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Sunday, May 31, 2015

U.S Vice President's son dies of brain cancer



Beau BidenFormer Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden, son of U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, died on Saturday after battling brain cancer, the vice president said. He was 46.

"The entire Biden family is saddened beyond words," Vice President Biden said in a statement released by the White House.


"We know that Beau's spirit will live on in all of us, especially through his brave wife, Hallie, and two remarkable children, Natalie and Hunter," he said.

Beau Biden had announced last year he planned to run for governor of Delaware in 2016.
He was diagnosed with brain cancer in August 2013 and underwent surgery, radiation and

chemotherapy. After getting a "a clean bill of health" in November of that year, his cancer recurred in the spring of 2015, the vice president's office said.

He sought aggressive treatment and had been hospitalized this month at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center outside Washington. His family was with him when he died.

"Beau embodied my father's saying that a parent knows success when his child turns out better than he did," the vice president said. "In the words of the Biden family: Beau Biden was, quite simply, the finest man any of us have ever known."

Beau Biden was very close to his father and a familiar presence in his political campaigns.

After eight years as attorney general in Delaware, Beau Biden joined the investor law firm Grant & Eisenhofer in 2015.

He served a year-long tour in Iraq as a member of the Delaware Army National Guard. He suffered a mild stroke in 2010.

President Barack Obama said he and his wife, first lady Michelle Obama, were grieving. He paid warm tribute to Beau Biden, saying he took after his father.

"He studied the law, like his dad, even choosing the same law school. He chased a life of public service, like his dad, serving in Iraq and as Delaware's Attorney General," Obama said in a statement.

"Like his dad, Beau was a good, big-hearted, devoutly Catholic and deeply faithful man, who made a difference in the lives of all he touched, and he lives on in their hearts."

The vice president has not publicly ruled out a run for president in 2016, but he would face tough odds to gain an advantage over his friend, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who is far ahead in public opinion polls in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Clinton expressed condolences over Twitter on Saturday.
"My heart is broken for the family of Beau Biden - a wonderful man who served his country with devotion and lived his life with courage," she wrote.

The vice president has faced family tragedy before.
Shortly after winning election to the U.S. Senate in 1972, his wife Neilia and three children were in a car crash. Neilia and their daughter were killed, while their two sons, Beau and Hunter, were injured.

Biden opted not to move to Washington, choosing instead to make the 2 1/2-hour daily round-trip train commute from Delaware to his Senate job so he could spend more time with his sons. He married Jill Jacobs some five years after his first wife died.

Biden took office as vice president when Obama entered the White House in January 2009. He has a deep knowledge of Washington politics after decades in Congress and a folksy, avuncular style that contrasts with what many consider Obama's more aloof manner.

Biden regularly mentions his family in speeches and sometimes has his grandchildren accompany him on diplomatic trips abroad.

Ref: http://pulse.ng

Pastor, wife, 8 others die in fatal auto crash

A pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), his wife and eight other members of the church have died in a fatal auto crash that occurred on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to Ondo town.

The victims, a Zonal Pastor in Ondo Province 2, Dominic Folorunso Akinseye, 52; his wife, Beatrice; and Pastor Festus Akinsoyinu Fadakinte, were staff of the Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo while the seven other passengers in the bus were members of the church.

They were returning from the monthly camp meeting of the Church.
Report says seven of them died on the spot while four others were rushed to the Trauma Centre in Ondo town but three others later died.

Other members of the church, who were also returning to their states after the programme were said to have made efforts to free the crushed bodies of the victims from under the stationary vehicle their bus reportedly rammed into in Kajola village near Ore.

The Akinseyes have been buried in their residence located at No 3 Adebusoye Street, Ayeyemi, Ondo.

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Asari Dokubo faults Niger Delta amnesty
HOW FUNKE AKINDELE RODE BICYCLE TO CHURCH
Research team discovers new phone app that can perform eye tests
Kidnappers of ex-president's Goodluck Jonathan cousins demand N50m ransom

Serena Williams survives scare to reach third round

Serena Williams survives scare to reach third round
Serena Williams survives scare to reach third round
Serena Williams played with fire at the French Open on Thursday but the world number one pulled through to the third round with a 5-7 6-3 6-3 win against unheralded German Anna-Lena Friedsam.

The American hit a flurry of unforced errors in the first set and faced two break points in the first game of the second before she regained her composure.

Williams, whose 19 grand slam titles include the French Open crowns in 2002 and 2013, has already experienced spectacular failures here, having been knocked out in the first round in 2012 and in the second round last year.
But when she broke Friedsam's serve at the start of the third set the chance of a repeat began to fade away as the German's belief finally withered.

Williams broke serve again to claim victory and she will next face either 27th seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus or Czech Lucie Hradescka.

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Research team discovers new phone app that can perform eye tests

The device, Portable Eye Examination Kit (Peek) uses the phone's camera to scan the lens of the eye for cataracts.



A survey has shown that a  smartphone app is as effective at testing eyesight as an optician's clinic.
With the discovery, a team at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, hopes it can transform eye care for millions of people in remote parts of the world.

The London team with colleagues in Scotland, modified a smartphone to develop a series of eye tests that could be used with little training and were easily portable.

The device, Portable Eye Examination Kit (Peek) uses the phone's camera to scan the lens of the eye for cataracts.
According to BBC, trials on 233 people in Kenya, published in JAMA Ophthalmology, showed the phone produced the same results as eye charts.

While its "Acuity App" uses a shrinking letter which appears on screen and is used as a basic vision test.
It also uses the camera's flash to illuminate the back of the eye to check for disease.
The first clinical data from tests in Kenya show the vision test gives the same results as the rows of letters found in an optician's office.

Further results on scanning the retina are about to be published and are described as 'compelling'.
According to project lead, Dr Andrew Bastawrous the main reason for most people not getting eye treatment is lack of access to treatment.

Thus, with this device, visual impairment can be detected earlier and subsequently ensure adequate treatment.
The phone reportedly costs £300 (about N91,000) while bulky eye examination equipment costs in excess of £100,000(about N30 million).

In the meantime, the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness believes the app could be a "game changer".

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Asari Dokubo faults Niger Delta amnesty

Asari Dokubo at Goodluck Jonathan's presidential election campaign rally in Bayelsa.

Leader of the Ijaw Youth Council, Mr. Asari Dokubo, has condemned the amnesty granted to the ex-Niger Delta militants by the late president, Umaru Yar’adua.

According to him, this was a bribe to allow oil flow from the Niger Delta region to the North. He said that was the reason he rejected the offer.

The Former Commander of the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Front and a leader in the Ijaw nation, Dokubo has faulted Muhammadu Buhari’s emergence as Nigeria’s President, saying the election process was manipulated.

Dokubo, who spoke to journalists at the 2015 MASSOB day celebration, held in Owerri, Imo State, also faulted the national conference organised by the Federal Government, insisting that the exercise did not represent the views of the Niger Delta region that is yearning for a referendum.

“It only represented the views of the rest of the country. Let us be allowed to have a referendum. We have the right to hold a referendum on where we want to go,” he argued.

He described MASSOB and his group as partners in progress who are moving in the same direction to arrive at a common destination as one people and nation.

Dokubo, who faulted the last general elections in the country, decried the pace of growth and development of the nation over the years, noting that there should be massive infrastructural provision to stimulate the economy with conscious and unpolluted efforts to bring about industrial growth and job creation.

Meanwhile, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, said the new President’s mandate will be premature.
“Buhari has a stolen mandate. His handlers know this because it was not freely given by the people. As a matter of fact, a stolen mandate cannot last for a long time; the owners of the mandate will one day demand it,” he said during the 2015 Biafra Day celebration in Owerri.

According to him, Buhari and the All Progressives Congress stole former president Goodluck Jonathan’s mandate.
“It is weakening when we realize that Jonathan has conceded defeat for the sake of peace and security of lives. Then again, we ask ourselves; at what price? At the detriment of our people. Now the question is if Buhari can do the right thing. I am doubtful of his capacity to do the right thing.”

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Buhari: ‘A man called upon to be a hawk must catch chickens


Kidnappers of ex-president's Goodluck Jonathan cousins demand N50m ransom


Ex-president Goodluck JonathanKidnappers of the two cousins of ex-president Goodluck Jonathan have reportedly demanded N50million ransom for their release.

The victims, Patience Egbeni and Kate Eni, were abducted by unknown gunmen at about 8.30am at riverbank of Akempli in bayelsa on May 20.

It was gathered that their abductors contacted their families five days after they were whisked away and made the N50 million demand.



The state Police Public Relations Officer, Butswat Asinim, confirmed to Punch that the former president’s relatives are yet to be released, adding that he is unaware of the ransom demanded by the kidnappers.

But a youth leader in Ogbia was said to have confirmed the ransom.
 “They called and demanded N50m ransom. The families are still negotiating with the kidnappers,” the unidentified source said.

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Violence mars El-Rufa’i’s inauguration in Kaduna

Saturday, May 30, 2015

Levi's and Google team up to create 'touch-sensitive' clothes

Levi's and Google team up to create 'touch-sensitive' clothes

Washington: Renowned American clothing chain Levi's has joined hands with Google to bring you their touch-sensitive fabric inside your jeans.

The clothing brand has become the first partner in tech giant's ATAP unit's Project Jacquard at I/O 2015, which offers a connected fabric tech, enabling to connecting devices and power inside the clothes, reported The Verge.

Paul Dillinger of Levi Strauss called Jacquard a 'dazzling opportunity' for a partnership between the two companies, explaining that they took this up as they wanted to make it easier for people to integrate their gadgets into every daily lives.

He added that if they were successful in delivering that value in the form of clothes, the project was worth doing.

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Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: Being a strong woman isn’t remarkable, it’s normal



Facebook stops Marauder's Map

Facebook stops Marauder's Map


New York: Facebook has decided to stop Marauder's Map - a Chrome extension that showed your Facebook friends' exact whereabouts.

Aran Khanna, a Facebook intern, had created the tool.

For some time, users who downloaded the Chrome extension gained access to a map that pinpointed the location of their friends (who were using Facebook Messenger) on a map that popped up in Facebook with scary precision, Mashable reported.

"The first thing I noticed when I started to write my code was that the latitude and longitude coordinates of the message locations have more than five decimal places of precision, making it possible to pinpoint the sender's location to less than a metre," Khanna said.

For people worried about actual stalkers, it was a nightmare. Khanna was quoted as saying by Mashable that he has deactivated the official version at Facebook's request, although a complicated workaround is available on Github.

While Marauder's Map accessed Messenger data, the way it precisely surfaced all the information raised serious questions regarding user's privacy.

"We have been listening to people's feedback, and for the last few months have been working hard to improve this experience," a Facebook spokesperson was quoted as saying.

"We will be rolling out improvements very soon. In the meantime, people can still choose to turn off location sharing by tapping the blue arrow in the message composer."

Ref: http://zeenews.india.com/

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: Being a strong woman isn’t remarkable, it’s normal

Image result for PHOTO of chimamanda ngozi adichieOn May 29, 2015, writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie addressed the class of 2015 at Wellesley College in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Below, an excerpt of her remarks to the women graduating this year.

I wasn’t very interested in makeup until I was in my twenties, which is when I began to wear makeup. Because of a man. A loud, unpleasant man. He was one of the guests at a friend’s dinner party. I was also a guest. I was about 23, but people often told me I looked 12. The conversation at dinner was about traditional Igbo culture, about the custom that allows only men to break the kola nut, and the kola nut is a deeply symbolic part of Igbo cosmology.

I argued that it would be better if that honor were based on achievement rather than gender, and he looked at me and said, dismissively, “You don’t know what you are talking about, you’re a small girl.”

I wanted him to disagree with the substance of my argument, but by looking at me, young and female, it was easy for him to dismiss what I said. So I decided to try to look older.
So I thought lipstick might help. And eyeliner.

And I am grateful to that man because I have since come to love makeup, and its wonderful possibilities for temporary transformation.
So, I have not told you this anecdote as a way to illustrate my discovery of gender injustice. If anything, it’s really just an ode to makeup.

It’s really just to say that this: your graduation is a good time to buy some lipsticks—if makeup is your sort of thing—because a good shade of lipstick can always put you in a slightly better mood on dark days.

It’s not about my discovering gender injustice because of course I had discovered years before then. From childhood. From watching the world.
I already knew that the world does not extend to women the many small courtesies that it extends to men.
I also knew that victimhood is not a virtue. That being discriminated against does not make you somehow morally better.

And I knew that men were not inherently bad or evil. They were merely privileged. And I knew that privilege blinds because it is the nature of privilege to blind.

I knew from this personal experience, from the class privilege I had of growing up in an educated family, that it sometimes blinded me, that I was not always as alert to the nuances of people who were different from me...

We can not always bend the world into the shapes we want but we can try, we can make a concerted and real and true effort. And you are privileged that, because of your education here, you have already been given many of the tools that you will need to try. Always just try. Because you never know.

And so as you graduate, as you deal with your excitement and your doubts today, I urge you to try and create the world you want to live in.
Minister to the world in a way that can change it. Minister radically in a real, active, practical, get your hands dirty way.

Wellesley will open doors for you. Walk through those doors and make your strides long and firm and sure.

Write television shows in which female strength is not depicted as remarkable but merely normal.
Teach your students to see that vulnerability is a HUMAN rather than a FEMALE trait.

Commission magazine articles that teach men HOW TO KEEP A WOMAN HAPPY. Because there are already too many articles that tell women how to keep a man happy. And in media interviews make sure fathers are asked how they balance family and work. In this age of ‘parenting as guilt,’ please spread the guilt equally. Make fathers feel as bad as mothers. Make fathers share in the glory of guilt.

Campaign and agitate for paid paternity leave everywhere in America.
Hire more women where there are few. But remember that a woman you hire doesn’t have to be exceptionally good. Like a majority of the men who get hired, she just needs to be good enough.

All over the world, girls are raised to be make themselves likeable, to twist themselves into shapes that suit other people.

Please do not twist yourself into shapes to please. Don’t do it. If someone likes that version of you, that version of you that is false and holds back, then they actually just like that twisted shape, and not you. And the world is such a gloriously multifaceted, diverse place that there are people in the world who will like you, the real you, as you are.

I am lucky that my writing has given me a platform that I choose to use to talk about things that I care about, and I have said a few things that have not been so popular with a number of people. I have been told to shut up about certain things – such as my position on the equal rights of gay people on the continent of Africa, such as my deeply held belief that men and women are completely equal. I don’t speak to provoke. I speak because I think our time on earth is short and each moment that we are not our truest selves, each moment we pretend to be what we are not, each moment we say what we do not mean because we imagine that is what somebody wants us to say, then we are wasting our time on earth.

I don’t mean to sound precious but please don’t waste your time on earth, but there is one exception. The only acceptable way of wasting your time on earth is online shopping.

Okay, one last thing about my mother. My mother and I do not agree on many things regarding gender. There are certain things my mother believes a person should do, for the simple reason that said person ‘is a woman.’ Such as nod occasionally and smile even when smiling is the last thing one wants to do. Such as strategically give in to certain arguments, especially when arguing with a non-female. Such as get married and have children. I can think of fairly good reasons for doing any of these. But ‘because you are a woman’ is not one of them. And so, Class of 2015, never ever accept ‘Because You Are A Woman’ as a reason for doing anything.

Finally I would like to end with a final note on the most important thing in the world: love.
Now girls are often raised to see love only as giving. Women are praised for their love when that love is an act of giving. But to love is to give AND to take.

Please love by giving and by taking. Give and be given. If you are only giving and not taking, you’ll know. You’ll know from that small and true voice inside you that we females are so often socialized to silence.

Don’t silence that voice. Dare to take.
Congratulations.

Source: http://qz.com/

Historic PHOTO of President Buhari and Goodluck Jonathan Walk Hand in Hand

buhari jonathan hand in handThis pictured was captured by TY Bello and here's what she has to say concerning the moment.

"In the last few days, I was honored to photograph really closely as Nigeria made its final transition from one government to the next. Away from the view of every one, as President Jonathan took President Buhari on a tour of the presidential villa, I witnessed something really Sacred:THEY WERE HOLDING EACH OTHERS HANDS.










Image result for PHOTO of President Buhari and Goodluck Jonathan Walk Hand in Hand


Image result for PHOTO of President Buhari and Goodluck Jonathan Walk Hand in Hand


Image result for PHOTO of President Buhari and Goodluck Jonathan Walk Hand in Hand


Image result for PHOTO of President Buhari and Goodluck Jonathan Walk Hand in Hand

President Buhari,VP Osinbajo's Salaries Revealed

buhari potraitNigeria’s new president, Muhammadu Buhari, and his deputy, Yemi Osinbajo, will earn annual basic salaries of N3, 514, 705 and N3, 031, 572.50 respectively, according to the information on the website of the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission.

The RMAFC is statutorily empowered by Section 32 (d) of Part 1 of the Third Schedule of the Constitution to determine the remuneration appropriate for political office holders. Apart from the salaries, the president is entitled to various regular allowances like: Hardship, 50 per cent of the basic salary – N1, 757, 350.50; consistency – 250 per cent, N8, 786, 762.50.

Other regular allowances like motor vehicle fuelling and maintenance, special assistant, personal assistant, domestic staff, entertainment, utilities, security and Newspapers and periodicals are to be provided by the government – not paid for.

Allowances like accommodation, furniture, and duty tour allowance (per night), estacode (per night) and medical allowances are also to be provided as requested. The allowances are paid periodically, some monthly, a few once in four years. Duty Tour Allowance and Estacode depend on travels. For instance, furniture allowance to other cadre of officials, like ministers and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, is given once in four years. The President and Vice President are not paid furniture allowance as they are provided for.

When all allowances payable each month are added, President Buhari will take home N1, 171,568.33 each month, and N14, 058, 820.00 yearly. Vice President Osinbajo will receive N1, 010, 524. 17 monthly, and N12, 126,290.00 per annum.

Source: nigerianbulletin newspapper

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Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: Being a strong woman isn’t remarkable, it’s normal


Rocket-propelled grenades exploded killing 7 as Boko Haram unleashed a new kind of violence

Rocket-propelled grenades exploded into several home, killing at least seven peoples in the northeast Nigerian city of Maiduguri before dawn today as Boko Haram unleashed a new kind of violence in the birthplace of the extremist group, said residents.

Maiduguri resident Mari Madu said he counted at least 40 thunderous blasts that began around 1 a.M. Before he lost count.

"Each time they fired into the town, we saw bright sparkling flashes which moved with great speed ... One of the blasts shook my roof so badly that I thought it must have landed on my house," he said.

Several homes were destroyed in Maiduguri's Dala-Lawanti suburb, he said.

Self-defense fighter Abbas Gava said at least seven people were killed and more injured when one grenade exploded into a house divided into apartments. An intelligence officer confirmed the toll and said Boko Haram was firing rocket-propelled grenades. The officer, who insisted on anonymity because he is not supposed to give information to journalists, said soldiers fired heavy assault rifles in response.

Gava was in a group of civilian fighters who patrolled until dawn to ensure the Islamic extremists did not get through barriers including sandbags and trenches.

Maiduguri's population of 2 million has swelled with hundreds of thousands of refugees. More than 1.5 million Nigerians have been driven from their homes by the nearly 6-year-old Islamic uprising in northeast Nigeria which has killed an estimated 13,000 people.

A multinational offensive this year forced the insurgents from towns and villages where they had declared an Islamic caliphate but the extremists continue to carry out suicide bombings and hit-and-run attacks.

In a separate incident, twin explosions at a village wedding venue killed seven people yesterday.

Nigeria's military says Boko Haram is trapped in the northeastern Sambisa Forest. But the insurgents two weeks ago attempted another attack on Maiduguri, 200 kilometers (125 miles) away.

At his inauguration Friday, Nigeria's new President Muhammadu Buhari vowed to crush the insurgents. Buhari said he will move the headquarters for the war against Boko Haram from Abuja, the capital in central Nigeria, to Maiduguri.

Friday, May 29, 2015

Arnold Schwarzenegger Son Graduates H.S. ... Arnold MIA

0528-joseph-baena-graduation-fameflynet

Arnold Schwarzenegger Son, Joseph-baena-graduation-fameflynetArnold Schwarzenegger's son, Joseph Baena, donned a cap and gown Thursday as he graduated Frontier High School in Bakersfield, California ... but dear ol' dad was MIA.
Mildred -- Baena's mother/Arnie's former maid -- posed for pics with her son, who proudly displayed his diploma.
As for Arnie's whereabouts -- he was busy having lunch with his daughter Katherine in Santa Monica on Thursday.

0528-arnold-schwarzenegger-daughter-splash

Still, there's an argument to be made for him not showing up at Joseph's graduation. It almost certainly would have taken the spotlight off his son. Plus, who knows what Joseph actually wanted.

Photos: President Buhari Abandons Lunch For Mosque



The new president of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari has excused himself from the lunch he is currently hosting at the Villa to go to the mosque to observe his prayers.

You will like this beautiful picture



Actress on the set of the upcoming Pascal Amanfo directed movie ‘Stalemate”.

Photo Of President Buhari's Only Son Yusuf Buhari And His Girlfriend

There has been a massive unrest since photos of Yusuf Buhari hit the net yesterday.

President Buhari's only son, Yusuf caused a meltdown yesterday when he out of the blues appeared and was pictured coming back to Nigeria with his dad for the inauguration. Ladies have declared their undying love for the young man, who unfortunately already has a boo. According to Twitter
user @Ahkimace, pictured above is Yusuf and his equally stunning girlfriend.











Twitted picture

Violence mars El-Rufa’i’s inauguration in Kaduna


Elrufai-innauguralViolence erupted yesterday at the Murtala Mohammed Square venue of the inauguration of Malam Nasir El-Rufa’i as the Kaduna state Governor. Scores of injured persons were rushed to the nearby Barau Dikko Hospital for medical attention. Trouble started at about 11 am after El-Rufa’i took the Oath Office and the Oath of Allegiance when some unidentified youths started throwing missiles at the VIP stand, directed essentially at the Emir of Zazzau, Dr. Shehu Idris.

Elrufai-innaugural“Bring down the Emir so that we’ll kill him,” a cross section of the protesters demanded even as they engaged securitymen in physical combat. The development forced El-Rufa’i to abandon his post-inauguration address midway when the podium gave way as the chaos intensified, overwhelming the security personnel.

A stray missile, sachet of “pure water,” exploded on the face of the Chief Judge of Kaduna state, Justice Tanimu Kelani, who administered the oaths on El-Rufa’i even as security evacuated the Governor and other dignatories from the VIP stand. Journalists covering the programme were not spared either as some of them escaped with varying degrees of bruises and their equipment smashed.

“It was a bad outing for us,” Tesem Akende, a TVC correspondent said. According to him, “they attacked the TVC crew which I lead and our gadgets were broken. “Some of my crew are being taken to the hospital as I speak with you.” “What you saw would have been worse if Mukhtar Ramalan Yero (immediate past governor) was here,” a youth who identified himself as Musa said, adding that, “we wanted to also deal with him.”

Reports said that the attack on the Emir may not be unconnected with his alleged partisanship posture during the electioneering campaigns. Some of the reports claimed that the Emir openly canvassed support for Yero who also holds the traditional title of Dallatun Zazzau. Incidentally, El-Rufa’i and Yero hail from Zaria. Before he was interrupted, El-Rufa’i had described Kaduna as being in a difficult situation.

According to him, “as soon as we have all the facts in the coming weeks, we shall lay bare to you just how deep a hole we have dug ourselves in the past several years. “But this much we already know. Our finances are in shambles. Kaduna is the second most indebted state in our country. “Our state is staggering under the weight of billions of naira in debt and other liabilities.

“As we all know, merely by walking the streets or seeing our neighbors everyday, the state of our state is abysmal. “Our schools and hospitals, our roads and bridges, our villages, townsand cities, all are marks of backwardness. “Too many of our children are hungry and in rags and on the streets. Our society is divided along religious and ethnic lines.

“Worse still, our state cannot stand on its own feet. We have become a state of beggars, a condition of dependency that is an affront to our dignity and our humanity. “The fact is that today Kaduna State cannot meet its obligations without handouts from the Federal Government. “We cannot comfortably pay salaries of our teachers and nurses and civil servants.”

Ref: vanguard newspappe

Android M release announced

Android glowing in crowd


Google has revealed the next version of its popular Android mobile operating system, which it is calling the “M release”.

Dave Burke, the head of Android engineering at Google, went through some of the new features of the operating system on 28 May at Google I/O, the search giant’s conference for developers.

A developer preview of Android’s M release will be available immediately, with its public release expected to follow in Q3 2015.

Burke said the central theme of M is to improve the core user experience of Android, and highlighted the following 8 changes coming to M:

1  App permissions – Number of permissions decreased to 8. Apps will ask you permission the first time it tries to use a feature, rather than during installation.

2  Web browsing – Chrome custom tabs lets developers include the browser in their app without having to build in webview. Users can access saved passwords, autofill, and all Chrome’s other features.

3  Linking to apps – Verified links introduced which will automatically route to correct apps (e.g. Twitter links to the Twitter app) without first displaying the disambiguation dialog.
Android pay – Standardise support for fingerprint scanners.

4  Doze – Trading off “app freshness” for battery life by having Android’s background sync back off exponentially when a device has been inactive for long periods.

5  USB Type C – Support for the new reversible USB plug standard, as well as the ability to act as a power/charge source.
6  Word selection – Better word selection for copy and paste.

7  Volume controls – You can get a drop-down to control different volume levels, and the ability to properly silence devices.


How to easily crash an Apple iPhone

iPhone 5s gold i OS7 press shotSending a simple text message to an iPhone user through iOS Messenger can crash their device.
A string of text doing the rounds on iOS Messenger has the power to crash an iPhone.

The text message also breaks the iOS Messenger app, locking users out and preventing them from using the service.

Once an iPhone user receives the message, their phone instantly crashes and reboots. Currently, the only way to reverse the damage is to get someone to send you another message in the Messenger app.

According to Gizmodo, this sets the phone back to normal.

An Apple spokesperson told The Verge that the company was aware of the issue and was working on a fix.

Omotola ,Yemi Alade and Waje unite to fight poverty through music

Omotola,-Waje-&-Yemi-Alade
Omotola,-Waje-&-Yemi-Alade
Nollywood actress, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Waje and Yemi Alade recently collaborated with One campaign to launch Strong Girl, a new song and music video aimed at empowering women and girls around the world.
Nine artistes from seven African countries came together in South Africa earlier this month to write and record this song. Speaking at a press briefing held last week, at the Four Point Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, Omotola explained why she got involved in the campaign.
According to her, “I am fortunate to be a young woman living her dreams, a trailblazer of my generation.
I also recognize that many women and girls are not so fortunate, women and girls are disproportionately affected by girl to join my sisters from across the continent to tell the world that we can’t fight the injustice of extreme poverty without fighting the immense gender inequality that persists.”
The song was produced by Cobhams Asuquo, while the music video was directed by Godfather Productions.
 
Source: vanguard newspaper

Jonathan arrives Bayelsa to a rousing welcome

JonaotuThe former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan returned home to a heroic welcome from Bayelsans who in their thousands converged at the Gabriel Okara Cultural Centre to receive him. 

Jonathan clad in black traditional Ijaw attire, accompanied by his wife, Dame Patience Jonathan who was decked in a flowing red frock and other retinue of aides arrived the Government House helipad at about 3pm and received by the Bayelsa state Governor, Seriake Dickson, his deputy, Rear Admiral John Gboribiogha Jonah (rtd) and other respected Bayelsa elders and chiefs.

The Jonathans were later driven in a motorcade accompanied by Governor Dickson and his wife Dr (Mrs) Rachel Dickson to the venue of a civic reception. There were thousands of supporters at about 3. 13 pm.

Speaking at the occasion, Dr.Goodluck Jonathan said he was overwhelmed by the large turnout of Bayelsans to welcome him in spite of noticeable short comings of his administration in terms of attracting dividend to the state. Jonathan said he had thought he would be booed and cursed by the people for some decisions made and development not attracted to the state.

The former President, who was accompanied to the state by some of his core loyalists including the Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi among other dignitaries, said when he was about leaving Abuja for Bayelsa his home state, he had thought that because of some wrong decisions and perceived thinking by the people that they were not satisfied, and could boo him.

He said, “Because you are exposed to the decision of high office and the thought that you may not have satisfied the people, sometimes you think they will curse you or boo you. But instead, the people have decided to celebrate me.”

Jonathan who went down memory lane on how he was dragged into politics by some prominent Bayelsans, said sometimes he had thought that if he had stayed in Bayelsa, he would have done better as a Governor,”but I left to allow others grow politically.”

He promised to dedicate his life to peace building across the country and the nation.
“Nigerian have given me so much and the only thing I can do with the rest of my life is to dedicate myself to peace building. We need peace and Development. Political crisis doesn’t bring development. I believe the new administration will work with everybody. I am happy the new President said he does not belong to any clique but for Nigerians.”

Earlier in his welcome address, Governor Seriake Dickson, said though he was moved by emotion while waiting to receive the former President due to the fact that such duty would be the last to a President from Bayelsa, the people of the state were happy that the former President arrived the state safe.

Source: vanguardngr.com

Sepp Blatter wins Fifa election after Prince Ali withdraws




Sepp Blatter wins Fifa election after Prince Ali withdraws - live reaction
Fifa crisis latest: Sepp Blatter stays president after beating Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein of Jordan - despite corruption scandal

Blatter marked his victory with a bizarre acceptance speech in which he referenced God, Allah, the need for more "ladies" in Fifa and compared Fifa to a boat.
In his victory speech, he said: I thank you, you have accepted me for the next four years. I will be in command of this boat of Fifa. We will bring it back off shore.

"We need in this committee women. We need ladies. We won’t touch the World Cup. I am a faithful man, God, Allah, whoever, they will help us to bring back this Fifa. At the end of my (four year) term, I will give Fifa to my successor. It will be robust."
He then finished the speech by chanting "Let's go, Fifa!"

 Luis Figo, who withdrew from the election eight days ago stated;
QuoteThis vote has only served to endorse the election of a man who can’t remain in charge of world football. Instead of what Mr. Blatter said, the happenings of last Wednesday were not bad for football: they were bad for FIFA and for all the responsible that lead the organization until now. Football is not guilty but is the governing body’s leaders, who should regulate it, that have no integrity or honesty.



There’s no way someone can lead FIFA ignoring the most elementary rules of transparency, legality and democracy. These rules were not reunited as I denounced and, later, as I found out. Mr. Blatter knew and was aware of the acts of corruption, influence and racketeering or, if he did not know – as he says – it’s because he has no skills to lead FIFA.
If Mr. Blatter were minimally concerned about football, he would have given up of the reelection. If he has a minimal of decency, he will resign in the next few days. I regret nothing. I fought, I persisted, I made an effort for the regeneration of this organization that has to change course. We live in an emergency situation and football is the damaged party on this. I’ve denounced what I directly lived. I would do it again. And I remain available to help FIFA rebuild after this.

Ref: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

Mauritius president resigns

Purryag said in a statement he had agreed with the Prime minister
 in January that he would step down in May.(www.defimedia.org)

Mauritian President Rajkeswar Purryag resigned on Friday from his ceremonial position in accordance with an agreement with Prime Minister Anerood Jugnauth, Purryag's office said.

Purryag said in a statement he had agreed with the Prime minister in January that he would step down in May.

"The President is honouring his commitment by submitting his resignation to the speaker of the national assembly this afternoon," his office said.

The President is elected for a term of five years. Purryag was appointed in July 2012 by the country's former Labour party government.

president Buhari vows to crush "godless" Boko Haram

New Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari (REUTERS)

 President Muhammadu Buhari vowed on Friday 29th, May 2015, to eradicate the "mindless, godless" militant group Boko Haram and rescue hundreds of women and children held captive, including 200 girls taken from the town of Chibok a year ago.

In his inaugural address as elected leader of Africa's most populous nation and biggest crude producer, Buhari also painted a picture of an economy in crisis after this year's collapse in the price of oil, which accounts for the bulk of state revenue.

"The armed forces will be fully charged with prosecuting the fight against Boko Haram," the 72-year-old former military ruler announced in the heart of the capital. A Muslim, he said the group was "as far from Islam as one can think of".

"We cannot claim to have defeated Boko Haram without rescuing the Chibok girls and all other innocent persons held hostage," he said. "This government will do all it can to rescue them alive."

Hundreds of other Boko Haram captives have been freed by the military in recent weeks, but the Chibok girls, whose capture caused a global outcry, have still not been found.

Buhari's March election win was Nigeria's first democratic transfer of power. He inherits a host of problems from his predecessor Goodluck Jonathan, whose five-year tenure was marked by aimless security and foreign policy-making, as well as corruption scandals.

Depleted foreign reserves, vastly reduced oil revenues, corruption and the escalating cost of servicing debt had left the economy in "deep trouble", he said.

He made no mention of the naira, the currency, which economists say may be headed for another devaluation.

Importantly, he held out an olive branch to his political opponents in the oil-rich Niger Delta, saying his administration would continue to invest heavily in projects in the region that have underpinned an amnesty by militant groups there.


COME-BACK
Three decades after he first came to power in a military coup, Buhari's swearing-in marks a remarkable political turn-around from authoritarian ruler to born-again democrat following his landslide victory at the ballot box in March.

His oath was followed by the release of dozens of white doves, symbolising peace. Many of Nigeria's 170 million people also interpreted it as turning the page on five years of disappointment and frustration under Jonathan.

"Jonathan was so bad, very bad. Now the incoming president will do something for us," said Mutawali Bukar, a businessman from the northeast city of Maiduguri, the epicentre of the Boko Haram insurgency.

Thousands in Abuja's Eagle Square chanted "Sai Buhari", which means "All hail, Buhari" in the northern Hausa language.

The spirit of optimism is, however, tempered by the reality in which Nigeria finds itself, and much depends on Buhari's choice of ministers, particularly in key portfolios such as finance, internal security and oil.

"Now it's time for the heavy lifting," said Bismark Rewane, chief executive of Lagos-based consultancy Financial Derivatives. "Do you have the team that is respected by the international community, that has the pedigree and the background to deal with the management issues?"

Yemi Osinbajo, a Christian lawyer from the southwest region that includes Lagos, is vice-president, a deliberate counterpoint in the religiously mixed nation to Buhari, who is from the predominantly Muslim north.

Although his roots are in the military, not economics, Buhari served as head of the Petroleum Trust Fund under Sani Abacha, another military ruler, giving him insight into the murky world of crude oil production.

"NEW CHAPTER"
Befitting Buhari's modest style, there was little fanfare in the capital ahead of the swearing in, with security checkpoints leading to Abuja's Eagle Square and a few green and white national flags lining its main expressway.

The ceremony was attended by numerous African leaders and foreign dignitaries including U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.

A senior U.S. official said Washington, which had strained ties with Jonathan's administration, was ready to expand military cooperation, including sending advisors to help train Nigeria's army against Boko Haram.

"We have every indication that we'll be able to start a new chapter," the official said.

Dozens of African countries were represented by heads of state, who stand to gain if Buhari can breathe new life into the economy and restore Abuja's diplomatic credibility and clout.

South African President Jacob Zuma was a notable guest, a sign of Pretoria's desire to improve relations with Abuja after a series of diplomatic spats, most recently over a wave of attacks on foreigners in South Africa this year.

Source: www.sabc.co.za

Jubilant Youths Defile Security, Besiege Eagle Square For Buhari


Image result for Jubilant Youths on Buhari inauguration


Image result for Jubilant Youths on Buhari inauguration

Image result for Jubilant Youths on Buhari inauguration

JUBILANT youths numbering over ten thousand on Friday May 29, 2015, defiled heavy security blockade mounted by a combined team of the Nigerian Police, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) the Federal Road Safety Commission(FRSC) and a detachment of military personnel to celebrate the new President, Muhammadu Buhari.

No sooner had Buhari taken oath of office as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from the Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Mahmud Muhammed at exactly 10.50 am,than the mammoth crowd took over the Eagle Square in wild celebration.

They chanted solidarity songs, “Say Baba, say Buhari“, while a good number of them carried brooms and danced to musical tunes from northern musicians.

Prior to the inauguration proper, all routes leading to the Eagle Square were cordoned-off with only security officials and VIP dignitaries allowed to drive close to the venue.

Meanwhile, in an interview with some dignitaries at the event,the All Progressive Congress(APC) Governorship aspirant in Delta State, Emerhor Ortega said Buhari needs all the support from Nigerians, if he must achieve his set goals.

His words: “I tell you, I mean there is no reason why our security, we should be experiencing what we are going through, and he has looked at it and say he is going to move the command structure to Maiduguri that is a very good step.

“Another thing he has said is that we have the resources the capacity to generate more power than we are doing, why are we generating even 4000 and we cannot distribute it, so that is one thing he must tackle, more than that look at the issue of local government and resources of this country, he wants to ensure that it is purely well administered.

“I plead with the common man to give this president time, patience because he means well, they need to sacrifice a little bit because without our sacrifice we will not be able to have the time to achieve all he has to achieve”.

Oseni Elamah, Executive Chairman, Board of Internal Revenue, Edo State, said Nigerians should be rest assured of Buhari’s stewardship especially in infrastructural development.



“Essentially, Mr. president has said it that he will keep his campaign promises and the manifesto of APC, tackling insecurity, tackling corruption and the economy all these will have multiplier effect in terms of generating employment for the youth in terms of tackling issue of poor power supply, issues of infrastructural decay whether in education, health, road and so on.

Davies Sokonte, Director, Finance Administration for Buhari Campaign Organisation, said he is optimistic the president’s decision in the days ahead would delight Nigerians.

“As to hit the ground running, like the president said himself, there are so many challenges we have issues of corruption, power, look at the poor energy situation, I believe that within the next few days, the fuel situation will improve, I also believe that those in the government, the civil servants should expect a review, especially the permanent secretaries, but I am sure the next action this president is going to take will delight Nigerians.


Source: dailyindependentnig.com