THE NEWS: World's biggest king penguin colony shrinks 90 percent

World's biggest king penguin colony shrinks 90 percent
source: AFP

 CNRS/AFP / Henri WEIMERSKIRCH The last time scientists set foot on France's remote Ile aux Cochons -- roughly half way between the tip of Africa and Antarctica -- the island was blanketed by two million of the flightless birds, which stand about a metre (three feet) tall

The planet's largest colony of king penguins has declined by nearly 90 percent in three decades, alarmed researchers said Monday.

The last time scientists set foot on France's remote Ile aux Cochons -- roughly half way between the tip of Africa and Antarctica -- the island was blanketed by two million of the flightless birds, which stand about a metre (three feet) tall.

But recent satellite images and photos taken from helicopters show the population has collapsed, with barely 200,000 remaining, according to a study published in Antarctic Science.

King penguins are home bodies. While adults will set to sea for days at a time foraging for food, the species does not migrate.

Why the colony on Ile aux Cochon has been so decimated remains a mystery.

"It is completely unexpected, and particularly significant since this colony represented nearly one third of the king penguins in the world," said lead author Henri Weimerskirch, an ecologist at the Centre for Biological Studies in Chize, France, who first set eyes on the colony in 1982.

Climate change may play a role.

In 1997, a particularly strong El Nino weather event warmed the southern Indian Ocean, temporarily pushing the fish and squid on which king penguins depend south, beyond their foraging range.

"This resulted in population decline and poor breeding success" for all the king penguin colonies in the region, Weimerskirch said.

El Nino's are cyclical events that occur every two to seven years. But they can be amplified by global warming, which itself produces many of the same results, albeit on a longer timescale.

Indeed, Weimerskirch and colleagues showed in an earlier study that climate change, on its current trajectory, will likely make the Iles Crozet -- the archipelago that contains Ile aux Cochon -- unviable for king penguins by mid-century.

Migration is not an option because there are no other suitable islands within striking range.

Other factors may be contributing to the decline of the Ile aux Cochon colony, including overcrowding.

- One egg at a time -


CNRS/AFP/File / Celine Le Bohec Recent satellite images and photos taken from helicopters show the king penguin population on Ile aux Cochon has collapsed, with barely 200,000 remaining


"The larger the population, the fiercer the competition between individuals," noted a statement from France's National Centre for Scientific Research, which funded the study.

"The repercussions of lack of food are thus amplified and can trigger an unprecedented rapid and drastic drop in numbers."

But this so-called "density-dependent effect" can also be made worse by climate change, the study notes.

Another possible culprit is avian cholera, which has affected seabirds on nearby Marion and Amsterdam Islands, including some king penguins.

But until Weimerskirch and other researchers return to Ile aux Cochons -- hopefully, he said, in early 2019 -- they won't know for sure.

It is also possible that invasive species such as rats, mice or cats, have found their way onto the island.

The Red List of Threatened Species conservation status for king penguins is currently "least concern," but the new data may prompt a reevaluation.

King penguins are the second-largest penguin species after the Emperor.

They do not make a nest, but rather lay one egg at a time and carry it around on their feet covered with a flap of abdominal skin, called a brood patch.

Parents take turns incubating the egg, switching every couple of weeks over a two-month period.

There are two sub-species of kings. Aptenodytes patagonica patagonicus inhabits the Falklands and South Georgia Island, while Aptenodytes patagonica halli resides in the southernmost reaches of Indian Ocean and South Pacific.

THE NEWS: Eurozone growth slows as trade tensions persist

Eurozone growth slows as trade tensions persist
source: AFP

AFP/File / Johannes EISELE The European Central Bank and IMF have warned that eurozone growth risks taking a hit from the rising protectionism that stemmed from the "America First" policies of US President Trump

Economic growth in the eurozone slowed in the second quarter this year, official data showed on Tuesday, as concerns rose that global trade tensions fuelled by Washington may be reining in the European economy.

Growth in the 19-country single currency bloc hit 0.3 percent in the April to June period, below the 0.4 percent in the previous quarter, the EU's Eurostat statistics agency said.

Major economic institutions -- including the European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund -- have warned that growth in the eurozone risked taking a hit from the rising protectionism that stemmed from the "America First" policies of US President Donald Trump.

Eurostat said that on a year-to-year basis, economic growth in the eurozone reached 2.1 percent, far lower than the 2.5 percent in the previous quarter but still ahead of the 1.8 percent reached in 2016.

This figure is lower than a forecast by analysts surveyed by data service Factset, who tabled for growth of 0.4 percent.

Eurozone inflation meanwhile accelerated in July to 2.1 percent driven by high energy prices. This was slightly faster than forecasts by analysts and about on level with the ECB target.

In a flurry of data released before the summer break, Eurostat also said unemployment in the eurozone remained flat in June, at 8.3 percent.

Unemployment in the euro area has been falling steadily since it fell below the symbolic threshold of 10.0 percent in September 2016.

However, it is still higher than the average rate before the financial crisis, when it stood at 7.5 percent.

Among the 19 single currency countries, the lowest unemployment rates in May was recorded in Germany at 3.4 percent, according to Eurostat.

The highest rate was recorded in Greece with 20.2 percent in April, the latest available figure. Crisis-hit Spain saw its rate fall to 15.2 percent.

THE NEWS: China manufacturing activity eases in July

China manufacturing activity eases in July
source: AFP

 AFP/File / - China's Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), a key gauge of factory conditions, came in at 51.2 for the month, down from 51.5 in June

Chinese factory activity slowed in July, official data showed Tuesday, missing forecasts as extreme weather and a trade war with the US weighed on manufacturing.

The Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), a key gauge of factory conditions, came in at 51.2 for the month, down from 51.5 in June, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said.

The number was below the 51.3 reading tipped in a Bloomberg News survey of economists.

Although the numbers indicate a slowdown, they held comfortably above the 50-point mark that separates expansion from contraction.

The PMI "fluctuated" due to "the recent frequent heavy rains, typhoons and high temperatures", NBS analyst Zhao Qinghe said in a statement, adding that adverse weather conditions had caused some industrial and mining production to stop.

"The mounting international trade friction" and "some industries entering the traditional slack season" also played a role, Zhao said.

The trade dispute has caused a decrease in export orders and raw material imports for some manufacturers, Zhao added.

"The data clearly show a slowdown in economic momentum," Raymond Yeung, chief greater China economist for Australia & New Zealand Banking Group in Hong Kong told Bloomberg.

"The impact of the first tranche of US tariffs that came into effect last month is being largely offset by a weaker renminbi," Julian Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economics said in a research note.

"China's economy is on track to slow further this quarter and next, triggering additional policy easing."

Hoping to reverse that trend, Beijing last week signalled it would shift to a looser fiscal policy by unveiling a series of fiscal support including tax reduction and issuance of local government special bonds for infrastructure.

THE NEWS: Samsung Electronics profit dips as phone sales fall

Samsung Electronics profit dips as phone sales fall
source: AFP


AFP / Jung Yeon-je A sluggish market for premium mobile phones contributed to a decline in Samsung's smartphone shipments and revenue

Samsung Electronics said Tuesday its second-quarter net profit dipped slightly from a year earlier, with a fall in smartphone sales mitigated by strong demand for its memory chips.

A sluggish market for premium mobile phones and stiff competition contributed to a decline in Samsung's smartphone shipments and revenue compared to the previous quarter, denting demand for its flagship Galaxy device, the South Korean company said.

Samsung, the world's biggest maker of memory chips, has weathered a series of setbacks, including an embarrassing global recall of its Galaxy Note 7 due to exploding batteries in 2016.

Adding to its troubles, its vice-chairman Lee Jae-yong, scion of the founding family, was jailed last year for his part in the corruption scandal that brought down former president Park Geun-hye.

Lee has since been released after some of his convictions were quashed on appeal, and the company has posted record profits in recent quarters, until now.

Net profit for April-June was 11.04 trillion won ($9.9 billion), the company said in a regulatory filing -- slightly lower than the 11.05 trillion won in the same period in 2017, and missing the 11.6 trillion won average of estimates compiled by Bloomberg News.

While total sales fell 4.1 percent year-on-year to 58.48 trillion won, the company's mobile division was particularly hard hit, with revenues plunging 22 percent in the same period.


 AFP / Laurence CHU Samsung Electronics


"Second-quarter revenue fell due to softer sales of smartphones and display panels," Samsung said in a statement.

Weak sales of its flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S9, drove down earnings but robust demand for premium TVs -- thanks to soaring interest in the World Cup -- and memory chips helped boost operating profit nearly six percent.

Samsung's chipmaking unit, which dominates the global market, provides chips for the company's own devices as well as those of competitors including Apple.

Although its semiconductor business was a bright spot, achieving record operating profits of 11.6 trillion won, the earnings were lower than expected -- with market forecasts averaging 12 trillion won.

"The semiconductor sector fell short of expectations but its outlook for the second half of this year is rather positive as demand for DRAM chips is solid... Therefore, chip prices are expected to remain strong," a Samsung official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

- Push for cheaper smartphones -

The company said it expected "growing demand for flexible OLED panels to drive earnings higher in the second half" of the year.

But "mobile market conditions will likely remain challenging in the second half amid pricing competition and new product launches," it said, adding that it would respond by launching its Galaxy Note 9 smartphone earlier than expected.

The company said it would bolster its flagship lineup by marketing the new phone "at a reasonable price" and packing its middle-and-low end products with updated features to fend off competition.

The move comes as the global market for premium smartphones hits a wall.

"Consumers are losing the belief that the next version of a smartphone is actually smarter," Paul Swiercz, a management professor at George Washington University, told Bloomberg News.

"Even those wanting to own the latest and greatest are having difficulties paying high-margin prices for performance and features that have topped out," he added.

Despite its difficulties in the mobile sector, the company is expected to post record profits in the next quarter thanks to its semiconductor division, analysts told AFP.

"Operating profit in the semiconductor sector is likely to hit the largest-ever 13.7 trillion won in the next quarter, due to the high DRAM chip prices and increasing shipments of NAND flash memory products", said Park Yoo-ak, an analyst with Kiwoom Securities.

Overall operating profit was 14.87 trillion won, in line with the estimate of 14.8 trillion won suggested in a preliminary guidance report earlier this month.

"In the third quarter, Samsung Electronics is likely to benefit from a weak Korean won, solid demand for DRAM chips and recovery in OLED displays. Its third-quarter operating profit is expected to hit 16.8 trillion won," said Lee Seung-woo at Eugene Investment & Securities.

Disappointment over the latest figures was reflected in Tuesday's trade, with Samsung Electronics shares closing down 0.5 percent at 46,250 won.

THE NEWS: N. Korea developing new missiles: report

N. Korea developing new missiles: report
source: AFP

AFP/File / SAUL LOEB Just weeks after a high-stakes summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Pyongyang appears to be developing at least one or two liquid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missiles, The Washington Post reported

US intelligence agencies have found that North Korea is building new missiles, based on satellite photographs taken in recent weeks and other new evidence, The Washington Post reported Monday.

Just weeks after a high-stakes summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Pyongyang appears to be developing at least one or two liquid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missiles, the Post said, citing officials familiar with the intelligence.

The factory outside Pyongyang in Sanumdong where the work is underway produced the North's first ICBMs capable of reaching the United States.

Following the Singapore summit in June, Trump had declared that Pyongyang was "no longer a Nuclear Threat," and touted his own diplomatic achievements.

But Kim did not publicly promise to end work at the country's nuclear and missile facilities, instead speaking of eventual denuclearization.

The reported new missile construction follows Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's testimony last week in which he told senators Pyongyang continues to make nuclear fissile material, without indicating whether the hermit state was building new missiles.

Imagery from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency suggests ongoing work on at least one Hwasong-15 ICBM at the Sanumdong plant, the Post said.

"We see them going to work, just as before," a US official told the newspaper.

But at the Sohae Satellite Launching Station on North Korea's west coast, workers can be seen dismantling an engine test stand, in line with a promise made to Trump at the summit, though the move is seen as more symbolic since the facility can easily be rebuilt.

An image taken on July 7 shows a bright-red covered trailer in a loading area that appears to be identical to those vehicles the North has previously used to transport ICBMs.

THE NEWS: LeBron just what doctor ordered for lowly NBA Lakers

LeBron just what doctor ordered for lowly NBA Lakers
source: AFP

 GETTY/AFP / Jason Miller LeBron James had agreed to a four-year, $154 million contract with the Lakers, leaving the Cavaliers after four seasons in which he led them to four NBA finals

LeBron James says he is looking forward to the challenge of turning around the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers, who are coming off the worst five-year period in franchise history.

"I like the challenge of being able to help a team get to places that they haven't been in quite a while," James told American sports broadcaster ESPN. "And obviously the Lakers haven't made the playoffs in a few years, but the Lakers organization and historical franchise matches up there with all the greats.

"You can look at the (NFL Dallas) Cowboys and you can look at the (NFL New England) Patriots, you can look at Manchester United, the Boston Celtics -- these are like historical franchises.

"And for me to be a part of that, I think it's a great move not only for me but for my family and for the history of basketball in general."

James was speaking out Monday in his first public comments since leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers and signing with the Lakers.

The 33-year-old James is entering his 16th NBA season. He has won three championships and made it to the finals nine times, including a streak of eight years straight.


GETTY/AFP / Jason Miller Gloria James, mother of LeBron James, raises the flag during the opening ceremonies of the I Promise School in Akron, Ohio


James had agreed to a four-year, $154 million contract with the Lakers, leaving the Cavaliers after four seasons in which he led them to four NBA finals.

James brought Cleveland its first major sports crown since 1964 when the Cavs won the 2016 NBA crown but lost three of four finals showdowns with the Golden State Warriors. He decided to make a move in hopes of rebuilding the Lakers into a winner.

When James joined the Miami Heat, he led them to a 58-24 record and took them to the finals in his first season in South Florida.

The Lakers were 35-47 last season and haven't made the playoffs since 2013, hitting the bottom after compiling 16 championships.

They haven't gone past the second round of the playoffs since Kobe Bryant led them to consecutive NBA titles in 2009 and 2010.

"At the end of the day, the guys love to play ball, and that's what they do every single day. I love that," James said.

"And bringing Lance (Stephenson) and JaVale (McGee) and Beas (Michael Beasley) and (Rajon) Rondo, they're guys that every day that they wake up they think about the game of basketball. And everything else is secondary.

"So we look forward to all the challenges."

He also used his LeBron James Family Foundation on Monday to officially open a new elementary school in his hometown of Akron, Ohio for at-risk students.

The "I Promise School" will operate on an extended school year to help 240 third and fourth graders study and learn at an appropriate speed and catch up if they are lagging. The school will also feature job placement assistance for parents and a on-site food bank for families.

- 'The violence, the guns' -

"I know these kids more than they know themselves," James said in a video introducing the program. "I walked the same streets. I rode the same bikes on the same streets they ride on... everything these kids are going through, the drugs, the violence, the guns, everything they going through as kids, I know."


GETTY/AFP / Jason Miller LeBron James makes his way through the crowd during the opening ceremonies of the I Promise School in Akron, Ohio

The 15-year NBA veteran was third in the league last season with 27.5 points a game, matched his career high with 8.6 rebounds and had a career-high 9.1 assists.

James has played in 1,143 career regular season games for the Cavaliers and Heat, averaging 27.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.2 assists.

He ranks seventh in career NBA scoring with 31,038 points and also won Olympic gold medals in 2008 at Beijing and 2012 at London.

THE NEWS: Thai 'Indiana Jones' divers scour Bangkok's murky river for treasure

Thai 'Indiana Jones' divers scour Bangkok's murky river for treasure
SOURCE: AFP
AFP / Lillian SUWANRUMPHA Wearing shorts and T-shirt, Bhoomin Samang jumps off his motorised skiff into Bangkok's Chao Phraya river -- strewn with city sewage and debris

Kneeling before his homemade metal scuba helmet, Bhoomin Samang prays for good fortune before he dives into the day's work -- scouring the bed of Bangkok's Chao Phraya river for sunken treasure.

The 62-year-old is part of a small community known as Thailand's "Indiana Jones" divers, who brave the inky-black underworld of the trash-filled waterway in search of coins, china, jewellery and scrap metal.

"We look for old coins, sometimes we are hired to find lost objects in the river," says Bhoomin, a veteran diver who has been scouring the river for 30 years.

Sometimes the find is more macabre -- the divers have stumbled across skulls and skeletons as they feel their way along the river bed in total darkness.


AFP / Lillian SUWANRUMPHA 62-year-old Bhoomin Samang is part of a small community known as Thailand's "Indiana Jones" divers, who brave the inky-black underworld of the trash-filled waterway in search of coins, china, jewellery and scrap metal


"If you're afraid of ghosts, you can't go in because you can't see anything. But we're used to it," he explains.

Trained foreign and Thai Navy SEAL divers were recently at the centre of global attention for their daring rescue of 12 boys and their coach from a waterlogged cave in northern Thailand.

But the "Indiana Jones" divers use more makeshift equipment and operate under the radar in the middle of the country's urban metropolis.

Wearing shorts and T-shirt, Bhoomin jumps off his motorised skiff into a river strewn with city sewage and debris.

He is able to breathe thanks to the boxy helmet that weighs around 20 kilos (45 pounds), and is hooked up to a rubber tube that connects to an air tank aboard the boat.

The tank pumps oxygen into the helmet to keep water out, allowing the most experienced divers to drop down to 30 metres (100 feet) below the surface.


AFP / Lillian SUWANRUMPHA The divers find 200-year-old copper and bullet coins with pictures of 19th century Thai kings Rama IV and V on them -- the coins trace the history of the Thai capital's lively waterfront

After 15 minutes underwater, Bhoomin resurfaces with a cotton bag stuffed with mud.

He pans it out on a metal dish, revealing several 200-year-old copper and bullet coins with pictures of 19th century Thai kings Rama IV and V on them -- artifacts divers call "regulars".

The coins trace the history of the Thai capital's lively waterfront, whose traditional stilted homes are increasingly being knocked down for development.

"In the old days, we lived on rafts and had floating markets. Villagers lost their jewelry and money in the river," he said.

An unfinished small Buddhist amulet was also hidden inside the mud.

- Into the deep -

The divers can turn a decent profit. Selling a few copper coins can make them some 500 baht ($15) -- nearly twice Thailand's daily minimum wage.


AFP / Lillian SUWANRUMPHA If lucky, a piece of jewelry or a rare coin in good condition can be sold for up to $300 at Bangkok's antique markets, while their loot is fattened out by scrap metal


If lucky, a piece of jewelry or a rare coin in good condition can be sold for up to $300 at Bangkok's antique markets, while their loot is fattened out by scrap metal.

But the divers' fate is in limbo as urban development threatens their riverside community, which stands on weathered wooden stilts.

Bangkok officials have ordered the families to relocate away from the river as part of the junta government's gentrification plan for the city.


 AFP / Lillian SUWANRUMPHA The divers are able to breathe thanks to the boxy helmet that weighs around 20 kilos (45 pounds), and is hooked up to a rubber tube that connects to an air tank aboard the boat

The divers fear that without direct access to the river, up to "90 percent" of them will lose their livelihoods.

But that's not their only tension with the law -- taking artifacts is technically prohibited and can be punished with fines or jail time.

Bhoomin, however, defends the trade, saying divers only go for the small stuff.


 AFP / Lillian SUWANRUMPHA Bangkok officials have ordered the families of the "Indiana Jones" divers to relocate away from the river as part of the junta government's gentrification plan for the city


"We don't take big artifacts like Buddha statues... (if officials really want something), they can go down there and take it," says Bhoomin, who dips into a box of salvaged spectacles and sunglasses whenever he needs them.

Then again, the lure of something special is always just around the river bend.

"We don't know what we will find or where we will go today, said 29-year-old Somsak Ongsaard, another diver. "It's exciting."

THE NEWS: Outrage as German man acquitted over 'racist' bombing 18 years on

Outrage as German man acquitted over 'racist' bombing 18 years on
source: AFP

 dpa/AFP / Marcel Kusch Ralf Spies in the Duesseldorf court on Tuesday that cleared him of 12 counts of attempted murder with a "racist" motive in an attack in July 2000

An alleged neo-Nazi was acquitted by a German court Tuesday for a bombing 18 years ago targeting Jewish immigrants, in what angry victims' advocates called a historic "legal mistake".

Ralf Spies, 52, was cleared of 12 counts of attempted murder with a "racist" motive and with causing an explosion in the attack at a commuter rail station in the western city of Duesseldorf on July 27, 2000.

The regional court in the city found him not guilty, after having released him from custody in May "for lack of sufficiently reliable testimony" from witnesses, many of whom were in prison with the defendant, and an absence of forensic evidence or eye-witnesses.

The victims were on their way back from a German language course when the explosive, hung in a plastic bag on a fence near the Wehrhahn station entrance, went off, sparking panic.

Ten eastern European migrants -- six of them Jews from the former Soviet Union -- were wounded in the bombing, which shocked Germany and drew international condemnation.

A 26-year-old Ukrainian pregnant woman lost her unborn child and had to undergo emergency surgery after the blast ripped off one of her feet.

- 'Worst legal mistake' -


dpa/AFP/File / Christian OHLIG Rescuers and firefighters take care of those injured in the attack at a commuter rail station in Duesseldorf on July 27, 2000


Chief prosecutor Ralf Herrenbrueck, who had called for a life sentence for Spies, expressed outrage in closing arguments last week that the case appeared to be unravelling.

Spies "felt called upon to keep his neighbourhood 'clean'. He wanted to get rid of everything he hated," Herrenbrueck told the court.

Four lawyers representing victims of the blast pointed to wiretapped telephone calls in which Spies appeared to boast about his involvement in the attack.

They had urged presiding judge Rainer Drees to convict Spies, citing a preponderance of circumstantial evidence.

But as it became clear that the trial was heading toward an acquittal, co-plaintiff attorney Juri Rogner said in final arguments that the court was on the verge of "committing the worst legal mistake in the history of Duesseldorf".

The president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Josef Schuster, said Tuesday he felt "dismay" at the ruling.

The fact that the sole or multiple perpetrators remained at large "is not only painful, but deeply disappointing," he told the local Rheinische Post daily, demanding further investigations.

The defendant was known to police as a rightwing extremist and ran a military surplus store near the scene of the crime.

Investigators say the former soldier has a swastika and a well-known Nazi fortress tattooed on his body.

Spies told the court at the start of the trial that "I was definitely not at the scene of the crime at the time it happened".

Duesseldorf police had questioned Spies and placed him under surveillance soon after the bombing before determining they did not have enough evidence to arrest him.

The investigation, long dormant, was only revived in 2011, after a series of 10 murders by a band of neo-Nazis known as the National Socialist Underground (NSU).

While no link was established between the NSU's killings and the Duesseldorf bombing, they spurred investigators to take the extremist threat more seriously.

The NSU's sole surviving member, Beate Zschaepe, was sentenced to life in prison earlier this month by a court in Munich.

- 'Successful euthanasia' -


 dpa/AFP/File / Federico Gambarini The court heard that Spies had told a cellmate that the death of the unborn baby in the attack was a case of "successful euthanasia"

A breakthrough in the Duesseldorf case came in June 2014 when a prison inmate told police that Spies -- who was briefly in jail over an unrelated offence -- had "bragged" about masterminding the attack, using an anti-immigrant racial slur.

Police resumed the investigation and in February 2017, after Spies's release from prison, swooped on his home and took him into custody. He was charged in December.

The court heard that Spies had told a cellmate that the death of the unborn baby in the attack was a case of "successful euthanasia".

"He saw himself as a hero, as a soldier for Germany who had to save the honour of this country," the cellmate identified only as Holger P. said.

And an ex-girlfriend of Spies told investigators that she saw in his kitchen a homemade pipe bomb, constructed using the explosives from up to six military-issue hand grenades.

Herrenbrueck said Spies set it off using a remote-controlled detonator and that it was only because the TNT inside was impure that no one had died in the blast.

However during the trial, several witnesses backed away from their previous testimonies.

Defence attorneys said that the prison inmates who gave evidence may have been promised lighter sentences in exchange, undermining their credibility.

The court said that prosecutors and co-plaintiffs were free to appeal the verdict.

THE NEWS: Tense count as Zimbabwe opposition claim election victory

Tense count as Zimbabwe opposition claim election victory
source: AFP

AFP/File / Ahmed OULD MOHAMED OULD ELHADJ, Jekesai NJIKIZANA Both President Emmerson Mnangagwa, left, and opposition leader Nelson Chamisa, right, have said they are headed for victory in Zimbabwe's landmark elections

Zimbabwe's opposition MDC party on Tuesday claimed victory in the country's historic elections, setting the scene for a showdown with the ruling ZANU-PF that has held power since independence in 1980.

Senior MDC official Tendai Biti said party leader Nelson Chamisa had won the presidential race, and alleged that the authorities were delaying the publication of results.

"The results show beyond reasonable doubt that we have won the election and that the next president of Zimbabwe is Nelson Chamisa," Biti told a press conference at the party's headquarters in Harare.

"We are however seriously concerned about evidence of interference... there is a deliberate delay in announcing the results. This delay is totally unacceptable."

President Emmerson Mnangagwa, 75, has also said he was confident of victory in Zimbabwe's first election since former leader Robert Mugabe was ousted in November after 37 years in power.

"The information from our reps on the ground is extremely positive! Waiting patiently for official results as per the constitution," Mnangagwa said on Twitter early Tuesday.

The rival claims pointed to a contested result, raising the prospect of competing fraud allegations and a possible run-off vote in September -- required if no candidate wins at least 50 percent of ballots in the first round.

Analysts have said it was unclear whether the country's generals, who ousted Mugabe and ushered Mnangagwa into office, would accept a win by the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

Defeat for the ruling party would likely lead "to a denunciation of the election by the Mnangagwa administration and the potential for the military to intervene to secure power for ZANU-PF," the London-based BMI risk consultancy said.

- Anxious wait for results -

"I am scared -- is there going to be unrest?" Stone Sibanda, a 39-year-old taxi driver in Harare, told AFP. "It is a very sensitive moment. Everyone is anxious."

Estimated turnout was around 75 percent before polls closed on Monday evening after a peaceful day of voting.


 AFP / Luis TATO Vote counting went into the night in the suburb of Mbare in Zimbabwe's capital Harare

Early results from the elections -- presidential, parliamentary and local -- are expected Tuesday, and full results are due by Saturday.

At one polling station in the capital Harare, officials counted large piles of ballots using gas lanterns and candles late into the night on Monday.

If required, Zimbabwe's 5.6 million registered voters would be asked to return to the polls to vote in a presidential run-off on September 8.


 AFP / MARCO LONGARI Early results of the landmark polls are expected Tuesday


Zimbabwe's much-criticised election authority declared Tuesday that the vote had been free of rigging -- even though the count was not yet completed.

"We are absolutely confident there was no rigging... we at the Zimbabwean Election Commission will not steal (the people's) choice of leaders, we will not subvert their will," said ZEC chair Priscilla Chigumba.

Mugabe, 94, whose authoritarian regime held power through violent, fraud-riddled elections, voted in Harare alongside his wife Grace after a surprise press conference at his home on Sunday at which he called for voters to reject ZANU-PF, his former party.

- EU cites 'shortcomings' -


 AFP / Jekesai NJIKIZANA Ousted leader Robert Mugabe had called on voters to reject his old party, the ruling ZANU-PF

Once-banned European Union election observers, present for the first time in years, said participation appeared high but warned of possible problems in the polling process.

"There are shortcomings that we have to check. We don't know yet whether it was a pattern," EU chief observer Elmar Brok told AFP on Monday.

The bloc will deliver a preliminary report on the conduct of the election on Wednesday, as will the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union teams.

Mnangagwa, Mugabe's former right-hand man in ZANU-PF, was the clear election front-runner, benefitting from tacit military support, loyal state media and ruling party controls of government resources.

But Chamisa, 40, a lawyer and pastor who performed strongly on the campaign trail, sought to tap into the youth and urban vote.

He has repeatedly accused ZANU-PF and election authorities of trying to fix the result via a flawed electoral roll, ballot paper malpractice and voter intimidation.

The new government must tackle mass unemployment and an economy shattered by the seizure of white-owned farms under Mugabe, the collapse of agriculture, hyperinflation and an investment exodus.


AFP/File / John SAEKI A brief history of Zimbabwe since independence in 1980


Previously solid health and education services are in ruins, and millions have fled abroad to seek work.

Both candidates had vowed to clean up government and attract foreign investment to create jobs after the isolation and systematic corruption of the Mugabe era.

In 2008, then opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai pulled out of the presidential run-off against Mugabe after attacks orchestrated by the state claimed the lives of at least 200 of his supporters.

THE NEWS: Turkey court rejects appeal for US pastor's release

Turkey court rejects appeal for US pastor's release
source:AFP
AFP/File / - US pastor Andrew Craig Brunson is escorted by Turkish plainclothes police officers to his house in Izmir in this file photo taken on July 25, 2018

A Turkish court on Tuesday rejected an appeal to release from house arrest a US pastor whose detention on terror-related charges has strained relations between NATO allies Ankara and Washington, state media reported.

The court in the Aegean region of Izmir rejected an appeal by the lawyer for Andrew Brunson, who ran a Protestant church, to have him released from house arrest and have his travel ban removed, state-run Anadolu news agency said.

The court had last week ordered that Brunson, who had spent almost two years in jail after his initial detention in October 2016, be moved from jail to house arrest at his home in Izmir.

But the move stoked tensions rather than defusing the crisis, with US media reports accusing Turkey of reneging on a deal to free him, which Ankara has denied.

Last week US President Donald Trump threatened to impose "large sanctions" on Turkey if the pastor was not freed, following similar warnings from his Vice President Mike Pence.

But Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan insisted that sanction threats would not force Ankara to take a "step back", in comments reported on Sunday.


 Demiroren News Agency/AFP/File / STR Andrew Brunson spent almost two years in jail after his initial detention in October 2016


Relations between Turkey and the United States have been tense over multiple issues including American support for a Syrian Kurdish militia who Turkey claims are terrorists as well as the failure to extradite US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen.

Ankara accuses Gulen of organising the July 2016 failed coup, claims which he denies.

Brunson risks up to 35 years in jail if convicted of carrying out activities on behalf of two organisations Turkey deems to be terror groups: the Gulen movement and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

Brunson denies the charges while US officials have repeatedly stressed that Brunson is innocent. Trump has previously called the pastor a "fine gentleman".

Brunson is one of several American nationals caught up in the crackdown after the attempted putsch two years ago.

NASA scientist Serkan Golge, a dual national, was jailed for seven-and-a-half years in February for being a member of Gulen's movement. Two employees from American missions in Turkey remain in custody and another under house arrest.

The next hearing in Brunson's trial is on October 12.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu is expected to meet US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during this week's meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

THE NEWS: Killers of tourists in Tajikistan 'pledge allegiance' in IS video

Killers of tourists in Tajikistan 'pledge allegiance' in IS video
source: Afp


AFP / Shodmon Kholov Interior minsiter Ramazon Hamro Rahimzoda said the attackers were armed with "knives and firearms"

The Islamic State group on Tuesday released a video showing what it said was a pledge of allegiance by the five men accused of murdering European and American tourists in Tajikistan.

An armed gang attacked a group of seven foreign cyclists, killing four and injuring two, on a popular biking route in the south of the impoverished ex-Soviet nation on Sunday.

The incident was first reported as a hit-and-run road accident but later claimed by Islamic State jihadists.

Tajik authorities however say the attack was carried out by a banned Islamist opposition party with the backing of rival Iran.


AMAQ NEWS AGENCY/AFP / Handout An image taken from the video released by the Islamic State's Amaq News Agency allegedly showing the five men accused of killing tourists in Tajikistan


The video released by IS on Tuesday shows five men, who resemble pictures of the suspects put out by Tajik police, sitting by a tree in front of a jihadist flag.

The clip shows them swearing allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the group's leader.

Tajikistan released pictures of four of the suspects after they were killed by police while resisting arrest. A 33-year-old man resembling the fifth participant in the video has been detained.

A further three suspects were also being held, police said.

The victims -- two Americans, one Swiss citizen and one Dutch citizen -- were killed after being struck by a car and attacked as they cycled a road off the Pamir Highway -- a popular tourist route with spectacular views.

Two other foreigners were injured in the attack in Danghara district, about 100 kilometres (60 miles) from the capital Dushanbe. A French citizen survived unscathed.

Tajik authorities had declared 2018 "a year of tourism".

- 'Baseless allegations' -

Tajikistan brushed off the earlier claim of responsibility by the IS group, saying the leader of the attackers was Hussein Abdusamadov, an "active member" of the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT).

He had undergone "military sabotage" training in Iran, police said Tuesday.

But a spokesman for the IRPT -- which was banned in 2015 as part of a crackdown that has been criticised by the US and several rights groups -- rejected the claim.

"These allegations are baseless and they are not our members," Mahmudjon Faizrahmon told AFP.

"Unfortunately, the authorities used this human and national tragedy to suppress their opponents," he said.

Tehran also denied any involvement.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran denies any link with this terrorist attack and categorically denies that there is any military base to train terrorists inside Iran," said foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi, quoted by the Mehr news agency.

"We condemn all terrorist acts all over the world, including the recent attack on foreign tourists in Tajikistan," he said.

While majority-Muslim Iran and Tajikistan share a Persian cultural and linguistic heritage, relations between the countries have been tense.

Although Muslims in Tajikistan overwhelmingly adhere to the Sunni Islam, Shia Islam dominates in Iran, limiting religious ties between the two countries.

In 2016, a Tajik court gave life sentences to key figures in the IRPT, a group authorities have accused of plotting to overthrow the government.

Some members of the IRPT had fought government forces in the civil war in Tajikistan that lasted from 1992 to 1997.

The party's subsequent participation in domestic politics was widely viewed as a positive legacy of the peace process.

THE NEWS: 15 dead as gunmen storm Afghan govt building, 11 killed in bus bombing

 15 dead as gunmen storm Afghan govt building, 11 killed in bus bombing
source: AFP

AFP / NOORULLAH SHIRZADA Afghan security personnel secure a road as smoke billows from the site of suicide attack in Jalalabad

A suicide bomb and gun attack by militants on an Afghan government building in Jalalabad on Tuesday killed at least 15 people, some burned "beyond recognition", officials said, the latest in a series of assaults on the eastern city.

On the other side of the country a roadside bomb apparently intended for security forces hit a passenger bus and killed 11 people, marking yet another bloody day for civilians who have borne the brunt of violence in Afghanistan.

The attack in Jalalabad targeted the compound of the refugees and repatriations department. It ended after more than five hours of intense fighting between militants and security forces, said Attaullah Khogyani, spokesman for the governor of Nangarhar province.

At least 15 people were killed and the same number were wounded, Khogyani said.

Provincial health director Najibullah Kamawal said some of the dead were "burned beyond recognition".

The raid began with a suicide attacker blowing up a bomb-laden car at the entrance as local representatives of foreign donors and agencies were meeting department employees inside the building.

"About 10 minutes before the end of the meeting we heard an explosion and then gunfire," a government official told AFP.

"We looked down and saw two attackers entering the building. I and a number of other people at the meeting escaped to a corner on the top floor. I don't know what happened to the others."

The driver for one of the people at the meeting said he was on the third floor when the attack began.

"People started screaming and running around," he told AFP.

"I jumped from the third floor onto a wall and then into the lane."

Several people were taken hostage by the attackers, said Zabiullah Zmarary, a provincial council member.

"I saw a black Corolla car drop three armed men at the gate of the refugees and repatriations department," a witness told AFP.


AFP / NOORULLAH SHIRZADA Smoke billows from the site of suicide attack on a government building in Jalalabad


Khogyani said the two attackers who stormed the compound were killed.

Security forces swarmed into the area, and a plume of thick black smoke rose into the sky above the compound.

The Taliban denied involvement in the incident in a WhatsApp message sent to journalists.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, which comes three days after militants raided a midwife training centre in Jalalabad.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for Saturday's attack, which left at least three people dead and several wounded.

Jalalabad has been the scene of multiple attacks in recent months that have killed dozens, as US and Afghan forces continue offensives against militants.

- Civilians under attack -

In the western province of Farah on Tuesday the bomb which hit the bus killed at least 11 people and wounded 31.

"It was a bomb planted by the Taliban to hit security forces but... it got a passenger bus," Farah provincial police spokesman Muhibullah Muhib told AFP.

There was no immediate confirmation from the Taliban that they were responsible.

In a separate incident, 22 passengers travelling on a Kabul-bound bus in the eastern province of Paktia were kidnapped by gunmen on Monday night.

Officials blamed the Taliban for both incidents.


AFP / NOORULLAH SHIRZADA An injured Afghan man is carried on stretcher from the site of suicide attack the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad


Most of the attacks in Jalalabad have been claimed by IS, which has a relatively small but potent presence in Afghanistan, mainly in the east and north.

It is not clear why the militants targeted the refugees and repatriations department, but government buildings are frequently hit.

On July 11 gunmen raided an education department compound in Jalalabad, sparking an hours-long battle with security forces.

At least 11 people were killed in that attack. All were employees of the education department branch and included the director.

A suicide bombing claimed by IS on a crowd of Afghan Sikhs and Hindus in Jalalabad on July 1 killed 19 people and wounded 21.

IS emerged in Afghanistan in 2014 and quickly established a stronghold in Nangarhar, which borders Pakistan.

str-us-emh-amj/jta

THE NEWS: Mourinho's dark mood casts shadow over Manchester United

Mourinho's dark mood casts shadow over Manchester United
source: AFP

 AFP / Ian KINGTON Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho's bad-tempered and miserable demeanour on the pre-season tour of the USA is causing increasing disquiet inside the club just over a week away from the start of the Premier League season

Jose Mourinho's constant carping and foul mood during Manchester United's increasingly tortuous tour of the United States is raising questions about team morale and title hopes just over a week away from the start of the new Premier League season.

Unlike rivals Liverpool and champions Manchester City, two Premier League contenders whose pre-season has included solid preparations and astute transfers, Manchester United watchers see nothing to celebrate as the 55-year-old Portuguese manager prepares for his third term at Old Trafford.

The days when Mourinho used to poke fun at journalists with a twinkle in his eye during press conferences appear long gone, replaced by a litany of complaints as seen following the side's 4-1 humbling by Liverpool on Saturday in their latest outing on the US tour.

Bookmakers are now taking bets on Mourinho becoming the first Premier League manager to be sacked or leave his post this season.

Reports reaching home from the US tour depict players too nervous to talk openly about what they think, with the Daily Telegraph and The Sun claiming those in the squad feel they are "treading on eggshells".

The Sun cites one case of an unnamed player in a panic asking the TV channel he gave an interview to erase an answer he gave them.

"It's understood the piece of content in question wasn't even contentious and could be considered 'on message' from a club point of view -- but it is a measure of the tension being felt on a troubled tour," remarked the Manchester Evening News.

- 'Turning sour' -

Mourinho has a history of targeting specific players on occasion and Ivorian central defender Eric Bailly has been in his firing line in the United States.

"I don't think he is a great leader," Mourinho said of Bailly while adding that newly-appointed captain Antonio Valencia's physical preparation was below expectations.

"His condition was not good when he was back," he said after the player returned to the squad from holiday.

He was more critical of French striker Anthony Martial, who he said should have returned to the US tour after going home to be with his girlfriend when she gave birth to a baby boy in Paris.

Mourinho's position was in stark contrast to England manager Gareth Southgate's much-praised decision to allow Fabian Delph to leave the World Cup finals to be with his wife at the birth of their child.

Mourinho -- who having guided United to Europa League and League Cup success in his first season -- delivered nothing last term.

Critics suggest he is caught in a repetitive pattern seen at previous clubs where his reign turned sour in the third season.

It happened twice at Chelsea where he was sacked in the middle of his third campaign in his second spell there, and it also happened at Real Madrid.

However, Mourinho's biggest cause for complaint -- that he has not been given the money for the signings he wanted -- has won some sympathy, even from the Manchester United board despite reportedly strained relations with Ed Woodward, the executive vice-chairman.

Thus far he has bought three players including Brazilian international Fred, but Mourinho is keen to have two new faces in the squad come the opening match with Leicester on Friday week.

Ironically one of those targets is Leicester's England centre-back Harry Maguire, though the 2016 champions' wealthy Thai owners feel they do not have to sell, particularly having accrued a club record £60 million ($79 million) for the sale of Riyad Mahrez to Manchester City.

Relations between Woodward and Mourinho may not be great but there is no suggestion the former wants the latter out, having last January secured his signature on a new contract to June 2020 with the option of a further year.

However, with Mourinho still preferring to live in the luxurious Lowry Hotel -- where a suite costs over £800 a night -- than buy a more permanent home, and now that his trusted number two Rui Faria, seen as a reliable sounding board as to his mood swings, is no longer at United, many are suggesting the third season curse could prevail again.

THE NEWS: Man arrested in second July assault at Canada parliament

Man arrested in second July assault at Canada parliament
source: AFP

 AFP/File / GEOFF ROBINS Canada's parliament building in Ottawa where an alleged assault on a police officer has raised security concerns

An Ottawa man was scheduled to make a brief court appearance Tuesday after allegedly assaulting a federal police officer in the second recent violent incident at Canada's parliament.

The alleged assault occurred late Monday, a week after another man in an unrelated incident attacked a ceremonial guard on the parliament lawn during the daily changing of the guard parade -- a popular tourist attraction.

Nobody was injured in either incident and Joseph Law, chief of staff to the director of the Parliamentary Protective Service, said there was "no threat to the Parliamentary Precinct" -- a four block stretch of government offices around the capital building.

"I can confirm that there was an incident that occurred last night where a member was allegedly assaulted," Law said in a statement.

"The suspect was arrested for assault and the matter is currently under investigation" by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), he said.

RCMP spokeswoman Christine L'Hebreux told AFP the suspect was scheduled to appear in court Tuesday. Charges would be announced later.

In October 2014, a gunman shot and fatally wounded a soldier guarding the tomb of the unknown soldier at the National War Memorial in Ottawa, before opening fire inside the nearby parliament where he was shot and killed.

In the wake of the attack, parliament security was beefed up and guards were armed.

THE NEWS: Cyclists killed in Tajikistan described 'dream' trip

Cyclists killed in Tajikistan described 'dream' trip
source: Afp

 AFP / STR

Cyclists from Europe and the US who were killed in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group in Tajikistan had described their trip as a "dream come true".

The victims were Jay Austin and Lauren Munoz from the US, Rene Wokke from the Netherlands and Markus Hummel from Switzerland, according to Tajik authorities.

Each of the travellers had a blog to document journeys that took them to the Pamir Highway, a Soviet-era road stretching across 2,000 kilometres (1,240 miles) which runs near the border with Afghanistan and has spectacular views.

The Americans explained on their blog SimplyCycling that they had "decided to quit our jobs and bike around the world".

The pair had travelled through Africa and Europe before flying to Kazakhstan in May.

The posts on the site and on their Instagram account broke off as they ventured into mountainous Tajikistan, the poorest of the former Soviet states.

"Tajikistan is a tough place to cycle. It is cold and windy and mountainous and, most of all, very, very high," Austin wrote a week ago.

"Really glad I did it. No need to ever do it again," he said of crossing a Tajik mountain pass at a height of 4,655 metres with thin air and intermittent snow.

Austin had been featured in the Washington Post in 2015 as one of those following a "tiny house" trend and downsizing his daily life to essentials.

- 'Beautiful, kind people' -

On Sunday, a car mowed into the group of seven cyclists, two of whom were injured while another was left unscathed.

The riders were attacked by a gang armed with knives and guns in a highly unusual incident that Tajikistan has said was organised by a member of an opposition Islamist party.

Dutch victim Wokke, a 56-year-old psychologist, was cycling with his partner Kim Postma, a 58-year-old hospital administrator, who was injured in the incident.

The website of Dutch newspaper NRC said the couple were travelling from Bangkok to Tehran and chose to go through Tajikistan to avoid the dangers of Afghanistan.

Wokke was a very experienced traveller and had visited more than 130 countries, according to his brother, Erik.

The pair, from Amsterdam, had left Thailand in February and planned to arrive in Tehran in September before flying back to the Netherlands.

Wokke and Postma described the Pamir Highway on their blog as "the ultimate challenge of this trip".

Victim Markus Hummel also kept an online record of the journey with Swiss national Marie-Claire Diemand who was injured in the attack.

In a blog entry entitled "A dream comes true", they explained that they were travelling along the Silk Road from Xi'an in China to Kyrgyzstan.

"Since we are already on the road, we definitely don't want to miss the Pamir Highway in Tajikistan," the pair said.

Their last entry was on July 25 when the whole group was staying in the Tajik town of Khorugh, after adventures including their tent filling with drifts of sand.

They said that, on the highway, "we enjoy the silence, the dreamlike landscape and look at the Pamir River and the Afghan side of the valley all day long."

Friends and well-wishers posted messages of condolences on the American victims' SimplyCyling Instagram page.

One, Robert Renner, wrote: "My condolences to the family and friends of Jay and Lauren."

Another, Angela Wuerth, wrote: "I'm so sad that something so tragic could happen to such beautiful, kind people."

cr-burs-am/tm/nla

Job Vacancy For Offshore Asset Development Manager at Groupe Aldelia 2018

Offshore Asset Development Manager

Groupe Aldelia Featured Employer
Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria

15 + Years Experience

Job Title : Offshore Asset Development Manager
Job Location: Lagos, Nigeria
Job Status : Full-time Salaried
Report to: Chief Technical Officer

Key Interfaces:
Internal:
Commercial, Drilling, Exploration, Studies, Operations, Human Resources
External:
Joint Venture Partners, Department of Petroleum Resources, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Non-governmental Organization, Investors, Government.

Job Purpose/ Key Objectives:
• The Offshore Asset Development Manager oversees all development activities for the Company's offshore opportunity. Asset consist of blocks within shallow and deep-water currently under exploration, appraisal and development with an estimated in-place P50 4 -10 MMboe.
• The jobholder will directly influence appraisal activities, subsurface modeling and development planning. He/she will report directly to the Chief Technical Officer and is part of the deep-water development leadership team.
• The jobholder will be expected to develop and maintain an up-to-date understanding of the subsurface as new data is acquired, lead the subsurface team in maturing the development options through the maturation funnel through to Final Investment Decision (FID).

Job Knowledge/Skills/ Educational requirement:
• Bachelor of Petroleum Engineering or a related engineering discipline
• MSc or PhD in Petroleum Engineering or a related engineering discipline.

Experience

• Experienced technical professional, with a minimum of 15 years' experience in one of the core Petroleum or Production Engineering disciplines, including senior technical responsibilities.
• In-depth knowledge of petroleum engineering theory and practice.

Knowledge, Skills & Competencies

• Solid grounding in Petroleum Engineering and the fundamentals of Geoscience and a good understanding of the risks and technical issues associated with subsurface, wells and surface development opportunities.
• Strong technical foundation with the ability to work independently, as well as challenge and support others.
• Well-developed communication skill with ability to interface well with Partners and regulatory bodies and ability to work in an integrated multi-disciplinary and diverse cultural environment.
• Drilling and production experience is essential.
• Candidate must have well developed inter-personal skills and above all must be a team player, capable of drawing together a diverse group of individuals from different cultural backgrounds and a proven track record for generating opportunities and delivering business results.
• An ability to work under pressure and to tight time scales is essential.
• Good knowledge of standard drilling engineering software.

Apply Now

Job Vacancy For Chief Operations Officer At Groupe Aldelia 2018

Chief Operations Officer

Groupe Aldelia Featured Employer
Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria

15 + Years Experience

Job Title Chief Operations Officer
Unit / Department Asset Delivery and Management
Reports To: Chief Executive Officer
Responsible For: Head Operations, Head Projects, Head Contract Performance Approval /
Date: Chief Executive officer

Purpose (Summarize briefly the major function and purpose of the position)

The Chief Operations Officer (COO) is the principal Projects, Marketing and Operations strategy execution and performance monitoring executive in He/she is responsible for implementing and managing projects and initiatives aimed at ensuring efficiency, business growth and profitability over the long-term. He/she is responsible for managing day-to-day marketing and operations efforts by directing and coordinating activities consistent with established goals, objectives, and policies and in addition, provides direction and structure for the relevant operating units within the Company. The incumbent will also plan and execute the delivery of the organization's gas and power facility/infrastructure projects that meet the expectations of stakeholders, to the required quality, on time and within budget. Specific attention is given to processes and systems, quality, health & safety, fiscal management, compliance, business performance management measures, creation of value adding business relationships/ networking, work culture enhancement, internal communication and consensus-building.

The role is primarily responsible for tracking (and/or developing), managing and reporting on the approved master work program guiding the planning, development and implementation of all facets of the Contracts of all operating entities, ensuring rigorous adherence to the approved targets, goals and timelines, and either undertaking actions directly or via the development of strategies and recommendations to the Management or Board, as necessary, to keep the work program fully on track.

In addition, the COO is charged with gathering, analyzing and disseminating information on energy policy involving federal regulatory matters and providing analysis of regulatory developments relative to strategic position. The position incumbent is also charged with overseeing the development and implementation of effective Marketing Strategies and plans for attaining the defined customer base and for meeting projected revenue growth targets.

Finally, the COO represents interests in operational and technical alliances, and in presentations and meetings related to the promotion, development, funding, delivery and evaluation of the organization's operations within approved policy and authority limits. To this end the incumbent is expected to effectively manage the acquisition, use, maintenance and disposal of all key resources and assets. Responsibilities also include the effective monitoring of project finances and rigorous adherence to the operating budgets for functional areas within scope of responsibility.

Major Responsibility Area: Identify the major duties and tasks accomplished by this position.

Strategic

• Formulates strategies necessary to comply with prevailing sector regulation and policies and obtains necessary executive approval before implementation.
• Acts as chief advisor and strategist providing needed support to the CEO, employees and Board with respect to the identification of business and operational risk, and the resolution of attendant issues.
• Communicates key information to stakeholders as regards marketplace needs, the competitive environment, cost management, and the provision of high quality customer-focused products and services; such information is obtained through effective relationships and interactions within the business environment and directly with customers, technical and operating partners.
• Provides management oversight for the development of high quality, cost effective and integrated marketing, sales and operational management programs; oversees surveys, ROW and other permit processing activities.
• Works with the Finance function in liaising with external Financial Services organizations, as may be required, to ensure the business/construction projects remain adequately funded.
• Oversees all phases of the gas and power facility/infrastructure construction work and ensures timelines and cost targets are achieved.
• Expands OGP's outreach activities and referral networks to ensure effective technical/operating partnerships and alliances are forged which will facilitate the organization's growth as an integrated Company delivering high quality and on time products.

Operational Cont'd

• Maintains overall responsibility for the development of comprehensive Marketing, Sales and Operations management strategies, as well as business plans that support the organization's growth aspirations
• Ensures smooth and efficient operations around the distribution and supply of Gas and Power to consumers, including the management of all related resources and assets associated with daily operations.
• Delivers the technical elements of all OGP's engineering projects required to realize the value of business opportunities, on schedule, within budget, and to the desired quality and standards. This involves taking overall responsibility for all engineering input into feasibility studies, concept selection, Front-end Engineering Design (FEED), execution, commissioning and hand over of all OGP projects.
• Develops engineering standards to guide the practice of engineering activities within the organization.
• Ensures the effective integration of the Company's strategic plan with its day-to-day operations and in so doing regularly interfaces with the other functional executives to determine areas of mutual collaboration towards the achievement of the organization's objectives.
• Works with relevant internal and external stakeholders to ensure service availability to meet the organization's performance targets
• Develops and fosters effective collaboration between the various functional areas/departments to ensure an integrated approach to providing high quality products and services to customers
• Monitors the organization's budget to ensure revenue and expenditure profiles are maintained for the operating entities; co-ordinates the periodic business performance monitoring and reporting activities of the operating businesses.
• Ensures timely responses are prepared to queries from regulatory authorities as regards all aspect of operations.
• Ensures customer inquiries are effectively handled.
• Works through the organization's leadership and management team to help reduce costs, enhance revenues, and achieve effective utilization of assets, product quality and throughput goals and objectives.
• Manages the performance, career development, welfare and motivation of employees directly within functional areas of responsibility
• Where appropriate, represents OGP to the external market and public, and internally, through effective communications, marketing and public/community relations activities.
• Performs other assigned duties as delegated by the CEO from time to time

Job Specification:

• 1st degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Economics or a related field
• Minimum 15 years cognate work experience, the last 5 of which must have been in an Senior/Executive Management role within a reputable and structured oil, gas and power business environment
• Experience handling gas pipeline construction and operations is required
• Ability to network and form high profile relationships with key people in various parts of the economy (government, NGMC, NGPTC, NNPC, DPR, key customer groups, other regulatory bodies etc.)
• Ability to influence the direction of national policy

Core Competencies:

• Business Strategy Development and Execution
• Gas Plant & Pipeline Operations
• Marketing & Sales
• Project Management
• Finance, Accounts & Investment Management
• Creativity & Innovation
• Relationship Management
• Leadership/Supervisory
• Entrepreneurial Skills
• Negotiation and Contract Management
• Leadership/Supervisory
• Networking & Relationship Management
• Political Savvy
• Performance Management & Reporting
• Organization/Administration
• Oral & Written Communication

Local and International Oil & Gas Industry History and Dynamics (including deep knowledge of laws and regulations)
Key Performance Indicators:

• Extent to which marketing and operating plans/activities are driven by organizational strategies
• Quality and effectiveness of business continuity plans and emergency response plans
• Effectiveness of marketing, sales and operational strategies and budgets
• Timely and within budget completion of the project construction phases
• Physical state of OGP's pipelines/pipeline integrity
• % product throughput/timeliness of product & service delivery to end users
• No. of targeted customers won/lost
• Sales Volume
• Revenues, PAT, Margins
• No. & cost of industrial accidents and environmental hazards that occur
• No. & cost of regulatory fines and penalties due to non-compliance
• Operating efficiency (e.g. no. of operations downtimes, asset capacity ramp up, etc)
• Market share growth
• Customer satisfaction levels
• Staff satisfaction levels
• Effectiveness of processes & systems in enabling the business
• Cost of operations and effectiveness of asset utilization

Apply Now

Drilling & Completion Manager Oil Refining Company Limited Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria

Company: Oil Refining Company Limited
Skills: Drilling Manager, Petroleum Engineering, Workover or Completion
Experience: 15 + Years
Education: Bachelors/3-5 yr Degree
Employment Type: Full Time Contractor
Location: Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
Status: Active 

We are looking for Refinery & Petrochemical experience candidates for world biggest single train oil refinery project.

Site based Process operations for Nigeria, Lagos.
Qualification - Bachelor's degree in Petroleum Engineering or a master's degree in a related technical engineering discipline. An advanced degree is preferred.
Experience - Minimum 15 years - 20 years from Oil & Gas / Construction / Infrastructure.
Below is the Job Description for Drilling & Completition Manager:
Requirements:
• Bachelor's degree in Petroleum Engineering or a master's degree in a related technical engineering discipline.
• At least 20 years diversified drilling and completions , petroleum engineering and operations experience, at least 10 years of which has had a major focus on drilling and completions well planning and execution, reservoir development, completions design and production operations. Must be proficient in designing wells from reservoir back. At least 10 years of concept design experience with demonstrated skills in understanding relationships between well count, drainage, flowrate and field economics. Innovation and cost control or key attributes
• Demonstrated ERD and horizontal / multilateral development experience in offshore shallow water (<500 feet water depth) environments is a requirement Experience in a smaller, independent oil and gas company is strongly preferred as is marginal field development and innovation.
• Directly related experience in challenging international locations is required; West Africa residence experience is strongly preferred.
• Proven abilities in successfully leading horizontal and marginal field oil and gas development from drilling through completion to production in a challenging greenfield location.
• Strong project management experience to provide oversight to office and non office located well design engineers, and field operations--- all of which will be outsourced through a variety of suppliers- not employees.
• Demonstrated verifiable history in managing multi cultural teams, organizations and contractors to deliver value in an African environment.
Job Attributes:
• Ensure that production targets, as set by the organization, are met or exceeded. This will include installation of early production facilities, MOPU's FSO's etc for exploration discoveries.
• Establish, lead and manage both well design and operations teams which will work to the highest appropriate international standards and which will employ best practice in the design, management and cost-effective execution of well construction, testing and production operations.
• Working with outsourced field staff and contractors, ensure that wells are drilled, completed and tested in accordance with approved work programs and budgets. Strive for constant improvement and achieving best in class results in D&C well design and operations.
• Lead the planning and assist in obtaining approval for large and small scale appraisal and development programs.
• Ensure that no expenditure is incurred without budget approval.
• Ensure that cost recovery is not jeopardized through failure to follow approved procurement procedures and local content requirements.
• Establish well maintenance programs which will avoid downtime and loss of production and which will ensure that the subsurface (and to some extent surface) facilities achieve their design life.
• A strong desire to be a "safety champion" and instill an incident and injury free culture throughout the organization.
• Cost conscious and driven to bring cost control and cost management into all levels of the operations.
• Proven success in building good relations and working well with other departments to achieve business goals; e.g. RES/G&G and Procurement groups.
• Successfully manage service companies and contractors to design and deliver the wells safely ( 75% outsourcing in office, 95% outsourcing to deliver tactical execution in the field)
• Significant experience building positive business relationships with government authorities.
• Demonstrated superior interpersonal, leadership and cross-cultural skills.
• Willingness to travel to Nigeria on a regular basis for two months at a time.
• Results oriented. Tenacious, committed and determined - not easily frustrated by the vagaries of doing business in developing companies.
• Uncompromising regarding the business ethics and practices of the company, but sensitive in articulating his/her position to stakeholders (i.e. "iron fist in a velvet glove").
• Self-motivated with a high level of enthusiasm and energy, coupled with a strong work ethic.
• Strong communication and stellar teamwork skills with the proven ability to express ideas and opinions and gain consensus.
• Practical with excellent analytical and problem-solving skills and the ability to display and exercise sound judgment.
• Demonstrated record of diligence and attention to detail working with very high standards both personally and technically.
• A management philosophy that supports dignity and respect throughout the organization.
• Will be patient, tolerant and sensitive to different cultures and be able to maintain sound relations with direct reports, other departments and senior management.

 Click Here to  Apply Now

Job Vacancy For Engineering Design - CAD Operator At Oil Refining Company Limited

Engineering Design - CAD Operator

 

Company: Oil Refining Company Limited
Skills: CAD / CAM, Design Engineer
Experience: 10 + Years
Education: Bachelors/3-5 yr Degree
Employment Type: Full Time Contractor
Location: Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
Status: Active

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Oil Refining Company Limited
Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria

10 + Years Experience
We are looking for Refinery & Petrochemical experience candidates for world biggest single train oil refinery project.
Site based Process operations for Nigeria, Lagos.
Qualification - Bachelor's degree or a related science as appropriate to the required discipline. An advanced degree is preferred.
Experience - Minimum 15 years - 20 years from Oil & Gas / Construction / Infrastructure.

Designation	EWOGGS
Reports to	Sr. Facilities Engineer, Engineering Manager.
Management Responsibility	As a member of a service delivery function the role requires reporting progress to Sr. Fac Eng and eng. Mgr.
Internal Interaction	Other well and facility engineers, production technologist , Process engineer and Hook up Commissioning SME's
External Interaction	Material Suppliers, machinists, software /Autocad re and tech support, printers,
Job Summary	Provide quality production CAD drafting support for semi-complex to complex projects. Review proposed project scope with Designer Provide labour estimates of drafting services for assigned projects. Provide on-site field measurements/investigation, unsupervised, as necessary Provide production drafting services to create new, or edit existing CAD drawings, adhering to CAD drafting standards, drafting techniques & file management practices Create or update project bill of materials, as necessary Provide self-check of updated Final As-Built Records prior to QA checks (performed by others) Attend project meetings to report on status of CAD drafting involvement

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES :-

Accountabilities	Major Activities	Performance Indicators
Technical Specialist	Develop design concepts and details for a variety of engineering projects using AutoCAD Maintain up to date knowledge of relevant technical information sources, draughting standards, equipment, techniques and software applications. Assist with the development of standard design/construction details both locally and nationally. Undertake technical reviews as appropriate. Maintain a network with other MWH CAD operators to share knowledge openly.	Designs are completed in an accurate and timely fashion. Draughtin operationa and managemen systems reflect "best practice". Initiative shown in development of standard/ construction details. All technical reviews completed accurately and in timely and professional manner. CAD systems and drawings reflect "best practice" and effective knowledge management.
Project Management	Liaise with Project Managers to agree budgets and timeframes for development of concepts and details, production of drawings, and how information is to be presented. Keep Project Managers informed as to timing and costs and any other pertinent issues.	Achievable delivery schedule agreed with Project Managers in regard to time, budget, production of drawings and how information is presented. Project Managers satisfaction with all communication relating to timing, costs and other relevant issues.
Administration	Maintain a filing and retrieval system for all drawings. Assist in the identification of the team's access to relevant equipment and resources necessary for effective project completion.	Drawings are maintained in an effective and efficient manner. The team has the necessary equipment to perform their tasks to the best of their abilities.
Personal Development	Continue lifelong learning by attending appropriate courses. Continue professional development through gaining appropriate technical and project management challenges during projects.	Increase size and complexity of projects managed and the ability to complete projects more effectively. Effective application of skills
Health & Safety	Health and Safety policies are read and understood and relevant procedures applied to own work activities.	Workplace hazards are identified and reported including self-management of hazards where appropriate. Can identify health and Safety representative for area.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT:-

Educational Qualifications	Education/Certifications: One year related experience may be substituted for one year of education, if degree is required. Education: Associates degree of Architecture, or similar is preferred. High school diploma required
Certification Required	Chartered Member of relevant professional body.
Functional skill	Capable of effectively communicating technical information in English (both written and verbal). 2D & 3D Modeling Extensive AutoCAD experience Extensive ArcGIS experience Entry-level PC technical support skills
Behavioural skills	Inspire trust Relentless collaboration Anticipate and lead Deliver value
Relevant (Functional/Level)	Minimum of 5 years CAD experience (Microstation software experience is preferred, AutoCAD experience is also welcome and we will expect some measure of training for the qualified candidate) Firm understanding of plan and section views Firm understanding of Microsoft Word and Excel software programs General understanding of Microsoft Access database programs Must possess a valid driver's license to operate a vehicle in the State of Michigan Must be able to interpret and/or prepare field sketches and photographs Must have excellent command of the use of reference files and raster images within CAD software Excellent verbal and written communication skills required Must be able to manage workload for multiple concurrent projects Minimum of 5 years of mechanical piping experience including firm understanding of welded, flanged and threaded process piping assembly and installation Firm understanding of Piping & Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs) Complete understanding of isometric and schematic drawings.
Total Years of Experience	Must have at-least 10 years of related drafting experience.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION	Key Challenges (role or company related) There will be a requirement to provide Leadership / Management / Supervision / Oversight of engineering activities on a number of different assets at different times in their life-span, e.g. late-life, decommissioning, full production. All will require a different technical and commercial evaluation.
Dimensions	Financial responsibility (if applicable): Similar to other engineers in the Operations Support team.

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Job Vacancy For Senior Petroleum Engineer at Dangote Oil Refining Company Limited

Senior Petroleum Engineer

Dangote Oil Refining Company Limited
Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria

15 + Years Experience

We are looking for Refinery & Petrochemical experience candidates for world biggest single train oil refinery project.

Site based Process operations for Nigeria, Lagos.
Qualification - Bachelor's degree or a related science as appropriate to the required discipline. An advanced degree is preferred.
Experience - Minimum 15 years - 20 years from Oil & Gas / Construction / Infrastructure.
Below is the Job Description for Senior Petroleum Engineer:-

• A minimum of 15 years E&P experience as PE and Senior /Principal Petroleum Engineer, including at least 5 years specializing in gas reservoir management.
• A documented training history of appropriate specialized courses and seminars is expected.
• Technical publications are valued but in-depth practical experience is paramount.
• Maximise value of OML71/72 and Heavy oil/Bitumen assets (and any other asset that may be acquired and operated by WAEP or Dangote) across the lifecycle and deliver the onshore and offshore assets technical reservoir management plans, production plan, whilst maintaining asset integrity and human safety in an efficient and responsible manner.
• The incumbent routinely networks with GM E&P, Managing Director and Deputy Manager WAEP, Occasional engagement with Director of Pet Asset Division Dangote, Executive Directors in Dangote (and occasionally with shareholders in FIRST E&P), General Managers in charge of Projects, Finance and Corporate Risk Services, Legal, Engineering & Projects, G&G, Human Resources, IT&M Support, New Venture & Government Relations and SCM/Procurement/ contracting . Other relationships include : Peers and Colleagues various Government Agencies, multiple vendors, contractors and very occasionally Industry competitors.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Provide guidance and oversight on best-in-class reservoir management tenets, practices and state-of-the art- technologies for all Saudi Aramco hydrocarbon assets.
• Formulate reservoir development, data acquisition, strategic surveillance and monitoring master-plans to ensure optimal development and depletion strategies.
• Utilize reservoir management standards and guidelines to enhance both NPV and hydrocarbon recovery.
• Lead, design and participate in integrated field reviews and field development plans.
• Preparing petroleum engineering input into drilling and work-over proposals and programs.
• Recommend advanced completion techniques for horizontal and multi-lateral wells.
• Lead and participate in petroleum engineering studies that include reservoir stimulation modelling of various IOR processes for improvement of ultimate recovery.
• Participate in technical societies and technical groups.
• Train and mentor young engineers
• Act as the WAEP chief technical PE representative with JV partners , and Servco JV's such as GSP, SINOPEC, and ONeill and with government bodies such as NAPIMS, DPR, and NIMASA as a principal upstream resource and subject matter expert ( SME).
• Maintain License to Operate (LTO) by providing technical development and expertise to WAEP, and DANGOTE corporate as called upon.
• Deputises for the Deputy Managing Director WAEP and GM E&P as necessary
• Relationship holder for key PE stakeholders (Risk, Technical partners, and specialists within Government bodies, etc.)
• Development and delivery to mgt of current year production plan (Re-Start , Re-Entry/ Full-Field Development, Bitumen, Pilot- SAGD/ENIVRO)
• Development of Short- & Medium-term Integrated Activity Plans and costs as required to support various presentations from Dangote purchase of assets to WAEP field activities.
• Ensure PE assets Operate within set budgetary limits
• Ensure effective delivery and coordination with non-technical Functions for development and maturation of oil and gas reserves (including Re- Start, Re-Entry , Brown field and Green field activities where applicable)
• Responsible for ensuring well documented and flawless technical and commercial inputs into brownfield and green field new facilities/projects involved in monetizing the upstream asset base. LIaiase with Project Team before and after construction and installation on technical and some commercial matters. .
• Accountable for preparing, updating and executing the Field Development Plan for the assets
• Accountable for planning and delivery of Asset plans in all areas of upstream on existing and new assets.
• Assess and provide operational and technical PE advice / feedback on Maintenance, Logistics, HSE and Process Safety policies, documents and plans.
• Responsible for input verification on integrity of upstream designs in wells, production facilities and subsurface engineering studies.
• Executing HSE, Security and Sustainable development policies
• Integrate multi-discipline functional and operations staff to deliver a high performing team.

KEY CHALLENGES

• Maintaining technical integrity with limited staff and very limited non-human resources.
• No commitment or commercial authority commensurate with role assigned.
• Maintaining technical integrity and project schedule and ultimately production delivery in an unstable business environment with essentially no current organizational capability for hydrocarbon development..
• Meeting schedule, Maximising production from (existing and new) offshore assets while driving down costs and creating innovative solutions almost daily to meet business challenges
• Managing and prioritizing the demands between short term production delivery and long term asset development
• Developing indigenous workforce and contracting capability
• Reaching world class performance in HSE in a low capability organization
• Managing the potential differing interests among WAEP and Dangote Shareholders.

KEY ATTRIBUTES

• You must have the ability to interact and communicate clearly with specialists in geology, core and fluid analysis, petrophysics, simulation, drilling, completion, production and facilities.
• You must have working knowledge of open-hole and cased-hole logs, geological modeling, simulation, completion and production procedures and technologies.
• You must have history of using modern reservoir management practices for oil reservoirs.

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