Ukraine crisis: What's happening? Depends on whom you ask 

Tensions are mounting as Russian troops step up their presence in Ukraine's Crimean peninsula and world leaders push for a diplomatic solution to the escalating crisis.

As ideological battle lines are drawn around the world over the situation, leaders are painting vastly different pictures of the realities on the ground.

Here are some of the questions at play, with a look at how key players are weighing in:

Who's in charge of Ukraine?

 Russia's take: Viktor Yanukovych remains Ukraine's elected leader, and Ukraine's new government is illegitimate. Russian United Nations envoy Vitaly Churkin called it an "armed takeover by radical extremists."

Ukraine's take: Ukraine has a legitimate government and is set to have new presidential elections on May 25. "Let's give an opportunity for that to work," Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.N. Yuriy Sergeyev said.

United States' take: Yanukovych abandoned his post last month, fled the country and was then voted out of office by Ukraine's democratically elected parliament.

How many Russian troops are inside Ukraine?

Russia's take: Russia hasn't said how many troops it's sent into Ukraine.

Ukraine's take: Russia has sent military ships, helicopters and cargo planes to deploy 16,000 troops into Crimea since February 24, Sergeyev told the United Nations on Monday.

United States' take: Russian forces "have complete operational control of the Crimean peninsula," a senior U.S. administration official told CNN on Sunday, with estimates of 6,000 Russian ground and naval forces in the region

Do Russian troops have a right to be in Crimea?

Russia's take: Yes. A treaty between the neighboring nations allows Russia to have up to 25,000 troops in Crimea, Russia's U.N. envoy said Monday, adding that Yanukovych requested that Russia send military forces.

Ukraine's take: No. Russian troops amassing in Crimea and near the border with Ukraine are an "act of aggression."

United States' take: No, and Russian President Vladimir Putin is playing a dangerous game. The consequences of military action "could be devastating," U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Samantha Power said Monday.

Why is the tense standoff unfolding now?

Russia's take: Russia has said its parliament approved Putin's use of military force to protect Russian citizens in the Crimean peninsula.

Ukraine's take: There's no evidence of any threat to Russians inside Ukraine. Russia wants to annex Crimea.

United States' take: Russia is responding to its own historic sensitivities about Ukraine, Crimea and their place in Moscow's sphere of influence, a senior White House official told CNN Monday. Russia fears that Ukraine is falling under European or Western influence, the official said.

Teacher suspended for taping pupils' mouths shut

 

A teacher has been suspended for taping pupils' mouths shut with Sellotape, after claims the teacher complained children were too rowdy and noisy 

A teacher has been suspended following claims she taped children’s mouths shut in a classroom.

Parents claimed the teacher - believed to be female - said the pupils were too rowdy and giggling at a game they were playing in the classroom.

Danesfield School in Williton, Somerset, confirmed “a member of staff had been suspended whilst the investigation continues” and said it was investigating the matter.

Rob Lovell, said his 10 year old daughter was 'shocked' by what happened and that the tape had hurt her.

He said: "When she removed it a the end of the lesson it took the skin off her lips and made her lips bleed.
She was a bit upset telling us because she thought she'd done something wrong."
Mr Lovell claimed that most of the pupils in the class had tape put on their mouths apart from a couple who were allergic.
He went on: "She said if they took it off they'd be taken out of the lesson.
"When the Sellotape started to come off she put more on. She got them to keep it on for the whole lesson."
The school converted to an academy earlier this month and is now known as Quantock Academy.
Another parent said: "My child said that they were playing a game in the classroom and giggling because it was fun.
"The teacher told them to be quiet and when they didn't quieten down they put tape all over their mouths.
"I just can't believe that something like this would happen, it 's absolutely appalling."
Avon and Somerset Police confirmed they had spoken to one family but added that they would not be taking any further action.
Ian Bradbury, executive head teacher of the Quantock Federation said: “We take all allegations concerning the well-being of our children very seriously. An incident happened yesterday which we are investigating thoroughly.
"A member of staff has been suspended whilst the investigation continues. My thanks to the numerous parents who have brought this matter to my personal attention and have given their on-going support to us in this challenging situation.”
He has taken statements from all of the children and met several concerned parents.

Magistrate jails man for feigning ignorance of English

 

A 36-year-old man, Leonard Nzekwe, has been ordered to be remanded in prison for pretending not to understand English language.

Nzekwe had said he did not understand English when a criminal charge of assault was read to him.

He had said he wanted to be spoken to only in Igbo language.

When the court further asked if he could understand pidgin, Nzekwe said he did not understand that either.

The action prompted the magistrate, Mrs M.O Tanimola, to order him to be taken to the Ikoyi Prison, pending when he would show readiness to answer to the alleged crime.

The defendant had been arraigned before the court for assaulting one Vivian Chukwuneme.

The charge reads, “That you, Leonard Nzewe, on February 8, 2014  about 9am at 11, Ajalah Street, Orile Iganmu, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did assault one Vivian Chukwuneme, by severally beating her up.”

The police prosecutor, Inspector  Samuel Ishola said the offence was punishable under Section 168(1)(a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.

The decision of the defendant not to take his plea stalled the proceeding, leading to his remand in prison. No date was fixed for adjournment.

 

Boko Haram raids Borno again, kills 40 persons

In another orgy of killing, the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram, attacked Jakana village on Tuesday in Borno State, where 40 persons were killed.
Jakana, which is about 35 kilometres from Maiduguri, the state capital, shares a common border with Mainok, where 39 persons were killed by the terrorists on Saturday.
The insurgents had on Sunday night attacked Mafa in the violence-ravaged state, killing no fewer than 35 persons.
The violent group was said to have distributed fliers, informing Mafa residents of their impending attack before hitting the town around 9pm on Sunday.

 

Nigeria Sacks Heads Of All Aviation Agencies

 

Some four months after Saharareporters exposed monumental fraud and corruption at the ministry of Aviation in Nigeria, the Nigerian government today fired all directors working in various aviation agencies in the country.
Saharareporters had exposed how the former Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah,  forced several cash strapped agencies in her ministry to purchase several luxury vehicles including two BMW cars for $1.6 million.
 See text of press release by the the SGF office below:
RE-ORGANIZATION IN THE MINISTRY OF AVIATION
His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has approved the following re-organization in the Ministry of Aviation:
(i) Engr. Saleh Dumona (Director Projects, FAAN) to replace Mr. George Uriesi as Managing-Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
(ii)Engr. Ibrahim Abdulsalam (General Manager, Procurements, NAMA) to replace Engr. Nnamdi Udoh as Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).
(iii) Capt. Samuel Akinyele Caulcrick (Government Safety Inspector & ICAO Focal Point for Nigeria on line Aircraft Safety Information Systems, OASIS) to replace Capt. (Mrs.) Chinyere Kalu as Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT).
(iv) Capt. Muhktar Usman (Commissioner, Accident Investigation & Prevention Bureau, AIPB) to replace Capt. Fola C. Akinkuotu as Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) subject to confirmation by the Senate. Engr. Benedict Adeyileka is to act as DG, NCAA pending the confirmation by the Senate.
(v)Dr. Engr. Felix A. Abali (Director Licencing, NCAA) to replace Capt. Muhktar Usman as Commissioner,  Accident Investigation and Prevention Bureau (AIPB).
(vi)Dr. Tony Anuforo retains his position as Director-General of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMMET).
     (Signed)
Sam Nwaobasi
Special Assistant (Media) to the
Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

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President Jonathan’s Social Media Aide Reno Omokri Exposed As Author Of Fake Document Linking Ousted CBN Governor To Boko Haram

Reno Omokri, the outspoken Special Assistant on Social Media to President Goodluck Jonathan, was today unmasked as the brain behind a fraudulent attempt to link Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), to the recent spike in Boko Haram violence in Borno and Yobe States. In one of the recent attacks, Boko Haram terrorists slaughtered some 60 secondary school students at their boarding house.
Posing as “Wendell Simlin,” Mr. Omokri circulated a Word document linking the former CBN Governor to the recent attacks. The ruse was however uncovered when some Internet-savvy Nigerians traced the IP address of the source document and it turned out that it had been authored and circulated by Mr. Omokri.
This scandal, the latest in a series of ethical and corruption issues rocking the Jonathan administration, set Twitter on fire today. Outraged Nigerians called for Mr. Omokri's sack. The timing of Mr. Omokri's fraudulent act is particularly insensitive, with many commentators questioning why a member of President Jonathan’s inner circle would seek to capitalize on the blood of slaughtered innocent children by forging documents to implicate a perceived "enemy" of the Jonathan administration.
Mr. Omokri’s callous forgery began to unfold today at about 11.54 a.m. (Nigerian time) when certain media outlets and editors received an email from one Wendell Simlin (wendellsimlin@yahoo.com) with the headline “Increased Tempo of Boko Haram/Terrorist Activity in the Wake of the Sanusi Saga”.
The email included a Word document which sought to use spurious circumstantial evidence laced with a heavy dose of innuendo to suggest that the renewed Boko Haram attacks in the Northeast were linked to Mr. Sanusi's recent suspension as CBN governor.
Curiously, the document also contained attacks on Alhaji Umaru Mutallab, the father of the jailed Christmas Day Underwear bomber, Umar Farouk Mutallab.
Several tech-savvy individuals tried to ascertain who the author was and why such critical information was emerging from a “strange” and unknown name. The investigations turned up the following evidence:
1. They found a Wendell Simlin on Facebook with only one photo. That photo had Mr. Reno Omokri in it. While the photo has since been deleted, a screenshot was taken before the deletion and it is hereby published.
2. Further circumstantial evidence, such as friendships on Facebook, including ‘liked’ pages, strongly linked the account of Mr. Simlin to Mr Omokri. Some Internet investigators also discovered that there was a lot of interaction linking the “shadowy” Mr. Simlin to Mr Omokri as far back as 2010.
3. A check of the IP address from which the email was sent indicated somewhere around the Kubwa area in Abuja with the IP address of 41.78.81.189.
4. But the most damning evidence was found in the   Word document “Simlin” sent out as news, which had the author's name as Reno Omokri. Those who received the original email have also done a check and confirmed that Mr. Omokri’s name was on it. Investigations further confirmed the person who saved and edited the document to be Mr. Omokri. Both screenshots are reproduced here.
Prior to today’s development, Mr. Omokri had already developed a reputation for a pattern of using a variety of identities (aliases and screen names) on the Internet to attack and smear the names of perceived enemies of Mr. Jonathan.
Analysts say that, even if Mr. Omokri was acting alone, the fact that he is officially a Special Assistant to the President implicates the Presidency in his callous effort to exploit a shocking tragedy in order to smear the former CBN Governor. The unmasking of Mr. Omokri as the author and mastermind of the grave forgery is likely to dent the Presidency as it sends the message that Mr. Jonathan may secretly encourage the very dirty tactics to which he publicly objects.