North Korean celebrates successful hydrogen bomb missile test with huge street party

Thousands of residents and military leaders hailed scientists who were paraded as heroes

BySteve RobsonRachael Burford

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Pyongyang welcomes scientists & technicians behind its biggest nuclear test

North Korean celebrated the firing of its most deadly missile test yet with a huge street party.
On Sunday, the Kim Jong-Un regime claimed it had tested a hydrogen bomb, setting off a 6.3 earthquake.
Hours earlier, Jong-Un was pictured inspected what looked like a nuclear warhead being placed inside a missile.
The reckless despot appears intent on pushing the country closer and closer to military conflict with the West.
But on Wednesday, pictures released by North Korea showed thousands attending a huge rally where the scientists behind the test were paraded as heroes.
There were fireworks and music as Pyongyang was draped in nationalistic flags and slogans.

Fireworks in Pyongyang to celebrate North Korea's successful H-bomb test (Image: AFP)

Thousands filled the Kim Il Sung Square (Image: AFP)

Meanwhile, neighbours South Korea said it expected the North to carry out another missile launch this week.
In response, the country's THAAD missile defence system deployment was "tentatively" completed as US Forces Korea transported four additional missile interceptor launchers to its base in Seongju, 185 miles south of Seoul .
South Korean prime minister, Lee Nak-yon, described the situation in the north as "very grave" when he met with defence minsters in Seoul on Thursday morning.
He said the country is bracing for another missile launch on Saturday, September 9, when North Korea celebrates its founding day.

South Korea's Hyunmu-2 ballistic missile is fired during an exercise aimed to counter North Korea's nuclear test on Sunday (Image: Getty Images AsiaPac)

The four THAAD missiles arrived at the new Seongju base despite protesters blocking the road (Image: REUTERS)

Today US Forces Korea transported four additional missile interceptor launchers to its base in Seongju

"The situation is very grave. It doesn't seem much time is left before North Korea achieves its complete nuclear armament," he said.
The four THAAD missiles arrived at the new Seongju base despite protesters blocking the road.
Armored riot police protected the final parts of the controversial US missile defense system as it entered.

Kim Jong Un inspects North Korean nuclear weaponisation program (Image: Barcroft Media)

North Korea will celebrate its founding day on Saturday (Image: REUTERS)

Around 400 people reportedly took to the streets in the province of Gyeongbuk, eastern South Korea.
Footage shows dense crowds gathering and police attempting to break up the disturbance.
It contrasted with scenes in North Korea's capital Pyongyang, where civilians appeared to be celebrating the successful completion of the hydrostatic test for the intercontinental ballistic rocket installation.
The US army's THAAD system is thought to be the world's most advanced interceptor and is designed to shoot down ballistic missiles in their terminal phase of approaching a target.
South Korea is now set to hold talks with "relevant" neighbouring countries regarding the THAAD issue.

China and Russia have particularly protested the system, claiming it will further destabilise regional security and expand the US military influence in the area.
South Korea President Moon Jae-in met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the Eastern Economic Forum in Russia today.
The leaders issued a jointed statement saying that it "is the time to further increase sanctions and pressures against North Korea as much as possible rather than seeking dialogue".

Culled from Mirror

Gov. signs Pension Act into law

Kogi State Gov, Yahaya Bello

Gov. Abubakar Bello of Niger has signed into law a bill establishing the new Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) for employees in the state civil service.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports in Minna on Wednesday that the bill was passed by the state House of Assembly in 2015, after it was presented to the state legislative arm.
Bello after signing the bill, said that the bill would provide a better welfare package for civil servants in the state civil service after retirement.
He said the present administration was committed to ensuring that the welfare of its workforce was given priority and prompt payment of salaries of workers.
According to him, the state government will from time to time make necessary adjustment that will improve the living standard of civil servants under the state civil service.

“ Our retiring civil servants had given 35 years of their lives to the service of the state; government must reduce their hardship by ensuring payment of their pension.
“We have to ensure that everyone is paid as and when due,” he said.
The governor said that machinery had been put in place to restructure the payment of gratuity for prompt payment of pension of retirees under the old pension scheme.
He commended the legislature for working earnestly to ensure that the bill scaled the legislative hurdles.
NAN reports that the signing of the bill was witnessed by Alhaji Ahmed Marafa, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly and members of the legislature.
Others were members of the state Executive Council and Alhaji Idris Ndako, Chairman of the state Nigeria Labour Congress.

Culled from pmnews

NNPC restructures, effects changes in 55 key positions

By Roseline Okere and Collins Olayinka   

NNPC

• Raises gas supply to power plants by 123%
• Plans to bridge disparity in gas prices with virtual pipelines
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has revisited its restructuring programme with the appointment and deployment of top executives across the value chain of its operations.
A total of 55 top management members of staff were affected in the new exercise.
Group Managing Director of the Corporation, Dr. Maikanti Baru, told NNPC members of staff shortly before the announcement that the new appointments would not only help to position the Corporation for the challenges ahead but would help to fill the gaps created due to statutory retirement of members of staff.
Under the new arrangement, formerly Managing Director of the Integrated Data Services Limited (IDSL), Roland Ewubare, moved to the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) as the new Group General Manager while Diepriye Tariah, former Group General Manager and Senior Technical Assistant to the NNPC Group Managing Director takes over from Ewubare as Managing Director of IDSL.
Executive Director (Operations) of the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC), Malami Shehu, was appointed Managing Director of the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) while former Managing Director of the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC), Adewale Ladenegan, was moved to KRPC to assume duty as managing director.
In the same vein, Muhammed Abah, who until recently is the Executive Director (Operations) of WRPC, succeeds Ladenegan as Managing Director of Warri Refinery.
With the retirement of Farouk Ahmed as the Managing Director of the Nigerian Products Marketing Company, (NPMC), Umar Ajiya, former Group General Manager in charge of Corporate Planning and Strategy (CP&S), now assumes duty as Managing Director of NPMC, while Bala Wunti, former General Manager (Downstream) in the GMD’s office takes charge as Group General Manager, CP&S.
Other changes include Usman Yusuf who takes over as Group General Manager/STA to the General Manager Direcot, Adeyemi Adetunji confirmed as Managing Director, NNPC Retail alongside Dr. Bola Afolabi who now functions as Group General Manager in charge of Research and Development Division of the Corporation.
Also on the list is Mrs. Ahmadu-Katagum appointed Group General Manager (GGM) (Shipping) in the Downstream Autonomous Business Unit while Kallamu Abdullahi takes over as the GGM in charge of the Renewable Energy Division in the Downstream ABU.
Dr. Shaibu Musa was promoted Managing Director of the NNPC, Medical Services Limited while Ibrahim Birma is the new Group General Manager in charge of the Corporation’s Audit Division now renamed Governance, Risk and Compliance Division.
Group Managing Director of the Corporation, Dr. Maikanti Baru, told NNPC staff shortly before the announcement was made public that the new appointments would not only help to position the Corporation for the challenges ahead but would help fill the gaps created due to statutory retirements of staff.
Meanwhile, the Corporation has increased its natural gas supply to the nation’s thermal power plants by 123 per cent to 730 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscf/d) to boost the supply of electricity.
The Corporation, in its June 2017 monthly financial and operations report released in a statement yesterday and signed by the Group General Manager, Ndu Ughamadu, said the gas supply was for June 2017 as against 327mmscf/d in the corresponding period in 2016.
According to the report, gas supply to power plants increased slightly by 0.13 per cent from 729mmscf/d in May 2017 to 730mmscf/d in June 2017.
Also, the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, has said the Federal Government will bridge the disparity in the prices of gas nationwide with virtual gas pipeline.
Kachikwu said this yesterday in Abuja at the signing of gas sales and aggregation between the NNPC/TEPNG Joint Venture, Greenville Oil and Gas Company and the Gas Aggregation Company Limited.
He stated that apart from ending gas pipeline vandalisation, the sales agreement would end disparity between the prices of gas in the southern part of the country and the North.

Guardian