Plane carrying Agagu's body crashes with 13 people dead.....

The identities of the victims will be
released after their families were
informed, authorities say.
Aviation authorities said Thursday that
13 people were confirmed dead in a
crash involving an airplane that was to
convey the body of former governor
of Ondo state, Olusegun Agagu, and
sympathizers, from Lagos to Akure,
the Ondo state capital, for funeral
rites.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of
Aviation, Joe Obi, said 20 people – 13
passengers and seven crew members
– were on board the aircraft when the
accident occurred, and said 13 people
were confirmed dead, six injured, and
one person unaccounted for.
Early reports suggested fewer
fatalities, with claims one of Mr
Agagu’s sons, who travelled on the
plane, was amongst the survivors.
That report could not be confirmed as
the aviation ministry was yet to release
the official record of passengers.
The Accident Investigation Bureau,
AIB, which also confirmed the
number of casualties, said families of
the victims would be contacted first
before it released the names on the
manifest.
The bureau said those injured were
receiving treatment and that it had set
up an emergency response centre to
attend to families of d victims.
Search and Rescue operations closed
at 12.50p.m, while investigation into
the accident has begun, the bureau
added.
Witnesses say the plane, 5N-BJY,
operated by Associated Airlines, had
barely taken off from the domestic
wing of the Murtala Mohammed
Airport, Lagos, when it plunged into
an open field near an aviation fuel
depot at about 9.30 a.m.
An eye witness said that the aircraft,
which was “shaking in the air,”
nosedived into the ground and
exploded about 15 minutes later.
“When I was passing, me and one of
my friends, we saw the plane turning
in the sky. It looked like the pilot
wanted to turn back but there was no
power for him to do that,” Olayemi
Fawole, who works with a limousine
bus shuttle at the airport, told
PREMIUM TIMES.
“After we saw the head going down,
we started running towards that
direction. When we went there, the
flight has already crashed. We saw
one woman trying to pull herself out,
she was still alive,” Mr. Fawole said,
adding that he counted eight corpses.
Spokesman of the Federal Airport
Authority of Nigeria, Yakubu Datti,
speaking with news channel, Al
Jazeera, said the plane suffered
engine failure.
“Yes, we can confirm to you that an
‘Emperor 160′ belonging to Associated
Airline crashed just after take-off from
Murtala Mohammed International
Airport, Lagos. The propeller aircraft
crashed about 9.42am on its way to
Akure carrying 20 persons,” Mr Datti
said.
He also confirmed the flight recorder
had been retrieved.
The impact of the crash ripped the
plane’s fuselage in two, tore its tyres
and removed the wings from the
plane’s hull.
Fight over a coffin
Rescue officials sliced through the 30
seater Brazilian-made Embraer EMB
120 aircraft to pull out bodies from
the charred wreckage.
The Flight Data Recorder was also
recovered from the plane as fire
fighters struggled to put out the dying
flames from the accident.
The impact of the crash tore away the
aircraft’s tyres and wings from its
body.
Near the smoldering tail of the plane,
a blackened Nikkon camera, an Ipad,
a padlocked travelling bag, and an
almost burnt airplane flight manual
lay on the ground.
A few metres away, security agencies
battled with journalists, with the
former insisting that photos must be
taken after rescue operations.
The real battle, however, occurred
when a badly dented coffin of Mr.
Agagu was forced out of the
wreckage.
Naval officers, fire service officers, the
police, as well as the officials of the
Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria,
FAAN, engaged one another in a
heated argument over who would
take custody of the coffin.
Minutes later, it was unanimously
resolved that the remains of the
former Minister be deposited at the
Nigeria Airforce hospital within the
airport’s compound.
“There was not supposed to be any
fight. In any emergency case within
Lagos State, the incident commander
is the general manager of the Lagos
State Emergency Management Agency
(LASEMA),” said Wale Ahmed, Lagos
State Commissioner for Special
Duties.
Burial rites on hold
The crash brought to a tragic halt, a
series of week-long obsequies that
was to peak with Mr. Agagu’s burial on
Friday in Ondo state which he
governed between May 2003 and
February 2009, before a court
removed him from office.
Early Thursday, officials of the state
government, led by Governor
Olusegun Mimiko, had gathered at the
Akure airport end waiting to receive
his body and guests.
After news of the accident filtered in,
members of the entourage and family
members relocated to the Ondo state
Government House, apparently
distressed, over an accident that has
shocked the nation.
The state government said in a
statement later that the state could
only hope on God for mercy and
strength to bear the losses. At least
one commissioner from the state was
on the ill-fated plane. It was unclear if
the commissioner survived the
accident.
“No doubt, this is an unfortunate
disaster in the life of our dear state.
We can only pray that God will visit the
state with mercy and give us all the
strength to bear these unfortunate
losses,” the statement said.
The government urged residents to be
in a “sober and prayerful mood at
these trying times as God is indeed
the only person we should call upon
in this period”.
Born in 1948, Mr Agagu was former
geology lecturer at the University of
Ibadan, before venturing into politics.
He was at different times Nigeria’s
Aviation and Power Minister.
Mr Agagu died on September 13. The
funeral events began at the University
of Ibadan on Monday, and he was to
be buried on Friday. It remained
unclear whether the family had
rescheduled the burial.
Tributes poured in for the family
throughout Thursday, many
expressing shock at the turn of events.
Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal,
said he was left “sad and
heartbroken”.
The Northern Governors’ Forum called
for thorough investigation into the
accident.
“The safety of the flying public must
be of paramount importance to those
saddled with the responsibility of
ensuring safe air travels, and no stone
should be left unturned in ensuring
this,” the forum said in a statement by
its chairman, Governor Babangida
Aliyu of Niger state.
Thursday’s accident came exactly 16
months after a Dana Air plane
crashed into a crowded Lagos suburb
killing all 163 people on board as well
as about a dozen people on the
ground.

ASUU Strike: students stage an independence protest..

Following the more than 3-month
old academic strike undertaken by
the Academic Staff Union of
Universities (ASUU) and indications
that same is not nearing its end,
Nigerian students have decided to
embark on a protest.
The protest is slated to hold today,
the 1st of October, as the country
marks its 53rd year of Independence.
According to reports , the students
are mobilizing to protest the
insensitivity of the government to
the plight of lecturers at various
universities in the country.
It was gathered from sources at the
National Association of Nigerian
Students (NANS) that students at
various zones of the association
would demonstrate against
continued closure of universities
throughout the country.
In Ibadan, Oyo State, the “Zone D”
leaders of NANS told reporters that it
is prepared to demonstrate on
October 1st. The students said they
would march from the Mokola
roundabout in Ibadan, starting from
8am.
Also in Lagos, the Joint Campus
Committee of NANS Lagos said the
students are being mobilized to
begin their protest march from the
NLC building in Yaba area of Lagos.
The students insist that demands of
their lecturers are reasonable and
must be met by the Nigerian
government.
University lecturers have been on
strike since 1st of July, 2013 over
President Goodluck Jonathan’s
government’s failure to honor the
agreements signed with them since
2009.
The university teachers had vowed
that their strike will continue
indefinitely will continue until the
government honor 2009 agreements
to revitalize the public education.

YABA COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY
2013/2014 ADMISSION CUT OFF

   MINIMUM SCORE - 50
                                                           Department Cut Off
Hospitality Management 51;Food Technology 60;Computer Science 56;Agricultural Technology 50;Polymer Technology 50;Textile Technology 50;Leisure & Tourism ----;Science Laboratory Technology 63;Statistics 51;Mass Communication 65;Architecture 57;Building Technology 50;Estate Management 53;Quantity Surveying 51;Surveying & Geoinformatics 50;Urban Regional Planning 52;General Art 55;Industrial Design 50;Printing Technology 50;Office Technology & Management 56;Business Administration 61;Marketing 54;Banking & Finance 59;Accountancy 64;Civil Engineering 55;Computer Engineering 56;Electrical Engineering 58;Industrial Maintenance Engineering 50;Mechanical Engineering 58;Metallurgical Engineering 50;Agricultural & Bio-Environmental Engineering 50;Marine Engineering 50

Check out @fredy_peterson's Tweet: https://twitter.com/fredy_peterson/status/307778332919988224

software to stop hackers

Gil Shwed : When I started Check Point
in 1993, I found that the basic security
inside routers was not enough. Today
we still struggle to make security
smarter; that's the opposite of what
hardware does. Whenever there is a
new type of attack, we need to learn
how to analyze it and differentiate
between good connections and
hackers.
You had sales last year of $1.3
billion. What are your big markets?
Finance is probably the largest, and
then telecommunications. But we
have more than 100,000 customers,
from companies with 20 people to all
of the Fortune 100.

Smartphones as unlock tools?? This is hot

Smartphone users, kiss that bulky key ring goodbye. The August Smart Lock, from entrepreneur Jason Johnson and designer
Yves Béhar, leads a wave of new devices that automatically unlock the front door. Questions
abound: What if you lose
your phone? Can someone else use your phone to break into your
house? There are security features that address these concerns and more, and at least 30,000 people have reserved the device, available later this year.
Here's an inside look at, well, how it gets you inside.
    Unlike some of its competitors, August takes up just one side of the door. It replaces the thumb latch on the interior side of the existing deadbolt. That makes installing the lock a process that takes 10 minutes or less.
Energy-saving connectivity
Instead of a physical key, users
download a smartphone app that
securely communicates with the lock over a low-energy kind of Bluetooth. Options include having August autolock and unlock when users are feet away or tapping a virtual button to do the job.
Virtual keys, as you please
The best part? Users can easily grant access to friends and family with in-app invitations. The virtual keys can be customized to work during set hours or to expire after a specific date -- in case, say, the babysitter needs to get
in.

What's the extra cost in making a google phone in the U.S.???

Google made a big splash when it announced the Moto X , the new flagship phone of the company's Motorola division, will be manufactured in Texas. An
analysis of the smartphone's internal components by IHS iSuppli on Wednesday revealed that the Moto X costs between $3.50 and $4 more per
phone to make than the Apple iPhone 5 or the Samsung Galaxy S4 -- both of which are assembled in China.
    "In spite of its 'Made in the USA' label, overall costs are still competitive with similar smartphones," said Andrew
Rassweiler, IHS' senior director of cost benchmarking services.
Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
    It's a remarkable feat at a time when making gadgets and gizmos in the Far East has become the norm.
    Manufacturing high-profile devices in America has some precedent: Last year, Apple CEO Tim Cook made the surprising announcement that some
of the company's Macintosh
production would be shifted to the
U.S. The Moto X is a nice
phone, but no one is predicting that it will sell anything close to the volume of iPhones or Galaxy S phones.
    Similarly, the Macintosh is by far the smallest of Apple's "core four" products in terms of unit sales. Apple sold 17 million Macs in the past four quarters, compared to 138 million iPhones.
And if you assume that it would also cost Apple an extra $4 a phone to make the iPhone in the U.S., that works out to added costs of $550 million -- a non-starter for a company already struggling to stem the tide of
shrinking profit margins . That
estimate also could be too low
because of possible costs involved to enhance domestic manufacturing facilities and train workers.
    But at $4 a phone, cost clearly isn't the only issue. The real stumbling blocks are speed and education . Unlike U.S. plants, Foxconn and other Chinese manufacturing operations house employees in dormitories and
can send hundreds of thousands of
workers to the assembly lines at a
moment's notice. Workers are
subjected to what most Americans
would consider unbearably long
hours and tough working conditions.
    That system gives tech companies the efficiency needed to race products out the door. Plus, most of the component suppliers for tech companies are also in China or other Asian countries. That gives companies
the flexibility to change a product
design at the last minute and still ship on time.
    China also has far more skilled
engineers than the United States
does. Apple has said it requires
30,000 industrial engineers to support its on-site factory workers -- numbers that simply don't exist in America.
    "There has to be a fundamental
change in the education system to
bring back some of this [labor]," said Apple CEO Tim Cook in an interview last year.

Apple stock may ride iPhone roller coaster

Apple's stock has dropped in the month after iPhone announcements
in five of the past six years. Will it
happen again?

    Think the next iPhone will
boost Apple's stock?

    It may initially but the gains may be short-lived. In five of the past six years, Apple's ( , Fortune
500 ) stock has ended up lower a
month after the new iPhone was
revealed. And in 2011 -- the one year that Apple's stock actually finished higher after an iPhone release -- it still pulled back sharply from its initial post-iPhone bump.

Apple ups its odds of gaining on Samsung in China

Apple has bigger designs on the biggest
smartphone market in the world.
New iPhones could help Apple catch up with
Samsung in China -- Samsung is now the single
largest smartphone player in that market -- if
two likely scenarios happen.
First, Apple announces a lower-cost iPhone,
rumored to be the 5C. That would provide a
better match for China's price-sensitive
consumers.
Second, Apple cuts a deal with China Mobile,
the biggest carrier in the largest smartphone
market in the world.
Apple's growth in China has been stunted, in
part, because it hasn't been able to strike a
deal with China Mobile and its 740 million
subscribers. (Apple lost market share in China
last quarter.) Talks continue -- Apple CEO Tim
Cook met with China Mobile Chairman Xi
Guohua in July -- but nothing definitive has
been announced.
Apple, however, could be in a better position
this time to move forward with China Mobile.
Reports out of Asia speculate that Apple's new
phones will better support China Mobile's
3G/4G network standards .
UBS forecasts that Apple could sell 17 million
iPhones through China Mobile next year, with
the bulk of those expected to be the 5C. That's
about 10 percent of UBS' projected total
iPhone sales, according to the Financial Times.
And things may be looking up with Apple's
current partners in China, China Telecom and
China Unicom. A recent report from Ifanr --
citing an unnamed source -- claimed that the
iPhone 5S and 5C have been certified by
China's Ministry of Industry and Information
Technology and that China Telecom and China
Unicom will release the two models in
September, earlier than a previously reported
November release date.
That's all just rumor, of course, but it may
indicate that Apple will be faster at releasing
new iPhones in China this time around.
While all of the above is potentially good news
for Apple, Samsung shipped 72.4 million
smartphones worldwide in the second quarter
compared with Apple's 31.2 million global
shipments, according to IDC.
A nontrivial chunk of those Samsung
shipments happened in China, where the
company is estimated to hold 19 percent of the
market, about 10 percentage points more than
Apple.
Apple's revenue in the most recent reported
quarter fell 14 percent year over year in Greater
China, which includes Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Jamb concludes the first round of 2013/2014 admission list

The Joint Admissions and
Matriculation Board
(JAMB) says it has
concluded the first round
of admissions into degree
awarding institutions.
A statement from the
board on Thursday said the
board was determined to
ensure compliance with
2013/2014 admission
calendar.
``Candidates who made
degree awarding
institutions as their first
choices or most preferred
are enjoined to check the
board’s Website -
www.jamb.org.ng and
print their admission
letters,’’ the statement
said.
It said the admissions were
done from Aug. 20 to Aug.
23 at a technical committee
meeting on admissions into
degree awarding
institutions for 2013/2014
academic session in Uyo,
Akwa Ibom.
Signed by the board’s
Head of Public Relations,
Mr Fabian Benjamin, it
said 109 degree awarding
institutions attended the
meeting while only 76 of
them submitted lists of
admitted candidates to the
board.
According to the
statement, the second
round of admissions will be
conducted from Sept. 23 to
Sept. 27 at Adeyemi
College of Education, Ondo,
for admissions into
polytechnics,
monotechnics, colleges of
education and innovative
enterprises institutions.
It further said that all
admissions into the
nation’s tertiary
institutions were expected
to close by October,
stressing that the
admissions were in
compliance with the
approved criteria. (NAN)

Nigeria: There Is No Need for ASUU to Continue Strike - Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday said there was no need for the Academic Staff Union of Universities to continue with their industrial action.
Jonathan said this at the inauguration of the Federal Government sponsored-Transformation Projects at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO).
Represented by Prof. Ruqayyat Rufai, the Minister of Education, the president said N30 billion had been released for the payment of earned allowances in all public universities.
The president said that the inaugurated projects were in line with the Federal Government's commitment to providing quality education in the country.
He said the projects were based on the need assessment exercise conducted by the Federal Government in universities.
Jonathan urged the university administration to engage in research for national development, while stressing the need for proper maintenance of completed projects.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Chidozie Asiabaka, in his speech, expressed joy at the completion of the structure.
Asiabaka noted that the projects had gone a long way in tackling the dearth of basic infrastructure in the school.
"The dearth of classrooms, lecture theatres, power supply, student hostels, office accommodation, library space and facilities are major challenges my administration faced when I assumed office two years-ago," he said.
The vice chancellor said with the intervention of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, the university got 1000 sitting-capacity lecture theatre, Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies Building.
He said the inaugurated projects are the new Engineering Technology, School of Environmental Technology Building, Centre for Nuclear Energy Studies and Training and the School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology building complexes.
The others are the School of Environmental Technology building, landscaping of the campus and the provision of solar energy lights on the campus.
He also commended the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) on the completion of the giant student hostel building in the university.
He lauded the Federal Government for the release of N1 billion for the development of capital projects in each public funded university.

Lagos buys back concensioned Lekki-Epe Expressway

    In a dramatic turn of event, the Lagos State government is buying back the concession rights it granted Lekki Concession Company (LCC) to reconstruct the popular Lekki-Epe Expressway.

    The concession right which would have seen LCC reconstructing the road towards Epe, with three different tolling points, had been a subject of controversy from the beginning – trailed by agitations and mass protests by the residents of the Lekki corridor, backed by civil rights groups.

    The concession agreement, which underpins the “Lagos Infrastructure Project”, was to involve upgrading and creating new road infrastructure along the first 49.4km of the Lekki-Epe Expressway (Phase I). Additional private sector finance was also to be deployed towards developing the first 20km of the coastal road with an option to do the Southern Bypass as well (Phase II).

    In keeping with the globally established BOT model of infrastructure delivery, the concessionaire was to operate and maintain the road for the full 30-year term of the concession, and then hand over the assets to Lagos State in good condition at the end of the concession term.

    In this way, Lagos State was to enjoy new world class infrastructure as a direct consequence of the agreement and users of the road would positively experience the service-based approach that was to be adopted by the concessionaire to deliver certain benefits to the people.

    The benefits were to include convenience – traffic decongestion, easier access to and from the Lekki-Epe corridor, breakdown and recovery assistance, ambulance service, and customer call centre.

Other were shorter journey times, reduced wear and tear on motor vehicles, reduced fuel consumption by road users, security – law enforcement, better street lighting, reduced risk of “go slow robbery among others.

    Although there was official explanation on why the state government is buying back the concession rights, BusinessDay, however gathered that it may not be unconnected with the difficulty of sourcing funds to prosecute by LCC.

    There have been complaints in several quarters over the decision of concessionaire to start collecting tolls on the road when the construction is still ongoing. Many watchers of events in the state had argued that tolling amounted to collecting monies from the citizens to build road as against sourcing funding elsewhere and completing the road before commencement of tolling.

    Governor Babatunde Fashola in a letter dated August 19, 2013 sent to Adeyemi Ikuforiji, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, seeking to amend the 2013 budget size of N499.105 billion to accommodate additional N7.5 billion. This will increase the budget to N507.105 billion, in what is intended to fund the buying back of the concession rights.

    Fashola said in the letter, that “the proposal for further amendment is largely predicated on the need to fund the acquisition of existing concession rights and toll revenue benefits held by the Lekki Concession Company, the concessionaire for the Eti-Osa-Lekki-Epe expressway. This will effectively accelerate the transfer of ownership of the road to the state, leaving the state with wider policy options with regards to that important road infrastructure.”

    In order to address these issues, we have proposed a two-prong approach; namely, re-ordering some expenditure provisions and also direct supplementation of the year 2013 budget. These will entail an increase in the overall budget size by N7.5 billion. This is against the a background of a projected shortfall of N22.5 billion in budgeted internally generated revenues (IGR) which now needs to be covered by additional borrowings,” the governor said.

    Fashola stating further in the letter which was read on the floor of the House on Tuesday, said “we also need to restructure our borrowing plan as the N30 billion World Bank DPO II will no longer materialize in 2013. In effect, we will need to issue bonds totaling N87.5 billion this year, instead of the N35 billion originally envisaged, in order to cover the shortfall in the IGR and the delay in disbursement of DPO II, so as to be able to finance the acquisition of the concession rights and take control of the toll regime for the benefit of our citizens.

    The re-ordering and direct supplementation being proposed have brought the budget size to N507.105 billion from N499.605 billion and the capital/recurrent ratio to 58/42 as against 54/46 in the approved budget,” Fashola said. BusinessDay recalls that the 2013 budget earlier passed by the House was assented to by Governor Fashola on January 2, 2013.

    Meanwhile, in a swift action, the House of Assembly has approved the governor’s proposal to acquire the existing 5v 6 concession rights and toll revenue benefits held by the LCC and the supplementary budget proposal  read on the floor by the Clerk of the House, Ganiyu Abiru.

Nigeria: ASUU Strike - Student Unions Differ, As JAF Plans Mass Protest

The strike embarked on by the
Academic Staff Union of Universities
(ASUU) on July 1, 2013 has indeed
tested the boundaries of student
unionism. From the National
Association of Nigerian Students
(NANS) to other realms of student
activism, conflicting perceptions
reflect students' reaction to the
ASUU strike. This report brings the
different voices to the fore.
It would be recalled that last
executive members of the National
Association of Nigerian Students,
NANS, led by the National Assistant
Secretary, Mr. Ali Mohammed
disowned the national president, Mr.
Yinka Gbadebo, on what they
referred to as "his support for the
Federal Government in the ongoing
strike by the Academic Staff Union of
Universities, ASUU." Some members
of the executive told newsmen that
students were largely unbiased in
the crisis and the inclination of Mr.
Gbadebo to support the
government was a deviation from
the students' collective goal of
resolving the crisis.
"The national president did not have
our mandate to support the Federal
Government over the strike as we
are a neutral body. We do not
support either the Federal
Government or ASUU because it is
the students that bear the brunt of
the strike. We call on ASUU and the
Federal Government to resolve the
issue within seven days so that the
students can return to their
campuses." However, in a phone
call with Vanguard Learning,
Mohammed confirmed that he was
not at all conversant with the issues
behind the strike.
Ayo Toe, the chairman of the
Student Union Transition
Committee, Obafemi Awolowo
University is also the leader of the
southwest senators at NANS. Toe,
while commenting on the weak
response of student leaders to the
strike said: "NANS as a body is no
longer on the campus, it is in Abuja.
A lot of these executives are not
even students themselves, and as a
result, cannot feel the pains of
students.
"I, however, disagree with those
who said that the NANS President
was in support of the Federal
Government. Yinka Gbadebo did not
take any position. ASUU went on
strike without informing us, and now
they are seeking students' support. I
heard rumours that ASUU is paying
some students as much as N16, 000
to stage protests for them. We
neither support the Federal
Government nor ASUU."
Not all student leaders buy into this
non-aligned movement. Mr.
Adeyemo Tunde is the coordinator
of the south- west zone of NANS.
While speaking to Vanguard
Learning, Adeyemo said; "We would
like the government to implement
the 2009 agreement signed with
ASUU.
"We are fully in support of the ASUU
strike, but our struggle is beyond
the strike. I have high regard for
Yinka Gbadebo, but this is not
personal. In our opinion, NANS
cannot be neutral on this matter.
When the strike began, our zone
passed a vote of no confidence on
Mr. President, and declared a state
of emergency in education." The
south-west zone has also begun to
mobilise youths for a mass protest
in Lagos next Tuesday.
The mass protest is being organised
by the Joint Action Front (JAF) to
pressure the government to
implement agreement with ASUU
and other unions in the sector. In a
statement signed by the JAF
chairperson, Dr. Dipo Fashina,
tagged; Education is our right,
system change is our goal, the JAF
boss said; "JAF is resolved with
other stakeholders in the Education
sector to kick-start with mass rallies/
procession on Tuesday, August 13th
in Lagos at the Nigeria Labour
Congress (NLC) headquarters,
Tejuoso-Yaba at 8am. This will be
followed by zonal rallies in Kano,
Ibadan, Owerri, Calabar/Port
Harcourt, and Abuja."
Continuing, Fashina said; "The
rallies/procession are a buildup
towards a nationwide mass protest
that will become inevitable should
the government remain insensitive.
We in JAF are of the strong opinion
that government at all levels in
Nigeria operate anti-poor policies
and this is clearly expressed in their
lack of disposition to public
education. Government should be
blamed for all the crises in the
education sector, including the
incessant strikes. The unions in
education sector are not making
fresh demands. Each time any of the
unions goes on strike, it is because
the federal and state governments
failed to implement agreements they
freely entered into and signed with
any of the unions."
Whether or not the mass protests
will attract strong student support
remains to be seen. The last protest
organised by the Education Rights
Campaign (ERC) at the University of
Lagos involved only a handful of
students. Mr. Hassan Soweto, the
ERC boss attributed this to the hijack
of student unions by government
agents.
"No doubt, NANS and so many other
associations have been taken over
by government agents. These
associations have no interest in
fighting for education. If the
government pays them enough
money, they will keep quiet. As for
the faction of NANS which is against
Gbadebo, it is difficult to have a
clear picture about that. Very soon,
the elections to replace the late
senate president of NANS will be
held, I believe that some people are
using this situation as excuse to gain
cheap popularity."
Emmanuel Ahanonu, Chairman,
Nigeria Union of Campus Journalists
said; "It is very unfortunate that
NANS is divided. I commend ASUU's
actions, but I feel that it is to the
detriment of students. ASUU should
first of all have taken the Federal
Government to court, the strike
should have been a last resort.
"ASUU's grievances are legitimate,
but it is the students who are
suffering. It doesn't seem fair that
instead of spending four to five
years in school, a student will spend
about eight years because of the
strike. It is only helping to increase
crime in the country. Student
unionism especially on the part of
NANS has been reduced to money
and politics. There are a lot of
students who are grieved about the
situation, but are simply gnashing
their teeth in silence because those
who are supposed to speak on their
behalf are quiet."

Militants attack prison in NW Pakistan

The attack on the jail in the town of
Dera Ismail Khan began with several
explosions at around midnight on
Monday.
Gunmen then opened fire with
rocket-propelled grenades and
machine-guns, police chief Sohail
Khalid said.
The prison houses hundreds of
Taliban and militants from banned
groups. The fighting is still going on.
The attackers were chanting "God is
great" and "Long live the Taliban,"
officials told the Associated Press.
A local resident told the agency that
the initial blast was so loud that "it
rattled every house in the
neighbourhood".
Pakistani Taliban spokesman
Shahidullah Shahid has claimed
responsibility for the attack. He said
around 300 prisoners had been
freed.
"The Taliban have loudspeakers and
they are calling the names of their
friends," the town's civil
commissioner, Mushtaq Jadoon,
said.
Officials said that authorities had
been aware of a threat to attack the
prison in recent weeks.
Provincial prisons chief Khalid Abbas
said he was not sure if any of the
jail's 40 "high-profile" prisoners had
escaped.
Hundreds of inmates were freed in
an assault on a prison in Bannu in
northern Pakistan in April last year.
Dera Ismail Khan is the main city in
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province, in
Pakistan's restive, mountainous tribal
region.
Monday night's violence comes
hours before Pakistani politicians are
expected to choose the country's
new president.
The replacement for Asif Ali Zardari
will be elected on Tuesday by the
members of both houses of
parliament and the four provincial
assemblies.

Italy coach crash: At least 38 dead near Avellino

The coach hit several vehicles before
smashing through a barrier and
toppling down a steep slope near
the town of Avellino, in the Campania
region.
At least 10 people were injured,
some of them seriously.
The coach was taking about 50
people, including children, back to
Naples following a pilgrimage.
The cause of the accident is not yet
known. Some reports say the vehicle
was travelling at speed.
The head of the local fire brigade
division, Alessio Barbarulo, said
barriers on bridges would normally
prevent such accidents but "evidently
it seems the impact was so strong
that even the barrier gave way".
A survivor said the driver, who was
among the dead, appeared to have
lost control of the bus, possibly after
a tyre punctured.
Transport Minister Maurizio Lupi said
the vehicle had passed its annual
inspection in March, and there was
no indication of technical problems.
Tests are being carried out on the
driver's body as part of the
investigation into what caused the
accident.
TV footage showed smashed vehicles
on the flyover and shrouded bodies
lined up by the side of a road.
The Naples-Bari motorway was
closed to traffic because of the
accident.
The bus dropped 30m (98ft), coming
to rest in heavy undergrowth after
smashing through the guard-rail.
The final number of victims remains
unclear, with local officials saying 38
died while the transport ministry in
Rome spoke of 39.
The injured were taken to hospitals
in Avellino, Salerno and Nola, Ansa
news agency said.
They include the occupants the six
cars caught up in the collision. Six of
those hurt are children.
Those on board had been visiting the
town of Telese Terme, known for its
hot springs, and the nearby
birthplace of Padre Pio, one of Italy's
most popular saints.
On a visit to Greece, Italian Prime
Minister Enrico Letta said the accident
was "a huge tragedy".
Exactly 10 years ago, another
accident on the same stretch of
motorway claimed six lives and
injured 11 other people.
The coach plunged 30m (98ft) from a
flyover
Part of the concrete safety rail, which
failed to stop the coach leaving the
road, was brought down to the
ground
Victims' personal effects were
scattered among the wreckage in the
ravine
Relatives gathered at a local school
which has been turned into a
temporary mortuary
The passengers had been visiting the
birthplace of Padre Pio and the hot
springs at Telese Terme

Cairo vendors killed in mass brawl

Egyptian state media reported that
the brawl took place in the al-Moski
area of the capital.
The fight was reportedly caused by a
dispute between street vendors over
spaces.
Most of the victims died after a shop
they took refuge in was set on fire,
according to a report by the AFP
news agency.
There is so far no suggestion that the
fight is linked to the political crisis in
Egypt.

FG: ASUU May Call Off Strike Next Week

The ongoing strike by the Academic
Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)
may likely be called off as a result of
the recent breakthrough in
negotiation with the Federal
Government on some outstanding
issues.
This is coming as the Secretary to
Government of the Federation (SGF),
Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim yesterday in
Abuja inaugurated the “Universities
Needs Implementation Committee”,
with Governor of Benue State,
Gabriel Suswam as its chairman.
Suswam while speaking to
journalists after the more than two
hours meeting with ASUU
representatives yesterday, disclosed
that the two parties have resolved
and agreed on all outstanding issues
except two, which were the pending
payment of allowances and
upgrading of universities physical
infrastructures.
He said that the two outstanding
issues would be addressed next
week with SGF handling the pending
incomes with ASUU on Monday,
while the upgrading of the university
infrastructures would be discussed
with his committee together with
other intervention agencies.
He clarified that while it was not in
his position to guarantee that the
strike would be called off next week,
but there was the likelihood of it, if
the two remaining issues were
resolved.
"It is not in my position to say when
the strike will be called off...If all the
issues are resolved, what is the
need of carrying on with the strike",
was his response when asked about
the possibility of calling of the strike
next week.
Suswam listed some of the major
issues agreed upon to include the
retirement age of the university
lecturers from 65 to 70 years;
setting of research centres;
establishment of pension
Administration, and governing
council (which has been done
already) amongst others.
"After so many hours of
deliberation, we agreed on major
issues except two of them, which
are on the pending upgrading of
physical infrastructures of the
universities and pending
allowances", he said.
He added that, "By Monday we will
talk about the pending allowances,
while on Thursday that of upgrading
of the university facilities will be
discussed with my committee
together with other intervention
agencies".
Speaking further he said: "The issue
of government intervention in the
universities...because if you look at
many universities there are
infrastructural deficit and that is why
we will also involve intervention
agencies, and foreign institutions".
"The other issues agreed upon are
the retirement age from 65 to 70
years, it has been resolved; setting
of research centres; establishment
of Pension Administration, and
Governing Council, which has been
done already.
Earlier, Anyim while inaugurating the
Needs Assessment Committee,
emphasised that it was set up in a
bid to put in place appropriate
requirements conducive for
academics in all tertiary institutions
in Nigeria.
He said that the major needs of all
Federal Universities were identified
by an assessment committee earlier
set up to "assess and prioritise the
needs of universities".
He said: "The report submitted by
the Needs assessment Committee
mandates the inaugurated
Committee to interface with all
agencies providing funding support
to the universities with the aim of
appropriately channelling support to
identified priorities.
"Stimulate private sector investment
into the public universities, monitor
progress of the projects
implementation and produce
quarterly report for submission to
the federal government and,
intervention in any other matter that
may be necessary to achieve the
purpose of the Needs Assessment".
This mandate stem from the
observations earlier carried out and
it was noted that various countries
fund tertiary institutions through
varying approaches, some through
budgetary allocations, non-
budgetary interventions or private
sector donations.
While noting that Nigeria was
involved in the tripod-like methods
of funding mentioned above, as
besides the Federal Government,
the central Bank of Nigeria, Nigeria
National Petroleum Cooperation
(NNPC), Niger Delta Development
Commission (NDDC), Tertiary
Education Trust Fund (TETFund)
among others.
It would be recalled that the Federal
Government set up the Need
Assessment Committee to revitalise
the physical infrastructure in the
universities, with the aim of
enhancing the Internally Generated
Revenue (IGR) base of the
universities.
"With the expanded IGR, the
universities council will be enabled
to take care of staff earned-
allowances and administrative needs
of the universities on sustainable
basis", Anyim said.
Other members of the Committee
are the acting Executive Secretary of
TETFUND as the Vice Chairman, a
representative each of the Senate
and House of Representative
Committee on Education, the Office
of the SGF, Academic Staff Union of
Universities, Ministry of Finance, the
Ministers of Education and Labour
and productivity.
Also in the committee are
representatives of National
Universities Commission NUC,
SSANU, NAATS, CBN, NITDA, NCC,
NNPC, PTDF and a representative of
TETFund, who would serve as the
Secretary.

fizzle it out: Okorocha lied on Oguta re-run, Imo PDP alleges

fizzle it out: Okorocha lied on Oguta re-run, Imo PDP alleges

Okorocha lied on Oguta re-run, Imo PDP alleges

OWERRI—The Peoples Democratic
Party, PDP, Imo State, has expressed
dismay over the misinformation
allegedly being peddled by Imo State
governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha,
against it and the Independent
National Electoral Commission, INEC,
in the wake of the inconclusive Oguta
re-run election.
The stand of the party was made
public in a  statement by the State
Publicity Secretary, Chief Blyden
Amajirionwu.
Amajirionwu said: “We want to state
without any fear of contradiction that
contrary to the claims of Governor
Okorocha, election did not take place
in the whole of Osemoto/Enuigbo and
Egbuoma/Egwe wards, both of which
are made up of 17 polling units”.
The party said if the 17 polling units
were added to the eight where results
were outstanding, as a result of
alleged snatching of election materials
by All Progressives Grand Alliance,
APGA thugs, the falsity of Governor
Okorocha’s claim will be glaring”.
Noting that it was based on these
incontrovertible facts that INEC
declared the result inconclusive.
The party said if the governor was in
possession of any signed results, he
might have to explain how he got
them.
Imo PDP described the alleged
telephone call received by the
returning officer, which led to
declaring the poll inconclusive, as
cheap blackmail designed to browbeat
INEC into taking precipitated action.
The PDP said: “INEC, as a responsible
and reputable agency of government,
cannot afford to succumb to such
intimidation. Let Governor Okorocha
say exactly who called the returning
officer and what she was told.”
Amajirionwu also stated that from the
legitimate results available to the
party, the APGA candidate in the
election, Mr. Walter Uzonwanne, lost
in all but one of the 17 units in his
Oguta Ward B and Oguta community.
He pleaded: “PDP, as a law abiding
party, is calling on INEC to, as quickly
as possible, make arrangement for
the conduct of elections in those
areas where no elections were held.
“We also call on the peace loving
people of Oguta constituency to keep
calm and be on their guard, while we
wait for further action by INEC.”

Justin Bieber in Us Weekly: Shirtless, Striving To Be Better

Justin Bieber may be single, but
he has high hopes for his love
life. Featured in a new Us Weekly
special, the singer tells the publication that he hopes to "get
married and start a family" down
the line, adding that his grandparents are his role models.
Why? Because "they love each other so much, after so many years! When I'm their age, I want to be as in love with my wife as my grandfather is with his." And while it's unlikely Selena
Gomez will be that wife at this
point, Justin says the pair are on
good terms.
"As long as people are kind to
each other during a breakup,
there is no reason they can't be
friends," JB says, adding that "a
lot of people give me
relationship advice."
The singer, of course, continues
to face criticism and scandal, the
latest being a lawsuit by a
photographer who claims Bieber
kicked him in the stomach last
year.
"I'm still growing," he says. "I'm
trying to be a better person
every day."

Airtel sponsors Big Brother Africa 8

Leading telecoms service provider in Africa and Asia, Airtel is now the official sponsor of
the eighth edition of Africa’s biggest reality series, Big Brother Africa (BBA), dubbed The
Chase, set to kick off May 26th, 2013.
Big Brother Africa is a revolutionary project that connects diverse audiences across
Africa. It is the most successful television franchise ever seen on the continent, which
grows every year.
The seventh edition, which was dubbed ‘Big Brother StarGame’, broke all records with its
massive domination of TV screens and online space.
BBA ‘The Chase’ is expected to build on the huge success of the StarGame, a statement
from Airtel Ghana said
It quoted Managing Director of Airtel Ghana, Philip Sowah as saying “Africa’s viewers are
known for their passion for Big Brother Africa and we look forward to developing a
number of exciting initiatives during season 8. I am delighted to welcome AfricaMagic
and DStv into our family of commercial partners. We are also pleased to be associated
with Big Brother Africa 2013. The show presents huge opportunities for Airtel to make an
emotional connection with our customers.”
Big Brother The Chase will feature 28 housemates from 14 countries. The housemates
will need to gain acceptance from viewers in order to survive evictions.
After 91 days of drama and thrills, the winner will pocket a massive USD 300,000 prize. Also check out willzfashion,a fashion site...

'Armies of one': Are lone wolf attacks the future of terrorism?

The only thing more horrifying than the murder of a British
soldier in a London street is the fear that there is little police can do in the age of "open-source jihad" to prevent these types of terror attacks.
    "It's always the one we feared, the lone wolf that can come from nowhere and not be on our radar," said ex-London police chief John Yates. On Wednesday two men hacked the soldier to death near his military barracks in Woolwich, southeast London before delivering a message to a witness's camera: "We swear by almighty Allah we will never stop fighting you until you leave us alone ... this British soldier is an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
    The message has all the hallmarks of classic al Qaeda rhetoric, and experts believe the blood-soaked men wielding cleavers for the cameras in London are just the latest proponents of the "open-source jihad" that seems to have grown just as the U.S.-led "War on Terror" scattered the organization's terror cells around the world.
    "Nearly a decade ago there was a debate within al Qaeda about
the future of the organization," according to Shiraz Maher, Head of
Outreach at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation . "Afghanistan had been overrun by U.S. forces, the Taliban had been forced to retreat, and as a result al Qaeda lost its ability to train recruits there."
    The organization needed a new plan to stay relevant as the U.S.
struck at the heart of its traditional operation in places like
Afghanistan, Pakistan and Yemen Enter a man called Abu Musab
al-Suri , the so-called architect of the new al Qaeda, who had a simple plan to change the way al Qaeda took the fight to the West.
"Every Muslim should be an army of one," Maher told CNN. "That
was his grand idea -- every individual Muslim should be an
autonomous hub that goes out and strikes the West and you can't
contain it."
   vAl-Suri may have had the vision, but it was al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) that translated it into reality in 2010 through the online speeches of radical cleric Anwar al-Awlaki -- since killed by a U.S. drone strike -- and the publishing of "Inspire," the English-language magazine that acts as a how-to guide for followers to carry out small-scale terrorist attacks in the West.
    "Since 2010 al Qaeda has been telling its followers in the West:
'Don't try and do another 9/11 or 7/7-style attack because invariably these things catch the attention of security services and you go to jail.
   Think small, think easy, think unsophisticated. Really scale it down to make it difficult to detect, because really it's a detection battle,'" Maher said.
     So this is the growing struggle facing police forces around the
world today, say experts -- not more traditional terror cells, which are more likely to show up through traditional surveillance
methods, but self-starters who become radicalized through online
sermons and publications.
    In 2011 New York police arrested Jose Pimentel and accused him of plotting to detonate pipe bombs that he allegedly learned to make
after reading "Inspire" magazine. Pimental pleaded not guilty to terrorism charges and is awaiting trial.
    The pressure cooker bombs that killed three people near the finish line of April's Boston Marathon bore strong similarities to a design laid out in the first
issue of the magazine titled "How to Build a Bomb in Your Mom's Kitchen," according to CNN's Paul Cruickshank.
    In 2010 British MP Stephen Timms was nearly killed when a 21-year-old British student stabbed him during a meeting with his constituents in east London.
    The student, Roshonara Choudhry, told police she had become radicalized after watching the speeches of al-Awlaki online, and tried to kill Timms because
he voted in favor of the Iraq War.
    Yates, who was Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner until he retired in 2011, told CNN: "As someone who has tried to prevent these attacks in the past,
they're the most difficult ones.
"If we have some serious targets, then of course you can apply the correct level of resources and tactics ... Choudhry had never come to the attention of any authorities at any point.
    So what, if anything, can be done to prevent lone wolf attacks? The grisly murder in Woolwich has prompted calls for Britain's government to look again
at a shelved bill that would greatly expand law enforcement's powers to monitor suspects' use of the internet, which is currently only possible on a more limited basis.
    "There is some internet surveillance going on," said Yates. "It's been made very clear by police chiefs in recent weeks that if you download something like
'Inspire' you will be arrested, it is an offence and you will be charged."
    So where to draw the line between free speech and invasion of privacy? The proposal to expand police powers for collecting online data caused uproar among privacy advocates in late 2012, but the government says more robust surveillance tools are now needed to effectively combat terrorism.
While acknowledging there are "powerful" arguments on both sides, Yates said: "All I know is that you've got to do something, because the level of sophistication in technology is going to make it extraordinarily challenging to improve the way that the internet and other means of communication are monitored if nothing's done."
READ MORE: UK Muslims condemn London slaying
But radicalization expert Maher said monitoring the internet and tracking down
anyone who downloads an al-Awlaki speech or a bomb-making guide won't
solve the lone wolf problem.
"You don't have to have read 'Inspire' anymore -- everyone knows what's going on because, if nothing else, the media talks about it so much. The idea of
committing an unsophisticated attack against a high-profile symbol is out there. It's an impossible thing to work against," he said. Yates says in order to prevent future attacks, counter-terrorism police must
bolster their community engagement strategy -- making local people feel "free and able to provide relevant information at the right time."
     "It comes back to the line from the 1980s with the IRA: 'Communities defeat terrorism.' That was the strap-line then, and it's no different today."

BlackBerry confirms BBM app for Android and iPhone – but rivals await

BlackBerry is making its
Messenger (BBM) real-time
messaging service available on
Apple's iPhone and iPad and
Google's Android platforms from
summer, abandoning the
platform exclusivity that had for
years been a crucial tool in
attracting and retaining users.
Announcing the move at the
company's developer conference,
software vice president Andrew
Bocking said: "the time is
definitely right for BBM to
become a multi-platform mobile
service. BBM has always been
one of the most engaging
services for BlackBerry
customers, enabling them to
easily connect while maintaining
a valued level of personal
privacy. We're excited to offer
iOS and Android users the
possibility to join the BBM
community."
Chief executive Thorsten Heins
called the move "a statement of
confidence". BlackBerry says that
BBM has more than 60 million
monthly active users, with more
than 51 million using BBM for an
average of 90 minutes per day.
Its customers collectively send
and receive more than 10bn
messages daily, with almost half
read within 20 second of being
received, it said.
The free app will be available
once approved for Apple's iOS 6
software released last year and
devices running Android 4.0 or
higher, released in late 2011.
BBM was once seen as an iconic
messaging system which drew
both teenagers and business
people onto the BlackBerry
platform because messages
could only be swapped between
its own handsets. But with its
installed base of users falling,
the company has had to look for
ways to generate revenues from
its software expertise.
The move pitches BBM into a
fight with other cross-platform
data-reliant apps - known as
"over the top" services - such as
WhatsApp, WeChat and Viber.
On Apple's iOS, it will put it up
against the company's own
iMessage app - though that does
not work across different
platforms.
But BBM is now one of the
smallest cross-platform apps,
with WhatsApp claiming more
than 200 million active users,
and WeChat around 190 million.
In the planned initial release, iOS
and Android users would be able
to experience the immediacy of
BBM chats, including multi-
person chats, as well as the
ability to share photos and voice
notes, and engage in BBM
Groups, which allows BBM
customers to create groups of up
to 30 people.
BlackBerry says BBM provides
customers with a high level of
control and privacy over who
they add to their contact list and
how they engage with them, as
invites are two-way opt-in. iOS
and Android users would be able
to add their contacts through
PIN, email, SMS or QR code scan,
regardless of platform. Android
users would also be able to
connect using a compatible NFC-
capable device.
    This is going to be sweet... Tell me what you feel about this.

State news: Detainees linked to al Qaeda targeted U.S., French embassies in Egypt

The Egyptian prosecutor's office says evidence shows three suspects linked to al Qaeda targeted the U.S. and French embassies in Cairo, as well as
an Egyptian army facility in the Sinai Peninsula, according to state news.
The state-run Middle East News Agency, known as MENA, reported Wednesday that state prosecutors have evidence suggesting the alleged terrorists, who were arrested over the weekend, planned to detonate car bombs at the three sites.
    A source briefed by an Egyptian security official said Wednesday that he'd been told that France's embassy was allegedly targeted but was not told about the other diplomatic mission. Members of the alleged terrorist cell had 10
kilograms of ammonium nitrate, which is commonly used in bomb making, according to David Linfield, a spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, told CNN that he's aware of reports in Egyptian media that the American embassy was targeted but otherwise had no comment on the matter. And an Egyptian Interior Ministry spokesman refused to comment to CNN about the alleged targets.
A prosecutor ordered one of those arrested, Mohamed AboulEla Aqida, to stay
behind bars for at least 15 more days, rather than be put on house arrest, MENA reported Wednesday. The fate of the other two people detained was not
immediately clear.
    The prosecutor's office pointed to new evidence that has surfaced linking Aqida to a leading figure of al Qaeda in Iraq named Daoud Al Asdi, as well as al Qaeda members in the Sinai Peninsula, according to MENA.
    He and others allegedly had gone beyond the planning stages and were getting ready to attack when Egyptian police arrested them, the source briefed by an
Egyptian security official told CNN.
A U.S. State Department travel alert issued Wednesday did not specifically mention this plot, though it did allude to a May 9 knife attack on a U.S. citizen.
That American was outside the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, was asked if he was an American, then attacked. Egyptian police have a suspect in custody in that case,
according to the State Department.
    The diplomatic alert also urged Americans "to avoid all demonstrations in Egypt, as even peaceful ones can quickly become violent, and a foreigner could
become a target of harassment or worse."

Nigeria military: Insurgents killed in raid on militant camps

At least 20 insurgents were killed Friday as Nigeria's military carried out an aerial bombardment of suspected militant Islamist camps in the country's northeast, a Defense Ministry spokesman said.
    The raid by Nigerian Air Force jets and attack helicopters is part of what the military says is a "massive deployment" of forces this week to tackle insurgent
groups, including Boko Haram.
    "Our military has overrun a number of the militants' camps in north and central Borno state," said defense spokesman Brig. Gen. Chris Olukolade.
"Within those insurgents' camps, we discovered that they have been storing sophisticated, high-caliber weapons including anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons."
Asked whether the military had inflicted any casualties on the
insurgents, Olukolade said "definitely so. Conservatively speaking, over 20 dead so far."
    Members of the armed forces have suffered only minor injuries,
according to Olukolade.
"The operation continues, we are injecting even more troops and
resources into those areas," he
added.
The military operation was announced Wednesday, a day after President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and
Adamawa states.
    The president blamed "terrorists" aimed at "rebellion," causing "fear among our citizens and a near breakdown of law and order in parts of the country."
He also noted a rise of insurgent violence in eight other states, including Nasarawa, where scores of police officers were killed last week.
"Insurgents and terrorists," including Boko Haram, are trying to destabilize Nigeria, Jonathan said. "The military operation will focus on tracking down criminal elements within the vicinity of border communities prone to terrorist activities," Olukolade said
Wednesday.
    He did not confirm the number of troops deployed or which units are involved in the military operation. Much violence over recent years has been blamed on Boko Haram, the name of which means "Western education is sacrilege."
    On Friday, a spokesman for the U.N. human rights commissioner told reporters that Boko Haram could face war crimes charges for alleged ethnic and religious
cleansing in Nigeria. Addressing reporters in Geneva Rupert Colville urged it and other extremist groups to stop "cowardly attacks" against civilians, security forces, Nigerian officials and foreign nationals.
According to Human Rights Watch, the group has killed more than 2,800 people in an escalating campaign to impose strict Islamic law on largely Muslim northern Nigeria.
    The U.N. human rights office is calling on Nigeria's government to respect human rights principles during security sweeps, following reports of heavy casualties in some parts of the country.
    Nigeria is Africa's most populous country, with a population of nearly 175 million according to the CIA World Factbook, and is the political and economic powerhouse of West Africa.

Oil-price manipulation: the next Libor?

Some of the world's biggest oil companies may have a new mess on their hands.
    The European Commission raided the offices of Shell, BP and Norway's Statoil this week as part of an investigationinto suspected attempts to manipulate global oil prices spanning more than a decade.
None of the companies have been accused of wrongdoing, but the
controversy has brought back memories of the Libor rate-rigging scandal that rocked the financial world last year.
    UBS, Royal Bank of Scotland and Barclays have already reached settlements with regulators in the U.S. and U.K. over Libor-rigging, paying over $2.5 billion in fines after admitting to attempts to manipulate interest rates to appear more credit-worthy
and to benefit trading positions. Roughly a dozen other global banks remain under scrutiny over rate-rigging, and three people have been arrested so far.
    Reams of email and instant-message transcripts disclosed in the settlements so far reveal how the banks' scheme worked, and
experts have since warned that influential pricing data from publishers serving the oil market could be similarly vulnerable to manipulation.
    A review ordered by the British government last year in the wake of the Libor revelations cited "clear" parallels between the work of the oil-price-reporting agencies and Libor.
    "They are both widely used benchmarks that are compiled by private organizations and that are subject to minimal regulation and oversight by regulatory authorities," the review, led by former financial regulator Martin
Wheatley, said in August . "To that extent they are also likely to be vulnerable to similar issues with regards to the motivation and opportunity for manipulation and distortion." Libor -- short for the London Interbank Offered Rate -- is a collection of rates designed to measure the cost of borrowing between banks. The quotes are then used as benchmarks for roughly $10 trillion in loans and some $350 trillion in derivatives.
    In the setting of Libor rates, groups of banks are asked what interest rate they would have to pay to borrow money for a certain period of time in a certain currency, with averages calculated after several of the highest and lowest submissions are removed.
Libor-setting is overseen by the British Bankers Association, an industry trade group, though U.K. law was changed last month to allow financial regulators to supervise the process.
    Oil-price benchmarks are set by independent "price-reporting agencies," the most influential of which is Platts, a division of McGraw-Hill. Platts' data is used help set prices for billions of dollars' worth of physical oil
and derivatives contracts.
    As the Libor scandal gathered force last year, Platts and its fellow price-reporting agencies, Argus and ICIS, issued a joint statement emphasizing what they called the "fundamental differences" between their "reliable and robust" methods and those used in calculating Libor. Some observers, however, say the processes are similarly vulnerable.
    Platts collects voluntarily submitted information on bids, offers and transactions in the otherwise opaque physical-oil market in an effort to provide an assessment of the market price around the close of trading. The process is complex, and while traders can't predict it perfectly, they recognize that transactions late in the day are most important, said Rosa Abrantes-Metz, a principal at Global Economics Group who has studied Platts.
    "If you put in a price that is a bit off, you can affect the benchmark in a meaningful way, particularly because there just aren't that many transactions at the end of the day," she said. "You may try and move Platts in a particular way and lose in that transaction, but then gain, by moving the index, in a larger transaction on the opposite side or on your derivatives position."
There are also concerns about the fact that reporting to Platts is done by traders voluntarily. In a report issued in October, the International Organization of Securities Commissions -- an association of regulators -- said the ability "to selectively report data on a voluntary basis creates an opportunity for manipulating the commodity market data" submitted to Platts and its competitors.
    Responding to questions from IOSCO last year, French oil giant Total said the price-reporting agencies, or PRAs,
sometimes "do not assure an accurate representation of the market and consequently deform the real price levels paid at every level of the price chain, including by the consumer." But Total called Platts and its competitors
"generally... conscientious and professional."
"While there is the risk of market actors voluntarily submitting false data to the PRA assessment process, most
PRAs have effective processes to verify submissions and generally avoid this problem," Total said.
Platts describes its methods as "structured" and "highly transparent," saying the submissions it collects must
reflect verifiable transactions or executable bids and offers. The agency vets submitters and restricts them from
altering their bids and offers beyond defined increments to mitigate against sudden price swings.
    Platts declined to comment in detail on the European Commission investigation, saying only that investigators
visited its office in London on Tuesday and that it is "cooperating fully" with the probe.
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden wrote to Attorney General Eric Holder on Friday asking that the Justice Department join the
investigation, though it's not clear whether American regulators will get involved. Spokesmen for the Department
of Justice and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission declined to comment.
Shell, BP and Statoil all confirmed that they were cooperating with the European
Commission. Italy's Eni ( ) said it had not been visited by officials but had received a request for information
and would be cooperating.
Aside from the big oil companies, Wall Street banks are also big players in the energy markets who could conceivably benefit from price movements, said David Frenk, director of research at the financial reform group
Better Markets and a former commodities analyst at a hedge fund. If Platts' data was indeed manipulated, Frenk
said, consumers as well as other traders took a hit. If the benchmark was manipulated upward, that would mean higher oil prices and more expensive gasoline, Frenk said. If it was manipulated both up and down at various times, that volatility would increase the cost of hedging for gasoline resellers, who would in turn pass that cost onto drivers.
    "Even small distortions of assessed prices may have a huge impact on the prices of crude oil, refined oil products and biofuels purchases and sales, potentially harming final consumers," the European Commission said this week.

Human stem cell cloning: 'Holy Grail' or techno- fantasy?

Today was a strange day. I'm used to handling the brief but
overwhelming burst of media attention that comes with new stories about
medical breakthroughs and ethical issues. But I don't often get an
accompanying deluge of passionate e-mails and phone calls from people who
had read my comments, denouncing me for criticizing science, especially
medical research that "can save millions of lives."
There is definitely something special about this idea of "therapeutic cloning,"
something that has a religious feel to it. Most of those messages come from
people who have family members suffering from some of the diseases that we
are told will be cured, and it's hard to have to pour cold water on people's
hopes.
    I feel really angry at the scientists and PR people who have sold the idea of cloned human stem cells to so many patient support groups, when there is so little scientific substance to their promises.
    We are told that there will be great medical benefits and that the risks that there will be cloned babies are small, but in truth it's the other way round.
    Let's deal with the cloned babies issue first. Ordinary people know perfectly well why human cloning is wrong, and that's why governments around the world, including all developed nations except the USA have banned it. But there are plenty of desperate people and egoistic tycoons wanting to be cloned, and plenty of unscrupulous IVF doctors happy to relieve them of their cash. And there are still countries where those doctors can go to evade legal sanctions.
    What the Oregon scientists have done is to deliver the baby that the would-be human cloners have been waiting for 15 years -- what looks like a reliable technique for creating cloned embryos. I think it was irresponsible to publish their research before there is a comprehensive global ban on cloning, with tough sanctions.
    But I think what makes me even angrier as a scientist is the hype and false promises around therapeutic cloning. Let's be clear: this is not about embryonic stem cell research, which, despite the hype may deliver something
given time, although the alternatives of adult stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells look set to deliver results much quicker. And I'm not a
pro-lifer; destruction of embryos is not what bothers me.
    The cloning element is there purely for the purposes of creating tissues genetically identical to the patient that won't be rejected, and that's a nice idea.
    The trouble is it brings a whole raft of biological problems with it that create major risks to the patient as well as creating an impossibly expensive process.
With cloning, you are forcing nature to do something that it does not want to, so the new risks are to be expected. Cloning creates abnormalities in the
genetic read-out, which is the reason that cloned animals are so often sick.
    Those errors will be there in any stem cells and tissues produced by cloning. Those problems are another reason why cloning babies would be hugely
unethical, but they don't necessarily make it impossible.
    Finally, even if you could somehow solve these problems, the use of genetically matched tissues in mainstream medicine is simply not feasible and, unlike
electronic gadgets, medical costs go up, not down.
    In addition to the extremely expensive process of cloning, for each patient you have to culture stem cells and reliably turn them into the tissue you want with 100% efficiency, so you don't get a single left over stem cell that will cause tumors. You have to do all that to a standard of accuracy that will satisfy government regulators and medical liability lawyers when something goes
wrong. Forget it. We don't do anything remotely approaching this in medicine and it doesn't look like medical budgets are growing, does it? There are other
much better solutions to the tissue rejection problem that will cost a fraction of the price.
    The fact is that the cloning paper published on Wednesday is zombie science. Therapeutic cloning was dead and buried years ago, but it just seems to keep
on going, and so do people's hopes. There is definitely something weird here,
something that brings out religious terminology like "the Holy Grail of medicine" around therapeutic cloning. That's because therapeutic cloning is a
fantasy, one that belongs to the modern religion, the religion of technocracy.
    That's the only way I can explain how scientists who ought to know better seem to get drunk on their power over nature and keep pursuing this absurd
dream.
    People often say to me that scientists pursuing therapeutic cloning are "just trying to make money," but the truth is worse. Driven by their technocratic
ideology, they betray their own credo of sticking to the facts, and that's bad enough. But to keep raising people's hopes in this way is really unforgivable.

Actor Edward Furlong arrested by California police

Actor Edward Furlong tried to hide, but ended up caught and behind
bars in California for allegedly violating a protective order filed against him by
an ex-girlfriend, authorities said.
West Hollywood, California, deputies responded at 5:44 p.m. Thursday to a call
about a possible violation of a protection order, the Los Angeles County
Sheriff's Department said Friday in a news release.
They found the suspect -- the 35-year-old actor best known for his role in
"Terminator 2: Judgment Day" -- hiding on a nearby property. He was arrested
and brought to a sheriff's substation in West Hollywood, authorities said.
The protective order was imposed after the actor was arrested following a
domestic disturbance at the same address in January, the sheriff's department
said. He was then charged with felony domestic violence and domestic battery.
The actor, who was already serving probation, is being held on $100,000 bond,
according to Los Angeles County jail records.
After his breakthrough role as John Connor in 1991's "Terminator
2" alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger, Furlong went on to play roles
in a number of movies, including "American History X," and TV
projects, such as "CSI-NY."

'Please don't let me go,' Cleveland kidnap victim told officers

When officers arrived at Ariel Castro's home in Cleveland, a crowd had
formed on the porch.
But where was the woman they came for? Where was Amanda Berry?
Then she stepped forward, holding a crying child. It was really her, the missing
girl they had searched for for 10 years.
It is Amanda Berry, Officer Michael Tracy said.
"Just the emotion at that point of my partner confirming that it was Amanda ...
It was overwhelming," Officer Anthony Espada recalled.
Cleveland police this week released the emotional video interviews
of officers Espada, Tracy and Barbara Johnson, who helped in the
May 6 rescue of the three women from Castro's home.
The 11-minute video, which is posted on YouTube, provides the
most graphic detail to date of the harrowing rescue. It's also a rare
behind-the-scenes glimpse at the raw emotions of officers involved
in the ordeal.
Once they had Berry, they wondered who else was in Castro's
home.
Was the suspect in there? They asked Amanda, as the child
continued to wail.
"She says yes, Gina DeJesus and another girl," Espada said. "It was
like another bombshell with overwhelming force hit me. We
immediately started running toward the house."
When they entered the home, it almost seemed peaceful, Espada
recalled.
As if nobody else was there. Nobody was in the basement. Nobody
was downstairs.
And then they heard the sound of scurrying feet upstairs.
"It was Michelle (Knight). She kind of popped out into the
doorway," Espada said, his voice cracking with emotion.
"She came charging. She was like. 'You saved us. You saved us.'
And I am holding on to her so tight. And within a few seconds, I
see another girl come out of the bedroom."
He immediately recognized the girl, Espada said, probably from
missing posters that date to 2004. But she looked thinner than he
remembered. He asked the girl to say her name.
She said her name was Georgina DeJesus, he recalled.
"It was very overwhelming," Espada said. "It took everything to hold
myself together."
One of the women also jumped into Johnson's arms, screaming at
the female officer.
"She was saying 'please don't let me go. Please don't let me go,'"
Johnson said. "I said, 'Honey don't worry, I am not going to let you
go."
Johnson said Espada stared at her with an unreadable expression.
We found them, Espada said.
"I can't even explain the emotions we felt," Johnson said. "It was
just unbelievable. It was surreal. The heaviness in the heart just
lifted."
Castro, 52, was arrested quickly after that. He is in jail on charges of
kidnapping and rape, and is accused of snatching the three women
between 2002 to 2004, and holding them ever since.
His attorney has said he plans to plead not guilty.

Report: North Korea launches short-range missiles

    North Korea launched three short-range guided missiles into the sea
off the Korean Peninsula's east coast Saturday, South Korea's semi-official
news agency Yonhap cited the South Korean Defense Ministry as saying.
The ministry said it had detected two launches in the morning, followed by
another in the afternoon, Yonhap reported.
The missiles were fired in a northeasterly direction, away from South Korean
waters, the ministry said.
South Korea has beefed up monitoring on North Korea and is maintaining a
high-level of readiness to deal with any risky developments, the ministry added,
according to Yonhap.
According to the Arms Control Association, a U.S.-based organization, short-
range guided missiles are generally classified as those traveling less than 1,000
kilometers (about 620 miles.)
Tensions in the region have eased in recent days since a fraught
period last month that included near daily North Korean threats of
war.
U.S. and South Korean officials feared at that time that Kim Jong
Un's regime was planning to carry out a test launch of longer-
range ballistic missiles, believed to be Musudans. The South Korean
government says they have a maximum range of 3,500 kilometers
(2,175 miles).
Andrew Salmon, a journalist and author based in the South Korean
capital, Seoul, said North Korea's reported launch of short-range
missiles Saturday should not cause the same degree of concern as
the launch of a satellite or medium-range Musudan rocket.
"It's a short-range tactical weapon. If any other country launched
this kind of weapon, it's a routine test, nobody would be too
worried. It's really simply because it's North Korea doing this that it
raises concerns," he said.
The situation is much less tense in the region than it was last
month, Salmon said.
"The North Koreans have significantly de-escalated their bellicosity
and their rhetoric since the end of April," he said. "The South
Korean government, I suspect, will not be strongly condemnatory
of this test because right now they are very, very keen to get the
North Koreans to the negotiating table."
The recent tensions flared after the North's long-range rocket launch in
December and underground nuclear test in February, both of which were
widely condemned.
Pyongyang's fiery rhetoric intensified in March as the U.N. Security Council
voted to tighten sanctions on the regime following the nuclear test.
Annual U.S.-South Korean military drills in South Korea also fueled the North's
anger, especially when the United States carried out displays of strength that
included nuclear-capable B2 stealth bombers.
North Korea is demanding recognition as a nuclear power, something the
United States refuses to countenance.
Last month's crisis resulted in the closure of the Kaesong Industrial Complex,
the last major symbol of inter-Korean cooperation.

Global superstar David Beckham to retire

    End it like Beckham. One of the most iconic football stars of his
generation, David Beckham is to retire at the end of the season to bring down the curtain on a glittering career.
    As well as winning over 100 caps for his England and lifting 19 trophies in two different continents, it was his ability to maximize the power of the "Beckham brand" that allowed the footballer to transcend his sport and appeal to a worldwide mass audience.
    Beckham's marriage to former Spice Girl and fashion designer, Victoria, probably helped as well "Brand Beckham is dead, long live Brand Beckham!" sports business expert Simon Chadwick told CNN. "Beckham's transition from athlete commodity to
sporting statesman and entrepreneur is now complete."
This year, Beckham became the first ever sportsman from outside
of China to be invited to become the ambassador for the sport in
the country.
He is estimated to be Britain's wealthiest sportsman, earning in
excess of $46 million a year, according to France Football magazine.
"I wouldn't have achieved what I have done today without my
family," said Beckham in a statement. "I'm grateful for my parents'
sacrifice, which made me realise my dreams.
"I owe everything to Victoria and the kids, who have given me the
inspiration and support to play at the highest level for such a long
period."
Beckham's decision to retire comes days after the 38-year-old won
his latest title with French club Paris Saint-Germain.
"I'm thankful to PSG for giving me the opportunity to continue but I
feel now is the right time to finish my career, playing at the highest
level," added Beckham.
The Englishman, who won the Champions League with Manchester
United in 1999, also won league titles with Real Madrid and Los
Angeles Galaxy before arriving in the French capital earlier this year
after signing a short-term contract.
"If you had told me as a young boy I would have played for and
won trophies with my boyhood club Manchester United, proudly
captained and played for my country over one hundred times and
lined up for some of the biggest clubs in the world, I would have
told you it was a fantasy," said Beckham.
"I'm fortunate to have realized those dreams."
Despite playing for some of the world's top clubs, Beckham singled out
captaining his country as one of his "proudest achievements".
"I knew every time I wore the Three Lions shirt, I was not only following in a
long line of great players, I was also representing every fan that cared
passionately about their country," said Beckham, who won 115 caps for
England.
"I'm honoured to represent England both on and off the pitch. I want to thank
all my team-mates, the great managers that I had the pleasure of learning
from.
"I also want to thank the fans who have all supported me and
given me the strength to succeed.''
Beckham had the chance to join PSG in January 2012, but opted to
stay in the U.S., ending his American mission with his second MLS
Cup title before announcing that he would not fulfill the second
year of his contract extension.
"Nothing will ever completely replace playing the game I love,
however I feel like I'm starting a new adventure and I'm genuinely
excited about what lies ahead," said Beckham.
"I'm fortunate to have been given many opportunities throughout
my career and now I feel it's my time to give back."
Many of Beckham's former teammates and managers spoke of the
positive impact his professionalism had on the clubs he played for.
"He was a great teammate and a role model for young players,"
said LA Galaxy Bruce Arena. "He had achieved so much, but wanted to keep on. But former PSG winger David Ginola told CNN that he had had a conversation
with Beckham a few weeks ago when the Englishman confided he had begun
to question his fitness to play at the highest level.
Not that Beckham's playing career is quite over -- yet.
French Champions PSG's last two games are against Brest at the Parc des
Princes in the French capital on Saturday and at Lorient the following Sunday.
    Meanwhile on Twitter, messages of congratulations poured in from some of his
former teammates and clubs and even politicians.
    "Best wishes as David #BeckhamRetires His magical free kicks for @MUFC and
England will live long in the memory of all football fans," tweeted British Prime Minister David Cameron.