Tuesday, 13 January 2015

8 Benefits of Drinking Water. #3 will surprise you

You would not think that many people would have to be told to drink water, especially considering that all of us would die after just a few days without water. We also get water from other sources such as our food, but many of these water sources are also very unhealthy. Drinking soda or sweetened juices is not the best way to stay hydrated. Gold old-fashioned water is the best way to stay hydrated, which is essential for many functions of the body, including waste elimination. Here is a closer look at some of the key of benefits of drinking sufficient quantities of water.

1. Headache Relief

Although this remedy certainly does not apply in every instance, when someone is dehydrated it can make them more prone to headaches. Staying hydrated will eliminate those kinds of headaches, which are notoriously common when one drinks a bit too much alcohol.

2. Clarity

No, not the clarity of the water itself. We’re talking about the ability to think clearly, focus, and concentrate better. The make-up of the brain includes a lot of water, and getting dehydrated can have an effect on your mental clarity.

3. Lose weight

It’s no secret to veteran dieters that drinking water can help shed the pounds. In addition to water’s ability to flush away body waste, including fat that is being eliminated, water can also help you feel full, which will help to keep you from grabbing snacks in between meals.

4. Stay Cool

Exercising is hard enough for many people without having to feel overheated while working out. Water will help regulate body temperature, meaning that you will probably be able to exercise more vigorously, and for a longer period of time.

5. Aid Digestion

Not getting enough water can result in digestive problems such as constipation. Stay hydrated to keep things moving the way they are supposed to.

6. Healthy Skin

In order for skin to look its best, moisture is vital. That’s no secret as evidenced by the myriad skin moisturizing products that are available. The water you drink has a direct impact on the level of moisture in your skin, and may do a lot more to make your skin look better than an expensive bottle of moisturizer.

7. Cramps

Muscle cramps are no fun, and those of us that have experienced bouts of leg cramps know just how painful that experience can be. Dehydration can contribute to cramps, helping to keep both muscles and joints well lubricated and less prone to cramps and spasms.

8. Detoxification

This is one of the primary benefits one is likely to think of with regard to water. Water provides the body with the medium that’s required to transport toxins from our cells and tissues, and flush them out of the body as waste. Not getting enough water could lead to a build-up for toxins in the body.


Posted by kenics and team

Monday, 12 January 2015

The fact behind "beauty lies in the eyes of beholder"

--The phrase "beauty lies in the eyes of beholder" point to the fact that different people find different sights as pleasing or beautiful. Put another way, the beauty of same object or sight may be assessed differently by different person. Thus a thing is beautiful not because of some intrinsic physical feature it possesses by because of the the likes and preferences of the person viewing the object. Thus the beauty is something that exists in the mind of the person seeing it. Thus the word eyes has been used here figuratively to represent the mind and feelings of the person seeing - the beholder.

-- i hope you understand the meaning of the term "perspective". Beauty is all about perspective or point of view. The same thing which is beautiful in one's eyes, could be viewed as an ugly thing in another's. Take an easy example, some would find an actor/ actress very pretty or handsome, while some would surely do possess a different view. How you would analyse, interpret or evaluate one thing, it is dependant on you; that would build your perception. Everybody's perception is different more or less, and that's why, beauty has apparent appeal.

--- Everyone (in every culture and society) has their own perspectives and views about the world. What one person may see as beautiful, another may see just the opposite. This is really what it boils down to. Everyone takes their experiences in life and uses those experiences to explain and interpret the world around them.

---There is a universal image of beauty and it is in relationship to facial symmetry. The more symmetrical a face is he more likely we are to perceive it as beautiful  Other than that, I believe we all have our own preferences.  Our image of beauty is based on our ideals that have developed over our lifetime.

-- Someone's trash can be another treasure, it works like that, some people have different standards of beauty and it all depends on who is looking upon the same object some people can love that person, some can view them as a friend, some may think they are the most beautiful person to grace this earth, it all depends on you.


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Jaguar Land Rover Announces 1,300 New Jobs

Jaguar Land Rover will create 1,300 new jobs after the company announced that its newest model will be made in Britain.
The jobs will be created at Jaguar's Solihull plant where the car-maker will build its first Jaguar SUV - based on the C-X17 concept it showed off a year ago.
Chief executive Dr Ralf Speth said the announcement demonstrates the company's "commitment to the UK and the advancement of a high-tech, high-skilled, manufacturing-led economy".
Jaguar Land Rover already employs more than 30,000 people in Britain. Last year it announced an extra 1,700 jobs at Solihull to build Jaguar's XE sports saloon.
The announcement was made from the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
Dr Speth said Jaguar Land Rover was committed to building great cars "crafted with that special British flair".
"We want to improve the quality of life for our customers and for our own employees, creating opportunities for more people," he said.
Business Secretary Vince Cable said the announcement was "great news for British manufacturing and a ringing endorsement of our expertise in innovation and technology".
"The UK's automotive industry is thriving with a new car rolling off the production line every 20 seconds, and increasing levels of investment that's helping to secure local jobs," he said.
"Through our industrial strategy we are backing companies like JLR as they go from strength to strength."

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Where’s Mrs Buhari?

have just read Abimbola Adelakun’s piece on the above title. I want to believe that the writer is just looking for faults where none exists. If Buhari forgets to remove his cap at an interdenominational service, even if during a church service, ushers should have told him respectfully to remove his cap. If he refuses, then it becomes an issue. Then, the issue of whether or not he goes out with his wife should not be blown beyond proportion. The reason being that this is a personal issue and the man’s religious tenets might not favour such a practice.

When the late Alhaji Ahmadu Bello implored his contemporaries in the nationalist struggle to understand their differences-cultural diversity of this nation, but not merely know it, this is what he meant. And I want the writer to note this also. Buhari’s photo with his family will show him a good family man but that is not enough. The issues at hand are beyond this; how we are going to solve the myriad of problems facing this nation should be the priority. Let us try and showcase the good sides of our candidates irrespective of ethnic/religious differences.


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Ivory Coast beat Nigeria

The Elephants of Ivory Coast on Sunday defeated the Super Eagles 1-0 in an international friendly match at the Zayed Sports City Stadium in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.

An 83rd minute goal from substitute Salomon Kalou won the pulsating encounter for the Africa Cup of Nations-bound Elephants. The Nigerian side was basically Eagles ‘B’ players from the local league.

The match was the first of the two international friendlies billed to take place in Dubai as the Nigeria Football Federation seek to keep the Eagles busy following the country’s failure to make the trip to Equatorial Guinea for the 2015 AFCON. The Eagles will later take on Sudan at the same stadium on the 17th.

Assistant coach, Daniel Amokachi, who is in charge of the team, started with regular faces of the home-based team with goalkeeper Chigozie Agbim as captain while Azubuike Egwuekwe, Solomom Kwambe started in the defence.

Kano Pillars midfielder, Rabiu Ali, Sokari Kingsley and Mohammed Gambo were the other regulars in the starting line-up.

Highest goal-scorer of the Glo Premier League in the closed season, Mfon Udoh, also started in front alongside Gambo. Other new players in the starting line-up were Dimgba Stanley, Akas Chima, Reuben Ogbonna and Nathaniel Joseph.

The Ivorians started with a seemingly weakened side as they rested some of their major players with second-choice keeper, Gbohouo, starting the match.

Manchester City midfielder, Yaya Toure captained the team. He started with his elder brother Kolo in the defence, Serge Aurier was in the midfield while Gervinho and Cheick Tiote, in the attack, completed the regulars.

The Elephants had the first chance of the game in the second minute as Gervinho was played onside but he failed to beat Agbim.

Nigeria grew into the game as time wore on and in the 10th minute, Gambo side-footed an effort into the arms of the goalkeeper after an exchange of passes with Ali.

Four-time Africa Footballer of the Year, Toure, was well marked in the midfield as Nathaniel did not give him much breathing space. The Eagles raked up chance after chance but could not find the cutting edge to put the ball beyond the Ivorian goalkeeper to end the first half goalless.

The second half saw changes from the two sides as they both searched for goals. The Ivorians threw on Kalou and Lacine Traore in place of Toure and Kanon.

Amokachi also brought Ukoh Steven, who recently switched allegiance to Nigeria from Switzertland, for injured Sokari while Gbolahan Salami replaced Chima.

Salami was a culprit as he wasted some chances for the Nigerians with wayward shots as the Nigerians continued to dominate play in the midfield.

The Elephants, however, after 83 minutes, made one of their few efforts count after Ali failed to effectively clear a ball from the midfield into the path of Tiote who rounded up a defender before threading a pass to Kalou to stroke home.


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Sunday, 11 January 2015

Jonathan visits Obasanjo today

Barring any last minute change in plan, President Goodluck Jonathan will on Monday (today), visit former President Olusegun Obasanjo in his Abeokuta, Ogun State residence.

The meeting will come less than 48hours after Obasanjo made a surprise appearance at the wedding service of Jonathan’s foster daughter, Inebharapu, at the National Christian Centre, Abuja.

Obasanjo and Jonathan have not been seen together in public events lately, especially since the public presentation of his book, My Watch, which is critical of the President among others.

The former President had last Monday said Nigeria was facing economic problems due to the failure of the present administration to plan for a rainy day.

He told eminent women leaders from the South-West, who visited him at his Hilltop residence in Abeokuta, Ogun State, that the nation’s reserves which as of 2007 stood at $67bn had been depleted by the Federal Government.

Our correspondent learnton Sunday that Jonathan would use the opportunity of his visit to Abeokuta for his campaign rally to visit Obasanjo who had withdrawn from active participation in the activities of the Peoples Democratic Party.

A top government official who is aware of the arrangement told THE PUNCH that Jonathan had been scheduled to visit the former president.

He however said he did not have the details of whether the meeting would hold before the rally or after.

“I don’t have the details, but I can inform you authoritatively that the two of them are scheduled to meet tomorrow,” he said.

Jonathan may use the opportunity of the meeting to appeal to Obasanjo to have a rethink on his (Jonathan’s) bid for re-election in February.

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organisation has called on the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj.Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to caution his supporters in order to promote a peaceful election.

The Director of Media and Publicity of the Organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, made the call in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja against the backdrop of the violence unleashed on President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign buses at Zololo Junction along Bauchi Road in Jos North North Local Government Area of Plateau State on Saturday.


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Saturday, 10 January 2015

8 Health Risks of Snoring

Snoring is often dismissed as something that’s normal for certain people. Those who have to share a bed or room with someone who snores may not consider it “normal,” at all, as it can cause serious sleep disruption for the person who has to listen to it. In addition to being a problem for people who share sleeping space with someone who snores, snoring can pose significant health risks for the person doing the snoring. There are numerous “stop snoring” products on the market, and not all of them work as advertised. Snoring might be something that should be discussed with a doctor, since it can involve the following health risks.

1. High Blood Pressure

You may wonder what in the world snoring has to do with high blood pressure, but in some cases, snoring can actually be disruptive to the sleep of the person snoring, and keeping them from getting the rest they need. A constant lack of restorative sleep can have an effect on the body in many ways, one of them being higher blood pressure.

2. Stroke

People who snore are far more likely to suffer a stroke. Sometimes snoring is an indication of a more serious sleep-related problem such as sleep apnea, which elevates the risk of stroke even further.

3. Cardiac Arrhythmia

Snoring can cause a lack of oxygen that the body needs to maintain the proper functioning of major organs like the heart. An arrhythmia is a disruption in the normal rhythm of the heart, which can cause it to beat erratically. In many cases an arrhythmia is not a significant risk to life, but in other cases it can lead to permanent damage that can make life-threatening complications much more likely.

4. Fetal Health

For pregnant women, snoring presents a special risk. Since the life of the unborn child is also dependent on a good supply of oxygen from the mother, any disruption in that supply, as can happen with snoring, can cause serious, even life-threatening problems. These problems can manifest in the form of birth defects or even fetal death.

5. GERD

What we used to know as acid reflux is now commonly referred to as GERD, or gastro esophageal reflux disease. It may not sound like a terribly serious condition, but of left untreated, the acid that bubbles up from the stomach into the esophagus can lead to much more serious problems that including the erosion of tissues and even cancer.

6. Accidents

Who would imagine that snoring has anything to do with accidents? Since snoring can result in lack of sleep, it could make focusing on important tasks like driving more difficult. People who are always tired are much more likely to be involved in accidents, and snoring is a particular danger for people who drive for a living or operate heavy machinery.

7. Depression

All of our body functions are highly dependent on oxygen, which is normally delivered to every cell in the body by way of the bloodstream. Snoring can disrupt the flow of oxygen into the lungs, and throughout the body. This includes the brain, which is one of the most oxygen-hungry organs in the body. The brain, when it lacks sufficient oxygen, will not function normally and could lead to conditions such as depression

8. Headache

While headache alone is not usually considered a serious health problem, snoring is a potential cause of frequent headaches. Pain killers such as aspirin and NSAIDS are often used to dull headache pain, and overuse of those medications carry very real and serious risks of their own.


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Olamide joins G-Wagon clique with 2014 edition

Popular musician, Olamide Adedeji, 26, better known as Olamide is one of Nigeria’s fast rising hip-hop artistes. The multiple award winner, who labels himself as ‘badoo or baddest guy ever liveth, renders most of his songs in Yoruba language and is still loved by many for his originality and street language.

Recently, Olamide acquired a Mercedes Benz G Wagon and a Range Rover.

With the G-Wagon, which costs about N25m, Olamide joined the league of celebrities driving the powerful ‘machine’.

The Mercedes Benz G-wagon was initially developed for military use in the 1970s and is reputed to be among the most capable SUVs ever created.

Aside from its monstrous looks, reviewers say the vehicle has powerful engines, fine interior materials and excellent and incredible off-road capability. They say it delivers quick acceleration with incredible power that belies its size and weight.

Popularly called the G-Wagen,’ from the ‘German Gelandewagen’, which means a cross-country car, the vehicle is considered to be highly rugged. According to auto reviewers, most buyers will never use their G-Wagon to a fraction of its capabilities. And the fact that people can still buy one of Mercedes’ crowning achievements from the 1970’s as a new car today makes it worth every penny.

Performance

The 2014 Mercedes-Benz G63 is powered by a twin-turbocharged 5.5-litre V8 engine that produces 536 horsepower and 561 pound-feet of torque. The seven-speed automatic transmission that sends power to all four wheels through a full-time four-wheel-drive system is praised for its quick and smooth shifts.

Mercedes estimates a 0-100-mph sprint to take only 5.4 seconds, an exceptional performance for such a heavy vehicle. Understandably, fuel economy suffers, returning an abysmal estimated 13 miles per gallon in combined driving, 12mpg in the city and 14mpg on the highway. It has a towing capacity of 7,000 pounds, which is not surprising for such a massive vehicle.

Features

Standard features for this SUV include 20-inch alloy wheels, an automatic engine stop-start function, xenon headlights, power-folding heated mirrors, a sunroof, automatic wipers, front and rear parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, a blind-spot monitoring system and keyless ignition and entry. Other features are 10-way power front seats, COMAND electronics interface with a 7-inch display, navigation system, voice commands, rear-view camera and a 12-speaker Harman Kardon surround-sound system with six-CD changer. Its connectivity options include USB/auxiliary audio jacks, satellite radio and 10GB of music storage.

Safety

Its standard safety features include brake assist, front and rear parking sensors, driver and passenger airbags, including side head, rear head, front side and side curtain airbags. Also included are integrated turn signal mirrors, auto-levelling headlights, hill-hold assist, blind-spot monitoring system and Mercedes’ mbrace2 emergency telematics.

With its tall height, there is an abundance of headroom and legroom and the quality of its interior materials is from supple leathers to rich and attractive wood accents – up to luxury car standards. Even though it has dash-mounted buttons, its menu structure and overall ease of use are excellent.

Surprisingly, it has small storage and cargo space, but its 45 cubic feet of cargo space can be increased to 79.5 cubic feet when the rear seats are folded flat.

The good:

With its weight, the vehicle defies logic by accelerating with shocking ease and in a car-like manner that is positively amazing. It provides a smooth and comfortable ride and its all-terrain tyres combine to generate a fair amount of wind and tyre noise. Also, reviewers commended its front seats for their comfort and support.

The vehicle’s slow steering is a benefit in the dirt as it can be guided through just about anything nature throws at it and the steering wheel rarely registers the impacts, thanks to its full-time 4WD system with front, centre and rear locking differentials.

The bad: It has poor fuel economy and cornering prowess because of its large size and heavy weight. Moreover, the steering is slow and does not return to centre quickly, since it is set up for off-roading. It has no height-adjustable suspension that other pricey SUVs employ. The centre console is reasonably-sized, but the single cup holder and dual door pockets are mounted low, thus, are difficult to access.

olamide (bado) posing with his new car

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Obasanjo makes surprise appearance at Jonathan’s daughter’s wedding

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Saturday made a surprise appearance at the church wedding of President Goodluck Jonathan’s foster daughter, Inebharapu.
Inebharapu was joined in holy matrimony to Simeon at a well-attended service held at the National Christian Centre, Abuja.
Obasanjo and Jonathan have not been seen together in public events lately, especially since the public presentation of his book, ‘My Watch.’
The former President had on Monday said Nigeria was facing economic problems due to the failure of the present administration to plan for a rainy day.
 
He told eminent women leaders  from the South-West, who visited him at his Hilltop residence in Abeokuta, Ogun State, that the nation’s reserves which as of 2007 stood at $67bn had been depleted by the Federal Government.

Obasanjo arrived the venue in company with Dr. Andy Uba and some other aides before the commencement of the service.
His arrival attracted a loud ovation from those who were already seated, especially women.
He was ushered into the hall amidst standing ovation by his admirers and took his seat at the VIP section.
He was later joined at the section by the President of the Senate, David Mark and his wife.
About 20 minutes after, Jonathan entered the hall with his wife, Patience, and the bride.
The President and his wife took turn to exchange pleasantries with Obasanjo, Mark and other dignitaries before taking their seats.
Obasanjo’s introduction during the service also attracted a loud applause from the congregation.
In his vote of thanks at the service Jonathan specially recognised Obasanjo’s presence, saying, “Let me appreciate our father, President Olusegun Obasanjo, for being here with us. Thank you for coming.”
The President urged the couple to embrace the virtue of endurance, saying they should learn to be resolving their disagreements in their bedroom.
He urged them not to bring their problems to him because he has more than enough issues to address.


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Chad receives 7,300 Nigerian refugees –UN

Some 7,300 Nigerian refugees had fled Nigeria to Chad in the past 10 days,  a United Nation spokes person , Mr Farthan Haq, said on Saturday.Haq said this when he spoke to newsmen in Abuja.He said that the newly arrived refugees in Chad are staying with local communities in villages some 450 kilometers north-west of the Chadian capital, Ndjamena.“The UN refugee agency teams in Chad are at the border and seeking more information on the new arrivals and their needs,” Haq said,He said the number of refugees from Nigeria in Chad had reached more than 10,000.Haq said that the Chadian government had requested the assistance of aid agencies to help the refugees.Citing the United Nation Refugee Agency, he said that the conflict in north-eastern Nigeria has led to the exodus of some 135,000 people “with at least 850,000 people displaced within Nigeria.”


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Ekiti Police arrest man, 25, for raping woman, 85

The operatives of the Department of Criminal Investigation, Ado-Ekiti, have arrested one Familola Ayodeji of 17, Oke Ido Street, Ido-Ekiti, aged 25, for raping an 85 year old woman on December 25, 2014.

According to a statement by the Ekiti Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Victor Babayemi, the victim, a great-grandmother was asleep when the suspect sneaked into her room, bolted the door and forcefully had carnal knowledge of her.

“The suspect initially went into hiding after the act but was caught in the dragnet spread for him by detectives.

“Medical report confirmed that the victim was raped by the suspect and he will soon be charged to court,” the statement said.

In another statement, Babayemi said the Police detectives from Ikole Division, Ikole-Ekiti, have arrested one Pa Olajide Ojo of B22, Oke-Ode Idogun Street, Ikole-Ekiti for defiling a 12 year-old-girl on December 24, 2014.

Police said the victim who was on street trading was lured into a room by the suspect under the pretence that he wanted to buy pounded yam for the girl.

“The suspect locked the door as soon as the victim entered and forcefully defiled her.

“The cry of the girl attracted neighbours who promptly alerted the police. Detectives responded promptly and arrested the suspect after taking the victim to the hospital.

“The medical report as well as the blood stained exhibits recovered from the scene confirmed that the victim was defiled by the suspect.

“He will be charged to court as soon as the industrial action embarked upon by judiciary staff is called off,” the statement said


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Heavy fighting continues in Damaturu

More than 12 hours after members of the terror sect, Boko Haram, launched a ferocious attack on Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, military sources said fighting still raged on between the militants and federal troops.

It is still hazy, however, to ascertain the level of casualties, but scores of the terrorists, residents and some soldiers were said to have been killed in the attack, which started around 8pm on Friday.

A military source told our correspondent on the telephone on Saturday that heavy fighting continued throughout the night as the terrorists were well prepared for the battle but met a much more combat ready federal troops.

It was learnt that Damaturu residents remained indoors even at daybreak as gunshots still boomed and explosions could be heard in some parts of the state capital.

Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports claimed that more than 200 Boko Haram members might have been killed as they attempted to invade Adamawa State, using the Askira-Uba, a border town between Borno and Adamawa states, as a launch pad.

“They wanted to enter Adamawa through Askira-Uba, but ran into the waiting arms of the troops which killed about 200 of them,” the source, who craved anonymity, added.


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Friday, 9 January 2015

WHO, experts conclude meeting on two Ebola vaccines

The World Health Organisation has concluded a meeting with researchers, regulators, vaccine developers and policy makers on two Ebola vaccines, Dr Marie-Paule Kieny, the Assistant Director-General of Health Systems and Innovation, has said.

Kieny made the disclosure at a news conference with UN correspondents on Friday in New York.

She said, “So far, the two Ebola vaccines that have already undergone the first phase of testing have an acceptable safety profile.

“The third phase of testing, which consists of giving the vaccine to healthy volunteers in affected areas, is about to begin.’’

She added that research teams had been set up and preparations had been put in place, including special refrigerators, for the vaccine tests in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.


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Kate Middleton to Celebrate 33rd Birthday, Will Get Present From PETA--Check Out Details and a Photo!

kate Middleton

Happy early birthday to Kate Middleton, who turns 33 on Friday (today)!

The duchess, who is pregnant with her second child, is set to "spent the day privately," People magazine quoted a palace source as saying. The outlet said Kate is believed to be with husband Prince William, 32, and son Prince George, who is 17 months old, at the their newly renovated country home, Anmer Hall. Last year, she also had a small, low-key family celebration at home.

One of her 33rd birthday gifts is already on the way...courtesy of PETA. Don't worry, the Duchess of Cambridge hasn't angered the animal rights group. They just want to give her a "birthday gift that's equal parts chic and animal-friendly," according to a statement from the group.

The duchess is set to receive from the organization a faux-wool, moto-style coat to add to her, well, large, real-wool collection of dress coats, which she often sports at public appearances.

The new coat is from New York vegan boutique Vaute Couture. It is belted, has a side full-length zipper, is made of WonderFelt and retails for $360. PETA provided an image of one of the company's coats in an emerald green color. You can also get the in black and cognac.

"Fashion is about more than looking good--it's also a statement about who you are and what you stand for", PETA UK founder Ingrid E. Newkirk was quoted as saying in the group's statement. "By wearing her new vegan coat, the duchess will be setting a great example and sending British women the message that they can have top-notch style without hurting animals."

In its statement, PETA cited an undercover investigation they had carried out that revealed that sheep in more than 30 locations in the United States and Australia were tortured, sometimes to death, when their wool was sheared off to make coats.

Prince Charles, William's father and first in line to the British throne, is a supporter of sheep farmers. In 2010, he launched the Campaign for Wool initiative to expand the market for wool in the United Kingdom, citing the material's environmental benefits, such as its biodegradability, according to the official Prince of Wales website.

In 2012, a photo of Kate wearing what appeared to be a fur-lined coat was posted on the website of the International Fur Trade Federation and stirred controversy. PETA came to the duchess' defense, saying that her reps had said the fur on the outfit was fake. The picture was removed and the IFTF apologized, according to TODAY.com.

Kate has occasionally been photographed wearing faux fur.

A PETA spokesman had told TODAY.com that the duchess' "decision not to wear fur puts her in the company of public figures such as Michelle Obama, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, and the late Princess Diana."

Diana, Charles' ex-wife and mother of William and Prince Harry, died in 1997. She was the most beloved British royal of her time.

Kate has received gifts from PETA before; In 2013, just before she gave birth to her and William's son, the group sent the family a gift basket containing vegan caviar (usually made from seaweed), cruelty-free "faux gras" (usually a nut or lentil-based paté) and a faux-sheepskin baby blanket for their child.


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Expect more water supply in 2015, LASG assures residents

The Lagos State Water Corporation on Friday urged the residents to expect more water supply in 2015.

The corporation’s Managing Director, Mr Shoya Holloway, told journalists that the supply would come from the ongoing phased expansion on the 13 micro waterworks across the state.

Holloway said that work on the Phase II project of the Adiyan Water Works had started and would produce 70 million gallons per day.

“We want to improve service delivery this year and we are delighted to say that we have connected Oworonsoki community of one million people to Adiyan Phase II line,” he said.

According to Holloway, when the Adiyan Phase II is completed, the corporation will connect residents in the Badagry corridor and the Odo-Mallam water scheme in Epe.

He said the corporation currently supplies water to 20 million residents across the state with over 210 million gallons per day.

“This is not enough because the corporation requires about 540 million gallons per day to effectively service the people.

“This is why the state government has begun massive expansion of water infrastructure to meet the demand,” Holloway said.

Holloway stressed that the corporation had partnered with the private sector to achieve the projects it had embarked upon because the project was capital intensive.

Commenting on the metering of all residents connected to the public water supply, Holloway said that metering was a process that would take some time.

He reiterated that metering would help the corporation recover its costs and generate revenue.

Holloway, however, added that the corporation had installed water prepaid meters in Ikeja and Lekki parts of Lagos.

“We have about 4,000 meters already installed in these parts,” he said.

The managing director said that the corporation was working towards increasing its water supply to 745 million gallons per day by 2020.

According to him, about 2.9 million properties would have been connected by that year.

He said that the project, which would cost 3.5 billion dollars (about N58 billion), would see Lagos State as the third largest mega city in the world


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Saudi blogger flogged for ‘insulting Islam’

Saudi Arabia has lashed a liberal blogger 50 times in public, despite widespread international outrage and calls for clemency from human right groups.

Hillel Neuer, Executive Director of UN Watch, said on twitter that blogger and activist, Raif Badawi, was lashed outside a mosque in the Red Sea coastal city of Jeddah on Friday.

Badawi is due to undergo 50 lashes every week after Friday prayers, which will continue for 20 weeks until his punishment is complete.

Amnesty International says Badawi, who started the “Free Saudi Liberals” website, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes on charges related to accusations he insulted Islam on the online forum.

He was also ordered by Jeddah’s Criminal Court to pay a fine of $266,000.

“It is horrifying to think that such a vicious and cruel punishment should be imposed on someone who is guilty of nothing more than daring to create a public forum for discussion and peacefully exercising the right to freedom of expression,” Philip Luther, Amnesty’s Middle East and North Africa Director, said.

“Saudi Arabian authorities must immediately halt all plans to carry out this brutal sentence,” he said.

The United States had also appealed to Saudi Arabia to cancel the sentence.

State Department spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, said the US was “greatly concerned.” She called the 1,000 lashes an “inhumane” response to someone exercising his right to freedom of expression and religion.

“The United States government calls on Saudi authorities to cancel this brutal punishment and to review Badawi’s case and sentence,” Psaki said.

Around 14,000 people have signed an online petition calling on Saudi’s King Abdullah to pardon Badawi.

Rights groups and activists say his case is part of a wider clampdown on dissent throughout the kingdom.


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Armed man takes hostage in Paris

Fresh shooting broke out in eastern Paris on Friday, with reports that an armed man had taken a hostage at a kosher grocery store, a source told AFP.

The gunman was suspected of being the same man who killed a policewoman in southern Paris on Thursday, who is thought to have links to the assailants who stormed satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo on Wednesday.


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Deploy soldiers against B’Haram, not for elections – Buhari

THE presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to deploy more soldiers and other security operatives in the troubled North-East ravaged by Boko Haram insurgents rather than keep them for the 2015 general elections.
Buhari, who made this call during a meeting with stakeholders of Ogoni ethnic nationality in the Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State on Thursday, also said that, if voted into power, his administration would implement the report of the United Nations Environment Programme on the clean-up of Ogoniland.
THE presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.)
He argued that the Boko Haram onslaught would have been a thing of the past if the Federal Government had moved the number of soldiers, police and operatives of the State Security Service deployed during elections to Borno and Yobe states as well as the other areas affected by insurgency.
He said, “I have made this comment before and the Federal Government refused to react to it; the number of soldiers, policemen and officers of the State Security Services they deploy during elections, if they had deployed them to Borno and Yobe states to fight Boko Haram, by now, Boko Haram would have been history.
“Boko Haram is not a religious group; Boko Haram is not an ethnic group. Boko Haram is a terrorist group. They attack people in schools, they attack people in Churches, they attack people in Mosques, they attack people in markets, and they shout Allahu Akbah! No religion rejoices over the blood of innocent people.”
The former Head of State promised that he would put an end to the pollution in Ogoniland if elected as the President of the country during the February 14 election.
Buhari reiterated his promise to fight terrorism, corruption and other forms of crimes, if elected President.
Earlier, the Director-General of the Buhari/Osinbajo Campaign Organisation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, had asked President Jonathan to explain to Nigerians and the world why he had refused to implement the UNEP report on the clean-up of Ogoniland.
Amaechi said the President’s hatred for the people of Ogoni could be responsible for his   inability to implement the UNEP report since the funds that would be used to clean up Ogoniland would come from Shell Petroleum Company.
“Let President Goodluck Jonathan tell us why he has not allowed the implementation of the UNEP report. He has no reason. The money to be spent in the implementation of the report is not his; the money belongs to Shell,” he said.
A must read stories

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Omotola celebrates 20 years in Nollywood

One of Nigeria’s most accomplished Nollywood actresses, Omotola Jolade-Ekeinde, has just celebrated 20 years on the screen, CHUX OHAI writes

Unknown to many movie fans, popular screen actress, Omotola Jolade-Ekeinde quietly celebrated 20 years in Nollywood in her Lagos home recently.

And to show just how modest and kind hearted she is, she chose to celebrate with widows and orphans.

As part of the occasion, the actress hosted her annual ‘Give and Let Give’ party – an event in which gifts were handed out to the less priviledged.

Once nominated by TIME magazine as one of 100 most influential women in the world, Jolade-Ekeinde has, no doubt, come a long way in the Nigerian film industry.

From being a pimply young actress under the close supervision of the likes of producer, Zeb Ejiro, she has moved up the ladder in Nollywood to become one of the most sought-after and respected members of the Thespian family in the country.

Jolade-Ekeinde has, no doubt, had a chequered career in Nollywood. Like many other actors and actresses, she has had her fair share of challenges. At a time Nollywood was virtually an all-comers affair and run by traders, who were largely driven by plain commercial interests and had very little regard for professionalism; she had found herself making some sacrifices for the future of the industry.

At a point in her career, a powerful cabal comprising some movie marketers and distributors had slammed the actress and a few others with a ban. As punishment for refusing to bow to the wishes of the almighty marketers, who virtually held the fledgling film industry in a vice grip, they made her to wait for almost three years before she could return to the screen.

The actress said, in a recent interview with Encomium magazine – a Lagos-based tabloid – that she had to stick her neck out for Nollywood because of an urgent need to make some changes in the industry.

“Personally, I was fighting for all movie artistes, I wasn’t fighting for myself alone. I was fighting alongside many other colleagues of mine. They just decided in those days that we’re getting too powerful and demanding too much,” she was quoted as saying.

Even now, it seems that Jolade-Ekeinde is not done with making sacrifices and giving Nollywood a deserving push in her own little way. There is an indication that she is currently working behind the scenes to help drive the expected transition from cheap home video films to big budget movies that conform with global standards.

The actress was recently overheard telling some associates that she had decided to wash her hands off home videos and would play for higher stakes, including high standards for Nollywood, a higher standard of living for actors and actresses, a code conduct for older and incoming artistes, as well as good work ethics.

What this means is that this diva may decide to stay away from the screen if the present conditions fail to improve. If this is true, then movie fans had better brace themselves for her absence.

With many appearances in the movies – over 200 in all between ‘Venom of justice’ and ‘Ije’ – Jolade-Ekeinde has certainly carved a niche for herself in Nollywood. While receiving an award in Cyprus last year, she dedicated it to her husband, Captain Matthew Ekeinde who she has repeatedly described as very supportive.


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Thugs attack Ekiti APC leader, injure eight policemen

Political thugs on Wednesday wounded eight policemen, including a Divisional Police Officer when they attacked a political leader of the All Progressives Congress in Efon-Alaaye, Ekiti State, Chief Joseph Alake.

Alake gave the revelation at the political stakeholders meeting organised by law enforcement agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission in Ado Ekiti, on Thursday.

He alleged that the thugs invaded his house at about 11a.m and fired several gunshots with the intention to kill him and members of his household because he had been the rallying point of the opposition party in Efon Local Government Area.

Alake said the police had a hectic time arresting the thugs who dared them, saying the thugs injured eight police officers, including the DPO of Ijero in the process.

He said, “These people came in at about 11a.m and brandished various weapons. One of them even inflicted a machete wound on a boy in my house. They fired gunshots and threatened to burn down my house because of my political affiliation. But the quick intervention of the Area Commander of Ijero and the Special Anti Robbery Squad Commander saved the day.

“The SARS and the Area Commander rescued me from the scene and took me to Ijero, where I passed the night. I would have been killed but for the quick intervention of the police.”

The Commissioner of Police, Taiwo Lakanu, who confirmed the attack at the forum, said he immediately ordered his men to rescue Alake when he got the information.

He commended his men for displaying a high level of professionalism in handling the incident, which he described as frightening and barbaric.

He urged political parties to play the game in accordance with the constitution and electoral laws.

“Endeavor to tolerate one another in the conduct of your electioneering campaigns and shun all kinds of vulgar and abusive language that can degenerate into violence.

“Let us have from you, timely reports of the incidents around you to enable us nip in the bud any ugly incident that can mar the conduct of the elections.

“Be out at all times to sell your manifestoes rather than resorting to unnecessary abuse that would negatively impugn on the character of the opponent which could result in chaos.

“Shun all acts of hooliganism in your campaign activities and the idea of moving out on campaign with offensive or destructive weapons because all your campaigns would be covered by the police and anybody found wanting in this course would be severely dealt with,” Lakanu said


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I’m ready to die for Nigeria —Obasanjo

A former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has said he can sacrifice his life in the interest of Nigeria. However, he said he would not do the same for any political party.

He said this on Thursday during a visit to his Hilltop residence in Abeokuta by the presidential candidate of the National Conscience Party, Dr. Martins Onovo.

He said since he left office his pre-occupation had been the promotion of the country’s interest, adding that it would be foolish for anyone to say Nigeria did not belong to anybody.

He said, “My first pre-occupation is what is best for Nigeria. Nigeria first, party second and any other thing, third. I can sacrifice anything in the interest of Nigeria and I can sacrifice my own life for Nigeria.

“I can’t sacrifice my life for any party’s interest but I’ll sacrifice my life in the interest of Nigeria.”

He frowned on the situation where everyone would keep quiet and watch things degenerate in the country.

While commending the late legal icon, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, the founder of the NCP, he said though some people might not agree with his brand of activism, he was a veritable voice of conscience.

He said, “Let me hasten to wish you every success in your endeavour and also pay tribute, as I have done in my recent book, to the founder of your party, Gani Fawehinmi. I believe he was a genuine social critic. Though you may not agree with all he said or how he went about it but he was definitely a genuine social critic.

“So if you, as the flag bearer of the party, believed that you should follow on his footsteps of integrity and genuine critical and committed analysis and criticism of the situation in the country, I think nobody will fault you.”

He advised the party to accept whatever was the outcome of the election, if the election was free, fair and uninterrupted. He said that people should not necessarily be in government before they could contribute to the nation’s development.

He said, “In this part of the world, we have a saying that if people sleep and they put their heads on the same pillow, they are in danger. That means there should be some people that should be critically looking and watching and also able to speak up. They should speak up, no matter what others may say.

“Because people may come up and say Nigeria doesn’t belong to anybody, I believe that is a stupid saying. Nigeria belongs to all of us because anything that doesn’t belong to anybody, anything can happen to it. For me, Nigeria belongs to all of us and we are stakeholders in this country.

“Let me make my own position clear, I am a card carrying member of the PDP, because that is the party on which platform I became the President of this country.

“If what you’re trying to do is in the best interest of Nigeria and Nigerians accept and vote for you, who I am I not to accept you as President of Nigeria, I will. But in this your campaign, try to inform, woo and to convince the electorates but whatever may be the outcome of the election after you have done all that, once the election is free and fair and undisturbed, uninterrupted, then you have to accept the verdict of the people.”

Onovo said his government, if voted, would continue with the developmental initiative of the former President.

He said, “Our programme is designed to lead to the abolition of poverty through full employment, improve health care and electricity supply and energy which are very critical to industrial development.

“We are very aware that you did very few critical things in government when you were there and some of those we wish to continue when we get to office, particularly the anti-corruption efforts, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, we intend to continue.

“We intend, when we get elected with your guidance,ý to your effectiveness, to check the loss in national revenue so that we have funds to carry out the developmental programmes we’ve promised our people.”

Chief, Olusegun Obasanjo

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Thursday, 8 January 2015

IMF faults report blaming policies for Ebola outbreak

THE International Monetary Fund, IMF, has faulted a report  that blamed its policies for the Ebola crisis in West Africa.
Three weeks ago, professors from three leading British universities in a report  said that policies of the IMF favoring international debt repayment over social spending contributed to the Ebola crisis by hampering health care in the three worst-hit West African countries
From left: Mrs. Ibiye Ekong, Executive Director, Skye Bank; Mr. Sunkanmi Olowo, Head SME / Value Chain Banking, Ecobank Nigeria; Mr. Tony Okpanachi, Deputy Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria and Mr. Rasheed Olaoluwa, Managing Director, Bank of Industry during the signing of Memorandum of Understanding between Bank of Industry and some SME friendly banks in Lagos
Conditions for loans from the IMF prevented an effective response to the outbreak that has killed nearly 8,000 people, the academics allege in a report in The Lancet Global Health journal this month.
This allegation was faulted by Sanjeev Gupta; Deputy Director, IMF Fiscal Affairs Department, saying the assertions made by the professors  was incorrect.
He said, “First, it is not correct to say that health care expenditures declined in these countries. As my colleagues, Benedict Clements, and Masahiro Nozaki, and I note in a recent blog, spending on health and education have increased faster in low-income countries with IMF-supported programs, than those without.
“What about the Ebola-hit countries? Here too, we find an increase in health spending as a percent of GDP. In Guinea, spending increased by 0.7 percentage points, in Liberia by 1.6 points and in Sierra Leone by 0.24 points (from 2010 to 2013). More generally, World Bank data show that health outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa, including the three Ebola-hit countries, have improved significantly over the past decade or so, including improvements in mortality rates (falling by about 30 percent), child nutrition (improving by 9 percent), and sanitation (improving by 9 percent).
Low income countries
“Second, it is simply not correct to say that the IMF requires caps on the public sector wage bill. Since 2007, the IMF announced a new policy on wage bill ceilings, as part of an overall effort to promote more effective and sustainable use of aid flows to low-income countries. In fact, IMF programs in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone have not had any limits on the wage bill during the period 2000 -2014.
“The fact is that Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia were doing relatively well trying to overcome years of instability as they emerged from conflict, including civil wars that claimed tens of thousands of lives and had a devastating impact on social infrastructure.
The arrival of Ebola put severe pressure on already fragile infrastructure and health care systems. The IMF recognized the urgency of the situation—and moved quickly to help, as you yourself note. The IMF made available an additional $130  million to the three countries to fight Ebola.
“And we are doing more. The international community is helping affected countries meet their needs to fight Ebola. The IMF is working on mechanisms to allow us to move rapidly to provide more debt relief to these countries—which would free up more resources that could be used for health care spending.”

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Don’t blame Jonathan for Nigeria’s woes —Oba Akiolu

The Oba of Lagos, Oba Railwan Akiolu, yesterday, said that President Goodluck Jonathan should not be blamed for the problems of Nigeria.

Akiolu said this while receiving Jonathan at his palace in Lagos.
He said that many of the problems in the country pre-dated the Jonathan administration.
The President was in Lagos State for the flag off of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP’s, presidential campaign at the Tafawa Balewa Square.
He was in the Oba’s palace to pay homage to him and seek his blessings before going to the campaign venue.
Akiolu said that fighting corruption was the responsibility of every Nigerian.
The monarch said: “What will be, will be; God Almighty will give the best person the opportunity to lead this country.
“Mr President, God knows the best; I am happy; what I want are free and fair elections.
“I am happy that Mr President directed INEC to ensure that voters’ cards are distributed to every eligible member of the electorate.”
He urged the INEC to ensure distribution of voters’ cards, saying that Lagos had more than six million eligible voters.
The royal father said that security agents should not be unfairly used against any citizen during the general elections.
According to him, both the PDP governorship candidate, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, and his APC counterpart, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, are his children.
He said that he had presented Ambode’s candidature for God’s blessing at the 2014 Amir Hajj in Saudi Arabia but noted that God would always have the final say.
The Oba expressed confidence that Nigeria would be more united after the elections.

The Oba of Lagos, Oba Railwan Akiolu(left), President Goodluck Jonathan (right)

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Buhari takes campaign to Jonathan’s home base

All Progressives Congress, APC, Presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), yesterday, took his campaign to the home base of President Goodluck Jonathan in Bayelsa and Rivers States with a promise to frontally address environmental concerns and degraded infrastructure, if elected.

Buhari’s promise to implement the United Nations Environmental Programme, UNEP, report on Ogoniland was elatedly received by Ogoni traditional rulers who through the president, Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers, King Godwin Biniwa, handed him a sword to wipe out their tears when he emerges president.
General Buhari and his entourage, following the stop at Ogoniland, followed up with campaigns in Yenogoa, Bayelsa State the home base of the president and his main rival for the presidency.
Meanwhile, his running mate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, in Benin City, Edo State, said the country would be unrecognisable in one year of an APC government.
His position came as Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State regretted that President Goodluck Jonathan was blaming his predecessors in office when his six years in office has only brought agony and poverty to Nigerians.
At an interactive session with students, traditional rulers, market women and professionals in Benin City, yesterday, Osinbajo said an APC government would within one year solve the power problem, free health care and free food for school children.
He added that though the nation was rich, “we lack the leadership to harness our resources,” just as he noted that insurgency and corruption had thrived because President Jonathan lacks the political will to fight them.
 
Buhari urges Ogonis to vote APC
 
Speaking in Saakpenwa, headquarters of Tai Local Government Area during a meeting with Ogoni people, Buhari appealed to the people to vote for the APC and urged them to get their Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs.
Flaying the neglect of the region, Buhari put the blame squarely on President Jonathan saying: “The decision of the Federal Government to abandon the Bodo-Bonny road project is a clear case of incompetence and social injustice. It amounts to neglect at the highest level.
A lot is taken from Ogoniland and relatively little is brought back in return. I assure you that an APC-led Federal Government will fulfil all its promises in Ogoniland.”
Senator Magnus Abe, who hails from the area, was absent during the visit. In a statement read on his behalf, he lamented the pains the Ogoni had suffered in the nation.
Magnus, who represents the Rivers South-East senatorial district in the National Assembly, further appealed to the people to vote the APC.
He said: “Our position as a people concerning resumption of oil exploration in Ogoni is that, there should be adequate consultation with and participation of the Ogonis in the process leading to their eventual operation.
“As a deprived people, we have consistently placed in the domains of all governments, the Ogoni Bill of Rights (OBR) that seeks for equal representation of Ogonis in the affairs of the nation. These demands include appointment of Ogoni sons and daughters in government, provision of live sustainable infrastructures, such as good roads, water and development institutions.”
On his part, Director General, Buhari Presidential Campaign Organisation, Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State, urged the people to vote for the APC, saying the Ogoni had suffered neglect in the country.
President, Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers, King Godwin Biniwa, later handed a copy of the UNEP report and a sword to Buhari, urging him to wipe out their tears when he emerges president.
 
Buhari identifies bane of nation’s march to greatness
 
Buhari repeated the same vow of dealing with environmental problems in Bayelsa where he was received by thousands of supporters who had defied the scorching sun and long delay to receive him at the Samson Siasia Stadium.
The stadium was filled to capacity as at 3 p.m. five hours after his scheduled arrival as party supporters busied themselves with entertainments provided by dance troupes and other entertainers.
Speaking at the event, Buhari identified corruption, insecurity and incompetent leadership as bane of the nation’s march to greatness even as he promised to tackle environmental pollution ravaging the Niger Delta region.
He also promised to revive agriculture and fishing in the region to boost food production and reduce the rate of unemployment in the country.
He lamented that the PDP neglected agriculture with the result that the nation is dependent on imports to feed her population.
He also noted with sadness that the people of the Niger Delta can no longer fish in their troubled water due to pollution and promised to work with the United Nations to remediate the environment if voted into office.
Also speaking, Governor Amaechi in his speech at the occasion assured that the party would create jobs, tackle poverty, unemployment and insecurity in the country of voted into power.
 
A bad brother is not as good as a good friend—Sylva
 
Earlier, the immediate past governor of the state, Chief Timipre Sylva, urged Bayelsans to vote out Jonathan, saying: “A bad brother is not as good as a good friend.”
He said: “Vote APC and welcome prosperity, good governance into your homes. I have gone to the West, East, North and South, I have one assurance that Buhari has won the 2015 poll.”
Highlight of the occasion was the presentation of flags to the party senatorial candidates in the forthcoming National Assembly polls. They include, Chief Timipre Sylva for Bayelsa East, Eddie Julius, Bayelsa West and Preye Aganaba, Bayelsa Central.


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2015 Glo CAF Awards:Toure floors Enyeama

Ivory Coast and  Manchester City of England play maker, Yaya Toure has claimed the 2014 Glo-CAF African Footballer of the Year award, thus winn-ing it for the fourth straight time, since 2011. The Ivorian midfielder who is 1.88 meters tall was born in Bouake in May, 1983.
He has over 85 caps for Ivory Coast with 16 goals while his appearance for Manchester City is above
140 with over 39 goals.
The Ivorian captain defeated his nearest rival, Nigeria captain and first choice goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama and Gabon international, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Toure was voted African Footballer of The Year for 2011, 2012 and 2013 respectively.
While in Bacelona, his club side won six trophies in 2009 alone. He was nominated for The Personality of The Year Award at the MTV Africa Music Awards in July 2014. He was also nominated for the Prize in Entertainment category at the 2014 edition of The Future Africa Awards.
With this towering profile, the Ivorian captain was clearly, the pundits’ favourite to cart home the prestigious award.
OTHER WINNERS
•National Team of the Year – Algeria
Women National Team of the Year – Nigeria
Club of the Year – ES Setif (Algeria)
Most Promising Talent – Yacine Braimih – Algeria
Best Youth Player of the Year – Asisat Oshoala – Nigeria
Woman Footballer of the Year – Asisat Oshoala
Coach of the Year – Kheeireddine Madoui (ES Setif) of Algeria
You mi

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Most admired actors in Nollywood

Hate them or like them. They are among the very few popular faces that adorn our TV screens you cannot help but admire unconditionally. From Pete Edochie to Olu Jacobs and Mike Ezuruonye, we bring to you some of the rare actors have become household names in the country and beyond.
Pete Edochie

*Peter Edochie, alive and well
VETERAN actor, Pete Edochie came to limelight after playing Okonkwo in Chinua Achebe’s classic novel turned-serial-movie, ‘Things Fall Apart.’ He is considered one of Africa’s most talented actors, having featured in, over 500 films. A seasoned administrator and broadcaster, Edochie, whose second son, Yul Edochie is also one of the most sought after actors in Nollywood has paid hie dues. Pete Edochie is a man who commands respects in Nigeria and around the world, known to be a mean and no-nonsense actor in his roles. Many of his fans believes that he is like that in real life and this contributes to why he is admired by all.
 
Majid Michel
IN secondary school, Majid was actively involved in acting being a member of the school’s Drama Club; he received the Best Actor Award in one of their performances on Emancipation Day in Cape Coast, Ghana. Afterwards, he enrolled in the Academy of Screen Arts which is affiliated with Ashesi University. He was invited by a director of a modelling agency cum producer to participate in a TV series titled ‘Things We Do For Love’. He got the name Shaker from that set. This TV series marked the beginning of his success in the movie industry. His first movie titled ‘ Divine Love’ also shot him up the ladder of success and made him a household name in Ghana. Stella Damascus recently wrote on Instagram, @majidmichelmm is the best actor to ever come out of Africa as far as I am concerned.
 
Mike Ezuruonye
MIKE Ezuruonye has written his name in the annals of Nigerian movie history. The handsome, fair complexioned actor, who also is a brand ambassador of Airtel, has won several awards since he joined the industry. Not only that his good looks has opened many doors for him in Nigeria and beyond but also his creativity and style of delivery has made him the viewers choice especially among the ladies. When he travelled to United States US, a woman from Trinidad and Tobago got a shirt and put it on the ground and said to me, ‘please Mike, just touch the shirt for me and I promise I’m going keep it, I’m not washing it. That was so deep for me, he confessed in an interview

olu jacobs

OLUDOTUN Baiyewu Jacobs popularly known as Olu Jacobs is one of the veterans in Nollywood. He is an international superstar that has worked with international actors like Jean Claude van Damme. He has also become the favourite for elderly roles in the industry. Olu Jacobs’s charisma and manner of delivery in Nollywood movies cannot be rivalled by other actors, even his baritone voice also add some uniqueness to his mastery of the profession and why he will always be relevant in the industry.

DESMOND ELLIOT

ACTOR turned-politician, Desmond Oluwashola Elliot is an actor, you
cannot help, but admire unconditionally. He has starred in over two hundred films and a number of television shows and soap operas.
He won best supporting actor in a drama at the 2nd Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and was nominated for best supporting actor at the 10th Africa Movie Academy Award. He has also won several awards for his directorial work in the film industry. Elliot is also an ambassador and sponsor for the “Face of Hope” project.
The project is best known for their campaign to eliminate child illiteracy both in Nigeria and Africa at large. Desmond seems to prospering in every field. He has just won the APC primary for the Lagos House of Assembly and he’s looking forward to becoming a law maker.

Kunle Afolayan

The handsome dude, Kunle Afolayan cannot be excluded from the list of admired Yoruba entertainers because his vast achievements not only in Nigeria but in the whole of Africa. His recent celebrated movie,October 1, top the classic cinemas nationwide. It could be said that the film came with great promises, as, prior to its release. Its trailer won the Best Fiction Film Trailer at the International Movie Trailers Festival in 2013, while Afolayan himself received two awards; the ‘Creative Entrepreneur in Film making‘ and ‘Overall Creative Entrepreneur‘ by the British Council in Nigeria. Kunle became relevant in the industry in 2005,and since then he has produced many award winning films such as “Irapada”, “The Figurine” , “Phone Swap” which featured Nse Ikpe Etim. The latest of his works, “October 1” is currently making waves at the cinemas across the country.
Jide Kosoko
THE name Jide Kosoko is a household name in the movie industry. Jide Kosoko came to
prominence through television as a member of Awada kerikeri theater group, which had a successful series on television. He also produces and directs films. What he has going for him is that he has successfully made a cross over doing both English and Yoruba films. The veteran actor top the list, due to the huge success he has recorded in the movie industry which earned him numerous awards both local and at international level. With multinational endorsements coming from many multinational companies has placed him on top of his games. Jide Kosoko was born on January 12, 1954 in Nigeria.

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Bridal Gown Shop Visited By Ebola Nurse Shuts

A US bridal shop that was visited by an Ebola-infected nurse at the height of the US scare over the disease has announced it is closing down.
Coming Attractions Bridal & Formal in Akron, Ohio, served Amber Vinson when she was planning her wedding in October.
The medical worker only found out after she flew back to Dallas, Texas, that she was infected with the killer virus.
Store manager Kayla Litz, 33, told Sky News that the business, which had been thriving, was ruined by the Ebola alert.
She said their insurer had refused to cover them and they were facing about $100,000 (£66,000) in losses.
A message posted on the shop's Facebook page says: "I am sad to announce that Coming Attractions Bridal & Formal is being forced to wind down its operations after thirty years of service due to the devastating effect that recent events have had on our business.
Despite our best efforts, we simply have been unable to recover."
The shop said it would remain open until all existing orders are completed. It plans a liquidation sale beginning on Friday.
After Ms Vinson visited the shop, Ohio medical officials advised other customers to contact them. The shop closed for several weeks and brought in a cleaning company to sterilise dresses.
But customers stayed away after it reopened.
Ms Vinson asked the shop for a refund on a $480 deposit for bridesmaid dresses, the Akron Beacon Journal reported.
She and her colleague Nina Pham, who were the first people to contract Ebola in the US, were cured after treatment.
The Ebola epidemic has claimed 8,235 lives mainly in West Africa over the past year.

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Wednesday, 7 January 2015

Astronomers Have Discovered Eight Potentially Habitable Planets

Astronomers have announced that they have
discovered eight more planets that likely exist
in temperature ranges where life could exist.
The astronomers began their research path by
examining candidates for planets that had
been identified by NASA’s Kepler mission .
The candidates were analyzed using a
supercomputer running algorithms at NASA’s
Ames facility.
After exploring the statistical likelihood of the
planets’ existence, the team followed up with
months of observations using a variety of
different methods. The planets are distant
enough, however, that their habitabiliy is still
only a likelihood, not a certainty.
“We don’t know for sure whether any of the
planets in our sample are truly habitable,”
researcher David Kipping said in a statement.
“All we can say is that they’re promising
candidates.”
The two most potentially Earth-like planets of
the group of eight are Kepler-438b and
Kepler-442b, both of which circle red dwarf
stars are are respectively 70% and 97% likely
to be in the habitable temperature zones of
their respective stars. However, it should be
noted that there are serious issues regarding
the potential habitability of planets circling
red dwarf stars , so confirmation will require
significantly more study.
In addition to nearly doubling the potential
number of habitable planets, this latest
discovery also helps astronomers in a different
milestone. NASA announced this week that
the Kepler mission has helped astronomers
verify the discovery of over 1,000 planets
outside of our solar system. The mission has
also uncovered over 4,000 planetary
candidates.
“Each result from the planet-hunting Kepler
mission’s treasure trove of data takes us
another step closer to answering the question
of whether we are alone in the Universe,”
NASA associate administrator John Grunsfeld
said in a press release . “The Kepler team and
its science community continue to produce
impressive results with the data from this
venerable explorer.”
The researchers’ findings will be published in
The Astrophysical Journal .
   Related post;‘A Great Moment’: Rover Finds Clue That Mars May
 Harbor Life

Tuesday, 6 January 2015

Elections must hold in Yobe, Borno, Adamawa –Govs

Adamawa, Borno and Yobe governors rose from an   expanded emergency security meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday, saying that elections must hold in the North-East   next month.

There have been fears in many quarters that the general elections may not hold in the zone   because of Boko Haram insurgency.

Jonathan had on May 14, 2013 declared a six-month emergency rule in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states and renewed it twice at the peak of the Boko Haram activities.

His attempt to further extend the emergency rule in November 2014 was rejected by the National Assembly.

At the end of the Tuesday meeting which was also attended by security chiefs and relevant ministers, the governors argued that if elections could be held recently in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and other war-torn places,   the North-East should   not be an exception.

Yobe State Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Geidam, told State House correspondents that the governors   told the President to deploy more troops in the North-East ahead of the general elections.

Geidam said the troops on ground in the affected states were not enough to handle the security situation.

The governor said, “We have come to brief the President on the security situation in our various states; we   came to greet him and we told him the challenges we have been facing.

“We are appealing to the Federal Government to deploy more troops in addition to what we have on the ground to arrest the situation in our various states.

“We need more troops; the troops that we have on the ground in our various states are not enough to contain the situation. So we have appealed to the Federal Government to deploy additional troops with full equipment to contain the situation.

“Elections will hold in the states. Election will hold; that is the position of the electoral commission and definitely in all those areas where insurgency exists, elections will hold.”

His Borno State counterpart, Alhaji Kashim Shettima,   said elections must hold in the affected states to send a strong signal to the Boko Haram insurgents.

He said by not holding elections in the states, the government would be seen to have given in to the antics of the militants.

The governor argued that elections could be conducted in Internally Displaced Persons’ camps.

He said, “Elections, as I told you was conducted in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and several other war-torn places that are even more devastated than the North-East.

“Elections can be held in the Internally Displaced Persons camps. It is human beings that conduct elections, not spirit or anything.

“My take on this is that, are we giving in to Boko Haram? Are we giving in to their antics by not holding elections?

“We have to tell them to their face that you can kill, as Malala Yusuff said, but you cannot kill our spirit.”

Shettima described the meeting with the President as a fruitful one, saying he was optimistic that enduring peace would be recorded in the troubled areas very soon.

He said although he would not give a time frame during which peace would be restored, he was confident in the ability of the nation’s military to rise up to the present challenges.

The governor said as an “eternal optimist,” he was hoping for the best against whatever odds staring the people in the face.

When asked about the number of local governments under the control of the insurgents in his state, Shettima said he did not want to boost their egos by quoting figures because they thrive in publicity.

He however said that there were some councils that are partially under the control of the insurgents and some others   under government’s control.

The governor assured Nigerians that with 1,000 years of recorded history, Borno would rise again in spite of all its challenges.

When further asked if he believed that   security agents were properly motivated, Shettima said he did not want to pass any negative comment.

He said, “They (security agents) are making efforts. I want to leave it at that. I don’t want to pass any negative comment. They are people with blood running in their veins facing the insurgents and so I have to be respectful of the institution.

“Insha Allah, we don’t have any option but to win this war, we shall; we must; we have no option. Elections will be held by the grace of God.”

On the abducted Chibok schoolgirls, Shettima asked journalists to direct their enquiry to the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, Mike Omeri, whom he said, was in a better position to answer questions on the matter.

He described the leader of   Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, as a lunatic   for saying that he had married off some of the Chibok girls.

The governor said, “Shekau is a   deranged element; he is not somebody anybody should give any molecule of respect. His actions are beneath the act of even an animal, believe me.

“But as I said, we are not resting on our oars; we will continue to support the military by providing them with quality information when it becomes available.

“We believe   that in the fullness of time and not in a distance far off, we are going to get back the girls. “

Aside from conducting elections, Shettima said the most important issue was how to safeguard the lives and properties of the people, recover the lost territories and rescue the Chibok girls.

He added, “You have daughters, you have sons. How will you feel if your daughter is forcefully taken away from you for the past 267 days?

“So I want to dwell more on how to safeguard the lives and properties of our people, how to get back the Chibok girls and how to recover our lost territories.

“Two days ago (Sunday), it clocked exactly five months since Goza fell to the insurgents, Bama is now firmly under their control, Muba, Abadam, Kukawa – all tale of woe of devastation and killings. These are the sad tales that are coming out of Borno State.” When confronted with the fact that he is the chief security officer of his state, Shettima replied, “I am the Chief Security Officer of the state in name. You and I know that I neither control the police, the Army nor even the Civil Defence Corps.

“We are titled chief security officers of our states. But our most important task is to offer whatever support, be it logistic, financial to the military to carry out on their operations.

“Honestly, I don’t want to dwell on the politics behind the counter-insurgency operations because we are one people with a common destiny.

“And this is the time for all of us, irrespective of differences in political affiliations, religious persuasions, tribal or sectional background to collapse into a single course and bring this madness to an end.”

A former Governor of Yobe State, Senator Bukar Ibrahim, who accompanied his governor to the meeting,   expressed doubt about the possibility of closing a border of 1,500 kilometres from Borno to Kebbi State as a way of curtailing the insurgency.

He however said government at all levels should continue to work hard to end the violence.

When asked whether he envisaged insurgency during his tenure as the state governor, Ibrahim said he did.

He however   stated that it was former President Olusegun Obasanjo who “crushed the Yobe Taliban over a period of just few weeks.”

He regretted that about 13 councils were currently being controlled by the insurgents in the state.

He said, “We went through this, they came to Damaturu and killed people, burnt   policemen, doctors, nurses and so many others but within a short time, Obasanjo was able to crush them.”

He however said the current challenges could not be blamed on leadership.

“This one is a more terrible one than the earlier one. The earlier one I think was a small one; it was a small insurgency. This one is very huge with some international connections.”

In attendance at the meeting were Vice-President Namadi Sambo; Governor Bala Ngilari of Adamawa State and the Secretary to the Government of Borno State, Abba Gida.

Others were the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.); the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh; the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah; the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Usman Jibrin; the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu; the Director-General of the State Security Service, Ekpenyong Ita; the Inspector-General of Police, Sulaiman Abba; and the Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Ayo Oke.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke (SAN); the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Gusau; and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, also attended.

I’ll send corrupt Nigerians to Kirikiri – Buhari

The All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has assured Nigerians that all corrupt politicians will end up in jail once he is elected into power.

Buhari, who gave the assurance on Tuesday during the APC rally and the presentation of the party’s governorship flag to Umana Umana as its candidate in Akwa Ibom State in Uyo, said he would close all loopholes through which money was being siphoned out of the country.

“When we come into power, anyone who steals Nigerian money will end up in Kirikiri Maximum Prisons. We are going to make sure that Nigeria’s wealth belongs only to Nigerians,” he said.

He decried the overdependence of Nigeria on oil, saying that the country would not have faced the economic downturn if the country had invested in agriculture.

According to Buhari, Nigeria used to export tin and columbite but all of a sudden, it stopped producing and exporting these minerals with the belief that the country has oil.

On the power sector, Buhari stated that many industries had shut down operation because of epileptic power supply. He noted that Nigerian producers were not able to compete in the international market because of huge cost of generating alternative power.

Buhari, who was a former military Head of State, assured Nigerians that his government would create over three million jobs yearly to take care of the jobless youths.

The Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, who is also the Director General, Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation, said he was ashamed to read on the pages of newspapers a story credited to the Peoples Democratic Party that things had improved in Nigeria from 2011 onward.

He added that governors decided that the excess crude money be shared because of the missing cash that was involved.

Amaechi said, “I was ashamed to read on the pages of newspapers, where the PDP said things had improved from 2011 till now.

“Oil price used to be between $120 and $145 before now. Our savings used to be between $45 and $46bn. We had over $10bn to $20bn in excess crude. The reason why the governors asked that excess crude be shared was that after each meeting we had, if the money was $10bn, before we come back for another meeting, it would be $8bn. Who has taken the $2bn? We did not know.

“When we discovered that our money was being taken away with reckless abandon without accounting, it was then we asked, ‘Oga, please share this money. You are not a bank. And if it were a bank, it would add more to the money.”

Amaechi urged members of the party in the state to go to their units and educate the people. He asked the people to make sure that their votes count after voting, so that the PDP government would be voted out of power.