Plane Going to Mount Everest Region Crashes, Killing 19

KATMANDU, Nepal — A small plane carrying 19 people to the Mount Everest region crashed soon after takeoff here on Friday after striking a bird, killing everyone on board, officials said.

Seven British, five Chinese and four Nepalese passengers were reported to have been killed, as were three crew members. The plane, which was headed to Lukla, a gateway to Mount Everest, was a propeller-driven Dornier owned by Sita Air, a domestic carrier.

It was the seventh fatal plane crash in Nepal since August 2010, according to the Aviation Safety Network, a research organization. Nepal is a popular trekking destination and a number of its small airports are tucked between mountains and often shrouded in fog.

An air traffic control official said the plane took off from Tribhuvan International Airport in Katmandu at 6:17 a.m. and appeared to be in trouble almost immediately.

“We noticed unusual maneuvering of the aircraft from the tower,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the news media. “When asked, the pilot only managed to say it was a bird hit,” he said. “Within two seconds, the aircraft crashed.”

Ratish Chandra Lal Suman, the airport’s general manager, told The Associated Press the plane had struck a vulture.

The plane was on fire when it crashed onto a bank of the Manohara River about 500 meters southeast of the runway, according to witnesses, who said the pilot appeared to swerve to avoid a settlement.

Nepal’s aviation safety standards lag far behind the global average, according to an International Civil Aviation Organization audit released last year, which ranked it as one of the most dangerous countries for air travel in the Asia-Pacific region.

Heather Timmons reported from New Delhi.

Calif. man behind anti-Muslim film ordered jailed

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The surrounding mystery of the man behind the crudely produced anti-Islamic video that sparked violence in the Middle East took a strange turn after he appeared in court and gave yet another name in a string of aliases.
Arrested on Thursday after authorities said he violated his probation from a 2010 check fraud conviction, Nakoula Basseley Nakoula told a judge his real name was Mark Basseley Youseff. He said he'd been using that name since 2002, even though he went by Nakoula in his fraud case.
The full story about Nakoula and the video "Innocence of Muslims" still isn't known more than two weeks after violence erupted in Egypt and Libya, where Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three others were killed in Benghazi. Violence related to the film has since spread, killing dozens more.
Citing a lengthy pattern of deception and the potential to flee, U.S. Central District Chief Magistrate Judge Suzanne Segal ordered Nakoula to remain in prison without bond until another judge can hold a hearing to determine if he broke the terms of his probation.
"The court has a lack of trust in this defendant at this time," Segal said.
Prosecutors noted Nakoula had eight probation violations, including lying to his probation officers and using aliases. He could face new charges that carry a maximum two-year prison term.
After his 2010 conviction, Nakoula was sentenced to 21 months in prison and was barred from using computers or the Internet for five years without approval from his probation officer, though prosecutors said none of the violations involved the Internet. He also wasn't supposed to use any name other than his true legal name without the prior written approval of his probation officer.
Three names, however, have been associated with Nakoula this month alone.

The movie was made last year by a man who called himself Sam Bacile. After the violence erupted, a man who identified himself as Bacile spoke to media outlets including The Associated Press, took credit for the film and said it was meant to portray the truth about Muhammad and Islam, which he called a cancer.
The next day, the AP determined there was no Bacile and linked the identity to Nakoula, a former gas station owner with a drug conviction and a history of using aliases. Federal authorities later confirmed there was no Bacile and that Nakoula was behind the movie.
Some of the false statements in Nakoula's alleged probation violations had to do with the film, Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Dugdale said. Nakoula told probation officials his role was just writing the script, and denied going by the name Sam Bacile in connection with the film, Dugdale said.
Before going into hiding, Nakoula acknowledged to the AP that he was involved with the film, but said he only worked on logistics and management.
Nakoula, a Christian originally from Egypt, then went into hiding after he was identified as the man behind the trailer, which depicts Muhammad as a womanizer, religious fraud and child molester. He met with federal probation officials two weeks ago, led out of his home in suburban Cerritos in the middle of the night, flanked by Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies and cloaked in heavy clothing to protect his identity.
The public got their first good look at Nakoula on Thursday, although the news media was banned from the courtroom and reporters had to watch the proceedings on a TV in a nearby courthouse.
Nakoula wore beige pants and a collared shirt when he was led into the courtroom handcuffed and shackled. He appeared relaxed, smiling at one point before the hearing and conferring with his attorney.

Nakoula's attorney Steven Seiden sought to have the hearing closed and his client released on $10,000 bail. He argued Nakoula has checked in with his probation officer frequently and made no attempts to leave Southern California.
Seiden was concerned that Nakoula would be in danger in federal prison because of Muslim inmates, but prosecutors said he likely would be placed in protective custody.
Lawrence Rosenthal, a constitutional and criminal law professor at Chapman University School of Law in Orange, said it was "highly unusual" for a judge to order immediate detention on a probation violation for a nonviolent crime, but if there were questions about Nakoula's identity it was more likely.
"When the prosecution doesn't really know who they're dealing with, it's much easier to talk about flight," Rosenthal said. "I've prosecuted individuals who'd never given a real address. You don't know who you're dealing with, and you're just going to have very limited confidence about their ability to show up in court."
Enraged Muslims have demanded punishment for Nakoula, and a Pakistani cabinet minister has offered a $100,000 bounty to anyone who kills him.
First Amendment advocates have defended Nakoula's right to make the film while condemning its content. And federal officials likely will face criticism from those who say Nakoula's free speech rights were trampled by his arrest on a probation violation.
In arguing that Nakoula is a possible flight risk, Dugdale said Nakoula couldn't even reveal something as fundamental as his real name.
"He's a person who simply can't be trusted," he said.

Suitors bombard Hong Kong tycoon's gay daughter after dowry

HONG KONG (Reuters) - The newly married lesbian daughter of a Hong Kong tycoon who offered a $65 million "marriage bounty" to any man able to win her love, on Thursday said she'd been flooded by marriage proposals but harbored no animosity towards her father.

Since Hong Kong property billionaire Cecil Chao, known in the tabloid media for his prolific womanizing, dangled a $65 million reward for any man able to lead his daughter, Gigi Chao, down the aisle, she says she's been bombarded by marriage proposals from strangers, date requests, and even an offer from a Hollywood film producer to buy her story.
"War veterans from the U.S., someone from Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, from Istanbul, South America, Portugal, really just from all over the world," said Chao, sifting through emails on a white Apple laptop in her father's high-rise office tower.
One suitor from the United States wrote: "I'm interested in your offer to wed your daughter, who also happens to be gay. I am a male person, who also happens to be gay."

Another put up his brother, a body double to George Clooney in the 2008 sports flick "Leatherheads" as a potential mate: "He could be the picture perfect date that your father craves."
"I've tried my best to respond to well-meaning ones ... but most of them I just try not to open," added the frizzy-haired Chao, who was wearing a silver ring after what she called a "church blessing" with her girlfriend in a Paris church.
Gigi said her billionaire father, who drives a Rolls Royce and flies a helicopter but had a poor early childhood in Shanghai, had been upset when his daughter's longtime lover revealed the couple had wed in Paris in April, leading to his impromptu HK$500 million "marriage bounty" offer to any man able to set her straight.
"I wasn't angry at all. I was really quite touched, very touched and very ... how should I say? moved, by Daddy's announcement," said the 33-year-old.
"I mean, it's really his way of saying 'baby girl, I love you. You deserve more,' basically," added Chau who works as an executive director in the family firm Cheuk Nang Holdings.
Her 76-year-old father, rarely seen without sunglasses and brand-name clothes, has never married but has boasted of bedding over 10,000 women including models and starlets.
Hong Kong, a freewheeling city that reverted from British to Chinese rule in 1997, retains a traditional Chinese social fabric but is considered relatively tolerant of alternative lifestyles compared with the rest of Asia. It decriminalized homosexuality in 1991.

It has gay social venues, film festivals and gay pride parades, making it a bastion of liberalism compared with China, where homosexuality was defined as a mental disorder until 2001.
"I'm not able to generalize about the experiences of all people in the gay community, but I think we in Hong Kong at the moment, are in the middle, we're not punishable by death for being gay, but it's not celebrated and obviously never encouraged," said Chao. "I think change is overdue."
Some hope the comedy value of the whole high-profile father daughter drama could help start a constructive dialogue about gay attitudes in the region.
"Starting a conversation with humor always makes people less aggressive," said James Gannaban, the organizer of an annual Mr. Gay Hong Kong pageant, in a local gay bar. "If people are less militant about issues, then there is greater opportunity for conversation, if we start off with a smile."
(Additional reporting by Venus Wu, editing by Paul Casciato)

Cameroon sentence ex-minister to 25-year jail term

YAOUNDE (Reuters) – A court in Cameroon on Saturday sentenced former presidential hopeful and senior minister Marafa Hamidou Yaya to a 25-year jail term on embezzlement charges related to the botched purchase of a presidential plane in 2004.

The court handed down the sentence early on Saturday morning after a marathon overnight trial. The court handed the same sentence to Yves Michel Fotso, former director of defunct state air transport company CAMAIR.

Hamidou Yaha was minister of territorial administration until he was sacked in December in a cabinet reshuffle by President Paul Biya. He was widely believed to harbour ambitions to succeed the 79-year-old Biya.

Biya, who has been in power since 1982, launched “Operation Sparrow Hawk” in 2006 to combat corruption in the central African nation. The drive has seen several of his former aides brought to court but critics say the anti-corruption campaign has been used to target opponents.

The court in the capital Yaounde found the two guilty of embezzling 24 billion CFA francs (29.27 million pounds) that was meant for the purchase of the presidential plane called “Albatross”.

In letters published after he was arrested in April, Hamidou Yaha denied he participated in any attempt to embezzle public funds and said he was a victim of a political plot.

“Investigations show that the 24 billion CFA francs … for the purchase of the aircraft were diverted by Yves Michel Fotso for personal interests,” the presiding judge said in sentencing.

Fotso was at the time director general of the CBC bank in which funds for the purchase of the plane were deposited.

“The investigations also show that his friend and then secretary-general at the presidency Hamidou Marafa Yaya was well aware of the money being used for personal interest but failed to use his position as a senior administrative officer to prevent the diversion of the money,” the judge said.

“The court therefore is very certain that he too (Hamidou Yaya) was involved in the entire process,” he said.

Speaking reporters before he was whisked off by security forces, Hamidou Yaya said he was not surprised by the verdict.

“I am very disappointed with the judgment but not surprised because this all has been politicised. But I will file an appeal against my conviction because I am not guilty,” he said.

The case has already landed another former minister, Jean-Marie Atangana Mebara and former ambassador to the United States, Jerome Mendouga in jail.

($1 = 505.0100 CFA francs)

(Reporting by Tansa Musa; Writing by Bate Felix; Editing by Rosalind Russell)

euronews provides breaking news articles from Reuters as a service to its readers, but does not edit the articles it publishes.

Copyright 2012 Reuters.

Ivory Coast closes Ghana border

(CNN) -- Ivory Coast has closed its borders with Ghana after a brazen attack against its security forces left eight people dead, the country's defense minister said.

The attack occurred Thursday and carried into Friday morning when gunmen launched an assault against two police stations and a military post in the coastal town of Port-Bouet.

The border town of Noe also was attacked, said Defense Minister Paul Koffi Koffi. Those responsible then fled to Ghana, though not before five of the gunmen were killed, officials said.

Ivory Coast shares a more than 400-mile border with Ghana, where loyalists to former President Laurent Gbagbo have gone into exile.


Ghana President John Dramani Mahama vowed earlier this month not to allow his country to serve as "back base" to destabilize its neighbor.

Last month, three top allies of Gbagbo were arrested in less than a week, raising political tension in the West African country where its army has been hit by weeks of attacks.

Ivory Coast's authorities say Gbagbo's supporters are behind the attacks, intended to destabilize the nation, which is still recovering from a post-election crisis in which more than 3,000 people were killed last year.

Gbagbo is accused of crimes against humanity after he rejected election results and refused to step down when current President Alassane Ouattara was declared the winner in 2010. The standoff sparked months of violence between supporters of both sides.

Tens of thousands protest anti-Islam film in Nigeria- Heraldsun

TENS of thousands of people protested in Nigeria's second city of Kano, burning images of US President Barack Obama and stomping on the American flag to denounce an anti-Islam film made in the US.

A crowd that included men, children and veiled women stretched for several kilometres through the city, the largest in Nigeria's mainly Muslim north, condemning the film that has stirred outrage across the Muslim world.

They shouted "death to America, death to Israel and death to the enemies of Islam," in a rally that ended with no reported incidents of violence but caused gridlock in the city of roughly 4.5 million people.

The demonstration was organised by the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, a pro-Iranian group that adheres to the Shiite branch of Islam. The group has operated in Africa's most populous country since the late 1970s.

"We are out today to express our rage and disapproval over this blasphemous film," said Muhammed Turi, a protest leader and member of the Islamic Movement which organised a similar rally earlier this week in the northern city of Zaria.

Some pictures of US President Barack Obama were set alight, while others were dragged through the dirt and stomped on by protesters shouting "enemy of Islam."

American and Israeli flags were also defaced and Iranian flags were waved in the air as the group marched towards a palace owned by the Emir of Kano, the top religious figure in the region.

Protester Husseini Ibrahim claimed that the "blasphemy" in the film regarding the Prophet Mohammed is "like an invitation to war."

Hundreds of residents who did not join the march lined the streets to watch the protesters move past.

A 68-year-old beggar, who gave his name as Garba, tried to join the rally but was unable to stay on his feet, despite the use of a walking stick.

"I wish I could do more than this. I wish I were young enough to join the procession. I will do anything for the prophet," he said.

Turi addressed the crowd outside Kano's central mosque, adjacent to the Emir's palace.

"We are pained by this deliberate insult against our religion under the pretext of freedom of expression," he told the protesters.

Security forces were deployed around the city and a police officer stationed outside a hospital said the authorities had allowed the demonstration.

"We have no problem with the protest as long as it is peaceful," said the officer who requested anonymity.

Turi also urged Nigeria's government to publicly denounce the film and said all ties with Israel should be severed.

The low-budget film "Innocence of Muslims" was reportedly produced by an Egyptian Coptic Christian, but rumours that circulated shortly after its release suggested an Israeli was involved.

The film incited a wave of bloody anti-American violence in cities across the Muslim world, with protests occurring in more than 20 countries. Violence in Pakistan on Friday left at least 21 people dead.

Thousands of Muslims protested in Nigeria's Zaria on Thursday.

The previous week in the religiously divided central Nigerian city of Jos, soldiers fired live rounds outside a mosque to disperse a crowd of several hundred that was seeking to demonstrate against the film.

Nigeria's 160 million people are roughly divided between a predominantly Muslim north and a largely Christian south, and Muslim-Christian tensions have often led to deadly confrontation.

An article in one of Nigeria's leading newspapers in 2002 considered blasphemous by Muslims helped spark deadly riots in the northern city of Kaduna in which 3,000 people were killed.

Kano was the site of the deadliest ever attack by the radical Islamist group Boko Haram, blamed for more that 1,400 deaths in Nigeria since 2010. The group killed at least 185 people in the city in January in a series of gun and bomb attacks.

President Jonathan's Economic Advisers Owing Nigeria N1.3 Trillion; CBN Bars Banks From Doing Business With 419 Deadbeat Companies And Individuals- SaharaReporters

An explosive Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) circular published today by a local Nigerian newspaper lists some of President Goodluck Jonathan's economic advisers among the country’s worst deadbeat debtors.

Some of the worst offenders are household names: Mr. Femi Otedola, Alhaji Sayyu Dantata, Sir Johnson Arumemi-Ikhide, Prof. Bart Nnaji, Mrs Elizabeth Ebi and Dr. Wale Babalakin.

And businesses too: Zenon, Arik, MRS, Aero Contractors, Capital Oil and Gas, to list just five.

But now local banks are barred from extending even one more kobo of credit to them until they clear all debts.

The big debtors are also among the nation’s richest companies and individuals, and their extensive uncollateralized loans from Nigerian banks to the tune of billions of dollars led to the collapse of the banking sector.

Several of the debtors were also involved in the petroleum subsidy scam that bled the Nigerian economy of some $6.5 billion.

Instead of prosecuting the predatory lenders and borrowers the Jonathan government pushed the problem aside by setting up a bogus body known as the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) to absorb the debts and enable the debtor roam free and engage in more economic crimes.

They apparently roamed far and wide, all 113 companies and 419 directors/shareholders. 419 is the actual number given by the CBN.

The document circular obtained by Thisday, dated last Monday, September 17, showed that the disdain by these rich individuals and companies for their debts has grown so much that the CBN decided to bar banks in the country from extending further credit to them.

“It has become necessary to stop debtors who failed to repay their loans to banks and had these loans subsequently transferred to AMCON, from further enjoying credit facilities from Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) until they fully repay agreed outstandings to AMCON,” said the circular, which was signed by CBN’s Director of Banking Supervision, Mrs. A. O. Martins.

According to ThisDay:

• The circular, which was accompanied by a detailed list of the blacklisted debtors, showed that worst hit by the directive are Zenon Petroleum, owned by Otedola, which was indebted to banks to the tune of N192.4 billion; MRS Holdings Limited, which belongs to Dantata – N119.98 billion; Seawolf Limited – N98.32 billion; Arik Air Limited, belonging to Arumemi-Ikhide – N85.481 billion; NITEL Plc/M-Tel – N71.547 billion; and Capital Oil and Gas Limited, which belongs to Ifeanyi Ubah – N48.014 billion.

• Others include Falcon Securities, whose Managing Director, Mr. Peter Ololo, was arraigned alongside several bank executives in 2009 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) – N162.9 billion; Rockson Engineering Limited, owned by Arumemi-Ikhide – N60.475 billion; BGL Securities – N6.44 billion; Rahamaniyya Oil & Gas Limited – N46.38 billion; Bi-Courtney Limited – N20.214 billion; and Geometrics Engineering, owned by Nnaji – N19.76 billion.

• The restriction also applies to: Aero Contractors Company, owned by the family of Olorogun Michael Ibru - N32.579 billion; Tinapa Business Resort – N18.509 billion; Nestoil Limited, belonging to oil and gas entrepreneur, Ernest Azudialu – N13.506 billion; Dorman Long Engineering – N9.667 billion; Ascott Offshore Nig. Ltd, belonging to former banker, Henry Imasekha and the Berkley Group – N64.728 billion; Gitto Constuzioni – N11.838 billion; and Dansa Foods – N14.880 billion, whose directors, Sani and Abdul Dangote, are the brothers of business mogul, Alhaji Aliko Dangote.

Furthermore, the banks have also been directed not to grant further credit to two States: Cross River and Zamfara, because of the failure of the Tinapa Business Resort and the Zamfara Accountant General to pay back loans collected.

The Central Bank warned that any bank that flouts the guidelines would be made to make an immediate provision of 100 per cent of total principal and interest outstanding in the account of the customer and related parties, in addition to whatever regulatory penalties the CBN may decide to impose, ThisDay said.

Gov. Fashola arrests colonel, sergeant on BRT lane

Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola on Tuesday reprimanded two military officers for driving on the dedicated Bus Rapid Transit lane.

The soldiers were accosted on the BRT lane at the Outer Marina on the Island.

Fashola expressed dismay that those who should show discipline and professionalism were the ones violating the BRT regulation.

Colonel K.I. Yusuf drove an Army Green Peugeot 406 with registration number BO1 – 150 NA, while Staff Sergeant A.J. Adeomi drove a black Toyota Camry.

Perhaps realising the problem that could come from being accosted by the governor, Yusuf reportedly alighted from his car and saluted Fashola repeatedly, saying, “I am sorry, very, very sorry.”

But the governor instead asked, “Why, as a senior military officer, did you choose to break the law instead of preserving it?”

The incident was said to have drawn the attention of commuters and other passers-by who reportedly commended the governor for showing good leadership.

Fashola, after the incident, said it was unfortunate that those who ought to be defenders of democratic values were the ones violating the law.

He said, “The highest levels of the military command have continuously expressed their commitment to supporting democracy and to subjecting themselves and their officers to the laws of the country. Those officers that I caught today are a very bad example for the military.”

The governor added that he had complained to the superiors of the culprits, saying they would be sanctioned appropriately.

He said his apprehension of the military men signified his commitment and that of his government that all violators of the law should be sanctioned.

He said, “There is a zero tolerance for lawlessness. There is zero tolerance for breach of our regulations and we are going to do more of this. We are going to take control of our traffic. We cannot build our way out of traffic congestion; our responsibility is to manage traffic and manage congestion.

“I don’t use the BRT lane, I sit down in traffic and I expect everyone who wants to drive his car to do the same. The alternative is to use the bus.

“The passengers in the bus have the right also to use the road and we cannot encroach on that lane which we have reserved for them. This is democratisation of the road and I will defend it.”

Source: PUNCH NEWSPAPER

RONALDINHO LOSES $750,000 COKE DEAL FOR DRINKING PEPSI

All football superstar Ronaldinho wanted to do was quench his thirst when he sipped from a can of Pepsi during a press conference. But that seemingly innocuous gesture revived a longstanding feud between soft drink giants Coco Cola and Pepsi.

According to The Atlanta Journal Constitution, the Atlanta-based Coke reacted to Ronaldinho’s two-timing by yanking the Brazilian star’s lucrative $750,000 sponsorship. That’ll teach him to be faithful.

“The fact that the player has appeared with a can of Pepsi was the straw that broke the camel’s back,” Coca-Cola marketing chief Marcelo Pontes told the newspaper. “The sponsorship had become embarrassing.”

The press conference was held to promote his new team, Atletico Mineiro, of which Pepsi is a sponsor. Coke’s $750,000 sponsorship deal with Ronaldinho was scheduled to run through 2014.

JACKIE CHAN I'm NOT Quitting Action Flicks Afterall

The mourning period is officially over -- Jackie Chan assures TMZ he is DEFINITELY not quitting action films, despite telling the press a few weeks ago he was axing his action slate to become "the Asian Robert De Niro."

We remember it like it was yesterday ... but in fact it was in May ... Jackie was promoting his new film -- "Chinese Zodiac" -- when he told reporters "This will be my last action movie."

After two months of imagining a world without Jackie beating people up ... some good news finally emerged last night when TMZ caught up with the martial-arts God outside fancy-schmancy Bouchon in Beverly Hills.

We asked Jackie point-blank about his self-proclaimed retirement and he told us, "Nooooooooo. I still do action movie."

So rest easy folks, there's still hope for "Rush Hour: 20."

TOM CRUISE Reunites with Suri

10:45 AM PST: We're told Tom is taking Suri to Chelsea Piers later today for her gymnastics lesson. As for how Tom picked Suri up ... we're told he went to Katie's apartment, but he never saw his soon-to-be ex-wife. He was inside the apartment for less than 5 minutes.

Tom Cruise has reunited with his daughter for the first time since Katie Holmes filed for divorce last month.

Tom wrapped his latest movie shoot and flew to New York City, where we're told he'll be spending several days with his 6-year-old daughter. This pic (above) shows Tom carrying Suri into The Greenwich Hotel.

Sources tell TMZ ... Tom will have no contact with Katie. Suri will be picked up and taken back with the help of intermediaries.

The picture (below) shows Tom's sister, Cass, bearing gifts as she enters the hotel.

We're told Tom is "sad but not bitter" about the way things have gone down. Nevertheless, it looks like there is radio silence between Tom and Katie.

Star Mega Jam organisers slam Rick Ross with $2m lawsuit

American rapper Rick Ross has been hit with a lawsuit for almost $2 million for cancelling his performance at the annual Star Mega Jam in Nigeria last year. Ross, who was set to jet to Nigeria, claimed he had to cancel his appearance following a bout of ill health. In a suit filed early this month, lawyers for U.K.-based promotional company Zons P.R. alleged Ross was paid a deposit of $87,500 to promote their client, Star Lager Beer, during his trip to Nigeria.

The suit adds that bosses at the company tried to reschedule another show where he could complete his promotional work for the brand but negotiations fell through. It added that Ross has so far failed to hand back the money. A statement in the document reads, "In truth and in fact the defendant had no intention of returning said deposit. To date no part of the deposit has been returned."

Killer crocodile sets record as world’s largest in captivity

Lolong, a man-eating beast feared by locals, has set a Guinness Book of World Records mark as the world's largest saltwater crocodile in captivity. The giant crocodile measures 20.24 feet, weighs more than a ton and was blamed for several deaths before its capture by officials in the southern Philippines town of Bunawan in September, 2011. And while Lolong has brought some tourist dollars into the small town, its capture has also stirred fears that other giant killer crocs might be lurking in the local waters. "There were mixed feelings," Bunawan Mayor Edwin Cox Elorde told the Associated Press. "We're really proud because it proves the rich biodiversity of our place but at the same time, there are fears that Lolong may not be alone." In fact, Elorde says he spotted an even larger crocodile escape when he and about 100 others combined their efforts to capture Lolong. It took a combination of ropes and cranes to bring in the giant crocodile, which was pursued after a child was killed in 2009 and a fisherman went missing. Lolong was named after an official who died of a heart attack after traveling to Bunawan to assist in the capture. Since its capture, Lolong has become something of a tourist attraction and is the star of a new ecotourism and research center in the town. And while the park has brought in $72,000 in park fees since Lolong's debut, most of that money goes to feeding and taking care of the crocodile.

Wizkid, Sarkodie, Jay Z, Kanye West Win At 2012 BET Awards

Youngstars Award:

Nigeria's music artiste, Ayodeji Balogun popularly known as Wizkid has won an award as the Best International Act at the 2012 Black Entertainment Television (BET) awards held on Sunday night of July 1. Wizkid won the prestigious awards with his Ghanaian counterpart, Sarkodie yesterday. The show was held The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, USA. It was hosted by veteran Hollywood actor, Samuel L Jackson. Wizkid and Sarkodie won in the Best International Act (Africa) category. The two artistes have been tipped to win the awards before yesterday... 2Face and D'Banj jointly won the BET awards in 2011. Other winners of 2012 awards were Jay Z, Chris Brown, Kanye West, Beyonce and others. Below are some of the winners as at press time. Best Group: The Throne (Jay Z & Kanye West Best Actor: Kevin Hart Best New Artist: Big Sean Best Actress: Best Collaboration: Wale f/ Miguel – “Lotus Flower Bomb” Best Female R&B Artist: Beyonce Best Gospel: Yolanda Adams Best International Act: Wiz Kid + Sarkodie Best International Act UK: Wretch 32 Best Male Hip Hop Artist: Best Male R&B Artist: Chris Brown Best Movie: Best New Artist: Centric Award:Coca-Cola Viewers Choice Award: Common Subway Sportsman Of The Year: Kevin Durant Subway Sportswoman Of The Year: Serena Williams Video Director Of The Year: Video Of The Year:

Violence visits Kano and Damaturu again

Renewed violence erupted Tuesday evening in Damaturu, the Yobe state capital as suspected members of Boko Haram clashed with the combined team of army and the police. Fierce gun battle between security agents and suspected militants was also reported by residents of Goron Dutse and Dala in Kano state. Witnesses claim gunmen launched attacks against the police station in Goron Dutse with explosives and guns. According to a Joint Task Force (JTF) source, who does not want to be named, the renewed hostility in Damaturu started around 6pm, Tuesday evening. The JTF official told Channels Television that explosions and gun shots were targeted at the Federal Polytechnic Damaturu and the personal residence of the state governor. The source also confirmed that three attackers were killed in the process as three arms were recovered. According to the source, a structure at the polytechnic was razed but the attack was repealed by operatives of the Joint Task Force that rushed to the scene. The police are yet to confirm the attack. A 24 hour curfew was placed on the city after the violence that erupted last Sunday but was later relaxed after a reasonable sense of normalcy returned to the north eastern city.

GEJ SACKED NSA OWOYE AZIZA, DEFENCE MINISTER

President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday fired General Andrew Owoye Azazi as the National Security Adviser and the Minister of Defence,Bello Haliru. The presidency has appointed Colonel Sambo Dasuki as the new NSA.

Chris Brown And Drake Get Into a Fist Fight Last Night

Mediatakeout.com is reporting that Drake and his entourage got into a FIGHT with Chris Brown at the popular after hours NYC nightclub WIP. According to MULTIPLE MediaTakeOut.com sources inside, Chris and Drake have had a difficult relationship since three years ago.  That’s when Rihanna supposedly cheated on Chris, with Drake and Chris has held a grudge since. Last night at WIP it seems, Chris reportedly sent over a bottle of champagne to Drake’s table, as a sort of peace offering. Unconfirmed reports are saying that Drake sent the bottle back to Chris with a message to the effect of – “I’m f*ckng the love of your life [Rihanna], deal with it.” Whatever message Drake sent back caused Chris to immediately fly into a rage and he confronted Drake and his entourage which included another Chris Brown rival, rapper Meek Mill. Meek Mill also had a relationship with Rihanna. Apparently Drake punched Chris in the face and before Chris could retaliate, someone popped Chris in the mouth with a bottle, multiple times. And as a result, Chris was bleeding everywhere. Security immediately swooped in and broke up the fight. Drake and his entourage immediately left the club, before police arrived. Chris, we’re told left under his own power – and later went to the hospital, to get his face sewn shut and that’s where the took the above photo. What happened since?  Well Chris Brown turned to Twitter and here’s what Chris Brown had to say about his fight with Drake:

Tambuwal rejects plea to help retrieve $620,000 bribe

House Speaker Aminu Tambuwal has rejected a plea by security agents to help retrieve the $620,000 cash businessman Femi Otedola gave a lawmaker, Farouk Lawan. The police have asked Lawan, chairman of the ad hoc committee which probed the multi-billion naira fuel subsidy scandal, to surrender the cash, which he admitted collecting. But the lawmaker says he will not give up the evidence that Otedola bribed him against his wish. Besides, he has not shown up at the police Special Task Force (STF) probing the matter to say all he knows about the bribe. Tambuwal is said to have rejected the request because, according to sources, “he does not want to be roped in”. The Speaker was said to have been suspicious of why security agencies were mounting pressure on him to get the cash from Lawan. A legislative aide said: “The Speaker turned down the request because security agencies might come up with a theory that Lawan kept the bribe with Tambuwal. “Although the security agencies were not happy with the Speaker’s attitude, the man said as a lawyer he has enough experience to know what could happen when you are turning in evidence. “He has fears that with a little shred of evidence, he might be roped in.” The police yesterday reached out to principal officers of the House and influential members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to prevail on Lawan to appear before it today or face the consequences. The House and the Police were involved in a hide and seek game yesterday. The House said it on June 6 struck an unwritten agreement with the police hierarchy that Lawan could only be available in two weeks after it might have concluded its internal investigation into the matter. A source said in the presence of the principal officers of the House, the police hierarchy communicated the agreement to the investigating desk. Ahead of the police final decision on Lawan today, there were indications that five to 10 more lawmakers might be invited by the police based on audio tape of the conversation between Otedola and Lawan. The Nation learnt that the police may crack down on Lawan today, if he refuses to honour police invitation. A source said: “We have sent emissaries to Lawan; they are talking to him to honour police invitation. We are hopeful that this persuasion will work. “Let us see how it will go, but I think by the end of Thursday, Farouk must have chatted with the Police. We are just trying to be civil.” But a member of the House said: “When some of our principal officers met with the police team on June 6, they asked the hierarchy to give them two weeks to investigate the allegation before asking Lawan to report for interrogation by the STF. “The principal officers were obliged the two-week request. That is why Lawan has not appeared before the STF. We are only honouring our own part of the unwritten agreement.” The source went on: “That claim by some lawmakers appears strange because Lawan is in the country for his recess. We are not aware of any agreement. With the international dimension the matter has taken, does he need two weeks to report to the police to make a statement? “We have reached out to the House leadership through eminent Nigerians to allow Farouk to come to the police. That is the latest on this matter; let Farouk Lawan honour the police.” It was learnt that the House leadership was battling last night to find a solution to the issue between it and the police. A member of the House from the Northeast said: “For hours, Farouk Lawan met with Tambuwal and principal officers at the Speaker’s residence on Wednesday on how to handle police invitation. “A solution is being found in such a manner that it will not affect our relationship with the police. Let them be patient.” It was also learnt that five to 10 members of the House might also be invited by the police based on the audio and video tapes which were being shown some key House members yesterday. The police source added: “Yes, we may invite more lawmakers, but we want to hear from Lawan first; that is the logical order. Let everybody talk to him to report by Thursday or else it may be a different story.” The ongoing investigation has, however, created panic among House members following the rush to watch the video tape of the Otedola-Lawan game and listening to the audio tape by lawmakers A source said: “From the tape, the negotiation was higher Otedola did not start video-taping, until when the rate was reduced to $5million. Later Otedola reduced it to $3million. “There was another interesting aspect where Otedola told Lawan that the balance of the $3million was ready and the oil baron was asked to fly in the balance. “Otedola said as soon as he got to Abuja , he would call Lawan but the lawmaker could be heard loudly saying: ‘It is possible we might be in the chamber but I will give you the number of a trusted hand… (A member of the House). “The said member, who was a union activist before his election, was said to have come from a Yoruba speaking area in the North-Central zone of the country.”

Celebrities Who Married Young: These Musicians Rushed to the Alter (PHOTOS)

While Miley Cyrus' engagement last week shocked many the entertainment industry veteran -- it shouldn't have. Marrying young is a trend in Hollywood, with musicians and starlets alike walking down the aisle before they're even legal to drink! In the gallery below, we rounded up the most recent class of super-young newlyweds. Click below to see music's latest barely-legal brides (and grooms)!

FEMI KUTI @ 50: A man of many relationships

Foremost heir to the Afrobeat King’s throne, Femi Kuti in a never seen, no holds barred, exclusive interview with Channels Television, talks about a myriad of issues in his life as he clocks his golden jubilee. In this interview with our correspondent, Oluchi Uwajubogu, he talks on growing up with Fela, his many women, relationships and instruments. On being 50: There is nothing so special about being 50 years old people still see me as a young man. Music sojourn: In the past 33 years I have released 9 albums and I want to do about five more albums before I die. Fela’s inspiration: At the beginning I wanted to be like my father, I left my mother to stay with my dad. I started smoking, drinking but after he was locked up by the Nigerian government. I decided to make a name for myself. I had a beautiful childhood until when my dad was locked up for carrying Indian hemp, there was no where we go to that we will not be identified as Fela’s children. My dad didn’t want us to have the western education in 1979 he advised me to leave school. Obstacles: It’s been tedious till now. I remember in 1988, I was advised by my sisters to be a fisherman because there was no money. Musical Instrument: The first instruments I played ever was a trumpet and my father started playing a saxophone then I learnt and that’s what I play till now. Advice to young musicians: My advice to the young artiste is to try and play an instrument because that has helped me. Family: I have six kids, two of them are adopted and I do not mind them doing music. My first son Mide, has interest in music and he is schooling in the United Kingdom. Marriage: I got married on May 1995, even though, I never believed in marriage but I loved my wife and I knew she was going to deliver a boy as soon as she got pregnant. My marriage didn’t last because, my wife didn’t listen to me I told her I loved women. I like women around me and I will not be faithful to one woman. My wife wasn’t comfortable with my fame and the women in my life and that was why we had to part way. I don’t want to re-marry again, like I said, I never believed in marriage and I am right now into four different relationships. Two of them are very serious and they have kids for me. I am a very jealous lover Occupy Nigeria: It was a failure because I knew the Nigeria Labour Congress will give into the government and that’s what scattered it.

Senate Approves Renaming Of UNILAG To Moshood Abiola University (MAULAG)

The Nigerian Senate has despite numerous protests approved the renaming of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) to the Moshood Abiola University of Lagos (MAULAG). President Goodluck Jonathan announced the name change on democracy day May 29th, 2012 during his address to the nation. His decision to rename the University of Lagos after MKO Abiola the winner of the 1993 elections was hailed by some but sparked a huge protest in the University of Lagos with students angrily opposing the change of their institutions name. According to a reliable source, the Senate approved the renaming bill which was sent earlier in the week by President Goodluck Jonathan to bypass any embarrassing rejection of the name-change in what many Nigerians saw as illegal and unconstitutional even with some supporters of the renaming calling it as ill-timed or politically motivated. Although The Nigerian Senate is on recess, the bill had been passed without delay but the Senate will make it publicly known after its members return from recess. Other institutions that were renamed in the same bill sent to the Senate were the Federal University of Technology Umudike which was renamed to the Michael Okpara University, Umudike and the Federal Univeristy of Technology, Yola renamed to the Modibbo Adamawa University. A law suit has been filed by students of the tertiary institution asking that the name-change was unconstitutional as it initially was done without parliamentary approval. A hearing date for the matter has not been fixed by the Court.

Kanye West Stops Show Over Laser Toting Fan

If you're going to a Kanye West concert and want to bring along your laser pointer, here's a tip don't do it. Because if you shine it at Yeezy and he sees it, he will stop the show to cuss you out. One fan at Kanye and Jay-Z's "Watch the Throne" show learned that lesson the hard way last night in Paris

Oba Olashore is dead

The Aloko of Iloko-Ijesha in Osun State, Oba Oladele Olashore, is dead. He died in the early hours of Saturday at the age of 77. The late monarch was a former managing director of First Bank of Nigeria Plc. He was also a former minister of finance. The deceased founded the Olashore International Schools, Iloko-Ijesha, where he was the pioneer chairman.

Queen's 60th jubliee party gets under way

Queen Elizabeth will kick off four days of celebrations to mark her 60 years on the British throne under way today with one of her favourite pastimes, a trip to the horse races, as tributes to the long-serving monarch pour in. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to descend on London over the next few days for Diamond Jubilee festivities, with millions attending street parties across the country as the nation marks the queen's personal milestone. "The queen has given incredible service," British Prime Minister David Cameron said. "She's never put a foot wrong, she's hugely popular and respected here and around the world and it's an opportunity for people to give thanks and to say thank you for the incredible service that she's given." Across Britain, red, white and blue Union Jack flags billow from street lamps, outside buildings, shop fronts and houses, and sales of patriotic souvenirs have rocketed ahead of the celebrations. To royalists, the occasion is a chance to express their thanks and appreciation to the 86-year-old Elizabeth, head of state for 16 countries from Australia and Canada to tiny Tuvalu in the Pacific Ocean, for her years of public service. For others, the chance of some extra days off work and to enjoy the sort of extravaganza and public ceremony for which Britain is renowned has made it a welcome break from austere times, pay freezes and deep public spending cuts. Republicans hope the occasion marks the last hurrah of a dying anachronism, while some 2 million people are leaving Britain altogether to go on holiday. "Original jubilees were invented in the 19th century by the popular press as modes of national celebration for which the monarchy and monarch was almost incidental," said royal biographer Robert Lacey. He said the jubilee was as much about society celebrating itself as it was about the head of state and the now largely symbolic institution of the monarchy. "They tend to work best in times of economic hardship. It provides a tonic for the country," Lacey told Reuters. Having acceded to the throne in February 1952 on the death of her father George VI when Winston Churchill was prime minister, Elizabeth is now the longest-lived British monarch. Only her great-great-grandmother Victoria spent longer on the British throne and she looks on course to overhaul her as longest-serving monarch in 2015. As well being head of the Commonwealth of nations mainly made up former British colonies, Elizabeth is also the Supreme Governor of the Church of England. "I think we've been enormously fortunate in this country to have as our head of state a person who has a real personality - a personality that comes through more and more, I think, in her public utterances," said the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, the spiritual head of the Anglican Church. "Someone with insight and judgement, and with immense stamina and a depth of commitment that I think is immensely impressive to all of us." THAMES FLOTILLA The four days of celebrations begin on a fairly low-key note when the queen indulges her long love of horses by attending the Epsom Derby, one of the biggest events in the British horse racing calendar. On Sunday, there will be a flotilla of 1,000 boats assembled from around the globe travelling 25 miles along the River Thames featuring the queen and her 90-year-old husband Prince Philip on a royal barge, in the largest such pageant for 350 years. Thousands of street parties are also planned across Britain, including one on Downing Street outside Cameron's office, as part of a "Big Jubilee Lunch". The queen's London residence Buckingham Palace will play host to a pop concert on Monday featuring the likes of Paul McCartney and Elton John, before a network of 4,200 beacons will also be lit across Britain with more set alight around the Commonwealth. The celebrations culminate on Tuesday with a memorial service at St Paul's Cathedral, a carriage procession through central London and flypast by present and former royal air force aircraft. Huge crowds are expected for the events with estimates that about a million people will travel to London on Sunday alone. Not all will be cheering for the queen with banner-waving republicans staging a protest at Tower Bridge during the Thames flotilla. THOUSANDS OF STREET PARTIES

Officials say there are some 9,500 street parties planned in England Wales and ABTA, the British travel association, said almost 2.5 million Britons were expected to take part. London's Heathrow airport said some 780,000 people were due to arrive in the next few days, although ABTA said an estimated 2 million Britons were planning to head overseas to take advantage of the two extra public holidays. Retail groups say Britons are expected to spend £823 million, nearly double what they paid out on last year's royal wedding of the queen's grandson Prince William and Kate Middleton. Supermarket Tesco, the world's number three retailer, expected to sell 2.86 million flags by the end of the weekend, while rival Sainsbury's said it had sold 252 miles of bunting, enough to decorate the entire length of the Thames. But rather than a boon, the Bank of England and economists warn the extra public holidays will hit growth in the second quarter, bad news for an economy that has slipped back into recession and where growth remains elusive. "It is likely that there will be a significant hit to GDP in the second quarter, which will be partly recouped in the third quarter," said Howard Archer, economist at IHS Global Insight. Last year's royal wedding and the extra public holiday that attracted was cited as one of the special factors that knocked up to 0.5 percent off GDP growth in the second quarter of 2011. Police said the weekend would include the largest royal security operation ever conducted. Some 13,000 officials including about 6,000 police officers will be on duty for the Thames pageant, which poses challenges never before encountered. "We're treating it as a unique event, to have that many dignitaries on that many boats moving along the Thames," London police's Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stephen Kavanagh told Reuters. He warned the capital's public transport system and roads would be stretched, but after 18 months of planning, police do not believe there was any major security threat. Attention-seekers posed the greatest problem, Kavanagh commented. In April, a protester disrupted the annual Cambridge versus Oxford university rowing race on the Thames by swimming into the path of the crews and police chiefs admit they cannot guarantee similar embarrassments would not occur. "There is no plan along that length of river, with that number of people on both sides of the Thames that can prevent anything happening," Kavanagh said. - Reuters

I’m Not Gay - Charly Boy

Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, has denied a story published by two national dailies that he is gay and the head of Illuminati, a fratenity group.

He said, “I have never had to deal with such an insidious report that appears to be directly calculated to portray me in the worst possible light at a time such as this.” He added that “I want to assure Nigerians that I am NOT gay and I am NOT part of any organisation called the ‘Illuminati’ in any way, shape or form. I also categorically state that any reports of my alleged ‘confession’ to any newspaper is a figment of the imagination of my detractors, and a very insidious attempt to destroy my hard-earned reputation, and that of my Charly Boy brand, all in the mad rush of some newspapers.” He noted that “That would be par for the course for my brand and persona, which has been admittedly controversial over the years, due to my relentless pursuit of justice for the people, fight for the rights of musicians and my tireless energy in extending the boundaries of creative entertainment in my legitimate bid to maximise my creative talents.” He also promised to fight the writers of the story with the last drop of his blood, saying that he has instructed his attorney to instutite legal action against them. Source: Tribune

Nigeria: Kidnapped German Killed During Raid on Suspected Terrorists

Kidnappers stabbed a captive German engineer to death on Thursday as soldiers unaware of the hostage’s presence raided a home in northern Nigeria, officials said, five months after the man’s abduction by members of a group linked to Al Qaeda. Soldiers initiated the raid on Thursday morning in Kano, the northern city where gunmen abducted the German, Edgar Fritz Raupach, on Jan. 26. A military spokesman, Lt. Iweah Ikedichi, said soldiers attacked a home where “senior commanders of the terrorist element” were believed to be meeting. The soldiers killed five people suspected of being terrorists in a firefight, Lieutenant Ikedichi said. Soldiers later discovered Mr. Raupach’s handcuffed body while searching the house, he said. A security official said the kidnappers stabbed Mr. Raupach before trying to escape.

Court dismisses suit against Salami's reinstatement

An Abuja Federal High Court on Wednesday dismissed a suit, challenging the planned reinstatement of the suspended President of the Court of Appeal (PCA), Justice Isa Ayo Salami, for lacking in merit. A lawyer, Noah Ajare, had sued the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the Judicial Stakeholders Review Committee chaired by former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Mohammed Uwais. He was aggrieved over the recommendation of the Uwais committee to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Dahiru Musdapher to reinstate Justice Salami. He asked the court to restrain the NJC from deliberating on the said recommendation. He also prayed for an order of interim injunction restraining the council and the panel from holding further meetings, discussion and all recommendations for the reinstatement of Salami pending the hearing of the substantive matter. But, at the end of its meeting in Abuja on May 10, the council recommended to President Goodluck Jonathan to approve the reinstatement of Justice Salami.

A few days later, Ajare who claimed he had no personal interest in the whole saga rushed to the court again to file another suit to restrain Jonathan from approving the recommendation. That suit is pending before Justice Adamu Bello. Ruling on the suit against the NJC and the Uwais committee on Wednesday, Justice Abdul Kafarati said the Plaintiff has no locus standi to initiate the action. Ajare had relied on his membership of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to file the suit. But the Judge held that "with due respect, that alone cannot confer locus standi on him. He can only have locus standi if he can show special interest over and above others or show that his interest will be adversely affected." Describing the Plaintiff as a busy-body, the court held that the NJC needs no interference of his to resolve its issues. "The issue of reinstatement of Justice Salami can be decided without the presence of the Plaintiff. To me, the Plaintiff has no work to do; he has no work to do." "The second Defendant (Uwais Reform Committee) is not a legal person. The committee having been dissolved and not being a creation of the law, the name is hereby struck out from the suit. The case has no merit; it is accordingly dismissed," the judge ruled.

UK: Nigerians to be screened for Tuberculosis

Nigerians travelling to the United Kingdom will require pre-entry tuberculosis screening with effect from 2013, the spokesman of the British High Commission, Mr. Hooman Nouruzi, has said. Nouruzi told the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Abuja that the policy affected 67 countries listed as `tuberculosis endemic’ by the World Health Organisation. He said that under the new scheme, travellers to the UK would be tested for tuberculosis as part of the visa procedure. ``The UK Border Agency carries out pre-entry screening for TB for non-EEA migrants who are resident in 15 countries entering the UK for six months or more. ``We are proposing to extend pre-entry screening of applicants to an additional 67 countries, which have been identified using WHO data, as having a high incidence of TB,’’ Nouruzi said. NAN reports that the 15 nations currently being screened for TB include Bangladesh, Cambodia, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Togo, Niger, Kenya, Eritrea, Somalia, Pakistan, Sudan, Tanzania, Thailand and Laos. Although Nouruzi was not definite on when in 2013 they will start screening Nigerians travelling to the UK, he said some hospitals would be designated for the exercise. ``We will implement the changes in phases and complete the roll out to all on the WHO high incidence list by the end of 2013,’’ he said. NAN reports that no fewer than 10,000 UK visas are issued monthly in Nigeria, a figure which rises during the summer months of June, July and August.

No going back on renaming of UNILAG - FG

There is no going back on the renaming of University of Lagos after Chief Moshood Abiola, the Federal Government said on Wednesday. Government said the decision was taken in the interest of the country. Information Minister, Mr. Labaran Maku, who was responding to questions from newsmen on the protest that greeted President Goodluck Joanthan gesture, noted that Nigerians should not allow the protest to overshadow the national significance of what the president has done. Maku stated that the president only showed that he truly appreciates late Abiola’s contribution to the political development of the country. President Jonathan had in his nationwide broadcast on Tuesday renamed the university in honour of the billionaire politician who died in prison over a decade ago.

Abiola was the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election which was controversially annulled by former military president Ibrahim Babangida. Jonathan said Abiola’s presumed victory in the presidential election, and death, while in custody, proved to be the catalyst for the people’s pro-democracy uprising; saying, “after very careful consideration, and in honour of Chief M.K.O Abiola’s accomplishments and heroism, on this Democracy Day, the University of Lagos, is renamed by the Federal Government of Nigeria, Moshood Abiola University, Lagos. “The Federal Government will also establish an Institute of Democratic Studies and Governance in the University,” he added. But that did not go down well with the students of the university who went on the street to protest the federal government’s decision. The minister said, “For those of us who have been part of this country for long and who have been adults that lived through the history of Nigeria, particularly in the last two decades if there is any figure that symbolizes sacrifice of self for this nation, that figure is Chief M.K.O Abiola who clearly won the June12 1992 Presidential election and died in captivity because he stood for principle. “He stood to defend the principle of democracy, and for anyone that is familiar with the development of our politics in the last two decades, there is no event in the political history of our country that touches the hearts of quiet a significant number of citizens like the June 12, 1993 presidential election, “he added.

'Men In Black 3' Plot: 6 Things I Still Don't Understand

Now that you've seen Men in Black 3 (or perhaps you didn't -- it's not humanly possible for me to keep tabs on all of you), I have a few questions. Look, I like to pretend that I have at least the intelligence of an average human being (I graduated from a Big 12 school, so I realize even that may be a stretch), but there are quite a few things in the Men in Black 3 plot that confused me. I get it: perhaps Men in Black 3 isn't supposed to be one of those movies you think about too hard. And I did enjoy it more than I probably should have, considering how much it's making me fret. But, alas, as I sit here on my birthday, of all days, I just can't help it. Maybe we can all work though this together? (Spoiler alert, obviously.) 1. When J is fighting Boris at Cape Canaveral, why did the time machine reverse time? OK, so, Boris (Jemaine Clement) uses a time machine to travel back to 1969 in an effort to kill K (Tommy Lee Jones/Josh Brolin) -- the man responsible for (A) the imprisonment of Boris and (B) the loss of Boris' arm. This creates two Borises in 1969: The young version who is supposed to be in 1969 and the 2012 version who just traveled back. OK, fine. Now, J (Will Smith) uses a similar device to also go back in time -- using the speed created from jumping off of the Chrysler Building as an accelerant -- arriving before either Boris has yet had the opportunity to kill K. As we learn at the end of the film, there are also two Js. So far, still fine. In the climatic scene at Cape Canaveral, locked in battle, both J and Boris fall from the launch pad. J activates the time machine in an order to avoid death, reversing time just a few moments. Not only does J survive, he also now knows every single one of Boris' tactics because he has seen them before. This makes zero sense. First, if the time machine works as we've seen it work up until that point in the movie, it would have created a second J, who would have witnessed J and Boris fall from the launching pad, not reversed time -- a la Superman in the original Superman film -- so that J essentially gets a "do over." And even if it had reversed time, wouldn't Boris, too, know what was coming? 2. How did the time machine activate after falling from a Saturn V launching pad? J has very little room to spare, mere inches, for him to activate the time machine after a fall from the Chrysler Building. But, as it's explained, he wouldn't reach the speed needed to activate the machine until he was just a few inches from the ground. Again, fine. But when J and Boris fall from the aforementioned launching pad of a Saturn V missile -- which launched Apollo 11 - there is enough height to activate the machine. A Saturn V missile is 363 feet tall. The Chrysler Building is 1,046 feet tall. To be fair, J didn't jump from the very top of the Chrysler building, but he didn't fall from the very top of the Saturn V missile, either. 3. Why didn't J lose his memory of K post-1969 like everyone else? Most frustrating about this: J even asks, but is never given a real answer. Oh, sure, we're given a fancy sounding term -- temporal displacement, or something like that -- but no real reason why it happened to J. Yes, as J is about to jump off of the Chrysler Building, the fellow who supplied the time machine tells J, "That means you were there." What does that mean? Because it's never explained again. Is that fellow referring to the interaction between young K and a young J? Is he referring to the fact that J met his father? Why would this at all have anything to do with J's memory? Even more frustrating: a side effect -- J's new affinity for chocolate milk - is explained, but not the actual reason. 4. How is J still a member of Men in Black? After Boris kills K in the past, I was fully expecting J to walk into MIB headquarters and have no one recognize him. In the first Men in Black, K is the one who recruits J. So it seems preposterous that J would become a member of MIB in a world where K can't recruit him because he's dead. (Even more preposterous: that I'm writing about any of this on my birthday.) And, as we learn, K has been keeping an eye on J since J was a child -- so J was always destined to be a member of MIB with K around. But, if K is dead, how did J still become a member? (I suppose one could argue, "J is just that good, so he would always become a member," but ... really? To the point that J even lives in the same apartment? C'mon. 5. How old is J? Admittedly, this is a minor quibble: But, honestly, how old is J supposed to be in the Men in Black series? I cannot find an age for Cayen Martin, the actor who played young J. But let's assume he's five or six. Will Smith was born in 1968 and would have been less than a year old when Apollo 11 was launched. Smith today is 43, which sounds about right for J. But, since we clearly see that J is not less than a year old when he meets K in 1969, this means that J is pushing 50 in 2012. I mean, sure? I guess? It just doesn't seem to fit the character. 6. Why did K's demeanor "change" so drastically? Throughout the film, we keep hearing about something that happened to K at Cape Canaveral -- something so terrible that he was never the same again. We also learn that K had a relationship with O (Emma Thompson/Alice Eve) before this "event" happened -- but was so affected by whatever this was that he became the crusty, ornery cuss we meet in the first Men in Black. OK, so what exactly changed him? I assume it was watching J's father die and meeting young J. I guess? I mean, why would the death of a man that K met, literally, an hour or two earlier have such a profound effect on K's demeanor? Look, perhaps if that happened to you or me, sure. But doesn't K see stuff like this happen on an almost daily basis? Why would this event "change him forever"? I'd almost be willing to buy this one if at least some sort of explanation was given. I'm not saying these plot holes, if you will, ruin the fun of "Men in Black 3." But they did kind of mess up my birthday, and I'm guessing I'm not the only one who still wants some answers. Mike Ryan is senior entertainment writer for The Huffington Post. He likes Star Wars a lot. You can contact Mike Ryan directly on Twitter.

A range of salts said to have been collected from human tears has gone on sale in London. Hoxton Street Monster Supplies says the salts come from crying humans experiencing a range of emotions. The £7 range includes salts harvested from tears of sorrow, tears shed while sneezing, tears shed while chopping onions, tears of laughter, and tears of anger. A spokesman for the company said that each salt had a distinctly different flavour. "Salt Made From Tears combines centuries-old craft with the freshest human tears which are gently boiled, released into shallow crystallisation tanks, then harvested by hand and finally rinsed in brine," he said.

I’m Still A Christian – Funke Akindele Cries Out

Following her marriage to an Alhaji yesterday, Nollywood actress, Funke Akindele has finally opened up on her controversial marriage. Funke, now with an adopted Islamic name, Khadijat, married Alhaji Almaroof Oloyede in Lagos yesterday amidst outburst by some of her fans, who frowned at her being a christian marrying an already married muslim.

In an early tweet today, Sunday May 27, Funke told a fan she was still in Christ despite marrying a muslim. The fan tweeted at Funke; “my sis. Funke Akindele, hope u r still in CHRIST?” In a response to this tweet by one of her twitter followers, Funke replied; “Always in Christ!! He’s my strength & Shield. Tnx” Her marriage to Almaroof has generated harsh reactions. Most of her fans kicked against her being a second wife. She went ahead to perform a Nikkai on Thursday May 24 before proceeding to do a Christian wedding. Source : Daily Post

Maneta is a Big Brother stayer

BIG Brother Africa lass Maneta Mazanhi rode a campaign of hate to stay in the M-Net TV show on Sunday. The big-chested Bulawayo beauty was up for eviction with Namibia’s Lady May and Zambia’s Mampi – who was kicked out of the show with the least number of votes. Maneta’s chances of survival on Sunday were made worse by the fact that her compatriot housemate Roki – real name Rockford Josphats – nominated her for eviction, in the process deeply dividing Zimbabweans.

A sick campaign was launched on social networks by Roki fans to get Maneta off the show – even as the singer apologised to her hours before eviction night for putting her head on the chopping block. Maneta, who survived eviction in the first week, tailed Lady May on votes but had enough in the bag to edge the Zambian. Presenter IK Osakioduwa first announced that Lady May was safe – making for tense TV as Maneta and Mampi waited to learn their fates. “Only one of the other two is going to survive this eviction,” IK went on, “and I am sorry to say that Maneta you’re not going anywhere, you still have sometime in the house. Mampi, you’ve been evicted from the Big Brother house please leave the house.” Maneta, who had bonded with the evicted Zambian – the second and last of Roki’s nominations – got emotional as her partner-in-gossip walked out to leave. Shameless Roki – who cried early last week as he admitted his nomination shame to Mampi – was also there to see her out. Earlier in the Diary Room, Big Brother asked Maneta what was on her mind, to which she replied: “On my mind? Well, I’m thinking that this is the second time, they are gonna save me again. But it's in a space of three weeks, so it’s like too fast too everything. That’s what’s on my mind. I can’t wait to see what happens tonight.” Maneta also told housemates how Roki – whose romantic advances she repelled – had apologised to her. She told Ghanaian comedian DKB and Sierra Leone’s Zainab: “Yesterday he came to say that I’m sorry I nominated you. He was trying to comfort me to say that if anything goes wrong, he’s gonna feel bad because he’s the one who did it. He was trying to ease his conscience.” DKB told her he “always want (sic) us to reconnect when we finish up”. Nominations for next week were picked at random by machine and Ghana’s housemates in Downville Keitta and Mildred, along with Botswana’s Edith and Eve, were selected.

My Fans Vote For Me To Win BET-Sarkodie

BET Awards nominee and 2011 Ghana Music Awards Artiste of the year, Sarkodie says God is the source of the power that drives his success and appeals to his fans to rally behind him to win this year’s BET award. In an interview with Kwame Poku (DJ Scientific) on Focus fm, few hours before the High Skuul Shower Pool Party in Kumasi, Sarkodie noted that God has kept him going and added that, he does not have any other spiritual backing.

Basically, I pray, I fast and I have a good background; my family, they are religious. So I just have to do the work, that is, I go to the studio, I work hard and I know God will help me,” he stated. Sarkodie has been nominated for this year’s Best International Act (Africa) Award and will be counting on his fans to support him by voting for him to make that dream a reality. He said with his new ‘Rapperholic’ album, he is very confident that he stands the chance of winning the award. I know with my Azonto cribs and others, I stand the chance of winning. I hope that my fans will keep supporting me .They supported me in the first place .That is why Sarkodie was nominated. So I hope they will go to the next level by voting for me or by any means that they can to make Sarkodie win. It is going to be my fans, so I look up to them. They should help Sarkodie like they always do.” Sarkodie says he is looking forward to playing more shows outside Ghana. He opined that, he will be going to Nigeria to have a program soon as the ‘U go kill me’ track on the ‘Rapperholic’ album is a big hit there. Source : Oppong Marfo Edward, Focus fm, KNUST, Kumasi

"We are not prostitutes,We only entertain our clients and customers"- Strip Dancer in Nigeria

Last week, men of the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Task Force raided strip/nude club in Lagos, arresting managers, patrons and the dancers. Encomium Weekly writer, Sunday Adebayo, tracked down one of the strippers and had an interview with her. An eye-opener. Read it below What are the requirements for recruiting dancers? Stripper "The major requirements are: you must be at least 18 years old. You must have a very good shape and have to be able to carry yourself well. Your breasts must be intact. They won't employ you when you have sagged breasts and you must be clean up to your private area. And you must be a good dancer." Do they employ you full time or you do freelance? "At Ocean Blue where I work, we are employed, but we are not on salaries. You have to be very good and have to canvass for people very well, so that you will get enough money for yourself." How then do you girls get your money? "Normally we do lap dance, and three tracks of music will make a session of a lap dance. It's N1, 000 per session. If you are very sexy and have men who like you, you may be very lucky to get up to 20 people to lap dance for in just one day. The lap dance in the VIP section is more expensive. You pay N3, 000. At timew when we want to do it, we still charge some people more, and some below the price." What makes the VIP section different from the regular? "In the VIP, it's a private closet where we can do anything. So once the customer has paid, you can do anything for him. You can help masturbate him or even insert his manhood into your mouth to make him happy. But you can't have sex in the club."

What if the customer wants sex and is willing to pay for it? "We don't do it at the club. But if anyone among the girls likes the person or can do it, you may go with him to a hotel to do whatever he wants to do." How much do you charge them for that? "It depends. At times we charge up to N10, 000 for the fun, depending on how the person approaches us." Then can we call this a more professional prostitution? "We are not prostitutes. We only entertain our clients and customers" Like how many people come into the club on a daily basis? "Most times, the space doesn't even take people, especially at weekends. From Thursday night through Sunday night. But on average, not less than 200-250 people daily." Is any of your family aware of the kind of business you do? "They don't need to know, because I give them what they want at the right time. So, no problems." Now that the State Govt has closed down the clubs, how do you girls hope to survive? "Life goes on. We will get something doing. And besides they will soon re-open the clubs. This is not the first time they are closing us down. We shall wait for what happens next"

No misinterpretation, I was just copying instructor: Depp

Actor Johnny Depp, who has been slammed by experts for misinterpreting key words in Paul McCartney's video " My Valentine", says he was just following the instructions.

The critics were unhappy with Depp's sign-language skills in the video that he recorded with Natalie Portman. "I had to learn sign language and I was only copying what the guy showed me, so track him down," thesun.co.uk quoted the 48-year-old as saying.

Why we bought private jet -P Square

Jude Okoye has stated the reason why his brothers, Peter and Paul Okoye, P Square, recently acquired a private jet : It is to travel around in style and to meet up with our busy schedules.

In a brief phone chat with R from Johannesburg, Jude said the duo had been busy shooting commercials and working hard on their next album. “We shall be here till next month. As already tweeted, we thank our fans for being there for us.” One of their tweets recently gave the duo out about their new acquisition. “Jetting privately....thanks to God and the fans. You all made it possible. Baba God done settle us...I no go lie. Just included on our list...that very list......shhhhhh,” Peter tweeted few hours ago. According to information, the award winning twins recently paid an Arabian several millions of dollars to pick this private airbus. P-Square top the list of privileged few of Nigeria’s new generation of musicians who are making money from music. With landed properties in Jos, Port Harcourt and their newly built Lagos mansion, it’s no doubt that the dynamic duo are living large.