Iran ‘urges Nigeria to protect Shia population’

Iran ‘urges Nigeria to protect Shia population’ Iran ‘urges Nigeria to protect Shia population’ Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has called on the Nigerian government to take “prompt and serious” action to prevent further violence against Muslims in the African country, Iran’s Press TV reports. In a telephone conversation with his Nigerian counterpart Geoffrey […]

Iran ‘urges Nigeria to protect Shia population’

Iran ‘urges Nigeria to protect Shia population’

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has called on the Nigerian government to take “prompt and serious” action to prevent further violence against Muslims in the African country, Iran’s Press TV reports.

In a telephone conversation with his Nigerian counterpart Geoffrey Onyeama on Monday, Zarif expressed “deep concern” over the recent bloody clashes, which broke out between Muslim worshipers and government troops in Nigeria’s northern city of Zaria.

The Nigerian government is expected to take serious and prompt measures to contain violence, maintain calm and protect the lives of Muslims, Zarif said.

The Nigerian foreign minister, for his part, expressed hope that consultations with the country’s senior officials would lead to the restoration of calm to the region and prevent the escalation of clashes and violence.

At least 15 people were killed and many more injured after clashes erupted in Zaria, in Kaduna state, on Saturday.

In American mosques, safety concerns grow

From the suburbs of Los Angeles to the outskirts of Washington, D.C., mosques around the United States are warily stepping up security in the face of growing fears about reprisals on American Muslims.

The increasing safety concerns described by American Islamic leaders – and the steps they are taking in response, including hiring armed guards – represent the flip side of the rising public anxiety about Islamic State-inspired terror after attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, California.

The call by Republican presidential contender Donald Trump to ban Muslims from entering the United States only amplified concerns about an anti-Islamic backlash at mosques and community centers, religious leaders and organizers say.

At least two mosques – one in Phoenix and the other in suburban Virginia – are working with the Department of Homeland Security to check up on the security their facilities provide for worshippers in recent weeks. Others report taking a range of steps, including hiring armed guards, because of fears that an American mosque could be a target for an attack.

Over the weekend, police arrested a 23-year-old man suspected of setting a fire at a Southern California mosque in what authorities are describing as a hate attack,

Burundi crisis: Dozens on trial over failed Nkurunziza coup

The trial has begun in Burundi for 28 people accused over May’s attempt to oust President Pierre Nkurunziza.

The defendants include Burundi’s former defence minister Cyrille Ndayirukiye and 27 other senior military and police officials.

The trial comes amid rising concern over the security situation in the country.

Protests in Burundi began in April when the president announced he would seek a third term in office.

The 28 standing trial at the supreme court in the central town of Gitega have also been accused of inciting killings and destroying property during the anti third-term protests.

Egypt Sinai crash probe finds ‘no evidence of terrorism’

Egyptian investigators say they have so far found no evidence that terrorism caused a Russian jet to crash in the Sinai in October, killing 224 people.

The plane came down en route to Russia from the resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

A group linked to so-called Islamic State (IS) said it bombed the plane. Nearly all the victims were Russians.

Russia has said a bomb brought down the Metrojet Airbus, after finding what it said were “traces of foreign explosives” on the debris.

It has vowed to “find and punish” the perpetrators. In response to Monday’s findings, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov re-iterated that “our experts concluded this was a terrorist attack”.

Islamic State ‘moving to access Libya oil’ – France

The Islamic State group is extending its territory inside Libya, aiming to gain access to the country’s oil wells, France’s defence minister says.

The group has started to move inland from its stronghold in the coastal town of Sirte, Jean-Yves Le Drian told France’s RTL radio.

Libya’s rival governments are due to sign a UN-backed agreement on Wednesday to form a unity government.

Libya has descended into chaos since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

“They are in Sirte, their territory extends 250 kilometres [155 miles] along the coast, but they are starting to penetrate the interior and to be tempted by access to oil wells and reserves,” Mr Le Drian told RTL radio, AFP news agency reports.

Libya has 48 billion barrels of proven crude oil reserves, the largest in Africa and ninth biggest in the world.

South Africa’s Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan warns state firms

South Africa’s new finance minister has warned that state-owned companies should not be used as “personal toys”.

Pravin Gordhan, the country’s third finance minister in less than a week, was making his first comments since he was appointed on Sunday.

He refused to mention any names but there are concerns that some state-run firms are being poorly managed.

In a bid to reassure the markets, he said that the country “will stay the course of sound fiscal management”.

Last week, President Jacob Zuma sacked previous Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene in a widely criticised move that sent the rand to record lows.

Mr Gordhan replaced David van Rooyen who had only been in the job since Thursday.

He told journalists that “it’s time that individuals, or groups of individuals, stop playing with state entities… as if [they’re] a personal toy from which you can extract money when you feel like”.

Voting extended for CAR referendum after violence

A referendum on a new constitution in Central African Republic spilled into a second day on Monday after violence marred the first day of a vote intended to help end nearly three years of instability.

A Red Cross official said five people were killed and 34 others were wounded during clashes in the capital Bangui which the military commander of the U.N. peacekeeping mission said was an attempt by “spoilers” to block the vote.

The referendum is a precursor to long-delayed presidential and legislative elections due on Dec. 27.

“Since 7 o’clock this morning (3 a.m. EDT), thousands of people are voting,” said Ousmane Abakar, a spokesman for the Muslim community of PK5, the main Muslim enclave in Bangui and the site of Sunday’s clashes.

“We are determined to vote despite (yesterday’s) shooting.”

Voting was due to end by the afternoon and results should be available within 72 hours, said Marie-Madeleine N’Kouet, president of the National Elections Authority (ANE).

Yemen conflict: Gulf commanders ‘killed in missile strike’

A Saudi military commander and an Emirati officer are reported to be among a number of Gulf, Yemeni and Sudanese soldiers killed in Yemen.

They appear to have been killed by a missile fired by Houthi rebels at troops from the Saudi-led coalition seeking to restore Yemen’s government.

Rebel and government sources said the attack, in the province of Taiz, left dozens of coalition troops dead.

The incident comes ahead of UN-brokered peace talks in Switzerland on Tuesday.

French teacher admits inventing ISIL school ‘attack’

A teacher at a French preschool who said he had been stabbed by a man shouting “Islamic State” has admitted he made the story up, prosecutors say.

The teacher said he had been attacked while alone in a classroom in Aubervilliers, a suburb of Paris.

But prosecutors said he had wounded himself with a box cutter and was now being questioned as to why he lied.

France remains on high alert following the terror attacks in Paris on 13 November that left 130 people dead.

Argentina bus crash: Many killed after bus falls off bridge

At least 41 people, most of them police officers, have been killed after a bus fell off a bridge in north-west Argentina, officials say.

The bus was carrying at least 50 people, most of them members of Argentina’s border police, when it came off the road and fell about 20m (65ft) into a riverbed.

Emergency workers are trying to free a number of trapped passengers.

They said that so far, six passengers had been rescued from the wreck.

The bus came off the road at about 02:00 local time (05:00 GMT) near the town of Rosario del Fuente in Salta province, police officials said.

It was one of three police buses travelling on national highway 34.

A local police statement said there were indications that one of the bus’s tyres had burst and caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle.

Speaking at a public event, President Mauricio Macri, expressed his condolences.