*PDP Calls For Probe Into Missing 4,501 Trucks Of Petroleum*

*PDP Calls For Probe Into Missing 4,501 Trucks Of Petroleum*

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on security agencies to immediately launch a probe into the voluntary disclosure of the Managing Director, Nigeria National Petroleum Cooperation (NNPC) Dr. Mikanti Baru, that 4,501 trucks of petroleum recently went missing.

The PDP, in a statement signed by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Prince Diran Odeyemi, copies of which were obtained by newsmen on Sunday noted, if trucks of petrol could suddenly develop wings and could not be traced in the ministry that is directly being supervised by President Mohammadu Buhari, the signs are rather obvious that the plundering of the nation’s commonwealth in ministries, departments and parastatals are at unimaginable rate.

The party expressed shock over what it called “additional means of stealing to finance APC and President Buhari’s re-election next year in addition to the proposed N1billion daily funding of Boko Haram which the administration claimed have been technically defeated.”

*Arrest UIDAI, not journalists: Snowden on Aadhaar breach FIR*

*Arrest UIDAI, not journalists: Snowden on Aadhaar breach FIR*

The famous whistleblower, Edward Snowden, has lashed out at the Indian government over Aadhaar, which has "destroyed the privacy of a billion Indians." He was responding to reports that an FIR had been filed against The Tribune's journalist responsible for exposing a massive breach in Aadhaar.

Snowden had some advice for the government: "The journalists exposing the Aadhaar breach deserve an award, not an investigation. If the government were truly concerned for justice, they would be reforming the policies that destroyed the privacy of a billion Indians. Want to arrest those responsible? They are called UIDAI."

The UIDAI dismissed the allegations, saying "mere display of demographic information cannot be misused without biometrics." It reportedly filed an FIR against reporter Rachna Khaira and three people contacted for the story. The FIR accused The Tribune of "purchasing" an illegal service offered by anonymous sellers. It's noteworthy that under the right to privacy, sharing of personal data without consent is illegal by itself.

*Alps snow strands thousands of tourists in Switzerland*

*Alps snow strands thousands of tourists in Switzerland*

Thousands of tourists have been left stranded after heavy snow in the Alps cut off towns and villages across Switzerland, France and Italy.

In the Swiss resort of Zermatt, more than 13,000 tourists are trapped and some visitors who wanted to leave were airlifted by helicopter.

French forecasters have described the snowfall as the kind that are only seen "once in every 30 years", with up to 1.8m (6ft) of snow falling in 36 hours in parts of the Savoie area.

In the Simplon region of Valais, where Zermatt is located, two metres (6.6ft) of snow fell in a 24-hour period, the Swiss ATS news agency said.

*WHO approves Chinese-produced HIV, Hepatitis vaccines*

*WHO approves Chinese-produced HIV, Hepatitis vaccines*

Two Chinese-produced vaccines, a Bivalent Oral Poliomyelitis Vaccine; and Hepatitis A vaccine, have received pre-qualification from the World Health Organisation. The move indicates that the WHO has given the vaccines its stamp of approval for the safety and efficacy, and United Nations procuring agencies may now source them.

Mr. Fabio Scano, an officer in the WHO Representative Office in China, said: “Pre-qualification of BOPV is very good news for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. “Following the switch from trivalent OPV to BOPV in 2016, most countries are going to cure polio with the combination of inactivated polio vaccine and BOPV and China will be a sufficient supplier of this essential vaccine.”

The country now has four vaccines pre-qualified by the WHO. “We are very pleased to see China’s innovation and production capacity bring life-saving vaccines to the world through the WHO pre-qualification programme,” said Scano. (Xinhua/NAN)

*Paraguay lagoon sees giant lily pads return*

*Paraguay lagoon sees giant lily pads return*

Giant lily pads have reappeared in a Paraguay lagoon after being listed as endangered in 2006. The aquatic plants, their scientific name is Victoria cruziana, appeared in a tributary of the Paraguay river 25km north of Asunción, the capital. The environment ministry told the Associated Press that the plant had slowly disappeared due to dredging and visitors collecting the plants.

Water lilies in the area are known for their 1.5m size, and exceptional shape. Their return has drawn a mass of tourists to Piquete Cue in central Paraguay, where they take pictures and pay for boat rides to see the lilies up close.

Locals use the aquatic plant to make a medicinal tea that they believe can help combat asthma and bronchial disorders, but the authorities have warned that those who try to harvest it could be fined.

*Mafia raids: Police in Italy and Germany make 169 arrests*

*Mafia raids: Police in Italy and Germany make 169 arrests*

Police in Italy and Germany have made 169 arrests in an anti-mafia swoop, Italian police say.

Assets worth €50m (£44.06m; $59.79m) were seized in the operation targeting the 'Ndrangheta organised crime group.

As part of the group's activities, German restaurants were forced to buy wine, pizza dough and pastries made in southern Italy, police say.

The 'Ndrangheta network is based in southern Italy but has expanded its reach into the rest of Europe, the BBC's James Reynolds reports from Rome.

Nicola Grattari, the Italian prosecutor in charge of the investigation, described the arrests as the most important step taken against the 'Ndrangehta in the last two decades.