'We are not finished,' says freed Pussy Riot member

Started by NewsCaster, Oct 11, 2012, 12:31 AM

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NewsCaster

Oct 11, 2012, 12:31 AM
Sergey Ponomarev / APFreed feminist punk group Pussy Riot member Yekaterina Samutsevich, center, speaks outside a court in Moscow Wednesday.By NBC News staff and wire servicesMOSCOW -- Pussy Riot member Yekaterina Samutsevich said Wednesday the punk band would continue its political protest against Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"We are not finished, nor  are we going to end our political protest," she said in an exclusive interview  with CNN's Christiane Amanpour. "The situation in  the country has deteriorated since our performance and the trial itself  is a testimony to that."

A Russian appeals court on Wednesday upheld the two-year jail sentences handed down to two members of punk band Pussy Riot for a protest against Vladimir Putin in a cathedral, but freed a third member by suspending her sentence.

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NewsCaster

#1
Oct 12, 2012, 01:31 PM
Sonny Tumbelaka / AFP - Getty ImagesSurvivors and relatives of victims of the October 12, 2002 Bali bombings cry during a ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the attack at the Garuda Wisnu Kencana cultural park in Jimbaran, Bali on October 12, 2012. Johannes Christo / Pool via Getty ImagesThousands of family members, friends and general public gathered to remember the victims of the 2002 Kuta nightclub bombings which killed 202 people, including 88 Australians.The Associated Press reports from Bali, Indonesia — A  decade after twin bombs killed scores of tourists partying at two nightclubs on  Indonesia's resort island of Bali, survivors and victims' families on Friday  braved a fresh terrorism threat to remember those lost to the tragedy. Bay Ismoyo / APA woman grieves as she attends the memorial service.The 2002 bombing was Asia's deadliest terror strike, killing 202 people —  including 88 Australians and seven Americans — and injuring more than 240 others  partying at the popular Sari Club and Paddy's Pub in Kuta that Saturday night.  The attack was carried out by suicide bombers from the al-Qaida-linked group  Jemaah Islamiyah and kick started a wave of violence that would hit an embassy,  hotels and restaurants in the world's most-populous Muslim-majority nation.

Surgeon Fiona Wood, who led a team of Australian doctors that treated victims  horribly burned in the attack, spoke of the survivors' bravery.

"A young woman whose injuries were beyond comprehension. The first thing she  said when she came out of her coma was, 'I'll never run; will I walk again?'"  Wood recalled. "I said, 'You will walk, you will run, you will race.' And in  2008, she beat me in an ironman." Read the full story.Murdani Usman / ReutersA survivor of the bomb blast is helped by her family as they arrive for the commemoration service for the 10th anniversary of the Bali bombing.Justin McManus / Pool via Getty ImagesEmotional family members pay their respects at picture boards of the victims during the memorial service.Follow @NBCNewsPictures

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#2
Oct 15, 2012, 01:31 AM
By NBC News wire servicesUpdated at 5:23 p.m. ET: Libya's national assembly on Sunday elected a former congressman and diplomat as the country's new prime minister.

Follow @NBCNewsWorld Ali Zidan, who resigned as a congressman to run as a candidate in the election, won 93 votes, securing him a majority from those present in voting.


Zidan was a diplomat under Moammar Gadhafi before defecting in the 1980s and joining Libya's oldest opposition movement, National Front for the Salvation of Libya, from Geneva where he resided.

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The 200-member General National Congress selected the new prime minister following last week's dismissal of Mustafa Abushagur after just 25 days in the post for failing to form a government acceptable to the national assembly. Zidan had previously run against Abushagur and lost.

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#3
Oct 19, 2012, 01:31 AM
Companies backed by General Abdulsalami Abubakar, businessman Emeka Offor, and an ally of Vice President Namadi Sambo were among those that emerged as preferred bidders for the 10 power distribution firms yesterday, in a deal that would net the Federal Government N197.25 billion.  The National Council on Privatisation which announced the winners said the preferred bidders would still undergo further scrutiny before core investors are selected among them to take over the distribution companies (Discos).

Integrated Energy, which is chaired by former head of state Abdulsalami Abubakar and is partnered by the Philippines' largest power retailer Manila Electric, bid the highest efficiency target for four Discos—Yola, Ibadan, Eko and Ikeja.

Chrome Energy, chaired by Mr. Emeka Offor, is part of the highest bid for assets in Enugu and Abuja.

Sahelian Energy SPV Limited, which has Vice President Namadi Sambo's ally Yusuf Hamisu Abubakar among its backers, emerged the lead company in the only consortium bidding for the Kano firm.

Sixteen companies participated in the bidding, which is part of government's plan of unbundling up the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) and selling it off as 11 distribution and six generation companies with the overall aim of ending chronic power shortages in the country.

A number of the companies involved in the bids are backed by powerful interests but have technically capable partners, while others have little or no power sector experience.

"The NCP is fairly confident that this process will produce the most appropriate core investors and fulfill the government's objectives of rapid transformation," NCP technical committee chairman Atedo Peterside said at the bid announcement in Abuja yesterday.

Sahelian Energy comprises Incar Power Limited (IPL) promoted by Alhaji Umaru Mutallab, Dantata Investment and Securities Limited (DISC) promoted by Alhaji Aminu Dantata, Sahelian Energy and Integrated Services Limited (SEIS) promoted by Yusuf Hamisu Abubakar, Highland Electricity Limited (HEL) promoted by Alhaji Kashim Bukar Shettima and Kayseri Ve Civari Elektrik T.A.S, a Turkish Electricity Generation and Distribution company.

Aura Energy, which according to its website was created to buy a coal mine, was the sole bidder for the Jos Disco and could win by default, while 4Power Consortium, which is made up of several Nigerian companies and an Indian firm, was the only bidder for Port Harcourt.

There were no qualified bids for the Kaduna firm.

Discos are responsible for delivering electricity to end-users and collecting payment.

Oando Consortium and Honeywell Consortium ranked low behind Integrated Energy Distribution & Marketing Limited in their Aggregate Technical, Commercial and Collection (ATC&C) loss reduction proposal for the Eko Disco for the next five years.

ATC&C loss reduction proposal is the ability of an investor to bring down the level of loss in order to be able to run the business well and subsequently bring down the tariff in the next five years, according to the Director General of Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) Ms Bolanle Onagoruwa.

The bidder who offered the highest loss reduction is expected to offer the lowest tariff in its own zone, she added.

Oando and Honeywell were also ranked behind Integrated for the Ikeja Disco as they only proposed 14.29% and 16.25% respectively as against Integrated's 22.51%.

But Integrated may not take both Eko and Ikeja Discos as they fall within the same zone and the rule says if an investor wins two Discos within the same zone it has to take one, Peterside said.

For the Ibadan Disco, Integrated also proposed the highest ATC &C loss reduction of 17.46% to beat KEPCO/NERC Consortium and Western Consortium who proposed 17.1% and 14.37% respectively.

Interstate Electrics led in their proposal with 20.83% for the Enugu Disco as it beat Eastern Electric Nigeria who proposed 15.99%.

Benin Disco has Vigeo Power Consortium as its leading would-be buyer as it proposed 21.78 % to beat Southern Electricity Distribution Company which proposed 17.72%.

For the Abuja Disco, Interstate emerged the leading buyer as it proposed 21.62% ATC& C loss reduction to beat KANN Consortium which hoped to reduce loss by 18.43%.

The Jos, Kano, Port Harcourt and Yola Discos have Aura Energy (16.22%), Sahelian Power SPV Limited (21.21%), 4Power Consortium (19.55%) and Integrated (18.58%) respectively as their sole bidders.

Peterside, who was also the chairman of yesterday's commercial bidding, said N197.25 billion is expected to be raked into the government's coffers from the sale of 60 per cent of each of the 10 distribution companies.

"Accordingly, the bidder offering the highest ATC &C loss reduction is in a leading position subject to the ground rules which will be announced at this event.

"The regulator will not adjust tariffs upwards to accommodate the inability of a Disco operator to deliver on the ATC &C levels that they commit to; rather tariffs will be adjusted downward annually to reflect the agreed ATC &C loss levels irrespective of the operator's ability to meet its contractual obligation," he added.

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