'Teach Virtues of Religious Respect, Tolerance To Counter Terrorism' - Tony Blair

Former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair is calling for an urgent global agreement to teach religious respect as he warns that action against extremist groups will otherwise "count for nothing".

In an essay for the BBC, the former prime minister said the underlying causes of religious conflict must be confronted through educating young people, although he made exceptions for violent organisations such as the Islamic State.

An agreement to improve interfaith relations would address the principal cause of terrorism-related activity as leaders must “uproot the thinking of the extremists, not simply disrupt their actions,” he suggested.

Mr Blair said defeated extremist groups will simply be replaced by new ones which continue to spread extreme ideologies if the root causes are not tackled.
"Unless we begin to confront the underlying causes each time we take on a group like Isis (Islamic State) another will quickly arise to take its place," he said.

Writing in the BBC, he said the rise of extremist groups such as al-Shabaab and Boko Haram are a “perversion of faith that has been growing unchecked”.

Mr Blair said: "We need at the G20, or some other appropriate forum, as soon as we can, to raise this issue as a matter of urgent global importance and work on a common charter to be accepted by all nations, and endorsed by the UN, which makes it a common obligation to ensure that throughout our education systems, we're committed to teaching the virtue of religious respect."

After making his argument for advocating interfaith understanding and tolerance, he stated that he is not opposed to single-faith schools.

The Tony Blair Faith Foundation, which was established by the former Labour leader in 2008, aims to work against religious prejudice by influencing 12-17 year olds in 30 countries, including Pakistan, the US and Singapore.

Mr Blair has been criticised over sending troops into more wars than any other prime minister in history, with military intervention in Iraq twice, Kosovo, Sierra Leone and Afghanistan within six years.

Source:
The Independent, UK

Scientists Discover Cure For Diabetes

There is good news for diabetic patients. They will no longer need to inject insulin – thanks to a treatment involving the use of insulin-producing cells which Harvard University scientists discovered how to make.

The cure could, therefore, be imminent as the scientists have produced large volumes of laboratory-grown pancreatic cells required for one-off transplantation in patients.

The breakthrough has been hailed and compared to the invention of antibiotics. It involved identifying how to efficiently turn both stem cell types into beta cells.

The cells, millions of which were manufactured, produced insulin, responded to glucose, worked on mice for many months and will soon be used to treat humans.
The discovery is the result of 23 years of research by Harvard Professor Doug Melton, whose study of type 1 diabetes was prompted by his son having the condition as a six-month-old. His daughter received the same diagnoses.

The cells could be used to treat all patients rather than each person needing their own genetically matched treatment.

The cells tested on mice were placed in a porous capsule to protect them from attacks by the body’s immune system, while allowing the insulin to diffuse out.

This means the cells could be produced on an industrial scale and used on patients without possible immune rejection, while the capsule could be replaced if it stopped working.

A report on the work is published in the October 10 edition of the journal Cell . Online reports quoted Prof Melton as saying: “It was gratifying to know that we could do something that we always thought was possible, but many people felt it wouldn’t work. We are now just one pre-clinical step away from the finish line.”

Asked about his children’s reaction he said: “I think like all kids, they always assumed that if I said I’d do this, I’d do it.”

Prof Melton said the stem cell-derived beta cells are presently undergoing trials in animal models, including non-human primates, where they are still producing insulin after several months,.

The team at Harvard used embryonic stem cells to produce human insulin-producing cells equivalent in almost every way to normally functioning cells.

The Telegraph quoted Professor of Regenerative Medicine, University College London Chris Mason as saying the discovery was “potentially a major medical breakthrough”.
“If this scalable technology is proven to work in both the clinic and in the manufacturing facility, the impact on
the treatment of diabetes will be a medical game-changer on a par with antibiotics and bacterial infections,” he said.

Head of Institute of Integrative Biology at the University of Liverpool, Prof Anthony Hollander, added: “This is very exciting fundamental research that solves a major roadblock in the development of a stem cell treatment
for diabetes.
“The study provides a very elegant and convincing method for generating functional insulin-producing cells in large numbers.”

Prof Mark Dunne of Manchester University said: “Overall this is an important advance for the field of diabetes and people with Type 1 diabetes.”

Prof Elaine Fuchs of Rockefeller University described the findings as “one of the most important advances to date in the stem cell field”, adding: “For decades, researchers have tried to generate human pancreatic beta cells that could be cultured and passaged long term under conditions where they produce insulin.”

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition that causes the pancreas to stop producing insulin – the hormone
that regulates blood glucose levels.
If the amount of glucose in the blood is too high it can seriously damage the body’s organs over time.

While diabetics can keep their glucose levels under general control by injecting insulin, that does not provide the fine tuning necessary to properly control metabolism, which can lead to devastating complications such as blindness or loss of limbs.

Source:
The Nation

Nigerian Government May Include Counter-terrorism In School Curriculum - Sambo Dasuki

As part of the soft approach to countering terrorism, the Federal Government is planning to tinker with
national school curriculum for more productivity.

National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki gave the hint when he addressed the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOG) of the United Nations in New York on Monday.

Already, extensive assessments of schools across Northern Nigeria have been conducted in order to gain a better understanding of the state of
education.

The soft approach was developed to complement the pounding of the terrorists by the military in what
can be described as the “carrot and stick” method which has been recommended by some experts on
counter terrorism across the world.

The Soft CVE programme has four basic aspects which include De-radicalization, Strategic Communication, Counter Radicalisation and Economic Regeneration.

The Council had invited Dasuki to elaborate on the non-military aspect of Nigeria’s Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) program also known as the Soft Approach to countering terrorism, which was first unveiled to Nigerians on March 18, 2014.
“We have conducted extensive assessments of schools across Northern Nigeria in order to gain a better understanding of the state of education”.

“We have now begun preliminary consultations with the Ministry of Education with regard to potential
changes to the national curriculum and will be hosting an Education Summit, bringing together key stakeholders and policy-makers”, he said.

Already, some prisons were being configured to achieve the de-radicalization program, which involves training of a new generation of practitioners in the areas of forensic psychology, religious instruction with particular emphasis on extremist narratives, art therapists, social workers and vocational and educational counsellors.

Government is also training a multi-disciplinary prison based treatment team including Imams to manage terror suspects responsible for developing curriculum and training in religious education, cognitive behaviour therapy, anger management, relapse prevention, empathy, risk management and
risk assessment.

Dasuki explained that this stream is expected to “foster greater respect for human rights and rule of law; train relevant prison staff on CVE, to
professionally handle terror suspects and issues of rehabilitation; develop a range of expert psychologists and counsellors to pioneer rehabilitation efforts and; introduce a more holistic
approach to the rehabilitation of prisoners in the country, using in-depth psychological analysis and research to understand the root causes of extremism and other criminal ideologies.

“Through Strategic Communications, we are working to counter extremist ideology and narratives.
Extremists’ views are often based on ignorance, misconceptions, willful misinterpretation and twisted ideology.

In the case of Boko Haram, narratives are founded on a set of core beliefs that are opposed to the state and aspects of western education.
“One of the ways to implement the strategic communication strategy would be by developing a voluntary code of conduct on reporting national security issues that will regulate crisis reporting especially with regard to terrorism for the press.”

He added that in the multi thronged strategy, civil servants and members of the military were being trained to strengthen government’s public diplomacy efforts, while a documentary on Boko Haram and research on the Pathways to Radicalisation had been commissioned to further the understanding of Boko Haram.

The NSA disclosed that implementation of the Counter Radicalisation plank rested mainly on the Society Against Violent Extremism (SAVE) Project based in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and will seek determinedly to counter the drivers of radicalisation by encouraging CVE action in communities, civil society and government institutions; building community engagement and
resilience; using education as a tool for countering violent extremism; and promoting religious tolerance.

Dasuki noted that in order to achieve the stated objectives, key projects have been designed to ensure that education is used as a tool to stem extremism by emphasizing the teaching of critical thinking and logical reasoning as well as sports, music, arts, and drama while also creating psychological support structures for victims of terrorism through the main stream provision of
PTSD.

He further told his audience that “we are beginning to make real progress but are aware that these are but the early stages of what must be an extensive and all-encompassing set of interventions”.
The former aid-de-camp to former Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida told his audience that the Economic Regeneration aspect of the Soft Approach to the CVE programme will work with governors of six north eastern states in designing an economic revitalization program targeting states most impacted by terrorism.

Dasuki thanked members of the international community that have supported Nigeria’s fight against terrorism and reminded the gathering that “no nation has the monopoly of knowledge especially when it comes to dealing with terrorism”, as could
be attested by Great Britain, Columbia, Spain and Iraq.

Source:
Daily Post

ISLAMIC STATE (IS) MANIFESTO REVEALS 100-YEAR PLAN FOR A WORLD CALIPHATE

Islamic State Caliph

How Documents Were Obtained

In March 2014, the home of an Islamic State (IS) commander was raided by Iraqi Special Forces. Among the items found in the residence was a manifesto written by an Islamic State Cabinet Member, Abdullah Ahmed al-Mashhadani, aka Abu Kassem.

Gunmen Kidnap Deputy Vice Chancellor Of Tai Solarin University

The Deputy Vice Chancellor of Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun, Ogun State, Prof. Olusoga Olusanya, has been kidnapped.

South Korean ID System In Disarray Sequel To Huge Data Thefts

South Korea's national identity card system may need a complete overhaul following huge data thefts dating back to 2004.

Russian Hackers Exploit Bug In Microsoft Windows To Hack Nato Computers

Russian hackers exploited a bug in Microsoft's Windows to spy on computers used by Nato and western governments, a report indicates.

Gunmen Kill 27, Torch 70 Houses In Riyom LGA Of Plateau State

The Chairman of Riyom Local Government in Plateau, Mrs Josephine Piyo, has said that 27 people died in an attack by gunmen on Bachi District of the area on Thursday.

Boko Haram Insurgency: Multinational Joint Task Force Begin Operation November 1

Troops from Nigeria, Cameroun, Chad, Niger and Republic of Benin, are to begin counter-terrorism operations to combat the Boko Haram insurgency along their national borders on November 1, 2014.

Alamieyeseigha confirms son’s death in Dubai

A son of Bayelsa State’s former Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha has died in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, his father confirmed Monday.

Nigeria Unveils Counter-terrorism Strategy At The United Nations

In a bid to further secure international support for its anti-insurgency campaign, Nigeria is set to unveil its counter-terrorism strategy at the ongoing 69th session of the United Nations General Assembly Meeting (UNGA) in New York.

Court Martial: Convicted Soldiers Appeal Death Sentence

Three soldiers out of the 12 sentenced to death by the military General Court Martial on September 15 have dragged the Nigerian Army before the Court of Appeal in Abuja, seeking to set aside the death sentences passed on them.

Ex-NBA President, Okey Wali, Kidnapped In Rivers State

PORT HARCOURT— Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Mr. Okey Wali, SAN, has been kidnapped in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. He was abducted around Rumuologu Road Saturday night in his vehicle which was later abandoned by the kidnappers at Ozuoba area of Obio/ Akpor Local Government Area. At press time, no group had claimed responsibility for the action nor any ransom demanded.

SABOTAGE: Army Col., 10 Officers SetNigerian Tankers Ablaze, Pave Way For Boko Haram

There were shocking revelations at the weekend that an Army Colonel, some junior officers and soldiers who were taking part in the military offensive to reclaim communities taken over by the Boko Haram terrorists in Adamawa State, have been arrested for sabotage.

Jailbreak: 10 Inmates Killed At KirikiriMaximum Prison

About 10 inmates were alleged to have been shot dead when they attempted to escape from the Kirikiri Maximum Prison, Kirikiri Town, in Apapa area of Lagos State, yesterday.