CKN International: October 2013

Thursday, October 31, 2013

16 Years Old Boy Kidnapped And Killed In Mozambique

Mozambicans have been outraged at the government's failure to end kidnappings for ransom after a child was murdered by his abductors.

A rights group has called for the interior minister to resign after about 10 abductions in the past eight days.

Kidnappers have demanded ransoms of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Six people, including a presidential guard, were sentenced to 16 years in prison on Monday for their involvement in abductions.

Hundreds of protesters in Kenya have handed over a petition to police demanding justice for a teenager who was gang-raped.

The 16-year-old was gang-raped and then thrown in a pit latrine breaking her back.

The three men accused of gang-raping her were ordered by police to cut grass as punishment.

The petition signed by 1.2 million people calls for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the alleged rapists.

Tunisian security forces on Wednesday arrested five Salafist "terrorists" with links to two failed attacks in coastal resort towns, the first suicide bids in the country for more than a decade.

The presidency insisted the attacks, which have yet to be claimed, would not "derail" the country's democratic transition.

The suicide bomber struck early on Wednesday at the four-star Riadh Palms hotel, in the resort town of Sousse, a popular tourist destination 140km south of Tunis.

Video footage showing a boy being stabbed to death at a KwaZulu-Natal school has gone viral, it was reported on Wednesday.

The footage shows 18-year-old Bongani Nkabinde in a fight with several other pupils at a school in northern KwaZulu-Natal, Eyewitness News reported.

The footage was obtained by the Daily Sun.

The incident happened on Monday and seven youngsters have been arrested.

Police said a number of weapons had been found at the scene including knobkerries and sticks.

A number of violent incidents at school across the country have been reported recently including in Cape Town, Johannesburg and the Eastern Cape.

- News24

DRC Army Captures Last Stronghold Of M23 Rebels

Democratic Republic of Congo troops on Wednesday captured the last stronghold of M23 rebels in the troubled east of the country, raising hopes of a return to the negotiating table.

Bunagana, the rebels' main base located in the lush green hills near the border with Uganda, "is completely under our control", government spokesperson Lambert Mende told AFP, adding that the final battle for the town had begun early in the morning.

The rebels either fled into the mountains or crossed into neighbouring Uganda after the rout, Mende said.

Putin Overtakes Obama As World's Most Powerful Man..Forbes

Who’s more powerful: the autocratic leader of a former superpower or the handcuffed commander in chief of the most dominant country in the world? This year the votes for the World’s Most Powerful went to Russian President Vladimir Putin. He climbs one spot ahead of U.S. President Barack Obama, who held the title in 2012.

Government officials have discussed a strategy to detain homosexuals if they are locals - or deport them if they are foreigners - for "disorderly and indecent" behaviour, reports Mmegi newspaper. It seems prostitutes face the same treatment. Uyapo Ndadi, director of Bonela, an NGO which aims to protect the rights of people with Aids, told the daily that "the government continues to introduce unlawful and unconstitutional laws without consulting the people".

Four French hostages kidnapped by al Qaeda's north African arm three years ago in Niger have been released, President Francois Hollande said.

Pierre Legrand, Daniel Larribe, Thierry Dol and Marc Feret were kidnapped by Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in September 2010 while working for French nuclear group Areva and a subsidiary of construction group Vinci in Arlit in Niger.

The official Tunisian news agency says a man has blown himself up in front of a hotel in

a Mediterranean resort town.

The TAP news agency on Wednesday said the man, wearing a belt of explosives, was killed. It was not clear if other people were hurt or killed in the explosion in the town of Sousse, about 150km south of the capital, Tunis.

The family of former Liberian warlord Charles Taylor said on Tuesday that he is being ill-treated in the British jail where he is serving his 50-year war crimes sentence, but Britain dismissed the allegations as "utter nonsense".

Taylor family spokesperson Sando Johnson told a press conference in Liberia's capital Monrovia that prison officers were withholding food and water from the 65-year-old former president, who arrived at a British jail two weeks ago.

The name of the jail has not been revealed.

Zimbabwe's veteran leader President Robert Mugabe has lamented the prevalent "small house" culture among most of his Cabinet members, saying ministers were taking advantage of their wealth to engage in extra marital affairs, according to a report.

Speaking during his niece's wedding in Harare, Mugabe hinted that infidelity was rife among his ministers, said newzimbabwe.com.

Mugabe said the ministers' wealth was causing marital problems, adding that he had at one time asked who among them could say they didn't have a "small house".

He urged the newlyweds to remain faithful to each other, saying a marriage was supposed to have one man and one wife.

- AP

Man Set For Sentencing For Raping,Killing And Cutting Open Lady's Stomach In South Africa

The State will seek a life sentence for Johannes Kana, who was convicted on Tuesday of the rape and murder of Bredasdorp teenager Anene Booysen, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said.

"We will ask for a maximum sentence of life imprisonment," spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said.

The NPA welcomed Kana's conviction on both charges in the Swellendam Circuit Court.

The high-profile trial of a prominent Zambian gay rights activist opened Tuesday with a police officer saying he had instructions to arrest him during a live television programme.

Paul Kasonkomona, 38, was arrested in April and charged with "soliciting for immoral purposes" after arguing for gay rights during the television show.

His arguments were interpreted as promoting homosexuality, which is illegal in the country.

"We were sent to go and apprehend Kasonkomona and we obeyed those instructions," police officer Kalowa Mwanamwale told magistrate Lameck Ngambi.

Kasonkomona pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The hearing was adjourned to 11 November after attempts to play a recording of the television programme in court as part of the evidence failed.

Zambian law has banned same-sex relationships since British colonial rule, and a sodomy conviction carries a 14-year prison sentence. Discrimination against gays and lesbians in the African country is rife.

Train Kill 8 People In Kenya

At least eight people were killed and several others injured Wednesday when a passenger train in Kenya's capital smashed into a bus at a crossing, Red Cross officials said.

The train crashed into the side of the bus, killing at least eight people, Kenya Red Cross said.

An AFP photographer at the scene said the bus was buckled around the front of the train engine.

"The bus crossed the line as the train came at a high speed... several others are in hospital," said Nairobi police chief Benson Kibui.

The accident, in Nairobi's Eastlands district, took place as the roads were crowded with passengers in the morning rush hour.

Several injured have been taken to hospital, some in a critical condition, Kenya's national disaster response centre said.

Monday, October 28, 2013

Swaziland's King Marries 16 Years Girl As 15th Wife

Swaziland's King Mswati III has chosen an 18-year-old beauty pageant contestant as his 15th wife, a palace spokesman said.

"I can confirm that the king has introduced to the nation a new liphovela (royal fiancée)," said Ludzidzini palace governor Timothy Mtetwa.

Mswati, a 45-year-old who is sub-Saharan Africa's last absolute monarch, introduced Sindiswa Dlamini at a Reed Dance celebration over the weekend, Mtetwa told AFP.

She wore red feathers on her head -- a sign of royalty.

The young woman graduated from Mbabane's St. Francis High School last year and is a finalist in the Miss Cultural Heritage beauty pageant. The winner will be announced on September 28.

The doctor convicted of killing Michael Jackson was released from jail Monday after serving nearly two years of a four-year sentence.

Conrad Murray was released from a downtown Los Angeles jail at 12:01 a.m (today)., according to the sheriff’s office. A change in California law allowed his incarceration time to be significantly cut down.

A South African court began sentencing Monday 20 right-wing extremists convicted of high treason for a plot to kill Nelson Mandela and drive blacks out of the country.

The "Boeremag" organisation had planned a right-wing coup in 2002 to overthrow the post-apartheid government.

International observers have described Madagascar's presidential election as free and transparent, as results slowly come through.

Friday's poll was the first to be held on the island since a coup in 2009.

Preliminary results show that an ally of the ousted leader Marc Ravalomanana has taken an early lead.

Richard Jean-Louis Robinson has about 30% of the votes so far, while his main rival Hery Martial Rakotoarimanana Rajaonarimampianina has just over 15%.

A Prisoner being forcefully injected in SA Prison

Staff at one of South Africa's most dangerous prisons, run by British firm G4S, have been accused of "shocking" abuses and of losing control.

The South African government has temporarily taken over the running of Mangaung prison from G4S and launched an official investigation.

It comes after inmates claimed they had been subjected to electric shocks and forced injections.

G4S says it has seen no evidence of abuse by its employees.

TV Reporter Shot Dead

Mohamed beign treated

A Somali television journalist who was seriously wounded by gunmen in the capital Mogadishu earlier this week has died, relatives and colleagues said Sunday.

The attack Tuesday on Mohamed Mohamud Timacade, a reporter with London-based Somali-language Universal TV, was the latest on journalists in the conflict-wracked country.

Timacade was shot several times in the neck, chest and shoulder when the attackers sprayed his car with bullets.

“My brother died in the Medina hospital last night (Saturday) from the gunshot wounds. We wish him rest in heaven,” Fadumo Abdirahman told AFP.

Extremists from three neighboring countries are fighting in Nigeria's northeastern Islamic uprising, according to an alleged captured extremist whose account reinforces fears that one of Africa's most powerful Islamic militant groups is growing closer to al-Qaida affiliates and that radical movements are spilling across national boundaries.

"We do have members from Chad, Niger and Cameroon who actively participate in most of our attacks," said a young man presented to journalists Friday night by Nigeria's military as a captured fighter of the Boko Haram terrorist network.

David Beckham reportedly crashed into another car as he pulled out of his Beverly Hills home.

The ex-England football captain was allegedly in his black Range Rover Sport with what looked like his son Brooklyn, 14, in the front passenger seat when the collision reportedly occurred at 2.30pm on Friday.

Onlookers say David, 38, pulled out of his driveway and hit an oncoming car being driven by a woman.

A couple has been found dead at home in a suspected murder-suicide after a screaming match over the ending of their long-term relationship.

Simon Hall, 36, is believed to have stabbed Gabrielle Stanley, 28, in a frenzied knife attack after she said she was leaving him.

Police were alerted by a neighbour who heard 'furious rowing' at the couple's home in Doncaster at 10.10pm on Friday.

The German, 26, drove a perfect race to secure his sixth consecutive victory this season and become only the fourth man in history to win

four titles.

Vettel joins legends Juan Manuel Fangio, Alain Prost and Michael Schumacher as a four-time champion.

The victory keeps Vettel on target to equal the all-time record of nine consecutive F1 race wins.

Vettel's Red Bull team also won the Formula 1 constructors' championship for the fourth consecutive year.

A murdered Journalist being buried in Somalia

Police in Somalia have stormed the Mogadishu headquarters of the independent radio station, Shabelle, forcing it off the air.

The authorities said they were taking back possession of the building, which belonged to the government.

The radio station is well known for being critical of senior officials.

The move is the latest in a series of attacks on independent journalists by the government and the Islamist group, al-Shabab, media activists say.

The station had previously been ordered to leave the building.

Kenya Dismiss 16 Immigration Officers Over Westgate Attack

Kenya's interior minister has sacked 15 immigration officers as investigations into the Westgate mall siege continue.

Joseph Ole Lenku said the officials had endangered national security by issuing ID documents to illegal immigrants.

He also said the government would start repatriating Somali refugees to prevent further attacks.

At least 67 people died when militants from the Somali Islamist al-Shabab group attacked the Nairobi shopping centre last month.

A handful of Saudi women have taken to the streets in their cars on a day of collective protest against the ban on female drivers.

Several videos of women driving have been posted online despite official warnings that women who took part risked sanctions.

Some women received warning phone calls from men purporting to be from the interior ministry.

But one woman who took part said she had faced no reprisals.

Sixteen rebels have been hanged in Iran in retaliation for the deaths of at least 14 border guards in an ambush, say Iranian news agencies.

The rebels were "linked to groups hostile to the regime", the attorney general of Sistan-Baluchistan province was quoted as saying.

They were hanged in prison in Zahedan, north-east of Saravan, where the border deaths took place overnight.

It is not clear what link, if any, those hanged had to the border attack.

Ethiopia Bars Citizens From Working Abroad

Ethiopia's government has temporarily banned its citizens from travelling abroad to look for work, the state-run Erta news agency reports.

The foreign ministry was quoted as saying countless Ethiopians had lost their lives or undergone untold physical and psychological trauma because of illegal human trafficking.

The decision was meant to "safeguard the well-being of citizens", it added.

It was a real show of shame recently as a man caught his pregnant wife red handed in bed with her lover..The show of shame which happened somewhere in Lagos was the high point of a surveillance by the aggrieved husband who has been bombarded with the frolicking details of a love affair between the man who is said to be a father of four and his lover girl.

|On the day of the incident, the husband traced the lovers to a hotel where they have converted to their love nest..Armed with a camera, he stormed the place and raised hell until he was taken to the room where his five months pregnant wife was having a hot sex with her lover.

The two couldn't believe their eyes when the man banged on the door which was forced open only to see his wife already spread out and panting from a bout of sex.

The scene was a delight to behold as both continue to plead with the man to tamper justice with mercy.

The two lovers are seen in these pictures (graphic details) which we cannot post for obvious reasons.

Mr Ugly Zimbabwe Emerges

Masvinu once again walked away with the title of the ugliest man in Harare on Friday night at the City Sports Bar, allafrica.com reports.

The competition which pits a group of ‘aesthetically challenged’ men against each other in a contest to he title of ‘Mr Ugly Harare’ was first held in 2011 and although it received a lot of criticism at the time it has since gained more popularity.

Victims of previous Boko Haram insurgence

Nigerian troops killed 74 members of Boko Haram in an air and ground assault, the military said on today,Friday, a further sign of stepped up operations against the Islamist sect.

The offensive on Thursday 24t October 2013 targeted Boko Haram camps in the remote villages of Galangi and Lawanti in northeast Borno state where the militants have their strongest presence.

"The operation, which involved ground and aerial assault supported by the Nigerian Air Force led to the destruction of the identified terrorist camps, killing 74 terrorists while others fled with serious injuries," Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed Dole said in a statement.

Pastor Son Who Killed Himself

Pastor Rick Warren has opened up about his son’s suicide for the first time, telling how he and his wife both had a feeling that he had taken his life.

Matthew Warren suffered from mental illness and constant bouts of depression before shooting himself dead in April at the age of 27.

‘The day that I had feared might happen one day since he'd been born and the day that I had prayed would never happen, happened,’ Pastor Warren said in a tell-all interview with Piers Morgan that aired on Tuesday on CNN.

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Black players might boycott the 2018 World Cup in Russia unless the country tackles racism in football, according to Manchester City's Yaya Toure.

"If we aren't confident at the World Cup, coming to Russia, we don't come," the Ivorian midfielder said.

“If all the players said they are not going, there wouldn't be a World Cup, or if there was it would be meaningless” Piara PowarAnti-racism campaigner

Uefa is investigating Toure's complaint that he was racially abused by some CSKA fans during Wednesday's Champions League game in Moscow.

President Zuma Apologizes For Calling Malawi A Backward Country

The office of the South African president, Jacob Zuma, has apologised for remarks he made about Malawi. On Monday, while discussing plans for toll roads around Johannesburg, President Zuma implied Malawi was a backward country. Malawi has summoned South Africa's High Commissioner to explain the comments. Mr Zuma's spokesman Mac Maharaj apologised and said he was withdrawing them.

Mobutu's Body To Be Returned To Congo ,16 Years After Death

The Democratic Republic of Congo's government will repatriate the body of ex-ruler Mobutu Sese Seko in agreement with his family, President Joseph Kabila has said.

Mr Mobutu is buried in Morocco, where he died in 1997 after being overthrown in a rebellion by Mr Kabila's father.

He was a hated figure among many Congolese, but the country has been hit by instability since he was ousted.

Mr Kabila's gesture is seen as an attempt to promote reconciliation.

Mr Kabila won disputed elections in 2007 and is battling a rebellion in the east of the country.

Allied sons

The president's made the announcement in a rare parliamentary address in which he pledged to create a new unity government.

"This government will include members of the ruling majority as well as the opposition and civil society," he said.

With her kids

With late terrorist hubby and kids

One of the world's most wanted women, a British-born convert to Islamic extremism, lived close to one of Nairobi's major malls in 2011 but likely wasn't carrying out surveillance on it, a Kenyan security official said Wednesday.

Last month Interpol, acting at Kenya's request, issued an arrest notice for 29-year-old fugitive Samantha Lewthwaite, not in connection with the deadly terrorist attack on Nairobi's Westgate Mall but over a 2011 plot to bomb holiday resorts in Kenya.

Lewthwaite—dubbed in the British media as the "white widow" after her extremist husband carried out a suicide attack in London in 2005—was mentioned widely in connection with the Sept. 21 attack on the upscale mall.

But security officials have since said they have no evidence Lewthwaite took part in the four-day siege that killed 67 people.

She managed to escape Kenyan police twice in 2011, once in Nairobi and again in Mombasa.

The family of the late former President of Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN) ,Mustapha Amego who died in the United States of America yesterday from colon cancer has released his burial arrangements.

According to his wife and only daughter ,Marie and Fatemma Amego, his only child and daughter: "The Muslim Rites funeral begins at 2p.m at the Prince George's Muslim Association Hall, 9150 Lanham Severn Road, lanham, MD 20706. Internment follows immediately.

Mustapha who took the Association to the next level when he took over as President has lived in the United States of America for over 15 years.

Britain Finding It Difficult To Deport Notorious Gangster To Nigeria

A gangster who has terrorised residents and businesses in south London could soon be back on the streets after ministers failed to deport him despite four years of trying.

Joland Giwa, whose street name is Dexter and is a self-confessed “general” of Croydon gang Don’t Say Nothing, has been in detention since 2009.

A judge has now given immigration officials three months to get him travel documents and deport him or he must be released.

Lagos,Africa's Beast Of A Mega City (Reuters Report)

A walk along the two kilometers of light rail that Lagos authorities have managed to build in three years gives a sense of how hard it is to impose order on one of Africa's most chaotic cities.

From either side of the concrete structure - no track has yet been laid - the crowded slums and highways of Nigeria's lagoon-side commercial hub teem with activity.

Its trademark yellow buses overtake, undertake and force their way down impossibly narrow side streets, where women stir pots next to canals clogged with rubbish.

With between 15 million and 21 million people - the upper estimate is the official one, though no one really knows - and generating a third of GDP for Africa's second biggest economy, Lagos has become almost as alluring to yield-hungry investors as it is to the 4,000 or so economic migrants who turn up each day.

Violent crime, mushrooming slums, police extortion and widespread fraud have often held investment back, but in the past decade, authorities have started trying to tackle some of the obstacles, especially maddening traffic bottlenecks.

Militants killed two Chadian soldiers and a civilian in northern Mali on Wednesday, military sources told AFP, with Islamist violence escalating in the troubled west African nation.

The ambush follows an urgent request by the United Nations for more troops as its peacekeeping force faces an upsurge in rocket attacks and bombings by militants ahead of nationwide elections.

"Jihadists attacked the positions of the Chadian army in Tessalit with heavy arms and car bombs. Two Chadian troops have been killed. The four suicide bombers were also killed on the spot and a civilian also died," a Malian army source told AFP.

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Monday, October 28, 2013

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Friday, October 25, 2013

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Wednesday, October 23, 2013