European Union Reacts To Soldiers Death Sentence

The European Union (EU) has finally reacted to the death sentence handed 12 Nigerian soldiers by a military tribunal over charges of mutiny. 
The reaction was contained in a statement issued by European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe on the European, Mr. Thorbjørn Jagland, who condemned the recent tribunal judgment, a copy obtained by the Nation.

The EU made the condemnation against the backdrop of the occasion marking the World Day against Death Penalty, held on Thursday, where it expressed the region’s concern on the verdict.

Some of the soldiers during their trial at the military tribunal

The European Union in the statement revealed that no execution has taken place in its member states in the last 17 years. It stressed that on the European and World Day against the Death Penalty, the European Union and the Council of Europe always reiterate their strong and absolute opposition against capital punishment in all cases and under all circumstances, as well as its commitment to work towards death sentence abolition worldwide.

“We are deeply concerned about setbacks in some

Google Gives Details On Deleting Linda Ikeji's Blog

Google Inc. had reportedly received a number of quite serious complaints of constantly plagiarizing and lifting issues from websites without giving credit to unique sources, which caused the delition of Linda Ikeji’s blog.

Linda Ikeji

The popular entertainment blog was accused of the unprofessionalism and lack of structure.
The deletion of the blog has since generated lots of disagreements as many of Linda’s fans did not share the views of Google. They took to the different social media pages to cry and blame ‘witches’ and ‘haters’ for the ‘tragedy’.

Blast kills 47 at Houthi protest in Yemen, officials say

Sanaa, Yemen (CNN) -- At least 47 people were killed by an explosion at an anti-government protest by Houthis in Yemen's capital on Thursday, the Yemen health ministry said Thursday -- marking just the latest violence during weeks of sectarian and political strife in the country.

The explosion at Sanaa's Tahrir Square, where Houthis -- a religious minority in Yemen -- were engaged in their latest protest against the government, the health ministry said. Eyewitnesses said the explosion came from a suicide bomber who had been near a bank in the square, but the Interior Ministry did not confirm that account.

Houthis, followers of a sect of Shia Islam in a country where Sunni Muslims are the majority, have been protesting for weeks against the government, prompting the resignations of two prime ministers in two weeks.

Among the killed were eight children who participated in the protests, Houthi medical sources said. At least 11 people -- all protesters -- were taken to hospitals in critical condition, the sources said.

No group immediately announced responsibility for Thursday's attack, but al Qaeda -- the Sunni Muslim terrorist network -- has for months threatened to kill Houthis after Houthi fighters defeated Sunni tribes in several Yemeni provinces.

Yemen bombing kills 7 near hospital

Credit: CNN

China's currency dream gets U.K. lift

China's bid to turn its currency into a global heavyweight got a boost Thursday with news that Britain will become the first Western nation to borrow money in yuan.

The U.K. government has appointed three banks -- Bank of China (BACHF), HSBC (HSBC) and Standard Chartered (SCBFF) -- to sell the first non-Chinese sovereign bond in the currency.

Proceeds from the sale will be added to the U.K.'s official foreign currency reserves, worth just over $100 billion. Borrowing to finance government spending is carried out exclusively in British pounds.
Most countries hold their reserves in U.S. dollars or euros. The U.K. is no exception, although it does have smaller amounts of Japanese yen and Canadian dollars.
Investors will be given more details about the U.K. bond on Monday.
The first sale is likely to be relatively small, raising perhaps the equivalent of just $300 million. But if other countries follow suit, the yuan will gain new stature in global currency markets.
Beijing has kept tight control of the yuan in the past, limiting money flows in and out of the country and holding down the exchange rate as a way to boost manufacturing and exports.
But it has taken several steps in recent years to relax these restrictions, agreeing to deals that allow the currency -- also known as the renminbi -- to trade directly against the U.S. dollar, pound, Australian dollar and the yen.

Missing Vietnamese oil tanker found raided by pirates

Almost one week after vanishing en route from Singapore to Vietnam, a Vietnamese oil tanker has been released by pirates who had taken control of the vessel.

Nguyen Nhat, director of Vietnam's Maritime Department, told CNN that the eight pirates who seized the ship absconded with part of the cargo -- 2,000 metric tons of a total 7,200 metric tons of oil.

The ship, called Sunrise 689, had returned to Vietnam with its 18 crew, arriving in port at 5 p.m. local time (6 a.m. ET). The nationality of the pirates was unknown, he said.

Migrants accused of murder of British couple in Thailand recant confessions

The Burmese migrants accused of the murder of two British tourists on the Thai resort island of Koh Tao have retracted their confessions, according to Burmese media.

Following a visit from a consular lawyer, the two men, Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun, say that they made their statements admitting to killing David Miller and raping and murdering Hannah Witheridge, under duress.

The two men have been in police custody since October 1 and confessed shortly after that. The murder of the British tourists occurred on September 15.

The bodies were found partially undressed with severe injuries to their heads. A hoe with blood on it was found close by, police said.

Paula Patton makes it clear, files for divorce from Robin Thicke

It seems like Robin Thicke's desperate pleas, his sentimental stunts, his corny croons fell on deaf ears.

After separating eight months ago, his wife Paula Patton has filed for divorce.The papers were filed last week in Los Angeles, according court documents first posted by TMZ. She cited "irreconcilable differences."