Libyan govt conducts air strikes on Misrata

2014-12-29 11:15 Tripoli - Forces loyal to Libya's recognised government staged air strikes on targets in Misrata on Sunday in the first such attacks on the city allied to an armed group that seized the capital earlier this year, officials and residents said.

The North African country, a major oil producer, has been engulfed in fighting between the two sides, each with its own government and parliament.

The internationally recognised Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thinni has been forced to run a rump state in the east since a group known as Libya Dawn took control of Tripoli in August, setting up a rival government and parliament.

Mohamed El Hejazi, spokesperson for armed forces loyal to Thinni, said his air force had attacked Misrata's port, an air force academy near the airport and Libya's biggest steel plant, which is located in the western city.

Ismail Shukri, spokesperson for forces allied to Libya Dawn, confirmed that air strikes had taken place but said they caused no damage.

"The airport at Misrata is still working normally. A flight has just taken off," he said.

Misrata, 200km east of Tripoli, is linked to Libya Dawn and home to a major sea port and free trade zone. The city had so far escaped the fighting that has threatened to break up Libya.

The air strikes came two weeks after a force allied to Libya Dawn moved east in an attempt to seize the Es Sider and Ras Lanuf oil ports.

Since Muammar Gaddafi was ousted in 2011, Libya has failed to attain stability. Former rebel brigades who once fought side by side have now turned on each other, aligning themselves with rival political factions in a scramble for control.

- Reuters

Govt focus is on education - Shekarau

2014-12-29 11:15 Abuja - Education Minister Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau has declared that no government in the past 20 years has put as much emphasize on education as the administration of current President Goodluck Jonathan.

Speaking in Kano on Sunday, Shekarau admitted that although this is the case, the education sector is still plagued by numerous problems, Nigerian Tribune.


According to the Minister, at his assumption of office he summoned all stakeholders to brainstorm ways of tackling issues facing the sector. The alleged meeting concluded with all stakeholders agreeing not to down tools but seek more effective ways of dealing with challenges.

He further disclosed that a committee had been set up by Federal Government to investigate problems in universities. The findings exposed that institutions are in need of no less that N1.3 trillion in order to tackle numerous problems.

Based on the findings, President Jonathan has allegedly approved the disburdement of N220 billion to institutions, the sum of which will be spread over a period of 5 years.

While commenting on the TETfund, Shekarau lamented the fact that many universities have not come forward to access the fund, saying that relevant processes were vital to the assessment of the funds.

Dokubo declares Jonathan winner of 2015 polls

2014-12-29 11:15 Abuja - Niger Delta People's Salvation Front (NDPSF) Leader Alhaji Mujahid Asari Dokubo has declared President Goodluck Jonathan the winner of Nigeria's February 2015 polls and says he owes nobody an apology for saying so.

Speaking during the burial service of his grandmother at the weekend, Dokubo announced the result ahead of the election and said that it was not possible for the incumbent President to lose, no matter who his contender is, The News Nigeria has reported.

Dokubo emphasized that he does not know how it would happen but President Jonathan's success at the polls is certainly assured.

Commenting on governorship race within the state, the ex-warlord lamented the high level of injustice within the River State and insisted that their should be a rotation of power.

Dokubo put emphasis on equality and justice among the different ethnic groups within the area.

160 still trapped on Greek ferry as 49 reach land

2014-12-29 13:26 Bari - A cargo ship with 49 people evacuated from a Greek ferry that caught fire in the Adriatic Sea arrived in the Italian port of Bari on Monday, the first big group to reach land.

More than 160 people remained trapped on the smoke-filled vessel adrift in rough seas between Italy and Albania.

One person was killed in the risky rescue operation and two others were injured as Italian and Greek rescue ships and helicopters plucked passengers off the stricken vessel and brought them to safety aboard the 10 or so mercantile ships nearby.

Those evacuees were to be brought to shore later after the rescue was completed, Greek officials said.

One of the cargo ships, the Spirit of Piraeus, docked in Bari just after 07:30 on Monday with 49 survivors aboard. The first to disembark was an injured man wrapped in a yellow striped blanket and wearing bandages around his bare feet, helped down the ship's ladder by two rescue workers.

Other evacuees, many wrapped in blankets, made their way slowly down the ladder with assistance, some thrusting their hands in a victory sign as they waited their turn. Among them were four children. TV crews and relatives gathered on the docks below in near silence.

The evacuees then boarded bright red fire department buses. Officials have said hotels have been booked for them around town.

The ship came ashore in Bari after first trying to dock overnight down the coast in Brindisi. Rough seas forced a change in plans.

Struggling to breathe

The fire broke out before dawn Sunday on a car deck of the Italian-flagged Norman Atlantic, carrying 422 passengers and 56 crew members. All day and night, passengers huddled on the vessel's upper decks, pelted by rain and hail and struggling to breathe through the thick smoke.

By early Monday, 316 people had been evacuated, leaving 161 more on board, Greek Merchant Marine Minister Miltiadis Varvitsiotis said.

Helicopters rescued passengers throughout the night, completing 34 sorties with winds over 75km/h.

"Notwithstanding the weather and the darkness, which is another factor, we persisted throughout the entire night," Italian coast guard Admiral Giovanni Pettorino told Sky TG24.

Those remaining on board were given thermal blankets and found places to wait protected from the elements "even if the conditions remain very difficult," Pettorino said.

- AP

APC banks on divine intervention in Rivers poll

By: Okoro Chinedu 2014-12-29 13:26
Lagos - The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is hopeful divine intervention would enable the party retain power in the state in next year’s governorship election.

Dr Dakuku Adol Peterside, will represent the party in the eagerly-anticipated poll to succeed Chibuike Amaechi.

“We have no doubts at all that while we play our own part as humans, Almighty God himself will lead the fight for Dr Peterside’s emergence as the next Governor of our dear Rivers State,” Rivers APC Chairman, Dr Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, said in a statement from Port Harcourt.

“What Dr Peterside did on Sunday, December 21, by dedicating his gubernatorial candidature at the Dr. Obi Wali International Conference Centre in Port Harcourt to God Almighty in the midst of top clergymen, politicians and other stakeholders is unprecedented in the annals of electioneering campaigns in Nigeria. It is a unique demonstration of his strong belief in God’s ability to fight for him,” he added.

Dakuku claimed the dedication was already “working wonders” as could be seen in the “huge success recorded during the official flag-off of APC’s State-wide governorship campaign the next day at Port Harcourt.”

“This election is now simply between the Devil and Almighty God, who is leading APC’s campaign. The choice between the good people of Rivers State is between light and darkness. It is because of the seriousness we attach to the emancipation and development of Rivers State that we are presenting the very best in the person of Dr Dakuku Peterside to continue the great works which our visionary leader, Chibuike Amaechi, will stop in 2015,” he added.

– CAJ News

- CAJ News

No South Africans on missing plane - govt

Johannesburg - The South African government is not aware of any South Africans on the AirAsia plane which went missing at the weekend, the international relations department said on Monday.

"We have not been alerted to any South Africans on that plane," spokesperson Clayson Monyela said.

AP reported AirAsia Flight QZ8501 vanished on Sunday morning in airspace thick with storm clouds on its way from Surabaya, Indonesia, to Singapore.

After the search expanded on Monday, Jakarta's Air Force base commander Rear Marshal Dwi Putranto said an Australian Orion aircraft had detected "suspicious" objects near Nangka island, about 160km south-west of Pangkalan Bun, near central Kalimantan, or 1 120km from where contact with the plane was lost.

It was not clear whether the objects were part of the missing plane, he said.

Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla has since confirmed that the objects were not part of the missing AirAsia plane.

"It has been checked and no sufficient evidence was found to confirm what was reported," Kalla told a press conference at Surabaya airport from where the ill-fated plane departed.

Earlier on Monday, Indonesia search and rescue chief Henry Bambang Soelistyo said it seemed certain the plane had crashed.

The last communication from the cockpit to air traffic control was a request by one of the pilots to increase altitude from 9 754m to 11 582m because of the rough weather.

Air traffic control was not able to immediately grant the request because another plane was in the airspace, said Bambang Tjahjono, director of the state-owned company in charge of air traffic control.

By the time clearance could be given, Flight QZ8501 had disappeared, Tjahjono said, AP reported.
SAPA

Enyeama Makes African Footballer of the Year Top 3 Shortlist

Super Eagles Captain, Vincent Enyeama, has made the final top 3 short-list for the CAF African Player of the Year Award.

Apart from starring for Nigeria at the World Cup, the 32-year-old was impressive in a Lille side that finished third in Ligue 1 last season, helping the club to the UEFA Champions League preliminary stages.
Enyeama kept 21 clean sheets in the last league season.

Current holder; Yaya Toure and Gabon’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are the other two contenders for Africa’s biggest individual honours.

The winner will be unveiled on January 8 in Lagos.

The Super Eagles captain had earlier failed to win the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) organised African Footballer of the Year Award, having been shortlisted among players to vie for its 2014 edition.
Algeria and Porto forward, Yacine Brahimi won the BBC honours.