Over 3500 People Killed by Boko Haram in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Niger in 2015- UN/ Amnesty Int.Report

The Boko Haram insurgency in 2015 has caused the deaths of over 3,500 people, mostly civilians, according to a UN and Amnesty International report. The victims according to the report are mainly from the four neighboring countries of Cameroon, Niger, Nigeria (with over three-quarters of the victims) and Chad. The year 2015 is the “bloodiest” compared to the previous years, demonstrating once again, “the cruelty of this obscurantist group”, the report notes. Furthermore, the increase in the number of victims is the consequence of the “shifting from Nigerian horror field to the entire region”. This is why the UN and Amnesty International are in favor of more support by the international community to the affected country. However, while these international organizations are observing “Boko Haram loss of power” in the military field, they also noted that the strategy of extended suicide attacks in Cameroon, Niger and Chad has unfortunately claimed many more victims. This situation calls on countries in conflict against these “terrorists” to adapt to this new form of war, as it is factual that asymmetric warfare requires better coordination of strategies, particularly in terms of information sharing which requires everybody’s involvement, including civilians, the report concludes.  Source: APA

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

6 Topics You Must Discuss With Your Partner Before You Get Married (Must Read)

 A social media user with an interest in romance has shed light on stringent issues to be discussed by couples before getting married for a smooth and long-lasting union.

 I'm a relationship person. Though not married, but I try to learn a lot. Apart from choosing the wedding date, venue and caterer for your day, there are other deeper issues you both need to discuss with each other. Issues where you need to open up to your partner completely and let him/her in.
Not discussing these crucial issues before marriage might be unwise and may have repercussions later on in the marriage.

Here are the issues below:

(1.) Your past: 

 Have you told him/her about any negative or positive experience from your past that has a significant effect on your life? Your history can impact your marriage’s future. Allow him/her to be part of it and move forward as a couple. Do not let your past haunt your future.

(2.) Family obligations: 

 How will you celebrate the holidays? Do you plan to spend Christmas at your folks’ house, and New Year’s Day with his family? Things as simple as these can spike arguments in the future. Lay all the cards down in terms of your financial obligations on each side. Are you okay with him allotting a certain percentage of his salary to his parents?

(3.) Division of house labour: 

 When it’s just the two of you at home, hiring a helper may mean an unnecessary expense, so it’s only practical that you two discuss the division of house chores. If you really loathe washing the dishes, compromise that you’ll be in charge of cooking and table clean-up. If your man hates doing the laundry, volunteer to wash the clothes and ask him to be in charge of the clothesline. This way, you won’t hate each other, while maintaining the upkeep of your love nest.

(4.) S*x : 

 Newlywed s*x is fun and exciting, but as you count the wedding anniversaries, one of you can sometimes overlook its value. Explain to him or her your expectations and limits, or how you two can maintain the spice in the bedroom.

(5.) Secrets: 

 Whether it’s something you did that you regret, a health issue, or a family secret, he/she deserves to know it. Also, since he’s basically going to be part of the family, divulging these details matter. It’s better that he/she hears it from you than from someone else.

(6.) Faith: 

 If you have different religions, say, he’s a renewed Christian and you’re a Catholic, confer with one another which church you’ll be spending Sundays at. Also, if you do plan to have kids, finalize what religion they’ll be following.

 

 

Writer: Agubush Menyo

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Here are the Oscars 2016 Nominees..Full List Here

 The list of nominees for this year's Oscar awards has been released and you need to see the interesting names and movies that made it.

 

The Oscar nominations for 2016 has revealed some interestring names on it. On the list is popular actor, Leornrdo DiCaprio who, despite his fame, has never won an Oscar before. Many feel this year is the year Leonardo DiCaprio will finally win his Oscar.

 See the full list of Oscar 2016 nominees below:

Best Picture
The Big Short
Bridge of Spies
Brooklyn
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Room
Spotlight

Best Actor
Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
Matt Damon, The Martian
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl

Best Actress
Cate Blanchett, Carol
Brie Larson, Room
Jennifer Lawrence, Joy
Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn

Best Supporting Actor
Christian Bale, The Big Short
Tom Hardy, The Revenant
Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight
Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies
Sylvester Stallone, Creed
 

Best Supporting Actress
Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
Rooney Mara, Carol
Rachel McAdams, Spotlight
Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl
Kate WInslest, Steve Jobs
 

Best Directing
Adam McKay, The Big Short
George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road
Alejandro González Iñárritu, The Revenant
Lenny Abrhamson, Room
Tom McCarthy, Spotlight
 

Best Film Editing           
The Big Short
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Revenant
Spotlight
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
 

Best Foreign Language Film
Colombia, Embrace of the Serpent
France, Mustang
Hungary, Son of Saul
Jordan, Theeb
Denmark, A War

Best Original Score
Thomas Newman, Bridge of Spies
Carter Burwell, Carol
Ennio Morricone, The Hateful Eight
Jóhann Jóhannsson, Sicario
John Williams, Star Wars: The Force Awakens
 

Best Production Design
Bridge of Spies
The Danish Girl
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
 

Best Visual Effects
Ex Machina
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
 

Best Adapted Screenplay
The Big Short
Brooklyn
Carol
The Martian
Room
 

Best Original Screenplay
Bridge of Spies
Ex Machina
Inside Out
Spotlight
Straight Outta Compton

Best Animated Feature Film
Anomalisa
Boy and the World
Inside Out
Shaun the Sheep Movie
When Marnie Was There
 

Best Cinematography                     
Carol
The Hateful Eight
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Revenant
Sicario
 

Best Costume Design
Carol
Cinderella
The Danish Girl
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Revenant
 

Best Documentary – Feature
Amy
Cartel Land
The Look of Silence
What Happened, Miss Simone?
Winter on Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom
 

Best Documentary – Short Subject
Body Team 12
Chau, Beyond the Lines
Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah
A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness
Last Day of Freedom

Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Mad Max: Fury Road
The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared
The Revenant
 

Best Original Song
"Earned It," Fifty Shades of Grey
"Manta Ray," Racing Extinction
"Simple Song No. 3," Youth
"'Til It Happens to You," The Haunting Ground
"Writings on the Wall," Spectre
 

Best Animated Short Film
Bear Story
Prologue
Sanjay's Super Team
We Can't Live Without Cosmos
World of Tomorrow
 

Best Live Action Short Film
Ave Maria
Day One
Everything Will Be Okay (Alles Wird Gut)
Shok
Stutterer
 

Best Sound Editing
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Sicario
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
 

Best Sound Mixing
Bridge of Spies
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Star Wars: The Force Awakens

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Senate Indicts Presidency Over Missing Budget, President Buhari's Aide on Hot Seat

 The controversy surrounding the missing 2016 National Budget of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, has taken a new turn with two separate copies coming into the picture and the person that allegedly committed the act revealed.

 

According to an exclusive report on Premium Times, the Nigerian Senate has accused ‎the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Senate, Ita Enang, of changing the contents of the 2016 appropriation bill before making the document available to the lawmakers.

 It was learnt that the Senators at its plenary on Thursday, revealed that Ita Enang changed the contents of the original document as presented by President Buhari before a joint session of the National Assembly last December.

 The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, disclosed this at the end of an executive closed session with the committe who investigated the missing budget that lasted over two hours.

 "What he distributed is different from what was presented by Mr. President and we have resolved not to address any version until we receive the version presented by Mr. President," Saraki stated.

 

 The chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, Aliyu Sabi, further emphasised the Senate allegation when he briefed journalists after plenary.

"We are duty bound to consider the budget that has been laid by Mr. President; we are waiting for the soft copy that we can produce it ourselves," Sabi said.

 He, however, did not give details of the discrepancies between the said original version and the allegedly doctored version distributed by Mr. Enang.

 Below is what the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, posted on his official Facebook page;

 

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

SDF National Chairman’s 2016 New Year Message to the Nation

 Below is the policy speech of SDF National Chairman Ni John Fru delivered at his Ntarinkon Residence today January 14, 2016

Fellow Cameroonians, Ladies and Gentlemen, brave people of change, 

Twenty-six years gone! Yes, twenty-six years already. How quickly time goes by! Twenty-six years since, together, we have been struggling for the advent of a new and better Cameroon! But that important time span cannot make us forget that for thirty-three years, our dear country has been languishing under the reign of a dictatorship masterminded by a group of corrupt and dishonest officials.

Ni John Fru Ndi

I would once again wish to pay tribute to those Cameroonians who, under the reign of Mr. Biya, have made the ultimate sacrifice for the construction of a democratic, peaceful, free and prosperous country, where the well being of Cameroonians must be at the heart of all our preoccupations. From 1982 till today, in all regions and all families, many of our compatriots have lost their lives through torture, bullets or speedy tele guided trials.

I would once more like to pay glowing tribute to those Cameroonians who,since 1990, under Mr. Biya’s regime lost their jobs, property, were maimed and sacrificed their lives, fora democratic, free and prosperous Cameroon; a peaceful Cameroon whose interest is at the center of our activities.

I wish also to pay tribute to Pa Nicolas Ade NGWA, our compatriot who passed away on 3^rd January 2016. Pa Nicolas Ade Ngwa  who, not only fought along with us, but served the Party over a long period of time as the first National Administrative Secretary and used his administrative know-how to set up the archives and filing system of the Party.I humbly ask everyone to observe a minute of silence in memory of this great man and many others who contributed in no small way to the struggle.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The reasons for which we created a political party:the Social Democratic Front (SDF) is still topical and is proof of the fact that the fight for democracy is ongoing.We have the firm conviction that the one party system has never succeeded in either guaranteeing fundamental human rights nor has ever provided efficient and accountable governance.  Rather it has often bred tyranny, corruption and perpetual oligarchy. Were main determined and committed to the struggle to rid our society of these ills. We reaffirm our commitment to our relentless fight against social injustice, tribalism, nepotism, corruption, wastage, moral decadence and all forms of discrimination.Democracy remains the only genuine and commendable means by which a people can get to power, build their future and live in harmony.

Together we should without discrimination, and with the help of each and every one,deploy all our efforts to force the Biya regime to institute democratic governance in 2016by carrying out the following:

-       The   Constitutional Council provided by the constitution20 years ago has become a necessity in order to enable it contribute to our evolving democracy;

-       A consensus electoral code, an independent electoral Commission and an electoral calendar are the minimal conditions for free,pluralistic, transparent and democratic elections;

-       Introduction of the single ballot paper, the only means by which the buying of consciences at the polls can  be checked;

-       Revisit the audio-visual law so as to grant subsidies to all media institutions and not only to CRTV;

-       Effective implementation of the collective agreement and auto regulation laws which are the guarantors of a free and independent media landscape ;

-       The effective implementation of section 66 of the constitution on the declaration of assets by those who hold public offices;

-       The passing of Legislation on double nationality.

I call on our parliamentarians as usual to seek ways and means to bring the above into fruition in the interest of our dear fatherland.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Like other preceding years,2015 was characterized by very disturbing situations for us as individuals and as a nation. Those who govern this country considered hawking, moto-taxi, call-box, the indiscriminate opening of off licenses, churches and other dangerous activities as assuring employment, to the extent that they considered them as having created hundreds of thousands and even millions of jobs.It is awfu lfor a regime to consider such precarious activities as a mode of development of a model economy.

Again, the 2016 Finance law remains a faraway dream to our citizens. When we consider that the prices of a kilogram of rice and other basic necessities have risen by more than 200 francs. cfa as a result of the implementation of the common external tariff of 5% on food stuff, it becomes evident that life will be unbearable to the ever increasing poor Cameroonians in 2016.

A reduction of 20 francs per liter of fuel means that in 2016 the price of fuel at the pomp shall continue to be expensive, whereas the price of crude oil in the world market had dropped drastically by 60% since March 2015 and we ought to have had corresponding reduction by 60% which is 402 francs since then.This is an insult to Cameroonians as fuel prices shall continue to be more expensive in Cameroon than elsewhere in Africa and the world, despite the fact that Cameroon is an oil producing nation.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Close to half of our compatriots live on less than 500 francs a day which is less than the poverty line and worst still, this amount is far less in the rural areas and in the northern part of our country.In real terms, more than 70% of our youth are unemployed; our real inflation rate leaves much to be desired and our growth rate does not predict better days to come.While Cameroonians are over-taxed, the very low investment budget is not consumed.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Ni John Fru Ndi

Today, our country is waging war against the Boko Haram sect in the far North, fighting insecurity in the East and great banditry in the hinterlands. We must reflect on the very fundamental and remote causes of this state of affairs. We have lived through decades of discriminatory and unbalanced development of the National territory. Some regions of our country are swimming in luxury while some other regions are in abject poverty. It is no wonder that Boko Haram found fertile ground in the far North region, and would have done same if it penetrated into some parts of our hinterlands. We had over the years drew the attention of the Biya regime to the evil consequences that would befall Cameroon as a result of this discriminatory development of the national territory.We continue to congratulate and encourage our valiant soldiers who are fighting at all these fronts to defend the integrity and sovereignty of our territory.

This also gives us the occasion to reflect on the future of our country with the view to charting a better tomorrow for our people. In this wise, it is our bounding duty to dissuade our children from easy going life and inculcate in them the indispensable values of good morals and hardwork which constitute the bedrock of a sane society and a prerequisite for our development. The education of our youths and the guarantee of primary health care are the indicators of prosperity.Adequate training will enable the citizens to acquire decent jobs.

In the domain of agriculture, we continue to practice subsistence farming. We should modernize in order to make it competitive and to guarantee self-sufficiency. Our population should be the first to benefit from our resources.Cameroon covers 1.6% of the surface of the African continent and ranks 5^th in biodiversity after the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Madagascar, Tanzania and South Africa.  Cameroon is rich in natural resources and contains approximately:

-* 21% of the African fish species

*  48% of the mammals

*54% of the bird species

*  50% of known continental amphibian species

*  50% of the reptile species

*  42% of all recorded African butterfly species.

Despite such an endowment in rich resources, the country of plenty is characterized by severe poverty.

The Social Democratic Front seeks to address the poverty situation of the citizens through proactive and progressive agricultural policies.  Such policies will address some of the known obstacles to agricultural development in Cameroon particularly deforestation, wind and soil erosion, indiscriminate exploitation of our natural resources (forests, fisheries, livestock,), insufficient involvement of the local populations in decision-making, weak legislation and law enforcement,  entrenched corruption and inefficiency and institutional inertia.

The liberalization of the fertilizer sector was not in itself a bad thing. But poor focus, inadequate preparation for the transition, inefficiency and corruption in the bureaucratic machinery of the State created artificial scarcity leading to skyrocketing prices which have contributed to cripple Cameroon’s agriculture and preclude its industrial development. The situation has been compounded today by the consequences of global warming and climate change. In order to adapt to the changing climatic situation and also mitigate its consequences on agriculture in our country, we will develop partnerships with the youths, women and the private sector in general for the effective participation in the provision of inputs.  In doing this, we shall ensure that biological and environment friendly methods of protection are widely adopted.  The use of manure from household refuge and animal dung, the preparation and production of compost manure and the use of vegetable remains on our farms will be promoted.

This will bring to a halt the burning of our vegetation and charring our soils which has resulted in the destruction of the texture of the soil, its humus and its beneficial micro-organisms that enhance plant growth. These policies and measures will enhance our agricultural production and also go a long way to contribute to the reduction of the emission of greenhouse gases.

We are therefore compelled to make some reflections on the concept of climate change. Generations to come will better apprehend this world phenomenon if, while they grow, they are taught the fundamentals of weather observation which has been abandoned in our school programmes.  These principles used to be acquired during “Nature Studies” in the primary, secondary and professional schools.  It was during these studies that climatic elements such as temperature, humidity, amount of rainfall, wind direction or cardinal direction of the wind, just to mention these few, were studied by the pupils and students alike at all the levels. In the implementation of such basic principles, future generations will be able to mitigate the consequences of climate change and adapt to changes in weather and seasons in every sphere of life. So, we on the Biya government to reintroduce these programmes in our educational system.

It is sad that today the CPDM obese Parliament blocked an SDF Private Member Bill on the protection of wetlands and water catchments only to turn around to pretend to be fighting against climate change. That is political demagogy.

Be that as it may, we call on the developed and industrialized countries whose attitudes and activities have depleted the ozone layer of the atmosphere and facilitated the conditions for climate change, to take their responsibilities to stop climate change. These countries have exhausted the tropical rainforests of the world through selfish and indiscriminate timber exploitation.

We call on them to repair the damage already caused by stopping indiscriminate forest exploitation and compensating for damage caused to the regions which are primary victims of such exploitation.  

The planting of trees should be devoid of politics. We have pretended for too long in the planting trees in our country; the facts are clear that there is nothing or very little to show for it. The desert continues to threaten the northern region of our country more than ever before.The SDF, therefore, proposes that for every tree cut, two or more of the same species be planted and for the northern region generalise and intensified tree planting should be the order of the day. In this wise, we call on the exploiters and the government of Cameroon to create tree nurseries of the exploited species and Sahel tested species to make planting and replanting possible.

Lodging, potable water, electricity, our roads and highways continue to pose a great challenge. Talking about our road infrastructure and transportation, this is a sector of our society that is devoid of policy, is destitute and has fallen into ruin.

The regime purports to spend colossal sums of money yearly on the maintenance and construction of roads but we do not have the roads. No sooner do the CPDM contractors leave the job site than pot holes start appearing and wind and rains start washing away the thin layers of poorly mixed tars and undrained earth roads. Road construction and transportation in general has been arrogated to the financing of the party in power. The only qualification to win a road construction contract, importation of transport equipment such as railway coaches and air planes in our country is to belong to the CPDM. Everything in this sector is done with nothing but political patronage.

  Our vision is to ensure sustainable maintenance of the road infrastructure with revenue derived from toll gates and weighing bridges. The Biya regime high jacked this vision, as it did with many other SDF visions,implemented it haphazardly with disastrous consequences leading to our roads becoming death traps and the funds derived from them being diverted into unwarranted and even destructive political ventures. We call on Cameroonians to dislodge all tollgates found on the dilapidated sectors of our road infrastructure and civil disobedience in the payment of tollgates by all road users until the roads are properly maintained.

It is very disturbing that roads are allowed to be damaged completely and then repair contracts are awarded to unscrupulous contractors and embezzlers of the regime in power. We shall not let gullies cut across our roads, take lives, destroy vehicles and paralyze economic activity.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The Social Democratic Front celebrated her silver Jubilee in 2015. Twenty five years of existence, Twenty five years of battle; Twenty five years being at the forefront of the fight for change in our country.

We have lived exciting and memorable moments together.Moments of communion, joy, happiness and pleasure as well as moments of crisis which we cannot overlook. That has been our political journey.At this point, it is an opportunity for each and every one of us to ask for pardon and to equally forgive others.

The dream of our fathers of independence and the founding fathers of the SDF has been to build a Democratic, modern, prosperous and peaceful Cameroon where every son and daughter will have equal rights and equal opportunities. It is against this backdrop that I wish you a happy and prosperous new year 2016

Long Live the SDF.Long live Cameroon.  May God bless us all!

Ni John FRU NDI

National Chairman

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

2018 Presidential: Elite(s) of the South Region Endorse Paul Biya

 The motion of support calling on President Biya to contest in the 2018 Presidential elections was published in Cameroon Tribune of January 12, 2016.

The motion of support which was signed by the elite of the region under the leadership of the Director of the Civil Cabinet of the Presidency of the Republic, Martin Belinga Eboutou, hsd been described by political analysts as a well calculated move for encourage the Head of State for future elections. In what some politicians have described as another People’s Call, elite of the South Region declared their unconditional support and loyalty to President. Speculations as to whether President Biya will still contest in the upcoming Presidential election have come to null after this motion of support was made public.

Newspaper reports have also indicated that the call is an indication that "Paul Biya will contest in the next presidential election." After his New Year message to the nation on Dec. 31, 2015, observers were very vocal that Paul Biya had indirectly officially launched his campaign for the presidential election scheduled in two years. This is so because President Biya in that message made some important announcements such as: lower fuel prices, increase in family allowances for workers, creating 337,660 jobs in 2015 etc.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Nigeria: How the Hard and Soft Copies of 2016 Budget (Document) Was Stolen Inside the National Assembly

The 2016 budget proposal submitted to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari last month, has been declared missing as new report suggests how it was stolen from the 3-arms zone.

President Buhari presenting the 2016 budget to the National Assembly

 An authoritative report by Premium Times, revealed that the hard and soft copies of the 2016 budget documents President Muhammadu Buhari handed over to the National Assembly on December 22, 2015 have been declared missing.

 Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, shocked lawmakers at a closed-door session, when he told them the budget documents had been stolen as the Nigerian Senate scheduled to commence deliberation on the proposed budget on Tuesday (today).

 The Chairman, Senate Committee of Appropriation, Danjuma Goje, was subsequently mandated to lead a search for the documents and liaise with the presidency, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, Ita Enang, and the National Planning Ministry on the matter.

 Sources disclosed to the publication said senators of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) accused the presidency of being behind the theft of the documents, an accusation rejected by their All Progressives Congress (APC) counterparts, saying it was too early to speculate.

 It was learnt that the Senators also resolved that the matter be kept under wraps, saying making it public could embarrass the presidency, the National Assembly and the entire country.

 Some lawmakers told a correspondent they are suspicious that the presidency might have colluded with the management of the National Assembly to quietly withdraw the documents after detecting some discrepancies in them.

 "Can you imagine this kind of national embarrassment?. Documents that were presented to us with fanfare have been stolen," one senator asked.

 It can be recalled that the President Muhammadu Buhari, on December 22, 2015, presented to lawmakers the the N6.08 trillion 2016 budget, as copies were not distributed to lawmakers before they proceeded on Christmas and New Year holidays.

 This new development of the missing budget drew speculations that the president had withdrawn the documents to enable him to correct some discrepancies, a claim the presidency and the National Planning Ministry denied.

 In the budget, capital expenditure was N1.8 trillion, marking a significant over 300 per cent increment from the 2015 buget of N557 billion.

 The spokesperson for the senate, Aliyu Abdullahi, could not been reached for comments, so also was Senator Goje, the chairman of the appropriation committee.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Messi Crowned World's Best Player

 Barcelona star, Lionel Messi, on Monday in Zurich, reclaimed the FIFA Ballon d'Or crown after beating team-mate, Neymar and Real Madrid superstar rival, Cristiano Ronaldo to the top gong.

Barcelona star Lionel Messi poses with the Ballon d'Or award after claiming the gong for the fifth time in his career 

 Argentina talisman and Barcelona superstar, Lionel Messi, was last night in Zurich, presented with the Ballon d’Or for the 5th time in his extraordinary career as the best player in the world.

 The greatest player of this generation was recognised by international captains, managers and journalists for his outstanding performances during 2015, when Barcelona became the first team to complete the treble of league, cup and Champions League for the second time.

 

Messi is congratulated by Barcelona team-mate and fellow finalist Neymar

 Portugal captain, Cristiano Ronaldo, came second after scoring 57 goals in as many games in 2015 - including a record 16 in the Champions League, but that was not enough to win him Ballon d'Or number four.

 Barcelona striker, Neymar, was the first Brazilian to finish in the top three since Kaka won the 2007 award. He scored 45 goals in 62 games and is joint top scorer in this season's La Liga with 15, level with team-mate Luis Suarez. 

Cristiano Ronaldo shakes the hand of winner Messi having missed out

 USA's World Cup-winning midfielder, Carli Lloyd, won the women's world player of the year award. She scored a hat-trick in the final against Japan, including a sensational strike from the halfway line, and earned the Golden Ball for best player in the tournament. 

 

Greatest players on the planet Ronaldo and Messi sit side-by-side ahead of the ceremony

 Messi, who was clearly overcome when presented with the award in Zurich’s Kongresshaus, said; "It is a very special moment for me to be back on this stage having watched Cristiano (Ronaldo) win it for the last two years.

It is incredible that it is my fifth Ballon d’Or, it is more than anything I could have dreamed of when I was a kid. I want to thank all my team-mates as without them none of this would be possible. I also want to thank football for everything, both the good and the bad. It has made me learn."

 

Messi smiles as Ronaldo greets his partner, Antonella Roccuzzo as Neymar looks on

 ALL THE WINNERS AT 2015 BALLON D'OR GALA

• Ballon d'Or: Lionel Messi
• Women's world player of the year: Carli Lloyd
• Puskas award: Wendell Lira
• World coach of the year for men's football: Luis Enrique
• World coach of the year for women's football: Jill Ellis
• World XI: Manuel Neuer; Thiago Silva, Marcelo, Sergio Ramos, Dani Alves; Andres Iniesta, Luka Modric, Paul Pogba; Neymar, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo.
• FIFA fair play award: All football organisations supporting refugees. 

L-R: Thiago Silva, Luka Modric Marcelo, Paul Pogba, Sergio Ramos, Neymar, Dani Alves, Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and Cristiano Ronaldo pose after being selected in FIFA's FIFPro World XI for 2015  

 Most Ballon d'Or wins 

• Lionel Messi 5
• Cristiano Ronaldo 3
• Marco van Basten 3
• Michel Platini 3
• Johan Cruyff 3

VOTING FOR THE BALLON d'OR

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

After Ebola, See the Two Other Tropical Diseases That Are Posing New and Alarming Threats to the World

 The world has had a hard time with the eruption of life-threatening diseases in the past decade and it would seem that the fearsome surge is not about to end.

 

A little-known bacterial disease may be killing as many people worldwide as measles, scientists said on Monday, while a mosquito-borne virus known as Zika is also raising global alarm.
The spread of Ebola in West Africa last year shows how poorly-understood diseases can emerge and grow rapidly while researchers race to design and conduct the scientific studies needed to combat them.
Researchers in the journal Nature Microbiology called for a bacterial infection called meliodosis, which is resistant to a wide range of antibiotics, to be given a higher priority by international health organizations and policy makers.
At the same time, scientists at Britain's Oxford University warned that a virus known as Zika, which is carried by mosquitoes and has caused a major outbreak in Brazil, has "the potential of rapid spread to new areas".
Zika was first detected in Africa in the 1940s and was unknown in the Americas until last year, but has now been confirmed in Brazil, Panama, Venezuela, El Salvador, Mexico, Suriname, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Guatemala and Paraguay, according to public health officials.
It is carried by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which thrives in tropical climates and can also carry other diseases such as yellow fever, dengue fever and chikungunya.
Thousands of people in Brazil have been infected by Zika. While the virus is not thought to kill, health authorities there last year linked it to a surge in babies born with microcephaly, restricted head growth that seriously limits a child's mental and physical abilities.
Trudie Lang, professor of Global Health Research at Oxford University, said Zika - for which there are currently no known treatments - was a cause for concern.
"It's definitely becoming an issue, but there is so little research that we just don't know the size of the potential threat," she told Reuters.
She urged the international research community to act now to learn more about the virus, about how it is spread, and about how scientists might develop a treatment or vaccine against it.
"We need to learn from what happened with Ebola," Lang said, referring to the devastating epidemic of that viral fever that swept through three countries in West Africa last year and caused more than 28,600 cases globally.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Goodluck Jonathan was Swindled Off Millions of Dollars by Fake Boko Haram Negotiators - Femi Adesina Reveals

 The Nigerian government has spoken out on why president Buhari is being careful with making moves for the release of the abducted Chibok girls.

Dr Goodluck Jonathan

The Federal Government through the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, has disclosed why President Muhammadu Buhari has been very careful on the negaotiation for the release of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls.
Femi Adesina, said the negotiators engaged by the Goodluck Jonathan administration turned the negotiations into a commercial venture running into millions of Naira, only for the government to discover it had been swindled.
“We need to know a little bit of what happened behind the scenes, between the last government and some people masquerading as the leadership of Boko Haram who wanted to get the Chibok girls released. They actually turned it into a franchise, it became a commercial thing and they got money, possibly in millions of dollars, only for government to discover it had been swindled.
"They kept saying they could get the girls released, they could interface with Boko Haram and they went smiling to the bank with all that money, and nothing happened.

 "So you should understand why this government is being careful and the President has said the genuineness of the leadership of Boko Haram must be determined before any negotiation takes place”.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

DasukiGate: PDP Challenges Jonathan to Speak on $2bn Arms Deal Saga

 The Peoples' Democratic Party has called on its former Presidential candidate, Goodluck jonathan to speak on the controversial $2bn Aarms deal that has rocked the nation's polity for months.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan

 The opposition Peoples Democratic Party has called on the immediate past president, Goodluck Jonathan to break his silence on the controversial $2.1bn fund meant for procurement of arms but was diverted to serve the personal interests of some influential persons in the country's polity.

The party stressed that  the controversy that has made headlines for months now should have stirred up a reaction from the former president.

 Alhaji Abdulahi Jalo, the deputy national publicity secretary of the PDP, appealed to the ex-president at a press briefing on Monday, January 11, in Abuja.

 Jalo said that Jonathan should clear the air and tell Nigerians whether he authorized the sharing of the money meant to fighting insurgency in the country. He also stressed that those who took part in the sharing of the money should refund it.

 “As all of you know, no single kobo can be spent by the federal government without an act of the National Assembly.

 “Money earmarked for arms purchase, some people diverted it to something else. So many people that you cannot even expect were involved. Now, darkness has come to light.

 “Jonathan is alive, he should clarify whether he asked the National Security Adviser to divert money meant to fight Boko Haram into his campaign.

 “I’m from the North-East and I know the terrible security situation our people are facing there. The money was meant to fight Boko Haram, and we all know that you can’t rule without peace. Now darkness has given way for the light.”

 “It was not only members of the PDP that shared the money; members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Accord Party and the Social Democratic Party, among others, also shared. At least, Chief Olu Falae is not a member of the PDP.

 “All of them should return the money. Then, (former) President Jonathan must speak on it. He is still alive. Has he ever said anything like this to Dasuki, ‘go and take from the money meant for the war against Boko Haram and share for my campaign’? It is time for him to speak up,” he said.

 The deputy national publicity secretary further recalled that the PDP held a fundraising dinner for Jonathan’s presidential campaign during which more than N20bn was realized. He challenged the beneficiaries of the money from Dasuki to explain how the party benefitted from such money.

 “We are not fools. Money meant for the party’s campaign was given to the chairman of our party. We had a dinner, where billions of money was realised and this money was for the campaign. We said so and Nigerians were aware.

 “We thank God that all those who took money used their private accounts and companies to get that. What has this got to do with the PDP?

 “Haliru Bello did a contract with the office of Sambo Dasuki to the tune of N600m with his company’s name, not PDP,” he noted.

 Speaking about Olisa Metuh, the national publicity secretary of the PDP, who has been recently taken to the custody by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Jalo said:

 “His company allegedly had transactions with the office of National Security Adviser. So, what is PDP’s business with that?

 “We want those people that have been accused to shed more light, whether they were given the money to campaign for Jonathan.

 “Did they bring the money to the party national secretariat? PDP has nothing to do with individuals that used their companies to do contracts with National Security Adviser.

 “Those who have been accused to have collected money from the office of the NSA should come and tell Nigerians how they used the money for the party.

 “PDP has no company. It is not a private company. It is a political party. Was this money paid into the party account? No. So, these people are ‘on their own’.”

 Jalo noted that all the recipients of the money from the office of the NSA must have asked where the money was coming from. Because of their ignorance all Nigerians are looking at every member of the PDP as criminals, he added.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Traditional Ruler Creates Own Church in Donga Mantung, Names it Lord Jesus Christ

HRH King Benchep Adamu Nfor

HRH King Benchep Adamu Nfor cum King of Binka village, in Donga Mantung Division of the North West Region has created his own church. The church which he said has been named Lord Jesus Christ Church is the first of its kind in the North West Region of Cameroon to be created by a traditional. When quizzed by this reporter whether he will be able to manage church activities and at the same time pour libations, King Benchep said that henceforth all libations in his palace are poured in the name of Jesus Christ and not in the name of the ancestors as had been the case before now. Harping on why he decided to create his own church, the King of Binka village said that the reason for the creation of the Lord Jesus Christ Church is to blend Christianity with tradition. “I will be able to know which aspects of tradition are bad and which ones are good. It will enable us to do away with the obnoxious part of tradition and keep the good ones”, he emphasized.

Created some few months ago, members of the Lord Jesus Christ Church Binka, are mostly the wives of the fon, his children, family members and friend. The church is located in the palace. The Green House of the Binka palace as observed has been transformed into a church. While traditionalists have frowned at Fon Benchep Adamu’s decision to create a religious outfit within a traditional setup, popular opinion in Donga Mantung Division is upholding his intention as innovative given that of late there have been several clashes between tradition and some denominations. Those who cherish tradition and Christianity have seen the Lord Jesus Christ Church as a savior especially in Mbum land. Though the congregation is still small, sources linked to the Binka palace hinted this reporter that new members keep trooping in every Sunday.  

It should be noted that King Benchep is a trained journalist of the University of Buea.   

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)