2015: PDP considers automatic ticket for Jonathan

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The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party is contemplating fielding President Goodluck Jonathan as its sole candidate for the 2015 presidential primaries, Saturday PUNCH has learnt.

The thinking within the top echelon of the party is that the party would emulate the United States democracy where the right of first refusal is usually given to the President.

Already, some members of the National Working Committee of the party were said to have favoured the arrangement, which would see Jonathan emerge as the sole candidate of the party.
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Abducted Ex-Governor Sylva’s Uncle Murdered, Police Exhume Body -

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The Nigerian police today disclosed that Benson Ayerite Eseni, an 87-year old uncle to former Governor Timpre Sylva of Bayelsa State, has been killed and buried in a shallow grave.

Chief Benson Ayerite Adigio-Eseni was seized by men armed with AK-47 rifles from his Okpoama residence in Brass LGA of Bayelsa state on July 28, 2014. An aide to Sylva said the gunmen came in a speed boat around 1am shooting into the air before whisking the man who retired from the army with the rank of a major away..
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Moscow Vows 'Appropriate Response' to Poland’s Flyover Denial for Russian Minister’s Plane

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Poland’s refusal to let the Russian Defense Minister’s plane fly in its airspace violates international norms and will not be left unanswered, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Friday.
"Such actions can only be described as a blatant violation of international norms and the diplomatic code of ethics," the ministry said. "It is absolutely evident that such actions by Warsaw will entail an appropriate response from Russia."

Russian Scientists Develop Method for Earlier Detection of Cancer

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Scientists from a subsidiary of the SIGMA.Novosibirsk nanotechnology center, a project run by the state-owned RUSNANO Corporation, have developed a technology that detects cancer in very early stages and can be employed at outpatient clinics, said a Friday statement on the center’s website.

“The method of super-early cancer detection is based on DNA molecule analysis. A cancer tumor does not develop if the particular genes, the onco-suppressor genes, are active, as what they produce suppresses the creation of a tumor. Thus, if these genes are ‘turned off,’ an oncogenic process can be diagnosed,” 

the statement said.

Marketing Death: How US Is Using Foley and McCain to Sell War

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Another American citizen has been killed in Syria in the past week, albeit under completely different circumstances. Douglas McAuthur McCain was killed by ‘Free Syrian Army’ militants during a gunfight while fighting for Islamic State (IS), becoming the first American Islamist to die in Syria. This comes as the world is still reeling from the beheading of reporter James Foley, which was first broadcast last week. The deaths of Foley and McCain back-to-back provide the US with different justifications for the same objective – the bombing of Syria.

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South African Woman drags Hospital to court after She Gave Birth to Down's Syndrome Baby

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A South African woman is going to the country's constitutional court to claim thousands of pounds in damages after a medical centre failed to diagnose her son with Down's syndrome. 

The woman, identified only as Ms H. to protect the identity of her child, is arguing her son represents a "wrongful life," as she would have aborted the foetus if she had been told by the clinic it was at a high risk of having Down's syndrome. She is seeking £368,742 (N93million) in damages on behalf of her child, who has severe Down's syndrome and needs constant care, according to court documents. 

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Ebola Drug Zmapp Confirmed 100% Effective in Treating Infected Monkeys

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Hopes of a breakthrough in the fight against Ebola have been raised by the 100 per cent successful treatment of monkeys with the deadly disease. According to a new research published in a special report on Nature journal's website, the experimental drug ZMapp cured the animals even when administered five days after infection, while they were displaying severe symptoms. All 18 rhesus macaques made a complete recovery, in contrast to three other untreated monkeys that quickly fell seriously ill and died.

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El-Rufai Is Boko Haram's Executive Commander - Former Chief Of Army Staff, General Onyeabor Azubuike Ihejirika.

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Former Chief of Army Staff, General Onyeabor Azubuike Ihejirika yesterday opened a can of worms and throw a bomb by declaring that the former Minister of the FCT and APC Chieftain, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai is one of the frontline Commanders of the Boko Haram terrorist group.

Speaking with Vanguard over allegation by the former Minister that he (Ihejirika) and former Governor Ali Modu Sheriff of Borno State were manipulated as terrorists sponsors, General Ihejirika said he is not surprised that this unimaginable allegation is coming from 'one of the Boko Haram Commanders'.
"The (Commanders) including El-Rufai know where the problem is. He should stop deceiving Nigerians by trying to divert attention".
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At least 10 die as boat capsizes in Port Harcourt

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At least 10 persons have been confirmed dead after a boat carrying 35 people capsized in the early hours of today August 29th in a river in Port Harcourt, Rivers State

Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Mr Onimode Bandele said rescue efforts are still ongoing in the search of more people.

“We can confirm that 10 persons died early today when a Port Harcourt-bound passenger boat sank. Rescue efforts are ongoing and the agency is already working with other bodies and security agencies in the rescue efforts.” he said 

1st case of Ebola recorded in Senegal

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Senegal has recorded its first case of the deadly Ebola virus disease. The Senegalese Health Minister, Awa Marie Coll Seck told newsmen today August 29th that the first case was a Guinean national who arrived Senegal recently. The deadly virus first broke out in Guinea in March this year.

Hours after executing 300 Syrian soldiers, ISIS parade captured Kurds, then beheads one

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 ISIS militants yesterday released a movie showing them executing about 300 Syrian soldiers they captured close to the Tabqa air base since the soldiers attempted to flee the fallen air base in Raqqa, Syria. They stripped the soldiers down for their briefs, took them to the desert, lined them up and executed them. Then hours later, they posted another video showing captured Kurd fighters wearing orange prison uniforms. This time around they executed only one.
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FG recalls 16,000 sacked resident doctors

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The Federal Government has reinstated the 16,000 resident doctors it sacked on August 13th. Announcing their reinstatement today August 29th in Abuja, spokesman for the Minister of Health, Dan Nwomeh said the reinstatement became effective Thursday August 28th.

LASAA mobilizes electronic billboard operators on Ebola sensitization

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Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA) in partnership with Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN), some leading electronic billboard operators in Lagos State and Nigeria's biggest advertising agency, Insight Communications Limited, is set to commence a public awareness campaign as part of efforts to curb the spread of Ebola. 

This initiative supported by Lagos State Ministries for Health and Information, would involve electronic billboard operators enabling their platforms across Lagos for use free of charge in conveying messages about Ebola disease in strategic locations across Lagos State. Continue...

Bravery: Woman Kills Leopard with a Spade after Hour-long Fight (Photos) -

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A 54-year-old Indian woman has killed a leopard using only her farming tools after it attacked her on her way home from the fields last Sunday. Pictured above is Kamla Devi at the hospital.

According to the mum of one, the leopard attackedher as she walked back from working in the fields, and she fought him back using her sickle and a small spade. She says it took an hour before the injured leopard gave in, after which she had to walk more than half-a-mile before finding help.
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Turkey’s Erdogan sworn in as president

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Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been officially sworn in as Turkish president after winning the country’s first public vote for head of state. Mr. Erdogan, who served three terms as PM, has vowed to give more power to the previously ceremonial post. Critics of Mr. Erdogan say the move will make him more authoritarian. Opposition MPs walked out of the ceremony. Outgoing Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is set to be PM after being elected head of the governing AK Party. Mr. Erdogan promised in his presidential oath to protect Turkey’s independence and integrity, to honour the constitution and adhere to the principles of the founder of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.