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Monday 22 January 2018

Court orders inquiry into demolition of Patience Jonathan's property



  1. Court orders inquiry into demolition of Patience Jonathan’s property  The Punch
  2. Court orders probe of Patience Jonathan’s property’s demolition  The Nation Newspaper

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Court orders inquiry into demolition of Patience Jonathan's property



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Entertainment: Jelena Dokic Recounts Her Rise in Tennis With an Abusive Father

Jelena Dokic

In the soaring but turbulent career of the tennis star Jelena Dokic, any highs quickly fell victim to a deeper low.

“A lot of my good memories — or what should have been good memories,” Dokic said in an interview, “have something dark behind them.”

Dokic, whose Serbian family fled war-ravaged Yugoslavia for Australia, went through many of those extremes at the Australian Open, which began here last Monday. Her last major success came with a quarterfinal run here in 2009, but it was ultimately an isolated triumph in the late stages of a tragic, trying career.

Dokic recounts her journey in exhaustive detail in “Unbreakable,” a book written with Jessica Halloran, an Australian journalist, and set to be released in paperback in the United States on Feb. 1. It is a chilling account of the relentless physical, verbal and emotional abuse Dokic says she suffered from her father as she ascended the ranks of junior and professional tennis, peaking at No. 4 in the WTA rankings in 2002.

First published by Penguin Random House Australia in November, the book opens with the end of Dokic’s deepest Grand Slam run, to the Wimbledon semifinals in 2000 when she was just 17. She writes that her father, Damir Dokic, banished her from returning to the family’s hotel room after the semifinal loss, calling her pathetic, an embarrassment and a “hopeless cow.” She then hid out on a couch in the Wimbledon players’ lounge until 11 p.m., when a cleaning woman found her.

“I knew that it was always going to be important to get the message out, because I knew everything that was going on that people didn’t know about,” Dokic said. “I’ve been thinking about it for a while and I just wasn’t ready until now.”

Dokic first made a splash on the tennis scene at Wimbledon in 1999, stunning top-seeded Martina Hingis, 6-2, 6-0, in the first round on her way to the quarterfinals. A year later, she reached the semifinals at Wimbledon and at the Sydney Olympics.

Though her rise was swift, her father’s dark, looming interference consistently eclipsed her bright career. His public outbursts at Grand Slam tournaments were well documented, from smashing a reporter’s phone at Wimbledon to throwing salmon at the players’ restaurant at the U.S. Open because he considered it overpriced. But Jelena Dokic was reluctant to acknowledge the abuse during her career.

“I wish I had done it while I was playing, but it just wasn’t the time,” Dokic said. “I wasn’t ready to talk about it.”

(BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM.)

The cruelty began in Yugoslavia, where Dokic spotted bodies floating in a river. She eventually fled Croatia for Australia with her ethnically Serbian family when she was a small child. She enjoyed picking up tennis, but pressure from her father to excel in the sport, she says, quickly became violent.

“His huge right hand strikes my 6-year-old cheeks — once, twice, three times rapidly,” she writes of what she described as her first beating. “The shock of the smack is more severe than the pain of his hand against my cheek. He has never done this.”

By the time she was 14, the police were called to the family’s hotel room amid a beating at a junior tournament, and her father was taken into custody. Jelena Dokic denied the abuse.

“I won’t budge,” she writes. “I don’t even cry now. I am emotionless. I treat the Victoria Police like an opponent on the tennis court; I don’t give them a thing. I am cold. They can’t break me.”

(END OPTIONAL TRIM.)

Though her tennis career took off here, Dokic often felt ostracized and isolated in Australia, which she believes was caused by jealousy and xenophobia, as well as her father’s behavior.

“You wouldn’t have to speak English to know that we, the Dokics, are not welcome,” she writes. “There’s palpable annoyance that a Serbian refugee has been awarded a state tennis scholarship. Even though I have won everything, beaten everyone, am No. 1 in Australia in multiple age groups, it’s evident that some parents don’t think a foreign kid with an erratic father who rattles the fence to distract their children from serving correctly should be getting help from the Institute.”

Dokic now contends that members of the news media who glibly covered her father’s outbursts should have shown more concern for the teenage girl in his grips and understood that his private behavior was likely worse.

(BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM.)

Many in Australian tennis suspected that Damir Dokic was abusive, and some even said they saw bruises on Jelena’s body.

Now that she is opening up about the abuse she once denied, the tennis community is responding. In a statement after her book’s release, Tennis Australia praised Jelena Dokic’s courage and defended its actions during her playing days.

“There were many in tennis at the time who were concerned for Jelena’s welfare, and many who tried to assist with what was a difficult family situation,” the federation said in the statement. “Some officials even went as far as lodging police complaints, which, without cooperation from those directly involved, unfortunately could not be fully investigated.”

(END OPTIONAL TRIM.)

Dokic now writes that persistent beatings occurred as she traveled the tour with her father — including one long session in Montreal in 1999 that left her nearly unconscious. She finally broke free from him in 2002, but she also lost his direction and discipline, which had brought her to the top of the sport.

“As much as he did negative things, he had certain things he did provide for me,” she said in the interview. “My father definitely knew, tenniswise, what he was doing. Everything was organized, and the decisions that he was making tenniswise were the correct ones.”

Except one.

Dokic’s father had forced her to switch from representing Australia to representing her native Yugoslavia in 2001, which alienated many in Australia and deprived her of support once she left him. When she faced top-seeded Lindsay Davenport in the first round of the Australian Open after switching, the crowd expressed its displeasure.

“Even with all the physical abuse and everything else, that’s actually the one thing that I could take back, if I could,” Dokic said. “I never wanted to do that, and I never agreed with it. It was a disgraceful decision and something that I really hated that he did and made me do.”

Eventually Dokic was again representing Australia after navigating the depths of a depression that had her considering suicide. She made a fairy-tale run to the quarterfinals of the Australian Open in 2009 but was unable to sustain the surge.

That year, Dokic first acknowledged some abuse at her father’s hands, in an interview with the Australian magazine Sport & Style. Damir Dokic did not deny the accusations but played them down, telling the Serbian newspaper Blic that “there was no child that was not beaten by parents — the same with Jelena.”

Damir Dokic then threatened to blow up Claire Bergin, the Australian ambassador to Serbia, and was arrested and jailed for 15 months after the police found a cache of weapons in his home. It is the only jail sentence he has served. He could not be reached for comment for this article.

Jelena Dokic, 34, was wrapping up her tennis career by 2013.

“I love tennis. I always have, and I always will,” she said. “Even though I’ve had a lot of bad moments ultimately because of tennis, I would still definitely recommend the sport.”

Though the issue has not received as much attention in recent years, tour contemporaries of Dokic’s such as Mirjana Lucic-Baroni and Mary Pierce also said they had dealt with abusive fathers, and such abuse was seen as endemic in women’s tennis at the turn of the millennium.

Dokic said she had not spoken to other players who had suffered similarly but hoped her book would help.

“My book can change a lot of things,” she said. “The conversation has now started on these things, what can be done. That’s a positive thing.”

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

Entertainment: Jelena Dokic Recounts Her Rise in Tennis With an Abusive Father



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Opinion: There Is Nothing Virtual About Bitcoin's Energy Appetite

Cloud Hashing, a company that does Bitcoin mining, runs servers in Iceland that are housed at VerneGlobal in Reykjavik, Iceland, Dec. 9, 2013. Creating a single cryptocurrency token requires as much electricity as two years’ worth of consumption by an average American home.

SAN FRANCISCO — Creating a new bitcoin requires electricity. A lot of it.

In the virtual currency world this creation process is called “mining.” There is no physical digging, since bitcoins are purely digital.

But the computer power needed to create each digital token consumes at least as much electricity as the average American household burns through in two years, according to figures from Morgan Stanley and Alex de Vries, an economist who tracks energy use in the industry.

The total network of computers plugged into the bitcoin network consumes as much energy each day as some medium-size countries — which country depends on whose estimates you believe. And the network supporting Ethereum, the second-most valuable virtual currency, gobbles up another country’s worth of electricity each day.

The energy consumption of these systems has risen as the prices of virtual currencies have skyrocketed, leading to a vigorous debate among Bitcoin and Ethereum enthusiasts about burning so much electricity.

The creator of Ethereum, Vitalik Buterin, is leading an experiment with a more energy-efficient way to create tokens, in part because of his concern about the effect that the network’s electricity use could have on global warming.

“I would personally feel very unhappy if my main contribution to the world was adding Cyprus’ worth of electricity consumption to global warming,” Buterin said in an interview.

But many virtual currency aficionados argue that the energy consumption is worth it for the grander cause of securing the Bitcoin and Ethereum networks and making a new kind of financial infrastructure, free from the meddling of banks or governments.

“The electricity usage is really essential,” said Peter Van Valkenburgh, the director of research at Coin Center, a group that advocates for virtual currency technology. “Because of the costs, we know the only people participating are serious, that they are economically invested. That creates the incentives for cooperation.”

This dispute has its foundations in the complex systems that produce tokens like bitcoin; ether, the currency on the Ethereum network; and many other new virtual currencies.

All of the computers trying to mine tokens are in a computational race, trying to find a particular, somewhat random answer to a math algorithm. The algorithm is so complicated that the only way to get the answer is to make lots of guesses. The more guesses, the better a computer’s chances. But each time the computers try new guesses, they use computational power and electricity.

The lure of new bitcoins encourages people to use lots of fast computers, and lots of electricity, to find the right answer and unlock the new bitcoins that are distributed every 10 minutes or so.

(BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM.)

This process was defined by the original bitcoin software, released in 2009. The goal was to distribute new coins to people on the Bitcoin network without a central institution handing out the money.

Early on, it was possible to win the contest with just a laptop computer. But the rules of the network dictate that as more computers join in the race, the algorithm automatically adjusts to get harder, requiring anyone who wants to compete to use more computers and more electricity.

These days, the 12.5 bitcoins that are handed out every 10 minutes or so are worth about $145,000, so people have been willing to invest astronomical sums to participate in this race, which has in turn made the race harder. This explains why there are now enormous server farms around the world dedicated to mining bitcoins.

This process is central to bitcoin’s existence because in the process of mining, all the computers are also serving as accountants for the Bitcoin network. The algorithm the computers solve requires them to also keep track of all the new transactions coming onto the network.

(END OPTIONAL TRIM.)

The mining race is meant to be hard so that no one can dominate the accounting and fudge the records. In the 2008 paper that first described bitcoin, the mysterious creator of the virtual currency, Satoshi Nakamoto, wrote that the system was designed to thwart a “greedy attacker” who might want to alter the records and “defraud people by stealing back his payments.” Because of the mining and accounting rules, the attacker “ought to find it more profitable to play by the rules.”

The rules have kept attackers at bay in the nine years since the network got going. Without this process, most computer scientists agree, bitcoin would not work.

But there is disagreement over the real value of bitcoin and the network that supports it.

For people who consider bitcoin nothing more than a speculative bubble — or a speculative bubble that has enabled online drug sales and ransom payments — any new contribution toward global warming is probably not worth it.

But bitcoin aficionados counter that it has allowed for the creation of the first financial network with no government or company in charge. In countries like Zimbabwe and Argentina, bitcoin has sometimes provided a more stable place to park money than the local currency. And in countries with more stable economies, bitcoin has led to a flurry of new investments, jobs and startup companies.

“Labeling bitcoin mining as a ‘waste’ is a failure to look at the big picture,” Marc Bevand, a miner and analyst, wrote on his blog. The jobs alone, he added, “are a direct, measurable and positive impact that bitcoin already made on the economy.”

But even some people who are interested in all that innovation have worried about the enormous electrical use.

De Vries, who keeps track of the use on the site Digiconomist, estimated that each bitcoin transaction currently required 80,000 times more electricity to process than each Visa credit card transaction, for example.

(BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM.)

“Visa is more centralized,” de Vries said. “If you really distrust the financial system, maybe that is unattractive. But is that difference really worth the additional energy cost? I think for most people that is probably not worth the case.”

The figures published by de Vries have been criticized by Bevand and other bitcoin fans, who say they overstate the energy costs by a factor of about three. Many critics add that producing and securing physical money and gold also require lots of energy, in some cases as much as or more than bitcoin uses.

Van Valkenburgh, of the Coin Center, has argued that bitcoin miners, who can do the work anywhere, have an incentive to situate themselves near cheap, often green energy sources, especially now that coal-guzzling China appears to be exiting the mining business. Several mining companies have opened server farms near geothermal energy in Iceland and hydroelectric power in Washington state.

(END OPTIONAL TRIM.)

But the concerns about electricity use have still hit home with many in the industry. The virtual currencies known as Ripple and Stellar, which were created after bitcoin, were designed not to require electrically demanding mining.

Perhaps the biggest change could come from the new mining process proposed by Buterin for Ethereum, a process that some smaller currencies are already using. Known as “proof of stake,” it distributes new coins to people who are able to prove their ownership of existing coins — their stake in the system.

The current method, which relies so heavily on computational power, is called “proof of work.” Under that method, the accounts and people who get new coins do not need existing tokens. They just need lots of computers to take part in the computational race.

Energy concerns are not the only factor encouraging the move. Buterin also believes that the new method, which is likely to be rolled out over the next year, will allow for a less centralized network of computers overseeing the system.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

Opinion: There Is Nothing Virtual About Bitcoin's Energy Appetite



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Carles Puigdemont: court rejects new bid to arrest Catalan ex-president



  1. Carles Puigdemont: court rejects new bid to arrest Catalan ex-president  The Guardian
  2. The Latest: Judge Refuses Intl Arrest Warrant for Puigdemont  U.S. News & World Report
  3. Catalonia’s Puigdemont Is Put Forth For President, Despite New Calls For Arrest  NPR

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Carles Puigdemont: court rejects new bid to arrest Catalan ex-president



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Injury-ravaged Vermaelen suffers fresh setback at Barcelona

Barcelona's Thomas Vermaelen.

The Belgium international defender has been ruled out for a fortnight by the La Liga leaders with a hamstring problem

Injury-ravaged Vermaelen suffers fresh setback at Barcelona



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CHAN 2018: Zambia will not underestimate Namibia

Ernest Mbewe: There were several excellent Zambia performers in their 3-1 victory over Uganda, with Lazarous Kambole and Fackson Kapumbu both catching the eye. However, it was Mbewe whose influence ultimately broke the deadlock, as his pace on the coun...

Zambia will approach their match against Namibia with all the seriousness despite having qualified for the quarter finals

CHAN 2018: Zambia will not underestimate Namibia



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Ill-health stalls Metuh’s trial

THE trial of former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Olisa Metuh, was stalled on Monday at the Federal High Court, Abuja, due to his ill–health. Metuh, who is standing trial alongside his company, Destra Investment […]

The post Ill-health stalls Metuh’s trial appeared first on Tribune.

Ill-health stalls Metuh’s trial



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Kaka faults Buhari over Fulani herdsmen activities

A former member of the National Assembly, Senator Gbenga Kaka, has faulted the manner in which President Muhammadu Buhari is handling the nefarious activities of the Fulani herdsmen across the nation. He said that the […]

The post Kaka faults Buhari over Fulani herdsmen activities appeared first on Tribune.

Kaka faults Buhari over Fulani herdsmen activities



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Breaking new: George Weah sworn in as Liberia’s 24th president

NCS intercepts 2,200 jerry cans of smuggled petrol

Lassa Fever: Kogi doctor dies after contracting disease

Kogi doctor dies after contracting Lassa Fever

The 30-year-old medical doctor died at a medical centre in Edo State.

A medical doctor of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Lokoja, Kogi State, who was recently diagnosed with Lassa Fever, has died.

According to a report by The Cable, the doctor, Idowu Ahmad, died at the Federal Medical Centre, Irrua, Edo State, on Sunday, January 21, 2018 after he was transferred there on Saturday, January 20.

Ahmad was diagnosed with the disease on Friday, January 19 after a laboratory analysis of his blood in Irrua came back positive.

Ahmad was 30 years old when he died.

Lassa Fever: Kogi doctor dies after contracting disease



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Olu Falae: Police promises to arrest herdsmen who burnt politician’s farm

Police promises to arrest herdsmen who burnt Falae’s farm

Police says it is chasing herdsmen who set Falae's farm on fire.

The Ondo State police command says it is on the trail of persons who razed the farm of former secretary to the government of the federation, Olu Falae.

At about 5pm on Sunday, suspected herdsmen torched the farm located on Igbatoro road in Akure, Ondo State.

Fulani herdsmen have been blamed for the attack. However, Pulse hasn’t been able to confirm that they are the culprits, at the time of filing this story.

Fire

Speaking to newsmen, Femi Joseph who is spokesperson of the Ondo state police command, said the police is trying to put out the fire and is on the trail of the suspects.

“I can confirm that the place is on fire and our men are there trying to put it out”, Joseph told Premium Times.

“But I cannot confirm that those involved were Fulani herdsmen because we have not made any arrest. It is only after an arrest that we can ascertain those who set it on fire.

“Even Falae said he suspected that they were Fulani herdsmen, he himself did not see them".

Kidnap

On Monday, September 21, 2015, Falae was kidnapped on his farm by a group of Fulani herdsmen.

Falae sought the job of president of Nigeria in 1999 but lost the vote to the PDP backed Olusegun Obasanjo

Olu Falae: Police promises to arrest herdsmen who burnt politician’s farm



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Real Madrid icon Ronaldo reveals Championship ambition

The legendary Brazilian is eager to get into club ownership and is setting his sights on acquiring a second tier side in England or Spain

Real Madrid icon Ronaldo reveals Championship ambition



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January transfer news & rumours: Alexis pictured in Man Utd shirt after medical

Goal takes a look at the biggest transfer rumours from the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A and beyond as we head into the winter window

January transfer news & rumours: Alexis pictured in Man Utd shirt after medical



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Shoprite operator in Nigeria ordered to pay $10m for breach of contract



  1. Shoprite operator in Nigeria ordered to pay $10m for breach of contract  Daily Post Nigeria

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Shoprite operator in Nigeria ordered to pay m for breach of contract



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Fire kills triplets, brother in Jigawa



  1. Fire kills triplets, brother in Jigawa  The Punch

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Fire kills triplets, brother in Jigawa



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I do not hate the Fulani race… by Fani-Kayode

I do not hate the Fulani race… by Fani-Kayode

‘Abia Accident Trauma Centre 70% Completed’

Umuahia – The Accident Trauma Centre being built by the Abia State government that would take care of accident victims is 70 per cent completed, Kingsley Megwara, the General Manager of the State Passengers Integrated Manifest Safety.

Scheme (ASPIMSS,) has disclosed.

Megwara told INDEPENDENT in Umuahia that the project was the brainchild of Governor Okezie ikpeazu when he was the agency’s general manager.

Said he: “You see, Dr. Ikpeazu started that project and that is one of his babies. That is why we are doing everything in our power to make sure that the edifice is completed and that we do what we are supposed to do there.”

The governor in his vision has a special dream for the trauma centre.

“As we speak, approval has been given for procurement of the equipment once the edifice is completed. That would give us the advantage of taking care of accident victims within the centre, as we normally take them to other hospitals.

“We will be on course to have that edifice not just completed but properly equipped. The trauma centre is of very critical value to the governor’s overall dream of saving lives here in Abia State, and we are trying hard to key into that dream.”

According to Megwara, plans are also on top gear to recruit more hands once the edifice is completed.

“Not quite long ago, the Commissioner for Health visited our office and I know that there are plans to recruit doctors and nurses to help that trauma centre once it is completed and commissioned.”

The post ‘Abia Accident Trauma Centre 70% Completed’ appeared first on Independent Nigeria.

‘Abia Accident Trauma Centre 70% Completed’



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Herdsmen Violence: Sultan-led JNI attacks CAN over statements



  1. Herdsmen Violence: Sultan-led JNI attacks CAN over statements  TVC News

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Herdsmen Violence: Sultan-led JNI attacks CAN over statements



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I Will Be Liberal With Nigeria’s Prominent Religions – Gani Adams

Lagos – Aare Gani Adams, newly installed Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yoruba land, has said that though his position as the Aare Ona Kakanfo was purely a traditional title, he would be liberal with Nigeria’s three prominent religions, namely Christianity, Islam and Traditional Religion.

Adams stated this at the weekend when he worshipped at Ijo Orunmila Adulawo in Ebute Meta, Lagos as part of activities to praise God for the successful hosting of his installation as the 15th Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba Land.

In his sermon, Chief Awodiran Agboola, who welcomed Adams and his entourage to Ijo Orunmila Adulawo, described the Aare Ona Kakanfo as a symbol of peace and urged him to continually use his prestigious position to preach peace and unity across the country.

“You are a worthy son and blessing to Nigeria and the Yoruba race as a whole. We prayed that God would continue to bless you with long life, so that you can fulfill all your dreams in life,” he said.

He urged Adams to appeal to Federal Government to give traditional worshippers more attention and support, stating that the traditional worshippers have been abandoned which is not so in other countries.

Expressing his appreciation, Adams said, “I’m here today to worship with you and also to identify with you because my position is purely traditional title but I have to be liberal with the three prominent religions we practised in the country.

“Last Saturday, I played host to over 70 thousand guests in Oyo, and the event was hitch- free, without complains or casualties, so there is need to thank God for the success recorded at the event. Today, we are going to observe our thanksgiving service with you, here in Ijo Orunmila and tomorrow, we shall also visit the Genesis Global Church, Alakuko, Lagos, to observe the thanksgiving service.”

The post I Will Be Liberal With Nigeria’s Prominent Religions – Gani Adams appeared first on Independent Nigeria.

I Will Be Liberal With Nigeria’s Prominent Religions – Gani Adams



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Real Madrid & Barcelona January transfer news LIVE: Ronaldo to take pay cut for Man Utd

Goal brings you all the latest news, rumours and deals related to the Blancos and Blaugrana as the January transfer window heats up

Real Madrid & Barcelona January transfer news LIVE: Ronaldo to take pay cut for Man Utd



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2019: Sani reacts to rejection by APC chairmen, endorsement of El-Rufai's aide



  1. 2019: Sani reacts to rejection by APC chairmen, endorsement of El-Rufai’s aide  Daily Post Nigeria
  2. Kaduna Govt. to give incentives to rural teachers  The News
  3. Kaduna Govt. To Review Teachers Remunerations And Other Welfare Packages  Leadership Newspapers

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2019: Sani reacts to rejection by APC chairmen, endorsement of El-Rufai's aide



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Empress Njamah: 'I didn't say I can't date younger men,' Actress faults Punch interview

'I didn't say I can't date younger men', Empress Njamah faults Punch interview

Njamah said the Punch journalist who interviewed her concocted the story about her young admirers and challenged the publication to release proof that she made the statement.

Nollywood actress, Empress Njamah has denied a report making the rounds on social media, which quoted her as saying she feels disgusted when men in their 20s make advances at her.

The report, which was originally published in Punch newspapers, circulated online after Instablog9ja reported it.

Njamah called out the Punch reporter whom she said chased her for days before she granted the interview, where she allegedly made the statement.

According to her, she only talked about her charity works and beauty tips in the interview.

The controversial statement reads, "A lot of men in their twenties say they admire me and want to date me. I am sure most of them think I am really young. Sometimes, I find it annoying because if they know my actual age, they wouldn’t come close or show interest in me.

"When people say I look like a lady in her twenties, I just smile. I am actually in my thirties…

Reacting to the report on her Instagram page, the actress described it as "defamation of character". She also challenged the national daily to produce proof that she made the statement or apologise for putting her out in a bad light.

Njamah became a known face in the Nigerian film industry in the '90s after her stellar performances in movies such as Missing Angel (2004), Missing Angel 2 (2004) and Liberian Girl (2006).

ALSO READ: Empress Njamah says women are to be blamed for domestic violence

Born onto a Nigerian father, and Cameroonian mother, she grew to prominence in 1995 after acting in more movies such as Red Hot, When Love Die, You Broke My Heart, You Broke My Heart 2, Love of My Life, The Pastor & Harlot, and She Devil.

Empress Njamah: 'I didn't say I can't date younger men,' Actress faults Punch interview



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Politics: It’s impossible for the UK to win Brexit negotiations — so this is what Theresa May should do, according to Yanis Varoufakis

null

Greece's former finance minister explains how Britain may be unable to get a good deal out of the EU, and what type of deal Theresa May should aim for instead.

  • Business Insider spoke to Yanis Varoufakis, former Greek finance minister and author of Adults in the Room: My battle against Europe's deep establishment.
  • Varoufakis said Theresa May misinterpreted the Brexit referendum's result and was wrong to think she could negotiate with the European Union.
  • He says the best option is now for Britain to file an application for a Norway-style deal with the EU during a five-year transitional period.

Full transcript below.

Yanis Varoufakis: Theresa May made two gross errors. The first one was immediately after the Brexit referendum; she interpreted the verdict of the British people as a verdict in favour of xenophobia, of ending freedom of movement, when the sensible interpretation would have been that it was an attempt to restore sovereignty to the British parliament.

The second error was to imagine that she was going to negotiate with the European Union. The European Union does not negotiate unless it is forced to, because the European Union’s greatest nightmare is a mutually advantageous agreement between Britain and the European Union.

They are only concerned with one thing: How to signal to the rest of Europe that anyone who votes in a government or who votes in a referendum in a manner which challenges the authority of the deep establishment in Europe will get crushed.

The only way Britain can salvage the wreckage that is coming out of the Article 50 process is for Mrs May to do the right thing – by Britain and by Europe – to stop these negotiations and simply file an application for a Norway-style agreement for a period of at least five years after the two-year Article 50 process is over, to give certainty to business, certainty to citizens, and in an important sense, to honour the strongest argument in favour of Brexit, which is the restoration of sovereignty to the House of Commons.

Because only if you give the House of Commons a period of six, seven years of stability will the members of parliament have the opportunity to debate amongst themselves what kind of arrangements they want between the European Union and the United Kingdom.

Produced by Fraser Moore. Special thanks to Noah Friedman and Alana Kakoyiannis.

Politics: It’s impossible for the UK to win Brexit negotiations — so this is what Theresa May should do, according to Yanis Varoufakis



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Arsenal January transfer news LIVE: Wenger claims Alexis is leaving for money

Goal brings you all the latest news, rumours and deals related to the Gunners as the January transfer window heats up

Arsenal January transfer news LIVE: Wenger claims Alexis is leaving for money



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Delta govt begs Avengers over threats to resume attacks on oil facilities

The Deputy Governor of Delta State and Chairman, Delta State Advocacy Committee Against Vandalism of Oil and Gas Facilities, Barr. Kingsley Burutu Otuaro, has appealed to the Niger Delta Avengers to sheathe their swords and come to the dialogue table. The NDA had hinted days ago of intention to attack critical oil assets in resumed […]

Delta govt begs Avengers over threats to resume attacks on oil facilities

Delta govt begs Avengers over threats to resume attacks on oil facilities



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Program Officers at Association for Reproductive and Family Health (ARFH)

Association for Reproductive and Family Health (ARFH) is one of the leading Nigerian Non-Governmental Organizations implementing programs for improving Sexual and Reproductive Health, Care and Treatment of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria etc. We offer professionals opportunities for career advancement, good working environment and competitive remuneration. We seek applications from qualified persons for the following position in the organization for Global Fund TB grant.
Program Officers at Association for Reproductive and Family Health (ARFH)



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Shetimma Is A Prudent Manager Of Resources – Durkwa

Alhaji Usman Mamman Durkwa is the Deputy Governor of Borno State. In this interview with SUNNY NWANKWO, he sheds some light on his experience in office and the administration’s successes so far, among other issues. Excerpts:

You have just clocked two years in office as a Deputy Governor of Borno State. Could you share some of your experiences so far?

Firstly, I must thank Almighty Allah for giving me life to do whatever I am doing. Without life and good health, there is nothing else one can do as a human being. Let me also thank the Executive Governor of Borno State, Alhhaji Kashim Shettima, for giving me the opportunity to serve the state as a deputy governor. I will always hold him in very high esteem. I will ensure that I don’t disappoint him.

As regards my experience so far as a deputy governor, it is quite challenging and at the same time very interesting. Since I became the deputy governor, I have been doing my best. I am sure the people of the state appreciate my efforts so far.

How would you describe the relationship between you and Governor Shettima since you became his deputy?

Wonderful. It is very cordial. In fact, we are not looking ourselves as governor and deputy, but as brothers.. He treats me like his immediate brother, not like his second-in-command. So, in a nutshell, we understand ourselves very well. That is why we’ve been able to achieve so much in the state. The governor is very simple, kindhearted and an easy going person. I don’t think that I will ever regret working with him as my boss.

In what area would you say that the Governor Shettima administration has performed well?

To be frank with you, this present administration under the leadership of Kashim Shettima has performed wonderfully well in all the sectors of the state’s economy. A lot have been achieved so far. For example, the Legacy Housing Estate along Jos Road has been completed. Also, this administration embarked on the establishment of the Borno State University, which has reached 80 percent completion. I have not mentioned roads and drainages construction, both at the urban and rural areas, building of new homes for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state, construction of new schools, equipping them with modern facilities across the state. What this government has done so far are too many for me to remember for now.

What is the magic behind these achievements?

It is all about prudent management of resources. We are managing the little we are getting very well. And moreover, our Governor, Kashim Shettima is an economist who knows how to manage resources very well. He is not on any bank loan at all to achieve all these things you are seeing everywhere within the state. To answer your question, the magic behind our successes in the state is good management of resources.

Could you tell us how much the Borno State government is currently spending on IDPs camps?

At the moment, I cannot quote the exact amount the state government is spending on the IDPs. But, I know the money is so much. Before now, the state government was spending over N50million every month on the displaced persons in the state. Like I said, the money is much. But, I cannot remember the actually amount for now. The number of IDPS in the state is much and they are being well fed, three times a day, apart from provision of health facilities for them. All these are being shouldered by the state government. However, some NGOs are also rendering assistance to complement the effort of government on the welfare of the IDPSs

Governor Shettima has once said that by May 2018, all the IDPs in Borno State would have returned to their ancestral homes. Do you think this is possible?

Yes, it possibly because the state government is aggressively embarking on construction and reconstruction of the homes of the IDPs across all the local governments of the state. Works have been completed in some areas, while in some places, it has reached near completion stages. So, I believe firmly that by May this year, the IDPs should have returned to their respective towns and villages.

Do you think that there are some local government areas of the state still under the control of Boko Haram?

Well, I don’t think so. Almost all the local governments areas of the state have been liberated from Boko Haram captivity. The military and other security agencies in the state are doing wonderful work in ensuring that total peace returns to the state. Some of the attacks the Boko Haram is unleashing now are mostly coming from remote villages within the local government headquarters. So, the activities of the terrorists have been highly degraded.

Let me use this opportunity to thank President Muhammad Buhari for his total commitment to ensure that peace returns to Borno state. He gave the soldiers all the necessary support to make them work effectively in the fight against the terrorists. The state government too, under Kashim Shettima, has also done much in boosting the morale of the troops. As it is now, most of the local government areas of the state are free for the IDPs to return to their homes.

Sometime ago, you were almost lynched by some suspected political thugs in your area. Did you suspect anybody in that act?

Well, it is true that I was seriously attacked by some hoodlums to the extent that people thought I was dead. But, for now, I don’t want to talk more on that because the case is already in court. So, that is it.

What would be your next political agenda as we learnt that your people are calling on you to contest for a higher position in 2019?

Firstly, I want to thank my people for appreciating me for what I am doing and I assure them that I will not disappoint them. But, for now, I cannot really say for sure that this is my political agenda because I have not finished the one I am doing. Let me finish this particular one I am doing as the deputy governor. It is then that I will know my next line of action politically.

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Shetimma Is A Prudent Manager Of Resources – Durkwa



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Low Oil Price, External Debts, Others Will Lower Nigeria’s Balance Of Trade From 2021 –Report

GDP

Lagos – The deepening of Nigeria’s net negative liabilities position is only likely to continue over the coming years as structurally lower oil prices see the country’s trade balance to move into persistent deficits from 2021, BMI View Report on Economic Analysis of Nigeria’s Limited Risk from External and Balance of Payments has said.

It, however, said while exposure to foreign liabilities leaves the economy vulnerable to a sudden deterioration in investor sentiment , adding that  at just -12.7% of GDP in 2015 , when NIIP data was last made available, the size of Nigeria’s deficit in its NIIP is small compared to elsewhere in the region.

It maintained that Nigeria’s net international investment position will remain in negative territory as the country’s current account returns to deficit from 2021. The threat of capital flight, it added, is limited by the large role foreign direct investment plays in Nigeria’s liabilities position.

It said although a recovery in the price of crude oil – comprising around 90.0% of Nigeria’s total export revenues – will keep the country’s current account in surplus in the next two-to-three years, we believe goods trade dynamics will begin deteriorating notably around 2021 due to steady import growth and maturing oil fields.

According to BMI  report, “As it stands, we are yet to see that kind of economic reform and improvements to Nigeria’s operation environment that could yield the uptick in investment needed to diversify export revenues. This will see the current account reach a deficit of 3.8% of GDP by 2027 according to our forecasts.”

It added that years of foreign investment and government borrowing from abroad have left Nigeria’s NIIP in negative territory despite having run years of current account surpluses.

Besides its relatively small NIIP, the report said Nigeria’s external position benefits from a low external debt burden, which reached just 9.1% of GDP in 2017 compared to a regional average of 45.1%.

“Foreign obligations fell dramatically in the early 2000s as growth accelerated and the country’s creditors wrote off large portions of its debt. While we believe Nigeria’s total external debt stock will steadily rise over our long-term outlook period to 2027, it will likely remain in sustainable territory thanks to a low base, rising oil prices, and a cyclical upswing in real GDP growth, with external debt average 7.4% of GDP across the next decade,” the report stated.

It added that the cost of servicing external debt is likely to rise over in coming years. A decade of unprecedentedly loose monetary policy in developed markets has dragged down yields across emerging markets as investors have moved their into EM markets, where they can usually get a higher return.

The post Low Oil Price, External Debts, Others Will Lower Nigeria’s Balance Of Trade From 2021 –Report appeared first on Independent Nigeria.

Low Oil Price, External Debts, Others Will Lower Nigeria’s Balance Of Trade From 2021 –Report



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SAG Awards: See full list of winners as host throws shade at Melania Trump

See full list of winners at 2018 SAG Awards

The 2018 SAG Awards host, Kristen Bell subtly criticised the US First Lady for her failure in combating cyberbullying, which was her promise before occupying the White House.

Hollywood actors on Sunday night, January 21, 2018, came out in their most glamorous looks to celebrate and to receive reward for their outstanding performances in the past year at the 24th annual Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards.

The event, which was held in Los Angeles, California, United States, was hosted, for the first time, by actress Kristen Bell.

She kick-started the ceremony by taking a jab at US First Lady, Melania Trump.

"There has never been a host for this awards show before. First time. First person. First lady. I honestly never thought I would grow up to be the first lady, but you know what, I kind of like it. I think my first initiative as first lady will be cyberbullying because I have yet to see any progress on that problem quite yet," CNN quoted Bell as saying.

Although Bell did not mention Mrs. Trump's name, she was obviously making reference to the First Lady, who had said that combating cyberbullying would be her key focus during her time in the White House.

The big winner of the night was "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" with trophies for best ensemble cast and best actress for Frances McDormand for her portrayal as a grieving mother.

Gary Oldman continued his run, winning Lead Actor for his role in "Darkest Hour" in which he portrayed Winston Churchill.

See the full list of winners below:

 

Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role

Timothee Chalamet, "Call Me by Your Name"

James Franco, "The Disaster Artist"

Daniel Kaluuya, "Get Out"

Gary Oldman, "Darkest Hour" – WINNER

Denzel Washington, "Roman J. Israel, Esq."

Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

Judi Dench, "Victoria & Abdul"

Sally Hawkins, "The Shape of Water"

Frances McDormand, "Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri" – WINNER

Margot Robbie, "I, Tonya"

Saoirse Ronan, "Lady Bird"

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role

Steve Carell, "Battle of the Sexes"

Willem Dafoe, "The Florida Project"

Woody Harrelson,"Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri"

Richard Jenkins, "The Shape of Water"

Sam Rockwell, "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" – WINNER

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role

Mary J. Blige, "Mudbound"

Hong Chau, "Downsizing"

Holly Hunter, "The Big Sick"

Allison Janney, "I, Tonya" – WINNER

Laurie Metcalf, "Lady Bird"

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Theatrical Motion Picture

"The Big Sick"

"Get Out"

"Lady Bird"

"Mudbound"

"Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" – WINNER

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture

"Baby Driver"

"Dunkirk"

"Logan"

"Wonder Woman" – WINNER

"War for the Planet of the Apes"

Television Awards

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries

Benedict Cumberbatch, "Sherlock"

Jeff Daniels, "Godless"

Robert De Niro, "The Wizard of Lies"

Geoffrey Rush, "Genius"

Alexander Skarsgard, "Big Little Lies" – WINNER

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries

Nicole Kidman, "Big Little Lies" – WINNER

Jessica Lange, "Feud: Bette & Joan"

Susan Sarandon, "Feud: Bette & Joan"

Reese Witherspoon, "Big Little Lies"

Laura Dern, "Big Little Lies"

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series

Jason Bateman, "Ozark"

Sterling K. Brown, "This Is Us" – WINNER

Peter Dinklage, "Game of Thrones"

David Harbour, "Stranger Things"

Bob Odenkirk, "Better Call Saul"

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series

Millie Bobby Brown, "Stranger Things"

Claire Foy, "The Crown" – WINNER

Elisabeth Moss, "The Handmaid's Tale"

Robin Wright, "House of Cards"

Laura Linney, "Ozark"

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series

Anthony Anderson, "Black-ish"

Aziz Ansari, "Master of None"

Larry David, "Curb Your Enthusiasm"

Sean Hayes, "Will & Grace"

William H. Macy, "Shameless" – WINNER

Marc Maron, "GLOW"

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series

Uzo Aduba, "Orange Is the New Black"

Alison Brie, "GLOW"

Jane Fonda, "Grace and Frankie"

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "Veep" – WINNER

Lily Tomlin, "Grace and Frankie"

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

"The Crown"

"Game of Thrones"

"The Handmaid's Tale"

"Stranger Things"

"This Is Us" – WINNER

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series

"Black-ish"

"Curb Your Enthusiasm"

"GLOW"

"Orange is the New Black"

"Veep" – WINNER

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series

"Game of Thrones" – WINNER

"GLOW"

"Homeland"

"Stranger Things"

"The Walking Dead"

SAG Awards: See full list of winners as host throws shade at Melania Trump



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