8.9.12

Finally Oil has been Discovered in the North

THE Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Friday announced the discovery of crude oil in about 3350 square metres in the Lake Chad Basin with Vice President Namadi Sambo directing the commencement of steps towards engaging “willing and ready investors that will facilitate speedy and timely exploration in the second phase of the exercise.”

Vice President Sambo said during a meeting convened with experts within the NNPC and other public sectors at the State House, Abuja that the federal government is happy that surveys have indicated the presence of oil in the Chad Basin.

The Lake Chad Basin, in the far North Eastern Borno State of Nigeria, is the hotbed of terror attacks and other forms of violence by the Islamic sect, Boko Haram.

Sambo expressed the appreciation of the Federal Government to the NNPC in the positive progress they are making in the exploration of hydrocarbon at the Lake Chad Basin.

He noted that the budget provision is based on activity assessment and that the efforts so far expended and the achievements recorded so far will lead to the realisation of the targeted goal.

Sambo further directed that the recommendation in the aero magnetic data survey needs to the harnessed including other works and services required so that a target time can be arrived at.

The Vice President reaffirmed the Federal Government resolved to explore oil on the Lake Chad Basin contrary to the allusion in some quarters that government is not serious in doing so.

Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mr. Andy Yakubu, said “despite the insinuations making the rounds that the corporation is not doing much on the exploration of the hydro carbon on the Lake Chad, NNPC was doing a lot to realise the noble objective of the Federal Government. An integrated team of consortium of consultants set up by the Federal Government to study the possibility of exploring oil has identified 3350Sqm which was recommended for further investigation.”

Yakubu added that on the submission of the report of the investigation into the exploration of oil in the area, NNPC commissioned its subsidiary and consultants to start the exploration. The consultants include Chinese companies that had worked in similar ventures in Niger and Chad where crude oil has been found in commercial quantity.

He noted that due to the high technology employed for the exploration, the area was divided into four phases and that work is currently ongoing on the fifth phase.

Yakubu further added that three major sub-basins in the Lake Chad area namely Biu, Maiduguri and Barga had been identified and marked as low risk while work is currently going on in that area.

But he pointed out that lack of security and adequate funding are the major challenges being faced in the speedy execution of the project.

Rapper Snoop Dogg now a Rastafarian

“Gangsta” rapper Snoop Dogg said Friday that a transformational journey to Jamaica during which he embraced reggae music may have saved his marriage and given him a new, “family first” outlook.
The best part of the life-changing trip was “that my wife could come and see it happen,” the singer said.
“The change was most necessary for her, more than anything, because I’ve always been there for my kids, I’ve always been a good dad, but I ain’t been a good husband, so I wanted to reverse that,” he explained.
Speaking at a press conference in Toronto, where a documentary premiered about his spiritual reawakening and turn to reggae under the moniker Snoop Lion, the rapper said it was important for his wife to be along his side as he changed.
“Even it wasn’t going to happen, the point was that the effort was there, and that takes a relationship a long way when you see someone making an effort to wanna do the right thing to keep it together,” he said.
Vice magazine editor Andy Capper followed Snoop with a movie camera on his month-long pilgrimage to Jamaica as he embarked on a “journey of reincarnation of self.”
In “Reincarnated,” Snoop is seen partnering with producer Diplo to make a reggae album, bolstered by visits to Trench Town, the birthplace of reggae and onetime stomping ground of reggae luminaries Peter Tosh, Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer, who dubbed the
rapper Snoop Lion.
Snoop told reporters that for too long, he was “living the young, childish gangster life because that’s what I was brought up to love and to know, but once I sought out information on my own and found out what a true man was and what true love was all about, that’s when I became who I am today.”
He recalled growing up without a father, raised by his mother.
The Rastafari spiritual movement “is showing me the righteous way to be a family man,” Snoop said, adding that the new lifestyle was “definitely shaping and molding me into a better husband, a better father, a better person.”
To critics who dismiss his name change as a
commercial gimmick, the rapper stressed that he had been given the name by a reggae star.
“When you’re given something you like to honor it and hold it up with pride,” he added.
Still, Snoop is unlikely to pass an opportunity to rap in concerts, or to cuss.
“As a performer, I understand the business. A lot of my fans going to want Snoop Dogg and I’m going to give i† to them,” he said.
“I’m still Snoop Dogg… I’m Snoop mother fucking Dogg ’til I die.
“There’s a softer, gentler, peaceful side when I’m the Lion. But if you disrespect me or get out of pocket, you will (also) get the mother fucking Dogg,” the singer added.
Snoop noted he didn’t swear on his latest album, for the first time.

7 Boko Haram terrorists killed in gun battle

Kudos to the Nigerian Security Forces, the only Hope for safety to the common man.

Suspected members of Boko Haram ,the Islamist extremist group and Nigerian soldiers exchanged gun fire in a battle in Maiduguri on Friday, leaving seven of
the attackers dead, a military spokesman said.“A group of gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram terrorists opened fire on a military checkpoint where soldiers were conducting a cordon-and-search operation,” Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa said of the incident.
“The soldiers responded with gunfire, leading to a shootout. Seven gunmen were killed in the fire exchange and 13 others were arrested while the rest fled. No casualty was recorded on the part of the soldiers.”
Scores of such shootouts have occurred in Maiduguri, where Boko Haram has been based, as well as in other areas of Nigeria’s north.
Boko Haram has been accused of killing more than 1,400 people in its insurgency since 2010. The group has demanded the creation of an Islamic state in Africa’s most populous nation and largest oil producer, though its demands have repeatedly shifted. The group also claimed responsibility for destroying
more than two dozen mobile phone towers for various providers in cities across northern Nigeria this week, marking a new type of attack.

Armed police men invade CNPP Chairman's Home in Benue state

Armed Police men Thursday morning invaded the Makurdi home of the Benue State Chairman of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP, Mr. Baba Agan.
The uniformed security operatives who arrived the home of the outspoken opposition leader ransacked the premises for close to twenty minutes and left without removing any item from the house.
Narrating the incident to newsmen, Agan said he was away from home when the incident happened stressing that his wife, Mrs. Hembadoon Agan who was at home at the time confronted the officers who claimed that they were looking for some bad boys.
Corroborating the story, Mrs. Agan said she was at home at about 10am when the security operatives came calling.
According to her, “The four Police men came in a Hilux patrol vehicle which they parked right in front of our gate; two of them bearing guns matched into our house and started searching the entire house when my husband was away”.”I confronted them to know why they invaded our privacy without a warrant, they told me that they were looking for bad boys who they claimed we are habouring”.
”At that point, I alerted my husband but they
horridly left the house without taking anything, before my husband arrived home”, she stressed.
Meanwhile, the CNPP Chairman said he has made a formal complaint at the ‘D’ Division of the Benue State Police Command stating that the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the Division had claimed ignorance of the invasion.
When contacted, the Deputy Police Public Relations Officer for Benue State, Assistant Superintendent of Police Ejike Alaribe said he was yet to be briefed on the matter.

Two men attempts to dupe Ministry of N5.8m

The Police yesterday arraigned two men, Abianulia Ikenna and Joseph Ezejiegu, before an Abuja Senior Magistrates’ Court for allegedly attempting to defraud the Ministry of Aviation of N5.8 million.
Police prosecutor Jonathan Udochukwu said the fraud was reported to the police by Chioma Agbakwuru, an aide to the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah.Udochukwu said the accused
on Aug. 7 conspired and hacked into the minister’s cell phone and transmitted a message ordering Agbakwuru to release N5.8 million to the accused.
The prosecutor said the police advised the Ministry to play along and that this led to the arrest of the accused at the premises of Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, but the accused denied the allegation.
Mr Adegoke Omoloja, counsel to the accused,
applied for bail for his clients, and Senior
Magistrate Josephine Obannor granted the
application.
She granted the bail to each of the accused in the sum of N500,000 with a surety each in like sum.
Omoloja said the sureties must not be less than grade level nine in the Federal Civil Service, and adjourned the matter to Sept. 20 for further hearing.

"Benefits of fish" As analysed by a Nutritionist

Hajiya Jummai Hassan, a nutritionist at the Wuse General Hospital, FCT, has advised people to incorporate more fish into their diet, as there exist enormous nutritious components from it.

She said in Abuja that fish was a low fat, high quality protein food that contains vitamins D, which benefits skin and the bones.

“It also has vitamin B 2, also known as riboflavin, a micro nutrient that helps the body’s cells to create energy.’’

According to Hassan, the human body cannot produce significant amounts of some of these essential nutrients; therefore, fish should be included in every balanced diet.

She said that fish was also rich in calcium, phosphorus and minerals such as iron, zinc, iodine, magnesium and potassium.

“These dietary minerals are essential for a variety of bodily functions.

“They build bones, teeth, blood, skin, hair, muscle and enable nerve function and the metabolic processes.”

Hassan said that oily fish has high omega 3 fatty acids, also known as the “good fats’’ and was low in the `bad fats’ commonly found in red meat, called omega 6 fatty acids.

“Bad fats also known as saturated fats and `trans fats’, increases the risk of disease and elevate cholesterol, and in appearance, tend to be solid at room temperature.

“Good or unsaturated fats, tend to be liquid at room temperature and help in the production of good cholesterol, which is necessary for blood circulation.”

Hassan said that recent studies had shown that consuming fish oil lowers blood pressure and in doing so, also reduces the risk of heart diseases.

The nutritionist explained that omega 3 which was produced in significant amount by the fish, contains Dicosapentaenoic acids (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acids (DHA), considered by scientists to be the building blocks of the brain.

According to her, this is why fish is considered by many people to be a brain food.

“This also explains why fish has also been incorporated into the diet of people in the treatment for Depression, Psychosis, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Alzheimer’s disease, and other brain disorders.’’

Hassan explained that fish oil has always been given to babies because even traditional medicine recognises its benefits.

The nutritionists explained that fish oil, which is in the tissue of oily fish, can be gotten by taking fish oil supplements or by eating oily fish.

She urged people to also take caution while preparing fish in order not to destroy its nutritional value or to negate its benefits.

Hassan said that steaming was probably the best method of cooking fish because it preserves a lot of its properties.

“By the time you fry it, you are adding oil and when you boil it, you add water and the nutrients are washed away. But when you steam it, all its nutrients are intact.” (NAN)

Man, 75, on trial for the rape of three deaf boys

PARIS (AFP) – A 75-year-old French humanitarian worker went on trial Friday in Paris for the rapes of three deaf boys in Indonesia between 1997 and 2004.

Gerard Carayon, a longtime resident of the Javanese capital Yogyakarta, denies the charges.

Carayon headed a non-governmental organisation which helped children in distress and some of them worked at his house.

In 2004, a French diplomat in Jakarta alerted Indonesian police about suspicions that Carayon was sexually abusing children in his house or at a hotel.

A probe was launched and the boys told an Indonesian teacher they had been raped or abused and sometimes given money in exchange for sex.

Carayon, who described himself as a painter, denied the allegations in court. When the testimony of an alleged victim was read out in court that he served as a sex slave, Carayon murmured: “It’s not true.”

He was arrested at Paris’s Charles de Gaulle airport in 2008 while returning from Cambodia. He was released after 18 months in detention in March 2010 under a judicial review but disappeared, sparking an arrest warrant.

Carayon was then arrested in August near the Franco-Italian border and detained again.

Suspected child abuse offenders are being increasingly judged in their own countries for offences committed abroad following changes in legislation in nearly 40 countries

Condom company fined for using a French Town's name

 A maker of condoms purported to be from the town of Condom in southwestern France has been ordered to pay 10,000 euros ($12,600) for false advertising after the provenance of its prophylactics was found to be Malaysia.

"The Original Condom Company" advertised its condoms as coming from the picturesque forested town on the river Baise.

However a court in the city of Bordeaux has ordered the firm, run by two Frenchmen, to remove references to the town from its advertising, as only an unoccupied address could be found there.

Condom's mayor, Bernard Gallardo, said the town of about 7,000 residents has "other advantages" to boast of, besides its name that for years has famously caused English-speaking tourists to stop and pose for photos next to its main sign.

"We're not going to hide our heads in the sand, we won't prevent people from making a link with the name. But retreating into such notoriety can only compromise the tourism qualities of the town," Gallardo told Reuters, citing its gastronomy and old mansions.

Unfortunately for the town, Francophile tourists passing through might also snigger at the name of the local river, which is French for the activity for which condoms are intended

Women Are Now The Dominant Gender

Since the beginning of time, men have ruled the world.
But now women are speeding past men in
schools, at home and in the workplace, according to Hanna Rosin's new book The End of Men: And the Rise of Women .
In the past, "men had an advantage because of their size and strength," Rosin told us in an interview. But in the industrialized world, brains are valued over brawn.
Her book outlines the evidence that women are poised to take over the world.
"Women worldwide dominate colleges and
professional schools on every continent except Africa,"Rosin says. In the United States, three women receive a Bachelor's Degree for every two men that do.
The shift is also revealed in the workplace, where 12 of the 15 fastest-growing industries are primarily occupied by women. Rosin writes in the book:Our vast and struggling middle class, where the disparities between men and women are the greatest, is slowly turning into a matriarchy, with men increasingly absent from the workforce and
from home, and women making all the decisions.
The story was no longer about the depths men had sunk to, that dynamic had been played out for several decades. The new story was that women, for the first time in history, had in many ways surpassed them.
Men have also been limited by society's depictions of them, and are struggling to conform to a more domestic role, Rosin said. While female role models on television date back to workplace woman Mary Tyler Moore, men are often portrayed as bumbling and dumb at home.

American Church Brands Members with the mark of ’666′

Members of Growing in Grace, a controversial
religious sect headquartered in Doral, said they were following the example of their leader, Jose Luis De Jesus Miranda, who has claimed to be Jesus and recently declared himself the Antichrist.
Critics have called De Jesus a cult leader who
manipulates followers. Church members say he has brought them happiness and spiritual fulfillment.
“This is backing up what I truly believe,” said
Alvaro Albarracin, 38, who heads a film production company and joined the church more than a decade ago. He showed a bandage that covered the freshly tattooed “666″ on his forearm. “It’s like a brand. It’s like a sign.” It’s a sign most Christians would shun, because for centuries the numbers have been associated with Satan. But for the 30 or so church members who branded themselves with 666 and SSS — the initials of De Jesus’ motto, “salvo siempre salvo,” or “saved always saved” — it’s a mark of their absolute
faith in De Jesus.
Church members say the symbol doesn’t connect them to Satan but rather to De Jesus’ claim that he has replaced Christ’s teachings with a new gospel.
Scholars and critics of the movement say the
tattoos offer frightening evidence of the influence
De Jesus commands over his followers.
“What is he going to do next to call attention to himself?” asked Daniel Alvarez, an instructor in the department of religious studies at Florida International University who has studied the movement. “This means that his control over people is so great that no matter what he says to them, they’ll follow him.” De Jesus was was not available to comment, said a church spokeswoman.
At the tattoo parlor, one woman wore a T-shirt with De Jesus’ picture and the phrase “The Lord Arrived” in Spanish. Others wore shirts and baseball caps marked with 666. Spanish rap music blared from a stereo in the back.
News cameras circled the tattoo chair as artist Jessica Segatto, wearing pink rubber gloves and a huge silver cross, carefully inked 666 on church members’ ankles, forearms, backs and one member’s neck. Some members said they decided to attend the tattooing session — which was prompted by a church announcement the previous week — to prove their commitment to De Jesus’ vision. Others said they hoped the symbol would provoke questions about the movement.“I figured if I have it on my leg, people are going to notice it, 666, and they’re going to ask,” said church member and spokeswoman Axel Poessy.
De Jesus — who preaches that sin and the devil were destroyed when Jesus died on the cross and that God’s chosen already have been saved — has built a massive movement around his claim to divinity. Followers call him “Daddy” and “God” and lavish him with $5,000 Rolexes and sometimes 40 percent or more of their salaries.
Christian leaders have denounced De Jesus, saying he distorts the Bible. The Rev. Julio Perez of Nueva Esperanza, a faith-based community group in Hialeah, said De Jesus was promoting himself rather than helping members of his church. “What he’s doing is trying to create his own sect,” he said.
De Jesus had just a few hundred followers when he launched his church in a Hialeah warehouse about 20 years ago. Today, he commands a global movement from his Doral headquarters that boasts 335 education centers, 200 pastors, 287 radio programs and a 24-hour Spanish-language TV network that’s available to 2 million homes including by special request from some U.S. cable
companies. Only De Jesus and his right hand man, Carlos Cestero, are authorized to preach.
In his sermons, De Jesus emphasizes wealth and success as a sign of God’s favor. Many of his members are business owners who give a
percentage of their corporate profits to De Jesus,said Alvaro Albarracin, who oversees corporate donations to the church and holds the title “entrepreneur of entrepreneurs.” Albarracin, who runs the film production company MiamiLa Entertainment, said he gave 20 percent of his profit to the movement when he sold his Web-hosting company, Dialtone, for more than $16 million in 2001.
Martita Roca, 25, a South Florida singer and
actress from Guatemala, said she sometimes gives 40 percent of her salary to Growing in Grace.
Giving a piece of her flesh by getting a tattoo was another way to prove her commitment, she said.“For all of those people who pray for us to come out of this movement, this shows that this is it, there’s no going back,” Roca said of her tattoos. “This is to make sure that everyone relates me to that vision.” Luz Fuentes, 51, a former Catholic who joined
Growing in Grace in 1990, said she and her brother give Growing in Grace up to 50 percent of profits from their Hallandale mortgage company, Apos Mortgage. “Apos” is short for “apostle,” one of De Jesus’ monikers. De Jesus is listed on the company’s website as its CEO.
“Antichrist” is the latest in a string of titles De
Jesus has bestowed on himself.
In 1988, De Jesus announced he was the
reincarnation of the Apostle Paul. In 1999, he
dubbed himself “the Other,” a spiritual superbeing who would pave the way for Christ’s second coming. In 2004, he proclaimed himself to be Jesus Christ. That claim caused some prominent members to defect from the movement — including
De Jesus’ first wife, Nydia, and his son Jose Luis Jr., who started his own church in Puerto Rico.
In January, during a packed worship service at the church, De Jesus took off his coat and revealed the numbers 666 on his forearm.
“This is a congregation of Antichrists,” De Jesus said, drawing whistles and cheers.

7.9.12

Nigerian GSM Service Providers Threaten to Withdraw it's Services from the North

Due to the series of attacks on the installations of GSM service providers and some other telecommunications service providers in the north over the past few days, the umbrella body of the telecommunication operators, the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria
(ALTON) on Thursday said its members MTN,
GLO, Airtel and Etisalat will cut off services from the North.
According to ALTON, the number of base stations vandalized in the north so far has been put at 26.
Yet another base station belonging to an
indigenous telecoms infrastructure company ( IHS Nigeria) was bombed in Kano on Thursday, barely 24 hours after the attack on several base stations in Borno, Yobe, Bauchi and Gombe states.
According to the ALTON president, Gbenga
Adebayo, an emergency meeting of the
association’s executives had been called for today (Friday) to decide on what next to do. He says, “If i† becomes impossible to continue to do business in the face of rising attacks on telecoms sites, operators will naturally suspend operations in the area… This is because beyond base stations, these elements may begin to target telecoms operators‘ offices and data centers among other key
infrastructure. That is why it is important that the situation is curtailed before it gets to that point.” Meanwhile, JTF in Borno State yesterday said terrorists’ attacks on telecom masts were designed to “disrupt” communication services and prevent residents from providing information on the activities of gunmen to the military and the police so that they can protect life and property.

Rihanna Wins "Video of the year Award"

The 2012 Video Music Awards was a potpourri of few fresh faces with many familiar ones. One Direction won a whopping three awards, while Rihanna took home the night’s most coveted honor– video of the year.
The 2012 MTV Video Music Awards, hosted by
Kevin Hart, took place yesterday, Thursday
September 6, 2012, honoring the best music videos from the previous year. The VMA 2012 was broadcast Live from the Staples Center arena at Los Angeles, USA
Rihanna opened this year’s award with a
performance that was full of seduction (which by the way, seems to be her thing), good music, even better dancing and—the best part—a balloon party!
See the full list of winners below:
Video of the Year: Rihanna, “We Found Love”

Best New Artist: One Direction, “What Makes
You Beautiful”

Best Female Video: Nicki Minaj, “Starships”

Best Hip-Hop Video: Drake, featuring Lil’
Wayne, “HYFR”

Best Male Video: Chris Brown, “Turn Up the Music”

Best Pop Video: One Direction, “What Makes
You Beautiful”

Best Rock Video: Coldplay, “Paradise”

Best Video With a Message: Demi Lovato,
“Skyscraper”

Best Electronic Dance Music Video: Calvin
Harris, “Feel So Close”

Most Shareworthy Video: One Direction,
“What Makes You Beautiful”

Best Choreography: Chris Brown, “Turn Up the Music”
Best Editing: Beyonce, “Countdown”

Best Visual Effects: Skrillex, “First of the Year
(Equinox)”

Best Cinematography: M.I.A., “Bad Girls”

Best Art Direction: Katy Perry, “Wide Awake”

Best Direction: M.I.A., “Bad Girls

Cynthia is to be Buried today

Cynthia Udoka Osokogu, the 24-year old daughter of retired Major General Frank Osokogu, who was murdered by friends
she met on Facebook is to be buried today.
Cynthia will be laid to rest in her father’s residence in Boji-Boji Owa, Ika North Local Government Area of Delta State, south south Nigeria.
Boji-Boji Owa is an elitist town in Agbor city that hosts many dignitaries, including Senator Ifeanyi Okonwa whose residence is a stone’s throw from Osokogu’s residence.
The Governor of Delta State, Emmanuel Uduaghan, commissioners and other dignitaries in the state, will be attending the burial, the family said on Thursday.
At the General’s residence, a throng of sympathisers came all day to present their condolence messages to General Osokogu.
Obituary posters were seen all over the sprawling residence, including on the window of a bedroom where Cynthia always spent Christmas and New Year celebrations in.s

Policeman found dead on Benue street

RESIDENTS of Lagos Street in the Wadata area of
Makurdi, Benue State capital on Wednesday woke up
confused as they found a middle-aged man said to be
a policeman lying dead on the street.
The man who was found lying on his back with his
face up and eyes open had a needle plastered on his
left arm which sent indications that he might have
been sick and on admission in one of the hospitals.
At the scene of the incident, some members of the
crowd recognised the man to be a policeman. Some
policemen who later thronged to the scene identified
the deceased as Abubakar and one of their officers
transferred from Nasarawa State recently.
The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO),
Daniel Ezeala, confirmed the death and the victim as
a policeman. He said the death would be
investigated.
Ezeala confirmed to The Guardian that the late
policeman was acknowledged to be sick and was
taken to the hospital but disappeared from his sick
bed only to be discovered dead on the street.

Nigeria improves on the African Ranking

Nigeria's Super Eagles maintained their 58th position on the world ranking released early today by the world football governing body, FIFA.
Though there is no upward improvement, the country maintained the position it occupied last month on the world ranking. It, however, improved a step upward in Africa from number 11 in August to number 10 which
was occupied by Sierra Leone.
In the month under review, Nigeria played a goalless draw against Niger in an international friendly tie ahead of their 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qulaifier against the Lone Star of Liberia Meanwhile, Spain are still world's number one followed by Germany, England, Portugal, Uruguay, Italy,
Argentina, Netherlands, Croatia and Denmark in that order in the world's top 10.
On the African continent, Didier Drogba's Cote d'Ivoire are still number one followed by Algeria, Ghana, Mali, Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, Zambia and Gabon.

World's Top 5

Spain

Germany

England

Portugal

Uruguay

Africa's Top 10

Côte d'Ivoire

Algeria

Ghana

Mali

Libya

Egypt

Tunisia

Zambia

Gabon

Nigeria

6.9.12

Christian Corpers Lodge Suffers Early Morning Attack In Jalingo, Taraba State

Gunmen attacked the lodge of the Redeemed
Christian Corpers Fellowship early yesterday in Jalingo, Taraba state capital .
The bandits who stormed the Family House of the Redeemed Christian Corpers Fellowship (RCCF) held the parishoners hostage for hours after relieving them of hundreds of thousands of dollars and other valuables.
The gunmen gained entrance into the Corpers lodge from a toilet in the female wing of the building. They carted off three laptops, about 24 mobile phones and thousands of naira.“We were about 20 corpers in the lodge when i† happened," recalled a church member. All our phones were taken away, some of us had two, three phones. Our monthly feeding allowance which we contributed to was also taken away by
the evil men.”A fellowship member who asked that his name not be used in print said: “We were sleeping when some men came in holding all sort of dangerous weapons but we never resisted them, we obeyed their orders because we were in great fear. They asked us our state of origin and religion and threatened to behead us if we misbehaved. ”
RCCF president Banji Omogbehin said "the
bandits were asking us for our state of origin,
threatening to rape our ladies and behead us." A motive for the attack is unknown.
Gunmen attacked the lodge of the Redeemed
Christian Corpers Fellowship early yesterday in Jalingo, Taraba state capital .
The bandits who stormed the Family House of the Redeemed Christian Corpers Fellowship (RCCF) held the parishoners hostage for hours after relieving them of hundreds of thousands of dollars and other valuables.
The gunmen gained entrance into the Corpers lodge from a toilet in the female wing of the building. They carted off three laptops, about 24 mobile phones and thousands of naira.“We were about 20 corpers in the lodge when i† happened," recalled a church member. All our phones were taken away, some of us had two, three phones. Our monthly feeding allowance which we contributed to was also taken away by
the evil men.”A fellowship member who asked that his name not be used in print said: “We were sleeping when some men came in holding all sort of dangerous weapons but we never resisted them, we obeyed their orders because we were in great fear. They asked us our state of origin and religion and threatened to behead us if we misbehaved. ”
RCCF president Banji Omogbehin said "the
bandits were asking us for our state of origin,
threatening to rape our ladies and behead us." A motive for the attack is unknown.

For Being “Stingy” And “Tight Fisted”, Lady Organises Kidnap for her Childhood Friend.

It is indeed an obvious fact that we should mind the kind of people we call our friends.

Ekwy Okadigbo lured her friend Mimiy Onyekweli, who happens to be a legal practitioner to a restaurant in a grand design that will culminate in her kidnap.
However, luck ran out on her when the vehicle that was supposed to serve as the get-away car refused to start. At that point, Mimiy had already been abducted, blindfolded and held inside the car but following the ensuing milieu over the car’s inability to work, she was able to break free from her captors and alert the police.
Okadigbo’s grouse with her friend, according to her, was that Onyekweli refused to give her money when she requested. “She was said to have informed the suspected gang leader, Chinedu, of the bad habit of her childhood friend who was said to be greedy and tight fisted,” a police source revealed.
Interestingly, two days before Okadigbo allegedly lured her friend into the hand of the suspected gang, Onyekweli’s father saw the friends together and happily gave Okadigbo N500,000.
The state Commissioner of Police, Ballah
Nasarawa, told Crimewatch that Okadigbo was the mastermind of the kidnapping of Onyekweli so that ransom could be collected. Nasarawa said that the police arrested Okadigbo while the others escaped.

Update on Cynthia's Murder; As Police Recover 50 Nude Pictures

The last may have not been heard of the murder of Cynthia Osokogu and subsequent arrest of her suspected killers as police detectives at the Area E Command, Lagos have said her accused killers took pictures while sexually assaulting her.
The Area Commander, Damian Okoro, said, “The pictures are contained in a recovered black Compaq 610 laptop belonging to Nwabufor Okwuomo, one of the suspects who lured the deceased to Lagos.” The laptop is also said to contain over 50 nude photographs of female victims who have fallen prey to the suspect.
Some of the photographs showed girls tied with rope and their mouths covered with cello tape with objects inserted in their private part. Osokogu’s naked photographs also showed bites and wounds inflicted all over her.
Late Cynthia And The Suspects Meanwhile, the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation on Wednesday said it had concluded arrangements to sue the management of Cosmilla Hotel in Festac Town, Lagos, where Osokogu was murdered by ‘BlackBerry friends’ over illegal operation.

Give it up for Dr Dre as Hip Hop’s Top Money Maker As Jay Z Is Pushed To Third Spot

With $110 million in pretax earnings, Dr. Dre is this year’s Hip-Hop Cash King—despite the fact that his long-awaited album, Detox, remains on the shelf. He’s not the only one on the list who banks the bulk of his bucks outside the recording studio.
Diddy ranks No. 2 with $45 million, thanks mostly to a share of profits from Diageo’s Ciroc vodka; Jay-Z ranks third with $38 million, pulling in more than half his annual earnings from ventures including ownership stakes in cosmetics company Carol’s Daughter, the Brookyln Nets and a joint
venture with battery maker Duracell.
Kanye West ranks fourth on the list with $35
million, fueled by his Watch the Throne album with Jay-Z and the ensuing tour, followed by Lil Wayne at $27 million. The diminutive rhymester’s latest album, Tha Carter IV, sold a million copies in it's first week; he also launched clothing line Trukfit
and a partnership with Pepsi’s Mountain Dew, the first major product endorsement in the veteran rapper’s career.
Lil Wayne is joined on the Cash Kings list by
labelmates Drake (No. 6) and Nicki Minaj (No. 8), who banked $20.5 million and $15.5 million, respectively, thanks to new albums, tours and product endorsements with companies like Kodak and Pepsi. Their boss, Cash Money co-founder Bryan “Birdman” Williams, ranks seventh with $20 million. Even lower down on the list, artists are
getting paid considerable sums to shill products.“We’ve received a lot of income based around endorsements,” says former Def Jam President Kevin Liles, who now manages a host of artists including No. 18 Young Jeezy. “A lot of brands are saying, ‘Hey, there’s a value proposition, instead of
this freewheeling spending … I have some
guaranteed curators and travel agents that can help me reach the consumer in a better way.’” Yet for a few artists, music alone is a viable path to earning millions. No. 9 Eminem sold more albums last decade than any artist in the world, and continues to cash in from his extensive back catalog and occasional tour dates, pulling in $15 million.
Ludacris rounds out the top ten with earnings of $12 million. The multihyphenate mogul’s non-musical ventures include Conjure cognac,
headphone line Soul, voiceovers for RadioShack and roles in movies such as Fast Five and New Year’s Eve.
“We work so hard that we never get a real chance to stop and reflect on what we’ve done sometimes,”says Ludacris.

Hollywood Actors To Have ‘Real’ Sêx in Movie

Shia LaBeouf has been reported to be ready to have real sex in a movie to be released in 2013.The director of the movie, Lars Von Trier doesn’t joke with his work, and actor Shia LaBeouf believes everything about the film is
going to be real. According to him in an MTV
interview, “Von Trier is very dangerous, he’s the most dangerous dude that I’ve ever showed up for.
I’m terrified. I’m so terrified, which is why I have to go. We’ll see what happens.” The film titled The Nymphomaniac follows the
story of a woman’s sexual history, narrated by her husband, reportedly also stars Charlotte Gainsbourg and Stellan Skarsgard, while Nicole Kidman is also rumored to be attached. It’s been reported LaBeouf could possible play one of the Gainsbourg’s lovers in the film.“The movie is what you think it is,” LaBeouf said.“It is Lars von Trier, making a movie about what he’s making. For instance, there’s a disclaimer at the top of the script that basically says we’re doing it for real. Everything that is illegal, we’ll shoot in blurred images. Other than that, everything is happening.”

Confession: " Sold Maryam Abacha’s Jewels To Buy Cocaine For Her Son" – Abdullahi Ali

A telephone operator in the house of the late Head of State General Sani Abacha, who is standing trial before a Kano Chief Magistrate’s Court over alleged theft of jewelries belonging to former First Lady
Hajiya Maryam Abacha, has told the court that son of the late miliary head of state sent him to sell the gold and buy cocaine with the proceeds.
Abdullahi Ali, who was charged to court along three others for the offence committed in 2007,denied the allegation of theft and house breaking in his defence yesterday. While being led by his counsel, Barrister Abubakar Muhammad, the accused said Abdullahi Sani Abacha gave him the jewelries about five years ago, when his mother was
away in Abuja.
“He directed me to sell it and take the money to one Tony in Sabon Gari [quarters] to collect cocaine for him,” he said. He also said Abdullahi almost killed him when he refused to comply with a similar directive, earlier on.
The accused person, who has been in prison
custody for five years, said he was given N110,000 as part payment for the gold which he sold N220,000. “I took the money to Tony and collected the cocaine,” he added.
Ali, however, said when Maryam Abacha returned from the journey and discovered that she had been robbed, other house servants who were not in good terms with him roped him in. He said the chief security officer to the former First Lady, Captain
Hassan, along with Mohammed Ali, Musa Ya’u and Murtala Ali, told Maryam that they were suspecting him.
“When I told the police about Tony, Captain
Hassan quickly called him on the phone and asked him to run away and since then I have not heard from him again,” he said.
Chief Magistrate Khadi-jah Mustapha adjourned the case to September 19, 2012
A telephone operator in the house of the late Head of State General Sani Abacha, who is standing trial before a Kano Chief Magistrate’s Court over alleged theft of jewelries belonging to former First Lady
Hajiya Maryam Abacha, has told the court that son of the late miliary head of state sent him to sell the gold and buy cocaine with the proceeds.
Abdullahi Ali, who was charged to court along three others for the offence committed in 2007,denied the allegation of theft and house breaking in his defence yesterday. While being led by his counsel, Barrister Abubakar Muhammad, the accused said Abdullahi Sani Abacha gave him the jewelries about five years ago, when his mother was
away in Abuja.
“He directed me to sell it and take the money to one Tony in Sabon Gari [quarters] to collect cocaine for him,” he said. He also said Abdullahi almost killed him when he refused to comply with a similar directive, earlier on.
The accused person, who has been in prison
custody for five years, said he was given N110,000 as part payment for the gold which he sold N220,000. “I took the money to Tony and collected the cocaine,” he added.
Ali, however, said when Maryam Abacha returned from the journey and discovered that she had been robbed, other house servants who were not in good terms with him roped him in. He said the chief security officer to the former First Lady, Captain
Hassan, along with Mohammed Ali, Musa Ya’u and Murtala Ali, told Maryam that they were suspecting him.
“When I told the police about Tony, Captain
Hassan quickly called him on the phone and asked him to run away and since then I have not heard from him again,” he said.
Chief Magistrate Khadi-jah Mustapha adjourned the case to September 19, 2012

The 5 Reasons Why You Never Hear Back After Applying For A Job

As Written by Meghan M. Biro

People often wonder why they never hear anything back after they hit ‘send’ on the email with a resume attached or on the on-line job application. If you’re very lucky, you might have a preliminary email exchange with a recruiter and then never hear from them again.
It’s a depressing experience, and one which also casts a shadow on the hiring company’s reputation. So why does it happen? Is it you, is it them, or is it just something every candidate must prepare for in the hiring process? There’s no question job seekers face an uphill climb.
High unemployment nationally means more competition for every position; according to a January 2012 article in the Wall Street Journal, Starbucks “… attracted 7.6 million job applicants over the past 12 months for about 65,000 corporate and retail job openings…” An oft-cited recruiter’s complaint is that as many as 50 percent of people applying for a given job simply aren’t qualified. Adding to the challenge, most large companies – and many smaller ones – use
talent-management software to screen resumes, weeding out up to 50 percent of applicants before a human even looks at a resume or cover letter. The deck is definitely stacked against the job seeker. So how do you break through? Here are my top 5 reasons you’re not hearing back after applying for a job, with five suggestions for ways to avoid the Resume Black Hole.
Why You Never Hear Back:
1. You really aren’t qualified. If a job description specifies a software developer with 3-5 years of experience and you’re a recent graduate with one internship, it’s unlikely you’ll get a call. Avoid disappointment – don’t apply for jobs for which you lack qualifications. Most job descriptions are written with very specific requirements. Yes, the company is trying to find the most qualified candidate; yes, they are trying to weed people out. It’s not personal, it’s business.
2. You haven’t keyword-optimized your
resume or application. Job descriptions are
salted with keywords specific to the skills or
attributes the company seeks in applicants. A close read of the job description is a necessity, as is keyword-optimizing your resume and cover letter, if you’re using one, or email. If the job description lists words in a certain order, e.g. a list of programming languages required, use the same order in your resume.
3. Your resume isn’t formatted properly. You
might think distinctive formatting will set your resume apart, but automated programs don’t care if a document is pretty. Help a machine out. Be consistent in formatting – consider using separate lines for former employer, job title, and years worked.
4. Your resume is substantially different from
your online profile . LinkedIn, Dice and other
online profile sites can be useful tools, so it‘s
important to make sure they match what’s on your resume. This may seem to be a contradiction – in #1 I advised keyword optimization – but it’s really common sense. Jobs worked, employers, years on the job and other details should match. The subtext here is always tell the truth.
5. The company received 500 resumes for one
job posting, and yours was 499th in. Looking
for a job is a job. Do your research – know which companies you want to work for, organizations where you sense culture fit. Every morning scour the job postings and jump on anything for which you’re qualified (and in which you’re interested.) Being early with your resume or application does matter. Check back often in the first few days to make sure the listing hasn’t changed. Often a company will post a job and halfway through the process change the description.
It’s hard to game the system. Your best bet is still a personal referral, and even that may not be enough to get a call. A guy I know gave his resume to a woman who worked at a company where a good job had been posted. He received an automated email noting his
resume had been received but never heard another word. After a month he asked his friend to check with the recruiter. It turned out the job description had changed, but the recruiter never bothered to let the referring employee – or the applicant – know. This isn’t unusual, unfortunately. So what can you do?
How You Can Get Noticed:
1. Research interesting companies on social
media. Find out who the recruiters are and follow them. Many will tweet new postings, so watch their streams and jump on anything for which you are qualified. And if they tweet news saying the company’s had a great quarter, retweet the news with a positive comment.
2. Consider starting a blog in your area of
interest or expertise. It’s a social world; time to build a trail of breadcrumbs leading to you. Include the blog, and links to any especially relevant posts, in your emails to recruiters with whom you’re working.
3. Get professional help with your resume. Either a resume writer or an SEO expert
can help you increase your odds of getting through the talent management software. If you can’t afford this step, read the top career blogs for advice.
4. If at all possible, don’t wait until you’re out
of work to find your next job. I realize for many people this isn’t possible or might even be offensive, but your chances of finding the next job are best when you’re still employed.
5. Network. Old advice, but still true. Be visible, be upbeat, be informed about industry trends and news in your area of expertise.
Finding a job is tough, no question. I’ve talked to other recruiters who say they only respond to 30 percent of applicants. The odds are good you’ll be in the 60+ percent who hears nothing a lot of the time.
Don’t take it personally – it’s not a rejection of you, it’s a reflection of the times. If you don’t hear back, know you’re not alone.
As Written by Meghan M. Biro

People often wonder why they never hear anything back after they hit ‘send’ on the email with a resume attached or on the on-line job application. If you’re very lucky, you might have a preliminary email exchange with a recruiter and then never hear from them again.
It’s a depressing experience, and one which also casts a shadow on the hiring company’s reputation. So why does it happen? Is it you, is it them, or is it just something every candidate must prepare for in the hiring process? There’s no question job seekers face an uphill climb.
High unemployment nationally means more competition for every position; according to a January 2012 article in the Wall Street Journal, Starbucks “… attracted 7.6 million job applicants over the past 12 months for about 65,000 corporate and retail job openings…” An oft-cited recruiter’s complaint is that as many as 50 percent of people applying for a given job simply aren’t qualified. Adding to the challenge, most large companies – and many smaller ones – use
talent-management software to screen resumes, weeding out up to 50 percent of applicants before a human even looks at a resume or cover letter. The deck is definitely stacked against the job seeker. So how do you break through? Here are my top 5 reasons you’re not hearing back after applying for a job, with five suggestions for ways to avoid the Resume Black Hole.
Why You Never Hear Back:
1. You really aren’t qualified. If a job description specifies a software developer with 3-5 years of experience and you’re a recent graduate with one internship, it’s unlikely you’ll get a call. Avoid disappointment – don’t apply for jobs for which you lack qualifications. Most job descriptions are written with very specific requirements. Yes, the company is trying to find the most qualified candidate; yes, they are trying to weed people out. It’s not personal, it’s business.
2. You haven’t keyword-optimized your
resume or application. Job descriptions are
salted with keywords specific to the skills or
attributes the company seeks in applicants. A close read of the job description is a necessity, as is keyword-optimizing your resume and cover letter, if you’re using one, or email. If the job description lists words in a certain order, e.g. a list of programming languages required, use the same order in your resume.
3. Your resume isn’t formatted properly. You
might think distinctive formatting will set your resume apart, but automated programs don’t care if a document is pretty. Help a machine out. Be consistent in formatting – consider using separate lines for former employer, job title, and years worked.
4. Your resume is substantially different from
your online profile . LinkedIn, Dice and other
online profile sites can be useful tools, so it‘s
important to make sure they match what’s on your resume. This may seem to be a contradiction – in #1 I advised keyword optimization – but it’s really common sense. Jobs worked, employers, years on the job and other details should match. The subtext here is always tell the truth.
5. The company received 500 resumes for one
job posting, and yours was 499th in. Looking
for a job is a job. Do your research – know which companies you want to work for, organizations where you sense culture fit. Every morning scour the job postings and jump on anything for which you’re qualified (and in which you’re interested.) Being early with your resume or application does matter. Check back often in the first few days to make sure the listing hasn’t changed. Often a company will post a job and halfway through the process change the description.
It’s hard to game the system. Your best bet is still a personal referral, and even that may not be enough to get a call. A guy I know gave his resume to a woman who worked at a company where a good job had been posted. He received an automated email noting his
resume had been received but never heard another word. After a month he asked his friend to check with the recruiter. It turned out the job description had changed, but the recruiter never bothered to let the referring employee – or the applicant – know. This isn’t unusual, unfortunately. So what can you do?
How You Can Get Noticed:
1. Research interesting companies on social
media. Find out who the recruiters are and follow them. Many will tweet new postings, so watch their streams and jump on anything for which you are qualified. And if they tweet news saying the company’s had a great quarter, retweet the news with a positive comment.
2. Consider starting a blog in your area of
interest or expertise. It’s a social world; time to build a trail of breadcrumbs leading to you. Include the blog, and links to any especially relevant posts, in your emails to recruiters with whom you’re working.
3. Get professional help with your resume. Either a resume writer or an SEO expert
can help you increase your odds of getting through the talent management software. If you can’t afford this step, read the top career blogs for advice.
4. If at all possible, don’t wait until you’re out
of work to find your next job. I realize for many people this isn’t possible or might even be offensive, but your chances of finding the next job are best when you’re still employed.
5. Network. Old advice, but still true. Be visible, be upbeat, be informed about industry trends and news in your area of expertise.
Finding a job is tough, no question. I’ve talked to other recruiters who say they only respond to 30 percent of applicants. The odds are good you’ll be in the 60+ percent who hears nothing a lot of the time.
Don’t take it personally – it’s not a rejection of you, it’s a reflection of the times. If you don’t hear back, know you’re not alone.
As Written by Meghan M. Biro

People often wonder why they never hear anything back after they hit ‘send’ on the email with a resume attached or on the on-line job application. If you’re very lucky, you might have a preliminary email exchange with a recruiter and then never hear from them again.
It’s a depressing experience, and one which also casts a shadow on the hiring company’s reputation. So why does it happen? Is it you, is it them, or is it just something every candidate must prepare for in the hiring process? There’s no question job seekers face an uphill climb.
High unemployment nationally means more competition for every position; according to a January 2012 article in the Wall Street Journal, Starbucks “… attracted 7.6 million job applicants over the past 12 months for about 65,000 corporate and retail job openings…” An oft-cited recruiter’s complaint is that as many as 50 percent of people applying for a given job simply aren’t qualified. Adding to the challenge, most large companies – and many smaller ones – use
talent-management software to screen resumes, weeding out up to 50 percent of applicants before a human even looks at a resume or cover letter. The deck is definitely stacked against the job seeker. So how do you break through? Here are my top 5 reasons you’re not hearing back after applying for a job, with five suggestions for ways to avoid the Resume Black Hole.
Why You Never Hear Back:
1. You really aren’t qualified. If a job description specifies a software developer with 3-5 years of experience and you’re a recent graduate with one internship, it’s unlikely you’ll get a call. Avoid disappointment – don’t apply for jobs for which you lack qualifications. Most job descriptions are written with very specific requirements. Yes, the company is trying to find the most qualified candidate; yes, they are trying to weed people out. It’s not personal, it’s business.
2. You haven’t keyword-optimized your
resume or application. Job descriptions are
salted with keywords specific to the skills or
attributes the company seeks in applicants. A close read of the job description is a necessity, as is keyword-optimizing your resume and cover letter, if you’re using one, or email. If the job description lists words in a certain order, e.g. a list of programming languages required, use the same order in your resume.
3. Your resume isn’t formatted properly. You
might think distinctive formatting will set your resume apart, but automated programs don’t care if a document is pretty. Help a machine out. Be consistent in formatting – consider using separate lines for former employer, job title, and years worked.
4. Your resume is substantially different from
your online profile . LinkedIn, Dice and other
online profile sites can be useful tools, so it‘s
important to make sure they match what’s on your resume. This may seem to be a contradiction – in #1 I advised keyword optimization – but it’s really common sense. Jobs worked, employers, years on the job and other details should match. The subtext here is always tell the truth.
5. The company received 500 resumes for one
job posting, and yours was 499th in. Looking
for a job is a job. Do your research – know which companies you want to work for, organizations where you sense culture fit. Every morning scour the job postings and jump on anything for which you’re qualified (and in which you’re interested.) Being early with your resume or application does matter. Check back often in the first few days to make sure the listing hasn’t changed. Often a company will post a job and halfway through the process change the description.
It’s hard to game the system. Your best bet is still a personal referral, and even that may not be enough to get a call. A guy I know gave his resume to a woman who worked at a company where a good job had been posted. He received an automated email noting his
resume had been received but never heard another word. After a month he asked his friend to check with the recruiter. It turned out the job description had changed, but the recruiter never bothered to let the referring employee – or the applicant – know. This isn’t unusual, unfortunately. So what can you do?
How You Can Get Noticed:
1. Research interesting companies on social
media. Find out who the recruiters are and follow them. Many will tweet new postings, so watch their streams and jump on anything for which you are qualified. And if they tweet news saying the company’s had a great quarter, retweet the news with a positive comment.
2. Consider starting a blog in your area of
interest or expertise. It’s a social world; time to build a trail of breadcrumbs leading to you. Include the blog, and links to any especially relevant posts, in your emails to recruiters with whom you’re working.
3. Get professional help with your resume. Either a resume writer or an SEO expert
can help you increase your odds of getting through the talent management software. If you can’t afford this step, read the top career blogs for advice.
4. If at all possible, don’t wait until you’re out
of work to find your next job. I realize for many people this isn’t possible or might even be offensive, but your chances of finding the next job are best when you’re still employed.
5. Network. Old advice, but still true. Be visible, be upbeat, be informed about industry trends and news in your area of expertise.
Finding a job is tough, no question. I’ve talked to other recruiters who say they only respond to 30 percent of applicants. The odds are good you’ll be in the 60+ percent who hears nothing a lot of the time.
Don’t take it personally – it’s not a rejection of you, it’s a reflection of the times. If you don’t hear back, know you’re not alone.

Ludacris Dreams: A Rap Mogul Diversifies His Empire - Forbes

For the versatile Ludacris, “part of the reason” is certainly the right phrase. He’s one of the most diversified artists on this year’s Hip-Hop Cash Kings list, ranking No. 10 with $12 million in earnings over the past year, pulling in cash from those Soul headphones, a cognac line called Conjure, voiceovers for RadioShack, music sales, roles in films including Fast Five and New Year’s Eve, and other ventures.
Ludacris is also one of hip-hop’s most consistent earners. Since his 2000 major label debut, every one of his seven studio albums has sold at least 500,000 copies. He’s made the Cash Kings list in each of its six years, racking up $80 million over that period—more than T.I. or Eminem. And he’s showing no signs of slowing down.
“When we talk about building brands, we’re not in i† for the short run,” he says. “It’s not about getting in and hurrying up and trying to sell something. We get offers all the time; that doesn’t mean we take every offer that comes to us.”Some readers might be surprised to hear that sort of talk from an artist whose oeuvre includes songs like“Move Bitch (Get Out The Way)” and “(You’s a) Ho.” But for Ludacris, who was studying for a degree in
business management at Georgia State University
when his career started to take off, that’s just part of the dichotomy.
“It’s almost the same as someone working in an office building from nine to five, and then on the weekends they go partying,” he says. “Every human being has different sides to themselves, and they showcase their
emotions in different ways … I’d be doing fans a disservice if I only showed one side of myself.” Ludacris got his start showing both of those sides at an Atlanta radio station, where he began as an intern and by the late 1990s had launched his career as a radio personality, using the name “Chris Lova Lova.” He also had an affinity for rhyme, but couldn’t convince anyone to sign him at first.
So from 1998 to 1999, Ludacris recorded and
independently released his debut album, Incognegro, launching his own label, Disturbing Tha Peace, with his managers Chaka Zulu and Jeff Dixon. The album
sold tens of thousands of copies—many from the trunk of his own car—more than enough to earn the attention of the major labels.
“Nobody believed in Ludacris, so Ludacris put out his own album; you can’t get more businessman than that,” says Kevin Liles, the former Def Jam President who eventually signed the rapper. “He’s engaging, he’s personable. That right there was part of his
foundation to be in different businesses. Because to be diversified in business, you have to be a diversified person.” Once ensconced at Def Jam, Ludacris’ career
continued to soar. His first studio album, Back for the First Time, sold 133,000 copies in its opening week in 2000, eventually moving more than 3 million units. His second, 2001’s Word of Mouf, performed twice as well out of the gate and would go on to sell nearly 4
million copies; his third, Chicken-n-Beer, debuted with sales of 429,000 in 2003 and also went on to gain multiplatinum certification.
That same year, he launched his film career in earnest with a lead role in the car racing flick 2 Fast 2 Furious (he’d go on to star in four more installments of the series and is set for a yet another). After he picked up an Academy Award as part of the cast of Crash in 2004, it had become clear that he was more than just a rapper—and corporate partners have taken notice.
“He gets it,” says Dixon, who still manages Ludacris along with Chaka Zulu. “I don’t have to sit there—he can go talk at the correspondents’ dinner. He’s just a great pitchman.” In recent years, Ludacris added Soul By Ludacris and Conjure cognac to his portfolio, taking a small equity state in the former and half of the latter. And then
there was his guest verse on Bieber’s breakthrough hit, “Baby,” which has since racked up more than 750 million YouTube views, more than any other video in history (Ludacris politely declined to give specifics on
what sort of royalties he gets, saying only that they’re “non-stop” and “continuously flowing.”) Next up: A new album, Ludaversal, due out this fall. “I traveled the world over the last two years, I got to see a lot of things and had a lot of experiences,” he says. “That’s what Ludaversal is all about. Really kind
of being vulnerable and letting you into my life.
People are definitely going to understand a lot more about the personal side of Chris Bridges when they hear this album.”In the meantime, Ludacris is trying to pass along the entrepreneurial torch. He’s helped his daughter, Karma, start an educational website called KarmasWorld.com (“She’s the CEO at age 10,” says the rapper, who owns the site himself). On the site, youngsters can hear stories about Karma’s interplanetary detective agency, play carnival-style math games and listen to science-themed songs like
“Spacetacular.”

SSS in search of those behind the leakage of some of its personnel data on the Internet

The State Security Service has begun hunting for those behind the leakage of the data of its personnel on the Internet. Reports say some suspects had been arrested in connection with the incident. Though the identity of the suspects and their numbers could not be immediately ascertained, it was learnt that those arrested were cooperating and giving information that could assist investigators in apprehending the brain behind the data leakage. Findings indicated that the agency was working on the theory that the masterminds of the leak had internal collaborators.

5.9.12

SAFRAN fined 500,000 euros for bribing Nigerian officials

A French court on Wednesday fined electronics group SAFRAN 500,000 euros
($630,000) for bribing Nigerian officials to
obtain a huge ID card contract.
The case concerned offences committed by
former electronics firm SAGEM, which merged with company SNECMA in 2005 to
form SAFRAN, a major French electronics,
aerospace and defence group.
The charges stem from allegations by former
Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo that
between 2000 and 2003 SAGEM executives
paid Nigerian officials bribes ranging from
$30,000 to $500,000 to win the $214
million identity card contract.

SAFRAN fined 500,000 euros for bribing Nigerian officials

A French court on Wednesday fined electronics group SAFRAN 500,000 euros
($630,000) for bribing Nigerian officials to
obtain a huge ID card contract.
The case concerned offences committed by
former electronics firm SAGEM, which merged with company SNECMA in 2005 to
form SAFRAN, a major French electronics,
aerospace and defence group.
The charges stem from allegations by former
Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo that
between 2000 and 2003 SAGEM executives
paid Nigerian officials bribes ranging from
$30,000 to $500,000 to win the $214
million identity card contract.
A French court on Wednesday fined electronics group SAFRAN 500,000 euros
($630,000) for bribing Nigerian officials to
obtain a huge ID card contract.
The case concerned offences committed by
former electronics firm SAGEM, which merged with company SNECMA in 2005 to
form SAFRAN, a major French electronics,
aerospace and defence group.
The charges stem from allegations by former
Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo that
between 2000 and 2003 SAGEM executives
paid Nigerian officials bribes ranging from
$30,000 to $500,000 to win the $214
million identity card contract.

Evangelist Helen Ukpabio verbally Attacks Prophet TB Joshua

The the General Overseer of the Synagogue Church of All Nations, Prophet T.B. Joshua has really faced some noisy controversies this period, but while one thinks everything was subsiding, another one has cropped up.
The founder of the Calabar-based Liberty Gospel Ministries, Evangelist Helen Ukpabio, has accused Prophet Joshua of being a fake miracle worker.
In a latest interview with a soft sell magazine,Evangelist Ukpabio was quoted as saying the Prophet was made wealthy by demons and warned people not to take his predictions seriously

NBC -We did not Ban wande coal's ‘Go Low’ music Video.

Following the news that pop singer Wande Coal’s latest video “Go Low”, received a BAN on Terrestrial TV last week, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) says it did not sanction the censor.
Speaking exclusively with Nigerian Entertainment today, an NBC spokesperson explains that the commission ‘merely verbally advised stations should edit the musical video’ before using it on Terrestrial TV station.
‘We have no issues with the lyrics; the issue is with the video clip and just a tiny part of it. The advice is to edit that part before use on broadcasting station’, Francisca Aiyetan a rep from the Broadcast Content and Zonal Coordination of the commission said.

President Jonathan Very Angry Over the public Leakage Of First Lady's Illness; no be small thing O!

President Goodluck Jonathan is said to be angry about the leakage of information
concerning the sickness of his wife, Patience.
The President and those closed to him had planned to keep Mrs.
Jonathan’s trip “a top secret.”Mrs. Jonathan is presently in German, where she was said to have undergone surgery for ruptured appendicitis.
But the Presidency had denied that the President’s wife was ill, saying that she was only resting abroad.
Her spokesman, Mr. Ayo Osinlu, said the President’s wife travelled out of the country to take a “moment’s rest.” It was learnt that the President had thought that his wife where abouts would be kept under wraps by those considered to be his close associates of Patience aids and few security officials, who it was gathered, knew about her movement.
Investigations further showed that in order to avoid leakage of information on her trip, only those considered to be “very trusted” aides knew about it.
However, when the story was published by an online medium, Saharareporters, the President was said to be angry that there were moles among those considered to be trusted aides.
A Presidency source said, “The President is angry that the story could still leak when a very few staff of the President and security men knew about the travelling.
“He had thought that the movement could be kept secret as planned, but was astonished when news started filtering on the Internet about the sickness that made her to travel.
“At some point, he felt bad that despite the overhaul of the security system in the Villa, the movement of his wife would still not be kept secret.”
It was learnt that the entire security system in the Presidential Villa had been overhauled more than three times since the President assumed office.
Before now, the President’s aides were said to have thought that some foreign media houses working at the Presidential Villa were responsible for the leakage of information in the Presidency.
However, the postage of some photographs on the Internet and online medium were said to have changed the thought.

Lagos Bakers Lament: We’re sorry for increasing the price of Bread.

The President of the Association of Master
Bakers and Caterers, Lagos State Chapter,
Jacob Adejorin, on Monday, appealed to the
public over the hike in the price of bread.
Mr. Adejorin said in Lagos that the increase is unavoidable because bakers can no longer run the business at a loss.
“It is not our desire to make life uncomfortable formembers of the public. We have seriously considered them before increasing the price of our products,” he said.
He said that ingredients used in the production of bread have become too expensive for bakers.
The master baker said that a bag of wheat is now being sold for N7, 100 as against the previous price of N5, 750; while a bag of sugar is now N9, 000 from N5, 000.
“Many of our members have gone out of business.
Some of them have been forced to return to their villages, while others have taken to other businesses,” he said.
Bread vendors said a loaf of Val-U bread and UTC bread, which used to cost N180 no sells for N220 while loaves that used to cost N100 and N120 now cost N120 and N150 respectively, and the N150 loaf now sells for N200.

Comeback Attempt; As Nokia unveils new Microsoft-powered Lumias phone

Nokia Oyj unveiled two smartphones using Microsoft Corp.’s new Windows Phone software, betting on the devices to win back sales lost to the iPhone and Android handset makers.
The Lumia 920 has a 4.5-inch (11-cm) screen and an 8.7- megapixel camera with a so-called floating lens that uses software for image stabilization, Nokia Chief Executive Officer Stephen Elop said today at a news conference in New York. The Lumia 820, whose screen measures 4.3 inches, has an 8-
megapixel camera without the optics software. Both will go on sale in the fourth quarter of this year.
Nokia is counting on its partnership with Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft to help boost sales and return the company to profitability after falling behind its rivals. The Espoo, Finland-based phonemaker has identified the U.S. as a market where it has to win back users and gain momentum in its attempted global comeback bid.
The announcement of the Lumia models gives Nokia a brief head start before two top rivals present their own newest handsets. Motorola Mobility, a unit of Google Inc., is planning to unveil one of the first full-screen phones in the U.S. later in New York,
according to a person familiar with the plan. Apple Inc., maker of the iPhone, is planning its own introduction on Sept. 12.

Alessandro Del Piero Moves to Sydney FC

Australian side Sydney FC have completed the high-profile signing of former Italy international Alessandro Del Piero.
The 37-year-old forward has signed a two-year dealwith the A-League club.
Del Piero left Italian champions Juventus in the summer after making more than 500 appearances for the Turin side.
He had recently been linked with a move to the Premier League before deciding to sign for Sydney.
"I am extremely happy to be joining Sydney FC," said Del Piero.
"This is a very big moment for me because I want to continue my career in a new part of the world where I can make a major contribution and help grow the game I love."
Del Piero is the latest in a list of former stars to have moved to Australia.

World fastest man Eye's Man-United shirt

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson says sprint legend Usain Bolt could play for the club in a charity match next year.
Six-time Olympic champion Bolt, 26, has joked he wants a trial at the club.
"It's interesting he says he'd like to play in a charity game," Ferguson told Inside United, the club's magazine.
"It could be brilliant and next year, when we play Real Madrid's Legends again, there could be opportunities to bring him up and see how he does."Bolt, who won 100m, 200m and4x100m relay gold at bothLondon 2012 and Beijing 2008, is a big fan of the club and
was paraded at Old Traffordbefore United's 3-2 win over Fulham.
The Jamaican sprinter called on supporters to convince Ferguson to sign him for the club as he showed off his London 2012 medals.
Bolt has previously attended United's Carrington training ground where he gave former player Cristiano Ronaldo tips on his sprinting.
"He's a bit of a character and a big United fan,"Ferguson said

Women's breasts age faster after multiple pregnancies - but nursing and hormone replacement therapy are the secrets to keeping chests young

A study of identical twins has shown that breast feeding, daily moisturising and hormone replacement therapy positively affects how a woman's breasts age.
However smoking, drinking alcohol and having multiple pregnancies can accelerate breast ageing,according to researchers.
The study, shows how environmental
factors, as well as higher body mass index (BMI) and larger bra and cup sizes can make breasts appear less beautiful over time.
Using 161 twins aged between 25 and 74 for the study,plastic surgeon Hooman T. Soltanian of University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio identified specific lifestyle behaviors that can slow the ageing process in order to avoid plastic surgery.
According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, nearly 316,848 women had breast augmentations and 127,054 had breast lifts last year.
Dr Soltanian said: 'It's very rare that both twins have been through the same exact environmental factors throughout life.
The idea was that they have the sam [breasts]. from agenetic standpoint. If we See a difference, it's more likely to be environmental factors.'Each set of twins was asked to answer questions on independent lifestyle habits, such as smoking, drinking,
pregnancies, use of a bra, sports, hormone replacement therapy, moisturising and sun exposure. Photos of the twins' breasts were then taken 'in a secluded area by professionals,' which were later 'subjectively evaluated by independent reviewers.' Researchers looked for skin tone, droopiness,
shape and areola size, however Dr Soltanian
admitted there is 'no objective measurement' for what constitutes 'beautiful' breasts. The surgeon, who does reconstructive surgeries for women after breast cancer, added however, 'that breast appearance and breast health as a whole are a major part of female health.' Judy Kuriansky, a sex therapist from Columbia University, said there is also a large psychological importance of breast appearance to women. 'Breasts carry such anthropological importance,' she said. 'Like the hip size, it's about being fertile.''Women are obsessed with their breasts at all ages
because men are obsessed with their breasts,' she said.'No matter how liberated women feel about their bodies, their breast size is so tied up in their sexuality and self-image.'He said that moisturising your decolletage was an 'obvious' advantage on the skin's appearance, showing fewer wrinkles.
'We know from facial analysis that if you take care of the skin, it slows the aging process down,' he said. According to the study, which was funded by a grant
from the Aesthetic Surgery Education and Research Foundation, women who received hormone replacement therapy after menopause also had more attractive breast shape, size, projection, and areolar shape.
Although pregnancy itself seemed to have a negative effect on the appearance of women's breast, the study found that nursing after pregnancy actually improves skin quality -even though the size and shape of the areola had suffered, he said.

Late Cynthia’s BB found with Port Harcourt- based bizman

THE last may not have been heard on the gruesome murder, in a Lagos hotel, of Miss Cynthia Udoka Osokogu, the Delta State-born 2009 second runner-up of the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria, MBGN,with the recent recovery of her Black Berry, BB, mobile phone from a Port Harcourt-based businessman.
The middle-age man (names withheld) was arrested by detectives attached to Area ‘E’ Command Festac Town, Lagos, after the deceased’s BB pin number was retrieved from her father.
This is also coming on the heels of the discovery of a bizarre video recording of how Cynthia was allegedly raped by her suspected killers. The video was seen in the laptop of the suspects.
In the video, Cynthia’s face and brutalised body was clearly shown being raped, while the faces of the rapists were blurred. Apart from being tied and forcefully raped, the rapists also bit her deeply and several times in her breasts, buttocks and back .
Although Cynthia’s BB has all information pertaining to her ownership of the handset flashed-off in an attempt to make pass for a brand new phone, detectives led by the Area
Commander, ACP Daniel Okoro, were able to use the pin number to get the number of the SIM Card of the current holder.
According to sources, one of the detectives then put a call to the Port Harcourt-based business man to say that the BB in his possession was a stolen one.
Through the information on his registered SIM Card and the receiving mast, detectives moved to Port Harcourt, where his residence was located. But they did not meet him at home.
It was said that the phone buyer openly admitted that he bought it through a friend in Lagos, adding that it was sent to him through courier services.

Late Cynthia’s BB found with Port Harcourt- based bizman

THE last may not have been heard on the gruesome murder, in a Lagos hotel, of Miss Cynthia Udoka Osokogu, the Delta State-born 2009 second runner-up of the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria, MBGN,with the recent recovery of her Black Berry, BB, mobile phone from a Port Harcourt-based businessman.
The middle-age man (names withheld) was arrested by detectives attached to Area ‘E’ Command Festac Town, Lagos, after the deceased’s BB pin number was retrieved from her father.
This is also coming on the heels of the discovery of a bizarre video recording of how Cynthia was allegedly raped by her suspected killers. The video was seen in the laptop of the suspects.
In the video, Cynthia’s face and brutalised body was clearly shown being raped, while the faces of the rapists were blurred. Apart from being tied and forcefully raped, the rapists also bit her deeply and several times in her breasts, buttocks and back .
Although Cynthia’s BB has all information pertaining to her ownership of the handset flashed-off in an attempt to make pass for a brand new phone, detectives led by the Area
Commander, ACP Daniel Okoro, were able to use the pin number to get the number of the SIM Card of the current holder.
According to sources, one of the detectives then put a call to the Port Harcourt-based business man to say that the BB in his possession was a stolen one.
Through the information on his registered SIM Card and the receiving mast, detectives moved to Port Harcourt, where his residence was located. But they did not meet him at home.
It was said that the phone buyer openly admitted that he bought it through a friend in Lagos, adding that it was sent to him through courier services.

Soldiers arrest MASSOB leader, 18 others in Onitsha


The Actualization of the Sovereign
State of Biafra, MASSOB, Chief Arinze Igbani and
18 other members of the group were, yesterday,
arrested by soldiers from the 302 Artillary
Regiment, Onitsha over yet to be disclosed offences.
Igbani was arrested in a native orthopaedic centre
where he was receiving treatment following injuries
he sustained from a motorcycle accident in June
this year along with five MASSOB members who
had allegedly gone to visit him

Thunder strikes 2 brothers to death in Benue

TRAGEDY struck in Ioryiir village, Tse Agbragba,
headquartres of Konshisha Local Government Area of Benue
State, when it lost two brothers of the same parents to a
thunder strike at the weekend, 
the brothers, who were in
their 20s, Aondohemba Torto and Aondongu Torto, died
instantly.
The victims, according to a source, were returning home
from a construction work in the company of one of their
brothers and two friends and made a stopover to watch a
local football match at LGEA Primary School, Iorkyiir, when
the incident occurred.
The two brothers, who were students of College of
Education, Katsina-Ala, died on the spot, while the three
others, Sonter and Ortiv Torto, as well as Joseph Yarkwan,
were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.

4.9.12

Wyclef,Akon to feature in a Nollywood film

Wyclef Jean and
Akon will feature
in Jeta Amata’s
"Black
November". The
duo joined the
cast in the final
lap of shooting,
which took place in Los Angeles, California.
The movie "Black November" is about the Niger Delta
and features Nollywood stars; Fred Amata, Nse Ikpe-
Etim, OC Ukeje, and Robert Peters in the big-budget
film.
It also has Hollywood actors like Hakeem Kae-Kazim,
Mickey Rourke, Kim Basinger, Sarah Wayne Callies
and Anne Heche.

"First Lady" Undergoes Surgery In Germany

Contrary to denials by presidential spokesman
Reuben Abati, and the bare faced lie by Dame
Patience Jonathan’s spokesman, Ayo Osinlu that
the first lady is only “resting” in a foreign country,
it has been revealed that the First Lady, Mrs
Patience Jonathan, has undergone surgery in a
German hospital for ruptured appendicitis.
According to THISDAY sources, she was flown out
for medical treatment over a week ago.
Mrs. Jonathan was said to have been accompanied
on the trip by a medical personnel from the
Presidential Villa, and a few of her aides.
THISDAY gathered that the decision to fly her
abroad followed her deteriorating health condition
in Abuja, after she was initially treated for “food
poisoning.”
It was learnt that Mrs. Jonathan, shortly after
returning from a trip to the United Arab Emirates
(UAE), took ill, prompting the invitation of the
First Family’s medical personnel to attend to her.
She was said to have been treated for food
poisoning for four days, “but her condition kept
worsening by the day,” the source said.
By the fifth day, President Goodluck Jonathan was
said to have yielded to the suggestion that she be
flown abroad for “thorough treatment.” It was not
certain if the inability of the president’s doctors to
treat her was because of faulty diagnosis or
insufficient facilities.
According to the source, “the trip was therefore
hurriedly, but discretely arranged, after a German
hospital, suspected to be Horst Schmidt Klinik in
Wiesbaden, Germany, had been contacted”. By last
weekend, she was said to have regained “full
consciousness” on her sick bed and was willing to
return home

Sad as another Nollywood Star Dies

Fast rising Nollywood actress, Seun Ogunlade has died
The actress, who is more known in the Yoruba genre
and is said to have featured in some movies, reportedly
died at a private hospital following a yet to be
ascertained illness.
Though detailed information about her death were
sketchy as at the time of this report, sources in the
movie industry said she fell ill about three days ago and
had to be rushed to the hospital.
The actress, popularly known as Seun Efizzy Po, was a
2008 graduate of Mass Communication from the
Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State
Southwest Nigeria.

Update on N5000 Bill: As Protesters Storm CBN

Honourable Dino Melaye, a former member of Federal
House of Representatives led scores of protesters to the
headquarters of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN in
protest against the proposed introduction of N5000
note and coinage of N5, N10 and N20 notes as recently
announced by the apex bank.
Dino who led the group of protesters under the aegis of
Anti Corruption Network reiterated opposition of
Nigerians to the currency restructuring policy of CBN.
He told Tunde Lemo, Deputy Governor of CBN who
received the protesters that the introduction of a single
N5000 note will result in inflation and that Nigerians
were opposed to it.
Melaye who described the entire proposed currency
restructuring policy as anti people said the CBN
Governor must listen to the opinion of the public on
the matter. The lawmaker who described the proposed
N5000 note as Haram also said it is unfortunate that
Sanusi Lamido Sanusi has refused to listen to calls by
National Assembly that he should suspend the policy.
He vowed to continue to lead protests against the
proposed currency restructuring until the apex bank
dropped the idea.
While speaking for CBN, Lemo said it is not true that
the apex bank will use N40 billion to print the new
currency as recently reported in the media. He also
said even if the CBN is not introducing the new notes,
it will still spend money to print currency. Lemo also
said the CBN will not do anything that will not be
interest of the masses, while arguing that contrary to
popular opinion, the introduction of the new N5000
note will not lead to higher inflation

Man Sues His In-Law For Hiding Their Daughter

Malam Habibu Ahmad of Kabala Costain, Kaduna, on
Monday sued his mother-in-law, Gambo Alhassan, at a
Kaduna Sharia Court for allegedly hiding his wife.
Ahmad told the court that his wife left home on Sallah
day to deliver Sallah food to their families but did not
return.
"Before I left for Eid-el-Fitr prayers, my wife, Asmau,
was cooking and on my return, she had finished. She
told me that she would stay with her relations till
evening before returning.
"After waiting for long, I called her mobile phone and it
was switched off. I called the people she visited and I
was told that she did not stay long there."
He further alleged that Asmau had never spent six
months in his house without moving to unknown
destination, adding: "She always returned to me after
pleadings through phone calls."
He said unfortunately, "when I called her this time,
another man answered and told me not call the line
again as Asmau is his wife."
The defendant, Alhassan, pleaded not guilty of the
allegation, insisting that she had no knowledge of her
daughter's whereabouts.
According to her, Asmau had stayed with her elder
sister before she got married to Ahmad.
The mother-in-law told the court that after receiving
the court's summon, she called Asmau on the phone
and directed her to return to her husband's home as
the issue was before the court.
"Right now, Asmau is within this court," she said,
urging the court to direct Ahmad not to disturb her
again since his wife had returned.

JTF Recovers Arms, Equipment From Home Of Boko Haram’s Commander

The Joint Task Force (JTF) in Maiduguri, Borno
State, says it has recovered several weapons and
equipment from the home of a top Boko Haram
commander.
JTF spokesperson, Lt.Col. Sagir Musa said in a
statement that the Task Force’s ‘Operation
Restore Order’ made the recovery in the
Bulunkutu-Lawanti area of the metropolis during
a follow-up operation in the residence the man,
whom he described as “a wanted key commander
of Boko Haram sect.”
The statement did not say whether the man or
anyone else was arrested.

First Lady Patience Jonathan's Health Update: Illness Started In Dubai

The “food poisoning” condition that landed Mrs.
Patience Jonathan in a hospital in Germany
reportedly started in Dubai eleven days ago where
she had gone to see a doctor because her hands
were twitching.
Presidency sources said she had gone to Dubai
after the recent African First Ladies Summit in
Abuja, an event that imposed an unfamiliar and
grueling schedule of meetings and late nights on
Mrs. Jonathan, saying she needed some rest.
Her visit to Dubai was explained as a vacation but
our sources said it involved a medical procedure,
while in Dubai, she reportedly had "food
poisoning" alongside her medical doctor, soon
after she returned to Abuja last Monday, the
emergency broke and she had to be airlifted
to Wiesbaden, Germany for food poisoning.
Since SaharaReporters broke the news yesterday,
the Presidency has officially kept mum about the
First Lady's condition. Despite a media arm
recently fortified to give Mrs. Jonathan a more
aggressive press presence, it has provided neither
denial nor confirmation

Jonathan seeks global support for job creation

President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday in
Abuja appealed to international
development partners and the private sector
to support the Federal Government’s effort
at creating jobs for the youth.
The President made the call at the launch of the
Second Phase of the Youth Enterprise with
Innovation in Nigeria (YouWin) programme.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the
second phase of YouWin launched at the Banquet
Hall of the Presidential Villa was targeted at young
women entrepreneurs.
The President said the second phase was initiated to
focus on harnessing the brilliant ideas, innovative
acumen and drive that vibrant young Nigerian
women possessed.
He said 1,200 award winners would be selected
across the six geo-political zones, in which each
beneficiary would receive between N1 million to N10
million in addition to other training programmes.
Jonathan called on relevant stakeholders including
international development partners and the private
sector to join hands with government in the
execution of the programme.

Falconets fail to qualify for FIFA U-20 World Cup final

Nigeria’s Falconets on Tuesday failed to qualify for
the final of the ongoing FIFA U-20 Women’s World
Cup in Japan, after a 2-0 loss to two-time
champions, the U.S., at the Tokyo National Stadium.
Goals from Morgan Brian and Kealia Ohai halted the
ambition of the Nigerian side who were runmners-up
at the last edition, two years ago in Germany, and
had appeared destined for the 2012 edition’s final
match.
The Falconets domintated the game in terms of
possession, always keeping the U.S on the retreat,
but the failure to take their chances as a result of
poor shooting did them in.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the
U.S., who will now be going into a third final
appearance, will face Germany in the final match.
The match will hold on Saturday at the Tokyo
National Stadium, some hours after Nigeria would
have played its Third-place match with Japan.

Scientists Find ‘Breakthrough’ Drug On Malaria

ANNOUNCEMENT by the University of
Cape Town that it has discovered a
compound with potential for curing all
strains of malaria has set the scientific world
abuzz.
Though clinical trials on humans have not yet taken
place, the development is being hailed as “a proud
day for African science”.
A safe, effective oral cure for malaria, with no side
effects! Even better, it may block transmission of the
malaria parasite from person to person. It sounds too
good to be true. But this is precisely what is
envisaged by a Swiss-South African research team,
which announced it has found a synthetic molecule
that has the potential to become a single-dose cure
for malaria.
According to head of Medecins Sans Frontieres,
South African Medical Unit, Dr Tom Ellman: “A
child dies every 46 seconds from malaria in sub-
Saharan Africa, and 90 per cent of malaria deaths
take place in sub-Saharan Africa.”
It is estimated that African economies lose up to
$12b per year directly related to malaria and its
impact on productivity. So, it’s a massive problem
for the region, and we are desperately in need of
more effective responses.”
The breakthrough has come from collaboration
between Switzerland’s Medicines for Malaria
Venture (MMV) and the Drug Discovery and
Development Centre (H3-D) at the University of Cape
Town, led by Professor Kelly Chibale. Ellman said
public-private partnerships of this kind might
increasingly be the key to tackling the so-called
“neglected diseases”.

3.9.12

Naira has lost value” says CBN

The argument that the N5, 000 bill should not be introduced because it would spur corruption does not hold here because those that are using our currency for corruption have already migrated to  the dollar because the naira has lost its value.  The dollar has now become the store of value.  That is why we are introducing a higher bill of value because we don’t want to dollarise our economy.  We need to be in charge of the money that comes in and goes out” says CBN Media Director.
and that the only way to repair this is to introduce the N5,000 bill

Tenager sets self ablaze over poverty

A young man has died after setting himself on fire in the Gaza Strip, apparently in protest at economic hardship in the Palestinian enclave, the family and police said on Monday.

Ehab Abu Nada, 18, left his home on Thursday after an argument with his father, who had urged him to find work to help feed his poor family.

Frustrated in his job hunt, Abu Nada doused himself in petrol and set himself alight inside Gaza’s main Shifa hospital.

His neighbours suggested he might have chosen to immolate himself at the hospital because he had wanted to make a gesture rather than kill himself, but medics there could not save him.

He was pronounced dead on Sunday.
is this not strange