الثلاثاء، 10 أبريل 2012

Lincoln Tribune

Lincoln Tribune

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Indonesia rescues 120 asylum seekers who refuse to disembark

Posted: 09 Apr 2012 02:29 PM PDT

JAKARTA, INDONESIA (BNO NEWS) -- Indonesian authorities on Sunday rescued 120 asylum seekers from the Middle East, but officials are still trying to convince them to disembark from the vessel, local media reported on late Monday.

The Singapore-registered MT Hermia tanker rescued 120 men believed to be from Afghanistan and Iran in Indonesian waters on Sunday as their sinking boat was trying to reach Australia. The tanker is currently docked in the port city of Merak, located in the province of Banten in western Java.

Banten province maritime police chief Budi Hermawan told the Jakarta Globe that some 100 police officers surrounded the tanker after it arrived, awaiting the people to disembark, but the asylum seekers insisted that they did not want to get down as they want to reach Australia.

While security officials detained four men of Indonesian appearance, apparently crew members in charge of the boat, Hermawan said officials from the police, immigration and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) were trying to negotiate the disembarkment of the immigrants.

Indonesia is commonly used as a transit region for asylum seekers trying to reach Australia illegally. Over 200 people are believed to have died last December when a boat carrying people mostly from Afghanistan and Iran sank in Indonesian waters. Only 47 people survived the incident.

(Copyright 2012 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved. Info: sales@bnonews.com.)


Facebook acquires Instagram for $1 billion

Posted: 09 Apr 2012 02:26 PM PDT

MENLO PARK, CALIFORNIA (BNO NEWS) -— Internet social network giant Facebook announced on Monday that it has reached an agreement to acquire popular photo-sharing app Instagram for roughly $1 billion.

According to the company, the $1 billion price is the total consideration for San Francisco-based Instagram, a mobile device app, in a combination of cash and shares of Facebook. "I'm excited to share the news that we've agreed to acquire Instagram and that their talented team will be joining Facebook," said Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Facebook.

"For years, we've focused on building the best experience for sharing photos with your friends and family. Now, we'll be able to work even more closely with the Instagram team to also offer the best experiences for sharing beautiful mobile photos with people based on your interests," he added.

Zuckerberg stated that the company needs "to be mindful about keeping and building on Instagram's strengths and features rather than just trying to integrate everything into Facebook."

Zuckerberg also noted that the company is planning on keeping features like the ability to post to other social networks, as well as the ability to not share Instagrams on Facebook, if the user desires and the ability to have followers and follow people separately from Facebook friends.

The transaction, which is subject to customary closing conditions, is expected to close later this quarter.

(Copyright 2012 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved. Info: sales@bnonews.com.)


Easter bomb blast kills at least 38 in Kaduna, Nigeria

Posted: 09 Apr 2012 02:24 PM PDT

KADUNA, NIGERIA (BNO NEWS) -- At least 38 people were killed and others were injured when a bomb blast hit north-central Nigeria on Easter Sunday, officials said on Monday.

The explosion occurred on Sunday morning at the busy streets of Junction Road and Sardauna Crescent near the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in the city of Karduna, the state capital which carries the same name as the state.

Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) Abubakar Zakari Adamu told the Nation that at least 38 people were killed, while several others were rushed to local hospitals due to injuries. However, the media outlet said it accounted for over 40 casualties at different local hospitals.

Dozens of bodies were immediately seen scattered on the streets after the blast, which triggered flames and thick black smoke. The busy area usually gathers groups of residents eating at local informal restaurants and purchasing black market gasoline.

The target of the attack is uncertain, but a possibility is the nearby All Nations Christian Assembly Church, which was holding Easter services and was damaged by the blast.

According to witnesses, a motorcyclist tried to enter Gwari Road where at least two churches are located, the All Nations Christian Assembly and the ECWA Good News Church. However, a security blockade at the street junction had been set up and turned the bomber away.

The strong blast damaged some 60 buildings in the area, including several hotels in addition to the church. Several vehicles and motorcycles were also damaged. The bodies and wounded were transported to the Rakiya Memorial Hospital, the St. Gerald Hospital, the Barau Dikko Hospital and the Red Cross.

No group or organization has claimed responsibility of the attack, but authorities are suspecting the militant group Boko Haram.

The Boko Haram group has been blamed for most of the region's terrorist attacks and seeks the imposition of an extremist stance of the Shariah law, which is a Muslim code of conduct. The group's name, in the local language of Hausa, roughly translates as 'Western religion is sacrilegious' or 'non-Islamic religion is a sin.'

(Copyright 2012 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved. Info: sales@bnonews.com.)


Memo Acknowledges Afghan Paradigm Shift, Spokesman Says

Posted: 08 Apr 2012 10:00 PM PDT

A memorandum of understanding between the United States and Afghanistan on special operations acknowledges the paradigm shift occurring in the country, a senior Pentagon spokesman said.


Mrs. Obama: Nation Must ‘Step up Forever’ for Military Families

Posted: 08 Apr 2012 10:00 PM PDT

As First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden mark the first anniversary of their "Joining Forces" campaign, the two say they will continue to solidify its successes so a structured effort to help military families is a permanent part of American culture.


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