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Karadzic makes first appearance before genocide court
THE HAGUE (AFP) - Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic made a combative first appearance Thursday at the UN's war crimes court, waiving his right
NASA probe confirms water on Mars
LOS ANGELES (AFP) - NASA scientists said Thursday the Phoenix lander exploring Mars had confirmed water on the planet after analysis of a soil sample ...
Obama-McCain race turns toxic
WASHINGTON (AFP) - The White House contest between Barack Obama and John McCain took one of its nastiest lurches yet Thursday as the campaign air ...
Weak dollar, tax rebates bolster US economic growth
WASHINGTON (AFP) - A boom in exports and tax rebates to tens of millions of Americans helped bolster US economic growth to an annualized 1.9 ...
Chavez nationalizes Bank of Venezuela
CARACAS (AFP) - Leftist President Hugo Chavez said he will nationalize the Bank of Venezuela, one of the country's largest, and has asked the ...
Colombia's share of world cocaine plummets: general
CARTAGENA, Colombia (AFP) - Colombia's share of the world production of cocaine has dropped by more than half over the past six years, National Police ...
Turmoil ahead as Israeli PM prepares to go
JERUSALEM (AFP) - Israel was bracing on Thursday for weeks of political turmoil after Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's shock announcement that he would step ...
Court stops ceding of Bakassi to Cameroon
Federal High Court, Abuja, yesterday restrained the Federal Government from going ahead with the August 14 final ceding of the oil-rich Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon....FG finalising plan for sovereign wealth fund
Mindful of the volatile nature of crude oil prices, Nigeria is finalising plans to set up a sovereign wealth fund meant to help cushion it from the impact of a fall in world oil prices....Oil majors make big profits, but not at the pumps
Furious motorists faced with high pump prices have accused oil majors of profiteering, but as the firms announced bumper profits this week, they said they were making little gasoline sales....Ekiti lawmakers promise to work peacefully with Oni
Members of the Ekiti House of Assembly on Wednesday promised to work peacefully with Governor Segun Oni. ...Access Bank buys 75% of Rwandan bank
Nigeria’s Access Bank has bought a 75 percent stake in Rwanda’s Bancor Bank for $13.5 million as part of an accelerated expansion across sub-Saharan Africa, an official said....Summit urges FG to allocate 10% of budget to agriculture
National Dialogue on Food Security and Cassava Production, Processing and Marketing in Nigeria, has recommended that 10 percent of the country’s annual budget be committed to agriculture....Shell loses 40,000 bpd from Nigeria pipeline attack
Royal Dutch Shell plc is losing 40,000 barrels per day of Nigerian oil output after militants blew up parts of a key pipeline this week, its chief executive said on Thursday....Proposed ICAN Amendment Bill
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) is seeking, through legislation, controlling powers over other registered accounting and taxation bodies in Nigeria. ICAN had proposed an amendment to section 15 of the 1965 Act that established it. ...US says China has 'nothing to fear' from Internet
WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States on Wednesday ramped up pressure on China to live up to Olympic ideals by ending human rights abuses, ...
No 'shortcuts' in Mideast peace deal: Palestinian negotiator
WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States, Israel and the Palestinians agreed in talks Wednesday to strive for a Middle East peace deal without any "shortcuts," ...
Liquid flowing on surface of Saturn moon: NASA
LOS ANGELES (AFP) - NASA scientists said Wednesday they had found liquid on Saturn's moon Titan, only the second body in the solar system after ...
Four dead as rival factions clash in Niger Delta
Rival militant factions in Niger Delta have clashed in an apparent turf war, killing at least four people, security officials said yesterday....Business leaders outraged by government’s poor performance
•after releasing 75% of 2008 budget...Turkey's ruling party escapes ban but gets rapped with sanctions
ANKARA (AFP) - Turkey's Islamist-rooted ruling party narrowly escaped being outlawed Wednesday for undermining secularism as the country's top court decided to punish it by ...
New gene clues to schizophrenia risk
PARIS (AFP) - Three studies published on Wednesday unveil flaws in several chromosomes that highlight an inherited vulnerability to schizophrenia. ...
Turkey's ruling party escapes ban but rapped with sanctions
ANKARA (AFP) - Turkey's Islamist-rooted ruling party narrowly escaped being outlawed Wednesday for undermining secularism as the country's top court decided to punish it with ...
Israel PM Olmert to resign after September party vote
JERUSALEM (AFP) - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, dogged by corruption probes, said on Wednesday he will step down mid-September in a surprise move that ...
Gas Natural sets sights on Spain's third-largest power firm
MADRID (AFP) - Spain's Gas Natural said Wednesday it had reached an agreement to buy the 45.3 percent stake that builder ACS has in Union ...
New school for Pan-African University
National Universities Commission (NUC) has approved the application of the Pan-African University to establish a School of Media and Communication (SMC). With this, the SMC becomes the second school of the university....Mobil starts natural gas liquid project
Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPN), operator of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC/MPN Joint Venture, says it has commenced operations in its east area natural gas liquids project....Arctic sheds huge chunks of ice
MONTREAL (AFP) - Two masses of ice together measuring almost 20 square kilometers (seven square miles) have broken off an Arctic ice shelf, the biggest ...
Turkish court rejects demand to ban ruling party
ANKARA (AFP) - Turkey's Constitutional Court narrowly rejected Wednesday a demand to outlaw the Islamist-rooted ruling party for undermining secularism, but punished it with financial ...
Turkish court rejects demand to ban ruling party: judge
ANKARA (AFP) - Turkey's Constitutional Court narrowly rejected Wednesday a demand to outlaw the Islamist-rooted ruling party for undermining secularism, but punished it with financial ...
China plunges into controversy with Internet backflip
BEIJING (AFP) - The Beijing Olympics were plunged into another controversy on Wednesday as China announced a backflip on Internet freedoms for the thousands of ...
New Alzheimer's drug 'could slow mental decline'
LONDON (AFP) - Scientists in Britain have developed a drug which could represent a major breakthrough in treatment for people with Alzheimer's disease, they said ...
Karadzic in UN custody ahead of war crimes trial
THE HAGUE (AFP) - Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic was in the custody of the UN war crimes court Wednesday after being flown from ...
Dismayed powers plea to salvage WTO talks
GENEVA (AFP) - World trading powers appealed on Wednesday for efforts to salvage WTO proposals amid regret and emotion at the collapse of nine-day marathon ...
China to censor Internet during Olympics: organisers
BEIJING (AFP) - The Beijing Olympics were plunged into another controversy on Wednesday as China announced a backflip on Internet freedoms for the thousands of ...
Major Arctic ice shelf cracks, shedding 20 sq kilometers
MONTREAL (AFP) - Two chunks of ice together measuring almost 20 square kilometers (seven square miles) have broken off an Arctic ice shelf, the biggest ...
Bush signs massive housing bill
WASHINGTON (AFP) - US President George W. Bush on Wednesday signed a sweeping housing rescue plan designed to help 400,000 homeowners avert foreclosure and bolster ...
The Sokoto State example
There is cheering news from Sokoto State. The state government has abolished 'non-indigene' policy....Quiet president, worried country (II)
They are the root causes of corruption." Insiders say Yar'Adua has lost patience with Ribadu's apparent reluctance to transfer loyalty to the new government....Top performers and laggards in first half of 2008
Despite the bearish state of the market, some stocks appeared to defy the current downward trend as they amassed much value via sustained price appreciation within the last three months. In addition, the period under review also witnessed many stocks shedding weight not withstanding Market Overview....Lloyds TSB net profit falls 63%
LONDON (AFP) - Lloyds TSB, the fifth-biggest British bank by market value, reported on Wednesday a 63-percent drop in net profits during the first half ...
Karadzic handed over to UN war crimes tribunal
THE HAGUE (AFP) - Serbia on Wednesday handed over former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic to the UN's Yugoslav war crimes court in The Hague ...
Trading powers reel from collapse of WTO trade talks
GENEVA (AFP) - World powers reeled with regret and emotion on Wednesday from the collapse of WTO negotiations for a global trade pact, warning that ...
China to censor Internet during Games: organisers
BEIJING (AFP) - China plunged into another Olympic controversy on Wednesday as it announced that the thousands of foreign reporters covering the Games would have ...
Rio Tinto to invest $2.15 bln in Brazil iron ore mine
SYDNEY (AFP) - Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto announced Wednesday that it will invest 2.15 billion US dollars in a major expansion of its iron ...
New Alzheimer's drug could slow mental decline: research
LONDON (AFP) - Scientists in Britain have developed a drug which could represent a major breakthrough in treatment for people with Alzheimer's disease, they said ...
War crimes suspect Karadzic transferred to the Netherlands
BELGRADE, (AFP) - Bosnian Serb wartime leader Radovan Karadzic, caught a week ago after more than a decade on the run, arrived Wednesday at Rotterdam ...
Soy reduces sperm count: study
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Eating or drinking a lot of products containing soy and isoflavones can result in reduced sperm count among men, a Harvard School ...
Trading powers reel from collapse of crucial talks
GENEVA (AFP) - The collapse of marathon negotiations for a global trade pact left world powers reeling on Wednesday after ministers quit emotional talks without ...
IMF says Japan likely to endure 'modest' economic slowdown
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Japan's economy looks set to endure a "modest" slowdown as economic problems hamper the United States and as global stock markets continue ...
China to censor Internet during Games - organisers
BEIJING (AFP) - Foreign reporters will not have complete access to the Internet during the Beijing Olympics, Games organisers said Wednesday, reversing a pledge to ...
Karadzic en route to UN war crimes tribunal
BELGRADE, (AFP) - Bosnian Serb wartime leader Radovan Karadzic, caught a week ago after more than a decade on the run, was en route Wednesday ...
Rio Tinto to invest 2.15 bln dlrs in Brazil iron ore mine
SYDNEY (AFP) - Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto announced Wednesday that it will invest 2.15 billion US dollars in a major expansion of its iron ...
China to censor Internet during Games: official
BEIJING (AFP) - China will censor the Internet used by foreign media during the Olympics, an organising committee official confirmed Wednesday, reversing a pledge to ...
IOC lifts Iraq's Beijing Olympics ban
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AFP) - The ban on Iraq competing at the Beijing Olympics next month has been lifted, the International Olympic Committee announced here on ...
Hooligans, riot police clash at pro-Karadzic rally in Belgrade
BELGRADE (AFP) - Stone-throwing hooligans clashed in Belgrade Tuesday with Serbian riot police who replied with rubber bullets and tear gas after a rally against ...
Billionaire investor Pickens dumps Yahoo stock: report
SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - Influential US investor T. Boone Pickens told a major California newspaper that he has dumped millions of shares of Yahoo stock ...
California 'dodges bullet' as 5.4 earthquake rocks region
LOS ANGELES (AFP) - A 5.4 magnitude earthquake shook Southern California on Tuesday, spooking millions from Los Angeles to San Diego in a juddering ...
FG vows to eliminate diversion of public funds
The Federal Government says it is committed to eliminating diversion of public funds through questionable contract procedures. ...Shell warns attacks threaten oil exports after attacks
Royal Dutch Shell warned on Tuesday it may not be able to meet all of its oil export obligations from Nigeria for the next few months after militants blew up parts of a key pipeline in the Niger Delta....Southern California rattled by 5.4 magnitude quake
LOS ANGELES (AFP) - A 5.4 magnitude earthquake shook Southern California on Tuesday, rattling millions from Los Angeles to San Diego in a juddering reminder ...
Los Angeles rattled by 5.4 magnitude quake
LOS ANGELES (AFP) - A 5.4 magnitude earthquake rattled Los Angeles on Tuesday, but there were no immediate reports of major damage or injuries. ...
Crucial world trade talks collapse
GENEVA (AFP) - Efforts to forge a global trade pact collapsed Tuesday because countries failed to bridge their differences on food tariffs, the WTO said, ...
Russian subs explore world's deepest lake
LAKE BAIKAL, Russia (AFP) - Two Russian mini-submarines on Tuesday dove to the bottom of the world's deepest lake to draw attention to its fragile ...
Spain's Iberia, British Airways in merger talks
MADRID (AFP) - Spanish national carrier Iberia and British Airways said Tuesday they were holding merger talks as the aviation sector battles soaring fuel prices ...
BP profits jump on back of record high oil prices
LONDON (AFP) - British energy giant BP said Tuesday its net profit rallied by 28 percent to 9.47 billion dollars (6.02 billion euros) in the ...
WTO chief says trade talks collapse
GENEVA (AFP) - The head of the World Trade Organization said Tuesday that talks to broker a new global trade pact had collapsed because key ...
Iraq launches new assault against Qaeda fighters
BAQUBA, Iraq (AFP) - Iraqi forces backed by US troops launched a major assault on Tuesday against rebels in the province of Diyala, an Al-Qaeda ...
Los Angeles rocked by 5.8 magnitude quake
LOS ANGELES (AFP) - A 5.8 magnitude earthquake rattled Los Angeles on Tuesday, but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. ...
Nigeria begins integrated management of aquatic weeds
Nigeria has started the implementation of the Integrated Management of Invasive Aquatic Weeds (IMIAW) project, according to a report....VP urges politicians to uphold national interest
Vice President Goodluck Jonathan has called on politicians, irrespective of party affiliations, to put national interest above selfish interests. ...NDLEA nabs 68 drug couriers at Abuja airport
The Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport special area command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Abuja has arrested 68 drug couriers in the last seven months....NNPC assures on availability of petroleum products
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has assured Abuja residents of availability of petroleum products....Nigeria set to assemble 20,000 units of tractors annually – Minister
Federal Government says it has concluded plans to assemble 20,000 units of tractors per annum to increase food production and encourage mechanised farming....AIDS epidemic 'stabilising', but more funds urgently needed: UN
PARIS (AFP) - After 27 years and the loss of more than 25 million lives, the global AIDS pandemic has at last stabilised, but more ...
Hardliners rally against Karadzic transfer
BELGRADE (AFP) - Hardliners trickled into Belgrade on Tuesday ahead of a rally in defiance of Radovan Karadzic's looming war crimes transfer, delayed for another ...
High tension at WTO as trade talks face 'appalling' collapse
GENEVA (AFP) - Tension rose sharply as gruelling WTO talks to hammer out a global trade pact ran into a ninth day on Tuesday, with ...
High tension at WTO as trade talks face 'appalling' collapse
GENEVA (AFP) - Tension rose sharply as gruelling WTO talks to hammer out a global trade pact ran into a ninth day on Tuesday, with ...
Mediterraneans abandoning region's healthy diet: FAO
ROME (AFP) - People in Mediterranean countries are abandoning the region's widely praised healthy diet in favour of food that has too much fat, salt ...
Mediterraneans abandoning region's healthy diet: FAO
ROME (AFP) - People in Mediterranean countries are abandoning the region's widely praised healthy diet in favour of food that has too much fat, salt ...
Hardliners rally in anger at looming Karadzic transfer
BELGRADE (AFP) - Belgrade was bracing Tuesday for an ultra-nationalist protest rally in defiance of Radovan Karadzic's arrest and impending transfer to the UN war ...
Hardliners rally in anger at looming Karadzic transfer
BELGRADE (AFP) - Belgrade was bracing Tuesday for an ultra-nationalist protest rally in defiance of Radovan Karadzic's arrest and impending transfer to the UN war ...
Russian sub dive fails to set world record: organisers
LAKE BAIKAL, Russia (AFP) - A Russian mini-submarine dive to the bottom of Lake Baikal on Tuesday failed to set a world record for the ...
Russian sub dive fails to set world record: organisers
LAKE BAIKAL, Russia (AFP) - A Russian mini-submarine dive to the bottom of Lake Baikal on Tuesday failed to set a world record for the ...
British Airways, Iberia in merger talks
LONDON (AFP) - British Airways and Spanish national carrier Iberia said Tuesday they are holding talks on a multi-billion-dollar merger as the aviation sector battles ...
British Airways, Iberia in merger talks
LONDON (AFP) - British Airways and Spanish national carrier Iberia said Tuesday they are holding talks on a multi-billion-dollar merger as the aviation sector battles ...
Zimbabwe negotiators fly home as crisis talks break up
PRETORIA (AFP) - Talks in South Africa on Zimbabwe's political crisis broke up Tuesday with no power-sharing deal between President Robert Mugabe and his bitter ...
Zimbabwe negotiators fly home as crisis talks break up
PRETORIA (AFP) - Talks in South Africa on Zimbabwe's political crisis broke up Tuesday with no power-sharing deal between President Robert Mugabe and his bitter ...
The new global middle class: potentially profitable - but also unpredictable
Wharton marketing professor Jagmohan Raju predicts the shift in distribution of the global middle class will continue as developing countries adapt to remain competitive in the world economy ...BP profits jump as oil prices smash record highs
LONDON (AFP) - British energy giant BP said on Tuesday that its net profit rallied by 28 percent to 9.47 billion dollars (6.02 billion euros) ...
Rising unemployment
There is a recent report that Nigeria has an army of 64 million unemployed youths. ...Quiet president, worried country
Umaru Yar'Adua is short on leadership - just when Nigeria needs it There was little fanfare for Umaru Musa Yar'Adua's first anniversary as Nigeria's President on May 29. ...IGI shareholders’ fund hits N26.30 bn
Industrial and General Insurance (IGI) plc, says its shareholders’ fund has increased to N26.30 billion during its last financial year ended December. 31, 2007....Celtel Nigeria appoints two new chief officers
Celtel Nigeria has announced the appointment of Tayo Bright and Norman Moyo as chief sales officer and chief marketing officer, respectively....Zimbabwe crisis talks deadlocked: opposition
JOHANNESBURG (AFP) - Negotiations in South Africa aimed at ending the political crisis in neighbouring Zimbabwe are deadlocked, opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai's spokesman told AFP ...
Sony issues profit warning after weak first quarter
TOKYO (AFP) - Japan's Sony Corp. issued a profit warning Tuesday after its first-quarter net earnings slumped by almost half from a year earlier amid ...
WTO talks enter tense endgame
GENEVA (AFP) - Marathon talks to nail down a global trade pact ran into a ninth day described as a "extremely delicate moment", with contentious ...
Skies clear over Beijing, but rights concerns linger
BEIJING (AFP) - Strong winds helped clear Beijing's skies on Tuesday of the pollution that is threatening the Olympics, but authorities hoping to breathe easy ...
Russian sub sets world record in Lake Baikal dive
LAKE BAIKAL, Russia (AFP) - A Russian mini-submarine on Tuesday reached the bottom of Lake Baikal in Siberia, setting a world record for the deepest ...
Australia unveils 'more humane' refugee policy
SYDNEY (AFP) - Australia on Tuesday unveiled a "more humane" policy towards refugees, scrapping a widely criticised system of automatically locking up asylum seekers on ...
Access Bank grows assets by 194 percent to hit N1.2 trn.
Access Bank plc has substantially grown its total assets and contingents for the year ended March 31, 2008 to N1.2 trillion from N408.7 billion recorded during the same period in 2007. ...Israel-Syria peace talks to resume under Turkish mediation
JERUSALEM (AFP) - Israel and Syria will begin on Tuesday a fourth round of indirect peace talks under Turkish mediation, an Israeli official said. ...
Singapore's Temasek confirms Merrill Lynch stake
SINGAPORE (AFP) - Singapore's state-linked investment firm Temasek Holdings, the largest shareholder in troubled US investment bank Merrill Lynch, confirmed on Tuesday it was increasing ...
Qantas says no danger after plane aborts flight
MELBOURNE, Australia, July 29, 2008 (AFP) - Passengers aboard a Qantas jet that was forced to abort a domestic flight after a landing gear door ...
Bush approves death sentence for army prisoner
WASHINGTON (AFP) - US President George W. Bush approved the execution of an army soldier on death row for murder and rape, in the ...
Pakistani PM meets Bush, warns US against 'unilateral' action
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani held talks with US President George W. Bush here Monday and called on the United States ...
Loss-hit Merrill dumps mortgage debt, raises new capital
WASHINGTON, (AFP) - Wall Street titan Merrill Lynch announced it was dumping billions of dollars of mortgage debt at a steep loss and raising ...
Solar eclipse won't spook Olympics: astrologers
HONG KONG (AFP) - A total eclipse of the sun a week before the Beijing Olympics will spook the superstitious but Chinese authorities have no ...
WTO talks enter tense endgame: officials
GENEVA (AFP) - Tense and emotional talks to hammer out a new global trade pact paused for the night in deadlock and were set to ...
Pakistan seeks confirmation of top Al-Qaeda death
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AFP) - Security officials in Pakistan were seeking confirmation Tuesday that a top Al-Qaeda expert on chemical and biological weapons had been killed ...
China using Olympics as 'pretext' for crackdown: Amnesty
HONG KONG (AFP) - China is using the Beijing Olympics as a pretext to pursue -- and in some cases tighten -- a crackdown on ...
Merrill raises 8.5 billion after huge losses
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Leading US investment bank Merrill Lynch announced Monday it was raising 8.5 billion dollars in new capital through a public offering, and ...
Winehouse stable in hospital: spokesman
LONDON (AFP) - Troubled British soul singer Amy Winehouse was in a stable condition Monday evening after being rushed to a London hospital's accident and ...
WTO talks enter tense endgame: officials
GENEVA (AFP) - Talks to forge a new global trade pact teetered on the brink of collapse Tuesday as the World Trade Organization said the ...
Recriminations begin as hope for world trade deal dims
GENEVA (AFP) - Hopes for a new global trade pact dimmed sharply Monday as a blame game broke out between major trading powers and a ...
Austrian zoo says lion cub triplets may be rare Atlas crossbreed
VIENNA (AFP) - Lion cub triplets thought to be a sub-species of the Atlas lion, extinct in the wild for almost a century, have been ...
Al-Qaeda chemical expert believed killed in Pakistan: officials
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AFP) - Al-Qaeda's top expert on chemical and biological weapons is believed to have been killed Monday in a suspected US missile strike ...
Tempers flare, threatening WTO deal
GENEVA (AFP) - Crucial WTO talks turned fiery on Monday as major trading powers United States, China and India exchanged harsh words, blaming each other ...
Bomb attacks in Iraq kill at least 56
BAGHDAD (AFP) - Three women bombers blew themselves up on Monday in a crowd of Shiite pilgrims in Baghdad, one of a string of attacks ...
Strikes hit Lufthansa in latest German walkouts
BERLIN (AFP) - Workers at German national airline Lufthansa began an indefinite strike Monday at the height of the holiday season to press for higher ...
Nigeria, Cameroon in last minute talks on Bakassi handover
As the August 14 handover date of the disputed Bakassi peninsula draws near, President Umaru Yar’Adua and his Cameroonian counterpart, Paul Biya, have restated their commitment to the successful handing over of the oil rich peninsula....Oando buys into Agip Exploration
Nigerian energy group Oando on Friday announced the acquisition of 15 percent of Italian oil giant Agip Exploration’s interest in production-sharing contracts off the Nigerian coast for $188.4 million....Stakeholders, academics, others call for paradigm shift in journalism practice
Stakeholders of the media industry, comprising practising and retired journalists, academics and corporate strategists, have called for a paradigm shift in the practice of journalism in Nigeria....Bauchi House of Assembly approves N1.4bn for new Government House
Bauchi State House of Assembly has approved N1.4 billion for the completion of the new Bauchi Government House complex....Maduekwe identifies causes of tension in Bakassi peninsula
Ojo Maduekwe, minister of foreign affairs, Monday in Abuja identified detractors and militants as forces causing tension at the Bakassi Peninsula. ...Governors intervene in teachers’ strike, set up negotiation committee
Governors in the 30 states of the federation met in Abuja yesterday over the lingering strike by the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) over their demand for a special Teachers Salary Scale that has entered the fifth week ...Nestoil group unveils Africa’s first dredging vessel in PH
Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria’s vice president in Port Harcourt has commissioned MV Ernesto 1, which comes off as Africa’s first indigenous sophisticated dredging vessel, and an industrial area, owned and operated by Nestoil Group, a Nigerian oil and gas company. ...Oceanic Bank records N40.7b PBT in Q3
Oceanic Bank International plc has recorded a profit before tax (PBT) of N40.7 billion, representing an increase of 148 per cent growth from its previous year figures of N16.4 billion, the bank posted N33.6 billion profit after tax against N13.6 billion made in the preceding year of 2007....What should employers do about health care?
In United States, employers have often treated health benefits as a necessary evil. They have focused on the rising cost of providing health insurance benefits and taken aggressive steps to bring costs down, or at least to slow the rate of increase....Kurdish rebels condemned at funeral of Istanbul bomb victims
ISTANBUL (AFP) - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday joined thousands of people at the funerals of victims of two bomb attacks in ...
Sanitation, poverty and the MDGs
One important area of our national life that has received very scant attention is sanitation. It is, therefore, not surprising that the health situation in Nigeria is in a parlous state....Spate of suicide attacks in Iraq kill at least 51
BAGHDAD (AFP) - Three women bombers blew themselves up on Monday in a crowd of Shiite pilgrims in Baghdad, one of a string of ...
Investment firm KKR to sell shares on NYSE
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co, one of the most prestigious US investment firms, announced its intentions Sunday to sell its shares publicly ...
Kurdish rebels under suspicion as bombs kill 17 in Istanbul
ISTANBUL (AFP) - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan implicitly blamed separatist Kurdish rebels Monday for two bomb blasts that ripped through a crowded Istanbul ...
Al-Qaeda weapons expert believed killed in Pakistan
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AFP) - A top Al-Qaeda expert on chemical and biological weapons is believed to have been killed Monday in a suspected US missile ...
German airline Lufthansa hit by strike
BERLIN (AFP) - Workers at Germany's biggest airline, Lufthansa, walked off the job Monday to press for higher pay in the latest strikes to hit ...
German carrier Lufthansa hit by strike
FRANKFURT (AFP) - Workers at the biggest German airline Lufthansa walked out on strike Monday to press for higher pay, but service did not appear ...
Early returns confirm strong lead for Hun Sen in Cambodian vote
PHNOM PENH (AFP) - Prime Minister Hun Sen's ruling party won nearly 60 percent of the vote in early returns from weekend polls, according ...
Istanbul bomb attacks kill 17
ISTANBUL (AFP) - Two bombs exploded in a crowded Istanbul street, killing at least 17 people and wounding more than 150 hours before a key ...
Suspected US missiles kill six in Pakistan
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AFP) - Suspected US missiles killed six people including three Arab militants in Pakistan's tribal belt on Monday, as the country's premier prepared ...
'Women' bombers kill 25 Shiite pilgrims in Baghdad
BAGHDAD (AFP) - Three suicide bombers, believed to be women, killed 25 Shiite pilgrims on Monday as they headed to a holy shrine in ...
Ryanair profits dive as fuel costs rocket
LONDON (AFP) - Irish low-cost airline Ryanair said on Monday that net profit dived 85 percent during its first quarter compared with the figure a ...
Death toll in Istanbul bombing rises to 16
ISTANBUL (AFP) - The death toll in Sunday's double bombing in Istanbul rose to 16 on Monday, the government said, just hours before Turkey's top ...
Thai extradition case delay for alleged arms dealer
BANGKOK (AFP) - A Thai court on Monday postponed extradition hearings for alleged Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, which could see the man dubbed ...
Thai extradition hearing for alleged arms dealer Bout postponed
BANGKOK (AFP) - A Thai court on Monday postponed extradition hearings for alleged Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who is fighting a request to be ...
WTO scrambles for fresh options on trade pact
GENEVA, (AFP) - Top negotiators prepared to turn to fresh proposals Monday in a bid to nail a new global trade free trade pact despite ...
Jumbo jet oxygen tank blast would be a first : Australian investigator
SYDNEY (AFP) - An onboard oxygen bottle has never before exploded on a passenger jet in mid-air, an Australian air safety official said Monday, as ...
WTO talks sour on emerging economies split
GENEVA (AFP) - Squabbles among emerging economies threatened on Sunday to shatter fragile gains in the fraught quest for a new global trade pact, as ...
15 dead, 154 injured in Istanbul double bombing: officials
ISTANBUL, July 28, 2008 (AFP) - Two bombs exploded in Istanbul overnight, leaving at least 15 people dead and 154 wounded, officials said Monday, ...
13 dead, 70 injured in Istanbul double bombing: TV
ISTANBUL (AFP) - Two bombs exploded in Istanbul late Sunday, leaving at least 13 people dead, and some 70 others wounded, the NTV television station ...
FG moves to end teachers strike - minister
Minister of State for Education, Aishatu Dukku, has said that the Federal Government is negotiating with the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) to resolve the prolong teachers’ strike. ...Waziri inspects EFCC’s detention facilities in Lagos, promises speedy trial
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) chairman, Farida Waziri, at the weekend visited the detention facilities of the anti-graft agency in Ikoyi, Lagos with a view to ascertaining the condition of suspects in custody....11 dead, 72 injured in Istanbul double bombing: TV
ISTANBUL (AFP) - Two bombs exploded in Istanbul late Sunday, leaving at least 11 people dead, and some 72 others wounded, the NTV television station ...
Double bombing kills eight in Istanbul: TV
ISTANBUL (AFP) - Two bombs exploded in Istanbul late Sunday, leaving at least eight people dead, and some 24 others wounded, the NTV television station ...
WTO talks sour as emerging economies break ranks
GENEVA (AFP) - A split among developing countries on Sunday threatened to unravel progress made by trade negotiators over a gruelling week of fierce bargaining ...
Swatch sees record profits in 2008
GENEVA (AFP) - Swatch Group, the world's biggest watchmaker, said Sunday it expects to post record profits in 2008 despite the weakness of the US ...
Indian leaders urge calm, army called out after attacks
AHMEDABAD, India (AFP) - Indian leaders appealed for calm Sunday as the army was called out after a wave of bombings killed 45 people in ...
"Dinosaur eel" points to body armour of the future
PARIS (AFP) - An extraordinary fish that inhabits muddy pools in West Africa and whose lineage can be traced back 96 million years could be ...
Sastre crowned Tour de France champion
PARIS (AFP) - Spain's Carlos Sastre wrapped up his maiden Tour de France triumph here on Sunday following the final stage of the race into ...
World trade pact hangs in the balance
GENEVA (AFP) - Top trade negotiators fought to hang on to fragile gains in their quest for a long-delayed global trade pact on Sunday, as ...
Standard Chartered leads NNPC/MOBIL $220m facility
Standard Chartered Bank in its strategic move to support Nigeria’s Oil and Gas sector has structured a deal with eight other Nigerian banks to provide $220 million bank debt financing for the National Nigerian Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Mobil Producing Nigeria’s NGL II project....Shareholders look at Oceanic’s Q3 in perspective
Leading shareholders’ rights activists and other investors in Oceanic Bank weekend placed Oceanic bank under the klieg lights and concluded that the bank’s third quarter result signified good intentions of the board and management. ...Another round of Inflation?
Recently, the National Bureau for Statistics (NBS) released its monthly inflation figures for June 2008. ...Outrage over 2006 Egypt ferry disaster acquittals
CAIRO (AFP) - Scuffles erupted at an Egyptian court on Sunday when five of six defendants were cleared of blame for a 2006 ferry sinking ...
Consequences of blowing up oil pipelines in the Niger Delta
It takes 25 to 30 minutes by chopper (helicopter) from Port Harcourt in Rivers State to Diebu settlement on the bank of the River Nun in Southern Ijaw local council area of Bayelsa State but it took militants nothing to get to a Shell flow station there to blow it up....Nigerian deportees to smile as SMEDAN, others commence rehabilitation
The programme involves vocational training, entrepreneurship education and training, counseling, mentoring, advisory services and business financing. ...EU trade chief warns road to Doha littered with 'potholes'
GENEVA (AFP) - Europe's trade chief warned Sunday that the road to a successful WTO deal is littered with "potholes" despite emerging signs of consensus ...
Iran hangs 29 drug traffickers, murderers, rapists
TEHRAN (AFP) - Iran on Sunday hanged 29 men convicted of offences including drug trafficking, murder and rape in the largest mass execution in years ...
Ruling party claims victory in Cambodia polls
PHNOM PENH (AFP) - Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's ruling party on Sunday claimed victory in polls overshadowed by a military standoff with Thailand, setting ...
Outrage after 2006 Egypt ferry disaster acquittals
CAIRO (AFP) - Scuffles erupted at an Egyptian court on Sunday when five of six defendants were cleared of blame for a 2006 ferry sinking ...
Indian leaders urge calm after deadly attacks
AHMEDABAD, India (AFP) - Indian leaders issued appeals for calm Sunday as the army was called out after a wave of bombings killed 45 people ...
Qantas jet probe focuses on exploding oxygen cylinders
MANILA (AFP) - Air safety investigators said Sunday that an exploding oxygen cylinder may have been to blame for tearing a huge hole in an ...
Key players look to bolster consensus at world trade talks
GENEVA (AFP) - Top negotiators prepared Sunday to try to firm up emerging signs of consensus on a new global trade pact, with signs that ...
Cambodia's ruling party claims early lead in vote count
PHNOM PENH (AFP) - The ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) claimed an early lead Sunday shortly after polls closed in general elections expected to extend ...
Qantas jet probe focuses on exploding oxygen cylinders
SYDNEY (AFP) - Air safety investigators said Sunday that an exploding oxygen cylinder may have been to blame for tearing a huge hole in an ...
More may be needed to clear Beijing smog, official says
BEIJING (AFP) - Olympic host city Beijing was blanketed in smog Sunday, as a senior Chinese environmental official warned more measures might be needed to ...
Polls close in Cambodia, PM Hun Sen favoured to win
PHNOM PENH (AFP) - Polls closed in Cambodia on Sunday after general elections widely expected to extend Prime Minister Hun Sen's 23-year grip on power. ...
Indian leaders appeal for calm after attacks
AHMEDABAD, India (AFP) - Indian leaders issued appeals for calm Sunday after a wave of bombings killed 38 people and left 100 injured in ...
Oxygen cylinders 'key focus' of Qantas jet probe: official
SYDNEY (AFP) - Investigators probing what punched a gaping hole in an Australian jumbo jet in mid-air believe exploding emergency oxygen cylinders might be to ...
Obama returns to face McCain music over missed GI visit
CHICAGO (AFP) - White House hopeful Barack Obama returned from a triumphant, presidential-looking foreign tour but immediately faced a new assault from rival John McCain ...
Oxygen bottles 'key focus' of Qantas jet probe: official
SYDNEY (AFP) - Investigators probing what punched a gaping hole mid-air in an Australian jumbo jet are focusing on whether it was caused by exploding ...
Raul Castro warns Cubans of more tough times ahead
SANTIAGO DE CUBA (AFP) - Cuban President Raul Castro told his compatriots to expect more hard times, but failed to usher in more reforms ...
Key players look to bolster consensus at WTO talks
GENEVA, (AFP) - Top negotiators will seek Sunday to firm up emerging signs of consensus on a new global trade pact but with every sign ...
German carrier Lufthansa faces strike during peak holiday season
BERLIN, (AFP) - Lufthansa, the biggest German airline, faces a tumultuous strike during its busiest season after members of the German trade union Verdi voted ...
Cambodian voters poised to extend Hun Sen's rule
PHNOM PENH (AFP) - Cambodians looked set to extend Prime Minister Hun Sen's 23-year rule in elections Sunday, after a campaign overshadowed by a tense ...
Workers struggle to clean up oil spill on Mississippi
WASHINGTON (AFP) - The US Coast Guard and clean-up crews were struggling Saturday to rid the Mississippi River of hundreds of thousands of gallons (liters) ...
Polls open in Cambodia with PM Hun Sen favoured to win
PHNOM PENH (AFP) - Polls opened in Cambodia on Sunday for legislative elections widely expected to extend Prime Minister Hun Sen's 23-year grip on power. ...
Key countries upbeat on WTO trade talks
GENEVA (AFP) - Top trade negotiators struck a rare note of harmony in their quest for a new global free trade pact Saturday, expressing encouragement ...
Key WTO players 'encouraged' by negotiations on services
GENEVA (AFP) - Top trade negotiators from key rich countries and emerging economies struck a rare note of harmony Saturday, saying they were encouraged on ...
Hamas hunts down Fatah rivals after deadly Gaza bombing
GAZA CITY (AFP) - Hamas-run security forces stormed across Gaza on Saturday, clashing with rival Palestinian gunmen and arresting dozens of people after a bomb ...