GRAPHITTI
NEWS collates national and international highlights from late-breaking news and
the stories that will be talked about Friday:
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President Jonathan, James Duddridge, UK Minister
for Africa, Overseas Territories & Caribbean, & UK HC Poccock on
Wednesday, September 3, 2014. pic.twitter.com/2yEHyGTgp9
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1.
OIL THEFT: IOCS KEEP MUM AS STAKEHOLDERS TRADE BLAME
Shell
and Chevron, two leading international oil companies (IOCs) active in Nigeria
have maintained stoic silence over the declaration on Wednesday by the chief of
naval staff, Vice-Admiral Usman Jibrin that oil companies are culpable in oil
theft, a LEADERSHIP survey of stakeholder reactions has revealed.
While
Chevron’s general manager in charge of public affairs, Sola Adebonwo, did not
respond to telephone enquiries, his colleague, Ibe Ojo, refused to comment
insisting that only his boss could talk to the press on the matter. Similarly,
Shell spokesman, declined to comment on the issue. However, Nigeria’s
representative on the global board of the Extractive Industries Transparency
Initiative (EITI), Faith Nwadishi, said the IOCs cannot be exonerated from
alleged culpability in oil theft.
She
said the fact that they have refused to meter their facilities to determine the
actual crude production and what was being lost points an accusing finger at
them.
Nwadishi
who represents civil society organizations from English speaking West Africa
countries on the EITI board, explained that the IOCs do not pay taxes on
figures they claim they lost to crude theft and so tend not to care about the
rising level of theft.
She
said, “I have been saying this and am glad someone has brought it to the fore.
There’s no way the IOCs will say they can’t do something about crude theft, the
fact that they don’t have meters at their facilities points a finger at them.”
However,
Nwadishi who is also the Country Director of Publish What You Pay (PWYP)
Nigeria, said government agencies such as the NNPC, DPR and NAPIMS who are
involved in the operations can also not be exonerated.
“Our
agencies can’t be exonerated if we are pointing one finger at the IOCs we
should be pointing four at our own agencies. If the IOCs do what they are
supposed to do and our agencies do what they are supposed to do, oil theft
won’t be happening.
“But
a situation where the DPR depends on the IOCs to provide them with logistics to
carry out inspections is a shame. What manner of inspections will they carry
out?” Nwadishi said.
She
further informed that there is a technology used by the IOCs to identify their
individual crude and wondered why the same technology cannot be applied to know
whose crude is up for sale at the international oil market.
“If
they have the facility to know their crude why can’t we use the same technology
to determine which crude is stolen and sold in the oil market?” Nwadishi
queried.
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Militia members hold a painting of late Venezuelan
President Hugo Chavez during a ceremony in Caracas April 13, 2014.
(Reuters/Carlos Garcia Rawlins)
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2.
ATIKU TO DECLARE 2015 PRESIDENTIAL BID SEPTEMBER 24
Former
Vice President Atiku Abubakar has finally said he will contest for the position
of the President in 2015 on the ticket of the All Progressives Congress.
He
said he would be declaring his intention and making it public on Wednesday,
September 24.
This
was contained in a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Mallam Garba Shehu,
in Abuja on Friday morning.
3.
BOKO HARAM MEMBERS MARRYING ABDUCTED GIRLS – REPORT
Boys
and girls abducted by Boko Haram, including Christian girls, have been forced
to convert to Islam and coerced into marrying members of the group, along with
other female abductees, a report by Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict
noted yesterday.
Watchlist,
an international network of human rights and humanitarian non-government
organizations working to end violations against children in armed conflict,
also accused the federal government and other international humanitarian bodies
of being slow, fragmented and unable to meet the fast-growing needs of those affected
by the conflict in terms of relief response to violations against children.
“Boko
Haram abducted these girls and young women from schools and markets, and during
raids on villages in areas across Borno State since at least December 2012.
Some members of the group raped girls and young women in the camps. None of the
girls and women who escaped, and were interviewed by Watchlist, had access to
counseling and other health services”, the group noted.
4.
CAPTURE OF BORNO TOWNS: REPUTATION OF NIGERIA’S MILITARY AT STAKE – US
The
United States of America warned yesterday that the reputation of Nigeria’s
military was at stake while the future of the country and her children was in
jeopardy following the capture of some towns in the north eastern part of the
country in the last few weeks by Boko Haram terrorists.
This
came as Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh, revealed that for the
country to win the war against terrorism, there was the need for diplomatic
lobbying for foreign assistance in areas of equipment.
Also,
yesterday, the Federal Government assured that no Nigerian Soldier would die in
vain, even as a retired general, now a Senator, Ahmed Saleh said the battle
against insurgency was far from being over, saying “what we are seeing is
a complete deterioration of the situation.”
5.
WAIT TILL 2015, PDP TELLS RIBADU, SEVEN OTHERS
A former
Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu,
and seven other governorship aspirants in Adamawa State on the platform of the
Peoples Democratic Party, have been asked to shelve their ambition till 2015.
Ribadu
and the seven aspirants are therefore not taking part in the party’s
governorship primary scheduled to hold in Yola on Saturday.
This
decision was taken at the Presidential Villa, Abuja in the early hours of
Friday after about four hours of meeting with the 14 aspirants by the
leadership of the party including the Senate President, David Mark.
Apart
from Ribadu, others who have agreed to step down include Auwal Tukur, Aliyu
Idi-Hong, Andrawus Sawa, James Barka, Aliyu Kama, Markus Gundiri and
Abubakar Girei.
Those
who will slug it out on Saturday at the primary are Jerry Kumdisi, Ahmed Gulak,
Buba Marwa, Dr. Umaru Ardo, Ahmed Modibbo and Acting Governor Umaru Fintiri.
It
was agreed at the meeting that those who stepped down would vie for the
position in 2015 while those who are contesting now would not be part of those
who will vie for the position next year.
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“Lead us not into the temptation of capitalism;
deliver us from the evil of oligarchy, like the crime of contraband, because
ours is the homeland, peace, and life. Forever and ever. Amen. Viva
Chavez!" she exclaimed to applause.
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6.
‘IDOLATRY’: VENEZUELA CATHOLIC CHURCH SLAMS LORD'S PRAYER HOMAGE TO HUGO CHAVEZ
Venezuela's
Roman Catholic Church has condemned the re-writing of Lord’s Prayer into ‘Our
Chávez who art in heaven’ ode by the late leader’s Socialist Party, saying the
move is ‘the sin of idolatry.’
The
Lord’s Prayer, the typical prayer for Christians around the world, comes from
the very lips of our Lord Jesus Christ and is therefore untouchable, said the
Archbishop of Caracas, Cardinal Jorge Urosa.
Urosa
added that, “Whoever says this new and inappropriate version of the Our Father
adhering to the literal text is committing the sin of idolatry, by attributing
to a human person qualities and actions that are proper to God.”
“Just
as no one would be allowed to change the words of the national anthem in order
to honor somebody, neither is it licit to change the Our Father or any other
Christian prayer, such as the Creed. The Catholic religious symbols, prayers,
and elements must be respected,” he said.
On
September 1, a representative of Venezuela's Socialist Party, María Uribe,
revealed ‘The Delegate's Prayer’ homage to the late leader.
“Our
Chavez, who art in heaven, the Earth, the sea, and we, delegates, hallowed be
thy name. Thy legacy come, so we can spread it to people here and elsewhere.
Give us this day light to guide us,” she said in front of Chavez’s image.
“Lead
us not into the temptation of capitalism; deliver us from the evil of
oligarchy, like the crime of contraband, because ours is the homeland, peace,
and life. Forever and ever. Amen. Viva Chavez!" she exclaimed to applause.
In
the meantime, current president of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro, who has always
supported Chavez, said that the church is trying to undermine the late leader
even after his death.
"They
couldn't get rid of Chavez while he was alive so now they want to persecute the
people's spiritual love for him," he said.
"A
new inquisition has emerged to massacre this humble woman," he said
referring to Uribe, the delegate who recited the prayer.
Chavez
the president engaged in numerous arguments with the hierarchy of the Roman
Catholic Church. In 2002 the church supported Venezuelan coup d'état attempt
against Chavez which lasted two days.
Hugo
Chavez, who was in power for 14 years, died in March, 2013, at the age of 58
following a two-year battle against cancer.
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Reuters/NASA/JPL-Caltech
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7.
WAY TOO CLOSE: 18-METER ASTEROID ZIPS BETWEEN EARTH & MOON
An
asteroid will speed past our planet on Sunday, practically shaving terrestrial
space as the rock whizzes past Earth just one tenth of its distance from the
moon. The rare occasion will be most clearly witnessed in the skies above New
Zealand.
The
space traveller was discovered at the end of august by the Catalina Sky Survey
near Tucson, Arizona, and independently detected the next night by the
Pan-STARRS 1 telescope, located on the summit of Haleakalā on Maui, Hawaii,
according to NASA.
At
its closest, asteroid 2014 RC will be mere 34,000km from New Zealand, while
geosynchronous communications and weather satellites remain in a 36,000km
orbit. Although closer than those satellites, it is guaranteed to pass our
planet safely on September 7 at 18:18GMT (2:18pm EDT).
8. ARGENTINA
PASSES LAW TO RECLAIM DEFAULT DEBT FROM NEW YORK
Argentina’s
Senate has passed a law that will let the country continue paying off its
default debt by transferring international bond payments from New York to local
banks, which would let other investors buy Argentine debt.
The scheme, to
get around a US judge’s order to immediately pay back US$1.6 billion to
“vulture” hedge funds in Manhattan, is the initiative of President Cristina
Fernandez de Kirchner. The bill passed by a vote 39 to 27.
The initiative
proposes to begin challenging payments through third parties, and allowing them
to trade their bonds for new debt issued under Argentine law. Argentina’s state
Banco de la Nacion could become the trustee for payments, replacing the Bank of
New York Mellon. Another proposal is to make Paris a main destination for debt
payments.
The US district
court that ruled on Argentina’s debt maintains this is illegal.
Next week the
law will be discussed in Argentina’s lower house Chamber of Deputies.
It is a brazen
move against the ‘vulture’ funds that sent the country into default in July
after demanding the immediate payment of $1.6 billion (US$1.3 billion plus
interest) in restructured debt, instead of the planned US$539 million to
bondholders. The ruling banned Argentina from making interest payment on
restructured debt before settling with the New York hedge funds. The hedge
funds had rejected Argentina’s requests to restructure the debt in 2005 and
2010.
"Sometimes
there are court decisions that cannot be followed," Miguel Angel Pichetto,
head of the government's Victory Front coalition in the Senate, said on
Thursday.
Argentina has said
it will take the US to the International Court of Justice for judicial
malpractice.
"To pay the
vulture funds would be very dangerous,” Pichetto said.
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Argentina's President Cristina
Fernandez de Kirchner (Reuters/Marcos Brindicci)
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9.
AK-47 MAKER KALASHNIKOV TO DOUBLE PRODUCTION IN THREE YEARS
The
producers of the world-famous AK-47 assault rifle, the Kalashnikov Concern,
have announced plans to double its output to 300,000 units in the next three
years, despite being on the US sanctions list.
Kalashnikov
plans to produce 150,000 units of arms in 2014, with the output rising to
300,000 in the next three years, Kalashnikov CEO Aleksey Krivoruchko told the company’s
corporate magazine.
According
to Krivoruchko, the concern’s mid-term goal is to perform a complex technical
and technological re-equipment maneuver, which would include the purchase of
new hardware, reconstruction of facilities and the organization of high-performance
workplaces.
Over
the period of January to March 2014, the Russian company already doubled its
output in comparison with the same period last year, producing 31,000 units of
basic arms.
“We
have also set the task of designing and manufacturing such weapon models that
would combine modern technological and design solutions – like, for example,
advanced ergonomics, design modularity, use of wear-resistant coatings, which
withstand any influences, including heat, constant friction and moisture,” the
Kalashnikov CEO said.
Earlier,
Aleksandr Soloviev, acting head of the republic of Udmurtia, where Kalashnikov
is located, said that the concern increased its production by about 39-42 per cent since the
beginning of the year.
The
growth would have been even more significant in 2014 if not for the arms
embargo imposed by the US on Russia over the events in Ukraine.
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Poster with a portrait of designer-gunsmith
Mikhail Kalashnikov in the workshop of the enterprise "Concern
Kalashnikov" in Izhevsk (RIA Novosti / Sergey Guneev)
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In
July, Washington sanctioned several Russian companies, including Kalashnikov
and air defense systems’ producer Almaz-Antey, banning them from taking mid-
and long-term loans in the US and having any contracts with American firms.
Following
the announcement of the sanctions, Russian-made firearms have reportedly been
flying off the shelves of American gun stores. Saiga rifles and shotguns, based
on the reliable Kalashnikov design, had already gained popularity among gun
enthusiasts in the US and even the country’s law enforcement agencies.
The
Kalashnikov Concern is Russia’s largest producer of military automatic and
sniper weapons and guided artillery shells, as well as a wide range of civil
products – hunting and sporting rifles, machinery and tools.
The
group currently sells its products to nearly 30 countries around the globe,
including the UK, Germany, Norway, Italy, Canada, Kazakhstan and Thailand.
10.
ALLIANCE TURNS ATTENTION TO UKRAINE CRISIS
NATO
outlines plans for stationing a rapid response force in Eastern Europe to serve
as a deterrent to Moscow and ease Russia's neighbors' fears.
11.
WHERE U.S. MISSIONARY WILL BE TREATED FOR EBOLA
Dr.
Rick Sacra had been receiving care in Liberia. But the Nebraska Medical Centre
in Omaha is home to a special isolation unit that's believed to be the largest
in the U.S.
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Roger Federer had to
fight back from two sets down to reach the last four (AP)
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12.
FEDERER FIGHTS BACK TO MAKE SEMIS
Roger
Federer saved two match points and fought back from two sets down to defeat
Gael Monfils in a dramatic US Open quarter-final.
Monfils
pushed Federer right to the limit under the lights on Arthur Ashe and looked to
be on the verge of victory with his opponent at 4-5 and 15-40 in the fourth
set.
But
Federer hung on and raced through the final set against an opponent who had
given everything to win 4-6 3-6 6-4 7-5 6-2 and set up a last-four clash with
Marin Cilic.
It is the ninth time in his
career that Federer has won a match from two sets down and puts him within two
victories of a first US Open title since 2008.
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