PIONEER CHAIRMAN OF EFCC RETURNS TO APC

     

The pioneer Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),NUHU Ribadu has finally returned to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In a statement, the former Chairman of the Petroleum Revenue Task Force and Presidential candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the 2011 elections revealed that he re-registered as a member of the APC on Thursday through the party’s online portal.

He added that the leadership of the party in Bako ward of Yola South Local Government Area, Adamawa State visited him in his Yola residence to welcome me back to their fold.

“I have finally heeded the calls on me to return to the All Progressives Congress (APC), a party of which I was a founding member,” he wrote.

“I re-registered as a member of the APC on Thursday through the party’s online portal. After that, the leadership of the party in my Bako ward of Yola South Local Government Area visited me in my Yola residence to welcome me back to their fold.

“My decision to return to the APC was triggered by my belief that all politics are local. Almost everyone around me, and with whom we started my political journey believed the time had come for us to make sacrifices and make concessions.

“That is in addition to the unbelievable love that my friends in the APC have showered on me in the past months. They demonstrated in words and action that they wanted me back home.

“I also did a deep and long reassessment of the circumstances that warranted my exit from the APC in the first place. I left the APC in 2014 owing to fundamental disagreements with the ways the chapter of the party in my state was run after it fell into some hands.

“Some colleagues and I tried hard to save the then APC administration from an orchestrated impeachment plot which was unfortunately carried out with active collaboration of some ranking APC members in the state.

“However, events in the last 15 months have addressed many of the issues and healed some of the wounds. More so, with the genuine and sincere invitations I received since last year to retrace my steps into the party, I decided to return after consulting family and political associates at all levels.

“I would like to appreciate all those members of the party who privately and publicly prodded me to return to the party. My appreciation also goes to the leadership of our party, from my ward in Bako to the national leadership, for the enthusiasm they showed in having me back.”

Edo Guber: Business Community Rally Support for Obaseki

The governorship ambition of the All Progressives Congress (APC) flagbearer in Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, received a major boost yesterday, as friends and associates hosted a fundraiser in his honour at the Landmark Event Centre in Lagos.

 

Themed ‘An Evening With GO’, the event, which was well attended by top business leaders, captains of industry, party leaders and government functionaries, also served as the formal launch of ‘The Essential GO’ book – a testimonial biography on the life passion of Godwin Obaseki.

 

In his Foreword to the book, Babatunde Raji Fashola, Honourable Minister of Power, Works & Housing noted: “Godwin Obaseki is truly a remarkable figure with limitless talent, a big heart, and a self-effacing, down-to-earth personal style that gives no indication of his extraordinary accomplishments.”

 

“The Essential GO: An Insight into the Life & Passion of Godwin Obaseki is as much for those who have had a personal encounter with Godwin Obaseki as it is for those who haven’t. The underlying theme of the book, as mirrored by the exemplary life of Godwin Obaseki, is that true greatness can only be achieved through a life of purpose and service.”

 

Attesting to Obaseki’s enterprise, President & CEO of Dangote Industries Limited and Africa’s most successful businessman, Aliko Dangote, stated in the book: "After over three decades in business, I have learnt that personal integrity is as important as executive skill in business dealings, and Godwin has both in abundance.”

 

“Godwin is a thoroughbred financial expert: His work with Afrinvest - and as a member of several government committees - speaks volumes of his abilities. Whether in private enterprise or public administration, I have absolutely no doubt that Godwin will make a success of any venture he aspires to.”

 

In his testimonial, Director-General of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Oscar Onyema, stated, “Godwin is a sound professional who understands the linkages between business and the economic well being of the people. Perhaps, his strongest quality is his high integrity. His  ‘can do’ attitude and friendly personality also make him a great and dependable leader.”

 

The Essential GO also featured statements by many other notable business leaders and financial experts including Hakeem Bello-Osagie, Chairman of Etisalat Nigeria; Asue Ighodalo, Chairman, Sterling Bank Plc; Phillips Oduoza, GMD, UBA Plc; Ike Chioke, MD, Afrinvest West Africa Limited; and Evelyn Oputu, former MD, Bank of Industry, among others. They extolled Obaseki’s strong values of honesty and diligence while also highlighting his exceptional business savvy, excellent administrative capacities, dynamic leadership style and commitment to service.

 

Responding to the outpouring of support at the event, Obaseki said, “I am deeply humbled by the vote of confidence passed on me by colleagues in the financial services sector and the business community at large. As Chairman of the Edo State Government's Economic and Strategy Team since 2009, I have a firm grasp of the economic and developmental challenges of the state, and I pledge to use all my experience in my over 30 year career in the international and domestic corporate finance market to reengineer the economy of Edo State for the prosperity of the people.”

 

Among the dignitaries in attendance were Comrade Adams Oshiomole, Governor of Edo State; Hakeem Bello-Osagie, Chairman, Etisalat; Dapo Osinusi, Chairman, Mansfield Energy; Asue Ighodalo, Chairman, Sterling Bank Plc; Apostle Hayford Alile, former Chairman, Afrinvest West Africa Limited; Waheed Olagunju, Managing Director, Bank of Industry; Peter Obaseki, Managing Director, First City Monument Bank; and David Ladipo, Managing Director, Azura Power Limited.

  

TURKS TROOP TO THE TO STREETS TO DEFEND DEMOCRACY

......Two Army Generals detained, as hunt for plotters continue 

Chanting, dancing and waving flags, tens of thousands of Turks marched through the streets into the wee hours of today (Sunday) in half a dozen cities to defend democracy and support the country's long-time leader after a failed military coup shocked the nation.

It was an emotional display by Turks, who rallied in headscarves and long dresses, T-shirts and work boots, some walking hand-in-hand with their children. Rather than toppling Turkey's strongman president, the attempted coup that left some 265 dead and 1,440 wounded appears to have bolstered Recep Tayyip Erdogan's popularity and grip on power.

"Just a small group from Turkish armed forces stood up against our government ... but we, the Turkish nation, stand together and repulse it back," Gozde Kurt, a 16-year-old student at the rally in Istanbul, said Sunday morning.

Security forces on Sunday rounded up 52 more military officers for alleged coup links and issued detention orders for 53 more judges and prosecutors, continuing the purge of judges seen as government opponents. Officials say about 3,000 soldiers, including officers, are already in detention. Almost a similar number of judges and prosecutors have been dismissed.

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said the perpetrators of Friday's failed coup "will receive every punishment they deserve," and the government said it would take steps toward extraditing a U.S.-based cleric it accused of fomenting the uprising.

The Yeni Safak newspaper used the headline "Traitors of the country," while the Hurriyet newspaper declared "Democracy's victory."

Still, the government crackdowns raised concerns over the future of democracy in Turkey, which has long prided itself on its democratic and secular traditions despite being in a tumultuous region swept by conflict and extremism.

Erdogan's survival has turned him into a "sort of a mythical figure" and could further erode democracy in Turkey, said Soner Cagaptay, director of the Turkish research program at The Washington Institute.

"It will allow him (Erdogan) to crack down on liberty and freedom of association, assembly, expression and media in ways that we haven't seen before and find strong public support within the country," he said.

The coup attempt began late Friday with tanks rolling into the streets of the capital, Ankara, and Istanbul as Erdogan was enjoying a seaside vacation. Explosions and gunfire erupted throughout the night. It quickly became clear, however, that the military was not united in the effort to overthrow the government. In a dramatic iPhone interview broadcast on TV, Erdogan urged his supporters into the streets to confront the troops and tanks, and forces loyal to the government began reasserting control.

The unrest claimed at least 265 lives, according to a tally compiled from official statements. Yildirim said 161 people were killed and 1,440 wounded in the process of putting down the coup attempt, while Gen. Umit Dundar said at least 104 "coup plotters" had died.

Before the weekend's chaos, Turkey — a NATO member and key Western ally in the fight against the Islamic State group — had been wracked by political turmoil that critics blamed on Erdogan's increasingly authoritarian rule. He has shaken up the government, cracked down on dissidents, restricted the news media and renewed fighting with Kurdish rebels.

But Saturday afternoon, when tensions eased, an atmosphere of celebration broke around as Turks answered official calls to rally to protect Turkish democracy. In Istanbul, crowds gathered at Taksim Square, where a man stood on an iconic monument with a Turkish flag draped on his chest.

Government supporters marched through Ankara, as cars honked in apparent approval. Some gathered outside parliament and amid the burnt cars outside the presidential palace. One man took a selfie with a Turkish police officer standing atop an abandoned tank.

"We are here for democracy, so the country lasts," retired soldier Nusret Tuzak said in Ankara.

Flights resumed late Saturday into Istanbul's Anaturk Airport after being halted for nearly 24 hours and scores of government supporters gathered to make sure the airport was not a coup target again. The usually buzzing airport was eerily quiet.

In an unusual show of unity, Turkey's four main political parties released a joint declaration during an extraordinary parliamentary meeting Saturday, denouncing the coup attempt and claiming that any moves against the people or parliament will be met "with the iron will of the Turkish Grand National Assembly."

Government forces arrested 2,839 accused coup supporters, Yildirim said. Dundar said the plotters were mainly officers from the Air Force, the military police and armored units. Anadolu said the government dismissed 2,745 judges across Turkey.

Officials claimed the judges and the coup plotters were loyal to moderate cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Erdogan has often accused of attempting to overthrow the government. Gulen, a staunch democracy advocate who lives in exile in Pennsylvania, is a former Erdogan ally turned bitter foe who has been put on trial in absentia in Turkey.

In a televised speech, Erdogan called on the United States to extradite Gulen.

At a news conference Saturday in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania, Gulen strongly denied any role in or knowledge of the coup.

"Government should be won through a process of free and fair elections, not force," he said. "As someone who suffered under multiple military coups during the past five decades, it is especially insulting to be accused of having any link to such an attempt. I categorically deny such accusations."

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the United States would entertain an extradition request for Gulen, but Turkey would have to present "legitimate evidence that withstands scrutiny."

Turkey's NATO allies lined up to condemn the coup attempt. President Barack Obama, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg urged all sides to support Turkey's democratically elected government.

Turkey's military staged three coups between 1960 and 1980 and pressured Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan, a mentor of Erdogan, out of power in 1997.

Already, the Turkish government today (Sunday), ratcheted up its crackdown on alleged plotters of the botched coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, detaining as many as 6,000 people, including military officers, and issuing dozens of arrest warrants for judges and prosecutors, according to government officials.

Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said in a television interview that "the cleansing (operation) is continuing. Some 6,000 detentions have taken place. The number could surpass 6,000."

Detention orders were for 53 more judges and prosecutors while 52 military officers were rounded up for their alleged roles in the failed coup, Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency reported.

Bozdag also said he was confident that the United States would return Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen to Turkey. The Turkish president has blamed Gulen and his followers for the failed military coup on Friday night, but Gulen has denied any involvement in or knowledge about the attempted coup. The U.S. says it will look at any evidence Turkey has to offer against Gulen, and judge accordingly.

Bozdag says "the United States would weaken itself by protecting him, it would harm its reputation. I don't think that at this hour, the United States would protect someone who carried out this act against Turkey."

Erdogan spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin after the failed coup attempt, Turkish officials told reporters.

Putin said Moscow stood by "Turkey's elected government" and expressed his good wishes to Turkey's people, a Turkish government statement added.

It said the two leaders -- who recently patched up relations following Turkey's downing of a Russian warplane -- also agreed to meet face-to-face next month.

The reports Sunday followed an intensive crackdown against the judiciary and the military in the wake of the botched coup Friday night.

Already, three of the country's top generals have been detained, alongside hundreds of soldiers. The government has also dismissed nearly 3,000 judges and prosecutors from their posts, while investigators were preparing court cases to send the conspirators to trial on charges of attempting to overthrow the government.

The botched coup, which saw warplanes fly over key government installations and tanks roll up in major cities briefly, ended hours later when loyal government forces including military and police-- regained control of the military and civilians took to the streets in support of Erdogan.

At least 265 people were killed and more than 1,400 were wounded. Government officials say at least 104 conspirators were killed.

Still, the coup appears to have boosted Erdogan's popularity. Clapping, singing and dancing, thousands of government backers celebrated the defeat of the coup in public squares in Ankara and Istanbul into the wee hours Sunday, bolstering support for the man who's led Turkey for over 13 years.

Erdogan's survival has turned him into a "sort of a mythical figure" and could further erode democracy in Turkey, said Soner Cagaptay, director of the Turkish research program at The Washington Institute.

"It will allow him to crack down on liberty and freedom of association, assembly, expression and media in ways that we haven't seen before," he said.

Gozde Kurt, a 16-year-old student at a rally in Istanbul, said Sunday that "just a small group from Turkish armed forces stood up against our government ... but we, the Turkish nation, stand together and repulse it back."

The Yeni Safak newspaper used the headline "Traitors of the country," while the Hurriyet newspaper declared "Democracy's victory."

The Associated Press contributed to this report

POLICE SERVICE COMMISSION APPROVES APPOINTMENT OF 18 AIGs, 37 CPs

The Police Service Commission, PSC, has approved the promotion of 18 Commissioners of Police, CPs, to the post of Assistant Inspectors-General of Police, AIG.

The Commission also assented to the appointment of 37 Commissioners of Police including nine Deputy Commissioners of Police.

The commission redeployed four AIGs and deployed 12 others to take charge of Police Zonal Commands while the remaining 10 will man special formations such as Operations, Training, Police Academy, Info-Tech, Investment, Maritime, etc.

The PSC spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani, in a statement issued in Abuja yesterday (Saturday), stated that the CP, Kaduna State, Ibrahim Adamu, is now AIG, Zone 1; Abdulmajid Ali, CP, Ogun State, AIG, Zone 2 and Usman Tilli, AIG Border is now AIG zone 3.

The statement further disclosed that AIG Dorathy Gimba retained her Command of the Investment Formation, AIG Mohammed Mohammed, Special Protection Unit while Mohammed Katsina was moved from Maritime to the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Jos.

AIG Katsina will be replaced at the Maritime Desk by Paul Okafor, CP Benue State, the statement noted, adding that 16 CPS retained their commands.

They include, CP Peace Ibekwe Abdallah, Ebonyi; Emmanuel Ojukwu, Enugu; Frederick Lakanu, Imo; Adeleye Oyebade, Oyo; Basen Gwana, Abia;Yunana Babas, Taraba; Austin Iwar, Gombe; Murtala Mani, Akwa Ibom and Fatai Owoseni, Lagos.

Commissioner of Police Henry Fadairo was also moved from Research and Planning department to Jigawa State.

The statement said the PSC Chairman, Mike Okiro, a retired Inspector General of Police, stated that the promotions and postings were in line with the commission’s resolve to reposition the Nigeria Police Force for better performance.

“Okiro congratulated the officers and demanded from them hard work and dedication to duty; He said the commission will hold any of them personally responsible for any failure in the discharge of their duties,” the statement read, adding that they should rededicate themselves to the service of their nation and abide by the rules and regulations guiding police work.

The PSC had in the past week approved the retirement of 21 Assistant Inspectors-General of Police, who were senior to the acting IGP before his appointment. the AIGs retired include: Bala Hassan; Yahaya Ardo; Irmiya Yarima; Danladi Mshebwala; Tambari Mohammed; Bala Magaji Nasarawa; MUsa Abdulsalam; Adisa Bolanta and Mohammed Gana.

The other AIGs retrenched from the Force include Umaru Manko; Lawal Tanko; Olufemi Adenike; Johnson Ogunsakin; Adenrele Shinaba; James Caulcrick; Olufemi Ogunbayode; Edgar Nanakumo; Kalafite Adeyemi; Patrick Dokumor; Joseph Mbu and Sabo Ringim.

COUP FOILED IN TURKEY

       President Reception Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey still 

        in control.

Turkey’s elected government yesterday (Saturday) rounded up thousands of soldiers, including high-ranking officers, as it moved quickly to reassert control after a failed military coup to oust President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Turkey’s Prime Minister Binaldi Yildirim called the attempted coup a “black stain on Turkish democracy” that left 161 people dead and 1,440 wounded.

He said 2,839 military personnel had been detained as part of a crackdown on coup plotters.

Erdogan was on a seaside vacation when tanks rolled into the streets of Ankara and Istanbul. He flew home early Saturday and declared the coup to have failed.

"They have pointed the people's guns against the people. The president, whom 52 percent of the people brought to power, is in charge. This government brought to power by the people is in charge," Erdogan told large crowds after landing at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport.

Government officials blamed the coup attempt on a U.S.-based moderate Islamic cleric, Fethullah Gulen. Erdogan has often accused the cleric and his supporters of attempting to overthrow the government. Gulen lives in exile in Pennsylvania and promotes a philosophy that blends a mystical form of Islam with staunch advocacy of democracy, education, science and interfaith dialogue

Gulen, however, said he condemned "in the strongest terms, the attempted military coup in Turkey" and sharply rejected any responsibility for the attempted coup.

Still, the government pressed ahead Saturday with a purge of judicial officials, with 2,745 judges being dismissed across Turkey for alleged ties to Gulen. Ten members of Turkey's highest administrative court were detained and arrest warrants were issued for 48 administrative court members and 140 members of Turkey's appeals court, state media reported.

After a Turkish military helicopter landed in Greece Saturday after sending a distress signal, the Turkish goverment demanded the prompt return of eight ‘treacherous officers’ on board the aircraft.

The eight were arrested in Greece for entering the country illegaly and were identified as two majors, a captain and five privates by Anadolu Agency, a state-run news organization.

After landing on Greek soil, they requested political asylum and Greek officials said they would consider the request. The officials also said they would return the helicopter to Turkey "as soon as possible."

The coup attempt was swift and came as a surprise to allies in the region. Forces loyal to Erdogan put down the coup attempt in a night of explosions, air battles and gunfire.

Erdogan vowed that those responsible "will pay a heavy price for their treason."

NTV television aired footage of a Turkish colonel and other soldiers being taken into custody at military headquarters.

The video shows them being hand-searched by special forces police, their hands behind their heads. Some are later seen kneeling on the ground, their hands still held behind their heads.

According to Hurriyet newspaper's online edition, some of the privates who were detained told interrogators they were not aware that they were part of a coup attempt. They had been told by commanders they were taking part in military maneuvers. Some said they understood that it was a coup attempt when they saw civilians climb on tanks.

Military chief of staff Gen. Hulusi Akar was overseeing is taking the operation against the coup plotters, CNN-Turk said.

The coup attempt began late Friday, with a statement from the military saying it had seized control "to reinstall the constitutional order, democracy, human rights and freedoms, to ensure that the rule of law once again reigns in the country, for law and order to be reinstated."

Fighter jets buzzed overhead, gunfire erupted outside military headquarters and vehicles blocked two major bridges in Istanbul. Soldiers backed by tanks blocked entry to Istanbul's airport for a couple of hours before being overtaken by pro-government crowds carrying Turkish flags, according to footage broadcast by the Dogan news agency.

But the military did not appear unified, as top commanders went on television to condemn the action and order troops back to their barracks.

Fighting continued into the early morning, with the sounds of huge blasts echoing across Istanbul and the capital, Ankara, including at least one bomb that hit the parliament complex. Television footage showed images of broken glass and other debris strewn across a lobby leading to the assembly hall.

In Washington, a statement from the White House said President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry agreed that both sides "should support the democratically elected government of Turkey, show restraint and avoid any violence or bloodshed."

A senior Defense Department official told Fox News that the unrest was having "no impact" on anti-ISIS missions flown out of Incirlik Air Base in southeastern Turkey.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg issued a statement calling for "calm and restraint, and full respect for Turkey's democratic institutions and its constitution."

Leaders of Turkey's religious communities have released a joint statement condemning the attempted coup. The statement from representatives of the Jewish, Christian and Muslim communities declares "our great sorrow over the terrorist attacks that disturb the peace of our great nation and of the world."

Erdogan made his way to the Ataturk airport early Saturday and spoke to the crowds that gathered to greet him.

"They have pointed the people's guns against the people. The president, whom 52 percent of the people brought to power, is in charge. This government brought to power by the people is in charge. They won't succeed as long as we stand against them by risking everything."

source: Fox News/AP

SIASIA SUBMITS FINAL RIO OLYMPIC TEAM LIST

Chelsea defensive midfielder Mikel Obi and Chippa United goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi were named as the over-aged players that will fly the country’s colours in Brazil. 

Goal gathered through a reliable source from the Nigeria Football Federation that coach Samson Siasia opted for two senior players instead of the mandatory three as competition kicks off next month in Brazil. 

“Samson Siasia has submitted his 18-man list for this year’s Olympic football tournament in Rio, Brazil and I can authoritatively disclose to you that the coach opted for only two over-age players and they are Mikel Obi and goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi,” the source told Goal. 

Recall that Nigeria claimed gold at the 1966 Olympics in football; the team missed-out of the 2012 Olympics but would be hoping to do well in Rio. 

Mikel and Akpeyi are expected to lead the quest in August with the Chelsea man highly expected to captain the side. Nigeria bowed 1-0 to Argentina at the 2008 edition in Beijing to win silver in their last appearance. 

The Chelsea star has never hidden his interest in playing for the Dream Team VI and it is not strange seeing him make the cut ahead of Odion Ighalo, Ahmed Musa, Kenneth Omeruo and Godfrey Oboabona who had been considered for selection. 

Ahead of the opener against Japan on August 4, the Nigerian team will continue to intensify their preparations for the games.

@naij.com 

INTER MILAN linked with move for CHELSEA star Obi Mikel

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Inter Milan are lining up a summer move to sign Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel, according to TuttoMercatoWeb.com.

New Chelsea manager Antonio Conte is reportedly considering to revamp his midfield and is keeping tabs on Zenit St.Petersburg's Axel Witsel, Leicester star N'Golo Kante and Sporting CP man Joao Mario after failing to persuade Radja Nainggolan to leave Roma in order to join the Blues.

The Serie A side are said to be also considering a move for Chelsea target Witsel, despite Everton are reportedly leading the race.

No Nigerian Bank Is Distress, says CBN

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has declared that no Nigerian bank is in distress in reaction to speculations that some banks in the country are distressed.

This was disclosed on Wednesday, in a statement signed by Isaac Okorafor, acting Director, Corporate Communications, CBN, as the apex bank gave a clean bill of health to Skye Bank.

“The attention of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been drawn to malicious rumours and unfounded speculations that some banks in the country may have gone or may be going into distress,” the statement read.

“The CBN wishes to reiterate in the strongest terms that these rumours and speculations are untrue and do not reflect the actual health of the individual banks and, indeed, the entire banking industry.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the infusion of a new Board and Management for Skye Bank PLC is a proactive regulatory action meant to ensure that the bank does not continue to fail in its relevant prudential ratios.

“Neither Skye Bank nor any other bank in the industry is in distress. Therefore, the CBN would like to request the general public to ignore speculations or rumours to the contrary as they could only be the handiwork of mischief makers who do not mean well for the Nigerian banking system and its economy.

“As the regulator of the industry, the CBN hereby reassures the banking and general public that their deposits remain safe in any Nigerian bank. There is, therefore, no need for panic withdrawals from any bank.

“Going by both the CBN’s Examination Reports as well as analysis from market watchers, International Credit Rating Agencies, and Development Finance Institutions, the Nigerian banking industry remains strong in spite of the global economic challenges emanating from the collapse of global commodity prices.

“We therefore urge the banking public to remain calm and go about their normal businesses without panic. It is important that we do not create problems when none exists.”

@TheWill

El Al Flight Lands Safely in Israel After Bomb Threat

 An El Al flight from New York that was escorted Tuesday by military jets in Europe following a bomb       threat landed safely in Israel.

El Al President David Maimon said Flight 002 from John F. Kennedy airport touched down midday after an anonymous tip was received regarding a potential bomb threat onboard. Following the tip, France and Switzerland deployed military jets over their airspaces as escorts for the Boeing 747 plane flying toward Israel.

The threat was ultimately unfounded but it marked a rare security scare for El Al, generally regarded as one of the world's most secure airlines.

At Ben-Gurion Airport, worried relatives awaited the passengers in the arrival hall. The passengers themselves said they were unaware of the drama until landing.

"We came out of the plane, there was somebody from the news who asked if we know anything and we said we didn't feel anything," said Rivi Aharon. "He said they thought three was a bomb on the plane so I was very nervous."

Another passenger, David Machlis, said he too was surprised.

"I heard that the plane was accompanied by a fighter plane," he said. "But I did not see it ... Not knowing was the best situation in my opinion."

The Swiss air force said in a statement that it deployed jets around 8:30 a.m. on a so-called "hot mission," that accompanied the flight. Vladi Barrosa, a spokesman for the Swiss government-run air navigation service Skyguide, said the plane left Swiss airspace safely into Austrian airspace.

The incident caused concern among locals in German-speaking Switzerland after two sonic booms echoed after two Swiss F/A-18 aircraft were deployed for the escort. Barrosa, working in the Zurich area, said he too heard the blasts: "I thought my windows were about to burst.

Barrosa said American authorities had alerted their European colleagues that "there might be a bomb in the galley of the airplane."

He said jets are typically scrambled in these cases to relay the location of the plane and to establish visual contact with the pilots. They are also in place for the worst case scenario in which they would be required to shoot down the plane if it were hijacked and posed an imminent threat to targets on the ground.

The French air force said it also scrambled jets from an air base in Creil north of Paris after receiving a warning from an ally.

A spokeswoman, who was not authorized to be publicly named according to military policy, said jets accompanied the El Al flight from the moment it entered French airspace at the Atlantic Coast of Cherbourg until it crossed the Alps into Switzerland. 

The El Al pilot was in constant contact with the French pilot and with officials monitoring the air space, she said, adding that if it had been a confirmed threat they would have ordered an emergency landing.

China completes installation of World Largest Radio Telescope

INGTANG, July 3, 2016 (Xinhua) -- The aerial photo taken on July 3, 2016 shows the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope(FAST) in Pingtang County, southwest China's Guizhou Province. Installation was completed on the world's largest radio telescope on Sunday morning as the last of 4,450 panels was fitted into the center of the big dish. Scientists will then begin debugging and trial observation of the FAST. (Xinhua/Liu Xu)

Installation was completed on the world's largest radio
telescope on Sunday morning as the last of 4,450 panels was fitted into the center of the big dish.
Hoisting of the last triangular panel to the reflector, which is the size of 30 football fields, began at 10:47 a.m. and lasted about an hour.
It was a landmark step for the telescope's planned launch of operations in September.
About 300 people, including builders, experts, science fiction enthusiasts and reporters, witnessed the installation at a karst valley in Pingtang County in the southwestern province of Guizhou.
"The telescope is of great significance for humans to explore the universe and extraterrestrial civilizations," said Liu Cixin, a renowned science fiction writer, at the site.
"I hope scientists can make epoch-making discoveries," said Liu, who won the 2015 Hugo Award for Best Novel.
Scientists will then begin debugging and trial observation of the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST), said Zheng Xiaonian, deputy head of the National
Astronomical Observation (NAO) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, which built the telescope.
The project has the potential to search for more
strange objects to better understand the origin of the universe and boost the global hunt for extraterrestrial life, said Zheng.
Zheng said the radio telescope will be the global leader for the next 10 to 20 years.
In the first two or three years after its completion, the telescope will undergo further adjustment, and during that period Chinese scientists will use it for early-stage research.
After that, it will be open to scientists worldwide, said Peng Bo, director of the NAO Radio Astronomy Technology Laboratory.
Scientists can also carry out remote control and
observation in other cities such as Beijing, more than 2,000 kilometers from the telescope site, said Peng.
Upon completion, the telescope will dwarf Puerto Rico's Arecibo Observatory, which is 300 meters in diameter. It will also be 10 times more sensitive than the steerable 100-meter telescope near Bonn, Germany, he said.
"Most of the technology and materials are domestically made," said Wang Qiming, chief technologist of the FAST project.
Among the 7 FAST receivers, five were domestically made and another two were co-produced by Chinese, Australian and American institutions.
Work on the 1.2-billion-yuan (180 million U.S.dollars) FAST project began in 2011.
EYE ON THE SKY
Radio telescopes have made major astronomical
discoveries, such as pulsars, quasars and cosmic microwave background radiation. Among the 10 Nobel Prizes in physics awarded for discoveries related to cosmology and space, six were attributed to radio telescopes.
"As the world's largest single aperture telescope  located at an extremely radio-quiet site, its scientific impact on astronomy will be extraordinary, and it will certainly revolutionize other areas of the natural sciences," said Nan
Rendong, chief scientist with the FAST Project.FAST will enable astronomers to get a jump start on many scientific goals, including surveying neutral hydrogen in distant galaxies and detecting faint pulsars.
Scientists also expect breakthroughs on pulsars the highly magnetized, rotating neutron stars that emit a beam of electromagnetic radiation.
So far more than 2,000 pulsars have been detected.
"Pulsars can help scientists study gravitational waves," Chen added.
As China joins international efforts in gravitational wave detection, FAST will help
improve the chances of detecting low frequency
gravitational waves, said Wu Xiangping, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, who predicted great breakthroughs in this area in the years ahead.
For ordinary people, perhaps the most exciting goal of FAST is the search for alien life.
In two or three years, scientists could find amino acids, the foundation block of life. There is a great chance that people will someday find life on other planets or galaxies, said Li Di, an NAO researcher.
"FAST's potential to discover an alien civilization will be 5 to 10 times that of current equipment, as it can see farther and darker planets," said Peng Bo.
"THANK THE ALIENS"
It has been more than two decades since Chinese scientists proposed building FAST in Guizhou.
In 1994, site surveying started on geo-morphological features and the distribution of karst depressions, climate, engineering environment, social environment, and radio interference.
Engineer Zhu Boqin worked on the site selection 20 years ago. He recalled that after more than two hours trudging on the rugged mountain road, about 150 kilometers south of the provincial capital Guiyang, he was impressed by
the sight of a large, round depression embraced by verdant hills.
It was home to 65 people from 12 families in a closed-off world called "Green Water Village."
Lacking electricity, the villagers had a clear view of the starlit sky at night. Zhu said that though the villagers did not understand the radio telescope, they were excited when scientists explained that they would use it to search for intelligent beings on other planets. Formed by the dissolution of soluble rocks, such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum, the karst formations create naturally
spherical depressions.
This saved efforts in digging hollows for the dish, said Li Di. The three hills around the depression formed an
equilateral triangle, creating a perfect holder for
the dish, Li said.
The karst formation is also good for draining rainwater and protecting the reflector, Zhu said.
Moreover, the surrounding area has "radio silence" as there are no towns within a 5-km radius, and only one county seat within 25 km.
The site was eventually chosen for the FAST Project.
Residents were moved away to towns in 2009, where they enjoy better living standards. Villagers in nearby communities admired their luck, saying they should "thank the aliens."
"I never thought the first time I would move would be to make way for a telescope," said Yang Chaolan, 62, who now lives in a government-funded two-story building in the seat of Kedu Township.
Her son, Yang Tianyou, 29, plans to open a restaurant or supermarket in hopes that growing tourism will bring him fortune.
According to a government plan, 9,110 residents living within five kilometers of the telescope will be resettled in Pingtang County and Luodian County in four settlements by the end of September.

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