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‘Lockerbie lawyer’ now turns heat on Putin over Flight MH17

By
Agencies
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The wreckage of Flight MH17

The US aviation lawyer who won compensation for victims of the 1988 Lockerbie aircraft bombing and is now seeking $330 million (227 million pounds) from Russia for the downing of Malaysian Airlines MH17 in 2014, says Russian President Vladimir Putin must be held responsible.

Jerry Skinner, who is leading Australian law firm LHD’s compensation claim against Russia and Putin in the European Court of Human Rights, says he is confident of success but admits the case, like that of Lockerbie, may take years.

The Malaysian Airlines’ Boeing 777 crashed in eastern Ukraine in pro-Russian rebel-held territory on July 17, 2014, killing all 298 people on board, including 28 Australians.

The aircraft, which was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, was shot down by a Russian-made surface-to-air missile, the Dutch Safety Board concluded in its final report.

Skinner said he had no personal issue with Putin, but that the Russian president had opened himself to liability through his extensive control over the Russian state.

“Nothing happens in Russia that he doesn’t approve of, therefore vicariously he’s responsible,” Skinner said in an interview today in Sydney.

Skinner said evidence from witnesses, videos, photographs, radar, air traffic control tapes supported his compensation case.

“All of that stuff is available and even without the Russian’s contribution I am confident in saying that it was the Russians who caused this event to occur,” he said.

The LHD lawsuit is on behalf of 16 victims from Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia, and 33 next of kin. Each claimant is seeking $10 million in damages.

Skinner won similar compensation for the victims of Pan Am Flight 103 which was destroyed by a bomb over Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988, killing 270 people.

Skinner said international political pressure was needed to uncover the truth behind the downing of MH17.

“I’m hopeful that the Australian government gets involved. We need the leverage of one of the governments whose hands are clean,” he said.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop on Monday echoed the sentiment for an independent investigation.

“However painful and however difficult and traumatic it is for them to deal with the loss of their loved ones aboard MH17…we will work very hard to ensure that a system is set up, a mechanism is set up, to hold those responsible for this atrocity to account,” she said.

 

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North is jealous of her brother: Kim Kardashian

By
Our Reporter
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Reality TV star Kim Kardashian says her two-year-old daughter North is a “little jealous” of her four-month-old brother Saint.

The 35-year-old says North doesn’t like it when she spends time with Saint, reports hollywoodlife.com.

“My daughter is still in the little jealous phase and that’s really hard for me because she gets so jealous when I try to do anything with (Saint), so I sneak moments with him or have my husband entertain her, and I have to separate it sometimes,” Kim told reporters here at a nightclub.

“North gets into the groove and realises that it’s all going to be ok. There’s enough attention and love for everybody,” she added.

IANS

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Israeli MP ‘fights against’ military supplies to South Sudan

By
Agencies
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ADVERSARIES: South Sudan President Salva Kiir with his former First Vice President Riek Machar

An Israeli lawmaker is pushing a lawsuit seeking to block transfer of spy equipment from Israel to South Sudan after it emerged that Juba uses Israeli surveillance technology to track down political dissidents and journalists.

The petition was filed by Tamar Zandberg, a member of the Israeli parliament who has also spoken out about Israeli arms transfers to South Sudan government, which fought a devastating civil war against rebel groups for over 20 months.

“Surveillance is one of the mechanisms being used in that civil war,” Zandberg was quoted saying, adding: “This is part of the war crimes and part of the crimes against humanity being used.”

The lawmaker’s lawyer, Eitay Mack, however, said that Israel’s support to the South Sudanese National Security Service (NSS) is not limited to hardware and software.

“The South Sudanese don’t have the technicality and the professional personnel to operate the [surveillance] systems, so as far as I know there are Israelis actually on the ground in Juba and are operating the system by themselves,” he said.

Last year, a United Nations panel of experts said the South Sudanese army used Israeli weapons to fight its civil war.

According to the UN report, evidence showed the South Sudanese military using the Ace, an advanced version of an assault rifle reportedly produced by Israel Weapon Industries and that its security forces used the Ace, in its battle against local rebels.

A previous UN report had accused the two warring sides in the South Sudanese conflict of committing human rights violations, mainly in the oil-rich Unity state of the country.

Data on Israeli arms sales to Africa reportedly increased dramatically in the years after South Sudan’s independence. In 2009, Israeli media reported the country sold just $71 million worth of weapons to the continent. In 2013, that number is said to have more than tripled to $223 million, and it reportedly reached $318 million last year.

Tens of thousands of people were killed and nearly two million displaced during the South Sudan’s civil war, which began in mid-December 2013, between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar, now the country’s first vice-president.

 

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Grace Mugabe ‘fails to return home’

By
Our Reporter and Agencies
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FAMILY IN TROUBLE! Grace Mugabe with her husband Robert Mugabe.

Zimbabwean First Lady Grace Mugabe failed to return home last week and instead President Robert Mugabe followed her to Singapore where she has been holed for over a month.

In early May Grace, who is 40 years younger that the 92-year old Mr Mugabe, slapped her husband in public, leaving his aides agape and shell-shocked. This raised public speculation that the fiery First Lady had left the country after the embarrassing public spat.

But on a visit to Gutu on May 13, Mugabe told his relatives that Grace would be back home early last week after taking care of his daughter Bona, who gave birth last month.“Doctors said he [Bona’s son] can only fly after a month so they should be here this month,” Mugabe told members of the Gutu clan, his maternal uncles.

Information ministry’s principal director Regis Chikowore refused to comment on Mugabe’s trip, referring questions to his spokesperson George Charamba. However, Charamba was not reachable on his mobile phone.

Local media said Mugabe, who has blown millions of dollars travelling around Africa and overseas this year, had gone on a private visit. Mugabe.

On Friday he was in South Africa and spent a few hours back home before leaving for Singapore.

Singapore has been his favourite destination amid speculation that he is receiving medical treatment there.

 

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Kasese’s Kizza emerges frontrunner for Leader of Opposition

By
Stephen Muneza
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Winifred Kiiza (Kasese Woman) is among the FDC members who supported Mugisha Muntu

The leader of the opposition in the 10th parliament will be decided by leading opposition party Forum for Democratic Change soon amid a view in the party that either Kasese Woman MP Winnie Kizza or Dokolo woman MP Cecilia Atim Ogwal should occupy the post.

“There is a tradition of election in the main parliamentary opposition party. After the ruling party’s speaker and deputy elections, FDC can now appoint the leader of the house and the chief whip and apparently two senior women MPs who i can’t name are front runners,” a party insider told EagleOnline on Monday.

Section 6B(1) of the Administration of Parliament Act (2006), provides for the election of the LoP from an Opposition party with the greatest numerical strength. FDC has 36 MPs, DP 14 and the Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) six MPs. The entire Opposition is in control of only 56 parliamentary seats. On the other hand, NRM has more than 280 MPs, with the majority of the Independent legislators also siding with the ruling party.

While a section of the party feels it is only Ms. Kizza, 46, on whose name a consensus can be built among all MPs for the post of the leader of the August House, the name of senior leader Prof.  Ogenga Latigo, MP for Agago North for the post is also doing the rounds.

Kizza is the current FDC Women’s League leader. She has served on the parliamentary committee of Local government Accounts, Gender,Labour and Social Development and the Business Committee. Ms Kiiza has been in Parliament since 2006.

“I have the capability and competence to be the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament because I have acted in that position for a long time when I was Chief Whip,” Kizza said when asked why about her interest in the job.

“That gave me enough experience that I now want to put in practice. For the last 10 years, that post has been taken up by men and I think we should give it a feminine touch. I wouldn’t want to think my party would want to disappoint its women by denying them a chance to serve,” she added.

Other FDC members who are likely to vie for the LoP job include Mr Elijah Okupa (Kasilo), Samuel Odonga Otto (Aruu County), Abdul Katuntu (Bugweri) and Hassan Kaps Fungaroo(Obongi).

The party has already made it clear that any change for the post of the party’s leader in parliament, where outgoing Bukooli Central legislator Wafula Oguttu was occupying it, will be made only after consulting him.

While there is no problem for Cecilia Ogwala in getting the post of leader of the opposition as she can get the requisite numbers, its ability to get the same in FDC- leaning independents has come under scrutiny as Winnie Kizza is seen as is a younger option of an experienced legislator having risen from the opposition back benches to successfully serve in key roles including Chief Whip in the 9th Parliament and previously as the Deputy Chief Whip.

Ms. Kizza is considered as former FDC presidential candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye’s blue-eyed eyed girl and has support from party President Gen. Mugisha Muntu and senior Oxfam boss Winnie Byanyima who is actively campaigning for her “Winnie Kizza would be an effective Leader of Opposition.  I hope FDC will endorse her,” Byanyima the party’s deputy Chairperson said.

However, party leaders have been maintaining that while there are some statutory requirements to get the perks of the leader of the opposition, there is “absolutely no legal bar” on the next LoP coming from the northern part of the country like two of the only three.

“We are still carrying out consultations among the members of FDC; the 10th Parliament caucus is still carrying out consultations so we are waiting to hear their views on it. We have been carrying out consultations before and we will make our final decision very soon,” Gen. Muntu said.

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Vietnam: Obama in another historic visit

By
Our Reporter and Agencies
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US President Barack Obama (left) and Vietnam's President Tran Dai Quang reviewing a guard of honour at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi, Vietnam. Photo credit/straitstimes.com

US President Barack Obama seems a man with a mission to accomplish before he leaves power in January next year: make peace with your erstwhile foes, he seems to insinuate. Obama arrived in Vietnam today for a three-day trip aimed at sealing the transformation of an old enemy into a new partner to help counter China’s growing assertiveness in the region.

Four decades after a war with Vietnam that deeply divided opinion in America, Obama aims to boost defense and economic ties with the country’s communist rulers while also prodding them on human rights, aides say.

His visit has been preceded by a debate in Washington over whether Obama should use the three-day visit starting today to roll back an arms embargo on Hanoi, one of the last vestiges of wartime animosity.

Serving his last year in office, Obama has tried to mend fences with America’s old and enduring foes, and in March this year he visited Cuba, becoming only the first US sitting president to visit the island state in over 80 years. “My lifetime has spanned a time of isolation between us. I have come here to bury the last remnant of the Cold War in the Americas,” Obama was quoted as saying during the Cuba visit.

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Miria Obote to address EALA

By
Julius Mwesigye
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TO ADDRESS EALA: Mama Miria Obote

Former Ugandan First Lady Miria Kalule Obote will join her ‘original partner states independence colleagues’ Mama Ngina Kenyatta of Kenya and Maria Nyerere of Tanzania to address a ‘special session’ of the East African Legislative Assembly on May 31.

‘The Special Sitting presents a unique opportunity for the Members to interact and to share experiences with the distinguished former first ladies’ given that EAC as is constituted today, borrows a number of best practices from the first bloc,’ a release by the EALA states in part.

Mama Maria Nyerere
Mama Maria Nyerere

On March 16 the Assembly hailed the three ‘original’ First Ladies of the integration process, as a way of recognising the role they played and continue to play in galvanising East Africa in the integration process.

Mama Ngina Kenyatta
Mama Ngina Kenyatta

The Resolution was moved by Hon. Mumbi Ng’aru and seconded by Hon. Shyrose Bhanji and Hon. Chris Opoka – Okumu.

Meanwhile, also to be deliberated upon during the two-week session of the Fourth Session of the Third Assembly presided over by EALA Speaker Rt Hon Dan Kidega, is the EAC Budget speech to be delivered by the Chair of the Council of Ministers, Hon Dr. Augustine Mahiga on Thursday, May 26.

The Budget Speech is a key activity of the EAC calendar and last year, EALA debated and approved EAC Budget estimates for the Financial Year 2015/2016 totaling to USD 110, 660,098.
The 2015/2016 Budget prioritized on the operationalization of the Single Customs Territory, enhanced implementation of the EAC Common Market Protocol with particular focus on implementation of the new generation EAC internationalised e-Passports and development of the EAC trading, payments and settlements systems.

Debate on the recent State of EAC Address, is also on the menu.  On March 8th, 2016, The Prime Minister of the United Republic of Tanzania, Rt Hon Kassim Majaliwa delivered the State of EAC Address to EALA at the 5th Meeting of the 4th Session in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

The Prime Minister informed the House that progress had been realised following the entry of the Single Customs Territory. He remarked that finalization of key operational instruments, revision of business manuals, development of M&E tool framework, deployment of staff and revision of an enforcement framework had opened the path for the operationalisation of the SCT in the Partner States.

Also, two key Bills on the cards at the two-week EALA meeting are the EAC Persons with Disabilities (PWD) Bill, 2015 and the EAC Supplementary Appropriation Bill, 2016.

 

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Who will be Mirinda Miss Teen 2016?

By
Our Reporter
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The search for the most beautiful teenager in the land kicks off this Saturday at the Garden City Rooftop, bringing to the end Vanessa Nansoove’s reign on the throne.

The Mirinda Miss Teen Season 5 search themed Selfie Edition will have teenage girls battle it out once again for the Miss Teen, Miss Ambitious and Miss Play hard titles.

According to Jeff Sekandi- Ag. Head of Marketing at Crown Beverages Limited, Mirinda through its Miss Teen beauty pageant is searching for school-going teenage girls between 15 and 18 years of age that exude the bold, fun, trendy, and responsible to represent the brand.

“Once again, we are out to find the girls that best define and represent the Mirinda brand. She has got to be smart, social, playful and knows how to free her fun-side yet still paying attention to her education.”

16 year old Vanessa Nansove of St. Joseph’s Girls SS Nsambya took the crown and 2.5 million shillings worth of school fees last year, a package that will once again be awarded to the winners of this year’s edition.

“Just like in the past, this year, Mirinda Miss Teen will get a scholarship, phone, sports jerseys and a party for their school to encourage the winners and other teenies to stay in school.” Mr. Sekandi added.

During her reign, Vanessa reached out to the disadvantaged children of Missionaries of the poor and called upon her fellow teenies to embrace the spirit of giving.

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Luzira Prisons explain Besigye ‘VIP’ treatment

By
Our Reporter
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The revelations made by Oxfam Executive Director and wife Winnie Byanyima to jailed former presidential candidate Rtd Col Kizza Besigye about how he cooks his own food while inside  in Luzira Maximum Prison, have put authorities on the spot.

Dr. Besigye who was on Wednesday arraigned in Nakawa Chief Magistrate’s Court and charged with treason afresh, told court he fears for his life in Luzira prison.

However, it is not clear under what  circumstance Kampala City Mayor Erias Lukwago and Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Semujju Nganda visited the opposition strongman this morning carrying him food and drinks.

The Prisons spokesperson, Mr Frank Baine had to come out and explain why Mr. Besigye was being treated differently from his fellow inmates including have access to a television set and a radio within his cell.

Baine told URN that Dr Besigye had reported a health condition that may not allow him eat the same food with other inmates. Besigye also raised concerns over the food preparation processes.

He added that the prison department is equally constrained to provide special meals under the circumstances, they agreed to an arrangement warranting preferential treatment to Dr Besigye and a few other inmates who reported health complications.

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Missing EgyptAir plane found by the army

By
Our Reporter
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The Egyptian army says it has found wreckage of the missing EgyptAir flight which crashed after disappearing from the radar while carrying 66 passengers and crew from Paris to Cairo.

The Egyptian army spokesman, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Samir, says Egyptian jets and naval vessels participating in the search for the missing plane have found ‘personal belongings of the passengers and parts of the plane debris,’ 180 miles (290 kilometers) north of the city of Alexandria.

Egyptian authorities say they have found a body part, two seats and suitcases in the search for the missing EgyptAir plane, according to Greek officials.

An Egyptian army spokesman says plane wreckage has been found 180 miles from Alexandria, Egypt
An Egyptian army spokesman says plane wreckage has been found 180 miles from Alexandria, Egypt

The Airbus 320 lost contact at 2.45 a.m. local time Thursday morning.

The missing flight set off from Paris to Cairo on Wednesday night and vanished just under three-and-a-half hours after take-off from Charles de Gaulle Airport.

The downed plane was, ‘in all likelihood it was a terror attack.’ according to Alexander Bortnikov, chief of Russia’s top domestic security agency.

While Egyptian civil aviation minister Sherif Fathi said the possibility it was a terror attack ‘is higher than the possibility of having a technical failure’.

The cause of the plane going down is yet to be officially confirmed by authorities.

Flight MS804 was carrying 66 people including passengers pilots and crew.

The plane’s flight plan
The plane’s flight plan

EgyptAir confirmed the passengers included 30 Egyptians, 15 French, two Iraqis and one each from Britain, Sudan, Chad, Portugal, Algeria, Canada, Belgium, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

The Briton on board has been named as father-of-two Richard Osman, originally from Carmarthen, in Wales.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi expressed his condolences on Friday to the families of victims who were on board the EgyptAir flight from Paris.

He said: ‘The presidency with utmost sadness and regret mourns the victims on aboard the EgyptAir flight who were killed after the plane crashed in the Mediterranean on its way back to Cairo from Paris’, in a statement.

The Egyptian presidency expressed its ‘deep sadness and extreme regret’ over the deaths of the passengers and crew, in a statement which is their first official recognition of the crash of the missing plane.

@MetroUK

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