Villeworth Security Services Ltd

week 50

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PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS

Abducted Female Corps Members Rescued

Four female corps members that were abducted at the Iriebe corps members’ lodge in Oyibo LGA of Rivers State, were, last Sunday, rescued by the police. A gang of about seven armed bandits gained entrance into the camp at Iriebe through the fallen part of the fence, stole their phones, laptops and cash. It was further learnt that the hoodlums abducted four of the female corps members during the operation. State Police Public Relations Officer, Ben Ugwuegbulem, said the Oyigbo Police Division swiftly mobilised the team of police officers to the scene immediately they received the information. He said that the hoodlums abandoned the corps members as the police chased them.

Youths Storm Agip Facility in Bayelsa

Aggrieved youths from Twon Brass, Brass LGA of Bayelsa State, on Monday, stormed the oil terminal operated by the Nigerian Agip Oil Company in the area and shut down production in the multi-billion naira facility. It was gathered that the youths were protesting against the failure of the oil giant to implement the Global Memorandum of Understanding it reached with the community. The angry youths besieged the facility at about 7am and barricaded the main entrance to the terminal. Operatives of the Joint Task Force were said to have monitored the demonstration which was reportedly peaceful. The protesters were said to be angry over a report that the oil company had begun implementation of the GMoU it entered with Okpoama community.

Ebonyi Police Raise Alarm over Training Camp for Insurgents

Ebonyi State police command has announced the existence of a training camp for insurgents and criminal elements who unleash mayhem in the state. The State Commissioner of Police, Sule Mamman, who raised the alarm, said that intelligence reports indicated that many youths were being trained in the camp. The Commissioner stated that the command has intensified efforts to uncover the location of the training camp and arrest the proprietors and the trainees in the camp.  Sule warned those running the camp to desist forthwith and urged parents to advice their wards to be law abiding. This was just as he stressed that the Police would not fail to deal decisively with anybody caught fomenting trouble in the state.

33 Expelled, 88 Suspended from EBSU

Ebonyi State University (EBSU) Abakaliki, Thursday, expelled 33 students of the institution and suspended 88 others over alleged misconduct, examination malpractice and admission racketeering. The Registrar and Secretary of Senate, Mr. Egwu Sam, said the Senate of the institution had at its 22nd emergency meeting, decided to make public the offences of all the affected students. According to him, the conduct of the expelled and suspended students is contrary to the rules and regulations governing the conduct of examinations and admission into the institution, stressing that those expelled for grievous misconduct were not expected to be seen in the institution for any purpose. He warned the affected students to desist from show of irresponsibility as any other repeated act of gross misconduct would not be handled with levity.

Gunmen Raid Female Hostel

Gunmen suspected to be armed robbers, on Wednesday, stormed the female hostel of Paul University, Awka, and carted away undisclosed amount of cash, phones and other valuables. The armed gang, on arrival at the hostel in the early hours of Wednesday, shot sporadically into the air, before attacking the female hostel, as they forcefully smashed doors. A source stated that the gunmen escaped with their loot, leaving the students dazed, adding that no life was lost. The University’s Public Relations Officer, Ikechukwu Abana, confirmed the incident, said efforts were being made to tighten security.

BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS

Lecturers Protest Rising Abduction Cases

The increasing cases of abduction in Abraka, Delta State have forced the academic staff of the Delta State University, Abraka campus, to embark on stay-at-home protest. It was learnt that over ten lecturers or their wives and family members had been abducted in the last one month for ransom. The Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), DELSU chapter, Dr. Emmanuel Mordi, said the stay-at-home order which started last Tuesday was to draw the attention to the plight the lecturers. The lecturers, according to Mordi, protested in Abraka and marched to neighbouring towns of Obiaruku and Eku during which they met with the traditional rulers and key figures to register their concern over the increasing cases of abduction of lecturers, since some local dwellers from these communities were believed to have connived with outsiders in the abduction saga.

Girl Drowns in Septic Tank

A six-year-old girl in Benin City, Edo state, on Monday, fell into a septic tank and drowned. A witness said the girl’s father tried in vain to rescue her, but it was too late as the girl had drowned. The landlord of the house was later arrested by the police to explain why the septic tank was uncovered, thus posing serious danger to inhabitants of the neighbourhood. In another development, a middle aged woman, Grace Ogiesoba was allegedly shot dead by soldiers who invaded the community. Husband of the deceased, Clifford Ogiesoba, said he was driving out of his house when he heard voices from the bush telling him to stop, but he refused to do so as he thought they were armed robbers and drove on and suddenly, there were gunshots on his car. One or more of the bullets hit the woman which led to her death, only to realise later that they were security operatives searching for fleeing suspects.

Oshiomhole Calls for Probe of Police over Auchi Attack

Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has called on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to investigate the attack on the Auchi Police Area Command and Divisional Police Station by criminals, who in the process, freed inmates. The bandits, penultimate Monday, held Auchi hostage for over three hours with no response from the police. The governor said there was the need for the police to ask questions. The governor, however, commended the Army and the five soldiers who repelled an attack and killed one of the bandits, some of who attempted to bomb a private residence where the soldiers reside. He condoled with the victims of the attack and the Auchi Kingdom. The Otaru of Auchi, Alhaji Aliru Momoh, said to complement the security agencies, the government set up armed vigilance groups.

Farmer Gets Death Sentence for Armed Robbery

A 34-year-old farmer at Kwale town, in Ndokwa West LGA of Delta State, Emeka Ogwu, has been sentenced to death by an Effurun High Court for armed robbery. One of the prosecution witnesses, Dorothy Asekpokai, a business woman, told the court that the convict attempted to rob her in June 2007, when she visited her new building site around Osubi. She also identified the convict as the one who attempted to rob her with a gun but she narrowly escaped after driving away at top speed. She said that in the process of escaping, she knocked down the convict, after which she raised alarm that eventually led to his arrest. Ogwu was arraigned on a three-count charge of conspiracy to commit armed robbery, attempt to commit armed robbery and illegal possession of firearms.

LAGOS AND ENVIRONS

Gang Members Attack, Stab Informant

Suspected gang members ambushed and stabbed an 18-year-old boy, Edward Egigi, over 20 times. The hoodlums suspected to be part of a notorious gang known as Downtown Boys in Somolu, Lagos State attacked Egigi on suspicion that he is a police informant after their leader of the gang, Ibrahim Balogun, also known as Small Jpron, was arrested. It was learnt that following Balogun’s arrest, many of the residents had gone to make statements against him and were also aiding the police to arrest the other members of his gang. It was learnt that the gang had vowed to attack the residents for aiding the police in arresting Small Jpron. Egigi, a bus conductor, was dragged from the moving bike and stabbed repeatedly. Residents have urged the police to find and arrest the other gang members to guarantee their safety in the area.

NSCDC Arrests Two over Kidnap of Children

The Ogun State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has arrested two suspected child kidnappers in different parts of Abeokuta. The two suspects, Ronke Akindele and Life Nwem, were arrested in Eruwon and Idi-Ori areas of the city respectively when they attempted to kidnap their victims in separate incidents. The state’s NSCDC Acting Commandant, Mr. Dele Adetarami, said Akindele attempted to kidnap one-year-old Basit, who was playing in company with his three-year-old brother in front of their house at Eruwon. The second suspect, according to him, Nwem, had been disguising in the Alapa Unity Housing Estate, Idi-Ori area as a deranged person until he attempted to abduct nine-year-old Itunu, who was on her way to school. Itunu’s father rushed out of the house when he heard his daughter crying but was confronted with the sight of the suspect chasing her with a cutlass.

Lawmaker’s Wife, Friend Kidnapped in Ogun State

Armed men, on Tuesday, abducted the wife of an Ogun State legislator, Samson Onademuren. Mrs. Onademuren was said to have been kidnapped at Ijebu- Ode along with her female friend while inspecting her husband’s on-going building project. Confirming the development, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Mr Muyiwa Adejobi, said the Command had started investigating the matter. He said that the state Commissioner of Police, Ikemefuna Okoye, had paid an on-the-spot assessment to the scene to strategise on her rescue. The Police Command urged members of the public with useful information on the whereabouts of the woman which could lead to her release.

Family Accuses Man of Killing Pregnant Lover

The family of a lady, Gloria Akpan, has accused their daughter’s lover, Ita Eyo, of killing her in his residence in Ogun State. Gloria and Eyo both from Akwa Ibom State had been cohabiting since March 2012 before the sad incident occurred on November 3. The lady was six-month pregnant before she died. A family source alleged that Eyo hurriedly buried her after her death without informing her family. The information we got was that she was strangled as she bled through her nose and mouth. Father of the deceased, Mr. Edet Akpan, 66, insisted that his child was murdered by Eyo as an eyewitness, Gloria’s son, who was living with them, alleged that Eyo and his mother had a disagreement resulting in Eyo pulling something out of the bed and hitting her several times before she died.

Toddler Dies in Septic Tank

An 18-month-old baby, Ayomide Afolabi, was, on Wednesday, killed when he fell into an open septic tank at No. 5, Victor Olaiya Street, Iyana Ipaja, Lagos. It was gathered that the little boy, Ayomide Afolabi, who often accompanied his mother to the shop, was suddenly out of sight and a search began. To the amazement of the searchers, the little boy was found inside the pit, dead. The building, which also houses a school, had been cordoned and sealed by government officials and members of the Lagos State Waste Management officials.

Court Remands 3 over Killing of Septuagenarian in Ekiti

An Ado Ekiti High Court, on Tuesday, remanded three accused persons who allegedly killed 70-year old Mrs. Rebecca Adewumi in May this year. The septuagenarian was tortured to death by some youths in the town for alleged possession of witch-craft power claimed to have been used to inflict her step son, Ola Adewumi, with a strange disease. The accused were  arraigned  on a six-count charge of felony,, conspiracy to commit murder, unlawful accusation of witchcraft ,, unlawful participation at a trial by ordeal, unlawful deprivation of liberty and murder, which are said to have  contravened  various sections  of the Ekiti State Criminal Code. The matter was adjourned till 17th January, 2013 for ruling on the bail application.

Lagos Police Foil Abduction Attempt

The Lagos State Police Command has averted a plan by syndicates in the metropolis to rob and abduct the Managing Director of a construction company in Lagos. The nine suspects, paraded at the headquarters of the command said they were tempted to grab the offer to ‘rob and abduct the white man’ from a former staff of the company, Omosafe Patrick who was sacked for alleged malpractice. Also paraded were Assistant Human Resources Officer of the company and the driver to the Managing Director. On getting information of the planned abduction, the Area Commander of Area ‘E’ Police Command, Festac Town, Dan Okoro, used one of his detectives to act as an insider in the company who would provide all the information the suspects required to hatch their plans. They ran out of luck when on that fateful day, the purported insider they thought was their accomplice rounded them up with other police officers.

Lagos: Fire Incidents Kill 195 Persons in 10 Months

No fewer than 934 houses were gutted by fire in Lagos State between January and October 2012. One hundred and ninety five persons died in the fire incidents. However, the state Fire Service said it was able to save properties worth N146bn from being destroyed. A report from the service, which gave the statistics, added that 12 buildings collapsed within the period. The report explained that although the service got 1,193 fire calls in 10 months, 259 of them were false calls, while 934 were authentic. It added that the 195 persons that died included 156 people that were recorded dead in the June 3 Dana airplane crash. The report also showed that there were 70 rescue calls, saying 47 victims were rescued alive.

Hotelier Stabbed to Death over Football Match

Two suspects identified as Kayode Ogunwa and Oluwa Femi, have been arrested  in Lagos, following the stabbing to death of a hotel attendant, Otumala Ukama Benson, 32, over a misunderstanding during an English Premiership League match between Chelsea and Manchester City football clubs. The incident happened when the hotel was filled to capacity and some customers who wanted to buy drinks could not get chairs to sit. This prompted the late Ben to ask those watching the match without buying drinks to get up and allow those willing to buy drinks to be seated. The suspects who did not buy drinks refused to vacate their chairs and this resulted in an argument between them and the late Ben. The argument later degenerated into a brawl during which one of the suspects ran to the car and brought a knife with which he stabbed Ben in the neck.

GENERAL

10 Killed in Bauchi Robbery Attack

About 10 people were feared killed, while eight others sustained various degrees of injury, following a gunfight between security operatives and gunmen suspected to be armed robbers in Azare town of Bauchi State. Some youths and security operatives had engaged the gunmen, who attacked the seed market in Azare on Sunday. A top security official said nine people were feared killed, while a source in the area alleged that 10 persons were shot dead. According to the security source, four of the gunmen were killed, while three soldiers, one policeman and one civilian were killed in the attack.

Sultan Calls for Action against Terrorism

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has called on Nigerians to come together in the fight against terrorism and other violent crimes in the country. The Sultan said terrorism, robbery, kidnapping and other criminal activities were not restricted to a particular religion or region of the country. He stressed that the “challenges that come our way can ginger us to strengthen our resolve to meet them headlong, defeat them collectively in unity and forge a national cohesion.”

Gunmen Kill Policemen, Torch Churches in Kano

Gunmen suspected to be members of Boko Haram, killed at least two policemen penultimate Sunday morning during attacks on churches and border posts. Residents said about 50 gunmen in cars and on motorcycles carried out the attacks on three churches and border posts, opening fire on police. It was learnt that among the security posts burnt in the Sunday’s attack were offices of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Nigerian Customs Service and the State Security Service as well as a quarantine building in Gamboru Ngala, about 140 kilometres from Maiduguri. Residents reported gun battles between the assailants and police reinforcements who arrived from Maiduguri.

Gunmen Kill Officers in Attack on Police Station

Suspected Boko Haram gunmen, last Sunday attacked the Divisional Police Station in Gambouru/Ngala, Borno State, killing two officers, while residents fled into the bush for safety. A resident, Bukar Aisami, said about 50 gunmen in vehicles and motorcycles attacked the police station, 700 metres from a military post, with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and petrol-bombs. In neighbouring Yobe State, the Joint Task Force (JTF) uncovered a bomb-making factory in Damaturu. The JTF’s spokesman, Lt. Lazarus Eli, said a decomposing body was also found buried within the factory premises, stating that it could be that of a suspected terrorist that died from gunshot wounds in a recent cross-fire. He said other items recovered from the factory included bomb-making materials, arms and ammunition, magazines, as well as military, police and immigration uniforms.

Gunrunner Jailed Seven Years in Britain for Nigerian Deal

An arms dealer, who arranged to sell 80,000 AK47 assault rifles and 32 million rounds of ammunition to Nigeria, has been jailed for seven years. Gary Hyde, 42, oversaw the £800,000 shipment of tens of thousands of assault rifles, 9mm pistols, rifles, and bullets, from China to Africa in 2007. Hyde, who started in the gun trade when he was 14, flouted British legislation designed to control the trade and transportation of the weapons despite being regarded as an “authority” on those laws. It is thought the weapons were being bought on behalf of the Nigerian Police Force. Hyde, who has no previous convictions, was initially tried on the same charges in January of this year but discharged.

Task Force Uncovers Island with Stockpile of Arms and Ammunition

The National Task Force against the Importation of Illegal Arms, on Wednesday, said it had uncovered an island where arms and ammunition were stockpiled. The task force also accused the Nigerian Customs Service and other security agencies of aiding the importation of small arms and light weapons into the country. Director General of taskforce, Chief Emmanuel Okereke, who raised the alarm in Abuja, alleged that security agencies were frustrating their activities. The task force, which is the product of a public-private partnership between the importers association and the Federal Government, was set up on July 16, 2010 by the office of the National Security Adviser to curtail the proliferation of small arms in the country.

Boko Haram Plans to Attack Military Formations -JTF

The Joint Task Force (JTF) in Borno State has alleged that members of the Boko Haram sect are planning to attack military barracks in Maiduguri. Spokesman of the JTF, Lt Col. Sagir Musa, clandestine plans by terrorists to attack barracks in Maiduguri metropolis have been uncovered. Sagir warned the sect that such an exercise would be disastrous and counter-productive as it would massively jeopardise the security of their members in military custody. The statement urged host communities of Giwa barracks, particular house owners bordering the barracks, to be watchful and quickly alert the JTF of any suspicious movement within their community.

4 Children Killed as Truck Runs Into Islamic School

A truck on Tuesday evening ran into an Islamic school in Suleja, Niger State, killing four pupils. It was gathered that the incident occurred when the truck breaking system failed and it veered into the school where the pupils were already gathered to start the evening recitation of Quran. It was learnt that the accident also left eight other pupils severely wounded. It was learnt that immediately the accident occurred and the youths were about to take the law into their hands, the driver of the truck fled the scene of the accident before the officials of Suleja LGA and the road safety corps officials arrived.

NEMA: 27 Schools Damaged in Borno, Yobe Attacks

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), on Thursday, disclosed that 27 schools were damaged in both Yobe and Borno States in the recent Boko Haram attacks. Also, an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), believed to have been hurled at a moving police patrol van by suspected Boko Haram members on Friday, left three policemen injured, while eight suspects were arrested on the spot. The attack also came on a day security agencies placed the 774 local government areas across the country on the alert, following renewed bombings of public institutions by the Boko Haram sect. But, NEMA’s North-east Information Officer, Abdulkadir Ibrahim, said already in the zone, relief materials had also been dispatched to the affected areas of Yobe and Gombe States.

INEC Deregisters 28 Political Parties

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that it had deregistered 28 political parties in Nigeria. Affected by the deregistration are Pastor Chris Okotie’s Fresh Democratic Party; Balarabe Musa’s Peoples Redemption Party; and the National Reformation Party, founded by the late nationalist, Anthony Enahoro, among others. INEC did not state the reason for its action, but it is suspected that the license granted some of the affected parties might have been withdrawn because of their inability to win any electoral seat in the 2011 elections. Kayode Idowu, spokesman for the INEC National Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, said that the reason for action had been communicated to the owners of the parties.

Nigeria Rated 7th Most Terrorised Country

Institute for Economic and Peace has ranked Nigeria as the seventh country most affected by terrorism in 2011. The organisation’s first Global Terrorism Index meant to measure the impact of terrorism and the associated economic and social dimensions was published on Tuesday. The index showed Nigeria ranking marginally better than Somalia (the only other sub-Saharan African country in the top 10). Nigeria scored 7.242 while Somalia ranked sixth with 7.244 points. The other countries in the top 10 are Iraq (9.56), Pakistan (9.05), Afghanistan (8.67), India (8.15), Yemen (7.30), Thailand (7.09), Russia (7.07), and the Philippines (6.80). The index rating was reached by aggregating the number of terrorist incidents, fatalities, injuries and property damage.

Violence Rages in Yobe, Borno

Violence is yet to abate in the North-East as suspected members of Boko Haram sect attacked the residence of an Islamic cleric, Alarama Dan Gobobirawa (92) and shot him dead before his wife and grandchildren in Yobe State on Monday. Similarly, a policeman and a trader were killed in separate attacks on one of the military posts, after the cleric was assassinated. An eye witness and resident of Potiskum said the gunmen ambushed the popular cleric at his residence before fleeing towards Gashua road in a tricycle. The Police Commissioner, Patrick Egbuniwe, confirmed the attacks. Meanwhile, men of the JTF and police, on Tuesday, foiled attempted bomb attacks on a Police Station by suspected Boko Haram gunmen in Maiduguri, Borno State.

970 Inmates on Death Row in Nigeria

At least 970 inmates on death row are currently languishing in the Nigerian prisons awaiting execution. They comprise 951 males and 19 females. Findings revealed that the inmates had been on death row for years, following the refusal of state governors to sign their execution order. Rivers State has the highest figure with 157 inmates, followed by Delta State with 149. Meanwhile, the Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Prisons Service, Kayode Odeyemi, has absolved the NPS of blame for the delay in the execution of inmates on death row. According to him, the service cannot carry out executions without orders from the governors. A Legal Practitioner, Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN), said the enforcement of capital punishment in Nigeria would greatly reduce crime rate in the country.

Kaduna Refinery Shut for Maintenance

The current fuel crisis in some parts of the country is expected to worsen as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has shut down the Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) for two weeks for routine maintenance. The refinery had been in continuous operation, performing at 60 per cent capacity utilisation for eight months. It was discovered that there were leakages in some of the units that needed to be repaired.

Bomb Explosion Injures Three in Kano

A morning bomb explosion, Monday, injured three security personnel at a junction along the IBB way in Kano. The bomb was planted around the fence of the Eid praying ground, where some security agents usually use as their resting place during work. It was gathered that those who were critically injured include an official of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), an official of the state Road Traffic Agency (KAROTA) and one official of the Hisbah guard. Confirming the incident, the state Police Command said the explosion injured three persons, who were at the junction of the busy textile market in Kano metropolitan, but, however, did not disclose the identities of the injured persons.

One Killed, Two Injured as Fulani/Farmers Clash in Katsina

Katsina State Police command has confirmed that one person has been killed and two others injured in Fulani/farmers clash at Danfalagu village of Malumfashi LGA of the state. The spokesman of the police in the state, ASP Aminu Abubakar said although 216 cows have been recovered by the police no arrests have been made, but investigations are on-going.

INTERNATIONAL

UN Warns Israel against Blow to Peace

Israeli settlement plans in a strategically sensitive area of occupied land near East Jerusalem would deal "an almost fatal blow" to peace hopes, as Palestinians in East Jerusalem could be completely cut off from the rest of the West Bank, UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, has warned. Israel authorised 3,000 additional housing units a day after the UN voted to upgrade Palestinian status, reports say. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue with the building plans. The UN General Assembly backed a proposal by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to change the Palestinians' status at the UN to that of non-member observer state. The US said earlier the expansion plan was counter-productive and would make it harder to resume peace talks.

Six Die as Protests in Egypt Turn Deadly

At least six people have died and several others injured in clashes in Egypt as unrest grows over a controversial draft constitution. Rocks and petrol bombs were thrown as supporters of President Mohammed Morsi tried to break up an opposition sit-in outside the presidential palace. Opposition leaders have accused the Muslim Brotherhood of organising the violence. Vice-President Mahmoud Mekki said a referendum on the constitution was still scheduled for December 15, but that the "door for dialogue" remained open. Critics say the draft was rushed through parliament without proper consultation and that it does not do enough to protect political and religious freedoms and the rights of women. The draft added to the anger generated by Morsi passing a decree in late November which granted him wide-ranging new powers. Four of Morsi's advisers resigned on Wednesday in an apparent protest. Three others had done so last week. Morsi condemned those involved in the clashes, saying that they would be held accountable.

Syria Loads Chemical Weapons into Bombs -Reports

U.S. officials say the Syrian military has loaded active chemical weapons into bombs and is awaiting a final order from embattled President Bashar Assad to use the deadly weapons against its own people. It was reported that the Syrian military, Wednesday, loaded sarin gas into aerial bombs that could be deployed from dozens of aircraft. The last large-scale use of sarin was in 1988, when former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's forces killed 5,000 Kurds in a single attack, according to reports. The Syrian government has previously insisted that it would not use chemical weapons against its own people.

Syrian Warplanes Strike Rebels

Syrian warplanes and artillery blasted parts of the capital Damascus and its rebellious suburbs last weekend as fighting raged with rebels trying to push their way into the centre of President Bashar Assad's power base. In central Syria, a car bomb killed at least 15 people. The Britain-based activist group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said fighter jets struck twice in the suburb of Daraya as regime artillery pounded other districts just south of Damascus. The Syrian air force also launched airstrikes on the northern city of Aleppo, some cities in the northern province of Idlib and the Mediterranean city of Latakia, the Observatory said.

Colombia Forces Kill 20 FARC Rebels in Clash

At least 20 FARC rebels have been killed in Colombia after the military launched bombing strikes on one of their camps, the army says. Saturday's raid is said to be the biggest military operation against FARC since peace talks began in October. The strike comes as President Juan Manuel Santos said the rebels had less than a year to abandon their weapons. In November, the FARC announced a ceasefire set to last until 20 January. Santos, however, has rejected calls for a government-led truce until a final agreement has been reached. He said his administration would offer all necessary guarantees so the FARC could disarm and join the political process as a legal party.

Philippines: Death Toll in Powerful Typhoon Hits over 400

The Philippines' strongest typhoon this year hit a southern island, destroying homes; causing landslides and killing at least 418 people, while official continue the search for more survivors and missing persons. Typhoon Bopha hit the country with central winds of 120 kph (75 mph) and gusts of up to 160 kph (93 mph). Interior Minister Manuel Roxas confirmed that several people had died and scores were missing after Bopha made landfall on Tuesday. Officials in Compostela Valley, one of the worst hit provinces on the resource-rich island of Mindanao, were considering mass graves for unclaimed bodies killed by the typhoon. The official death toll stands at 418, with 383 missing and hundreds injured, the national disaster agency said, on Friday.

Suicide Bombers Attack Pakistan Army Base

Two suicide bombers rammed their explosives-laden vehicle into the gate of an army base in north-western Pakistan, killing at least one soldier and wounding eight, security officials said on Wednesday. The attackers, who drove in from Afghanistan, were stopped before they could get into the camp in the South Waziristan capital of Wana, where thousands of soldiers are stationed, army officials said. "Security forces intercepted the car and opened fire as it neared the camp. The two men then blew themselves up," said one army official who declined to be identified.

Four Killed in Pakistan Drone Strike

A missile fired from a drone killed four people, including a Yemeni fighter linked to al-Qaeda, when it hit their car in northern Pakistan on Saturday evening, intelligence and tribal sources said. A Yemeni fighter called Abdul Rehman, allied to al-Qaeda, was among the dead, sources said. Meanwhile, Iran has stationed defense staff in North Korea since late October apparently to strengthen cooperation in missile and nuclear development. The report came as North Korea disclosed plans to carry out its second rocket launch of 2012 between December 10 and December 22, near the first anniversary of the death of young leader Kim Jong-Un's father. The Iranian mission, Kyodo said, is made up of four experts from Iran's Ministry of Defense and firms close to it.

Pena Nieto Takes Over as Mexican President

Enrique Pena Nieto took over as Mexican president last weekend, offering a shot at redemption for the party that shaped modern Mexico if he can bring about an end to years of violence and economic underperformance. Pena Nieto, 46, aims to use a recent improvement in the economy's fortunes to spark faster growth. Outgoing President Felipe Calderon, after Midnight on Saturday, formally transferred power to his successor, handing over a red, white and green national flag to Pena Nieto and saluting him. Thousands of protesters from leftist groups that supported Pena Nieto's main rival, massed outside Congress. Former State of Mexico governor Pena Nieto won the July 1 election with about 38 per cent of the vote, more than 6 points ahead of second-placed leftist rival Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

AU Tasks UN on Intervention Force in Mali

The Chairman of African Union (AU), President Thomas Boni Yayi of Benin Republic has called on the United Nations to rapidly authorise an intervention force for Islamist-held northern Mali. The call came Tuesday after a meeting between Boni Yayi, Idriss Deby of Chad and Mali’s Prime Minister Cheick Modibo Diarra. Boni Yayi and Deby appealed to the UN to “authorise urgently the deployment of the international force in Mali” and to find a solution”. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has said it is ready to deploy 3,300 men to try to oust the armed Islamists from northern Mali once it has UN approval. The Islamist groups and Tuareg rebels seized the vast northern region of Mali in the chaotic aftermath of a coup in Bamako in March but the Islamists have since ousted the Tuareg.

NATO Approves Patriots Missiles for Turkey, Warns against Attack

NATO foreign ministers have approved Turkey's request for Patriot missiles to defend its borders, said NATO Secretary-General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen. The move is in response to the spilling over of the Syrian civil war into Turkey where errant Syrian artillery shells struck the border town of Akcakale and killed five Turkish civilians in October. Turkey asked NATO to deploy Patriot missiles along its border to bolster its air defenses against Syrian threats. The United States, Germany and Netherlands, which all have Patriot capabilities, have signaled they would be willing to contribute missiles. The decision was made as news surfaced about fears of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad using chemical weapons to battle rebels. The US and other western powers have warned Syria that there would be an immediate reaction to any use of chemical weapons. Meanwhile, violence raged on Tuesday in Syria, with at least 155 people killed across the country, the opposition Local Coordination Committees of Syria said.

Serbia's NATO Ambassador Commits Suicide

Serbia's ambassador to NATO suddenly jumped to his death off a parking garage platform at Brussels Airport while surrounded by his country's delegation, a diplomat said on Wednesday. The Serbian government said in a statement that Branislav Milinkovic, 52, died on Monday night, during two days of meetings of NATO foreign ministers. Milinkovic was at the airport to meet deputy foreign minister Zoran Vujic and other officials. After the delegation arrived, as they walked over to their cars in the diplomatic garage Milinkovic suddenly strolled to a barrier, climbed over it and jumped, one of the diplomats said. Milinkovic is survived by a wife and 6-year-old son.