We keep our word...

Making Money on NNU Daily.

noreply@blogger.com (Prince Gc Godson) — Fri, 7 Sep 2018 23:39:00 -0700

Make money online in Nigeria legitimately into your Nigeria bank account with NNU Income simply by login daily, reading and comment on news.

Welcome to NNU Income Program, the #1 Nigeria most trusted news website that pay readers with affiliate commission and activities bonus. We are proud of our unique initiatives and NOT a copied idea or a copied concept website.

Top 50 most Nigerian visited website and over 100k most active members and still counting. We have touched and empowered a lot of Nigerians and no closing soon. #No_crashing, you should also get incolved in NNU growing project now without any delay!

About NNU Income And How It Works

NNU Income Program is an initiative conjoined with Nigeria New Update platform, nnu.ng. A program with a mission of dealing with financial problems in Nigeria among the youths, students, middle class and whoever that wish to take advantage of earning opportunity and making money online legitimately as it creates the channel for participant to earn passive income on monthly basis.

NNU Income is a two earning opportunity division

NARS: NNU Ad Revenue Sharing - With NARS, participant earns residual incomebonus by login in to their NNU account daily, reading news, comment, posting forum topics and even share assigned sponsored post on social media. We share our ads revenue with you monthly when you make NNU community your news and information household / info hub.

NAP: NNU Affiliate Program - With NAP, you are automatically an affiliate when your account get approved after registration. As an affiliate, you earns huge commission of62.5% per referral on anyone who join NNU income through your referral link and get approved. When you introduce your friends or anyone to participate in NNU Income earning opportunity, you earn instant 62.5% = N1,000 naira commission when anyone successfully register on NNU Income Program through your referral link and get approved.

The more people you refer to join NNU Income opportunity, the more 62.5%commission earning. So, if you can refer at least 10 people to take advantages of NNU Income opportunity daily, you will be earning N10,000 Naira in a day.

NOTE: You have the option to earn by taking part in NNU activities daily even when you can’t refer anyone (terms and condition applied).

Who Can Participate and Why You Should Join N.I.P

Anyone with daily expenses can take part in NNU Income Program. It is an equal opportunity open for Students, Fresh Graduates, Job Seekers, Bloggers, House wives or anyone who wish to earn money online. Take advantage of your Facebook friends, Twitter, WhatsApp, phone contacts, and stop wasting your precious time online.

If you are a student, getting started with NNU Income Program is a great decision as an affiliate because there are lot of students like you on campus who are in need of cash daily.

Entry fee is very affordable for anyone. The economy has changed a lot over the past few months with the present government tenure.

Employers are hiring less full time employees and more part timers so they don’t have to pay benefits.

Becoming an affiliate and getting involved with earning opportunities online is the best option for you.

As an affiliate and online business owner, you can alleviate poverty, headache and uncertainty of working for someone else.

Keep in mind though that you must have an entrepreneurial spirit and positive mindset. Affiliate and online business are not for everyone.

But, if you like the idea of breaking away from financial bondage in this country, working and making money in the comfort of your home or wherever you are, owning your own business and growing your business at your own pace, then becoming NNU Affiliate is a good starting point and a great choice for you.

How Can I Earn And How Much Can I Earn On NNU Income Program?

As a participant, you have 5 options to earn more money to your bank account every month on NNU Income Program.

1. NAP: As an affiliate, you earn 62.5% per each referral. When you introduce your friends to participate on NIP, you earnN1,000 Naira from their entry fee / product purchase and becoming part of NNU Community. In future when we will be having more valuable products, you will be earning more commission per sales.

NARS: As a participant, we share ad revenue with you when you take part of NNU activities monthly.

2. Active daily login: When you login to your account daily on NNU browsing and reading news, you earn N50 or more depending on daily revenue share.

3. Reading post, Commenting and Contributing: When you browse and read latest post daily and contribute your view by comment, you earn from N2 and above on each post you commented depending on daily ad revenue.

4. Posting Forum Topic: You earn N100 for posting relevant, interesting and well structure forum topic that get approved on the website.

5. Sharing sponsored post on Facebook and Twitter: We assign a sponsored post to members in their dashboard to share on their Facebook timeline Twitter daily, you earn N100 Naira daily on assigned post you share as recommended.

We assign a particular post to members on daily basis which we only pay for. On pay day, your Facebook timeline will be reviewed to see if NNU assigned sponsored post is present on your timeline as recommended including other activity logs on your account, we then calculate your eligibility and pay you including other activities and affiliate earning with our monthly revenue share.

Earning activities amount are not limited to the above mentioned, we do overall calculation monthly and share among all eligible active earners while we disburse payment on 27th - 30th or end of the month.

So once you register and activate your account by purchasing NNU Income Pack, you will need to edit your profile and provide your bank account details while you start taking part in NNU activities.

In conclusion, You could be making more than N10,000 Naira daily when you are serious in taking part in NNU activities.

Your referral earning + Daily login earning + Commenting + sharing post on Facebook could earn you at least N50,000 Naira or more every month.

How Genuine And Who Is Behind This Project?

Now you may ask, is this not another scam? NO. Not at all. NNU Income Program (NIP) is a financial solution not a quick rich scheme and it's a Double Your Hustle (DYH) idea created July, 2017 by a young Nigerian netpreneur Paul Samson under the auspices of G-Cyber Technologies.

A professional web and ICT business registered under Corporate Affairs Commission (2453653).

Paul Samson is an internet marketer, affiliate marketer, freelancer and a Blogger who has achieved a lot and already made a good living using internet daily by God’s Grace.

We have done it before and we are still doing it up till date. We started from Coolnaira.com a referral network with over 70,000 active members and has paid out over 15 million Naira within 1 year+ and still running smoothly.

You may check the site for statistic.

We are the same guys on Eboss.ng an empowerment network with over 5,000 members and has paid out over 60 million naira within 6 months.

So Why NNU Income?

Having running a successful network which a lot of Nigerians has benefited from, it seems like MLM referral network is not for everybody.

We found out some Nigerians often lose interest in a program that requires members to refer before earning. But still, many people are looking for alternative options to earn money online to sustain daily need with less stress without having to refer anyone.

NNU has been running for a while using nnu.com.ng as a news aggregator. We look at where there is a financial problem and try to create a possible solution for the general public to live comfortably. This gave birth to NNU Income Program (N.I.P). (Option That Works)

How To Register And Get Started

To join NNU community, you need to purchase NNU Income Program Pack with a token amount of N1,600 Naira only (one time payment).

Your application will only get approved when you have successfully purchase and pay for this pack.

What are you waiting for follow the link and get yourself registered

So make sure you have your N1,600 Naira ready before you proceed to registration.

NOTE: We have only 2 payment option available which include using Coupon code or Paystack online payment with either your card or bank for instant approval without delay.

Note: Don't use your e-mail address as your username. Register with your full name as it is with your bank account.

How To Check BIS Expiry Date & Status of All Network

noreply@blogger.com (Prince Gc Godson) — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 14:15:00 -0700

BlackBerry is a device commonly used by Nigerians and almost everybody wants to have a BlackBerry phone. It’s a common saying among Nigerians that a Blackberry phone without BIS (Blackberry Internet Service) is just like a train without an engine i.e. toy.

Since Blackberry is widely used among Nigerians, some BB users don’t know the exact date their BIS will expire and the remaining data. Today, I want to share how any Blackberry user can check the expiry date and remaining data on their BIS on the four major Nigeria Networks i.e. MTN, GLO, Airtel & Etisalat.

How to Check MTN BlackBerry® Service ExpiryDate & Balance

Send STATUS to 21600 via sms to check the expiry date and balance of MTN BIS.

How to Check GLO BlackBerry® Service Expiry Date & Balance

Send STATUS to 777 via sms to check GLO BIS expiry date and balance.

How to Check Airtel BlackBerry® Service Expiry Date & Balance To check Airtel BIS expiry date and balance,

Simply send STATUS as sms to 440.

How to Check Etisalat BlackBerry® Service Expiry Date & Balance

Simply dial *228# on your blackberry device.

How To Use MTN BIS to Browse On Computer Unlimitedly

noreply@blogger.com (Prince Gc Godson) — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 14:06:00 -0700

Recently, I shared a post on how anyone can use their BlackBerry device as Modems. From my research I learnt that our MTN BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS) cannot be use for pinging, chatting and for other BlackBerry services alone. I learnt that it can be use to browse and download unlimitedly on computers without any limitation. When I found this, I was happy because at least this will save me and other interested readers some money.

How to Use Your MTN BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS) on Your Computer

1. You must first subscribe to the MTN BIS. This can be done by sending BBC to 21600 (#1,500 / Month) or BBC WEEK to 21600(#500 / Week) through text.

2. After that a subscription confirmatory message will be sent to you, then connect your BB with your computer or Insert your Sim card into your Modem.

3. You need to create a new connection profile on your BlackBerry Desktop Manager or Modem using the following:

Access Point: web.gprs.mtnnigeria.net
Username: blank
Password: blank

After proper configuration, then connect.

How to Use BIS on PC with PD proxy (Not Workin Presently)

1. Go to www.pdproxy.com to register a new account and download PD proxy software (it’s free)

2. After downloading and install the software ( if it asks for TAP DRIVERS please install and grant it permission), run the application

3. Go to PDProxy settings >>Tools >> Advance settings >> Click on parent proxy >> click on enable Parent Proxy and inside the box input 10.199.212.2 PORT: 8080

4. Then click on Headers, inside the inbox input the following: Host:web.blackberry.com, x-host:web.blackberry.com

5. Finally, Save it. Note: As a free registered member, you will be limited to 3 GB of data monthly while premium member is unlimited.

Though you can upgrade to a premium member but you will have to pay for their cheap and affordable plans of 1 month, 3 months or 6 months.

With PD proxy software, free users also enjoy the same internet speed premium users enjoy. You can check How to Use PD-Proxy Unlimitedly with Trial Account if you’re not willing to upgrade to premium account. Enjoy this while it last….

Browse Free On Your PC & Mobile Phone Using Glo Network !!!

noreply@blogger.com (Prince Gc Godson) — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 13:50:00 -0700

Whoa!! I can now browse free with my GLO sim card on my phone and laptop without any software and complicated means. When I was thinking on what to post this morning, I thought in myself that I should help my fellow Nigerians out by giving them the secret am using to browse freely on my PHONE and PC.

GLO is one of the biggest telecommunication networks in Nigeria and it is owned by a black man. For some years now, people finds it difficult to browse freely using this network, but today, I will explain everything to you on how to do it yourself. Below are the measures you will take to browse free of charge on your mobile phone and pc with GLO network.

HOW TO ACTIVATE YOUR SIM & CONFIGURE IT FOR GLO INTERNET SERVICE

To activate your sim to browse on GLO network, you will send ACTIVATE to 127 through SMS. If you want your GLO line to be configured, send “internet Your Phone Model” to 1234. E.g. Internet Nokia 6300 as sms to 1234.

Browse The Internet Free On Your Mobile Phone Using Glo Nigeria

Glo Nigeria Free Browsing Using Opera.

IP: 195.189.142.132
PORT: 80
APN: glosecure
HTTP: http://wap.gloworld.com Socket: socket://wap.gloworld.com
Host: wap.gloworld.com

If you are using a JAVA phone, you will need to download the configuration settings. Click Here to download Glo latest and working prov.

HOW TO BROWSE FREE ON YOUR MOBILE PHONE WITH GLO!

To start downloading and surfing free on your mobile phone using GLO network, configure your phone as explain below:

IP: 10.100.114.144
Port: 3130
Apn: glomms
username: wap or leave blank
password: wap or leave blank
Homepage: wap.gloworld.com

Once your phone is configured as explained above, you will be able to access the internet freely on your mobile phone without using airtime. Start enjoying internet on your mobile phone without passing through any proxy site. I have test this trick on my phone and it works wella. Though am using it with my default web browser.

HOW TO BROWSE FREE ON YOUR LAPTOP/DESKTOP COMPUTER!

Let me go straight to business. Browsing free on your PC is in two categories. The first category are those people using modem (e.g. mtn fast link, glo net pro and whatever modem you are using) while the second category are people using their mobile phone to connect to the internet as modem. I will try to explain this clearly to these two categories of people.

The First Category (People Using Modems)
If you are using your modem to connect, create a new browsing profile on your modem software tab with the access point “gloms”

The Second Category (People Using Phone as Modem)
If you are among the people using phone as modem, just connect your phone to your pc, launch your pc suite and configure it manually using “glomms’ as access point.

After you have configure the device you want to use to connect, open your Mozilla Firefox, go to tools ==> Option ==> settings ==> network settings.

Click on manual proxy connection Use
proxy: 10.100.114.144
Port: 3130

Save your settings and start browsing free on your computer. Am using this tweak on my laptop now. I use it to post this.

The only means you can be of help 2tech2me is by sharing and telling your friends about us. For more info use the comment box. In case you don’t understand this very well, I can send you a free tutorial guide on how to configure your computer. Enjoy it while it last.

Ebola crisis: US says Cuban medical support 'welcome'

noreply@blogger.com (Prince Gc Godson) — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 06:30:00 -0700

The disease has killed about 4,500 people so far, mostly in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone

Cuba is a "welcome" addition to the fight against Ebola, a senior US official has said.

A state department spokesman said the Cuban government was doing more than many others to contain the disease. "We welcome their support," she said.

The US has maintained an embargo on Cuba for more than five decades. Last month, Havana announced it would send about 450 medical and support staff to the region.

The BBC's Will Grant in Havana said that Cuba already had a tradition of sending its doctors and nurses to Africa before the recent Ebola outbreak.

Cuban officials are hosting a regional summit on the virus next week involving left-wing Latin American governments. Health ministers from Venezuela, Nicaragua, Bolivia and Ecuador are expected to attend to discuss how to bolster the region's response to the Ebola crisis.

So far the outbreak has killed about 4,500 people, mostly in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.

On Wednesday the head of a United Nations agency said a food crisis could soon hit the affected West African states.

Kanayo Nwanze, president of the UN's International Fund for Agriculture, said farmers in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia had abandoned their crops because of fear of catching the disease.

The World Health Organization said on Thursday that a major Ebola outbreak in the West was unlikely.

Cyclone Hudhud: Media spotlight on reconstruction

noreply@blogger.com (Prince Gc Godson) — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 06:24:00 -0700

The city's airport has been damaged in the cyclone

Media in India feel the cyclone-hit city of Vizag in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh needs rapid reconstruction work to bounce back as an industrial hub.

Cyclone Hudhud, which pounded the city and other areas along India's east coast, has caused massive destruction.

The city's road infrastructure, power lines and the airport have been badly affected.

"Air connectivity will take another week. But what has hobbled the city's trudge back to normality is that power supply has not resumed yet. Which means no Internet, no mobile connectivity.

The cyclone has turned Visakhapatnam [Vizag] into an island of destruction," says a report in the Deccan Chronicle.

The Times of India adds that "there seems to be no early end in sight to the misery of the people in Vizag... as it will take at least another two weeks before power supply is completely restored".

Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has been working from a makeshift office in the city to oversee the reconstruction work, reports say.

The NDTV website says Mr Naidu's stress on reconstruction "illustrates why his administration believes that piecing Vizag back together to a booming industrial town could cost millions".

Many consider the city as an emerging investment destination, but papers feel the cyclone seems to have affected the image.

"Apart from loss of property post Cyclone Hudhud, Vizag has also lost its brand image as the only investment destination in Andhra Pradesh," says a report in the Deccan Chronicle.

The cyclone snapped several key power lines in the city

Fishing boats have also suffered damages

Several roads and railway lines have been destroyed

The city's fishing industry is also suffering massive losses. Reports say that some fishing boats have been damaged in the cyclone and others are not able to function due to a shortage of fuel.

Papers also feel that the cyclone has disturbed Mr Naidu's plans of making Vizag an IT destination like Hyderabad.

"The swanky building of the Vizag Startup Village, which was recently opened amid much fanfare less than a fortnight ago by Mr Naidu himself, was a picture of destruction as its glass facade was blown to smithereens by cyclone Hudhud," reports The Times of India.

The offices of several IT firms based in Vizag have also been damaged. "The cyclone also ravaged the offices of most of the IT firms located at the picturesque Rushikonda IT Park," says the report.

'Top cop for a day'

Meanwhile, media are praising a high voter turnout in Maharashtra and Haryana assembly elections.

The two states voted on Wednesday and results are due on Sunday. The northern state of Haryana "created history" with its highest-ever turnout of 76%, breaking the previous record of 72.65% set in 1967, reports say. The western state of Maharashtra also recorded a good turnout of 64%.

And finally, a 10-year-old boy became Hyderabad's police commissioner for a day on Wednesday. Sadiq, who has cancer, wanted to become a police officer to "catch criminals", and the city's police decided to fulfil his wish.

Hyderabad police chief Mahendar Reddy readily agreed to step aside for a day, saying he felt happy to fulfil little Sadiq's wish, according to a report on the NDTV website.

Sadiq told Make a Wish Foundation, an organisation that works with terminally ill children, that he wanted to become the police commissioner of the city.

Hong Kong government 'ready for talks' with protesters

noreply@blogger.com (Prince Gc Godson) — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 06:14:00 -0700

Hong Kong's government is ready for new talks with student protesters next week, its chief executive has said.

CY Leung was speaking after scuffles between protesters and police continued for a second night on a major road near government buildings.

He said officials had been negotiating with students via mediators this week. The protests were sparked by a Chinese government ruling that limits who can stand as a candidate in Hong Kong's leadership elections in 2017.

Rising tensions The demonstrations are in their third week, with protesters occupying key parts of the city to try to pressure the authorities to implement greater political reforms, including fully free elections.

Thousands of people took to the streets at the beginning of the demonstrations but the numbers have dwindled in recent days.

"Over the last few days, including this morning through third parties, we expressed a wish to the students that we would like to start a dialogue to discuss universal suffrage as soon as we can and hopefully within the following week," Mr Leung told reporters.

Riot police have used pepper spray to clear protesters in recent days

He said that the authorities would continue to restore order in Hong Kong in accordance with its laws "as quickly as we can", including the normalisation of traffic.

China will not retract its decision to vet candidates eligible to stand in Hong Kong's 2017 elections, he added.

Chief Secretary Carrie Lam cancelled scheduled talks with student leaders last week, saying it was impossible to have constructive dialogue with them while they continued to occupy key areas of the city.

Investigation launched

Tensions between the two sides have escalated over the past two days, with serious clashes between police and protesters trying to re-occupy a main road near the chief executive's offices.

Many demonstrators said they had returned to the area - an underpass on Lung Wo Road - after watching a video showing plainclothes police officers beating an unarmed protester, sparking public outrage.

Ken Tsang's lawyer says the beatings continued even after he was in police custody

But touching on the subject, Mr Leung told reporters on Thursday "we should not politicise this incident".

The US has called for a swift, transparent and complete investigation into the incident. Hong Kong's Secretary for Security Lai Tung-kwok earlier said there was "concern" over the video.

On Thursday police said that seven officers had been suspended pending an investigation into the alleged beatings.

"If any individual officer is suspected of using excessive force, police will investigate it in a just and impartial manner," said senior superintendent Kong Man-keung, quoted by AFP news agency.

The video shows the protester, named as social worker and member of the opposition Civic Party Ken, dragged handcuffed by police and thrown to the ground, then being assaulted for several minutes.

He was later taken to hospital. Mr Tsang's lawyer, Dennis Kwok, told the BBC his client had serious injuries and that the beatings had continued while he was in custody.

Hong Kong democracy timeline

1997: UK gives Hong Kong back to China under a 1984 agreement giving it "a high degree of autonomy" for 50 years

2004: China says it must approve any changes to Hong Kong's election laws

June-July 2014: Pro-democracy activists hold an unofficial referendum on political reform; both sides hold large rallies

31 August 2014: China says it will allow direct elections in 2017 but will pre-approve candidates 22

September 2014: Student groups launch a week-long boycott of classes

28 September 2014: Occupy Central and student protests join forces and take over central Hong Kong

2017: Direct elections for chief executive due to take place

Afghan forces arrest Haqqani militant network leaders

noreply@blogger.com (Prince Gc Godson) — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 06:05:00 -0700


Anas Haqqani, left, was high up in the Haqqani network and Hafiz Rashid, right, was one of its top	military commanders

Two senior leaders of the Haqqani militant network have been captured by Afghan security forces, officials say.

The group has been behind many of the co-ordinated gun and bomb attacks on Afghan and Nato forces in recent years.

Afghan officials say Anas Haqqani, the son of the network's founder, was arrested with commander Hafiz Rashid. Haqqani leaders were thought to be based in Pakistan's tribal areas but reports say many fled to Afghanistan after a recent army offensive there.

The ageing founder of the Haqqani network, Jalaluddin Haqqani, is still thought to be in Pakistan.

His son, Sirajuddin Haqqani, is thought to be in de facto control of the organisation. Afghan NDS intelligence officials say that Anas Haqqani and Hafiz Rashid were arrested late on Tuesday in Afghanistan.

They added that Anas Haqqani had played an important role in the network's strategy and fund-raising.. Intelligence officials told BBC Afghan that Anas Haqqani had particular skills in computing and was the main force behind the network's social media propaganda efforts.

Hafiz Rashid was described as a senior military commander who trained and equipped suicide bombers. "We hope that these two arrests will have direct consequences on the network and their centre of command," NDS spokesman Haseeb Sediqi told the AFP news agency.

Late last year, another son of Jalaluddin Haqqani was shot dead near the Pakistani capital, Islamabad. Nasiruddin Haqqani, who was in his early 30s, had been the group's chief fundraiser.

The network - which has links to al-Qaeda and the Taliban - carried out a series of high-profile attacks against foreign and Afghan troops since US-led forces drove the Taliban from power in 2001.

Pakistan court upholds Asia Bibi death sentence

noreply@blogger.com (Prince Gc Godson) — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 06:02:00 -0700

Ms Bibi consistently denied the allegations against her

A Pakistani court has upheld the death penalty for a Christian woman convicted of blasphemy in 2010.

Asia Bibi was found guilty of making derogatory comments about the Prophet Muhammad during an argument with a Muslim woman.

The Lahore High Court rejected her appeal against the sentence passed by a lower court.

Her lawyers have vowed to take the case to the Supreme Court. Ms Bibi's sentence in 2010 sparked global condemnation.

Two prominent politicians - Punjab governor Salman Taseer and minorities minister Shahbaz Bhatti - were both murdered the following year for calling for reforms to blasphemy laws in the wake of her trial.

Ms Bibi consistently denied the allegations against her, saying they stemmed from an argument with a group of women over a pot of water.

Blasphemy is a highly sensitive issue in Pakistan. Critics argue that blasphemy laws are frequently misused to settle personal scores and that members of minority groups are often unfairly targeted.

Since the 1990s, scores of Christians have been convicted for desecrating the Koran or for blasphemy. While most of them have been sentenced to death by the lower courts, many sentences have been overturned due to lack of evidence.

Muslims constitute a majority of those prosecuted, followed by minority Ahmadis.

Islamic State 'being driven out of Syria's Kobane'

noreply@blogger.com (Prince Gc Godson) — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 05:53:00 -0700

The battle for Kobane is regarded as a major test of whether the US-led air campaign can push back IS

The Islamic State militant group has been driven out of most of the northern Syrian town of Kobane, a Kurdish commander tells the BBC.

Baharin Kandal said Islamic State (IS) fighters had retreated from all areas of the border town, except for two pockets of resistance in the east.

US-led air strikes had helped push back the militants, she added. It comes as the new UN commissioner for human rights described IS as a "potentially genocidal" movement.

Baharin Kandal, who commands Kurds fighting in east Kobane, said in a phone interview with the BBC's Kasra Naji that she hoped the city would be liberated soon.

Ms Kandal said her militia group had been receiving arms, supplies and fighters but she refused to say how, our correspondent on the Turkish border near Kobane says.

The battle for Kobane, which is also known as Ayn al-Arab, is regarded as a major test of whether the US-led coalition's air campaign can push back IS.

The predominantly Kurdish town is close to Syria's border with Turkey. 'Diabolical' Meanwhile, Zeid Ra'ad al Hussein, the new UN human rights commissioner, described IS as the antithesis of human rights and "a diabolical, potentially genocidal movement".

Activists say more than 600 people have been killed since the jihadist group launched its assault on the strategic town of Kobane a month ago.

IS fighters, who have seized large areas in Syria and Iraq, have gained a reputation for brutal tactics, including mass killings and beheading of soldiers and journalists.

US actress Elizabeth Pena dies at 55

noreply@blogger.com (Prince Gc Godson) — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 05:48:00 -0700

Pena said she got her big break after bribing a Disney security guard to let her see a casting director

US actress Elizabeth Pena, who appeared in films including Lone Star and Rush Hour, has died at the age of 55.

Pena was also known for TV shows like sitcoms I Married Dora and Modern Family, in which she played the mother of Sofia Vergara's character Gloria.

Other film credits included La Bamba, Jacob's Ladder, Batteries Not Included and Down and Out in Beverly Hills.

Pena's manager told the Associated Press news agency she died of natural causes after a brief illness.

The Cuban-American actress was a familiar face from her dramatic and comedic roles on the big and small screens. She caught the eye in 1986's Down and Out in Beverly Hills, playing the maid Carmen alongside Bette Midler, Richard Dreyfuss and Nick Nolte.

She won the role, she said, by bribing a security guard at Disney Studios to let her in to see the casting director after an agent had told her she was not attractive enough for the role.

The actress won an American Latino Media Arts (Alma) Award for her role in Tortilla Soup in 2002

That led to parts in in the Ritchie Valens biopic La Bamba and alien comedy Batteries Not Included.

On TV, she played a Hispanic housekeeper who married her employer in I Married Dora.

After playing the wife of Tim Robbins' Vietnam veteran in Jacob's Ladder, she won an Independent Spirit Award for her role in murder mystery Lone Star alongside Matthew McConaughey and Chris Cooper.

Those paying tribute to her included Ugly Betty star America Ferrera, who wrote on Twitter: "Heartbroken to hear the news of Elizabeth Pena's death. She was such a light.

So glad I knew her. So sad she's gone." Will and Grace actress Debra Messing said Pena was: "A ferociously funny, fierce and singular actress.

A beautiful woman who has gone way too soon... I miss you already - RIP."

Pena had recently been seen with Gabriel Luna and Isabella Gomez in the El Rey Network's drama Matador

Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who plays Mitchell Pritchett in Modern Family, wrote: "The entire cast and crew are very sad to say goodbye to one of our Modern Family members.

RIP to the beautiful & talented #ElizabethPena." Her La Bamba co-star Lou Diamond Phillips wrote: "I am stunned and heartbroken, just found out about the passing of my friend Elizabeth Pena.

She was such a life force it's hard to believe." Pena had recently been seen in the El Rey Network's drama Matador. In a statement, the network said: "She was a role model, a truly extraordinary performer and an inspiration in every sense of the word. "Our thoughts are with Elizabeth's family and friends during this difficult time. She will be deeply missed."

Pena's other credits include Showtime's TV drama Resurrection Blvd and the films Free Willy 2, Transamerica, Gridlock'd and Tortilla Soup.

She won four American Latino Media Arts (Alma) Awards during her career and spoke out about the limited roles for Latin American actors.

Actress Eva Longoria tweeted: "Rest in Peace Elizabeth Pena...you paved the way for so many of us!!"

Putin to be guest of honour at Serbia military parade

noreply@blogger.com (Prince Gc Godson) — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 05:40:00 -0700

Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) with Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic in Belgrade

Russian President Vladimir Putin has flown into Belgrade where he is to be guest of honour at a Serbian military parade loaded with symbolism.

It marks 70 years since Soviet troops helped liberate the city from Nazi occupation and is the first to be held in nearly 30 years.

Serbia's historic ties with Russia sit awkwardly with its EU ambitions, especially since the Ukraine crisis. On the eve of his arrival, Mr Putin accused the US of "hostility".

In an interview with Serbian newspaper Politika, he accused America of trying to blackmail Russia with sanctions over Ukraine but warned that would be futile.

He is due to meet a number of foreign leaders at an Asia-Europe summit in the Italian city of Milan later on Thursday.

They include Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, amid pressure on Russia to implement a peace plan for eastern Ukraine.

Under sanctions - and increasingly isolated over his actions in Ukraine - President Putin remains outwardly defiant, the BBC's Sarah Rainsford reports from Moscow. One of the key issues that Mr Putin is set to discuss with his Ukrainian counterpart is a possible deal for Ukraine to pay its gas debts in return for a resumption of Russian gas supplies.

'Virus of Nazism'

Mr Putin began his visit with a solemn ceremony at the main monument to the city's liberation in 1944, standing before a wreath as the countries' national anthems were played.

More than 3,000 Serbian soldiers are due to march past in a parade which will feature tanks, boats and a fly-past that includes a Russian aerobatic team.

The event is likely to play well among Serbs and Russians nostalgic for Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union.

Russia has championed Serbia's continuing claim to its breakaway territory of Kosovo.

Serbian armoured vehicles at a rehearsal for the military parade on Tuesday

Belgrade has a new statue of Russian Tsar Nicholas II

Serbian MiG-29 jets prepare for take-off at the Batajnica military airport near Belgrade on Tuesday

A man cleans the grave of a Soviet soldier at Belgrade's memorial cemetery

In another nod to the two countries' historic relations, a statue of Russia's last Tsar, Nicholas II, was erected this week in Belgrade.

The timing of the parade has upset some Serbs as it was brought forward four days from the actual anniversary of the liberation, apparently to fit into Mr Putin's schedule.

"This government demonstrates such servility towards Russia, which is our ally only when it suits it," office worker Aleksandra Pasic, 29, told AFP news agency.

But according to carpenter Milorad Lazic, 56: "Russia is our mother, and with or without Liberation Day, the Russian president deserves a parade."

The parade is also likely to jar with EU leaders, given Russia's use of military force in Ukraine this year, when it annexed Crimea, Since then it has been accused of intervening covertly in the bloody separatist rebellion in Ukraine's eastern regions.

Mr Putin told Politika the parade in Belgrade would contribute to efforts to "oppose the glorification of Nazism and attempts to revise the outcome of World War Two".

"The vaccine against the virus of Nazism has weakened in certain European countries," he added.

US 'hostility'

Mr Putin's comments in Politika are his strongest for some time, our correspondent says.

"Lat's welcome Putin!" reads a sticker on a car window in Belgrade

He described Washington's approach to Russia as "hostile" - referring to both the economic sanctions it has imposed and President Barack Obama's strong critique of Russian aggression in Ukraine, during a recent speech to the UN.

Mr Putin said attempts to "blackmail" Moscow would be futile and would only impede any dialogue over Ukraine. He then warned darkly of the consequences of discord between nuclear states for "strategic stability".

There has been little progress yet on implementing a peace deal for eastern Ukraine that Russia signed up to in September, our correspondent adds.

Steenkamp's family seeks jail term (Pistorius sentencing)

noreply@blogger.com (Prince Gc Godson) — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 05:29:00 -0700

Kim Martin, Reeva Steenkamp's cousin: "Pistorius needs to pay for what he has done"

South African athlete Oscar Pistorius should be given "sufficient punishment" for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, her cousin has told the sentencing hearing in Pretoria.

Kim Martin told the court Pistorius "needs to pay for what he has done". The prosecution is making its case for a jail term for Pistorius, 27.

He was convicted of culpable homicide last month but cleared of murder and faces up to 15 years in jail, but the judge may suspend it or impose a fine.

The defence has argued that Pistorius should serve house arrest and community service for the killing - a suggestion branded as "shockingly inappropriate" by prosecutor Gerrie Nel. The prosecution insists that Pistorius should go to jail, saying his negligent actions have left a "broken family".

Correspondents say that because of delays the sentence is unlikely to be announced until next month, with the hearing expected to be adjourned at the end of this week.

'Not seeking revenge'

Ms Martin - the prosecution's first sentencing witness - said on Thursday that she was fearful of Pistorius.

"My family are not people who are seeking revenge, we just feel that to shoot somebody behind a door that is unarmed, that is harmless, needs sufficient punishment," she said.

On Wednesday, Ms Martin recounted her pain at hearing that the 29-year-old South African model had been shot dead, saying her death was "the end of the world".

Kosovo 'jihad' boy home from Syria after secret operation (The boy who grew up to be a suicide bomber)

noreply@blogger.com (Prince Gc Godson) — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 05:22:00 -0700

Pranvera had had only sporadic contact with her son while he was in Syria

An eight-year-old boy from Kosovo has been reunited with his mother after his jihadist father kept him for five months in Syria.

Kosovo's Prime Minister, Hashim Thaci, said the country's intelligence agency had found and rescued Erion Abazi with help from Turkish intelligence.

It was a "complicated and dangerous" operation, which followed careful analysis, Mr Thaci said in a statement. About 200 Kosovans are believed to be with Islamist groups in Iraq and Syria.

The boy's mother, Pranvera Zena, had made a public appeal for the return of her son when he was taken against her will in June 2014. She also set up a Facebook page and made appearances in Kosovo and Albania.

Mr Thaci did not give details of the rescue operation, which was authorised by him and the country's president, Atifete Jahjaga. While Erion was in Syria, pictures appeared on social media showing him holding up one finger in the Islamic State (IS) sign, and tumbling around with other children next to the militants' black flag.

His father Arben had told Pranvera that he was taking Erion on an excursion to the mountains in Kosovo. Instead he took Erion across the border to Albania, and then flew from Tirana to Turkey, before travelling on to Syria.

Pranvera's cousin told the BBC last week that the family had had only sporadic contact with the boy since then. In one phone-call he said his father had been in a training camp far away.

After the reunion at Pristina's international airport Pranvera Zena told Associated Press "it feels like a dream" and "it feels as if I am waking up and I fear he is still not there". She hugged him as he sat on her lap and showed her his toy soldiers and a toy tank.

Kosovo's majority ethnic Albanians are mainly Muslim. Only a tiny minority are thought to have embraced jihadist ideology.

The territory, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008, has a population of about 1.8 million. The civil war in Syria has drawn in hundreds of jihadists from European countries, including the UK, France and Belgium.

'Father in Iraq'

A cousin of Erion - Suad Sadullahi - told the BBC World Service on Thursday that Erion "is still a little bit confused - he didn't say anything much".

"I think he was treated ok, like the other children." When asked about the secret rescue operation he declined to give any details.

He said Pranvera got a text message from Arben in early July, in which Arben said he was with the boy in Syria. "We searched everywhere, contacted every single person who could give us a hint," Suad Sadullahi said. On 15 September they managed to see Erion in a call on Skype, he said.

"It was a very big relief. He was with some of the families of militants there." "His father is in Iraq fighting for Islamic State, he doesn't know Erion is here," he told the BBC.

When asked what he thought motivated Arben he said: "I think ideology first, he thought Erion would be better over there." He said they now wanted Erion to spend as much time as possible with his mother.

Eurosceptic MEP group collapses

noreply@blogger.com (Prince Gc Godson) — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 04:56:00 -0700

One of the main Eurosceptic groups in the European Parliament, which includes Britain's UKIP, has collapsed after a Latvian MEP withdrew.

The Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy group had 48 members and also included Italy's Five Star Movement.

MEP Iveta Grigule's exit meant it no longer qualified as a group because it featured fewer than seven countries. Group status is important as it means extra funds, seats on committees and more speaking time.

Search for trekkers missing in Nepal after blizzards

noreply@blogger.com (Prince Gc Godson) — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 04:52:00 -0700

About 140 people have been rescued from Nepal's Himalayan hiking routes, after deadly blizzards struck the region at the height of the climbing season.

At least 12 Nepalese and foreign trekkers were killed, officials say, and there are fears the final death toll will be much higher.

Helicopter rescue operations are being hampered by strong winds and at least 70 people are still unaccounted for. It is one of the deadliest spells of weather ever seen in the region.

Severe rain and snowstorms in Nepal appear to have been triggered by Cyclone Hudhud in neighbouring India. Most deaths happened when a blizzard hit a point on the Annapurna Circuit.

It is unclear exactly how many people are still missing

The bad weather hit a resting place 4,500m (14,800ft) above sea level, not far below the circuit's highest point, the Thorung La pass.

The nationalities of those killed included Nepalese, Israeli and Polish trekkers, but there have been conflicting reports about the exact number of those who died. Earlier reports suggested up to 29 people could have perished at various points along the trail in blizzards and avalanches.

Officials point out that this is a popular trekking season and there were likely to have been many climbers on the passes.

Four Canadians and one Indian are among those reported missing and police say they will resume their search for that party on Thursday.

Map

Two military helicopters were sent from the capital Kathmandu to assist the rescue operation on Wednesday and nine people were rescued overnight.

One survivor described to BBC Nepali the horror of seeing corpses on the journey back after the blizzard struck. He said he saw people falling into deep crevasses, unable to get out.

Correspondents say this has not been good a year for Nepal's trekking and mountaineering industry after a deadly avalanche on Mount Everest in April killed 16 Sherpas and resulted in a massive reduction of expeditions to the world's highest peak.

Nepalese soldiers have been bringing back those rescued from the avalanches

The latest disaster comes during the peak trekking period. Thousands of tourists head to Nepal in October, many to enjoy its high altitude mountain passes and pristine beauty.

But this freak heavy snowfall caught the trekkers off guard.

Nepal's high peaks attract some of the world's best climbers - but trekking is generally safe and appeals to masses of ordinary outdoor enthusiasts.

Rapes increase by 29% as overall crime falls in England and Wales

noreply@blogger.com (Prince Gc Godson) — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 04:41:00 -0700

The number of rapes reported to and recorded by police in England and Wales are at their highest ever level, official figures have shown.

There were 22,116 recorded rapes in the year to June, a rise of 29% on the year before, police figures released by the Office for National Statistics show.

Victims are "more willing" to report rape, Crime Minister Norman Baker said. Separate statistics from the Crime Survey for England and Wales showed overall crime fell by 16% to 7.1m.

The overall figure covers crimes against households and adults in England and Wales, and it is at its lowest level since the survey began in 1981. John Flatley, head of crime statistics at the ONS, told the BBC the increase in recorded rapes was driven by two main factors.

"We have seen over the last few years a notable rise in victims coming forward to report historical offences. "But this recent set of figures shows quite a change in that pattern, with 73% of the rise due to current offences.

"So victims are coming forward now to report recent occurrences rather than historical ones and it's certainly the case the police are taking action to improve their recording and handling of rape investigations."

The ONS figures also showed a 48% increase in knife-point rapes, from 199 to 294.

'Less worried about crime'

Crime Prevention Minister Norman Baker said alleged victims were now more willing to come forward than in the past.

He added: "We've improved the police recording of these terrible crimes and consequently we're now seeing an official increase."

Overall, police-recorded crime was stable, though fraud and shoplifting increased. Hate crime showed an increase of 5% to 44,480 incidents in the year-long period, up from 42,236 the previous year.

Race hate crimes were also up 4% to 37,484 incidents and religious hate crimes were up 45% to 2,273 offences. BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said statisticians believed this was driven by higher levels of hate crime in the wake of the murder of soldier Lee Rigby in May last year. On the overall crime figure, Mr Baker said the government was "cracking crime".

He said: "The public at large can have confidence that this is going in the right direction. I think people are less worried about crime than they were."

Thursday's figures do not cover Scotland and Northern Ireland. The overall crime rate rose by 1.7% in Northern Ireland in the 12 months to the end of August. In March, the Scottish government said crime had fallen by 22% in four years.

Ebola crisis: WHO says major outbreak in West 'unlikely'

noreply@blogger.com (Prince Gc Godson) — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 04:34:00 -0700

A fast response team has now been set up to deal with Ebola cases in the US, as Alastair Leithead reports

A major outbreak of Ebola in the US and elsewhere in the West is unlikely given the strong health systems, the World Health Organization (WHO) says.

US President Barack Obama also said the risk of Americans getting the virus was "extremely low", although he ordered a "much more aggressive response".

The US is investigating how a nurse infected when treating a victim in Texas was allowed to travel on a plane. Officials are trying to trace the 132 people who flew with Amber Vinson. The disease has killed about 4,500 people so far, mostly in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.

EU health ministers are meeting in Brussels to discuss the crisis, including increased screening of travellers and the possibility of sending more troops to West Africa to help contain the virus.

Meanwhile, US federal health officials will appear before a congressional committee on Thursday to answer questions about their handling of the crisis.

'Very low'

Christopher Dye, WHO director of strategy, said the introduction of Ebola into the US or other countries in Western Europe was a matter "for very serious concern".

Amber Vinson was not supposed to travel on an aeroplane, health officials said

"The possibility that once an infection has been introduced that it spreads elsewhere, is something that everybody is going to be concerned about," he said.

But he added: "We're confident that in North America and Western Europe where health systems are very strong, that we're unlikely to see a major outbreak in any of those places."

Earlier, President Obama said the likelihood of a widespread Ebola outbreak was "very, very low".

New US Ebola control measures

A "site manager" will supervise how workers at the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital put on and take off protective clothing

Two nurses from Emory University Hospital in Atlanta will offer "enhanced training" in Dallas

An immediate response team will travel to the site of any future Ebola diagnoses to hit the ground "within hours"

New guidelines for testing at hospitals throughout the US, with special emphasis on asking questions about travel history

However, he promised a "much more aggressive" monitoring of Ebola cases in the US.

Britain, Canada and the US have introduced increased screening of travellers arriving at airports from West Africa.

France said on Wednesday that it would begin checks from Saturday on passengers arriving at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport from the Guinean capital, Conakry.

Nurse allowed to travel

US health officials are facing new questions about the response to Ebola infections in Texas.

Liberian Thomas Eric Duncan was treated at the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital but died of the disease.

The disease has killed about 4,500 people so far, mostly in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone

The UK's 22 Field Hospital prepares to fly out to Sierra Leone

Two nurses, Nina Pham and Amber Vinson, contracted Ebola after treating him.

Both wore face shields, hazardous materials suits and protective footwear as they drew blood and dealt with Mr Duncan's body fluids and it remains unclear how they were infected.

Ms Vinson later contacted the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to inform it she was travelling on a plane on Monday - Frontier Airlines Flight 1143 from Cleveland to Dallas-Fort Worth.

She reported a temperature of 37.5C (99.5F).

CDC director Thomas Frieden said she should not have travelled on a commercial flight.

US media reaction

The New York Times says the appearance of the latest Ebola patient "provided more signs of concern about federal officials' ability to control the spread of the disease... and indications that the issue was becoming politicised"

A report by USA Today says health officials now believe Ebola patients should be treated at four specially designed US clinics rather than at hospitals around the country

Ebola is becoming "the next great American panic", writes Chico Harlan in the Washington Post

The Christian Science Monitor looks at how much large donations, such as the $25m (£16m) given by Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, can help fight the spread of the disease line

However, another health official told the New York Times later that Ms Vinson was not prevented from flying because the temperature was mildly elevated and was in a category not covered by the CDC.

"I don't think we actually said she could fly, but they didn't tell her she couldn't fly," the official told the Times. "She called us... I really think this one is on us."

Officials are trying to trace all 132 passengers but insist that as Ms Vinson did not have a fever, the risk to "any around that individual on the plane would have been extremely low".

Farmers in Sierra Leone have deserted their land during the Ebola outbreak The BBC's Alastair Leithead on how to wear a bio-hazard suit Ms Vinson has now been transferred to Emory University hospital in Atlanta.

Mr Duncan, who was the first person to be diagnosed in the US with Ebola, started showing symptoms of the disease days after he arrived in Texas from Liberia.

Meanwhile, campaign group Avaaz said it had identified more than 2,000 international volunteers, including hundreds of doctors and nurses, who are willing to help fight the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

The group said it would give the names to aid agencies working in the field but most are unlikely to arrive in the region in the near future because of the training needed before they can be deployed.

Ebola patients treated outside West Africa*

*In all but three cases the patient was infected with Ebola while in West Africa. Infection outside Africa has been restricted to health workers in Madrid and in Dallas. DR Congo has also reported a separate outbreak of an unrelated strain of Ebola.

How not to catch Ebola:

Avoid direct contact with sick patients as the virus is spread through contaminated body fluids

Wear goggles to protect eyes

Clothing and clinical waste should be incinerated and any medical equipment that needs to be kept should be decontaminated

People who recover from Ebola should abstain from sex or use condoms for three months

Protective Ebola suit

Surgical cap

The cap forms part of a protective hood covering the head and neck. It offers medical workers an added layer of protection, ensuring that they cannot touch any part of their face whilst in the treatment centre.

Goggles

Goggles, or eye visors, are used to provide cover to the eyes, protecting them from splashes. The goggles are sprayed with an anti-fogging solution before being worn.

Medical mask

Covers the mouth to protect from sprays of blood or body fluids from patients. When wearing a respirator, the medical worker must tear this outer mask to allow the respirator through.

Respirator

A respirator is worn to protect the wearer from a patient's coughs. According to guidelines from the medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), the respirator should be put on second, right after donning the overalls.

Medical Scrubs

A surgical scrub suit, durable hospital clothing that absorbs liquid and is easily cleaned, is worn as a baselayer underneath the overalls. It is normally tucked into rubber boots to ensure no skin is exposed.

Overalls

The overalls are placed on top of the scrubs. These suits are similar to hazardous material (hazmat) suits worn in toxic environments. The team member supervising the process should check that the equipment is not damaged.

Double gloves

A minimum two sets of gloves are required, covering the suit cuff. When putting on the gloves, care must be taken to ensure that no skin is exposed and that they are worn in such a way that any fluid on the sleeve will run off the suit and glove. Medical workers must change gloves between patients, performing thorough hand hygiene before donning a new pair. Heavy duty gloves are used whenever workers need to handle infectious waste.

Apron

A waterproof apron is placed on top of the overalls as a final layer of protective clothing.

Boots

Ebola health workers typically wear rubber boots, with the scrubs tucked into the footwear. If boots are unavailable, workers must wear closed, puncture and fluid-resistant shoes.

Saudi Suspect in Slaying of American Had Been Fired for 'Drug-Related Issues'

noreply@blogger.com (Prince Gc Godson) — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 10:44:00 -0700

The dual Saudi-American citizen who allegedly shot two Americans in Saudi Arabia today, one of them fatally, was recently dismissed from his job because of “drug-related issues” at the same U.S. defense contractor that employed the shooting victims, according to the Saudi Embassy in Washington.

“The assailant, Abdulaziz Fahad Abdulaziz Alrashid, was apprehended following a shootout with Saudi security forces during which he was wounded,” according to an embassy statement. “Alrashid worked at the same company as the victims, and was recently dismissed from his job due to drug related issues.“

The U.S. contractor, Vinnell Arabia, supports Saudi National Guard military programs. In a statement to ABC News, a spokesman for the subsidiary of Northrop Grumman said: "As a long-term partner in Saudi Arabia, we offer our deepest sympathies to the family members of both Vinnell Arabia employees involved in the incident.

We continue to support the Vinnell leadership as they work with Saudi authorities and the State Dept. on this matter.” Vinnell Arabia is “the market leader in U.S. military doctrine-based training, logistics, and support services inside Saudi Arabia," according to its LinkedIn page.

"We provide unparalleled training and simulation services for defense, national security as well as fire and emergency medical response.” The shooting suspect, 24, who was born in Washington state, had traveled to Bahrain, France, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, the United States and, most recently, again to Bahrain earlier this month, the embassy said. Meanwhile, officials have issued a “security message” to U.S. citizens in Saudi Arabia, according to the U.S. State Department.

The two men were shot at a gas station-store less than a mile from the Vinnell Arabia base in Riyadh, which is located about 20 miles from the U.S. Embassy, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said. “We are in the process of evaluating our security posture and will take appropriate steps to ensure the safety of all U.S. Mission personnel,” she said.

“Our Embassy is issuing a security message to U.S. citizens to advise them on the situation and any safety precautions they should take.” The gunman opened fire on a car stopped at a gas station near the King Fahd stadium, in the east of the Saudi capital, police say.

Neither American has been named and there is no known motive at this time. Psaki described the surviving man as “lightly injured,” adding that police have a suspect in custody.

“We are in close contact with the Saudi government as we continue to gather details about the shooting and motive,” she said. Another colleague who was with the two men was uninjured, according to the Saudi Embassy. As for the U.S. State Department “security message,” spokeswoman Psaki said it is used to “communicate information about personal security threats of a general or systemic nature, such as crime trends, demonstrations, peaceful actions intended to disrupt normal activity, or localized events not likely to affect large numbers of U.S. citizens.”

“Such messages are regularly issued by embassies and consulates abroad to provide timely and important safety and security information to U.S. citizens living or traveling in their districts.”

The last major terrorist attack against foreigners was in 2007 when gunmen killed three French nationals while on a camping trip in Madain Saleh, in the northwest of the country. But as the U.S. State Department noted in the most recent travel warning, “security threats are ongoing and terrorist groups, some affiliated with al-Qaida may target both Saudi and Western interests.

Possible targets include housing compounds, hotels, shopping areas and other facilities where Westerners congregate, as well as Saudi government facilities and economic/commercial targets within the Kingdom.”

Ebola outbreak: How many people have died?

noreply@blogger.com (Prince Gc Godson) — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 10:37:00 -0700

How many people have died from Ebola in West Africa?

It sounds an easy question, but the answer is certainly not. The most recent official figure from the World Health Organization puts the number of deaths at 4,447.

But 12,000 could be a better estimate. Getting to this figure highlights a number of issues with the Ebola data.

How many cases?

First of all there is a fair bit of uncertainty about how many people have Ebola.

The ones we know about stand at 8,914 - this is made up of confirmed, suspected and probable cases.

A probable or suspected case is classified as confirmed when a sample from that person tests positive for Ebola virus in the laboratory.

Probable Any suspected case evaluated by a clinician OR any person who died from "suspected" Ebola and had an epidemiological link to a confirmed case but was not tested and did not have laboratory confirmation of the disease.

Suspected Any person, alive or dead, who has (or had) sudden onset of high fever and had contact with a suspected, probable or confirmed Ebola case, or a dead or sick animal. Or any person with sudden onset of high fever and at least three other Ebola symptoms.

However, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea have some of the worst-funded healthcare systems in the world. We know people are contracting the disease, and dying from it, without being noticed.

Based on small trials, agencies including the WHO and the US Centers for Disease Control are taking an "educated guess" that the figure is around twice that. The widely reported estimate of 10,000 cases per week by December uses this doubling to account for under-reporting.

"We get that because 5,000 is the midpoint of our modelling scenarios and if we allow for under-reporting [by a factor of two] then that's 10,000," said Dr Christopher Dye, the director of strategy in the office of the director general at the WHO.

Use the same principle and the number of cases now could be around 18,000.

Ebola holding centre in Monrovia, Liberia

What is the death rate?

Looking at the official figures again - 8,914 cases and 4,447 deaths - you might think that roughly half of patients die.

"This is wrong," Dr Dye told me. The data is, quite frankly, a bit of a mess. Take the WHO Ebola response roadmap update on 10 October.

It has more confirmed deaths in Liberia from Ebola (1,072) than actual cases (943). This confusing set of figures comes about by collecting data on cases and deaths separately.

Also, comparing current cases and current deaths does not take account of people living with the disease for some time before either dying or recovering.

What you need is quality data and the best comes from a report in the New England Journal of Medicine. A team, including scientists at Imperial College London, looked at a sub-set of patients with full medical records from diagnosis through to either recovery or death.

Dr Dye told the BBC: "On the basis of this analysis, our best estimate is a 60-70% case fatality and it's sensible to use a range as there are variations from one place to another."

Use the 70% figure on the 18,000 estimated cases and it seems around 12,000 are either dead or dying. Clearly that is not a definitive figure, but getting there shows how messy some of the data are.

And this is the same basic data being used to reach forecasts of 1.4 million cases by January or 10,000 new cases a week by December.

American contractors shot in Saudi Arabia

noreply@blogger.com (Prince Gc Godson) — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 10:29:00 -0700

Tuesday's shooting happened when the two Americans stopped their car at a petrol station

An American employee of a US defence contractor has been killed and another injured in a gun attack in Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh.

Both victims worked for Vinnell Arabia, a US company providing support to the Saudi National Guard, officials said.

The motive for the attack was unclear. A man was later held after exchanging fire with Saudi security forces.

Saudi officials said the man - named as Abdul Aziz Fahad al-Rashid - had no known links to "extremist" groups.

'Drug-related issues'

Tuesday's shooting happened when the two Americans stopped their car at a petrol station in eastern Riyadh.

Officials later said they had arrested Mr Rashid, reportedly a 24-year-old US-born Saudi national.

The Saudi interior ministry said that the "security authorities have no proven prior links between [Mr Rashid] and extremist organisations".

In a statement, the Saudi embassy in Washington said Mr Rashid had "worked at the same company as the victims, and was recently dismissed from his job due to drug-related issues".

US state department spokesman Jen Psaki said the shooting happened not far from the Vinnell Arabia base in Riyadh. She said the wounded contractor had been "lightly injured".

"We are in close contact with the Saudi government as we continue to gather details about the shooting and motive," she said.

"We are in the process of evaluating our security posture and will take appropriate steps to ensure the safety of all US mission personnel."

The last reported killings of Westerners by gunmen in Saudi Arabia was in 2007 when three French nationals were shot dead while camping in the north-west.

Ebola treatments - how far off?

noreply@blogger.com (Prince Gc Godson) — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 10:19:00 -0700

With the death toll rising and the disease still spreading, the race is on to find a treatment for Ebola.

Experts already know lots about the virus and how it attacks, but fighting it with a drug is newer territory.

Since Ebola was first identified, in 1976, every outbreak has been contained with strict hygiene - isolation of patients and suspected patients, ensuring staff wore suitable protective clothing and carried out proper cleaning and disposal of clinical waste.

There have been no drugs to do the job because developing them is extremely expensive, and, until now, the major pharmaceutical companies have not seen enough of a market. That's changing.

Known target

The virus can enter the body via infected droplets (blood, vomit, faeces) through broken skin or mucous membranes such as the eyes, the lining of the nose or the mouth.

Once inside, it rapidly multiplies in the blood, taking over and attacking cells.

The disease is not airborne like flu. Very close direct contact with an infected person is required for the virus to be passed to another person.

Infection may also occur through direct contact with contaminated bedding, clothing and surfaces.

All of this has been known for nearly 40 years, but only now is the world really gearing up to the threat.

Medical weapons

Scientists are focusing their efforts on two approaches:

treatments to help people already infected with the virus vaccines to protect people from catching it in the first place There are lots of different experimental

vaccines and drug treatments for Ebola under development, but they've not yet been fully tested for safety or effectiveness.

Experimental drugs such as ZMapp have already been given to patients in the current outbreak, but they have not saved all patients.

Two US aid workers and a Briton recovered after taking it, but a Liberian doctor and a Spanish priest died.

The medicine has only previously been tested on animals, and experts say it is still unclear whether the drug boosts chances of recovery.

Stocks have been extremely limited, and the manufacturers of the drug say it will take months to increase production.

Blood transfusions from survivors are also being tried as a potential therapy. It's thought that this serum may contain particles that could neutralise the virus.

This buys the patient time - they would still need their own body to learn how to fight the virus for itself.

Vaccines

The trial of the vaccine started in the US this month

The US, UK and Canada are testing different kinds of vaccine in controlled clinical trials. The aim is to have 20,000 doses that could be used in West Africa by early next year.

Normally it would take years of human trials before a completely new vaccine was approved for use. But such is the urgency of the Ebola outbreak that experimental vaccines are being fast-tracked at an astonishing rate.

Continue reading the main story “Start Quote Russia recently announced it is also developing three vaccines, with one being ready for clinical trials within three months.

David Heymann, professor of infectious disease epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said: "There's been a lot of international attention to making sure that clinical trials of new vaccines and medicines are done.

"And my feeling is that if the resources continue those studies could possibly be begun and already provide some initial answers before Christmas." It's hoped these vaccines will offer protection by delivering a harmless agent that will teach the body how to mount an immune response against Ebola. If the person then came into contact with the real virus, their body should already know how to fight it.

Tests are ongoing, but there is no certainty how well they will work.

Dr Ben Neuman, an expert in virus and from the University of Reading, said: "Trials in monkeys have been promising. But they get a very different type of Ebola to humans. "In a person it's a different kind of disease and we don't know for sure if the same treatments will work.

"Plus we need to scale up the doses. People are a big, walking test tube essentially." Given the size of the outbreak, it's also unlikely that there will be enough vaccine or medicine to go round - at least initially.

Until these medicines to fight Ebola are ready, the focus has to be on disease control. It was basic techniques that beat previous outbreaks. The hope is they will do the same now.

Serbia condemns drone flag stunt at Albania match

noreply@blogger.com (Prince Gc Godson) — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 10:09:00 -0700

The Serbian Foreign Minister, Ivica Dacic, has said a flag incident that halted a Euro 2016 qualifier against Albania was a "political provocation".

The match in Belgrade was stopped after 41 minutes when a drone carrying an Albanian flag sparked a brawl. Uefa is opening disciplinary cases against both Serbia and Albania, AP news agency reports.

A brother of Albanian PM Edi Rama denied being detained in Serbia on suspicion of controlling the drone. Olsi Rama told Albanian TV channel SuperSport that reports of his arrest were untrue after Serbian state TV announced he had been held on suspicion that "he masterminded and executed the incident".

He flew back to Albania after the match in the Serbian capital, which he had reportedly attended as a VIP. Ordinary Albanian fans had been banned from attending the game between the two Balkan nations, which have a long and bitter history of rivalry.

Edi Rama is due to go to Serbia next week, the first visit by an Albanian leader to Serbia in nearly 70 years.

'Regretful' incident

Play was stopped towards the end of the first half of Tuesday night's match in the Partizan Stadium when a drone appeared above the pitch, trailing a banner marked with an Albanian flag and a map of "greater Albania" showing nationalist claims on neighbouring states, including Serbia.

Serbia player Stefan Mitrovic grabbed the banner

The banner showed Albanian nationalist claims on neighbouring territory

Serbia fans ran on to the pitch and attacked Albania players

Serbia defender Stefan Mitrovic pulled down the flag, which several Albania players then attempted to take. A melee involving numerous players ensued.

English referee Martin Atkinson led the teams off the field after some fans invaded the pitch and clashed with members of the Albanian team. Following a delay of about 30 minutes, the match was abandoned.

Serbia captain Branislav Ivanovic said the Albanian team was not "in a physical or psychological state to continue".

The incident developed into a brawl as the authorities were unable to take control

Eventually the visiting side had to run for cover

The Serbian foreign minister asked how the international community would have reacted had Serbia fans staged a similar stunt in Albania or Kosovo, the breakaway region of Serbia where the ethnic Albanian majority declared independence six years ago.

"If someone from Serbia had unveiled a flag of Greater Serbia in Tirana [capital of Albania] or Pristina [capital of Kosovo] it would already be on the agenda of the UN Security Council," he told Serbian newspaper Blic.

Serbians and Albanians have until next Wednesday to respond to Uefa, Uefa spokesman Pedro Pinto told AP. Uefa President Michel Platini said he was "deeply saddened" by what had happened, adding:

"Football is supposed to bring people together and our game should not be mixed with politics of any kind. The scenes in Belgrade last night were inexcusable."

Fifa chief Sepp Blatter said: "Football should never be used for political messages. I strongly condemn what happened in Belgrade last night."

Albania supporters also turned out in the capital Pristina on Tuesday evening

The prime minister's brother issued his denial after reports that he had been detained for 40 minutes before being put in a vehicle and taken to the airport.

Serbian media say he showed police a US passport after he was detained.

The Albania team returned home to a heroes' welcome in Tirana on Wednesday, AP news agency reports. Up to 3,000 flag-waving supporters gathered outside the city's airport.

Prime Minister Rama praised the players on his Twitter page for "the pride and joy they gave".

His visit to Serbia next Wednesday became possible after the normalisation of relations last year in an agreement brokered by the EU, which both Albania and Serbia have applied to join.

US 'hid Iraq chemical weapons incidents'

noreply@blogger.com (Prince Gc Godson) — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 09:57:00 -0700

US troops searched a suspected chemical weapons factory in 2005 in Mosul

US troops and Iraqi police were wounded by exposure to abandoned chemical weapons in 2004-11 in a series of incidents largely kept quiet by the Pentagon, a US newspaper has reported.

The New York Times said the weapons were built by Saddam Hussein's regime during the 1980s Iran-Iraq war.

Soldiers and police uncovered about 5,000 warheads, shells or bombs. The Times based its report on dozens of pages of classified documents, and interviews with soldiers and officials.

The newspaper tracked down 17 US soldiers and seven Iraqi police officers who said they had been wounded during at least six separate incidents.

Some of the weapons were reportedly designed in the US and manufactured in Europe. They were filled with chemical agents produced in Iraq from ingredients purchased in some cases in the US.

Iraqi Kurds pass a memorial to the 1988 victims of the Iraqi poison gas attack on Halabja, in March 2003

The chemical weapons were produced by Saddam for use against Iranian forces during the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s.

Saddam's forces also deployed chemical weapons against the Kurdish population in Halabja in eastern Iraq. Much of Hussein's chemical arsenal was destroyed following the Gulf War of 1991.

But thousands of rounds were buried or secreted away until US troops stumbled upon them after 2003. Some of the US soldiers' finds were poorly documented. In some cases, soldiers destroyed the chemical munitions on their own without calling in special teams.

The Pentagon withheld information on the finds, including data on the number of warheads discovered, from the public and from Congress, the paper reported.

Many of the old caches of chemical weapons were discovered around the ruins of the Muthanna State Establishment, described as the centre of Iraqi chemical weapons production in the 1980s.

Since June, the compound has been under the control of the Islamic State militant group.

Saudi Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr 'sentenced to death'

noreply@blogger.com (Prince Gc Godson) — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 09:50:00 -0700

Activists and relatives say Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr supported only peaceful protests and eschewed violence

A court in Saudi Arabia has sentenced a prominent Shia cleric to death, his brother has said on Twitter.

Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr went on trial in Riyadh last year after being accused by prosecutors of "sowing discord" and "undermining national unity".

The cleric was a vocal supporter of the mass anti-government protests that erupted in Eastern Province in 2011.

His arrest two years ago, during which he was shot and wounded by police, triggered days of deadly unrest. Oil-rich Eastern Province is home to a Shia majority that has long complained of marginalisation at the hands of the Sunni royal family.

Protests began there in February 2011 after the start of the pro-democracy uprising in neighbouring Bahrain, which has a Shia majority and a Sunni royal family. The Saudi authorities deny discriminating against Shia and blame Iran for stirring up discontent.

'Crucifixion'

Sheikh Nimr's brother said he had been sentenced to death by Riyadh's Specialised Criminal Court, which tries terrorism cases, on Wednesday morning.

When the cleric, who holds the rank of ayatollah, went on trial in March 2013 prosecutors called for his execution by "crucifixion", a punishment which in Saudi Arabia involves beheading followed by public display of the decapitated body.

Human rights groups expressed concern at the time that he would not receive a fair trial.

They also said he had still not been given access to adequate medical care for the gunshot wounds he received during his arrest in July 2012, something denied by the authorities.

Police shot Sheikh Nimr in the leg four times in disputed circumstances as they detained him after a car chase in Eastern Province's Qatif district.

Officials said he rammed a security forces vehicle, leading to a gun battle. However, his family disputed the allegation that he resisted arrest and insisted that he did not own a weapon.

The cleric was held for eight months before being charged and reportedly spent the first four in an isolation cell at a prison hospital in Riyadh.

Activists and relatives say Sheikh Nimr, who has a wide following among Shia in Eastern Province and other states, supported only peaceful protests and eschewed all violent opposition to the government.

In 2011, he told the BBC that he supported "the roar of the word against authorities rather than weapons... the weapon of the word is stronger than bullets, because authorities will profit from a battle of weapons".

His arrest prompted days of protests in which three people were killed.