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Prisoner eats cellmate

Probably blamed it on bad Prison food.

Nicolas Cocaign trial in France: Charged with butchering cellmate Thierry Baudry,ate his lung mistaking it for his heart !


A real-life Hannibal Lecter allegedly butchered his cellmate in a French prison, intending to fry up the man's heart with onions on a makeshift grill and devouring it.

But the anatomically ignorant psychopath ate the man's lung by mistake.

Nicolas Cocaign, 39, appeared in a court room Monday to face murder charges in the grisly January 2007 murder of Thierry Baudry, London's Daily Telegraph reported.

What started as a fight between the two men in the cell ended up with Cocaign pummeling his 41-year-old victim with his fists, then suffocating him with a garbage bag and slashing his chest open with a pair of scissors.

"[I was] curious to see what he tasted like," Cocaign told investigators.

Cocaign then broke one of Baudry's ribs and removed his lung, mistaking it for the heart, eating part of it raw before frying up another morsel.

A third cellmate, David Lagrue, witnessed the attack and was so horrified that it is believed to have been the motivation for his November 2009 suicide in another prison, the Daily Mail reported.

Not surprisingly, Cocaign's attorney, Fabien Picchiottino, is pushing for an insanity defense.

"My client should not be in prison, he should be in a mental institution," Picchiottino told the court. "The prison authorities must share the blame for not spotting his fragile mental condition."

A verdict is expected on Thursday.


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What if She quarrels with her Boyfriend or Husband and wants to teach him a lesson he wont forget ?


South African Dr. Sonnet Ehlers was on call one night four decades ago when a devastated rape victim walked in. Her eyes were lifeless; she was like a breathing corpse.

"She looked at me and said, 'If only had teeth down there,'" recalled Ehlers, who was a 20-year-old medical researcher at the time. "I promised her I'd do something to help
people like her one day."

Forty years later, Rape-aXe was born.

Ehlers is distributing the female condoms in the various South African cities where the World Cup soccer games are taking place.

The woman inserts the latex condom like a tampon. Jagged rows of teeth-like hooks line its inside and attach on a man's penis during penetration,
Ehlers said.

Once it lodges, only a doctor can remove it -- a procedure Ehlers hopes will be done with authorities on standby to make an arrest.

"It hurts, he cannot pee and walk when it's on," she said. "If he tries to remove it, it will clasp even tighter... however, it doesn't break the skin, and there's no danger of fluid exposure."

Ehlers said she sold her house and car to launch the project, and she planned to distribute 30,000 free devices under supervision during the World Cup period.

"I consulted engineers, gynecologists and psychologists to help in the design and make sure it was safe," she said.

After the trial period, they'll be available for about $2 a piece. She hopes the women will report back to her.

It hurts, he cannot pee and walk when it's on. If he tries to remove it, it will
clasp even tighter
"The ideal situation would be for a woman to wear this when she's going out on some kind of blind date ... or to an area she's not comfortable with," she said.

The mother of two daughters said she visited prisons and talked to convicted rapists to find out whether such a device would have made them rethink their
actions.

Some said it would have, Ehlers said.

Critics say the female condom is not a long-term solution and makes women vulnerable to more violence from men trapped by the device.

It's also a form of "enslavement," said Victoria Kajja, a fellow for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the east African country
of Uganda. "The fears surrounding the victim, the act of wearing the
condom in anticipation of being assaulted all represent enslavement that
no woman should be subjected to."

Kajja said the device constantly reminds women of their vulnerability.

"It not only presents the victim with a false sense of security, but psychological trauma," she added. "It also does not help with the psychological
problems that manifest after assaults."

However, its one advantage is it allows justice to be served, she said.

Various rights organizations that work in South Africa declined to comment, including Human Rights Watch and Care International.

South Africa has one of the highest rape rates in the world, Human Rights Watch says on its website. A 2009 report by the nation's Medical Research Council
found that 28 percent of men surveyed had raped a woman or girl, with
one in 20 saying they had raped in the past year, according to Human
Rights Watch.

In most African countries, rape convictions are not common. Affected women don't get immediate access to medical care, and DNA tests to provide evidence are unaffordable.

"Women and girls who experience these violations are denied justice, factors that contribute to the normalization of rape and violence in South African
society," Human Rights Watch says.

Women take drastic measures to prevent rape in South Africa, Ehlers said, with some wearing extra tight biker shorts and others inserting razor blades in their private
parts.

Critics have accused her of developing a medieval device to fight rape.

"Yes, my device may be a medieval, but it's for a medieval deed that has been around for decades," she said. "I believe something's got to be done ... and this
will make some men rethink before they assault a woman."

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Nigeria midfielder Sani Kaita has received threats to his life after he was sent off in a crucial World Cup Group B match against Greece.

Kaita told The German Press Agency dpa on Saturday that he had received death threats, but said he was not bothered by them.

"Yes, I have received some threats to my life," he told dpa in a telephone call from the team hotel in Richard's Bay near Durban.

"They were sent to my email, but I'm not disturbed about that because as a Muslim, only God decides who lives and who dies."

Kaita was dismissed in the 33rd minute in his team's 2-1 defeat to Greece in Bloemfontein on Thursday after he appeared to lunge at defender Vasilis Torosidis with a foot during a tangle by the touchline...

"Everything on this earth is in God's hands, whether it is your life or whatever and unless God allows it, no one has the power to kill me," Kaita said.

"Only God knows what will happen tomorrow. He holds our destiny. That is what my religion teaches me."

Kaita refused to compare his situation with that of Colombia defender Andres Escobar, who was shot dead back home in Colombia in an incident believed linked to his his own goal which allowed hosts United States into the next round of the 1994 World Cup.

Colombia's failure to reach the knock-out stage of the World Cup was believed to have caused huge gambling losses to some of the country's powerful drug lords.

"I won't liken my case to that of Escobar because everyone has his destiny on this earth," Kaita said.

Kaita restated his personal disappointment with the red card incident which turned the match in favour of the Greeks, saying he was not even been booked in a Nigerian shirt before the drama in Bloemfontein.

"I can really understand the disappointment following what happened against Greece," he said.

"But I'm even more disappointed because since I began representing Nigeria at international level, first with the Under-20 team, then the Olympics and the full international team, I have not been booked much less sent off. This is not in my character.



"The coach (Lars Lagerback) told me he was disappointed in me soon after this match, but ever since both the coaches and players have rallied around me, offering me words of encouragement."

Kaita, 24, made his international debut in 2005 and has played at three African Cup of Nations tournament.

Despite Nigeria's defeats to Argentina and Greece, the Super Eagles will reach the last 16 if they defeat South Korea in their last Group B match in Durban on Tuesday.

Kaita, who is automatically suspended for that game, said he remained "very positive both as a person and also as part of the team."

He added: "Everyone's focus is on the next game and our prayer is that we win on Tuesday and qualify for the next round. I'm a Nigerian and proud to be one."
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Manute Bol, a lithe 7-foot-7 shot-blocker from Sudan who spent 10 seasons in the NBA and was dedicated to humanitarian work in Africa, died Saturday. He was 47.


Take a look back at Manute Bol's NBA career in our photo gallery.

Bol died at the University of Virginia Hospital in Charlottesville, where he was being treated for severe kidney trouble and a painful skin condition, Tom Prichard, executive director of the group Sudan Sunrise, said in an e-mail.

"Sudan and the world have lost a hero and an example for all of us," Prichard said. "Manute, we'll miss you. Our prayers and best wishes go out to all his family, and all who mourn his loss."

Bol played 10 seasons in the NBA with Washington, Golden State, Philadelphia and Miami and later worked closely as an advisory board member of Sudan Sunrise, which promotes reconciliation in Sudan. Bol averaged 2.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.3 blocked shots..

He was hospitalized in mid-May during a stopover in Washington after returning to the United States from Sudan. Prichard said then that Bol was in Sudan to help build a school in conjunction with Sudan Sunrise but stayed longer than anticipated after the president of southern Sudan asked him to make election appearances and use his influence to counter corruption in his home county.

He said Bol had undergone three dialysis treatments and developed Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, a condition that caused him to lose patches of skin.

Prichard said the skin around Bol's mouth was so sore that he went 11 days without eating and could barely talk.

Prichard said it's believed that Bol contracted the skin disease as a reaction to kidney medication he took while in Africa.

Janis Ricker, operations manager of Sudan Sunrise, said Saturday that the organization would continue its work building the school in Bol's home village in southern Sudan. The building still lacks a second floor roof, she said.

She said Bol's goal was to build 41 schools throughout Sudan.

"We are in the process of still helping Manute build a school, and we will continue with that," Ricker said.

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Baba Sala, has bounced back

Veteran comedian, Moses Olaiya Adejumo a.k.a. Baba Sala, has bounced back, NFC can reveal.

Baba Sala, who went into oblivion after his film, Orun Mooru, was pirated, returned to the limelight on Sunday, 30 May, 2010 at Oriental Hotel, Lagos.

The event was a special programme organised in his honour by Laffmataz magazine published by the popular stand-up comedian, Gbenga Adeyinka the first.

The ceremony, which was attended by the likes of Ali Baba, Julius Agwu, Kenny ‘Keke’ Ogungbe, Olu and Joke Jacobs, Sola Fosudo and others, saw prominent and upcoming stars paying homage to the Awada veteran side by side performing.

One of the high points of the event was when Adeyinka came on stage to ask his friends and colleagues to support Baba Sala financially and at the end of the fund raising, the 74-year old comedian went home with N1.050 million and a promise by the organisers and those present to support him with a monthly stipend of N100,000.

Apart from the cash donation, a birthday cake was presented to him.

Some of the donors were Bisoye Fagade, Kingsley James, Kenny Ogungbe, Patience, Ali Baba’s wife, who played a very prominent role in the fund raising, Sola Fajobi, Executive Producer, Next Movie Stars, Tea, Teju Baby Face, Femi Davies and others..

An elated Baba Sala thanked Gbenga Adeyinka, the Laffmataz crew and those present for the honour and donation.

Jayone, Baba Sala Jnr. and others performed at the event.
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Weekend Trivia:KAITA(Noun/Verb): A man who single handedly hinder the hope of his country for reason best known to him. "Kaita" can be use in place of words like Jeopardy, Hinder, Sabotage, Disrupt, Antagonist, fool etc.
Example

Noun: IBB is a kaita, so is Ota boy. Verb: Don't kaita what we have been building for 11 yrs in one day." I like that girl, please don't be a Kaita" Or In a Foolish Person's Thought: We are winning 1 - 0, let me kaita this game, so that I can get a red card and my opponent can win.



BODO, Nigeria — Big oil spills are no longer news in this vast, tropical land. The Niger Delta, where the wealth underground is out of all proportion with the poverty on the surface, has endured the equivalent of the Exxon Valdez spill every year for 50 years by some estimates. The oil pours out nearly every week, and some swamps are long since lifeless.


Perhaps no place on earth has been as battered by oil, experts say, leaving residents here astonished at the nonstop attention paid to the gusher half a world away in the Gulf of Mexico. It was only a few weeks ago, they say, that a burst pipe belonging to Royal Dutch Shell in the mangroves was finally shut after flowing for two months: now nothing living moves in a black-and-brown world once teeming with shrimp and crab.

Not far away, there is still black crude on Gio Creek from an April spill, and just across the state line in Akwa Ibom the fishermen curse their oil-blackened nets, doubly useless in a barren sea buffeted by a spill from an offshore Exxon Mobil pipe in May that lasted for weeks.

The oil spews from rusted and aging pipes, unchecked by what analysts say is ineffectual or collusive regulation, and abetted by deficient maintenance and sabotage. In the face of this black tide is an infrequent protest — soldiers guarding an Exxon Mobil site beat women who were demonstrating last month, according to witnesses — but mostly resentful resignation.

Small children swim in the polluted estuary here, fishermen take their skiffs out ever farther — “There’s nothing we can catch here,” said Pius Doron, perched anxiously over his boat — and market women trudge through oily streams. “There is Shell oil on my body,” said Hannah Baage, emerging from Gio Creek with a machete to cut the cassava stalks balanced on her head.

That the Gulf of Mexico disaster has transfixed a country and president they so admire is a matter of wonder for people here, living among the palm-fringed estuaries in conditions as abject as any in Nigeria, according to the United Nations. Though their region contributes nearly 80 percent of the government’s revenue, they have hardly benefited from it; life expectancy is the lowest in Nigeria.

“President Obama is worried about that one,” Claytus Kanyie, a local official, said of the gulf spill, standing among dead mangroves in the soft oily muck outside Bodo. “Nobody is worried about this one. The aquatic life of our people is dying off. There used be shrimp. There are no longer any shrimp.”

In the distance, smoke rose from what Mr. Kanyie and environmental activists said was an illegal refining business run by local oil thieves and protected, they said, by Nigerian security forces. The swamp was deserted and quiet, without even bird song; before the spills, Mr. Kanyie said, women from Bodo earned a living gathering mollusks and shellfish among the mangroves.

With new estimates that as many as 2.5 million gallons of oil could be spilling into the Gulf of Mexico each day, the Niger Delta has suddenly become a cautionary tale for the United States.

As many as 546 million gallons of oil spilled into the Niger Delta over the last five decades, or nearly 11 million gallons a year, a team of experts for the Nigerian government and international and local environmental groups concluded in a 2006 report. By comparison, the Exxon Valdez spill in 1989 dumped an estimated 10.8 million gallons of oil into the waters off Alaska.

So the people here cast a jaundiced, if sympathetic, eye at the spill in the gulf. “We’re sorry for them, but it’s what’s been happening to us for 50 years,” said Emman Mbong, an official in Eket.

The spills here are all the more devastating because this ecologically sensitive wetlands region, the source of 10 percent of American oil imports, has most of Africa’s mangroves and, like the Louisiana coast, has fed the interior for generations with its abundance of fish, shellfish, wildlife and crops.

Local environmentalists have been denouncing the spoliation for years, with little effect. “It’s a dead environment,” said Patrick Naagbanton of the Center for Environment, Human Rights and Development in Port Harcourt, the leading city of the oil region.

Though much here has been destroyed, much remains, with large expanses of vibrant green. Environmentalists say that with intensive restoration, the Niger Delta could again be what it once was.

Nigeria produced more than two million barrels of oil a day last year, and in over 50 years thousands of miles of pipes have been laid through the swamps. Shell, the major player, has operations on thousands of square miles of territory, according to Amnesty International. Aging columns of oil-well valves, known as Christmas trees, pop up improbably in clearings among the palm trees. Oil sometimes shoots out of them, even if the wells are defunct.

“The oil was just shooting up in the air, and it goes up in the sky,” said Amstel M. Gbarakpor, youth president in Kegbara Dere, recalling the spill in April at Gio Creek. “It took them three weeks to secure this well.”

How much of the spillage is due to oil thieves or to sabotage linked to the militant movement active in the Niger Delta, and how much stems from poorly maintained and aging pipes, is a matter of fierce dispute among communities, environmentalists and the oil companies.

Caroline Wittgen, a spokeswoman for Shell in Lagos, said, “We don’t discuss individual spills,” but argued that the “vast majority” were caused by sabotage or theft, with only 2 percent due to equipment failure or human error.

“We do not believe that we behave irresponsibly, but we do operate in a unique environment where security and lawlessness are major problems,” Ms. Wittgen said.

Oil companies also contend that they clean up much of what is lost. A spokesman for Exxon Mobil in Lagos, Nigel A. Cookey-Gam, said that the company’s recent offshore spill leaked only about 8,400 gallons and that “this was effectively cleaned up.”

But many experts and local officials say the companies attribute too much to sabotage, to lessen their culpability. Richard Steiner, a consultant on oil spills, concluded in a 2008 report that historically “the pipeline failure rate in Nigeria is many times that found elsewhere in the world,” and he noted that even Shell acknowledged “almost every year” a spill due to a corroded pipeline.

On the beach at Ibeno, the few fishermen were glum. Far out to sea oil had spilled for weeks from the Exxon Mobil pipe. “We can’t see where to fish; oil is in the sea,” Patrick Okoni said.

“We don’t have an international media to cover us, so nobody cares about it,” said Mr. Mbong, in nearby Eket. “Whatever cry we cry is not heard outside of here.”
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THE FIRST 4G PHONE FROM HTC. EVO 4G


With the HTC EVO™ 4G, you’ve got the power to do more than you ever thought possible with a phone.

Wi-Fi® wherever you go. With instant internet Internet access for up to 5 computers, the EVO 4Gopens up all kinds of possibilities. Now, the world is your coffee shop.

True HD vision. The true HD camcorder captures the moment. Andwith the HDMI cable connected to your flatscreen, you can relive the moment,down to the last detail.

Power-packed entertainment. Witheye-popping resolution on the giant 4.3-inch" screen, your favorite flicks, livesports and primetime shows come to the rescue whenever there’s time to kill.

Around the world in 0.17 seconds. With the first 4G phone on thenation's first 4G network, you can upload, download and scour the web up to 10xfaster than ever before.

Broadcasting live in 3-2-1. Launch thelive -streaming video app and, just like that, you're broadcasting live toanyone with an internet Internet connection and an invitation to watch theshow.
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THE LEAK: Dr. Dre F/ Jay-Z “Under Pressure”

.

dr-dre-and-jay-z-in-the-studio

Clearly Dre wasn’t under enough pressure. When word of this first leaked I joked that they were going to sample “Queen.” After listeningto this rough cut of “Under Pressure” I almost wished they had.

But who am I kidding. I’ll be drunk in a club somewhere bopping my head to this in a week. Props to Onsmash and the NMC.

In his defense Dr. Dre had this to say about the unfinished leak in a statement:

“I want to set the record straight for everybody who’s been waiting to hear my music,” he wrote on June 17. “The song that’s on the Internetis an incomplete song that I’m still working on. When it’s ready,you’ll be hearing it from me.”

“Under Pressure” reportedly is produced by Scott Storch and serves as the first single from Dr. Dre’s upcoming new album “Detox”. The duetwas hinted by Dr. Dre since October 2009 and confirmed by InterscopeRecords Chairman Jimmy Iovine in April this year. The leaked hook whicharrived on the web on Wednesday, June 16 indeed conspicuously has nochorus.

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Rwandan pastor guilty of genocide

Rwandan pastor guilty of genocide

2010611143124234621_5.jpg
Bazaramba denied all the charges [Reuters]

A Finnish court has sentenced Francois Bazaramba, a former Rwandan pastor, to life imprisonment for committing genocide against the
Tutsi minority in his home country in 1994.

The 59-year-old member of the Hutu tribe, who has lived in Finland since 2003, was found guilty of intending to "destroy in whole or part the Rwandan Tutsis as a group".

The district court in Porvoo, located in the south of Finland, said Bazaramba had spread anti-Tutsi propaganda and incited Hutus "to killings through fomenting anger and contempt towards Tutsis".

The 115-page ruling, which was delivered as a written statement, said Bazaramba, who denied all charges, had forced Tutsis to leave their homes and had ordered Hutus to burn down their homes.

Ville Hoikkala, Bazaramba's lawyer, said: "Of course he [Bazaramba] was sad, he was disappointed. We are going to appeal, we consider this incorrect.

"My client is not convicted of actually killing anyone, he is convicted of encouraging others to kill."

First genocide trial

Bazaramba was detained in April 2007 after the National Bureau of Investigation looked into his background.

The trial, which begun last September in Porvoo, about 50km east of Helsinki, the capital, was Finland's first genocide trial.

The justice ministry estimates the trial, which has heard dozens of witnesses in Finland, Rwanda and Tanzania, has cost around $1.2m.

Rwanda asked Finland to extradite Bazaramba to Rwanda, but the Nordic country turned down the request, saying he might not get a fair trial there.

The Finnish court heard the case under a "universal jurisdiction" principle, meaning a court in Finland can try people suspected of serious crimes such as war crimes or crimes against humanity regardless of where they took place.

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Naija Etuhu,England coach Fabio Capello calls jabulani ball fake

The "former hand of God" or "la mano de Dios." Diego Maradona made stinging comments

about fellow soccer greats Pele and Michel Platini on Wednesday after thepair criticized Maradona's performance as Argentina coach.

Maradona said he was not surprised by their comments and that "Pele has to goback to the museum."

As for Platini, "I always had a very distant relationship with him -- hello and goodbye. Weknow how the French are and Platini is French and he thinks of himselfas being more than the rest of the world. I've never paid him anyattention and I won't do it now."

Earlier, Maradona had criticized Pele, who led Brazil to three World Cup titles, for doubting Africa'sability to organize a World Cup.

Asked about Brazil, Maradona said Argentina's fierce South American rival was not tested by North Koreain the 2-1 win on Tuesday.

"Brazil played a relaxed game, too relaxed," Maradona said. "Korea never challenged them. For [goalkeeper] Julio Cesar,it would have been the same to shower or not after the game.

"Brazil is Brazil ... and Dunga has done a good job. When more will be demandedof them, they will play better for sure."

Maradona said the general lack of scoring so far at the World Cup could be blamed partlyon the teams' initial cautiousness.

"I'm not worried about the lack of goals. The goals will come and there are players here to makethat happen," Maradona said. "Of course, in the first matches one ismore careful than maybe one should be. The teams are studying theiropponents, which is why there are fewer goals."

Maradona also assigned some of the blame to the much-maligned 2010 World Cup ball,saying the Jabulani was having "a large influence" on the low scores. Healso asked the sport's authorities to pay more attention to the qualityof the ball.


One fact about pele:

In 1967, the two factions involved in the Nigerian Civil War agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire so they could watch Pelé play an exhibition game inLagos.[22]


Some Facts & Legends of El Diego

Ever since 1986, it is common for Argentines abroad to hear Maradona's name as a token of recognition, even in remote places.[8] The Tartan Army sing a version of the Hokey Cokey in honour of the Hand of God goal against England.[58] In Argentina, Maradona is often talked about in terms reserved for legends. In the Argentine film El Hijo de la Novia ("Son of the Bride"), somebody who impersonates a Catholic priest says to a bar patron: "they idolized him and then crucified him". When a friend scolds him for taking the prank too far, the fake priest retorts: "But I was talking about Maradona".

Maradona was included in many cameos in the Argentine comic book El Cazador de Aventuras. After the closing of it, the authors started a new short-lived comic book titled "El Die", using Maradona as the main character.

In Rosario, Argentina, fans organized the "Church of Maradona." Maradona's 43rd birthday in 2003 marked the start of the Year 43 D.D. - "Después de Diego" or After Diego - for its founding 200 members. Tens of thousands more[59] have become members via the church's official web site.

A television commercial[60] for Brazilian soft drink Guaraná Antarctica portrayed Maradona as a member of the Brazilian national football team, including wearing the yellow jersey and singing the Brazilian national anthem with Brazilian caps Kaká and Ronaldo. Later on in the commercial he wakes up realizing it was nightmare after having drunk too much of the Brazilian soft drink. This generated some controversy in the Argentine media after its release (although the commercial was not supposed to air on the Argentine market, fans could see it via internet). Maradona replied that he has no problem in wearing the Brazilian national squad jersey, but that he would refuse to wear the shirt of River Plate, Boca Juniors' traditional rival.[61]


Pele Vs Maradona vs Zidane vs Kaka vs Messi vs both Ronaldo who is the greatest

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In 13 World Cup games thus far, Nigeria has won 4 (over Bulgaria 2x, Greece and Spain), drawn 1 (against England) and lost 8 (to Argentina 3x, Italy, Paraguay, Denmark, Sweden and now Greece). One more loss and we will end up with a 4-1-9 record !


Michael Jackson's brother Randy rushed to hospital after suffering heart attack

Michael Jackson’s youngest brother has been rushed to the hospital after suffering a mild heart attack.

Randy Jackson, 48, was immediately taken to Huntington Memorial in Pasadena, California, after he began experience chest pains earlier today.

He was working on arrangements for a service at Forest Lawn Memorial Park to mark the first anniversary of the pop star's death on June 25.

Jackson

Randy Jackson, pictured attending Dr Conrad Murray's hearing with sister Janet in LA yesterday, has been rushed to hospital

A Jackson family friend tells Mail Online: 'It appears Randy has had a mild heart attack, but he is okay.

'He was joking around with his father and he is feeling pretty good all things considered.

'He’s been under a tremendous amount of stress lately but Randy’s a fighter. He’ll pull through.'

Randy

Randy is recovering at the Huntington Memorial in Pasadena, California

It is yet another blow to the Jackson family, who were left bitterly disappointed yesterday when Dr Conrad Murray was given permission to continue practicing medicine in California while he awaits trial over
Michael's death.

Randy, who was not part of the Jackson Five, joined father Joe, mother Katherine, sister LaToya and brother
Jermaine at the hearing in a Los Angeles court house.

Murray is accused of administering Michael Jackson the fatal dose of Propofol and Judge Pastor set August 23 as the date for
the start of the preliminary hearing.

Jackson Five

Randy (second from right) with his brothers Marlon, Jackie, Michael and Tito in 1979


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What is your position on the controversy about whether or not Pastor T.B Joshua of the Synagogue of All Nations might be fake?.
A: I followed the whole argument and I noticed that TheNEWS published an extensive interview of Joshua. We kept track of developments, even when I was in London. I knew your magazine interviewed him .I was born in Zaria and grew up in Kaduna. And I left Kaduna in 1964. I went back in December last year. My journey from Abuja to Kaduna, because I was preaching at Abuja, was by road. And the magazine I chose to read wasTheNEWS . In the magazine (I wish you keep that interview and put it on the web), it practically settled the matter of Joshua or T.B Joshua. Certain questions were asked him (and I believe the person who asked him must be a committed Christian). "Tell us when you were born, when you became a Christian." And he said: "I have been a Christian from when I was born." Zero, Zero, Zero! You do not inherit Christianity.

My dad was a soldier but that didn't make me a soldier. I loved the Army. I was reading to finish my A levels and go to the NDA when I got born again. My brother ended in the Army. I just never wanted another life but the Army. But being raised in the Army Barracks, spending 18 years of my life there, did not make me any near being part of the Nigerian Army other than to find the fact that I know their rudiments but I'm not on their books.

I quoted the TheNEWS the following week, here in Lagos, I think the same week, I was preaching for Paul Adefarasin. I quoted TheNEWS as having interviewed him:
"When did you become a Christian? How did you become a Christian?"
He said "I was a Christian from my mother's womb".
"Who is your pastor?" He did not answer that question. So, he has no pastor. He has no root as to when he got born again. His explanation as to the root of the miraculous in his life is mystical, not spiritual as in the Bible.

Therefore, while on one hand I feel that the whole Chris Okotie, Joshua, Oyakhilome drama was unfortunate because I feel two brothers have allowed their fight to come out into the open, and it has been badly managed, yet, on another hand, I think in the process, they helped us to avert a major danger. It is my personal conclusion based on my observation and that Mr. T.B Joshua, in the beginning never claimed to be part of us.

Probably, because he needed credibility, he therefore began to claim to be part of us. There is no proof of his salvation. We don't know his Pastor. You ask me who was my Pastor and I'll tell you who my Pastor was. Every man of God knows. We know the Pastor of Pastor Adeboye; we know the Pastor of Mike Okonkwo; we know the Pastor of Bishop Oyedepo we know the Pastors of all these men. We know where Chris Okotie began. I was in the same show with Chris Okotie. He didn't know. In September 1979, when he just got born again and he was invited by Sunday Show NTA 10 , Tony Ogunlana, he was the producer in those days. He was interviewed for singing songs like ABC and so on. I was interviewed by Richard Ikiebe. He used to write for Sunday Times .

I was interviewed as a young pastor in 1979. I was only 25 years old or something. We were on the same show. So, you can trace the salvation of Chris Okotie. You can trace that of Oyakhilome. He comes from a family of Assemblies of God. The previous general supervisor was a Rev. Oyakhilome. Where is T. B Joshua's local Church? So, we don't know Joshua's pastor, we don't know where he was raised from. He doesn't have a testimony, based on TheNEWS. He has no testimony from where he got born again. He said he was born like that. So, we cannot accept that he is one of us. It is possible. I do not know; I have no proof.

Q: Must he actually have the criteria you have outlined? Can't one be born and be a man of God without going through the way outlined?
A: You can be born again through a personal encounter with God. That's an occasion of one in ten thousand. Joshua could be one of the one in ten thousand, so everything is coincidental. Is salvation one in ten thousand? There is no local church we could connect him to. His being called, then, is one in ten thousand . There is no pastor we could connect him to. So, his call to ministration is also one in ten thousand because we've seen people who suddenly experienced the power of God.
In 1923, Moses Orimolade experienced the power of God - moved in the super natural. Cherubim and Seraphim did not start with white garment; the man experienced the genuine power of God and went out to begin to pray for people. The problem there was the absence of good teaching. There are people who have encountered God. But even then, Moses Orimolade came out of the Church of the Lord, Aladura. So there is a trace. Church of the Lord, Aladura, came out of the Anglican Church.

In 1923, Joseph Ayo Babalola experienced a supernatural encounter with God when he was driving a trailer from Akure to llesa. When he got to a place called Arakeji, he experienced an encounter with God. And that was the place. There and then, he was called into ministry. You must have heard of the Precious Stone Church, the Faith Tabernacle, the Apostolic, the Christ Apostolic. Tell me about any man of God in this life, I've studied the history of revival in this country and I will tell you how he got born again. I don't have a history of T.B Joshua.
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The last may not have been heard about the crumbled love affair between the Nollywood actress, Empress Njamah and one of the hottest artistes in Nigeria, popularly called Timaya. The award winning Nigeria singer and songwriter, Timaya in a recent interview with a journalist erroneously called Empress Njamah names, referring to her as a thief who he gave some money to purchase a car only for her to squander the money on frivolities. He so labeled her to the extent that the journalist who was not going to dig int deep into their strained relationship was left with no option than to further press him to open more on the crack amorous affair and why she was referred to as a thief.

“Empress is not that important to talk about. I gave her money to buy a car, she didn’t buy it, she was always driving my car before we broke up and I went to collect my car back not the money I gave her to use in buying the car. So, she is like a thief. We were dating and I gave you money to buy a car and you didn’t buy it instead you were using my car and since we’re not dating again she should be able to return my car now. During our courtship, I once told her that I don’t like feeling like a fool. Nobody likes to be talking for a suck, she took me as one but I fought it” Timaya revealed.

Though, Empress who is said to have remained tight-lipped over her liaison and the brouhaha that follow shortly after her break up with Timaya, we learnt, got a new car a few weeks after her separation from Timaya and the day she was to celebrate the new wonder-on-wheel, Timaya and his thugs were said to have stormed the church, abused the pastor and harassed people in the vineyard.

One of close pals of the highly controversial couple, Empress & Timaya exclusively had a chat with www.nigeriafilms.com on the on-going love scandal about the estranged lovers. The source wasted no time to support Empress’ cause.

“Calling Empress a thief is derogatory and it’s nothing but an attempt to assassinate the character of the beautiful actress, Empress. Empress is a Nollywood actress who is quite doing well, fine; they both might have dated before and in the course of this might have given each other gifts or anything, that, of course does not warrant them calling each other’s names. Over what! There’s nothing absolutely wrong in one driving his or her lover’s car. What has he (Timaya) done that is new under this heaven? Is he the only man that will give his lover money to buy a car before? How much did he give to Empress that is making him to bark like a mad dog…? Well, to my knowledge, the money giving to Empress was not enough to buy a car of her choice, so she fixed the money and started saving towards getting a car of her choice without bothering her so called lover. Timaya is nothing but a kiss and tell person who still needs to be fed with baby milk so as to get some nourishment do evelop his sense of maturity.” She concluded.

Before the advent of Empress/Timaya’s affair, if we flash back, Empress was once accused of an act of theft called shoplifting caused by a disease of the brain otherwise known as Kleptomaniac. The story which was highly splashed on the pages of tabloids and other newspapers, we gathered might have being a lethal weapon Timaya is now using to assassinate the good name of the beautiful screen idol, Empress Njamah who has made unprecedented success in the make-believe industry. ..

Meanwhile, Timaya who is set to release his forth album in a couple of days time has titled it ‘Rebirth’. Does that now mean that the Bayelsa born sensational artiste is now a new creature entirely? The answer will be known when the album is out.
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WRITTEN BY SHARAFA DAUDA AND YAHAYA IBRAHIM, MAIDUGURI
WEDNESDAY, 16 JUNE 2010 05:26
A twenty eight year old qur’anic school student resident in Bulabulin Ngarnam Ward, Maiduguri was yesterday sentenced to death by hanging for killing his 14-year old wife, Amsa Usman Abdu, over disagreement on sex.

The convict said for seven months,his wife only allowed him access to her three times.

A Maiduguri High Court ruled yesterday that Abubakar Goni should be hang by his neck until he is certified dead, declaring that he used a kitchen knife to stab his wife on several parts of her body until she died because she refused to have sexual intercourse with him around 3:00am on October 22, 2003. The presiding judge, Justice Abdullahi Sanya Yerima, said the man committed culpable homicide punishable with death as provided for in Section 221(b) of the Penal Code..

Goni had during his arraignment told the court that the marriage between him and late Amsa was contracted by his father against his wish, but he accepted his father’s decision in good faith and endured to live with the wife despite her “stubbornness”. He said, “My father married Amsa for me. I never knew her before then but I accepted her as my wife in good faith. During our married life, which lasted for seven months, she disregarded and disrespected me. Whenever I wanted to have sex with her, she refused. For the seven months we lived together, we only had sex three times. I reported her conduct to my father several times, but he begged me to approach her gently as she was still a small girl. My father even reported her to her father, who personally advised her on two occasions”, parts of his statement to the police read.

Goni said on that day, around 2:00am while they were asleep in the same room within his father’s compound where they lived, his late wife repeated her usual turn down.

“I demanded to have sex with her, but she refused. I begged her several times but she still refused. I then left her inside the room, went out and searched for a knife, which I got in the kitchen. I took possession of the knife and went back to the room with annoyance and stabbed her several times at different places,” he confessed.

In his testimony, Goni’s father, Alhaji Goni Umara, said an unusual sound woke him from sleep in the night and he rushed to the scene and found his son with a knife, who told him that he had stabbed his wife. Bintu Goni Umara, a step mother of the husband said, “The knife used by Goni in stabbing his wife belongs to me, and on that day, I left it in the kitchen.” The judge said he convicted Goni as charged even though his counsel pleaded for leniency on ground of age, being a first time offender, and the fact that Goni was legally married to the deceased but was denied sexual intercourse. The counsel said sex is an undisputable right in marriage and refusing Goni made him to act in anger and frustration.

But Justice Abdullahi Sanya Yerima insisted that the act was a grave and heinous crime and the section under which he was charged provides no option.

In another homicide case heard in the court, one Fadimatu Ibrahim who was accused of killing her husband, Ibrahim Usman, by stabbing him on the chest with a knife was freed.

Fadimatu, a native of Baram in Hawul Local Government Area of Borno State, was said to have stabbed her husband with a knife on May 17, 2004 and was charged with culpable homicide, which is not punishable with death as provided under section 224 of the Penal Code.

Justice Sanya discharged and acquitted Fadimatu for want of evidence. According to him, the prosecutor failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the accused was guilty of the offence as required in any homicide case, saying there was no proof that Usman died or that Fadimatu caused his death as earlier filed in the case of no submission by the defence counsel, Barrister A. Shettima.


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For Bayelsa-born gospel music star Asu Ekiye, his counterpart on the gospel music scene, Sammie Okposo is not fit to lead an association of gospel artistes simply because he does not have the spiritual pedigree.
The award_winning musician, who has three albums, “Back to Base 1_3” to his credit, says it is scandalous to have been tipped as a deputy to Okposo in the association being put together by some gospel musicians.
Okposo once matched with Gloria Ibru and even notorious cossy orjiakor has been seen by many as a man about town instead of a man with Gospel news .

GOOD MATCH SAMMIE OKPOSO AND COSSY ORJIAKOR
(Head scratch)… um… (sigh)… uh… what am I supposed to say here? I mean, this is obviously a ridiculous match in my eyes but the crew down here seems to think two people couldn’t be as perfectly matched as these two. (Head Scratch) Yea… um… whatever makes you folks sleep well as night.

Okay, I’m gonna start by thanking the folks who emailed their comments about our last good match- Asa and 9ice as well as those who made their opinions painfully and obviously clear about our today’s good match.

Apparently, everyone who wrote in thought that Asa and 9ice were a smoking hot couple. Some even described the match as a powerful and mad combo. Some even wrote in asking if they were actually dating and wanted to be the first to wish them best of luck. For the umpteenth time people, ASA AND 9ICE ARE NOT DATING! Gosh! Can’t y’all take a joke?

Anyhoos, folks had this to say about our newest couple- Sammie Okposo and Cossy Orjiakor.

Titi from Gbagada wrote, “I think Sammie Okposo and Cossy Orjiakor are a perfect fit. Sammie used gospel music to deceive Nigerians from who he really is and Cossy used acting as an excuse to flaunt those weapons of destruction in our faces. We all know how fake and non-existent her talent for acting is. These two are made for each other”

Mercy from Surulere wrote, “They are both very Over-talented; Sammie from the rear and Cossy from the front. How could they not be perfect?” okay girl, I think we all know what you mean. But next time, why don’t you just say Sammie’s ARSE-nal and Cossy’s BRA-celona.

Remi from Oshodi wrote, “I hear that Sammie likes women, well Cossy seems to have what it takes to keep him pre-occupied for the rest of his life and if it is true that it is actually the women who are the ones throwing themselves at him for ‘the koko’, he would definitely learn a thing or two from Cossy. P.S is it true that she poised nude with a dog?” Well Remi, the jury is still out on that one. I read somewhere that she denied those allegations but folks are insistent that she did. Go figure!

Felix from Lekki wrote, “Sammie Okposo and Cossy Orjiakor huh? Hm…  you have all the makings of a pornographic film. Please where can I order my copy before Fashola bans them?” Okay Felix, I am not even going to answer that. Folks were really nasty about this week’s good match. Wow! Now, your girl has always been the objective type. I’m gonna do the right thing here and move away from all this negativity and focus on the positive side of this alliance and before you start asking… NO! SAMMIE OKPOSO AND COSSY ORJIAKOR ARE NOT DATING!

CAREER

Sammie is actively involved in the music Industry. He is a controversial gospel artist. His lyrics have been known to give hope to the hopeless, faith to the faithless and ultimately lead people to Christ. Perhaps, if he did get together with Cossy, he would (and this is a long shot) lead her to Christ and Christ will convict her to go buy her actual bra size and fuller tops and stop leading men into temptation.

Cossy on the other hand has effortlessly managed to make a name for herself with her massive ‘nation feeders’. In an interview with a journalist from a reputable newspaper, she proudly revealed that Obesere paid her 10 times what the journalist was earning to shake her money makers in his videos. Calculate that folks! Now, if Sammie Okposo’s career ever hit rock bottom, he can go to sleep knowing that those jugs of Cossy’s will be feeding him in EVERY way.

SEX APPEAL

This little bird eaves dropped on a conversation some naughty boys were having in a night club some nights back. The fellas were talking about the bad boys in the industry and Sammie’s name came up and just then one screamed… ‘Ah… Okpokoboko’. Now I don’t need to tell you why they referred to him as ‘KOBOKO’. The fact of the matter is that while D’banj is going around town singing about his koko, ladies are testifying about Sammie’s. As for cossy, the fact is that if she can pose nude anywhere and with anything… it shows that this chick can do and undo. Hm… perhaps Felix is right on this one?

PERSONALITY

Both Sammie and Cossy are very flashy people. If you don’t believe me… take a look at Sammie who after his first endorsement from GLO, rushed down to the car dealership to reward himself with 2 cars (A Nissan jeep and a Camry 2007 model) with personalized plates SO. Hey… no beef Sammie… you deserve it. It’s not everyday you get an endorsement and heaven only knows if it will be your last. Sources say that after he was robbed of quite a number of valuables in Kingsley Ogoro’s very own office in Adeniran Ogunsanya, he kept on lamenting about the state of the art phone given to him by Mike Adenuga himself that was taken by the thieves… of course… I mean, let’s make no never mind about the laptops and cash that they relieved him of. Apparently, this phone was a jege phone… you know the kind that when it rings and you bring it out in public… everything else goes in slow motion. I’m talking about the kind of phone that you feed, bathe and sleep with. Ewwwwww… these criminals… e no go beta for them o. they have robbed Sammie of instant Jege. Cossy on the other hand… well… this little bird was at Bacchus club sometime back and there Cossy was, dancing all alone in front of this mirror and all the while, she was checking out her own boobs and fiddling with them. Jeez! Everything about this chick says… EXCESSIVE! I was actually going for the word YUCK! But I didn’t want people to think I had any personal beef with the chick. Everything from the makeup to the choice of colors to the clothes… (eyes rolling) I’m guessing she had a traumatic childhood. You can be rest assured that this couple will take the entertainment industry by storm with all that drama that is constantly surrounding them.
Ekiye continues :

In an interactive session with the media recently, Ekiye declares thus: “I am aware of a positive move to spearhead the course of bringing all gospel musicians in Nigeria under one umbrella for proper coordination and organization. And to say that I am tipped as deputy to Sammie Okposo is a figment of someone’s imagination.

Nobody has the right to choose who leads and who deputizes until all gospel musicians in Nigeria agree on that. Moreover, I cannot be led by Sammie Okposo. Yes! He cannot lead me. I cannot be a part of anything led by Sammie Okposo because he does not have the spiritual pedigree to lead me.”

According to Ekiye, gospel music is not just an art form it is actually a life pattern. “And in fact, the life pattern validates the music. So if a set of people are orchestrating a certain move to pursue selfish agenda aimed at legitimizing a cycle of obduracy and self aggrandizement, it does not make it credible. It is in fact an insult to ask me to follow Sammie.



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It has stars to rival Hollywood's Sunset Boulevard and Mumbai's Juhu Beach. But the tabloid tracking the every move of Nigeria's"Nollywood" actors isn't in Nigeria, or even Africa- it's in Queens.

For the past two years, Nigerian-born journalist Ekerete Udoh has run the Diasporan Star - the only paper covering Nollywood outside ofAfrica - from his home in St. Albans, distributing it tothousands of readers in cities across the country.

"We're like the National Enquirer, the US Magazine and the Magazine"">People Magazine of Nollywood combined," Udoh said of thepaper.

Nollywood surpassed Hollywood as the world's second largest movie industry in 2006 (India's Bollywoodoutpaces both, producing some 1,000 titles annually). But itscross-cultural appeal has recently become apparent in NewYork, where superstores in the Bronxand Brooklyn sell thousands of DVDs aweek.

Now the films - long preferred by African and Caribbean immigrants - are enjoying an explosion of popularity among a diverseaudience in Queens. New releases are sold in salons, groceries andbodegas across the borough.

Since March, the blockbusters can even be found at six branches of the Queens Library, though you might have a hard time getting your handson one.

"They don't stay on our shelves," said Patricia Eshun, the Rosedale branch manager.

Fans say the films - often serialized love stories or family dramas - are highly addictive. Many female viewers first see the movies at thesalon, where hairdressers play them back-to-back during long hairappointments.

"You're doing your hair for seven or eight hours, you get hooked." said Dominique Lewis, 48, a legal assistant whotraveled from Brooklyn to pick up a film called "Virginity" at the Jamaica bus depot. Like many, she saidshe has several dozen Nollywood DVDs at home.

"My kids made fun of me [saying]: 'Mom, do you do anything else?'" she said.

Part of the appeal is the price: $4 to $7 buys two or three hours of heart-wrenching drama. Releasing a single film across two or three DVDsalso keeps customers coming back.

"I sell American movies, but not a lot," said Tass Sacko, who owns a Nollywood movie store on Jamaica Ave. "The original American movies areexpensive."

But Udoh said the films also present an alternative view of Africa, one that viewers are eager to explore.

"Above all, I think Nollywood has done a lot to rebrand Africa," he said. "A lot of people had the notion that Africans were still living intheir mud houses - they are shocked when they see places that look likeManhattan,and they can't believe that that is in Africa."

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Nollywood A-list Actress Stephanie Okereke was at the Cannes festival May 12-May 23 for the screening of her movie “Through the Glass”.
This screening was made possible by the partnership between Stephanie’s own production company Next Page Productions and ID communications Canada. The Movie was screened to a very diverse audience on Monday, May 17th, giving a very international promotion to the ever growing Nollywood industry and one of its goals to reach a western audience..

“I cannot begin to describe my excitement and appreciation for this industry. It’s not about approval; it’s about opening up the world to a different type of film making experience, the hybrid of Nollywood and Hollywood.” –Stephanie Okereke

ABOUT THE STEPHANIE:

Stephanie Okereke came into the Nollywood scene in 1997 as a student at the University of Calabar. After graduating, her thirst for an acting career propelled her into Nollywood fulltime. Stephanie made her mark with the movie Emotional Crack which premiered at the African Film festival in April 2004. With Over 90 films to her name, Stephanie Okereke is continually building her brand in the movie industry.

A recent graduate of the New York Film Academy, Stephanie has expanded her title to include Director, producer and writer with the introduction of her latest movie: Through the Glass which premiered at the Silver Screen Theatre of the Pacific Design Centre on
October 18th 2008 in Hollywood, California, and premiered across theatres in Nigeria on September 16th 2009 to record topping viewings and now at the Cannes Festival.

ABOUT THE MOVIE:

Through the glass is the story of Jeffrey [Garret Mckechnie] who lives the ultimate bachelor's life going through numerous non-committed relationships, but struggles to excel at work and gain his father's love and acceptance. Jeffrey's life gets even more intriguing when life deals him a card that stops him in his tracks. On a typical day, he returns from work to find a note "take care of your responsibility" left on top of a baby who is abandoned on his doorstep. In nothing short of what is scary, confusing and comedic, he turns to his Nigerian neighbor, Ada [Stephanie Okereke] who he has a secret crush on, to help him. What happens to the baby? Will Jeffrey break through the glass of his phobia for commitment and keep the baby? Will Jeffrey confess his secret crush on Ada?

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Congo,Nigeria and a host of African States had a taste of vast wealth that transformed them into the Corrupt "Failed" State they are today can the US campaign offer any succour to the Holy Blood Letting still going on in this Desert Mineral Filled State ?

Jason Simpkin of Money morning takes a look at the issues and solutions:
Overnight, Afghanistan has gone from being a political pariah to one of the most significant, and potentially richest, countries on the globe. But can the rocky, war-torn desert - known mostly for harboring terrorists and exporting opium - be reborn as a major commodities exporter? Photos:Hamid Karzai Kabul Strongman, War Mongers in the Sands of Afghanistan
U.S. geologists have found some $1 trillion of untapped mineral deposits in Afghanistan, The New York Times reported Sunday. Afghanistan's mineral wealth includes large caches of iron, copper, gold and lithium that could turn the country into one of the most important mining centers in the world.

Think of Australia, Canada, and Latin America. That is the league into which these geographical revelations have thrust Afghanistan.

"There is stunning potential here," General David Petraeus, commander of the United States Central Command, told The Times. "There are a lot of ifs, of course, but I think potentially it is hugely significant."

Those "ifs" include ongoing warfare, a lack of infrastructure, and more than a little political corruption. But the upside for the country is enormous.

While U.S. officials estimate the potential value of Afghanistan's mineral wealth at $1 trillion, President Hamid Karzai said last month during a visit to Washington that his country's deposits could be worth three times as much.

So why did it take so long for this information to surface? .

Soviet mining experts originally discovered the potential of Afghanistan's mineral wealth in the 1980s. However, the data that was collected was cast aside when the Soviet Union abandoned the country in 1989. A small group of Afghani scientists kept the charts secret for the next 20 years as the country was engulfed by civil war and eventually taken over by the Taliban. Those charts were returned to the Afghan Geological Survey in Kabul after the United States invaded, and were subsequently discovered by American geologists.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) began aerial surveys of the noted regions in 2006 and 2007. And in 2009, a Pentagon task force that had helped nurture business opportunities in Iraq was transferred to Afghanistan, where it finally assessed the potential economic impact of the discoveries.

Waheed Omar, a spokesman for Karzai, said at a news conference yesterday (Monday) that the USGS was "contracted by the Afghan government to do a survey, so this is basically an Afghan government initiative."

"I think it's very, very big news for the people of Afghanistan and that we hope will bring the Afghan people together for a cause that will benefit everyone," he said. "This is an economic interest that will benefit all Afghans and will benefit Afghanistan in the long run."
Re-Imagining Afghanistan
The significance of the geological find cannot be overstated. Afghanistan is one of the world's poorest and least developed nations. Its gross domestic product is just $12 billion and as much as one-third of that comes from the growth and distribution of illegal drugs - particularly opium and its two derivatives, morphine and heroin. In fact, Afghanistan is the world's largest producer of opium and heroin, according to the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime.

About 40% of the country's population lives below the poverty line, and some 70% of the population lives on $2 a day. Having suffered through decades of long and costly military conflicts, virtually no infrastructure exists to support an economic revitalization process.

Even now, as the U.S. campaign wears thin, military clashes continue to erupt along the border the country shares with Pakistan. There are serious doubts about whether or not Karzai's government, which itself has been blotted by scandal and corruption, will remain relevant after the United States withdrawal.

Some critics have even suggested that now that the full extent of Afghanistan's mineral wealth is known, the Taliban will fight even harder to regain control of the country.

"I highly doubt it will be able to either properly manage these resources or use the riches to build a more peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan for all Afghans," Janan Mosazai, a political analyst, told AFP. "We have living examples of other countries where natural riches have actually turned into a curse for peace and prosperity for people," he said, citing Nigeria's endemic poverty and conflict despite vast oil exports.

Of course, there's also reason to remain optimistic. While it will take many years for Afghanistan to develop a mining industry, the vastness of Afghanistan's mineral reserves could attract substantial investments well before mines become profitable.

Take, for example, resource-hungry China's recent foray into the country.

In 2007, China Metallurgical Group agreed to invest $3 billion in Afghanistan's Aynak copper mine, which by some estimates holds the world's largest undeveloped reserves of its kind. As part of the deal China agreed to provide an onsite copper smelter, a $500 million electric station that will power the project and augment Kabul's electricity supply, a coal mine to fuel the power station, a ground water system, and roads, homes, hospitals and schools for the miners and their families. China is also working on a rail line that will stretch from Afghanistan's northern border with Uzbekistan to its southern border with Pakistan.

That investment is the largest in the Afghanistan's history, and it's being guarded by the U.S. military, which was already established in the region to prevent Taliban soldiers from infiltrating the country's capital.

China, which has trillions of dollars available for investment and a huge appetite for commodities to fuel its economic growth, has not shied away from the more troubled regions of the planet.

China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) won bids to take part in the development of Iraq's Rumaila and Halfaya oil fields. China has also been active in various hot spots throughout the continent of Africa.

"If they (Chinese leaders) don't feed their immense industrial complex, their populace could become disruptive," a Western official, who asked not to be further identified so he could speak freely, told McClatchy Newspapers. "We expect to see more such competitions" over Afghanistan's huge untapped reserves of natural resources.

Indeed, with the prices for many commodities on the rise, investment in Afghanistan could come much more quickly than the country's critics anticipate.

The Pentagon has already set about helping Afghanistan set up a system to develop its resources. International accounting firms that have expertise in mining contracts have been hired to consult with the Afghan Ministry of Mines, and technical data is being prepared to turn over to multinational mining companies and other potential foreign investors. U.S. officials are assisting the Afghan government in seeking bids on mineral rights by next fall, officials told The Times.

"All the ingredients are there to build a modern society," said the USGS' Stephen Peters. "If we can create jobs for the people, give them salaries, they will be satisfied with their lives."
Source: http://moneymorning.com/2010/06/15/afghanistan-mineral-wealth/
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Have you ever arrived from school or work in the evening, tired and yearning for food and the comforts of your home and bed, and just like magic you saw your star within arms' reach? That he or she is not only in your country, but your hometown? I will never ever forget meeting Genevieve Nnaji, and shaking her soft and successful hands in Dippa Kunda. It was more than a dream come true!

It only took me seconds to know who was around, when I came nearer the unruly and excited mob. Holding a soft black leather hand-bag and her hand-luggage, Genevieve was attired in her Genevieve-like clothes (black jeans and a sexy light blue chemise-like elbow-length top). She coiffured her hair the celebrity way, and that was what differentiated her from her fans. When I came, she had already entered her car, and I couldn't see her clearly because of the tinted windows. When our gaze locked, I kept on blowing her kisses like a madly in love Juliet and she did the same to me. Minutes later, I walked on, thinking that it was futile, because I couldn't see her natural face.

But the tiny little voice in me wouldn't let me go home like that. I rushed back daring the tight security, and signaled her to roll the windows down. And guess what? She did exactly that. I couldn't believe my luck, but blinked my eyes and listened to my excited heart beating. When she put her hands forward, I shook them and the other equally excited fans wanted to do so, but the security guards stopped them.

Genevieve started her acting career as a child actress in the then popular television soap opera - Ripples at the age of 8. In 1998 at the age of 19, she was introduced into the growing Nigerian film industry with the movie - "Most Wanted". As an upcoming actress, trying to create a niche for herself, she went through various minor roles seeking that opportunity for a breakthrough.

Her subsequent movies - Last Party, Mark of the Beast, and Ijele (still considered to be one of her best epic performance to date) brought forth an icon to be loved and adored by many.

Her name became a household name, her image the desire of every young girl. In 2002, she featured in the movie 'Sharon Stone' and her fame shot beyond the shores of Nigeriato Africa and several European countries. One can say the 'buzz' Genevieve reinvented the Nigerian Film Industry, introducing Nollywood.

Genevieve appeals just as warmly to Gambians, Kenyans, Liberians, South Africans and Ghanaians who avidly watch Nigerian home videos at home and abroad. Genevieve has led the market into new territories today.

In recognition of her immense contribution to the Nigerian film industry, Genevieve has been presented with numerous awards some of which have been in Dublin, London andAmerica. She won best actress of the year in the 2001, City People Award and in 2005 at the maiden outing of the prestigious African Movie Academy Award (AMAA).

In 2009, Genevieve made history by being the first Nigerian actress to be profiled on Oprah's "The most popular people around the world." Genevieve is quoted to be the highest paid, and most desired actress in Nollywood today (the free encyclopedia).

Genevieve Nnaji's story is the perfect example of 'from grass to grace'. It is more than an honor to have her and Osita 'Pow Pow' in town. Back in the days, one wouldn't believe that she would step on the welcoming soil of the Gambia and help to improve the movie industry in the Gambia. Her life personifies the saying "All things are possible if you will only believe." These words describe her: Determined, Focused, Humble and Creative. The best years of her career are still ahead. I believe that when Gambia's new found talents work together with Osita and Genevieve, they will make a very successful movie. Thank you Genevieve.

Author: Isatou Dumbuya
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Twitter users know that the service goes down fairly often, but thatdoesn't seem to alienate them. While Twitter has certainly had its issues with user retention in the past, itcontinues to grow. Last month, the site grew by nearly 10% (over the previous month) by ourestimates, with total registered users estimated at 122 million. That'snot Facebook-like numbers, but it's pretty significant. One almost hasto wonder if those numbers would be higher if the "Fail Whale" didn't make so many appearances. Twitterusers, for the most part, don't seem to mind him too much though. .

What makes you keep coming backto Twitter, despite frequent downtime? Tell us.

The Downtime

Frequent downtime is nothing new for Twitter. It's been going on prettymuch as long as Twitter's been around. You would think that by now,they'd have it under control, but no such luck.

The latest post on the Twitter status blog from just today says, "We'recurrently experiencing a high rate of errors (whales) on Twitter.com.Our infrastructure and operations engineers are responding to theincident. One from Monday night talks about site availability issues.This is a pretty common theme on the blog. June 9th..."site availabilityissues". June 8th...site availability issues...May 5th..."site largelyunavailable. April 22nd..."elevated errors." April 20th..."high errorrate." April 12th...."high error rate." April 5th..."general siteoutage." March 25th..."high error rate." You get the idea. This is allscattered among posts about missing tweets, missing follower counts, andother issues. And I'm pretty sure there has not been a correspondingupdate every time I've personally seen the Fail Whale.

Is it the Features?What do you think?

Twitter continues to put out new features. Is it the increasedusefulness of the service that keeps people coming back? Most recently,they launched Twitter Places for location-sharing (a very popularphenomenon these days). This will keep that crowd coming back, althoughtoo much Foursquare could alienate others (or at least reduce somefollower counts).

Twitter Places

Businesses are expecting more features specifically for them. Twitter bought an analytics company recently, and more business account-related goodies are expected tocome. As we've discussed repeatedly, there are plenty of opportunitiesfor businesses to take advantage of Twitter, but what about regularusers?

Is it the Apps?What do you think?

The Twitter ecosystem is possible because of Twitter's API. Thanks tothis, many apps have been created that make Twitter more useful topeople, catering to their specific preferences. If you don't likeTwitter, you can probably find an app out there that makes you like it more.

Is it Search?What do you think?

Twitter is probably the leading source of real-time information, whichis becoming a greater factor in how people search. People searchTwitter for the latest updates on topics, and they search Google, whichwill also bring up real-time results, heavily saturated with tweets. Isthis why people keep using Twitter?

Is it News?
What do you think?

Beyond just search, Twitter provides up to the second news. Itprovides trending topics where users can see what is being talked aboutheavily at any given time. It gives users RSS-style, personalized newsorganization. Twitter put this kind of functionality in the mainstream,and got users reading news this way that never knew what RSS was orunderstood the concept - the news you care about coming right to you inone place.

It also provides a very easy format for creating the news. If you'reon the scene, it's easy to push out a quick tweet. Is this why peoplekeep coming back?

Is it the Name?What do you think?

It seems that people (at least in the media) just can't get enough oftalking about Twitter. You know you've heard countless mentions andsarcastic jabs at the use of "Twitter" and "tweeting" on TV news, on theradio, in the newspapers, during sporting events, late night talkshows, etc. Does the constant exposure of Twitter contribute to whypeople won't put it down?

Some Answers

I asked a number of people why they think people keep coming back toTwitter, even though the service is frequently on the fritz. Answersvary, but they are probably all spot on.

Starting in-house, our own Mike McDonald says, "Because at the end ofthe day, nobody loses any sleep over not being able to tweet. It'ssomething done in passing for the bulk of their user base. If it's down,there is Facebook or 50 other ways they can broadcast some idea, andit'll be back up at some point...Twitter is easier."

A couple good answers came from our Facebook fans. Gary Spencer says, "It's the funnywhale picture, gotta love that."

Fail Whale

Tom Bill simply says, "It's free."

Siok Siok Tan, who's making a documentary about Twitter (which she tellsme should be done in August or September...read our intreview with herabout that here) says, "Because Twitter's main attraction isn'tits flawless technology. It is the unique catchment of people that ithas managed to aggregate."

Jason Falls, who runs Social Media Explorer, says, "Why will Twitter userstolerate downtime from the service? Because they probably need a breakfrom it anyway."

"Seriously, though, Twitter is a conversation place," he adds. "There'sno network or platform out there right now with as large a user base andan already established network of contacts where you can just go andchat with people. Twitter has the market on open-forum, groupconversation enabling. Until there is a better option, people will putup with it."

Alternatives?What do you think?


"To clarify the answer: Our instant messaging platforms are mostlyclosed and don't allow for open/public conversation among large groups,"Falls continues. "Facebook isn't real-time enough from auser-experience perspective. The other microblogging platforms (yeah, afew still exist) don't have YOUR network of friends already built in.And even if they did, none of them have the variety of third party appsand add-ons that Twitter does. They've got a monopoly on the onlineuser's desire to chitter chatter. Sad but true."

Michael Gray of AtlasWebService, who is a frequent user, says, "Inmy opinion is has to do with where your friends are. No one likesFacebook's crazy privacy settings and there are lots of other socialnetworks where you have more control, but none of your friends arethere. Jaiku offered a very similar service to twitter, but they wherenever able to get that critical mass of users. As long a Twitter has theconcentration of people you want to share things with people will putup with downtime."

Mike Stelzner, founder of SocialMediaExaminer.com, has a slightly differentperspective, however. He says, "They are moving to Facebook more andmore. Keeping Twitter because everyone they trust is there, but movingto FB."

Will Google Buzz creep its way into the fold? Some think it's on the way up, and while Google hasnever presented Buzz as a replacement for Twitter or Facebook, it couldhappen with the users' help. It's already got the retweet-like feature,the retweet button-like buttons, the early adopters (many of the sameones that Twitter had), and now the API to get developers creating andintegrating the apps (not to mention all of the other Google propertiesto integrate if they so choose). What it doesn't have is the downtime(Gmail fails every once in a while, but it is nothing like the rate ofthe Fail Whale).

However, Google Buzz also doesn't have the Oprahs and the JustinBiebers making it appealing to the masses. Sadly, this could be one ofthe biggest things holding it back. Time will tell if that changes.

But for now, people seem content to stick with Twitter and cut theFail Whale some slack. It is clear that people love Twitter (maybe weshould turn to the one-word answers people gave about Twitter lastyear). They love it so much, they will put up with frequent downtime,and hardly think twice about it. But Twitter might want to get thisunder control before it's too late, because there are alternatives outthere, and this Fail Whale tolerance might not last forever.

Do you use Twitter? We want to hear from you. What makes youkeep using it despite the frequent fail whales? Comment here.
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