Real Men Don’t Hit Women – Lynxx

In a reaction to photos posted on Instagram of a lady who is a survivor of domestic violence meted out to her by her boyfriend of eight months, musician and CEO of Syndic8 Records Lynxx shared his views about domestic violence.
“Last year, my name was dragged through the mud all because I refused to stand for a man hitting a woman and stood for what was right!! Real men don’t hit women and I think every little s*** that thinks its ok to do so deserves whatever happens to him as repercussion!
This story here makes my heart bleed! How does a man end up beating a woman to the point she’s beyond recognition? WTF! All in the name of LOVE? Nah…. It’s never that serious! If you are a victim of domestic violence, please speak up and get out of that situation ASAP! Glad she posted these visuals for people to see what she’s gone through and I hope that animal never sees the light of day again! Real men never hit women! This is just beyond sad!”

US Vice President Joe Biden calls Ukraine PM Arseny Yatseniuk, pledges support

US Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday welcomed the formation of a new government in Ukraine in a phone call with Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk and pledged US support for reforms, the White House said.
"The vice president reassured the prime minister that the United States will offer its full support as Ukraine undertakes the reforms necessary to return to economic health, pursue reconciliation, uphold its international obligations, and seek open and constructive relationships with all its neighbors," the White House said.

A man who makes me laugh has a chance to my heart – Oma Iyasara

Oma Iyasara is an extraordinary, emerging talent, with a unique combination of good looks, enterprise, a good command of English with sophisticated diction.
In 2011, she enrolled in the prestigious Royal Arts Academy owned by Emem Isong and she excelled as one of the favourite students in her time, with a certificate of excellence.
A graduate of Mass Communication from Imo State University, Oma has featured in a number of blockbusters like ‘Damage’ by Uche Jombo, ‘Secret Weapon’ alongside Eucharia Anunobi, Emeka Ike and Chika Ike among many others.
What are the biggest challenges one encounters in trying to break through in Nollywood?
One of the greatest challenges is acceptance. There are so many talents in Nollywood, and it is not an easy task to get noticed, not to even talk of acceptance. Before you can be seen, you need to prove yourself beyond the ordinary. And the best way to prove you are different, is to be who you truly are.
How serious is the issue of ethnic bias in Nollywood? Continue.

20 Students Killed In Federal Government College, Yobe In Early Morning Attack

About 20 Students and staff of Federal Government College, FGC in Buni Yadi, Yobe State, have been killed in an early morning attack which happened around 1:30am today, while others were abducted by gunmen suspected to be members of Boko Haram. They set ablaze many buildings in the school and also set ablaze a telecommunication mast.

The men numbering up to 50 attacked the college, shortly after security agencies guarding the school  left their checkpoint close to the school’s main gate. Continue after the cut...

*A graphic photo of some of the students killed this morning after the cut. Viewer's discretion is strictly advised please. It's heart breaking!

Uche Ogbodo Confirms She Is Pregnant

Nollywood actress Uche Ogbodo who secretly tied the knot with an America-based ex-footballer, Apo Arthur on Saturday, October 5th, 2013, in Nkanu village, Enugu State has confirmed she is pregnant. Confirming the pregnancy, Uche said ‘Yes it is true, my husband and I are very happy about it’. So the rumours are true people. Congrats Uche!

Facebook e-mail is going away -- in case you notice

(CNN) -- Check your Facebook mail lately?

Didn't think so. Apparently not many others did, either. So after three-plus years, the world's largest social media outlet is pulling the plug on its little-used e-mail service, the company confirmed Tuesday.

"We're making this change because most people haven't been using their Facebook e-mail address, and we can focus on improving our mobile messaging experience for everyone," Facebook said in a statement.

For those who do have a Facebook mail account, messages will be forwarded to the primary e-mail address listed in a user's account, the company said. The changes are planned to roll out in March, and users can turn off that forwarding option if they prefer not to have their personal inboxes flooded with these messages.

"It's a little bit of bowing to the inevitable," said Justin Lafferty, editor of the trade site Inside Facebook. The e-mail addresses, which showed up as messages for Facebook users, never took off, and when Facebook tried to make them the default e-mail accounts for all users in mid-2012, "a lot of people were unhappy with that," he said. Continue.

South Africa’s Malema in hot water over alleged road rage incident

Expelled ruling party youth leader also faces charges of corruption, money laundering
Johannesburg: South African opposition politician Julius Malema is under investigation for assault and for breaking a fellow driver’s car window in an alleged road rage incident, a police spokesman said on Wednesday.

Malema had an altercation late on Tuesday with a man who complained about the driving of the firebrand leader’s S-Class Mercedes Benz in the northern city of Polokwane, Hangwani Mulaudzi told AFP.

“Three guys came out of (Malema’s) car, grabbed him, and then he claims that Mr Malema joined the other three guys, slapped him in the face, and also damaged his vehicle,” said Mulaudzi.

The alleged victim opened a case of assault and damage to property.
We are still investigating,” said Mulaudzi.

The expelled youth leader of the ruling African National Congress, now a prominent opposition leader, was arrested last year for driving 215 kilometres (134 miles) an hour in an area with a speed limit of 120 kilometres per hour.

He also faces charges of corruption, money laundering and racketeering for allegedly arranging lucrative government contracts for cronies in return for kickbacks.

A court declared him provisionally insolvent earlier this month after he failed to submit tax returns between 2006 and 2010.

A one-time staunch supporter of President Jacob Zuma, Malema has maintained that his prosecution is a political ploy to silence his relentless criticism of Zuma’s leadership.

His new left-leaning party the Economic Freedom Fighters will contest their first national elections on May 7.

Samsung Unveils Galaxy S5 and Gear Fit, With a Focus on Simplicity

Samsung must have made a New Year’s resolution to stay more focused. The company has often been criticized for being gimmicky and loading as many features on its devices as it can — and for sparing no pennies in marketing them.

But its new flagship smartphone and smartwatch, both announced on Monday at a relatively subdued media event here at the Mobile World Congress, focus on being good at just a few things.

Samsung highlighted improved battery life and camera on its new smartphone, the Galaxy S5. For its new watch, the Gear Fit, Samsung focused on health-monitoring features.

“Our consumers do not want eye-popping technology or the most complex technology,” J. K. Shin, Samsung’s chief executive of mobile communications, said at the event. “What they want is durable design and performance. They want a simple yet powerful camera. They want faster yet seamless connectivity.”

To that end, Samsung said it had spent a lot of time making the Galaxy S5’s camera software smarter. It streamlined the photo-editing tools to make it easier to alter a photo after it has been taken. It also made some improvements to hardware and software to capture richer and more vivid colors.

And to expand battery life for the Galaxy S5, Samsung developed a power-saving mode, in which the screen display is in black and white and can run only a few apps that the user chooses, like email and Internet browsing. Samsung says this mode cuts power consumption in half. Continue.

Obama threatens Afghan exit in warning to Karzai

WASHINGTON - In a blunt warning to Afghan President Hamid Karzai, President Obama threatened Tuesday to withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan by the end of this year if a crucial security pact is not signed - and he ordered the Pentagon to accelerate planning for just that scenario. At the same time, in a rare phone call with Karzai, Obama indicated he was willing to wait out his mercurial counterpart, who is barred from a third term, and sign a security agreement with a new Afghan president after April elections. That would allow the United States to keep as many as 10,000 troops in the country. The effort seemed aimed at marginalizing Karzai's role in the high-stakes negotiations over the future of the war. "We will leave open the possibility of concluding a [security agreement] with Afghanistan later this year," the White House said in a statement after the call. "However, the longer we go without a [deal], the more challenging it will be to plan and execute any U.S. mission." Obama's attempt to minimize Karzai's importance to U.S. decision-making underscores how fractured the relationship between the two has become. Tuesday's phone call was the first direct contact between Obama and Karzai since June. Continue.

Tambuwal Condemns Killing of Students in Yobe

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, has described the killing of 29 students of the Federal Government College, Buni Yadi,Yobe as ignoble, wicked and horrendous.
In a statement issued in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Malam Imam Imam, Tambuwal tasked security agencies to redouble their efforts and change their tactics.
He noted those engaged in the killings had increased their attacks “on softer targets.”
 Tambuwal said the only way to console the families of the victims and Nigerians was by fishing out perpetrators of the dastardly act and bringing them to justice.
"While attending prayers organised to mark the 89th birthday celebration of former President Shehu Shagari in Sokoto, my attention was drawn to the horrendous act of barbarity visited on innocent college students in Yobe. Continue.

Nokia takes the Android plunge with X series

Barcelona, Feb 24:  

With an eye on the growing smartphone market in emerging markets such as India, Nokia has launched Andorid-based devices priced between 89 euros and 109 euros. This is the first time Nokia is launching Android phones and comes at a time when Microsoft has acquired the Finnish handset maker.

Stephen Ellop, CEO of Nokia, said the move was aimed at creating a segment of affordable smartphones priced lower than its Windows-based Lumia range.

The new Android devices will however have customised services from the Microsoft suite such as Skype and cloud storage. “We want to introduce Microsoft to millions of new users in growth markets,” Ellop said.

The devices, called Nokia X, Nokia X+ and Nokia XL will be launched in the growth markets first.

The Nokia X family features a tile-based user interface inspired by the Lumia family. All devices come with Fastlane, a screen which lets people switch between their favourite apps more smoothly. People can access curated, quality-tested apps from Nokia Store, more than a dozen third-party app stores and by side-loading. Out of the box, they can enjoy signature Nokia experiences, including HERE Maps, with true offline maps and integrated turn-by-turn navigation, and Nokia MixRadio music streaming and downloadable playlists. All devices come pre-loaded with a variety of third-party apps and games. Continue.

Mourinho rues chance missed as Galatasaray remain alive

Istanbul — Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho acknowledged that the 1-1 draw against Galatasaray in Istanbul in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie had to go down as "an opportunity missed".
The London club took an early lead through Fernando Torres at the Turk Telecom Arena, but they failed to capitalise on their good start and Galatasaray came back to equalise midway through the second half courtesy of Aurelien Chedjou.
That means the tie remains open ahead of next month's return at Stamford Bridge, when it could have been over after half an hour in Istanbul.
"The first half was an opportunity missed. The second half was a fair result," Mourinho said.
"In the first half we were the better team. We had three or four chances, but then they put more pressure on us and we were more defensive.
"We were comfortable defensively but conceded a goal at a corner, which I don't like (but) I think it was a fair result."
Chelsea may be top of the Premier League and closing in on the Champions League quarter-finals, but they have suffered at times from the lack of a clinical striker this season and the performance of Torres came as a tonic for Mourinho, although the tiring Spaniard was withdrawn with a quarter of the game remaining.
"I think now he's having a very acceptable season," Mourinho said of Torres, who has scored six times in five Champions League starts, but Chelsea still missed too many chances for their coach's liking.
"That's our team. Some other teams would score three goals, we have five chances and take one.
"We create but we arrive in the last third of the pitch and the last decision -- the correct pass, the right movement -- is not correct.
"We are paying for that, but I cannot be critical. I just praise the fact that we had a very acceptable result in a stadium where it is not easy to play."
Chelsea now turn their attentions back to the Premier League and two London derbies, away to Fulham and at home to Tottenham Hotspur.
And they do so as the only English side to avoid defeat, or even score a goal, in the Champions League in the last two weeks in the wake of poor results for Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United. Continue.

Ondo speaker dies of cancer

The Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly,  Honourable Samuel Adesina, is dead.
He died on Tuesday at the age of 52 in an undisclosed hospital after battling with what was described as cancer of the intestine for over six months.
Adesina, who represented Odigbo State constituency II in the assembly, has been in and out of hospital over the ailment which kept him away from his duty of law making.
While he was away, the Deputy Speaker, Emiola Dare, was holding forte while on many occasions, the Speaker was rumoured to have died as a result of the ailment.
Adesina returned to the country from overseas in November to debunk the rumour that he was paralysed.
However, days after he showed up at the gallery, he was again rushed to the hospital as his condition was said to have worsened, leading to the intervention of the state governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko.
While this was going on, the people of the state were apprehensive as he was away from his seat for months. Continue.

Mikel Obi targeted by Inter

The Chelsea midfielder has caught the interest of the former Italian champions who want to shore up their middle with a defensive marshal
Chelsea midfielder John Obi MIkel is a target of Italian giants Inter who are looking for a defensive midfielder to shore up their middle.

Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Walter Mazzari has sent his main scout to monitor the Nigerian whose contract at Stamford Bridge lasts till 2017.

Mikel has seen his Chelsea place come under threat with the arrival of Nemanja Matic in January and has also been curtailed by minor injuries.

Rated at 15 million Euros, the prize could be too high for the San Siro club who are also mauling a loan move in the summer transfer window.

Inter will also wait to see if Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho has an interest in signing any Inter player which could result in Mikel being thrown into the negotiations.

Mikel is expected to lead Nigeria's charge at the World Cup in June and an impressive performance with the Super Eagles would shoot up his profile and asking fees. 

Hello, MS-Android. Good-bye, Windows Phone

Or, some people would add, "in Google bind them." But that's not true: Android is much too open for Google to lock vendors in. Amazon proved that with its Kindle line, and now Microsoft's smartphone company, Nokia, wants to show that Android will work well with Microsoft services too.
Yes, Microsoft is supporting Linux by way of Android. Do you really think -- with the clock running down on Microsoft's final acquisition of Nokia -- that the Finnish phone company would make such a move without Microsoft's full backing? I don't.
I think Microsoft and Nokia have made a smart move. I'm not the only one.
Mary Jo Foley, the top Microsoft reporter on the planet, writes: "Nokia is clearly wooing Android developers who want to build apps for users in developing markets." I think it's bigger than greenfield markets. I think Microsoft/Nokia wants Android developers creating apps for all markets. Continue.

Review: New Samsung Gear Fit smartwatch will appeal to fitness

Samsung Group is banking on you shaping up this spring. Samsung on Monday unveiled its new Galaxy S5 smartphone, which is set to go on sale in April, along with a pair of watches. And many of the features included on the devices focus on fitness. Considering America's continued fascination with personal health and health-related products, this is probably a good idea. What Samsung has attempted to do is combine the best attributes of the top-of-the-line fitness trackers currently on the market with those of its own phones and smartwatches. The S5 and the watches were unveiled at an event at the Mobile World Congress wireless show in Barcelona, Spain. I had a chance to briefly test out all three products in New York on Monday. The S5 includes a built-in heart rate monitor, pedometer and fitness tracker, though I'm not sure how useful they actually are. For instance, to check your heart rate, you hold your finger over a sensor on the back of the phone - something I can't imagine doing in the middle of a jog. True fitness buffs will probably head straight for Samsung's Gear Fit smartwatch, which also does all of those things, but in a much more user-friendly way. Want to check your heart rate? Just open up the app for that and it gives you a reading within seconds. While many people have become accustomed to wearing fitness bands either constantly or for their workouts, I think a lot of them would balk at going running with, or perpetually being tethered to, a phone as big as the S5. It's worth mentioning too that the Fit Gear is very nicely styled. I have to admit, I wasn't a fan of Samsung's first Galaxy Gear smartwatch, because it felt heavy and clunky and was just too big for a normal-sized woman's wrist. But the Fit solves that problem. It's thin, light and features a curved color screen. If you don't mind wearing something like a Fitbit Force or a Nike FuelBand, you won't mind this product either. 

Centenary: FG to honour 100 Nigerians; Abacha, Obasanjo, Ojukwu make list [SEE LIST]

The Nigerian government on Sunday released a list of 00 persons that have been named as winners of Nigeria’s Centenary Honours Award.
On the list is late military ruler Sani Abacha, listed in the category tagged: Outstanding promoters of unity, patriotism and national development.
It also contained the names of former leaders of the country at the federal level and some art promoters, as well as names of those who fought for the independence of Nigeria.
The list, said to have been approved by President Goodluck Jonathan, is reproduced below in full along with the categories:
A. CONTRIBUTORS TO THE MAKING OF NIGERIA
1. Her Royal Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II
2. Frederick John Dealtry Lugard
3. Dame Flora Louise Shaw, Lady Lugard
B. HEROES OF THE STRUGGLE FOR NIGERIA’S INDEPENDENCE/PIONEER POLITICAL LEADERS. Continue.

Davido’s alleged baby mama cries out: “Let me live!”

kWeeks ago, there were online reports claiming that a UK based model, Shanielle Haye, was pregnant for Nigerian singer, Davido.
The reports claimed that the model was expecting a set of twins.
A few days ago, Davido posted a screenshot of his online chat with Shanielle Haye, an indication that the model might have lost the twins.
The UK model however reacted a few hours ago by posting a picture showing off her baby bump with the caption;
‘Let me LIVE!!! Everyday people wanna create more lies on me; why??, I’m so sick and tired of all this bullshit .. Leave me the fuck alone !! I DO NOT have NOTHING to do with that boy so stop fucking mentioning my existence with his !!! I don’t understand why all of this is making headlines, when so many people in the world are dying from chronic diseases #Sad’”
You will recall that Davido isn’t the only one facing baby mama drama; last week, an Access Bank staff alleged she is expecting a child for 2face Idibia.

Nokia makes Android smartphone despite Microsoft bid

Barcelona — Nokia showed off Monday a new range of smartphones powered by Google's Android operating system, even as it is being taken over by Microsoft.
The Finnish group unveiled three Nokia X smartphone models at the opening of the four-day World Mobile Congress in Barcelona, shunning Microsoft's Windows Phone to go with a competing Android-based system.
The new smartphones use an "Android open-source platform" but are equipped with Nokia's own Lumia user interface and they point users to Microsoft services, not Google's, said Nokia France managing director Thierry Amarger.
Android applications installed on the phones will work, but users will not be able to access Google's services, notably its applications store, Google Play.
The devices are aimed at customers seeking a smartphone for less than 150 euros ($210), said Amarger, as the market for entry-level smartphones enjoys "a full-blown acceleration".
The Nokia X range aims to capture a previously unreachable segment of the market with low prices, for example 119 to 149 euros in France, he said. Continue.

Woman suffers 'five-day clitoris erection'

Men are not the only ones who can suffer from painful, long-lasting erections – in rare cases, women can experience symptoms in their clitoris.
According to a journal report, a 29-year-old woman had a five-day "erection" – known in men as priapism – in her clitoris after taking daily antidepressants to improve her libido.
After a few months, she increased the dose, which caused her labia to swell and her clitoris to feel painful.
She stopped taking the medication when she saw the changes, but the pain and swelling worsened over five days.
"The pain had become debilitating, as she was unable to walk, sit, or stand without significant worsening of the pain," the US researchers wrote in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.
The doctors found her clitoris had swollen to 2cm x 0.7cm and had turned purple.
Strangely, taking the over-the-counter decongestant Sudafed for three days was enough to cure the pain and swelling.
Priapism occurs when an erect penis will not go flaccid. It usually occurs when the vessels that drain blood become blocked or the "relaxation system" of the penis fails. It results in engorgement, swelling and can lead to blood clots and excess scar tissue.
Priapism in women is not life-threatening because the blood vessels are less likely to clot because of the abundant supply of blood to the female genitalia.
"Female priapism is a very rare condition," the researchers said.
"It can be very embarrassing as well as painful, and must be treated urgently to alleviate symptoms."
Antidepressants and sedatives can cause the condition because they block the alpha-adrenergic receptors.

Nigerian student, Godwin Ayogu, murdered in Ghana

A Nigerian student studying in Ghana has been found murdered. Godwin Ayogu (pictured above), a 300level student of Social Sciences at the University of Cape Coast in Ghana was killed by unknown person/s and his body dumped by the roadside.

Godwin, said to be in his early 20s, was last seen on Tuesday February 18th at the university. His body was found on Wednesday February 19th.

According to his friends, Godwin, who was the first child of his parents, had been planning to return to Nigeria on Wednesday to spend time with his family when his body was found. The Ghanaian police say they are investigating the case, but many of his friends fear the case will be swept under the carpet so they reached out to the Nigerian media. Will bring an update later.

Presidential Media Chat takes place today

There will be another presidential media chat today. Find the State House press release below

Another edition of the Presidential Media Chat will be broadcast live on the network services of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and the Voice of Nigeria (VON) at 7pm tomorrow, Monday, February 24.

During the programme, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan will, as usual, respond to questions from a panel of journalists and media executives on current national issues and developments.

All other radio and television stations in the country are urged to hook up to NTA and FRCN to relay the programme to their listeners and viewers.

Reuben Abati. Special Adviser to the President. (Media & Publicity).

Australian TV star commits suicide after receiving abuse on Twitter

Australian TV star and former model Charlotte Dawson killed herself after receiving abuse from vicious trolls on Twitter just hours before she died. (left is the last pic of her which she posted on her Instagram page on Friday, a day before she killed herself)

Famed for TV shows such as 'Australia's Next Top Model, the New Zealand-born star, 47, had a history of depression.

She was found dead in her Sydney apartment yesterday morning February 22nd. Police said there were no suspicious circumstances. She had taken prescription tablets with wine and tweeted: 'you win' in a suicide note to her cyber tormentors.

Ecobank Nigeria Pledges Sustained Power Sector Financing

Ecobank Nigeria has projected power sector funding of about $5 billion per annum over the next five years.

This according to the bank is in line with its policy to support the growth and development of the Nigerian power sector.

A statement at the weekend explained that Ecobank played a major role on the buy-side of the recent power sector privatisation by providing financial advisory services, lead arranger role,  acquisitioning financing and guarantees to Distribution Companies (DISCOS) , Generating Companies (GENCOS) and National Integrated Power Plants (NIPP).

It quoted Ecobank Country Head, Power and Energy, Olufunke Jones, to have stated that the bank’s objective was focused on playing actively at all levels of the sector’s privatisation which includes distribution, transmission and generation.

She noted that Nigeria has one of the largest gaps between demand and supply for electricity. To bridge this gap the country requires a combination of favorable government policies, private sector participation and foreign direct investment (FDI), as well as transparency and persistent monitoring that will guarantee an improved business environment, she added.

According to Jones, the current power reforms have created opportunities for capital expenditure and operating expenditure funding. Continue.

Single Mom from Ibadan Makes $7,397/Month From Home And You Won't Believe How She Does It!

Found this on financereports24.com.

Have You Ever Considered Beating The Rat Race?

Kelly Richards of Ibadan was tired of worrying all the time where the next dollar is coming from. Life seemed merely a succession of bills and worrying about how to pay them. One late night while surfing the internet, her long hours of research had finally paid off and she discovered her tight lip secret to getting a break in life and beating the recession. She was finally able to provide for her three children while staying home with them.
I read Kelly's blog last month and decided to feature her story in our local job report. In our phone interview she told me her amazing story. "I basically make about $6,000-$8,000 a month online. It's enough to comfortably replace my old jobs income, especially considering I only work about 10-13 hours a week from home.
Working online has been a big break for Kelly, who struggled for months going from one dead end job to another. "I lost my job shortly after the recession hit, I needed reliable income, I was not interested in the "get rich quick" scams you see all over the internet. Those are all pyramid scams or stuff where you have to sell to your friends and family. I just needed a legitimate way to earn a living for me and my family. The best part of working online is that I am always home with the kids, I save a lot of money." Continue.

Chelsea 1 Everton 0: match report

Never mind Jose Mourinho’s young horses, it was a pair of old nags that won Chelsea the game at the death and kept them at the top of the Premier League table. With three minutes of stoppage time already elapsed and the score at 0-0, Frank Lampard swung in a free kick from the edge of the Everton area which appeared to be floating beyond the visitors’ obdurate back line. But John Terry is not one to surrender lost causes and he hared after the ball, galloping from an onside position to stab it home past Tim Howard. Cue delirium among a Stamford Bridge crowd that had largely given up hope of securing three points. Continue.

Bharti Airtel shares fall after losing its case in Nigeria, to pay $3 billion to Econet Wireless

The case belongs to a 2006 deal in which Celtel, a unit of Zain, bought a 65% stake in Vmobile Nigeria. Zain’s African assets were later acquired by Bharti.
Econet owned 5% in Vmobile and claims right of first refusal on Vmobile. Econet now wants over $3 billion from Bharti as damages and compensation for violation of its rights in the business after it acquired Zain’s assets for $9 billion.
Sources said, after losing its legal battle in Nigeria Bharti will have to pay $3 billion to Econet Wireless.
Bharti Airtel has 79.06% shareholder in Airtel Nigeria is not satisfied with the delivered on 14 February and will appeal against that decision at the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
Bharti Airtel lost nearly 2% on Thursday and finally closed at Rs 296.85, down Rs 6.
Sources said, Airtel Nigeria has already appealed the Supreme Court of Nigeria against the judgment of the court in the matter relating to Econet’s claim for 5% shares in Airtel Nigeria.

Ukraine parliament head takes presidential powers

KIEV, Ukraine — With an ally claiming presidential powers Sunday and the whereabouts and legitimacy of the nominal president unclear, newly freed opposition icon Yulia Tymoshenko may feel her chance to take Ukraine’s leadership has come. But even among protesters who detest President Viktor Yanukovych, Tymoshenko sparks misgivings.
The former prime minister, who was convicted of abuse of office in a case widely seen as political revenge by her arch-foe Yanukovych, is a polarizing figure in a country staggering from political tensions that exploded into violence. Admired and even adored by many for her flair and fiery rhetoric, Tymoshenko is regarded by others as driven by intense ego and tainted with corruption.
Just a day after she left the hospital where she was imprisoned, demonstrators outside the Cabinet of Ministers expressed dismay that she could be Ukraine’s next president. One of them held a placard depicting Tymoshenko taking power from Yanukovych and reading, “People didn’t die for this.”
Ukraine is in a delicate state of uncertainty since Yanukovych and protest leaders signed an agreement to end the conflict that left more than 80 people dead last week in Kiev. Soon after signing it, Yanukovych’s whereabouts are unclear after he left the capital for his support base in eastern Ukraine. Allies are deserting him. Continue.

Top 10 Signs She Will Make A Bad Wife

Hey guys, before you make that proposal find time to read this; If you’re thinking of asking your girlfriend to become your wife, deciding if you’re ready to make the commitment to marriage is only half the battle. You have to be absolutely sure that the woman in your life is someone you’ll be happy spending time with day in and day out. Love alone is not enough to make a marriage work, and certain characteristics are warning signs for a troubled marriage down the road. Here are some of the most obvious signs that your girlfriend is not marriage material. Continue below;

Sundowns win race for Nigerian forward Uzoenyi

Mamelodi Sundowns have announced the signing of Nigeria international Christantus Ejike Uzoenyi who was voted the Most Valuable Player at the 2014 Chan tournament in South Africa

The nippy forward was reportedly linked with Absa Premiership sides SuperSport United and Orlando Pirates early this month. Now the Brazilians have sealed a deal with his Nigerian club, Enugu Rangers . 

 

"After being on the radar of many South African teams, and some European, the 24-year-old Nigerian has signed a four year deal with The Brazilians and will join his new teammates in June." a statement on the Sundowns official website said.

 

Uzoenyi, who will stay with Enugu Rangers until June, had a short stint with French Ligue 1 club Rennes last year. He has also played for 2004 Caf Champions League winners Enyimba back in Nigeria. 

 

"Negotiations for the player’s acquisition have been ongoing since after the Chan tournament and the player is excited to have finally concluded the deal," the statement confirmed.

 

“Joining a club like Sundowns is a great deal for me because their ambitions to conquer Africa are in line with my career objectives as a player,” Uzoenyi told the club's website.

 

“The other thing that made me join the club is that coach Pitso had a chat with me before I joined. We had a discussion about his plans for me and I feel that I’m ready for the challenge,” he concluded.

Google introduces project tango, a smartphone that creates 3D environments

‘as we walk through our daily lives, we use visual cues to navigate and understand the world around us. we observe the size and shape of objects and rooms, and we learn their position and layout almost effortlessly over time. this awareness of space and motion is fundamental to the way we interact with our environment and each other. we are physical beings that live in a 3D world. yet, our mobile devices assume that physical world ends at the boundaries of the screen.’ – johnny lee and the ATAP-project tango team.

over the past year, ATAP google has worked with universities, research labs, and industrial partners from around the world to harvest research relating to the advancement in robotics and computer vision, concentrating the gathered knowledge and technology into a unique mobile phone. known as ‘project tango’, the development proposes to give mobile devices a human-scale understanding of space and motion. Continue.

Zimbabwe orders deportation of US ex-congressman

Harare — A Zimbabwean court on Friday ordered that former US congressman Melvin Reynolds be deported, after he pleaded guilty to flouting immigration laws for staying in the country on an expired visa.
The Harare magistrate's court ruled that Reynolds, a 62-year-old former legislator from Illinois, be expelled immediately after paying a fine of $100 or serving five days in prison.
The court dismissed pornography charges against Reynolds, after the prosecution failed to obtain an order from the prosecutor general's office to pursue the case.
The charge sheet against him said he had in his possession an iPhone 4S mobile phone which contained videos and pictures of naked women and men having sexual intercourse.
Reynolds lawyer, Arthur Gurira, said outside court that his client was in the process of paying the fine. He did not indicate when he would be deported.
Reynolds, once seen as a rising star in US politics, stepped down from Congress in 1995 in disgrace after being convicted of statutory rape.
He was later convicted of bank fraud and served a prison sentence before being pardoned by then president Bill Clinton.

UN urges reinforcements for CAfrican Republic

Jerome Delay/Associated Press - A Christian man carries a charred mannequin wearing a Muslim veil in front of looted Muslim stores, past a convoy of over 100 vehicles of Muslims fleeing Bangui, Central African Republic, Friday Feb. 14, 2014. A convoy of thousands of Muslims heading to Chad had to turn around as MISCA troops, the African force deployed in the Central African Republic, deemed the road out was not secure.
BANGUI, Central African Republic — U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called Thursday for the rapid deployment of at least 3,000 additional troops and police to conflict-wracked Central African Republic to prevent further religious killings that have forced almost one million people to flee their homes and are partitioning the country into Muslim and Christian areas.
Ban’s call followed an appeal for more troops by U.N. humanitarian chief Valerie Amos at the end of a three-day visit to the country earlier Thursday. Continue.

Students of University of Ibadan protest Taiwo Shittu's murder

kStudents of the University of Ibadan went to the Iyaganku Police Division this morning Feb 22nd on a solidarity protest. They demanded to know what the police was doing about the rape and murder of one of their own, Taiwo Omolara Shittu. (Find the story here)

They met with the DPO of the police station and one of the officers at the state CID and expressed their displeasure with the level of levity with which the police at Alikia handled the case. The police had said the supposed suspect (the gardener)  'was incapable of such act'. It was a very peaceful but impactful protest. Continue to see more photo...

10 things to know about WhatsApp

The announcement that Facebook is buying messaging service WhatsApp in a $19 billion deal has a lot of people asking, “What’s WhatsApp?” Here are 10 things to know about the social network’s latest acquisition.
1. The basics: WhatsApp is an app that can be downloaded to major smartphones that allows users to send and receive text, image, audio and video messages using Internet data plans, allowing the user to bypass his or her phone’s standard messaging system and any costs for using it.

2. Downloading WhatsApp is free for the first year, but costs users $0.99 per year after that.

3. Boasts 450 million monthly users, and 70 percent of them use it daily, according to The Associated Press. One million new users join each day. WhatsApp users send 19 billion messages and receive 34 billion messages each day, along with 600 million photos and 100 million video messages.
(Also on POLITICO: Little scrutiny expected for WhatsApp deal)
4. Its founders have street cred: WhatsApp was founded by Jan Koum, a former operations manager at Yahoo, and Brian Acton, a former Yahoo vice president of engineering. Koum came up with the idea in 2009 after leaving Yahoo years prior and brought in Acton, who had also recently left the company, according to a Gigaom profile. Continue.

Don’t blame me if I’m half-naked & my clothes do not cover my boobs — Yvonne Jegede

One of the girls that featured in Tuface Idibia’s “African Queen” video, Yvonne Jegede made a stunning comeback to acting after several years of being away.
Since her return two years, she has been inundated with movie scripts that have kept her very busy. In this interview, she recounts the story of her journey into Nollywood and her personal life.
By ANOZIE EGOLE
Since you came back to acting after years of being away, how many films have you featured in so far?
You know I have been away for five years. I returned to the country in 2012, after my studies abroad. From 2012 till date, I have featured in about eight to ten films.
I travelled to America for further studies immediately after featuring in 2face’s “African Queen” video. I studied International Relations in a University in Cyprus.
Why didn’t you study Theater Arts?
A lot of people have asked this question. But I think I just wanted to study something outside of what I am used to, so that, I can broaden my mind.
Your name has become a household name in Nigeria. What would you say is the secret?
I cannot tell you what the secret is. But I am just doing what I know how to do best. I leave the rest to God. He has been the one who has lifted me up and I am very grateful to Him.
Aside, acting, what else do you think you can do better?
I am solely into acting for now, trying to reach a level where I can now live and divert into so many other things.
At the moment, I am trying to stablise myself in the industry having been away for a long time. I want to get used to the new Nollywood that is quite different from the one I left behind several years ago. Continue.

Aging Facebook's $19 Billion Bid for a Fountain of Youth

After Wall Street finished choking on the news Wednesday night that Facebook was spending $19 billion to acquire a five-year-old startup, calmer heads stepped in to sort things out.
Yes, WhatsApp's purchase price, a mixture of $12 billion of Facebook (ticker: FB) stock and $4 billion in cash, plus $3 billion in restricted stock units, was staggering, analysts admitted. The most bullish of them, however, offered models rationalizing the price as a not-unreasonable fee to acquire each of the 450 million users the service has amassed.
That $19 billion represents $42 for each of those users, not far above the nearest comparable, the $30 Facebook shelled out two years ago to buy the picture-sharing service Instagram. Some point out, too, that the price was a mere 9% above what Google (GOOG) paid per user to buy video-sharing service YouTube in 2006, and quite a bit cheaper than the $131 per user that Twitter's (TWTR) share price represents.Continue.

Lopsided Supernova Blasts Uncovered

Some jumbo stars commit stellar suicide in surprisingly lumpy explosions, according to a new study in Nature.
Scientists led by Caltech’s Brian Grefenstette looked at Cassiopeia A, a supernova that first appeared in nighttime skies around the year 1670. The supernova’s wispy remnants rest some 11,000 light-years away from Earth, stretched across some 59 trillion miles (95 trillion kilometers) of sky in the constellation Cassiopeia.
Astronomers had long suspected that supernova stars similar to Cassiopeia A, which start out weighing more than eight times as much as the sun, end their lives in asymmetrical explosions. (See more supernovae pictures.) Continue.

Sanusi’s suspension: Equities value falls by N353bn

Equities fell on Friday as investors continued to react negatively to the suspension of the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Mallam Lamido Sanusi.

The market capitalisation fell by N167bn to close at N12.301tn, bringing the total decline in equities value since the announcement of Sanusi’s suspension on Thursday to N353bn or 2.80 per cent.

The market capitalisation had declined by N186bn or 1.47 per cent on Thursday to close at N12.468tn.

Analysts had explained that news of the suspension at a time when the market was trying to stabilise from the effects of quantitative easing tapering by the United States and a huge sell-off in the emerging market was not well received by investors.

Also, the Nigerian Stock Exchange’s All-Share Index, which fell by 580.9 basis points on Thursday to close at 38,816.19 basis points, shed an additional 520.45 basis points or 1.34 per cent on Friday to close at 38,295.74 basis points.

The total decline for both days stands at 1101.35 basis points or 2.80 per cent.

The banking stocks continued to be affected the most by the sell-off sparked by the Presidency’s decision.

On Friday the NSE Banking sub-sector was down 2.25 per cent to close at 359.34 basis points, compared to a decline of 4.46 per cent, which saw it close at 367.61 basis points on Thursday.

A total of 13 stocks recorded price appreciation on Friday, while 39 recorded price depreciation, compared to just nine gainers and 46 losers the previous day.

While no bank stocks rose on Thursday, Sterling Bank Plc, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated Plc and Union Bank of Nigeria Plc rose on Friday, by 2.33 per cent, 2.07 per cent and 0.49 per cent, respectively.

Analysts explained that the situation may take a while to stabilise investors are bound to remain cautious until more information is obtained about the future direction, policy-wise, of the CBN.

The Chief Executive Officer, Trust Yield Securities Limited, Mr. Ola Yussuf, said on Thursday, “As far as the market is concerned, there is a need to clarify the situation and for the next governor to say where he stands on policies that Sanusi was pursuing. Is he going to change the policies or is he going to pursue the same policy? We don’t know.”

'WhatsApp security and encryption not ideal'

The Facebook deal for WhatsApp drew attention for its whopping price tag, but has also brought out fresh criticism over security for the billions of messages delivered on the platform.
WhatsApp, which is to be acquired for $19 billion, says on its website that "communication between your phone and our server is fully encrypted."
The company warns users need to be aware that when they send messages, the recipient's device may not be secure. But it says it does not store any chat history and that messages are wiped off its system after delivery.
Yet security researchers and others point out that there may be vulnerabilities in the system used by some 450 million people globally.
Paul Jauregui at the security firm Praetorian said in a blog post Thursday that WhatsApp security and encryption are not ideal, citing vulnerabilities in the way it handles SSL, the secure socket layer protocol for communications.
The group's mobile security test "picked up on several SSL-related security issues affecting the confidentiality of WhatsApp user data that passes in transit to back-end servers," Jauregui said.
"This is the kind of stuff the NSA (National Security Agency) would love. It basically allows them - or an attacker - to man-in-the-middle the connection and then downgrade the encryption so they can break it and sniff the traffic. These security issues put WhatsApp user information and communications at risk."
Jauregui noted that Praetorian would need authorization from Facebook and WhatsApp to do a more thorough security evaluation.
He added that it would be "not very difficult" to patch the security flaws. Continue.

Indian messaging app Hike crosses 15 million users, brings the fight to LINE, Viber and WeChat

While the popular WhatsApp-Facebook deal has been hitting headlines all over, our home-brewed desi messenger, Hike, has crossed the 15 million user base. Hike messenger is a free messaging app – just like WhatsApp – from Bharti SoftBank, has shown rapid growth as it had just 5 million users just nine months ago.

Founder Kavin Bharti Mittal told The Indian Exress, “Despite the proliferation of instant messaging apps in India, hike is growing faster than ever. We’ve observed that the youth, today, want to move away from mass platforms to a place where they can express more, within a closer set of friends. Hike is that destination.”

The report also highlights that 80 percent of Hike user base is under the age of 25. In fact, the messaging app is focusing on the youth market by offering some interesting features. The app lets users get in touch with others even while they are offline, via SMS. The feature is called Hike Offline and has been especially crafted for the Indian users, given the possibility of moving in and out of Wi-Fi zones and low network zones. Continue.

Google buys UK anti-fraud start-up

Google plans to use Spider.io’s fraud protection technology in its display and video ad products

Google has bought London-based start-up Spider.io as part of its initiative to stamp out fraud in online advertising.

The deal reinforces Google’s commitment to fighting online fraud as scammers seek to take advantage of the $16bn online advert market.

One of the most common terms is click fraud, where criminals use automated programmes and bots to artificially boost the number of clicks on an online ad to boost revenues.

Online advertising fraud is estimated to cost internet companies up to $10bn annually, and Google plans to use Spider.io’s fraud protection technology in its display and video ad products.

The online search giant said in a statement that the start-up’s expertise would help them to “improve the entire digital ecosystem” and improve metrics to determine the value of digital media to advertisers. Continue.

Obama and Putin discuss Syria, Iran, Ukraine concerns

U.S. President Barack Obama telephoned Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss several global crises.
U.S. President Barack Obama telephoned Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday to talk about several global crises, including Syria's civil war, ongoing talks on Iran's nuclear program and violence in Ukraine, the White House said.
On Syria, the leaders discuseed future talks to find a political solution to the civil war, and the need for the Bashar al-Assad’s government “to adhere to its commitment to eliminate Syria's chemical weapons program,” the White House said in an official statement.
Damascus requested a 100-day extension to an end-May deadline for it to ship out the totality of its chemical arms.

“Concerns over the humanitarian crisis and the necessity of a strong U.N. Security Council resolution on the issue,” were also discussed, the statement added.

Fighting has killed more than 140,000 people - more than 7,000 of them children - according to the Britain-based, pro-opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The Syrian conflict, now almost in its third year, has hit all strata of Syrian society, including vulnerable groups such as the elderly and children.
It has led to one of the world’s most severe refugee crises, with millions of Syrians either internally displaced or hosted in neighboring states such as Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan.
 

Why NNPC Can’t Remit All Revenues – Adoke

The attorney-general of the federation (AGF) and minister of justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, yesterday told the Senate public hearing that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was not statutorily bound to remit all revenues derived from upstream petroleum operations to the Federation Account.
Adoke also accused the suspended CBN governor, Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, of attempting to subvert the constitutional powers of the AGF.
Adoke appeared before the Senate Committee on Finance, organisers of the hearing to provide legal opinion on some of the issues raised during the investigative hearing on the alleged missing $20million oil funds.
Consequently, he declared that despite the constitutional provisions requiring that all revenues be paid into the Federation Account, NNPC could still deduct its cost of business.
“Thus, it is my considered view that the provision of Section 162 which requires all revenue to be remitted to the Federation Account does not preclude the deduction of NNPC’S expenditure or cost of business. Continue.

Google's Hangouts blunder helped WhatsApp

 NEW DELHI: Just a few days before WhatsApp founders agreed to sell the company to Facebook, they were reportedly contacted by Google CEO Larry Page. According to a report on the Fortune website, Google had earlier offered $10 billion for WhatsApp but the deal did not materialize. This time Page told WhatsApp founders that they should remain independent and should not sell their company to Facebook. WhatsApp was doing great on its own, Page reportedly said.

But it is naive to think that what Page told WhatsApp was driven only by his wish to see WhatsApp prosper. While the jury is out on whether Facebook paid too much for the instant messaging service or not, there is no denying that WhatsApp is an impressive service with a big reach on mobile phones. Google and Facebook are fierce competitors and for Google it is definitely a matter of concern if Facebook owns WhatsApp.

But the bigger story here is not that Google missed buying WhatsApp. Vishal Tripathi, principal analyst with Gartner, says that despite owning the world's most widely used mobile operating system, the company has failed to come up with an instant messaging app that users can rely on.

"It looks like Google missed an opportunity here. Android is very popular and used by majority of smartphone users in the world. Blackberry was used by fewer people and yet the Canadian company managed to build BBM into a brand and kind of service that everyone wanted on their phone," he says. Continue.

Google-backed database steps up fight on deforestation

Washington — Google, environmentalists and governments on Thursday unveiled a state-of-the-art database to track deforestation, hoping to ramp up enforcement of a major culprit behind climate change.
The website, www.globalforestwatch.org, will show tree loss around the world in high resolution and with frequent updates. The data -- aimed both at policymakers and companies buying from forest areas -- will be available for free and not require much technical skill to use.
The planet lost some 2.3 million square kilometers (900,000 square miles) of forest from 2000 to 2012, according to data by Google and the University of Maryland, despite what some environmentalists call good-faith efforts by nations such as Indonesia.
"The problem to date hasn't been the lack of goodwill, or even the lack of nice forest regulations and laws written down. It has been, among other things, the lack of ability to really know what's going on," said Andrew Steer, chief executive of the World Resources Institute, a leader in creating the database.
"When the president of Indonesia passed good laws on forests, it was very difficult for him to know what was actually going on in real-time," Steer told reporters ahead of Global Forest Watch's launch Thursday in Washington.
The database will allow anyone to look online and verify the boundaries of protected forests, including buyers of palm oil who want to avoid illicit production, Steer said.
Deforestation plays a critical role in worsening climate change as forests -- which cover nearly a third of the planet -- act as a natural sink, trapping in carbon emissions that would otherwise head into the atmosphere.
To set up the database, Google got to work on uploading millions of satellite images that have been collected for more than 40 years by the US Geological Survey.
Rebecca Moore, an engineering manager at Google, said the Internet giant studied deforestation and found that the main challenge was "to manage the enormous scale of the data" to a level of detail that is useful. The company utilized its Google Cloud technology to bring "turbo-powered science" to the problem, she said.
Besides Google, contributors to Global Forest Watch include the governments of Norway, Britain and the United States.
US Secretary of State John Kerry, in a speech Sunday in Jakarta, called climate change "the world's largest weapon of mass destruction" and urged Indonesia as well as other countries to do more.
Heru Prasetyo, the head of Indonesia's anti-deforestation agency, praised the Global Forest Watch in a statement, calling it an "effective tool for the world and each nation as we leave neglect and ignorance in the past."

WhatsApp: A $19 billion bet for Facebook

NEW YORK — Facebook is placing a $19 billion bet on reaching its next billion mobile users with the acquisition of WhatsApp, a popular messaging service that lets people send texts, photos and videos on their smartphones.
The $19 billion deal is by far Facebook’s largest and bigger than any that Google, Microsoft or Apple have ever done. But it is likely to raise worries that Facebook and other technology companies are starting to become overzealous in their pursuit of promising new products and services, said Anthony Michael Sabino, a St. John’s University business professor.
“This could be seen as a microcosm of a bubble,” Sabino said. “I expect there to be a lot of skepticism about this deal. People are going to look at this and say, ‘Uh-oh, did they pay way too much for this?”
Facebook, for its part, is taking the long view. WhatsApp has 450 million monthly users, 70 percent of whom use it every day. The service is adding a million new users a day. There are 19 billion messages sent and 34 billion received via WhatsApp each day, in addition to 600 million photos and 100 million video messages.
At this rate, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is confident the app will reach a billion users. Services that reach that milestone, Zuckerberg said in a statement, “are all incredibly valuable.”
It’s an elite group to be sure — one that includes Google (which owns YouTube), Facebook itself and little else. Continue.

President Jonathan to cheer Super Eagles in Brazil

The country’s number one citizen has declared his intention to be present at the World Cup in the summer to support the national team’s campaign in South America

Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan could be in Brazil to support the Super Eagles during their World Cup campaign this summer.
The country’s number one citizen was on Wednesday installed as the Grand Patron of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club in Abuja.
"The Year 2014 is a very important one for our nation, as we have the FIFA World Cup and the Commonwealth Games ahead of us. The Federal Government will not relent in giving support to all our athletes in all sports to excel,” President Jonathan said.
“I am indeed honoured to be officially recognised as Nigeria's Number One Supporter. I have always been a keen supporter of all our national teams, "he said.
A keen supporter of the Super Eagles, President Jonathan has put his money where his mouth is by visiting the team twice in the last two years, an unprecedented event among the country’s previous leaders.
GEJ, as he is popularly called, paid a visit to the Super Eagles’ camp ahead of a qualifying match for the Africa Cup of Nations in 2012. Last year he also paid them a visit in Addis Ababa ahead of their World Cup qualifier against Ethiopia where he encouraged the team to make the country proud.
He has also been eager to reward the impressive performances of the national teams as he hosted the Super Eagles and Golden Eaglets after their title winning feats at the Africa Cup of Natiopns and FIFA U17 World Cup in 2013.
Early this month, he hosted the bronze winning African Nations Championship squad to a gala in Abuja.