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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2012
News Review
against America Police tighten security after US embassy attacks
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HE Inspector General of Police, Mr.Mohammed Abubakar, on Wednesday ordered tight security around police formations and embassies in the wake of violent demonstrations in some parts of the world triggered by an American film described as religiously offensive. The IG
warned potential trouble makers to steer clear of the streets as offenders will be dealt with squarely. The US Ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens, and three other embassy staff were killed on Wednesday when unidentified gunmen attacked the US Consulate in Benghazi in angry reaction to the film.
I won't tolerate interference with judiciary, says CJN
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HIEF Justice of Nigeria, Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, declared on Wednesday that she would not brook interference from other arms of government by upholding the rule of law and strict adherence to the Constitution. Speaking at the Special Court Session in Abuja to kick start the
commencement of the 2012/13 legal year, Justice Mukhtar said the judiciary, under her, would remain the "last bastion of what is good and decent and Godly about humanity." The occasion also featured the swearing-in of 25 new Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs)
'Stay Away From Seattle Day' marks Emerald City's anti-love letter to the nation
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project, others countries in Africa, a continent which supplies oil and raw materials like copper and uranium to the world's most populous country and second-largest economy.
ACIFIC Northwest residents are well regarded as some of the friendliest folks in the nation. But that doesn't necessarily mean they want visiting guests to stay forever. To that end, some of the city's 3.4 million residents will be celebrating "Stay Away From Seattle Day" on Sept. 16. The tongue-in-cheek holiday even has its own Hallmark page, in which the world's most famous greeting card maker describes the day as follows: "Because frankly Seattle doesn't want you coming around, stinking up the joint. And last time you tracked mud all over the carpet and some of the special occasion dinnerware went missing. Seattle will let you know when it's ready to see you again. Until then, keep your distance. You think we're kidding but really this day was championed by Seattle residents tired of sharing their space with tourists." Now, that may be a slightly misleading description of "Stay Away From Seattle Day's" true
ASSAULT
China sends warships to disputed islands
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IX Chinese ships have sailed into waters around a d i s p u t e d archipelago, with Beijing saying they were there for "law enforcement" around islands Japan nationalised earlier this week. The move, dubbed "unprecedented" by Tokyo, came on Friday as it was reported Japanese nationals had been physically attacked in China, marking the latest stage in a deteriorating row between Asia's two biggest economies.
Japanese living or visiting China were warned to take extra precautions after assaults and harassment were reported to the consulate in Shanghai, a base for Japanese businesses and a popular tourist destination. Tokyo summoned the Chinese ambassador to protest what it insists is an incursion into territorial waters around islands it controls, called Senkaku, but claimed by Beijing as Diaoyu.
origins. As King5 News reports, the faux holiday was actually created by a comedian from Pennsylvania who has never even visited Seattle. And even he stopped promoting the holiday 15 years ago. But what does creator Tom Roy really want to do? Well, visit Seattle, naturally. "Everybody talks about Paris," he told the station. "I want to go to San Francisco, I want to go to Seattle." As King5 notes, the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce does not endorse the holiday. Seattle isn't the only Pacific Northwest destination to establish some boundaries with its visitors. Former Oregon Gov. Tom McCall famously had signs installed on his state's border with California that declared, "Welcome to Oregon, we hope you will enjoy your visit." The message was widely interpreted as letting visitors from down south know that while they were welcome to stop by the Beaver State, they were expected to head back home after spending their tourist dollars.
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THE WEEK IN QUOTES "Anybody who wants to run for the presidency should prepare to run. Why should they wait for anybody to tell them whether he would run or not? That is part of the things that are not right with our democracy…That is why when I see some people say they are waiting for Jonathan to decide whether he would run or not, I look at them as very stupid." —Chief Orji Kalu, former governor of Abia State, on the suggestion that Igbo wishing to contest the 2015 presidential election should wait until the incumbent declares his interest first.
· "The story of Sunday robbery should not repeat itself. I could not sleep throughout because some of you were sleeping…We cannot fold our arms anymore and allow a few criminals to terrorise residents. The robbery incident is an embarrassment to the force. It can never be accepted anymore" —Inspector General of Police Mohammed Abubakar on last Sunday's robbery in Lagos
"I know President Olusegun Obasanjo to be a very successful farmer. But he is a bad economist. President Obasanjo is also known to have the record of the president under whose tenures the highest bills have been introduced and their introduction didn't cause inflation because of tight monetary policies." —CBN Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi on ex-President Obasanjo's opposition to the planned introduction of N5000 banknote.
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"The Igbo in politics should look beyond the ruling party. We should study the political terrain very carefully and take decisions which are in our own very best interest. We should always remember what our ancestors taught us that when answering the call of nature, we should go with two pieces of stick. If one falls by the wayside unnoticed, the other can still be relied upon to perform its duty when the need arises." —Dr.Ogbonnaya Onu, National Chairman of ANPP, on how the Igbo can produce president in 2015.
•Kalu
•Abubarka
•Sanusi
•Ogbonnaya
VICTORY CORRUPTION Egypt's ex-Prime Minister Ahmed Andy Murray wins US Open Nazif jailed for corruption after defeat of Novak Djokovic
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NDY Murray ended Britain's 76-year wait for a male Grand Slam singles champion with an epic victory over Novak Djokovic in the US Open final. Murray, 25, emulated Fred Perry's 1936 achievement, winning 7-6 (12-10) 7-5 2-6 3-6 6-2 in four hours 54 minutes in the Arthur Ashe Stadium. Murray also reached the Wimbledon final and won Olympic gold this summer. "When I realised I had won, I was a little bit shocked, I was very relieved and I was very emotional," said Murray. Despite his other successes, this result will arguably have a greater impact on his career and the future of tennis in the United Kingdom. Murray - the new world number three - lost his first four Grand Slam finals to share an Open-era record with coach Ivan Lendl, but like the Czech he has triumphed at the fifth time of asking.
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court in Cairo has s e n t e n c e d Egypt's former Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif to three years in prison for corruption. Ahmed Nazif, who was prime minister from 2004 until last year's uprising, has also been ordered to pay a fine of 9m Egyptian pounds (£900,000; $1.5m). Last year, Ahmed Nazif was given a one-year suspended sentence after he was charged for unlawful gains in a business deal. Nazif is one of several Mubarak-era senior officials on trial. He was arrested months after leaving his job in January 2011, shortly before President Hosni Mubarak stood down. About a dozen former Egyptian officials have been charged either with conspiring to kill protesters or with various crimes related to corruption. Mubarak was sentenced to life in prison in June for complicity in the killing of protesters.