16 die in China shoe factory fire

Sixteen people died Tuesday in a fire at a shoe factory in eastern China, state media reported, a blaze which highlights poor workplace safety standards in the country.

A total of 20 people were rescued from the fire at the Dadong Shoes factory in Taizhou, Zhejiang province, China Central Television said in a post on its site on Sina Weibo, a Chinese version of Twitter.

The blaze, which started in the afternoon engulfed an area of 800 square metres, said the report, which did not give details on what caused the fire.

Workplace safety standards can be poor in China, where fatal accidents happen regularly at mines and factories, with some blaming lax enforcement of rules.

A fire at a poultry plant in the northeastern province of Jilin in June killed 120 and injured at least 70, in China’s deadliest blaze in over a decade.

Ewelike, President Jonathan’s photographer shot

Gunmen have shot Mr Callistus Ewelike, President Goodluck Jonathan’s photographer and staff

of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
The shooting took place on Monday in front of his residence in Nyanya, Abuja, between 10p.m. and 11p.m.
Two men were said to have alighted from motorcycle when the victim was coming out from his car.
One of the assailants reportedly confronted him and shot him in the neck at close range.
The assailants reportedly sped off the scene when the gunshot attracted residents of the area.
Nothing was stolen from the victim.
Ewelike was taken to a nearby hospital by his neighbours and later transferred to the National Hospital, Abuja where medical doctors are currently preparing him for surgery.
He is said to be in a stable condition.
The Police Public Relations Officer, FCT Command, DSP Altine Daniel, confirmed the incident.
She said the Commissioner of Police, Mr Femi Ogunbayide, had directed full scale investigation into the shooting and had given order for the manhunt and arrest of the assailants.
It will be recalled that armed men had also visited Ewelike’s residence late last year.
They had forced themselves into the house and robbed him of his work tools including camera, laptop computer and other personal effects.

17 People Killed In Car Bomb Attack On Popular Maiduguri Market

17 People Killed In Car Bomb Attack On Popular Maiduguri 

MAIDUGURI (AFP) – At least 17 people were killed when an explosion ripped through a busy market in the north Nigerian city of Maiduguri, the state police chief said on Tuesday.

“From our preliminary reports, we have 17 dead and at least five injured from the blast in the post office area” of the city, Lawan Tanko told AFP, warning that the toll could rise.

“i Have A $1million Watch, I Use The Same Type Of Car Like The Queen Of England”
He further disclosed that his aquaqrium wrist watch costs $1 million.
 
“I also have a wrist watch that cost $1 million. I wear expensive wrist watches, shoes and chains, all made of diamond.”
 
The billionaire who described himself as a “stylish king” stated this in a recent interview with City People magazine.
 
On his love for diamonds, he said “First and foremost, I am very creative and secondly, I emulate the style of our forefathers, wearing royal beads as an old style. You know these days, if you want to become a popular and flamboyant king, you have to use diamonds; Diamond chains, diamond wrist watches, diamond shoes, diamond ring and my muffler is also made of diamond or gold.  And that will make you unique among other Obas and that doesn’t make you proud. I like to be the first in everything.  I have the largest oil tank in West Africa today.”
 
On his chain of cars, he said “I use the same type of automobile with the Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth. We use the same Rolls Royce and Bentley.  Aside that, I have 7 door limousine Mercedes, I want to be the first in everything.
 
“Besides, I am a car freak and what I always very selective with what I wear; my shoe, my royal diamond cap, wrist watches, diamond ring. My diamond Moffla is the new thing I have added to it now. I do my shopping in London Jeweller, a special store for top ranking personalities of the world.” He said 

OBAT

Overnight clashes outside Ukraine court injure 10

Kiev, Jan. 11, 2014 (Reuters/NAN) No fewer than 10 people, including a former interior minister, were injured in the early hours of Saturday in clashes between riot police and protesters outside a courthouse in Ukraine’s capital Kiev.
In the first clashes since last month, police using tear gas and batons tried to disperse a couple of hundred people protesting against three activists being sentenced to six years in jail, a case seen by protesters as politically-motivated.
About 10 kilometres away, several thousand people have set up camp in central Kiev to protest against President Viktor Yanukovich’s decision to abandon the trade agreement with Europe in favour of closer cooperation with Russia.
Protests started in late November and increased significantly in early December after riot police violently broke up a student demonstration in Kiev’s main square.
Yuri Lutsenko, a minister in the government of jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko, was among the injured protesters.
Lutsenko, who was pardoned last year by Yanukovich, was hit in the head, witnesses said.
However, the police said in a statement that they had no information about anyone being injured.

 

NNPC Says ‘Missing’ $11bn Already Spent

 The Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC on Friday said it is regrettable that despite the clarifications it made earlier and submissions by the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke and Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, a section of the media and some commentators have continued to distort issues on the subject of unremitted funds by the Corporation.

At the press conference, addressed by Mr. Ben Otti, member board of directors and group executive director, finance and accounts directorate, NNPC, the Corporation said contrary to what is being speculated, the $10.8 billion which is currently the subject of ongoing inter-agency reconciliation exercise is not missing.
According to Otti, the sum in question has been spent as expenditures incurred as part of statutory responsibilities which the NNPC as the National Oil Company executes on behalf of the Federal Government and by extension, the entire people of Nigeria.
Oti said a significant portion of the yet to be reconciled $10.8 billion constitute the subsidy which the Corporation had incurred in the course of importation of petroleum products to Nigeria in the last three years.
“For the purpose of strategic reserve, at the rate of 40 million litres of PMS national consumption per day, NNPC maintains about 32 days’ sufficiency of petrol. The cost incurred in this mandate is contained within the N10.8 billion yet to be reconciled figure,” said Otti.
The Corporation also listed the cost incurred in repair of vandalized products pipelines, loss of products thorough theft as some of the areas the yet to be reconciled sum of money was spent on.  On the legality of spending such funds unilaterally, the NNPC further said its action was backed up by Section 7, Sub section A and B of the NNPC Act.

Islamic cleric condemns birthday celebration for Muhammed

A Nigerian Islamic Scholar, Sheikh Fadhilulah Hamzat, says it is not compulsory for Muslims to celebrate Mawlud Nabiyy or the birthday of Prophet Muhammad.
Hamzat, who made the remark during a Friday sermon at the W.O. Lawal Central Mosque, Ring Road, Ibadan, Oyo State, said that those marking the day which falls on Monday 13 January, were doing so for commercial gains.
Nigeria’s Federal Governmrnt has declared Tuesday 14 January a public holiday for the celebration.
“The annoying thing is that rather than limit the celebration to 12th Rabiul Awwal, when the Prophet was born, some Muslims continue the celebration months after,’’ he said.
The Imam said that there was no place in the Qur’an and Hadith, where the celebration of the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad was mentioned.
“Throughout the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, he never for once celebrated his birthday, and did not direct his righteous followers to do anything of that nature’’.
“The only reference point to marking his birthday is his saying that he fasts on Mondays, because he was born on Monday,’’ he said.
Hamzat said that Allah, the Creator of human beings, has honoured Prophet Muhammad enough in the Qur’an with blessings and directed the Prophet’s followers to always bless him, “whenever his name is mentioned’’.
He said that rather than printing envelopes for the purpose of collecting money to organise events to honour Prophet Muhammad on his birthday, Muslims should emulate his virtues and imbibe his teachings of peace and love.
Hamzat, however, said that there was nothing bad in organising lectures or symposium to mark the day, and enjoined Muslims to use the month of Rabiul-Awwal in which the Prophet was born, to rededicate their lives to Allah.
“They should live their lives in accordance with Islamic tenets and imbibe the teachings of Prophet Muhammad as exemplified by him while alive.’’