Boko Haram: Heavy Fighting in Mubi as Military Reinforcement Stalls Terrorists’ Advance

 Boko Haram fighters

• Army barracks sacked

By Senator Iroegbu in Abuja and Daji Sani in Yola

As confusion continues to reign over the status of ceasefire agreement between the federal government and the Boko Haram sect, there is a raging battle between the military and suspected members of the terrorist organisation for the control of the strategic town of Mubi, Adamawa State.

According to a military source, heavy exchange of fire was ongoing at the time of this report on Wednesday as the security forces battled to retake some of sections of the town, including the 234 Battalion Army headquarters reportedly captured earlier in the afternoon by the terrorists.

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Union Bank, Diamond Bank Post Q3 Results

By Obinna Chima
Union Bank of Nigeria Plc and Diamond Bank Plc yesterday released their third quarter 2014 unaudited financial statements on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).
For Union Bank of Nigeria, its unaudited results for the nine months ended 30th September 2014 showed that the group’s gross earnings stood at N74.8 billion in the period under review, from N79.9 billion realised in the comparable period of 2013.

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Jonathan Condoles Zambians on Sata’s Death

 President Michael Sata of Zambia

By Jaiyeola Andrews in Abuja

President Goodluck  Jonathan on Wednesday said he received with sadness the news of the passing away of President Michael Sata of Zambia in a London Hospital, Tuesday.

On behalf of the federal government and Nigerians, Jonathan extended sincere condolences to the government and people of Zambia.

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PDP Reacts to Tambawal’s Defection, Urges Speaker to Do the Needful

 National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Olisa Metuh

• Akpabio asks Tambuwal to resign as PDP is in majority

Ripples of the defection of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambawal, to the All Progressive Congress (APC) forced the  National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to an emergence meeting  with PDP leaders in the House of Representatives.

PDP, in a statement, asked Tambuwal to do the needful as the party is in the majority in the House of Representatives.

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Etisalat Hits 20 Million Subscriber Base, Records 18% Growth

By Emma Okonji

Etisalat Nigeria has said its subscriber number has been  growing at  18 per cent since January 2014,  while  its active subscriber base has hit  20 million.

Chief Executive Officer, Etisalat Nigeria, Matthew Willsher, who dropped the hint in Lagos, described the growth rate as a significant milestone, attributable to the dedication of staff at the company and the responsiveness of Nigerians to Etisalat’s innovative products.
“I must emphasise that the remarkable growth we have recorded is a direct result of two factors - the commitment of our staff, who serve as a vital link in the chain which drives our operations, and the loyalty and warmth of our millions of subscribers. We can only respond to them by constantly improving our products and service delivery,” Willsher said.

In just six years of operations, Etisalat has become a major industry player despite the highly competitive nature of the Nigerian telecoms market. The company has introduced a wide variety of innovative and unparalleled products and services such as the first-of-its-kind educational tool in the youth market, Cliqlite; the first loyalty proposition in the Nigerian telecommunication industry, Etisalat GEM and the new state of the art Gold Series and Flagship Experience Centres.

The company also has a reputation for customer service and is said to be the only telecoms operator in Nigeria that continually exceeds all the quality benchmarks set by the industry regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

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Man, 32, commits suicide over N1,000 theft on October 30, 2014 / in News 12:43 am / Comments By Peter Okutu ABAKALIKI—A 32-year-old man, Mr. Simon Mbam, of Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State has committed suicide after he was tortured by some villagers for allegedly stealing N1,000 from a shop in the market. 1000 naira notesThe victim, who jumped into a pond in the area last weekend, found himself in the mess when he left his house in the evening of the fateful day to buy drinks with his friends. While late Simon and his friends were busy sipping their drinks, the owner of the shop raised an alarm over a missing N1,000 in his carton of drinks, but no customer admitted to haven taken the money.

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Separate us, my husband is weak in bed— Hairdresser

Separate us, my husband is weak in bed— Hairdresser on May 16, 2014 / in News 2:16 pm / Comments Tweet A hairdresser, Mrs Suzy Adeleke, on Friday urged an Ikorodu Customary Court in Lagos to dissolve her six-year-old marriage over alleged sexual weakness by her husband. Suzy, who resides at No. 2, Anifowoshe St., Ewu-Elepe in Ikorodu, said that her husband, James, had not performed well on bed since they got married in 2008. She told the court that she was having sex with her husband only once in two months when they were living together. Suzy added that the union had not produced any child. “I do not want the marriage any longer. “The sex problem was there before marriage but I thought the situation would change. “I later discovered that there is no more love; I am fed up. The petitioner submitted that she had packed out of her matrimonial home. “I came here to seek for dissolution because he paid my dowry; please separate us to enable to me move on with my life,” she said. Responding, James said that he and his wife had been living apart for the past four years. “Truly, I have sexual weakness but I believe it can be cured; now, she has deserted me; I have seen her with different men. “If she says she is no more interested, please separate us,” he urged the court. The Court President, Mr T. K. Dabor, adjourned the case to June 2 for possible reconciliation of the estranged couple.(NAN

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"Boko Haram Raped, Beat Us" – Abducted Girls

 
Girls and women abducted by Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram have described their shocking life in captivity in a harrowing new report by Human Rights Watch that was published yesterday. In the 63-page report, entitled "'Those Terrible Weeks in Their Camp': Boko Haram Violence against Women and Girls in Northeast Nigeria," 47 witnesses and victims, including some of the 276 Chibok girls kidnapped in April described forced marriages and, if they were Christian, orders to convert to Islam or be executed.

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Asia stocks rise after US Federal Reserve ends stimulus

Nikkei 225 Index

Last Updated at 30 Oct 2014, 04:15 GMT

value	change	%
15660.79	+ +106.88	+ +0.69

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Asia stocks mostly opened higher after the US dollar jumped in value following the end of the Federal Reserve's quantitative easing stimulus program.

The US central bank also confirmed it would maintain record-low interest rates for "a considerable time."
This caused the greenback to jump 0.7% to a near three-week high against the Japanese yen, which spurred gains in the country's exporter stocks

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"A successful woman with no husband will not be respected" Mrs Nike Akande

2-time Minister of Industry and a respected entrepreneur, Mrs Nike Akande said in a recent interview that if a woman is successful and does not have a husband, people don't respect her. Mrs Akande who has been married to her businessman husband for over 40 years now says it is better to get married no matter how successful you are...

"I always tell people that it is better to be married. The younger ones are not patient. Marriage is a journey of give and take. I am not perfect, my husband too is not perfect but we have to bend over to compliment each other. The younger ones are not that patient. It is better to be married. People respect you more when you are married. Unless it is impossible to live with a man because some men are impossible." Continue..
But for little, little differences, you have to tolerate each other. Companionship is nice. I will tell him my experiences and he will advise me. If a woman is successful and she does not have a husband, people would not respect her" she told Encomium

Who agrees with her

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"I'm not bothered that people think I am arrogant" - Wizkid

In a new interview with Encomium mag, Wizkid said he doesn't care if people think he is arrogant, that he doesn't love everybody and so doesn't expect everybody to love him.

Asked if it bothers him that people think he's arrogant, Wizkid said;

"Bother me? Never! I am not bothered. Honestly I don't hear people saying it because anytime I go out, I show my fans great love. I do my thing. I don't have problem with that because I don't love everybody as well. So I don't expect everybody to love me too. That's life" Continue...

Asked if he is terrible person, Wizkid said;

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US hails West Africa Ebola progress

THE US has praised Ebola-hit West African nations and foreign donors for their efforts in tackling the outbreak.
America's UN envoy Samantha Power, on a visit to the region, said Liberia and Sierra Leone had hugely increased the number of safe burials - one of the main ways the virus is transmitted.
Ms Power said international aid was helping to combat the disease, and urged donors to continue to help.
The disease has killed roughly 5,000 people in the region.
The US government has continued to stress that the best way to stop the virus from spreading is to tackle it at source, and has rejected calls for restrictions on travel from the region.
Australia, however, has approved a visa ban on the main affected countries, and its government has not sent medical staff to West Africa.

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Govt insists on fuel subsidy removal

• Says downstream sector needs N3.2tr yearly investment
• Reps to pass PIB by May 2015
WORRIED about the slow growth of the downstream oil and gas sector due to what it considered as a result of the regulated regime in the industry, the Federal Government yesterday stressed the need to eliminate price subsidy and stimulate competition.
  Besides, the country’s downstream sector requires investments of about $20 billion (N3.2 trillion) yearly to support the sector.
  This came as the House of Representatives assured stakeholders that the long-awaited Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) would be passed into law before May 2015.
   The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, who spoke at the ongoing eighth oil trading expo in Lagos, said that to provide a competitive market environment and sustain supply, the downstream sector should be fully deregulated.

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Two students in court over alleged threat to kill lecturer

TWO students of Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, who allegedly threatened to kill their lecturer, yesterday appeared before a Yaba Chief Magistrate’s  Court in Lagos.
  The accused- Tayo Ogunyomi, 24, and Kehinde Olaoye, 28, - reside in Yaba and Gbagada areas of Lagos respectively.
  They were arraigned on a three-count charge of conspiracy, breach of public peace and membership of an unlawful society.

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Ebola quarantine test looms in US

Ms Hickox was forced to stay in a tent in Newark, New Jersey

Continue reading the main story

Ebola outbreak

• Six surprising numbers
• WHO under fire
• Nigeria's heroine
• Vaccine 'too late'

A nurse who cared for Ebola patients in Sierra Leone is fighting the US state of Maine over its right to quarantine her against her will.

In a test case for returning US health workers, Kaci Hickox has vowed to leave her home on Thursday if the state does not lift the restrictions.
President Barack Obama has been sharply critical of isolation being forced on people he says are "American heroes"

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Worry as NYSC exempts 1,360 Bayero varsity graduates from mobilization

FOR reason yet unknown, about 1,360 prospective corps members from the Bayero University, Kano due for the 2014 batch C orientation course scheduled to kick off on November 4 nationwide have been exempted by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). 
The Guardian learnt from the Students Affairs Unit of the university that only 1,921 prospective corps members, less than 65 per cent of the total fresh graduates, made the mobilization list forwarded by the NYSC to the university.
  Going by the development, those affected prospective corps members currently in their late 29 may not be lucky to serve their fatherland.
 A source in the university told The Guardian that a list of 3,821 prospective corps members were sent to NYSC headquarters in September for batch C as requested, out of which 1,360, representing about 40 per cent, were not lucky enough to make the list.
Abubakar Umar, a graduate of Biochemistry, amidst hundreds of affected prospective corps members who now throng the Students Affairs Unit daily, told The Guardian that “most of them are being frustrated after spending five months waiting for the service. Can you imagine that after spending at lease four years in the university, just for us to be mobilized is now a challenge”.
While some of the students blamed the university authorities for the situation which cropped up after completion of the online registration as required by NYSC, others blamed the NYSC which they accused of engaging in inordinate moves to rake undue gains.
It was learnt that the NYSC had compelled the prospective corps members to register online to obtain their personal data after which additional electronic registration is expected for online call-off letter, all amounting to N5,000.
The Deputy Dean, Students Affairs Unit of the university, Dr. Shamsudeen Umar, debunked the allegation against the institution, arguing that the university has fulfilled all righteousness as required by the NYSC.
Shamsudeen said: “The university forwarded names of 3,821 prospective corps members from Bayero university to the NYSC as at when due, only to receive less than 2,000 list of participants. We are so surprised about this development because this is not the tradition.”
Although a recent memo that originated from NYSC and obtained by The Guardian indicated about 730 prospective corps members from the university could not complete their online registration, suggesting why their names did not reflect in the comprehensive list.
But Shamsudeen who maintained most percentage of the affected persons has evidence that they completed the online registration. “I will disagree with the argument of NYSC because most of those that are coming here have the print out of the online registration. So they cannot give such excuse as far as we know

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Kaduna varsity medical students protest against non-accreditation

MEDICAL students of Kaduna State University (KASU) yesterday took to the streets in the metropolis to protest against the non-accreditation of medical courses by the Nigeria University Commission (NUC) years after inauguration of the academic programme in the university.
The protesting students, who blocked the main entrance of the institution were seen carrying placard with various inscriptions such as; “we are tired, accredit our faculty,” “fix Barau Dikko Hospital for our clinicals”, “this protest is the tip of the iceberg,” among many others.

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Akwa Ibom 2015: Eusene pledges to build on Akpabio’s legacies

Akwa Ibom State governorship aspirant on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Helen Esuene, has pledged to build on the legacies of the Governor Godswill Akpabio administration.
Esuene, chairperson of Senate Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, made the pledge while making a formal declaration for the office of the state governor in Abuja at the weekend.
She stressed that the right replacement for the current governor was an individual with ample knowledge of the state, adding that she was the most experienced of the 28 aspirants in her party.

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Security guard defiles 3- year old, records act on phone

A man of 60 years and security guard in Abuja has been arrested for sexually defiling a three-year-old daughter of his employer.
The man, old enough to be the grandfather of the victim, even recorded the alleged indecent act on his camera phone, revealing details of the sordid act and how exactly, he committed the offence.
The suspect has not given reasons why he  recorded the wicked act but  the matter has been reported to the police. The clip also showed the little girl protesting to be left alone, while the man engaged in the despicable act.

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Kieran Gibbs' improvement at left-back deserves high praise at Arsenal

Kieran Gibbs began life as a winger, but has matured into a fine defender.

Debates about who is the best goalkeeper, defender, midfielder or striker in the Premier League are often kicked off by a journalist asking a manager whether they think one of their players deserves the honour.
In this situation, what is the boss supposed to say exactly? No? Hardly likely. You can only hope the journalist is being realistic with the question so he/she doesn't get a silly debate going. But it's rather like the situation with fans: they are hardly likely to be the fairest when it comes to making judgements on their own players, or the performances of others.

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Sepp Blatter reveals Russia's 2018 World Cup logo

People watch as the facade of the historical Bolshoi Theatre is illuminated with the official emblem of the 2018 FIFA World Cup to be held in Russia.

MOSCOW -- FIFA president Sepp Blatter has revealed the logo for the 2018 World Cup in Russia -- with the help of a crew of cosmonauts.
The logo depicts the World Cup trophy in red and blue, colors from the Russian flag, with gold trim.
Unveiling the logo on a Russian state TV talk show, Blatter said the logo would show Russia's "heart and spirit." It was then presented over video link by a crew of three Russian cosmonauts on the International Space Station.
"Seeing the football World Cup in our country was a dream for all of us," cosmonaut Elena Serova said.
Simultaneously with the logo's appearance on TV, it was beamed onto Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre as part of a light show.

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Ballon d'Or nominee Yaya Toure leads the way for Africa once more

Yaya Toure has been a force for African football, but is not at his peak currently.

He is over 30 and seems to have lost some of the sparkle that saw him net 20 times in last year's English Premier League, but Yaya Toure remains Africa's best and has a Ballon d'Or nomination to prove it. The Ivorian was the only African included on FIFA's 23-man short list for football's most coveted prize, and although it is unlikely he will win in the face of competition from the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Thomas Muller, it ensures he remains the flag-bearer for the continent.

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Amaechi can’t make Rivers people hate Jonathan – Dagogo-Jack

Former chairman, Presidential Task Force, Beks Dagogo-Jack has said no matter what Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State says, he cannot make Rivers people to hate President Goodluck Jonathan.
In a statement he personally signed, Dagogo-Jack said Governor Amaechi’s recent alleged outburst that the president was not his brother and that the First Lady, Patience Jonathan, wanted him to ‘share’ Rivers’ money with her, was a sign of disrespect to the first family. He said no matter what the governor said he (Amaechi) could not make the people of Rivers State to despise President Jonathan.
“As a Rivers person I find it very embarrassing that Governor Amaechi has gradually, but steadily developed the penchant to publicly address President Jonathan with so much disrespect and rudeness, that is definitely not good for our politics. The recent spate of verbal attacks by Amaechi on President Jonathan has the hallmarks of frustration and a misdirected anger.

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Reps approve $1bn loan to fight Boko Haram

The House of Repre­sentatives yesterday, approved President Goodluck Jonathan’s $1 billion loan request for the purchase of equipment to fight insurgency. The Senate had earlier ap­proved the loan request.
The House members okayed all four clauses contained in the report of the House Com­mittees on Aids, Loans and Debt Management and Fi­nance on the external borrow­ing of not more than $1 billion, “to tackle the national security challenges in the country.”

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Police arrest customs officer over daughter’s death

A senior customs of­ficer (name with­held) was yesterday arrested by the po­lice in Meran area of Ijaye, Ojokoro, Lagos State, over his alleged involvement in the mysterious death of his 17-year-old daughter and for reportedly beating his wife to a state of coma.

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Namibia 2014: Oshoala hands Falcons Canada 2015 ticket

e»Sports»Namibia 2014: Oshoala hands Falcons Canada 2015 ticket

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Super Falcons yes­terday defeated tough talking old foes Bayana Bayana of South Africa by 2-1 to reach the final of Na­mibia 2014 African Wom­en Championship. Yester­day’s victory also meant the Falcons are through to the FIFA Women’s World Cup next year in Canada.

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Ebola blood-therapy team set up

Blood from people who had Ebola could be used as a treatment

An international team of scientists has been set up to determine the effectiveness of using the blood of Ebola survivors as a treatment.

It is hoped the antibodies used by the immune system to fight Ebola can be transferred from a survivor to a patient.

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Do people know where their chicken comes from?

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In today's Magazine

• Reclaiming the swastika
• US seniors face student loan debt
• Remembering Ben Bradlee
• Tales from the India Office

Campaigners say chicken meat needs better labelling. How much do people really know about the life of a chicken before it reaches their plate?

A long, low, metal shed, fed by large plastic drums, pipes and chimneys - to the layman it looks like a small chemical plant. Hidden in the folds of the Peak District, it's an incongruous sight. The only hint that living things are housed inside is the pungent smell from the extractor fan - like a mixture of a pet shop and manure.
The facility is not a paint or fertiliser factory. It is called Lower Farm and produces chickens. In a period of between 33 and 38 days, the chicks grow to an average weight of 2.2kg - ready to be slaughtered. Lower Farm, just outside Chesterfield, is not what most of us would think of as a farm. It is run by a poultry company called Applied Group, which operates two other farms. The chickens never go outside. Everything happens in four large sheds. The interiors of the sheds are continuously filmed and key statistics recorded - every litre the birds drink, every 10kg of feed that has been dispatched by the feeder mechanism, how much the birds weigh. Lower Farm produces 1.25 million chickens a year.

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Arsenal need Arsene Wenger to solve problems in defence and attack

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said his side lacked creativity in their 2-1 comeback win in the Champions League against Anderlecht.

Fans will hope that the 2-1 win in Anderlecht was some sort of turning point for Arsenal this season. At least it should give the players a boost of confidence, because that is one of their many problems at the moment.
You could see there was a lack of belief in their performance for 88 minutes in Brussels, because the shaky defence is making the whole team look rather nervous.
Lose to Anderlecht and Arsenal's season would have been teetering on the brink of disaster, as they are already 11 points behind Chelsea in the Premier League title race. Another defeat -- having already lost at Borussia Dortmund -- would have left them in a right old mess in the Champions League too.
But just when it seemed that Arsenal were down and out, they pulled off a remarkable fightback, Kieran Gibbs and Lukas Podolski scoring in the final two minutes to get them out of jail.

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Alvin Stardust, glam rock singer, dies aged 72

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Alvin Stardust performed My Coo Ca Choo on Top Of The Pops.

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Singer Alvin Stardust has died aged 72 after a short illness.

He had recently been diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer and died at home with his wife and family around him, his manager said.

Born Bernard Jewry in the East End of London in 1942, his hits included My Coo Ca Choo, Jealous Mind and I Feel Like Buddy Holly.

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Manchester United plan to sign Victor Valdes, source says

Victor Valdes will be looking to prove his fitness at Old Trafford.

Manchester United will offer goalkeeper Victor Valdes a contract, depending on how he trains and performs physically over the coming weeks, a club source has told ESPN FC.
United have announced on their official website that Valdes is training with the Premier League side to "complete his rehabilitation from a knee injury and to work his way back to fitness with the club."
The 32-year-old, who tore his anterior cruciate knee ligament in March, is available on a free transfer after leaving the Camp Nou in the summer and was previously thought to be close to a move to Liverpool, but Brendan Rodgers recently said he had no plans to sign the player.

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Kalu backs foreign coach for Eagles

Former Abia State Gover­nor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu has thrown his weight be­hind plans by the Nige­ria Football Federation (NFF) to hire a foreign coach for the Super Eagles.
Kalu, under whose tenure Enyimba Interna­tional FC of Aba became an a household name by lifting the prestigious CAF Champions League trophy back to back in 2003 and 2004 also in­sists that Nigeria can bid to host the 2015 nations cup.
Speaking on African Independent Television (AIT) sports program yesterday, Kalu de­clared his preference for a foreign manager for the Eagles, even as he advised the Amaju led NFF to search for a Ser­bian or French tactician

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Microsoft profits beat expectations despite Nokia drag

Microsoft boss Satya Nadella says Microsoft is being "positioned for future growth"

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Microsoft has reported a fall in profits as a result of the cost of job cuts and its purchase of Nokia's smartphone business earlier this year.

The software giant made $4.5bn (£2.8bn) in the three months to September, 13% lower than the same time a year ago.

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Jonathan announces minor cabinet reshuffle

President Goodluck Jonathan has carried out minor cabinet re­shuffle, moving the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Professor Viola On­wuliri, to the Ministry of Ed­ucation as Minister of State in the stead of Nyesom Wike, who resigned on Monday.

Apart from Onwuliri, who was moved to the Education Ministry, the rest of her col­leagues are to either oversee another ministry or fully take charge, combining their du­ties with that of the minister of state.
The minor adjustments were sequel to the resignation of seven ministers, who had gubernatorial ambition in their various states. The Minister of State II, Nurudeen Mohammed, is now overseeing the Ministry of Information, held previ­ously by Labaran Maku.

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Stephen Davis again: ‘Opposition stops Chibok girls rescue’

 •Warns of more Boko Haram abductions
In less than two months after he raised dust with his claims that two Ni­gerians, Senator Modu Sherrif, former governor of Borno State and former Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika sponsor Boko Haram, the acclaimed negotiator, Dr. Stephen Da­vis has announced another alarm.
This time, he accuses oppo­sition politicians of hindering the freedom and release of the Chibok schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram in April this year.
Further to the delayed re­lease of the girls and the rea­sons for it, he warned that if the girls are set free without the leaders of Boko Haram ei­ther reined in or their sponsors stopped, Nigeria should expect an endless orgy of abductions by the same group in future

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Could Fernando Torres already be on his way out of AC Milan?

Despite Fernando Torres' struggles, AC Milan's coaches and players still insist he's an important player for the club.

In recent years, Fernando Torres has emerged as an easy target for criticism given the overall decline in his game. The Spaniard momentarily silenced his doubters after finding the net against Empoli on Sept. 23, but with just that solitary goal to show for his efforts in five outings, speculation has already surfaced of a possible exit.

German newspaper Bild claimed earlier this week that Schalke were preparing a January offer for the Milan striker, with former Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo keen on a reunion with his former star. The suggestion has been that if Torres continues to stutter, the Rossoneri may well be willing to listen.
In addition, the 30-year-old was also indirectly criticized by Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone, with club CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin revealing that the Argentinian tactician did not want him back at the club earlier this summer.

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Political institutions, entrepreneurship responsible for poverty alleviation- Aig-Imoukhueede

The President, National Council of the Nigeria Stock Exchange, Mr. Aigbije Aig-Imoukhuede, said that political institutions and entrepreneurship are the two major factors responsible for the alleviation of poverty in the country.

Aig-Imoukhuede

Mr. Aig-Imoukhuede who stated that the two trusts of the Nigerian project are simply about fixing the nation’s institutions and its entrepreneurship, also stated that, if Nigeria can do the later, the country will be the greatest nation ever.

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More American babies for Nigerian celebrities

 

Despite the United States government efforts at tightening the noose on Nigerian pregnant women who have formed the habit of travelling to the US to deliver their babies, more pregnant celebrities are steadily jetting out of the country to do so.

NuellaThe latest celebrity who has joined the train is actress Nuella Njubigbo. She’s currently having swell time with her beau, Tchidi Chikere, in the US, where she is expected to deliver her first child.

Nuella and her beau travelled to the US few weeks after actress Uche Ogbodo returned to the country with her baby.


Two years ago, actress Mercy Johnson was in that country where she delivered her daughter, as well as Annie Macaulay Idibia among others. Interestingly, by birth, these babies become citizens of the US as they are qualified to enjoy all the benefits of US citizenship.

Those in the know say, Nuella is in the first week of her last trimester and that she would remain in the US until their bundle of joy is born.

The couple is said to have been spotted at different stores in New York, shopping for their first baby together few days back. Though the sex of the unborn baby is yet to be ascertained, this is Tchidi’s 4th child and Nuella’s first child.The couple got married about seven months ago.

Despite the United States government efforts at tightening the noose on Nigerian pregnant women who have formed the habit of travelling to the US to deliver their babies, more pregnant celebrities are steadily jetting out of the country to do so.
The latest celebrity who has joined the train is actress Nuella Njubigbo. She’s currently having swell time with her beau, Tchidi Chikere, in the US, where she is expected to deliver her first child.
Nuella and her beau travelled to the US few weeks after actress Uche Ogbodo returned to the country with her baby.
Two years ago, actress Mercy Johnson was in that country where she delivered her daughter, as well as Annie Macaulay Idibia among others. Interestingly, by birth, these babies become citizens of the US as they are qualified to enjoy all the benefits of US citizenship.
Those in the know say, Nuella is in the first week of her last trimester and that she would remain in the US until their bundle of joy is born.
The couple is said to have been spotted at different stores in New York, shopping for their first baby together few days back. Though the sex of the unborn baby is yet to be ascertained, this is Tchidi’s 4th child and Nuella’s first child.The couple got married about seven months ago.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/09/american-babies-nigerian-celebrities/#sthash.GycBCqhv.dpuf

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Africa’s richest woman to expand banking empire to Namibia

Angola –  Africa’s richest woman, Angolan Isabel dos Santos, is set to spread her banking empire into neigbouring Namibia, after a banking licence was approved by the country’s central bank.

Bank of Namibia spokesperson Ndangi Katoma said the bank had granted provisional authorisation to Bank BIC Namibia Limited to conduct business as a banking institution in Namibia.

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How other men of God see TB Joshua

Prophet TB Joshua of Synagogue Church of All Nations is no stranger to controversies and condemnations. Since his emergence as a man of God to whom many run for deliverance, salvation and miracles, the supposed man of God has had to fight off other men of God who see him as nothing but fake.
Perhaps, the most antagonistic among them all is Reverend Chris Okotie of the Household of God who once described the Prophet as the vicar of the devil on earth. Okotie has no mixed feelings about T.B Joshua. To him, the so-called man of God at Synagogue Church of All Nations shouldn’t be associated with because, according to him, he is in partnership with Satan to subjugate the church to the will of the devil.

TB Joshua

Okotie’s aversion to everything T.B Joshua stands for became more evident sometime ago when a video showed T.B Joshua and Pastor Chris Oyakhilome purportedly praying for a man on wheelchair.
Pastor Chris Okotie made a number of public comments to Nigerian newspapers and other media sources expressing displeasure that the respected Pastor Chris Oyakilhome started fraternising with TB Joshua.
In one of his media comments, Okotie alleged that T.B. Joshua was a practitioner of an occult science called Docetic Gnosticism and Cerinthian heresy. Docetic Gnosticism, according to Wikipaedia was an ancient Greek spiritual belief system during A.D. 70 through A.D. 100.This particular group asserted that Jesus Christ did not rise physically from the grave as foretold by the Old Testament prophets, eye-witnessed by the apostles and recorded in scripture. This teaching is the biblical definition of false prophecy – the teaching that Christ did not rise physically from the grave.

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The Bible warns against tattoos  in Leviticus 19:28 (Amplified) which says, “Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print or tattoo any marks upon you: I am the Lord.”
However, just because society approves of something does not make it right in the eyes of God. The Bible warns Christians who are considering getting one and tries to help overcome the consequences of those mistakes.

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Having a tattoo will not keep anyone from serving God. Some godly people have tattoos and are serving God and their tattoos do not interfere with what God is doing through them. Anything Satan tries to use for evil, God can turn and use it for good
There are many dedicated and sincere Christians that have tattoos. This is not meant to say they do not love the Lord. God not only can use them, but does use them. Tattooing, according to the Bible has witchcraft “Roots”

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Ritualists kill man, pluck son’s eyes

Bauchi—Suspected ritualists have killed a man and removed his son’s eyes in Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State.

The ritualists, 10 in number, were said to have stormed the residence of the deceased, Yakubu Ubandoma, with dangerous weapons, stabbed him on the neck and cut off his hands.

They also reportedly removed the eyes of the deceased’s son, Ishaya Yakubu, who later died in the hospital.

Not done, the ritualists were also said to have inflicted machete cuts on the head of another person in the house.

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Jonathan gets one-week ultimatum to declare for presidency

ABUJA—AHEAD of the formal declaration of President Goodluck Jonathan for his re-election bid for the 2015 Presidential election, the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP yesterday gave the President and other aspirants vying for various elective positions,  one week ultimatum to purchase their expression of interest and nomination forms, saying the party cannot go for a national convention to ratify someone who has not indicated interest to contest.

Addressing journalists yesterday at the Party’s National Secretariat, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh said the October 30 closing date for the sale of expression of interest and nomination forms will not be extended beyond 6 pm on that date.

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Why I killed my lover – Kelechi Williams

The police at Area E, Festac, Lagos, recently made a breakthrough by arresting a 33-year-old man, Kelechi Willaims Mojekwu, for strangulating his 39-year-old lover, Njideka Lizzy Nzewe, to death in her apartment at Green Estate, Amuwo-Odofin, Lagos. The arrest of the suspect within seven days of committing the offence was spectacular going by the fact that he eloped to Ghana soon after killing the mother of four.

After his arrest in  Cote d’ ivoire, he claimed he committed the heinous act because of jealousy. What was not told was the circumstances that led to his arrest, how detectives battled  to achieve that seemingly impossible feat and the type of life the suspect lived, his family background and the circumstances that led to the whole ugly scenario. Our Crime Editor, Emma Nnadozie, dug deeply and was able to unearth startling facts about the murder. His report is revealing.

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Mercy Johnson delivers baby NO 2 in US

on October 15, 2014   /   in Home Video People 12:06 pm   /   Comments

Nollywood star actress has delivered her second child, this time, a bouncing baby boy after baby Purity, her first child a couple of years ago.
The curvy actress gave birth today at around 8am Nigerian time at St Joseph Hospital University of Maryland, Baltimore.
Mother and child are reportedly doing fine. However, a source has told Vanguard that the husband, MR Okojie, who is from a royal family is overjoyous from pulling a boy off the actress and set to make this celebration ‘something special’

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/10/mercy-johnson-delivers-baby-2-us/#sthash.MPBeEqY4.dpuf

Nollywood star actress has delivered her second child, this time, a bouncing baby boy after baby Purity, her first child a couple of years ago.

The curvy actress gave birth today at around 8am Nigerian time at St Joseph Hospital University of Maryland, Baltimore.

Mother and child are reportedly doing fine. However, a source has told Vanguard that the husband, MR Okojie, who is from a royal family is overjoyous from pulling a boy off the actress and set to make this celebration ‘something special’

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Kenneth Okonkwo, popularly known as Andy in “Living in Bondage”, the movie that gave birth to Nollywood has declared that he’s no longer living under the shadow of the character he played in that pioneering movie.

The actor-turned-lawyer made this declaration while speaking at the glamorous awards night. Dressed in white outfit, Okonkwo said, “Thank God, I am no longer living in Bondage.”

The film, which signalled a new dawn for the Nigerian film industry brought Okonkwo into limelight after playing the role of Andy in the movie. He is now a barrister at law as well as an actor par excellence.

Kenneth Okonkwo: ‘I’m no longer living in bondage’

on May 31, 2014   /   in Home Video People 12:00 am   /   Comments

By BENJAMIN NJOKU
Kenneth Okonkwo, popularly known as Andy in “Living in Bondage”, the movie that gave birth to Nollywood has declared that he’s no longer living under the shadow of the character he played in that pioneering movie.
The actor-turned-lawyer made this declaration while speaking at the glamorous awards night. Dressed in white outfit, Okonkwo said, “Thank God, I am no longer living in Bondage.”
The film, which signalled a new dawn for the Nigerian film industry brought Okonkwo into limelight after playing the role of Andy in the movie. He is now a barrister at law as well as an actor par excellence.

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/05/kenneth-okonkwo-im-longer-living-bondage/#sthash.joj8sRyp.dpuf

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Husband beats 4-months pregnant wife to death

ENUGU – Tragedy struck at the weekend in Akpawfu village in Nkanu-East Local Government Area of Enugu state when Ndidi Ozoemena Nwankwo was allegedly beaten to death by her husband, Ozoemena Nwankwo at about 10.05PM of October 17.

Operatives of the Enugu State Police Command has launched an investigation into the heinous crime describing the suspect as an alleged serial wife beater.

According to a statement released to newsmen by Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, DSP, he said:” Close family source informed the command that the suspect had been using his wife as punching bag.

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US seniors face student loan debt

Janet Dupree has had her wages garnished

Around the world, student debt is a financial burden for millions - and in the US, a growing number of senior citizens are still repaying the cost of their education into retirement age.

Janet Lee Dupree is 72 years old and has a financial burden that will not leave her in peace: she owes $16,000 (£9,957) in student loans she acquired in 1971 and 1972.
Dupree, who lives in Citra, Florida, admits she forgot for many years that she had borrowed the money - originally $3,000 - in order to complete her undergraduate studies in Spanish.
"I am an alcoholic and I have HIV," she tells the BBC. "That's under control, but at that time I was sick and I didn't worry about paying back the debt."
Dupree defaulted on her loan, and since she turned 65 she has had money withheld from her Social Security benefits.

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DON

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Ottawa shootings: Canada parliament returns

• Day of drama
• Suspect, victim and sgt-at-arms
• Key video
• In pictures

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Sergeant-at-Arms Kevin Vickers was given a standing ovation

Canada's parliament has returned to work, a day after a gunman rampaged through its corridors before being shot dead by the sergeant-at-arms.

It opened with applause for the sergeant and a moment's silence.
The gunman, reportedly a Muslim convert, also shot and killed a soldier at Ottawa's nearby war memorial.
His mother has told Associated Press news agency she is crying for the victims of the shooting, not her son.
It was the second attack on Canada's military in three days.
Standing to address the MPs to warm applause, Prime Minister Stephen Harper's first words were: "I know we will always stand together."
The objective of the attacks was to instil fear and panic in Canada, he said.
But he vowed to expedite security measures to strengthen powers of surveillance and detention.

Mr Harper was hugged by Leader of the Opposition Thomas Mulcair

Cpl Nathan Cirillo died of his injuries

"We will be vigilant, but we will not run scared. We will be prudent, but we will not panic.
"And as for the business of government, well here we are, in our seats, in our chamber, in the very heart of our democracy and our work goes on."
On Monday, another soldier was killed in a hit-and-run in the province of Quebec. Mr Harper described the perpetrator, who was shot dead, as an "ISIL-inspired terrorist".

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Sporting Lisbon launch UEFA appeal over Schalke defeat, demand replay

Schalke manager Roberto Di Matteo spoke after his side's 4-3 victory over Sporting Lisbon in the UEFA Champions League.

Sporting Lisbon have lodged a protest with UEFA against their 4-3 Champions League defeat to Schalke, and have demanded a replay of Tuesday's Group G game at the Veltins Arena.

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Moscow Total plane crash snowplough driver got lost

A snowplough driver, at a Moscow airport , Vladimir Martynenko, has said he lost his bearings before a collision with a private plane in which Total boss Christophe de Margerie died.

Vladimir Martynenko told Russian TV he was unaware he had entered the runway, BBC reports.

Margerie, 63, chief executive of the French oil firm, was killed in the crash along with three crew members.

Russian investigators have alleged that the driver of the snowplough was drunk at the time, but his family has denied this.

The Russian authorities have launched a criminal investigation. Martynenko, 60, was detained after the crash, which took place in poor weather at Vnukovo airport, south-west of Moscow, at around midnight on Monday.

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Nigeria takes front seat in clean energy

:Home»Trending»Nigeria takes front seat in clean energy

In line with the “Sustain­able Energy For All Initia­tive” of the United Nations and the mandate of dou­bling the share of renewable energy, which is a reality for Africa, the first Africa Clean Energy Summit (ACES 2014) will hold in Abuja, un­der the headship of President Goodluck Jonathan and Dr. Kandeh Yumkella, in con­junction with strategic devel­opment partners and major stakeholders.
Coming on the heels of the current debate at the inter­national level on the need to shift focus from fossil fuels to renewable energy, Chief Op­erating Director, Africa Clean Energy Summit, Mr. Olawale Akinwumi, said the event will include a world-class meeting, an international exhibition, technical conferences, business fora and other activities billed to hold on the sideline of the event.

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Unity Bank lists 78.4bn shares

 …As mgt pledges enhanced returns
Having successfully completed its rights issue, Unity Bank Plc has assured its shareholders it is now positioned to en­hance profitability.
This is even as the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) yes­terday listed a total of 78.40 billion shares from the rights issue and special placements on its daily official list.
According to the bank’s Managing Director and Chief Executive, Mr. Henry Semeni­tari, during the closing bell ceremony at the NSE, having successfully completed the rights issue, the bank would now deploy the funds towards upgrading its infrastructure and shoring up the balance sheet.
He stated that within the next few years, shareholders of the bank will not only benefit from capital appreciation but also from dividend as the funds would be used to achieve set goals.
“Dividend is a journey. It is not something that will come up immediately knowing where we are coming from but I believe that few years down the line, shareholders will not just benefit from capital ap­preciation but also from divi­dend.”

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Clasico coverage - Luis Suarez needs to prove his worth at Barcelona

Can Barcelona's front line be considered one of the greatest of all time once Luis Suarez joins Lionel Messi and Neymar?

Luis Suarez will have been back from his four month ban for 10 days when his autobiography Crossing The Line is released next month. The publishers are British; the target market was intended to be Liverpool fans who adored the Uruguayan. In it, he'll be repentant about some of his errors on a football field.
Ahead of Saturday's Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona, in which Suarez will likely make his highly anticipated return with his new club, Barcelona - "He'll Play!" according to the front page of Thursday's Sport - opinions will fly around about the controversial star.

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Zlatan Ibrahimovic could need operation on heel injury - reports

To celebrate Zlatan Ibrahimovic's birthday, ESPN FC's Gabriele Marcotti discusses if Zlatan will go down as an all-time great.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic could need surgery on the heel injury that has sidelined him for more than a month, according to reports in the Swedish media.
The Sweden captain and Paris Saint-Germain star, accompanied by a PSG physiotherapist, returned to his native country earlier this week to seek medical advice on the problem.
Aftonbladet reported that Ibrahimovic was suffering from an inflammation on the bottom of his foot which could need an operation to put right.
RMC said PSG had hoped that last season's leading goalscorer would be fit for their Champions League game against APOEL Nicosia on Nov. 5.
"It's difficult for us," teammate Lucas told the French radio station. "Zlatan is a great player. He's our benchmark. I'm sad for him, because he's also our friend. I hope he'll play soon. We're going to help him because we need him. We miss him a lot."
When Ibrahimovic, 33, joined up with the Sweden squad ahead of their recent Euro 2016 qualifiers, neither an examination by medical staff nor an MRI scan had diagnosed the injury

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