We did not seal-up convention venue but providing security – Rivers CP

Food vendors lament loss from abortion of convention BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME PORT HARCOURT : As early as 230 am am armed to the teeth Policemen, men of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps , NSCDC and plain cloth security men took over Sharks stadium, Port Harcourt, venue of the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party. The state Police Commissioner, Mr Francis Odesanya told newsmen that he merely complied with a court order to provide security around the venue, stressing that his men did not seal up the place.”We did not seal up the place, we are only providing security”, he ended. The Commissioner when asked to say the court order he complied with he said he was not in a position to interprete court order. “It is not my duty to interpret court order “, he added. He said further enquiries on development around the venue of the place should be made to the Force spokesman in Abuja or the spokesman of the Rivers State Police command Police patrol vehicles were used to block all roads leading to the stadium. Vehicles were politely told to make u turns away from all roads leading to the stadium. Workers forced to trek distance Workers around Moscow, Hospital and adjourning roads leading to the stadium were forced to trek long distance to their offices. “A lady who works on Moscow road said it was unfortunate that she could be subjected to the stress she went through to get to her office “, Food vendors lament impact of abortion of the convention Some of the food vendors who bought spaces around the Sharks stadium lamented their lose. They told the Vanguard that they acquired spaces for seven thousand naira each for their business.” “I sell food. I came out to sell food in this rented space I paid seven thousand. Now I can I can’t get the patronage I wanted.”, a lady food vendor said, Convention may hold There were speculations that the convention may still hold. At press time governors and other leaders of the party were in Government House, Port Harcourt

Houthi shelling kills civilians in Saudi border city

Houthi shelling kills civilians in Saudi border city

Projectiles land in industrial area of Najran city, killing four Saudi citizens and three expatriate workers.

Four Saudi citizens and three expatriate workers were among the dead [File: Hasan Jamali/AP]

Projectiles fired by Yemen's Houthi rebels have killed seven civilians in the southern Saudi city of Najran, Saudi state television has reported.

The Houthis targeted a crowd on Tuesday at an industrial area of Najran, close to the Yemeni border, Ekhbariya television channel said.

Four Saudi citizens and three expatriate workers were among the dead, it said.

An Arab military coalition, led by Saudi Arabia, has been conducting air strikes on Houthi positions in Yemen since March 2015 in support of the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

The coalition stepped up the raids this month after UN-mediated peace talks between the rebels and the internationally backed government were suspended.

On Tuesday, the coalition launched an investigation after international condemnation of an air raid that Doctors Without Borders (MSF) saidkilled 14 people at a hospital in Yemen.

Another 24 people were wounded in the strike that hit the hospital on Monday in Abs in the rebel-held northern province of Hajja, the Paris-based aid agency said.

An MSF staffer was among the dead, it said, naming him as Abdul Kareem al-Hakeemi.

A team from coalition "has seen the UN Secretary General's call for an investigation" into MSF's claim and is initiating a probe, said the group known as the Joint Incidents Assessment Team.

"This investigation will be independent and will follow international standards. The JIAT will make the results of its investigation public," it said.

Syria's civil war: Russian jets bomb rebels from Iran

Syria's civil war: Russian jets bomb rebels from Iran

The fighter jets took off from western Iran and conducted air strikes in Aleppo, Idlib and Deir el-Zor provinces.

Russian jets based in Iran on Tuesday struck targets inside Syria, the Russian defence ministry said, after Moscow deployed aircraft to an Iranian air force base to widen its campaign in Syria.

The ministry said the strikes, by Tupolev-22M3 long-range bombers and Sukhoi-34 fighter bombers, were launched from the Hamadan airbase in western Iran.

It is thought to be the first time Russia has struck targets inside Syria from Iran since it launched a bombing campaign to support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in September last year.

The ministry said the strikes had targeted the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) and fighters affiliated with the group previously known as the al-Nusra Front in the Aleppo, Idlib and Deir el-Zor provinces.

OPINION: Rojava - A libertarian myth under scrutiny

Both groups have been designated as "terrorists" by the United Nations. Last month, al-Nusra Front changed its name to Jabhat Fateh al-Sham and said it had severed a relationship with al-Qaeda. 

The United States said it was still assessing the extent of Russian-Iranian cooperation but described the new development as "unfortunate".

State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the US was looking into whether the move violated UN Security Council resolution 2231, which prohibits the supply, sale and transfer of combat aircraft to Iran.

"It's unfortunate but not surprising," Toner told reporters. "It speaks to a continuation of a pattern we've seen of Russia continuing to carry out air strikes, now with Iran's direct assistance, ... that predominantly target moderate Syrian opposition forces."

'A sizeable military presence'

Earlier on Tuesday, Russia's state-backed Rossiya 24 channel said the deployment would allow the Russian air force to cut flight times by 60 percent and increase bombing payloads.

Russian media said the Tupolev-22M3 bombers, which had already conducted many strikes on fighters in Syria from southern Russia, were too large to be accommodated at Russia's airbase inside Syria.

The Tupolev-22M3 is "a fairly large, supersonic, long-range, strategic bomber. It needs a bigger air field than Russia already has in Syria. The previous sorties that this plane has been on have been flown from an airfield in southern Russia, but the problem with that is that it’s 2,000km away from the targets that its striking in Syria. This airfield in Iran is only 900km away," Al Jazeera’s Rory Challands, reporting from Moscow, said.

"The advantage in reducing flight-time, costs, and what the Russians say is the effectiveness of the strikes, makes this a pretty clear tactical decision to make."

WATCH: Witness - Syria's White Helmets

The Iranian airbase near Hamadan, sometimes also called Hamedan, is located in north-west Iran and the Russian bombers would have to over fly Iraq to conduct strikes in Syria.

Russian military analyst Pavel Felgenhauer called Moscow's transfer of heavy bomber planes to Iran a "major move". 

"It’s not just Russian planes touching down in Iran. To establish an operational base, they’d have to move hundreds of servicemen as well. Thousands of tonnes of munitions, fuel, [and] other equipment to operate heavy bombers from an Iranian base. So this is actually Russia establishing a rather sizeable military presence inside Iran," he told Al Jazeera from Moscow.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on Tuesday that Iraq, which lies between Iran and Syria, had granted Russia permission to use its air space, on the condition the planes use corridors along Iraq's borders and refrain from flying over Iraqi cities.

Abadi told a press conference the same permission has been given to air forces of a separate U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State flying to Syria from Kuwait.

Russia also gave advance notice to the U.S.-led coalition battling Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, complying with the terms of a safety agreement meant to avoid an accidental clash in the skies, said U.S. 
Army Colonel Christopher Garver, a Baghdad-based spokesman for the U.S-led coalition.

Incendiary weapons

Separately on Tuesday, the New York-based Human Rights Watch accused Syrian government forces and their Russian allies of using incendiary weapons, which burn their victims and start fires, in rebel-held civilian areas of north and north-western Syria. 

"Incendiary weapons have been used at least 18 times over the past six weeks, including attacks on the opposition-held areas in the cities of Aleppo and Idlib on August 7, 2016," the rights group said.

Photographs and videos recorded by Human Rights Watch at the time of the attacks indicated there were incendiary weapon attacks on opposition-held areas in the Aleppo and Idlib provinces between June 5 and August 10.

"Countries meeting at the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) in Geneva on August 29 should condemn the use of air-dropped incendiary weapons ... and press Syria and Russia to immediately stop using incendiary weapons in civilian areas," HRW said.

Fighting in Aleppo intensified in early July when government forces captured the last supply route to the rebel-held eastern sector of the city, raising fears that its estimated 250,000 to 300,000 remaining residents could suffer a lengthy siege.

Man in US killed in suspected 'anti-Muslim hate crime'

Man in US killed in suspected 'anti-Muslim hate crime'

Neighbour shoots dead Lebanese-American man after years of alleged violence and racial slurs against Arab family.

Jillian Kestler-D'Amours & Zena Tahhan

Anti-Muslim hate crimes have risen alongside anti-Muslim rhetoric [Courtesy of the Jabara family]

Arab communities in the United States are in shock after a Lebanese-American man was shot and killed by a neighbour who had allegedly used violence and racial slurs against the family for years.

Khalid Jabara, 37, was shot and killed on his front porch in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Friday.

The family's neighbour, 61-year-old Stanley Vernon Majors, was arrested and he is expected to be charged with first-degree murder later this week, Tulsa police said in a press release.

"My family lived in fear of this man and his hatred for years," read a family statement shared online by Jabara's sister, Victoria Jabara Williams, on Monday.

Majors was awaiting trial for aggravated assault after allegedly hitting Jabara's mother, Haifa, with his car last September, which caused her numerous injuries. He was released on bond in May.

"Only 30 minutes prior to my brother's shooting, Khalid called the police stating this man had a gun and that he was scared for what might happen. The police came and told him there was nothing to be done," the family’s statement said.

The family said Majors repeatedly used anti-Arab slurs against them, including calling them "dirty Arabs", "filthy Lebanese", "Aye-rabs", and "Mooslems".

A spokesperson for the Tulsa police department told Al Jazeera it was too early in the investigation to say whether Majors will be charged with a hate crime.

Police confirmed in a statement that officers had responded to a call from Jabara the evening he was killed. "Officers arrived at the location and were unable to locate any criminal activity. Officers then left the scene," the police said.

Tulsa police also confirmed that Jabara's mother had a protective order out against Majors, which ordered him to stay away from her and her home, and that he had "a criminal history" with his neighbours.

"Today, in our pain, we are also keenly aware that this is not just another murder to be added to crime statistics. Our brother's death could have been prevented. This man was a known danger," the family’s statement read.

'Not the first time'

Veronica Laizure, civil rights director at the Council on American-Islamic Relations' (CAIR) Oklahoma chapter, said the shooting was probably motivated by anti-Arab bigotry and it is indicative of a larger problem of anti-Arab xenophobia in the United States.

"This isn't even the first time that anti-Muslim sentiment has resulted in this kind of tragic loss of life," Laizure told Al Jazeera on Tuesday.

"A year and a half ago, there were three young Muslims who were brutally murdered by their own neighbour after a series of incidents where their neighbour said similar hateful things about what he perceived to be their religion and their ethnicity."

In February 2015, Deah Shaddy Barakat, 23, his wife, Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha, 21, and her sister, Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, 19, were shot and killed in their home near the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Over the weekend, an imam and his friend were shot and killed in broad daylight in New York City as they left a  mosque after mid-afternoon prayers.

Anti-Muslim hate crimes have also risen alongside anti-Muslim rhetoric linked to the US presidential election campaign, according to a recent report put out by The Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University.

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has advocated a ban on all Muslims entering the country, for instance.

'Rising Islamophobia'

Last year, 174 instances of anti-Muslim violence were reported across the US, signaling that "the 2016 US presidential season began against a backdrop of already rising Islamophobia", the report found.

Laizure said the Jabara case raised serious questions about how someone like Majors "was able to continue to harass and threaten" the family and others in the neighbourhood.

Meanwhile, she said CAIR-Oklahoma was respecting the family's request for privacy and was working to mobilise community groups to support them at this difficult time.

An online fundraiser, launched on Monday in support of the Jabaras, had raised $2,500 by midday on Tuesday.
The family, meanwhile, said their "world was shattered" when Khalid was killed.

"He was a kind spirit, loving brother, uncle and son. Khalid's heart was big. He cared for our entire family, our friends and people he didn't even know. He created every Jabara family joke and filled our lives with love and laughter," the family’s statement reads.

"All of that has been taken away from us by this hateful man and a system that failed to protect our community."

wounded as at least half a million protest against alleged government corruption.

wounded as at least half a million protest against alleged government corruption.

Opposition says 700,000 people joined the rally, 200,000 more than the number given by security forces [AFP]

A man has been shot dead by police at an anti-government rally in Guinea's capital, according to officials, as more than half a million people protested against alleged state corruption.

At least 12 others were injured in Tuesday's demonstration in Conakry, and six were taken for questioning, government officials told the AFP news agency

Opposition leader Cellou Dalein Diallo said 700,000 people had joined a 15km procession from the suburbs to the 28 Septembre stadium in the west African nation's capital.   

Security forces said the number was closer to 500,000, according to AFP.

The dead man, named as Thierno Hamidou Diallo, 21, was shot in the chest by a police officer "as he was sitting on the balcony of his apartment" in the suburb of Bambeto, his brother Mamadou Dian Diallo said.

Security Minister Abdoul Kabele Camara said that violence had broken out in late afternoon, leading to a police intervention in which "gunshots caused one serious injury and one fatality".  

The police captain suspected of firing the shots had been identified and questioned, the minister said.

READ MORE: Deadly clashes flare ahead of Guinea election

The government of President Alpha Conde, who was re-elected last year, is blamed for mishandling the massive Simandou iron ore project in the south of the country managed by British-Australian firm Rio Tinto.

Inside Story - Can an election help Guinea's democracy?

Officials said in July that the challenges of getting the project off the ground during a global iron ore glut were considerable, but they would "do everything" to ensure it went on-stream.

Guinea's constitutional court in November 2015 formally confirmed Conde's re-election, dismissing opposition claims of vote-rigging and fraud.

It was only the second democratic presidential poll since Guinea gained independence from France in 1958.

In addition to focusing on the economy, rights campaigners have urged Conde to use his second term to intensify the fight against impunity, strengthen the judiciary and promote equal respect for the rights of all Guineans.

Despite the country being rich in minerals, most of the population in Guinea live in poverty and survive on less than one euro ($1.08) a day, according to the UN.

Malaysia says oil tanker 'not hijacked

Malaysia says oil tanker 'not hijacked'

Malaysian authorities say ship carrying 900,000 litres of diesel has not been hijacked as earlier reported.

A Malaysian oil tanker which was earlier reported to have been hijacked as it sailed into Indonesian waters has been 'taken' due to a commercial dispute, Malaysian authorities have said.

A spokesman for the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) said on Wednesday that the ship, Vier Harmoni, which is carrying 900,000 litres of diesel, had been taken due to a disagreement between the ship's management and the crew.

Al Jazeera's Step Vaessen, reporting from the Indonesian capital Jakarta, said the captain and crew were believed to have no intention of selling the oil.

"Malaysian and Indonesian authorities are not calling this a hijacking or an act of piracy, they're calling this an internal dispute.

"The Indonesian crew on the Indonesian boat took the tanker - full of oil - back to Indonesia after not being paid for well over a month. It was a Malaysian company that chartered the boat but it's a dispute between the Indonesian owner and the Indonesian crew," she said.

Vaessen said the tanker was near the Indonesian island of Batam and the crew had "no intention of selling the oil."

The ship had sailed from the Tanjung Pelepas port, in Malaysia, on Monday.

In June last year, pirates hijacked the Orkim Victory, a Malaysian tanker, and pumped the oil from it into another tanker before releasing it.

Libyan forces retake central Sirte district from ISIL

NEWSLIBYA4 HOURS AGO

Libyan forces retake central Sirte district from ISIL

Soldiers advance on "District One", the city's last area held by ISIL, after capturing key neighbourhood, military says.

Libyan forces say they are closing in on 'District One', ISIL's last remaining stronghold in Sirte [Reuters]

Forces loyal to Libya's internationally backed government say they are close to retaking Sirte from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group after capturing a key neighbourhood in the heart of the coastal city.

The fighters, mainly from the nearby city of Misrata, said they were advancing on ISIL-held "District One", after seizing "District Two" on Tuesday.

Can US air strikes push ISIL out of Libya?

"District Two has been liberated," Reda Issa, a spokesman for the pro-government forces, told the Reuters news agency.

"The neighbourhood is now completely under control of our forces," he said, adding that his side had overcome fierce opposition from ISIL snipers and car bombs.

The advance came a day after loyalists cleared and demined areas captured in earlier clashes.

ISIL, also known as ISIS, seized control of Sirte, the birth place of Libya's overthrown leader Muammar Gaddafi, last year and controlled about 250km of the country's Mediterranean coastline before forces aligned to the nascent, UN-brokered Government of National Accord (GNA) began operations against it in May.

 

READ MORE: How serious is the ISIL threat in Libya?

Since August 1, their progress has been aided by US air strikes on ISIL vehicles, weapons and fighting positions.

US President Barack Obama said it was "in America's national security interest" to help the pro-government forces "finish the job" of ousting ISIL from Sirte.

The internationally backed government's forces and those of a rival authority in the east are currently engaged in a race to be the first to drive ISIL out of the city. 

But some analysts believe this could jeopardise efforts to defeat the armed group.

Libya has suffered from chaos since the 2011 overthrow of Gaddafi, with numerous revolutionary militias formed along regional and ideological lines vying for power.

Australia to close Manus Island refugee prison camp
While Australia has agreed to shut the Manus centre, it is unknown where the 800 refugees in it will ultimately end.


Austalia's offshore prison camps for asylum seekers are rife with allegations of abuse and neglect [Reuters]
Australia and Papua New Guinea have agreed to close a controversial Australian-funded prison camp for asylum seekers on Manus Island, although the ultimate fate of 800 refugees held in the camp remains unclear.

Under Australian law, anyone intercepted trying to reach the country by boat is sent for processing to detention centres on Manus Island, off Papua New Guinea (PNG), or the Pacific island of Nauru.

They are never eligible to be resettled in Australia.

"Both Papua New Guinea and Australia are in agreement that the centre is to be closed," Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said in a statement on Wednesday, following a meeting with Peter Dutton, Australia's immigration minister.

"A series of options are being advanced and implemented. It is important that this process is not rushed out but carried out in a careful manner."

There was no mention of a closing date.

Some asylum seekers have spent years in the camps, which have been criticised by the United Nations and human rights groups, with numerous reports of abuse and self-harm amongst detainees, including children.

Some in PNG are unhappy with the prospect of hundreds of asylum seekers being resettled into their country, and there have been reports of asylum seekers being attacked by locals.
  Australia says the policy is needed to stop asylum seekers dying at sea on the dangerous boat journey from Indonesia to Australia. Hundreds of people died attempting the trip in the years before the policy was put in place.

Following his meeting with the PNG leader, Dutton reiterated Australia's position that it would not accept any of the refugees detained in Manus.

"It has been the longstanding position of this government to work with PNG to close Manus and support those people as they transition into PNG or return to their country of origin," Dutton said in a statement.


Leaked Nauru report highlights ‘appalling’ refugee conditions
"Our position, confirmed again today with PNG, is that no one from Manus Island Regional Processing Centre will ever be settled in Australia."

Reports of abuse

The announcement came after a newspaper published leaked documents detailing more than 2,000 incidents of sexual abuse, assault and attempted self-harm, reported over two years at the Nauru detention centre.

The harsh conditions and reports of systemic child abuse at the camps have drawn wide criticism at home and abroad.

"In April, there was a court ruling in Papua New Guinea saying that the prison camp was unconstitutional, and Papua New Guinea has made it clear that they have wanted that camp to close," Al Jazeera's Andrew Thomas, reporting from Sydney, said.

"But this is the first time that Australia has suggested that it's signed up to that as well."

A spokesperson for the Australian minister of immigration told our correspondent that the announcement "was not a big development", but "merely another step along the road toward the ultimate closure of the prison on Manus Island".

“There is a feeling here that there is momentum to get these prisons in other countries closed," Thomas said.

The move to close the prison camp was immediately welcomed by refugee advocates.

"Nearly a thousand men on Manus have already lost three or more years of their lives locked up in limbo for no good reason," Elaine Pearson, Australia Director for Human Rights Watch, said in a statement.

"They've endured dirty, cramped conditions, inadequate medical care and violence. Finally, it is time to let them move on with their lives in safety and dignity."

Protests

Protesters in Australia on Wednesday interrupted a speech by Prime Minister Maclom Turnbull demanding the closure of offshore prison camps.

Numerous protesters in the audience shouted "shame on you" and "shut down Manus and Nauru", before they were escorted out of the event by security.

“That disruption… it was a relatively low number of people involved, but the platform, managing to interrupt the Prime Minister’s major speech on economic affairs, really does show what a big issue this is becoming,” said Al Jazeera’s Thomas.

The Prime Minister had been expected to make a major economic address on Wednesday to members of the Committee for Economic Development of Australia.

The protesters, from a group called Whistleblowers Activsts Citizens Alliance (WACA), said the disruption was aimed at shaming Turnbull over his offshore detention policies.

“We have known for years that we are torturing, abusing and indefinitely detaining people on Manus Island and Nauru,” spokeswoman Sam Castro told Australia’s state-owned public broadcaster ABC.

“It is not good enough for the Immigration Minister to brush it all under the carpet and say ‘there is nothing to see here’ … I think it is appropriate for our Parliament to investigate these matters.”

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Deaths in Kashmir clashes on Indian Independence Day

Deaths in Kashmir clashes on Indian Independence Day

Several people killed and wounded in separate clashes between protesters and security forces in disputed region.

More than 50 civilians have been killed in clashes, the region's worst violence since 2010 [EPA]

Several people, including a teenage boy, have been killed in Indian-administered Kashmir in fierce gun battles between protesters and security forces in the disputed region.

The latest bloodshed came as India celebrated its independence day on Monday. 

A 16-year-old protester was shot dead late on Monday following clashes between Indian troops and protesters in Batmaloo area of the main city of Srinagar, hours after two suspected separatist fighters were also killed in a brief shoot-out a few miles away.

Kashmir protesters defy month-long curfew

"The teenager was brought dead to the hospital. He was hit by a bullet," Kaiser Ahmad, a doctor at Srinagar's main hospital, told AFP news agency.

Authorities have imposed a curfew in large parts of Kashmir, India's only Muslim-majority state, since July 9 during a surge in violence prompted by the killing of a top separatist commander a day earlier.

In a separate incident on Monday, doctors at another Srinagar hospital said a young protester had died of his wounds, days after being hit by a bullet, according to AFP.

A paramilitary police commander also died in hospital after being critically wounded earlier on Monday in an ambush in Srinagar's Nowhatta locality. 

"We have lost a commanding officer. Two militants were also killed in the ensuing gunfight," Atul Karwal, an officer of India's Central Reserve Police Force, told AFP.

Nine others were wounded after coming under fire during a patrol, including two local policemen who were in a critical condition, he added.

Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the end of British colonial rule in August 1947, but both claim the territory in full. Several rebel groups have been fighting Indian authorities as they seek either independence or a merger with Pakistan.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi took aim at supporters of "terrorism" in his Independence Day speech on Monday, ratcheting up criticism of Pakistan while avoiding direct mention of the month-long protests in Indian-ruled Kashmir that has seen more than 50 people killed and several thousand wounded in clashes with security forces.

Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain talked about India-administered Kashmir in a speech to mark his own country's independence from British rule on Sunday.

India claims Pakistan has been supporting a violent, secessionist movement in Kashmir. Islamabad denies the charge, calling Kashmiri rebels "freedom fighters".

Indian Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti has blamed the India for the current crisis in Kashmir [EPA]

The state's first woman chief minister Mehbooba Mufti called on India and Pakistan to make the Line of Control - the de facto border between India and Pakistan - in Kashmir's northern Uri sector "irrelevant" to bring peace in the region.

In a speech at a sports stadium in Srinagar on Monday, Mufti also blamed the Indian leadership for the current crisis in Kashmir, and also appealed to protesting youths to return to their schools and colleges.

On Monday, Pakistan delivered a letter to the Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale in Islamabad, inviting India for discussions to resolve the Kashmir issue "in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions", according to a statement by Nafees Zakaria, Pakistan's foreign ministry spokesman.

More than 50,000 people have been killed in India-administered Kashmir since fighting peaked in the late 1980s.

Eid al-Adha 2016 date is expected to be on September 11

This year, the holiest Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha is expected to begin on Sunday, September 11.
Muslim pilgrims as they circumvent around the Kaaba in the 2015 Hajj pilgrimage [EPA]
FAST FACTS

Eid al-Adha literally means "feast of the sacrifice"
Expected either on September 11 or 12
To be confirmed on September 1 with Hajj dates
The Eid al-Adha is Islam's holiest festival celebrated annually around the world and an official holiday in Muslim-majority countries.

Eid al-Adha 2016 is expected to begin on Sunday, September 11. Authorities in Saudi Arabia will confirm the actual dates of the Muslim festival and the Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca on September 1 based on the sighting of the moon.

If a new moon is sighted on September 1, then the first day of Eid al-Adha will be celebrated from September 11. But if the moon is not visible on the month's first day, then the festival will be celebrated on Monday, September 12.

In the Islamic calendar, Eid al-Adha occurs on the 10th day of the Dhu al-?ijjah lunar month, and is also the third day of the Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca.

In the United States, the Fiqh Council of North America has said it will follow the Eid date announced by the authorities in Mecca, and so will the European Council of Fatwa and Research.

Holiday tradition

For Muslims, Eid al-Adha commemorates the day when prophet Abraham was going to sacrifice his son but was instructed by God to offer an animal instead. Eid al-Adha in Arabic literally means "festival of the sacrifice".

Traditionally, the festival lasts for four days but public holidays vary from country to country.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim announced that Turkey will observe a nine-day public holiday for Eid, known in Turkey as Qurban Bayram, from Saturday, September 10 until Sunday, September 19.

As in Eid al-Fitr 2016, the UAE, Kuwait and Bangladesh are also likely to observe a nine-day public holiday over the same dates as Turkey.

In the Philippines, Eidul Adha has also been a public holiday since 2002.

Source: Al Jazeera

Washington transfers 15 Guantanamo prisoners to UAE

The move marks the largest single transfer of Guantanamo prisoners under Obama's government.
There are now 61 prisoners left at the US-run jail [JOHN RILEY/EPA]There are now 61 prisoners left at the US-run jail [JOHN RILEY/EPA]
Fifteen Guantanamo Bay prisoners have been transferred to the United Arab Emirates in the biggest such release for years.


Inside Story - Guantanamo: Will it ever close?
The Pentagon said on Monday that the transfer of 12 Yemenis and three Afghans brought the total number of prisoners left in the US military-run jail in Cuba down to 61.

"The United States is grateful to the government of the United Arab Emirates for its humanitarian gesture and willingness to support ongoing US efforts to close Guantanamo," the Pentagon said in a statement.

Since the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York, about 780 inmates have been kept at Guantanamo.    

Once freed, former prisoners are usually subject to supervision and what are called rehabilitation programs.

Amnesty International USA, a rights group, welcomed the announcement as a sign US President Barack Obama was serious about closing the controversial jail before he leaves office.

"It's a significant repudiation of the idea that Guantanamo is going to be open for business for the indefinite future," Naureen Shah, Amnesty International USA's security and human rights program director, told the AFP news agency.

US accelerates releases

One of those transferred was an Afghan called Obaidullah, who was allegedly to have planted land mines in 2001. He was held for 14 years without trial.                  

Obama wants to close the facility before he leaves office at the start of next year but has been continually opposed by Republican lawmakers.    

Still, the US has in recent months accelerated the rate at which prisoners who have been approved for transfer are released from the jail.    

READ MORE: Guantanamo: The last-chance hearings

"We expect every single one of them to be released before [Obama] is out of office," Shelby Sullivan-Bennis, a lawyer at Reprieve US who represents Mohsen Aboassy, one of the released prisoners told Al Jazeera.

"The processes that the administration is putting in place are rapidly happening over the next five months or so before the administration moves out. We are happy to say that we expect all of them to be transferred out."

When Obama took office there were 242 detainees at Guantanamo. Monday's announcement means 19 inmates remain who have already been cleared for transfer.

Donald Trump's vow

November's presidential election will likely help determine the future of the prison, as Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has vowed to fill Guantanamo with "bad dudes" should he win the White House.

Trump has said he would "bring back a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding," referring to a method of torture banned by the US government in 2007.    

US election 2016: What's next for Donald Trump?
The former property mogul and present Republican nominee has had a rough month, but the race for the White House is far from over. Three major challenges still lie ahead.
Three major challenges lie ahead for Trump in the race for the White House [EPA]
by
Patty Culhane
White House Correspondent

To say the 2016 race for President of the United States has been unusual would be a massive understatement. Very few people in Washington or in capitals around the world thought that businessman Donald Trump would actually be the Republican candidate. Now he is and it seems likely he could continue to turn conventional wisdom on its head.

Trump has had a very bad couple of weeks. He is sinking in the polls and the establishment has been abandoning him in ways that have never been seen before in American politics. Fifty of the most respected Republicans in the fields of National Security and Intelligence turned their back on the presidential candidate for their own party. They said that if elected he would be “the most reckless president in the history of the country.”

There are several media reports that the candidate and campaign are falling apart. So now the question is – what’s next?

There are a couple of ways this could play out over the coming weeks and months.

The Debates
Trump has three big chances to turn the polls around in the upcoming presidential debates, which will be watched by tens of millions of Americans. But the format of the debates seems to hit his weaknesses as a candidate. He is very good at firing up a crowd with his off the cuff remarks, but you just can’t do that in debates - the format doesn’t really allow for it.

In the presidential debates, knowledge of the intricacies of issues both foreign and domestic is necessary.

Trump has bragged about the fact that he doesn’t think he needs to study or consult experts so it seems unlikely he is going to focus much on studying up.

He has given several indications that he might skip the debates all together. So far he has complained about the schedule and indicated that he won’t appear unless he agrees to the choice of moderator for each debate. He has been very clear on his hatred of the media and his belief that they are not treating him fairly. All of which could be seen as him telegraphing his “out”.

The Exit
We are starting to see signs that the Republican Party establishment could abandon its candidate and focus all resources on trying to keep control of both chambers of Congress.

The right-leaning Wall Street Journal has even put a day on it, saying that Trump has until September 5 to start acting “presidential”, and if he doesn’t, the party should stop all of its support. This move could give Trump an excuse to quit. He has already been complaining openly about a “rigged system”. He has said that if he loses it will be because Clinton “stole” the election.

Trump has repeatedly addressed about how humiliating it would be to lose to Clinton. "Can you imagine that?” he asked the audience at a rally last week.

I recently interviewed Michael D'Antonio, a Pulitzer-prize winning author who wrote a book about Trump and his "pursuit of success". According to D'Antonio, the thing that Trump fears most in life is humiliation. If Trump believes that he will be humiliated on Election Day, he could decide it would be better to quit before the first votes are cast, while blaming a “rigged” system that would keep him from winning.

The Party
If Trump doesn’t quit, the Republican National Committee could try to force him off the ticket. The committee's rules give it a way to do that, but it seems unlikely that it would take such a drastic step.

If Trump leaves on his own, the party could hold a kind of convention on Skype to pick a new nominee, although it is quickly running out of time for that option. In many states, the dates have passed and it is no longer possible to change the name of the chosen candidate. In manyIn many states, the dates have passed and it is no longer possible to change the name of the chosen candidate. In many cases, the courts would have to decide if a vote for Trump could be transferred to “Candidate B”.

There have been several reports that Trump has promised his advisers that he is going to change and get on message. He did use a teleprompter at Monday’s foreign policy speech and he seemed to refrain from going off script.

And although he has changed his tone, his policies remain the same. We will see in the coming weeks if that is enough to turn the tide of public opinion in Trump’s favour. If it isn’t, the biggest surprises of the 2016 Presidential race could still be yet to come.

Man charged with shooting dead US Imam and  friend

Police charge Oscar Morel with double murder as Muslim community demands killings be treated as a hate crime.

A New York man has been charged with the double murder of a Imam and his friend, in a brutal daylight slaying that has shocked Muslim communities across the US.

Police said late on Monday that Oscar Morel, 35, was charged with two counts of second-degree murder over the deaths of Imam Maulama Akonjee, 55, and Thara Uddin, 64, just hours after thousands of mourners gathered for the funeral of the two men.

We blame Donald Trump for this. Trump and his drama has created Islamophobia

Khairul Islam, New York resident
A police spokesman said Morel was also charged with two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He did not disclose any possible motive for the killings at the briefing.

Police earlier said 'hate crime' was being investigated as a possible motive.

Both Akonjee and Uddin were wearing religious clothing when they were shot in the head on Saturday after leaving the Al-Furqan Jame Mosque in the Queens area after mid-afternoon prayers.

"We believe because of the evidence we have acquired thus far that ... this is the individual," Robert Boyce, a New York City Chief Detective was quoted by the Reuters news agency as saying.

'Muslim Lives Matter'

Huge crowds lined the streets earlier on Monday as the bodies of Akonjee, a father-of-four, and Uddin were carried aloft during a procession.

Thousands of people marched in protest after the funeral - holding placards reading: "Muslim Lives Matter."

"We pray here five times a day, we are scared, we need protection," one mourner told Al Jazeera. "He was dressed like a Muslim, this was a hate crime."

Mayor Bill de Blasio, addressing the funeral, blamed hate and division for the murders and promised to step up protection at Mosques and other parts of the city with big Muslim populations.

"There are voices all over this country who are spewing hate, trying to create division and turn one American against another ... we're not going to listen to those voices that try to divide us," de Blasio said.

Khairul Islam, a local resident, singled out Donald Trump for blame saying the Republican presidential nominee had incited hatred and fear of Muslims.

"We blame Donald Trump for this. Trump and his drama has created Islamophobia," he was quoted by local newspaper the Daily News as saying.

Trump has been criticised for several statements his opponents say are Islamophobic, and he has previously called for a ban on Muslims entering the United States.

Source: Al Jazeera and agencies

United States
Islam

Trump to form committee 'on radical Islam' if president

     Republican candidate for US president vows to institute "extreme vetting" of immigrants.

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has said he will introduce "extreme vetting" of immigrants and set up a new "commission on radical Islam" if he wins the US election in November.

In a foreign policy speech on Monday, the billionaire businessman said the goal of the new commission would be to "expose" networks within the US "that support radicalisation".

As president, Trump said, he would ask the state department and department of homeland security to identify regions of the world that remain hostile to the US, and where screening might not be sufficient to catch those who pose a threat.

   [http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/08/trump-form-committee-radical-islam-president-160815193503383.html] [Trump to form committee 'on radical Islam' if president - News from Al Jazeera] is good,have a look at it![http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/08/trump-form-committee-radical-islam-president-160815193503383.html] [Trump to form committee 'on radical Islam' if president - News from Al Jazeera] is good,have a look at it!

Rio 2016: A marriage proposal at the Olympics medal ceremony

There are dramatic marriage proposals - and then there's proposing during the biggest sporting competition in the world.

Chinese diver He Zi had just received a silver medal for the women's three-metre springboard at the Rio Olympics on Sunday.

But she ended up with another prize when her boyfriend Qin Kai, in front of a global TV audience, went down on one knee.

Luckily for Qin, who himself won bronze in the men's three-metre synchronised springboard last week, He Zi said yes.

"We've been dating for six years, but I didn't expect him to propose today," she said. "He said a lot of things, made a lot of promises, but I think the thing that touched me the most is I think this is the guy I can trust for the rest of my life.

But some viewers have suggested that his shock proposal stole the limelight from her other precious metal, her Olympic medal.

Why do some people propose in public?

Anatomy of a very public Olympic marriage proposal

Imagine that you are an Olympic diver and are busy getting a silver medal for this....

Image copyrightAFP/GETTY IMAGESImage captionOne of the dives that won He Zi her silver medal. Little did she know what was to come....

When you are approached on the podium by your boyfriend of six years and a bevy of cameramen.

Image copyrightREUTERSImage captionThe cameramen did not hold back

He positions himself on one knee in front and one enterprising cameraman takes up close position behind you.

Image copyrightAPImage captionQin Kai gets down on one knee

This is what happened to He Zi, who, when faced with the little red velvet box, is overwhelmed and wipes tears from her eyes.

Image copyrightAPImage captionA closer view, from another angle of the little red velvet box

She covers her face with the hand that is not holding her Olympic medal case, her silver medal glinting.

Image copyrightREUTERSImage captionHe Zi might look shocked, but it didn't stop her saying 'Yes'

It lasts just a few moments but Qin Kai appears unable to bear the anticipation...

Image copyrightREUTERSImage captionIt might just last a few seconds but his face says it all

A little fist pump gives the audience a clue that he may have got his way after all.

Image copyrightEPAImage captionThis is the look of satisfaction when a risk pays off

He stands up and slides the ring onto her engagement finger.

Image copyrightREUTERS

They embrace and the footage is beamed across the world.

Image copyrightAPImage captionThey share an embrace

Fellow medal winners share in the elation.

Image copyrightAFP/GETTY IMAGESImage captionBronze medallist Tania Cagnotto from Italy (L) and gold medallist Shi Tingmao of China looked just as happy at the proposal

But the gesture has divided audiences. On the BBC's Facebook page, some users say that his proposal upstaged the glory of her medal win, while others say it merely added to her medal tally.

It's one of the biggest trends on China's Twitter-like Weibo service with some calling it "sweet and romantic" but others weighing in with more scepticism: "What a way to add pressure to her, having the entire world watch her as she makes such a private and life-changing decision".

France Corsica brawl: Mayor bans burkinis amid tensions

France Corsica brawl: Mayor bans burkinis amid tensions

 

Image copyrightAFPImage captionThe fight broke out on the beach near Sisco apparently after Muslim families objected to photos taken by a tourist

A village mayor in Corsica has banned full-body swimsuits known as "burkinis" after a beach brawl between families of North African descent and local youths.

France 3 television says the ban was imposed at a special council session on Sunday in Sisco amid tensions over the brawl, in which five people were hurt.

Authorities in Cannes and Villeneuve-Loubet, on the French Riviera, also banned Islamic burkinis this month.

Witnesses say hatchets and harpoons were used in the Sisco beach brawl.

The five injured on Saturday were later discharged from hospital, but tensions are simmering in the area.

Tension has grown this summer between local communities and Muslims of North African origin in the south of France, especially following the massacre of 85 people by a lorry driver on the seafront at Nice on 14 July.

Court upholds ban on burkinis in CannesBurkini ban: What do Muslim women think?The Bastille Day massacre in NiceCorsican nationalists warn jihadistsImage copyrightAPImage captionA woman in a burkini on a French beach: There is heated debate about such costumes

On Sunday a crowd of more than 200 Corsicans tried to march on a housing estate - Lupino - on the southern edge of Bastia, but were blocked by police. The Muslim families of North African origin were believed to be from Lupino.

There were scuffles with police, and some in the crowd chanted "This is our home!", France's Le Monde daily reported (in French). Finally the crowd dispersed.

'Hatchets and harpoons'

The justice authorities have launched an investigation to determine exactly what happened on the beach.

Image copyrightAFPImage captionPolice could be seen holding back protesters in the Lupino area of Bastia on Sunday

Witnesses say the brawl began after the Muslim families objected to photos being taken by a tourist. When a local teenager, with a group of friends on the beach, also took a photo the brawl erupted. Stones and bottles were thrown.

Soon about 40 men from Sisco arrived to defend the youths, witnesses said, and one of the men was slashed with a harpoon blade.

According to Le Figaro newspaper (in French), some of the older men in the bathing party had attacked the teenagers with hatchets.

Villagers allegedly then set alight cars belonging to the bathers.

France has a deep-rooted tradition of secularism, making the wearing of religious symbols in public spaces controversial. Islamic headscarves are banned from French schools and niqabs (full-face veils) and burkas (full-body veils) cannot be worn in public.

The head of Corsica's regional executive, Gilles Simeoni, has appealed for calm.

At the end of last month, an outlawed Corsican paramilitary group warned Islamist militants against targeting their island.

The mayors who imposed burkini bans in Cannes and Villeneuve-Loubet are both in the right-wing The Republicans (LR) party, while the Sisco mayor, Ange-Pierre Vivoni, is a Socialist.

A court in Nice has upheld the Cannes ban but a religious group, Collective Against Islamophobia in France (CCIF), has said it will take the case to France's highest administrative court.

Easy access to online porn is 'damaging' men's health, says NHS therapist

 therapist is warning about a surge in the number of young men suffering sexual health problems because of online pornography.

Angela Gregory says more and more men in their late teens and early 20s are suffering from erectile dysfunction.

She puts the blame on people becoming addicted to watching online porn.

There are no official figures but she says a lot of the time it is via smartphones

Overwatch porn is taken down by Blizzard

'I didn't want to be alive any more'

"What I've seen over the last 16 years, particularly the last five years, is an increase in the amount of younger men being referred," she said.

"Our experience is that historically men that were referred to our clinic with problems with erectile dysfunction were older men whose issues were related to diabetes, MS, cardio vascular disease.

Image captionPsychosexual therapist Angela Gregory says too much porn can damage men's health

"These younger men do not have organic disease, they've already been tested by their GP and everything is fine.

"So one of the first assessment questions I'd always ask now is about pornography and masturbatory habit because that can be the cause of their issues about maintaining an erection with a partner."

Nick, not his real name, started watching porn when he got his first laptop aged 15.

"It quickly escalated and it was every day. What I was watching, it definitely got more extreme over a short period of time in my case.

"There was nothing that would give me a kick. Normal stuff didn't do anything any more, so I had to get more and more extreme material.

"[It was] disturbing stuff that disturbed me that, in normal life, I wouldn't dream of doing."

It wasn't long before Nick's own sexual health began to suffer.

'Wired to porn'

"I found that when I was lying next to a girl a lot that I just wouldn't be horny at all, despite being really attracted to the girl and wanting to have sex with her, [because] my sexuality was completely wired towards porn.

"At my peak I was probably watching up to two hours of porn every day."

Image captionNewsbeat's Brought up on Porn hears about peoples' experiences with online pornography

Newsbeat has been finding out how having easy access to online porn is affecting body image, sex and relationships for documentary Brought up on Porn, available now on iPlayer.

Getting help

Once Nick realised he had a problem he tried to get help.

"At first I went to a doctor and she said: 'I don't think there's enough evidence to suggest it's a thing, however I do have a lot of young men coming to me with this problem.'"

In the end Nick went 100 days without watching porn and was relieved when things got back to normal.

"My libido came back with a vengeance and I met this girl and it was great.

"For the first time in ages I was able to flirt and within quite a short time I was able to have normal sex.

"I was feeling so balanced and happy."

He also has advice for anyone suffering with a similar problem.

"Once I recovered I spent a lot of time on online forums trying to help others do the same.

"There's a lot more information online than when I had problems.

"You should tell your friends, tell people who are close to you or just a couple of people you trust. And don't worry, there are many of us in the same boat."

If you think you're having a problem related to porn, Angela Gregory advises talking to your GP.

Help is also available at BBC Advice.

Samia Shahid death: Ex-husband admits Pakistan 'honour killing'

The former husband of a woman allegedly murdered in Pakistan has confessed to killing her, a police source has told the BBC.

Samia Shahid, 28, a beautician from Bradford, died last month in northern Punjab in what is believed to have been a so-called honour killing.

Ex-husband Choudhry Shakeel has been arrested on suspicion of her murder.

He has now said he strangled Ms Shahid with a scarf, according to BBC Pakistan correspondent Shaimaa Khalil.

The beautician's father Mohammad has been held as an accessory to murder.

Image captionMs Shahid's father (left) and former husband appeared in court at the weekend

Both appeared in court in Pakistan on Saturday and were remanded for four days.

Police had previously denied reports of Mr Shakeel's confession when he and Mr Shahid were arrested and brought to court.

Ms Shahid's relatives had initially claimed she died of a heart attack, but her husband, Syed Mukhtar Kazam, claims she was killed.

A post-mortem examination has since confirmed she died as a result of being strangled, police said.

Mr Kazam, who is Ms Shahid's second husband, believes his wife was killed because her family disapproved of their marriage.

In his confession, Mr Shakeel, who is also Ms Shahid's cousin, reportedly said he had demanded she leave her second husband and remarry him - which she refused to do.

Ms Shahid had filed for divorce and married her second husband in the UK.

JFK airport evacuated after false gunfire reports

Part of New York's JFK airport was closed on Sunday night after reports of gunfire, which turned out to be false.

Cheering and banging while people watched the Olympics may have been mistaken for the sound of shots, one official said.

Two of the airport's six terminals were shut and a road approaching the airport was closed while the New York Police Department (NYPD) were called in, and many flights were delayed.

No-one was injured or arrested.

Reports of shooting in Terminal Eight came in at 21:30 local time (01:30 GMT). Some 45 minutes later, similar reports came in from Terminal One, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said.

The terminals were evacuated and flights were halted for more than an hour.

One passenger, Demetrius Pipkin, said Terminal One was a "madhouse", where people were told to "get on the floor and take cover behind any and everything we could find" - but passengers eventually bolted for the exits.

Joe Pentangelo, from the Port Authority's police department, said the search through the terminals had found "no firearm, rounds or shell casings or other evidence of shots fired".

US election: Trump team 'must disclose pro-Russia ties'

Donald Trump's campaign team must disclose all pro-Russia links, Hillary Clinton's manager has said, following new allegations in the New York Times.

The paper said ledgers earmarked $12.7m (£9.8m) in undisclosed cash payments from a pro-Russia political party in Ukraine to Mr Trump's campaign head Paul Manafort between 2007 and 2012.

His lawyer said Mr Manafort had not received any such payments.

Mr Trump's ties to Russia have been a frequent topic in the US election.

The New York Times article says Mr Manafort and his business played a key role in advising Ukraine's former pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych, who fled after an uprising in November 2013.
It said Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau had discovered the listed payments in the ledgers of Mr Yanukovych's then governing Party of the Regions - allegedly part of "an illegal off-the-books system".

The bureau is also investigating business deals worth millions of dollars put together with the help of Mr Manafort's business.
However, the bureau is yet to determine if Mr Manafort actually received any of the $12.7m.

The Times quoted Mr Manafort's lawyer, Richard Hibey, as saying his client had not done so.

"It is difficult to respect any kind of allegation of the sort being made here to smear someone when there is no proof and we deny there ever could be such proof."

Mr Yanukovych fled to Russia after the uprising, miring Moscow and the pro-Western government in Kiev in bitter conflict since.

Russia seized and annexed the Crimea region in 2014, and violence is continuing between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country, where some 9,500 people have been killed in more than two years of clashes.

'Obscene messages'

The Democratic Party insisted questions had to be answered given the "pro-[Russian President Vladimir] Putin policy stances adopted by Donald Trump".

Mrs Clinton's campaign manager Robby Mook said: "Donald Trump has a responsibility to disclose campaign chair Paul Manafort's and all other campaign employees' and advisers' ties to Russian or pro-Kremlin entities, including whether any of Trump's employees or advisers are currently representing and or being paid by them."

The Democrats have accused the Russians oftrying to aid Mr Trump's campaign.

Mr Mook referred to Russian hackers believed to be behind a security breach that targeted key Democratic party bodies this year.

At the weekend, a hacker reportedly linked to Russia also posted personal contact information online of House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and hundreds of other Democratic party officials. Ms Pelosi said she was flooded with "obscene and sick" messages.

After the earlier leaks, Mr Trump drew fierce criticism for apparently inviting Russians to find emails that Mrs Clinton had sent via a private email server, contrary to US government rules, while secretary of state.

The FBI recommended no charges be brought. Mrs Clinton says about half of the 60,000 emails have been turned over to the state department, while the others were private.

"Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails", Mr Trump had said.

Mr Trump also drew fire by saying Russia would not enter Ukraine. When it was pointed out it had already annexed Crimea, he said he meant Moscow would not dare go further.

Mr Trump has seen a downturn in opinion polls recently, following a string of controversial remarks.

On Sunday, he tweeted: "If the disgusting and corrupt media covered me honestly and didn't put false meaning into the words I say, I would be beating Hillary by 20%."

Zephany Nurse baby-snatcher jailed in South Africa

A South African court has jailed a woman for 10 years for kidnapping a baby from her hospital bed 19 years ago and raising her as her own.

The 51-year-old woman was arrested in 2015 after people noticed an uncanny resemblance between the girl, Zephany Nurse, and another girl at school.

DNA tests carried out by police then proved that the two girls were sisters.

Judge John Hlophe told the defendant she had "betrayed" Zephany by her action.

The convicted woman's name is not being released to protect the identity of the victim, who has asked for her privacy to be respected.

The judge told the woman she had had "all the time in the world" to return the child but had chosen not to.

Annual local media coverage of the parents' birthday celebrations for their missing baby daughter meant that there was no way the defendant could not have known they were still looking for her, he said.

He also said her decision to plead not guilty and portray herself as a victim in the affair counted against her.
Local media have previously reported that Zephany does not wish to have a relationship with her birth parents and considers the woman who kidnapped her as her mother.

Outside the court, Zephany's biological grandmother Marilyn said she was not happy with the length of the sentence, but hoped that the family would now have a chance to bond and form a relationship with Zephany.

Wenger says Arsenal “Physically we are not ready”

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said his team were not physically ready for the Premier League season after opening the campaign with a chaotic 4-3 defeat at home to Liverpool. With Per Mertesacker and Gabriel injured and Laurent Koscielny short of match fitness, Wenger deployed Calum Chambers, 21, and 20-year-old debutant Rob Holding at centre-back in Saturday’s game. Like Koscielny, Olivier Giroud and Mesut Ozil are returning to fitness after Euro 2016 and to compound matters, Aaron Ramsey and Alex Iwobi were both forced off by injury in the second half. “Physically we are not ready,” Wenger told reporters at the Emirates Stadium. “You are in a Catch 22 situation with the Euros — do you give the players a rest and start the season without many of your players? Or do they play in this kind of game and get injured, like Ramsey today? “We had many players that played very late in the Euros. Ramsey, Koscielny, Ozil, Giroud, they went to the semi-finals (at least). We had four players who went very late.” Arsenal visit defending champions Leicester City on Saturday and Wenger is unsure whether Koscielny, Ozil and Giroud will be ready to return to action at the King Power Stadium. “We will try, but when they have not enough preparation, they get injured,” he said. “We have to be ready next week because we go to Leicester. But we’ll see first what we can do with the players who are preparing at the moment and how many players are injured today. “Can they recover for next week? I don’t know. But we are not stupid. We prepared well the players we have in, but I think you have to consider we have been a bit unlucky as well. “We have lost Mertesacker and Gabriel in preparation, and Koscielny is not fit. You have to sometimes accept that you cannot control absolutely everything, even if you try to be as intelligent as possible.” Ramsey, who reached the semi-finals with Wales at Euro 2016, went off in the 61st minute after injuring his hamstring, two minutes after Nigeria forward Iwobi had succumbed to a thigh problem. Both players will undergo tests on Monday. – ‘Wonderful goals’ – The afternoon had started brightly for Arsenal as Theo Walcott atoned for having allowed Simon Mignolet to save his penalty by drilling the hosts in front in the 31st minute. But Philippe Coutinho equalised on the brink of half-time with a sumptuous 25-yard free-kick and Arsenal never regained their composure. Liverpool added brilliantly taken goals by Adam Lallana, Coutinho again and debutant Sadio Mane in the second half. Substitute Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Chambers replied for Arsenal, but Liverpool gathered themselves to close out the win. Visiting manager Jurgen Klopp blamed himself for his team’s lapses in concentration, saying that his exuberant reaction to Mane’s goal in the 63rd minute had made his players feel the game was already won. Klopp has been tipped to lead Liverpool into title contention this season, but he said it was far too early to start thinking about silverware. “It’s a little bit like our behaviour after 4-1, or my behaviour,” said the German. “If you celebrate too early, life gives you always a knock.” While Klopp applauded the quality of his team’s attacking football, he warned that they will not achieve anything this season if they do not learn to defend more cohesively. “The game was intense for all of us. We made our mistakes together and we scored wonderful goals,” he said. “That’s really important. It gives us on one side confidence and the knowledge that we can score goals. On the other side, there’s no alternative to defend together. “Only then you have a chance in the Premier League. 4-3 is obviously a spectacular result, but it’s not the result you want to have a lot of times in a season. “When you’re good enough to score four goals, you need to avoid (conceding) three.”

Jamaicans blow whistles, horns & bang metal pot covers for Bolt

dominated streets as people poured out to watch the Rio Olympics 100m on giant screens. It was cool and there was a slight drizzle, but nothing could put a damper on the island’s festivities. As Bolt struck his familiar lightning pose, Jamaicans blew whistles and horns and banged metal pot covers. They gathered in towns centres like Half Way Tree in Kingston, Sam Sharpe Square in Montego Bay and Falmouth, near where Bolt was born and developed as a runner into the global star. Traffic halted in Sam Sharpe Square with spectators standing in puddles of water left from a heavy afternoon shower — without even seeming to notice — as they stretched to see a giant screen on the side of a building. “The greatest ever,” said one man, who gave his name as Charlie. “He is the best. He can’t stop running now, he must go on.” With tears running down her face Sonia Brown, a hotel worker from neighbouring Hanover parish, was still dressed in her uniform. She chanted “Usain, Usain, Usain” while intermittently blowing on a long red plastic Vuvuzela horn. Strangers hugged and celebrated and not a single person admitted they had any doubts he would win. – Collective gasp – But there was a collective gasp as he came out of the blocks behind American rival Justin Gatlin. By the time Bolt had caught the field at the midpoint, the cheering had started and by the time he crossed the line, the party was in full swing. “Jamaica is the land of speed, we have the fastest man and woman in the world,” Shiela Paul said. “We are going to win the two 200m and the two relays as well.” Some Jamaicans though are hard to please. Joel Clarke, who said he raced against Bolt in high school, said his only disappointment was that Bolt did not go lower. “I think he could have run faster, his start was poor and he slowed down at the end, but a gold is a gold, I am good with that.” Clarke thinks the 200m will be easier for Bolt. “That’s his race, he will go hard there, it won’t be close.” Eric Jones who is from Trelawny, Bolt’s hometown, said: “I felt like I was there, in Brazil. I did not want to take a taxi home and miss the race and I am glad I came here tonight to see history.” While there were commiserations for Yohan Blake, who finished fourth and just missed a medal, there were no sympathies for American Justin Gatlin who has served two doping bans. “Gatlin should retire now, he can’t beat Bolt, he only talks,” said Sydney Clarke, as he celebrated with a woman friend. “Gatlin can’t back up his chat. Bolt will beat him every time no matter where they put the race.”

CRIME WAVE: Kogi Gov donates 200 patrol vehicles to Police

LOKOJA—Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, yesterday said his administration would continue to partner with the police and other security agencies to combat crimes in the  state.
 
Governor Bello gave the assurance when the new Assistant Inspector-General of Police for Zone 8, (comprising of Kogi, Kwara and Ekiti states) Tijani Baba, paid him a courtesy call at Government House, Lokoja. According to the governor, “The state government will not relent in its commitment to tackle the problem of insecurity in the state. We will derive maximum benefits from hosting the AIG among the rest states under the zone. My government will assist the zone to deliver in its services.” Bello who expressed delight that the crime rate in the state had dropped drastically, said: “I’m happy to inform you that my administration has purchased over two hundred Police Patrol Vehicles to assist in combating crimes which by the grace of God will be lunched on the 27th of this month as part of the activities to mark the twenty-five years of creation of the state.” He also drew the attention of the new AIG on the need to flush out some bad eggs in the police who always involve themselves in aiding and abetting crimes, “It has been discovered that when the patriotic volunteers gives useful information to the police, they lease it out to criminals; a development that is very unfortunate. I am glad that the state police command has been able to apprehend a lot of criminals across the state and wants the command to keep it up”. Earlier, Tijani Baba had informed the governor that he was not happy with the unending cases of kidnapping, robbery and murder in the zone hence the need for the assessment tour of all the states under his jurisdiction with a view to providing solution to the security predicament. He commended the Kogi state commissioner of police, Abdullahi Ibrahim for being able to identify black spots of criminal hide outs across the state, saying it is a giant step that will go a long way in finding lasting solution to the high level of insecurity facing the state.

Japan man arrested over unpaid taxi fare for 850km trip

A Japanese man was arrested for allegedly stiffing a taxi driver after having promised to pay when embarking on an 850-kilometre (528-mile) journey, police said Monday. Takafumi Arima, 26 and jobless, climbed into the cab in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, late Saturday and told the driver to go to Matsuyama on the island of Shikoku in southwestern Japan, a Matsuyama police officer told AFP. Arima had allegedly said he would pay the fare upon arrival and the driver believed him, the officer added. But after driving overnight for more than nine hours, the fare meter came to 270,000 yen ($2,600) and Arima confessed that he had no money, the officer said. “The driver then called police, which led to Arima’s arrest,” the officer said, adding his motive of the road trip was unknown and was to be investigated

Keep cool: 10 of the best polo shirts for men

Kevin Hart & Eniko Parrish are Married! See their First Wedding Photo

Comedian and actor Kevin Hart is married to model Eniko Parrish!

The pair posted the same photo and caption an hour ago, standing with Kevin’s two kidsHeaven and Hendrix (who served as his dad’s best man), and captioned it –

#Harts what’s understood doesn’t need to be said!!!! #LiveLoveLove

PDP Convention: Northern leaders set up screening committee

   Northern Leaders Forum of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has constituted a 16-member committee to organise a selection process for aspirants from the northern states vying for national offices in the party. Convener of the forum, Prof. Jerry Gana, made this known to newsmen at the end of a meeting of the group on Saturday in Abuja. The meeting, according to him, was in preparation for the party’s national convention scheduled for Aug. 17 in Port-Harcourt, Rivers. Gana said the committee members were drawn from all the northern states and that Sen. Ibrahim Mantu was the chairman. “The mandate given to the committee is to screen all the aspirants from the northern states and ensure that credible persons are presented at the convention. “The committee will help us to screen, discuss and interact with the aspirants so that you will know the people behind the submission that we will make. “We want this committee to do its best to ensure that they recommend the best candidates. “If they are not good, we don’t want to waste our votes. When we are voting, we will not put them on our agenda,” Gana said. Gana, who is also the Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) Reconciliation Committee of the party, affirmed that the national convention would hold as scheduled. He, therefore, urged all northern leaders of the party to mobilise their people for the exercise. “The national convention of the PDP scheduled for the Aug. 17 will hold. “I hereby encourage all our delegates from the Northern part of Nigeria to be in Port Harcourt. “In fact, ‎our next meeting will be in Port Harcourt before the convention begins. “We want to assure you that by the grace of God, adequate arrangement will be made for security. “We are never intimidated by the kind of things people are talking. We are going to Port Harcourt. “This party needs to be solid so that we have national officers that will direct the affairs of this party,” he said. Also speaking, Mantu said that no member of the committee would be allowed to contest for any position at the convention. He also said that thorny issues on the convention had been addressed in the ongoing reconciliation efforts, adding that the moves would yield a positive result.

Florence Ita-Giwa: The Mama Bakassi

 

Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, also known as Mama Bakassi, is one-time Presidential Adviser on National Assembly Matters. She is also the political leader of the Bakassi people. In this interview, Ita-Giwa says the ceding of Bakassi in Cross River State to Cameroon is a permanent injury that requires permanent healing. Excerpts: What is the present state of the Bakassi people? It is unfortunate that up till now the Bakassi people are internally displaced in their country. It is unfortunate that this country has not resettled the Bakassi people. But what is giving me hope  is that President Muhammadu Buhari is a very passionate person   and, as a President who is seen as a man of the people, he cannot be insensitive to the plight of the Bakassi people. So we are counting on him to, as a matter of urgency, hearken unto our cry and set up a committee that will ensure proper resettlement of the people or implement the report of the  Efiok Cobham committee set up to address the issue of Bakassi under the supervision of former Vice President Namadi Sambo. Now, back to your question, the situation in Bakassi is hopeless. There is so much suffering inspite of the fact that I and some other political leaders have devoted so much   time, money and resources for  the peoples welfare. There is a limit to what an individual can do. There are no social amenities there. No water, no light, no school, no food, nothing to sustain the people and they are procreating, the numbers are increasing each passing day. It is not our fault that we were ceded without due process, but we have chosen to be Nigerians and our rights which are fundamental should be protected. What is the relationship between the Bakassi people and the host community in Ikang? We are so grateful to the Ikang   community for hosting us thus far giving us soft landing. We have been living together as brothers and sisters. However, it must be noted that Ikang itself has not been developed to cater for the IDPs they have accommodated; so we are appealing that social amenities should be adequately provided for them. Second, we are predominantly fishermen and we cannot survive without water. So, the DaySpring1 and 2 where we were registered as Nigerians by INEC and where we voted and were voted for should be developed for us to be able to live happily. We are not unaware that there were many mistakes that the Federal Government made and the ceding was haphazardly done, but as peaceful Nigerians who love their country, we decided to live with and manage their inactions. For instance, the document that ceded us has not been domesticated for ratification by the National Assembly till today as provided for in the Constitution, but we are determined to tread the path of peace instead of engaging in agitation. What has Cross River State government about the plight of the Bakassi people? We are fortunate to have a governor who is passionate about the plight of the Bakassi people. Governor Ben Ayade is very sensitive. He feels our pulse and he has been working so hard to improve the lots of the Bakassi people. But let us not forget that the Bakassi case is a national and international matter. There is a limit to what he can do considering the lean resources available to him and his administration. He is doing his best. All Cross River oil wells have been taken leaving it with the lean allocation coming from the Federation Account and little internally generated revenue. So I appeal to the Federal Government to assist the state so that it can do more and I am confident that whatever that comes to the state will be properly utilized. However, may I add that the Bakassi issue is not political issue or local issue. It is about human beings. It is about a people whose heritage were taken away. Their deities, churches, shrines, even places of rest of their forefathers were ceded. Do people really appreciate the pains that Bakassi people are carrying? This is permanent injury that has been inflicted on us and we want a permanent solution. It is not a burden that Ayade and Cross River State government can carry. At no time are we blaming Buhari but government is a continuum. So President Buhari, as a man of the people, should make life better. He has won  election and the PDP accepted his victory; by so doing, he is the father of all. Who else are we going to cry to if not him? It was reported recently that over N9 billion was voted by previous administrations to develop Bakassi. What is your take on this? If N9 billion was released, why are there still IDPs? This mind-blowing figure is frightening; so it will be interesting if government tells us what it was used for. I want to also use this medium to advise Niger Delta sons and daughters that whenever they are given political appointments, such is meant for them to develop the region but sadly, people saw it as opportunity for self-aggrandizement. This is one of the reasons we are experiencing this strait. I want to also call on President Buhari to do the needful for the deep sea port to take off. This will allow income into the system and alleviate the suffering of the people. It has been observed that you are less active in politics now and some people expect that you should have given up on activism. What is your take on this? I went into politics because I needed a platform to address the issue of Bakassi and to also use that same platform to help the underprivileged; to speak for the voiceless people who are being trampled upon. I did not go into politics for the purpose of contesting and winning elections only and I will not stop agitating until my people are properly resettled. It is true that I have slowed down politically but this is to allow me more time to face the reality on ground which is my Bakassi people and I intend to continue to fight their cause.. So, I will continue to make case for them. It is not just about the over 4,000 refugees in Bakassi, it is also about their children and the unborn ones. We owe them this commitment and we will continue to agitate. It was through peaceful agitation that we were about to get a local government from the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha. But be assured that our struggles will always remain peaceful because we cannot destroy our fatherland.