Burundian Government Calls For ‘Frank’ Dialogue With Opposition

Pierre Nkurunziza. AFP Photo/Alain Jocard

An aide to Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza on Thursday called for "a frank and constructive dialogue" with the opposition, who have driven weeks of street protests against his bid to stand for a third term.

Mr Nkurunziza’s communications advisor, Willy Nyamitwe, said although the government considered the president’s bid to be perfectly legal, he said for the first time that the matter was not "taboo".

"It is true that during previous discussions, we have left the issue on the menu" during a summit of regional powers that was held in neighbouring Tanzania last Sunday, he told AFP.

"So this question (of a third mandate) should not come up again. But for the president, it is not a taboo subject," he added, urging the opposition to engage in "a frank, constructive dialogue" so that elections can be held.

Yola Blast: Hospital Urges Public To Donate Blood

Federal Medical Centre Yola (Image source: PREMIUM TIMES)

The Federal Medical Centre Yola, has called on members of the public to donate blood to victims of Thursday’s bomb blast that occurred at Yola Market.

The spokesperson of the centre, Mohammed Dodo, made the call Friday in Yola in an interview.

Mr. Dodo said the hospital blood bank and other facilities such as drugs had been overstretched as a result of the incident.

“As I am speaking to you, we have 31 dead and 22 people seriously injured,” Mr. Dodo said.

US Govt Agency Hacked, 4 Million Federal Workers Affected

 

Reuters / David McNew

Hackers breached the system of the US government agency responsible for gathering personnel information on federal employees and granting security clearances, potentially affecting the data of 4 million people, officials said.

It is not known who is responsible for the breach, but officials told Reuters that a foreign government or entity is to blame. The Washington Post and Wall Street Journal cited unnamed government officials who blamed Chinese hackers.

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) also said Chinese hackers are believed to be behind the attack, according to the Associated Press.

The Chinese Embassy in the US has called the accusations against Chinese hackers “hypothetical” and irresponsible.

Global Health Leaders Ask G7 For Post-Ebola Rapid Response Unit

Campaign for funds to tackle outbreaks of infectious killer diseases

Global health leaders will ask G7 leaders this weekend to back the creation of a specialist rapid response unit to tackle outbreaks of infectious killer diseases.

The move reflects how the World Health Organization in particular was caught unprepared last year by Ebola, which spread through three West African countries, has killed 11,000 people, and will not be stamped out before the end of this year.

Seoul Mayor Declares 'War' On MERS After Fourth Death

Seoul's Mayor, Park Won-Soon, pictured in May 2014 ©Ed Jones (AFP)

Graphic on the MERS virus, now killing 4 people in South Korea, the biggest outbreak outside of Saudi Arabia since its discovery in 2012 ©- (AFP Graphic)

South Korea reported on Friday a fourth death from Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), as an infected doctor fuelled fears of a fresh surge in cases and prompted Seoul's mayor to declare "war" on the virus.

Five new cases overnight took the number of infected people to 41, in what has become the largest MERS outbreak outside Saudi Arabia, with close to 2,000 people in quarantine or under observation.

UPDATE: Workers Turn Capsized Chinese Ship Upright And Recover More Bodies

June 2, 2015 Rescue workers carry a body removed from the ship. Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters

(The Washington Post)

Chinese authorities Friday righted an overturned cruise liner that capsized four days ago with 456 people aboard, turning their efforts to recovering bodies as anger boiled over from grieving families.

The official death toll climbed to 97, as authorities said they had given up hope of finding any more survivors from the ship that overturned on the Yangtze river in a freak storm Monday night. Only 14 survivors have been found, leaving 345 people, most of them retirement-age tourists, unaccounted for, state media reported.

Subsidy Payments: Oil Marketers Yet To Resume Fuel Import

Despite the seeming resolution of the conflict between the Federal Government and oil marketers over the petroleum subsidy claims payment, data, yesterday, showed that Nigeria’s fuel import has remained low due to oil marketers’ apathy.

This came as Nigeria’s crude oil export received a boost, as a Canadian crude oil refining company, Come By Chance Refinery has purchased one million barrels of Nigeria’s Qua Iboe crude grade.

TENNIS: After Overpowering Bacsinszky, Serena Williams into another final

Serena Williams in action against Bacsinszky; she came from behind to reach the French Open final

Serena Williams survived another scare at the French Open as the American battled back from a set down to beat Timea Bacsinszky and secure her place in the final.

Williams has now come from a set down to win four times at this tournament, trumping her previous grand slam record of three, as the top seed showed her relentless fighting spirit again to win 4-6 6-3 6-0.

The world number one will now play Czech Lucie Safarova in the final as she bids to win her third title at Roland Garros and 20th overall.

Rwanda Opposition Party Seeks To Block President Term Extension

Rwanda's President Paul Kagame attends the opening ceremony of the 24th Ordinary session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) at the African Union headquarters in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, January 30, 2015. Reuters/Tiksa Negeri

Rwanda's opposition Democratic Green Party has filed a lawsuit demanding the Supreme Court block any move by parliament to change the constitution to allow President Paul Kagame to run for a third term.

Kagame, whose second seven-year term ends in 2017, has said he opposes the lifting of a two-term limit but is open to staying on if people convince him. Several politicians and other petitioners have called for a change.

The debate about term limits and challenges to veteran leaders have flared in several places in Africa. The United States and other Western nations have been pressing African leaders to stick to constitutional rules on presidential terms.

UPDATE: Ghana Petrol Station Inferno Kills About 175 In Accra; Three Days Of National Mourning Declared

The fire services say flooding contributed to the fire; two days continues downpour left Accra streets bursting

Some 175 people have died in a fire at a petrol station in Ghana's capital, Accra, officials say.

The fire on Wednesday night started as people in the city were trying to cope with two days of heavy rain, which has left many homeless and without power.

The flooding hampered rescue efforts and may have led to the fire.

Bomb At Market In Jimeta, Adamawa State Kills Around 30 - Eyewitnesses

Nobody has claimed responsibility but the attack

A bomb at a market in the town of Jimeta, near Yola, Adamawa State, has killed around 30 people, eyewitnesses told Reuters on Thursday.

The device, which an eyewitness said was planted in a three-wheeled motorized scooter inside the market in Adamawa state, was detonated around 1900 GMT, a few minutes after a female suicide killed two people at a checkpoint in Maiduguri.

OPEC Expected To Keep Status Quo On Oil Output

(L-R) Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, Maria van der Hoeven, Saudi Arabia Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi, OPEC Secretary-General Abdalla Salem El-Badri at OPEC's 6th International seminar on June 3, 2015 in Vienna ©Joe Klamar (AFP)

OPEC ministers gather Friday for an eagerly awaited meeting which is widely expected to leave its output levels unchanged, despite the recent oil price collapse and global oversupply.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), which accounts for a third of the world's oil supplies, will likely pursue its plan to preserve market share and pressure high-cost US shale producers.

House Of Reps Pass Petroleum Industry Bill

House of Representatives

The Federal House of Representatives on Thursday passed the contentious Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) into law.

However, the 7th senate did not concur with the passage, as it ended on Thursday.

In his valedictory speech, Senate President David Mark  had cited the failure to pass the bill as one of the low points of the outgoing senate.

FIFA SCANDAL: Blatter’s Position & What Next For The 7 Men Detained In The FIFA Raids In Zurich

FIFA President Sepp Blatter speaks during a news conference at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, Tuesday, June 2, 2015. (Ennio Leanza/Keystone via AP)

One week after an American investigation of soccer corruption erupted at FIFA, seven men remain detained in Zurich prison cells.

AP reports the seven officials — including two FIFA vice presidents, one member-elect of the FIFA executive committee and one FIFA staffer — were arrested in early morning hotel raids.

Nigeria To Step Up Military Role In Boko Haram Fight - Buhari

President Buhari received by President Mahamadou Issoufou on arrival in Niamey (Image source: Paul Ibe/Garba Shehu on Twitter)

Nigeria's army will take a bigger role in the effort to crush Boko Haram, by taking over from soldiers from Niger in occupying towns liberated from the Islamist militant group, President Muhammadu Buhari said on Wednesday.

Niger and Chad played a leading role earlier this year in driving the insurgents from towns in northeastern Nigeria including Malam Fatori and Damasak, in part because of the weakness of the Nigerian army.

"I renew my commitment to track Boko Haram into a corner, to destroy it. Five years of the presence of this evil sect is enough," Buhari told a news conference with Niger's President Mahamadou Issoufou.

Senate Passes 46 Bills In 10 Minutes

Senate President, David Mark

. . . Approves Buhari’s 15 advisers

In what could be described as a national record in the history of lawmaking in Nigeria, the Senate today (Wednesday, June 3) passed 46 bills in less than 10 minutes.

The upper chamber also approved the request of President Muhammadu Buhari on the appointment of 15 Special Advisers.

Motion for the adoption of the 46 bills was moved by Ita Enang, chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, who called on the Red Chamber to invoke Order 1 (b) of the Senate Standing Order to adopt a Special Procedure on the bills.

Enang explained that the bills had earlier been passed by the House of Representatives and transmitted to the Senate for concurrence, adding that by “mutual consent and legislative reciprocity, the House of Representatives is adopting same special procedure and passing such bills passed by the Senate and transmitted to her for concurrence”.

He therefore called for the suspension of Order 79 (1) of the Senate Standing Orders and deemed all the bills as having passed First, Second and Third Readings.

This led to a rowdy session by senators who objected to the procedure being used in passing the bills. Before putting the motion to voice vote, Senate President, David Mark who presided over the session expressed reservation about the process, saying: “My main problem is that we should be able to read through the bills and know what they are saying”.

FULL BLATTER STATEMENT: Sepp Blatter Resigns As FIFA President Amid Bribery Scandal; INSIDE Blatter Fact File

Sepp Blatter has announced he will stand down as FIFA president - though will continue in the role until an 'extraordinary congress' can be called to vote in a successor

Sepp Blatter has sensationally quit amid the bribery scandal that has consumed FIFA.

In an astonishing announcement at FIFA HQ in Zurich, Blatter revealed that he is walking away after 17 years as the most powerful man in football.

At a hastily organized press conference in Zurich this evening, Blatter said: 'I have been reflecting deeply about my presidency and about the forty years in which my life has been inextricably bound to FIFA and the great sport of football. I cherish FIFA more than anything and I want to do only what is best for FIFA and for football.

FIFA SCANDAL: Sepp Blatter Resigns As FIFA President

Sepp Blatter a few days ago likened himself to a Swiss mountain goat which keeps on "going and going"

Sepp Blatter has resigned his position as the president of the soccer governing body, FIFA, GRAPHITTI NEWS reports. 
He made the announcement on an unscheduled press conference at the Zurich headquarters of FIFA held by 5.00pmBST.

Egypt Postpones Final Ruling On Morsi Death Sentence

Former Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi waves to supporters from the defendants cage during his trial on the outskirts of Cairo, on June 2, 2015 ©Khaled Desouki (AFP)

An Egyptian court Tuesday postponed its final ruling on ousted president Mohamed Morsi, who was sentenced to death along with dozens more over a mass jailbreak during the 2011 uprising.

The court said that, on June 16, it would also announce its verdict against Morsi and 18 other defendants in a separate case of espionage.

On May 16, Morsi and more than 100 others were sentenced to death for plotting jailbreaks and attacks on police during the uprising more than four years ago that overthrew president Hosni Mubarak.

The sentence was referred to the mufti, the government interpreter of Islamic law who plays an advisory role, and a final ruling had been scheduled for Tuesday.

The mufti's advice is never made public.

Oxfam: Multinational Companies Cheat Africa Of US$11bn Yearly In Taxes

Oxfam International executive director Winnie Byanyima. Photo: Reuters 

Multinational companies deprive African governments of US$11 billion (about Sh1 trillion) in taxes each year, and G7 world leaders should set up a new global body to regulate corporate taxation, Oxfam International said on Monday.

By shifting profits overseas to lower tax regimes, companies legally avoid paying taxes to the African countries where they generate revenues.

This deprives governments of money they desperately need for development, the anti-poverty group said in a report on Africa.

Niger Meningitis Epidemic Has Peaked, 545 Dead —WHO Says

The logo of the World Health Organization is seen at the WHO headquarters in Geneva (AP)

An epidemic of meningitis has killed 545 people in Niger, out of 8,234 people who caught the disease, but has now peaked, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday.

The WHO had said that the epidemic was worrying and unprecedented because it was a strain not normally found in Africa and the appropriate vaccine was in short supply. In early May, cases were tripling every two weeks.

President Buhari In Serious Meeting With Service Chiefs Over Boko Haram

Photo credit: Olusegun Dada; Image source: mojidelanoblog

President Muhammadu Buhari is currently holding his first meeting with the nation’s service chiefs at the defence house in Abuja.

The service chiefs arrived‎ at 11:55 am for the meeting, which is expected to be dominated by strategies for ending the threat of Boko Haram in the north-east.

Those in attendance were Kenneth Minimah, chief of army staff; Adesola Amosu, chief of air staff; Usman Jibrin, chief of naval staff; and Alex Badeh, chief of defence staff.

Before the meeting started, Buhari had met with the national working committee of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

While speaking with journalists after the meeting, John Oyegun, national chairman of APC, said the party reiterated its support‎ to the president.

Bomb Blast Hits Market In Nigeria's Maiduguri City, 50 Killed —Witness

Bomb blast hit a busy meat market in Nigeria's northeastern city of Maiduguri (Image: Naijagraphitti Imagebank)

A bomb blast hit a busy meat market in Nigeria's northeastern city of Maiduguri on Tuesday, killing as many as 50 people, an eyewitness and a hospital source told Reuters.

The bomb which was concealed under a butcher's table in the market went off at around 1pm local time, killing shoppers and travelers, a military source said.

Governor Wike Shows Rivers Leaders Vandalized Facilities In The Govt House Yesterday; Amaechi Replies Wike Over Allegations Of Vandalising Rivers Govt House Today

Nyesom Wike took some Rivers state leaders, PDP stalwarts and some journalists

Yesterday, Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike, took some Rivers state leaders and some journalists round the Rivers state government house alleging that the immediate past governor of the state, Rotimi Amaechi vandalized the government house. Amaechi has now released a statement denying he vandalized the Govt house.

See the statement signed by his spokesperson, David Iyofor after the cut...

Gov Obiano Bans Heavy Duty Truck From Driving on State Roads During The Day

Governor Willie Obiano

Anambra State Government is to ban Heavy duty trucks from plying state roads in a renewed drive to secure the lives of the citizenry and check the massive damage they cause on the roads.

Governor Willie Obiano made this known after visiting victims of yesterday’s fire accident resulting from break failure by a tanker carrying Automobile Gas oil, AGO at Asaba Park, Upper Iweka, Onitsha.

Buhari Writes Senate, Seeks Approval To Appoint 15 Advisers

Muhammadu Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has written to the Senate seeking approval to appoint 15 advisers. The letter was read in the Senate on Tuesday by the Senate president, David Mark. It was Mr. Buhari’s first correspondence to the National Assembly since assuming office Friday, PREMIUM TIMES reports.

The appointments would be the second for the new president who only named his spokespersons and chief of protocol on Sunday.

FIFA SCANDAL: FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke Was Sent Payment Letter

Jerome Valcke

A 10million US dollar payment from FIFA to an account controlled by the disgraced former vice-president Jack Warner followed a letter from South Africa to FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke, it can be revealed.

The payment followed a letter from South African FA president Molefi Oliphant to Valcke asking for the payment to be withheld from World Cup funds and paid instead to Warner to support football in the Caribbean.

The payment is at the heart of the FIFA bribery scandal - a US justice department indictment of 18 people on corruption charges says the money was paid to Warner and his deputy Chuck Blazer in return for them voting for the 2010 World Cup to be played in South Africa.

Breast Milk Appears To Cut Risk Of Leukaemia

New mother breastfeeding newborn infant (Image source: linkouture.com)

Babies who were breastfed for at least six months had a 19pc lower risk of going on to develop leukaemia in childhood than those who were breastfed for a shorter period or not at all, research found.

Scientists said they made the findings after reviewing 18 different studies, while a separate analysis of 15 studies found that ever being breastfed compared with never being breastfed was associated with an 11pc lower risk of childhood leukaemia.

FIFA: Grondona Authorized Payments

Julio Grondona was FIFA's former finance chief

FIFA has said that Julio Grondona, the former finance chief of the organization and a long-time ally of president Sepp Blatter, was the person who authorized a 10million US dollar payment that is at the heart of the bribery scandal.

Grondona, from Argentina, died last year aged 82 having been a FIFA executive member for 26 years, many of them as chairman of the finance committee. Blatter described him as "a lifelong friend" after his death.

AfDB Presidency: Buhari’s Phone Calls To Global Leaders Shaped My Election, Says Adesina

Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina

The newly elected President of the Africa Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, yesterday spoke of President Muhammadu Buhari’s role in his election.

Adesina said Buhari made vital phone calls to global leaders in respect of the position that resulted in his emergence as the AfDB President, noting that the outcome of the race would have been different were it not for him.

The ex-minister of Agriculture and Rural Development under former President Goodluck Jonathan administration spoke at the Oke-Mosan Governor’s Office, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, when he visited Governor Ibikunle Amosun.

He added that other notable Nigerians, including former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar and others stood behind him.

Rabbatts Resigns From FIFA Force

Heather Rabbatts thinks more should be done to reform FIFA

The pressure on Sepp Blatter has intensified after a second Football Association director resigned from a FIFA post and a long-serving executive committee member warned that he too is considering his future.

Heather Rabbatts, one of the FA's two independent directors, has resigned from FIFA's anti-discrimination task force following Blatter's re-election as president.

Rabbatts' said it was "unacceptable" that so little has been done to reform FIFA and that the latest corruption crisis was "disastrous" for the world governing body's reputation.

Governor Ortom Resumes, Appoints SSG, Others

Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom

Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom yesterday assumed duty at the Government House, Makurdi at 11am.

The Nation reports Governor Ortom made his first appointment with Targema Takema becoming the Secretary to the State Government (SSG). Terwase Torbunde was appointed as the Chief of Staff and Tahav Agerzua, the Head of Media and Information Technology.

The governor was received by the Permanent Secretary, Government House Administration, Eugene Ivase and senior civil servants.

He was led into his office by the Chief Security Officer (CSO), Dickson Pawa and clerics, who prayed and anointed the office.