NLNG boosts engineering with $12m in 6 varsities

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By From IKENNA EMEWU, Abuja on March 20, 2014 · National

The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and five other federal universities, each from a geo-political zone, have been announced as beneficiaries in the Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG) education development project.
The NLNG told journalists in Abuja yesterday that it took the decision as a way of encouraging and fostering quality education in Nigeria and contributing to the general advancement of the nation.
In the address by the Managing Director of the NLNG, Babs Omotowa, and according to a statement by the General Manager, External Relations, Kudo Eresia-Eke, the NLNG would spend N340 million or $2 million on each of the selected universities.

Biafra threat: Imo beefs up security

Following alleged  threat by a faction of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), known as Biafra Zionist Federation(BZF), to storm other South-East States to hoist its flag  in their Government Houses, the Imo State Government has beefed up security around the  Government House, Owerri.

Private jet: Reps probe oil minister’s N10bn expenses

Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke
| credits: File copy

The House of Representatives on Thursday passed a resolution to probe an alleged spending of N10bn by the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, to charter and maintain a jet for her personal use.

The resolution indicated that the minister spent 500,000 Euros or N130m monthly to maintain the aircraft in the last two years.

Confab draft rules out, to be adopted Monday

Former Chief Justice of Nigeria and chairman of the conference, retired Justice Idris Kutigi

THE Secretariat of the National Conference, on Thursday in Abuja, released the Draft Rules of Proceedings to guide the conduct of the delegates to the conference.

The draft rules would be adopted by the delegates on Monday, the Conference’s Assistant Secretary, Media and Communications, Mr. Akpandem James, told the News Agency of  Nigeria.

 James said on Thursday, “The Draft Rules and the 1999 Constitution have been ready since 6 a.m. and we have made them available to the delegates to study.

Government should stop giving money to Actors...Mr. Ibu

John Okafor

POPULAR actor, John Okafor has decried the absence of adequate structures in Nollywood.

Also he criticised the recent visit of the Actors’ Guild of Nigeria to President Goodluck Jonathan, which did not appear to go down well with some people who queried the motive in the first place.

For these critics, the actors only went to grab a ‘piece of the national cake.’ And though the actors concerned have since defended their decision to pay the President a courtesy visit, popular Nigerian comic actor, John Okafor, popularly known as Mr. Ibu, is still not pleased.

B’Haram writes Army, threatens to attack Maiduguri barracks

Members of the boko haram sect

The members of the Boko Haram Sect have written to the 7th Division of the Nigerian Army threatening to attack Maimalari Barracks on Friday (today).

Investigations revealed that security had been beefed up in the Maimalari Barracks which has the Headquarters of the 7th Infantry Division of the Artillery Corps, the Ordinance, the Signal and other crucial units of the Army in Maiduguri.

HAVE THEY FOUND IT?....debris of possible parts of missing plane found.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (CNN) -- A day that began with high hopes ended with uncertainty late Thursday in Australia as darkness put an end to the search for two objects captured on satellite and described as possible debris from missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.

Charly boys Father, Justice Oputa suffers stroke, hospitalised in Owerri

Retired Justice of the Supreme Court and chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, otherwise known as Oputa Panel, Justice Chukwudifu Oputa, has suffered stroke and hospitalised.
Daily Sun gathered that the eminent jurist was hit by the ailment at the weekend and was rushed the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, the Imo State capital, where he is in critical condition.
Sources revealed that since he was taken to the hospital, Oputa had been in a bad shape, to the extent that doctors advised against any plan to move him out in a car, as the family wanted him transferred overseas for treatment.

Cool TV & Wazobia TV Jobs

Cool TV & Wazobia TV sister companies of Cool FM/Wazobia FM and Nigeria Info FM are recruiting for their long awaited family format television in the following categories:

• Creative and innovative Nigerian graduates in the Diaspora
• Home grown talented Nigerian graduates and professionals who will be trained with assistance of Bill Tush the pioneer broadcaster of CNN Atlanta.
• Shortlisted candidates shall be trained by www.aimgroup.us and eventually would be trained by Bill Tush the pioneer broadcaster of CNN Atlanta.

Blasts kill at least 16 in Iraq; 90 wounded

A woman walks past the site of a car bomb attack in Baghdad, Iraq on February 18, 2014.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Car bombs go off in Baghdad and Babil province
• Dozens are wounded in 10 incidents
• Iraq has been beset by violence

(CNN) -- At least 16 people in Iraq were killed Tuesday in 10 car bombs, police said. At least 90 people were wounded.

Three blasts occurred in the capital, Baghdad, and seven were reported to the south, in Babil province.

Peek inside the world's most expensive hotel rooms

Costing $83,200 a night, the Royal Penthouse Suite at the Hotel President Wilson in Geneva is the most expensive hotel room in the world. The 12-bedroom suite has hosted a venerable guest list, including Bill Gates and Michael Douglas. Apparently, some famous musicians have found inspiration in the panoramic views of Lake Geneva and the Swiss Alps.

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Hotel President Wilson, Geneva

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STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• A rise in millionaires throughout the world has created a market for luxury suites
• These swank rooms can cost as much as $83,200 a night
• Perks include everything from private NBA-size courts to a Bentley rental

(CNN) -- At $83,200 a night, the Royal Penthouse Suite at Geneva's Hotel President Wilson is the most expensive hotel room in the world. Guests are not left wanting for much: the suite has 12 bedrooms and 12 marble bathrooms, plus a wraparound terrace with views of the Alps that have been said to move a handful of famous musicians to song (there's a Steinway piano, should the backdrop not be enough). VIPs traveling without an entourage can make use of the private staff -- butler, chef, personal assistant.

Does formula mystery help keep Coke afloat?

Coca-Cola claims its formula is the "world's most guarded secret." The recipe, the company says, is now kept in a purpose-built vault within the company's headquarters in Atlanta.

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Behind the wall of Coca-Cola secrecy

UK court upholds Snowden-linked detention

Greenwald's partner Miranda was detained at a London airport under British terrorism legislation [AP]

Britain's High Court has ruled that police legally detained the partner of Glenn Greenwald, the journalist at the centre of the Edward Snowden spying leaks.
The court rejected on Wednesday a legal challenge which argued that the detention of David Miranda, and the seizure of leaked documents, violated free expression.

church of Satan Worshiper admits " I started Killing when i was 13" and have never stopped!

Miranda Barbour told a newspaper reporter over the weekend that she killed so many people across so many states in the last six years that she lost count. She told the Daily Item newspaper in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, that the killings spanned from Alaska to North Carolina.

However, Alaska State Troopers said Tuesday Barbour's claims don't bear out -- at least in their state.

"At this time the Alaska State Troopers are not aware of any information -- beyond Barbour's comments quoted in the press -- or evidence that would implicate Barbour with a homicide committed in Alaska," a statement from the agency said.

Church of Satan: We don't support murder

THERE was a mild drama at the Yola chief Magistrate Court 5 Tuesday, when a Deputy Director with the State Security Service
(SSS), Mr. Edward Mathew Magaji, serving in Ibadan was in court to testify against his wife, Mrs. Joy Magaji, in favour of his girlfriend, Miss
Natasha Aminu Danbaba, a nurse with the Specialist Hospital, Yola.
 Magaji engaged the counsel to his wife, Barrister Binanu Eston, in a verbal war, asking that the counsel could take his wife.
  Magaji, 40, and his girlfriend (Miss Danbaba), 44, told the court earlier when he mounted the witness box for two hours to testify against his wife who has four children for him that he was in the room of his girlfriend located along Barracks Road when his wife came and broke the windscreen of the lady’s car after a failed attempt to gain access into the room where he was “relaxing” with his mistress.
  Magaji who gave oral evidence that contradicted the earlier evidence of his girl friend told the court that he came out to restrain his wife from causing further damages in the house but his wife escaped, while Natasha in her oral evidence told the court that she was alone at home when her lover’s wife paid her a bloody visit.
 The SSS officer also disputed the oral evidence of his girlfriend who told the court earlier that Magaji is a senior officer with SSS. In his cross examination he denied being an SSS officer, but later confessed that he was a top security officer.
  Magaji who was warned by the Chief Magistrate on several occasions against using foul language and unpalatable words in court, denied beating his wife and insulting her parents.
  He further told the court that he wanted justice for his girlfriend and also alleged that he divorced his wife last year, but later told the court that his wife was staying with him and that they both operate a joint business account.
  “My wife is co-habiting with me, we operate a joint account business but this year she sold everything and left for Jos,” he told the court.
  The top randy SSS officer, who admitted in court that he did court wedding with his wife, confessed that the alleged divorce was not issued by court, but by him.
   After the over five hours court session the security officer threatened to deal with any journalist that reported the case in the media.
 Mrs. Joy Magaji a mother of four was dragged to the Yola Chief Magistrate’s court last month by Miss. Danbaba for criminally invading her
house  and damaging her car.
  The Police Prosecutor inspector Suleiman Garba told the court that on the 3rd of January 2014 the accused person (Mrs. Joy) criminally invaded the resident of the plaintiff Miss Danbaba and damaged the windscreen of her car.
  The case has been adjourned to Monday next week to allow the police tender the car and the wooden bench Miss. Danbaba claimed the defendant used to damage her car which the accused alleged belongs to her husband.

Cinema attack kills 12 as Pakistan, Taliban meet

A TRIPLE grenade attack on a cinema showing pornography in northwest Pakistan killed 12 people Tuesday as government and Taliban negotiators met for a second round of peace talks.
  It was the second such attack within two weeks on a cinema in the city of Peshawar, which has been on the front line of Pakistan’s homegrown Islamist insurgency.
  The attack came as negotiators representing the Pakistani government and Taliban militants met for a second time as part of efforts to end the bloody seven-year rebellion.
  After the meeting in Islamabad the chief negotiator for the Taliban, hardline cleric Maulana Sami-ul-Haq, said the two sides had proposed a ceasefire “to make the atmosphere for talks more conducive”.
  Peshawar city police chief, Mohammad Ijaz Ahmed said three grenades were used in the attack and up to 80 people were in the Shama cinema at the time.
  The cinema is known for showing explicit erotic movies as well as regular films.
 A statement from Peshawar’s Lady Reading Hospital said 12 men were killed in the attack, including two Afghans, and 24 were wounded.
  Scraps of human flesh, blood-soaked shoes, caps and condoms littered the floor of the hall after the blasts, an AFP reporter at the scene said.
  Akbar Khan, 62, whose left arm and left thigh were injured, told AFP from his hospital bed that he was watching a pornographic movie when a deafening blast rocked the auditorium.
  “It seemed like a hot iron rod pierced through my left arm and leg as I was hit by ball bearings,” he said.
  “I ran towards the gate, from where I was taken to hospital.”
  Peshawar, the capital of restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, has seen numerous bomb and gun attacks in recent years.
  The Shama cinema has been in business for more than 30 years. It has been attacked twice before by Islamist activists, but Tuesday was the first bombing.

Home / News / Metro News / Drama in court, as SSS officer testifies against wife in favour of girlfriend

THERE was a mild drama at the Yola chief Magistrate Court 5 Tuesday, when a Deputy Director with the State Security Service
(SSS), Mr. Edward Mathew Magaji, serving in Ibadan was in court to testify against his wife, Mrs. Joy Magaji, in favour of his girlfriend, Miss
Natasha Aminu Danbaba, a nurse with the Specialist Hospital, Yola.

Cinema attack kills 12 as Pakistan, Taliban meet

A TRIPLE grenade attack on a cinema showing pornography in northwest Pakistan killed 12 people Tuesday as government and Taliban negotiators met for a second round of peace talks.
  It was the second such attack within two weeks on a cinema in the city of Peshawar, which has been on the front line of Pakistan’s homegrown Islamist insurgency.
  The attack came as negotiators representing the Pakistani government and Taliban militants met for a second time as part of efforts to end the bloody seven-year rebellion.
  After the meeting in Islamabad the chief negotiator for the Taliban, hardline cleric Maulana Sami-ul-Haq, said the two sides had proposed a ceasefire “to make the atmosphere for talks more conducive”.
  Peshawar city police chief, Mohammad Ijaz Ahmed said three grenades were used in the attack and up to 80 people were in the Shama cinema at the time.
  The cinema is known for showing explicit erotic movies as well as regular films.
 A statement from Peshawar’s Lady Reading Hospital said 12 men were killed in the attack, including two Afghans, and 24 were wounded.
  Scraps of human flesh, blood-soaked shoes, caps and condoms littered the floor of the hall after the blasts, an AFP reporter at the scene said.
  Akbar Khan, 62, whose left arm and left thigh were injured, told AFP from his hospital bed that he was watching a pornographic movie when a deafening blast rocked the auditorium.
  “It seemed like a hot iron rod pierced through my left arm and leg as I was hit by ball bearings,” he said.
  “I ran towards the gate, from where I was taken to hospital.”
  Peshawar, the capital of restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, has seen numerous bomb and gun attacks in recent years.
  The Shama cinema has been in business for more than 30 years. It has been attacked twice before by Islamist activists, but Tuesday was the first bombing.

Mark stops senators’ defection

 
APC loses five seats to PDP in House
• Reps begin budget debate, reject vote for ex-militants, others
• Opposition claims ruling party lures lawmakers with dollars 
IT was expected to be a legislative session that would finally resolve the impasse over an attempt by 11 senators to formally defect from their party.
  But this hope was dashed yesterday. Senate President David Mark stopped the 11 senators of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC).    

Zimbabwe's maternal mortality crisis About 3,000 mothers die every year while giving birth, due largely to lack of access to quality healthcare.

About one-third of women in Zimbabwe deliver babies at home [Gift Phiri/Al Jazeera]

Rusape, Zimbabwe - In Cheneka village, about 170 kilometres southeast of Zimbabwe's capital, Harare, Moses Jemwa recalls the tragic death of his wife. She died in childbirth, aged 31, while being assisted by traditional birth attendants.

Report: Women claim Mandela is their father

Nelson Mandela has left his roughly $4.1m estate to his wife Graca Machel and family members [EPA]

Two women who say they were fathered by South Africa's former President Nelson Mandela have sought to be acknowledged by his estate, local media reported, citing an attorney dealing with his will.
The Mail & Guardian newspaper reported on Monday that family representatives of Onica Mothoa and Mpho Pule contacted Michael Katz, one of two attorneys appointed by the estate's executors to handle matters surrounding Mandela's will.

Africa Al-Qaeda group kidnaps Mali Red Cross staff

An al-Qaeda-linked group in Mali has kidnapped a team of Red Cross workers who had been reported missing, an official from the group known as the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO) said. The members of the team "are alive and in good health" in the hands of MUJAO, the official told the AFP news agency on Tuesday.

Syria allows some men of fighting agae to leave Homs.

BEIRUT (AP) — The Syrian government on Tuesday allowed over a hundred men of fighting age to leave rebel-held areas of the besieged city of Homs after they were questioned and cleared of rebel links, state media said.

The report came as aid workers were rushing to make use of an extended cease-fire, which first went into effect on Friday, and evacuate more people from the flashpoint city. In Geneva, meanwhile, government and opposition leaders met for another round of face-to-face negotiations on how to halt the country's civil war.

8 Perfect Valentine’s Day Gifts for Your Guy

Gifting something special to your guy on Valentine’s Day can be a little tricky. Guys are usually not so forthcoming or particular about what they want as gifts. But that does not mean they don’t love them. So what to get for them? Well, let us make your task easy by telling you about the gifts your guy secretly desires.

2014 Budget: House Queries Okonjo-Iweala Over N7.1tn Debt

The House of Representatives, yesterday, faulted the efforts of the Finance Minister and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr (Mrs) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to present the state of the economy in bright light. According to the parliament, the economy cannot be bright when government has earmarked N572 billion to service N7.1 trillion domestic debt in the 2014 Budget.

Ukraine Launches Terror Probe Over Attempted Plane Hijack To Sochi

Ukraine has launched a terror probe into a bid by an apparently drunk man to force an airliner flying to Turkey to land in Sochi where leaders were gathered for the opening of the Winter Olympic Games.
“We have launched an investigation into an attempt to

commit an act of terror and an attempt to hijack a plane,” Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) investigative department chief Maxim Lenko told reporters on Saturday.
Lenko said the Ukrainian – who one official in Kiev said was “in an advanced state of drunkenness” during the incident – had a personal dislike for the politics of President Viktor Yanukovych and his Russian counterpart and ally Vladimir Putin.

LADY WHO IS ALERGIC TO SEX

Leonie who suffers from a rare illness, Human Seminal Plasma Hypersensitivity, which causes burning, swelling, pain and irritation during s*xual intercourse had to stay away from s*x which also ended her marriage.

Fayrouz To Host International Singer, Kelly Rowland At Love Like A Movie 2

Nigeria’s premium beverage brand and official LLAM sponsor, Fayrouz will be hosting multiple award winning American singer and actress Kelly Rowland at the second edition of Darey Art Alade’s music concert, “Love Like A Movie: The Love Roller Coaster”.

Flavour Nabania Shows Up At His Alma Mater In School Uniform

Highlife Star Flavour, showed up at CIC Enugu decked in his school uniform courtesy of his NGO Flavour Foundation to give a talk to the students and inspire them. Rumours have it that a good number will have their fees paid via the NGO as well.

Seyi Shay is Not Dating Clarence Peters

Contrary to online reports, Seyi Shay and Clarence Peters are not a couple.
News of the rumoured romance went viral yesterday when The Net NG reported that the pair started dating towards the end of 2013. It was revealed that they hit it off when he directed her debut music video – Irawo.
Clarence was also the director of her recent video – Ragga Ragga.
BellaNaija got an exclusive confirmation from Seyi Shay’s management – J-Management, that the rumour is “absolutely false”. They also revealed they may release a statement on this in “due time”.

“I Am So Annoyed I Dyed My Hair Dark” – Kim Kardashian

Just days after she dyed her hair darker, Kim is regretting that decision and feels she looks better as a blonde She posted this
‘I’m so annoyed I dyed my hair dark! I wanted to switch it up since I feel everyone went light, and we started filming a new season of Keeping Up With the Kardashian, so wanted a fresh look (sic),’ ‘BUT now I am missing my light hair! HELP!!! What do I do? Go light again or stay dark and get used to it?’
She looks much better with the dark hair and many of her fans agree.

Olubadan of Ibadan deposes Chief for using Magun on his wife

The Olubadan of Ibadan, HRH Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade1 (pictured left) has deposed one of his Chiefs, Chief Olusegun Ojetade (pictured right in hospital), the Balogun of Jagun community in Lagelu local government area of Oyo state for placing his wife, Mrs Racheal Ojetade with a deadly anti-adultery charm commonly known as Magun.

Why I turned down Nollywood roles -Nigerian Hollywood actor, Hakeem Kae-Kazim

Actor reveals why he rejects some Nollywood scripts
Hollywood actor, Hakeem Kae Kazim, has revealed that he turned down several Nollywood scripts as such scripts did not match his standard.
In an interview with HipHopWorld, the British-Nigerian, who played George Rutaganda in the Academy Award-nominated movie, Hotel Rwanda, also disclosed how director, Obi Emelonye, wooed him over to Nollywood with the script of Last Flight To Abuja.
“I did the TV series called 24, up in Los Angeles, United States, then one Nigerian director I had met at some film festivals said to me, ‘Nobody knows you are Nigerian in Nigeria’.
“I was shocked and he said, ‘You have to come home and do something’. Then a year and a half later, he presented a script, Inale. It was my first experience coming back into Nigeria and working in Nollywood. And then he said will I come and do his movie; it was Last Flight To Abuja. Again, the reason why I did it was because he was the director and one that is trying to move the Nollywood film experience to a higher level so I wanted to help him do that and so I came back and did Last Flight To Abuja, which was an interesting filming experience,” Mr. Kae-Kazim said.

He also noted the discrimination of black actors in Hollywood.
“Yes, there is discrimination in one sort of sense but the major fact is that in Hollywood, whites are the majority there. They are doing their own work and are just telling their own stories from their perspective and most times they just have a person of colour they want to put in as they deem fit. And I think it’s up to us to be able to tell our own stories. The most important thing is for the African race both in Hollywood and Nollywood to put together their resources to provide infrastructure and to start a process of telling their own stories so that the stories come from them and by them,” he said.
Mr. Kae-Kazim described his experience with Nollywood superstars, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde and Genevieve Nnaji, as good. He talked about how great it was for him to have come and experienced some of Nigerian talents and hopefully influence the talent and help raise everybody’s game.

10 hollywood celebs who should never have had plastic surgery!

Hollywood culture centers on the youthful, attractive features of its much-adored stars. Yet, as these actresses and actors grow older, they face constant pressure to resist the aging process and retain their youthful good looks. Unfortunately, this cultural obssession with youth has led to a number of sad plastic surgery mishaps.

Tori Spelling

Anti-Gay Law Will Not Affect HIV Fight, Says NACA

THE National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) has said that the anti-gay law, also known as same-sex marriage prohibition act, recently signed by President Goodluck Jonathan would not have negative effects on fight against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the country as being speculated in some quarters.

Power Supply: Still No Respite Even After Privatisation of PHCN

BARELY three months after the Federal Government handed over 11 power distribution and five generation companies, created out of PHCN, to their private owners, the power supply situation in the country has worsened and there appears to be no remedy in sight. Vice President, Alhaji Namadi Sambo, who is Chairman of National Council on Privatisation (NCP), had during the handover ceremony, which took place simultaneously at the headquarters of the successor companies (SCs) across the country, assured Nigerians that the privatisation of the country’s power sector would lead to greater efficiency and improved power supply nationwide.

2015 Election timetable... Mixed Reactions from all quarters

Inec has released dates for the election timetable and mixed reaction are coming from different quarters regarding the choice of dates. some say it will give unfair advantage to jonathan.
   While some hailed the commission on the dates for the presidential and governorship elections, others questioned its decision to hold the presidential and National Assembly polls before the governorship and state assembly elections.

Jonathan signs bill banning same sex marriage

ABUJA (AFP) – Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan has approved a bill banning gay marriage and same-sex partnerships that sparked international condemnation, his spokesman said on Monday.

“I can confirm that the president has signed the bill into law,” Goodluck Jonathan’s spokesman Reuben Abati told AFP, without specifying a date but adding that it happened earlier this month.

Abati said Jonathan signed off on the Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Bill 2013 because it was consistent with the attitudes of most people towards homosexuality in the west African nation.

“More than 90 percent of Nigerians are opposed to same sex marriage. So, the law is in line with our cultural and religious beliefs as a people,” he added.

“And I think that this law is made for a people and what (the) government has done is consistent with the preference of its environment.”

Amnesty International urged Jonathan to reject the bill, calling it “discriminatory” and warning of “catastrophic” consequences for Nigeria’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

Under the terms of the law, anyone who enters into a same-sex marriage or civil union can be sentenced to 14 years in prison while any such partnerships entered into abroad are deemed “void”.

It also warns that anyone who registers, operates or participates in gay clubs, societies and organisations or who directly or indirectly makes a public show of a same-sex relationship will break the law.

Punishment is up to 10 years in prison, it adds.

“Only a marriage contract between a man and a woman shall be recognised as valid in Nigeria,” the law states.

Nigeria is a highly religious society, with its 170 million people roughly divided in half between Christians and Muslims, though a significant number are also believed to follow traditional religions.

The anti-gay law follows similar legislation in Uganda that was condemned by US President Barack Obama as “odious” and compared to apartheid by South African peace icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/01/jonathan-signs-bill-banning-sex-marriage/#sthash.qbRgyF81.dpuf

Irregular power supply a bane to nigeria developeme...labour faults-fg-ultimatum-private-sector-electricity-companies

National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, has faulted the June deadline given to the private sector electricity companies by the Federal Government to stabilise power supply in the country, saying it is not feasible.

Giving reason while it believes it is unrealistic, General Secretary of NUEE, Comrade Joe Ajaero, said the union was surprised by the ultimatum given by the Minister of Power, insisting the Minister had earlier said, “The problem of the power situation was gas supply.”

“If he knew the problem was gas, why did he hand over the sector to the private sector operators? He should have addressed the gas supply problem. Even within six months, will the gas problem be over especially with the political sitting of power stations in Nigeria? Where you site a power station at 200 or 300 kilometres  from the source of gas because you are a minister, you want a power station to be sited in your state.

Revealed: Stella Oduah’s Ph.D Certificate Is Fake Too

We might not have heard the last on the Aviation Minister...not when we actually thought it was just Stella Oduah’s Masters’ degree that is fake, unfortunately there are indications that her Ph.D too is fake.

Folorunsho Alakija And Lagos State 2015 Gubernatorial Race

If only the race is for the swift this woman, Folprunsho Alakija would surely clamp all opposition without lifting a finger. Posters of the business mogul in a bid to contest for the position of Governor of Lagos state has flooded some parts of the state especially the seat of power (Ikeja).

Folorunsho has since debunked the rumor

Gospel Act Lanre Teriba Weds Pregnant Lover After Fathering Five Kids From Different Women

Y’all think 2face got the award of fathering kids with different ladies, please re-think. He has a stiff contender. Gospel singer, Lanre Teriba popularly called ‘Atorise’ tied the knot with his long-time beau Folashade Ademosu two weekends ago.

A marriage introduction was was earlier held at the bride’s family home in Ikotun Egbe area of Lagos State. Folashade is heavily pregnant and expecting a baby soon.

Interestingly, Mr Teriba already has five children from several women including a chorister named Deborah at the Celestial Church of Christ, Elon Parish in Ajara, Badagry)

US air force helicopter crashes in Norfolk, killing at least four people

US base at nearby RAF Lakenheath confirms HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter crashed while training on English coast

An undated image made available by the US air force shows a HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter of the same type as the one that crashed in north Norfolk. Photograph: USAF/AP

Christmas ghost stories: Ofodile by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

 A sleeping brother, a piercing cry, a lost key: award-winning novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie unravels a mystery

On the day our new neighbours came to our house, my brother Ofodile bit my mother on the arm. She was feeding him, pushing soft mashed yam into his mouth. She did it quickly, she always did, spoonful chasing another spoonful, then a plastic cup of water forced into his mouth to make him swallow. She did it silently, without really looking at him, her movements thick with duty, in his bedroom with the foam-carpeted floor that caught his falls. The door was always shut. Never ajar. When guests visited, the door was not just shut but locked, Ofodile sleeping inside. Sometimes she asked me to lock his door and I did it as she did, key turned swiftly, not looking in to see him first.

What's in a name?

Anonthology presents nine stories and nine names of authors, from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie to Joyce Carol Oates, and invites readers to match writer to tale. But can it tell us anything about how we choose our reading?

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Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: could you guess which of Anonthology's stories is hers? Photograph: Justin Williams/Rex Features

Over at Fourth Estate, which turns 25 this year, they've set us a literary challenge which I'm slightly concerned could end up whiling away much of my day. Posing the intriguing question of how much we judge books by their authors, they've launched an experiment to "assess the importance placed on name and reputation over quality of writing".

Nine of their writers, from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie to Joyce Carol Oates, have penned a short story, and Fourth Estate has published them anonymously online in Anonthology. Our challenge is to identify the authors, who as well as the Orange-winning Adichie also include the Booker shortlisted Philip Hensher, Guardian first book award winner Yiyun Li, bestselling Richard and Judy author Patrick Gale and 29-year-old Rebecca Connell, plus Rudolph Delson, Christopher Nicholson and Laura Spinney.

"When you go into a bookshop, how often do you look for the author's name before you look at the title? How much value do you place on literary prizes, or Richard and Judy stickers? Do writers' reputations matter? Should they? Can you really judge a book by its author?" Fourth Estate asks. "We have one author who's sold over half a million copies, another who's written over fifty books. But you tell which is which? And how does it change the reading experience, not knowing if the author is young or old, male or female?"

A few hints are provided - see if you recognise the way the writer uses syntax, adjectives, verbs or tenses, look for recurrent themes, for US or UK spellings. We've got until 20 October to work it out, with those who get it right to be entered into a draw for some Fourth Estate special editions.

Even if you don't fancy the challenge, the stories themselves are worth reading. I think the answer to their question of how much importance we place on name and reputation is an obvious one – we can't help but place a great deal, because we're not reading in a vacuum, we're not approaching each visit to a bookshop from first principles. But it's fun to enter the vacuum for a bit, and I'm certainly going to be puzzling over who wrote what for a while. Any thoughts?

Record freeze extends to eastern United States, at least nine dead

By Victoria Cavaliere and Brendan O'Brien

NEW YORK/MILWAUKEE (Reuters) - A deadly blast of arctic air shattered decades-old temperature records as it enveloped the eastern United States on Tuesday, snarling air, road and rail travel, driving energy prices higher and overwhelming shelters for homeless people.

At least nine deaths have been reported across the country connected with the polar air mass that swept over North America during the past few days. Authorities have put about half of the United States under a wind chill warning or cold weather advisory.

Temperatures were expected to be 25 degrees to 35 degrees Fahrenheit (14 to 19 degrees Celsius) below normal from the Midwest to the Southeast, the National Weather Service said.

PJM Interconnection, the agency that oversees the electric grid supplying the mid-Atlantic and parts of the Midwest, said electricity suppliers were struggling to keep up with surging demand as the cold forced some power plants to shut.

"This particular cold is far-reaching, and most of our neighbors are experiencing the extreme conditions we are," said Michael Kormos, executive vice president for operations at PJM Interconnection.

Deadly blast of Arctic air sends shivers through U …Play video

Oil refiners were also hit, with Marathon Petroleum Corp and Exxon Mobil Corp both experiencing cold-related outages.

In Oklahoma, a depleted supply of propane due to extreme weather led Governor Mary Fallin to declare a state of emergency, waiving licensing requirements for out-of-state transportation companies to allow them to bring in propane.

Homeless shelters and public buildings took in people who were freezing outside.

Daniel Dashner, a 33-year-old homeless man who typically sleeps under a bridge on Milwaukee's south side, said he opted to seek a spot at a shelter on Monday night.

"Usually if I have four or five blankets, I can stay pretty warm, but when that wind is blowing, I don't care how many blankets I have, the wind blows right through me," he said, as temperatures dropped to minus 6 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 21 degrees Celsius).

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A man walks beside a frozen wall on a beach in Chicago, Illinois, January 7, 2014. REUTERS/Jim Young

The extreme cold won't last much longer, according to AccuWeather.com. The frigid air and "polar vortex" that affected about 240 million people in the United States and southern Canada will depart during the second half of this week, and a far-reaching January thaw will begin, according to AccuWeather.com.

COLD'S BROAD REACH

Major U.S. cities were in the grip of temperatures well below freezing, with Chicago seeing 2 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 17 C), Detroit 0 F (minus 18 C), Pittsburgh 5 F (minus 15 C), Washington 19 (minus 7 C) and Boston 15 F (minus 9 C).

New York's Central Park recorded the lowest temperature for the date, 4 Fahrenheit (minus 16 C), rising to 9 F (minus 13 C) on Tuesday afternoon with wind chills making it feel much colder, meteorologists said.

At New York's Bowery Mission homeless shelter, the 80-bed dormitory was full on Monday night and 179 other people slept in the chapel and cafeteria, officials said.

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City workers use a variety of plows to remove snow from sidewalks in south Minneapolis, January 7, 2 …

Schools in Minneapolis and Chicago were closed for a second day on Tuesday, although Chicago plans to reopen schools on Wednesday. Cleveland remained below freezing after temperatures fell to minus 11 F (minus 24 C) on Monday, breaking a 130-year-old record.

Impassable snow and ice halted three Chicago-bound Amtrak trains on Monday, stranding more than 500 passengers overnight in northwestern Illinois.

In the normally mild south, Atlanta recorded its coldest weather on this date in 44 years, as the temperature dropped to 6 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 14 degrees Celsius), while temperatures in northern Florida also briefly dropped below freezing, though the state's citrus crop was unharmed, according to a major growers' group.

Among the deaths reported was a 51-year-old homeless man in Columbus, Georgia, whose body was found in an empty lot after spending the night outdoors.

Two men died in Westerport, Massachusetts, while duck hunting on Tuesday when their boat capsized, dropping them into a frigid river, officials said. A third man was rescued.

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Ice crystals form on a window at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, January 7, 2014. REUTERS/Jonathan E …

A large avalanche in backcountry outside the Colorado ski resort area of Vail killed one person on Tuesday and caught up three others who survived and were being rescued, officials said. Avalanche danger in the area was rated as "considerable" due to high winds and recent heavy snows, said Spencer Logan, forecaster with the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.

Four cold and storm-related deaths were reported around Chicago and an elderly woman was found dead outside her Indianapolis home early Monday.

AIRLINES STRUGGLE

The cold snap could cost the U.S. economy up to $5 billion, when lost productivity and lost retail sales are accounted for, estimated Evan Gold, senior vice president at Planalytics, which tracks weather for businesses. He said about 200 million people in major cities might face "bill shock" for heating.

The deep freeze disrupted commutes on Tuesday, with icy or closed roads and flight delays. Some 2,380 U.S. flights were canceled and 2,912 delayed, according to FlightAware.com, which tracks airline activity. Airlines scrambled to catch up a day after the cold froze fuel supplies, leading to flight cancellations, many at Chicago O'Hare International Airport.

Hardest hit were travelers who had booked trips on JetBlue Airways Corp, which on Monday halted its flights at New York's three major airports and Boston Logan International Airport overnight. Flights had resumed by midday on Tuesday.

Tuesday proved too cold even for some polar bears. At Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, a 14-year-old female polar bear named Anana mostly remained in her indoor enclosure, where temperatures are 40 F (4 C), said zoo spokeswoman Sharon Dewar.

She said that in their native environment, polar bears build up a layer of fat to help them through the Arctic winter of long periods of sub-zero temperatures. In Chicago, however, she said "we don't create that fat layer in zoo animals because that would normally not be something they would be comfortable with."

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