Doctor Jailed Over Michael Jackson's Death Is Freed

Conrad Murray provided overdose of anaesthetic to singer Michael Jackson

The doctor convicted of killing Michael Jackson has been released from jail after serving nearly half of a four-year sentence.
Conrad Murray (60) was released from the Los Angeles jail after a change in California law allowed his time behind bars to be significantly cut.
The former cardiologist was convicted in 2011 of causing Jackson's death in June 2009 by providing him with an overdose of the powerful anaesthetic propofol as a sleeping aid.
Jackson was preparing for a series of comeback concerts and Murray was his personal physician.
Murray's prospects are uncertain. His licence to practise medicine has been suspended or revoked in three states and his face and name are well known due to his association with Jackson and his highly publicised involuntary manslaughter trial.
The former doctor, who was released at lunchtime yesterday, is appealing his conviction, though an appeals court has questioned whether it needs to hear the case.

Michael Jackson

His lawyer, Valerie Wass, has argued that the court should not dismiss the appeal, because it could alter his overall sentence and reduce some of the stigma his conviction has caused.
Despite being jailed, Murray has not been silent. Audio recordings of his calls have been posted on celebrity website TMZ, and he told the 'Today' show in the US that he cried tears of joy after a civil jury recently decided the promoters of Jackson's comeback shows did not negligently hire him.
He did not, however, give evidence in the civil case or during his criminal trial.
Murray previously maintained clinics in Houston and Las Vegas and frequently complained about conditions in jail after his conviction.
He was allowed to serve his entire sentence in a Los Angeles jail rather than a state prison due to a law aimed at easing overcrowding by shifting non-violent offenders to local lock-ups.
Ms Wass said: "Dr Murray has not received any special treatment in jail and, in fact, has many less privileges than most inmates." She added that he "is looking forward to his release and getting on with his life".
Earlier this month, jurors in a lawsuit filed by Jackson's mother against concert giant AEG Live LLC decided the doctor was not unfit or incompetent to serve as Jackson's tour doctor.

SHOCKING! Mother Hid Baby In Boot Of Her Car For Two Years

The parents of a baby girl found close to death in the boot of her mother's car in France are escorted to court, where prosecutors told how car mechanics made the gruesome discovery

A baby girl was forced to live hidden in the boot of her mother's car for almost two years in a case that has appalled France and that investigators say "defies the imagination".
Mechanics carrying out repairs on a Peugeot 307 family estate in Terrasson-Lavilledieu in the Dordogne were alerted to the child's presence after hearing "strange noises that sounded like moans" coming from the rear of the vehicle.
The 45-year-old mother, a Portuguese woman named only as Rose-Marie, claimed that the noises came from "toys". But the mechanics insisted on opening the boot and were horrified to discover a small, dehydrated and apparently feverish child lying naked in her own excrement.
The mechanic who found the girl, Guillaume Iguacel, said yesterday that he was still in shock from the discovery.
"I'm still having trouble sleeping, it was a horrifying sight, seeing this little girl in her own excrement, not able to hold up her head, white as a sheet," he said.
Mr Iguacel said the mother appeared to have little concern for the girl. "We were deeply shocked because she didn't find this abnormal. We told her to remove the little girl (from the boot) and give her something to drink right away," he said.
Paramedics were called and the girl was taken to hospital. Her parents have been charged with child abuse and neglect.
Social services have taken into care their three other children – a four-year-old girl and two boys aged nine and 10.

The baby - found in her own excrement in the foul-smelling boot after mechanics heard 'strange noises that sounded like moans' - is thought to have been hidden there from birth

The mother told investigators that she had kept the child's existence from her husband, an unemployed builder, also Portuguese, whom police were unable to question at first because he was drunk. The mother said she gave birth alone and then hid the baby in the boot. She has no birth certificate and apparently no name.
"It appears that the child had been hidden from her birth, and, even worse, is seriously retarded," said Jean-Pierre Laffite, the prosecutor in nearby Brive-La-Gaillarde. He said the girl's height, weight and mental development did not conform to her age, estimated to be between 15 and 23 months. She cannot speak a word. "It's a situation that defies the imagination," he added.
Shocked neighbours in the couple's village of Brignac-la-Plaine in the department of Correze said they had no reason to suspect a hidden child.

AMAZING! These Five Songs Have All Been Used to Torture People

You thought Somali pirates got dealt a bad hand by being blasted with Britney’s ‘Oops I Did It Again?’ Here are five other songs that have been used to torture people. (Royalties, anyone?)

1. ‘I Love You’ by Barney the Dinosaur

There is no official data on how many American parents have already lost their minds due to an overdose of this cuddly monster, but American interrogators would surely know the figures, since ‘I Love You’ is cited as one of the most ‘overused’ songs in their arsenal. A U.S. operative told Newsweek in 2003 that he was forced to listen to the song for forty-five minutes during training. “I never want to go through that again,” he laconically stated.

2. ‘Panama’ by Van Halen

International law prevented a Navy SEAL team from hunting down Manuel Noriega in December 1989, after the Panamanian dictator took refuge in the Vatican embassy. However, it didn’t prevent the Americans from blasting the papal emissaries with some good old rock ‘n’ roll. After several days of being blasted by Van Halen, the Clash and the Howard Stern Show at deafening levels, representatives of the Holy See eventually handed over Noriega.

3. ‘The Real Slim Shady’ by Eminem

It is hard to fathom the horror of hearing Em’s nasal voice declaring: “May I have your attention please?” for a hundredth time straight, but that was Benyam Mohammad’s experience while detained at a secret U.S. prison in Kabul. He told Human Rights Watch that interrogators played Eminem and Dr. Dre continuously for twenty days, while depriving them of food and water. “Plenty lost their minds. I could hear people knocking their heads against the walls and the doors, screaming their heads off.”

4. ‘Copacabana’ by Barry Manilow

Road spikes and boom gates did nothing to deter teenage hoodlums from congregating along the seaside promenade in the Sydney suburb of Brighton Le Sands, where they would abuse residents and generally cause mayhem. Then shop owner Martin Corben came up with a plan: Pink lights and Barry Manilow. “Pink light…makes the skin look blotchy and shows up spots,” Corben the Australian media outlet ABC. “I don’t know why Barry Manilow popped into my head. Maybe it’s because Brighton is the Copacabana of south Sydney?” The pubescent nuisance was driven away. What happened to the sanity of other Brighton residents’ is, however, unknown.

5. ‘Born in the USA’ by Bruce Springsteen

Detainees at Guantanamo have said that the Springsteen hit has been played for years on end as a wake-up call at the compound—a weird choice, one would think, considering the song’s highly U.S.-critical lyrics. The same goes for Rage Against The Machine’s anti-American banger ‘Killing in the Name Of,’ which has also reportedly been played at Gitmo. The band’s guitarist Tom Morello is one of many musicians who have endorsed a demand that the government disclose the titles of all song titles used as a method of punishment and who have protested such use.

PICTURES: Al Maktoum International Airport, Dubai: The World's Newest Airport

A lesson for Nigeria to learn from, perhaps.

A flight carrying a little more than 100 passengers from Budapest touched down Sunday at Dubai's new Al Maktoum International Airport, a modest first arrival for a terminal designers hope will be the world's largest in just 10 years.
The United Arab Emirates' most flashy city-state, known for its high-flying ambitions, already gave the new airport the code DWC for Dubai World Central. The name mirrors Dubai's vision of itself as a connection point between east and west.
The airport's construction and development is forecast to cost more than $32 billion. When complete, it will have five runways capable of handling 160 million passengers a year. About 63 percent of that will be people in transit, said Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths at the inauguration of the new passenger terminal.
Aviation comprises 28 percent of Dubai's gross domestic product, some $22 billion a year. Much of the current revenue comes from Dubai International Airport, which is the fourth busiest airport in the world serving around 57 million passengers last year. That airport, though, is expected to reach its full capacity of 90 million passenger by 2020.
The new Al Maktoum International Airport is an attempt to hold Dubai's edge in the market.
"There is a lot of pressure to get the airport running," Griffiths said. "Its ambition is to be the world's largest airport and the world's largest hub."
Dubai's pivotal location on the eastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula makes it a gateway from Europe to the east, said Josef Varadi, CEO of the privately-owned Hungarian Wizz Air. His company's passenger flight was the first to arrive at the new airport.
The airport has been open since 2010 to cargo flights. Around 36 freight operators regularly operate at the airport.
However, with just three agreements signed with passenger airlines, DWC still has miles to go before it rivals other destinations.
DWC does not offer connection flights for transfer passengers yet. Construction of the airport's mega terminal is well behind schedule following the 2009 financial crisis. It is also tricky for passengers to travel to or from the sole working terminal without a car since the city's mass transit stops well before the airport.
Griffiths said there are plans being drafted for the airport by 2025 to accommodate the needs of Emirates, the Middle East's biggest airline. It currently bases out of Dubai International Airport.
He declined to say what kind of incentives were being offered to airlines to lure them to DWC. He said the city-state's landing fees are already considerably low compared to other airports around the world.
Griffiths also said there are no plans in place to close Dubai International Airport, but that ultimately the decision will be determined by air-space capacity.
"That's not a decision we have to make probably for the next 30 to 40 years," he said.

The airport is serviced by one A380 capable runway, 64 remote aircraft stands and currently has capacity for up to seven million passengers per year.

Dubai Duty Free counters at the new Al Maktoum airport. The new facility is equipped to offer retail, food and beverage amenities.

Check-in counters at the new airport. Construction of DWC’s passenger terminal building was completed in 2012.

Passengers leave the aircraft after Wizz Air lands at the newly opened Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2013.

Passengers check-in at the newly opened Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Upon completion in the mid 2020s, DWC will become the world’s largest airport with an ultimate capacity of 160 million passengers.

 

 

No Sack: Aviation Minister May Be Redeployed Over N255 Million Car Purchase

 

Despite calls for her sack all around the country, indications have shown that the Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, will be redeployed rather than relieved of her duties.

The minister has been under fire after details of a N255 million bullet-proof car purchase, allegedly ordered by her, were revealed to the general public.

According to reports, President Goodluck Jonathan may have decided to let Oduah off easy by reassigning her to another portfolio rather than hanging her out to dry.

Leadership News reports:

Although the call from a critical segment of the public is for her removal from cabinet for allegedly allowing her personal interests to override national interest, a highly placed presidential source told LEADERSHIP last night that “the minister might be given a soft landing treatment”.
Oduah has been at the centre of a controversy over bullet proof cars worth $1.6m (N255m), purchased for her by an agency under her watch at a time when the last air disaster just occurred, the second since her appointment as the minister.
The situation is further compounded by discordant tunes from the NCAA and her spokesman, who gave different accounts of the reason for the purchase of the cars.
Human rights activist, Mr Femi Falana (SAN) and Dino Melaye, a former member of the House of Representatives have been in the forefront of a campaign asking for her sack.
But, speaking under the condition of anonymity, on the grounds that he was not authorised to speak on the matter, a government official who commended the media and the human rights community, explained that the greatest sanction Oduah could be given was her redeployment from the ministry instead of outright removal.
“I have been monitoring the media reports on the bullet proof cars bought by the NCAA. In the first instance, it was wrong of her to fall into such a trap. This is what the senators call ‘banana peels’. Look at the timing. We are still mourning those who died in the last plane crash, the second under the woman’s watch. And with the cost of the two cars when the National Assembly and the NNPC are still fighting over the Federation Account proceeds. All these are her problems.
“But let me tell you the bitter truth, despite the deafening call for her sack, that minister might be given a soft landing treatment, not because of who she is, but because of what she has done in the past, especially the role she played during the last fuel pump price crisis. That woman hijacked the Information Ministry and that of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), and educated Nigerians over why the sector must be deregulated. So the worst thing that could happen to her is to be redeployed from that ministry.
“Don’t forget that Oduah played a tremendous role in the election of Jonathan in 2011 through the Neighbour-2-Neighbour campaign group,” the official said.
Oduah’s problems began when an online news medium, SaharaReporters broke the news that the Aviation Ministry had purchased two bullet proof cars and that they were delivered to the minister in August.
It reported that documents in its possession showed that the transaction for the purchase of the two BMW cars started in June, but the request for the delivery and payment for them was fast tracked between August 13 and 15, 2013.
The National Assembly has shown interest in the matter. The two chambers will investigate the saga with a view to verifying when the cars were purchased and if due process was followed and especially, if the purchase was in this year’s Appropriation Act.

Maria Sharapova Asks To Change Her Name To 'Sugarpova' For US Open

 

 

In a bid for publicity for her confectionery brand, Sharapova has applied to the Florida Supreme Court for a temporary change to her name.
Maria Sharapova has a sweet publicity stunt in the bag for the US Open this year, the Russian tennis star is set to change her name to Maria Sugarpova for the duration of the tournament, in a bid to promote her confectionery brand, Sugarpova.
Sharapova, the richest female athlete in the world, has had her annual earnings boosted by the Sugarpova sweets brand, having sold nearly 2 millions packets of sweets last year.
But the name change won’t be a permanent fixture for the world No 3, who recently split from her new coach Jimmy Connors after just one match under his guidance.
Sharapova has gone to the Florida Supreme Court in a bid to temporarily change her name, but would still need the nod from organisers of the US Open, the final grand slam of the year, if she is going to be introduced as ‘Miss Sugarpova’ during the tournament.
If the tournament officials allow it, then it could see umpires calling ‘advantage Sugarpova’, and could even see the US Open trophy being permanently inscribed with ‘Maria Sugarpova’ if she wins the tournament.
The Sugarpova sweets come in flavours such as ‘flirty’, ‘quirky’ and ‘smitten’, and the former world No 3 has invested £300,000 in the brand.

Kidnapped 3 Female Teachers Regain Freedom

Three female primary school teachers abducted by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers at Orhogbua Primary School in Ekhehuan village, Edo State have regained their freedom after two weeks in captivity.
It was gathered that they were released at about 3.am yesterday at the Ekhehuan axis of the state.
They were said to have called members of their family who went to pick them up. The teachers, Patience Osadoplor, Momodu Aisha and Patience Oroghene were seized and whisked away at gunpoint from the school on July 30.
Their abductors had initially demanded N60 million ransom for their release, but later slashed the amount to N7.5 million. As at press time, it could not be ascertained if any ransom was paid before the teachers were released.

ASUU Strike: We’ll Shut Down Nigeria – Activists

Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre, stood still for many hours yesterday, as over 1,000 university students, lecturers, human rights activists and other stakeholders took to the streets. They staged a peaceful rally to show their displeasure over what they termed ‘poor funding of education in the country.’As early as 6:00a.m, participants began to converge on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), secretariat annex in Yaba, Lagos, for the protest. The rally eventually took off at 8:00a.m.The nationwide indefinite strike embarked upon by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to protest poor funding of education by the government has been on since July 1.
The protest, organised by the Joint Action Front (JAF), a coalition of students and civil right groups, was led by Comrade Abiodun Aremu. Leaders of the group who participated in the rally included Lagos radical lawyer, Mr. Bamidele Aturu and representative of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Comrade Chibuzor Asomugha.
Also in attendance were the leaders of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Concerned Students Against Education Commercialization, Education Rights Campaign and others.
The organizers said similar rallies would be held at various zones across the country. Protests would also be staged in Kano, Ibadan, Owerri, Calabar, Abuja and other places.
The protesters, carrying scores of placards with various inscriptions, sang numerous abusive songs to press home their agitations. They did not only sing, they danced with a view to sensitizing the public about their cause.

The students barricaded Ikorodu Road at Onipanu area as they bemoaned their fate. The students also played football on the highway.
The protesters assaulted the Federal Government with the inscriptions on their placards. The inscriptions addressed various issues including alleged government’s insensitivity to the plight of teachers at all levels of education, high school fees and poor infrastructure in public schools.
As this was going on, economic activities on Ikorodu Road were brought to a standstill. The situation led to heavy traffic on the road. Motorists and commuters spent many hours on the road after they were held up in the logjam.
Addressing the protesters at Palmgrove, Comrade Abiodun Aremu described the march as a tip of an iceberg, adding that series of protests have been lined up to force the three tiers of government in the country to jettison their purported negative attitude to the growth and development of education and embrace positive attitude.
His words: “This is just the beginning of a number of protests that we have lined up in the coming days. We are going to be peaceful in all the protests. As you can see today (yesterday), there are no street urchins or ‘area boys.’ The aim is to draw government attention to the numerous problems bedeviling education in the country. We need the support of everybody. If we don’t do this, nobody is going to do it for us.”
Aremu also appealed to necessary stakeholders such as parents, traders, artisans and others to join JAF in the subsequent protests that would be staged in different parts of the country. If this is done, he believed, the government would be compelled to take pragmatic steps to evolve a policy that would transform educational sector in Nigeria.
Representative of ASUP, Comrade Asomugha, in his speech, said: “Education is not only for the rich. Nigerians should wake up and reclaim what belongs to them. We, members of ASUP, have resolved to join the protest to salvage the education sector. We want to identify with the spirit of peaceful protest, which is a veritable tool to fight a just cause.”

He lamented that this feat would remain a mirage if the NLC and other relevant stakeholders would not take the bull by the horn and fight for the rights of the downtrodden.
The aim of the protest, according to JAF, is to draw the attention of government and members of the public to the bleak future awaiting Nigerian children if decisive steps are not taken to redress the problems. JAF further lamented that children of top politicians and government officials are being trained in private schools in Nigeria and abroad with funds allegedly looted from public coffers.
JAF secretary, Comrade Aremu, stated that the protest was organised to force government to pay attention to the universities lecturers’ demands, not to molest anybody. He said the lingering ASUU/FG feud over the non-implementation of the 2009 agreement did not prompt protest but the need to emphasize adequate funding of the educational sector. He added: “We have mobilized students concerning today’s protest; we also plan to make it nationwide.
“Nigerians must know that the politicians (at the presidency, state governments, national and state assemblies), top civil servants, traditional rulers and their cronies of contractors and patrons were beneficiaries of public education. Also, some of them set up private schools and universities in Nigeria and abroad with stolen funds from the public coffers. That is why none of their children are in any public school in Nigeria.
“The case of Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola of Lagos State is the most striking example. He enjoyed free tuition at the University of Benin, without which he wouldn't have been educated. Yet, the same Governor Fashola turned Lagos State University (LASU) into a high cost fee paying university from N25,000 to N320,000, thereby throwing children of the poor who voted for him and who his government refused to pay the N18,000 minimum wage, out of school.”
The National Association of Nigerian Students, also yesterday appealed to the federal government, university lecturers and polytechnic teachers to resolve their face-off for the sake of students. President of NANS, Mr Yinka Gbadebo, told students had continued to be victims of conflicts between lecturers and governments.
University teachers, under the umbrella of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, had on July 1 embarked on an indefinite strike to protest the non implementation of a part of an agreement it had with the federal government in 2009.

THE SUN NIGERIA

How Oshiomole Detected Teacher Who Can’t Read Own Certificate

It was drama, Tuesday, at the venue of the verification of certificates of primary school teachers in Edo State, as a teacher in Asologun Primary School, Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of the state, Mrs. Augusta Odemwinge could not read a sworn affidavit she purportedly tendered as part of her credentials.
The state governor, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, who paid an unscheduled visit to the state Staff Training Centre, venue of the exercise, said “if you can’t read, what do you teach the pupils, what do you write on the board?”
Chairman of the state Nigeria Union of Teachers, Mr. Patrick Ikosimi, who was also at the screening to monitor the exercise, said that the woman’s failure was “an embarrassment.”
On arrival at the centre, the governor took time to peruse some of the teacher’s credentials and documents presented.
When Mrs. Odenwingie took her turn during the exercise, the governor, who listened to her defence, asked her to read the affidavit she presented, but she stuttered, to the consternation of everybody around.
Ikosimi, who described Mrs. Odemwingie’s failure to read a document she presented as an embarrassment, said the union was in tune with the state government on the need to sanitise the school system.
He said: “We are committed to partnering the government to reposition education in the state. What this teacher has just displayed is a show of shame; it shows the decadence in the education sector.
“As the chairman of NUT, I had written to the governor that we are in total support of what he is doing.
“He should properly involve the NUT, so that together we can fish out the culprits, who are not viable as far as the system is concerned,” he said.

VANGUARD

I-N-C-R-E-D-I-B-L-E: Diezani Blows N2 Billion On Private Jet In Two Years

While the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU are on strike for improved working condition, Petroleum Resources Minister, Dieziani Allison-Madueke has spent a whooping N2 Billion in the last two years on Private Jet rentals traveling around the world on both official and personal trips, according to a petition.
The petition currently before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, alleged that Mrs. Allison-Madueke spends $500, 000, an equivalent of N80 Million on Private Jets rentals in her numerous overseas trip monthly.
The Petition by Crusader For Good Governance signed by Okechukwu Obiora Nnamdi alleged that unlike other cabinet Ministers, the Petroleum Minister rejected a commercial flight and paid $300, 000 for her trip to China when President Goodluck Jonathan visited the Asia country.
According to the Petition, “in the last two years, she has been maintaining a private jet, Challenger 850 Visa Jet at $500,000 per month.”
An Aviation expert told Pointblanknews.com that a one hour trip from Abuja to Lagos cost between $15, 000.00 to $24, 000.00 and $100,000.00 for a seven hour trip on Lear Jets or Challenger 850 Visa Jet.
The petitioners noted, “her frequent trips to meetings of the Organization of Oil Producing and Exporting Countries, OPEC, in Vienna, Austria have been through private Jets.”
“Worse of all, even when Mr. President is traveling and the use of Presidential jet is guaranteed, the Minister of Petroleum never makes use of such cost saving measures. When the President visited China, she was on the trip but travelled in a private Jet at the cost of $300, 000.00”
“The same happened during Mr. President’s trip to South Africa, she also travelled in a private Jet at the cost of $300,000.00.”
The petitioners listed the Petroleum Minister lavish trip that has cost the nation huge amounts of money to include:

• During Easter Break, she flew a private jet to Dubai with members of her family at the cost of $300,000.00

• During President’s visit to South Africa, she flew in a private jet costing $300, 000.00

• NNPC maintains a private Jet Challenger 850 Visa Jet at $500,000.00 monthly for the Minister

• Went to OPEC meeting in Austria also in a Private Jet

• Has never attended any meeting outside the country in a commercial or Presidential jets in the last two years and has spent over N2 Billion on maintaining aircrafts in the last two years.

• She is the only Minister who attends events when the President is traveling in private jets

• She does official jobs in her house and hardly goes to the office

• Unlike other Ministers, she flies private jets to anywhere even when the president is travelling to the same location

• Information from FAAN, NCAA, NAMA confirmed thatbshe has never flown
commercial aircraft in the last two years.

• The President went to China but Madam Petroleum Minister did not go on the Presidential Jet, she went in a private jet, further vleeding the national purse The petitioners urged the EFCC to promptly investigate the allegations as the President may not be aware of “all these atrocious and reckless spending of the Minister.”

They specifically urged the EFCC to investigate all its claims from FAAN, NAMA and NCAA.

POINTBLANK

'We Have Defeated Boko Haram' - Defence Headquatres

Defence Headquarters yesterday described the Boko Haram’s fresh attack on some innocent people in some villages in Borno State, as an act of desperation.
This fresh bounds of attack led to an emergency meeting of the Security Council on Monday at the instance of President Goodluck Jonathan to brain storm over the dastardly act of the insurgents.
Reacting to the issue, the Defence Headquarters spokesman, Brig-Gen Caleb Olukolade said the Boko Haram insurgents have been defeated but were desperately attacking innocent people in order to draw attention to themselves despite the defeat.
Olukolade assured the populace that they had conquered the insurgents and with the collaboration and co-operation going on between the public and the military, the attacks on the innocent would become a thing of the past very soon.
According to him, the attack is condemnable, they are doing so as a reaction to their defeat, they are engaging in desperate action in order to draw attention to ensure that the public still realize of their existence.

SuperSport Begins Search For A Pidgin Commentator

In a bid to reach out to its divergent audience in the country, Supersport Nigeria has commenced the auditioning in search of a pidgin commentator to run the Glo Premier League.
This, according to the outfit, will be the first of its kind in Nigeria and the winner will provide commentary on the Glo Premier League, which now boasts several stars in the Super Eagles.
Speaking of the novel initiative, General Manager, SuperSport West Africa, Felix Awogu said research has shown that football fans do not only want to watch the game alone on television, but to also enjoy the commentary in a language they can understand very well.
He said the auditioning would hold in two states, Port-Harcourt, August 23rd and 24th, 2013 and Lagos, September 6th and 7th, 2013 while the Grand Finale also holds in Lagos on October 4th, 2013 as entry is open to Nigerians above the age of 21 years.

Zimbabwe Agrees To Sell Uranium To Iran: Report

Zimbabwe has signed a secret deal to supply Iran with the raw materials needed to develop a nuclear weapon, in breach of international sanctions, The Times reported on Saturday.
"I have seen [a memorandum of understanding] to export uranium to the Iranians," Zimbabwean Deputy Mining Minister Gift Chimanikire told the British newspaper.
The agreement, which was reportedly signed last year, is likely to cause alarm in Western capitals.
The United States and the European Union have imposed crippling sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme, which Tehran insists is for peaceful energy uses but which they fear is intended to build a bomb.
Zimbabwe is also subject to international sanctions over its human rights record and conduct of elections.
President Robert Mugabe, who won another five-year term in disputed polls last month, has publicly backed Iran's nuclear drive.
During a visit by Iran's then president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to Harare in April 2010, Mugabe said his guest should be assured of "Zimbabwe's continuous support of Iran's just cause on the nuclear issue".
Chimanikire is a member of Zimbabwe's opposition who is likely to be replaced now that the election has brought an end to the shaky coalition government.
He said the uranium deal had been made without his knowledge, and was only known to a handful of people at the top of the government.
Despite the agreement, The Times reported analysts as saying that it was likely to be a long time before Zimbabwe's uranium reserves were ready for export.

Usher Wins Child Custody Battle

A judge in Atlanta has dismissed an emergency request by R&B singer Usher's ex-wife seeking temporary custody of their two children.
Tameka Foster Raymond had requested the hearing earlier this week after their five-year-old son got caught in a pool drain while in the care of the Grammy winner's aunt.
After a hearing in which both Usher and Raymond took the stand, Fulton County Superior Court Judge John Goger dismissed her request for temporary primary custody and decision-making authority.
Raymond's court filing had said their son "suffered a near-death accident" while left unsupervised at Usher's home on Monday.
Usher and Tameka Raymond married in 2007 and divorced two years later. They went through a lengthy child custody battle, and Usher was awarded primary custody of the boys last year.

Oprah Winfrey Victim Of Racism In Switzerland

A top store in Switzerland has apologized to Oprah Winfrey for refusing to let her look at a $38,000 handbag but has denied it was because the shop assistant was being racist.
Winfrey was shopping in the city ahead of Tina Turner's star-studded wedding to Erwin Bach earlier this month when a shop assistant failed to recognize her told her 'she wouldn't be able to afford' the handbag she requested to see.
She said the incident taught her racism was still an issue - even when you are a world-famous celebrity.
She told Entertainment Tonight: 'I was in Zurich the other day, in a store whose name I will not mention. I didn't have my eyelashes on, but I was in full Oprah Winfrey gear. I had my little Donna Karan skirt and my little sandals. But obviously 'The Oprah Winfrey Show' is not shown in Zurich.
'I go into a store and I say to the woman, 'Excuse me, could I see the bag right above your head?' and she says to me, 'No. It's too expensive.''
The saleswoman went on to suggest she look at cheaper bags. 'I left the store but it proves that racism is still an issue,' Oprah added.

'There's two different ways to handle it. I could've had the whole blow-up thing... but racism still exists, of course it does.'
The incident took place in the chic Trois Pommes store whose owner, Trudie Götz, ironically was also a guest at the Turner nuptials.
The handbag in question - a crocodile skin 'Jennifer' bag by American designer Tom Ford which he designed for Jennifer Anisten - was on sale for 35,000 Swiss francs ($38,000) and was locked in a cabinet to prevent shoplifting.
The store owner told the country's Blick newspaper there had been 'a misunderstanding' caused by the assistant’s failure to recognize Oprah but denied the snub was due to racism.
She apologized for her assistant’s behavior, saying there had been 'a misunderstanding between her and Oprah'.
'I thought her English was not quite as good as that of Oprah,' she said. 'She only meant well'
'She said it just fine, did everything right. I can not blame the staff. I see no reason to dismiss [her]'.
She has vowed to stand by the assistant and says she sees no reason to sack her following the incident.
However, others disagree, and the row has split a country where racism is already in the headlines.
Markus Hünig, president of the Zurich Bahnhofstrasse Association, the street where the tony boutique is situated said the assistant's conduct was 'completely unacceptable'.
A spokeswoman for the Swiss tourism office said: 'We are very sorry for what happened to her' before adding in a tweet: 'this person [shop assistant] acted terribly wrong'.
The bag has now been sold.

During the same interview, Winfrey went on to say that racism was still prevalent in many walks of life.
She added that as a high-profile and wealthy celebrity, she experienced overt forms of racism quite infrequently but sexism was far more common.
'True racism is being able to have power over somebody else. So that doesn't happen to me that way.
'It shows up for me this way, it shows up that sometimes I'm in a board room or I'm in certain situations where I'm the only woman, or I'm the only African American person within a 100 mile radius, and I can see in the energy of the people there, they don't sense that I should be holding one of those seats.
'I can sense that. I can never tell is it racism or is it sexism, because often it's both.
'The sexism thing is huge. The higher the ladder you climb, it gets huge.'
Winfrey earned $77 million in the year ending in June, according to Forbes magazine.
The incident comes as Switzerland is engulfed in a wider row over racism as communities seek to ban asylum seekers from places like churches and libraries for fear they will 'upset' the natives.
Switzerland has strong right-wing elements linked to the wider neo-Nazi scene in Europe.
Two years ago an anti-immigrant party ran on a platform of curbing immigration, showing on a poster a field of white sheep kicking out a black one.
It's not the first time that Oprah has had a run in with a high-end boutique.
Hermes was forced to apologize to Winfrey in 2005 after she was turned away from their Paris store.
The talk show host was also shopping for a Tina Turner occasion then - buying her a watch for her birthday.
Hermes denied Oprah was mistreated because of her race and claimed the was closed for a private event.

Idris Elba As Nelson Mandela: Trailer Released For Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

British actor Idris Elba stars as Nelson Mandela in the first full length trailer for the biopic Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.
Idris, 40, is tipped to win an Oscar for his portrayal of the anti-apartheid hero.
The film is based on Mandela’s own 1994 autobiography and follows his life from childhood to his inauguration as the first democratically elected president of South Africa.
The new trailer begins with explosive shots of Mandela’s violent opposition to the apartheid state.
The freedom fighter is then seen giving a rousing speech to a crowd of supporters.
We also get a peek of the love story between Nelson and his second wife Winnie Mandela - played by fellow Brit and Bond girl Naomie Harris - as they share a romantic kiss.
Mandela’s passionate court battle and following incarceration at Robben Island is also teased.
Idris – famous for his role in The Wire – said it meant a great deal to be given the chance to play Mandela.
The star admitted: “It’s a massive opportunity to be part of a true legend’s life and, more importantly, for the film to re-educate people on this legend.”
Nelson Mandela celebrated his 95th birthday yesterday in hospital having been admitted with a lung infection last month – with doctors saying his health is ‘improving’.

Malabu Oil Deal: Adoke Dares Reps

Irked by his invitation by the House of Representatives to appear before it and answer questions on his role in the controversial sale of the Malabu Oil-owned $1.3bn oil bloc, OPL 245, to Shell and Agip, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, has fired back at the lawmakers for daring to probe him further on the matter.
The House of Representatives had on Tuesday ordered the minister to appear before it next week and explain who cleared him of complicity in the multi-million naira oil deal, whose outcome is resonating across the world, with one case being filed in London by an aggrieved Nigerian, Emeka Obi.
Adoke is asking Malabu to pay him $200 million for successfully sourcing for the buyers of the oil bloc, who paid the whopping $1.3 billion.
But sounding unapologetic, Adoke accused the lawmakers of poke-nosing into a private company’s deal, which should be handled by the courts and its shareholders.
The minister said that he knew those who were behind the call for his probe and promised to confront them at the appropriate time.
The AGF warned the lawmakers not to drag the Federal Government and its agencies and officials into a purely commercial dispute between Malabu and its purported partners.
Adoke said: “We also know those secretly beating the drums for masquerades dancing in the market square. We shall confront them at the appropriate forum.
“How else can one explain why the ownership of shares in a private company would generate sufficient interest among members of the legislature so as to merit a resolution of a committee that certain persons or companies are entitled to ownership of shares in a private company, when the courts are the appropriate venue for the ventilation of such disputes between share holders (if any).”
The minister insisted just as he did during an earlier appearance before the legislators, that he had no pecuniary intention in facilitating the settlement of the long-running dispute between the parties and the Nigerian Government in the controversial oil deal, which has now spread to the United Kingdom.
Adoke in a statement released in Abuja, explained that contrary to the claim of any misdeed in the respect of the oil deal, he only assisted to resolve lingering legal disputes between Shell and Agip on one hand and Malabu and the Federal Government on the other hand.

How Reuben Abati Saw Things In 2010: "Dame Patience, Our President's Darling Wife"

This article was first published in The Guardian of Thursday, 27 August, 2010, before Mr. Abati was appointed a special adviser to the President

Dame Patience, our president’s darling wife

The Guardian Thursday, 27th Aug 2010

Opinion – By Reuben Abati

Democracy is readily associated with freedom: the freedom to be free in many respects and increasingly in Nigeria, many of our compatriots, particularly persons in positions of privilege and authority confuse this with the right to be disagreeable. The sober truth is that democracy is about rights and responsibilities, a democratic dispensation therefore cannot be a licence for disagreeable conduct as a norm; just as the possession of power in any form does not guarantee the right to be reckless or to ignore the etiquette required of office holders. Anyone in the corridors of power, either by chance or right, or appointment, is expected to behave decorously.

Dame Patience Jonathan, as she is now referred to, our President’s wife, failed the test this week in Okrika, Rivers State. It is trite knowledge that there is a critical difference between Yenagoa and Abuja, and a world of difference between being the wife of a Deputy Governor/Governor/Vice president and being the wife of Nigeria’s No 1 citizen. When people suddenly find themselves in such latter position, prepared or unprepared, anywhere in the world, they are taken through a crash programme in finishing and poise and made to realize that being the wife of an important man comes with serious responsibilities lest they sabotage the same person that they should be supporting.

If Dame Patience went through such re-orientation, the course was incomplete. This week, we got a feedback drawn from her visit to Rivers state to launch her NGO – the Women for Change Initiative, when she ended up in Okrika, her home town. This homecoming became an egoistic show-off as she openly contradicted the state Governor, offering him unsolicited lessons on how to develop the Okrika water front and school system, in addition to pointed comments on the use of the English language. The Governor had reportedly insisted that his administration must demolish some houses which adjoin the schools in Okrika in order to create a proper learning environment. Dame Patience disagreed.

She then gave an unsolicited lecture on the land tenure system telling the Governor: “I want you to get me clear. I am from here. I know the problems of my people so I know what I am talking…” The Governor tried to explain his administration’s policy and the larger public interest. The Dame reportedly cut him short: “But what I am telling you is that you always say you must demolish; that word must you use is not good. It is by pleading. You appeal to the owners of the compound because they will not go into exile. Land is a serious issue.” Wao! “that word must..is not good.” We must all commit that to memory as we re-learn Practical English according to Patience Jonathan!

If it is in the place of the President’s wife to teach a state Governor how to run his state, it is definitely not in her place to veto a state policy (the reason the governor used the word “must”), not even her husband has such powers. It seemed as if Dame Patience Jonathan was determined to impress her kith and kin. She told them she had directed the governor not to demolish their houses. Then, she left straight for the airport obviously having overstayed her welcome and having behaved like a bad guest. She was scheduled to visit the prisons to grant amnesty to some inmates (is that really her duty or something that should be in her itinerary? ); she was also meant to commission some projects. The face-off between her and the governor put paid to all that.

On the eve of her arrival, a group which calls itself “the Okrika Political Stakeholders Forum” and “the people of Kirikese” had actually placed an advert in the papers welcoming “our amiable daughter and sister…to Rivers state and your home town Okrika.” They also brought up the issue of “the land reclamation and shore protection project at Oba Ama, Okrika being undertaken by the Rivers state government.” (Daily Sun, August 23, 2010, p. 2). Either on the strength of this advertorial or private consultations, Dame Patience must have felt compelled to be a partisan stakeholder and intercessor. She needed to put Rotimi Amaechi, the state Governor in his place and that was what she did. She recommended “pleading,” – that advice is actually meant for her. A state Governor is a duly elected official; and in a Federal system, he is not answerable to the President, and nowhere is the president granted the powers of a Headmaster over state governors. In Okrika, Dame Patience behaved so impatiently and spoke to Governor Amaechi as if he is on the staff of the Presidency. It may not be her fault though. Amaechi caused it all by bringing himself to such level by undertaking to debrief Dame Patience about his administration’s programmes and activities in the misguided hope of getting cheap political endorsement. He should have asked his wife to attend to her. On the issue of land, Dame Patience should be reminded that the Land Use Act, Section 1 thereof, says the state Governor holds the land in trust for the people. Land matters in the state are beyond the ken of the wife of the President!

The wife of the President of Nigeria, or a state Governor, or a local council chairman, is not a state official. The same applies to husbands if the gender is reversed. He or she is unknown to the constitution or the governance structure. Recent history has however made it a convention to have the spouses of persons in such positions under the guise of providing support, play some ceremonial roles. This has been routinely abused. Under the Jonathan presidency, Dame Patience Jonathan even got a special allocation in the original budget for the 2010 Golden jubilee anniversary whereas she has no official, financial reporting responsibilities! The international standard is that spouses in these circumstances must not only appear but be seen to be above board like Caesar’s wife. They must not misbehave like Marie Antoinette.

When Cherie Blair, wife of former British PM, Tony Blair started buying up houses, apartments and antique furniture, the public raised questions. It didn’t matter that she was a professional in her own right, a Queen’s Counsel with a traceable source of income. There were also questions about the scope of Hillary Clinton’s influence during her husband’s Presidency: Americans wanted to be sure that it was the man they elected that was in charge, not his wife. A couple of weeks ago, the American public was up in arms against Michelle Obama and her poll rating dropped drastically after a visit to Spain where she and her daughter reportedly stayed in a $7, 000 a night hotel.

Much earlier, Nancy Reagan was also the butt of public criticism, with people asking: who is she? And this is not a female thing. In Britain, Prince Phillip, the Queen’s husband, is constantly criticized for putting his foot in his mouth. He once said for example that “British women can’t cook.” He told a visiting Nigerian President, all dressed up in babariga (name withheld): “you look like you’re ready for bed.” During a state visit to China, he told British students: “if you stay much longer, you’all be slitty-eyed.” Prince Phillip’s supporters insist that he is honest, but the majority ask: how is the Queen coping with such a man who is perpetually saying something offensive? There may be persons who defend Dame Patience’s aggressive style, but some of us ask: how is the President coping?

Since Dr Jonathan assumed office, he and his wife have been practically on the road. The Dame has travelled from one state to the other, under the auspices of the Women for Change Initiative. In every state she tells the women to vote and “make sure your vote counts if you like my husband.” Is she now a partisan politician? The Jonathans must be told that Nigeria does not have a co-Presidency. We have only one president and his name is Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. And by the way, what does Dame Patience Jonathan do for a living? She obviously does not have to deal with the challenges of rotation and zoning in her home, unlike the three wives of the Adamawa Governor, Murtala Nyako for whom zoning and rotation have become topical subjects or the wives of South African President Jacob Zuma – that is why she can afford to be so meddlesome!

When she misbehaves as she did in Okrika, she creates the impression that her husband is not in control of his own home. First ladies are prominent figures but their conduct is an eternal subject of public interest. In Nigeria, there was Victoria Gowon, there was also Ajoke Muhammed: dignified and restrained. There was Maryam Babangida – she was influential but no one could accuse her of verbal recklessness; Mrs Abdusalami Abubakar was a court judge, totally self-effacing, No major social party was complete without Mrs Stella Obasanjo, yet she controlled her tongue. Mrs Turai Yar’Adua was described as the power behind the throne and she proved that during the period of her husband’s illness but she was carefully reticent. At the state level, there was Remi Tinubu in Lagos state and Onari Duke in Cross River state who have both conducted themselves responsibly in and out of office. The new First Lady likes to travel, party, and talk outside the script. People are beginning to learn to read her lips in order to understand her husband. Dame Patience must not push her Goodluck.

British National Kidnapped In Nigeria

A British national was kidnapped in Nigeria this week shortly after leaving the international terminal of Lagos airport, the British High Commission (BHM) said.

A statement said: "The BHM is working closely with others to secure the release of the hostage. Because of the nature of this incident, the BHM is not going into further detail about it."

Cop Knocks Woman’s Teeth Out For Walking Past Him In Texas

Another cop in Texas has been arrested and jailed for not only illegally arresting a woman but for knocking her teeth out in the process. The incident took place after the 22-year old victim had the audacity to walk past this cop after he had made a traffic stop. This is certainly not an isolated incident as the several graphic and disturbing videos from similar incidents within the past year alone clearly show.
A police officer in San Marcos is in jail after arresting a pedestrian who police say didn’t break the law.
Corporal James Angelo Palermo, 40, conducted a traffic stop on May 29 during his midnight shift patrol near 126 S. Guadalupe Street.
According to the arrest affidavit, Palermo stopped a Toyota Prius shortly after 1:00 a.m. for driving the wrong way on a one-way street and began questioning the driver.
A pedestrian walking by was called over by Palermo and asked why she was walking by his traffic stop. He then asked for the woman’s identification.
When the woman insisted she had done nothing wrong Palermo slammed her against the Prius; then onto the concrete driveway near his patrol car.
Upon further investigation supervisors found the woman had lost two teeth and suffered a concussion during the illegal arrest.
Palermo was arrested for aggravated assault by a public servant. The woman is currently being treated for her injuries and could require further surgery, according to the affidavit.

Pope Francis Offers Reduced Time In Purgatory For Catholics That Follow Him On Twitter

ONE HELL OF A DEAL!
Salvation – or at least a shorter stay in Purgatory – might now be only a tweet away with news that Pope Francis is to offer “indulgences” – remissions for temporary punishment – to the faithful who follow him on the social media site.
Around 1.5 million are expected to flock to Rio de Janeiro to celebrate World Youth Day with the Argentine pontiff later this month. But for those who can’t make it to Brazil, forgiveness may be available to contrite sinners who follow Francis’s progress via their TV screen or social networks.
The Sacred Apostolic Penitentiary, the Vatican court that rules on the forgiveness of sins, has said that indulgences may be given to those who follow the “rites and pious exercises” of the event on television, radio and through social media.
The Penitentiary said that Pope Francis' Twitter account, which has already gathered seven million followers, would be one such medium.
Vatican officials, noted however, that to obtain indulgences over the internet or otherwise, believers would first have to confess their sins, offer prayers and attend Mass.
“You can't obtain indulgences like getting a coffee from a vending machine,” Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli, head of the pontifical council for social communication, told the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.

Brad And Angie Living Like 'Hobos'

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are said to live like "hobos".
The multi-millionaire couple's mansion is strewn with pizza boxes and discarded food, according to their housekeepers.
The couple may appear spotless when gracing red carpets and 'Best-Dressed' lists, but reportedly let their six children run riot with "toothpaste wars", according to their disgruntled staff.
A source told Star magazine: "They live like a couple of hobos, with pizza boxes around them, food left out to spoil, and toothpaste and crayon marks on the walls. It's actually pretty disgusting."
Brad is also described as a "hoarder", keeping an overwhelming number of books and magazines at home.
The source added: "He's a total hoarder. He's collected so many books and magazines, he's just running out of space to store everything. Things just get stashed everywhere and anywhere he can find."
Brad recently gushed about his chaotic family life with partner Angelina, 37 and their children, Maddox,12, Pax, nine, Zahara,eight, Shiloh, seven, and twins Vivienne and Knox, both five.
He said: "There is a constant chatter in our house , whether its giggling or screaming or crying or banging. I love it. I love it. I hate it when they're gone. I hate it.
"Maybe it's nice to be in a hotel room for a day - Oh nice, I can finally read the paper. By then, by the next day I miss that cacophony , all that in my life."

Mugabe Lashes Out At 'Insane' Washington

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe branded the United States "absolutely insane" on Thursday for voicing concerns about a 31 July election, although neighbouring South Africa joined Washington in criticising chaotic preparations for the vote.
Speaking to thousands of supporters in Chinhoyi, 115km northwest of Harare, the 89-year-old also rejected calls for reform of partisan security forces, saying his main rival, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, could make changes if he won.
"In America they are saying Zimbabwe has gone for an early election without reforms. Americans must be mad and absolutely insane," Mugabe said in an address that last more than 2-1/2 hours, confounding speculation his health is failing.
The vote is meant to end five years of fractious unity government under a deal brokered by regional power South Africa following violent and disputed polls in 2008 but with its credibility already being questioned, those hopes are waning.
The United States said this week it was deeply concerned by a lack of transparency, suggesting Washington was in no mood to ease sanctions against a victorious Mugabe even if he wins without violence.
Tellingly, it is not just Mugabe's long-time foes in the West rounding on the continent's oldest head of state, who has run the southern African nation since independence from Britain in 1980.
In unusually strong criticism, South African President Jacob Zuma's top Zimbabwe expert, Lindiwe Zulu, said Zuma had telephoned Mugabe to tell him he was "not pleased" with the run-up to the poll.
"We are concerned because things on the ground are not looking good," Zulu told Reuters.
South Africa wants to avoid a repeat of the 2008 violence, which brought a flood of refugees into the country and added a further burden on stretched state finances.
Mugabe called the election on 31 July in compliance with a Constitutional Court order but the move was criticised by his opponents and Pretoria as too soon to allow proper preparations.
Zulu's comments are likely to infuriate Mugabe, who labelled her "stupid and idiotic" at a rally this month after she called for a delay of a few weeks to ensure the process runs as smoothly as possible.
Advance voting for 70 000 police officers and soldiers on Sunday and Monday compounded fears of a chaotic poll, raising the prospect of a disputed result and civil unrest in a country with a history of election violence.
In the special voting, long lines formed at polling stations and some people were unable to vote because ballot papers did not turn up at all - one of several logistical challenges acknowledged by the Election Commission.
Pretoria's verdict on the quality of the vote has added significance because election observers from the European Union and United States are barred from entering Zimbabwe.
There have been no formal opinion polls but most analysts see Mugabe's Zanu-PF as the favourite given its monopoly of state media and the problems with voter registration encountered by many young, urban Zimbabweans - Tsvangirai's support base.
Britain has also said its misgivings about the election justified maintaining European Union sanctions imposed more than a decade ago for suspected vote-rigging and human rights abuses.
"We are concerned that a number of important electoral and other important democratic reforms have not been completed," a Foreign Office spokesperson said.
While sanctions remain in place, Zimbabwe has no chance of rescheduling billions of dollars of defaulted World Bank and IMF debt, leaving it unable to access the multilateral credit needed to rebuild its economy.
Britain's former Africa minister, Peter Hain, said Mugabe's methods had changed from 2008, when at least 200 people, almost all of them Tsvangirai supporters, were killed, but that the entrenched president's disdain for a free and fair vote had not.
"In the past, he's relied more on brute force and violence. This time it's all sorts of double-deeds," Hain told Reuters. "It will be very hard for sanctions to be lifted if the outcome is as it looks to be - namely an election by bribery and constitutional chicanery."

Lamar Odom Trashes Paparazzi's Car And Cameras Over Infidelity Questions

As a member of the Kardashian clan he courts publicity - even starring in his own breakout reality show.
But it seems Lamar Odom, 33, finally tired of the attention as he turned on the paparazzi in dramatic fashion on Wednesday, just as a bus full of tourists drove by.
The towering 6ft 10 basketball player lost his temper as he walked up to a photographer's car and threw all of his equipment out onto the road, while the stunned sightseers looked on.

It came after the photographer repeatedly asked him about claims he cheated on Khloe Kardashian. (A woman all she had a year-long affair with him in a US tabloid this week).

He initially remained calm despite his irritation, saying: 'I would never cheat on my wife, that's why I wear my wedding ring.'

But after persistent questioning, he asked the photographer for his name and then said: 'I'm gonna step out the car and I'm gonna talk to you.'
Later, when the photographer pleads for his equipment back, he replies: 'Shut up.'
Photographs show the reality star rifling through the back of a car belonging to one of the photographers and furiously throwing his camera and equipment into the middle of the street.
Lamar then walked over to another photographer's car holding what looked like a tripod while the cameraman stood by, allegedly smashing the car.

He then proceeded to pick up the equipment from the middle of the street and put it in his own car, while carrying the metal rod.
Witnesses claimed Odom snapped after demanding to speak 'man to man' with the paparazzi who Khloe later tweeted had allegedly 'violated their private property' after sneaking into their gated area.
She also claimed the photographer was same pap involved 'in a hit and run' with brother Rob.
When they continued to take his photo, it is claimed, Odom turned on them.
A group of people in a celebrity tour bus happened to be driving past, and the delighted tourists stopped to watch and film the commotion.
Oddly a fan jumped out of her car after the incident to have her picture taken with the star - and taking a break from his rage he politely obliges.

Lamar's angry behaviour is especially bizarre considering the fact he and his wife and her family are known for actively courting the press.
A publicist for the family did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the photos.
However sources close to Lamar's wife Khloe have told MailOnline that the split rumours couldn't be further from the truth.
'They're more in love than ever,' a source explains.
They added: 'Khloe did not kick Lamar out of the house, they are 100% fine.'
According to Star magazine, Khloe had kicked Lamar out of the house after discovering he had been cheating on her since at least January last year.
The report named 29-year-old brunette Jennifer Richardson, who Lamar supposedly met at the Stadium Club strip club in Washington D.C. after he played a game for the Dallas Mavericks.

Rivers Assembly Fracas: Soyinka, Falana Slam Jonathan

As the crisis rocking the Rivers State House of Assembly degenerated with the removal of soldiers guarding Governor Rotimi Amaechi, the Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka and Femi Falana this morning criticised President Goodluck Jonathan’s handling of the matter.
Addressing a press conference this morning, both of them agreed that the country had passed this road before and is not what the country should be doing now.
Soyinka said: “I’m insulted by what is going on in Rivers State. We have been through this before. Why is the Presidency boring us. There are serious issues confronting us.
“This is the time the president should be mobilizing the entire country for positive things. This is the time the President should worry about how to protect our little children being murdered in their schools.
“Instead, he’s busy reducing the authority of an elected governor in Rivers State.”
He asked rhetorically: “will no one rid me of this pestilence?”
He also condemned Jonathan, saying his silence and indifference have created an enabling environment for his followers who are acting in Rivers State with impunity.
In his own comment, Lagos lawyer, Femi Falana cited various sections of the constitution which condemn what is going on in Rivers State.
He said an elected Speaker of the House of Assembly can only be removed by 2/3 majority of members of the House.
Falana explained that the Supreme court made it clear that any business conducted outside of the legislature can’t stand. He cited the cases of Plateau and Oyo states to buttress his point.
He said what is going on in Rivers State is absurd and odious. According to him, the silence of the President wherever he may be is a confirmation of what is going in Rivers State.
He then called on the Inspector General of Police to remove the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, Mr. Joseph Mbu, who has violated the code of conduct of the police.
He insisted the officers should be removed, not transferred.

Source: PM News

Amaechi Raises Alarm Over Safety After Soldiers, APCs Are Removed From Govt House

The embattled governor of Rivers state, Rotimi Amaechi, has raised the alarm about his safety after military authorities abruptly withdrew soldiers detailed to the Rivers State Government House on Wednesday in a new twist to the political tumult that has enveloped the state.
Mr. Amaechi told PREMIUM TIMES late Wednesday that while police and State Security Service operatives remained with him, he could not predict how things might turn out within the next hours in an utterly fast-paced set of events unfolding in the state since Tuesday.
“Although I feel safe at this time, you never can tell what may happen even this night,” the governor said Wednesday night in response to a PREMIUM TIMES telephone enquiry.
His fears resonated as the over more than two dozens soldiers attached to his office and residence were suddenly withdrawn on Wednesday, leaving behind a police detachment that has been accused of indifference, or even complicity, in the series of crises bedeviling the state for months.
The soldiers were reportedly asked to leave on the orders of the state Brigade Commander. It is not clear who ordered the commander to withdraw the officers.
Army spokesperson, Brigadier General Bolaji Koleoso, did not comment when reached by PREMIUM TIMES. A man who answered our call on his behalf said Mr. Koleoso was away and would respond to our enquiries on his return. He is yet to return our call.
The withdrawal of the soldiers came several hours after federal lawmakers at the Senate and the House of Representatives spent the entire legislative sessions Wednesday discussing the crisis that began after five members of the state House of Assembly, opposed to Mr. Amaechi, moved to impeach the Speaker who enjoys the backing of 27 members.
The Speaker, Mr. Otelemaba Amachree, survived the plot. But the impeachment call by lawmakers led by Evans Bipi, who himself sought to take over the office, only manifested months of repressed acrimony; and the violence that followed left four lawmakers hospitalized.
At the centre of the crisis is the spat between Mr. Amaechi and President Goodluck Jonathan over the 2015 election. The renegade legislators are said to be backed by a faction of the state Peoples Democratic Party supported by the president.
An infuriated National Assembly passed separate motions sternly condemning the turn of events, especially how only five lawmakers could claim to have impeached a speaker, and how the state police commissioner failed to stem the violence in the chamber.
The House asked for the immediate redeployment of the police chief, Joseph Mbu; and invoked its constitutional powers to assume the legislative functions of the crisis-ridden state assembly.
The Senate said it needed further investigation to be certain of an appropriate response, but warned of tougher actions and a willingness to defend the constitution “even if it means sacrificing” members’ blood.
As the deliberations held, reports of gunfire near the state government house in Port Harcourt emerged, stoking fears of a large-scale breakdown of law and order- a concern the House of Representatives cited as reason for what some view as a hasty takeover by the House.
That decision, meanwhile, will require the concurrence of the Senate to be effective.
But hours after the vote, Mr. Amaechi and other state officials told PREMIUM TIMES the soldiers were recalled from their posts and the Armoured Personnel Carrier positioned closed to the Government House driving away. As commander-in-chief, Mr. Jonathan receives briefing on such decisions, but it is not clear whether he is privy to the actions taken by the Brigade Commander in Port Harcourt
The president, who is away on a state visit to China, has not sent in a comment on the events 48 hours after.
But after an opposition party, Action Congress of Nigeria, accused the president of having a hand in the crisis, calling for his impeachment, a presidential spokesperson, Doyin Okupe, scrambled a response, denying Mr. Jonathan’s culpability.
“The President is not, has not and will never engineer any act that can cause disaffection between Governor Rotimi Amaechi or any other Governor and the state legislature or any other institution of government,” Mr. Okupe said.
Meanwhile, a security source in the state said the violence in the state might worsen in the days ahead if urgent steps were not taken to check the influx of cultists and militants into Port Harcourt.
He said information at his disposal suggested that 10 flying boats and four busloads of fully armed militants had invaded the city in the past 24 hours and might wreck havoc if not checked.
PREMIUM TIMES was unable to independently confirm the claim.

Source: Premium Source

HORRIBLE: Baby Without Brain Born In Kaduna

A woman believed to be in her 30’s yesterday gave birth to what appears to be a baby without a brain at the General hospital Kagarko, Kagarko local government area of Kaduna State.
It was gathered that the woman delivered her baby early yesterday morning in the hands of nurses and midwives at the hospital.
Recall that only on Monday, a woman had given birth to a monkey-like baby at the same hospital. A health worker at the hospital told our correspondent that the baby which later died after delivery was born abnormal.
“The events of the past two days are making everybody scared in the area. We cannot understand why things like these are happening in our local government,” he said.
“What is happening requires medical explanation. We need to know whether it is human error or a miracle.”
When contacted on phone, the medical director of the hospital, Dr. Habila Kambai, said that the baby was born with a “very small head.”

China And Nigeria Sign $1.1bn Deal

Nigeria and China, on Wednesday, signed five agreements to boost financial, trade, economic, technical and cultural relations between the two countries.
Both President Goodluck Jonathan and President Xi Jinping of China presided over the signing of the agreements in Beijing in the course of the ongoing state visit by President Jonathan to the Asian country.
According to a Presidency statement issued in Abuja, on Wednesday, the agreements, which were signed after bilateral talks between the two leaders and their delegations included the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Financial Cooperation In Support of Nigeria’s Economic Development and a Preferential Buyer Credit Agreement for Nigeria’s Four Airports Expansion Project.
Others were a new Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation between Nigeria and China, an agreement on Mutual Visa Exemption for holders of diplomatic and official passports from both countries and an agreement for the Prevention of the Theft, Illicit Import and Export of Cultural Property.
Speaking before the commencement of the talks, Jonathan thanked President Jinping and the people of China for the warm reception accorded him and the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, since their arrival in Beijing on Wednesday.
The statement said that Jonathan assured his host that the Federal Government was fully committed to sustaining and developing the strategic partnership between Nigeria and China for the mutual benefit of the two countries and their people.

BREAKING NEWS!!!

The Army In Sokoto Is Currently In A Gun Battle With Some Gunmen. Shootings And Explosions Could Be Heard All Over The Area. Details Later! 

3-Storey Building Collapses In Kaduna

Residents of Hadeja Road in Kaduna metropolis have been thrown in wailing and mourning, following the collapse of a three-storey building.
LEADERSHIP gathered that several persons have been trapped in the collapsed building and rescue is yet to commence even after two hours..
Members of the public that could have helped to rescue victims, are also scared of going close to the scene, as our correspondent reports that the building is still collapsing.
Meanwhile, four persons who sustained severe injuries have been rescued by some brave youths and are presently receiving treatment.

FG Targets 18 Hours Uninterrupted Power Supply In 2014

The Federal Government on Wednesday said Nigerians will enjoy 18 hours uninterrupted power supply from 2014 when most of the current investments in the sector would have been completed.
Yerima Ngama, minister of state for finance, stated this while briefing State House correspondents shortly after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by Vice President Namadi Sambo.
Ngama, who spoke against the background of recent allegations from the House of Representatives that government was starving the power sector of fund, stressed that the “Ministry of Power has enjoyed tremendous release of funds” from the finance ministry and that Nigerians should be patient with government as it gradually rolls out the power projects that will guarantee up to 18 hours of electricity to consumers by 2014 as promised.
He declared also that the power sector had enjoyed the best of attention from the current administration, adding that the Ministry of Power actualises its mandate of providing adequate electricity supply for Nigerians.
He also cited the oversubscribed $1 billion bond floated by the Federal Government to fund electricity infrastructure in the country, as well as release of appropriate funds for power sector reforms.

Suspected Terrorist Killed In Joint Army, SSS Operation In Sokoto

A suspected terrorist has been killed in Sokoto after a shoot out with soldiers and operatives of the State Security Services (SSS) on Thursday, the News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) reports.
Brig.-Gen. Tasi'u Ibrahim, the Commander, 1 Brigade, Nigerian Army, said the suspect was killed in the operation which lasted for about six hours at Gidan-Dare, near Kalambaina area of the city.
He also said one suspect was captured alive, while 11 members of the suspects' family, ``were rescued and secured''.
Ibrahim told a press conference in Sokoto after the operation that, six of those rescued were children while five were women, adding also that two of the women were pregnant.
The pregnant women are now receiving ante-natal care at the Brigade’s clinic," he said.
The commander disclosed that the joint operation was carried out following a tip-off, adding, ``the house was being used as a terrorist hide-out''.
The operation was clinically and carefully carried out in line with the existing global rules of engagement,’’ he assured.
Ibrahim listed some of the weapons recovered from the house to include: Six AK 47 and one pump action rifles, 13 IED Prima clocks and an Abuja vehicle plate number, EL 295 ABJ .
Other items were : 13 ammunition magazines, 7 Improvised Explosive Devices making materials, 32 (9 volts) batteries, one axe, four handsets, 56 SIM cards, three memory cards, 10 cartons of milk and N76, 685 cash, among others.
This group of people do not wish Nigeria and the state well. In this Holy month of Ramadan one may wonder how these people are bent on breaching the peace.
All well meaning and law abiding Nigerians will continue to be protected and secured. The Army will make every effort to ensure that the innocent do not suffer,'' he said.
Ibrahim commended the people of the state for their sustained cooperation to the security agencies, but cautioned them against renting their houses to unknown persons,
NAN reports that the house was immediately demolished and set ablaze after the operation.
The press conference was attended by the Commander, 55 Forward Operation Base, Nigeria Air Force, Sokoto, Air Commodore Hanbali Tukur, Commissioner of Police Shu’aibu Gambo and Director SSS Jubril Danmalam.

Kim Kardashian And Kanye West Name Baby North West: Reports

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West welcomed their first child five days ago, but the baby girl's name was still a mystery until now. The couple has named their newborn North, making the baby's full name North West, according to multiple reports.
They plan to call the baby girl Nori for short, according to E! News, citing a source close to the couple.
Gossip site TMZ was the first to break the news, citing North's birth certificate.
Kardashian has stayed out of the public eye since the birth of her daughter. "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" executive producer and radio host Ryan Seacrest said earlier this week he emailed Kardashian moments after she gave birth to congratulate the 32-year-old, to which she responded, "Can't believe it! It's so crazy!"
Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner appeared on the red carpet during the Daytime Emmys Sunday night, telling reporters her newest granddaughter is "doing great."
"We're all fine. We're all good and extremely happy and thrilled for the new baby," Jenner said.
Kardashian was admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in West Hollywood, Calif., Saturday after she went into labor.
The reality-TV star initially revealed the sex of her bundle of joy on her E! reality show.
"I'm so excited we're having a girl. Who doesn't want a girl?" Kardashian said. "They are the best and I know that's really what Kanye has always wanted. He wanted a little girl."

Michael Jackson May Have Been The Only Person In The World To Go For 60 Days Without Proper Sleep, Claims Expert

Michael Jackson may have been the only human to go two months without proper sleep, it has emerged.
A leading sleep expert has said he has never before heard of any person who has gone 60 days with Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep.
The revelations emerged during testimony by Dr. Charles Czeisler, a Harvard Medical School sleep expert, at the wrongful death trial of concert promoter AEG LIve.
Michael Jackson's mother Katherine is suing AEG Live, claiming it failed to properly investigate her son's personal doctor Conrad Murray and missed warning signs about his failing health.
Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2011 after giving Jackson a lethal dose of the anesthetic propofol.
As reported by CNN, the jury was told by Dr Czeisler that the 60 nights of propofol infusions which Dr Murray said he gave Jackson to treat insomnia has never before been undertaken.
Dr Czeisler told the jury that the drug does not offer REM sleep and disrupts the normal sleep cycle.
But its leaves those who take it refreshed and feeling as though they have had a proper night's sleep.
The doctor told the jury that the lack of REM sleep could eventually have taken the singer's life had he not have died when did.
The jury was told that rats tested by scientists died after five weeks of no REM sleep.
People who are deprived of REM sleep for long periods become depressed, paranoid and filled with anxiety. These are symptoms which Jackson was said to be suffering from in his final weeks.
'It would be like eating some sort of cellulose pellets instead of dinner,' he said. 'Your stomach would be full and you would not be hungry, but it would be zero calories and not fulfill any of your nutrition needs.'
Lawyers acting for AEG Live have said it was Jackson who chose and hired Murray. They say executives could not have known about the dangerous propofol treatments
The trial continues.

Indonesia Will Not Apologise To Singapore For Haze: Foreign Minister

Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa has said the Indonesian government will not issue an apology to its Singaporean counterpart for the haze crisis but he insisted that the government would do everything it could to tackle the problem.
“The Singaporean government must be aware that we have done all we can to tackle this haze problem. Indonesia has been dealing with this for years and improvements have been made,” Mr Natalegawa said as quoted by kompass.com on Friday.
He said both governments had worked hand-in-hand to tackle the problem, sharing information regarding the latest situation on the ground.
For example, he said, Singapore’s environment minister had been sent here to discuss the best possible solutions with his Indonesian counterpart.
Currently visibility in the city-state is very limited and air pollution has breached ‘hazardous’ levels. Similar conditions are also being seen in Indonesian cities like Pekanbaru in Riau and Jambi. The haze is coming from fires in many locations in Sumatra and West Kalimantan.

Indonesia To Kill Fire With Artificial Rain

Indonesia will drop salts into clouds to induce rain in an attempt to douse forest fires that have choked parts of the country and neighbouring Singapore and Malaysia, an official said on Friday.
Two helicopters have been dispatched to Riau province on Sumatra island, where forest fires have raged for days, said Heru Widodo, the head of the government-run Weather Modification Technology Centre.
A C-130 Hercules cargo plane would follow on Saturday, he said.
"We will start cloud seeding tomorrow [Saturday], if the situation permits," he said.
Cloud seeding involves firing salt-based chemicals into clouds to force out rain.
A similar method was used to try to divert rain away from the capital Jakarta following flooding in February.