Nigeria: Not Less Than 22 Killed During Gun Battle At SSS Headquarters

 

               

Nigerian security officers.

Abuja — About 22 insurgents were feared killed during a the Sunday morning fierce shootout at the headquarters of the State Security Service, SSS, located less than 30 meters from the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The insurgents were said to have been shot after they escaped from their cells and engaged the operatives in a fierce gun battle.
An authoritative security source told PREMIUM TIMES that trouble started when an operative went to feed one of the suspected insurgents in one of the cells in the maximum security facility.
Apparently careless, the source said, the operative failed to observe laid down security caution while trying to feed the inmate.
Ordinarily, he said operatives are not expected to enter cells to feed inmates, adding that the operative, who was caught off-guard, not only entered the cell, but also went in with his service pistol.
He said, "When he got into the cell, the suspected insurgent immediately disarmed the operative and shot him at point-blank range.
"From there, he started shooting other armed operatives inside the premises and freeing his fellow detainees, who also joined in fighting for their escape."
The source said an alert was triggered within the highly fortified security facility and a full-scale hunt was declared to ensure that none of the insurgents running around free could make out to safety.
While the skirmishes lasted, the source said the insurgents, who had seized guns from some of the operatives within the premises put up a fierce resistance.
They were, however, crushed by the superior firepower of the military who were hurriedly deployed and surrounded the entire facility.
The source also said a number of operatives were killed and others injured during the early-morning gun battle.
In an earlier statement, the SSS spokesperson, Marilyn Ogar, confirmed that the gun battle began after a detainee disarmed an operative and tried to effect a jailbreak.
She stated, "At 0715 hours, the Service suspect handler went to the detention facility within the Headquarters to feed the suspects.
"One of the suspects attempted to disarm him by hitting him at the back of his head with his handcuff. His attempt to escape drew the attention of other guards at the facility who fired some shots to warn and deter others.
"The gun shots attracted the attention of the military with which we have an understanding of mutual assistance in the event of any threat.
"The Army immediately deployed a team to reinforce our perimeter guards to forestall any external collaborators. The situation has since been brought under control."
However, in a recent statement, Ms. Ogar confirmed that 18 insurgents were killed while three others sustained gunshot wounds.
Ms. Ogar did not disclose the number of SSS operatives who were either killed or injured during the attack.
But knowledgeable security sources told PREMIUM TIMES that the SSS narrative begs further questions because they seem "untrue and misleading".

Kenya: Madonna to Direct Film in Kenya

           

             

Madonna.

American singer, actress and entertainer, Madonna is set to direct a screen adaptation of the novel Ade: A Love Story, based on real life events set in Kenya. The novel is authored by Rebecca Walker and it is reportedly based on her life.
In the novel, a female 19-year old American student sets out to travel with her friend to Egypt and ends in Lamu, off the coast of Kenya. There, she falls in love with a handsome Swahili Muslim man named Ade, who names her Farida.
But when Farida contracts malaria and finds herself caught in the middle of a civil war, reality crashes in around them. The lovers' solitude is interrupted by a world in the throes of massive upheaval that threatens to tear them apart, along with all they cherish.
According to Shadow and Act, the film adaptation of Ade will be produced by Bruce Cohen through his Bruce Cohen Productions company with Jessica Leventhal, his director of development, and author Rebecca Walker.
This is not Madonna's first directorial debut, she has worked on films like W.E., about the relationship between British King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson and Filth and Wisdom, a comedy centered on roommates living desperate lives in London.

Zimbabwe: Mugabe to Boycott AU-EU Summit Over Wife Snub 

           

                

President Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace.

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe will not attend a European Union-Africa summit next week if his wife is denied a visa to travel with him, his spokesman said on Friday.
Mugabe, 90, and his wife Grace are subject to travel bans by the EU because of allegations about human rights abuses and election-rigging but the union allowed Zimbabwe's sole ruler to attend the meeting after pressure from the African Union.
The two-day summit starts on April 2 in Brussels.
"We are sovereign and equals and the EU cannot decide on our delegations. The president, and Zimbabwe will not be there if they continue to hold out on the visa," Mugabe's spokesman George Charamba said.
EU ambassador to Zimbabwe Aldo Dell'Ariccia told a local radio station on Friday the bloc had not given a visa to Grace because there was no program for wives of presidents and there was no need for her to attend.
"We have been discussing this for some time. We have reached agreement and Zimbabwe has been invited but no spouses have been invited," the EU official said.
Dell'Ariccia, said when Zimbabwe asked for a visa for Mugabe's wife "they were told she should apply through the normal channels".
"The EU is just following it's legal framework and there can't be any movement from that position," said Dell'Ariccia.
Harare on Friday urged other African Union members to shun the summit.
But diplomats in Brussels say they are unfazed by the boycott call.
"We see no risk" of a boycott of the April 2-3 summit, which gathers 90 nations from both continents, including 65 heads of state and government, said a senior official speaking on condition of anonymity.
Mugabe, 90, and his wife Grace are subject to travel bans by the EU because of alleged human rights abuses and election-rigging.
The travel ban on Mugabe and his wife can be suspended temporarily to allow him to attend international forums.
But EU officials say no presidential spouses will be invited to the 2-3 April summit.
Charamba said the EU's decision was "very strange".
"What God has put together the EU is trying to separate," Charamba said in the state-controlled Herald newspaper.
"Do they expect the president to respect the EU and disrespect his own marriage?"
Zimbabwe is also unhappy that Sudan has not been invited to the gathering, especially when Egypt - which has been suspended from the African Union (AU) - has been asked.
The gathering brings together 90 countries from Europe and Africa, including 65 heads of state and government.

Drake & Rihanna -- Holding Hands on Date Night In London

It's getting serious, guys!

Drake and Rihanna were photographed very clearly holding hands on Thursday night in London, as they were spotted in the backseat of an SUV while arriving at Tramps nightclub.

Earlier in the evening, the couple went to dinner at Novikov before heading to the club for the third night in a row.

RiRi was dressed in a white mini, black jacket, boots and a beanie for their date night, while Drake wore a grey trench coat.

Rihanna has been accompanying her new beau during his European tour, which wrapped on Wednesday night in the UK.

According to TMZ, the singer wanted to spend as much time with Drake as her schedule would allow -- because he "treats her better than anyone she's ever been with." TMZ also reports that the two are "officially exclusive."

Selena Gomez

Drops Millions on Anti-Bieber Mansion

         

Selena Gomez is the proud new owner of an anti-Bieber fortress, TMZ has learned.

Real estate sources tell TMZ, the deal closed last week -- Selena threw down roughly $3 million for a 5-bedroom 7,200 sq. ft. Calabasas mansion, located minutes away from the Kardashian empire in Hidden Hills (great for lunch dates with Kendall Jenner).

We're told Selena didn't have many demands while house shopping -- but she refused to budge on one thing ... the home could NOT be in The Oaks ... aka Justin Bieber's old hood.

Lucky for her, Bieber has since become a non-issue -- kid moved his 65-pound ass to Atlanta earlier this month.

 

Africa: Mugabe Ropes Africa Into Grace Visa Fight

           

               

President Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace.

AN organ of the African Union (AU) was, Wednesday, said to have urged a boycott of the European Union-Africa summit next week after President Robert Mugabe's wife, Grace, was refused a visa to travel with the Zimbabwean leader.
The EU imposed sanctions against Zimbabwe, including travel bans on top government and Zanu PF officials in 2002, after a government crackdown on the opposition and the eviction of white farmers from agricultural land.
The sanctions were lifted this year but the EU maintained the travel ban against Mugabe and his wife for another year in a bid to force the veteran leader to continue to implement key reforms.
But the wily Zimbabwean leader managed to get the AU to threaten to boycott the fourth EU-Africa summit scheduled for Brussels in Belgium next week if he was not invited, forcing an EU climb-down.
Mugabe was then invited and given a travel visa, but not his wife, in a development that infuriated Harare.
EU ambassador to Zimbabwe, Aldo Dell'Ariccia, explained that only those with a role to play in the meetings had been invited, suggesting Grace did not need to travel.
"We have invited those with a role to play in the meetings and the programmes of the meetings do not have any role for spouses," said the envoy.
"Since she is under restrictive measures the host country (Belgium) has to seek a green light from the EU for her to attend. The EU has to reach a consensus but in this case that has not happened."
But government officials countered that it is no business of the EU to determine who should be part of the Zimbabwean delegation or what officials had any role in Brussels.
Mugabe's spokesman George Charamba hinted that Zimbabwe would likely boycott the meeting if Grace was not allowed to travel.
But it now appears Harare wants the whole summit to collapse if the First Lady is not allowed to accompany her husband.
Foreign Affairs Minister, Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, said a meeting of the AU's Peace and Security Council held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Wednesday recommended Africa boycotts the summit if the EU insisted on determining the composition of country delegations.
"The African Union Peace and Security Council took a decision that the European Union was in violation of an AU resolution that they do not have the right to determine the composition of Africa's delegation," he told the Herald.
"So the AU Peace and Security Council has recommended to all member states that the Summit cannot be held until Europe recognises Africa's sovereignty.
"The ball is now in the EU's court. It's now up to the EU to decide whether they want the summit to proceed or not.
"If they want it to proceed, they should accept that they have no right to determine the delegation from Africa. I have since briefed President Mugabe and he has since welcomed the decision."

Sean Combs reclaims 'Puff Daddy' name

Sean Combs, seen here in January 2014, is resuming his use of his "Puff Daddy" moniker.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Artist Sean Combs is resuming use of his former stage name Puff Daddy
• The rapper/producer has performed as Puffy, Puff Daddy, P. Diddy and Diddy
• The switch-up is expected to accompany a reported new album

Sean Combs -- who has put out records under the names Puff Daddy, P. Diddy and Diddy and who has appeared in movies using his own name and a few Diddy-like variations thereof -- has decided to come full circle and resume using the Puff Daddy name.

The moniker change-up will accompany a new album, reportedly named "MMM," according to Radio.com. It will be the rapper's first album since 2010's "Last Train to Paris," but does not currently have a release date.

Watch Sean Combs' spoof 'Downton Diddy'

Combs included the new old name in a one-minute trailer (incidentally, posted to Vimeo by the "Diddy" account) for his latest single, "Big Homie," which features guest appearances by Rick Ross and French Montana.

The clip shows the rappers in various states of suspension until a gunshot triggers close-ups of stacks of cash and jewelry and wide shots of the group hanging out at a car wash. The video will come out on Monday, March 31.

Diddy leads top hip-hop earners list

Combs began his music career in the early '90s alternating between the name Puffy and his own name for remixes on releases by Father M.C., Jodeci and Mary J. Blige.

He executive-produced the Notorious B.I.G.'s debut "Ready to Die" as Sean "Puffy" Combs and, in 1997, put out his first full-length, "No Way Out," under the Puff Daddy name, which graced two albums total.

His 2001 album "The Saga Continues..." was his first as P. Diddy and his 2006 LP "Press Play" was his first as Diddy.

 

Africa: The World's Happiest Continents

           

 

               

In celebration of the International Day of Happiness, Jetpac  set out to find the happiest country in the world - measured not by how happy people say they are, but by their actual smiles.
Finding the Happiest Countries in the World took doing image processing on over 150 million Instagram photos to count and size the smiles on people's faces from all the cities in the World. From counting the pixels, we were able to come up with a Smile Score for every city in every country.
Smiles on the faces of millions of people in millions of photos are the most direct measure we have of happiness. Previous attempts to measure happiness have relied on survey questions or indirect measures. Jetpac is identifying smiles on faces and then measuring the shape and size of the smile - a small grin doesn't score as highly as a broad smile. Smiling for the camera seems to be a cultural norm for a country.
Are some countries happier than others? Some definitely smile more than others...
Top 10 Happy Countries:
1. Brazil 60.5
2. Nicaragua 59.4
3. Honduras 53.9
4. Colombia 49.8
5. Bolivia 48.1
6. Costa Rica 47.5
7. Venezuela 47.0
8. Philippines 46.0
9. Guatemala 42.0
10. Mexico 40.3
This is how Africa scored on the list 122 countries:
24. South Africa 31.5
38. Angola 29.0
43. Egypt 26.7
44. Ghana 26.4
69. Tunisia 22.2
58. Nigeria 24.3
81. Morocco 20.0
86. Kenya 18.8
96. Tanzania 17.0
104. Mauritius 14.7

Africa: Yona in Miss Africa U.S. Finale

           

        

                          

Zimbabwean model, Yolanda Yona will represent the country this year at the Miss Africa US grand finale in August. Yona (27), made it into the top 15 after shaking off competition from 30 other contestants at the semi-finals that were held in Washington DC.
"This is the most difficult pageant I have ever done.
"All the girls were beautiful but I am happy I made it. Nothing would have been possible without God," she said.
The Mutare-born model who is known as Nana Simz in the modelling world be raising the country's flag yet again after coming out second in the Miss Africa Ukraine last year.
She is, however, excited about the current pageant as she feels it is an even bigger platform that is set to showcase what Zimbabwe has to offer.
"It certainly is a life-changing experience to meet different people from all over the world.
"The opportunity of meeting the United Nations Ambassador is also huge for me as I get inspired to work for my country," she said.
While in her former base Ukraine, Yolanda Yona has had a successful stint in showbiz.
She has graced a Russian publication, Pink Magazine before landing a role in a high budget Moscow action movie "22 Minutes" in 2013.
She added that she was confident she would bring home the crown because of her beauty, brains and vast experience.
"Zimbabwe has never won this pageant and I think it's time to change that.
"I have always known that at this stage in my modelling career, I would focus on meaningful things in life. This pageant is definitely that platform," she said.
The vision of the Miss Africa US Pageant, according to their website is driven by the potential and capacity of the empowered African women.
Now in its ninth year, its queens are involved in charity and humanitarian projects in their communities around the world.
The reigning queen Kathy Onwu is from Nigeria.

Uganda Land Minister Promotes Women's Land Rights With Help From World Bank

                  

Uganda has received a $54 million loan from the World Bank to raise public awareness about land tenure, especially the rights of women to own land, Daudi Migereko, Uganda's Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development said on Monday.
The new loan coincides with a huge public demand for more information about land rights. Conflicts and protests are sweeping through Uganda over land ownership, land grabbing and displacement of long-time residents as the government grapples with economic development issues, agri-business investment and the discovery of oil and gas.
"As a Ministry of Lands, it is part of our duty to sensitise people about their rights and obligations in as far as land matters are concerned," Migereko said in an interview at the World Bank conference on Land and Poverty in Washington.
"We have been low on funding but fortunately, we recently procured a line of credit which will enable marginalised groups like women and clan groups to be in position to acquire rights over land just like individuals. The loan of $54 million which we are acquiring from the World Bank will help," he said.
Uganda has a long history of providing women legal rights to own land - under its constitution, the 1998 Land Act, the 2010 Land Amendment Act as well as the 2013 National Land Policy. But in practice, women continue to suffer marginalisation from their families and societies.
Women in Uganda frequently do not inherit land, do not hold joint title on land deeds or make decision on land. Migereko says while women need to learn the procedures of acquiring land, society needs to appreciate and acknowledge the fact that men and women have equal rights to land.
"We have to continue supporting women and create greater confidence that these rights are real," Migereko said.
Uganda is not alone in facing challenges over women's land rights, said Ayse Yonder, a land expert at the Pratt Institute in New York told the conference. While global policies recognise gender equality in ownership of land, there is little understanding of the difficulties women go through to access land and secure land tenure. Women have very limited access to financial credit to buy and own their own land or acquire titles, she said in reciting a list of difficulties that women face.

   

North-Korean leader Kim Jong-Un forces male students to have the same hairstyle as him

His regime is widely renowned for open human right violations and now, the supreme leader of North-Korea,Kim Jong-Un is taking it to another level by forcing all male students in North Korea to get the his haircut which has been called "Dear leader haircut"
This was announced some weeks ago by the government saying all male students are banned from every other haircut but the exact one he favours
Local media have frowned against this as they say the haircut is associated with Chinese smugglers, rather than the nation’s leader.The Korean times said until the mid-2000s, it was called the “Chinese smuggler haircut”.Another source told told Radio Free Asia that....

‘Our leader's haircut is very particular, if you will.It doesn't always go with everyone since everyone has different face and head shapes.

Previously, the students had 10 haircuts to choose from,now they must have this haircut and no one dare say no..

It’s The End Of The Road For Gwyneth Paltrow & Chris Martin…Announce Divorce After 10 Years Marriage

 

Today I learnt a new word: “consciously uncouple” those are the two words actress Gwyneth Paltrow used to announce her separation from husband of ten years, Chris Martin. The announcement was made on her lifestyle website Goop.com.
The Oscar winning actress and her rocker husband have two children Apple & Moses, they have been married for ten years, which in Hollywood is forever!
Read her statement after the jump

It is with hearts full of sadness that we have decided to separate,” the statement read. “We have been working hard for well over a year, some of it together, some of it separated, to see what might have been possible between us, and we have come to the conclusion that while we love each other very much we will remain separate. We are, however, and always will be a family, and in many ways we are closer than we have ever been. We are parents first and foremost, to two incredibly wonderful children and we ask for their and our space and privacy to be respected at this difficult time. We have always conducted our relationship privately, and we hope that as we consciously uncouple and co-parent, we will be able to continue in the same manner.

Consciously Uncouple is the new word for a break up! I like it!
I wonder why Hollywood couples always claim they are closer than ever and love each other very much in press statements about their divorce?

- See more at: http://www.that1960chick.com/2014/03/26/its-the-end-of-the-road-for-gwyneth-paltrow-chris-martin-announce-divorce-after-10-years-marriage/#more-38044

Facebook Buys Oculus, Virtual Reality Gaming Startup, For $2 Billion

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Facebook isn’t just buying into mobile messaging — it’s also going for gaming.
In a Tuesday afternoon shocker, Facebook announced it is buying hot virtual reality gaming company Oculus VR for $2 billion. That includes $400 million in cash and 23.1 million shares of Facebook stock. There’s also an additional $300 million potential earn-out in cash and stock based on “the achievement of certain milestones.”
Fresh off Facebook’s $19 billion purchase of WhatsApp, CEO Mark Zuckerberg is showing the world that he isn’t afraid to use his company’s skyrocketing share price to get an edge in Silicon Valley. Facebook stock is up over 150% in the last year and both the WhatsApp and Oculus deals took advantage of that with large stock-cash splits.
“Mobile is the platform of today, and now we’re also getting ready for the platforms of tomorrow,” Zuckerberg said in a statement. “Oculus has the chance to create the most social platform ever, and change the way we work, play and communicate.”

Facebook has given away $13.5 billion (8% of its current market cap) worth of stock in Whatsapp + #Oculus deals @Forbes $FB
— Steven Bertoni (@StevenBertoni) March 25, 2014

Oculus’ virtual reality headset Rift set the gaming world on fire with its potential, even as it still hasn’t made it to the mass market yet. The second Oculus Rift development kit is available to pre-order for $350. It is unclear exactly how Zuckerberg sees virtual reality fitting in with social media, or if gaming is even his primary focus with this purchase.
Watch Forbes’ JJ Colao experience the power of the Oculus Rift at this year’s South By Southwest:

In a Facebook post about the deal, Zuckerberg said Oculus “is really a new communication platform.”
“After games, we’re going to make Oculus a platform for many other experiences,” he wrote. “Imagine enjoying a court side seat at a game, studying in a classroom of students and teachers all over the world or consulting with a doctor face-to-face — just by putting on goggles in your home.”

Zuckerberg says FB won’t try to make a profit off selling Occulus hardware, notes FB’s strong suit is communications & software.
— Jeff Bercovici (@jeffbercovici) March 25, 2014

“We are excited to work with Mark and the Facebook team to deliver the very best virtual reality platform in the world,” Oculus CEO Brendan Iribe said in a statement. “We believe virtual reality will be heavily defined by social experiences that connect people in magical, new ways. It is a transformative and disruptive technology, that enables the world to experience the impossible, and it’s only just the beginning.”
Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list in January profiled 21-year-old Oculus co-founder Palmer Luckey. Watch his video interview with Forbes editor Michael Noer:

Facebook stock dropped 1% in after hours trading.

Dangote Draws Nigeria, France In 'cement War' In Senegal

Its shimmering azure chimney stacks towering into the sky, the latest cement works launched by Africa’s richest man lies idle in a Senegalese meadow -- stopped in its tracks by legal action and cut-throat competition in a rapidly growing industry. Nigerian industrialist Aliko Dangote’s cement business has been flourishing elsewhere in Africa and the Senegalese project, first conceived four years ago, was due to start production in June. But the west African nation’s government is being taken to a regional arbitration court in Ivory Coast by French manufacturer Vicat, which claims that the plant represents a “distortion of competition” in a country where the market is already saturated. “This is the first time in the history of Senegal that we have seen a plant built in violation of all the rules,” said Boubacar Camara, president of Sococim, a Senegalese subsidiary of Vicat. Dangote, 56, made his first fortune in Nigeria more than three decades ago when he started trading commodities with a loan from his uncle. His cement business is the jewel in the crown of the Dangote Group, the largest industrial conglomerate in west Africa according to Forbes magazine, which describes Dangote variously as “the richest black person in the world” or “Africa’s richest man”, with a personal fortune of $25 billion (18 billion euros). He has been expanding his empire outside of Nigeria in recent years -- Dangote Cement now has operations in 15 African countries -- but the Senegal project and the court case aiming to stop it may come to represent a frustrating inability to leverage his influence across the entire continent. 4,000 jobs “A cement plant is dangerous, you need permits, prior authorisation and you also have to conduct an environmental impact study. That hasn’t been done,” Camara told AFP. The water-cooling technology involved in the $630 million (457 million-euro) plant would require a daily withdrawal of 4,500 cubic metres of groundwater, a precious commodity in an arid Sahelian country like Senegal, according to Camara. “It’s a race against the clock. Once production begins, it will be much more difficult to intervene,” Camara told AFP. “Given the conditions in which he has installed his plant, Dangote could come and set whatever prices he likes.” Dangote has said the operation would create 4,000 jobs and, in any case, the state has no power to oppose it, a source close to the Senegalese Ministry of Mines told AFP. “Initially, there was were certain procedural irregularities that Dangote fixed,” said the source, adding that “the main problem was the environmental impact”. French President Francois Holland wrote to his Senegalese counterpart Macky Sall in January about the plant “in order to raise awareness of the difficulties faced by Sococim”, according to a source in the Senegalese presidency. Sall responded to the effect that “the rule of law and the Senegalese courts” would must be allowed to decide whether the project could go ahead, the source told AFP. Welcomed with open arms It is not the first time that the controversial project has run into problems. Senegalese courts ruled during construction that it encroached on a sacred forest owned by the descendents of Cheikh Amadou Bamba, a Sufi Muslim mystic and religious leader who was revered by millions of Senegalese. Construction was only allowed to recommence when Dangote offered the family a persuasive $12.6 million in compensation. Villagers in Galene, the tiny settlement on the doorstep of the cement works 50 kilometres (30 miles) from Dakar, say it has been installed on land once used by thousands of farmers and their animals. “We fear that it is going to stop us growing and raising our animals,” said Oumy Ba, the village chief. Community leader Bougouma Thiongane said however that the project had been “welcomed with open arms”. Galane and the surrounding villages have no electricity or tap water and Dangote promised to change that, while also raising employment prospects for every young person in the area, Thiongane said. The plant, one of the largest in Africa, will be ready to begin operating “within 90 days”, Aramine Mbacke, the CEO of Dangote Senegal, told Financial Afrik magazine earlier this month. It will produce three million tonnes of cement annually, three-fifths of which will go onto the local market, he said. The operation is being launched amid increased competition between Sococim, which has a 65 percent market share, and Ciments du Sahel, which makes up the rest. “Both plants already have a combined capacity of six million tonnes for a market of two million tonnes. They produce below capacity. That explains the reason for this war,” an official from the Ministry of Mines said. “In the sub-region, everyone wants to make cement,” he added. The management of Dangote Senegal declined to comment. Source: Dailytrust

Dencia Demands Money From Oprah Winfrey Before Granting Interview

Dencia remains in the news, and for all the wrong reasons.
The Cameroonian pop singer, who has come under fierce backlash for her Whitenicious skin cream, recently revealed she wasn’t going to honor Oprah Winfrey’s interview request until she was paid.
Oprah Winfrey had invited Dencia for an interview as part of a documentary titled Light Girls, but Dencia had demanded payment for an appearance.
Dencia said, “I feel like they want to take advantage of Whitenicious. They need the show, they need me but you know what, if the pay is good, I’ll do it…The questions they want to ask me they can ask Rihanna, Beyonce and Nicki Minaj because they have all lightened their skin. But since they are bigger, you can’t ask them and you want to ask me,so pay me.

Uganda: U.S Sending More Special Forces, Planes in Kony Hunt

           

Photo: RNW

Uganda army launch search for Lord's Resistance Army leader, Joseph Kony (file photo)

The United States is more than doubling its deployment of Special Operations forces to help search for warlord Joseph Kony.
President Barack Obama ordered about 150 troops and at least four CV-22 aircraft to Uganda on Sunday, marking the first time the U.S. has sent military planes to find Kony and his fighters.
The search is focused on the jungles straddling the borders of the Central African Republic, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Obama first sent about 100 U.S. Special Forces to the region in 2011, where they have been supporting a 5,000-member African Union Regional Task Force.
The Pentagon said the U.S. troops are tasked with providing information and assistance, and are armed only for self-defense.
Kony is wanted by the International Criminal Court for 33 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
He waged a brutal guerrilla war against the Ugandan government for nearly two decades before fleeing with his fighters to the jungles of central Africa around 2005. Kony is believed to have no more than a few hundred fighters remaining.

Shaquille O'Neal

Under Investigation

Allegedly Punched Man at TV Studio

         

Shaquille O'Neal is under investigation by Atlanta Police ... after a man claims the ex-NBA star punched him at Turner studios last year ... though Shaq claims the two were simply horsing around.

According to the police report, obtained by TMZ Sports ... 44-year-old Robert Williams claims he was working at Turner Studios, where Shaq tapes "Inside the NBA" ... when he was attacked by the big man just after midnight.

"While at work at Turner Studios on May 9th 2013, about 12:30am, as I was performing my duties at work, Shaquille O'Neal ran out of a room and hit me with a tackle punch to the back knocking me down and falling on top of me injuring my neck and back."

Williams says he reported the incident to Turner Security and was placed under medical care ... though he did not file the police report until July 2, nearly two months later.

As for Shaq, he claims the whole thing is being blown out of proportion -- his attorney told WSBTV, "This was nothing more than horseplay. No one intended for anyone to get injured."

Cops tell TMZ Sports no charges have been filed against Shaq and reinforce that Shaq was never arrested ... but the matter is still under investigation.

 

ANITA BAKER WANTED BY THE POLICE

IN DETROIT

         

Anita Baker -- famous for her 80s hit song "Sweet Love" -- is now a wanted woman in Detroit ... after an arrest warrant was issued for the Grammy-winning singer.

According to court records, the bench warrant was issued yesterday after the singer failed to show up to court for a hearing in her current legal battle with a paint and decorating company.

Ray Smith Painting and Decorating has sued Baker, claiming she owes the company $15,000 for services it performed inside her giant Grosse Pointe home -- and so far, she still hasn't anted up.

We reached out to Anita's camp for comment -- so far, no word back.

 

David Guetta

Drops the Needle

on Marriage

David Guetta and his wife Cathy have pulled the plug on their 24-year marriage.

The pair met in 1990 and were married that same year. They have two kids, ages 10 and 6.

According to a French magazine, the divorce was finalized in a Paris court, but neither David nor Cathy were present for the hearing.

What's particularly surprising about the split ... Cathy and David just renewed their vows in Ibiza in 2012.

NYSC Members To Co-ordinate 2015 Elections

 

NYSC and INEC have concluded arrangements to use corps members as Electoral Officers for the general elections in 2015.
The Director General of NYSC, Brig. Gen. Johnson Olawunmi, made this known in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria in Obubra, Cross River, on Thursday.
He warned corps members against engaging in fraudulent practises during the elections.
“No corps member is expected to collect money from any politician or give out sensitive electoral materials for any financial reason.
“Any corps member caught in this act will be severely punished.
“The use of corps members in elections has become part of the electoral process for obvious reasons.
“Corps members are well educated and enlightened to handle election materials in all local government areas of the federation,” he said.
According to him, NYSC and INEC will pay  corps members allowances for participating in the elections
The D-G expressed satisfaction with the security arrangements in the Obubra camp and thanked Gov. Liyel Imoke of Cross River for ensuring adequate protection of corps members serving in the state.
He said the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneur Development programme would reduce unemployment and make corps members to be job creators after their service year.
“NYSC is collaborating with the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Bank of Industry to facilitate loans to corps members with good business ideas,” he said.

DEADLY RECRUITMENT: Interior Minister Moro Bribes Journalists With N500,000 To Restore Battered Image?!

Minister of Interior Abba Moro
According to Sahara Reporters, Minister of Interior Abba Moro has on Thursday offered a N500,000 reward to those journalists who would work to whitewash his image.
Minister Moro is blamed by many Nigerians for a tragic outcome of a recruitment exercise conducted by the Nigeria Immigrations Service across the country, when dozens of people died in the ensuing stampede and others were injured.
The multiple accidents prompted calls for the sack of the Minister, while he blamed the deaths and injuries on the impatience of the applicants. Among those who demanded his sack are Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
A highly-positioned reliable source disclosed that Minister Moro had a meeting with a select group of jornalists to persuade them to ease the tension currently surrounding his name. According to the source, the Minister offered a N500,000 reward to each of them.

Amil Whitehead Has Cleared Up Some Vintage Rumours About Her Relationship With Jay Z

 

There have been speculations that Jay Z went behind Beyonce’s back to cheat on her with former Roc-A-Fella rapper Amil Whitehead, who left the label in a rather controversial way, Amil who is back on the scene has come to clear the air that she only shared business relationship with Jay Z, nothing more, she said that he was like a protective brother to her when she was with him and would never lose the love for Jay…For her to leave the label she started to rebel, she labeled against the industry because Jay knew that she didn’t want to be there.
 

 

More than 2,000 migrants rescued off Italy in 48 hours

Italian officials said the migrants arrived on 13 overcrowded boats

Italian authorities say they have rescued more than 2,000 illegal migrants, many from North Africa, off Sicily's coast in the past 48 hours.

The announcement came a day after some 500 people forced their way into Spain's North African enclave of Melilla.

In response, the Spanish government has doubled the number of security forces there.

Every year, thousands of migrants try to reach Europe via Spain and Italy.

Many of those making the dangerous journey come from Eritrea and Somalia.

But in the past year the numbers from Syria have also soared because of the civil war there.
'Good sailing weather'
Italian authorities said the migrants arrived on 13 overcrowded boats.

Each of them was packed with men, women and children from countries including Eritrea and Syria, the BBC's Alan Johnston, in Rome, reports.

Most were picked up by Italian navy and coastguard crews, but two private vessels also got involved in the wide-ranging rescue effort in waters south of Sicily.

The people traffickers who organise the dangerous sea crossings from places like the ports of Libya, seem to have been taking advantage of a spell of good, calm sailing weather, our correspondent says.

Flappy Bird to return, says creator Dong Nguyen

Dong Nguyen, the Vietnamese creator of Flappy Bird, confirmed it will return on Twitter

Addictive mobile game Flappy Bird will return to Apple's app store, creator Dong Nguyen has confirmed - although he declined to give a specific date.

On Twitter, a fan had asked if he was going to put the game back in the app store.

"Yes. But not soon," Mr Nguyen replied, later adding: "I don't work by plan. I will release it when it is done."

Mr Nguyen removed the popular game in February, saying its popularity had ruined his "simple life".
Ruined lives
Launched in May 2013, Flappy Bird was free to download and required players to tap the screen to keep the bird in flight.

Despite its simple graphics, Flappy Bird was a notoriously difficult game since many users could only keep the bird in the air for a few seconds before it hit an obstacle and fell.

The game went viral after being promoted almost entirely by social media users and was reviewed on a YouTube channel by more than 22 million subscribers.

It was downloaded 50 million times, and at the height of its popularity, Mr Nguyen was reportedly earning $50,000 (£30,450) a day from advertising

In an interview earlier this month with Rolling Stone, Mr Nguyen said he was moved to remove the popular mobile game from the App store after users wrote to him detailing how the game had destroyed their lives.

After the game was taken down, users started several passionate petitions to get the game reinstated.

South Africa: Zuma Family Benefited from Nkandla

          

                

President Jacob Zuma's residence in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal.

President Jacob Zuma and his family unduly benefited from upgrades made to his private Nkandla home by about R246 million, Public Protector Thuli Madonsela has found.
"It is common cause that in the name of security, government built for the president and his family in his private [home], a visitors centre, cattle kraal and chicken run, swimming pool, and amphitheatre among others," the report titled "Secure encompass" said.
"The president and his family clearly benefited from this."
The report was released on Wednesday as Madonsela briefed reporters in Pretoria.
She found Zuma had not misled Parliament when he said his family had built its own houses and the state had not built any for them or benefited them.
"I have accepted the evidence that he addressed Parliament in good faith and was not thinking about the visitors centre, but his family dwelling, when he made the statement.
"It appears to have been a bona fide mistake and I am accordingly unable to find that his conduct was in violation of ... the executive ethics code," Madonsela said in her report.
In November, Zuma told Parliament his residence in Nkandla was paid for by the Zuma family.
"I took the decision to expand my home and I built my home with more rondavels, more than once. And I fenced my home. And I engaged the bank and I'm still paying a bond on my first phase of my home," he said at the time.
"My residence in Nkandla has been paid for by the Zuma family. All the buildings and every room we use in that residence, was built by ourselves as family and not by government."
Zuma told Parliament he took exception to accusations that government money was spent for his benefit.
"I have never asked government to build a home for me, and it has not done so. Government did not build a home for me," he said.
"It is unfair, and I don't want to use harsher words because you believe that people like me can't build a home."

Nigeria: U.S. Lawyers Seek Repatriation of Abacha Loot to Nigeria

           

 

 

                

Late Sani Abacha.

Two U.S. senior lawyers and professors of law have asked Eric Holder Jr., the Attorney General of United States of America, to without delay repatriate the sum of $458 million (N75 billion) asset stolen by the former dictator late General Sani Abacha and his accomplices.
The lawyers, Alexander Sierck and Nicholai Diamond of Cameron LPP in Washington DC, sent the letter dated March 18, 2014 as Volunteer Counsel for Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP.
In the letter titled 'Re: Abacha Kleptocracy Forfeiture Action', the lawyers said "SERAP respectfully requests that the U.S. Department of Justice establish a general process for the repatriation of assets seized as part of its Kleptocracy Initiative. SERAP's request arises in the specific context of the Department's March 6, 2014 announcement that it has frozen more than $458 million in corruption proceeds, which have been hidden in bank accounts around the world by former Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha and conspirators, to implement the civil forfeiture complaint filed in federal district court here in Washington. As the Department stated in its press release announcing the seizure, these seized funds properly belong to the citizens the kleptocrats ostensibly served."
According to the lawyers, "Even though the Department has only recently filed the civil forfeiture complaint regarding the Abacha-related assets, SERAP respectfully submits that its request is nonetheless timely in regard to such assets. This is because in many such cases, the kleptocrats owning the seized property do not appear in the U.S. to contest the seizure because they would then subject themselves to personal jurisdiction in the underlying criminal case that might be filed against them. Thus, at some point, perhaps by the end of 2014, there will be a default on the Abacha asset seizure, consequently freeing up the assets for repatriation to or for the benefit of Nigeria and its citizens."
"SERAP notes that in a September 19, 2011 interview with the Main Justice blog, Jennifer Shasky, speaking on behalf of the Department's Kleptocracy Initiative, stated that: the Department has no [legal] obligation to repatriate assets subject to civil forfeiture, but that the Department is committed to finding ways to repatriate or otherwise use such funds for the benefit of the victim country. SERAP assumes that this is still the Department's position," the lawyers also said.
They also noted that, "on March 15, 2012, SERAP filed a letter with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's Enforcement Division seeking comparable repatriation of civil fines paid in connection with Foreign Corrupt Practices Act settlements. In particular, SERAP proposed that such fines be repatriated to or for the benefit of the people of the victim country in the event that the SEC determined not to pay such proceeds directly to the government where officials were apparently bribed. To that end, SERAP proposed that such funds might be conveyed to a reliable U.S. or Nigerian charitable organization to be spent on health care, for example, subject to anti-corruption safeguards."
The lawyers also "requests that the Department publish for public comment a proposal for the disposition of such seized assets, not just in the Abacha context but in all such Kleptocracy Initiative cases. In SERAP's judgment, the Department's proposal ought to explain:
· When and under what circumstances the Department will "foreclose" on such seized, and presumably defaulted, assets.
· Whether and when the Department will provide public notice of such foreclosure.
· Whether, following such foreclosure, the Department will provide public notice, of 90 days for example, for requests for repatriation to be filed.
· The criteria the Department would consider, on its own or in response to a request, in deciding whether to repatriate such funds; such criteria might include (i) the integrity of the relevant foreign government, (ii) that government's proposed uses of such repatriated funds, including anti-corruption safeguards, and (iii) where and under what circumstances the Department would prefer to repatriate such funds to a charitable organization for public benefit purposes, e.g., healthcare, in the victim country.
Abacha was Nigeria's military ruler from 1993 till he died in 1998.

My Mother Lied To About My True Father ––Actor Tyler Perry

My Mother Lied To About My True Father ––Actor Tyler Perry

Tyler Perry is one man who's learned to live a positive life no matter what comes his way and he's succeeding on this path, exceedingly. The guy almost killed himself while he was growing up due to the way and manner his father used to beat him up like a "slave". But he didn't know that the man was just his mother's husband and not necessarily his real father.

His mother is late now and she never told him the truth before departing the world. But 44years old Tyler took a DNA test with his brother recently and the result shows that they are not brothers and that man who almost killed him with serious beatings is not his true father.

Tyler is heart-broken over the discovery. Below is how he's addressing the issue:

"I love my mother to death, but she lied to me. Some of you have secrets that your kids need to know. Let the chips fall where they may. For the peace of that person, let them know." 

Of course, he is angry, but he still used his story to teach other women how to relate with their children. While addressing an audience at the Women's Empowerment 2014 event in North Carolina, Tyler said he had always believed that Emmitt Perry, the violent man he grew up with, was his father. But he is not.

Now he's looking for his real father. I just wonder what stopped his mother from telling him the truth. So sad!

 

Nigeria, France, Cameroon, Three Other Countries Sign Deal On Massive, Joint Offensive Against Boko Haram     

     

                                 

The Senior Special Adviser to the President on Public Affairs, Doyin Okupe on Friday compared the interrelationship between the Federal Government of ... ( Resource: FG, Boko Haram And Nigerians: A Game Of Football - Doyin Okupe

Following the upsurge in the Boko Haram insurgency the North-East geopolitical zone, Nigeria has entered into agreement with France and four of its neighbours to increase the level of coordination and exchange of intelligence as well as hold regular meetings of experts with a view to containing the menace.
The Republic of Benin, Cameroon, France, Chad and Niger also agreed with Nigeria to ensure effective policing of common borders to avoid the infiltration of terrorists and other criminals as well as the repatriation of suspects in conformity with existing protocols.
These are some of the recommendations made by the Directors-General of External Intelligence Services of the six countries, who met in Abuja on March 5.
The one-day meeting with the theme "Challenges of Combating Boko Haram in the Sub-region" was facilitated and declared open by the National Security Adviser, NSA, Sambo Dasuki and attended by the Nigerian Chief of Defence Staff, Service Chiefs, Inspector General of Police, Heads of Security and Paramilitary Organisations, representatives of Heads of the External Intelligence Services, Director-General of State Security Service, and representatives of the Commander of the 7th Division of the Nigerian Army and representatives of the French Intelligence Service, all of who made presentations.
The meeting was held behind closed doors at the conference room of Nigeria's Defence Intelligence Agency but PREMIUM TIMES became aware of its details last Thursday.
The Boko Haram insurgency has claimed thousands of lives in Nigeria, particularly in the north eastern flank of the country since 2009. Besides, the activities of the dreaded sect have seriously damaged the economy and reputation of the region.
Although, he declared a state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa, President Goodluck Jonathan has increasingly come under attack for allegedly not adopting other method of curtailing the sect.
The recent meeting of the Directors-General of External Intelligence Services is believed to be a boost to the activities of the Multi-national task force comprising troops from Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Chad.
The meeting also recommended that the doctrine proposed by President Goodluck Jonathan that "an act of terror against one nation is an act of terror against all," be adopted by Heads of State of participating states and that "the reaction of member-states to acts of terror be spontaneous, concerted, broad-based and integrated."
It further recommended the effective implementation of existing regional and Confidential Agreements on Small Arms Light Weapons; the sensitization of the local communities in border areas on the need to assist military and security agencies with timely information necessary for their operations; and the discouragement of payment of ransom in all its ramifications.
It noted that due to the sensitive nature of defence matters, and to allow for members with the appropriate competences to participate, a meeting involving competent law enforcement officers to include Heads of the Armed Forces, Police, Immigration, Customs and Gendarmes of the five countries be convened before the end of March, to discuss the conduct of simultaneous security operations along the borders.
That meeting, where modalities for a joint military offensive is being worked out, is ongoing in Yaounde, the Cameroonian capital.
The Abuja meeting also decided to recommend to heads of state of member states to consider the formation of a Joint Multinational Task Force and other related operational issues to combat the menace.

Africa: Cameroonian Gay Rights Activist Wins Top Award                      

Cameroonian lawyer and gay rights activist Alice Nkom is the winner of Amnesty International's Human Rights Award 2014. In Berlin she visited a memorial to gays murdered under the Nazi regime.
The rain patters down on Alice Nkom's blue headdress, but the 69-year-old does not seem to notice. Motionless she stands in front of a gray metal cube that has been erected in memory of homosexuals murdered during Germany's Nazi era.
The monument at the entrance of Berlin's Tiergarten was built in 2008 and Nkom was determined to see it. Through an opening she peers into the interior of the memorial. A black and white film shows two men kissing each other. "It is very touching for me to see such a thing in a public place," said Nkom. "In my country it would be inconceivable."
Advocate for gays and lesbians
Nkom comes from Cameroon. For eleven years, the lawyer has been defending men and women sitting in prison because of their sexual orientation. Same-sex love is a crime in the Central African country. According to section 345a of the Cameroonian penal code, a person caught in a "homosexual act" can face up to five years in prison. In reality, it takes only a suspicion to land somebody in jail.
Nkom has often been the last hope for those hoping to escape such harsh sentences. Together with the organization, ADEFHO, which she founded, she fights for the rights of gays and lesbians in Douala, Cameroon's largest city.
In Berlin Alice Nkom wanted to visit a memorial and see how gay people live in Germany
Her commitment has made her known all over the world. On Tuesday (18.03.2014) she was awarded Amnesty International's Human Rights Award for 2014. Despite her busy schedule in Berlin, where she received the award, she arranged to have three hours free of interviews or meetings with politicians so that she could discover "gay Berlin." Amnesty International has organized a tour for her.
Threats by text message
The award has given her courage, she says. "This gives me a voice that can get heard everywhere." Despite death threats she has been receiving while in Cameroon, the award is encouraging her to continue with her work.

Major Balls: Putin Ignores US & Europe; Signs Bill Making Crimea A Part Of Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin showed himself to be no pushover as he ignored the US and the West to add Crimea to the Russian map.
According to Yahoo,

In an emotional 40-minute speech televised live from the Kremlin, Putin said “in people’s hearts and minds, Crimea has always been an integral part of Russia.”
The Russian leader insisted though that his nation has no intention to invade other regions of Ukraine, saying “we don’t want a division of Ukraine, we don’t need that.”

Putin referred to Ukraine as a state born out of an illegal secession from the Soviet Union. He also argued that today’s Ukraine includes “regions of Russia’s historic south” and was created on a whim by the Bolsheviks.

The statement sounded as a clear warning to both the new Ukrainian government in Kiev and to the West to respect Russia’s interests.

In response, Ukraine’s new government called Putin a threat to the whole world and U.S. Vice President Joe Biden warned that the U.S. and Europe will impose further sanctions against Moscow.

“The world has seen through Russia’s actions and has rejected the flawed logic,” Biden said, meeting Tuesday with anxious European leaders in Poland.

“Today’s statement by Putin showed in high relief what a real threat Russia is for the civilized world and international security,” Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Evhen Perebinis said on Twitter. “(The annexation) has nothing to do with law or with democracy or sensible thinking.”

Everybody Loves Oil Money: Former FIFA VP Jack Warner Allegedly Collected Bribe To Help Qatar Get World Cup

Former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner has been implicated in a bribery scheme alleging he and his sons were paid almost £1.2million to help Qatar secure the hosting rights for the 2022 World Cup.

Warner allegedly received £720,000 from a Mohamed Bin Hammam, ex-Qatari FA member, and his sons, Daryll and Daryan, also received sums of up to £450,000.

Mr Warner was one of 22 people who decided to award the World Cup finals to Qatar.

These allegations were revealed in documents obtained by the Daily Telegraph.

According to the documents, Warner had reportedly asked for the money from Bin Hammam, being charges for “legal and other expenses”, and  for “professional services provided over the period 2005-2010.”