Australian company's workers kidnapped in Nigeria

 Seven people, including three Australians and a New Zealander, are believed kidnapped in Nigeria.

Media reports say a convoy of cars was ambushed near the city of Calabar in Cross River State on Wednesday morning.
The driver was killed and seven employees of engineering firm Macmahon were taken away on a waiting boat, reports said.
Kidnap-for-ransom is a longstanding issue in southern Nigeria, where gangs target expatriate workers.
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the identity of the kidnappers
was unknown at this stage.
"It is a very serious kidnapping, a very serious criminal assault, one person was killed and seven people have been kidnapped," Mr Turnbull said.
He confirmed that three Australians were among those kidnapped, along with a New Zealander who is a permanent resident of Australia. It is believed that at least two Nigerians were also kidnapped.
There has been some confusion over the exact number of people abducted by the 30 militants involved in the attack.
Nigerian Police Commissioner Jimoh Ozi-Obeh told reporters that police were working with the Nigerian Navy to ensure all victims were released unharmed.

Source : The BBC

 

AMCON shuts Senator Bruce’s companies over debt

 

 The Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria on Thursday morning sealed the Abuja premises of Silverbird Galleria belonging to Senator Ben Murray Bruce.

The galleria currently houses the Abuja studio of the Radio and Television stations of the senator as well as his other business interests.
Apart from Bruce’s companies, the seven storey building also houses other business interest of private individuals such as Shoprite, among others.
The building was sealed by AMCON through the assistance of law enforcement agencies around 8am following a court order secured by AMCON.

Source: The Punch

 

SCIENCE DISCOVERY : Warmer winters play important role in EU emissions drop

 

 

Significantly warmer winters have played an important role in the ongoing decline in EU greenhouse gas emissions.According to a new report, the use of CO2 and other gases across the bloc dropped by almost a quarter between 1990 and 2014.

A switch from coal to natural gas, the recession and the rise of renewable energy all contributed to the fall.The latest figures, from 2014, show that a milder winter was the major factor in the reduction that year.
Overall from 1990 to 2014 emissions across the member states of the European Union fell by 24.4%, easily beating the 2020 target of 20% put forward as part of the first international agreement on climate change, the Kyoto Protocol.

Importantly, the EU managed to reduce emissions in this period while economic output rose by 47%.
The keys to cutting warming emissions over the period have been a big switch from coal to gas for electricity production, the rise of renewable energy, better home insulation and the economic recession of 2008.

"If you look at the 24 year period, there is some warming in Europe and this has contributed to lower heat demand and lower greenhouse gas emissions," said Ricardo Fernandez from the European Environment Agency who compiled the figures.

But despite the gains, there are some areas where progress is not being made as quickly. The use of hydrofluorocarbon gases, primarily in air conditioning and refrigerators, has increased.
Emissions from road transport have grown by 124 million tonnes between 1990 and 2014, now accounting for around 20% of all emissions in 2014.

The EU has agreed that it will cut overall emissions to 40% below the 1990 level by 2030 but it will probably be the end of this year before the 28 members can agree on how much each state will contribute.

Source : BBC

It happened again! : Tanker exploded along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

 

 There has been anxiety on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway since 1am on Wednesday after a fuel-laden tanker went up in inflames around Ibafo area causing gridlock.

The explosion happened  while some youths were reportedly scooping fuel from the falling ‎tanker and the fire later spread to another truck and three buses.

Unconfirmed report has it that at least three persons died in the explosion while many were injured.

 See photo :

 

Commuters and motorists have been stranded as traffic is on a stand still on the expressway. Many residents, who live in the area but work in Lagos have been forced to remain at home.

Some commuters and travellers who were trapped in the gridlock, expressed regret for ‎embarking on the journey.

 

See photo : 

 

One of them‎, Dele Afolayan, a businessman, said, “I left Ibadan (Oyo State) around 4am because of an important appointment I have in Lagos. I was supposed to meet with my customers at 8am in Ijora. Obviously, the whole arrangement is futile now. I am seriously frustrated.”

Emergency officials ‎were making efforts to clear the wreakage on the road to ease the traffic as of 11am of filing this report.

Source : The Punch

HEALTH NEWS : Resident doctors agree to suspend strike until July 14

 

The leadership of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has agreed to suspend its strike at a meeting with other health sector stakeholders on Tuesday.

The Association’s leadership also appealed to members to suspend the strike until the next meeting scheduled for July 14.
The decision emanated from the meeting between resident doctors and other stakeholders, organised by the Speaker, House of Representatives,
 Mr Yakubu Dogàra in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the meeting will reconvene in three weeks to review progress made in the implementation of agreements
reached in the meeting slated for July. (NAN)

Source : The Punch

TECH  NEWS : Mark Zuckerbeg masks Mac webcam and microphone

 

  Facebook has not responded to requests for comment about the picture, shared to celebrate Instagram reaching its 500 million monthly user milestone.

FBI director James Comey has previously said he also covers his laptop's webcam to prevent hackers spying on him.And digital rights group the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) said it regularly sold its webcam "stickers".

Documents leaked by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden allege US and UK spy agencies intercepted webcam images from millions of Yahoo users around the world between 2008 and 2010.
And, in 2013, a BBC Radio 5 live investigation found sites where hackers exchanged pictures and videos of people captured without their knowledge.
Hackers attack webcams via attachments containing malware.
If these are opened by a user, a hacker can gain remote control of the functions on their computer, including the webcam.
Security company Symantec warned uses not to keep computers with webcams in their bedrooms and "not to do anything in front of one that they wouldn't want the world to see".
According to Prof Alan Woodward, a computer security expert from the University of Surrey, said: "There is so much malware that can access these physical parts of a computer and observe and listen to users.

Source : BBC

Military owing Eko DISCO N600m; DISCO executives voiced out!

The Eko Electricity Distribution Company (DISCO) has revealed that military formations within its license area are indebted to the company to the tune of N600 million.

The company also said it will soon install bulk prepaid meters in military and other security agencies’ barracks within its operational territory.
Mr Godwin Idemudia, General Manager, Corporate Communications, made the disclosure in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos.

The statement said that about 60 per cent of the N600m debt is being owed by the Army, while about 30 and 10 per cent of the debt profiles were for the Navy and Air force.
It expressed his displeasure over the harassment of the company’s staff on their legitimate duties by some military personnel.
It said molesting staff that were performing their lawful duties would not augur well for the promotion of military-civil relations which the high echelon of the military had been canvassing in recent time. It added that the Eko DISCO chief helmsman said that since the distribution company paid for energy received from the grid, no segment of customers could be allowed not to pay.

The statement assured all customers having complaints over their bills to lodge such through any of the company’s channels of attending to customer’s complaints.
It stressed that each complaint would be treated on its own merit with full regard for safeguarding the customer’s interest.

 

Source : The Punch

EU referendum: More than 1,280 business leaders sign letter

 

 

 

More than 1,280 executives, including directors from 51 FTSE 100 companies, have signed a letter backing the UK's membership of the European Union.

The Remain camp said the letter to the Times showed "unprecedented" support from across business and finance.
However, entrepreneur Sir James Dyson and other businessmen have made the case for a Leave vote.
Wednesday is the last official day of campaigning ahead of the UK's referendum on membership of the EU.

Many business leaders who signed the Times letter have already expressed support, but Remain said new names include Sir John Parker from Anglo American, and Barclays' John McFarlane.
Companies on the list employ 1.75 million people, Remain said.
In the joint letter, the bosses say: "We know our firms are stronger in Europe. Our reasons are straightforward: businesses and their employees benefit massively from being able to trade inside the world's largest single market without barriers.

Source : BBC

SPORT UPDATE : I don't need Ronaldo's advice, I have my own style says Bale

The Wales star has scored two free kicks so far in the competition, and says he has a different style to his Real Madrid team-mate, who continues to struggle

Gareth Bale has no intention of taking Cristiano Ronaldo's advice when it comes to free-kicks, insisting they have a very different style to the way they take them.
Wales star Bale has scored free-kicks in each of Wales' first two games at Euro 2016, and he could become the first to score three in a single European Championship.
In stark contrast, Real Madrid team-mate Ronaldo is yet to score from 36 free-kick attempts at major tournaments, with the Portugal star failing to score from five so far this tournament in draws against Iceland and Austria.

Source : Goal.com

HEALTH NEWS : Ginger and acupressure 'options for morning sickness'

 

 

 

 Taking ginger or using acupressure on the wrist may help some women with mild morning sickness, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) says.

 Its guidance suggests these therapies could offer alternatives to women who want to avoid medication.But it says anti-sickness drugs and hospital treatment are important in more severe cases

 The recommendations are in line with advice from NHS watchdog the NICE.Nausea and vomiting affects about 80% of pregnant women.

•  Lack of understanding

Its guidelines weigh up the evidence for a range of treatments - including complementary therapies - and set out specific options depending on how severe the condition is.
Anti-sickness drugs can help in the many cases, it says.And some women may need day visits to hospitals or longer admissions for fluids and medication.
Its guidelines weigh up the evidence for a range of treatments - including complementary therapies - and set out specific options depending on how severe the condition is.
Anti-sickness drugs can help in the many cases, it says. While some women may need day visits to hospitals or longer admissions for fluids and medication.

• Ginger biscuits

Meanwhile, for women with mild or moderate symptoms who do not want to use drugs, acupressure (wearing a special bracelet that applies pressure) may help.
For many, it disappears within the first four months - though symptoms are not confined to the morning hours as its commonly used name suggests.

The guidance also mentions studies showing that ginger can provide some relief - including one study using ginger biscuits.
But NHS Choices warns that as ginger products are not licensed for medical use in the UK, supplements should be bought only from reputable sources.
And anyone still experiencing problems should seek medical advice.
Meanwhile, the RCOG says hypnosis is not recommended as there is not enough evidence to establish whether it is effective.

For women with more difficult symptoms, including a very severe form, known as hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), specialist treatment, including hospital admission and mental health support, should be offered, it suggests.

Source : BBC

EURO 2016 : 'I don't care!' - Ozil tells Scholl

Mesut Ozil is unconcerned by criticism from former Germany playmaker Mehmet Scholl of his performance against Poland at Euro 2016.

Germany and Poland played out the tournament's first 0-0 draw at the Stade de France, leaving Joachim Low's side needing a win over Northern Ireland on Tuesday to guarantee top spot in Group C.

Ozil is being quoted by Bild saying "I'm sorry but quite honestly I don't care what others say And that mustn't influence me during this tournament".
"There are always people who tell us their opinion, usually negative. I don't know if they have to or not.

Source : Goal.com

EU referendum: The final saga for votes on last day of campaign

 

 The UK public are being asked to choose whether the UK should stay in the European Union or leave in the first vote on the UK's links with Europe for more than 40 years.

The four-month campaign comes to a close on Wednesday, with campaigners making a last-minute appeal to undecided voters, emphasising their main arguments and encouraging their supporters to turn out to vote.
Mr Cameron, who will campaign alongside ex-PM Sir John Major before addressing the Remain campaign's closing rally this evening, has told the BBC that the decision will be irreversible and there will no coming back if the UK votes to leave.
"You can't jump out the aeroplane and then clamber back through the cockpit hatch," he told BBC Radio 4's Today.
Leaving the EU would be a "massive problem" for the UK, he said, doing "untold damage" to economic growth, jobs and family finances and hindering the opportunities and life chances of future generations.

Source : BBC

UK astronaut Tim Peake returns to Earth

UK astronaut Tim Peake is back on Earth after a historic six-month stay on the International Space Station.

A Soyuz capsule carrying Major Peake and two other crew members touched down in Kazakhstan at 10:15 BST.

He called the journey back "the best ride I've been on ever", adding: "The smells of Earth are just so strong."

Maj Peake is the first person to fly to space under the UK banner since Helen Sharman in 1991 and made the first spacewalk by a UK astronaut.

During the 186-day mission mission, Maj Peake also remotely steered a robot on Earth and ran the London Marathon.

Source : BBC

China builds world's most powerful computer

A new supercomputer from China has topped the latest list of the world's most powerful machines.

The 93 petaflop Sunway TaihuLight is installed at the National Supercomputing Centre in Wuxi.At its peak, the computer can perform around 93,000 trillion calculations per second.
It is twice as fast and three times as efficient as the previous leader Tianhe-2, also from China, said Top500 which released the new list on Monday.
Its main applications include advanced manufacturing, weather forecasting and big data analytics, wrote Jack Dongarra in a paper about the new machine.
Source : BBC

US ELECTION:Trump top aide leaves campaign

Donald Trump's campaign manager Corey Lewandowski leaves his job, US media report

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

Source: BBC

Jo Cox death: MPs return to Parliament to pay tribute

Parliament, which was in recess for the EU referendum, has been recalled to remember Mrs Cox, 41, who was described as "perfect" by her family.

After the Commons and Lords tributes, politicians will attend a memorial service at St Margaret's Church.

Speaker John Bercow said they had gathered in "heartbreaking sadness".

As he led the tributes in a packed House of Commons, he said Mrs Cox had "outstanding qualities... she was caring, eloquent, principled and wise".

"Above all she was filled with an fuelled by love for humanity. Devoted to her family and a relentless campaigner for equality, human rights and social justice," he added.

Mr Bercow added: "An attack like this strikes not only at an individual, but at our freedom. That is why we assemble here, both to honour Jo and to redouble our dedication to democracy."

Speaking next, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn told MPs, who were wearing white roses in memory of Mrs Cox: "We have lost one of our own and society as a whole has lost one of our very best."

He said Mrs Cox - whose 42nd birthday would have been on Wednesday - had spent her life serving and campaigning "for other people" - at home and abroad - both in her charity work and as an MP.

"The horrific act that took her from us was an attack on democracy and our whole country has been shocked and saddened by it," he said.

Mr Corbyn said the country had been "united in grief".

He appealed for "a kinder and gentler politics", saying politicians had a responsibility "not to whip up hatred or sow division".

In her honour, he said "we can come together to change our politics to tolerate a little more and condemn a little less".

Prime Minister David Cameron described Mrs Cox, the MP for Batley and Spen, as an "extraordinary colleague and friend", who was a humanitarian "to her core" who brought out "the best" in people.

"She was a voice of compassion, whose boundless energy lit up the lives of all who knew her and saved the lives of many she never met."

He said her killing was a "sickening and despicable" act and, like the speakers before him, offered condolences to her family.

Mr Cameron added: "We pay tribute to a loving, determined, passionate and progressive politician, who epitomised the best of humanity and proved so often the power of politics to make the world a better place."

Source: BBC 

Investors inject N760bn into stock market in three days

The unveiling of the new foreign exchange guidelines for the country by the Central Bank of Nigeria has prompted stock investors to pump huge amount of funds into the market, STANLEY OPARA writes

The Nigerian Stock Exchange reacted positively to the news of the unveiling of the new foreign exchange guidelines by the CBN last Wednesday as the market capitalisation soared by over N760bn, with investors committing huge sums to acquire more shares.

The move by investors to acquire more stocks at this time is hinged on their desire to re-enter the market when share prices are at their lowest, as the market is expected to recover after months of persistent fall.

Prior to the three-day straight gains last week, the NSE market capitalisation had stood at N9.284tn on Tuesday. But as of the last day of trading last week on Friday, the value of the market had soared to N10.044tn.

To this end, analysts at Meristem Securities Limited said the operation of a flexible forex system in an import-dependent economy such as Nigeria would certainly expose the naira to significant depreciation pressures, especially in the days and months to ahead.

“Nonetheless, we consider the new development a bold step in the right direction as it greatly reduces the pressure on the nation’s FX reserves, while also presenting market participants with a liquid and transparent exchange rate system,” they added.

Forex trading under the new guidelines is scheduled to commence today (Monday).

Also commenting, the President, Constance Shareholders Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Shehu Mikail, said unhealthy economic policies of the current government prior to now had been the bane of the country’s capital market.

Equity investors in the country’s capital market had in the first seven trading days of 2016 lost N804tn of their investments’ worth, as the market capitalisation closed at N8.953tn.

The All-Share Index also dropped from 28,370.32 basis points recoded on the first day of trading in the year to 26,034.94 on the seventh trading day.

The market capitalisation of the NSE fell by N811bn in the first 10 weeks of trading this year.

The NSE market capitalisation dropped from N9.75tn on January 4, 2016 to N8.939tn 10 weeks into the year, while the All-Share Index also closed at 25,988.40 basis points from the 28,643.67 basis points recorded on the first trading day of the year.

Investors also made huge losses in the Nigerian equities market last year as the market capitalisation (equities only) of the NSE shed a total of N2.354tn between December 2014 and December 2015.

Source : Punch

Civil servants shut finance ministry over poor welfare

Civil servants at the Federal Ministry of Finance on Monday shut down the headquarters of the ministry in Abuja over what they described as poor welfare since the assumption of office of the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun.

The workers in their hundreds expressed disappointment over the non payment of the entitlements due to them, adding that except their demands are met, they would not stop the protest.They locked all the entrances to the ministry and prevented vehicles and other visitors from gaining access to the premises

They alleged that unlike in the past where they were entitled to overtime allowances, training and other welfare packages, such were no longer forthcoming.

One of the protesting workers who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation said,”Things have not been going on well at the ministry, overtime had not been paid to us as well as other entitlements.

“A lot of people in this ministry are not happy because of poor staff welfare condition and that is the reason why we have all come out to protest for the world to know what has been going on in this ministry.”

Source: Punch

Edo gov primary: PDP begins accreditation of 740 delegates

The accreditation of the 740 delegates for Monday’s governorship primary of the Peoples Democratic Party ‎in Edo State has begun in three centres located in Benin, the state capital.

‎The delegates drawn from the 192 wards in the state are expected take part in the exercise to elect a candidate to fly the flag of the major opposition party in the September 10 gubernatorial election.

The designated accreditation centre‎s, are the PDP state secretariat on First-East Circular road, Emporium at the Johnson Bazuaye and Sons Estate on Boundary road and Okada House at Uselu, for delegates from Edo Central, Edo North and Edo South, respectively.

Three aspirants will contest‎ the primary election, which will hold at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin‎.

They are a former Secretary to the State Government, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu; a former member of the state House of Assembly, Mr. Matthew Iduoriyekemwen; and the candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party in the 2012 governorship election, Mr.Solomon Edebiri.

The exercise will be chaired by the Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi.

Whoever emerges will face the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Mr. Godwin Obaseki.

Source: Punch

EFCC to arraign Diezani’s ally, Omokore, ex-NNPC GMD 

                                                                                Jide Omokore

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission says it will arraign Mr. Jide Omokore, an ally of a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.

The EFCC will also arraign Mr. Andrew Yakubu, a former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petropeum Corporation, before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on four counts of Money Laundering.

Other defendants to be charged are:Victor Briggs, Abiye Memnere, David Mbanefo, Atlantic Energy Brass Development Limited and Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Limited.

Source: Punch