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Death Toll From Guinea Opposition March Rises To Four

Channels Television — Fri, 24 May 2013 20:52:05 +0000

The official death toll from Thursday's clashes between Guinean opposition protesters and police and government supporters rose to four on Friday, meaning at least 22 people have now been killed in unrest since March. The opposition, which held a rally against plans for a June election that it fears will be rigged, said three protesters were shot dead and a fourth beaten to death at the march. The government, which had earlier said that only one person was killed on Thursday, has denied accusations that opposition leaders were targeted by security forces and said the victims had been attacked by people on their own side. "There were four deaths, two of them from gunshots and one was stabbed. The fourth died following a road accident," government spokesman Damantang Albert Camara said. Thirty-five people were injured during Thursday's violence and some 300 have been hurt since the unrest began in March. The opposition says it was not consulted before the elections commission announced June 30 as the date for the legislative election and says voter lists are being revised in favor of President Alpha Conde's allies. They are calling for the company contracted by the government to revise the lists, South African firm Waymark, to be replaced and are demanding that Guineans abroad be allowed to vote. Despite vast deposits of gold, iron ore and diamonds, global miners Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton and Brazil's Vale have slowed billions of dollars of investments in the west African nation, citing political uncertainty as one of the reasons.

French Special Forces Took Part In Niger Operation

Channels Television — Fri, 24 May 2013 20:48:15 +0000

French special forces took part in an operation at an army base in Niger on Friday to flush out Islamist militants suspected of involvement in an attack the previous day, Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said. At least 21 people were killed and dozens wounded on Thursday in coordinated dawn assaults on a uranium mine run by French company Areva at Arlit and the military base in the city of Agadez in northern Niger. "As I speak, the situation has been brought under control in particular in Agadez, where our special forces have intervened to support Nigerien forces at the request of President (Mahamadou) Issoufou," Le Drian told BFM television.

Europa League Winners To Get Champions League Spot

Channels Television — Fri, 24 May 2013 20:31:24 +0000

The Europa League, long regarded as the impoverished relation of the glitzy Champions League, was boosted on Friday (May 24) by UEFA's announcement that the winners would qualify for the elite competition from 2015. In an attempt to increase the prestige of its secondary competition, UEFA also said 16 teams rather than the current six would qualify directly for the group stages. The Europa League winners will enter at the playoff stage but could even gain direct access to the group stage if the Champions League winners also qualify via their domestic league position, thus freeing up a place in the group stage. UEFA has also ruled that a maximum of five teams from any one country would be able to compete in the Champions League from 2015-16. This means in the unlikely event of the winners of the Champions League and the Europa League coming from the same country but finishing outside the top four, the team who finished fourth in their domestic league would not take part in the Champions League but go into the Europa League instead. Also, if the Europa League winners had qualified for the following season's Champions League through their domestic league position, the Europa League runners-up would not get a Champions League berth. The Europa League, which succeeded the UEFA Cup in 2009-10, is by definition UEFA's secondary competition and has lacked sparkle partly because of the relatively poor financial rewards for participants compared to the Champions League. As a result, too many clubs treated it as more of an obligation than an honour to compete in it. "We think these modifications, these amendments, changes to the Europa League will first of all have a huge impact in terms of boasting the Europa League as such. But as a knock on effect or domino effect, they will also have an impact on the national leagues," UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino told a news conference. "Why they will have an impact on the national leagues? Because when the Europa League becomes even more exciting, even more entertaining, even more interesting, the competition to qualify for the Europa League will suddenly become also more exciting and more interesting. "As the president was saying at the beginning, some teams seem not to play the Europa League with the same enthusiasm that they play the Champions League. Now they have a chance also through the Europa League to go in their national leagues so they will play the Europa League in a certain way. "They will play their national competition to qualify for the Europa League, in case they don't qualify for the Champions League and maybe try not to qualify or be too tired or these sorts of things." The decision was taken after detailed discussions between the European Club Association comprising Europe's top clubs and UEFA and the change will come into effect after the current TV contract for the Champions League expires in 2015.

Factional Chairman Emerges In Nigeria Governors Forum

Channels Television — Fri, 24 May 2013 20:06:24 +0000

Some members of the Nigerian Governors Forum have rejected the re-election of Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers as the Chairman of the forum. Intrigues and high stake politics has split the Nigerian Governors Forum following the re-election of Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers state as the chairman for the forum. After a three hour meeting, the Director-General of the Governors Forum, Mr. A.B. Okauru announced that governor Ameachi has been relected as the chairman of the forum. But some governors led by governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom state rejected the result and described the election as a sham. Others opposing Governor AMaechi’s re-election include his challenger, Jonah Jang of Plateau, Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta state Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo state and Peter Obi of ANambra state among others. They announced governor Jonah Jang of Plateau state as the authentic chairman of the forum. Okauru declared Amaechi winner with 19 votes from the 35 governors present, while Mr. Jang, a late entrant to the competition garnered 16 votes. The governor of Gombe state was absent.

Navy Arrests Over 4 Vessels Used For Oil Theft

Channels Television — Fri, 24 May 2013 19:50:59 +0000

Over 40 vessels used for crude oil theft in the Niger Delta have been arrested following the mandate of President Goodluck Jonathan to the Nigerian Navy in the last one year. Briefing journalists in Abuja, on the fifty-seventh anniversary of the Nigerian Navy, the Chief of Naval Policy and Plans Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogbor said that efforts are being intensified to put in place a combat ready fleet to effectively tackle security challenges in the maritime domain. He further stated that the navy has also intensified the training of all officers and ratings to ensure that they are ready and prepared at all times to protect the nations territorial waters.

Egypt Unveils ‘Inar’ Its Locally Produced Tablet Computer

Channels Television — Fri, 24 May 2013 19:41:45 +0000

Egypt has unveiled its first locally made tablet computer in a national project that Egyptian students both in the second grade schools and universities will benefit from. Named ‘Inar’ the first locally produced device all started from scheme introduced by the Ministry of Military Production in collaboration with the Ministry of Communications last year and an electronic company known Katron was given the autonomy to begin manufacturing. A scheme aimed at fizzling out paper book and notebooks in the Arab country. Weighing 750 grams, Inar comes equipped with a USB port, it is 3G and Wi-fi enabled, and has a 9.7 inch screen, two cameras, and an Android 4.0 operating system. It has a built-in memory of 8 GB and also storage capacity of up to 32 GB. The battery can last up to five hours, while on standby; its battery life is around 16 hours. The electronics company produces 300 units of the tablet computer daily and has already distributed the device to a number of university students as the company has also been given assurance to continue production and development of the device so it can meet in term of technological trends. Katron has also been told to develop their machinery to increase their daily output and meet the rise in demand as it will not only cover Egypt's education system but also neighbouring Gulf countries have requested Katron to produce tablet computers for their students. The tablet sells for 1,555 Egyptian Pounds, about 220 U.S dollars. But it is sold to the Ministry of Education at a subsidized price, in order to encourage the education project.

Kwara State Critically Examines Performance

Channels Television — Fri, 24 May 2013 19:32:13 +0000

The Kwara State Government says it has significantly achieved its objectives for governance as outlined in its 4-year Medium Term Sectoral Strategy (MTSS). Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Isiaka Gold made the assertion during a press conference on activities marking the second anniversary of Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed which kicked off yesterday with Special Jummat Prayer.

Alhaji Isiaka Gold said the theme of this year’s anniversary was “Continuity delivered, Prosperity assured” to reflect that the administration has not only delivered, but is continuously creating prosperity for all stakeholders through impactive socio-economic programmes. He gave the assurance that the Ahmed administration will implemented several landmark projects designed to trigger rapid economic development and job creation between now and 2015.

Speaking at the occasion, the Commissioner for Works and Transport, Dr Abubakar Amuda Kannike said the State Government has spent over N11b on the construction and rehabilitation of 800km of roads across the state in the last few years, majority of which have been completed while others are on-going including those inherited from the last administration.

The State Commissioner for Energy, Alhaji Zulu Oloje in his remarks said in the last two years, the present administration provided about one hundred and thirty six transformers for various electrification projects in villages and communities across the State. Alhaji Zulu-Oloje said some obsolete transformers were replaced, while those vandalized were replaced including electric poles and cables to ensure uninterrupted power supply to the people.

According to him, about N1.5b was spent in the last two years with over 130 communities electrified and connected to the national grid.

The Commissioner for Water Resources, Alhaji Abubakar Garba said his ministry in the last two years embarked on the sinking of boreholes and rehabilitation of water works across the state to provide potable water to the people.

Alhaji Garba added that most of the vandalized water works were rehabilitated while 44 hand pumps and motorized boreholes were provided in some villages and communities in the State.

According to him, a total of 334 boreholes were sunk, while 17 water works were remodeled, costing at a total cost of N1.9b.

Mexican Residents On Alert As ‘Smoking Mountain’ Continues Eruption

Channels Television — Fri, 24 May 2013 19:20:20 +0000

Mexico's Popocatepetl volcano continued to erupt with the region still on yellow phase three alert, the third-highest warning on the centre's seven-step scale. Daily routines continued as usual for nearby town Santiago Xalizintla, in the central state of Puebla, which has been covered in ash as the volcano continues to spew heavy clouds of smoke. With up to 50,000 residents across 24 towns at risk from volcanic gases and lava flow, authorities are keeping a close watch over a rumbling Popocatepetl. But for many it was business as usual with schools opening. Over the last 24 hours hundreds of individual exhalations reaching up to 2.5 km (1.5 miles) of smoke and ash spewed out of Popocatepetl in the latest escalation in activity. Tremors continued throughout the night, Mexico's National Centre for Disaster Prevention reported. Bracing for an eruption at Popocatepetl, authorities issued face masks and evacuation routes to residents of Santiago Xalitzintla last week as well as containers to safely carry essential documents such as birth certificates. Mexican families have been strategizing on what to do,how to act where to go and how and where to find each other in a case where the unexpected happens and everyone is not together. The 5,450-metre (17,900-foot) volcano, in the Nahuatl Indian language, lies just 64 kilometres (40 miles) southeast of Mexico City and its 18 million residents.

Customs/Police Seize 65, 000 Rounds Of Ammunition

Channels Television — Fri, 24 May 2013 19:16:00 +0000

The Osun state Police Command has arrested a man with 3,500 live cartridges; the Oyo/Osun Area Command of Nigeria Customs Service also impounded a vehicle loaded with 56,750 rounds of ammunition at Saki in Oke Ogun area of Oyo State. The Customs Area Controller, Mr. Richard Oteri, said the vehicle conveying the ammunition was arrested along the Igboho road in Saki. Disclosing that the contraband was concealed in bags packed with dried cassava tubers, he appealed to royal fathers and community leaders to sensitize their subjects on the dangers of smuggling especially in the light of serious security challenges in the country. He said the command generated more than N4.5 billion in the first quarter of this year. The breakdown showed thatN49, 726,393 was made from revenue collected on vehicles between January and April this year. Oteri further explained that 2,716 bags of rice, 28 fairly used assorted cars and SUVs, 2,500 cartons of frozen product, a lorry loaded with 700 cartons of foreign shoes, a bus loaded with textile materials and 521 used tyres concealed with 600 bags of animal feeds in a trailer were seized by his command. Oteri later handed over the ammunition to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations, Oyo State Police Command, Musa Kimo. Kimo, while receiving the ammunition said "we shall not relent in ensuring adequate security" Customs impounds N5.9m contraband Also the Federal Operations Unit, FOU, Zone C of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, yesterday, intercepted a trailer loaded with 62 sacks of second hand clothing.

Actress Bynes Lands In Court Over Marijuana Smoking

Channels Television — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:47:04 +0000

Actress Amanda Bynes appeared in a New York courtroom on Friday after being arrested at her apartment yesterday on marijuana-related charges, including allegedly throwing a bong from her 36-story window. The New York City Police was called to Bynes apartment building after an employee of the building said Bynes was smoking marijuana in the lobby. When police arrived, they were directed to Bynes' apartment, where the actress invited police in, said NYPD spokesman Detective Brian Sessa. Officers detected a strong smell of marijuana in the apartment and observed the bong - a tube-shaped water pipe commonly used for smoking marijuana - in the apartment, according to Sessa. Bynes grabbed the bong and threw it out the window of her apartment window and she is being charged with tampering with physical evidence, reckless endangerment and criminal possession of marijuana. Bynes however denied that she had bong with her according to her lawyer, Andrew Friedman, who pointed out that no bong was found on Bynes, stating also that Bynes did not invite the police in, but was followed "illegally" into her apartment. Bynes has filed a complaint against the police for "inappropriate actions" with the division of Internal Affairs. Manhattan Criminal Court judge Neil Ross denied the prosecution's request for a $1,000 (USD) bail and let Bynes go on her own recognizance pending her next court appearance, now scheduled for July 9th. The judge did warn Bynes that she must appear at all future court appearances on time, and that failure to do so would lead to a large bail being imposed. Bynes nodded her head and said, "Yes" when asked if she understood this bail warning. Bynes, 27, a former child star, had her own TV comedy sketch show on Nickelodeon at age 13. She pleaded no contest earlier this month in California to driving with a suspended license, according to The Los Angeles Times, one of a number of recent run-ins with the law.