Paralympics: Another Nigerian wins gold medal in power lifting

Nigerian Ivory Nwokorie today won gold in women's -44kg power lifting competition. Ivory lifted an incredible 109kg at the South Arena 3 at ExCel. Go Team Nigeria!

What is with all the shootings - Another in New Jersey

The shooting happened at Pathmark supermarket but the store was said to be closed [Al Jazeera]

At least three people, including a gunman, have been killed in a shooting in New Jersey, US, police and law enforcement officials say. 

Today's ncident happened inside Pathmark supermarket in Old Bridge, a suburb 30km from New York, officials said. Several employees were inside the store, which was preparing to open at 6am. Two windows near the entrance to the Pathmark have been shot out, officials said. The store was closed at the time. New Jersey Transit closed its nearby park-and-ride lot. The incident comes only weeks after 12 people were shot dead at a cinema in Colarado.

Nollywood Actress - Bimbo Akintola's views on marriage and relationships.,

Akintola in Hoodrush
| credits:

A sugar-mummy role that the popular actress, Bimbo Akintola, plays in a new film titled Hoodrush has elicited her private thoughts on issues that concern marriage. Although some hitherto eligible babes in Nollywood – Mercy Johnson, Funke Akindele etc.  -  have recently waved ‘Bye’ to spinsterhood, Akintola remains single.

If she has been experiencing marriage, it is in various films and plays where she usually emerges as one of the play makers, as she recently did in Sefi Atta’s The Naming Ceremony staged in London during the Olympic Games. In Hoodrush, produced by Dimeji Ajibola, she is Alhaja who sucks romance from young Shez (O. C. Ukeje), who needs her financial muscle and support to wade through trying times.

DSTV unveils new channels

This is some unpaid publicity but I think it is a good to know!

AS part of efforts to bring quality services and impact viewing on its customers, DStv, satellite television, owned by MultiChice Nigeria, has unveiled series of new channels to its viewers.

Speaking at a media briefing in Lagos on Thursday, the Managing Director, DStv, Mr. John Ugbe, said that the firm was restructuring its channels and programmes to an updated viewer experience as well as create channel realignment with a view to allow easier navigation of programmes.

Ugbe also said that the firm considered the channels coming on board and how they were going to impact positively on the viewers with interactive device to provide information about certain programmes.

He said, “We are bringing new channels that are going to impact positively on viewers. There is going to be channel realignment which will allow for update of viewer experience and allow them to navigate through the channels easily.

Togolese women get naked to protest

During a protest by the opposition collective "Sauvons Le Togo" (“Let’s Save Togo”) on August 28 in Togo’s capital Lome, several female demonstrators spontaneously dropped their trousers in front of police forces to provoke them, to the great amusement of fellow protesters, bystanders and journalists.

 

The day before, the collective had called on its female members to join a week-long "sex strike”, designed to motivate more men to join them in their fight against President Faure Gnassingbé. For the moment there is no way of knowing if this appeal to “close their legs”, as local journalists describe it, has been adhered to.

 

Another demonstration is planned for next Thursday, where this time women have been openly invited to undress.

 

Continue to see one of the pictures.

President Goodluck Jonathan declares Anambra as an oil producing State.

President Jonathan has designated Anambra to be an oil producing state. He made the designation yesterday during a working visit to the state.

The President was in the South-Eastern state to inaugurate the Anambra River Production Facility in Aguleri-Otu, owned by Orient Petroleum, a joint venture between the State government and private investors.

With the designation, Anambra joins the likes of other oil producing states such as Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Ondo, Delta, Edo and Rivers.

President Jonathan remarked, “History is not just being made in Anambra State, but in the whole country. Orient has made a mark by partnering the government to come out with this revolution. This will give investors, both within and outside our country, the confidence to invest in our sedimentary basins.

“As a nation, we should not continue to think that we will be exporting crude materials. Our farm produce, we want to send them abroad in crude form; our crude oil, we send abroad. The people who add value to these products make more money than we do.”

“Those in the oil industry should not be thinking only about how to export crude oil; they should add value to the crude oil. Why can’t we export petroleum products to every part of the world? Why should we import petrol, kerosene, diesel and aviation kerosene or jet fuel when we are supposed to add value to our crude oil and export the refined products to make more money?”

Also speaking at the inauguration of the oil facility, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Chairman of Orient Petroleum and a former Secretary General to the Commonwealth said Nigeria could not continue to be one of the biggest importers of  crude oil.

Giuliana and Bill Rancic Welcome a Baby Boy!

It's Giuliana, Bill and Baby now!

Bill and Guiliana Rancic welcomed son Edward Duke Rancic at 10:12 p.m. Wednesday night in Denver. Their little boy, born via gestational carrier, weighed 7 pounds and 4 ounces and measuring 20 inches.

"Bill and I are blessed beyond words to welcome Edward into our lives," Giuliana tells E! News exclusively. "Thank you so much to everyone who supported us along the way. We are so in love with the little guy already!"

Labor lasted just over four hours and went smoothly and relatively quickly. Both Bill and Giuliana were in the delivery room the entire time, erupting in tears of joy the moment their son arrived. The Rancics say they were "beyond elated" and couldn't believe their journey to become parents is finally complete.

Fire Outbreak at LUTH Idi Araba Lagos

There is a serious fire outbreak at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) in Lagos. Several people including sick children are reportedly trapped in the inferno according to Nigerian emergency officials.
An emergency official said all efforts are being made to put out the fire.

Culled from Sahara Reporters

Paralympics: Nigeria's Adesokan wins 1st gold, breaks World record

Yakubu Adesokan has won the first gold medal for Nigeria in the on-going Paralympic Games in London.

The 33 year-old did it in style by breaking the world record in the men's 48 category by lifting 178 kg, which is over three times his body weight! Congrats Yakubu!

Rukky Sanda reveals excitement over $450 gift from Genevieve Nnaji

Actress Rukky Sanda just announced a gift she got from her Nollywood colleague Genevieve Nnaji: a set of Chloé Pumps.

An excited Sanda posted a picture of herself rocking her new shoes on Instagram with the caption ”#ShoutOut 2 ma boo @genevievennaji for d getting me those fabulous Chloe pumps I’m rocking… Miss u bay! Hurry bck wit more classic goodies. Lol! Hugsssss‘.

A set of Chloé Pumps are usually sold for $450 (N72,000).

Sanda herself has been on the generous side lately; just last week, she, along with fellow actress Tonto Dike, contributed the sum of N1m to cancer patient Funmi Lawal.

Nigeria Nollywood Actress Genevieve Nnaji set to marry

This is definitely going to shock the detractors of this Nollywood most sought after actress, Genevieve Nnaji as she is set to say ‘I DO’ soon.

We discovered that the delectable actress and mother of one is already engaged and she is telling anyone who cares to listen that she will be called Mrs…..soon.

On her twitter account recently where she flaunts her engagement ring, she writes this on her status, “kisses especially for U”

With this highly romantic statement and display of the expensive engagement ring, we can say that wedding bells are around the corner and cannot but wish this sultry actress a wonderful marital bliss.

Why I resigned as Power Minister - Bart Nnaji

In a move aimed at salvaging the reform and privatisation programme of the power sector, President Goodluck Jonathan Tuesday in Abuja accepted the resignation of one of the key members of his cabinet, Professor Bart Nnaji as Minister of Power, with immediate effect.

The president was said to have decided to accept the resignation, following Nnaji’s admission that companies linked to him had submitted bids for one of the successor companies created from the unbundling of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).

However, speaking to THISDAY Tuesday night on his decision to leave the cabinet, Nnaji said he opted to resign in order to save the privatisation and reform programme from those who might want to use ulterior motives to bring down the programme.

Nnaji said he had met with the president Tuesday afternoon, during which he (president) informed him (Nnaji) that he was using his company as a proxy to buy shares on behalf of the president in Afam power station through the privatisation process.

Dbanj Oliver twist song features in an ad in the UK

*D’banj

Dapo Oyebanjo the kokomaster is once again a proud young man as his blazing hot single Oliver Twist is featured in an international ad campaign for a popular rum drink in the UK.

The song produced by Don Jazzy in the then Mo’hits era runs as a background song in the 32 seconds ad.

Neither D’banj or anyone from his camp has disclosed the amount involved. Nonetheless, the feat should keep the handsome entertainer smiling for a really long time.

In an interview published in April D’banj had been called the likely Nigerian act to conquer the world with his music. Do you think he is on his way to achieving that feat?

Why strip and molest a thief??????

Yesterday was slow news day for me. I was in my own little world......we all need it once in a while, you know.....

But my evening was spoilt sometimes around 6pm, a friend of mine sent me the video of lady that stole a phone at the computer village in Lagos.  I remember I once posted a story about the government clearing the market of street traders.

In the video, she was stripped, battered and molested by so many guys. Watching the video made me forget her atrocities, all I could see was a woman being taken advantage of because of a misdeed she committed. My question is who gave them the right to do that to her? If she stole something, why not hand her over to the police. It is unfortunate that I cannot post the video but the rate at which things travel on the internet, I am sure a lot of people will have seen it.

Why go to that extent to punish a thief? Are they just opportunists looking for an avenue to molest a lady? Please I will need your comments on any justification they may have for their actions because I do not think that it is right at all.

Full list of the 2012 Future Awards winners

Here is a full list of winners at the just concluded Future awards, which took place at the Atrium, in Port Harcourt.

Best Use of Advocacy- Babafemi Oyediran

Best Use of New Media- Gidi Traffic

Creative Artiste of the Year- Bayo Omoboriowo

Designer of the Year- Toju Foyeh

Excellence in Service (Government)- Hadiza Abdullahi

Excellence in Service (Journalism)- Alkasim Abdulkadir

Excellence in Service (Corporate) Ngozi Nkwoji

Nigerian Senate halts CBN's proposed N5000 new bill

The Senate this evening Monday August 27th directed the Central Bank of Nigeria to stop plans to introduce a single N5000 note with immediate effect.

The Senate, in a press conference in Abuja today, said that CBN had no right to embark on a matter that has 'far reaching implication on Nigeria and Nigerians' without first consulting the Senate and other stakeholders, adding that “until this is done the CBN must stop action.”

By the Chairman, Senate Committee on Banking, Currency, Insurance and other Financial Institutions, Senator Bassey Otu

"The CBN must be very careful in order not to send a wrong signal or message to households, domestic sector and even the external ones that the Nigerian currency is valueless, which I believe it is definitely not, and that for every unit of value they need to carry a large quantity of cash."

Bride drowns during photoshoot

A Canadian woman has drowned during a photoshoot as she posed in her wedding dress in water at a Quebec park.

Estate agent Maria Pantazopoulos, 30, was apparently pulled under the water when her dress became saturated.

She is thought to have been staging a “trash the dress” photoshoot, where a newlywed bride is pictured ruining her wedding outfit, local media reported.

Photographer Louis Pagakis said he jumped in to try to save her, but could not stop her from drowning.

“She had her wedding dress on and she said ‘take some pictures of me while I swim a little bit in the lake,” Pagakis told CTV News.

“She went in and her dress got heavy, I tried everything I could to save her. I jumped in, I was screaming and yelling. We tried our best.”

Pantazopoulos’s body was recovered several hours later from the water, near the Dorwin Falls in Rawdon.

Pl

Tiger kills keeper in Germany

A tiger escaped its enclosure at Cologne Zoo in western Germany on Saturday and killed a female keeper before being shot dead by the zoo’s director, police said.

The tiger slipped through a passage between the enclosure and an adjacent storage building, where it fatally attacked the 43-year-old keeper, said police spokesman Stefan Kirchner.

“It appears the gate wasn’t properly shut,” Kirchner told the Associated Press.

The zoo was evacuated and a SWAT team was called in, police said. But before it arrived the zoo’s director managed to kill the tiger by climbing onto the storage building and shooting it through a skylight using a high-caliber rifle.

Kirchner said it was unlikely that members of the public had witnessed the incident.

“This is the darkest day of my life,” the zoo’s director, Theo Pagel, was quoted as saying by Cologne newspaper, Express.

The paper reported on its website that the Siberian tiger was a four-year-old male called Altai that came to Cologne Zoo from an animal park in England. In November it fathered three cubs with a seven-year-old Siberian tiger called Hanya, according to the zoo’s website.

Samsung told to pay Apple $1bn for copycat technology

A US jury on Friday found that Samsung had copied the innovative technology used by Apple to create its revolutionary iPhone and iPad, ordering the Korean high tech giant to hand over $1.05 billion in compensation to its rival.

Apple Inc scored a sweeping legal victory over Samsung on Friday as a U.S. jury found the Korean company had copied critical features of the hugely popular iPhone and iPad and awarded the U.S. company $1.05 billion in damages.

The verdict—which came after less than three days of jury deliberations—could lead to an outright ban on sales of key Samsung products and will likely solidify Apple’s dominance of the exploding mobile computing market.

Kim Kardashian goes blonde

Kim Kardashian teased fans on Friday with a pic that revealed a new look for the E! reality starlet—blond hair!

The Keeping Up With the Kardashians star tweeted "Blonde hair don't care," along with snaps of her recently lightened locks.

US Astronaut Neil Armstrong dies at 82years

The US astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the Moon, has died aged 82, US media reports.

Neil Alden Armstrong is an American former NASA astronaut, test pilot, aerospace engineer, university professor, United States Naval Aviator, and the first person to set foot upon the Moon.

Earlier this month he had surgery to relieve blocked coronary arteries and he died from complications from the operations, NBC News' Jay Barbree reports

He walked on the Moon on 20 July 1969, famously describing the event as "one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind".  Last November Armstrong, along with three other astronauts, received the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest US civilian award.

He was the commander of the Apollo 11 spacecraft. He and fellow astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin spent nearly three hours walking on the moon.

Nigerian Immigration Service breaks Chinese Prostitution Ring in Lagos Arrests 13 Teenage Prostitutes

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has announced the arrest and detention of 13 teenage Chinese prostitutes following a raid of their base at Emina Crescent, off Toyin Street, Ikeja, Lagos. The 13 Chinese girls were paraded in Lagos yesterday.

The NIS spokesman, Joachim Olumba, told Channels TV Lagos that the suspects were apprehended in Lagos following a tip off from an informant. He said the service received a report on the activities of some Chinese nationals who connived with some Nigerians to traffic teenage girls into the country under the pretext of offering them jobs in factories.

Actress Toyin Aimakhu's SUV stolen at Ikeja Lagos

It was a bad day for Nollywood actress Toyin Aimakhu on Friday evening, August 24, 2012 as robbers stole her orange coloured Honda Element compact crossover SUV.

 

NET spoke with an acquaintance of Aimakhu’s through a telephone line the actress gave out publicly. He explains that the actress had parked her car (registration number KJA-885AJ ) at the Western Hotel situated at Opebi Link road, Ikeja when it disappeared.

 

The Edo-born actress is calling on anyone who comes across the car to call the following numbers: 08080050864 or 08034050346.

Lance Armstrong banned, stripped of seven titles

 

 

Former US professional road racing cyclist Lance Armstrong has been stripped of his record seven Tour de France titles. He also received a ban from the Olympic sports after conceding to a doping conspiracy during his career.

Armstrong announced on Thursday night that he would disregard a midnight deadline the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency had given him to challenge the results of USADA’s two-year investigation of his legendary cycling teams, New York Daily News reports.

 

‘There comes a point in every man’s life when he has to say, ‘Enough is enough.’ For me, that time is now,” Armstrong said in a statement claiming he was the victim of a witch hunt. “The toll this has taken on my family, and my work for our foundation and on me leads me to where I am today — finished with this nonsense’, embattled Armstrong said.

 

Armstrong will now be disqualified from every competition he participated in since August 1, 1998, including all Tour de France races where he attained famed and high status and also the 2000 Summer Olympics, where he won a bronze medal.

Jennifer Lopez tops Forbes Magazine’s list of powerful celebrities

 

 

The popular American business magazine, Forbes has revealed the list of the top 100 most powerful celebrities for the year 2012.

This year parades an array of celebrities from the music, movies, sports and media with singer, Jennifer Lopez on top followed closely by Oprah Winfrey, Justin Bieber and Bajan singer, Rihanna.

Other celebrities who made the top ten list include Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, Kim Kardashian, Katy Perry, Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg. The likes of Serena Williams, Lil Wayne, Khloe Kardashian, Will Smith, Kanye West and Beyonce also shared spots on the list.

Celebrities such as Lady Gaga, Oprah Winfrey have at different times in the past enjoyed the number one spot.

KANYE WEST's declarations!!!!

Hmmmmm, I don't even know what to say!!!!

Deadly shooting near New York's Empire State

According to Al jazeera, two people have been killed and at least eight others wounded in a shooting outside of the Empire State Building in New York, according to a police source from the US city.

One of the dead was the shooter, the source said, adding that the incident did not appear to be terrorism-related.

A fire department spokesperson said it received a call about the shooting just after 9am local time (13:00 GMT) on Friday, and that emergency units were on the scene within minutes.

The spokesperson said paramedics are evaluating eight people but some of them may not have been shot.

31 Things that President Goodluck Jonathan has achieved so far

I am not sure what the writer is trying to say but it is worthy of sharing. I have edited the writeup to focus on just the supposed achievements.

Jonathan

Great presidents are made great by horrible circumstances combined with character, temperament and intelligence. Like firemen, cops, doctors or soldiers, presidents need a crisis to shine

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan took the oath of office on 29 May, 2011 amidst thunderous expectations of a new dawn, given the mountain of problems that characterized the nation.

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has been recording unique achievements.

1. President Goodluck Jonathan became the first Nigerian President to be WARNED PUBLICLY not to contest for elections on account of ethno-regional selfish interest, AND PROMISED MAYHEM and GRIDLOCK if he does.

2. First President to experience over 50 UNWARRANTED, UNPRECEDENTED BOMBINGS of CHURCHES, PRIMARY SCHOOLS, UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES, DRINKING PARLOURS, MATCH VIEWING CENTERS in less than 365 days after his swearing-in.

3. First President/Head of State from the ENTIRE SOUTHERN NIGERIA, who is neither a NORTHERNER nor an EX-MILITARY man

4. First SOCIAL MEDIA ERA President/ Head of State