Muammar Gaddafi killed in Libya

Libya's ex-leader Col Muammar Gaddafi has been killed after an assault on his birthplace of Sirte, officials say.

The circumstances of his death are not yet clear. Video has emerged purporting to show Col Gaddafi being captured alive and bundled on to a truck.
Fighters loyal to the National Transitional Council (NTC) said they found him hiding in a hole, and shot him when he tried to escape.
After a day of conflicting reports and rumours, the NTC's acting prime minister Mahmoud Jibril told a news conference: "We have been waiting for this moment for a long time. Muammar Gaddafi has been killed."
World leaders welcomed the news, urging the NTC to carry through its promise to reform the country.
Proof of Col Gaddafi's fate came in grainy pieces of video, first circulated among NTC fighters and then broadcast by international news channels.
The first videos showed a bloodied corpse, with some channels picking up footage they said showed the colonel's body being dragged through the streets.
An NTC fighter told the BBC he found Col Gaddafi hiding in a hole in Sirte, and the former leader begged him not to shoot.
The fighter showed reporters a golden pistol he said he had taken from Col Gaddafi.
Arabic TV channels showed images of troops surrounding two large drainage pipes where the reporters said Col Gaddafi was found.
Later, another video emerged of the colonel being bundled on to the back of a pick-up truck after being captured alive.
NTC fighters said he was shot when he tried to escape.
None of the video footage has been independently verified.

Exclusive footage of the body of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi

Gaddafi dead or captured, reports claim

This is a picture which has emerged, purportedly showing Muammar Gaddafi's capture. It was sent from a video on a mobile phone.
 A spokesman for Libya's transitional government, Jalal al-Gallal, and its military spokesman Abdul-Rahman Busin say the reports have not been confirmed. Nato and the US state department could not confirm any of the reports.
We will give you details as they are updated.

Gaddafi captured and wounded - NTC official

Deposed Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has been captured and wounded in both legs, National Transitional Council official Abdel Majid said on Thursday.
"He's captured. He's wounded in both legs ... He's been taken away by ambulance," the senior NTC military official told Reuters by telephone.

House Of Reps Approves Life Imprisonment For Kidnappers

The House of Representatives Wednesday approved life imprisonment sentence for perpetrators of the crime by pushing an anti-kidnapping bill through the crucial second reading.
The House unanimously voted for the passage of the bill following favourable contributions on the document.
All the lawmakers that spoke were in support of the bill and condemned the act of kidnapping, commending sponsors of the bill saying, it was long overdue in view of the worsening security challenge across the length and breadth of the country.
The legislation titled a “bill for an act to prohibit kidnapping, hostage taking, prescribe punishment for its contravention and other related matters relating thereto”, is being sponsored by Hon. Friday Itulah (PDP, Edo), Hon. Samson Osagie (ACN, Edo) and Hon. Dickson Henry Seriake (PDP, Bayelsa). With the passage of second reading, it will now be rechristened kidnapping and hostage taking (prohibition) bill, 2011.

Baba Suwe to sue NDLEA for N1b

Nollywood star, Babatunde Omidina aka `Baba Suwe' is planning a N1 billion suit against the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) over his recent arrest and detention.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that `Baba Suwe' was arrested by the NDLEA on October 12 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos and is still being detained.
The NDLEA had alleged that the 53-year-old actor had ingested substances suspected to be hard drugs, but there was no evidence to substantiate the claim even after the suspect had defecated thrice, under close observation.
His lawyer, Mohammed Bashir told NAN in a telephone interview on Wednesday that a fundamental rights enforcement suit would be filed on his behalf within the next five days.
Bashir said, "We will be filing the suit before a Federal High Court in Lagos between now and Monday.
"We will be asking for N1 billion as compensation for damages suffered by him due to his illegal arrest and detention, as well as the embarrassment and defamation done to his reputation as a result of the incident,” he said.
The lawyer further told NAN that NDLEA officials had prevented him from meeting physically with Baba Suwe since his arrest, almost a week ago.

1 more UN worker dies after Aug. Nigeria HQ blast

One more staff member has died nearly two months after a car bombing hit the U.N.'s headquarters in Nigeria, bringing the death toll to 24, a U.N. spokesman said Wednesday.
Sunday Nwachukwu, who worked for The United Nations Development Program, died in South Africa on Oct. 9, spokesman Kelechi Onyemaobi said in a statement.
Nwachukwu was one of 12 U.N. staff members who was flown on life support to South Africa for treatment after the Aug. 26 attack.
May his soul rest in perfect peace.

Harry Belafonte Denies Falling Asleep Live On Television

Harry Belafonte has denied falling asleep during an early morning television interview with Kbak in Bakersfield, California. The clip, which has since gone viral, sees anchor Leyla Santiago fail in her attempts to get Mr Belafonte's attention as he sits motionless with his eyes closed.
Kbak were ready to discuss the singer's new book and forthcoming Hbo documentary when the cameras cut to him sitting in a chair, seemingly fast asleep. After a few moments of silence, Santiago began yelling, "Harry, wake up! Harry? Wake up, wake up! This is your wake-up call, Harry!" As laughter erupted in the studio, the 84-year-old remained motionless with his eyes closed, leading Santiago's co-anchor to move on to the next story. According to the New York Daily News, Belafonte's representative Ken Sunshine has insisted the singer was merely "meditating" after a technical glitch that made his earpiece fall out. He explained, "Mr. Belafonte is 84 years young, but sharper and more awake than most who have been interviewing him. Maybe the world would be a better place if more people took a moment to meditate".
Dubbed 'The King of Calypso', Belafonte has been credited with popularising the Caribbean musical style throughout his 50 years in the entertainment industry. He is perhaps best known for singing 'The Banana Boat Song'.

Westlife are splitting up in 2012?

The band will call it a day after releasing their 'Greatest Hits' album this Christmas and performing their farewell tour next Spring.
Kian, Mark, Nicky and Shane announced the news in a statement this evening saying:"After 14 years, 26 top ten hits including 14 number one singles, 11 top 5 albums, seven of which hit the top spot and have collectively sold over 44 million copies around the world, 10 sell-out tours and countless memories that we will forever cherish, we today announce our plan to go our separate ways after a greatest hits collection this Christmas and a farewell tour next year.
 "Over the years Westlife has become so much more to us than just a band. Westlife are a family. We would like to thank our fans who have been with us on this amazing journey and are part of our family too.
"We never imagined when we started out in 1998 that 14 years later we would still be recording, touring and having hits together. It has been a dream come true for all of us. "
The lads have been together for 14 years and clocked up 26 top ten hits, including 14 number one singles and 11 top 5 albums, seven of which hit the top spot.
They have sold a whopping 44 million copies around the world.

German satellite hurtling towards Earth

The German Aerospace Centre says one of its retired satellites is hurtling toward the atmosphere and that fragments could hit Earth later this week.
Spokesman Andreas Schuetz said most of the Rosat satellite, which is about the size of a minivan, will burn up during re-entry.
He added, however, that up to 30 fragments weighing nearly two tonnes could reach the Earth's surface between Friday and Monday.
It's not known exactly where the fragments might fall, beyond a broad estimate of somewhere between 53 degrees north and 53 degrees south – an area that covers much of the Earth outside the polar regions.
The research satellite was launched in 1990 and retired in 1999.

Schwarzenegger in movie comeback

Muscleman-turned movie star-turned California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is returning to the movies.

He's on the New Mexico set of The Last Stand, playing the starring role as a small town border sheriff.

The actor posted a message on his Twitter account late on Monday saying, "Fantastic first day on the set of The Last Stand. Big thanks to the crew - keep up the great work."

The Lionsgate studio says Schwarzenegger plays a former Los Angeles police officer who ends up sheriff of a small border town after a botched operation.

The movie is a modern day Western about convicts making their way to the Mexico border through New Mexico after escaping from a Las Vegas prison.

The Last Stand is being directed by Kim Jee-Woon.

Rapper Soulja Boy arrested on drug and weapons charges

Rapper Soulja Boy has been arrested on drug and weapons charges after his car was pulled over in the US.

A police spokeswoman said the 21-year-old and four crew members were stopped near Georgia's state line with Alabama.
Officers say they found marijuana, pistols and cash inside the car after a "routine traffic stop".
Soulja Boy was forced to apologise last month to the US military and their families after questioning the role of the army and the FBI in a video.
Police spokeswoman Dana Rampy said the rapper, three bodyguards and a driver were each arrested on charges of possession of marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm.
A puppy found in the car was turned over to relatives of the driver.
Soulja Boy, whose real name is DeAndre Cortez Way, gained fame online with the dance he created for the track Crank That.
That song and his next single Soulja Girl both went to number one in the UK singles chart.

60 Percent Of Prostitutes In Italy Are Nigerians

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and other related matters (NAPTIP) Tuesday disclosed that sixty percent of the prostitutes in Turin, Italy and Antwerp in Belgium are Nigerian girls.
Executive secretary of NAPTIP, Mrs. Beatrice Jedy-Agba who disclosed this today at an interactive session with the House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora also said over 50,000 girls aged between 9 to 17 years have been trafficked for sexual exploitation from the country. 
 Mrs. Jedy-Agba explained that the statistics were generated by TAMPEP, an Italian non-governmental orgainsation working on anti trafficking reports, adding that about five of these girls die every quarter under explicable circumstances traced to ‘tavern brawls, mafia terrorist groups, extortionist madams, serial killers, location fights, race quarrels, HIV/AIDS and drug abuse.’ 
She revealed that a recent fact finding mission conducted by the agency confirmed the existence of many brothels in Bamako, Mopti, Kayes, Sikasso, Gao all in Mali populated by young Nigerian girls mostly between the ages of 14 and 17.
According to her, there are large number of Nigerian women regularly taken to other West and Central African countries, primarily Gabon, Cameroon, Ghana, Chad, Benin, Togo, Niger, Burkina Faso and The Gambia for sexual exploitation under the guise of taking them to abroad for employment opportunities.

Canada, US Issue Travel Warning To Nigeria

The Governments of Canada and the United States have warned their nationals of the risk of travelling to Nigeria, saying it continues to recommend that citizens avoid all but essential travel to the Niger Delta states and some states in the north.
The warning lists Akwa Ibom, Delta, Rivers, Bayelsa, Abia, Edo, Imo, Jos, Plateau, Bauchi and Borno States and the Gulf of Guinea as no-go- areas “because of the risks of kidnapping, robbery, and other armed attacks in these areas.
The travel warnings from both the US Department of State and Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs also listed the various terrorists attacks executed by members of the radical Islamic sect with ties to al Shabaab, the Islamic group operating in Somalia.

Liberia vote: Prince Johnson backs President Sirleaf

Former rebel leader Prince Johnson, who came third in Liberia's election, says he will back Nobel Peace Prize-winner President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf in the second round.

Prince Johnson has become a born-again Christian pastor and was elected to the Senate in 2005.

"She is the lesser of two evils," he told reporters. Forces loyal to Mr Johnson infamously filmed the torture and murder of dictator Samuel Doe.
Mrs Sirleaf's opponent will be former UN diplomat Winston Tubman
This is Liberia's second election since the end of a 14-year civil war in 2003.
With almost all the ballots counted, Mrs Sirleaf has 44% against 32% for Mr Tubman, with Mr Johnson on 12%.
A candidate needs most than 50% for outright victory.

El-Rufai to face trial –Court rules

 
A Federal Capital Territory High Court presided over by Justice Sadiq Abubakar Umar yesterday, turned down an application filed by a former Minister of the FCT, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and two others to quash the charges of misconduct and abuse of office filed against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. In his ruling, Justice Umar  said the consolidated motion on notice filed by the accused persons on May 12 and June 28, 2011, through their counsel is unmeritorious and has failed the test of law. The judge who maintained that the prosecution has established a prima-facie case against them ordered that the three accused persons must face trial to defend the charges against them.
The two other accused persons arraigned with El-Rufai are a former Director-General, Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS); Altine Jubrin, and a former General-Manager, Abuja Geographic Information System, AGIS, Ismail Iro.
The judge, said that from the proof of evidence before the court, the three accused persons have explanation to make in the course of trial. He also said that Section 2 of the ICPC Act was elastic enough to hold the accused persons liable to face trial . The EFCC had on Wednesday, July 6, 2011, argued that the three accused persons as public officers, could be tried by the Commission as the anti-graft agency has an absolute authority to prefer charges against them.

Oil worker kidnapped in Nigeria

 
Gunmen have stormed a ship supplying Exxon Mobil's oil operations off Nigeria and kidnapped a contract employee, not long after a similar attack saw another worker abducted.
The attack occurred early on Monday morning off the coast of Nigeria's oil-rich southern delta near Akwa Ibom state.
The gunmen attacked the vessel near either an Exxon Mobil oil rig or an offshore platform, but the company has declined to give specific details about the attack.
The gunmen seized a contract worker aboard the vessel, Exxon Mobil said on Tuesday, without giving his name or nationality.

It was the second recent attack on Exxon Mobil supply ships. On September 30, gunmen stormed another supply vessel near an Exxon Mobil offshore operation, kidnapping a contractor and leaving another person wounded.

Outrage as bleeding China toddler left on street

More than a dozen passers-by ignored a two-year-old girl as she lay critically injured on a street in southern China after being run over twice, the official Xinhua news agency said Monday.

The incident has sparked outrage on China's hugely popular social media sites.

Surveillance cameras showed a series of people walk past the girl, named Yue Yue, after she was hit first by a van and then a truck outside her family's shop in the southern Chinese city of Foshan.

Xinhua said a rubbish collector who finally came to the girl's aid, moving her to the curb and shouting for help, was ignored by several shopkeepers before he finally tracked down her mother who took her to hospital.

In response, one netizen on Sina Weibo, a Chinese micro-blog similar to Twitter, wrote: "This society is seriously ill. Even cats and dogs shouldn't be treated so heartlessly."

But others linked the incident to an earlier case in which a man who tried to help an elderly woman after she fell over was prosecuted, apparently because his intervention broke government rules on dealing with accident victims.

Doctors said Yue Yue was in a coma and unlikely to survive the ordeal.

A spokesman for the hospital treating her said she would not be able to survive any operations as she's very close to brain death.

Police have detained the drivers of both vehicles involved in the incident, Xinhua said.

Watch the video here.