BOMB SCARE AT MURTALA MUHAMMED AIRPORT

There was pandemonium at the arrival wing of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos on Tuesday as officials and security men sought to unravel the content of an abandoned bag found at the busy airport.

The PUNCH had gathered that airport officials invited the police anti-bomb squad to examine the bag after waiting, vainly, for hours for the bag to be claimed.

The incident started at about 7:30pm and lasted for about an hour.  Our correspondent gathered that the police, on arriving at the scene, had ordered the evacuation of all travelers and airport workers from the building.

The order reportedly threw the gathering of passengers, airport workers and other users of the facility into confusion.

The confusion, according to an eyewitness, deepened after the bag emitted a loud sound while the anti-bomb policemen were trying to open it.  On hearing the bang, those present at the airport at the time reportedly took to their heels.

However, after it was opened by men of the anti bomb squad the bag was discovered to contain the personal effects of a British Airways passenger.

Hours after the incident, British tabloid, the Daily Mail, reported that a blast tore through the cargo section of the airport.

However, a statement by the Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Dr. H.O. Demuren, late last night, said the bag belonged to a British Airways passenger named Salami A. Atolagbe-Aro.

The stament titled, No Bomb Blast at MMIA, reads, “It was an abandoned carry-on baggage/handbag with a British Airways tag with passenger name Salami A. Atolagbe-Aro that was discovered at E-Arr frontage 1948hrs.

“The bag was thereafter diffused (sic) by three men from the Police Bomb Disposal Unit at about 2058hrs. The contents of the bag were taken and (they) were personal effects and are currently in the custody of the FAAN Aviation Security Crime Investigation Bureau.

“BA has confirmed that the passenger actually arrived on their flight this evening. The bag was sighted by Avsec officers unattended and the Police Bomb Disposal Unit personnel called in as standard procedure.

“They placed the bag under surveillance and went ahead to open it and thus  creating the sound. No bomb explosion.”

There have been speculations that the fundamentalist Islamic sect, Boko Haram, could attack Lagos as parts of its campaign of violence against the Federal Government.

As a result, the airport authorities have increased security at the local and international airports.

Confirming the incident, the Commissioner of Police, Airport Command, Mr. James Olatunji, said the speed with which the Bomb Disposal Unit arrived at the scene might have caused the apprehension at the airport.

“You know when the Anti Bomb Disposal Unit people parked their vehicle at the scene and started examining the bag, the scene created apprehension. There was really nothing.

“We have discovered that the bag was left by a passenger that arrived aboard British Airways this evening. BA has confirmed that and they are trying to get the passenger to know why the bag was left,” he said.

Meanwhile, security men were said to have been deployed at sensitive positions at the airport following the development.

About two weeks ago, the airport command of the police had beefed up security at the airport following the bombing of media houses in Abuja and Kaduna.

LED LIGHT BULB TO LAST MORE THAN 20 YEARS

Light bulbs that are said to last for more than two decades while consuming very little energy may go on sale later this year.

US firm General Electric, Dutch company Philips and UK-based Sylvania all showcased their products at the Light Fair industry conference in Las Vegas.

Using light-emitting diodes (LEDs) instead of filaments, the bulbs are meant to produce as much light as a 100-watt incandescent alternative.

However, LEDs are not usually cheap.

In April, Philips introduced its LPrize LED that will cost $60 (£37) - but consumes only 9.7 watts while giving off the same amount of light as a 60-watt incandescent lamp.

The company has arranged discounts with shops that will sell the bulb for as little as $20 (£12). The new EnduraLED from Philips looks similar, but is said to be equivalent to a 100-watt incandescent bulb while consuming nearly four times less energy.

Both Philips and Sylvania said their products are due to appear in stores later this year, while GE plans to sell its bulb early next year. The firm currently sells a 9-watt LED bulb that is made to replace a 40-watt incandescent, for about $50 (£31).

All three bulbs are meant to last more than 20 years, if used about three hours per day. Saving energy

In 2011, the UK's Energy Saving Trust (EST)carried out a study, measuring the performance of more than 4,250 LED light fittings installed at 35 sites around the UK.

The authors of the report claim the technology can deliver huge energy savings, reduce costs and makes residents feel safer.

"LEDs promise to be the way forward for the whole sector," explained James Russill, EST's technical development manager, in an earlier interview with the BBC.

"There are so many benefits: they can be smaller, brighter; it is one of those rare technologies where the trial has shown it performs better than the lighting systems it is replacing but, at the same time, uses less energy."

MASSIVE RISE IN ASIAN EYE DAMAGE

Up to 90% of school leavers in major Asian cities are suffering from myopia - short-sightedness - a study suggests.

Researchers say the "extraordinary rise" in the problem is being caused by students working very hard in school and missing out on outdoor light.

The scientists told the Lancet that up to one in five of these students could experience severe visual impairment and even blindness.

In the UK, the average level of myopia is between 20% and 30%.

According to Professor Ian Morgan, who led this study and is from the Australian National University, 20-30% was once the average among people in South East Asia as well.

"What we've done is written a review of all the evidence which suggests that something extraordinary has happened in east Asia in the last two generations," he told BBC News.

"They've gone from something like 20% myopia in the population to well over 80%, heading for 90% in young adults, and as they get adult it will just spread through the population. It certainly poses a major health problem."

Eye experts say that you are myopic if your vision is blurred beyond 2m (6.6ft). It is often caused by an elongation of the eyeball that happens when people are young.

According to the research, the problem is being caused by a combination of factors - a commitment to education and lack of outdoor light.

Professor Morgan argues that many children in South East Asia spend long hours studying at school and doing their homework. This in itself puts pressure on the eyes, but exposure to between two and three hours of daylight acts as a counterbalance and helps maintain healthy eyes.

The scientists believe that a chemical called dopamine could be playing a significant part. Exposure to light increases the levels of dopamine in the eye and this seems to prevent elongation of the eyeball.

"We're talking about the need for two to three hours a day of outdoor light - it doesn't have to be massively sunny, we think the operating range is 10-20,000 lux, we're not sure about that - but that's perfectly achievable on a cloudy day in the UK."

'Massive pressures'

Cultural factors also seem to play a part. Across many parts of South East Asia, children often have a lunchtime nap. According to Professor Morgan they are missing out on prime light to prevent myopia.

"Children suffer from a double whammy in South East Asia," says Professor Morgan.

"As a result of massive educational pressures and the construction of a child's day, the amount of time they spend outside in bright light is minimised."

A big concern is the numbers of students suffering from "high" myopia. According to Professor Morgan, this affects between 10% and 20% of students in Asian cities. It can lead to vision loss, visual impairment and even blindness.

"These people are at considerable risk - sometimes people are not told about it and are just given more powerful glasses - they need to be warned about the risk and given some self-testing measures so they can get to an ophthalmologist and get some help."

For decades, researchers believed there was a strong genetic component to the condition. It was believed that people from China, Japan, Korea and other countries were particularly susceptible to developing myopia. But this study strongly suggests an alternative view.

In Singapore, where there are large numbers of people from Chinese, Malay and Indian backgrounds, all three ethnic groups have seen a dramatic rise in short-sightedness.

Professor Morgan says you cannot rule out genetics completely, but for him it's not the major factor.

"Any type of simple genetic explanation just doesn't fit with that speed of change; gene pools just don't change in two generations.

"Whether it's a purely environmental effect or an environmental effect playing a sensitive genome, it really doesn't matter, the thing that's changed is not the gene pool - it's the environment."

Further evidence on the impact of light is provided by UK researchers. Kathryn Saunders from the University of Ulster was part of a team which compared short-sightedness in children in Australia and Northern Ireland.

"White UK kids are much more likely to be myopic than white Australian children," Dr Saunders told BBC News. "We've proposed that this might be due to the protective effect in Australia of increased exposure to bright sunlight.

"This requires further exploration and research, but I guess we might want to encourage children to spend more time outside when the sun is shining. It's unlikely to do them any harm."

By Matt McGrath

TOP MINISTER SACKED IN TANZANIA AMID CORRUPTION SCANDAL

Tanzania's President Jakaya Kikwete has sacked six ministers amid allegations of government corruption.

He has been under pressure to deal with the scandal following a report by a body overseeing public finances.

The inspector of the government's accounts noted the rampant misuse of funds in at least seven ministries.

The ministers who have been dropped from cabinet all hold high-profile portfolios: Finance, energy, tourism, trade, transport and health.

'Taken to task'

In November, the ruling CCM party promised to implement anti-corruption measures, but there have been heated calls from the opposition for heads to roll.

Announcing the cabinet reshuffle, President Kikwete said that accountability would be taken seriously and ministers' subordinates and even executives working for state-owned companies would also be held responsible over any embezzlement.

"It is not enough for a minister to take responsibility alone but the new approach is that even those who caused the mishap will be taken to task as well," Mr Kikwete told journalists at State House in Dar es Salaam.

The BBC's Hassan Mhelela in Dar es Salaam says the ministry of energy, which oversees the lucrative mining sector, and ministry of tourism - two of the major revenue generators for the government, were criticised most in the Controller and Auditor General's annual report.

There have been mixed reactions to the sackings, our reporter says.

Many are pleased that the government has acted at last but some feel there should be prosecutions too, he says.

Mr Kikwete was re-elected in 2010 for a final five-year term.

His government has struggled to tackle corruption which has adversely hampered economic growth in Tanzania where the rate of inflation rate stands at 19%.

Last year, donor countries cut funding pledges to Tanzania after expressing concern about corruption and the slow pace of reforms.

EXHIBITIONIST ONLY: VISITORS STRIP NAKED AT SYDNEY EXPO

MCA's adults-only "performance" puts naked art lovers on display as artist guides tour group

Turn up, strip off and enjoy the show at this weekend’s MCA event -- you’re the main attraction

With a forecast high of 22 C this weekend, most Sydney visitors will be looking forward to some pretty-much-perfect weather, but there’s a select bunch who may find that a touch chilly.

That’s because they’ll be touring the city’s Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) completely naked in an event led by Melbourne Artist Stuart Ringholt.

He’ll be checking his clothes in at the door too, by the way.

Ringholt’s tour is actually billed on the MCA website as a performance, so that should give some clue as to his motivation here. He says he aims to address “themes of fear and embarrassment.”

The event itself comes with the equally attention-seeking -- not to mention long -- title, “Preceded by a tour of the show by artist Stuart Ringholt 6-8pm (the artist will be naked. Those who wish to join the tour must also be naked. Adults only).” 

While cynics might consider the people joining the tour to be the actual performance, museum curators say it’s really about the art hanging on their walls.

“[Visitors can] gain a new perspective on the current MCA exhibitions by viewing them entirely nude,” says the event description.

“Remove the material barriers between artist and audience (literally) when you join artist Stuart Ringholt’s tour followed by a nude reception,” it states.

At least that removes any concerns about what to wear to one of Sydney’s most unusual social events this month.

The Museum of Contemporary Art reopened in March after a $53 million refit and is home to more than 4,000 works by artists from around the world.

PRIEST IN GAY PORN PROBE LEAVES PARISH

Belfast, Northern Ireland (CNN) -- An Irish priest at the center of a gay porn controversy has asked to leave his parish and take sabbatical leave from the priesthood, he said Sunday.

Father Martin McVeigh has admitted he destroyed a memory stick containing "inappropriate imagery" ahead of a church investigation into reports he accidentally showed pictures of naked men to parents of children preparing for their First Holy Communion.

The incident happened at the start of a PowerPoint presentation at a grade school in Pomeroy, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland in March, said the leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland, Cardinal Sean Brady.

Parents said in a statement they were "horrified" by what they saw and called for action to be taken against the priest. The church reported the incident to police, who said no crime had been committed. In a statement Sunday, McVeigh apologized "for the hurt caused" and "his failure to check his presentation in advance."

However, he insisted he "was not responsible for the presence of the offending images and in this respect I ask you to accept my innocence." The priest also confirmed he had destroyed the memory stick that contained the images. He said: "After the images were inadvertently shown, I immediately removed the memory stick from the laptop. In my shock and upset and in my concern to ensure that the images would never be shown again, I destroyed it later that evening."

McVeigh described the past month as "the most difficult" of his life and said he would be taking a break. "In the hope of bringing resolution and healing to the division and pain within the parish, I have taken the decision to ask Cardinal Brady to allow me to leave the parish of Pomeroy and to take sabbatical leave," said McVeigh, adding: "The memory of this awful episode will remain with me for the rest of my life."

Brady said he accepted McVeigh had no advance knowledge of the pornography. In a statement Sunday, Brady said it had been "a traumatic time for the whole parish community and for Father McVeigh personally." The cardinal also apologized for the incident. 

He issued an update on the church investigation, saying other computers used by McVeigh had been "forensically examined by an independent technical expert and no inappropriate imagery has been found." 

Brady added an additional laptop stolen from the local church sacristy since the March 26 meeting "did not form part of the technical examination."

The cardinal said he had accepted McVeigh's request for leave on the understanding he would return to the diocese on its completion.

The latest controversy comes after a series of child sex abuse scandals involving Catholic Church clergy in Ireland. The government-backed investigations say thousands of children have been abused by priests and other church figures over the last 80 years.

In March, the Vatican released a major report into the problem, begging forgiveness from victims. However, victims hit out at the report's finding that new safeguards are working.

LIBYA EX-MINISTER SHUKRI CHANEM DEAD IN DANUBE RIVER

The body of Libya's former Oil Minister Shukri Ghanem has been found in the Danube River, Austrian police say.

A spokesman said there were no signs of violence to Mr Ghanem's body, which was in the river that flows through Vienna.

The former prime minister, 69, worked as a consultant for a Vienna-based company. He apparently left his home early on Sunday, police said.

Mr Ghanem defected from Libya as the country was engulfed in the uprising against Col Muammar Gaddafi last year.

At the time, he criticised the bloodshed in Libya, saying that the situation had become "unbearable", making his position untenable.

He served as Libyan prime minister from 2003 to 2006 and then as oil minister until 2011.

Post-mortem examination

A passer-by reported seeing the body under a bridge near a popular recreation ground in Vienna.

Police spokesman Roman Hahslinger said Mr Ghanem was dressed when he was found but had no personal identification documents on him, with the exception of one naming the company he was working for. An employee of the company had identified him, the spokesman said.

Mr Hahslinger said: "There would be no signs of violence if someone pushed him in. But it's also possible that he became ill and fell into the water."

A post-mortem examination has been ordered for the coming days.

The former prime minister is understood to have been in Europe since his defection last June, and to have had family in Vienna.

His connection to the city dates back to the time he worked at the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) - a forum he later visited regularly as Libyan oil minister.

The Libyan uprising ended in October last year with the killing of Col Gaddafi.

In June Libya will hold elections to a constituent assembly, whose first task will be to draw up a constitution.