Saturday, 28 February 2015

Rwanda urged to take criminal action over BBC genocide film

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skulls on display in the Nyamata church

The skulls of some of those killed are on display in Rwanda to remind people of the genocide


    An inquiry in Rwanda has recommended that the government initiate criminal and civil proceedings against the BBC over a documentary which questioned official accounts of the 1994 genocide.
    Inquiry head Martin Ngoga found that the documentary failed to meet the BBC's own editorial standards.
    The BBC says it is extremely disappointed by the findings.
    Rwanda suspended broadcasts by the BBC's Kinyarwanda language service after the TV documentary was aired.
    At least 800,000 people died in the genocide over a 100-day period.
    A Rwandan woman collapses with her baby on her back alongside the road connecting Kibumba refugee camp and Goma (28 July 1994) The BBC argues that it has a duty to investigate difficult and challenging subjects
    Those killed are generally believed to be mostly members of the minority ethnic Tutsi group, and Hutus opposed to the mass slaughter.
    The BBC programme Rwanda, The Untold Story, included interviews with US-based researchers who say most of those killed may have been Hutus, killed by members of the then-rebel Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), which has been in power since 1994.
    The programme also included interviews with former aides of RPF leader President Paul Kagame, accusing him of plotting to shoot down the presidential plane - the act seen as triggering the slaughter.
    He has strenuously denied previous such accusations.
    File photo of Rwanda's President Paul Kagame speaking to journalists in the courtyard of the Elysee palace in Paris Paul Kagame's Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) has been in power since the genocide ended
    BBC news reports recall how the genocide unfolded
    Critics in Rwanda say that the documentary was an attempt to revise the history and facts of the genocide, and disrespected the memory of those who had died.
    The BBC has consistently denied that any part of the programme constitutes a "denial of the genocide against the Tutsi". It has said that it will look closely at the implications of the inquiry recommendations.
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    Rwandan genocide:
    • 6 April 1994: President Juvenal Habyarimana is killed when his plane was shot down on returning from peace talks with Tutsi RPF rebels
    • 7 April: It is not clear who is behind the shooting but it sparks the systematic mass killing of mainly Tutsis by extremist Hutu militia and military elements
    • April-July: An estimated 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus are slaughtered
    • RPF denies accusations they killed thousands of Hutus as they marched through the country
    • July: RPF captures the capital, Kigali
    • July: Two million Hutus flee to Zaire, now DR Congo
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    A parliamentary resolution in October said the programme's producer and presenter, as well as those interviewed for the documentary, should be charged with genocide denial - a punishable crime in Rwanda.
    The BBC argued around the same time that it had a duty to investigate difficult and challenging subjects and believed the programme was a valuable contribution to the understanding of the tragic history of the country and the region.
    The BBC also said several attempts to get the Rwandan government to respond to the allegations for the programme had not been taken up.

    Satirist asks if US has failed South Sudan?

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    When South Sudan became independent from Sudan in 2011, the United States was described as the "midwife" at the birth of the world's newest nation because of decades of diplomatic investment.
    But just 18 months later, a brutal conflict erupted, in which thousands of people have died. In this week's episode of our satirical series What's Up Africa, Ikenna Azuike asks if US foreign policy has failed in South Sudan.
    What's Up Africa is a BBC and RNW co-production. Watch on Focus on Africa on BBC World News & partner stations across Africa every Friday 

    Suspect detained outside US consulate in Istanbul

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    Turkish police have arrested a man who threatened to set off a bomb outside the US consulate in Istanbul. Police sealed off a street outside the consulate and removed the suspect's car after checking it for explosives on Friday. The consulate said it had taken measures to protect its staff and visitors.
    "Istanbul police have detained a man outside the US consulate on Friday after he threaten to detonate a bomb. Around 10 a.m. on the morning, Friday a man identified 33 year-old parked his car outside US consulate, and then announced he had explosives in the car and was going to detonate it. The police were able to seal off the area and remove vehicle without further incident. It was later found that no bomb on person or in the car and the man was mentally unstable.
    Istanbul has been on high alert since January after a suicide bomber blew herself up on a police station, and historian a very busy area. She herself died as well as one of the police officers on staff. It's later discovered she was a widow of an ISIL fighter.
    Earlier on February Turkish MIT announced that some 3,000 ISIL fighters were in the country planning an attack on consulate and embassies in the country. There were associated with anti-ISIL campaign," Said Natalie Carney, CCTV reporter.

    Press center ready for China's annual political sessions

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    ll coverage: 2015 NPC & CPPCC Sessions

    With the annual sessions of the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee just days away, the press center for the events is up and running, and the first wave of journalists have already been given their press passes.
    The press center is located in the Media Center Hotel in downtown Beijing. It will serve the over 3,000 registered correspondents from home and abroad, including more than 1,000 from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and abroad.
    Press conferences will be held here almost on a daily basis in the 700-square-meter conference and interview room on the second floor.
    A communications service center on the first floor with assist the work of the reporters, who are already anxious to get started.

    Key Russian opposition figure shot dead near the Kremlin

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    A manhunt for the attacker who shot and killed leading Russian opposition politician and former deputy prime minister Boris Nemtsov is now underway.
     
    The Interior Ministry said Nemtsov, 55, was shot four times in the back near St Basil's Cathedral in Red Square. 
     
    A police spokeswoman on the scene said he had been walking on a bridge over the Moskva River with a Ukrainian woman when a vehicle drove up and an unidentified assailant shot him dead.

    Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the killing and took the investigation under presidential command. He said it could have been a contract killing and a "provocation" on the eve of a big opposition protest on Sunday.
     
    Nemtsov was an outspoken critic of the government's inefficiency, corruption and policy on Ukraine.

    China's FM: No external interference in HK affairs

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    China's Foreign Ministry has warned Britain and other nations to stay out of China's domestic affairs, specifically issues surrounding Hong Kong.

    The ministry was responding to the latest report by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office on the situation in Hong Kong.

    "The Central Government of China resumed its sovereignty over Hong Kong on July 1, 1997. Since then, Hong Kong has been a special administrative region of China. The so-called ‘responsibility’ that the British side claims to have over Hong Kong simply does not exist. Hong Kong affairs are completely China's domestic affairs. No foreign country has any right to interfere in them in any form," Chinese Foreign Ministry's spokesman Hong Lei said.

    The UK government presented its latest six-monthly report to parliament Thursday. During Friday's news briefing, China's foreign ministry said the "one country, two systems" model had been a great success, and was globally recognized.

    The ministry said China's Central Government will continue to implement the policy and uphold Chinese laws.

    The ministry also said the government will firmly support Hong Kong's democratic development, and safeguard Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability.

    PHOTO: MOBILE POLICEMAN SHOOTS POLICE BOSS TO DEATH IN BAUCHI

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    A mobile policeman in Bauchi state shot dead his superior and former ADC to Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, Superintendent of Police, Chris Eza (pictured above), yesterday February 26th in Bauchi.

    According to family sources, Chris Eza had gone out to get food at an eatery along Ahmadu Bello way around 9pm when he saw some police officers on patrol. On observation, he found out that one of them, the suspect, was not properly dressed and immediately cautioned him. The junior officer, a Corporal, got angry and began to grumble for being told to dress properly.

    An angry Chris felt his action was unacceptable and warned the officer that he was going to disarm him if he didn't take care. Instead of apologizing, the junior officer cocked his gun and threatened to shoot his boss.
    He told Heza that if he came close to him, he would shoot. Calling his bluff, Eza moved towards the officer, who immediately opened fire. Other officers around rushed Chris to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) Bauchi where he was declared dead on arrival. Until his death, he was the MOPOL 11 Commander.

    The officer has since been arrested and investigations into the motive for the killing is ongoing.

    14 Edicational tool people don't notice

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    Educational technology is advancing each and every day, such that it is not easy to keep up with it. Different educational tools are created daily making learning easier, better and richer. Some of the tools include:

    1: Learn More, Study Less: The Video Course

    What if I told you everything you know about how to learn, study and succeed in school was wrong “If you learn like most people, it probably is.Learn More, Study Less is a Course For Learning Faster. Aimed For Students, Professionals And Self-learners. This has been a very helpful course for most people and could be of great help to you too! so do well to check it out. Check out the complete Video course here

    2. GCF LEANFREE.ORG

    The site is based in North Carolina and is owned by Goodwill Industries. Its main purpose is to build technological skills, literacy and mathematical skills for people across the world. The site offers classes free of charge and also has mobile apps that learners can use wherever they are. Presently, the site offers more than 700 lessons for free; and teaches various subjects ranging from simple subtraction and addition to Microsoft Office.

    3. SCITABLE

    Scitable is a site that Nature Education created. The online site is concerned with science education and learning. There are numerous science eBooks and articles that visitors can browse through to learn more about science. Visitors are also able to learn and ask from science experts, form online classrooms and share their science articles or contents. The site is dedicated to science lovers who are eager to learn or pursue a career that is science-related

    4. University Of The People

    The online education site was created by Shai Reshef. It is non-profit tuition fee institution that offers computer science and business administration degree courses. It is an advanced online institution that works in conjunction with Catalyst Initiative, New York University, Yale and Hewlett-Packard. The systems provide opportunities to students for practicums, research and further studies. The site mainly focuses on developing countries but can also accept other countries. All, you need to do, is to apply.
    5. SAYLOR
    Saylor, an online education site was created in 2008. It offers almost 200 free online courses which are majorly centered on the highest enrollment majors in USA. The site also enables learners to take part in discussion forums, print manuscripts and track courses.

    6: TEXTBOOK REVOLUTION

    Textbook Revolution is among the many sites that enable users to access free books. The site has a variety of textbooks for different topics and subjects from which, every learner can benefit. Despite not being popularly known, it is a site that is dedicated to helping students.

    7: University Of Reddit

    Most people, who frequent the internet, may be familiar with reddit but not the University of Reddit. The site offers visitors the opportunity to share their skills and knowledge via videos and class lectures. Presently, the site offers learning resources in different fields including computer science, math, science, social studies and philosophy.

     8. Engineering for Change

    Unlike other aforementioned sites which have educational videos and lessons, this site is a live collaborative webcast. Participants can learn and interact with other people regarding engineering topics. You are also able to involve yourself actively in solving humanitarian engineering matters. In the site, a fresh topic is introduced each month for users to ponder about. Anyone interested in learning more about engineering can sign up and enjoy the services offered.

    9. MENTORMOB

    Mentormob is a site that collects educational resources from other sites, puts them in an orderly manner then shares them. Users enjoy the benefit of creating their educational resources or surf through current collections put together by other users.

    10 The Faculty Project

    The Faculty Project enables learners to access lecturers and professors from renowned institutions like Vassar and Northwestern. The site covers a wide variety of courses from which, learners can choose their desired courses. It is still quite new, but it is rapidly growing as it is building up a good assortment of learning materials that students can learn from via PowerPoint, PDF and educational articles.

    11 LEARNTHAT

    Learnthat is a brilliant site where learners can go through tutorials that are associated with technology, business and finance. The site has hundreds of useful videos and articles that enable students to sharpen their skills in digital marketing, management and other subject matters.

    12: MEMRISE

    Memrise is a site that uses a combination of fun, brain science and community to help users learn. Most of the content is very visual and gamed- based. The visitors can boost their skills in a variety of fields like languages or other topics such as foodstuffs.

    13 ALISON

    Alison online site is a 2007 site created to offer free online courses. The site offers more than 300 courses in ten different groups. Different people from around the world can get certified courses on topics such as human resources, legal studies and project management. The content provided is free of charge except for 20 dollars you are expected to pay when getting a copy of your certificate.

    14 LEARNERSTV

    LearnersTV is a site that brings together science animations, publications, videos, audio lectures and online tests. Users can get access to a broad variety of resources from which they can learn. Whether you are looking for in-depth experience or a simple research, the site will provide all the necessary material you need

    Photo: Kanye West cries during interview

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    This Kanye sef! During his interview with Radio 1's Zane Lowe yesterday, Mr West began crying as he remembered his friend, who he described as the 'greatest fashion instructor of all time', Louise Wilson, who died in May last year.

    Describing his meeting with his friend and mentor at London's Hakkasan, Kanye said "I think she knew she was gonna pass" and he went to say how influential she'd been in his life. He was then reduced to tears and later told the host "That’s never happened to me in an interview before. Talking about Wilson is kinda hard for me". See more photos after the cut...




    Osinbajo planning to hand over to Tinubu - Femi Fani-Kayode

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    At a press briefing in Abuja today, the spokesperson of the PDP Presidential campaign organization PDPPCO, Femi Fani-Kayode alleged that a Chieftain of the APC, Bola Tinubu has compelled the Vice Presidential candidate of the APC, Prof Osinbajo to swear to an oath that he would resign as Vice President six months after inauguration (if their party wins) so that he can scheme his way into power if Gen Buhari dies in office. What he said below...
    “The PDPPCO wishes to use this forum to expose the ungodly plan by Tinubu to seize the presidency of Nigeria by subterfuge. The real reason Tinubu nominated Osinbajo has been made known to us and we hereby offer a public service to the Nigerian people by drawing national attention to it. Tinubu wanted to be running mate to Buhari in spite of the nationwide resentment for Muslim-Muslim ticket that he and Buhari planned to foist on their party men and women. But when he and Buhari could not push through the agenda within the APC, he (Tinubu), after being given the opportunity to nominate a vice presidential candidate, he decided to prop up his stooge in the person of Prof Osinbajo.
    Tinubu, according to our information, has compelled Osinbajo to swear to an oath that after six months in office, he would resign as the vice president, in the unlikely event that their party wins. Credible pieces of information at our disposal indicate that Tinubu has perfected plans to come to power through the back door. The ultimate objective of this plot is to ensure that Tinubu becomes president. The script is simple: given the questionable health of Buhari, Tinubu, who is desperate to be president for his own selfish reasons, will simply bid his time in the evil expectation that Buhari will not be able to go the whole hog.” Fani Kayode said

    Khloe Kardashian talks about her weight-loss journey, shares pic

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    Khloe Kardashian took to instagram to talk about and share pics from the weight-loss journey she's undertaking. Seems to be working well for her. She wrote;
    "Looking back at pictures of myself I didn't realize at the time how unhealthy my lifestyle actually was. People love to call me the fat one but as weird as it sounds I still don't think I would consider myself fat back then. Definitely overweight and unhealthy, yes. About two years ago I decided to turn to fitness as a form of therapy and as a stress reliever. I started slow and eventually I started working out 4 to 5 days a week. We all have to start somewhere and doing something is better than nothing at all. Start small so you don't get discouraged and give up. Remember it is all about consistency.
    There are no quick fixes if you want long-term results. Working out is a huge part of my life now. I genuinely enjoy sweating out my frustrations and living a healthier life. My workouts are not all about vanity. They are about clarity for my mind and soul. We all have different journeys in life, make sure your journey is for you and you alone. Remember in the end the turtle won the race. Slow and steady. dedication and tenacity.

    Recovered territories: Military releases statement, shares photos of weapons seized from BH

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    A press statement from the Defence Headquarters below...
    "Troops have finally routed terrorists from Bara, the Headquarters of Gulani LGA of Yobe State and Gulag, the Headquarters of Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State in the early hours of today, Friday. The fierce fighting that preceded the clearing of towns and other communities resulted in appreciable casualties on the terrorists, the capture of some of them, the recovery and destruction of arms, thousands of assorted rounds ammunition as well as vehicles and other equipment including; Anti-Aircraft Guns, General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs), Grenades, Multi-barrel bombs, Multi-barrel Grenade Launchers, rifles and mortar guns.
    Other locations also cleared in the course of the two days operation include, Shikah, Fikayel, Tetebah, Buza, Kamla and Bumsa.
    Chris OLUKOLADE Major General Director Defence Information

    Russia opposition politician Boris Nemtsov shot dead

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    Police stand around the body of Boris Nemtsov in Moscow, with St Basil's Cathedral and the Kremlin in the background, 27 February

    Mr Nemtsov was shot on a bridge within sight of St Basil's Cathedral and the Kremlin


      A leading Russian opposition politician, former Deputy Prime Minister Boris Nemtsov, has been shot dead in Moscow, Russian officials say.
      An unidentified attacker in a car shot Mr Nemtsov four times in the back as he crossed a bridge in view of the Kremlin, police say.
      He died hours after appealing for support for a march on Sunday in Moscow against the war in Ukraine.
      Russian President Vladimir Putin has condemned the murder, the Kremlin says.
      President Putin has assumed "personal control" of the investigation into the killing, said his spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
      It "bears the hallmarks of a contract killing," said Mr Peskov.
      In a recent interview, Mr Nemtsov had said he feared Mr Putin would have him killed because of his opposition to the war in Ukraine.
      Boris Nemtsov in Moscow, 6 April 2009 Boris Nemtsov was one of Russia's leading economic reformers in the 1990s (file photo from 2009)
      Mr Nemtsov, 55, served as first deputy prime minister under President Boris Yeltsin in the 1990s.
      He had earned a reputation as an economic reformer while governor of one of Russia's biggest cities, Nizhny Novgorod.
      Falling out of favour with Yeltsin's successor, Mr Putin, he became an outspoken opposition politician.
      'Brutal murder'
      Thorbjorn Jagland, secretary general of the Council of Europe, condemned the killing, saying in a tweet: "I am shocked and appalled key opposition leader Boris Nemtsov was shot. Killers must be brought to justice."
      US President Barack Obama condemned the "brutal murder" and called on the Russian government to conduct a "prompt, impartial and transparent investigation".
      Mr Nemtsov was shot at around 23:40 (20:40 GMT) on Friday while crossing Bolshoy Kamenny Bridge accompanied by a woman, Russia's interior ministry said.
      He was shot with a pistol from a white car which fled the scene, a police source told Russia's Interfax news agency.
      According to Russian-language news website Meduza, "several people" got out of a car and shot him.
      One of the politician's colleagues in his RPR-Parnassus party, Ilya Yashin, confirmed Mr Nemtsov's death.
      "Unfortunately I can see the corpse of Boris Nemtsov in front of me now," he was quoted as saying by Russia's lenta.ru news website.
      Flowers were left at the site of the shooting through the night.
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      Analysis: Sarah Rainsford, BBC Moscow correspondent
      A lawyer for Mr Nemtsov reported that he had received death threats over social media in recent months; but for now there's only speculation as to why he was targeted. He openly opposed Moscow's role in the crisis in Ukraine - and the annexation by Russia of Crimea.
      He had been planning a rare public protest on Sunday against both things - and a growing economic crisis in this country.
      Since his death, social media has been flooded with tributes to a man remembered as by friends as decent, honest and a democrat . He had been pushed to the political margins in Vladimir Putin's Russia, but he was still prominent enough for someone to want to kill him.
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      Flowers left at the site of Boris Nemtsov's killing, Moscow, 28 Feb 2015People came during the night to leave flowers at the scene
      Russian opposition leaders Ilya Yashin, left, and Ksenia Sobchak react to news of the death of Mr Nemtsov - 27 February 2015Russian opposition leaders Ilya Yashin, left, and Ksenia Sobchak react to news of the death of Mr Nemtsov
      Boris Nemtsov addresses the crowd at a rally in Moscow to oppose President Putin's policies in Ukraine - 15 March 2014Mr Nemtsov feared his vocal opposition to President Putin's policies on Ukraine could get him killed
      'Putin's aggression'
      In his last tweet, Mr Nemtsov sent out an appeal for Russia's divided opposition to unite at an anti-war march he was planning for Sunday.
      "If you support stopping Russia's war with Ukraine, if you support stopping Putin's aggression, come to the Spring March in Maryino on 1 March," he wrote.
      Speaking earlier this month to Russia's Sobesednik news website, he had spoken of his fears for his own life.
      "I'm afraid Putin will kill me," he said in the article (in Russian) on 10 February.
      "I believe that he was the one who unleashed the war in the Ukraine," he added. "I couldn't dislike him more."
      Mr Putin has been widely accused of fomenting the bloody rebellion in east Ukraine - an accusation he denies. Fighting there followed Russia's annexation of Crimea in March last year.
      Almost 5,800 people have died and at least 1.25 million have fled their homes, according to the UN.
      The Ukrainian government, Western leaders and Nato say there is clear evidence that Russia is helping the rebels with heavy weapons and soldiers.
      Independent experts echo that accusation while Moscow denies it, insisting that any Russians serving with the rebels are "volunteers".

      US avoids homeland security shutdown as House passes bill

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      US House Speaker John Boehner returns to his office after the bill was rejected - 27 February 2015

      House Speaker John Boehner had earlier failed to get dozens of Republicans to back his stance
      US lawmakers have avoided a partial shutdown of homeland security after passing a one-week funding extension just hours before a midnight deadline.
      The House of Representatives voted 357-60 in favour of the short-term bill after it had been passed in the Senate.
      President Barack Obama, who said he would back a short-term deal to avert a shutdown, signed it shortly afterwards.
      It ensures the department's 250,000 employees will be paid while a longer-term funding agreement is discussed.
      The two-thirds majority vote was reached about two hours before the midnight (05:00 GMT Saturday) deadline.
      Earlier, Republicans had rejected a similar three-week extension after provisions against President Obama's immigration plan were dropped.
      The one-week deal was backed by a majority of Democrats despite many of them voting against the earlier bill in the hope that a longer-term deal could be agreed.
      The move came shortly after President Obama had spoken by phone to Democratic leaders in a bid to avert the partial department closure.
      The Department of Homeland Security is responsible for securing US borders, airports and coastal waters.
      About 200,000 "essential" department employees would have continued to work without pay if the agency's funding had not been secured.
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      Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson (C) and former Homeland Security secretaries Michael Chertoff (R) and Tom Ridge (L) speak to reporters  in Washington 25 February 2015Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson called for full funding of the department
      Effects of a Homeland Security shutdown
      • Airport security agents required to work without pay
      • Employers would not have the ability to use a programme called E-Verify to check if new employees are authorised to work legally in the US
      • No grants made to local and state authorities, including for training and new equipment
      • Secret Service will not be able to hire agents to protect 2016 presidential candidates
      • Civil rights and civil liberties complaint lines and investigations will be shut down
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      Some Republicans had wanted to use the funding of the department, which includes immigration officials, as a bargaining chip to force President Obama to end policies on immigration.
      Last November, Mr Obama used his executive powers to protect about five million undocumented immigrants from deportation. Republicans say Mr Obama overstepped his powers in doing so.
      A separate ruling by a federal judge has blocked those policies from starting while a lawsuit by more than two dozen states goes forward.
      US. President Barack Obama (R) participates in the taping of an MSNBC/Telemundo town hall discussion on immigration with host Jose Diaz-Balart (L) at Florida International University in Miami, 25 February 2015The White House said Mr Obama would sign a short-term measure to prevent a shutdown
      Some Republicans senators had expressed a desire to fight the executive actions in the courts, rather than threaten the department's funding.
      The BBC's Naomi Grimley in Washington says many on Capitol Hill feared a public backlash if the funding had been thrown into doubt at a time of fears about "lone wolf" terrorists.
      Will undocumented people come forward amid uncertainty?
      On Thursday, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson urged Congress to pass full funding.
      "A short-term continuing resolution exacerbates the uncertainty for my workforce and puts us back in the same position, on the brink of a shutdown just days from now," Mr Johnson said.
      Last week, the White House said Mr Obama would prefer a full funding bill but would sign a short-term measure to prevent a shutdown.