be one of the few officials Saleh trusted, and he stood beside Saleh for more than three decades. He took the post of prime minister in 1975, three years before Saleh became president. Government spokesman Abdu Ganadi said that Yemen lost a leader who served his country for more than five decades.

AU, others Raise $1.3b Lifeline Campaign for Somalia

Nigeria and other African nations, alongside international donors have convened a fund-raising conference for $1.3 billion to save Somalia, which has been devastated by famine. Although at the end of the pledging conference held in Addis Ababa under the auspices of the African Union (AU), a final figure was not announced regarding how much has been raised, former President of Ghana, Jerry Rawlings, who is also the AU High Representative on Somalia disclosed that a significant amount had been raised. He added that out of the $1.3 billion needed as emergency funds to save Somalia, African nations had to by themselves raise $50 million.

White House, Capitol, Pentagon evacuated as quake hits United States

An earthquake, measuring 5.9 magnitude, with epicentre in Virginia, United States (U.S.), shook much of Washington, D.C., and was felt as far north as Rhode Island, New York City and Martha’s Vineyard. The U.S. Geological Survey as saying the earthquake was half a mile deep. There were no immediate reports of injuries. Meanwhile, Hurricane Irene, the first to make landfall in six, hit the US at the weekend, pulling down infrastructure. At least 3 million people were left with power as the country battles to mitigate the effect. At least 6 people have been reported killed in the tropical storm.

Eleven Killed in Australian House Fire

Police in Australia have launched an investigation into the cause of a house fire near Brisbane in which 11 people died.  Eight of the victims are thought to be teenagers and children. Two Pacific Islander families from Tonga and Samoa were inside the house when it caught fire. Neighbours in the suburban street south of Brisbane said they were awoken by the sound of explosions and screams, and then watched as fire devoured the two-storey wooden house. Three men managed to escape the flames. Acting Fire and Rescue Superintendent, Peter Ryan, says he hasn't seen a tragedy on this scale before.

Israel Kills Islamic Jihad Leader Air Strike

An Israeli air strike has killed a commander from the militant Palestinian Islamic Jihad group in the Gaza Strip.  An Israeli missile hit the car of Ismael al-Ismar, a leader of al-Quds Brigades in the city of Rafah, close to the Egyptian border. Shortly afterwards, mortars were fired from northern Gaza into southern Israel. There were no injuries. Violence between Israel and militants in Gaza has flared since a deadly attack on Israeli buses last week. The Israeli military said its target had been an activist implicated in weapons smuggling and militant operations in Egypt's Sinai region. Israel responded with further military action reported to have wounded two militants.

Syrian Forces Raid Tribal East

Syrian forces raided an eastern tribal region for a second day on Thursday, activists said, extending a crackdown on pro-democracy protests that could lead to European Union sanctions on the oil sector. Tanks and armoured vehicles entered Shuhail, a town southeast of the provincial capital of Deir al-Zor, which has seen daily protests against President Bashar al-Assad's rule since the start of the fasting month of Ramadan. A senior diplomat based in the Middle East said an oil embargo could rattle business alliances between the ruling family, from Syria's minority Alawite sect, and a Sunni merchant class influential in Damascus and the commercial hub of Aleppo, who have generally not supported the uprising. European Union governments are likely to adopt an embargo against imports of Syrian oil to put pressure on President Bashar al-Assad to stop the crackdown, an EU diplomat said on Wednesday.

French Woman Killed for Refusing Sex in Malaysia

A Malaysian man was charged Tuesday with the murder of a French tourist, a government prosecutor said. This is as report quoted police saying the woman was killed after refusing his sexual advances. Stephanie Foray, a 30-year-old civil servant, went missing in Malaysia in May and her remains were found earlier this month buried in a cave on the resort island of Tioman, off the east coast of peninsular Malaysia. She and the suspect Asni Omar, a 36-year-old local businessman, had been drinking together on the island and she was later killed after refusing to have sex with him. Omar was charged with murder in a court in the town of Pekan. He has not yet entered a plea. Omar earlier took investigators to a trash dumping site on Tioman to retrieve the murder weapon, a bottle, reports say.

Twelve Killed in Fresh Iraq Attacks

Twelve people, among them six policemen, were killed and 14 others wounded in a series of attacks across Iraq on Wednesday, security and hospital officials said. Six policemen were killed when a suicide bomber detonated a vehicle packed with explosives Wednesday night at a police checkpoint in Ramadi, an officer said, adding that there were also an unspecified number of wounded. In the restive northern city of Mosul, unidentified gunmen shot a man dead near his home, while two women were wounded in a roadside bomb attack. Five people were also killed in a string of attacks in the central province of Diyala. Four people were killed and seven wounded when insurgents detonated bombs at the homes of three town criers whose job was to awaken people for the Ramadan pre-dawn meal in the town of Al-Hudaid.

Eight Mass Graves Discovered in Sudan

A United States monitoring group, Satellite Sentinel Project, has said that satellite imagery had revealed the existence of two more mass graves in a contested region of Sudan, bringing the total number of mass graves sites discovered to eight. The Satellite Sentinel Project, a group backed by actor and Sudan activist, George Clooney, said that witnesses told the group that a backhoe was used to dig some of the graves at sites in Kadugli, South Kordofan. Workers with the Sudanese Red Crescent Society were present during some of the burials, the group said. The U.S. group has not made any estimates of the number of bodies it believes have been buried in the graves, saying that onsite research would need to be carried out. Many inhabitants of South Kordofan fought for the south during the country’s two decades-plus civil war against the north and are ethnically linked to the south.

Russian, North Korean Agree on Nuclear Issues

Russian President, Dmitry Medvedev, and top leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), Kim Jong Il, agreed on Wednesday to resume stalled six-party talks as soon as possible. During their meeting near the eastern Siberian city of Ulan-Ude, the two leaders also reached consensus on an energy project to build a gas pipeline from Russia to South Korea via the DPRK as well as on the DPRK’s outstanding debt to Russia. The DPRK is ready to resume the six-party talks on denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula without preconditions, Russian presidential spokeswoman, Nataliya Timakova, said after yesterday’s talks.

Nigeria, Other African Countries Recognise Libyan Transition Council

More African countries, including Nigeria, have joined others around the world to recognize the conquering Transition Council in Libya with Egypt and Sudan joining the league on Wednesday. Sudan government also announced its support for the Libyan people and their move to surpass the critical phase in Libya’s history. The embassy of Algeria in Tripoli, Libya, was hit by violent acts over Sunday night and early on Wednesday, spokesman of Algeria’s foreign ministry, said. In the meantime, hundreds from the Libyan Community in Khartoum yesterday gathered in front of the Libyan Embassy in Khartoum and shouted slogans condemning the system of the Libyan Leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Police Raid Troubled Karachi Areas

Police arrested dozens of suspects in raids on Wednesday in the Pakistani city of Karachi following a week of gang and political violence in which more than 100 people have been killed, according to reports. The police raids came amid mounting calls from leading business groups and politicians for the army to step in to end the spreading violence. The military chief, General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani, was quoted as saying that the army was ready to help stem the violence if the civilian government requested. The provincial government has so far ruled out an army intervention.

Earth Quake Shakes Peruvian Amazon

A 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck a remote Amazon region of Peru on Wednesday, shaking office buildings far away in the capital and in neighbouring Brazil although no injuries or damage were reported immediately. The quake's Epicentre was near the town of Pucallpa, which lies some 600 km (370 miles) from Lima in a sparsely populated central-eastern region close to the Brazilian border, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said. Telephone lines were down in the area, but local media said no serious damage or injuries had yet come to light. A 5.3-magnitude aftershock was registered in the area soon after the powerful initial tremor.

Turkish Soldiers Injured in Military Convoy Attack

Suspected Kurdish guerrillas detonated explosives next to a convoy carrying troops in the province of Hakkari in southeast Turkey on Thursday, wounding several people. According to reports said initial information indicated an explosive device detonated by remote control caused the blast, which damaged a minibus carrying the soldiers. Separatist Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) guerrillas have stepped up their attacks on the Turkish military, killing more than 40 security personnel in the past month. In retaliation for those attacks, the Turkish military launched a series of air raids on PKK targets in northern Iraq last week, its first strikes in the region in more than a year. The military has said it killed up to 100 Kurdish rebels in six days of air strikes. The PKK has said three of its fighters were killed in the strikes, while Kurdish officials say seven Iraqis were killed in an air strike on Sunday.